Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
Classic Sultana Scones are so quick and easy, yet always feel like a treat. Serve with double or clotted cream and jam, or simply spread with a generous amount of butter. I think a recipe for Classic Sultana Scones should be in every cook’s repertoire. …Read more
This post is the third in a series where I show you how meals based around roasted vegetables, accompanied by a range of tasty mix and match dressings, are a great way to help you reach your recommended daily intake of fruit and veg. In …Read more
At this four-star, family-run hotel set in rural Staffordshire, I found solid modern British cooking using local and seasonal ingredients in an impressive, 14th century moated manor house. My first visit to The Moat House Acton Trussell was in 2017 as a guest at a …Read more
I’ve just discovered my new favourite smoothie for hot summer days: blueberry and mint. I love blueberries and I love mint so it was a no-brainer that I would like this one, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just HOW GOOD it was. We’d been …Read more
Carrot Cake Oat Bars have all the spicy flavour and moist richness of carrot cake. But are made in a fraction of the time. Studded with sultanas, nuts and coconut, with the scent of orange and spice, Carrot Cake Oat Bars are so easy. Eat as …Read more
Crusty Homemade Bread with no kneading is perfect for bread making beginners. Perhaps you want to make your own bread but think it’s too difficult? Or maybe you struggle to fit traditional bread making into your day? In this post I show you that getting …Read more
It seems to me that there are two distinct strands of food culture in Britain today. The first is a desire for cheaper food at all costs, whether those costs are reduced animal welfare, mind-boggling food miles, a degraded environment or tougher times for …Read more
Brisket of beef is an economical cut of meat that’s full of flavour. But bringing out the best in it usually requires long, slow cooking over many hours. In this post I show you how to reduce that time to just an hour using an …Read more
I had a cracking meal at Denstone Hall’s Taste of Spring dinner last night. Understandably best known for their award winning farm shop and daytime café, Denstone Hall also opens up for the occasional evening event. Back in September last year, myself and partner ID …Read more
I’d been hearing some very good things about the food served up at this 17th century inn on the border of Staffordshire and Shropshire, reopened under new ownership a little over two years ago. On my first visit to The White Lion one Spring evening …Read more
Handmade chocolates were once a rarity, but there’s been something of a boom in recent years. However, I’ve found none that can top those made by Misco’s and sold from their charming shop in Leek, Staffordshire. In this post I tell you all about this …Read more
Pupcakes are no added sugar, dog friendly cupcakes. With natural ingredients like carrot, courgette and apple they’re a tasty treat for your pooch. In this post I’ll also show you how to make sugar-free toppings based on cream cheese. I’m really not much of …Read more
Who doesn’t love Hot Cross Buns at this time of year? With their roots in Britain’s pagan past and its celebration of the return of Spring, making a batch of these fruity and spicy buns isn’t difficult, even if you’ve never made bread before. …Read more
It’d been a while since I last had dinner at this country inn on the edge of the Staffordshire Peak District. But I was pleased to discover that the kitchen still turns out an excellent standard of cooking, using great local and seasonal ingredients. …Read more
I’ve often holidayed in Northumberland over the years. I love its big, beautiful coastline, huge beaches, famous castles, charming towns, wildlife and, of course, its food. Recently back from a week’s stay, in this post I share some of the food I enjoyed during our …Read more
I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve eaten at The Lazy Trout in the village of Meerbook since moving to the Staffordshire Moorlands in 2013. Whether it’s just for a pint from their fine collection of real ales, a quick lunch after walking …Read more
This post is the second in a series where I want to show you how meals based around roasted vegetables, accompanied by a range of tasty mix and match dressings, are a great way to help you reach your recommended daily intake of fruit and …Read more
I knew I had to eat at Little Seeds Bar & Kitchen in Stone when a series of delicious-looking dishes kept popping up in my social media feeds. Run by co-owners Jake Lowndes, who’s also Head Chef, and General Manager Sophie Hardman, Little Seeds describes …Read more
This post is the first in a series where I’ll show you how roasted vegetables, accompanied by a range of tasty mix and match dressings, are a great way to help you reach your recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables. In this post I …Read more
I wasn’t planning on writing a review of Leek’s latest restaurant and bar, Bread + Batter, just yet. After all, when I went there for lunch, they’d only been open four days so it seemed fairer to let them settle in a bit. Even the …Read more
My contribution to the Columbo Bowl Chili Cook-Along, celebrating the publication of Cooking with Columbo. There’s a word for the effect on my brain of watching Swan Song, episode seven of season three of Columbo: an earworm. An ear worm is a piece of music …Read more
I was quite surprised when I received a tip-off about how good the food was at The Duncombe Arms in Ellastone. Because I hadn’t even heard of this country pub before. Perhaps it had escaped my notice because, with the nearby market town of Ashbourne …Read more
We’d been meaning to lunch at the Plume of Feathers for a while before we actually got around to it. We really had no excuse as, located in the village of Barlaston near Stone in Staffordshire, it’s not far from Downs Banks which is one …Read more
Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café is undoubtedly one of the great meccas for anyone seeking out local produce in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. In this post I want to tell you why I think it’s such an important local asset and, if you’ve haven’t visited …Read more
Winter is traditionally the time for slow-cooked stews, and oxtail with its rich flavour and soft, silky texture teased out by long cooking, is understandably a contender for this sort of comfort food. But for me, oxtail evokes thoughts of warmer climates; specifically the southern …Read more