On location in SC - Friday night is burger night!

It's not unusual to have a houseful of guests and this weekend my friend's son-in-law has friends arriving and they're off to the Carolina Panthers game tomorrow. The only problem is that they arrive at different times and from different directions – some to the airport, some by road – but both are subject to delay.

All the more reason to make sure we have food ready and my suggestion is burgers – I can make them ahead of the game.

If I had a pound, or in this case dollar, for every burger I've made over the years I'd be a rich girl! Here's the tried and tested recipe which, by the way, makes excellent meatballs too.

Burgers

Makes 5 x 100g burgers

500g minced beef, pork or turkey

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*mixed herbs or garlic italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

The easiest way of making uniform burgers is to weigh whatever amount you wish – 50g or 100g depending on size of appetites - with damp hands. Using a large frying pan, heat the oil gently and seal the burgers on both sides.

At this point you have a choice, you can continue to cook the burgers in the pan or you can transfer to an oven-proof dish and pop into a pre-heated oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4 for 20 minutes.

Serve on burger buns or a brioche version, toasted – add a cheese slice for a cheeseburger with dill pickles and salsa. Wrap in a square of greaseproof paper and a serviette – your very own fast food!

I made 12 burgers of various sizes to suit all appetites and they all disappeared. What worked really well was that each person could take whatever they wished. You know what it's like when you've been travelling - you are absolutely ravenous and whatever you serve it needs to be quick!

A change of arrangements and a marriage proposal!

We are off out for dinner this evening so no planning required nor a shopping list today – I'll just have to enjoy the view and do the “mind, body, spirit” thing!

The one thing I do love about being on holiday in such a wonderful place is that you relax more than ever.  There's no panic or rush to get up and go – whenever will do - it's a really good place to be.

Just when you thought it was safe ... a message received means that our dinner out has to be re-arranged.  Hmmm back to the drawing board, as they say.

A rummage through the fridge reveals a plump pork tenderloin.  Thinks ….. apples from The Apple Man ….. cider or Calvados …. cream.  

The conversation went something like ...”what would you say if I suggested pork tenderloin with apples, cider and a cream sauce for supper?”  Response … “I'd say get a divorce and marry me”.  I took that to mean yes!

So, here's the recipe :

Pork fillet and apples

One pork tenderloin

2 sharp dessert apples – peeled, cored

and sliced

drop of Canola oil

generous knob of unsalted butter

salt and black pepper

sprinkle of thyme 

200ml of stock – chicken or vegetable

Trim the pork tenderloin – take off any fat and sinew and cut into medallions of a similar size.  Using a large frying pan with a lid and on a medium heat add a drop of Canola oil and a knob of butter.  Add the sliced apples and soften for 5 minutes – set aside.  Add your medallions and salt, pepper and seal on both sides.  Add a sprinkle of thyme.  Add 200ml of stock and turn the heat to low and let the medallions simmer for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat.  Reserve the stock and juices in a jug, cover and fridge until ready to make the sauce.  Place a lid on the pan with the pork medallions and apples - leave in a cool place until you're ready to make your sauce and serve.

 Calvados or cider cream sauce

15g unsalted butter

15g plain flour

1 tsp garlic paste or 1 clove, crushed

generous glug of Calvados or cider

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200ml stock

300ml double cream

salt and black pepper

Using a medium saucepan melt the butter, take the pan off the heat, add the flour and whisk.  Return to the heat and cook out the flour for 2/3 mins, stirring continuously – add the garlic paste and mustard and then, on a high heat, add the Calvados or cider – cook on high for 1-2 mins.  Add the cold stock straight into the sauce and whisk until smooth, then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.  Season with salt and black pepper.

Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes and tip into the frying pan covering the medallions and apples.  Ready to gently re-heat when you wish to serve.

The sauce can be made ahead.  If your stock isn't chilled it's not the end of the world!

I'd forgotten my friend's favourite meat is pork and in particular tenderloin – definitely the favourite dish so far, especially, apparently, the sauce.

Please add to the recipe list!

The Botanical Gardens

Welcome to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina.

I appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea, mooching around gardens – to be honest I can't say it's top of my list but, this place has lots of different bits and pieces on offer.   There's a Pavilion boasting a copper roof and from the inside the dome is stunning:

Outside there's a woodland trail, all types of different gardens, fountains and, last but by no means least an Orchid Conservatory.  It also makes a difference if you have a purpose – i.e. looking for ideas for the various projects my friend has in mind – two heads are definitely better than one and more fun too!

We were visiting in October so for the most part a lot of the plants were at the end of their season but it was definitely still worth the visit.

Our last port of call was the Orchid Conservatory.  Confession time – I can't say I'm wild about orchids or conservatories for that matter but every now and then you get taken by surprise.

I am struggling to find an expression worthy of this vision – it's beyond beautiful - plain and simple.  If you ever get the opportunity to pay a visit and all the more so if you're not particularly interested in flora it will blow your mind.

I'm not going to prattle on – here are three photos which I hope will do it some justice.

Breathtaking!

The Birthday Gift and the mid week loaf

I don't think I've mentioned that my friend has just had a birthday.  My gift is a choice of dinner out or I'll cook whatever he'd like.  Ponder and let me know …. ok, pondered – eat-in!

Before we head out today I promised myself I'd make another loaf of soda bread – just to make sure that it wasn't just good luck on the previous occasion.

Well how about that – another success, so am more than confident now that my friend will be able to produce his own as and when.

 

A further ponder and the birthday gift will be Sunday lunch of roast beef with all the trimmings.  I've suggested too that dessert could be a toffee apple crumble with the vanilla ice cream – celebrating the fantastic local apples purchased yesterday!

A spot of garden planning today prior to a day out visiting Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens  tomorrow.  If you're a lover of gardens and plants then there's no point in visiting anywhere without making sure you're armed with your own ideas for areas you want to work on.  For example the front of the house is as big as the back :

 

Note to self :  don't forget your phone – to take photos and a small pad and pen, not to mention comfortable shoes!

 

The Apple Man and The Garden Cafe

The word is out – the apple man is back. The apple man has a roadside stall selling different varieties of local apples picked by his own fair hands – the same day. News travels fast – he has been absent for a while and missed. Top of the list to visit today, on our way out for lunch at The Garden Cafe in York S.C.

The apple man's stall is wonderful and you can buy loose or by the bag. Spoilt for choice – they all look perfect and off we go on our merry way clutching our purchase.

The Garden Cafe looks rustic and unusual – all the frontage decoration is a form of up-cycling. Another thing I noticed was that there were two local police cars in the car park. If the police eat here then it's going to be good. When you walk in you are instantly in the gift shop – it's like Aladdin's cave and will definitely require twice round if not three times just to take in all the bits and pieces. I'm drawn to a display of tee shirts and since I'm a lover of over-sized versions to use as pajama tops I have a good feeling about this excursion and that's before any food!

I have to share with you one of my favourite photos - say hello to my friends who live in an old “up-cycled” tin bath outside – they were so still it was really hard to tell whether they were real or models, they were so perfect. Hurray for The Garden Cafe they were very much alive and clearly very happy in their home.

The lunch was fantastic and the best sweet potato fries ever.

In you're ever in this neck of the woods would highly recommend you drop by for a spot of shopping and a great lunch. Check ahead for opening hours. They also have live music some evenings. The Garden Cafe, 307 West Liberty Street York, S.C. 29745 – 803-684-7019.

On location in S.C. - Dessert – the verdict

There are four of us eating supper tonight – my friend's daughter and son-in-law too.

The slow cooked beef et al disappeared without trace.

Dessert is served - “Goodbye to shop bought” and, from my friend's daughter “please will you make me a batch?”.

Here it is :

Ta dah!

I think I'll take that as a definite success.

Note for tomorrow's shopping list – baby aisle for one scoop pots and containers for two scoops!

On location in S.C. - Dessert – a light bulb moment.

I do realise that there's a distinct absence of a dessert thus far.

Today however I definitely had a light bulb moment. I've known my friend for more years than I care to admit to and I think I know his likes and dislikes pretty well and he's not one for dessert – with one exception – vanilla ice cream, just as it comes.

The recipe I use is committed to memory – not difficult, three ingredients only and, an absolute must, not an ice cream maker in sight. Heavy cream on the shopping list (double cream to the likes of you and me) condensed milk and vanilla bean paste – these last two could be a little tricky but we'll give it our best shot. We may need a posher supermarket for the paste if indeed they sell it at all – plan b is always vanilla essence.

Here's the recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.**

2. Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.

** My variation – take a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.

I can only tell you that this recipe – and the one with the salted caramel added – never fail.

Mission accomplished – vanilla bean paste too.

Enjoy!