I've been lucky enough at various times in my life to have had chickens. I love chickens. They're really quite fascinating and although they often look quite alike, they have their own unique personalities and can be a lot of fun to watch.

My first husband's family had battery hens. I used to help grade eggs in the hen house on Saturdays, which was a long metal building. I never saw the inside part where the chickens were kept. I only ever saw the grading room, where all the eggs used to pass through a machine which would then categorize them according to size and quality. They passed through it on a conveyor belt and at the end of this belt I would put them into the appropriate cartons. I had not idea what it meant to be a battery hen at that time. Good thing too, or my heart would have broken into a million pieces.


Thankfully these days we have all been made aware of the appalling conditions on battery farms and we have the option to buy free-range organic chicken . . . happy chicken just tastes better!





This is my favorite way to roast a chicken. It turns out moist and delicious each and every time.



*Perfect Roast Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I highly recommend free-range, organic chicken. All that running around in the farm yard is good for them and they taste better. A happy chicken is a tasty chicken!

1 X 1.75kg chicken
salt and freshly milled black pepper
30g of butter, softened
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped (no need to peel)
1 stick celery,roughly chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
olive oil
1 sprig sage
1 bay leaf




Pre-heat the oven to 190*C/375*F. Remove any giblets from your chicken and save for another day. Wipe your chicken dry and then rub it all over with the softened butter and season it liberally inside and out with some salt and pepper.

Place the chopped vegetables in the bottom of a thick roasting tin with some olive oil. Place on the hob over medium heat and cook and stir with a wooden spoon, cooking for about 5 minutes to slightly colour the vegetables. Remove from the heat. Add the spring of sage and the bayleaf. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and roast for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken tests done. (The leg bone should move easily in it's socket and the juices should run clear) Remove from the oven, place on a cutting board, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes (lightly cover with some foil) before carving.

If you like you can add some chicken broth to the vegetables in the pan and place it over the burner and bring it to a boil. Allow to boil for several minutes before straining into a large jug. Discard any solids in the strainer and then skim off any fat from the juices in the jug. Return them to the pan and cook and simmer for a good 10 to 15 minutes, to reduce somewhat. Spoon these juices over the sliced chicken when you serve it. You can also thicken them with a bit of flour and water to make a thick gravy.

mmm . . . I can't wait to do something with the leftovers. Tune in tommorrow to see what I came up with!

I had some apples in my fruit bowl the other day that were looking decidely tired. When I have old bananas I always make a banana loaf or muffins. That way they don't get wasted. When I saw that I needed to use up these apples the idea of applesauce immediately came to mind, and so I peeled them all and cut them up and into a pot they went with a bit of water. I didn't sweeten them, as I had already decided I was going to make an applesauce cake.




I love applesauce cake, with it's warm spices and moist texture. This particular version smells heavenly when it is baking. I always bake it in two layers and then ice one layer and then pop the other one into the freezer for a future date. You don't have to make the icing, but it really is a wonderful touch. You just can't beat a moist and tasty applesauce cake topped off with a tasty cream cheese icing. Why have it plain when you don't have to??




*Mom's Applesauce Cake*
Makes 2 - 8 inch layers
Printable Recipe

Moist and spicy, this is a real winner. Do make the icing! If anything this gets even better after sitting for a couple of days.

2 1/2 cups plain flour (310g)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1  tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup white vegetable shortening (trex or white flora) (110g)
1 cup caster sugar (190g)
1/2 cup water (120ml)
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (55g)
1 cup of chopped raisins (150g)
2 cups applesauce (510g)

Frosting:
1 large package of philadelphia cream cheese (250g or 8 ounces)
1 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS orange juice
the finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
5 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar (715g)





Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake tins. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.

Place the shortening and the sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the water. Beat in the flour mixture, alternatively with the applesauce, mixing all in thoroughly. Fold in the raisins and nuts. Divide equally between both pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake tests down when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting beat all the frosting ingredients together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. You may or may not need all the liquid. I find the cream cheese over here is a lot more liquid than that found in North America so I never need all the liquid called for. It's a hit and miss kind of thing. If you find your frosting too runny, add more sifted icing sugar until it is spreadable.

Store in the refrigerator, but allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Scrummy yummy!!

I love fennel. It's one of my favourite vegetables. I am a real licorice lover and so I love it's mild licorice taste. It's wonderful braised and roasted, but my favourite way to eat it is raw.

There are two types of fennel. One is grown for it's seeds, which are delicious in sauces, and the other is grown for use as a vegetable, the most common type being Florence Fennel, which has a bulbous base, stalks which closely resemble celery and feathery fronds on top.



Did you know that there are male and female bulbs? The males are taller and more slender with the females being shorter and more bulbous. I like the females myself. Crisp and slightly sweet, fennel is wonderful served raw in salads, and meltingly mellow and soft when braised, roasted or grilled. It goes wonderfully with other crisp vegetables and is most delicious with fish. A whole salmon stuffed with fennel and roasted is absolutely wonderful.



The bulbs should be heavy and white, firm and free of cracks, browning, or moist areas. The stalks should be crisp, with feathery, bright-green fronds. You can keep fennel for a few days in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic, but try not to keep it more than a day or two because the flavor diminishes as it dries out.
I made a delicious slaw yesterday with some fennel that I picked up at the local green grocers at the weekend. I think I'll have the rest of it for my lunch today. This was really good.


*Carrot and Fennel Slaw*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This delicious slaw makes a light and refreshing change from regular coleslaw. I use my mandolin to slice the fennel and my box grater to do the carrots. But you could use the slicing and grating discs in a food processor as well, which would make really quick work of it. I love the mustard in the dressing. It adds a lovely bite to it. Adjust accordingly if you don't like things with a bite. Make the dressing first so that the flavours have time to really develop.

1 small to medium sized fennel bulb
3 cups peeled, shredded carrots (about 4 to 5 large carrots)
1/2 cup of minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
DRESSING:
5 TBS fresh orange juice
1 TBS of White Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
2 TBS really good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt



Place all the dressing ingredients into a glass jar with a lid, and give it a good shake. Set aside.

Remove the top greens and stalks from the fennel bulb. Save the feathery greens for the slaw. Trim off any bruised or tough pieces. Quarter the bulb and then cut out the core. Shred half of it using a grater, mandolin or food processor. Reserve the other half for another use. You should have about 1 cup of grated vegetable. Place it into a medium sized bowl, along with the carrot, onion, chopped fennel leaves and coriander. Toss together to mix. Just before serving, give the dressing a good shake and pour it over the slaw. Mix well and serve.

I had some pesto and puff pastry that needed using up at the weekend, and so I put together these lovely little tarts for our supper yesterday. They were really quick to make and quite delicious when they were done.

I have no problem with using store bought puff pastry. It's really quite good and a lot easier and quicker than making your own. Of course I only use the all butter one. Even good old Delia uses this ingredient from time to time. If it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me!
Prepared Puff Pastry is really quite a versatile ingredient. You can layer it with all sorts of things and be quite inventive. Try some roasted peppers and courgettes. Add a little proscuitto, and some torn basil leaves. Even just with some sun dried tomato paste and cheese baked on top, and garnished with a salad of rocket leaves . . . use your imagination! I'm sure you can come up with some really tasty versions!



*Tomato Pesto Tartlettes*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

These are lovely little tarts that are just great for a light lunch or supper. Easy to make, your family or guests will think you slaved all day at them, they are that impressive. Using simple ingredients they go together very quickly. All that is needed is a salad of mixed leaves on the side.

1 package of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes
1 small packet of dry cured black olives
1 small packet of grated mixed Italian Cheeses (about 4 ounces of a mixture of provolone, Parmesan and mozarella)
4 TBS of good quality Pesto sauce
1 egg, beaten

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Unroll your pastry and cut it into 4, six inch rounds. Place the rounds onto the parchment paper lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 to 3 inches between them. Spread the pesto onto the rounds, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Slice the tomatoes into wedges and lay them in a round on top of the pesto. Scatter the olives over top along with the cheese. Brush some beaten egg on the edges of each tart. Place into the heated oven and bake from 15 to 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned and crisp on the bottom. Serve warm or at room temperature.

It got rather chilly yesterday. Spect it was the rain. Funny how a little rain can do that. We had to have the fire on for a time to warm things up in here. Rainy days are soup days. Soup has always equated warmth and comfort to me. Perhaps it's all those Campbell's Soup commercials I grew up with. There was always a child walking home from school in the rain, all cold and wet, only to be greeted by his mum at the door with a hot bowl of Campbell's Soup waiting on the table, usually chicken noodle. But . . . I digress . . .

I accidentally took a package of home baked beans out of the freezer the other day, thinking they were chicken in sauce. Yesterday with all the cold and rain I decided to turn them into a delicious soup. This really was wonderful and filling and oh-so-very-comforting.

The recipe is from my Fanny Farmer Cooking School cookbook. (I call it Old Reliable) That Fanny Farmer sure knew what she was doing.



*Baked Bean Soup*
Makes 8 cups
Printable Recipe

This is a truly delicious soup, using simple ingredients. Quick to make, and very simple, you can have it on the table in about 35 minutes or so. I have never tried it with tinned baked beans but I expect they would taste pretty good done up this way as well.

4 cups baked beans
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups tinned tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp mild chili powder
6 cups water
salt
freshly ground black pepper




Put 3 cups of the baked beans, the onion, celery, tomatoes, chili powder and water into a large pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree until smooth. You can also use a potato masher for a slightly coarser texture. Add the reserved baked beans. Reheat, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve ladled into hot soup bowls for a delicious lunch time treat.

One of the things I love most about England are the tasty cakes and bakes that you find over here. I confess that I fell in love with Eccles Cakes years ago when I lived on a British Army base in Suffield, Alberta, in Canada. There was a girl that used to bring them in every so often to the Ceramics Club I belonged to as a treat for us all.

What is not to love about something that is flakey and crumbly and stogged full of currents, raisins and butter. For me it was love at first bite.



I don't know why they call them cakes. They're not a cake. They're like a little hand held piece of heaven on earth.



A four bite piece of heaven on earth . . . with sugar on top . . . oozing little bits of juicy goodness and flakey pastry . . .



*Eccles Cakes*Makes about 24
Printable Recipe

300g good quality bought or homemade all butter
puff or flakey pastry
1 egg, beaten

For the Filling:
1 1/2 ounces butter, melted
1 1/2 ounces dried currents
1 1/2 ounces raisins
3 ounces soft light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 ounces mixed peel, chopped
the finely grated zest of one orange
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

To top:
about 2 TBS milk
2 or 3 TBS demerara sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 3 1/4 inch rounds with a sharp round cutter. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling into the centre of each disc. Lightly brush the edges with beaten egg and bring the edges together into the centre, wrapping up the filling and pressing them firmly together. Turn over and flatten the disc ever so slightly between the palms of your hand until it is about 2 inches in diameter.

Brush the top with the milk and then sprinkle with the demerara sugar, or dip the tops into it if you find it easier. (that's what I did) Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the scraps of pastry and cut until you have used it all up and all of the filling too. Cut several small slits in the top of each with a sharp knife.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. The currants and sugar will caramelize through the holes and they will be scrumptiously delicious.

Remove to a wire rack to cool and try NOT to eat them all at once!! (I know it's quite difficult!)

I picked up our first strawberries of the season yesterday. There is nothing on earth that tastes better than fresh English strawberries in season. I can't abide strawberries out of season, all tasteless and covered in chemicals. Everything that is so wonderful about strawberries is missing from these substanceless imitations.

Nothing beats a fresh strawberry, eaten straight from the plant, the warmth of the sunshine still upon them . . . Well, wild strawberries do come very close, but those are very hard to find now. Try serving them sliced and sprinkled with some cracked black pepper. Sounds strange, but is quite delicious!

I whipped up a hot milk cake to enjoy these with last night. I just sliced the berries and mixed them with a little bit of sugar and let them sit for a few minutes to release all their juices. Then I split the cooled cake open in the middle and layered it with some freshly whipped double cream and generous spoonfuls of the sliced berries. Heaven on earth . . .




*Mom's Hot Milk Sponge Cake*
Makes one 7 inch square cake
Printable Recipe

3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup hot milk
1 TBS butter



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease a 7 inch square cake tin. Line with baking paper and grease the baking paper. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks until light in colour. Slowly beat in one cup of sugar, beating with a spoon for five minutes. Fold in the egg whites.

Sift the flour together with the baking powder and salt. Fold this into the egg and sugar mixture.

Stir the butter into the hot milk until it is melted and then gently stir the hot milk into the cake batter, mixing it all in well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the
heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until well risen and the cake tests down when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove to a wire rack to cool for five minutes, before removing from the cake tin to finish cooling completely on the wire rack.

My dad always liked this plain, split in the middle and filled with strawberry jam. It's also great filled with lemon curd and whipped cream, with a bit of icing sugar dusted on top.

Good tomatoes are one of the defining tastes of summer. Right now we have beautiful ones coming into Britain from Italy and Spain, and the plants in my garden are covered with little yellow blossoms. I know that it won't be too long before I am going to be able to enjoy that fresh picked off the vine taste here in my own kitchen.

When you're shopping for tomatoes, pick them up and smell them. If they smell strong and tomato-ey, they're likely to taste good. You want them firm to the touch, and without any soft spots which can indicate spoilage. You often see them "on the vine." They look lovely on the vine, but they're more expensive that way. Truth is they don't necessarily have any better flavour than those off the vine. This is just a gimmick that is used to get you to pay more. If anything it's the variety that makes the biggest difference in taste, not whether they are on the stem or not. The ones on the stem may have a stronger fragrance but that is coming from the stem, not from the actual fruit.



For eating raw, choose sweet cherry tomatoes or bigger, juicier varieties. For stuffing and cooking the dryer textured plum tomatoes are always best. They keep their shape when long cooked and reduce to a sweet and intense tomato sauce better than any other.

I never store my tomatoes in the fridge. (A little tip that I picked up from my mom, thanks mom!) Storing them in the fridge changes their texture and diminishes their taste. I keep mine in a bowl in a corner on my kitchen counter. Tomatoes are not really at their ripest when you buy them at the shops. Leaving in a bowl at room temperature helps them to ripen to their fullest and brings out their best flavours.



Skinning tomatoes is really quite easy. Take your tomatoes and score an "X" lightly with the tip of a very sharp knife on the bottom end. Drop them into a bowl of boiling water and let them sit for 20 to 30 seconds. Scoop them out with a perforated spoon and the skin should peel off very easily. If you have any difficulty at all, return them to the water for a few more seconds.

Here's a delicious salad that I love to make on warm days. Simple to make and with simple ingredients, this really showcases lovely ripe tomatoes at their very best.



*Tomato and Onion Salad*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Simple and delicious, I could eat a whole plate of this all on it's own, with maybe only a slice of buttered bread on the side. Plan ahead as it needs to sit for several hours before eating.

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
6 ripe tomatoes, sliced into thick wedges
2 to 3 tsp dried oregano
(I use Barts. It has nice big flakes)
really good quality extra virgin olive oil
white wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Gently layer everything together , seasoning with salt and pepper at you go. Drench with the olive oil and then add a tiny splash of the vinegar. Allow to sit for several hours before eating. Delicious!

It was another scorcher down here in the South East of England yesterday. In my house that means it's a salad day. Something delicious that means minimal heat from the stove and something that you relish and enjoy sitting under the umbrella at the picnic table on the back patio.

Salad in my house is not just a mix of salad leaves with an obscure bottled dressing poured over top.

In my house . . . Salad is often the meal, the star of the show . . . Centre Stage.

We really enjoyed this grilled steak salad yesterday. It had a slightly Tai flavour, with a distinct bite coming from the red chilies and a wonderful tang from the lime. I also got to use up the rest of the cucumber, lettuce and radish from last week's veggie box . . . several days old, they were still crisp and delicious!
 



*Grilled Steak Salad on the Thai Side*
Makes 4 servings
Printable Recipe

I love the tangy dressing on this salad, with it's slight sweet and sour flavour, hot and spicy from the chilies and the sweet surprise of fresh pineapple.

DRESSING:
5 TBS pineapple juice
1 TBS dark soy sauce
1 TBS groundnut oil
1 TBS toasted sesame oil
2 tsp fresh lime juice
the grated zest of one lime
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh gingerroot
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
large pinch of crushed red chili flakes
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, cut into a small dice
1 TBS finely chopped fresh coriander

1 pound of grilling steak (flank, top round, rump)
1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

SALAD:
6 lightly packed cups of fresh salad leaves
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
3 big radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

TO GARNISH:
1/4 cup finely chopped chives



Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients. Set aside.

Place all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Mix them together lightly with your hands.

Rub the steak with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the steak on a hot grill for 4 to 5 minutes on one side. Flip over and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. (Alternately you can grill it in a hot pan. Sear it for some 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare.)

Season the salad leaves with some sea salt and black pepper and then toss with about half of the dressing. Divide amongst 4 serving plates. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and drape it over the salad leaves. Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing and sprinkle chives on top. Serve.




I added some homemade oven chips for Todd. (The ultimate steak and potato meal in my opinion) I just cut a few potatoes into wedges and then tossed them together with a bit of vegetable oil, a TBS or two of dry bacon and onion dressing mix, and some salt and pepper. I banged them onto a baking tray and then roasted them for about 15 minutes at 205*C/425*F. These are so easy to do and you can vary the flavour however you like by using any variety of seasoning mixes. Curry ones are really nice!

*Greek Chicken Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I subscribe to a cookery magazine each month called Delicious. This was one of the recipes featured in the June 2009 issue. I adapted it a bit to our own tastes, and you know what ???? It was delicious!

3 free range chicken breasts
the juice and finely grated zest of one lemon
a handful of chopped fresh oregano
3 TBS olive oil
1 fat clove of garlic peeled and crushed
6 rashers of free range dry cured smokey bacon, cooked until crisp and cut into 3 pieces each
70g of fresh salad leaves
50 g of black olives, preferably kalamata, but I used those lovely dry cured black olives and they were wonderful
1/2 of a small cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced into half moons
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
100g of thick Greek Yogurt
the finely grated zest and juice of another small lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper



Pre-heat the oven to 190*C/375*F. Place your chicken breasts in a shallow glass baking dish. Squeeze the juice of the first lemon over the chicken. Add the lemon zest, chopped oregano, garlic, and half of the olive oil. Rub all of this into the breasts. Season to taste with some sea salt and the black pepper. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, place in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until done and the juices run clear. Don't overcook, as dry chicken tastes nasty. Start checking at 15 minutes.

Place the salad leaves, olives, cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl and toss with the bacon pieces.

In another bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, second clove of garlic, the rest of the olive oil, the zest and juice of the second lemon and some salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. (If you find this too thick, you can thin with a bit of water. I didn't feel this was necessary myself. I loved the consistency.)

Divide the salad amongst 4 chilled plates. Slice the roasted chicken and divide it equally amongst the plates and serve each with some of the dressing drizzled over top. Pass any remaining dressing at the table. (In fact I would double the dressing ingredients so that there is plenty to go around. It's delicious, and if you use the no fat Greek yoghurt, it's not too bad for yo

Yesterday was a spectacular day here in the Southeast of England. The sun was shining, the temperature got up into the double digits, and we did what any self respecting Brit would do that lives within driving distance of the coast. We hopped into the car, and headed down to Eastbourne, where the cooling sea breeze called to us from afar. We always park at the very edge of the seafront, where the parking is free, and then we spend the whole day walking the whole length of it, some 1 1/2 miles up . . . and another 1 1/2 miles back. It's great exercise, and somehow helps to justify the calorie splurge of a tasty seaside treat of fish and chips.

I mean . . . what's the point of going to the seaside and not eating in fish and chips??? It's just not British not to indulge! It's a crime against our nature or something!

Every other time we have gone down there, we have treated ourselves to fish and chips on the pier. Sadly, each time we have been disappointed . . . greasy and expensive, they always left us wanting. Actually, since moving down here from Chester, we have always been hugely disappointed in the fish and chips on offer locally, and at the coast. Somehow they have never quite come up to the standard we were pretty much used to.

This time, we decided to phone my friend Jo, who pretty much grew up in this area. She and her husband live in Broadstairs now, but when they did live here, they often took themselves down to Eastbourne for some fish and chips. I knew that if anyone had knowledge of where to find the best . . . she did. Sure enough, a quick text later, and an even quicker text back from her, gave us exact directions to what she claimed were the best.



Yes, that's Harry Ramsden's Fish and Chips, right on the corner of Terminus Road and the main sea front road, just down a bit and across from the pier. Claiming to have the best fish and chips in the world, we decided to give them a try.

Here's what they say on their menu:

"When it comes to fish & chips, Harry’s are true aficionados. Our fish is expertly prepared in our kitchens daily and coated with our unique secret recipe batter to guarantee that distinctive Harry Ramsden’s flavour - a flavour that’s revered the world over. Whichever fish you choose, it will be served gloriously golden, consistently light and perfectly crisp every time... or we’re not the world famous Harry Ramsden’s!"

I don't know about you, but I think that's an awful lot to live up to. We managed to get in before the huge lunch time queue started, right at 12 noon bang on, and pretty much had our choice of seating. It wasn't long after we sat down though that the place really began to fill up. I looked at Todd and boasted about our luck at having gotten in there early.



Wide and spacious and clean, there was also an area outside for eating, but we chose to sit indoors as I didn't really fancy fighting off the gulls. (Trust me when I say that gulls at seasides can be very bold and audacious. One swooped down and stole the fish right out of my American friend Eliza's hand once!)

The menu had on offer a variety of starters, including soup, prawns and mushrooms and there were several varieties of fish for mains . . . cod, haddock, scampi, plaice, prawns, and a selection of whiting coley or pollack. (Depending on what was available on any given day) There were also burgers, sausage and chicken for those who are squeamish about fish. We weren't interested in any of those, however. We were there for the fish, and absolutely the cod!!



Our waitress was very attentive and helpful and I can say with all honesty it was not even a 10 minute wait and our meal was sitting before us. Crispy battered cod, with hand cut chips, tartar sauce, mushy peas (how can you not have mushy peas??) and plates of buttered bread. One thing that was a real plus for me was that the skin had been removed from the fish before frying. Skin on battered fish has always grossed me out and, in my opinion, renders at least half of the batter inedible and a waste no matter how you cut it. I have found that 99% of the time down here in the Southeast, they leave the skin on the fish, which is a big let down for me.



The batter on the cod was crisp and light, and not greasy in the least. The fish inside was flaky, moist and perfectly cooked. The chips were not the best I've ever had, but neither were they the worst. They were not greasy either, which was a bonus. The mushy peas were great, the tartar sauce . . . so so . . . my homemade is much better, but then again, you would expect that with homemade. All in all, we were quite pleased with our meal. Was it the best in the world? I think that's a tall order for anyone to meet, but it was quite good, and certainly one of the better ones we have had down here. Would I go again? Most probably. Am I still on the search for GREAT fish and chips? Absolutely.



A meal for two, including drinks and a regular order of cod and chips, including mushy peas, and bread and butter came to £20.20. Not cheap by a long stretch, but quite satisfying and well worth the 3 mile walk.

Here's my own recipe for tartar sauce. This is what I used to make when I started off my career as a pastry chef in a big hotel back home in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia where I come from originally. I defy any store bought or restaurant sauce to come up to it's standard!

*Marie's Tartar Sauce*
Makes approx 4 servings
Printable Recipe

Once you taste this you'll never eat tartar sauce from a squeeze bottle or jar again. This is the best.

1 stalk of celery, chopped fine
2 TBS finely chopped cornichons
1 TBS prepared horseradish
2 TBS coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
6 TBS good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well together. Serve with fish. If not using right away, cover and chill in the refrigerator. I always like to make this a few hours ahead of time in order for the flavours to really meld well together.



On a side note . . . what would fish and chips and bread and butter be without having the added treat of a chip buttie. Yes, buttered bread stogged full of hot chips that have been sprinkled with salt and malt vinegar, the heat from the chips melting the butter all around the chips and rendering it all most delicious. A treat from the North West, perhaps an acquired taste, but scrumptious nonetheless.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for my grand opening of An English Kitchen. There will be lots on offer including a lovely giveway. And Angie? The followers list is in the far left hand column!!

After a weekend full of beautiful sun and warmth the rain comes. It coats every bloom in the garden, and dances on every branch. It is a growing balm for every thirsty leaf and petal. I know that when the sun comes again the garden will move forward in leaps and bounds, and so I sigh and make new plans . . .

This is the perfect day for a lunch of light soup and a sandwich . . . No . . . not a plain sandwich, but perhaps a Stromboli . . . it's yeasty and fragrant dough wrapped around a cheese, pesto and sundried tomato filling.

Yes . . . I could do meat, but . . . today my soul hungers for cheese and herbs. It is the perfect way to use up the last of the oven dried plum tomatoes I put up last autumn, encased like jewels in olive oil and herbs . . . it is spring and I enjoy a taste of late summer from a year just passed . . .


Herb and Tomato Stromboli
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1 batch of pizza dough (See below)
1/2 cup of fresh basil pesto
(from the chiller cabinet at the store)
100g ball of buffalo mozzarella, torn
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in oil, drained and chopped
1 egg, beaten


Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Roll out your pizza dough to a rectangle, measuring about 10 by 16 inches. Spread this with the pesto to within 1/2 inch of the edge all around. Scatter the torn mozzarella over and the chopped sun dried tomatoes. Roll up tightly as if for a jelly roll. Place onto the baking sheet and shape into a rough circle, folding the ends to fit together. Slash into 8 equal pieces around the edge, almost all the way through from the top down, but leaving joined at the inner edge. Fan out. Brush with some of the beaten egg.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Serve warm.




Thirty Minute Pizza Dough
Makes enough for two crusts, or one stromboli
Printable Recipe

1 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 TBS olive oil
2 1/2 cups strong flour
1 tsp salt

Place the warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and sprinkle the yeast over top. Allow to sit for several minutes to proof the yeast. (about 5) Whisk the flour and salt together. Stir the yeast to dissolve and then stir in the flour mixture and the olive oil. Mix together well, at first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 6 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled clean bowl, turning once to coat it with the oil. Cover and allow to rise for 20 minutes before knocking down and proceeding.