Ham Hocks and History

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.