Keep Calm and Carry On Baking

November 15, 2021.Reading time 11 minutes.

I know some people get worried about cooking for me because of the blog. I always assure them that I only blog about the successes in my kitchen, not the disasters or even near disasters. However, I thought I’d write about the weekend’s near disaster because it might be fun to do so and to […]

Stein’s on Staycation

May 25, 2021.Reading time 8 minutes.

It was a late celebration for my birthday last month. My daughter Nicola couldn’t be with me then due to Covid restrictions (she lives in Worcestershire; I live in London) and this weekend was the first time I’d seen her – and her 2½ year old son Rufus – in over five months. Definitely celebrations […]

Four Hens and Some Very Special Eggs

August 13, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

Meet (left to right) Gwen, Mildred, Maud and Gerty. My daughter and her wife recently got four hens. They live in a 16th century farmhouse in Worcestershire, at the end of a long unmade-up road surrounded by farmland. They’re not farmers themselves, but at their home they’ve created a wonderful bucolic living space where they […]

Eat Out To Help Out

August 13, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I’d heard about the government’s ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme to encourage people back into restaurants but hadn’t thought through whether and when I might actually take advantage of it. Then I found myself participating twice by accident yesterday! It started in Richmond in the morning. I’d taken my two little grandsons (5½ and […]

When ‘Drinks’ Became the New ‘Dinner’

August 11, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

If ever we doubted the importance of social interaction, then the last five months of pandemic living has highlighted our basic need to connect and meet with others. From the grim early days of isolation within our houses, we’ve slowly stepped back out towards our more social selves. But we’re still a long way from […]

Now We Are Nine!

July 26, 2020.Reading time 14 minutes.

It was as I was publishing my last post with the red mullet recipe that I noticed a message from WordPress congratulating me on my blog’s 9th anniversary. Yes, it the blog’s birthday!! I was too busy to cook the blog a birthday cake (and in truth, there’s no one around at the moment to […]

My Lockdown Week in Food (2)

April 11, 2020.Reading time 9 minutes.

As the lockdown continues we find ourselves adjusting to some extent in a number of ways. I don’t mean it’s easy and we all want it to end, but being in a constant state of panic is neither sustainable nor healthy. Some light relief is needed at times! Whether it’s a lovely walk in nature, […]

Cooking in the Age of a Pandemic

March 25, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

The pandemic is teaching us many things, and for me highlighting what’s really important in my life. My family of course are by far and away the most important thing. But food is important to me too; it always has been and I’m sure will go on being so. Yet what’s highlighted now is my […]

Welcome to a Delivery World

March 19, 2020.Reading time 8 minutes.

I think the word of the week – other than ‘coronavirus’ of course – is ‘unprecedented’; we are living in unprecedented times. Certainly I’ve never known anything like it – and I’ve been around for a few decades (I have three gorgeous little grandsons now!). Theories abound about how it all started. Politicians and ‘experts’ […]

Sensational Alkalising Salad

March 14, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

We can’t escape the need to stay as healthy and strong as we can during the current coronavirus epidemic so I’m reblogging another healthy salad. This post also explains why eating a largely alkalising diet is good for us and helps maintain optimum health.