Leeds Love

So last weekend me and Mr Ward moved away from Leeds to Lancashire with a plan to save some money.

I'm not missing Leeds yet because I've been there at work all week, but when I do start to feel homesick it will definitely be for these places, where we have spent many a weekend eating and drinking with friends;

First up the best place to spend a Saturday afternoon, that doesn't include shopping or football; Friends of Ham

Beer, Cheese, Ham and Scotch Eggs equals a good time in my book! The food, drink and atmosphere are all great in this small basement and it's so easy to spend the whole day (and your weekly allowance) here. What more can i say?

FOH - Well worth a visit

If you need more than craft beer, how about the best cocktail in Leeds? The Maven will serve you well; a prohibition bar serving fantastically alcoholic cocktails, I've never seen a bar as well stocked with interesting things, you're bound to taste something like never before. I would recommend you avoid the 'Thai Bride' though!
You will find the Maven at the Kirkgate end of Call Lane, don't look for a sign though, there isn't one, it's a prohibition secret!

The Maven - worth finding

The morning after the night before - after all that extravagance you might need a good breakfast. Go to Mrs Athas it's new but it doesn't look it, inside is an Aladdins Cave of aesthetically pleasing, old fashioned things, I even love the loo! Along with looking beautiful it serves up amazing cakes, teas and coffees (Mr Ward recommends a piccolo) and for breakfast scrummy sausage and bacon butties from Lishmans butchers yum.

Mrs Athas - Just what the doctor ordered 

La Bottega Milanese - Nutella Heaven

And last but not least, perfect for a mid shopping pick me up is a coffee and cake from La Bottega Milanese. For Mr Ward it's a piccolo again, for me a Nutella Espresso mmm... and the pastries, you've got to try them!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year I hope you are enjoying 2013 so far?

To bring in the New Year I celebrated with Mr Ward and a few friends, we really indulged with tonnes of food and wine and it was fantastic.

To make the evening special we made a number of dishes with ingredients bought from the market in leeds including Jose Pizarro's salt and fennel baked prawns which stole the show. 

It looked to our guests like such an extravagant dish with the salt crust being cracked open to serve, but it is really simple to make; 

2.5k of rock salt is mixed with whisked egg whites and fennel seeds and then layer a third of the mix in a roasting tin. Throw in some shell on prawns, cover and bake for 8-9 minutes. 

It tasted so delicious and we have saved the salt because we will be making this one again.

We also made some lovely pear and parma ham bites; 

Peel and core a pear into 1cm thick chips, add a bite size piece of mozzarella and wrap in parma ham, bake them in the over for about 6-8mins. Another delicious but simple treat. I aren't normally a fan of pears because of the texture but this makes them soft, sweet and scrumptious!  

I wanted our dining table to look special, but not too Christmassy and as we have a country style old pine table I didn't want it to look too modern.

I bought a bouquet of cool water roses and some sprigs that had been sprayed gold for that extra New Year sparkle.

I love the idea of using kilner or mason jars for decor and found an old one in the cupboard, but using this alone I was stuck with too many roses. I had a root around and found some old jam jars that had been through the dishwasher with the labels faded so used these too, along with some candlesticks they added a difference in height which made the arrangement more interesting and I think the labels just look so cute.

Roses

Its great to make something that looks so pretty on such a small budget (about £6) and you can do this easily with any sort of flower and old jars you have.

The Centrepiece with Candlesticks

'Home Made' Jam Jars

This has definitely inspired me to do more floral arrangements, especially for dinner parties, so that's something to add to my New Years Resolutions, along with eating more healthily, doing more exercise and the usual.

I hope you have had a great festive period, enjoyed your NYE celebrations and are going all guns blazing at your resolutions.

Bye for now (off to do some Pilates!)

What I Love About The Weekend... Food!

Home Made!

Hopefully Mr Ward might treat me to one of his wonderful pizzas again this weekend!

Kirkstall Deli Market

This weekend has been one of mooching, yesterday was Kirkstall Deli Market in the picturesque setting of Kirkstall Abbey. I have to admit that after 3years of living in Leeds it's the first time i've visited the Abbey, it is beautiful and i will definitely be returning with my camera.
The market was great and we took home a variety of brownies from Sunshine Bakery and some Pear and Ginger Butter Jam from Fancy That from Wharfedale (which will be used on tonights roast chicken dinner).

Grow Your Own

I'm so pleased with myself and I can't help but beam with pride every time I see my home grown chilli!
Just one for the moment, but there are plenty of flowers about to bloom, these little babies will keep us warm through winter!

Clitheroe Food Festival

 

Chocolate, Curry, Cheese, Fish, Fudge, Cider, Cupcakes, Sausages, Samosa, Bison Burgers, Paella and not forgetting Meat & Potato Pie, a proper Lancashire foodie festival!