Proudly displayed on my wall, above my desk, is a bill of sale dated November 3rd 1845. It relates to the sale of fruit, preserves and pickles and is signed by my great-great-great Grandfather, who, along with his wife were the proprietors of a ‘Foreign and British, fruit, oil, Italian and fish sauce warehouse’ in…
Category: I recommend….
The Pheasant Philosopher’s Christmas Diaries: The eternal quest for the best Hot Chocolate!
One of the annual traditions in our household is putting up the Christmas decorations on the first weekend in December – this is accompanied by lots of steaming hot chocolate and, of course, homemade gingerbread biscuits. I fully admit that I am a bit of a Hot Chocolate perfectionist. So often, when I order the…
The Pheasant Philsopher’s Christmas Diaries: Party Punch and Mulling
No Victorian Christmas party was complete without a gleaming punch bowl full of inhibition-removing deliciousness. In richer households, these bowls would be silver or silver gilt, with matching chased cups and ladle, in middle class houses cut glass or crystal was offered, whilst lower down the social pecking order china, wood or pewter was most…
The Pheasant Philosopher’s Christmas Diaries: Easy Entertaining.
I am extremely proud of my Welsh heritage and although there aren’t many exclusively ‘Welsh’ traditions, we do have some excellent recipes to satisfy the hungriest of guests over the Christmas period. Feeding a party is quite a challenge, but sometimes, especially in the colder weather it’s nice to offer guests something a little more…
The Pheasant Philosopher’s Christmas Diaries: Day 2, The Butcher’s Order
Today I’m turning my attention to planning my Christmas butchery order. Last year I chose one of Holt-Wilson’s Monmouthshire Turkeys and I was extremely impressed with the bird – it served far more mouths (with leftovers) than recommended, and was firm and flavoursome – not gamey, but rich and a real treat! I do feel…
An Advent-aegous Purchase
In just over two weeks we’ll all be opening that first, exciting door on the advent calendar and this year there are dozens of options to choose from. Not just for children, in recent years advent calendars have exploded in a plethora of extremely grown-up delights. From affordable luxury to extreme indulgence, these will…
The Pheasant Philosopher’s Christmas Diaries
Christmas really does seem to start earlier and earlier every year, even more so for food writers. This year I’d like to share with you how I personally prepare for the festive season. Starting on Stir Up Sunday, the day traditionally set aside for preparing the Christmas Pudding, I’ll be offering recipes, tips and ideas…
The Pheasant Philosophises in Gascony: Market Musings
Almost twenty-five years ago, my parents bought a large, honey coloured stone village house on the borders of three French departments; the Lot-et-Garonne, The Gers and The Landes. Three departments with extremely different culinary influences yet all exceptional in their own way.My first ever piece of food writing was for my GCSE English coursework portfolio….
March Morning Musings from Monmouthshire
I have to admit to being a little lax over the past few weeks, there’s been a lot going on, (not all food related) however, now that the worst weather is over and Spring is, hopefully, on the horizon, I’ve come home to roost a while. This year, I’m hoping to put together a few…
Festive Goodies from The Wye Valley and The Forest of Dean
Every year, I do my very best to source my Christmas foods locally – and living in such a fabulously foodie area, it’s surprisingly easy to do. Restaurants place such an importance on food miles and rightly so, but it’s not just about the environmental impact, it’s about supporting those small businesses who a passionate…
Seasoned with Slow from The Pheasant Philosopher 