Last week I was invited to an Old El Paso cookery evening to celebrate the Day of the Dead (which is actually today, 1 November) and sample their new range of ‘Stand n Stuff’ taco kits. Actually I’d already tried them as Old El Paso had sent me a selection to try (see last week’s […]
Dinner
Week 43 – countdown to a new kitchen!
Finally, finally, finally … all the dates have come together and we have dates in the diary for the installation of our brand new kitchen. Not only are we having a new kitchen, but we’re doing some remodelling work, and having a conservatory built, so we’ll have a kitchen / diner filled with loveliness (after […]
Week 42 – making beer bread with the Fabulous Baker Brothers
Let me tell you, those baker brothers are pretty fabulous: they look good, they make delicious food, they are friendly and charming, and they seem to be genuinely nice guys. And next week both Tom and Henry Herbert are travelling east from the Cotswolds (where their family’s bakery is based) to open up a bang-on-trend Hoxton pop-up called The […]
A Michelin star meal chez moi
Okay, so the Michelin inspectors haven’t been to visit … you might have guessed that despite the title I haven’t been awarded a Michelin star (I know, really), but I did cook a Michelin-star inspired meal for our friends Eve and Paul a little while ago and I wanted to share the menu with you. I’d only […]
Week 41 – South African and Irish goodies (an honorary Foodie Penpals post)
This last week has not been especially eventful in my kitchen, although the Great British Bake Off kitchen saw the final, with Nadiya being crowned a very worthy winner. I am so pleased she won: I thought she consistently produced great bakes throughout the series, and she seems like a genuinely lovely person as well. […]
Cacio e Pepe in parmesan baskets – new recipe
Cheese and pepper – two of Andrew’s favourite things. We discovered this simple classic Roman dish when we were on holiday there in July. I had ordered pasta carbonara from the waiter at Roma Sparita restaurant, who refused to serve me it, insisting that instead both Andrew and I try their classic Cacio e Pepe, […]
Weeks 39 & 40 – recovering from Las Vegas
I didn’t get a chance to write my meal plan last week, as I was jetting back from Las Vegas, where Andrew and I (finally) finished celebrating his 40th birthday. There wasn’t much to the meal plan anyway, except lots of fruit and vegetables to try and counteract some of the damage caused by my […]
GBBO week 8 – pie: chicken and leek pie
I had never made puff pastry before, but following some recent success with Arlettes (made with reverse puff pastry) I decided to give it a go so that I could make a pie for this week’s Bake Off challenge, and also make some cream horns for next week’s challenge, as I’ll be in Las Vegas […]
Week 37 – lunch with Gennaro Contaldo
Once again there is no point planning my foodie week as I am home alone for a couple of days while Andrew goes to see Wales play in the World Cup; off to Paris for a couple of days with work; and out and about for a couple more. I am going to have a […]
Week 36 – potato and courgette rosti (new recipe)
During the last week I have for various reasons been buying breakfast and lunch instead of making my own. And it’s bloody expensive! A fruit salad for breakfast, soup and yoghurt or sandwich for lunch, throw in a coffee and you are looking at £7-10 per day in the City of London. An expensive way […]