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!)

Bruges and macaroons

Had an interesting time in Bruges last weekend.

BrugesBruges is so picturesque, full of cobbled streets, beautiful squares and tall houses with step gables.

Turned out to be Pentecost (which I’d have known if I’d consulted my Dairy Diary!) and most of Europe had a day off on Monday, so it was very crowded.

Tours of the town by pony and trap were doing a roaring trade and you had to step aside smartly as the ponies trotted along at a cracking pace despite all the people. We opted for a canal boat trip instead; then marvelled at the lace and the prices, drooled over the chocolate, ate mussels and chips and sampled several of the beers (all rather strong).

A jolly guide who spoke somewhat eccentric English very enthusiastically and with an unlikely accent showed us round the brewery. He looked as though he sampled the wares as much as the punters did!

We had some homemade mayonnaise, which I love, and tartare sauce, too, but I’ve never made either of them myself. It seems rather fiddly and I’m not convinced I’d get it right – both destined to remain a treat supplied by others, I’m afraid.

Macaroons

But macaroons are a different story. Got some from a stall in the flea market – not the coloured meringue-like filled sort, but the slightly chewy coconutty sort – and they were so good I’m now ferreting around for a recipe. Might have to make lots – practice makes perfect or so they say!

Almond MacaroonTry this Almond Macaroons recipe
taken from the new 2012 edition of
The Dairy Book of Home Cookery
available from this autumn.

Best wishes

Marion
Dairy Diary Team

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Almond Macaroons

Almond MaracroonCrisp on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. Yummy!

Makes 18
Preparation 25 mins
Cooking 25 mins Per portion 93 kcals,
4g fat (0.3g saturated)
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

2 egg whites
110g (4oz) ground almonds
225g (8oz) caster sugar
15g (½oz) ground rice
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond flavouring
A little extra egg white
9 blanched almonds, split in half

1 Grease two baking sheets. Line with rice paper.

2 Beat egg whites until foamy but not stiff. Add almonds, sugar, ground rice, vanilla and almond flavouring. Beat well.

3 Pipe or spoon 18 mounds of mixture, well apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Brush with egg white. Put half an almond in middle of each one.

4 Bake at 170°C (325°F) Mark 3 for 20–25 minutes, or until pale gold.

5 Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully lift off, then remove rice paper from edges.

6 Cool on a wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container when cold.

Recipe taken from the new 2012 edition of The Dairy Book of Home Cookery.

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Father’s Day

Father's Day recipes
 

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

So to show him how much you care how about a day of favourite dishes?

Try these classic recipes – they are sure to be appreciated, and won’t break the bank either!

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Eggs FlorentineEggs Florentine
A deliciously healthy variation on simple bacon and eggs.

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Shepherd's PieShepherd’s Pie
A treasured recipe from the Dairy Book of Home Cookery. Wonderful comfort food.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

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Blueberry CrumbleBlueberry Crumble
Blueberries given a sharp lemony edge beneath a comforting topping.

Serrve with cream or custard. If you really love him make sure it’s the real thing…

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Real Custard

Nothing comes close to real custard!

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Have a great day.
The Dairy Diary Team

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Canada and cup cakes

I’ve just come back from an amazing three week holiday in Canada.

Our friends have been relocated to Barrie, near Toronto for two years, so for the past year we have been saving our pennies so that we could go out to see them and also explore some of the area. Until we started planning our route I had no idea it was such a vast place, we did as much as was possible, and yet only covered a tiny corner of Ontario.

The Canadians seem very adapted to living with the wildlife. We saw many chipmunks. My son who is six years old rescued one from a trap at a campsite at Tobermory, where the little fellow had obviously been deemed to be a pest. Finley was quite upset seeing him trying to lift the door to escape, so we casually left the two of them alone so that he could help him out. He was incredibly pleased with his endeavour!

The bear warnings we had were real, there had been sightings, but it was quite early in the year for them and they eluded us. As did the moose. My best spot was a hummingbird at Killbear Provincial Park, it was so beautiful.

My lasting thoughts of Canada will be the hugeness of everything: the sky goes on for ever and the lakes have no far shore and are tidal, so look like the sea. Oh, and the meals. They are huge too! A popular Canadian dish is called ‘poutine’. Living in Yorkshire I am quite used to people asking for chips and gravy, but ‘poutine’ is chips, gravy and curd cheese. It looks incredibly sloppy, must be loaded with cholesterol, but tastes lovely!

 

Birthday baking

I have come home to Birthday plans for my daughter Elena, who is now the ripe old age of four.

For her party she has requested not a big traditional birthday cake, but some buns. This may sound a simple enough request to you, but I know that what she is expecting is the finest pink cup cakes lathered in butter icing and decorations that I can make. No longer can I quickly smudge some icing on the cakes with a knife, she expects piped swirls. Hundreds and thousands will not do, I have to use glitter sprinkles.

Apologies if I sound as if I am moaning about this expectation, for actually I shall quite enjoy my afternoon’s work and the delighted children’s faces as they receive one each to take home after the party.

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Maybe this Orange Ice Cup CakesOrange Iced Cup Cakes recipe will do the trick.

Pretty as a picture and quick too!

A Good Food Fast recipe that takes just 25 minutes to prepare and bake!

 

 

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Honey Flapjack CookiesFor an adult treat try these delicious Honey Flapjack Cookies.

Guaranteed to disappear before the end of the day!

Another great Good Food Fast recipe.

 

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Take care.

Karen
The Dairy Diary Team

 

 

 

 

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Honey Flapjack Cookies

Honey Flapjack Cookies

Both wheat and dairy free, these little oaty crunchies are completely irresistible. 

Time 25 minutes plus cooling
Calories per cookie 72 Kcal
Fat per cookie 4g of which saturated 0.5g
Makes 30 cookies
Suitable for vegetarians

Porridge oats 125g (4½oz)
Medium oatmeal 50g (2oz)
Light soft brown sugar 110g (4oz)
Heather honey 2 tbsp
Vanilla extract a few drops
Vegetable oil 110ml (3½fl oz)
Egg 1, beaten

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.

2 Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then put heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture, well spaced apart, on the baking sheets and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon – you should be able to make 30 cookies.

3 Bake for 12–15 minutes until they are a rich golden brown. Leave them to cool for 10 minutes on the baking trays before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Cook’s Tip
For the best results, choose a stronger tasting variety of honey and add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ground mixed spice for a different flavour.

A Good Food Fast recipe.

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Fancy your feet nibbled by fish?

Garra Rufa fish nibbling feetLife is full of new experiences, and having your feet nibbled by fish is certainly one of them!

I tried it at the weekend and I have to say it was great, after the initial shock!

Your feet are washed quickly, then you sit on a bench above a tank and plunge in both feet together among goodness knows how many little fish (and no shortage of pirhana jokes!)

They all rush in one quick movement and latch on to your feet and ankles and legs – and they tickle! It’s just such a surprise.

Apparently, my reaction was very satisfying because I shrieked – can’t believe there’s anyone who doesn’t!

Once you get used to the tickling sensation, you settle down for fifteen minutes of being grazed, and the fish take off all the dead skin. Afterwards your skin feels lovely and smooth.

The fish are Garra Rufa fish from Turkey, and they seem to be taking off in a big way in the UK. There’s a craze for being nibbled by fish (it’s not often you get to say that!)

Afterwards we went for coffee and cake!

 

Raisin Parkin

Raisin ParkinJust thinking about making some Raisin Parkins (p.153 of this year’s Dairy Diary) – as a contribution to a tea party – and realised it’s been Volunteer’s Week from 1 to 7 June. There have been lots of charitable events round the country so I hope they all went well. I’ll make a note for next year and meanwhile get on with the raisin parkins.

 

Win a copy of Favourite Countryside Birds.

Favourite Countryside Birds is a beautifully illustrated book featuring 28 of our most awe-inspiring feathered friends. Enter today.

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