Yawning spaces opened up in the fridge. Lonely potatoes and tomatoes felt conspicuously exposed in the presses. There was a freezer full of long-forgotten sauces. Meanwhile, an excess of herbs, spices, and assorted condiments shrugged their shoulders, unsure how they could help. But I was determined to eat what I had. With a visit to [...]

Panic buyers are surging to the shops in Britain as the snow threatens to entomb us all, write some breathless newspapers in the UK. Yesterday’s Guardian newspaper reported that shoppers are stocking up on salt, alcohol, soups, and ready meals, while the never-hysterical Daily Hate showed a post-apocalyptic scene of empty supermarket shelves, presumably in [...]

The other day, my nice neighbour Barbara offered me some dessert, and I thought I was about to get some cake. She plonked down a pickled pear, pointed, and gently said, “Would you believe that dessert was made in 1985? I’ve had that pear for 17 years”. I smiled, as little bugs of horror darted [...]

Caribbean cooking is an amalgamation of many influences; indigenous Caribs, French, Spanish, Dutch, British, African, Indian and Chinese. Peppers, hot sauces and dry rubs are often featured in island specialties and if you have a decent Indian larder you will find that there are spice similarities.

Old age is turning the snow to slush, but we’re still stuck here. AA Roadwatch informs us that Sallygap, Roundwood and the Wicklow Gap are all impassable; we live somewhere between the latter two. A neighbour says that he went to the village for supplies and was sliding all over the road. Tomorrow, we’re going [...]