Author Archives for Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

About Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

Head of Dairy Diary; I'm passionate about producing high quality products that our customers will cherish. I'm also a mum of three and I enjoy cooking, walking, gardening and painting with my family, as well as printmaking (when I find the time!)

Celebrate National Bread Week

Celebrate National Bread Week by baking your own bread – it’s easier than you think.

Bread has long been a principal form of food. The British museum has loaves which were baked in Egypt over 5000 years ago!

The first bakers guilds were formed in ancient Rome and baking became a respected profession with about 300 bakers in the city at the time of Christ. The Romans took baking with them as they built their empire.

In the middle ages most landlords had a bakery which was a public oven.

Bread became such an important staple in our diet that in 1202 King John introduced the first laws governing the price of bread.

Today in the UK we can purchase over 200 varieties of bread; but baking your bread is very satisfying and the smell of freshly baked bread is fantastic.

Try this Soda Bread Pizza recipe, it’s great for easy
weekend baking and the kids will love making it too.

Recipe taken from Year Round Dairy Cookbook

Soda Bread Pizzas

Perfect for a drizzly Saturday at home. Enjoy creating these simple pizzas with the kids and, when the pizzas are cooked, enjoy eating them too!

25 minutes preparation time
20 minutes cooking time
406 Kcal per portion
14.2g fat per portion of which 4.6g is saturated
4 servings

For the topping:
Olive oil 2 tsp
Onion 1 small, peeled and diced
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and crushed
Chopped tomatoes 200g can
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sugar a good pinch
Double Gloucester cheese 75g (3oz), grated
Kabanos sausages 2, totalling 75g (3oz), sliced
Cup mushrooms 75g (3oz), wiped and sliced
Basil 8 leaves, finely shredded, to garnish

For the base:
Plain flour 250g (9oz)
Bicarbonate of soda 1⁄2 rounded tsp
Salt 1⁄2 tsp
Buttermilk 284ml tub

1 Make the tomato paste for the topping first. Heat a small frying pan, add the oil, onion and garlic and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until softened.

2 Add the tomatoes. Season well, adding sugar. Cook for 8–10 minutes until thickened to a paste.

3 Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ Gas 8. To make the base, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Pour in about 250ml (9fl oz) of the buttermilk and mix, using a fork, to make a soft but not too sticky dough. Add more of the buttermilk if you need to, or more flour if it gets too sticky.

4 Put the dough onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead briefly then divide it into four. Form each piece into a ball and place it on a greased heavy baking sheet. Flatten out with your knuckle each to a 15cm (6in) round.

5 Spread the tomato paste over each pizza, almost to the edge. Scatter with half the cheese, then the slices of sausage, the mushrooms, basil and, lastly, the rest of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm with salad.

Recipe taken from Year Round Dairy Cookbook

Asparagus is early due to March sunshine

The British love affair with asparagus dates back hundreds of years, and it is also said to be a powerful aphrodisiac.

In 19th-century France, bridegrooms were served three courses of the spears at their prenuptial dinner.

Asparagus ‘stirs up lust in man and woman’,
wrote English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper
in the 17th century.

Asparagus is a good source of potassium, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, thiamin and folic acid. The latter is said to boost histamine production which has an aphrodisiac effect on both men and women.

Asparagus is a member of the lily family. Under ideal conditions, it can grow an astonishing 10 inches in a 24 hour period.

The Romans brought it to England and by the 16th century all the royal courts were mad for it. By the 17th century, asparagus was being grown commercially and one of the main areas it was grown in was Battersea in London. They called it Battersea Bundles!

Try these two asparagus recipes this week:

Asparagus Risotto
Recipe taken from Dairy Diary .

Asparagus withPoached Eggs

Recipe taken from Year Round Round Dairy Cookbook.

Asparagus Risotto

Full-flavoured, deliciously sweet and tender, British asparagus is regularly described as the ‘best in the world’.

Asparagus Risotto, a Dairy Diary recipe Serves 4
Time 40 mins
Calories 518 per portion
Fat 20g of which 11.9g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Butter 25g (1oz)
Shallots 4, peeled and finely chopped
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and crushed
Risotto rice 300g (11oz)
White wine 150ml (¼ pint)
Hot vegetable stock 900ml (1½ pints)
Small asparagus spears 125g pack, trimmed
Frozen peas 110g (4oz)
Chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp
Stilton cheese 150g (5oz), cubed

1 Melt butter in a sauté pan and fry shallots and garlic for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in rice and fry for a further minute. Pour in wine and simmer to evaporate off.

2 Gradually stir in hot stock, cooking for 18–20 minutes, until rice is tender, and all stock has been absorbed.

3 About 5 minutes towards end of cooking time, add asparagus and peas.

4 Before serving, stir in parsley and half cheese, then season to taste. Spoon into bowls, scatter over remaining cheese and serve immediately.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

Days out for free

DAYS OUT FOR FREE!

Enjoy the long Easter weekend and take advantage of the huge choice of days out that won’t cost a penny.

It’s Easter this weekend and many of us will be enjoying a couple of extra days off. What will you get up to?

I would like my Easter to be a
mixture of baking, days out,
crafting and relaxing (no chance!)

As a mum of three, I am on a strict budget and cheap days out are a must.

Here is the Dairy Diary’s essential guide to days out for free:

Scotland

McManus Galleries Albert Square, Dundee, Angus
www.mamanus.co.uk
Dundee’s main art gallery and museum, is a remarkable Gothic building where art, history and the environment combine to offer a fascinating glimpse into Dundee’s colourful past.

National Gallery of Scotland The Mound, Edinburgh, Midlothian
www.natgalscot.ac.uk
The gallery exhibits an outstanding collection of art by the greatest artists from the renaissance to post-impressionism.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian
www.natgalscot.ac.uk
A fine collection of prints, paintings and sculpture from the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

Kylerhea Otter Haven Strathoich, Fort Augustus, Inverness
www.forestry.gov.uk
A hide perched above the shore of Kyle Rhea, offering the opportunity to watch local otters and other coastal wildlife.

North England

Durham Cathedral The College, Durham, County Durham
www.durhamcathedral.co.uk
A remarkable example of Norman architecture, the present cathedral dates back to the 12^th century.

Whinlatter Forest Park Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria
www.forestry.gov.uk/whinlatterforestpark
The only mountain forest in England. In addition to the stunning scenery there is also an adventure playground, visitor centre and shop.

Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole Windermere, Cumbria
www.brockhole.co.uk
Set on the shore of lake Windermere, the centre boasts interactive exhibitions, trails, film auditorium and adventure playground.

Home of Rest for Old Horses Bulrhenny, Richmond Hill, Douglas, Isle of Man
www.iom-horseshome.com
A wonderful retirement home for horses, with museum, café and shop.

Imperial War Museum North The Quays, Trafford, Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester
www.iwm.org.uk
Constructed in 2002, this museum is a real interactive experience with a huge audio visual presentation and thousands of objects from conflicts from the 20^th and 21^st century. Not to be missed.

The Albert Dock Liverpool, Merseyside
www.albertdock.com
A variety of shops and restaurants on the river Mersey. The Tate Liverpool and Beatles Story (charges apply) are well worth a visit.

Otterburn Mill Otterburn, Northumberland
www.otterburnmill.co.uk
Mill museum and shop, nursery, tea garden and coffee shop.

Baltic the Centre for Contemporary Art South Shore Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
www.balticmill.com
Housed in an imposing building, a former grain warehouse, this is one of the largest centres for contemporary art in Europe.

Henry Moore Institute 74 The Headrow, Leeds, Yorkshire
www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk
The Henry Moore Institute is a centre dedicated to sculpture. Based in the heart of Leeds, the Institute comprises three integrated elements: exhibitions, research and collections.

National Museum of Photography, Film and Television Little Horton Lane, Bradford, Yorkshire
www.nmpft.org.uk
The Museum’s renowned collection includes more than three million items of historical, social and cultural value. These include three key ‘firsts’: the world’s first negative, the earliest television footage and what is regarded as the world’s first example of moving pictures.

Central England

Kettle’s Yard Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
www.kettlesyard.co.uk
Founded by H.S Jim Ede, former curator of the Tate in London as a ‘refuge of peace and order, of the visual arts and of music’.

Gloucester Cathedral 2 College Green, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk
Constructed in 1089, by order of William the Conqueror, this impressive building has wonderful stained glass windows and architecture to be admired.

Old Dairy Farm Craft Centre Upper Stowe, Nr Weedon, Northamptonshire
www.old-dairy-farm-centre.co.uk
A rural shopping experience with unusual gifts, antiques, delicatessen and restaurant.

Rufford Abbey and Country Park Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire
www.ruffordcraftcentre.org.uk
Gallery, craft shops and ceramics centre, set in picturesque parklands.

Sherwood Pines Forest Park Edwinstowe, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
www.forestry.gov.uk/sherwoodpines
Over 450 acres of ancient woodland, with exhibitions, shops and restaurant.

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery Betheseda Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
www.stokemuseums.org.uk/pmag
Home of the world’s finest collection of Staffordshire ceramics, there are also art exhibitions, and displays of costume, industry and transport, reflecting the lives of the local people.

Coventry Transport Museum Millennium Place, Hales Street, Coventry, Warwickshire
www.transport-museum.com
Displaying the largest collection of British road transport in the world, this museum tells the story of the history of transport.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH
www.bmag.org.uk/birmingham-museum
First opened in 1885, it is housed in a Grade II listed city centre landmark building. There are over 40 galleries to explore that display art, applied art, social history, archaeology and ethnography.

Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology Beaumont Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire
www.ashmol.ox.ac.uk
Britain’s oldest public museum, displaying famous collections of art and artefacts from across the world.

South England

Bucks County Museum Church Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
www.buckscc.gov.uk/museum
An award winning museum charting the heritage of Buckinghamshire. With an art gallery and Roald Dahl children’s gallery (charges apply).

Milton Keynes Gallery Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
www.mk-g.org
Striking building housing exhibitions of contemporary art.

Falmouth Art Gallery The Moor, Falmouth, Cornwall
www.falmouthartgallery.com
One of the leading art collections in Cornwall and features work by old masters, major Victorian artists, British Impressionists, leading maritime artists and contemporary painters and printmakers.

Walford Mill Craft Centre Stone Lane, Wimborne, Dorset
www.walfordmillcrafts.co.uk
This centre showcases the best in contemporary craft and design. There is a wide range of pottery, textiles, jewellery, wood and metalwork.

Tolpuddle Martyers Museumn TUC Memorial Cottages, Tolpuddle, Dorchester, Dorset
www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk
Charting the famous local story of the farm labourers who were arrested and departed to Australia after forming a trade union in 1834.

Chelmsford Museum and Essex Regiment Museum Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex
www.chelmsford.gov.uk
Documenting local and social history, with decorative arts, natural history, and mitilaria.

Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum and Memorial Garden Serle’s House, Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire
www.serleshouse.co.uk
Historical artefacts from the history of the Hampshire regiment are on display in this fine Georgian House.

Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery St. Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent
www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk
Exhibiting costumes, life size dinosaurs, fossils and even an Egyptian mummy, in an impressive Elizabethan Manor House.

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery Royal Pavilion Gardens, Brighton, Sussex
www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/Museums
Re-opened in 2002, this new look museum offers state of the art facilities, fashion, paintings and ceramics.

There are over 50 free museums, galleries and other places to visit in London. Here is just a small selection.

Freightliners Farm Sheringham Road, Islington, London
www.freightlinersfarm.org.uk
Working city farm, in the centre of Islington.

British Museum Great Russell Street, London
www.thebritishmuseum.org
Founded in 1753 this is the world’s oldest museum. With 2½ miles of galleries.

National Portrait Gallery St Martin’s Place, London
www.npg.org.uk
The largest collection of portraiture in the world.

Tate Britain/ Tate Modern Millbank / Bankside, London
www.tate.org.uk
Some of the best British and contemporary art in the world.

Victoria and Albert Museum Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London
www.vam.ac.uk
An enormous and diverse collection of decorative arts.

Wales

National Museum and Gallery Cardiff Cathays Park, Cardiff
www.nmgw.ac.uk
Journey back in time to discover dinosaurs and woolly mammoths, the secrets of Celtic, Viking and Roman ancestors and Welsh natural history.

National Woollen Museum Dre-Fach Felindre, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire
www.nmgw.ac.uk
Families can have fun following the specially designed trail, ‘A Woolly Tale’, trying their hand at carding, spinning and sewing along the way.

Welsh Slate Museum Llanberis, Gwynedd
www.nmgw.ac.uk
The museum building is sited in the Victorian workshops built in the shadow of Elidir mountain. Not so much a museum as a pocket of history, showing the relics of the slate industry.

Dylan Thomas Centre Somerset Place, Swansea
www.swansea.gov.uk/dtc
A splendid building which houses a permanent exhibition in celebration of the life and works of Dylan Thomas.

Big Pit National Mining Museum of Wales Blaenafon, Torfaen,
www.nmgw.ac.uk
Discover what life was like as a miner, go 300ft underground, view the exhibitions and multi-media tour.

Northern Ireland

Ballydougan Pottery Bloomvale House, 171 Plantation Road, Portadown, Craigavan, Co Armagh
www.ballydouganpottery.co.uk
This historic thatched house has seen generations of local craftspeople, dating back to 1785.

Armagh County Museum The Mall, East Armagh, Co Armagh
www.nmni.com
An impressive collection of paintings and artefacts reflecting the lives of the local people.

Ulster Museum Botanic Gardens, Belfast
www.nmni.com
As Northern Ireland’s treasure house of the past and present, the museum is home to a rich collection of art, history and natural sciences.

Make a little time to bake something special this Easter

Of course, no Easter is complete without
Simnel cake. Happy Easter everyone!

Simnel Cake

Simnel cake

One of the oldest Christian festivals, Easter marks Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Simnel cake has at some point been adopted as a traditional Easter cake.

The 11 marzipan balls on the top represent the apostles, minus the treacherous Judas.

Preparation time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 2¼ hours
Calories per slice – 722 Kcal
Fat per slice – 30g
of which saturated – 13.2g
Makes – 11 slices
Suitable for vegetarians

Butter 250g (9oz), softened
Light muscovado sugar 250g (9oz)
Eggs 4
Plain flour 300g (11oz)
Baking powder 1 tsp
Ground mixed spice 2 tsp
Ground almonds 50g (2oz)
Luxury dried mixed fruit 500g (1lb 2oz)
Lemon 1, finely grated zest and 2 tbsp juice
White marzipan 500g (1lb 2oz)
Apricot glaze or sieved apricot jam 2 tbsp

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 and line a 20cm (8in) cake tin with baking parchment.

2 Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour along with each egg. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and spice and fold the almonds, dried fruit and lemon zest and juice into the mixture. Spoon half into the cake tin and smooth the surface level.

3 Roll out one third of the marzipan until it’s a circle, just smaller than the cake tin, and lay it on top of the mixture in the tin. Spoon the remaining mixture over the top and level the surface.

4 Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 2–2¼ hours, or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake. Cover with a sheet of baking parchment if it starts to brown. When cooked, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool.

5 Remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Spread the apricot glaze or jam over the top. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Place it on the cake and smooth down, taking care not to trap any air pockets underneath. Pinch around the edges.

6 Divide the remaining marzipan into 11 pieces and roll each into a ball. Brush a little apricot glaze or jam onto the base of each and evenly space around the top of the cake. Place under a hot grill to brown the marzipan lightly. Remove from the grill and leave to cool before serving.

Cook’s tips
• The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
• If you have a choice of marzipan, choose white marzipan, which has a more natural flavour than golden marzipan.

Recipe taken from Around Britain Dairy Cookbook available for a short period at just £2.99!

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