Blow me, after this morning’s post on preserving stuff, they were talking jam on the Chris Evan’s show as I drove home. Jam is the new rock’n’roll, with more of us giving it a go. They interviewed Fraser Doherty, the man behind Superjam, who started the company when he was just 18 with his gran’s [...]
Entries from July 31st, 2009
The Friday Five – Preserving the best
July 31st, 2009 · 1 Comment · British favourites, Cookbooks, Foodie gifts, Friday Five, Preserving
One of the things that struck me in France was that there were still lots of preserved things on the shelves (and I’m not talking about Bardot), not just in the jam aisle. Although the jam aisle was definitely crammed with interesting flavours that you don’t necessarily get here. Preserving certainly fits in with the [...]
Tags:allotments·bottling·canning·Good Housekeeping·Grow your own·Jams·jellies·Preserving·smoking·WI
On loving Lakeland
July 30th, 2009 · No Comments · British favourites, Foodie gadgets, Foodie gifts, Kitchenwares, Places to shop online, Preserving
Whenever you want to moan about the state of British retailing, then go visit a branch of Lakeland. Of course, I am old enough to remember when they were Lakeland Plastics, but they are about so much more these days. But one thing that remains is the terribly nice, mainly ladies, who work there. I [...]
My foodie holiday reading
July 29th, 2009 · No Comments · Food Writing, Foodie Travel, Foodie gifts, Foodie things to do
One of the best parts of a holiday is choosing your holiday reading, and I am happy to have got through 3 books over the fortnight that have a definite foodie flavour to them (somehow, I can’t really say A Year in the Merde counts, although it was a good trashy read). In case you [...]
Tags:cod·holiday books·holidays·Mark Kurlansky·pies·Reading·Simon Majumdar·Stuart Maconie·The North
Home (food) thoughts from abroad
July 28th, 2009 · No Comments · British favourites, Fish & Seafood, Foodie Travel
I am sat looking out at the British summertime i.e. the pouring rain, after nearly 3 weeks in France, musing on the things we missed. This was a conversation over a few Kirs one night with other people who were staying at the same gite, and I think the general conclusion was not much. I [...]
Tags:Cathedral City·curry·food you miss·Gouda·holidays·Peanut butter·Yorkshire tea
Helping heroes with cooking
July 28th, 2009 · 2 Comments · British favourites, Cookbooks, Foodie gifts, Places to eat
This isn’t really the post I thought I was going to write today, but sometimes events converge and the topic makes itself. Several things are going round my head: the death of Harry Patch over the weekend, the last of a quite remarkable group whose bravery and sacrifice can never really be measured; being at [...]
A great birthday lunch
July 24th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Foodie Travel, Foodie things to do, Meat treats, Places to eat
Should you wish to whisk a foodie loved one off for a birthday lunch with a difference, can I recommend Bistrot du Marin in Saint Martin on the Ile de Ré? The island is stunning and worth the €16.50 to cross over the bridge, and lunch alone would have made it worthwhile. In a stunning [...]
Tags:Summer eating
A foodie tour of La Rochelle
July 20th, 2009 · No Comments · Fish & Seafood, Foodie Travel, Foodie things to do, Places to eat
I love La Rochelle, and would happily spend my days here (note to the housesitters, yes, we will be home. Unless we win the lottery). It has everything you could want, especially if you want good food. You can do everything from fine, Michelin star dining through to just a quick coffee, but it’s all [...]
Tags:food markets·France·Ice cream·La Rochelle·Places to eat·Places to visit
Stocking up on great foodie gifts
July 19th, 2009 · No Comments · Foodie gadgets, Foodie gifts, Foodie treats, Kitchenwares, Places to shop online, Uncategorized
If you haven’t discovered Not On The High Street already, then now is a great time to do so as their sale is on. This is a perfect site for shopping for everyone on your gift list, from young to old, close friends to passing acquaintances, and from style queens to full blown foodies. I [...]
Tags:credit crunch gifts·Foodie gifts·French food·Gadgets·Hampers·Not On the High Street·tea·tea towels