Louise's Kitchen ... & other rooms

Goodbye Louise's Kitchen, Hello Buttercup Days

2011-02-19T23:49:00.000-08:00

It has been a stupidly long time since I last did any posting on Louise's Kitchen. I'm very much still cooking, but with my youngest now a toddler rather than a baby, I found it hard to devote the time needed to run a cookery blog. The cooking and baking is fine, but it is the photographing along the way that demands too much time and focus.

However, not one to be idle, I have a new venture and blog, Buttercup Days. It's a blog that documents all that makes me tick in the time of life I now find myself in. It’s about parenting and about self. It’s about my love for nostalgia, occasion, beautiful things and more (including the odd but of cookery).

So I hope that any fans of Louise's Kitchen will now follow me n Buttercup Days - I look forward to seeing you there.

http://buttercupdaysuk.blogspot.com/

Louise x

Baby Shower Cupcakes

2010-08-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

It's been over a month since I last posted anything on my blog - very poor! Time is just so hard to come by, especially now it is the school summer holidays. Anyhow, I eventually got around to loading all my recent photo's from my camera and onto the computer, and thought I'd share some images of some cupcakes I made last month for a baby shower party. They were for mum-to-be Laura, who was one of the lovely ladies at See-Saw playschool where Lily used to go. She is expecting a little girl, who has already been named 'Elsie',hence the 'E' on the cherry topped cupcakes. I wanted to make the cakes, girly, pretty and sophisticated, so used fruit, pistachio nuts, freeze-dried rose petals and crystallised violets and roses as decorations. Feedback was that they were greeted with as much 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' as a bonnie new born baby.

Pretty as a picture

2010-06-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

June has been a busy month so far, and the blog posts are a little fewer and further between than I would like, but such is life. I'm pleased to say that I have received a few cake orders for the coming weeks, so I am busy baking and adorning my cakes with summery decorations. First off was a Courgette and Walnut Cake. The timing was excellent as it killed two birds with one stone. I needed to donate a cake for Lily's school Summer Fair this weekend just gone, and I also needed to bake a cake for photography, so this little beauty did both!

A new magazine called Edible is launching in early Autumn. It is a local publication for Brighton and Hove and will cover everything food related; from restaurant reviews and recipes to seasonal features and foodie event listings. I'm as pleased as punch to say that Louise's Kitchen will be featuring in the launch issue. To run alongside the piece, Edible's lovely photographer Emma Gutteridge (www.emmagphoto.com.)popped by on Friday to take some photographs of my Courgette & Walnut Cake. It's the first time I have ever had professional pictures taken of my work and I can't believe what a difference it makes when you have someone who knows one end of a camera from the other! I am so pleased with the pictures, they are stunning ... straight out of a Nigel Slater book, even if I say so myself!

An Allotment Supper

2010-06-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

There has been much activity on our allotment lately. Earlier this year we decided to take on ‘Co-Workers’. This is allotment terms for the official and vetted persons who the plot holder shares their piece of land with. In real terms we now have an allotment family; Jodie, Jess, and their lovely children Misty (aged 5) and Sollie (aged 2). The plot seems to be enjoying the attention it now receives on a regular basis from us all.

It is a full plot of 10 rods, so with just myself, David and Lily trying to keep it going on our own it was likely to be an up hill struggle, particularly now Arthur is on the scene; an allotment isn’t the best place for a crawling 1 year old! Jodie, Jess, Misty and Sollie are the perfect allotment family … we only wish we had thought of this ‘veg plot marriage’ before. Four pairs of hands are certainly better than two, the kids keep each other entertained for hours and it means we get to spend extra time with our dear friends – a win win situation!

With the weather getting warmer and the lighter evening stretching out the day, it is great to plan a bit of early evening pottering down the plot at the end of a hard days work. It’s the perfect for of relaxation. Recently Jess and I spent an evening down the allotment before going round to a friend’s house for a few glasses of wine and girlie chat.

With no time for dinner, I made us a picnic tea to eat on the plot – Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Kale Tart with a simple salad and granary rolls. The tart started off as a Jamie Oliver recipe, but I changed and altered it to make it fit the ingredients I had to hand … and it tastes all the better when eaten outdoors with slightly muddy fingers!

Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Kale Tart

Ingredients

1 block of frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted
A knob of butter
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
350g of spinach / kale (you could also use chard), washed, thick stems removed
a few sprigs of fresh thyme (marjoram or oregano would also work well)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
500g creme fraiche
150g grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating
3 eggs
200g smoked salmon, cut into small strips

1. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is about 0.5 cm thick and big enough to line a shallow baking tray about 30 x 40cm. Grease the tray with butter and line it with the pastry. Trim any excess pastry off, leaving a 1cm overhang. Pinch this overhang dough up to create a rim. Prick the pastry case all over with a fork and chill in the fridge for 30mins.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F / Gas 5. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and place it in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 mins until lightly golden.

3. Next add a glug off olive oil to a frying pan and gently fry the onions on a low heat for approx 10mins until they are soft and sweet. Turn up the heat and add the garlic, the spinach and kale and most of the thyme. Season lightly and give it a good stir. As soon as the leaves have wilted take the pan off the heat.

4. To make the filling mixture, put the creme fraiche into a bowl, stir in the parmesan, eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper, mix together and set aside.

5. Spread the spinach mixture over your pastry case followed by the smoked salmon. The spoon over the filling mixture evenly over the top, smoothing it out with the back of the spoon. Grate over a generous helping of parmesan and sprinkle over the remaining thyme. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for approx 15 to 20 mins, or until the top is golden and bubbling and the filling has set. Delicious hot or cold.

Arthur's Picnic in the Park

2010-05-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated Arthur's 1st Birthday with a Picnic in the Park for close family and our Brighton & Hove friends. What was intended to be a small gathering ended up with over 40 people aged from under a year to over 70! We had the most beautiful day - it was so hot, so lucky we took a gazebo and plenty of sun lotion.

At Hove Park we scattered picnic rugs on the grass and treated our guests to a picnic of 'summer fayre'. I made an array of sandwiches including Salmon and Watercress Mayonnaise, Smashed Peas and Mint with Mozzarella & Vegi Sausage with Gherkins, Mustard and Crunchy Lettuce. I also made a giant English Salad and provided a simple Cheese Board with homemade Chutney.

Of course, no picnic is complete without cakes and sweet treats. So once the trays of sandwiches became just crumbs, out came the cakes. A classic Chocolate Birthday Cake as the centre-piece, an Orange & Almond Cake (a fab recipe from Rosie's Deli that I will make for life!), a Lemon-Ginger Cake drizzled with white chocolate and decorated with smashed crystallised violets, a Chocolate-Raspberry Cake, a Courgette Cake and a Trifle - Allotment Rhubarb, Apple and Ginger.

Needless to say, the cakes went down well. As with many hosting / catering situations it becomes a lot of work and the time passes like lightening. Hence I didn't have time to take any decent images - such a missed opportunity with all those cakes! I did however manage to take a snap shot of each before I cut into them, the results of which are attached.

All in all a lovely memorable day, exhausting but thoroughly worth it. Happy Birthday Arthur - love you loads!

A cake for Aunty Celia and her best friend Pat ...

2010-05-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

As many regular readers will know, I love nothing better than an excuse to bake a cake. One such opportunity presented itself to me recently with a visit from Lily and Arthur’s Great Aunty Celia and her best friend Pat. These two lovely ladies adore Lily and Arthur and often make a trip down to the coast to see them, either with the WI [a slight detour when on the annual Brighton trip], or as on this occasion, they make their own way down from West London on the train. They always arrive, without fail, with [far too much] chocolate for the children, and I, without fail, bake a cake.

Now Great Aunty Celia is rather traditional in her ways when it comes to food. She won’t really dabble in anything from outside this islands shores – so you have to really think traditional English fare that hasn’t been tampered with in any way to give it a modern contemporary twist… so I accept that restraint is called for.

A classic recipe that ceases to fail is a must, something with an air of afternoon tea and village fetes perhaps? Then it just has to be a Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake. This is a recipe, I have made on so many occasions that I have lost count, is from the wonderful baking bible ‘How To Be A Domestic Goddess’ by Nigella Lawson. There is no excusing that it is a plain looking cake, but this buttery sponge, moist with citrus, just melts in your mouth …. heavenly!

I am pleased to report that both Great Aunty Celia and Pat gave the cake exceedingly good merit. From two life-long members of the WI, I’ll accept that as a shining complement!

Louise x

LEMON-SYRUP LOAF CAKE
Serves 8 – 10

For the cake:

125g unsalted butter
175g caster sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
175g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 tbsp milk
450g loaf tin, buttered and lined

For the syrup:
juice of 1 and a half lemons [about 4 tbsps]
100g icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/GM 4, and butter and line your loaf tin well.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar, and add the eggs and lemon zest, beating them in well.

3. Add the flour and salt, folding in gently but thoroughly, and then the milk.

4. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and put in the oven. Bake for 45mins, or until golden, risen in the middle (although it will sink a little on cooling) and an inserted cake-tester comes out clean.

5. While the cake is cooking, get on with the syrup: put the lemon juice and sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves.

6. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, puncture the top of the loaf all over with the cake tester or suitable implement. Pour over the syrup, trying to let the middle adsorb it as well as the sides, then leave it to soak up the rest. Don’t try and take the cake out of the tin until it is completely cold, as it will be sodden with syrup and might crumble.

A case of 'baking' nerves

2010-05-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm finding myself responding to cake orders more and more these days. Great, just what I always wanted .... but I never anticipated the nerves of 'getting it right' - living up to peoples expectations. Today, I finished a last minute order for my friend Nicola's mother's birthday this weekend. The final look wasn't what I originally set out for, but despite my reservations, Nicola loved it .... in fact so much so that she has asked me to make her cake for her forthcoming wedding this summer! Note to self: Need to work on those 'baking' nerves!

Listen, do you want to know a secret ....

2010-05-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

If I could be anywhere this coming weekend it would be in Bath. Why you ask? Because the Secret Service Supper Club, will be there with their 'pop up' restaurant.

Yes, for this weekend only (May 8th/9th) the SSSC are taking residence in Bath for a Decadent High Tea and Lazy Spring Brunch. They'll be installed in a spectacular, historic building in central Bath, but exactly where, and what is going on in it, is their little secret. Those that book will find out 24 hours before (via email), the final secret will unveil when you arrive.

At high tea you will nibble on canapes and drink champagne cocktails. Your mouth will water as you cast your eyes along the banqueting table crammed full of dainty sandwiches and delightful tartlets. Your eyes will pop at sight of cake stands bursting with freshly baked scones and cream filled cakes.

At brunch you will drink champagne cocktails, no boring bucks fizz here, eat bagels stuffed with smoked salmon and capers, ciabatta topped with Parma ham and fig compote, home made maple and pecan granola, platters of local cheeses including an organic, unpasteurised double gloucester from the Wye Valley and plenty more.

All this will be served up on gorgeous vintage china from the lovely people at www.BristolVintage.co.uk Lahloo tea will be providing an exciting range of teas, including a Pink Rose Bud tea which the SSSC anticipate going very well with the lavender scones. Lahloo's tea's ( www.lahlootea.co.uk) are all loose leaf, fair trade, organic and from small producers.

Spring Brunch tickets for May 8th/9th @ 1030am, can be booked at: http://uk.brownpapertickets.com/event/109994
.
Decadent High Tea Tickets for May 8th/9th @ 3.30pm can be booked at: https://uk.brownpapertickets.com/event/110784

The SSSC are well known in Bristol for popping up in secret locations to give diners a unique, sociable and, most of all, delicious experience. As with all SSSC events, the focus is on locally sourced, seasonal and scrumptious food and creating a sociable, fun and unusual events, unlike anywhere else.

And remember.....Shhh! Dont tell anyone as its a secret!

Louise x

Happy May Day!

2010-04-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

English asparagus, jersey royal new potatoes, mint, salt marsh samphire and early summer cherries, picnics, evening's pottering in the garden or chilling out down the allotment, sunshine and flowers .... just some of the joys of May!

Happy May Day everyone. X

A Stack of Chocolate Brownies with flowers and butterflies

2010-04-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hot off the press .... Completed just five minutes ago, here is my latest creation. It is for a lovely little girl called Emilia who is going to be a very grown up '4' tomorrow. Her mum wanted a cake that tasted delicious and was easy to serve at the party and Emilia's wish was for a cake with flowers and butterflies. I'm delivering the cake this evening, so here's hoping it's fits the requirements of both mother and daughter.
Happy Birthday Emilia! X

The Birthday Party - Part II (The Cakes)

2010-04-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

With Lily's birthday falling mid-week and her party taking place on the weekend, it seemed this birthday called for two birthday cakes. The resulting cakes came about from my not wanting to bake two sponge cakes (we'd be eating it morning, noon and night for the following week!) and Lily request for a princess cake. Now for those who are familiar with my baking, you will know that I favour natural decorations of seasonal flowers, herbs and fruits. I certainly am not comfortable with an icing bag!

After much research on the web for a 'princess cake', decided to try my hand at a cake that is made up of a Barbie style doll with a 'cake' skirt. Despite looking quite complicated it wasn't too difficult. I used a basic vanilla sponge recipe and made a baked a sponge in a traditional sandwich cake tin. Then I made a dome shaped sponge by doubling the sponge recipe and baking it (for longer) in a oven proof pudding bowl of the same diameter to the cake tins.

When cooked and cooled I cut a hole for the doll to sit in using a circular cutter. Then I sliced the dome cake horizontally into three and then starting with the two sandwich tin sponges built up the skirt, sandwiching the layers together with a little strawberry jam. Once the skirt is assembled you wrap the doll's body in cling film and plunge her into her vanilla sponge skirt.

Depending on the height of your sponge skirt you might have to temporarily remove the dolls legs (you can prop her up on an egg cup or two if need be). Once you are happy with the positioning whip up a large bowl of butter icing coloured to your liking and cover the skirt. A good tip is top do what is called a 'crumb' layer first. To get a smooth finish on your crumb layer hold each end of a strip of paper between your thumb and forefinger and drag it up the skirt. Then pop the cake in the fridge for 20 mins to 'set' your icing. Then repeat with a top layer of icing and use a platte knife to create a draped fabric effect. Then use a piping bag to ice over the cling film wrapped torso and finally decorate to your hearts desire with sugar hearts and stars. I finished the cake off with two sparkler candles as wands in each hand.

The added bonus is that the birthday girl, get to keep the doll (fully clothed and with legs back in tact, I hasten to add!).

For Lily's actual birthday I decided to make a Birthday cake that would double up as a dessert to follow her requested 'pizza' dinner. Nanny and Grandad came for her birthday so there were four adults and two children - although this cake could have almost stretched to that number again.

This was my first ever Ice Cream Cake. It is a bit of a cheat and very simple to make. Using a loose bottom cake tin make a 'cheesecake' biscuit base using crushed biscuits such as digestives and melted butter. After greasing your tin press the biscuit base in the base of the tin and place it in the fridge for 20 mins or so to set and harden. Next you need two 500ml tubs of your favourite shop bought ice cream. I used a chocolate ice cream and a cookies n' cream ice cream. Take your first tub out of the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Decant it into a bowl and give it a bit of a mix with a wooden spoon. Spread the ice cream out over your biscuit base making sure it completely covers it. Level the top and cover with cling film, pressing it down into the to the tin so that it rests of the surface of the ice cream. Freeze until hard (overnight is ideal), then repeat the process with your second choice of ice cream. You could then leave your ice cream cake as is, but I decided to finish it off with a thin ganache layer (a melted chocolate and cream mix) which again I froze to set. Once ready to serve the cake needs to defrost a little. It's a bit trial and error, but 30 mins in the fridge should do it. Run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the tin to help ease the cake out on to a stand or plate. I then decorated mine with white chocolate sticks, fresh strawberries and blueberries and of course and candle!

Other Rooms & the Birthday Party

2010-04-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

Anyone who makes a regular visit to my blog may have noticed the slight change in the title of my blog. Previously just 'Louise's Kitchen' I have now extended the title to include '.... and other rooms'. My reason for that was so that I could, when the mood takes me, move out of the kitchen to share other 'doings' with you that share the common theme of 'homemade'.

I've always loved making things ... as a child I would avidly watch Blue Peter and try my hand at making the various craft projects with empty washing up bottles, wire coat hangers and double sided sticky tape. After a few false starts to my career (such as working for a bank), I got myself a place at Art College and studied Fashion Promotion for three years. I gained myself a good degree, but some how the 'creativeness' slipped away and although I've since worked in creative industries, I've worked with creatives rather than being creative myself ... my standards aren't professional enough by any means. But now, with this so called 'homemade revival', my rather cobbled together efforts have a place.

My creations do tend to stay close to home and make their appearances at those special occasions such as Christmas time and birthday's. My latest creative outburst was for Lily's birthday last month.

As a busy mum of two, my time is stretched at best. Any chance to relax is oh so rare, so why is it I regularly steer away from the ‘easy options’ in life. I wonder if it is a deep scar from years ago when my school reports were frequently summed up with quotes such as ‘ nice girl, could try harder’. Lily recently celebrated her 5th birthday. She was very keen to have a party so I decided to hold one. Despite the chaos of hosting a child’s party at home, I am holding out from having to hire an expensive and dreary hall for as long as I can. I set the guest limit [12 including Lily] and Lily set the theme [Princesses].

At this point most sane mothers would text those lucky enough to be worthy of one of the 12 places, or maybe pop into town to buy some party invitation – I’m sure Lily would have loved the Disney Princess invites I saw and turned a blind eye to. But I decided to hand make them. And I didn’t stop there I made the party bags too, plus giant tissue paper pom poms [Lily isn't keen on balloons]. I decorated the room with the Poms and then gave one each to the children to take home with them.

My starting point for both the invitations and the party bags was a letter writing set, some fabric scraps and an old magazine all from one of my favourite stores Cath Kidston. I felt that the nostalgic pretty prints lend themselves well for a 5 year old’s party of carefree fun, games, dancing and cake.

The invitations were great fun. A selection of pretty papers, glue, alphabet stamps and some crimping scissors were all that were needed. I then followed the pretty floral theme through to the party bags. I simply purchased some cheap Calico fabric which I cut using crimping scissor [resulting in no need to hem] into long rectangles. Then using my floral fabric [and for the two boys that attended the party, blue spot fabric], I cut small rectangular patches and sewed them on. Finally, I them folded them in half and using my sowing machine stitched up each side. Once filled with goodies I fasten them with ribbon.

For the contents, I stuck to a bit of a nostalgic theme – focusing on little bits and pieces with a nod to yesteryear. Sweet treats are a must for any party bag and with Lily’s birthday falling in the Easter season a foil covered chocolate egg is a must. Then I made up small bags of retro biscuits fastened with a pretty ribbon. For girls I did hair slides. I replaced the cards that they originally came on with pretty cards I made using a fabric print from a magazine as a backdrop. The boys had a toy car.

Then I bought some nasturtium flower seeds and divided them up into tiny brown envelopes, I wrote some simple instructions on the back and using some printed paper and the alphabet stamp decorated the front of the little pouches.

I've Arthur's (1st) birthday next month and I telling myself to stick to the basics. It's actually quite difficult, but at one a piece of chocolate cake is probably all he requires of a party. Well, we shall see .....

Brown Bread Ice-Cream

2010-04-16T02:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe is fantastic. If you balk at the idea of ‘brown bread’ ice cream, I urge you to give it a try … I promise you’ll be converted. The bread in question is made into breadcrumbs and toasted with brown sugar giving the ice-cream a deep fudgy caramel taste which is so moorish. The other great thing about this recipe is you need no special kit to make it, just a hand whisk and a lidded tupperware type box. Enjoy!

Louise x

Louise’s Brown Bread Ice-Cream

Ingredients
Serves 6.
85g/3oz brown breadcrumbs
85g/3oz soft dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, separated
Half a tablespoon of dark rum [optional]
300ml / Half a pint of double cream
85g/3oz sifted icing sugar

1. Mix the breadcrumbs with the brown sugar and pop under a moderate grill for 8 – 10 mins. You need to keep a watchful eye on this and stir it frequently. You want the breadcrumbs and sugar to caramelise, not burn. Once cool break up with a fork.

2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Mix the egg yolks with rum, if using, and fold into the egg white mixture.

3. Whisk the cream and icing sugar together in another bowl until floppy. Then fold this into your egg mixture along with the breadcrumbs.

4. Pour into a shallow freezer container and freeze for 4 hrs. When ready to serve, allow it to soften slightly before scooping out.

Roasted Pepper, Onion & Garlic Soup

2010-04-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of zero activity on the blog front, I am posting a couple of recipes for you from My Kitchen. Both were a result of needing to knock up a quick lunch that satisfied on every level. The weather was deceptively cold, but full of promise with bright sunshine. Hence a combo of a bowl of rich soup and a [smaller bowl] of ice cream was on the menu. Both of these recipes were made from what I had in the kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer. Often the best dishes are those that are cobbled together on a whim. Below is my recipe for the soup, tune in right after for my brown bread [yep you heard right] ice cream recipe!

Happy Cooking,

Louise x

Roasted Pepper, Garlic and Onion Soup

Ingredients
5 – 6 Pepper [red, yellow or orange]
Onion
3 – 4 Cloves of Garlic [adjust to your own taste]
Fresh Thyme [you can other herbs such as parsley, basil and sage or dried herbs if you don't have fresh to hand]
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
A splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
Olive Oil
Vegetable Stock

This really is a make-it-up-as-you-go-along recipe, so quantities and ingredients are but a rough guide – follow your instincts!

1. Preheat your oven to 200C. Remove the plinth and seeds from the peppers and chop into large pieces and place in a large roasting tray. Add to this a roughly chopped onion and 3 – 4 unpeeled garlic cloves. Add your herbs and then drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the vegetables.

2. Place this in the oven for 25 – 35 minutes. Check on your vegetables a few times whilst they are roasting, they will benefit from a gentle stir every now and then. You want to cook them until they are soft and just starting to char in places. Squeeze your roasted garlic cloves into your vegetables and discard the papery casing.

3. Next add the contents of your roasting tray, including and juices, to a large saucepan, add your tinned tomatoes and cover with vegetable stock.

4. Blitz with a blending stick or in batches in a blender. Add more or less stock depending on how thick you’d like you finished soup to be. Heat through and then serve, garnishing with a teaspoon of cream and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

A suitable cake for a mother-to-be

2010-03-04T03:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend we had a couple of old friends over; Duncan and Reena. We had a lovely time together catching up. It's exciting times as Reena is expecting their first child later this summer. So with that in mind I decided to make a cake that would be suitable for the delicate stomach that trouble most expectant mothers in that first trimester. The result was a Chocolate & Ginger Cake. I adapted a regular favourite of mine, the Nigella Lawson Store-Cupboard Chocolate-Orange Cake, replacing the orange marmalade with ginger preserve. Served with a dollop of creme fraiche it was perfect, just like the company.

My Big Cake Weekend.

2010-02-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Apologies to any one who may have looked upon this blog recently and thought I may had given it up. You can be forgiven for thinking so. The fact is I've just been too busy to post as frequently as I would like. With two hungry children (and a husband) to cook for food is often prepared in a hurry and eaten before it could be photographed and I do have a terrible time photographing in winter light in my kitchen.

Anyhow, I am back with a bang, or a christening cake to be precise. I was delighted to receive an order on recommendation for a cake for such a special occasion. I was lucky enough to be granted creative to freedom on the design of the cake, so long as it was pretty and girly in some way. So after a bit of email correspondence with my customer to find out likes and dislikes, I created the above 3 cakes, which fed 60 hungry guest and still had a few slices left over for my customers lunch box this week. Each cake has four layers of two different sponges. The darker sponge is plain chocolate and coffee and the light sponge is white chocolate and vanilla. The layers are sandwiched together and topped with a white chocolate cream frosting. Then I've done my thing with flowers, herbs and fruits. I became quite nervous as I delivered and set up the cakes at the venue yesterday morning (saturday night my sleep was full of cake anxiety dreams), worried how the cake would go down in looks as well as taste. My nerves were calmmed with a phone call later that afternoon from the customer who said that she was absolutely thrilled with the cake and that everyone admired it and enjoyed every mouthful ...

Back in the Kitchen

2010-01-10T02:43:00.001-08:00

It's official I'm back in the Kitchen. I took an unscheduled 'holiday' from my blog during December due to all the baking I undertook for Brighton's Artists Open Houses and other festive events taking over. But now I'm back and I'm also back as of Friday with my recipe posts for http://thebeatthatmyheartskipped.co.uk

Well it certainly is January out of my kitchen window - snow, ice, slush, and colourless grey skies. The warm festivities of Christmas feels like an age ago now and Spring is very much still out of reach. So, we must try to lift the positive things out of the month - take a hot bath in the evening, light some pretty candles, wrap yourself up in your warmest blanket when lounging on your sofa and of course warm your soul with some comfort food!
With the recent excess of Christmas, I like to turn my cooking to simple, warming 'good-for-you' foods. Not a limp 'diet' salad, but robust stews, soups and pies featuring seasonal veg, spices, and hearty herbs ... hot food!
Breakfast, for me, is the reason to get up on a cold morning and in January I will start my day with a bowl of porridge. I love porridge and could in fact eat it at anytime of the day .... I been known to have a bowl in the evening when the days events have overrun and it becomes to late to cook a 'proper' dinner.

I love to have porridge with apricots, honey and creme fraiche. You simply poach a handful of dried apricots (the dark organic ones are far superior to the bright orange ones!) in 250ml of pure orange juice for 5 mins. Then make your porridge as usual and top with the apricots, honey and a good dollop of creme fraiche. Give it a try .....

The first of three weekends at Artists Open Houses

2009-11-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

As the weekend comes to close, so does Louise's Kitchen's first weekend in residence at the very stylish and very christmassy 33 Coventry Street in Brighton. This house along with over 70 opens its doors to the public for three consecutive weekends selling all sorts of wares from local artists and designers - it's a great alternative to the High Street for Christmas shopping. Amongst the stylish lampshades, cushions, jewellery, clothing and artwork, Louise's Kitchen offered up plates of home-baked goodies - vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes, brownies, giant vanilla snowflake cookies, boxes of chocolate cookies and festive cranberry muffins. The plates have not much left on them aside for a few crumbs, so it's back to the kitchen to bake a fresh new batch for next weekend. If you're in the area please do pop in!

Come on over!

2009-11-24T04:43:00.001-08:00

Louise’s Kitchen will be selling a selection of freshly baked cupcakes, brownies, cookies and muffins at Brighton’s Artists Open Houses Christmas 2009 event. For three weekends, 28/29 Nov, 5/6 Dec and 12/13 Dec, these sweet treats will be on sale at 33 Coventry Street, Brighton, BN1 5PP, 11.00 - 18.00. As well as sampling the baked goodies, you can get your christmas shopping underway as the house will be filled with a wide variety of christmas gifts to buy. Host of the event, the wonderful Madeliene of Mibo (www.mibo.co.uk) will be selling her charming christmas creatures along side plenty of other bargins and samples. Lee Baker will be there with his exquisite Japanese influenced screen prints, Ricore will be showcasing delicate Art-Deco inspired jewellery, Organic Stereo will be selling their chic organic clothing and
Sarah Carlisle has the perfect christmas plant gifts from just £5.00.

Browsing the Artists Open Houses with a glass of mulled wine, signals the start of the Brighton Christmas social calendar. This year over 70 houses will be open over the 3 weekends filled with almost every kind of Christmas gift you could wish for. As well as paintings, prints and sculpture, many houses offer ceramics, textiles, lighting, home furnishings, cards and a variety of Christmas decorations.

Many of the houses are clustered together within easy walking distance of one another, so it is easy to spend an enjoyable afternoon visiting them. You can chat to the artists and makers about their work as you browse and when you find the perfect gift you can buy direct from the artists.
You can find out more about Artists Open Houses Christmas 2009 at www.aoh.og.uk

The Beat That My Heart Skipped

2009-10-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday and as of today that means 'recipe day'. In my new post as Food Editor for the newly launched blog ' The Beat That My Heart Skipped' (a daily website dedicated to interior and lifestyle products, run by London-based stylist and writer Rohini Wahi) I will be supplying a weekly recipe of either my own or a contributor. To launch with I am sharing my recipe for cupcakes, in fact, the very cupcakes I made for some recent dear friends birthday's, collectively known as 'The Madges' (that's the friends not the cakes!).
For my first introductory post I have written a piece on food and how for many years it has been an integral part of my life. Much to my delight I have some great recipes from some very inspiring contributors and amazing cooks, that I will post up over the coming weeks.
So I invite all readers, regular or occasional to pop by every Friday to 'The Beat That My Heart Skipped' and grab yourself a recipe for the weekend.
www.thebeatthatmyheartskipped.co.uk

First Foods

2009-10-14T01:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very special day. Arthur had his first ever solid meal. Until yesterday he was happily feasting on milk alone, morning, afternoon, evening and at times night. But now he has entered the wonderful world of food. It slightly sad; he's growing up fast - five months have gone in a flash.But ultimately I am really excited for him! In preparation for the big food event, I steamed and pureed carrot (organic of course!) for him the previou night, packing the orange mush into some ice-cube trays. It seems only yesterday I was doing the same for Lily. I'm looking forward to gradually introducing other vegetables and fruit to his diet and once he is six months there are all the other foods for him to try such as bread, cheese, fish, cereal, eggs, yoghurt, pasta and rice ..the list goes on. I hope that he will grow up to have a healthy relationship with food and that, like me, he will grow up to love food and will have many happy food memories.
Bon Appetite Arthur! x

Cherry & Almond Cake

2009-10-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

I'm off to meet my lovely friend Celia this afternoon. She is the sunniest person I know - just lovely! It was her birthday earlier this week so I shall be taking her a cherry and almond cake that I baked for her. We're meeting for tea and cake at the Hove Museum and Art Gallery ... the cakes there are devine!

A quick autumn lunch in the garden

2009-10-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

Brighton was completely wet yesterday - very heavy rain for much of the day. Today however it couldn't be more different. The sun is back and it is a beautiful autumn day. Lunch was a quick celery soup eaten on the garden bench. The celery was the remains of last week's veg box and had lost its firmness. Cooked with the white part of a leek in a little butter and olive oil, I just added some vegetable stock, creme fraiche, black pepper and a sprinkling of fresh lemon thyme. Perfect!

Anniversary Cookies

2009-10-08T01:37:00.001-07:00

Today I have been 'Mrs Gorrod' for 10 happy years. A lot of life-changing events have happened during the last decade; a few of them sad, some challenging, but mostly very happy such as the arrival of our two beautiful children - something that can never be beaten!

Ten years on our life seems in someways many miles removed from our carefree life a decade ago. What with work deadlines, school runs and the constant washing of babygrows, time together is normally spent discussing 'To Do' lists over a coffee at the breakfast table. Tonight however we'll be getting in a takeaway - my, we know how to live! To me though timeout from cooking is really is a treat ....

With no time, energy or imagination to go present shopping, I did what was natural to me, and baked (with love) some orange and white chocolate cookies for Mr G. Who was it that said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? That said, it certainly is the case for some women too, me included!

Happy Birthday Charlie / Questioning our Allotment ...

2009-09-21T02:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Charlie's Birthday. He has reached the grand old age of four years. Lily went along to his birthday party with a box of lollipop cupcakes that I made for him. A combination of cake and lollipop seemed suitable for such an occasion!

This week I am facing a race against time as far as utilizing the veg in my fridge. I still have quite a bit left from my weekly veg box, plus a surprise harvest from a trip down to the allotment over the weekend. Beetroot, carrots and potatoes were the hidden gems waiting for us on our weed covered plot and we were given an armful of courgettes from Keith our allotment neighbour. Our poor old allotment ... it really does need starting again from scratch. Our previous three seasons were purely a dress rehearsal it seems. I often question why we took on our allotment. We've our own demanding business to run, two young children, a house that needs decorating and fixing in many places ... the list goes on. So why when you can by vegetables for pennies do we struggle on with mother nature to grow our own? I don't have an answer really. It's the simplistic relationship with nature, the endless marvel of seeing seeds grow into beautiful beautiful harvests (if the slugs, caterpillars, pigeons etc don't have first pickings!), the wonderful mix of friendly folk from babies to old-timers in their eighties and beyond you find down the allotment, the education it provides Lily in knowing where her vegetables come from - very early on she knew her calvo nero from her fennel. If you've ever grown anything for yourself you will understand our reluctance to do the sensible thing any time challenged family should do and cut our loses and let the supermarket look after our vegetable needs. We're going to continue to work towards our dream allotment paradise complete with raised beds, a mini orchard and a brick built barbeque. It might take ten years, but we'll get there in the end!

The Last of the Veg Box

2009-09-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Today I collect my weekly organic vegetable box. I got back onto the weekly scheme last week owing to the results of a neglected allotment this summer, due to the birth of baby Arthur. Last weeks' box was great value for money. Every evening something from the box formed the foundation for dinner, plus I made a couple of soups, dinners for the freezer and even a (courgette) cake. One thing I really don't like is food waste. So yesterday, I took at look at what was left from my box. Lurking in the bottom of my fridge, counting down the days till it found a new home in the form of the compost bin were the best part of a bunch of limp carrots and half a yellow courgette. In under 20 minutes I gave them a new lease of life by cooking them in some garlic oil with a red onion, some spices, a can of chickpeas and some stock. Once the carrots and courgette were tender I served this aromatic 'stew' with a good dollop of plain yoghurt, a liberal sprinkling of fresh coriander and a wedge of lemon. There was even some left over for Mr G's packed lunch today.

My first ever 'proper' cake order

2009-09-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend my first ' proper' cake order went out. I've made countless cakes as gifts for family and friends, but this weekend I did my debut 'paid for' order. The result was 36 pink cupcakes for what was bound to be a wonderfully girly pink party full of balloons, glitter, princess fancy dress outfits and of course cake!

Inspiration No.2 from a box of seasonal vegetables

2009-09-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

The spaghetti squash is a jewel of a beast. Tonight it becomes dinner. I bake the squash whole in the oven and then add a tomato sauce made from olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, various herbs, some dried chilli and mozzarella. Once transferred to an oven dish, it is crowned with a mix of fresh breadcrumbs, thyme, parmesan and cheddar and baked in the oven till golden on top and bubbling beneath.

Inspiration No.1 from a box of seasonal vegetables

2009-09-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

This week I (re)started the purchasing of a weekly organic vegetable box . I stopped a while back as the allotment was providing us with a plentiful enough harvest, but with a new born baby and our 'silly-season' at work (My husband David and I run a PR company that specialises in contemporary furniture, lighting and homewares - www.pr-girl.com) the allotment has been temporarily abandoned, hence the arrival of the weekly veg box until we get the allotment going again next month. We get our box from Russell's Sussex Farm Food Store & Deli (www.russellsdeli.co.uk), who in turn receives the boxes from a farm in Plumpton, 10 miles away. This week we received a true box of delights - including spaghetti squash, carrots, cucumbers, leeks, courgettes, sweetcorn, runner beans, cherry tomatoes and chard. This afternoon I used the bigger of my two yellow courgettes to make this tasty Courgette and Walnut Loaf Cake. Perfect as it is or toasted with butter.

The First Soup of Autumn

2009-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

If a gun was held to my head and I had to pick my favourite season, I would plump for Autumn. It is like starting a new chapter, as summer fades away. I love all that Autumn promises, especially the food - a feast of seasonal offerings, many of which are on our own doorstep from English apples with real flavour and plump juicy blackberries to versatile squashes and earthy mushrooms - it's gonna be a rollercoaster ride for our taste buds over the coming weeks! As for meals, I crave soups, stews, bakes and roasts and hearty puddings as the nights begin to slowly draw in. Soup is something I'm am going to prepare on a regular basis with whatever produce I have to hand. It's quick to prepare and will usually stretch out for a couple of days worth of lunches. Lily will eat any soup by the bucket load which is great way to ensure she has at least one good hit of vitamins a day, essential as she is about to start school next week. Today Lily requested a tomato soup for lunch. We whizzed this up in just under 20mins with a bag of ripe tomatoes we picked up from the greengrocers for a pound. To the tomatoes we added a limp carrot destined for the compost bin, a couple of small red onions, garlic, a small potato and some dried oregano. A splash of milk at the end gave it a creamy decadence. Pure comfort in a bowl!

Emma's Museli Bars

2009-09-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Emma kindly gave me her recipe for these devine Museli Bars. So simple to make with store cupboard basics and whatever dried fruit, seeds and nuts you might have to hand. I russelled up a tray this afternoon when I had a rare 10mins of peace.
Emma introduced me to these 'morish' bites when she came over just after Arthur was born. She came with a job lots packed into a tupperware box for me. They were, I guess, intended to last me for some days, but once I started I couldn't stop - yet they looked so very innocent!

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes for a Bank Holiday Weekend

2009-08-31T14:47:00.000-07:00

It has been an age since my last post. Would like to say that I've been away on a wonderful holiday, but the reality is that I have been too damn hectic! Anyway I have still been busy in the kitchen as ever - just need to get in the habit to photographing the results for this blog! As I write this post the last of our (few) fair weather Bank Holiday's is coming to a close .... it been a good one - one that was partly spent catching up with my brother, sister-in-law and beautiful niece who were down from Newcastle. Their visit was a good excuse to bake a few cupcakes. This new recipe was the perfect bake for summer's grand finale! Any good days from now are a bonus. Autumn is creeping up on us. Look on the bright side .... it's a new season - the English apple season!

Something for the Weekend

2009-07-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am really looking forward to the weekend - it's gonna be a good one! We're heading back to our old stomping ground of Staines for what is sure to be a very spectacular wedding - our friends Duncan and Reena will be tying the knot on Sunday. To make the most of catching up with old friends we just don't see often enough, we heading down on Saturday and staying over night with my sister-in-law. With invites for lunch and sleepovers I've been busy baking 'thank you' treats for our hosts and wonderful friends - my fail-safe Brownie recipe in pretty little boxes.

Sugar sprinkles and dolls with pink hair

2009-07-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

This morning Lily had her lovely friend Misty over to play. They baked some beautiful muffins topped with icing, sugar sprinkles and smarties. We followed a recipe from one of Lily's library books - yes, she loves to get cook books out the library ... is that a typical 4 year old? ... maybe she's just a chip off the old block!

A Bit of Summer Cheer

2009-07-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

The weather has been a bit dull so far this week for July. Today's pick-me up was not food, but a simple vase of flowers, hence my first non-food post .... but I'd say that flowers are second to food for me. I picked these wonderful pinky orange Dahlia's up from my local supermarket ( a snip at £4) and homed them in my favourite vintage vase. The Hydrangea in the other vessel was picked from my garden. Together they bring a bit of summer to my living room, when outside there is July rain.

Recipe Request No. 2

2009-07-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to receive a request for my flapjack recipe from a lady in America - apparently flapjack is a little hard to come by over there. Well, as promised I am posting up my favourite flapjack recipe. This is for Jo and Andy too - parenthood is obviously resulting in a sweet tooth in their household!

Orange & Walnut Flapjack

250g butter cubed, plus extra for greasing
250g golden caster sugar
175g golden syrup
425g porridge oats
50g walnut pieces
finely grated zest of one orange
3 tbsp of orange marmalade

1. Heat the oven to 180C / fan 160C / Gas 4 and butter a 20 x 20cm tin, or a size with similar dimensions.

2. Melt the butter in a pan, adding the sugar and syrup. Stir over a medium heat. Once it is all combined take it off the heat and stir in the oats, walnuts and orange zest.

3. Tip the mixture into the baking tray and level the top. Bake for approx 30mins, but check at 25mins - once it is golden brown around the edges and still a little soft in the middle, remove it from the oven and mark into 12 pieces by cutting half way down with a sharp knife. When it has completely cooled, heat the marmalade with 1tbsp of water until syrupy. Brush this over the flapjack and leave to cool before cutting into 12 pieces. Enjoy! x

Recipe Request No. 1

2009-07-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

The lovely Josephine Machon has requested my cupcake recipe. So here you go Jo, bake these for little Roo when he's a bit older - I'm sure they will go down a treat!

Everyday Cupcakes.
(Makes approx 10)

1 tbsp milk
3 eggs lightly beaten
110g caster sugar
115g self raising flour
85g butter, softened

and for the butter icing ...

100g butter, softened
200g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk

1. Heat oven to 190C. Fill a bun tin with 10 cake cases.

2. Using an electric whisk, beat the milk, eggs + sugar until thick and glossy and doubled in bulk - it should leave a trail when lifted. Add half the flour and half the butter and fold in. Then fold in the remaining flour + butter.

3. Fill the cases almost to the top with the mixture and bake for approx 10mins or until risen and golden.

4. When completely cool ice with the butter icing. For the butter icing, place the butter in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon, then sift in the icing sugar and combine with the milk. If you want your butter icing thicker just add more icing sugar. Add a drop of colouring if desired. All that's left is to let your inner 'artist' go wild with the sugar sprinkles!

A Cupcake for a rainy July Afternoon

2009-07-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

It's July; the school summer holiday's are here; the beach is on our doorstep; but it's raining. Better stay in and bake then .... A freshly baked chocolate cupcake will brighten the afternoon!

Save our Flapjack!

2009-07-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

WARNING! .... I'm about to go on my first blog rant.
I really do think that this country has gone mad. I have read in today's newspaper that the Food Standards Agency want to put a stop on flapjack being sold in supermarkets to help combat our countries growing obesity problem! Yes, flapjack is full of sugar. so you eat it as an occasional treat like you ought to with most sweet treats. What's next, shut down sweet shops, clamp ice-cream vans, tax people who take sugar in their tea! To me flapjack is very British and nostalgic. It's fudgy aroma transports me back to my childhood when my mum would bake a tray of it for us to indulge in. I would of course rather bake my own flapjack than buy a mass produced version from the supermarket - it's hardly rocket science to make - but for heavens sake Food Standards Agency, get a grip on reality, let people decide for themselves if they want to buy flapjack!

A Salad in the Garden

2009-07-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

A quick lunch enjoyed on a sunny day in the garden last week. The salad comprised of mixed salad leaves, tomatoes. cucumber, green olives, feta and beautiful artichoke hearts quickly fried to faintly golden in a drizzle of peppery olive oil.

My Kitchen

2009-07-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

I love my kitchen. I love any 'good' kitchen. Nothing too slick and minimal - I like a kitchen to be used, loved and lived in. I often come across a few 'finds' for my kitchen such as these vintage Biba food jars which I like to display. I am a huge Biba fan so these are my pride and joy. One once contained dried chickpeas, one dried onions and the other brown sugar ... and there is still some of the original sugar in it!

Cupcakes for the Teachers

2009-07-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a sad day - Lily's last day at playschool. It's the end of an era that bought a tear to my eye. The wonderful team of ladies that run the SeeSaw playschool, put on a party for all the children leaving to start school in September. They threw a wonderful party that the children loved. As a very small token of my thanks to them all for
making Lily's time at playschool so wonderful, I baked them some mocha cupcakes to enjoy with their morning coffee. I shall be sending Arthur to the same wonderful playschool in a couple of years, but in the meantime I dare say I will be baking cakes for the new school's fete's and fairs.

Coffee Scandi Style

2009-07-07T09:37:00.001-07:00

This beautiful Swedish coffee set is currently on 'sale' at Plumo. I just love the blue coffee maker and old fashioned filter!
(www.plumo.com)

Pretty In Pink

2009-07-02T03:55:00.000-07:00

My daughter Lily has a favourite cake - these pink cupcakes - I made them for the first time for her birthday party, which took place on a sunny day in late March. They were a hit with all the children - boys included!

So Good I Made It Twice!

2009-07-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of Arthur 6 weeks ago, we've been welcoming friends and family into our home to meet the little lad. Life is somewhat chaotic at the moment so to cook a meal for visitors is a little ambitious, but a simple quick-to-prepare cake to serve with coffee .... I just couldn't help myself. This Almond and Orange Cake was so easy and tasty that I made it twice ...

A Cake for Sue

2009-07-02T03:33:00.000-07:00

I can get buy with an icing bag, but prefer to decorate my cakes with seasonal fruits, herbs and flowers. I made this 'blueberry cake' last week for the wonderful Sue, Lily's playschool teacher.
It was for her surprise party to celebrate running See-Saw playschool for 20 years.

Welcome!

2009-07-02T03:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. Some people eat to live and others live to eat - I fall into the latter! I've loved food and cooking it from an early age. I grew up on my mum's home cooking and it rubbed off on me. Home cooking is the tastiest, most satisfying way to cook and eat. I love nothing better than cooking for loved-ones, friends and family - I will spend an age trawling through recipe books old and new creating a menu to suit the season and occasion. I like to cook in tune with the seasons and incorporate local and homegrown produce when I can. We're lucky enough to have an allotment and our now in our third growing season.

I hope to pass on my passion and knowledge for cooking to my children - it's a gift for life. Lily, aged 4, loves to help in the kitchen especially when I'm baking cakes, and I hope that our latest addition to the family, Arthur, just 6 weeks, will follow suit - he certainly has a great appetite for milk!

There is much I'd like to include in this blog - recipes (my own and others I love to cook), allotment updates, beautiful cookware and bits for the kitchen that I come across, children's food, food places I love .... this list goes on.

My real passion is baking, so to start things off, I am going to post some of my recent 'sweet treats' .... I've made lots of cakes for friends birthday's, plus a couple of weddings and would love to expand a little to selling my cakes in the very near future. Watch this space .....