The Malteser Tree

malteser tree, a photo by CottonsAndDreams on Flickr.

Having changed my blog name from Chef At Skylark Farmhouse Cafe to Styles of Cooking it seems that my popular post The Malteser Tree has an invalid link on google so please follow this link
 http://stylesofcooking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/malteser-tree.html
 to see how my son and I made this lovely gift for his teacher.

BLOG NAME CHANGE - NO MORE CHEF AT SKYLARK FARMHOUS CAFE

So I have a new job but where does that leave my Chef at Skylark Farmhouse Cafe blog?
 It had been a record of my journey at the farm so ideally I should close that chapter. But not wanting to keep starting new blogs I made the decision to remain with the blog and change the name.
All seemed so easy at the time but didnt realise that by changing my name would affect all my other posts on google that link back to Chef At Skylark Farmhouse Cafe.
So I guess it really is a new start with everything.
So WELCOME one and all to my new look blog
"Styles Of Cooking" and, this time, long may it go on!!

JOB HUNTING

I suppose it was a rather arrogant and naive move handing in my notice at the farm before finding another job to go to, but at the time I thought I would just find something straight away. I had enough money to get me through the first month so I wasnt too worried.
I soon found out though that the task at hand was not going to be an easy one! Being fussy was initially my main problem. As much as there seemed to be several "branded" pub kitchen jobs I had no intention to do "that" kind of cooking. Processed and microwaved food really isn't my thing!
I had a very positive interview as a cafe manager with a recruitment company but when I had a 2nd interview with the owner I changed my mind about working there.
Then I was very excited to have an interview with a vegetarian restaurant in Rugby. I showed as much enthusiasum as I could at the interview but unfortunately didnt have enough experience  for the role. (Between you and me my initial impression of the owners wasn't a very good one anyway!)
As January marched on a sense of panic grew in me that a job wasnt going to come along. Several companies I applied to didnt even respond back and the "branded" pubs looked like my only option.
Then on January 31st a miracle happened. I casually applied for a job as a chef in a pub. My phone rang the same day with an invitation to go for an interview. During the interview I found out that the owners not only had the pub but were part of a family farming business, and had a farm shop. It felt like fate. I had found a job doing exactly the kind of food I like making.
And so on Monday 4th February I began working at The Old Red Lion in Litchborough with a very friendly group of staff and owners.
Here begins the next stage of my life!

LEAVING SKYLARK

It seeems like forever since I have ventured into blogland. Months of hard work at Skylark Farm unfortunately took their toll on my mental health and in late November I made the decision to hand in 8 weeks notice to my employers.
I have never experienced such unhappiness in my workplace (and I have had several jobs over the years) and when such a high percentage of your week is spent at work it is important to be happy I believe.
According to certain people in my life it was a rash decision to make, with no job to go to and a household to solely support, but I didn't care, all I knew was that I had to get out.
So on January 6th 2013 I worked my final shift and left, head held high, into a new unknown world!
Stay tuned!!!

TRIP ADVISOR REVIEWS

TO REVIEW OR NOT TO REVIEW- THAT IS THE QUESTION
I think we all seek approval at some point in our lives whether it be from our parents as we grow up, from our peers, a partner and even in the workplace.
For people that take a big chance on sinking all their money and life savings into a new venture, like a business, approval is paramount. Public reviews can make or break a business and in this age of internet it seems reviews are becoming increasingly popular. Ebay and Amazon, just 2 examples of public services that always ask you to rate your buying experience.
 Skylark Farm and The Farmhouse Cafe, at present, seems to be quite often under review on Trip Advisor.
I think the hardest thing about reviews is that what one person may really like another may really hate so how do you decide what to believe and what not to?
So far we have attained an 80% recommendation rate which is good though obviously 100% would be better! But i would like to share with you the review published today which, to me, seems to be someone with a nasty grudge rather than constructive criticism.

"This cafe is in an idyllic setting, overlooking rolling hills with chickens roaming free. Absolutely beautiful. This is where the dream ends...
The cafe, with it's stupid scrumptidious menus ( I hate the misuse of the English language in such a banal way) has sticky tables that need a good wipe as well as others that simply needed the dirty plates clearing away. My two friends an I had cream teas that consisted of stale, crumbly scones with whipped cream rather than clotted ( or even double) with a large pot of stewed tea served in dirty cups ( with lipstick on, yuck!!). We daren't complain as the lady in charge ( we think she was the owner, very large brown haired woman) was so harassed that she served us in a most aggressive manner. We felt very unwelcome and we were so looking forward to a quiet afternoon off work to forget our troubles that she completly spoilt it for us. The man who took our money at the till was, however, her polar opposite. We all agreed that we'd never return "

For me there was no need to describe the person you thought was the owner as " very large" and if the wording on the menu is not to your liking, then so what, you dont eat the wording!! Ignorance on what they were eating made me chuckle as they did indeed have clotted cream so they obviously arent the food connoisseur they believe themselves to be. Personally i am glad they have made the decision not to return but how demonstrative to this business, which is still in it's infancy, could the review possibly be?
On that note i would like to leave you with a better review and i chose this one mainly because of the title, "Oh what wonderful pies!!!!" (Like i said, we all like some approval!)

"I have been to the Skylark Restaurant and Farm Shop on more than one occasion - alone, as one half of a couple and with varying members of my Family too! The venue is lovely - simply furnished with good, wholesome freshly prepared food on offer all served by Friendly Folk. The menu does state that as the food is freshly prepared it can take a little time - especially when it's busy - to prepare - it isn't a fast food joint and doesn't pretend to be!!!!!!! But it's well worth a little wait and you can relax and enjoy the stunning views over rolling countryside till food arrives. The pies are 'proper' pies - packed with filing and all cooked encased in a light crisp pastry! The coffee is great too! All the food has been consistently good over the year I have been visiting and I really believe it's great value for money - I've been to far too many other places where similar or even higher prices are charged for Pre-packed, mass produced mush pretending to be good food! For 2 x2 courses and drink we average £30 and every time I go I 'm reminded why I may never set foot in a McDonalds or it's like again! "

Many thanks for popping by and taking time to read this post. Please feel free to comment at the end of it and just take time to think next time you review a product, or a service, of the consequences and effects your words have on the people you are reviewing.

STICKY TOFFEE AND APPLE TRIFLE

After the success of my Strawberry and Chocolate Trifle i thought i would attempt another variation of the classic trifle dessert and so was invented "Sticky Toffee and Apple Trifle" this week at Skylark Farm.
Break up some sticky toffee sponge and put in the base of your glass. You can find the recipe for the sponge here . If you dont want to make the sponge then purchase some Jamaican Ginger Cake as that would taste great in it's place.

Chop a couple of cooking apples and put in a saucepan and cook til soft, then spoon over the sponge pieces.

Cover the apple mixture with my homemade toffee sauce, recipe can be found here

Leave to cool and set in the fridge. When set, pipe some whipped cream on the top,& maybe sprinkle some chocolate shavings for effect

All that's left now is to eat and enjoy!!

I'm entering this post in the weekly Handmade Monday link party over at Handmade Harbour.

 Pop over to see what other clever crafters have been up to this week.

HANDMADE PIE PRIDE

I never intended to become a chef when i was younger. Infact, i got unclassified in my cookery O level at school and trained as a nanny at college before realising that children actually really annoyed me!!!
To me, nowadays ,my job cooking is as much a handmade craft as is my hobby of sewing. Each dish i create contains as much passion, time and patience as any other craft.
Over the years my forte has become Handmade Pies. Infact it was one of my steak and ale pies that secured my job as head chef at Skylark Farm last year!!
So imagine my sense of pride this week when a lady popped into the cafe asking for 8 pies to take home to Oxfordshire with her and would pop into the local town to kill time whilst i cooked them for her.
And then, the following day, a very posh lady from the village came to see me with 2 large dishes. She was having a dinner party and could i make her 2 large pies , enough to feed 9 guests!
For me that was the best praise for my work that anyone could give and i was truely proud.

I now produce several pies per week for our farm shop.
Below are a batch of Chicken, Bacon and Leek straight from the oven. If you look closely you will see i even put a pastry chicken shape on top of each one.

And here are a batch of Steak and Ale. Look closely and see the pastry cow shape on!

So that's my week, now pop over to Handmade Monday blog hop to see what other passionate crafters have been up to this week