Vegetarian News Round Up - 19th to 25th October 2011

My Weekly Vegetarian News Round Up

New to The Vegetarian Experience today, is a round up of the weeks Vegetarian News. This is going to be a regular feature and so I would love to hear what you think!!!

Weds 19th October
From Wirral News
Vegetarian Christmas Cookery Course being held in the Wirral on 19th of November

From Talking Retail
Linda McCartney launches two new delicious products

Thursday 20th October 
From the BBC
South Gloucestershire Church honours St Wulfstan, Patron Saint of Vegetarians

From The Express
Gary Barlow goes Meat Free for a Month

Friday 21st October
From The Argus
McDonalds twice serves Chicken as the Vegetarian Option

Monday 24th October
From Greenpeace
Vegetarians won't change the Fishing Industry  

From The Vegetarian Experience
Corrie's Betty a Vegetarian outside of the Cobbles

Tuesday 25th October
From the BBC
Budding Young Chefs take part in Vegeterian Cookery Competition

Sir Paul McCartney launches new Meat-Free Monday CookBook

Following a successful two year campaign and a huge army of supporters world wide, the Meat-Free Monday Cookbook was launched by Sir Paul McCartney yesterday, Tuesday 25th of October.  

The campaign, fronted by the McCartney family and launched in 2009, aims to encourage people to go meat-free once a week in order to help slow climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Sir Paul himself has contributed recipes to the new Cookbook, as have other celebrities such as model Twiggy, actor Kevin Spacey and chef Yotam Ottolenghi. In the book’s foreword, Sir Paul illustrates how people can “make a huge difference for the better and set a new pattern for the future of this beautiful planet that we all inhabit” by going Meat Free for just one day each week. 

The Meat Free Monday Cookbook is priced £19.99 and royalties from the 240 page, 312 recipe book will go directly back into the Meat Free Monday campaign. 

To be in with a chance of winning a free cookbook, plus other prizes, Visit the Meat Free Monday Website and enter the competition before 5pm on the 7th of November 2011.

Do you have the Meat Free Monday Cookbook yet? I would love to hear your thoughts on the recipes included!!

A visit to Hertfordshire Wine School

As part of the St Albans Food and Drink Festival a few weeks ago, I was invited by fellow St Albans food blogger Ren from Fabulicious Food to join her and Heidi from Heidi's Kitchen Talk for a night of Wine Tasting at Hertfordshire Wine School.

I am a firm believer in drinking quality wine rather than large quantities of wine. Having spent a couple of summers visiting the Wineries of Temecula in California, where my passion for quality wine was ignited, I discovered that you can always remember the taste of a good wine just by thinking of it. I can still taste the amazing Almond Champagne and Port served in a chocolate cup from Wilson Creek Winery, the delicious Summers End Dessert Wine from Maurice Carrie, and the Cabernet Sauvignon from Bella Vista, one of my favourite wineries. I am quite often loathe to buy wine in the supermarket to drink myself and prefer to shop at more independent retailers where more often than not, I will have a chance to taste the wine before purchasing. I am always much more likely to purchase wine after tasting than not. During the last couple of years, I have also attended tastings held by Julia from Flagship Wines in St Albans, and so I was eager to see what Hertfordshire Wine School had to offer to whet my palette.

Hertfordshire Wine School run wine tastings and wine courses for people who enjoy wine and would like to learn more. Hertfordshire wine school focuses on educating people about different types of wine, as well as tasting and picking out the hints and flavours which the wine evokes.There are a range of different courses to suit different needs, from a one night drop in, to 4 week, eight week and professional courses. We attended one evening of the World of Wine course. The evening concentrated on wines from Chile and Argentina. There were probably around 20 to 25 people on the night that we went, and we all sat round tables with wine glasses, note pads and pens at the ready.

David Rough, our wine expert started by giving us a background into wine. Did you know that there are over 1000 grape varieties in the world?

The most common red grape varieties are
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah Shiraz
Merlot
Pinot Noir

The most common whites are
Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc

Other grape varieties include Riesling, Muscat, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Rioja, Chianti and the Cab Franc grape.

David then gave us a whistle stop tour through the other wine growing regions of the world before we concentrated on Chile and Argentina.

Australia  
Australian wine has certitude, you know what you are getting with Australian wine

New Zealand  
The most popular wines are the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc

France
There can be confusion with French wine as the labels dont typically give you the grape variety

Argentina
The 5th largest producer of wine in the world.,90 percent of the wine produced stays within the country. Argentina has a continental climate and the best vineyards are at altitude. The key grapes are the Malbec and Torrontes although others include the Cereza, Criola Grande, edro Giminez, Moscatel Rojado, Syrah, Muscat and Merlot.

Chile
Chile is surrounded by deserts and Mountains on three sides. The vineyards are irrigated by melting snow from the Andes and Chile doesn't suffer from the phylloxera louse which ruins many other wine crops worldwide, and so lots of decent wine is produced at a decent price. Much of the wine from here is exported to the USA and the UK. Chilean grapes include the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere, Syrah and pinot Noir. The most popular vineyards in Chile are Casillero del Diablo and Candra Y Toro.

After out brief introduction, we moved on to the wines that we were actually going to focus on and taste during the evening.

The Wines

2010 Faldeos Nevados from Argentina and priced £6.95 from The Wine Society. 
This wine had hints of elderflower and peach, was very drinkable and was a good alternative from more tradiitonal dry white wines. I gave this wine an 8/10 and this was my second favourite wine of the night.

2010 Cono Sur, Gewurztrauminer from Chile and priced £6.90 from Sainsburys. This wine is good for Asian or spicy food and is a young, clean, intense wine with a golden colour. I gave this wine a 5/10.

2008 Rosado del Malbec from Argentina, priced £13.00 from www.ruta40.com. This wine had a strawberry like taste with hints of liquorice and acidic after taste. I gave this wine a 6 /10.

2008 Nostros Gran Reserva Merlot from Chile, priced £8.41 from Cellar Door Wines, St Albans. Aged in Oak, this full bodied wine with hints of mint, capiscum and berries is very popular in Chile and goes well with tomato based dishes. I gave it a 7/10.

2006 Bodega Alessandro Speri Prodigo, Malbec, priced £16.00 from www.ruta40.com. Matured for 4 months in french oak and aged in the bottle for 5 years, this wine has lots of link and contains hints of oak and cherries. This wine is great for including in dishes cooked in the slow cooker and goes well with winter foods including steak and casserole and I have it a 5/10.

2010 Lacar,Carmenere from Chile, priced £4.95 from The Wine Society. Often called the 'Lost Grape of Bordeaux', this is a full bodied, rich red wine. I gave this wine a 6/10.

2008 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, priced £7.49 from Waitrose This is a good value, good aging, medum to high alcohol wine. It contains blackberry and mint flavours and goes well with hard cheeses and fruity dishes. I gave this wine a 6/10.

2010 Las Moras Late Harvest Viognier, from Argentina, priced £8.95 from Grapeland, St Albans. As I absolutely love a good dessert wine, this was by far my favourite wine of the night.High in sugar and 11 percent alcohol, this wine tasted of aprictos and peaches. It tasted amazing and contrasted really well with the St Agur Cheese. I gave this wine an 11/10 as it was so delicious!!

I had a wonderful evening wine tasting at the Hertfordshire Wine School. It was so interesting to find out a bit about the background to the wine that we were drinking and to pick out the different flavours in the wines. I will definitely be sourcing the Viognier as the taste has stayed with me. Do you have a memorable bottle of wine or have you had a memorable wine tasting evening?

Thanks to David for a fantastic evening. Visit the Hertfordshire Wine School Website to find out more about the courses available.

Betty Driver famed for her Hotpot was actually a Vegetarian

This weekend, the stars of Coronation Street said farewell to one of their best loved and oldest residents, Betty Driver. Betty appeared in a staggering 2800 episodes between 1969 and 2011 as barmaid Betty Williams, and was famed for her delicious Hotpots. However, in real life, Betty Driver was actually a self-confessed awful cook and staunch vegetarian. 

As a tribute to Betty and how much she will be missed, there is a recipe for a vegan version of Betty's Hotpot on the PETA website 

RIP Betty, thanks for the wonderful memories.

Slow Cooked Vegetable Stew

When I popped into the supermarket last thing at night last week, I found a stew pack reduced to 10 pence and two courgettes reduced to 6 pence. So after being inspired to use my slow cooker more by Claire over at Being a Mummy, and never one to resist a budget meal, I decided to turn my food bargains into a delicious Vegetable Stew for Meat Free Monday.

Stew makes a healthy, tasty meal, especially as the cold nights set in. It is also an ideal way to use up any left over vegetables. You can make a stew go even further by adding any kind of lentils or beans. Additionally, this vegetable stew can be frozen as a whole dish, or individually portioned to defrost for a quick dinner if others in the family have eaten. I think that stew makes a great Meat Free Monday dish as it can be prepared beforehand at the weekend, or left to cook throughout the day. So by planning ahead you don't have to worry about rushing home to prepare dinner.

 

Here is a basic method for cooking stew if you have not cooked one before.

Basic Stew Method

1. In a large pan, brown the meat or vegetarian meat substitute (if using) in some oil over a high heat and remove to a plate once browned.
2. Over a medium heat, add some oil and fry the onion until softened and browned, if adding garlic or spices, add them now and stir for around a minute.
3. Add the chopped vegetables and any meat or substitutes back into the pan. You could also add flour to thicken the stew if required.
4. Next, add the liquid and herbs. Stir well and bring to a simmer on a medium to high heat. Once the contents are simmering, turn the heat down to low.
5. Either transfer to the slow cooker, or cover with a pan lid and leave to cook until the meat and vegetables are tender. Check and stir regularly during cooking.
6. You can add flour to thicken the mixture or water if the mixture if too thick, to even out the mixture. As a guide, the liquid should just cover the contents.

For my Vegetable Stew, I swapped the white onion in the stew pack for a red to add extra colour and flavour. I also coated the vegetables in honey before transferring them to the slow cooker to give them a slightly sweeter flavour. 

Ingredients

1 Onion (I used red, but either white or red is fine)
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced
3 Parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 Swede, peeled and sliced
2 Courgettes
1 x tin of Cannellini Beans
2 x tins of Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Plain Flour
400-500 ml Vegetable Stock
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp of mild Chilli Powder
Salt and Pepper
splash of Worcestershire Sauce

Method

1. Fry the onion in some oil over a medium heat and saute until transparent (typically about 5mins)
2. Add the rest of the vegetables and a little more oil, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly
3. Add 2bsp of Honey to the vegetables and stir to distribute the honey evenly between the vegetables,  Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes and then transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker.
4. Now add the cannellini beans, tinned tomatoes, mustard seeds, chilli powder, paprika and flour to the slow cooker .
5. Pour the vegetable stock in slowly, a bit at a time and stir. Keep on adding until the vegetables are just covered with the liquid.
6. Add some salt and pepper and a splash of worcestershire sauce to taste
7. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours until the vegetables are tender and the ingredients have combined.
8. Serve with some rice, crusty bread or potatoes

Vegetarian Shepherdess Pie

I have previously featured the Italian version of Shepherds pie on my blog, but today, I am blogging about the good old traditional version of the dish. 

Shepherds pie is typically associated with mutton or lamb. The vegetarian version is generally known as Shepherdess pie. As well as using soya mince or tofu, you could also add baked beans or any kind of other beans, and lentils to bulk out the dish more.

Shepherdess pie is a great family dish for a cold evening and can be eaten with the traditional potato and veg combo, or garlic bread and salad. It is an ideal dish to serve on bonfire night, along with jacket potatoes and tomato soup. It is also great for freezing uncooked and delicious as left overs, as it tastes even better the next day when the ingredients have fused together.

Ingredients
Olive Oil
500g Vegetarian Mince
1 Onion, peeled and sliced
100g Mushrooms, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 tbsp Flour
300ml Vegetable stock
2tbsp Tomato puree
1 tin of Tomatoes
1 tsp Mixed Herbs
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper
800g Potatoes
25g Butter
45ml Milk

Method

1. Take a large saucepan and fry the onion in some oil over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms and carrots and fry for about 5 minutes.
2. Next, add the mince and more oil as needed and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute, then gradually blend in the tomatoes, stock, tomato puree, worcestershire sauce and herbs, and season to taste.
4. Cook, stirring until the mixture thickens and boils. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Once cooked, transfer the mince into an ovenproof dish and allow to cool a little.
6. Meanwhile, peel and cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender.
7. Drain well and mash with butter and milk.
8. Cover the mince mixture with potato. You can also grate some cheese over the top if desired.
9. Bake at 190 degrees, gas mark 5 for 30 to 45 minutes.

  

Being a Vegetarian in Goa

I have blogged before here about my old bosses John and Jo, who I used to work with in a restaurant until they emigrated from south east England to Goa in south west India. Jo is a vegetarian and kindly agreed to guest blog to give an insight into what it is like being a vegetarian in Goa. 

Hi, I am Joanne. Since leaving the hectic life of restaurants and bars, six years ago, my husband John and I have had the most wonderful time spending it in Goa and Malaysia. That is why Clare asked me to write about my experiences of being a vegetarian in Goa.

First, I would like to make it clear that Goa is a small state; my experiences here may not be the same in the cities, such as Mumbai, Bangalore, or Delhi.

When we first came to Goa, I can honestly say shopping was a complete culture shock. Being used to jumping in a car and dashing to Tesco or Asda, and buying everything under one roof, was not the protocol here. To begin with, we had no car, so we would take a rickety bus into the nearby town, of Panajigo to ten different shops, as well as the veg and fruit market. This would usually take most of the day.

Things changed once we had the car. I found a mini mart on the main highway, smaller than a Tesco Extra, but sells all the dry products that I need for a week. I also get my pulses from here, they are already weighed and bagged, at the shop with also a use by date, they become a few rupees more but in the market, lentils and beans are stored in sacks, and goodness only knows what has got inside them. (More about that later.)

Over the last few years larger supermarkets have appeared. I do use them, but as they are in the tourist areas, they are very sneaky. On most products printed on the packet, tin or bottle is a manufacture date, best before x amount of months and the rupee price. What you have to be sure to look for is that they have not put their own price sticker over the rupee price, and marked it up, covered over the sell by date, or even more cheeky, are selling items that should be free with other products. For example, buy 1 washing up liquid and get a bottle of window cleaner free and they sell the free window cleaner for market price.

What I find I miss the most is my soya products. Soya meat is sold, but very 70’s, dried granules or soya chunks that need to be soaked overnight, and drained really well. It took me a while to get the texture right, in the end I gave up on the instructions. I pour boiling water on the granules then leave it for a good 1-2hours, then drain for another 2 hours in a colander, leave it overnight in the fridge, by the next day it is more or less like frozen soya meat.

I must say the chunks are like eating a bath sponge!

Vegetables and fruit, you can’t go wrong here. Tomatoes, onions, and Potatoes 20 rupees a kilo, (25p)

This is my normal weekly vegetables and fruit, all this £8

The reason I use so many tomatoes, is that tinned tomatoes and cook in sauces are very expensive; it is much more cost effective to make my own with fresh tomatoes. Curry sauces are in an abundance, they are in powder form, just add water or yoghurt, but I find these all taste the same.

As you can see veg is not a difficult thing to buy, and cheap, that is why I cannot understand why veggie curries here comprise of teeny tiny bits of cauliflower, green beans, potato, carrot and green pepper. Salad too is a great bugbear with me, a side plate of shredded cabbage, onion, cucumber, and carrot, with watered down mayo, and they charge you over a pound for this!

The markets certainly have no hygiene standards, garbage is a big problem, outside is littered with wicker baskets full of rotting fruit and veg, which has an unbearable smell either when it is hot or the rainy season, and the garbage is floating down the street. It is not uncommon when you are picking through your veg for you to see a cockroach dart under the nearest tomato, or see the odd rat scamper out of a sack. I make sure when I get home I soak all the veg, and then rinse it again before I put it in the fridge.

When we went to Singapore, I invested in a slow cooker and this has been a godsend. Soups here are nothing to shout about, even in restaurants you are given good old Maggi soup, and generally with a layer of grease from being cooked in a wok. The slow cooker is on every day, cooking a different soup, and excellent for cooking casseroles ready and waiting after a day on the beach.

In all the years I have been here, I can honestly say that the restaurants which sell good vegetarian food are in the North and South of Goa. Most have an excellent choice of international as well as Indian and Chinese vegetarian food. Sadly, you can only go to these restaurants in season time, October – April. Around my area, of Candolim, Calangute, and Baga, I find the vegetarian options very limited, usually of poor quality, and much more expensive compared to Arambol in the North and Palolem in the south. You naturally think India, and vegetarian food. Well Goa is predominantly a Catholic state; hence, you will find most menus selling Goan specialties, all containing meat, fish, or poultry. The most common being their fish curry. Mind you if a meat-eating tourist saw in what conditions the meat was sold in, then there would be an increase of vegetarians! There was also a recent report in the paper that more Hindus are now eating meat, fish, and poultry.

Therefore, when I am out for an evening, I always opt for the tandoori paneer, a creamy cheese that is made from milk and lemon juice, hung in muslin then the moisture pressed out until firm. I love it. I fry it and have with salad, or for breakfast with tomatoes and basil, it is a cross between feta and goats cheese. It makes a lovely curry with mushrooms and or peas, and I often fry tiny bits and put into a vegetable rice or biryani.

To be honest we generally eat at home, unless we have visitors or we go for a few days up North or down South to stay in a coco hut on the beach. It helps that I love cooking, making a meal from scratch, and trying out new recipes, be it from cookbooks or my own inventions.

Well, I hope this has given you some insight into being a vegetarian in India, thanks to Clare for featuring me on The Vegetarian Experience.

Joanne Rawson

Chocolate Mousse - National Chocolate Week

Today, I am featuring Chocolate Mousse on the blog. I rarely need a reason to eat chocolate, but this week I have an extra incentive as it is National Chocolate Week. Did you know that the average person in the UK consumes just under 7oz of chocolate a week? I tend to eat chocolate in cakes, biscuits and desserts rather than chocolate bars, as I find if I have chocolate bars in the house on a regular basis, they are eaten at an alarming rate. 

Chocolate has been consumed in the UK since 1650. Due to it's physical and mood enhancing qualities, it was one of the most important medicines carried by an apothecarie. So whenever you feel the need for chocolate, you have any excuse as you could say it is just what the doctor ordered!!

I chose to make this Chocolate Mousse for National Chocolate Week as it is really light and tasty. I also liked the idea of making an adult boozy version and child's version. I have adapted the recipe from Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals recipe book. As my kids are not allowed chocolate bars often, this is a great treat for them. They love to it eat on its own and also use it as a dip for fruit.

National Chocolate week is running from the 10th to the 16th of October. For more info go to the Chocolate Week website or follow Chocolate week on Twitter.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients
300g of Milk or Dark Chocolate (I chose milk)
1 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Golden Caster Sugar
300ml Double Cream
1tsp Vanilla Extract
2 large Eggs
A splash of Brandy, Baileys, grand Marnier or Armagnac
Cocoa Powder/Icing Sugar/Golden Syrup for decorating
Fruit to decorate (or mint chocolate pieces if using baileys)

Method

1. Boil the kettle and fill a pan 1/3 full of boiling water.
2. With the chocolate still in the wrapper, take a large rolling pin and smash the chocolate into small pieces.
3. Take a heat-proof bowl, add the chocolate and butter, heat over a pan of simmering water and  leave to melt, stirring occasionally.
4. In a separate bowl, add the golden caster sugar, whipped cream and vanilla extract together and whip until the mixture forms soft peaks.
5. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in with the whipped cream and the whites in another mixing bowl. Stir the yolks through the cream mixture to combine.
6. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites in the other bowl and whisk until stiff.
7. By this time, the chocolate should have melted, so spoon it into the bowl with the whipped cream and mix well. At this point you can also add a swig of your favourite liqueur and stir through. (I separated some mousse for the children, before adding baileys to the mixture for the grown-ups.)
8. Gently fold the egg whites through your mixture with a spatula (do this for both if having a grown-up and child version).

   

Marmite Pasta

Marmite - you either love it or you hate it. Personally, I am not keen, but hubby and the kids seem to like marmite, so it is still a staple in our house. As well as scoring brownie points for being vegetarian, marmite is also low in fat, and low in sugar. Additionally, it is a good source of B vitamins, especially B12 which many vegetarians don't often get enough of. Marmite also contains folic acid - so it is a great food for those who are pregnant too.

I came across a recipe for Marmite Spaghetti in the Nigella "Kitchen" recipe book and have been meaning to make it for a while, as I was intrigued to see whether I like marmite in a recipe rather than on its own.

This recipe originates from Anna Del Contes memoirs Risotto with Nettles. Nigella suggests that the water to cook the pasta in should be as salty as in the Mediterranean, and that the pasta should be con la goccia -  have some of the cooking water still clinging to it so that the sauce amalgamates with the pasta more easily. I added 200g of chopped and quartered baby tomatoes, to add colour, flavour and texture to the dish. 

This makes a great recipe for those on a budget and I am glad to say, actually tastes a lot nicer than it sounds. It is also a really quick and easy tea to make and can be on the table within 20 minutes. It is best served with lashings of cheese. Parmesan works really well due to its salty flavour, although eldest had hers with cheddar since she is not keen on parmesan. We used pasta spirals rather than spaghetti, as I had them in the cupboard and find that they are more toddler friendly. 

I am glad to say that I have found a dish with marmite that I like. The flavours amalgamate really well and the sweetness of the tomatoes really complemented the marmite and parmesan and toned down the bitterness that I tend to taste in marmite on its own. Even if you are a marmite hater, I would urge you to try this recipe and see if it doesn't change your mind. As a vegetarian, I am determined to up my marmite intake as it seems like such a good food product for a vegetarian to eat.

Marmite Pasta

Ingredients
375g dried Spaghetti or pasta shapes
50g unsalted Butter
2 tsp Marmite
200g Cherry Tomatoes, chopped and quartered
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese to serve

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water, as per the packet instructions.
2. When the pasta is almost ready, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the marmite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve. Save half a cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and pour the marmite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little of the reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pasta just before serving and mix together to combine evenly.
4. Serve with plenty of parmesan cheese

Semolina

When I think of Semolina, my mind immediately casts back to my school days and the semolina we used to eat during school dinners. We used to have it twice a week, once with jam and once as a chocolate semolina pudding. The semolina served at school was never amazing, it was always ether too runny, too stodgy or not sweet enough. I think this is the reason I have steered clear of making semolina for so long, but as the cold weather begins to arrive, I am trying to find warm puddings to serve to the family and as I had some semolina to use up from another recipe, I thought I would give it a go.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with how my pudding turned out. The semolina tasted really light and warmed us all up. I served our semolina with jam, but some other good ingredients to include in semolina are chocolate, sultanas and golden syrup, or in fact, anything you fancy. For little ones who aren't keen on trying new foods, maybe something like edible glitter or some sprinkles might entice them to give it a go. Thankfully, my two aren't too fussy and so wolfed theirs down at tea time.

So this got me thinking, what were your best or worst school dinner memories and have you cooked the dish as an adult to see if it is improved, or did it put you off for life?

Semolina

Ingredients
700 ml Milk
50g Semolina
35g Caster Sugar
25g Butter
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Nutmeg

Method

1. Heat the milk in a pan until luke warm.
2. Stir in the semolina slowly and continue to stir until it comes to the boil and thickens.
3. Add the sugar, butter and cinnamon and stir until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined.
4. Remove from the heat and transfer into a greased ovenproof dish.
5. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the top.
6. Cook at 160 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the skin looks set on the top.

   

Making bread at school

Eldest started in reception at the beginning of the year, and has had so much fun since they keep her so busy all day doing new activities. On Friday, she made bread at school as part of the harvest celebrations. She bought the bread roll home and was so proud that she had made it completely by herself, that she wanted to make her own tea using her bread roll. 

As eldest knows that Mummy writes a food blog, she asked if she could talk about her bread roll on my blog. We cooked a lot at home before she went to school, and we still do, so I think that it's great that she is so excited about food that she makes, and wants to share her achievements with the world. So here she is, talking about making bread at school and creating her Jam and apple bread roll, which she served with cheese. 

                                                                                

Apple Pie

Today I am featuring one of my favourite puddings - Apple Pie. I love Apple Pie - whether it be cold, warm, served with cream, ice cream, or on its own, you can guarantee that come Autumn, my mind turns to a glut of falling apples and the pies and puddings I can make. Apples grow plentifully in this country - I'm sure we all know someone with an apple tree in their garden, or know of an apple tree in a public place where we can collect windswept apples.

Indeed, I have been lucky enough this Autumn to collect apples from outside eldest's school, as someone in the cottages has apples-a-plenty and has been leaving them in a wheel barrow outside the house for anyone to collect. (If you have a fruit tree or have grown  a lot of vegetables you cannot use, why not consider doing that too, or perhaps asking for a donation to charity).

Knowing the origins of what you are eating often adds an extra dimension to the food and it is also great to share it with the kids so that they can learn about where their food comes from and value the experience of eating different dishes. (Warning: history of food lesson beginning).

So where did the apple pie originate from and when? Although these days Apple Pie is more synonymous with America, the Apple Pie dates back to the 1300's in England as this recipe for "Tartys in Applis" shows.

In the 1300's the pastry was only meant to be a "cofyn" for the pie and not meant to eaten. Generally, the pie didn't contain sugar as this was too expensive a commodity. It wasn't until the 1600's that sugar was added and the pastry began to be eaten.

This cookbook from the mid 16th century english tudor period: A Proper newe Booke of Cokerye contained a recipe for apple pie. 

To make pyes of grene apples - Take your apples and pare them cleane and core them as ye wyll a Quince, then make youre coffyn after this maner, take a lyttle fayre water and half a dyche of butter and a little Saffron, and sette all this upon a chafyngdyshe tyll it be hoate then temper your flower with this sayd licuor, and the whyte of two egges and also make your coffyn and ceason your apples with Sinemone,Gynger and Suger ynoughe. Then putte them into your coffin and laye halfe a dyshe of butter above them and so close your coffin, and so bake them.

The Dutch apple pie from Denmark contains ingredients such as cinnamon or lemon juice and is typically decorated in a lattice style. Some dutch apple pies may also contain raisins or icing. The dutch apple pie goes back centuries, a painting from the Dutch Golden Age, dated 1626 depicts a latticed apple pie. 

In the 17th century american colonial times, crab apples were the only apples native to the USA and were called "winter banana". They were widely used in America to make apple pie. In season, a pie was baked with fresh apples and out of season, the apples were dried, stored and used. The 1796 book titled "American Cookery" by Amelia Simmons contained 2 recipes for apple pie:

Apple Pie - Stew and ftrain the apples, to every three pints, grate the peel of a frefh lemon, add cinnamon, mace, rofe-water and fugar to your tafte - and bake in pafte No. 3.

A Buttered Apple Pie - Pare, quarter and core tart apples, lay in pafte   No.3, cover with the fame; bake half an hour, when drawn, gently raise the top cruft, add fugar, butter, cinnamon, mace, wine or rosf-water.

So there you have it, a brief tour of Apple pie making in different lands. So onto the way that like to make Apple Pie.... I am all about the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice as I think it adds extra sweetness to the pie and the smell of the pie whilst cooking is phenomenal. So here is my recipe for apple pie - enjoy!

Ingredients

Pastry
225g Butter - room temperature
50g Golden Caster Sugar, plus extra
2 eggs
350g Plain Flour

Filling
1kg Cooking Apples
140g Golden Caster Sugar
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Nutmeg
1tsp Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp Flour

Method

1. Quarter, core, peel and slice the apples and lay evenly on a baking tray covered with a layer of paper towels. Next, place paper towels over the top of the apples and set aside whilst you make and chill the pastry.
2. For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed. Break a whole egg in and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat the mixture together for about a minute until it resembles scrambled egg. Taking a wooden spoon, work in the flour, a third at a time until clumps begin to form. Finish by gathering it together with your hands. Work the dough together until it forms a ball and then wrap it in cling film and chill for 45 minutes.
3. In a bowl that is large enough to accommodate the apples, mix together the 140g of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and lemon juice. Add the apples to the bowl . 
4. When the pastry has chilled, heat the oven to 190 degrees, gas mark 5. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Cut off a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped in the clingfilm. Roll the remaining pastry and use to line the pie tin.
5. Add the apple mixture to the pie tin.
6. Roll out the remaining pastry to make the pie lid. Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the lid over the apples, pressing the edges together to seal.
7. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and pierce the lid a few times to allow steam to escape.
8. Brush with the reserved egg white and sprinkle caster sugar over the top
9. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until golden, remove, and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve whilst still warm.

  

I am entering my apple pie into the Simple and in Season blogging event over at Fabulicious Food

MAD Blog Awards

On Friday night, I was fortunate enough to attend the MAD blog awards. Over 50,000 nominations and votes were made for the MAD blog awards and over 2 million views of the #madblogawards hashtag were made on Friday night, proving that this indeed was one of the highlights of the blogging calendar. I felt extremely lucky to have won my ticket by entering a competition on the MADS website and was excited to find out what the MAD awards were all about.

I must admit that once I arrived, me and my new little blog didn't feel worthy to be in a room of 70 of the UK's supreme bloggers. I felt distinctly overwhelmed and over awed and even secretly plotted my escape route in my head at one point. Luckily though, I soon found that the MADS finalists were very adept at small talk and also very friendly and approachable. I soon struck up conversation with many lovely bloggers including Kylie from Not even a bag of sugar, Luschka from Diary of a First Child, Tom from Diary of the Dad and the lovely Donna and Elizabeth from Mummy Central, who travelled all the way from Scotland to attend the event.

The night was held at The Talk Talk Experience Centre in Soho, London and was absolutely fantastic. I had a fab time and thanks to Sally and the Mad Blog Awards team for providing gold tickets to such a lovely event.

If you missed the MAD blog awards action, then you can read about the night on the live blog feed here. Congratulations to all of the very worthy winners and congratulations to all of the finalists for being nominated so highly too. Here is a list of the winners on the night. I would encourage you to visit their blogs and see what they have to offer:

Best MAD Baby Blog

Diary of the Dad Tom (@tombriggs79) writes about life with his first child and announced that number 2 is on the way as he accepted his award.

Best MAD Blog of the Year

The Imagination Tree A blog by Anna (@imaginationtree) about creative preschool play - lots of fab ideas.

Most MAD Family Life Blog

Northern Mum A Northern Mum with southern children, Jane (@northernmum1) blogs about parenting and family life.

Best MAD Craft Blog

Red Ted Art A great blog with lots of craft ideas by Maggie (@RedTedArt).

Best MAD Blog for Family Fun

A Mother’s Ramblings Written by the lovely Pippa’s (@pippad) who is extremely lovely and friendly.

Best Pregnancy Blog

Is There a Plan B Apparently in blogging, yes there is - in the shape of writing an award winning pregnancy blog!

Best MAD Food Blogger

Cooking, Cakes and Children Amy (@amylane) bakes delicious cakes which look really tasty.

Most Innovative MAD Blog

Geek Mummy Ruth (@geekmummy) blogs about all things geek and can typically be found with a camera in her hand.

Most Inspiring MAD Blogger

A Boy with Asperger’s Claire Louise's (@clairelouise82)  frank description of life living with an autistic child.

Best New MAD Blog

Mammy Woo  Lexy (@mammywoo) blogs about developing postnatal depression after the birth of her son.

Best MAD Blog Photography

Tales from the Village Written by Rachael (@karamina).

Best Pre-School Fun MAD Blog

Red Ted Art 

Best MAD Small Business Blog

The Mummy Whisperer  Lisa (@mummywhisperer), shares her wisdom on parenting and organising your life.

Best MAD Blog Writer

More Than Just a Mother Extreme parenting advice from Emily (@mtjam).

MAD Blog Post of the Year

Carol from Dance without sleeping.

Dance Without Sleeping – Hi, My Name is Carol and I Have Depression