Is that a Pixie in my kitchen?

Pixies are, it would seem, setting up home in our kitchens! These small, colourful and friendly creations are appearing all around us and they’re pretty quick as well. Before you think I have gone completely mad the Pixie is the latest coffee machine from the coffee company Nespresso.

For such a small machine it packs quite a punch, boasting a number of modern features; for starters Pixie is possibly the fastest coffee machine on the market, from it being woken up to it starting to produce your first coffee takes just 25 seconds! Pixie is neat and practical as well, a handy cable storage sorts out that often annoying and unsightly trailing cable, whilst the folding drip tray easily accommodates larger cups or even a mug. Well mannered, Pixie remembers your preferred size of coffee with two volume settings that can be programmed to suit.

Practicality also features highly; Nespresso claims the machine needs less de-scaling than others in their range. I’m not sure this sits well in a hard water area such as London, so personally I wouldn’t leave it to chance continuing to use filtered water (the coffee tastes better anyway). One of the most impressive features is the automatic power-off feature, after 9 minutes of sitting idle the machine automatically cuts the power at the plug, rather than just switching to a traditional stand-by mode. According to the company it boosts 40% less energy consumption than a Class A rated coffee machine, pretty impressive. All these features are squeezed into a machine that is only 11cm wide, as they say “there does seem to be more than you see”, although in the bright colours available it is difficult to ignore!

Being a Nespresso machine the coffee used comes in the form of portioned capsules or pods so won’t appeal to all. However, I have to say from being a staunch anti-coffee capsule man I have been truly converted to the convienience of these machines. Not only do they serve an excellent coffee, but they deliver it time and time again with equal aplomb, something even the most accomplished barista struggles to do, plus there is relatively little mess. The “real coffee” capsules allow the coffee connoisseur to choose from up to 16 different varieties of coffee all with different profiles (strength, flavour aroma etc.). However, these machines aren’t for everybody and with some brilliant models such as the Gaggia Classic or the Jura ENA 7 available the more artisan coffee drinkers will certainly get the opportunity stay involved with the real art of producing their personalised coffee.

So will a Pixie be appearing in your kitchen? Well if the idea of great coffee time and time again from one of the smallest, fastest and “greenest” machines on the market appeals, the answer is...probably yes.

It's Show Time

It's Show Time

Snowdrops, trees coming into bud, glimpses of sunshine, the days getting longer, all of these events are signs that Spring is almost upon us and dare I say the long, cold winter may be in the past. Personally, I find spring such an exciting time, it's a time that heralds new beginnings, out with old in with the new, starting a fresh, it’s probably the start of the year...2011 is finally here! These feelings also extend to Whisk as there is another marker of new beginnings.

February and March mark the time when the International Trade Shows kick into action. I can’t tell you just how exciting this is for me and others in Whisk. We look forward to travelling within the UK and further afield to places like Frankfurt to hunt out the very best in cookware. Even some of customers arrive in store asking “what’s new at the shows this year?!”

We will be off to the International Homewares Show in Frankfurt this weekend and I will let you know all the news, gossip, what’s hot, and give you advance notice of the products that will be hitting the stores later this year!

I love Cake!

Cake! It has to be said that this simple word conjures up so many memories and emotions. Whenever I talk or think about the great cake experiences I have had, and I’m primarily referring to the homemade version (with a few exceptions I willing to give anything a go!), I am immediately transported back to the moment I first tasted it along with the occasion surrounding it. Cake it would seem is embedded in our nation and can define us regionally, the infamous Bakewell Tart, Yorkshire or Lancashire Parkin, Dundee Cake or Eccles cakes to name just a few.

Along with so many, my love of cake probably started at an early age...one to be precise with the arrival of the “1st Birthday Cake”. At a first birthday the cake is probably more aimed at the parents and party goers, but nonetheless it starts playing and important emotional role in our lives at this very early age. The making and giving of the celebration cakes continues through-out life with the likes of Wedding Cakes, Christmas Cakes, and others. Don’t get me wrong there doesn’t have to be a massive motive or special occasion for making and giving cake, more often than not the simple raison d'être is purely to say “thank you” or “I love you”. It was the later of these two thoughts that really got me emotionally involved in cakes.

An abiding childhood memory of mine is my Mum’s delicious Lemon Drizzle Cake. What’s so special about that I hear you ask? Well nothing specifically, ultimately it is just a cake, but for me it now represents so much more, at the core are cherished recollections of Sunday afternoons when the freshly baked cake had cooled sufficiently to be eaten, or rather devoured, I seem to recall that very little of the cake was around for a post tea-time nibble! The day-long anticipation after seeing the mixing bowl and ingredients sitting on the work surface was enough to have me not venturing too far from home that day. In making this cake my Mum was delivering a personal gift to the whole family and I for one certainly recognised and appreciated it! That symbol of giving still continues today, each visit by her to our home in London is accompanied by a scrumptious homemade cake, and it is the Lemon Cake that brings the greatest smile of all, without words the cake says it all!

In the stores we have seen a huge resurgence in the cake making, much of it around birthdays, the unique and novelty cake pans are a real hit! In addition however there is a real sense of revisiting the art of everyday baking and you can see the satisfaction that creating the cake brings to our customers and no doubt their family and friends too.

Home-baking is also a major topic on television, indeed Whisk has been asked to help find the next champion of the Great British Bake-Off. I’m not sure I have the credentials to enter, however on hearing from our highly skilled customers I am sure we have a worthy competitor out there. All the details are on the website, so if you fancy giving it a go or just want to find out more click here.

So, in celebration of my Mum’s simple, but absolutely delicious Lemon Cake here is the recipe to share with all. Cake forks to the ready, who’s for the first slice...?!

Diane’s Luscious Lemon Cake

Ingredients

(Yes, of course it’s in ounces’!)

Cake Mixture

• 4ozs Butter
• 6ozs Self-raising flour
• 6ozs Caster sugar
• 4 Tblsp Milk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• Syrup
• 3 rounded tblsp of Icing sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin

Place all the cake mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix together for about 5 minutes

Turn the ingredients into the loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven (Gas Mark 4, Electric Oven 1800C or Fan assisted 1600C) for 45 minutes.

Check the cake is done by putting a skewer into the cake, if it comes out clean then it is ready, if not, place back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Then repeat process.

Remove from the oven, but leave the cake in the loaf tin.

Prepare the syrup by gently dissolving the icing sugar in the lemon juice until warmed through.

Prick the cake all over to a depth of about 1 inch using a skewer. Then gently pour over the warm syrup.

Leave the cake to cool, turn out of the tin and sift over with icing sugar.

Kids just love to cook...

Weekends are a special time for me, a time for the family to be together. I’m not sure relaxing is the correct word for the frantic activities that take place across the weekend, but there are two special punctuation points to the proceedings, one on Saturday lunch and the other Sunday morning. I am happy to report that both surround food, even more importantly they involve cooking the food alongside my daughter’s aged 5 and 7.

The two of them have independently developed an unerring appetite to understand all things culinary. They have even become avid viewers of the plethora of TV cooking shows, the ever creative Nigel Slater topping the chart (although some old re-runs from Keith Floyd are also hitting the mark!). Mr Slater seems to have casually pushed aside the likes of Tom & Jerry, Scooby Doo and an array of other cartoon characters with whom I have little or no knowledge, and delivers an enchanting, engaging programme that leaves them hungry for more. His “Simple Suppers” programmes aired in the run up to Christmas had them asking so many questions about ingredients used and left them with a definite desire to cook even more. I have to say they also like the casual game of spotting the Kitchen gadget that “we have in the Whisk Shop”! (Yes, that was a Magimix Food Processor, and most of his dishes seemed to be cooked in a well used (and loved) Le Creuset 30cm Shallow Casserole).

So, how does this new found pleasure play out over the weekend? As it stands their chosen weekend culinary creations include, on Saturday a midday bowl of home-made Pesto and, on Sunday morning the making of absolutely delicious “American Style” Pancakes (with the usual accompaniments). They have even painstakingly written each recipe in their new record books (specifically bought by each for the purpose).

I cannot fully explain the power of cooking alongside them. Put aside the obvious benefits of learning the skills of measurement, following recipes and experimenting with ingredients that can only benefit a 5 and 7 year old and just imagine the pure joy of seeing how they relish the whole experience of creating a meal for themselves and the rest of the family and you are getting close. Cooking together we have so much fun, a very real family experience, and one I can thoroughly recommend.

These are the two recipes we love cooking...have fun too!


Pesto recipe
175ml extra virgin olive oil
175g fresh basil leaves
50g Pine nuts
1 x plump garlic clove
125g Parmesan Cheese grated
2 x ice cubes

Notes:

• Always use fresh basil leaves (discard the stalks as they can make the pesto bitter)
• Keep processing to a minimum. Over processing adds heat and can encourage discolouration of the pesto, the addition of ice cubes keeps the temperature low.
• We sometimes make the pesto in batches and then quickly freeze. The girls love a quick pesto tea after school in the week and having it on hand makes life much easier!
• We use a Cuisinart Mini Chopper, although the Kenwood version does an equally good job.
• The pesto can be made start to finish in the time it takes you to cook the pasta of your choice (dried pasta, not fresh).
  

Method

1. Pour 50ml of the oil in to the processor bowl along with the garlic and pine nuts, blend briefly until a paste forms.
2. Add the rest of the oil with the basil leaves, I find pouring the oil over the leaves often helps them blend more easily. At this point add the ice cubes. Blend until all the ingredients are fully mixed.
3. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt.
   

Pancake recipe
250g Plain Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
75g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
85g Butter melted
300ml Milk

Notes

• We have started using a brilliant “silver dollar” pancake pan from Nordicware. The pan makes perfect 3” American style pancakes
• Go mad with the accompaniments, the current favourites are blueberries, bananas, raspberries and of course maple syrup.
• Makes approx 20 pancakes
  

Method

1. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and milk to the dry ingredients. Mix / whisk until smooth then stir in the melted butter.
2. Heat a non stick frying pan, with some kitchen roll wipe the pan with light olive oil or vegetable oil (no oil should be visible)
3. Using a ladle pour the batter mixture into the heated pan, (approx 1 tbsp) cook over a low heat until bubbles appear on the surface and pop.
4. Turn the pancake over and cook the other side.
5. Repeat keeping the cooked pancakes warm in the oven.

There's plenty more fish in the sea...

I have just finished watching the last of the “Hugh’s Fish Fight” programmes and the mini series has had a profound effect on me.

I suppose deep down I have always known that our fish eating habits are deeply flawed, we have become far too reliant on a core “net” of fish species (the Famous Five of Salmon, Cod Haddock, Plaice and Tuna) and in doing so have allowed the fish stocks to dwindle at an alarming rate. The result, political policies of setting quotas and an increase in fish farming to satisfy commercial demand. Whilst the motivation behind these initiatives may well have been with good in mind the results are far from satisfactory. Of each catch landed, 40-60% is being thrown back into the sea, dead (known as “Discards”). Cod, haddock and plaice are returned to the sea, again very often dead when they have been inadvertently caught by fishermen who have reached their quota for those species. Fish farming seems to be having a detrimental effect though the high percentage of oily fish that make up the dry feed given to the farmed fish, 4lb of oily fish is required to produce1lb of farmed salmon, the equation seems to be crazy! In addition there is evidence of an increase in the incidence of fish lice spreading from farmed to wild fish stocks.

A key contributor to this issue is our unwavering demand for the famous five fish. Fish has always been a major part of my diet, in my mind I have endeavoured to be adventurous in the variety of fish that make it onto my plate. However, if the truth be known I am probably as guilty in turning to the favoured 5 species as most. As a result I will be trying out different species such as Dab, Coley and others. In my own small way I will help in the plight to increase demand with my local fishmonger for these fish and move away from the traditional.

I firmly support the campaign to stop “Discards” that is at the core of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s campaign.

Sandwiching Hugh’s programme there have been some great cameo appearances from Jamie and others from the celebrity cooking crowd. Last night Jamie demonstrated just how exciting Dab can be, here’s his recipe (Jamie – I’m sure you won’t mind me passing it on), I’m certainly going to be giving it a go!


Jamie's Mediterranean-style dab

Ingredients

• 2 x whole dab, skin on and gutted


• Olive oil


• 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, the best quality you can afford


• 1 tbsp pine nuts


• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


• Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped


• 1 lemon


• 8 cherry tomatoes, on the vine, halved or quartered


• Small handful of black olives, stone in


• 2 large handfuls of interesting salad leaves, such as rocket, radicchio and chicory, washed and spun dry


• Balsamic vinegar


• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Use a small sharp knife to score the dab at 2cm intervals on both sides. Add a splash of olive oil to a large pan on a high heat. Add the bacon and pine nuts and cook for a couple of minutes, or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, scatter a pinch of salt and pepper over the fish. Sprinkle over a little of the chopped parsley and finely grate over the zest of ½ a lemon. Rub that flavouring into the fish, making sure you get it into all the cuts. Repeat on the other side.

Tip the bacon and pine nuts onto a plate, add another splash of oil to the pan if you need to, followed by the dab, skin-side down. You may need to cook them in 2 batches or use 2 pans. After a couple of minutes, check to see if the fish are turning golden, and once they are, flip them over. Add the tomatoes to the pan with the olives and remaining parsley. Give the pan a good shake, then add the bacon and pine nuts.

Quickly dress your salad leaves with a lug of balsamic, the juice of ½ a lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper and a couple of lugs of extra virgin olive oil. Use your clean fingers to toss it all together.

Cook the fish for about 6 or 7 minutes in total. To tell if it’s cooked, put your fork into the plumpest part of the flesh and if you can easily pull it away from the bone, it’s ready. Squeeze over the juice from your remaining lemon half, give the pan one last quick shake then take off the heat and serve with the salad on the side. You could have it with new potatoes too, if you like.

© Jamie Oliver

To find out more about Hugh’s Fish Fight go to: http://www.fishfight.net/



HUGH's EXPERIENCE

"For the past few months, I have been travelling around the UK meeting fishermen, marine conservationists, politicians, supermarkets bosses, and of course fish-eating members of the public," says Hugh.

"My experience, and how it has changed the way I think about fish are shown in Hugh's Fish Fight (broadcast 11th, 12th, 13th January 2011), as part of Channel 4's Big Fish Fight.

"This season featuring programmes from fellow chefs Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal and Jamie Oliver, aims to champion sustainable seafood and celebrate lesser known delicacies of the deep.

"This website, fishfight.net is the campaign hub accompanying Hugh’s Fish Fight and will be continuing its work over the coming months. Here you can find out more about the issues raised in Hugh’s Fish Fight and lend your support to the campaign. You can also follow the progress of Hugh's Fish Fight on Facebook and Twitter.

"Hugh’s Fish Fight is supported by a wide coalition of environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and, we hope, by a growing number of fishermen and policy makers too. A vital part of the campaign, and the area where we are currently looking for public support, is the issue of discards at sea."

DISCARDS AT SEA

Around half of the fish caught by fishermen in the North Sea are unnecessarily thrown back into the ocean dead.

The problem is that in a mixed fishery where many different fish live together, fishermen cannot control the species that they catch.

Fishing for one species often means catching another, and if people don’t want them or fishermen are not allowed to land them, the only option is to throw them overboard. The vast majority of these discarded fish will die.

Because discards are not monitored, it is difficult to know exactly how many fish are being thrown away. The EU estimates that in the North Sea, discards are between 40% and 60% of the total catch. Many of these fish are species that have fallen out of fashion: we can help to prevent their discard just by rediscovering our taste for them.

Others are prime cod, haddock, plaice and other popular food species that are “over-quota”. The quota system is intended to protect fish stocks by setting limits on how many fish of a certain species should be caught.

Fishermen are not allowed to land any over-quota fish; if they accidentally catch them – which they can’t help but do - there is no choice but to throw them overboard before they reach the docks.

THE SOLUTIONS

We need to diversify our fish eating habits, and we need to change policy so that it works for fish, fishermen and consumers.

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which is the political framework for the quota system, is currently being reformed for 2012. Scientists and environmental groups have suggested a number of ways that that the policy can work to protect fish stocks. Some details of these can be found on our solutions page.

Re-writing the Common Fisheries Policy is going to be an enormously complicated business, and unfortunately there is no one easy solution to ending discards. Many people agree that the answer will lie in a combination of different ideas and policies.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Sign up to the campaign on the sign up page. You will be writing directly to policy makers in Europe to let them know that the unnecessary and unethical discarding of perfectly good fish must stop. We can make a difference. If enough people sign up to the campaign, they have to listen to us. We aim to get 250,000 signatures by summer 2011.
  
• Write to your MP to ask them to support the Fish Fight Early Day Motion.
  
• Expand the selection of fish that you eat by trying some of the lesser-known species of local fish currently being discarded as trash. In the UK, cod, salmon and tuna account for more than 50% of the fish that we consume, and tasty, exciting and nutritious fish such as flounder, dab, coley and pouting are overlooked and thrown away.
  
• Spread the word, tell all of your friends and family about Hugh's Fish Fight and get them to sign the campaign too.

Together we can stop this ridiculous carnage. Join Hugh’s Fish Fight now!

Thanks very much,

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

That Autumnal Feeling

Now that the nights are starting to draw in we have turned our attention to our Tea & Coffee ranges. We particularly like the little Tea Swizzlers They make perfect little gifts for people who love real loose tea but maybe can't have a tea pot at work.

This Summer has been a bit damp but it has not dampened your spirits with lots of day trip items being bought such as the Sistem fold-up lunch bags and the Davina Water Bottles flying off the shelves of our warehouse.

We are now planning for the run up to our favourite time of year. I will not mention the word as it's still only September but get your gift lists ready as there will be loads of high quality gifts with great offers and free recipes.

During November and December we will be doing some 'flash' sales via Twitter. Flash sales are 24 or 48 hour sales which are only advertised via our Twitter feed so why not get following us now so that you don't miss out?

Website new look

We have recently updated the Whisk website with you the consumer in mind. We have added more of the best designers such as Oga Pora, Stelton, Riedel and Cuisipro to compliment the existing range. We have updated the product images to give more views and great zoom images too. We think that the site looks great and hope you enjoy browsing around.

On a side note we had our street festival in Devonshire Road on 21st June. It was a fantastic day with fun for everyone and nibble supplied by Gordon Ramsay's Pub The Devonshire. The road was closed and everyone spread out and got to know each other, some even had their faces painted. We have agreed to do it again next year so keep a look out for it and come and join in.