Raspberry Roulade Recipe

I have had a day off today and despite spending most of my working week baking and feeding the hoardes bacon sandwiches, I have still enjoyed a peaceful afternoon in my kitchen at home. Relaxed cooking, not to order, not for anyone in a mad rush on a lunch hour, but instead cooking for us, for our meal this evening. We have picked the first courgettes from the allotment now. Small yellow ones, and a striped green variety. I can never remember their names, and the packets seldom last. At home we are growing large tubs of peas, staggered in planting so that they last over a period of time. There are hanging baskets of tumbling tomatoes, grow-bags with beefsteak tomatoes and several large terracotta pots with Sungold and Gardeners Delight. But for tonight, as the tomatoes are yet to ripen, we are having Tesco Tomatoes instead!
We all have our specialities when it comes to cooking. My husbands is risotto. And roast chicken. And actually most main meals, in fact. I do soup and puddings and cakes. So I have prepped the veggies ready for tonights risotto, and then moved onto deciding what I could do with several pounds of raspberries also picked from the allotment.




I had planned on sitting in the garden with a cup of coffee before the rain came. Typical isn't it-blazing sunshine for days and then my day off comes-rain! I did pluck a rose from the garden though and bought it inside to sniff every now and again. It really does smell beautiful.

So, raspberries!! Sarah Raven has come up trumps yet again, and although I am yet to have her latest book, I do love her Garden Cookbook. I have made a lot from it, but never Meringue Roulade with Raspberries.

Until now! Ok, here goes people....

Feeds 6...(oh no, and we didn't invite anyone around for dinner....)

6 egg whites

300g caster sugar

50g flaked almonds

350ml double cream

400g fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 200 degrees, or gas mark 6.

Line a swiaa roll tin with greaseproof paper and brush very lightly with oil-sunflower, not car.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until VERY stiff.

Gradually add sugar a spoonful at a time until all gone. Continue whisking until the mixture is very thick and glossy.

Spread the mixture into the tin and scatter with the almonds.

Place the tin fairly near the top of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 160 degrees, gas mark 3 and bake until golden brown (this took another 8 minutes in my oven, and I also lowered it in the oven as it was browning a bit quickly)

Remove from the oven (as above) and then flip over. Don't ask me how I did this. I am just pleased no one was here to take photos) make sure you flip in onto a sheet of greaseproof paper or parchment though. Peel off the paper from the base and leave it to cool (as below) for 15 minutes.

Whilst it's cooling whisk your cream until it's stiff and then stir in half of your raspberries...

When it's cool spread your cream/raspberry mix carefully across your roulade. I didn't go right up to the edges with mine as I knew I would end up covered in the stuff.

Using the greaseproof paper to help you, roll up the roulade as tightly as you can. I didn't read the recipe properly, as you are supposed to roll it lengthwise. Ahem. Mine is slightly bigger than it should be as a result-but I think it looks fab, so no matter.

Scatter the rest of the raspberries over the top to serve.

Wait for husband to come home and find pudding in the fridge....

I guess you could use any fruit you have, I think it would be lovely with thinly sliced peaches or nectarines, or strawberries...go crazy.

Race For Life

Yes indeed, Sunday was Race For Life Day. After signing ourselves up back in February to do the 5km walk/jog/stagger around Cheltenham Racecourse the day finally arrived. I have never taken part before but am so pleased I did.

The atmosphere was amazing, 5000 women all joined together to take part in an event that raises money for such a good cause. Our team, all ladies from the cafe, have raised in excess of £600 so far, which we are delighted with.

Thankyou to all of my family and friends who have sponsored us, it is hugely appreciated. Hopefully with all of the money being raised by ladies across the country we will eventually find a cure for cancer.

As for me, I am definitely going to do it again next year, hopefully running it next time. No promises though...!

How does your garden grow?

Ahh, yes, so as per usual I have been VERY busy in the garden and at the allotment, producing all manner of wonderful vegetables and flowers....

Ok, so not really. For a very fabulous birthday surprise last week the lovely husband took me on a surprise trip to the Chelsea Flower Show. What made it even better was that I had spent the previous few evenings watching it on television and saying "ooh, we really must go next year" whilst he sat quietly next to me knowing that he had surprise tickets and picnic hampers at the ready.

There was so much to look at it, and it really is an amazing place to go if you are into gardening.
I came away with loads of ideas, the main one being that I am going to put vegetables in with flowers this year in our back garden, as well as at the allotment. We have a small garden but borders all around, and quite a large patio, so there is quite a bit of space that can be filled.

So far we have courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes, squashes, pumpkins, kohl rabi, french beans and peas. I bought a couple of packets of seeds back with me which have gone straight into pots.

The allotment has rhubarb, peas, broad beans, potatoes, asparagus, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries, carrots, parnsips and a kiwi plant.

I don't think any of us will be suffering from vitamin deficiency any time soon. Hopefully we'll save a small fortune as well!

No photos, just me!

Hello folks, long time no speak. Me that is, not you. I still manage to find some time to read all of my favourite blogs,(even if I haven't been very good and left a comment!) but somehow the inspiration hasn't been there for me personally to write a post. Not sure why, no great reasons behind it...just...normal life I suppose.

I got a bit tired of logging on and seeing those gingerbread men below though-the ones from Christmas 2009! and now here we are, Spring (ish) 2010, and I have had so many lovely messages from lots and lots of you asking if I am still alive, and Yes, I am! Hurrah!

We have had the usual frantic few months here in the Cotswolds, with things going very well indeed at the cafe, I am pleased to say. Lovely bloggers still keep coming in, and I am always so very touched that they have made the effort...despite the fact that I never seem to have time to do anything other than shriek in surprise and dump a cappuccino in front of them before serving the masses.

We are open 7 days a week now, which may seem like madness, but it does mean that I have a WHOLE weekend off every now and again, which is hugely exciting. Lots of camping trips during the summer months, is the plan. And perhaps some sitting in the garden with a good book and enjoying the sunshine with a glass of pimms to hand. That would be splendid.

So, if you're reading this, and are still with me, then Hello! I will try harder, promise. And I will write again before another quarter of a year passes, promise. And I will share some FABULOUS new cake recipes as well. Promise.
Bye for now.....
xxxx

You can run but you can't catch me

Gardengirl is very busy baking, sewing, and running N0.9, so this is the second guest blog by Mr Gardengirl.

The village is building up to the festive period and the switching on of the Christmas lights took place yesterday, which also marks the window display competition.

For this the girl decided on a Gingerbread Man theme.

Did she

a) Order them from the internet?
b) Purchase them from John Lewis?
c) Spend every night for the last week making them by hand, with limited help from me?

She started with Brown felt and scissors



Then the smile, buttons and heart were added. The eyes were out sourced to a man, as you can clearly tell.

Next came the filling and sewing together.

The night before deployment, a team meeting was held to discuss 'Operation Dangle'. All the boys were there........

...and the plan was put into place at 1700hrs on Friday

Everyone was in place, however when we returned on Saturday morning some of the candy canes had disappeared and nobody knew where they had gone.

To answer the most popular questions during Saturday trading

1) Yes, they are handmade.

2) No, they are not edible.

3) No, they are not for sale.

4) Yes, she is very talented

5) Yes, it was me who sewed on the eyes, yes the wonky ones, really all of them.

Gardengirl will return to blogland shortly, mostly likely in the new year.

In the meantime you can up with goings on via my Twitter musings, you can find me as Beakery.

It's ILLEGAL!!!

Two glasses of champagne and please note the rosy cheeks!

Cocktail making ingredients above, and below, making mojitos...

Just a few tame photos of the drunken celebrations from our first birthday party! Much champagne was consumed, giggling was done and 'remember when' conversations took place.

None of us can quite believe how quickly the last year has flown by. We have been lucky to have had so much support from all of our lovely customers, and fabulous staff. We have a great team surrounding us who all work so hard, and it is down to their help as well that No.9 has been such a success. Rest assured they were rewarded!

I thought I would share a conversation with you from my (very) early morning visit to the supermarket today. I had to go and buy a few provisions on the way to work and decided at the last minute to add a couple of bottles of pear cider to the basket for when I got home tonight.

At that time of morning, and being a very small supermarket, you have to pay at the cigarette kiosk. So I wandered over to the kiosk and stood there for a couple of minutes whilst waiting to be served. One of the shop assistants stood feet away from me with her back to me, piling up the newspapers onto a stand. Eventually another assistant from further down the shop saw me with hand on hip and raised eyebrow, and called to the girl

"There's someone at the counter Chelsea!" she turned, saw me and replied,

"Yeah, I know, I'm nearly done now"

By now there were two more people behind me int he queue, sighing and impatient as well, waiting to pay. Chelsea then finished doing the newspapers and decided to wheel her now empty cart to the front of the store before coming to serve us. On the way she clocked the pear cider by now on the counter.

"Is that ALCOHOL?" she practically shouted from the front of the store. I looked around to make sure she was definitely talking to me.

"Um, yes, it is alcohol" I replied.

"Well you can't buy it, it's ILLEGAL!" she shouted. The woman in the queue behind me started giggling and I was ready to sink into the floor.

"Well believe me I'm more than old enough, unfortunately" I said, thinking Chelsea must have thought I was under age.

"No, it's illegal to buy it, the law SAYS SO. It's ILLEGAL to buy alcohol before 8am. MIKE! MIKE! I was just saying, It's ILLEGAL to buy alcohol at this time of morning, isn't it?!"

Mike nodded in agreement.

Good grief. I wanted to die. Everyone that was coming into the store was looking at me whilst she continued yelling.

"You'll have to go and put it back Madam, it's illegal. Or wait fifteen minutes and buy it then instead" I stood and stared at her, as she was by now in front of me and positioned at the till. I took a deep breath, and counted to five.

"I don't really have time to wait fifteen minutes because I'm late for work. And if I can't buy the cider because it's illegal, well then I'll have to have something else for breakfast, won't I?"

Woman behind me was crying with laughter and mortification on my behalf.

I passed the cider to Chelsea and suggsted gently that she would probably be able to put it back on my behalf and handed her some money. She didn't say A WORD.

Happy Birthday To Us

Yes indeed folks, it's a year today since we opened No.9. We can't believe how quickly it's flown by. Seriously, a WHOLE YEAR?!! Lots of customers came to help celebrate our first birthday, and us staff celebrated by drinking glasses of bucks fizz at 8.30am. Possibly not a great idea.

Being in charge of a coffee machine whilst under the influence= frothy milk all over the floor. Oh well.

So just a quick one today, as we are now off to celebrate properly and enjoy a proper weekend for a change-two whole days off! We haven't had a bank holiday off since we opened so we decided to spoil ourselves.

Fingers crossed for sunshine and blue skies.

Back with photos soon!