Category: Blog

This weekend: Fresh Pasta at the Hungerford Food & Artisan Market!

I’m very excited to let you know that I’ll be attending the Hungerford Food & Artisan Market this weekend, organised by the team behind the Hungerford Food Festival.

I will be selling fresh, handmade egg pasta, including plain and stuffed varieties. I haven’t actually decided yet which shapes I’ll be making, but whatever I choose they’ll be based on my free range egg pasta recipe.

Of course, I’ll also have a couple of sauce options: a classic pomodoro, herby butters, and a fresh pesto. The wild garlic is currently in season and I can’t resist foraging, so expect to see that all over the menu!

Sunday 18th April

10:00am – 1:00pm

The Croft, Hungerford

Check out the Facebook event for more details about all the sellers.

Hopefully be selling all the time, as I’d love the chance to check out the other stalls! Fingers crossed for sunshine…

See you there,

p.s. If you missed me at the market, get in touch to order your fresh pasta for pick up or delivery. Orders must be placed minimum 2 days before you’d like to eat.

  • How it all starts!
  • Classic ravioli
  • Pink garganelli

18th April: Update for Hungerford Food & Artisan Market customers

How to cook your fresh pasta

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil

2. Drop your pasta into the water. If it’s stuck to the paper, just pop the paper in with it!

3. Boil for 4-5 minutes

4. In the meantime, melt butter or warm your pesto or sugo in a small frying pan

5. Add your cooked pasta to the frying pan, with a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water

6. Gently mix

7. We recommend serving with plenty of parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper!

We love to see our food out in the world! Share your pictures or drop us a message, search “Simply Delish Lambourn” on Facebook or @SimplyDelishLam on Instagram.

Magical mushrooms…

The first ‘crop’ from the mushroom log in our garden!

I love mushrooms. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I have to stop myself having them too many times a day!

I usually go for the brown chestnut mushrooms for day-to-day dishes, but I also like to bring in dried porcini, shiitake, or Oyster mushrooms now and again for an even more powerful funghi flavour.

A couple of years ago we were gifted a log with some mushrooms spores in it, and were full of excitement for our own crop. We’ve patiently waited many months and so far we’ve grown a grand total of… two shiitake! Not quite the mushroom farm I imagined!

Seasonal pumpkin stuffed with a mix of mushrooms.

We’re lucky in Lambourn to be in the delivery area for the Funghi Club (not an advert, I just love their food). The Funghi Club’s speciality mushrooms are a little pricier than your average button-cup, but with lockdown feeling never-ending these lovely mushies have certainly brightened my day.

When cooking with mushrooms, I like to make them the star of the dish. This simple stuffed pumpkin makes the most of autumnal flavours, with woody Oyster mushrooms joining your regular supermarket shroomies. Plenty of parsley and black pepper in the creamy sauce makes this real comfort food!

Have you ever grown your own mushrooms?

Buona Pasqua

My Pastiera Napoletana… Looks too good to eat if I say so myself!

Easter is round the corner, and although this year has been strange as can be I’m determined to enjoy the day. Sweet treats are just what everyone needs at the moment!

It’s become a bit of a tradition that I will make a pastiera Napoletana. This tasty Italian dish is something like a cross between a cheese cake and a rice pudding, with a pasty case and lattice top.

My mama makes it with risotto rice, however I like to use ‘Grano Cotto’ as I prefer the texture. You can buy this ready-cooked wheat grain in any good Italian deli.

This is one of those puddings that is delicious warm or cold, on its own or with a dollop of extra cream, fruit, or even a drizzle of chocolate (why not melt down a rogue easter egg??).

Have you ever tried a pastiera? How do you eat yours?

Buona pasqua, happy easter,

Layers upon layers

Sometimes, one layer of cake is not enough!

I’ve really enjoyed making some truly enormous cakes this year. From weddings to big birthdays, it seems everyone loves a layered cake.

Naked wedding cakes are so popular this year, and so are beautiful fresh flowers. I only use organic flowers, and I can recommend to you which flowers are safe to have on cakes that will match your colourscheme.

The best thing about a cake with layers is you don’t have to choose one flavour. Chocolate on the bottom, lemon in the middle, and a traditional fruit cake on top? Or why not include one layer that’s vegan, gluten free or sugar free for your guests with dietary requirements?

I’ve put some of my favourite cakes in the gallery below. I love the idea of layers of little cupcakes underneath a larger cake, or matching your macarons to your wedding cake!

I’m always excited to hear your ideas for decorations and designs. Just get in touch!

Micky signature

Savoury summer recipe testing (in February!)

It’s a warm weekend in February, which is making me think that Spring is in the air! I always look forward to the summer, and all the time for picnics, BBQs and plenty of eating ‘al fresco’.

I’m sure that the Beast from the East will return soon to remind me summer is still a little way off though…

Anyway, I’ve been doing some recipe testing to get in the summer mood. So much of my favourite food is vegetarian, from light frittatas to lovely mixed salads. Let me add to your buffet with sandwiches, wraps, or some delicious savoury pastries – samosas or spanokopita (Greek spinach and cheese pie!), anyone?

I’m also completely in love with Ottolenghi’s cauliflower cake. I’ve found that the recipe does not need as many eggs as he uses, and I can make a gluten free version using coconut flour.

Give me a call, or send me an email or facebook message to talk about your party planning!

Micky signature

Happy birthday Simply Delish!

On 1st June this year it will be Simply Delish’s 4th birthday!

I don’t know where the time has gone. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind; fun getting to know all my customers, crazy cakes, challenging cakes, tiring, meeting deadlines and working until the early hours. I’ve met some great inspirational people along the way and, with almost 400 cakes going out of my kitchen, I can’t believe I’m still standing – just about!! Many thanks to all my lovely customers and I look forward to another crazy year of creations and sugar mountains.

Thank you!

Micky signature

Here are just a few recent cakes – – and I have so many orders to look forward to this summer…

gardening-cake
cupcakes-simply-delish
retirement-cake
mega-birthday-cake-sugarwork-sugar-people
traditional-birthday-cake-royal-icing
simply-delish-easter-cake
racing-car-cake-go-kart-gokart
Unicorn-cake-simply-delish-lambourn-ibelieveinunicorns
birthday-drip-cake-simply-delish-sixteenth-16th-birthday

 

Cheering on Welford Park CC

Welford Cricket Simply Delish SponsorsThis season I’m a sponsor of Welford Park Cricket Club (spot me in the programme!).

Watching cricket, perched outside a country pub or lazing on a picnic blanket with cucumber sandwiches and afternoon tea cakes, is the stuff of perfect summer days.

I’m happy to put together sweet or savoury picnic treats for your summer outings, just let me know how many people you hope to feed and your budget, and I can draw you up a menu. Give me a ring or message me via Simply Delish on Facebook.

 

Here’s to a sunny summer!

Micky signature

September bakes

September… I think one of my favourite times of year.

Autumn has taken hold and the colours are amazing. Even the bakes are changing colour! Hallowe’en is fast approaching and bonfire night soon after. Anyone for sticky toffee apples or cupcakes?

If you have any special events or parties coming up, give me a call or message Simply Delish on Facebook. In the meantime, wrap up warm and enjoy the extra treats you can indulge in after those long walks kicking up leaves

Micky signature

Anniversary cake
Mega chocolate cake
Twin cake
Traditional cake
Fidget spinner cake
Toffee apple muffin
Fig frangipane

Cake trends: the drip cake

It seems like the only type of birthday cake that will do at the moment is a drip-topped birthday cake! These are technically tricky to do at first (I had some spectacularly bad attempts!), but now I’ve got the hang of it, I’ve got drips going down and up my cakes!

More and more people are asking for this show-stopping cake for any occasion. The best thing about the drip-cake is that you can put whatever you like on top of the drippy, glossy, chocolatey topping. Kids love loads of sweets, or you could go for more sophisticated dipped strawberries, or just indulge your love of chocolate!

Which one would you choose? The fruity or Ferraro-Rocher option? Sweets or truffles?

Here are some of my favourite cakes from the last few months to inspire you!

Micky

Sweeties!
Chocolate overload
With strawberries… one of your five a day?
Ferrer Rocher
A proper sweet shop cake.