December 28 2016
Maggie's Sparkling Chardonnay is a truly food friendly option for anyone wanting to avoid alcohol at this time of year, and we know all too well that the aftermath of Christmas celebrations can have us vehemently declaring our new year’s resolution to steer clear of the hard stuff. Plus, We think it's just as pretty as its counterpart when it's poured into a champagne flute! Just add a ripe cheese, some good quality sourdough bread, dukkah, and fruit paste and voila, that's New Year's Eve nibbles sorted!-MB Read the rest...
December 20 2016
The very best apricots will always be the tree-ripened fruit you pick yourself, but buying from a specialist greengrocer or farmer’s market that doesn’t refrigerate their fruit is the next best thing. Never squeeze apricots to check for ripeness, colour and, above all, fragrance should be your indicators. And you will know what I’m talking about when it comes to the aroma of a ripe apricot, there’s no mistaking it. I often have bowls of apricots in my kitchen instead of Summer flowers, their perfume is so intense. -MB Read the rest...
December 13 2016
Cucumbers are perfectly timed for their regular appearances across Summer, making a great addition to a simple salad, used as an essential part of crudites, or grated into a thick set yoghurt for a more traditionally Greek take on things, but it’s quite a rare occasion when a recipe really makes cucumbers the star of the dish and I’ve often wondered if that’s because the cucumbers that eventually make their way onto our plates via transport and storage aren’t a pinch on what comes out of a home garden. The difference with a homegrown cucumber, besides the unparalleled freshness, is the water content is at its maximum when just picked and that makes for the very best crunch, and flavour - well worth any gardener’s effort to have on hand in the heat of Summer. -MB Read the rest...
December 10 2016
When it comes to any fruit, my catch-cry is always to trust my nose and wait for the fruit to be perfumed, then flavour will follow. I can’t remember how long I have been on my soapbox about this but I do know it was a batch of ‘beautiful looking’ apricots that got me on that box in the first place. I remember being seduced by the first apricots of the season, large and deep orange, only to discover when my jam making was done, that apricots picked under ripe will still develop colour but only a smidgeon of flavour, and I had no choice but to throw my efforts away. It was then and there I made a mental note to myself never to base my choice of soft fruit on appearance alone, it absolutely must smell deliciously ripe! -MB Read the rest...
December 08 2016
I always love making things from scratch, especially for Christmas, and so when I’m setting out to make my own mayonnaise, I’m already planning what I’ll do with the leftover egg whites. Pavlova! Pavlova was the first dessert I ever made whilst still in my teens, and today I still love it, although my tastes have become more ‘grown up’ as I often mix some creme fraiche into the whipped cream to add a little tang. My pavlova will be part of our Christmas Day lunch, but to start I’m thinking of Avocado & Verjuice Jellies, such a fresh flavoured beginning, and easy because they can be made ahead of time. To make good use of my homemade mayonnaise; Kingfish Sashimi, another great make ahead option. Then we’ll have our traditional Goose with Apple, Onion and Sage Stuffing, and perhaps a Glazed Ham too depending on how many of us will be at the table. I love having a decadent choice of side dishes, so I’ll do my Christmas Salad of mango, avocado, rocket and papaya, a big bowl of freshly steamed green beans with lashings of butter, and roasted potatoes are a must, with lots of herbs and plenty of extra virgin olive oil. Along with the pavlova will be Christmas Pudding and Brandy Butter, but we all know even as I put it out, that dessert will be pushed back well into the evening, if at all, and the pudding will most likely become a treat for Boxing Day with a pot of tea. -MB Read the rest...
