Whitstable

A trip to Whitstable earlier in the summer.

Chilli Beef and Tenderstem Broccoli Stir Fry

Now that the clocks have gone back and the night's are drawing in it's time to turn up the heat and spice up our evening meals.

Serves 4

Approximately 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped,
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g beef steak, sliced into bite sized pieces
100g tenderstem broccoli
6 baby courgettes, sliced
3 spring onions, sliced
100g oyster mushrooms
A handful of beansprouts (optional)
400g fresh egg noodles
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
A few drops of toasted sesame oil

Heat a wok over a high heat until very hot then pour in a little vegetable oil. Add the chilli and garlic and stir fry for a minute then add the beef and stir fry if for a minute or so until browned.

Next, add the broccoli to the wok and stir fry it for a few minutes then add in the rest of the vegetables and stir fry everything for a further 2 or 3 minutes.

Finally, add the noodles to the wok, along with the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, and stir fry them, mixing them in with the vegetables, for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Discover the Origin and Win a Hamper

'Discover the Origin' is a new three year campaign, led by the European Union, Italy, France and Portugal, designed to raise awareness around five key European products:

· Parma Ham

· Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

· Burgundy

· Port

· Douro Valley wines

These products all carry a guarantee of their provenance and quality: the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Parma Ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, AOC for Burgundy wines and DOC for Port and Douro Valley wines. These guarantees are defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods, so if you see these labels on any food or drink products you can be sure of their authenticity and quality.

Certainly 3 of these products are regulars in my kitchen: Parma Ham (a favourite of Rob's, in particular), Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese and Port, the latter 2 being must-haves for me as I use them so regularly in cooking (and I do enjoy the odd tipple of Port, especially when the weather turns colder!).

A few years ago I learned that only Parmesan cheese labelled as Parmigiano-Reggiano is true Parmesan cheese, the others being imitations, and so ever since I've been sure to look out for this label. And this is precisely what this campaign is helping to highlight, not only for Parmesan cheese but for the other products too.



I was recently sent some samples of the products and have to say the quality really shines through. The wines were quite delicious and I was particularly taken with a bottle of Roy Marc Clos Prieur, from a villiage family vineyard in Côte de Nuits.

'Discover the Origin' has teamed up with 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' to offer you the chance to win an incredible hamper containing these products. The hamper includes top quality Port, a bottle of Burgundy, 250g of the best Parmigiano-Regianno cheese, a packet of mouth-watering Parma Ham, and a recipe book. To be in with a chance of winning just answer this simple question:

Q: What does PDO stand for?

Email your answer, along with your name, location and web site address (if applicable) to cherrypiecompetition@yahoo.co.uk by 8th November and leave me a comment to let me know you've entered so that I don't miss any because of spam filters, etc. Open to UK residents only.

For more information about the campaign visit www.discovertheorigin.co.uk.





Photographs courtesy of 'Discover the Origin'.

Farewell Floyd

James and I have been getting lots of brilliant entries into our 'Farewell Floyd' food blogging event. For my own part I decided to cook Keith's Welsh Rarebit. It's certainly a classier version of cheese on toast and well worth the extra effort.



The closing date for the event was yesterday but we've decided to extend it for a week after Absolute Press offered a fantastic prize: a copy of the recently republished 'Floyd's Food' - Keith's first ever book - for the best 3 entries.

Absolute Press published this very first book of Keith's after its founder, Jon Croft, met him in his restaurant in Bristol and collaborated with him on the book. I feel very proud and humbled to be working with the very same publisher who will be printing 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' next year.

To be in for a chance to win a copy of 'Floyd's Food', pour the wine, get the pan out and cook up a tribute to the one and only Keith Floyd. Closing date Sunday 25th October. For more details click here click here.

Changing Seasons

Autumn seems more glorious than ever this year. Summer is lingering a little longer than usual, stopping to have a dance with autumn, leaves falling through bright, golden sunshine as they twirl together, before it leaves us for another year.

On the last weekend of September it was so warm and sunny that Rob and I took off in the car with our old dog Charlie and a small picnic and drove to spot near Lullingstone castle. It was late afternoon when we arrived and we watched the sun set behind the trees as we lay out on the rug. It was quite perfect.







But at the start of this week it felt like autumn had truly taken hold. We had grey, rainy days and cold evenings, prompting the turning on of the central heating and the lighting of candles to keep us warm and snug. Yet the week is ending on a sunnier note. Today I’ve been out in the garden, sitting on cushions on the old, weathered bench, mug of steaming Earl Grey tea in one hand, Nigel Slater’s new book, 'Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch', in the other. At one point it was so warm I had to take off my jumper but later on I had to go and get a blanket to wrap round me; such is the changeable nature of the weather at the moment.



The weather may be undecided but my food choices are very much autumnal right now. I’m baking pumpkins, eating figs with cheeses and crusty bread, and roasting pork. The markets and the shops are overflowing and my kitchen is beckoning; what a great time of year this is.