Does your Cooking Deserve an AA Rosette?

I'm very pleased to be able to tell you that 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' and the 'UK Food Bloggers Association' are sponsoring an exciting cooking competition from the AA in association with Galvin at Windows.

The competition, aimed at talented amateur cooks, is in two stages: first, participants create a recipe from a list of ingredients chosen by Chris Galvin and André Garrett of Galvin at Windows, second, eight finalists - selected by AA inspectors and Chris Galvin - meet for a final cook-off to be judged by Chris, André, Gary Rhodes and AA inspectors. The winner will receive an AA Rosette award plate, a break in France as a guest of Pommery Champagne, and the opportunity to cook with Chris and André. Interested? Find out more on the competition website.

Falling Leaves

Isn't Autumn the most wonderful time of year? It's so interesting, with so much change and something new happening wherever you look: on the trees; in the ground; in the weather; on the landscape. As sad as it is to say goodbye to summer there's a sweetness in saying "hello" to a new season and a new chapter.



There's a lot of newness about autumn. There's the new school term, with children changing classes or starting school for the first time with new books, new uniform, new pens and new pencils. Even now I love new stationery; there's something nostalgic and exciting about the smells of blank exercise books waiting to be written in, felt tip pens, new rubbers and pencil lead. Then there's a whole new wardrobe to worn, with new colours and new fashions for the season. Even if you're dusting off last year's coat, scarf and gloves they feel new, having waited patiently through the spring and summer until this time when they're pulled on once again. And new boots; I have to have new boots. All the better for kicking up the autumn leaves and splashing through puddles.

And, of course, there's the food. Oh, the food! The mushrooms, the nuts, the apples, the pears, the pumpkins, the game. The list goes on and on and on. How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy such a harvest. Now is the best time to be reaping the rewards of it in the kitchen.

I could go on forever about how I love autumn but instead I asked my friends on twitter what it is that they love about this season, and here's what they said:

@elleskitchen Everything! but always loved walking though piles of leaves. Love the swishing and crunching sounds.

@niltiac The best thing about autumn is that it's not winter yet.

@foodwinediarist Autumn faves - game + Pinot Noir, blackberry/apple crumble + Monbazillac, Thai pumpkin soup + Clare Riesling

@WC_Chicago RT @niltiac The best thing about autumn is that it's not winter yet.

@Wazzat The crispness of day, the chill of the night, and best of all - the fireside delights...

@Farctum all the fruits of the hedgerow

@JamesBrewer for me it has to be pumpkins & squashes, Autumn Lamb, Apples and Pears, Venison, leeks, parsnips. Just so much to choose from!

@markhammick autumn has to be the season of apple crumbles, pear chutneys, hedgerow food and deep earthy casseroles. light the fire and enjoy your labour

@cardiffbites #autumn means soup! butternut squash & chestnut, curried parsnip, sweet potato and chilli. serve with freshly baked bread

@ginandcrumpets The first, crisp coldness in the air that hints at the steamy kitchens and stews to come.

@Cherrapeno Autumn is apples and pears, crumbles and tarts - with lashings of custard!

@TheOrdinaryChef it signals time to get the stewpot out for slow cooked meals by an open fire. Or delayed trains due to leaves on the line...

@poorgirlgourmet crisp air, bright blue sky, wispy clouds, colorful trees, smell of fallen leaves & anything you could want at the farm stand.

@anyone4seconds I love autumn for all the wonderful fruits and berries that still are available to forage and get long into the autumn months

@wwwebbs Humidity and temperature drops simultaneously, encouraging my weight to do the same!

@Bluesky161 I love autumn because it is the season that makes my husband so happy he is bursting. Also apple cider and crisp air

@zubeme RT @Bluesky161 I love autumn because it is the season that makes my husband so happy he is bursting. Also apple cider and ...

Tell me: what do you love about Autumn?

Farewell Floyd: Food Blogging Event

In place of this month's 'In the Bag' I've teamed up with one of the newest bloggers on the block, James from Back to the Chopping Board, to bring you a food blogging farewell to Keith Floyd.

James came up with the brilliant idea of us all cooking a meal in tribute to the much-loved chef and so between us we've come up with this event, which we hope you'll all want to be a part of.

So, here's the idea:

Cook up either:

- a classic Keith Floyd recipe
- an adapted Keith Floyd recipe
- a recipe of your own design inspired by, and in tribute to, Keith Floyd

then blog about it, with a link back to this post and James' post, then we'll do a round up at the end.

Email: farewellfloyd@googlemail.com
Closing date: 17th October 2009

UPDATE: Closing date extended to 25th October and the best 3 entries will receive a copy of the newly re-printed 'Floyd's Food', courtesy of Absolute Press.

Have lots of fun and don't forget to raise your glasses to Keith.

A Final Farewell to Keith Ffloyd, Legend of the Culinary World

I was very saddened by the news today that Keith Floyd has died of a heart attack at the age of 65. Back in the 80s the flamboyant, one-of-a-kind television chef breathed new life into cooking shows with his fantastic, somewhat eccentric, personality, taking the stuffiness out of cooking and making it fun and accessible. He was much loved by the culinary world and will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

Here's a clip of classic Floyd in action, courtesy of the BBC: