Fifteen Cornwall..

A few weeks ago we had my 'pre wedding girly lunch' at Fifteen Cornwall. It was fab. The food was wonderful, the service was second to none.

Maybe it's the weeks of soup and rice cakes but I'm still dreaming about their treacle tart.

Meating a standard....

I am seriously craving red meat. Last night I ate scrambled egg, snarling, with dagger eyes at the other half who was tucking into a steak dinner. The steak he eats could soon be changing, actually the name of it could. Beef and lamb from the Westcountry could end up getting Protected Geographical Indication status.

Like clotted cream, Cornish pasties and Cornish sardines it would mean the meat would have to meet a certain criteria before it can be sold as Westcountry Beef or Lamb.

A 12 week consultation has now started and people's opinions will be put to the European Commission for a final decision.

If you would like to find out more, you can view the consultation document at http://www.euprotectedfoodnames.org.uk/News/tabid/158/Default.aspx.

Any comments on the consultation should be submitted to Irene Bocchetta ADAS, Woodthorne, Wergs Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 8TQ, or emailed to Irene.Bocchetta@adas.co.uk.

Rare treats...

Ok, so my promise to spend less time on bunting and more time on blogging hasn't exactly worked out the way I'd hoped. We've also been moving house so it's taken us a while to get organised. Two weeks today I'll be standing on Penzance quay waiting to get on the Scillonian. Now doubt it will be 30'c in what will be just the beginning if a two week heat wave (#completelydelusional).

I've been dieting hard. I've lost 2 stone 1lb now and I'm hoping to loose another 8lb by the wedding. So as you can imagine blogging about eating sticks of baby corn and tomato soup isn't exactly exciting. However we are having our honeymoon on Scilly as well and I'm going to make up for all those lost calories. I give it 48 hours before I'm off to St Mary's. Lunch will probably be at Dibble and Grub and afternoon tea at Juliet's Garden. We had a cream tea there two weeks ago and it was fantastic. We sat in the sunshine overlooking the harbour (it seems a long time ago now.)

If we stay over the night maybe we'll head to St Mary's Hall Hotel. It's launched a brand new menu that focuses on classic British ingredients, with rare breeds meat raised on the hotel owner’s own Gloucestershire farm taking a lead role.

Dishes on the new menu include Roasted shoulder of Ryland Lamb, served with braised savoy cabbage, bacon and a redcurrant jus, slow roasted belly of Gloucester Old Spot pork stuffed with sage and apple served with braised red cabbage and new potatoes, Gloucester fillet steak, and roasted fore rib of Gloucestershire beef.

The rare breeds meat also makes its mark on the hotel’s bar menu with Ryeland Lamb Burgers with Cornish wild garlic, served with crispy battered onion rings and a yoghurt and paprika oil dip and a classic Cottage Pie. (Book me a table now!)

As well as the rare breeds meat the restaurant also features fresh crab and lobster caught in island waters.

For more information on Spirit Bar and Restaurant and St Mary’s Hall hotel click here or call 01720 422316.

In a flap....

Did I tell you I'm a complete bridezilla? I'm living, sleeping and even eating weddings. There's just 8 weeks to go and reading through my blog I can't believe I've hardly mentioned it. Everyone around me doesn't have that luxury as we spend far too long talking about napkins and table plans.

But the truth is I don't care. I love wedding planning. I'm glad we are self catering. It means we get to make every single decision ourselves. With just weeks to go I need to start trialling the canapes and cakes and I'll start blogging them to get your opinion.

For now here is a yummy flapjack recipe.

Clotted cream butter flapjacks (makes about 12)....

125g clotted cream butter (normal butter is fine)

1 large pinch of Cornish sea salt

125g soft brown sugar

125g golden syrup

200g porridge oats

Pre heat the oven to 180'c. In a heavy pan put all the ingredients except the oats. Bring to the boil.

Stir in the oats.

Grease and line a baking tray and spoon the mix in. Pop in the oven for about half an hour until just browned.
Leave the cool in the tray. Slice into squares.

Easter chocolate biscuit cake.....

This is Easter. No not August, Easter. Sunny wonderful spring time. I'm off to Scilly for 2 weeks to enjoy Bryher hot cross buns and my mum's Easter nests. See you in May xxxx

Easter Chocolate Biscuit Cake....(Makes about 8 slices)

6oz butter
8oz galaxy chocolate
4 tbsp syrup
1 mars bar
1 caramel bar
1 bag of mini eggs
1lb digestive biscuits

On a very low heat melt the galaxy, syrup and butter together. You might need to give it a good mix with a spatula to make sure the butter and chocolate melt together.

Crumble the biscuits into rough chunks. Take the chocolate mix off the heat and add the biscuits. Give it a good stir to make sure the biscuits are covered in the chocolate mix. When it's covered add the other chocolate bits. I left the caramel chunks whole and the mars bar in big chunks so it didn't melt away but actually I should have chopped the lumps in half because they didn't melt at all!

Press into a foiled of cling filmed tin. Push the mini eggs into the mix. Press down and pop in the fridge.

The Rising Sun, St Mawes.....

Last week we took the water taxi from Falmouth to St Mawes. It was one of the many sunny evenings we've had recently. Boats were darting around the harbour while gig crews practised around the mouth of Carrick Roads.

We ate at The Rising Sun. Everyone else ate football sized fish and chips I had a thick wedge of grilled hake with sun dried tomatoes and balsamic.

We drank wine and beers while the sun streamed through the window. It was perfect.

Early time of spear...

The asparagus season has started three weeks early in Cornwall. Usually it would be the end of April or beginning of May but this week people have started seeing asparagus in their vegetable boxes.

One farmer I spoke to yesterday said he started to see signs at the beginning of March. It's all down to the cold hard winter and mild spring (he says).

I'm jealous. I didn't get vegetables this week. I'll have to head to Truro Farmers Market tomorrow and see if I can get some.

For asparagus recipes see here and here