Bye, Bye 2010. Hello 2011.

We cooked a lovely candlelit three course meal to celebrate. For starters I braved raw oysters, which actually were amazing, they weren't slimy or fishy at all. We then followed that with pan fried pheasant with buttered carrots, brussel sprouts with bacon and roasted new potatoes. We finished off with a Waitrose plum tart and clotted cream, the tart was nice but most things struggle not to be eclipsed by clotted cream.

I can also highly recommend Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Brut, all their wines are great, so this made a great alternative to Champagne.

Happy Cheesemas!

Anybody who knows me well, knows I love cheese and the festive period is the perfect excuse to get involved with the smelly stuff. My Auntie Sue puts on a particular great selection with the help of Marks and Spencers and my nan's homemade redcurrent jelly.

The Kirkwood Christmas

For over 40 years my Mum has cooked Christmas dinner for the family. This year was only the second time ever she hasn't cooked. We try and forget about the first time (it was a disastrous trip to a local hotel restaurant) but we hoped the second time would be more successful and it didn't disappoint.

So we all descended on my Sister's and Brother-in-Law's house to consume a lovely dinner. They had laid on a Game Terrine followed by Turkey with 'all the trimmings'. We then finished it off with some of my Mum's now legendary homemade Christmas Pudding.

My job was to sort out the table decorations. I went for a traditional, homely theme of red, green and white which hints of naturals browns which complimented my Sister's kitchen.

With exception of the chargers and the napkins, I made everything from scratch (although my Mum made the table cloth and I just decorated the party poppers). The crackers we so easy to do and the votives were just drinking glassses covered in ribbons. It really got me in the festive mood and I did it all whilst listening (and singing along) to Ray Davies - Imaginary Man on BBC1.

As the next picture proved that dinner was a roaring success...

Family Christmas Dinner

Oh, it was good! I better start exercising it off now it is January!

Reinvention of the Mince Pie

After watching Jamie and Gennaro making these mince pie's on 'Jamie'e Best Ever Christmas' my Sister gave them a go. I LOVE mince pies but I would say these are nicer.

Because the mincemeat is rolled within a puff pastry to make a sausage roll you get a little bit of each in every mouthful.

Then the slices of mine meat and puff pastry are placed in filo 'cups' which give you a nice crunch.

If you fancy giving it a go then you can find out everything you need to know here.

The Boundry

One of the perks of my job is smooshing the clients during the festive period and getting to go to restaurants that can be a bit extravagant for me for free! Last night we went to The Boundry - Terence Conran's latest venture in Shoreditch.

I took some picture on my phone which do not do the food justice! I had foie gras which was rich and creamy, followed by herb crusted lamb which by the far one of the tastiest meats I have ever eaten! Then I finished off with cheese.

The decor was lovely and the service attentive. The cocktails were great too, I was loving the golden rum and orange based Cuban Winter. I would love to go back but it might have to be to the cafe attached called the Albion that is far more reasonably priced when I am paying!

Pre-Christmas Dinner

I know I have been a bit quiet for a week or two on the blog but I am going to blame all the snow we had over the festive period.... oh and the fact I have been too busy eating and drinking!

Before Christmas we decided to have a friends pre-Christmas 'full trimmings but pork Christmas' dinner. On the day we all woke to a winter wonderland which nearly scuppered our plans! But through tube delays, a foot or two of snow and buses not turning up we all made it.

My friends Hayley and Chris hosted and we all brought a different course, see the earlier pate post!

The table was beautifully laid 'a la Hayley' and we started with mulled wine, a snowball fight, snowman (and snowrabbit) making. We then got stuck into the chicken and orange pate, followed by the best butternut squash soup I have ever made. We broke up the first starter and main course with some champagne and secret santa pressies! Chris then did us proud with dinner serving five different cuts of pig! Followed by Debbie's yummy pudding selection and Louise brought the cheese. We played Kranium and the boys cheated making it feel like a perfect Christmas day!

Canteen Cookies

After my earlier success with this book I attempted the Sour Cherry, White Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies. I didn't have the hazelnuts :-) so I substituted them for ground almonds (which I love). I think they helped make them even gooier and delicious. I'll definitely be making them again as they were so easy and everyone seemed to love them.

Hangover cure - The Scottie's Sausage Sandwich

After a very drunken Christmas party last night the only thing to sort out the hangover is a sausage sandwich from a family-run Italian cafe around the corner from my work called Scottie's.

Apparently their busiest day is always the day after our work Christmas party as everyone stops off on the way into work to help make the day more bearable!

Christmas Pate

So we are having a friends pre-Christmas Christmas dinner at the weekend, everyone is bringing a different course and I have the starter so decided to make a Chicken liver pate with orange, thyme and sherry. The recipe is from the Waitrose website.

I will also be making a butternut squash soup for the second course, pictures of the day will follow!

Jamie's Italian...

...has made it to Brum and the olives are still as good as I remembered.

Sweet Treats

It was Mat's Mom's birthday a few weeks ago so I made some sweet based presents. Below are the marshmallow cupcakes, you bake the marshmallows in the batter and the topping is melted marshmallows, cream and white chocolate.

And here are the lime and ginger kisses, they are sandwiches of small round gingerbread biscuits with a lime butter as the filling - really refreshing and addictive!

Pho - Soho

Last night I went to one of my favourite reasonably priced restaurants, a vietnamese called Pho. We usually go to the Clerkenwell branch near where I work but tried the one in Soho as it was central for everyone. I forgot to take picture (as I was busy drinking wine!) but everything is so yummy from the delicious crepes for starters to the lemongrass beef bun noodles.

I agree...

Image via www.ffffound.com

I ♥ Mince Pies

So far Co-op Luxury Mince Pies are the winners of 'Best Mince Pie of 2010' but I think these homemade ones may beat them. Sean on pastry duty, and me on filling and baking.

Let the Festive Feasting Commence

It's only three weeks until so My Sister's 'Christmas Pudding Cupcakes' marks the start of the festive feasting. Hopefully will make another appearance before Christmas Day :-)

Foody TYPEfaces

Cool food related type I've discovered today...

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Image via ffffound

Image via www.marksimonson.com

Image via www.thedieline.com

Image via www.thedieline.com

Image via www.thedieline.com

Image via www.designworklife.com

Emily Gets Grilled....

Biggest food loves?

Anything almond flavoured, vinegar (weird I know but I LOVE it, makes my mouth water just thinking about it) and berries.

Biggest food loathings?

Sweetcorn and Peanuts, yuk, yuk yuk!

Best meal you cook?

I'm good at one pot dinners like Spicy Bean Stew (tastes nicer than it sounds) and I make a mean Spaghetti Bolognese.

 
The kitchen gadget you couldn't live without?

My Garlic Zoom. It's the best gadget I've ever brought, chops the garlic small and is easy to wash up. 

Image via www.firebox.com

Best childhood food memory?

My Nan's salads, admittedly not the most likely food for a kid to love, but she used to make them look like faces. I spent many a happy afternoon making them with her, wish I'd taken a photo :-(

Describe the most amazing meal you've ever eaten?

It was a 7 course Valentines Day meal at Rookery Hall Hotel in Cheshire. It was a set menu so I wasn't given the option of wimping out of anything I may not like. The setting was just beautiful and we were made to feel like VIP's. The second course sticks in my mind as it was a pickled oyster, it was the first time I'd ever eaten an oyster and as I've never been a fish lover and was blown away with how amazing it tasted. There is no way on earth I would have picked it given the choice and it definitely taught me to be more adventitious with food. Without this meal I would never have tried poached Osyters at The Seattle hotel in Brighton, which were another revelation. Just need to brave trying a raw one now!

Rookery Hall Hotel and Spa

Hotel Seattle, Brighton

 
Favourite TV chef?

Glynn Purnell, proud of his routes and experimental with his food without being pretentious.

Image via www.purnellsrestaurant.com

Favourite regularly visited affordable restaurant?

It was 1709 in Lichfield, as it's extremely good value, oh and it was also the place this blog was conceived. But in recent times I've had one too many disappointing trips. So as of 2011 I've come back to update this post to say it's Bodega in Birmingham. It's a South America restaurant with a great vibe and yummy food. It's brilliant value and I can never eat everything I order. If you've not been and you live local then you should definitely go!

The restaurant you'd love to visit?

Noma

Image via www.travelinggreener.com