Cotswolds Highlights

Before we move to the East of England we have decided to pack the last month at our current location, with visits to places towards the West, focusing on the Cotswolds. On our first visit to some friends who recently moved to Burford, we realised that this area would need further investigation. So with my roving reporters hat firmly in place, off we set. 

Because I took too many photos just for instagram, I thought a whirlwind Insta visit to some of the things I found and loved. 

On our last visit we stayed so long at Daylesford Organic Farm, that we are kinda wishing it was on our doorstep, but it ate into our day so we came back for more. The staff are so friendly not only at the farm but also at their gastro pub The Wild Rabbit, where we were welcomed so warmly and so incredibly impressed with the flavours of the organic food, supplied by the farm. 

Not to be said for all of the stops on our trip, where some gastro pubs were decidedly frosty, and despite 'awards' served the most underwhelming plate of cheese, I can't even call it anything else, it was just cheese on a plate.  I mention this because I was desperately trying not to fall into too many tourist traps, where the wisteria covered stone building lulled you into a false sense of trust and welcome.

And so the Grade 1 listed church, with yew trees around the door ...

First I have to tell you about this magical door between two trees, it's in Saint Edwards church at Stow On The Wold. Overall, Stow, is obviously a tourist spot, as the town has more tea shops per capita than I've ever seen, all bursting to the seams with visitors. Our main purpose was, however to see the church.  Don't get me wrong, the town is super pretty, with wonky buildings and, of course, like everywhere here built in that fabulous Cotswold stone. 

Practically every little town we stopped at was gorgeous. There are great antique shops and centres (like Station Mill) everywhere, lovely pubs and cafes and of course the countryside between. 

Our absolute top favourite though, and the main reason for this post, is most definitely Chastleton House. A Jacobean wonder near Moreton In Marsh. Unlike a lot of National Trust properties, this is a place where you can really see how the last occupants lived during the 400 years of their stay. It has a mixture of furnishings from all periods, it's tatty, and full of charm. Probably one of my favourite houses yet to see. Famous for having a Long Gallery with barrel vaulted ceiling, a place where ladies could exercise by parading up and down the 72 foot room. 

yes I always wear a ruff to visit Jacobean houses

The house has been conserved rather than restored, and the belongings of the family who lived here make it all the more interesting. Some parts have been used in the filming of Wolf Hall and the Seymours. 

I was a bit disappointed that they had the lights on in many of the rooms, they were so much more photographable without the yellow tinge, and I'm afraid I freaked out one of the guides by switching them off to take a shot, but then I'm ruthless in my quest for natural light.  The wooden panelling is so warm and worn, and there are lovely tapestries, as once all the rooms would have been hung with these. Where time has marched on, remnants of Victorian wallpaper, 1930's gadgets can all also be found, transporting you to a time when this was a home. 

The garden at Chastleton also needs another visit as we got there a bit late, so I think we could be heading back that way again. We liked the way it was planted out and might be looking at it for inspiration for the landscaping at our new house. In true English fashion, there is tea and cake served in the churchyard next door, as the house doesn't have a cafe. This makes it even more appealing to us, a cuppa and a slice of sponge cake among the grave stones was simply perfect. The car park is a bit of a trek from the house, so please take comfy outdoor shoes, as you will need to negotiate an inclined field. 

Everything that is touched by the Daylesford magic is stunning. Please do look into all the different arms of their estate, the Wild Rabbit modern pub, the organic sustainable farm and shop, their ethos and their products. I would love to stay at one of their cottages, maybe a short holiday at another date. It is such a credit to this area and to my mind should be the centre of your investigations around this part of England. 

So I leave you down in the cellar kitchen at Chastleton, oh I wish we could organise an insta meet here!

matcha tea & blood orange bundt cake

As mentioned previously, I bought some matcha tea and after a disappointing drink concoction, I though maybe it would be best to put it in a cake. After tasting it I decided that this is a flavour that needs to go with quite a lot of sugar. It is quite an acquired taste.

After a bit of digging around I found a recipe by Surf & Scallop and after a bit of chatting with Claire on instagram, we decided that her Yerba Mate could be substituted with matcha tea powder. If it wasn't for instagram I wouldn't have even known that matcha exists, so despite my feelings about Instagram, it does have some benefits.  One must try new things and challenge ourselves all the time. 

I managed to track down some blood oranges at the local farm shop and so I thought I was in business. Setting aside saturday to make the cake, watch the royal wedding and take photos I realise first thing that I haven't got much flour. Undeterred I thought, well it's only me at home this weekend so half the ingredients should be fine.

Second hurdle, I realise that my weighing scales have gone into storage. Today is not going to plan, but Ive been so depressed recently I wasn't going to let a few hurdles stop me. I needed cake to cheer me up.

I think I managed to guess the ingredient ratios ok, however, my biggest mistake was in the cooking time. It didn't occur to me that half the ingredients could mean less cooking time and so I feel that the outside is a bit harder (burnt or over cooked) than Mary Berry would allow. Having said that I really like the slight crisp to the outside with the soft green sponge inside.

I don't know why, but I can never get the icing glaze right. I made a really pretty one with the blood orange juice, it was a lovely pink but as I poured it over, it just disappeared. Perhaps it was too thin. I tried again with matcha powder added to the icing sugar and this time ensured the consistency was a bit thicker.

Yes I've also packed away all my cake stand, so a bit of improv was called for here too, in the end I gave up and just put it on a plate.

Also the sliced blood orange on the top just looked made it look like some weird pizza, so I switched it around for flowers from the garden. I thought that the orange slices maybe would seep into the cake, giving it an extra tang, but it just didn't work visually. There is also a bit of grated white chocolate sprinkled for extra sweetness, I was playing with ideas, and again, the grated chocolate just didn't look amazing. My decorating skills need work.

Because the ingredients were reduced by half, the cake isn't as tall as it should be, so it isn't the perfect photo star, my dilemma being that a huge glamorous cake is a bit much for one person, or even two, so until I have a few guests this size will have to do.

It gives me a chance to practise if nothing else. 
  

I'm considering getting some mini bundt tins as I think that will probably be a better idea when I'm only cooking for one or two. 

The taste is lovely, I do like these bundt cakes that use greek yoghurt. The ingredients are as follows;

• 400g flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. yerba mate powder (or matcha tea  - you can probably get away with a little less of this quantity as it is expensive and my pot was quite small).
• 100g coconut oil, softened
• 170g butter, softened (or benecol tastes like butter spread)
• 300g caster sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• 4 eggs
• 170g greek yoghurt
• Juice of one small blood orange

And for more about how to make this, hop over to Surf & Scallop. Where you can see how Claire puts it all together. 

lilac, green and copper

oh my friggin gosh (pardon my toned down swearing) but its been ages since I've been able to blog and it's driving me nuts. Reasons; well trying to locate to Suffolk isn't going smoothly. Firstly I bought furniture for a house that I really want and packed my belongings into boxes, ok another story, so I had a house full of boxes and large furniture and we couldn't move or do anything.

Secondly, as you do, I arranged for the broadband to be cut off. Three weeks of no broadband, going to cafes and friends houses and we caved in and had to get a new contract out to re-connect with the living world.

So I've moved all my stuff into storage so at least my stuff is living in Suffolk even though I'm stuck in limbo land trying to tie up contracts.

Anyway, now with a bit of space and wifi, I can at least update here a little bit. I've been decorating and coming up with ideas of new looks for the next house, you can see some of my inspiration on pinterest where you will also see that my banner is crushing on the lilac green theme as well. 

You may remember my bath that I made over using Annie Sloan products. I decided to add more copper leaf to it. To gild any object is super easy, you need to get something called 'gold size' strange name I know, but it basically glue.

You paint the 'size' glue on, wait until it turns clear and then press your leaves of silver, gold or copper onto it. Brush away the excess.  Leaves come in the three metallic shades and are either stuck to a backing or loose.  To be honest, the ones that are attached to a backing paper are much easier to handle.

I also thought about trying matcha tea. I bought some at the wonderful Daylesford Farm Shop. My first attempt to use it was as a latte made with almond milk. Unfortunately the taste wasn't great, although it looks ok in photos. I maybe will try using it differently next time, (not the fault of the tea, more of my ineptitude).

I hope to be doing a big re-launch in a month or so, and perhaps manage to blog in between.  Until then please find me on instagram or facebook. I really appreciate your understanding.

On a personal note, my very dear friend Ben passed away this week, he was an incredibly talented soul who I met when he was playing with the band Miranda Sex Garden. The world is slight less interesting for the loss of him and Ben, wherever you are, I miss you already. 

Love to all, hold your loved ones tight. x