endofthefork

[endofthefork]

Panzanella

A simple rustic summer dish, perfect for a light lunch or picnics.

Panzanella is not only a  popular summer dish in Florence, but throughout central Italy. Over the next couple of days (in mid-August), Lamoli, and Onelli small towns in Italy, will celebrate the Sagra della panzanella! In Monterotondo, Lazio it is held on the first Sunday of July.

The simplicity of this dish is typical of Tuscan…

[endofthefork]

Antalya Restaurant

Under new management and serving delicious Turkish food, in Bloomsbury, prepared by a chef who has cooked for the Queen.

Antalya Restaurant, off Russell Square, was known for its rather ornate interior (apparently it took over a year to decorate the ceilings and walls). Earlier this year, it came under new management and the new owner, Resul Dogan, has big plans for the restaurant.

Originally…

[endofthefork]

Blueberry and Blackcurrant Mule

A deliciously refreshing mocktail, using Belvoir Fruit farms cordial and ginger beer.

This non-alcoholic Blueberry & Blackcurrant Mule was our favourite, from an evening with Belvoir Fruit Farms, trying various mixes, cordials and pressés. The Disappearing Dining Club showed us how to prepare this mix.

(more…)

[endofthefork]

Food pairings and mocktails with Belvoir Fruit Farms

I was recently invited to a wonderful evening in Hoxton, London, with Belvoir Fruit Farms, to try their Food and Drink Pairing menu with dishes prepared by the Disappearing Dining Club.

Belvoir’s charming owner and MD Pev Manners, explained that as more and more people are choosing not to drink alcohol (according to the Office for National Statistics, 1 in 5 of us in the UK is now teetotal),…

[endofthefork]

Sweet potato hummus

This easy, roasted sweet potato hummus is deliciously rich, smooth, creamy and healthy! It is a perfect dip for finger food, in a sandwich, or in a salad! 

Not only is this hummus smooth, creamy and utterly delicious, it is super healthy and packed with nutrients!

Cheap and easy to prepare, it is gluten-free, vegan, and low in calories. It also adds a vibrant pop of colour to any table.

(more…)

[endofthefork]

Chewy soft sugar cookies

This simple recipe makes delicious soft and chewy sugar cookies in 20 minutes.

These drop cookies are quick and easy to make; just 10 minutes to make the cookie dough, drop them on the tray, and 8 minutes to bake.

They can be baked straight away as they don’t require chilling and there is no need to roll out the dough. Simply roll the dough into small balls, coat them in sugar (or sprinkles) and…

[endofthefork]

Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea

Vivek Singh’s modern and elegant restaurant by Battersea Power Station, serves delicious modern Indian food.

Cinnamon Kitchen, part of the Cinnamon group of restaurants, is Chef Vivek Singh’s sixth and latest restaurant.

It is in Circus West Village, along the Thames riverside on the south bank, between Battersea Power Station and Battersea Park. As part of the huge ongoing redevelopment of…

[endofthefork]

Mrs Elswood Southern Frickles & Sriracha Aioli

We can’t get enough of frickles! Tangy pickles, coated in a delicious light batter and dipped in a spicy aioli!

Celebrating National Picnic week (15-24th June 2018) here in the UK, the good folk over at Mrs Elswood sent over some pickles and this yummy recipe for frickles!

Listed on menus from MEATliqour to Duck & Waffle, it seems in London we can’t get enough of them, with the Evening Standard…

[endofthefork]

Zucchini frittata

Zucchini frittata is a perfect summer dish – delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Frittata in Italian means fried, and it is somewhere between an omelette and a Spanish tortilla. Enjoyed throughout Italy, frittata is served for antipasto, as a light meal and as a popular picnic food – it is absolutely delicious in a sandwich!

It is quick and easy to prepare, and a great ‘make ahead’…

[endofthefork]

Kladdkaka - Swedish chocolate cake

This popular chocolate cake has a crispy top, chewy edges and a soft, rich, gooey centre!

Kladdkaka is absolutely delicious! It means sticky cake in Swedish and is very popular for fika. (In Swedish culture, Fika is part of everyday life, where people make time to get together over a coffee and pastry or slice of cake.)

The kladdkaka is available in most Swedish cafés, but it is also very easy…

[endofthefork]

Healthy eggplant parmesan

Air fryer eggplant parmigiana

An air fryer makes a healthy version of this South Italian favourite, with the same great taste. Serve as a side or main course with a piece of bread to mop up the sauce! Eggplant parmesan is a layered dish of eggplant, baked in a tomato sauce with melted cheese. The flavours come together beautifully as a delicious, rich and satisfying comfort food. It is excellent served hot or at room…

[endofthefork]

Antepliler

Serving dishes steeped in history and rich in flavour, Antepliler offers a taste of the cuisine of Gaziantep, with its incredible diversity and fresh ingredients.    Ahmet Ustunsurmeli from Gaziantep, initially set up a bakery in 1993, making the first authentic baklava in London, before opening the restaurant Antepliler in Green Lanes (‘Little Turkey’), in 2003.  Antepliler means ‘from Antep’,…

[endofthefork]

Italian tomato sauce

This classic Italian tomato sauce, fragrant and full of flavour, is the base for many Italian recipes.  Sugo al pomodoro, as this sauce is known in Italy, is perfect for pasta dishes, pizza, melanzane parmigiana, and many more. The combination of tomato with garlic and basil is such a classic one in Italian cuisine.  Although this recipe uses only 6 ingredients, and cooks in 30 minutes, the sauce…

[endofthefork]

Fait Maison Salon de thé

Serving delicious traditional home-made Middle Eastern dishes, and possibly the best Maqluba in town! Fait Maison Salon de thé invited me to try their lunch menu. The restaurant with high ceilings and a bright interior, is decorated in soft pastels and neutral colours. There is a pretty display of chocolates and colourful meringues to purchase, and a huge choice of beautifully decorated pastries…

[endofthefork]

How to boil beets

Simple beet side

Try this simple and delicious way to enjoy beets!   Boiled beets are great to make ahead and keep in the fridge – perfect to add to salads, and other recipes. They are also easier to peel than roasted beets! They are also great as they are – some people like to serve their boiled beets warm with butter and a sprinkling of salt. Below is an easy recipe for easy boiled beets with a balsamic…

[endofthefork]

Love your beets

You either love them or hate them; find out how to grow, select and store beets, as well as a variety of ways to prepare them. Truly embrace beets!     Beets, or beetroot, is the taproot part of the beet plant. They can vary in size from that of a golf ball to the size of a baseball. Beneath a thin skin, they are a glorious ruby-red, white, golden, or a cat in the hat type (with red and white…

[endofthefork]

Roasted beets with carrot, stilton & sultanas

Roasted beets & carrot, stilton and raisin salad

This colourful roasted beet salad is super tasty and nutrient rich. It is sweet and tangy, crunchy and creamy, and satisfying! Delicious flavours and wonderful textures are why this salad is just so popular. The soft, earthy caramalized beets, crunchy raw carrots, and juicy sultanas are balanced perfectly by the creamy white Stilton and tangy pomegranate syrup. Packed with vitamins and minerals,…