And 1 hour later...

I finally figured out something that I am happy with. After playing around and choosing the template with the simplest design I was able to make everything else transparent and use a background that I wanted. My Gadget tiles and the date/day title for each post are still not the color I want, but at this point I am tired and it is almost 12:30am! I have been sitting here fighting this for almost two hours now. Time to give up the fight and go to bed!

~ Heather

Thanks Blogger

Am I allowed to be mad? Blogger has changed their template designer so now the minima layout that I need in order to put my cute backgrounds on is no more. I was trying to change how my gadget font and color looks, but could not find how to do it. So I tried changing the layout in the new one to see if that helped. Only a little, but I still can't figure out how to change to color of the titles. So now I can't go back to the old layout because it is no more. So now the cute little backgrounds won't work anymore. If anyone has figured it out, please help! I am about to go crazy over it! So to all you who use shabby blogs or aquapoppy for your backgrounds, don't go in and change your layout at all, because then you will loose your cute background! :( I am really sad.

~ Heather

The Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 - England v USA

After all the build up, all the talking, all the hype and all the bravado, the FIFA World Cup 2010 is now upon us. It is time for the players and the coaches who are in South Africa as you read this to put up, or shut up. On Sunday, 11th July, 2010, one of thirty-two national captains will lift the biggest prize in sport: the FIFA World Cup.

It is to food, pleasure and partying, however, that the Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 is dedicated. Whatever takes place on the pitch is beyond our control. It is now my greatest pleasure to introduce you to those who represent their countries on the first contributary day of The Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 and I hope very much that you will take the time to view the efforts of both ladies, from whichever side of the Atlantic divide you happen to originate. They have both put in considerable effort, for which I am eternally grateful. If you like what the ladies have shared with you, please take the time to let them know via the links provided to their own websites. If - for whichever unimaginable reason, you don't - you can contact me via the comments option at the bottom of this post. The fault will undoubtedly be a technical one on my part...

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Marie Rayner and The Thrillbilly Gourmet, cooking for England and the United States of America, respectively. The order in which they are featured is simply that by which FIFA have billed the match.

Cooking for England: Marie Rayner



When Gordon asked me to participate in this fabulous cookery event , being held in association with the World Cup, I was quite chuffed to say the least!! The World Cup is one of the most popular set of football matches here in England, and with it being held in South Africa this time around, that makes it even more special. The whole neighbourhood where I live is one huge testimony to the loyalty of England football fans, with every house being festooned with England Flags and bric a brac! Although I am originally from Canada, I am just as up for this big match as anyone else. I absolutely love this adopted country of mine, and it’s people . . . and I especially love the food here. I put a lot of thought into this dish which I think represents some of the best of what England has to offer in both food and tradition. This is what I aim to achieve each day on my own page, The English Kitchen, where I am debunking the myths of English Cookery, one recipe at a time. This dish is a wonderful meat fest of gargantuan proportions . . . salt marsh lamb (if you can get it), meaty pork sausages, bacon chops and beautiful British rump steaks . . . all grilled to perfection and placed inside individual plate sized traditional Yorkshire puddings, with a tasty garnish of grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. With true English Roasties on the side as well as some tasty cabbage, leeks and peas, this is a dish fit for a king, or at least a group of hungry Footie fans! Go England!!

*Pundit Pudding*
Serves 4

The best of England, served up in your very own Yorkshire pudding bowl! Do plan ahead as the batter for the puddings needs to sit out for an hour at room temperature before baking!

4 Lamb chops, trimmed
4 Small rump Steaks
4 small bacon chops
4 thick and meaty Butcher’s pork and leek sausages
Butter, melted
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 Large Tomatoes
4 Large Mushrooms
For the Pudding:
2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp salt
1/2 pint milk, at room temperature (1 1/3 cup)
140g plain flour (1 cup)
a little oil or dripping



Make sure all your ingredients for the pudding are at room temperature before beginning. Beat your eggs together in a large measuring jug until very light. Whisk in the milk. Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt. Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients all at once, pouring them into the well, and then whisk them in, slowly incorporating the dry mixture from the sides until you have a smooth batter. Now, this is the important bit . . . COVER IT AND LET IT SIT ON THE SIDEBOARD FOR ONE HOUR.

Preheat your oven to 230*C/450*F. Place a small amount of oil or dripping into each of four medium sized pie tins. (You will want ones with a six inch base) Place the tins on two baking trays and then put them into the hot oven to heat up until the fat is hot and sizzling. Remove from the oven and quickly divide the batter amongst each muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 full. (You may not use it all.) Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until well risen, browned and crispy, reducing the oven temperature by 10 degrees every five minutes.

While your puddings are baking cook your meats. Preheat the grill to it’s hottest. Brush the steaks and chops with some melted butter and sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the sausages on a rack in a grill pan and grill for about 7 to 8 minutes, turning frequently. Add the lamb chops and the rump steaks. Continue to grill for another 5 to 7 minutes, allowing 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a heated plate and keep warm. Now grill the bacon chops, allowing 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to the heated plate and keep warm.

Slice the tomatoes in half and brush each half with some melted butter, along with the mushrooms. Place all beneath the grill and grill for about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and season to taste.
Remove the crisp and fluffy puddings from the oven and tip out of the pie tins. Place each one on a heated plate, right side up. (So that it looks like a bowl) Place inside each: one lamb chop, one sausage, one bacon chop and one piece of rump steak. Garnish each with half a grilled tomato and a grilled mushroom.
Serve immediately with some crisp roasted potatoes and a green vegetable on the side. (I used lightly sautéed Savoy cabbage and leek mixed with some tender spring peas.)

Bisto Gravy and Brown Sauce are completely optional!



Cooking for the United States of America: The Thrillbilly Gourmet



The Thrillbilly Gourmet (aka Dixie Mockingbird) has presented her recipe in the form of a video, with the ingredients and instructions following in textual form.



For the brine -
1 qt of buttermilk, preferably whole milk buttermilk but any will do
cut up chicken - I use packages of legs - 12 at a time, or breasts, or both, even a whole cut up chicken
kosher salt

For the sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise - don't worry about homemade, by the time you've cooked with it, it won't matter
2/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 tsp salt
4-5 cranks freshly cracked black pepper
cayenne pepper to taste - the mayonnaise cuts the heat a lot, so I use 2 tsp, or even more

1. Mix all ingredients for the sauce well, and refrigerate. I try to do this several hours ahead so the sauce marries and mellows, but even twenty minutes is good. Before you use it, save some for dipping at the table. You'll only need about half for saucing on the grill.
2. Place the chicken in a large container, and cover with buttermilk. Make sure it's submerged, and refrigerate. Up to over night is good, but try for at least four hours.
3. A couple of hours before you barbecue, drain the chicken and place it on a baking sheet or over a rack and allow it to air dry for a while. You don't want to lose the buttermilk, but you do want the chicken skin as dry as possible so it will crisp.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge while you preheat your grill. Crank it up - high as it will go. You want lots of heat in there.
5. Salt the chicken on all sides well with the kosher salt. Turn the grill to low, or if using charcoal, find the 'cool' spot. For breasts, the total cook time is 30 minutes. For legs and thighs, the time is 20 minutes - with that said the interior temp with the grill lid shut should stay at just over 400F. You also want to turn the chicken so the skin crisps well on all sides.
6. Once the chicken is nearly done - just a few minutes to go - apply the white sauce with a brush. Keep the lid closed as much as possible so that the sauce adheres well in the heat. I usually douse one side, close the lid for 3-4 minutes, flip it over, coat the second side and repeat. The sauce will burn easily, so be careful.
7. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes - 10 if you can wait long enough, and you're good!

England v USA - The Football (Soccer) Match

England and the USA have met in the Group Stages of the World Cup before, back in 1950, in Brazil. At that time, England were the favourites to win the trophy and expected to not only beat the USA, but to do so extremely convincingly. Soccer then was probably even less popular in the USA than it is now and the USA were quoted at an incredible 500/1 to win the tournament. The result?

England 0, USA 1

I hope that these two magnificent recipes have inspired you to cook in advance of the match tonight and to enjoy it to the full. Whoever wins on the pitch tonight, there can be little doubt that both of the above recipes are winners and that the Unofficial World Cup of Food has certainly started in style...

The Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 - Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2010 is about to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa. It will be attended by dignitaries including the President of the United States, Barack Obama, and will be watched by a global TV audience of more than 500 millions.

Before I get myself comfortable to watch the festivities and the opening match of the World Cup between South Africa and Mexico which will follow, it is time to formally announce the beginning of the Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010. In so doing, I would simply like to spend a little time looking in general at what this blog is going to feature over the course of the next calendar month and how all who visit it can make the most of both World Cups and have as much fun from the procedures - on the pitch and in the kitchen - as possible.

The FIFA World Cup is often thought of simply as a sports' tournament. In truth, however, it is much, much more: it is mostly about the football, yes; but it is also about a coming together and celebration of different peoples and cultures. I was privileged to attend the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany and even although I very often did not understand the nature of the celebrations of the different peoples - never mind their language - it was wonderful to sample the friendly atmosphere generated by so many different nationalities coming together in one place for the purpose of enjoying themselves as much as possible.

Starting tomorrow, Saturday 12th June, it will be my great pleasure to introduce a number of cooks and food writers from around the world, who will during the course of the tournament share with all who visit this blog their culinary talents and creations. I will include this feature three or four times each week, for the duration of the tournament. I also have a number of other ideas which I hope to incorporate, all geared towards enjoying this magnificent global celebration period to the full.

So how can you get in to the spirit of the World Cup? How can you use the occasion to sample different cultures and cuisines, broaden your knowledge and have a great deal of fun at the same time?

As stated above, there will be a number of dishes shared here which you can have a go at making at home. Why not, however, host your own World Cup Party and come up with your own, innovative creations? You may well choose to host such an event when your own country is playing in a match and have the food and drink as you cheer your team on - that will no doubt be by far the most popular option. Why not, however, broaden your horizons and branch out in to the unknown...?

A few nights ago, I decided to cook a dish for one of the lesser known countries in a culinary sense which are participating in the FIFA World Cup. I picked a number of candidate countries and drew one at random - Ghana. I then simply searched Google for Ghanaian recipes for which I could obtain the principal ingredients and cooked a disk called Shoko, which is a beef and spinach stew. It was delicious!

Why not therefore look at the fixtures for the FIFA World Cup and select a match which is taking place on a night convenient for hosting your party, which features two countries with which you are unfamiliar with their national cuisine? Google is a wonderful tool in this respect and you may be surprised what tasty recipes you can find simply by searching the name of the country along with the words, "Food," or, "Recipes." There is no need to prepare anything complicated - you may simply wish to prepare a buffet style meal, which can be enjoyed by all as you watch the match.

What is a party, of course, without a drink? Even if you do not wish to incorporate alcoholic drinks, a lot of fun can be had preparing non-alcoholic fruit cocktails. I am one of those people who does enjoy a beer watching the match, however, so I spent some time last night browsing the beer aisle of my local supermarket, looking for unusual brews.

I found a great many candidates from around the world which I will sample as time goes on but for the opening night of the tournament, I could not resist the quaintly named English Ale, "Piddle in the Hole." The beer is produced by the Wyre Piddle Brewery and I will share with you at a later time what I thought of the brew.

Finally, today, I would wish you all a fun-filled time for the duration of the World Cup and although only one nation can be happy at the end of the FIFA event, I hope that people across the globe can get involved in and enjoy the Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 to the full.

TOMATO UPMA

Ingredients:

Semolina .... 1/2 cup

Water ......... 2 & 1/2 cups (boiled)

Tomato ...... 1 chopped finely

Tomato puree ... 1-2 tbsps.

Onion ............... 1 chopped finely

Green chillies .... 1

Red chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp.

Turmeric powder ... 1/4 tsp.

Sambar powder ...... 1 tsp. (optional)

Ginger ............. 1tsp. (grated)

Ghee ............ 1 tbsp

Oil ............. 2 tbsp.

Salt .......... to taste

For Tempering:

Dry red chillies .... 2

Curry leaves ....... 7-8

Cashewnuts ........ 4-5

Cumin seeds ....... 1 tsp.

Mustard seeds .... 1 tsp.

Asafoetida .......... a pinch

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add all the tempering ingredients. When they crackle add the chopped onion, green chillies and grated ginger. Stir fry for a minute.

2. Now add the chopped tomato, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tomato puree and the sambar powder. Mix well and add the semolina and stir fry for a minute till everything is blended.

3. Reduce the flame and add the boiling water stirring continuously to avoid lumps. At this stage add the ghee and mix it well.

Serve hot immediately with any chutney. This upma tastes good even without any chutney.

(you can prepare everything before and add the water when you are ready to serve.For variation you can also put green peas or carrots if you desire.)

Corn & Crab Chowder

Ingredients & spices :

2 strips turkey bacon
½ large onion, chopped
2½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 qt chicken or fish stock
¼ cup white wine
½ lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into approx. ½-inch cubes
½ lb. corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
½ lb. crabmeat (or imitation crab)
¾ cup half and half
Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste

How to prepare :

Cut the turkey bacon into about ¼-inch cubes. It may be easier if you let the bacon sit in the freezer for a few minutes before dicing it.

Add the bacon to a heavy-bottomed sauce pot or soup pot, and heat it slowly over a low heat, stirring more or less constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the fat is liquefied. Be careful not to let the fat burn. Lower the heat if it starts to smoke.

Add the chopped onion and cook it over a medium heat until it's translucent but not brown, another 4 minutes or so.

Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon while it's absorbed into the bacon fat, making a roux. Cook the roux for another 3-4 minutes, but like the onions, don't let it brown.

Slowly whisk in the stock, making sure the roux is fully incorporated into the liquid. Keep stirring while the mixture comes to a boil, and then add the wine.

Add the potatoes and simmer 15 minutes or so, or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a knife. By the way, to simmer means to cook at just below the boiling point. You should see an occasional slow, gentle steam bubble, but not the rapid bubbling of a full boil.

While you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, heat the half and half in a small saucepan. You want it hot (but not boiling) so that when you add it to the soup in the next step, it won't cool down the chowder.

Add the corn and bring the chowder back to a simmer for just a moment. Then add the crab and stir in the hot half and half.

Season to taste with Kosher salt and white pepper, and serve right away.

Corn & Crab Chowder

Ingredients & spices :

2 strips turkey bacon
½ large onion, chopped
2½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 qt chicken or fish stock
¼ cup white wine
½ lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into approx. ½-inch cubes
½ lb. corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
½ lb. crabmeat (or imitation crab)
¾ cup half and half
Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste

How to prepare :

Cut the turkey bacon into about ¼-inch cubes. It may be easier if you let the bacon sit in the freezer for a few minutes before dicing it.

Add the bacon to a heavy-bottomed sauce pot or soup pot, and heat it slowly over a low heat, stirring more or less constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the fat is liquefied. Be careful not to let the fat burn. Lower the heat if it starts to smoke.

Add the chopped onion and cook it over a medium heat until it's translucent but not brown, another 4 minutes or so.

Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon while it's absorbed into the bacon fat, making a roux. Cook the roux for another 3-4 minutes, but like the onions, don't let it brown.

Slowly whisk in the stock, making sure the roux is fully incorporated into the liquid. Keep stirring while the mixture comes to a boil, and then add the wine.

Add the potatoes and simmer 15 minutes or so, or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a knife. By the way, to simmer means to cook at just below the boiling point. You should see an occasional slow, gentle steam bubble, but not the rapid bubbling of a full boil.

While you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, heat the half and half in a small saucepan. You want it hot (but not boiling) so that when you add it to the soup in the next step, it won't cool down the chowder.

Add the corn and bring the chowder back to a simmer for just a moment. Then add the crab and stir in the hot half and half.

Season to taste with Kosher salt and white pepper, and serve right away.