Cogges Manor House and Farm

When Cogges Manor Farm Museum closed in 2009 due to the funding and financial issues, my heart sank. My older son absolutely loved it, we had a seasonal ticket and visited it very often as it is very near us (takes about 15 minutes to walk there). He used to run through the house, inspect the garden and all the farm animals before we had a little snack in the apple orchard. A beautiful location, very child-friendly and breathing history.
Oxfordshire County Council deemed it a financial burden, and I was following all the reports in the local papers with great unease. Would they sell it to the highest bidder? Will some Russian oligarch (i.e. mafia-cum-businessman) be interested in the old house and grounds and buy it and ruin it by installing the jacuzzi and all mod cons? Thankfully, the new Cogges Heritage Trust took over the running of the site. They secured the lease from the Council, and now Cogges is reopened to visitors.

If you plan to visit the Manor Farm now, you will notice quite a lot of changes. As you enter the main entrance courtyard, there is a new wooden tractor. Eddie was ecstatic, didn't want to get off, though in the evening as I was giving him a bath, he commented: "Mama I was driving but the tractor didn't go anywhere".

The rustic cowshed has been revamped as The Cafe. It used to be a cafe before as well, but the choice of drinks and food was very limited in the past, and to be honest with you, not very inspiring.
What did we try? And was it a good value, you may ask. My husband had a carrot soup with a nice chunk of bread (it was nearly lunchtime when we got there). For £3.99 it is a bit overpriced, though we appreciate the fact that the money goes to support the farm. I had a pork and apple sauce sandwich, it was freshly done and tasted really like homemade. It was also priced at £3.95.
There is a big selection of cold drinks and hot drinks. My Earl Grey cup (from Teapigs) was lovely. I would also suggest having a choice of a less expensive brand of tea for those people who prefer just a strong black tea from Tetley or PGTips.

If you go as a family, paying for the tickets and having a meal might be quite costly.
I'm all in favour of giving money to the worthy cause, and I often say, if I ever won money on Lottery, I would give some of it to Cogges. But in these days of adverse economic conditions, there should be a choice for less affluent families to spend less.

The same goes for the entrance tickets. As my guys were eager to go in, we paid for the family ticket (£17 for 2 adults +2 kids), and only later I realised we would have spent less if we paid for our tickets separately as Eddie is not yet 3 years old so he could still go free (£5.50 X 2 plus £4 = £15).
Another thing to ponder: why are there no concessions for the pensioners and disabled? From what I remember in the past, it used to be different (maybe something to consider, Cogges Trust?)

The running of the house for the visitors depends a lot on the volunteers, so if you want to have a look upstairs, you need to ask permission so that someone could accompany you to have a look. And it is well worth visiting the house, if you have never been there before. The first manor house was built in the 13th century by Walter de Grey, Archbishop of York. The house itself is fascinating, and I particularly love visiting the nursery with its rocking horse and a little side chamber for the nanny. The kitchen is another must to visit. We were offered some warm small ginger biscuits (you are not asked for money, but are most welcome to leave a small donation).

Nursery and Dining Room

We loved looking at the animals. There are less animals now than there were a few years ago before the Museum was shut down. But you still see the pigs, goats, a Shetland pony, rabbits, hens, quails and ducks (did I forget anyone else?). They are very lucky to be in such a beautiful environment.
Eddie was thrilled to see the animals and birds but refused to pet the pony.

And then there is a splendid garden and the kitchen garden area. Plus a newly designed play area, Adventure Play.You can climb the Tower which is built on top of the ancient Norman site. Sasha loved going on the zip wire. You can see him sliding in the video, he didn't want to leave the place, alas, it started to rain quite a bit.
Though the boys didn't mind the rain, we decided it would be sensible to leave the play area. Eddie made me giggle, as every time he went down the slide he would utter "That was great fun!".
We always do something together as a family on Sundays, but typically this is a visit to the swimming pool. Changing the scenery and place of visit was the spontaneous decision. Both boys were happy to run around and climb on the wooden structures. And as Papa did the same, it made it extra special. A fun way to spend the Father's day.

We loved the new look of the courtyard area, with the plants on sale. The shop also offers fresh chicken, duck and quail eggs at a very reasonable price. I bought a box of duck's eggs which we had for dinner yesterday. Very tasty. I hope while the summer progresses to see more seasonal produce in the shop. And maybe quinces in the autumn? The garden at Cogges has a couple of beautiful quinces with the most attractive yellow fruit.
So, we hope to come and visit Cogges again, especially that everyone working at the museum is really friendly and welcoming.

Cogges, splendid in any weather

Adding my post to Country Kids from Coombe Mill linky.

And Magic Moments Linky

White Witch Cake

You might have seen my post about the Narnia cooking competition launched by Harper Collins (see Are you a Narnia cooking star? for all the details, terms and conditions).
This is my own creation, a cake inspired by Narnia.

White Witch Cake
Ingredients:

2 large eggs
2 bananas
200g self-raising powder
1 tsp baking powder
200g golden caster sugar
50g butter, unsalted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp cinnamon
2tbsp ground almonds

For the icing
2 tbps cream cheese, low fat
50g icing sugar
30g butter, unsalted
1 tbsp brandy

For the decorations
3 tbsp Dr Oetker Apricot glaze
Dr Oetker Ready to Roll White Icing
Dr Oetker Soft Silver Pearls
Queen Writing Icing
Ready-made merigues (small size)
1tsp of softened butter

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease the sandwich tins and line with the baking parchment (or use the cake release spray, then you don't need the parchment paper)
2. In a big mixing bowl sift the flour with the baking powder.
3. Mash the ripe bananas with the fork and whisk together with the sugar.
Whisk the egg yolks until the mixture is pale and creamy. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff. Add the eggs to the big bowl with the flour and ground almonds and mix well, adding cinnamon and vanilla extract too. Fold the egg whites in the mixture, using a large wooden spatula.
4. Spoon the mixture into the sandwich tin and smooth the top with the spoon.
5. Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes or until it feels firm. Using a wooden skewer, check that the cake is done.
6. Leave the cake out for about 10 minutes, then carefully move to the wire cooling rack and leave there until completely cool. Carefully cut into two layers using a thin long knife.
7. Prepare the icing by mixing the cream cheese with the icing sugar in the bowl, then add the softened butter and the brandy, mix until it is smooth and shiny. If the icing is too thick, add another spoonful of brandy.
8. Spread the icing on top of the first layer and sandwich the two layers together.
9. Using a knife, spread the Apricot glaze over the top and sides of the cake.
10. Roll out the Ready to roll icing on a non-stick board to 5mm thickness. Drape the icing over the cake carefully. Use the rolling pin as a support tool to move the icing onto the cake without tearing it. Gently smooth the icing across the top of the cake, using your hands. Be careful not to leave the fingerprints, so don't press to hard. Smooth the icing down towards the base of the cake and trim any excess at the base with the knife.
11. Leave the cake for a day before decorating.
12. Using the writing icing, carefully draw your design. Add the silver pearls at the end.
13. Press each meringue in the softened butter, slightly, just to make it easy for the meringues to hold onto the sides of the cake.

Are you a Narnia Cooking Star?

HARPER COLLINS ON THE HUNT FOR A NARNIA COOKING STAR

HarperCollins are launching a global competition – Narnia Food and Feasts – giving fans the chance to feature in The Official Narnia Cookbook ebook. If you’ve ever wanted to sample Edmund’s Turkish Delight, satisfy your sweet tooth with Mr. Tumnus’s sugar-topped cake, or enjoy roast apples with Lucy, then HarperCollins invites you to bring the magic of Narnia to life in your own kitchen with Narnia Food and Feasts!

White Witch Cake (by Galina Varese)

Maybe you’ll create a lamppost liquorice straw treat, a White Witch egg white omelet, Reepicheep’s bite-sized cheese hors d’oeuvre, or a foraged foods salad from the Narnian forest floor! Take inspiration from the stories, characters, or events of The Chronicles of Narnia, and let your imagination run wild.

Fans could win a prize fit for Aslan:

A one night stay and meal for two at The Goring Hotel in London – where Kate Middleton stayed the night before her big day
A food foraging Taste the Wild day course for two from Countryfile presenter Chris Bax
A beautiful complete colour Narnia library
Plus, the chance for their Narnia themed dish to star in our new recipe collection in ebook!

Judged by a top chef from The Goring Hotel, food foraging expert and Countryfile presenter Chris Bax and stepson of C. S. Lewis – Douglas Gresham – the competition will be launched to the 3.7 million fans on the Official Narnia Facebook page on June 17th.

To enter, fans must go to the Facebook tab at TheChroniclesofNarnia from June 17th and enter their recipe and a photo of their creation. Deadline for entries is 10am on 1ST July, when there will be a two week voting period.  All the entries will be subject to the public vote from launch, our judges will then pick their five favourites after the entry period closes and the one with the most public votes will be the winner!
The winner will be announced with a special media event at The Goring in August.

White Witch Cake (detail)

Embarrassing moments

I think most of my embarrassing moments have been related to my "pregnancy brain" and babies.

When I was pregnant with Sasha, we lived in New Haven, CT. During a visit of the maternity ward at the local Yale Hospital, the matron who took my husband and myself around together with the other couples, turned to me and asked: "Where're you coming from?" After answering this question for a hundred times before, without thinking and on auto-pilot, I replied "Originally I'm coming from Russia", and immediately realised that she meant which part of New Haven we'd be travelling from to the hospital. I felt awfully discomfited by my mistake, as the others were openly giggling.

My cringe story from the second pregnancy made it into Mother & Baby magazine as a Star letter a couple of years ago. They published it under the title "Kicking off":
"When I was nearing the end of my pregnancy, I went to the supermarket to pick up some food. While I was queueing up to pay, my baby started kicking really hard inside my tummy. "Don't kick me please", I said softly, touching my bump to soothe him. But apparently I didn't say it quietly enough, as the man behind me looked put out and said "I didn't, thanks". Cringe!"
This little anecdote has won us a pushchair which we are still using, though mostly as a groceries' carrier nowadays, as Eddie refuses to sit in and wants to walk with me.

When Sasha was about 4 years old, and we just moved house, we were looking for the new tiles for the bathroom. Admiring the travertine tiles on display, I didn't see how Sasha pulled his pants down and sat on the nearby display of the toilet. Luckily we managed to catch him in time. We made a hasty retreat from the shop in search of the nearby loo.


When Eddie was about a year old, he used to call all men Papa. I confess I found it very embarrassing that he greeted every man: a postie, a courier, an electrician with a cheerful utterance of delight: "Papa!".

Do you dare to share your embarrassing stories?

Bubbles

Bubbles, ethereal baubles,
Spheres of soapy happiness.
Your life is too short-
A flight of a few seconds
But in those fleeting moments
You bring so much joy.

And what are our lives but bubbles in the face of eternity?!

Simply woof-tastic: Shelby's Snack Shack Game

When it's dull and raining, you can either sit and complain about the fickle British weather or count it as a blessing and an opportunity to stay indoors and play. We have just received a box of Shelby's Snack Shack Game (Educational Insights) for reviewing, so Eddie and I opened our box with great interest.

While Eddie was taking the things out and asking "Mama' what's that? Mama, look, bones!", I quickly read the short instruction guide.

"Shelby needs help finding her buried bones! This unique counting game encourages players to spin the first spinner to determine play then spin the second spinner to see how many bones they collect using the Shelby Squeezers. The player with the most bones at the end of the game wins. Develops number, counting & fine motor skills and is suitable for children ages 4+!"

What's inside the box? A game board, a Shelby squeezer (dog-shaped squeezer to pick up the bones), 4 bowls, 40 bones, a double game spinner and an instruction guide.

Eddie is almost three, and is learning to count, so I thought this educational game would be a perfect opportunity for him to hone his counting skills (so far he can count up to 12). 

We liked the whimsical image: the pug is absolutely adorable.

The box acts as the game board itself, and has cute illustration of the beach scene inside which reminded us of the lovely days spent by the seaside in Cornwall.

What will your child learn while playing this game?

- recognizing the numerals from 1 to 5

- counting

- taking turns

- hand-eye coordination

- early addition and subtraction

The game is for children aged 4+, but you can play it with a younger child as well. Eddie enjoyed spinning the wheel and was eager to move the bones. He found the squeezer a bit tight for him, so perhaps that's the only disadvantage of being younger. But he understood the concept perfectly well and we both had fun.

I love educational games when children play and learn at the same time. That is surely the best way to learn.

The weather might be miserable but we are glad to stay indoors and have a hoot playing.

Simply woof-tastic!

If you think your little ones would enjoy playing this game, hurry to enter a competition from Learning Resources to win 1 set of 5. Competition closing date: 9 July 2013

Good luck!

Mini meatballs with polenta: Hungry to happy challenge

Cooking challenges are my favourite type of competitions. BritMums are running a Hungry to Happy Linky Challenge until 21st of June, which is "all about easy-to-prepare, versatile meals for kids that turn cheeky monkeys into satisfied angels in minutes."
When you had a busy day playing with your kids, gardening or running in the park, you come home and want to cook something that you can serve fast, without much hassle.

I have bought Richmond sausages in the past, but this was the first time we tried Richmond Mini Meatballs,
"bite-sized pork meatballs that are quick and easy to prepare as part of a hassle-free meal in just 8 minutes."
Everyone who applied got their voucher for a pack of free meatballs.

As my husband is Italian, I tend to cook a lot of Italian dishes. I can make my own meatballs (and in fact a couple of years ago my recipe for the meatballs has won me the first prize at Aldi's British Beef competition, you can read all about it in my old post My Photoshoot for Aldi).
Nothing can beat the taste of the homemade meatballs, but you do need time to make them properly.
What if you are all starving and want to serve something quickly? One of the solutions is to keep a pack of Richmond Mini Meatballs in the fridge.

I have tried one and decided that it does need a bit of jazzing up. These meatballs are child-friendly, so they do not have any strong flavours or spices in them. But of course, you can always add the flavours you fancy.
We tried the mini meatballs with spaghetti and polenta.
While spaghetti is very popular with the British, polenta is a neglected step-daughter, and that's totally undeserved. It is such a versatile product (I use it often in baking).

 Mini Meatballs in tomato sauce with polenta
Ingredients:
1 pack of Richmond mini meatballs (4 servings)
3 big tomatoes
1 garlic clove
a handful of olives (I used the olives in olive oil and lemon zest dressing)
2 celery stalks
2 tbsp olive oil
polenta express (about 50g dry polenta per person)
fresh basil (a few leaves)
1tbsp tomato passata
salt, pepper
1tsp butter

Slice the celery stalks and tomatoes and add them in a big frying pan with the olive oil and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, add a bit of water to the pan. Add the tomato passata and season, stir in some chopped basil leaves and olives and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook under the closed lid for 5-7 minutes.
In the meantime boil the water and pour it over the polenta. Pour the water steadily while whisking the polenta, it has to be quite thick. I use the polenta express which is ready in 5 minutes (have a look at the Italian brand Polenta Valsugana, available in Waitrose, for example).
You can actually make it quite thick, and once cooled down, cut into slices which you can grill or fry. Or make it the consistency of the mashed potato, on the soft side, without slicing.
Add the butter and stir well.
Serve the polenta with the mini meatballs and the sauce.
And how about making a funny face on your polenta circle to make it more appealing to your kids (cut the nose and eyebrows from carrots and use olives for eyes)?
All this won't take you more than 20 minutes altogether, that is including the chopping and cooking, or even less, if you make the polenta while the sauce is cooking with the meatballs.

Another variation:
Mini Meatballs with spaghetti
If you're not sure about polenta, a dish of spaghetti would definitely be an all round pleaser. Who can say No to a plate of spaghetti?
Cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce as above, and serve with spaghetti. Decorate with the basil leaves. Grate some parmesan on top (never-ever use the cheese dust that is sold as an already grated parmesan, it is truly an insult to the beautiful cheese).

This dish takes about 20 minutes to make, so it's another quick and easy meal option.

If you have any leftovers, why don't you make a funky sandwich for your tot for breakfast?

Toot Toot sandwich
Ingredients:
2 slices of white bread
butter
2 slices of cucumber
4 meatballs
2 toothpicks
Butter the slices of bread and put together. Cut out a shape of a car with a knife. With the toothpicks attach the "wheels" of meatballs on both sides. Cut out the crescent shapes fro cucumber and place above the wheels. Draw a window with a bit of tomato ketchup.
"This is a funny car, Mama", said Eddie. "Is it a car for Pontipines?" Well, why not (for those of you who don't watch the CBeeBies, these are small peg-dolls from In the Night Garden).
Don't forget to remove the toothpicks once your child starts eating.

This post is my entry to Happy to hungry linky challenge on BritMums sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs.

NaturePaint giveaway (NOW CLOSED)

 You might have seen the recent  report released by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on 5th June titled Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy which advises pregnant women to "avoid paint fumes" in order to minimise risks to their unborn child. I know there was an indignant outcry among some media pundits that the state is infantilising women as it gives too much advice about what to do and what to avoid during the pregnancy. And while I am not an advocate of a nanny state, avoiding any hazardous materials makes a total sense to me.

Even when I was not pregnant, I had a fumes' poisoning years ago, when I stayed in the office when they were repainting the windows. It started with a headache and ended with sickness. Not a laughing matter.

And if there is an alternative to toxic paints, why not give it a try.

I have recently reviewed NaturePaint (read my post Eco-friendly with NaturePaint to see how we decorated the bedroom and painted the Elmer mural), and my little man's bedroom looks great.

NaturePaint is formulated as a patented dry powder and is made from only natural and non-toxic ingredients, giving off no harmful fumes at all.  It is the only paint produced in the UK certified to be completely free of harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and is completely safe for pregnant women to use. 

Since many paint companies choose not to disclose what is in their product, it is difficult for consumers to understand the potential risks.  Unlike other paint companies, NaturePaint is happy to disclose all of its ingredients and consumers can check for themselves at NaturePaint site.

Using NaturePaint to decorate a home, including children's rooms, is the simple way to follow the sound advice from the Royal College.

Available in 63 colours for just £19.95 for the equivalent of 2.5 litres from www.naturepaint.com.  Also available from John Lewis, House of Fraser and B&Q.

NaturePaint have kindly offered a prize for one of my lucky blog readers - 2 kilos of paint in the colour of the winner's choice.

If you would like to win this prize, please fill in the Rafflecopter form.
T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is answer the question by leaving a comment.

The question: which NaturePaint colour would you choose if you are a winner? Please have a look at the range at NaturePaint. You don't have to decide now, you can change you mind later.

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 and do a bonus click entry daily as well 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.
The giveaway will close on 3 July 2013 at midnight (at the start of 3rd).
Good luck!

Thank you to all entrants!
The rafflecopter has picked the winner: see the name below.
Big well done, Jayne! Please let me know which colour you want to choose.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daddy Pig, our hero

"Mama, should I jump in some mud?" is Eddie's phrase of the day, he keeps looking for some mud in the garden to jump in, but to his regret after a week of sunshine, we cannot find any mud or puddles. Eddie is a big fan of Peppa Pig & family. And who wouldn't be? 
To celebrate Father's Day Asda stores nationwide offer an exclusive Daddy Pig product range (from 3 June to 17 June 2013) which includes the most amusing Champion Pig DVD (£5) and My Daddy book (£5.99) - for kids, and a wide range of merchandise for Dads including Father's Day cards, gift wrap, cufflinks, ties, hankies, PJs, slippers, mugs and more.

And though I cannot quite imagine my husband attired in Daddy Pig pyjamas and slippers, he is more than happy to watch the DVD and read a book together with Eddie.

Daddy Pig is a star in the world of Peppa Pig. As you know, he's a bit of an expert on everything. He somehow reminds me of Brian Blessed in Blackadder, with his infectious uproarious laughter.

And he comes up with the most memorable quotes (maybe he can also have a book of his own quotes like Karl Lagerfeld, only with a much nicer personality).

I totally subscribe to his world outlook: 

"Ah! What a nice day for doing... nothing!" (which reminds me of another great philosopher, Winnie the Pooh).

"Thank goodness I don't have to exercise, I'm naturally fit!" or when his kids mention his big belly, he says "That's all pure muscle".

"Champion Daddy Pig" DVD features 10 fun-packed piggy tales:

Champion Daddy Pig

Secret Club

The New House

Basketball

Horsey Twinkle Toes

Naughty Tortoise

Shadows

Mr Fox's Shop

The Blackberry Bush

Mummy Rabbit's Bump

as well as an extra bonus episode "The Royal Fairy Picnic" (Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom).

This delightful DVD will keep your little ones glued to the screen and will make them jump along with Daddy Pig and Peppa.

Eddie is always excited when he spots his favourite little piggy in the bookshops, toy shops or clothes. He and Peppa share the same cheeky smile and mischievous personality. 

"My Daddy" picture book shows our favourite characters, as Peppa lists all the things she loves about her Daddy.
This amusing book will make you smile (and maybe nod as well if you recognise your partner in it). You will go aww when Peppa says "My Daddy reads about very important matters... But I know that bedtime stories are his favourites" and won't be able to suppress a giggle when Peppa says: "My Daddy says he likes to keep in shape ALL of the time... But his favourite exercise is lifting the remote control" (Does it sound familiar?)

Daddy Pig DVD and My Daddy book are a lovely present for your little piglets to share with their Daddy Pigs.

P.S. We received the DVD and book for the purposes of reviewing, all opinions are Eddie's and mine. 

Zingy pork with pak choi

This recipe is inspired by Helen from Fuss Free Food blog. When I say "inspired" I want to acknowledge that I have borrowed the idea but haven't followed the original recipe precisely, as I'm not the biggest fan of kale, and I'm afraid my version is more calorie-laden. But if I haven't seen Helen's video link on Twitter for Zesty Coriander Pork, I would not have been inspired to try it. 

Zesty Pork with Pak Choi

Ingredients:

500g pork

2tbsp Special Selection Soy Sauce

1tsp Tabasco

1 garlic clove

pak choi (a bunch, not sure about the weight)

1tbsp brandy

15g fresh coriander, chopped

1 lemon (juice+zest)

2tbsp olive oil

1tsp grated ginger

If you carefully watch Helen's video, she has coated pieces of pork in coriander and lemon zest mixture. I confess I tend to cook my pork for longer, so coating in advance wouldn't quite work for me, as the coriander would have been burnt.

So, what did I do? I stir fried the cubed pork in the wok with the olive oil and brandy until well browned on both sides, and then started adding all the other ingredients: grated ginger, soy sauce, Tabasco, chopped garlic, lemon juice and zest and cooked for a few minutes more before adding the pak choi and fresh coriander. I added a bit of water and covered the wok with the lid, so that pak choi would wilt. 

Serve the pork with the jasmine rice or noodles. The flavours were amazing: zingy and fresh. I have used the Amoy Special Selection soy sauce. Tabasco was the substitute for the fresh chili. I actually do have a pot of fresh chilies in the greenhouse, but when I was cooking this dish, it was bucketing outside and I didn't feel like running through the garden to fetch a fresh chili.

If you are counting the calories, visit the original recipe on Helen's blog (see the link at the top of my post).