This hot weather has been playing havoc with our dining out experiences. We’ve just been sitting in the garden eating fabulous salads and amazing barbecued stuff. I noticed that I’d not blogged for ages so I thought a culinary update would be in order.

Last night, inspired by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (again, you may cry) I cooked a couple of sizeable pork chops procured from the local farm shop and followed Hugh’s recipe from his consistently excellent Gueardian column. Tarragon was the theme and the after frying the chops, they were simmered in a cider, shallot, mustard and tarragon sauce. It really was the business and for a midweek supper it more than did the necessary. It could become a dinner party staple, I think. 

The previous weekend we fired up the bad boy and cooked a butterflied leg of lamb (an old Dean BBQ fave) for some friends who’d not had it before. It always goes down a treat and the leftovers the day after are always great in fresh bread sandwiches with a caper sauce. Joy.