salad days

Always up for an adventure, Annabel treks north to a buffalo farm to meet a couple making sublime buffalo yoghurt and cheeses.

She arrives armed with an intensely rich Black Velvet Cake, the perfect companion to creamy buffalo yoghurt and blackberries foraged from the farm.

Returning to her cabin she pairs some buffalo mozzarella with sweet, ripe figs from her tree. It’s the perfect starter for a lakeside meal of Seared Chilli Lemon Tuna, nicoise salad and slow-baked summer stonefruit.

On this page you'll find recipes and bonus videos from this episode. All the rest of the recipes from the series are in the accompanying book, Annabel Langbein: The Free Range Cook - Through the Seasons, Sorry – this book is out of print

behind-the-scenes photo gallery

Phil and Annie survey their flock. It's not often in farm life that you get to stop and just take a breath. But if you do, looking at these healthy, happy animals and knowing what amazing cheese you make from their milk is a good moment to take!

Phil and Annie survey their flock. It's not often in farm life that you get to stop and just take a breath. But if you do, looking at these healthy, happy animals and knowing what amazing cheese you make from their milk is a good moment to take!
Each member of Annie and Phil's buffalo herd has its own name. Meet Mrs Lovely and Toby the Bull. There's a definite heirachy in the herd – you can see where they have given each other a jab on their hides – but when it comes to humans they are remarkably meek and well-mannered.

Each member of Annie and Phil's buffalo herd has its own name. Meet Mrs Lovely and Toby the Bull. There's a definite heirachy in the herd – you can see where they have given each other a jab on their hides – but when it comes to humans they are remarkably meek and well-mannered.
Annie and Phil and their two sons Marlo and Marin make this little cabin home over the summer. It's a back-to-the-land existence with no phone coverage and only a generator for power. The beds are out on the verandah with mosquito nets and a view of the stars.

Annie and Phil and their two sons Marlo and Marin make this little cabin home over the summer. It's a back-to-the-land existence with no phone coverage and only a generator for power. The beds are out on the verandah with mosquito nets and a view of the stars.
You don't need a fancy kitchen to make great food. The facilities may be simple, but over summer every day feels like a holiday in this magical valley.

You don't need a fancy kitchen to make great food. The facilities may be simple, but over summer every day feels like a holiday in this magical valley.
Back from my blackberry hunt with a bowl of the sweetest, spray-free blackberries to savour with my Black Velvet Cake.

Back from my blackberry hunt with a bowl of the sweetest, spray-free blackberries to savour with my Black Velvet Cake.
My Black Velvet Cake reaches a whole new level with a big dollop of Annie and Phil's buffalo yoghurt and a handful of just-picked blackberries. Such a simple, good pleasure, and the cake is really healthy with loads of beetroot giving it an amazing colour and lovely moist texture.

My Black Velvet Cake reaches a whole new level with a big dollop of Annie and Phil's buffalo yoghurt and a handful of just-picked blackberries. Such a simple, good pleasure, and the cake is really healthy with loads of beetroot giving it an amazing colour and lovely moist texture.
As well as fresh buffalo mozzarella, Annie and Phil also produce an incredibly smooth, fine white yoghurt and five other cheeses – a firm, dry grado, a blue, a feta, a fresca and a buffalo brie.

As well as fresh buffalo mozzarella, Annie and Phil also produce an incredibly smooth, fine white yoghurt and five other cheeses – a firm, dry grado, a blue, a feta, a fresca and a buffalo brie.
Back at my cabin there's not a breath of wine, the sun is shining and it's time for a picnic dinner up in the garden – a feast beginning with fresh mozzarella served with figs and prosciutto.

Back at my cabin there's not a breath of wine, the sun is shining and it's time for a picnic dinner up in the garden – a feast beginning with fresh mozzarella served with figs and prosciutto.
Our clever stylist Anna rigged up this wonderful floating table by tying a pallet between the silver birch trees. Inspired!

Our clever stylist Anna rigged up this wonderful floating table by tying a pallet between the silver birch trees. Inspired!
As the sun goes down and I feel the soft grass underfoot and dine on the freshest pickings from the garden with a fun bunch of friends, I can only pinch myself.

As the sun goes down and I feel the soft grass underfoot and dine on the freshest pickings from the garden with a fun bunch of friends, I can only pinch myself.
I'll never lose the sense of wonder at living in such an incredibly beautiful place. The path of the setting sun runs across the lake and right up to us in the paddock.

I'll never lose the sense of wonder at living in such an incredibly beautiful place. The path of the setting sun runs across the lake and right up to us in the paddock.

find out more

Want to find out more about this episode? Check out my blog inspired by my experiences while filming the show.
Find out more about Season One of The Free Range Cook
Find out more about Season Two of The Free Range Cook: Simple Pleasures

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