Just Cooking It for Radio 4

Since leaving the world of the office behind two and a half years ago and starting off on the long road to self-employment as a writer, Radio 4 has been something of a near constant soundtrack to my days. It is minimal effort companionship that never fails to inform, educate or entertain  – sometimes all three at once. I am proud to say I adore it.

So when a call came through from one of R4′s producers asking if they could record a show right here at our own house, it didn’t take me long to decide. Myself, Charlotte and the team from On Your Farm spent a delightful day exploring the culinary treats we had grown or foraged from the local hedgerows before heading back to the cottage to cook up a tasty summer lunch.

If you missed it (which given that it was aired at 6:35 am on a Sunday morning is a likely scenario) it’s available right here on the iPlayer.

‘For food-writer, small-holder and finalist of this year’s Masterchef, Alex Rushmer the hedgerows and woods surrounding his Cambridgeshire home are his so-called “wild larder”, where he plunders nature’s rich bounty. Caz Graham joins him and his partner Charlotte on a walk around his small-holding and surrounding countryside to pick up some tasty and very importantly, free produce to cook up a meal for the summer months.’

Welcome to the new site

Here it is. I do hope you like it. All blog entries, recipes and news – of which there is much to come – will now be posted right here so please update your bookmarks accordingly. There are some very exciting projects in the pipeline so watch this space…

In the mean time, feel free to browse away, I particularly recommend the new recipe section.

5th-17th July: Cooking at The Wild Garlic

It is amazing where slightly drunken conversations can lead. In this case the answer is Dorset. To Mat Follas’s Wild Garlic restaurant, to be more specific.

A request from the man himself to cover for a holidaying sous chef could not be passed over so I’ll be cooking there for two weeks from July 5^th – a prospect that fills me with excitement given the amazing range of produce available. Knowing how much Mat values local and seasonal food, the menu will be a pleasure to cook.

What’s even more exciting is that I’ll be cooking with Terry again for the first time since what has become known as the ‘WI Debacle’. I think we’ve both improved a lot since then but it’s probably for the best that you don’t order the fishcakes.

The Wild Garlic is in Beaminster, Dorset. To book a table call 01308 861446.

4th July: British Barbecue Championships

It is the British Barbecue Championships this weekend at Jody Sheckter’s Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire. I’ll be heading down on Sunday 4th July to watch how the professionals do it – Valentine Warner, Tom Parker Bowles and Jun Tanaka, amongst others will be trying to impress a judging panel including Matthew Fort, Raymond Blanc and food critic Charles Campion (who I’ve had the pleasure of cooking for. He liked it). Looking forward to seeing you there!

1st August: Radio 4 – On Your Farm

We had Radio 4 here yesterday to record an edition of ‘On Your Farm‘ which will be broadcast on Sunday August 1st. Early. Really early. If you value your sleep it will also be on the BBC iPlayer.

Upcoming Event: WAC at Olympia

On June 24th I will be guest judge at the World Aeropress Coffee Championships at Caffe Culture, London Olympia. The competition kicks off at 3pm. Come and say hello and taste some great coffee as well.

I feel some caffeine induced insomnia coming on…

Summer Good Food Show

Phew. It’s all over.

Three days in a food fanatic’s fantasy world and my first real taste of doing shows with a proper live audience and everything. Just brilliant.

Aside from mentoring the brave souls who wanted to have a crack at the legendary Masterchef Invention Test (and picking the three best dishes to be judged by non other than John and Gregg), I also had the chance to meet hundreds of great people and watch some titanic cook-offs between past winners.

Thanks to all of you who came along and stopped to say hello and even bigger thanks to anyone who got up on stage to cook: well done – the standard of dishes was amazing and I had to ask one contestant for her recipe (admittedly she was a runner-up in Junior Masterchef).

If you missed out it’s all happening again very soon. See Masterchef Live for details.

Cooking at Peel’s

A huge ‘thank you’ to the entire team at Peel’s, Hampton Manor for letting Tim, Dhruv and myself into their kitchen for three days last week to cook up a full menu for paying customers.

(photo credit: Birmingham Mail)

We first started talking about taking over a restaurant whilst filming in India so to actually see it happen was very special indeed and it was great to get back into the kitchen with the chaps.

The reaction to my starter of braised pig cheek with crispy ears and apple jelly was mind-blowing. It was with a little hesitancy that it went onto the menu and I was expecting one or two to go for the vegetarian option instead.

I didn’t have to worry. The whole menu (Dhruv’s main of Achari spiced duck and Tim’s pud of chocolate mousse with crème anglaise, meringue and caramel are both unbelievably good) was a hit and by the end of the evening I had to rustle up another batch of pigs’ ears to meet the demand for bar snacks to go with post dinner drinks – it beats chocolate in my book.

Plans for a full scale pop-up restaurant in London are also close to being finalised so watch this space for details.

Masterchef Interview

(Shameless self-promotion alert. Hey, I don’t get on TV very often so I’m making the most of it)

Ahead of tonight’s semi-final, here’s a little interview with me talking about food, cooking and John and Gregg.

Alex talking Masterchef

If you would care to relive what has become known as the ‘WI Debacle’ then it’s available on iPlayer. If you’d prefer to sit tight and wait for the next instalment it’s on BBC1 tonight (1st April) at 8:30pm.

Oh, and have a decadent decadently long weekend.

‘Is that Alex from Just Cook It on Masterchef?’

Oh crikey. I’ve made it through to the quarter final of Masterchef UK.

If you’d like to see my television-based adventures so far (and you’re based in the UK) it is available on the rather brilliant BBC iPlayer.

Dear regulars: you have no idea how hard it’s been to keep this secret. Thank you hugely for your continued visits and your funny, insightful and inspirational comments over the past couple of years.

And for any newcomers: hello. Welcome to my little blog, Just Cook It – pull up a chair and have an explore. To give you an idea of the sort of thing I do, here’s a small selection of some of my favourite posts to get you started:

Mains
Five hour steak
Beef short ribs

Momufuku style steamed pork buns
Deep fried pig’s brain

Dessert

Lemon and chilli pepper tart
Whipped Chocolate mousse
Instant sponge pudding

Misc. tastiness

Pork Pie
Eccles Cakes
Hot Dogs
Pork Scratchings

New posts may be sporadic over the next few days but if you’re feeling starved, I can be found on twitter at @justcookit. Hope to hear from you soon.

More madness to follow shortly – the Masterchef Quarter Final is on Monday 22nd March at 8:30pm on BBC1.