Rosewood meat

I've been cooking since I was 6 (now 51 almost); I have cooked just about every joint of meat/cut/offal/bird whatever over the years, both at home and professionally as a chef. I have never tasted a piece of rump steak like the Ayrshire I have just eaten, I really can't praise it highly enough, and I would like to thinkthat for here on in I will not be buying my beef from anywhere else. The only other piece I've had so far was the brisket which was more than excellent too. Really, give it a go, the difference to 'ordinary ' meat is incalculable. http://www.grassfeddexterbeef.co.uk/

Act for Seed Freedom

Please watch this and share as widely if you can. It really is vitally important for many reasons. Thankyou :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vugasMzEYxo

Thrifty homemade chicken soup

Really in August I should be thinking more along the lines of salads and barbecues, cooking outside and picnics!  Really really wet, cold and miserable today, so made some thrifty chicken soup. Dice one medium onion and saute in a good knob of butter until soft, but not coloured; add in the chopped meat from two cooked chicken legs* and 1 1/2 pints of good stock (I used Marigold powder for this one). Simmer slowly for about half an hour, then whizz through the blender, but not too smooth,so you still have bits of the chicken in it. Re-heat gently with a dash of cream or top of the milk and serve in hot soup bowls. * these were left from a chicken used a few days ago; I intend to buy a coule of packs of free range chicken legs though, cook them, and keep them in the freezer for making chicken soup. Can't be beaten on a day like today :)

Highland Fairy blog

A lovely blog to stumble across on a Sunday morning - great originality, beautiful work, inspiring :) http://highlandfairy.blogspot.co.uk/ (picture of her dress from the blog above)

Frugal Friday ps

Another great barter :)  A dozen mixed fresh eggs for a bg of freshly dug potatoes and picked runner beans from my friend Jill.

Frugal Friday - nasturtium leaf soup

This really is very tasty - give it a go :)   The nastutium is in the same family as watercress, and tastes similar both fresh and in soup. Good handful of nasturtium leves, stalks removed 1 small potato, peeled and diced 1/2 medium onion, chopped  finely 1 pint good stock seasoning to taste tbsp double cream and shredded nasturtium flower to garnish Wash leaves if required and put into pan with potato, onion and stock, cover and simmer until vegetables soft.  Leave to cool, then blend until smooth, or the conistency you like. Reheat, with seasoning if required,  to piping hot, pour into hot soup bowls add cream and sprinkle on flower shreds. Serve immediately.

A few pics............

Just to give a flavour of the first day of Lfest :) http://mrsloneowomanfestival.blogspot.com/