I am a bit confused about how to store eggs. I have never, in the UK, kept them in the fridge. They have always been absolutely fine and so far as I know this has always been the norm here, indeed chicken shaped baskets are readily available to store eggs attractively . In the States people store eggs in the fridge and I understand that European and American eggs are treated so differently that our eggs would be illegal in the States and American eggs would actually be illegal anywhere in the EU.  In America it is law that eggs be washed before being sold commercially. In the UK it is the ..read more

My sister Maggie, of The Artcafé on Mersea Island, sent me a card the other day saying; “Happy nothing in particular day … this is us when we were young”.  It’s very apt as we have both spent a lot of time cooking in a small kitchen both at home and professionally. Lovely innit!  This, and loads of other great cards and prints are available from Cannsdown Press here. What with Covid restrictions and the weather being not that great I admit to having watched a bit of day time television recently, in particular Escape to the Country and A Place in the Sun, and have seen some lovely h ..read more

I love some spicy heat in my food so always have these four chilli condiments in stock – they each add a different nuance (or, if you like, more than a nuance!) to a dish. Before I get started I’d just like to say that this is not a promotional post, I am not getting paid or receiving any benefit from mentioning or showing specific products. With maybe (and maybe not) the exception of Patak’s Chilli Pickle, they are all just examples of the yummy condiments available. Shop around – could be fun! Hot Sauce This is, of course, a biggie in the Caribbean where it is so popular that it is placed ..read more

There are so many advantages to homemade croutons – they are healthier, cheaper, and so much nicer!! In Tesco recently I noticed little bags of croutons for sale (I’ve seen them before, of course, but never taken any notice till now) – 75p for 100g What a surprise! Apparently they contain the following … However, a fresh 400g loaf of Tesco’s Crusty Farmhouse is 80p and you could, buying such a loaf, make five and a bit times as many croutons, fresh and crisp and flavoured to your precise requirements. Crouton-wise I think that’s the way to go, and it’s so very easy! Not only that, croutons ..read more

Updating some older posts recently I realised that when writing about making flavoured butters I had forgotten to mention sweet compound butters. I remember that I started adding a section on these but had so many savoury ideas I decided a new post on the subject was the way to go so, rather belatedly (to say the least!), here it is. 2 Preliminary Points … 1.  It is best to use unsalted butter for these. 2.  When I say “soft butter” I mean room temperature not melting, greasy, oily butter. Sweet Compound Butters Firstly, here’s a couple I’ve mentioned in earlier posts … ~&nbs ..read more

The French term Mise en Place is translated variously to mean “setting up”, “everything in its place” or “put in place”. Being organised is important in many areas of life, of course, but the term is popularly used when referring to setting up in readiness for cooking, and no wonder! Putting everything in place is crucial in a restaurant kitchen and, while not always necessary at home it is useful when cooking fast moving dishes such as risotto, omelettes etc. or when cooking lots of things for a dinner party. So here’s how you do it … Firstly read your recipe or recipes right through some ti ..read more

A great way to really up the ante on your food is to add a crunchy contrast so here are lots of ways to do this. In no particular order … Croutons These are a quick and easy way to enhance not just soup, but all sorts of dishes and they are so much better and so much cheaper than buying ready made! Here’s lots of crouton information – how to make your own croutons, ways to make them just the way you want them with different seasonings, fats, and additions, using alternative breads and cakes and uses for croutons, other than soup. Pangrattato This is Italian for bread crumbs but these are ..read more

We have recently moved house (which is why I haven’t posted for so long) and clearing out all my bits and pieces in the storecupboard I found an inordinate number of different leftover nuts that needed using up so, I’ve been adding them to all sorts of things. If you find yourself in a similar situation here are lots of nutty ideas! Before I start on nut recipes and ideas, I’d just like to mention that roasting or toasting nuts makes them crisper and tastier and are a good way to rejuvenate slightly old nuts. They are just as good, or better, than untoasted nuts for cooking with. The nuts can ..read more

Many years ago I spent a few weeks in Greece where I became absolutely besotted with their delicious yogurt served with honey and frequently with nuts. After returning home I sometimes craved it even more than chocolate!!! Since this revelation Greek yogurt and honey became a regular breakfast for me and normally, but not always, I serve it with granola instead of or as well as nuts. Basic Granola Recipe This is a very simple yet flexible way to make granola which can be varied substantially. I have made it with honey, with maple syrup and occasionally with a flavoured syrup, of which, so far ..read more

I recently had a superb and fairly sudden lunch thanks to brilliant shortcrust pastry making advice from my friend Carol. A few weeks ago it was my birthday (don’t ask – OK it was 67) and a few days later we went to see Carol where, lo and behold, she had arranged a lovely afternoon tea and invited a few people over. She served a delicious onion tart, and the pastry was wonderful. Her pastry always is  wonderful, so I asked what her secret is and she told me! The pastry I made folowing her advice was the best I ever made and possibly the best I’ve ever eaten apart from Carol’s. So here i ..read more