Miss Windsor’s Quick & Easy Victorian Boiled Fruitcake - Perfect for Afternoon Tea or Christmas!6/12/2018  Miss Windsor's Quick & Easy Victorian Boiled Fruitcake - perfect for afternoon tea or Christmas! Hello, darlings!
I'm thrilled to present Miss Windsor's Quick & Easy Victorian Boiled Fruitcake - a delightful addition to your afternoon tea pageantry of goodies; or a rather toothsome, time-saving alternative to the traditional Christmas cake. Oh, and I'm proud to say that my version is 'loosely' based on my beloved grandmother Josie's recipe. You see, ever since she sadly waltzed through the Pearly Gates in 2013, I've tirelessly strived to resurrect her scrumptious culinary creation. I say, but Grandmother Josie is quite a hard act to follow, plus she left no written record of her recipe.
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 Miss Windsor's TWO year matured Christmas pudding! Hello, darlings!
Miss Windsor excitedly presents Mrs Beeton’s Traditional British Christmas Pudding recipe - a frightfully fruity, remarkably rich, temptingly moist, and abundantly boozy classic festive dessert, which I discovered buried deep within my culinary bible - the 1906 edition of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management - page 939, to be exact - How spiffing! And I must say, what thrill it was, although rather laborious, to step back in time to the late 1800's and re-create an age-old recipe following traditional methods. And so, with a whole day set aside, and with my great great grandmother Georgina in mind, I wished to experience the joys of a Victorian 19th-century cook, slogging away in the kitchen as one prepares for the Christmas Day feast - well, so far, just the Christmas pudding!  Miss Windsor's perfect pumpkin puree! Hello, darlings!
Okey dokey - let’s crack on and make some pumpkin puree from scratch! Perfect for pumpkin pie or as a tasty, seasonal, healthful alternative to our beloved starch ladened mashed potato! I say, if you're keen on creating the latter, then Miss Windsor recommends to ‘jazz’ it up with a dollop of butter, followed by a sprinkling of sea salt and cracked black pepper – Oh, how spiffing!  By the way, the orange napkin and cake slice belonged to my darling grandmother Josie! Hello, darlings!
I excitedly present Fannie Merritt Farmer’s good old-fashioned American pumpkin pie! You see, I discovered this rather fabulous and frightfully easy recipe in my 1909 edition of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book - How Spiffing! But rather interestingly, the origins of pumpkin pie tumble all the way back to the 1500’s, where Medieval cooks served stewed pumpkin, sweetened with sugar, livened up with spice, and enwreathed with pastry – sounds scrumptious! Also, there are many early recorded recipes of pumpkin pie, one of which has a French connection - Ooh la la! - Tourte of Pompion - created by Francois Pierre La Varenne in 1653. Then of course, as the years zoomed by, during 1796 a recipe for pumpkin pie appeared in the first known American cookbook by Amelia Simmons, which is very similar to Fannie’s version, although it requires scalded milk, eight eggs, and one may add grated lemon-peel instead of spices.  Illustration by @CathysArtPalace - Miss Windsor's Gluten-Free Beetroot & Green Bean Fritters! Hello, darlings!
I say, troops! – stand to attention, grab your spade, grow your own fruit and vegetables, Dig for Victory, and Eat for Victory – By Jove! chaps, now that’s the wartime spirit! Oh, how exciting darlings, Miss Windsor’s back again with yet another seasonal, allotment inspired, palate-pleasing culinary treat, based on a rather spiffing wartime recipe from my Eating for Victory cookery book. So please give a warm welcome to something a trifle different, frightfully British, and exceedingly healthful – Miss Windsor’s Beetroot & Green Bean Fritters!  Miss Windsor's Blackberry & Elderberry Breakfast Muffins! Hello, darlings!
I excitedly present Miss Windsor’s Blackberry & Elderberry Breakfast Muffins – a simple, subtlety sweet, yet a rather healthful bundle of fruitiness – hence created with very little sugar; and naturally sweetened by British foraged fruits. Oh, and funnily enough, one mustn’t forget to add that these rather toothsome darlings feel remarkably soft – just like a stroke of an alpaca’s furry mane – Ok, I admit that’s a slight exaggeration, but I’m sure you catch my drift!  Mrs Simkins: Mini Quiches! Mini quiches are always a great savoury favourite for parties and picnics and a must for garden parties. Add some cooked diced bacon or lardons if you prefer but the simple cheese and onion flavour is delicious and also suitable for non-meat eaters.
Easy to make and assemble: particularly if you whiz up your pastry in the food processor and make an all in one filling rather than faffing about adding cheese and onions and what have you separately, plus, unlike full size quiches, you don’t have to bake the pastry cases blind first either.  Fancy a crystal tumbler of Mrs Beeton's Quick-Fire Fizz Lemonade? Hello, darlings!
Please join Miss Windsor for a jolly good go at re-creating this refreshingly zingy beverage of Mrs Beeton’s Quick-Fire Fizz Lemonade - ‘easy peasy lemon squeezy’! Oh, and it’s just what the doctor ordered to reduce one’s body temperature whilst enduring such an unusual spell of sweltering hot weather – I dare say, it’s definitely a one-off for Great Britain that’s notoriously known for its mediocre summers – My word, wonders never cease!  Miss Windsor's Blackberry & Elderflower Post-Tennis Pimm's Cocktail! Hello, darlings!
Anyone for tennis? Oh, dearie me, last shout for The Championships Wimbledon was on Sunday 15th of July. But not to worry, Miss Windsor’s here to console you with a sup or two of her frightfully fruity Pimm’s cocktail - which is just the tonic to soothe one’s post-tennis blues. Or why not join Mrs Simkins (my culinary collaborator) and I for a jolly good quaff at our summer garden party! So, move over Mr Original Gin Sling, and make way for Miss Windsor’s intensely vibrant vodka-based tipple – Toot sweet! which oozes a luxurious touch of Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur.  Photo by Miss Windsor - Mr Miles Berry Berry Loose Leaf Tea, Newton House Gin & my Brown Betty teapot! Hello, darlings!
Well, I say, hip hip hooray - ‘summertide’ is surely on its merry way! And upon its arrival, will offer a glorious, palate quenching cocktail, concocted using the very best Somerset produce, plus a smattering of Indian fizz – How spiffing! So, if you’re caught in a ‘fuddle’ or just gagging for a tipple, then please do try my delectable summertime bounty - Miss Windsor’s recipe for Mr Miles Gin Berry Cocktail.  Miss Windsor's Blackberry & Apple Crumble - serve with Bird's egg-free custard! Hello, darlings!
I say, fancy joining me for an nostalgic trip down memory lane, where you'll learn how to re-create one of my favourite, British, summertime or anytime desserts? Well, darlings, how could one resist a nibble on Miss Windsor's Blackberry & Apple Crumble - Oh, I say! You'll be pleased to know that it's completely gluten-free and vegan - "OMG!" I hear you shriek with sheer utter delight! Oh, and it's so devilishly delicious that even the health-conscious community are rather baffled how I achieved such culinary excellence - despite the reputation that gluten-free food is notoriously bland!  Miss Windsor's Cinnamon Lime Jelly! Hello, darlings!
Following an unfortunate spell of blustery showers and cool evenings, One finds it hard to believe that we’re slap-bang in the middle of British ‘summertide’! However, during those occasional sunny moments, I wish to nourish my palate with a slightly piquant, yet sweet dessert!  Photo by sharronwallace.com - Mrs Beeton's Tennis Cake! Hello, darlings!
In keeping with the ‘spirit’ of The Championships, Wimbledon, one hoped to stumble across a recipe with a tennis connection. Well, 'lo and behold' whilst flicking through my 1906 edition of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, there I discovered a recipe for Tennis Cake! Darlings, as you’ll soon discover, Miss Windsor’s spin on Mrs Beeton’s most decadent, moist and luxurious Tennis Cake boasts an appealing light texture and colour - bestrewn with a plenteous amount of chopped almonds and flavoured with a subtle zing of lemon.  Miss Windsor's Pink & Spicy Gooseberry Raspberry Fool! Hello, darlings!
I'm 'tickled pink' - Oh, I say! to present this vibrant summertide dessert - Miss Windsor's Pink & Spicy Gooseberry Raspberry Fool - created with Grandmother Josie's favourite summer fruits - gorgeous gooseberries and ravishing raspberries. Oh, and you'll be pleased to know that I prepared this delicious summery classic following traditional methods - which involved an old-fashioned pudding basin and potato masher - How thrilling!  Hello, darlings!
I'm delighted to share my vibrant and juicy version of Summer Pudding – Yum, yum! In fact, I slightly ‘tweaked’ this summertime classic, which I discovered amongst the browned tinged pages of my 1935 edition of The Radiation Cookery Book – a generous gift from my darling friend – Sir Brian. |