Grow Your Own Veg Blog. Gardening and Food Blog.

Jo Jo's Kitchen Garden featured on Yahoo!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 10:38:00 +0000

Over the summer, I worked on a kitchen garden project for Yahoo. It involved filming a series of videos on my gardening tips and cooking demos.

Here are the links to the two articles featuring my videos :

Romanesco cauliflower - see my growing tips and a Chinese stir fry Romanesco recipe

Cucumbers - see my growing tips and I'm cooking up a Thai beef & cucumber salad and Chinese cucumber salad.

I have also launched a new website Jo Jo Garden Cook which is focused on growing vegetables and Chinese/ South East Asian recipes.

Stir-fried (Unripe) Butternut Squash with black bean sauce recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 12:41:00 +0000

So, what do you do with all those unripe butternut squashes at the end of summer? They haven't yet developed the sweetness we associate butternuts with which can be off-putting to some. So, try this: stir-fry them with black bean sauce and garlic. 

When this dish is served, the squash should be tender and coated in the sauce, the peppers and spring onions with just a little crunch.  The trick to getting this right is to slice the squash into thin, equal sized pieces so that it cooks quickly and evenly. 

Garlic and chilli should be roughly chopped, not minced so as not to burn in the wok. 

I'm using store bought Lee Kum Kee black bean and garlic sauce out of a jar - this is probably the most well known and loved brand of ready made Chinese sauces. Different brands will vary in saltiness - and black bean sauces then to be quite salty - so use sparingly and taste test as you cook, adding more if necessary.        

This recipe is also published on my new site : Jo Jo Garden Cook


Stir-fried Butternut Squash with black bean sauce recipe

Serves 2 as a main, with rice

Ingredients

500g butternut squash (about half a large one), peeled and sliced into 2mm thick pieces
1 bunch spring onions, cut into pieces
1 large bell pepper / capsicum (any colour), sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 medium red chilli, sliced at a diagonal
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar

Method
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium heat. 
Add squash and fry for 2 minutes. 
Add garlic, red chilli, bell pepper and fry for 30 seconds. 
Add spring onions and fry for 30 seconds.
Add black bean sauce, water and sugar and toss through.
Stir-fry until squash is tender (approximately 3 - 4 minutes)

Compostable Coffee pods by Black Insomnia - Nespresso compatible

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:45:00 +0000

I recently received a selection of Black Insomnia products to review and one in particular caught my eye - the Black Insomnia Nespresso compatible coffee pod.

Why? Because it is 100% home compostable. That's right - this is a completely eco-friendly alternative to the standard aluminium and plastic capsule. Made from 100% corn starch, these coffee pods can be thrown directly into your home compost along with your vegetable scraps.

Wow, really? Yes, there is no need to faff about with rinsing out pods or driving your used pods to your local collection point. According to Black Insomnia, simply throw the pods (lids and all) directly into your compost bin and it will breakdown in six weeks.

Can I throw them into my food waste bin that the local council picks up? Yes, you can!

An aside: My compost bin is seen here filled with my homegrown Chioggia beetroot scraps - aren't they just the prettiest candy coloured beets? And they match the compost bin!

Did you know? 39,000 capsules are produced every minute, 29,000 end up in landfill (Source: BBIA article, read here).

How about freshness, taste and quality?

So, a lot of coffee pods are made from aluminium and this is primarily to protect freshness and taste. And you may wonder whether packaging made from corn starch is up to scratch - according to Black Insomnia, after years of research and testing, these pods have been designed to keep the coffee fresh for up to 15 months.

Want to know how? This is achieved by using shells from sunflower seeds which provide natural protection against light and oxygen, both of which are damaging to coffee - and are therefore ideal to protect the ground coffee in each pod.

This is a very strong, medium roast coffee. The company uses traditional barrel roasting techniques to create a smooth, rich taste from a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans.

How much are they and where can I buy them?

Black Insomnia home compostable coffee pods for Nespresso© Machines are £19.95 (for a box of 50), including free shipping. You can buy them directly from Black Insomnia.

A little bit about Black Insomnia Coffee:

Their product range includes ground coffee, coffee beans, coffee drip bags, coffee pour over bags and coffee pods
Their coffee has been independently verified as The World's Strongest Coffee with 1105 mg of Caffeine per 12 fl. Oz cup, equating to more than four times the strength of Starbucks or other typical high street brands.

So, now you can enjoy your morning coffee knowing that it isn't going to end up in landfill!

Black Insomnia 100% compostable coffee pods

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 22:19:00 +0000

Black Insomnia first to launch 100% compostable coffee pods in the UK

Black Insomnia Coffee Company, the maker of the world’s strongest medium roast coffee, has launched a revolutionary Nespresso©-compatible coffee pod which is 100% home compostable.

The new pods, which are certified by TÜV Austria as ‘Ok Compost Home Compost’, present a completely eco-friendly alternative to the standard aluminium and plastic capsule. This means they can be disposed of alongside home food waste and will compost in the garden within six weeks.

According to research, 39,000 coffee capsules are produced every minute globally, of which 29,000 end up in landfill. Nespresso themselves concede that 71 per cent of their capsules are not currently being recycled.

Even those capsules which are recycled require vast amounts of energy to do so, making compostable pods the most eco-friendly solution. Black Insomnia is the first coffee company to provide coffee in this new eco-friendly way in the UK.

Black Insomnia home compostable Coffee PODS for Nespresso© Machines are £19.95, including free shipping. They can be purchased here: https://blackinsomnia.co.uk/pages/nespresso-coffee-pods

Black Insomnia CEO, Jim Walker, said: “The use of coffee pods has grown massively over recent years. The problem is that the traditionally manufactured versions can’t be easily recycled, ending up in landfill and therefore significantly damaging the environment.

“We wanted to find a way of making our smooth tasting coffee available in pods but we had to ensure they would be eco-friendly at the same time. We’ve managed to go one step further than standard recyclable pods by providing 100% home compostable versions for ultimate convenience.

“We are delighted to be launching our new coffee pods at this time, and we’re now looking for other ways to help protect the environment, including rain forest protection and Fairtrade Foundation accreditation.”

Black Insomnia COO, Alexander Sacken, said: “After years of research and testing, together with world-renowned partners, we are proud to be the first in the UK to introduce a home compostable coffee pod that still keeps the coffee fresh for 15 months with no additional packaging – this is revolutionary.

“This is certified by a world-leading institute and so coffee-lovers can be sure that using Black Insomnia pods will not harm nature or the wider environment while enjoying an Espresso of the world’s strongest coffee without feeling bad.”

The global coffee pod and capsule market is expected to reach $29.2 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5% during the forecast period from 2018-2025. This highlights that it is more important than ever to find sustainable solutions, allowing consumers to continue enjoying coffee without harming the environment.

In terms of coffee quality, keeping it fresh is key, and Black Insomnia achieves this by using shells from sunflower seeds. These provide natural protection against light and oxygen – which are damaging to coffee - and are therefore ideal to protect the ground coffee in each pod, maintaining its delicious freshness.

Stay at home: Zucchini / Courgettes and Squash seeds to sow

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:53:00 +0000

Top left: Genovese, Rugosa Friuliana & Striato

Starting your kitchen garden? Grow Zucchini & Squash

Custard White

If there was ever a vegetable plant made for the novice gardener, it has got to be the humble courgette (zucchini). Easy to sow from seed and generally low maintenance they produce an abundance of fruit throughout the growing season making it one of the most productive in the kitchen garden.

This year, I am sowing not just zucchini but also squash seeds from Italian company Franchi. They stock interesting and unusual varieties that will make your zucchino growing journey anything but boring.

Note: I ordered seeds from their website during the UK covid-19 lockdown and they arrived within the week.

Here are some that I've grown in the past from the Franchi range:

Rugosa Friuliana (zuchetta) - a firm favourite of mine with knobbly, pale yellow fruit and tasty dense flesh. There is no need to peel them and they are delicious.

Custard white (zucchino) is pretty round fruit with scalloped edges and their shape makes them perfect for the summer barbecue (sliced). The fruit can be harvested both small (sometimes sold commercially as 'patty pan squash' in it's baby form) or larger. The skin is delicate and there is no need to peel them before cooking/eating.

Genovese and Striato are both typical classic shaped zucchini but their colouring is what makes them striking. The former is a pale green, creamy fleshed variety from Genova and the latter a dark green striped one.

This year, I am going to try Bolognese with oval fruits, Greyzini Ibrido F1 and Spaghetti squash.

Rugosa Friuliana (Zuchetta)

Genovese (Zucchino)

Zucchini and squash do require a good amount of space as these are large plants (about 90cm between plants). They are prickly too, so best not placed in a spot where you are likely to brush up against them. It goes without saying that good soil is a must and I like to boost the plants with seaweed fertiliser (like Maxicrop). Once they start producing, the general rule of thumb is to keep picking them small and pick, pick, pick or you'll end up with marrows (and lots of them!).

And importantly, don't plant out seedlings too early - it is generally safer from June once the risk of frost has passed.

Franchi seeds can be purchased online from Seeds of Italy here (UK Only).

Stay at home : Harvest & Preserve herbs

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 00:26:00 +0000

Harvesting and Preserving herbs from the garden

Getting food into the house has proven to be challenging over the last few weeks. We normally use Ocado for food deliveries but in recent weeks, both their app and website have been impossible to get into. We are gradually adapting to our new way of life but being in isolation means we can't simply just pop out to the stores as we have done so often in the past.

With dwindling fridge supplies, I walked around the garden today for a breather and was grateful to find three clumps of largely neglected chive plants - two in the herb garden and one in the vegetable patch.

There was rhubarb and herbs too; bay leaves from a potted bay plant, marjoram with new growth, hardy rosemary and some overgrown spring onions. I breathe a sigh of relief - we won't starve - sign of life in the garden means we won't starve.

My plan is to keep harvesting new leaves for preserving (either by drying or freezing). The plants should then continue to grow over the coming months, leaving me with a bountiful harvest of herbs by the winter when the plants slow or die down.

Dry and store in jars:

Bay leaves
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Oregano/Marjoram

Usage: pasta sauces, stock, soup, roasts

Harvest now to cook/freeze:

Chives (leaves and young buds - you can eat the young buds too)
Overgrown spring onions

Usage: Scrambled eggs/ omelette with chives, savoury chive pancake, fried noodles with chives, new potatoes with chives ...

Seeds to sow now (in pots):

Parsley
Coriander
Basil
Spring onions

Now, herbs may not fulfill hunger but if sourcing food remains as it is, we may find ourselves in a position where herbs are but a luxury to have and wading through supermarket aisles to find a couple of bay leaves might be the last thing on our minds.

Stay at home: Conserving and Extending spring onions

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 20:36:00 +0000

UK lockdown: Day 4

Self isolation: Day 14

Our family of three have been 'self isolating' as we have symptoms of the coronavirus. It has been 14 days now and our last food delivery was over a week ago.

At a time when getting food and supplies to the house has become increasingly challenging, I am trying to conserve what I can and make it last just that little bit longer. Herbs, garnish all seem a little lavish in the current climate when so many are struggling to get basic essentials.

Even More Spring Onions
Here's something you can do that will extend the life of your spring onions. Ask the kids to help and be responsible for caring for their plants.

1) Cut off the lower section (including the roots) of your next batch of spring onions (salad onions)

2) Place them in a container with a little water (just enough to cover the roots) on a window sill or sunny spot

They will continue to grow for you. Just ensure you change the water every day or they will go mouldy and rot away.

Place them into a pot of soil or directly into the garden where they will flourish. The clump pictured has been there for a couple of years and have overwintered nicely.

Happy growing!

Richard Buckley's "Plants taste better": Vegan recipe book

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:23:00 +0000

Plants Taste Better by Richard Buckley

Chef Richard Buckley has released his second recipe book Plants Taste Better, a beautiful hard back book with sophisticated vegan recipes.

Richard was raised a vegetarian and, after graduating with a 1:1 degree in English Literature, he set about studying vegetable cookery whilst working in a series of top vegetarian restaurants.

He is also owner/chef of one of the UK's top vegetarian restaurants, Acorn, based in Bath. Having opened in 2013, it was awarded a MICHELIN Guide recommended status in 2019 for the second year running and their first year as a fully vegan restaurant.

His delightful 3 course set lunch menu is priced at £39.90 and features mains such as "one whole cauliflower cooked in various ways" - roasted florets, truffled puree, molasses pickled core & sautéed leaf, all served with almond milk croquetta infused with fenugreek & onion, spelt grain in a smoked almond emulsion & a tarragon oil.

On whether Acorn is purely for vegans, Richard says, "It is certainly a restaurant vegans can eat at with ease and it does and will continue to serve vegan food, because it’s good. But I want it to be so much more than that, I want it to be a good restaurant and vegan is just a tiny part of a much bigger picture."

The following is an excerpt from his book.

Burnt Peaches recipe by Chef Richard Buckley. Photography is by Kim Lightbody.

Burnt Peaches
with prosecco sorbet and almond biscotti

"Peaches and prosecco are at the heart of a Bellini cocktail. However, it is a little sickly sweet for my taste. This recipe burns the sugars in the peach to give a more complex experience and uses a touch of lemon thyme to add a herbaceous lemony tinge. You need four hours for the sorbet to set and at least four hours for the peaches to macerate." - Richard Buckley

Serves: 4
FOR THE PEACHES
4 yellow-fleshed peaches, ripe but firm, halved and stones removed
caster (superfine) sugar
4 sprigs of lemon thyme

FOR THE SORBET
225g (8oz/11/8 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
225ml (7½fl oz/scant 1 cup) water
300ml (10floz/1¼ cups) prosecco
90ml (3¼fl oz/generous 1/3 cup)
lemon juice

FOR THE BISCOTTI
75g (2¾oz/½ cup) almonds
100g (3½oz/¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
100g (3½oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
2.5g (½ tsp) baking powder
twist of grated nutmeg
zest of ½ lemon
50ml (2fl oz/scant ¼ cup) cold water

FOR DECORATION
4 sprigs of lemon thyme leaves, picked

Slice a little off the back of the peaches to give a flat surface. Weigh the peaches and measure 20 per cent of their weight in sugar (for 500g (1lb 2oz) of peaches weigh 100g (3½oz/½ cup) of sugar). Put the peaches and sugar into a bowl and mix well.
Leave for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge.

Make the sorbet. Put the sugar and water into a small lidded saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves, ideally without boiling. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, then mix in the prosecco and lemon juice. If using an ice-cream maker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions then store in the freezer.

Make the biscotti. Preheat the oven to (fan) 160°C/180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a large baking tray (sheet) with non-stick baking parchment. In a blender, process half the almonds until coarsely crushed then mix with the whole almonds and the rest of the ingredients except the water. Add the water and bring together into a dough. Roll the dough into a log 4cm (1½ inches) in diameter. Place the log on the baking tray (sheet) and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until light brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then slice into 1cm (½-inch) slices.

Re-line the baking tray (sheet) and lay the biscotti out. Turn the oven down to (fan) 140°C/160°C/310°F/gas mark 2½ and put the biscotti back into the oven for 10–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely – they should be hard and crunchy once cool. Place 3 biscotti in a food processor and pulse to coarse crumbs.

Remove the peaches from their macerating liquid and pat dry with kitchen (paper) towel. Line a large frying pan (skillet) with non-stick baking parchment and heat until searing hot. Add the peaches, cut side down, along with the lemon thyme. Cook until completely caramelized and burnt in appearance. Flip over and repeat on the other side. Remove from the heat and place 2 slices, cut side up, on each of 4 dessert plates.

Add a little pile of biscotti to each plate, scoop a large ball of sorbet on top, and add 2 biscotti. Scatter the thyme leaves over the top and serve straight away.

Signed copies of Richard Buckley's "Plants taste better" are priced at £25 and can be bought here.

Stir Crazy by Ching-He Huang

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 20:24:00 +0000

Stir Crazy by Ching-He Huang (Photo courtesy: chinghehuang.com)

Mastering the wok with Ching-He Huang

This week, I was delighted to receive a copy of Ching He-Huang's latest cookbook in conjunction with the launch of her line of organic soybean and edamame noodles for Yutaka.

Stir Crazy is Ching's collection of everyday stir fry recipes written with the busy in mind.
In it, she offers plenty of tips on how to cook the perfect stir fry - with simple recipes that most people can try at home.

The book doesn't just feature recipes with a Chinese origin. There are recipes inspired by Korean and Thai cuisine - in her version of Korean Beef Bulgogi, she uses Korean gochujang paste and gochugaru chilli flakes; then there is a beef stir fry which incorporates the very popular Korean fermented cabbage side dish, Kim Chee.

She stays true to her Chinese heritage though, and there are plenty of wok inspiring recipes making the most of Chinese ingredients, in particular, chilli bean paste which I am sure is Ching's favourite store cupboard ingredient! If you have ever seen her cooking show, you will know what I mean - her enthusiasm for it is quite contagious!

If you are a complete newbie at Chinese cooking, then you would be wise to make a trip to your local Chinese supermarket as you will need some basic store cupboard ingredients (although I should add that the book does provide alternatives where possible, like replacing ChinKiang vinegar with balsamic).

Being Chinese myself, I can vouch for the fact that most Chinese people (who cook) would typically stock most, if not all of the sauces that Ching uses in her recipes: sesame oil, Shao Hsing rice wine, cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce are all what I would consider Chinese cooking staples.

This is a cookbook that I personally will get great use out of - often you buy a cookbook only to find the recipes too elaborate or extravagant to be able to cook more than once. This, right here, is what I would describe as a great "everyday cooking" cookbook, practical and authentic.

Japanese inspired burger with panko breadcrumbs

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 23:04:00 +0000

Japanese inspired burger with panko breadcrumbs (photo courtesy Yutaka)

Give Your BBQ A Japanese Twist

Who is feeling the heat this summer? With temperatures soaring, it's the perfect weather to be cooking on the BBQ. This week, I was sent some sample Yutaka products to review - their miso paste, panko breadcrumbs, wasabi paste to name a few and some recipes to add a Japanese twist to traditional BBQ-ing.

Now, I really love miso paste and try to add it to just about everything, so this Japanese-inspired miso laced burger really hits the spot. Top with wasabi mayonnaise and what more could your heart desire?

Panko Burgers
Makes 6

Ingredients

2 small red onions, finely chopped
2 crushed fat garlic cloves
500g lean minced beef
2 tbsp Yutaka Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Yutaka Organic miso paste
1 tbsp Yutaka BBQ Yakiniku sauce
Salt & pepper

To stack
6 buns
3 tbsp mayonnaise
½ - 1 tsp (depending on taste) Yutaka Wasabi paste
Sliced onion rings
Sliced pepper rings
Whole mushrooms
Salad leaves
Tomato Ketchup

Method

Place onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, meat, pastes and salt and pepper in a food processor until combined. With wet hands shape 6 burgers, cover and chill.

BBQ burger patties (brushed with BBQ sauce), mushrooms, onion rings and peppers until cooked. Cut burger buns in half and place insides down on BBQ until slightly toasted.

Mix mayonnaise with Wasabi paste. Slice mushrooms.

Now stack - on half of the bun place some salad leaves, then the burger, onions, peppers, mushrooms top with the Wasabi mayonnaise and put the lid on the burger.

Edible Science: Multi-coloured unicorn noodles for kids

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 15:16:00 +0000

SIZZLING SCIENCE FUN FOR SUMMER...

The Kitchen Science Cookbook is a “recipe” book with a unique twist – each recipe is a science experiment that you can do at home with your family using the everyday ingredients you’ll find in your kitchen. You don't have to be a science expert – if you can follow a recipe you can help your children do these unique experiments.

The author, Dr Michelle Dickinson – nanotechnologist, researcher and educator – has made it her life mission to make science and engineering accessible for all. Each experiment in the book includes a ‘Science Behind’ section to help explain the results of the recipe, and the ‘Explore Further’ section helps the reader to think about how the experiment works and suggests other tasks and challenges to see how changing the variables can change the outcome.

Try these edible multi-coloured "unicorn" noodles that transform from purple to blue or pink right in front of your eyes!

Equipment
● Large saucepan
● Knife
● Stove
● Clear noodles (vermicelli or glass noodles work well)
● Large heatproof bowl
● Sieve or colander
● Hot water

Instructions
1. Roughly chop the purple cabbage leaves and place in the saucepan.
2. Add enough water to the saucepan to half cover the cabbage leaves.
3. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes on the stove.
4. Place a colander over a large heatproof bowl and strain the hot cabbage.
5. Put the cabbage aside - if you like, you can add a pinch of salt and dash of vinegar to make it into a tasty side dish!
6. Pour the cabbage juice back into the pan and add the noodles.
7. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the noodles are soft and purple.
8. Use the colander to drain off the water and transfer the noodles to a plate or bowl.
9. Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the noodles and watch them turn pink!

The Science Behind Unicorn Noodles
Purple cabbage is purple due to a pigment called anthocyanin. This same pigment is also found in blueberries. As the cabbage boils, the anthocyanin leaches out into the water. When the dehydrated noodles are added to the cabbage water the anthocyanin is absorbed.
Scientists use a scale called the pH Scale to describe the concentration of hydrogen protons in a solution. With 7 being neutral, a pH of less than 7 means the solution is acidic whilst a pH greater than 7 means the solution is alkaline. Anthocyanin changes colour depending on the pH of the solution it is exposed to. When it is neutral (or at pH 7) it is purple, but if it comes into contact with something acidic such as lemon juice, it turns pink. An alkaline solution, on the other hand, would make the anthocyanin turn blue, green or even yellow. In addition to being a tasty snack, the unicorn noodles are also an edible pH meter!

Explore Further
» What happens when you sprinkle an alkaline material such as baking soda onto the
noodles?
» Can you estimate the pH value of other household products - such as vinegar or laundry
powder - using the leftover cabbage juice?
» Using what you now know about anthocyanins, can you explain why the blueberries in
blueberry muffins sometimes look green around the edges?

Dr Michelle Dickinson's new book The Kitchen Science Cookbook is available on Amazon. Find out more at https://uk.kitchensciencecookbook.com/.

Forage and make homemade elderflower cordial

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 08:14:00 +0000

Look out for elderflower in June ......

Since arriving in the UK and discovering elderflower, I drink it all the time, usually in the form of shop bought elderflower pressé.

This year, I am making my own elderflower cordial, which as it turns out, is quite simply made from elderflowers, lemons and a basic sugar syrup. It is so refreshing and the scent of freshly picked elderflowers is intoxicating.

For my first attempt, I used this BBC homemade elderflower cordial recipe.

Make a sugar syrup, and then simply immerse the flowers and lemon slices, and leave to infuse for 24 hours. As I didn't have citric acid, I made a smaller volume of cordial, to be consumed quickly.

You can also watch Mary Berry making her elderflower cordial, although she uses both citric acid and campden tablets, which I've since discovered can be ordered online from Lakeland (lakeland.co.uk).

Forage for elderflower

Elderflowers can usually be found in hedgerow and can be large shrubs. In fact, you'll struggle to reach the flowers from the tallest branches, so pull down the branches you can reach and snip of the flower heads.

The best flowers to use are the ones which still have some unopened buds.

Carefully wash the flowers before using, to remove any dirt and small insects.

Country style rose posy from the garden...

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 18:14:00 +0000

A bouquet from the garden....

Late spring, beautiful ivory ruffled 'Margaret Merril' roses and pale apricot pink 'Chandos beauty' roses are coming into bloom in our garden.

I gather the roses, together with nepeta, sage buds and some silvery grey foliage, arranging the cut flowers into a posy vase to add a dreamy, romantic feel to our home.

Vase: LSA International posy vase

Growing Tomato & Zucchini in my greenhouse...

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Wed, 25 May 2016 21:17:00 +0000

Tomato plants in the raised bed

Tomato seedlings

The last few months have been busy in our garden. My dream greenhouse build was finally completed and ever since, it has been a flurry of activity as we try to get all our seeds sown.

Here is a quick look inside my new greenhouse.

Tomatoes

This year, I'm growing a few tomato varieties that I've not tried before.

From seed, I've sown:

'Mountain Magic', a blight resistant variety with medium sized fruits (Thompson & Morgan),
'Akron', a heavy cropper averaging 69 fruits per plant!? (Thompson & Morgan)

and picked up plug plants 'Artisan Golden' and 'Indigo Purple', which produce red black fruits.

I'm also growing old favourites like:

'Sungold', one of the sweetest cherry tomatoes, ripens to orange (Mr. Fothergills),
'Tom berry', a heart shaped variety and
'Tigerella', ripens to red with yellow stripes (Mr. Fothergills).

Zucchini/ Courgettes/Squash

Once again, I've possibly sown too many zucchini seeds, but my favourites are these varieties by Franchi:

'Genovese' - pale green & tender even when they've turned to marrows,
'Rugosa Friulana' - unusual looking pale yellow, very flavourful courgettes.
'Striato' with striped fruits, good for marrows too.

Also trying 'Spaghetti Squash' (with flesh like strands of spaghetti) and 'Sweetmax' butternut squash, both by Marshalls seeds.

Happy growing, everyone!

Grow your own Salad - Wasabi Rocket

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 10:55:00 +0000

Last year, I was introduced to a new variety of rocket at the Thompson and Morgan show garden - the Wasabi Rocket.

What about the flavour?
Similar to a traditional rocket with a hot peppery flavour, it also has the distinctive flavour of wasabi root. Essentially, it is like having wasabi in a salad leaf form.

How to grow?
You can buy Wild Rocket seeds from Thompson & Morgan here at the trial price of £0.99 (for 500 seeds).

Seeds can be sown from April to September outdoors.

When growing rocket, my personal preference is to harvest the baby salad leaves as a 'cut-and-come-again' crop. Simply sow seeds thinly into a seed tray at a depth of 1cm, and pick the leaves as your heart desires.

Water regularly to prevent bolting (when the plants flower prematurely and run to seed). Flea beetles can sometimes be a problem at the height of summer, drilling endless tiny holes into rocket leaves.

Seeds available from : Thompson & Morgan
As at April 2016, you can buy a trial packet of 500 seeds for £0.99

Wild garlic and pork dumplings

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 08:52:00 +0000

A recipe for wild garlic ..

Wild garlic grows in abundance in spring. We are lucky enough to have masses of wild garlic growing in woodland close to us, so we can return year after year to forage for this wonderful herb. To me, they are similar to Chinese garlic chives, just with larger leaves.

In this recipe, wild garlic is combined with minced pork to make tasty chinese dumplings. The mince needs quite a bit of seasoning. I always make a few to begin with, cook them and then do a taste test. You may find you need to tweak the seasoning to get it to your taste.

Always wash wild garlic well before using. If you can't get hold of wild garlic, use Garlic Chives.

Place some filling into each wrapper. Dip your finger into a small bowl of water and run it along the edge of the wrapper.

Now, fold the wrapper in half and press down to seal (creating a ruched edge).

Boil for 3 minutes, and aaaaaah .... tasty dumplings.

For the dipping sauce, you can simply serve the dumplings with light soy sauce or sweet soy sauce. I like a mixture of black vinegar (or rice vinegar), light soy sauce and chilli sauce.

Wild Garlic & Pork Dumplings

Makes 18-20

Ingredients

220g minced pork
2 handfuls wild garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chinese wine (Shao Hsing)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated
Handful coriander, finely chopped (optional)

1 pack round dumpling (gow gee) wrappers, 18 - 20

Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese Black vinegar (Chin Kiang)
Chilli sauce (to taste)

Method

Combine minced pork with soy, sesame oil, wine, oyster sauce, ginger and wild garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay out the dumpling wrappers. Take a spoonful of the mixture and place in the centre of the dumpling wrapper. Fold wrapper in half. Dab some water along the edge, then press to seal the edges.

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Lower the heat to simmering. Cook dumplings in for 3-5 mins (until pork is cooked).

Remove dumplings from water and serve with soy sauce or black vinegar.

To make the dipping sauce, mix together soy sauce and vinegar. Then, add chilli sauce.

Where to find Wild Garlic

The young leaves of wild garlic begin to emerge in March and the season runs to June. In the later months, they will form clusters of white flowers and the leaves will be less tender. Rub the leaves of wild garlic and there will be the unmistakable scent of garlic.

Be sure not to mistake it for the poisonous Lily of the Valley.

Read these blog posts to see what wild garlic looks like at different stages:
Spring - Foraging Wild Garlic
June - Foraging Wild Garlic

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How to Cook and Forage for Wild garlic

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:36:00 +0000

A blanket of wild garlic with our spaniel, Duke

When you are out walking early spring, keep your eyes on the look out for wild garlic. In woodland, beneath the opening canopy of trees, you may find clumps of Allium ursinum growing densely in vast areas covering the ground.

The young leaves of wild garlic begin to emerge in March, and if you aren't in familiar territory, they can be easily overlooked. Quite by chance a few years ago, we discovered a patch close to our home. It was later in the season, so they had already formed clusters of white flowers, meaning the leaves were less tender, but at least we could be sure it wasn't the poisonous Lily of the Valley.

We return to our favourite spot again this year, and will frequently visit over the season, which runs well into June. As we reach down to pick the leaves, a garlicky perfume fills the air, a fragrance that is symbolic of the arrival of spring.

Reach down low and pick whole leaves, and where you can, the thin white stems as well (if you aren't planning to use them right away). Watch out for small stinging nettles (ouch!), which will have also begun to shoot up from the ground.

As we have an abundance of wild garlic so close to us, we forage every other day during the season.

Wild garlic growing in woodland

Ideas for How to Cook Wild Garlic

Everyday food in our household is influenced by Asian and Chinese cuisine. A very typical way to use wild garlic is to simply add a few handfuls to a stir-fry or noodle dish.

Here are some more ideas on how to cook with wild garlic:

Add a few large handfuls of wild garlic leaves into a Thai red curry. Simply add the leaves toward the end of the cooking time
Into a pan, sauté wild garlic until wilted, before adding pancake batter for Wild garlic savoury pancakes.
Sauté wild garlic with mushrooms, for a vegetable side dish
Add wild garlic to prawn or chicken fried noodles
For something unusual, try making a Japanese steamed egg custard (Chawanmushi), adding a few garlic leave strips
NEW : Try making Wild Garlic & Pork dumplings

Saute wild garlic with mushrooms

Wild garlic savoury pancake

Thai red curry pork,veg & wild garlic

More on Wild Garlic on this blog:

Wild Garlic & Pork dumplings recipe
Wild Garlic in the Woods

Levi Roots Caribbean Cooking Class at Westfield Stratford

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 23:26:00 +0000

Discover Caribbean cooking with Levi Roots at his new restaurant Caribbean Smokehouse at Westfield Stratford in March & April

Recently, I was invited to discover Caribbean cuisine at a cookery session held at his bright and colourful new restaurant, Levi Roots’ Caribbean Smokehouse at Westfield Stratford City.

Created and run by the man himself, Caribbean enthusiasts will see how to make some of his favourite dishes from the menu as well as getting the opportunity to discover more about what makes the cuisine so distinctive.

Our session began with a meet and greet with Levi over tea and coffee.

We then gathered around the open kitchen, where Levi shared stories from his childhood, intertwined with interesting facts about key ingredients in Caribbean cooking like ackee, salt fish, yam, okra and plantain.

During the cookery demonstrations, Levi made two authentic Caribbean dishes, Jerk Chicken and Curry Goat (not to be called Goat Curry, Levi tells us).

We learn about the key ingredients that give Jerk chicken its distinctive flavour, dried pimento berries (also called "allspice berries") and scotch bonnet chillies.

Levi's Curry Goat is a dish you won't want to miss. Tender, juicy chunks of goat/ kid meat and plenty of flavour. And yes, you get to sample the dishes.

We watched as Levi mixed together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg to form a doughy mass. Shaping the dough into balls, they are carefully dropped into the deep fryer, where they transform into fluffy balls of bread with a golden, crisp outer crust.

These fried dumplings are called festivals or "Johnny cakes", and are a traditional staple in Jamaica. Levi learnt to make these from his grandmother when he was just a child.

I've never been much of a deep fryer but Levi assured me that you can also shallow fry these (which I tried at home the very next day and worked perfectly.).

These Bajan fish cakes are made from salt cod. Salty and scrumptious!

This is a fun filled cookery session that will inspire you to cook authentic Caribbean cuisine.

Put some music in your food!

Sessions are £15 per person and take place from 9:30-11:30am on:

19th March

26th March

9th April

16th April

at Levi Root's Caribbean Smokehouse, Westfield Stratford.

Book your session here.

Scenes from the Countryside - Fluffy highland cattle calves

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 11:29:00 +0000

In the Chilterns countryside, there are many walks that take you through woodland, farms and scenic trails. One day, my husband and I were out walking and from the corner of my eye, I saw something watching us.

It turned out to be this fluffy highland calf.

So we followed it back to the field it was from, and discovered there were many more of them.

At first, they were shy and huddled together.......

... but pretty soon, their personalities started to shine through..

Aren't they just adorable?

Harvest in September

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 11:18:00 +0000

This year, I have been growing one of my favourite cherry tomatoes, 'Sungold'. You may recall I grew this variety on the Big Allotment Challenge last year in Episode 4 which won me a Best in Show award.

If you haven't grown 'Sungold' before, they are a flavoursome cherry variety which are orange/golden in colour. They are exceptionally sweet (Brix 'sweetness' rating of 9+) and are best eaten just as they are. Also in the garden are 'Tomatoberry', a heart shaped tomato with a sweet flavour.

On the courgette front, I am harvesting some zucchini 'Genovese'. With pale green, mottled skin, I like this variety best for it's delicate skin and delicious fleshiness.

Less successful were the patty pan squash. The plants are now huge and have plenty of flowers but the squash seems to rot quickly (due to constant rainfall) so I've started to pick them quick small.

We have harvested the last of the blueberries. Since early August, we have already picked three batches of a similar quantity from the same plant which is a really pleasant surprise. Our plant is grown in a container and we have had it for about four years now.

Sungold and Tomatoberry tomato seeds are from Mr. Fothergills
Genovese zucchini seeds from Franchi
Oregon sugar pod pea from Suttons

Vinothec Compass - An evening of Gastronomy and Golf

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 13:39:00 +0000

For some respite from the daily grind in Canary wharf, head over to the Vinothec Compass, where you can swing away the stress of the day with champagne and Basque pintxo bites, before settling down for Spanish casual fine-dining at the adjoining restaurant.

'TERROIR & TURF'

On a summer's evening, I was invited to a 'Terroir & Turf' wine-paired dinner by co-founders Arnaud Compas (a geographer and geologist by training) and Keith Lyon (ex Waitrose's Wine Bar, Canary Wharf) to celebrate the establishment's one month anniversary.

Head Chef, Jordi Rovira Segovia, born in a small town in Tarragona, Catalonia and Daniel Rodriguez Navas, have orchestrated a menu inspired by London international cuisine as well as their native lands, Extremadura & Catalonia.

Smoked trout salad (sampler size)

From the kitchen counter, patrons can enjoy a drink whilst observing the bustling activity of the open kitchen.

We watched as Head chef Jordi and his crew grilled, then plated up tender bites of juicy baby squid, tomato and coriander, which was presented with a Chardonnay from Bulgaria, the Château Burgozone 2012.

Finally, seated for dinner, an intricate salad of smoked trout, labneh, salmon roe, asparagus, dried black olives was served. This was paired with the Volubilia 2013 Moroccan Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Vin Gris rosé.

Then, two fish courses, delicate cod served with a rugged romesco sauce and seared tuna steak with tomato confit were paired pleasantly with Dido 2013 from Montsant vineyards.

Baby squid

Cod confit, romesco

Tuna steak, tomato confit

'TERROIR & TURF' MENU
A snippet of the taster menu from the night (sampler size, not actual portions were served):

Baby squid, tomato and coriander (chef demo)

Château Burgozone 2012, Bulgaria (Chardonnay)

Smoked trout salad

Volubilia 2013, Morocco (Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Vin Gris)

Cod confit, Romesco sauce

Dido 2013, Montsant (Macabeu, Grenache Blanc)

Tuna steak, Tomato confit

Dido 2013, Montsant (Macabeu, Grenache Blanc)

THE WINE

Photo courtesy Vinothec Compass

On offer at Vinothec Compass are 600 bottles of wines from across the globe. You can also book for wine tasting experiences, food and wine pairing evenings or simply buy by the bottle or case.

“We aim to promote the pretty, unusual and iconic - from indigenous grapes nurtured by small independent growers, underlining the importance of sustainable, organic viticulture." - Vinotech

The Golf Range

The Greenwich Peninsular Golf Range is set over two tiers overlooking the river with spectacular views out to Canary wharf. Each of the 60 bays comes with a seating area from which food and drinks can be ordered, making it an ideal venue for small corporate events.

Our party was served Pol Roger 2004 with Basque pintxo bites, and were offered a mini lesson with N1Golf instructors, Gary & Mark.

Don't know how to play? Book yourself into individual or group lessons run by N1Golf.

Vinothec Compass and the Greenwich Peninsula Driving Range
Tunnel Avenue
SE10 0QX

@vinotheccompass

The organiser of the event was Douglas Blyde @douglasblyde

Follow me on Twitter: @fusianliving

Summer Posy of cut flowers from the garden

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 23:18:00 +0000

In the garden, pretty summer blooms are waiting to be picked at every corner of the garden.

Lavender blue Scabious with their pin cushion centres and delicate, frilly petals are one of my favourite cut flower. Small white rose buds brought into the house, gently release their fragrance, as they open into full bloom.

I also pick hot pink Antirrhinum (snap dragons as they are commonly called), the daisy-like Cosmos, intense purple clusters of tiny flowers from the Verbena bonariensis, coriander which has begun to flower, bright blue corn flowers and spiky balls of blue Eryngium sea holly.

The flowers are casually arranged in this handcrafted posy vase, a perfect little vase to display cut flowers from the garden.

There aren't any formulas here, just follow your heart.

'Margaret Merril' rose, 'Clive Greaves' scabiosa, Verbena bonariensis, Antirrhinum 'pink'

'Posy Vase' available from : LSA International, £16

Also seen here is 'Elements' coffee table by Camerich

Simple idea for cut flowers in a jam jar

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 06:51:00 +0000

Sometimes the simplest ideas can be so beautiful.

Take an old jam jar and fill it with cut flowers from the garden to brighten up a lonely corner of the room.

Pick whatever flowers you have in the garden like Scabiosa, lavender, carnation Pinks, cornflowers, verbena bonariensis, alchemilla mollis, which are all seen here. For it's bright green leaves and minty scent, I've added some apple mint. The soft, spiky balls are Eryngium - which will turn blue.

Add some twine for a decorative touch.

A Growing Obsession Hampton Court – the Yardley London Perennial Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 14:16:00 +0000

This year at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, I had the opportunity to visit the A Growing Obsession – the Yardley London Perennial Garden. I also volunteered to help at the garden for Perennial, UK’s only charity dedicated to helping all people who work in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough.

The focus of the A Growing Obsession garden is on women’s influence in gardening since the Victorian era and brings together a partnership between quintessentially English floral fragrance house Yardley London and long-standing charity for horticulturists Perennial, both of which have roots firmly planted in British floral heritage.

Designed by Jean Wardrop and Alexandra Stevenson, the garden is inspired by the Victorian ladies’ flower garden, representing a time when gardening as a pastime began to cross gender divides.

A view of the garden from the back

The garden reflects the ornate grandeur of the Victorian age, with the formal, geometric shapes of the bedding, York stone pathways for promenading and a terrace with balustrade framing the view. It features a decorative glasshouse (supplied by Griffin Glasshouses) for exotics, which gained great popularity during Victorian times and ferneries set amid Pulhamite rockeries reflect another fashion of the 19th century.

Photo courtesy: Cambridge University

The idea for the garden came when Jean and Alexandra came across a book published in 1840 entitled 'Instructions in Gardening for Ladies' by Jane Loudon, whose writings helped make gardening more accessible to women and all classes. The British obsession with gardening goes back to this era, marking the transformation of gardening from being male dominated activity, to something that everyone could enjoy.

Designer Jean Wardrop comments: “The Victorian influences on gardening are fascinating, particularly in relation to women in gardening, and we hope to have captured some of that in our show garden. We have carefully selected plants and materials inspired by 19th century discoveries and practices, so visitors will get a true flavour of the legacy the Victorians left us.”

Photo courtesy: Jonathan Ward, Ginger Horticulture

Anita Bates, Director of Marketing and Development at Perennial comments: “This garden helps highlight our heritage as a charity that grew from Britain’s great gardens to look after the people who tended them. The Victorians created some of the greatest gardens in our history, as well as instilling in us the love of gardening we still hold dear in the UK today.

Nowadays, even though some sectors of the horticulture industry are traditionally male dominated, in other areas such as garden design, there are huge numbers of extremely talented women. We want to celebrate their achievements and remind everyone in our industry we are here to help if ever they have nowhere else to turn.”

For further information about Perennial and to find out more about how it helps horticulturists visit www.perennial.org.uk

For further information about Yardley London and its range of floral fragrances and ancillary body products, visit www.yardleylondon.co.uk

Chablis & Geology at The Chancery - An evening of Vegetarian fine dining

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Jo) — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 14:34:00 +0000

Courgette flower tempura, smoked yoghurt and confit tomato

Head to The Chancery for exquisite modern European fine dining...

At an evening themed "Chablis and Geology" held at The Chancery recently, guests were invited by sommelier and master of ceremonies, Douglas Blyde, to "explore the flavours in geology via handmade renditions of the unique, mineral-laden, chilled conduit of Chablis partnered with the pristine, specially-devised plates of young gun chef, Graham Long".

Having earlier informed them of my preference for the vegetarian meal, I was presented with this tantalising menu:

Chablis

Courgette flower tempura smoked yoghurt and confit tomato

2012 Garnier & fils, Grains Dorés

2014 Louis Moreau

Chablis 1er Cru
Warm salad of new season beans parmesan and summer truffle

2011 Jean-Marc Brocard, Montée de Tonnere

2012 Val de Mercy, Beauregards

Chablis Grand Cru
Vadouvan spiced spätzle with charred fennel, white peach and amaretti

2012 William Fevre, Les Clos

2013 Samuel Billaud, Les Preuses

Mature Chablis
Selection of cheeses, Neal's Yard Dairy

2003 Domaine Pinson, Chablis Premier Cru Fôrets

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with appetizers of truffle arancini (and crab beignet) paired with Petit Chablis, before moving on to the private dining room.

My first course (main picture) arrived; freshly picked courgette flowers coated lightly in a tempura batter, fried to a crisp, golden brown, served with smoked balls of yoghurt and slow roasted tomatoes. Later over a phone interview, Chef Long explains that Greek-style yoghurt is smoked over wood chips, piped into round spheres then hung in muslin overnight, allowing the liquid to drain resulting in firm balls of smoked yoghurt.

Mini yellow and green globes dot the plate, and it turns out they are simply courgette pieces created using a mini melon baller. A refreshing take on courgettes, indeed, and an inspirational dish for all of us grower-types who will inevitably need as much motivation and encouragement as possible when the glut of courgettes is upon us.

Next, I'm presented with a warm salad of new season broad beans, fine beans, white beans, runner beans served with a deliciously salty miso and white bean puree and topped with a toasted parmesan and brioche crumble.

Between courses, our sommelier, Douglas, continued to impress us with his knowledge of Chablis, Kimmeridgean soil, minerality and the Left and Right banks in this fascinating wine region, gliding effortlessly along the grand dining table as he spoke. I found myself intrigued, fascinated by the soil on which the Chablis vineyards grew which was described as rich in fossils of Exogyra virgula, a small, "finger nail sized" oyster. This terroir, it turns out, is what gives Chablis wines it's mineralistic characteristics.

And finally, the Vadouvan spiced spätzle is served. White peaches are submerged in Sauternes using the compression process allowing the fruit to fully absorb the liquid. Spätzle dough pieces are fried with butter, marsala and Vadouvan spices. The fennel is charred.

Graham Long at The Chancery

“Great food starts with great produce and what is around you. That’s all that is needed to create something exceptional." - Graham Long

Chef Graham Long joined The Chancery as Head Chef in late 2014. His modern European, seasonal menus showcase the skills he has acquired over the years working at Pied à Terre in London and at St Betty in Hong Kong.

Salad of heirloom tomatoes

For those of us eagerly awaiting to harvest homegrown heirloom tomatoes this summer, Chef Long suggests serving in the simplest way possible to fully savour the flavours of the vine ripened tomatoes. Simply cut into bite sized pieces, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season salt and pepper.

Noticing wild garlic on the menu, I ask Chef Long where it is sourced from and he speaks passionately about how a forager he works closely with, helps to replenish the kitchen with seasonal produce, picking coastal herbs like sea purslane and sea cabbage, wild flowers like Hawthorne with it's almond marzipan flavours and in the autumn, wild Alexanders which impart the taste of celery.

Even before I've hung up the phone, I'm already thinking to myself that I have to return for the 7 course vegetarian menu.

The Chancery is at No.9 CURSITOR ST. LONDON EC4A 1LL
The evening was hosted by Sopexa
Sommelier and Master of ceremonies : Douglas Blyde