Can You Become and "Meal Maker" and Make Someone's Day?

How much food do you rekon your family wastes each week? (cooked or uncooked)
Four bin bags full? Two Tupperware tubs full? One plate full of sad looking leftovers that you just couldn't bear to microwave warm for your lunch today?

Well, what if that food didn't have to become waste? What if that food was able to offer hope, comfort, nutrition and happiness to someone who needs it most? Would you do it? No, I'm not talking about packaging it up and sending it to Africa, I'm talking about popping next door, or into your car and dropping by a neighbour or fellow community member's house to provide them with dinner! Those who are on your doorstep...

Meal Makers is a brilliant initative which has not long some to the Stirlingshire area! Meal Makers marry up those who are willing to donate dinners, with those who need them. So, when you are next cooking up a storm - whether dining solo or as a family - could you set a portion aside for somebody else to ensure, this time, that food it doesn't go to waste?

Fresh, homecooked food is far more than 'just eating', which is why I started up CouthieCantie orignially, to get more people creating it! Through Cookery and Food we chat, we share, we learn, we form relationships and we mend ourselves - as well as others - just a little bit at a time. This is why I will be supporting Meal Makers in Stirling, even through I live in Clackmannanshire.

Hopefully, with support, the Programme remit will continue to grow into new areas but for now, if you can afford to gift one meal a month, or even a week, to someone in the Stirlingshire area, regardless of where you live, please do so. You can gain ideas on what to rustle up via our online streams so why not check out @couthiecantie on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram?  Remember - simplicity is the key.

Bulk up, dish out and do something great today...Who will be 'making' with me?

Experimenting with My Secret Kitchen

What better way to try something new in the kitchen than from the comfort of your own? Free mini tasting pots have been offered, of just some of our new My Secret Kitchen products, during February and I'm providing some ideas on how to use them best below.

 

I'm confident you will be as impressed as I am on the quality, taste and variety of the MSK collection and so if your taste buds are tickled by these three, why not book a free 1:2:1 or group Home Tasting in order to gain insight into the other 100+

 

Book today by emailing contact@couthiecantie.co.uk or by messaging @NicolaReidMSK

Happy experimenting!

 

Salsa Dip Mix

• Of course - make your own salsa! Mix tinned, or fresh chopped, tomatoes with dip mix to taste- add a squeeze of lime for added zing!
• Make fresh Salsa Verde by mixing olive or rapeseed oil, the zest and juice of limes, chopped parsley and thinly chopped green chilli with salt and pepper, all to taste
• Tart up your Sunday roast by sprinkling onto chicken;
• Add heat to your dip mix by blending with creme fraiche, mayo, natural yoghurt or soured cream
• As with any of our dip mixes - leave to mature in flavour for at least 15 minutes, they get even better with time!

 

Canadian Steak Meat Rub

• Of course - use on meat!  Rub your steak in oil (rather than adding too much oil to the pan) before 'patting' Meat Rub into your steak and leaving the flavour to develop before cooking;
• Sprinkle on roast tatties or veg to bring new taste to the table
• Mix into homemade burgers or meatballs to give extra depth to your meal

 

Key Lime Dukkah

• Of course - scratch make your own key lime pie! (Or cheesecake)
• Add to natural yoghurt for a healthy treat
• Sprinkle onto cream topped meringues
• Add to creme fraiche and serve with pretzel sticks as a sweet dip
• Or simply, try dukkah dipped fruit - grapes and berries are the best!

Do you fancy quiting sugar too?

First things first, I am in no way affiliated to the "I Quit Sugar" organisation and I am sadly not getting any foodie freebies,  payment or royalties for writing this post - I just think it's something damn good worth raving about.

On 2nd Feb 2017, Hubs and I will be commencing the 8 week I Quit Sugar programme, for the second time, in our quest to rid our bodies of fructose and reap all the benefits that come with it - clearer skin,  aided weight loss, increased energy and better sleep to name a few! But why for the second time? Did it not work the first?

Well it did,  very well in fact, hence why we are going back for more but we didn't last the full 8 weeks before. Quiting the crappy sugars we are all so accustomed to nowadays is a long term battle to fight and sadly, after 19 days going 'cold turkey' combined with the stress of selling our property and taking on a new refurb project (which we are still in the final throws of finishing off a year on!) we fell back into bad habits and to the convenience of fructose laiden food.

However, during our time with the programme we were extemely impressed with the weekly routine and structure planned out for us,  the weekly batches of very tasty recipes and weekly shopping lists already written for us. It took the need to "think" out of the equation and simply allowed us to learn, and try our best. Along with all of this, we were given regular reading material which explained how we might feel, reassured us that others feel just as bad in the early days (and yes, it was hard) whilst encouraging us to keep going. After about 4 or 5 days we began to feel the benefit of our decision to quit - well worth the fatigue and sore heads. 

You can read more about the programme and organisation here - but as u can tell, I'm a firm advocate and think it's well worth the tenner or so you have to pay per week - not far off what Weight Watchers and Scottish Slimmers will charge you to be weighed and shamed in front of others ;) oh and another thing to mention - you can customise the set of recipes you receive, from winter to summer and veggie to omnivore. During our last stint they were all delicious and I'm looking forward to trying out some new meals in the kitchen.

If you are interested please contact me for a discount code which I used for 15% off (contact@couthiecantie.co.uk) and I will also add you to a closed, private, group so we can support each other as 'locals'. This is something which I think could enhance the programme even more for all involved but with it being a global programme it is hard to find people nearby.

Any questions, please ask! I looking forward to 'quiting' with you....x

Scratch Made Cordial

Making your own cordial from scratch has maaaany benefits but some of them include:

1. controlling your sugar intake, 
2. knowing exactly what's going into to your family's drinks, 
3. using up fruit which would otherwise have gone to waste and 
4. getting messy in the kitchen (safely) when conjuring up your favourite flavours!

Furthermore, Cordial isn't a million miles away from "coulis" (a posh fruit sauce!) or even just simple stewed fruit which can top yoghurt and desserts to add extra flavour so what's stopping you giving it a bash? 

To make cordial I would recommend marrying 500g fruit (such as raspberries, cranberries or blueberries) with 300-500g sugar (depending on how sweet you like your syrup) and 3 tablespoons of 'acid' (such as red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice). 

Heat these in a pot, stirring often so the sugar doesn't stick,  until everything has dissolved into a pulpy mush.

Once you have achieved "mush" you are then looking to strain this through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth, you may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your jug or bowl. 

Once strained, place the left over pulp back into the pot and add 300-500ml of water, bring back to the boil and sieve again. Once combined, your syrup should be runny and, well, syrupy! Don't worry if it's quite thick though, you can repeat the process a third time to water down some more, or stick with what you have and impress your friends by calling it coulis :)

For the stewed fruit I mentioned, stop short on step one of completely heating it to mush. So long at the fruits are soft, sweetened and balanced with acid you will have the perfect topping for a New York Style Cheesecake!

These syrups make great treats for kids and delicious mocktail bases for those looking to cut back on alcohol or cut it out altogether. One afternoon, pictured below, I mixed my scratch made cranberry and apple cordial with sparkling water, a squeeze of lime and a dash of My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Vinegars - Blood Orange, Mango and Guava, and separately Caramelised Coconut and Spiced Rum - which might sound odd but are absolutely delicious! If you fancy trying the same you can purchase these vinegars here. Go on give them, and cordial, a go! 

Happy tippling x

Buttermilk is my New Best Friend

From the lightest of bakes to crispiest of crusts, Buttermilk has become an ally of mine this past week. An ingredient I have previously never given much time or thought to (mainly because it is in short supply in the supermarkets!) I was given the opportunity to try some fresh, local Buttermilk by the Stirling Food Assembly. Always keen for a foodie challenge I gladly accepted and then wondered, "hmmmm what the heck am I do to!?"

I browsed the interweb for some inspiration and also thought about the 'treat foods' I adore. As I stopped my mouth from watering all over my tablet I settled on 'scones' and 'wings'. Both appeared to benefit from the presence of buttermilk, accorrding to Google, and so after doing my usual 'read-five-recipes-and-do-the-bits-you-like-the-sound-of' I proceed to bake and to marinade. 

Now, as many of my friends and family will tell you, despite being 'pro scratch cooking',  I am an appalling baker. Simple bakes always end up a disaster with me (probably because of the methodology named above) and so I didn't hold high hopes for these Festive Fruit Scones. Similarly - I like a crispy skin to my wings, something I have only just perfected through a combination of boiling and baking so I wasn't yet prepared to trial deep fat frying. However, much to my amazement both experiments blew my socks off - something I put purely down the the buttermilk, and not my talent!

Buttermilk is a by-product of the butter making process and sadly much of it, these days, it's put to waste. This is because we aren't using it as much as our Grannies did when they were growing up. The slightly sour properties in buttermilk do something only a food scientist (which I am not) can probably explain and give another level of flavour, as well as a light and crisp texture. 

I'm pleased to say that my Local Food Assembly will be stocking Buttermilk in 2017 but only in limited supply so you must be quick to order! Go on give it a go, experiment one Sunday afternoon, and impress your loved ones when you take your Scratch Cooking to the next level! 

For full details, you can check out my Festive Fruit Scones and my Grill Master Buttermilk Wings by following the links. 

Enjoy! x

Grill Master Buttermilk Wings

Well friends, you know my achillies heel is "wings". Crispy, crooked, sweet, salty, flavourful wings!!

In recent months, I've had to go easy on the spice levels, probably because my stomach has gone on strike from processing the volume of Franks Hot Sauce I used to consume, so I've had to get my kicks in other ways. But luckily it was not just the lip smacking, vinegary spice I loved of the hot sauce, it was the crunch of crisp wingy skin. (Apologies Vegans and Veggies, you probably wana get off at the next stop). Texture is more than half the battle when it comes to the perfect wing - who wants soft, wobbly, pale skin? I have enough of that on my person, I don't need it mirrored in my food.

So in an eternal quest to take my wing game to the next level, I believed Buttermilk and my new range of spice blends held the golden ticket, and I wasn't wrong.  To get good bark on your next set of bird bones, follow these simple steps: 

 

 

Rub your wings in My Secret Kitchen's Grill Master - which you can buy here - along with a good sprinkling of granulated garlic, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Once all the dry ingredients are in the pool, cover with buttermilk and a good glug of Hot Sauce. Allow this mixture to work it's magic for at least 8 hours - ideally overnight. 

When you are ready to deep fry, heat your oil - safely - to around 190 degrees. To get this crust extra crispy you are going to bake these as well as fry so have your tray at the ready and oven preheated to 220. 

Whilst these are heating, remove your wings from the buttermilk bath, shake of the excess and dip into seasoned flour. (Again, I added Grill Master to mine, but salt and pepper would do the job here too, or even one of the other My Secret Kitchen speciality salts).

Test your oil by dropping a tiny left over bit of batter into the pan, if it browns up nicely it's ready. Gently ease your wings into the oil and avoid moving them around whilst they take colour (around 3-4 mins each side).

Transfer to the baking sheet and cook for a further 12-18 mins until cooked and browned further. 

These wings are abosultely delicious on their own thanks to their smoky American BBQ flavour but in my opinion everything can be enhanced with a little more Franks- I shook on just a little more after baking for good measure :)

Crispy and crunchy, yet the meat within was still moist (sorry, I know people get the creeps when that is said, but no better word for it). If you want to up your Wing Game I certainly recommend Buttermilk and my new mate- the Grill Master Meat Rub. Colonel Sanders, you can take your seat now, Sir. x

Easy Festive Bakes

It's that time of year where every second food item passing our lips seems to be sweet! It does nothing for our waistline but everything for our morale as we hibernate in our pyjamas.

It's also the season we are obliged to entertain, or at least offer up some home baked goods at somebody else's gathering... If like me you dread baking, and don't feel too confident with cakes, then just follow these simple recipes for tasty food gifts this festive season -  you are in safe hands.

Sweet Puffed Tacos with Spiced Apple
Mix apple pie filling with 1-2 teaspoons of My Secret Kitchen 'Country Baked Apple Pie' baking spice and allow the flavours to develop whilst you roll out puff pastry to approximately 3mm in thickness. 

Cookie cut this pastry into circles which are the same size and fill these discs with the apple mix. Pinch the sides of the 'taco' to close over and finish with a light brush of milk to help a sprinkle of Vanilla Sugar stick.

Bake at 180 degrees for 12-15mins or until the sweet tacos are golden. Best served warm.

Festive Fruit Scones
Sift 8oz of S/R flour; 1.5oz of caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Add to this 3oz of butter and 'crumble' it together with clean finger tips. 

Once resembling sand, add an egg, 2oz of dried fruit (I went for cranberries and sultanas!) and 1tablespoon of buttermilk - bring the mix together with a knife. Add another tablespoon of buttermilk and start to bring together with your hand. The mixture should be sticky but not wet. You may need to add one last tablespoon of butter milk. 

Shape and cut into 6 thick circular scones (or 12 miniatures). Bake for 15-20mins at 180 degrees again, making sure the bottoms are 'hollow' sounding when tapped. Best served warm again, with lashing of butter or cream, and jam. 

 

Proper Crimbo! x

Don't Be Duped: Are You Really Buying "Local"

I won't name the local business who has pushed me over the tipping point into actually writing this blog (it's been a bee in my bonnet for over a year!) as shaming isn't my aim or game, however I do feel compelled to write something now, after all this time, and I'm sure anyone with half an eye on my Facebook feed will know where this has stemmed from.

You might not care where your food produce is sourced, and if that is the case - brilliant, this post isn't for you. However, some people do - or are at least mildly interested - and quite rightly, they like to take local food businesses at face value, rather than investigating whether their claims are true.

By this I mean words like "local, small scale, batch made, hand made, family run, hand crafted, unique, traditional, fresh, farm to fork, bean to bar..." etc imply just that, and we want to believe them! But it's come to light in recent years - since the time when 'local' made an on trend come back really - that some of these budding local business claims are not always to be believed. Yes they may be "fresh from farm", but whose farm and what sort of outing has it had along the way?

It may suprise you to know that some local food outlets within the Forth Valley region are tarting up non-Scottish, hell, even non-British, produce in an attractive marketing campaign. Are you cool with that?!

My top tips for enquiring as to where your food has really come from is to....

Firstly - ask! I've encountered a couple of uncomfortable stall holders at food events when I've posed that question in the past, but that usually gives you a good indication. If they don't come up with the information willingly, I would advise you move on to someone who does.

Secondly - look at the packaging. Unless they are doing something really wrong the origin of source will still always be printed. No hiding there boys.

And finally - shop through your local Food Assembly! There you can be guaranteed produce is local and you can even meet the seller when you pick up your order to have a wee chat! There are two Food Assemblies in Edinburgh, two (or soon to be two) in Glasgow and one in Stirling so look them up.

As I say, this sort of thing may not bother you, but CouthieCantie is all about promoting and supporting Scottish produce where possible and for too long it has been bothering me. I wanted to flag this for others who may have been fooled as I have been, and to encourage you to demand more of our local businesses. It's the only way we will truly ever fulfill our ambition of being a Good Food Nation.

If you have encountered any suppliers of concern then please let me know - we may have a name and shame board for 2017 yet ;)

Nikki x

Scratch Made Thai Curry Paste

As we all struggle to accept that winter nights are well and truly here, why not take your taste buds and senses abroad one dinner time with a warming Thai curry?  I've had the pleasure of learning to cook in many overseas locations, from Russia to Africa but the one that stays close to my heart is Thailand. I love Thai food - so fragrant and aromatic! I also love Indian cuisine but there is a distinct difference despite both using a wide range of colours, spices and herbs in their dishes.

To kick off any curry, a homemade paste is an excellent place to start. Of course, you can buy these in supermarkets but with your own you know it is fresh, and there are no hidden 'nasties' such as high levels of sugar as well as preservatives. Yes, you will have to make this more often than shop bought but with this recipe yielding around 6 batches of curry, you have approximately 24 servings!

Make life east and wizz the following up in a blender (pestle and mortar are far more authentic, release oils in a different way and build up the old arm muscles nicely -  but for ease and convenience a blender is the way forward!)

5 medium sized shallots, 
2 inches of grated galangal,
2 tablespoons of grated ginger,
3 sticks of lemongrass,
2 medium heat chillies (seeds removed),
7 cloves of garlic,
The zest of one lime,
The juice of 2 limes,
and a large handful of fresh coriander (stalks included)

Always 'fry off' this paste in the pan before adding your other ingredients. This is to ensure flavours are not too harsh, that ingredients are not too 'raw' and that flavours have mellowed sufficiently to compliment the meat or vegetables you chose for your curry.

Enjoy! X

The Stirling Food Assembly: Why I'm a Fan

The word “Assembly” will either bring back really positive memories for you, or fill you with reminiscent dread. For me, sadly, it’s the latter with too many school assemblies being filled with awkward class rep speeches, knee knocking ‘show & tells’ along with a boatload of culottes, plimsolls and Kumbaya. However, I’m ready for all of that to change. There’s a new Assembly coming to town and one I’m banging down the door to get into!

Stirling’s first ever Food Assembly is due to launch later this month which is essentially the lovechild of online shopping and farmer’s markets. Traditionally produced, local food meets new age techy convenience – I love it! Once the Stirling Food Assembly goes live, you will be able to select and pay online, then simply collect in person on a wide range of foodstuffs such as freshly baked sourdough bread, lovingly made preserves, fine Scottish cheeses and moreish ‘good for you’ cakes – to name but a few. The real beauty of The Food Assembly for me is that I can pick up my goods straight after work, due to the allocated evening collection times, and don’t have to worry about having cash on me - or overspending – which keeps my budget in check. My purchases will have already been paid for so all I have to do is pop on by The Stirling Cycle Hub (right handy being beside Stirling train station) pick up my prepacked order and taste some free yummy samples from local producers, who may be showcasing from week to week, on my way out. This takes retail therapy to a whole new level!

Signing up is quick and easy to do and you don’t have to commit to a weekly, or even monthly order. As a Scottish Food Blogger and Real Food Educator the Stirling Food Assembly allows me to purchase local produce without the need to attend multiple markets (which are usually held during working hours) and also allows me to make a commitment to my customers that, wherever possible, produce used within CouthieCantie’s Cook Classes and Parties will be Scottish, and will be local. Something I feel very strongly about!

So join me in saying “Yes to Local” by signing up to show your support and interest in Stirling’s Food Assembly, today. You can find out more about the launch plans by following Forth Environment Link on Facebook and Twitter, as well as gaining useful hints and tips on what to ‘do’ with your locally grown produce by following CouthieCantie on social media too.

I look forward to seeing you at The Assembly!

A Public Service Announcement: Shambles Kitchen, York

Folks, stop what you are doing. You must get your a**e to York.

As some of you may know, hubz and I are here on a 4 day camp trip which was primarily just any old excuse to get a cheap weekend away from all the renovation works that still need done in the house, but secondly as we are both a tad sad and love trains, so we want to go to the National Rail Museum :) but you can imagine my sheer joy when a wee stoat around the town today unveiled an absolute Food Haven!!!

Streets upon streets of food filled bistros, cafes, delis, restaurants, pop up shops and market stalls! We have toured the York Brewery today, sampled a Chocolate Tasting Board at York's Chocolate Story and had real lemonade made before our very eyes on the street, whilst a fire throwing maniac entertained the rest of York behind us.

Yet, the real stand out experience for me today came in the form of a six seater postage stamp of a shop named Shambles Kitchen. I'm salivating as I type. Words cannot explain how out.of.this.world their Pulled Pork Bap is!! I kid you not! 12 hour slow cooked juicey pork, topped with a fresh, tangy and crunchy raw slaw, your choice of sauce all contained in a soft, chewy sour dough bun. Naturally I opted for Hot Sauce, it's a no brainer.

Disclaimer:  I have never been one for pulled pork, the 'on trend' phase of pulled pork last year completely passed me by and I never found what all the fuss was about. Now, a fuss must be made. This was simply the most delicious flavour and texture combination I have ever tasted, I mean that sincerely. The tang with the sweet and the salty rendered me silent and when I didn't think it could get any better I find out these guys are using local fruit and veg in their store, scratch cooking everything from their back of house kitchen and using all profits to push forward a social initiative in schools which teaches kids to set up their own juice bar!!! Come.on. Take your hats off for Shambles Kitchen!! They are rocking great taste and great ethics which leaves us with only one option....

....to go back for another tomorrow.

Donner Kebab Saturday Night Fake-Away

Donner kebabs are a bit marmitey - you either love them or hate them, but even if you love them (which I'm not ashamed to say I do) you still don't really want to know, or think about what's inside them.

This week, hubz and I are back on to our healthy 'conscious eating' streak but this  conciousness didn't help ease our kebab cravings this week! We held strong and vowed to make our own - saving us calories and money! What's more, this version was unsurprisingly tastier and juicer too so what's stopping you giving it a bash this Saturday night?

The kebab consists of 3 parts - lamb koftas, kebab shop style sauce and salad.

Lamb Koftas
Take half a kilogram of lamb mince (Scotch of course!) and mix this with 1tbsp of dried garlic, 1tbsp of cumin, 1tspn of salt, 1 tspn of pepper, 1tspn of smoked paprika and one egg. Then be prepared to get messy by using your hands to 'squelch' everything together and roll into 3 inch long, thick 'sausages'. I usually don't mind getting messy but I would recommend gloves this time round as lamb is quite a fatty meat and so the fat is pretty stubborn and resistant to soap when washing after! Cook these koftas at 180 degrees fan for around 20mins or until hot in the middle.

Kebab Shop Style Sauce
For tradition red kebab sauce, mix tomato ketchup, mint sauce, lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt to taste. For the creamier white sauce (this is usually a diluted garlic dip in the shops but I opted for a mint yoghurt for mine) combine yoghurt, lemon juice, finely chopped mint leaves and a pinch of ground black pepper to taste then mix. These are both now ready for drizzling into your warmed pittas!

Salad
Simply cut white cabbage very thinly, as well as red onion, and dice cucumber and tomatoes (without seeds). This avoids a very soggy kebab as most of their water is contained here, and when all mixed together gives a very crisp and crunchy bite to your meal.

Finally, to serve your kebab layer salad, sauce, kofta, salad and sauce into your warms pitta pockets. (If you wanted an ever more authentic taste you could char the pitta pocket over one of your gas hobs before stuffing...) just be careful though, and please use tongs.

Happy fake-away! x

Homemade Lamb Curry

Lamb isn't something that finds itself on my weekly shopping list and it isn't something I've ever cooked before. That's mainly due to the fact I didn't actually like the taste until recently but also I had little clue what to do with it- all I kept hearing was "low and slow". 

So when I was approached by Suzie at The Scotch Kitchen to blog using either certified Scotch Beef or Lamb I jumped at the chance to try out something new! My inspiration for this dish came from my discovery of the most flavoursome curry I have ever tasted from Green Gates Indian Restaurant in Stirling - my 'go to' location for amazingly authentic Indian food with great service and atmosphere!

Lamb Pardesi is the curry I refer to: a rich, spinach and mushroom based curry which holds just the right amount of 'kick', a far cry from my usual Indian Food order of chicken based dishes which are typically cooked Tandoori style (equally as tasty but just completely different).

When aiming to replicate this dish I first of all fried off the spices, sealed the lamb and then transported it all into a slow cooker so it could do the rest of the work. For my spices,instead of going out an buying several packets of new spices I wasn't sure about, I used spare packets of spice from kits I had bought previously from The Spicery. This is an excellent way of getting to know and try new spices in small amounts as well as new dishes you may never have challenged yourself to try before!

1. Prepare onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, chilli and bay leaves - the quantities of these will depend on how much lamb you are cooking and your own personal taste. However my advice is you can always add more, you can't take away! (3 large onions, 4-6 cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of each spice is usually a good start for around 2lb of meat.
2. Fry all of these off in a hot pan with oil and butter (around 100g butter and 2 tablespoons of oil)
3. Then add the lamb to the pan after dusting in a seasoned flour mix.
4. Once sealed, transfer the spiced lamb and onions to your slow cooker with chopped mushrooms (I used a mix of button and chestnut mushrooms- around 600g combined), a large bag of spinach and 3 tablespoons of tomato puree. 
5. Leave to cook "low and slow" for at least 6 hours (the longer the better) and serve with rice, naan bread or both!

 

You may be panicking about the lack of water added - don't. I've been cooking with spinach a lot recently and find it releases water during the process so don't make my mistake of drowning your food and the flavour you've built up. You can always add some towards the end of the cooking time if you do feel the dish is too dry.

My Pardesi lovely but certainly not as good as Green Gates, I have a few more attempts to go to achieve their standards, but the Scotch Lamb was delicious - it wouldn't have mattered how it had been served, the quality spoke for itself!

I would encourage all of you to give Scotch Lamb a go whether in a curry, stew or Sunday roast but also to mess around with spices in order to add flavour and depth to a dish- it's not all about heat. The Scotch Kitchen Blog is a fantastic resource, offering handy hints and tips on how to cook your Scotch meat products in new and wonderful ways so head over their now and get experimenting!

Good Luck! x  

Wine and Dine in Auchterarder!

As you may remember, a few months ago I went crazy for a new deli that opened in Auchterarder - Corbie and Cheip. For me, it was a big deal. A food enterprise which embodied wholesome morales and values, stocked local and small batch produce as well as flaunting it all in such chic vintage style! So you can imagine my excitement grew ten fold when I heard they were opening a continental style wine bar in November - I was one of the first in the queue!

Now, customers can not only enjoy fresh, local and European produce in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, they can also couple small plates and nibbles with a selection of fine wine too! Not your typical bar, certainly not a pub and without restrictions such as a menu (small plates change on a daily basis depending on what fresh and organic produce is available) Corbie and Cheip's wine bar allows a refreshing alternative to 'coffee with friends' and is a firm advocate of good company and conversation.

If you fancy an alternative night out, a new meeting place for your weekly catch up or simply want to relax after a hard days graft then pop in and sample for yourself! Plus - with the added bonus of Gleneagles train station serving the village of Auchterarder from Stirling, Dunblane, Bridge of Allan, Glasgow and Perth to name but a few, why not make a night of it!? Happy drinking! x

18th November 2015 : The bar is NOW open to the public and serves fine wine and delicious dishes until 10pm.

Bring the Smell of Highland Scotland Home!

Do you, like me, crave a wood burning fire at home yet cannot have one? Have you enjoyed a rural retreat in the Highlands of Scotland and the smell of wood fire and peat smoke brings back cosy memories? Or are you simply a Whisky buff who agrees with the statement "It's the peat that puts the soul into the spirit" and would like more of that in your own surroundings?

Well, if you can relate to any of the above,  Peatscence is certainly for you! I discovered it in the gift shop on a recent distillery tour and burning just two of these cones on the past 2 evenings has brought me great comfort and happiness - especially as it is sooooo bloody miserable outside, and dark so early!

Until we can afford to buy a country home of our own, this product will fool me into thinking I have it all already. And I'm OK with that....for now.

Don't forget to Like and Follow CouthieCantie on Facebook and Twitter! 

Look Who's Moved into Auchterarder: Corbie & Cheip

This blog has taken quite some time to write, not because it's lengthy but because I don't know where to start! For me, there are so many plus points to the new deli in Auchterarder that I don't know which to bring to your attention first, so I thought I would start with my own highlights, and literally dump them onto the page. So, in no particular order, here goes...

• Organic vegetables sold upon, and in, a chest of drawers!
• Parking spaces for dogs!
• A 'pick your own' organic egg bar!
• Fresh ready made home dinners for one!
• A wide selection of Scottish produce from small batch and hobby producers!
• A gramophone playing 1950s background music!
• An exquisitely styled store with gentle nods to all things vintage....!

See why I found it so difficult? 

Corbie and Cheip is the brain child of German powerhouse Anne Schaeflein who wanted to bring continental style, market-place-shopping to the high street of her beloved, now hometown, Auchterarder. The founding principals of Corbie and Cheip could be summerised by:

• being to be true to our roots, 
• shopping locally whenever possible and 
• investing in our health, and that of our children, as we go! 

That's why I love it so much- it's not just a "nice shop" with lovely tasties, Corbie and Cheip really does have a moral backbone and makes me feel good about my food based indulgence!

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch event and I was gobsmacked at how all the ideas that once flowed from Anne's brain and mouth actually tied together in complete harmony and worked in the best way I've ever seen a new eatery work...genuinely! 

I'm pleased to say (and not at all suprised) that since the launch night Corbie and Cheip has gone from strength to strength - selling out of most items each week (once its gone, its gone, Anne concocts delicious dishes daily and orders produce fresh in each week!) and with plans to open a small plate and wine bar from November onwards this really is something local community food hubs could learn a thing or two from in terms of turning their local food initatives into sustainable businesses. 

With an attractively marketed brand name taking the cause of local food producers and current health issues seriously, I really do think this is the perfect enterprise!

Check out Corbie and Cheip here but most importantly pop in yourself and see what I'm raving on about - I'd love to hear what you picked up and I can promise you won't be disappointed!  

 

 Thank you Anne for bringing these delights to our doorstep, my reuseable milk bottle and egg carton will be visiting again very soon x

"I'll Cook".... be my guest!

Where do I sign???

I've recently found out about a local chef in Bridge of Allan, Kenny Wilson, who cooks to 5 star standards in....wait for it.... your home! For a foodie who loves eating fine food just as much as she enjoys trying to create home made delicacies this is the best of every world. Don't get me wrong, sometimes you just can't beat a visit to your favourite restaurant - getting all dolled up for the experience - but typically, the best conversation, the heartiest laughter and the sharing of the silliest of secrets all happen round the household dining table with friends and family. This is where Kenny's new venture I'll Cook comes in...

 

Kenny, who has over 25 years experience cooking in some of the most prestigious locations in the world, such as Gleneagles Hotel and on the QE2, not only prides himself on his ability to craft as a chef but also to source the finest of ingredients locally, bearing food sustainability in mind. Kenny selects his produce from suppliers such as Gartmorn Farm, George Campbell's of Perth and Summer Valley,  plating up delights such as Home Smoked Duck, Isle of Skye Scallops, Slow Roasted Pork Belly, Scottish Cheeses and even deep fried ice-cream!! Excuse me, I'm salivating... 

 

Tableware is included so your table will look as bonnie as any in a high class bistro and Kenny is more than happy to explain each dish during service so you really will experience a night of true private dining. If the taste of Kenny's freshly baked gluten free bread is anything to go by, I know his food will be fantastic but then again, Prince Charles, Princess Ann and the late Queen Mother wouldn't eat just anyone's food would they? That surely is testament alone to the standards Kenny is bringing to your home based work top and table. 

Now, as I go to check my diary to book Kenny as soon as possible, I will leave you with a couple of images which will surely have you reaching for yours too.

Happy fine dining folks! x

Crispy Duck A L'orange

I LOOOOVE CRISPY SKIN. There, I've said it. My guilty pleasure, I love crispy skin on duck and chicken especially - I mean super crispy, not an ounce of fat remaining. When I found out about Dollop and Scoff I immediately fell in love with their name and branding, and it got me thinking about what I could dollop their product onto and then scoff myself! When it comes to Marmalade there is a marriage made in heaven on it's way - to crispy duck!

So for my crispy warm salad I started off by roasting 3 duck legs in a preheated oven (180 degrees fan) after pricking their skin all over with a cocktail stick in order for the fat to flow out of them whilst cooking. I then assembled my salad with mixed leaves, cucumber sticks, spring onions and baby tomatoes. The only other salad item missing at this point is warm baby potatoes (to be added at the last minute).

For the dressing- I used Dollop and Scoff's  Medium Set Orange Marmalade (about 4 or 5 tablespoons worth), soy sauce and balsamic vinegar to taste. Keep adding little by little to the marmalade until you reach a point of sweet and sour you enjoy.

Finally add sesame seeds to the dressing and wait for your duck legs to emerge from the oven crispy and golden brown - they will take around 1.5 hour in total (well worth the wait). You will also want to cook a handful of baby potatoes in a pot of boiling water just before the end of the cooking time.

Once all components are ready, rip the duck legs apart (including the skin) and arrange on the plate, spoon over the delicious sweet, sour and crunchy salad dressing and there you have a  moreish Crispy Duck a l'Orange!

Happy Scoffing! x

 

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