

How to begin a cookbook
"an ode to the food of my childhood, a mash up of food from Bahrain and the surrounding countries, with a slightly Westernised take,...
Aug 13, 2025


Mushrooms and Chinese costermongers
This is a first recipe post - one from Beverley Sutherland Smith in her book simply called Vegetables . In this case, however, I first...
Aug 12, 2025


Mediterraneanism - it's all Elizabeth David's fault
“While I roast as many Mediterranean vegetables as the next person, I worry about what the ‘Mediterraneanisation’ of cooking is doing to...
Aug 11, 2025


Stews, a Belgian one and Jill Dupleix
"Old food. Favourite food. Above all, food that makes people fall in love with us. That's what cooking is all about as it always has...
Jul 28, 2025


Leftovers of leftovers of leftovers
David has more or less insisted I write a blog about last night's dinner because he loved it so much. He also said I should write down...
Jul 24, 2025


'Vegetarian mushroom shawarma pitas' - boring
"Novelty, the most potent of all attractions, is also the most perishable." Andre Maurois Once again I'm repeating myself, and also...
Jul 20, 2025


Do I need this book?
Probably not, but I want it - it's an object of desire Continuing with the pile of books on my desk I have mentioned this one a couple of...
Jul 17, 2025


Rather wonderful but mostly unseen
" Language is a funny thing. Most of us know what good writing looks like, but few of us can actually write good." Ellie It's time for a...
Jul 16, 2025


Number 9
"It represents completion, although not a final ending — more like the fulfilment of one cycle so that you can prepare to initiate the...
Jul 15, 2025


Artichokes begin with A
"The artichoke, like the oyster, is a food that makes an indelible impression on the untried tongue." Bert Greene And because they begin...
Jul 13, 2025


"You just need a starting point"
"If you don't know where you're going Any road will take you there" George Harrison Yet another day of dithering over what to write...
Jul 9, 2025


"Light heart, light baking" - crumble
This post is probably going nowhere. It's just based on a couple of lengthy quotes from Nigel. Here's the last part of it, and I hope...
Jul 8, 2025


A Jamie book
"We're all familiar with the clichés of American food: junk food and supersizing ... but what is real American food all about?" Jamie...
Jun 30, 2025


A pile of books and a long ago school
"a reminder that people are at the heart of a good meal." Stone Soup I normally have a small pile of books and magazines on my desktop...
Jun 22, 2025


The mysteries of authenticity
"While the concept of a fried roll originates from China, the specific combination of chicken and ham is not a traditional Chinese...
Jun 20, 2025


Jottings
"Jottings: Quickly written short notes" Cambridge Dictionary I'm making a batch of marmalade because David has run out. It's time...
Jun 18, 2025


World Food Photography Awards
"In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality." Alfred Stieglitz The photograph above has just won...
May 31, 2025


Aargh! Technical problems
"Technology…is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other." C.P. Snow I sat...
May 29, 2025


no food no life - i am a food blog
"I get a lot of inspiration from eating out and after hearing me say, “I could make this at home,” for the umpteenth time, Mike, my...
May 28, 2025


Now is the winter of our content
"a carol to what makes the cooking of the cold months something to cherish." Nigel Slater It has been very cold today - well 'very' is...
May 18, 2025

