Wednesday 30 October 2013

Big lunches and beef wellington

After a big walk, you need a big lunch. Or after a big lunch, you need a big walk.

Either way, a good autumn weekend requires a large lunch made up of seasonal produce and a healthy roast or casserole.

At this time of year my family embrace the autumn lunch! Whether its a roast pheasant, chicken cow or pig - the weekend autumn lunch, no matter where you are, is one of life's big treats.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket


Small squashes and pumpkins spayed gold and of course some kumquats scattered on the table give a really great seasonal feel to a meal. Adding one or two kumquats to glasses of champagne is a great way to give the drink an ever so subtle sweet flavor.

Now, for the feast! Beef Wellington, a household favourite! Whether its lunch with friends, a dinner date for two or a family gathering with the in laws - beef Wellington is a sturdy classic dish that never fails to impress. And this weekend we cooked it up for Dad. It can made in advance and left in the fridge for several hours. It takes only a little while to cook before being dished up, so perfect for cooking with friends.

Warm flakey pastry, velvety red meat and layers of Parma ham served up with steaming fresh vegetables (recipe here). Plates licked clean and seconds dished out, this really has to be a simple classic for any cooks kitchen.

 photo 027_zps75f539c9.jpg

 photo 029_zps38bd04b4.jpg

 photo 019_zps059ce868.jpg

With red wine and beef wellington, we then tucked into no bake Oreo cheesecakes (the recipe for which is here).

Monday 28 October 2013

Autumn afternoons and lazy lunches

Autumn is the best season of the year. Warm colours, musty smells and golden sun. And that's not to mention the excuse for big country walks and gigantic roasts with root vegetables.

It's at this time of year that I try to escape to the countryside in the hope of catching the golden leaves before they fall to the ground and winter sets in. And that's what I did recently. Bolting from London out to the countryside to see my best friend, my mum.

What could be more blissful than a big dog walk on a chilly autumn day. The labradors running around, laughing with my mum and Sam, wellie's put on for the first time in the year and a thick jumper dug from the bottom of a draw. Before heading back to a big family lunch

   photo 049_zpsd6641698.jpg

 photo 050_zps04d454ad.jpg

Wednesday 23 October 2013

The secret lives of Cloves

Have you ever wondered where cloves come from? They spice your oranges at Christmas, they add flavor to your caramelized pears and they make rice pudding taste incredible!

Cloves grow on Pemba island and believe it or not live on trees! Smelling stronger than ever they are picked by hand and then dried out on mats, before being packaged up.

   photo glet614_zps776474f3.jpg

 photo glet615_zps15e112d1.jpg

 photo glet616_zps9389e873.jpg

 photo glet618_zps39c45c3f.jpg

Friday 18 October 2013

Mnemba island

A short boat ride of Pema is Mnemba. I fisherman's island, tiny in size but with plenty of fish!
We went for a days diving there, but I wanted to share the fisherman's catch with you! As a seafood lover, this was quite incredible!

   photo glet694_zps05e80d49.jpg

 photo glet696_zpsa359e4c5.jpg

 photo glet697_zps41c7a965.jpg

 photo glet707_zps896bae94.jpg

 photo glet705_zps158a4a74.jpg

 photo glet709_zpsa0db8145.jpg

 photo glet713_zps5e6714a9.jpg

 photo glet716_zps53dffa40.jpg

 photo glet717_zps87b15971.jpg photo glet719_zps688fb16a.jpg




Tuesday 15 October 2013

Ships, sailing and sunsets

Africa is famous for sunsets, and especially sunsets over the sea.

With a sea looking like this...
 photo glet799_zpsbb2d16f9.jpg

... its very hard to resist jumping into this...

 photo glet659_zpsb3e716cf.jpg

And sailing out into the sea.
Things in Pemba are pretty relaxed, so with white wine doing the rounds it was time to kick back...

 photo glet734_zpsddb101a3.jpg

 photo glet730_zpsd1d0afe3.jpg

... but as the wind picked up, the sails went up and the sun went down... to offer a beautiful end to another lovely day on Pemba

 photo glet723_zps99ef19fa.jpg

 photo glet724_zps356c92d7.jpg

 photo glet740_zps48c0ba89.jpg

 photo glet741_zps312243b1.jpg

 photo glet748_zpsf16715ce.jpg

Monday 14 October 2013

Bare foot luxury - Fundu Lagoon

This is Fundu Lagoon

 photo glet879_zpsa8433351.jpg

It is a tiny sustainable hotel, made up of 18 tree houses and is tucked away on the remote island of Pemba, just off the coast of Tanzania. This place is so special and so hidden, that it feel as if I should tell you about this in a whisper. Keep it to yourself. Don't tell anyone. As this is a travelers best kept secret.

Fundu Lagoon is somewhere where you go barefoot all day, after all it is nestled on a white sanded beach.
 photo glet756_zps5b526843.jpg

 photo glet752_zpsbb585656.jpg

Tree houses look out onto the sea, a surprise drink awaits you and your very own sun hats and pool side bags are provided. What more can you want?
 photo glet626_zps47a3ec02.jpg

 photo glet633_zps5fe34636.jpg

 photo glet636_zps4dd19343.jpg

 photo glet648_zpsfdb3517e.jpg

 photo glet627_zps90a52975.jpg

An eternity pool looks out onto the sea, quiet and empty... it was near impossible NOT to make a splash.

 photo glet823_zps456c5e4f.jpg

 photo glet835_zpsce754cff.jpg

 photo glet836_zpse3c73bde.jpg

 photo glet831_zpsce8d2eeb.jpg

Sundowners continued in one of the three bars over looking the beach and as the sun sets at night it is so romantic that even the monkeys take 5 minutes out to watch.
 photo glet661_zpsba3b0106.jpg

 photo glet805_zps0e20b4b8.jpg

 photo glet801_zps262db21b.jpg

 photo glet751_zps9962a5f2.jpg

 photo glet684_zps8dba232f.jpg

 photo 5aee1e96-f3a7-4734-8a18-407b3e897344_zps8bd2012f.jpg

Link Within

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...