Monday, March 27, 2017

Railways, London Food Markets, Asparagus,

Watching a programme on Saturday night on TV Ontario, it was all about how trains changed Britain in particular in the transportation of food all over the country and particularly to London. The people doing the narration ended up in a big London market where they bought the most beautiful lamb chops I have seen in over 40 years. I wanted to go 'home'. These in the picture look pretty good, but not as good as the ones I saw on TV. The food they showed in the markets, in particular Billingsgate which is a fish market in London, made me long for the foods which were so readily available there. They even visited a guy who smokes herrings to make them into kippers (I drooled) and another man who runs a genuine fish and chip shop. Unfortunately, I understand the old fish and chippers are giving way to the corner Indian takeaway. On this side of the pond there is too much emphasis on production for the masses and not enough on quality and taste. I have talked before about aging meat which is not done long enough in North America as a whole. One can get meat well aged, but as it is a specialty item instead of the norm, the price is astronomical. Another thing they did, was herd some sheep to the station and load them onto the train. There was a sheep dog so I don't think they were totally on their own. I was surprised, the sheep were being transported in an open carriage and didn't seem to be a bit worried at all.

Not a lot going on this weekend. We've been cleaning silver and glassware which is a bind but looks so nice once it's done. Taking it by easy stages, a shelf at a time. We had quite a lot of rain over the weekend and Sunday it was somewhat foggy. They keep mentioning snow on the weather forecast but so far, nothing has materialised round here.

I have just found a site on Cooking Light with lots and lots of asparagus recipes. So I won't have  to
repeat the same 'ol same 'ol although some I will repeat because they are so good. We had asparagus soup tonight, need to use it up as I will soon be making more, I hope. A lot of the recipes I found called for roasting the asparagus. Not my favourite way of cooking it as steamed or boiled it is such a succulent vegetable. A couple I saw were roasted and then a sauce added. Those I would definitely boil for preference. Looking at this picture, hadn't noticed before, the ends are white which shows the asparagus is NOT farm fresh. You never have to snap off the ends with farm fresh asparagus. You can eat the whole stalk.

If you are like me and love carrot cake and pancakes, this is the perfect brunch dish for you - or breakfast or any meal.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Want to have your cake and eat it too? You can (and for breakfast!!!) with these incredible Carrot Cake Pancakes. Drizzled with a cream cheese topping and sprinkled with a vanilla wafer crumble,
these decadent and fluffy pancakes are the perfectly delicious and tasty way to eat dessert for breakfast.

Carrot Cake Pancakes
2 ¼ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots, pat dry on paper towel

Cream Cheese Topping
4 oz cream cheese
6 Tbs icing sugar
3 Tbs whole milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Crumble Topping
½ cup vanilla wafer crumbs
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbs butter, melted

1. For the pancakes, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir milk mixture and grated carrots into the dry ingredients. Do not over-mix (lumps are okay in the batter). Let the batter rest while the skillet heats up.

2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Coat the skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon ¼ cup pancake batter into the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form, then flip over and cook on the other side until golden. Keep warm in 200ºF oven or serve immediately. To serve, stack pancakes, drizzle with cream cheese topping and sprinkle vanilla wafer crumble over top.

3. For the cream cheese topping, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Can be refrigerated until ready to use over pancakes.

4. For the crumble topping, preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Place mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes and then remove from oven and let cool. Crumble over pancakes.

Yield: 15 pancakes

Source: Zoomer Weekend

Have a great day
 

17 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - railways made a huge difference to local producers ... flowers could be taken up from Cornwall, vegetables too - they came on earlier than in other parts of the country ...

    We're taking much more notice of how meat, fish, vegetables etc are grown - yes the better quality meat is expensive ... but we should be eating less of it, and enjoying it more. The ready meals etc - are cheap, but not very good for one ... there's a lot of change going on in waste not want not, and how things can be made - it's interesting to 'see' and read about. I remember a cookery course I did after the war with a French woman - and nothing went to waste - onion peelings, peelings in general, old leaves ... all went into a daily stock pot... that part I never quite got used to using myself - but we never wasted food at home ... bones were boiled up for soup or gravy etc etc ...

    Asparagus is a while away yet ... though they've had it in the shops for a while ... I assume flown in - though we now do have poly tunnels and many things can be grown year round. They're also using old tube tunnels for growing salad leaves hydroponically under lights ... don't ask me too much! A-Z is coming ...

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. I should have given you this post that came in recently to mull over!! http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/raw-data-from-the-meat-atlas

      I'll leave it at that ... H

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    2. I think we were both brought up the same way Hilary, particularly after the war years of privation. I hate to waste food of any kind although I have never got round to the anything goes stock pot.

      That article was interesting and really very worrying. I have signed up for the site.

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  2. I do not often eat beef, but when I do buy a rib roast I always age it in the refrigerator myself for 3-4 days. Most of the lamb sold around here comes from New Zealand though I keep reading that USA lamb is preferable. I have no idea where to buy it though maybe I could check the big food markets downtown. I actually prefer roasted asparagus, though when in a hurry I will microwave it for about 3-4 minutes if stalks are thicker. It stays crisp and just soft enough to eat. BTW, do you get NatGeo? There is a series starting on April 25 about Einstein.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Good idea Denise. I eat NZ lamb quite happily when I can get it but I can also get local lamb which costs an arm and a leg. I will look and see if I can get the NatGeo site.

      Do read the article at the link provided by Hilary, above, it is absolutely fascinating information on food and its production.

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  3. We are all about the fast and processed food here. That's why it's a treat to find a restaurant that uses fresh foods and focuses on flavor.

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    1. So true Alex. Same in Canada and in many parts of the world unfortunately. Even France is degenerating I hear and that used to be a model of cuisine at one time.

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  4. I love trains and railroads. Have you ever heard Gordon Lightfoot's magnificent "Canadian Railroad Trilogy"? One of my all time fave songs. Russell's told me the right way to age meat...sounds kinda gross but apparently it's the best way to get tender and tasty meat.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. JoJo that makes you a "feroequinologist" according to Hilary Melton Butcher. No I don't think I have ever heard it even though he is Canadian. Would you email me Russell's advice on aging please?

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  5. Those pancakes sound good.

    We don't eat beef or pork, but we did find a place that has good tasting chicken. (At least according to my husband.)

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    1. You would really appreciate the article I have mentioned above Diane.

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  6. I'm not much of a fan of lamb but maybe I just haven't had it cooked the best way. Do love pancakes of almost any kind.

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    1. A lot of North Americans don't much like lamb Susan. Pancakes are delicious aren't they?

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  7. I don't care for lamb but I'm glad we have a shop here that is Mennonite and have meat that is not processed all the hell. .

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    1. Didn't know the Mennonites sold anything different Birgit. I, of course, love lamb.

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  8. Now you're making me wish it was asparagus season again. It's interesting that sheep meat isn't popular in North America. I used to wonder why because it's very popular in Australia but my American friends say it's not commonly available so that might be the reason and, of course, it does have a distinctive taste and smell. There was an advertising campaign here a while ago when Tom Cruise was unmarried which had a girl win a date with him only to turn it down because Mum was cooking a lamb roast.

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    1. Another month or so here Helen and I will be stuffing myself with asparagus. Not as common as beef, but certainly sold in most stores Helen. Trouble is, I think, many North Americans have encountered mutton cooked like lamb which doesn't work of course. Must say I would have preferred lamb to Tom Cruise too.

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