Something to Whet the Appetites

It's too unbearably early to talk about Christmas I know, but in the cause of local food bank charity Eat or Heat Mother's Ruin is knocking up a small batch of Christmas pudding rum and it needs a good few months to allow the flavour to fully develop. 

Sweet spices whole and ground, zest of oranges and lemons, Demerara sugar, sultanas and dark Caribbean rum.





 It's warm and spicy in the midst of this dark grey May, and as I split the vanilla pods, crack the nutmegs and zest the fruit the fragrance is intoxicating

June is almost here and with it the opening of the month long Appetite festival across Waltham Forest where all sorts of delicious goings on are happening in pubs, shops, restaurants and front rooms. Mother's Ruin and The East London Gin Palace is decamping for one glorious Saturday to set up stall at Auntie Maureen's  gourmet food fair. Come by and visit The Bell on the 29th of June for a chat and some gin.

Finally, no sense should be left neglected and in this spirit I ventured out to see the Spiers and Boden in concert at Cecil Sharp House, and hear their joyful Sloe Gin set performed here with the mighty Bellowhead.