I have been asked how to make the Poachers Sandwich so I will give you my version. First of all buy a really nice quality loaf, here in Newbury we have a fantastic bread stall at the market and you can try any sort you like but it is good to have a bit of […]
Sunday lunch – chinese for my number one boy
I went to the Dewpond in Burghclere on Friday for a wonderful meal that raised money for West Berkshire Mencap. What happens is that we pre-order, get the most wonderful food, great company, organised by the most pro=active president we have ever had and generally have a great time that also raises money for the […]
Raymond Blanc – how wonderful is he and how lucky am I
I honestly don’t know what to say about this experience except that experience is a word I need to use a lot to describe it. Raymond Blanc is so wonderfully enthusiastic and passionate and seriously, if I could live in a corner of his room I would. This isn’t just about the food, he cares […]
New menu at White Hart Hamstead Marshall – a winner
Oh I am such a lucky person. I was invited by The White Hart to test their new menu and what a wonderful menu it was. The photos are above. The starters were new season English asparagus with a poached egg and Serrano ham with micro herbs. We nearly came to blows over whether the […]
The Rising Sun in Stockcross
I happened to win a free meal here which was very generously donated to West Berkshire Mencaps Zumbathon as a raffle prize. I agreed to do this Zumbathon which was a herculean piece of enormous effort because I naively thought it was something to do with dance. Actually it was stonkingly hard exercise that everyone […]
Bladebone again
I have found myself a wonderful new eating partner, Alex who helps organise the Chapel Row Fayre which is supporting West Berkshire Mencap this year. She doesn’t raise an eyebrow when I order a main sharing platter as a starter, we always have pre starters and she offers tastes. Also she has the cutest most […]
Mezze Palace Bristol – comfort food
When ever I look for a good feed I tend to look for comfort food. I was brought up in Aden, Yemen, I had the most fabulous feral childhood but pay for it now at every airport when they look at my passport. I know custom officers intimately in many countries. Sooo…… Rachel and I […]
San Carlos, Bristol
I was in Bristol on Sunday getting ready for an awayday on the Monday. This gave me the chance to meet up with my daughter Rachel who is studying for her Masters in journalism at uni (if studying also means staying up every night, eating and drinking well and generally jamming around having a good […]
Raymond Blanc
Beyond excited, have an interview at Le Manoir in a couple of weeks, oh yeah baby! Have also had an invite from the White Hart (see review below) to try their new menu, life cant get much better!
The Newbury Pub
What a joy to have such a fantastic pub slap bang in the middle of Newbury. I am so used to going out to the Bladebone or the White Hart and yet we have another really interesting pub in Newbury Town Centre. This pub has been taken over by a very enthusiastic and hard working […]
Poachers sandwich or squished by my arse
This is a really lush sandwich which I first made many years ago. It requires a good loaf, I chose a cheese tiger bread, which I hollowed out slightly. I then cooked rump steak medium rare (if it had been for me it would have been rare so more juices oozed into the bread but […]
Home made arabic chicken, jewelled rice and khobz
This was Sunday lunch today. I had already done a roast yesterday as a different offspring turned up, we have six between us, most have other halves and I am prepared to cook a meal for anything between one and 20 people. I love it. Luckily I am one of six children and often used […]
White Hart lunch
Oh yes, I was lucky enough to go to the White Hart today with one of my Trustees, a delightful person that I shall call Wendy (as that is her name). She joined the board of West Berkshire Mencap over 5 years ago and I think it is fair to say, as this is a […]
The Bladebone April 2013
Yay, the new menu is up and the lunch menu includes the pork scratchings with apple sauce, almost a meal in itself (if you are not me), whipped goats’ cheese with black olive, beetroot and balsamic. Also Pigeon with tobacco, watercress and spelt, foie gras with pistachio and granny smith and chicken liver parfait with […]
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Jean Christophe Novelli and Snowy
Today wasn’t meant to be such a foody day. Well not like I didn’t plan to eat, I am not completely insane, but I wasn’t intending to do a food piece. Today was the day of the garden and dog show. These aren’t things I normally enjoy, not least because we have a West Highland […]
The Vineyard at Stockcross
I am one happy blogger. Very kindly the wonderful chef Daniel Galmiche agreed to be interviewed for my radio programme, Leila’s Local Larder on Kennet Radio (on the internet). What I am discovering is that the very good chefs, those who have a special talent and quality, are ,without exception, incredibly passionate about their food […]
Beer or meat
I have just eaten the most delicious belly pork from Two Cocks Brewery. The title of this farm rather hides the fact that it also produces meat, currently pork and lamb with Dexter beef to come (if they can ever bear to share it). I have eaten the lamb and the pork and can tell […]
Thank you White Hart
Oh what a delicious delight. My mother was in Kintbury doing some holy thing with monks and we rescued her to take her for a decent meal near by. The White Hart in Hampstead Marshall is just superb. It is fast becoming my favourite work pub in that is very near my work, West Berkshire […]