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!)

The dog days of August

Here we are in the heart of summer, the dog days of August, and it’s dull, raining and chilly. No surprise there, then!

A trip to the open-air theatre in Regent’s Park is coming up, so we fully expect to be enjoying a bit of Gershwin while kitted up in all the wet weather gear.

At least they’ll probably have mulled wine on offer.

The occasion is my birthday, and I’m one of several among family and friends in the next few weeks, so the idea of cake is looming large (not too much cake, though, and not too large!)

One friend with a birthday soon has diabetes so I’m going to have to do some research on the internet to find a suitable recipe, or to see whether the Cider Apple Cake or Marmalade Cake in the new edition of The Dairy Book of Home Cookery (2012) would be OK.

I’m not a great baker of cakes – too much precision needed with the ingredients and following the recipe to the letter. I’m more of a chuck-it-in-and-see sort of cook. But the Marmalade Cake sounds delicious and don’t seem too complicated. I suppose I could push the boat out and make them both.

By the way, the term ‘dog days’ comes from the dog star, Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Canis Major. It rises and sets with the sun during the summer and the ancients believed the two combined to create especially hot and steamy days. So what’s gone wrong?!

Have good weekends.

Marion
Dairy Diary Team

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Marmalade Cake

Simple to make and delicious on a summer afternoon.

Serves 6–8
Preparation 20 mins
Cooking 1¼ hrs
Per portion 264 kcals,
13g fat (7.7g saturated)
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

225g (8oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp baking powder
110g (4oz) butter
50g (2oz) caster sugar
½ tsp grated orange rind
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp orange marmalade
2–3 tbsp milk

1 Grease and line an 18cm (7in) round cake tin or a 450g (1lb) loaf tin.

2 Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3 Add sugar and orange rind. Mix to a fairly soft batter with eggs, marmalade and milk. Transfer to tin.

4 Bake at 180°C (350°F) Mark 4 for 1–1¼ hours or until a wooden cocktail stick, inserted into centre, comes out clean. Leave in tin for 5 minutes.

5 Turn out on to a wire cooling rack. Peel off paper. Store cake in an airtight container when cold.

Recipe taken from The Dairy Book of Home Cookery | 2012 edition

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Time for action

When you have been with your partner for some time, as I have, you get to a point where sometimes you say things a little too bluntly.

Just last week my darling husband looked me up and down and declared I was the fattest he’d ever known me. Charming. I had felt it too of course, but Chris underlined it.

Admittedly the trousers are feeling a little snug and the tummy is creating the ‘muffin top’ that all women try to avoid, but I refuse to go up a size. I think my recent lack of any fat-burning exercise since missing out on training for the ‘Race for Life’ this year and our over-productive blackberry bush have helped me reach this point.

There have been quite a few home-made crumbles and pies this past few weeks, including the delicious Fruit Crumble in the new Dairy Book of Home Cookery.

Time for action! So, I have squeezed myself back into my jogging pants and been for two runs this week, and it didn’t feel bad.

On Tuesday night when I went out I had decided to challenge myself to run, no walking, all the way back home, about 2km. Halfway along the gently downhill road a progression of Hell’s Angels bikers started deliberately slowing down as they neared me. ‘Here we go’, I thought, ‘I’m in for some abuse…’ as the leader stopped I couldn’t avoid taking my headphones out and coming to a standstill.

‘Do you know where Loxley is?’ he asked. Phew! Just directions, and directions I knew the answer to at that. It was such a relief. As I plugged back in and got my tired legs moving again they all cordially gave me a nod of thanks as they rumbled away.

Chris loved this story when I regaled it to him, as we both sat devouring our blackberry crumbles… well, it was the last of the season so I could hardly refuse!

Keep fit!

Karen Perry
Dairy Diary Team

P.s. Fruit Crumble is a favourite with all the family. Serve with real custard sauce for the ultimate comforting dessert.

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Fruit Crumble with variations

Fruit Crumble with Variations

This fabulous Fruit Crumble with Variations will be favourite with all the family. Choose from Original, Oaty, Ginger or Crispy Lemon crumble to go with your fruit. Served with real custard a good crumble is a wonderful thing. A Dairy Book of Home Cookery recipe.

Variations

Oaty Fruit Crumble

Ginger Fruit Crumble

Crispy Lemon Crumble

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Recipe taken from The Dairy Book Of Home Cookery | 2012 edition

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Tomatoes, herbs and busy bees

Just had our first tomatoes from the garden. This year we found a small bush variety rather than the tall plants that need support – Sweet ‘n’ Neat they’re called and they live up to their name.

Delicious and very tidy! The label says each plant produces about 60 fruits – the small cherry type – so that’ll keep us going for a while. You can cook them, or use them in recipes, but they’re so good just off the bush I don’t suppose any of them will make it that far.

Nutty Pesto Tomatoes recipe
If you’re growing bigger tomatoes, there’s a great sounding recipe in Just One Pot (my current favourite recipe book – full of good ideas, especially cutting down on the washing-up!) – Nutty Pesto Tomatoes on page 130. Might have to buy some big toms to try that one.

All the herbs we planted in May are going great guns, too.

I never thought the oregano would take off like it has, and the silver thyme is so pretty.

Both are in flower and attracting honey bees. I suppose that means someone hereabouts has hives – can’t imagine where, since this is a suburban area of terraced houses with small gardens. The allotments are a quarter of an hour’s walk away – which is possibly not far as the bee flies, so maybe that’s the answer. Anyway, it’s very pleasing as we keep hearing about how numbers of honey bees are declining. Must keep my eye out for locally produced honey.

Have a good week.

Marion
Dairy Diary Team

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Nutty Pesto Tomatoes

Big juicy tomatoes with a crunchy pesto-infused filling.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Calories per portion 407 Kcal
Fat per portion 26g
of which saturated 6.5g
Serves 4
Suitable for vegetarians

Beef tomatoes 4
Ciabatta rolls 2
Green pesto sauce 180g jar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Pine nuts 2 tbsp

1 Halve the tomatoes horizontally then carefully scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Place the tomato shells in a roasting tin.

2 Tear the ciabatta into pieces. Put into a food processor and whizz to coarse crumbs. Add the crumbs and pesto to the tomato flesh and mix thoroughly, seasoning to taste.

3 Spoon the tomato mixture into the shells, then drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of pine nuts.

4 Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and the topping is golden. Serve immediately.

Cook’s tip
This simple recipe is only as good as the tomatoes, so buy those that are still on the vine for the best flavour.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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Author Archives for Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

About Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

The dog days of August

Here we are in the heart of summer, the dog days of August, and it’s dull, raining and chilly. No surprise there, then!

Marmalade Cake

Simple to make and delicious on a summer afternoon.

Time for action

When you have been with your partner for some time, as I have, you get to a point where sometimes you say things a little too bluntly.

Fruit Crumble with variations

Fruit Crumble with Variations

Variations

Tomatoes, herbs and busy bees

Just had our first tomatoes from the garden. This year we found a small bush variety rather than the tall plants that need support – Sweet ‘n’ Neat they’re called and they live up to their name.

Nutty Pesto Tomatoes

Big juicy tomatoes with a crunchy pesto-infused filling.

Don’t miss exciting competitions, new recipes and exclusive offers!

About Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

Here we are in the heart of summer, the dog days of August, and it’s dull, raining and chilly. No surprise there, then!

Share this:

Simple to make and delicious on a summer afternoon.

Share this:

When you have been with your partner for some time, as I have, you get to a point where sometimes you say things a little too bluntly.

Share this:

Variations

Share this:

Just had our first tomatoes from the garden. This year we found a small bush variety rather than the tall plants that need support – Sweet ‘n’ Neat they’re called and they live up to their name.

Share this:

Big juicy tomatoes with a crunchy pesto-infused filling.

Share this:

Don’t miss exciting competitions, new recipes and exclusive offers!