Title: Comment: <p> </p><p><img height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_24o5BqgMIK0/SZADtl4xyaI/AAAAAAAACG4/JFxHkIBmDRo/s400/pub.jpg" width="400" /></p><p>Anyone who knows me would vouch that I am a ‘frustrated chef'.  Over the last few years my passion for cooking and playing around with ingredients, in order to come up with something truly different has increased.  I have dreamt of running my own little restaurant where I can use local produce and my own recipes over the years but not really done to much about it. . . till now</p><p> </p><p>As I have mentioned before I live in the middle of an organic farm their speciality is their beef and the steak is beyond any other I have tried.  Just over the road is a pub which years ago were known for their good food. Over recent years it has changed hands more times than Hugh has changed his socks! And as a result the punters are lacking with the menu reduced to some soggy chips and a rubbery sausage, if you're lucky!!</p><p> </p><p>Over the last month or so and now that the children are a little older I have decided to follow my idea of catering in some way, shape, or form.  I am going to run dinner parties in peoples homes and have had new cards printed and door magnets for my car with the company name ‘Fusion' which I think just about sums up my style of cooking.  I approached a few eateries in the area to see if they would like to add my Panna Cottas to their menu which had stirred some interest, as I started selling them in our local village store.  </p><p>The pub over the road had been taken over, yet again, by two ladies and one morning I knocked on the door, introducing myself as their neighbour and presented a couple of pots of my Panna Cotta, one lavender and one ginger and lemongrass for them to try. They thanked me and that was that.</p><p> </p><p>After a couple of days I popped over the pub for a drink with the family.  I spoke to the lady behind the bar and she said that she really liked the samples I had left and would I be interested in doing a ‘Fusion Night' there? I jumped at the chance, as feel the pub is so well appointed being right next door the farm and have always felt they should do an organic menu.</p><p> </p><p>I have gone for a 3 course set menu with choice of starters, mains and desserts. I have incorporated the farms steaks, rosemary marinated sirloin being the one on the set menu, but for a supplement they can choose the ‘Hungry Lion Platter' which has 3 steaks, the sirloin, fillet and rib-eye! I will be doing a choice of sauces to go with them, peppercorn, béarnaise and mustard. I have also included a veggie option which is a wild mushroom and thyme risotto and a chicken dish with wine and herb sauce. Instead of chips I will be roasting new potatoes with mixed garden herbs and garlic.</p><p> </p><p>The pub have recently added a small upright piano so to make full use of this and add to the ambience of days gone by when every pub had a piano, I plan to get a pianist to come for the evening to play some back ground music as people eat. I am going to advertise the position locally ( I hope that an elderly person will apply who has some experience in stringing along to a request, as they used to in the old days). </p><p> </p><p>I am a little nervous as I am planning on catering for 30 people! I am sure it will go ok, and I hope that it will tempt people to use the organic farms fabulous meat and veggies.</p><p> </p><p>I will keep you posted on the run up to the event and also how well it went on the night. I am planning on doing it sometime in September.  </p><p> </p><p>Wish me luck!</p><p> </p><p>Bx</p><p> </p><p> </p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p> </p><p> </p><p>Like most mothers every morning I run the children up to school.  One day last month fuelled on only one coffee and not my usual two cups due to the extreme lack of milk in the house, I dragged myself up the village, kissed the boys farewell and hauled myself into our closest shop The Cobham Village Stores.  I don't often frequent this shop as in the past it has just been rammed packed with shelves of tins, sauces and detergents all shamefully brought from the Sainsburys store a few miles up the A2 and re-sold (after a huge mark up) in the little shop. But this day was different...</p><p> </p><p>I had been told that the store has been taken over, but didn't pay the information much attention.  As I pulled up in the little car park I noticed a chap standing outside the front door with a happy face and a cheeky smile.  I got out of my car and entered through the back door.  As soon as the door creaked open there was a bellow from within "GOOD MORNING", not being one to shy away, I hollered a loud "GOOD MORNING" back to the voice within.  I was welcomed by the fella I had seen at the front door, who exclaimed "You haven't been in here before have you"? I explained that I had of been in before but not since he had taken it over, and that I had just come in for some milk.  It was evident that things in that little shop were going through a major change and upon asking, Ashley (the new owner) enthusiastically went on to tell me all his plans for the place. Amongst the many new ideas they were going to open up a coffee shop at the front of the store, with a long table where people could meet and have a natta.  He is also starting to sell locally produced foods (thankfully getting rid of the Sainsburys stock) such as cheese, meat, jams, home cooked pre-packed meals, and after installing ovens there very own bread! In fact Ashley told me that he had brought in some wild mushrooms and hand picked asparagus and had sold them all within hours of them hitting the shelves! He asked me if I liked coffee? As they buy in the beans from a local supplier and grind them for their customers now. I of course said that I love the stuff where upon Ashley ground me some Colombian beans (as I like south American coffee in particular) and thrust a small bag in my hand for me to take home as a taster.  I was also given a sausage as a sample for my father who as I explained, is on his own personal quest to find the best sausage in England. The new owners rear there own pigs and have the sausages made by there local butcher. Apparently they are flying out the door like hot cakes as local punters have discovered how great they are. </p><p> </p><p>Ashley and his partner have many more ideas for the shop and with such overwhelming enthusiasm I am sure they will make a success of it. </p><p> </p><p>I am glad that we had run out of milk that morning as I was so happy to have met someone who clearly is inspired by food that is produced locally and as far as I am concerned ...living the dream!</p><p> </p><p> By the way Ashley, the coffee is great... I shall be back! </p><p> </p><p>Bx</p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p>Well after a long time away due to technical problems on my profile page, I am back!</p><p> <img height="266" src="http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Strawberry_Jam.jpg" style="width: 403px; height: 266px" width="403" /></p><p> </p><p>Here we are half way through the summer already and I have been busying myself making pots and pots of strawberry jam, some with elderflower, some with lavender and at the weekend I am due to make some raspberry too.  My kitchen has been transformed into what looks like the ‘Chivers Jam Factory' with orders to boot . . .</p><p> </p><p>My first memories of jam making were of course with my mother, who as I have mentioned on a few occasions was a fine cook.  Strawberry picking with the family was somewhat of a tradition in our household.  Cousins and friends would all turn up at a specially selected farm to pick as many of these little delectable fruits as possible. In fact it always turned into a competition between us kids at who can collect the most (which of course was most pleasing to my mother). </p><p> </p><p> After a few hours picking, red shouldered, stung legged and bright pink fingered we headed home with our bounty. The house would be full of the smell of strawberries for the rest of the evening, as mum would then set to work hulling, boiling and setting the jam in the warmed jars. We were put to bed after being rewarded for our hard work with a nice fresh piece of bread and warm jam.  Then with a full tummy and happy thoughts as the smell wafted through to our room, we went to sleep to dream of strawberry fields and summer days... Ahhhh, if only life were as simple nowadays!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bx</p><p> </p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p> </p><p>Well despite my last blog on ‘whispers of spring', with hopes of warm sunny weather cheering me on this weekend, as I dig up the vegetable patch... today was quite different! </p><p>April showers and their expectations did not disgrace themselves today. Despite the weather, I had decided that today I must make a start in the garden! For April is upon us and I had no seeds planted in the greenhouse! </p><p>It rained, it shone, it rained... it shone and then it rained and hailed... then it shone!!!! I did not let up, for I had decided that this weekend I would at least get my patch dug over!</p><p>Well after a few hours of very heavy digging (as my youngest son wanted his own veg patch, which of course needed digging out) I was wavering as you can imagine. I dug up one more fork load, when I heard a buzzing sound. My eldest son and I looked down to the soil to discover a small little bumble bee, not yet taken to flight or even ventured from under the earth. Poor little Billy Bee, we had disturbed him from his winter slumber and now what was to become of him?</p><p>We picked him up on an leaf, then put him upon the old Victorian wall that lay behind the new vegetable patch. Then we watched... a flutter, then Billy would try to climb up a leaf in order to launch himself into the air... he tried a few times until... all of a sudden he took off! We applauded him on his maiden flight over our patch. Then he did a circuit as if to say "look what I can do"! my son and I where completely intoxicated by this moment. Know one else new what we saw... it was our own, and not to be repeated. . .  The most amazing thing that happened to me today! I am sure that come the summer that same little Billy Bumble Bee will annoy me on my deck, but still to see him set flight today was worth it!!!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bx</p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p> </p><p> </p><p>After what seems a very, very long winter indeed, I am delighted to hear at last the whispers of Spring in the air...</p><p> </p><p>Although Winter has its unchallenged pleasures, such as sitting in front of a roaring fire and reading the latest offering from our dear old Hugh, or loosing oneself for an afternoon and once again becoming a child playing in the snow jetting down the side of a hill on a slay with no cares in the world, I am now, more than ready for Spring and all its wonders.</p><p> </p><p>The warmer weather has arrived to our little corner of Kent.  Each morning I wake to the sound of Bluetits, Goldfinches, Black birds and Robins all singing their tiny hearts out, ‘Twittapatted' as Owl from the film Bambi once said! We also have a wood pecker who I can hear gently tapping on the tree outside my window along with Bob the pheasant (named by my youngest son) running round the garden crowing, as if to compete with our own cockerel Stig at who can be the loudest! All the buds on the trees are looking ready to burst open and the first spray of colour has appeared as if over night in the forms of tulips, daffodils and wild violets in the lawn. </p><p> </p><p>Ahhhh it's now, at last, time to get out in the greenhouse and plant out the vegetables that I will look forward to cooking with in the summer.... Happy days!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bx</p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p>Well this Friday is when I shall be jetting off to sunny (you can only hope) Ireland! Although having an element of Irish blood running through my veins, I have never ventured there before.  I have booked myself into a couple of nice hotels one being in Galway and the other near Knock which is situated on a lake which sounds perfectly romantic (not that I will be with the love of my life, but even so it will be a nice place to read a good book).</p><p> </p><p>As I don't know much about the area I was wondering if any of you know of any good places to visit in County Mayo? I would very much like to go to a ‘good old Irish pub' where I can hear some live music and of course the infamous Irish singing, Hi diddly, diddly, do!! And any ideas on places and what to eat would be helpful.</p><p> </p><p>Many thanks in advance...</p><p> </p><p>B x</p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p>We live in a small village in Kent. We have two neighbours to speak of, one being a pub and the other an elderly couple in the cottage over the way. Sally, the wife keeps horses and breeds them for racing. She exercises them just over the little lane from our house on a piece of land which also has a couple of old unused stables on it.</p><p> </p><p>Five years ago, there was a knock at the door and Sally, standing in her usual attire of an old green jacket, woolly hat and muddy green Wellington boots began to tell us of a mysterious find.</p><p> </p><p>She had as usual gone over with her two horses to let them off in the field, when she heard a shuffling and banging around in one of the old stables.  Tentatively she went to inspect the noise. Before she opened the door she discovered a note which had been pinned to it. The note read as follows;</p><p> </p><p> <em>‘Do not move this horse, it is ours and we will be back to collect it in three days. We are travellers and will not cause your property any harm as long as you do not move this horse or contact the police'. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p>Sally then opened the door, and there staring up at her with big brown sorrowful eyes was a foal, it was a miniature Shetland pony!  Sally was unsure what to do, she had her horses to worry about and her home, and after the somewhat threatening note didn't want to put them in jeopardy but was concerned for the foal as it looked very young.  Sally did what she could for it leaving it food and water which it clearly had not been given.</p><p> </p><p>After being told we decided that being we don't know the situation, perhaps the travellers didn't have a stable for it until they moved on or some such thing we would do as the note suggested.</p><p> </p><p>That evening my mother came for dinner and in the course of conversation said "did you here about that little foal on radio Kent today"? she then went on to relay a piece of news she had heard. A young Shetland pony had been stolen away from its mother. Lucky (the foal's name) was in grave danger as it had not been weaned and was on special medication as it was sickly she went on to give a description of Lucky. The owner was on the radio begging for people to look out for him.  Naturally when hearing this I jumped to my feet and told her of the pony left over the lane. Running to the kitchen to grab a torch I scurried over the lane. There in the gloom I peered into the old stable shining the torch on the foal to see if it fits the description given out on the radio. It was very dark, but from what I could work out it seemed a match! I came home and without thinking of the possible consequences rang Radio Kent. They put me in touch with the owner who sounded exhausted.  It turns out that many people had rung in saying they have sighted Lucky but after touring Kent none have turned out to be him.  I said that I couldn't be sure it was her horse, as I don't know much about them myself but it may be worth a look.  The owner was pretty sure it was not going to be Lucky, but said she would come by tomorrow.</p><p> </p><p>When she arrived, feeling a little worried that a may have wasted her time and hopes I took her over the lane to the stable.</p><p> </p><p>Upon opening the doors and going inside, the owner dropped to her knees and grabbed the little lost foal. Weeping with joy she said "Lucky, I found you"! I </p><p>Became overwhelmed and started to cry myself. The lady was uncontrollably kissing and hugging the pony screaming with joy.</p><p> </p><p>She said that the mother had been beyond consolable at not having her foal with her, and the family have been distraught as they had all become so attached to Lucky.  They had named him Lucky due to the illness he had, and was very lucky to be alive in the first place.</p><p> </p><p>The owner sat on the back seat of her car with the pony on her lap! While her husband drove them all back home...</p><p> </p><p>A few days later she came back to see me with a card and present. She was so happy to be able to reunite Lucky with his mother and so grateful that I had ignored the threatening note and got in contact with her.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully we never heard from the thieves again in fact I don't think they even bothered to come back to the stable to check on poor little Lucky.  Looking back on that, I can honestly say that was one of the most happy, memorable days of my life.</p><p> </p><p>Bx</p><p> </p><p> </p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: Using up what I have in the fridge today I have discovered a nice little snack or starter... Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p>A few years ago we became foster parents to a very unusual baby...</p><p> </p><p>One afternoon, while sitting in the kitchen, the children and I heard the most almighty scream outside.  Running to the window we surveyed the garden for activity. The cat was under the hedge playing with a small creature of some description. Judging by terrible shrieks echoing around the house I thought that it must be a baby rabbit (as I have heard them make a similar sound when caught by a fox). We all went dashing outside and shooed the cat away.  There laying on the grass was the tiniest little squirrel, still making a lot of noise but seemingly unharmed by the cats advances.</p><p> </p><p>I asked my son to run in and get an old tea towel, so I could pick it up, as I was unsure whether having human scent on it would somehow impede its mother's natural instinct on taking it back, as with birds. It was clear that this was a very, very young little squirrel, and needed to be back in its nest.  I rang the RSPCA for advice.  They were a little uninterested to say the least and suggested that I put it close to where I thought the nest would be and soon enough its mother would appear and take it back.</p><p> </p><p>After laying it on a safe place in a tree we all waited patiently for the mother to return, periodically checking that it was ok. We waited.... Waited....and waited but there was no sign of its family and after 3 hours decided to seek some more advice. </p><p> </p><p>I looked up squirrel rescue on the net, and found a place in Hampshire that was very helpful. The gentleman said that by the sound of it, the squirrel must be around 6 weeks old and therefore not yet weaned.  He also said that unfortunately the mother would not return and if we wanted to save it, the only hope would be if I became its surrogate mother! He went on to explain the recipe for its milk, and it would need feeding every 3 hours. We would also have to rub gently its bottom so that it would be able to poo!! (this, as you can imagine was very alarming to the boys)</p><p> </p><p>I decided that I would take on this unexpected role and after the children made a nice little bed in an old hamster cage we had, proceeded to the local supermarket to get the ingredients; goats milk, natural yogurt and baby liquid vitamins. I also picked up a ‘dropper' from the pharmacy in order to feed it.  </p><p> </p><p>We where dedicated as a family to getting our squirrel, now aptly named ‘Nutkins' to adulthood and so embarked on a regular feeding schedule. I remember having my alarm clock wake me up at 2am and then at 5, going downstairs and warming the milk and feeding little Nutkins in the dark of night.  I also remember going out for a day trip to Dover Castle, amongst others, having the cage with dear little Nutkins in the boot, so that I could run back and feed him! That baby squirrel was fastly becoming the best travelled in the world.</p><p> </p><p>After a few months we put him in a large cage in the garden changed his diet to seeds and taught him how to open nuts (this apparently doesn't come naturally and is learnt from the mother... us)!</p><p> </p><p>Finely, after several months we left the cage open, and he would go in and out, until one day he finely went altogether.</p><p> </p><p>We were sad to see him go, but were so happy to have been able to save him. For a while he would regularly come back and visit us, and we would feed him his sunflower seeds (of which he was most fond) and he would play with us, climbing on our heads and running up our arms jumping through the trees, as if he were showing off his new skills... I am aware that many people veiw squirrels as vermin and woulnt have done the same, but as far as I am concerned, it was a little life that was well worth saving.  Although we haven't seen him for a while now, I like to believe he is now a father himself and is enjoying life in the wild which at times when I feel a little low gives me a warm feeling inside.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bx</p><p> </p> Submit > < Back

Title: Comment: <p>We have just opened one of the last remaining bottles of our Elderflower Champagne and what a delightfully, delicate drop of bubbly it is too!!! </p><p> </p><p>Last summer I watched with glee our Hugh and John mix up this fine concoction in big buckets on the show.  I remember turning to the family and saying "well that has got to be worth a go".  </p><p>The following morning as the sun rose  high in the summer sky and the birds twittered in the colourful hedgerows, with all green things growing, armed with baskets and scissors the family and I went, a' hunting for big, beautiful, blooms of elderflowers.  To be fair we didn't have to go far, for just out the gate at the bottom of the garden and along the byway that runs up the field in front of our house, there can be found a whole host of elderberry trees.</p><p> </p><p>Excitedly, we picked the flowers, brought them home and proceeded to get on with the task in hand.  Within the hour our very own <em><strong>‘Cottage Chateau' </strong></em>was born, right here in the heart of Kent!</p><p> </p><p>I have held a few of the bottles back for the winter season for two reasons; <strong>1. (and the prime reason to be honest with you) the alcohol content would hopefully be higher and 2. for the nostalgia.</strong>  The second reason has certainly paid off... with one sip I am transported back to the long summer days and warm evenings sitting in the garden, with the faint smell of elderflowers wafting over the hedge. With a second mouthful I can almost hear the sound of horsesssssssss <em>clllipp     cloppppping past andddd..... errr, ohhhhh, thinkkkkk the firsttt reason has alsooooo starteddddddto take effffffect, </em></p><p> </p><p><em>Hic up!</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Bx</em></p><p> </p> Submit > < Back