This morning there was an almost breakfast crisis when I realised we didn’t have any bacon. Then I remembered we had LOTS of eggs.
So we made eggs benedict. YUM.
I used this BBC recipe for the hollandaise (shockingly I’d never tried to make it before). We didn’t have enough wine vinegar so instead of the reducing stage I just used one tablespoon of lemon juice – it made a lighter less comples sauce but it was still good.
Definitely a keeper for lazy weeked breakfast.
I’ve just come back from the local farmers market (Wanstead to be specific).
I got a bit carried away and scooped up large quantities of goodies.
Including this hoooge cauli
Which handily has a radiator in the background to allow you to assess the scale of its hoooge-ness
For the record I also bought:
12 rashers of smokey bacon
3 types of sausage (4 of each)
2 pork chops
2 pieces of ribeye
2 lamb chops
1 lamb breast
1 lamb neck fillet
1 piece of pork belly
1 fillet smoked haddock
the hoooge cauli
beetroot
kohlrabi
potatoes
rainbow chard
a squash
pippin apples
raspberries
apple and ginger juice
3 quiches
1 slice of poppyseed cake
dozen eggs
ticklemore cheese
berkswell cheese
single gloucester cheese
cumin gouda
Then I staggered home….
I’ve been meaning to post a picture of this for ages because I love the way the cheese has been moulded into a fancy shape
I also happen to love brown cheese, this one seemed more savoury that some of the ones I’ve tried.
It came from deepest darkest Norway courtesy of Ms Scandilicious.
Note: for those who’ve never tried in brown cheese aka gjetost is rather an acquired taste been a rather unusual mix of sweetness yet savoury umami. Its made from why left from cheesemaking that is simmered slowly until it crystallises and thickens. i love it, many don’t.
I sometimes forget to share the great food things that are on my doorstep/in my manor.
This is one.
When I first lived in Wanstead I thought it was nice as in the adjective, rather than Nice as in the place in France
Either way their croissants are flippin nice.
The one above is a cheese and ham…done properly with bechamel mmmm.
Find them here:
Nice Croissant, 119A High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL
Don’t be put off by its lack of shiny newness its the real deal.
I’ve finally harvested the tomatoes as the plants were looking rather sad.
Collected a real mix of green and red.
So what to do with them…not sure there is enough for chutney.
Suggestions welcome.
So on day 7 of chocolate week (having rather bungled days 4,5 and 6) I tootled off to Vinopolis to take a look around the Chocolate Unwrapped show.
Despite arriving fairly early (only half an hour after opening) it was getting quite busy with chocolate fans and some stands were already rather mobbed.
I stuck to going to see regular favourites plus a few names I’d not heard of before. I was mostly checking out the different packaging as ongoing inspiration for a couple of client projects (totally unrelated to chocolate) and I was also interested in single bean/origin bars and some of the flavoured bars rather than filled chocolates.
But I did spot these at the Paul A Young stand and as they were pushing the bounds of chocolate flavours bought some for me and my husband to taste. I made him taste blind and guess the flavours…..he easily got the Worcestershire sauce flavour but struggled with the identifying malt loaf one.
And did we like them?
Well the Worcestershire sauce scored highly with both of us the sharpness of the condiment cutting through the dark chocolate in a good way….the malt loaf I liked for its gentle fruity subtlety but the verdict was less favourable from the other side of the table *okay but not stunning*
I think it depends whether you are looking for something quite full on or something more mellow…both delivered a clever twist of flavours that were surprising but effective.
Note: malt loaf on left (round) Worcestershire sauce on right (with orange dot)
It was going so well…each day a different chocolate with my coffee, plenty of choices in the stash then
BAM (imaginary comic book graphics round this word if you will)
its all went a bit wrong….
I woke up on day 6 and realised I FORGOTTEN to have any chocolate on days 4 and 5, totally forgotten.
I had none, zilch, nada.
So I set to rectifying the situation by trying out this
The orange gives it a marmalade-y sweet yet sharp edge while the fig adds earthiness and richness.
Was good and felt rather festive.
You’ll be please to know that back on track on day seven I do much better indeed…..