Now’s the time to plant up gorgeous displays in time for autumn – you’ll be the envy of your street!
You could use a mix of glorious heathers, teamed with velvety rich pansies or try chrysanthemums as shown below.
The following project – and many more to give your garden autumn glory – comes from Seasonal Garden Ideas available at half price now online! Wow!
Not only is it important to keep children amused and ward-off boredom related grumpiness, it can be incredibly rewarding too.
I am lucky enough to be attending a children’s festival at the weekend – my first festival for a long time and no doubt a lot different from the ones I attended pre-children! Just So Festival is a wonderful event with many activities, ranging from art projects, to musical entertainment and story-telling www.justsofestival.org.uk
For those of you not able to visit the festival, look out for lots of family fun tips in next week’s blog. Or buy the 2011 Dairy Diary – on sale now – which has a full feature on keeping kids amused.
Win a set of fun cookie cutters
In my experience, children love cooking. Try out these Gingerbread Clown biscuits and have a go at winning a set of fun cookie cutters by clicking on the following link. http://dairydiary.co.uk/mailinglist.html
As I don’t have a huge house, but a bigger than average garden, summer is the perfect time to socialise and enjoy spending stress-free time with loved ones. Or so I thought, so far, we have managed one!
Trying to tie our various groups of friends and relations down to a date that suits everyone is akin to getting the Queen and Prince Phillip over for lunch! And now of course, the weather is very unpredictable (putting it politely!) I am, however, still determined to succeed before the leaves turn golden and we need to barbeque in woolly hats and mittens. For those of you who manage to squeeze some al fresco dining in between showers you may find the tips below useful (taken from bbq.co.uk).
Clean up
Clean your barbecue after each use – this will save any nasty surprises the next time you come to the grill.
Handy tools
Keep all your barbecue tools handy to avoid traipsing back and forth to the kitchen too many times. Place everything on a side table next to the barbecue. This means you won’t have to leave the grill unattended, and you can spend more time with your guests. Always make sure tools are thoroughly cleaned and dried before putting them away.
Meat temperature
To avoid burning and drying your food, remove meat and poultry from the fridge an hour before cooking to bring it back to an ambient temperature. This will result in a more succulent cooked result. Be sure to keep the meat covered, and out of direct sunlight.
Use long handled tools
Protect your hands from the heat – always use long handled tools, such as tongs, for handling the food.
Marinating
Add flavour to your meat and keep it tender by marinating for at least 20 minutes. Some meats are better left overnight, while fish only needs 20-30 minutes – the acid in the marinade will ‘cook’ it if left overnight.
Cook in foil
Save the stress of foods falling apart as you cook them – wrap them in foil. Those foods that easily stick or burn, such as fish, can be wrapped up in foil. Brush the foil with oil before adding the fish, add salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a splash of white wine. Fold the corners together to seal the foil and keep the juices in.
And to eat…
Chicken satay with Indonesian-style salad taken from Good Food, Fast Dairy Cookbook: available online at www.dairydiary.co.uk or order by telephone 08450 948128.
I know at this point, I should probably advocate real ales – my boss would as many a business trip has involved a brewery ‘drive-by’ – but it’s not something I have ever had the correct palette for.
There is something really homely and loveable about a pub that welcomes dogs. On a recent holiday in the Cotswolds, one local whose dogs had made friends with us commented that it’s one of the best ways of meeting people. His dogs always made friends for him.
One pub chain has not only welcomes four-legged friends, but has gone one step further by offering their canine visttors delicious grub. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/24/dogs-pubs-food What a fabulous idea! I don’t think I will go as far as taking my two cats out to my local, but if I ever have a dog then I will be seeking out gourmet experiences for both of us.
I’m afraid the Dairy Diary doesn’t offer canine recipes, but I am sure you will be delighted with the Salmon and Ginger Fishcakes from the forthcoming Good Food, Fast: Dairy Cookbook. It is a fabulous 30 minute recipe full of Thai flavours yet is quick and simple to prepare.
Each had been using the Dairy Book of Home Cookery over the past few weeks and had recorded their thoughts on it in the Dairy Diary.
We were trying to find out how to improve the book for its new launch next year – the overwhelming response was ‘don’t fix it if it aint broke’! Everyone who uses this book – from young to old – loves it! So with a few very minor teaks I think we can make a great book even better. The ‘tweaks’ we agreed on were:
As a Dairy Book of Home Cookery fan, do you have any suggestions for the new book?
Win a set of muffin cases
Many like to use the book for baking. As a very special treat I have a set of 8 silicone muffin cases to give away. To win visit http://www.dairydiary.co.uk/mailinglist.html
You will have to wait for a sneak preview of the Dairy Book of Home Cookery, but try these irresistible Orange Iced Cup Cakes from Good Food, Fast – Dairy Cookbook, available from September..
King William III
Today’s bank holiday commemorates the Battle of the Boyne. For many years I have edited this in the Dairy Diary but I have never really known much about its history. Time to find out…
This year’s bank holiday will mark the 320th anniversary of King William’s victory in Ireland. Interestingly, it is very important to the history of the British Monarchy (I think we should all be entitled to this bank holiday!)
Because of his old church beliefs, in 1688 powerful establishment figures forced King James to abdicate and invited William to take the throne. King William III was the Protestant head of the Dutch royal house of Orange. When James and his wife Mary landed in England, the royal army defected and James fled to France. James was deterrmind to win back his throne and, with the help of the French King, amassed an army of 25,000 (mainly Irish Catholics and French).
He landed in Ireland and fought against King William. William’s 36,000-strong army conisted of protestants from several European countries and both kings led their armies in person. It was a bloody battle at Oldcastle, near the mouth of the river Boyne, which saw a victory for William and it glued William and Mary firmly on the throne. It consolidated the momentous changes in the British way of government known as the Glorious Revolution.
Today’s fabulous Blueberry Crumble recipe comes from Just One Pot, Dairy Cookbook – still available for just £2.99 – and makes the most of this seaon’s delicious blueberries.
Win a copy of Clever Cooking for One or Two
We have 5 to give away http://dairydiary.co.uk/mailinglist.html
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