Today I want to talk about one of the unsung heroes of British Cookery, Tamasin Day-Lewis.  She's not considered to be sexy like Nigella Lawson, but in my opinion, she can cook her way around Nigella any day of the week, no question about it.   She reminds me of a hippy/mother earth/ naturalist type of person, with her long hair and her simple ways, and you might be very surprised to find out . . . I was . . . she's the sister of the actor Daniel Day-Lewis.  The daughter of a poet and an actress, she attended Cambridge University and read English at Kings College and in my opinion, next to Nigel Slater, she is the best darned cook in the UK.

I have always enjoyed watching her television shows and her cookery books and, in fact, I always buy her recipe books because I know they will be filled with beautiful, usable, recipes for great food that tastes delicious!   When I first watched her, her long hair used to put me off just a tad . . . I am not fond of chef's hair around food, but after a while, I was so impressed with the caliber of her cookery it didn't matter anymore.


This is one of my favorite of all of her cookbooks for several reasons.  One, the recipes in it always work out beautifully and two, there are recipes literally for just about any British dish you might want to cook on it's pages.   You might be surprised actually to hear my confession today . . . I am 57 years old and until today I have never eaten Moussaka.   Tis absolutely true . . . I have planned on trying it through the years, but until today I just had never gotten around to doing that.

 

Having picked up some lovely looking lamb mince at the Butchers the other day and some beautiful aubergines at the green grocer (eggplant to you North Americans) I decided that today was going to be the day when I would finally make it.  I did a search online for recipes to use, but couldn't find one that appealed to me.  They all had potatoes in them, or other bits I didn't want to use.  I wanted a good, solid, usable recipe, and then I remembered Tamasin.   I just knew that in one of her many cookery books that I own, there would be at least one solid recipe for Moussaka and I was right.

 

There, nestled within  the pages of Tamasin's Kitchen Bible was the perfect recipe. There was nothing complicated about it . . . it was quite simply a delicious sounding meat sauce, layered with roasted aubergine slices (no frying, bonus!) and slathered with a rich bechamel sauce, sprinkled with some Parmesan and then baked . . . the layers of meat and aubergine melding together in a beautiful marriage of flavours . . . the top covered in a crust of delicious bechamel . . . gilded and golden brown . . .



I cannot believe that I have gotten to this age without ever having tasted this delicious Greek dish!!   I can tell you it won't be long however before I taste it again, because we both thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous casserole!   It was positively delicious!



All the flavours worked beautifully together, and I have an idea that it is a dish in which the leftovers will taste even better than the firsts . . . it was economical and filling and just wonderful.   A firm favourite the first time around.   I think it would make a fabulous party dish as well . . . and I cannot imagine anyone not liking it, well . . . unless they are vegetarians . . .

 

I do hope you will give it a go.  I did adapt the sauce slightly as I didn't have fresh tomatoes to hand and really, fresh tomatoes this time of year aren't that great, so I just used a tin of chopped plum tomatoes and it worked perfectly.  I do hope you will give it a go, and if you do you come back to tell me what you think!



*Moussaka*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Inexpensive and delicious.  Great party dish.  Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread for sopping up all of that goodness.

Olive oil
3 aubergines, sliced 1/2 inch thick (Eggplants)
2 medium brown onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds minced lamb
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 400g tin of chopped plum tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained
(14 ounce tin)
3 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
60ml of white wine (1/4 cup)
2 TBS parsley
finely grated Parmesan cheese

for the Bechamel:
600 ml of full fat milk
(1 pint, or 2 1/3 cups)
1 medium brown onion, peeled and studded with a couple of cloves
1 bay leaf, broken
2 TBS unsalted butter
2 TBS plain flour
a touch of nutmeg
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste



Preheat the oven to 180*C.350*F/ gas mark 4.   Butter a deep baking dish and set aside.

Brush the aubergine slices on both sides with some olive oil.  Lay them out onto a large baking sheet in a single layer, or two if necessary.  Bang the trays into the oven and roast them for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are soft all the way through when pricked with the tines of a fork.  Don't let them brown too much.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the onions and cook, without browning, until soft and a pale gold.   Add the garlic and cook for several minutes before crumbli9ng in the mince.  Fry the mince, scrambling and stirring until it is no longer pink and well browned.  Add the cinnamon and season to taste with sale and black pepper.  Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree and parsley.  Stir well, add the white wine, bring to the boil and then allow to simmer at a quick simmer, until most of the liquid had evaporated (but not all) and the meat is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

 

While the meat sauce is simmering, make your Bechamel.   Place the milk, onion and bay leaf into a microwaveable beaker.   Heat on high for about 1 1/2 minutes or until scalded.   Set aside to infuse for about 10 minutes.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.   Once it begins to foam, whisk in the flour.  Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for about a minute.   Strain in the infused milk and cook, stirring constantly until any lumps are stirred out and the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.   Allow to simmer on a very low heat for about 10 minutes and stirring occasionally.  (Keep watch on it so it doesn't catch.   I use a diffuser plate under my saucepan.)  Halfway through the simmering time season to taste with some salt and pepper and just a touch of nutmeg.  You want the nutmeg to be subtle, not slap you in the face.   You should just know that there is another flavour there without being able to recognize it.

Layer the roasted aubergine and meat sauce in a deep casserole dish, beginning and ending with the aubergine.   Pour a thick layer of the bechamel over top.  (You may not need it all.)  Dust the top with finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until it has nicely browned on top and the meat and aubergine layers have married beautifully together.  Spoon out hot from the dish to serve.

Note:  Recipe adapted from a recipe by Tamasin Day Lewis

 

So here we are at Boxing Day.  Christmas . . . takes forever to arrive and then it is gone in a flash.  Trusting you all have a Merry one, with lots of yummy goodies and family, friends and love the whole day through.  My dinner pretty much tasted like cardboard, with this rotten cold I have had . . . but I can breathe this morning so things are definitely on the upturn!

 

Best part of yesterday was watching the grand-kiddos open their pressies on the ipad.  What a marvelous invention that is.  Just brilliant.  I wish that I could do that with all my grand babies, but alas . . . only one son with kids has an ipad.  C'est la vie!

 

To my way of thinking the best part of any roast dinner, Christmas or otherwise . . . is dealing with the inevitable leftovers.  I like to come up with different things to do with them . . . of course there is turkey curry and turkey pie, turkey casserole and the like . . . there is no end to the deliciousness that you can achieve with the leftovers. 



 This is a delicious rice dish that you can either cook fresh rice for or use pre-cooked packaged rice for.  You can serve it along side of your turkey curry or whatever . . . or you can add bits of your leftover roast turkey and ham to it and turn it into a main dish.  Whatever you choose to do I think you will find that it's easy, delicious and . . . quite different.



Today we're having roast ham with all of the trimmings as the Missionaries are coming over.  I do love to spoil them.  Whatever you are having today . . . I hope you enjoy.  Happy Boxing Day.

 

 *Curried Cranberry and Pistachio Rice*
Serves 6 as a tasty side dish
Printable Recipe

This recipe is great to use with freshly cooked rice or leftover cooked rice.  You can also add chopped leftover chicken, ham, pork, turkey or lamb for even more deliciousness. 

5 cups of cooked basamati rice
2 TBS coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp dried thyme
a knob of butter
2 TBS medium curry powder
2 tsp soy sauce
2 TBS chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts,  coarsely chopped
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan.over medium low heat.  Add the pistachio nuts and cook, stirring until they begin to toast.  Add the butter, thyme, garlic and curry powder.  Cook until the mixture becomes very fragrant.  Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and the rice.  Stir well to combine, adding more broth if necessary to keep the rice moist.  Cook over medium high heat until heated through and the rice is hot.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cranberries.  Remove from the heat and serve.

By the way, I've had a couple of comments lately that were quite negative.  One complaining that my Boulangere Potatoes were horrible and another saying the same thing about my Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.  This is my reply . . . Cooking is subjective and variable.  I simply cook what I think are good recipes and sound recipes and I show you MY results.   I invite you to try them out yourself.  I am not responsible for what happens in your kitchen, with your equipment, your cooking methods, or for your own personal tastes.  I simply show you my own experience and if it's a bad one, I will tell you . . . if it's a good one, likewise.  I apologize if you haven't had the same experience, but that is life.  We all see things from our own eyes.  I take pictures and I am not the best photographer in the world.  I just click and shoot.  The things I make look tasty because they are tasty.  I can't help it if you don't agree.  Taste is subjective too.  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man.  He doesn't care what else is on the menu, as long as it contains some meat and potatoes somewhere along the line. He will tolerate rice every so often  instead of potatoes, but a hefty plate of mash is his first love . . .



I think he loves chops most of all when it comes to meat meals . . . lamb chops are quite tasty, but he especially loves pork chops!  The Waitrose in Chester is a small shop, but it sells very tasty Hampshire bred rack pork chops and the flavour is just wonderful.  Succulent and meaty.  We both love them . . . they're the best!



There is something very comforting and homey about a breaded pork chop.  When I was a child my mom would sometimes treat us to "Shake & Bake" pork chops.  We loved them.  (Shake & Bake is a North American Crumb mixture that you can get for pork, chicken or fish.  You just dampen the meat, and shake it in the plastic bag included to coat with the crumbs, also included.)

These delicious pork chops are a thousand times better. Tender and tasty and coated with a delicious sage and Parmesan flavored soft bread crumb mixture.  Ohhh . . . these are some good.  The crumbs get all crispy and golden brown . . .  the meat stays succulent and  moist beneath that golden crust . . . nothing on earth tastes better . . . truly . . .



Well . . . applesauce is mighty good with them . . . mighty good, all tangy and sweet at the same time . . . just perfect . . . especially if it is made with fabulous Bramley Apples, which are fabulous this time of year and cook up so fluffy.  If you really want to impress, with just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can make a tasty chutney to serve with them!



A tangy, sweet and spicy Cranberry Chutney on the side makes this a really special dinner. You don't even need to have any fresh cranberries around, coz this chutney is made completely out of dried fruit!  I always have dried cranberries, sultanas and apples in the larder.  They come in ever so handy!  You just never know when you are going to need a handful or two.  Your family will love this meal.  It's special enough to make them feel like they are having a real treat . . . and special enough to feed to company!



You will end up with about 2 1/2 cups of the chutney, but I am sure you will find it so delicious that  you won't have a problem using it all up.  It is great with pork, ham, chicken or turkey.  Try it as a tasty relish in sandwiches!!  Stir it into some chicken salad for a wonderfully scrummy sandwich filling.  It's also quite, quite special served  with a good white farmhouse cheddar and a crusty loaf for a deliciously different ploughman's lunch!



*Sage Pork Chops with Cranberry Chutney*
serves 4
Printable Recipe

Mmmm . . . comfort food at it's best.  A tasty crumbed pork chop, tender and juice and accompanied with a tasty Cranberry Chutney.

75g plain flour (3/4 cup)
3 large free range  eggs
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
4 to 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
50g fresh bread crumbs (scant cup)
100g fresh finely grated Parmesan Cheese (generous 1/2 cup)
4 good quality pork chops
60ml  vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

For the chutney:
250g sweetened dried cranberries (1 2/3 cup)
375ml  boiling water (1 1/2 cups)
25g of dried apples, diced (about 1/4 cup)
25g of sultanas (about 1/4 cup)
1 TBS minced crystalized ginger
85ml white wine vinegar (generous 1/3 cup)
3 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp of ground ginger
2 heaping dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam or red plum jam



First make the chutney.  Put the cranberries, apples, sultanas and crystalized ginger into a bowl.  Pour the boiling water over and let sit for 30 minutes.  At the end of 30 minutes, combine the vinegar, sugar, cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and ginger in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil, stirring frequently.  Add the berry mixture.  Bring back to the boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5  minutes.  Stir in the jam and remove the mixture from the heat.  Cool to room temperature.  (You can even do this the day before if you wish.)

Put the flour for the chops onto a flat plate.  Beat the eggs and worcestershire sauce together in a shallow pie plate.  Combine the sage leaves, bread crumbs, and Parmesan together in another shallow pie plate.  Trim the fat from the pork chops and season them well all over with some salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Press a pork chop into the flour, coating the meat evenly and shaking off any excess.  Dip the floured pork chop into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off.  Press the egged pork chop firmly in the crumb mixture to coat evenly all over.  Repeat with the other 3 chops.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat,  in a heavy bottomed skillet large enough to hold all four chops.  Once heated add the chops and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, so they gently sizzle in the oil and a golden crust forms.  Flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.

Serve immediately with some of the chutney on the side of each portion of pork.

It goes without saying the Toddster likes plenty of potatoes with his, mashed, baked or fried.  He's a happy camper just so long as he's got some potato to go with his chop!

There have been times when I have toyed with the idea of becoming a Vegetarian . . . I do love my vegetables . . . but, I also love some good beef once in a while.  And nothing beats a tasty roasted chicken, a succulent piece of lamb . . . or a lovely pork chop now and again.  I could never kill an animal to eat it.  I'll be the first to confess that.  I like to find my meat at the shop or the butchers . . . without eyes, or anything of the like, in a tidy package . . .  so I don't have to think about it having once been cute . . .  

It's what works for me.  I do try to buy responsibly sourced, free range and organic protein whenever and wherever I can.   I know it costs more . . . but I feel better about it and to be perfectly honest, we don't eat much red meat, it's only ever a rate treat. We eat mostly chicken or fish and that is only a couple of times a week.  The rest of the time we do veg.



The other week I pick up some really nice free range organic Hereford Stewing Beef at a very good price. Hereford is known for being juicy, flavourful and tender.  If there's one thing my Todd really loves, it's a good beef stew . . .  him being the meat and potato man that he is and all.  (Another reason I can't possibly go totally veg.)



I decided to make a Beef Daube with it.  A daube is a southern French Stew, traditionally cooked for several hours in an earthenware dish.  Normally they would never include parsnips in their daube, but I had a bag that needed to be used up and . . .  since this is THE English Kitchen . . .  and parsnips are a really English ingredient, I threw them in towards the end of the baking time.



Delicious . . . truly delicious.

We had this with creamy mashed potatoes.  Todd was a happy man.  It more than made up for the Pasta torture of the other night.  ☺



*Daube of Beef*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe


This stew is delicious on the day, but if you can possibly wait, leave it to ripen overnight and it will taste even better the next day!

3 1/2 pounds of good quality stewing beef, cut into large chunks
2 ounces seasoned flour
3 TBS olive oil
8 ounces of bacon lardons
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 strips of dried orange peel *
3 TBS tomato puree
1 bottle of good red wine
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into fingers
salt and black pepper

Toss the beef with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.  Heat 2 TBS of the oil in a large pan.  Add the meat and brown well, doing it in batches if necessary.  Don't let it burn.  Scoop into a large casserole dish.

Pre-heat the  oven to 150*C/300*F.

Heat the last TBS of the oil in the pan you browned the meat in.  Add the bacon, onion, carrot and celery.  Cook, stirring from time to time until it all begins to colour.  Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two.  Pour in the red wine and bring it up to the boil.  Add the herbs, the orange peel and the tomato puree.  Pour this over the meat in the casserole dish.  Cover and cook in the heated oven for about 2 hours, until the meat is very tender.  Check it from time to time and give it a stir, making sure it doesn't go dry.  Once the meat is tender, stir in the parsnips and continue to cook for another 40 to 50 minutes, uncovered, until the parsnips are tender.  Tast and adjust the seasonings as desired.

*Note - I make my own dried orange peel.  Whenever we have oranges I cut the peel off in large strips, avoiding as much white pith on the peels as possible.  I string them up on a string and hang them in the laundry room until they are quite dry and leathery in texture.  Then I store them in a clean, airtight jar.  They will keep quite a while and add a wonderful flavour to stews and tagines.

 

Morrisons, one of the major grocery chains here in the UK,  recently gave me some samples of their new autumnal range of freshly baked bread to try out.  Morrisons boasts more in-store bakers than any other supermarket and produces a whopping 40 millions loaves each year.  That's a LOT of bread!

They recently relaunched their baker range to include more than 70 new and improved products, including delicious artisan breads and pastries.  I am particularly fond of their Swiss Meusli Loaf (containing raisins, dried apple, oats, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and flax seeds)!!



Focaccia - Available in two delicious varieties, Sea Salt & Rosemary and Mixed Olive, these tasty breads are ideal for dipping into extra virgin olive oil and Morrisons own Signature Balsamic Vinegar.  At £1.99 these are a delicious addition to any party table or buffet.




I love to serve them as a bread along with some hearty soups or stews . . . but enjoyed some here today with their suggestions of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



They both had lovely light textures, but as a real Olive lover . . . the olive one was my absolute favourite.  I can see the Sea Salt & Rosemary one going very well with a hearty lamb or beef stew or soup!



The Tiger Paw - Perfect for children, this tear and share bread has a unique crusty mottled exterior, and with rolls in the shape of a tiger's paw.  It is ideal for picnics.  Fill with some finely sliced ham and all of the family favourite sandwich fillings to create a lovely lunchtime sandwich roll.  70p each or 2 for £1.

 

Honey & Sunflower Star -  This honey enriched bread blends the flavors of nutty sunflowers with the sweetness of honey to create a wonderful tear and share bread that is great with soups or pates.  A small version is also available in the Pick and Mix selection for 30p or five for £1.  This large loaf goes for £1.59, and I have to say upfront . . . this has always been one of my favorites in their bread range.  It has a beautiful flavor and texture and I love the nuttiness of the sunflower seeds, mixed with the sweetness of the honey.  I am particularly fond of it spread with softened butter and more honey, and then topped with a slice of cheddar . . . but then I am a bit crazy that way!



Chocolate Twist - Baked fresh in the store these chocolatey delights made with French butter are the perfect breakfast pastry and would be best served up with a nice cup of tea or an ice cold glass of milk.  They sell at 2 in a pack for £1.  I really enjoyed mine this morning with a nice cup of hot chocolate.  Tres magnifique!!



Sourdough Boule - This great all rounder is perfect for sandwiches, as a meal accompaniment or simply with lashings of Morrisons own Jersey Butter.  To take your sourdough to a new level why not spread on some of their soft Boilie Cheese with Sundried Tomato Pesto, along with your favourite fillings.

 

I really enjoyed this fine rustic loaf of bread.  It's sturdy and has a nice crumb and flavor, only slightly sour, in a most pleasant way . . . in short, this is the perfect loaf of bread in my opinion.  Today I used some of this to make us some delicious BLT sandwiches for our lunch, but of course . . .  knowing me as you do, you can just imagine that these were not your ordinary everyday BLT's!

And of course . . . you would be RIGHT!  (You know me so well . . . )

 

This is the way I have been making my BLT's for years.  Sometimes I stuff this delicious filling into hollowed out baguettes, perfect for taking on picnics.  I have never had anyone turn their noses up at them.

 

Today I simply presented them on lightly toasted slices of this fantastic Sourdough Boule!  It held up wonderfully with the flavors of this particularly tasty filling, and held things together in the best of ways.  A less sturdy loaf might not be able to withstand it all . . . but this was perfection.



Imagine . . . a sturdy well flavored loaf, topped with a scrummy Pesto mayonnaise . . . topped with crisp slices of fried streaky bacon and  thickly sliced fresh tomatoes . . . but that is not all . . .

 

Drizzle the tomatoes with a fabulous balsamic house dressing, prepared by your own two hands . . . tangy and sweet, perfect to enhance the flavors of those lovely ripe tomatoes . . . topped with shredded lettuce and another pesto mayo spread slice of that beautiful toasted Sourdough Boule!



Now THAT'S what I call a gooooood sandwich!!



*The World's Best BLT Sandwich*
Serves  4, depending on how hungry you are
Printable Recipe

This is a recipe I had previously posted on Food.com.  It truly is the world's best BLT.  What makes it the best?  Well maybe it's the Pesto Mayo . . . or it could be that lovely Balsamic House Dressing that you drizzle over the tomatoes.  Whatever it is, it IS the world's best, hands down.  (The version on Food.com is a stuffed Baguette.  I have adapted it here today to be made as a normal sandwich.)

4 thick slices of sour dough bread
5 TBS of good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
3 TBS good quality basil pesto (make your own or use a good
one from the chiller section of your local grocery store)
10 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until  crisp
2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced (I always store my tomatoes on the countertop,
it makes them tastier.  Never put them in the fridge.)
1 head of red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and shredded

For the house dressing:
(Use any leftovers in salads over the next couple of days)
60ml of balsamic vinegar, best quality (1/4 cup)
3 TBS caster sugar
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp soy sauce
125ml of extra virgin olive oil

First make the house dressing.  Place all of the ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil into your blender.  With the motor on low, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending until it is thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

Preheat the grill or broiler.  Toast your slices of bread, very lightly on both sides.  Remove from the grill, and keep warm.

Whisk together the mayonnaise and pesto.  Spread some of this mixture onto one side of each slice of toasted bread.  Top half of the slices with the cooked bacon and top with the sliced tomatoes.  Drizzle with some of the house dressing. Place the shredded lettuce onto the other toasted and pesto covered bread slices, dividing it equally.  Press the sandwiches together with all of the fillings on the inside and serve.  Cut in half on the diagonal to serve.

  

The Toddster and I both enjoyed these very much.

Many thanks to Katie Hoy of 3MONKEYS communications and Morrisons for affording me this delicious opportunity.  All of these fabulous breads are available now at Morrisons throughout the United Kingdom.

I was recently sent a selection of Cookery books to review.  As you know I just love cookbooks and have a vast collection . . . Todd moans whenever a new one comes through the letter box . . . but, alas that is just something he has to live with.  I am of the opinion that one can never have too many cookbooks . . . Marriage is a give and take, besides . . . he reaps the rewards of my fetish every night when he sits down to tea.

 

The first one is a bit of a novelty book, entitled "Beer, a cookbook."  Recipes by Kimberley Willis.  It's a fun little book, not too large or hefty, but there's a lot packed into it's pages.  There are 40+ recipes in this book, which is roughly about the size of a clutch handbag, each of them accompanied by a tasty looking photo.



There are recipes for starters, mains, sides and amazingly even desserts, each one containing detailed instructions and a tasty looking photo, not to mention some bartenders advice near the bottom and a heads-up rating . . . easy, medium or hard . . . so that you can pick according to your skills or desire.

It's a very sturdy book, each page being composed of heavy card, which has a glossy wipe proof surface.  (I guess that's in case you sample too much of the beer while you are cooking and get sloppy??)

Interspersed between the recipes are fun quotes like this one from Frank Zappa:

"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline . . . it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least, you need a beer."

It's a cute little book, and would make the perfect Birthday Gift, or even Christmas Gift, for the beer connoisseur on your gift list.  I haven't actually cooked anything from the book, so can't really say how good the recipes are, but purely from a novelty point of view, this book gets an "7" from me.  It's colourful, sturdy and there were a few things in it that I have bookmarked for a later date to try.



The first one probably being these really delicious looking Chocolate Stout Lava Cakes !  There's also a pot roast that looks really tasty and tender as well.

Beer, a cookbook
Published by Adams Media
ISBN 10: 1-4405-3370-9
ISBN 13:  978-1-4405-3370-9
copyright 2012 by F+W Media, inc.



The second book is also a bit of a Novelty book, based loosely on the popular Hunger Games novels and film.  I was a great fan of the books and loved the movie, so I was quite interested in this book.  From the back cover:

When it comes to the Hunger Games, staying alive means finding food any way possible. Katniss and Gale hunt live game, Peeta's family survives on the bread they make, and the inhabitants of the Seam work twelve-hour days for a few handfuls of grain . . . all while the residents of the Capitol gorge themselves on delicacies and desserts to the heart's desire.

For the first time, you will be able to create delicious recipes from the humble District 12 to the extravagant Capitol, including:

• French bread from the Mellark Family Bakery
• Katniss's favourite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
• Rue's Roasted Parsnips
• Gale's Bone-Picking Big Game Soup
• Capital Grade Dark Chocolate Cake

There are nine tasty chapters . . . Breakfast, Breads, Soups Stews and Salads, Humble Beginnings (starters), Seafood, Poultry Dishes for the Brave, Meat, Wild Game,  and Just Desserts.  There is also an Appendix containing Katniss's Family Book of Herbs, Acknowledgments and a full Index.

Hard covered and 241 pages containing more than 150 recipes inspired by the Hunger Games Trilogy and written by Emily Ansara Baines.  (It is unofficial and unauthorized, approved, liscensed, or endorsed by Susanne Collins, her publishes, or lionsgate entertainment corp.)  Emily Ansara Baines is a writer who has worked as a professional baker and caterer throughout the East Coast of American, most recently New York City.



Each recipe seems to be well written, with great instructions and tips included from your "Sponsor."  The downside is that there are no photographs at all, and I do love my cookbooks to have at least a few scrummy pictures.  But, aside from a few recipes I would probably never cook, like "Fightin' Fried Squirrel . . . there are also a great number of really delicious sounding ones like Mixed Messages Mixed Berry Jam, Apocalyptic Eggs Benedict, Katniss's Craved Cheese Buns, Harvest Heirloom Apple Cake and Thick and Gooey Double Chocolate Banquet Brownies.  Again, I haven't cooked anything from this book . . . but I probably will.  It's been hard these past three weeks getting in any cooking time with all the renovations going on.  I am giving this one an "8".    Pictures would be nice, but most of the recipes sound quite delicious and it has great novelty factor. It would make a perfect gift for the Hunger Games fan!

The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, by Emily Ansara Baines
Published by  Adams Media
ISBN-13: 978-1-4405-2658-9
ISBN-10: 1-4405-2658-3
$19.95 (CAN $20.99)

Here in the UK you can get it from Amazon for £14.44



The final book, and my favourite of the three, was Not-So-Humble Pies by Kelly Jaggers, also published by Adams Media.   150 delicious, decadent and savory recipes for one of my favourite foods of all . . . Pie!

The book is split into three parts.

Part 1 - Not so Humble beginnings
Chapter 1 Pastry and cookie crusts
The first chapter, pie crusts, offers tons of options. Pastry type crusts like the perfect flaky crust, butter crusts and options like a buttery, spicy cheese crust. Cookie type crusts include gingersnaps, pretzels. There are also shortbread type crusts which fall right between the two using a cookie type recipe to make a crust for a pie.

Chapter 2 - Toppings
The second chapter covers toppings, classic crumb toppings, meringue, stabilized whipped cream, and sauces.

Part 2 - Sweet as Can Be
Chapter 3 Creams, Custards, and Chiffons
Creams, Custards and Chiffons.-Nothing as simple as a chocolate cream pie, these are things like cantaloupe cream, vanilla rum meringue and for people who prefer a more traditional flavor profile, white chocolate chiffon.

Chapter 4  Fruits, Nuts and Berries
 Based on classic recipes, these up the gourmet and wow factor, an apple pie gets a savory cheddar crust to contrast the sweetness of the apples, peach and ginger combine in a hand pie perfect for picnics.

Chapter 5  Tarts, Tartlets, and Rustic Pies
 These are the "dressed up for guests" dessert pies. Fine ingredients, flavors and textures like apple rose, white chocolate ganache and praline cream.

Part 3 - Savory Situations
Chapter 6  Dinner Pies
 The savory flavors that make a main course. There are lots of tarts in this chapter as well that would work well as a side dish like the spinach and artichoke tart. Lots of cheese based tarts and pies as well.

Chapter 7  Spicy, Salty, and Exotic Pies
All of the recipes in this book put some pretty unusual twists on the family classics, but this chapter really pulls out all the stops  by adding chilis, spice and salt to classics.



Each part is beautifully photographed as are a lot of the recipes . . .

 

Lavender Infused Lemon Pie

The recipes all appear to be very well written, although having said that, the crust recipe that I chose to bake did have an inconsistency in it.  It called for 1 egg, not specifying the size, or the fact that you only need the yolk, at least I could not find anyplace where the white was called for.  I used a large egg and had thrown in the whole egg before I realized that in the directions it said the yolk.  It turned out fine though, so no worries.

 

I chose to bake the Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise recipe from chapter 5, Tarts, Tartlets and Rustic Pies.  This is blackberry season here in the UK at the moment and they are something that I have a lot of and that I love to use in the autumn.

 

The crust was quite forgiving . . . and not all that different from a short bread cookie.  Nom! Nom!  It was very rustic and not too frou frou . . . this was a plus for me last week with all of the construction work going on.



The filling was very easy to throw together, although I did find that the cornflour didn't dissolve in the alloted standing time so if I make it again, I will add a touch of lemon juice.  It will not only help to preserve the colour, but also add a nice little hint of sharpness that I think will go well with both the berries, the sweet crust and that scrummy Creme Anglaise.

 

*Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise*
makes 8 servings

Creme Anglaise is a slightly thickened custard sauce that is used as a garnish on all sorts of desserts.  Here the sauce is spiked with a touch of bourbon and drizzled over slices of warm blackberry tart.  If you don't care for bourbon, you can use rum or creme de cassis, or omit altogether.

2 cups fresh blackberries
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS sugar
1 short crust for tarts, rolled into a 12 inch circle
1 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 TBS bourbon
2 egg yolks
3 TBS sugar

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the berries, cornstarch and sugar until well combined.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Place the pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.  Spread with the blackberry mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Fold the pastry just over the edge of the berries, then dot the top with butter.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the cream and vanilla.  Bring just to a simmer.  In a large bowl, whisk together the bourbon, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth.  Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/2 cup of the cream into the egg yolks.  Immediately add the egg yolk mixture back into the pot and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. 

Serve the tart slightly warm with the creme anglaise drizzled over the top.



We quite enjoyed this lovely tart and I have no less than 15 other recipes flagged to try out over the next few weeks/months.  If they are all as nice as this one . . . well, we have a real winner here!

Not-So-Humble Pies, by Kelly Jaggers
Published by Adams Media
ISBN 10: 1-440503291-5
ISBN 13L 978-1-4405-3291-7
$17.95 (Can $18.99)
Available here in the UK from Amazon for £12.74

I give this book a "9."  It lost a point for the inconsistency I found in the crust recipe.

Disclaimer - Please note that although I am given these books free of charge for review, I am under no obligation to give positive reviews.  My opinions are honest and  my own.