The blackberries are out and it’s your chance to get free food. You can use them to make jam, cakes, ice cream, compote, crème brulée, coulis and even tea.
You can also use blackberries in savoury sauces. Venison goes well with autumnal purple-red produce and this Pan-fried venison with blackberry sauce is very fast and easy [...]

I know for many, the idea of growing your own is just too damn daunting but there are certain vegetables and herbs that just won’t fail - I promise.
Mint is unbelievable. It is a weed and it will grow anywhere and all year round. It’s such a sturdy plant that if you’re not careful it [...]

Samosa are great party food but they don’t have to be Asian, Indian or even savoury.
If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to apple tart, why not give this apple samosa a try.
This hand-held dessert will go down well in a crowd and are totally delicious.
If you are after something savoury; these artichoke, feta and [...]

To mark Bastille day, I’m planning a French feast this evening with some friends. Tucking into French onion soup, a classic Coq au vin and a Crème brûlée; a French three course meal doesn’t have to cost a fortune and this menu contains basic ingredients that won’t break the bank.
Incorporating onions, white wine, cheese and [...]

It has been a great summer so far for growing and the strawberries haven’t let me down. They taste unbelievably flavoursome and are the stawberriest strawberries I’ve ever tasted.
This is the first year I have grown the fruit and I had no idea that there would be such a bevy of them. In fact, there [...]

Following on from Wednesday’s post on quick and easy recipes that can be thrown together after a hard day at work, here are some more hassle free dishes for you to try.
I have included a couple of desserts that could be thrown together at the end of a dinner party when you don’t want to [...]

I know there are bigger things to be angry about in the world but it really annoys me when recipe books assume you have an ice cream maker.
You come across a tantalising ice cream recipe and excitedly race through the instructions to disappointingly come across “now place the mixture in your ice cream maker and [...]

I experienced an extremely pleasant picnic recently. This wasn’t a ‘hang’ sandwich affair but a proper picnic on a river bank with lots of lovely food and company. It got me thinking about interesting picnic ideas and the best way to serve them up.
A good picnic should be on the fancy side and include a variety of [...]

You have to try this Italian dessert, it’s Baked Amaretti and Vin Santo Plums with Mascarpone Cream - outrageously good. It is from the recipe book ‘Falling Cloudberries’ by Tessa Kiros. With a really rich, full-bodied taste, it’s a winner if you’re looking to impress.
I went all out and bought the ingredients from The Best [...]

This recipe comes courtesy of my sister Barbara, cake-maker extraordinaire. Barbara’s baking skills have her in high demand for family parties and functions; people regularly ask her for cakes as Christmas or wedding presents.
Apricot Upside-down cake
Ingredients

1oz butter
3oz brown sugar
1 tin of apricots, preferably in own juice such as Epicure, available in most shops including Tesco [...]