Category Archives: Recipes

A certain joie de vivre….

By lucie Posted in Recipes Tagged

I currently have the luxury of writing my blog in 30 degree heat with a light breeze in the kitchen of a very petite medieval French house in the Languedoc Roussillon – well, more 3 rooms stacked on top of each other but you get the picture.

Writing in the shade on a sunny day, filled with a dappled glow of a truly From Scratch lunch, life couldn’t be better.

Now I was trying to work out, what makes it so good? Is it the holiday or is it the From Scratch food?  I am well over half way through my year now and, as holidays always seem to provide, I am starting to get some perspective on the project so far.
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Monday Night and Tuesday Lunchtime

By lucie Posted in Recipes Tagged ,

I realised today that what my story needs is a bit of gritty realism in the form of British kitchen sink drama!

Well, really more of a concise look at the reality of eating From Scratch everyday for a year. Not the epic tales of baked goods, the eloquent eulogies of dinner parties, or the devastation of failed chocolate. No. No drama, no comedy, just your average run of the mill tale where you get to peak over the neighbours fence in to the realism of daily life From Scratch.

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I love cake like a fat kid loves cake

By lucie Posted in Recipes Tagged ,

Throughout the whole experience so far, from bread to chocolate, jam to pasta, there has been one glaring omission from my From Scratch story. Those of you who know me can probably guess, and for those of you who don’t you can also probably guess!

What else could it be but the master of all food loveliness – CAKE!

When it comes to cake I am like a sugar starved child with a constant image of what could be if only I had a slice of  mouth watering chocolate, lemon, carrot, banana (you name it, I love it … except coffee, but nobody likes coffee) cake.

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Spaghetti Boring-phase

By lucie Posted in Recipes

Now I know I promised a cake blog and it is coming, but trying to describe an epic victoria sponge, black forest gateau, banana cake, bread and macaroon baking day is taking its time and since then stuff has happened.  So I’m filling you in on this week and sharing perhaps the least attractive emotion of this experience so far…. Laziness…..

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Jammy Delight

By lucie Posted in Basics, Recipes

I think the reoccurring theme with my cooking tends to be ambition.  As I am not one to go against the grain, this bank holiday weekend I planned a roast, two loaves of bread, cake, pancakes, pea soup and Jam.

And for once I actually achieved it all!  (Although I think it was more to do with the extra Bank Holiday Monday than with anything else)…

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Let the Sunshine In

By lucie Posted in Recipes

Today I got really excited about the summer, or more specifically summer food. The recent good weather has already led to my first BBQ of the year and some lovely picnics in a variety of outside spots.

As I write this, the sunshine is streaming through my windows and you really start to feel that the earth is singing. However one vital ingredient has been missing (no not rain!)  the actual summer ingredients.

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Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple

By lucie Posted in Basics, Recipes Tagged

With these iconic words ringing in my ears I set about to become the chocolate king I had always dreamed off.

I won’t lie; I have grand ambitions to be the next Willy Wonka.

So with these expectations of grandeur and the craving of chocolate goodness (which has been building up as I watch everyone around me gorge on mini eggs, crème eggs and a plethora of other chocolaty delights) I set out on Easter Sunday to make my own chocolate … sans recipe.
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In search of my lost inspiration

By lucie Posted in Recipes Tagged

So the last few weeks have been quite monotonous – I haven’t written anything because nothing exciting has happened:  no great successes, no great failures. All pretty bland really – just like my meals over the last few weeks.

Although they  have all been fairly pleasant, they have become a tad repetitive and uninspired. The odd moment of inspiration has found its way on to the plate, for example a very tasty and comforting coconut rice pudding and some hearty and juicy home made burgers.

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Croissants, Sourdough and Tortillas – around the world in baked goods

By lucie Posted in Basics, Recipes Tagged ,

If you haven’t worked it out already I’m a bit of a baker at heart.  I love bread and cakes, biscuits and tarts, and in the last few weeks I have been on a baking spree – which I should probably stop fairly soon in aid of trying to eat a bit healthier. Whilst I said before it’s not about deprivation, it’s also not about pre-mature cardiac arrest!

However I thought I would share a few baking/flour based cooking treats from the last few weeks.
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Patient foods, farmers markets, and the culinary quickie

By lucie Posted in Recipes Tagged ,

During the last few months I have come to appreciate the different types of food and cooking experiences that come with this sort of project. From long luxuriating cooking to chuck in the pan and on to the plate style.

So I thought I would share one patient food and one culinary quickie with you and as a little extra I have thrown in a quick eulogy about how amazing farmers markets are.

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