The Avenue Cookery School: International Vietnamese

Diana, Sophie and Richard in their Avenue kit

The crew

If you read Notes of Bacon, you will be well acquainted with the fact that I make no claim to be a chef of any sort. I'm a cook, a home cook, and I love it. I get kicks from experimenting with weird ingredients, trying out new recipes and learning new kitchen skills (in order to a. make me appear more impressive and b. cook food that actually tastes good). Therefore, you can imagine my sheer glee when I was invited by my friend Sophie at The Avenue Cookery School to take part in their International Vietnamese cooking class.

Cottage style pea & bacon soup

I had the pleasure of staying in a gorgeous cottage in Lustleigh, Devon this weekend and spent the majority of the time warming my feet by a roaring fire. 

Winter Slaw with Thai Peanut Dressing

About two years ago I went for dinner at a dear friends house and she served me this. Or something like this, it was peanutty red cabbage, that's for sure. It has stuck with me since then as such a beautiful merging of English and Thai with a sprinkling of Christmas (the red cabbage). I'm sure that's what she was going for.

Bacon & Chocolate bread pudding

So I often get asked about my love for bacon, and for my lack of bacon recipes on my bacon-named blog. I love bacon, of course. I don't want to alarm anyone, but I also love bread. And cheese. And vegetables (I know), hence my range of incredibly diverse recipe's on the blog. One of the things I love most about cooking is how much you can achieve with just a little experimenting, and of course devouring the delicious results. This time, I wanted to bring back the bacon a bit. But not just bacon in bacony recipes. I wanted to put bacon somewhere a bit different. In bread pudding. 

Lemon & rosemary posset

Lemon posset. A smooth, "citrussy fool"* combining tangy sharpness with a deep, glorious creaminess. Just as easy to make as it is to inhale. I mean enjoy. 

Beer battered cod bites with tartare sauce

I do believe that almost anything can be served as a canapé or a starter, so long as it's small enough and packaged correctly. Canapés, starters, nibbles - they are all wonderful excuses for us to eat more and to occasionally shun the (welcome) burden of choice.

Tartines - 3 ways

Working at a Bakery, I am lucky enough to have access to the most incredible breads. To the exasperation of those I have the pleasure of eating with, I have become a complete and utter bread snob. I talk more about open crumbs, crackling crusts and proving dough than I should like to admit. It's just, when the topic has risen, I knead to make sure I prove my point. I don't want to be too floury on the topic, but I can't let my friends bread knowledge go a-rye. It is, after all, how I bring in the dough.

Summer Puff Pastry Tarts

Parma ham, roasted tomato and baby leaves tart with mascarpone and capers

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Watching the fantastic men's singles Wimbledon final I wanted to eat something that didn't require too much cooking to tear me away from the telly. Something light, Summery and delicious enough for the likes of Wimbledon folk. Having already gorged myself on strawberries and whipped cream the previous weekend (I got over-excited), I went for puff pastry tarts. Obviously.

Slow Roast Pork Belly

I've been wanting to cook pork belly forever. It's always been that amazing treat that I have to order in a restaurant or at get fed at someone else's house. Never have I been brave enough to cook it on my own with a delicious slab of meat purchased from an actual BUTCHER!

Date with a Bacon Scone

So firstly I want to thank all those who said 'Rosie what the hell are you doing? Why haven't you posted on your blog? Idiot'. Thank you for your kind and inspiring words. 

Banoffee Arctic Roll

Thanks Jude, I couldn't have done it without you.

Beware my friends: Arctic Roll is not for the weak-hearted. Let me specify I’m talking about creating it, not eating it. Eating it is a dream that should be shared amongst all humanity.

The PERFECT Scotch Egg

mmmmmm gooey

I love food challenges. Various times I have been asked the universal Scotch egg question – “How do they get the egg in the meat? and the yolk is still runny?! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!” This conversation usually ended up with various suggestions of Scotch egg combinations as well as elaborate ‘how to’ ideas.