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Archives for January 2016

Scones

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Scone (GONE), Scone (TONE) however you choose to pronounce it I think the one thing we can all agree on is that they’re one of our favourite treats with a rich history.

Let’s start with the name, as it does attract so much discussion! The word Scones comes from the Dutch word schoonbrot (which clears nothing about the pronunciation for up for us at all), which means beautiful bread, other people think the word comes from Stone of Destiny which is where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. A scone is a single serving cake or quick bread, scones are usually made of wheat, barley or oatmeal and are baked in sheet pans. Often they are lightly sweetened and are occasionally glazed with egg wash. The original scone was round and flat, usually as large as a medium sized plate.

British scones are often lightly sweetened , but may also be savoury. They usually include raisins, currants, cheese or dates. The griddle scone is a variety of scone which is cooked on a griddle on the stove top rather than baked in the oven. Also other common varieties include the ‘dropped scone’ or ‘drop scone’ like a pancake, after this method the ‘lemonade scone’ was introduced which is exactly the same but using lemonade and cream instead of butter and milk. Theres also fruit scones which contain currants, sultanas , peel and place cherries which is just like a plain round scone with fruit mixed into the dough.

Want to treat yourself this weekend? Here’s a quick how to:

– Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

– Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter.

– Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough.

– Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.

– Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.

– Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

Vanilla can cater an excellent Afternoon Tea spread including Scones, Cakes, Tea and Coffee. If you’re interested please don’t hesitate to speak to our lovely team via 01625 421 685 or email us on info@vanillainallseasons.co.uk

Behind the scenes look at our styled bridal shoot at Chetham’s Library

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We are delighted to announce we’ve partnered up with the historic Chetham’s Library in Manchester. To celebrate, we brought together a number of our favourite suppliers for a styled photoshoot on site to showcase just how incredible this venue really is.

Designer Charlotte Balbier provided the stunning Iscoyd Park dress – ivory in colour, it perfectly complements the elegant surroundings. Rebecca Anderton styled the model’s hair and makeup, with soft, warm tones and a vintage inspired up do, which was in keeping with the simplicity and sophistication of the venue.

A collection of wild flower bouquets and table centres adorned the room, provided by premium table designers Special Days, with top quality crockery and glassware from Wythenshawe based supplier, Whitehouse.

Despite the cold weather, the shoot went smoothly, taking full advantage of both the variety of locations and the pool of creative talent that worked together to produce some beautiful images to really showcase the venue in its entirety. It’s fair to say our model Katie did a sterling job braving the elements – her smile never wavered despite the arctic temperatures. Katie, we salute you!

We’ll be hosting an open day on Sunday 21st February for couples to come and have a look around the venue and see for themselves how unique this location is. It will start at 10.30am and run until 4pm, where guests will be offered a drink and a tour of this one of a kind wedding venue.

Our Supplier
Vanilla in Allseasons (caterers)
Chetham’s Library (venue)
Charlotte Balbier (dress)
Special Days (table design & flowers)
Whitehouse (crockery & glasses)
Rebecca Anderton (hair and make up)
Chelsea Shoesmith (photography)

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Banana Pudding

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Mid-January and that healthy eating kick is starting to feel a little more difficult now that the Christmas and New Year dust has settled, well for us it has anyway. So, we thought we’d share some fruity inspiration to give you a bit of a lift. This week’s boost comes in the form of Banana. Banana Pudding that is… Well, what did you expect?!

It’s one of our favourite desserts for more reasons than one. Tasty and easy to prepare Banana Pudding works as a dessert for a special occasion or as a dish for a family dinner and it’s open to variation which means you can prepare to your own taste.

Originally just bananas, custard and a topping the dish has developed quite a bit since it’s initial inception in the 19th century with the import of bananas from the caribbean to the US. American cooks were intrigued by the exotic fruit and tried them in existing recipes which were typically puddings and custards. However since Mary Harris’ published a cook book called “the Kentucky Receipt book” in 1903 with an official recipe the Banana Pudding has become known for it’s delicious rich layers of custardy pudding, slices of bananas, meringue and crunchy vanilla wafers.

For special occasions, Banana Pudding is often dressed up with a whipped cream or meringue topping for texture. Yet the best thing about it is it’s a really simple pudding with little fuss – perfect for low-key occasions too! The recipe requires very little effort for such a great dessert, it’s just case of combining all of the ingredients in a pan and whisking until it’s thick which is great if you’re preparing it at home and of course it’s open to artistic licence. Replacing the custardy filling with vanilla is a popular variation.

If you’ve never made Banana Pudding before, here’s the ingredients for a vanilla style you’ll need to get you started:

5 Ripe Bananas
2 of Reduced-Fat Milk
2/3 cup of Sugar
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tspn Salt
2 large Eggs
1 tbsp Butter
Whipped Topping

Sweet, flavourful and simple to make. Banana pudding is a great pudding for the new year.

Vanilla In Allseasons are experts at catering for your specific needs whether it be desserts or mains we’re here to help. If your are interested in working with Vanilla don’t hesitate to get in touch via 01625 421 685 or email us at info@vanillainallseasons.co.uk

Left Over Sunday Dinner Recipes

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A Sunday dinner, can’t beat it. One of Britain’s traditions, served on a Sunday with roasted meat, roast potatoes Yorkshire puds, stuffing, vegetables and gravy. The veg is subject to choice and personal preference but Parsnips, Brussel Sprouts, Peas, Carrots, Broccoli and Cauliflower often make the menu. the meal is often compared to a less grand version of a christmas dinner.

The typical meats that will be served with a Sunday dinner are roast beef, chicken, lamb or pork, sometimes seasonally it can be duck, goose , gammon or turkey.

The traditional accompaniments :

– Beef – Yorkshire pudding, suet pudding , english mustard or horseraddish
– Pork – crackling and sage and onion stuffing , apple sauce or english mustard
– Lamb – Mint sauce or red currant jelly
– Chicken – pigs in blankets , sausages , stuffing , bread sauce , cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly.

The leftovers:

Leftovers from a Sunday dinner can be used to form from the basic meals for the rest of the week. Meats might be used for sandwich fillers, extra veg could be used in a hearty stew, blended into a soup or used as the basis for bubble and squeak and Lamb might be used in the filling of a shepherds pie.

The pubs and restaurants in the UK serving food usually have a Sunday menu that features a roast dinner. Regularly there will be a variety of meats and often vegetables and often is cheaper than the normal everyday menu.

A Sunday dinner left over recipe :

Moroccan-style stew roasted meat

Ingredients :

– Olive oil
– 15g butter
– 2 onions , finely chopped
– 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
– 1 tin of chickpeas (400g), drained and rinsed
– 1 tin of tomatoes (400g), chopped
– 1/4 teaspoon freshly grounded black pepper
– 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
– 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– juice of 1 lemon (or lime)
– 450ml vegetable or chicken stock (plus more if needed)
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 large bunch of fresh coriander or parsley, finely chopped (or a mixture of both reserve some for serving)
– 2 teaspoons mint, dried or a couple of sprigs of fresh mint
– 1 teaspoon paprika
– 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– leftover roast lamb (or chicken or beef)

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