Christmas. It’s all about carols, selection boxes and Mary Poppins, no?
No. It’s all about reverting to type. And what I mean by that is regressing to your inner child and channelling the family caricature from your youth. READ MORE
The sheer alchemy of applying heat to ingredients never ceases to amaze me. Take apples for example. Raw apples are tart and bright and crisp and loud. Cooked apples are soft and slow and quiet. You could secretly eat cooked apples without anyone knowing. Raw apples are too shouty for that. READ MORE
Look away if you were all done in January, your presence is not required. Go and be smug in the corner. The rest of you, pull up a seat, grab a cup of tea, (hell, why not a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie?) have your credit card at the ready and relax in the knowledge that these are all recommendations I have used and loved. The baker in your life might appreciate them under the tree too. READ MORE
I had quite an expensive education. It involved Latin and wearing a blazer. I’m afraid I’ve never had a cross to bear with regards to school. I don’t have stories of being miserable. Not especially. I was bullied a little in the early years but no more than the next kid. I was reasonably popular. I was reasonably good at my studies. There were enough stupid rules for my teenage angst ridden self to rage against. (I still don’t understand why we had to ask a teacher for permission to remove our blazer. Discipline gone mad). READ MORE
I know at this time of year people are firmly divided into two camps. There are those who do partake in mincemeat and those who jolly well don’t. They react to it in an Arthur Miller style protestation of there being witchcraft at play. READ MORE
In my book there’s only one way to improve on the humble but moreish sausage roll and that’s to super-size it. This giant sausage plait is spiked with caramelised onions and sweet grated apple, then topped with lots of crunchy sesame seeds. This is proper feed a crowd fodder that tastes great without breaking the bank. READ MORE
Can I ask you something? Have you ever thought you might have a book in you? A fiction book that is. I have become obsessed lately in writing one. Without temperatures, methods, photos. Just a book. Maybe a love story. Not sure. Surely it’s a mistake to diversify. Isn’t it? I even have an idea. It’s sad in a romantic kind of a way. READ MORE
Nothing but nothing is prepared and it’s almost (gasp) December. This has never happened before. At least, if it has, I have blanked it out. I have a few stocking fillers. I have a list of possible gifts to buy. I have a box of Christmas cards and some silver bells to attach to the presents I haven’t bought yet. But that’s it. What’s wrong with me? READ MORE
So we’re back from an Italian mini break and we went and exhausted ourselves again. We never learn. We have three kids, both work hard, don’t have a cleaner or a lady who ‘does’; what I’m getting at is that we’re pretty stretched most of the time. Getting away together for two days is a big deal. It’s time to not look at the ironing pile, time to ignore the washing machine bleeping, time to not change a nappy or find a PE kit. READ MORE
Consider for a moment, if you will, The Great British Bake Off.
It’s about as British as it comes; it has bunting, it has melodic jaunty music, it has seaside double entendre puns, it has a marquee, it has lots of people competing in a terribly nice, friendly fashion… In short, it’s about as British as a cup of tea. Which is probably why we love it so much. READ MORE
Holly Bell 