21st Century

  1. Mince Pie Shortbread - I seem to be on a bit of a shortbread obsession lately, but this is the last post on it for now, promise. Today I have for you a combination of two festive treats: Mince Pies & Shortbread. Back in the far off days of the 1980s, I had the distinct pleasure of discovering Jocelyn […]
  2. Butterscotch Shortbread - The deliciousness I have for you this week is something of a Lego™ recipe in that it started with A New Thing, which was exciting and delicious, but for which I had no use for at the time. However, if you then clip it together with two other things, Voila! A NEW New thing that […]
  3. Colcannon - There are many traditional foods associated with All Hallow’s Eve/Hallowe’en, November Night, but one which might be new (and deliciously simple to prepare), is the Irish potato dish of Colcannon. Back in the beforetimes, when cakes of bairín breac were considered a luxury, people used to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve with a big pot of […]
  4. Shortbread Variations: From the left, classic (butter, sugar, flour), then with: cornflour, rice flour, semolina, ground rice, ground almonds, polenta Shortbread Variations - This week’s recipe subject came about, as it increasingly does of late, with a casual thought when looking for something else. Behold this recipe from Mary Jewry, editor of Warne’s Model Cookery and Housekeeping Book (1868). The first thing that caught my eye, and got me thinking, was the proportions of the ingredients. Nowadays, a […]
  5. Improving Strawberries - On a recent holiday in France I had some wonderful strawberries: heady, aromatic and bursting with flavour.¹ Still a bit mesmerised, two punnets of strawberries were one of the first things I bought when we got back. Alas, compared to the French ones, they were decidedly underwhelming. I know it’s late in the season for […]
  6. Turkey Salmi Turkey Salmi - This week I’d like to talk turkey and making champagne tastes on a beer budget. Just look at that crisp, golden pastry and glossy, rich sauce covering the tender pieces of turkey! Turkey is a staple on the festive dinner table, but the preference for the pale breast meat has seen the rise of the […]
  7. Steak and Kidney Pudding - I enjoyed reading this tweet a few weeks ago: The best thing to hear when you ask someone to explain their hobby or interest is them starting with “okay, so..” cause they’re about to rant for at least 30 minutes straight with no breaks and it’s the most adorable shit in the world. — Terminally […]
  8. Damson Ripple Ice-cream Damson Ice-Cream - The autumn months are almost upon us and it truly is the season of mellow fruitfulness. First among equals is the damson, a fruit I have been familiar with my whole life. Damsons are small, oval, wild plums with a signature ‘bloom’. They are different to bullaces, a different wild plum which is more round […]
  9. Toad In The Hole - Toad In The Hole was a favourite dish of my childhood, and also one of the first dishes I made when I began cookery lessons at school, aged 11. Toad in the Hole is a traditional lunch or supper dish combining sausages and a standard Yorkshire Pudding batter. The earliest mention attributed by the Oxford […]
  10. A bowl of Harlequin Salad and lettuce leaves Harlequin Salad - It is June, and summer is upon us! It’s the time of salady goodness! And I have here a very easy salad for you which I’ve cobbled together over the years. It’s simple and fresh and delicious and exceedingly easy to make. In fact, the skill bar is set so low I’m going to sum […]
  11. Four Cream Toast fingers with a pot of raspberry jam for dipping. Cream Toasts - This is going to be the newest recipe on here, because I just made it up! Well, not to claim all the credit – it is a Lego™ recipe in that I’ve cherry-picked a bit from here and a bit from there and brought it together into something absolutely delicious. As a bonus, it can […]