decorate

Homemade Garden Games: X's + O's

May 24, 2016


With sunny weather on the way (and our baby shower planned as an al fresco affair) I wanted to have some garden games to keep our guests, and littlest guests, occupied!

I love wooden garden games, but goodness can they be pricey! Rather than shell out a small fortune on games I made some of my own- look out for my Rope Ring Toss DIY coming up on the blog soon as well.

You will need:

2 ft x 2 ft piece of sanded plywood- I love the woodgrain
wooden X's and O's- 5 of each
wide masking tape
scissors
white spray paint
gold spray paint- or colour of your choice
clear spray varnish


Method:

Mark out a nine square grid pattern on the plywood using wide masking tape. Use scissors to make the ends of the tape really square. Smooth down the tape to make sure there are no bubbles or peeling edges where the spray paint could seep through.




Spray the board with white paint, it's better to do a lot of thin coats than one thick coat as the paint will 'ripple' and look uneven. As the surface of the plywood is uneven you will still see the woodgrain pattern through the paint, unless you do lots of coats. I like the white washed grain effect so I stopped at two coats of paint. Allow it to dry throughly.


Spray the X's and O's in gold (or the colour of your choice) be sure not to miss the edges. Once they are completely dry, turn them over and spray the other side. 

This picture was taken before Charlie pointed out that my baby brain led me only to buy three of each teams' piece instead of the required ten pieces in total.... I then went and bought the others.

When everything is dry, peel the masking tape off of the board and coat everything in clear spray varnish to protect it from moisture. I wouldn't leave these outside permanently, but it's a good idea to give them a protective coat to ward against humidity, the odd splash of rain, or gin and tonic.


Holly Likes to Cook on YWCA She Shines Radio on WOON 1240 AM

May 22, 2016


A few weeks back I had the pleasure of being interview by Meghan Grady of YWCA's She Shines Radio. She Shines Radio is a weekly program celebrating the aspirations and accomplishments of women, broadcast on WOON 1240 AM. 

During the interview, which aired on Saturday May 14th, we chatted about what prompted me to start Holly Likes to Cook, how it's developed along the way, and my future plans. 
If you missed the show and fancy finding out a little more about the goings on behind the screen at HLTC check out the recording here!

drink

Floral, Herb and Citrus Ice Cubes

May 20, 2016


It's so very nearly summer, and with warmer days comes outdoor dining and drinking! Whether your cocktail are full fat or tee total, these pretty floral, herb and citrus studded ice cubes will pretty up even the simplest of summer libation.


It's best to choose your ingredients for both their flavour, aroma and colour. I like to choose a range of bright, vibrant colours to serve as I drink a lot of simple sparkling water, the colours looks beautiful stacked amidst a fuzz of little soda bubbles.


There are plenty of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs you can use in your cubes, but here are some good ones to start experimenting with:

Fruits:

Pretty much anything! Though I'd steer clear of anything a bit mushy, like banana. Some of my favourites are:

Citrus- lemon, lime, orange. Mix up your use of the flesh and the zest for even more variation
Berries- blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry...
Exotic- kiwi, mango, pineapple...

Vegetables:

Cucumber- these are particularly good with a gin and tonic!
Celery- to chill your summer Bloody Mary
Olives- add a little splash of brine to the cubes to add a savoury tang your vodka rocks


Flowers:
It's important to only use edible, food grade flowers. This means that they are both a species that is safe to eat AND has been grown without being sprayed with chemicals and pesticides. If in doubt always double check with an expert as to whether a flower is safe to eat.
-Lavendar
-Rose
-Nasturtium
-Fruit Blossoms: apple, elderflower (FAVOURITE!), citrus...
Herbs:

-Mint
-Basil
-Lemon Thyme or Verbena
-Rosemary


I like to use a rigid ice cube tray rather than a silicon one. I find it so much easier to get the cubes out of a rigid tray by turning it upside down against a flat surface and flexing it a little to release the cubes. It might just be me being useless but I'm forever pinging ice cubes out of silicon moulds and across the room.

That being said, the larger flexible molds to make spheres or giant cubes are kind of work the faff because the final cubes look so dam cool... cool, get it?

decorate

Felt Star Baby Mobile

May 17, 2016


With the babies' arrival about two months away (OMG) Charlie and I have been focusing on getting their nursery set up and ready for the little arrivals. 

We've decided on a loose 'outer space' theme, (find more on how to decorate a space nursery here). Our chalkboard wall gives a dramatic background, but we've based the rest of the design around bold, primary colours and shapes meaning we can change up the decor as the bots grown up.

I really wanted to have a star nursery, but couldn't find one that has the bold colours and shapes I had in mind. Whilst searching Etsy I stumbled across these gorgeous felt stars from Crafty Wool Felt. They were just the thing I was looking for... although not part of a mobile. After a quick search and discovery of a simple wooden, mobile hanger from Monkey Town Mobiles, I knew I had a DIY on my hands.


What you'll need for one mobile:

10 felt stars in a range of colours
1 mobile hanger
thin, white ribbon
white cotton and needle
scissors
All purpose, strong glue


How to make your mobile:

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER 

When making anything that's going to be use with or around babies and children, safety has got to be your number one consideration.

The risks with a mobile include the hanging items falling from the mobile and presenting a choking hazard, or the mobile itself falling from where it's suspended and causing injury.

When attaching all components double and triple check that they are well secured. When the mobile is in use be sure to check it regularly for wear, and when securing it to the ceiling, if you're uncomfortable putting in a solid and safe fixture get a professional to install one.

As much a making things for your little ones is lovely and sentimental, never compromise safety for cuteness- if you can't be sure your DIY mobile is safe, secure and well made it might be a good idea to keep on searching Etsy and asking a talented crafter to make something custom for you!

Cut ten length of ribbon to suspense your stars from. I wanted to have a random looking patter so cut ribbon at the following lengths:

4 pieces at 12 inches
4 pieces at 10 inches
2 pieces at 8 inches


To attach the ribbon to the felt stars, sew a few stitches right through the star (from the top of one points, through the middle, out the bottom, back up through the center and out the top) to ensure a good strong connection. As felt is a tangled bundle of fibers, by just sewing the ribbon to one of the points you run the risk of the fibers not being strong enough to stand up to the stitches and the star falling off of the ribbon. 

Sew the end of the ribbon to the star, test that the stitches are good and strong before tying off and trimming the fly away bits of cotton. Repeat with all the stars, try and keep duplicates of the same colour on different lengths to add a random quality.


To attach the stars to the mobile arms, blob on a little glue then wrap the ribbon once around the arm, tucking the end under the ribbon and sew to secure. 

If your mobile is like mine it will have four arms, attach two stars to two opposite facing arms, and three stars to the other arms. Be sure to space them along the arm evenly, think about which colours will be next to each other on the finished mobile when placing them on the arms.

Attach the arms into the central mobile connector and allow to dry before hanging. Hang from the ceiling using an appropriate fixture, ideally securing a hook into a solid beam, or alternatively using a heavy duty wall plug, designed for use in plasterboard, and a corresponding hook- if in doubt ask a professional for help!


eat

The Bagel Queen with Big Bagel Dreams: Talking Russian Food and Future Plans with Rebecca Volynsky

May 15, 2016




There's something cooking on the East Side, and it's not in one of the restaurants. From a third floor apartment, just off Hope Street, wafts the tantalising aroma of fresh, sesame topped bagels baking in the home of Rebecca Volynsky.

Having followed her bagel baking progress via facebook, word of mouth, and most recently from the ever stylish instagram feed of The Dean Hotel, I knew I had to find out more about the Volynsky Bagels.

Photo by Jen Brister of storyandgold.com

Clutching two cups of hot Seven Stars coffee on a rainy Sunday morning, I made my way to Rebecca's cute little 
East Side apartment. The first thing you notice about Rebecca are her eyes, bright and friendly, her wide genuine smile isn't far behind as she welcomes me into her home. 

It's clear from the moment I step over the threshold that Rebecca is an artist, a tumble of giant paper flowers strung with tinkle lights are hung in the corner of her kitchen, next to a gallery wall of eclectic pieces including her own mixed media work. 


A tray of proved bagel dough is laid out on the kitchen table, giving me a immature preview of the fresh baked breakfast I'm about to experience.

Having moved back from Boston in the summer of 2014, the East Side is the adopted ancestral home of the Volynsky clan. Her parent's emigrated from Belarus in 1989, just before Rebecca's birth, arriving in on the East Side of Providence and residing here still. 

Talking about the journey her parents made to the States, when they were not much older than herself, the pride and appreciation of the opportunities they have given her by coming to America are not lost on Rebecca.

Whilst Providence is home, Boston and its art scene called to her, having studied visual arts at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston University and Lesley University. Whilst her innate artistic talent and style, which surround us in her bijou home, are obvious, Rebecca tells me that although she will always be an artist at heart she feels like there is another life puzzle piece out there she hasn't found yet. 

Combining her love of the arts and incredible passion, that's abundantly apparent whenever she talks of a task or intention she has, Rebecca is currently working with City Arts . An organisation providing free, professional art-based education and training to young people in Providence, it marries her creativity and proactivity beautifully.

 Her current mission is the Cirque du ¡CityArts! fundraising event that's fast approaching. There's no question of meeting their fundraising goal, as far as Rebecca is concerned- with a track record of exceeding fundraising targets to back her up, I don't doubt her stalwart confidence either!


A self taught home cook, this culinary venture is, right now, a passion project. Though the research into the legalities and certifications needed to grow this ideas into reality is well underway, right now the extent of Volynsky bagel production is on her four burner stove top, using a eclectic collection of makeshift and last minute Stock supplied tools and utensils. 

Moving around the kitchen with the ease only a home cook in their personal environment can, Rebecca starts to boil the bagels as she tells me how the cultural importance of her Russian Jewish heritage is fueling her culinary journey.

What started out as a hobby, developed into a honed curiosity, and has blossomed into a full blown passion for carbs, Rebecca's bagel making is more than just about filling the breakfast table. 


Though she knows the broad story of how her parents left their homeland and the ensuing journey to America, the details are now being filled in over home cooked Russian fare. Connecting through the medium of food, whether it's spending time learning recipes or sharing traditional dishes together, the topic of conversation is deepening her understanding of the details of her parents' US odyssey.

Scooping the boiled bagels from their malted bath, Rebecca deftly paints them with egg white and tops with sesame seeds, before popping in the oven and joining me at the kitchen table that's crammed with gypsophila and pale blue stock filled vases.

There's an emotional glistening to her big eyes as she talks of the day her mother took away from work (a job she's had since arriving in the US and has worked hard at, so much so she is now the assistant manager of the establishment) to spend cooking stuffed cabbage and piroji for Rebecca and her friends. The day away from work being a real luxury, it's clear that whilst delicious food is clearly important to this family, it's also a metaphor for familial bonds, the passing of generational wisdom, and for love.


It's not just family relationships that are being nurtured by food either. At her most recent dinner party an impressive twenty two people (twenty three if I count Mishka, Rebecca's beautiful blue eyed Siamese cat... and I do) squeezed into the third floor, one bed apartment to feast on hearty, authentic eats cooked by Rebecca and her mum. This mother daughter collaboration is something Rebecca is really hoping can be a part of her, and her mum's, future careers.

Having kept half an eye on the bagels browning in the oven, Rebecca deems it bagel time as she pulls out the tray. Casting a critical eye over the golden, glistening, baked beauties, she approves them for immediate consumption. Served up simply with cream cheese on the now 'The Dean' famous background of her matte black kitchen table, the only pause we make before chowing down is for the ubiquitous flatlay instagram shot... we're only human.

Though her love of bagels stems from her love of traditional Jewish food, the journey to perfect the art of bagel making that began as a personal quest, has quickly blossomed into something more. 


Rebecca dreams of her bagel journey evolving to a point where she could create a business that includes her mother (and her mother's exceptional Russian cooking skills!) not just to bring good food to the people of Providence, but to give back to her parents the opportunities that they gave to her by coming to America.

So what is starting out as bagels boiling in a pan that's not quite big enough, catching the eye of notable foodies across the state (*cough* *cough* David Dadekian), and harbored in dreams of a future family business, might just be that final puzzle piece for Rebecca Volynsky.



To be kept up to date on bagel R&D and future bagel events and happenings (eek!) be sure to sign up to Rebecca's mailing list. 

decorate

Maid Pro: Maid Pro Cares Pays it Forward

May 12, 2016


So nesting is a thing. The irony of it being that mine is kicking into high gear just as being able to lift the vacuum or bed down to pick stuff of the floor is becoming... well, impossible.

Charlie and I have been hustling to get the house finished before the babies arrive (and ideally before our baby shower, which is kind of doubling as our house 'reveal' to those friends that saw the house at it's worst!). We've managed to finish off the giant to do list, most of which with me perched on a strategically placed stool or sat on the floor on a nice cushion. Floor mopping from a stool however yields a really clean 2 or 3 square foot area, but not much more.


I knew of the local Maid Pro team, and have even used them in the past for when I just couldn't face cleaning up anymore plaster dust. But when I was nominated and won their monthly Maid Pro Providence Cares draw for a free house clean, I dropped to my knees with joy (though not actually, because of all that stuff I just said about being the size of a house and about as mobile).

Owners of the Providence Maid Pro operation Brian O'Toole and his partner Tom St.Germain, started the ventures in 2007 after Brian discovered the business through his first post college job. Having enjoyed working with the company, opening his own branch in Providence (home to his alma mater Johnson and Wales University) seemed like the right move.

After establishing themselves in the city Brian found himself wanting to give back to his community, and began the Maid Pro Cares monthly house clean giveaway:

"There are so many people out there that something as simple as cleaning their home has become a burden or is physically impossible and we are happy to help out someone in need. It is always a fulfilling feeling to know that you made someone's day."
Brian O'Toole, owner of MaidPro Providence

Speaking about the difference the initiative makes to people, Brian told me his favourite story is one of a recent winner who's father needed a helping hand:

"Quinn's dad had an accident which has left him a quadriplegic. With no movement in this arms or legs he relies on the help of others for simple tasks such as eating or dressing. Lately his help has not been consistent so Quinn has helped out a lot. We're happy to now help her out!"

Having set up my clean, choosing the 9am-1pm time slot I got on with my day pottering about the house and writing. I don't have a key with Maid Pro, but they do have a fully insured key holder process meaning you absolutely don't have to wait in for them if you've got a busy day or need to get off to work.

Amber, the lady coming to spruce up the house, called me about twenty minutes before she arrived to let me know she was on her way and check I was still good with all the arrangements.


I'd emailed with Brian about the type of cleaning I'd like (I'm a stickler for a sparking bathroom!) but even if I hadn't expressed a preference, or been sure about what I actually wanted, Maid Pro's 49 point check list makes sure nothing gets left out. You can tailor it to your liking, adding on additional services such as fridge and oven cleaning as needed. 

Amber, a bubbly mum of a nineteen-month-old baby boy, was friendly and professional as I gave her a tour of the house and we chatted through what I'd really love for her to do whilst she was here. As a mum of a little one, she was really understanding of my bump induced limitations! In the past I've felt a bit guilty having a cleaner in, especially if I'm at home doing something like writing, where I could well just be faffing about on facebook for all the hardworking person scrubbing my kitchen is aware. 

Amber was so easy to chat to and have in my personal space, I didn't once feel like she was judging my laptop tapping or flat lay photo shooting as she worked away in the other room. 

Maid Pro provide all the cleaning equipment and products they need to get the job done, other than my usual British offering of a cup of tea, Amber didn't need anything from me to get started, popping her headphones in and getting down to work right away.


In the time she was with me, Amber deep cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, including polishing up the stainless steel appliances to a shine I'm pretty sure they didn't even have when they were new from the store. All the floors were vacuumed and everything straightened up and made beautiful.

There's sometimes that feeling of wanting to do things your way when hiring someone to perform a service for you, like washing and drying your own hair after a hair cut. That is not the feeling I experienced. At. All. 

Having chatted through my priorities for the clean and shown Amber around the house, she did everything just as I would have, only about a billion times better.

I was here when Amber finished up, so she gave me a brief run down of what she'd done. If I hadn't been here (and Maid Pro held my key) I'd have had the same detailed debriefing from the 49 point checklist Amber had filled in a left in the kitchen for my records- completely with an adorable little note wishing me lucky with my twin baby buns!

If you know someone that deserves a helping hand around the house, maybe they're having a tough time with their healthy, are super busy at work, or just really need a day off from house hold chores, you can nominate anyone (within the Maid Pro Providence catchment area) for any reason you see fit. There's no obligation to sign up for further services, or any additional charges for the free cleaning prize (unless you want to leave a tip which is completely optional), so why not nominate a couple of friends and be their favourite person for the foreseeable future?

Click here to nominate someone to win the Maid Pro Cares free house clean giveaway

To find out more about Maid Pro Providence visit their website, give them a call on 401.723.4400. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


This is not a sponsored post. Though I did not pay for this particular house clean, as I won it through the Maid Pro Cares scheme, I have previously paid for services from Maid Pro and genuinely recommend them for their high quality of work and professionalism... and they are super nice as well.

decorate

Baby Book

May 09, 2016


With less than 10 weeks to go until my 'hoped for' due date, we've been getting all the final bits and bobs ready for the babies.

Identical twin pregnancies don't typically last as long as singleton pregnancies, because there's only so much room in the womb, and the placenta get's a bit work out catering for two tiny humans instead of one.

36 weeks is a generally agreed upon best of both worlds, long enough cooking to make the need for NICU time as little as possible, but soon enough before the babies get two squashed... I'm no OBGYN, but I'm marking my calendar with a mid July birthdate!

One of the things I'd really like is a lovely baby book. I've read through the one my parent's filled out for me, with my foot print, lock of hair and details my family at the time I was born. 

I've searched for one that I love but haven't come across any that really make my heart sing and do everything I wanted them to do. 

We've been having very frequent ultrasounds(again because the babies are identical) so I want space to keep all of our ultrasound pictures. I'd like to paste in photos of Charlie and I getting the nursery (and rest of the house!) ready for our new arrivals. I'd also like one book that I can record these things in for both babies. 

Some of the books that almost hit the spot for me were really spendy, and needing two, it all added up very fast! 

So, I made my own!

I chose to use a large, blank paged sketch book so I could fill it with the things I wanted to remember, without the invariable sports or dog themes that seem to be on so many 'boy' baby books!

You will need:

A blank sketchbook of your choice- This one was about $8
Wite Out/Tippex
Printer
Sheet of copy paper
Masking tape
Ball point pen
Light source (such as a lamp, window during the day, or your cell phone torch)

Method:

Decide on the design you'd like on the front of your book, I choose to use a large typographic design.


The font I chose is called Sweetpea, it is available to download for free from dafont.com for personal use.

Lay out your design then print on regular copy paper, being sure your design will fit on the size of your front page.

Once the ink is dry, lay the page onto the front of your book and secure with masking tape- you'll remove this later.

Draw over the outline of your design with your ball point pen, being sure to press hard so that it's indents onto the front cover of your book. Do this for the whole design, peel back the paper to check the design is completely transferred


When you're done, remove the paper. Colour in the design with the Wite Out/Tippex. I wanted a white design particularly, and chose to use correction fluid instead of paint as it would dry quickly and reduce the chances of smudges.

Use an angled light to make the indentations easier to see. I used the light from a window for most of it, but also used the torch from my cell phone for any really tricky bits.

If you want a coloured design, I'd use acrylic paint and be sure to let it dry thoroughly!

Let the design dry, then fill the pages with the memories of your pregnancy and baby, or babies!



recipes

St. Viateur Parmesan + Chive Bagel Chips

May 06, 2016


Since our trip to Montreal and experiencing amazing St Viateur Bagels my life hasn't been the same. One of those reasons is entirely carb based, and the other is the fact that St Viateur liked my Instagram post and sent me a whole bunch of bagels that are currently filling (and I mean FILLING) my freezer!

Whilst you can't beat the traditional toasted bagel toped with cream cheese and smoked salmon (or just the cream cheese if you've got a belly full of babies), there's a whole lot more to the bagel than being a breakfast MVP.

I'm always baking slices of baguette to serve as dippers for hummus, salsa and spreads, and bagel chips are the baguette's little (but no less delicious) brother.

Being smaller in diameter also lends to cutting them a little thicker which results in a crunchy outside and chewy inside- an essential feature of a good bagel.


Ingredients:

Makes enough for 2-4 people snacking alongside drinks and dips

2 bagels- Ideally St Viateur! They ship to Canada and the US, but if you can't get your hands on them another good quality bagel will do (PSSST don't miss my meet up with a new name inthe Providence bagel game coming up on HLTC in the next week or so!)
1 heaped tablespoon chopped, fresh chives
1oz freshly grated parmesan
salt and pepper
olive oil





Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C

Slice the bagels into discs about 1/8th inch/half a centimeter in thickness, tumble into a large bowl.

Sprinkle in the chopped chives and grated parmesan- I find a microplane is the best tool for grating parmesan, especially for this recipe. It gives a very fine tangle of cheese that coats all the pieces really well.

Season generously with salt and pepper, and glug in a good lug of olive oil. Toss the bagel pieces until everything is well coated. 

Lay out the bagel slices onto a baking sheet, lined if it isn't non stick, scoop out any cheese and chives left in the bowl and spread them evenly over the chips. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes.

The chips will be done when they are golden brown and crispy on the the edges. They will harden a little as they cool so don't be tempted to cook them too much longer or you'll lose that chewy center.

Serve with dips like spicy salsa, sour cream with dill, or taramasalata alongside chilled drinks for a great party snack.



eat

Cinco De Mayo: My Favourite Tacos from across the Tinterweb

May 05, 2016

It's Cinco De Mayo which, aside from a lot of misunderstanding about what the day is actually all about, means it's a great day to indulge in some Mexican inspired munches.

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the Mexican Army's victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. So Cinco De Mayo is actually a day to celebrate Mexican resilience and strength, and what better way to recognise that than with some delicious Mexican inspire eats?

Here are some of my favourite taco recipes:



Photo via Smitten Kitchen


Mini Fish Tacos www.abeautifulmess.com
Photo via A Beautiful Mess


Photo via Jamie Oliver

Rachel Khoo's Tahini Tacos

Photo via Rachel Khoo

Joy the Baker's Malo's Beef and Pick Tacos

Photo via Joy the Baker

By Gabriella's Easy Pickles Red Onions
For topping your tacos!

Photo via By Gabriella


Photo via Not Without Salt


eat

Creamed Corn Marbled Cornbread + A Backyard Lobster Boil

May 04, 2016


It seems like spring (and maybe some hints of summer? But don't quote me in case I get blamed for jinxing us) has finally arrived in Rhode Island! Or at least that's precisely how it felt last Sunday when Charlie and I headed to our friends house for a back yard lobster boil.

We've eaten lobster since arriving in the States, and discovered it's a very different experience from eating lobster back home in that is doesn't come with a prerequisite that you wear you top hat and monocle whilst consuming the meal. 



I think the abundance and normalcy of lobster in New England can further be characterised by the ferociousness* with which Charlie strips the lobster of any edible parts. Back home, if you've mortgage your home to buy that bad boy you want to enjoy every meaty part of it; out here the head and extremities are pretty much just a really nice garnish for the easy to reach tail and claw meat.

*it's advised to keep a 6ft exclusion zone at all time when Mr Vine has the lobster crackers.


Twenty or so of us laid out picnic blankets (I actually perched on a chair as getting back up again wasn't a guarantee) and tucked in to a pot luck picnic of just boiled lobsters, fresh shucked oysters (for the non-knocked up), salads, grilled asparagus, coleslaw and my contribution of cornbread.


Now cornbread doesn't actually have corn in it. I know, insane. It's name is derived from the cornmeal in it, but having some corn that needed to be used after my 24 weeks pregnant Instagram photo, I thought I'd up the ante on both the -meal and real corn fronts.

Creamed corn might be one of the best foods in the world. Offensively simple to make, it's the savoury, sweet, rich, unctuous way to be assured you're eating your allotted portions of daily vegetables... and probably your weeks worth of butter and cream as well.


Ingredients:

For the creamed corn-

2 cups/350g corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons butter
2oz/60g american cheese/mild cheddar
1/2 cup/120ml heavy/double cream
salt and pepper

For the cornbread batter-

1/2 cup/120g salted butter
1/2 cup/100g white sugar
1 cup/150g cornmeal
1 cup/130g all purpose/plain flour
1 cup/240ml whole milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Start off by making the creamed corn. Fry the corn in the butter until it's cooked through and bright yellow, the cooking time will vary depending on if you start with fresh or frozen kernels. Pour the cream into the pan and stir in the cheese, allow to bubble and thicken, season to taste with salt and pepper. Leave to cool whilst you make the cornbread batter.


Melt the butter then add in all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix well, I'm very rough and ready when it comes to cooking so there may be recipes that call for a specific order- I find chucking it all in together and mixing well gives a darn good result!

Grease an oven proof pan really well and coat in a light dusting of flour. I like to cook my corn bread in a cast iron pan or skillet for presentation purposes, but a normal cake pan will do just fine- for this recipes you'll want a pan about 9inches across.

Spoon blobs of creamed corn onto the top of the batter, try and imagine how you'll cut the cooked cornbread to make sure each piece has a good amount of creamed corn on it.

Bake for 30 minutes. You want to have a lovely golden brown crust, and have a skewer or knife come out clean when plunged into the center of the bread.

Best served with lobsters and attractive lobster bibs.