Gin and Tonic Mini Jellies

I was never a fan of jelly and ice cream. I'm afraid that even when I was five I had standards and high expectations of jelly and ice cream that a children's party just could not match. I went off jelly after several wobbly strawberry attempts for many years. I tried it in trifle too (not for me) and it wasn't until I decided to make my own jelly that I appreciated just what a marvel it can be. Now I'm a grown up and I like jelly I've also realised I quite like gin. It's about time these two met each other.

Beetroot Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Goat's Cheese Giant Crostini

I was first introduced to beetroot in its pickled form. This was many years ago and I still enjoy a well vinegared beetroot very much. The first time I tried fresh beetroot I didn't like it; it was too earthy and nowhere near as acidic enough as I was used to. However my feelings towards this most purple of roots have changed over time and now it's one of my favourite vegetables. I like to think of this beetroot gratin as a celebration of beetroot; an impressive purple plate of pleasure.

The Living Room at Oxford

I like the size and feel of The Living Room; the long bar, the different seating areas, the grand piano. It’s a nice place to relax. The idea behind the new menu is all about presentation; quirky, unexpected or grand displays of food. It’s not very often I get a menu where I just can’t choose what to have. I wanted to try everything; buttermilk chicken wings, pulled pork burger, Moroccan lamb sandwich, ricotta and potato gnocchi to name a few. I thought the menu was well laid out, easy to navigate and extremely tempting.

Cobbs Farm Shop

Cobbs farm shop is somewhere I like to visit to have a good old nose around. It’s nice to go and have a look at new food brands that I haven’t heard of, see what they’ve got growing and almost always buy some of their Coronation Chicken. When I received an email from a fellow food obsessive who wanted to meet up and chin wag about all things food, breakfast at Cobbs sounded like a great idea.

Caramelised Rhubarb Galette des Rois

Oh rhubarb. Not only the choice swear word for the less potty mouthed among us but also a rather delectable vegetable. I know it's sort of a fruit but as it doesn't have any seeds I will class it as a vegetable. I acquired my most recent handful of stalks after spending a lovely morning at a local farm shop (more about that in a separate post). I was even allowed to pull this straight out of the ground myself which was a rewarding, if somewhat exhausting, activity.

Grow Your Own Tomatoes with Heinz

Growing my own fruit and veg is something I immensely enjoy. I have to admit I have rather a 'chuck it in and let it get on with itself' attitude but it's served me very well in the past. I don't let myself get bogged down in specific seed insertion depths, lopping off this and tying up that. I figure that if something wants to grow then it will and I only help it along with a bit of watering, weeding and the occasional addition of manure.

Feta and Mint Potato Croquettes

A few days ago it really felt like spring had arrived. I got a bit excited and even opened a window to let some fresh spring air in. It was still pretty chilly but I didn't care; there were daffodils, bumblebees and the smell of blossom in the air. When this seasonal change happens I find myself craving ripe tomato salads, ratatouille and barbecues. Sadly none of these were on offer but not to worry as I had some mint and feta cheese. There's something about mint which makes me feel instantly happy.

Creamy Mushrooms and Wild Garlic on Brioche Toast

Foraging for food is something I have started to do over the last few years. Hunting down blackberry bushes in the autumn is something I've always done but I've never considered it to be 'foraging'. To me, proper foraging involves a wicker basket, curiously shaped knives and an innate ability to avoid thorns and nettles. Since I started to appreciate the other things that can be found outdoors I have added other wild foods to my repertoire: rosehips, sloes, plums, strawberries, elderflower and now, at last, wild garlic. Somehow this most pungent of wild foods has eluded me until a few days ago when I finally found an abundance of it not a ten minute walk from my house.

Veal, Pork, Serrano Ham and Porcini Cannelloni - Random Recipe Challenge

I like to browse other people's blogs and I particularly like the posts where there has been some sort of link or challenge and lots of bloggers take part. I like to think of them as online coffee mornings. I thought it was about time I got involved and had a go at one; enter Dom from Belleau Kitchen and his challenge called Random Recipes. I love the idea of opening a random cookery book and having to cook whatever is on the page that opens.

Observer Food Monthly Awards 2013

I was very flattered to find out that I have been nominated for Best Food Blog in the Observer Food Monthly Awards by a local pub! If you like what you read it would mean a great deal to me if you could take a few moments to vote for me too.
If you go here http://www.easyanswer.net/observer/ you will need to fill out a few details before you get to the voting page.
It's not just about me though, on the voting page you get a chance to vote for all sorts of different categories: best restaurant, best Sunday lunch, best new cookbook and all sorts of other things! You can find out more information about the awards here http://www.guardian.co.uk/observer-food-monthly-awards/2013-categories.
Thank you in advance if you get a chance to vote. I will have to make a pretty spectacular cake if I get shortlisted!