Gluten free damper with bush tomato

Gluten free damper with bush tomato

The smell of freshly baked damper emerging from the coals of a dying barbecue fire is one that should strike up a smile on anyone's face. Damper is something that brings back fond memories of Aussie bush barbecues when I was growing up in Western Australia. For the...

Anzac Biscuits – with a hint of cardamom

Anzac Biscuits – with a hint of cardamom

Everyone grows up with memories of the special days of the country they are born in. If you move away from your birth country, these days can take on an extra significance. There's always the little pull on the heartstrings of remembered ceremonies and traditions....

Espresso chilli sauce: wake up your body and your tongue

Espresso chilli sauce: wake up your body and your tongue

There are many wide awake people around the UK at this moment as it's officially UK Coffee Week. It's the perfect excuse to celebrate the ingredient that is vital for getting so many people through their day - and even sometimes out of the house in the morning. For...

Hot Cross Cardamom Chocolates

Hot Cross Cardamom Chocolates

Easter does tend to be a bit of a chocolate fest - and so I thought, why not get in the spirit and play around with some chocolate flavour combinations. I love cardamon and I love chocolate - and the two together are just fantastic. It's a flavour partnership made in...

Paneer and Cauliflower Ashram Curry

Paneer and Cauliflower Ashram Curry

I still remember the moment of what I'd class as eating my first 'proper' Indian meal. It was December in 1997 on a cold wintery night at the end of a long, slow drive from London to Portsmouth. I'd arrived in the UK a few weeks before on the holiday of a lifetime. In...

How to make paneer

How to make paneer

During my recent trip to India I ate SO many great curries with paneer. I came home fired up with the intention of making my own; I suspect this is partly because I was trying to hold on to memories of lovely warm weather as I headed back into the grey UK winter. The...

Rosemary and olive oil choc chip cookies

Rosemary and olive oil choc chip cookies

One of the many fantastic things about taking people on chocolate walks (yes there is such a thing!), is that I get to try out really interesting flavour combinations. One of my favourites is a rosemary and olive oil chocolate from William Curley. It's a soothing and...

Edible Christmas gift ideas

Edible Christmas gift ideas

There’s something very special about receiving a handmade gift that someone has taken the effort to create just for you. This is even more so at Christmas, in the midst of a flurry of finishing off gift shopping, recovering from various Christmas celebrations or...

Figgy pudding snack balls

It all started with a random leftover packet of dried figs sitting in my cupboard. I knew they were getting close to their use by date, and I wanted to make something quick and healthy with them. With the sounds of ‘We all want some figgy pudding’ ringing in my head,...

Festive spiced speculaas rye biscuits

Festive spiced speculaas rye biscuits

Now that Halloween is over, my thoughts start turning to Christmas – and, more specifically, Christmas food. My husband and I are hosting Christmas at our house this year so there's lots of food planning ahead. Perhaps slightly weirdly, I kind of like planning and...

Edible flowers at Divertimenti: the power of petals

As kids we loved hanging out in the back garden breaking the bottom off honeysuckle and nasturtium blossoms. We’d carefully sip the drop or two of clear nectar that dripped out; it was almost like eating sweets. The tiny bit of floral sweetness was incredibly...

A bowl of comforting carrot soup

With autumn setting in and winter (almost) on the horizon, my thoughts start to turn to soup. There’s something very soothing about a warming bowl of soupy loveliness. It’s almost worth going for a bracing walk in autumnal woods, kicking leaves about, just to come...

How to make chocolate truffles

How to make chocolate truffles

Chocolate truffles are one of the nicest presents you can give someone (especially if they love chocolate as much as I do!). They’re also a nice alternative at Easter time, providing a really personal touch compared to a shop bought egg. This recipe makes around 30-35...