chilly july

Don't get me wrong...I much prefer the cold to the heat...I love snuggling up under blankets and wearing big chunky sweaters and wooly socks...but JULY!! you gotta be kidding me...

I was knitting these socks in preparation for the fall...but my feet are happy in them now...in July.

Purple purple purple (with green and white)

Purple is my favourite colour...it always has been. Sure, I've dabbled with green and orange and red...but purple always comes up tops.  A week or so ago, Dom over at Belleau Kitchen posted a gorgeous blog about the beautiful purple carrots and purple gooseberries he's been growing in his garden...and I was so jealous...I miss my little garden (not that I had exotic purple carrots growing).

To quell the green eyed monster I planned a labour-intensive beetroot risotto for the weekend.  The recipe comes from Denis Cotter's For the Love of Food (I just can't get enough of it)...easy-ish to follow (lots of steps) and promises to deliver a proper beetroot coloured risotto (unlike some which are washed out pink).  To get the intensive purpley colour you have to boil and then roast the beetroot and then puree half of it to add to the stock.  The puree was a gorgeous deep purple colour (and tasted amazing) but when I added it to the stock...it turned pink....hmmmm.  I figure either I had too much stock or too weak a stock...or...

The risotto is finished with cooked and peeled broad beans (to add a nice bite), drops of creamy goats cheese (we all know how well goats cheese goes with beetroot), and a drizzle of lemon fennel oil.  Not as deep a purple colour as I would have liked, but really tasty.

I've been naughty...Part 2

I hate bureaucracy...I am sure we all do...waiting in line...waiting on hold....waiting for a letter...waiting, waiting, waiting...

For the last six years my life has been dictated by forms and people on the other end of helplines or behind counters...I thought it was almost over...I was wrong.

Today I spent 45 mins waiting...waiting for my number to be called...waiting to go into a little office...

Do not frett! The outcome was satisfactory, sure I'm out of pocket...and I'll never get those 45 mins back...and I have to wait for something to come in the post...but...at least I've done my part.  Ugh...the bast way to cure the bureaucratic blues?? Why...coffee of course!!

After a quick stop at the Museum of Childhood for a poke around I wandered back home via Leo's Beanery in Stockbridge.  This cafe is so...perfect.  Like Wellington Coffee, Leo's in the basement with tables outside as well.  It was busy inside, but the sun was shining (for the moment) so I took a seat outside.  The staff are lovely and were able to help me make up my scattered mind...for instance should I have a small latte or a large latte? Why not a flat white if you like a stronger coffee? The barista suggested (is it still "a" if it is a guy?)...perfect!!

Not as smooth as Wellington Coffee, but tasty and hot.  I wasn't going to have anything to eat (second treat of the week and all that...) but I was tempted by the breakfast menu, and again was helped to decide...scone or porridge?  tough decision...I was told.  Porridge it was (seeing as I had a scone yesterday and rain was definitely on the horizon).  The porridge is made with milk and served with scottish honey and then a choice of toppings...berries it was for me today!

Warmed bananas, blackberries, raspberries and black currants, a wonderful way to energise my day! Leo's Beanery is somewhat out of the way...or at least off the main stretch of shops etc., but it is well worth checking out.

I've been naughty...Part 1

Two coffee treats in one week! The first one was planned...the second...a sort-of reward for battling with the powers that be (well deserved I may add...the treat...not the battle).

Wednesday I wandered along the Royal Mile, visited the Museum of Edinburgh and popped into Always Sunday for a coffee treat.  I've read a heap of rave reviews on the internet and blogs and although I am not a fan of cafes in the middle of tourist heaven I thought I would give it a go.  If it hadn't been raining I would have sat outside, but...it was raining so I took cover inside.  It wasn't packed to the rafters, but it was busy.  A large party of mum's and babies in the front, a couple of groups of business people and some backpackers filled pretty much all the tables.  You have to queue to order, which...if you are in a group is ok...but when you are solo you run the risk of not having a space to seat once you are served.

I ordered a latte and an apple cinnamon scone with butter.  I was handed a cafeteria style tray with my scone (drinks to be brought to the table) and I only JUST managed to snag a table...right by the condiments, right by the cash register.

The scone was pretty good, it was definitely cinnamon...not really apple-y, but...it was light and still warm and a really decent size.  The latte...was...frothy milk...I am talking froth halfway down the mug...not impressed.  But, you know what...it was packed, and it stayed packed...and in the half hour I was there people just kept coming and going.

I am not going to say I won't go back...I would give it another chance (the plain french press coffee looked really good...and the scones were alright) but...there are other places around the Royal Mile that I would rather take my visitors to.  Plus marks for serving the latte in a mug though, and a good selection of cakes and food.

Harsh? maybe...

More fresh green food!

Looking back on the last few dishes I have posted I am met with a gallery of beautiful and bold green veggies looking back at me.  Broad beans, courgettes and spring cabbages to name a few...and...do not fear...I will not fail you today!  Green is on the menu, it seems.

Last night I made yet another fabulous pasta dish from Denis Cotter's For the Love of Food.  Sauteed thinly sliced fennel, courgettes, spring onions and capers tossed in a little olive oil, added to rigatoni and topped with heaps of grated parmesan cheese.  Absolutely perfect for a stormy summer night!

spring broth for a warm-ish july evening

Enjoyed a really wonderful weekend so full of picnics and sunshine and the tennis that by the time Sunday dinner time came neither of us could manage to eat much of the roast pork I had cooked.  That's ok...leftovers are so much better I think...so into the fridge went the leftovers just waiting for Monday night's supper.

Over the weekend I picked up a booklet of recipes from Waitrose (free) highlighting their new Love Life range (health food) and spied this gorgeous looking bowl of soup.  Of course the recipe called for a range of Waitrose ingredients...frozen stock shots, pulled ham hock...but after a few 21st century urban housewife tweaks here and there we had an equally as stunning meal in front of us.

I substituted the ham hock with the left over roast pork from Sunday night and was really happy with the result.  AND just enough left over for my lunch today!!

Wellington Coffee, Edinburgh...must stop scone treat!

I am overwhelmed with the number of independent coffee shops and cafes lining the streets of Edinburgh. It is becoming difficult to choose where to visit next, I've got my list...gleaned from online reviews and blogs...and I am slowly making my way through.  Yesterday I set out on a walk...to explore...in the direction of one highly praised cafe...long story short...I wasn't impressed when I walked in the door, so I walked out again...simple as that.  I won't name and shame...mostly because of all the rave reviews I have read, and also because I am not about being negative.  So...I continued to walk along and followed my nose to Wellington Coffee.

I walk by Wellington Coffee on most days...it is always packed (lunch time) and I always clock the big chalk board outside with the sweetest words...Fresh Scones...hooked!

So, in I went.

Inside the cafe is small, there is limited seating but at 11:30 in the morning I was early for the lunch time rush.  Patio seating was full (sunny and warm) but the large basement windows were opened all the way so, after ordering, I plopped myself on a stool by the window and watched the world go by.

Wellington Coffee is owned and...from what I could tell...staffed by Kiwis and DAMN do they know how to make a good coffee.  My Flat White was perfect, it was warm enough, smooth and...a big plus...did not need sugar (unlike some chain coffee stores who consistently burn their coffee...oops what happened to not being negative?).

Now, let's talk about that gigantic scone.  There were two choices, fruit or apricot.  I went for apricot, which came with bramble jelly and clotted cream.  Ok this scone was probably the biggest I have ever seen, and not only was it wiiiiide...it was taaaaallllll.  The texture was really lovely, and the apricots were a nice change to sultanas.  The biggest plus...the more than generous serving of clotted cream.

David saw the picture and immediately said...can you take me there? Need I say more?

Wellington Coffee