Mildred's Kitchen

Food in season: August

By: Mil August 1, 2020October 17, 2019

Seasonal food, SummerBBQ, Seasonal food, Seasonality, SweetcornLeave a Comment

And so the seasons begin to think about changing again. It’s difficult to imagine about with the constant reel of summer BBQs and open air events, but the food never lies and with sweetcorn, damsons and elderberries coming into season things are starting to get, dare I say it, a little autumnal. This seasonal shift…

Free downloadable seasonal fruit and veg guide

I go on a fair amount about seasonal food. Every month I let you know what will be in season and that’s because it’s the way I plan what I eat, how I shop and ultimately what ends up on my plate. Eating food that’s in season means that ingredients taste better, that there’s less…

Easy cheese straws

Some people might call this cheating. Those people might be right, but I don’t see anything wrong with that from time to time. Picture this: it’s a balmy summer’s evening, maybe a Friday night. You’re sat in your garden or on your balcony, or maybe the window is wide open allowing you to bask in…

Gravlax on buttermilk and spring onion pancakes

Gravlax with savoury buttermilk pancakes and dill cream cheese

I used to have gravlax twice a year, once at Christmas and once in the summer. At Christmas it was, and still is, served side by side with home-smoked salmon, mayonnaise laced with sweet mustard sauce and fresh herbs as a starter before Christmas lunch. In the summer it would usually mark a weekend of…

Blistered padron peppers

This is one of the easiest things you will ever make. In fact, it’s not even really a recipe, more of a good idea, which is why this post is so short. It tastes of mediterranean holidays overlooking a marina while the sun beats down on your face. Are padron peppers spicy? No. Well kinda.…

Food in season: July

By: Mil July 1, 2020June 29, 2020

Seasonal food, SummerChilli, Holiday, Sardines, VacationLeave a Comment

It’s the month of summer holidays and food inspiration from afar. Whilst travels may be somewhat more local this year, there’s no harm adding some fresh chillies to your marinades, whacking some of the good stuff on the BBQ and pretending you’re sunning yourself somewhere a little more exotic than your garden, balcony or local…

How to buy good mozzarella

Mozzarella can be found in almost every supermarket and deli, but as a result there are many different varieties and price points covered, so how do you tell if it’s a good one? Cow vs buffalo The main two types of mozzarella you’ll find are made from either buffalo or cow’s milk. Sheep and goat’s…

Cultured butter: an experiment

Butter is central to so much cooking, from the classical to super modern, whether gluttonous or health foods. It adds richness and flavour, emulsifies sauces and is even responsible for the flaky layers in puff pastry. We’re reasonably accustomed to seeing salted and unsalted varieties and can find a vast array from the raw, unpasteurised…

Niçoise salad

Niçoise salads remind me of one particular scene from my childhood, which has been repeated throughout my life. It’s a Thursday evening. Maybe it’s a balmy evening with the smell of honeysuckle wafting through the open back door or maybe there’s rain lashing at the windows despite it being June. Either way, in the middle…

Food in season: June

By: Mil June 1, 2020May 30, 2020

Seasonal food, SummerBerries, Currants, Eat the seasons, Eating seasonally, Fish, Fruit, Meat, Mediterranean Veg, Summer Foods, VegetablesLeave a Comment

Ah, those heady days of summer are upon us. The question on everyone’s lips: will it be a washout or will we see the sun? Only time will tell. We can see the beginnings of mediterranean veg coming in with aubergine, courgettes and fennel, perfect to be roasted up or made into ratatouille. It’s also…