•British Summer Time.

Today is a gorgeous day

Bright, sunny and warm.

Thus, lifting our spirits

For there are no clouds around.

Tomorrow may be different

It may pour all day with rain.

Or, the sun may suddenly peep through

As the clouds drift slowly away.

The weather it gives us something to talk about

When we stop to chat in the street.

We’re known for this favourite pastime

Discussing, the wind, the rain and the sleet!

We, the British public

Arm ourselves for what nature gives

By carrying a brolly, a mac, a coat,

Or hiding under a shelter,

If only for a mo! (moment!)

by Cheryl Campbell

The British Summer is packed with Summer festivals and celebrations. From flower shows , classical concerts at castles , fun fairs and pop concerts!!! We decided to present the perfect picnic to take along to these celebrations!

Summer soups are quick and easy especially this Pea and Mint Soup recipe. Fresh summer peas and garden mint are a match made in heaven; their combination in any recipe is delicious. This soup is simple, quick and easy to make and if fresh peas aren't available the pea and mint soup recipes works just as well with frozen peas.

Mint and pea soup

•Prep Time: 10 minutes

•Cook Time: 30 minutes

•Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

•1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for serving

•¼ stick /25g butter

•1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped

•1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

•5 cups/750g fresh peas, shelled (or frozen peas)

•1 cup/ 75g mint leaves, roughly chopped

•1 3/4 pints/1 liter vegetable stock

•Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

•½ cup/75g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)

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Preparation: Serves 4 Gently heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft but not brown. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add 3/4 of the peas, the chopped mint leaves, and 3/4 stock. Cover the saucepan with a tight fitting lid and cook on a medium boil for 10 minutes. Blend the soup in a food processor, you will have a thick puree. Return the puree to the pan, season with salt and pepper and add the remaining peas and stock. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with crusty, fresh bread If using Parmesan cheese place a small mound in the center of the bowl and pour the soup around. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. This soup is also delicious cold, but not chilled

Cod with a Herb Crust

Cod with a Herb Crust is a super-quick and easy recipe. If you can't find cod, use thick fillets of any other white fish, haddock is particularly good. Always ensure the cod you buy is from a sustainable source. Your fishmonger should be able to advise you.

•Prep Time: 15 minutes

•Cook Time: 20 minutes

•Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

•4 skinless cod fillets

•Vegetable oil

•4 oz/110g fresh white breadcrumbs

•Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

•4 tbsps chopped flat-leaf parsley

•2 tbsp chopped chives

•2 tbsp mayonnaise

•1 tsp Dijon mustard

•Salt and black pepper

Preparation: Serves 4 Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas7. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with a little vegetable oil. Place the cod in the dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, juice and herbs. In a separate small bowl mix the mayonnaise and mustard, season with salt and pepper, then spread evenly onto the cod. Top with the breadcrumb and herb mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until the fish is just done and the crust golden and crunchy. Make extra breadcrumb and herb mixture and store in the freezer in plastic bags. It makes a quick dish even quicker to prepare.

Easy Coronation chicken

Quick and easy - you'll never go to the sandwich shop again. This recipe has a decidedly citrus twist, but feel free to embellish however you'd like - add sultanas, peppers, pineapple, nuts, spring onion, etc.

Ingredients

Serves: 9

•100g (4 oz) mayonnaise

•75g (3 oz) mango chutney

•1 teaspoon curry powder

•1 dessertspoon lime zest

•4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•500g (1 1/4 lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets - cooked and diced

Method Prep:15min › Ready in:15min In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder, lime zest, lime juice and salt. Add chicken and toss with the dressing until well coated. Cover and chill until serving. Tip: Use half mayonnaise, half crème fraîche for a lower fat version of this recipe.

Scotch eggs

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•Homemade Scotch eggs are a world away from shop bought versions. They're worth the effort for a special picnic treat.

•Ingredients

•4 large free-range eggs

•275g/10oz sausage meat

•1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

•1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

•1 spring onion, very finely chopped

•salt and freshly ground black pepper

•125g/4oz plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1 free-range egg, beaten

•125g/4oz breadcrumbs

•vegetable oil, for deep frying

Preparation method Place the eggs, still in their shells, in a pan of cold salted water. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for exactly nine minutes. Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water, then peel. Mix the sausage meat with the thyme, parsley and spring onion in a bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper We recommend being generous with the freshly ground black pepper). Divide the sausage meat mixture into four and flatten each out on a clean surface into ovals about 12.5cm/5in long and 7.5cm/3in at its widest point. Place the seasoned flour onto a plate, then dredge each boiled egg in the flour. Place each onto a sausage meat oval, then wrap the sausage meat around each egg. Make sure the coating is smooth and completely covers each egg. Dip each sausage meat-coated egg in the beaten egg, rolling to coat completely, then dip and roll into the breadcrumbs to completely cover. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan, until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and deep-fry for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp and the sausage meat is completely cooked. Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve cool.

English Summer Pudding Recipe

When there is an abundance of summer berry fruits one of the best ways of serving them is in an English Summer Pudding. A Summer Pudding Recipe is quick, easy and so delicious; all the tastes of summer in one dish.

•Prep Time: 20 minutes

•Overnight setting if poss: 12 hours

•Total Time: 12 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

•2 tbsp water

•5oz / 150g sugar

•1lb/450g washed, mixed summer fruits as available - see note below

•4 - 6oz/100 -150g thin sliced white bread, crusts removed

•Whipped cream or custard

P.

Preparation: Note Soft summer fruits suitable for Summer Pudding must have a rich, strong, color and flavor. Great berries to use include raspberries, strawberries, red and blackcurrants, damsons and blackberries. Stir the water and sugar together and bring to a gentle boil. Add the berries and fruits and stew very gently until softened but still retain their shape. Put to one side to cool. Line a 1½ pint/700 ml pudding basin with the bread slices ensuring there are no gaps. Fill with the stewed fruits and cover the top with more bread slices. Make sure to not add too much of the juices from the fruits. Too much and the bread will lose its shape. There must be enough to soak into the bread though. Place a saucer with a weight on top (a can of tomatoes or beans is ideal) and leave overnight in a cool place. The next day, before serving, turn the pudding out onto a plate and serve with the whipped cream or custard sauce

Eton Mess, A Classic British Dessert

Eton Mess is an all-time classic British dessert and an Eton Mess recipe must be included in any list of strawberry recipes. The dish was traditionally served at Eton College but how it came to have the name is not clear. One story is a Labrador dog sat on a picnic basket in the back of a car and squashed a strawberry and meringue dessert. The dessert is quick and easy to make and makes great use of ripe strawberries at the height of summer when they are plentiful. Frozen or canned strawberries don't work. The traditional Eton Mess is made with strawberries, but it is possible to use other fruits Rhubarb Mess is a great example, or change the cream .

•Prep Time: 15 minutes

•Total Time: 15 minutes

•Serves 4

Ingredients:

•300 ml / 10 ½ fl oz whipping cream

•1 tbsp fine sugar

•100g / 3 ½ oz ready-made meringue

•450g / 1 lb fresh strawberries

•1 tbsp icing / confectioners sugar

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Preparation: Method Place the whipping cream in a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and whip with an electric mixture until the cream is light and fluffy. Do not over whip - the success of the dish requires softly whipped cream. Break the meringue into large bite-size chucks and gently stir into the cream. Don't worry if some of the meringue crumbles just add this too. Place half of the strawberries into another large mixing bowl and press gently with the back of a fork to break up the strawberries slightly and release some of the juice. Stir gently into the cream. Halve, then quarter the remaining strawberries. Place the cream mixture into a 18 cm /7" trifle or glass serving dish, top with the strawberry pieces, chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator and sprinkle with the confectioners/icing sugar before serving. Alternately serve in individual size dessert bowl or glasses.

Scones

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•Scones are the easiest English teatime treat. There’s scope to customise these sweet ones with dried fruit or cinnamon.

Ingredients

•225g/8oz self raising flour

•pinch of salt

•55g/2oz butter

•25g/1oz caster sugar

•150ml/5fl oz milk

•1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

(alternatively use a little milk)

Preparation method Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up. Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

Pimms punch

•Add "Pimms punch" to Favourites ciders.

•This Pimms recipe has an extra kick from the fruity cider –

perfect for summer barbecues or picnics.

Ingredients

•dry cider

•3 handfuls mixed fruit pieces (such as orange, lemon, lime, strawberries)

•250ml/9fl oz Pimms

Preparation method

•Pour the cider into large jug or punch bowl

•Add a couple of straws and the mixed fresh fruit pieces, then gently pour the Pimms on top of the cider to create a separate layer.