One perfect cheese

Ann-Marie Dyas from The Fine Cheese C0 shows us her perfect cheese.

Make your own cinnamon and caramel sauce

You may have spotted Ashley Fryer from Peach Trees and Bumblebees inside this month's Issue of The Simple Things, Ashley has now kindly joined us on the blog to share one of her favourite recipes! Take it away Ashley...

This gorgeous sauce is delicious warm and served over ice cream! I like to make it as a gift to take to dinner parties. It’s lovely given in a large jar with a big bow! Also excellent in banana splits and sundaes.

Indgredients

200g butter 140g soft brown sugar 397g can condensed milk 397g can caramel 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Put the butter, sugar, condensed milk, caramel and cinnamon in a pan. Heat on low until the butter melts – but make sure you don’t boil the sauce. Ensure the sugar has melted and stir until smooth and glossy. The trick is to keep the heat low and stir it constantly. If the worst happens and the sauce burns, you can always sieve it. Remove from the heat and whisk until very smooth. Pour into sterilised jars and allow to cool before sealing.

The story of the first Foodie Bugle

Silvana De Soissons shares the journey of The Foodie Bugle from top website to print magazine.

In creating the very first print edition of The Foodie Bugle I decided to contact a number of food and drink writers, bloggers, producers, artists and farmers whom we had featured in the last two years, since the website at www.thefoodiebugle.com was created.

Many readers had contacted me in the past to say they wanted a print edition of all the features, reviews, articles, photos, interviews and essays we publish online, and so I decided to kick-start a collaborative project to bring this idea to light.

I was amazed at what a generous and kind community existed out there, really talented people offering their work to be part of this new venture. From photographers like Alyson Fennell, Lisa Barber, Tif Hunter, Pascale Cumberbatch, Sarah Maingot and Jason Ingram, to illustrators like Anna Koska, Beatrice Caillat and Annabel Lee, we were able to publish a really wide range of original and unique food and drink photographs and art work. This made all our articles about food and drink producers, writers, retailers and growers come to life and grab the attention, all printed in Britain, on organic, uncoated paper to make the magazine feel tactile and earthy.

Elisabeth Luard, an award winning food writer, unbeknownst to many of her readers, is also a very accomplished watercolour painter. About a year ago I went to visit her at her beautiful farmhouse in deepest, wildest West Wales, and she showed me the collection of paintings she had made for her new book, “A Cook’s Year in a Welsh Farmhouse”. From wildflowers to berries, produce from her vegetable garden, foraged mushrooms and fresh ingredients sourced from local markets and towns, Elisabeth spends a little time painting Mother Nature and all her bounty almost every day. She then uploads the images onto her Twitter stream and chats about her finds with her followers.

I thought it would be really interesting for our readers to enjoy her paintings on paper, and so I approached her to find out if she would allow me. She accepted, and so we went ahead. The results were really lovely, and many readers have commented on how pleased they were to see the paintings. Several readers have bought two copies: one to keep and one to tear out all the artwork and glue it to the wall.

You can purchase a copy of The Foodie Bugle from the website here: http://thefoodiebugle.com/shop    Follow us on Twitter: @TheFoodieBugle

Want a chance to win a copy of the first ever The Foodie Bugle? Tell us in which year The Foodie Bugle was created in the comments below and we'll pick a winner at random!

Lily Vanilli's top five baking tips

What better way to spend Easter break than baking? But, before you head into the kitchen take note of these top tips from book author and baker Lily Vanilli.

- Don't skip the science bit - read up on how baking works, understanding why a particular method is in place will make you a much more intuitive baker.

- Practice makes perfect - I train my staff in the style of Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid - study the basics over and over until you master them - then you can go on to do anything.

- Always check that you have the right pan size. People spend time and money getting the ingredients and method right, then tip the batter into any old pan they have and the cake has no chance.

- Mind the temperatures of your ingredients, it might seem like a minor detail in the recipe but in fact its crucial to getting a good bake - stick to the recipe's advice - cold butter for pastry, room temperature for cakes and so on.

- Invest in an oven mitt!

Got a passion for baking? Join Lurpak's Bake Club and take part in Lily's Chocolate Challenge this March!

Top tips for growing tomatoes not seen in Issue 8

We all know how disappointing the British summer can be. Ideally we'd all have greenhouses or poly tunnels, but if you have neither don't despair. Last year I grew one single cherry tomato plant in a pot on a sunny windowsill - it turned into a vast plant and produced more fruit than I believed possible. All I did was water regularly and feed it. The poor tomato suffers more than most outside in the rain, and is more likely to get tomato blight and an array of other viruses, most of which end up killing the plants.

There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of getting a decent crop.

1. Be prepared to cosset them a little, feeding regularly and keeping them sheltered from cold wind.

2. Grow those varieties that suit your location. If they have to be outside choose cherry types such as Gardener's Delight, Sungold and Black Krim, all of which will ripen outside given some sun.

3. Try growing cherry tomato variety 'Tumbling Tom' in a hanging basket with basil for company. These will tolerate outside conditions in the summer, and are either red or yellow fruits.

4. Grow several varieties - that way you'll soon learn which grow best in your garden or which you prefer to eat. And you're more likely to produce a crop from a variety of different plants.

5. Be prepared to ripen fruit indoors on a sunny windowsill. Put them in a paper bag with a banana and this will help to ripen them. But any green tomatoes do make great chutney.

Free Recipe! Baking biscotti with Elephantine

To celebrate the release of Issue 8 today Rachel Ball from Elephantine has stopped by the blog to share her recipe for almond biscotti. We suggest you enjoy these biccies with a foamy latte and the newest issue of The Simple Things.

Almond Biscotti with Maple Glaze (makes a dozen)

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cups white sugar 1 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt 1/4 cup chopped almonds 1 tsp orange zest 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)

1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almonds, and orange zest. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a spoon (or your hands). Dump the dough onto a baking sheet (optionally lined with parchment paper). The dough will be very, very sticky. Form it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool slightly, then slice into 1/2 inch wide pieces. Set the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, laying them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 20 more minutes, turning over halfway through. Finished cookies should be hard & crunchy. For the glaze*, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk. Mix well. Add more milk if it's too thick to easily pour. Drizzle over the cookies and let dry.

*Alternatively, you could make a lemon glaze instead. Or dip them in chocolate!

Don't miss: Rachel Ball showing us round her home town of Seattle in Issue 8 of The Simple Things.

Five things for the weekend: St Paddy's Day

A collection of makes and gifts inspired by St Patrick's Day...

Feta and thyme soda bread The Little Loaf  | Irish cream brownies Butter Cream Blondie  | Guinness soap All Things Herbal | Irish Manhattan Bon Appetit (photo by Tim Mazurek) | 4 leaf clover necklace Sevgl Charms

Whip up a tasty tiramisu in time for the weekend

Sukaina from Sips and Spoonfuls has stopped by to share this delicious recipe for a simple tiramisu. Whip this up in less than an hour to share and enjoy with friends and family.

Ingredients: 2 cups whipping cream 3 egg yolks * 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup mascarpone cheese 2 cups strong coffee approx. 25 ladyfingers cocoa powder to serve

Directions: Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. Using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, beat the the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla and mascarpone and beat on medium speed till combined. Fold the mascarpone with the whipped cream, taking care not to deflate the mixture.

Dip the ladyfingers quickly into the coffee. Layer glasses with the mascarpone followed by the ladyfingers alternatively starting and ending with the mascarpone. Refrigerate for four hours at least or overnight. Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Makes approximately 8 glasses depending on the size.

A big thank you for Sukaina for taking the time to share this recipe with us, for more visit her at Sips and Spoonfuls

* Make sure you pick the best eggs for this recipe using our notes on eggs guide inside Issue 7

*Sponsored: A traditional apple crumble

Our friends from Mornflake have stopped by to share this easy-to-follow video for making a traditional apple crumble, yum!*

For more video recipes visit www.mornflake.com

Friday night dinner for two (behind the scenes)

As it's a Friday and only 7 more days until Valentines,  we thought we'd share a few more captured moments from our dinner for two special (p104 - p111) in this month's The Simple Things.

Duck with spinach and pomegranate recipe found in this month's magazine.

MENU

Aubergine with pistachio

& sesame seed crumbs

*

Duck with spinach

& pomegrante

*

Poached pear with

gingerbread biscuits

Have you tried any of these delicious recipes? Leave a comment below or hop on Facebook and share your perfect romantic meal menu with us.

Happy Friday all!

Win a wine tasting class with The Simple Things and Inntravel (closed)

Love the grape but have trouble telling your Chablis from your Chardonnay? Want to learn the difference between old and new world wine? Well, we've teamed up with our friends at Inntravel to offer you the chance to win a full day wine school experience for two at Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant Berry Bros and Rudd. Perfect if you wish to condense all your learning into just one day, and also indulge in a mouthwatering luncheon where your new-found knowledge is put to immediate use with the wines served with lunch.

To be in with a chance to win this fantastic prize worth £490 simply click on this link and 'Like" Inntravel's page: http://on.fb.me/YkRIAw - good luck!

(Please note: Competition is open to UK residents only)

Michel Roux Jr recipe: authentic lamb tajine

Warm-up your weekend with this tasty recipe for an authentic lamb tajine. 

We've got the perfect recipe from two-star Michelin chef and slow food movement advocate Michel Roux Jr. A chef who  has won numerous awards for his cuisine and understands the importance of  appreciating food and respecting where it comes from.

Lamb Tajine

1 boned lamb shoulder

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 onions, chopped

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

1 tablespoon honey

300ml chicken or vegetable

stock (page 208)

50g whole blanched almonds, toasted

Serves 4-6

Preheat the oven to 140°C/Gas 1. Cut the lamb into 3cm chunks. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron casserole dish and pan-fry the lamb until golden. Add the garlic, onions and spices to the dish and continue to cook and stir over a medium heat for about 10–15 minutes.

Add the lemon, honey and stock to the dish and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

Stir in the toasted almonds and serve in traditional tajine dishes if you have them.

If you liked this recipe you'll love Michel's exclusive recipe booklets which come free with this weekend's Telegraph (one on Saturday and Sunday), that's 40 of Michel's favourite dishes to inspire you in the kitchen - our mouths are watering at the thought!

Visit The Telegraph to find out more and for a chance to win dinner for two at the infamous Le Gavroche!