A week and a day - Day 1

Hi, my name is Chris, and in Fe's absence I am hijacking this blog (it's ok, Fe knows) with my own tales of success and woes in the culinary world. From the content of this blog you would be right in assuming I don't have much influence on what goes on in the kitchen - but alas, with Fe away in London for a week I've been left to my own devices with full decision making authority.

So it is to Day 1 of my adventure. With little ingredients available until I went shopping later I was left with just the basics. I was however able to source an important item from the cupboard - potato, which was later to be mashed. Accompanying this was a hooped version of tinned spaghetti which I've been keeping spare for this very situation, and some peas. Please note the wedge of butter resting upon the peas - this was done purely for its photographic qualities.

Had I had fish fingers and gravy available, my all time favourite meal would have been before me (another time perhaps).

Flowers Please!

Hurray for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall! You know I have never had a recipe of his turn out anything short of fantastic. Maybe it's down to my impeccable recipe choice, but probably it's because he is the best cook in the world!

This Thursday I have been inspired to conjure up some elderflower fritters which I thankfully shared with Chris and Alyssa (they're delicous but very filling). They are quite easy to make really. Once you have, like me become obsessed with noticing and memorising every local elderflower bush, you then need to make a batter:

125g Plain Flour

25g Caster Sugar

Pinch of Salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Rum or Kirsch

150ml water

2 egg whites

8 Large, fresh and fragrant sprays of elderflowers

5cm groundnut or sunflower oil for frying

mix the flour with the salt, sugar, olive oil, rum/kirsch. Whisk in water stopping when it looks like very thick paint and thick enough to hold 2 egg whites. Cover and leave in a cool place for at least 30 mins.

Give your flowers a quick bug check but be careful not to lose too much pollen as this is the tasty bit. In a large, high sided pan or deep fat fryer. Heat until small cube of bread goes brown within a minute when thrown in. Lower heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile whisk 2 egg whites until they form soft peaks and gently fold them in to the batter. Dip your flowers in to the batter and lower them gently in to the pan. Turn them once or twice until puffed up and golden brown. Keep in low oven to keep warm.

Serve with sprinkled sugar and lemon-honestly they are sooo yum!

Strawberries for Celebration

As you can tell from our Harry Potter/ Wiccan gowns it was our graduation yesterday afternoon. And ofcourse how could an alchemist celebrate without ones champagne and strawberries?!

Viv Westwood herself was even in attendance looking more like a High Preistess than any body else there. What hair that woman has, I'd love to be able to carry off 'carrot' in my old age.

There was even a spot of general course reunion in the garden party (below). I cannot quite belive just how quickly four years has gone, warning to all those still at uni! I've been very lucky however and made some fantastic and often truly peculiar (in a good way) friends. Who I hope to bake for on a regular occasion. Speaking of which I really havn't been very creative this past month following the degree show. I must be all arted out...one more day of realxation can't hurt!