Well as suspected, i've been utterly rubbish at regularly posting. Probably just having too much fun over the summer. But the transition from summer to winter has clearly started. The nights are a wee bit darker, certainly windier and all I want to do is stay indoors.
So as Autumn creeps in, i'm starting a September to do list, mainly food orientated (surprise) but my thinking is if I put it in print, I might actually pull my finger out. So the list looks like this:
Make lavendar shortbread
Perfect stewing
Eat at 1 Castle Terrace
Get up to Anstruther for Fish & Chips
Cook a leg of lamb
Conquer the art of Duck Confit
Purchase raised beds and sow what little there is left to sow (and protect from frost).
I'll keep you updated!
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Keeping It Local
So we decided to boycot the Taste festival this year and do something a little more back to basics. We decided to take a trip to the East and visit the 3 Harbours Festival.
Running now for 2 years, it stemed from Edinburgh’s neighbouring coastal towns and a long-held tradition of making a living from the sea. We visted on Sunday, the weather wasn't bad, there was live music, an ale tent, arts, crafts, face painting, kite flying and best of all food.
The mussels were from Duck's At Kilspindie House but The Gothenburg, Bosai Edinburgh and the local fisherman were there aswell. I'd have tried more too if I hadn't devoured a full breakfast that very morning.
Running now for 2 years, it stemed from Edinburgh’s neighbouring coastal towns and a long-held tradition of making a living from the sea. We visted on Sunday, the weather wasn't bad, there was live music, an ale tent, arts, crafts, face painting, kite flying and best of all food.
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| Mussels with Wild Garlic, Samphire & Thistly Cross Cider |
I Love The Fat Duck
Well it’s been a bit of a super foodie week this week. I went to ‘The Fat Duck”. It was amazing and I’m not just saying that because you’re supposed to, but because it actually was.
I don’t eat in lots of three Michelin star restaurants, far from it but I’m not sure every three star michelin restaurant experience would be like this one.
At The Fat Duck they have an uncanny ability to make you feel at home, from the minute you walk in you feel at ease, they’re friendly, not something I expected and even when the theatre begins, it’s almost like it’s all a little tongue in cheek.
14 courses and I can could proudly recite all their ingredients, I listened, you’re literally told a story, you do listen because no one else in the country cooks and creates like he does so it’s the least you can do.
The best dish for me, was without a doubt the ‘Sounds of the Sea’, vegetable and seaweed foam – sea, tapioca and baby eel – sand, seaweed and sea pods, and the most mouth melting cured mackerel, yellowfin tuna and halibut. All raw and all an absolute delight and all eaten while listening to ‘the sounds of the sea’ through the ipod delivered to your table in a shell. The snail porridge is as good as reported, the Mock Turtle Soup a little weird but if I’m there, I’m eating it and I’m eating it all. The pigeon breast with blood pudding and confit of umbles was a treat for someone with a rich palate and adventurous tastes, but even as someone who will pretty much try anything, the pigeon heart is not something I would be in a hurry to try again.
I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and truly believe it was worth every penny. I even left full and a little pissed and a little further educated in the wonderful and weird world of Heston Blumenthal’s cooking and for that I am truly grateful.
I don’t eat in lots of three Michelin star restaurants, far from it but I’m not sure every three star michelin restaurant experience would be like this one.
At The Fat Duck they have an uncanny ability to make you feel at home, from the minute you walk in you feel at ease, they’re friendly, not something I expected and even when the theatre begins, it’s almost like it’s all a little tongue in cheek.
14 courses and I can could proudly recite all their ingredients, I listened, you’re literally told a story, you do listen because no one else in the country cooks and creates like he does so it’s the least you can do.
The best dish for me, was without a doubt the ‘Sounds of the Sea’, vegetable and seaweed foam – sea, tapioca and baby eel – sand, seaweed and sea pods, and the most mouth melting cured mackerel, yellowfin tuna and halibut. All raw and all an absolute delight and all eaten while listening to ‘the sounds of the sea’ through the ipod delivered to your table in a shell. The snail porridge is as good as reported, the Mock Turtle Soup a little weird but if I’m there, I’m eating it and I’m eating it all. The pigeon breast with blood pudding and confit of umbles was a treat for someone with a rich palate and adventurous tastes, but even as someone who will pretty much try anything, the pigeon heart is not something I would be in a hurry to try again.
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| Mock Turtle Soup (c.1850) |
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| Snail Porridge |
I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and truly believe it was worth every penny. I even left full and a little pissed and a little further educated in the wonderful and weird world of Heston Blumenthal’s cooking and for that I am truly grateful.
Thursday 13 May 2010
It's a Banana Bread kind of night!
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Banana Bread (makes one loaf tin full) adapted after much practice.
75g melted butter
55g golden caster sugar
55g demerara sugar
100g wholemeal flour
2tsp baking powder
2 eggs
4 super ripe bananas (mashed)
50g pecan (or any other nut)
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 170C or gas 4. Line a 450g loaf tin with baking sheets. Mix together the butter, sugars, flours, eggs and bananas. Add nuts of choice and pour into your tin.
Bake in the oven for an hour and you done. To check if ready, pierce a knife through the middle, it should come out clean when done. Easy!
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