All that glitters isn’t gold

A piece of fudge, one for me and one for you!

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. 

This one arrived in September!

The best kind cannot be valued, they are priceless. Love gently wraps all of our most beautiful gifts – and LIFE becomes richer for their presence.

When you wish upon a star! 

I’ve resisted and willed myself to approach this Christmas with deep calm, though my excitement can no longer be quenched by thoughts alone, so here I go, I’m sharing with you my first of several lovely gifts to make for the ones you love! AND for those who may need an extra bit of TLC too. For me, that is what makes this time of year special, the sense of giving, the carols, the smells, the memories of times past re-kindled and the acceptance that nothing remains the same. Each year brings new gifts and treasured times live on in our hearts, ALWAYS.

Love heals

I first tasted fudge in Cornwall, aged nine. Discovering these butterscotch flavoured nuggets of soft sweetness was one of my very own Christopher Columbus moments. It was on a school trip and with my pocket money I bought a box for my family. The brown paper bag never made the journey back to London, I accidentally left it on the train and some lucky person hopefully had a sweet treat instead.

Give a gift, give FUDGE!

"The softest things in the world

overcome the hardest things in the world."

Lao-Tzu

Those who read this blog know that I opt for healthy choices and sugar is rarely featured, however there is a time and a place for fudge, and that time is approaching! I’m a believer in balance and few absolutes. Feasts are made such by enjoying foods that are special and not eaten everyday, think caviar, think truffles, think FUDGE. I read an interesting article in the New York Times,  the jury is undecided on whether sugar is toxic or not, the key is to be informed, to make the right choice for you and your family. I’m sticking to, in a toffee like fashion; most things are OK in moderation and that means - save the sweets for treats and lovely seasonal fruits and nuts for everyday delights. Forbidden fruits become tempting for all of the wrong reasons, I'd plum for an apple over fudge on most days, why because it feels good and tastes fresh. On special occasions however I make an exception. 

Satin like or silk like?

When making fudge the transformation from ribbon caramel silk, to crumbly melt in the mouth sweet is hypnotic. Good music has a similar charm; it whisks one into another world, lulling us along and dee dum, dee dum, dee dum, the heart goes, ahhhh, and a feeling of whatever the music insights echoes. Making fudge is a visual treat and one lovely way to give special gifts to those close to you. It’s also fun to make with children and whoever cleans up gets to lick the spoon, other little helpers share the bowl!

Ribbons of vanilla

For an extra special touch sprinkle over some edible gold dust, wrap in tissue and put in little gift boxes or present in cellophane bags with your favourite coloured ribbon. Gifts, like these take precious little time to make, though go a very long way in thoughtfulness and will keep for up to a month, so getting ahead is easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Always follow the rainbow and know YOU'RE gold

Isn’t time one of our most valued commodities these days? Those you spend it with are very lucky indeed!

Cherish special times

Here’s to calm Christmas preparations, to family and friends!

Love,

FFX

White chocolate and cranberry fudge

Beautiful fudge!

White chocolate, 350g broken into cubes

Condensed milk, 1 350g tin

Vanilla extract, 1 tsp

Dried cranberries, 75g

Gold dust, (optional) a pinch to sprinkle on top

LINE a 15cmx23cm roasting tin with baking paper.

PLACE a heatproof bowl over a suitably sized saucepan with gently boiling water.

SCATTER in the white chocolate.

POUR in the condensed milk and stir occasionally until silky smooth.

ADD vanilla essence and enjoy the sweet aroma.

POUR divine mixture into lined roasting tin.

SPRINKLE over cranberries, pressing in gently.

DAZZLE with some gold dust.

COVER and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hrs.

SLICE into bite size pieces and share with the ones you love. 

Golden Soup 11.11.11

Take me to the ocean,

Where fresh salty air salutes warmth -

And sunshine beaming clears horizons of purest gold.

Falling in love and diving are similar. Taking a journey into the deep unknown requires courage and a sense of adventure. In leaving behind all past baggage one may travel further, see more and feel free to dive deeper!

Beautiful experiences enrich, however the oceans are also a treacherous place and in falling, we literally take the plunge and sometimes get hurt. Thank goodness for fresh air, changing tides and letting go. The heart has a way of channelling LIGHT, and each time we surface, we may catch our breath, the dive becomes smoother, the relationship stronger and LOVE purer. Phew!

The proof, some say, is in the pudding and today’s Friday classic, AKA chowder, is as tasty as the sea, salty smooth and comforting, one may even feel closer to the oceans.... 

Smoked salmon and sweet succulent crab meat come together to bring a flavour combination that is both fresh, fair and flavoursome. Light and healthy, this soup comforts and nourishes all at the same time.  We get cravings for salty foods because our bodies need sodium chloride, and what better way to eat it, than from Seafood chowder? The roots of this wholesome soup, stem from the French word Chaudière, Fishermen to cook their catch of the day used this three-legged cauldron. When the ships returned, each village had a large Chaudière and the fishermen would share part of their catch for a feast to be enjoyed that evening.

I have always loved the idea of finding a treasure chest; perhaps that the Goonies was one of my favourite childhood films may help explain this fascination. I thought, wouldn’t it be lovely to make this soup extra-special to mark 11/11/11. Today is viewed as an auspicious day numerologically, the world over, and is also Remembrance Day, when we remember the brave souls who have lost their lives, you live on in our hearts and memories.

“For every man and woman who wears the uniform and risks life itself for freedom and for every member of their families. Words are not enough. We owe them everything.”  
Ben Stein

This soup suggests hope, warmth, love and future prosperity. These are the qualities that heal old wounds and create happier times. So, what ingredient other than love might make it special? And then, of course, EUREKA! Gold! Gold? Yes, gold! 

Gold leaf to be precise, it is available in good supermarkets and delicatessens. Sprinkled on top, it transforms this chowder into living treasure, that may nourish the soul on the coldest of winter days.

One of my favourite proverbs;

"Worries go down better with soup."

Be assured, there is no room for worry with this recipe, it is so simple and takes under 30 minutes to make. A rich creamy soup is calling like a mermaid/ merman singing sweetly on the tides. Bring treasure into your kitchens! Make Golden soup!

Golden hugs,

Love,

FFX

Golden Soup

SERVES 4

Onion, 1 finely chopped

Garlic, 1 clove bashed

Butter, a knob

Flour, 2 tbsp (I use brown flour)

Potatoes, 750g peeled and diced

Chicken stock, 500ml

Milk, 500ml

White crab meat, 150g

Smoked salmon, 300g

Flat leaf parsley, small bunch finely chopped

Lemon, a drop of juice

Gold leaf (optional)

HEAT a heavy based frying pan.

ADD knob of butter followed by onion, garlic and flour.

STIR in potatoes, stock and milk.

SIMMER gently for 15 minutes, taking care that it doesn’t boil over.

STIR in parsley, smoked salmon and crab meat, reserving a little to dress on top.

POUR in the lemon juice and season with freshly ground black pepper.

GORGEOUS!

POUR soup into warmed bowls and dress with reserved seafood and gold!

FIND treasure today and always.

Found in Translation

Cooking is about much more than the ingredients you use. The presentation, where the produce is sourced, whether it's organic or not all count, though more than anything, it’s about the people you share your table with, the atmosphere around you and the hunger within being met. 

Lost in Leaves in London

Eating after being in the great outdoors, with the ones you love makes for the best tasting meals. Love is our universal language and needs no translation. Sometimes subtlety may be lost in translation, AND sometimes, through translation we learn to open our eyes and hearts to the wonders we may have never  known otherwise. We take a leap of literal faith and find gold, connect with that love and you’re on the road to infinity!

Seek good company before you choose the recipe!

Dreams are in essence lost in translation. Have you ever woken from a dream with a vivid memory? A memory clearer than the view out of your window, and then, suddenly it’s lost? It is said if you record your dreams by writing them down, shortly after waking, you may tap into your subconscious. While I love a good night's sleep, I love even more, the thought of living dreams! Feeling good, feeling free and most of all being true is my favourite waking dream come true.

Dim Sum dreams are living ones for my taste buds. My Sundays are often swept on an Orient express to aromatic Queensway, where flavours, gently enrapturing ones, abound. I love the pale bite-sized dumplings that are lightly steamed and served on simple plates with a selection of chilli oil and sweet chilli sauces. I love the mixture of restaurants that reflects the diversity of London, Moroccan, Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, Italian, American, and Vietnamese to name but a few. The smells emanating from these restaurants need know translation, they are simply delicious!

Beautiful

Food can be beautiful, and Dim Sum offers the taste buds and the eyes a feast, in equal measure. Prawn and Chive dumplings are little works of art, so pretty and delicate in flavour. The translucent case tempts the eye to a clean combination of oniony chives and mild prawns, light, light, light and more light.

To translate dim sum, what then???

Swashing through the oceans towards the northwest, towards the land of bangers and mash and toad in the hole! What then? This…..

Black pudding and apple ravioli with saffron custard!

Remarkably simple to make, similar in method to Dim Sum, though with a total Anglo interpretation.

Fusion food attempts to mix flavours, this is not fusion, it’s translation!

Translation is an attempt to understand and communicate with another. This meal translates a love of local produce, for indeed, good black pudding is akin to shark fins in China, without the controversy – and there will be a farm somewhere close to you that makes this delight.

Add saffron, the most exquisite spice, to the mix and one brings golden magnificence to this apple and intensely rich savoury mix. It is delicious in a catch 22 way, nursery food meets robust sophistication, and neither recognises the other! Heavenly!

A stroke away from food Fantasia!

The preparation is repetitive and there lies the joy. It makes an excellent addition to a dinner party menu, as the prep may be all done in advance. Three minutes of final cooking time, re-heat the custard and hey presto, a dainty looking, though totally filling meal awaits.

When the dumplings have risen, they are cooked!

I love pleasant surprises and these beauties are exactly that. Buy the wonton/ gyoza wrappers from an Oriental Shop. The interesting selection of sauces, condiments, dried fish and treats on sale are an ambrosial experience for the senses, a labyrinth for the newcomer, though once you get your head around the many varieties of delights on offer, a world of gastronomic possibilities and wonder awaits. Go see! Go cook!

Jewels to discover

Delve deep, be light and always feel the love.

Always,

FFX

Black pudding and apple ravioli with saffron custard

Translation delight!

Butter, 50g

Apple, 2 cored, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

Black pudding, best quality, 250g sliced into 1cm rounds

Wonton/ gyoza wrappers, 40

Garlic, 7 cloves finely chopped

Saffron strands, ½ tsp

Single cream, 300ml

Egg yolks, 1

Lemon, 1 juice and grated zest

Seasoning

MELT half the butter in a heavy-based pan.

ADD apples and cook for 3 minutes.

SCATTER in black pudding and cook for a further 2 minutes.

SCRATCH over some freshly ground black pepper and leave to cool.

TRANSFER to food processor and pulse 3 times (so the mixture is still chunky and just mixed)

ARRANGE 20 wonton wrappers on a clean surface.

BRUSH with water.

SPOON over a heaped tsp of the mixture in the centre of each wrapper.

PLACE another wrapper on top.

PRESS lightly around the edges to make sure each ravioli is sealed.

I like to use an eggcup turned upside down for a clean finish, which works a treat.

LEAVE in the fridge to set for at least ten minutes.

MELT remaining butter in the same pan.

ADD garlic and saffron and cook for 2 minutes.

POUR over cream and simmer gently to thicken, and then take off the heat.

STIR in egg yolk, lemon juice and zest, stirring until combined.

BOIL water in a shallow pan and lower in the ravioli.

COOK ravioli for 3 minutes.

DRAIN and serve onto plates

SPOON over custard and dress with some leaves of love, to brighten things up!

Buried Treasure

One. 

       Moment. 

                     One. 

                            Thought. 

                                          One. 

                                                 Now.

And then there were two, and things could be shared and talked over. Balance became a harmonious possibility and the seesaw of life found equilibrium…

    Two

Food is best shared

Life’s lucky dip came along!

What happens next?

Be present or miss the magic right in front of you.....

WELCOME NOVEMBER! New possibilities and tastes arrive, some different, some old, some the same and some never to be repeated again. Digging deep means finding treasure, and root vegetables rule the day in November! Pumpkins, parsnips, turnips and swede swirl into our kitchens with a sense of purpose, triumphantly. Cooking apples, cranberries, apples and pears bring sweeter notes that sing happy days.

Give this thought a whirl and see how it makes you feel?

As I open the kitchen window for some fresh air, I am also opening my heart and mind.

Trying out something totally different, totally nourishing, that has never been tasted before is food for the soul, following the seasons makes this a regular and wonderful experience.

This week I baked parsnip, carrot and cranberry bread, the gentle pitter-patter of the rain outside gave the warming scent a sweeter sensibility. Baking is an intuitive process and with this recipe expect something delicious, you won't be dissappointed. The texture is fresh, softly sweet with a juicy cranberry celebration thrown in for an olfactory dance. Lovely sliced on its own or spread with softened butter and some marmalade. Alternatively, this morning mascarpone with some Crabtree and Evelyn strawberry jam made the perfect TGI Breakfast.

Yum!

Yum, yum!

Yum, yum, yum!

Ah, now for a sip of tea...

Choose creamy white and crisp looking parsnips, avoid ones with soft brown patches, these beauties are at their beautiful best right now and the jewel like cranberries give a tartness to balance the naturally sweet carrot. 

The batter takes minutes to make and after an hour in the oven a sweet bread so seasonal it should grow on trees is yours for the eating!!! This is best shared with great company and your favourite tea! 

Happy Friday to you and I hope some Feeling Food magic happens for you this weekend!

Love,

FFX

Parsnip, Carrot and Cranberry bread

Brown flour, 250g

Bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp

Maldon salt, 1 pinch

Butter, 100g

Fruit sugar, 120g

Eggs, 2

Carrots, 250g grated

Parsnips, 250g grated

PRE-HEAT oven to 180’C/ gas 4.

LIGHTLY grease a 23  x 13 cm loaf tin.

MIX flour, bicarbonate of soda and maldon salt in a bowl.

CREAM together butter and fruit sugar.

STIR in eggs and grated parsnips, grated carrots and cranberries.

SPOON butter mixture into the flour.

GENTLY mix until well blended.

BAKE in the centre of oven for 1 hour.

COOL in tin before serving as you wish.

PUT the kettle on for a brew!

Walking on apples

Have you ever caught an apple falling from a tree?

Cinnamon dusted and golden, falling free.

What a special moment that would be.

Read on, there's a simple recipe,

With love to you from me!

I know apples well, some are better for cooking than others. Aged three in my Granny's orchard in Ireland, I'd pick one and take a bite, often they were bitter, the sour explosion provoking a surrendering squirm, though sometimes, the best of times, they were fresh and crisp and simply delicious.  I found out their names and what they were best suited too. There are over 2,300 types in Britain alone, though Cox's Pippin apples are a good all rounder and an all time favourite, they can be eaten from the branch and are also good to cook with, though I had a few meetings with crab apples and soon realised they were better in pies, their sourness easing away with cooking. In fact the first dish I ever cooked was an apple pie and I still have a tiny scar on my right arm that marks the occasion and also where the oven gloves stopped! This is one of my favourite Irish proverbs, 

"When the apple is ripe it will fall."    

I love apples and now in Autumn this is my favourite way of eating them. Gently cooking them in hot melted butter, with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a dollop of crème fraiche to serve transforms the relatively reserved fruit into a fragrant temptress. Apples served this way share the rosiest of fruit times and ones kitchens scent welcomes and woos those close by. 

I couldn’t mention apples without noting the saying, “An apple a day keeps the Doctor away.” The Doctor may tell you that apples prevent the release of free radicals. Hence by eating them often, one may lower their chances of getting cancer; prevent Alzheimer's and manage diabetes - also apples contain Boron which increases bone strength. For me though it's how apples taste that make them delicious.

One of my favourite tonics is a long walk, it clears the mind, dusts off the cobwebs and helps me get my thoughts in order. However, at the moment my newborn son's hunger and sleeping times steer the course of my day, it feels totally natural in a sense, that is until I decide to impart control and order, then you can forget it, I feel like I'm walking on apples without enjoying their taste. Happily I've surrendered and as long as he’s fed and freshly changed he seems to love walking too, be it carried in a sling. So each day I love to amble and I’m noticing things for the first time that I’ve walked passed hundreds of times.

Transport was simpler back then...

Dazzling sun in Autumn is an invitation of the finest, a warm welcome to the great outdoors. I love my local farmers market in Notting Hill; it’s a feast for the senses.

Lunch on the go - a gorgeous Serbian pie - Burek, YUM!

Time ceases to matter in moments of happiness; in fact the ticking tock of a moving clock is the last thing anyone wants to be reminded of in moments of bliss.

Buying straight from the producer is the best way to shop

Seasonal sensations!

So I picked up some gorgeous seasonal apples from Sussex to make this simple apple treat, it lifts the natural fragrant freshness and very little needs to be done, this humble fruit deserves full recognition and gets a real boost when cooked in this fashion. Within five minutes the apples are golden and ready to eat. For an autumnal version of porridge scatter these apples on top or simply serve on their own with a spoonful of crème fraiche or Greek yogurt, whatever you prefer.

Caramelised apples

Apples 2, peeled, sliced and cored

Butter, 1 knob

Fruit sugar, 1 tsp

Cinnamon, a tiny sprinkle

HEAT a medium sized frying pan to melt knob of butter.

ADD apples and fruit sugar and cook for five minutes to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
SPRINKLE over some cinnamon sparingly.

LOVINGLY serve in the best way you know how and enjoy the simple things in life, there are the best.

Nothing will come of nothing

Ooh this is delicious!

King Lear, my favourite character of Shakespeare's, speaks with regal relish when he utters the words “nothing will come of nothing.”

Indeed something will always come of something. And so it is that in loosing something, something new is found. As those of you who read my blog may know, both my Parents have passed on in the last two years, I’ve gotten married and most recently welcomed my second child into the world. Much of our identity comes from our parents, so in loosing both of mine I’ve had to take stock of everything that is important to me. De-cluttering the heart and mind is no easy task. I hope to share some of this with you in my posts, though I promise there will be no sentimentality or morose meanderings. Life is for living and loving and that has never been so apparent to me.

As this is a food blog the main aspect will always be recipes, though food alone doesn’t interest me, it’s the act of doing, the art of mixing, and the generosity of cooking for the ones you love that really gets me excited. My food thoughts and new recipes now return with love and a healing heart, needless to say I’ve missed my blog and I’ve missed you! Part of the joy of writing is indeed hearing back from you; food likes nothing better than to be shared and talked over. So my soil has been harvested and my thoughts have rested, I’m now stirring at the prospect of wintertime and all of the seasonal harvest that beckons.

I’m enjoying the special moments that each day brings, my heart melts often, perhaps part of this is hormonal, the other and more abundant side is definitely a feeling of total love and appreciation for all the blessings that a new life brings! Also letting go of anything that doesn't make the broth taste good! There I go again, de-cluttering.

Good news also comes in the form of me being offered to write my first column for a wonderful magazine called "Families First." I’ve happily accepted and will share more of that with you in January….

The other day whilst reading Lillian Too’s little book of Feng Shui in my most clucky voice to my younger son, three weeks old today! I was taken in by the idea of yin and yang – light and dark – there is balance in everything and so it is with thanks that I deeply appreciate all that I have and of course my Folks live on through me and both my sons. 

Balance brings harmony ~ nature knows best

Now, back to Feeling Food, back to flavour, back to nourishment, back to Love and memories to savour!

This recipe is swimmingly sensational, best of all it's simple and adaptable. Sea bass, a sweet, white, textured fish relishes a ruby dazzling of opulence. Spoon over this dressing of deep-red tartness and you will woo even the faintest appetite, I promise.

Bag some berries!

I love berries, each season offers a treasure chest of delights and this recipe may be adjusted to suit anytime of year. I've used Blackberries in this, however Cranberries are soon in season and rather than neglecting these soulful berries until Christmas day, I say indulge, infuse and saunter in their nutritional glory. Berries give rubies of goodness with each bite – they're rich with vitamin c and contain powerful infection-fighting properties. Instead of grabbing a hanky, grab some berries and get cooking;
                                          
We eat to live, not live to eat.

Our food choices reflect our sense of identity and culture, eat well and life and everyone you meet will be the better for your care.

Pay attention!

YOUR BERRIES NEED YOU!

In eating them you may say goodbye to a plethora of ailments and greet with warm cashmere covered arms oodles of berry benefits. My favourite bit of berry trivia is that   berries protect the brain from neurological damage. That alone makes eating them essential.

Seared salted sea bass with a berry dressing is a gorgeous and simple dish that takes minutes to make, the secret to crispy skin takes us back to the sea. Salt!

Busy Mums and Dads, or those who’ve returned from a long day at work will love the ease of this delight - roughly 25 minutes from start to finish and a Mermaid/ Merman feast awaits. The colours on the plate will bring cheer to your heart. I love pan-frying sea bass, it’s a chameleon like fish, one minute Moroccan spiced, the next Thai, and sometimes like this, plain and classic with a simple dressing.

Buy your sea bass on the day of cooking and ask the fishmonger to scale and clean the fillets.  I love to serve this on a bed of soft mash with a drizzle of truffle oil, mind, use only a dot, as truffle oil is potent.

More that anything, enjoy the experience and moment of each step.

Here’s to dancing always,

Love,

FFX

Seared salted sea bass with a berry dressing

SERVES 4

FOR THE DRESSING

Butter, 150g unsalted

Garlic, 1 clove bashed

Rosemary, 3 sprigs

Cranberry juice, 150ml

Sherry vinegar, 50ml

Shallots, 2 finely chopped

Fruit sugar, 1 tsp

Fresh berries 100g (whichever is in season and are grown closest to home)

Flat leaf parsley, 1 tsp finely chopped (optional)

HEAT butter in a frying pan on a low heat for 3 minutes until nearly melted.

ADD garlic and rosemary sprigs and cook for a further 3 minutes on a slightly higher heat.

REMOVE pan from heat and set aside to allow the flavours of herb magnificence to infuse.

SIMMER cranberry juice in a small saucepan.

ADD sherry vinegar, shallots and fruit sugar.

CONTINUE to cook until sauce has reduced to syrup.

STRAIN flavoured butter through a sieve and pour into syrup.

SCATTER in the cranberries/ any seasonal berry, and continue to stir until just softened.

TURN off heat and switch your attention to the sea bass.

FOR THE FISH

Sea bass fillets x 2

Olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

SCORE the skin lightly with a sharp knife.

HEAT a medium sized non-stick pan* over a high heat.

DRIZZLE enough oil to cover base of pan.

GENTLY place fillets, skin side down, onto pan and lower heat to a medium.

COOK for 4 minutes exactly.

TURN and cook for a further 2 minutes.

SERVE on a bed of mash, skin side up and lovingly pour over the ruby dressing. WOW WOW WOW!