Someone's in the kitchen blowin' "Dinah" like they're born (or, cooking)

Halloumi, blackberry, fennel & spelt salad

Red currant jam 2022.... Both sweet and tart, as usual... We're eating it as a topping for vanilla ice cream.

Happy Easter to those who are celebrating!

Here is my Potica, (pronounced poh-TEET-sah). It's the most delicious roll, prepared with light brioche dough and filled with a rich, tasty filling. I made two filings, the very popular nut, and the other with tarragon and creme fraiche filling.

It's traditionally eaten here on all holidays Easter, Christmas, and other celebrations like birthdays and weddings.

Also, all-natural colored eggs. Beetroot and spinach didn't work as I had hoped for, so no pink and green, but plenty of brownish... But still, they look quite nice. 😊

Nobody been eating recently?

Last nights dinner: hasselback squash stuffed with sage & thyme. Crumbled feta.

is 9,22 pm 25th dec too late to bung the turkey in the oven......?

i grossly overestimated how much food two people and two cats (plus strays} need

Hazelnut Cake for my mother in law's birthday... 🎂🍾

The gingerbread house finally got completed - it took forever! I have no idea how they make things like this for bake off in an hour or so! For a first effort, I am quite pleased with it.

Going to see the birthday boy today but, sadly, their child minder tested positive for Covid on Thursday so we have to be in the garden. Just hope it isn't wet and/or windy!

Homemade baguettes... The French theme is purely accidental... 🇫🇷 🙂

Today was Christmas baking day (a bit late!) and, as I was stirring the pudding mix and making a wish I realised that I didn't need to wish for the thing I have been wishing for for the last 20 years, as this year it happened! My son is finally settled and happy - long may it continue!

This mornings batch of bere bannocks:

We solved that problem. 🙂

Fried fish is served with potato salad here. It's actually a very good combination, healthier than chips, also.

Mushy peas are green...... therefore healthy.

Ask science.

Is that.......a side salad..........with fish and chips??????

That has to contravene a law surely?

,Mushy peas, onion rings at a push, or it's sacrilege.

In the interests of reviving a favourite thread, earlier this week I attended a face to face meeting at a client, for the first time in several months. I met people in person for the first time who I've worked with via phone and mail for nearly a year...

A bonus was a free lunch at the canteen which had to specially reopen for the meeting. Nothing wrong with a spot of good old fish and chips... Really very tasty for a canteen nom too. 😊

Since we don't have a gardening thread...

Here's two zucchini, two days ago they were still small, and I haven't picked them up.

Now I've got two monsters and have to figure out what to do with them. 🙂

When we were in Burma a few years ago, in one shop they brought around a jar with black bits -- toasted ants with chilli and lime, I think it was. I took a pinch when offered, and it tasted ok, like the spices only. I watched when they offered it to my husband, and he took some too. I was very proud of him. 😂

I'm out of this thread for a while... 🙄

Mrs D used to be bring the occasional bag of chocolate coated crickets home. Must admit I was quite partial to them.

First attempt at beremeal bannock-scones. Maybe a touch less salt next time, but reckon would be just grand with cheese and a chutney. Might have a go at rhubarb and date......

I visited my favourite chocolate shop whilst I was in London - insanely expensive chocolates, but I would rather have one from there than a box of regular chocolates.

Tried a new recipe this evening - tuna steaks with green beans dressed in a herb, anchovy & caper sauce. Very nice, though I say so myself!

Ok, I’ve got one to contribute! I just read a biography of Paula Wolfert and was inspired to try one of her duck recipes. So I bought a whole duck, removed the wing tips, backbone and breastbone myself, and made this. It cooks for 3 and half hours, plus some extra for finishing, and the sauce is made from the bones with onions, bit of tomato paste, wine and chicken stock, and the juices from cooking the meat, along with some olives. My first time in my life cooking a duck.

Ummm.....

Does this look any better? I can only say it tastes like heaven on a plate, even if it looks like something else entirely...

Another take away cook at home yesterday evening - turbot with olives, tomatoes, pine nuts and olive mash with Camogliesi al rhum to follow (these are similar to profiteroles, but much better)

Ahhh, yes. First glance at the pic (on my phone) I thought it had a crust.

AJ that looks the business......but isn't it a cheese quiche?

Dandelion Salad... I'm interested if anyone else eats dandelion?

There are two basic rules, the plant should be young, and picked in a non poluted environment.

It is bitter, but not as bitter as rucola.

It grows wild in the meadows, it's not unusual to see people picking it in the spring. Traditionally, the salad was made with boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and cranklings.

We only use pumpkin seed oil, which is another local (regional) speciality.

I feel like one happy cow every time we share this for dinner..

Something of a family tradition, chocolate fondue. Sorry the children's heads are missing - their mother would excommunicate me if I posted pictures of them!

I sense a day's gargantuan consumption ahead......

And here's my Ricotta and Tarragon Cheese Cake.

Candy apple pork loin chop with basil smashed potatoes and sauteed haricot verts with red pepper and roasted pine nuts.

That looks some serious eating there Rick.

You're right about a burger, just all you need sometimes.

To this day the best burger I've eaten was in "Windows on the World" just a few weeks before 9/11.

My wife and I had lunch there, I chose the burger and it was just awesome.

I often wonder about the waiting staff and bartender, just all the people we spoke to (the Scottish accent always seemed to prompt extended conversations), if they were working a few weeks later...........

My new Firehouse Bacon Burger.

Half-pound Angus patty, melting aged cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, peppered candied bacon and seasoned crispy onion straws - drizzled with barbecue sauce and a locally-sourced bourbon mustard on a cool bed of lettuce and tomato. Accompanied by sweet potato fries. Introduced this tonight to a very warm reception.

Sometimes all you need is a good fucking burger.

Went to a restaurant for a sit down meal for the first time in an age last night, for a work function.

It was Portuguese themed and I ended up choosing a chicken and prawn curry because I always try have something out I wouldn't normally eat at home.

Restaurant was nice, staff were lovely and friendly, the food looked good (most had the usual, steak and chips, meh) but my curry just lacked... something. It should be about flavour, not heat, and so many places seem to get that wrong. It was nice, but not wow.

Carl took a rifle and fetched us dinner from the woods...

Just kidding! I don't think I could have lived with a hunter...

Rabbit Stew, before and after.

This evening's treat - marmalade bread & butter pudding!

Fresh steamed green-lipped mussels in a saffron white wine and cream broth.

How well do you maintain family cooking traditions, and how successful you are at combining them?

When I started cooking, I used to phone my Mom, aunts, grandmothers.. for advice, whenever I stumbled upon a culinary dilemma.

After I'd met Carl, I added his family's recipes and have included his relatives as my cooking influence.

Even though both families cook quite similarly, I think I managed to combine what was best from both, and hopefully, this lovely process will go on...

Bacon naan with cream cheese, coriander and tomato chilli jam, courtesy of Dishoom At Home.

One of my friends gave me a zoom cooking class with a cook in Casablanca, Morocco, since we had been planning a trip to Morocco just when the pandemic hit. The class was today, so it was me in Canada, another friend in the UK, and the cook in Morocco. We made chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemon, and eggplant ”salad” (more like a dip).

It was delicious!

More great pasta from Padella At Home tonight - Fettuccine with nduj, mascarpone & Amalfi lemon. Burrata and cured fennel salami antipasti. Fantastic quality and value from this great London restaurant.

The diet starts tomorrow. Rib eye, (suitably oiled and salted!), chips, macaroni cheese and creamed spinach.

Marmalade making in the Jones household today (mostly Mr J I admit!)