Travel tips-Restaurant reviews-Recipes
When it comes to Italian and Middle Eastern food – which are pretty much what I cook most of the time – I’m quite purist. I like to search for the most authentic recipe, seek out a bit of history for traditional dishes, and will spend time ‘getting it right’ as far as I can. […]
Read MoreI make no claims to authenticity for this recipe; it’s just a combination of some I found in books and online. But during the life of this blog, I’ve discovered that ‘authentic recipes’ are an elusive breed; there are always variations, sometimes hotly argued, but I would say that the essence of any classic recipe […]
Read MoreI’m loving reading the Honey & Co. Food From the Middle East cookbook and after making the gorgeous Cherry, Pistachio & Coconut Cake last week, I decided to try out a main dish today. This great chicken recipe is a simple all-in-one, which can be prepared ahead, so perfect for entertaining, and it immediately appealed to me because […]
Read MoreSince I last wrote about Jonathan cooking on his new Weber gas barbecue he’s been experimenting with rotisserie chicken. I say experimenting, but actually his first attempt was wonderful and he repeated it for us last night as we gathered as a family, with Nicola down from Birmingham, for Jonathan & Lyndsey’s last meal at […]
Read MoreWe’re experiencing an unusually long heatwave in London. It normally only lasts a day or two but this one has been going on for at least a couple of weeks. I’m not complaining. I love it. And it’s interesting how it affects one’s appetite – not only how hungry (or not so hungry) you feel, […]
Read MoreThe house is quiet. Jonathan, Lyndsey & Freddie are living with me temporarily in between house moves. But they’ve gone off to Cornwall for a holiday and so I’m cooking for one again. I took a supreme of chicken from the freezer this morning (a chicken from the farmers’ market, jointed by Jonathan). He’s been […]
Read MoreIt’s been the hottest day of the year so far; seriously hot. I got into my car at one point and it registered 37C. I don’t think it was really that hot outside but close. I like the heat but even for me it was too much. So it was definitely a day for a […]
Read MoreToday is the Spring Equinox – the first day of Spring. The 19th century poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote: ‘Nothing is so beautiful as Spring.’ To be honest, we’ve had such a mild winter that signs of Spring have been with us for weeks, but oh it’s so nice to know the real thing is […]
Read MoreLast week I arrived home one day, having been out in the morning, to find a note from my postman telling me he’d left a parcel for me with a neighbour. Slightly puzzled as I wasn’t expecting any work (usual reason for parcels) or an Amazon delivery, I went to see what was waiting for me. […]
Read MoreSummer is always a bit like a weather roller coaster ride in UK. Three or four weeks ago we were slathering on the suncream and shops were selling out of electric fans, then a few days later I was digging out my winter boots and a warm jacket. Today has gone back to summer. The […]
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