Visiting a Wasabi Farm in Hampshire

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It’s not often you get the chance to visit a Wasabi Farm, especially in the UK, so when a call went out to members of the Guild of Food Writers to sign up, I was first in line.

Based in Hampshire, outside the village of Micheldever, the Wasabi Company’s farm, is located near bubbling brooks, on repurposed watercress beds. They still grow watercress too, but they have diversified to also include wasabi. The leaves are grown under protective black netting that keeps them shaded from the sun’s rays. Traditionally in Japan it grows alongside shady riverbanks high in the mountains. It is notoriously difficult, and indeed slow, to grow taking around 18-24 months until the rhizome is ready to harvest. There are two big planting periods from October/November then spring time when it is all hands on deck to make the planting run smoothly.

John Old, the farm’s affable owner, kicked off the proceedings with some background into the history of wasabi. It is native to Japan and archaeological remains have dated the first signs of consumption as far back as 14,000BC, most probably for medicinal purposes, instead of food. The word ‘wasabi’ however dates from the seventh century in Nara Prefecture. In the middle ages, recipes in Japan show Buddhist temples adding wasabi to cold soup and it is also mentioned in Japan’s oldest book of law stating that wasabi could be used to pay taxes.

We set off to see the plants close up starting with the young plants, which were on raised, well-drained gravel beds with fresh water gullies running in between their neat rows, similar to the traditional methods of natural mountain streams.

We then went on to the more mature plants who were almost ready to be harvested. We learnt that the whole plant can be used – not just the rhizome (which grows above the ground not as a root) but also the leaf stems and leaves, which we were all encouraged to try. Little delicate white flowers can be seen around March and April and these too can be added as garnishes or eaten raw or fried in tempura batter. The leaves and stems were delicately peppery with less of a pungent kick than the rhizome itself – which we enjoyed later with our lunch.

One of the highlights of our day, was being able to harvest a plant ourselves. Chaperoned by Josh and Leigh, we had to delicately ‘tug’ at the lower part of the leaf stems, near, but not on, the rhizome, gently manoeuvring it from its soil cocoon. There were squeals of delight all round, admiring the sizes of our rhizomes.

We learnt how to clean up the rhizome before we were able to try some with our amazing lunch spread that they had very kindly laid on for us all.

I was fascinated to read the chemistry behind wasabi and how the flavour peaks after 3-5 minutes after grating or chewing.

Whilst lunch was being prepared we also got to taste a wide range of products that the company offers – many of which have great taste award stars (all stars are given through rigorous blind tasting) and it is a huge accolade to receive 1,2 or 3 stars. You can see the full breadth of their  products here. 
A highlight for me was: ‘Sanbaizu – pure rice vinegar with delicate flavours of bonito and kombu.
For lunch we were treated to the most delicious cured trout, which was placed on top of some sushi rice. Wasabi leaves were in the middle and rice again underneath – it looked like a savoury Japanese birthday cake and tasted exceptional. We ate this alongside some freshly made chicken yakitori (more of this on my instagram) and some fresh watercress with a wide range of dressings and dipping sauces to choose from.
….and to finish off this fantastic experience we got to sample some beautiful chocolates made by Chris, founder of Teabites that were flavoured with wasabi, chilli, ponzu, and other wonderful sounding ingredients. They were almost too beautiful to eat ;o)
We were given such generous goodie bags filled with yuzu mustard, yuzu pepper and a delicious Sudachi-citrus and kombucha seaweed ponzu (all these you can find on their website here )as well as a fresh wasabi plant, a purple shiso plant, and off course, the one we pulled out earlier that day.
What a truly memorable experience. Thank you John, Lee, Josh and team.

 

NEWS ALERT: Indian Supperclub at Barnsgrove – Friday 8th November

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photo credit: Robyn Liebenberg

Come join me at the stunning new Barnsgrove in Hampshire on Friday 8th November where I will be hosting a very exciting supper club, showcasing some recipes from my first book ‘Chilli & Mint: Indian Home Cooking from a British Kitchen.

We will kick the evening off with some ‘pani puri’ (also known as ‘gol gappa’), a delicious Indian street food snack that awakens the taste buds with a zingy, sweet and sour explosion in the mouth.

Next up is a range of chutneys to eat along side some crispy onion pakora, then onto some soothing Sri Lankan coconut dal, some smokey aubergine known as ‘baingan bharta’, a vegetable thoran from South India, a Chettinad pepper chicken and some cumin rice. Then for dessert you will be have some cinnamon, chilli and chocolate fondants with cardamom chantilly cream.

I would love to see you there. If you live in Hampshire or in the neighbouring counties please spread the word and bring your friends. Tickets are limited. To book sign up here.

Photo credit: 1st and 3rd photograph: Robyn Liebenberg. 2nd photograph of me: Kristin Perers

Another year on….and a second trip to Japan.

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Hello everyone. How are you all? It’s been a while. My blog has taken a bit of a backseat since my cookbook was launched back in 2021 as all my attention has been focused on PR related to that and book tours across the UK. An invite to the Sharjah Book Fair last November for 5 days was a highlight as I was able to demo my recipes each day to a Middle East audience, as well as do some live radio and TV related slots.

Getting ready to go LIVE with 95 Pulse (96.1fm) in Sharjah in the Middle East

An incredible opportunity that I am forever grateful for and some lasting friendships with other book authors from around the world who were also invited.

With the fantastic team which made my demonstrations possible

Sales have been going well so a BIG THANK YOU to those kind folks who have been buying it, gifting it to friends, reviewing it and of course cooking from it. It gives me the greatest joy to hear you are loving the recipes and that they are easy to follow. After the first year the first print run sold out so it is already on its second. It is available at all good bookshops – if you local bookshop does not have a copy stocked, they can order it in from the wholesaler within a couple of days. It continues to be in Waterstones, Hatchards,  Foyles, Harrods, Selfridges in the UK as well as many place across Europe, US, Australia and online in New Zealand. You can also order direct from me here too if you want it signed to a particular person.

With my lovely translator Hend Saeed

Since July, I have been taking time off from my Indian cooking classes and spice tours – they resume in September – and then it is full steam ahead with some exciting collaborations and events in the run up to Christmas. I’m also researching book 2, which I am excited about. It will continue to be on Indian food – but from a totally different perspective from book 1. I am excited to share more about this with you next year.

Morning prayers in Koyasan

As daughter number 2 and I adored Japan so much last summer we decided to return with the rest of the family this summer. So for much  of July I was in Japan. We returned to Tokyo, Kyoto, Koyasan (the temple mountain which I loved so much  last year) and Osaka for a night. In addition, we also visited Kanazawa, Takayama and Shirakawa-go in the Japanese Alps, which were really interesting and less crowded (other than Shirakawa-go  which has a lot of day trippers – we stayed overnight and it was deserted) than well known cities such as Kyoto, which is overrun with  tourists – maybe to its detriment.

The beautiful village of Shirakawago in the Japanese Alps

I thought it might be helpful to outline 14 observations from my two trips to Japan.

  1. Eating out in Japan is reasonable and totally affordable. I know crazy right!!! I was always led to believe the opposite. For example: a ‘kitsune udon’ – a Japanese noodle soup in a umami-rich dashi broth topped with seasoned fried tofu in Koyasan came to £3.50.

A bowl of udon kitsune for £3.50 in Koyasan

Typically though you don’t need to spend more than £10 per person max on a meal – unless of course you want to eat fine dining, which is obviously completely different. One of the most flavoursome bowls of ramen I have ever eaten was Kanazawa and was a mere 980 yen, which is just over £5.

BEST RAMEN EVER at Menya Taiga in Kanazawa. The fresh ginger and lemon rind lifted it to new heights of deliciousness

2. Getting around Japan is SO DARN EASY. The train and bus system both within the cities and across the country is amazing. The subway is also relatively easy to navigate too, with the help of ‘google maps’. It literally feels they are a few decades ahead of us. We crossed the width of the country on the Shinkansen aka the bullet train in around 3 hours.

The famous bullet train (Shinkansen)

3. The bento boxes at the train stations are incredible. Normally no more than £10 a box they include a substantial meal that it really fresh and tasty. They offer everything from hot and cold food, salads, dumplings and sushi – deciding which to opt for takes time, so get to the station early to browse the possibilities.

4. The large train stations have a myriad of restaurant opportunities that the locals eat in and the quality of the food is really good.  Under cities like Osaka and Tokyo there are are huge walkways to keep cool from the humidity above ground and along these passages are numerous eateries, cafes and shops.

5. We found the Japanese so helpful and friendly.

The oldest sushi chef in Ishikawa Prefecture. Restaurant is called Sushi Tora and the experience is definitely memorable

Whilst perhaps a little guarded initially, when I asked locals if I was going the right way to X they invariable opened up, smiled and communicated with sign language or google translate. Speaking English is not a given.

I was overcome by how friendly and kind they were when I sat next to a lovely Japanese lady on the subway in Tokyo. She did speak a little English and told me she lived in Singapore with her family so was visiting. We chatted for a few minutes and I gave her a rough itinerary about our trip. Our next destination was Kanazawa, which was coincidentally her home town and where she was heading. I mentioned the little inn we were heading to in passing. We said our goodbyes after a couple of minutes and that was that. Fast forward a few days we arrive in Kanazawa in the evening at the Inn and the receptionist mentioned that I had a message from a friend. When she gave me the person’s name I remembered it must have been the lady from the train in Tokyo. Next thing I know this lovely lady is coming over to see me at the hotel (in the pouring rain) – I was wondering where this was going but was intrigued. Anyway she turns up and presents me with this beautiful box of cakes that she has had specially made for me from a patisserie in Kanazawa.

They take a while to make so she had put in the order the day before. I was so taken back by her kindness and sweet gesture. After chatting with her we exchanged numbers and she wished our family a happy stay in her hometown. The kindness of strangers. I don’t think I could ever imagine anything like this happening in the UK, after having spoken to someone for simply a few minutes. I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life.

6. I booked all our accomodation either through Airbnb or Bookings.com – both were excellent and very straightforward.

I opted for old inns and traditional houses and then we stayed in temple accomodation in Koyasan – a different temple this time – Sojiin – which was equally wonderful, but different, to last year’s temple.

7. Getting to Japan is costly and long. We travelled on BA direct. The flight back took around 14 hours as they can no longer fly over Russia, so instead go over Greenland and the Arctic.

8. To really appreciate Japan I would not travel with children under teenage years. July was a good month in that it is less busy than August but it is incredibly hot and humid. We walked around 20k steps per day and must have sweated a huge amount. Take an umbrella to shade yourself from the sun. Everyone carries one at all times – rain or shine.

9. Japan is really trying to encourage tourists to visit less well known places and I really think this is the way to go due to the deluge of tourists in some places really putting a strain on the local community and spirit. Kanazawa for example is only visited by 2% or all tourists and because of this it was really lovely to wander around and visit the temples and the geisha districts. I would have liked to have stayed for another day or so – we stayed 2 nights – 3 would have been perfect.

Kanazawa Castle Park

10. Don’t bother with a JR rail pass. The first time we got one of these for the period we were travelling around. This time we didn’t as they have gone up in price so exponentially it doesn’t make sense. Also some of the trains you will want to go on are not covered by JR Rail. It is easy to purchase whilst you go. When you are arrive in Tokyo buy a SUICA and PASMO  card. They are prepaid IC (stored-value) cards. They can be used for travel on JR, subways, buses and private railways in Tokyo as well as neighbouring areas. SUICA is issued by JR East and PASMO by private transport companies however they can be used interchangeably. They are available on Apple Wallet on your iPhone or Apple Watch so that may even be the easiest.

Mount Fuji as we whizz past on the bullet train

11. If you travel in the summer months, I would recommend only taking hand-luggage. We all carried one carry-on each for the trip. Most places we stayed had washing machines and tumble dryers, so we washed our clothes as we went along. Also when you stay at inns they give you yukatas and pyjamas to wear.

You can easily pick up another suitcase if you end up buying gifts along the way. Equally there is a ‘luggage forwarding’ option in Japan that is  highly convenient, reliable, secure, and very economical. Companies that offer the service, including Kuroneko Yamato, but normally your hotel or inn can sort this out for you.

a relatively short queue by Japanese standards

12. Invariably when you go to a restaurant there is a queue. This is totally normally so don’t be put off as they do go down pretty fast. People don’t loiter at restaurants – they eat their meal and leave. Obviously there are ones that you can go slower but a lot of the ramen joints operate in this way.

Watermelon cubes and pyramids

13. Fruit is expensive. As they rarely import it is down to what they are able to grow. Individual fruit  are wrapped with care and prices for fruit that is reasonable in the UK is relatively expensive in Japan. One of the most interesting observations were the watermelon cubes and pyramids. They are more for decorative purposes than to eat  I hear – costing around £100+. The regular round watermelons that we are all familiar with are expensive to what we have in the UK.

14. I adored all the food we ate in Japan but for me the vegan food given at the temples in Koyasan is standout. The flavours, textures and appearance are exceptional and it was a joy to have half board for the 2 nights when we were there.

Have you been to Japan or plan to go? What observations would you add?

Comments below please for all subscribers and readers to see.

I’ll be back soon with a recipe.

 

Staying in a temple in Koyasan – Japan

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If, and when, you visit Japan may I strongly urge you to leave the bright lights of the cities for a few days and head into the countryside.  Make your way to the peaceful and sacred mountain temple complex, nestled on top of Mount Koya, known as ‘Koyasan’. Here the air is cooler and the smell of fresh pine lingers softly on the breeze.  It is considered the birth place of Shingon esoteric Buddhism. In 816, after years of study in Japan, the non-conformist priest Kobo Daishi was given special permission from the Emperor Saga to establish an isolated retreat. You will also find Japan’s largest cemetery. It is believed that Kobo Daishi never died, but instead is in eternal meditation  – you can visit his mausoleum, known as Okunoin (奥の院)  deep in the forest. It is one of the most sacred places in Japan and a popular pilgrimage site.

Getting there we took the train, cable car and bus, but it was so worth all the changes. You need to take the Nankai train heading to Koyasan, the final stop is Gokurakubashi Station. There you will need to transfer to the cable car – actually a funicular more than your typical cable car, which will then take you to Koyasan station. You then board the Nankai Rinkan Bus Line which takes around 10-15 minutes to get to Koyasan itself, stopping off at all the temple lodgings.

Deciding which temple to stay in was hard as there are so many to choose from (around 52) and to be honest they all looked really good.  Some however, only cater to Japanese pilgrims to so you do need to do a little homework first. We opted for Koyasan Shukubo Daimyououin as it was near to the entrance to the cemetery and I had pre-booked months before a night tour of the cemetery with one of the monks. I also loved the fact that it had an inner courtyard overlooking a koi carp pond with beautiful trees.  At all the lodging temples you are given an elaborate vegan breakfast and dinner, which looked almost too beautiful to eat. It tasted delicious and was surprisingly filling.

 

We slept on comfortable futons on tatami floors and each afternoon when we came back from our touring of the temples, one of the friendly monks would come and bring us some chilled green tea in our room to sip.

The walls are thin – as they are paper sliding doors – and on the first night it was a little frustrating that the family in the next door room had the TV on, which kind of spoilt the whole zen of the place. Thankfully the they left the following day and peace resumed. To be honest they really don’t even need to have TV’s at the temple. It is relaxing just to soak it all in, read a book and take a long hot bath (communal – women only/men only).

The temple operates to a schedule when it comes to morning prayer and eating. You can choose to join the morning prayers in the temple at 7am for 30 minutes. Breakfast is then at 8am and dinner is at 6pm. Our temple was small and intimate with perhaps no more than 15 or so guests. I only saw 3 monks living in the temple over the duration of our two nights stay. They were friendly and polite and kept themselves to themselves. Each guest is given a yakata robe to wear around the temple and little slippers. The yakata is a cotton summer kimono, typically worn in casual settings and to nearby bathhouses. They are very comfortable and cooling in the summer heat. I even bought a few home as gifts .

(one of my daughters – takes in her zen surroundings)

I also spent a little time at the temple next door, which was a lot bigger, with many more guests and monks who spoke really good English. That temple was called Eko-in and it offered meditation, free to guests, and a small amount to those staying in other temples. It was also from this temple that we started our night tour of the graveyard. You MUST  book months in advance as they are popular. There were a few people who turned up hoping to tag along and they were turned away as they like to keep the group to no more than perhaps 15-20 people, which is more than enough. The cemetery is surprisingly not at all spooky. Ancient trees line stone paths that weave through the forest. More than 10,000 lanterns are kept eternally lit to shine a light to those who enter the forest. After the tour we walked back alone with our new Belgian friends to the temples at the other end of the forest. You are welcome to catch the bus, but we felt it was more atmospheric to return on foot.

Eko-in also performs the  ‘fire ceremony’ (goma-taki, Shingon Buddhism’s fire ritual) every morning in a little shrine at the entrance to the temple. It was absolutely mesmerising and you feel very immersed in the ceremony as the beating of the drum increases in intensity as the fire climbs higher and higher. This all takes place after the first morning prayers  at 7.30am when you are still in a heady slumber from sleep. It is definitely otherworldly and something worth witnessing no matter where you sit on the religious spectrum.

During the day there are so many temples to visit around Koyasan that you can do them all on foot or jump on and off the bus that snakes its way through the town.

We enjoyed visiting the Kongobujo Temple, which is the headquarters of Koyasan Shingon-shu Buddhism. Within it you will find the largest rock garden in Japan – 2349 square metres. The design is of a pair of dragons emerging from a sea of clouds to protect the Okuden. The dragons are made of 140 pieces of granite brought from Shikoku and the white sand is from Kyoto.

It is also worth visiting the cemetery in the day time and exploring yourself. It is free to wander around, although to enter the temples there is a small fee. There are places to eat if you are feeling peckish, but to be honest after our breakfast and walking around in the heat, albeit less humid than back in the cities, we just fancied something cooling – think ice cream and a chilled drink.

If you have time on your hands, I think it would be great to explore the ancient hiking trails, known as the Kumano Kodo Hiking Trails that have been used as pilgrimage trails for over 1000 years and are now designated UNESCO World Heritage. They are mean’t to be challenging, but a great way to see the country. You need to book inns to stay in advance.  When I return to Japan I will definitely spend some days hiking. Read more about the hiking trails here.

Does Koyasan sound like a place YOU might like to visit on your trip to Japan?

 

 

 

 

 

Quince Khoresh – an Iranian savoury dish

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I have been absent from my blog now for far too long. Marketing my book has been my priority, and whilst it is very time consuming, I have been enjoying the process immensely. For those who have been hibernating in a cave for the past year my book –  ‘Chilli & Mint: Indian Home Cooking from a British Kitchen’ was published almost a year ago and has now been gracing the shelves of many a bookshop and online. I’ve just had a second print run released, which is great news (whoop for joy), so please do think about buying one if you haven’t already or to gift it to friends or family. It is available from all good bookshops  here in the UK, and the usual places online. For those in Oz, the best place to purchase is from Book Topia here, worldwide more generally – then either Book Depositary here , or of course Amazon.

Alongside my bookshop events and marketing the book in general, I am continuing to run my ‘spice tour and Indian cooking class’. The other day, one client noticed some quince sitting in my fruit bowl and asked me what I planned to do with them. Interestingly it had been on my mind as I did not want to go down the quince jam/jelly route. My client – who is of Iranian decent – suggested ‘Quince Khoresh’,  which is a meat and quince dish with sour, sweet and salty notes. Everything fell into place and she kindly sent me a recipe to follow.

In short, I adored the dish but the measurements of sugar, for me, were way too sweet, so I have adjusted here to what I think will be better. In the food notes of the actual recipe (whose recipe it does not say sadly) it talks about how quince was valued for its aphrodisiac powers and how it was customarily given to brides on their wedding nights. The seeds apparently are used in herbal teas to sooth coughs.

I’d love to hear how you get on with the dish and let me know what you think of the sugar balance. Do you need more than I suggest, which sugar do you use? Pop your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.

Quince Khoresh

Serves 6

3 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1kg stewing lamb (you can also use chicken, beef or veal if you prefer)

6 tbsp rapeseed oil (or oil of your choice)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3 large quinces, peeled, core removed and quartered

50g sugar (I used caster but use what you have to hand – the original recipe asked for 150g of sugar but for me this was way too much – adjust according to your taste)

50ml balsamic vinegar

50ml fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp saffron dissolved in two tablespoons of hot water

100g yellow split peas (but you could also: toor or chana dal use jarred/tinned chickpeas)

1-2 potatoes, diced into bite sized (optional – I only added these as I had peeled ones which needed using up in the fridge. The original recipe does not mention potatoes

 

  1. Use a large deep caste iron pot, add 3 tbsp of the oil and then bronze the onions over the course of 8-10 minutes.
  2. Next add the lamb, salt, pepper and cinnamon and allow to brown on all sides. This will take around 10 minutes. Then add 800ml of water and simmer covered for an hour (30 mins if using chicken).  IF you are using yellow split peas, toor or chana, soak first for a few hours- or overnight if you are that organised – then add them to the pan at this early stage. If using jarred or tinned then add them at stage 4.
  3. Meanwhile, core and peel the quince and then quarter them. Using a skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of oil and allow them to brown on both sides, which will take around 10 minutes. Place to one side.
  4. After the meat has been cooking for an hour (30 mins if using chicken), add the sugar, vinegar, lime juice, saffron water and tinned/jarred lentils, quince and potatoes (if using – not a prerequisite for this recipe – see notes above). Allow to simmer for a further 45 minutes and add a little more water if required.
  5. Taste test and adjust the seasons as required.
  6. Serve alongside some steamed rice.

 

 

 

 

Walking and Eating in Bologna

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Our five days in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy went something like this – explore, culture, lunch, walk, culture, relax, supper, sleep, on repeat. It was wonderful. The days were bright and sunny and I could almost smell summer…..almost. We covered a distance, on foot, of 10 miles a day, which meant we could completely enjoy the food without any guilt of being a little bit piggy. We used Bologna as our base and then did day trips to Modena, Parma and Verona – all under an hours train ride away.

I chose a fabulous Airbnb in the old part of the city, which is where you will find the oldest university in the world. It had a wonderful little roof terrance with vistas across the whole of the city.

A stones throw from the apartment is the University Library of Bologna, which was founded by Luigi Ferdinando Marsili, a noble of Bologna, in 1712 as an Institute of Sciences. He endowed it with his own scientific collections, 900 oriental manuscripts and 120 manuscripts relating to his work. It was later enlarged in 1755 by Pope Benedict XIV with 25,000 printed volumes and 450 manuscripts. In the same year a copy of every printed work was ordered and the following year the library opened to the public. We were given a free private tour by a very enthusiastic undergraduate who was able to tell us all about the history of the beautiful library. I think they get few visitors so you will be treated royally if you visit.

Within 10 minutes of the apartment is a ‘quadrilateral’ of ancient narrow streets east of Piazza Maggiore, which is bursting with meat, cheese and produce sellers. It’s the type of place that makes your heart beat faster with excitement and your stomach begin to moan with hunger, even if you’ve just had breakfast!

Amongst these streets you will find a covered market – ‘Mercato di Mezzo’, where you can eat and drink local produce. It’s open every day and stays open until midnight.

This area is as close as you will come to experiencing Bologna street food, so is definitely worth seeking out. We had lunch there on more than one occasion.

We particularly loved Salumeria Simoni – I recommend ordering a charcuterie of delicious hams, salami and cheese washed down with a glass of chianti.

What better way to walk off lunch than by walking along the Portico di San Luca, which is one of the longest covered walkways in the world, numbering 666 arches and gaining 215 meters. It was built between 1674-1793 and is 3.8 km long connecting Porta Saragozza to the Santuario di Madonna di San Luca.

The portico walkway starts off nice and flat, which eases you in, but when you reach Meloncello Arch it begins to steepen. I won’t spoil the surprise, but lets just say the locals don’t need to join a gym if they complete this walk a couple of times a week. There are 15 chapels along its path so you can chapel crawl if you are so inclined. The view from the top is pretty spectacular and the light breeze was most refreshing.

After making it back into town we rewarded ourselves with a gelato – I opted for my favourite flavour ‘bacio’. Ridiculously good.

Refreshed and eager to see more of what Bologna has to offer consider climbing one of the medieval towers in town to get the best vistas of the city from the centre of the city. Bologna used to have hundreds of towers – a sign of its prosperity, today however only twenty are still standing. The most famous are ‘Le due Torri’ – the ‘Two Towers’ Torre Degli Asinelli and the Torre della Garisenda. For five euros you can climb the highest one, the Asinelli Tower.

It’s not for the fainthearted or unfit but the trek up is so worth it for the beautiful views.

On the hill in the far distance you can see Santuario di Madonna di San Luca. Thats a pretty good hike there and back before dinner. You’ve got to work up an appetite after all right?

Before heading out for supper you may want to have an aperitivo at Le Stanze. The location itself is worthy of a drink don’t you think?

We ate in a number of lovely places in Bologna. One of our favourites was definitely Cesari on Via De Carbonesi, 8. It is a family run restaurant with a relaxed and informal vibe with a good mix of locals and tourists. The food was excellent and as we were there out of season and arrived promptly after opening, we didn’t need a reservation. I would suggest however, that you book ahead if you can. What we often tend to do in a new city is scope out a place for dinner in the day and then make the reservation, but it’s up to you.

For pizza, Trattoria Belle Arti was perfect. In fact, their pasta dishes are also worthy of a mention. Whilst it may not win prizes for decor, it became our local as our apartment was virtually next door. They serve all the traditional dishes too – their brodo (tortellini in stock broth) was excellent as was there pasta bolognese and carbonara. It’s relaxed and informal and was always busy.

For super low key – sawdust on the floor kind of place (almost, but not really) is the Osteria Dell’Orsa. It’s basic, has all the obvious local dishes, communal wooden tables and is probably a good place to go if you are a small group or not wanting to splash out too much.

My sources also recommend the following for memorable meals:

Trattoria di Via Serra.

and

Osteria Bottega

After all this eating don’t forget to visit all the beautiful churches and Duomo and the fascinating 17th century anatomical theatre carved from spruce.

Lunching and Brunching in Berlin

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Berlin has a wealth of wonderful brunch and lunch spots so my list is not exhaustive, but instead some of the places I (or my sources) visited and recommend. I travelled with my husband and two daughters (13 and 10) recently and we all enjoyed the offerings at each establishment. Have a read and if you visit any I would love to hear what you think or perhaps you have some that you would add to the list.

Cafe Krone: Oderberger Str 38

Mon-Fri: 9-4pm Sat-Sun: 9.30-6.30pm(Sun) and 7pm (Sat)

There is always a crowd waiting to eat at this buzzy hip eatery in Prenzlauer Berg, although the wait is never very long. It’s near to the Mauerpark flee market, as well as the smaller and more refined flee market, ‘Flohmarkt Arkonaplatz’, both of which operate on Sundays. Cafe Krone offers a range of delicious hot drinks and brunch options including: ‘shakshuka’, ‘eggs benedict’, ‘eggs cooked anyway’, ‘pancakes’, ‘croissants’ – basically something to appeal to every palate. A great place to relax and enjoy the Berlin buzz and plan your adventures for the day ahead.

Jabe  Alte Schönhauser Str. 7-8, Mitte

Mon-Fri: 11.30-4pm, Sat: 12-11.30pm, Sun: 1-9.30pm

If you fancy a Japanese fix then head to Jabe for some seriously tasty Japanese fare. There are a number of starters – or what they call ‘titbits’ to share, such as ‘tebasaki’, ‘grilled tako’, ‘tomorokoshi’, ‘and ‘gyoza’ and then mains including a wide range of ‘udon bowls’, for example: ‘teriyaki don bowl’, ‘salmon truffle bowl’ and ‘kitzune bowl’, as well as a four different types of ‘salmon sashimi’. The place has good zen – as you would expect from a Japanese eatery and is a good pitstop for lunch (or dinner).

 

Mischke Fleischerei Schönhauser Allee 144

Mon-Fri 8-6.30pm, closed wkends

This butchers shop is a great place to have lunch if you want something quick and typically German. There is a wide range  meats with sides and sauces at reasonable prices. You can order anything from soups to schnitzel, although we opted for the traditional German sausage, which they heat up for you. You can sit outside or perch at high stools at little tables. It’s authentic and tasty so definitely worth a look in when you are in Berlin.

photo credit @cecconisberlin

Cecconi  Torstrasse 1, 10119

Monday – Friday: 11.30am – midnight
Saturday: 11am – midnight
Sunday: 11am – 11pm

Nestled on the ground floor of private members club, Soho House Berlin, Cecconi’s offers the public weekend brunch options, as well as all week lunch and dinner. It’s focus is Italian food – with tasty homemade pasta and seafood dishes to tempt diners. It’s sophisticated cool vibes create the perfect setting to pass a couple of hours eating and drinking and generally just soaking up the Berlin atmosphere.

Monsieur Vuong Alte Schönhauser Str. 46

Mon-Thurs: 12am-11pm

Fri-Sun: 12am-12pm

Did you know that the Vietnamese community make up 1.16% of all Berliners? As such there are a host of delicious Vietnamese restaurants spread across the city, which is good news for Berliners and tourists alike. I adore Vietnamese food so it was only natural that I would find myself gravitating to this cuisine on more than one occasion on my recent visit to Berlin.

Monsieur Vuong lies in the heart of the Mitte district (not far from Jabe in fact). The restaurant stands out with its red and yellow awning and its red leather benches outside. Inside the walls are painted orange and pink and there is always a buzz that attracts a hip crowd. The menu is short – as all good menus should be – with changing specials every two days. The food was fresh, light and zingy with delicious cocktails on offer too.  Definitely worth a visit when you are in Berlin.

 

Photo credit @vaguesouvenir

Cafe Einstein Stammhaus  Kurfürstenstr. 58, 10785

Mon-Sun: 8am-midnight

If you are seeking old school Viennese glamour and charm, then make a bee line to Cafe Einstein Stammhaus in the Tiergarten neighbourhood – it’s the perfect place for bunch whilst reading a newspaper on wooden rolls. It is housed in an Italian neoclassical villa in one of Europe’s great old coffeehouses. It’s waiters are dressed in black and white suits, and marble-topped tables with leather banquettes make the Viennese-inspired cafe feel like a relic of pre-war Berlin. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and is the perfect place to get your apfel strudel fix.

Film aficionados will recognise the place as the tense cafe scene in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

 

W-Der Imbiss Kastanienallee 49, 10119

Sun – Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri – Sat: 12pm – 11pm

It was the amusing use of the logo (you’ll see what I mean when you look at the photo below) that initially caught our attention to this Vegetarian Indo-Mexi-Cali-Ital fusion restaurant. Quite a mix hey! We were drawn to the thali – which is the Indian version of Spanish tapas – lots of small dishes so you can try a wide range of things.  It was always busy when we passed by, so made a mental note to visit it before we left. It’s self service, albeit you give your order at the counter and in turn are given a number. When it’s called out they bring it to your table. It’s small and intimate inside with more tables outside for diners to spill out to. It’s fun, well priced and nice to have some Indian spice in another European city for a change.

 

Do you have any favourite brunch or lunch spots that you gravitate to when you are in Berlin? I would love to know so do share in the comments section below.

 

 

 

Top Tips On Visiting Petra and a Recipe for Jordanian Shorba

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View towards the Monastery and Umm Sayhoun in the distance

One of the (many) highlights of visiting Jordan is exploring the magnificent Nabataean red rose city of Petra, which is believed to have been established in the 4th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. I thought it might be useful if I provide some helpful tips, which will hopefully make your visit to this UNESCO world heritage centre truly memorable. I visited in August, when it is searingly hot, but totally doable at the same time.

 First glimpse of The Treasury whilst waking down the Siq

When is the best time to visit Petra?

The cooler periods to visit Petra are autumn and spring when I hear the crowds are less heaving. We visited in August and didn’t come across any other British tourists in Petra, although it seemed to be very popular with the Italians and Spanish. Whatever time of year you visit the quietest time to explore Petra is as soon as the park opens at 6am and in the late evening 6-7pm. In the summer months it closes at 7pm and the winter at 4pm, but I don’t think they are too strict about this- we stumbled out just before 7pm and there were still a number of people we had passed going up to the High Place of Sacrifice as we were coming down. Although do bear in mind that once the sun sets it gets dark FAST and navigating getting out of Petra in the dark, without a torch could be rather tricky, although I guess it would make a good tale to tell the grandkids!

Even though there were lots of people mulling around by the Treasury when we first entered via the Siq, once you go further in, the crowds disperse and you are free to explore the caves and sites without huge swathes of people.

Having walked down the Siq you arrive at The Treasury

To Guide or Not to Guide?

Hiring a local Bedouin guide has it’s advantages if you want to hike some lesser known trails around Petra. Also it might be good to hire one for a few hours before breaking away on your own to explore. If you have a good guidebook, however, you can  read up about the various key sights while you are there. Everything is well signposted and you are provided with maps from the visitors centre at the entrance. The key places to visit are: the Siq (which you will walk along to actually enter Petra), The Treasury, Street of Facades and The Great Temple excavations undertaken by Brown University, Theatre, Royal Tombs, Colonnaded Street, The Monastery and the Place of High Sacrifice.

Tickets to enter Petra for one day are JD50 (£50/$70) for two days only 5JD more and three days 10JD more. Children under 15yrs old get in free. In hindsight I wish we had spent an extra day in Petra so we could explore more of the trails instead of walking 15 miles in one day.

Colannaded Street with local Bedouins on their donkeys

Donkeys, Camels, Mules and Horses

Local Bedouins are eager to offer tourists rides to and around Petra on their various beasts of burden. Whilst I realise this is an income for them and that most of the animals looked in fairly good condition, I passed up on their offer, preferring my own two feet to carry me everywhere. Climbing up to the Monastery were dozens of donkeys carrying weary walkers to the top. It’s steep and as a walker you need to be careful for fear of being knocked over the edge by the animals as they clamber with their heavy human loads. I almost saw one mule, carrying a tourist, go over the edge of a precipice. Coming down on the donkeys looked really precarious so I will leave it to you on what you decide. I think it’s an easy decision mind you!

Don’t let the bazaar vibes get you down

Most of the Bedouins living in Petra are from the B’doul tribe and many now live in the purpose-built settlement of Umm Sayhoun, which you can see in my first photo in the distance on the far right. Most work in the tourism industry working in hotels or camps or as horse riders, tour guides or souvenir sellers. One thing I noticed was the huge amount of souvenir sellers  all around Petra, all the way along the trails to the main sites. Whilst it does seem rather overrun with stalls, there are some good souvenirs to buy, many made by the local women, so its worth looking at what they have to offer. Remember it is not like shopping here in the UK. When they offer a price you need to haggle a little bit – it’s what they expect, so don’t agree with the first price.

Meeting Marguerite van Geldermalsen

One New Zealand tourist visiting Petra in 1978 fell for the charms of one of the souvenir-sellers – Mohammed Abdallah Othman and never left. She learned Arabic, converted to Islam and gave birth to three children, who are now all grown up. Mohammed has since past away sadly, but Marguerite still lives there. For seven years she made a home with him in a two thousand-year-old cave carved into the rock hillside, living like a Bedouin. Whilst she now lives in Umm Sayhoun, she can be found most days in Petra selling her memoir, sometimes with her grown-up daughter, as well as some beautiful jewellery that she has designed and made with the help of a local women’s co-operative. Her shop is very close to where her troglodyte dwelling used to be in fact.

Are Food, Water and Facilities Available in Petra?

Absolutely yes to all three. Deliciously cold bottled water is available all over Petra, although prices range on where you buy them. At the bottom of the hike to ‘The Monastery’ they were half the price to what they were at the top. The main restaurant in Petra is ‘The Basin’ and whilst it’s ok, I think opting for a packed lunch and sandwich is a better option. I didn’t really feel like eating that much in the heat, and besides I was there to explore and hike and not eat copious amounts of salads and hummus. You can pick up some snacks Wadi Musa – the town that has built up outside Petra, or get your hotel to make up a packed lunch for you. Another option is to pick up a fresh sandwich at ‘The Monastery’ with a cold orange juice when you get to the top.

You will also find Bedouin ladies making tea at a number of opportune places. In the late afternoon we climbed to ‘The Place of High Sacrifice’ where we had the place to ourselves. Then behind a rock we found the lady in the photo on the right beckoning us to have some tea and sit with her. At which point she got out her tin flute and played us a tune as we sipped our sweet tea and watched the sun reflect brilliantly over Petra. Hauntingly memorable.

Made it to The High Place of Sacrifice - incredible view from the top

 

Where to stay in Petra?

All the hotels and camps have been built in and around Wadi Musa, which has grown as the tourist industry has thrived. We stayed at the Movenpick Hotel, which is perfectly positioned at the entrance to Petra. The hotel would not win awards for architectural beauty from the outside, but inside is far more appealing than you would be led to believe, especially the atrium where you can linger over a cold drink and a good book. There is an outside pool, which was much needed after 10 hours on our feet and a great roof terrace where you can watch the sunset/rise. The rooms and bathrooms are a little dated, but the beds perfectly comfortable so overall the hotel was an excellent choice for our adventures in Petra.

Where to eat when you stay in Petra?

There are a number of restaurants in Wadi Musa all offering similar type dishes. We ate at a couple of restaurants – the best being ‘My Mom’s Recipe Restaurant’ which serves Jordanian fare in an atmospheric restaurant. It  is reached by climbing a couple of flights of stairs with rugs adorning the walls and ceilings. It was cosy and welcoming with good views of the nights sky and a local musician playing live music. I was also very impressed by the waitress who was Yemeni and spoke Arabic; English; Hindi and Filipino.

We also had an excellent buffet lunch at Al Qantarah where there was a wide selection of cold and hot dishes as well as some tasty falafels, which were freshly made.

I craved a hot soup (I know this may sound strange when it was mid 30’s outside), so ordered a local Jordanian favourite, Shorba, made of red split lentils, spices and lemon. It is similar to Indian dal, but with an Arabic twist.  I ate it quite a few times in Jordan so thought you would like the recipe too as it will be perfect for the months ahead.

Jordanian Shorba

serves 4-6

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 white onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cups of red split lentils, washed under cold water and strained a couple of times

2.5 litres of water

1 chicken/vegetable stock cube

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

 juice of one lemon, or to taste

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp salt

handful of fresh parsley, to serve

 

  1. In a deep pan heat the oil and add the onion, bay leaf and carrot and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for a further 2 minutes.
  2. Add the red split lentils and cover with the water and stock cube.
  3. Cook on a medium to low flame for 15 minutes, skimming any scum that may come to the surface.
  4. When it has softened, add the cumin and turmeric powders, lemon juice, freshly ground pepper and salt.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and then using a hand blender blitz the lentils so that they are smooth. You may need to add some more water if the soup is too thick.
  6. Taste test and add more salt/pepper/lemon juice as you see fit.
  7. Pour into bowls and add a little fresh parsley on top.

 

Exploring Little Petra - we pretty much had the place to ourselves

What is Little Petra?

Little Petra is about a 15 minute car ride from Wadi Musa. It is another archeological site located north of Petra. It is also Nabataean with buildings carved into the the sandstone walled canyon. It is thought to have been built to house visiting traders on the Silk Road – much like a caravanserai. It is free to visit and takes between 30 mins -1 hour to explore and there were only a handful of tourists when we visited. At the end of the canyon is a precarious climb to a view point with a souvenir seller at the top and a place to have some tea and cold drinks.

There are some other hikes, which start from Little Petra which take you further into the arid, mountainous desert region which look interesting if you have more time in the area. I would advise to get a guide if you want to venture further on this hike and make sure to carry lots of water and supplies as there will be no sellers offering food and beverages on the trail.

Local Bedouin man playing his Oud

Petra Night Tour – worth doing or not?

We did NOT do this ourselves, owing to the fact we were too shattered after our 15 mile hike around Petra and quite honestly could not face walking another 2.5km down the Siq and another 2.5km back in the dark.  Our legs had given up on us and we fancied a leisured evening and rest, before visiting Little Petra the next day. It also sounded a bit of a tourist trap if I’m honest and on Trip Advisor has mixed feedback. If you fancy giving it a whirl however, it happens on Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8.30pm when the tour walks from the visitors centre down the Siq to the Treasury. Apparently it is all lit up with candles and is very atmospheric, albeit you are witnessing this wondering with hundreds of other people. There are some locals playing instruments, some Arabic singing and story telling and tea drinking but apparently as there are so many people receiving tea is not guaranteed with that number of people. The whole experience lasts two hours and once the sun has gone down it gets cold, so bring sufficient clothes to keep yourself warm.

Tickets cost JD17 (£17/$24), children under 10 are free, and it last for a couple of hours.

 

Sitting with my back to the Royal Tombs overlooking the Street of Facades and Colonnaded Street

Memorable Eating in Florence

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Arriving in any new city is exhilarating and thrilling and Florence is no exception. I’ve been a few times in the past but it had been a decade since my last foray in the city so remembering where to eat needed fresh research. One exception is Il Latini, which is a Florence culinary institution, that is always worth seeking out.

Il Latini: Via dei Palchetti, 6R

Hams hang from the ceiling at this charming Florence eatery that has exceptional Florentine food and welcoming staff. It is a place to linger and enjoy the buzzy atmosphere and a real sense of occasion when you go there.

So the other places to recommend when you visit are as follows:

Trattoria Mario: Via Rosina, 2r,

This place is a real gem, that was so good we returned to twice. The first time it was so busy that we were ushered to what seemed like a store room in the cellars with wine stacked up. Tables were huddled together and we all felt rather grateful to have been giving a table at all as its the kind of place that you want to arrive as close to noon as possible to guarantee a table. The menu changes daily – its short, which all good menus should be (in my view). It is equally loved by tourists and locals as the food is excellent, very kind to the wallet and has a good traditional trattoria vibe. Be warned if you are in small group you will be sharing a table with others, but that makes it all more fun right?

We had to wait for about 5 minutes on one occasion otherwise we were seated immediately. The courgette ravioli, below was very memorable and I will certainly try to replicate it myself in my own kitchen.

Got to love a birds eye view!

L’Giuggiolo – Osteria/Pizzeria: Viale Augusto Righi, 3 A/D

Recommended by the taxi driver who was extremely enthusiastic that we go. Within a few mouthfuls of food we understood the reason for his pride. We would not have naturally visited it as it sits anonymously on the road at the outer environs of Florence, just outside Fiesole. You can take the bus to Fiesole or a taxi which takes around 15 minutes. The food is sublime and the service is relaxed giving us a very comforting Sunday lunch experience. The pastas were perfectly cooked and generous and the bistecca was as good as any we have eaten. Furthermore being outside the tourist centre the bill was much more modest. It’s location makes it a good place to have a post or pre-lunch hike, so take some good walking trainers.

 La Menagere: Via de Ginori 8r

This places oozes cool with its crittall windows, arched vaulted ceilings, its mismatched lamp shades and stone flooring. It’s one of those concept stores that gives you the option to buy all manner of wonderful things – whether its some beautiful flowers, music, a pastry and coffee, breakfast or perhaps a more refined evening meal. Whilst we did not eat here, it goes on the list as it is very different from anything else I saw in Florence and is a good place to have a pre-dinner cocktail or a coffee and watch the world go by. It would not be out of place in London’s Shoreditch, New York’s Brooklyn, Tel Aviv’s Jaffa or LA’s Echo Park or Silver Lake.

Gelateria Santa Trinita: Piazza Dei Frescobaldi, 8/red

Florence is teaming with gelateria but if you are not careful you will be paying overinflated prices if you opt to buy one too near the Ponte Vecchio. Gelateria is perfectly positioned just by the Ponte Santa Trinita, which affords excellent views of the Ponte Vecchio. Portion size is super generous – I opted for the smallest size in a cone and as you can see from the photo below I could pick two flavours – nocciola (hazelnut) and black sesame (definitely try this one if you have not done so before). It came to 2.80 euros – the same portion at one near the Ponte Vecchio was 6.50 euros. There is lots of choice and the quality is very good.

Osteria Del Cinghiale Biano: Borgo S.Jacopo, 43r

Located on the ground floor of a thirteenth century tower in Borg San Jacopo, one of the quaintest streets of medieval Florence. The first dining room is situated right in the old tower, with the original antique stone walls in view. The second dining room and the kitchen were built in the tower’s old courtyard, which was covered by vaults in 1500 in order to best bear the weight of the historic building. It’s rustic and charming and the staff were attentive and welcoming. Wild boar and truffles feature on the menu so are definitely worth trying. The tiramsu is also an obvious choice for dessert and got a definite thumbs up from my family. You do need to book though so don’t just turn up.

La Bussola: Via Porta Rossa, 56r

If pizza is what you are after then La Bussola will definitely tick that box. The restaurant is a lot bigger than it appears at first glance, with options to sit at regular tables inside or outside or on stools up at a marble bar. There was a wide choice of pizza – as well as lots of non-pizza options too. I can’t fault the pizzas – they were the right thickness, were generously covered and tasted great. Whilst you probably could walk in off the street, we had made a booking to be on the safe side.

Mercato Centrale: Via dell’Ariento

This place is Florence’s answer to Borough Market. Downstairs artisans sells there wares with hams, cheeses and olives galore, upstairs is a massive food court which is super busy and the perfect place to pick up a snack or two and a beer. Whilst you can eat at that level – which is hard as so many people are trying to also find a seat – I recommend finding your way up to another level, with more seating and a chance to actually sit down.

Alimentari Uffizi: Via Lambertesca, 10/R

A biouji family run deli, a stones throw from the Uffizi gallery down a quiet street. It is a great place to stop for a glass of wine and a plate of prosciutto from the present owners’ son’s farm. You perch on wooden stools and tables and order a range of delicious antipasti. It’s the type of place that you are really happy to have stumbled across as it feels so welcoming and Italian.

 

Ristorante Toto: Borgo Santi Apostoli, 6r,

After arriving into Florence around lunch time we decided to find somewhere close to the station that we could walk to with our luggage and indulge in a bowl of pasta – as you do! After some speedy research we opted for Toto Firenze. It’s spacious and buzzing and the waiters were welcoming as they showed us to our table. The restaurant prides itself on its famous ‘ fiorentina bistecca’ and looking at those served up on other tables (as well as the meat fridge below) it was most impressive, but we were craving pasta so all opted for the spaghetti carbonara. Portions were generous and the food tasted great. Price wise the restaurant is also very good – so a perfect place to go with a family or group.

So that’s it folks. We ate at a few other restaurants that were good, but bang for buck I felt the ones above were more of a ‘home run’.

If you discover any different from this list do leave a comment in the comments box below, I would love to know. Equally if you try any of the above let me know what you think. Did you have an equally good experience?

Grand Blogger Dinner 2019 in the Stunning St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and Watermelon Granita Recipe

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Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

It’s not everyday that you get invited to the inaugural ‘Grand Blogger Dinner’ in London hosted by Alwin, CEO and co-founder of the creative agency @mrgoodiebag, which is based in the Netherlands in fact. The company has been hosting similar decadent dinners across other European cities and their most recent launch was in London at the stunning ‘Renaissance Hotel St Pancras’.

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

Forty food bloggers were invited to attend the sumptuous dinner that a select group of food brands had helped to inspire a different course. The proceedings started however with drinks and canapés, by what has to be one of the most incredible staircases in London.  I discovered the Spice Girls used it in their ‘Wannabe’ single. It is also the staircase that was part of the original Midland Grand Hotel, designed by George Gilbert Scott, which opened in 1873. Amusingly it was made extra wide  to allow ladies to pass each other with their wide bustle dresses. Can you imagine?

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

Peter’s Yard, a brand I was already familiar with, as I adore their sourdough crisp bread, inspired all the canapés.  The smoked salmon, sour cream, salmon caviar, edible flower and leek ash were particularly standout. These were accompanied with deliciously light and fresh sparkling wine by Familia Torres Wines.

Photographs by @annekejagerphotography

 

It gave us all the opportunity to get to know fellow invitees before Alwin, our host for the night, welcomed us and spoke about the various brands that we were going to come across over the course of the evening.

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

After our meet and greet we were then ushered into the most magnificent room that was to host the dinner itself.

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

Pretty spectacular hey? I loved the floral arrangements and then discovered they were fakes – but rather brilliant ones don’t you think? They were made by @casashops

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

The menu was included in a little booklet which outlined which brand was supporting the course.

  • trio of canapés with sourdough crisp bread by Peter’s Yard @petersyard
  • red shrimp crudo on orange and strawberry panzanella with aceto balsamic di modena’ by Ponti @pontiofficial
  • pearl barley ristotto, laverstoke burrata, fresh English peas, pea tendrils, lemon, ramson flowers @stpancrasren
  • watermelon granita with natural goats milk yogurt @sthelensfarm
  • galletto all’arrabbiata with delicious anchovy fillets in olive oil and peppers @delicius_official
  • authentic Italian artisan gelato @remeogelato

Quite a feast don’t you agree?

Photograph by @annekejagerphotography

 

Each course was paired with a different wine and we were given a brief introduction to each one. Standouts for me were:

Purgatori 2014 Costers Del Segre

Vina Esmeralda 2018

The evening went by really quickly – always a sign of a good evening. It was great to get to know others who are equally passionate about food and were happy to photograph it at length without any ‘oh hurry up’ or sarcastic remarks from our other halves.

Above is me pictured with (from left to right)  @anders_kitchen @kokkiecooking @eathappyfeelgood @emmaeatsandexplores and @endofthefork Do check out there feeds and blogs – all so inspiring and creative.

After a quick round of photos we were handed the most incredible goodie bags – I’m surprised I managed to carry it all home – and said our farewells and thank yous before heading off into the night.

 

Back at home I decided to make the watermelon granita again for the family. It’s perfect when you have a super hot day and need cooling down. Here are my efforts:

It’s absolutely delicious and easy to make ahead of time. The only part you need to do last minute is the blitzing of the iced watermelon in the blender.

Check out the recipe below and give it a whirl this summer

Watermelon Granita with Natural Goats’ Milk Yogurt

recipe created by St Helen’s Farm for the Grand Blogger Dinner 2019

serves 8

1 small watermelon (approx 1.8kg)

60g stem ginger in syrup

2 limes

1/2 bunch of fresh mint (approx 15g)

8 tbsp St Helen’s Farm Natural Goats’ Milk Yogurt

 

  1. First prepare the watermelon by removing the rind and chopping into small chunks and removing the seeds.
  2. Roughly chop the ginger and place in a large sealable freezer bag with the watermelon chunks.
  3. Finely grate in the lime zest, juice and then freeze for at least 8 hours (I froze mine for a few days as I wanted to have it ready for a hot day)
  4. When ready to serve, pick and reserve the baby mint leaves then put the rest into the food processor along with the contents of the freezer bag. You may need to do this is batches so that it is properly blitzed.
  5. Serve 2 heaped tablespoons of the ‘pink snow’ granita per person with 1 tbsp of goats’ yogurt, a drizzle of ginger syrup from the jar and a few baby mint leaves.

 

I was kindly invited to this event. All views and opinions are my own.