The Elms, Suffolk

Today we had the pleasure of entertaining really dear friends. Paul, Sue & Carol. We have visited Paul & Sue in Shalford once during the lockdown, and also visited Carol in Aldeburgh.  Both for luncheon We were more than happy to return the favour and although it was a little breezy in the garden we ate on our decking area which is somewhat sheltered Sue, Paul & Carol  Appetiser: We had a little dinner earlier in the week with Simon and Carol, and Rigsby their miniature schnauzer, who is one of Hobo's little playmates.  We kept some of that dinner back to serve as a little hors d'oeuvres Ma'akouda Batata - Moroccan Street Potatoes.  Similar to a rosti or beignet.  Grated cooked potato, seasoned with onion, garlic, coriander, cumin and saffron, then fried till crispy Warm Moroccan Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts Luncheon: Hot Smoked Salmon.  Toasted Scallop, Fennel, Celery Salad with Warm Butter Lemon Dressing wit...

Sad news today, after 5 years of fighting various illnesses and problems, our dear friend Roy Cox passed away Roy was always a welcome guest at our house and our parties.  He even made it to Italy for our wedding Roy, you will be sorely missed Steve & Maggie

Pizza Night We have been trying to get meet up with Kevin again for some time.  He is a local farmer in Worlingworth and managed to meet him before harvest starts this year in earnest Kevin is a friend of Ben & Amie and we decided to have another pizza evening.  I am now seriously considering adding to the pizza oven with the latest Ooni oven. An Ooni Karu It was one of those English evenings that you could actually sit outside until late.  I think that in most years we get 3 to 5 of those nights.  We try to do more, but either the wind picks up, cloud comes in or of course, it is completely washed out. Too busy to take pictures of pizza but Maggies Lemon Curd Pavlova raised some smiles Lemon Curd & Cherry Pavlova Outdoor Kitchen in full swing

A few of our international readers were bemused by our knotted handkerchief comments and images from the last post If you are of a certain age you will remember day trips or holidays to the seaside, where this was a common site, depicted in Postcards from the era.  Monty Python also had recurring characters called Gumbies   Gumbies by Monty Python

A very British Seaside Lunch Appetiser: Prawn Cocktail, Sauce Marie Rose Dinner:  Cod or Haddock, Triple Cooked Chips, Mushy Peas, Bread & Butter Dessert:  Knickerbocker Glory, Mead Poached Nectarines & Syrup, Raspberries and Blueberries Knotted Handkerchief In the Sunshine We have been planning today's lunch for a couple of weeks and hoping the weather would be good. Originally lunch was planned for Wednesday the 8th and then changed to Saturday the 11th because of the weather. Sunday looked better and so we switched.  It would be so good if we could have reliable summers.  Just to be able to leave garden furniture in place would be a blessing We still plan on only entertaining outside and will do so for as long as we can. Today we had our local cohort of good friends, Andrew & Alison and Steve & Marion We asked everyone to bring a handkerchief for the occasion and you can see why. We drew the line at asking everyone to wear a ve...

Breakfast: Scrambled Egg, Toast, Bacon Lunch: Beef & Mustard Sandwiches Dinner: Cheeseburgers, Sweetcorn, Baked Potato Dessert: Raspberries, Clotted Cream, Meringue A really windy day, more sun than expected, but amazing to see how Maggie's hard work is paying off.  Here are a few photographs, including our first little harvest.  Samples really of what is to come Testing the Harvest Runner Beans & Flowers The Rose Garden Vegetable Beds The Arches So.,.. after  104 days (15 weeks) we have decided that the lockdown blog is over.  We have enjoyed writing every day and showing how we have eaten, shared some recipes and how we planned and thought about food, probably too much.  We will still post to the blog when we cook something new or special, and perhaps when we entertain.  If you are a subscriber to the blog or you follow on Facebook you will get those notifications. The original idea of the blog was to do exactly ...

Brunch: English Breakfast (Egg, Bacon, Black Pudding) Lunch: Cheese & Tomato/Onion Sandwich Dinner: Xinjiang Lamb Skewers, Garlic Potatoes, Garlic & Lemon Courgettes A lazy day really, we did potter in the garden a little, but the weather is typical July for the UK, CRAP! Xinjiang Lamb Grilled Courgettes Dinner: Lovely courgettes from Terry yesterday.  Thick slices, in a little oil, garlic and lemon zest then on the bbq so they are charred on the outside and soft like marshmallow on the inside.  Looking forward to ours in a week or so direct from the garden.  Maggie has done well with most of her vegetables this year Xinjiang Lamb, leftover from our dinner yesterday. Thinly sliced and skewered, a little oil, sprinkled with salt, ground and whole cumin, ground Szechuan pepper and grilled over very hot coals, turning until crispy

Breakfast: Cereal & Muesli Lunch: Mortadella & Salami Appetiser: Madagascan Tiger Prawns in Garlic Oil, Malted Brown Bread & Garlic Butter Dinner: Butterflied Leg of Lamb, Roasted Fennel with Cheese, Garlic Courgettes, Suffolk New Potatoes Dessert: Apple Cake & Custard Trisha & Terry Prawns on the barbie Dinner: We had a long-standing reservation for dinner with Trisha & Terry.  Nearly had to cancel this morning as the weather has turned (again). As it turned out we managed to get most of the way through dinner before it started to drizzle.  Good to catch up after such a long time We found the prawns at Morrisons, works out to about £2.50 for 3 prawns. They turned out really well.  Trimmed, deveined, and skewered then sprinkled with plenty of sea salt for about 30 minutes before cooking so that the salt penetrates through the shell.  A quick brush with olive oil with grated garlic added and then 2 minutes per side on a really h...

Breakfast: Coffee Dinner: Moules for Maggie / Rib Eye & Garlic Mushrooms Steak Sandwich Maggie visited Ingrid today to see her new garden and breakfast just didn't seem to happen RibEye Mussels I had a lunchtime trip to Kingfishers Cretingham Golf Club which has just reopened. Serving only snacks and drinks.  They have worked hard on the golf course reducing it from 18 to 9 holes and whilst I was doubtful I think it may work.  It does not feel like a 9 hole but there is something about a full round of 18 holes. We shall see. It is so convenient for us it is easy to go there for just an hour or so and get some golf in Dinner: We tried a vacuum pack of Mussels as we were feeling a bit lazy. Will not be repeated. Mussels are so easy to prepare I don't know why we bothered.  The ribeye was good

DAY 100!!! Breakfast: Boiled Egg & Toast Soldiers Lunch: Wild Mushroom Pate Dinner: Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas with Alan Dinner: We had Alan visit today.  The first time we have seen him since lockdown.  Really nice to see him and catch up.  Cod and Chips, although I thought we had a piece of hake in the freezer however it turned out to be Turbot.  Far too good a fish to fry in batter, but it was still good Interesting that we seem to have similar conversations with our friends and visitors, and all of us seem to think it is too early, even though we all seem to be taking advantage of the relaxing of the lockdown in a small way and there seems to be a general lack of caution from others when you do go out

Breakfast: Cereal & Muesli Lunch: Southern Fried Chicken, French Fries, Apple Coleslaw Dessert: Popcorn Ice Cream Cornets, Apple Cake Supper: Leftover Tartiflette Southern Fried Chicken Apple Cake (Maggie's Delights) Lunch: Even though the weather was a bit on the 'British Summer' side we had Lynn, Millie visit with Mason, Noah & Willow for a day in the garden and lunch Kids love Fried Chicken. Well some children are not too keen on Fried Chicken which is not skinless.  Who knew? Millie's Wigwam Lunch in the woods Milky Mouse & Mason Mushrooms for Lunch The ice cream had chocolate sauce added. And Maggie made here Apple Cake, lovely light and buttery Willow Noah Mason