Hereford in the Snow

Last Friday evening, we suddenly realised that we had run out of amaretti biscuits at Ponte Vecchio. Our Italian supplier was due to deliver a few days later; so although we were not worried about the situation, we did wonder what we were going to give people with their coffee. We like to give a couple with all types of coffee and you can imagine that during this cold weather, L has been spending a considerable proportion of a working evening frothing the milk and making sure the crema on the coffee is second to none.

Of course, the answer was easy - to make some amaretti of our own and serve them instead. Not only were these delightfully simple, but they used up a few of the egg whites that I stash in the freezer when I've made a custard based ice cream.

I also couldn't resist sharing a few more pictures of the snow with you. We have had some spectacular snow over the last two days. 
 Forgive me for the food analogy, but yesterday, a few hours of light snow really seemed as though it could have been icing sugar being dusted over a cake.
 Today we enjoyed rime, essentially frozen fog, and this looked like glitter falling down from the sky. I've never known anything like it. 

These two snowy episodes have also produced some of the most satisfying snow I have ever known. It is so easy to be disappointed by snow a few hours after you have watched it fall - either by turning to an ugly slush that is easily washed away, or by freezing so hard that you don't leave the house for fear of ending up with a rather bruised bottom!

This snow is different, it's better. It is crisp and even. No danger of falling, no threat of a painful snowball coming straight at your face. 

Just take a look at this........

Rime gathered on the lime trees

Not quite Narnia

Bird tracks on the ice sheets

Who would want to swim in that?

And before we all forget the original point of this post:

Amaretti biscuits

Ingredients

340g ground almonds

340g caster sugar

4 egg whites

1 tbsp amaretto liquor (we use Disaronno at the restaurant)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

In a large bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.

Quickly whisk in the sugar, amaretto and ground almonds, being careful not to beat the air out of the mixture. You should have a smooth paste.

Place some greaseproof paper on a baking sheet lightly brushed with butter or use a silicone mat to line the tray.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with just the coupler (no nozzle) attached, or use a teaspoon, to place small heaps of the mixture approximately 2cm/¾in apart.

Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the baking tray a few minutes after the biscuits come out of the oven and finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Down on the farm

On Wednesday we were finally able to visit our new supplier, Whitethorn Farm at Carey.

A few weeks ago, the owners brought their children into the restaurant for a meal and mentioned that they'd set up an organic farm a few miles out of town several years ago.
'Could you supply us?' we immediately asked.
'Yes, of course.'
'When?'
'Straight away.'
Contact details were swapped and surely enough, the next day we received an email listing all their current offerings.
We since made an order once a week and have always been blown away by the quality of their produce.
Strawberry seconds we used in a sorbet had barely a spot on them.

We've just finished peeling 2kilos of fresh garlic. Almost still wet and slighty slippery between your fingers, each clove just pops out of its paper with the gentlest nudge.
We look forward to having some beetroot next month in a special and cucumber at the height of summer when all anyone wants to drink is Pimms and lemonade.

It'd be best not to mention how vibrant the colours of all the redcurrants ripening on their bushes were, and how green and purple the seas of mixed lettuce were - you'll only want to go there yourself to take all of the lovely produce home with you.

Just imagine the delights of the orchard fruits later in the year. We feel thouroughly spoilt and so enthusiastic for all the fruits of the land that we could go out and buy a few acres and do all of the hard work ourselves.
Oh wait. No, let's leave it to the professionals.