I went to get some Cheddar in Cheddar

Where better to buy a nice piece of Cheddar Cheese then from the Village where it originated and which gave it it's name.

Driving along the Somerset Roads, I didn't expect to suddenly be surrounded by an array of gorgeous high peak rock formations containing the caves where my favourite Cheese was fathered. 

The biggest Gorge in the United Kingdom at that!

What is a Gorge I hear you cry. A Gorge is: Noun: A narrow Valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.

Cheddar doesn't claim any Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), so it can be produced anywhere you like, however only Cheddar made from locally produced milk can be called "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar".

Down in the Valley you can go and have a look how Cheddar Cheese is made and then buy some of the glorious product at the end. The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co. is a tourist friendly place and it isn't more expensive then you would expect. They have a show room which will give you an insight in how the cheese is made. What makes Cheddar cheddary is the cheddaring process. After the curds have been separated from the whey, using a rennet enzyme, they are kneaded with salt, compressed into shape and then matured at constant temperature into different strengths. The Caves at the Gorge are perfect for the maturing process.

I have filled my little bag with a selection of their award winning cheeses wich will make great presents for my family, when I go to visit them tomorrow.

But more importantly I will use some to recreate a pie that I discovered in a little Delicatessen in Burnham on Sea, a village nearby. Homity Pie is a typical West Country Style Pie, using Cheddar as a topping. It is so delicious, I just couldn't stop eating until it was all gone, and I was supposed to share....

The good thing is, I have found a new dish that has astonished and inspired me, and that is what I love and what this blog is all about!

Here are a couple of links: 

Cheddar Gorge: http://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/

Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co.: http://www.cheddargorgecheeseco.co.uk/

Baba Ganoush with Pumpkin Seeds

This popular Middle Eastern Dip is essential in any Mezze, but also great for dipping your Lunch Carrot and Celery sticks into. Usually made with Tahini, I substituted this with Pumpkin Seeds for Jana's special twist.

Drizzle with Olive Oil or for even more special twistiness with Pomegranate Molasses.

Ingredients:

1/2 Aubergine

1 Clove of Garlic

Juice of 1/4 Lemon

50g Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Powder

1 1/2 tbs natural Yoghurt

a pinch of Sea Salt and White Pepper

Start by roasting the lenghtways halved Aubergine.

Prik all over with a fork and drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt.

Roast in a 150 degree Oven for about 40 minutes until soft. The skin should blacken a little to add smokiness to the flavour. Remove the stalk and chop up roughly.

Now simply whizz up all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth and serve with your choice of drizzle and garnish.

Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, Port Louis, Mauritius

Mauritius is meant to be a paradise Island and looking at some of the Post cards in the shops it must be true, however staying in Port Louis, you wouldn't necessarily believe it. 

No beaches here I'm afraid. Just a business district with a faint colonial charm.

The Labourdonnais Hotel is a fine place to stay with friendly staff and lovely little luxury touches, like fragrant Bath Salts, a shoe polishing service tray and an iPod station. The north facing swimming pool however is tiny, so don't even bother going there. Use the one at the Sister Hotel Le Suffren instead. A cute ferry will carry you across the marina waters in less than a minute.

If it's offered take advantage of the Boat Trip on one of their Catamarans. They will take you to a Bay where you can swim and do watersports. They set up a BBQ lunch right on the yacht and will supply you with free drinks all day long. For £20 it's definitely worth it. We even had a lovely dolphin come up and swim next to the Boat.

Next to the Hotel is an area with Boutiques, a Craft Market, Restaurants, Bars, a Casino and young Couples sitting on benches with giggling girls and young man trying to charm them into a kiss. It's the place were you would take someone on a first date it appears.

I quite like the cheaper restaurants on the opposite side of the water, where a nice selection of Indian, Chinese, Pizza and French food is served. Talking of which, Mauritius doesn't seem to have an indigenous cuisine so much. It has been influenced by all the settlers that have come to live here. Mainly they are of Indian, Asian, French and African origins and it reflects in the food that I have seen here. In that spirit I went to have some lunch and opted for a traditional Indian Vegetarian Thali. 

I will continue my quest to find a great Mauritian Dish the next time I visit Port Louis. Until then, watch this space.

Kohlrouladen (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

When I was a child, this was another one of my favourite dishes. The cabbage tastes so sweet and tender with the delicious gravy to mash up your potatoes in. Just perfect!

I'd like to share my recipe here with you.

Ingredients:

1 large Tenderheart Cabbage

1 Onion

250g Minced Beef

250g Minced Pork

100g Bacon Lardons

1 tbs Breadcrumbs

1 Egg

1 tsp Caraway Seeds

500 ml Beef Stock

Sea Salt and Pepper

1 tbs plain Flour for thickening the sauce

Carefully remove the outer 7 leaves from the Cabbage.

Cut out the stalky core bit and blanch the leaves for 3 minutes in simmering salted Water seasoned with the Caraway Seeds.

Choose the 6 best leaves to make the Roulards with. 

Chop the 7th leaf into small bits.

Make the filling by combining the minced meats, chopped Onion, chopped extra cabbage leaf, Breadcrumbs and Egg. Season with Salt and Pepper and mix well.

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.

Take a blanched Leaf and put a portion of the filling in the middle. Roll it up tightly, folding in the sides and leaving the seam facing down.

On a gentle heat fry the Bacon lardons until they have released their fat. Scoop out the Lardons and set aside. Then lift in the Cabbage Roulards and brown them on all sides, taking care not to unravel them.

Once nicely browned, pour in 200ml of the Beef stock and scrape the tasty bits from the bottom. Cover with a lid and braise on a low heat for about 20 minutes.

Transfer the Roulards into a baking dish and sprinkle in the Lardons.

Add the remaining Beef stock to the Braising pan and whisk in the flour. Bring back to a boil and simmer until glossy and thickened to a nice gravy consistency.

Pour the gravy over the Roulards.

Heat this now in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile cook some Potatoes and Vegetables to go with it.

My Recipe for East meets West Hot Wings

Every country I can think of uses chicken wings as a finger food, so making a recipe that is unique to one country would be impossible in my idea of cooking. That's why I mixed it up a bit with my East meets West Hot Wings. A few Asian ingredients meet some Caribbean Herbs and get tossed up with some world over Vegetables. Baked and not fried for a guilt free conscience and easy as 1-2-3 for smiles all around.

Ingredients:

8 -10 Chicken Wings

The Marinade:

Place these into a food processor and whizz:

1 Onion, roughly chopped

3 Garlic Cloves

5 cherry Tomatoes

4 red Birds Eye Chillies

1 tbs Thyme Leaves

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tbs Brown Sugar

3 tbs Soy Sauce

1 tbs Dark Rum

Taste for balance between sweet, sour, spicy and salty.

Lay the Chickenwings into a baking dish in a single layer.

Spoon over the Marinade and let it do it's thing for about 5 hours.

Bake the Wings right in the baking dish, marinade and all, at 200C for about 1 hour, until cooked through and getting a few nice brown edges.

Turn them over every 15 minutes or so.

Serve on a bed of Salad Leaves and devour using your fingers of course!

Strawberry and Cream Cheesecake

Strawberries and Cream, you cannot get much more British then that. This weekend the United Kingdom is celebrating the Queens Diamond Jubilee. That's 60 years of Queen Lizzy's reign.

Thousands of Street Parties are in the making and the colours of the British Flag can be seen absolutely everywhere.

I have made a humble cheesecake to join in with the euphoria. Though I will be away on a work trip during the bank holiday. I must try and take my cake to work with me.

Ingredients:

12 Digestive Biscuits

100g melted Butter

300g tub Philadelphia

10 fresh British Strawberries, reserve 3 for decorating

400g tin sweetened condensed Milk

3 leaves Gelatine dissolved in 40ml Strawberry Liquor (heat gently to help the gelatin dissolve, but do not boil)

1 Lemon (juice only)

1 tsp natural sugar

Whipped Cream

Crush the Biscuits and mix with the melted Butter. Press this mixture into an 8 inch loose bottomed Cake tin, Refrigerate for an hour to set the base.

Meanwhile make the filling. Cut 7 of the strawberries into small chunks and sprinkle with the sugar. Leave them to sit until maceration takes place and the Strawberries absorb the sweetness and start to release their juices.

Mix the condensed Milk and Philadelphia until there are no more lumps, then add the macerated Strawberries, the Lemon Juice and dissolved Gelatin and mix again. Using gelatin is not necessary, but I quite like the texture it gives the filling as well as making it more stable for transporting to your street party or to work in my case.

Pour this mixture over the Base and leave to chill overnight.

Decorate with the remaining Strawberries and whipped cream.

Happy Jubilee Celebrations!