Gather Food, Flowers & Friends
Offering a deliberately simple spin on a classic seasonal dessert, this lovely pavlova is a lot easier to make than you’d expect and tastes like summer on a plate.
The oats in this simple grape and almond cake give it a lovely rich taste and comforting texture, making it ideal for serving in squares with steaming hot cups of tea.
Made using a no-churn method, this baked apple ice cream makes for a deliciously creamy, rich and autumnal dessert option just as it is, and it can be served straight from the freezer thanks to the generous splash of rum in the recipe
Sort of a hybrid between a pot pie and a fish pie, these tasty little dishes are the ultimate in comfort food, and need only some peas or braised cabbage on the side to make a really satisfying meal.
Made with bullace or damsons instead of sloes, the flavour profile of this ‘hedgerow’ gin is a little less complex than that of sloe gin and it’s ready to drink a lot sooner too, making it great for adding to autumn-themed cocktails or simply serving over ice as a fabulous seasonal tipple. That’s not to say that sloe gin isn’t worth making too in a few weeks’ time – there’s nothing nicer than a thimbleful on a cold dark night in winter – but this simpler alternative is tasting pretty good right now, as a fruity, seasonal segue into autumn.
The perfect option for a fuss-free dinner party starter, this gorgeous dip can be made with with smoked salmon or trout and will have all your guests asking for the recipe
Newly trendy or not, there’s no classier snack to start a celebration than a platter of devilled eggs. I’ve pickled mine pretty, pink and ready to party in a beetroot & vinegar brine.
Whether diluted in cold sparkling water as a deliciously refreshing cordial, infused in syrup for lemon drizzle cake or used as the basis of a fabulous fizzy summer cocktail, elderflower cordial is the essence of early summer captured.
Poached gently with cardamon seeds & orange juice, pretty pink rhubarb makes for a beautiful California-meets-English countryside brunch when served with yogurt & granola
I’ve always been a fan of Welsh rarebit toasts – my parents used to occasionally make them for lunch on Saturdays when I was small and I could never understand why they tasted so good. Now that I’m older, I understand that they’re pretty much pure ‘umami’. And I also know now just how good they taste with a cold drink.
The gin & tonic combination in these poached pears came about sort of by accident due to having no wine opener (or wine for that matter) in our new place to make my usual poaching recipe, but the G&T version turned out to be a real revelation – the gin gives a light bitterness that works beautifully as a counterpoint to the sweet fruitiness of the pear, and the various aromatics flavour the syrup beautifully.
A fortnight ago, I tried Nigella’s famous chocolate Guinness cake for the first time at the Peacock Green café besideContinue Reading
The weekend is here. Time to potter around in your slippers, read the paper, make drip coffee & finally, finally, letContinue Reading
The first pâté I ever loved was given to me one Christmas Eve by my friend’s mum, the same womanContinue Reading
Ryan and I went up to Belfast last month for a short break, just as the Christmas markets were beingContinue Reading
