Zambia Here I come!

Market and village life in Zambia.

Top picture: Kapenta, dried fish

Middle picture: cooking oil for sale

Bottom picture: shelling maize to make mealie meal (flour)

I am flying out today to join my husband in Zambia. I hope my next blog post won't be too far behind this one, but we don't have internet yet because we don't even have a place to live! Still there are internet cafes so I hope to make good use of those.

Stay tuned.

Mm's Apple Pie II

Here are the last two videos with finished pie! MMM

Mum's Apple Pie I

A while back I filmed my mum making apple pie.For thirty years or more she has made an incredible apple pie and I have not found a better one. She doesn't follow a recipe and improvises where necessary and it still comes out perfect every time. I hope I have picked up some of her genes. Now I must apologise for the videos, they are a bit cobbled together and I am still learning how to video well.Nevertheless I hope you will enjoy them. First 3 parts follow.

Derbyshire Ice-cream

I have been accused of not liking ice-cream. This is not true, I just like good quality ice-cream that is thick, full of natural flavours and is actually made from cream. Nowadays, this is hard to combine and then it's not cheap.

Here's a decent ice-cream I found in Tissington in the Peak District, in a bit of a dark tearoom. It is made on the Chatsworth estate and has a great name. They make the traditional flavours as well as more unusual ones. I had mandarin and ginger and flavour which was creamy, not too sweet and the mandarin worked very well - I think the ginger was a bit too light.

My husband has strawberry which has lovely pieces of real strawberry in and tasted subtle. Nice.

Sorry about the photo, but you get the idea!

Pizza in London

Pizza Naplolitana - Da Mario's


Pappadelle with spinach, cream and pine nuts - Da Mario's

When looking for a decent pizzeria in Britain I have certain criteria.

Is there a wood burning stove?

Are the staff, mostly Italian?

Does it smell like the places I used to go to in Italy?

And finally, perhaps more importantly:

Are there any Italians eating in there?

If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then you can be confident that the pizza will probably be pretty good.

Pizzeria Pappagone in Finsbury Park marks 100% on the above check list and makes good sized pizzas not like those piddly ones at Pizza Express (which I don't rate at all.). Plus their staff are really nice and the service excellent

Then there is Da Mario on the Gloucester Road, a favourite of the late Princess Diana, also does great pizza albeit slightly smaller. And yes, they got a tick for every aspect of the checklist, as well as having a rather interesting oil painting of the late Princess looking saintly as chef makes a pizza.

So keep the above quetions in mind and you can't go far wrong.

RIP Mr. Floyd

What kind of amateur foodie would I be if I did not pay homage to the wonderful Keith Floyd! If you are vegetarian, you probably won't be too bothered by his passing as he was a committed carnivore.

I loved Keith Floyd for one reason in particular - he was ENTERTAINING. He cooked in daft locations on camp stoves, bellowed at the camera man and other crew members on a regular basis, drank heavily, set things on fire and still managed to produce sumptuous dishes. I never really felt I could cook what he was cooking, but that didn't matter, he was all about loving life and food is the quintessential element of that.

I will miss him because now we have such aself-satisfied group of TV chefs who make great dishes, but the programmes are so obsessed with their own style. Mockney barrow boy Jamie Oliver is not a patch on Floyd, Nigella Lawson's erotic munching is all very well but this new tradition of the staged social event where fake friends sit around enjoying the food, while we the viewers are left watching like orphans with our noses pressed against the window is insulting.

Their offerings are anaemic compared with Floyds full-throttle, full-blooded delivery and Britain is a slightly poorer place now.

Maybe the recipes have improved but the delivery has not.

This video is a perfect example of Keith Floyd, a salad full of posh offal, on a boat, bossing the camera man and despising the noisy river traffic - and there is the ubiquitous camp stove.


Floyd in a more subdued mood and looking a little frail, but making a fantastic cassoulet with half the gross domestic meat production of France in it.

Zanzibar Inspired Fish

Soon we'll be returning to Zambia and I cannot wait to share with you all the little known cuisine of this part of Africa, as well as some of my favourite recipes!

In the mean time, here is a kind of stew/curry/soup that was inspired by very little being left in the cupboard, and a desire to cook something that would remind my husband and I of the spectacular food we had when we visited Zanzibar.

I use river cobbler for this dish simply because it is incredibly cheap and keeps its shape when cooked. Try cod, or another firm fish that will not disintegrate when cooked.

Serves 2
- two fillets of river cobbler, or other firm white fish
- 1 meduim onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil or a mixture of vegetable and sesame oil
- 2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
- 4 cardomom pods
- 1 heaped teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspon of ground cumin
- a 2 cm pieces of fresh ginger, unpeeled and finely grated
- the grate rind of a lime
- the juice of a lime
- half a can of coconut milk
- a tablespoon of thai fish sauce
- half a pint of chicken stock
- 2 fistfuls of frozen french/green beans
- a large handful of coriander


Mix together the lime rind and ginger and cover the fish with it, leave to one side at room temperature.

Fry the sliced onion in the oil until soft

Add the garlic and cumin, fry for a minute or so.

Press the cardomom pods lightly so they split a little then add those

Add the fish and seal on each side

Pour in the stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, turmeric and half the coriander and green beans

Simmer for about 15 minutes or until fish is tender - do not overcook!

Check for seasoning, add the rest of the coriander

Serve over rice or thick white noodles, chipattis would also be good

Ways with...yoghurt

A few years ago I was teaching in China, everyday I had a very healthy breakfast of yoghurt and green tea, and then would buy fresh fried dough rings on the way to work which I dipped in honey (not so healthy, but very good). I am convinced that eating this yoghurt is the reason why I was one of the few foreign teachers at the school that did not get any major stomach problems. In Zambia I used to make my own using a flask and fresh local milk.

I love yoghurt's versatility, the fact it can be sweet or savoury, can be used in cooking or just eaten on its own.

I use it as an alternative to cream, plain and straight from the fridge with some salt as a dipping sauce for spice food, mix it in milkshakes, the list goes on. Make sure you buy good quality thick, pro-biotic or Greek yoghurt. Here are some ideas.

- put a tablespoon of yoghurt with an avocado, lemon or lime juice and fresh coriander and some red chilli into a blender and whizz smooth for an amazing dip

- mix with curry powder or a little curry sauce from a jar, add to salad wraps

- use instead of cream in carbonara

- add to curry

Marinated Grilled Chicken

The weather has been pretty kind to us recently, even though we're definitely into Autumn, that doesn't mean we should put away the barbeque just yet and I have a great recipe for chicken. Chicken isn't so popular for barbequeing because it needs to be so carefully cooked. Just make sure that:
- you don't put raw chicken near cooked food or salads and keep it wrapped up until you are ready to cook it
- Use pieces that will cook quickly and thoroughly, I am a big fan of thighs. Drumsticks are dense and take a long time.
- You can make slits in the meat so it will cook through more quickly
- Make sure the juices run clear and no part of the meat is pink before eating

For a really tasty piece of chicken, marinate the meat over night in the fridge then bring out about 15 minutes before cooking. I use thighs with the bone and skin still on as they are really moist when cooked.

- For 2 People

- 4 chicken thighs with the skin and bone
- The juice of one large lemon (after juicing do not discard the lemon)
- 3 large dried red chillis
- a teaspoon of rock salt
- a teaspoon of peppercorns
- a heaped teaspoon of mixed spice
- a heaped teaspoon of garam masala
- 2 cloves of garlic cut into large pieces
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Put the spices, salt, pepper, garlic and chillis in a mortar bash with a pestle until you have a kind of paste.

Make a couple of slits in the flesh side of the chicken and rub in the spice mixture, put in a tupperware container or a bowl.

Pour over the lemon juice and throw in the lemon itself.

Add the olive oil.

Either put a lid on the container or cover with cling film

Marinate overnight in the fridge

Remove 15 minutes or so before cooking

Grill until tender and cooked through.

Peak District Eats - The Royal Oak and the best ribs in UK

Ok, so Stoke-on-Trent is not on the top of everyone's list of places to visit - unless of course you have excellent taste in ceramics. But travel north out of the city through Leek and you are soon into the wonderful Roaches and the Peak District. And here are some wonderful places to eat. Choose Tissington or Ilam for tea (which we did) and for lunch you must visit the Royal Oak near Hurdlow.
They have a great menu with lots of variety, which sometimes spells trouble, but here they know what to cook and cook it well. I had liver with red wine gravy, red onions and smoked bacon on delicious mashed potato, the liver was tender and the gravy robust and comforting. My husband opted for ribs and steak. Good ribs are difficult to find here but these were delicious, tender, a generous size and the sauce was amazing. We later found out the owner had been given the recipe to him by a friend in Nantucket, Mass.

We all ate well and would've had dessert if the mains hadn't been so big! The staff and owners were super-friendly and clearly love what they do and they are careful to source their ingredients locally. Highly recommended and they have great ales too.

Villagers fear Hartington cheese factory closure could have a knock-on effect

Villagers fear Hartington cheese factory closure could have a knock-on effect

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Autumn Flavours - Leeks

Fresh, organic leeks are amazing right now. I didn't like much leeks until I had them in my veg box, and discovered how fresh and sweet they can really be and I think they're a great alternative to harsh onions.

Leeks are great in this easy pasta dish that could use ham or smoked salmon.

For 2 people:
- slice 2 medium slice leeks thinly,
- gently fry them in 2 dessertspoons of butter with a drop olive oil to stop the butter burning.
- Add about 100 grams of smoked ham or smoked salmon cut into strips
- Add a small glass of dry white wine and reduce

- Cook enough farfalle for 2 people in lots of well salted water
- When al dente, drain the pasta and return to the saucepan, add the leek and ham sauce, stir well

Serve topped with parmesan or grana padano. For cheeky and luxuriant dish, add some cream to the leeks.

Autumn Flavours - fresh plum sauce, Chinese style

I reckon that British cooking really comes into its own in Autumn and Winter. Our climate means that Autumn crops are just outstanding, you can't beat a British apple!

In my parents' garden there is an abundance of damsons and plums, lovely fruits which make gorgeous jams and preserves, but are also great as robust accompaniments for meat. Stone damsons, cook them down with some fried onions, red wine vinegar, brown sugar and spices of your choice to make a chutney for meats and pat'es. Or stuff game meat with them after soaking them in Armagnac. I personally love gin that has had damsons soaked in it.

For plums, I would make a lovely fresh plum sauce for duck or for stir frying vegetables. Remove the stones of the plums, cook them with fresh grated ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, star anise and five spice powder. Don't forget to add some light soy sauce for seasoning and a little water - not too much.

Recipe - Aqua Sale (Poor Man's Meat)

This is one of the most surprising things I tried in Italy. It is an amazing dish for using up stale bread. Aqua sale means ‘water salt’ as they are the two main ingredients, it’s also known as ‘poor man’s meat’.
The bread is key here. In Puglia the most popular bread is arguably from Monte Sant’Angelo. A large round bread that is very springy, light and dry with a heavy crust. You can buy it in its full, massive, round form or buy pieces of it. It goes stale quite quickly and is therefore perfect for this.
Any kind of dry, tasty rustic bread with a good crust works well – ciabatta is fine but it must be stale. I have adapted this a little to make a more interesting salad
· 75 g stale bread grated into chunky crumbs
· Cold water, about ¼ pint but it depends
· Course ground sea salt
· Course ground pepper
· Extra virgin olive, a large slug of it, to taste
· A handful of good quality tomatoes – vine, cherry, pref. Organic
· A handful Flat Parsley coarsely chopped
· One spring onion finely chopped
Soak the bread in water, salt and pepper. Don’t make it soggy, it must absorb the water only.
Add all other ingredients and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
This salad should not be wet, it should hold its shape a little like a pate. The tomatoes and oil also add liquid so don’t be heavy handed with the water.

Vegetarian Food and Art at The Warehouse Cafe, Birmingham

Selfridges in Birmingham dominates the skyline in the north with its UFO/aquatic/futuristic - like design. But if you venture to the area of Digbeth below, you will find an interesting modern art scene, quietly growing. (More at Scrapbook )

Walking away from Selfridges towards the top of Digbeth, you will soon come across a little sign for The Warehouse Cafe. Situated on Allison street, it is a vegetarian restaurant, network centre for Friends of the Earth, and shop. It has won awards, been reviewed, but is it that great?

I went there for lunch and had refried bean tacos with potato wedges and piquant green salad
dotted with green pickled chilli slices. The tacos were crisp with a gooey mixture of well-seasoned beans and cheese, made even nicer by adding the yoghurt and coriander side sauce to it and some of the salad. The potato wedges were tasty, crispy on the outside and beautifully soft in the middle. It was a perfect light lunch and only £6.

My only criticism was that I was expecting a kind of semi-gallery feel with lots of art, but instead there were some very small examples kind of dotted around. The restaurant itself had that typical veggie character with unfussy pine and formic tables, I didn't find the atmosphere that inducive to hanging out. However I did notice they have plans for refurbishment this month. And anyway, the food was really worth it!

The Warehouse Cafe

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