Now bring us some some figgy pudding

This is the first blog I have written that has made my mouth water! I didn't like Christmas pudding as a child but I always loved the brandy sauce.  Now I love it so much, I always make extra sauce and hide myself a helping of pudding for the end of the day (don't worry this isn't a secret my family knows already)!


There is some confusion about figgy pudding, as it is slightly different than the dense Christmas pudding that we eat that resembles moist fruit cake. 


The Christmas pudding we recognize today is a Victorian dish made from suet, dried fruit, candied peel, breadcrumbs, spices, egg, grated carrots and apples. The Victorians shaped their puddings into a spherical shape and boiled them in a muslin cloth. ‘Stir up Sunday’ (the last Sunday before Advent) had become associated with the start of the pudding-making process, in order to allow it least a month to mature before being consumed on Christmas Day. At Christmas, the pudding is doused in brandy and set alight.

There are many traditions and superstitions surrounding the Christmas Pudding. Some traditions say to make the pudding by the 25th Sunday after Trinity, with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and his Disciples. Every member of the family is to take a turn stirring the pudding with a wooden spoon from east to west, in honor of the three kings. It is said that setting the brandy aflame represents Christ’s passion. A sprig of holly as garnish is a reminder of his ‘Crown of Thorns.’ Holly supposedly brought good luck and had special healing powers. 


In 1664, it was banned by the Puritans as a custom unfit for people who followed the ways of God.

In 1714, King George I re-established pudding as part of the Christmas feast even though the Quakers strongly objected. Meat was eliminated from the recipe in the 17th century in favor of more sweets, and people began sprinkling it with brandy and setting it aflame when serving it to their guests. The Christmas pudding was not a tradition in England until it was introduced to the Victorians by Prince Albert. By this time the pudding looked and tasted as it does today. The traditional cooking time takes about eight hours, with preparation taking even longer due to extensive marinating. The longer the fruit is marinated in brandy, cider, or both, the better it tastes and this could take weeks! 

Another tradition when I was growing up was to put a sixpence in the pudding before it was steamed. The person who found the coin was supposed to have luck that year. One of my favorite stores, Harvey Nichols, packages their pudding to look like a sixpence.

Here is a link to a recipe, but you will have to save it until next year!


christmaspudding recipe





Don't worry you can still go out and buy one!

merry merry!

Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire

This is the season when all sorts of great food memories come flooding back. I love the food during this time of the year, plus all the other traditions we have in England at Christmas. You will see a few of those before the year is over.

Roasted Chestnuts are the best! At this time of year you can get them from Street Vendors in England.They are roasted in their skins and served hot, and it is an amazing flavor with an indescribable smell. If you can't make it to Europe to buy them on the street, you can do it at home in your oven.

Chestnuts are shiny brown nuts whose thick casing has long, sharp, needle-like spikes (burrs). There are usually two to four nuts per casing. Unlike other nuts, chestnuts have a high starch and water content but low protein and fat levels. They've never been as popular in British kitchens as in Continental ones, but they're a versatile and flavorful pantry ingredient. Chestnuts are available fresh, ground, dried, puréed or vacuum-packed

Growing up we called them Conkers and would peel and eat them from the tree; they were so starchy though and weren't very good! They are much better roasted or baked.

Chestnuts are most popular in stuffing, but they add a great flavor to desserts too. The puree is similar to an almond paste, which of course I can't bring into our home :(

When my "nut allergy" daughter goes to college it will be safe to make some recipes with nuts again!

Roasted Chestnuts - recipe

A great way to roast your chestnuts is to place them, with the cut sides up, on a baking sheet or cookie sheet. Roast them in a hot oven (about 400 degrees F) until the chestnuts appear tender. This will take about 20 minutes. To test to see if they have been roasted enough, stick a fork through the cut in shell and test for tenderness.

Finally, wrap the hot chestnuts in an old towel (no matter which way you chose to roast them) and squeeze them hard. Squeezing the chestnuts will break and crush the skins which will make peeling them much easier to do. Let the crushed chestnuts rest inside the towel for about 5 minutes before unwrapping them.

Open up the towel and feast and enjoy!


You'll know when they are roasted to perfection by the fact that you can easily open the shell and find beautiful golden colored chestnut meat inside. It's sweet to the taste and a little crumbly in texture. Delicious!

thanks for reading I will be back soon with a british delicacy.....

Guy Fawkes Night

Remember, remember the fifth of November.

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

November 5th is Guy Fawkes Night. It is also known as Bonfire Night and has a very long tradition in England involving dangerous plots and treason. 

On 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Guy Fawkes disagreed with the then king of England, King James I and plotted with a group of men to fill a cellar under the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder to blow it up. This was later to become known as the Gunpowder Plot. The plan was foiled, Guy Fawkes was captured and sent to the Tower of London, and then later executed.

Since that day the 5th November had been remembered as Guy Fawkes Night. Effigies of Guy Fawkes were made with shirts and trousers stuffed with hay or paper, and a mask was sometimes used for its face. Children would take their guy out on the streets and ask for a 'penny for the guy' to pay for fireworks. I actually remember asking for the penny for a guy - "penny for a guy mister"? At night the guys were placed on the top of bonfires, and burned like this.

Nowadays, the 5th November is just known as Bonfire Night. Today it is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires, usually organized bonfires for a crowd with other festive activities planned too. We always had our own fireworks, and I can even smell them now. This night is a great memory.

You knew I was leading up to food!

It is a bonfire night tradition to make baked potatoes in foil in the bonfire, and we would also cook sausages and marshmallows on sticks that way too. It is usually a cold night, so hot chocolate is a must.

There is a traditional cake "Parkin Cake" eaten on Bonfire night too. It is made with molasses and oatmeal, and looks a little like gingerbread.

Toffee apples are a bonfire night favorite too, and they are similar to the American candy apple.

Even though the food is a memory here, as it always seems to be with me, the bonfire is really what sticks in my mind. Nothing like being out on a crisp, cold night in front of a huge fire with family and friends.

here is what is going on this weekend in my hometown:-


Bonfire Night events in Norwich

thanks for reading.

Colman's Mustard

    




I'm so excited about this time of year, fall is my favorite and all the food it brings with it! Lots of foods I didn't have growing up like pumpkin and squash.

Colman's Mustard is an excellent subject for me because it is from my home town of Norwich in Norfolk.

Colman's Mustard is a very powerful flavor, which is funny, because it looks just like American mustard but certainly does not taste the same. We always enjoyed seeing our American friends go into a pub and use this Mustard, as it has the same effect as eating a mouthful of Horseradish! 

In 1814 Jeremiah Colman began making mustard at a water mill near Norwich in the village of Bawburgh. It was born from experiments geared around creating a tangy flavor, it comes from a blend of brown mustard (Brassica juncea) and white mustard (Sinapis alba).  In 1855 the firm introduced its distinctive yellow packaging and bull's head logo, and in 1866 it was granted the Royal Warrant as manufacturers of mustard to Queen Victoria. Her Majesty’s household still uses Colman’s today.

The mustard comes in powder also, I like to use the powder in my cooking, especially salad dressings and I always include it in my famous cheese scones!

The Mustard Shop in Norwich is a tourist attraction, and it is an historic part of Norwich. It opened in 1973 but has been threatened with closure a few times, and the historic trust has now taken it over as a museum shop.

One of the key factors in building Colman’s into the household brand it is today was the advertising. The advertisements have surely not been forgotten, and a whole section of the shop is dedicated to displaying different forms of advertising from throughout the decades.  You can also look at the tins and various forms of packaging that have been used over the last century to hold this yellow substance. Not surprisingly it has always been yellow, but the shapes and materials have varied.  Naturally, you can also buy some memorabilia like fridge magnets, embroidery kits, war-time tin replicas, cups, spoons, cook books, and even a mouse mat. There also a lot of cookbooks on display – and all the recipes include mustard in one shape or another. 

The Mustard shop has moved to the Royal arcade opposite the famous outdoor market. If you visit Norwich both these attractions are a must see.

http://www.mustardshopnorwich.co.uk/

thanks for reading - be back soon

Fortnum and Mason

Last Thanksgiving I went home for a short trip to London. One of the highlights was a Food Tour that started out at Fortnum and Mason, I actually still can't believe I didn't go back and have afternoon tea there. It is a very old, famous department store in Piccadilly.


The Food tour guide was American, which was unfortunate as I knew much more about all the christmas traditions in England. I think I did a good job of keeping my mouth shut, for once! I may just do a blog about the whole tour later.


The entire store was decorated for Christmas and looked beautiful, I could have stayed there all day. My friend treated me to a few F&M goodies and we got his mum the famous Champagne, Strawberry Preserves that the guy at Gatwick confiscated and said he had to throw away. I am sure he enjoyed in on his toast for the month of December!


Being a very determined pair, we did pick up some similar Jam at Harrod's inside Gatwick - that was almost taken by a customs guy in Atlanta!  This is the original yummy one...

The Royal Family's favorite food hall is Fortnum & Masons.  Of course, they close the store for Royals to shop there!


The store was opened by Messrs Fortnum and Mason in 1707, they supplied provisions during both the Napoleonic and Crimean wars. Despite stocking a solid range of accessories, perfumes, furniture and homeware, the shop is, understandably, famed for its fantastic, upmarket food hall piled high with gastronomic delights and filled with chandeliers and marble pillars. Some of the delicacies here are a little overpriced but the quality is exceptionally high. If you're visiting London in the summer months and want to sink your teeth into a yummy picnic hamper, look no further; Fortnum's has supplied hampers to high society types at events such as the Henley Regatta and the Ascot Races. Even if you're not a foodie, the shop itself is worth a visit just to check out the fantastic decor. It is also an excellent place to pick up a gift. All the delicacies and luxuries on sale here come so beautifully packaged you won't want to open.

This hamper above is around $500 and can be ordered on their website. In 2008 when the store celebrated its 300th birthday they were selling hampers for $50,000 and you could get them delivered in a horse drawn carriage.

We particularly liked this hamper

On the roof on Fortnum's they have beehives which produces the honey they sell. It's true!

Here is a photo of the lovely Christmas crackers they had. The tour guide started the story on these and I finished it!

Fortnum's is just a really beautiful, old store, I prefer it to Harrod's. It is a perfect place to go for afternoon tea, so be sure to go there if you visit London.

Here is the link to their website
http://www.fortnumandmason.com/the-store.aspx




sigh - thanks for sharing my memory.

Bastille Day

Today is Bastille Day, July 14th, French Independence Day - La fete Nationale.

The French celebrate the anniversary of Bastille Day, when, in 1789, Parisians stormed the Bastille prison, setting off the French Revolution which toppled King Louis XVI and put an end to the French monarchy.

King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette took refuge in Versailles as the violent peasants pillaged and burned chateaux, and destroyed records of feudal dues—this reaction is known as the grande peur (great fear). For the peasant class, the Bastille stood as a symbol of the hypocrisy and corruption of the aristocratic government - controlled mostly by nobility and clergy. This important event marked the entry of the popular class into the French Revolution.

The French recognize Bastille Day as the end of the monarchy and beginning of the modern republic. The lasting significance of the event was in its recognition that power could be held by ordinary citizens, not in the king or in God.

Today, in Paris, the main event of the day is the traditional military parade along the Champs-Elysees. The French do celebrate in the same way as Americans, with fireworks at the end of the day.

For me, just an another excuse to talk about a food memory.
What still sticks in my mind about Paris and France, is the fresh bread & cheeses. Walking in the streets and discovering outdoor cafes, plus all these amazing Pâtisseries or Fromagerie (artisan cheese shop) Something wonderful around every corner that you turn. 
A huge cup (actually more like a bowl) of coffee in the morning there, dipping that fresh bread in it, is one of the best food memories I can think of! Especially with some Strawberry Jam - I'm sorry "confiture de fraises"!

Maybe this is where my bread and cheese craving got reinforced!

The closest thing we can do here is make a French dinner or picnic and celebrate Bastille day. 

Bon Appetit!

pour le moment, mes amis, au revoir

Anyone for Pimm's?

I have been thinking about Pimm's since Wimbledon started. It is the quintessential English drink, find it at other seasonal sporting events such as The Henley Regatta. It is the english equivalent of the Mint Julep at The Kentucky Derby.


The first time I went to Henley was working for an upscale London caterer, funnily enough I can't remember any of the food - just Pimm's! Henley is in Oxfordshire on the Thames, very snotty race with a strict dress code, ladies cannot wear anything but dresses and they must be below the knee - now that's ridiculous. I think they just relaxed the rule, to allow men to take off their jackets, but not their ties.

So, Henley would not be the same without a Pimm's. It is the drink of a cricket game too, which would definitely make the game a little less boring!


Pimm's originated in an Oyster Bar in London, owned by James Pimm's. He created the Pimm's "house cup" flavored with Liquors and fruit extract. There is even a Pimm's Bar at Wimbledon, it opened in 1971. The only drink more popular in England is Tea.


The garnish is important, cucumber, mint and strawberries. The classic recipe calls for one part Pimm's to two parts Lemonade, the American equivalent is Sprite.


Traditional Pimm’s Cup Recipe:-

2 oz. Pimm’s No. 1

4 oz. English lemonade or lemon-lime soda
Mint sprig, cucumber slice, strawberry slice and apple slice, for garnish

Add ice to a chilled tall glass. Add the Pimm’s and lemonade or lemon lime soda. Stir gently, and garnish with the mint sprig, cucumber slice, strawberry slice and apple slice.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

A Woman Sconed!

Y'all knew it was coming, the scone blog. I know you wish you had scratch and sniff computers now but you can always come get some! Most of my friends know my oven saga - the new one is due to come on July 12th - just in time to bake a cake for the kid's 17th birthday!


The Scone is the essential part of our English Afternoon Tea, best served with strawberry Jam and clotted cream, in my opinion. It is yet another food in my childhood memory list!


I've been making scones for probably 20-25 years. I did not do much cooking or baking with my father, but I can remember him teaching me how to feel the food with my hands when we made pastry and I feel that way with scones. I can also smell when they are done, slightly odd but true! I would only eat a scone fresh out of the oven, the only way to eat them.


Some people believe that the scone was named after the Stone of Destiny which was a stone throne on which Scottish kings would sit to be crowned. The Oxford dictionary on the other hand believes that it comes from a word "sgonn" meaning mouthful or shapeless mass, or the German word "sconbrot" meaning beautiful bread.

Originally, scones were made with oats, shaped into a large round, scored into four or six wedges and griddle-baked over an open fire. With the advent of oven baking, the round of dough was cut into wedges and the scones were baked individually. I actually thought about trying to grill some while I have had no stove - an alternative to the easy bake oven!

Today’s scones are quick breads, similar to American biscuits. They are traditionally made with wheat flour, sugar, baking powder or baking soda, butter, milk and eggs, and baked in the oven—both in the traditional wedge form and in round, square and diamond shapes. This recipe produces a hard, dry texture.

Traditional English scones may include raisins or currants, but are often plain, relying on jam, preserves, lemon curd or honey for added flavor—perhaps with a touch of clotted cream. Fancy scones—with dried fruit such as cranberries and dates, nuts, orange rind, chocolate morsels and other flavorings—are best enjoyed without butter and jam.

Getting ready for a small batch

These were Cinnamon Scones - you add your flavoring at the dry stage

I use Heavy Cream

For some reason I only took a photo of the unbaked - maybe I was delivering these unbaked to someone?

Here are some Freshly baked Lemon Poppyseed Scones! 

I don't give out my scone recipe - just the Scones!  


Thanks for reading.....