… and finally - Perfect Pies and the Garlic Farm

My final contributions from the Good Food Show begin with Simple Simon's Perfect Pies. I'm convinced it's a “North of Watford” thing – I've always been addicted to good pies – they don't have to be vegetarian, far from it – just good.

The best way I can illustrate the variety here is to show a couple of photographs taken on the day.

I came away with 2 x cheese & onion, a butter bean & brie and fresh & smoked haddock with leek and white wine sauce. The lady on the stand said that these pies are intended to be a meal in themselves – a weenie bit sceptical since I would always serve other stuff with a pie, if only veggies.

We ate the cheese & onion pies a day later, freezing the remaining two for a later date. They were delicious and the lady on the stand was spot on – they are a meal in themselves, or in my case, two – I saved half for the following day.

Fast forward a couple of weeks – pies defrosted according to instructions and 25 minutes later supper is ready.

The verdict for the butter bean & brie and the fish pies was not as good as the cheese & onion. The puff pastry is excellent and consistent in all them but the fillings were disappointing in the butter bean and fish. It may be of course that I was just unlucky anyway if you want more information check out their website – www.simplesimonspies.co.uk.

If you love garlic and use it regularly try the Garlic Farm, Isle of Wight www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk for lots of different varieties and sizes and other products too. Be careful though - it's a bit like buying herbs and spices but if there are enough mates then it would be worthwhile sharing an order. Don't forget that you can roast your garlic and freeze it.

Check out the photo – elephant garlic - seriously!

In conclusion, there's so much to cram into a day at the Show I'd venture to suggest a little planning is required to make the most of it – have a great time!

Goodies to go … savoury

… and the latest fashion

seems to be Himalayan Salt Blocks of all shapes and sizes. You know that old adage “you learn something every day” - well did you know that an expert in all things salt is called a Selmelier, I assume from the French for salt being sel!

I leave you to make your own mind up – here's a snapshot of what you can do with your salt block and other salt products.

If you use spices and herbs and all things ancillary thereto then check out Fox's Spices 01789 266420 email: sales@foxs-spices-ltd.co.uk and ask for their mail order catalogue – seriously comprehensive. Bear in mind the lifespan of herbs and spices is limited so don't get carried away because it's cheaper than the supermarket – it's only cheaper if you're going to use it! You could buy and share with your friends, then it really would be economical. I use star anise powder and it's difficult to get where I live so I was delighted to come away clutching my fresh supply.

Here's a couple of photos of their latest products.

Oh and just a thought – if you have a present to buy for someone who loves their food then you should have a look at Fox's Gift Selections – there are loads to choose from – Country Kitchen Herb Gift Selection – Indian Spice Gift Selection – Garlic Fiends Treasure Trove …....

Happy shopping!

Goodies to go … sweet

A few selected goodies picked up at the Show … for those who have a sweet tooth, here are a couple of offerings.

Have a look at Flapjackery they had flapjacks that would satisfy even the sweetest tooth! Have a look at the information below. I came away with two completely different versions – one apple crumble flapjack and the other millionaires flapjack. The crumble version was a treat for my husband, who demolished it. The millionaires version I did sample – a little too sweet for me but again the remainder vanished the following day so I think it's a fair to say they are fab.

What did strike me as a great idea – if there's anyone out there who has family starting university in September/October it would make a great “going away” gift – practical too!

My next contribution is a little more healthy. I give you the Good Full stop healthy fruit and nut bar. The bars come in different flavour combinations – have a look at the selection in the photo below and if you're interested then their information is in the following photo.

Me, I came away with two flavours to try Cherry & Maple and Choc & Orange. They had samples of the whole range at the Show – verdict – yes please. For me, perfect to stash in the handbag or briefcase for emergencies.

Tom's recipes!

Recipes for two out of the three dishes demonstrated are mentioned in the programme. The one that I thought was the stand out is not, so now is the time that I say that I don't care if everyone thinks I'm obsessive because I carry a small journal around – I wrote as he spoke, here it is :

Tray bake chicken

Heritage tomatoes

Pinch of dried oregano

1 medium red onion

1 tbsp dried polenta (used as a thickener)

sliced salami

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

one buffalo mozzarella

2 chicken breasts

drizzle of olive oil

black pepper and pinch of salt

fresh oregano for garnish

Pre-heat your oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6

Choose an oven proof casserole approximately 24x24cms square x 6cms deep which should serve 4-6 depending on size of appetite.

I realise there aren't any quantities given but it matters not. Think of this dish as a pizza without a base. It's all about layers :

cut your tomatoes in half or quarters depending

on size and place in the casserole

sprinkle with dried oregano

peel and slice the red onion thinly – layer

on top of the tomatoes

sprinkle dried polenta over the tomatoes and

onion – the polenta serves as a thickener as

the dish cooks

add a layer of sliced salami

add finely sliced garlic

tear and add the mozzarella

slice two chicken breasts at an angle and arrange

on top of the mozzarella

add a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper

and a pinch of salt

Garnish with fresh oregano

Bake for 20 minutes and serve whilst hot

The second recipe was the Pork & feta burger with cucumber and olive salsa. Not for the faint hearted. At the end of the demo – aided by his trusted cameraman who did his best to interfere constantly – it may sound cheesy but it made a change to have fun watching someone who clearly loved what he was doing but didn't take himself too seriously.

Mr. Kerridge has also gone up a notch or two since, having completed the demo and arranged the burger he began to giggle and said “here is the pork burger with a cucumber, feta and olive salsa” - he'd forgotten to include the feta in the burger mix so included it in the salsa. He could have said nothing – other than those on stage, no-one would have known – how refreshing, not that he made a mistake, he said so – hurrah for Tom!

Both this recipe and that of the blackened Cajun redfish are in Mr. Kerridge's book “Tom's Table”

I would definitely go see Tom Kerridge again – he was soooo ordinary and nice in the best possible way.

BBC Good Food Show - Supertheatre

Can't say I was mega excited at the thought of seeing a celebrity chef but, for the sake of £3 for the ticket it seemed churlish not to – you could hardly call it expensive especially compared to the cost of the bottled water! I promise I won't say another word on the subject – for the moment.

Booking ahead and as early as possible will get you the chef you want at a time to suit you. We went on the day the show opened and to the first session at 11.00 a.m. Tom Kerridge was the man and before I go any further I have to say it was the best £3 I've ever spent. A really nice guy, together with his partner in cooking – also lovely – together with the funniest cameraman I've ever seen. It matters not where you sit since there's a big screen above the stage.

The banter was entertaining and when Mr. Kerridge mentioned Paul Hollywood's name there was more than a murmur from the audience. You can imagine what the reaction was like, when a few minutes later he came striding onto the stage and took part in the “question and answer” audience participation element. Much as it pains me to say this, since I am not a Paul Hollywood fan, I have to give credit where it's due – he was great and didn't try to steal Tom's thunder.

There's also BBC Good Food Stage (sponsored by Lakeland) which gives a combination of interviews and demonstrations from lots of celebrities starting at 10.30am and the latest spot begins at 4.30pm. There are no tickets, so free – it's a first come, first served basis.

Timetables of both the Supertheatre and the Food Stage were available and I'd imagine it will be a similar format for the November Show.

Never let it be said that I don't keep you fully informed – the next BBC Good Food Show is 24-27 November at Birmingham NEC.

On Tom's demo menu was

Blackened Cajun redfish

Pork & feta burger and cucumber and olive salsa

Tray bake chicken

Three dishes in 30 minutes or so is not bad going.

Guess what's coming next!

A Grand Day Out … take a tip

… pack a picnic or at the very least a packed lunch. Having just been banging on about wheels I'm not suggesting you trail round lugging a hamper from a certain grocers in Piccadilly!

Why might I make this suggestion I hear you ask – because there are very few places where you can purchase a snack, sandwich, call it what you will. There are other improvements in that there's more seating than previously so you can rest your legs and get your second wind. It's not an attractive look when you have no option but to sit on the floor – I jest not.

Back to the picnic idea. The choices for said snack at the Show were few and far between. We did actually consider signing up for the BBC Good Food Magazine offer – try 5 issues for £5 which gained entry into BBC Good Food Magazine Subscribers' Lounge but you can't sign up without your Bank details and I don't walk around with that information in my handbag. So, with limited choices we chose a crepe from a concession near the picnic areas – sweet or savoury – we opted for the savoury @ £6 per crepe – expensive, although tasty enough. What I didn't realise until it was too late was that the two small bottles of water purchased at the same time – at £2 each – gasp - was from Costco – for those not familiar, a membership based cash and carry which bears the Kirkland name. I can't tell you yet exactly how much they cost per bottle but rest assured I'll be backing up my mouth as soon as possible – if I had to guess probably in the region of 20p per bottle – watch this space.

I wouldn't have minded a concession for food – they must have made an absolute fortune. You'd like to think that whoever organises this gig and for the most part very well – might take another look at the “fast food” options and ensure that people get value for money.

Please don't think me a miser – it's a day out and I'd be the first to pay over the odds for a halfway decent sandwich in decent artisan bread or just more choice.

Old fashioned or not, I'm taking my own food and drink next time even if it means investing in a larger version of my wheels - at least they'll be lighter on the way home (in theory at least) although the more space you have, the more you fill with “can't live without” purchases!

Don't misunderstand me it's a great day out especially if you're interested in all things food related – my mission here is to make sure you get the absolute best out of your day and at least you set out knowing what to expect and if it's better, then yippee!

A Grand Day Out …

… in the words of the indomitable Wallace and Gromit, although it was Birmingham (the NEC to be precise) not the Moon, specifically a pilgrimage to the Good Food Show Summer. I hope you realise what a sacrifice I make on your behalf, for research purposes you understand.

This was my first visit to the Summer version - what was a bonus though, for anyone considering a day out in the future, your ticket entitles you to Gardeners' World Live too if that's your bag.

Which reminds me, speaking of “bag” allow me to pass on the downside to spending the day at a food show – you buy stuff – it matters not that you have a will of iron – wave goodbye to it as you enter the hall. It's as if one becomes devoid of all sense of reason, the practical consequence of which – apart from a huge dent in your credit card – is you have to carry these purchases that you cannot possibly live without.

I speak from experience - the last time it took me two days to recover the feeling in my arms!

I was determined not to suffer for my art the next time and invested in a crate on wheels – so much more acceptable than a shopping trolley – I know I'm no youngster but I cannot yet face the phrase. I think I purchased mine from Lakeland but they are readily available and not expensive – check out your favourite search engine.

A really neat piece of kit – it takes up no space at all and even a klutz like me can release the clips at the sides, flatten down the base and away you go – it's like a “carry on” - the best money I've ever spent and I love the colours. I am happy to report that my arms are fine, thank you for asking.

Check out my secret weapon – actually not so secret since most everyone I saw had the same idea – have a look. Three photos to follow, one showing storage and the other two “wheels up” and the cover.

The other piece of advice – again if it's up your alley – is book your ticket ahead. If you do this you can also book a ticket for the Supertheatre (at different times) during each day of the Show for your favourite celebrity chef. You can probably try and get a ticket on the day but the Show I went to looked very busy and there didn't appear to be too many seats left. More about the Supertheatre experience later.

It's not expensive – tickets cost £3 and there may be last minute availability but if you want to avoid disappointment book ahead. Total cost £19.50 entrance and £3 for the Supertheatre – great value.

If you shop at Waitrose and read their Magazine keep your eyes open for a money off voucher – I got £5 off my tickets and I'd expect that you'll find the same for the November Show.

Plenty of time therefore to buy your wheels!