Cooking a cioppino with frozen shellfish from The Berwick Shellfish Co. The British shellfish industry is in the news at the moment for all the wrong reasons. Hit by a double whammy of restaurants closed due to Covid-19 plus the shambles of Brexit that has seen shellfish rotting when it should have been whisked over […]
Pissaladière Recipe – with Faulkner Provençal Rosés
The Ultimate Provençal Pairing – Pissaladière and Rosé Wine Our latest wine review and recipe feature takes us to Provence in the South of France. We will be reviewing two high-quality rosés coming from Canadian winemaker Julian Faulkner’s family estate in the Côtes de Provence, the spiritual home of rosé wine. To accompany the wines […]
Mushroom Frittata in the perfect Samuel Groves pan
Road testing Samuel Groves cookware – Mushroom Frittata. For the enthusiastic home cook, little is more exciting than cookware. When a box containing Samuel Groves pans arrived at my door it created more than a little frisson. Of all the multitude of parcels that have been delivered since lockdown began, this was the best by […]
Cumberland Pork Sausage with Fennel, Cannellini Beans, Lemon and Olives
Easy one-pan recipe for Cumberland Pork Sausage Meatballs with Cannellini Beans. Not long ago I was sent a selection of meat from Lake District Farmers. A feast of options, in the box there were plenty of Cumberland sausages, some thick-cut pork loin steaks and an intriguing tube of Cumberland sausagemeat – something I haven’t seen […]
Prawn and Pea Risotto
Early Summer Prawn and Pea Risotto Recipe Paired with Calem Branco Douro 2018 In winter I make a lot of risotto – it’s the ultimate comfort food, like a savoury rice pudding. Once the sun comes out I’m a little less inclined to stand stirring the pot to make that perfect risotto, but there are […]
Oastbrook Sparkling Rosé with New Season English Asparagus Hollandaise
Asparagus Hollandaise with English Sparkling Wine from Oastbrook. There’s nothing better than the taste of new season English Asparagus; it’s one of those vegetables that can stand on its own feet and is best served simply. So our latest wine match recipe is for asparagus with a delicious Hollandaise Sauce, matched with a wonderful bottle […]
Summer Drinking Suggestions with Le Grand Aioli Recipe
Summer Wines and a taste of Provence with Le Grand Aioli. We all need things to take our mind off the present at the moment and with the summer being presaged by a warm spring and with memories of past years’ adventures in our consciousness it seemed like a good idea to plan for warmer […]
Chicken and Leek Quiche – testing Oast to Host Flour
Chicken and Leek Quiche recipe and the ultimate Gluten Free Flour. Isn’t it a universal truth that whatever you can’t have is what you immediately crave? My mother was diabetic – and spent her life once diagnosed craving chocolate. My sister in law follows a medically recommended gluten-free diet. And, when she and my brother […]
Potted Stilton with Walnuts and an Introduction to Non Vintage Port
Potted Stilton – the perfect pairing for Port? We’ve been tasting some excellent Port recently – and learning a bit more about one of those drinks many of us take for granted. I’m more used to drinking Port with a cheeseboard or with potted Stilton, but there are a lot more ways to enjoy this […]
Turkey Breast Paupiettes with Pickled Walnut, Apple and Sage
Christmas in a Parcel – Turkey Breast Paupiettes with Opies Pickled Walnuts. #Ad: Written in Conjunction with Opies It’s that time of year again! The festive season when everyone else seems to be planning a feast for 500 or so. For those of us with small families, though, I’m sharing some of the options around […]