It's a shame, reading in the Guardian today I see that the No Catch Cod company (the world's first organic, sustainable cod-farm) has gone into administration. Although it expensive (it costs around 50% more than wild cod) it is sustainable, and might I add, really bloody tasty too!
Let's hope this doesn't mean the end for guilt-free fish.
It's not that I don't want to blog anymore, or even that I have nothing to write about. It's more that I haven't got time for anything other than college work and the pedagogical world. I don't read my own books anymore - I read children's one, to plump out my literacy log. Honestly... this teaching malarkey isn't just a career change!
Still, in the meantime here are some things I got up to over Christmas...
1. I made a pork pie, well, more like a pork cake. In a 23cm diameter cake tin. What can I say, it nearly turned me vegetarian and I couldn't look at it for two days, but it did taste good ;)
2. I received a) a fishing rod and b) a reel to go on it. I couldn't have been happier... and I got taken out for a Boxing Day fishing trip. This little dogfish christened the rod, and yes, I threw it back. I plan to catch and eat a lot of fish this summer, when I finally get my 6 weeks holiday.
I ate the worst meal of my life today: Christmas school dinner. I couldn't identify the meat (although frankly it'd be lucky if it even had a Bernard Matthews label on it), which can't be good.
What can I say? I did it for the kids. One thing though - if this is the shit they're shovelling down their throats no wonder they can't concentrate.
Jamie Oliver - your work here is not yet done.
Holy shit this cheese tastes good!
A new cheese made to an old recipe (from the 13th century no less) by the chaps from Neals Yard. It's very similar to Stilton but is not allowed be named as such due to the fact that it's made from unpasteurised milk. According to Country Life it is set to become the new king of the cheeseboard - I'll drink to that.
I missed this little treat last year for some reason, so looking forward to this one.
This is pretty much my idea of heaven (at least for this evening anyway). Friday night it may be, but I haven't had a proper Cornish Cream Tea in months, so was very pleased to discover the other day that Remy had got some Rodda's Clotted Cream in stock at L'Epicerie.
I'd never made scones before, but managed to pick up a cheap copy of Leith's Baking Bible at a book sale recently, and it certainly didn't let me down. Recipe is below, and these were of course accompanied with the aforementioned clotted cream and home-made strawberry jam. Enjoy :)
Makes 6
225g self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
55g butter
30g caster sugar (optional)
115g raisins (optional)
150ml milk
1 egg, beaten
Heat the oven to 220 C/ 425 F/ gas mark 7. Flour a baking sheet.
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, if using (and also raisins if making fruit scones).
Make a deep well in the flour, pour in the milk and mix to a soft, spongy dough with a knife.
On a floured surface, knead the dough very lightly until it is just smooth. Roll or press out to about 2.5 cm thick and stamp into rounds with a small pastry cutter. Gather the scraps together and cut into more scones.
Brush the scones with beaten egg for a glossy crust, sprinkle with flour for a soft one or brush with milk for a lightly gloss and soft crust.
Bake the scones at the top of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until well risen and brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack, or serve hot from the oven (obviously, we opted for the latter of the two!)
I'm sorry, I haven't forgotten about you, and I certainly haven't stopped eating. But I have been consumed with planning literacy sessions and getting up at obscene hours in the morning. My first two weeks on teaching practice now safely tucked behind me, I promise I will blog again properly this week... for sure. I've got some pear chutney to make ;)
