Season's Greetings

Mugs of steaming mulled wine are ladled out to the steady stream of customers all keen to keep warm and enjoy the aromatic pick-me-up.  A firm fixture of all German Christmas markets the legendary gluehwein is a delicious blend of hot wine, fruit and spices with a kick of rum. Served from a beautiful wooden chalet decorated with garlands of green spruce tree, coloured baubles and lights, the setting of the particular stall we stopped at near the Marienplatz in Munich felt quite magical.  I've recently returned from a wonderful weekend immersed in the delights of combining two Christmas markets, having taken the train to Nuremberg as a side trip to staying in Munich.  A light dusting of snow would have been the perfect scene setter in place of the rain, but even so nothing could diminish the delightful array of traditional stalls laden with all manner of baubles, wooden toys, crib figures, beeswax candles, plus sweet treats galore from caramelised nuts to the famed gingerbreads and Lebkuchen.  For a fabulous fix of the festive spirit a trip to Germany during advent and the chance to experience a Christmas market  should be high up on the "to do" list of lifetime adventures.

As this is now the time of the Winter Solstice it's the perfect opportunity to reflect and plan.  The combination of the shortest day and longest night marks the turning point of the year as the sun starts to become stronger.  The ancient concept of Yule is the time to celebrate the important things in life, of family, home and new beginnings.   As I've lapsed in writing my blog recently I for one am focused on the reason for the season and exciting changes ahead.  It's such a special time of year, enjoy every moment.

Wishing you Season's Greetings!

Afternoon Delight

White and sparkly, decked in seasonal glory on a Narnia theme, the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge is an oasis of calm away from the frantic festive shopping frenzy which has already started in central London.  I was there for afternoon tea in the Caramel Room, but no scones in sight.  The Pret-a-Portea is the unique creation of the hotel's inspired General Manager, Klaus Kabelitz.  Reflecting the current fashion collections, the range of tempting delights changes twice a year.  The plate of creations doesn't just look good, but everything tastes delicious too.  I couldn't resist the beautiful Bottega Veneta described as: "colour blocking pink and gold pear mousse and clementine cremeux coat with matching macaroon button" then had the Miu Miu "winter spice glittery high-heeled shoe biscuit".  These works of art are inspired and reflect a very talented patisserie team able to translate the fashionista world into a gourmet experience.  The cost of buying the original pieces may be prohibitive but tasting the Berkeley's take on the best the fashion world offers is certainly a delightful experience.  A more traditional afternoon tea is also available, but who could resist the flight of fancy to enjoy something so completely different.  The smart Paul Smith china designed for Thomas Goode completes the scene.  There's something particularly indulgent about an extravagant afternoon tea and the pure escapism of enjoying relaxing at the Berkeley provides a welcome treat. I highly recommend it.

Poetry for all seasons

This may be the warmest November since records began, but it's still Autumn and thankfully the chance to enjoy all the wonderful hallmarks of the season, from the changing colours of the leaves to an excuse to have a nurturing log fire.  Last weekend I was given the surprise gift of a poetry book from a friend I hadn't seen since my birthday.  This thoughtful present will last throughout the year as encapsulated by it's title:  "Poem for the Day" edited by Nicholas Albery.  A week into the book I realised my favourite poem appropriate for now was featured in the September section, so I've re-visited the famous lines by Keats in "To Autumn," a poem I learnt many years ago whilst at school as part of my 'O' level English Literature syllabus.  I was fortunate to have an enthusiastic and talented English teacher who imbued the class with a love of poetry.  Receiving my new book a few days ago reminded me how much pleasure poetry gives.  With it comes a welcome pause to think and reflect for a few minutes each day, providing an anchor in our busy lives and a sense of perspective.  Perhaps you may have disconnected with the world of poetry too or haven't yet had the chance to explore it's horizons.  There's another book I would highly recommend to re-ignite or encourage an interest:  "Poems to last a lifetime" collated by Daisy Goodwin.  In the meantime I'll leave you with the opening lines of "To Autumn" which will hopefully provide an inspiring few moments in your day:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core...

Borough Market, London

Tucked away behind the old Hop Exchange, near Southwark Cathedral and London Bridge, Borough Market is a magnet for foodies.  Currently in the midst of a major reconstruction project this doesn't deter the crowds of people keen to buy inspiring ingredients and artisan products from the various stalls and surrounding shops offering delicious baking, to chacuterie, wines and cheeses, meat, fish, a colourful array of fruit and vegetables, plus beautiful flowers.  The perfect one-stop location for an instant dinner party shopping list.  On arriving at the market my first priority was to have a morning coffee and I followed my nose to Monmouth, centrally situated on a prominent corner site where there was a queue of caffine addicts all prepared to wait for their shot.  The Monmouth passion for coffee knows no bounds and their dedication to roasting coffee from single farms, estates and cooperatives worldwide has attracted a loyal following.  Exotic sounding plantations from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatamala, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Indonesia supply Monmouth with beans which they roast to exacting specification at their own premises in Bermondsey.  The featured coffee on the day I was at Borough Market was from Tres Pueblos in Nicaragua, described as being "dark plum and honey with soft acidity and full body", sounding more like a wine. Whilst waiting in the queue the woman behind me, a regular it transpired, asked me if I was "local".  When I explained no, that I was based in West Sussex, her curious reply was "I thought you had that smell about you".  Such a strange comment which I couldn't work out - whether the fresh air of the countryside somehow differentiated me from the polluted-clothes aroma of someone who lived in central London.  Whatever her reasoning she was just one aspect of the unique phenomena which Monmouth seems to have created.  Their winning coffee formula means there is always a queue, a fun high-energy atmosphere (hardly surprising considering the volume of caffeine consumed) encouraging strangers to chat and that feel-good factor of being a Londoner.  Even if I no longer live in the capital I'm a Londoner by birth and have a strong affinity to the city, returning for a fix whenever I feel like it.  Borough Market is definitely a place that inspires repeat visits.

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.