Cheesy Sugar Plums with Lisa Holloway
Lisa Holloway owned and ran Compton House for 14 years, an award winning B&B in Newark on Trent. She took part in Four in a Bed, and also went on to present a 35 part programme ‘To B&B the Best’ for Channel 5. Last year, Lisa moved to Oxfordshire, buying an adorable cottage called 'The Beehive' where, after renovations are complete, Lisa will be running it as a tiny B&B! All rights reserved © Lisa Holloway 2022
Email: looholloway@gmail.com IN: @looholloway
Breakfast is my favourite meal, and when I ran Compton House, our B&B in Newark on Trent, I loved giving our guests a great start to the day. Coming from all over the world, I gradually learnt what my guests liked to eat in the morning. Many of our guests preferred fish for breakfast, while others loved sweet tarts and cakes. I always had some seasonal poached fruits on the tables, often warm spiced plums in the Winter. And always at Christmas a traditional Cake for guests to help themselves. Last but not least, a cheeseboard, with a whole blue Stilton given pride of place. One Christmas we had a young lady called Megumi from Tokyo staying with us and she adored everything British and Christmassy. She loved a cooked English Breakfast, after which she would devour a huge slice of cake with her tea. And she always had a small bowl of spiced plums to finish. Then she discovered the Stilton... Megumi had an early start, so perhaps to save time, she crumbled the Stilton on top of the hot plums. I explained that wasn’t how we ate Stilton, but she told me she loved it – so I tried it too. The saltiness of the Stilton, melting into the sweet spicyness of the mulled wine was a revelation! Megumi’s happy, accidental plums became a wintery tradition at Compton House; except now I use a vegetable peeler, for wafer thin slices of Stilton which melt quicker than crumbs. Happy New Year!
Recipe Mulled Wine is a matter of taste, how sweet or tart? I haven’t been too strict with the amounts for the ingredients in the recipe below. Add more sugar and orange juice as you taste while the wine warms up. I prefer the plums in a sweeter syrup, to contrast with the Stilton. Brandy is optional and the alcohol from both the wine and brandy is evaporated with cooking.
Ingredients for 4 • • • • • • • •
One bottle of Mulled Wine (or make your own - there are lots of recipes to choose from) 8 large, firm, and ripe plums (not too soft, not rock hard) 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar Half a litre carton orange juice, without bits A can of Jamaica Ginger beer (or some Ginger wine, both give a good zing) One large orange A wedge of Blue Stilton Bay leaves to garnish
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