Good Food at The Green

I've had a couple of meals at this Heworth pub and I've felt the urge to photograph most of them.

Is this a sign of having been won over by presentation before a morsel has even passed my lips?

I may have been woo'ed the first time by the fancy presentation but the fact I keep coming back means there is delicious substance to this gorgeous looking food.

Gnocchi with blue cheese sauce, rocket, wild mushrooms and walnuts

The Green's menu offers just enough variety to choose from without being too perplexing (a comment aimed at certain members of my family who are flummoxed by too much choice).

It also has the added bonus of a changing selection of real ales and local brews which gives it an automatic thumbs up in my book.

Not to mention there is always a short but sweet list of delicious desserts to choose from which appeals to my sweet tooth.

Cherry Bakewell Tart with Pistacchio Icecream

 
A recent conversation we had in The Green, inspired by the presentation of our meal, got me thinking...

Does overly posh presentation of food put people off?

 

Crab Fettuccine with chilli and lemon

Realistically, if your food looks less like home cooking and more like a fancy art exhibition will you enjoy it any differently?

I find presentation irrelevant to my enjoyment of food but admittedly I am more likely to photograph the good looking dish over the less attractive one.  

Fish and chips with mushy peas

However, I would quite happily trade fashion for function if it means a bigger portion (is that mini chip fryer basket an attempt at portion control?) but of course this is only relevant if the food actually tastes good. 

Summary: Don't judge a book by its cover when it comes to food, good food tastes good and sometimes looks the part as well.

So, if you happen to be in the area and fancy some decent good-looking grub then remember The Green gets a big old thumbs up from this happy-snapping gal.

A Secret Garden Meal at The Witchery

Special occasions call for special treatment. So, one crisp Sunday afternoon we treated ourselves to a special meal.

It was a strongly recommended little place called The Witchery located at the base of Edinburgh Castle.

This was part of a whirlwind Edinburgh weekend which included a few of my favourite things: running, fantastic company and good food. What more could a girl ask for?

We found the entrance to the Secret Garden at The Witchery down a quirky little alleyway in the basement level of an old building.

Our lunch venue had timber beams and hanging vines, white tablecloths and many, many candles (which I imagine would have been an amazing addition to the atmosphere in the evening). It felt quite secretive and special.

This place was highly recommended by online reviews (ie: Tripadvisor) for providing delicious dishes made from high quality local ingredients.

I was excited about trying the Three Course Set Lunch which looked as though it offered a glimpse into their amazing menu at only a fraction of their a la carte price.  I do enjoy a bargain! 

The set menu also helped to narrow down the selection which was a bit mind-boggling.  

For my first course I chose the Salt Cod with Crostini and Potato. 

Served on a black slate, the creamy potato lump with two crostini masts poking out was a slight disappointment.  

I'm not sure what I expected but I could not taste anything that was noticeably definable as salt cod (nor could I remember what vegetable I was eating).

Sadly, the only flavor coming through was from the fresh dill. 

The identity of this velvety smooth puree remained a mystery until I saw the menu again at the end of our meal...ah yes, potato.

Across the table, my lovely dinner date was tucking in to his picture perfect first course.  I wanted to reach across and steal it. 

The Roast Partridge with a Scotch Quail Egg was right up there with what the reviews had said about the level of quality food to expect.

It had flavour combinations and textures which all came together perfectly in the forkful I tasted. 

I was having some serious food envy but I had two more courses to make up for a less than perfect first course.  

My second course of Pan Roasted Mullet with Celeriac was centred on my plate like a fish fillet planet surrounded by mini roast potato moons (drizzled with a delicious rich mustard cream sauce). 

I was back in the running with this course. 

I was curious to see the second course choice on the other side of the table, Braised Ayrshire Beef Cheek with risotto and greens. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find it was not some grinning bovine head straight from a horror movie.  Instead it was a succulent hunk of tender beef on top of creamy risotto with an amazing tasting gravy.     

Dessert was up next and it was the best course yet.

In an unusual twist, suppressing my sweet tooth, I opted for the cheese plate.

From the choices available, I decided on an incredibly stink-tastic soft goats cheese.  Oh boy did it whiff! 

Each biteful was so delicious when combined with the fig jelly, chutney and oat cakes.   

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, the Knickerbocker Glory which arrived looked amazing with it's glassy sugar accents and brightly coloured syrup.

To summarise, the highlight of my meal was definitely the horrendously whiffy cheese course which was the envy of my table.  

Even with this superb course forever etched into my taste bud memories, my first course of bland potato mush, which was unmemorable for the most part, has tainted my overall Witchery experience.

That said, if I win the lottery anytime soon I will be heading back to sample their a la carte menu with my bushel basket full o' cash.

It's All Greek to Me....or German?

Having recently returned from a sunny week spent relaxing in Kos I can now say that I enjoy a hot & sunny vacation, on occasion.

Up until this point I have been someone who dives into the shade as soon as the sun peeks out from behind a cloud and have preferred sticking to cultural city breaks rather than poolside lounging. 

I'm now the gal lathered in factor 50 who happily wears a humongous wide brimmed sun hat, scooting my sunbed to readjust as the parasol shade moves throughout the day.  

Now moving on to the delicious side of the vacation....

The well catered hotel subscribed to my ethos of the glory of cake and afternoon tea.

Each day at 4.30 a selection of cakes and hot beverages were laid out and allowed us to partake in a caffeinated sugary energy boost.

There was also an air-conditioned Coffee Bar on site (think walk-in freezer).  Not only did it offer espresso based drinks and yet another selection of sweet things to tickle our taste buds but it was also a very welcome blast of cool to help us in our daily battle against melting in the Grecian heat (30+ C / 90+ F).

I freely admit that I was quite giddy when we found this place.

  

Of course we ate proper meals as well as cake.

Every meal offered a large selection of grilled fish, skewered meats, and Mediterranean vegetable dishes as well as the familiar stodgy carb fest (french fries & spaghetti bolognese) for those who were creatures of habit. 

Random German dishes could also be found sprinkled in amongst the Greek delights. Various Schnitzel, gherkin salads, cabbage dishes and rye bread meant my buffet plate was truly internationalised at each meal.  

The uniting factor for each of these meals of course, was that they always included sweets of some kind. 

Vacation is the time to indulge, so why not have a sugar ball infused waffle with your breakfast muesli & fruit?

Why not pair up your healthy dessert of fresh melon with baklava & creme caramel?

Why not indeed. 

Long live fun in the sun or should I say a warm welcome to it finally, whichever the case may be.

    

 

Favorite Meal Out in Tours: Le Turon

Any excuse for a good meal really. Perhaps for a half birthday, a monthiversary or maybe one week has passed since I bought a particular pair of shoes and yay, no blisters. Whatever reason to make it a special occasion works for me.

One week into our visit to France, and our last night in fabulous Tours (what, no new shoes to celebrate?) we decided to dine at Le Turon. 

We'd already experienced La Souris Gourmand, the strongly recommended fondue place down the street with the mice & cheese theme running throughout, even in their toilets.

So we opted for another recommendation hoping it would be just as enjoyable. 

Le Turon was listed in the top five restaurants in Tours by reviews on TripAdvisor and it definitely sounded like it would have a delicious selection of local dishes.  

We were seated at one of four tables on the street and enjoyed our bubbly aperitif complete with tapenade snackage while we perused the impressive Menu Gourmand.  

It is always amusing to order from a menu in a language other than your own. 

Luckily we seemed to manage alright with the language barrier and we even successfully ordered scallops, one of my favorites. Someone seemed to know a lot more French than he originally let on to knowing. 

 

These were the most amazingly delicious scallops with chorizo and lime.  They just melted in your mouth.

 

Across the table, the local pate with a blop of fruit chutney and crostini was being enjoyed.

You may note that the number of wine glasses seems to be slowly multiplying.

My main dish was a winner as well. Giant prawns with coconut rice and creamy sauce complete with quenelles of green stuff. We had no clue what they were made from but I suspect it was of the vegetable family. 

The beef with chunky chips and cream sauce, also accompanied by the green quenelles, was enjoyed as well.  

I can happily report that there was not a speck of green mystery stuff left on our plates at the end of the meal. 

Then it was time for dessert.

Ahh.....the desserts.

It was nearly too beautiful to eat (OK, nothing is that beautiful) but it was definitely crying out to be photographed.

Fruit coulis and custardy creme backdrop to a warm apple mixture tucked inside the crepe with caramel ice cream plopped on top.

It was the perfect dessert for my taste buds after such an amazing meal.

Had I not chosen the apple crepe I might have indulged in this chocolate option, but as I did not taste it myself I cannot comment on anything other than its glorious appearance. 

I do have it on good authority that it was very much enjoyed and received a big thumbs up.

Food that is good enough to photograph always makes me smile and Le Turon sure provided its fair share of photogenic food.

It lived up to the positive reviews and even though I'm thinking that the variety of wine enjoyed throughout the meal helped make my opinions extra enthusiastic, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a special meal to be had in Tours.

Pierre vs. Patrick

Macaroons are a very popular favourite for those of us inflicted with a wicked sweet tooth. These sweet morsels of awesomeness are the perfect combination of pretty and delicious.

 

They make you smile even before you’ve had the tiniest taste.

I was fortunate enough to be in France recently, and depending on which source you cite, it is the home country of one of the prettiest types of macaroons around.

The coconut variety is the first type that pops into my mind when hearing the word macaroon which is probably my American heritage coming through, but I am actually referring to the delicate pastel creations made mainly from egg white and ground almond.

Pierre Hermes

We ventured out in the pouring rain to hunt down these brightly coloured highly recommended little nuggets of deliciousness from well known chain patisserie Pierre Hermes.

Unfortunately my main memory of these will be the slightly off-putting air of snootiness that overwhelmed the tiny shop front where we bought them.

 

I had spied a multipack which I thought would maximise the tasting opportunity and before I realised it I was given the pre-packed box o’ macs. 

Yes, it came complete with a little menu booklet with each of their macaroon flavours listed and I wrongly presumed the box consisted of a “one of each” idea.

But no, there were duplicates which was a big letdown.

To be honest, they were delicious, but I was not entirely sure which flavours I tasted since the ones in the box didn’t easily match up to the ones shown in the menu. So I was slightly disappointed (and slightly confused).

Due to the rain, the original plan of eating the macaroons on a park bench was scuppered and in fact, they were eaten sitting in our pokey little fourth floor hotel room.

The fluorescent lighting wasn’t optimum for the photos but indoors or outdoors, I really can’t complain since it was still Paris! 

Patrick Midgeon

A beautiful selection of sweet and savoury flavours was available in this brightly coloured one-off cafe shop in Tours.

The friendly assistants were seemingly happy to let customers take their time to mull over the choices. 

I couldn’t help but stand in front of the display case slack jawed, staring as I hemmed and hawed over which flavours to choose.

Let me tell you, do not go into a shop like this when you are hungry – you may end up walking out with far too many items!

I was especially proud for being so restrained (having felt sick from eating far too many the previous day in Paris) and decided on just a few unique flavours to taste including savoury ones. 

The choices included Fois gras and fig, Mint Chocolate, Pistachio and Tomato & Basil. The last one had a glittery swish of red edible paint which was pretty but made a bit of a mess with red blotches of glitter all over my hands.

These were eaten al fresco next to an open air riverside bar on a sunny yet cool afternoon in Tours (no rain, yay!) with a cute bandana wearing puppy frolicking nearby.

The macaroons were amazing, but the surroundings in which these particular beauties were enjoyed added an extra element to the whole experience, definitely a taste sensation to be remembered.

To summarise: I’d never turn down the opportunity to enjoy some macaroons of any kind whether simply as eye candy or as a tasty treat, but if I had both of these shops in front of me to choose from (oooh, one can dream!) I’d go with Patrick Midgeon every time.

Artisan Express, Gateshead

Tucked away in the railway arches on the Gateshead side of the high level bridge, it is quite the little gem of a coffee shop.

Artisan Express is my kind of place – it is cosy, welcoming, and the service comes with a smile. Contrary to national chains (which have their place, don’t get me wrong) this is a one off with a unique & local flare.

Of course it didn’t hurt that I happened to visit on a lovely sunny afternoon which gave it an extra warm & friendly glow.

The Mars Bar Slice and the Caramel Shortbread Square arrived at our table on sweet little china plates, while the Levu Latte(a latte with 3 shots) was served in a large white ceramic cup.  In contrast, my dainty Macchiato came served in a funky silver & glass espresso cup.  

I watched as other drinks were skilfully made at the espresso bar and each drink had its own individual personality.

The unique decor is reflected in the furniture as well combining large comfy cushions, cosy couches and wicker chairs with leather foot rest cubes. Whatever your mood may be, there is plenty of seating to choose from to suit.

I envision many an afternoon will be spent by folks relaxing, reading their newspaper or chatting whilst sipping their handcrafted coffees and tasting some local treats. 

Worth a visit for sure the next time you are near Gateshead!

Pumpkin Muffins

In recent visits home to the states I have had pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin (filter)coffee, pumpkin spice Hershey Kisses, pumpkin preserve on toast, pumpkin ice cream, and of course pumpkin pie. The delicious list of pumpkin related foods grows every time I visit, yet many Brits I know have not had the chance to try pumpkin flavoured anything.   

Thankfully Fenwicks Food Hall here in Newcastle seemingly has a love of American foods. They always seem to stock those odd American treats such as Marshmallow Fluff, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Pop Tarts, Lucky Charms cereal, Bisquick Pancake Mix and all variations of Jelly Belly jelly beans.  Since they are imported items these normally reasonably priced sugary delights cost a ridiculous amount over here.  

However much it may cost, I am just thankful to be able to purchase a can of Libby’s Pumpkin to bake some of my favourite pumpkin flavoured treats. These Pumpkin muffins have been well received by both friends and colleagues who have taste tested them, so they remain on my list of favourite recipes.

They are uniquely flavoured but not offensive although I think it is difficult to describe them to someone who has never had pumpkin.  I will say that they taste best still warm slathered with cream cheese accompanying a cup of coffee but are equally delicious for afternoon tea with a cuppa (and don’t forget to make sure your pinky finger daintily points up).

Whatever the flavour you really can’t go wrong with homemade muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

(from Muffins Fast and Fantastic, Third Edition 2001 by Susan Reimer)

Makes 10-12 standard-size

9oz(255g) plain flour (with self-raising flour, omit baking powder: do not adjust bicarbonate of soda)

1 tsp (5ml) baking powder

1 tsp (5ml bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp (2.5ml) salt

1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon

½ tsp (2.5ml) each of ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves

4-6oz (110-170g) fine white granulated sugar

1 egg

4-5 fl oz (120-150ml) milk or water

2 TBSP (30ml) honey

Half of a 425g tin of pumpkin – that is, 7 fl oz (200ml) the remainder can be frozen in an airtight container

3 fl oz(90ml) vegetable oil or 3 oz(85g) butter, melted

2-3 oz (60-85g) chopped walnuts or raisins

Prepare muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375-400 F (190 -200 C) for a conventional oven, Gas Mark 5-6.

In a large bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, spices and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add milk/water, honey, pumpkin and oil/melted butter. Stir well.

Pour all of liquid mixture into dry. Stir just until combined and no dry flour is visible. Add walnuts/raisins during the final strokes.

Spoon batter into tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops spring back when pressed gently.

Another Make & Mend Market

It may already be obvious, but my favorite Saturday of the month is the one on which the Make & Mend Market is held at the Grainger Market in Newcastle upon Tyne. 

cookies from Poor Girl's Kitchen

This is simply because on these Saturdays I get to choose some beautiful (and tasty) treats to indulge in with no guilt what so ever (well...in theory there is no guilt). 

Bailey's Cupcake

I practically start drooling when I enter the market hall on these magical days as I imagine what delights I am about to set my eyes on.  The stall holders never let me down and for this I am always grateful. 

Vanilla Cupcake

The homemade treats are both visually stunning and absolutely delicious. I tend to focus on the edible delights, but let me tell you, there are amazing crafts, artwork, vintage items, quirky doodads and much more for anyone who ventures in to explore the stalls. 

Jammy Dodger Cupcake

It is quite a little gem of a market, and one to keep watch out for and make the effort to get to since it is only held in Grainger Market once a month.


  

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of those unique holidays which most Americans look forward to and which we try our best never to take for granted. 

It is a holiday revolving around being thankful for what we have, being surrounded by family and close friends, and not a single gift is exchanged(except maybe a hostess gift or two).


I am always so grateful when I am able to spend it back home with my family and this year is one of those special years. 

I haven't yet graduated to being the main cook on Thanksgiving (what a scary thought that is!) but I like to contribute something to the table.  

As a member of the family who enjoys baking (and there are quite a few of us) I decided to make a dessert and in my eyes there are two main Thanksgiving desserts: Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie.  

One of these traditional desserts was already spoken for but no one had baking rights to the Pecan Pie yet, so I was quick to claim it.

I envisioned little individual pecan pies, a muffin-sized pie to be exact (I'm slightly obsessed with muffins) the perfect portion that no one can say no to really.

So I set about finding a recipe that I could mutate.  I found a recipe for Mini Pecan Pies on the Myrecipe.com web page which was from Southern Living magazine November 2008. 

The recipe used a package of frozen tart shells which I decided could easily be substituted with my clever unbaked pie crust plan.

Long story short, I followed the Southern Living recipe for the pie filling and created my own little plan for the crusts.

My dad supervised as I hesitantly put the muffin pan with the half-baked crusts filled with delicious pecan goo into the oven and 25 minutes later.....voila!

Here is the recipe, which I've slightly adapted, from Southern Living November 2008:

Mini Pecan Pies (adapted from Southern Living NOVEMBER 2008)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• two unbaked, ready rolled pie crusts
• some flour for sprinkling on the crusts

You will need: muffin tins totalling at least a dozen

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.

2. Unroll the crusts. Dust some flour on both sides of each pie crust. Using a wine glass turned upside down as a rough estimate cut rounds out of the crusts.  I was able to get 7 or 8 from each crust, although I did get creative and have to mush together the scraps and re-roll them to get the last round. 

3.  Push the rounds gently into the muffin tin, being careful not to put any holes through the dough as you press them in, the edges may overlap or be somewhat wrinkled as it is pressed into the tin but this is OK. Bake in the oven (without the filling) for roughly 10 minutes at 350ºF just to part bake but keep watch so it doesn't burn.
4. Stir together sugar and corn syrup in a medium bowl. Stir in pecans, eggs, and next 3 ingredients.
5. Spoon roughly a TBSP of pecan mixture into each crust. Ensure there is a good amount of the liquid in each and not just pecans since the liquid is what binds the filling together.

6. Place muffin tin with filled individual crusts into the middle rack of the oven.
7. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until set.

8. Remove to wire racks, and let cool completely (about 30 minutes). Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
 

Sugar Cookies

The sugar cookie is such a simple and versatile cookie. 

Perfectly delicious on its own or it can be made extra special using cookie cutters. Once decorated they can be a special treat suitable for any tea party!

I decided to make these particular sugar cookies for a Tea Party themed Baby Shower. 

I had chosen the teacup and teapot cookie cutters specifically for this purpose and I’m sure I will get plenty of use out of them in future too (Tea Party themed cookies from now on!).

I have to admit that it was a little frustrating when the baked cookies came out of the oven looking less than ideal. 

They had spread out quite a bit and were not particularly looking like they were heading to a tea party but luckily I was planning to add icing touches to embellish the finished cookie.

My mission was to force the brain to assume they were destined for a tea party through the creative use of sugar and an icing pen.

I had made an impulse buy of an icing pen (for the bargain price of only £3.99) on a little lunch time excursion to Clas Ohlson. I’m loving it and have put it to good use with these cookies.  

I am already envisioning Christmas cookies with sprinkles and icing galore!

Recipe from Joy of Baking:

Makes about 36 cookies.

3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). 

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm). Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.  Cut out desired shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to baking sheet.

Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with sparkling sugar. 

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper.