Friday Night Cocktail

Posted on October 26, 2012 by nicdempsey

It’s that time of the week again, when my thoughts turn from the grindstone of work to the delights of the weekend and to celebrate, I have a drink!

I’m feeling autumnal and wanted my drink to reflect that. Don’t worry, I’m not feeling so autumnal that I will ever put pumpkin in a cocktail or any other form of drink! This time of year is generally when I break out the sloe gin. I wish I was the type of person who knows where to pick sloes and makes her own. Guys, I grew up in a city, I still live in that city and I have no idea what sloes actually look like or where I would be able to pick them. So if you were hoping for an idea on how to make them, you’ll need to go elsewhere*

Most often I use it in place of gin in a Gin & Tonic. It’s makes a nice change to my usual and is probably how I’m going to drink it this week. It also has the advantage of being lighter on the alcohol and I’m have to be up at a decent hour to visit my friend Lis and baby Lincoln.

However, if you want something a bit stronger, you could try the Sloe Gin Martini

or a Green-ish Deacon

Happy Friday people!

*Where to buy sloe gin? That I can help you with. Sipsmith’s Sloe Gin you can buy in Waitrose and Majestic.  Before Sipsmith started making theirs, Plymouth’s was my go-to.  That was harder to track down, I can normally get that at the off-license in Uxbridge Road but Master of Malt have it and many others. Just don’t buy the Gordons one. It’s horrible.

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Borlotti, pancetta and spring green soup

Posted on October 25, 2012 by nicdempsey

Another soup recipe. Another recipe from Bill Granger. Here I am trying to cook different things and two weeks in a row I’ve cooked soup. I blame the weather, it’s autumn and as it get cold and wet, I want big bowls of comfort.

This soup exactly fits the bill and as we come to the end of the month is great for the budget. It’s also a perfect no effort soup. You soak the beans, add the other ingredients and stick it in the oven. 2 hours later you’re rewarded with something that tastes amazing and makes your kitchen smell great too.

It’s not a vegetarian dish, but I think if you wanted to leave out the pancetta, you could add some parmesan rinds (I keep rinds in the freezer for adding to soups) to the stock to give the stock more depth.

 

Borlotti, pancetta and spring green soup

(adapted from Bill’s Basics)

What

375g /10½oz dried borlotti beans

2 red onions, diced

100g /3½oz pancetta, chopped

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 celery stalks, diced

½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1 litre vegetable stock + 1 litre water

A bunch of spring greens (about 250g), shredded

How

1) Soak the beans in a bowl of cold water for 8 hours or overnight.

2) Pre heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350F

3) Rinse and drain the beans and put them in a large casserole dish.

4) Add all the other ingredients and pour in the stock and the water.

5) Cover and put in the oven for 2 hours.

6) Remove from the oven, add the greens and put the lid back on. Leave for a couple of minutes, until the greens are softer.

7) Serve in big bowls.

 

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Picture Post

Posted on October 24, 2012 by nicdempsey

I finally got around to sorting out my photos from Yorkshire.

Coverham Church and Church Yard

We passed the church on the way to Middleham

We didn’t spend a lot of time at the castle as we had intended to go back on our last day, however, it’s closed on Thursday and Friday, so I didn’t spend as long as I wanted to at my favourite castle!

We did go to the sheep fair at Masham though.

We also got to see the young handlers contest, children under 8 and their sheep. Some of the sheep were more controllable than others!

I love the look on this kids face, he did such a good job with a very hard to control sheep

This one was more docile..

Ma loved the sheep fair and I will admit I know far more about sheep than I did, including that there’s a category of sheep called ‘Fat Lambs’. I’m still not over finding that amusing.

Masham Church Yard

There’s a point in graveyards in the early 1800’s when the fonts on headstones changed, I like the old font better.

Next week – old ruins, Fountains Abbey and Jervaux Abbey.

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Chocolate Fridge Cake

Posted on October 23, 2012 by nicdempsey

or what to do with leftover biscuits!

You know those biscuits that we made with Oli last week? I had leftover dough. I made more biscuits, in fact, too many biscuits. I didn’t know it but there is such a thing as too many biscuits, especially as I’m not exactly a biscuit fiend. Well I know for the future, don’t make so many and put the dough in the freezer for the next time you need to entertain a small child. Lesson learned but what to do with the leftover biscuits?

I took a basic chocolate fridge cake recipe and instead of digestive biscuits used a mixture of the cinnamon and chocolate biscuits. Problem solved. Fridge cake is really easy (I might try making this with Oli next time), I used a classic combination of cherries, raisins and marshmallows, but the recipe is infinitely adaptable, I think apricots or any dried fruit and or nuts would work.  The only hard and fast rules I have are that you need to use decent chocolate and you have to use butter. You’re not cooking any of the ingredients so the taste of the butter and the chocolate are going to be dominant. I don’t do margarine anyway (I used to drive my poor aunt nuts by not eating sandwiches because I could taste the margarine!) but if you do, please don’t use it for this!

What

250g/8oz biscuits

150g/5oz milk chocolate

150g/5oz dark chocolate

100g/3½oz unsalted butter

150g/5oz golden syrup 

100g/3½oz glace cherries

100g/3½oz marshmallows

75g/2½oz raisins

How

1) Line an 8in square pan with clingfilm.

2) Melt the butter, chocolates and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat.

3) Add all the other ingredients to a bowl and pour the melted chocolate mixture over them.

4) Mix together and press into the pan.

5) Cover and put in the fridge to set.

6) Once set (about 3 hours) remove from pan and cut into pieces.

7) Try not to eat them all at once. They keep in the fridge for about a week.

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The Weekend

Posted on October 22, 2012 by nicdempsey

This weekend was deliberately low key. I wanted to get over the cold that had been bugging me all week.

So Friday night I was home alone and had an early night.

On Saturday, my neighbours and Christelle were coming for dinner. So I spent some time making the house fit to be seen. This is not to say that the house is messy normally, I just like it to be tidier when guests come round. I blame my grandad because I don’t think this ever bothered either of my parents!

Dinner was sausages and mash.

Here’s the mash

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It was lovely to get to know my neighbours a bit better.

Christelle was staying and couldn’t rest until the washing up was done. This is why she’s my best friend…

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Sunday was quiet. Christelle and I had breakfast. She went home and I went for a walk. Did some shopping. Made some soup.

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Now it’s Monday and back to the grindstone. It wasn’t the most productive of weekend but I feel human this week, which means it’s going to be a whole lot better than last week!

What is everyone else up to?

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Sunday Music

Posted on October 21, 2012 by nicdempsey

Cat Power – Cherokee

Because it’s beautiful//

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October Goal Update 2

Posted on October 20, 2012 by nicdempsey

It’s not been a good week, chez Dempsey.

I was at home on Monday with a very upset stomach, thank goodness for the ability to work from home. On Tuesday, the cold that’s been threatening for a week or two decided to come out full force. I have not been a very happy Nic.

1) Cook a new recipe each week (I’m not making it specifically vegetarian but I will try for  three out of four)

I made French Onion Soup.

2) Exercise twice a week.

Big fat fail. I really haven’t been up to it, I did one longish walk this week but it wasn’t nearly enough. Next week, I’ll be all about the exercise!

3) Clean floors and hoover once a week

Done! After last week’s fail I made sure to do it.  It helps that I have people coming for dinner on Saturday night, when I have people in the house you can always guarantee that the floors and the bathroom will be clean!

4) 10pm school night bed time.

Pass but one night I didn’t get to bed until 10.30pm! The only reason I got through this week was the decent amount of sleep I managed to get this week.

5) Walk 10k four times in October.

Fail, fail, fail.

6) Tidy the cupboard. I have a store/junk cupboard off the bathroom that really needs some organising.

Was going to do it Sunday, didn’t. May get around to it this weekend though.

7) Cheerfulness. I’m going to find something that makes me happy every day and will list them as part of the Saturday goal progress report.

Saturday – Grace on Saturday night. I did mention this in the weekend post but I’m glad to be part of this community, that challenges and strengthens my relationship with God.

Sunday – It was my brother’s birthday. We didn’t always get on but on balance I’m glad I have a brother and I’m glad it’s him.

Monday – I was sick today and without wishing to be to graphic was extremely grateful to live in a country and a time with modern plumbing.

Tuesday – Drugs. More specifically Night Nurse. This week would have been unbearable without them.

Wednesday – Friendships that have the ability to change with circumstances. Reminded of this as Max and I discussed her childcare issues and our work issues.

Thursday – In Our Time.  I really love In Our Time, this week it was about William Caxton. Which got me thinking about how lucky I am to live in a time and a place, where working class girls are taught to read.

Friday – It’s Friday. I’m pleased to have got through the week and I’m pleased that I have a job that makes weekends special. It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t.

8) Forward planning. It’s Christmas in three months and before that Ben, Oli, Christelle and Ma have birthdays. By the end of this month I would like to have their birthday presents sorted out!

Ben’s birthday came and went. There was no present, but Ben was fine about it as I do all the Oli watching. I have a present sorted for Ma and another for Christelle.  I’m on the way to knowing what I’m doing for Oli!

Did anyone else set goals this month? How are you doing with them?

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Friday Night Cocktails

Posted on October 19, 2012 by nicdempsey

Can you call it a cocktail if it doesn’t have booze in it?

This week, I are be mostly having a cold. I’m also trying to recover from the excess of London Cocktail Week, so am going easy on the alcohol. I also bought too much mint. So three ways to put mint in your drinks that have no booze in them.

Of course you could just make a mojito and that would be good too!

First up is the obvious fresh mint tea. Mint leaves + boiling water = tea.

Then an idea I nicked from The Orchard Pig. Apple, grapefruit and mint.

What

60ml grapefruit juice

120ml apple juice

20ml mint simple syrup

ice

How

Put ingredients in glass.

Stir

Fill glass with ice, stir again

Then a smoothie, this one minus cinnamon, with 12 mint leaves added.

 

What are you drinking this weekend?

 

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French Onion Soup

Posted on October 18, 2012 by nicdempsey

 

This week’s new recipe was French Onion Soup. If I haven’t already said it already the best onion soup is made by Christelle’s dad. Way back when Christelle and I shared a flat, she would come back from France with enormous jars of soup and a big block of Comte to grate into the soup. None of this faffing around with bread and cheese and grills, just put the cheese in the soup. It was the only time that Christelle knowingly ate onions and I’ve never had an Onion Soup as good.

Christelle’s family came over for her and Mike’s wedding in the summer and the night before we ate Michel’s onion soup. This decided me, I had to learn how to make a halfway decent French Onion soup. It’s taken me a while to get around to it but on Sunday I made it. I used the one from Bill Granger. He is fast becoming one of my favourite food writers and this is why. The recipes are easy to follow and taste lovely. Making good French Onion soup isn’t hard, it just takes time, to really get the onions caramelised, if you want a quick and easy soup, this isn’t it, but it’s perfect for an afternoon when you’re at home doing other things as this doesn’t need much attention. Given that I can’t get Christelle’s dad to come over everytime I need soup, this is the best solution I can come up with.

French Onion Soup

adapted from Bill’s Basics

What

80g butter

1.25kg brown onions, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon plain flour

125ml white wine

1 litre beef stock and 375ml water

80ml brandy

How

1) First slice your onions. (I used the food processor as it made the whole thing go easier.)

2) Melt the butter in a large heavy based pan over a medium heat and add the onions, bay leaf and thyme. Cook for about an hour, until the onions are soft, golden brown and caramelised.

3) Add the flour and cook for a minute, making sure that the flour is all stirred in.

4) Stir in the wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

5) Add the stock and the extra water.

6) Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Leave it to simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally.

7) Season with salt and pepper and add the brandy

8) Give it another 10 minutes on the heat and then serve in bowls with lots of grated cheese, Comte for preference.

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What I’ve Read – May to September 2012

Posted on October 17, 2012 by nicdempsey

It occurs to me that I haven’t done a books update since June. I have been reading, not a huge amount but I have been reading.

33. For the Darkness Shows the Stars – Diane Peterfreund

Oh, this was lovely and re-imagining of Persuasion. Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen book, however, this is it’s own story and I don’t have anything else to say except go and read it.

34. Persuasion – Jane Austen

After reading For the Darkness Shows the Stars, I had to re-read Persuasion. Still my favourite Austen.

35. Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Mayberry

I read this with Luc (godson number 3). He liked it but he’s a nearly 12 year old boy and this has zombies in it!

36. Starcrossed: Dreamless – Josephine Angelini

Read the first one, needed to read the second. It’s still fun and will read the third..

37. Anna Dressed in Blood –  Kendare Blake

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. I loved Cas and I’m going to read the sequel at some point.

38. Tantalize – Cynthia Leitich Smith

Hated this. It was just too obvious and the world building wasn’t strong enough. I finished it but through gritted teeth.

39. Dust and Decay – Jonathan Mayberry

Another ‘read with Luc book’, some of the writing is a bit clunky but it did provoke some interesting conversations and more zombies.

40. Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel

I resisted reading this for a while. I studied Tudor history and I’m not convinced that Thomas Cromwell was a good man but I got around to reading it and it is brilliant. I didn’t find the present tense narrative difficult but can see why people could. I was sad when I finished it, because even though I know what happens next, I want to see it as Mantel writes it.

41. The Red Pyramid – Rick Riordan

Summer reading with Luc. It’s a romp and we enjoyed it and read the next two straight away.

42. The Throne of Fire – Rick Riordan

See above

43. The Serpent’s Shadow – Rick Riordan

See above

44. Unspoken – Sarah Rees Brennan

Funny, strange and heartbreaking. Thank you Sarah Rees Brennan..

45. Bring Up the Bodies – Hilary Mantel

I finished this last week and already mentioned how lost I feel without it. It’s going to be a long wait for three. You can see Thomas changing, he’s still himself but you can see the way that power and what he has to do is changing him. You can also see how it’s changed others. Hilary Mantel has said that she will be sad when she has to chop off his head and I feel the same way.

So what has everyone else been reading? If you’ve read something and loved it, tell me about it!

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