Sunday, March 07, 2010
There are now just three weeks left to take advantage of our 'three for two' offer before the autumn. Finishing on April 1st, we are offering three nights bed and breakfast for the price of two, as long as evening meals ar taken, £245 for a couple in an en-suite room, or £225 in the room with private bathroom. This is a saving of £64 or £54. See the website for details www.michael-house.co.uk
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Might anyone be interested in helping us with our garden at Michael House? We are seeking someone/couple, to help, eg a weekend or longer, either the same people regularly, or different people, to help us get the garden up and running properly. Experience valuable but not essential, heavy work might be involved. The deal - around 4 hours of work a day, in return, bed and breakfast and lots of time to walk and enjoy the area!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Vegan meals out
we have had several meals out recently, at local (ish)pubs. We have told them ahead that we are vegan, and the following pubs have really done well:
The Rising Sun at Altarnun, excellent meal there today, this has to be the best meal of all we have had, and no fussing about what we could eat, automatic separate vegetables, even a dessert that was not just a fruit salad!
the Maltsters at Chapel Amble, carefully arranged, good food
the pub at St. Teath, whose name escapes me just now! Excellent pre-Christmas meal with chestnutty and aubergine thingy.
Not so good have been the following two comments from places who shall remain nameless:
Asked if any cakes were suitable for vegans in a cafe we love, a while ago - 'no, they all contain chocolate'. Eh? They didn't, aside from the irrelevancy of that comment!
Asked if the soup was suitable for vegans, the kindly guy in a very busy cafeteria style place we like in central Cornwall (which I shall be contacting with a bit of info) went and checked with the chef and came back and told us - 'no, the only thing suitable for vegans today is the Cajun chicken salad'!
we have had several meals out recently, at local (ish)pubs. We have told them ahead that we are vegan, and the following pubs have really done well:
The Rising Sun at Altarnun, excellent meal there today, this has to be the best meal of all we have had, and no fussing about what we could eat, automatic separate vegetables, even a dessert that was not just a fruit salad!
the Maltsters at Chapel Amble, carefully arranged, good food
the pub at St. Teath, whose name escapes me just now! Excellent pre-Christmas meal with chestnutty and aubergine thingy.
Not so good have been the following two comments from places who shall remain nameless:
Asked if any cakes were suitable for vegans in a cafe we love, a while ago - 'no, they all contain chocolate'. Eh? They didn't, aside from the irrelevancy of that comment!
Asked if the soup was suitable for vegans, the kindly guy in a very busy cafeteria style place we like in central Cornwall (which I shall be contacting with a bit of info) went and checked with the chef and came back and told us - 'no, the only thing suitable for vegans today is the Cajun chicken salad'!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
Roasted Mediterranean vegetables with minted cous-cous.
This is infinitely variable, as long as there is lots of flavour, garlic, lemon and herbs, the rest is totally flexible! I have adapted the recipe from the 'Kitchen Doctor'.
serves four
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow pepper
10 cloves garlic, can leave in skin or not
10 cherry tomatoes
1 aubergine, in chunks
sprig or two thyme, leaves stripped off
same of rosemary
20 pitted olives
joice of one lemon
1 tsp paprika
olive oil
chop and prepare all veggies, pop it all in a dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, uncovered, 25 mins ish, in oven at 180 c ish.
Meanwhile, prepare couscous
250g plain couscous, place in shallow, wide bowl, to allow steam to escape, add under one pint of boiling stock, leave for 3 mins., then add juice and zest of one lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, loads of fresh chopped mint, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and leave for 10 mins.
serve, can put roasted pine nuts or hazelnuts on top, or other nuts or seeds. Yum.
This is infinitely variable, as long as there is lots of flavour, garlic, lemon and herbs, the rest is totally flexible! I have adapted the recipe from the 'Kitchen Doctor'.
serves four
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow pepper
10 cloves garlic, can leave in skin or not
10 cherry tomatoes
1 aubergine, in chunks
sprig or two thyme, leaves stripped off
same of rosemary
20 pitted olives
joice of one lemon
1 tsp paprika
olive oil
chop and prepare all veggies, pop it all in a dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, uncovered, 25 mins ish, in oven at 180 c ish.
Meanwhile, prepare couscous
250g plain couscous, place in shallow, wide bowl, to allow steam to escape, add under one pint of boiling stock, leave for 3 mins., then add juice and zest of one lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, loads of fresh chopped mint, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and leave for 10 mins.
serve, can put roasted pine nuts or hazelnuts on top, or other nuts or seeds. Yum.
Special Christmas offer
We still have one room available for our Christmas break, see previous post for details. If you are thinking it would be nice to get away for Christmas, but that everywhere will be booked up by now, give me a ring. We will offer the room, it is the rooom with private bathroom, normally £275 per person for the four nights , for just £225 per person, this is a saving of £100 for a couple. Or, if you wish to come alone, I will waive the single supplement (normally £100), just charge the original amount, ie £275.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Christmas at Michael House
We currently have only one room (the room with private bathroom) still available for our four day Christmas Special:
We currently have only one room (the room with private bathroom) still available for our four day Christmas Special:
Christmas break, 2009
Fancy being looked after and spoiled over the Christmas period? Get away from it all, relax, walk and have tea by the open fire at Michael House, followed by delicious festive meals! We are offering a four night break over Christmas again this year, as follows:
Arrive on Wednesday 23rd December, in time for afternoon tea by the fire and a three course evening meal.
On Christmas Eve, have a leisurely breakfast. Enjoy the day as you choose and afternoon tea will again be served by the fire, and a three course evening meal will follow.
On Christmas Day, another leisurely breakfast will precede a four course Christmas dinner in the early afternoon. Supper will be buffet style.
On Boxing Day, there will be a light lunch after another leisurely breakfast, afternoon tea (if you can manage it!) and a three course supper. Guests will depart on the Sunday morning, after breakfast.
Four nights, partly full board, £300 per person for the en-suite rooms, and £275 for the room with private bathroom. A single supplement will apply.
Bookings for earlier or later dates will be at the normal rate.
Comments from previous Christmas guests:
‘A wonderful way to spend Christmas’
‘What a fabulous way to spend Christmas…a brie and cranberry soufflé to die for…thanks for all the cosseting and pampering – we really needed it’
Fancy being looked after and spoiled over the Christmas period? Get away from it all, relax, walk and have tea by the open fire at Michael House, followed by delicious festive meals! We are offering a four night break over Christmas again this year, as follows:
Arrive on Wednesday 23rd December, in time for afternoon tea by the fire and a three course evening meal.
On Christmas Eve, have a leisurely breakfast. Enjoy the day as you choose and afternoon tea will again be served by the fire, and a three course evening meal will follow.
On Christmas Day, another leisurely breakfast will precede a four course Christmas dinner in the early afternoon. Supper will be buffet style.
On Boxing Day, there will be a light lunch after another leisurely breakfast, afternoon tea (if you can manage it!) and a three course supper. Guests will depart on the Sunday morning, after breakfast.
Four nights, partly full board, £300 per person for the en-suite rooms, and £275 for the room with private bathroom. A single supplement will apply.
Bookings for earlier or later dates will be at the normal rate.
Comments from previous Christmas guests:
‘A wonderful way to spend Christmas’
‘What a fabulous way to spend Christmas…a brie and cranberry soufflé to die for…thanks for all the cosseting and pampering – we really needed it’
Friday, October 23, 2009
We have availability over the coming weekend, and there will be a free extra hour. We very generously will not be charging for this!
I do love the extra hour, but, oh I so hate the early darkness that results.
Next week, half term, we are very busy but have the odd room available and the following weekend is free so far. I will nto be cooking on the evening of Saturday 31st, as we have our Treknow Festival of Lanterns, which should be fun, do come down and join in. I have pestered for veggie sausages etc., so need people here to eat them up, or I will get told off for making a fuss and then not eating them!
I do love the extra hour, but, oh I so hate the early darkness that results.
Next week, half term, we are very busy but have the odd room available and the following weekend is free so far. I will nto be cooking on the evening of Saturday 31st, as we have our Treknow Festival of Lanterns, which should be fun, do come down and join in. I have pestered for veggie sausages etc., so need people here to eat them up, or I will get told off for making a fuss and then not eating them!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
spice crusted tofu with maple glaze
this is from Veggie Chic, by Rose Elliot, adapted by me!
serves four
1 tbs. paprika - Rose says three, but this is a lot of paprika!
3tsp. ground cumin
3tsp. ground coriander
1 and a half tsp. salt
3, 8 oz packs firm tofu, drained
6 tbs olive oil
9 tbs. boiling water - I leave this out altogether, it takes too long to evaporate I find, let me know what you think!
6 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 and a half tbs. maple syrup
2 oz. toasted pinenuts, to sprinkle over the top, if wished
mix spices in a bowl and spread, with the salt, on a large platter.
cut the tofu into fingers, aprox four or six per packet
coat the tofu in the spices on all sides
heat the olive oil in a large pan, cook the tofu for four- five minutes on each side
mix the water if using and the maple syrup and lemon juice together. Pour over the tofu. it is supposed to disappear very fast, leaving a glaze, but i find it takes a while!
Serve immediately, with the pinuts sprinkled over. Yum. Experiment with this recipe.
this is from Veggie Chic, by Rose Elliot, adapted by me!
serves four
1 tbs. paprika - Rose says three, but this is a lot of paprika!
3tsp. ground cumin
3tsp. ground coriander
1 and a half tsp. salt
3, 8 oz packs firm tofu, drained
6 tbs olive oil
9 tbs. boiling water - I leave this out altogether, it takes too long to evaporate I find, let me know what you think!
6 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 and a half tbs. maple syrup
2 oz. toasted pinenuts, to sprinkle over the top, if wished
mix spices in a bowl and spread, with the salt, on a large platter.
cut the tofu into fingers, aprox four or six per packet
coat the tofu in the spices on all sides
heat the olive oil in a large pan, cook the tofu for four- five minutes on each side
mix the water if using and the maple syrup and lemon juice together. Pour over the tofu. it is supposed to disappear very fast, leaving a glaze, but i find it takes a while!
Serve immediately, with the pinuts sprinkled over. Yum. Experiment with this recipe.
Quinoa, almond and caper filled peppers
This recipe has been requested, is quite yummy, and unusual, not the familiar way to stuff a pepper! I have adapted it from a recipe I found on the internet for a stuffed tomato! So, other vegetables can be used.
measurements are very approximate - I just bung it all together, and it varies, but this is part of the delight!
for four people:
approzimately half a cup of quinoa, I like the red one. Cook this in three times the volume of water, for about 20 minutes.
Take the tops off four smallish peppers (preferably not green ones), remove the seeds and keep the 'lids' with the peppers. Make sure the peppers can stand up, slice a little off the base if necessary! Boil for approx five minutes in water, drain and cool.
meanwhile, chop and cook an onion in a little oil - I use sunflower oil.
Chop up a handful of almonds, mix with the onion, and add about a tablespoonful of capers, and a similar amount of currants.
mix all ingredients, pop in the peppers, put the tops on, drizzle with olive oil and place in an ovenproof dish and cook in a medium oven for 20 minutes.
Serve with rich tomato sauce:
one tin tomatoes in tomato juice, chopped
some garlic - 2 or three cloves
approx. one tbs. olive oil
a couple of sundried tomatoes, chopped
a splosh of red wine
herbs if you like
cook this gently for as long as possible - one hour is fine.
whizz in liquidiser briefly.
Serve with fresh vegetables of different colours and roast potatoes. looks good and tastes
This recipe has been requested, is quite yummy, and unusual, not the familiar way to stuff a pepper! I have adapted it from a recipe I found on the internet for a stuffed tomato! So, other vegetables can be used.
measurements are very approximate - I just bung it all together, and it varies, but this is part of the delight!
for four people:
approzimately half a cup of quinoa, I like the red one. Cook this in three times the volume of water, for about 20 minutes.
Take the tops off four smallish peppers (preferably not green ones), remove the seeds and keep the 'lids' with the peppers. Make sure the peppers can stand up, slice a little off the base if necessary! Boil for approx five minutes in water, drain and cool.
meanwhile, chop and cook an onion in a little oil - I use sunflower oil.
Chop up a handful of almonds, mix with the onion, and add about a tablespoonful of capers, and a similar amount of currants.
mix all ingredients, pop in the peppers, put the tops on, drizzle with olive oil and place in an ovenproof dish and cook in a medium oven for 20 minutes.
Serve with rich tomato sauce:
one tin tomatoes in tomato juice, chopped
some garlic - 2 or three cloves
approx. one tbs. olive oil
a couple of sundried tomatoes, chopped
a splosh of red wine
herbs if you like
cook this gently for as long as possible - one hour is fine.
whizz in liquidiser briefly.
Serve with fresh vegetables of different colours and roast potatoes. looks good and tastes
yummy!
I even found a photo, but it doesn't have the sauce
I even found a photo, but it doesn't have the sauceFriday, October 02, 2009
As we move away from summer, the beaches are looking more like this, just one Sky, waiting to play ball, and few people around.
This coming weekend, 3rd and 4th October and thereafter, we have availability at Michael House, so do get in touch and come for a couple of days or more!
Our three nights for the price of two offer, see the website, also starts now.
Hope to see you soon.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Availability
Until Sunday 6th September, we are fully booked, but, after that, we do begin to have some availability. So, if you are thinking of coming to Cornwall and might be interested in this area, give me a ring or email. the weather forecast is not looking too bad, but don't hold me to that, as it keeps changing!
Until Sunday 6th September, we are fully booked, but, after that, we do begin to have some availability. So, if you are thinking of coming to Cornwall and might be interested in this area, give me a ring or email. the weather forecast is not looking too bad, but don't hold me to that, as it keeps changing!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The best ever scone recipe!
This recipe, which I always use for scones, has to be the best ever! The scones are crumbly, yummy and can be frozen, if you make so many you cannot eat them in one go! The recipe comes from the October 2004 edition of Good Housekeeping magazine, and the recipe has been requested, so I thought I would add it here...
8oz s.r. flour
3oz butter
1 and a half oz sugar
1 large egg
approx 2 tbsp. milk or buttermilk
preheat oven to 220c (200 for fan oven)
I use a food mixer, place the flour in and mix in the butter, and sugar, mix egg with milk, mix in, add more milk if doesn't form nice firm ball.
Flour clean work surface and flat baking tray. Roll out dough to 1 in thick. Press floured 2in cutter into mixture and pull out without twisting. Use all mixture. You should have 8 scones, I never seem to have this many!!
Brush each scone with milk and then sprinkle with flour. Bake for 10 - 12 mins. Try not to eat immediately.
Yummy.
This recipe, which I always use for scones, has to be the best ever! The scones are crumbly, yummy and can be frozen, if you make so many you cannot eat them in one go! The recipe comes from the October 2004 edition of Good Housekeeping magazine, and the recipe has been requested, so I thought I would add it here...
8oz s.r. flour
3oz butter
1 and a half oz sugar
1 large egg
approx 2 tbsp. milk or buttermilk
preheat oven to 220c (200 for fan oven)
I use a food mixer, place the flour in and mix in the butter, and sugar, mix egg with milk, mix in, add more milk if doesn't form nice firm ball.
Flour clean work surface and flat baking tray. Roll out dough to 1 in thick. Press floured 2in cutter into mixture and pull out without twisting. Use all mixture. You should have 8 scones, I never seem to have this many!!
Brush each scone with milk and then sprinkle with flour. Bake for 10 - 12 mins. Try not to eat immediately.
Yummy.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Goats' cheese, pinenut and oven-roasted tomato charlotte
This is a recipe from Cafe Paradiso, by Denis Cotter. He runs a restaurant in Cork, Ireland, and is inspired in his combinations of flavours. I have indicated the things I alter in this recipe, but included the original recipe, as requested by a recent guest to Michael House.
for 6
6 beef tomatoes - or any ripe tomatoes, but more of them!
olive oil
6 cloves of garlic - I use less, this is a lot!
450g goats cheese - I use less, can be soft sort or hard, nice with the hard version
200g cream cheese - I use Philadelphia
2 eggs
3 egg whites
100-150g single cream
50g pinenuts, lightly toasted
basil, fresh
black pepper
100g puy lentils - I often do not do this part
1 red onion
120mls basil oil, don't even know what this is, unless you just mix oil with basil and let it sit around for a while!
wilted greens - again, never use this, but the dish is very rich, so does need simple vegetables with it
roast the tomatoes - cut into thick slices (he says remove the seeds, I never do!). Oil some trays, lightly oil the slices of tomato with olive oil, roast on medium oven for approx 45 - 50 mins. should be a bit dried out when done, but not completely, with some blackened bits, caramelised.
put cheeses, garlic and whole eggs in food processor, whizz to smooth puree, add egg whites one at a times with motor running. transfer to a bowl and add enough cream to give thick pouring consistency. stir in pinenuts and basil.
preheat oven to 190c. lightly oil six ramekins or dariel bowls and place a little piece of greaseproof paper in each, and place in a large ovenproof dish. put a tomato slice in, then some of the custard, then tomato, and finish with custard. half fill the big dish with hot water and place the whole thing in the oven for around 40 minutes. run a knife around the bowls to help with removal.
for the lentils, which do go very well with the dish, soak if you wish then boil them until tender, mix with red onion chopped up and basil oil. serve with the charlottes. yum.
This is a recipe from Cafe Paradiso, by Denis Cotter. He runs a restaurant in Cork, Ireland, and is inspired in his combinations of flavours. I have indicated the things I alter in this recipe, but included the original recipe, as requested by a recent guest to Michael House.
for 6
6 beef tomatoes - or any ripe tomatoes, but more of them!
olive oil
6 cloves of garlic - I use less, this is a lot!
450g goats cheese - I use less, can be soft sort or hard, nice with the hard version
200g cream cheese - I use Philadelphia
2 eggs
3 egg whites
100-150g single cream
50g pinenuts, lightly toasted
basil, fresh
black pepper
100g puy lentils - I often do not do this part
1 red onion
120mls basil oil, don't even know what this is, unless you just mix oil with basil and let it sit around for a while!
wilted greens - again, never use this, but the dish is very rich, so does need simple vegetables with it
roast the tomatoes - cut into thick slices (he says remove the seeds, I never do!). Oil some trays, lightly oil the slices of tomato with olive oil, roast on medium oven for approx 45 - 50 mins. should be a bit dried out when done, but not completely, with some blackened bits, caramelised.
put cheeses, garlic and whole eggs in food processor, whizz to smooth puree, add egg whites one at a times with motor running. transfer to a bowl and add enough cream to give thick pouring consistency. stir in pinenuts and basil.
preheat oven to 190c. lightly oil six ramekins or dariel bowls and place a little piece of greaseproof paper in each, and place in a large ovenproof dish. put a tomato slice in, then some of the custard, then tomato, and finish with custard. half fill the big dish with hot water and place the whole thing in the oven for around 40 minutes. run a knife around the bowls to help with removal.
for the lentils, which do go very well with the dish, soak if you wish then boil them until tender, mix with red onion chopped up and basil oil. serve with the charlottes. yum.
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