Gressingham Duck!!

Well, suffice to say that Mother's Day was all it promised to be! My breakfast in bed was lovely - always presented by, and shared with(!) my little girls! Why does something fairly simple like scrambled eggs and bacon taste so nice when someone else cooks it and presents it with a fresh red rose??

We had a few jobs to do in preparation to our trip to Tenby next week but still managed a cheeky pint down at our local pub - the Golden Fleece, South Croxton. It was full of mothers obviously but still nice to sit and people watch for an hour or so! The food there is fantastic, but on a Sunday it is my non-favourite - the carvery which is why we gave it a miss this year.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to completely rave on about Gressingham duck! My girls LOVE roast duck so we decided to get a Gressingham Duck from Tesco (at £14!) instead of the normal ducks at around £6. Any posh chefs always tell you to buy this but I've never seen them in the mainstream supermarkets before now. Check out their website - it is obviously the crème de la crème of ducks!!

We roasted it a la Delia (plenty of Maldon sea salt & black pepper) in a hot oven on a rack for over 2 hours and then let it rest for 15 minutes. Total heaven - loads of breast meat and crispy tasty skin and totally delicious! I so recommend it to anyone and it is so worth the extra money.

To be honest we normally have to buy 2 normal ducks for 4 but one Gressingham was enough for 4 so look at it as good value, not expensive! Served with delicious Dauphinoise potatoes and baby veg followed by strawberries and cream.

Hooray for being a mother!

Dinner Parties at Home and Top 10 Food Websites

One of the growing trends that has been seen, during the recent economic downturn is for a return to home cooking and hosting dinner parties at home. Visits increased by 32.8% between February 2008 and February 2009 as reported by "Hitwise United Kingdom - hitwise.co.uk".

We have always enjoyed entertaining at home and so this comes as no surprise to us. You will see that much of the content on the Dinner at Home website relates to planning a dinner party and other dinner party ideas.

According to Hitwise, the Top 10 Food and Beverage - Lifestyle and Reference websites, in 2008 are as follows:

1. www.bbc.co.uk/food
2. uktv.co.uk/food
3. www.deliaonline.com
4. www.waitrose.com
5. www.bbcgoodfood.com
6. www.channel4.com/food
7. www.qype.co.uk
8. www.jamieoliver.com
9. www.laithwaites.co.uk
10. www.sugarvine.com

I find it interesting to note that of all the supermarkets, only up-market Waitrose has found its way onto the list and with the exception of the London Review Guide Qype, all other websites are aimed at anyone looking to cook at home.

So join the rest of us in dusting off your recipes books and throw a dinner party! The Credit Crunch alternative to eating out.

Tenby

I've got another week and 1 day at work and then I've got a few days off until we go to Tenby for 2 whole weeks! This is my dream holiday as I grew up there and we still have my Dad's house down there - a gorgeous little 3 bed terraced cottage about 100 yards from the South Beach!
The cottage is just outside of the town walls so quiet but handy in that we never need to drive anywhere in the evening and trust me - there are a plethora of places to visit!
What is great now is that rather than having to get a babysitter every time (thanks Mrs Lewis!) we can now take the girls out (who are 7 and 10) to enjoy the culinary experiences of Tenby. Although it seems that even though Tenby is a beautiful seaside town with a harbour to die for the good restaurants have been few and far between. Maybe I'm spoilt because we have such great eating places in Leicestershire but getting really good food in Tenby isn't easy.
When I was a very young kid my Mum & Dad used to go to the "Cellar Bar" - I don't think I ever went there but I believe it was incredibly 70's kitsch and the place to be! Then there was the Normandie which really was great food which had the legendary Taffy Wooles as the chef. If ever there was a special occasion that was the place to be. In fact - that leads me on to possibly the best restaurant Tenby has ever had (in my eaterie days certainly!) which was the "Mews Bistro". I worked there as a waitress when I was home in the holidays from Uni and had the pleasure of working with Taffy and also the (now) legendary Andrew Swales!
We used to work so hard (my best friend Kate Leonard & I were earning money in order to get ourselves out to Chequers Nightclub!) and then would be rewarded by tasting some new creation that Taffy had been experimenting with that night. What a delight and what a truly nice man.
The "Mews Bistro" would NEVER have had the success it had without my wonderful Aunty Linda as front of house. She worked there for many many years and totally lit the place up. She was amazing and was always (very naughtily!) sorting a cheeky glass of wine out for us hard working waitresses! She made work fun and we all miss her a lot since she died just over a year ago now. My lasting memory of Aunty Linda was when the then brother of Princess Di - Lord Althrop came to dine at the "Mews " (He was then a reporter for a US TV company and was filming something to do with Tenby) - she thought he might be good boyfriend material (he's practically royalty you know!!) but at 18 years old I had to tell her he was far too old for me and his chat up lines were dreadful!
Anyway...the Mews has now been sold on and I've not been there since. The trouble now is finding somewhere decent to eat in Tenby - I shall continue tomorrow once I've had my wonderful breakfast in bed which is compulsory on Mothers Day!!!
Got to go - will Ireland beat Wales?!! Obviously I want Wales to win (what would my father say if I didn't say that??) but it would be painless to see Ireland win a Grand Slam for the first time in 60 odd years!

Mother's Day - 22nd March 2009

Mothers Day is always a bit of a trauma for me as my mother died just before my 11th birthday (5 days to be exact). This has always resulted in mild embarrassment rather than sadness - how do you explain what you're doing on Mothers day when you don't have a mother?? I still miss my Mum very much which is what inspires me to try to be the best Mum ever to my girls.

Anyway - many years later I have my own family - two beautiful daughters and a gorgeous husband so Mothers Day always starts with a fabulous breakfast in bed and lots of nice presents!

The trouble with Mothering Sunday is - it's on a Sunday! What is wrong with that you may ask? Well - there is just something lacking to me in going out for a Sunday roast when you can do a much better job yourself at home with the best rare beef or the best garlic infused leg of lamb! I just find roast dinner out a bit of a waste of my "eating out" budget! (Trust me - I'd be upping my budget if it weren't for this damn credit crunch - all in the interests of my website obviously!!).

Anyway - we have discussed this - the lovely Jon has advised that NO ONE is doing anything but Sunday roast (all at ridiculously inflated prices!) so we have postponed Mothers Day to the following Wednesday where myself & the girls will meet Jon for lunch at the legendary Cafe Bleu in Newark - one of my favourite eating places ever and totally worth a visit if you are ever in the town!

In the meantime I can't miss up an opportunity to indulge in a food fantasy on Sunday so am going to my local Q butcher (Clarkes in Queniborough) to get a single rib of beef (or 2 if the kids are good!!) to cook like a fillet steak - just like I had at the Hoste Arms a few weeks ago (and there is a recipe in Good Food last month I think!)

So happy Mother's Day to all you Mums. And just remember Dads - breakfast in bed with the Sunday papers is the ultimate treat!

Come Dine With Me

I've just realised that no foodie/cooking blog could possibly be complete, without the obvious mention of the brilliant, "Come Dine With Me" on Channel 4! Within my workplace everyone is completely addicted - from the twentysomethings to the old timers like me! I'm convinced one of my colleagues is going to pop up on there at some time in the near future!

A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law was asking what on earth does one iron to these days now that she has viewed the entire back catalogue of Grand Designs (yes - even the ones where Kevin McCloud has hair!) and has no new Location Locations to look forward to?
"Come Dine With Me surely?" I questioned tentatively? Surely any self respecting person with Sky Plus series links not just the daily ones but the Sunday night Celebrity Special?
What is great about "Come Dine With Me" is the fantastic mix of people they manage to find - all in one town! I love the fact that everyone thinks they are the best cook ever but invariably have never heard of a "buerre blanc" or a "halloumi cheese"! They'd last five minutes on Masterchef!
The entertainment is always excruciating but my favourite bit (to quote Chris Moyles) is when they are as tired as a newt in the taxi home!! Everyone is always "shattered" rather that had a few too many! My ultimate favourite was the glamour model who was so "shattered" she slept through her own dinner party!
Anyway - the mother-in-law emailed this morning to admit to her first forage into the world of "Come Dine With Me" with news that the rest of the series is well and truly series linked on Sky Plus! What ever did we do before that??

Chunky Costume Jewellery

While I realise that jewellery and food don't have an obvious link, I recently stumbled across the jewellery designed and manufactured by Lello and thought it worthy of bringing to the attention of the wider world.

Lello have a large range of well-priced, chunky bracelets and necklaces in a wide range of colours, perfect for the bright summer clothes we'll all hopefully be wearing as the weather in the UK, warms up.

Lello also offer ranges of more delicate necklaces and earrings in subdued colours, perfect for more formal occassions.

With Mother's Day approaching on March 22nd, it might be worthwhile dropping a few hints to your children (or their father) :-)

Take a look at the range of jewellery at www.lellodirect.com/shop or view the Lello Blog.

The Fat Duck Re-Opens

I'm pleased to report that the Fat Duck in Bray has now reopened, two and a half weeks after the closure due to a health scare.

Tests have ruled out food poisoning, and at present the cause is still unknown however Heston Blumenthal has confirmed that "the Health Protection Agency and the local environmental health office have given us the all clear to open the restaurant".

Despite this closure, the Fat Duck remains top of my list of Restaurants to visit before I die, but it will be interesting to see whether these last couple of week affects the restaurant's 2nd place in the World's 50 Best Restaurants when the new list is announced on 20th April 2009.

Top Ten Kitchen Gadgets

So much of our time can be spent preparing meals for our friends and family, that could be saved by having the right tool for the job.

We have listed our Top 10 Kitchen gadgets, but this list is by no means exhaustive, and we're always on the look out for a new time-saving piece of kitchen equipment. Feel free to comment at the foot of this post with your own suggestions.

Our current list:

1. Hand-held Blender - Far and away the most useful piece of equipment in our kitchen. We have used it for blending the children's food when they began eating solids, for making soup and smoothies, chopping herbs or onions, making breadcrumbs and whisking. Choose one with plenty of attachments, you won't regret it. One word of warning, check which attachments can be put into the dishwasher.
   
   See Hand Blenders on Amazon
   


2. Espresso Coffee Machine - Nothing beats the smell of a fresh cup of strong espresso coffee or the luxury of a authentic cappuccino or latte. Prices for a coffee machine can vary hugely, but our Gaggia Cubika 74511 Espresso Coffee Maker, has served well for many years. Choose one of the well-known makes such as Flavia, Krups, DeLonghi, or Gaggia, but don't be seduced by the larger commercial coffee machines (unless you intend opening your own café) as most entry level coffee makers will suit any domestic kitchen.
   


3. Coffee Bean Grinder - We have two coffee grinders in our kitchen. The first is used for the obvious task of grinding coffee beans, the other is used to grind spices for curries. See more Coffee Grinders.
   
   Once you have your coffee grinder, have fun trying out new varieties of coffee bean or perhaps combine two separate blends to find one that suits your tastes.
   


4. A good set of knives - A good quality cook's knife and paring knife are essential, as too are a carving knife and a bread knife. In our opinion, it's much wiser to spend as much as you can afford on a small number of general purpose knives, rather than buying a large expensive set containing knives that will receive little or no use.
   



5. Knife Sharpener - Sharp knives are safer than blunt ones, so it's worth making sure you've got a good knife sharpener too. We tried plenty, including a traditional sharpening steel, but this Chantry Knife Sharpener is the best we've ever had.



6. Roasting tray - The more solid the better and make sure it's suitable to use both in the oven and on the hob. The best we've got is this Hard Anodised Roasting Trayfrom Silverwood.
   


7. Blow Torch - Perfect for browning the topping of a crème brûlée. Instead of buying an expensive chef's version from the local kitchen shop, head to your nearest DIY or hardware store and pick up something for a fraction of the cost.
   


8. Saucepans - Our cast-iron Le Crueset pans have served us well for fifteen years and still look as good today as when they were new. The only downside is that they are not recommended for use in the dishwasher, but they hold the heat well and food does not stick so they are worth this little sacrifice. For a budget option, Ikea produce an excellent range of saucepans ideally suited to students and anyone setting up a new home.
   


9. Cork Screw - How else can you get the cork out of the bottle while waiting for your meal to cook? We have a Vacuvin Winemaster Corkscrew which has served us well for many years. You might also want to consider the Vacuvin Vacuum Wine Saver , although we admit that ours isn't used as much as it should be!
   


10. Cast Iron Skillet - for frying steaks. The heavier ones will hold the heat and the raised profile gives the appetising seared lines.

Fat Duck - 400 customers made ill

Following my previous post commenting on the temporary Closure of the Fat Duck, it would seem that the number of customers who have fallen ill has risen from 40 to 400 according to the BBC.

Rigorous testing of the kitchens and all items on the menu, but no health issues have been detected. Samples have been taken from all staff to establish whether one is unknowingly carrying a virus, but as yet, no link has been found.

The Fat Duck is one of only three restaurants in the UK to hold the coveted Michelin 3 Stars. The other restaurants being The Waterside Inn, also found in Bray and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London.

Heston Blumenthal's Feasts

Heston Blumenthal's new TV series started on Channel 4, with the chef's totally surreal take on a Victorian Feast.

Using Lewis Carol's tale of Alice in Wonderland, Heston set about creating his version of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party for six specially selected guests. The lucky six were Rageh Omaar, Dawn Porter, Jemma Redgrave, Richard Bacon, Toby Young and Kathy Lette.

Drink Me
The guests were served a "Drink Me" potion as a starter, which comprised a bubblegum pink liquid, served in a specially designed drinking glass. The idea being to surprise the tongue with six very individual tastes of toffee, hot buttered toast, cherry pie, custard, pineapple and turkey. Seemingly an impossible task, but after infusing each of the original constituents in milk, straining, and with the addition of gelatin and colouring, the six flavours were stacked on top of each other within the glass. Judging from the look on each diner's face, the effect of the distinct flavours, was amazing and totally unexpected.

Turtle Soup
One dish thought of by Victorians as the height of luxury was Turtle Soup. While it is possible to legally buy turtle in some parts of the world, Heston felt that this might be a step too far for his guests and so hit upon the idea of another favourite of the Victorians, Mock Turtle Soup.

Taking calf's head and making a broth to form the Mock Turtle Soup was not enough for Heston. He filtered, froze and whizzed the broth and then put into watch shaped moulds and then finally covered the "watch" in gold leaf. His idea being to recreate the part in the story when the Mad Hatter dipped his watch in his tea.

The dish was served to the guests with the gold watch in a tea cup, together with a pot of hot water and a bowl containing a selection of delicious looking tit-bits.

An Edible Victorian Garden
For the third course of his Victorian Feast, Heston Blumenthal decided to deliver a Victorian garden to his guests and so a large board was constructed, filled with "soil" made from black olives, dried and chopped, a variety of salad and miniature vegetables, "pebbles" of baked new potatoes, plus fried eel and waffle cones and topped with deep fried insects, stuffed with an onion mayonnaise.

Yet another bizarre sight for the six guests, but they tucked in with delight to each and every corner of the garden and even managed to stomach the insects, which obviously tasted hugely better than they looked.

Vibrating Jelly
The dessert course took yet another unexpected turn as Heston explained that the Victorian's love of drugs and sex caused him to invent an Absinthe flavoured jelly, mounted on a base containing vibrators to induce a wobbling motion to the whole dessert. Add luminescence to further enhance the mind-blowing effect and you have a perfect way to round off a Victorian Feast - Heston Blumenthal style!

Each course devised by the chef, showed a level of genius that bordered on insanity, but Heston's thirst for knowledge into the history of cooking and also the science of food enabled him to acheive the seemingly impossible. The expressions of delight, wonderment, fear and laughter on the faces of each guest was magical and I wished I was there to enjoy the tastes too.

I eagerly await the next episode when Heston attempts to put his twist on a Tudor Feast.

Out for dinner on a Monday!

We don't go out that much but as it is a friend's birthday today we are going out to try a new local place for dinner! How exciting! It's a surprise of a curry like nature and it's our first visit so I will post a bit later what we think!
Well, what an interesting night! We ended up at a retaurant called Slate in Mountsorrel, near Loughborough. It used to be an old fashioned pub but has been revamped (as so many have!) into a light, airy, comfortable, young trendy restaurant with very friendly staff who made us feel very welcome.
We were there for a theme night of curry but they usually offer "traditional british food with a twist".. I was disappointed to see that their website was offering a Boxing Day brunch 3 months out of date - not a good reflection on the restaurant I always think!
So - on to the 4 course meal for the offer price of £10.95. We got a popadom each with a couple of chutneys for course 1, followed by a choice of 2 starters - we had one each. The samosa was mediocre and the meat option (I'm still not sure what meat it was!) was reconstituted so not entirely palatable! The main course offered a chicken dish and a slow cooked lamb option which were very tasty. Pudding were sweet dumpling things which none of us could eat as they were far too sweet!
Anyway - a nice bottle of wine and good company resulted in a good evening had by all but I would like to return to Slate to try their normal menu to see if that is where the chef's strengths are!

Restaurants to Visit Before I Die

It really is a constantly changing list, but some of the places that I'd love to eat in are....

In no particular order:

• The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
• Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Great Milton, Oxford
• Harry's Bar, Venice
• The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow
• Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
  
• El Bulli, Roses, Spain
  

And some of those I've already been lucky enough to eat in:

• The Ivy, London
• The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye
  
• The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market
• Criterion, Picadilly Circus, London
• Claridges, London
  
• The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny
• The Lanesborough, Knightsbridge
  
• Quaglino's, London
• On the Inlet, Port Douglas, Queensland
  

My favourites places to eat in and around Leicestershire:

• The Hammer and Pincers, Wymeswold, Leicestershire
• The Red Lion, Stathern, Leicestershire
• The Olive Branch, Clipsham
  
• Finch's Arms, Hambleton

I'm always welcome to receive suggestions of good places to eat, so feel free to add your comments if you feel that I have overlooked somewhere.

Fat Duck - Closed Due to a Health Scare

Heston Blumenthal's restaurant, the Fat Duck has been one of my "Restaurants to Visit before I Die" for some time.

However it is reported in the Telegraph and The Times that the restaurant has been closed by the chef / owner as a precaution following a number of customers falling ill, after dining in the 3 starred Michelin restaurant.

Despite the local Environmental Health officers not having found any problems at the Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal took what must have been an extremely difficult decision to make, while he carried out further investigations.

While reading the details of the closure, I was also surprised to learn that the Fat Duck had been knocked from its perch as the "Best Restaurant in the World" according to Restaurant Magazine. This title has been held by "El Bulli" in Spain, since 2006. The Fat Duck is now listed as the second best and I am sure that Heston will be hoping to regain the title when the latest awards are announced on April 20th 2009.

Despite the recent problem, which has been dealt with in a proactive way, the it remains one of my ambitions to eat at the Fat Duck at some point in the future.