Its absolutely that time of year to be getting creative with the Gin. Here is a fabulous recipe for Earl Grey infused Gin from our favourite Gin Blogger The Gin Queen

INGREDIENTS

500ml gin

4 tbsp of loose leaf earl grey tea

METHOD

Pour the gin into a jar and then stir in the loose leaf tea. Leave for 3-4 hours.

Go to the Gin Queen site for serving suggestions and further recipes.......Gin

We have just discovered making your own hash browns is super easy and super tasty. Here's how!

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes, peeled​

3 tablespoons melted butter

​salt and ground black pepper to taste

​1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

​1 pinch paprika, or to taste

1. Shred potatoes into a large bowl filled with cold water. Stir until water is cloudy, drain, and cover potatoes again with fresh cold water. Stir again to dissolve excess starch. Drain potatoes well, pat dry with paper towels, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
2. Heat melted butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle shredded potatoes into the hot butter and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
3. Cook potatoes until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook and stir until potatoes are browned all over, about 5 more minutes.

It's Blackberry time! Theres something really satisfying about going on a lovely long walk and returning home with a bag of juicy, fruity treasures. Heres one of our family favourite recipes, a delicious blackberry and apple pie.

• 175g plain flour
• pinch salt
• 100g butter
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 egg yolk
• milk to moisten and glaze
• 300g cooking apple, peeled, cored and sliced (use Bramley's if possible)
• 225g freshly blackberry
• caster sugar, to taste

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

1. Mix in the sugar, lemon zest, egg yolk and a splash of milk to form a dough. Knead the dough lightly.

2. Spoon the apples and blackberries into a shallow 1.2ltr/900ml dish, then sprinkle over sugar to taste.

3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, large enough to cover the pie. Place the pastry over the filled pie dish, then seal and flute the edges. Glaze the top of the pie with a little milk, then bake for 40-45 mins until golden.

Its Rocktober!!

Time to make this rather lovely Prosecco Cocktail courtesy of My diary of us

• 2 Plums
• 6 Thyme Sprigs
• Juice from one Lemon
• 4 Tbsp. Thyme Simple Syrup (1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, add thyme sprigs, stir, and let cool.  Chill until ready to use.)
• 1 Bottle of Prosecco or your favorite bubbly

• Peel and chop 2 plums.  
• Muddle the plums with the thyme simple syrup and lemon juice until all of the plum juices have been released.  (You can also muddle right in the glass if you prefer to have bits of fruit in your cocktail!)
• Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Pour over crushed ice evenly between two glasses.
• Top off with prosecco and garnish with extra plum slices and thyme sprigs. 
• Serve immediately.

November already?

One of our favourite things to do this time of year is to blow away the cobwebs with a refreshing cliff top walk along the coast path to Lee Bay. Nestled in this stunning wooded valley is a regular haunt of ours The Grampus Inn​ with its real log fire, warm welcome and excellent local beers and ciders including Zoe's Favourite, Poundhouse Crisp from local brewery Sam's Cider​.

Coming up for bonfire night what better way to warm the cockles than with a classic West Country mulled cider.

Heres a tried and trusted recipe.

• 1½ l dry cider
• 7 tbsp Calvados
• 400ml apple juice
• 75g dark brown sugar
• zest 1 orange, pared into strips
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 tbsp allspice berries

Pour the cider, Calvados, apple juice and sugar into a large saucepan, and gently heat to mull.
Add the orange zest and spices, bring to a simmer, then turn down and keep on a low heat for 20-30 mins. Ladle into glass mugs to serve.

(Recipe from BBC Good Food)

Eggnog Crème Brûlée What could be more festive than Egg Nog? Personally I'm off to do this right now.

This recipe is from the New York Times

You will need:

• 8 large egg yolks
• ½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar, plus up to 1/2 cup/101 grams for sprinkling
• ¾ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put 8 shallow 4-ounce crème brûlée dishes in a large roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in an 8-cup glass measuring cup (or large bowl), whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup/101 grams sugar, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in heavy cream, milk and bourbon. Divide mixture carefully among crème brûlée dishes. Transfer roasting pan to the oven.
3. Very carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the crème brûlée dishes. Bake until the edges of the custard are set but jiggle in the center, 25 to 30 minutes, taking care not to overcook.
4. With a spatula or tongs, carefully transfer the dishes to a rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
5. Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle one of the custards evenly with 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar. Pass a kitchen torch over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown. Repeat with the remaining custards. Allow the sugar to cool for a few minutes.

Who doesn't love a hot soup?

Cock-a-leekie soup
Serves: 12

• 1.75kg (4 lb) chicken thighs
• 2.5L (4 pints) water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 50g (2 oz) pearl barley
• 275ml (10 fl oz) chicken stock
• 7 leeks, sliced

• 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves chopped
• small handful chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the chicken, water, onion and pearl barley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chicken, discard the bones and skin, chop meat into bite size pieces and return to the pot.
2. Add the chicken stock, leeks, celery, thyme leaves, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 more minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Nice...........

Tomato and Basil Mackerel Bake - its the local fish!!

(from delicious magazine)

Need an interesting side dish for your spring lamb or veggie equivalent? Try these

Punchy Spring Greens (from BBC good food)

You will need:

• 50g unsalted butter
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g spring greens, washed and shredded
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 50g finely grated parmesan
• 30g hazelnuts,toasted and roughly chopped

Its wild Garlic time in North Devon! If you are lucky enough to find some you could do worse than make some wild garlic pesto as we have been this weekend.

• 100g fresh wild garlic leaves
• 50g parmesan cheese
• 50g toasted pine nuts
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• lemon juice
• salt and Pepper

Blitz the ingredients in a food processor for a couple of seconds et voila!!
Add in salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste

Its Bluebell season in sunny Devon and those people over at Devon Life have published a list of the seven best Bluebell walks in Devon.

What are you waiting for?