Chloe is just under the magical 6 month age at which it’s deemed the ‘right’ time to wean your baby. In 2014 that is. In 1999 it was 4 months .. In 1983 when I was born my mum tells me most people weaned anytime after 3 months. Now 3 months seems way too early to me, to be honest 4 months seems too young to me as my baby was nowhere near ready at that age but it’s such a personal choice. Anyway we are nearly at the magic age and we have started weaning.

Only just. But we have started.

She had her weigh in at the health visitor last week and although she looks perfectly healthy she is not really gaining weight at the rate that they would like so a little encouragement that it was time to start weaning was all I needed really as I knew in my head that she was ready and apparently the fact that she was 2 weeks late makes a difference..who knew?
And as a very good midwife friend of mine said it’s not as if a switch flips at 6months.

We have started with small amounts of puréed sweet potato and puréed apples or pears. I have been cooking the fruits and vegetables in my Sous Vide machine and then simply mushing them about in the bag before serving.

So not actually pureeing although when I make larger quantities for freezing etc I will probably blend them all up in the Vitamix.
Ready for dinner..

Sweet potato is met with a smile and apple is tolerated with a mild grimace but she seems to be enjoying. We are only offering a tablespoon or two each mealtime so as not to overload her little belly and she still feeds off me just as much but the journey has begun and apart from the messiness we are all enjoying. Izzy is thrilled that her sister is learning to eat and learning to talk ( well to make noises) I think she has started to realise that sometime in the not so distant future she will have a real playmate.

We had an awful few days of very little sleep and manic hour long feeds this week which I’m really really hoping was her 6 month growth spurt a week or so early. Fingers crossed.

I will let you know how we get on as our weaning journey continues!

Food is taking over the world. There are more foodie festivals than music festivals these days. I’m not complaining.

So you need to know which ones to go to ..right? I am here to help :- D

This is the first in a series of Festival Posts, you can expect previews and reviews from now until well..it doesn’t really stop.

To kick it all off we have Bristol Food Connections.. May 1st – May 11th 2014

Yes you read that correctly…11 days of foodie fun.

I wish I lived closer but as it is I will definitely be attending on at least one day.. The tough part is deciding which one.

With events ranging from foraging to tastings and talks on food blogging, running a food business and much more.

There is a huge food festival ..a food trail.. Celebrity chef demos ..walking festivals which include chocolate stories ( yay) and so much for the little ones to do as well. Something for everyone and because it’s on for 11 whole days it should mean that everyone can squeeze it in around work and life etc.

Areas which I want to visit include:

Slow Food – Ark of Taste Market and Pop-Up Pizzeria
BBC hub for some chef demos
The City Centre festival
Organix Family area

Next up on my calendar is GrillStock June 7th-8th 2014

Again this is in Bristol which is becoming quite the foodie hub this year.

GrillStock is a two day festival of meat, music & mayhem.

With a smouldering hot US style low ‘n’ slow BBQ competition, over 40 bands and 8 DJ’s playing across four music stages, Grillstock is the hottest festival in the UK, attracting over 17, 000 meat and music lovers seeking some southern hospitality.

We are big BBQ fans here and we can’t wait for this festival, it sound a bit different and a lot of fun.. Can they beat my new favourite ribs (48hr sous vide) I will of course have to try and see.

Next we are at The BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham June 12th – 15th 2014

This event in Birmingham NEC is the summer show and I’ve only even to the winter ones so far so I’m excited to see the difference. This time I WILL remember to take plenty of bags and adequate storage for the mountain of food products that I will NEED to buy.

As an official blogger of the show you can expect to hear lots about it over the next few months and receive some exclusive discount codes too.

Fast forward two weeks and we are hitting the capital for Taste of London June 18th-22nd 2014

I went to this festival last year and thoroughly enjoyed. Really excited to go again and this time without a huge pregnant belly so I can enjoy all the food and perhaps indulge in a glass of pimms. Woop. The festival is sponsored by Electrolux so you get all the amazing chef experiences that you get at events such as the Big Feastival. There are some new features this year such as the Secret Ingredient Experience which I will tell you about it in a bit more detail tomorrow with my Taste of London preview.

Moving onto August and Camp Bestival31st July – 3rd August 2014

You may look at this and say hmmm that’s not a food festival but it is .. It really is, every year I’m amazed by the variety and quality of food on offer but this year they have embraced it even more with a whole new aspect to the festival all focussed on food. YES. My daughters gets to dance to Mr Tumble and I can enjoy some apple crumble..or something like that.

The last weekend of August sees another food/music combo in the shape of The Big Feastival – 29th-31st August

This is a truly wonderful weekend, I missed it last year due to sickness in pregnancy and I was pretty upset about it but we went in 2012 and loved every minute. Hope to go again this year especially now that Izzy is a bit older and very interested in food herself as there is a lot of encouragement for children to get involved.

Izzy at the Little Dudes Den in 2012:

That’s all for now but look forward to full previews of the festivals we will be attending over the next few weeks and of course the reviews afterwards.. Warning they may make you drool a bit.

Some days being a food blogger is pretty brilliant. Like when a parcel arrives and it contains ..CHEESE. Oh and a really cool cow coolbag which my toddler LOVES.

I love cheese. Does anyone not love cheese?

I was like the cat that got the cream and of course I just had to dig in straightaway..starting with the Reserve Vintage which is still far and away my favourite of the selection I was sent. I wish I had more words to describe how good it was but the two packets we were given quickly emptied between myself, my OH, my mum and of course Izzy the cheese fiend which should say it all. We had it on crackers, with chutney and just on its own.

I had great intentions of creating fabulous recipes with the other variations but apart from using it to top gnocchi bakes and pasta dishes we have more or less eaten it by itself as it’s such great cheese.

I mean most cheese is good but sometimes I feel that cheese ready packed in supermarkets can taste a little bland. This isn’t even slightly bland, there is no plasticky taste and there are options to suit all palates and dishes.

I have one pack of extra mature left which I’m going to use to make a pie and I will come back and add the recipe but I wanted to tell you all about it now and urge you to go buy it. Especially the reserve vintage… Ooh and tell me whenever you see it on offer please. I feel I’m going to become an addict.

Run, run for your lives……

Come on we all know the lyrics. I’ve caught myself singing them more times than I can tell you.

It’s one of the more entertaining Cbeebies shows and I quite enjoy watching along with Izzy. Even Chloe likes the theme music.

Did you know that Vivid Toys and Games have created a line of toys to accompany the show?

From 10inch talking plush versions of Peter Rabbit and Lily Bobtail to playing cards and puzzles. There is something for both older and younger PR fans. Prices range from £3.99 to £14.99 so fairly budget friendly too. You can view them all here

I opted for the plush talking Peter for Izzy to review as she really likes talking toys and she was so excited when the parcel arrived. Apologies for the not so great pics but I was trying to capture her excitement whilst also feeding Chloe!

Soon there were cuddles..

And then her current ultimate display of affection… She swaddled him!

From a parents point of view I was impressed with the quality of the toy and the various phrases that can be played when pressing his belly. Izzy has now placed him firmly in her pram and calls him her baby so she’s pretty happy too.

Now for the best part.. How do you fancy winning one of these for your little one? Just enter the easy rafflecopter competition below to be in with a chance:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK entrants only.

I’ve been having so much fun making up new recipes using my Sous Vide machine.. I’m getting a bit carried away and I’m definitely going to need to place an order for more vacuum bags soon..oops.

Tonight I made such a dreamy recipe that I had to share it with you.

You will need:

4 Sausages – I used Sainsburys for this recipe but any will do. Mine were 97% meat.
Dried Spaghetti – we used about 250grams.
4tsp Mustard – I used French mustard with Pinot noir but whole grain would be fine too.
Double cream – 150ml
Diced peppers – I used 1/4 red and 1/4 yellow
2 inch chunk Courgette diced
A few squirts of golden syrup – I used Tate & Lyles
Seasoning

Firstly I vacuum sealed my sausages. I didn’t add anything to the bag. Just sausages.

I cooked them at 63.5c for 2hrs 15mins.

They look a little unappealing when in the bag but I promise they taste fantastic..

Towards the end of the cooking time, I chopped up some red and yellow pepper and courgette and set aside.

I then mixed together golden syrup and Pinot noir mustard in a bowl and when the sausages were ready I slid them out of the bag (reserving the stock) and into the bowl where they sat lapping up the syrup while I cooked my spaghetti. I sautéed my veggies while the pasta was bubbling away until they were softened and slightly blacked, I then set them aside in a warm bowl and turned the pain up to its highest heat and literally gave my sausages a flash in the pan – it’s just to get a little colour and make the syrup very sticky.

I drained the pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water. I then added my sausage stock, 150ml of double cream and 2 heaped tsp of mustard and cooked over a slow heat until thickened.

I served my sausages sliced on top of my pasta and veggies.

It was divine. I could eat it all over again right now.

Creamy, delicious and the sausages were perfectly cooked yet sticky and appetising. I imagine the sausages would be great the next day in a sandwich too.

* I received a Sous Vide Supreme Kit for the purpose of a review.

I have some news.. Well you have probably read me going on about it on Twitter already but here’s the official news:

I’m an official blogger for the BBC Good Food Show

WOOP.

I am so thrilled to be a part of this community. It means I get lots of good things like sneaky peaks at what’s going on behind the scenes at the shows and you get good things like discount codes and today a special ticket giveaway.

A rather great photo of an enthusiastic looking Michel Roux Jr that I took at the 2012 show:

First up let’s tell you a little more about the show I am going to be attending next in Birmingham NEC from June 12th – 15th 2014.

The Supertheatre – this is a regular feature of the BBC Good Food Show and is home to live cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs such as John Torode, Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, James Martin, Tom Kerridge and Gennaro Contaldo. I’ve had front row seats for one of the Supertheatre sessions previously ( Saturday kitchen live) and you really do feel like you are in the thick of it. We even got to sample some of Pierre Kaufman and James Martins creations and sup on some wine passed over by the lovely Chris Evans. An afternoon to remember. All general admission tickets get a free seat in the Supertheatre but some sessions are extremely popular so book early.

The Producers Village

Sample the many delights on offer in the producers village, home to the very best artisan producers selling oils, cheeses and meats to fudge, Gin and chutneys… I was like a child in a toy shop the last time I visited and there are so many samples you feel slightly full before you even get to the next part.

The BBC Good Food Kitchen

This is a new feature of the show where you can enjoy dishes inspired by recipes from the magazine with matching wines. Delightful.

Booking is essential for this.

Bakes and Cakes Village

It’s all about the cakes in this section of the show, from tips and advice to demos and supplies. It would be rude not to visit.

BBC Gardeners World Live

You gain free entry to Gardeners World Live with your ticket so you can roam freely between the two worlds.. Want to find out which flowers are edible from Mary Berry or how to flavour your meat from James Martin? Then visit the chefs kitchen garden.

There is a lot more I can tell you but for now let’s get to the best parts…

Just for you here is a 20% off discount code: Use MB20 online or by phone and do it quickly as it expires on 30th April. To buy tickets click here

I also have TWO pairs of tickets to give away:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Are you a serious food blogger?

Am I?

Apparently not. To be a serious food blogger you have to blog only about food. Just food. All the live long day.

I blog about other things, inbetween copious posts about food festivals, restaurant reviews, recipes, meal plans..waffling about food..and waffles. But I’m not a serious food blogger. Or so I’ve been told.

I was annoyed by this. I still am. This blog was born out of a love for food and my family but without the food but I probably wouldn’t have started it. I used to tweet photos of my meals ( we all do it ) and recipe ideas to my small but loyal group of twitter followers and people started to suggest that I write my recipes up in a blog. That was one of the reasons I began.

Two years on and I still get a thrill when I write about food, or when someone tells me they followed one of my recipes and it was successful. Or when twitter followers tell me that one of my recipes is now their families favourite meal – that’s you Amanda. I get samples of amazing products, invites to events and I get to write about my favourite topic. Plus I’m now an official blogger for the BBC Good Food Show – how cool is that?

Just because I don’t write purely about one subject doesn’t mean that it’s not hugely important to me. Because it is. It really is.

Sad as it may sound to some of you I am a complete and utter food nerd. I love food. I could spend hours, days..weeks discussing the best way to cook pulled pork or how I get my cakes to rise. I will however at some point in between tell you all about my amazing family because I love them too. In fact I love them more. YES more than food. Madness I tell you.

I may also blather about things like breastfeeding and music festivals because I’m passionate about them.

If any of it doesn’t interest you then please just move onto the next post which I do hope does interest you!

So there it is. I’m a super serious Food Blogger. I don’t care who knows it.

End of rant.