Sunday, October 30, 2011





Bourbon Apple Cider
makes 1 drink
1.5 oz bourbon
3 oz apple cider
2 oz cranberry juice
cinnamon sugar
lemon wedge
ice

1. Rub the rim and insides of a martini glass with the lemon wedge. Pour some cinnamon sugar on a small plate and dip the rim of the glass in it.
2. Mix the bourbon, cider and cranberry juice in a drink shaker with the ice and shake.
3. Pour the drink into the martini glass and enjoy.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011


Ye Olde Tavern's Vicars and Tarts Party
Saturday, October 22

Menu

Mini chicken and sweet potato croquettes with pear chutney
Crab cakes with roasted corn tomato tarter sauce
Crunchy Thai chicken peanut cakes with chili dipping sauce
Chilled grilled asparagus with lemon tarragon dipping sauce
Potato salad with Champagne mustard vinaigrette and applewood smoked bacon
Assorted petite sandwiches that included:
Turkey breast with lettuce, tomato and cranberry mayonnaise
Roast beef, triple cream brie cheese
with horseradish cream sauce,
red onion, tomato and lettuce
Ham and Havarti with tangy Dijon mustard, lettuce and tomato
Petite maple iced orange cranberry pound cake
Dark chocolate pumpkin brownies

Monday, October 17, 2011


Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Egg & Cress Filling

1 small bunch watercress, washed, drained, patted dry
5 hard-cooked eggs, shelled
5 T. mayonnaise
2-1/2 T. Dijon-style mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Coarsely chop 1/2 of watercress and set aside; you should have about 1/2 cup, lightly packed. Reserve remaining watercress sprigs for garnish. In medium bowl, roughly chop eggs; add mayonnaise and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Mash to a smooth paste. Stir in chopped watercress. Make sandwiches and garnish plate with watercress sprigs.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Concord Grape Cake

  • 400 g. flour (farina 00)
  • 200 g. granulated sugar + more for sprinkling on top
  • 6 large eggs
  • 250 ml. sunflower oil (I used extra virgin olive oil.)
  • 1 lemon, rind only
  • 0.5 g. vanilla powder
  • 16 g. baking powder
  • about 1 kilo, uva fragolina (concord grapes), seeded if you have the patience
  1. Whisk the eggs with the sugar.
  2. Add the lemon rind, then the vanilla powder, oil and the flour. Sift from top to bottom.
  3. Add the baking powder then the concord grapes. Leave some grapes to put on top of the focaccia.
  4. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, square or round.
  5. Distribute the remaining grapes on the top of the mixture.
  6. Sprinkle with sugar.
  7. Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for about 1 hour.