I must have been one of the few recipe blog writers who did not dash out to the cinema when Julie & Julia was released. The subject matter of food aside I really did not feel connected to it. I knew none of the history of Julia Child or the blogger whom she inspired. I am British, and for me,  this was a story for an American audience.  A short while ago I heard it was being released on DVD and, by this point, my daily fills of South American “telenovelas” and the all too frequently repeated American Comedies were waying heavy on my sanity. I needed something new to watch.

The thing is, with the benefit of hind sight, I do not really comprehend why I lacked interest before. I love food, adore it. Its why I am  a little on the chunky side. I also happen to admire the various works of Meryl Streep who plays the role of Julia Child so charmingly. But I digress. I finally saw the movie, and with no knowledge of who either Julie or Julia were.

Julia Child is of course most famous for taking the finer points of French cuisine to the American masses. Her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking introduced bouillabaisse, sole meunière and countless other french dishes to suburban America. Julie Power, on the other hand, achieved her fame through blogging – those in the know will know this to be the Julie/Julia Project

The second viewing, blessed with a little history on the two main characters really did help me appreciate it far better. I no longer wanted to throttle Meryl Streep´s Julia for the accent – yes, I´m sorry, the accent nearly drove me to distraction. By the second viewing I could settle down and appreciate the movie for what it was – a tale of two very different, but equally exceptional, women.

For me, as much as I admired the achievements of Julia Child I was drawn in some inexcusable way to dear Julie.I felt myself identifying with her. She was very human, and very easy to connect with because she isn´t perfect – and the actress did a fine job of putting that across. She is no angel, and I like that. It helped me appreciate the film in a way I wasn´t really sure was possible – sure, I love food and cooking, but I had not been drawn to the movie before purely and simply because I presumed that the story would be celebrating yet more women who fit in with the feminine ideal of chef in the kitchen, yes, you can work out the rest for yourselves.

I´ll be the first to admit I was wrong. The movie was, well, it was positively charming. Setting aside the accent which drove me to distraction during the first viewing, the acting was faultless. Now blessed with knowledge of who Julia Child was I feel I can really appreciate Meryl Streeps portrayal. It as re-aroused my interest in both this film genre and in French cuisine in general!

Incidentally, for interested parties, the special edition comes with a small cookbook – containing extracts from Julia Child´s book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”.  I read this from cover to cover, and was instantly enthralled by some old favourites experience on various vacations to France when I was a child. For this alone it was well worth it! Check out amazon.co.uk for further information – Julie and Julia [DVD] [2009]

Much much later addition -Of course now I have found the other blog of Julie. It makes interesting reading. Particularly suprised she seems to have become the victim of name callers. There are some spiteful jealous minded individuals in this world.

French Crepes are delicate pancakes and are the most wonderful pancake. I first experienced when on holiday in Brittany as a child. I adored them, and quickly realised that my own family´s pancake was much more like the traditional french crepe than the British. To this day we do not understand why this was the case – that said, it could have been because my family were into economising rather than any gastromic intent!

The following recipe will make around 15 crepes.

Ingredients
2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups Whole Milk
4 Eggs
2 tbsp. Butter (melted and slightly cooled)
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Vanilla Stalk or Few Drops Vanilla Extract
Oil (for coating pan)

• Sift flour into a bowl and add the salt.
• Make a well and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir thoroughly.
• Slowly pour in milk whilst continuing to stir, and continue to do so until small bubbles form on the surface.
• Stir in Butter.
• As with any pancake never use too much oil, they will be ruined. Pour a little vegetable oil on a folded paper towel, and wipe the pan evenly. Keep this towel to hand just in case you want to give the pan another wipe.
• Pour in 2 – 3 tbsp. of batter and quickly move pan around, ensuring that the batter spreads evenly. It should be a very thin even layer – as the crepe is thin and delicate – much much thinner than both the British and American.
• Let cook for aound one minute. Flip the pancake, and cook other side – this should take no more than around 30 seconds.

Serve crepes folded into quarters. Delicious topped with just Lemon and Sugar, as with the British/Traditional Pancake. But absolutely devine served as a desert in the form of Crepes suzette (one day I will post my recipe for this delightful dish I promise).

Whilst I do maintain that British or Traditional Pancakes will always be my firm favourite, I also believe that there is a time and place for every type of pancake. American Pancakes are so good on a morning, and they are (for me) the perfect comfort food when accompanied with a large knob of butter and a substantial drizzle of rich sweet maple syrup. One of my favourite breakfast indulgences is what we Brits term as the American Breakfast – where this lovely combination is joined with a couple of rashes of bacon. Delightful!

Ingredients

135g/4¾oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
130ml/4½fl oz milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp cooled melted butter

Method

• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. Ensure you hover the sieve above the bowl so as to give it a good airing.
• In a jug, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the cooled melted butter.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the milk mixture into the well and, using a fork, beat until you have a smooth batter.Do not worry too much about lumps in the early stages as they will soon disapear with a thorough mixing.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter or small drizzle of oil. Add a ladle of batter into the center. The pancake batter should be fairly thick.
• Leave until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, gently tease up the outside and check the color – if slightly golden then proceed turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to about 1cm thick.
• Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if you are doing a large quantity – but if its just you and a friend eat as soon as finished!

My Favourite Toppings.

1. Maple Syrup & Butter
2. Maple Syrup & Streaky bacon
3. Sliced banana & Maple Syrup
4. Blueberries (superb mixed in with batter) and er, maple syrup.
5. For god sakes, I just cannot have American pancakes without lashings of Maple Syrup – did you notice?

Forget Valentines Day, February is all about pancake day for me!

My family always honoured this tradition, and it is one I have never stopped following. Today I am going to provide two of my favourite pancake recipes – British & American. I will also suggest a perfect array of toppings to go with each – both sweet and savoury – to suit your tastes!

Firstly we are going to kick off with what our family refer to as “Traditional Pancakes”, which are British.

Ingredients

For the pancake mixture:

220g/8oz plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 pint of milk
50g/2oz butter

Method for making the batter

• Sieve the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. The sieve must be held high above the bowl so the flour gets a really good airing.
• Create a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.
• Whisk the eggs making sure any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl are throughly mixed in with the egg.
• Gradually add small quantities of the milk, whilst continuing to whisk.
• Whisk until the batter is smooth and  with the consistency of single cream.
• Melt a small quantity of butter (although in Spain I tend to use Oil now with equally good results).
• Spoon around 2 tbsp of the melted butter or oil into the batter and whisk it in.
• Leave the batter to stand for at least 30 minutes.
• Your pan must be really add. Place a small quantity of butter or oil into the spam and wipe over with  piece of kitchen towel to distribute and coat the pan.
• Add about 2 tablespoons of the batter mixture and as soon as it hits the pan swirl to get the pan evenly coated. It should be a nice thin pancake – slightly thicker than a french crepe but significantly less than an American pancake
• With real care lift the edge of the cooked pancake with a palette knife to check if it tinged gold at the bottom
• Flip the pancake over with a  palette knife to begin cooking the other side – you could flip it if you wish, and I am rather practiced at the art, but do be prepared to lose a few if you do!
• Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate. We tend to have a slightly warm oven and keep them in there until all are ready

Favourite Toppings

Sweet

1. Lemon Juice & Sugar. Absolute Divine.
2. Orange Sauce. (my own recipe). Place 1/2 a litre of orange juice in a pan with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring to boil and reduce heat, then simmer gently until thick.
3. Cherry Sauce. Destone fresh cherries or buy a tin. Heat in a pan with around 2 tablespoons of sugar until thick. Served with vanilla ice cream.
4. Chocolate Sauce
5. Toffee Sauce

Savoury

1. Melted Cheese
2. Soft Goats Cheese & Mushroom

I received a couple of requests for valentines day recipes and whilst normally I would oblige I could not motivate myself to post anything. I just do not celebrate the day and much prefer to hide myself away from the commercialised stomach churning madness.

I guess I am just not a romantic!

So here is my families recipe for Digestive Biscuits. A biscuit that is just that touch healthier without losing any of the flavour.  When I was a child we would always serve them with a slice of cheese and a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea.

Ingredients
2 oz of whole-wheat flour
2 oz medium oatmeal
1 oz soft brown sugar
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Small pinch of salt
2 oz cold butter – diced
½ to 1 tbsp whole milk

Method
Lightly grease a baking tray
Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius or gas mark 4
Cut two large pieces of cling film

Sift together all of the dry ingredients (return the bran from the whole wheat flour to the bowl), rub in the butter to a breadcrumb like texture. Add sufficient milk to create a moist pastry like consistency, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes

It is important to roll this dough out between two sheets of cling film as it is quite delicate – should be about 3 mm thick. Cut out with a plain biscuit cutter and transfer the biscuits onto the prepared baking tray using a palette knife

Place in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golden brown – they must also be firm to the touch
Remove from the oven and leave to rest on the baking tray for five minutes before transferring onto a wire rack
These biscuits will keep for 2 days in an airtight tin

These are nice coated with chocolate ganache made with equal parts of dark chocolate and double cream

I think a great many of us have had to live on a very small food budget for at least some part of our lives. I know I have, and not too long ago either (a few weeks at most). Luckily I have an entire family history´s of recipes which are cheap and cheerful whilst not sacrificing any flavour or nutritional value!

This is why I have decided to highlight ckmhome.co.uk – currently offering two free book downloads of meals which help you live well on a very tight food budget.

Go check out their site now and if you have some lose change to spare donate it to their chosen charity.

Yorkshire Teacakes. I remember these from when I was young. They would always be available, stored in a large wooden breadbin. I´d have one on a morning with a cup of tea (Yorkshire of course), it would be spread thickly with butter and my Mum would always joke if I´d like a bit of teacake with my butter (as opposed to the other way round).

We had a visiter once who asked if he could have one of those fruit breadcakes! To which was retorted “Dun’t tha knaw t’ difference a’tween Yorksher teacakes and breadcakes lad? Nay lad, tha´s no Yorkshire lad, tha´s not!”. Bless.

A Yorkshire Teacake, unlike a plain breadcake, is a slightly sweat bread endowed with dried fruit and sometimes citrus peel (although less rarely). At home we would always have them toasted next to the fire, spread thick with butter and served with a cup of finest Yorkshire tea.

Ingredients

½ lb plain flour

1 tsp of salt

1 oz butter or block margarine

1 oz fresh yeast (or equivalent dried yeast)

1 tsp of caster sugar

2 oz seedless raisins

1 oz sugar

½ pint whole milk

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the fat, put to one side

Cream together the yeast and sugar – if using dried yeast, follow manufacturer’s instructions

Stir the fruit into the flour, make a well in the centre and add the creamed yeast and some of the milk

Start to mix gradually bringing more flour down into the mix and adding milk as necessary until a soft dough has formed and all the flour incorporated into the mixture

Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size – for about an hour

Turn out on to a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, divide into 6 pieces kneading each into shape, and roll out until about half an inch thick

Cover and leave on the greased baking sheet to prove until double in height, and with a spongy texture

While teacakes are rising, preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius

Bake for approximately 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool

Olla Gitana is a typical soup of Murcia in the South East of Spain. Its combination of ingredients makes it practically a meal in its own right – and it is absolutely delicious and extremely filling.

It can be served with or without the addition of pork – and although many of the more traditional ingredients rule out this rich stew for vegetarians – with some careful fiddling it could be made suitable. Packed with beans and vegetables it is truly one of the best spanish stews / soups I have tasted. It is particular suited for the cold winter nights we are experiencing at the moment – yes, its true, even here we are having some seriously cold weather.

Ingredients::
2 x 14 oz tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent dried, follow inst on pack)
2 pieces of pork shoulder
1 carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
10 oz French green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch long pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 handful of blanched skinned sweet almonds
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp pimienton (or to taste)
2 ripe plums tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed and added to 3 tbsp hot water
3 tsp red wine vinegar
Toasted Spanish peasant bread
Garnish – 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, rolled and thinly sliced

Method::
Put the chickpeas, whole pieces of pork and sliced carrots into a deep cassrole or pan, add sufficient stock to come three quarters way up the casserole then place over a medium beat, bring up to the boil, add the butternut squash, French green beans, season and gently bring up to simmering point, cook for 15 minutes
Add the olive oil to a frying pan (with a nob of butter for extra taste) set over a medium heat, add the garlic and almonds, cook for about 2 minutes, keep moving all the time, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen paper to remove as much oil as possible
Add the onion to the frying pan and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes
Add the pimienton, stir then add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the stock from the casserole, continue cooking until the tomatoes soften, reduce and deepen in colour, this should take about 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring add the casserole then stir in the saffron
Cook over a gentle heat until the vegetables are tender, the butternut squash should have begun to disintegrate, add more stock should the soup become too thick
When ready remove the meat from the soup, cut up into pieces and serve separately
Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and blitz until finely ground, gradually add the red wine vinegar while stirring, then add to the soup, simmer for 5 minutes then transfer to a serving dish

One of the things I believe I will miss most about Spain is the Roscon de Reyes – a rich sweetbread served on the night before or morning of the last day of christmas – the day of the kings.

It has now become traditional to fill these wonderful christmassy treats with sweet cream, custard or “trufa”. All of which are delicious when served with traditional hot chocolate. My personal favourite is a slightly crusty version filled with crema de trufa – a chocolatey cream that can add inches with a single glance.

It occured to me most recently that soon I will need to learn to make my own if I am to continue this now beloved tradition.

Ingredients:

* 4 cups flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 oz yeast
* 2/3 cup mixed lukewarm milk and water (of equal parts)
* 6 Tbsp butter
* 6 Tbsp sugar
* grated rind of 1 lemon
* grated rind of 1 orange
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbsp brandy
* 1 Tbsp water
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten
* candied fruit pieces, cherries, oranges, etc.

Method:

Serves eight to ten people (and much less if they are greedy)

Sieve the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the center.

In a small mixing bowl, stir and dissolve the dry yeast in the lukewarm milk-water mixture. Once it has thoroughly dissolved, pour the dissolved yeast into the center of the flour. Stir in just enough flour from around the bowl to make a thick batter (about the thickness of double cream).

With your hand, take about a teaspoon of the flour from the side of bowl and sprinkle it over the top of batter. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm draft free place. Leave batter about 15-20 minutes or until it becomes “spongey”

In a medium-size mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk together the butter and sugar. The mixture should be smooth and creamy. Set to one side.

Add the grated orange and lemon rinds, eggs, brandy and water to the bowl with flour misture. Mix well. The dough will be sticky in consistency.

Beat the flour mixture until it is elastic and smooth. Add butter-sugar mixture and mix until the dough is smooth. Dough should be formed into a ball, then covered with oiled plastic wrap. Re-cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave it again in a warm place and allow to rise until it has roughly doubled in size. Usually takes about two hours.

Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and set aside for use later.

Once dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and punch dough down. Lightly flour a clean space of your counter / cutting board and place dough on it. Knead for a couple of minutes. Then, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a long rectangle, about 2 feet long and 5-6 inches wide.

Roll the dough on the long side into a long sausage shape and carefully place the dough onto the large baking sheet, connect the ends together, thus forming a ring. If you wish to be really traditional hide a bean or a small foil-wrapped, ceramic figurine under the dough. Cover with oiled plastic wrap again. Leave in a warm place and allow to double in size. This will take about an hour.

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly beat an egg white in a small bowl. Uncover the dough and brush the top of the cake. Decorate the ring with the candied fruit pieces, and spinkle with sugar. Gently push them into the dough slightly so they do not seperate during cooking. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Once done allow to cool on a rack.

If you do wish to fill with nata (cream), trufa (chocolate cream) or natilla (custard) this is the time to do it. Slice in half and fill the middle like a sandwich.

Serve with copious amounts of thick hot chocolate.

Ingredients::
8 oz smoked streaky bacon, in one piece
8 good quality sausages
1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced
8 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
Chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
To garnish – freshly chopped parsley

Method:
Place a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and fry the bacon
When the bacon is cooked, slice it into chunky pieces and place in a casserole dish sufficiently large to hold all the potatoes and water so that it doesn´t boil over

Brown the sausages in the bacon fat, add to casserole

Sweat the onions in the frying pan, when translucent and soft add to the casserole along with the prepared potatoes

Pour in sufficient vegetable or chicken stock to cover the potatoes

Place a lid on the casserole and bring up to the boil

Reduce the heat and simmer for between 60 and 90 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresly chopped parsley