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There are very vague signs of Spring: mornings are lighter, if I slink off sharpish it’s still light when I leave work, and there are some small green shoots in the garden.

Green shoots are coming!

And in the kitchen all sorts of things change for me. I know that it’s Spring when I start reaching for Bill Granger cookbooks and put away Delia’s Winter Collection. I start craving different things to eat, lots of South East Asian, lots of lighter stuff. What else might be going on?

1. The casserole might be heading back into the cupboard, and the wok might be heading out more permanently. Quick, easy and full of fresh flavours!

2. The grow your own foodies will be busy prepping their fruit and veg plots, as well as working out what seeds to order in. I am really keen on Seeds of Italy, and there are some really unusual varieties of tomatoes and basil, as well as things like spelt and garlic chives. I told Dr T he should be chitting potatoes, but his hearing is not so good and he went a bit pale. If you’re not great with seeds, then order in seedlings ready to go in the ground. I like Sarah Raven and Thompson and Morgan, and I won’t tell your more green fingered friends if you don’t!

3. The pancake loving foodie will be dusting off their crepe pan ready for Shrove Tuesday. The less well co-ordinated will be looking at their ceiling and worrying. The really inept amongst us might choose an electric crepe maker!

4. The globe trotting foodie will be lured around the world to track down a huge variety of flavours. They were probably in San Francisco yesterday at the Crab Festival, and next weekend they could be at Menton in the South of France for the Lemon Festival. And you could head anywhere with a Chinatown next weekend ready for Chinese New Year.

5. Those of us with just Oyster cards will be enjoying a Parisian experience in W1, by heading to Pierre Herme’s instore patisserie at Selfridges for some truly magnificent macaroons. These are exquisite looking, and taste as good as they look. If you want to try recreating them, his book is only avaiable in French through Amazon France, although I can recommend a read of the experiences over on the He Eats blog. I particularly want to give the Salted Caramel and Apple ones a go.

So, even if more snow comes, just hang on in there, the Spring is on it’s way along with all the bounty that will bring.

Interesting shot of shoots by sciondriver over on Flickr.

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Ah, remember the balmy days of early December? How warm we all were? How soft the ground was? There was I thinking how lovely to run Sarah Fay’s list the first week in January, when we’d all be ready for a good long walk in the countryside.

How wrong could I be? But in preparation for warmer times (i.e. when it returns to above freezing) then Sarah’s list gives you some great insight into her passion for foraging, wild food and truly eating seasonally. Here’s Sarah’s perspective:

What better way to assure yourself of the finest, freshest ingredients than to forage for your own?  You will be surprised what you can find in hedgerows, woodlands and even local parks.  What’s more, your palate will be treated to full flavoured produce for free.  My advice is to arm yourself with a spacious basket, a pair of wellies, definitely a hat of sorts to protect yourself from falling grub(s), and the essential guide books and recipes.  The rest is pure, indulgent, foodie enjoyment.

Here is a list of books, both old and new, that have become my friends, dare I say bibles…

The Wild Food Year Book

1. The Wild Food Yearbook by Country Kitchen - this is one of my favourite books; well, it is almost like a thick magazine in true year book style.  Each chapter is separated into Season, detailing what is available to forage at any given time, and providing straight-forward useful ideas for each; from everyday recipes for delicious meals, to brewing your own beers and wines, to jam, jelly & chutney making. This is a practical guide for any wild food enthusiast, or wannabe forager.

2. The Easy Edible Mushroom Guide by Prof David Peglar - There are so many books dedicated to wild mushroom foraging, although this guide ticks all of the boxes for me.  It is small enough to be stuffed into your backpack and used as a field guide; clear photography and a size guide help you to easily distinguish between tasty fungi and potential poisoners!  The guide also includes a month by month calendar, so you know what to look for and when.  Some good recipes at the end of the book provide inspiration on how to best prepare and cook your rich pickings.

3. First Steps In Winemaking by C J J Berry- When you get into making your own home brew, you will rarely turn back, it is a little addictive, and the results are surprisingly good.  This benchmark guide is invaluable; from the rundown of what you will need to start off, to step-by-step recipe instructions, and the essential ‘trouble-shooting’ chapter.  The book is set out in a ‘wine-making year’ style, so you can follow and experiment as the months and season’s unfold, utilising the produce available.  I would include a serious amount of alka-seltzer if buying this book as a present!

British Seasonal Food by Mark Hix

4. British Seasonal Food by Mark Hix- Mark Hix brings to us a serious seasonal foodie guide in this fabulous book.  Chapters are separated by month with a brief of what is good ‘right now.’  The recipes range from simple everyday cooking ideas to more challenging dinner party feasts.  Witty illustrations, beautiful photography and Mark’s down to earth enthusiastic writing style, make this book a real treasure.  From a cookery beginner, stuck for ideas for what to do with their veg box, to the passionate foodie looking for seasonal inspiration – this book in my opinion, is a must.

5. Game: A Cookery Book by Tom Norrington Davis & Trish Hilferty - The latest addition to my bookshelf, Game: A Cookery Book has fast become my latest love.  The book covers all aspects of sourcing, prepping and cooking wild game, and is arranged by animal type – two legs (game birds), four legs (the bigger beasts & furred game), no legs (mostly fish).  The two London chefs join forces to celebrate game hunting and cooking in all of its glory.  The recipes range from the classics to modern fusion styles; simplistic to challenging, and all ensure that your prized catch gains centre stage.

So, once we’ve all come out of this temporary hibernation, it’ll be a great time to get out there, look at the food that’s around us, not to mention finding great seasonal food in your locality. And if you’d overspent at Christmas, then finding some food for free has to be a good thing. Another thing to think about is that after a tough winter like this one, local food supporters are going to need us more than ever. And if you’re in the Essex area, then check out Sarah’s site, Essex Gourmet, for a great guide to everything that is great to eat in the area.

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Kicking off Christmas for English Mum

No post from me on here today (although Twitter followers will find photographic evidence of Dr T’s black eye in my tweets!) as I am returning a favour. A few weeks ago, English Mum gave us her 5 favourite old farts, or the cookbooks by them, and today I am starting her Christmas countdown with my top 10 favourite festive foodie presents.

And no, it’s never too early to start! My big advice on gifts is always start early, presents bought in haste are always repented at leisure. And probably brought up on a regular basis by the recipient.

Normal service to be resumed back here later in the week!

Depending on how you arrived at reading these pages, you may or may not know that I’m a big Twitter fan. Actually, Dr T says I have been wittering for years so it was a natural step. Anyway, one of the things I love about it is the great people I have met, and I’m thrilled that some of them have agreed to share some of their fave cook books, recipes and gadgets, as a guest spot on the Friday Five.

First up is the shining star of wonderful gorgeousness that is English Mum, and her old farts. I’ll let her explain…

Floyd on Italy

I love a cookery book.  I perpetually annoy my family as they fall over random piles of them that mushroom in every room in our house: in piles by the bath, stacked up in a leaning tower next to my bed and stuffed into already-groaning shelves in the kitchen.  My husband sighs every time he sees me glued to Ebay, desperately bidding on another ‘must have’.  Seriously, I should get out more.

Firstly, then, I suppose I should qualify my chosen title by assuring you that it’s not the authors of any of these classic cookery books that I am referring to as ‘old farts’, but the books themselves.  They’re my old faithfuls; always close at hand, well-thumbed, well-used and loved.  I find myself coming back to the doddery old dears time and time again and would be lost without them:

 1.  Floyd on Italy, by Keith Floyd.  Not just as a tribute to the late and much-loved Floyd, this one had to be included as I return again and again to his perfect ‘fresh tomato sauce’.  The ‘white bean goulash’ is also a stunning dish – brilliant for using the ham bone after Christmas too (oops, I said the C word, sorry!).  Not only a boozing legend, he was a serious craftsman in the kitchen too.

2.  English Food, by Jane Grigson.  As far as I’m concerned, Jane Grigson was the Grande Dame of English cookery.  She was delightfully scathing about fast food and supported the use of fresh, local produce long before it was popular.  First published in 1974, this is one of her best and should be on everyone’s kitchen shelf.  It’s a great back-to-basics book to buy for a beginner or student, and the stories between the recipes will entertain any food lover.

3.  A Book of Mediterranean Food, by Elizabeth David.  This was Elizabeth David’s first book and I find myself returning not so much for the recipes as for the wonderful, slightly ‘posh’ way that David writes about her travels and the Mediterranean cuisine that must have seemed impossibly strange back in the 1950s.  Her ‘courgettes au tomates’ is a simple classic.

4.  Good Housekeeping Cookery Book: The Cook’s Classic Companion.  I’ve got two versions of this veritable cookery

Good Housekeeping Cookery Book

bible, the first one presumably pinched from my Mum some time in the 1970s, then a revised edition from 1985.  This is probably my most referred-to book, not only for basic weights and measures, but for inspiration when a certain ingredient is glaring at me from the fridge, demanding to be used.  There’s great information about ingredients and cooking methods too.

5.  Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, by Isabella Beeton.  Try to find an unabridged version of this, a bestseller of its time.  Yes, it’s a weighty tome, but doesn’t everybody need to know how to dispatch a turtle to make classic turtle soup (apparently, it’s best to ‘cut off the head of the turtle the preceding day’) or handle the manservants?  A must-have for entertainment value if nothing else.

So there you have it, from flamboyant Floyd to impeccably organised Isabella: five old farts that should grace every bookshelf.  Enjoy!

And you can’t argue with that!

There's a glut about

Well, not quite, but tonight’s dinner challenge is a different use of courgettes with every course because, like many of you who might grow your own, there’s a courgette glut still on.

I have to admit to not being the biggest fan of the courgette, but I’m coming around. I think it’s too many years of it being served up wet and soggy, either on is own or in some awful bastardisation of ratatouille. More rat than touille I always thought. But I think tonight’s three ways might be about as far away from that as you can get.

Firstly, we’ll be starting with Courgette Hummus, from the Gastrokid cookbook and as featured in last Sunday’s Observer. Sadly, it’ll probably only use up a max of 2 courgettes as there are only 7 of us. Doesn’t sound like you can go too far wrong with this combination of flavours though, what with all the parsley, basil, lemon juice and olive oil. It may just prove to be a way to get more veg into kids, rather than contributing anything distinctive on the flavour front, but it does look a very pretty shade of green. I shall reserve judgement.

Main course is somewhat easier, as there’ll be grilled courgette. This is the way to serve courgettes to non believers, as it is with many veg. Roasting or grilling really brings out a different side to the flavours, slightly sweeter plus that slight smokiness. Of course, chucking good olive oil and rock salt on helps a lot as well!

And for dessert, I’m going the obvious route, which is Flora’s Famous Courgette Cake out of How to be a Domestic Goddess. Although being slightly undomestic goddess like, I will not be whipping up a lime curd this afternoon, although it is worth doing when time allows. If you’re not convinced by the sound of the cake, check out Mouthfuls of Heaven’s report from when she gave it a go.

Whatever is left from the glut I’m thinking of grating and freezing for going into cakes and soups over the winter. Unless anyone has any other interesting recipes for me to give a go? Go on, let me in on your courgette secrets! From A Forkful of Spaghetti comes the delightful sounding courgette pickle, so that’s a good start!

Photo by Indigo Goat.

Tandoori Chicken

It’s hard to eat badly in France. Except when it comes to things like Chinese and particularly Indian food. So we came back with a huge craving for a good curry, and Dr T has been busy in the kitchen ever since!

Which made the choice for this week’s Saturday Session easy! I would point you to Mamta’s Kitchen, which bills itself as a family cookbook, and it does have the feel of all those dishes you would grow up on and then really miss when you left home. Started by Mamta Gupta when her daughters left home, it has grown and grown, having been started in 2001.

If you’ve not made Indian food before, then try that most popular of dishes, Tandoori Chicken, it’s pretty straightforward. Unless you’re Heston Blumenthal, when I seem to remember it required a JCB and a big hole in your garden to build a tandoor. Not strictly speaking necessary.

Of course, you can’t just stop with the chicken. You’ll need some bread, and a side dish or two. Not to mention perhaps a few Kingfisher lagers or a fabulous glass of Lassi.

Go on, it looks miserable outside, cooking this will fill the house with delicious aromas and be one hundred times better than anything you pick up from the supermarket!

Photo courtesy of thebittenword.com

Before you read this, you might want to mix yourself a drink:

Cognac Summit the drink of summer 2009

Cognac Summit

 Put a piece of lime zest and four thin strips of fresh ginger into a glass. Pour in 2cl of Cognac VSOP. Press lightly 2 to 3 times with the aid of a drumstick (I think my translation may leave something to be desired here, for those with better skills than the dictionary, the word was un pilon).

 Half fill the glass with ice cubes, stir for 5 seconds with a spoon. Add another 2cl of Cognac. Add 6cl of lemonade and a piece of cucumber peel. Stir for 5 seconds and serve straightaway.

 Now, I am not sure if that is a good use of Cognac or not, but it is the drink of the season from the Cognac trade association! And what an association it is, with some of the most famous names in the spirits trade involved! If you want to give the foodie in your life a trip to remember, without breaking the bank, then I suggest a long weekend in Cognac and working your way round a few of the houses.

 Within easy reach from the UK with a number of the cheap airlines, you can fly into La Rochelle or Bordeaux and be in Cognac in a couple of hours if you rent a car. You can almost smell the Cognac in the air as soon as you arrive. As with whisky, they refer to the amount they lose into the atmosphere as the angel’s share.

 My favourite tour, particularly with children, is Hennessy, if only because it involves a short boat trip from their modern looking HQ on the town side of the river to the warehouses on the other. There are tours in English, and you will need to book in advance. There are amazing barrels of Cognac from centuries and centuries ago, which you can only imagine how valuable they are, or what the flavours will be like.

 Of course, the foodie will be interested in the whole process from start to finish, and also the many evolutions of design of bottles. The good news is there is a tasting at the end of it all! For the nominated driver, there is grape juice, for everyone else there is Cognac of varying qualities, depending on how expensive you wanted to make your trip. The basic trip ticket involves a very acceptable Cognac (this is Hennessy after all) but you can upgrade to something you may never get to buy a bottle of.

 But don’t just go and do the visit and leave, as the town itself is glorious. If you fancy an overnight stay, then I would recommend the Hotel Heritage, and even if you’re not staying for the night then I would go for lunch. When the weather is great, then you sit outside on a very pretty courtyard, covered with wisteria, and needless to say have a very relaxed lunch. For little foodies, there is a children’s menu, but don’t go expecting the regular jambon frites option, more likely to be steak and chips.

 The rooms are charming, warm and cosy, in feel rather than overbearing temperature, and the bar has a great choice of all drinks, not just Cognac. But as with most drinks, and food, there is something to be said about drinking Cognac in the town of which it bears the name, and generally just enjoying the whole atmosphere.

 Cognac makes a great base for exploring the area, or just for a getaway with a difference. If you are flying back through La Rochelle, try and make time to visit the market, which is open every day except Sunday. It is exactly the kind of French food market every foodie dreams of, and is definitely worth the detour.

If you want more background knowledge on Cognac before you go then either check out the official Cognac site, or I enjoy the posts over on Bibendum.

Scotch Eggs like you've never had before!

We’ll be on our way through France when this is published, having already completed a fairly long drive down to Portsmouth to catch the ferry. Which means either running the gauntlet of British service stations, not to mention needing a second mortgage, or taking your own.

Guess which we went for for the first half of the trip?

So for today’s Saturday session, I’ve looked out for some great, interesting picnic food. After scanning quite a few, I came across an amazing selection on The British Larder. This is like foodie picnic heaven, but a lot is also very practical. Although possibly the frozen broad bean creme fraiche might not be!

If I had my choice, I would go for the Beetroot Tart Tatin, the Sesame Toasted Basmati Rice and Broad Bean Salad, Green Chilli Chicken Won Tons, and then following on with Chocolate Salami and the Gooseberry Polenta Slice. Heavenly!

So go on, make a picnic about so much more than picnic eggs and damp sandwiches!

4th July, an excuse for some comfort cooking!

I love Saturdays, it’s when I get to cook properly, thinking about it, without just needing to feed everyone. And particularly I get to bake, which I love. So the Saturday session is just a chance to reflect on some great recipes, as the best gift you might be able to give your foodie, or yourself, is just the time to do something different in the kitchen.

And as today is July 4th, it seems appropriate to have some American themed recipes. I was looking for Nigella’s brownie recipe, but got waylaid by the recipe for pancakes with wafer bacon and maple syrup. At least once on any trip to the US, this is my indulgent breakfast at choice. I wish I’d been organised enough to make it for this morning’s breakfast!

But for a taste of the US, and suitable for my cream tea tomorrow, then I’m going to go for Red Velvet Cake. I’m never sure of the history of this cake, but it definitely seems to be an American thing to me. I love this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and the observations about the cake. There are better tasting cakes, but nothing can beat people’s reaction when they see the colour. It would also make a perfect Halloween cake for kids!

So, start flipping those burgers, get The Boss on in the background, and bake up a storm. For once, it looks like we might have weather worthy of those Independence Day gatherings you always see on Martha Stewart!

Lets face it, with the temperature soaring, there’s not much inside cookery going on round here! There’s the nightly smell of food on a hot grill, which can have varied results.

If your foodie continues their endeavours outdoors too, then here’s some great suggestions to make this their best season of outdoor cooking yet!

Smokin' Rigs and Great Recipes

1. Show them that barbecue can be an extreme sport, not to mention a technique for mass catering, with a copy of Extreme Barbecue: Smokin’ Rigs and Real Good Recipes. If they start building contraptions in the garden, then it’s probably something out of here!

2. Buy them a barbecue that will be real talking point! Have a look at the Nordic barbecue, which is a tower barbecue, which is different. It’s said to cook things more healthily than normal, as food cooks next to the heat source and you get no flames from dripping fat. And apparently all that makes the food taste better, which will be key for the foodie! They’re also pretty new, so will be a real wow when they have friends round. If it’s a competitive foodie environment, they score big brownie points!

3. If there’s likely to be steak on the grill, then how about a branding iron? Firebox have one that you can personalise, so you can put everyone’s name on their steak, or any message you like! It’s a bit of fun, but serves a practical purpose!

4. Buy them something fabulous to slap on the grill. A good time to check out your local butcher, farm shop or farmer’s market. We used to live in Hampshire, and would make a summer weekend trip to O’Hagan’s Sausages to stock up with something unusual. Drunken Duck sausage anyone? We’re also enjoying some from Jimmy’s Farm that we bought at a country fair recently. We had the lamb sausages, and also the gluten free classic sausage, so perfect if your foodie suffers with an intolerance.

5. They might need something a bit more special than HP Sauce and Heinz Ketchup to go with those burgers. I’m quite impressed with the ones Jamie Oliver is offering, the tomato one in particular. It’s a bit special, and very tasty!

They should also try checking out the BBQ Blog, this is about serious bbq’ing complete with competitions! We have such a long way to go here in the UK! There’s a great entry on a barbecue road trip, so if you want to treat them to a very different trip across the US, this might be for them!