Mumfie's White Christmas

At Christmas time we all crave magical stories, preferably with a happy end. For me, it is Back to the Future, it is my Christmas treat, which I enjoy watching every year. Then there is the Snowman which always leaves me emotional. With my boys growing up, I am discovering all kinds of animation as well as stories that I missed as a child. Until recently I have never heard of Mumfie. I didn't watch the show as a child, and haven't read the books (they were originally published in 1936). So, when "Mumfie's White Christmas" DVD (based on the classic Mumfie novels and the 1990s TV animation) arrived, I didn't know what to expect. Eddie and I snuggled under the duvet on the sofa and started watching...

What immediately caught my attention is the style of the animation, it is rather old-fashioned and different from the recent digital/computerized images. By old-fashioned I don't mean dull or uninventive, but rather quaint, charming and heart-warming. The storyline was based on the adventures of a little elephant Mumfie and his friends Scarecrow and a little flying pig Pinkie who wish for a white Christmas.

They decide to follow the advice given by the mysterious Black Cat who appears and disappears by magic. Who's the best person to ask for their wish come true? Of course, Santa. So, they embark on a big trip of discovering the true meaning of Christmas.

Eddie and I liked the story and the characters. There is quite a bit of singing going on as well, which I didn't enjoy as much. I do have issues with songs in animation and mostly find them annoying, but Eddie was dancing with the eels and other creatures, so he obviously enjoyed the music.

This classic Christmas story comes from the award-winning creator of the Thomas &Friends TV series Britt Allcroft. If you enjoy watching children's animation either with your kids or even on your own, Mumfie's White Christmas might make a lovely treat for a cold winter afternoon, when it is dark outside.

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You can now buy Mumfie's White Christmas on itunes.

Blenheim park: revisiting the old haunts

Blenheim Park, I miss you...We used to live in Woodstock, just five minutes away from the entrance to the park, and when my older son Sasha was a tot, we spent all our afternoons there. I think he seriously believed it was our "back yard". He spent many an hour there, dozing in the pushchair or running along the quiet park lanes, feeding the geese and watching the sheep.

Blenheim Park is glorious in any weather and any season. I can easily believe the quote attributed to King George III, when he visited the Palace in 1789, he said "We have nothing to equal to this". The Palace guides will undoubtedly repeat this quote if you take the guided tour.
Last Saturday we got on the bus to Woodstock to revisit our old haunts. Sasha always loves going to the park, and Eddie enjoys it as well. So much space to run! So many places to explore!

The autumnal colours and hues are worthy of any artist's brush. The soft reflections in the expanse of the lake look like upside-down watercolours.

The landscape is changing at every step, and I am never tired of seeing the beautiful scenery.

Eddie was in a playful mood, and happily hugged a big tree.

With a crunchy mama like mine, I inevitably end up as a tree-hugger

The boys were chasing each other and giggling. The weather wasn't super, it was quite windy and even a bit nippy.

The sheep ignored the people and did their own sheep's business. The Duke of Marlborough stood silently on his pedestal.

We missed the train ride by a couple of minutes. Eddie was rather upset about it, and kept telling me the next morning that we should go back to the park and catch the train. After a quick lunch in the cafe (with totally overpriced food), we headed for the play area. It wasn't very busy there, as most people came that day to the crafts fair (which we avoided). As much as I would like to see the fair, Sasha gets easily distressed in the crowds, so we didn't even try to poke our noses there.

We decided to catch the bus back in the village of Bladon, and walked there, chanting Baa Baa Black sheep when we spotted this black sheep.

As the bus wasn't due for another half hour, we decided to visit St Martin's church which is best known for the graves of the Spencer-Churchill family.

We stopped by the grave of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine, bowed our heads in respect and hurried back to the bus stop.

It would be nice to go back to the Blenheim park before the end of the season and look at all the Christmas decorations in the palace. I worked there for a while a few years ago as a palace assistant and loved arriving just before the palace was open to the visitors to have a quick run through the rooms, admiring the splendour of the interior and saying "Hello, Charlie!" to the big portrait of Charles II. If you haven't seen Blenheim palace at Christmas time, you're missing a spectacular sight.
Let's just hope the weather is relatively clement for a visit, as they say it's going to be a long snowy winter.

Dhruv Baker's Perfect Chicken Curry

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Brits can't resist a curry. Being such a versatile dish, brimming with flavours and textures, it is now part of the nation's staple diet. 

But did you know that there is a scientific formula for the perfect curry? Apparently there is.

Tilda, the UK's favourite (no.1) Basmati brand, "have been working with the University of Warwick to create the scientific formula for the perfect curry, carefully balancing the flavours, textures and measures of this British take-away institution.

Tilda has commissioned Dr. Hadley from the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick to create a formula for the much desired perfect curry."

Now, I can nod in agreement and pretend that I can easily read this formula. 

Let's ask the specialists to decipher the meaning of this formula:

"The key to this formula is the Basmati rice.  Inferior Basmati rice contains cheaper, broken grains which release starch and cook quicker, resulting in non- fluffy grains.  Tilda’s Pure Basmati rice has been carefully milled and rejects broken grains, resulting in separate and long rice that is the perfect fluffy fit for your curry.  

In addition, the size of the meal is decided by the fork test, whereby the ideal curry has the ratio of 1:1:1- meat or vegetable; sauce; rice- in order for every forkful to include each of the key ingredients in equal measure, providing a delicious taste and texture combination".

To demonstrate how to create the supreme curry, 2010 UK Master Chef Winner, Dhruv Baker, has brought this scientific formula to life and will take us step by step through his very own ultimate curry recipe. 

To watch Dhruv create this perfect dish, please visit Tilda.

Dhruv’s Perfect Chicken Curry

Dhruv says: "For me, this is the perfect chicken curry. It has layer upon layer of flavour, bags of depth, a hint of sweetness and just the right amount of chilli heat.  The beauty of this dish is that you can add more or less heat, you can tweak the spicing to your palate, you can add more tomato to make more sauce – in short you can make some small changes to make this your perfect curry.  Serve with some perfectly cooked Basmati rice and if you really want, some extra side dishes but I honestly don’t think you need them. Enjoy!

You only need half the paste from the below recipe so freeze one half ready to use when you next fancy this delicious curry.  If you have the paste ready then this dish is ready in 20 minutes."

I confess I didn't have all the ingredients for the recipe. My major change was from the chicken to turkey, but I will reproduce Dhruv's recipe as he intended, and it's up to you to make your own adaptations and changes.

Turkey curry

Dhruv's Perfect Chicken Curry

Serves 4 

Ingredients

75g desiccated coconut

2 x cinnamon stick

2 x star anise

3 whole dried red chillies

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp fennel seeds

100ml of water

3 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp turmeric powder

1?2 tsp cinnamon powder

1?2 tsp salt

5 tbsp vegetable oil

3 x red onions, finely chopped

4 x cloves garlic finenly chopped

2 x tsp grated fresh ginger

6 x tbsp fresh curry leaves

8 x tomatoes finely chopped

500g boneless chicken thighs (skin removed) or turkey 

200ml water or chicken stock

1 x small bunch fresh coriander finenly chopped

1 x green chilli finely chopped (optional if you like it hot!)

A squeeze of lemon

My changes: less chillies, I only used 1 dried chilli, 6 tomatoes rather than 8, and also I couldn't find the curry leaves and got a small packet of fresh kaffir lime leaves, which are often added to curries.

Toast the coconut in a pan over a low heat, stirring until it turns golden brown

Remove the coconut on to a plate and into the same pan add the cinnamon sticks, dried chillies, peppercorns, star anise and fennel seeds. Roast in the pan for 3-4 minutes then add the ground coriander and chilli powder and stir for a minute. Add 100ml of water to form a paste and cook for two minutes

Remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise and whole chillies and keep for later. Add the toasted coconut, cinnamon powder, turmeric and salt to the pan. Add everything to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a smooth paste

Heat the oil in the same pan and slowly cook the onions until they are soft – this will take about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes then turn up the heat and add the curry leaves and stir for a minute

Add the tomatoes and the spice paste, return the cinnamon stick, star anise and chillies to the pan and cook for five minutes, stirring until you end up with a smooth paste and the oil starts to separate out

Remove half the mixture and freeze or place in an airtight container which will keep in the fridge for a week or so

Add the chicken and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add 200ml chicken stock remove the lid and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through

Remove the star anise, cinnamon and chilli, stir through the lemon juice and green chilli (if using) and scatter with the fresh coriander.

Turkey curry

As you can see from my photos, my curry sauce appears very chunky. I don't have a spice grinder, and my pestle and mortar are too small, and it would have taken ages to grind the sauce to a smooth paste if I were doing it in mini-batches. 

Taste-wise, it was quite unlike the ready-made curry sauces I buy. It was very fragrant and flavourful. 

I still have a tub of sauce in the fridge (second half) and will be using it with the chicken later this week. I wonder, whether to blitz it with a hand blender for a smoother consistency? 

Disclosure: I received a pack of Tilda's Pure Basmati for trying this recipe. 

Roast pheasant with bacon

When it starts getting dark pretty early and there is a frost on the rooftops in the morning, you can bet the game season is here. It is best to buy your game like pheasants from the butcher who has hung them for about a week (and also who can dress them for you). Our local Denshams butcher's has been part of our town for many years and provides the quality meats.The game they sell is sourced locally. The pheasants are sourced from one of the big estates in the county.

Roast pheasant with bacon
Ingredients:
1 pheasant, medium-sized
50ml olive oil
25g butter, softened
1tbsp fresh thyme
3 juniper berries, crushed
sea salt, pepper
1/2 lemon
2-3 slices of streaky bacon
2 thin slices of lardo (optional)

Place the pheasant in a deep ceramic dish/roasting tin and rub with the olive oil. Season well with the salt and pepper. Mix the softened butter with the thyme and crushed juniper berries and push the butter under the skin over the breast. Lay the strips of bacon over the top of the pheasant, covering the breasts. Place the lardo slices over the legs. Put half the lemon inside the cavity.
I have brought a block of lardo from Italy recently, bought it in the airport in Venice. Lardo is a cured fatback, flavoured with herbs like rosemary.

Put the roasting tin in the oven preheated to 180C and cook for 30-35 minutes.

I served the pheasant with the red cabbage and roast pumpkin slices, which were cooked in the oven at the same time as the pheasant. Drizzly plenty of olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg + sea salt.

I have also made some quince mash. Wrap the quinces in foil and roast for about an hour in the oven at 180C. Remove the foil, and let them cool a bit, before mashing with the fork (discard the harder inner part with the pips). Add 2 tbsp vanilla syrup or maple syrup, 2tsp sugar and cook for 5 minutes in a small pan, stirring a few times. This quince mash goes very well with the game.

The roast pheasant is often served with the bread sauce, but I am not a fan of the bread sauce.
If you prefer, make a quick gravy: collect all the juices left in the tin, add the port or red wine, plus a good tablespoon of redcurrant or quince jelly. Reduce. Pour over the game.

As I am using the local produce, I am adding my recipe post to Shop Local Blogging Challenge.

Mulling syrups from Selsley Foods (giveaway c/d 10 December 2013)

Mulled wine and mince pies are always welcome at Christmas parties. I have recently tested and reviewed Gourmet Mulling Syrup from Selsley Foods, and was very impressed with the high quality of this flavourful non-alcoholic syrup. It contains a special blend of spices and comes in a beautiful bottle of two sizes (200ml and 500ml).
Selsley Foods have kindly offered a prize for one of my lucky blog readers: two bottles of this spectacular syrup (200ml and 500ml) to put you in a festive mood.


For more information on Mulling syrups visit Selsley Foods page.

To have a chance to win two bottles of Mulling syrup from Selsley Foods, please enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter form.


T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is to answer the question by leaving a comment (there is no right or wrong answer)
(if you login as Anonymous, please leave your Twitter name or FB name, so that I could identify you, I do not suggest leaving the email address in the comment). 

All the other steps are optional, you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry.
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily to increase your chances).
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
Once the Rafflcopter picks the winner, I will check if the winner has done what was requested. I will contact the winner, if they do not reply within a week, the prize will be allocated to another person.

If you haven't used the Rafflecopter before, you might want to watch this simple video.
The giveaway will close on 10 December 2013 at midnight (the night from the 9th to the 10th)

Good luck!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

The ultimate creamy mashed potato with Rodda's Cornish clotted cream

Rodda's mashed potato (image courtesy of Rodda's Cornish clotted cream)

Mashed potatoes, simple yet so tasty. For many people it is the ultimate comfort food, as it certainly is for me. I loved mashed potatoes as a kid, and still love this dish.
Rodda's Cornish clotted cream and Neil Haydock, Executive Chef at Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall, came up with the ultimate creamy mashed potato recipe which uses both Rodda's Clotted Cream and butter (see the video above for the ingredients and step-by-step).

Adding clotted cream and butter, pure luxury

I don't have a modern-style masher, mine is an old-fashioned wooden carved potato masher from Russia. It might be old, but it is much loved and well used, and makes stellar mash.

What can I say? This is a fabulous recipe for the very tasty creamy mashed potato. It is higher in calories than the usual mashed potato I make (with butter and hot milk), but oh boy, isn't it delicious?

For more mouthwatering videos from Rodda's visit Rodda's Cornish Clotted Cream Youtube channel, you won't regret it.

Disclosure:
I received a hamper of Rodda's goodies for testing the recipes. All opinions are mine.

Beef Stroganoff with Rodda's Cornish Clotted Cream

Beef Stroganoff (Бефстроганов Befstróganov), a well-known Russian dish, was named after Count Grigorii Stroganov (1770-1857) who belonged to one of the wealthiest families of Russia and served as an Ambassador to Sweden, Spain and Turkey. He was also known as a great gourmand, who loved to eat and always kept the best chefs at his household(s). One of them invented this dish for the Count who by then has lost most of his teeth and couldn't chew the steak. At least that's the version given in the Russian cook book Russkaya Kukhnya (Russian Cuisine: Traditions and Customs) by V.Kovalev and N.Mogilny. Somehow I trust their research and knowledge more than what Wikipedia says.
The classic version asks for 1kg of beef, 4tbsp flour, 4tbsp tomato puree, 150g soured cream, 2 cups of stock, 1 onion, 5-6 potatoes, salt and pepper. Classic accompaniment: chips or mashed potatoes.

Rodda's Cornish Clotted Cream have come up with their delicious version of Beef Strognoff, which I tested myself and loved, though it differs from the authentic Russian version.




My first thought on watching the video was: "No! Clotted cream instead of the soured cream! Is it going to work?"

Rodda's Beef Stroganoff (image courtesy of Rodda's)

I love Rodda's Cornish Clotted cream and often buy it when we have scones. It is perfect with the other sweet dishes and I also add it when making pasta. But this was the first time I have used it, cooking Beef Stroganoff (for the ingredients and the recipe watch the video above).

I followed Rodda's recipe closely enough, though I didn't use 2tbsp of paprika, and added just 1tbsp ofsmoked paprika. I have also added 2tbsp of soured cream to go with the clotted cream. Apologies, but my "Russian soul" demanded it. ;) And I used flat leaf parsley instead of chives.

I served the Beef Stroganoff with the mashed potatoes and green beans.

What did we think of it? My husband said that it was amazingly good. And I tend to agree with him.
It was definitely one of the best variations of Beef Stroganoff that I ever tried. It was luxuriously creamy. I mopped up all the sauce with a chunk of bread, it was too good to be wasted.
I appreciate that this is not a Weight Watchers version, but if you make it occasionally, it is truly worth trying to cook it Rodda's way.

Disclosure:
I received a hamper of Rodda's goodies to test the recipes. All opinions are mine.

Denim Blogger Challenge with House of Fraser

Love them or hate them, blogging challenges are a great fun! House of Fraser has challenged bloggers to create an ultimate Denim look by putting together a selection of clothes to go with the Denim. Inspired by the Jazz Age and The Great Gatsby, I have picked a few items to imitate a visually dazzling ensemble.

For my pièce de résistance  I have chosen Ted Baker's Gerrie Deco print Denim. These skinny jeans could be a versatile starting point to create either a festive outift, or a casual look (still pretty chic and alluring).
This seductive True Decadence Deco Sequin Dress is short enough to be worn as a top with the skinny jeans, an absolutely delightful piece. As it is sleeveless, you can easily wear it with Biba Deco Bead Mesh Tipper which is a glorious piece of design, very Gatsbyesque thanks to its heavy embellishment highlights. It screams luxury (and a bit of decadence).
Dapper Office Lucy in the Sky court shoes feature an elegant metal toe detail, and are comfy for any dancing queen, while a Coast Deco necklace would complete this ensemble perfectly.

Biba Deco Illustration print tee is a stylish homage to the roaring 20s. It sports a trendy gold and sliver art deco print on the black background. It will easily transform any casual look into a festive one, and will add a touch of glamour to the Denim look. This is another great top that would look spectacular with the skinny jeans. This is a more casual look.
Accessorize it with a cloche hat, shoes and a fabulous Biba clutch. A timeless classic.
They say, many people watched Downton Abbey for the outfits and hats, and I cannot agree more. I was lusting after those fabulous hats. While browsing House of Fraser, I found it very difficult to limit myself to choosing just one hat. I love hats, can I pick at least two?
Dickins & Jones Embellished Cloche hat is simply marvellous. An an absolute steal at £35. Wear it, and you will look every inch a chic flapper.
Aftershock Lydia Black pointed high heels would look spectacular with this outfit.
Finally, a few more accessories to choose from...

Linea Bow Detail cloche is a less ornate hat of the two I have chosen. But then you can add as much sparkle as you want with the Untold Jade Stud Clutch bag, 1928 Silver Coil bracelet and Coast Deco earrings.

And that's it, I am ready to party.

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This is my entry to Denim Blogger Challenge set by House of Fraser (link removed as expired)

In love with Verushka

Someone told me, slightly waspishly, in a private conversation that as a blogger I tend to parade my Russian identity. Mea culpa, but that's who I am. I can't suppress it (neither do I want). I love the ethnic elements in fashion design, and was thrilled to see that White Stuff has just released a new Russia-inspired collection called Verushka. It's not often that the Russian style in fashion gets a complimentary following. The Russian fashions are dismissed as too dire and drab, or lacking in taste and glittering like a Christmas tree (reference to the nouveau riche or the new Russians).

Designers of Verushka took the folk elements of the national Russian costumes and transformed them into a modern, stylish and inspired collection.
I spent this morning looking at the clothes from Verushka range in our local White Stuff shop (they didn't have the whole collection) and trying a few outfits.

Girly Ada cardi, available in 5 colours

Biana skirt

Biana skirt is simply beautiful. It is a knee-length skirt with a fab embroidered design of Matreshka (Russian doll). I was very tempted to buy it, as I can easily wear it with a lot of tops I have.

Detail of Biana skirt

Girly Ada cardi

Girly Ada Cardi is very comfy and soft. The hem detail is a reference to the outifts worn by the Cossack women.

Multi-patterned Teapot skirt is a homage to the Southern Russian costumes, with an amusing modern twist. And that Hunter Cardi coat looks splendid too. Sadly they didn't have it in the shop to try on. I would imagine it will look great with any casual outfit.

Busy Lizzie tee

Another colourful patterned top that I loved is a Busy Lizzie tee. It looks so festive and pretty.

Tula tunic

Tula tunic is a printed top, with the paisley design, very popular in Russia in the 19C and later. It has three-quarter sleeves and a cinched waist, trimmed at the hem. Love the front pleated detail. This tunic reminds me of the vintage peasant's smock.

Tula tunic, available in aubergine and Russian red

I liked all the outfits I tried, and could happily wear half of the new Verushka collection. And that's what I bought, Tula tunic with leggins. What do you think? Is it "me"?

Come Dine with me Russian style

If your idea of a Russian dinner is influenced by the austerity movies or the black and white Garbo film where the Russian officers throw the glasses behind themselves in unison after emptying them (I tried to find that scene on Youtube but couldn't), then your views are far from reality. Would you like to have a glimpse of what it could really be? Let's not just visit any festive dinner. You are invited to a New Year's eve party, or Come Dine with me Russian style.

That's me, in my home town, sitting by an old wooden house (not ours, we lived in an apartment)

The table will be laden and groaning under the variety of dishes on offer. New year's eve party is often a big family celebration, with friends coming and leaving through the night, as they visit as many parties as possible. And everywhere you come, you are expected to eat and drink and be merry.
In the Soviet times aka my childhood and young adulthood, there were three salads which were a must for any festive table, be it a birthday party or a New Year's eve.
These are: an Olivie salad (it is known in the West as the Russian salad, but is actually much nicer), a "seledka pod shuboi" (lit. a herring under the fur coat) and a Vinegret.
Herring under the fur coat is a salad that I remember with fondness though I make it very rarely (my dear husband is not keen on anything pickled or salted). I make my own salted or cured herrings as the marinated herring you can buy here in the delis is just not the same. For the salad you will need the cured herrings, potatoes, onion, apple, carrots, beets and egg with the much loved mayo. If you fancy finding out more about these salads and read the recipes, please follow the links above, they will take you straight to the recipes.
Vinegret is a vegetarian salad made with cooked beets, potatoes, carrots, sauerkraut, apples, pickled gherkins, shallots and peas. Very colourful and full of vitamins.

Herring under the fur coat and Vinegret

Olivie salad, another blast from the past. 
The recipe is attributed to the now obscure French or Belgian chef Olivier who opened a restaurant in Moscow in the 1880s. The original recipe asks for the partridge meat to be one of the ingredients of this salad.
My version is closer to the Soviet-style recipe. From my childhood I recall the days when we went out to friends' party, and the women would be sitting in the kitchen, chopping the ingredients and mixing the salad in the big enamelled wash-basin. This is a very satisfying mix of the cubed turkey meat or ham, with the hard-boiled eggs, cornichons, olives, apples, carrot, potatoes, onion, peas, all smothered with mayo.

Salad Olivie

These salads as well as all the other appetizers are served typically with a shot of ice cold vodka. Put a bottle of Stolichnaya in the freezer for a couple of hours (don't worry, it won't turn into ice due to the high alcohol content). Personally I prefer a glass of champagne. In the Soviet times many Russian families celebrated with a bottle of Sovetksoe champagne, but I have no idea if this brand still exists. I would offer a bottle of Veuve Clicquot or Moet & Chandon if you want to splash.

While the photo of Stolichnaya is my own, the image of the Soviet champagne is taken from a cook book Kulinariya 1955, USSR

The table will be laden with salads and appetizers, all kinds of pickles, pirozhki, and sliced cold meats.

Pickled baby cucumbers and tomatoes

Pirozhki stuffed with mashed potatoes & mushrooms

Blini with cured salmon and soured cream

And if you thought that was all, you'll be wrong. Yes, you might feel stuffed already. There is still a main course to come, but there is no hurry. There is a whole night ahead, with music and TV on. At midnight raise a glass of champagne and toast the New Year. You might want to go out and watch the fireworks in the main square. After a brisk walk in the cold, you might be ready to have the main course.

Don't expect a roast turkey for the main course, it is not very popular in Russia. Instead it will be a roast duck or goose, with beautiful roast apples and stuffing, served with the roast potatoes and other veg.

There is no typical Russian new year's eve dessert as such. Christmas pudding would be almost unheard of, and not particularly fancied either. Every family will have their own favourite cake, fruit and nuts, or open a big box of chocolate to have with a coffee to keep you going until 5 or 7am.
Most likely, you wouldn't want any cake, but wouldn't mind a bit of a refreshing fruit salad.

Often we would add a dollop of ice cream to coffee and make coffee glisse.

Dance through the night with me!


Dress code? I wanted to tease you and invite you to get dressed in the national Russian outfits...

That's me, in my early 20s, in a Russian dress (I was a member of the ethnographic society)

... but please don't worry. Informal cocktail attire would do perfectly well. I have even found a perfect dress for myself, a Slav Tsar dress from a new Verushka collection by White Stuff.

This is my entry to Come Dine with Furniture blogger competition. Hope you are inspired by my extensive menu and would really come and dine with me!