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100 days of lockdown

by Samantha Mattocksupdated on July 7, 2020June 30, 2020 Leave a Comment on 100 days of lockdown

Today marks 100 days of lockdown here in the UK. I have just written my latest column for Norfolk Online and in that I lament the loss of one of life’s greatest pleasures – one that we definitely all took for granted – and that is a cup of coffee with a friend. Whether spontaneous …

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The latest on instagram

  • I am very lucky in that I was given this stunning bottle of fizz by Rebecca @oldhallfarm to review. I have a lovely collaboration with this highly ethical farm in South Norfolk but hand on heart, I can honestly say that this is one of the best English sparklings I have ever had. The first wines from Old Hall Farm were released at the end of last year and as well as a still Sauvignon Blanc and a sparkling white, they also have this - a Boudicca Blush, a delicate sparkling pink made in the traditional classic method using a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and a touch of Chardonnay. The Boudicca Blush is a clean, fresh sparkling with elegant notes. It has distinctive but light notes of cherry and it is a well balanced English wine. As well as beiny pleasant on the palate, it also very quaffable! This is the perfect fizz for Valentine's Day and also birthdays - mine is next weekend if anyone feels the urge! Best of all, £10 from each bottle sold goes to The Boudicca Appeal (hence the name), a local charity raising money to build a dedicated breast cancer unit at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital. This means you can buy twice the amount and enjoy without guilt!
  • Through my business @thearabianmagazine we have a great affinity with Syria in this household. My parents visited, and fell in love with, this amazing place and its people back in 2005, and we have many friends who come from this now worn-torn part of the world. It is the cradle of the Arabian horse, and when we saw that @earshamstreetcafe were running a six-course Syrian menu to raise money for @unicef_sy we quickly signed up! The food was exceptional, full of the subtle flavouring of the region, and it took us back to a very different time when we would sit and break bread with friends under the gentle desert heat with Arabian horses dancing before us. The Earsham Street Cafe menu began with (1) spiced chicken salad with tahini dressing. We had the next two courses together (2) - kibbeh zankaliyeh with the most amazing aubergine jam, and labneh fatayer, a pastry stuffed with tomato and Syrian cheese, served with a fresh cabbage and mint salad. The main (3) was bamia with cumin-roast cauliflower - a rich, slow-cooked lamb stew. Then it was (4) harrisi nabkiyeh, a semolina and coconut cake. The feast finished with pistachio halva. It was a delicious menu and it really did transport us away from Norfolk to sunnier days - ones that, inshallah, we can look forward to sharing with friends once more.
  • The simple things in life. A vegetable pithivier. With brie. There had to be brie. Butternut squash, leeks, mushrooms, herbs, and brie. Crisp, tasty, delicious. The perfect food for a bleak January.
  • I have just been doing some menu planning for next week. I hate it - I prefer to be spontaneous - but these day when you cannot just pop to the shops to get something for dinner, needs must. Am I the only one, however, who feels that they don't want to cook/eat what they have planned? It is the equivalent of pre-ordering breakfast, a pet hate of mine. All that said, I looked for an image to go with this post and picked the one of some salmon and lemon pasta I made last year - that's next Friday night sorted!
  • Did someone mention National Cheese Day! Who doesn't love a bit of cheese, whether it is a favourite fresh out of the packet or a little bit of mousetrap found tucked away in the fridge and given a second lease of life grated into a baked potato or grilled on toast? What is your favourite cheese, and your favourite way to enjoy it? I am sharing the fantastic platter I put together at the end of last year, perfect to share again today. Tonight, we will enjoy some parmigiana on pasta, and marvel at the many different ways to enjoy this wonderful Ingredient.
  • My latest column for @livenorfolkonline is live - link in bio. #Repost @livenorfolkonline • • • • • • Our wonderful #FoodandDrink columnist @samantha_mattocks reflects on the start of the new year and whether it is a happy one. The important message - be kind to yourself and others. #norfolk #food #drink #city #coast #country
  • A new wine! And not just a new wine, but a sparkling red at that! John over @chetvineyard has made his beautiful Red Kite, a sparkling red - the first in East Anglia and, I believe, only the second in the UK. This wine has a secondary fermentation and is a delicate, light red - a far cry from the big, bold sparkling Shiraz I tried in Australia many years ago. The Chet Valley Vineyard Red Kite is bursting with cherry flavour and has a touch of sweetness to it, making it a versatile and fun drink - think Kir Royale or even a Bellini! It would pair perfectly with a roast chicken or guinea fowl, and it is a fizz to be enjoyed with food. It would also be ideal for those longed-for summer days in the garden. As it is, we are enjoying this by a roaring fire, a true wine for all seasons. Congratulations to John and Bridget on this groundbreaking fizz, and thank you for giving me a bottle to try!
  • Merlin 💚 He is still purring and watching the birds. He still chirps at me, and he is still eating, drinking, playing every now and again, and then sleeping. But he is getting a little slower, and it is becoming more difficult to get his pills into him. I wonder if the steroids are affecting his sense of taste? Most importantly, he is still fighting and while he fights, we will keep fighting with him. He is still my shadow, and spontaneously breaks into a purr upon seeing me. And he decided to give the snow a miss yesterday! We still have our tree up - partly for him, the ultimate Christmas cat, and partly as we aren't quite ready to put the lights away yet. So we will leave the tree up until Candlemas; a new tradition? Who knows!
  • Wow. That is all I can say - wow. What a wonderful first night of the @aktarathome @opheemrestaurant box! We had the malabar fish curry, the karahi keema (my favourite!), methi bhuna aloo and the patha gobi subjee, along with the naan, sheermal and some of the pulao. It was exemplary, and strangest of all, my Merlin Cat loved it! He has never gone for curry before, I think the drugs he is on is bringing out new food cravings for him? He even had the naan! We have more to enjoy tomorrow, being just halfway through this amazing Indian feast. Inspired by his mother's homecooking that @aktar_islam enjoyed as a child, this is one home delivery you seriously need to order now!
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