Afternoon Tea @ Betty's, York

Betty's is the absolute perfect place to visit for Afternoon Tea and all things sweet! If you ever find yourself in Yorkshire, you must dine at Betty's or you will be missing out! (Seriously, because Betty's Tea Rooms can only be found in the UK). Even if you do not regard yourself as having a sweet tooth, they offer a menu full of savoury dishes for you to enjoy too. I can guarantee once you've had the Betty's dining experience, you will be planning your next trip even before you've finished eating. This may be a good thing though as there are always queue's for a table, which goes to show its popularity among customers. 

One of the main things I love about visiting Betty's is the comfortable and inviting environment when dining there; suitable for a quick breakfast, catch up lunch with friends, shopping spree refueling or even a baby shower get together. No matter what the occasion, Betty's is a sophisticated yet cosy and welcoming place to dine. 

I recently visited York, with relatives of mine, to do some sightseeing and as they'd never been to Betty's, I was glad I could be present for the occasion.

  

If you don't fancy dining out and having the full Betty's experience, why not visit their store to purchase the wide range of baked goods they offer such as Cakes, Chocolates and Biscuits? Thinking of buying something special? Opt for the Gift's & Hampers, Speciality Tea & Coffee or even Cookery Books and so much more! 

And if that isn't enough to persuade you.. Here's little old me enjoying my Afternoon Tea! hehe

Until next time,
Love Wendy

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Baby Shower Baking!

So one of my lovely and dearest friends organised a Baby shower recently and I was so delighted when she asked me to provide cupcakes for her little prince party. I mean my friend is having a baby for the first time! :)  Apart from the fact that it was such an exciting event, I actually had an excuse to bake for people other than my family, which I thoroughly enjoy. (I even set a countdown calendar app to count down the number of days leading up to the shower.)  Baking for others is a great way to share and also show your love and appreciation for them in return. It’s true – try baking a cake, cooking dinner or simply making cheese on toast for your mum; I can guarantee she’ll love it. (Unless she is lactose intolerant or is allergic.)

But back to the cakes.. Considering there was no brief with the exception of incorporating the colour blue, I was pretty much able to use a variety of flavours, colours and ingredients without limit. But sticking to classic flavour combinations is the safest option and they are guaranteed to be enjoyed, therefore I decided on the popular favourite Vanilla and Chocolate cupcakes. I don’t know what it is about baking cupcakes, but I love being able to decorate them and make them my own signature cupcakes.

In my opinion, homemade is always the way forward (that is if you have the time). When I was making these cakes, I decided to try out a cupcake frosting that was premade and ready to use to save time,  hoping it would taste good and look just as good as the packaging. But I was so darn wrong – It tasted too sweet and artificial, did not manage to frost even half a dozen cakes and was so thick that it made the cake look incredibly disproportionate. Homemade butter frosting saves the day every time.. Remember that when you’re trying to take a shortcut next time, Wendy!

Here's what went down...

 

So after the slight drama in the kitchen, these were the outcome of the Baby Shower cupcakes. I’m glad that they went down a treat and that my friend trusted me enough to allow me to bake them for such a lovely get together. Thank you so much!

All the Best for 2015! 

May God Bless you all with a Happy and Fruitful year ahead! :) 

Wendy

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The Perfect Weekend Breakfast (Lorraine Pascale’s Gingerbread Pancakes with Parma Ham & Maple Syrup)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as you all know. Even if you do not agree with this statement, food is needed for us to function each day. I think this applies to most people that early in the mornings, we cannot even roll out of bed never mind prepare and cook breakfast. Toast, cereal and porridge or things that are quick and simple are usually the typical breakfast choices (preferably something we can eat in 5mins or less). So weekends are the perfect opportunity to take the time to cook a hearty homemade breakfast (or whenever we have days off from work/school etc).

 I decided to bring out the big guns and make pancakes, which I think is an ideal breakfast because let’s be honest.. Who doesn’t like pancakes?

The recipe I followed was from one of the many cookery books I have belonging to Lorraine Pascale. (Lorraine Pascale's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food) Her recipe is pretty much fool proof and leaves you with amazing pancakes that will be gone within minutes once you place them on the table. Although her recipe requires Cinnamon, Ginger and Lemon Zest; these ingredients can be omitted or substituted for others. I decided to make plain pancakes replacing the Parma ham for Bacon and serving with Scrambled Eggs. So let’s begin:

All you need is:

225g Self Raising Flour

3 tbsp Soft light Brown Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Ground Cinamon

2 tsp Ground Ginger

½ Lemon

½ Vanilla Pod (couple of drops of Vanilla Extract)

300ml Semi Skimmed Milk

1 Medium Egg

Sunflower Oil

12 Slices of Parma Ham

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100ml Maple Syrup

100g Sour Cream / Crème Fraiche

Large Bowl

Large Frying Pan

Zester

2 Baking Trays

Spatula

Spoon

❶ Preheat oven to 110°c / Gas Mark ½ , ready to keep the pancakes warm after they have been cooked.

❷ Put flour, sugar baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a mixing bowl, give them a mix then make a well in the centre. Grate the lemon zest, add vanilla then gradually pour milk in to incorporate the mixture stirring constantly. Beat the egg in and mix well.

❸ Drizzle some oil into the pan on a medium heat and cook Parma ham or Bacon for 2-3 mins on each side until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and place onto baking tray to keep warm in the oven.

 ❹ Using the same pan, reduce to low and add more oil if needed. Spoon dollops of the pancake mix into the pan (to spread about 10cm wide). Cook pancake for 1-2 minutes until golden on each side. Place cooked pancakes on baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat until there are 12 pancakes.

❺ Once everything is cooked, serve on a plate piled high with syrup and Crème Fraiche.

Personally, I prefer to cook my bacon in the oven by placing bacon streaks onto a lined baking tray. By preheating oven to 200°c / Gas Mark 6, place the baking tray with bacon inside for 30mins (length of time depends on how crispy you would like the bacon, so check every 10-15mins).

Pancakes are a great breakfast as you can serve them sweet or savoury, try serving with chocolate sauce or jam and cream instead of bacon and eggs. I can assure you that your family and friends will thoroughly enjoy this yummy breakfast if you give them a try. What’s stopping you… Go for it!

Wendy

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Newcastle Christmas Market

We’re already reaching the end of November guys.. December comes around quicker than any other month, don’t you think? So as you all know it is just over a month until Christmas.. And what is a great way to get you into the Christmas spirit, than attending a Christmas market? I was very pleasantly surprised that it is that time of year again.. Browsing the lovely little stalls full of delicious food from around the world, cute personalised trinkets, hosiery and knitted goods and various other seasonal stalls worth having a look at.

I always love looking around the Christmas markets, but the one thing I enjoy most is.. Yep, you’ve guessed it.. EATING THE FOOD! And if the delectable smell of food is not inviting enough for you.. just know that the food is hot and very tasty indeed (as it’s made right in front of you too). 

Let's take a look, shall we....

  

  

If you live in Newcastle or in the nearby area.. Go check it out!

The Christmas Market is running from 15^th November until 29^th November, 

on Grainger Street near Grey’s Monument!

And if you’re living in various other cities around the UK, keep an eye out in your local town if they will be hosting any Christmas events.. They’re probably worth a look! Enjoy!

Wendy

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Recipe: Chicken Katsu Curry

As we all know, the winter months have arrived. This means one thing… Goodbye Little Miss Sunshine and Hello Cold and Dark Mornings. Woolly hats, fluffy coats and snuggly scarves at the ready (that’s if you’re leaving the house). I think that the winter months are all about indulging in home comforts especially with family and food, of course. It’s definitely chilly outside, so dodge the cold and opt to stay indoors with a cosy blanket. Or you could put your chef’s hat on and get busy cooking!

One dish I love to cook when the weather gets colder is curry, Chicken Katsu Curry to be precise. Here is the recipe I use and will share with you:

Serves 4 portions

All you need is:

4 Breaded Chicken Steaks

4 Carrots

5 Potatoes

1 Onion

1 Lettuce (Any preferred Salad)

Curry Sauce Mix (Spice varies depending on brands and description)

Salt & Pepper

Cooked Rice

Corn Flour & Water (to be used as a thickening ingredient for Curry)

Large Saucepan / Pot

Wooden Spoon

 

❶ First of all, prepare your vegetables (carrots & potatoes) by washing, peeling then dicing them into bite sized chunks.

❷ After preparing, place carrots and potatoes in a large saucepan. Then fill with cold tap water until all the vegetables are covered.

❸ Turn on the heat and bring to the boil (add onions to the pan when you start to see the pot bubbling).

❹ Place your breaded chicken steaks on a baking tray and follow the cooking instructions on the box for perfectly crisp Chicken steaks. (If you’d like to try making your own.. Follow this recipe - Breaded Chicken Cutlets)

❺ Once it is fully boiling, reduce the heat and add the curry sauce mix in small chunks (I only used 2 out of the 4 provided). Mix thoroughly.

❻ Let the mix simmer for 5-10 minutes in order to thicken and bring out the full flavour. (At this point your kitchen will begin to smell of curry.. It’s alright, no one’s complaining though.)

❼ Cook some rice ready to be served with the curry. (Recipe is on my previous 'Rice' blog, or follow the  instructions provided on packets of rice you may buy.)

❽ Prepare the lettuce by chopping in half then lengthways into thin strips, while waiting for your curry to finish cooking.

❾ Once the curry is finished cooking, thicken the sauce by mixing a tablespoon of corn flour with water and mix until a paste. Pour in to the curry sauce mix and stir continuously until the corn flour mix is fully incorporated and begins to thicken sauce.

❿ Take curry off the heat and serve alongside rice and lettuce.

At this point, my camera battery died, so I couldn't take any pictures of the finished product. But luckily I have made this dish quite number of times... So here's a different picture!

Hope you guys give it a try at home. Who said curry was difficult to make?

Wendy

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