We have been in Greece for several days, supposedly for golf ( along with 34 of our Besties…… do you think that is too many?) However, having never been to ATHENS , before, we thought a little detour might work!

Of course we saw the sites, but more than that, took a bus around the city, a hop/on/ off variety which worked well.

But let us start at the beginning. Our first stop was the Athens Central Market and surprisingly it is smack bang in the centre of town, just around the corner from our hotel. Open from early morning to early evening it is a maze of traders, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, spices and more. I am always fascinated by local markets, they give one such an insight to local life. London’s markets, Smithfield (meat, is just about still in town) , Billingsgate (fish has moved eastwards and is going to move further out apparently, all prime real estate) Covent Garden, and no, not the Opera house, but the fruit, vegetable and flower market moved south of the river and Les Halles in the centre of Paris, is of course no longer in the centre.

In the Athens market, there was most meat products, including many not seen in London, goat, offal ( liver, brains, kidneys, sweetbreads and hearts) tripe, whole goats, goat heads, and sheep! Pigs trotters, and tongues and don’t forget all the odd bits of chicken! Not for the faint hearted! Onwards to the fish,with Athens being a city by the Mediterranean, there was no shortage of wonderful looking fish, including Octopus , shrimp, whitebait and swordfish. Moving outside it was the turn of Olives, dried figs, olive oil,and spices galore.

Moving on from the market we hunted for the Greek museum of Gastronomy, but never to be found, the building was abandoned, pity but perhaps it is only people like me who hunt down such odd ball sites.

The Acropolis and Parthenon are indeed a sight to behold, as is the Olympic stadium ( the one built in 2004 ) it is modelled on the original stadium at Olympia, so not like any other Olympic stadium, it is long with very sharp rounded ends! Must make running the 800 or 1500 metres interesting.

The most impressive of all ( for us at least) was the Archeological Museum. Lots of gold and lots of statues. A couple stuck in my mind. The bronze boy on a horse and the sea damaged statues found by Sponge fishermen 50 metres down!

Our other find, in Athens was a very local taverna. We found it almost by chance and on the first visit, we sat outside, ate copious amount of freshly cooked ( mostly fish) food. The wine was cheap and was very drinkable. We enjoyed it so much that we returned the following night. We were greeted with open arms and again, ate our fill,but, then, Himself decided to have dessert, but they only had the one ……. Baklava, which he enjoyed , but then the waiter brought along a Digestive, Greek style! No not Ouzo but MASTICKA! Never heard of it, never tasted it, never had any inkling of it! Smooth yes, but did we like it ? That is still up for debate but there is a bottle of it in my suitcase!

I have to admit that I’m not a connoisseur of Middle Eastern food, they all have their roots in the same culture, but of course many regional variations. I have a dear friend of Egyptian origin and I love going out to eat with her. She gabbles away to the waiters and we get glorious food. Here, however it was a menu of pictures and Google Translate that came to our rescue.

We had matchsticks of courgettes, in tempura and fried which came with a bowl of the most wonderful Tzatziki, which is basically yogurt with maybe dill or mint and garlic! We couldn’t get enough of it so order extra on the second evening!! Hummus , shrimp, sardines, octopus, mussels and eggplant dip, would we go again, we’ll tow consecutive nights did not disappoint, but Athens, has been done, so afraid not !

Taramasalata to the uninitiated is salted, dried roe of cod, carp, grey mullet, salmon along with mushed bread, outlive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Variations vary within the Middle East, whilst it should be made by hand using a mortar and pestle, which gives it a grainy texture, whereas, commercially made products tend to be very smooth. I have to say that out of the Middle Eastern Meze dishes, this is the one I like the least.

TZATZIKI on the other hand is the one I prefer, easily made and again with regional variations.

• 1 cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out
• 500 grams approximately of good quality plain whole fat yogurt ( I make my own) do not use low fat, or any with any kind of flavouring
• 2 cloves garlic crushed ( or more if you MUST)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Good olive oil to drizzle over.
• Some dill finely chopped ( optional, as this is traditionally Turkish)

Simplicity itself, simply add the yogurt, to a bowl, stir well to mix, add the seasoning and garlic ( and dill if using), put into a serving dish and drizzle over the Olive Oil. Serve with bits of vegetables and pitta bread.

The next dish we tried was Burnt Aubergine with pomegranate seeds. Also delicious and is on my must make list ( which gets longer by the day).

• 3 large aubergines ( about 1 kilo)
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• Grated zest and juice of a lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped Curley parsley and the same of fresh mint
• Seeds of half a pomegranate or if being really lazy buy them already done, (de-seeding a pomegranate can be a bit of a pain!)
• Salt and pepper to taste.

You can either grill the aubergines on the flames of a gas hob, or on a BBQ or under a grill on a baking tray. They need to be throughly cooked and the skins burnt.

When the burnt aubergines have cooled a little,, cut in half lengthwise and scoope out the flesh. Throw away the skin and leave the flesh in a sieve for half an hour to drain out some of the liquid.

Once drained place the flesh in a mixing bowl, mix in the garlic, lemon juice and zest the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave at room temperature until ready for serving ( or if made ahead of time, refrigerate but remove and let it come to room temperature) add the herbs, and stir well! Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary!

Serve in a dish and top with the pomegranate seeds.

Weirdly we went to a cooking class last night as part of a charity that supports asylum seekers and refugees. They help them to learn how to teach and how to be a chef and to cook their own traditional cuisines and maybe help them gain employment. Our instructor for the night was Amro, a civil engineer , from Egypt. Although the class itself was a bit chaotic, it was great fun and considering that we were 8 cooks plus 6 helpers plus Amro, not surprisingly people did get in the way!However, in under 2 hours FIVE dishes were created and eaten ! Congratulations to Amro, on surviving his first teaching experience.

We/ He made

Salata Khadra, a traditional salad which is served at every meal including breakfast.

Aubergine Fattah is a classical Middle Eastern starter, vegetarian and beautiful ( Himself made most of it and I can see he will be making it on one of his cooking days!)

Egyptian Hawaashi, which is a classical dish originally from Alexandria. They are basically pitta bread stuffed with a spicy minced meat mixture, some cheese, flattened and shallow fried.

Egyptian Koshary, which Amro says is eaten everywhere, but is the most complicated but not difficult to make., sauces have to be made(3 of them) onions sliced and fried until crisp, Lentils, Rice and pasta to be cooked and combined. So you can see lots of components to this particular dish.

And finally the dessert, QATAIF, these are a kind of mini pancake stuffed with chopped pistachios, chopped walnuts, and ricotta, which are then fried and dipped into sugar water.

And here is a picture of our dinner !

In the UK, SKI is an acronym for “ Spend the Kids Inheritance!”

We have been trying hard to do this and as such have spent a week in Englands LAKE DISTRICT, labelled the wettest place in England! And believe you me it lived up to its reputation!

It has been a long time since we spent time vacationing in the UK and also a while since we spent time on vacation with the whole family. The last time was in Morocco and we were a family of 10 and now we are 13!

Himself had a significant birthday and trying to fit in the celebration, with Taylor Swift ( x2), major school exam results ( excellent) and the amazingly challenging CHILL SWIM, which to the uninitiated, is a mere 18 km swim from End to End (Guess where?)Lake Windermere! daughter thought it a good idea to enter this Chill Swim event and even persuaded a couple of mates to join her!

Therefore we all decamped to Windermere a lake-side town in Cumbria. We rented a house(s) built in 1671, large enough for us all to be together but not together when time and space was needed.

We spent the week celebrating the aforementioned birthday with many fun things organised by the big kids, we had dinner catered twice by Lucy ( Lucy’s on a plate), had two great BBQs beautifully cooked by “The Boys” ( even managing to shelter from the incessant downpour), Lunch out in a Lakeside restaurant, dinner out, twice, once at Lucy’s restaurant and once at a Michelin starred restaurant. So it would seem that the week was spent eating and drinking! And it was!

Orrest Head House, where we stayed, was perfect, a garden large enough to play Hide and Seek ( except it was WET, apparently a river runs under the house, not a good sign). However, having the two houses ( House and Cottage) meant we had ample room for hide and seek, for the 6 kids and oodles of space for the always in demand Treasure Hunt. Passing time away did not seem to be an issue. The young ones were dispatched to Beatrix Potter world , whilst the swimmers went swimming and the runners running. Walkers explored the neighbourhood including Orrest Head, where is the most amazing view of Lake Windermere!

Hiring a traditional boat gave us all a view of the route for the Saturday 18 km swim, and a plan was developed to enable us all to wave and cheer her on her way as well as to greet her arrival at the finish !Simple, take the Chain Link Ferry to the opposite side of the lake and install ourselves at the 6 km mark and then drive over the hills and though the woods to the Ambleside end of said Lake, which was indeed the finish mark.

Lucy’s on a plate catered twice for us. Indeed we ordered basically the same meal twice and actually it worked well, most of it was cold with a couple of dishes to pop in the oven. We needed to eat earlier than we would have done normally, with little ones to consider.

Finally, but not finally, he reached his birthday . Unfortunately, many had to leave after breakfast, school and work beckoned for big and small. So we had birthday cake for breakfast! I had made a Basque Cheesecake, the week before, frozen and transported, hidden to Windermere. Subsequently , defrosted in secret, a red fruit coulis made and candles inserted! But what a lot of candles! They almost melted before I had them lit! However, done it was, and Himself blew them out in one swoop! WOW!

Weirdly it would seem that restaurants in the Windermere area choose names for their dishes, which actually makes choosing somewhat more complicated than it should be. What on earth are Collywobbles? Or Cocka doodle Oink? Black Belly Way? King of Spain. Well, Cauliflower, Chicken burger, Pork Belly braised and pressed and Prawns with Chorizo? Well that had us fooled. #1 daughter and I both thought we had ordered Prawns, well we had but somehow or other we got a retro prawn cocktail in a Marie Rose sauce, Disappointed yes! Something I would never ever ever had ordered! But there you go, some you win and some you lose!

Finally Finally and Finally the last men standing ( just the three of us, swimmer, him and myself) ate at Gilpin. A Michelin starred restaurant somewhere in the back of Windermere. swimmer has not been drinking so she drove. Dinner was lovely, food innovative , including a rice pudding that somehow I need to recreate at home! Things were lacking though, but won’t bore you! Will we go back? Unlikely, it’s a long way from London !

And so as with everything, it all had to end.The weather decided to return to being dull, dreary and wet as we drove back down the M6 towards London. But, more is yet to come, Big kids have surprises in store , as do I and smaller big kids are taking Himself to an Escape room ( he might never come back !)

Here we are on the French Alps and am actually really shocked at the price of potatoes! I know we are on the Alps and transportation costs are higher, but having compared my local supermarket which I have to say is definitely not my favourite but it is part of the largest French chain, CARREFOUR. It now owns what was GB supermarket in Belgium as well. I have just checked and compared prices in Belgium, France and the UK, and despite everything the UK is by far the cheapest and this is buying from WAITROSE the upmarket store.

In France the cheapest was £1.55 a kilo, in Belgium £1.96 and in the UK £ 1.05 even buying Duchy ( King Charles organic) was only £1.30!

Given that much of the world depends on upon potatoes and Belgium and France are the best at French Fries ( Chips in UK English) I just had to wonder why? I actually do not have the answer ( Yet)!

Back to the Alps. Weather wise it has been very mixed. One day 37 C and the next much much cooler, still better than last year when it reached 41C.

We have several visitors this summer, including our 9 year old grandson who somehow managed to have an ice cream everyday, to Americans from Texas, who had hamburgers and Ice-cream, to In Laws who taught me a new ice lolly which only counts 99 calories.

Of course I make my own nearly all of the time, but the Ice Cream Mouse, ( Himself) isn’t nearly as active these days, but nonetheless he offered some to the in-laws, only to find, he had already eaten it all !

My latest rendition is Peanut butter Ice cream and is really simple to make.

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar ( 4 ounces). ( I always use caster as it is finer) more if you have a really sweet tooth.
• 450 mls thick cream (2 US cups)
• 225 mls full fat milk ( 1 US cup)
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter and if you want some crunch, roast some peanuts or buy them salted or plain and chopped and add them towards the end.

• whisk the eggs together until light and fluffy, whisk in the sugar and peanut butter until blended and then pour in the cream and milk and whisk again until fully mixed.
• If you have an ice cream machine, then very simply follow the instructions otherwise pour into a container that has previously been placed into the freezer. Freezer for a couple of hours and give it a stir. Repeat until fairly stiff and then add the extra chopped nuts if desired.
• Summer time definitely means ice cream but also fruits, which also means fruit ice cream. Using the basic above ( omitting the peanut butter) it is possible to to have a smorgasbord of ice cream flavours.
• Bananas and Strawberries…… mashed strawberries mixed with mashed strawberries, taste before freezing to check on the sugar, you might need more! ….a mixture made in heaven.
• Mango, smush very ripe mango, ad the juice of half a lemon and purée it. Make the plain ice cream, freeze a bit and then add the fruit, taste for sweetness, stir well, it will need stirring a couple of times.
• Kiwi, what about Kiwi? If you love Kiwis then this is for you. Peel and purée 5 ripe kiwis, stir in a tablespoon of sugar, refrigerate whilst you make the vanilla base. When ready add the kiwi mixture and again freeze and stir.
• The freezing and stirring is only if you do not have an Ice Cream machine

I have in London and have had ever since moving back from the USA many times years ago an Ice Cream machine, with a built in compressor but here in France I have to use the freezing/ stirring method of making Ice Cream. I did however buy a cheap ice cream maker. ( this is where you freeze the container first of all, I found it a real pain, especially as when theoretically the ice cream was ready ( soft serve) it simply poured out all over the counter top! Soft Serve indeed!

First, it was the cats and then was the mould, and then it was the maggots!

Haven’t had any of these before, but this time round well young Sam he’s nine years old and he said one morning Nana Nana there is a cat in the kitchen! What I cried, what?

And yes, there was a cat in the kitchen, and Sam decided that the cat going meow was in fact saying hello! Apparently that is cats talk. However we got rid of the cat and then the bread in the bread bin which was maybe a day or two old had the most disgusting mould so that too had to go!

But then the next thing was maggots, normally Himself has a mixture of cereal, yoghurt and berries for breakfast but this day he decided to have some ripe camembert ( he loves smelly cheese, ripe Camembert, Limburg, Stinking Bishop, Epoisses , Reblochon and the like,) but suddenly our Guest said it’s moving and it was; it was heaving with squiggly, squiggly, white maggots!

This made me think about cheese after all many cheeses are made with mould of some kind, and there is one which comes with maggots! It comes from both Sardinian and Corsica, Casa Martu in Sardinia and Casgiu Merzu in Corsica. It actually means Rotten Cheese. It is made with sheep’s milk and the aging time is a mere 3 months. However it goes past the normal fermentation process by the introduction of the larvae of the Cheese fly! ( are you put off already ?) The Larvae are deliberately introduced to help break down the fat in the cheese and can become quite liquid with some of it seeping out. The larvae ( maggots) are translucent.

Nowadays, the cheese is considered to be unsafe for human consumption and is banned in the European Union for sale, but presumably is still made ( and eaten in private homes/ farms). Apparently, some people like the cheese but prefer to eat it without the maggots and are said to place the cheese in a sealed plastic bag, to starve the maggots of oxygen, and then the cheese is eaten ! Umm not for the faint hearted!

In case you haven’t guessed, we are in our usual summer retreat of the French Alps. Sounds a bit like royalty, leaving the city for the summer, but our French home is not that, but I have to say larger than the London one.

However, our French home is almost at the end of a narrow road, almost a track, actually it ends up being just that, a track. The top end of the street seems to have become builders paradise , chalets being built left, right and centre, but at our end, all is calm, most of the permanent residents have been here for at least a couple of generations and then there are a few new comers, like us.

This Sunday, was the day of the Festiplan, normally a yearly get together in May, but apparently July is the new date and we were duly invited. At noon sharp, it was Apero chez Martine, nibbles galore and then at one we all decamped to Babette’s Barn, what a Glory Hole it is, with STUFF stacked into every nook and cranny and beyond, and yet, it had been cleared and cleaned sufficiently for them to erect tables for 30, young and old were there, the youngest being about 10 and the oldest 80 +. It was Bonkers but in the nicest way, everyone brought along something, wine, water, salads, quiches bread, cold meats, cheeses, champagne and a birthday cake ( someone was 15) but not just one cake but two, and everyone was given slices of both. Jean-Claude played his accordion and Martine made the coffee. We left exhausted after 6 hours of French Bonhomie !

I have already mentioned Sam, our 9 year old grandson, he came to stay for a week and then as well friends from Texas. She has been over many times and is a big friend of Sam, but him is new to travelling and so it is all new to him. He fancied a steak sandwich for lunch ( after all he is from Texas) and assumed he had ordered one but it turned out to be basically a double Hamburg’s patty in half a banquette.

Consequently I’ve not been in the kitchen much for the last couple of weeks, but before we decamped, we ate at Côte, the slightly upmarket group of restaurants run by Richard Caring. Côte is an affordable small chain, theoretically specialising in Pseudo French food. I say pseudo as the last couple of times, it really has been just that. Poulet Breton, is a chicken dish cooked in a sauce with cream, cider, onions and Dijon mustard. The Côte version is a dried sad looking bit of chicken, which comes with optional Diane sauce. Ok a Diane sauce, is made with cream, but does not contain mustard, and the whole point of the Poulet Breton IS that it is cooked in the sauce! Shame on you Côte.

Poulet Breton is easy

• A jointed chicken or some thighs or drumsticks for 4 people
• Splash olive oil for frying along with 40 grams unsalted butter
• A white onion diced
• 250 mls dry cider/ white wine
• 100 mls crème fraiche or cream with a squirt of lemon juice
• 2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tablespoon flour
• Parsley to garnish
• Optional, a couple of carrots sliced and a couple of leeks sliced
• A splash of brandy ( optional)
• I also like to add mushrooms just because I like them!

• Method

Heat the oven to (160 fan) 170, or # 3 gas

Using an ovenproof casserole, pour in the olive oil and after seasoning the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, fry them gently until brown all over.

Add the butter and when melted baste the chicken. Remove from pan

Add the onion ( and leeks and carrots if using) and cook gently until soft but not coloured, stir in the flour to make. Roux and slowly add the cider/ wine, stirring well to prevent any lumps forming.

Add the crème fraiche and mustard and bring to the boil to thicken slightly.

Arrange the chicken in the pan, skin side up and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes until cooked throughly.

Garnish with parsley. Serve with potatoes, salad, French bread to mop up the sauce.

Sitting in a bus shelter, just north of Central London, in fact a side street which lies just behind one of the beautiful terraces of Regents Park. Actually one of the stops on the 88 bus is CHESTER GATE! But this street is a far cry from the hustle and bustle, just 2 stops south. I text TFL ( Transport for London) asking the for the schedule of bus 88. Um? 15 minutes!WHAT 15 minutes and there is only the 88. I am used to a plethora of buses rolling by, so I can take my pick, but today, I’m being lazy and wait for the bus! Just as well, I only want to go 2 stops, because that is where the bus decided was the end of its journey. Pity the lady with the shopping trolley, she had to wait a further 15 minutes ! Me I get on and off and risk my life crossing over the Marylebone Road to the next one!

Whilst waiting for the 88 on this very quiet London Street, none of the Nash terraces here, but post war modernist structures, all is quiet, but wait, someone is home as all I can smell is curry . Not the pungent smell from a dubious Indian takeaway, there were none here, but someone was cooking a Curry!

I put my thinking cap on and decided I too would make a curry, well maybe not a curry but something from the Indian sub continent. How about Cauliflower Schwarma? Or wait a Mo, had lunch with my lovely 7 year old grand daughter, she had Chicken Katsu, which is chicken with a mild kind of curry sauce, whilst I tried out the Bang Bang Cauliflower!

Consequently this Sunday, we had Hanger steak cooked on our new BBQ, with Cauliflower Schwarma, Bang Bang Cauliflower and Bang Bang Stem broccoli.

Bang Bang Chicken as it is called here in the UK, has long been a favourite of mine, since living in Houston Texas. It wasn’t called Bang Bang Chicken back then, maybe chicken salad with Peanut sauce, no idea, but we found it, in the Famous, Celebrity Haunt, The Iv, Bang Bang Chicken, can be as mild or as spicy as you like as long as you like peanuts! And therefore the same applies to my new favourite vegetables, Bang Bang Cauliflower and Broccoli.

We weren’t over keen on the Cauliflower Schwarma, but the Bang Bang Cauliflower and Broccoli were a hit. Simply par cook your vegetable of choice, that is steam /microwave/ a quick boil, as the vegetable needs to stay a bit crunchy. I use the Lekué microwave vegetable cooker to par cook mine as it takes a mere 2-3 mins. Put into a strainer or bowl and add some ice cubes to cool it down and to stop further cooking.

Making the sauce is very easy, I use crunchy peanut butter but either smooth or crunchy will do, but do make sure that it is without and additives, just pure Peanut butter.

.

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce or sriracha ( if you like spicier)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil, ( I use olive)
• Also give a little more “Je ne sais pas quoi!” Umph to you and me a chopped up chilli.

Put the peanut butter into a bowl and stand it in a pan of very hot water, to soften it. ( DO NOT LET ANY WATER NEAR THE PEANUT BUTTER! It will seize up if you do)

Whisk in the chilli sauce and gradually the oils until it pours easily, you might need more or less depending on the type of peanut butter you use.

Put into a container with a lid until ready to use, but DO NOT REFRIGERATE !

Very simply use on cooked chicken or kebabs, with vegetables. Can top with some toasted sesame seeds.

Believe it or not, summer finally arrived , although I will qualify that by adding “ a sunny day does not a summer make!” Nonetheless, the weather has warmed up and golfers are finally wearing shorts, and swimmers are swimming….. outdoors!

As such, one does not want to spend hours in the kitchen. Across the road from us is a Gail’s Bakery, which opened its first bakery in 2005 and now has over 130 outlets mostly in London, and actually there are 2 within a stones throw from me. We visit often and maybe even for breakfast on a weekend. This is where I discovered their Overnight Oats. Overnight Oats is basically a modern twist on Bircher Muesli. Very simple, Oats soaked overnight ( or long enough to absorb water).

I make 2 or three days supply at a time. I also make my own yogurt, this isn’t necessary, but again is easy to make.

• To make a double portion
• 60 grams fine Scottish / Irish Oats
• Enough water to cover them
• One standard jar plain Greek full fat yogurt. I say full fat as lower fat yogurts have additives to thicken them.
• Put the Oats into a container or bowl and pour over enough hot or boiling water, just enough to cover them.
• Leave to stand and for them to cool down. At this point it could be covered and refrigerated overnight ( hence overnight Oats)

When cool, mix well with the yogurt, one jar should be enough to make a thickish sloppy mixture. I then put about 6 dessert spoons of mixture into a plastic pot, cover and refrigerate until the next morning.

In the morning I am ready to concoct my breakfast and it takes no time at all. I add, some defrosted red berries, a splash of maple syrup, a splodge of nutty peanut butter and a sprinkle of Super Seeds! And that is it ! Easy Peasy!

On another note, myself and friends were invited to the country ( anything outside of central London is considered country to me) to have lunch. Dessert was very much a summer one, Pavlova, with lemon cream and mixed berries.

Of course, one could be super lazy and buy the meringues and the Lemon Curd, but on the other hand without going the whole hog and doing everything from Scratch, it is easy to take a short cut or two.

Firstly, nothing quite like home made Lemon Curd, but made very quickly in the microwave.

• 4 large unwaxed lemons, finely grated rind and juiced
• 4 large eggs beaten well
• 8 Oz (225 grams caster sugar
• 4 Oz (100 grams) unsalted butter diced

Method

• Put the eggs, rind and juice into a heatproof bowl
• Mix well and add the sugar and butter. Cook on high for ONE minute intervals, whisking after each minute. Do this until thickened ( +/- 5 minutes).
• Remove from the microwave, and continue to whisk until more or less cool. Lemon Curd does thicken upon cooling.
• Sterilise a some jars and pour in the cooled lemon curd. Cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to3 weeks.

Microwave Meringues are much drier and crunch ie than oven cooked meringues, but they are incredibly easy and quick to make, especially if you want to make Eton Mess!

Ingredients and Method

• 150 grams sifted icing sugar
• 1egg white beaten until stiff
• Add the sugar to the beaten egg white and mix well until totally incorporated. Take a small amount and roll into a ball about the size of a golf ball.
• Put 3 balls onto a plate covered with rice paper, or onto a silicon mat.
• Microwave on High for 90 seconds. Watch them rise up, really amazing! Fun to do with kids.

To make the Pavlovas, simply whip up some double cream, add a couple of dessert spoons of lemon curd, put on top of the meringue and top with summer berries.

If you re English, you might already know about Eton Mess, but its origins might be a bit obscure. Apparently, it was created by the cooks at Eton College around 1893. Eton College being just outside of London, and where Princes William and Harry were educated along with several of our Prime ministers including Boris Johnson. Eton Mess is basically crushed meringues, whipped cream and summer berries.

Lancing college on the other hand ( West Sussex) have their own version, which is made with bananas , probably not as old as the Eton version, am not sure bananas were readily available available back then !

Berries galore, can’t get away from them! But I love them! As a child my parents were almost ( along with all of their contemporaries) self sufficient. A case of post war they had to be, imports were still scarce, butter didn’t come off from rationing until 1954 ( 14 years of rationing). Other goods which were rationed were, bacon, sugar,pork, canned and dried fruit, chocolate, biscuits,treacle, syrup, and things like oranges ! Well of course we don’t grow oranges in the UK! But we could grow, all of the winter vegetables many of which could be preserved ( not frozen…… who had a freezer?) and potatoes kept well in the cellar, and eaten with their skins on, as that was a major source of Vitamin C.

However in the summer, our garden flourished with peas and salad stuff and BERRIES! We had Strawberries and Raspberries, Gooseberries, red currants, blackcurrants,white currants, and we foraged for Blackberries.

What did we do with this wonderful array of summer fruits? Well, we ate them! Off the bush ( no washing here) along with the dog, who had a particular liking for raspberries ( she would help herself!) Many were preserved ( read Bottled), which in turn became, jellies, compotes, sauces, crumbles and Summer puddings!

Nowadays this wonderful pudding can be made year round using frozen fruit and in fact even in summer I use the frozen variety, much easier, no hulling ( strawberries) no washing ( already done) no having to visit several stores to get a real variety ( already in the packet )

Summer pudding has been around since Victorian times, and this was the time that the Well to Do really started travelling, especially to spa towns, such as Bath ( UK), Spa ( Belgium), Vichy ( France), Bad Ems, Baden Baden, ( Germany) are a just a few. In fact there are 11 which are World Heritage Sites. This was also the time that , again , the Well to Do, started to think about diet, and many foods were thought to be Hydropathic, and this included Summer Pudding!

Other Foods that fall into this group ie. Ones that contain a lot of water and few calories are

• Cucumber 95% H2O
• Courgette 95%
• Celery 95%
• Tomatoes 94%
• Cabbage 92%
• Mushrooms 92%
• Strawberries 91%
• Watermelon 91%
• Kale 90%

So you see there are things that you can eat and maintain your water intake at the same time.

Summer pudding is very very simple to make. Traditionally made with stale bread minus the crusts, but I like to use Brioche. I also use frozen mixed berries. Cook the fruit until just soft with some sugar to taste. Don’t overcook but you do need some juice!

Decide on a basin or mould, I used a mould that was large enough for 8+ but a traditional pudding basin works well for a smaller number. For my large mould I used 2 packets of frozen berries and one loaf. Start by cutting off the crusts. Line your mould with cling film, this certainly helps with unmoulding process. Cut the bread to fit the mould, filling the bottom and sides completely .

Spoon in the fruit and half of the juice making sure the bread is wet but not over soggy . Cut more bread to cover the top and add some juice and then cover this with Cling film.Put a plate on top and weigh this down with perhaps a tin. Refrigerate preferably overnight. ( extra juice keep refrigerated for use the next day)

When ready to serve, remove the top layer of Cling film, place a rimmed plate on top and invert the mould. Remove the cling film, and spoon over the rest of the juice so that all of the bread is a beautiful shade of deep pink. Serve with Yoghurt or better still CREAM!

A couple of year ago, my eldest daughter( globetotting .com) was commissioned to write a piece for A Tout France, and I was lucky enough to travel with her. Our first stop was in Lille, where we did a tour in a Deux Chevaux.

And then we discovered Les Merveilleux de Fred! We bought some of their very decadent delights and set off for Paris. We left everything in the car and to our dismay our Merveilleux had melted! However they are now available in London and in five locations, including the tube station at High Street Kensington! So if you are tempted here is where to find them ! Oh what are they ? They are Meringue and cream ! Not Naughty at all! Naughty but oh so Yummy!

In recent times I have mentioned my love of Hispi cabbage or Sweetheart Cabbage as it is often called.

I have in fact only this last year started to eat cabbage. My memories from childhood basically forbad me to eat it and as for Himself it was the same. Cabbage boiled in an inch of its life, until it was a slimy soggy mess. I think this is how everyone in the UK ate cabbage and as a result I have never bothered ( apart from making coleslaw that is) ! Now here I am talking about pale green or white cabbage, this was the norm and not red cabbage, which I have cooked and loved for years, but White slimy cabbage definitely a No No.

These cartoon recipes from about 1946, epitomises the way the British cooked cabbage!

I do have oodles of cook books, periodically I have a sort and there are some which I get rid of, having never used then at all and others I keep, some for sentimentally and others because I love them and others? Well just because! A couple of years ago we went to a restaurant in London called KRICKET, ( yes Kricket with a K) and though it only so-so but then I bought the book ( Oxfam books is a good source) and was definitely only so-so about the book ! Doesn’t anyone have proof readers anymore? And I ask this question because one of our favourite meals from Rajasthan is Laal Maas. Traditionally made with venison, or other game but latterly with lamb. The brilliant red could comes from the excessive use of red chillies. Atul Kochar ( Michelin starred chef) uses just 3 tablespoons of Ghee for 800 grams of meat. However in the Kricket version , he has 500 grams of meat and a hefty 400 grams GHEE!

Fortunately I know it is wrong but one could end up with a very oily, fatty inedible dinner. However, he does “Do” Hispi cabbage by grilling it on a BBQ, so certainly in summer months, instead of grilling in an oven, throw it on the Barbie !

Once upon a time, lettuce was also boring. It came in the shape of ( and dare I say it…… a wet lettuce) but ideas abound for cooking lettuce albeit Baby Gem or Romaine. In high end grocery stores, the choice of lettuce is much better these days and yet the one thing that I find truly better, even in the run of the mill French Supermarket is the choice of lettuce. They are predominantly green, some with a tint of red, and others which are red and others which are not lettuce but are used with or in place of lettuce, either as decoration or part of a sauce ( eg watercress).

I have omitted several as there are about 26 different types of salad greens and that is not including Spinach or Kale. Himself is not a fan of kale, definitely not cooked and not even in a salad. I actually like it as a salad. It can be made in advance and will keep without going soggy and Oh so easy to make! Great for lunch boxes or lunch or simply because !

• Remove the thick stem
• Rinse the leaves on cold water and spin dry or wrap in a clean tea towel
• Tear or chop the leaves .
• Place the kale in a bowl or container ( even a plastic bag if making ahead of time)
• Extras for the salad are things like baby vine tomatoes cut in half, mandarin oranges with the segments cut in half, , hazelnuts peeled and toasted and chopped into chunky bits, Avocado slices rinsed in lemon juice to maintain their colour, pomegranate seeds ( buy them already done )blue cheese cut into smallish bits, like wise with feta cheese. Little chunks of cucumber, sliced red onion or chopped salad onions, chopped green or red peppers and even a chopped mild chilli, some fresh chopped coriander.
• For a yummy dressing whisk together
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil , avocado oil or I like nut oil
• A response of runny honey
• Pinch salt and pepper
• 1tablespoon white wine vinegar ( don’t have any, then a dash of white wine will do just as well) or rice wine vinegar.

Shake or whisk well and serve on the side of your salad!

Another week, and another place, in-fact another country! This week saw us in Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands. Such a pretty place, a truly lovely island.

Sitting last week in the lounge at Heathrow Airport, I have to admit to being a little surprised . Some travellers were simply stuffing their carry on bags with Tyrell’s potato crisps but the best was filling ones water bottles ( this is after security) with white wine ! I guess it takes all sorts!

We were here with a group of good friends for a week of golf and food! The last time we were here was 7 years ago, all of course pre Pandemic! The Pandemic certainly played havoc with one’s memory! We stayed in the lovely Sheraton Arabella, with great views over one of their 3 golf courses. We played all three, to mixed acclaim and then the pièce de resistance was Alcanada. Maybe not the best of the four that we played but it certainly had the best views.

Mallorca has its own specialties when it comes to food. The first that springs to mind, which is often served with drinks or as part of Tapas, is Pa Amb Oli, which very simply means bread and oil, but in Mallorca it is much more than that. The simplest extra is with tomato. One has to have good rather solid bread. Bread has been around in Mallorca since before Roman times, but try using a good baguette which has been lightly toasted. Rub the bread with good olive oil and then cut a tomato ( preferably a Vine tomato, and preferably home grown or at least from a local market …… flavour is everything) and rub the tomato cut side down hard over the bread. And that is it ! Sprinkle with sea salt. Sometimes, some manchego cheese is added or iberico ham, but that is not traditional, BUT there is a world Pa AMB OLI championship which takes place on Balearic National in March.

Another traditional dish is called Samosas Mallorquines con Sobrasada and also Huevo Al Horno con Sobrasada. Translated as, Samosa with Sobrasada and Eggs with Sobrasada. But what is Sobrasada?

Sobrasada is a cured pork product mixed with various spices, a simple comparison would be Chorizo or Nduja, both being pork and spices.

Of course Mallorca being a Mediterranean island one would expect lots of Olives, Pork, Almonds and of course FISH. Fish in all shapes and sizes , ranging from Chipirones ( baby squid) fried in a tempura type batter, Cuttlefish, Eels, Salt Cod as a meal or as fritters, Frito de Pescado, ( Frito Misto) mixed fried fish, whitebait, baby squid, octopus, prawns and Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Halibut and Turbot. One of my favourites and I had on two consecutive evenings was grilled Octopus. Both days were good but the first served in a little restaurant in Soller ( pronounced more like Soy à).

On the day that we went to Soller, we went by tram, actually although you can drive, this is the best way to go over the mountain. The little tram trundles along and it reminds me of The Little Train that Could! Clunkity Clunk .

Once in Soller ( the journey takes about an hour), it is possible to take another smaller tram ride, down to the sea. We didn’t this time around but searched for a small restaurant for an early dinner. Soller is not huge, but the main square was heaving. We walked past the square and along Carrie de sa Luna, where we found Rest Carre Luna 36. A small place with a little courtyard and a few inside tables.

This is where we had Shrimp baby squid and Octopus! Had to be the best ever! We both had Octopus in Abu Dhabi last year which, was inedible actually even a steak knife wouldn’t cut it! Why? Because Octopus has to be precooked, either via Sous Vide or gently stewed until tender. Then it can be thrown onto a Barbecue to finish off.

We as a group ate in a very typical fish restaurant down a back street on the outskirts of Palma. The last time we ate here was in 2017, and I have to say that the atmosphere was not so good this time round, but there was nothing wrong with the food.

I was shopping the other day, in an American food store in London. Whole Foods, has a reputation of being upmarket and very good quality. I checked out the fish counter and the frozen fish counter. Here I found Octopus ! With the price they were asking, I think I will just have to settle to eat it, when I’m someplace where it is readily available.