No good news around, apart from fake ones. Lockdown is looming or already in force when you are reading this and is so much worse this time round for obvious reasons: not again!!! being first of them. The weather isn’t playing nice like it did in spring, there are more financial worries and much less faith that anyone with authority has a clue. Cooking is escapism now – and I’m firmly determined not to face reality. Unless I’m short of ingredients.
I’ve started researching Christmas recipes early to escape, hence sparkly biscuits and festive breads appearing on my homepage obscenely early. I recommend you do the same – whatever happens at Christmas. After all classic English Christmas cake starts its life around February, and panettone get to hang around and be sent as gifts in early November. I say it again – if you’ve never tried your hand at panettone, traditional or an easier version, now is the time.
Comforting bakes include cranberry ginger cake or pumpkin bread – as Christmas trial run, for Thanksgiving or just because you want to. Lebkuchen last for ages so you could spend a rainy weekend baking and decorating them, or even coating some in chocolate.
You could do new things like fermenting, sauerkraut of white or red cabbage. A glut of apples can be turned into apple marmalade, and there’s cranberry ketchup to test before any festivities. Homemade butter, homemade mayo, clotting your own cream – I could think of worse escapist projects.
For everyday cooking, I have some new recipes you might want to look at: chilli con corn and halloumi vegetable skewers in the veggie department; chicken with grapes and olives or lemon sole in creamy sauce in the meaty/fishy one. I’m also going to cook soups, the old fashioned potato one or chicken with noodles, the cold miracle cure one. Maybe it will work on Covid too? Who knows? Recipes to appear soon.
Keep well, stay safe and remember – cooking is the best thing you can do for others but for yourself too!