Blackberries!

So summer is over and autumn has begun and with the first frost just around the corner the fields and hedgerows are brimming with bounty. When I arrived in Cornwall last weekend I was delighted to see the wiry brambles climbing over from the farmers field were hanging heavy with juicy ripe blackberries. Last Monday morning with scratched limbs and stained fingers I returned to the kitchen triumphant, with a bag full of deliciously fragrant blackberries and set to work making an autumn take on the classic Victoria sponge.

For the filling I put about 200gs of the blackberries in a pan with a handful of sugar, a little water and a dash of elderflower cordial made earlier in the year from blossom collected from the very same hedgerow as blackberries. I left this to gently simmer until the blackberries broke down and the liquid reduced to a jam like consistency.

For the cake I creamed 200g of softened butter and 200g of golden caster sugar with the zest of a lemon until light and smooth; adding the zest at this early stage really helps to release the citrus oils and gives the finished cake a more lemony flavour. I then added four eggs one at a time and 200g of self-raising flour added a tablespoon at a time with each egg and the remainder at the end. Once mixed until smooth I poured the mixture into a pre greased tin and cooked in a 180’ preheated oven for about 60 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through to the centre.

While the cake was in the oven I made a mouth-watering topping of cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice beaten with a whisk then chilled in the fridge for twenty minutes or so. This is a fairly runny topping that can be drizzled over a cake rather than spread, if you are making this recipe at home don’t be alarmed by the consistency.

Once the sponge was cool enough to handle I cut it in half and filled generously with the blackberry filling. I placed the sandwich on a cake stand and poured over the cream cheese topping and watched it drizzle down the sides, I topped with a handful of fresh blackberries and gave a generous dusting of icing sugar to finish. We took my autumnal creation round to our French neighbors and enjoyed a slice while watching the typically English rain drizzle down the window- Autumn has definitely arrived.

Dorset apple cake and ice cream

The week before last I spent couple well deserved days off camping in Dorset with my family. A yearly trip to Dorset has been a Warner 'tribe' tradition for as long as I can remember and wandering back from the newly refurbished toilets along the familiar stoney path I looked up at the stars and felt instantly at home. Settling down into my sleeping bag next to my youngest sister, listening to my parents bickering about where the air was coming out of their lilo I could have been thirteen again, after a moment their voices faded into a blur and before I knew it it was morning. We were woken by a glimmer of sunlight peeping from under the tent door. After a hearty make shift breakfast we decided to make the most of the weather and set off to Worth Mattravers for a walk to my mums favourite spot for swimming; Windspit.

Windspit could not really be described a a beach or a bay as it is more just a small break in the steep cliff's edge. It is situated on the East Dorset coast a few miles West of Swanage where many years ago Purbeck limestone was quarried for local construction and most notably Salisbury cathedral. It's staggered blocks of flat grey rock now lend themselves perfectly to picnicking, sunbathing and watching the beautiful blue waves of the English Channel break against the cliffs. The tide was unusually high and the wind was particularly ferocious meaning only my mum and me were bold enough to brave a refreshing dip. After a picnic and nap we set off back to Worth village. My sisters took the direct path we came on back to the village while my parents and I opted for a longer route along the spectacular cliff tops and past the tiny but beautiful St Aldhelm's Chapel set back just meters from the cliffs edge and a stones throw from the local Coast Guards station.

When we arrived back to Worth we headed to the Village Hall for a table top sale of locally produced arts, crafts and most importantly food. We looked round the stalls overflowing with prints of picturesque views, local preserves and seashell wind chimes. We settled ourselves at a gingham clad table in the grassy curchyard next to a marquee full of locally grown flowers, veg and a beautiful aray of potted herbs for sale. We ordered cups of tea and a selection of homemade treats. I opted for a slice of Dorset apple cake served warm with ice cream, it was delicious- the perfect balance of sweetness, spice and a little tang. As we sat back in our chairs and let our cakes digest my dad expressed his delight and pronounced this the apitome of the glorious english countryside.

Last Monday to take away my back to work blues I had the urge to recapture that sunny holiday feeling and set about making my own apple cake with a rhubarb twist to be served warm straight from the oven with clotted cream Ice cream.

To make your own gooey slices of the english countryside follow my simple recipie below:

FIrstly take one large stem of rhubarb, slice vertically down the middle then slice into three inch lengths. Place the rhubarb in a pan and cover with a little water and about 30g of brown sugar, a couple of cloves, a grind of black pepper and half a dozen cardamon pods. Bring to a slow boil and leave to simmer until the rhubarb is soft but not falling apart. In a separate saucepan add three apples cut into small cubes, cover with water, a little sugar, a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon and a pinch of mixed spice. Heat until the apples are soft and the liquid reduced and sticky.

Whilst your fruit is cooking you can set to work on your cake. Cream 200g of unsalted butter with 200g of soft brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add four eggs one at at time each with a table spoon of self raising flour take from a bowl of 200g. Add the remaining floor along with a pinch of salt and a couple of tablespoons of mixed spice and mix thoroughly until smooth. Next add the pre cooked apples into the mixture and fold in gently until the cubes are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Line an 8 inch round baking tin with greaseproof paper. In the bottom of the tin arrange slices of rhubarb in a star shape radiating form the centre out, be careful to avoid the whole coves and cardamons. Carefully spoon the cake mixture on top and place in an oven preheated to 180'c for 35-40 minutes. (use a skewer to check). When the cake is ready turn upside down on to a cooling rack. Slice whilst still warm and serve with your favorite ice cream or a splash of cream.

What a lot of Tomatoes

The best thing about your house mate going to Jersey to play a gig.... The best box of veg I ever did see. Thanks Ben.

Time to get practicing tomato recipes.

A Rainy Summer's Weekend

Another rainy weekend in Cornwall may have dampened towels and tents, but it certainly didn’t dampen our spirits. We spent Saturday evening in St Ives for Joey’s birthday at Disco Riot Romance and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Coast Café looking out over the beautiful water, which was blue as ever despite the grey skies.

On Monday, after an early rise and an afternoon nap, I was persuaded by a friend to venture up the coast to Padstow to pick up some food to perk up last nights left over’s, indulge in some fudge eating and wander by the harbor. After a disappointing hunt for my favorite fudge (Roskilly’s), a nearly empty patisserie, the patter of rain and a lack of ideas for dinner; we left slightly down heartened. As we drove out of the town we noticed a sign for Padstow Farm Shop and followed the arrows down the lanes until we pulled up to a large barn, a small car park and a little brick building with brightly lit windows shining like a beacon through the now near torrential rain. I pulled my flowery jumper over my head and ran for the door.

Following the signs for a farm shop is a risky business, you never quite know what you are going to find, on more than one occasion I have spent nearly forty minutes following winding country tracks only to find a tiny unstaffed barn with a couple of boxes of eggs, a chest freezer half full of strange cuts of meat and a couple of tired looking carrots or hairy potatoes. Today our luck was in; Padstow Farm shop was a large, clean, well-organised affair, brimming with fresh produce and friendly staff to boot. I was immediately inspired by the large baskets of veg and headed straight for the mini courgettes with flowers still attached. I am a sucker for anything pretty especially edible flowers. I knew these would be perfect for filling with a soft cheese and coating in a spicy batter to have with mango chutney. I was also pleased to find they stocked the Roskilly’s fudge I had been craving. My friend had picked up two large bunches of golden beats and as she was paying I inquired into the uses of the leaves. I was told these could be used in salads, steamed and are also delicious wok fried. I picked up a bunch myself that we would later turn into a very special warm summer salad to accompany last nights’ curry.

After a surf with the boys and a steaming hot shower we began cooking. Joe roasted up the beetroots in chunks with onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and spices. Once the beetroots were sticky and brown we added the beet leaves (thinly sliced), stirred, covered and left for a couple of minutes to wilt the leaves slightly. We dressed our Whole-Beet salad with an emulsion of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint and yoghurt and stirred through some raw red onion for an extra kick. Meanwhile I stuffed the courgette flowers with cream cheese and coated them in spicy batter made with flour, sparkling water and garam massala and deep-fried them till light golden brown. Needless to say the curry and rice from the night before were a mere sideshow. We went to bed early, happy and full.

Elderflower Cordial

Something that always reminds me of the many summer holidays spent as a child in the beautiful English countryside with my family is elderflower cordial. This is something I decided had to be on our drinks list at the cafe.
At the very end of May this year I attempted my first batch; this was such a success we have had to make two subsequent batches. I am hoping there are still a few pale creme flowers left this weekend to make my final batch for 2009. If you spot any elder flowers still in bloom you can follow this simple recipe to make you own delicious summer treat:

You will need:
30 Crowns of Elder flowers
2 Lemons
1kg Caster Sugar
100g Citric Acid (most large chemists stock this)
2 Ltrs Water

What to do:
Add the water and sugar into a large pan and bring to the boil. Stir regularly until the sugar has dissolved then turn off the heat.

In to a large mixing bowl separate the smaller elder flower crowns from each other removing as much of the stalk as possible, have a check for any creepy crawlies but do not wash as you will wash away the pollen that is responsible for the wonderful fragrant flavour of the cordial. Using a potato peeler remove the rind from the lemons and add to the elder flowers. Slice the peeled lemons into discs and place in the bowl.

Using a ladle spoon the sugar and water mixture over the flowers and lemon. Add the citric acid and stir until dissolved. Cover the bowl with a large plate or tea towel and leave for two to three days stirring once or twice a day.

Next strain the mixture through muslin or a tea towel and funnel into bottles.

These bottles can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer longer...

Ways to drink it:
This cordial is delicous with still or sparkling water. I like mine with lots of ice, a slice or lemon and a couple of sprigs of mint.

For specail occassions try it with champangne or prossecco.

For a Trevelgue Collins:
Add 50ml Plymouth Gin to a glass of ice. Squeeze the juice of an eighth of a lemon over the top. Add 25ml of your very own elderflower cordial and top with sparkling water. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint. A perfect treat for a summer's evening.