2020: My Year in Recipes, Travel & Foodie Adventures
What a year! Looking back over this tumultuous year, it’s been very strange with difficulties for us all, some more than others. Whilst we’ve tried to live our lives as best we can, remaining safe and abiding by the rules, it was difficult to not have the freedoms we all know so well and live by. We have missed our families and the socialising both at home and in France, as well as the simple pleasures of sitting outside coffee shops and bars, travel and sightseeing. We are a nation of food lovers and enjoy the restaurant experience and dining out.
Sadly, the hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard during this past year. We have all missed not being able to go to our favourite restaurants and eating out.
On the plus side, because we didn’t have the freedom to eat out, it has made us reflect on things, slow down and enjoy cooking and eating with our families at home more. For many, they tried their hand at baking and experimenting in their own kitchens. We became a nation of home cooks creating our favourite take-aways at home and baking sourdough bread.
A Year in Food
I have looked back fondly at my recipes and creations made during this past year, in my kitchens in the UK and France, that I have posted on Instagram and my blog. I thought it would be a nice idea to highlight these memories below as we begin a new year. Here are some of my favourites…
Château l’Orangerie
During the time I spent at Château l’Orangerie, near St Loup in Deux Sevrés, not far from my own home in France, I helped a family work on their estate at the château. I helped Chris, Barbara and Deborah (Deborah mainly) in developing a permaculture kitchen garden. The family’s plan is to have a sustainable garden in which to grow all homegrown produce to be used in their kitchen for catering for their B&B guests year-round. The owners have a wealth of experience in the catering world, all being trained in the hospitality industry. Chris is a qualified chef from Australia, who trained in French cuisine, and their menu is exquisite. I enjoyed my time with the family and not only did I feel that they benefitted from my help, but I too gained knowledge from Deborah while making new friends in my neighbourhood.
Château de Lalande
During my stay at Château de Lalande I worked with an excellent cook and talented florist, Marie Wiik. I had a fantastic time working with Marie in the Lalande kitchen and feel that I’ve made a good friend! I also met and worked with the chateau’s owner Stephanie Jarvis and her mother Isobel, who I found to be most hospitable and warm. They made me feel very welcome in their home.
My role at Lalande was to cook for guests during practice workshops for opera singers and pianists from the conservatoires all over France. As part of this experience, I even appeared in four episodes of their infamous Château Dairies vlog series (a sample above!). It was a wonderful experience to cook in a beautiful château and to hear such beautiful song and music while cooking everyday. All of this was managed while being extremely careful to adhere to social distancing rules and regulations. I’m certain I’ll return to offer my services again and look forward to working with such a bunch of talented individuals, who all contribute in the building of an excellent community spirit throughout the château.
School of Artisan Food
This past year my degree course at the School Of Artisan Food in Worksop has been very uncertain due to pandemic restrictions. I’ve included some photographs of food recipes produced during my patisserie, charcuterie, fromagerie & bread-making modules. I had the opportunity to work with the talented Ross Sneddon from the Balmoral Hotel & Restaurant in Edinburgh. I mastered a chocolate soufflé, millefeuille and chocolate tempering.
With the delightful Katie Fenwick, making mozzarella and ricotta cheese was great fun and it was equally as fun working with Ian Waterland and Wayne Caddy, making an ensemble of different breads and mastering the baguette.
Graham and Rosie Dunton taught me the art of dessert making, with chocolate eclairs and a pillowy lemon Swiss meringue; the best lemon meringue I’ve ever eaten!
On my charcuterie course with Tom Moorby, I made the biggest pork pies you’ve ever seen, both chicken liver terrine, salmon and cream cheese terrines and plenty of pâté and charcuterie meats.
Sadly, because of the pandemic, I didn’t get to work in my usual role as assistant to Steven Lamb, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, John Wright and Gill Meller on the main demonstration stage at the River Cottage Spring Fair this year. I’ve worked in this role for six years now and it’s always the highlight of my year. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunities to work with some amazing celebrity chefs whilst being at River Cottage. Here’s to more memories in Dorset soon!
For now, wishing you all a safe and prosperous 2021. Thank you for all of your support!
Best wishes,
Nikki x