Cheesecake – baked (with flour) I used this recipe for one of the courses in a dinner to celebrate Mark Webber’s first win in Formula One, back in September 2009. Using Laverstoke Park ricotta. Ingredients: 1kg Cream cheese or 500g cream cheese + 500g Ricotta 400g Castor sugar 6 Whole eggs 2 Egg yolks 200ml... Read More

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The oyster catcher I’ll preface this by saying that it has been only 18years that I have been eating oysters. And I am an addict. Do I need theÂ*12 steps? Read on. I finally braved the first taste of an oyster on the eve of my 21st birthday and wanted to break my cherry, so... Read More

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‘Going down like a sack of shit’ – a chefs nightmare at sea – an aside from email no 1 at sea Working as the new sous chef in the cold galley of a 6star cruise line proved to be the highlight of what happens when it can all suddenly go tits-up. For anyone that... Read More

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Blog Email number 1. From the sea, 31st July 2010 ‘Greetings from the Baltic’ My dearest friends, family and other nutters that happen to be involved in my life… Just a short email to let you know how life aboard the ship is going. Yes, still here, though the way things are going, I dunno... Read More

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Farewell letter – Bon Voyage. 18th July 2010 Dear friends, family acquaintances and work mates (past and present) Time to grab that cup of coffee or tea – this might take while. I have a little bit of news for you all. I am writing this as though we’re sitting across from each other and... Read More

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On Saturday I attended a masterclass presented by chef Neill AnthonyÂ*arranged by fellow Cape Town food blogger, Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner of Scrumptious South Africa.Neill has an impressive background working in London kitchens under Gordon Ramsey and Marcus Wareing. He has cooked for many celebrities, so on Saturday whilst we learned so much about the dishes [...]

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This was a simply delicious dressing that Laurence knocked up in the pestle and mortar the other day for our salad lunch.We are so very proud of our newly developed smoked dried red bell pepper sprinkle at The Smoking Shed.Â*It’s so versatile and adds a stunning, intense flavour dimension to a so many recipes.It works [...]

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With winter menus and festive catering on the immediate horizon and customer demand soon turning to hearty meals and comfort food, Glendale Foods is drawing the trade's attention to its mouthwatering selection of dumplings, cobblers and stuffing varieties, all pre-cooked, quick frozen and ready to reheat and serve. Part of its comprehensive Food Components service to caterers and ready meal manufacturers, the company can supply steamed and baked dumplings, sweet and savoury cobblers and speciality stuffings, in a choice of formats and sizes between 15g and 100g to suit customer requirements. These complement a range of meat-based components that includes cooked sausages and burgers, grillsteaks, meatballs and marinated meats.

Dumplings and stuffing are the staples of many world cuisines, enhancing the flavour profiles of countless dishes and improving the visual appeal of plated meals. Dumplings are ideal for partnering a rich beef or lamb stew, absorbing the juices and aromas, or for serving in a winter soup, adding substance and flavour. Baked cobblers can top off a fruit filling, adding flavour and texture, or provide the finishing touch to a heartwarming braised meat dish. Stuffing is even more versatile, filling the cavity of a roast bird, providing the succulent centre of a boned and rolled meat cut, sliced as an accompaniment to the traditional roast dinner or served in nuggets as a side dish.

Glendale is able to extrude dumplings in many different sizes, in low fat or low salt varieties if specified, and flavoured with herbs, cheese, bacon or other ingredients. For vegetarian menus, there are also vegetable-based alternatives to shredded beef suet.

Pre-cooked cobbler toppings are available in sweet and savoury recipes, which reheat from frozen to an appetising crispy, baked finish. Added to any suitable fruit or meat-based filling in an ovenproof ramekin, they make for appetising additions to a winter menu and eyecatching alternatives to simple compotes or stews.

Speciality stuffings can be produced in a variety of extruded formats and portion sizes, as balls for ready meals, as logs for filling rolled meat cuts, as slices for sandwiches and plated meals, or as unformed stuffing for roast poultry. Flavour variations include traditionals like sage & onion, pork & chestnut or sausage meat, in addition to such contemporary interpretations as rustic apricot, cranberry & sage or sour apple & mustard.

Glendale prepares and cooks these meal components at its approved food processing plant in Salford, ensuring the safety of HACCP-approved manufacturing, quality proven in consumer and foodservice markets over many years, and the convenience of meal components made with fresh ingredients in controlled portion sizes. As a means of adding flavour and variety to seasonal menus, Glendale's products offer affordable, practical additions to any mise en place.

Tyddyn Llan has won a Gold Award at the Welsh Assembly Government’s True Taste awards, which recognise the finest Welsh cooking and produce.

The gold award follows on from Tyddyn Llan being awarded a Michelin star earlier this year and Bryan Webb, chef/proprietor at the Denbighshire establishment, being made a fellow of the prestigious Master Chefs organisation.

“I’m totally delighted to have won a gold award - it’s been an excellent year for accolades,” says Bryan Webb.

“My wife Susan and I run Tyddyn Llan together, and we try and create a complete experience for our guests. Outstanding food is important, of course, but so is a warm welcome, and a sense that everyone around you is prepared to go the extra mile.”

“The True Taste awards demonstrate how very lucky we restauranteurs are in Wales, as we have such fine produce on our doorstep,” he adds. “ Another award winner was the Rhug Estate, which is just a stone’s throw away from us, and produces delicious organic meat.”

If you fancy getting away from it all this Christmas, then don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and book your special break - 01490 440 264. Bryan Webb has devised a special Michelin menu to tempt guests over the festive season.

The recipe for this fabulous cookie and be found here.

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