Bella Roma

Immortalised in wonderful films such as the Audrey Hepburn classic "Roman Holiday", Rome is one of those fabulous cities that simply gets better with each visit.  Having just enjoyed a glorious few days there with my sister, niece and nephew we hadn't anticipated such warm weather (70 degrees F) each day, perfect for walking everywhere and indulging in daily gelati.  So many ice cream flavours and only so many chances to try...Two particular favourite places being the Gelateria San Crispino near the Trevi fountain and Giolitti just a short walk north of the Pantheon.  Italians seem to have a genetic love of ice cream and one of the most amusing sights was to see suited business men purposefully striding along, busy talking on their mobile phone in one hand, alternating with devouring a fully loaded ice cream cone in the other.  Ice cream seems to hit the spot at any time of day and is a delicious treat which simply doesn't compare to the general standard of ice cream available in England.  Perhaps my new business venture should be to open a gelati emporium full of all the exquisite flavours that provide so much affordable pleasure whilst on holiday, because as yet I haven't found anything in the same league in the UK.  Who could resist the allure of creamy zabaglione made with authentic Marsala; zingy lemon; or chocolate-studded stracciatella... Watch this space! 

Pumpkin Festival

Every October in the National Trust village of Slindon tucked away in the West Sussex countryside, the colours of Autumn glory are used to create a vast display of hundreds of pumpkins and gourds of every size.  This labour of love draws visitors from far and wide to enjoy the spectacle and have the chance to buy such unusual bounty to take home.  With Hallowe'en approaching, the festival celebrated by the Celts for centuries and rather more commercialised these days, it's the perfect time of year to make a delicious soup.  My favourite is made using a medium size Butternut squash, peeled, cut into chunks (de-seeded) and roasted along with a medium size sweet potato, also peeled and cut into chunks.  Drizzled with a little olive oil this can be popped into the oven when you're preparing another meal, as the purpose is to roast them ready for when you want to make the soup.  For the soup use one or two chopped onions, softened in a little olive oil, two or three cloves of garlic peeled and chopped, plus a peeled and chopped piece of ginger (I use roughly a 1.5cm cube).  Once these ingredients have been gently fried together add the roast pumpkin and sweet potato then cover with your choice of stock (either chicken or vegetable based).  Simmer gently for around half an hour.  To finish off I then add a tin of coconut milk, blitz everything in the liquidiser to give a smooth texture and serve with lots of freshly chopped coriander and a scattering of natural cashew nuts (which I dry roast in a small frying pan).   There's an old Scottish prayer for this time of year:  "From ghoulies and ghosties; And long-legged beasties; And things that go bump in the night; Good Lord, deliver us!"
Wishing you a happy and safe All Hallows Eve for 31st October.

Arundel Farmers' Market

Inspired from watching the Great British Bake Off television series I decided to follow my own passion for baking and take a stall at my local farmers' market in Arundel on Saturday.  Sewing bunting at 6am on the morning wasn't quite what I had in mind, but as it was my first foray as a stall holder I was keen to make a good impression and had inevitably run out of time to be more organised ahead of the day.  The day dawned crisp and bright, the perfect Autumn weather for spending the morning outside.  After my two-day baking marathon at home it felt good to be outdoors.  My fabulous neighbours kindly came at 7.30am to help me to set up in readiness for the 9am start and kept me fuelled with hot coffee, plus the task of packing away at the end. Such wonderful support and much appreciated, as was the promotional e-mail my friend Linsi sent to her extenstive address book. Usually the market finishes at 1pm, but Saturday ran until 2.30pm with the launch of this year's Arundel Food Festival.  Being a stall holder was truly enjoyable and quite an experience, although totally exhausting.  The tactical swoop like gannets by people keen to devour all the samples only to move on just as quickly with no intention to buy became quite a game.  Thankfully they were in the minority and entertaining to say the least with no eye contact and so swift, clearly a well-practised move before anything could be said.  I hadn't anticipated the market being as sociable, but seeing a constant flow of friends and local residents was lovely.  Flipping roles to be behind a stall rather than a customer at the market did feel strange at first, but I plan to give it another go next month.  Thank you everyone who came and bought my cakes and biscuits.  I never knew rock cakes had such a nostalgic following, or that gingerbread would be a sell-out; and am glad that the gluten-free; egg-free; and dairy-free options turned out to be such a hit.  I've long been convinced there are lots of people with food intolerances who usually miss out on home baked treats, but now they know where to come...I look forward to seeing you next time.  My top tip to anyone on their feet for hours on end: wear flight socks!  They will revolutionize how comfortable you feel.  

Kitchen Envy

My friends all seem to be in the process of having stunning new kitchens, the latest completion as featured in the photo taken on Saturday.   Seeing previously dated spaces transformed has given me scope for daydreaming about how my ideal kitchen would look.  Spanning the full width of the back of my house and opening onto a courtyard garden, the generous scale of my current kitchen was one of the clinchers for me deciding to buy my home.  On the first viewing I loved the size, but made a note to self that I'd need to change the decor (namely the country-style curtains and pelmet) along with the tiles which are not my style.  Over six years later and guess what, they're still the same.  The cherry wood cupboards are lovely and in the scheme of things I couldn't justify changing everything as it's all in perfect condition, but with no holds barred I'd go for a sleek contemporary look with a stand-alone island, great for preparation and entertaining.  First I need to win the Premium Bonds and even then I wouldn't be able to extend to incorporate a utility room and walk-in pantry (on my wish list ever since I lived in Australia).  But in life it's essential to dream and one day they may just come true.  In the meantime I know I'd like to have more shelves for my ever expanding cookery book collection; a comfy sofa so I can browse at my leisure; a dedicated baking zone complete with marble top counter for pastry; a temperature controlled drawer for dough to rise (I didn't know such a thing existed until watching the Great British Bakeoff recently), added to which I'd like to swap my single oven for a double one, or two double ovens with more scope for cooking.  Last but not least, although totally unrelated to it's design, my dream kitchen would be in a fabulous house by the sea...  

Simple Pleasures

Beautiful weather when least expected is such a joy. Even though this is the first weekend of October the bonus of glorious sunshine as the last hurrah to Summer is to be celebrated.   I'm making the most of being outside, having enjoyed two trips to the Witterings for walks on the beach, breathing in the fresh ozone and the rhythmic sound of the waves, as well as spending precious time in my garden, soaking up the warmth.  This transition of the seasons is a wonderful time to reflect, relax and recharge ready for the colder months to come.  A chance to have a sort out in every sense, to throw out the old and make way for the new to enter.  I love harvest time, the total abundance and Autumn's glorious colours.  One of the books on my bedside table is Jane Alexander's "The Natural Year".   Covering a month per chapter it's a wonderful companion through the year. Now is the time to review, take stock and set personal goals, in other words to be your own Life Coach.  Jane asks the questions: "Where were you five years ago?  What were you doing?  Who were you with and what were your dreams? And where are you now?"  Awareness brings choice.  Why not take the time to think about some personal goals and establish what you'd like to achieve.  So here I am, feeling reaffirmed with the choices I have made and planning a new baking project which is all very exciting. 

There may not be so many roses in the garden now, but at least it's possible to wake up and smell the coffee, to make the most of your day and do what makes you happy...