July | 2015 | Cider with Rosie

Strawberry + raspberry galettes.

31.07

And now that the berries have been picked, what to do with them all?

Whilst fresh berries and sunshine are as beautiful a combination as you could ever imagine, it’s never a long-lasting situation. The heat will take the ripest, most perfect berries of the bunch and tip them over into the land of mush and fermentation quicker than you can say ‘would you like some cream with those?’. Before you know it, you’re left resentfully feeding the remains of the punnet to the dog, whilst complaining about how what was once such beautiful fruit is wasted on an animal who drinks filthy puddle water like it’s a fine wine.

So, after devouring the first of the bunch plain (nothing can better a perfectly sweet strawberry or tart raspberry), and then adding the next round to yoghurts and porridge in the mornings, what to do with the remaining half kilo or so? Should you make jam, or strawberry ice-cream? Fruity salads, or sweet summer cakes?

Or, how about a galette or two? They’re simple, delicious, and despite being the easiest things in the world to whip up, look impressive in their own rustically-charming kind of way. Here’s how…

I like to imagine these galettes being served up to friends at the end of a meal eaten outside in the summertime. They’d be the pre-curser to the cheese board, and the follow up to a meal of heaping salads and roasted vegetables and tender fish and crusty bread. Do you do that, too? Lose yourself in fantasies of dream dinner parties? I hope it’s not just me ;)

However they’re served though, in a some-day-dinner party or merely at the end of a simple Sunday supper for two, they make perfect summer dining.

Ingredients ::
300g plain white flour
150g unsalted butter
Pinch sea salt
Iced water

300g strawberries
Zest 1/2 lemon
1tsp soft light brown sugar

150g raspberries
2tsp soft light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
Extra sugar for sprinkling

- Put the flour and salt into a large bowl, and cut the cold butter into small 1/2cm cubes. Toss the butter cubes into the flour, and slowly add in ice water a little at a time, mixing until the dough come together and forms a rough ball.

- Flour both your rolling pin and a clean surface, and turn the dough out of the bowl. Roll the dough out away from you into a rough rectangle, then fold the top third of the pastry into the centre, and the bottom third of the the pastry up over that to create an envelope shape.

- Turn the pastry dough one quarter turn (so that you have a short side nearest to you again) and repeat the process. The roll-fold-turn process needs to be completed five times in total, flouring well between each turn. The dough should be smooth and pliable once you’re finished. Wrap well in cling film, and refrigerate for at least half an hour. (In summer, an hour’s chilling is best!)

- When the dough’s chilled, take it out and divide into two. Roll out each half into a rough circle until the pastry is 1/2 centimetre thick (thinner than photographed, the pastry was puffing up quicker than I could get these photos shot!) and then transfer it to a tray lined with parchment paper.

- Toss the strawberries and raspberries with sugar (less for the sweet strawberries, more for the tart raspberries), grate in some lemon zest, and then heap the berries into the centre of each pastry round. I made one strawberry and one raspberry, though you can mix if you’d rather.

- Fold in the edges of the pastry, brush with a little beaten egg and scatter over a small handful of brown sugar, then transfer to an oven preheated to 200 degrees celsius.

- Cook for approximately 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and flaky and the fruit soft and bubbling. Serve with a scoop of ice-cream (homemade, if you’d like!), or a serving of creme fraiche.

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Posted in BAKING, FROM MY HOME TO YOURS, RECIPE, SUMMER, SWEET

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Try this in Summer :: berry picking!

29.07

If you’ve been a reader of this little space since the beginning, you’ll know that I’ve mentioned wanting to go berry picking every single summer since Cider with Rosie first took shape. I included it on a summer to-do list I wrote back in 2012 (I can’t for the life of me find the post I’m thinking of to link to, which is probably just as well really!), and yet, despite promising ourselves we’ll go each year when the sun begins to shine, we never quite get around to it.

But no more! We finally went (we being my little sister and I, who I’m spending as much time with as possible now before she disappears off to Tanzania for most of the summer), and it was even lovelier than I’d hoped.

I think to be honest, you’d be hard pressed to find a more idyllic summer activity than that of berry picking. Wandering up and down the rows of strawberry, raspberry and gooseberry plants armed with a basket or two, scouring the beds for the ripest looking fruit, then carefully snapping each berry off its stem- it’s summer encapsulated. The strawberry patch smells caramelly sweet, and the temptation to taste as you pick is almost too hard to resist. Resist we did though, and the wait was worth it.

After loading our baskets with almost 3 kilos of fruit and paying for the lot, we sat down in a patch of sunshine and feasted on the freshest fruit I’ve ever tasted…plus a treat of yoghurt and forest fruit gelato from Danieli’s to boot.

The very essence of a beautiful British summer in every sweet mouthful.

{Past seasonal ‘To Dos’}
Try this :: homemade ice-cream.
Try this :: gallery hopping.
Try this :: practise a skill.
Try this :: festive baking.
Try this :: get lost in the countryside.
Try this :: have a hot chocolate picnic.

p.s. The berry farm we visited was Crockford Bridge Farm in Addlestone, & my dress is a bargain find from here, of all places!

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Posted in SUMMER, TRY THIS

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Who’s been in my sidebar this month? || July advertisers!

27.07

July’s whizzed past in a wave of sunshine and fizzy happiness and life events, so has there been any time for reading blogs? Why of course there has! I actually find I’m most inclined to read blogs when I’m at my busiest- I mean, I first found the blogging ‘world’ whilst avoiding writing essays and reading weighty tomes at university, so I guess not much has changed! ;) I’ve got such a lovely selection of blogs to share with you today, so without further ado, let’s jump in!

The What Now Blog
There’s just something about reading Lou’s blog that just makes me feel calmer. When I’m having one of those silly days where nothing seems to be going right, a browse through The What Now Blog is the quickest route back to a feeling of motivation and inspiration. Louise’s posts centre mainly around career advice and personal wellbeing, with a few lifestyle posts thrown into the mix for good measure. They’re always written with such care and attention to detail, and never fail to leave me feeling ready to tackle my day. If you’ve not already added The What Now Blog to you’re reading list- you’re in for a treat!
Favourite post of the past month? Glastonbury Festival: Tales From The Tented City.

The Librarian
I’m so, *so* very glad to have discovered how amazing Georgina’s beautiful blog is recently! I feel as though I’ve known Georgina via Twitter for ever such a long time now, and can’t begin to think why I’ve not been reading her blog all this time! The Librarian is everything I look for in a lifestyle blog- beautiful photos, sweetly personal writing, charmingly simple adventures…I just love it! I especially adore how Georgina focuses on the little moments that make her most happy- a girl after my own heart, as you can imagine! If lovely recipes and happy lists and beautiful outfits and days out are your cup of tea- then you’ve found the blog for you!
Favourite post of the past month? Lincoln Castle + 1940s Weekend.

Silverspoon London
I feel as though I could go on forever about how fantastic a read Angie’s blog is! Silverspoon London is a luxury travel and lifestyle blog, featuring hotel and restaurant reviews, incredible ‘take me along with you!’ travel posts, and so much more besides. I love how passionate Angie is about the topics she covers, and, most importantly, how honest she is when sharing her views about dining and travel experiences. She’s quickly become my ‘go to’ for travel and restaurant recommendations (I’ve already bookmarked her suggestions for our Koh Samui honeymoon!) and I’m am so looking forward to following along with her adventures in the second half of this year!
Favourite post of the past month? 10 Reasons Why I Love South Africa.

Brooke Meagan Jones
If there’s one thing that’s pretty difficult to accomplish in the blogging world, it’s being totally, 100% unique. There are countless blogs in existence and the community grows every day, so it can be pretty hard to stand out! And it’s for exactly this reason that I admire Brooke so very much- because she’s got the art of staying unique and true to herself down to a fine art! Brooke Meagan Jones is a lifestyle blog, and is so hilarious and well written reading it feels like sitting down having a catch up with a friend! There’s something so very special about Brooke’s way with words- her posts regularly have me laughing out loud, and I mean that quite literally! I can’t recommend you add Brooke Meagan Jones to your reading list highly enough!
Favourite post of the past month? Throwing My Weight Around.

The Awkward Blog
I’ve adored The Awkward Blog ever since I first clicked through to it, and over the past 18 months or so have followed along as Angela got her two lovely kittens, renovated her flat, and got engaged to her then-boyfriend/now-fiance! The Awkward Blog is a lifestyle focused blog, documenting Angela’s adventures in London. I just love how fun and engaging Angela’s posts always are- her photographs and stories never fail to leave me desperate to head into the city! Her blog is so beautifully polished and super smart, and is the kind that’ll have you hooked from the very first post. You’re going to just adore this one, I know it!
Favourite post of the past month? Carsten Holler: Decision Exhibition.

Anna in Wonderland
Anna in Wonderland is another totally unique and individual blog! On her site, Anna writes interesting think pieces and fun lifestyle and travel posts, and so much more besides. This month, Anna’s shared with us a post about her favourite 90s summer tunes (which sent me running to Spotify!), written a mini-tutorial about how to update a Blogger design template, and also continued with her weekly travel series in which she interviews expats about their experiences of moving abroad! Isn’t that the most brilliant idea for a blog series? I just love how passionate Anna is in everything she writes, and am so enjoying getting to know her blog!
Favourite post of the past month? Travel Tuesdays – Lisa from United Cakedom Talks Moving from the US to UK

Pink Confetti
Oh, it’s so nice to have Nicola’s blog linked here in my sidebar once again- I’ve had so much fun catching up on her adventures and nosing through all her most recent posts! Pink Confetti is a lifestyle blog, featuring a myriad of posts covering everything from travel and restaurant reviews, to beauty box ‘unboxings’ and life-lately style round ups. I just love how refreshingly simple and charming Nicola’s posts are- her photographs are so lovely, and her travel posts especially take you right along with her on her adventures! You must go and have a browse through Nicola’s posts from her recent trip to California- she’s given me a serious case of wanderlust!
Favourite post of the past month? California; Part One. The Beach Edition!

A Little Lusciousness
I’m just going to say it- I have a total blog crush on A Little Lusciousness! There’s just something about the simple, unfussy way Rosie presents her content that gets me every time! A Little Lusciousness is a food blog, and on it Rosie shares recipes, restaurant reviews, and details of her pop up supper club! Over the past few weeks, Rosie’s sampled a flight of Laurent Perrier champagne at St James’ Court, announced the date of her July supper club, and shared her thoughts on a meal at Trader Vic’s in Mayfair! A Little Lusciousness is absolutely the place to go for mealtime inspiration- and I’m certain you’re going to just adore it!
Favourite post of the past month? 80 Tastes, St James’s Court.

Melanie Fontaine
Melanie’s blog has been a new one to me over the past couple of months, and I can’t tell you how much I’ve loved getting to know it. Everything Melanie shares is just gorgeous, you see! Her posts focus on travel, primarily, and in such a beautiful way they make me want to head to the nearest airport and hop on the first plane to Germany, or Amsterdam, or any other the other places Melanie’s shared stories from! I love the elegant way Melanie puts together her posts, and how her love for travel shines through all she shares. I’ve especially loved her recent posts about Florence and the Black Forest in Germany- both now right at the top of my ‘where to next’ list, funnily enough! ;)
Favourite post of the past month? A Countryside Weekend.

A few more wonderful blogs to get to know! ::
Emma Inks || Favourite post? Dinerama Shoreditch
Get the Skinny || Favourite post? Daisy Green
Michael 84 || Favourite post? Newcastle Fashion Blogger.
AimSui, Small and Ted || Favourite post? One.

p.s. If you’d like to see your own blog featured here on Cider with Rosie, click through to the Sponsor page and book up an advert!

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‘FAVOURITES’ DAY.

23.07

On grey July days, when the weather just won’t play ball and you’re on the most exciting countdown of your life, there’s nothing else to do but have a ‘favourites’ day. Don your favourite top and your comfiest jeans and your old faithful Birkenstocks, leave your hair scruffy, and head into London armed with a camera and an appetite for sweet stuff.

Violet cafe is always a safe bet on favourite days. The cake is unfailingly fantastic, and the iced coffee’s pretty great too. Through a very arduous process of testing and trialling, we’ve found that the spelt cake with cherries and the salted caramel rum cake (I can’t remember the full name, but you’ll know it when you see it), are without doubt outstanding. Oh, and the buttermilk banana loaf hits the spot too. As you an imagine, testing was hard work! ;)

Once cake’s been consumed (and a few other admin-stops have been made along the way), Liberty’s is the next and best place to visit on ‘favourite’ days. Fragrance testing in Diptyque, photo-snapping outside the flower department (don’t they always have the most incredible blooms?), colour-swatching in the cosmetics hall- it’s a total haven! And a bank balance-damaging haven it is too…

What does a ‘favourite’ day look like for you?

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Posted in CAKE, FLOWERS, LONDON