Lunch breaks in Lewes Part 1...

Hastings, here I come!

A fishing boat on The Stade. Watercolour by my good mate, Alan Rafter-Phillips. Thanks Al!

Ahoy me shipmates! Yep that's right, I've decided to trade life in the Big Smoke for a tranquil one by the sea, to Hastings! (Although looking at my ever expanding diary of upcoming events in the town; Hammer Horror movie festivals, Bonfire processions, Storytelling Festivals, I have a feeling that tranquil won't really be the case!) Seaside living posts to follow...Yay!!

Madeleines

It was that time again... recipe here. Mmm.

Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival 2012

This weekend the 15th/16th September was the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival. The festival is now in its seventh year, however it was our first time to visit and I have to say we got rather over excited about all the delicious fresh locally caught seafood, locally made wines and locally brewed ales and ciders on offer and wanted to try everything! 

We managed a rather decadent 4 delectable lunches; fish soup with bread, hot smoked salmon with bread and salad, Pollock goujons with samphire and home made chilli jam and Caribbean barbecue jerk fish with jollof rice each washed down with tasty local tipples from Battle Cider, F.I.L.O, Dark Star and Sedlescombe Wine. Simon then got hungry again later on and finished up with one of Tush & Pat's Famous Fishermen's Rolls.

Phwoar. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year!

Crunchy Marrow Pickle

My friend kindly gave me this HUGE yellow marrow that she'd grown in her allotment, which was just too big for one meal, so I had a look and found this recipe for crunchy courgette pickle and substituted the courgettes with half of my marrow - I then stuffed the other half with a tasty veggie chilli sprinkled with lots of cheese and baked it in the oven! It was delicious!

Here's what you will need for the pickle:

500g marrow
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp salt

500ml cider vinegar
140g golden caster sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp dried chillies
1 tsp ground turmeric 

Cut the marrow in half length ways and scoop out the seeds then very thinly slice, I used my new mandolin! Put in a bowl with the shallots and sprinkle over the salt. Cover with ice-cold water, stir to dissolve the salt and leave for 1 hour. Drain the courgettes thoroughly and pat dry using kitchen paper or tea towels.

Meanwhile, put the pickling ingredients into a pan and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 3 minutes, making sure the sugar has dissolved, then leave to cool. Add the courgettes and stir.

Scoop the mixture into 2 x 500ml sterilised jars and seal. Allow them to sit and 'mature' for a couple of weeks before enjoying.

Cider Making

Following the success of our home made perry last autumn we're now going to try our hand at cider making! We've found the source of our apples; an organic orchard just outside of Hastings. The apple harvest is at the beginning of October, so full coverage coming soon... Can't wait!

When to a pummy ground
You squeeze out all the juice Sir,
Then fill a cask well bound
And set it by for use Sir,
Oh, let the cider flow
In Ploughing and in sowing - 
The healthiest drink I know,
In reaping and in mowing.

Old Devonshire ballad

Long Man of Wilmington (and a greyhound)

By the Priory of Wilmington, long now gone, is the path to another
plane. Where the 'Long Man' stands as a sign to all that the old gods

still remain. Caught between two worlds he stands - to mark rituals

of old. A giant calling ancient ones, in chalk lines marked bold.

Above the man, a strange terrain of honey-combed hollowed hills. Where

the darkest creatures ply their trade in the cause of human ills. Do not

walk up onto the mount when the full moon is on the rise, for the folk from

under come about, whom our forefathers did despise.

Calling on winds from the furrowed mount, opening the doors to the other

side. Long barrow graves, whose years we cannot count, which the 'Long

Man' stands astride. Not staves, but planes he stands between;

the world that lies beyond.

Long Man of Wilmington! Cast your ancient spell!

Long Man! Strong Man! Bar the doors to Hell!

A dark coven gathers upon the mount, to renew the sacred bond.

The time is nigh to sacrifice, when the high priest doth raise the wand.

Fire on the hill in the midst of night, does signal the dark one's delight.

Long Man of Wilmington! Cast your ancient spell!

Long Man! Strong Man! Bar the doors to Hell!

Long Man of Wilmington!

Doth rise!

Long Man of Wilmington

Old Forest