Nispero!
26 May 2012 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: andalucia, fruit, LOQUAT, MEDLAR, NISPERO, spain
What is it? It’s a LOQUAT – and here are hundreds of them around at the moment – like figs in Autumn they grow like weeds here in Andalucía.
BIBASSIER in France, WOLMISSPEL in Germany, NISPERO here in Spain. In England? The delightfully named MEDLAR. Indigenous to Central China, I had my first taste for breakfast this morning, Pedro next door bought them at the monthly market mistaking them for Apricots – an easy mistake, they look for all world like an Apricot, but are quite different inside.
Lots of shiny jewel like seeds, a tough often blemished skin and a soft fruit that’s packed with pectin, so jelly and jam, crumbles, ice cream, chutney, put them in Moroccan dishes with Lamb and Chicken, with curries, or just eat them as they are!
Chelsea Buns – even for Liverpool supporters!
11 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: breadmaker, chelsea buns, eggs, orange blossom
Got a breadmaker? Aren´t they great? I use mine for jam making, pasta making, Pizzas, Naans, Cakes….and bread! The firm favourite? Chelsea buns – have a go!
Make a portion of dough with flour, sugar and butter, milk, 1 egg salt and yeast.
When the dough cycle is over, roll it out to a rectangle. Cover with mixed spice, brown sugar, sultanas, mixed fruit, lemon zest, dried cranberries,what ever you have..
Roll the whole thing up like a swiss roll. Slice into 2″ portions, and place on a baking tray. Leave to double in size and bake at 200º for 10 minutes.
Make up a syrup with orange juice or lemon juice and water and sugar until sticky and glaze. Or make your own orange blossom water if like me you have an orange tree on your patio – 
You should wait for them to cool down but they won´t last!
First of many: Fiestas De San Marcos - Berchules 2012
20 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
This weekend, the village of Berchules will be celebrating the Fiesta of San Marcos, the patron saint of the animals. The Saint’s day actually falls on the 25th but the festivities will take place thoughout Saturday and into Sunday.
On Saturday morning at 10 o clock, ´roscos´ or sugared bread-rings are blessed by the priest, followed by mass at San Juan Bautista church in Berchules, after which the figure of San Marcos is carried down to the First of many: Fiestas De San Marcos – Berchules 2012neighbouring village of Alcutar, together with the figure of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of the farmers.
Hot Cross buns !
05 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
‘Hot -Cross Buns, Hot- Cross Buns ;
One a penny poker,
Two a penny tongs,
Three a penny fire shovel
Hot-Cross Buns’
Good Friday of Easter is the traditional day to make these delicious little buns, that will fill your home with a heady, spicy scent. Apart from the obvious cross symbol , I also like the thought of the cross depicting the four seasons.
Fake Sausage rolls!
21 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in pastry, sausage, stuffing Tags: cooked meat, egg wash, oven, pastry, rolls, sausage, stuffing
Never thought I would say it – but sometimes I miss a Greggs Sausage Roll!
No sausage meat here without a loooong drive, but where there´s a will….
or at least where there´s a pack of puff pastry – masa holadre – some cooked turkey – pavo – and some stuffing from dried breadcrumbs, onion, sage…
Roll out the pastry, line up the cooked meat and the stuffing…roll into long shapes….egg wash…slash….bake for 10 minutes…divide into bite sized bits and….EAT!
Oddly, but thankfully,they taste like Greggs!
A supper date…
21 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Beef, chickpeas, garlic, lemon, Moroccan Tags: cous cous, dates, hummus
…at our English friends house – they were here for 3 weeks and had the neighbours in fora chinwag and a chomp! Pete and Carole always put out a huge selection of nice food, so I cobbled together a quick tray to take – this one is Moroccan in flavour, and is quick to make up, the Spanish friends didn´t touch it though – too foreign!
Hummus, here´s my recipe some juicy dates, crudities and a little cous cous mixed with mint and cucumber, onion and tomato. Shape the cous cous in a circle – it looks better, and add a few pitta slices, and a bowl of local olives made pretty with a leaf from the tree and a wedge of lemon….hey presto! Apologies for the pic – I think I had the wrong setting on, but you get the picture!
a little bit of everything
€1,000 for FREE? Yes!
08 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: competitio, competition, freebie, spain, spanish food, spanish holiday, tapas
Love Spanish food? Try tapas for FREE with a great chance to enter for FREE this competition, choose a Spanish kitchen in a holiday rental with style and enjoy a FREE holiday, just click here to win!
Sunday Lunch
06 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in garlic, olive oil, paella, pepper, rice, seafood, spanish, wine Tags: alpujarras, food, garlic, lunch, paella, rice, travel
…with friends. An invite to Sunday Lunch here in Las Alpujarras is less of a Roast Beef affair and more of a trip to a Bodega, tasting the new wine….
and an enormous bubbling pan of Arroz.
A sort of Paella with more liquid, crab, elvers, prawns, mussels, and squid compete with garlic, onions, vibrant peppers and golden saffron.
People drift in and out, a glass and a plate always proffered, plates of olives, capers, chorizo and cheese for a long sobre mesa first course…Rosario cooks the best Arroz…who would want Bisto when you can have this?!
serving up
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