Beer glazed pork loin
My inspiration for this was St Patrick’s Day so a dark beer was definitely the order of the day. Not an Irish stout in this case but a dry hopped London Porter I brewed a little while ago. I would have preferred to use stout but my beer cupboard is lacking in dark beers now… [Continue Reading]
Salmon Fennel Tomato Bake
The Mrs had never eaten fennel before and when it appeared in our weekly veg box she was a little intrigued as to how it would taste and what we would cook it with. A look through my copy of Larousse Gastronomique and the BBC Good Food website for some inspiration and an idea began… [Continue Reading]
Crème Brûlée
Another French classic that I’m starting to get to grips with and one that requires a little bit of effort putting in to get it right. Get it right though and it’s dynamite on a plate but get it wrong and it will be a hideous monstrosity. As far as flavour combinations go it’s a… [Continue Reading]
Marble Brewery Earl Grey IPA
I’m going to start this post with something of a confession! Two of my favourite drinks are hop forward IPA’s and Earl Grey tea. Sorry, hardly a revelation I know but imagine my delight, and surprise to be honest, when the Marble’s head brewer James Campbell turned up to last years Beer Bloggers Conference in… [Continue Reading]
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Everybody loves a good cake and this simple, yet classic cake is one of my personal favourites. It’s simple to make, it keeps quite well, for a sponge cake, and it tastes amazing! All that’s missing from this recipe is beer, but that’s an experiment for another day. It will take you about 15 minutes… [Continue Reading]
Crêpe Soufflé
I first saw this recipe on the last series of Master Chef Professionals and ever since then I’ve been meaning to have a go making it. This recipe has three separate parts; crème patisserie, crepes, and a soufflé. Each should be a part of every budding chefs repertoire and each one can go spectacularly wrong quite easily… [Continue Reading]
Art Brew Smokey Bastard Smoked Porter
After a little sabbatical from writing about beer I feel it’s now time to start stepping things up again. My lack of beer writing isn’t down to the fact that I haven’t been drinking any beer because that just isn’t the case, I’ve been drinking my fair share, believe me, most of it just hasn’t… [Continue Reading]
Easy Hot Sauce
The beauty about this sauce is its simplicity. You can make it as hot as you like varying the amount and/or variety of chilli peppers used. I like mine hot so I’m adding a rehydrated dried naga bhut jolokia chilli to help pep things up a little bit and give the sauce a sharp but short lived intense searing heat followed… [Continue Reading]
Slow Roast BBQ Rack of Ribs
Racks of pork ribs were on offer the other week in the supermarket as I was walking past the butchery department and the first thing that flashed through my mind when I saw them was The Hairy Bikers’ Mississippi Adventure. The rest is history as they say. The recipe includes a traditional dry rub which… [Continue Reading]
Teacakes (Chocolate ones)
After seeing these chocolate teacakes on The Great British Bake Off last year I knew right then and there I’d be making some as soon as I could find somewhere that sold hemi-spherical silicone moulds and time allowed. I found the moulds at, believe it or not, a website called Silicone Moulds. They aren’t technically… [Continue Reading]
Golden Pint Beer Awards 2012
Best UK Draught (Cask or Keg) Beer – Truefitt Brewing Company Erimus. Best UK Bottled or Canned Beer – Marble & Emelisse Earl Gray IPA. Best Overseas Draught Beer - Alley Kat Dragon Series Yellow Dragon Double IPA. Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer – Tie between Brouwerij de Molen Tsarina Esra & Yukon Brewing Ice Fog IPA… [Continue Reading]
Chocolate Truffles
This is a dead simple yet effective recipe that’s sure to impress anyone who tastes the finished truffles. I made a batch up to give to family as Christmas presents and they went down an absolute storm. One of the best things about chocolate truffles in my opinion is the variety of flavours you can produce. The… [Continue Reading]
Hairy Bikers Salmon & Leek Gratin – Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies
The other day I was making a fish pie for tea form the the Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies book but due to it being a school night I was reluctant to open a bottle of white wine of the few hundred millilitres required to make the recipe so I substituted this for a bottle of… [Continue Reading]
Mushroom Sauce
This is a great sauce for when you’re in a bit of a hurry or you need something to add a bit moisture to your dish. It’s dead simple and tasty and will go with a multitude of things like chicken or pasta. Serves 4 Ingredients 25g slightly salted butter. 100g shallots peeled and finely… [Continue Reading]
Moka Pot Competition
The winner of the Moka Pot and hazelnut syrup is Mr Mike Gow. Thanks to all those who entered. And Mike if you’re reading this your winnings are in the post.
Shepherd Neame Double Stout
A little while ago I was lucky enough to be sent some new beers from Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame. An India pale ale and a Double Stout. I’ve already supped the India Pale Ale, which I thought was very tasty, so I was really looking forward to having a go at this stout. It’s everything a… [Continue Reading]
Gingerbread Cupcakes & Salted Caramel Buttercream Icing
This is a cracking little recipe I found on the BBC website and has gone down an absolute storm with everyone I’ve shared the cakes with, even my mates two year old went crazy for them. Calls for the recipe were coming in thick and fast so I thought I’d share it on here. It… [Continue Reading]
Moka Pot Competition
How would you like to win a stainless steel four cup moka pot and one litre bottle of hazelnut syrup? I was sent these by mistake when I placed an order a little while ago from a website called Espresso Drinker. After unsuccessfully trying to organise their safe return home I thought I’d have a little fun… [Continue Reading]
Festive Food & Drink
With Christmas fast approaching, most people are hunting for the perfect gifts, bargain decorations and festive wrapping paper. Personally I have far more important things to consider, like sorting the festive drinks menu out! Christmas usually brings with it the chance to indulge in all the foods and drinks considered ‘off limits’ for the rest… [Continue Reading]
Shepherd Neame IPA
The other day I was rudely awoken by the postman. This was a most unusual situation for me, as my postman doesn’t normally show face until sometime after lunch. So when I heard the knock on the door at 0730 I just about jumped out of my skin! Not all bad though, as it turns… [Continue Reading]
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