When the weather is horrible as it has been for the last few days, windy, wet and frankly miserable - I like nothing more than cooking in my cosy kitchen. It's been a busy week food wise: on Wednesday it was party time at Erddig when all the Education Volunteers got together for our Christmas lunch (now a New Year tradition usually due to the bad weather in December). We all take a plate of food and enjoy a good catch up and gossip. I made Cheese scones which seemed to go down well. It is always interesting to see the range of goodies people bring: and they are all enthusiastically enjoyed. Someone made some lovely carrot cake, must find out who and get the recipe.
Thursday we had 8 friends round to celebrate Chinese New Year and I spent the whole day cooking up a feast. For one of the courses (there were 4) I cooked a whole crispy duck for the obligatory Duck with Pancakes. I wasn't sure how to cook the duck, so I cooked it in the slow cooker all day, then roasted it in the oven for another hour - and it worked really well. The bones have subsequently been in the slow cooker making stock which I shall turn into Garlic Soup later, and the duck fat is in a jar ready to use for my roast potatoes.
One of our frequent guests who comes over from Spain brought me some Seville Oranges recently and I have been busy making Marmalade today. Seville Oranges give a unique flavour that is slightly bitter and they always set really well. Although time consuming and fiddly I love the taste of homemade. I have added to the cupboard where all my homemade jam's, marmalade's and chutney's are kept. There is something very satisfying about seeing them all lined up waiting to be enjoyed by family, friends and guests.
Thursday we had 8 friends round to celebrate Chinese New Year and I spent the whole day cooking up a feast. For one of the courses (there were 4) I cooked a whole crispy duck for the obligatory Duck with Pancakes. I wasn't sure how to cook the duck, so I cooked it in the slow cooker all day, then roasted it in the oven for another hour - and it worked really well. The bones have subsequently been in the slow cooker making stock which I shall turn into Garlic Soup later, and the duck fat is in a jar ready to use for my roast potatoes.
One of our frequent guests who comes over from Spain brought me some Seville Oranges recently and I have been busy making Marmalade today. Seville Oranges give a unique flavour that is slightly bitter and they always set really well. Although time consuming and fiddly I love the taste of homemade. I have added to the cupboard where all my homemade jam's, marmalade's and chutney's are kept. There is something very satisfying about seeing them all lined up waiting to be enjoyed by family, friends and guests.
I have put my recipe for Cheese Scones under the Recipe Page. 
I have some marmalade sitting in the preserving pan in my kitchen waiting to be finished off tomorrow. It is a fiddle. Every year I wonder whether it is worth it and every year I do it again so it must be!
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