Garlic roasted rack of lamb

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Asda rack of lambWell, it was a mental weekend, what with the boy’s 18th birthday party, then dinner out with friends on Saturday followed by waiting up until 1am to pick Sam up from doing the bar at a local event. Knackered doesn’t even cover it. Sunday dinner, then, was a chilled affair - luckily I’d remembered to defrost the racks of lamb that I took home from the Asda meat masterclass so we had roast rack of lamb, rubbed with a little garlic, just served simply with some veggies and some little rosemary roasted potatoes.

Rack of lamb is the easiest thing ever. The butcher will trim it all up for you, then it’s just a case of scoring the skin in a criss cross pattern, then squishing some garlic with a pestle and mortar and adding whatever you’ve got handy: rosemary, mint, parsley, anchovies, capers, etc in with a glug of olive oil to make a thick paste. Rub this all over the meat and whack it into a really hot oven. Turn it down to 200/gas 6 and leave it for about 20 minutes if you like your meat pink, 30 if you like it more well done. (If you’re less lazy then me, you can crisp that skin up by pressing it into a hot pan before it goes in the oven, but we don’t eat it, so I don’t bother).

Perfectly pink

If you’re clever, you can boil some cubed potatoes (about ten minutes is enough), toss them in olive oil and rosemary while they’re still hot and chuck them in at the same time as the lamb. It will all be ready by the time the lamb’s had a little rest. Easy peasy. Now for a nice quiet week…

The triple layer Curly Wurly chocolate mousse cake and Sam’s 18th

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WHAT. A. DAY.

We started early, constructing an epic chocolate layer cake. It was loosely based on Charlie’s birthday cake, but we dispensed with the top layer and added a layer of whipped cream and a thick layer of crumbled Flakes. Oh, and of course those Curly Wurlys - painstakingly cut to size and applied by the birthday boy himself.

Painstaking Curly Wurly application

Here’s how to make it:

Triple Layer Curly Wurly Chocolate Mousse Cake

For the flourless chocolate cake

Line an 8” high sided loose-bottomed tin with greaseproof paper, and give it a squirt of cake-release spray for good measure if you want. Remember you’re going to add the layers so line the sides quite high. Preheat the oven to 160/gas 3.

125g dark chocolate

60g butter

3 large free range eggs, separated

125g soft brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over some hot water. As soon as the water starts to bubble, turn it off and let the butter and chocolate melt gently together.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until they’re really firm.

When the butter and chocolate are melted, stir in the brown sugar, the vanilla extract and the egg yolks, then gently fold in the whisked egg whites.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for about half an hour or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool. It will sink as it cools.

For the chocolate mousse

You only need a thin (ish) layer of mousse. I made my first layer far too thick, so I’ve halved the quantities here.

250ml double cream

300g dark chocolate

3 eggs, separated

So just pop the double cream in a saucepan and break in the chocolate. Put it on a low heat and as soon as the cream is warm enough to melt the chocolate, turn the heat off, continuing to stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Leave to cool a little while you whisk the egg whites. Do check that the cream/chocolate mixture is cool enough (it needs to be lukewarm otherwise it will scramble the eggs) before mixing in the egg yolk.

Then just fold in the whites, again take your time and wait until everything is a uniform colour. Pour the mousse on top of the chocolate cake layer and put in the fridge to set.

To decorate with Curly Wurlys (or any chocolate bar, frankly)

You’ll need to make up a bit of ganache ‘glue’. I just melted about 100g of dark chocolate in a saucepan over some simmering water, then added a splosh of cream and stirred until it was thick. Spread with a pallet knife around the edge of the cake, cut the Curly Wurlys to fit, then press them on, making sure the cut ends are at the bottom. You might need to use a half piece just to close up the last gap. Back in the fridge again to set.

Just before serving, whip some double cream and pipe, or spoon, over the mousse. Cover with a layer of crumbled up Flakes.

So with the cake ready and lots of booze in the fridge, it was off to Rogue Racing in Aylesbury with ten of Sam’s friends for an epic karting session. It really is immensely good fun - noisy, hot and frantic - we had an AMAZING time and I can highly recommend it. You end up getting so into it - my voice was hoarse from all the shouting and there were some surprise aggressive drivers (I’m looking at you Mickey and Amy!). Here’s the birthday boy:

The birthday boy on the track

and here’s the gang after the karting:

The gang at Rogue Racing

Back to English Towers, then, we ordered six massive XXL pizzas and were joined by family and friends for an epic party. The hubby made a surprise appearance (he was supposed to miss the party due to a late duty time), making us all cry, my big bro brought some amazing wine and some fabulous champagne too, the Disreputable One popped in for a drink, and we laughed, danced, drank and giggled (mostly me, that bit) until 2am, eventually leaving teenagers sleeping all over the place and heading to bed.

What a fabulous day. And what lovely friends the boy has. This is my favourite pic of the boy, beaming, mouth full of pizza, surrounded by all his mates, and photobombed by his mate Marshy. Happy birthday Sam xx

Photobomb

 

 

Turning 18: future plans (or not), driving and the all-important party

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The boys with their beautiful cousin, Turtle

The boys with their beautiful cousin, Turtle

Today our Sam, the Mad Professor, turns 18. I’m just not sure how I feel, to be honest. Sure, I’m immensely proud of him: he’s a good kid: kind and funny (he makes us all cry with laughter), thoughtful, a brilliant big brother (they play American Football together and have an increasingly blended mix of friends - I love this), a caring boyfriend (his girlfriend is adorable), ridiculously disorganised (sleeps through his alarm every single morning and only serious screeching gets him out of bed), but driven when he needs to be. He’s doing well at school (we got a letter over Easter from the sixth form team telling us how great he’s doing and how much he’s improved) and he’s holding down a part-time job as a lifeguard at the local sports centre as well as studying hard for exams. But GOD I FEEL OLD!

He’s driving now. Doing well in his lessons and won’t be long before he takes his test. He’s loving his Media A level the best, but doesn’t really know what he wants to do. Maybe go into the Navy and be a pilot like his Dad, but maybe go on to University and do a media course. Either way is fine by me. I just want him to be happy.

We’ve always got on well. A neighbour recently confided how stressful it is having teenagers in the house. I nodded agreement but honestly, honestly? Mine are lovely 90% of the time. Of course we fight - our most recent one was about how many teenagers he’s having over for his party on Friday night - but mostly we rub along fine. And neither of my boys has turned into Kevin the Teenager - a blessing for which I’ll be eternally grateful. I never was a particularly brilliant parent - especially with babies, but now they’re grown up I find it much easier.

He was the most brilliant best man at his Grandad’s wedding recently. I had SO many people come up to me, telling me that I should be proud of my boys. I really was. They were polite, charming, and looked pretty darned swag in their suits too.

For his birthday, he’s having a go-karting tournament with ten of his friends at a local track. He didn’t want a present - who needs gold watches or silver tankards when you can blast around a track with all your mates for a pressie? I totally agree. I’m planning a surprise present too: insuring him on my car.

Afterwards, everyone’s coming back to our house for drinks and takeaway pizza. He’s worn me down by using a stealth approach to add people to the guest list. ’Mum, can I invite one more person to the party?’ ’Sure you can’. Then two days later - ‘oh god, I forgot two people that I really want to be there…’ etc. I’m not a big party person, and not fond of drunk people either, so this party doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm. However, after a chat and a bit of compromising on both sides, I think we’ve agreed on a number that suits both of us. He knows that his Dad will be throwing out any dodgy drunk ones, so I’m sure everything will be fine.

Just ask me again on Saturday morning.

Shortlisted *happy dance*

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BiBlogoIf you’re a regular reader you’ll know that this little blog is a bit difficult to pigeonhole. There’s food, certainly, lots of food, but there’s also a lot of waffle about life here at English Towers, reviews, cookbooks, other waffle about stuff I like, days out and, more increasingly, travel.

I’m absolutely loving it and, heartened by the increasing number of visitors, am happily waffling away about all the stuff I love best. What a fantastic job. I’m very aware of how lucky I am.

Happy dances were had at English Towers yesterday with the announcement of the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging Awards shortlist. I’m bloody delighted to be shortlisted in not just the food section, but in the travel section too.

If you do pop in occasionally (or even if you’re new here - hello, by the way), I’d be really really grateful if you’d take a couple of seconds to pop over to the Britmums website and vote for me. Of course, each of you that casts their vote in my direction will be rewarded with big wet kisses next time I see you.

Oh, and if you’re looking for inspiration in the other categories, I can tell you that my buddies Tara Cain at Sticky Fingers, Liz Jarvis at The Mum Blog, Karin at Café Bébé, Erica at Little Mummy and Laura from Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy all feature in one or more of the categories. Feel free to show them some love too.

Indoor trees and Limoncello theft at Zaza Italian, Berkhamsted

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Proscuitto wrapped monkfish at Zaza Italian

Proscuitto wrapped monkfish at Zaza Italian

So the newlyweds are back from their honeymoon, and very kindly offered to take me out to dinner to say thanks for my contribution to the wedding (which was basically getting so stressed over making two cupcake towers that I nearly cried and turned up at the service with buttercream still in my hair, but hey ho). Zaza is a small chain and the Berkhamsted one is quite new. My Dad and his wife (eek!) have been there a couple of times and really liked it, so I jumped at the chance to go.

The place is utterly delightful. It’s dotted all around with twinkle fairy lights and candles, and the decor is modern and sleek. Upstairs there is, apparently, a whole tree all decked with fairy lights too (you can see a picture of it on their website), but old grumpy pants didn’t want to sit upstairs (he’s a people watcher) and made the lovely staff move all their bookings around so we could sit downstairs (it was very busy and we noticed a couple of people being turned away - always a good sign on a Thursday night).

Calamari at Zaza Italian

Calamari at Zaza Italian

For a starter, I chose the Calamari Fritti - deliciously crispy coated, tender calamari, served with a tangy tartar sauce - the portion was so big I had to enlist help to finish it lest I didn’t eat my main course!

My Dad had the Paté di Fegato, a wild mushroom and chicken liver paté, served with an onion marmalade, which I didn’t try, but he said it was delicious.

For my main course, I went for the Coda di Rospo: a roasted fillet of monkfish, wrapped with Prosciutto on a bed of roasted seasonal vegetables with roasted vine cherry tomatoes (£15.90). The monkfish was TO DIE FOR, tender and succulent, and enhanced by the delightfully savoury proscuitto. My one teeny moan, and it’s a small one, is - as you can probably see - the seasonal vegetables were a bit overcooked, with a few burned bits which left a rather bitter taste in the mouth. But honestly, the monkfish was so good that I wasn’t bothered about leaving a few bits of veg.

Dad and the Limoncello (alternatively titled 'don't you put that photo on your bloody blog')

Dad and the Limoncello (alternatively titled ‘don’t you put that photo on your bloody blog’)

All of this was washed down with a delightful bottle of Chiaretto Doc - Podere De Roveri (£18.90) a fresh, dry rosé (well, it is Spring at last).

We were all too stuffed for desserts, but with the bill, the waiter brought an ice cold bottle of Limoncello which is a delicious way to end a meal (I’m not a coffee lover) and after pouring me and Allison a teeny shot each, the Disreputable One scarfed the rest.

Well, he was paying…

Our verdict: a really stylish restaurant with lovely friendly staff, a classic Italian menu and beautifully presented food. I can’t wait to go back with English Dad. Next time I’m going to starve myself so I can have the chocolate fondant too.

Zaza.co.uk

Guest post: spring has sprung with Holly’s latest fashion range

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Holly Willoughby for very.co.uk”Start the season with a bang of bright colour and beautiful fabrics with my new collection for Very.co.uk. For spring, it’s all about flirty, fun and flattering pieces that will take you into summer and beyond.

Playing on a number of spring’s trends including bold prints, bright hues and lace embellishments, the collection has something for every occasion. I can’t get enough of tea and pencil dresses so I decided to design a few variations of each style. The chiffon tea dress in a bright pink hue is fresh and spring-like, while the sweetheart neck on what I call my “Hawaiian” blue dress is flirty and sexy. The lace trim and collar on the printed tea dress add a lovely feminine touch to a classic.

Speaking of lace, it’s a huge trend for spring and I loved adding a subtle touch here and a more obvious embellishment there. The pencil dress with the lace insert takes your office attire to a new level while the lace sleeves on a few different silhouettes offer a sophisticated and soft touch to a classic frock.

And every girl should have at least one maxi dress (or two) on rotation this summer. My animal-print strapless version is ideal for a classy occasion with a heel and clutch or a more dressed-down affair on a beach with sandals and a floppy hat. I also love the angel sleeves on the jersey maxi that offer a bit more coverage but are equally flattering and feminine. The maxi is incredibly versatile and can be worn with platform heels and statement jewellery, or dressed down with flats and a jean jacket.

From dazzling easy-to-wear dresses, flattering and form-fitting silhouettes to feminine florals and pretty lace embellishments, I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can don these pretty pieces. And I reckon you too will love the mix of girly and sophisticated in my new collection.”

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Evian’s new “Baby & Me” video

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So you might remember a little while back (actually 2009, can you believe it?) that Evian produced a really clever video with some really cute babies performing some pretty epic roller skating stunts to ‘Rapper’s Delight’. The video was a huge success and went viral, even entering the Guinness Book of Records as the most viewed online advertisement of year.

They’ve now, frankly, excelled themselves with their new video where people get to meet their ‘baby selves’ and have a good boogie with them too. I dare you not to ‘awwww’ just a little bit!

Evian are giving everyone the chance to meet their inner baby through their very cute ‘Baby & Me’ app where you can upload a picture of yourself which is then ‘babyfied’. The app is available through Android, iPhone and Facebook from about the middle of May.

Have a look at the vid, and, hey, remember to embrace your inner baby!

 

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Guest post: family fun in Sorrento

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Sorrento

The town of Sorrento lies on a peninsula just north of Italy’s sparkling Amalfi coast, and makes a beautiful backdrop to a family holiday in the sun. All the traditional Italian charm, historic sites and scented citrus groves will please the adults, while kids will love exploring the region by boat and train, discovering the story of Pompeii and sampling the local gelato. Here’s a brief guide to the best things to do with the kids while you’re here.

Orientation around the idyllic medieval streets, palazzos and churches is infinitely more fun for the kids if you take the white train around the town. You can listen to an audio tour and let them enjoy riding behind the ‘engine’. The beautiful harbour areas of Marina Grande and Marina Piccola are perfect for escaping the centre and resemble an old fishing village, with small cove-like beaches where the children can scramble around looking for shells, while you relax on the sunbathing piers.

Take a leisurely stroll to the Villa Comunale Park and you’ll find the perfect spot for a family picnic, complete with shaded areas, fragrant tropical flowers and prize views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Don’t miss a chance to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum while staying in Sorrento: older children in particular will marvel at the real-life stories of people who were buried here by the falling ash from Mount Vesuvius, nearly 2000 years ago.

One of the most popular outings after Pompeii is the scenic bus ride along the Amalfi coast, taking in the sights of one of Europe’s best-loved coastlines. Great for all ages, it’s perhaps best-avoided if your little ones get travel sick, although there are other fun ways to see the best of the countryside. Kids will love taking a boat out around the marina, or heading for the Isle of Capri by ferry. With the Grotto Azzurra, or Blue Cave to explore, and the 450-foot ride up to the clifftop cafés via funicular railway, the island makes an enjoyable day trip.

There are plenty of tour companies which cater for family holidays in Sorrento, from kids’ activity programmes to family-friendly hotels, restaurants and great pool facilities, making the town an ideal base for exploring the nearby surroundings. A warm, breezy climate, stunning nature and lots of brilliant days out, this Italian resort has all the makings of a holiday that everyone will remember for years to come.

 

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Fluffy Friday: Jack the Burmese kitten

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Just to brighten up your Friday, here’s Jack. He’s a Burmese kitten that belongs to one of the Captains that flies on English Dad’s fleet. Isn’t he just adorable? Check out the Yoda ears!:

Jack the Burmese

Jack the Burmese

And this is Jack playing a game of fetch with his Dad (sorry about the iPhone vid cropping) ! I WANT ONE!

A triple layer chocolate mousse cake for the Dude’s birthday

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Triple layer chocolate mousse cake

Triple layer chocolate mousse cake

I know I’m always complaining about being old but blimey, my youngest was 15 yesterday. The Dude is mahoosive and has turned into a handsome, kind and funny teenager who is American Football mad and a bit of a gym obsessive. We’re all immensely proud of him.

As is the tradition at English Towers, he’s been allowed to choose the birthday cakeage. Usually this means they choose the most difficult thing they possibly can and today is no exception. Flicking through my cakey Pinterest pins, the birthday boy opted for a bloody enormous triple layer chocolate mousse cake, but without the white chocolate layer. A mousse cake should be soft and melty, so I decided on a lovely soft flourless chocolate cake as a base layer, then topped with a dark chocolate mousse and then a milk chocolate one. Simples.

One word of warning: sometimes mousse takes a while to set. If you need this cake in the evening, make it in the morning or the night before. If desperation sets in, a blast in the freezer for a half hour will help it along. As you can see from mine, the top layer wasn’t quite set and started to collapse - by the time we’d lit the candles, the Maltesers were sliding down the side of the cake. No matter, we just scoffed it really quick.

For the flourless chocolate cake

This is an easy cake to make and makes a great pudding served with whipped cream. It WILL sink in the middle, but when topped with the mousses of course this doesn’t matter.

As I was trying to build up height I used a smallish (8”) high sided loose-bottomed tin, with the sides lined with cut-to-fit silicone baking sheet. Remember you’re going to add the mousse layers so line the sides quite high. Preheat the oven to 160/gas 3.

125g dark chocolate

60g butter

3 large free range eggs, separated

125g soft brown sugar

So melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over some hot water. As soon as the water starts to bubble, turn it off and let the butter and chocolate melt gently together.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until they’re really firm.

When the butter and chocolate are melted, stir in the brown sugar, the vanilla extract and the egg yolks, then gently fold in the whisked egg whites.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for about half an hour or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool.

Weighing out the chocolate

Weighing out the chocolate

Just thought I’d slip in a pic of my new scales here - I love them. You can find them on Amazon - they’re called Epicurean by Ozeri. Rather lush aren’t they?

For the mousse layers

You only need a thin (ish) layer of mousse. I made my first layer far too thick, so I’ve halved the quantities here.

125ml double cream

150g dark chocolate

2 eggs, separated

So just pop the double cream in a saucepan and break in the chocolate. Put it on a low heat and as soon as the cream is warm enough to melt the chocolate, turn the heat off, continuing to stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Leave to cool a little while you whisk the egg whites. Do check that the cream/chocolate mixture is cool enough (it needs to be lukewarm otherwise it will scramble the eggs) before mixing in the egg yolk.

Then just fold in the whites, again take your time and wait until everything is a uniform colour. Pour the mousse on top of the chocolate cake layer and return to the fridge.

When this layer is set, make another batch of mousse with milk chocolate. Pour VERY gently over the first mousse and allow to set.

To serve, you need to be VERY careful - firstly make sure it’s properly set (ahem) and then balance it on something solid and slowly push the tin down. Decorate if you want, or just ram it into your face.

Happy birthday, Chas. We love you loads xx

Charlie with his cake

Charlie with his cake

 

 

Shore leave - excursions on the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas

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One of the best things about cruising is the sheer variety of activities offered by this sort of holiday. As well as enjoying all the amenities a massive ship like the Liberty of the Seas has to offer (theatre shows, water-based fun like the FlowRider, ice spectaculars, fine dining, parades, a casino, climbing wall - I could go on), there is the added bonus of stopping off in different places (indeed, countries) along the way.

Of course there are hundreds of different cruises to choose from, but our itinerary was pretty typical of a five day Caribbean cruise:

Day 1: Embark (pm), then at sea

Day 2: At sea

Day 3: Labadee, Haiti

Day 4: Falmouth, Jamaica

Day 5: at sea

Day 6: at sea, then disembark (am)

Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private peninsular, Haiti

Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private peninsular, Haiti

Cast away on Malfini Beach

I’ll be honest, geography not being my strong point, I’d not heard of Labadee. I had, however, heard of Haiti, in fact, I’d raised money for it three years ago when it was struck by a horrendous earthquake and 1.5 million of its inhabitants were left homeless. Royal Caribbean has done sterling work with the people and infrastructure of Haiti (something it’s too modest to let me talk about), and Labadee is basically RCI’s own private part of Haiti.

There were all sorts of shore excursions: snorkeling, sightseeing, zip lining… but we finally decided on ‘Castaway at Malfini Beach’ costing a bargainous $65 each and lasting three hours.

The Liberty of the Seas at Labadee

The Liberty of the Seas at Labadee

It was absolutely incredible disembarking and getting our first real look at the mind-boggling size of the ship, without all the bits and bobs it was surrounded by at Port Everglades. We were also struck by just how strong the sun is (us bloggers are a pale bunch - we started sizzling pretty much instantly). After a short walk to a small pier (see what I did there?), we climbed aboard a motorboat and headed out to Malfini, a tiny, privately owned stretch of beautiful white beach, azure water and lush green shady spots. We lazed, swam, drank Malfini Punch out of coconuts, and basically had the most glorious beach day imaginable.

Sadly all too soon we were heading back towards the harbour, where we were treated to possibly the best barbecue ever (the logistics of feeding thousands of passengers at a beach barbecue make my head spin, but as usual the chefs had everything under control and everyone was fed delicious, hot food (with some AMAZING sticky ribs.. mmmm). Of course, you don’t have to join an excursion, and the beach at Labadee is lovely if you just want to swim and sunbathe.

Getting ready to ride into the sea

Getting ready to ride into the sea

Riding horses in the sea and climbing Dunns River Falls in Jamaica*

I have to say that this was by far my favourite day of our cruise. We disembarked relatively early and headed through a nice shopping area (making a note to come back later and grab some delicious jerk spices) to rendezvous with our guide and driver. Our guide Wilana was wonderful and soon had us all speaking Patois (Erica was best at this as Jamaica is her spiritual home, mon) and en route told us all some of the history of Jamaica. Our first stop, Papillion Cove, was where we saddled up and took an amazing horseback ride through old plantation land. Our guides were great fun and after a break and saddle-change, we rode our charges right out into the amazing Listerine-coloured waters. The best experience I’ve ever had.

My view as we headed away from the shore

My view as we headed away from the shore

After a scrummy jerk chicken lunch we were ready to get back in the minibus and head to Dunns River Falls, a 600′ high range of cascades and waterfalls that flow straight into the Caribbean. Climbing the falls was exhilarating, sometimes scary, but incredibly rewarding! You need shoes with a decent amount of grip (don’t worry, they hire them there if you don’t have any) and you need to be prepared to get VERY wet, but it’s the best fun. We often had to help each other up steep ledges, and there were areas where we dipped under waterfalls or where the guides had us falling backwards into the cool water. Just beautiful.

I scraped my leg, but when we got to the top about an hour later, limbs aching, looking like drowned rats and rinsing pebbles from our shoes, we were all absolutely beaming. It was akin to the best team bonding exercise ever and we drove back in the minibus chatting happily and even singing a few Bob Marley songs with Wilana.

Erica climbing Dunns River Falls

Erica climbing Dunns River Fall

Of course if you’re not into horses, or don’t fancy climbing the falls, there are lots of other things to do in Jamaica too. Some of the best excursions include tours of old plantation estates (including ruins of the great plantation houses), dolphin encounters, foodie adventures and plenty of different beach breaks, most with food included. My Jamaica experience was incredible: a wonderful, wonderful day that I’ll never forget. I’m determined to go back with my family so we can all experience it together. Thank you, Royal Caribbean.

*The Dunns River Falls/Papillion cove horseback ride, including bareback riding in the Caribbean sea costs $139 including Jamaican lunch and lasts approximately 7 hours

In which the enormous teenager finally gets a new bed

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For some reason, although Mr English and I are no taller than 5’7 at a stretch (I think I’m slightly taller, but we always argue so we just agree that we’re both quite short), our offspring continue to grow at an alarming rate. Sam, our very own Mad Professor, is now so tall that we recently had to buy longer trousers for all his school suits (he was starting to look a little Michael Jacksonesque), and his little single bed was beginning to look rather comical, with his huge feet dangling over the end.

Cue the rather lovely Furniture Choice, who rushed in from stage left with shiny pants over their leotard and a big red cloak (not really) like a proper superhero and offered the boy a brand spanking new bed! His room’s not massive, so we agreed on a small double, in rather manly brown leather. As you can imagine, he was delighted.

Delivery was arranged and we stood at the door looking confused as three or four very large boxes were carried into the garage. We didn’t realise, of course, that the bed would have to be put together. Still, we grabbed the tools and set to work. There was quite a bit of swearing, and we discovered that, like with his father, we don’t work well as a team. BUT the instructions were pretty clear and, frankly, if me and a teenager can put together a bed, then anyone can:

Building the new bed

The small double mattress to fit the bed was delivered shortly afterwards. They give you a time between 7am and 7pm, which is a bit vague, but it arrived pretty much first thing, so we were quite lucky. By the time we’d unwrapped it and manhandled it onto the bed, our delightful model was knackered and declined to pose:

New bed

All in all, we found Furniture Choice lovely to deal with: their customer service is really good - they always ring and have a chat about what day suits you for delivery, and they’re always very pleasant. Although I do think maybe they should warn idiots like us that massive leather beds don’t come ready made…

Huge, squishy thanks to Furniture Choice for the amazing bed. Not so many thanks for the fact that he’s even harder to shift out of it now!

Beef, pancetta and shallot pie with black pepper pastry

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Beef, pancetta and shallot pie

Beef, pancetta and shallot pie

So if you’re a regular reader (or you’ve just stopped by in search of pie recipes - in which case welcome!), you’ll know that I’ve already published a step by step ‘how to make a pie‘ recipe. Do have a look at that one as it will give you invaluable tips on how to make pastry. This recipe kind of skips the basics, just because I don’t want to blab on and on about pastry (hey, it’s just pastry) and also because we’re now moving on to bigger, better, MORE EXCITING PIES!

For the pastry, you’ll need:

200g cold butter

400g plain flour

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 egg

Making pastry by hand:

Cut the cold butter into cubes, and add it to the flour:

Add in the salt and pepper, and then rub in the butter gently with just your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs:

Now add the egg. It’s less messy initially so use a knife to just stir it around until it starts to come together. Then, with your hands, bring it together into a dough. Don’t knead it, remember, just treat it very gently.

Making pastry in the food processor

Chop the cold butter into cubes and add it to the flour, salt and pepper. Process it until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Now plop in the egg and pulse slowly until it comes together.

If it’s really dry, add a tablespoon or two of cold water, but you don’t want a wet mess, be very sparing.

At this stage, with either processor-made or hand-made pastry, you’ll have a rough ball of dough. Now just wrap it in clingfilm and chill for about 2o minutes.

Frying off the pancetta and shallots

Frying off the pancetta and shallots

Filling for the beef, pancetta and shallot pie:

Couple of tbsp rapeseed oil

Small bag of shallots, peeled (aim for two or three per person)

1 pack pancetta cubes or streaky bacon, snipped into pieces

1 pack diced beef (400-500g should do it)

2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned

About 200-300ml chicken stock (cube is fine)

So gently fry the shallots and pancetta/bacon in the oil until the onions are starting to colour. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep to one side.

Now add in a bit more oil.

Toss the beef in the seasoned flour, then add to the pan a handful at a time, browning it off, then taking it out and adding the next lot. You might need some more oil.

When all the meat is browned, add a slosh of stock (or red wine if you’re feeling fancy) to the pan and bubble it up to pick up every last yummy bit that’s left in the bottom. If you’re not using an ovenproof casserole you’ll need to transfer it now, adding all the shallots, bacon and beef and the rest of the stock (you might need to add more later).

Pop a lid on and stick it in the oven at 190/gas 5 and give it an hour. You can put it straight in the pie at this stage, but the beef won’t be so tender. It’s worth cooking it for a while first.

While the filling is cooking, roll out the pastry.

Retrieve the pastry from the fridge, flour your work surface AND your rolling pin really well. Divide your pastry into two pieces: one about 2/3 for the base and the other 1/3 for the top (as you can tell by my picture, my 1/3 was a bit small and rolled out a bit thin, hence the cracks in the top of the pie - ah well)

Roll the larger piece out to about 5-6mm thick, moving the pastry around in 1/4 turns as you roll until you’ve got a rough circle. This will prevent the pastry from sticking to the work surface.

Roll the pastry up around the rolling pin, then unroll it over your pie dish. Push it down gently, and use little extra bits to fill any holes or cracks. Don’t worry too much - it’s home made!

Now if you’re using a proper metal pie dish, you shouldn’t need to blind bake (mine is by Mermaid, who do proper hard anodised aluminium tins that you can use on the hob and in the oven - they conduct the heat really well, resulting in nice, crisp pastry and an even bake) but if you’re a bit mental about crisp bottoms, it’s worth scrunching up a bit of greaseproof paper, lining your pie bottom, tipping in some baking beans, and giving it ten minutes in the oven. Not compulsory by any means, although if you have a ceramic dish, I’d definitely recommend it.

Baking blind

Baking blind

Now spoon in your cooled filling. If you put hot filling into the pie as it will begin to melt the butter and you’ll get the dreaded ‘soggy bottom’ (hence the reason I blind bake - I’m too impatient to let the filling cool).

Now do the same thing with the final third of pastry. Unroll it over your filling and crimp the edges with your fingers, or a fork so that they’re sealed together. If you’ve blind baked the bottom, wet the edge slightly so that the top sticks.

If you’re feeling arty, make some letters or cut out leaves or whatever. I sometimes write rude messages in pastry - very therapeutic. Pass swiftly on to the eggy wash department for a brush with beaten egg or milk (grab a passing child if you can) and pop in the oven for about half an hour at 180/gas 4.

And that’s it. Now, the world’s your oyster - any pie can be yours. Give yourself a round of applause.

Guest post: family things to see and do in Malaga

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Malaga at night by Andor

Malaga at night by Andor

Malaga and its surrounding resorts has long been a favourite holiday location for travellers from all over Europe and beyond. It’s not surprising that Malaga airport is one of the busiest in Europe, with passengers flying in to stay at the nearby resorts of Torremolinos, Marbella, and Fuengirola. The warm, sunny climate and wide array of tempting beaches, bars and restaurants make it easy to see why Malaga’s beach resort locations are so popular. If you’re planning a holiday in or around Malaga with the family this year, here are some great ideas for keeping your children entertained, well fed and amused during your stay. Whilst beaches can offer seemingly endless fun when you’re small, a good holiday is a mix of great experiences. You may wish, therefore, to consider venturing away from the pool or beach to enjoy some of the other great attractions that Malaga has to offer.

Firstly, make sure you pre-book your Malaga airport transfers before you leave. There is nothing worse than arriving at your holiday destination with exhausted children and a load of luggage, only to queue, stand around or walk miles for a transfer. As a family, we prefer to take a private transfer in a taxi rather than share a shuttle with other passengers. Let’s face it, flights are often cramped and stressful in themselves. At least with a private taxi you arrive at your accommodation in a much more relaxed state of mind!

Far from being just a place to pass through on the way to the beach resorts, Malaga has much to offer holidaymakers on its own. Adults will enjoy the historical and cultural sites of the city, as well as its many museums and galleries. For the kids, there is the Museum House of Dolls, located next door to the Picasso Museum, which has a small, private collection of vintage dolls’ houses from all over Spain. This is a curious, quiet and evocative experience which may be most enjoyable for younger children. For rainy days, Malaga has a fantastic indoor soft play centre, the Magic Park, located on Calle Trinidad Grund. With over 1000m2, kids can go wild exploring the range of energy-burning activities, whilst parents relax with a nice cup of coffee in the café.

Tivoli World, Malaga by Terry Wha

Tivoli World, Malaga by Terry Wha

For days out that will give them something to remember, the holy trinity of child amusement: animals, water and fairground rides, applies. Tivoli World is located in Benalmadena, and features a wide variety of white knuckle rides and rollercoasters. There are also shows suitable for all ages, including pirate and wild west themed performances. There’s a good chance that it’ll be very hot in Malaga while you’re there, so while a theme park is always an exciting excursion for kids, you may be better off with a water park, where they can cool off and you don’t have to traipse around after them too much! Make sure you invest in some waterproof sunscreen.

The best water park is Aqualand, which is situated in Torremolinos. With waterslides for all bravery levels, a ‘children’s paradise’ area with cascades of water, bubble jets and miniature slides for the very small, as well as a surf beach featuring metre high waves in a 1440m2 pool and jacuzzis, there is something for everybody. The third option, of course, is anywhere with animals. The Bioparc in Fuengirola is a fantastic zoo to visit, and you could easily spend a full day there. For a slightly different day out, there is the Crocodile Park in Torremolinos, which will take up about two hours of the day. The highlight of a trip to the Crocodile Park is the regular crocodile demonstrations where visitors can enjoy watching trained professionals working with the crocs in Steve Irwin-esque shows.

Aqualand, Malaga by G.e.o.r.g.e.

Aqualand, Malaga by G.e.o.r.g.e.

However you choose to enjoy your family holiday in Malaga, bear in mind that variety can help you to enrich their holiday experience. Strike a balance between lounging on the beach and discovering the area. After all, it would be a shame to miss out on discovering such a vibrant destination as Malaga.

Guest post: how to keep kids entertained during long trips

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“Are we nearly there yet?” It’s the question that every parent dreads hearing on a long journey, and it invariably comes just a short time into the trip. The answer to keeping family stress levels low on journeys, and avoiding a chorus of “I’m bored!” from the back seat of the car, is to plan ahead. Putting strategies in place to keep the kids entertained avoids the potentially dangerous distractions of restive passengers, and allows the whole family to arrive at your destination feeling relaxed. Sounds impossible? Here are some suggestions for how to achieve stress-free family travel:

  • Plan to take regular breaks. On a long drive, you should plan for a stop every two to three hours. Choose a major services or a rural pub with a children’s play area so that the kids can have a meal or a snack and enjoy some activity time.
  • Suggest games to play. This works rather better with younger children, but even teenagers will find themselves getting drawn into a game of “I spy”, competing to collect as many names from the front of Eddie Stobart trucks as they can, or spotting roadside objects beginning with a particular letter of the alphabet. You might keep a stock of chocolates in your glovebox to award as prizes!
  • Run an in-car quiz. This can get quite noisy as kids compete to be the first to come up with the right answer, so it’s not for the faint-hearted!
  • Games consoles and DVDs are a great way to achieve some relative peace and quiet, and to keep the kids occupied for some time. Make sure that you bring some spare batteries with you on long journeys.
  • Choose some audio books with your kids at your local library ahead of the trip. They can be a godsend to parents, and the whole family can enjoy listening to an exciting tale, or laughing at the antics of one of the children’s favourite characters.
  • Create your own stories. A great game for testing memory and causing enormous hilarity as the suggestions get wilder. One person starts off the story with a sentence which each then adds to in turn … trying to remember the exact wording of the previous sentences.
  • Equip your kids with drawing pads and crayons. Encourage them to draw pictures of your destination, or for entertainment value, some family portraits. This one will often keep kids occupied for a long time.
  • Forward planning. Invite the kids to brainstorm ideas for what they want to do during the holiday or break, and ask them to write them down. You can ask them to add more detail or draw up a daily activity plan – just don’t commit to doing every last thing on their list!
  • Silent break. You may need to reserve this for when you are desperate, but it often helps the driver’s concentration! Get the kids to bid for the length of time that they think they can stay silent, and use another passenger as time-keeper.
  • Consider whether a night-time trip might be the best plan, especially with young children. Having fed and bathed them before you set off, and tucked a cosy duvet around them on the back seat, you may be lucky enough to manage an entire journey in peace with your sleeping passengers.

This information was provided to you by Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk).

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Win a £200 spending spree with Zalando.co.uk - COMPETITION CLOSED

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LK Bennett at Zalando It’s no secret that I love a bit of a shop, so when Zalando approached me about a competition, I was keen to have a look at their site to see the sort of things they sell. I wasn’t disappointed. They’ve got pretty much everything you could buy on the high street, including designer stuff like LK Bennett, uber trendy Ash known for their amazing wedge trainers, and, my own personal favourite, Orla Kiely. Or maybe if you’re not into fashion you’d prefer the home section, where they’ve got really nice bedlinen, kitchen stuff… you name it. OR maybe you’d prefer to treat yourself to a flash new watch? Gorgeous jewellery? Premium beauty products? A comfy pair of Uggs? I could go on, but I’d only bore you.

So, in the interests of giving you the best choice, we decided not to ‘fence you in’. Your prize, should you win, is £200 to spend ANYWHERE in the store, on ANYTHING at all.

I know, right? You’re welcome.

Just comment and tell me what you’d spend your little windfall on. Winner will be chosen at random and usual English Mum competition rules apply. This giveaway ends at midnight, this Saturday 13th April. Remember if you’re a first-time visitor to English mum your comment won’t appear until it’s approved. Good luck!

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO NICOLE COTTRELL.

My current fave deals from mydeals.com

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Superdry hooded tech windcheter

Superdry

My boys are massive fans of Superdry clothes. Their jackets (why is it so difficult to persuade teenagers to wear coats?) are brilliant quality. Current discounts from Superdry include a free delivery code and also a next day delivery for £3.95 - handy if you’re in a hurry. There’s also 10% off your first online order if you go through the mydeals.com site.

Housetrip.com

Housetrip.com is a brilliant site to keep bookmarked if you’re keen on a travel bargain. There are apartments to rent all around the world, mostly at much better rates than hotel rooms. Current Housetrip promo codes include Paris apartments from just £25 a night, and London pads for just £18 a night.

Windsor Castle

If you’re planning a lovely Spring day out while the weather holds and the kids are still off, why not plan a trip to Windsor Castle? You can pay just £10 for a child’s ticket with mydeals.com and also save money on tour tickets. As an added bonus until 13th April there’s a special family fun session where children can have fun trying on replica royal clothes in the State Apartments! (11:00 to 16:00 - Fabulous Fashions from Henry to George. 1, 5, 6, 8, 12 & 13 April ).

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The Disreputable One’s wedding: speeches, dancing and the cupcake challenge

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Groom and Best ManYesterday was my Disreputable Dad’s wedding. It started badly, with me still running around covered in icing an hour before we were supposed to leave (I stupidly offered to make them cupcake towers) and Dad arriving to pick the boys up for the church with not one, but both boys still in their pants.

In the ensuing panic, people were jabbed with buttonhole pins, ties were tied and retied, tempers were lost, handkerchiefs were jammed into suit pockets willy nilly and everyone piled into the car still pink faced and sweary. Luckily, by the time we all got to the church, we’d calmed down a bit.

Cupcake tower

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was really pleased with my dress from Monsoon. AND after a bit of faffing, I went with the red lipstick in the end (this decision was not helped by my sons who, when I tried it on, cried with laughter), but actually I felt quite glamorous, although I’m not sure how people wear lipstick every day. It’s kind of like walking around knowing you’ve got jam spread around your lips and you’re not allowed to lick it off. Here’s a little car selfie:

Car selfie

The service was very nice. My niece wasn’t feeling well so I had to step in and do a reading (my reading included the term ‘brothers and sisters’ - I was tempted to do it in an evangelical style: BRUTHAS AND SISTAS!’, but decided against it) and after a small discussion about who had the ring, the Best Man did his duties admirably, even after still being up at midnight the night before swearing over his speech!

De brevren on the dance floorThere was just a small party in the evening. My sons monopolised the dance floor with some very odd co-ordinated dancing (even Sam’s poor girlfriend was enlisted), and later, there was a resurrection of the ‘cupcake challenge’, first seen at our very own wedding blessing a few years ago.

He’s got his mother’s gob, bless him:

 

A very happy unbirthday to meeee at the Kings Head, Ivinghoe

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Bellinis and nibbles

I think the King’s Head in Ivinghoe is a bit of a hidden gem. If I ever mention it, people don’t seem to have heard of it, yet my Disreputable Dad adores the place (we clubbed together to buy him dinner there for his birthday), and I often drive past (it’s a stunning ivy-clad 16th century building) and think ‘one day’, despite the fact that the Jags and Bentleys parked outside give a clue to its usual clientele (not that I’m not worthy, or anything, it’s just that I drive a VW Polo…).

Anyhoo, I was delighted to receive an IOU from my Dad for my birthday, and a midweek lunch date was set. We drove in my Dad’s car (sorry, Polo, it’s just posher) and were soon ensconced in a lovely drawing room with oak beams, big comfy chairs, armfuls of fresh flowers and a roaring fire, sipping Bellinis and nibbling on delicious salty crunchy morsels while perusing the menu. Not wanting to bankrupt the old sod just before his wedding, we decided to stick to the luncheon menu (still a wide choice) from which I chose a chicken liver parfait with black onion marmalade and toast, and then a good old sirloin steak and chips.

We were led through to the beautiful dining room by our waiter (the ‘oh la la’ one - more of this later). The Kings Head does things properly: the service is very French (down to the ‘oh la la’ muttered by the waiter when he was having trouble cutting a chunk of (home made) butter for me), unobtrusive and incredibly attentive. The tablewear is all divine and the bread served is home made too - a choice of white, brown or a delicious cheddar and herb bread, still warm and utterly scrummy.

My parfait was delicious - light as air, smooth and beautifully savoury, with the black marmalade that was so intense it tasted almost figgy. I didn’t choose the wine but it was a very serviceable house Sauvignon Blanc - don’t worry, I drank my fair share (you have to be quick when dining with my Dad - luckily the waitress had no intention of letting him anywhere near the bottle).

My steak was very tender, served medium as requested - not exactly fat and juicy, but not quite minute steak either. It was served with a big Jenga stack of fat chips, a tomato Provencale, a green peppercorn sauce, and the most delightful thin, crisp, delicate onion rings I’ve ever tasted. Divine. I also had serious food envy at my Dad’s partner’s pan fried fillet of bream with tomato, little squares of chorizo, and amazingly fragrant basil and coriander salsa. No photos I’m afraid. The Disreputable One is a big ‘no phones at the table’ stickler, plus in such a quiet restaurant it’s just too difficult (and a bit rude, I think).

I had a deliciously light caramel meringue creamy cakey thing for dessert and my Dad chose from the biggest cheese board I’ve ever seen in my life. More of a cheese table really… While he was distracted by the cheese, I managed a shifty photo:

Cheeeeeese!

Verdict? Fantastic. Not cheap, I’m sure, but worth every penny (ok, so I didn’t pay, but hey, it was my birthday) for the sheer quality of the food, the gorgeous surroundings and the wondrous waiting staff. Dad, take note: I’d like to go again next year, please. Find the Kings Head Ivinghoe on Twitter: @KingsHeadIvingh

Guest post: how to be a tech-savvy Mum: top tips

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Kids today seem to have a natural affinity with technology. They’re surrounded with it as they grow up; the fast-paced change and development of new apps, gadgets and ways of doing things often seems like a natural process to the younger generation. If technology leaves you baffled or you constantly find yourself asking the kids how to do something on the computer, it might be time to take some tips to help you take back control and become a tech-savvy mum.

Mobile phones

Depending on their age, mobile phones can be a great way to keep tabs on our kids and to provide them with a way to let you know if where they are. These days, however, smartphones offer so much more than a way to talk to people at a distance. You can connect to the Internet, set alarms and reminders and download apps for almost anything you can think of - from satnavs to calorie counters. Getting to grips with how the latest models work is essential for any mum who wants to show her kids she’s not out of touch with the modern world.

The Internet

The Internet plays a huge part in most of our daily lives these days and many parents are understandably worried about what their kids get up to online. Filters and other ‘nanny apps’ can be set, which ensure your children do not visit age-inappropriate sites. These may be offered by internet service providers or bought/downloaded from third party providers. You’ll only need a basic knowledge to set filters up and you’ll be guided through the process with clear instructions if you’re a little unsure.

Having a bit of online knowledge can help in other ways too. If you’re good at researching, the net can be great for helping with your kids’ homework. You can also find articles, tips and advice on many different areas. Looking for something to do on a wet weekend in your area? Need a fun recipe you can make with your kids? Advice and ideas are rarely more than a mouse-click away.

Organisation

There always seems to be a million and one things to do for today’s busy mums. Planning your time is often essential, but luckily, there are a host of apps and gadgets that allow you to do just that.

Being tech-savvy can help in many aspects of the enormous and varied role that of being a mum. Whether you’re looking for computer equipment, mobile phones or any other new appliance, reputable retailers like Co-operative Electrical are a good place to start. Their trained staff can even offer advice and guidance when you’re making a new purchase, ensuring you’re happy with your new gadget and don’t have to ask your kids for help when using it for the first time.

 

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