Food & Drink
Cooking...
with Mrs Simkins
Cheese and Ale Here’s another toasty cheesy snack for you to try: as I mentioned a few weeks ago, comforting cheesy morsels on toast have enjoyed a bit of a revival in recent times although for some of us, they never went out of style! First recorded in medieval times, early toasted cheese was simply toast soaked in wine (known as sops, bread soaked in any kind of liquid was big in the Middle Ages) with melted cheese poured on top. Later, ale was also used, adding a welcome bitterness to the rich cheese. This delicious version, further enhanced by fiery mustard, has been made in Gloucestershire for centuries and was often served at posting inns to revive weary travellers as a savoury between courses. Tips For best results, use a white two or three-day-old farmhouse-style loaf, cut
fairly thinly: thinner, crisper toast complements the cheesy topping perfectly. Fabulous served with a fresh green salad and tomatoes – and the rest of the ale. Per person Thin slices of Double Gloucester cheese, enough to cover the toast Made English mustard for spreading on the cheese
2-3 tablespoons strong ale 2 slices of bread Butter for spreading on the toast Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan oven) gas mark 6 or equivalent. You will need a lightly buttered shallow oven proof dish. Spread the cheese with the mustard sparingly and evenly. Lay the slices,
Mum’s Kitchen... Ultimate Sticky Toffee Pudding Ingredients: 225g (8oz) pitted dates 75g (3oz) softened butter 200g (7oz) demerara sugar 225g (8oz) self raising flour 2 medium eggs 2 tablespoons golden syrup 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda For the toffee sauce: 75g (3oz) butter 75g (3oz) dark brown muscovado sugar 250ml (9 fl oz) double cream 2 tablespoon golden syrup Method Preheat oven to 180C (160C) fan. Grease and line the base and sides of an 18 x25.5cm (7in x 10in) roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the dates
mustard side up, in the dish and cover with the ale: you may not need all the suggested amount, depending on the width of your dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes until melted, golden and bubbling. Meanwhile, toast the bread, cool slightly and let the steam escape before buttering thinly, taking the butter right to the edges. Scoop the melted cheese out of the ale still remaining in the dish and spread immediately over the toast. You can eat it straightaway but for best results pop it under the grill for the toast to become hot again and the cheese to bronze further. Double Gloucester Double Gloucester cheese was traditionally made from the full cream milk of Old Gloucester cattle, from both morning and evening milkings. MrsSimkins.co.uk twitter.com/MrsSimkinsCooks info@MrsSimkins.co.uk
with Diana Holman
into a food processor and pour in 300ml (1/2 pint) just-boiled water. Leave to soak for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat together butter, demerara sugar, flour, eggs and golden syrup until smooth. Whiz the date mixture to a puree, then pulse in bicarbonate of soda. Fold date puree into batter until well combined. Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce: melt the butter in a medium sized pan. Add sugar, double cream and golden syrup. Bring to the boil, stirring often, and simmer 3-5 minutes until thickened. Serve pudding warm, drizzled generously with sauce, and serve with cream or ice-cream. 31
