Seville Orange Whiskey Curd

Lemon Curd is by far the most well known variety of this heavenly filling. Christmas dinner was never complete for my father without a cold from the fridge spoonful of lemon curd inside a freshly warmed tart shell. Before Seville orange season comes to an end, I wanted to share a different option with a […]

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Chestnut Coffee Eclairs

Pâte à Choux has been around since the middle of the 1800’s and although no one is really sure it is thought they originated within the royal kitchens of the French monarchy. I tend to think that makes sense as the first ones I made were turned into swans with long elegant necks and wings. […]

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Chestnut Chocolate Cream

Do you love chestnuts and the feelings that come along with “roasting on an open fire“? The jury is still out for me when used plain, but what I do know is they combine well with everything from mushrooms to chocolate. There are many varieties grown all around the world and each area has its […]

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Apple Dumplings with Apple Cider Vinegar Caramel Sauce

There are times when celery sticks just don’t hit the spot, especially during the dark half of the year. Your personal favourite may be hot chocolate or homemade mac and cheese. If your tooth leans to the sweet side then this apple dumpling with a brown sugar, cardamon, apple cider vinegar caramel sauce may do […]

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Brandied Cherry Sauce with Honey

Before the Bing cherry season comes to an end, here is one tasty way to extend and enjoy the bounty. It is possible to double or triple this recipe and bottle it as well for cold winter delights. Transfer the hot sauce to sterile bottles and process 10 minutes. One cup of fresh cherries has […]

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Fresh Fruit Bonfires

The two celebrations most often shared outside are Litha (summer solstice) and Lammas/Lughnasagh (August 1st ish). The days are usually still warm and it is enjoyable to have a personal connection to that big ball of flame above us. Lammas is also linked to “first fruits” and in the Church of England “the feast of […]

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Ginger Cherry Crumbles

We have fresh local fruit for such a short time that baking with it seems almost sacrilegous, better to just find a serviette. In much of Asia, cherries are associated with youthfullness and immortality. In Japan, a custom is to tie a single strand of hair around a cherry tree to attract love. In Chinese […]

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Wild Berry Ice Cream with Lemon Balm

Ice Cream! Yea!… well maybe not. Plans are sometimes subject to change. I had brought the ice cream maker to class as a possible surprise to finish up Playing with Herbs but the bowl had been out of the freezer for too long, even with the extra ice it was packed in and we would […]

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Rhubarb Crisp Frozen Yoghurt

Yum, Yum, Yum,! It is rhubarb time and this is a change up on rhubarb crisp because the weather here the last week has been too hot to bake one. So instead of a crisp served with ice cream, we have frozen rhubarb yoghurt and a crisp topping and a little extra sauce. Yum, Yum, […]

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Hot Sauce Lemon Pudding

The word pudding in North America brings visions of cold milk desserts in vanilla, chocolate or maybe butterscotch. In Britain it holds more the meaning of dessert, something sweet to finish off a nice Sunday meal. This pudding falls into the latter category. There is enough here for dessert for two but can be easily […]

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