Smy Chutney Goes Abroad: Colosseo, Roma

 

Check out these jars of Smy Chutney, lounging on a sunny terrace in Rome, marvelling at the Colosseum, having an aperitivo and thinking about the important things like - where has the best pizza in Rome? The best tiramisu? Is there a city in the world as beautiful as Rome?

(grazie Nina e Zappa per le foto! x)

Canapés: can I get a canapé-men?

Feast your eyes on a range of canapés that I made for a recent gathering. They were the prelude to an Italian-made porcini risotto starter, roast beef and caramelised onion main and lemon curd ice cream that I made for dessert.  The canapés were a hit and starting from the right of the photo and moving left they were:

• Brie topped with banana & date chutney
• Cream cheese topped with six-pepper jelly
• Goat's cheese topped with jamón Serrano and black cherry and black pepper conserve
• Rocket topped with pan-seared duck breast and plum gumbo
• Grilled mackerel topped with greengage chutney
• Stilton topped with black cherry and clack pepper conserve.

The top three favourites were the mackeral and greengage chutney, duck with plum gumbo and rocket and the classic banana & date with brie.  The stilton was meant to be paired with a red onion marmalade but we ended up serving it as another accompaniment to the beef with the carmelised onions.  I used Nairn's mini oatcakes for the canapés but I prefer to make my own and add different seeds and spices to complement the canapé or they are nice to eat on their own as an alternative to crisps.

 

Close up of (from bottom to top) duck, rocket & plum gumbo; jamón, goat's cheese and black cherry; cream cheese and six-pepper jelly. 

Close up of (from bottom to top) stilton and clack cherry and black pepper compote; mackerel and greengage chutney.

De Beauvoir Flower and Produce Show 2012

I unfortunately did not get a chance to go to the Orford Flower Show this year...but on my runs along the canal I kept seeing the sign for the De Beauvoir Flower and Produce Show so I knew that I would attend as I tend to cycle past there most days anyway.  When I say "there" I mean St Peter's Church, De Beauvoir Square and the bit in between where the event was held on Sunday 9th September 2012.

De Beauvoir bunting on the ramp to the crypt.

 

I was involved in the Christmas Market that was held here last year and it is a great space.  I went in the morning, after my run, to deliver anonymous preserves to be judged in the show.  I entered some newer flavours that I've been working on...greengage jam, gooseberry and green tea jam and a greengage chutney. I went back several hours later and here are some photos of the different classes of entries:

I love this delicious looking cake...complete with bunting!

 

Local young artists.

 

A cake that looks delicious, beautiful and is probably soothing all at the same time...genius.

 

Diorama flower power.

Fruit...

 

and veg.

 

Second prize for my greengage jam.

 

Second prize for my greengage chutney.

The preserves table...sadly my gooseberry and green tea jam didn't garner a ribbon but I was informed by a lovely gentleman outside that this year was highly competitive so I was very pleased with my two seconds from my three entries.  I donated my jars to be auctioned for charity at the end of the event.

Outside the De Beauvoir Gardners had loads of beautiful indoor and outdoor plants for sale.

 

There were the much talked about 2012 Rodent Racing events...

...as well as the Snail Games.

 

There were very excited creatures of the two and four legged variety gearing up for the Dog Show.

 

After the dog show I started to make my way back to my bicycle and learnt a fair bit about the tasty local De Beauvoir honey bees and resulting honey.

 

I won three prizes from my four tombola tickets! A faberge-esque egg which I will use for egg and soldiers, a necklace and an Ikea mystery...I'm not sure what the use is for item 610 but it was still very exciting to win it.

Just before left I treated myself to a delicious strawberry ice cream cone from the Rosemary Branch mobile ice cream cart.  Overall it was just a lovely way to spend a Sunday at a well-organised local event.

Greengage Chutney

The beginnings of what turned out to be a tip-top greengage chutney!