I was making a list of things to pack for my weekend camping in West Wales when I realised I hadn't shared these photos from my last trip there. Martyn and I were lucky enough to spend a few days in West Wales when it was nearly 30 degrees. We made the most of the weather and headed out to explore every day and I was excited to visit a place that's always been on my list of things I want to see in Wales, Caldey Island.

Caldey Island lies on the magnificent South Pembrokeshire coastline on the western fringes of Wales. It is one of Britain's holy islands and the Cistercian monks who live on Caldey continue a tradition which began there in Celtic times. The island is a beautiful haven and is very tranquil and quiet.

Boats run to and from the island every 20 minutes or so from 9.30 am until 5.00 pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays during the Summer. The twenty-minute trip leaves visitors at the landing spot on the beautiful Priory beach, the only safe bathing spot on the island. From here it is a short stroll to the village and Monastery. I loved seeing all the pretty pastel houses on the way to the island and the sea breeze cooled us down in soaring temperatures.


Martyn and I hung out on the beach and went for a swim to cool down before exploring the island. A word of warning, spray yourself with bug spray before visiting. I ended up with about 20 huge bites all over after visiting Caldey.

Caldey Island is owned and run by the Reformed Order of Cistercian monks, who live a simple life farming the island alongside a small village community. They produce a number of famous homegrown items including chocolate, ice cream, clotted cream plus perfumes and hand lotions derived from wild flowers that grow on the island.


I'm really looking forward to camping in West Wales again this weekend but the forecast is a bit less tropical. I think it's going to be a bit grey and rainy but I'll be packing my bike and waterproofs and making the most of it.

Have you visited Caldey Island or West Wales?

I was so happy with how these little beauties turned out and they couldn't have been easier to make. I always eat shop bought meringues but they lack that chewy centre so I thought I would make my own. I spent ages searching for the perfect recipe and when I saw a photo of these I knew I had to make them because they were so dainty and pretty.

1. Start by lining a large baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Line a deep tray with baking paper and heat 300g caster sugar at 200C until the edges are just beginning to melt. Heating the sugar helps it to dissolve in the egg white more quickly, creating a glossy and more stable mixture. Now, turn the oven down to 100C.
3. Add egg whites to clean bowl of a free standing mixer (or a bowl and use a hand held like me) At first whisk slowly allowing small stabilising bubbles to form, then increase the speed until the egg whites form medium peaks.
4. Using a large spoon, add the sugar spoon by spoon while continuing to whisk. It is ready once you have a full bodied, stiff and glossy mixture (5-7 minutes). Add any flavouring at this point.
5. Turn a disposable piping bag inside out, and use a paintbrush to paint stripes of natural food colouring on the inside. Fill the piping bag ensuring there are no air bubbles, and cut the tip off to the size of a 20p piece. Pipe small kisses onto a lined baking tray.
6. Bake for an hour and leave to cool fully before pulling away for the tray. If you cover them or pop them in a tub they will last for a few days.
   

I grated a square of frozen 50-70% cocoa chocolate into my mix for cute speckled kisses. I used a few more squares melted and mixed with cream to make a sauce.
The recipe I used is the Meringue Girls one and they have lots of videos and tutorials online. If you make these yourself I would love to know how you get on.

I spent most of my weekend in the kitchen, trying out new recipes and really enjoyed making new things and pushing myself. I've done loads of baking and I will be sharing some recipes later in the week but today I'm sharing a recipe for a jam/chutney with more than a little kick. This is something I improvised and came out as more of a chutney than a jam which is what I intended it to be. It makes a good accompaniment to meat or the veggie burger I made on Saturday night.




Ingredients
3 fresh red chillies
2 ripe red peppers
olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g brown sugar
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

You can double this to make a large jar or add more peppers if you prefer it sweet.


Method
If you want your chutney to last for a while, make sure you have a small sterilized jar ready to go. I just got a jar and filled it with boiling water, emptied it and put the finished jam in.

Place your chillies and peppers  under a hot grill, turning them now and then until blackened. Put the peppers and chillies into a bowl and cover with clingfilm. By the time they're cool enough to handle, you'll be able to peel the skin off easily.

Remove the skin and seeds and chop finely by hand or in a processor.

Heat a saucepan and pour in a splash of olive oil. Add the onions and season. Cook very slowly for about 20 minutes.

Add the chopped peppers and chillies, the sugar and the vinegar to the onions and keep cooking. When the liquid reduces and you're left with a lovely thick sticky chutney, season well to taste.
Either spoon into the sterilized jars and put them in a cool dark place, or keep in the fridge and use right away. In sterilized jars, the chutney should keep for a couple of months.



I used my chutney to add flavour to my portobello mushroom & halloumi burger. I simply cooked the cheese and mushrooms in a griddle pan for around 20 minutes, turning half way through and served them in a soft bun with some rocket. I added some lemon juice and crushed garlic to my mayonnaise with a dash of paprika on the top to dip my chips in. I loved this burger and the chutney had just the right amount of heat for me but I'm not sure Martyn (a committed carnivore) was entirely sold on a meat free burger.

I celebrated my birthday last Tuesday with a lot less fuss that I normally do. Birthdays just aren't as exciting as you get older and I'm not really a fan of big nights out anymore. I followed Hollie's lead and baked my own cake this year (a bit less visually appealing than Hollie's though) so I got exactly what I wanted. I like simple cakes but I'm not a fan of shop bought ones so I made a basic sponge with a cream cheese frosting and a colourful surprise inside.

I was very lucky this year when it comes to gifts and I got a beautiful rose bush from Martyn's sister and Martyn bought me a bike so we can go for rides together and improve our fitness. I've been going to yoga and the gym and I'm hoping a bit of cycling will compliment that.


I hope that you've been having a lovely time too, what have you been up to? Please leave some links so I can have a good snoop at your days out.