A pre- theatre snack is always better with a cocktail or two, and we had ours at La Bodegra Negra with a side order of tortillas and ceviche which by all accounts is the 'next big thing'. But only if you live in the Caribbean and can get the best quality and freshest raw fish, which here most of us can't. If you are by the seaside here it's worth trying with just a squeeze of lime, oil, salt, pepper and chili. One American website I looked at said the name came from English-speaking people, who watched fishermen on the coast of Peru eating their fish directly from the sea with just lemons and salt, and said 'See the beach.' and since this was a phrase that the locals couldn't repeat, they pronounced it 'Ceviche' instead. Well Americans - just because you don't have as much folklore as us there's no need to make it up.
A visit to Cro-o-mer would not be complete without going to the Bob Davies Crab Shop in The Gangway, these crabs are famous for being among the best you can buy. Watch Gary Rhodes with Bob Davies, showing Gary how to prepare them in his shop. I made my two huge dressed crabs into Crab Linguine for the whole family. You can find the recipe along with others on our recipe page here,
Below are the contents of the Jubilee Hamper served at Buck House before the concert - Heston came up with the ideas and Waitrose packed it - no doubt it's now all available in their stores.
- Chilled British Country Garden soup
- Tea-smoked Scottish salmon
- Diamond Jubilee chicken
- Vegetarian option: Mushroom Parfait
- Fresh bread rolls
- Country Life butter
- Crunchy seasonal crudités
- Lemon and caraway Madeira cupcake
- Chocolate indulgence cupcake
- Sandringham strawberry crumble crunch
- Waitrose West Country farmhouse cheddar and Red Leicester
- Duchy Originals Oaten biscuits
- Duchy Originals Harvest chutney
- Extras: 12 hand wipes, clear plastic cutlery and napkin, Diamond Jubilee poncho, Union flag!
Meanwhile in Sudbury we joined friends in the park and ate our own home made couscous, watercress, orange and smoked mackerel salad, pheasant and bacon terrine, fresh strawberry cake and pretty white chocolate cake pops.
Well while we are in London we might as well go out for breakfast too...so here we are at Albion, the cafe at Boundary - Terence Conran - for a full English and kidneys on toast. It was listed as £ rather than £££ in our guide but at £8.50 for kidneys (just kidneys, no sauce, on dry toast) it soon adds up. But couldn't fault the ingredients and we were asked if we prefer streaky or back bacon which is a nice touch as I always prefer streaky, given the choice. Apart from thinking the waiter was going to ask us for a pound to get a hot drink (strange uniforms...) it was a nice start to the day.
Bought this fab plateful this morning at their table sale in Norton, what a selection for £1.30, featuring madeleines, chocolate mandarin buns, walnut cake and pretty decorated sponge slices.
How about these if you came to my house for tea last Sunday?
"the last thing this country really needs is another chutney or ice cream."
Written by ClaireIn the Independent at the weekend - ' How realistic is the 'good life' dream? Can the seemingly insatiable public appetite for fancy foodstuffs offer hope to a legion of disillusioned city slickers seeking a way out of the rat race? And how many trendy niche food-stuffs can one economy sustain? Given global financial pressures and the sheer number of artisan products already on market, the luxury-food industry could be in real danger of eating itself...
Too late for my hand-fried crisps with hot sauce idea then?
My kind of coffee break - a Suffolk made Portuguese Tart.
Written by Ruth
You should go to Suffolk's newest deli and bistro at the Chilli Farm in the heart of Suffolk right on the main A140, an incredible oasis of food and deliciousness. Stop and make up a picnic from the vast array of goodies for sale, because it's all being made by the well known Earsham Street Cafe in Bungay. The team behind it are enthusiastic and friendly and the Portuguese Custard Tart, made with unwaxed lemons was scrummy - and what with free wifi and a great cappuccino - what better place to stop for a working tea break?
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What to do on a weekend as miserable as this except cook? Last Sunday I went to Brick Lane and only had a fiver, although you can get a good meal for that I wanted to try more than one, so I was looking for the best bargains. I had two crispy filo pastry 'cigars' stuffed with feta and spinach for a £1 from one stall, and a box of four Vietnamese spring rolls for £3 from another. That left £1 for a juice. As I was watching the lady make the spring rolls to order - they soak the paper in water, fill them with salad and satay sauce and roll up - I decided to try it myself, so have been to buy a pack of the papers.This is the quickest, easiest, cheapest, healthiest snack I have had in a long time. I used peanut butter with soy, honey and lime to make the satay sauce, and the sweet chili sauce that most of us have now for dipping. My spring rolls were not as good looking as hers, but tasted the same! if you can't get the papers let me know and i'll send you some.
...this time with a Food Revolution Day on 19th May. This is what he says ' It's a chance for people who love food to come together to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their knowledge and highlight the world’s food issues. All around the globe, people will work together to make a difference. Food Revolution Day is about connecting with your community through events at schools, restaurants, local businesses, dinner parties and farmers' markets. We want to inspire change in people’s food habits and to promote the mission for better food and education for everyone.' Look here for an event near you, or if you're in Russia, there are some there too - shame - there aren't any in the Caribbean.
Daydream Believer at The Framlingham Country Show today was Laura Cotton of Daydream in Cupcakes with some original and beautifully packaged home baked goodies. Laura started her business this year and is keeping up with the current trends in cakes. The cookiepop was delicious. I want to see whoopie pies and cakepops next time Laura!
Fancy taking your doggie out with you for a cup of tea or light lunch? Try The Animal Health Trust cafe in Newmarket which is open daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm. Their homemade soups, quiches, salads and cakes are all very good. The courtyard is also delightful on a sunny day, with ride-on toys provided for the kids.