The armchair kitchen

Provocative thoughts about food - with twice-weekly ideas from my London kitchen

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Clever tricks

This is a salad with romaine lettuce, tinned cannellini beans and in the centre lightly cooked red cabbage and apples.  Most dishes using red cabbage take hours to stew.  This one is made in minutes, in the microwave.  The video also features the best way to poach pieces of salmon - this time on the hob, but the cooking/resting time is about ten minutes. Hope you think it’s worth a try.

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Unusually, this video is not just about food. It is about a discovery: a stunning small hotel at the end of the Metropolitan line from London. (It is, like all my work, not sponsored). They don't even know that I am writing such a complimentary review of the hotel, menus, ambiance and surroundings.

If you want to give it a try, Google The Kings Arms, Old Amersham.

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This is not just about food. It features a country hotel less than an hour from London with top class service, ambiance and food. Like all my videos, it is not sponsored, (i.e. no-one paid me to write such a complimentary review!).

It's called The Kings Arms and is in the old town of Amersham.

If you want to find out more, just Google the hotel website.

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A loaf, a cake ? a treat

It’ll take you a couple of minutes to read the instructions.  If you want a change from supermarket pastries, give it a go.  You’ll be rewarded with encouraging and appreciate comments from your guests.

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Some of  you may have far bigger audiences, but it makes me happy to  know how many people have dipped into my YouTube channel at some time. 

If you are interested in the moving picture, rather than the written word, do give it a try.  

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Celeriac chips

This shortest ever video is for anyone who loves chips, but wants a quick, easy alternative that is way more healthy. 

If you've ever tried cutting down by not eating the things you enjoy, you will love this.  

Celeriac chips are obviously different from potato chips.  But they taste great and don't involve deep frying.

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In this series I've been exploring cutting down on carbs - carbohydrates. I've done this by introducing unusual ingredients to replace the beloved 4: potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Today I'm putting up something sweet. It's a rare thing, a delicious biscuit made without flour.

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If you’ve ever been told to give up carbohydrates, you’ll have a sinking feeling at the thought.  I’m going to give you several suggestions of getting round the problem. Here’s the first one coming up next, and more to follow.

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Magic with leftovers

It happens to all of us - we have small amounts left over from a previous meal. Cold chicken is OK but not exciting on it's own.  Mixed with a sauce and some vegetables, with a topping of crisp fried potatoes, it can be transformed into something for another day. 

You need less than two minutes to get all the instructions.  Might be worth it !

Best wishes to all my lovely followers.

Judy at GRANNY JUDY COOKS 

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A tea with a difference

English tea usually consists of scones, cream and jam, plus sandwiches and cakes.  Here is a new idea - for before you bring out the sweet things. Recently we invited a few friends and family and the day before I realized the total number of guests was about 16! Something I hadn’t done for about a year.

The menu was planned and I was set to make the sandwiches in the morning. Little did I realize how long it took to make enough for this crowd, but thankfully a few grandchildren came to my aid.

Now with this one, there is a small amount of pre-preparation and then everyone builds their own ‘sandwich’. 

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A tea with a difference

A really short video showing some fun ideas for an inspirational tea

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A sandwich with a difference

If you’re fishing for compliments, here’s an idea. This sandwich is special because it is generously full, with no cream cheese to distract from the taste of really good smoked salmon, preferably from a specialist producer or fishmonger - rather than a supermarket. 

The best thing is that it makes you smile - even before you have tasted it. 

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Golden watermelon

Not only is this watermelon an unusual colour, here it is turned into a basket.

It doesn’t need a professional carver, (a bit of practice helps) but it’s worth the effort when you see the fun and suprising result. 

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Good looks - Good taste

This little video contains a dish that we were served in a restaurant. It’s called L’Aventure and is in Blenheim Terrace, St.Johns Wood, London NW8.

The dish was a starter - actually a very large portion - that consisted of the whole artichoke. The arrangement was so attractive, that it inspired me to feature it on my YouTube channel

Most often, in restaurants, if a dish has ‘artichoke’ in the description, what you get are a few slithers of something on a dish of pasta. But this plate was an inspiration.  

The owner of l”Aventure had been in business for over 40 years. Her French establishment, with a lovely open air part and elegant white linen tablecloths, is a gem.  A rare nugget in a sea of eateries in an area where kitchen staff  ‘put food together’ rather than actually cooking it.

It’s closed for a couple of weeks in August, but if you want a real treat (foie gras, halibut or sea bass, rack of lamb with dauphinois potatoes, creme brulee etc) phone up and make a booking.  They are open for lunch and also of course for dinner in the evening.  

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Good looks - Good taste

Do  have a look at my latest short video, leading to a much more comprehensive one giving 36 ideas for food that looks and tastes good

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Do have a look - it's really easy and quick. You just make sure your guests are sitting at the table waiting as the soufflees deflate very quickly.

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Best ever choc mousse cake. My latest video.

Hope you like it. It is surprisingly easy. Every step explained in about two minutes.