Breakfast at Billingsgate

Just after returning from my holiday in Mexico, I was invited to Billingsgate fishmarket in Canary Wharf, London, for a tour and festive breakfast. I thought it was a great opportunity to have a nosey around what I imagined to be quite an intimidating market, and also have a free breakfast, so I immediately accepted. […]

Meal planning Monday – 9 June 2014

Good news and bad news from last week. The good news was that Team AXA won the Macmillan Cancer Support House of Lords v Commons tug of war. It was a lot harder than I had anticipated but the adrenaline rush was fantastic when we won (either that or the effect of the champagne – […]

Meal planning Monday – 26 May 2014

So, the kitchen is finished. I have bored you all to tears with my tales of woe whilst I was unable to use it due to renovations, but it’s back, I survived, and am looking forward to doing some cooking for the week later on today. But, next we move on to the bathroom: unfortunately […]

Meal planning Monday – 28 April 2014

Hooray, I have actually got a plan for food this week! My kitchen is still a state of disaster, but as the builders took a break from their kitchen destruction on Sunday I took the opportunity to clear a space around the oven and make a few bits and pieces for dinners this week. I […]

Meal planning Monday – 14 April 2014

It’s going to be a quick one this week (phew, I hear you sigh) because I am out quite a lot this week, and am not entirely sure what is planned for Easter weekend. BUT I am at least pleased to say that last week, for the first week since I started my meal planning […]

Meal planning Monday – 17 March 2014

Last week was, quite frankly, a horror. I started with a long three days in Paris: as always it was a pleasure to spend time with colleagues and friends out there, but it was also exhausting, and I picked up a bug before I left. Being so tired when I returned to London, of course […]

Marvellous Mauritius – Indian, Creole and French treats

We have just spent the most idyllic week in Mauritius – a true tropical paradise in the Indian ocean, full of the friendliest people I have met, and some of the most delicious food I have eaten. Whilst I was sad to return to freezing London, it has been nice to be the only tanned […]

GBBO challenge week 2 – English breakfast muffins

Find out more about my GBBO challenge. This week’s technical challenge on the wonderful bake-off was to make English breakfast muffins. I first made muffins a couple of years ago when I found a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe for them on the Guardian website. I was amazed at how simple they are to make and cook, […]