Hot Cucumbers with Wet Garlic and Chilli

I don’t like to be rude but sometimes a cucumber can be a pain in the backside. What do you DO with it? Yes it’s very nice quartered and added to a salad; occasionally I go somewhat exotic and fork the edges of the cucumber before adding it, it's terribly exciting. I have wanted to try a chilled cucumber soup and also thin slices with a little salt, sugar and sherry vinegar but every so often I find myself simply wanting to use the cucumber for jousting. You may wonder why, if I have so many qualms with the cucumber, I keep on finding them in my fridge. When you get a vegetable box delivered it is inevitable that you will end up with things you always prepare the same way. Not anymore, my culinary cucumber monotony needed to be broken.

Grow Your Own Tomatoes with Heinz and a few other garden developments



I love this time of year; everything is happening and alive. Things are changing colour or from flower to fruit and there's nothing like watching that happen to something you've spent time nurturing. I have a few fruit trees which are easy because other than a quick drink in a particularly dry spell I just leave them to their own devices. It's only the birds and bugs I now have to find a way to deter from my booty.

A Trip to Yorkshire

Last year I wrote about a splendid trip to Brighton that I went on; this year I ventured up to Yorkshire to see what was happening up there. Apparently I drove right through the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle; I thought there might be a signpost or flashing lights or something but sadly not! The weather was typically British with some rain, a little wind and just enough sun. We stayed near a little village called Stamford Bridge which was our base to go out and visit: Harrogate, York and Whitby.

Coffee and Chocolate Shortbread

I have been meaning to make some shortbread for a while but things just seem to get in the way and before I know it I'm tucked up in bed thinking, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be shortbread day", it seemed to be a never ending cycle. However many things happen I always try to make time to bake a biscuit; there's nothing else that can fill the void like making a homemade treat. To bring about my biscuit making I set about creating a coffee chocolate shortbread.

Rhubarb, Honeycomb and Hazelnut Fool

It's that rhubarb time of year. A little later than last year but it's finally arrived and I am exceptionally pleased as it's one of my absolute favourite ingredients. I love the smell, texture, flavour and sourness and the fact that it can be pink, white, stripy, green, tall or stumpy. To me it's also a sign of changing seasons; its appearance in the garden and on market stalls tells me that there's plenty more to look forward to in the coming months.

Come and see me at some food demos!

It's food festival season! I am doing a few cooking demos this year, they all seem to be in June, so if you're around or would like to pop down/up it would be nice to say hello. See below for info and dates of the demos I'll be popping up at.

Eat Reading Live - Friday 7th June
http://issuu.com/readingukcic/docs/eatreading2013

Petersfield Food Festival - Sunday 16th June
http://petersfieldfoodfestival.com/

Newbury Food Festival - Sunday 30th June
http://www.newburyfoodfestival.co.uk/

Cocktail Making at Lola Lo Oxford

I enjoy watching people make cocktails. Particularly when it's an impressive display of throwing ingredients together and seemingly defying gravity. It's all quite spectacular but is only worthwhile if the finished drink tastes half decent. I've always wanted to give it a go; behind a bar, cocktail umbrellas at the ready, knowing what it is I'm meant to be doing. It's not quite the same mixing it up in your own kitchen so when Lola Lo asked if I wanted to try one of their master classes I couldn't say no.

Gin and Tonic Mini Jellies

I was never a fan of jelly and ice cream. I'm afraid that even when I was five I had standards and high expectations of jelly and ice cream that a children's party just could not match. I went off jelly after several wobbly strawberry attempts for many years. I tried it in trifle too (not for me) and it wasn't until I decided to make my own jelly that I appreciated just what a marvel it can be. Now I'm a grown up and I like jelly I've also realised I quite like gin. It's about time these two met each other.

Beetroot Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Goat's Cheese Giant Crostini

I was first introduced to beetroot in its pickled form. This was many years ago and I still enjoy a well vinegared beetroot very much. The first time I tried fresh beetroot I didn't like it; it was too earthy and nowhere near as acidic enough as I was used to. However my feelings towards this most purple of roots have changed over time and now it's one of my favourite vegetables. I like to think of this beetroot gratin as a celebration of beetroot; an impressive purple plate of pleasure.

The Living Room at Oxford

I like the size and feel of The Living Room; the long bar, the different seating areas, the grand piano. It’s a nice place to relax. The idea behind the new menu is all about presentation; quirky, unexpected or grand displays of food. It’s not very often I get a menu where I just can’t choose what to have. I wanted to try everything; buttermilk chicken wings, pulled pork burger, Moroccan lamb sandwich, ricotta and potato gnocchi to name a few. I thought the menu was well laid out, easy to navigate and extremely tempting.