food for thought

I've grown up loving cooking and food. Weekends were spent sitting at the kitchen table happily drawing and painting away whilst mum whipped up a weekend cake, a succulent beef joint or an oozing fruit crumble. We'd join forces with fairy cakes and I remember so well how much I enjoyed teaspooning the batter into cake cases and then watching on triumphantly as they came out the oven golden and fresh, waiting to be decorated with coloured icing and sprinkles. My childhood memories of being in the kitchen are mostly of baking and yet today I would say that cooking is actually my forte and baking less so. Part of me thinks this is because I loathe maths and baking requires an accurate eye and ability to be patient. I much prefer to toss ingredients together and hope for the best than measure out dry and wet ingredients but alas, baking rather requires this dedication. And so cooking is my real love and something I can find hours of my time doing. 

At university I discovered my true cooking colours and made great friends in fellow foodies and cooks. A few weeks ago a bunch of us had an evening drinks Zoom party (such is life now that we find ourselves Zooming to catch up) and we all eagerly discussed the foods we are cooking and the challengingly bakes we're setting aside for the weekends and the restaurants we're looking to visit once lockdown is lifted and normality can return. Now I find myself furloughed (or is it "on furlough" or "in furlough"?) I have even more time to dedicate to exploring food and the joy it brings me. I've been going through recipe books, magazines and newspapers and bookmarking all that I want to try. These include a poached chicken with spring greens from Margot Henderson, semolina and orange syrup cake from Yotam Ottolenghi, sausage and fennel stuffed tomoatoes, Korean style lamb chops with sweet potato, rosemary focaccia... the list goes on. 

I've also enjoyed reading articles and comment pieces about food. Marina O'Loughlin 'critiqued' Orasay a few weekends ago having experienced the Notting Hill restaurant at home in her garden via delivery. Her writing smacked of flavour and I felt a complete sense of excitement as she described sipping on Campari fizzes whilst waiting for the doorbell to ring. I've yet to order from a restaurant during lockdown but this comment piece certainly inspires me to do so. 

Duncan Campbell also wrote about the joy of food and cooking this week and has seemingly spent hours making fresh pasta and sourdough (I actually draw the line at sourdough, there's something very boring about that to me). I love the idea of spending much of the day crafting a multi-course dinner and long for the moment I too can have friends over; pressing chilled fizz bottles into the hands of friends who can serve up drinks and nibbles whilst other, more kitchen-blessed pals, can assist with the last few foodie items. My god that first dinner party is going to be a riot; it might last two days and I suspect we will all need the day off after festivities are over. 

Finally, Grace Dent wrote a nostalgic piece about Pizza Express and how she misses it - not necessarily the sub-standard pizza and dough bites you order, but the inevitable last-minute decision to soak up Friday night's wine with friends. Reading this made me yearn for the time when we can meet up again, chat nonsense and laugh at each others silly stories. I cannot wait for that day. 

But whilst we wait for that time to come, I'll continue here baking and cooking my way through Coronavirus, a new recipe a week. There's something very soothing about it and provides a constant stream of photo sharing between myself and my mum. 

Ginger biscuits.

Friday night pizzas and negronis. This seems to be becoming a regular event!

A VE Day afternoon tea, complete with smoked salmon sandwiches, ham and piccalilli sandwiches, homemade scones and biscuits. Very English!

Perhaps one of my best creations yet - poached chicken with hand-podded broad beans (this took bloody ages!), leeks and a fresh herb salsa. Served simply with new potatoes and a glass of white wine. A real Sunday evening treat.

My birthday carrot and pecan cake, pre cream cheese icing. This was a Paul Hollywood recipe and was absolutely delicious! I shall be making this again!

L.