Monday looms and brings with it the first full week in my new job!

So... this coming week will be the first full week in my new corporate worldy job! I have just finished eight interesting (at times) and fun filled years as an energy risk analyst with British Energy and am now starting my new role as an internal auditor with EDF Energy. Slightly daunting, however I am a big girl now and just have to suck it up and get on with it! When I think about it most ladies my age have full time jobs, households and kids to manage so what am I really worried about? A husband and adorable kitty are my only ties, so I can really embrace the opportunity and enjoy myself! I have no idea what to expect yet, well... that's not completely true (!) I do have an idea of what the new role will entail, however this is the first time in my career to date that I will be working with new people in a new environment... A little daunting at the moment, however I am sure in a months time I will be completely settled in (fingers crossed...)!


One of the great parts of my new role is the opportunity to travel and with that the chance to try lots of exciting new foods, wines and to meet new people. Already I have a two day trip to Scotland scheduled for this month, a trip to Paris in November and weekly visits to London. I have had lots of advice from colleagues already doing the weekly commute, most of whom knowingly tell me that I will soon have to get used to eating on the go and all the badness that comes with that (!), however I am absolutely determined to make sure I fit in healthy and interesting foodie experiences! Time will tell I am sure, however for the moment I am almost far too excited to eat!

T :-))

Baked Camembert...

I have always wondered what baked Camembert is like and this Friday I finally got around to trying it!

I used the following simple recipe...

Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: 1 Camembert, 2 sliced garlic cloves, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
2. Take the Camembert out of its wrapper and place back into the wood (sometimes with a cardboard base) box.
3. Place the Camembert on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray.
4. Pierce the top of the Camembert and insert pieces of sliced garlic and fresh thyme. NB. I like to use lots of garlic (i.e. 2 cloves), however you can adjust for your own personal taste.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
6. Place in the oven for 10-15 mins, or until the cheese is melted.
7. Serve with warmed french loaf and a glass of full bodied red wine!

Chris and I shared one between us with a small french baguette and it was a perfect portion size for two. I loved the softened garlic slices in with the cheese and the thyme gives a subtle infusion of flavour. I will definitely be making this again soon... such a simple dish to make and really, really tasty!

T :-))

Eating out, what is the best way to split the bill - equally or pay for what you eat?

Payment of the bill often seems to be a sensitive issue when dining out and while reading up on this recently on the web, I came across lots of views on the best approach… split the bill evenly… work out what each diner has spent… split the food equally and the alcohol only between those partaking… let the most sober person work it out… so many possibilities, but which one is the best?

My husband and I often eat out at various bars, restaurants and cafes in the Cotswolds and depending on whom we are with the etiquette around how to split the bill varies. With close friends we typically split the bill equally and make an allowance for people who are not drinking, which to be honest pretty much never happens with our friend group! With close family a parent usually picks up the bill (!) or we split it equally, while with extended family we often go down the calculators at the ready route. I always find in this instance that it is a good time to enjoy a final glass of wine, while a more zealous family member diligently works out to the penny exactly what everyone owes. At least doing it this way avoids the not enough money from some people saga!

Unless we are out with the usual crowd, I always think it is a good idea to decide at the start of the meal what the group want to do with the bill. That way everyone knows at the outset what to expect and any potential awkwardness and unspoken questions such as "I am the only one not drinking and they have ordered another bottle of wine... I wonder if they are expecting me to pay towards that?" are taken away and everyone can focus on enjoying the meal and the company.

Anyway, my own personal preference is splitting the bill equally (making an adjustment for the non-drinkers) and if we absolutely have to go down the pay for your own meal route I recommend leaving it to the most sober member or the group while you sit back and enjoy one final drink!

What do you think is best? Split it or pay your own?

T :-))

NB. Coming soon the controversial issue of should you tip and if so how much?!?!?

Peanut butter chocolate fudge (little pieces of heaven)!!

Close friends of my husband and I call Sundays "Lazy Sundays" and devote the whole day to easy living, before their hectic work week begins - I wholeheartedly endorse this idea! Last Sunday inspired by their example I decided to look for a quick and easy sweet treat to make at home using ingredients I already had in the flat. Perusing the web I came across lots of recipes for peanut butter chocolate fudge. Peanut butter is one of my favourite toppings to spread on toast, crumpets, sandwiches and just about any other type of bread product, so when I came across the recipe and realised I had all of the ingredients to hand (well most of them anyway), I could not wait to try it out! Being a little short on caster sugar I made up the difference with granulated sugar. This made the fudge slightly grainy, however it still tasted really good and my husband's and my colleagues in our respective offices (aka my food guinea pigs) did not complain and the fudge soon disappeared... I am also going to put this one on the list to make with my girl guides this winter, as being young ladies they love anything to do with chocolate and this is right up their street!


I came up with my own version of the recipe (adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easiest-peanut-butter-fudge/Detail.aspx)...

1 cup of icing sugar
1 cup of chocolate pieces (I used giant chocolate buttons)
1 cup of smooth peanut butter
1 cup of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavouring (optional)


Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, add the butter and stir until melted. Take the chocolate and butter mix off the heat and stir in the peanut butter, icing sugar and teaspoon of vanilla (optional). Mix until smooth and then place the mixture into a greased 8x8 inch dish and chill until firm. When completely set cut the fudge into little pieces and store in an airtight container.


A few ideas I am going to try out in my next batches are...

• Using crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth
• Adding a teaspoon of something alcoholic (possibly cherry brandy, as I love this and think the rich flavour would work well)
• Swirling melted white chocolate through the mixture after it has been placed in the setting tray to create a marbled effect

This was a really lovely little recipe to make and went down well with everyone who tried it. I will definitely be trying this one out again soon!


Happy sweet making!


T :-))

Festival cooking ideas

For those of you who like the idea of trying your hand at a bit of festival cooking this summer, here are a few ideas... NB. All of the following involve involve ingredients that do not need to be refrigerated.

Tinned food...
Any kind of tinned food can be heated by placing in the embers of a fire - just be careful when taking the tins out and remove the lid before heating.

NB. I know this is not really cooking and more just heating up food, however this is a really good tip for festival cooking as you can keep the tins stored inside a tent (or anywhere out of direct sunlight).

Baked potatoes...
Before going to bed wrap pricked potatoes in foil and leave in the campfire embers overnight. In the morning the potatoes should be perfectly cooked and ready for breakfast. If you have tinned beans with you, open the tin and place in the campfire embers to heat through - just be careful lifting the tin out of the fire and then serve over the potatoes!

Flat breads...
Flat breads are another good festival food and are easy peasy to make. Mix flour and water into a doughy ball and flatten into a round shape that will fit within the base of a frying pan, saucepan or even the top of a tin can. When making the dough experiment with adding different flavourings, such as salt and pepper or herbs and spices. Bake the bread in the base of a pan over an open flame. Turn the bread over once browned and cook the other side. These are really good eaten whilst still hot, straight from the pan. 

Bean salad...
This dish is really nice served with the flat breads. Open and drain a tin of mixed beans or create your own selection - I like to use borlotti, pinto and kidney beans. Put the beans into a bowl or whatever you have to hand, e.g. saucepan or a paper plate. Finely chop up two chillies and a couple of cloves of garlic and add them to the beans. Cut a lemon (or lime) in half and squeeze the juice over the beans, chilli and garlic mix. Season with a generous handful of sea salt and serve...

What I really like about this recipe is that the ingredients can be changed to suit your own personal taste. Try adding more chillies or anchovies in olive oil instead of the lemon juice to create different variations.

Smores...
Smores!! These are one of the best campfire treats and involve sandwiching melted marshmallows between chocolate biscuits. NB. See one of my earlier blogs on Smores for more details.

I am planning on making all of the above and hopefully some new ones at Glastonbury next week and I will let you know how I get on. Also, if you have any other ideas for recipies let me know and I will try them out too!

T :-))

My perfect omelette...

Omelettes are a great quick and easy dish to make and work well at any time of the day. Breakfast omelettes are good with cheese, mushrooms and bacon, lunchtime omelettes are good with fresh seasonal ingredients, such as asparagus and supper omelettes really suit rich fillings like goats cheese and smoked salmon.

There are lots of different views on how to make the best omelette, however my own favourite way is as follows.

• Beat two eggs in a bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Melt a teaspoon of butter and a slug of olive oil in a small frying pan.
• Prepare the filling ingredients and have them ready at the side of the pan.
• When the butter and oil are starting to brown pour in the eggs and let them set for about 10 seconds.
• Take a fork and stir it around the pan a couple of times and then swirl the pan to fill in any gaps with the runny egg mixture.
• Leave the omelette to cook for about 30-40 seconds.
• When the egg mixture has begun to set on top take the filling and place on one side of the omelette.
• Leave the omelette to cook for a few more seconds.
• Take the pan off the heat and fold the uncovered half of the omelette over the filling.
• Slide the omelette out of the pan and serve with another scrunch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then enjoy!

NB. Lunchtime omelettes are great served with a green side salad and tangy dressing, like balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

I like cheese fillings in my omelettes, especially soft cheeses like goats cheese or feta, as they melt really quickly and blend into the lovely yummy eggy mixture...

So... there you go! This is my favourite way to make an omelette and my favourite filling. All that leaves is to hear how you make your perfect omelette and what your favourite filling is?

Bank Holiday food and wine highlights...

It has been  a while since I last blogged, however this is due to lots of fun being had over the recent bank holiday weekend, so hopefully forgivable! I do love this time of year... there there are so many long weekends to make the most of and it really helps blow away the final winter cobwebs.

To start the weekend in style on Friday night a friend and I enjoyed a great bottle of pink fizz with a plate of charcuterie and smoked fish, at John Gordon's on the Promenade in Cheltenham. John Gordon's are an independent wine and spirit merchant, however they serve a selection of food and of course a wide range of drinks every day of the week (10am-10pm Mon-Thurs, 10am-11pm Fri-Sat, 11am-9pm Sun). I highly recommend this place - not only for the great food and wine, but also for the very friendly staff. Pedro the chef was especially entertaining and very attentive!

http://www.wineandwhisky.netdirector.co.uk/

Saturday morning Chris and I headed to the Curious Cafe on Bath Road for breakfast. Mmm... I really like this place. The food is well cooked, reasonably priced and comes in very generous portion sizes. Not only is the food good and served by helpful waiting staff, but the atmosphere is great and the outdoor area is especially lovely. It is like being sat in a secret garden away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world... The owners have used a real mix mash of garden furniture, trellis and wall decorations and surrounded everything with wild, jumbley overgrown flowers and shrubs. A real little piece of hippy heaven in Cheltenham! The Curious Cafe is very popular and does get pretty busy, however this all adds to the casual, informal atmosphere and attracts a very cosmopolitan clientele.

No webpage for this one I'm afraid, however the address and telephone number are as follows: 204 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7NE, Tel: 01242 226 854, Open: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm.

Later that evening Chris and I headed over to a friends house for a very sophisticated dinner party. I was in charge of the dessert and three of the other guests were responsible for the canapes, starter and main course. We had a mix of dishes, ranging from homemade sausage rolls, cockles and lava bread, surf and turf Thai stylee and summer berries and cream - it was all really enjoyable and enhanced by the great company.

The rest of the weekend was spent at a mixture of bars and friends homes... Sunday evening we enjoyed a bit of a blow out ;-) in town centre bars such as Copa, the Slug and Lettuce and JJ's vodka bar. Monday was spent at a lovely friends house watching films and eating perfect pizza. All in all a great bank holiday weekend catching up and spending time with loved ones!!!

T :-))