Lakeside Cafe

Recipes for Soups

2011-02-20T19:59:00.000Z

I thought I would add some good, wholesome and warming soups to the collection. We have been asked for a few different recipes so here they are!

Thai Style chicken Soup (serves 4)
This is a very good soup for those on diets, or those who would like a filling but light meal. It is a thin soup, but powerful in flavour and nicely warming. Add more or less chillies to your taste)
1 tsp oil
1 or 2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or ½ tsp garlic puree
1 large leek, finely sliced
6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 pint chicken stock
14 floz coconut milk
1 lb chicken, skinless and boneless, cut into bite-size pieces. We use breast and thighs.
2 tblsp thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 lemon grass stalk- bash the bottom half to crush it and let the flavour out.
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
4 Kaffir lime leaves (optional)
3 tblsp chopped coriander

Heat the oil in a large pan, and cook the chillies and garlic for about 2 minutes, keep stirring it so it doesn’t burn. Add the leek and the mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in the stock and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat. Add the chicken, fish sauce, lemon grass, ginger, sugar and lime leaves if using. Lower the heat and and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and tender.
Remove the lemon grass stalks and add the coriander.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
You can add spring onions, peas and noodles to this if you would like. All can go in about 3 minutes before you take the lemon grass out.

Green Herb Gumbo (serves 6-8)
We have had mixed responses to this one, but mostly good comments! There appears to be a lot of ingredients, but don’t be put off. You can put in any mixture of green vegetables, and it will still taste good. The herbs and spices give it a deep generous flavour that is warming and comforting.

12oz smoked or green gammon, or ham hock meat, diced into bitesize pieces
2 tblsp oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or 2 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp dried oregano,
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 celery sticks
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
½ medium green cabbage shredded.
3 ½ pints ham or chicken stock
7oz spring greens or Kale
7 oz Chinese mustard cabbage, shredded
7 oz spinach
1 bunch watercress, shredded
6 spring onions, shredded
1 oz parsley, chopped
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to serve

In a large pan heat the oil, and add the gammon, onion, garlic, thyme and oregano. If there is any fat on the gammon let it sizzle away, if you have the rind, put it in in one piece to remove when the fat has rendered away. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring and then add bay, cloves, celery and pepper, stir that around for 2 mins, until the cloves become good and fragrant, then add the cabbage and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 mins, add everything else and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Season it all and taste.

This can be made vegetarian, by removing ham, using veg stock and putting in beans, pulses or chick peas.
If you can’t get ham hock or gammon, try German Bratwurst sausages or mortadella. Bacon or belly pork could be used too.

Cullen Skink, or Smoked Haddock and Potato soup (serves 6)
A traditional Scottish soup, Cullen meaning seatown or port, Skink meaning stock or broth. This makes a lovely change to usual soups, is rich and creamy, with enough subtlety to be used for a dinner party.

12oz Finnan Haddock- or un-dyed smoked haddock
1 onion, chopped
1 leek chopped
1 ½ pints fish or veg stock, or even water
1 ¼ lb potatoes
1 pint milk
1 ½ oz butter
salt and black pepper

Place the fish in pan and cover with the milk. Poach gently for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is easy to flake and opaque. When cooked, remove carefully from the heat. Let cool a little, strain AND KEEP the milk, and then flake the fish only throwing away the skin and any stray bones.
In a soup pan, sweat off the onion and leek in the butter. Stir frequently, and don’t colour the veg. They need to be softened and translucent. Add potatoes and stock and reserved milk. Cook for about 20 minutes until potatoes are soft and can be crushed against the side of the pan with the back of your spoon.
Zap the whole thing, and then add the flaked fish. You then have potato soup with flakes of haddock. Taste and add pepper and a little salt if necessary. Add cream to make it richer, although remember you and your guest will be eating a bowl of it, not just a spoonful.
Finish it with parsley or chopped chives when serving.

To make a bit of a change use half of the potatoes within the soup, and dice the rest and cook separately. Add these in with the haddock to create texture.

Matrimonial Cake and Apple and Cranberry Slices

2010-11-13T19:50:00.000Z

Well, we had a lovely letter from Mrs Barner. I am so glad some people still do things the old fashioned way, and a a hand written letter cheered us all up. So, thank you Mrs Barner for your comments- a book may well be in the offing- and her are the recipes requested, I hope you have as much success with them as the others.

Matrimonial Cake
This is so called because apparently in marriage you take the rough with the smooth, although some people have commented there seems a lot more rough than smooth!
THE SMOOTH
8 oz(225g) stoned and chopped dates
1oz(25g) Demarara sugar
4floz(125ml)water
THE ROUGH
4oz(125g)porridge oats
3oz(75g) plain or wholewheat flour
2oz(50g)Demarara sugar
3oz(75g) butter, chilled

Place all the smooth ingredients into a thick bottomed pan and heat gently on a stove. It will gradually form a paste, stir occasionally to prevent the sugar burning onto the bottom of the pan, and when it looks thick, dark brown and sludgy leave it to cool. It gets REALLY hot- it's like jam - so don't be tempted to taste it just yet!
Place all the rough ingredients in a mixer and rub in the butter to form a crumble mixture.
Grease a 7inch/18cm tin and put in half the rough mixture. Pour in the smooth mixture, and spread it all over. Top with the other half of the rough and pat down gently.
Bake it at 180C, 350F or Gas 4 for 15-20 minutes until slightly brown, as always, if it smells done, it probably is!
Leave to cool and cut into squares. It is really lovely warm with a spoon of clotted cream or ice cream.

For some variation we do the same mix with apricots instead of dates, you just need some more water during the initial stage, and a little ginger in the crumble mix, and/or stem ginger through the apricots.

Apple and Cranberry Squares

A lovely recipe, good for windfall apples and a Christmassy treat.

BASE
8oz(225g) plain flour
3oz(75g) granulated sugar
6oz(175g) butter
FILLING
2-3apples, either cooking or dessert
4 dessert spoons cranberry sauce
TOPPING
4oz(115g) plain four
41/2oz(130g) granulated sugar
3oz(85g) butter, chilled

In a mixer combine all the base ingrediants. This mix is a basic shortbread, so don't over mix, stop when it is all together and soft. press this into a greased tin about 7x11 inches/ 18x28cm. Cook this for about 15-20 minutes (180C/350F/Gas4) until set and just turning golden. It will still feel soft. You can make this ahead of time and leave to cool.
Peel and core an apple and slice it onto the base, keep adding apples until your base is covered. Slightly overlap the slices. Spoon the cranberry sauce gently over the apples and smooth so it covers them. We keep it half apple half sauce, but you can add more of either to your taste.
To make the topping put all the ingredients in a mixer and rub in the butter, Make a basic crumble mix. If yu would like add some mixed spice, or ginger and nutmeg to this mixture for a kick. Sprinkle tiopping over the base and press down gently.
Cook at the same temperature for another 20 minutes. Leave to cool and cut into squares.
This is a cream of ice creampudding if served warm, or an afternoon treat with a good cup tea.

These are easy enough to make with children- my 7 year old niece loves making crumble mixtures, and they are quick enough for almost instant gratification! Both slices are tough enough, and will keep long enough for homemade hampers to give as Christmas presents. Not long now!

Recipes By Request

2010-08-29T17:48:00.003+01:00

I am a bad blogger. Haven't done this for ages, and I am sorry. We have had a busy summer so far, and have been trying out new things such as gluten free and dairy free(not in the same cake for methinks that would be impossibe if you wanted it to taste of anything!) cakes, caribbean soup, full of plantain and yam and scotch bonnets.
We have been official groupies of Shakehands eric and joined them at the BeerFest at which we gave away cake to a very confused but pleased audience, and they joined us on bank holiday sunday to play a few tunes and sing from their newly released album "A weekend in another country"
So, all busy and I spoke to Quentin- he of RNLI fame, and Mrs Quentin and was asked for some cake recipes- Hummingbird cake and Lemon and Banana.
so here goes;

Banana and Lemon cake- this does taste bizarrely like Juicy fruit chewing gum to my mind!

250g plain flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
115g butter
200g sugar
115g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp grated lemon rind
3 medium mashed bananas- use up overripe ones
1 tsp vanilla essence
50 ml milk
75g chopped walnuts

ICING115g butter – room temp
475g icing sugar
¼ tsp grated lemon rind
3-5 tbs fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)Gas 4
Cream butter eggs and sugar, beat in eggs one at a time with a little of the flour to stop it curdling and beat or whisk until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon rind. In another bowl mash the bananas and add milk and vanilla essence and mix. Add all the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and then stir in the banana mixture. Fold in the nuts.
Line 2 x23cm cake tins, or one larger one, and fill with cake mixture.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until it bounces back to the touch, or an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool a little in the tin and then turn out onto a rack.

For the icing, cream the butter until smooth, add the icing sugar and rind and then add the lemon juice until the icing is a good spread-able consistency.
Sandwich the cakes together and fill and then top with icing. Decorate with walnuts or lemon rind that has been shredded and blanched in boiling water.

NB if you don’t eat nuts, don’t add them! They do add a good texture, but will not alter the cake if they are not added.

Hummingbird cake
300g caster sugar
3 eggs
300ml sunflower oil
270g peeled banana, mashed
1tsp ground cinnamon
300g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
100g tinned pineapple chopped finely
100g shelled pecan nuts or walnuts

Preheat oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3

Place the sugar, eggs, oil, banana and cinnamon in a bowl and beatuntil well mixed. Don’t panic if it looks like it’s split!
Add everything else and stir until evenly dispersed and mixed in.
Pour into 3 x 20cm cake tins, or one large one , that are lined with greaseproof or silicon paper, and cook for about 20-25 minutes. It will smell heavenly and bounce back on touch. Leave to cool for a bit before turning our to cool completely.
When cold, make up some carrot cake icing and either layer the three cakes or split the one large cake in to 2 or three and sandwich together with icing and top the cake. Decorate with pecans and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

NB Cinnamon has a very strong taste so use lightly. If you have guests with heart problems, cinnamon can have an adverse effect and make the heart rate quicken or palpitate.

Both these cakes are really moist and will last for a few days in an air tight container. They will get mouldy quickly if it is very warm and humid, but to be honest they will very probably be eaten before they go off!
If you have a friendly market stall holder ask for overripe bananas from them, as they usually will give away or reduce old battered bananas, but they are the best for making these cakes.

2010-08-09T15:33:00.001+01:00

2010-08-09T15:12:00.001+01:00

If music be the food......

2010-01-19T17:21:00.003Z

Gemma and I got into a big discussion the other day. Usually I rant on, the girls loose interest after the first "and ANOTHER thing" that I squawk and I end up talking to my soup, but this was different. I asked Gemma what her soup tasted like. The uninformed tend to say things like glue, paint, water or "it's nice, I think" and I have to explain glue, paint and water are more texture than taste. I haven't eaten much glue, or paint in my life, but I know what they mean and it is texture.
Gemma has heard that rant before, so looked puzzled and then said hesitatingly "Tomatoes?" As it was tomato soup she was right, but no cigar. I taught Jodie a scale that I have always used, and was hoping that Gemma would pick it up. Jodie and I wave our hands around- High would be lime, white chocolate. Low would be bitter dark chocolate, rich stew. There are a lot of grades inbetween, and it doesn't always work simply. Certain soups- parsnip and apple for example, should be sweet, and deep at the same time. It is high and low, but the true flavour should be somewhere in the middle- a balance where one thing does not outweigh the other.
There is also a front to back scale. A beginning, middle and end. Mandy, when made to try things, always refers to this. She says things like "There is a lot of beginning, and end, but nothing in the middle." This usually refers to seasoning. Again the balance- Red pepper, chilli and lime soup is a good one for this. The flavour should begin with pepper, then the chilli should make an appearence, finishing with the lime but the pepper should remain all the way through.
Gemma waches with bemusment as Jodie and I wave furiously at each other saying "It's too much up there, add milk to bring it down a bit" She can taste the differences, but cannot vocalise them. Gary was the same until we discovered he had synaesthesia. That is he described flavours in terms of colour. Mushrooms were a dark brown, oak rather than mahogany. Stew was purple. This worked for Gary, and I learnt to describe the mixing of flavours, but I used to find it frustrating as I couldn't explain the subtle shades and blends that salt or sugar would add. When I looked at Gemma I realised I would have to find another way to describe flavours.
I tried various things. Blank looks all round. I would have to think harder. Then I remembered Gemma's boyfriend. He does beatboxing. He is very good, and thus Gemma listens to lots of music, while he tries to make all the sounds using his mouth. Gemma understands that he learns to make one beat, then learns another, and adds to it, to create the tune. "Ha!" says I turning to Gemma triumphantly "it's a band!" Again a blank look but I knew I was on the right track. Her soup was all guitar. No base line, no high hats. We fixed it, various conversations sprang up regarding stew being Wagner, Chowder being trance and rissotto was verging on drum and base.
Conversley Nico Muhly is a composer and has just joined the Chicago Symphony orchestra. When he writes he makes Veal stock, he says you have to go and skim it every 15 minutes, and the more you add the deeper the flavour. This is how he sees his music. He skims bits away, and adds different sounds to make the full ensemble. I love the fact that there is a composer who takes his inspiration from food, and we can take our inspiration from music. Every piece of music has a beginning, a middle and an end. From the solo tune, that relies on volume and strength to make it powerful to the large orchestral works where the smallest ting of a triangle will make a world of difference.
I wonder what the next person I teach will respond to. I am running our of metaphors but I am so happy that with Gemma, it was music.

New year, new paint work

2009-12-28T11:29:00.005Z

Thank you to all the people that came to visit on Christmas day. Although the ice lay thick on the roads and paths you bravely took your lives into your own hands and came to see us. Who was it that said you should do something everyday that scares you? I thought that as I slid sideways in my car down to the cafe and spun gently to a stop by the bollards.
Jodie had never worked a Christmas, but I think she enjoyed it. Helped by the people who left a bottle of champagne for us, and all the customers who bought us lovely presents. Everyone is in a good mood, either because they are filled with the joy of the season or they are so relieved that they can get a coffee, speak to people other than their inlaws, their parents and siblings and they can view other families with the same issues and realise they are not alone.
We now turn our thoughts to 2010. There is a blue moon ( where a full moon occurs twice in one month) on new years eve, portending a glorious year of change and unexpected events- if you believe in that sort of thing.
Our glorious change will be our decorations in January. We will be closed for 2 weeks from 18th while we have things tiled and painted. I wont call it a refurb as we have been somewhat short changed on this, but tiles and paint are good and the cafe should look a little fresher, which is all I am able to ask. It has taken a year and half to get to this stage, and a lot of arguing and broken dreams, but we are here.
We are hoping it will go like this; Kitchen will be tiled floor to ceiling, toilets will be tiled floor to ceiling, and toilets etc will be replaced where needed. The cafe will be painted- the struts and window frames, under the counter and bar and the metal poles. We are going for coffee and cream type colours- a bit urban chic for the country I know, but it is bright and bland enough for us- the main thing is the view which will not change (I hope).
Jodie and I will be looking at the menus. I think the salads we put on last year have been a good option. Although winter has been a bit wasteful- so we may start two menus. We are also looking at putting on more stews etc for the specials board. We will continue to create new soups and cakes. We are also trialing gluten free and sugar free stuff, and try and get some of it to taste of something!
I hope you all have a good new years eve, and I trust that 2010 will be a glorious, happy and healthy year for us all.

Beginning to look like Christmas

2009-12-18T16:48:00.002Z

Those of you living within a 10 mile radius of the park will have heard Jodie at full volume declaring we should "Let it Snow"- not that we have much choice- and those that have braved it have seen the cafe in full Christmas sparkle.
We will be open over the holidays- Jodie and I will be working Christmas day. We are not going to cook, but soup and cakes will be available, and if you are really lucky you may be serenaded by Jodie in her Christmas hat!
We opened for Christmas a couple of years ago and it was a really good day. Lots of people don't understand why I like working Christmas. We get to see and talk to our regular customers. The dogs still need walking and it is lovely to meet the extended families of customers that we have known for ages. We also become a peaceful haven for those that just want to get away from the house and the family for an hour or so. The "me" time is always important on busy days and a coffee drunk over looking the lake seems to fit the bill.
We also see the really Christmassy people, who feel pleased we are open, but sad we are working and so sing along and generally come in a festive hullabaloo to brighten up everybody's day. The children all arrive in new gloves, on new bikes, cold and excited and their youthful exuberance spills over to other people, making everyone smile and wish they could be that young again.
There is a certain atmosphere for workers on Christmas day, and it must be the same for all professions that work through all the holidays. It is a necessary thing to work, but everyone you deal with is polite and happy and if you are doing something you love then it cannot be a bad day.
My staff are going to dress up on Christmas Eve and Boxing day, which will be interesting I'm sure. Trying to explain to them that anything that is too round and bulky will get in the way has been difficult, but we will see.
We are well into making the mince pies and pork pies that will ensure the Christmas buffets are well stocked. We have ordered 16lbs of pork just for pies, and I am hoping that is enough. I think this weekend will be pie making and cutting little leaves out of pastry for me, which is fun to start with, then gets dull on about leaf number 140, and then is so lovely when cooked pies come out of the oven all golden and pretty.
So, in the run up to Christmas, and one of the most stressful times in the year, enjoy the snow, come and have a hot chocolate with a sneaky shot of rum in it and marvel at the beauty of the park.

Give us a job, mate

2009-10-26T11:15:00.006Z

After each summer we always shed staff- it's our annual moult. With the loss, even though it is temporary,of our summer staff and Florian moving on to pastures new we find our selves in the position of being able to hire some full time newbies.
The summer newbies will return, for holidays, and bring their own shall we call it "special"brand of professionalism, but in the mean time we have two new starters, who have blown fresh air through the cafe.
With so many people looking for work at the moment I thought we would be inundated, and as time is generally short we put an advert in the paper that would put off the time wasters. We were brutally honest. We dared to put "hard work, long hours" we didn't make it pretty.There is no point putting all the good stuff on adverts- if they still want to work after reading the advert then good for them. If they think we are lying, then they will find out we don't do that.
It is amazing though how bad some people are at writing even a covering letter. They are miss spelled, have smiley faces or just downright awful.
The ones that start with "Hiya", "Alrite" or "Hey" followed by a smiley face in any form are generally disregarded. I know email etiquette is informal, but you are applying for a job, speaking to your new boss.
The email address is also a good thing to look at. I would, personally, change my address to my name, and a number or something that was adult and "normal". I would not keep the address I created at 14 that I thought was cool, sweet or sexy.
We have had various interesting email addresses. Anything that starts DJ tends to scare me, more so when its followed with words like skunk, gangster or killer. I am aware the name does not reflect the personality generally, but these names have been picked by themselves to show what they would like to be.
Gothy-lucy-babe was another we had. She turned out to be blond and in her 40s. A past revealed unwittingly? Sugarboymassiv is one of my favorites. It conjures up so many images. I-love-sex-and-chocolate was another that I don't think I would have kept. I have smiled at some; mums-email was quite sweet, a lady being dragged into 2009 possibly? I have received emails blatantly sent from the works address. This is surely either very brave or just stupid if the company isn't going belly up.
As an employer cv's are the initial introduction and the covering letter can really help that cv to stand out. Fancy fonts, colours and awful clip art pictures will not generally enhance anything. Clear, concise and enthusiastic is what I am looking for, and unless you are going for a job in computer design type stuff, I would imagine most employers are the same.
If you are in the market for a job then check you cv, and make sure your covering letter is enthusiastic and most of all spelt correctly!

Every Little £1.5 Billion helps.

2009-10-07T20:45:00.003+01:00

A rep turned up today to sell me an oven that could cook everything in 7 minutes. I didn't understand it, and why you want everything cooked in such a short time I do not know. It was not a microwave, but he couldn't tell me what it was. I asked what sort of meat it was that would cook so marvellously in that time and he replied "Any you would normally get from Tescos". My hackles rose.
I will not even start on the crap that various companies pump into meat, that now worryingly seem to be a selling point- "pork chops tenderised with glucose" was one I saw. Pork chops should be tender. Why would you put glucose with it? Amazed.
I have done a little research on the supermarkets. This recession we are in does not seem to affect good old Tescos. In fact they have just released the figures for this last 6 months of trading. Pre tax profits of £1.5 billion. In 6 months mark you. I wonder what the pre tax profits of our one remaining Butcher in St Neots is? I could have asked the 4 that we used to have, but they have all closed. Since Tescos arrived strangely.
Supermarkets have 85% of all grocery retail- it goes in this order, Tesco, Asda, Salisbury's, Morrison's and Co-op/Somerfield. And yet 63% of British farms are unable to make a sustainable profit. Supermarkets seem to be unable to buy British produce- yes, they buy some, they buy "local" stuff, but they offer such a low price to the farmers that it is no way profitable to sell to them.
There are certain towns around the country that are Tesco towns. £3 in every £4 spent is given to Tescos. Inverness is one such town. Tesco moved in, and bought up the land around the town. They have "banked" this, so no other retailer can build on it, and as it is a small town, Tescos is the only place to go. They now have the most profitable store per square foot in the whole country.
It's not just Tescos that are making profits from the recession. The small shops that are having to close down are apparently being bought in their dozens by the likes of Waitrose and Sainsburys. They will be made into "express" type stores. Waitrose are planning to put these small stores within Boots stores too. I guess while you get your anti-depressants that you need because you've had to close your family business, you can at least also buy some biscuits and tea bags.
The good news is that the Competition Commission is on the case. They will go slow, as they do, but they have finally realised that somebody needs to do something.
They are trying to stop the Big 4taking over the country and completely decimating our already dwindling high streets. They will stop supermarkets opening a new store if it already has more than 60% of grocery sales in the area, within a 10 minute drive, or where they have more than 3 rival stores.This I think will help, although they won't start for a good year. It will not help the high streets that have already gone, but it will hopefully slow down the process of loosing anymore good little shops.
For those of you that are happy with Supermarkets, and still believe that they provide jobs in the area, and cheap food, let me explain. Butchers can sell better meat at the same price. You need less of it from a butcher, as it isn't full of water and chemicals, and they know exactly where it comes from. Vegetables tend to be fresher from the green grocer. They are cheaper and seasonal, and have not had soil rubbed into them to look authentic, they have soil on them because that's how they should be. Markets and green grocers have limited storage so the veg and fruit won't have been stored for weeks in chilled warehouses.
I will admit that for £10 spent in a supermarket is worth £14 locally in rent, tax and wages, but lets think. Take a box scheme. £10 spent with them is worth about £25 to the community on workers (who are generally better paid then supermarket workers)and the use of local trades people, repairs to vehicles etc etc. We will never get rid of them, but let us take a closer look and make sure their friends in Westminster don't bow down to their demands.

A Toast To Keith Floyd

2009-09-15T20:50:00.003+01:00

I am raising a glass to the late Keith Floyd. I was a teenager in the 80s, and grew up on his wood/alcohol voice and chaotic cookery programmes. He was my hero.
My generation had Delia Smith and Patricks Pantry. Both studio based, quite stuffy programmes, and then in the early 80's along came Keith Floyd. Flamboyant and often well on the way to being drunk his programmes consisted of him going to meet chefs or fishermen, farmers or restauranteurs and cook with them. He did a programme from a trawler, steaming the fish as they caught it. This was new and very different.
I loved his voice, and the way he was in control of the kitchen- wherever he was. The only time I can remember when he wasn't was when he was cooking with an Italian lady who appeared to be about 103 who refused to let him go near her oven. He was bemused, and quite scared and brilliant. Anything he questioned she hushed him, so he rattled on about what he thought she'd done.
He told the cameraman-Clive- to focus on this dish, that ingredient and then "back to me, Clive" with such speed he could hardly keep up, regardless of the camera steaming up or getting hot fat splashed upon it. The programme used to do little segments of local history, or rants about how the British don't eat enough fish, used usually to pass the time while a stew was cooking. Clive would have to get up early and "Do the pretties" as they were called- the artistic bits. The segment was introduced thus "Lets have a fruity, passionate piece to camera about the sorry plight of English fish-eating habits". It felt almost dangerous for him to be introducing pieces with the words "The Director says you should see some local landscapes-I'll finish this bottle while I wait for you to come back" or words to that effect! Due to the amount of takes they used to do during filming, Keith's glass of local red was filled over again for continuity-he would be smashed by the time they had finished filming.
He also ran restaurants- three at once at one time, while doing radio and television. Unfortunately due a lack of business acumen, and the need to feed people and be generous he used to "comp" people and give away far too much, he declared bankruptcy. His food was all about local, fresh and simple. It wasn't the new fad- and there were many in the 1980s, it was history, what real people live on, and it was passionate and cared for. He taught a young Jean- Christophe Novelli in one of his restaurants and his passion for food shone through his programmes.
His director-David Pritchard- said of him, on first discovering him;"When I was in his restaurant I would see him talking to customers after a fairly gruelling few hours in the kitchen before, and helping himself to their wine and brandy, and gently taking the piss out of them. I would watch this floor show and I thought he was brilliant. He would apologise to people who were wearing Gucci shoes and faux-fur jackets for not having any scampi on the menu. I thought, this is what cookery programmes could do with. they're all so po-faced and prissy, we want someone who is actually a bit of an anarchist in the kitchen."
He was an anarchist- a big fan of the Stranglers. Peaches was the theme of his show- if you don't know the song youtube have it, and it now always brings a smile to my face.
He taught me that cooking should be fresh, simple and brilliant. You didn't have to abide to recipes, add a glug of good wine to everything and the restaurant business was hell, but fun and there will be many interesting people on the way.
I shall leave you with my favorite quote from his book Floyd in the Soup (my life and other great escapes) "It's best to know high people in low places"
Here's to you.

Pirate update and Celebrations

2009-08-01T22:27:00.004+01:00

I am pleased to announce that I have just signed a cheque for £700 to the RNLI. This was from the sponsorship we recieved and a percentage of our takings that weekend.
Thank you to everyone that helped us- the boys that did the pedaloe laps overnight so my staff could get some sleep, the Rangers and "friends of the Cafe" that did some laps too, and the more serious sailors that didn't shout too much when we drifted onto their course! Also all of our customers that sponsored us and supported us, and continue to do so every year

This year is the Parks 21st Birthday. Next weekend- 8th and 9th we have a Family weekend. The Park has invited all of the groups that use the park throughout the year to do displays etc for the weekend. Heart FM are coming with their stage, there will be an '80s Tribute band and Pat Sharpe- he of the Saturday morning shows. There is also kite flyers, face painting,taster courses in sailing and windsurfing, fire and police stands, willow work, Stick making, demonstarions by the Rangers and of course The Collabor8tors will be at the cafe on Sunday lunchtime to serenade you while you eat.

We also have a Hydrosphere in the park now, up on the small lake(Lynch Lake) next to us. For those uninitiated with the concept, and I still don't really understand it, you are in a see-through ball filled with air and the idea is to walk across the water. This is apparently very difficult to do and most end up falling and then crawling around. Very funny to watch, possibly quite annoying while you are in it. It is weather dependant and should be on each day over the summer.

So lots happening and I hope you can come and see what the park is all about on
8th and 9th August.

Things people say

2009-07-29T22:33:00.003+01:00

Those of you that pop in now and again will have noticed the vast amount of newbies we have on the staff. The "summer" hols mean that we are rushed off our feet and our new Uni students are a welcome breath of fresh air, never mind really useful. In this lovely weather we have been discussing staff past and present and the funny moments we have had over the years. Often Jodie or I will cry "That has to be quote of the day" and the story is resigned to the "for a rainy day" file. As we have a few rainy days I thought I would share a couple of quotes with you.

Tables on the balcony are numbered 1-6 from the steps. On asking a waitress to take a sandwich to Balcony two, I got the reply " But we only have one balcony"

On learning that we employed two Emily's one summer, Emily B asked "What's the other Emily called?"

On restocking the chocolate bars, I was confronted with a waitress that informed me that all the Bounty bars were broken.

A member of staff was showing a newbie how to clean the loos. She went through the chemicals and then stressed that the sanitary bins needed to be emptied. She asked him to then clean the Gents and he asked if he should clean the sanitary bins in there too.

On working the BMC rally- formerly British Leyland cars built in the 50's, 60's and 70's Jodie looked at the old R reg burger van and said that surely cars THAT old shouldn't be allowed on the road.

"Do you buy bread from the butchers as well?"

Many members of staff answer the phone, in my office, in my cafe, then call me and say "It's for you, I don't know who it is" (Always helpful!)

"Will you do the barbecue indoors if it's raining?" I'm thinking the insurance on lit coals in a wooden building would be quite high!

"The ocean is looking rough today- is it a sea or an ocean?" What's the cafe called- does that give you a clue?

On a really quiet morning where we had not seen any people at all, we convinced -almost- a member of staff that there had been some dramatic event and we were the only people left on the planet. Discussion ensued and on being asked what he'd do if he was the only person left he said excitedly "I'd go and rob a bank"

It's comforting to think that in our dotage these are the people that will be looking after us and running the country.

Fruit cake

2009-07-01T10:35:00.003+01:00

I have been asked to publish this recipe as it is really lovely for wedding and christening cakes because it is not too heavy, and very good for afternoon tea and seems popular with the caravaners and ramblers.
It is a recipe from the Lake District. When the trade routes first opened the wool from the area was shipped all over the world. The ships bought back spices and sugar. One of the first spices to get to this country was pepper, and was used in all sorts of recipes, and although we now use it mainly for savoury dishes it does go extrordinarily well with fruit.

Westmoorland Pepper Cake

300ml water
125g demarara sugar
425g mixed dried fruit
75g glacee cherries- preferably natural
125g butter
pinch salt (optional, if you use salted butter, you really don't need it)
--------------------------------------------
300g plain flour
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon mixed spice
Quarter teaspoon nutmeg
Quarter teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 egg

Put all of the top set of ingrediants in a pan. Bring to the boil- be careful at the beginning so the sugar doesn't catch the bottom. Turn the heat down to simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes. The fruit will all plump up and your kitchen will smell of Christmas!
Let the fruit and juice cool while you weigh out the rest and line a 10inch tin. Put all the bottom set of ingrediants in a large bowl. When the fruit is cool- blood tempreture will be fine, add it to the large bowl and stir well.
Pour into a lined tin and cook at 325F for about 2 hours. If it looks like it is getting too brown on the top, cover the tin with foil, greaseproof paper or newspaper.
To check if it is cooked insert in the middle of the cake a skewer, or a kebab stick. If it comes out gooey then it is still raw. If it's clean, then it's done.
Tips
~Rather than just using normal dried fruit, add some chopped dates, figs, apricots etc. I add the amount of fruit and cherries up together, then make that amount up with a good mixture.
~You can also add nuts- walnuts go really well. Take out some fruit and replace the amount with nuts. Don't boil them though as it's good to have a bit of crunch and texture. You can decorate the top with pecans or walnuts, just before you cook the cake. We do this so our customers know it contains nuts.
~To get the shiny finish you see on television fruit cake, heat some apricot jam, add a little hot water and brush it over the top of the warm cake.
~The cake can be frozen, and it keeps well- as do most fruit cakes, in a sealed container.

Pirates of the East of England

2009-06-28T14:02:00.009+01:00

The 24hour sail in aid of the RNLI is a spectacle to behold in the cafe. The flags and the bunting go up, the staff are briefed and there is a sense of expectation in the air.
The theory is that each team keep a vessel on the water for 24hours, counting the laps of the lake, and the time in which it takes to go around. Some of the sailors take this really seriously, it is a race after all. We, on the other hand, dress as pirates and take a pedaloe out, and generally get in the way. We do however have a really good weekend and try to get a generous donation to the RNLI.This year the staff really got in the mood. We got a pedaloe team going, and even the Newbies got involved, not forgetting the help from Barry's lads from nextdoor, some random customers who just fancied a go and even Ian the Ranger who did laps for us before and after his ranger shifts on that weekend.
There seemed to be more boats on the water this year, and a good wind saw them flying over the lake. This is brilliant for them, but not good when you are so low on the water, but our chaps carried on regardless. The 5am shift- valiantly covered by Jodie, is great- calm water so you can overtake the boats, much to their chagrin.
There is a flypast every year- this time it was a Hurricane, a Spitfire both of which were dwarfed completley by the majestic Lancaster.
Shakehands Eric(see post below) played a set in the cafe, and were once again fantastic. They then moved to Barrys side to play for the worn out sailors. They played in the garage- although I don't think they now come into that genre- and said how lovely it was to play overlooking such a beautiful lake. They are sorry for the view their audience had! Our team managed to do 30 laps, and we won the prize for most committed team. That may have been the team that needed to be comitted most! Thanks to the fabulous generosity shown by our customers the cafe has raised over £300 for the RNLI. The figure for the whole weekend has yet to be published. The race has been a great success this year, and we hope will continue to be so. It always takes place around the longest day. We hope to see you there next year- dressed as pirates if you wish.

"The Crows would gather on the railing"

2009-06-28T11:51:00.003+01:00

Mark Twain wrote a lot on crows- specifically the Indian crow. He felt they chatted about him, remarking on his clothes, his actions and why he had not been arrested, when he shooed them away they would fly up in circles laughing at him, only to return to the balcony and start the process again.
The crows at the cafe are getting more familiar, and more plentiful. I feed them on crumbs in the morning, and having done so since we opened, they now come to my whistle. I have always been fascinated by them and the stories that follow them.
Often believed to be a symbol of bad omens, war, and death they have been written about for centuries. Celts thought they heralded war- although this seems to be because they are seen flying around a battle field, after the war was over. Apollo is always associated with them, and Odin had Hugin(thought)and Munin(memory)on either shoulder to whose council he listened before battles. They are often said to be the keepers of sacred laws and tricksters. In Russia they are thought to be shape shifters or witches that have turned themselves into crows.
To me crows are clever, fascinating and amusing. They work together sometimes. One stands on the top of the bin and pulls the bag, standing on the fold each time. Eventually the base of the bag comes to the top and the contents falls out into the waiting beak of the crow that waits at the bottom.
One that has been coming to us for the last two years has learnt that speed is of the essence. He gathers four or five large bits, then picks them all up until his beak is stuffed full. He then flies to either a puddle in the car park, or the edge of the lake and soaks each bit. Thus they become soft and easier to eat, and as he's alone he does not have to hurry.
The staff often eat their lunch on the steps at the back of the building and the main crow sits and watches them. If they leave their plate the crow will hop up the steps, circle the plate, hop down one step, look around, and then hop back and take whatever is on it. One of my girls lost an entire sandwich to the crow, as she left a full plate of food on the steps while she went and had a cigarette.
We had two cases last week where crows took food off plates on the balcony- a scone from a lady who had turned and tied her dog up, and another couple nearly lost half a panini, had one of the other customers not shooed it away.
You may also see them sitting on cars. They have been known to remove windscreen wiper blades and the seals around the sunroof of cars. They are fascinated by their own reflections and will slide down the car windscreens just to hop back up to the roof. If you are getting plagued by them, either don't wash your car or cover the windows with newspaper. They only seem attracted to certain sorts of cars, I don't know how they differentiate.
You will often see the main crow sitting either on the roof of the cafe, or near the jetty if there are not a lot of sailing people about. Sometimes if we are quiet enough he will sit on the railing, or on the picnic benches. Say hello if you see him- he sometimes answers back!

Barbecues and Bank Holidays

2009-05-26T21:29:00.003+01:00

Do they always go together? With british weather we often aim for a barbecue and end up grilling everything in our woefully small domestic grills with the children moaning that it's raining and not getting that you don't want to stand outside on your own over a sputtering and smokey barbecue so their burgers can have a charcoal taste. Strange they moan if it's burnt under a grill, yet eat with gusto if it's off an open fire!
The Park have produced a leaflet on barbecues and picnics (although they have called it "picnicing", surely that's not English, is it?)so I thought I would add a few tips etc as people get this sort of thing so very wrong.
Firstly barbecues are meant to be fun. Try not to get stressed. They are never on time, and should not be rushed. Ensure everyone has drinks and put a few nibbly things out and don't panic.
Buy proper charcoal. Don't use those brickette things. They are too hot and don't last long if you are cooking for a lot of people. If you can, get some made charcoal- Pete and Tom, both Rangers, make it occasionally in the park, and have been known to sell it.
Buy meat from nice butchers- you know my views by now. Treat yourself to good sausages, better burgers, maybe some prawns, anything you like. Marinate things- this not only helps them to taste delicious, but it will tenderize meat, and it will cook faster. If you have steak put in a mixture of fresh herbs, black pepper and oil. Leave them as long as you want. If you have lamb chops, put them in oil, garlic and rosemary, add a little lemon juice if you like. Chicken you can add eveything to, but cut it small. The basic idea is cut everything the same size, and it will all cook at the same rate. Beware the cheap "barbecue packs" people sell. It's either cast offs or bad cuts that will toughen on a fierce heat.
Pre-cook some of the stuff. I know you'll say it's cheating. It isn't. You will be less stressed and things like sausages will be meaty and smokey and glorious, rather than charred, raw in the middle and dry. Cook sausages in the oven- cover them if you like until they are cooked, but with very little colour. Then cool them as quickly as possible, or throw them straight on the grill and colour them and let them take on the smokey taste. Steak and chops don't need precooking. Chicken, if you are doing thighs or larger solid pieces I would put through the oven first and then finish on the barbecue.
The other thing I have found when organizing these things is that people seem to think you need 10lb of meat per person. You really don't. Keep it simple. Dress it all with good fresh salads and you only need two types of meat. Do some roast vegetables- herbs and oil and garlic. They are so simple, but powerful flavours and you can serve them on skewers on the barbecue or in a dish from the oven.
If you would like onions- the type you get at fair grounds, start them early add oil and a little butter to a pan on a medium/low heat and add lots of onions. Leave them alone. Stir them occaisionally, when you are passing, but let them do their own thing. They will slowly release all their sugars and go a light brown colour, and smell heavenly. Leave the room every so often and when you return breathe in. You can smell them when they are done. They will have liquid in them, be a beige colour and people should walk past your house saying "I don't know why, I just really fancy a hotdog". You can let them go cold, and reheat them later. You can put them on full heat to reheat them- but stir them.
Don't skimp on salads- fresh leaves, tomatoes and red onions, coleslaw and some new poatoes, dressed gently in oil and fresh mint. Add some bread, and a bottle of robust red wine- if that's your thing, and away you go. Smile gracefully at any of your guests who tell you that you shouldn't light it like that, that they always do a whole leg of lamb on theirs or come and tell you that you'll burn everything and are you sure it's cooked? Just remember not to invite them next time!

Music on the Water

2009-04-27T22:04:00.004+01:00

I think I have become a fan. I have never been a "fan" of anything- not a full blown supporter. Jodie has the football. At this juncture I should say well done to Posh. They apparently have gone up a division, or a league or something, which is good. And the same weekend Manchester United won 5-2 to Tottenham. This all made Jodie very happy, and those of you who came in on Saturday evening will have heard her voice raised in football chants as she exclaimed her joy.
Those of you who missed her somewhat interesting versions of classic pieces, and joined us on Sunday instead, will have a notion of why I am now a fan.
We were joined by "Shakehandseric and the Collabor8tors". These guys are proper acoustic musicians. They play instruments and don't do things by computer!There were four on Sunday, but the numbers go up depending who can collaborate with them (now you get the name). Between them they play guitar, bass, drums, mandolin, harmonica, ukuele, banjo and piano. They even do accapella, which is impressive in this day and age of synthesised everything.
Richard Young is the main vocalist, and as "Shakehandseric" write his own stuff. Roberto is vocals and lead guitar amongst other instruments, and has several CD's. Andy plays piano, and John- one of our regulars- sings and plays guitar, banjo and sometimes even the ukulele.
They do covers if they are not singing Richards songs, a mixture of pop, folk and modern classics, from Dirty Old Town, I'll Tell Ma, If I said You Had A Beautiful Body to Valerie, Chasing Cars and Halleluia.
They were kind enough to give us a CD, which we will gladly play in the cafe to share with you all. They have a gig list, and you can see and hear them on www.myspace.com/shakehandseric
I am hoping they will join us again to play at the 24hour Sail, in aid of the RNLI in June, and also at the Parks 21st Birthday Celebrations in August.

Long live the Spring

2009-04-14T09:05:00.005+01:00

The estate agents have removed the board, the planning applications have gone through and the new couple have moved in. The bird box is well and truely occupied, and the blue tits have been sitting on the shed roof, watching the comings and goings of the sailing fraternity, the chefs and the staff to ensure there is no rough behaviour in the neighbourhood. I've also seen them bring in the first few leaves and bits of greenery to decorate.
I was ten minutes late to work the other day due to the fact that I was watching two green woodpeckers bowing and dancing around each other. It was an amazing sight, one which I had never seen before.
Rosemary who comes in every day with her two daschunds, was telling me to watch the crested grebes. They bow and dance on the water, and apparantly run across the surface together. They are beautiful birds.
The Swifts are zooming over the lake, the Housemartins are arguing about territory and I am sure the Swallows are on their way. I have also seen Turns sitting on the buoys in the lake. They are more slender than the black headed gulls we generally have,and seem more graceful in the air.
Though Easter was a bit of a dull one for us, the birds are beginning to enjoy the Spring in earnest, and I think we should too. It's time to take time in the world. To just be for a while- take ten minutes to notice what happens around us, and watch how nature lives it life.

St Andrew- the history.

2009-04-09T18:24:00.001+01:00

The History of Saint Andrew
November 30th is St Andrew's Day in Scotland. The patronage of the saint whose name means 'manly' also covers fishmongers, gout, singers, sore throats, spinsters, maidens, old maids and women wishing to become mothers. But just who was Saint Andrew and how did he become the patron saint of Scotland?

From the Sea of Galilee to the North Sea
The story goes that Andrew – the Galilean fisherman who was singled out to be Christ's first disciple – preached the Gospel in the lands around the Black Sea and in Greece and was eventually crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras. The geography of his mission explains the balalaika, for Andrew is indeed the patron saint of Russia and of Greece as well as of Scotland. The association with a land he never set foot on is, not surprisingly, based on a number of conflicting legends, the most colourful of which is the story of St Rule.

Three hundred years after Andrew's martyrdom the Roman Emperor Constantine, himself a Christian, ordered that the saint's bones should be moved from Patras to his new capital city of Constantinople. Before the order was carried out a monk called St Rule (or St Regulus) had a dream in which an angel told him to take what bones of Andrew's he could to 'the ends of the earth' for safe-keeping. St Rule duly took what he could – presumably in a swift and frantic raid on the tomb – and after an epic journey with the aforementioned assortment was shipwrecked on the east coast of Scotland. He must have deemed that he had indeed reached the 'ends of the earth'!

Over a millennium later St Rule's Tower still stands among the ruins of St Andrew's Cathedral, which – in its heyday – was a great centre of Medieval pilgrimage. But the whereabouts of the relics is unknown. They were probably destroyed in the Scottish Reformation. During his visit in 1969, Pope Paul VI gave further relics of St Andrew to Scotland with the words "St Peter gives you his brother" and these are now displayed in a reliquary in St Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh. But what these comprise – a distal phalange maybe, and the odd canonical fibula – is not recorded.

A day to celebrate Scots
Whatever the truth of these ancient legends, the Saltire is without doubt based on the cross of Andrew's crucifixion and maybe the significance we should take today is that Andrew, although sometimes overshadowed by his brother Simon Peter, was the first disciple. And maybe in the light of Scotland's immense contribution to human knowledge, it's legitimate to suggest that the hagiographers got it wrong – and that the shards that St Rule brought to the coast of Fife were shards of the saint's cranium.

However, it was only after Robert the Bruce's famous victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 that St Andrew was officially named patron saint of Scotland and the Saltire became the national flag of Scotland in 1385: a manly saint for a rugged, victorious nation.

St Andrew – Folklore
Achaia, Amalfi, Burgundy, Constantinople, Greece and Lampertheim in Germany also lay claim to St Andrew. As do anglers, fish dealers and fishermen. And maybe it's on account of the saint's 'manliness' but there are a number of intriguing 'man-catching' superstitions related to his feast day.

Around midnight on November 29, it was traditional for girls to pray to St Andrew for a husband. They would make a wish and look for a sign that they had been heard.

A girl wishing to marry could:

throw a shoe at a door. If the toe of the shoe pointed in the direction of the exit, then she would marry and leave her parents' house within a year
peel a whole apple without breaking the peel and throw the peel over the shoulder. If the peel formed a letter of the alphabet, then this suggested the name of her future groom.
German folklore advises single women who wish to marry to ask for St Andrew's help. The night before the 30th, if they sleep naked, they will see their future husbands in their dreams. Young women should also note the location of barking dogs on St Andrew's Eve, as their future husbands will come from that direction.

Dearly Beloved

2009-04-09T17:25:00.003+01:00

We are gathered here today to talk about names. My new Friend of the Cafe is a lovely man called David. He is the minister at St Andrews URC in Peterborough, and comes in to us for a coffee on his journey through the park on his bike. He sometimes stays, chatting to one of his parishioners for a while, and often chats to our staff. He also writes ideas for sermons while looking out over the lake, and passing the time of day with our customers. He wrote a sermon last month, which in part was about us.
He was discussing Abram and his wife Sarai, both of whom were made to change their names to Abraham and Sarah. He then went through our names and their meanings- Florian, meaning flower, Ollie, from the French Olivier, olive tree, Jodie is apparently a variant of Judith form the Hebrew meaning from Judea, and Charlotte means little and womanly the feminine of Charles.
I have a book that is very old, and within its pages it discusses onomantics- that is the divination of names. As it is so old, the names on the list are not seen so much these days Aurelia, Gaston, Alphonse and so on. The "meanings" of some are quite blunt, to the point of rude in some instances.
Oliver comes out as "Bearing Fruit:Delightful medieval name full of chivalrous bravery. Our Olivers still seem noble, sensitive, affectionate, reserved, always equable and sane" ( I never said the book was right!)
Judith-Jodie- means "who praises"
David comes out as "well beloved"
Charlotte is "the strong one: Judgment, good heart, energy, wisdom due to deep thought and true integrity. A Charlotte is active, hard working, a good companion, pleasant, fairly elegant. Her tastes are not very aesthetic, she is a simple and sane bourgeoise." (look at me!!)
The meaning of Andrew, the saint that gives his name to David's church means;"the conqueror. Pleasant appearance, simple manners, good company. Marries late. It has often been observed that many Andrews are bitten by animals or lose sight in one eye through some awkward person barging into them."
I don't know why Andrew was made a saint, it would be good to know if he lived up to this meaning.
There is no Amanda,Grant,Gemma or Sabrina, although I am sure we can find meanings for them all. They are perhaps too modern for my book, after all it does give in it's list of common names Hippolyte (a lover of horses) and Lucien with the ominous postscript "women don't trust them".

Selling out

2009-04-08T09:46:00.002+01:00

Listening to the news the other day I was shocked to hear that Innocent Smoothies have sold out to Coca-cola for £30m. Now, Innocent are local boys- Cambridge, and have built their business based on proper fruit, 10% of profits going to charity, and being generally nice people, with a really good product.
I know £30m is a nice round sum, and I'm sure we could all do with that in our back pockets right now but surely they could have done something else other than sell to the multi-national whose record regarding ethics is not what we would hope.
I suppose I shouldn't be so shocked, Ben and Jerry's sold out to Unilever, Pret a Manger sold out to McDonald's, of all people, and Green and Blacks organic sold to Cadbury. I really hope that Innocent do keep their ethics and beliefs- their press people said that they were hoping to pass some of their theories onto Coke and change it in a small way. Interesting to note after a spat a few years ago that Innocent had with Coca-cola about Carbon footprints, Coke actually came out on top.

Coffe Machines and Menus

2009-03-26T10:38:00.003Z

They have arrived. They arrived in an overly large lorry, in six different boxes. That "Oh what have I done?" feeling came over, but soon passed and went to my showing off boxes to anyone who stood near the cafe!
We tested a lot of coffee to get it right, but I think we have it. It is lovely, but I do keep thinking I could have bought a good car for that! Good coffee though.

We will be starting our altered menus on April 1st. We have added Hummus with pitta bread, roasted vegetables with cous cous and salad nicoise which we will be able to do as a vegetarian option. We are also adding scrambled egg on toast, and with smoked salmon, as our Sunday morning regulars and Arthur all eat it so often.

Those more observant of you will have noticed our new freezer in the foyer. We are still selling the lines of ice cream we used to and we will add the new berry solero and an orange calippo.

The Park have fitted 5 new windows for us in the cafe. These have replaced the windows in the corner that had condensation within them.
Nene Park Trust have also appointed a new Visitor Services manager called Susan. She will be the person that all the comments cards will now go to and she will be responsible for the new signs maps and the information leaflets. We are hoping to get a large map in the foyer, the border of which will be made up of pictures and information about the birds and animals and trees in the park.
Susan has also arranged for Rangers to be at Hampton and in town giving out leaflets and any information that you may wish to have. Hopefully this year the park will be put on the map so to speak. If you have any ideas that you think would be useful to the park or indeed us, please let me know, or write a comment card, and we will be happy to pass them on.
The bad news is that Car park charges will kick in on April 4th, and at the moment stand at £3.50. Season tickets are available, ask us for a leaflet, or see the website www.nene-park-trust.org.uk
All in all, spring is sprung, the grass is riz and we are all looking forward to a long, warm summer with new things going on in the park and the cafe.

Dining out...badly

2009-03-14T20:54:00.002Z

I was conned. Little Miss Cynic was conned. I was invited to dinner, at a pub that my friend, who works as a food company rep, has just "discovered". Lovely idea, not far from St Neots, little village, local food, top five in one of those "Hidden Secrets" websites for restaurants/hotels.
As I drove up through the village I realised I had been there before, and my heart sank. Such a bad experience previously, I had blotted out all recollections of this place. Jodie and I had dined there on a bizarre little "lets go to dinner, don't care where" type things. The food was dissapointing and the waitress bumped Jodies chair so often she had started to feel slightly sea sick, never mind irritated.
I thought I would give it a second go. Be fair, the chef may have been off- no excuse, but still- they could have been short staffed, a new waitress, the delivery not turned up ya-de-ya-de-ya.
S and I met in the carpark, and she started to tell me how this chef had been so enthusiastic about his food. How he made certain all his ingrediants were local, rare breed meat- form Grasmere who are lovely- and vegetables from Potten in Beds.
After finding our table, waitng ten minutes to be asked if we would like a drink, a further ten before we could order food, being shown only the bar snack menu and a theme menu; sausage and mash some of which they had already run out of at 7:45. We chose steak. Eventually it arrived- lovely hand cut chips, beautifully cooked. The seak had been cooked on a char grill. Tasted good but tough, the mushrooms were over done and the tomato was just a tomato. The cheese selection was nice, but anyone can do that.
Apart from the fact that I didn't enjoy the food, which could have been cooked better, I felt very conned. The Chef and his parents, who I believe own the place have obviously been very astute at marketing, and got all the locals to vote for the pub, therefore putting up it's ranking to the top 5 in East Anglia on this secrets website. I am sure the chef is entusiastic, and loves his job. I am happy he is supporting the local guys and takes time to source his food. However, he, nor his team can live up to the write up they have given themselves. Steak isn't difficult, and it wasn't busy. They do buy some stuff ready done, and yet to read the website one would think that they would shun the processed stuff.
These websites let people review their own places, and never check on them. I could pay certain publications and become one of Britains best cafes. I don't think this is right. It's unfair to the public. Reviews should be that, by independant people, surely? This is how the rossette system works in hotels, but for the smaller guys word of mouth is the only way to know if you are going to a good place.
Maybe I am jealous that I cannot do that huge ego thing and tell everyone we're marvellous even when we fall short of the mark. On the whole though I think I would prefer to sleep at night and be who we are, even with our foibles.

Ham Hocks and History

2009-02-26T12:20:00.003Z

My Grandmother loves ham hock soup. It takes her back to the service days, when her mother worked up "at the big house" and her father grew all of the vegetables to feed her family, the family in the big house, and the other families that lived and worked the farm. Days of blacking the stove and buying borax from the chemist (a thing that sadly but probably wisely has been banned)Where the milk was delivered from a horse and cart and you took a pitcher to the cart and the milkman would poor the required quantity from a churn. Can't you just see the bonnets and the geese following the girl with a bunch of wild flowers in her hand??
I digress. The biggest pot was put on the stove. Ham hocks, vegetables and water were added and it was left. Over the week it was not removed from the stove. It kept bubbling, and things kept being added to it, pulses, barley more vegetables.
The meat fell from the bone, eventually so you started the week eating vegetable soup laced with ham stock, by the end of the week you had ham hock meat and vegetables and whatever else you had thrown in in a stew-ish meal. Of course these were days when hygiene was a greeting to your nextdoor neighbour.
The recipe, cleaned up and made a little more time efficient is the one we use for our ham hock and butterbean soup.
Put in your biggest pan ham hock and onions roughly chopped. Cover with cold water add a few pepper corns and some chopped carrot and celery if you wish. Bring to the boil, and then simmer gently for a couple of hours. The meat will shrink from the bone when it's done. Let it cool in the pan and stock while you make the soup.
As usual, onions, carrots, leeks, celery, chopped up finely. They do have to fit on a spoon, so don't make them too big. Soak butter beans if necessary, or you could use canned. It doesn't have to be butterbeans. You can use barley, or other beans that will basically hold their shape.
Now, take the ham out of the liquor. KEEP THE LIQUOR! This is your stock, and everybody at some point watches it flow down the sink as they hold all the mushy vegetables in a sieve, useless. We will strain it later. Remove the meat from the bone and keep.
Butter or oil in a large pan. Throw in your nicely chopped veg, a sprinkle of pepper, and some garlic if you like. Sweat the veg off, that is no colour but let the onions go translucent. I like the vegetables still quite firm. If you like add a good sprinkle of dried herbs. If you are using barley throw that in now.
Strain the liquor, directly in to the pan if you wish. If it's really salty use half and top it up with water. Either way, the stock goes in, and the beans. Stir it all together and leave it. Bring it to the boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about an hour if using dried beans, or half for canned. Stir every now and again. Taste it as you go, just don't eat the beans until they are cooked through. Press one against the side of the pan to check- if it crushes, then it's done. Add the reserved ham meat, cut into small pieces. Taste it. For more flavour leave it cooking for a bit longer- it will thicken slightly the more you cook it. Serve with warm crusty bread.
You can add tinned tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, cabbage, potatoes, sweede etc to ring the changes or use up odd bits you have left. It's a good soup to use up bits and keeps really well. It is better made the day before you need it. Don't worry if it sets over night. Ham hock will create it's own jelly, and the soup will set.
If you do not have time to do it all in one day, make the stock, and cool it. The soup can be made the following day.

New season, new plans

2009-02-18T20:54:00.003Z

We have been planning and having a bit of a think about the cafe. We have had people striding around with drills and wrenches, looking at lights and scratching their heads. We have had "the suits" in- 4 today, at lunch time, in the half term. Do they not get the connection with the name on the door?? - and we have had the animated conversations which finish generally with me laughing hysterically saying "Yes, why not? We'll have three!"
It's all very exciting and good to go into a new season with a little project in hand, but also quite expensive! Jodie helps me by either putting things into simplistic language and when I'm going off an idea she prices it out in mugs of coffee or similar and tells me how long it will take to pay for itself, or she gets her stubborn look and says "well, we need it. Tell him, we need it. No argument. We just need it, and that's it" There is no come back from that.
We have hand dryers now. That work. All the time. No longer will the ladies have to sidle up to a machine on a wall, with dripping hands, and whack it with their elbow to ensure a blast of vaguely warm air that lasts for 3 seconds. It'll be quite dull really.
We are, at some point getting a new window for the kitchen, and at the same time, will be able to paint the kitchen, and I'm hoping some of the cafe. I am trying to get a date for this, but get asked to innumerable meetings instead that only end up deciding when the next meeting will be.
The biggest purchase of all will be our coffee machine.One could buy a new car for less. This is an Evolution machine, and should do pretty much everything. I was hoping it would take the coffee to the table, but apparently not. The best thing about it all is that we will be able to do two things at once. This sounds quite simple, but as these things run on pressure, it cannot draw milk, make it froth and also spit out hot coffee. The new one will. Half the queue therefore and happy customers. All has been arranged by my lovely coffee man, Richard Palmer. He has helped us from day one, and he provides some damn good coffee. I could write all day about Palmer and Palmer. I love them.
We are also adding new bits to our menu. We will do a proper preview thing nearer April when we will roll it out, but we are looking at proper plated salads, homemade (of course) hummus and some new and interesting specials for the boards- they are new too! Any ideas would be very welcome. Don't mention baked beans, or chicken nuggets though, eh?
We will also get a new freezer from which we can serve ice creams. This will mean building a small mdf box for it, to corale it between the vending machines. I have assured the Walls man that we will have a hot summer. If anyone can help me fulfill this promise I'd love to hear from you.
So it's all going on with us, any ideas you have regarding menus, or comments regarding changes please feel free to let us know.

What I did on my holiday

2009-02-04T19:50:00.003Z

I have been away for a few days, and did a little exploring of good eating places. They do involve a little drive, but often are well worth it.
I for one am really disappointed in the gastro pubs that have broken out like a rash across the country. The pubs look nice from the outside, but the tell tale computer designed sign swinging from the front of the building often give the first hint of the lack of substance within. The menus seem generic, and an insult to the chefs cooking them. Some, however have got the mix right. These buildings are normally old, and some have been restored with care and love, others made to look older than they are, with more beams than they need and fake wood and even stone. Being a country girl I still can't understand why one would hang a hand plough from the ceiling, or have a saddle perched over a beam under which you sit for a three course meal. Others have had a modern look put into an old building. This again can work really well, but can look absolutely awful.
In Peterborough we are blessed with a few gastro pubs, some which seem to think they are marvellous, but if asked about ingredients of things the blank expressions say it all. In surrounding villages we have the honour of having some lovely local and cared for proper pubs. One such is The Red Lion in Warmington. (PE8 6TN) It is run by Tim Stubbs, and has a small restaurant one side and a public bar the other. Tim collects antiques, which are around the place for show and sale. It is a friendly place, the staff have time to chat, making you feel very welcome but never being overpowering. The food is thought about and interesting. For example I had as a starter black pudding on a garlic cream cabbage. My friend had Welsh Rarebit. Both were lovely. Well presented and properly seasoned and great for this time of year and weather. It's not far from the city, but you feel like you are out in the sticks. We went via Folksworth and along a single track country road so you did feel you were just on the edge of the world, but it is sign posted off the A605. I would say it's worth a look, and I shall be reviewing it properly if Jodie and I can get a table!
I also ventured to the Pheasant at Keystone down the A14 half way between Cambridge and Kettering. This was one of the first true gastro pubs, when that wasn't an insulting term. It also used to be a blacksmiths forge, and has open log fires, friendly and efficient staff and lovely food. I was joined by relatives- old fashioned farming folk, who appreciate good food. The Pheasant do a special at lunch time, three course, £15 per head. Unflustered, proper food. Minestrone soup followed by Pheasant and Leek suet pudding. Yumsk. You cannot ask for better.A sweet apple pie with sauce anglaise to finish and we were very happy people. All presented with flair and cooked to perfection. If you find yourself coming back from the M1 or Kettering, then call in. It's a really pretty pub in a lovely village.
A little further out is the Red Lion at Brayfield on the Green. This is in Northamptonshire, near Denton. Really good food, a big menu-19main course dishes, not including the specials, so enough choice for everyone. They do traditional stuff- bangers and mash, steak and chips(hand cut, of course)- and also some interesting, local and seasonal dishes. I had Salmon with black treacle. I know it sounds strange, but it was gorgeous. Succulent, sweet, but bizarrely not treacley. They were busy when we went for lunch- a funeral gathering that had added 20 more people than originally booked. The manager was very apologetic and did everything he could to seat us quickly but away from the group. His obvious love for the job made you feel you were his best customers, and the chefs obviously took great care with the food.
I think good food, in season and cooked for you is one of the best things you can have. I know this recession is hurting us, but is it not better to eat out really well once a month, than eat uncared about food every week? The smaller pubs around need our help, and the people that put in the hours, the work and the love should be rewarded by our patronage.

REVIEW Oundle Mill

2009-01-19T18:45:00.002Z

Jodie and I visited Oundle Mill the other evening. It used to be Barnwell mill, and after a massive refurbishment project it has risen up as a cleverly designed, urban chic restaurant and hotel in the country.
We dined in the Upstairs restaurant with black tables and napkins, purple crushed velvet chairs, low beams and down lights on the rough stone walls. A glass sided kitchen let us watch the chefs at work when we could tear our eyes away from the food.
The staff are very friendly and from the welcoming receptionist to the waitresses in the restaurant we were looked after exceptionally well. I think the only thing that let it down was their lack of knowledge of the dishes they were serving. The amuse bouche- a superb spiced tomato juice was explained, but for the rest of the meal we were not told all that we were eating, which would have helped.
To start J had ham hock terrine with cabbage and beetroot. This was served so beautifully and artfully it was a shame to mess it up. I had hotsmoked salmon with cured herring. Again very well arranged; a parcel of salmon, a plouche of leaves and herring fillets laid at angles on top of one another.
The main courses took art to another level. J ate roasted cod with winter vegetables and braised oxtail. I had haunch of venison with chocolate parfait and red cabbage. All the componenants in both these dishes tasted really good. The parfait was smooth and rich, the venison cooked to a beautiful pink, the oxtail fell apart and the cod was as opaque as the thinnest of china. However, there were other items on the plates. J had a homemade canneloni, I am presuming stuffed with oxtail. The red cabbage, although perfectly piquant had a rissotto croquette nestling within it, and the venison was supporting a quinelle of pureed vegetable- I'm guessing sweet potato/carrot?. The dishes described on the menu did not need the extras, in my opinion, and although it was all really well cooked and presented, I felt the more subtle flavours were lost in the explosion of everything else.
I thought it felt like 6 chefs had all put their best dishes on one plate, with only a vague chat about what anyone else was doing.
The pre pudding was a an eggshell filled with meringue and a fruit mousse-made to look like a boiled egg. It was really lovely, but not knowing exactly what was in it was a shame. For pudding J had passion fruit souffle with a berry sorbet, and I had a banana parfait with banana fritters. The souffle left J speechless for a while, and when she did speak she just said "that's the best souffle I've ever eaten" High praise indeed. My parfait was spectacular- I was expecting a smooth ice, but the pieces of banana added a really good flavour and feel. The fritters were lovely, and a pleasant warmth against the parfait.
Petit fours were also homemade- rich and genorous portions. I would say the pastry chef excelled on that evening.
The meal came to £99 including two glasses of wine. We will be trying the downstairs restaurant, and possibly looking for more simple food. Take a look at the website www.oundlemill.co.uk they are very proud of the refurb, as they should be, and I hope they go from strength to strength.

Familiarity Breeds Nicknames

2009-01-14T19:21:00.004Z

We had a discussion front of house this morning. It was started by Cappuccino man. His name is Bob. I have known his name is Bob for some time, and he visits us at least once a day, with his wife- Jacquie- and their two huge Irish Wolfhounds -Kerry and Marnie. They have been stopping for drinks and toast every morning for the last five years. I however cannot think of him as Bob. He is Cappuccino man. They used to be "The Cappucino People", but Jacquie now drinks filter coffee. We have always made up names for people, some not as obvious as simply what they drink. We have Rockmancake. Don't ask. We have Nice hand man, Apricot jam man, Crazy Lady, Birthday Lady, Crazy Cake Lady, Takeaway man- who now signs his christmas cards to us with this alias rather than Roy- and The Cat in the Hat.
We are also more likley to know the dogs names, than the owners names. We still refer to "Storms owner" even though we know it is their sons dog and we know they are called Jacquie and Ivor. "Stitch man" is actually Gordon, another father taking his sons dog out, but if I refer to him as Gordon to my staff, they would give me a blank look.
It is a strange phenomonon, but it must happen everywhere. It is the distinguishing feature, although we sell hundreds of Cappucinos throughout the day we know who we mean.
I asked Cappuccino man if he had names for us, the new members of staff that they haven't got to know yet, but he commented with a wry smile "you wouldn't serve me again if I told you".
I know some customers do have names for us- the smiley one, the bright one, the one with the dreadlocks, the other one with the dreadlocks, the little one and the one with The Hair. The one with the hair was a waitress who had a different style and colour for every week, indeed some customers came in and their first question was "what colour is it today?"
Within the staff we have changed peoples names around. It started by reversing first names. Jodie Became Eidoj, but is now Dojie, and Gemma became Ammeg. In her case this then became Ammeg and Chips, and sometimes shortened to Andchips. Bizarrely she answers even to that!Jamie became Majie, and we have had Shakey, Browney,Greeny and Jimbob Squarepants.
We are a simple people, but we are a happy people.

Cold Weather Food

2009-01-10T20:45:00.004Z

I know it's January, and therefore should be cold but the lake has not frozen totally in the 5 years we have been in Ferry meadows. It does look amazing, even if the black headed gulls look somewhat confused!
For the last to years I have been teaching Gary the ranger how to cook. ( He's the one that is doing the guided dog walk on Jan14) We started off doing simple wholesome things for him to eat after a hard days work, but now we are getting a little more extravagant and it is more of a social thing for us, rather than a teaching thing.
Jodie joined us the other evening, and we all cooked vastly different things.
Gary and I cooked a Thai red chicken curry- lovely creamy coconut with the warmth of fresh chillies, lemon grass and lime leaves. We then made a North African lamb and vegetable Pillau. This was a new one to me. Marinate cubes of lamb in thyme, paprika, garam masala and garlic for a couple of hours, then boil it in plenty of water. Saute onions, carrots etc in some butter, add some rice, yoghurt and the lamb in it's stock, cover and cook for 20 minutes. It was a lovely melting, warming and fragrant supper- perfect for these chilly evenings.
Jodie made Aubergine parcels. This was strips of aubergine, boiled for 2 minutes. Lay two to form a cross on a board and on the overlap bit put a slice of tomato, some mozzarella and either a basil leaf or some pesto. Cross the aubergine over the top to form a parcel and then grill the whole thing. A beautiful starter, or have a couple with some green salad and you have a healthy, tasty meal.
Jodie also did a chicken and mango salad, smothered in a mayonnaise mixed with red curry paste, with fresh mango and served with an orange scented rice. More of a summer dish, I know, but after heavy Christmas stuff it was a really good powerful taste whilst being light.

I would just like to take this moment to wish Suzie all the best. She is one of our best customers, and a very helpful taster of new products, a job she does with heroic fortitude! She is recovering in hospital at the moment and trying to get our cakes on the NHS as a medicinal part of her recovery. Good luck with that!

No guilt.

2008-12-31T11:23:00.004Z

I am incensed. A regular customer leaves his paper with us everyday. I picked this up yesterday, and had a flick through to see what was happening in this freezing world of ours. Now, I expected a diet article. I expected the condescending tone, the guilt and the patronising twaddle that seem to be the main feature of these things. The "Didn't we all eat so much", and the "carb is so evil" things that are spouted by journalists that either have a diet of fags and coke- not the drink- or so many fad diets in 12 months that internally their systems are a nightmare that don't know how to hold on to fat, vitamins or protein. What I didn't expect was the terrible "diet plan" claiming to be healthy eating that was published.
Those that know me, are aware I'm not a sylph, I am probably about 6 sylphs put together. This is not pleasing to me, but I am aware of it, thanks and don't need telling. I am also a great believer in using proper food- grown locally, used fresh, bred with care and understanding, and not having been processed to within an inch of recognition.
In the currant climate could the diet makers or journalists not create eating plans, diets or whatever they choose to call them, ones that are based around proper food? Actual meat, from butchers, supermarkets if you insist, but over the counter rather than in polystyrene? Real vegetables, not frozen, not coloured, not sprayed? Could they not look at seasons, so our farmers get a look in, and seasonal food is cheaper. It's nice to have colourful things, some people like to have strawberries in December, but they are expensive, and as they don't taste as good as they could then that makes it worse. They may taste sweet, but they don't taste of strawberries. Fruit should smell. Tomatoes should smell. Apples should have such a complex scent that it leaves you thinking for hours exactly how to describe it.
Why would you write a diet thing that involves making fruit smoothies from expensive out of season fruit? Why would you write one that involves "cheese strings"? Why does the world need strings of cheese? Does that sound appetizing to anyone??
I think after a lovely Christmas meal- the best Turkey from Anderson's and all the trimmings one should not feel guilt. Feel thankful for the food, for living in a country where we can enjoy it but don't feel guilty. As for resolutions, how about supporting the local guys, eat fresh veg, and cook one thing a week that you've never cooked before. Look for seasonal, local and be a bit different. It's easy and cheaper, honestly.
Here's to a brave New Year. I hope that 2009 will be a happy and interesting year of change, of good will and of good health.

Ingrediants you don't like!

2008-12-27T20:17:00.003Z

Hope all had a good Christmas, and celebrated in what ever way you wanted.

It is always strange for us to close for a day, but it is lovely to be back, and we are planning a few detox type soups, and specials after the over indulgences of the last week. To start this off we are putting a North African spiced soup on the board. It is vegan, made with chickpeas, tomatoes and lemon amongst other things. Beautifully warming on these cold days, and very good for you, while tasting scrummy. Jodie has voted it one of her favorites.

After having dinner cooked for me by my cousins husband- does that make him a cousin-in-law?- and having a chat with him I thought I may put in a word about ingredients that you don't like.

Now, he made a Thai green curry, and lovely it was too. He doesn't eat fish- a childhood hatred- so he didn't put any Nam Pla (fish sauce) in his curry. A lot of Thai dishes call for this, and it does add a really good base flavour. If used in small amounts it will add a lot to a dish, and will turn it from "that's nice" to "wow". It is a seasoning more than anything, and enhances flavours, rather than overpowering them.

Another really good base is anchovies. Particularly in risottos. Add a couple- just a couple chopped up in to the onions of a risotto as you sweat them off. This is a genius idea, taught to me in Italy by a blacksmiths wife who didn't speak a word of English. It was an interesting day.
You won't taste the anchovies in the risotto, but if they are not there you will notice the dish is not finished. This happens with lots of things, and unless you are allergic to an ingredient, and the recipe calls for a small amount of something, be brave and give it a go, it may turn out to be the ingredient that has alluded you for ages.
Happy new year to all, here's wishing for a peaceful, cheerful and prosperous 2009.

Hangover cures

2008-12-13T18:29:00.003Z

Thank you for your kind, and sometimes irreverent, comments. I did have a lovely time at Ely Cathedral carol service. Very Christmassy, and such an amazing building. If you have never been there, go.
The service was in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Very good organisation, they are trying to raise money to get a ward in Addenbrookes, as at the moment if you are a teenager with cancer below 16 you are put in a ward with very young children, or if you are 16+ you are put with adults, who often are a lot older. Teenagers at the best of times feel isolated, and want to be in their own groups, because nobody understands them, and for those with cancer it must be terrifying and even more isolating. Look out for the TCT.

So....... have we been to lots of Christmas parties? Don't give me that migraine nonsense, Mr Cracknell. I know.
Nigel Slater (Lovely man) says a cold cooked sausage and a raw carrot are both good. He's right, but then I think he's right about a lot of things. Raw carrots are good- the crunch gets your jaw working, the sweetness helps your blood sugar and it does give a little energy boost.
Cold sausages, especially from Andersons in St Neots are great whatever time and reason you have them.
Scrambled eggs are a small miracle. Simple ingredients, a beautiful texture and rich taste that is palatable however you feel.
A few things that I insist upon with scrambled eggs. You need butter. Not margarine. You need proper bread. You need a cooker, not a microwave- we are looking for creamy not fluffy. Proper eggs. From proper chickens, the sort with feathers, that know what the sun and the sky look like.
Make some decent coffee, or tea, or if you're feeling that rough a tomato juice, virgin or otherwise, and then you can begin. Swig your drink.
Break 3 eggs in a bowl. Add a little black pepper- freshly ground. Add a small glug of milk, or double cream if you're feeling extravagant. (Swig). Break the eggs and stir gently. It shouldn't be all one colour, leave it with gloopy bits and bits of deep yellow.
Place a small pan on the stove and add about an ounce of butter. Just cut a centimetre off the end of a block. Put two slices of bread, your choice of colour, in the toaster.(swig)
When your butter is melted, pour in the eggs, turn the heat down to medium. Stir gently. keep stirring until the mixture is just amalgamated. It should look too wet. Add another splash, carefully, of milk/cream to the pan. The residual heat will finish cooking the eggs. Butter your toast, and then tip the eggs on top. Make more coffee and enjoy your breakfast.
The easy way of doing this, is to take a gentle walk to the cafe, and buy coffee, eat breakfast, watch other people hurl themselves across the lake on windsurfs and the like, and then you don't have to wash up!
You can add smoked salmon, fresh coriander or even cumin seeds to this scrambled egg. All good. The strangest way I've ever seen it eaten is in a sandwich- it was ...interesting, thank you Little Charlotte.
Smoothy type things are good for hangovers too. The most "zingy" I have found is Carrot, ginger and apple. It's amazing. Virgin Marys are good too. As is gazpacho soup, but I'm guessing not everyone has that in their fridge!
Fruit is good, hungover or not. Mangoes are one of those things that you can kind of feel working as soon as you eat it! In Guyana, amongst other places, they eat green mango with chilli and pepper. It's really refreshing, and can get really hot, but good. Pineapple with salt is also a good wake-up boost food.
Well, I've made myself hungry now, so I am off to make scrambled egg on toast.
Enjoy your parties, and I hope your hangovers aren't too bad.

Beetroot Soup

2008-12-08T20:19:00.005Z

Having spent a day taking 90 year old Grandmother Christmas shopping, I am more than happy to tell about Beetroot Soup, without the jingly bells and the children, not laughing all the way, but screaming in a quite unnecessary manner!
OK, firstly you need to know that soup is easy- no measurements we really need to worry about, you can taste it all the way through and it is actually healthy and tastes good.
Apart from a pan and a knife you will need a food processor or blender. We use a stick blender- they would be available from John Lewis, Lakeland Plastics etc. You may also need a sieve.
Ingredients. Approx
2 Carrots
2 Onions
3 sticks celery
1 leek
10 raw small beetroot 5 big beetroot
2 pints vegetable stock
2 potatoes
third of a block of butter or a couple of tablespoons of oil
big handful of flour.

Peel carrots, onions, and chop. Chop celery and leek- making sure dirt is all washed off. You're blending the soup, so as long as all the bits are roughly similar sizes it doesn't matter if they are a bit bulky.
In a large pan, melt the butter, or heat the oil, and when it is hot, add the chopped veg. While that is cooking- keep an eye, stir occasionally, the veg should start to turn brownish- top and tail the beetroot, and peel it. This may turn your hands a weird brown colour, but it will only last an evening. Add the beetroot to the veg in the pan. Stir. The veg should be starting to soften. The onions will be translucent. Everything will be pink. Throw in a handful of flour. This will help thicken and sop up any spare butter/oil. Stir so everything is coated and it all likes like a nuclear accident. Dulux will be proud.
Add your stock and stir. Do not panic if it has caught on the bottom. Just stir it. Any catches will add to the depth of colour and taste.
Peel the potatoes, chop them and throw them in to the pot after the soup has boiled. It should have deepened in colour.
Taste it. It will be stocky, and quite light. Don't change it yet. This is no where near the finished thing.Turn the heat to a good rolling boil. Cook for a good half hour- longer if you want.If it starts to reduce too quickly add more water- no more stock- and turn the heat down a little. Taste it.

If the beetroot is cooked, test with a fork, then blitz it with the blender. Taste it again.
This is where you need to think. Add a bit of salt. Taste it again. Just a touch of salt will make an amazing difference, add black pepper, then sieve a little bit and taste that. Sieving will lighten, sometimes intensify and sometimes loose the flavours. Try it. If it's too thick add cream, or milk to thin it- back to nuclear soup, if it is too thin, put it back on the boil, mix 2oz flour with 2oz butter and whisk it into the soup. Whisk until your wrist hurts and all the lumps have gone. Boil and it will be shiny and thick.

That's soup. Easy isn't it? With the veg you can add garlic, caraway seeds, cumin seeds or even orange peel, add the juice with the stock. Play with the tastes. You'll learn the different tastes, before and after salt, before and after sieving.
Most of our soups start the same as this, and then we just play with the main ingredients.
Hope you have a lovely time making this- any problems give me a shout.

2008-12-06T18:37:00.000Z

Now we have a painted building, and negotiations are up and running to update the inside cafe and kitchen, Jodie and I have decided to write a blog to keep our customers informed and involved with the businness.
Our Christmas trees are up, carols and songs are playing and the mince pies are smelling delicious. Any orders for pork pies, mince pies and desserts for the Christmas period are being taken, and we are already being bombarded with trade calendars and diaries.
We are thinking of putting some recipe and menu ideas on this, if anyone has any suggestions for dishes or would like questions answered we shall do our best.