I come from a generation that inhaled the sweet-basil promises of the book Under The Tuscan Sun which ensured that, for rest of our lives, we’d indulge in the fantasy of starting afresh in Italy, renovating villas, pressing olives, and…
Jelly Shots and A Poem
I’ve only made these once, and every time I see this photo, I’m reminded of Covid lockdowns. These red, white and blue jelly shots were a novelty treat, enjoyed in September, 2021, to mark a football match. Our city was…
Celebrating Citrus Haiku in the 1600s
Food and poetry go together. Like emotion and metaphor. Like appetisers and champagne. Like boogity-boogity-boogity-shooby-shoowop-shabop (name that tune!). I so much enjoyed celebrating melons in the 1600s, I’m doing it again, celebrating citrus haiku with Japanese poet, Basho. lemon flowersrecalling…
Jammy Fruit Puff Pastry Tarts
These are my absolute everyday go-to, when I have no time, but my brain is like Homer Simpson: “Mmmmm, pie????” Don’t judge me – yes, another puff pastry dessert. Yes, using tinned fruit, but I also use fresh!! These jammy…
Stolen Green Vegetable Tortellini Salad
When I was a kid, the only tortellini I ate were floating in a bowl of barszcz (beetroot soup). They were a chewy-slurpy dumpling in a wonderfully sweet and sour concoction, and with a dollop of sour cream … even…
Cheeky Tinned Fruit Pineapple Salsa
Fresh pineapple is summer holidays, and lazy days, and cocktails, and moonlit nights, and pina colada, and getting caught in the rain. Not to mention, there’s something saucy about salsa. But I’m not even pretending I used fresh pineapple! 😂…
Blast From the Past Shepherd’s Pie
This blast for the past kitchen is the type I associate with shepherd’s pie, also a blast from the past! Is it the same for you? Or do you think of a different era? The kitchen/dining room I grew up…
A Sweetener Chocolate Caramel Slice
You could bribe the Pope with this chocolate caramel slice. Rich, gooey, satisfying. Completely balanced between the shortbread biscuit base (dessicated coconut👩🍳 😘!), caramel, and dark chocolate. I’ve seen some skinny caramel slices, and they look forlorn and wanting, but…
