Monday, June 29, 2009

Ur-food is famous

From this week's Observer - your own ur-food blogger referred to in the final paragraph

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jun/21/jay-rayner-reviews-felin-fach-griffin
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HFW recipe

From last week's River Cottage programme, freshly picked small courgettes

Fried in olive oil, lemon juice and fresh mint, then used to top some garlic-rubbed bruschetta, and finished with a mint and yoghurt sauce
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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Sunday lunch

Roast chicken, new potatoes and salad, served with homemade crabapple jelly out in the garden
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More summery food

I'm afraid the food gets less original as the weather gets hotter - lots of new potatoes and salads, this time with an oven baked pork chop in a creamy mushroom sauce
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Barbecue dinner

Halloumi and red pepper; yellow and green courgettes

Chipolatas with mushroom and tomato

A quick barbecue

Finished with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream
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Simple supper

Pan fried pork loin steaks, with new potatoes and sauteed courgettes
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Homegrown

First of the homegrown Charlotte potatoes

And the first of the strawberries. First year for the strawberry plants, but still plenty of fruit so far.
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Monday, June 22, 2009

Sunday lunch - last of DC

Sunday lunch was at Old Ebbitt bar and grill opposite the White House

A decent Bloody Mary to start, although I remain to be convinced by the king prawn garnish

And another steak - this time a 12oz New York Strip with a peppercorn butter
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Saturday dinner

Dinner was at the fancy Capital Grille near the Capitol. Great atmosphere - very classy, and felt much less 'touristy' than anywhere else we ate

Started with a dry gin martini

Oysters weren't great - but then I prefer the plumper French atlantic oysters

Steak was excelletn - a good char to the filet mignon, which we had with a bearnaise sauce, creamed spinach and a potato gratin
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Surprisingly good lunch

Weather was wet, so by Saturday lunch we dived into the closest place we could find, and the bacon cheese burger from Cedar was excellent
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Hotel Breakfast

Breakfasts in the hotel were great - here's a great eggs benedict from Saturday morning
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Washington DC - Bobby Vans

A weekend in Washington, so plenty of photos. First night we ate at Bobby Vans, opposite our hotel. Crabcakes were good - tasty and well seasoned

Finished with a peach sorbet in a frozen peach
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Monday, June 15, 2009

Unseasonably warming food

A beef stew with some of the leftover wine from the tasting, mushrooms, carrots, celery and pearl barley
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Fresh food

I used the little yellow courgettes and some young broad beans to make a pasta sauce

The broad beans were boiled briefly, released from their skins and then sauteed with the courgettes, olive oil and mint
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Local shopping

Cute little yellow courgettes from the local garden centre
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Saturday, June 13, 2009

Wine tasting fun

Blinis to accompany the sparkling wines

A good selection of wines - of the six reds we tasted the Wine Society NZ Shiraz came out well in a blind tasting

Some Chaource in a good state of ripeness

Finished with a Tokaji and a Sauterne
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Giant steak

Bone in rib of beef

Seared in a pan, then roasted for about 6 minutes

Sliced and served with dijon, bearnaise and a rocket salad
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