I can’t resist bringing out my tried and tested leftover recipes this time of year – whether you’re using up Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey or a simple Sunday roast, try out my recipes for some top notch ways to enjoy the meat all over again!
I’ve been doing Thanksgiving in the UK for years now. Partly it’s to indulge in my love of Americana, partly it’s to trial new dishes for Christmas, but mostly it’s to do a kind of Christmas with friends, which is not something that’s easy to do for a holiday that’s dominated by family. I like to call it Friendsgiving, and some people call it Friendmas, but either way, I can’t see how anyone wouldn’t want to get behind a day of fun, food and friends – no matter which side of the ocean you’re on!
I don’t have a lot of room for entertaining but I think that what’s part of the fun – a cobbled together table made partly of IKEA garden furniture, and mix and match plates; the Glitz design from Next and my Starburst set from Biba at House of Fraser… (I also picked up gold tumblers and cutlery from Next too!)
This year I used mini pumpkins left over from Halloween and used a gold Sharpie to initial the guests’ names on them – a last minute rush job, but it looks fairly decent considering I was in literal red alarm panic mode when I did it!
For my starter, this year I did a really simple cheese board. It’s so easy to throw together and gets everyone talking as they pass the crackers and talk about which cheese they like the best! I made chutney from The Spicery’s apple chutney recipe, and served Hotel Chocolat’s gorgeous new Christmas chutney too – it went down a treat!
I’m definitely picking another jar up for my Christmas cheeseboard! (Get yours here: mine was C/O Hotel Chocolat, usual RRP £5). Picking the cheeses was fun – you should get a mix of different textures and flavours, but always remember your audience. Experts say to select at least one from the four basic categories of blue, aged, firm and soft. I say, pick what you and your friends like – it’s easy to get bogged down in rules and forget the simple things!
I selected Cathedral City mature cheddar, Castello Danish Blue Extra Creamy Cheese, President Brie, Castello Pineapple Halo, white Stilton with apricots and Wensleydale with cranberries. The pineapple was an absolute winner served with crackers, and I also provided sundried tomatoes and olives.
I thought I was being a bit restrained with my main courses, but when I wrote it out it was obvious I was as crazy as ever. The day before I’d made Nigella’s ham in Coca Cola (forget the turkey – it’s not Thanksgiving or any kind of celebration in my house unless Nigella is involved somewhere) and started my dry-brined turkey. This was served with a cognac, cream and thyme gravy (and good old Sunday roast gravy too, which was far more popular!)
On the side was brown butter and pecan green beans, which was a massive hit and a new dish I will definitely be making again. I also made rosemary and orange cranberry sauce, cheddar cheese cornbread, creamed corn (if I don’t make this, I will be in real trouble with certain people!) apple, bacon and caramelised onion dressing (I think I’ll go back to Martha Stewart’s classic onion, sage and celery next time) roast potatoes, smoked garlic mashed potatoes, maple syrup and cracked black pepper carrots, and peas! And, my lovely foster-sister-cousin made mac and cheese!
Most of the recipes I make year after year come from two books – How To Cook A Turkey from Fine Cooking and Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers. I’ve got loads of Thanksgiving recipe books, but these two are the absolute best and I would recommend them to anyone!
Then, pumpkin pie, apple pie and chocolate cheesecake (all made by my lovely mum), followed by fireworks in the garden and roasted chestnuts and marshmallows around the fire. That’s because, unfettered by the American (and Canadian) constraints of time, I can have Thanksgiving whenever I like, and so I decided to have it on Bonfire Night in the U.K., to make a double whammy celebration!
I’d love to know your favourite Thanksgiving recipes and traditions – share them with me in the comments!
I’ve had a slight Taco Bell obsession since I watched Demolition Man as a kid and found out that every restaurant in America would soon be a branch of Taco Bell (franchise wars winners, natch!)…
Thankfully we no longer have to wait until 2032 to eat Taco Bell, because a restaurant just opened here in sunny Southampton – launching 23 November 2016! My husband and I were invited along to the launch this evening, and I’ve rushed home to write up my report about it, because I was pretty blown away!
The restaurant has a great central location, just opposite the Bargate – around the corner from where the old McDonald’s used to be, if you can remember back that far. It also boasts charging stations and free wifi, which I’m sure means it’ll be a hit with any cruise crew and travellers stopping by at the port – or people like me, who are usually running out of data and have plenty to do online…
The menu is on par with other fast food places in as far as choice and price goes – you can get most of the dishes under or just over a fiver. However, I don’t think we have many other Tex-Mex fast food places in the centre of town – the nearest is probably Mexigo on London Road, which is a fair walk if you have a sudden craving for a burrito…
There was a great atmosphere at the launch, and the drinks and food were getting everyone in a mood for a proper Mexican-style fiesta! It was interesting to learn that this branch is the only one south of London – I’m sure it won’t be for long. I have no idea why it’s taken so long for Taco Bell to get a foothold in the UK, because even with a handful of branches, it still has pretty good brand name recognisability here. If there’s one thing every Brit is prepared to concede about America, it’s that they do fast food reaaaaally well.
Speaking of which, I got to try a few of the dishes on offer, including the beef tacos, chicken burritos, and pulled pork quesadillas. They were all so delicious – I was expecting good things but I was surprised as just how tasty and addictive the food was. My absolute favourite was the pulled pork quesadillas – salty, juicy shredded pork inside a cheesy soft grilled tortilla; what a perfect combination! That’ll be my regular, please, Mr. Bell.
The burritos come with rice, too, making them a great, filling meal! And the tacos – crunchy, crispy, with great seasoning and a lovely blend of sour cream and cheese. Let’s face it, fast food doesn’t need to be fancy or difficult to be delicious and filling – Taco Bell is cheap and cheerful at its finest. And did I mention they serve beer too?!
I’m definitely going to make many more stops at Taco Bell – there’s nothing like it on the high street in Southampton right now, and the prices are half what you’d pay in Tex-Mex restaurants for the same food (dare I say, actually a little nicer here?!)
Taco Bell Southampton opens 23 November at 1/2 Hanover Buildings, Southampton, SO14 1JU. See the menu at www.tacobelluk.co.uk.
Live más!
Style note: T-shirt dress by ASOS, glasses by London Retro, jacket by Atmosphere, lipstick (The Queen) by Charlotte Tilbury.
Food and drink at the launch was on the house – my photos and opinions are my own.
You might have seen Heck sausages in the supermarkets already – and maybe wondered why they’re suddenly called CHECK this month… There’s a good reason for it, I promise!
The company is hoping to raise £25,000 for the Movember Foundation through sales of its sausages, and have renamed the Chicken Italia flavour to help spread the word and encourage men to CHECK! I know that testicular cancer and sausage recipes don’t really go together but I’m hoping that the visual image will stick in your mind and maybe encourage you to check or remind your partner to…
There’s a personal story behind this, too. Jamie Keeble, co-founder of Heck, discovered a lump earlier this year and was able to catch his cancer early. To encourage other men to do the same, Heck is hoping that their name change and fundraising will do the trick and save lives. Saving lives with sausages – yes please! I was only too happy to help out when Heck asked me to post.
But what about these sausages? Chicken sausage is a fairly new product to the British market but American readers might be fairly familiar with it thanks to its association with diets and health food. Heck’s blend is rich and hearty and perfect for a tasty low calorie meal. Here’s one of my favourite ways to eat Heck’s chicken sausage – and it’s even got tiny little balls in it, so you’ll definitely remember to CHECK. Right?!
This is not a recipe, because it’s so simple! For two people, boil 150g of orecchiette pasta (or whatever shape you have). While that’s going, deskin half a pack of Heck chicken sausages, make into balls, and fry in olive oil. Add halved Brussels sprouts (frozen are best and cook fastest) and fry until its caramelised and brown. Add some garlic if you fancy! Stir in chilli flakes or pesto, and serve topped with Parmesan cheese. I love this dish!
Heck’s special Check sausages are available now for £2.99 a pack from Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose throughout November. Visit http://www.Movember.com for more about the campaign for men’s health this month.
There’s nothing better than a good steak – but don’t you find that very often, the steak on a menu seems like more of an afterthought that a really well done dish? I rarely bother ordering steak on a menu when I’m out at a restaurant, because it just feels as though the cut will be cheap and the cooking a bit of a lottery.
That’s why if I want a proper steak at a restaurant, I make sure to visit a speciality place. Cue London Steakhouse Company! I was asked to pop down and review the gorgeous City branch, and I have to say, it was my absolute pleasure. The restaurant has been recently refurbished, and is on two levels – doesn’t it look gorgeous?!
City has a classic French bistro interior with white tablecloths, red leather chairs and mirrored walls with wooden panelling. The logo of the steer skull seems more in keeping with a Texan steakhouse, but the menu is classically French. The bar is well stocked with premium spirits, although there are only a handful of cocktails on the menu. But, the bar staff are more than happy to accommodate any requests. We had a Four Seasons cocktail and a bespoke raspberry and pineapple mocktail, both of which were fruity and delicious!
Starters were beef short rib with house BBQ sauce and coleslaw, and chicken liver parfait with toasted brioche. The parfait was whipped and super light, like a dreamy mousse, and accompanied by a basil oil dressing and smears of a spiced fruit chutney. The brioche came in the form of small croutons – it would have been nice to have had a thick wedge to spread the parfait onto, but the croutons provided a delicious contrasting crunch.
The short rib came stripped from the bone and perched atop a cylindrical mound of coleslaw, pink with the BBQ sauce, which was sweet and smoky.
The main was a Boston Chop, served carved off the bone to share. It came with a sharp bearnaise with a hint of tarragon, and a creamy, peppery sauce. The steak was divine – a seared outer edge coaxed forth the deep umami flavours of the beef, and the cut was tender and soft with an extra depth of flavour you only get from a really good piece of meat. I think you can always tell the quality of steak by tasting the seared fat along the edge (I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it!) and this was crispy and rich.
The steak doesn’t come with side dishes so you select your choice from the menu (and you will need to order at least one per person). We tried the Pont Neuf and house fries – the former were a bit of a miss for me, the interior was a bit floury and the taste wasn’t as good as the house fries.
Let’s face it, you can’t go wrong with frites with your steak! You are also offered condiments of your choice including tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, and sharp English mustard. I always go for a mustard with my steak, and I originally thought I’d need some as there didn’t seem to be a lot of sauce. But the sauce we were provided was so rich and creamy, it was just the right amount!
If you’re going low-carb, there are quite a few food choices on here, and I’d love to try the buttered greens and lardons, panazella salad or the creamed spinach at some point!
Onto the puddings, and the restaurant has a decent selection which should please everyone – classic creme brûlée, sticky toffee pudding, cheesecake, chocolate cake, plus a gorgeous looking cheese selection.
There are dessert wines suggested for every option which is a lovely touch – and I can rarely resist a glass of Sauternes when it’s offered! The creme brûlée was dense, silky and creamy, studded with vanilla seeds, with a great tasting thin layer of caramel on the top.
It went really well with the Sauternes, and at this point I was in dire need of a coffee so that I could continue writing my notes…
You’re treated to a little marshmallow at the end of the meal, served from under a glass cloche, which is a lovely little addition!
All in all, I thought that the ambiance, food and service made this an excellent spot for a special celebration meal out. The food is incredible, the steak was of a really high quality, and the staff were more than happy to go that extra mile to make sure you were happy with every dish, even making some spot-on recommendations for us throughout.
I have fond memories of the Boston Chop, and if you’re visiting with a loved one or a fellow steak-enthusiast, I’d recommend you go for that option. My only regret is that I couldn’t gnaw the bone at the end!
Click the image below to be taken to my Flickr set for the restaurant, and make sure your keyboard is wipe clean…
London Steakhouse Co. has branches in Chelsea and City, and you can find their website here. There are some excellent dishes on the affordable set menu, and they have some gorgeous looking Christmas menus as well, for £35 or £55 per person, plus drinks packages of £15 or £25 per person.
My meal at London Steakhouse Co. was complimentary – my review, opinions and photography are my own.
Few dishes get me as misty eyed as soup – there’s something so delightful about a lavishly prepared bowl of savoury goodness… Whether it’s a simple quick pea soup made in under half an hour, or a umami stock that’s been simmering all day, I love soup – but not carrot and coriander. That’s the devil’s brew.
That’s why when I got a press release about Beverley Le Blanc’s new book I Love Soup, I had to ask for a copy right away!
As it’s autumn and my house is full of pumpkins and butternut squash, I decided to make this roasted butternut squash and tomato soup – I’d never had tomato in a soup like this and was really intrigued about what it would taste like.
The soup is so simple to make – you roast the main ingredients in the oven, and then blend and purée, making a comforting yet tangy and rich bowl of happiness!
This book is full of classic recipes like stew, bouillabaisse, and even bread recipes to make some great accompaniments. You can pick it up now for £12.99 from Amazon – a great investment for the months ahead!
Summer’s over, the garden’s been abandoned, and now the only produce you can rely on is stuff bought in from the supermarket, right? Wrong!
Use your kitchen windowsill (or any windowsill you like!) and you can still grow a pretty wide variety of tasty treats to keep your green thumb busy during the colder months. These were all sent to me by the kind folks at Suttons Seeds, and you can find them here!
James Wong’s Grow For Flavour range is full of great plants you’ve probably never heard of or tasted before! What’s the point of growing things you can buy for pennies at the shop when there’s a whole new world of flavours just waiting to be discovered, like this Land Seaweed?!
Equally, try out new varieties of items you’ve probably eaten umpteen times before. These micro greens will look fab atop some festive spreads, so get growing now in time for the party season.
Make sure you leave yourself enough time for them to grow, though – these pea shoots would look great on a wintery salad of pear and blue cheese, but give yourself at least three weeks to get them grown!
Growing veggies on your windowsill is a great way to motivate yourself to eat more of them – who can resist the promise of unbelievably sweet sweet corn shoots? Not me! This is the one I’m looking forward to growing the most, because I really can’t imagine what they’ll taste like…!
And finally, it’s not just humans who benefit from a spot of indoor gardening… Your feline friend would probably love a pot of cat grass somewhere in the house, too!
Do you grow anything indoors during the colder months? Have I inspired you to check out some of the weird and wonderful seeds on offer at Suttons? Let me know in the comments!
The run-up to Halloween is in full swing, and if there’s one place you need to go for cute yet sophisticated Halloween goodies, it’s Fortnum and Mason. Every year they produce a range of fearsome snacks, sweets and treats, and even if you’re not buying, heading for a browse is a must-do in October. (And please, don’t forget to visit for Christmas too!)
You can also check out their range online here. I think I’d die and go to heaven if I ever got my hands on one of their incredible Halloween hampers, especially this nifty black and orange version!
Closer to home, the great pumpkin purchasing has begun – I always buy way too many pumpkins, because I love making displays of them, cooking with them, and carving them! Locally, the best place to go for pumpkins is either the Hampshire Farmers’ Markets, or Pickwell Farm.
I went with my parents earlier in the month and managed to spend £27 on pumpkins… Yes, I bought A LOT of them.
But, how could you resist when they’re so cute and adorable? I picked up a dozen mini orange ones, and a dozen more white ones, which will be perfect to mark place settings on my table at Thanksgiving too!
When it comes to edible pumpkins, you have to try Crown Prince. In my opinion, this is the absolute finest culinary pumpkin, pictured above – and what’s better, it’s easy to spot! It has a beautiful duck-egg blue skin, so you’ll always be able to find it without confusing it with other types. And, if you see the Gem squash on sale, nab some of those, too. Cut off the tops, and fill them with cream, cheese, garlic and a sprig of thyme. Bake in the oven and serve for a hearty lunch or starter. These are a speciality of my mum’s and everyone loves them!
London’s bakeries are getting into the spirit of Halloween with loads of wicked treats! You can make a similar biscuit at home with your favourite sugar cookie or shortbread dough – just form them into fingers and add a blanched almond ‘fingernail’ at the top, and smear liberally with jam!
If you want some more Halloween inspiration, make sure you check out my post about Lancaster London’s Halloween ARTea experience – it was amazing, and the food was utterly, utterly divine. (Still thinking about those chorizo tarts!)
Charlotte Olympia’s window is looking very on trend right now with its spider web logo – and I have to say, I love wearing my kitty flats this time of year because not only are they utterly gorgeous, but they’re also very Halloween-ish!
I also really, really wish I could get a pair of their cool spider web logo earrings, here, but I’m trying very hard to be good with my spending at the moment… Hmm.
Another great Halloween idea for biscuits – ice dark chocolate gingerbread men to look like skeletons! Don’t you just love their cute little skulls?!
So, there’s my round up of some cool Halloween style I’ve spotted recently – how are you going to celebrate this year?! Share your tips in the comments!
I love October because it’s got all my favourite things – Halloween, the start of autumn… and my birthday! This year I went to an escape room in my home town before a meal at Mango Thai Tapas – the escape room honestly wasn’t that brilliant, but it did inspire me to try out my own!
My husband got me a beautiful pair of Monica Vinader earrings – as seen on the Duchess of Cambridge (naturally!). They’re my first pair of MV earrings and I absolutely love them – the packaging is gorgeous! (You can find the earrings online here.)
October is also the start of the party season for me – from here on in it’s three months of birthdays, celebrations and family meals. It can be difficult to find something sophisticated and low-effort to keep your guests happy in the time between when they arrive and the start of the festivities, so I was really excited when The Fish Society offered me some sturgeon pâté to try! It’s so handy to keep in the cupboard and bring out as a canapé! I heaped it on crackers with a slice of lemon, and Alastair Blair, founder of The Fish Society suggests serving it on Melba toast with a sliver of dried tomato – or for a luxury touch, some grains of caviar! Find the pâté here and the caviar here – and check out their gift section too for some great ideas for Christmas!
I’ve been spending a few days in London recently, mooning around Jo Malone counters and wishing I could nab one of those gorgeous advent calendars… But, they cost £280 and are sold out – my credit card breathes a sigh of relief!
I’m also still thrilled about the Halloween afternoon tea at Lancaster London – they have regular themed teas throughout the year so don’t worry if you missed out! Find them here (you won’t regret it – the head chef, Ben Purton – is a genius!)
Another tradition at this time of year is to head to Fortnum & Mason to check out their glorious Christmas room… I have to get some of the themed felt decorations; there are so many gorgeous London ones I just need. I mean, how can you resist?!
And while you’re there, go to the basement to check out their glorious food hall – if you pop in late there are some great reductions… let’s just say I came home with some reaaaaaally good ribeye!
Even though I love autumn, it can get a bit drab. Oranges, browns and yellows are lovely, but sometimes you want a pop of colour! So when ILEX London asked me to select a bag from their range, I immediately went for this gorgeous Samantha tote in a luxe cobalt! It’s such a great size and goes really well with the autumnal shades – as you can see above, where I’ve paired it with some pretty Joules Westbourne Chelsea boots in ocelot (find them here – I also LOVE the leopard version here!)
There’s just something about blue and animal print that I love – and you can also incorporate another pop of colour alongside it, too! Check out these pretty Mrs Alice for French Sole flats (find them here) – don’t they just look perfect with this tote?!
Check out ILEX London here, and the Samantha range here. To see all their bags in cobalt, check here! And, thank you to ILEX for sending me such a beautiful bag – it’s going to get used a lot this season!
Food, Fashion and Fitness 
