Kerry Beal

Nacho's with guacamole made from two tiny avocados.

Butterscotch squares for work today.

And pate with pickled cucs and beets!

I think we've discussed this on eG somewhere before - pagophagia (ice eating) is a variant of pica (craving to eat non food items like clay, dirt, paper, cornstarch) and happens with mineral deficiencies of various sorts. I've always found the softer ice to be preferable when I have the urge to chew on an ice cube - so for a home based cocktail fan this machine might be just the ticket.

Starchy older peas can be saved! Thank you Judy Rodgers.

I don't think Anna has put up a picture of the loaf she made today - but here is the crumb! Kira is working her way through a piece right now and loving it. Kira misses Alleguede's Pain Chocolat - I've got some great pictures of her wearing it!

And that's why we love them!

For the cowboy on Bastille Day - Le Antoinette

Lunch today - re-thermalized quesadilla with guacamole made with a 'foraged' avocado. Foraged you say? - well it came from the tree of a sailor who was visiting from somewhere that is able to grow them.

Instead of I think.

New experiments are underway! I had a PM from Mark Heim, whom you might remember from our 2015 Chocolate and Confectionery workshop - suggesting that I test out whether the EZtemper would serve as a the perfect little incubator for keeping already tempered chocolate in perfect condition for instant use when decorating molds, etc. He mentioned that he had seen Joseph Schmidt use an extremely expensive cabinet to do this - and suspects that the EZtemper would provide a low cost alternative. Unfortunately I haven't brought any 3D molds up north with me - but I'm sure I can come up with a substitute of some sort to test the theory. Results to follow!

Made the dough for these last night - baked off this morning. Missing Map Cheese Wafers from the Nancy Drew Cookbook. Had them first at a neighbours home - had to find the recipe and try them. They would benefit from some pepper and perhaps pimenton or chipoltle powder.

Wow - that is a ton of stuff to make. How long did it take you? Have you got any pictures?

I've chopped them up and put them in dark chocolate bark before - they do go nicely in it.

Wait a minute - 10,000 Macaron? What's that all about?

We split the tiny end of the Guinness Ginger cake that remained - had it with the wonderfully thick Creme Fraiche that Anna had made.

3G tonight. They may not have been ortolan - but they were small enough to substitute! Chicken thighs and veg in a honey and lemon sauce.

Cheese biscuits for rounds this am. Coconut chocolate pound cake - discovered part way through that I didn't have any cocoa powder - so kludged it with 'real chocolate'. Seems not to have suffered for the substitution.

Food 52's Genius Recipes might be fun. Seven Spoons seems to be getting some attention. Marcus Off Duty: the Recipes I Cook at Home.

First rise 2 1/2 hours, second rise was only about an hour. It's bloody hot in this house today!

I wouldn't bother to sweeten it if you are making your own and you are happy with the flavour of it. The frozen puree manufacturers used to say they added up to10% sugar to help with the freezing process - now it looks like they add sugar and acid to "match the sweetness and acidity of naturally ripened fruit" - but also many are now selling unsweetened purees.

Getting ready to put the cinnamon mixture on the rolls. Rolling some cream cheese pastry for turnovers. Brushed with milk and sprinkled with turbinado sugar. Turnovers with cream cheese and black current jam. The finished cinnamon rolls.

Mother and child - beets with their greens, braised peas with lettuce and mint.

Sam Ross's Sunflower cocktail. Meanwhile Anna curses me while podding the peas - I swear she mentioned wanting some a few days back!

I might argue that Haw are never actually edible!