wine_scribbler: lovely stroll thru vineyards and lakeside at brightwell vineyard #aeww

eatlikeagirl: Gorgeous walk around the vineyard. It's beautiful here! Very relaxing. Lots of pics to post. There's pigs here too. I want to move in. #aeww

Roast chunks of beetroot and potato in a little olive oil for about 40 minutes (at 200C/180Fan/G6). Slash the fish along the skin side and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Heat some oil and add the mackerel fillets along with the zest of a lemon. Fry on each side for 2-3 minutes at a fairly high temperature until the skin is brown and crisp.

Dress the potatoes and beetroot with lemon juice, crème fraîche (I used double cream, seeing as that was all there was to hand) and plenty of chopped chives.

A simple recipe submitted to Jacqueline at the Leather District Gourmet for the Teach a Man to Fish event.

The recipe as printed, for it is from a copy of Delicious, suggests a Muscadet to accompany but a Sauvignon Blanc became my wine of choice, see Spittoon for details.

Little known is the cuisine of Indonesia (Malaysia and Singapore included), at least in the UK but I sourced most of the ingredients I needed, or close approximations, and surprised myself at the tasty dishes I created. I wasn't 'into' food during my leisurely travels down the Malay peninsula to Singapore (missing Indonesia I skipped across to Sarawak and Sabah before returning to Hong Kong). It would seem I missed out big time, especially in the regional variations as many entrants describe!

Entries in the order received:

1. Arfi from New Zealand with Martabak Telor a delicious looking pastry filled with egg and meat.


2. Zita in Jordan with Jakarta Beef Soup (Soto Betawi); a 'love potion' as Zita describes.


3. Serfa sent in Sweet Corn Kernel in Coconut Milk Syrup (Jagung Santan Manis) a sweet dish served during Ramadan as an appetiser or starter.


4. Mae from Surabaya, Indonesia recommends Beef set Soy sauté (Beef Krengsengan) chosen because of the ease of finding the ingredients.


5. From Caracas in Venezuela Mindy has blogged about Minced Beef Stuffed with Sticky Rice (Lemper Daging) nicely photographed and good instructions too!


6. Rita from Hong Kong but is an Indonesian gives us the amazing sounding Super Spicy Indonesian Pineapple Sweet Salad (Rujak Nanas Super Pedas) It's Spicy!


7. Dita in Kuwait brings a dessert Steamed Glutinous Rice and Coconut Milk Custard (Ketan Sarikayo) with very inspiring photos to accompany.


8. Celia in the UK brings us Chicken Satay - simple but a firm favourite. Time to throw out those pre-mix jar of satay sauce!


9. Next we have Yohana from Bandung in West Java with Colenak which translates as Dipped (Dicocol) delicious (enak). Hawker food never looked so tasty!


10. Regina brings us Spicy Stewed Pork (Tinoransak)


11. From Tiffanie in Vancouver, Canada we have Belado and Belado vegetables. Delicious!


12. From Cecil in Toronto we have Sticky RIce with Grated Coconut and Palm Syrup (Lupis). Learn all you need to recreate!


13. Anna in Sydney goes with Chili-Tamarind Fish (Ikan Asam Pedas) It might not be pretty An, but it sure sounds delicious.


14. Joint host of Waiter, Johanna in London, brings us Prawn and Macadamia Nut Curry which she appologss for being Malaysian. Close enough in my book Johanna!


15. And the other co-host, Jeanne, also in London, brings to the table Pineapple Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Nanas) in her imitable style.


16. Nate in San Jose, California, goes with Indonesian Spiced Fish (Ikan Pepes) excellently recreating a local restaurant dish at home.


17. Sweatha goes with Indonesian Tofu and Vegetable Satay and mouth-wateringly good they look too.
18. Our last entry is from Jude frm Chicago with Lemongrass Scented Coconut Rice (Nasi Uduk) simple but delicious.


19. Two entries from me Penang Noodle Soup (Penang Asam Laksa) and Braised Chicken in White Gravy (Opor Ayam)

Terima Kasih to all who entered and to those who also sent in photographs; a couple of which I've used here.

One ingredient that, and I stand to be corrected, is unavailable in the UK is Knotgrass (I substituted coriander). My little bible - Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine by Christina Sjahir Hwang - has a handy description of many ingredients at the beginning of the book. While the knotgrass was deemed essential for the authentic flavour of the Soup I'm pretty pleased with the results - maybe not as spicy as I recall from my travels in Malaysia & Singapore but mighty tasty.

Penang Noodle Soup Penang Asam Laksa
serves 2

• 450g mackerel


• 5 cups seafood stock


• 3 tbsp chili paste


• 5 tbsp tamarind juice


• 2 crushed lemon grass


• 1 1/2 tsp sat


• 1 tsp sugar


• 20 knotgrass leaves


• 1/4 cup diced pineapple


• 2 sliced shallots


• 2 shredded red chili peppers


• 1/2 cucumber peeled and shredded


• 450g Vienamese rice noddles

Bring to the boil the stock, choli paste, tamarind juice with the lemon grass. Add the fish and cook for 6 minutes until he fish is cooked.

Drain the liquid through a sieve and return to the boil. Add the salt and sugar and the shredded fish meat. Add the knotgrass before turning off the heat.

Cook the noodls and divide into two portions. Top with the pineapple, shallots, chili and cucumber before pouring the soup over the top.

Several recipes fitted the mass of ingredients - I picked on one and even went as far as defrosting the fish, only to find that I was bereft of fish stock. That one, Penang Noodle Soup, will have to wait until tomorrow. First up will be Braised Chicken in White Gravy (Opor Ayam) and damn tasty it was too.

Braised Chicken in White Gravy Opr Ayam
from Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine by Christina Sjahir Hwang. Serves 2

• 600g chicken joints
• 4 tsp Fragrant Paste (I used Thai red paste)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 crushed lemon grass
• 3 each bay leave, galangal slices
• 1 cup stock (I used chicken)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp crispy shallots

Brown chicken in oil. Add paste, coriander powder, lemon grass, bay leaves, galangal and stock. Reduce hea to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add coconut milk, salt and sugar and turn heat up. Cook until sauce thickens. Serve with crispy shallots (and shredded red chile) and rice.

My first entry for Waiter...

I couldn't be arsed to go to Waitrose for the second time in a day so, being lime-less, a slice of lemon had to suffice. Why is the Gin purple? 'cause the pre-mixed drink had added grapefruit. Novel I thought.

Miraculously the result was fine; damn fine... moist is the word.

Despite a forceful hunger a decision to wait for the others rather than plough on into the menu seemed more gentlemanly. I busied myself with writing notes and wondering what 'Droë Wors' were. They are listed on the tapas menu but certainly aint Spanish, that much I do know.

The Sauvignon was fresh and tangy, refreshing with a lingering green-veg edge with a piercing acidity that jolted these tired old tastebuds to life.

I find the Droë Wors forming part of the South African Platter selection - spiced, cured and air dried pork and beef sausages. So know I know. The platter also includes Springbok Fricadels, Mrs Balls Chutney, Biltong, Drewors Potato Chips (a brand of South African crisp, like the equivalent of serving Quavers I guess), Apricots, Cape Mango and Sweet Pepper. I could blame the low light levels and my tired physique for the poor photographic abilities so display instead two photos taken by Robert McIntosh (he of the Wine Conversation) who soon arrived along with Jeanne (Cooksister) my other 'dining companion'.

The wine flowed, lightening the atmosphere and a period of engaging conversation ensued. Or rather I talked pure rubbish, Robert steered the conversation to civilised topics (none of which I remember) while Jeanne looked incredulous at my lack of knowledge of South African cuisine. But at last she laughed at my stupid jokes!

While the red wines won approval - a Brampton debate on grape varieties (an omission from the wine list details) caused some consternation when revealed (Mourvèdre-Grenache blend) and a gorgeous concentrated Bilton Shiraz 2003 (£19 half bottle) - it was the dessert wines that stole the day. There was a citrus-acidic fresh Paul Cluver Riesling (all apricots and tart marmalade finish) and a d'Trafford Chenin Blanc 2005 Straw Wine (£19 half bottle) with a meld of pineapple and apricots.

The second photo is of me and Jeanne in the famed Vivat Bacchus cheese room.

I should add that Vivat Bacchus is a South African focused and owned place with a good range of South African wines in addition to a smattering from elsewhere (a fine range of Champagnes too). We sat in the bar area rather than the downstairs main restaurant.

Vivat Bacchus
47 Farringdon St,
Holborn,
London
0207 353 2648

It falls to you to decide which fruits you should use and whether you use both fruit and nuts in the dish or just play with one. The actual dish can be anything at all - bread, salads, desserts, whatever you fancy!

Entries should be emailed to me with the subject line of Waiter F&N by the 30th of the month. A picture is optional but sold be 100 pixels in width. Don't forget to tell me which city and country you live in; it makes it so much fun in receiving submissions from around the world.

During the week breakfast though is little more than a slug of juice, a slice of Marmite-topped toast and a few slurps of coffee taken on the run. Neither make for interesting post for a blog event; especially as Johanna explicitly stated that Marmite on toast is not a suitable entry for Waiter There's Something In My...which has a Breakfast theme this month.

This week, then, something a little more interesting than a fry-up; how does Vanilla Pain Pain Perdu with Fruit Compote grab you?.

Vanilla Pain Perdu with Fruit Compote
For the Fruit Compote

• 380g frozen mix of blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, red currants


• half glass red wine


• 125g caster sugar

For the Pain Perdu (sweetened French Toast)

• thinnish slices of stale bread


• 1 egg


• 150ml milk


• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla flavoured caster sugar


• butter and oil for frying

Blackberry and Loquat Clafoutis
The batter -

• 50g ground almonds


• 2 tbsp plain flour


• 100g caster sugar


• 2 eggs


• 2 egg yolks


• 250ml double cream

Mix all into a smooth batter and pour over the fruit. Bake for 40 minutes or so at 190C/17-Fan/G5 until lightly browned, risen and set.

Clafoutis just happens to be Bron's theme for this months Hay Hay It's Donna Day. This is therefore my entry, as Bron asked so nicely to join in.

Add the beans and heat through gently. Add a splash each of white wine and white wine vinegar. Reduce. When ready add a big handful of chopped parsley tip into a bowl and douse with more olive oil. And voila, a bowl full of beans with pancetta and black pudding. A recipe of Spanish origins of such simplicity that I wonder if it is up to the usual standards of Waiter!

I've made this several times - butter beans and haricot work well, as does adding a little chopped boiled egg or a little tomato. Good on its own but I served this with some cold, sliced turkey. Really tasty.

Sorry for the brevity of the recipe listings, no personal comments I'm afraid due to time constraints (and the fact that my keyboards space bar and shift key are only working intermittently, which is driving me insane), but I think this gives even more options to explore the wondrous delights that everyone has come up with. Plenty here to stave off anyones green-stuff deficit. Interestingly, while many used fruit within the recipe, the number of submissions for a dessert salad totalled one!

1. Very Belgian Salade Liegeoise - from Andreea at Glorious Food and Wine
2. Wilted Russian Kale Salad With Balsamic Vinegar & Orange Zest - from Eve at The garden of Eating
3. Shrimp Salad with Tomato Raita Dressing from Zlamushka at Burnt Mouth
4. Tambo Salad with Preserved Lemons and Capers from Johanna down at Green Gourmet Giraffe
5. Coleslaw Salad from Gay at A Scientist In The Kitchen
6. Mixed Tomato Salad from Haalo at Cook Almost Anything
7. Spinach Salad With Warm Vinaigrette from Elizabeth at Blog From Our Kitchen
8. Ensalada Caprese from Gretchen at Canela & Comino
9. Carrot and Charred Capsicum Salad from Bron at Bron Marshall
10. Pea Shoot Salad with Bacon & Lime from Kelly at ass & Veracity
11. Desperation Citrus Tossed Salad from Tracy at Rah Cha Chow
12. Seasonal Salads: Seeing Red from Hank at Honest Food
13. Fennel, Red Onion, Blood Orange and Sicilian Olives Plainly Dressed from Louise at Gato Azul
14. Scallops on chicory, dolcelatte and walnut salad from Johanna at The Passionate Cook
15. Full English Salad from James at Biggest Jim
16. Carrot Salad from Chris at Mel Cotte
17. Winter salad with parsnip, blue cheese, walnut and pear from Caitlin at The Gooseberry Fool
18. Kohlrabi, Fennel and Beetroot Salad from Helen at Helen Graves
19. Blood Orange Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Vinaigrette from Paula at Half Baked
20. Colorful Spring Salad with Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing from Mansi at Fun and Food
21. Green Bean, Red Onion & Pecorino Salad from Michelle at Greedy Gourmet
22. Tropical fruit Salad with a Hint of Mint from Meeta at What's For Lunch, Honey?
23. Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw from Alanna at A Veggie Adventure
24. Beet, Fennel, and Leek Salad with Lemon-Ginger Dressing from Laurie at Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
25. Warm Tuna Salad With Passionfruit, Dragon Fruit, Almond And Mustard submitted by 'Cakelaw' at Kitchen Law
26. Mixed Greens and Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette from Annie at The Daily Digress
27. Carrot and Fennel Salad with Lemony Raisin Dressing from Mia at Red Ramekin
28. Carrot and Radish salad with miso dressing from Smita at Smita Serves You Right
29. Pomegranate Bulgur Salad from Anne at Annes Food
30. Roasted Potato Salad from Jeanne at Cooksister
31. Lettuce, pear and Walnut Salad from Madeline of Madelines Adaptations.
32. Lazy Wednesday Salad from Le Petit Kitchen
33. Mid Winter Salad from 'Mrs W' at Mrs W's Kitchen

The salad is based on one from the March 2008 issue of Delicious where their version utilises yellow split peas instead of the lentils. No real recipe just top a mix of salad leaves (I used one of those supermarket bags of mixed watercress, spinach and rocket You must know the ones, they go off in the bottom of the fridge overnight once you have opened it) with blanched green beans, peas and the lentils and dot with the chive dressing. The dressing is about as close to a complication as you can get - mix a bunch of finely snipped chives into 120g natural yoghurt and mix in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tsp Dijon mustard.

Sweet Risotto
This recipe makes enough for one large portion; being greedy I ate it all. Others may find it plenty for two. Take 75g risotto rice and simmer, stirring, with 550ml milk (I actually found this too large a quantity, I do not like my risottos too runny) and a split vanilla pod. Simmer until tender and then stir in 2 egg yolks and a dash of cream. Delicious suggests adding a drop of rosewater;my addition of orange flower water made little obvious difference to the flavour.

The Rhubarb Compote is simply chopped rhubarb gently simmered with orange juice (2 fresh oranges for 1kg rhubarb), a vanilla pod and caster sugar (2 tbsp). This makes rather a lot but is equally good with yoghurt or over cheesecake.

Update: This has been submitted to the In The Bag event.

Yes, I do realise a photo of Valentines Marmite has nothing at all to do with the theme or the Waiter event but it is the only foodie-pic I have at the moment that hasn't yet appeared on Spittoon Extra! You see the problem - run down and NOT taking photos...

What I am thinking of, in regards to salads, are seasonal ingredients. I would have called it Winter Salads but the bottom-end of the world is of course in Summer and lets not forget the middle-bit that doesn't really bother with summer or winter. The list of ingredients is therefore wide open. It would be great if the ingredients were local, were all seasonal, organic, fair-trade and all that but often this is just not possible.

There are no restrictions apart from the green-stuff (and the fruit component, if any) which should form the majority of the final dish. Additions such as nuts, chicken, ham, potatoes or Marmite are all fine but they must not dominate. No problems either with lashings of mayo or dressings!

If you could get your entries in by the end of February that would be great. Please email to me direct with the subject line of WAITER.

Thanks by the way to Johanna for collating the last round - Waiter There's Something In My... Terrine

This weeks dessert, another one selected for its total simplicity, uses the sugar to make a caramel, it comes from the October 2007 issue of Delicious. They do something fancy with white sugar as an accompaniment but I went for a plain oat biscuit and a dusting of grated dark chocolate.

Incidentally the biscuits were a perfect match. I picked up a pack of Just Biscuits Hand Made Priory Oat Biscuits from my local deli. They are made locally and can be found in various local farmers markets and delis (see the website) and in the Windsor Farm shop. I think these Oat biscuits are terrific with just the right level of crunch, a deep lasting flavour with a hint of caramel that, perhaps obviously, matched perfectly.

Caramel Mousse
175g Plantation Reserve Sugar
500ml Double Cream
50g salted butter

Place the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a pan and cook over a high heat until deep brown in colour. Whisk in 100ml cream (it will hiss and splutter!) then melt and whisk in the butter. Allow to cool.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the cooled caramel. Spoon into glasses and sprinkle with dark chocolate. At the bottom of each glass I first made a layer of crushed biscuit with a little of the caramel. Should be enough to serve 4 although the recipe says 6-8. Stingy portions I guess.

A simple image and one destined for my latest entry to the Click Photo Challenge, which has nuts as the theme. These were left over from making the Apple and Chestnut Sauce. Best viewed large - just click the pic - the detail on the front nut is rather good.

It could just have easily been a bowl of crisps but the dark mass in the dish is actually chunks of chocolate refrigerator cake. I'm sure you don't need a recipe but if you do there is one in this months Delicious Magazine. The picture was taken for Lara's Still Life With event which has the theme of 'sharing' this month.

Now, as I am sure you realise, these are not the sort of snack I consume. I tried all that were sent me. And found them truly terrible.

It did give me a chance to play at snapping the little beauts though - I even went so far as tipping out one of them into a nice earthenware dish to make them look more interesting/appetising. I didn't help. This image seems OK and is now my entry to the latest round of CLICK, a new photography challenge. As normal you can click on the image for a full sized version. What do you think? Pot's a bit dark I think...

Drunken Apples: take the humble apple and add alcohol. Make a dessert - the rules for this round of Sugar High Friday.

Having just compiled the listings below I can safly report that the food blogging world is, as ever, inventive and inspiring. I don't think there are two recipes alike and apart from a couple using Calvados and another couple utilising Rum every entry had a different alcoholic beverage in the make-up. Find uses coupling apples with orange liqueur, Amaretto, Chambord, red and white wine, cider and even Goldschlager. Amazing.

• First out of the oven was Fruit Pastry Cases With Cox's Apples from Kitchen Delights who combines Calvados, dried fruit and a little pastry.
• Apple Pie, so simple sounding but a joy to behold on Laws of the Kitchen. Brandy used here via a recipe from a New Zealand magazine.
• Apple Streusel Cake by first timer Chocolate Moosey who has had to stretch the rules slightly by using Rum Extract. Looks mighty fine regardless.
• Apples Suzette using plentiful amounts of orange liqueur is the entry from What Smells So Good? And I bet they did, smell good that is!
• "Compoted" Apples in Quince Jelly and Calvados, Pomegranates and Pink Crumble look just mouth-watering; from A Foodie Froggy in Paris
• Fondants aux Pommes from A Consuming Passion is another entry using rum, which was a nice surprise.
• Amaretto Mascarpone Apple Bread from Vampituity, An Improvised Perspective is an excellent entry and the one using Amaretto.
• Torta di Mele was submitted by Food Blogga, this uses Calvados, with some lovely photos accompanying the post.

What is more the photo was also recently used on the Guardian's food blog Wood of Mouth as an illustration for Big Up The Bacon Breakfast. Which was nice.

Some had curd-like texture, others as gravelly as a garden path. One was more like golden syrup, while another was creamy and very sweet. The aromas were equally as varied - one smelt hideously like an incontinent old woman but tasted of sweet citrus fruits mixed with caramel and gently rotten fruit. The Lavender Honey from Provence was woody and gently perfumed with the herb while a couple were very Turkish Delight-like.

Also a demonstration that a tripod really is required when taking photographs of foods. A shot of a row of jars lined up like paint pot samples is sadly too blurred for publication. The two below are not too bad but lack the sharpness I like in my photos. Perhaps it was the sugar-rush giving me the shakes. Either that or old age.

Post your creation by midnight on Monday 22nd October. The roundup will be posted on Friday 26th).

E-mail me (sugar DOT high DOT friday AT googlemail DOT com ) the permalink to your post, your blogs name, the title of the dish and a photo of your creation. Please put SHF in the title of the email. A link back would be good.

Have you checked the 96 entries in this months Does My Blog challenge? Simply stunning, I don't think there is a duff image amongst them. If your image is not displayed do not, my blogging-friend dispair, for I will give a few more days for any late runners - like Bron... and Johanna...

DMBLGIT August 2007

Rules are the same as always -

• One food photograph entered per person


• The photograph must have been taken by you


• The photograph must have been posted on your blog during July of 2007


• The deadline to submit your entry is August 27th at midnight UK time


• A panel of judges will assess the quality of all of your great entries before eventually selecting winners for the pictures, which will fall under the following categories:


• Aesthetics: meaning composition, food styling, lighting, focus, etc.


• Edibility: meaning “Does the photo make us want to die to try and eat the food?”


• Originality: the photograph that catches our attention and makes us want to say “Wow!” because it displays something we might not have seen before


• Overall Winner: the photograph encompasses all of the three previous categories: the best in Aesthetics, Edibility and Originality.

• Draft an e-mail with DMBLGiT in the subject line.


• Attach one qualifying food or drink photo, preferably that is 350px wide.


• Include the following:


• Your name


• Your blog URL


• Title of the image/what it is


• The URL of the post where the photo first appeared


• The camera you used

Really though when attention is turned to great English food it is the pudding that eclipses all. My up-bringing is littered with memories of fabulous desserts - steamed treacle sponges, Queen of Puddings tied with a warning that the jam is 'really, really hot', gorgeous Blackberry and Apple pie with lashings of custard, Elderberry ices made from garden harvested fruit, clove scented Apple pies, strawberry tarts topped with whipped cream and rhubarb crumble.

So I made a trifle.

Nigel's Delightful Trifle to be specific, lifted from Slater's Kitchen Diaries (page 234). Blackberries substituted for blackcurrants and a ready-made Madeira cake (which was actually rather nice for just 87p) for the sponge.

As I was waiting for the fruit to cool the book's pages flipped over. Two pages back is a recipe for Peach and Blueberry Cobbler; another pud to sample and devour!

But then I'm not that impressed with my photos either!

The cake itself is very moist; more so after spooning all the sugar syrup over it. Demerara sugar doesn't dissolve quite like caster or granulated so a majority of the granules just clumped together to form a crunchy topping; a delicious contrast to the softness of the interior. I should have tested that the lemon slices, judiciously placed on top, were in a soft 'edible' state after poaching. Mine were a little tough, although the thought has just struck that perhaps they are not supposed to be consumed.

With the onset of spring and the long Easter weekend, a sweet lemon cake seem perfect for the moment. Recommended with a little Greek yoghurt and a few fresh raspberries.

Slater's recipes seldom fail me and suit my 'style' perfectly; decent photographs or otherwise.

Just wondering if this would qualify as an English dish for Sam's St.Georges Day event. The carrots are local and the cabbage proudly 'Grown in England'. The bacon, decent thicker-than-normal slices that didn't leak that ghastly white gunk when cooked, is Free Range Traditional Smoked Back Bacon from Royal Berkshire Pork, a totally outdoor free range pig farm located on the Berkshire Downlands, near Newbury not a million miles from me either.

The recipe is from the last issue of the Observer Food Monthly, one of Nigel Slater's easy suppers - Savoy Cabbage With Smoked Bacon.

Basically it involves little but three slices of bacon, roughly the size of a postage stamp, fried until golden, a chopped clove of garlic fried for a minute or two before a carrot (sliced into matchsticks) and a big chunk of Savoy Cabbage (shredded) are added and fried quickly for just two or three minutes. Serves one.

The combination of subdued colour and simplicity, of a grainy quality (emphasised by the paper they are printed on perhaps) and of a 'real life feeling' is what I am trying to capture in my food and wine images. They don't appear fussed around with by a stylist but rather seem to have come direct from the kitchen. The photographer is Jonathan Lovekin whose images also accompany Nigel's recipes in the Observer and Observer Food Monthly.

'Replicate' is not quite the right word to explain my own endeavours in comparing with Lovekin's images. I try and use a simple range of colours and fill the frame, A piece of slate and a well worn chopping board appear often. The use of light is specific. Lara's photographs for example are bright and airy, often with bleached out backgrounds (example), mine more subdued. That is the intention anyway!

Some more examples - a mushroom, a peach scone and Sea Salt Caramels. My favourite images have a page of their own on Spittoon.

There are 18 different categories that a blog can be nominated for by anyone. So get your thinking caps on and look for best Food Photography blog, the best New Food Blog, the best Drink Blog and many more. Nominations need to be in by 15th December (midnight EST). Then the judges - not sure who they are exactly - select the top 5 in each category. Then it is back to the people to vote!

The winners will be announced January 5.

Not sure, as editor/writer, if I am able to vote but if I could just nudge you in the direction of Spittoon for that drink category.... and maybe even consider this site for the photography category; the competition is stiff in both though... what if I said please?

So here it is - a dynamic image I hope you agree.

J London Asparagus Upright
http://haveforkwilltravel.blogspot.com/2006/10/just-call-me-donna.html

Seven groups of entries -

1. - Does My Blog Look Stunning or Wot?


2. - Does My Blog Look Bloody Good Or Wot?


3. - Does My Blog Look Jolly Decent Or Wot?


4. - Does My Blog Look Scrummy Or Wot?


5. - Does MY Blog Look Damn Tasty Or Wot?


6. - Does My Blog Look Excellent Or Wot?


7. - Does My Blog Look Glorious Or Wot?

Many thanks to the judges - just the three of us this time - my good friend Rob and special thanks to Sam over in SF for juding amongst a hectic schedule; and many thanks, of course, to all those that participated. As they say - there can only be one winner.... or in this case seven!

[you can click on each image for a 'full sized' version]

Some of the images are rather good, almost professional, others blurred and hurried. I'll post the better ones here individually perhaps, in the meantime three sets of images, arbitrarily split so that the Le Pont de La Tour meal is all in one set.

My good friend Rob (pictured in last image on third slider) also undertook the same exercise - his food intake is going to be... well, I'm not sure how to describe it really. Put it this way; it is going to be totally different to mine. He is not a foodie but a techie... you have been warned! Hopefully we can get his slider up here in a day or two.

The second batch - mixed with my runny, unset Quince jelly - went 'odd'. Whatever complex chemical reaction occurred resulted in some slimy, lumpy, sludgy 'truffles'. Impossible to pick up but with a tasty, sweet, fruity edge so different from the 'standard' truffles made from the same chocolate gunk. Sadly they looked like little piles of animal poo.

The recipe used a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt, which I thought was interesting. Perhaps the lemon yoghurt I used (yep, I didn't read the packaging correctly) affected the quince-flavoured attempts. The remainin truffles though, despite being 'over-large', were fine. Half rolled in coco-powder the others in crushed hazelnuts.

At the blog-meet the other day the talk revolved around Johanna's Sugar High Friday event. The use of thermometers was mention in the creation of said truffles; my heart sunk. Thoughts of a gadget draw full of once-used, forever forgotton items, hung heavy. What is so good about this recipe is that all that 'cooks' equipment is unnecessary; these required little but chocolate, a slug of brandy, a vigerous stir and an overnight set in the fridge. A big-handed man's type truffle.

A few glasses of Bisol Prosecco kicked off the evening and I had a great time nicking food sharing each course with Jenni.... mine were Smoked Duck, Chicken and Potato Dauphinoise and a Crème Brûlée all very tasty and good value at £15 a head.

Not sure if using medium ground oatmeal was correct mind; but the end result was lovely. A deep, crunchy crust and a tasty interior was delicious still oven-warm, spread with a little of Gizella's homemade plum jam (szilva) received from the last Euro Blogging By Post. Good toasted the following day too.

Further details of the After Hours/World Bread Day follow-up are on Kochtopf

Each image has been resized to a uniform width but clicking on each should display the image in its original form.

A trek over to Johanna's for a meet-up with Jeanne, Xochitl and first-time meet with Bill and Moira. A blind tasting of butter, followed by a comparison of various salts and then a few sweet nibbles to conclude.

Are there professional butter tasters? Conversation opened with the very same query and moved on to the lexicon they would use in descriptions; would it be like a wine taster with notes covering aroma, body, and the like? What about creaminess, saltiness, 'meltibility'?

It wasn't easy to come up with original 'tasting notes'. Some were very similar, one had the colour of Leicester cheese, one had a really horrid aroma. But the out-and-out favourite, universally agreed on I think, was the Bridel Brittany Butter With Sea Salt, followed by a farmhouse butter from Markhams Farm. Country Life unsalted was terrible with my notes reporting an aroma of cheap margarine. The unsalted Bridel is one I use occassionally; my 'most purchased' butter Rachel's Organic Unsalted or Unsalted butters from Wales were not at the tasting - shame, as I would have liked to see how they compare and what the other tasters thought of them.

The most disappointing though was the Beppino Occelli Italian Butter an Italian Alpine butter, available from Waitrose. This had a terrible aroma (sour milk) and was just as awful in taste. Very surprising as it is an award winning product that I have had several times in the past, and one I always rated highly. We put its poor performance down to the seasonal difference in milk used as the cows have different pastures through the year. On this performance I would never buy it again but I wonder if it was 'off' in some way.

Rules are the same as usual. Send one food-related photo, that appeared on your blog during October. I'll post a round-up here in due course and select a bunch of independent judges to assign scores. Please read the rules (below) carefully...

Screenshot: Gorvett & Stone.

They have just won a Taste Award, a Gold, for their Fresh Mint Dark Chocolate Truffles. These are made with a 61% French chocolate using beans from Venezuela and Equatorial Africa. Fresh mint is infused with fresh cream and chocolate to make the filling. This is then doubled dipped in the same chocolate. All products are small-batch made in the kitchen 'out-the-back'.

In addition to their own creations they also sell bars from Valrhona, Dolfin and Domori, various hot chocolate mixes from France, treats for the kids, fondues and pastilles.

Gorvett and Stone
28 Duke Street,
Henley-on-Thames
Oxfordshire,
RG9 1UP

My entry for Chocolate In Context's Food Destinations #3: My Favorite Chocolate Shop blog-event.

So here I am on a cold, wet and miserable Friday thinking about 'dainty' for Jeane's Sugar High Friday. Instead of creating great slabs of chocolate cake or man-sized portions of Pavlova she picks petits fours ... bloody petits fours.

After filling the tins for the Sunken Chocolate Muffins the remainder of the mix went into a shallow dish and was baked alongside the muffins. Once cooled this was cut into small rounds using a screw-cap from a wine bottle. Nothing if not resourceful.

Using raspberry jam a few of these were formed into sandwiches. Four 'sandwiches' were rolled in the jam and then in crushed hazelnuts. I ate all of those before I remembered I was supposed to be taking pictures. The three pictured here were drizzled with a little icing (as you can see I can't do icing either as it has a rather translucent quality!) and topped with shavings of chocolate. You can't really tell the size from the pic, but they are about an inch tall if stood upright. Not sure if they count as petits fours and they can't really be described as dainty... but they tasted damn fine.

1. picking the bits off a chicken carcass.
   Even though hunger has been abated from the full roast dinner, picking those little slivers of still warm meat from the bones is heaven. The fingers become greasy, flakes of meat and sinew lodge under the nail…
2. fruit straight from a tree
   Biting into a just picked apple or gorging on fresh, dew-covered cherries while up a rickety ladder, wiping the juice from the chin after a slice of just picked mango in Malaysia, licking the Blackberry stains off the fingers while avoiding the hedgerow nettles…
3. Blackberry and Apple Pie
   Simply the best dessert ever. Sugar encrusted pastry topping locally picked blackberries and slices of sweet apple, served with custard or maybe cream. It has to be cooked by my mum though...
4. Mr Whippy Ice-cream
   But only on a blistering hot day in England. Flake optional.
5. any meal with friends
   If the company is right – relaxed, friendly, lubricated by wine, where the food is good and offered in copious amounts, the conversation flows, whether in a restaurant or the comfort of my home. Honestly my favourite way to spend an evening….

Thanks to Monkey Gland for tagging me. Tagged to Spittoon but as it is food related reported here.

• First-time bakewellier A Self-Proclaimed Foodaholic goes the Jamie Oliver route.
• Sam does too but with individual Bakewell Tarts via a few tweaks to suit her discerning palate.
• Cook Almost Anything Once goes for the full English look; and by-heck it looks great!
• My almondless, strictly traditional Bakewell
• Daydream Delicious goes all lemony on us with a Delia variation - Lancaster Tart
• Rhubarb Bakewell Tart from A Veggie Venture
• Someone HAD to do one; stand-up Suburban Apron Company with a Chocolate Bakewell
• Adapted by Tartelette aux USA: Bakewell Tart from The Green Chronicle
• The Companion to The Old Foodie has a recipe from Eliza Acton's "Modern Cookery for Private Families" (1845).
• Another old recipe tried by Eating Leeds comes from Elegant Sufficiency: A Taste of Edwardian Times
• Baking For Britain delves into the history and origins of the Bakewell.
• The Tamasin Day-Lewis recipe is followed to full effect over at Küchenlatein
• Cosmic Menu of Happiness has a fun time too.
• A Nigella alternative over at Little Bouffe - a Cherry Bakewell. Not traditional but delicious looking.
• Pille at Nami-Nami went for a Bakewell Pudding recipe; and mighty deep and mouthwatering it looks too.
• Finally Xochitl Cooks made three versions for the Henley Bloggers Picnic - the traditional jam version, a honey version and a fig version. All good!

Xochitl's Fig Bakewell with my little traditional one in the front.

From now until the 16th December nominations are being accepted in several categories. After the 16th a group of yet to be announced judges with review the nominations and submit five sites in each category. Through to the end of December all can then vote on their fave site. The categories are -

• Best Food Blog - wine, beer and spirits


• Best Food Blog - chef


• Best Food Blog - City


• Best Food Blog - Theme


• Best Food Blog - Food Industry


• Best Food Blog - Humour


• Best Food Blog - Recipes


• Best Food Blog - Restaurant Reviews


• Best Non-Blogging Food Site


• Best Group Blog (Slashfood!)


• Best Food Blog - Writing


• Best New Blog


• Best Food Blog - Photography


• Best Post - People's Choice


• Best Overall Food Blog - People's Choice

World Breakfasts

• Under candle light Anne in Sweden has boiled eggs and a Swedish speciality Kaviar, a salty fish egg product. I wonder if we should buy her a new light bulb...
• Grits and Cookies graces the Seriously Good table. Bacon, grits and apple cookies.
• Kalyn goes for the omlette option, spike seasoning, bacon, feta cheese... oh, Mr Ambassador...
• Cocinalia - oh, I wish you posted in English too - but it looks deliciously like fresh orange juice and a croissant
• A Cat In The Kitchen relaxes with the papers and also goes for an omelette - Parmesan, red onion and tomatoes plus crisp rye bread and plenty of coffee. But not until 1 pm! Decadent wastrel that she is...
• A lazy breakfast too for Chubby Hubby - croissants, honey baked ham and Kraft singles. Coffee too. They know how to live in Singapore!
• Australia, a world away from the cold snap covering the UK, sees Tomato teasing us winter-bound folk with a bowl of fresh mango and strawberries, a raspberry pastry AND a artisan made croissant followed by bacon and scrambled eggs on toast. A new belt on the Christmas wants list perhaps...
• Back up-top to Canada for KayakSoup and 'a massive mushroom, red pepper and cheddar omelette with oniony hash browns'. Well it is cold and foggy there too...
• The Weekly Dish didn't make Church today but did manage 'big breakfast--scrambled eggs with pesto and parmesan, toast with Aunt Prissy's homemade plum jelly, and sausage--just later than we'd planned and still in our pajamas'. Such rampant debauchery!
• Masak-Masak goes all Malaysian - unsurprising really seeing as they are actually IN Malaysia - just has to go one better than the rest of us with copious amounts of 'tea with a dash of calamansi lime juice, two half boiled eggs with a dash of soya sauce, and a nice crunchy Roti Planta' all over the Sunday Star... clumsy...
• In California I'm Mad and I Eat does just that after a 2 hour plus wait while the grits cook! Sack the chef I say...
• Monkey Gland at JamFaced goes all out with an apple. But not just any ol' apple, oh no, a Pink Lady Apple no less; but then he was on his way to new restaurant Roast (panned in the Times but seems to meet his approval).
• Lady Amalthea is having problems with a growling stomach... lets not get too close... but seems to fix it with a dish of Egg & Onion Matzo with Cream Cheese. I would have gone back to bed myself...
• Then we get to Sam.... oh dear, oh dear... she is making macaroons in front of satellite repair men and then goes all goddess on us and makes an omelette. With Goats Cheese! And then washes it all down with Japanese green tea! I ask you....
• In St. Louis Alana is doing marvellous things with veg. You should see her knitting with runner beans! Her Egg Muffins meanwhile are a sight to behold. Its day 231...
• And not forgetting Christina. Who via the Thorngrove Table blogs about the same blackpuddings as me, trendsetter that I am...
• And there is more... with Pille up in Edinburgh going rampant on the theme with breakfasts from throughout the WHOLE WEEK! But Sunday, luckily, is a fry-up, eaten out. No haggis though...
• Then Talia climbs on in with a coffee.. then a slice of cake... then Hollandaise sauce... three poached eggs... baked and toasted bagels... bacon... followed by a nap. phew...
• Meanwhile the culinary fool is throwing things together, playing with balls and being over easy with scones. What a cheaky minx!
• And then we get to Janedoh... what more can you do... coffee and a paper... oh, bliss...
• And for all we know Heather in Kansas is still driving around looking for somewhere decent to eat... poor love, lives in Topeka... bless.