Last minute Christmas cake recipe
Over the years we have tried various Christmas cake recipes but the best by far was the one that we made last year, a week before Christmas. We wanted a cake packed with fruit but not a dark heavy traditional type of Christmas cake. We’d had to force down too many slices of these in the past. My Mother used to make us these and bring one each Christmas. Then she decided to buy them. These were worse and not disguised by being fed with lashings of brandy. We’d cut a few slices at Christmas, give her half the cake to take home at the...
read moreHomemade Christmas marmalade with whisky
Last year I happened to meet someone who supplies citrus fruits to one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK. “How come their fruit and vegetables don’t last as long as those from Waitrose and M&S?” “Ah,” he said, “it’s all a matter of storage temperature. They keep the produce in vast stores with the temperature set very, very low. This means that they can store perishables for a considerable time. Once they come to room temperature they will fade far more quickly.” Fascinating stuff. The temperature in our barn...
read moreHappy Christmas everyone
There are always a few last minute visits for me on Christmas Eve. And this is fine. They are generally bookings for the New Year and a few that need to be tackled over the holiday. I really wanted to be home by three o’clock when the live carols from King’s College (Cambridge) started on the radio. I reversed in with seconds to spare. I heard the opening words of the first carol. “Once in Royal David’s City stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed“ and suddenly it was Christmas for me. Then I...
read moreRed Pepper and Chilli Jam Recipe
Image – Red Pepper Garlic and Chilli Jam When I visit Seraphina on the Isle of Wight I always fit in a trip to The Garlic Farm. They have a good restaurant and a wonderful little shop packed full of foodie delights, and of course garlic in all its forms. This is where I had my first taste of their Red Pepper, Garlic and Chilli Jam. I put two jars straight in my basket. My Red Pepper, Garlic and Chilli Jam is inspired by their delicious savoury jam. It is such a versatile preserve – spread on oatcakes with a little cheese on...
read moreSam Raithatha’s gently spiced rice (for three)
Danny snaked back from the post run last night holding a Waitrose curry aloft. Like the Olympic torch. “£3.99 down to £1.49. We couldn’t make it for that price,” he beamed. Danny is a chicken Korma sort of guy. He doesn’t like hot, spicy food. “But you only eat mild curries and this is a Vindaloo – look, it’s got a 3 chilli rating.” “Oh.” “Never mind. I’ll whistle up some dishes that will cool down the heat. And we can try Sam’s rice dish.” Apart from having healing hands in common, both Sam and I adore food...
read moreFermented sloe gin recipe: a new approach to making sloe gin
I don’t know whether you saw Colin Boswell’s comment on “The Great Sloe Gin Challenge – Three variations of our sloe gin recipe”. He outlined a method of making sloe gin by fermenting the sloes first and then adding the gin to the liquor. Having been brought up on traditional sloe gin recipes his comment was a revelation. I love sloe gin and like most other sloe gin makers am keen to make a great brew. I hate to admit it but it would be great to impress my liqueur making guru, Gilbert. This recipe gives me the...
read moreHow I learnt to cook (part two) and two baked egg recipes (hidden in the text)
This is the second half of my entry for the Waitrose cookery writer’s competition. You can read the first half here. I didn’t win but had loads of fun writing the entry and spent many happy hours dreaming about winning. All events are true only the names have been changed. One glorious night I cooked a perfect soufflé. Smart Wife tasted it gingerly. “Why this is really good.” She observed me over the horn rims. “Have you made soufflé before?” “Never.” Honest at last. “Finally we can...
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