On location in SC.

It's early morning – which means coffee and my quiet time – perfect for me to “get my head on straight”, which means at least two cups. I do my best thinking at this time of the day. After my first cup its tackle the instructions for the digital scales - for my friend's benefit – not a huge task but there's not much point in me bleating on if I can't demonstrate to him how to use them!

So, after explaining the workings of the scales it's all systems go and my student watches me make a loaf - literally 30 minutes later here's the result :

You might not be surprised to know that there's bread and cheese on the lunch menu today.

The verdict before lunch – “this could be the perfect answer”.

The verdict after lunch – “I never need to buy store bought bread again” and “I have to make a loaf before you leave so you can watch me”.

Great start to the week – my work here is going well.

A small tip – if you are demonstrating equipment like scales or timers it has been my experience that some students have a tendency to be a little heavy handed if you get my drift – slowly and gently wins the day and saves the piece of kit from an early demise!

P.s. Phew! There's always a risk that recipes – even the simplest – don't translate well. There are so many elements that can go wrong – a different oven – the climate – air conditioning etc. in spite of them all I am delighted to report that the bread was good. I might even make another loaf later on – just to make sure it wasn't a fluke – I don't think it will be wasted.

Nothing is ever straight forward!

Whilst my friend loves where he lives he's not enamoured of American bread. If you're fond of brioche and/or bagels then you're well set but ordinary toasting bread ain't so good. So, it makes sense that we begin with Soda Bread – the fastest and most uncomplicated recipe ever and it will suit my friend well – I hope.

However, if you've spent any time in the USA and shopped in “markets” then you'll know that it's a whole different world out there. It's fine once you realise there are different names for different products.

This is what I mean ...

… remember the Soda Bread - here's a list of the ingredients

Soda Bread

170g self raising wholemeal flour

170g plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

290ml buttermilk – 300ml pot works

fine

I've shopped to cook many times in the US and have to confess I've never seen self raising wholemeal flour … watch this space. What we call plain flour in the UK is all purpose flour in the US so that's ok. Bicarbonate of soda is known as Baking soda in the US. The one ingredient that should be easily available in the US is buttermilk – bring on our visit to Trader Joe's – a great “supermarket” and reasonably priced too. A voyage of discovery … here's what we found.

I have to confess it's good fun translating recipes – if you have the time of course and I did – hey you never know when you might want to bake Soda Bread in the US – I've saved you all that time and done the research for you!

Houston ..

… we may have a problem

I wouldn't want you to think that I'm spending all my time in the kitchen – I'm not – but as I plan to teach my friend various bits and pieces whilst I'm here it requires a little thought.

What better way to gather my culinary thoughts than to sit, with my morning coffee – notebook at the ready - cuddling the dogs – here's my view :

Hmmm – I need to check the kitchen kit and experience has taught me that it's as well to do this before you leave the house! There are certain essentials that are absolutely necessary.

You can do what you like cooking your signature dish with a drop of this and a pinch of that to refine your recipe and make it your own but you can't mess with baking – it's a science and the recipes are not there for fun, so we need scales. There are no scales – gulp!

Thank you Walmart – you can buy anything in Walmart – cheaply. Panic over!

Confession time - for years I used scales for baking that I know, hand on heart, were not accurate. Do yourself a huge favour and drag yourself kicking and screaming into the 21^st Century and invest in a digital set. Here's why. The majority of cooks have old books which give weights and measures in Imperial. In the UK we use metric weights and measures and have done so for a long time. In the US they still use Imperial. How much joy is there in having a set of scales that does it all – grams, pounds and ounces, fluid ounces, millilitres blah, blah.

The cherry on the top is that your baking is much more likely to be successful if your ingredients are accurately weighed.

If my friend is willing – at the age of 75 years old – to get to grips with a new piece of kit!

You won't regret your investment.

P.s. I only ever knew one person that never used scales - my grandmother - who was a brilliant pastry cook - I never saw her use a set of scales – in truth I don't think she owned any. The best apple pie ever. I'm not sure whether it was skill or practice in that she baked regularly and therefore experience meant that she just knew the amounts were accurate. It couldn't be just luck – I saw her produce and ate the results too many times for it to be a fluke – may be it was a combination of both.

On location - in South Carolina

It's time for a holiday and for me it's time to catch up with my friend in Lake Wiley, South Carolina. Just so you get your bearings Lake Wiley is in the north of South Carolina – yippee that means one flight to Charlotte!

My friend moved earlier this year so his home is completely new to me. I feel it only right that you should get a picture of where I am, so, here's the back view of the house :

Who let the dogs out - me – say hello to Choo Choo and her new best friend Hugo, aka Huggie, two wheaten terriers.

I should explain that this holiday will include some teaching but since my friend (and student) is more than interested we'll have the best time.

It's weekend and taking it easy is definitely the intention so we need to get the shopping out of the way so that we don't have to interrupt this fantastic weather - even by US standards it's warm – actually no it's hot – top 70ies.

On tonight's menu, smoked chicken fillet in Alfredo sauce with roast potatoes, roasted carrots in lemon and butter.

A little revision for me – back to old style Imperial temperatures and getting to grips with a new oven.

It's a tough life!

The end …

of the grid for the week

So my Multitaskers, what did you think – were you sceptical?

My intention was not to turn you into some crazy person obsessed with lists. If you've enjoyed the basic concept of the multitasking and, if only in a small way, have adjusted the way you plan, shop and cook - then all I can say is yippee!

If it has made you think about saving yourself time and money - for example, shopping randomly and usually expensively – then ditto!

If you're now using your oven to its fullest capacity and have a supper or two under your belt and it eases your working week – then ditto again!

Here's another thing – how much food have you wasted this week – have a look in your fridge – only you know how much food you condemn to the recycling bin each week. I'd like to bet that there's not much left in the fridge to recycle.

You never know you might actually begin to cook more than you'll use so that you create your own home cooked ready meals to freeze, so, when you're suffering from the revolving door syndrome – you know exactly what I mean - everyone coming and going at different times - you're able to pull meals out of the freezer.

If you've been impressed, nay pleased with the results, you could even go one step further and actually work out how much money you've saved – you've shopped once at the supermarket so you'll know – compare it with your previous shop. In terms of wastage the fridge and recycling bin speak for themselves.

Best of all it does not take into account your stress free, happy mood.

Give yourself a pat on the back and treat yourself with the money you've saved.

I know it's not rocket science but may be you've had a light bulb moment!

Retro night continued

I know that I've mentioned bread more than once.

Here's the thing – if you want to buy French bread or posh expensive artisan bread that's your choice.

However, you could try either of the following :

Soda Bread

170g self raising wholemeal flour

170g plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

290ml buttermilk – 300ml pot works

fine

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

Tip the flours, salt and bicarb into a large bowl and mix.

Make a well in the centre, pour in 290ml of buttermilk and mix quickly with a large fork until you have a soft dough formed. You may need an extra drop if your dough is too stiff but take care it should not be too wet or sticky.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.

Form the dough into a round a flatten slightly. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Slice an “x” on the top of the loaf and bake for 30 minutes – the base should sound hollow when tapped.

Just to confuse the issue I've found buttermilk in different weights. A low fat version weighing 284ml and a full fat version weighing 300ml – either works well.

Cheese & Pecan loaf

60g Parmesan cheese, grated

350g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch cayenne pepper

125g mature cheddar cheese, cut

into small cubes

60g chopped pecan nuts (or walnuts

if preferred)

4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

250ml full fat milk

1 large egg

170ml tub of sour cream

salt and black pepper

900g (2lb) loaf tin, well buttered and

lined

Pre-heat your oven 180c/160fan/Gas 4

Sprinkle half the grated Parmesan cheese into the loaf tin to coat the base and sides.

Mix the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt and lots of black pepper into a large bowl. Mix in the cheddar cubes, nuts and spring onions.

In a separate bowl whisk the milk, egg and cream together then fold into the dry ingredients.

Spoon in the loaf tin, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 50/55 minutes until golden brown – skewer test i.e. insert skewer into loaf, on removal should be clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, turn out and transfer to a rack to cool.

Serve warm with lots of butter.

One thing is certain, both these breads are great. The Cheese & Pecan Loaf takes longer than the Soda Bread but both are equally delicious.

I might make one suggestion – if you opt for the Soda Bread I'd bake two loaves – it's the quickest loaf I've ever made. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than rustic and the perfect piece of cutlery – i.e. for dipping into melted cheese or paté or garlic butter.

Any bread left over is great toasted so not wasted at all or, if you prefer, you could freeze it.

I'd like to bet it's academic since it will all disappear.

By the way, for the meat eaters – I'd serve a platter of cold meats of your choice – not forgetting the Nasi from last night too.

No standing on ceremony – everyone helps themselves!

Saturday night is “Retro” night.

Here's the plan – Saturday night should be easy in every way – to prepare and to eat from a plate on your knee watching your favourite programme/film – whatever is your bag.

With that in mind the following suggestions don't take any time and effort and you don't have to produce them all – it's just a selection of bits and pieces that would hit the spot.

Here goes :

Baked Camembert

250g Camembert

1 clove garlic or garlic paste

olive oil

Bread of your choice

Pinch of sea salt

Handful of chopped dried cranberries

Handful of chopped mixed nuts

Preheat your oven 180/350/Gas 4. Leaving the Camembert in the box, score around the top about half cm in and cut off the top layer of skin. Slice the garlic clove and poke into the top of the cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake in the oven for 15 minutes – or until gorgeous and oozy in the middle.

Serve the Camembert with warmed flat bread or French bread – dunk the bread into the cheese and then into the cranberries and nuts – repeat!

Cream cheese and cashew nut paté

1 carrot, finely grated

225g cream cheese

100g roasted cashew nuts, crushed to a rubble – not

to a dust!

1 tbsp of chopped chives

salt and black pepper

black olives – pitted and sliced (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together, box and fridge. If you are feeling really virtuous have a side of raw carrots.

(any leftovers are perfect for lunch, served on whatever takes your fancy – rice cakes, gluten free cheese oatcakes, toast or even as a sandwich filling – a toasted bagel would be good too – sounds positively healthy).

Retro Rooms

Serves 6

750g chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley – finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

Glug of dry sherry

6 tbsp rapeseed oil

100g unsalted butter – at room temperature

4 garlic cloves – or equivalent paste

salt and black pepper

Mix the butter with the garlic. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms and season with salt and black pepper. Add the lemon juice and a glug of dry sherry. Add the butter and garlic mixture and cook for 5/7 minutes, fold in the chopped parsley.

Serve in ramekins with warm crusty bread to mop up the garlicky yumminess.

As an alternative you could add croutons to your mushrooms and not bother with the crusty bread.

Speaking of bread … read on