Features

April 10, 2020

5 Polish Recipes from Wild Honey and Rye

Lots of you have been very busy making recipes from my book, Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes. Here are a few of my favourite ones:

From the ‘Seasonal and Raw Salads’ Chapter:

Buckwheat and Beetroot Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Honey: made by Coffee and Vanilla {Click here for recipe}

(This salad also goes very well with the Polish meatballs below)

Margot is a Polish blogger based in Brighton and so I was super-keen to receive her feedback on my Polish recipes. How would they compare to her own family recipes or to the recipes she has tried in Poland? Luckily, Margot was excited to find lots of recipes that she wanted to try out and was pleased to find a buckwheat recipe that immediately appealed to her. Margot’s husband, who does not usually enjoy buckwheat or beetroot, also enjoyed it.

Margot says: “Being Polish, the recipes all seem quite familiar to me but at the same time so different from what I’m used to. Ren has taken traditional Polish dishes to a completely new level, adding international ingredients and modern methods of preparation. It would unquestionably make a great gift to anyone interested in Polish cuisine.”

beetroot-buckwheat-salad-with-feta — Beetroot and Buckwheat Salad with Feta. Image Credit: Margot at Coffee and Vanilla

From the ‘Seasonal Soups and Market-Inspired Sides’ Chapter:

Polish Forest Mushroom Soup: made by FoodieQuine {Click here for recipe}

Claire at FoodieQuine in Scotland shares her impressions on Wild Honey and Rye. The Forest Mushroom Soup immediately caught her eye, so she set about making a batch, served with some delicious pearl barley.

Claire says: “It seems that the contemporary Polish food scene is striving at both street food, home cooking and Michelin star level. In addition to inspiring me to recreate her recipes at home, I’ve also been inspired by Ren to add a visit to Poland to my ever increasing travel bucket list.”

polish-mushroom-soup — Polish Mushroom Soup. Image Credit: Claire at FoodieQuine

From the ‘Food for Family and Friends’ Chapter:

Potato Pancakes in Mushroom Sauce: made by Ceri at Natural Kitchen Adventures {Click here for recipe}

Ceri had taken a trip to Poland in 1998 and whilst the trip itself was full of fun for Ceri as she travelled with her youth orchestra, the food didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. Prompted by the book, Ceri had a longer than usual peruse of the Polish food aisle at her local supermarket and was happy to find roasted buckwheat under its Polish name of Kasha or Kasza. In the end, Ceri chose to make the Potato Pancakes in Mushroom Sauce (definitely a staple in our house) and served them with her own carrot and cucumber salad with caraway seeds.

Ceri says: “The book is such a wonderful memoir of a cuisine that I think perhaps could do with a bit of redefining on the world stage. Ren explains in the book that the Poland of today is probably a bit different to the Poland we think of. I’d love to go back and find out.”

Polish-Potato-Pancakes — Polish Potato Pancakes with Mushroom Sauce: Image Credit Ceri at Natural Kitchen Adventures

Millet Kaszotto with Wild Mushrooms: made by Kellie at Food to Glow {Click here for recipe}

Kellie has been reading my blog, and I hers, since the very beginning of my journey into food writing and I was thrilled that as a cancer health educator, Kellie found a recipe that she was very happy to make and blog about from Wild Honey and Rye. Kellie’s blog is mainly vegan and plant-based and the earthy image of a Millet ‘Kaszotto’ with Wild Mushrooms immediately took her fancy. Although Kellie often cooks risotto-type dishes with buckwheat, barley or rice, she had never cooked with millet, which in Poland is known as kasza jaglana, hance the name ‘kaszotto’ given to the dish. Kellie also shares her two favourite restaurants in London – Baltic Restaurant and Bar and Ognisko Restaurant at The Polish Hearth Club (which, incidentally, are mine too) and selects some of her favourite recipes and chapter highlights from the book.

Kellie’s recipe verdict: “This cosy, satisfying dish is staying in our repertoire of easy weekday suppers, occasionally adding our own touches – flecks of goat’s cheese one time; sauteed tempeh another.”

millet-risotto — Millet Risotto (Kaszotto) Image credit: Kellie at Food to Glow

Bigos (Hunter’s Stew): made by Nicola at Kitchen Sanctuary {Click here for recipe}

I couldn’t write a Polish cookery book without including a recipe for my Mama’s Bigos recipe, which makes an appearance during every buffet and celebration in our house and is devoured every time. I was thrilled that Nicky over at Kitchen Sanctuary chose to make this dish, not least because it is known as Poland’s national dish, but also because it encouraged her to cook with ingredients, key to the Polish kitchen, which she hadn’t brought together before – sauerkraut and Polish sausage. Nicky’s dish looks absolutely delicious and it’s great to hear that the whole family enjoyed it.

Nicky says: “Slow cooked pork with mushrooms and stock is exactly the kind of comfort food I love. The stew starts off on the hob and is finished in the oven. A little under 3 hours from start to finish, it’s the perfect meal to cook in the oven on a drizzly Saturday afternoon. I loved the tender, fall-apart pork, the tangy bite of the cabbage, and the sausages added lots of meaty flavour (the kids’ loved the sausages the most).”

Bigos-Polish-Hunters-Stew-Recipe — Bigos Polish Hunters Stew Recipes. Image Credit: Nicola Corbishley

I hope you enjoy checking out some of the recipes above. Let me know if you’ve cooked from the book by tagging me @foodren on social media or by using the hashtag #wildhoneyandrye

A Polish Christmas Eve from Wild Honey and Rye

Christmas is almost here! Here in the UK, we are looking forward to beginning our family celebrations on Christmas Eve when we share a vigil meal, called Wigilia, according to the Polish tradition. This is a meal we all look forward to every year, in fact, it is really the highlight of our year. As a second-generation Pole who has grown up with dual-cultural heritage, both British and Polish, my respect for keeping this tradition is steadfast. I have grown up sensing how important Christmas Eve was for my parents and grandparents and indeed, the many generations of Poles before them. I now love explaining and sharing all the elements of the Christmas Eve meal with our children, which helps them to understand why the preservation of tradition and cultural heritage is so important.

Although there isn’t specifically a chapter on Christmas in my cookbook Wild Honey and Rye, the Christmas Eve meal is mentioned in a few of the recipes throughout. This is a meal full of symbolism and significance, with the preparation almost certainly beginning the day before; the meal traditionally being made up of twelve courses representing the twelve apostles. We lay hay underneath the tablecloth to remind us that Jesus was born in the manger and we always set a spare place for the unknown or unexpected guest. There are other theories in this fascinating article here, including the idea that we set out a place for those who are no longer with us. Very often over the years we have actually had unexpected guests knocking at the door and this has always added to our respect for keeping the custom of setting an extra place. Other customs include beginning the meal when the first star appears in the sky, which is said to represent the star of Bethlehem. Before the food is served, we share a blessed wafer called opłatek, with each person present exchanging greetings and good wishes with one another for the year ahead.

Polish beetroot soup — Christmas Eve Beetroot Soup, called barszcz wigilijny (front right) is always made with a vegetable stock, as the meal must be meatless. Page 74, Wild Honey and Rye, Photo Yuki Sugiura

The twelve dishes themselves (all meatless) include ingredients from the forest, sea, field and orchard. Hence, there are plenty of dishes with forest mushrooms, such as mushroom soup or beetroot soup called barszcz czerwony or borscht, served with little mushroom-filled dumplings, lots of fish, including carp, cod and herrings from the Baltic sea. From the field, the dough for our pierogi or Polish dumplings is made with wheat flour and we drink a fruit compote made from apples from the orchard and other fruits. We end the meal, significantly fuller, with apple cake, Makowiec, which is a poppy seed roll, a traditional Polish cheesecake and Pierniczki, Polish Spiced Christmas Biscuits. At the end of the meal, we sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts.

If you know anybody Polish and have talked to them about our Christmas Eve meal, you’ll have almost certainly heard stories about live fish, specifically carp, swimming around in the bathtub. Thankfully, this is a practice that is much less common now and whilst fish is a big feature of the Christmas Eve meal, our family has always favoured cod and salmon from the fishmonger!

In Wild Honey and Rye, there is a simple recipe for Herrings in Cold-Pressed Linseed Oil, but you can also buy herrings in oil. Serving suggestions include herrings with green apple and honey, herrings with red onion and chives or herrings with sour cream – always served with a good Polish rye bread. If you don’t fancy the aforementioned carp, you could always try my Pan-Roasted Cod with Leeks and Cream, or my favourite fish recipe, the Baked Bream with Dill Butter Sauce.

Herrings in Linseed Oil, Page 99, Wild Honey and Rye, Photo Yuki Sugiura

Fish Baked Bream with Dill Butter — Baked Bream, Page 149, Wild Honey and Rye, Photo Yuki Sugiura

This year’s Wigilia will be extra-special for me, owing to the fact that I have had lots of messages from people telling me that they are going to be attempting their first Polish Christmas guided by some of the recipes in Wild Honey and Rye. My Mama Alicja will be firmly at our pierogi-making helm, but my sister Basia is going to be following some of the recipes over with her family in America (we miss you!) and my English family friend Carla is bravely attempting twelve courses for her Polish in-laws. We’re with you, Carla. Many of you have said you’ll be taking a dish along as a contribution to a Wigilia meal you have been have been invited to. Polish home cooks are known for wanting to do absolutely everything themselves, but I am sure your host will appreciate anything that you bring. If you have Polish neighbours or friends, they will love it if you wish them a Happy Christmas Eve, or Wigilia, pronounced as Vigilia.

Genuinely, that some of you may be cooking from Wild Honey and Rye has made me feel so very grateful for the opportunity I have had to share some of our family recipes in the book. I am so thankful to my Mama not only for passing the recipes on, but also for celebrating this tradition in the way that she has with all of us over the years. It beats last-minute Christmas shopping, brings the whole family together and weaves some very special customs and traditions into Christmas. The extra place at the table will comfort us when thinking of loved ones gone. My father Longin and Grandma Babcia Tekla, both always looked forward to Wigilia with the family.

I always look forward to my Mama’s pierogi the most on Christmas Eve, when they are filled with sauerkraut or cabbage with mushrooms, or with potato and twaróg cheese. The master recipe and both fillings are in the book. There is also a recipe here on Great British Chefs and here on Lucy’s blog – the cream and mushroom filling would be perfect for a Polish Christmas Eve. Some people also like to serve meatless gołabki, or stuffed Cabbage Rolls, shown below with barley and mushrooms. The forest and field element is strong in these dishes!

Pierogi Polish Dumplings, Page 153, Wild Honey and Rye, Photo Yuki Sugiura

Cabbage rolls — Cabbage Parcels, Gołabki, Page 136, Wild Honey and Rye, Photo Yuki Sugiura

If we make it to dessert, traditionally we have a makowiec, which is a yeasted poppy seed roll, or an apple cake, called Szarlotka or a baked cheesecake. I’ll actually be making this baked cheesecake with lemon and poppyseed. There is also a baked cheesecake with raisins in Wild Honey and Rye on page 182.

Incidentally, for Poles, the day after Christmas Eve is known as the Second day of Christmas, with duck or goose being popular. We stick to a very traditional British turkey on Christmas Day with all the trimmings.

And so, Christmas is here again and what a year it has been. Thank you to everyone who has supported my adventures with Wild Honey and Rye, and thank you also if you have bought it as a Christmas gift or are cooking from it this Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas, however you celebrate. I’m signing off to go and help in the kitchen.

A very special thank you also to Pavilion Books and to Yuki Sugiura for the images. Styling by Rebecca Woods and Alexander Breeze.

December 13, 2017

Travel: Adventures with Riso Gallo in Italy

Earlier this year, I travelled to Lombardy and Piedmont in Italy to visit Riso Gallo, the Italian family business established in 1856, spanning 6 generations, where I learnt about rice and grains from the best in the business. Allow me to take you with me on our Po Valley adventures in rice as I daydream about my perfect Italian escape.

Italy has always provided me with the most stunning backdrop for an adventure, with good food and hospitality permeating each and every one of my visits. I have wonderfully hazy memories of travelling by train to the Southern Italian coast from Rome, stopping at Naples and journeying onward to Capri, Positano and the Amalfi Coast just ahead of getting married in 2006. Florence has also been enjoyed and explored and more recently, we embarked on a family trip to Venice, driving down towards Bologna, to San Piero, where my sister lived until recently, in the region of Emilia-Romagna. The children declared Italy as the land of pizza, pasta and gelato, whist we enjoyed noting nuances in regionality, landscape and the ever-friendly people. Northern Italy, particularly Milan and the surrounding areas, was next on my travel list and so I was delighted to receive an invitation earlier this year to the Po Valley, to visit Gallo, the Italian family business established in 1856, known internationally as Riso Gallo. Whenever Italy comes calling, whether for family, food writing or pleasure, I never say no to Prosecco. I also had a feeling that learning all about risotto and visiting the waterscapes and paddy fields of Italy, would be the perfect prelude for the busy few books months I knew were ahead of me.

Riso Gallo are among the oldest Italian rice growers and they have become one of Italy’s most best-known food companies. Their headquarters are located in Robbio, in the Pavese region in Northern Italy. The origins of the company date back to 1856, with a factory in Genoa that processed imported paddy rice and exported it to South America. They also owned a factory in Argentina, from which they supplied the Argentinian market. By 1926, having accumulated a good deal of knowledge and expertise, the company decided to focus on Italian crops, and their factory was moved to from Genoa to Robbio Lomellina, in the heart of Italy’s rice-growing region. Italian rice is mostly grown across the plains of Lombardy and in Piedmont. Having spanned six generations, Riso Gallo is currently led by Mario Preve, the current President of Riso Gallo, S.p.A, with the assistance of his four sons.

Our flight from London to Milan was delayed, providing myself and some food-loving colleagues with just enough time to have a glass or three of champagne and a bowl of pasta at the airport. All good press trips must, in future, begin in this way, since it made for a very good beginning indeed.

Our first stop on arrival, was dinner at Osteria Cascina dei Fiori, in Borgo Vercelli, Piemonte, favoured by the Preve/Riso Gallo family and hailed by the Guido Gallo – or the Gallo Guide. I was instantly reminded of why I adore Italy; faultless and attentive service, rustic elegance, and simple, seasonal ingredients. At dinner, we were introduced to Carlo Preve, the MD of the Riso Gallo International Brand and son of Mario Preve and our introduction to world of Gallo began. After dinner, we decamped to the Hotel Novarello, which often finds itself playing host to the Italian football team. We, of course, didn’t look for any Italian football players, being so tired after our flight and first Italian supper.

The next morning, we headed out to Riso Gallo’s headquarters in Robbio, outside of Milan. We arrived just in time for their daily morning inspection of risotto rice grains, called prova risi. Every day, a sample is taken from a selection of batches and is manually inspected by a team of specialists, checking the quality and character of each variety.

I learnt that not all risotto rice is equal and that there are distinctions amongst the grains which form the different parts of the Gallo range.

For instance, Carnaroli is known as the king of risotto rice. Arborio is favoured by home cooks, whilst the Gran Riserva variety, aged for a year and produced in limited quantities, is the one favoured by chefs. The Originario variety, which is a smaller, round grain can be used in soups and in arancini, whilst the Roma variety responds well to being oven-baked. Gallo’s Blond risotto is another grain which has a more golden, blonde colour. It cooks in a shorter time (12 minutes) and is least prone to overcooking. The grains remain separate and are ideal served ‘al dente’.

With Gallo being the premier brand in the Italian rice market, their levels of knowledge and expertise is something that the family are fiercely proud of and keen to protect. We were given a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the brand’s headquarters by Carlo Preve and had the opportunity of asking questions and of seeing the process for ourselves. Although Gallo are leaders in their industry when it comes to modern technology and sophistication, the stone husking method that they use is the same as it was 100 years ago. The husking is still done to a traditional stone system, which allows for a gentler abrasion of the grain, which preserves its nutritional and gastronomic values.

Within the business, there are systems and standards, research teams, sensory and development laboratories, nutritionists and innovators. Mario’s four sons, Carlo included, hold six generations of history in their hands and along with global representatives, advocate for the brand which finds itself in 80 countries around the world. Every grain of rice matters and every consumer, whether Italian or otherwise, is constantly kept in mind when advancing Gallo’s mission to continue to be the best champions of risotto and rice in the world. There is tradition and there is modernity; the brand is conscious of both its history and of its role in providing people with a key staple, but is also turning its fined-tuned attention to developing ranges showcasing alternative grains for healthier living.

After the tour of the headquarters, we were taken to one of the regions rice markets. This is where all the deals are done, a bit like a stock exchange, only that the currency is rice. The brokers bring grains directly from the farmers, wrapped in brown paper, stashed in leather bags, to be examined and valued by the buyers. Gallo sells to the seed to the farmers, who grow the rice and then sell it back to Gallo who then mill it and package it. The tradition of valuing the rice based on its quality ensures a fair price and a consistent quality of product. There are of course other rice producers and brands, though Gallo are the leading company in the domestic market in Italy and competition is fierce. An espresso here, a bag of Arborio there, a number of livelihoods dependent on the day’s deals.

There are seasons, too. The seed is sown in April and is harvested in September. Fluctuations in weather can have a huge impact on production and although the Po Valley usually provides the optimal growing conditions, the temperature was uncharacteristically hot when we visited.

Outside the rice market, in the sweltering heat, more precious cargo was revealed; hefty onions, purple beans, glistening aubergines, formaggio. This is the food of the land, the surrounding rice fields punctuated by small agricultural holdings and and dairy farms; the market weaving together all that is good in the Province of Pavia.

After the market, we were taken to lunch at Ristorante Antoerobi back in Robbio, where a bespoke meal was created using Gallo rice for us. The Preve family are so well known in this region that they have streets named after them, such as Via Riccardo Preve. It was so hot I think we had all lost track of time, but I do recall arriving at the restaurant that appeared like an oasis in the desert…and not wanting to leave.

For lunch, of course risotto and we enjoyed at least five courses along with lots of water and wine to cool us down. The risotto dishes included a refreshingly cold starter of lemon risotto with calamari, an intermediate dish of Gallo’s 3 grains (rice, spelt and barley) cooked with chicken and dill, which I immediately came home to recreate. Onwards, an exceptionally good and perfectly creamy risotto with fresh truffles and a taste of one of Riso Gallo’s curry varieties. The curry risotto was most surprisingly delicious, though not yet available in the UK.

Dessert was made with Riso Gallo’s dessert rice, a creamy rice pudding served with a strawberry compote. The dishes, cooked by the owner’s wife, succeeded in showcasing the variety of grains that the Gallo produce and each and every mouthful was a delight.

We finished off with espresso and a few shots of homemade limocello, served by the owner, a particularly lovely man who had broken his arm in a motorbike incident. There was also a very impressive selection of other homemade spirits and lots of rum on offer. I’ll be going back…

After lunch, we sort of pulled ourselves together, re-spray-tanned ourselves with mosquito repellent and were taken to see the paddy fields and a traditional rice farmhouse, known as a Cascina, where ancient farming traditions still exist with rice farmers cultivating, rotating crops, growing, harvesting and selling. The landscape was very flat, which is why, of course, the fields lend themselves so well to rice farming across the fertile, swampy plains.

Piecing the day together, I realised that we had sort of done the ‘rice to table’ process in reverse – beginning with the finished grains themselves, experiencing the rice markets, eating the grains for lunch and ending up in the paddy fields. No matter, it was an education and a privilege to see the many parts of the process that make up a day in the life of the Gallo family business.

No trip to Northern Italy would have been complete without a stopover in Milan itself and I had always wanted to experience the elaborate façade and gothic architecture of the Duomo di Milan. We checked into the Hotel Cavour and after a traditional Italian Aperitivo, we meandered through the streets, via the Piazza del Duomo and onto one of the city’s most glamorous dinner spots – Maio Restaurant, which was simply the most stunning setting to round off our adventures with Gallo. I tried my first vitello al tonnno and we drank Aperol spritz whilst taking in the stunning sights of the duomo. It really, really made me want to live in Italy.

Which rice or grain to chose at home?

Italian rice includes risotto, Jasmin, long grain, brown rice, black rice and basmati varieties, though the company also now produce and bring together other grains, too, such as spelt, barley and quinoa.

You can read more about Rice and Nutrition here.

This is my pick of the top risotto and other grains in the Gallo range:

Carnaroli

The king of risotto rice. This grain has a starchy content and firm texture. Considered to be the best rice for risotto.

Arborio

Large grain with a creamy texture; therefore, ideal for creamy risottos.

Gran Riserva

This is aged for one year in aerated silos, before being milled. It is produced in limited quantities and subjected to a very strict selection process. Only one grain in three become Gran Riserva. This is also a grain most favoured by chefs, because of its cooking resistance and quality of absorption.

Brown Rice

Gallo also produce a medium-sized, lightly tapered brown grain. It is parboiled and retains a perfectly cooked ‘al dente’ texture. Brown rice contains more fibre than risotto rice.

3 Grains

A mix of parboiled rice, spelt and barley with full bodied, firm grains. This was my favourite of the new varieties produced by Gallo because the barley and spelt in particular, provide an ancient cereal source of fibre.

Try my recipe for 3 Grains with Chicken, Courgette and Dill here, inspired by the version we ate at Ristorante AntoeRobi.

If you are new to making risotto, you can start with one of Gallo’s Risotto Pronto ranges. These grains are parboiled and flavoured. We sometimes enjoy the four cheese or the porcini mushroom flavour at home. Or you could read my article on How to rustle up a basic risotto over on JamieOliver.com.

Look out for the Gallo Nature range which is now available in the UK in light green packaging, including the ‘3 Grain’ Rice, Barley and Spelt variety (RRP £2.35 for 400g) that I tried in Italy, as well as a ‘Pronto’ or quick range – the Gallo Risotto Pronto Carrot, Tomato & Hazelnut is really tasty (RRP £1.99 for 175g)

The happy launch of Wild Honey and Rye and how to party like a Pole!

A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who has supported me this month…

Hooray – 7^th September 2017 saw the launch of Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes, my debut cookbook published by Pavilion Books. This is a day I will never forget because it was the day a very big dream became real. If you believe in numerology, there is great significance in the number seven; there are seven days in a week, Newton identified the seven colours of a rainbow, September means the seventh month in Latin. Seven years ago, in September 2010, I had just enrolled in an online Diploma in Food Journalism. Shortly afterwards, in November 2010, I started this blog as one of my first assignments.

Ren Behan Wild Honey and Rye — Photo Credit: Stephanie Belton Photography

Although I haven’t always appreciated it, symbolism, it seems, is quite important to me. I chose to be published by Pavilion Books because our first meeting had taken place in a room opposite my old lecture halls in Bloomsbury – a sign I took as being on the right path. As often as possible and particularly when I have a significant decision ahead of me, I try and go with my instinct and I look for signs as reassurance that I’m heading in the right direction. It was all very surreal and overwhelming, as big moments usually are. On that particular day in November 2015, as I left Pavilion’s offices with bright blue skies beaming over me, I remember strolling past Senate House Library and past my first student halls feeling a strong sense of going back to something as well as forwards into something new. Of course, I wasn’t to know then that the offer of a publishing contract would come, but I hoped that it would and of course, as Wild Honey and Rye now shows, it did.

I wrote about the cookbook process itself here in an earlier post. Aside form having no roof at the time, the process was mostly straightforward and hugely enjoyable. Throughout, I kept in mind that all my food heroes, from Elizabeth Luard to Nigella Lawson must have started somewhere and that they wouldn’t be where they are today had they not just kept moving forwards. I also kept in mind that there would be some people who liked the book and some who wouldn’t. I hoped and prayed that it would be positively received and so far there has been a stream of bright and cheerful 5* Amazon reviews (thank you!) and heaps of positivity all round. It seems Polish food can be exciting and inspiring and cool, who knew?!

Time to Party like a Pole…

Publication day itself was really like taking a big deep breathe and then exhaling. I was nervous, yes, but excited more. There was joy and elation and giddiness and champagne (and vodka) but in the quieter moments, I was just so happy to have been able to share my Polish food through Wild Honey and Rye.

My Mum came to spend the week with us, which was lucky because it also coincided with the madness of back-to-school week. My family and original antenatal group friends came over to eat Polish food. A week later, I hosted a gathering at my favourite Modern Eastern European restaurant called Baltic in London, where the chef Marek made some canapés to tie in with the book and where barman Karol created a divine Polish plum and chilli martini to mark the occasion. Katie at Pavilion Books gave a speech that made me cry and I was very spoilt with gifts of flowers, champagne and even food styling props. It was like all my birthdays rolled into one!

I was so grateful for all the friends came along to celebrate with me, including my oldest school friends from Cheshire, friends with a Polish connection, buddies from the online and blogging world – travelling even as far as from Newcastle and of course, the whole book crew from Pavilion as well as the shoot team, minus Alexander who we missed.

When I decided not to return to the law ten years ago, I can honestly say that I didn’t expect my second career to be anything near as exciting as this one has turned out to be. I saw every glass raised during the whole month as an opportunity for me to say thank you to those who have supported me throughout my journey.

It’s fair to say I have been overwhelmed by the response to the book so far. Readers up and down the land (as far as the Shetland Isles!) have been making pierogi (Polish dumplings) sourcing Polish cheese or creating their own fillings. Young people have been baking and achieving Scout badges for their efforts. One little girl, a third generation Pole, said that she baked my Plum and Poppyseed cake and that it was as good as her Babcia (or Granny) makes – phew. Many have identified with my dual-heritage upbringing and have said that it has helped them put put their own upbringing into context, others have said it has helped them to reconnect with Polish food. Some have booked trips to Poland. One reader shared a photo of the book arriving in Hawaii, another friend took a photo of Wild Honey and Rye in Omnivore Books in San Francisco. Lots of people have also commented on the beautiful design of the book and on the light and modern photography. Every single photo and message I have received has made me bounce with joy – thank you.

I was also super happy to receive some very special press coverage. delicious magazine selected Wild Honey and Rye as one of four September ‘Hot new cookbooks’ and Sainsbury’s are running a series of four recipes in their autumn edition of Bake Magazine. I was interviewed by Brin Best for Tydzień Polski newspaper (extended version here) which is one of the oldest running Polish newspapers in London. There were mentions in The Herald, Scotland by Sumayya and on a new blog called Polish at Heart by my friend, Ania. I took my book and some plum cake onto Nick’s afternoon show on BBC Three Counties Radio. I also received a very nice letter from the Polish Ambassador in London, to say that he would welcome Wild Honey and Rye into his culinary collection. There’s a special mention below to all my food blogging friends, too, who blew me away.

The 10th St Albans Food and Drink Festival and Street Cafe Supper Club

Locally, September was an amazing month too because we celebrated the 10th St Albans Food and Drink Festival. I had lots of support from Becky ‘The Local Foodie’ at the Herts Advertiser, as well as from the Food Festival team itself and Radio Verulam. I hosted my first Wild Honey and Rye supper-club at Street Cafe (a huge thank you to Rita and the team there) and conquered my fears of cooking live during my first cookery stage demo.

I have lots more exciting events in the planning so keep an eye on my shop and events page for more info.

Thank you to all who came along!

And so now, I find myself, once again, sitting at my kitchen table, catching up with my blog and feeling so, so grateful. This space has very often been my window out into the world, as well as a little window into my world. If I look to the very beginning of my journey into food writing, almost seven years ago, I can see that there has been one key factor which has encouraged me to continue and that is the sense of community and support that I have felt very strongly whenever I shared a recipe, experience or my thoughts. Without that sense of community, whether prompted by way of a comment from a reader, or a share by a fellow blogger, I wouldn’t have felt compelled to continue.

The Amazing UK Blogging Community

I was particularly touched by the fact that some of my best blogging pals rallied around me on publication day and during the weeks that followed. They sent messages of support and looked forward to receiving the book to cook from and review. Often, when I have sat here, in between nap-times and nursery runs, very much feeling the quietness, these writers have inspired me to keep my blog going. Their posts also showcase, I believe, the standard that British blogging has reached – that there should be such beautiful photography throughout and such very kind words within and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you in upcoming posts.

Join me next week for the Wild Honey and Rye Polish Cookalong!

More Recipes:

If you’d like to try some recipes from Wild Honey and Rye, you can find three of my favourite recipes over on Great British Chefs:

Pierogi Ruskie (with Cheese and Potatoes)

Kopytka Polish Gnocchi with Bacon and Mushrooms

Krupnik Honey Vodka

Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes published by Pavilion Books is currently available on Amazon for £13.60 – grab your copy now and join us next week for the cookalong!

Thank you for your support (and for buying the book and leaving reviews) and to all at Pavilion Books for their faith in my Polish recipes and for producing such a beautiful cookery book.

I think I’ll have a little rest now…

September 4, 2017

The Story of Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes

“If you’re curious about the world, then food is a wonderfully satisfying way of approaching it because all human experience can be investigated through the food that appears on your plate. There’s always a story.” Matthew Fort

I can hardly believe it, but the time has finally come for me to sit down, relax and tell you all about the story of my first cookbook, Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes, published by Pavilion Books. There have been some early copies spotted around bookshops this week (this book is clearly too eager to get out into the big wide world!) but the official publication date is Thursday 7^th September 2017.

Wild Honey and Rye Ren Behan — Photo Credits: Yuki Sugiura Photography for Pavilion Books

The Journey

It would be very nice to simply say that I was sitting here writing about food one day, when a big hand came down from the sky, pointed to me and said: “You have been chosen to write a book!” The reality is that it takes a lot of hard work, perseverance and an unwavering (bordering on stubborn) belief in your idea. Basically, you’re working against the odds. I’ve no doubt, that a little bit of luck comes into it, too. More on that, later.

I probably first started thinking, or daydreaming about writing a cookbook back in 2011 when I first took some Polish food onto Weekend Kitchen at BBC Three Counties Radio and the host said, “This is delicious, you should write a cookbook.” It sounded like a good idea at the time, although a little overwhelming as I was only just starting out as a food writer.

Beetroot Soup — Photo Credit: Yuki Sugiura for Pavilion Books

I had grown up eating Polish food because both sides of my family, maternal and paternal came from Poland. My father fought with the Polish Armed Forces in the West and we were brought up speaking Polish, marking Polish traditions and playing an active role within the Polish diaspora of Manchester where lots of Poles settled following the Polish Re-Settlement Act of 1947. Whilst Polish food seemed so obvious to me, to the outside world, Polish food was still classified as a ‘lesser known’ cuisine.

My ideas simmered away, but my blog work and other freelance writing work were also picking up pace. There was just so much to write about and so many ideas buzzing around in my head. A few mainstream magazines featured one or two of my Polish recipes and it took me a couple of years to finish off the Diploma in Food Journalism that I had started alongside my blog, once I had stepped away from the law.

In 2013, I took a really enjoyable course with Xanthe Clay and Vanessa Kimbell, helpfully called: How to Write a Write and Publish a Recipe Book. We all sat around a big table, eating Rachel’s ‘Sugar Moon’ chocolate brownies and talking about our ideas. After the course, I felt I had a better and more structured idea of how to write a proposal at least, if not a whole book. As an avid reader and collector of cookbooks, it was also becoming apparent that there was a lot to consider. It was once thing to have a good idea, but there was also the question of making it different and unique without being too niche, of building a platform and an audience and of finding someone who believed in my idea as much as I did.

In 2014, our third baby was born and by then, whilst I was still keeping the blog going, I had put all my dreams of writing a book to one side. I was regularly writing a features column for JamieOliver.com now, lots of other freelance commissions were coming my way and we were just about to embark on a house remodel/renovation project that had also been in the planning for about five years prior. It didn’t seem sensible, with three young children and no roof, to add anything else into the mix.

Just before our building work began, I was selected to be a Judge for the Guild of Food Writers Awards and suddenly, my living room was filled with over 100 cookbooks – in addition to the hundreds of cookbooks I already owned. We were supposed to be de-cluttering ahead of the build, but instead I became immersed. I cooked from them whilst the windows and doors were being ripped out, I conferred with fellow judges and a winner was selected. I looked forward to escaping the dust to attend the Guild’s annual party. Whilst I loved each and every single book that made it into my top ten list, there was my ever-growing niggle; Polish food hadn’t been represented. It was still undiscovered, there were still misperceptions and there was so much I wanted to say.

The turning point

At the Guild’s party, by chance, I was introduced to Heather Holden-Brown, who, as it turned out, was a literary agent. It was Heather who turned to me and said, “Ren, my love, you have to write this book.” That week, she took me under her wing and I signed with HHB Agency. This was the dose of luck I referred to earlier. Being in the right place, at the right time. Without Heather, there would be no Wild Honey and Rye. I now had an extra level of accountability – I didn’t want to let Heather down.

If truth be told, I would have been quite busy enough at this point with my freelance work and dealing with seeing our house being rebuilt. I remember pushing our youngest in a pushchair through the rubble so that I could advise on whether a wall should come down, or ringing my husband, Ed, who was also juggling too many things, to say the wrong wall had been pulled down.

On another personal note, my father, now in his 90s had passed away that year, so things were a bit foggy. Heather had given me the summer to gather my thoughts. I took a deep breath and started again with my proposal, which became something of a PhD, over 50 pages in length and filled to the brim with as many facts and figures I could find to support my idea. I had it professionally proof-read and sent it to Dianne Jacob, who wrote the first book on food writing I had read called Will Write for Food because I still had the lingering fear my draft wasn’t good enough. I also read ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert – highly recommended if you’re battling with personal fears or creative blocks. I created visual story-boards to back up my ideas, with pictures of honey and food images that I particularly liked. Things were starting to feel very different and there was increasing interest in my Polish recipes.

In November 2015, two of my friends were going to Warsaw and they had found a really cool flat to stay in with a spare third bedroom. I looked at the chaos around me and simply said: “I’m going to Poland.” I don’t even think there was a discussion. Ever-supportive of my crazy plans, Ed took up the reins and off I flew for three days. It was mid-November and they sky was grey, everywhere. I wasn’t expecting much from Warsaw. Some time to myself perhaps. A wander around. A visit to the monument of the 1^st Polish Armoured Division that my father had fought with during the Second World War. I was looking forward to cheering for my friend Aggie, who was running in the Independence Day race.

Though I had been to Poland many times before, to family in Wrocław and Kraków and on school trips to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains, my last visit to Warsaw had been during my 20s whilst at university to write a dissertation on NATO. My memories were hazy and I didn’t even stay for as long as I should have done. I was too eager to get back to my flat and job and friends in London. Polish food cooked by Mama was tastier back in the UK, and at home we didn’t have to queue for bread. All my earlier trips to Poland had been marred with sadness, or post-communism, or lack – although the food had always been good and my family always seemed to have a knack of pulling together something out of nothing.

During my 2015 trip to Poland, everything clicked into place. My heart was happy. Oddly, despite the grief and I had found my direction.

Poland had changed. The people were warm and friendly and welcoming. I reconnected with my family living in Warsaw. We ate at a modern restaurant our friend Marek was working in and I had one of the best meals of my life with my friends Aggie and Boz. I slipped into the Polish way of life a little too comfortably, chatting to taxi drivers, arranging meetings at Polish magazines offering travel pieces, zipping around on the trams, stopping at food markets to eat and take food photos.

On my return, Heather had sent my proposal out and had lined some meetings up and I was absolutely bursting to tell everyone about my experiences in Poland. They listened, they were intrigued. Sometimes I talked a bit too much, but I was beyond excited. Things then unfolded pretty quickly.

The meeting of minds

Pavilion Books, specifically Publishing Director Katie Cowan and Commissioning Editor Emily Preece-Morrison, simply ‘got’ me and my vision. As a publishing house led by Polly Powell, they are independent, forward-thinking and bold. As a team, they are incredibly normal and laid back and for the most part left me to it. I wrote and the words just poured out onto the pages. I was in my zone. There were no tears, or tantrums. I kept in mind that home cooks are time-poor these days and that no one has hours and hours to spend in the kitchen. Nor does anyone really want to eat fat-laden stodgy food and actually, I was very keen to put across the fact that in Poland, my recent experiences of the food there had been based on fresh ingredients, seasonality and simple flavours. The Poles had taken to street-food too, and to eating outdoors whenever they could. There were more new ingredients and flavours on the Polish culinary scene than ever before. I noted that there was a very positive, communal atmosphere in Poland; it was no longer so focused on the Polish table at home, but that the Poles themselves were more curious as to the food trends around them. I went back to visit the breakfast markets and to take more photos, each time feeling more and more inspired.

Warsaw Breakfast Markets — Warsaw, Breakfast Markets, by Ren

Alongside lots of new ideas and recipes, I wrote up the recipes that I had learnt from my family and use to regularly feed my own children, time and time again. And then came another trip to Poland, followed by another, and more and more things jumped out at me and suddenly there was too much to include.

I was also very conscious that I didn’t want to look backwards to how Poland used to be. I didn’t want to be nostalgic – perhaps because I had lost my dad, perhaps because I had seen such a huge shift in the culinary scene in Poland. I wanted it to be forward-looking, modern, bright and vibrant – just like Poland is today and I hope, how she will always be.

The Creative Process

My experience has been incredibly positive and all at Pavilion Books have been super supportive of bringing this ‘lesser known cuisine’ to life and of giving me a chance. I didn’t take on the photography, although a few of my travel images do appear, as do a few family photographs. It was a real joy to write and then to watch and observe all the magic happening around me. Everyone loved the food on shoot days and were genuinely surprised by the lightness of it all and the ideas and flavours – the pierogi were always a big hit. The sweet pierogi with strawberries, pistachio nuts and wild honey made the biggest impression so they made the front cover.

The shoot team, who deserve maximum credit are photographer Yuki Sugiura, whose work you may be familiar with from many cookbooks, The Telegraph, The Guardian Cook, John Lewis Edition covers and much, much more. Yuki had such an incredible eye for detail and a manner of working that was calm and organised and full of light. I loved seeing my recipes captured so beautifully and elegantly in her studio.

Our home economist on set was the brilliant Rebecca Woods, who went the extra mile on every shoot day to source the best looking sea bass or perfectly-sized pickling cucumbers from Borough market and who then made it all look captivating. The results show that Polish food is light, appealing and straightforward to achieve at home.

We were also incredibly lucky to watch and learn from Alexander Breeze who brought imagination and a creative direction to the backgrounds, table and prop settings. I was simply in awe.

Back at Pavilion, Laura Russell worked her magic on the design of the book, along with commissioning editor Emily who continued to steer the modern direction of the book. Whilst external editor Maggie Ramsey and myself went back and forth, though not too much, with edits and improvements. I particularly enjoyed working on The Polish Pantry section which appears at the beginning of the book because I was keen to make sure that no one feels overwhelmed by any new ingredients – there really aren’t too many unfamiliar items, most are widely available in supermarkets and/or your local Polish deli – I’m sure you’ll have one nearby…!

Emily later handed the book over to Stephanie Milner, who guided me through the final few stages and then once the book was complete, Komal Patel and the team took over to start spreading the word about the book and that’s where we are at now. I’m sure there numerous more people behind the scenes who helped bring this book to life, from commercial experts to marketing teams and more. I feel very lucky to have been in such good hands.

Heather, and Cara at HHB Agency have also been on-hand throughout to help me navigate the process.

All in all, from signing to publication, the process has taken close to two years. The house is finished, too. The children and Ed are still being fed lots of Polish food.

So that’s the story of Wild Honey and Rye. I hadn’t intended this post to be so long, but there you have it, almost another book. Really, I wanted to tell you about the food. But I hope Wild Honey and Rye will tell the story of modern Polish food itself, through the pages you’ll see and through the recipes I hope you’ll make.

The future

This has been my blog, my space, my little corner of the world for seven years now. Often, being a mother and writing from home has been lonely and lots of things have changed. This blog has been my constant and without you all, I wouldn’t have had the courage to try and catch my dreams. I’m very proud of my Polish heritage – it has made me who I am and the ultimate privilege is to have been able to write about it and to share Polish food with a wider audience. Having dual-heritage has made me different and unique and often I have struggled with that. But reading blogs and connecting with people all over the world made me feel like I fitted in somewhere. And that’s something I’ll always treasure. Thank you for supporting me with all my recipes writing. Every single thing I’ve written about from Polish food, to family food, to cookbook reviews has been a small part of a much bigger tapestry. I’m looking forward now to hosting some Wild Honey and Rye-themed events – my first one is here and I hope there will be many more Polish food adventures.

This book is for you.

Wild Honey and Rye is for anyone who has cause to cook. I know that cooking can sometimes feel like a chore, but it can be incredibly satisfying to push yourself to try something new.

Polish food isn’t spicy or heavy, it’s light and seasonal. We eat eggs and porridge for breakfast, just like everyone else – though I often have millet porridge and pour wild honey over my rye toast and cream cheese. All the classics are in there – salads (my favourite one is cucumber, sour cream and dill), my Mama’s bigos and cabbage rolls, as well as recipes to make with fresh market produce, soups, light bites, street food, food for family and friends (my favourite chapter), high tea and cakes (lots of my cakes have fruit in them) and there’s a chapter on vodka and how to capture and bottle seasonal gluts and flavour your own limited edition batches.

Cream cheese on rye — Photo Credit: Yuki Sugiura for Pavilion Books

Feedback and where to buy

As well as being available in the UK, Wild Honey and Rye is available in America, Canada, South Africa, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and Australia – and more and more countries are starting to list it! I have set up a page here with more information on where to buy it and I’ll also be hosting some events over the coming week, so I’ll keep you posted.

Wild Honey and Rye has also already received some wonderful feedback –

Early this year, Julia Platt Leonard listed Wild Honey and Rye as one of The best cookbooks to look forward to in 2017.
delicious. magazine selected it as a September Hot New Cookbook, “Author Ren Behan…shares sweet and savoury recipes that are strongly influenced by her heritage, but cleverly updated and modernised.”
Sumayya Usmani featured a recipe in her column for The Herald, Scotland
Sally at My Custard Pie made the millet porridge, a whole batch of pierogi and some of the salads as soon as she received the book and shared her Polish food memories and thoughts on my book here.

Pop back here next week for my virtual book launch, too.

You can connect with me here by leaving a comment or on social media where you’ll find me as @renbehan

Thank you

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have supported, pre-ordered and already cooked from Wild Honey and Rye.

I hope my debut book earns a place in your culinary collection.

Home infused honey — Photo Credit: Yuki Sugiura for Pavilion Books

Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes is available from all good bookshops and can also be ordered online.

7th September 2017, Pavilion Books.

Recipe images and portrait by Yuki Sugiura.

Tag your creations with #wildhoneyandrye

May 22, 2017

Book Review: Packed by Becky Alexander & Michelle Lake {Nourish Books}

Packed – Lunch hacks and recipes to squeeze more nutrients into your day

By Becky Alexander and Michelle Lake, Nourish Books, £12.99

It’s all too easy to slip into a routine of having the same old boring sandwich or salad for lunch (and spending a fortune in the process) but this needn’t be the case with the release of a new recipe book called ‘Packed’ by food writer Becky Alexander and nutritional therapist Michelle Lake.

This inspiring book has over 90 ideas for nifty ‘lunch hacks’ and recipes to squeeze more nutrients into your day. It’s aimed at ‘everyone’s who’s had enough of cheese sandwiches’ – and yes, I imagine that’s quite a lot of people!

Nutritional Know-How

Michelle is Nutritional Therapist – Mission Nutrition – so all of the ideas are perfectly balanced to provide you with everything your body needs to fuel up at lunchtime. The book is bursting with nutritional advice throughout, so as well as following the recipes you can invent your own creations using Michelle’s pointers for the kind of foods you need to include in your lunch. Michelle writes in a very common sense, non-preachy way and this book is a far, far cry from some of the recent ‘clean eating’ obsession that has taken over of late.

I know Becky as ‘The Local Foodie’ – a St Albans-based food writer. Becky has spent a number of years doing desk-based work, as a magazine writer, editor and food journalist. Becky’s working life has often involved a commute into London, and therefore plenty of hastily-grabbed desk lunches. And although I know that Becky is a keen runner and therefore manages to stay healthy and trim, she also has to feed her family whilst squeezing in lunches around her editing and column writing. Her recipes are faultless and her ‘quick-to-the-table’ approach also really shines through.

Lunch Hacks

I love how practical this book is with tips for planning ahead and recommendations for the best kind of containers to pack your food up in. The healthy ‘lunch hacks’ are brilliant too with ideas for just making a few simple additions into your lunchtime habits, too. For example, adding the right carbohydrates, good quality protein, lots of protein and some healthy fats.

Although my own work is home-based and I therefore don’t have to face daily, often awful-tasting, pre-packed or processed expensive sandwiches and salads, I have been using Packed to liven up my lunchtimes at home, as well as incorporating many of the recipes into our family repertoire. I even cooked a ‘Packed’ lunch for Michelle and Becky at my home, and I’ve also turned to Packed a few times when entertaining friends.

The books is split into five chapters covering everything from breakfast, drinks, snacks and every kind of portable lunch you can think of.

Photography credit Haarala Hamilton for Nourish Books

1. Get up and go

– breakfasts on the move, muffins, healthy granola and overnight oats

Pimp your water bottle – with things like watermelon, cucumber, mint etc

We especially love the Coconut, Pistachio and Goji Berry Granola Bars, which you can make in advance, and keep in the fridge for breakfast or packed lunch snacks.

2. Salads and slaws

– delicious dressing ideas – love the Asian dressing one with sesame oil, apple cider and tahini.

– slaws – there are so many ideas for dressing up your slaws – from celeriac slaw to summer vegetable slaw with all manner of added goodies, such as edamame beans, peas, radishes, dried apricots, pomegranate, fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds and more.

Photography credit Haarala Hamilton for Nourish Books

We also had the Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea, Feta and Pomegranate Salad and the Smoked Mackerel, Watercress and Radish Salad from this chapter together for lunch.

A delicious lunch with Becky and Michelle the authors from @packedwithgoodthings #packed. Tomato and butter bean soup, Smoked mackerel, watercress and radish salad pot, and the Roasted cauliflower, chickpea, feta and pomegranate salad made by Becky. I’ve made at least ten recipes from this book in the last couple of weeks! Feeling healthier already. Great for work from home lunches too as well as packing them up 👏🏻🍴

A post shared by Ren Behan 🍴 (@renbehan) on Feb 27, 2017 at 9:38am PST

3. Filling flasks

– chunky and smooth soups – creamy wild mushroom looks amazing and uses almond milk – also lots of ideas for portable noodles, stews, chilli and curries.

We love the Tomato and Butter Bean Soup (also above) and the Spicy Cauliflower and Almond Soup. As well as making a great lunch for me, the children love a mug of soup as an after-school snack. I also often make a batch of the Chicken, Root Veggie and Pearl Barley Stew in my Instant Pot which lasts me most of the week as a desk-lunch.

4. Fork free meals

– pate, dips and spreads – the Sweet Potato and Goat’s Cheese dip sounds incredible as well as all the deli plate ideas, sandwiches (Coronation-ish Chicken, Salt Beef and Sauerkraut etc) and sushi rolls.

5. Snacks and bites

– keep away from crisps with some of these brilliant ideas like Tamari and Lime Kale Crisps or Spicy Popped Chickpeas or if you’ve got more of a sweet tooth then the Apricot and Cashew Energy Balls or Salted Peanut and Raw Cacao Fudge are bound to appeal.

Overall verdict

If you’re keen to clean up your act nutritionally, and save time and money ‘Packed’ has a huge variety of inspiring portable meal ideas that should perk your office or home lunch right up.

About the authors:

Becky Alexander is a food writer (The Guild of Food Writers) and food book editor. She writes a fortnightly food column for The Herts Advertiser newspaper focussing on seasonal, local food.

Michelle Lake DipION CNHC mBANT is a registered Nutritional Therapist and has been running her own busy practice, Mission Nutrition in St Albans for over 7 years. She trained for four years at the Institute of Optimum Nutrition on its internationally acclaimed nutritional therapy course. She is a member of BANT (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy) and The Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC).

Own copy, all thoughts and opinions my own. I was not required to write a positive review. Amazon affiliate link included.

Pop back tomorrow for an exclusive recipe from the book.

April 27, 2017

Potting Out – Sow and Grow UK – Final Update

I’m working with innocent as a Sow & Grow UK Ambassador from February to April 2017. Follow the tag #sowandgrowUK for updates #sp

Over the past few months, we’ve been taking part in the innocent and Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) Sow and Grow project at home, in tandem with lots of children doing the same in ¼ of UK primary schools up and down the country. Even the smallest (or simplest) food growing experiences can change the way children think about healthy food. By learning how to grow food themselves (as we have been doing from seed) children are “much more likely to eat fruit and veg, and to continue eating healthily for the rest of their lives.”

Even though as a family, we eat plenty of fruit and veg and the children enjoy coming shopping for food whether at the supermarket or local market, we were hugely keen to gain a better understanding of how to grow from seed, because we hoped that it would encourage us to perhaps find a space in the garden to continue growing our own at home. Often, knowing where to start is the hard part and this project has definitely helped us all to ‘grow’ in confidence.

As part of this project, we planted cress, baby carrots and green beans in small ‘sow and grow’ cups and day by day we watered them and watched them grow.

You can read all about how we started and about the progress we made here:

Growing from seed has allowed the children to track growth and progress right from beginning of the food cycle and this has definitely encouraged them to make the connection between growing food and eating it. There have definitely been high levels of anticipation and lots of questions asked – such as “how do beans grow?” to “when they will start appearing?” to “how many carrots will we have?” and much more.

Cress

Growing cress from seed really captured the children’s attention early on in this project. The cress was very simple to grow and the results were almost instantaneous as the seeds germinated within a day or two. At home, the children now love going up to their cress pots to pick cress to sprinkle over their salads and sandwiches.

As cress grows so quickly, it’s easy to keep on top of having a nice freshly supply by planning a few seeds in a pot each week rather than growing too much all at the same time.

Green Beans

We’re now four months on from when we planted the beans and as we tipped into April, our bean plants (which we supported with a training cone and bamboo sticks along the way) tipped the 6ft mark. We learnt that this variety of bean is called a pole bean or a climbing vine bean and that you can also plant bush beans, which grow closer to the ground.

The most frequently asked question has definitely been from our toddler, who is nearly three who keeps on asking, “Any giants yet?” as he’s convinced the bean plants will soon grow as high as the sky! This week, we’ve noticed a very small, red bud, and some white buds, which we think will be our first flowers, from which the bean pods will grow. We’ve learnt that we have passed the growing stages, and that we’re now at the reproduction and pollination stage.

Since there could still be a little bit of frost, we’ve allowed our green beans to go outside for some fresh air (this is a process called hardening off) which gets them used to being outside. However, in the main, we’ve kept them indoors and bean plants can be very sensitive to frost.

We noticed that some of the leaves at the bottom of the plant started to turn a bit yellow, which may have indicated that the beans needed some more nutrients. So, we added some fresh compost to the big pot that they are now in and we’ve also started to spray the leaves directly with some water. They seem much brighter again now! We’re looking forward to harvesting our beans in a few weeks’ time. Look how tall they have grown!!!

Baby Carrots

The advice in our bright and colourful innocent Sow and Grow resource pack was to ‘thin out’ the baby carrots to make sure that they had enough room to grow in the cups. We did this, but still seemed to have plenty of seedlings left. Along with the beans, the baby carrots have had some time outside on warmer days, to allow them to get used to the conditions outside. Last week, we noticed that the carrots were getting thirstier (as the soil was quite dry again quite quickly) so we decided it would be the right time to start planting the baby carrots out.

So, this week, we popped to the garden centre and came back with a raised planter and an extra bag of compost. The children spotted some tomatoes and baby leeks and asked whether we could plant those next to the baby carrots. I also took the opportunity to buy some baby beetroot seedlings and I’ve added to my herb collection with some marjoram and dill.

Planting out the baby carrots was quite easy. We picked a sunny spot, filled the raised bed with fresh soil and made some holes around ¼ inch deep. Then we simply tipped the Sow and Grow cups upside down, into our hands, and then carefully put the carrot roots into the soil, patting it down around the edges.

We’ve read that: “When plants are transplanted growth will usually be set back by 1 – 2 weeks as the roots establish themselves after which they will quickly catch up.” At the garden centre, we were also advised to grow some marigolds alongside the carrots as ‘companion planters’ because marigolds help to keep ants away – so we’ve tried this and hope some pretty flowers will grow too!

Edward age 10, says:

“It’s been really fun watching our pots of seeds grow. I think the carrots tops are starting to smell carroty! At the garden centre, I also found some leeks which we planted at home because we love leek and potato soup and it would be fun to pop out to the garden for our very own leeks!”

Elena age 7, says:

“The cress was the quickest to grow and we enjoying seeing the little seedlings grow. The baby carrots have been quite slow, but I can see that the carrots tops are growing stronger each day and it has been my job to keep them watered. The green beans, which are ginormous, have been the most exciting to watch and they are now even taller than me!”

Matthew planted a sunflower seed at nursery before the Easter holidays and was able to bring this home. As well as helping to water the beans and carrots, he’s enjoyed watching his sunflower get a bit bigger each day. It is now in a pot next to the baby carrots. We told Matthew that he was very good at growing and that he must have green-fingers. Now he keeps looking at his hands to see whether his fingers have turned green!

We’ve had such an adventure with this project (it has been lovely to get out into the spring sunshine) and we are now super inspired to carry on with our sowing and growing. We hope you’ve enjoyed following our updates on the #SowandGrowUK hashtag and that you’ll keep up with our adventures to see what happens at harvest time!

Is your school signed up? If so then upload your photos at https://innocentsowandgrow.com/ to be in with the chance to win monthly prizes from innocent and see your classroom crowned as Sow & Grow champions! Following the repackage of innocent kids drinks, consumers can also win seed packs by following the instructions on pack. Available nationwide now in most major supermarkets. Good luck!

#ad I have been compensated for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

April 13, 2017

A Sow and Grow UK Update and a Visit to innocent Fruit Towers

I’m working with innocent as a Sow & Grow UK Ambassador from February to April 2017. Follow the tag #SowandGrowUK for updates #sp

The sun is shining and we’ve officially leaped into spring! It’s the perfect time to start planting seeds and bulbs and if you’ve been following my #SowandGrowUK blog posts and updates, you’ll see that we’ve been busy on this front already. The cress seeds have grown and have mostly been eaten, the carrot tops are growing taller each day and the green beans are almost reaching the sky! This week also marks National Gardening Week, so if you’re still looking for a reason to don those gardening gloves, I’m hoping this post will inspire you to get growing at home, too.

An update on our Sow and Grow UK growing pots

As you may remember, we started the innocent and Grow It Yourself (GIY) Sow and Grow campaign back in March, when we received a pack of goodies which included a growing guide, a few Sow and Grow compostable cups, a bag of compost and three packets of seeds – cress, baby carrot seeds and green beans.

The children and I threw ourselves straight into the project and started off by planting the seeds (according to the instructions) straight into the Sow and Grow cups. We kept the cups indoors and watered them regularly. We’ve already made some recipes with the cress, including these Salmon, Egg and Cress Open Sandwiches. We’ve also re-planted our beans into a larger pot, adding more compost and a cone trainer. And we’ve continued to water our carrot seeds in the compostable cups, which also grown a little bit more, albeit at a slower pace than the cress or beans.

In the last couple of weeks, the green beans have really shot up and we’ve now added some bamboo sticks to our training cone, as the beans outgrew the cone! We also visited the beans growing at Grandma’s house over the Easter holidays, which are also growing super tall.

We’re still waiting for any beans to appear.

We’ve thinned out the baby carrots (by pulling out some of the tops) to make some more room for our baby carrots to grow. By the time you read our next update, we hope to have planted out the carrots into a raised bed in the garden and we’ll probably be able to move the green beans outdoors too.

So far so good. Keep watching!

Beans in a pot, with a training cone and additional bamboo sticks and our baby carrots.

National Gardening Week 2017

This week it’s National Gardening Week and we’ve started to think about where to put our new raised bed. We have an area at the end of the garden which gets quite a bit of sun, so we think we’ll build a small raised bed to start with there. In the meantime, we found a ceramic pot outside, with an old root within it which wasn’t doing very much, so we decided use our newly acquired sow and grow skills to plant some of our favourite outdoor herbs in the pot instead.

My 7 year-old remembered all the steps we took when we planted the cress and beans and simply did the same but in a bigger pot. I explained how someone had already started growing the herbs that we found in little pots at the garden centre, and that we could simply bed them in by taking them out of their pots and putting them into some fresh compost. Elena said that she liked this sort of short-cut and she’s excited to see how the herbs continue to grow.

We’re looking forward to adding some of our herbs to our recipes, soon, whilst we continue to wait for our beans and carrots to grow.

A visit to Fruit Towers to meet the innocent team

Ever wondered what happens when you ring the bananaphone? We did, so we rang to arrange a tour innocent’s headquarters in London, known as Fruit Towers. The children were excited to see where their favourite innocent smoothies and fruit juices are developed, as well hearing more about innocent coconut water and innocent fruit bubbles, and in turn we were able to give the innocent team a personal account of our Sow and Grow success so far!

We were all particularly impressed with Fruit Towers and we loved the fact that innocent have been able to bring so much of the outdoors inside – with plenty of indoor plants, a roof top garden, fresh air time (an alarm sounds when it’s time to open the windows!) grass-green smoothie vans and even a mock grass carpet throughout all fives floors of the innocent offices! Plus they have a fun communal area for eating, meeting and playing table football.

It was also wonderful to be able to hear about how innocent themselves have grown in order to become the UK and Europe’s biggest smoothie brand with products available in 15 different countries, whilst being environmentally friendly (they are working towards making Fruit Towers completely paperless soon) and super forward-thinking. All of the ingredients that go into innocent smoothies are sourced sustainably and 10% of the company profits go straight to charity. We also loved hearing more about the innocent ‘big knit’ project (with Age UK) where 25p is donated for each smoothie sold with a little woolly hat on! We also loved the innocent heaven wall – where all the retired smoothies and products go!

So, it’s definitely been a busy few weeks for us. We’re looking forward to the Easter weekend now and are already planning our next little sow and grow project.

Is your school signed up? If so then upload your photos at https://innocentsowandgrow.com/ to be in with the chance to win monthly prizes from innocent and see your classroom crowned as Sow & Grow champions!

Following the repackage of innocent kids drinks, consumers can also win seed packs by following the instructions on pack. Available nationwide now in most major supermarkets. Good luck!

Come back and see how are seeds are doing in a few weeks’ time or follow our updates on Instagram:

Look out for the hashtag #SowandGrowUK

#ad I have been compensated for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

March 19, 2017

Seed Sowing – a growing update with innocent and GIY for Sow & Grow UK

I’m working with innocent as a Sow & Grow UK Ambassador from February to April 2017. Follow the tag #sowandgrowUK for updates #sp

Almost a month ago, we began a fun little project at home, to grow, from seed, a selection of runner beans, baby carrots and cress. Innocent, together with the not-for-profit organisation Grow It Yourself (GIY) have launched a project to encourage kids to grow their own food and in turn make healthier choices. As big fans of innocent smoothies, we knew that the Sow & Grow project would be great fun and we weren’t wrong!

Sowing seeds indoors allows you to start the process a little earlier than you normally would outside plus young children can watch the process and document changes almost every day.

It’s a brilliant way for children to begin to learn how food is grown – if we can grow our own cress (which we’ve already been able to taste and eat), runner beans and baby carrots, imagine what else we can achieve!

This very simple project has really caught the children’s attention. My youngest, who is only two and a half, was so proud of his growing bean that he asked to take his bean into nursery to show his teacher and friends.

He’s convinced that soon we’ll see a giant!

Cress

The cress was definitely the quickest and the easiest to grow. All our pots were a success and we have been able to cut, wash and eat the cress already. We think the best thing to do is to grow one or two pots of cress at a time, as it begins to germinate and grow so quickly. You can then harvest the cress by simply cutting it. Then all you have to do is wash it delicately and then it’s time to eat!

Find my quick recipe for Salmon, Egg and Cress Sourdough Toasts here, which has become one of our favourite cress-inspired breakfasts!

Edward, 10, says:

“I loved to see how quickly the cress grew. It was definitely a fun experiment for us all. I learnt that I had to be very careful when I watered the cress, because the soil could quickly become too soggy. One of my pots didn’t grow too well because it had too much water in. We found a little watering can so that it was easier to water the seeds without pouring too much water in too quickly.”

Runner Beans

So far, apart from planting the beans (as I explained here), the only thing we’ve had to do is water them daily (only a little bit each day as you don’t want to waterlog the cups).

During the third week of growing, our beans had a growth spurt, so we added some bamboo sticks to the pots and began tying the beans to the sticks with some Velcro tie (which we found at our local garden centre). You could also use some tweed.

A week later (week 4) we moved onto the next step of transferring the beans out into a bigger pot. At this stage, we bought a little bit more compost and a cone plant trainer. One of the beans seemed to have wrapped itself quite happily around the bamboo stick, so we left the bamboo stick and tied that onto the cone, secured with a little Velcro tie to support the fragile stem.

Two of the beans were easy to transfer into the big pot out of the smaller Sow and Grow cups. One of the beans seemed a little more settled, so we chopped the bottom off the cup and simply popped the whole pot (which is compostable) into the pot to grow. We’ll see whether leaving it in the pot and disturbing it less makes any difference to how well it grows.

It takes around three months in total to get the first crop and we’re already thinking of planting a few more beans so we have plenty over the summer.

The leaves are really growing well and there are lots of new shoots but so far, no runner beans.

We’re excited to see how these come on in the next week or two.

Elena, 7, says:

“The runner beans are also growing very quickly. We have been watering them and each day I can see how much they have grown. From a small bean, they have grown into very, very tall plants with big green leaves. We can see some smaller green leaves nearer to the top. We have tied the long, thin stems to a bean pole and now they have gone all curly around the pole. It looks like they are holding on tightly and giving the pole a hug! I think the beans are going to start growing out of the leaves, but I’m not sure.”

Baby Carrots

The carrot seeds were really tiny and we planted about 15 in each pot. You can see them starting to grow but they are still a bit too young to be transferred out so we’ve left them by the window to keep growing. In a week or two, I expect we’ll be able to start the thinning out process – this is where you remove about half of them so that the remaining carrots have space to grow.

Our baby carrots will be ready in about another four weeks – so check back here for my next update!

Once it gets a little warmer, we plan on cutting the bottom away from the cups and planting them outside in our little veg patch.

Elena, 7, says:

“We can see that the tops of the baby carrots are starting to grow, but they are growing quite slowly compared to the cress. I think I can see some baby carrot tops now! I am looking forward to seeing how the baby carrots will grow inside the cups. Will they grow up or down?

We have all learnt that for seeds to grow and survive they need:

Water to synthesise
Oxygen for photosynthesis and carbon dioxide for respiration
Minerals (for protein and producing DNA)
Sunlight – also needed for photosynthesis
Space – seeds need enough space to grow
Warmth – indoors is best for early spring

Recipes

Here are some fun recipes to try with your home grown veggies:

Salmon, Egg and Cress Sourdough Toasts – Ren Behan
Home-Grown Carrot and Runner Bean Towers with Mint Yogurt Dip – Emily Leary for Sow&Grow UK
Home-Grown Carrot and Mango Curry with 5 Minutes Naan Bread – Emily Leary for Sow&Grow UK
Recipes and an Update from Grace at Amazing Eats

Come back and see how are seeds are doing in a few weeks’ time or follow our updates on Instagram:

Look out for the hashtag #sowandgrowUK

#ad I have been compensated for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

February 28, 2017

5 Recipes To Feed a Crowd

Whether you’re hosting family and friends at the weekend and wondering what on earth to cook, or maybe you want to get ahead with some batch cooking, here’s a collection of some of my favourite crowd-pleasing recipes that easily scale up to satisfy a hungry mob.

Busy family life can often seem relentless, so it’s very useful to have simple and nourishing meals like these up your sleeve that you can prepare well in advance. One-pot dishes give you that much-needed time to just catch your breath when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

1. Almost Spring Lamb Hotpot

This warming seasonal British one-pot wonder is something you can easily make ahead. Crispy golden slices of potato give way to tender Spring lamb and vegetables in this comforting classic. Bring the dish to the middle of the table and let everyone get stuck in.

Grab the recipe

2. Easy Stove Top Chicken Casserole

Warm everyone up after a long family walk with my super easy chicken casserole that you don’t even have to put in the oven. It’s bustling with flavour using a tasty combination of juicy chicken thighs, salty pancetta and earthy mushrooms. I’ve included baby new potatoes in the recipe so you’ve got everything you need all in one dish so there’s no faffing about making any side dishes – hurrah!

Grab the recipe

3. Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with Celeriac Mash and Wild Mushrooms

Fill your home with delicious aromas by slow cooking beef brisket in a lovely rich beef stock with vegetables and herbs – but be warned, your lunch guests will be storming the kitchen to find out what’s on the menu! Serve it up with creamy celeriac mash and wild mushrooms for a fabulous alternative to a traditional Sunday roast.

Grab the recipe

4. The Ultimate Effortless Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork is one of the ultimate crowd pleasing meals, especially when you serve it up in soft brioche buns with the juices poured over the top with heaps of salad. Helen from Fuss Free Flavours has a fantastic recipe over on her blog. She creates a tasty spice rub and brines the meat for 24-36 hours before popping it in a slow cooker for 12 hours. You’re actually only spending about 20 minutes hands-on time, so as long as you schedule the brining and slow cooking in advance, this recipe frees you up to do other things. When you’re expecting a houseful of guests that’s VERY useful!

Grab the recipe

5. Veggie Curry with Mango & Coconut

This quick and easy family-friendly curry from Katie Bryson over at Feeding Boys is brilliant if you’ve got a group of vegetarians to feed. It’s creamy, mild and packed with vegetables, so it’s great for introducing little ones to curry without blowing their heads off! It freezes beautifully, so it’s also perfect for batch cooking and freezing up in portions for super swift weeknight meals or filling the freezer of someone who’s just had a baby or recovering from illness.

Grab the recipe

What are YOUR favourite recipes for feeding a crowd? Let me know in the comments below!

February 22, 2017

The Secrets to Successful Food Blogging

This is the first post in a new series from Bloom by Ren – which I’ll be adding to a bank of resources for food bloggers.

I wanted to kick things off with a post full of really great tips. Thank you to all my food blogging friends for their words of wisdom below.

Do you have a great idea for a food blog you’ve always wanted to write, but just don’t know where to begin? Well stop dreaming and get started, as I’ve teamed up with my food blogging friends to bring you the best advice to get things moving. I wish I’d had the benefit of this kind of wisdom when I was starting out!

I’m part of a very supportive and inspiring community of food bloggers, who between us have a huge amount of experience, so here are some tips from myself as well as some of the most successful and long-standing bloggers in the UK.

1. Your blog is your brand

Ren
Ren Behan

Think of your blog as an extension of yourself – your voice needs to come through strongly from the outset, sharing your food philosophies and ideally, showcasing the kind of food you like to eat – rather than trying to emulate something else or someone else or a style of eating that isn’t sustainable. In many ways, your blog is your brand, even if you’re not ready to think of it that way – your blog is a platform created by you, showcasing what you chose to feature.

Although you need to have some idea of what you’d like to write about, I have always believed that you shouldn’t be afraid of tweaking or even of changing direction if what you are writing about no longer seems relevant. Don’t overcomplicate or procrastinate – make a start and try and write as regularly as you can, but write about what comes most naturally to you. What you don’t want to do is to jump about so much that you send out a confusing message of what your blog is about.

To grow an audience and to keep people coming back, try and work out, if you can;

Who your readers are
Why they read your blog
How you can continually help them when they visit your blog

If you can do that, and keep refining your skills, you will start to see an increase in engagement and readership.

These days, successful blogs are all about the community around them. Successful bloggers aren’t just blogging for themselves, they blog for their readers and in response to what their readers are looking for.

[bctt tweet=”These days, successful blogs are all about the community around them.” username=”@renbehan”]

As your blog grows and develops, you’re aiming to relax into a friendly writing style – imagine your reader as a friend stopping in for a coffee and a chat. Tell them about what you’ve been doing, let them in a little bit. This does not mean sharing every single detail of your private life, but rather, letting your readers know that you are real, that you’re there, that you’re reading and listening to their comments and that you’d like to connect.

2. Choose a name with longevity

Kavita
Kavey Eats

When it comes to naming your blog, stop and think about whether the name you are choosing will restrict you going forward or whether it’s one you can grow with, because for most bloggers, the nature of what they write about does change over time, even if they remain in the same broad sector. I spent all of 30 seconds thinking of Kavey Eats, and for the first several years, it worked well for me. Now that I publish a fairly equal amount of food and travel, I wish I had a name that wasn’t so squarely tied to food, but feel it’s best to stick with it. Think too about how long it is, whether it’s easy for readers to remember, and check whether there are already blogs in your niche with the same or similar names, so you can avoid confusion or claims of plagiarism.

3. Go for a simple design

Ceri Jones
Natural Kitchen Adventures

When it comes to designing your blog and logo, simplicity goes a long way. You don’t need to work with an expensive designer, if you are just starting out, but do take some time to think about what works best on all the blogs you like reading (plain white background for example). Have a play with free software like Canva to create a simple logo using your blog name, and choose one of the smart, well designed templates that you can adjust yourself. I would also suggest you use a similar colour scheme, style and vibe across all your photography, it will help to bring consistency to the look of your site. I think it’s easier now with the wealth of resources than it was, say six years ago when I started!

Check out: these beautiful themes by Feast Design Co. *

4. Have a clear niche

Katie Bryson
Feeding Boys
@cookingkt

Don’t just follow the herd. Have a clear niche that individualises your recipes and content from everyone else and try and stick to it as much as possible. Be the go-to person for that style of food, and you’ll soon grow a loyal following of people who trust what you’ve got to share. To write a successful food blog you need to have an infectious passion and enthusiasm for your niche, that not only drives you to create compelling content week in, week out, but also helps you stand out in a very crowded market. Don’t just copy what other people are doing, make your own mark and don’t be afraid to develop your own voice and visual style. Of course we all learn from each other, but don’t try to be all things to all people.

5. Get your social media organised

Helen Goldrein
Friends Family Food

Get all your social media organised and make sure you can get the same username for everything and that it’s the same as your blog name. Even if you don’t use all the channels to begin with, it’s better to get the account so that no one else gets ‘your’ name. I didn’t do this and now my twitter handle bears no relation to my blog but it’s too late to change.

6. Choose WordPress

Kevin Chambers-Paston
The Crafty Larder

Go with WordPress. Self hosted. From the beginning. Blogger may seem easier but it’ll hurt you in the long run.

7. Join the community

Laura
How to Cook Good Food

I do think that good name, blog design and photography that is attractive from the start will get you noticed in this ever increasing world of blogging. Also, definitely be committed to making friends and meeting other bloggers as it can be lonely!

If you don’t know how to join food groups, try commenting on a few blogs, or following some of your favourites on social media and ask them whether there are any food blogging groups or circles that you can join in with.

8. Stand out from the crowd

Sus Davy
Rough Measures

Make sure you have a USP! The market for blogs is so saturated you need something to stand out. In my case it was my boat which now doesn’t work as we don’t live on it anymore.

9. Value your content

Helen Best Shaw
Fuss Free Flavours

Think about whether you can add more value to your posts by offering more than a simple review in return for product. For instance, from the outset, practice saying that you offer paid recipe development work and set out a rate – even if it is modest at the start. It’s true that everyone has to start somewhere (and that most of us do start by reviewing products for free), but if you have been blogging for a length of time, have established an audience or a following, then it is fair to charge a reasonable amount for your time if you are creating a post initiated by a brand. If you do wish to include product reviews as part of what you offer your readers, try and offer short, editorial style reviews, perhaps in a round up post and always disclose to your readers when you have been sent a product for free or when you have received payment for producing a post.

10. Just do it!

Jane Sarchet
The Hedgecombers

You’ll never know if you’re going to love it until you start, so stop talking and start doing.

So what now?

As Jane says, just take that leap and get stuck in! You can really over-think things like this and never get going out of fear of doing it wrong. But actually it’s pretty liberating once you publish those first few blog posts and start finding your voice.

Further resources:

Here are some great blog posts to read if you want even more advice

http://www.lovelyappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/ (UK perspective)

http://pinchofyum.com/resources/how-to-start-a-food-blog (US perspective)

I have always used the Genesis Framework and these themes from Feast Design Co. for my self-hosted wordpress blog*

*Affiliate theme link included

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February 17, 2017

Grow Your Own Food – Sow and Grow with innocent – Getting Started

I’m working with innocent as a Sow & Grow UK Ambassador from February to April 2017. Follow the tag #sowandgrowUK for updates #sp

This week, the children have been on half term and since we’re always keen to take on a new challenge, we were delighted to be asked to take part in the Sow and Grow project with innocent. Together with the not-for-profit organisation Grow It Yourself (GIY), innocent and GIY have joined forces to encourage kids to grow their own food and in turn make healthier choices. As big fans of innocent smoothies, we knew that the Sow and Grow project would be great fun and just as half term began, we were delighted to receive a colourful package full of cups, seeds and soil to help us get going.

After 14 months of building work at home with diggers pretty much flattening our garden, and with hints of spring on the way, we are super keen to start thinking about our outdoor space again. Peering outside into the feeling-very-sorry-for-itself-garden, the children had already recently asked whether we could create a small space to start growing our own fruit and veg. Great idea – I thought to myself, but where do we begin?

I’ll be the first to admit that although I’m a dab hand in the kitchen, green-fingered I am not. In fact, other than collecting the odd windfall apple and growing a couple of pots of herbs on the kitchen windowsill, I’ve never had much success growing anything food related at home.

We’re super lucky to have a twice-weekly fresh food market in St Albans and we have a bi-monthly farmers’ market, so although the children are very familiar with trips to the market to pick up fresh fruit and veg, they haven’t really had much experience of growing their own produce at home. However, with three children aged 10, 7 and 2.5 we technically have three pairs of willing hands, so perhaps it’s time to start potting.

Getting outside, learning about nature and growing vegetables at home or in the classroom have been cited as the top ways for children to learn about eating healthily. Recent research has also identified that even the smallest food growing experiences can change the way kids think about healthy food. This is more than enough to convince me that having a go at growing our own is most definitely a worthwhile activity.

In a recent survey, innocent found that 89% of those over 50 remember their parents and grandparents growing fruit or veg when they were younger. The top five vegetables that the over 50’s remember their parents or grandparents growing are potatoes, carrots, runner beans, tomatoes and lettuce.

When I think of my own grandmother, I can remember that she grew lots of vegetables in her garden, such as runner beans, peas, lettuce, cabbage, potatoes, beetroot, chives and dill. She also kept chickens and so I remember the best dippy eggs, lots of soups and the freshest salads. Growing vegetables also fostered a strong sense of community because my grandmother used to swap produce and share seeds with her friends and neighbours. If she had too much of something, she’d simply swap it out or give it away and if she wanted to try growing something new, she’d have a chat with someone who was already growing it. She didn’t have an allotment, but she did make the most of the small space that she had and I remember it being ordered and neat and in the sunshine, the aromas of fresh garden herbs really shone through. In our own garden at home, we had an apple tree, a pear tree, a Victoria plum tree and a blackcurrant bush and so I often remember baking fruity bakes and crumbles with my mum incorporating as much of our garden produce as possible. Supermarket shops were always supplementary to what we could already grow ourselves and the summer gluts made for a winter full of preserves.

In the innocent survey, 92% of the over 50’s believed that people were healthier 50 years ago when more people grew their own – and this is a fact that I have to agree with. Our parents and grandparents simply weren’t exposed to so much processed or packaged food, there was less waste and I can’t help but wonder whether our modern issues of fussy eating have been caused, in part, by our lack of connection with the food they eat.

How to Start Growing Your Own

The key to growing your own at home, particularly when you’re a beginner, is to start with something simple.

Runner beans, cress and carrot seeds are the fastest-growing seeds so that children (and nervous adults!) can see results almost straight away, so that’s what we’re going to be starting with at home.
You don’t need a big garden or a plot or at this stage, even a raised bed. You can even start with sowing seeds in cups to watch and see how they grow.
For more tips check out the Innocent Sow and Grow tips page here

innocent are keen to encourage as many primary school aged children as possible to start growing their own vegetables. As part of this campaign, schools can sign up to get their very own growing kit (just like ours) full of seeds, information packs, stickers, cups and lesson plans to help teachers incorporate healthy eating into their lessons with everything they need to get involved. Grow-it-Yourself will be sending out 6,666 packs to schools which will reach ¼ of the UK’s primary school children.

You can ask your school to take a look here to sign up for more information.

The children were very keen to get started and I’m very much hoping that once we’re feeling a bit more confident, that we’ll progress to creating a small space in our garden to begin growing some vegetables outdoors. We love courgettes, and I am told they are easy to grow too so they’ll be next and perhaps then we’ll move onto growing some of the vegetables and herbs that that my grandmother grew.

Home Update from my 7 year-old:

“When we got the box, we got the cups out, soil, water and the seeds that we were going to plant. I looked at the packets and I saw three things that we were going to grow. They were cress, baby carrots and runner beans. First, we wrote our names on the cups and wrote what kind of seeds were going to go into each cup – even my little brother joined in! Mummy read the instructions and we put some soil into each cup. Next, we sprinkled some cress seeds into some of the cups and watered them. Then we carefully put 15 really tiny baby carrot seeds into some soil in some of the other cups and watered the seeds. Lastly, we opened the runner bean packet and we were surprised to see that they looked much bigger and they were purple. We put one runner bean into each cup that was left then we had to push it down with our fingers into the soil and added some more soil and then watered the runner bean cups. Then we put all the cups into a big wooden box and put the box near a big window. We checked on them and watered them for a few days. After two days, we could see little bits of green in the cress cups. The next day the cress had grown even bigger! We watered them a little bit each day. It is now day four and we are still waiting for the carrots and runner beans to grow. At the weekend we are going to visit my grandma’s house so we are going to pack the cups into a box and take them with us!”

I’d love for you to follow my progress at home with the children and as an ambassador of this campaign I’ll be posting about our progress regularly both here and across all my social media channels.

Look out for the hashtag #sowandgrowUK

Instagram @renbehan

Twitter @renbehan

Facebook.com/renbehanfood

#ad I have been compensated for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

January 12, 2017

5 Nourishing Cold-Weather Recipes

First of all a belated Happy New Year to you all! I’m currently working on a super-positive, goal inspired post to kickstart 2017, but in the meantime here are five nourishing cold-weather recipes that I love making in the month of January and beyond, to get you in the self-care/happy family mindset…

I’m not really a fan of depriving myself at this time of year, let’s face it January’s hard enough already! Instead I think it’s far healthier to be kind to your body and mind by feeding yourself nourishing food. To me, nourishing your body this isn’t about clean eating, but can sometimes mean upping the comfort levels while perhaps adding in some extra good stuff.

We have our first snow of the season here in St Albans so I’m planning on hibernating and keeping warm.

1. Spaghetti Carbonara

This delicious take on a traditional comfort food classic from Jamie Oliver’s latest title Everyday Super Food replaces the creamy sauce with a yogurt and pea combination. So you still get the comfort but in a much lighter, and in my view much tastier way. The swap-in of wholewheat spaghetti is a quick-win nutritionally and my kids didn’t even notice when I tried it out on them (own photo of Jamie’s recipe)

Grab the recipe

2. One Pot Cypriot Lamb

This is a warming family recipe and a real crowd pleaser at this rather chilly time of year. You can use lamb or chicken, and if you have any fresh tomatoes throw those in with some home grown mint too. Sometimes I add a creamy, British goats cheese to this instead of feta.

When it comes to home cooking, I think the emphasis should be on using the best quality produce possible. If you are going to eat meat, make sure you buy the best you can, ideally from a local butcher so you can trace the source.

Grab the recipe

3. Polish Gnocchi with Tenderstem ® Broccoli

This is proper Polish comfort food with a healthy twist using British Tenderstem ®. The Polish version of gnocchi is called ‘kopytka’ – meaning ‘little hooves’ which I’ve brightened up by adding tiny pieces of Tenderstem ® to the dough itself, and then served them with more healthy Tenderstem ®, shallots and Polish ham. It’s a really easy recipe to bring together and a fantastic way to use up any leftover mashed potato.

Expect lots more of this kind of food from me, especially with my modern Polish cookery book coming out this September – stay tuned for more info!

Grab the recipe

4. Clearspring Gluten Free Brown Rice Noodles with Spinach & Tomato

This is a really simple recipe using only five ingredients, that’s perfect for those times when you really need a re-set but still want the comfort of a steaming bowl of pasta.

The fresh and tasty combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic and spinach will lift your spirits and feel oh-so-nourishing.

Grab the recipe

5. Zucchini Boats with Bolognese Sauce

I really enjoyed following a Paleo diet last January. Dialing down on processed foods and carbs while eating plenty of lean and organic protein, fresh seasonal veg and lots of fruit was a pretty simple way to feel healthier and lose a few pounds. When I’m in this kind of mood these loaded courgette boats are my absolute go-to recipe – they make such a tasty alternative to pasta. I sprinkled the bolognese with toasted hazelnuts instead of grated cheese which is such a delicious topper.

Grab the recipe

What recipes do you turn to when you want to feel nourished? Are you making any healthy changes to your diet this year? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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December 27, 2016

Five Ways with Christmas Leftovers

Here we are in that no-man’s land between Christmas and New Year when our fridges tend to be stuffed with a hotchpotch of leftovers in pots and bowls. From shredded turkey to the remnants of the cheese board, there’s always something that gets lost at the back!

I’m keen not to waste any of these morsels as they can so easily be transformed into another tasty meal. I don’t know about you but there’s something very satisfying about creating something from nothing. Plus when it seems like there’s always a family member or neighbour popping by, it’s handy to have something to rustle up at the last minute. I actually love leftover meals, as when I was growing up my mum would use every last thing up in her kitchen, usually in a soup or a stew.

So, if you can’t quite face another turkey sandwich or cheese and crackers buffet tea, here are five simple ideas to create a bit of magic with all those random leftovers:

1. Turkey Stronganoff With Soured Cream

This Eastern European-inspired recipe for a turkey stroganoff uses up leftover turkey (or any poultry, really) along with some red onions, mushrooms, mustard, soured cream and a few sprigs of dill.

It’s perfect for a buffet or for a quick family supper, and is in fact a firm family favourite for us all year round.

Grab the recipe

2. Polish-Style Open Turkey Sandwiches

Far more elegant than a bog-standard butty, these open sandwiches common to both Scandinavian and Eastern European cuisine, are the perfect vehicles for turkey (or other meat) leftovers.

Simply have a good loaf of rye or sourdough to hand and plenty of garnishes, such as radishes, pickles, tomatoes, cress, dill, sliced boiled eggs and kabanos (a type of smoked Polish sausage) and bingo, you’ve got a platter of loveliness to serve up to family or friends popping in for festive drinks.

Watch the video & grab the recipe

3. Wholewheat Fettuccine with Kale

This comforting supper is taken from New York-based chef Amy Chaplin’s book At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen. It’s perfect for any veggie guests you might be entertaining or if you’re just feeling like you’ve had enough meat!

Amy uses marinated goat’s cheese in her version, but I think any leftover creamy (or even crumbly) cheese can work well here. The recipe also calls for kale (cavolo nero) but you can happily use spinach in its place in this beautifully simple pasta dish.

Grab the recipe

4. French-Style Irish Beef Salad

Did you have roast beef over Christmas? Well here’s a wonderful protein-packed salad to make with the leftovers.

The tender slices of meat look stunning nestled amongst wedges of vibrant red tomatoes and yellow yolks of the boiled egg. I love the addition of lip-smacking capers, gherkins and French-style Dijon mustard dressing. All you need is a fresh baguette to serve on the side and a glass of chilled rosé.

Grab the recipe

5. Quick Risotto-Stuffed Vegetables

This recipe was born out of a virtually empty fridge and a visit from the cleverest cook in the work – aka my mum! It really does prove that you can make something out of virtually nothing.

We simply made a quick risotto using one of those two-minute pouches of rice, some vegetable stock and a tin of tomatoes. You could add some shredded turkey in with the rice before stuffing it into some pre-baked peppers. To pretty up the plates we served ours with some tiny cubed courgettes and a really good sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Grab the recipe

What do you do with YOUR leftovers? I’d love to hear about the creations you’ve been rustling up, so share your ideas below!

December 17, 2016

10 Festive Makes and Bakes

From Christmas gifts for teachers and local friends, to canapés and cocktails for all those parties, I’ve pulled together a cracker of a round-up of my absolute favourite makes and bakes for the festive season. So grab a glass of mulled wine, blast out those cheesy Christmas tunes and plan your shopping list!

Gifts

1. CHRISTMAS SPICED CRANBERRY & PLUM CHUTNEY

It only takes twenty minutes to make this delicious chutney, and it goes with a whole host of Christmas goodies like your Christmas day roast, cold cuts or how about a baked Camembert? Jar it up, add a pretty label and you’ll have another present ticked off your list. This recipe makes two jars, so one to give and one to keep – perfect!

Grab the recipe

2. CREAMY SEA SALTED FUDGE

Another quick and easy option for gifting is a batch of indulgent creamy fudge, packaged up in smart boxes or popped into cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon. My version is flavoured with vanilla and sea salt, which always transports me right back to British seaside holidays. Your friends and family will delighted when you hand them a little bag of these sweet treats.

This recipe is featured on JamieOliver.com.

Grab the recipe

Canapes

3. COD, CHORIZO AND PEA PUREE BITES

These elegant canapés should impress your party guests this season. Combining fluffy white chunks of cod with a feisty slice of chorizo on a bed of buttery pea puree, this is a one-bite experience not to be missed!

Grab the recipe

4. MAKE AHEAD LEEK & POPPY SEED SAUSAGE ROLLS

Once you make your own sausage rolls, there really is no going back! Gorgeous flaky pastry and top notch quality sausage meat makes for an exceedingly crowd-pleasing party canapé. Crucially, you can get them ready in advance and just bake as needed, so it’ll save you faffing about in the kitchen when you could be enjoying yourself!

Grab the recipe

Christmas Baking

5. RICE KRISPIE HOUSE

This cute little rice krispie house is a great project for little people (and big people) and it’s a great alternative when you feel like making something, but don’t quite have the energy for full-on baking. Let’s face it, we’re all exhausted at this time of year!

Grab the recipe

6. MINCE PIE CUPCAKES

If you’re looking for a festive twist on a batch of Christmas cupcakes, then you should check out my Mince Pie Cupcakes – made with a vanilla sponge, mincemeat and a luxurious brandy butter icing. You can decorate them with sprinkles, coloured sugar or some retro-picks.

7. WHITE CHOCOLATE MALTESER CAKE

Or how about this simple but spectacular White Chocolate Malteser Cake? It makes a wonderful centrepiece for a party spread, and is a great swap-in for a fruit-cake if your family aren’t fans.

Find both recipes here

Cocktails

8. APEROL SPRITZ

Let’s kick off with a round of Aperol Spritz cocktails – I think the jewel-bright orange colour of these 19050’s inspired drinks are perfect for the holiday season!

Grab the recipe

9. GIN & RHUBARB FIZZ

What better way to get your New Year’s Eve party started than welcoming your guests with a glass of Gin & Rhubarb Fizz. It’s fruity, classy and fun – just like all the perfect party hosts should be!

Grab the recipe

10. POMEGRANATE & VANILLA VODKA

I love how achievable this recipe is! You could make this and give it as a gift, but you could quite easily keep it to share at parties this Christmas. It’s also brilliant for defrosting the grown ups when they’ve got back in from all those frosty family walks or trips around the park with the kids test-driving their new bikes and scooters!

Grab the recipe

Hope some of these recipes appeal to you! Let me know if you make any by tagging them with #renbehanfood

I’ll be back soon to share a couple of festive recipes from my new You Tube channel.

November 14, 2016

7 Soups for Winter

It’s that time of year when all I want to do is curl up on the sofa in a toasty blanket with a delicious bowl of soup, and forget all about the wind and rain hurling itself around outside (and generally everything else!) So, let’s all get cosy while I bring you a batch of my favourite soups to warm up those winter months.

1. Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Let’s kick off with a restorative bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken Soup, a Polish recipe I got from my mother. It’s a clear broth that uses a whole chicken cooked ultra gently in the slow cooker, so it requires very little fuss. It’s usually served with homemade egg noodles or dumplings and makes for a really decent meal.

Get the recipe

2. Chickpea, Chicken and Chorizo Soup

For a hearty meal in a bowl, try my Chickpea, Chicken and Chorizo Soup on for size. It’s packed with both texture and flavour, plus it’s a great way to use up any leftovers lurking in your fridge. I can totally recommend serving it up with some chunky slices of garlic bread for dunking. Here, I’ve used giant cous cous, but you could make this with brown rice, or a grain such as kasza, and don’t forget to add plenty of chopped kale or spinach for extra nutrients.

Get the recipe

3. Beetroot and Kale Soup

If you’re on the hunt for a super healthy and nutritious meal idea, then take a look at this vivid Beetroot and Kale Soup with tasty Almond Crumble topper. As well as being ridiculously good for you, it’s also absolutely gorgeous to look at so makes for a pretty starter if you’ve got guests round for lunch.

Get the recipe

4. Rainy Day Pizza Pasta Soup

My kids made up the name of this soup Rainy Day Pizza Pasta Soup when I served up a quick family meal stretching out some bolognese leftovers, plenty of Parmesan and fresh basil. It makes a change from the usual after-school Spag Bol and is oh-so-warming. If you’re got a gaggle of kids to feed, this is the one to bring to the table.

Get the recipe

5. Polish Wild Mushroom Soup

Another absolute winner. When I’m feeling poorly I crave either Chicken Soup or a bowl of Mushroom Soup which reminds me of home. This simple recipe really makes the most of the strong, earthy flavours of the mushrooms, with fresh cream for extra comfort.

Get the recipe

6. Chicken Soup Two Ways

A classic chicken soup is a thing of beauty, because once you’ve got it cracked you can customise it to your heart’s content. I love changing it up by adding things like coconut milk and courgetti or giving it a bit more bulk with some basmatic brown rice and spinach.

Get the recipe

7. Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

And finally, my favourite soup from around the web is this little number from Katie Bryson at Feeding Boys. It’s a thick, creamy and intensely flavoured soup using roasted cauliflower and garlic cloves blitzed up with stock and parmesan cheese. We all love cauliflower soup in our house, and roasting it adds a wonderful depth of flavour to this soup.

Get the recipe

What’s your favourite soup for the winter? Do you have a classic recipe you always turn to when you’re feeling under the weather? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

Also, I’ll be pulling some more round ups together over the coming week so do let me know if there is anything you’d like to see.

July 3, 2016

Cruise Notes: On Board Harmony of the Seas – the world’s largest cruise ship

You may remember a few weeks ago that I wrote about attending the ‘Dry Run’ of a brand new dining concept at sea called Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine by Royal Caribbean. Shortly after this event, I jumped on board the world’s newest and largest cruise ship and into the real Wonderland to preview Harmony of the Seas, as part of the ship’s pre-inaugural cruise season. Here’s what happened when I fell through the rabbit hole!

When Harmony of the Seas, the latest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, docked at Southampton in May, she caused quite a splash. She was met by onlookers and by the press with excitement, intrigue and in most cases, sheer incredulity that something quite so huge, could exist – and float. I had only ever seen cruise ships before from a distance; I don’t think I’ll ever forget observing the ‘Costa Fortuna’ (actual name) docking in Venice, although my mum, who came with me on this trip, has been on at least 20 cruises over the years covering the Med, the Caribbean and most-recently, a transatlantic cruise to New York. Despite our collective experiences, we both gasped in amazement whilst standing in the shadow of Harmony. After composing ourselves, we moved like tiny little ants, along a red carpet lined with pretty flowers, and boarded one of the most talked-about ships on earth. With the Royal Caribbean philosophy of ‘innovation and imagination’ ahead of us, we started to get the sense that we were in for a treat.

Costing £700 million/$1 billion to build, Harmony of the Seas was shiny and new and spotlessly clean; in my view one of the plus-points of joining a cruise during her inaugural season. At times, we noticed work people hanging pictures or fixing small things, but these were essentially minor details and didn’t bother us at all. It felt a little like we (or rather the ship’s captain Gus Andersson and crew) were about to take a brand new car out of the showroom for it’s very first spin. The staff were all fresh and ready for a new adventure too. Interestingly, almost every staff member that I spoke to indicated that they had worked for Royal Caribbean for more than five years on different ships and many of them had clocked up eight, nice or ten years at sea.

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As we travelled up an escalator and turned our first corner, we had our first ‘through the rabbit hole’ experience, finding ourselves in the Central Park zone, filled with real trees and shrubs and lined with restaurants and cafes. My mum asked; “Where are we? Have we gone the wrong way? Are we still on the ship?” and if I wasn’t so busy giggling and trying to get orientated myself, I probably would have been asking the same. In all her years taking cruise ship holidays with her cruise-obsessed partner, mum exclaimed that had never seen a ‘real park’ on a ship.

Credit: Royal Caribbean. Entrance to Jamie's Italian in Central Park. — Credit: Royal Caribbean. Entrance to Jamie’s Italian in Central Park.

Neighbourhood Concept

In fact, Central Park was just one of seven ‘neighbourhoods’ on board Harmony of the Seas:

Central Park (with 1200 trees and plants plus dining and shopping)
Boardwalk (an amusement park-styled area with a carousel, hot-dog stand and fast food, also the aqua-theatre is just beyond)
Royal Promenade (with boutique shops and areas for eating, drinking and late night dancing, you’ll also find the robotic Bionic Bar here)
Entertainment Place (with comedy, jazz bars and two theatres)
Youth Zone, a deck dedicated to kids including the kids’ clubs and a creche)
Vitality Sea Spa and Fitness Centre
Pool and Sports Zone, including a kids area called Splashaway Beach, five water slides and the 10-story Ultimate Abyss dry slide and FlowRiders where you can learn to surf.

Wherever we ended up we seemed to keep finding unusual features and it took us at least two days to explore the ship – even then, there were areas that we didn’t manage to visit. The ‘neighbourhood’ concept is unique to Royal Caribbean and you’ll find neighbourhoods on their Oasis Class, such as Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. Since the Royal Caribbean fleet seems to be moving towards bigger and bigger ships, it makes sense to create specific zones within the ship to help give passengers a sense of where they actually are once on board. Thus, while cruising, you get the sense that you are in a resort, or on a small ‘floating city’ rather than a stuffy, claustrophobic boat.

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Accommodation

Our first challenge and port of call was to find our room, which we eventually found after walking along a seemingly endless corridor. The ship is 362 metres long in total, so if you find yourself at the wrong end of it, you’re in for a walk. We found our room – an Ocean-View Stateroom (top left image) and mum was thrilled to find a balcony – she had only ever stayed in an ‘internal’ cabin on board ships before. The category of our room was classed as ‘state class’ and it was spacious, with a large and comfy double bed, a bathroom with a shower, a large TV, sofa and double doors to our balcony. If cost is an issue, it’s worth noting that many of the the internal cabins on Harmony of the Seas have ‘virtual balconies’ – another unique on-board concept boasting a floor to ceiling screen displaying an image of the sea giving you the impression that you can see out. A large number of rooms on Harmony also have balconies or windows overlooking the open-spaced centre of the ship, for example, Park View rooms overlook Central Park whilst Boardwalk View Balconies overlook the Boardwalk. You can also book some of the larger rooms and suites – Star Class will get you a Royal Genie, Sky Class gives you an exclusive concierge, priority reservations and access to a private sun deck, whilst Sea Class suites give you access to an exclusive restaurant with bar called Coastal Kitchen.

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After taking a few obligatory selfies on our balcony, we headed out to explore the rest of the ship. There are 16 guest decks on board Harmony of the Seas, with 18 decks in total and 24 elevators – so it takes a little while to get your bearings. At full capacity the ship can hold 6,780 guests and a further 2,100 crew members – so yes, it is colossal. During our mini-cruise the ship was at around half capacity, and even so, there were times when we didn’t come across any other passengers at all.

Technology

Royal Caribbean are definitely leaders within the cruise industry in terms of on-board technology. Not only did we find a complete robotic ‘Bionic Bar’ – where you can order your cocktails via a touch screen device, but so too can you connect to Voom, the fastest wifi/internet at sea, as well as connecting to Royal IQ, an app available on your tablet or phone – there is an android version as well as an iPhone version. There are Royal iQ stands located around the ship to help you connect and make bookings and reservations. You can also plan your holiday with Cruise Planner which allows you to select internet packages, make dining reservations, book shore excursions, spa appointments and more.

Having challenged ourselves to drinking a cocktail in every bar (of which there are more than 16!) we got to work, whilst also sampling a selection of snacks and canapés from some of the restaurants on board. I started to get my head around the whole concept of cruising – from what’s included in a standard package ticket to all the various extras and upgrades available on board.

The key thing to keep in mind when booking a cruise holiday is that your fare will likely include (though always check) –

All your meals within the Main Dining Room, on Harmony this is split across three levels and also on Harmony, within the Windjammer Marketplace (serving global cuisine, fresh-to-order omelettes, desserts and offering a fresh bakery for sandwiches and snacks), as well as tea, coffee and some soft drinks
Additional complimentary food is available at Sorrento’s Pizza, the Boardwalk Dog House, Mini Bites, Park Café, Solarium Bistro (highly recommended for a quieter experience) and at the Vitality Cafe within the spa.
The Adventure Ocean Kids Club if you are travelling with kids (I checked and they don’t accept disorientated mothers)
Activities, such as theatre shows, mini golf, rock climbing, swimming pools, cinema, zip line, carousel, dance classes, live music, comedy, sports and fitness, sauna and steam room, table tennis, quizzes, classes and demonstrations.

Things you can pay for/add on –

Drinks Packages and Speciality Dining Packages (these also allow you to make reservations in advance)
Shore Excursions – again, bookable in advance. You can get off and explore on your own, but by booking the shore excursion via your cruise company the ship has to wait for you if you are late!
You can also pre-pay for your gratuities to save you having to tip individual waiters or staff.

Food & Drink

Standard Dining Package

We dined in the Main Dining Room (below left) during our second evening on board. Usually, you do have the option of requesting a table of your choice, but at busier times you may be seated with other people. Look out for the option of ‘My Time Dining’ which offers you more flexibility on when to eat. I would imagine that at full capacity the main dining room must get very busy; there were a couple of teething-issues with the timing of food orders during our pre-inaugural cruise. However, we enjoyed the buffet-style dining of the Windjammer Marketplace (which would have also been included as part of any package) and in reality, would probably have found ourselves eating there more, particularly if we were on a cruise as a family.

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For families, the kids club staff can either take your children to eat at the Windjammer Marketplace or your kids can dine with you and then the staff can be booked to take your kids off to watch a movie while you finish your dinner alone. There is also an in-cabin babysitting service for a fee of $20 an hour per child.

Speciality Dining

During a ‘longer than two-day cruise’ I think I would have to take up the option of a Speciality Dining Package. For an additional fee you can eat within the speciality restaurants on board – prices vary from $6.95 at a hamburger-style restaurant to $25 for dinner at Jamie’s Italian to $49 for an experience at Wonderland and to $89 for a meal at 150 Central Park. You can also look out for Royal Caribbean Dining Packages and special offers – for example, you can buy 3 dinner sitting credits for $80. One or two of the restaurants on board also offer ‘a la carte’ options – so this is worth checking ahead.

Speciality Restaurants on Harmony include:

150 Central Park (cover charge)
Jamie’s Italian (cover charge)
Jonny Rockets (cover charge)
Chops Grille (cover charge)
Wonderland (cover charge)
Chef’s Table (for up to 14 guests)
Coastal Kitchen (suite guests only)
Room Service (cover charge)
Sabor Taqueria and Tequila Bar (dinner available a la carte)
Izumi Hibachi and Sushi (lunch and dinner available a la carte)

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Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine – At Sea

As mentioned, I had already experience Wonderland on dry land at the pre-launch event in Soho. However, during our first night at sea we had a reservation at Wonderland and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. The menu really is imaginative, beginning with a picture frame that you have to paint with water in order to reveal the ‘elements’ of your meal, categorised by Sun, Sea, Earth, Wind, Fire and Dreams. We shared a tasting menu showcasing most of the dishes on offer, which, as you can see below, were beautifully presented and particularly well-cooked – as you would expect from any comparable fine-dining restaurant on land. As an ‘add-on’ to your standard cruise package, I would certainly recommend scheduling in a meal at Wonderland with cocktails. We tried dishes such as Baby Vegetables in the Garden, Liquid Lobster, Gazpacho Cones, Terroir Beef with River Stone Potatoes and the Arctic Equator Chocolate dessert.

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Wonderland is available on Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas as a Speciality Dining Package.

Entertainment

The entertainment on board Royal Caribbean was very impressive. We watched the opening night of the hit musical ‘Grease’ as well as the opening show on ice called 1887. Harmony also offers a production called ‘Columbus the Musical’ and ‘Harmony High’ – a rock and roll style show. There is also an aqua-theatre, which includes high-wire acts and open-aired acrobatics. Sadly, we didn’t get to experience the aqua-theatre because it rained on our second day on-board – Harmony is definitely a fair-weather ship with so much outdoor activity going on. Happily, her future home-port is to be Florida.

There was also lots of music going on around the ship, including live music within some of the bars, such as the jazz bar. There is also a karaoke bar as well as a comedy bar. There is also a Vegas-style on-board casino for all your roulette, poker and slot-machine needs. Surprisingly, the casino is an indoor smoking spot so be aware of that when you are walking through to the art gallery – I almost told someone off for smoking indoors! After a good few cocktails (keeping up with our personal challenge to have one in every bar) we joined in with a full-on “Totally Awesome 90’s street party” – again, I felt as if I had chanced upon a parallel universe. I kept asking mum whether all this partying was normal on a cruise ship, and she assured me the party atmosphere is the main reason she enjoys it so much! I think this is what surprised me so much. I was half expecting a stuffy environment with people wearing dinner jackets looking forward to attending a captain’s dinner. In fact, the demographic of people booking cruise holidays has changed so much so that ‘the captain’s dinner’ is probably no longer the highlight of the holiday.

Royal Caribbean offer so much ‘upbeat’ and modern entertainment (for example, in securing the rights to Grease from Broadway and partnering with DreamWorks) that means that cruise holidays are increasingly appealing to multi-generational families who are keen to be ‘wowed’ and entertained as well as being well-fed and watered. Despite this new edge to cruising, there most certainly are quiet areas on board. I wouldn’t quite say we were in Ibiza territory and if you are after a quieter time of things, you can easily find a place to sit away from the hustle and bustle.

Harmony of the Seas: Credit Royal Caribbean. The Perfect Storm

Family Activities

One of the main reasons that I have never been on a cruise with my family is that with three children (aged 9, 6 and 2) I feared that we would feel trapped. However, I can completely see now that this wouldn’t be the case and that they would absolutely love it. There is a whole neighbourhood on board Harmony of the Seas dedicated to kids. The activities within Adventure Ocean are included with the cost of your cruise fare and there are three categories (as well as a nursery for Royal Babies and Tots) which includes Aquanaughts for 3-5 year olds, Explorers for 6-8 year olds and Voyagers for 9-11 year olds. The ship offers everything from activities presented by their partners DreamWorks, as well as face painting, craft stations, talent contests, Xbox corners and outdoor activities such as a zip-wire and two rock-climbing walls. Teens have a bit more freedom to come and go within a speciality area on Deck 15 with chill-out areas and even a dance club with staff on hand.

Older kids (as well as adults) will love the must-try experience of shooting down the biggest slide at sea called The Ultimate Abyss, which is a 10-story slide!

There are also three water slides called The Perfect Storm as well as a gym, a running track and a learn-to-surf wave simulator called FlowRider.

Hamony of the Seas: Credit Royal Caribbean. Pool Deck

Overall Thoughts & Tips

Did I enjoy my first cruise-ship experience? Absolutely. I think there was more than enough high-quality entertainment and luxury facilities on board Harmony of the Seas to make a ‘multi-generational’ family holiday a real contender for us in the future – and I didn’t feel sea-sick at all despite a little bit of choppiness around the English Channel.

I’d want to travel to somewhere hot to make the absolute most of the outdoor spaces on the ship. There are 25 cruise ships within Royal Caribbean’s fleet and as based on my experience on board Harmony, I would recommend an Oasis Class ship which offers most of what I experienced. Given that Harmony is currently the newest and largest, there are obviously some unique features to be enjoyed, too.

Harmony of the Seas is currently sailing around Europe, from Barcelona or Rome around the Western Mediterranean, but she is due to move permanently to Fort Lauderdale in Florida where she will cruise to the Bahamas, Eastern and Western Caribbean. An all-inclusive balcony room will cost around $1500 for a 7-night cruise but do look out for deals and special offers.

When booking…

I would definitely ‘add on’ a Speciality Dining Package as you are really only paying a supplement on top of your full-board fare but in doing so will open up a wider range of more exclusive dining options on board. I would also take advantage of any Pre-Paid Drinks packages on offer to limit spending lots of extra cash on cocktails.

Having said that, my mum and partner never take up the ‘speciality dining’ options and always have a perfectly happy time – especially as they enjoy taking excursions and sampling the local food on shore. So, if budget is an issue, on balance, I would likely choose a newer/larger ship and a better room with a balcony over paying for speciality food…

Whilst on board I attended a media briefing during which the President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, praised the independent travel industry and said that they have been key to increasing cruise-holiday sales.

Following the cruise, I spoke to an Independent Travel Expert Rebecca Randall who said:

“When a client is looking for a holiday they may not consider a cruise, thinking it might be an expensive proposition compared to a ‘land’ holiday. However, in reality there may not be such a difference in prices – making a cruise a good option for the customer – and that’s where an agent is able to provide advice.

We deal with all of the major cruise companies and get all of the latest offers, so we are able to compare prices and offer the client the ideal package for them. And for clients who do not have the time to search through all of the various offers – either from the internet or from the cruise companies themselves, the one-to-one personal service ensures that all their package needs are taken care of with the minimum of fuss.”

Royal Caribbean also have plenty of offers and deals which you can receive if you subscribe to their newsletter.

3 No-Bake Desserts

Summer is here and it’s hotting up so today I’m sharing three really easy recipes that require little effort and no baking! Hope you enjoy them, you can find the recipe links below which will take you straight to them on the Good to Know site. As you can probably imagine from these images, it’s a hard life creating recipes!

PINA COLADA FREAKSHAKES

Have you ever made a Freakshake?! A ‘freakshake’ is an Australian-inspired milkshake designed to wow and this weekend might be the time to have a go. These are adult shakes, made with rum, coconut cream, fresh pineapple, coconut cream and topped with fresh cream, roasted pineapple and coconut macaroons.

Get my Pina Colada Freakshake recipe here ->

NO-BAKE CUSTARD CREAM CHEESECAKE

I love making no-bake cheesecakes as they are really just a case of combining a few ingredients, assembling them and leaving then leaving your cheesecake to set in the fridge. This cheesecake is perfect for taking along to summer BBQ’s and garden parties. Custard Cream biscuits are whizzed to make the biscuit base as an alternative to digestive biscuits and a creamy custard cheesecake filling finished with real Custard Cream biscuits on top.

Get my No-Bake Custard Cream Cheesecake recipe here ->

RAW CARROT CAKE WITH VEGAN CASHEW FROSTING

What?! A healthy carrot cake – really? Yes, these little carrot cake bites are raw, vegan and full of good things such as carrots, oats, raisins and pineapple with an alternative frosting made with just cashew nuts (soaked), almond milk, raw honey or maple syrup and a dab of coconut oil. Fear not, I have not turned into a clean-eating convert, BUT, it’s good to balance things out and try something different new every now and again! You’ll need a good food processor or a high powered blender.

Get my Raw Carrot Cake with Vegan Cashew Frosting here ->

That’s it for now, have an amazing weekend.

With thanks to Good to Know/Time Inc. for the paid recipe commissions. Food, styling and photography my own.

May 30, 2016

The New Jamie Oliver Cookery School at Westfield, London

Hello, Happy Bank Holiday Monday!

It’s hard to believe that five years have flown by since I last took a fresh pasta class. Given that it had been quite so long, I jumped at the chance recently of brushing up my fresh pasta skills with the ‘pasta master’ himself, Gennaro Contaldo, ahead of the official opening of the brand new Jamie Oliver Cookery School within Jamie’s Italian at Westfield.

As you can imagine, with Gennaro as our tutor, there were lots of laughs and the evening whizzed by with great hilarity. Some of the regular Jamie’s Italian diners were also taken by surprise as they saw Gennaro and Jamie walking through the restaurant to greet a team of instagrammers!

Gennaro and Jamie by Giulia Mulè with permission

The new school is spaciously set out within a self-contained area towards the back of the existing Jamie’s Italian restaurant – which has its own space just across from Debenhams. I had eaten at the Westfield London Jamie’s before and whilst I had been as far as the open kitchens towards the back of the restaurant for a nosey, I was quite surprised that there was even more space beyond the kitchen where the new cookery school has been established. I really like the location – it’s great that you can be out at Westfield having a bite to eat or a shop, before popping along to a cookery class for a couple of hours.

Within the cookery school, there are two main teaching areas as well as a bar and a separate seating area where students can sit after the class and eat their creations. Our lesson took place in a bright, airy room with big windows overlooking Wood Lane. The second kitchen teaching area is within the centre of the school. It is very much kitted out in trademark Jamie Oliver style with plenty of Jamie tea-towels and books on display, funky chairs and fresh flowers. All the work stations are well-equipped and fitted out with ovens and induction hobs and everything you need to take part in a class, including aprons. Lessons are ‘designed to be informative and hands on, but easy-going so you can enjoy yourself while you learn.’

PASTA MASTER

During the ‘Pasta Master’ taster we watched Gennaro make and fill some fresh pasta before knocking up some quick and tasty sauces in real-time. Then we rolled up our sleeves and had a go at making and filling pasta ourselves. We used plenty of fresh ingredients for the filling, including peas, ricotta, fresh herbs and Parmesan. To make the sauces, we used a little olive oil, garlic, fresh tomatoes and herbs and some of us made a sage and butter sauce, too. All very simple and achievable to recreate at home. Gennaro advised that fresh tomatoes should always be left out at room temperature to ripen and shouldn’t be stored in the fridge.

COOKING WITH KIDS

Since it’s half term this week and with the summer holidays only a few weeks away, you could also book a couple of places for the kids to take part in a class. Children have to be 7 -14 years old to take part and one adult is required to stay and supervise up to 2 children. The Unbeatable Pasta Class is £30 per child, the Junior Sushi Master is £35 and Pizza for Kids is just £25 for a 2-hour class.

LESSONS

Over all there is a good range of courses and all the tutors are trained chefs. Classes are really well priced (approx. £40 for a class) and I think a 2-3 hour lesson is much less daunting that signing up for a whole day course at a school that could be tricky to find or get to – although there are a couple of full-day classes, such as the Ultimate Knife Skills Masterclass if you want to get stuck in for longer. The cookery school can also host birthdays, hen parties, kids’ parties and corporate events.

There are lots more classes I’d love to take – a Mexican Street Food Feast, A Taste of Japan, and the South Indian Prawn Curry class are all on my wish-list. The Showstopping Beef Wellington Class seems to have been really popular on social media this week – gift vouchers would make for a great present…particularly as Father’s Day approaches. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see a Modern Polish cookery class amongst the lessons on offer one day!

The Jamie Oliver Cookery School
Jamie’s Italian
1078, Westfield London,
Westfield Shopping Centre, Ariel Way,
Shepherd’s Bush,
London W12 7GB
The cookery school is situated within the Jamie’s Italian Restaurant at Westfield
Follow the cookery school team on Twitter @JOCookerySchool

There are lots of fresh pasta recipes here on JamieOliver.com

I attended the class as a guest for a preview evening ahead of the official launch of the school – with many thanks for the invitation. This is an unpaid/editorial post.

October 1, 2015

Market Experience Food Photography, Oktoberfest and the St Albans Street Finale this weekend!

If today’s news of the giant sinkhole in St Albans hasn’t caught your attention, then I hope this weekend’s St Albans and Harpenden Food Festival activities will!

As I type, there are just two spaces left on our market experience food photography workshop this Saturday – take a look at Stephanie’s site to book if you fancy joining us. If you’ve never visited St Albans before, let me entice you…

Our beautiful city is just 22 minutes by train from London St Pancras. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (situated in the heart of Verulamium Park) is the oldest pub in Britain. We also have more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the country (woo hoo) and we are incredibly proud to host one of the oldest regular street markets in the UK, dating back to the 9th century.

For a real taste of what St Albans has to offer by the way of independent restaurants, cafes, delis, market stalls and street food, then this weekend is by far the best weekend to come and visit.

Here are a few treats to look forward to at the weekend:

Stephanie and Ren’s St Albans Market Experience Food Photography Course

Meeting at 9am outside Thompson@Darcy’s
2 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 3RP

Click here for more details – two spaces left (as of today)

Photo credit: Stephanie Belton

Octoberfest, The Foragers at The Verulam Arms – Saturday 3 October

41 Lower Dagnall Street, St Albans, AL3 4QE
12 noon – midnight

After the workshop, I’ll be heading along to The Verulam Arms to join The Foragers for their annual Okterberfest. The Foragers are promising live ‘Oompah’ music, a special ‘festbier’ from their microbrewery and beers from Munich, as well as their ‘unique brand of wild food with a German twist’ including sausages, homemade stews and sauerkraut. Who’s with me?!

St Albans Street Finale – Sunday 4^th October

St Peter’s Street, St Albans (head for the city centre)
12pm – 6pm

On Sunday, St Albans high street will be transformed into a street food haven with a pop up village green complete with hay bales and beer from some of our best local pubs. There will also be a Kitchen Garden area with an emphasis on grow your own and locally grown produce, a City Farm, a Family Zone (including a children’s Fairtrade chocolate factory) as well as a cookery theatre and a World Food Zone. See demo times here (page 14).

St Albans Seasonal Salad

Thank you also to everyone who made the St Albans Seasonal Salad (there’s been lots of love on Twitter!) that I created especially for the food festival and the #kidscookalong this year and to Stu McLellan for illustrating it.

Happigreetings

As I’m dishing out some local love, I’d also like to thank Glen Cooper for sending me one of his happigreetings by happijar cards, featuring an image created by a local St Albans artist, Mandy Reekie and some inspirational quotes behind the little windows on the front. The really cool thing about these cards is that you can customise them and include your own quotes in each window – think of an advent calendar in a card with eight windows – six on the front and two on the back. Take a look at Glen’s Etsy store here for more versions.

If you can’t visit St Albans this weekend, then I hope you can visit the St Albans Christmas Market within the grounds of St Albans Cathedral from Thursday 26^th November to Sunday 20^th December. Find out more here.

August 26, 2015

{Win} A Sage by Heston No-Mess Waffle Maker (RRP £99.95)

Hello, I hope you’ve all had a good summer?

As I ease myself back into the swing of things, I’m giving away a Sage by Heston Blumenthal the No Mess Waffle maker (RRP £99.95) – perfect for making classic waffles at home. I’m going to road-testing this little baby next week and we’ve already got a whole host of toppings planned – from breakfast waffles topped with halloumi and maple syrup (trust me!) to sweet banana and toffee waffles with ice cream.

The main features of the Sage by Heston the No Mess Waffle product are:

A wide, wrap around moat to catch any mess or excess batter overflow – super easy to clean up, too
Browning controls to customise your waffles from light brown to crispy golden brown
Made by Sage by Heston Blumenthal (high-quality gadgets that are used and endorsed by Heston)

You can see my review of Heston’s Kitchen Wizz Pro here – I was super impressed with the quality and performance of this.

To be in with a chance of winning this waffle maker, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK Entrants only. Closes on 26th September 2015. Winner will be chosen by random and has 4 weeks to respond with address.

Enter Here:

Good Luck!

Features

From the ‘Seasonal and Raw Salads’ Chapter:

From the ‘Seasonal Soups and Market-Inspired Sides’ Chapter:

From the ‘Food for Family and Friends’ Chapter:

You may also like:

Which rice or grain to chose at home?

Carnaroli

Arborio

Gran Riserva

Brown Rice

3 Grains

You may also like:

Time to Party like a Pole…

The 10th St Albans Food and Drink Festival and Street Cafe Supper Club

The Amazing UK Blogging Community

Join me next week for the Wild Honey and Rye Polish Cookalong!

More Recipes:

Thank you for your support (and for buying the book and leaving reviews) and to all at Pavilion Books for their faith in my Polish recipes and for producing such a beautiful cookery book.

The Journey

The turning point

The meeting of minds

The Creative Process

The future

This book is for you.

Feedback and where to buy

Thank you

Nutritional Know-How

Lunch Hacks

1. Get up and go

2. Salads and slaws

3. Filling flasks

4. Fork free meals

5. Snacks and bites

Overall verdict

Cress

Green Beans

Baby Carrots

Edward age 10, says:

Elena age 7, says:

An update on our Sow and Grow UK growing pots

Cress

Edward, 10, says:

Runner Beans

Elena, 7, says:

Baby Carrots

Elena, 7, says:

Recipes

1. Almost Spring Lamb Hotpot

2. Easy Stove Top Chicken Casserole

3. Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with Celeriac Mash and Wild Mushrooms

4. The Ultimate Effortless Pulled Pork

5. Veggie Curry with Mango & Coconut

1. Your blog is your brand

2. Choose a name with longevity

3. Go for a simple design

4. Have a clear niche

5. Get your social media organised

6. Choose WordPress

7. Join the community

8. Stand out from the crowd

9. Value your content

10. Just do it!

So what now?

Pin for Later

How to Start Growing Your Own

Home Update from my 7 year-old:

1. Spaghetti Carbonara

2. One Pot Cypriot Lamb

3. Polish Gnocchi with Tenderstem ® Broccoli

4. Clearspring Gluten Free Brown Rice Noodles with Spinach & Tomato

5. Zucchini Boats with Bolognese Sauce

1. Turkey Stronganoff With Soured Cream

2. Polish-Style Open Turkey Sandwiches

3. Wholewheat Fettuccine with Kale

4. French-Style Irish Beef Salad

5. Quick Risotto-Stuffed Vegetables

Gifts

1. CHRISTMAS SPICED CRANBERRY & PLUM CHUTNEY

2. CREAMY SEA SALTED FUDGE

Canapes

St Albans Street Finale – Sunday 4^th October