Store Cupboard desserts and puds – the beginning

These days there are lots of shop bought options, usually expensive - sadly what looks inviting doesn't always deliver in taste. Here's the start of the sweet section of your store cupboard that I think you'll find more economical and just as good.

Blocks of dessert pastry for the freezer are now readily available – it's usually in smaller blocks than the savoury versions. You would probably get 12 tart cases – blind bake as per the instructions and cool. If you don't want to be bothered rolling out pastry then you can buy boxes of ready made dessert pastry cases from M&S and most supermarkets. Keep bags of frozen fruits in your freezer – most supermarkets have a good selection, for example at the moment, summer fruits comprising raspberries, blackberries, black/red currants. Usually in 480/500g bags.

Take 250g of mascarpone cheese, add 75g icing sugar and a tsp of vanilla bean paste, mix well. Spoon the mixture into the cooled cases. Top with fruit of your choice. This can be frozen and if it is, drain the defrosted fruit (reserve the liquid). I would not sweeten the fruit, the cheese filling is sweet enough but, if you've a sweet tooth then dust with vanilla bean or icing sugar. You can also use canned fruit of your choice or, finally, and best option of all, fresh fruit in season. Strawberries or raspberries would be scrumptious.

If you've reserved the liquid from the defrosted fruit, then turn it into a compote by straining, then heating gently, add a little caster sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has melted – adjust to taste.

Another alternative for frozen fruit is the fastest trifle on record. Use the compote to soak shop bought sponge fingers or madeira cake. Top with defrosted fruit, add the cheese mixture and if you happen to have a packet of chocolate buttons or similar to hand, use to decorate.

Meringue nests or “kisses” (smaller meringues, available in tubs) are invaluable. You don't have to make your own – you can buy “off the shelf” and either version has a good shelf life. Works well with the cheese mixture as above and any of the fruit options mentioned too.

Finally, today a post script on vanilla bean paste. A great ingredient and an absolute essential for your sweet shelf. As a general rule 15ml of paste = 15ml of extract or 1 pod. So much more convenient.

Oodles to follow.

GOM Chapter 8: Choo Choo & Goat. Sheep. Cow

This morning it's a drive to Sullivan's Island, a small beachside resort nearby. It has one main street with bars, restaurants and shops on either side, very pretty – must come back for dinner. The reason for our trip this morning is to visit the beach with Choo Choo. Beaches are sensible here, there are hours within which you may walk your dog and outside of those hours the beach belongs to everyone else. It's great, complete with lighthouse and lots of friendly “doggie” people. Nothing like fresh air to bring the colour to a girl's cheeks and the best way to start the day and Choo had the best time.

Later I'm on a mission – I've discovered a new gourmet cheese shop in Charleston called, “Goat.Sheep.Cow”. I think it must be a sign of age when retail therapy for designer handbags takes second place to gourmet cheeses and posh kitchen shops – how sad.

Specialist cheeses are quite difficult to find in this part of the world, you can get what I would call straight forward varieties like Gruyere, Brie, and may be Camembert in the posher supermarkets like Harris Teeter – for a price, but you won't see anything more exotic. It does make you realise how fortunate we are at home.

Goat. Sheep. Cow does not disappoint, cheeses to die for. I'm after a couple of my personal favourites, Reblochon for a tartiflette, (French potato dish (with bacon traditionally) the original comfort food, which is why it was served as apres-ski food). It's hopefully going to be part of my menu tomorrow evening. Success – Douceur du Jura an outstanding alternative for the Reblochon and finally a Tremblaye Camembert (stapled box imperative). I want this for tonight's supper. If you intend to bake Camembert a glued box is not a good idea for obvious reasons. Tonight, it will be infused with garlic, baked and served with bowls of chopped nuts and fruit and loads of fresh crusty bread. It would have been easier on my wallet if I'd opted for the designer handbag - $55 plus tax! – it probably didn't help that I can't buy cheese without good black olives and apricots not to mention the fennel biscuits and rice crackers – a perfect aperos.

P.s. I have to confess I did some research before I set off. Typing in “alternative for ...” in your search engine is so efficient, especially if it's going to save you time although certainly not money in this case – it's a treat.

Delicious.

Rocket Science and light bulbs

If you like the concept of the last week and you've been able to pick up any useful ideas and adapt them to suit you then it has been worth the read.

You could deliberately 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 (everyone coming and going at different times) you're able to pull meals out of the freezer.

In our house we've one meat eater and one vegetarian. As the cook, I never prepare one portion of any dish – I always make extra. What this habit generates is the ability when you are planning your week to draw on the contents of your freezer.

Think about creating a store cupboard of staples. Dried pasta, stock cubes/pots, oils – for me, rapeseed and vegetable are the best for general use. Keep a stock of microwave boxes and foil containers with lids in various (small to medium) sizes – both ideal for freezing individual meals. Check out the cheap shops for the best deals. If you're going to freeze liquids, i.e. stock, soups etc., Wilko's sell resealable pour & store bags especially for liquids – a really good product, very strong and inexpensive.

Create an emergency freezer store cupboard. Buy bags of frozen cauliflower cheese – enhance by adding extra grated cheese (from your stash). Gruyere and parmesan also work well either on their own or mixed – you could add breadcrumbs too. Remember the bacon bits from MTM? Add a sprinkle over your cauliflower cheese.

In conclusion, if you aren't stressing during the week, hopefully you'll have more enthusiasm and rediscover your cooking mojo. Whilst we haven't been talking about rocket science I hope that you may have had a light bulb moment.

Coming next ….. store cupboard desserts.

GOM: Chapter 7 The Hummingbird and The Maverick Store

Hide Report

Picture the scene – 11am, sat on the deck reading, waiting for friend to go shopping. Suddenly aware of very loud buzzing. In this neck of the woods you get huge insects, defying gravity, how they take off at all I'll never know so no great surprise. Lifting eyes from book and no further than two feet away was a hummingbird – dancing just for me. It's very difficult for me to keep still and quiet at the best of times but I managed it and for probably 20 seconds or so I was treated to this breathtaking display. I had no idea they were so tiny. I'll find this difficult to beat for the Hide Reports.

As quickly as it appeared it was gone. I said at the beginning I was on my own – no-one believed me! Suffice it to say that for the rest of my stay, if possible, I'll be on hide duty around 11am and we'll see if my diligence is rewarded. After all, tomorrow is another day – couldn't resist the closing line from Gone with the Wind...

Back to earth and a trip out Downtown with a friend. My first port of call is to Charleston Cooks! Maverick kitchen store. I visit this store every time I visit South Carolina at least twice - it's in two parts. The first a shop selling everything from high end kitchen equipment and gadgets to cookery books specific to the region. The second is a cookery school where you can enjoy a demonstration on a variety of menus. I think it's time to book. I've learnt over the years that there has to be two visits, particularly where the shop is concerned – one to look, one to buy.

Our lunch stop is Gaulart & Maliclet, aka Fast & French, on Broad Street - this is my kinda place, stools at a bar, noisy, friendly and the menu looks amazing. Spoilt for choice I eventually settle on hot goat's cheese on a croissant and my soup accompaniment is French onion.

It's hard not to anticipate – I had this image of a warm buttery croissant with toasted goat's cheese along with a dark rich soup. Sadly the croissant was split and toasted and the cheese spread on cold – what a shame – when you bit into it the croissant crumbled into nothing and the cheese could have been Laughing Cow, Dairylea or similar. The soup tasted ok but looked like washing-up water, not at all appetizing – not like the unctuous bowlful in the Citadel, Carcassonne.

However what was memorable was the Perrier Cassis – roll a drop of cassis around your glass and add ice cold perrier – heavenly and it has to be, a la francaise, gazeux. We are in the French Quarter after all, when in Rome!

A memorable day.

Saturday night slob

Saturday night has to be easy. Tonight it's burgers (with cheese if you wish), wedges and coleslaw.

The recipe attached is for burgers and meatballs, exactly the same that can be tailored to suit loads of dishes.

This was my first recipe, in the late 1970ies. I think the saying is “necessity is the mother of invention” - back then the only burgers you could buy from a supermarket were frozen and tasted like springy cardboard – not that I've ever indulged. Over the years the recipe has travelled far and wide in its various guises so it's included because it's tried, tested, useful and above all popular.

Fast food as we now know it was in its infancy. Some of us will remember Wimpy bars – they opened in 1954 in London, originally they were inside the Lyons Corner Houses. I worked in Mayfair in the 1970ies and there was a Wimpy Bar in New Bond Street then – my friend and I went once a week as a treat – we knew how to push the boat out. McDonald's didn't open until 1974 and again only in London, outside of the capital came much later.

I know that during this week there are two recipes using minced steak. In the same way that you can get salmon deals you can get meat deals in most of the major supermarkets or, if you're fortunate enough to have a local butcher, check them out but remember, if you are freezing make sure you freeze in the amounts you'll want to use. It doesn't matter if you use two packets from the freezer because you've got visitors you didn't expect – better that way than pull out one large pack and waste half.

Now for the wedges. If you've baked jackets left you can use them, you can bake your next stash or buy frozen – this is meant to be slob night. Top and tail your jacket, cut in half lengthways and then again - if you do want to add a little something, you can sprinkle a seasoning of your choice over your them. Alternatively cut your jackets in half, spoon the potato into a large mixing bowl, mix with grated cheese, pop back into the skins and bake. If you are feeling really decadent you can sprinkle parmesan over the tops.

Finally coleslaw. I'm not suggesting you spend a morning with a mandolin or a fancy food processor using every attachment known to man – buy a good quality version. You can tweak it. Personally I soak sultanas in apple juice so that they become plump (a couple of hours) drain, add to your 'slaw along with a chopped apple – a really sharp flavoured variety works well.

Have a good night.

GOM: Chapter 6 Broken fin and the vegetarian

Hide Report

I mentioned in Chapter 2 that the creek was tidal. One of the greatest treats is when Broken fin passes by. Broken fin is a dolphin and instantly recognisable because of his broken fin – clearly a battle scar but he's been passing through for years now. I know that you can see dolphins in captivity but there's nothing quite like getting up close and personal at their invitation. It takes a certain degree of dedication from the Hide – if you're lucky enough to spot broken fin up stream you can hurry down to the dock and wait for him to surface – if it really is your lucky day he'll surface right in front of you expelling water. Beyond words – can't think of a better way to spend time.

Back to reality (of sorts) class menu decided:

Croque Monsieur

Fish Pie

Chocolate orange mousse

and the grindstone.

First rule of any kitchen – clean it, whether it needs it or not. I could give CSI a run for their money – never be without gloves rubber for industrial cleaning and exam gloves for prepping – not that I'm OCD you understand. Another major cultural difference – an entirely necessary one – is the waste disposal. Usually a small sink so you can prepare fruit, vegetables, meat etc., and rinse away, flick of a switch and gone. Takes some getting used to but hygienic and efficient – one small point, don't ever put your fingers anywhere near the plughole when the motor is running – you'll lose them. In this part of the world you don't put any waste food out with the trash, the wildlife love it. Most bins are anchored down for a very good reason – shredded rubbish strewn for a mile that you've got to collect and re-bag ….. time you'll never get back.

Supper tonight, cook's choice, my style of slob food, cheese potato and onion pie – the vegetarian of the household gets to do her favourite and friend's middle daughter and son-in-law are visiting this coming weekend. Planning ahead, these guys live in Charlotte and so after finishing a week's work they then drive 3 hours plus on a Friday evening hey, it's the least I can do to make sure there's food when they arrive. It's a “Desperate Dan” size pie so that the remains can be frozen ready for the weekend.

It's a hard life but someone has to do it.

GOM Chapter 5: Trivia and fish & chips

Tonight is Trivia Night and no cooking since we eat at the Pub – O'Brion's – my spelling is correct, I jest not!

Since my potential students will be at Trivia I think a little class planning might be prudent – although never a boy scout I like to be prepared. Thoughts so far are:

Mushrooms in Balsamic

Fish Pie (including making a roux and mornay sauce)

Chocolate orange mousse

or

Croque Monsieur

Tarragon chicken

Orange tiramisu

I digress - back to this morning. Shopping trip today, hurray - nothing quite like a spot of retail therapy to gladden a girls heart. Coastal Kitchen a truly wonderful, but expensive, kitchen shop. I've recommended that my friend, who is a keen and competent cook, acquire a potato ricer. A piece of kit that removes lumps from potato and so for posh fish cakes and the like it's invaluable. Whilst there I acquired a new white jacket – a present from my friend who would not let me pay.

From the sublime to the ridiculous, shopping mecca for GOM is “Super Walmart” where I found – in the baby products aisle – Take & Toss – small pots with lids designed for baby food in great colours (or colors if you want americanese) six pots for $3. Perfect for the Chocolate Orange Mousse that may form part of the cookery class – funky individual containers for students to take away and keep. Result.

-x-

Off we set to Trivia, a journey of about 10 minutes. The Pub is in a really attractive area with a few expensive high end shops and cafes. As we swing into what my friend thought was a parking space, albeit a tight one, he “touched” the back of a large Mercedes – as those of us know if we ever “touched” another car, the sound is much worse than any resulting damage. In my friend's defence, along with my husband, they immediately checked both cars for damage, all was fine. Outside the Pub, there are tables and chairs and full of customers. As we crossed the road there were ribald comments from said customers. Another friend had already arrived and secured our Trivia table and along with the rest of the gang we were ready to roll.

That is until, a few minutes later, the main door of the Pub opened and your all American cop entered, sashayed through, saying, “is the owner of BMW registration... here – you've guessed it, our friend's car. He rose to greet the cop who said, so politely, please step outside sir …..

As you can imagine some fairly animated conversation took place between those left behind, thankfully and coincidentally it transpired that the car “touched” belonged to our Trivia friend already inside the pub, who high tailed it (sorry, seemed appropriate) outside to back up our friend. The assembled throng outside had called the police saying our friend was drunk! All ended well and the policeman actually apologised since it was clear to him that no alcohol had been consumed. Don't misunderstand me I applaud and agree with enforcing laws relating to drinking and driving but struggle when clearly by implication we were either all under the influence or guilty by association. In this state it is not against the law to speak or text on a cell phone whilst driving and believe me many drivers do. You couldn't make this stuff up!

Note to self ….. don't ever order fish and chips in an American bar ….. the flounder in a spiced crumb was outstanding, imagine my horror when it was served with an enormous heap of potato crisps. It takes a while to adjust, one has to be specific – whilst I appreciate the cultural differences with lots of different things I find it difficult to grasp why anyone would want to eat a really good piece of fish with a heap of crisps. For those who aren't familiar, in the US what we call crisps are referred to as chips - what we call chips they call fries.

Another quiet day at the office, oh and the class is on.