Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
I’m most definitely not one of those people who say that lunch is for wimps. For me, a decent meal in the middle of the day is vital. Not only does it physically revive you after a morning’s work and sustain you for whatever you’ve …Read more
Apple & Oat Quick Bread, with flavours reminiscent of toffee apples, is so much easier than traditional cake. With a caramel-like flavour from brown sugar contrasting with tart apple, plus hints of vanilla and wholesome oats, it’s a wonderful treat thickly sliced with a cuppa, …Read more
Dog Friendly Eating & Drinking in Staffordshire is a personal guide to my favourite independent dog friendly pubs, restaurants and cafés in the county. Besides enjoying the outdoors with my cocker spaniel Larkin, eating and drinking is how I spend a lot of my leisure time. …Read more
Chickpea Feta Salad Sandwich makes an easy and nutritious, tasty and satisfying lunch. Semi-smashed chickpeas are mixed with tangy feta cheese, crunchy veg, garlic and herbs, plus a little creaminess from mayo or yogurt, to create a sandwich filling that’s both healthy and delicious. Disclosure: …Read more
Corned Beef Rissoles are simple, economical comfort food: a soft filling of canned corned beef mixed with cooked potatoes and onions with a crispy golden breadcrumb coating. Great for a weekend breakfast or brunch with eggs or try them as a homely dinner with baked …Read more
GoFish Seafood, Bar & Grill in Buxton serves up affordable, great-tasting dishes featuring top quality seafood. After enjoying a quick lunch soon after they opened back in October 2024, last weekend I went back for dinner to try their extended menu and was impressed. I …Read more
Savoury Digestive Biscuits are a low sugar version of the British favourite. Made with oatmeal and wholemeal flour, the rustic, satisfying biscuits are ideal for eating with cheese, nut butters, pâté, or other savoury toppings. So easy to make, once tried you’ll never go back …Read more
Baked Eggs with Mushrooms & Kale is a tasty and healthy one-pan meal. Mushrooms and kale are sauteed in olive oil with garlic before you crack in a couple of eggs. Pop on a lid and a few minutes later you’ve a nutritious breakfast, brunch, or …Read more
Banana porridge with tahini and date syrup is an unusual but truly delicious combination. The earthy Middle Eastern sesame paste pairs wonderfully with the dark, rich fruitiness of date syrup when you drizzle them over oats cooked with banana, cinnamon and optional vanilla. Finish with …Read more
Après is the second restaurant from Thom Bateman, the Cheddleton chef with a rapidly growing national reputation. Upstairs from the Michelin recommended Flintlock in the Staffordshire Moorlands, Après offers an outstanding tasting menu experience for just sixteen diners, presented by Thom and his chefs. Après …Read more
Savoury Biscotti are delicious biscuits, twice cooked so they’re wonderfully crunchy. Flavoured with cheese, nuts, herbs, and spices, they’re a variation on classic Italian sweet biscotti. Perfect to accompany cheese, pâté, alongside soups and salads, to nibble with drinks, or as impressive homemade addition to …Read more
Christmas baking recipes are some of the most enjoyable treats to cook over the festive season. Sweet favourites like mince pies and fruit cakes, savoury sausage rolls and pies with melt-in-the-mouth pastry, homemade biscuits and crackers for your cheeseboard, party nibbles, savoury cakes, and easy …Read more
Viennese Whirl Mince Pies combine two British favourites. Melt-in-the-mouth, buttery shortbread and the classic Christmas mince pie full of spicy dried fruit preserve. Disclosure: this post may contain affiliate links. If you buy via my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra …Read more
Traditional Mince Pies, made at home from scratch, can’t be beaten by any found in the shops. Light, buttery and melt-in-the-mouth shortcrust pastry filled with a luscious mincemeat that’s unbelievably easy too. But even if you’ve left it too late to make the mincemeat this …Read more
Christmas Sausage Pies are individual cold pies of crisp shortcrust pastry filled with delicious herby sausage meat, onions, and chestnuts. Cooked in a 12-hole deep muffin/bun tin, these easy pies are perfect for your Christmas parties and buffets. Also brilliant all year round as a …Read more
Stilton Shortbread Biscuits are richly flavoured with butter, classic English blue cheese, and a hint of black pepper. With a texture that’s light, delicate, and crumbly, you can enjoy them as a snack, a nibble with drinks, or give as a fantastic present for foodies. …Read more
Savoury biscuits and crackers, for cheese or other tasty toppings, are surprisingly easy to make at home. And with so many shop-bought packets containing environmentally disastrous palm oil, being able to rustle up your own biscuits and crackers is a real boon. Perfect with a snack …Read more
This special Turkish pide flatbread, known as Ramazan Pidesi, is beautifully soft, light, and has an open textured crumb. It also looks stunning. With a distinctive diamond pattern and shiny glaze speckled with black and white seeds, you might think this focaccia-like bread is difficult. …Read more
I’d love to be able to write full blog reviews of all my eating out recommendations. But, timewise, it’s not possible. So, here’s the latest of my occasional round-up posts featuring some of the independent restaurants, pubs, takeaways, and cafés I’ve enjoyed recently. Highlights include lots …Read more
Spicy Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew makes a satisfying, comforting bowlful. With an Indian-inspired mix of aromatics, whole and ground spices, this incredibly tasty but easy dish is packed with vegetables and pulses. Eat just as it is, with a dollop of yogurt on top, …Read more
Deep into autumn now, I’m regularly craving rich, meaty stews and braises for dinner. As the evenings get chillier, tasty, tender meat served with the delicious sauce it was cooked in is exactly the type of hearty food I’m after. In this post I share …Read more
Smoky Not-Baked Beans, spicy with smoked paprika, chipotle chilli flakes, and cumin, might taste like they’ve been lovingly simmered for hours. But they’re actually made in around thirty minutes with a simple base of tinned cannellini beans, onion, garlic, and tomato puree. Enjoy on toast, …Read more
Cherry and Coconut Muffins combine a buttery, light and fluffy texture with a classic, well-loved flavour combination. So quick to put together and baked in under twenty minutes, they’re perfect when you fancy a sweet treat. But, despite how easy they are, and with simple …Read more
Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup is incredibly simple but tastes so good. With a smooth, silky texture, it’s full of flavour without heavier ingredients like cream found in many versions. In fact, I think this pared-down recipe which allows the vegetables to shine, might be …Read more
I’d love to be able to write full blog reviews of all my eating out recommendations. But, timewise, it’s not possible. So, here’s the latest of my occasional round-up posts featuring some of the independent pubs, takeaways, and restaurants I’ve enjoyed recently. Among the highlights are …Read more