Tag Archives: home made

Tea

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56 High Road, Reigate, RH2 9ATcarolynne migh tea

The upside: One of the most interesting loose-leaf tea menus in Surrey!

The downside: Closed on Sundays

The flipside: A lovely independent selling a menu that embraces single blend teas with locally produced food

This café is as its name suggests is all about tea. Carolynne Farrer (a former HR specialist) always dreamed of owning her own tea business. Made redundant a few years ago she chatted with her sister about her idea. Convinced she was all talk her sister remarked that she would never actually do it. This was the challenge that Carolynne needed and TEA is now 1 year old.

Located in historical Reigate, on the High Road the interior has been playfully created to give a vintage retro feel. The counter is painted red and decorated with old knitting patterns. These are so evocative to me of childhood especially if you had a knitting crazy granny like me.

Tea Reigate kintting patterns

Here you will find that all aspects of the small but delightful menu have been carefully devised. The kitchen is very small so the menu reflects this. Tea (some organic) Organic coffee (from Beanberry) and proper hot chocolate dominate the drinks menu. On the food side its doorstop sandwiches featuring local cheeses. High Weald for Sister Sarah goats cheese and Sussex Charmer from Bookhams are just 2 examples.

Tea is the specialty here so I chose a pot of Chinese Jasmine Silver Needle. All teas are loose-leaf and placed intotea at migh tea an unbleached filter to brew. Each variety needs different times to infuse so are served with a timer and brew time advice. You can find a full description of all the teas on the website but staff here are keen to share their knowledge and discuss options. Tea comes from an independent tea merchant in Winchester who share their knowledge and passion for this unique drink with Carolynne. The tea menu is divided into normal (£2), special (£2.50) and superior (£3.75) for a generous pot. My tea was deliciously aromatic and soothingly smooth to drink.

To eat I selected a Welsh Rarebit made with one of my favourite cheeses Sussex Charmer (£3.75). The cheese here is combined with herb mustard and Worcester sauce and was deliciously satisfying. Bread is from the Chalet Bakery an independent business in Tadworth. My companion Sarah from ‘Little Spice’ had a doorstep sandwich with Sister Sarah goats cheese. This was served with a salad garnish and vegetable crisps (£5.25). The sandwich menu changes weekly featuring local produced ingredients. Other menu items include home-made soup (changing daily) with bread (£4.75) or a Ploughmans served with pickles, local fruit chutney and oatcakes (£6.75). Generous portions make this a value for money destination too!

food trio sandwiches

tea timer_migh tea

To finish Sarah chose a pot of Organic coffee and a rich chocolate brownie. So although this is a tea room coffee drinkers won’t be disappointed served in a cafetiere (my favourite style) as Carolynne didn’t want the aroma of coffee to dominate the venue. With coffee you get to choose your roast too! I had a slice of gluten free orange and polenta cake. It was rich, moist and intensely orangey. Made by a local baker the cakes change during the week and are displayed tantalisingly under glass cake stands (£2-£3.50) .

cake trio

If you like me get mightily fed up with predictable high street chains, Tea in Reigate will give you a refreshingly different experience.board outside shopFresh locally produced food, fabulous tea menu and lovely people, it is well worth a visit.

www.migh-tea.com

For high tea reservations call 01737246251

Thanks to Sarah from ‘Little Spice’ for introducing me to this great tea-house!

Spiced Chicken and Spinach Tray-bake

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There is nothing better for a midweek meal that throwing a load of chopped veggies in a tray with some seasoning. Ever since reviewing Sarah Lazell’s lovely spice mixes I have been adding the mixes she kindly gave me into lots of the dishes I have been cooking. And to great effect!

We served this dish with basmati rice but it would also work well with mash or new potatoes. The spices work beautifully with the vegetables and chicken thighs and was a huge hit with my crew. I particularly like the awesome pepper mix here as its punchier than regular but adds flavour layers rather than heat to a dish.

chicken with spices

Serves 4 

Download a print friendly pdf of the recipe Spicy Chicken and Spinach traybake

8 skin on free range chicken thighs, scored diagonally with a sharp knife

2 dessertspoons olive oil

4 teaspoons of just one more thing spice mix (sub smoked paprika if you don’t have this)

½ tsp awesome pepper (sub freshly ground black pepper)

3 red onions, roughly sliced

1 large red pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced

1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced

1 pack of baby spinach leaves, washed and drained

Some freshly cooked basmati rice to serve

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/Gas 4-5.

First prepare the chicken by placing in a large bowl. Drizzle over 1 spoon of the olive and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of spice mix. Rub the oil and spices into the chicken and place on a plate. Add the rest of the oil and spice mix plus the pepper to the bowl and toss in the chopped vegetables apart from the spinach. Put the vegetables onto a roasting tin and top with the chicken. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and lift off the chicken. Place the spinach on top and give it a little mix. Put the chicken back on top of the spinach and return the tray to the oven for a further 10 minutes then serve with rice.

spice range little spice9x7

 

Beetroot salad with lemon oil and pomegranate dressing

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Sadly I have nearly come to the end of my home-grown beetroot!  I cooked a few of my precious crop the other day and left them peeled, chopped beetroot 6x8 and ready to go in the fridge. Lunch arrived so I chucked in some other cooked veggies left over from a couple of meals, and in a tic whipped up a lovely autumn salad with lots of flavour. Salads for me need to have a great dressing and this one, combining the acidic caramel tones of pomegranate molasses with lemony olive oil was spot on.My crush on Carluccio’s lemon oil emerged recently having been given a bottle as part of a review for their Woking restaurant where I had a brilliant breakfast a few weeks ago. Even though my blog is all about independents occasionally I dabble in a chain, and there are a few good ones around such as Côte too.

beetrootsaladtrio6x9

Carluccio’s has a great food shop in each of their restaurants and sell some great products such as gluten-free spaghetti (one of the best I have ever tried). They have oils, dried mushrooms, pasta, sauces and some fresh products and patisserie. I also spied bottles of Vin Santo which served with a few Cantucci biscuits makes a wonderful effortless dessert.

The vegetables to compliment the beetroot used in this salad can be swapped and substituted depending on availability and I would make this with corn, fine green beans or baby runners too. I served this with a dollop of fat free Greek Yogurt sprinkled with sumac and a little of the lemon oil.

Salad
5 medium cooked beetroot peeled and roughly chopped
150g cooked broad beans
150g cooked tenderstem broccoli, chopped
2-3 fresh nasturtium flowers (optional)

Dressing
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives (or other fresh herbs such as mint)
1 dessertspoon lemon olive oil
1 dessertspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the vegetables together in a mixing bowl and (apart from the flowers). Spoon the dressing ingredients straight on the salad and mix well. Place on a serving dish and decorate with flowers if you have them. If I was to serve this in the evening I would add a few finely chopped salad onions and a clove of crushed smoked garlic.

beetrrot salad with pom dressing

Lime and coconut cake

Little Barn Café

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Stacey’s Farm, Thursley Road, Elstead, Godalming, Surrey GU8 6DGLBCafesign6x9

The upside: Creative cooking using some lovely local produce too!

The downside: The café is shut on Mondays and just from 10.00am-2.30pm on Sundays.

The flipside: One of the most delicious and unusual menus for a small café in the county!

If you want a gorgeous spin on home baking, feisty salads and something that your great aunt will recognize on the menu; this café is for you. Opening its doors in January 2015 this unassuming business already has a big fan base. Dedicated to fresh homemade food with an innovative twist creative chef/owner Sarah has a winning formula and a Time Out Award under her belt from a previous business she ran in London. Starting in Surrey with a pop up café which soon outgrew its temporary venue, they found a new home in Elstead. With her husband Mark they have transformed this barn into a thriving eaterie after giving the room some much needed TLC. With a growing family they entrust some of the cake creation to their fabulous baker Vicky and meals to chef Caroline who along with the waitresses complete the team. Shutting on Sunday and Monday means they get the family and business balance right too.

LBC - dining room

 

This small café has a brilliant menu and also boasts local suppliers for much of the menu! Eggs and dairy products come from Great Hookley Farm, produce from Teasels and meat from Prides farm shop all in and around Elstead. Emphasis here too is also on great baking, quiches, pies and cakes but also unusual salads and veg packed soups. Specials include Moroccan lamb tagine with roasted aubergine and minted yogurt (£8), tomato and basil soup with bread (£4) and grilled goats cheese on puy lentils with red onion and mint (£6.50). Their freshly baked quiches are supersized and served with salad too.

LBC savoury trio

 

On my last visit my daughter chose a cooked breakfast (which is served all day) I was a bit miffed as there were so many delicious options on the specials board to try. My daughter gave it full marks and was delighted with her choice a snip at £6.50. I chose from the specials menu and also enjoyed a board of vegetarian kofta’s, tomato salsa and hummus with salad leaves. A tasty combination which worked especially well with the creamy hummus and piquant salsa.

LBC CAKES TRIO

Cake is important here so we also shared two slices (£2.30 each) These were; “calling Ibiza” a coconut and lime combo which had a deliciously zingy lime curd filling and “Dear Prudence” a prune, chocolate and blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting, rich, fruity and moist. I keep looking at the picture I took of the other cakes and wondering what if? It will have to be for another visit! Having watched Sarah and her team posting their wonderful cakes on social media the display on offer did not disappoint. The cakes form a focal point in the café laid out on the sideboard and its makes such a refreshing change from typical offerings of brownies, carrot cake and chocolate fudge. For the more traditional eaters there are options for a cream tea (using locally produced preserves) and other less quirky menu items too.

One of my mantras has always been ‘strive to be different’ and the Little Barn Café has achieved just that. In a competitive market it’s a great attitude to have and one that sets this super café way up the list of my current recommendations.

01252 705023

www.thelittlebarncafe.co.uk

 

Simply Scones Tea Room & Walled Garden Shop

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The Grange Centre, Rectory Lane, Great Bookham, Leatherhead, Surrey KT23 4DZ

Cream teas, yummy fudge and home grown produce for sale!

The upside: A changing menu of innovative scones and proper pots of tea!

The downside: The tea-room is only open on Tuesdays.

The flipside: Having tea here is a real treat with the added bonus of visiting the Walled Garden Shop too!

Sitting in an ornate Victorian conservatory sipping fresh brewed tea accompanied by a freshly baked scone, home-made berry jam from the garden with a dollop of fresh cream is my idea of work. Even the freak hail storm rattling onto the glass roof couldn’t dampen the feel good aura of the afternoon. It was pure chance that I was introduced to this tea room and confirms the ethos of my blog that some of the best places to eat out in Surrey are hidden away and definitely not on the high street!

Going to an annual social media event in Guildford each year to update my skill set is also a great networking opportunity. This year was no exception as it was here that I met the Grange marketing manager Gill Caldwell who thought I might be interested in how food education is used to help residents at her workplace learn valuable life skills. Open to the public for just one afternoon a week she invited me to ‘Simply Scones’ a pop-up tea room set up and run by residents with disabilities. Under the guidance of support staff, residents learn a range of food service and productions skills. So here everything is made fresh on the day apart from the jam! However this is made with fruit grown in their acre walled garden which also houses a shop. In season you can buy fruit, vegetables, garden plants and even their own honey. Running these enterprises provides much needed confidence-building and self-esteem raising experiences. In turn this enables for many, future employment opportunities.

grange flowers and produce

During tea I learnt more about The Grange and its fascinating story. Set up in 1927 by a pioneer of training provision for the disabled Julia Sweet (originally for nurses injured during the first world war to continue to earn a living) as the School of Stitchery and Lace in Leicestershire. The charity moved to its current home in Bookham in 1938. While needlework and crafts skills are taught here the charity has modernised and developed into an educational centre for men and women living with disabilities. Whilst the activities of the original charity has a more contemporary outlook the philosophy and aims of providing vocational training is very much in tact.

A social enterprise that uses food production as part of its curriculum is such a brilliant concept. All you have to do is book a delicious home-made cream tea in their weekly pop-up tea room, buy home-made fudge online or visit their walled garden shop for home-grown produce and garden plants. By default you will also be supporting the work of this community and provide much needed footfall and experience in customer relations.

grange tea room9X6

Getting back to the cream tea (regardless of the venue) this menu can hold its own. Fresh and delicious from steaming pots of tea to light oven warm scones the eating experience is faultless. The scones change regularly as innovative new recipes such as New York Cheesecake and even gluten free lemon and sultana scones (to order) are available. Popular recipes are even published on their blog for you to reproduce at home. Slices of fresh baked cake are also on sale such as coffee and walnut and classic Victoria Sandwich (tea and cake or scone £3.50). In addition to the food the service is friendly and welcoming and it’s just a pleasure to support such a great project.

SIMPLY SCONES COLLAGE

A few weeks after my visit for tea I returned to visit the walled garden. By now the first crops of lovingly tended fruits and vegetables were winging their way into the shop to be sold to the public. As well as being used in the kitchens of the Grange for on site meals and being sold to residents who self-cater excess produce is up for sale. I bought a bag of red-currants, a few courgettes and some freshly dug spuds.

grage flowers

This was just a glimpse of what they grow in the gardens here but of course it’s seasonal. I had just missed the blackcurrants and first show of raspberries and the green beans and sweet corn weren’t quite ready to harvest. Luckily Gill posts a list of produce on the website each day to let customers know what will be in stock. Last time I looked Swiss chard, runner beans and carrots were being harvested.

Grange collage

In addition to horticulture and running the tea-room there is an online fudge business and a craft shop selling handicrafts such as tea cosies in shop price listtheir gift shop in Dorking. For a full description of what the Grange has to offer make sure you visit their website. To visit for tea on a Tuesday afternoon bookings must be made in advance. The walled garden shop is open every day during the week for produce and plants.

Book for Simply Scones 01372 452608

Walled Garden Shop (check the website for produce for sale prior to visiting)

www.grangecentre.org.uk

 

Cookie Bar

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1 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6TDcookie bar window

A brilliant local café & gift shop providing valuable work experience for pupils from Stepping Stones School.

The upside: Delicious fresh home made food which helps fund valuable social projects

The downside: Lunch is only served from 12-2.30pm but gorgeous cakes and cookies am and pm!

The flipside:  This is one of a growing number of fantastic social enterprises involving food that gives so much to those involved.

What a great arrival, an “EAT ME” display of tantalising cakes, cookies and scones intertwined with the aroma of fresh baking and coffee. Given a tip off by one of my favourite local ethical coffee roasters Gary from Coffee Real  (who supply the coffee here) I had an inkling I was going to like it. It’s also immediately evident that this cafe is well organised and spotlessly clean. A great selection of home-wares, foodie gifts and cards add to the overall interior feel, which is, bright, contemporary and colourful. Free Wi-Fi, the use of 2 Imacs and Ipads are also a welcome bonus. Lizzie Henderson who has worked for the cookie bar since it started in 2011 (also baker of my delicious slice of sticky toffee pudding cake) procured a cappuccino for me and we sat and chatted.

cookiebar shopfront 9x6_edited-2

This is no ordinary café and it’s this type of enterprise that fuels my passion for food education. Set up by the COINS Foundation to support and provide work experience for pupils from the Stepping Stones School it gives young people with mild to moderate disabilities a valid safe environment in which to gain proper work experience. It boosts self-esteem, develops skills and helps pupils engage in their local community. Pupils work with team of part time staff and volunteers who guide them through the day-to-day workings of a proper food business. All pupils age 8 and up who are able, come to the café to gain experience. From age 15 and up barista training is given and shifts in the kitchen preparing food. Some of the pupils choose to return and work when they are old enough. This has been pivotal for some in gaining work locally once they have graduated and is testimony to the value this enterprise brings.

cookie bar collage scone

On my first visit I shared a slice of home made quiche with salad and a slice of moist dense carrot cake with my partner in the small garden, which also has a play area. On my second visit I had a freshly baked cheese scone (£1.50), warm from the oven, it was delicious with knob of butter; these alongside sweet scones are baked daily. It was too early for lunch but the home made soup looked delicious, as did the panini selection. I also chose a slice of sticky toffee cake (£1.85) which just made, was impossible to resist. The fluffy butter icing had been spiked with caramel and sea salt, it was one of the best slices of cakes I have indulged in recently! Too big (the cake not me) to finish I took it home for later noting that a take-away service is available too.

cookie bar collage2

The food here (apart from being delicious) has the ultimate feel-good factor as profits are shared with the Stepping Stones School and other COINS foundation projects here and overseas. In addition to the café service the enterprise also runs a cookie subscription service. Companies can buy a one-year package and have fresh cookies delivered each month to a business of their choice. It’s a great way to support this charity, provide useful work for pupils and raise awareness of their work.

To find our more, take a look at the cookie bar website; this is a fantastic set up and well worth a visit. Plans are underway to open cookie bars affiliated with other schools and you may even be lucky enough to see their new training bus at events throughout the summer.

www.thecookiebar.co.uk

01428 608001

Yumn Brasserie

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66-71 Southend, South Croydon, CR10 1BF

A slick newcomer in the up-and-coming South End restaurant quarter of Croydon serving classy east west food in an interior designed space

The upside: Expertly executed, Western and Asian dishes from Yumn’s Indian chef who trained in classic French cuisine.

The downside: I wish I lived a bit closer; it’s a bit of a hike for dinner from Guildford.

The flipside: This is a restaurant with vision taking apprentices into the kitchen for full training and they make everything they serve from scratch.

First off the décor here is stylish – it’s clearly been interior designed too a high standard. Cleverly laid out areas for couples, larger parties and even a private dining room has been carved out in this large room. A large bar with seating offers another alternative.

YUMN brasserie interiorOnce seated water was served almost immediately and the menu not long after. Now the menu immediately concerned me (unnecessarily as it turned out) because it had an obvious East/West theme and it was large. We’ll come back to that later!

My sister and I decided to eat off both sides of the menu to see if they could pull this off here. Ordering up two starters I chose spicy chick-peas on a crispy puri (£4.95) and my sister scallops with hummus and beef vinaigrette. Both our choices were original, innovative and intriguing – so far so good. While awaiting the starters some warm from-the-oven sun-dried tomato bread arrived with butter. The waiter confirmed it was made on site and it was a perfect start to our experience.

Our starters arrived plated with care. My chick-peas were on a delicate crispy puri, topped with lightly dressed salad leaves on seasoned raita. I really enjoyed this but, as a spice-loving girl, it could have been hit with even more cumin and chilli. The scallops were fresh, fat and succulent. The beef vinaigrette was innovative and blended with the smooth humus and crunchy pistachio nuts. Here, the attention to detail is good.

YUMN starters

For mains again we took a dish from each side of the menu, my herb crusted hake was hot, fresh and with crispy skin over tender flesh, served on top of Dauphinoise potatoes with a herby beurre blanc. This was a balanced, seasoned dish (£14.95). Our other choice was lemongrass chicken with rice and prawn crackers (£12.50) it was aromatic, flavoursome and freshly cooked with tender chicken pieces and creamy sauce. By now we were very impressed. The menu has plenty of choice too, from grilled meat, fish and burgers on their fancy Josper Grill ( a closed charcoal grill ) to lighter salads and pasta. Wine recommendations come with each dish too and the list itself is well priced with plenty of choice.

YUMN mains

We hardly had room for pudding but decided it would be rude not to share something from the dessert menu and chose the pineapple tarte tatin with pina colada ice-cream (£6.50) although the creme brulee and sticky toffee pudding were also tempting.The dessert was light crispy and perfectly accented by the expertly made ice-cream. This we concluded is a professional outfit with top attention to detail. I had mint tea to finish from the Rare Tea Company (£2.20) and my sister a coffee supplied by Coffee Torelli (£2.40).

YUMN pudding

Joined by owner Kulsum Hussin for dessert we discovered that she grew up in a family of restaurateurs. Although trained as an accountant, a restaurant of her own was always the dream. Education it appears is also top of the agenda and is the reason behind the fabulous hand made breads, patisserie, pastries and sauces that emerge from Yumn’s kitchen. The restaurant is a training centre currently with three local apprentices. In 2003 Kulsum launched Welcome Skills in Bangladesh with the University of West London. A training provider of British qualifications such as NVQs to empower people to gain skills that are in short supply in the hospitality industry. Her current head chef from Bangladesh started in her training centre back home before coming to the UK. With a stunning CV under his belt (Conran restaurant, Hotel du Vin and G Hotel Galloway) he has the ability to run a menu with ease that crosses continents. With a strong kitchen team, on the job training and a dedication to excellence this business has it all.

This venue is already doing a roaring trade in the evening and weekends where you need to book ahead but lunchtimes are less so. It’s worth a visit even if it’s a bit of trip from home.

 

0208 861 2336

www.yumnbrasserie.co.uk

 

The Cock Inn

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Cock Inn Mark EvansChurch Lane, Headley, Surrey KT18 6LE

New gastro pub by dynamic independent food and drink family Red Mist 

The Upside: Great food and drink menu with a positive lean towards seasonal and local on both counts

The downside: A little inconsistency in dishes served on my recent visit

The flipside: This is a pub group with high standards so it’s likely that any teething problems will get swiftly sorted

Driving through some classic Surrey countryside the arrival at this newcomer to the Red Mist Group is full of anticipation! Some of you will already know the Queens Head in East Clandon (my local) and the Stag in Eashing Lane near Milford. If you do, it will come as no surprise that this venue has been treated to the same quality facelift as the other members of this growing family. A large working fireplace creates a focus to the bar room and the outside area has a deck for additional seating in good weather. They have shared menus within the chain but allow chefs to strut their own personal style with the ‘specials’. The PR team had told me that Head Chef, Mark Evans had spent a lot of his early career down-under so I was looking forward to an Antipodean influence on the menu.

cock in starter

I met up with fellow foodie Sally Iddles and as we perused the menu it felt familiar (we are both regulars at their other venues) but not identical. The specials menu, while lacking any promised Aussie vibe had fresh clams in white wine as a starter (my choice at £7.90) served with toasted Chalk Hills focaccia. We also selected the camembert and asparagus tart with roast tomato relish (£6.95). Fresh soup of the day was leek and potato (£5) served with bread and we already know the chicken liver paté with chutney (£7.90) is a winner. My clams were fresh, plump and cooked to perfection. They arrived at the table piping hot and with a surprise squeeze of fresh lemon. The bread on the side, although toasted, softened willingly in the clam broth. Whilst I was charmed with my starter the Camembert tart was failed to wow A moulded pastry case had been simply filled with camembert and left in the oven to melt. Topped with rocket leaves and served with a drizzle of basil oil and what seemed to be red onion jam and no sign of the asparagus.

camembert tart

For mains we ordered again one dish from the printed menu and the other from the specials board. My pork fillet with apricot and sage stuffing on fondant potato, stem broccoli, rhubarb chutney and Hazy Hog jus (£15.50) was a generous portion and plated with confidence. In contrast the fish from the specials board lacked finesse both in its presentation and execution. Torbay sole served with prawn and caper butter (£17.90) sounded like a great combination and the fish was served on the bone (which was good) but lacked the back-up attitude that capers can contribute. The poorest element was the crushed new potatoes that were overcooked. The fish itself was perfectly cooked, delicate and fresh and my pork dish was tender, tasty and melt-in-the-mouth.

main at the cock

Not deterred we moved on dessert selecting a baked cheesecake with vanilla ice-cream and a pannacotta (both £5.95). The cheesecake looked as though it could have been bought in but we were reassured that it had been made on site. Not oversweet it confirmed the ‘homemade’ label which was a definite ‘plus’ . The texture was firm and creamy but we both felt the accompanying ice-cream was an odd match. This was very sweet with a metallic twang and spoilt the overall taste profile. The panna cotta was served in its dish and too firm for my liking. Pannacotta is usually served out of its mould and should have real ‘wobble’ leading to a easily yielding creamy texture. We had coffee to finish and concluded that there had been some great elements to our meal.

cock in desserts

Chatting to Chef Mark Evans it was clear they are finding their feet in their new venue. I really like this small independent chain and love the fact they have local beer, use local products like Norbury-Blue Cheese (the only cheese made in Surrey), and prepare the majority of food from scratch in each venue. Mark is keen to bring in some of his culinary creativity from down-under but feels the business has to consolidate before they shake things up. He is, in his own words ‘playing-it-safe’.

It’s early days for this pub-dining venture and if they can iron out the wrinkles I am sure it will become as popular as their other dining rooms.

cockinnheadley.co.uk

01372 377258

red mist family

 

 

Blueberry and Cashew Bars

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avocado lime cheesecakeWhen the ‘Hemsley and Hemsley’ book was published we all fell in love with their avocado cheesecake and spiralised veg to replace noodles.  I bought their book based on the avocado and lime cheesecake recipe that appeared on their twitter feed one afternoon. Intensely green, it looked wonderful. My dinner guests agreed and I couldn’t help thinking about all the possible versions you could make using their recipe as a formula. Here is my first attempt, which although rather dark in colour owing to the use of dried blueberries, was astonishingly good. When I make this again I will experiment with fruit for a lighter hue.

Before you start you need a food processor to make this and an oblong loose-based tin measuring approximately 10 x 36cm (use a round one if necessary). You also need to soak the cashew nuts and blueberries overnight. This is a great dessert to make if you are entertaining vegetarian or vegan guests. Brilliant also when soft fruits are not in season.

For the baseblueberry cashew bars

125g nuts (not roasted), pecans and walnuts work well (or use a mixture)

45g desiccated coconut

85g raw cocoa nibs (optional)

185g dried fruit (I used a blend of cranberries, sultanas, cherries & goji berries)

3 tbsp melted coconut oil

 

The topping

225g raw cashew nuts

200g dried blueberries

125ml almond milk

1 tsp Manuka honey or Agave nectar to taste

4 tbsp melted coconut oil

Edible primrose petals or other flowers to garnish

The day before you want to make the bars put the cashew nuts and dried blueberries into a bowl and pour over the almond milk. Cover and leave overnight, mixing a couple of times.

First make the base. Place all the ingredients apart from the oil in the food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add the coconut oil then pulse and tip the mixture into the loose-based pan. Press down evenly with the back of a metal spoon until tightly packed and chill whilst you make the topping. Use the food processor again for the topping. Place all the ingredients into the bowl and blitz until the mixture is smooth. It may look like a lot and be quite gloopy but it will set. Pour the mixture onto the base and chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Cut into bars but not too thick this is quite rich!

bb cashew bar 9x6_edited-1

Variations

For the base: Use the recipe as a formula here. You need to keep the ratio of nuts to fruit with the coconut oil. Stick to the amounts by always using 125g nuts to 185g fruit.

For the topping: Keep the ingredients the same ratio but experiment with different fruit. Blend dried and fresh fruit but be careful not to make the mixture too sloppy. Cashews are the best nuts to use for this as they blend down to a creamy texture more easily than others.

 

 

 

Pinch of this

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A new addition to the gluten-free market selling meticulously hand crafted macarons, brownies and cupcakes amid a growing repertoire of baked delights to those seeking a ‘free-from’ diet. 

When Mark got in touch with me in September 2014 he was right at the start of his new business journey. After chatting about his business he asked if he could bring over some samples of his delicious gluten-free baked goods. While we drank tea and tried the delicious stash of goodies I got the lowdown.

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Growing up in West Yorkshire Mark went on to work abroad for many years. In Amsterdam, Mark was made redundant and found that he had a choice to make. Find another job or use his pay-off to follow his dream and start a bakery. He chose the latter and moved back to the UK where he is now based in Surbiton. With a background in microbiology he breezed the food hygiene course and was ready to find his niche. Researching the bakery market this entrepreneur decided to focus on the gluten-free market, which he rightly perceived is a growth area.

macaroons_6x9The first product area to launch was a range of delicately flavoured macarons, brownies and cupcakes. Now produced in 22 different flavours the macarons are a hit. I sampled the pistachio and cardamom, raspberry and expresso with Baileys all of which were sweet and subtly flavoured without being sickly. The raspberry in particular stood out as it was such an intense berry pink. But I always have time for a chocolate and salted caramel which had the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Macarons aside this micro-baker also churns out USA style peanut butter brownies – rich, moist and so mouth-meltingly good. I wish I had taken up his offer to leave the entire tray for my family (doesn’t always pay to be polite but I knew I would end up scoffing the lot). The cupcakes were deliciously soft and tasty too. Another recent addition is the polenta, almond and raspberry cake using locally grown berries.

Free range eggs are sourced from a farm a couple of miles from Mark . Most of the fruit comes from local allotment keeper Derek Hale who runs a vegetable and fruit delivery service to locals. Doves Farm gluten free flour is supplemented with ground almonds, polenta and other free-from options. Whilst local is important to Mark more exotic ingredients like almonds have to come from farther afield.

You can buy these goodies online or at various markets that Mark attends to raise brand awareness. He also sells his products to a couple of local cafes and a deli. For a full list of events and stockists check out the website (listed below). Prices vary depending on whether you buy online or at a market. A box of mixed macarons start at £7 for six, brownies are from £2.25 each. Larger cakes can be ordered online (give at least 5 days notice) and can be delivered depending on distance. Mark is currently experimenting with new lines and recipes, which he hopes to introduce over the next few months. His ethos is that his cakes should be so good that they stand up against any other cake on the market. Gluten-free is not a compromise here.

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So far he has met his challenge and his steadily increasing sales are a testimony to this. I am looking forward to seeing him at some of the food fairs this summer and sampling new recipes.

www.pinchofthis.co.uk

07985 441 151

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