Hart & Fuggle @ The Secret Larder

  

My lovely alice and I spent an evening at the helm of the Secret Larder, a very sophisticated supper club in Holloway. James Ramsden, who we owe for many a helped hand, was on call tending to split sauces and pouring glasses of white in support of his guest chefs.

The menu was penned in chalk and spring flowers suggested our English garden theme. 

Twenty mouths fed and no trout bones stuck on the way down. I that alone is cause for celebration.

  

Alice, Bompas & Parr

My weekend was spend filling iodine test tubes and baking pies for the latest Bompas & Parr extravaganza. The grounds of Elsing Hall in Norfolk were transformed into a enchanting performance of Alice in Wonderland complete with a Victorian feast, real life Alice's & of course, the Queen of Hearts.

Brithday breakfast on the beach

Birthday. Boston Baked Beans. Beach. Beautiful.

TREACLE BAKED BEANS

Serves 8

500g dried white beans or cannellini beans, rinsed

1 large onion, cut in half

2 bay leaves

125ml maple syrup

125g brown sugar

1 tbsp black treacle

½ tbsp chilli flakes

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp Worceshire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200g bacon lardons

1/ First you prepare your beans. Put the beans, onion, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large 2 litre pot and cover with 1.5 litres of cold water. Simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans but keep 600ml of the cooking water.  Remove and discard the halved onion and bay leaves.

2/ In the now empty pot add the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, chilli flakes, salt and worcestshire sauce and Dijon mustard and 600ml of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, over a medium heat for a few minutes until the sauce has come together.

3/ Add the beans to the sauce along with the bacon lardons.  Leave to cook on a low heat over night or for 6-8 hours until the beans are melt in your mouth like butter and the sauce has become deliciously syrupy.  Stir as often as you feel like. 

 

Afternoon tea @ Victoria Falls

Think 180m of breathtaking waterfall. Consider a mile of sheet water plunging into the Zambezi river. Now imagine eating cake whist watching the water flow - surely this must be the best afternoon tea in the world?  

It's been a good week.