October delicacies

This time of year makes me want comfort foods, warming foods and delicious foods. I am all about popcorn again. Popping some oil, a hint of salt and sugar into a pan, letting them heat and dumping in my corn kernels, lid on, then watching them pop away and finally gobbling them down.

I love my baking just now. Not just breads, but anything satisfying. How about some Blueberry Galette with Cornmeal Thyme Crust?

Or how about some meltilicious Julia Child's Croissants overhauled recipe?

Or finally how about a wonderful Treacle Sponge?

And let not forget that this is the time of year we feel justified in bringing out the slow cooker once more. Slow cooker Split Pea Dal
Slow Cooker Chiptole Pulled Pork
Slow cooker Braised Lamb-Shank

October foods include: Celeriac (I love this as a soup or a mash)
Kale - wonderful cooked in a low temp oven for 20 mins, until it is completely dry - eat as crisps, or in mash as colcannon
Cabbage, as above, or in soup
Aubergine - as baba ganush or grilled
Apples - juiced or as a crumble
Wild Mushrooms, as a risotto or a soup
Beetroot - I love this in so many ways, from risotto to pickling, to as it is with fish or meat
Chicory - I love this best as it is with hummus
Figs - beautiful raw and stewed
Fennel - I love this roasted or in a soup (sieve it though as it can be stringy)
Lamb (tagine or the slow cooked shank above), mackerel (grilled and served with beetroot), mussels (a steaming bowl with garlic and lemon, parsley and bread)

This time of year really packs a punch. Flavours are full on and varied. Enjoy the autumn. Stay warm and eat well xx


On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Fabulous Fennel!

Fennel is one of my most favourite and most versatile vegetables out there. You can do so much with it and it really packs a punch. It also happens to be in season at the moment!

If you tried fennel and didn't like it, try it again. The flavour of raw fennel is very different from the cooked, which sweetens it. If you tried it raw, try it cooked and vice versa!

Fennel is wonderful raw in a salad with something citric, like orange or grapefruit, or as an accompanyment to fish (if roasting your fish, lay it out on top of a bed of fennel). Rather than reamin off a huge list of ideas, here are a few recipe links:

Fennel and Orange Salad

Sauteed Caramelised Fennel

Red mullet, fennel purée and fennel salad with lemongrass broth

Griddled fennel with a hot tomato and balsamic dressing

Chicken breasts with fennel

Fennel is not the only thing in season in July. This month has some of the most falvoursome fruit and vegetables available!:
apricots, blackcurrants, redcurrants, loganberries, cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines and raspberries
broadbeans, aubergine, chicory, courgette, beetroot, spring onion, swiss chard, watercress, tomato, cucumber, french bean, kohlrabi, greengages, globe artichoke, runner beans, peas, radish, rocket
lamb, mackerel, sardines, crab

So why not get them at their best!


On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin