Charlotte's Newsletter | Issue 15
Issue 15 | Friday 23rd September 2022
Welcome to Issue 15
Hello again!
I was all ready to write to you all a fortnight ago, and then, well, we all know what happened. I decided to hit pause out of respect for The Queen and resume today as usual.
It's been a real whirlwind of a month here with lots going on and I've certainly clocked up the miles. It was my birthday at the start of the month, and I was so lucky to spend time with my family, who came from near and far to celebrate. In a very on-brand move, I cooked my own birthday dinner for us all, which was lots of fun and such a treat to choose my favourite things to eat and drink. We made Negronis using a bottle of Antica Formula I picked up from Valvona & Crolla recently and I bought a lovely piece of beef from the local butcher and cooked it on the Big Green Egg.
Over the last month, I've been discovering some truly outstanding food products at the Golden Fork Awards in London (if you look very carefully, you will spot me in the video!), eating cream teas and visiting the regenerative farms supplying Trewithen Dairy in Cornwall, cooking up a storm at Ludlow Food Festival, signing lots of Hungry Student Cookbooks for people off to Uni and cooking a large quantity of seafood on the south Devon coast.
I have been lucky enough to stay at beautiful Boconnoc in Cornwall, where I had dinner cooked for me by Nat Tallents who was on Great British Menu, at The Riverside at Aymestrey (the food is really fantastic) and on the edge of the beach at Budleigh Salterton, where I managed to swim every day and even see dolphins first thing in the morning. So I feel very fortunate indeed.Â
Back home, I've been busy working on plenty of recipe testing, and you'll find some new recipes from me in the first issue of Countryman's Weekly each month. My recipe recommendations are below as usual, together with some brilliant new cookbooks I've been enjoying. I also have some new discounts for you, which I hope will be useful.
I am taking bookings for private one-to-one cooking classes - so if you'd like to book a class with me for a one-to-one tutorial, group or corporate class, hen party, you name it, you can do this on my website.
Thank you to everyone who has very kindly supported my Patreon account so far. It is very much appreciated and helps to support the costs involved in putting this newsletter together.
I hope you will all have a positive and delicious fortnight ahead.
With my thanks and best wishes,
Charlotte
Charlotte's Basket
We have been feasting on fresh figs recently, which are just superb at the moment. There are some sensational apples and pears at their absolute peak at the moment, and I am trying to make the most of them as I am very passionate about eating and working with native seasonal produce.
Our garden continues to produce beans, chard, beetroot and kale, and I know others still have courgettes, squash and sweetcorn. We have some lettuces too, and I have been cutting the leaves on demand, rather than whole heads, so that they last longer. I need to plant more mint and parsley as I use both in very large quantities in my cooking.
I shall be making plans to sow some more seeds shortly, so that we have some more winter vegetables coming through, and we are considering building a second no-dig bed, as the first has been so successful and productive.
Charlotte Loves
New Charlotte Loves Discounts I'm absolutely thrilled to tell you that I have some new discounts from you from my favourite friends in food to bring you some exclusive discounts on their products. These discount codes are only available here, through the newsletter. For avoidance of doubt, these discounts are purely for you to enjoy. I am not paid to offer them, nor do I receive any commission. LittlePod, the supplier of organic, responsibly sourced vanilla pods, pastes and extracts have generously offered 10% off their entire range of beautiful products purchased on their website. The flavour is, in my opinion, unparalleled and they work to support growers and to preserve the future production of this most special ingredient. Use CHARLOTTELOVES to secure your discount. I am obsessed with Peter's Yard crisp bread and sourdough crackers. I am never without a couple of packs in the cupboard to go with a cheeseboard (which happens quite often in our house) or for a quick lunch with a salad or some sort of dip. I love the story of the brand and have been privileged to have taught the exec team on a cookery away day. Use CHARLOTTELOVES to get 20% off the entire range on their website, and do stock up, they will disappear quickly! Pipers Farm have kindly offered you all a 20% discount off your first order if you use the CHARLOTTELOVES discount code. You can use this link to join their points scheme, too. I also have an amazing 20% off for new customers and 10% for existing customers at the Bold Bean Co. who produce the most delicious jars of beans. Visit their website and pop in CHARLOTTELOVES to secure your discount.
What to cook this fortnight
I've been working on a number of recipes for BBC Food Food and you'll find quite a selection over on the website if you would like some inspiration. You'll find more appearing soon, too.
I went to London this week and had a very nice meal at Honey & Smoke for the first time in a couple of years. Of course, I had their legendary cheesecake. If you haven't tried it, it's amazing and the recipe is here.
If you're still thinking of 101 ways with courgettes, slow cooking them is a trick lots of people don't think of. This recipe from Thomasina Miers is excellent.
If you're lucky enough to get some fresh fish and fennel, this recipe from Diana Henry is wonderful. I made it last week with a fresh whole bass.
I made a version of this Riso Gallo coconut rice dish for National Rice Week last week, and it was absolutely gorgeous, with lemongrass and banana.Â
New Cookbooks
There are so many new cookbooks out, and I have spent a number of happy hours immersing myself in a couple I have been especially excited about reading. I'm working through more new titles at the moment, which I'll bring you shortly.
Fool's Gold, A History of British Saffron by (my brilliant friend) Sam Bilton is absolutely fascinating, and the recipes are absolutely delicious. I am obsessed by the saffron buns, which are so good.
Cooking by Jeremy Lee is a title I've looked forward to for SO long. I admire Jeremy hugely and really rate his cooking, both from his Blueprint Café days and now, at Quo Vadis. This book is a joy to read and to cook from. Surely a modern classic.
Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage is another title I went straight out to buy. Ixta is such a creative cook and this book really does deliver some very innovative and unusual flavour combinations. If you're after something really different, and enjoy trying new combinations of ingredients, then I should think you will be interested in this book.
The Ballymaloe Desserts Book is here and it is set to be as iconic as the dessert trolleys are at the hotel. Many of you will know I did my chef training at Ballymaloe, and I have cooked, tasted and admired many of the creations in this beautiful book. I can personally vouch for how delicious they are. Its author JR Ryall is a hugely talented chef and such a nice man. I really recommend this book for anyone who is interested baking and pastry, or who wants to create a show stopping end to a meal.
Something for the Weekend
As the weekend approaches, I'm pleased to share are my upcoming food festival dates and some great rosado wines to try from Spain.
Do, please, let me know if you try any of them, and what you think.
Autumn Food Festival Date
I'm very pleased to be running the cookery classes at Dartmouth Food Festival again this year. It is the third weekend in October. Do book your places in good time as we had a sell-out in 2021.
Some stunning Spanish rosé wines to try from Rioja
Marqués de Murrieta Primer Rosé 2021
Panorámico 2020
XF, an exciting collaboration between Xandra Falcó and Bodegas Sierra Cantabria.