Ruth

Ruth

Tuesday, 28 November 2017 10:56

Out with the sprout ...

Here's a very tasty Christmas party menu for you instead of the usual soggy sprouts and insipid catering quality turkey. The Giggling Squid in Bury St Edmunds invited me to try their Christmas menu last week so I went on the opening 'locals night' of the massive annual Christmas Market and Fayre. Feeling all festive and with the town buzzing, the restaurant was full to the brim. I took Mr SuffolkFoodie who loves Thai food and we both ate off the Christmas Evening menu, which priced at £29.95 a head including a glass of Prosecco is great value. By the way, where is all this Prosecco coming from, apparently us Brits drink a third of all produced. I hope it's not going to run out.

Sunday, 22 October 2017 18:52

Giraffe

An invitation to review Giraffe in Bury St Edmunds solved my Wednesday night supper dilemma last week. It's in a part of town that I don't really go to, by the muliplex cinema. I prefer the Abbeygate Cinema with its' arty films and live streamed National Theatre performances. Anyway, I digress ... Giraffe was extremely quiet and to be honest a little chilly but Ben and Lauren who were serving kept it lively and upbeat and chatted to us, providing a great, without being overbearing, service. Well done to them, because it's hard when you are working in a quiet restaurant to keep some pace going. I'd taken Mr SuffolkFoodie so I thought that a steak would be inevitable; he always hones in on meat, being a South African. I actually think South African food will trend at some point soon, so was hoping that the menu might reflect this part of the world, especially with a name like Giraffe, but no Bunny Chow on this occasion. Mr SF chose a Chilli Beef Burrito, which he enjoyed. I had the Lamb Tagine which was a very generous portion and not shy with the meat. It arrived with some ceremony as the lid of the tagine was lifted, tah dah, revealing the dish scattered with tasty pistachios and pomegranate seeds. The blend of meat, spice and apricot was excellent, with a great depth of flavour and assured by Ben, had been made in house.  For pudding, as I always enjoy something sharp and fruity, I went for the best option which was a white chocolate and passion fruit cheesecake. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived with a fresh passion fruit drizzled across the top and not a smear of coulis in sight. A good meal, and definitely worth taking a look at if you want to take children out for a meal (kids eat free) or want a good breakfast before noon. I've been hearing good things about their £5 breakfast deal.

Monday, 02 October 2017 19:17

Sushi at the Suzuki Supper Club

One of the most interesting meals I've had in Bury St Edmunds for a long time. A sushi supper at Kaori and Guy Dawsons house. I'd been invited as part of a family birthday party, so we filled the table for six which overlooks the kitchen and where Kaori cooked our dinner from scratch. While she cooked we watched and chatted to her husband Guy. This is Japanese food at its best, it's light and fresh, Sushi is only served at this supper club on a Wednesday or Saturday when Kaori gets her fresh fish from the market. We ate raw scallops, prawns and tuna. Kaori kept making food and we kept eating. We had Edamane, Renkon Chips, Tofu Salad, Japanese Omelette, Runner Bean Tempura, Nigiri and Hoso-maki sushi with scallops, tuna and prawns. Sashimi scallops and tuna. Miso Soup. Caramel Banana Ice Cream and Tea, not to mention the Sake and Japanese beer. Go!

Thursday, 28 September 2017 10:27

Great Gusto Food Superheroes

Organised by Gusto Pronto, The Great Gusto Food Superhero challenge encouraged young diners to use their creativity and come up with an imaginative food superhero. Some fun ideas created! Here are the winners...
The One Bull @ Bury St Edmunds – Jess Lewis (age 10) for Flossie Flash who is super fast and shoots sticky candy floss.  Jemima (age 6) for Fruit Girl who throws fruit into the mouth of anyone eating an unhealthy snack and Georgina (age 3) for Flavour Girl and her Flavour Machine who adds delicious flavour to food.
The Cadogan @ Ingham  - Megan (age 11) for Bubble Gum Girl who traps villains in bubble gum, Harriet Sykes (age 8) for Super Blueberry who knocks people out for an hour and can fly and Austin Speed (age 4) for Noodle Boy who shoots out laser noodles.
The Crown @ Hartest – Amelia Clarke (age 6) for Captain Carrot who can fly and Mr Strong Apple who has super strength and Oscar (age 1) for Potato Man who mashes and crushes baddies. The pubs tweeted their best entries each week during August using #TheGreatGustoFoodSuperhero if you want to take a look.

Sunday, 10 September 2017 21:26

Tarragon Cream with Blackberries

The first of the blackberries and it's beginning to feel like autumn. I created this recipe for an article I wrote for the Herb Society. Tarragon usually survives in my garden until the first winter frosts and it lends a warming aniseed flavour if used generously in a Coq au Vin. It is excellent in egg dishes and with vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms and marrow. Its warm flavour makes it a perfect contrast to pulses and it is delicious with flageolet beans and nearly always better in cooked dishes than served raw. It is an essential ingredient of fines herbes and béarnaise sauce. However with its liquorice like flavour, fresh tarragon marries particularly well (and interestingly) in fresh cream desserts and served with blackberries or poached plums has to be the ultimate autumn dessert.

Tarragon Cream (makes 6)

600 ml double cream

150 ml milk

4 large sprigs tarragon

3 sheets leaf gelatine

140g caster sugar

Method

Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl and cover with cold water

Put the cream, milk, sugar and tarragon in a heavy based saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.

Or place together in a jug and microwave.

Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine, squeezing out any excess water out first.

Stir well and then strain through a sieve into a jug.

Divide the mixture between six ramekins or glasses.

Place in the fridge until set.

(Can be turned out like a jelly if preferred)

 

A spectacular new area at Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, bringing together all the elements from the sky, sea and land - things that all go to make up our wonderful 'Wild Suffolk'. Find me in the Food Writers Corner, telling you exactly what I think about the modern forager.

Tuesday, 29 August 2017 17:35

Whole lotta lovage

Hardly ever seen until this year but now it's trendy and on every menu. It grows like a weed in my garden. My favourite way to use it is to rub my salad bowl with a big handful of the stuff and it will impart a lovely savoury Bovril like flavour. When used raw in dishes it can be very overpowering. The first young stalks of spring are the best for a delicious delicate flavour.

Tuesday, 15 August 2017 17:18

Anya

Lovely waxy, nutty, knobbly Anya potatoes from Steve and Nick Lewin in Norfolk. They're a cross between a Pink Fir Apple and a Desiree potato and named after Lady Sainsbury. That's why you won't find them in any other supermarket.

 

Tuesday, 08 August 2017 18:54

Are you curing your egg yolks?

If you are not salting, curing, preserving and pickling you are just not cool. Here's how to cure your egg yolks to grate on pasta.

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