Turnip and Blue Cheese Soup

I am writing this in late February and the first signs of spring are appearing, with snowdrops and daffodils in bloom and the crazy climate in Georgia giving us the occasional unseasonably warm day when the patios fill up at local bars and folks break out their shorts and t-shirts for a day or two before it reverts back to being cold and damp.

Turnip and Blue Cheese Soup from britinthesouth.comAt the local farmers markets the produce scene is still dominated by winter greens and root vegetables and will be like that for quite a few weeks more.

I’m not complaining. The vegetables on offer at the moment lend themselves to hearty soups and stews that are welcome when the temperature dips and the rain is falling.

The goodies on offer at the moment include snowy white hakurei turnips, which are smaller and more delicately flavoured than the larger, more commonly found purple topped turnips. Thinly sliced, Hakurei turnips can even be eaten raw in salads.

I find they make a good base for a soup, providing richness and thickness which you can then enhance with other seasonings and flavours. They work particularly well with fennel or thyme, and to dial up the richness a little more you can add cream or cheese. A couple of parmesan rinds thrown in to soften and melt as the soup simmers is also a good idea.

This time I opted for blue cheese, which added a nice salty tang and depth to the mild earthiness of the turnips.

Turnip & Blue Cheese Soup

1 medium onion, diced

2 tbs olive oil

1lb white turnips, cut into 1/2″ dice

6oz blue cheese, crumbled (Stilton is a good choice but other blues also work well)

32 fl.oz. (4 cups) vegetable stock

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and soften for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the turnips and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the vegetable stock, and increase the heat to medium high.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the turnips are tender, around 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for a few minutes and then blend to a creamy and smooth consistency in a blender or food processor, or using a stick blender.

Return to the pan and heat over medium heat, adding the crumbled blue cheese.

Cook until the blue cheese melts.

Check for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Vegetable Stock

I love having vegetable stock readily available in my fridge or freezer. When I come back from the farmer’s market with a bag full of veg or when I’m opening up my CSA box to see what goodies I have, having stock on hand means I am one step closer to a delicious soup or risotto or sauce.

Of course, you can buy vegetable broth from the grocery store but I often find these too salty and too strong. I like to make light but flavourful stocks where I can control the seasoning and taste.

I don’t like waste in the kitchen so my stocks usually use some of the bits and pieces and trimmings that come from prepping vegetables. I particularly like to make use of the thick stems from collard greens or kale that so many recipes tell me to discard. When I’m prepping greens I wash the stalks and chop them into half inch lengths and throw them into a bag in the freezer, ready for when I want to make a batch of stock. Scraps of onions, trimmings from leeks and tired looking greens also make a good basis for stock.

Vegetable Stock from britinthesouth.com

I always start with an onion, softening it in a mix of olive oil and butter before adding other veg. Celery and carrots are great additions at this stage but it isn’t the end of the world if you have none on hand. I then add any greens that I have and saute them for a few minutes just to develop some flavour before adding water and seasonings. I then simmer it for a while, leave it to infuse for a bit and then strain to get a beautiful stock. It requires very little attention so is easy to do in the background whilst you’re cooking other things.

Vegetable Stock

This is a typical recipe, but it will vary depending on what vegetables I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs unsalted butter

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 celery stick, coarsely chopped

2 cups of green stalks, roughly chopped into half inch pieces (kale, collards, etc.)

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of thyme

1 tsp salt

Warm the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes to soften.

Add the carrot, celery and greens and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add 12 cups of cold water, the bay leaves, thyme and salt.

Increase the temperature to medium high, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, then leave to infuse for 30 minutes before straining to get rid of all the solids, leaving a bright golden stock.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Updated February 2020

It is 20 years since I actually lived in London but I visit at least once a year and take a keen interest in what is going on over there.

Over the years American friends that are planning trips to London have asked my wife and I for recommendations of places to see and places to eat and our response has evolved from a few highlights to a fairly comprehensive set of notes.

After our latest trip I decided to put this post together, capturing some of our favourite places to eat and shop for food in the city.

This is a purely personal list, very much reflecting our tastes and interests.

I hope you find these suggestions useful. I would urge you to explore this great city to find your own list of wonderful destinations. Not only does London have a comprehensive and easy to use public transport system but it is a great place to walk around, making your own discoveries. You are never far from a coffee shop or a pub if you need to stop for refreshment on your travels.

Breakfast

It was British writer W. Somerset Maugham who famously said that “To eat well in England you should have breakfast three times a day”. Luckily the English food scene has transformed dramatically since his day and it is possible to eat well at any time of day but it remains true that you can find some great breakfasts in London.

Caravan has 5 locations around London and is an all day eatery with a strong breakfast game. The founders all previously worked at The Providores, a wonderful restaurant in Marylebone that sadly closed in 2019. Caravan also roasts its own coffee and you are assured of a great cup. The first Caravan location was in Exmouth Market and it is a comfortable spot with a few outdoor tables which are great for watching the world go by when the sun shines down on London. They also do a great fry up and their take on shakshuka, with a spicy ragout of tomatoes, peppers and chickpeas, is a great way to start the day.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Semolina porridge at L’Eto (picture from @rc_eav)

L’Eto Caffe has five locations around town offering attractively presented food with a Mediterranean twist. You can stop by for a coffee and pastry or choose lunch from their eye-catching salad platters, but their breakfast menu is definitely worth dropping in for. There are a lot of great choices available but the semolina porridge with blueberries is especially delicious and beautiful. If your itinerary includes a visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Brompton Road branch of L’Eto is just down the street.

Indian cuisine has been popular in the UK for generations, with thousands of Indian restaurants across the country. Recent years have seen a shift away from generic curry houses to restaurants specialising in specific regional foods from across the sub continent. Dishoom pays tribute to the cafes of early 20th century Bombay, founded by Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran. It is a concept that has proved highly popular, with their eclectic decor, great food and sometimes long lines to get in, particularly for dinner. It can be easier to get a table for breakfast, although even then they fill up with busy Londoners holding breakfast meetings. Their breakfasts are wonderful, whether you opt for eggs on chilli cheese toast, a freshly baked naan roll filled with sausage, egg or bacon, or “The Big Bombay” featuring spicy eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes. Whatever you choose make sure you get some masala baked beans on the side.

Cakes and Pastries

If you worry that even a substantial breakfast won’t keep you going until lunch, fear not, as you are in the land of elevenses, the wonderful concept of a cup of tea or coffee around 11am, accompanied by a little sweet something. If you stop for elevenses you’ll be in good company as it was celebrated in the books of both Paddington Bear and Winnie The Pooh.

Konditor & Cook has five locations around London, and although started by a German pastry chef (konditor is German for confectioner), it offers a wide range of cakes and pastries including many British classics. If you visit around Christmas be sure to try one of their mince pies.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Victoria Sponge at Cake Hole Cafe

Cake Hole Cafe only opens on Saturday and Sunday but is well worth fitting into your plans. It is located on Columbia Road in east London, which is famous for its Sunday morning flower market, and even if you’re not looking for plants or flowers the market is worth a visit for the bustling atmosphere, glorious flower displays and the other quirky shops and eating establishments in the area. Cake Hole Cafe is hidden away in the back of a vintage homeware shop. If you can make your way through the attractive displays of vintage crockery and cutlery without being tempted you’ll find a warm welcome and some glorious home baked cakes with the emphasis on British classics like Victoria sponge and lemon drizzle cakes.

Travel west to the more genteel surroundings of Notting Hill and you’ll find Biscuiteers, a boutique store famous for its hand decorated biscuits (and when I say biscuits I’m using the British defintion: cookies to our American friends). As well as beautiful hand iced biscuits in a variety of themes Biscuiteers has a small cafe space offering afternoon tea and runs many events and classes where you too can learn the art of biscuit decorating.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Some of the goodies at Biscuiteers

Being a cosmopolitan and diverse city, the sweet options in London extend well beyond traditional British pastries. A few minutes walk from Biscuiteers you can find Lisboa Patisserie, an unremarkable looking cafe that sells a variety of Portuguese cakes but is best known for its pasteis de nata, delicious and addictive golden custard tarts.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Swedish pastries at Bageriet

For a taste of northern Europe, pay a visit to Bageriet, a beautiful, small Swedish bakery tucked away in a quiet alleyway off Long Acre, between Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Enjoy such delights as äppelmazarin (almond tarts with apple and cinnamon) or hallongrottor (a biscuit filled with raspberry jam). Another great Swedish option is Soderberg in Soho, a bakery and comfortable café which is a good stop for breakfast or just for a mid morning coffee and pastry.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Morning Coffee at Soderberg (picture from @rc_eav)

Chocolate

London has had a love affair with chocolate since the 17th century, when it first appeared as a drink for the wealthy. It took another 200 years for it to become available in solid form and gain mass market appeal thanks to companies like Cadburys and Frys. Today, the British top the global chocolate eating charts with an average annual consumption of over 8kg. As well as widely available popular commercial brands, London offers some fantastic artisan chocolate makers to tempt your palate.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Some of the options on Paul A Young’s truffle table

Paul A Young was a pastry chef at some of London’s finest restaurants before opening his first specialist chocolate shop in 2006. He now has 3 shops in London selling his wonderful creations. If you want to try your hand at making your own confectionery he runs regular classes at his Soho location. He has written a great book on chocolate making, regularly appears on TV and has his own YouTube channel where you can learn more of his chocolate making secrets.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

The Rococo shop in Marylebone

Rococo Chocolates have 5 locations around London and make a wonderful array of chocolate goodies, ranging from artisan bars and truffles to elegant, thin chocolate wafers and salted caramel filled “seagull eggs”. All of their products are beautifully packaged so make great gifts.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Chocolates at Venchi

If you prefer your chocolates with an Italian twist head to one of the five Venchi shops in London. A chocolate maker from Turin that recently celebrated their 140th anniversary, their most central location is in Covent Garden, but they also have spots in Kensington, Hampstead and Richmond.

Markets and Food Halls

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com
If you’re a foodie no visit to London would be complete without a visit to Borough Market. Located near the southern end of London Bridge there has been a market in this area since the 11th century. In the 1990s, both the area and the market were in decline but then two of London’s finest food purveyors, Neal’s Yard Dairy and Brindisa moved into empty warehouses in the area, kicking off a rebirth of the market and the surrounding area as a speciality food destination. Today you can find a wonderful range of products, ranging from fruit and veg to cheese, meats, seafood, spices, oils and vinegars and artisan breads. As well as the market’s glorious 19th century building, the nearby streets are worthy of exploration with some great pubs, restaurants and other speciality food stores.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Produce at Borough Market

Wherever you are based in London, you probably won’t be too far from a farmers market. We usually stay in the Paddington / Marylebone area so try and pay a visit to Marylebone farmers market which takes place every Sunday from 10am to 2pm. There is usually a good range of vendors with an array of produce, cheese, meats and baked goods, so it is easy to pick up the fixings for lunch or a picnic.
Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Marylebone Farmers Market

Like many cities around the world London has embraced the food hall trend, seeing many old buildings and former industrial sites transformed into comfortable gathering spaces with many different food and drink options under one roof. One of the recent arrivals is the Seven Dials Market, built in a former banana warehouse near Covent Garden. Food options include ramen from Nanban, salt beef sandwiches and bagels from Monty’s Deli and vegan Mexican street food from Club Mexicana. On our first visit we couldn’t resist Pick & Cheese, the world’s first cheese conveyor belt restaurant, where plate after plate of artisan British cheeses and charcuterie pass in front of you and you grab whatever catches your eye. Each cheese is paired with a suitable accompaniment, such as Mrs.Kirkham’s Lancashire with an Eccles Cake, or Spenwood, a hard ewe’s milk cheese from Berkshire, paired with truffles poached potatoes. It’s a fun way to try some great British cheeses. There are also some great beverage options, including Square Root Soda if you want something original but non alcoholic.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

The cheese conveyor belt at Pick & Cheese in Seven Dials Market

As the name suggest, Mercato Metropolitano originated in Italy but they now have two locations in London with two more planned. Their original London location is in an old paper factory near Elephant & Castle, a charming if slightly scruffy collection of buildings housing, amongst other things, an Italian grocery store, a German microbrewery, a wine shop and an interesting selection of food and drink options. One of my highlights is a London outpost of Badiani, my favourite gelato spot in Florence. If you get the chance, try their delicious “buontalenti”, a rich concoction with just four ingredients: cream, milk, sugar and egg.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Buontalenti gelato from Badiani at Mercato Metropolitano

Restaurants

As with any big city with high property prices and rents, restaurants come and go, sometimes with alarming regularity, so it pays to do a little research before you go, depending on which areas you plan to visit and what food you fancy trying. Over the last 20-30 years the London food scene has improved dramatically, so it is easier to eat well there now than it has ever been.

You will find Indian restaurants all over town, ranging from very basic to posh upmarket ones. As well as Dishoom, mentioned above, we like Roti Chai, a comfy spot not too far from Oxford Street and Hyde Park. It has a casual, all day street kitchen offering small plates as well as a more formal dining room, both of them serving traditional Indian dishes with a modern twist.

The latest addition to the restaurant empire of the influential Yotam Ottolenghi is Rovi, a light, airy space located, as the name suggests, in the Fitzrovia area, just a few minutes’ walk north of Oxford Street. Although the menu features some fine meat and fish dishes cooked over an impressive wood fired grill, the vegetables are the stars here, with lots of beautifully prepared and presented vegan and vegetarian options, including many pickled or fermented on the premises. Highlights include the tempura stems and leaves and pickles and ferments with Valdeon cheese. The butterbeans with smoked cascabel chile oil were spectacular and luckily the recipe can be found online so I’ve already recreated that one at home.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

A delicious Cheese Bar sandwich of Cropwell Bishop Stilton, bacon and pear chutney

As the name suggests, The Cheese Bar in Camden has a menu that revolves around cheese. As well as cheese served straight up with appropriate accompaniments, the menu includes grilled cheese sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, fondue, cheese burgers and mac and cheese. They also have some wonderful wines, beers and cocktails to wash it down with. It’s a wonderful place if you’re a cheese lover. They recently expanded their mission to bring fine cheese to the folks of London by opening the Pick & Cheese conveyor belt restaurant at Seven Dials Market.

If you’re in the mood to splurge, Locanda Locatelli is one of London’s best Italian restaurants: a beautiful space with impeccable service and wonderful food and a price tag to match its  Michelin starred status. The wine list is lengthy and full of gems, and don’t miss the fantastic breads, baked in-house. Our last visit was during truffle season, when you can order shavings of fresh white truffle, sold by weight, to enhance your dish. It is easy to run up a sizable bill but it tastes delicious.

Opened recently by a former Locanda Locatelli chef, Bancone is a relatively small space just round the corner from Trafalgar Square, specialising in pasta, which is made fresh daily on the premises. If they have it on the menu, the silk pasta handkerchiefs with walnut butter and confit egg yolk is definitely worth a try. If you grab a counter seat you can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen.

Lina Stores is an iconic Italian deli in Soho that has been selling authentic Italian goodies for over 75 years. When I lived in London it would be one of my destinations for quality and hard to find Italian ingredients. Last year they branched out into the restaurant business, opening in two locations: Soho and Kings Cross’ Coal Drop Yards. We tried the Soho branch and the highlights were small plates of beautifully cooked pasta perfect for sharing, such as the tagliolini with parmigiano and truffle or the ricotta and herb gnudi with butter and sage.

Drinks

London is rightly famous for its historic pub culture but sadly the number of pubs in the city has declined by over 20% in the last 15 years as high business rates, property development and cheap supermarket booze take their toll. Luckily there are still some great places to drink in London, and the advent of new micro-pubs, micro-breweries and distilleries across the capital means the choice of tipple is greater than ever.

If we find ourselves in Soho when we’re in London we always like to drop into The Ship on Wardour Street. A cozy, wood panelled, slightly old fashioned pub, it sells beer from Fuller’s, an iconic brewery from West London that’s been making beer since 1845.

Also in Soho, close to the entrance to Chinatown, is De Hems, an old pub with a decidedly Dutch feel. Previously called The Macclesfield, in the late 19th Century a retired Dutch sea captain by the name of De Hem took over, and it became a magnet for Dutch folks in the capital. After becoming the unofficial HQ for the Dutch resistance in London in World War 2, it was renamed in honour of De Hem in the 1950s. You don’t have to be Dutch to drop in and enjoy a pint of Oranjeboom.

London was the birthplace of the gastropub: The Eagle in Farringdon was the pioneer of serving great food in an unfussy and informal pub atmosphere over 25 years ago and kicked off a revolution in pub cuisine across the land.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

Dorset Crab with avocado, chilies and watercress at The Larrik

We’re fans of The Larrik in Marylebone, a comfortable, light filled space with great food and a good selection of wines and cask conditioned beers.

Also in Marylebone, Inn 1888 is a beautifully restored Victorian pub. If you’re in London in the winter it is worth a visit to enjoy a drink in the warmth of its open fires.

St.Pancras station and its adjoining hotel are worth a visit just to marvel at the architecture, which was almost lost when they were threatened with demolition in the 1960s. Luckily, in the early 21st century the station was reinvented as a terminus for Eurostar services to the continent, and the hotel, which had been closed since the 1930s, opened to the public once more after a massive restoration project. A great spot from which to enjoy the impressive station building is in the Champagne Bar, which offers a range of both champagne and English sparkling wines to wash down their selection of nibbles and small plates.

Some of My Favourite Food Destinations in London from britinthesouth.com

The Champagne Bar at St.Pancras

Homemade Treats For Christmas

Christmas is rapidly approaching, and life is getting hectic with shopping, decorating and holiday gatherings.

When I do get some spare time in December I love to spend some of it in the kitchen, listening to my favourite Christmas music and making some seasonal treats. These are ideal to give as gifts, share with folks that drop by, or to simply enjoy yourself over the festive season.

Chocolate treats from britinthesouth.comChocolate truffles are relatively easy to make but look great as a gift or presented on a platter at a party.

One of my favourite ways to make truffles uses just chocolate, jam, a splash of alcohol and cocoa powder. This example uses blueberry and ginger jam and ginger wine but you can use any combination of jam and alcohol that takes your fancy. Use your imagination and have some fun.

Chocolate truffles from britinthesouth.comAnother truffle technique which can be endlessly customised is using a hot water ganache. This uses just chocolate, sugar and water, so is dairy free. The liquid doesn’t have to be water, so again it is a great technique to experiment with. This recipe uses coffee, but whisky works really well too.

Coffee truffles from britinthesouth.comI’ve also had a lot of success using crumbled cakes and sweet breads as the basis for a truffle centre. Here are recipes for panettone truffles and sticky toffee pudding truffles but you could use the same approach with the dessert of your choice.

Panettone truffles from britinthesouth.comIn the deep south, bourbon balls are a popular seasonal treat, typically made with crushed cookies, pecans, chocolate and, of course, bourbon. It is another recipe that lends itself to experimentation. I was pleased with my version using British HobNob biscuits, walnuts and Scotch whisky.

Oat and walnut whisky balls from britinthesouth.comAt this time of year, high end food shops here offer a range of mouth watering chocolate barks, often at eye watering prices. It is relatively easy to make your own and make it the way you like it. Check out this recipe for a chocolate bark with coffee and biscuits.

Chocolate bark with coffee and biscuits from britinthesouth.comFor a variation on the bark theme, you could make tiffin, a delicious, no bake, mix of crushed biscuits, raisins and chocolate. My recipe uses digestive biscuits, brandy soaked raisins and some classic English chocolates thrown in for good measure.

Chocolate tiffin from britinthesouth.comChristmas treats don’t have to involve chocolate. You could just make a quick batch of buttered pecans to nibble with your favourite tipple.

Buttered pecans from britinthesouth.com

Finally, if you can get hold of some rice paper you can make edible decorations with an optional boozy kick. Here is how we made whisky infused snowflakes but you can choose your own shapes and flavours to make your own unique treats.

Edible whisky infused snowflakes from britinthesouth.com

Grits with Stilton and Kale

Autumn is definitely on the way.

I’ve just returned from a few days in London, where this summer’s heatwave is now a memory and cooler temperatures and showers are the order of the day.

In Georgia it is still warm but the thermometer is gradually winding down. Next Monday is Labor Day, which is widely recognised as the unofficial end of Summer in the USA.

Grits with Stilton and Kale from britinthesouth.comThe change of the seasons is also apparent in the contents of my weekly CSA box.

We’ve seen the last watermelons. We’re still getting the odd tomato or two but that won’t last for too much longer. This week also saw the first apples and sweet potatoes of the year in our box.

Last week saw the welcome return of kale, so I celebrated with a simple and comforting dish to help with the transition from one season to another, combining the kale with creamy grits and blue Stilton cheese.

Grits with Stilton and Kale from britinthesouth.com

Grits with Stilton and Kale

Serves 2

8oz kale

8oz stone ground grits

6oz Blue Stilton, cut or crumbled into dice (or use another blue cheese of your choice: gorgonzola works well)

2 tablespoons Butter

First of all, cook your kale in salted boiling water until tender. For these leaves that took 5 to 6 minutes, but will depend on the type and age of your greens. When cooled slightly, squeeze out any excess water and coarsely chop.

Next, cook your grits. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and then slowly whisk the grits into the water to avoid lumps. Once it has started to thicken turn the heat down to low. Stone ground grits can take 30 to 45 minutes to cook and require regular stirring. The traditional way of gauging if the grits are is done is when they come away from the side of the pan when stirring but you can also taste it to ensure it is cooked through and has a soft consistency.

Once the grits are ready, finishing and assembling the dish is pretty straightforward. Add the butter to the grits to add richness and glossiness. Stir in the Stilton and then add the kale and stir together. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If desired, finish with some extra Stilton on top.

Georgia Olive Oil Fettunta

Think of rich green extra virgin olive oil and most people’s minds will think of Italy, Spain or Greece, who between them produce over 90% of the world’s olive oil.

On this side of the pond people may mention California, where olives have been grown since the 18th century. The Californian olive oil industry declined for many decades until a resurgence in the last 20 years or so as more people began to appreciate the taste and benefits of olive oil.

Fettunta from britinthesouth.comOlives were also being grown in Georgia in the 18th century, as English settlers found them when they arrived in the 1730s, according to this history of olive growing in the state. It is believed that Spanish colonists may have planted them two centuries earlier.

Production dwindled in the 19th century thanks to a combination of factors including the Civil War and land being given over to more lucrative cotton plants.

The last decade has seen olive growing and oil production in Georgia enjoy a renaissance, led by Georgia Olive Farms in southeastern Georgia.

I recently invested in a bottle of their extra virgin olive oil and was pleasantly surprised. This isn’t an oil to cook with but one to use to drizzle and dress to enjoy the taste.

One simple yet delicious way to use good olive oil is “fettunta”. Literally translated from Italian as an “oiled slice” it is one of those things where simple but good ingredients combine to produce something sublime.

It doesn’t really need a recipe: take some good bread, grill it, rub with a clove of garlic and then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Eat and enjoy.

Serviceberry Shrub Summer Cocktail

This year was a particularly good one for serviceberry foraging, with our harvest far larger than we’ve ever managed before. I made jelly, syrup, started off a batch of liqueur and made serviceberry shrub, and I still have a couple of bags stashed away in the freezer to play with at a later date.

Serviceberry Shrub Summer Cocktail from britinthesouth.comI’m a big fan of shrubs, or drinking vinegars, loving the blend of fruity sweetness and the tartness from the vinegar. I usually drink them diluted with sparkling water but this weekend I felt the urge to do some cocktail experimentation with my serviceberry shrub.

I was perfectly willing and quite prepared to try any number of concoctions to find something I liked but as luck would have it, my very first attempt resulted in a drink that was delicious, refreshing and well balanced. I would describe it as “dangerously drinkable”, so enjoy in moderation.

I may come back and tweak the recipe but as it stands I can see myself enjoying a few of these during the hot days of summer.

Serviceberry Shrub Summer Cocktail

2oz Serviceberry Shrub

1oz bourbon

4oz ginger ale

Pour the shrub and the bourbon over ice in a short tumbler. Add the ginger ale and enjoy.

 

Baked Cheddar with Herbs

This recipe was the result of wanting a relatively quick and easy dish in the evening after a long and busy day, but still wanting something satisfying and delicious.

Baked Cheddar with Herbs from britinthesouth.comIt’s hard to go wrong with any dish involving melted cheese, and this one comes together quickly with just a few ingredients requiring little in the way of prep.

It would be great served with crusty bread but I went in a low carb direction by serving it with lightly steamed, tender stalks of broccolini.

Baked Cheddar with Herbs from britinthesouth.com

Baked Cheddar With Herbs

12oz grated aged cheddar cheese

1tsp chopped thyme leaves

1 tsp chopped sage leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

Heat your oven to 350F.

Pour the oil into a ovenproof baking dish.

Add the grated cheese. and then sprinkle the herbs on top.

Put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey.

Season with black pepper and serve immediately.

Baked Cheddar with Herbs from britinthesouth.com

Pimento Cheese with a British Twist

Before I moved to Georgia I had never encountered the delights of pimento cheese. I can’t remember when I first tried it but soon noticed that it was ubiquitous in this part of the world, as likely to be found in a sandwich or an a burger at a dive bar as served with fancy crackers at an upmarket restaurant.

Pimento Cheese with a British Twist from britinthesouth.comThe history of pimento cheese is a fascinating story. Although it seems to be a distinctly Southern staple, according to Serious Eats the origins of pimento cheese can be traced back to 19th century New York, and the first known recipe appeared in Good Housekeeping in 1908. Mass produced pimento cheese was popular nationwide prior to the second world war, with many of the pimentos grown in Georgia.

After the war its popularity declined in the rest of the country and as commercial brands disappeared from shelves, Southern cooks started making their own pimento cheese at home, thus starting the transition of this humble spread to iconic status. Now every famous Southern chef can boast a recipe and artisanal pimento cheese can be found at gourmet food stores and farmers markets.

Over the years, as I looked at different recipes for it and had a go at making my own I realised that despite its apparent simplicity it is one of those foods for which everyone you ask has a different recipe and strong opinions on how it is made and what should go in it. Some recipes include cream cheese but many don’t. The thorny question of which mayonnaise to use: Duke’s, Hellman’s or homemade? Should you buy pimentos in a jar or roast your own peppers? What should you add if you want to turn up the spiciness: hot sauce, cayenne, mustard, Worcester sauce, paprika?

Pimento Cheese with a British Twist from britinthesouth.comAfter much trial and error I have landed upon a version that pays a nod to my homeland using aged English cheddar as well as English mustard powder. The aged cheddar gives it good depth while the seasonings give it a delicious but not overpowering hit of peppery warmth. Try it on crackers, in a sandwich or as a great topping for a burger or hotdog.

Pimento Cheese

0.5lb Aged English Cheddar

0.5 cup mayonnaise

1 red banana pepper (or a red bell pepper)

0.5 tsp mustard powder

0.5 tsp hot sauce

0.5 tsp salt

Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the pepper with olive oil and place on a baking tray in the preheated oven.

Roast, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and the pepper is tender. This is about 20-25 minutes for a banana pepper. A larger bell pepper might take a little longer.

Pimento Cheese with a British Twist from britinthesouth.comWhen the pepper is cool, peel it, scrape out the seeds and membranes and chop finely.

Grate the cheddar on the big holes of a box grater.

Put the chopped pepper and cheese in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and stir well until thoroughly combined.

CSA Cooking: Collard Green and Kale Stalk Pesto

I’m a big believer in avoiding food waste, so try to use every last bit of the goodies in my CSA box as I possibly can.

CSA Cooking: Collard Green and Kale Stalk Pesto from britinthesouth.comSo when I am faced with a big bunch of greens, I am keen to make use of the chunky, unpromising stalks, even though many recipes instruct me to discard the stems, especially when collards are concerned.

I’ll often use them to make vegetable stock. I start with some chopped onions, gently sauteed in a mix of olive oil and butter, then add the chopped stalks along with a diced potato if I have one, saute for a few minutes and then add water and season with salt and pepper. I usually just bring it to a boil and then turn it off to avoid overcooking. The result is a clean, golden vegetable stock that is perfect for soups and risottos.

Another use for those stalks is this delicious recipe from the wonderful book “An Everlasting Meal, Cooking with Economy and Grace” by Tamar Adler. This is not a recipe book as such but more of a personal manifesto on practical cooking and eating well, even with humble ingredients. The recipes it does contain are typically simple yet delicious, and a recurring theme is avoiding waste, so it has many ideas for using the leaves, stems and bones that might otherwise end up in the trash.

CSA Cooking: Collard Green and Kale Stalk Pesto from britinthesouth.comThis is a versatile recipe, making use of the chopped up leaves, cores and stalks of green vegetables such as collards or kale, broccoli, chard or cabbage. The vegetable pieces are simply simmered in a mix of water and olive oil seasoned with salt and garlic. Once tender you can lightly mash or puree the veg mix and you have a rich, oily, garlicky pesto that is great with pasta and also works really well as a bruschetta topping or served beside a piece of fish.

Collard Green and Kale Stalk Pesto

Adapted from “An Everlasting Meal, Cooking with Economy and Grace” by Tamar Adler

2 cups chopped collard green and kale stalks (chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)

3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

0.5 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Put the chopped vegetables into a saucepan along with the garlic, olive oil and salt.

CSA Cooking: Collard Green and Kale Stalk Pesto from britinthesouth.comAdd enough water to cover everything, then bring to a simmer over medium heat and leave to cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. This can take a little while, sometimes up to 40 – 45 minutes, or even longer if you have particularly tough stalks.

You can leave it to gently bubble away just checking it regularly to give it a stir and check it isn’t burning or catching on the pan. If it is just add a little more water.

Once the vegetables are cooked put everything in a food processor and briefly whizz to produce a rough textured pesto.