Christmas Crackers

This week’s blog is dedicated to two stalwarts of British Christmas tradition Werner Von Trapp & The Sound of Musicand Noel Edmonds.This week’s recipe is ideal for a traditional celebration Grandad Shore’s Fantastic Fruit Cake.

Werner Von Trapp & The Sound of Music Werner Ritter von Trapp (21 December 1915 – 11 October 2007) was the second-oldest son of Georg Ritter von Trapp and Agathe Whitehead. He was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and movie The Sound of Music. He was portrayed as the character “Kurt”
The Sound of Music (1959) is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Many songs from the musical have become standards, including the title song “The Sound of Music”, “Edelweiss”, “My Favorite Things”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and “Do-Re-Mi”.
The original Broadway production, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, opened on November 16, 1959; the show has enjoyed numerous productions and revivals since then. It was adapted as a 1965 film musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which won five Academy Awards. The Sound of Music was the final musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein; Hammerstein died of cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere.

Noel Edmonds Noel Ernest Edmonds, (born 22 December 1948) is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel’s Saturday Roadshow and Noel’s House Party. He currently presents the Channel 4 game show Deal or No Deal and the Sunday edition of Sky1’s Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old? and previously the topical Sky1 show, Noel’s HQ.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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This week’s recipe is Grandad Shore’s Fantastic Fruit Cake traditional Shore family recipe.

Serves 8-10 (depending on size of slice, Prep time 15mins, Cook time 3.1/2hrs

12oz x Plain Flour
1 tsp x Cinnamon
1 tsp x Mixed Spice
½ tsp x Salt
4oz x Candied Peel
4oz x Cherries
2lb x Dried Fruit (1lb x Currants, 8oz x Raisins, 8oz x Sultanas)
4oz x Blanched Almonds (whole or flaked)
4 x Whole Eggs
4 tbsp x Brandy or Sherry or (if making a non-alcoholic cake) Milk
8oz x Margarine or Butter (for best results use Butter)
8oz x Demerara Sugar
1.1/2 tbsp x Black Treacle

Sieve together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together the candied peel, fruit, cherries and almonds. In a further bowl cream the butter/marg, sugar and treacle until soft and uniform in colour (off cream in appearance). Add the flour and egg mixtures to the marg alternatively (a couple tablespoons at a time) making sure that you stir in the mixtures thoroughly before adding the next. Then stir in the fruit mixture. Pour into a greased tin lined with double thickness grease proof paper, leaving a dimple in the centre so that you have a flat top when the cake is cooked. Tie string a round brown paper on the outside of tin, ensuring that it is a couple of inches higher than the top to prevent the fruit in your cake from burning. Put in the middle of the oven for 3.1/4 to 3.1/2 hrs at gas mark 3 for the first 1.1/2hrs then gas mark 2 for the rest. Once cooked, leave to cool on a rack and place in an airtight container. This will keep for 4-6 weeks. If it does go a bit dry, you can always warm it up in the microwave with custard or cream.

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This will be my last blog for 2011… but it shall return on 6th January 2012… so it just leaves me to say Joyeux Noël… Frohe Weihnacht…Vrolijk Kerstfeest… Buon Natale… Feliz Navidad… Happy Christmas

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

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Something Else to Hang off the Xmas Tree, besides the cat

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the memory of 3 men who revolutionized the food industry with their world-wide renowned products Harland David “Colonel” Sanders, Maurice James “Mac” McDonald and John Harvey Kellogg.This week’s recipes are ideal for Christmas gifts for those people who are difficult to buy for and, also for getting your kids involved in making. They are Chocolate Truffles, Spicy Tree Biscuits andChristmas Stuffed Dates.

Harland David “Colonel” Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American fast food businessman who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain, now re-branded as KFC. His image remains iconic in KFC promotions, and a foundation he established in his later years aids charities and funds scholarships with more than a million dollars in grants a year.

Richard James “Dick” McDonald (February 16, 1909 – July 14, 1998) and his brother, Maurice James “Mac” McDonald(November 26, 1902 – December 11, 1971) were early American fast food pioneers, who established the first McDonald’s restaurant at West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street in San Bernardino, California in 1940. They introduced the “Speedee Service System” in 1948.

The McDonald family were of Irish origin. In the US Federal Census of 1910, both brothers (Maurice as “Morris”) appear in Manchester ward 8, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and their father Patrick J. McDonald is shown as originating from Ireland, having emigrated in 1877 as a baby. Their mother Margarete is also shown as Irish born, emigrating to the USA in 1884 as a child. In 1937 Patrick opened “The Airdrome” restaurant on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the airport in Monrovia, California. In 1940 the entire restaurant was moved 40 miles east to San Bernardino and renamed “McDonald’s”.

John Harvey Kellogg (February 26, 1852 – December 14, 1943) was an American medical doctor in Battle Creek, Michigan, who ran a sanitarium using holistic methods, with a particular focus on nutrition, enemas and exercise. Kellogg was an advocate of vegetarianism and is best known for the invention of the corn flakes breakfast cereal with his brother, Will Keith Kellogg. He led in the establishment of the American Medical Missionary College. The College, founded in 1895, operated until 1910 when it merged with Illinois State University.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Chocolate Truffles. Recipe by SweetUnique, courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com

Makes 20 plus 4 hrs chilling time

250g x Good Quality Plain Chocolate
250ml x Double Cream
40g x Unsalted Butter
3tbps x Brandy, Rum or Other Liqueur to Flavour

Coating Options;
Chocolate Sprinkles
Cocoa Powder
Finely Chopped Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Pistachios or Almonds
Icing Sugar

Break the chocolate into small pieces. Bring the cream to the boil in a saucepan then remove from heat and add the broken chocolate. Stir until it melts, then stir in the butter and allow it to melt completely. Add the brandy or other liquer and make sure it is well mixed.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and, when cool, cover with clingfilm then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Using a teaspoon or a melon ball maker if you have one, make 20 to 30 balls from the chilled chocolate mixture, placing each one on the baking sheet. Put the cocoa, icing sugar, cocoa powder, vermicelli or nuts on to separate plates, if you are using more than one kind of covering. Roll the truffles in whichever you choose. Doing a variety looks very good.

You can also dip the uncovered chocolate in melted chocolate (use a skewer or cocktail stick) instead of the other coverings to give a smooth chocolatey appearance. For best results, freeze the truffles before coating them in melted chocolate.

Allow the truffles to chill.

Present them in little truffle paper cases or piled up in a dish or on a plate. They keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days or you can freeze them for about 8 weeks.

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My next recipe is Spicy Tree Biscuits. Recipe by Mary Cardogan, courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com. First appeared in Good Food Magazine January 2010.

Makes 30-40 depending on size, Prep 40 mins and Cook 15 mins + chilling

175g x Dark Muscovado Sugar
85g x Golden Syrup
100g x Butter
3 tsp x Ground Ginger
1 tsp x Ground Cinnamon
350g x Plain Flour , plus extra for dusting
1 tsp x Bicarbonate of Soda
1 egg, lightly beaten

To Finish
100g x White Chocolate
Edible Silver Balls

Heat the sugar, golden syrup and butter until melted. Mix the spices and flour in a large bowl. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 1 tsp cold water. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the melted sugar mix, egg and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well. At this stage the mix will be soft but will firm up on cooling. Cover the surface of the biscuit mix with cling film and leave to cool, then put in the fridge for at least 1 hr to become firm enough to roll out.

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. (At this stage the dough can be put into a food bag and kept in the fridge for up to a week.) Cut the dough in half. Thinly roll out one half on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with cutters, such as gifts, trees and hearts, then transfer to baking sheets, leaving a little room for them to spread. If you plan to hang the biscuits up, make a small hole in the top of each one using a skewer. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 12-15 mins until they darken slightly. If the holes you have made have closed up, remake them while the biscuits are warm and soft using a skewer. Cool for a few mins on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool and harden up completely. Break up the chocolate and melt in the microwave on Medium for 1-2 mins, or in a small heatproof bowl over simmering water. Drizzle the chocolate over the biscuits, or pipe on shapes or names, then stick a few silver balls into the chocolate. If hung up on the tree, the biscuits will be edible for about a week, but will last a lot longer as decorations.

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My final recipe is Christmas Stuffed Dates original recipe by Pookie Bear

Gift idea, overall time approx 40mins plus cooling time.

60 Dates (usually sold in packs of 30), destoned
Marzipan
Cherries
Brazil nuts
Cocktail sticks
Large bar of Chocolate (any variety or type)

Using a sharp knife cut in the centre length ways, remove the stone. Once stone is removed fill with either the above and press together. Melt chocolate, do not boil. Insert a cocktail stick into each date, dip in chocolate and leave to cool on a tray covered in greaseproof paper. You must leave the cocktail stick in the dates once dipped until it they are dry. Don’t put them in a refrigerator to chill, as this may cause the chocolate to go white.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

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Just Imagine

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to the memory of one man, who’s short life has touched and influenced so many others in the world John Lennon.This week’s recipes are Tony’s Cheap as Chips Beef Stew, Crisp spiced fish fingers and Goan fish curry.

John Lennon MBE (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Along with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most successful song-writing partnerships of the 20th century.

Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, The Quarrymen, evolved into The Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as “Give Peace a Chance” and “Imagine”. After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his infant son Sean, but re-emerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. He was murdered three weeks after its release.

Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, his writing, his drawings, on film, and in interviews, becoming controversial through his political and peace activism. He moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon’s administration to deport him, while his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement.

As of 2010, Lennon’s solo album sales in the United States exceed 14 million units, and as writer, co-writer or performer, he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002, a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all-time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Tony’s Cheap as Chips Beef Stew

Serves 4-6, Takes 20 mins to prepare and 50mins to cook

1 x Large White Onion, roughly chopped
1.1/2kgs x Beef Skirt, cut into bit-sized pieces trimmed of fat and sinew
1/2kg x carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2kgs x Potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
150g x Mushrooms, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp x Flour
2 tbsp x Gravy Granules
3 x Organic Beef Stock Cubes
Sufficient hot water to cover
3 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar
Salt
White pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp x Olive oil

Coat the beef skirt in the flour and brown in the olive oil, add the onions, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms, season, then add the red wine vinegar and a large dash of Worcestershire sauce. Give the mixture a bit of a stir then crumble the stock cubes over it and add the gravy granules then add sufficient hot water to cover it. Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for 40mins and serve with crusty bread.

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My next recipe is Crisp spiced fish fingers, courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com. First appeared in Good Food magazine, July 2010.

Serves 2 Prep 10 mins Cook 15 mins

300g x Chunky Haddock Fillet
2 tsp x Cornflour
2 tsp x Polenta
3 tbsp x Sunflower Oil
½ x Red Chilli, finely sliced
12 x Basil Leaves, torn, plus a few extra leaves to serve
3 tbsp x Soy Sauce
Juice of ½ lime, plus lime wedges to serve
100g x Thai Fragrant Rice

Cut the fish into pieces approximately 5 x 10cm. Pat dry with some kitchen towel. Mix the cornflour and polenta on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Add the haddock and turn to coat in the mixture.
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and add the haddock fingers. Cook for 5-8 mins, turning occasionally. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm.
Wipe out the pan with kitchen towel. Return to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the chilli and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and add the basil, soy and lime juice.
Cook the rice for 10-12 mins, until tender. Drain well and serve with the haddock fingers, spicy sauce, lime wedges and a few basil leaves.

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My final recipe is Goan fish curry, Recipe by Monisha Bharadwaj courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk

Serves:4 Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 15 min

4 dried chillies, deseeded and soaked in a little water
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp tamarind pulp, soaked in a little water
1 tsp garlic, freshly minced
1 pinches sea salt
8 white fish, firm fillets, such as cod
1 tbsp sunflower oil
300 ml coconut milk

For the fluffy boiled rice
300 g basmati rice, rinsed and drained
600 ml hot water
1 pinches sea salt
2 cloves

In a food processor, blend the chilli, onion, coriander, tamarind and garlic to a fine paste. Season with sea salt to taste, and smear the paste over the fish. Set aside. Heat the sunflower oil in a deep-sided frying pan over a low heat and fry the marinated fish. When the fish is nearly cooked, add the coconut milk and adjust the seasoning. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat immediately. Meanwhile, make the fluffy boiled rice. Place the basmati, hot water, sea salt and cloves in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover partially and simmer until the rice is fluffy and cooked. Gently run a fork through the rice to loosen it. Gently warm the fish curry through (bearing in mind that if coconut milk is boiled for too long, it separates) and serve with the fluffy boiled rice.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
www.intimately-yours.org
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www.chefgarfyinfo.blog.co.uk
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