Plum and Ginger Chutney

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Linda Duffin

It’s been a phenomenal year for plums here in our part of Suffolk and we’ve been in a race with the wasps to see who can get there first. Luckily, we have so much fruit, there’s plenty left for wildlife of all sorts.

The last to ripen have been the black bullace and damsons. The bullace tree in particular is so laden, the plums are hanging like bunches of grapes. As the jam cupboard is already full, we opted for a chutney and I honestly think it’s one of the best we’ve ever made. Continue reading →

Coffee and Cardamom Cake

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Many years ago, travelling in Iraq and Jordan, I sampled cardamom coffee for the first time and fell in love with it. My friend Jenny, who is either psychic or knows my tastes remarkably well, recently gave me a packet from London’s Algerian Coffee Stores and it took me right back. It is the most evocative of tastes and although it makes a very fine drink, I wanted to use that flavour combination in a cake. Continue reading →

Tangzhong Grape Bread

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Tangzhong, for anyone not familiar with it, is a Japanese bread-making technique which involves cooking a small quantity of flour and liquid like a roux, then incorporating that into the dough. It’s meant to make the bread softer and last longer. Continue reading →

Blackberry Spice Cake

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Linda Duffin

It’s that time of year when all the early autumn fruit is ripening, a sort of bonus gift from nature to apologise for the end of summer and the imminence of winter. I’ve been pickling and preserving like my life depended on it, which historically would probably have been all too true.

Happily most of us no longer have to endure a subsistence lifestyle but while the blackberries are fat and juicy, you might like to do a bit of foraging and make this fruity, gently spiced cake. Continue reading →

Greengage and Almond Jalousie

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Jalousie: mid 18th century, French, literally ‘jealousy’, from Italian geloso ‘jealous’, also (by extension) ‘screen’, associated with the screening of women from view (Oxford Languages). The internet is a wonderful thing.

In this case a jalousie is a puff pastry pie with the top slashed to resemble (allegedly) a jalousie or louvred blind. It can be savoury or sweet and in this case proved to be the perfect vehicle for the greengages I picked from our tree, although you can use any plums you have handy. Continue reading →

Verjuice

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Yes, I’m doing a LOT of reading for my new historical recipes project. But while I research and refine and generally faff about, I don’t want to leave you all hanging, so today’s recipe is for a medieval staple, verjuice. Continue reading →

Mrs Portly’s Time Machine

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Linda Duffin

I‘m lucky enough to live in an old and rather beautiful home. It’s Tudor, with the oldest part dating back to around 1500, although like most houses of its sort it’s been altered and added to over the centuries. We have witch marks on the beams, elaborate Elizabethan chimneys and parchment-written deeds which, sadly though responsibly, the previous owner donated to the county records office for their preservation.

Living here has increased my interest in historical recipes and I thought it would be good to recreate some in a way that reflects the house and the periods it has lived through. Continue reading →

Cherry and Almond Cheesecake

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Here’s a thought – you’ve got friends and/or family coming round for a (socially-distanced) meal in the garden and you want an easy dessert that nonetheless will make people say “ooh”. Or maybe you just like cheesecake. I may be able to help. Continue reading →

Bigod, That’s Tasty!

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Linda Duffin

Well, Mrs Portly’s only had one week off, but I wanted to share these frankly fabulous little filo pies while redcurrants are still in season.

Crisp, buttery pastry oozing with melty Baron Bigod cheese and redcurrant jelly, offset by the sharp tang of fresh redcurrants. They’re rich but they’re tiny, just a few bites, so they’re perfect as a starter with a few salad leaves or as a warm canape. Continue reading →

Mrs Portly's Kitchen

A Suffolk Aga Saga