Tag Archives: Food

Aug15

Sunday splendour

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Sunday splendour

I made this cake yesterday as more of a procrastination tool… based on an American recipe, I’ve altered a few elements with great success. The dash of ground cloves gives this buttery orange cake deep flavour, the sour cream means the sponge stays really moist and the off hit of zingy cranberry really makes this a delicious tea time cake.
A few folk requested the recipe, so here it is!

Spiced Orange and Cranberry Drizzle cake

170g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp ground cloves

120ml sour cream

2 lg eggs

120ml orange juice

1tsp vanilla extract

115g  softened butter

150g  caster sugar

1tbsp grated orange zest

100g dried cranberries, (soaked in a little boiling water)

 200g Icing Sugar

2 tsp orange zest

75ml orange juice.

  1.  Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas4. Grease and line a 20cm round tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves in a medium bowl. Combine the sour cream, eggs , vanilla and orange juice in another bowl.
  2.  Beat the softened butter and sugar in a mixer until white and fluffy  – being sure to scrape down the edges every so often to combine all raw ingredients.Then add half the egg mix and half flour mix, and combine slowly. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining dry and wet mix. Stir in the strained cranberries
  3. Bake in the middle part of the oven for 45-50 mins,, until golden and cooked throughout. Let the cake cool for 15 mins and place of a cooling rack.
  4. Sift the icing sugar, then add the juice and zest. While the cake is still warm insert a skewer ino the sponge and pour over the icing. When the icing is set slice and devour!
Jul28

Pizza in the woods

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Pizza in the woods

We arrived in Somerset late thursday evening and after a good walk around Taunton on friday , My mum took us to a place in the middle of Somerset, home to a friend and her family.

They own an extensive space high up in the woods with incredible green views: where they live, work and entertain. Recently they built a wood fired bread oven in an outhouse, which set them up as fully functioning bakers.

When first lighing the oven the temperature is too high for loafs of bread, however pizza on the other hand bakes beautifully! So its become custom to have a big group of folk over the enjoy the fruits of the hot oven.

The place was very busy so we ordered a pizza each and pulled up a few chairs by the fire with a bottle of wine and rugs for the knees. Tom ordered the meat option, I had the anchovy and caper, mum had an aubergine and spinach. Luckily the rain held out for the next surprise as right beside us, a makeshift stage had been constructed in front of a clapped out caravan and leafy backdrop. We were in store for a real treat, a local skiffle band had been drafted in to fend off the grey clouds and bring some Tennessee warmth to the occasion, for the perfect summer evening fire side amongst the trees.

I’m not going to give this little secret away, but I can tell you it’s the best pizza I’ve had in a long while. The hosts were fantastic and the company exceptional especially with the inclusion of the band.

I wish Katie, Gordon and co all the best and hope to see them next time we are in the south west.


					


	

		


	
Jul20

	

					
Takeaway at Ottolenghi in Islington, London

		
		

			
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Takeaway at Ottolenghi in Islington, London


	

				
Now, this isn’t a restaurant type review of sorts because we needed to get something quick to takeaway and Jo’s been eyeing this place up for AGES!


Many may be aware of the name and ethos of the place, as well as Mr Ottolenghi’s columns within the Guardian. I can vouch for it all, because we had the best “little” salad box on Islington green ever.


It's only veg, what you getting excited about?


Now there are meaty options available, but we didn’t feel like it. Besides we eat way too much meat in this country anyway. This box had it all though, sweet, savoury and spice with everything seemingly made up five minutes before we shoved it in out faces.


Their coffee, from Monmouth was great too. Which it should be.

					


	

		


	
Jul19

	

					
Criterion Restaurant in Piccadilly London

		
		

			
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Criterion Restaurant in Piccadilly London


	

				
During our meal with Lunita, (Jo’s surrogate godmother) the previous evening, she suggested that we have lunch at the Criterion in Piccadilly. Seeing as we we’re going to be in the part of town visiting the BP portrait exhibition we thought we’d give it go.


Wow, ornate isn’t the word and the website blurb definitely lives up to its claims, however it did feel a little stuffy. Once we were seated we went through the set lunch menu, which on reflection was a bargain.


Criterion, Piccadilly London


Jo had a mini duck eggs benedict (with ums and ahs) and i had beef carpaccio, (more um, than ahs). Following that was salmon and samphire and a pork chop and mash for me and they both were great. However the chop was HUGE, to the point that i was violently shaking the table to cut through it and all this at lunch!


Where i think the meal excelled though was with the deserts. Jo had a lovely chocolate brownie, baked like a gold bar with great home made ice cream and a blackberry compote. I went for a gooseberry fool filled brandy snap and espresso, which i must add was very good. Good coffee gets overlooked in far too many places in my opinion.


Dessert at the Criterion


I’ll be going back again, but i’ll leave me trainers and jeans at home.

					


	

		


	
Jul18

	

					
Rodízio Rico in Islington

		
		

			
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Rodízio Rico in Islington


	

				
On the recent positive write-up by the london foodie, i decided to take Jo and her surrogate Aunt out to a churrascaria type place around the corner from where we were staying in Islington.


This Brazilian way of eating out is something I’m familiar with but haven’t had the opportunity to experience. After the ladies had ordered some cocktails and me a Sagres Bohemia! ( an amber coloured portuguese beer), we grabbed a plate at the buffet counter.


In terms of service, the intention is to help yourself to salads and cold/hot sides at a buffet style island. When back at your table a round card is given to you with red and green coloured sides. The reason for this addition was explained to us by a very sweet lad who clearly hadn’t been working there long. When you’ve had enough meat, turn it over to red. If you want more, turn it over to green. Servers then proceed to go round to each table with skewers of barbecued meats.


The different types of charcoal cooked meats on offer were grandiose, with different cuts of beef, pork, poultry and offal. I particularly liked the chicken hearts and the pork loin, however i’ve never seen beef brisket done in such a way on the barbecue, which meant it was far too rare and chewy for my liking!


After getting through mounds of lovely meat we took a breather before ordering desert. A little wooden trolley got wheeled over with plastic versions of everything on offer (ace!). Having  ”eyes bigger than my belly”, i went for a baked custard desert with caramel, similar to a crème caramel but massive.


A great evening was had by all, but if you do find yourselves in this kind of place then please pace yourself, i felt really wrong the next day but that was my own doing.


(Worth it though!)