Cook With Gin At Home This World Gin Day

Saturday 10th June is World Gin Day and, as much as I love red wine, even I have succumbed to the lure of the Hendricks and the refreshing hit of ice cold tonic. (Other gins are available!)

Time was, you had a choice of one or two gins at your local. These days it's the norm to find an ever lengthening row of gin bottles with all sorts of quirky names.


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It's fair to say that gin has long since lost its nickname of 'mother's ruin', although it does seem to be a standard reference in many a mummy blog.

Gin is a spirit which gets its predominant flavour from Juniper berries and was apparently used as a kind of herbal medicine in the past. But whilst it is a staple of many a tonic based drink and a cocktail, how many of us have tried cooking with it?

Steve Smith, Head Chef at the Michelin starred Bohemia Bar & Restaurant in the heart of Jersey insists it’s time we lay off the G&T’s and instead bring the spirit to the boil with some gin-centric dishes inspired by the restaurant's new summer menu.



Here are Steve's suggestions which you can adapt and try at home.

Gin + Fresh Water Fish

The flavor of gin marries perfectly with fresh water fish, in particular salmon. When preparing, ensure the gin marinates into the fish by chilling in the fridge for at least 45 minutes before cooking. We serve our gin and salmon dish with cucumber and horseradish at Bohemia, which complements the fish perfectly.

Gin + Vegetables

While many serve their G+T’s with cucumber, sprigs of asparagus also serve as a tasty garnish. Why not turn this into a delectable dish and serve gin infused asparagus alongside a summer salad? Add ginger syrup and lemon juice for an extra zing.

Gin + Shellfish

Gin and oysters are the ultimate extravagant flavour combination, guaranteed to impress even the most refined of diners. Simple pour gin and tonic over oysters, then season with lemon zest and a pinch of salt. The restaurant will be serving their own gin and oyster dish this summer, which will arrive to the table in the form of ice-cream!

Gin + Desserts

The options are endless when it comes to pleasing the sweet-toothed. Try a gin and tonic tart, gin and tonic cupcake or even a refreshing gin and tonic sorbet for summer. Furthermore, almost any dessert can be topped with an adults-only gin and tonic syrup made by combining caster sugar, tonic water and lemon juice in a saucepan over a low heat and adding a splash of gin and juniper berries.

Gin and Matcha

Fear not health enthusiasts - superfoods are not out of bounds. Gin and matcha is a great food marriage and you can make a simple gin and matcha cocktail at home, with a tablespoon of Sweet Matcha Powder, lime juice, London Dry Gin and ice.

Will you be giving any of these a try?  

For more information visit www.bohemiajersey.com or for reservations call 01534 880 588.

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How Has Your Kitchen Changed Through The Decades? Prestige know.

I always think that the kitchen is the heart of the home and, if you're lucky, you have enough room in yours for a table to eat at.

The Husband's curry night - unheard of when I was growing up

It seems, however, that fewer families are eating together or even sitting down to three regular meals a day.  We are becoming a nation of grazers - and that's a shame because if we don't sit down to eat together we lose more than just the chance of a decent meal.

We miss conversation, sharing and the chance to bond and grow together as a family.

Back in April 2015, a study commissioned by Highland Spring into family life discovered that 25% of parents spent just 34 minutes with their kids each day. Six in ten parents said they struggled to get the whole family together and just four meals a week were eaten as a group.  And usually, the kids can't wait to get back to their gadgets these days, can they?

Caitlin helping me bake a cake earlier this year

Not only that, but despite the huge numbers of TV cookery shows, we are cooking less too.  It's all too easy to rely on the popty ping (microwave) as we call it here in Wales.

A study by market research institute GFK in the same year asked more than 27,000 people between the ages of 15 and 60 (from 22 countries) about their home cooking habits. Whilst India was the nation creating the most meals from scratch spending over 13 hours per week cooking, we Brits managed a below average 5.9 hours a week in the kitchen.

Cooking certainly seemed to play a much more important role in family life in previous decades. Our kitchen has always been my mother's domain and as a child of the 60's I grew up on casseroles, pilafs, kedgerees and desserts like Symington's Table Creams, Creme Caramel, Angel Delight, Instant Whip and Dream Topping (all healthy stuff!).

Cheesecakes used to be made with a McVities Digestive Biscuit base, about a foot of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and a tin of black cherries poured on top.

Kitchens very much reflect the trends in cooking don't they?  Nobody had heard of a spiraliser back in the 70's and courgettes were strange relatives of the cucumber to be sliced, covered in salt and olive oil and fried.  The same with tagines or those enormous Parmesan graters - unknown in the majority of British households.  And, as Peter Kay once said "Garlic bread? It's the future.  I've tasted it!"

Prestige have prepared their own homage to the changing face of the nation's kitchens with a fun interactive timeline which revisits the kitchens of decades gone by. You'll see when key innovations such as the microwave or pressure cooker made their first appearance. The timeline can be viewed here http://kitchensthroughthedecades.prestige.co.uk/.

Take a look and take yourself back down memory lane (even my favourite Pot Noodles make an appearance).

Then, why not commit to a family midweek dinner.  Get your Prestige cookware or bakeware out and relive some of your past food favourites.

A look back at Kitchen Design by Decade has been produced by Prestige.

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Interesting Ingredients With Incredible Health Benefits!

We all know the benefits of eating the right foods. They help you to maintain a healthy weight, protect you from diseases and improve your appearance by giving you healthy hair, skin and nails. They generally keep our bodies running at their best and provide us with everything we need to grow, repair and thrive.



Photo source

Eating a rainbow of healthy fruit and veg, whole grains and lean protein will generally do the trick- however, you can take it a step further by adding ‘superfoods’ to your diet. These come under the radar every now and again and are hailed by health buffs- generally, they’re ingredients which have been used across the globe for both food and medicine for centuries. 

Now that health food shops and even supermarkets give us access to all kinds of weird and wonderful ingredients, it’s worth getting on board and giving some a try! Here are some unusual yet very healthy foods to add to your diet.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds, the seeds from a flowering plant in the mint family, have become one of the most popular superfoods in the health food industry. Thought to have been eaten by Aztec warriors in ancient Mexico to give them strength, energy, and endurance. Eating chia seeds has a number of incredible benefits. They can improve digestion, promote healthy skin (and reduce the signs of aging), help to build healthy bones and muscles and in some cases even heal diabetes. They’re full of fibre, are a good source of non-animal protein, omega 3 and 6, and calcium. There are tonnes of antioxidants and micronutrients which all help to support the body’s functions. 

You can add chia seeds to smoothies, cereal or yoghurt, if you’re not keen on the slight crunch then grind them in a pestle and mortar first. They have a non-offensive taste a little like poppy seeds, but you only need a small amount and added to other breakfast foods you won’t even notice they’re there. An easy way to add a huge boost of nutrition to your diet.

Wheatgrass

Ever wondered what the healthiest fruit, vegetable or herb you could possibly eat is? According to scientists and nutritionists, it’s wheatgrass. This is the young grass of the wheat plant, and contains every vitamin and mineral you could possibly imagine. It can heal your body and is said to be one of the greatest food healers known to man. Due to being an excellent source of living chlorophyll, it can clean and build the blood and reduce unfriendly bacteria in the body. 

You can get wheatgrass in tablet or powder form where it’s been dried and rehydrated. This is useful as it can be added easily to smoothies and other dishes. You can also buy the living grass which can be juiced and drank daily as a shot. If you’re looking to try just one superfood, wheatgrass is an excellent contender!

Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil is pretty gruesome, it's exactly what it sounds like. The oil pressed from the liver of a cod. However, if you can get your head around it, it will provide you with some awesome health benefits. It’s high in vitamins A and D, plus omega 3 fatty acids. These can help to reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, dementia, depression, and arthritis.

Green Tea

Green tea is the healthiest beverage on earth- as well as gulping plenty of water during the day making up a big pot of green tea will do you wonders. It’s packed full of antioxidants which fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals come from things like chemicals in our diet and pollution, and cause damage from aging skin to cancers. So neutralising them is a smart move. 

Green tea can also help to decrease body fat, especially in the abdominal area which is a particularly dangerous area to carry weight. It can boost metabolism, with numerous studies showing excellent results. Nutritional cleanses such as Isagenix are also useful if you’re looking to reduce body fat, and you can drink green tea while you’re on them to help boost your results. 

Photo source

Kelp

You heard that right- kelp is a superfood! Not just for fish to nibble on, it’s extremely good for us too. While brown algae isn’t the most appetising looking food, it can be bought in powder or tablet form. You can even buy things like pre-made kelp noodles made with it making it easy to consume. It contains a wide variety of unique minerals from Iodine and underwater antioxidants, iron, folate, and vitamin K. 

Another thing to note is that it also contains the highest natural concentration of calcium of any food. Great if you don’t consume dairy as it’s a fantastic form of calcium that’s 100% vegan.

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Review: The Super Lunch Menu at Jamie's Italian Restaurant, Cardiff

Readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of Jamie's Italian and, in fact, was lucky enough to meet Gennaro Contaldo for a pasta masterclass a couple of years ago.

The Husband, sadly, remains unimpressed with my cooking prowess so taking him out to lunch to try Jamie's new Super Lunch Menu at their invitation was not too difficult.

What I really like about Jamie's Italian restaurants is that there is no 'chain' feel and you can watch your food being prepared so you know it's fresh.

There is always an interesting selection of specials which seem to experiment with tastes and textures in a way that always seems far more creative to me than just relying on popular combinations.

Pasta is freshly made on site and the general vibe of the restaurant is always relaxed but buzzing with a huge bar area and a cocktail menu.  Gennaro, it transpires, has now turned his hand to Mojitos.

Jamie's Italian Cardiff

The new Super Lunch Menu distills all this into a bargain £11.95 for two courses and £13.95 for three courses.  It's more than a taster menu but a little less than the large portions which leave you stuffed and unproductive on your return to the office.

Jamie's Cardiff

The Super Lunch Menu is available from Monday to Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm.

I'm more of a main and dessert girl so the Husband 'volunteered' to share a starter with me. Tempted both by the simplicity of the Tomato Bruschetta (slow roasted cherry tomatoes, whipped ricotta, basil & virgin olive oil) and the warmth of the Pea & Mint Soup (blitzed up pea & mint soup with a dollop of organic yoghurt, lemon zest and freshly baked foccacia), we settled on Silky Pate Bruschetta (Italian chicken-liver pate, pancetta, vin santo & Parmesan).

Our starter - Silky Pate Bruschetta

This was almost too pretty to eat.  The bruschetta had just the right level of crunch, whilst the pate melted in the mouth.  The portion size was generous too.

The Husband chose 'Nduja Rigatoni for his main course.  This was freshly made pasta with a spicy tomato and Cobble Lane 'nduja sauce with sprouting broccoli and cherry tomatoes, with aged Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil.

'Nduja Rigatoni Main Course

Nduja is a Calabrian sausage traditionally made from pork trimmings. Today it is made with pork fat, spices, herbs and spicy Calabrian peppers which give a chilli type heat and a particular red colour.

The Husband found the dish to be extremely tasty with the Nduja sauce adding a gentle but not over-powering heat.

I chose Gennaro's Chicken Club, brioche stuffed with chargrilled, marinated free-range chicken, crispy pancetta, spicy ‘nduja mayo, fontal cheese, tomato & rocket. Now I won't fib, I was hoping for some fries with it but it was a very generous portion and it didn't really need these.

Again, the 'nduja mayo added a very gentle spicy heat to the dish.

Gennaro's Chicken Club

Then it was time to share a dessert and although I was tempted by Jamie's Favourite Lemon Polenta Cake with 'summer berry rippled creme fraiche and lemon zest',  the Husband hinted largely about the Tiramisu, classic coffee flavoured sponge with Marscarpone and chocolate.

This was lovely, generously sized, soaked through with a good strong coffee and a lovely citrus tang from the orange zest sprinkled on top with the chocolate.

Jamie's Tiramisu

We thought the price of the Super Lunch Menu was excellent value with fresh, tasty food just a little bit different from the usual lunchtime fare.  There are also clearly marked vegetarian, vegan, dairy and gluten free menu options to choose from.

Whilst it was a bit of a luxury to be child free, with Whitsun week approaching, Jamie's Italian have a good kids' menu with not a fishfinger or baked bean in sight. I'm not sure what Ieuan would make of that but I think he could be persuaded to try the Baby Organic Beef Burger.  Caitlin has always loved her pasta so Organic Mini Spaghetti & Meatballs will keep her happy.

You can find out more at www.jamieoliver.com/italian/restaurants/cardiff, Facebook or Twitter.  

*We tried the Super Lunch Menu as guests of Jamie's Italian.  All opinions are our own.

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Quick and easy mid-week lunch ideas when the kids are at home

The summer holidays are fast approaching and while the idea of six weeks free from school runs, after school activities and ferrying Caitlin and Ieuan back and forth to their various engagements is appealing, I have to find fun activities to stop them crawling the walls and coax them away from their beloved iPads.

The holidays also mean I need to whizz up extra lunches mid-week, which got me thinking – let’s find some quick and easy lunch ideas that the kids can get involved in too. Children love getting dirty in the kitchen and gain a real sense of responsibility and pride when they tuck into their produce, plus it’s something we can do together. Check out our favourite fast but healthy meal ideas we’ll be creating over the holidays.

Homemade baked beans on toast

Baked beans are a British staple and homemade ones are so much more delicious than the tinned variety, as well as being simple to make. Toast a slice of your favourite freshly baked bread, cover with lashings of butter et voila. Lunch is served.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 garlic clove
2 x 400 g tins of beans (borlotti, kidney, black eyed)
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar

Method:
Soften the onion and pepper in a splash of olive oil before adding the garlic. Add your chosen beans and chopped tomatoes to the pan and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Season with a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Homemade beef burgers and chips

Everyone craves comfort food from time to time and burgers and chips are a real family favourite in our household. Homemade burgers beat shop bought ones every time –they’re easy to make and can easily be freezed before cooking should you have leftover mixture. Team with some crispy sweet potato fries and serve with a fresh, green salad.

Ingredients:
400g premium lean beef mince
1 clove garlic
1/2 medium red onion
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
McCain Sweet Potato Fries
Salad to garnish

Method:
Combine the minced beef and garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Form into four 1cm thick patties and grill for five minutes on each side. Meanwhile thinly slice the onion, sprinkle with oregano and grill until slightly brown. Place the patties in bread rolls and top with the onion, adding fries and salad on the side.

Falafel wraps

Falafel make for really healthy and tasty fast food, packed with protein and lots of exciting flavours. Serve with soft tortilla bread and load up your homemade wraps with charred veggies, salsa and hummous.

Ingredients:
1 x 400 g tin of mixed beans
1 x 400 g tin of chickpeas
1 lemon
1 tablespoon harissa
1 heaped teaspoon allspice
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
1 bunch of fresh coriander

Method: Drain the chickpeas and beans and place them in a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Blitz until smooth before removing the mixture and shaping into around eight patties about 1.5 cm thick. Fry the falafel in a little olive oil until golden brown and crispy and then get busy loading up your wraps with your chosen fillings.



Macaroni cheese
Macaroni cheese is a super easy and budget friendly meal, perfect for hungry teenagers and parents alike. Smooth and creamy, this is a big hit with the little ones too. Again, if you make too much, this dish can easily be frozen and reheated later in the week.

Ingredients:
250g macaroni
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plain flour
450ml milk
180g Cathedral City Mature Cheddar (grated)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp mustard powder

Method:
Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, drain and place to the side. On a low heat, melt the butter and add the plain flour, black pepper and mustard powder, stirring all the time. Add the milk a little at a time using a whisk to prevent lumps and bring to the boil to thicken the sauce. Add a big handful of grated cheese before mixing in the drained pasta. Place in a large oven proof dish, sprinkle with more cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 180C and voila, lunch is served!

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Love French Cheese & Honey? 4 Fab Recipes To Try!

Today I have 4 fabulous recipes for you featuring yummy Le Rustique Brie de Caractère and Le Rustique Camembert (famously wrapped in its red and white Gingham cloth), all created by food blogger Lavender & Lovage.

Cheese and honey is a unique food pairing, so it is essential to create just the right balance between the two in order to avoid overwhelming our palates.

These recipes demonstrate the versitility of Le Rustique's Camembert and Brie and would be ideal for sharing and taking on picnics.

The recipes are:-

· Le Rustique Camembert and Apple Scones with Honey Butter
· Le Rustique Camembert and Hazelnut Parcels with Quick Fruit and Honey Chutney
· Le Rustique Camembert “Scotch Eggs” Two Ways with Honey and Mustard Dip
· Le Rustique Brie de Caractère Tartlets with Honey Onion Relish

and you can find all of them below.

Le Rustique Camembert and Apple Scones with Honey Butter

These scones are on the table in less than half an hour and are perfect when served with honey butter. Why not also serve as part of an afternoon tea or as an accompaniment to soups, stews or casseroles, or even as part of a “Ploughman’s Lunch”. 

Makes: 10-12 medium scones / 18-20 mini scones
Prep time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 10-12 mins

Ingredients:

Honey butter:

5 tbsp runny honey (flower or lavender honey)
150g unsalted butter

Scones:

450g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
100g butter, cut into small pieces
100g Le Rustique Camembert, diced
1 small eating apple, peeled, cored and very finely diced or grated
300ml milk mixed with 1 large beaten egg
Poppy seeds

Method:

1. To make the honey butter: beat the honey and the butter with a hand-held electric whisk until light and fluffy. Set to one side until needed.

2. Pre-heat oven to 220C/450F/Gas mark 7 and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and then rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs.

4. Stir in the Le Rustique Camembert and apple and add just enough of the milk and egg mixture to make a soft dough, it should not be too sticky. Reserve the remaining milk and egg mixture for the glaze.

5. Gather into a ball and place in a floured work surface; roll out gently to a thickness of about 2cm and stamp out the scones with a 5cm scone cutter. Gather together all the offcuts and continue to stamp out scones until all the dough is used up.

6. Place the scones onto the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the egg and milk mixture before scattering some poppy seeds over the top.

7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are well risen and golden brown.

8. Cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before serving warm with the honey butter.


Le Rustique Camembert and Hazelnut Parcels with Quick Fruit and Honey Chutney

You can use ready-made puff pastry for these delicious Le Rustique Camembert and Hazelnut Parcels which are perfect for an easy mid-week family supper, or for a lazy Saturday lunch. Shallots and hazelnuts are gently fried in a little olive oil for a tasty twist to compliment the Camembert; the fruit and honey chutney is the final “pièce de résistance” for these flaky cheese pies, which cuts through the richness of the filling.

Makes: 4 parcels for a main meal / 8 to 10 mini parcels
Prep time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 12-15 mins

Ingredients:

Fruit and Honey Chutney:

500g apples and pears, cored and finely diced (no need to peel)
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
50g sultanas
½ tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp salt
120ml runny honey (Acacia honey)
150ml cider apple vinegar

Parcels:

1 tbsp olive oil
40g hazelnuts, crushed
2 to 3 shallots, or half a red onion, peeled and finely diced
500g block ready-made puff pastry
1 x 250g Le Rustique Camembert, cut into 4 pieces
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 egg, beaten

Method:
1. To make the chutney: place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and simmer over a medium to low heat for about 30 to 45 minutes, until the fruit is cooked and there is no liquid left – stirring all the time. Set to one side to cool and thicken once cooked.

2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the crushed hazelnuts and the shallots/onion; fry them over a medium heat until the shallots/onion are soft and the nuts are toasted. Set to one side.

3. Pre-heat oven to 220C/450F/Gas mark 7 and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

4. Cut the pastry block into 4 and place them on a floured work surface, roll each piece out into a square, about 15cm x 15cm. Divide the hazelnut and shallots/onion mixture between the 4 pastry squares.

5. Cut Le Rustique Camembert into thick slices and place on top of the mixture and then bring the corners up to the middle of the parcel, securing the pastry in the middle with the fresh rosemary sprigs. Place the parcels on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Brush the beaten egg over the tops of the parcels and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry has risen and the parcels are golden brown.

7. Serve immediately with the fruit and honey chutney, and salad for a light luncheon or supper dish.

Le Rustique Camembert “Scotch Eggs” Two Ways with Honey and Mustard Dip

These delicious “Scotch Eggs” hide a cheesy secret inside! Two delicious flavours, herby pork sausage meat and black pudding, each wrapped around a cube of Le Rustique Camembert which after being deep-fried ooze seductively. Dunk these into a tangy, sweet honey and mustard dip for a truly cheesy treat.

Makes: 12
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

“Scotch Eggs”:

x6 (400g) high meat content herb pork sausages, skinned
x6 (400g) black puddings, skinned
250g box Le Rustique Camembert, cut into 12 cubes
2 eggs, beaten
50g to 75g fine bread crumbs

To Fry:

Vegetable oil for frying

Dip:

125ml runny honey (Flower honey)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1. Take each sausage or black pudding and flatten them out into a large thin round; place Le Rustique Camembert cube into the middle and bring the sides up to completely cover the cheese, making sure there are no gaps or holes in the sausage or black pudding. Gently shape them into an egg shape in the palm of your hand.

2. Dip the “Scotch Egg” into the beaten egg and then cover it with the bread crumbs; set to one side on a plate whilst you make the rest.

3. Fill a wok or a deep-frying pan to about 10cms in depth with vegetable oil and then heat it until smoking hot; add 3 to 4 “Scotch Eggs”, do not overcrowd the pan, and cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning them over half way through cooking. If they start to brown too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.

4. Once they are cooked, drain them and keep them warm whilst you cook the remaining ones.

5. To make the dip: whisk the honey, mustard and olive oil together to form an emulsified dip.

6. Serve immediately with the honey and mustard dip.

Le Rustique Brie Tartlets with Honey Onion Relish

These gorgeous little Le Rustique Brie tartlets use rounds of bread in place of pastry and are so easy to make. Tangy honey onion relish adds a lovely depth to the crisp cases and melted cheese, before they are dressed to serve with chopped chives for the final flourish. The honey onion relish can be made ahead of time and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Makes: 12 small tartlets/ 4 large tarts
Prep time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 8-10 mins

Ingredients:
Honey Onion Relish:

50g butter
2 red onions, peeled and diced
2 tbsp runny honey (Acacia honey)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Tartlets:

12 x slices Brown bread
50g softened butter
100-120g Le Rustique Brie de Caractère, cut into 12 pieces
Chopped fresh chives

Method:
1. To make the honey onion relish: melt the butter in a pan and add the onions; sauté the onions for 4 to 5 minutes and then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring all the time to stop it sticking, for 20 to 30 minutes until it is thick. Cool and set to one side until needed.

2. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6.

3. Using a 5cm to 6cm cutter, stamp out 12 circles from the sliced bread, and butter them on one side only. Place the buttered sides down into a 12-hole bun-tin, pressing them to create a tartlet shape.

4. Add a teaspoon of honey onion relish into each bread tartlet base, and then place the pieces of Le Rustique Brie de Caractère on top.

5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bottom of the bread tartlet bases are crispy and golden brown.

6. Gently ease them out of the tray and sprinkle chopped fresh chives over them before serving.

All easy and delicious.  Which one will you try first?

*PR collaboration

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Win English Tea Shop's Luxury Organic Tea Collection This National Tea Day (21 April)

This Friday 21 April is National Tea Day - yes a whole day dedicated to my favourite non-alcholic beverage and, in the words of the popular World War II song sung by Jack Buchanan, "Everything Stops For Tea".

I mention this because Caitlin has just finished her World War II school project and, of course, Dame Vera Lynn has reached her milestone 100th birthday so all things 1939-1945 are particularly topical in our house at present!

To quote:

"It's a very good English custom
And a stimulant for the brain
When you feel a little weary, a cup'll make you cheery
And it's cheaper than champagne..." [Lyrics Goodhart, Hoffman & Sigler]

And lest you think that I have gone rogue and am being unfaithful to my fellow Welsh countryfolk, as I may have mentioned before, I was born in Rochford, England rather a few years ago now. Hence my perennial emotional conflict whenever Wales play England during the Six Nations.

Did you know though, that over 165 million cups of tea are brewed daily in the UK so it’s no surprise having a cuppa has become a Great British tradition and is proudly celebrated each year on National Tea Day.

English Tea Shop are giving away 50 of these beaut-teas on National Tea Day 21st April

So I was delighted to be sent the most beautiful selection of luxury organic teas from English Tea Shop in their Luxury Organic Collection to help me celebrate National Tea Day in style.

And not just me because on 21st April, English Tea Shop are joining the festivities by giving away Luxury Organic Gift Tins to 50 lucky tea fans on their social media channels.

Founded in 2010, English Tea Shop is a premium speciality tea company based in the UK and believes in the power of Tea, Loving, Care. They work with the finest Organic and Fairtrade farmers, blenders and producers from all over the world to produce a diverse range of organic teas, from the true classics to the more unusual. The brand uses age-old practises and quality tea leaves to create a superb tea coming from the heart of Sri Lanka and is built on sustainable and ethical values, with employee and farmer welfare at its core.



The Luxury Organic Collection contains 72 individually wrapped pyramid tea bags and features a diverse range of classics to more unusual herbal varieties.

The range includes:

Organic and Fairtrade English Breakfast: A pure Ceylon black tea sure to quench any thirst for a proper English brew

Organic and Fairtrade Earl Grey: A quintessentially British tea delicately flavoured with bergamot

Organic and Fairtrade Green Tea: A delicate and refreshing blend of 100% organic and Fairtrade green tea

Organic and Fairtrade Peppermint: A revitalising and delicious tea packed full of antioxidants

Organic Chocolate, Rooibos & Vanilla: Caffeine free, naturally sweet and antioxidant rich rooibos deliciously blended with vanilla and chocolate notes

Organic Black Tea Chai: Organic black tea entwined with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and orange peel

Organic Lemongrass, Ginger and Citrus: An understated classic packing a citrus punch! Notes of Lemongrass and citrus infused with a tingle of ginger will refresh any palate

Organic Green Tea Tropical: Made with the finest organic green tea combined with mouth-watering tropical herbs and fruit flavours

Organic Super Berries: A delightful blend of classical herbs and aromatic berries - tastes as delicious as its aroma

All English Tea Shop teas are created using time honoured healthy ingredients. The range includes nature’s most revitalising herbs, spices, fruits and flowers for the most beneficial infusions and naturally cleansing teas.

I loved the Organic & Fairtrade Earl Grey which had just the right delicate blend without being overpowering and the refreshing Organic & Fairtrade Peppermint - great when you've um, overindulged slightly!

You can find English Shop Teas in Harrods, Selfridges, Debenhams, WHSmith and Wyvale Garden Centres.

The Luxury Organic Gift Tin is available to win on the English Tea Shop Facebook and Twitter channels on Friday 21 April, all you need to do is comment, re-tweet and follow to be in with a chance to win!

For the full English Tea Shop product range visit: http://www.theenglishteashop.biz/


*I was sent an English Tea Shop Luxury Organic Collection for the purposes of this post.

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An Easy Simnel Cake Recipe Just In Time For Easter

Just in time for Easter, Executive Head Chef at Sopwell House, Gopi Chandran, has shared his fool-proof Simnel cake recipe.

Sopwell House is a stunning Georgian manor house located in the city of St. Albans deep within the Hertfordshire countryside. Located only 20 minutes from London St. Pancras, the hotel is the idyllic getaway just outside of the hustle and bustle of the capital.

The traditional Easter treat has been enjoyed since the Medieval times as a cake symbolic of the Easter story. Simnel cake is a light fruit cake with a hidden almond centre and is adorned with eleven almond paste balls to represent the disciples (minus Judas).

Sopwell House Executive Chef Gopi Chandran

Ingredients 

* 175 g soft butter or margarine
* 175 g light muscovado sugar
* 3 eggs
* 175 g self-raising flour
* 175 g sultanas
* 45 g dried apricots
* 45g dried apples
* 90 g glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed, and dried
* 30 g candied peel, roughly chopped
* Grated Lemon zest
* 1 tsp ground mixed spice

For decorating:

* 500g almond paste
* 2tbsp apricot jam
* 1 egg white

Equipment:

7 inch deep round loose bottom cake tin.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 165°C.

2. Roll out one-third of the almond paste. Using the base of the cake as a guide, cut out an 18cm disc.
3. Grease the cake tin, then line the bottom and side with greaseproof paper.

4. Combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl. Beat well until thoroughly blended. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Top with the pre-cut disc of almond paste.

5. Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top of the disc and smooth the surface.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. If the cake is browning too quickly cover the top of the cake with greaseproof paper.

7. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin, and leave to cool fully.

8. Warm the apricot jam and brush on top of the cake.

9. To decorate the cake, roll out half of the remaining almond paste and use the tin to cut out another 18cm disc. Put it on top of the jam and crimp the edges. Roll the remaining almond paste into 11 even-sized balls. Place the balls evenly around the edge of the cake, attaching them with egg white. 

10. Brush the tops of the balls and the almond paste top with egg white. Place under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes until golden.

Enjoy!

Sopwell House

 

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Tips & Tricks For Kitchen Success

As readers of this blog will know my kitchen prowess is slightly questionable but I AM improving - and I say that as the owner of the world's largest collection of unused cookery books.

Over the years I've learned a trick or two though, largely through watching hundreds of TV cookery shows and being teased (shamed) into having a go by the Husband who assembles a meal with ease.

There's also the fact that mothers are supposed to be excellent cooks with the ability to create dishes combining unique medicinal properties and maternal love.

So with my guilt-ometer reading maximum, I try my best.

Here are some of my best tips for creating a little bit of kitchen magic - or at least a decent sponge which I whipped up with Caitlin's help over the weekend.  Ieuan had 'something urgent to do on Roblox'.

Have Confidence

"And believe me, the best thing you can have in a kitchen is confidence.  I really think that's what separates good cooks from the mediocre ones" - Gordon Ramsey

You have to be willing to give it a go and make a bit of a mess.  I'm always fascinated when a Great British Bake-Off contestant decides that a recipe isn't working, chucks the whole thing out and starts again.

Most families don't have the luxury of a BBC budget but persisting until you get the recipe right seems to be the trick!

Delegate

Baking is a great way to spend time with your kids and it honestly doesn't matter if the results are less than spectacular.  It's the time spent together that matters - plus you get help.

Caitlin and Ieuan (occasionally) love to help when I bake cakes and tray bakes.  At 9 and 7 they are perfectly capable of helping to measure ingredients and mix them.

Keep your recipes simple

"Never eat more than you can lift" - Miss Piggy

Don't overstretch yourself and stick to a recipe you know works.  You can find loads of simple cake recipes online.  Magazines such as Good Housekeeping are also a great source of kitchen inspiration with triple tested recipes and easy to follow instructions.

Buy the best equipment you can afford

"I can't bake anything unless I have the right shaped tin" - Linda Hobbis

I use bakeware by Prestige (current sponsors of ITV's Secret Chef) and for this particular cake I used the 9" round cake tin from their Inspire Range.

Made from heavy gauge carbon steel these are weighty tins made to last.  They also have Cushion Smart which is a non-stick cushioned surface that helps your cakes brown better and makes it a lot easier to get them out of the tin!

There's also a 25 year guarantee - that's an awful lot of cake baking.

You can pop them in the dishwasher but it's better to hand wash to preserve the coating for as long as you can.

Cheat

Again, the Internet is a marvellous source of kitchen cheats.

I'm sure you already know to melt butter in the microwave, as well as popping lemons and limes in there for a few seconds to help release their juice.

We might have cheated ever so slightly with our cake decoration (thank you M&S).

I can report that the cake tasted very nice and if you would like to try the recipe we used it is below.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) soft margarine or butter
250g (9oz) caster sugar
300g (10oz) self-raising flour
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp baking powder

This makes a 23 cm (9 inch) deep round cake.

Method

Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy
Mix the eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
Add the mix to the cake a little at a time to avoid curdling.
Add the flour and baking powder together and gently fold in.

Line your tin with greaseproof paper covered with butter or use non-stick baking paper.  Spoon in the mixture and level with a palette knife.

Bake in a pre-heated over at 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3 for 45 - 55 minutes.

For the Buttercream

100g unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth then add the milk and the vanilla extract.

Enjoy!

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ChewyMoon - A Healthier Snack Option For Your Kids

As parents, I'm sure we're all aware of the snacking danger zone which occurs when the kids come out of school.  They're usually starving and demand sweets, chocolate or crisps.

Offering a nice juicy apple or a banana is usually greeted with a grumpy face and "isn't there anything else?".

It would be good, wouldn't it, to have a fun, healthy alternative to hand to placate the little darlings before the grumping reaches supersonic levels.

ChewyMoon is a new subscription box service which provides the UK's first nutritionally balanced snack box for children between the ages of 4 and 10.

The company is the brainchild of nutritionist Verena Klanner who has created a range of snacks made from natural ingredients with no refined sugar or nasties.

Not only are the snacks age appropriate to meet the differing nutritional needs of kids as they grow but they compare favourably to the traditional healthy option, e.g. that apple!

Each box contains 5 different snacks, as well as comics, fact cards and totem toys to make healthy snacking fun.

And each snack variety has a cute character on the box.  For example, there's Dr Fluffy Moon, the cat who is clever, passionate and bossy (much like Caitlin and Ieuan) and Yuri Moon, the space chimp who is old, grumpy and adventurous (can't think who that reminds me of!).

So how does the subscription scheme work?

You simply select the box you fancy and fill in details about your child.  The first box is free and then each weekly box costs £4.93 per child (including postage).  Billing is 2 days prior to the despatch of your box and you can cancel at any time.

Once you have received your box you can rate each snack online so that future boxes are tailored to the taste of your child.

Note that ChewyMoon boxes are NOT suitable for children with food allergies.

We were sent samples of the weekly snack box which contained five snack varieties, a fact card, totem toy and comic strip and the monthly family pack which contained seven snack varieties, two of which are specially designed for the adults.

Caitlin tried Jack 'n' Fruit, (flapjack, orange drops and blueberries) and Ieuan had Cherry Crumble (cherry cubes, cherry raisins and millet balls).  A number of the snacks have suspiciously vanished up to the Husband's loft - particularly Coco Raz (raw coconut chips, raspberries, palmyra blossom nectar, beetroot, baobab and vanilla).

We liked the quirky packaging and the fun element to snacking.  The snacks are imaginative and tasty, although it would be helpful to have the ingredients of the snack listed on the individual box. These details are available on a separate leaflet containing nutrition facts but first timers won't know what they're getting.  Arguably though, this adds to the fun.

I would also say that while the portion size is adequate, it isn't huge so you may find hungry kids might eat more than one box at a time.  Verena says that the calorie count for snacks for younger kids should be around 100kcal whilst older children and preteens can have up to 200kcal.

The individual snack boxes are ideal to chuck in to gym and ballet bags for a healthier fix after exercise (a lot better than our current habit of Werthers Originals or Mintoes).

I like the concept of ChewyMoon.  If I had one comment it would be that the current box is rather heavy on the packaging but it's bright, attractive and likely to appeal to kids.  The price point is reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, working out at around 98p per snack.

If you would like to try ChewyMoon for your child, I have a 1 month / 4 week subscription to give away worth £20.

Or sign up for your first week free at www.chewymoon.com.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget and the usual terms and conditions apply which can be viewed on my competitions page.

The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 31st March.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!

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How To Ban The Bin Now & Love Food This Lent

Caitlin's term project this Spring has been World War II. And not surprisingly she has been learning about food shortages, rationing and 'make do and mend'.

My parents were born in 1939 and still joke about powdered egg and the scarcity of things we take for granted, like sugar and bananas.

It is ironic, then that in 2015, in the UK alone £13 billion of edible food was thrown away from our homes.

That's a staggering total of 7.3 million tonnes of food binned, which if prevented, would have the environmental benefit of taking one in four cars off the road.

Consumer charity campaign Love Food Hate Waste is determined to encourage us to make 2017 our year of action to do something about this appalling level of waste.

This Lent (1 Mar - 13 Apr), instead of making a conscious choice to give up chocolate or alcohol, they suggest we should be healthier, happier and wealthier if we gave up binning food instead.

To this end they are running a 40 Day Challenge to help us reduce the amount of food that ends up in the bin, and, by making a few small changes, save a few pounds into the bargain.

The campaign, which starts on the 1st of March, will cover a period of just over 6 weeks, each with its own theme and daily tips and challenges.

The themes are:-

Week 1 Meal planning – when’s this for?
Week 2 Storage – where should I put this?
Week 3 Fridge focus – how do I make the most of my fridge?
Week 4 Portioning – how much should I use?
Week 5 Food labels – what do they mean?
Weeks 6/7 Leftovers – what can I do with my ingredients?

So why should we save food?

Leaving aside the moral issue of those affected by famine and food shortages who could benefit from the food we waste, when many of us are struggling to cope with ever increasing bills, making the most of one of the large items of expenditure in our weekly budget just makes sense.

As Love Food Hate Waste says, let's change the world one meal at a time.

Save money

Research has shown that if we actually use what we buy, every family could save £60 a month. In fact, throwing good food away costs the average person in the UK around £200 a year, and the average family £700.

It's easy to knock up a quick meal with some leftovers.  For example, left-over vegetables can be blended and turned into a tasty soup.  Off-cuts of meat could be used in a curry or stir-fry.  Left-over berries could be whizzed into a smoothie or turned into a fruit sauce for ice cream.  You could even freeze them for ice lollies for the kids.

Bread can be turned into breadcrumbs and frozen or used in a bread and butter pudding (you can do the same thing with rolls and other kinds of bread).

Nothing beats the taste of fresh food does it, and it tastes even better when you don't have to shell out extra cash for it.

You can find lots of leftover food recipes on the Love Food Hate Waste website.

Save time

If you are organised and cook in bulk then you can simply freeze what you don't use that day and pull a healthier ready meal out to defrost when you need it.

But to really save time and money you need to create a meal plan - and to save argument it's a good idea to get the family involved.

That way everyone's favourites can make an appearance.  We tend to have a roast on Sunday, use the leftovers for a quick tea on Monday and have a pizza night on Wednesday.

I find our meals are planned around the kids' social calendars and occasionally, of course, we are all just too tired to cook.

Save energy bills

If you are using your freezer properly, then you'll not only save money on food but you'll save money on your energy bills too.

And batch cooking will make the most of your oven usage too.

You'll find some great tips for saving energy in the kitchen here.

Get healthier

We know that processed food is loaded with fat, sugar and additives and home-cooking allows us to regain control over what exactly we're putting in our mouths - even more important when you have kids.

Rather than buy a calorie laden fish & chip supper, for example, which comes in at a whopping 2000 calories (your entire day's calorie allowance), you can easily pan-roast a white fish fillet and use spuds (even older, sprouty ones) to make potato wedges.  Chuck some chilli flakes on for some extra oomph.  You could even add some left over tomatoes and onions to the baking tray.

Much more taste, less fat and certainly less than the average £7 per supper.

There is one product though that as a nation we are notorious for wasting - the bagged salad.  I've found that despite all my good intentions, we usually end up throwing half a bag away or even, in some cases, the entire thing.  What a waste!

Now we buy little gem lettuce, baby tomatoes, celery, rocket and grate some carrot.  Throw in some pine nuts and some home made salad dressing and you're done.

The Hobbis Household are fully signed up to the challenge and I hope you'll join us.  Why not set yourself a financial target of saving the £60 per month?  By the end of the challenge you could have saved over £75 on food alone.

The challenge kicks off with meal planning and you can find lots of quick and simple tips at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/lent to get you started.

It's time we all start to Love Food and Hate Waste.

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Pay your kids to eat their greens? Try these tips instead.

We've all been there.  Sat at the table watching junior push two kernels of sweetcorn and one lonely green bean around the plate whilst trying to ignore the sound of retching.

It's a constant battle and one that can only be won by persistence and, possibly, according to a new survey, bribery.

The terrible twosome trying out Infruition Water Bottles

We get to the stage where we will do anything to get the little blighters to ingest something that actually grew and later on I'll tell you my huge mistake when it came to getting those veggies into my kids.

But should we be bribing them with cash?  This is a suggestion that comes from Tam Fry, head spokesperson for the National Obesity Forum and honorary chairman of the Child Growth Foundation.

Fry's proposal comes hot on the heels of a YouGov survey last week that revealed some worrying statistics. One was that almost a third (29%) of parents in Scotland have abandoned adding greens to their children’s plate at some stage.

In a way, it’s unsurprising: in another 2015 study, only 21% of Scottish adults were said to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

And I'm sure the rest of the UK is no different.

Mr Fry's proposal is likely to divide opinion.

We know how good vegetables are for us and their importance in maintaining our health and avoiding diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes but this has little meaning for our kids at their age.

Of course, parents can be extremely devious at sneaking in veggies, hiding cauliflower under cheese sauce, for instance, or chopping tiny nuggets of vegetables into soups, quiches and casseroles.

The recently-launched Eat Better Feel Better campaign from Healthier Scotland aims to encourage parents to save money by eating healthier food. It also lists recipe ideas to ‘beat the teatime tantrums’, a downloadable Food Lab which introduces fun into the meal prepping process and information about healthy eating events throughout Scotland.

Or you might want to try smoothies. A "milkshake" can hide a multitude of fruit and veg plus, thanks to more sophisticated blenders these days, the fibre, vitamins and minerals remain intact.

To improve the taste, you can add real fruit, natural fruit juice or coconut milk to the blender along with your chopped vegetables.

Here are some tips you might want to try:

Superhero veg to the rescue

Give the vegetables superhero names - mad I know but we renamed spinach "carrot guardian" and Ieuan ate it. That might just be my son though.

Hide veg everywhere

Hide veg in as many sauces as you can. The Husband whips up a meatball sauce which contains any leftover veggies he finds in the fridge and the kids haven't cottoned on to this yet.

Soups and stews are your friend

The kids will eat soup if there's plenty of warm crusty bread to dip in it.

Don't fuss

If you create a battle of wills you'll be sat there a long time.

Model the behaviour you want to see 

You can hardly insist your kids eat their veg if you're a stranger to salad yourself.

Well they seem to be growing ok....

Get kids to help with the cooking

Teach your kids about the importance of healthy eating by involving them in food preparation.  A home-made pizza is easy to make and can be decorated with veggies such as cherry tomatoes and peppers.

Make food portions manageable

Don't swamp their plates with huge portions.  It's easier to get the kids eating veg if you start off with small, manageable portions.  Notice I said 'easier'

Make food fun

.... although my Potato of Doom was not exactly a crowd pleaser

Look, I tried, OK?

Don't give up

Continue to serve up veg in the hope that they will eventually try them.

Play the long game

Remember they'll probably grow up to love veg.  After all you did, didn't you?

My biggest mistake?

Not serving them foods with home-made gravies and sauces early enough. It's too easy to serve up fish fingers, chips and peas with just a dash of tomato sauce, but they get used to 'dry' food.

If you can get them used to gravy then you're just a blender away from supplementing it with veggies.

Ieuan loves his gravy now and I wish I'd got him eating it a long time ago!

If all else fails, there are also numerous ranges of supplements such as Super Kids’ Vibrance, which is formulated by green food specialist Vibrant Health. This one was the winner of a 2016 Taste for Life Essentials Award and is packed with nutrient-rich greens, essential trace minerals and a high number of probiotics and digestive enzymes. It also provides a dozen vitamins, including A, C and D3.

Caitlin has no idea how many veggies she's eating

Ultimately, conditioning kids to eat their greens requires a conscious effort – and it’s best to get youngsters into the habit of munching veggies from an early age.

If you don't, you may well find yourself having to take Mr Fry's advice and cough up the cash - which in Ieuan's case would be very, very expensive indeed.

*contains some affiliate links

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Win A Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station By Sensio Home

At mealtimes, what do you do if you have a small oven and have to plate up a variety of dishes without them getting cold?

Or, what do you do if you've splashed out on a nice Saturday night curry takeaway and want to keep the food warm?

Let's be honest, serving dishes are a little too posh for routine family meals but by the time we get to sit down, the food's tepid.

We were recently sent a fabulous food warmer to try.

Made by Sensio Home it's called the Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station and it's a hot plate upon which you can warm or slowly reheat your curry and sides and even grill your naan or chapatis.

It comes with 4 surprisingly generous non stick aluminium pots (750ml each) with individual toughened glass lids and handles.

This meant the Husband was put on automatic curry duty so he whipped up his legendary chicken curry and a mix of Saag Aloo and Bombay Potatoes.

Simply warm the curry station up by turning the easy to operate dial to 1 for warm, 3 for reheat or 5 for grill, and then unplug and carry to your table.

You'll need to put it on heat proof mats and make sure that the children don't touch it or try taking the lids off without using a cloth to avoid burning fingers.

The curry station base is incredibly light and we found it simpler to carry the base and then add the pots afterwards.

We tested the curry station on the warming setting and found it kept our food warm for a good half hour.  The kids can be painfully slow eaters and it was great to be able to refill our plates with hot food!

The four bowls serve four adults comfortably but you may need an extra pot for rice.

The pots are dish-washer safe whilst the warming plate is not and needs to be cleaned with a damp cloth.

The length of the cable supplied is relatively short which may mean that, when using the station for grilling, you have to keep it plugged in to get enough heat to grill.  This is the only slight downside I could find.

I can say that the unit gets very hot very quickly though and it certainly retains heat well.

And of course, you could use the curry station as a food warmer for things such as gravy, stews, porridge or soup.  I am sure we won't be just using ours for curry!

The Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station retails at £49.95 and I have one to give away to one lucky winner.

Entry is via the Gleam app below.  Terms and conditions apply and the giveaway ends on 30th January 2017.


Win a Gourmet Indian Curry Server #4

Good luck!

*we were sent a curry station for the purpose of this review which contains some affiliate links.

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