The Picnic Basket so far...

As I explained in my last post I am taking part in a virtual picnic. It would be lovely to sit down with all the bloggers and taste the food for real but in another way we really can as all the recipes are provided.
What a lot of goodies there are in the picnic basket now! Here I have listed links to the recipes from all the letters of the alphabet leading up to the one I chose.
The complete list will be published on Louise's blog on July 1st




A- Almond Joy Pie
http://moderndayozzieandharriet.blogspot.com/2010/06/almond-joy-pie-for-picnic.html

B- Baked Beans
http://grubandstuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/picnic-worthy-baked-beans.html


C-Chocolate Picnic Cake Janet
http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2010/06/chocolate-picnic-cake.html


D-Dutch Funnel Cake
http://sporadiccook.blogspot.com/2010/06/dutch-funnel-cake.html

E-Easy Blender Chicken Pie
http://simplerecipes.me/?p=2166

F-Five Bean Salad
http://moveablefeastscookbook.blogspot.com/2010/06/culinary-history-101-five-bean-salad.html

G-Granola Bars (Stephanie) @ Fun Foods on a Budget
http://baskersfunfoods.blogspot.com/2010/06/picnic-game.html

H-Herb and Cheese Pasta Salad
http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/2010/06/herb-and-cheese-pasta-salad-for-picnic.html


B- Baked Beans
http://grubandstuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/picnic-worthy-baked-beans.html


C-Chocolate Picnic Cake Janet
http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2010/06/chocolate-picnic-cake.html


D-Dutch Funnel Cake
http://sporadiccook.blogspot.com/2010/06/dutch-funnel-cake.html

E-Easy Blender Chicken Pie
http://simplerecipes.me/?p=2166

F-Five Bean Salad
http://moveablefeastscookbook.blogspot.com/2010/06/culinary-history-101-five-bean-salad.html

G-Granola Bars (Stephanie) @ Fun Foods on a Budget
http://baskersfunfoods.blogspot.com/2010/06/picnic-game.html

H-Herb and Cheese Pasta Salad
http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/2010/06/herb-and-cheese-pasta-salad-for-picnic.html

which leads on to my recipe
I- Incredibly Fruity Raspberry Cakes
http://raspberryandchipotle.blogspot.com/2010/06/international-picnic-day.html

International Picnic Day

Incredibly Fruity Raspberry Cakes

Raspberry Latin Rubus idaeus well it's got an I in it!

I am taking part in International Picnic day organised by Months of Edible Adventures

Each blogger taking part choses a letter and devises a recipe beginning with that letter. I have chosen the letter I. I only found out about it at the last minute so there weren't many letters left and I don't think there are many foods beginning with this letter! The first 2 that come to mind are ice (as in ice cream ) and ink (as in squid ink) so it's a bit of a challenge.

At the moment there are plenty of raspberries in the garden so I thought I would devise a recipe using these.

Incredibly Fruity Raspberry Cakes

I think I put raspberries in the bottom of a PineappleUpside Down cake in place of cherries so I thought I would try them in a Victoria cake mix.

200g olive spread or butter

190g golden granulated sugar

4 large eggs

150g raspberries

200g self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla essence.

Oven on at gas 5

Beat the olive spread and sugar and vanilla essence till it looks creamy

Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat

Gently fold in the flour and the whole raspberries. If the mixture looks a bit stiff add a little milk. I didn't need to as the mixture slipped easily off a spoon.

Half to two thirds fill cupcake cases with spoonfuls of mixture and bake. Check after 10-15 min, they should spring back when you gently touch them. If too soft bake for a few more minutes.

This quantity will make about 20-24 cakes depending on the size of the cases.

Dust with icing sugar if you like otherwise they are lovely as they are and you are ready to pack them in a box and join the picnic.

Variants using the mix above

1 Add fresh basil leaves. Tear the basil into small pieces and add to the mixture or put a leaf on the top before baking. I think the flavour combines well.

2 Add cocoa powder for a chocolately version, I didnt measure this I just added it till it looked really chocolatey.

I need to get some bigger paper cases!

Fanny's Farmshop and Teagardens

On a narrow winding leafy lane in Surrey is the entrance to Fanny's Farmshop, tea rooms, tea gardens and much more... The first time I went I was greeted by Fanny's friendly dogs.
In the farm shop there is local produce for sale and a selection of home made cakes.



A cream tea among the flowers in the garden



Or High Tea in the tree house?

With Pooh bear? And yes that is a tree branch growing right up through the table!

In the farm section there is a Vietnamese pot bellied pig. It was found wandering a local high street and was rescued by Fanny!

Pasta with tomato, aubergine and olive sauce.

1 medium aubergine chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

olive oil

3 cloves garlic

6-8 shitake mushrooms sliced.

1 slurp soy sauce

1 large slurp red wine 5-10 fl oz

1/2 tspn smoked paprika

Fresh herbs thyme, sage, rosemary, basil.

2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 tbs tomato puree

2-3 tbs couchillo (or kalamata) olives

Fry the onion and aubergine on the oil for a few minutes.

Add all the other ingredients, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve with pasta.