tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-282296862024-03-07T08:56:32.901+00:00MunchymedicGood food, happy soulmunchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-27996255541384190402012-04-16T18:31:00.001+01:002012-04-17T17:11:33.660+01:00Where has she been?Well I broke my New Job Resolution of posting every week, thanks to exams and a collection of very unwell, very complex patients all descending on my unit all at the same time. <br />
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I have so many ideas for posts that I've put on the back-burner but now that my exams are over and things seem to have settled down at work (fingers crossed, touch wood!) I will finally share them with you. The posts include a long-overdue write-up of my evening at The Spice Club in Manchester and a recipe for Ultimate Meatballs! <br />
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So watch this space! <br />
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xxxmunchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-17650408929599617052012-02-28T23:03:00.001+00:002012-02-29T17:43:00.748+00:00More cake, more One Show©<br />
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There was a point on Friday afternoon, when I was on a train hurtling towards London, my arms wrapped protectively around a giant plastic box, that I wondered whether my decision to take up BBC1's invite to come into The One Show studio for live filming was based on chronic sleep deprivation and icing sugar fumes, rather than rational thinking.<br />
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Regardless, it was too late to back out now, despite my nerves.<br />
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The whole thing happened rather quickly- a few emails on Tuesday, some frustrated tweeting on Wednesday, panicky phone calls on Thursday, followed by cake baking until the small hours of Friday morning!<br />
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The One Show wanted a cake themed on, well, The One Show. After much racking of brains I eventually came up with an 'After Seven' cake, a play on 'After Eight' chocolates, since The One Show is broadcast at 7pm. A three- layer red velvet and white velvet cake, sandwiched together with raspberry and redcurrant jam, surrounded by a white chocolate ganache and then decorated with red icing to make it look like a clock.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfeki6nVq4iO4fA7LaVMEelPj3k_xNwt56fvhy04WcLNu9dzEbf06pladZDYJHHnpJvZoHI4qZ9ImlEl-fgbU-CZQvRysVNMFxCCulbPRyNbK1rCMca1QxTfP-AkRIJ0cqg/s1600/IMG_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfeki6nVq4iO4fA7LaVMEelPj3k_xNwt56fvhy04WcLNu9dzEbf06pladZDYJHHnpJvZoHI4qZ9ImlEl-fgbU-CZQvRysVNMFxCCulbPRyNbK1rCMca1QxTfP-AkRIJ0cqg/s320/IMG_0748.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Terrible photo, but I was up until 4am making it!<br />
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After working in the morning, I managed to get a 1.15pm train to London and The One Show sent a car to pick me up from Kings' Cross- the first (and probably the last) time I get chauffeur-driven in London! I was so tired however that I fell asleep in the car, and woke up disorientated (and really hot- the driver had turned on the heated seats!). The driver, taking a bit of advantage of my sleepy state and lack of knowledge of the area, told me that he had to drop me at the first gate we came to. For a couple of minutes I was stranded alone with a cake in the middle of White City, but thankfully I managed to get hold of someone in the One Show office who came to rescue me!<br />
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After a quick coffee and catch up with one of my old school friends, Lucy, who works in research for BBC News, I was being escorted through a maze of stairs and offices in Broadcast Centre, (including the Top Gear Office, which has to win an award for the messiest office I've ever seen!) to our Green Room, which was unfortunately separate from the famous people. There I met some of the other lovely Clandestine Cake Clubbers from around the country, who were absolutely lovely, but as I've said before, cake people are good people!<br />
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A production assistant came to brief us and informed us that we would be wearing name badges and aprons for the show. Mmm. I wasn't entirely sure about this one, but I wasn't about to argue with the Beeb! I simply sighed and donned said badge and apron, but I did make sure that, of all the outfits I brought (ahem...several...I am rather a girly girl when I want to be), I picked the one that best suited an apron- a black Bardot top and 50s-style black and white spotted skirt.<br />
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Here's me (pre-make-up!) donning said apron and badge!<br />
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About 90 minutes before filming began, we were whisked down to the studio for a rehearsal. The studio is tiny, but looks really big on TV! We were all lined up with our cakes and Chris Evans ran through the lines. He was very friendly and a bit cheeky, just like he is on TV. I found that rather refreshing. Alex Jones was lovely too but we didn't really get to talk to her.<br />
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After the rehearsal, we just waited to be called, did make-up, chatted about food and cake, swapped cakey ideas. There was a very smiley young lady in the room with us whose job was security for the RBS Six Nations Trophy, which was also featuring on the show that night, and I think she was rather bemused by all of us discussing cake and pies!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4ajWSiTJAFEifsshAD7gt2pQOg5PvTqltlnY8tfIb018FFGvpvHS_ZRriaKco1wh9m6HAHYFIkYbd4ewIc3LRWZQWkQcnXNvqKWmK5Rlx-YYhlxM6iBUIMm12r3ADbzzFw/s1600/IMG_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4ajWSiTJAFEifsshAD7gt2pQOg5PvTqltlnY8tfIb018FFGvpvHS_ZRriaKco1wh9m6HAHYFIkYbd4ewIc3LRWZQWkQcnXNvqKWmK5Rlx-YYhlxM6iBUIMm12r3ADbzzFw/s320/IMG_0751.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Some of the other CCC members' cakes. From left- Julia from Derby's rainbow cake (colours of the studio), Stina from Manchester's ONE cake (Orange, walNut, Elderflower), Miss Sue Flay's Tuckshop Cake and Lewis from Derby's Ginger and Lemon cake (zesty and fruity like the show!). You can also see some of the Green Room treats we were provided with, namely crisps and Minstrels. After the show, whilst the One Show Team were oohing and aahing over cake, certain Cake Clubbers were secreting the Minstrels away!<br />
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Larissa from Norwich's cake- the One Show Presenters Chris Evans and Alex Jones. Wow! In the background you can just make out Melodie from Cornwall's 'The One Show Meets Cornwall' cake.<br />
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The actual filming went by very quickly. We hung around outside the studio until we were called, getting our noses de-shined once or twice by the make-up girl, and watching in awe as Gyles Brandreth, Will Carling, Rob Jones and Gareth Thomas walked by! When we got into the studio, whilst the film from our earlier <a href="http://munchymedic.blogspot.com/2012/02/one-week-two-cakes-one-show.html">Cake Club</a> was shown, we got a grin and a wink from Vernon Kay who was on the sofa with Alex Jones, and Claudia Winkleman, who yelled across the studio that our cakes were 'fabulous!'<br />
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When we went live, any nerves I had were pushed aside as the adrenaline kicked in. By the time Chris Evans was asking me about my After Seven Cake, I had a big Cheshire Cat-style grin on my face and was enjoying the fast-paced atmosphere.<br />
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The whole thing was over in a minute, but it was a great minute. We managed to chat a little and have photos taken with some of the celebs- sadly I forgot my phone so didn't get any myself but Jo aka Miss Sue Flay from Cambridge and <a href="http://www.secludedteaparty.com/">The Secluded Tea Party</a> and her other half kindly took the one below of me, my cake and Claudia Winkleman, who was so friendly!<br />
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I happily gave the One Show the After Seven Cake (I was not prepared to cart it back on the train, and the production team were more than happy to have it!).<br />
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Finally we were shown to the back of the studio lot.This was where the cars were waiting to take us all home, or in my case, to a bland, faceless, corporate but reliable (and low-stimulus) hotel (thank you hotel points-freebie hotel stay!), where I slept for 10 hours and had a room service breakfast in bed, before heading home to Leeds- live TV show experience gained, cake left behind.<br />
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-mm-<br />
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<a href="http://www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/">The Clandestine Cake Club</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007tcw7">The One Show</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cj4rp">The Clandestine Cake Club on The One Show 24/02/2012</a> Available for 2 days more, we're on around 42 minutes in.munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-57020062009657839572012-02-18T14:17:00.002+00:002012-02-18T22:55:08.486+00:00One week, two cakes, One Show©<br />
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As hobbies go, baking is simply fabulous. An outlet for my creativity, a way to channel my frustrations with the world, a sense of achievement when a baking project is completed and a feeling of warmth and joy when someone enjoys eating it.<br />
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The first time I went to a Clandestine Cake Club event, nearly a year ago, it was with a little apprehension. It was the first time I was sharing my growing interest with other like-minded people, and worried that my cake wouldn't be up to scratch. I even took along one of my oldest, dearest friends for support, just in case these new cakey people were scary.<br />
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Of course I needn't have worried. People who love cake are rarely mean, and I, along with my enthusiasm for good cake, was embraced into a group of friendly, genial and very talented people. Quite simply, Clandestine Cake Club is where we 'bake, eat and talk about cake.' Nowadays, I'm old hat- following Twitter and the website closely to get my place as soon as possible (no mean feat- as CCC's popularity has grown, places go super-fast!), and attempting to plan my cake down to the smallest detail. Whereas once I was apprehensive of new baking-people, now I'm delighted to meet anyone I can have cakey-chat with. Best of all are all the food-loving friends I've made over the past year.<br />
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Usually I go to one CCC event per month, but in the month of February there have been two so far. One I knew about weeks in advance, the other, rather impromptu and with a very exciting twist.<br />
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<b><u>Harrogate, 11th February- Vanilla Raspberry Roses Marble Cake:</u></b><br />
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Having recently experimented with swirled colour buttercream and the flavour combination of rose, vanilla and raspberry in a cupcake, I wanted to try it as a large cake for CCC. My original idea was to do a pink rose in the centre and then mixed pink and cream swirls around it. However my idea was scuppered by one thing. Circles don't tessellate. I ended up with large gaps between the flowers, that I filled with smaller rosettes.. I also didn't make enough icing, so it was harder to pipe neat roses (I find it far easier to pipe icing with a large, full bag). I ended up feeling a little disappointed that the cake didn't look very tidy.<br />
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However, when I looked at it again, on the table of cakes, I changed my mind- it's actually quite pretty. It wasn't super-neat, but flowers in real life aren't all exactly the same, are they?<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<i>Cake</i><br />
200g softened unsalted butter<br />
250g caster sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
250g self-raising flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tiny pinch salt<br />
2-3 tbsp rose water<br />
pink food colouring gel<br />
200g fresh/frozen British/Scottish raspberries<br />
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<i>Icing (the quantity I should have made)</i><br />
250g softened unsalted butter<br />
550g icing sugar<br />
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out<br />
2tsp vanilla extract<br />
1-2 tbsp milk<br />
pink food colouring gel<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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Preheat oven to 175-180 degrees C. Grease and line a 8 inch cake tin.<br />
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For the cake, cream together butter and sugar, whisk in eggs, then add the self raising flour, baking powder and salt slowly. I do this in a food processor.<br />
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Add the rose water and incorporate into the cake batter. It smells so beautiful, but it's not an overwhelming taste, more a hint of perfume.<br />
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Split the cake batter into two roughly and dye one half pink with the food colouring. Then add blobs of each into the cake tin until all the batter has been used up, and swirl them together a bit in the tin. Add the raspberries. Don't mix them in, just scatter them on top. They will sink into the batter. If you're using fresh raspberries, consider coating them in a little flour first otherwise they may sink to the bottom. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check on the cake and be prepared that it may still need 10 minutes or so (but don't open the oven door every 30 seconds or it will sink!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3GdyyH0Gb1GZfCy9Tv9-CxrLbO3B5wfOS_IJbd1rU1yS7pxhEs5EQ5HU9utVWQ12qghzR5Mw8oeppw_kWuMaF1R37_i1jn4ZWEWEIiuRY6S9TQ2kkf-wLoRn-mmPFiVGQQ/s1600/IMG_0680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3GdyyH0Gb1GZfCy9Tv9-CxrLbO3B5wfOS_IJbd1rU1yS7pxhEs5EQ5HU9utVWQ12qghzR5Mw8oeppw_kWuMaF1R37_i1jn4ZWEWEIiuRY6S9TQ2kkf-wLoRn-mmPFiVGQQ/s320/IMG_0680.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
While the cake is baking, make the icing. Mix together the soft butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla pod seeds and milk. Add more milk if it's really stiff- you need to be able to spread and pipe the icing easily. Split the icing into 2/3 and 1/3. Dye the smaller quantity pink.<br />
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When the cake is done, let it cool on a rack until it is completely cold. Trim the cake so that it is level if necessary. Then take some of the white icing and thinly coat the top and sides.<br />
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Once the thin crumb layer is done, go over the cake again with a thicker layer of white icing.<br />
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Next fit a piping bag with a closed star tip (like the one below although this isn't the one I used). Part-fill the bag with pink icing and then squeeze all of the icing through the bag back into the bowl so that the inside of the bag is lined with pink. Place the bag into a tall glass and open the bag over the edges of the glass to hold it open. Then carefully fill the bag with the white icing. Try to expel as much air from the bag as possible.<br />
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To pipe the roses, place the tip of the bag where you want the centre of the first rose. Add some pressure and then as the icing comes out swirl outwards from the centre point. A much better demonstration of what I mean is given <a href="http://www.cupcakes-to-your-door.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/03/decorating-cupcakes-with-piped-buttercream-1/">here.</a> I started in the middle with an all pink rose, and piped more roses around it. When I saw the gaps between the flowers that were too small to fit another rose, I piped short rosettes to fill in the gaps.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GGJ9hGlpBMJ5RyfTECnGsxKH31TS6Kd282q7VzSpGeW6xSbl4yN3HgO63HSbrnQsWJAo25ty3ZSS0T-21sp_3NIieevKYdxm4YRRCEaUhHPaYy4QvVbKfZcopLioyfJaJQ/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GGJ9hGlpBMJ5RyfTECnGsxKH31TS6Kd282q7VzSpGeW6xSbl4yN3HgO63HSbrnQsWJAo25ty3ZSS0T-21sp_3NIieevKYdxm4YRRCEaUhHPaYy4QvVbKfZcopLioyfJaJQ/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The end product!<br />
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The cake went down really well, with lots of compliments on the decoration. As predicted the cake wasn't particularly strong in rose flavour, but there was a hint of the perfume along with the sweet vanilla and tart raspberry.<br />
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I sadly forgot my camera during the event itself so the following pictures are courtesy of my dear friend Sally who came with me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-SEVBYED-6Dpv5Z2ct9lhYNbZqMcSXnPB9foza2fA5yVHqQPtfmERoCnRUH2Xbnc_Gg6FGCPJSCpBZksMc8ZlNP8DQDFZcWwtoGlORbolY_BsaEy3nS8uIhiLiPvMoqWuw/s1600/cake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-SEVBYED-6Dpv5Z2ct9lhYNbZqMcSXnPB9foza2fA5yVHqQPtfmERoCnRUH2Xbnc_Gg6FGCPJSCpBZksMc8ZlNP8DQDFZcWwtoGlORbolY_BsaEy3nS8uIhiLiPvMoqWuw/s1600/cake2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Marion's chocolate cake with fondant icing. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjxbeuzqxjLabOn3s-JJ5eO3Y1wtt3fe13_OgEI7fE7F3A8VrWPFI4n7Y7HMnrLs4_UohCPPRshdW34krzXnMIbq3kpJWzSxkOF_EH3TswdlALpeJc3_UHRw6EZj5cEvvpQ/s1600/cake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjxbeuzqxjLabOn3s-JJ5eO3Y1wtt3fe13_OgEI7fE7F3A8VrWPFI4n7Y7HMnrLs4_UohCPPRshdW34krzXnMIbq3kpJWzSxkOF_EH3TswdlALpeJc3_UHRw6EZj5cEvvpQ/s1600/cake3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Anna's blueberry cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZCdxHjZvS6VLfzgHZzu4rXQxE-5kIdax0BeRE4tSERqjw1bSiF215XBGQVygMsg1BK1YQYoZXoTdgW_tEqix1C-ZsDUgvKRKvGCNwptKi4gOMz3j9oUuoooS2_nJyrGlMw/s1600/cake4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZCdxHjZvS6VLfzgHZzu4rXQxE-5kIdax0BeRE4tSERqjw1bSiF215XBGQVygMsg1BK1YQYoZXoTdgW_tEqix1C-ZsDUgvKRKvGCNwptKi4gOMz3j9oUuoooS2_nJyrGlMw/s1600/cake4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Lisa's banana fudge cake and Karoline's chocolate orange cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-roDKjwfoQ0rK86QbVO50sKsLCV9I_h4E2elOBc4k0SREGLtFJ2odZbD98Z_oibFaOHNL4EiS6JupYz28G_hQNeSi2iMO_rS1mKjy5wO34mrGAt8qDDZq2rA96FzKB3EXjw/s1600/cake5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-roDKjwfoQ0rK86QbVO50sKsLCV9I_h4E2elOBc4k0SREGLtFJ2odZbD98Z_oibFaOHNL4EiS6JupYz28G_hQNeSi2iMO_rS1mKjy5wO34mrGAt8qDDZq2rA96FzKB3EXjw/s1600/cake5.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Gary's coffee cake with Bailey's cream cheese frosting. See his awesome blog <a href="http://exploitsofafoodnut.blogspot.com/">here.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oBw5Ww4m5JY1J9ANofEgxGjP7ohB_enX7_Kr4x2Ywu5n6qC0ZAMG3I8Trb2POzKHLe-yF6F7pzCidLT0P2l8wRuLpgouco-sHUVQuI1EaaJ44ma_NBFtc-4sWAlmk6ogZQ/s1600/cake6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oBw5Ww4m5JY1J9ANofEgxGjP7ohB_enX7_Kr4x2Ywu5n6qC0ZAMG3I8Trb2POzKHLe-yF6F7pzCidLT0P2l8wRuLpgouco-sHUVQuI1EaaJ44ma_NBFtc-4sWAlmk6ogZQ/s1600/cake6.jpg" /></a></div>Clair's rhubarb and custard cake. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1cIZBgtKhSUeRyOoKkFtQFvHeznap92FxKyzoOdAyvF3PzDys2Dqzj77Qnx7I47zsDd96H9T8KoI6G_ld3j_wb5N6t0mm_Zy4V_v_k1L0-YhL7wu7YAGWyalJw9WYRvq3g/s1600/cake7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1cIZBgtKhSUeRyOoKkFtQFvHeznap92FxKyzoOdAyvF3PzDys2Dqzj77Qnx7I47zsDd96H9T8KoI6G_ld3j_wb5N6t0mm_Zy4V_v_k1L0-YhL7wu7YAGWyalJw9WYRvq3g/s1600/cake7.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> A gorgeous chocolate cake but I never got the name of the baker!<br />
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The venue was Judy's loft apartment in Harrogate and it was absolutely gorgeous, with a kitchen that made me green with envy! Thank you to Lynn for organising it and Judy for hosting!<br />
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<b><u>Leeds, 15th February- Gateau aux Poires Belle Helene</u></b><br />
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On Monday, when I was still recovering from Saturday's event and the evening at <a href="http://munchymedic.blogspot.com/2012/02/dinner-at-manor-leeds-supper-club-2.html">The Manor</a>, I got a Twitter DM from Lynn, founder of The Clandestine Cake Club, and now my very good friend, asking if I was free on Wednesday the 15th for a super-clandestine CCC event. Why another event? Well, the Clandestine Cake Club has been attracting a bit of press interest recently, and on this occasion had hit the radar of the lovely people at BBC1's The One Show. They wanted to do a segment on our club!<br />
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Unfortunately the time clashed with a patient appointment that I could not cancel so I resigned myself to not going. Lynn then texted me on Tuesday to say that it would be all right if I came late, so suddenly I was on for another event! That didn't leave me the greatest amount of time to make a showstopper cake, so I needed something fail-safe yet spectacular, and a bit creative.<br />
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I eventually hit upon the idea of making one of my favourite desserts as a cake and my thoughts immediately turned that classic, Poires Belle Helene. These are pears poached in vanilla served with a silky chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream or ice-cream. Sometimes it is made with saffron in the pear poaching liquid, and I thought that incorporating saffron into the cake would give the pears and the sponge a hint of gold- an extra-special touch for this extra-special event. I decided to make a vanilla sponge with a hint of the saffron, iced with a chocolate ganache, and filled and topped with poached pears. After a late finish at work I dashed to the supermarket to get supplies and started the cake at 8pm. I finally crawled into bed at 1.30am, but it was totally worth it!<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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<i>Pears:</i><br />
Seven quite firm pears<br />
250g caster sugar<br />
Juice and zest of one lemon<br />
2 vanilla pods<br />
2 large pinches saffron<br />
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<i>Cake: </i><br />
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200g softened unsalted butter<br />
250g caster sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
250g self-raising flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tiny pinch salt<br />
2 large pinches saffron, mixed with 1tbs boiling-hot water<br />
1tbsp vanilla exract<br />
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<i>Chocolate ganache:</i><br />
400g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)<br />
425ml double cream<br />
30g caster sugar<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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For the pears I used Delia Smith's method of poaching pears (why mess with perfection?) See <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/french/poires-belle-helene.html">here</a>. The only thing I did different was to add saffron to the poaching liquid. Once they are cooked, leave to cool.<br />
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For the cake. Preheat the oven to 175-180 degrees C and grease & line a 8 inch cake tin. Cream together butter and sugar, whisk in eggs, then add the self raising flour, baking powder and salt slowly like for the vanilla raspberry roses cake. Then add the vanilla, saffron liquid and a little milk until the mixture is of soft dropping consistency.<br />
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Fill the tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven when cooked and leave to cool.<br />
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For the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate, broken into small, even pieces, in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Heat the cream to just before boiling and pour over the chocolate. Whisk together until the chocolate is melted into the cream and it forms a glossy smooth sauce. Try not to over-work it or the chocolate will split. Leave it to cool a little.<br />
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When the pears are cold, split them lengthwise, keeping the stalks on one half of each pear. Slice the pear halves without the stalk into evenly sized slices and pat them dry. They need to be as dry as possible. Split the cake into two even halves and spread each cut side with chocolate ganache. On the bottom half of the cake, fill with the slices of pear in an even layer. Sandwich the cake together.<br />
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Coat the top and sides of the cake with ganache and leave in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to harden slightly. Then repeat so there is a good solid coating of chocolatey goodness on the cake.<br />
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Take the pear halves with the stalk remaining, and carefully, using a paring knife, slice from the top of the pear to the bottom, taking care not to separate the slice from the rest of the pear. You want a fan of slices anchored at the top of the pear. Then pat them dry and arrange them on top of the cake, evenly spaced, so that the slices fan out a little and the stalks meet in the centre.<br />
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Lastly, put the remaining ganache into a piping bag fitted with a writing tip and drizzle chocolate ganache over the pears in an artful way. Chill for a few hours before serving to solidfy the icing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH1PujXAaVsaW9FqcymcrtzKCNuJc_oo72kMT-SEYJ82PcZRZxa3XDTgVYybEulaLjm3_z2pqUSWL5Tooqy4j07IkBaef12bU6PgoTIB_3H3BHFFYBKdP3RPzgErK1QFJ5Q/s1600/IMG_0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH1PujXAaVsaW9FqcymcrtzKCNuJc_oo72kMT-SEYJ82PcZRZxa3XDTgVYybEulaLjm3_z2pqUSWL5Tooqy4j07IkBaef12bU6PgoTIB_3H3BHFFYBKdP3RPzgErK1QFJ5Q/s320/IMG_0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's the finished product. I have to say, I was quite pleased with it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJIvgC6uxbs-DS_CNYQeCjhyFQET7B5wyz0139YbqfZ-mKhX0JtIiJ1L1UJMV4xQZoMcs3eHPSGS-EXTYH65cKrOOzt59vhTungWWRTT9vCMv42hKsRMKNbtsGoA_9_kfbg/s1600/IMG_0714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJIvgC6uxbs-DS_CNYQeCjhyFQET7B5wyz0139YbqfZ-mKhX0JtIiJ1L1UJMV4xQZoMcs3eHPSGS-EXTYH65cKrOOzt59vhTungWWRTT9vCMv42hKsRMKNbtsGoA_9_kfbg/s320/IMG_0714.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau_j4naeHutg2fYDIIf1a_2qzwqPaj_RtfcZ4IOUmZ8J8Gki2p5TkQz6Jn0W-L8xKFazR-VwYNyGOG4yazW44Ob06h3x7rP3g62zEb4-8vJgkEkB7l6q1Dje0PqFbOdnkyQ/s1600/IMG_0715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau_j4naeHutg2fYDIIf1a_2qzwqPaj_RtfcZ4IOUmZ8J8Gki2p5TkQz6Jn0W-L8xKFazR-VwYNyGOG4yazW44Ob06h3x7rP3g62zEb4-8vJgkEkB7l6q1Dje0PqFbOdnkyQ/s320/IMG_0715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2d5pwi1kgeicqfv7-47K9Dyope0UlUujX1cCmzMNTw5cncYVnfbNWcMn8w7wojFzi5x-b-qQe8SCvjYs8PHGrVbYp0u7x_i1gf9NPYor_G3M7tYVK5WRUP2RB9M8TDE6cA/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2d5pwi1kgeicqfv7-47K9Dyope0UlUujX1cCmzMNTw5cncYVnfbNWcMn8w7wojFzi5x-b-qQe8SCvjYs8PHGrVbYp0u7x_i1gf9NPYor_G3M7tYVK5WRUP2RB9M8TDE6cA/s320/IMG_0716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Some pictures of the other cakes and fellow bakers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHLZalQjxnBcT6U4BHYHC2WKo6SwCyOefCMQibbkTiBFOaPPqBOnU0K__UMeLuIF1649_LQFfK0UksWUsytNQ-rJTsBomP8p0IZ8SD2hNhfwlAWPAy0cddShWqB2JQEjx4A/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHLZalQjxnBcT6U4BHYHC2WKo6SwCyOefCMQibbkTiBFOaPPqBOnU0K__UMeLuIF1649_LQFfK0UksWUsytNQ-rJTsBomP8p0IZ8SD2hNhfwlAWPAy0cddShWqB2JQEjx4A/s320/IMG_0719.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Gateau aux Poires Belle Helene cut open!<br />
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The crew from The One Show and the presenter Matt Allwright, were absolutely lovely, and so friendly. Even through I arrived late, I was welcomed warmly, and my cake got lots of praise, which was fantastic considering some of the other cakes on show.<br />
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Lynn has written up the experience for the Clandestine Cake Club website- see <a href="http://clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/2012/02/16/leeds-the-one-show/">here</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWZftlSOUq5-E5ESPiReUI4u3ET-0TzqcDmwbGKZTjdz2ETscrBWYps9911TfKjiSpMdP2l1IazloB3VKOSM5cd5DFA7u8a_x_-b9deS9VU75vWQvaMwN5fLtd9D3d1Zu2g/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWZftlSOUq5-E5ESPiReUI4u3ET-0TzqcDmwbGKZTjdz2ETscrBWYps9911TfKjiSpMdP2l1IazloB3VKOSM5cd5DFA7u8a_x_-b9deS9VU75vWQvaMwN5fLtd9D3d1Zu2g/s320/IMG_0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Me with Matt Allwright- a really great guy!<br />
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The cameraman filming the last piece of my cake!<br />
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The episode featuring our little event will be aired on BBC1 on Friday 24th February at 7pm.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <a href="http://clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/">The Clandestine Cake Club</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-51068625382147179702012-02-15T21:46:00.001+00:002012-02-16T11:03:02.631+00:00Dinner at the Manor- A Leeds Supper Club 2: Nigel Slater and Leeds Brewery Event©<br />
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One of the (many) reasons I love <i>love LOVE</i> Twitter is that I can sneak into events on last minute cancellations. That's how I managed to be back at the Manor on Saturday night. I'd like to take a moment to thank whoever it was that gave up their almost-as-hard-to-get-as-a-pink-diamond place. Me and my tummy thank you muchly.<br />
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As ever, Dan and Susie were excellent hosts, and their concept of menus derived from popular cookbooks then matched with drinks continues to be a winning formula. This time it was Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries with the food being matched to beers from Leeds Brewery, who produce some delightful brews, even enjoyed by just-occasional beer drinkers like me.<br />
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Our aperitif was a pint of Leeds' Best, although in my case it was a measly quarter-pint, because of my resentment at spending money on a taxi when I have a perfectly delightful Volvo C30 R-Design (AKA Jini's pride and joy that she is loathe to part from) to whizz around town in. The Leeds' Best is a smooth, well-balanced bitter, that went very well with the canapes which were served in the Library.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The canapes were a really good mix and so flavourful. There were homemade flatbreads with a rich taramasalata and a light baba ganoush decorated with pomegranate seeds. There were also teeny-tiny little pork and lemon polpettini- meatballs- that were really zingy. My favourite, however, was the risotto cakes with Yorkshire Blue Cheese. They were creamy, cheesy, unctuous and so totally moreish that I very nearly turned into a three-year-old to have a temper tantrum when the last one got eaten!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were soon invited down to the table. I love Susie and Dan's style- vibrant, quirky and patriotic! We were welcomed with an amuse-bouche of spiced pumpkin soup with bacon, which was served in a little espresso cup. I almost stuck my tongue into the empty cup to lick it clean, and then remembered that I'm supposed to be respectable...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our starters followed. There was a choice of baked onion with parmesan and cream or smoked mackerel on toast. I went with the latter and was not disappointed! The starter was served with a half-pint of Midnight Bell. I'd heard great things about this ale and I absolutely adored it! Dark, caramel, chocolate, coffee, toffee and liquorice combined into one amazing mild brew. It went so well with the starters. The toast was made from homemade bread rolls, which were made with Midnight Bell, and it held the smoked mackerel well. I especially loved the fresh salad made of rocket, parsley and fennel, which was dressed with lemon and rapeseed oil. It was so simple, but it cut through the richness of the mackerel perfectly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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There was a brief interlude before the main course came round, which was to be served with a bottle of Hellfire- Leeds Brewery's IPA (That's Indian Pale Ale, FYI). Dan and Susie kindly brought them round unopened so those of us driving/refusing to be parted from our own vehicles could take them home. Unfortunately I managed to leave mine behind at the end of the evening so I can't comment on Hellfire's apparent refreshing fruity tastes with a lasting pleasant bitterness, but I will next time I'm out for a drink!<br />
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The main course was either a chickpea and sweet potato curry or a spiced leg of lamb with chickpea mash. As delicious as the curry sounded, if lamb's on the menu, 9 times out of 10 some of it will get eaten by me. I wasn't disappointed by The Manor's offering. The lamb had been marinated in garlic, paprika, cumin and thyme, and then slow-roasted, leaving a lovely savoury coating, It was also beautifully tender, but the slices held together well. The chickpea mash was a revelation- so many times when I've had it in restaurants or tried to make it, it's ended up too claggy or too bitty. Susie told me that she and Dan cut some sweet potato into their chickpea mash, and mixed it with a little paprika= perfect! Definitely something I'm going to be trying! The dish was rounded off with some simple green beans tossed in cumin. Lovely.<br />
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A tangy and fresh clementine sorbet palate cleanser then came forth, after which I ended up sucking the spoon (it was that good!).<br />
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By this time I was feeling just a little full, but happily so, and when I saw that dessert was a chocolate pudding served with a 'Midnight Manor' cocktail (Midnight Bell, creme de cacao and Kahlua) I actually was more excited about the drink. Although it was yummy, I was WRONG. I should have known that it wouldn't just be a chocolate pudding, but a chocolate pudding of the highest order. The David Beckham/Lewis Hamilton/Insert-top-scrumptious sportsman-of-your-choice-here of chocolate puddings.<br />
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Hot dark chocolate untainted by flour, beautifully puffy and risen, yet melty, gooey and sticky inside. At the bottom, just when I thought the chocolate was going to overcome me, were tart raspberries, which cut through the chocolate and helped me finish the whole thing. At the same time was served a homemade vanilla ice-cream that wasn't too sweet either- the perfect foil for the chocolate pudding. I'm actually just getting tingles down my spine thinking of it!<br />
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See what I mean?<br />
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The meal was rounded off by Susie's beautiful mini-cupcakes, this time chocolate-orange, and coffees with their very cute mini milk bottles.<br />
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My return to The Manor was as fantastic as first time round. Suzie and Dan just go from strength to strength, and I cannot wait for visit number 3, whenever that may be. Thanks so much guys!<br />
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<a href="http://dinneratthemanor.wordpress.com/">Dinner at the Manor</a>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-3700988309400824082012-02-10T21:54:00.000+00:002012-02-14T00:41:01.348+00:00Homage to the Pig at The Crab Apple Tree©<br />
I don't know about you, dear readers, but I bloody hate snow! I'm not the most sure-footed of people and every time it's snowy or icy I fear for my ability to stay upright, so I tend to stay home, eat soup and curse the weather.<br />
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So it was testament to how good the <a href="http://thecrabappletree.wordpress.com/">Crab Apple Tree</a> supper club is, that I ventured out on Sunday night (albeit not far- it's held 300 yards from my flat) to return to this amazing culinary experience.<br />
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The Crab Apple Tree supper club is held around monthly in North Leeds and is run by Dave and Louise out of their bijoux apartment. Dave is a chef/baker at <a href="http://www.sunshinebakeryleeds.co.uk/">The Sunshine Bakery</a> who make award winning cupcakes and brownies, and a delicious range of breads, pasties, sausage rolls and gourmet sandwiches. Dave also cooks for The Sunshine Bakery's supper club, which is delicious and very reasonably priced. Louise is an extremely talented food photographer (see her work <a href="http://teaisbetterthancoffee.tumblr.com/">here</a>) and occasional waitress who runs front of house.<br />
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Having had such a great time when I went in October (pre-blog so no write-up I'm afraid) I decided to treat one of my best friends for his birthday to the Crab Apple Tree's 'Homage to the Pig' event and in doing so, have definitely created a new supper club fan!<br />
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We were greeted by Louise who welcomed us with freshly-made apple juice and an offer to chill our wine (although there was so much snow, we ended up just leaving it outside!). Pretty soon our table filled up with lovely people, some of whom had been to supper clubs before, some who were first-timers like my friend. The table was beautifully set- the decoration of the room having a fresh, natural, simple and homely feel to it. I particularly loved the small jars of bay leaves used as decoration (at least I think they were bay leaves!).<br />
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We were provided with these beautiful menus, each hand-made by Louise.<br />
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Louise and Dave brought round some canapes to start us off- beautiful sweet-and-salty Jamon Serrano, and Bury black pudding croquettes. The croquettes were wonderful- crispy on the outside but smooth and unctuous on the inside, meaty but not over-powering. They were served with a sort of hollandaise sauce but made with half butter, half chorizo fat instead of just butter. The strength of the flavour of the sauce meant that you only needed a tiny bit, but it was a great complement to the hot croquettes.<br />
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(Sorry that's a terrible photo of the croquettes, but the only one I came away with!)<br />
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After the delicious canapes came a starter of seabass fillet on green beans, served with a Brittany butter sauce and a king scallop (although mine was sans scallop as they make me hideously unwell). Here was my friend's plate (avec scallop).<br />
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Doesn't it look pretty? It tasted even better. The fish was so light, it almost melted in my mouth, and the sauce was beautifully rich and creamy, but offset by diced tomato within it. The beans made for a great texture contrast.<br />
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After the fish, our seafood interlude continued with a bit of a challenge. Oysters. It was quickly established that virtually the whole table were 'oyster virgins.' I'm a relatively recent convert to the delights of fish and seafood, and the thought of eating raw oyster hadn't particularly appealed. However one of the great things about supper clubs is trying new things, and after some hesitation, one by one, we tried it.<br />
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With a hefty squeeze of lemon, down it went, and actually it wasn't unpleasant. I tried not to chew it, to let it slip down my throat, but ended up having to nosh at it a couple of times. It was salty and slimy, and sea-foody for want of a better phrase. I can see their appeal, and although I won't be rushing out to buy plates of them, if I was in a position where I had to eat them, I now know they're nowt to be afraid of!<br />
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Evidence of me trying them- my empty shell!<br />
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After the oysters, we returned to porky goodness with Dave's piece de resistance- The Homage to the Pig plate.<br />
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And, oh wow, what a plate. There was pulled ham hock with mustard and shallot onion rings, braised pigs' cheeks in crumb with crackling, pork belly on celeriac puree with even more crackling, and a mini chorizo sausage, served with potato rosti, apples, tenderstem broccoli (not shown) and a cider sauce. I got a bit full just looking at it, although that didn't stop me from nearly licking the plate at the end. I don't think I could pick a favourite bit of the dish- it was all so good!<br />
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Eating four different types of piggy really makes one feel like, well, a piggy! Still, when the food's that delectable, we weren't about to say no to more, however full we were feeling, especially when we knew this was coming...<br />
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Dessert was an orange and amaretto tartlet with coffee granita. The pastry was paper-thin, the custard of the tart was tangy with a silken texture. It wasn't too sweet, so the amaretti biscuit crumbs on top balanced it out. The coffee granita was also amazing- I could have quite happily had a bowl of that on its own!<br />
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Finally there was just a tiny bit of room in our tummies for some tea and Dave's fabulous homemade chocolates with brandy filling.<br />
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These too were super-smooth but after five courses of utter deliciousness I couldn't manage any more than two, and felt bad that there were loads left!<br />
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Dave and Louise are both incredibly talented people, and so warm and affable. They clearly understand how to marry flavours, textures and colours into stunning menus. The attention to detail is particularly impressive. The Crab Apple Tree is such a well presented and relaxed supper club- I would not be surprised if one day<br />
in the future, Dave and Louise end up running a similarly-presented restaurant.<br />
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Sadly for us, but not for them, Dave and Louise are wrapping up their time in Leeds to go on a year-long Australian adventure. I'm sure the rest of the local supper club fans will be crossing their fingers, hoping that when they return to the UK, they come back to Leeds! I feel very lucky that I've been able to experience their skills and hospitality!<br />
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Good Luck Dave and Louise!<br />
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<a href="http://thecrabappletree.wordpress.com/">The Crab Apple Tree</a>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-29003804778681172062012-02-05T18:18:00.000+00:002012-02-06T01:14:42.364+00:00A Cornucopia of treats to celebrate some good news!©<br />
So it seems like <a href="http://munchymedic.blogspot.com/2011/12/revision-hibernation-week.html">Revision Hibernation Week</a> paid off- I passed my exam! To say I'm delighted is a very big understatement!<br />
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Yesterday morning, still buzzing with excitement, I woke up even earlier than on a work day and decided to head into town early for a bit of shopping, and to go to <a href="http://cornucopia-leeds.co.uk/">Cornucopia</a>, a regular food festival held at the Leeds Corn Exchange. The past couple of times its been held, I've either been away or at work, so it was great to be able to go this time.<br />
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After a delicious breakfast at <a href="http://www.the-greedy-pig.co.uk/home">The Greedy Pig</a> (a fantastic establishment who deserves a blog post devoted to it sometime soon) and a bit of chat with owner Jo (a fellow baker), I pootled into town. I walked down Vicar Lane and peered into the beautiful windows of <a href="http://www.petermaturi.com/">Peter Maturi</a>, looking longingly at the bright Joseph Joseph mixing bowls and the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer that I'm desperate to get (unfortunately one of those costs the same as an exam entrance fee, which sadly take priority).<br />
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As Cornucopia didn't start until 10, I then ducked into the Victoria Quarter to peruse the <a href="http://www.harveynichols.com/">Harvey Nichols</a>' beauty counters and the Fourth Floor Foodmarket, which happens to sit right next to the Mulberry handbags, which invoke a desire in me akin to that of the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer...<br />
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On my way from there to the Corn Exchange, the smell of roses enticed me into <a href="http://www.jomalone.co.uk/">Jo Malone</a>, where a very enthusiastic assistant gave me a mini hand massage with their Orange Blossom hand cream, and a freebie hand cream tube to take away. I smelt fruity and floral for the rest of the morning!<br />
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When I actually got to Cornucopia, the event had only just started and was pretty quiet , which was good for me because I got the chance to chat to lots of the stallholders.<br />
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The Corn Exchange is such a beautiful building- you can't help but look in wonder at the light streaming into the building through the windows and the magnificent ceiling. A great setting for the festival.<br />
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My first stop was to Chilli Devil sauces, where I was persuaded to try a chilli chocolate spread, flavoured with coffee liqueur. At first it just tasted like chocolate, but as the stuff made its way to the back of my palate, my mouth burst forth with warmth. I could imagine it with ice cream- the warmth contrasting with cold. I bought one, but would be keen to try one of the other flavours such as whisky orange, next time. <br />
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I then stopped at the Little Yorkshire Pie stall, which was full of delicious little pies (as the name suggests!). The Little Yorkshire Pie Company are based in Leeds Kirkgate Market on Butcher's Row and are getting a good following for reasonably priced, delicious pies. I bought their best seller, the pork pie, and one of their new varieties, pork with apricot. They were both good, chunky and solid, but decidedly moreish- some of the best pies I've had in ages! Next time I'm in the market, I'll definitely be stopping by!<br />
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Next stop was this lovely collection of baked goods, courtesy of <a href="http://www.anthonysrestaurant.co.uk/piazza/">Piazza by Anthony</a>, who are based in the Corn Exchange on the lower ground floor. They make and bake all their breads and baked goods on the premises, and supply to the other branches of the Anthony's family. As you may have gathered from my last post, I'm rather a sucker for bread, and was slightly overwhelmed by the choices on offer. Finally I asked the lovely and enthusiastic chap on the stall what he'd recommend, and he was very clear on the Pumpkin and Parmesan bread. He explained that the bread had Parmesan mixed into the dough and was topped with a generous sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. It was a tad pricier than the other loaves, but when I cut into it later, it was clear that the bread contained more than a little Parmesan, with little clumps of cheese distributed throughout the loaf. Yum!<br />
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My next stop was to chat to Becky of The Pinup's Pantry. She was selling some of her amazing brownies and cupcakes. It turns out that we have quite a few acquaintances and friends in common from the local baking circuit! She was absolutely delightful and I'm looking forward to meeting her soon at the next <a href="http://www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/">Clandestine Cake Club</a> event.<br />
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Next to Becky was the riot of colour that was Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, being sold by Nick of <a href="http://homage2fromageleeds.ning.com/">Homage to Fromage</a> and <a href="http://thesourceleeds.co.uk/">The Source Leeds</a>, who helps organise Cornucopia. Doesn't it look stunning? I wish rhubarb didn't affect me in a bad way, because it always looks like it would be delicious. I overheard one lady talking about serving her rhubarb in a compote with vanilla yoghurt- that sounds yum!<br />
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My eye was then caught by these beauties from Lauden Chocolates. Locally hand-made chocolates, filled with an array of flavours, and decorated by transfers when the chocolate is setting. I bought a box of four, which I intend to enjoy all to myself in the not-too-distant future.<br />
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I then stopped to chat to Lisa AKA <a href="http://www.theyummyyank.co.uk/">The Yummy Yank</a>, who I met recently at a Clandestine Cake Club event, and who recently welcomed a granddaughter to her family. Alas, the picture I took of her stall was rather rubbish, but the pecan pie bar I bought from her was the opposite- sticky, caramelly and gooey.<br />
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I then got to chat to a very friendly guy from <a href="http://www.laynesespresso.co.uk/">Laynes' Espresso</a>, based on New Station Street, near Leeds Train Station. As someone who works and lives out of the city centre, I've never been past Laynes' when it's been open. But just looking at this display shows their commitment to coffee. I was given a voucher for a free coffee, and next time I'm going on an outing via train, I'm definitely stopping by!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTDXYszHC-daGghBDKgNbilRIT43e_8nNkU863jmgbV8lFwKDDhKo7r6u2ml9gJ9TgtNcRo9X0ps-TnRa7Ba6TyJRHYRR_egv6778jIe2KzmKakZQNi_ROn0ipTxwpd8_Zw/s1600/IMG_0636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTDXYszHC-daGghBDKgNbilRIT43e_8nNkU863jmgbV8lFwKDDhKo7r6u2ml9gJ9TgtNcRo9X0ps-TnRa7Ba6TyJRHYRR_egv6778jIe2KzmKakZQNi_ROn0ipTxwpd8_Zw/s320/IMG_0636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next stop was a stall I was really looking forward to visiting, having seen them before at Kirkstall Deli Market- <a href="http://www.paganum.co.uk/">Paganum</a> sell all manner of charcuterie and meat, including Yorkshire Chorizo. I was keen to get my hands on some more, having used the last of my supply over New Years' for a pork and chorizo stew. I bought three this time- one Original, one Garlic and one Picante. It was good to chat about recipes with Chris from Paganum too.<br />
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Next up was <a href="http://www.pudseypickles.co.uk/">Pudsey Pickles</a>, who supply locally made gluten-free and vegetarian pickles and chutneys. I was encouraged to try Fire Relish, made with three very hot types of chillies, and it really was very hot! I could imagine it with sausages in a roll (used sparingly!). I also loved the sweet beetroot chutney. We spent quite a lot of time talking about ketchup- Pudsey Pickles make a sugar free ketchup that is free of points of 'syns' for those following a certain well-known slimming plan, which, in my humble opinion, actually tastes better than some commercially-made overly sweet ketchups.<br />
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I then stumbled across Billy and Mitch's Munch. Billy and Mitch are from New Zealand and South Africa and had some delicious looking mayonnaises, sweetcorn fritters, pates and South African Biltong on display. I'd never tried Biltong, and was pleasantly surprised at how flavourful it was. However, I totally fell in love with their sweetcorn fritters, and bought four, which didn't last 10 minutes once I got them home!<br />
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<br />
After coming away from Cornucopia with all my delights, I walked back up Vicar Lane, and once again passed Peter Maturi, and this time, went in and treated myself to a new set of knives, and a new ovenproof frying pan. I also passed <a href="http://www.milliesleeds.co.uk/">Millies Leeds</a> and ended up nipping in for some cheese and ground almonds, and staying for a fresh juice. The weather was starting to get colder then, with the threat of snow looming, so I made that my last stop before heading back home in time for lunch.<br />
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Here lies my haul from my morning out!<br />
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Lunch ended up being an open sandwich made of the Pumpkin and Parmesan bread spread with a touch of mayonnaise and Fire relish from Pudsey Pickles, then topped with cucumber, rocket and a sweetcorn fritter from Billy and Mitch. It was scrumptious. Dessert was the Pecan Pie bar. So good! And what a great morning! I'll definitely be going to the next event!munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-5031891161399126992012-02-01T00:21:00.000+00:002012-02-01T00:21:07.086+00:00Versatile Blogger Award!!!!! Part 2.©<br />
Well I'm back! As promised, I'm going to complete the Versatile Blogger tasks set (not that it's a chore, it's actually a total pleasure!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgvOvEpQqznYD_qxKrjt-lLHslt4dmDM9eKGNQgIHSWU2jaii1zF1k2ffSl65K5oU_SevDaPeiZI-obZkJO9r8GFOMNbcbj9ZsvudylMgL57zuQk-7JW-0t25SOz3gQVyNg/s1600/versatileblogger111.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgvOvEpQqznYD_qxKrjt-lLHslt4dmDM9eKGNQgIHSWU2jaii1zF1k2ffSl65K5oU_SevDaPeiZI-obZkJO9r8GFOMNbcbj9ZsvudylMgL57zuQk-7JW-0t25SOz3gQVyNg/s1600/versatileblogger111.png" /></a></div>I'm just going to put the cool picture in there again!<br />
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So- 15 newly discovered blogs:<br />
1. <a href="http://lavenderattic.blogspot.com/">Lavender Attic</a> (thanks once again Sally for nominating me!)<br />
2. <a href="http://bakingaitch.wordpress.com/">bakingaitch</a><br />
3. <a href="http://laythetable.com/">Lay the Table</a><br />
4. <a href="http://stickypinny.wordpress.com/">Sticky Pinny</a><br />
5. <a href="http://exploitsofafoodnut.blogspot.com/">Exploits of a Food Nut</a><br />
6. <a href="http://breadsticklers.blogspot.com/">Breadsticklers</a><br />
7. <a href="http://cafenouveau.wordpress.com/">Cafe Nouveau</a><br />
8. <a href="http://bakelady.wordpress.com/">bakelady/Secret Tea Room</a><br />
9. <a href="http://everythinggoeswithtoast.blogspot.com/">Everything Goes With Toast</a><br />
10. <a href="http://www.teaandcake.co.uk/">Teaandcake.co.uk</a><br />
11. <a href="http://okayalison.com/">Okay Alison</a><br />
12. <a href="http://eviesgran.wordpress.com/">Eviesgran</a><br />
13. <a href="http://www.saradanesinmedio.com/blog/">Sara Danesin Medio</a><br />
14. <a href="http://thecrabappletree.wordpress.com/">Crab Apple Tree</a><br />
15.<a href="http://dinneratthemanor.wordpress.com/">Dinner at the Manor</a><br />
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These are the blogs I check in with regularly- and I've met or tweeted with all of these lovely people. So much talent in the food blogosphere...!<br />
<br />
Now for seven things you maybe didn't know about me...<br />
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1. Medicine runs in the family- my brother's a medical student and budding pathologist, my dad's a GP, one of my maternal cousins is a radiologist, one of my paternal cousins is an endocrinologist, one of my aunts is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, and one of my uncles is an orthopaedic surgeon!<br />
2. I'm not a native Leodensian- I was born on the outskirts of Birmingham and raised in the much-misunderstood Milton Keynes. I've lived in Leeds for 3 and a half wonderful years.<br />
3. When I was a teenager, my mother, ever the entrepreneur, got bored with being a doctor's wife and set up a business selling ethnic groceries, tailoring her business to food-lovers experimenting with Indian, Chinese, Thai and Japanese flavours for the first time. She also ran an events catering business. I used to work for her and she taught me about herbs and spices, and how to cook for myself and others. To this day I am thankful to her for my better-than-average palate. My mother has a rather short attention span however, and got bored of those businesses. Now she is proprietor of a small hotel and runs a property-management business, but is getting a bit bored of that too.<br />
4. At school my favourite subject wasn't actually anything science-related. It was Latin, and I still have a very old copy of Catullus poems that is one of my most cherished possessions.<br />
5. I love Italy, and if I get to retire at a decent age with a decent pension (currently a big bone of contention for me and 80% of the doctors in the country) I intend to retire in Rome.<br />
6. I love bread. Even the cheap white sliced nasty stuff, although I only buy that in preparation for hangover bacon sandwiches, which isn't all that often now that I value sleep more than partying.<br />
7. <strike>The last time I had a year without exams, tests, assessments or projects was 1988</strike>. That's a boring one to end on. Let's try this instead: I'm terrified of falling over, and of some heights. I'm fine on aeroplanes and even rollercoasters, but hate going on escalators and glass lifts,standing on chairs and looking over open balconies. I will do these things but they cause me palpitations.<br />
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So that's me done!<br />
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xxxmunchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-48061679957734439492012-01-31T18:43:00.000+00:002012-01-31T18:43:39.115+00:00Versatile Blogger Award!!!!! Part 1.©<br />
Sally of <a href="http://lavenderattic.blogspot.com/">Lavender Attic</a> has very kindly nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award!<br />
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THANK YOU!!!!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My first award! The idea is to pass on 15 newly discovered blogs, thank and link back to the award-giver, and (eek!) share 7 things about yourself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately I'm supposed to be out of the flat by 6.30 and it's now 6.41 so I'm going to head out and finish the challenge when I get back! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
xxx<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">xxx</span>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-71286887378793056762012-01-31T18:32:00.000+00:002012-01-31T18:32:48.119+00:00A duo of Greek starters©<br />
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Evenings and weekends are precious when you're a junior doctor. Sadly mine get eaten up by work, revision, courses and those good old weekend-eater-uppers of everyone in their late 20s and early 30s- weddings and hen parties!<br />
<br />
So to find myself with a weekend almost entirely to myself was quite the luxury, and it was with great delight that my friends Rob and Pete, who are both great bakers and food-lovers, were free to come over for dinner and a catch-up.<br />
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I've been itching to try to make Spanakopita- a Greek filo spinach and feta pie- for some time. It's one of my favourite things at Greek restaurants. However, no Greek meal is complete without a good houmous either, so I decided to make both!<br />
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<b><u>Spanakopita</u></b><br />
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<b>Ingredients: Makes 2 8" pies, each serving 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter</b><br />
12 sheets filo pastry (I used Jus-Rol)<br />
100g melted butter<br />
200g feta cheese, crumbled<br />
1/2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 onion- chopped finely<br />
1 large clove garlic- finely chopped<br />
500g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained and squeezed (must be as dry as possible)<br />
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg<br />
1 tiny pinch paprika<br />
Black pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt because the feta is so salty)<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the spinach, pepper, paprika and nutmeg and heat through. Leave to cool for a few minutes then drain again of any excess liquid. Add the feta and mix well, but leave a few small chunks of feta for texture.<br />
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2. To make one pie: Brush a 8" springform cake tin with melted butter. Place a sheet of pastry in the tin, allowing the pastry to hang over the sides of the tin. Brush with melted butter and add another layer of pastry. Repeat until six sheets of pastry are used up. Place half the filling in the pastry and then fold over the excess pastry that was hanging over the sides of the tin. Brush the top with melted butter and place the tin on top of the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the tin as soon as possible and place on a cooling rack after it comes out of the oven to avoid a soggy bottom. If the bottom is a bit soft when it's turned out, return it to the oven but place it directly on the oven shelf to get some air to it, and give it 5-6 minutes.<br />
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Repeat step 2 for the second pie.<br />
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<b><u>Easy Quick Houmous</u></b><br />
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<b>Ingredients:- Serves 6-8</b><br />
1 400g can chickpeas, drained but reserve liquid (drained weight = 240g)<br />
2 cloves garlic, finely minced<br />
2tbsp lemon juice<br />
50g/3 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)<br />
1tbsp natural yoghurt<br />
3/4tsp ground cumin<br />
1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling<br />
1tbsp Za'tar (a Middle-Eastern spice mix featuring thyme and sesame seeds- I used Barts')<br />
1/4 tsp paprika<br />
salt and black pepper to taste<br />
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<b>Method</b><br />
Place the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, yoghurt, cumin, 1tbsp olive oil and seasoning in a food processor and blitz until quite smooth. If it is very thick, add some of the chickpea liquid until it is the consistency you like. Place in a bowl and sprinkle over the Za'tar, paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. It should keep for three days.<br />
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<br />
Both came out really well, and went down a treat! The houmous in particular was light and fresh, rather than being a bit claggy. Some recipes I've used the past use double the amount of tahini, which can make the houmous heavy if used too much.<br />
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</b><br />
Definitely one to make again!munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-33788715275272435922012-01-31T17:44:00.000+00:002012-01-31T17:44:34.929+00:00A long absence...©<br />
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Hello everyone!<br />
<br />
I'd just like to say to all my regular readers, sorry for not posting for six weeks! I have the usual excuses- i.e. work, work, work and oh, more work! But there was Christmas, New Year, a birthday and a too-busy-for-my-own-good social life in there as well!<br />
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It is Doctors' Changeover Day tomorrow (where junior doctors rotate into a new placement) and so one of my New Placement Resolutions is to at least try to post at least once a week for the next few weeks. I'm sure I'll be writing about some of my others in the next few posts.<br />
<br />
xxxmunchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-59878324355138059612011-12-14T19:45:00.000+00:002011-12-14T19:45:52.462+00:00Revision Hibernation Week©<br />
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After 10 GCSEs, 1 AS level, 3 A levels, two degrees and five years as a doctor, you would think that my time sitting exams would be over...you would be wrong!<br />
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Yesterday I sat one of my MRCPsych exams (MRCPsych stands for Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists). Membership exams are a necessity for every junior doctor climbing the career ladder- you can't be a specialist without them. They are also expensive (£400 each attempt) and notoriously difficult, and many doctors believe that they aren't representative of a doctor's abilities as a clinician, merely how good they are at exams.<br />
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Regardless of that- no membership exam= no ladder climbing. Having struggled to focus on revision for previous exams because of my tendency to get easily distracted, I decided that I needed to pull out all the stops- get out of the city, turn off the phone and hole up somewhere quiet (I love Leeds, but I would rarely describe it as 'quiet') for a week, and get down to some serious studying and exam question practice.<br />
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To that end I found a little cottage in the middle of Nowhere, South Somerset, with internet access but no phone signal, and best of all, a hot tub for the end-of-the-day-relaxation! On went the work email Out of Office Assistant and off went the bane-of-my-life-pager (after it went off halfway down the M5 somewhere near Cribbs Causeway). A week's worth of groceries were ordered from the nearest supermarket- a Waitrose in the little town of Wellington- to complement my 'self-catering pack' (a small box of tricks I keep especially for self-catering trips, which includes good coffee, a small cafetiere, Yorkshire and chamomile tea, herbs, spices, sugar, flour, pasta, rice, a decent chef's knife, cleaning wipes, loo roll and washing-up liquid) and a very small (well, small for me) holdall of mainly pyjamas and hoodies was packed.<br />
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After arriving on Saturday 3rd and being greeted by the cottage owner, I didn't see another person for 6 days until my return to Leeds, and apart from a little Tweeting, a blog update and a couple of personal emails, didn't communicate with anyone either. I worked for 12 hours each day, chilled out for 5 (including cooking, naturally!) and slept for seven- virtually unheard of for insomniac me.<br />
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Was it a good idea? Well, I certainly felt more prepared for the exam, and less anxious during it. As to whether I've passed the wretched thing- only time and the Royal College of Psychiatrists will tell.<br />
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<b><u>Revision Hibernation- culinary highlights</u></b><br />
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I always need a motivator when revising, especially now that I've lost the discipline of studying full-time, and what better way to motivate oneself than by yummy food?! Studying for 12 hours per day is no excuse to revert to ready meals (actually, while we're on the subject, there's almost no excuse for reverting to ready meals!). Of course, it's also not really the time to be trying out experimental, multi-staged, complicated recipes either. So it was old favourites all the way for Revision Hibernation Week! Here's a little rundown!<br />
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<ul><li>Chilli con carne- one day with rice, the next day as nachos with tortilla chips and melted cheese</li>
<li>Lamb steaks with redcurrant and rosemary sauce, mash, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding</li>
<li>Pancakes (made from leftover Yorkshire pudding batter), banana, caramel ice-cream and cinnamon syrup</li>
<li>Moroccan-spiced stir-fried lamb, pitta breads, green salad, yoghurt and mint dressing</li>
<li>Fresh pasta with tomato, basil and marscapone sauce, roasted tomatoes, peppers and garlic croutons (Meat Free Mondays still apply to Revision Hibernation Week)</li>
<li>Chicken and bacon club sandwich with oven-baked sweet potato chips and salad</li>
<li>Cheese and chive souffle omelette made with eggs from the cottage owner's hens, with sourdough toast, bacon and roasted mushrooms</li>
<li>Maltesers, salted pretzels, Ritz crackers, blue corn tortilla chips, clementines and Somerset apples</li>
</ul><div>If you'd like any recipes, email me :-)</div>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-56191505970041280112011-12-03T18:32:00.098+00:002011-12-05T21:49:14.794+00:00Dinner at the Manor- A Leeds Supper Club©<br />
Over the past year or so I've become a rather big fan of the underground restaurant/supper club movement. The premise is simple- a host cooks a delicious meal and opens up their home to hungry guests in exchange for a monetary donation. Some hosts are up and coming professional chefs who wish to showcase their skills but who don't have the funds or backing to set up their own restaurant yet. Others are talented amateur and home cooks, who wish to share their ideas about what constitutes good food. The venue is kept secret until you have a place confirmed, so the poor cook doesn't get people turning up randomly! I've met some amazingly talented chefs, socialised with food lovers from all walks of life and eaten some simply fabulous food.<br />
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Last night I was privileged enough to attend Dinner at the Manor. This is a joint venture between Dan and Susie, both well known for their skills. I've known Susie for quite a while through Clandestine Cake Club, and who is well known for her delightful blog <a href="http://stickypinny.wordpress.com/">StickyPinny</a> and her beautiful cupcakes, which have won Iron Cupcake Leeds on several occasions! It was my first time meeting Dan, who was a delightful host and warmly welcomed us into his beautifully decorated Victorian home.<br />
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We were welcomed with mulled wine and canapes in the library- sausage rolls made with homemade flaky pastry, palmiers with anchovy or pancetta and mozzarella balls with tomatoes and pesto. These were so delicious that I forgot to take some photos! I was delighted to bump into a few people I knew from other supper club events and Cake Club. We were joined by a broadcast journalism student who was doing a piece on the rise of supper clubs- I hope she didn't mind me talking with my mouth full of buttery pastry and succulent sausage! So good!<br />
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After being invited downstairs to the luxurious dining room we were welcomed with an amuse bouche of Delia Smith's cream of broccoli soup with blue cheese. It was light and flavourful, with just a hint of the blue cheese at the end. Once again I forgot the photos, but remembered after this!<br />
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Dan then came out to introduce the wines they'd selected to match our starters. Both wines were local whites from Leventhorpe Winery based in Woodlesford, to the south of the city. For the peppers stuffed with fennel, they chose the Sevyal Blanc, and for the pheasant terrine with cheese, onion and sage bread, they chose the Madeleine Angelvine.<br />
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I went for the pheasant terrine, and had the Madeleine Angelvine to accompany it.<br />
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The pheasant terrine was chock full of gamey meat, that was tender and melting at the same time. The accompanying spicy pear chutney cut through the richness perfectly. The Madeleine Angelvine wine was very light on the palate, with a hint of citrus and passion fruit. I could quite easily have drunk the whole glass in one go, but as I was driving, I had a few sips before one of my dining companions gladly finished the glass for me.<br />
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We had quite a long gap between the starter and main course, which was a good thing given how much more food was to come! There was no hesitation in the conversation around the dining table as we swapped supper club stories before talking about our travel experiences.<br />
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Dan soon announced the main course, and the accompanying wine- a young French Mauregard Bordeaux that came highly recommended by the Observer Food Monthly, from Marks and Spencer. It, too, turned out to be highly drinkable, and our hosts kindly provided a decanter so we could top up, although once again, I could only have a few sips!<br />
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The main course was venison cooked in port, stout and pickled walnuts, served with celeriac and potato puree, Brussels sprouts cooked in Riesling with bacon and parmesan baked parsnips.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> The venison was meltingly tender and the sauce was so dark, sweet and rich I had to stop myself from licking the plate. The celeriac and potato puree was so creamy, and the sprouts (which I don't normally like that much) were perfectly cooked. The parmesan on the parsnips wasn't especially strong but made them crispy.<br />
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We had another small break , complete with lychee and ginger sorbet as a palate cleanser, before dessert was brought out.<br />
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Dessert was a huge communal bowl of caramelised orange trifle served with lovely crisp-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside meringues, which Dan had made to use up the egg whites after making a homemade custard for the trifle. The oranges cut through the sumptuous cream, custard and sponge, and the nuts and chocolate on the top provided a contrast of textures.This dessert was served with a bonus glass of Asda Finest fizz.<br />
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A couple of my dining companions were lactose intolerant, so were treated to a beautiful champagne jelly instead of the trifle. I was kindly allowed to try it too- it sparkled and fizzed on my palate, was light but still substantial.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> Our final course was tea or coffee served with some of Susie's stunning cupcakes- maple and pecan, in honour of Delia who made the combination popular back in the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> At the end of the meal, Dan and Susie came out to join us, and we all moved around the larger of the two communal tables to chat to some of the other guests. Dan and Susie are clearly passionate about their venture and they are so talented. As we rolled out of the stunning house, we all agreed that we would definitely return again soon!<br />
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I am writing this from a little cottage in deepest, darkest Somerset- on a getaway to prepare for my impending doom/exam next week, without the distractions that my vibrant life in Leeds throws at me. Naturally revision will be interspersed with some culinary delights, and no doubt I'll be sharing some of these with you soon.<br />
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xxx<br />
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<a href="http://dinneratthemanor.wordpress.com/">Dinner at the Manor</a>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-2385707051748751972011-12-01T23:35:00.000+00:002011-12-01T23:35:10.027+00:00Elvis Cupcakes©<br />
I'm one of those people who hates to go to a friend's house without a little thank you gift. Other people who feel similarly often give wine, chocolates or flowers- I give baked goods.<br />
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A quick look at my cupboards and fruit bowl and I realised that I had an abundance of overripe bananas and a rare treat- peanut butter. A little spark of useless knowledge flickered at the back of my mind and I remembered reading somewhere that Elvis Presley loved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I'm a big fan of peanut butter and banana bagels for breakfast so could definitely vouch for the yumminess of the flavour combination!<br />
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So in honour of Elvis Presley, I decided to try a banana cupcake topped with a peanut butter and brown sugar icing, to give to some of my dear friends, who I was visiting this weekend in Gateshead and York.<br />
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I have to say that I was quite pleased with the result, as were my friends. The cake was full of banana goodness. The icing was thick, creamy and enhanced by the slight crunch of the peanut bits from the peanut butter. It piped beautifully and held its shape well despite sitting in a car on the A1 for a few hours!<br />
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<b>Ingredients (Makes 9 large iced cupcakes, 12-15 small)</b><br />
3 overripe bananas, mashed<br />
250g self raising flour<br />
100g caster sugar<br />
100g dark muscavado sugar<br />
4 eggs, large<br />
100g softened butter<br />
1tsp baking powder<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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For the icing:<br />
150g softened butter<br />
100g dark brown muscavado sugar<br />
250g icing sugar<br />
1 tsp mixed spice<br />
1tbs maple syrup<br />
2 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter<br />
1tsp vanilla extract<br />
1tbsp milk<br />
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To finish:<br />
1tbsp cocoa powder<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (175 if you have a hot/fan oven) Beat the butter and sugars together and combine the eggs in one by one. Add the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the bananas. If the mixture is too thick add a couple of drops of milk. Spoon into cupcake cases held in tins, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a cooling rack until room temperature.<br />
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For the icing: Beat the butter and incorporate the sugars, vanilla extract, maple syrup, peanut butter and mixed spice until If too thick, add the milk. You can use smooth peanut butter if you prefer not to have the crunchy texture of the nuts.<br />
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Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a large round tipped nozzle. Pipe the icing in a spiral onto each cold cupcake and dust with cocoa.<br />
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Delicious with Yorkshire Tea, although I think Elvis might have washed it down with something a little stronger!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-61417198319347956002011-11-26T12:43:00.002+00:002011-11-26T12:52:59.465+00:00A light night out at The Light©<br />
Oh, it's been one very busy week. Very unwell patients, case reports, meeting after meeting with VIMPs (Very Important Management People), exam revision, hundreds of 'urgent' emails, on call shifts...I was so ready for Friday even by Tuesday.<br />
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One of my oldest friends suggested a night out, having had a frazzled week as well, and we decided on dinner and a movie at The Light in central Leeds. Normally when we go out, some effort is involved- we get a little dressed up, we pick a nice restaurant (usually not a chain one) etc. However I didn't have enough time to get home to change between my last appointment of the day and come back to meet my friend, so I ended up at The Light an hour early, with no make-up on and still wearing day clothes.<br />
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The obligatory potter round the handful of shops took less than a quarter of an hour so I decided to just sit in La Bottega Milanese to wait with a drink, and read the news on my beloved iPhone.<br />
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La Bottega Milanese is run by Italian, Alex and is a late night espresso bar. They do the best coffees and a selection of delicious Italian food, sandwiches, cakes and pastries. However when I got there yesterday my eye was immediately drawn to the small list of cocktails that Alex has started to serve.<br />
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Amongst them was a Spritz- a mixture of Aperol (an Italian bitter and sweet orange aperitif), Prosecco, soda and a piece of fresh orange. Spritz cocktails are hugely popular in Italy, and I remember having them for the first time in the student bars of Venice's Dorsoduro district when I was at medical school. I searched high and low for Aperol on my return but no such luck, until now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9nEq-G92tL2WTFWEjybcpJ82Cuq1YVn8XCdS9BYkTL6zLnkflkMsU_DuXbc8vYDZXqZZP8zEwTr36dgEHSeNf_BPZIU_hLHbf-nBUKx_C1h6HKYLszdRnECNaFYHy7wXGQ/s1600/IMG_0487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9nEq-G92tL2WTFWEjybcpJ82Cuq1YVn8XCdS9BYkTL6zLnkflkMsU_DuXbc8vYDZXqZZP8zEwTr36dgEHSeNf_BPZIU_hLHbf-nBUKx_C1h6HKYLszdRnECNaFYHy7wXGQ/s320/IMG_0487.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>Spritz has a strong bitter orange taste, with a hit of sweet, with a dry component added by the Prosecco. For anyone with a heavy sweet tooth, it may not be to their taste, but I absolutely adored it- just as I remembered from Venice. When my friend arrived I persuaded her to try it too, and she completely agreed!<br />
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We weren't the only ones delighted by the bright orange cocktail. La Bottega Milanese was almost full with the early evening crowds, and at least half the tables were drinking Spritz. One of Alex's helpful barista/mixologists told me that they had had to run out to the supermarket for extra supplies because it had been so popular! Alex has also started to do a selection of complimentary savoury nibbles for those purchasing alcohol, from olives to pesto croutons and tomato bruschetta, which were greatly appreciated as they plugged the pre-dinner, pre-cinema peckishness!<br />
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After watching 'My Week With Marilyn,' which also comes highly recommended (Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe was amazing) we agreed that we didn't really want to have to wait for a table, or even to have a really big meal in courses.<br />
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We ended up at Barburrito- a Mexican restaurant, that is, essentially very good fast food. Barburrito is a small chain with a few restaurants in and around Manchester as well as the branch just outside The Light on The Headrow.<br />
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It's quite a simple set up- choose your dish (Burrito, burrito bowl, tacos or nachos), choose your filling (a selection of meats or flash-fried vegetables) which also includes lime rice and refried beans, choose your salsa, choose extras (guacamole, sour cream etc) and then pay. It took five minutes and was perfect for our casual night out, and cheap to boot- it cost less than £6 each for our burritos.<br />
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I went for the slow-cooked pork with spicy beans, pico de gallo salsa, sour cream and extra roasted mushrooms, and we also had some tortilla chips with guacamole. Compared to the usual fast food options available in the city centre, it was a refreshing change, and the staff were really lovely.<br />
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We both agreed that the relaxed, casual night out was the perfect gentle start to the weekend that we both needed. Let's hope the rest of the weekend follows in the same vein!<br />
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<a href="http://www.thelightleeds.co.uk/">The Light, Leeds</a><br />
<a href="http://www.labottegamilanese.co.uk/">La Bottega Milanese</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barburrito.co.uk/">Barburrito</a>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-59762557224317383372011-11-21T22:50:00.002+00:002011-11-21T23:21:17.263+00:00November Clandestine Cake Club- Hungry Caterpillar Cake©<br />
I've been a bit of a regular at Clandestine Cake Club in Leeds over the past several months, and watched in awe as CCC's founder, Lynn, has taken it from a little group of cake-lovers in Leeds to a national phenomenon, a network of bakers across the country. Each event books up really quickly and I only managed to get a place by the skin of my teeth this time! Tonight's event in my neighbourhood of Chapel Allerton was organised by Kathryn in aid of Cancer Research UK, and it was a beautiful event in a fantastic venue, the Hummingbird Bar and Kitchen.<br />
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I treat each event as a new challenge- a way of pushing my skills a little bit further. It's not a competition and it doesn't matter if the cake's a little (or big) bit of a mess. The theme tonight was 'Nostalgia' and I knew immediately what cake I wanted to make: A Hungry Caterpillar Cake.<br />
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I loved the book, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' when I was a little girl, and I remembered my mother making a cake based on it at some point in my childhood. So when the theme was announced, I rang my mother excitedly to ask for the recipe. Instead I got a nervous laugh, a confession that she had paid a lady to make it for me and an admission that the closest she'd ever come to baking was making chocolate rice crispy cakes.<br />
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With no hand-me-down recipe to go on, I decided to make my own, based on what I did remember- a chocolate buttercream swiss roll covered with super-sweet coloured stripey icing. However, when both my food processor and my electric hand mixer decided to die (which is why I need to invest in a KitchenAid asap!), I had to tweak things so that I could make it all by hand.<br />
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The first step was to make a basic, simple, chocolate sponge that I could cut into a caterpillar shape, so I used an oblong dish and greased it very well (apologies in advance for my somewhat below-par photographic skills):<br />
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I left it to cool for 24 hours- I find it so much easier to ice cakes when they've been left for a day.<br />
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I cut the cake into two oblong halves and used one to form the body of the caterpillar, and the other to cut shapes from. I also made a chocolate buttercream and used this to fill and coat the cake.<br />
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I then rolled out some coloured sugarpaste icing (I normally mix up my own colours but was rapidly running out of time today so used shop-bought ready-to-roll coloured icing) in green and blue, and cut them into strips. I then cut away the excess.<br />
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To make the face, I cut a circle of sponge from the spare oblong, and placed a disc of yellow icing on the front to make the face. I then covered the sides and back of the circle in red.<br />
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I used two bamboo skewers to secure the head to the body. I mixed the remaining icing together with a marble effect and rolled it into six long ribbons to form a tail. I cut out white and blue circles to make eyes, and made a mouth from some of the cut-away red icing. I then placed the cake on a baking tray covered with white sugarpaste, painted with a green paint made of food colouring, icing sugar and a couple of drops of water. I then washed off the excess icing sugar with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Finally I used white chocolate chips as little caterpillar feet (you can't really see them in the photo). I totally forgot to take any photos whilst doing this so the next picture is the finished cake.<br />
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Here's my cake with some of the others at the event tonight.<br />
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My absolute favourite cake of the night was the Sour Cream Coffee Cake (in centre of photo above), made by Lisa (@TheYummyYank). This is a cake to <i>go with</i> coffee, and doesn't actually contain it. What it did contain was plenty of cinnamon and pecan deliciousness!<br />
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Next month will be a year since Clandestine Cake Club was founded, and what a year it's been! I hope it will be around for many more years to come because it's such a great way to meet cake people, who are of course the best people!<br />
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<a href="http://www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/">http://www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk</a>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-48544887577346569082011-11-19T21:29:00.003+00:002012-02-12T00:08:55.763+00:00Quiche Alsacienne©<br />
Whenever I'm on call from home, I find myself in a strange sort of limbo. I have to be able to get to any of the four community hospitals I cover within 30 minutes, and sometimes this means I spend the entire thirteen hour shift driving all over the city. On other days however, I can be sat waiting hours for a call. Today seemed to one of those days, so rather than wasting the day watching TV, checking the phone or pager every five minutes, I decided to see whether I could manage to make a decent shortcrust pastry tart/quiche and use a few leftover ingredients knocking around the fridge at the same time. I managed to make the pastry and the filling before getting called for some advice, and managed to finish baking it before going out to see a patient in the afternoon.<br />
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A Quiche Alsacienne is similar to a Quiche Lorraine, but includes onion whilst the former does not.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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250g plain flour<br />
60g white vegetable shortening, cut into cubes, straight from the fridge<br />
60g unsalted butter, cut into cubes, straight from the fridge<br />
60-70ml ice cold water<br />
pinch salt<br />
a few turns of the pepper mill<br />
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5 large eggs<br />
200ml milk (I used semi skimmed)<br />
125g grated gruyere cheese<br />
1 onion, finely chopped<br />
5 rashers (around 150g) smoked bacon, finely chopped<br />
2 tbsp cream cheese<br />
1/4 tsp dried sage<br />
black pepper to taste<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
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1. First make the pastry: Place the flour, salt, pepper and fats in a bowl. Rub the fat into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add most of the ice cold water and combine into a soft dough. If it is too dry add a little more water. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for around 30 minutes.<br />
2. Fry the bacon in a pan (i didn't use any oil because of the high fat content of the bacon), and after a minute add the onion. Fry together for a couple of minutes until the onions and bacon are cooked through. Leave to cool.<br />
3. Remove the pastry from fridge. Flour the work surface, rolling pin and both sides of the pastry disc.<br />
4. Roll the pastry out to around 2mm thickness until it is a bit wider than the tart tin (I used a rectangular loose-bottomed tin size 12" x 8"). Drape the pastry over the rolling pin and use it to pick up the pastry to place over the tin. Push the pastry into the sides and corners of the tin, then roll the pin over the top of the tin to trim off the excess.<br />
5. Place a large piece of greaseproof paper/baking parchment over the pastry, and on top of this, place ceramic baking beads, spread into an even layer. Place the tin in the fridge and rest for 20-30 minutes.<br />
6. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Place a baking tray inside the oven.<br />
7. Place the tin on the baking tray in the oven and blind bake for 15 minutes.<br />
8. Make the egg mixture. Mix the eggs, milk, cream cheese, gruyere, a few turns of the pepper mill and the sage in a mixing jug. I didn't add any extra salt because the bacon is salty.<br />
9. After 15 minutes, remove the ceramic beads and the greaseproof paper. Bake uncovered for 5-7 minutes.<br />
10. After this time, place the bacon and onion mix in the tart case and pour over the egg mixture. I did this at the oven because I can't be trusted to carry a full tart case without spilling it!<br />
11. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and set.<br />
12. Leave to cool on a cooling rack for a couple of minutes, then remove the tart tin. Both the sides and the base of the tin need to be removed otherwise the bottom of the tart will soak up the steam from the custard and become soggy. Leave to cool on the rack until ready to serve.<br />
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The photo was taken just after I had taken the tin off, but it was still too hot to remove the base! I did later, and leaving it on the cooling rack left the base lovely and crisp.<br />
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Not a bad way to spend an on call shift, all in all!munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229686.post-89413892915197626552011-11-19T00:31:00.002+00:002011-11-19T00:33:30.700+00:00The first postJust a little note to say...Welcome to my new blog, Munchymedic!<div><br /></div><div>I will be posting now and then about my vocation (medicine) and my passion (fabulous food), and sometimes the two together. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading! </div><div><br /></div><div>xxx</div>munchymedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03732206737862872242noreply@blogger.com0