Simple pleasures ….
Simple pleasures…..
…..are often the best. Sunshine on your back, bubbles in your bath and garden flowers on your table!
With so much of life being rather too complicated it’s nice to find ways to relax and take the pressure off – and cooking should be included in this too!
I have been testing lots of ideas for my Autumn demos including simple suppers – that not only look and taste fantastic but really don’t take too long to make. The idea of being able to create delicious meals, with pre-prepared, store cupboard and frozen ingredients really appeals to me.
With Autumn around the corner, I’m thinking of gently cooked stewed soft fruits, spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with just a touch of sugar; honey caramelised apple slices with cardamon and toasted almonds; and perfect poached pears in Marsala and star anis with a simple dollop of crème fraiche flavoured with little flakes of stem ginger. All of these can be prepared in advanced and then served with perhaps a piece of pre-made shortbread, a delicate meringue from the tin or a slice of almond & honey ice cream from the freezer.
When I’m making sponge cakes, I often make an extra layer which I put into the freezer. For a dinner party, I defrost and cut heart shapes out of the sponge and it forms the base of a quick and delicious pudding – topped with lemon curd cream, fresh raspberries and mini meringues, or creating a mini trifle layered up with frozen berries, custard and chocolate flecked Greek yogurt; or sandwiched with homemade blackberry jam, dusted with icing sugar and served with honey caramelised apples pieces.
Simple is pleasing – using up bits from the fridge to make a quick mid-week supper; perhaps poached eggs on the last slice of toast with a few grilled cherry tomatoes, a spoonful of chilli jam and a scattering of sea salt – followed by some Greek yogurt, slices of peach (or whatever is still in the fruit bowl at this time of year) drizzled with honey and topped with toasted almonds & seeds.
I leave you with the dictionary definition :
pleasure
Definition of pleasure
(Entry 1 of 2)
For more ideas and tips – please follow me on instagram @cocoandroses00 and see all my demos for this Autumn/Winter…..
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I would love to help!
Testimonials
What People are Saying
“Beautiful”
".... my bouquet was so beautiful and looked that you had picked every flower from your own garden. My bridesmaids loved their posies and the button holes were perfect and you could really smell the sage - as you said we would! Thank you for all your fantastic help. "
Claire, a country-style summer wedding
“Fabulous service”
".... thank you so much for being in my kitchen last night and giving us such a fantastic dinner. You really allowed me to spend time with my guests and enjoy the night before my son’s wedding. All the family were so relaxed and we all particularly loved your puddings! "
Louise & John,
a pre-wedding supper
“Delicious food”
".... a quick note to say thank you for an excellent meal on Tuesday – delicious food, efficiently delivered and enjoyed by all of us. It was lovely to enjoy good food at home, rather than in a noisy pub or restaurant – and we couldn’t have danced to 1960s Italian pop songs outside the house either!”
Nicky, family dinner party
"So pretty"
".... OMG the birthday cake you made for me was amazing. My friends and colleagues ate it all! The raspberry and passion fruit filling was delicious and the little petals and flower heads were so pretty. Please can I order 2 more for when my family come to stay next weekend?."
Jo, a decadent birthday cake