Ed Vogue's World

I wrote some eight years ago about the great British BBQ. My views on outside cooking over hot charcoal have not changed. I still believe that the BBQ is a brilliant invention. Since that time I have learnt a lot about the art of this kind of cooking in that time and have been witness to watching and tasting some delicious grilled foods.  As soon as the Sun looks like it’s going to show it’s face the BBQ’s across the nation start to come out from hibernation. First they need some tender loving care to clean off the rigours of the winter season, to clean off the burnt on pieces of burgers and sausages left from the previous September, to remove the spiders that have set up home amongst the old charcoal ashes and to wash off the splattered bird poo from the lid.  Once this is done it is time to let the cooking commence.  Lighting the BBQ is an art in itself. The interweb is full of examples of people setting themselves, their loved ones and their garden sheds alight using a...

A have to admit that I am partial to watching a bit of golf on the telly box. There is something fascinating about following the players on a tournament like The Open. As an armchair admirer you get to see all the action. Every important shot can been seen with the commentary alongside that, on occasions, is as amusing as the Test Match Special of days past.  Members of my family, friends and work colleagues are all golfers and love the game. I have to admit to being intimidated by the whole thing. Golf is full of technical ‘things’. By ‘things’ I mean rules, etiquette, equipment, clothing and words. It’s all a bit too much. This is before I even get into the technique of a golf swing. Those people who know me will understand that I’m not the most coordinated of people. I can throw a ball pretty accurately and pretty far but the coordination involved in catching it completely foxes me. As far as I can tell the golf swing is incredibly involved, coordinating the movement of shoulder...

If you read yesterday’s blog offering yesterday you will have been subject to my views on internet shopping. As I discussed shopping online has its place but it certainly doesn’t beat the hustle and bustle of the real market place. In these current viral times an open air market may well be a safe way to shop if you are able to maintain the required social distancing measures.  I love a market. I love the sights and smells of the marketplace. At a food market you can probably manage to eat an entire meal by just snacking on the free samples that are provided. Slightly annoyingly I have noted that since the markets have reopened the ‘new normal rules’ seem to have curtailed the frequency that these little morsels are made available, leaving me with a slightly empty feeling.  There are a number of great markets in London. By far my favourite is Borough Market adjacent to London Bridge and the Shard. This is a food lovers haven. Gorgeous products including meats, fruits and veget...

For many years the early adopters of online shopping have ruled supreme. The likes of Amazon and Ocado have had the market sewn up. It is easy to look for things in the shops and then find the same item cheaper from the comfort of your own home and have it delivered without having to move from the sofa.  Many companies over the years looked longingly at these pioneering and successful enterprises and wanted to get some of the same action. As the years have gone by every retailer has had to consider their online presence. Whether this is through an in house bespoke solution or piggybacking onto another.  The result is that you can now buy nearly every item you could desire online and have it delivered to your residence or place at work or even have it gift wrapped and delivered to your buddy.  During lockdown with the shops closed this online retail became even more important. At first the supermarkets could not cope with the demand. They prioritised the elderly, vulnerabl...

It is predicted to be possibly the hottest day of the year so the Vogue family made a decision to head out of town to the coast to visit some friends by the sea. This is preferable to me than blowing up and filling the paddling pool in the garden.  The car was packed with all the items you need for the beach. We navigated our way through the post lockdown Friday traffic of North London and joined the M25.  The music was banging out of the speakers and as I drove I dreamt of my seafood platter lunch and delicious fish and chips for dinner staring out at the big blue.  The temperature on the dashboard revealed a steaming 40 degrees outside but the air conditioning was doing a great job of keeping us all cool.  As we neared the M3 the traffic slowed for an incident ahead and as we slowed down to stop the engine stalled and then failed to restart. We had broken down on the M25 just before Junction 12 - in the middle lane! Mrs Vogue immediately made a 999 call to report o...

Eggs, bacon, mushrooms, beans, black pudding, fried bread, grilled tomatoes alongside others all important components of the traditional Great British breakfast. This is a meal that can be piled high on a plate served with white toast, marmalade and a pint of tea at a roadside cafe or presented neatly on the finest porcelain alongside starched white napkins in a fancy London restaurant.  I love making breakfast. Often nothing beats a simple poached egg on toast with a side of smoked bacon grilled until the edges are crispy. Since coronavirus however we have been experimenting with some delicious recipes. With lockdown we have had more time to spend on this well deserved meal. I would like to share three of my favourites.  The first recipe is a Tom Kerridge recipe from his book and TV series of the same name Get Fit and Lose Weight. This recipe is called Green Eggs and Ham. The green is kale, spinach and peas, these ingredients alongside garlic and spring onions are scrambled t...

Today’s blog is a recipe inspired by the bounty of damson fruit ripening on the tree in our garden. So what to make when the damsons are in season?  Usually I would make some chutney. Today was not a chutney day. Too early in the year. Interestingly the damsons are early this year perhaps the warm lockdown March and April is responsible for this.   The recipe needed today needed to reflect the summer... 1.8 kilograms of damsons allows for two different recipes, a damson jam and a damson fool. Excitingly the jam recipe requires our special book. This has been well thumbed and the pages are stained with various fruit juices and vinegars.  There are some lovely recipes in this book. I very much recommend it if you want to make jams or preserves.  The damson fool recipe required a google search and luckily my favourite food writer of the moment Felicity Cloke of the Guardian has written an article on the Perfect Damson Fool. She has to take credit for this recipe. See li...