BOOKS & RECIPES
Join Steve, Clare & family in this funny, honest & insightful memoir of their event packed move to Mallorca & subsequent adventures and mishaps at restaurant Finca49.
The ups & downs of real-life, with practical advice, surreal characters, dramas, dreams and the occasional recipe.
PROLOGUE:
PHONE RINGING………….
“Hello …………….Oh bugger off Sarah! Is that you? I’m up to my eyes in bubble wrap and newspaper, the skip on the drive is overflowing, someone’s coming to buy the wardrobes, Steve’s just dismantled the kitchen table………. And the feckin cat’s run away !
I haven’t got time for this right now, we’re flying out in 5 days and we’re nowhere near ready - I’ll call you later, bye!”
PHONE RINGING ………….
“Seriously? I told you ……..”
“Hold on, please don’t hang up again ……. My name is Hayley and I really am ringing from Channel 4’s A New Life in the Sun – is that Clare?
We understand that you and your family are selling up and making the move abroad to buy a business in Mallorca…….is that right?”
“Erm……….yes”
We would love to film your adventure for the next season of A New Life in the Sun – would you be interested?
Having sold our house, café business, vehicles and a good proportion of our furniture and worldly goods in order to fund our move this seemed like a possible Godsend – especially since the disastrous Brexit farce had just wiped 10% off the £/€ exchange rate and therefore the value of our savings, leaving our carefully costed plans perilously close to collapse - Maybe a well paid TV intervention could be the answer?
“Steve, you’re not going to believe this but that was the TV on the phone, they want to know if we want to be on New Life In the Sun”
“ How much do they pay?”
“ Hang on, I’ll ask ………….. Oh …………. Nothing apparently”
“Nothing?!, Tell them to f*** off then …….. this is stressful enough without having a bloody camera crew in the way!”
“ I’ll tell them we’ll have a think about it”
Hmmmm………………….
“Oh come on, it could be a laugh, and I think the kids will love it”
“Hmmmmmmmmmmm………”
And so it came to pass; that naturally my curmudgeonly objection was overruled and we agreed to a cameraman showing up to witness the final manic days of us packing up 50+ years of a lifetime in the UK……………………………
finca49 - snapshots of summer
Finca49 restaurant (Mallorca) closed it’s doors in 2024 following 7 years of critical acclaim. “snapshots of summer” is more than just a collection of mouth-watering recipes, it is a quality hard back book filled with chef’s tips and techniques, trade secrets and anecdotes complemented by original artwork and beautiful photography. A collaboration between Steve, pastry chef Ellie and talented local photographer Flor Galarza it is a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds
Includes recipes for some of our most requested dishes like: chili-mac, lobster croquettes, Cuban mojo chicken, Fajitas, Mexican seafood cocktail and Ellie’s famous lemon Meringue pie to name just a few - plus how to use unusual ingredients like fresh cactus, dried Mexican chiles and masa harina.
“snapshots of summer” is more than just a collection of mouth-watering recipes, it is a quality hard back book, filled with chef’s tips and techniques, trade secrets, and anecdotes, complemented by original artwork and beautiful photography.
A collaboration between Steve, pastry chef Ellie and local photographer Flor Galarza, it is a feast for the eyes, as well as the tastebuds
Includes recipes for some of our most requested dishes, like: chili-mac, lobster croquettes, Cuban mojo chicken, Fajitas, Mexican seafood cocktail and Ellie’s famous lemon Meringue pie, to name just a few - plus how to use unusual ingredients like fresh cactus, dried Mexican chiles and masa harina
