Marie Cookpad

   I have long held a great fascination for the horse and buggy people of North America.  Amish, Old Mennonite, New Mennonite, etc.  Their way of life appears to me to be like a beacon of gentleness and peace in the disturbed landscape of today's modern world.  Amish people are not as modern as the Mennonites.  They eschew anything modern, the Mennonites are a bit more progressive, but their way of life is still a lot gentler and more serene in many ways than our own.   I was instantly drawn to this recent cookbook written by Hope Helmuth of Hopeful Things .  I've only just recently discovered her on Instagram and when I realised she had written a cookery book, I just had to have it to add to my much beloved collection of Amish and Mennonite Cookery Books.   This is a love that began when I was a much younger woman and mother, bringing up my own family. I collected the Food that Schmecks series written by Edna Staebler who lived in the Ontari...

   I totally adore Roast Chicken.  Its not something we had very often when I was a child, but a rare treat. I remember reading a book from the school library called "Chicken Every Sunday." It was a book about a boarding house and the landlady cooked a roast chicken every Sunday.  Ever the foodie I guess, I used to long for a roast chicken in our house every Sunday! The recipe I am sharing today was adapted from the Ina Garten cookbook entitled Cooking For Jeffrey.  I bought my first Ina Garten book back in 2003 when I was hired to cook at the Manor.  I think it was her party one.  I wanted to be able to cook American as the family I worked for was American.  I fell in love with Ina's recipes and style of cookery.   I have gone on to collect about 10 of her cookery books through the years, which is by no means the full extent of what she has published, but I am happy with what I have.  I have somewhat of a cookbook addiction.  (Amon...

  Every time I go to Costco I pick up a large punnet of Blueberries.  I adore fresh blueberries and often have them on my cereal in the morning.  I also enjoy them baked into muffins, cakes and desserts.  They really shine in baked desserts.    Theyare so good for you.  They are what is known as a super-food, and small wonder as they are little power-houses of nutrition. Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.  You can't lose!     Today I decided to bake some of them into a cake I adapted from a recipe that I found in the book Simple by Ottolenghi.   This was the first recipe I have cooked from the book, although I have quite a few ear-marked.  I love the food of Ottolenghi.  When I worked at the Manor,...