Cider

In the US they have two types of apple cider. Regular which can be drunk cold or mulled – Starbucks sell hot apple cider in the fall you can get it with whipped cream (it’s awesome). And they also have hard apple cider which is the alcoholic version.

So I was very surprised the first time I purchased a bottle of apple cider in England. First off it’s carbonated, and it’s alcoholic. They don’t have anything like the American version of apple cider here. It took years for me to get over that before I could drink a cider here.

Eventually I discovered Bulmers and Magners Pear ciders which are pretty good, this lead to me drinking the normal apple version as well.

When we were in Nottingham a few years ago for a friends Hag Do (bachelor/bachelorett party) we stopped in a pub that had something called Aspall Cider. To be perfectly honest I bought it based on the look of the bottle, I’m so glad I did as from all the ciders I’ve tried so far (there are a whole lot of varieties) it is my favourite.

And when I say there are a lot of varieties, I’ve only tried. Strawberry, Strawberry and Lime, Raspberry and Lime, Aspall’s Blush, apple, pear, summer fruit…. Like I said there are so many. I think there’s a blueberry….

Oh and the once when I had Strongbow….

Which I think isn’t probably made of apple, more like cardboard but oh well. (I’ll try any drink once)

So here’s to the end of a busy Saturday with an Aspall Cider.

(which is being drunk out of a wine glass – deal with it).

-Sabrina

Strawberry Season

We only live a few minutes from a strawberry farm. You can either pick your own or for a few weeks a year they have a cart by the side of the road where you can buy them by the container. Each year I make a version of strawberry shortcake for my work, this year because I have a cup cake pan I made strawberries and cream cup cakes!

Cup Cake Recipe (yellow cake)

1 12 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 200C

Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Add in eggs & vanilla until mixed. Mix in remaining dry ingredients and milk.

Spoon into cup cake pan only filling the cases 3/4's full.

Bake for 15 minutes

Once cool, using 1 container of double cream - blend with a few tbs of sugar for 5 minutes on maximum speed.

Spread whipped cream onto cup cakes. Add strawberries!

Baltimore Foods

There are a few foods from the USA that I miss a lot. Sometimes I get a craving for Nilla Wafers or Combos. However there are two foods that I always miss.

Cheese Steak Subs – growing up my Dad always took me to HillTop Carryout on East Fort Avenue in Baltimore (http://www.hilltopcarryout.com/). He still goes there and they’ve opened another location closer to him (B&A Blvd). They serve a variety of foods, I however have only had their cheese steak subs. My way of ordering it is with provolone cheese, lettuce and mayo (Mom & Dad got fried onions and sometimes changed the cheese). I still remember when I first managed to eat a whole one by myself I think it was one of Dad's proudest moments. I’ve tried other places including the one time Sub Way order, which I do NOT recommend (avoid Sub Way at all costs when it comes to their steak & cheese sub, it’s vile). Recently friends found provolone cheese while they were in Spain, they were kind enough to share it with me and I must say the English are missing out on provolone cheese.

Blue Steamed Crabs – another must if you grow up anywhere around the Chesapeake Bay is the famous steamed crabs. These are steamed in a pot including beer and a spice called Old Bay. You pull the legs off, gut the buggers and pick the meat out. A lot of restaurants have these on the menu, you can sit around a table covered in newspaper with knifes and hammers at the ready and pick crabs for ages (having a beer with them is nearly mandatory).

For those who don’t like to sit and pick through shellfish there is the Maryland Style Crab Cake. My Nana’s recipe is one I swear by, which I’ll share.

I can’t wait until I get to go back to the USA, as I’ll be having both of these favorites when I visit!

Nana’s Crab Cake Recipe

1 can (1lbs) (450 grams) Crab Meat
1 tsp salt (you can use less)
1/8 or 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper to taste
1 tsp dried or fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp dry powdered mustard
1 tsp vinegar cider
1 egg slightly beaten
1 tbs Mayonnaise
1/3 cup (43 grams) crushed crackers (biscuits for cheese)
1/2 tsp Paprika

Pick through crab meat for shells try not to break up lumps of meat.

In large bowl beat egg lightly. Add ingredients except crab meat/crushed crackers. Stir well.

Drop crab meat into bowl, add in some of the crushed crackers just enough to hold together the crab meat. Make into patties (about the size of a small burger)

Mix paprika with left over crushed crackers sprinkle over patties.

Fry in lard or butter or oil for 5 to 8 minutes on medium heat. They will brown.

Place on kitchen towel once fried to drain off excess oil.

Serve plain or with tartar sauce or with ketchup.