Recent Posts

How to Choose a Chef’s Knife

How to Choose a Chef’s Knife

Last year I broke my knife. I’d had it for going on 10 years and I was faced with the formidable task of buying a new one. There was no joy in this virtual shopping trip because, as with so many things these days, there […]

Lemon Dhal

Lemon Dhal

I don’t know how it is with you at approximately first day back to work in early January, but for me, it feels like a long goodbye to the things that I love the most like Blackbomber Cheddar, Christmas lights, Neal’s Yard Dairy Stichelton and […]

Festive Rum and Raisin Tart

Festive Rum and Raisin Tart

I discovered this recipe back when I was living in London and writing for Foodepedia. It was a promotion for a butter brand and I offered to make it and write it up. Everything from the pastry to the filling, to licking the beaters covered […]

Mulled Apple Cider

Mulled Apple Cider

This is not so much a recipe, but a guide for festive drinking and a nod to the traditions of ye olden times, traditions that seem both timeless and borderless. Whether they’re Geman family recipes, warming mugs of punch at the Viennese Christmas markets or […]

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Mexican Wedding Cakes

I rediscovered a Martha Stewart Christmas Cookie magazine in my recipe book cupboard on the weekend. I flipped through the pages undecided about what to make…and yet unable to make anything. Most of the recipes contained various nut manifestations which I don’t keep in the […]

Sachertorte and Sausage in Vienna

Sachertorte and Sausage in Vienna

We’d been dreaming of whisking the kids to Vienna for a slice of Sachertorte to teach them the art of cultural and culinary indulgence. The moment finally happened, we booked our flights many months in advance and the lead up to our trip was long […]

Coconut and Cashew Crumble

Coconut and Cashew Crumble

I’m stuck in a cycle of baking the same old recipes because everyone loves them, and eats them which isn’t so bad really. But things can get stale – so I’ve been branching out. It’s not always successful as I discovered with the Lumberjack Cake. […]

Indonesian Beef Curry

Indonesian Beef Curry

OK so this is not really a curry, not as you might know it, but it caught your attention nonetheless. Growing up in Australia, we get exposed to a huge range of Asian culinary influences but, here in the UK it’s very much focused on […]

Sugared Nuts

Sugared Nuts

I am making a few home-made treats for the family for Christmas this year, and one of those will be some sugared almonds for my dad. Many years ago when I visited Croatia, we had stopped by an old family friend’s place for a drink […]

Tomato Soup Two-Ways

Tomato Soup Two-Ways

It’s been all pumpkins, cobwebs, candles and autmunal pickings from the garden this week. As usual, we were overly ambitious with our jack-o-lantern designs this year and we spent most of Sunday afternoon carving pumpkins, listening to Jonny Trunk’s 50p vintage Halloween tunes and drinking […]