tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-368260612024-03-08T03:14:34.157+00:00Landcroft HouseLife. Love. Music. Food.Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.comBlogger944125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-34297007674406790172011-12-24T14:41:00.004+00:002011-12-24T14:55:43.479+00:00Easiest Ever Vanilla FudgeThis fudge is great. You have all the ingredients in the house already and don't need to go to the corner shop in the rain looking for a large tin of condensed milk as you would for most other fudges. You can make it right now as long as you've got a sugar thermometer or don't mind taking a risk.Makes enough for 2 last-minute Christmas Eve gift bags350g golden cater sugar300ml whole milk (would Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-7331092280680585562011-11-23T15:22:00.005+00:002011-12-24T15:06:43.214+00:00Jamaican Ginger CakeThanks to all this damp and misty weather, Landcroft House is currently going through an afternoon tea and cake obsession. Here's today's simple offering. I like the last minute addition of a sticky orange glaze but it isn't very authentic and traditional Jamaican ginger cake often has grated root ginger in for a bit of heat - try adding some if you fancy it.Serves 10175g butter175g light brown Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-34640161011235129842011-10-20T12:01:00.004+01:002011-11-23T15:00:06.076+00:00Bats, Brains and SpidersFabio and I have been hard at work getting ready for today's school Halloween cake sale. Cutting out the bat's wings took far far too long and anyway we liked the brains best. The idea for those came from Lily Vanilli's terrifying cupcake book, we just added few maggotsSilvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-24412592579262355122011-08-31T08:05:00.007+01:002011-08-31T09:13:16.004+01:00Child-friendly Cucumber SushiCucumber rolls are a good introduction to sushi. They're enjoyable to make and there's nothing in them even the terrible two year old could object to eating. This will be us next week !
Serves 2
150g sushi rice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
large pinch caster sugar
5cm piece cucumber, cut into batons
2 sheets nori seaweed
1 tbsp sesame seeds
sweet soy sauce
1 Put the rice in a small pan with 300ml water.Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-48062388258935797772011-08-07T10:50:00.007+01:002011-08-31T09:21:57.229+01:00Fishy Fingers
Makes 12
250g skinless, boneless white fish
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
6 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, beaten
olive oil, for shallow frying
1 Cut the fish into chunky fingers.
2 Mix together the cheese and breadcrumbs.
3 Dip the fish first in the flour, then the egg and finally the cheesy crumbs.
4 Heat some oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Cook the fish Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-13724045273633894042011-08-02T07:24:00.003+01:002011-08-02T07:32:27.594+01:00Thank You Someone Nice on Crystal Palace RoadLook what I found on my way to the pub last night. How kind!Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-74576207105001819662011-07-29T17:01:00.006+01:002011-08-31T09:27:52.508+01:00Squashy MarshmallowsThis is not one for children to attempt on their own as it involves boiling sugar but the finished marshmallows are so much yummier than commercial ones, they're really worth having a go. The liquid glucose is not strictly necessary but is an insurance against the sugar crystalising and you having to start all over again.
Makes 100
30g icing sugar
30g cornflour
9 sheets gelatine
450g granulated Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-56829997183928412322011-07-28T08:39:00.014+01:002011-08-31T09:28:15.910+01:00Summer School - Buttermilk PancakesGiven a choice between two pages from a writing workbook or to cook a dish and write up a recipe every day, Fabio has chosen the second option. Say hello, to the Landcroft House cookery school for seven year olds. So far, we have made toad in the hole, fruit smoothies, chorizo omlettes, chocolate chip cookies and fresh pesto (not used any knives yet...)
Today, buttermilk pancakes for breakfast
Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-91794348482175113472010-11-05T09:39:00.008+00:002011-11-23T14:59:00.510+00:00LimoncelloThe 4 litres of limoncello I made in July ready for Christmas have now mostly been drunk. To be honest it only takes three weeks to make so I was a bit ahead of myself really and anyway I needed the bottles emptying so they could be ready again for this new batch.I work on an equal quantities method (equal sugar to water for the syrup then equal syrup to vodka) but you can adjust yours, even eachSilvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-17184019975196584062010-11-02T10:33:00.004+00:002010-11-02T11:20:50.123+00:00Chocolate Birthday CakeSuddenly Baby turned one this week. Don't know how it happened so quickly but there we are. As she doesn't have any friends yet, she had to have her cake in the middle of Scrap's Hallowe'en party, in amongst the bats and the eyeball jellies. Not that she noticed.This is a good chocolate cake for kids as it's very light and not actually very chocolatey and I find that it suits those below five Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-26535133199965818242010-10-06T07:33:00.003+01:002010-10-06T08:33:56.281+01:00Sweet Potato & Goats Cheese TartsThese are nice - they're easy to make, they're packed with goodness and they taste yum. Eat hot from the oven or wrap and pack in your bag.Makes 62 small sweet potatoes375g sheet ready rolled puff pastry2 tbsp sun dried tomato paste or red pestohandful baby tomatoes, halved100g goats cheese, crumbled2 tbsp pumpkin seedsdrizzle of olive oilPreheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6. Bake the sweet potatoes Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-68883564052252187002010-09-24T19:34:00.003+01:002010-09-24T20:02:23.702+01:00Ring, ring!, ring, ring!"Hello? Is that Landcroft House?""Yes caller, hello. How can we help you?""Well hi. It's Skream, aka Oliver Jones, dubstep legend and one third of the brilliant Magnetic Man here...""Oh hi, Skream. How are you?""I'm really good thank you, how are you?""Oh we're great, thanks. Actually, can you help us out a minute?""Sure, yeah, no problem. What's up?""Oh nothing major, we were just wondering whatRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-41484862150310715622010-09-18T07:31:00.006+01:002010-09-18T07:43:08.720+01:00The Bellenden Bun FightYour local charity bake-off is back! You have exactly two weeks to get your jams, jellies, biscuits and scones up to scratch. This season's Classic Cake category is The Lemon Drizzle. We have brilliant prizes courtesy of our friends at delicious and yours truly is in charge of the judging panel! Hurrah!More details here.Hannah Jones' Prize-Winning Chocolate Ginger Biscuits225g soft unsalted Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-64064986540826513382010-08-02T16:19:00.007+01:002010-08-03T09:49:02.805+01:00Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 45Griffin: Yours Till Forever (Capitol, 1970)Sunshine psyche-pop delightfulness recorded with a cast of, well, about twenty in LA forty years ago this summer. Griffin never did make any sort of mark - if you could see the picture of them in front of me you'd understand why - but this is a truly lovely record. Of course, that might be because it was written by Kenny Nolan who went onto write this. IRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-50023205939292562552010-07-19T07:07:00.001+01:002010-07-19T07:07:00.165+01:00Jellied HamMy grandma used to have us screaming from the kitchen when she made this using a whole pig's head. I kid myself I can remember back to my childhood and what it tasted like though in reality, I'm sure I never was brave enough to even try it. She had enough natural gelatine from the head to make her 'jelly meat' set very firmly but I add a few extra leaves to make sure I get a good wobble. Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-51082563992522223072010-07-14T13:58:00.004+01:002010-07-14T14:28:31.180+01:00This New Record Is Quite NiceDavid Rotheray with Kathryn Williams: Crows, Ravens and Rooks (Proper Records, 2010)Here's an unexpectedly lovely song. Mr Rotheray (steady ladies, he's [probably] married [or, at the very least, seeing someone]) used to be in Beautiful South - a band who never really troubled my consciousness much, tbh - and has returned from, frankly, Christ knows where, with an actual folk music album that Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-32651117015351449252010-07-09T14:52:00.006+01:002010-11-05T10:14:37.836+00:00Preserved LemonsIt's Scrap's school summer fair tomorrow and somehow, I am in charge of the cafe. We've got a barbecue, home-made scones and cakes, organic strawberries and cream and a very carefully planned rota. The stand I always wish I could work on (apart from whack-the-rat) is the home produce - this year, as well as my usual cheat's jam, and Scrap's elderflower cordial, I've made them some preserved Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-68629504534048308842010-07-02T17:33:00.003+01:002010-07-02T17:39:50.070+01:00Baby's Oatcakes8 months old and still no teeth, Baby's gums are giving her gip. Oatcakes take minutes to make and are good for gnawing. Add salt, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, cumin seeds or grated Parmesan for the grown ups.Whizz together 120g oats, 100g plain flour and 80g unsalted butter. When well blended add 4 tablespoons of cold water to make a firm dough. Roll out fairly thinly and bake at 180C / Gas 4 Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-55154554562875412762010-06-28T15:41:00.006+01:002010-06-29T10:48:39.125+01:00This Old Record Is Actually Quite NiceJamme: Strawberry Jam Man (Warlok Records, 1970)Lyrically, this is a classic of the, "you might like to do this, but I like to do this" genre (other examples to follow, maybe). Other folks might like to swim, say, or climb a tree. But our man here likes to eat strawberry jam. Every day, if possible. Produced by The Mamas and The Papas' John Philips, this is multi-harmonied, jingle-jangle heavy, Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-61376091089461701232010-06-27T08:39:00.000+01:002010-06-27T08:42:39.564+01:00Portuguese Pork And ClamsWe eat here a lot and one or other of us always orders the pork and clams. This is my home-made attempt at it and it's not bad but not quite as good as theirs. But they are from Portugal and I am from Derby, so what can you expect?Serves 4500g pork fillet, diced1 smallish glass of rose or white wine2 garlic cloves, halved2 tsp smoked paprika2 tbsp olive oil1 onion, finely chopped4 garlic cloves, Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-53394721289491418062010-06-24T13:47:00.007+01:002010-06-24T14:10:28.442+01:00So, What Are You Listening To Right Now?Oh, I know the answer to this one!Janelle Monáe: Neon Valley Street (Bad Boy Records, 2010)I have checked the stats, worked out the angles and crunched the numbers. The results are in. There is precisely nothing not to love about this record. Jonelle appears to be that rare beast, an actual star. Amazing.Alondra Bentley: Sunglasses (Absolute Beginners, 2010)Alondra was born in England but she's Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-47165306637124472952010-06-21T12:30:00.014+01:002010-06-21T13:36:57.444+01:00Elderflower and Lemongrass CordialMe and Scrap picked a little bunch of elderflowers on our walk in the woods yesterday and thought we'd have a try at some home-made pop. There are tons of recipes, all roughly the same, showing how to make your own cordial but I followed this friendly version and just added a couple of bruised lemongrass stalks.We made enough to fill 8 bottles, so that's one for him, one for me, one for his Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-49084392298987603152010-06-19T14:36:00.001+01:002010-06-19T14:38:36.108+01:00Poached Sea TroutApparently, they're only around for about three weeks and they were on special offer at £13.50 a kilo instead of the usual £20 and although I already had a whole shoulder of lamb, a large free range chicken and a lot of sausages tucked under the buggy, I bought one (£12.10). And a pot of Moxon's home-made extra-virgin rapeseed oil mayonnaise to go with it.Generally, I'm not keen on trout, it's a Silvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01914650689645763319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-39277793622861714112010-06-18T09:19:00.004+01:002010-06-19T08:46:01.338+01:00This Old Record Is Also Quite NiceMaffitt / Davies: Kingswood Manor (EMI, 1968)A chap from Iowa, born in 1940. A chap from New York born in 1942. Put them together and it could be dynamite. Well, actually it was dynamite, for quite some time, though, sadly, the vast majority of the world never took any notice. However, we can help, if only through the medium of having a listen, deciding that, you know what, as groovily Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36826061.post-49154867880641284522010-06-15T09:26:00.007+01:002010-06-20T18:53:30.928+01:00Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 44Bojoura: Hampstead Incident (Polydor, 1968)Reasons to like Bojoura. She's married to the drummer from Focus. She covered The Box Tops' The Letter in 1974. She's a leading light of what (I discovered today) is called Nederbeat. She is of Bulgarian descent. Not enough pop stars are of Bulgarian descent. Anyway, this is a Donovan cover which means two extra points to begin with. Plus it has a Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338991522618100015noreply@blogger.com0