Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
Anasma Greek Eatery opened at the Trentham Estate in Staffordshire barely two months ago. But it’s already a roaring success. I went along last weekend and soon discovered why. Affordable mezze plus souvlaki, gyros and lots more tasty Greek dishes, both familiar and traditional family …Read more
Mediterranean Oat Bake combines feta, roasted peppers, courgette, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and olives with nutritious rolled oats, eggs, nuts, and seeds to make the centrepiece of a delicious vegetarian main course. Chopping the fresh vegetables small, and supplementing them with jarred and tinned goodies, means …Read more
Coconut Blueberry Lime Lollies are a cooling, frozen treat you can make in under 10 minutes. Just whizz together 4 natural ingredients, leaving some of the berries chunky if you like, pour into moulds and freeze. Rich, fruity, tangy, and delicious. Here in the …Read more
The Saturday Lunch Train on the Churnet Valley Railway is an experience not to be missed. In this post I tell you all about my recent trip and why I highly recommend it. Whether you’re a rail enthusiast or just want to step back into …Read more
Main course salads are a great way of eating. Packed with veggies, proteins, and flavourful ingredients, they’ll keep you satisfied for hours. So forget relegating salad to a side dish and take a look at my round-up of favourite main course salads. BEAN & …Read more
Dark Rye Bread is something rather special. Full-flavoured with a light tangy sourness, its texture is firm without being heavy. Cut thinly, it’s perfect for Scandinavian-style open sandwiches. For this no-knead, overnight recipe, you’ll start the bread one or two days before you plan to …Read more
Sausage Oat Dog Treats are a crunchy snack with a meaty aroma your pooch will love. A small amount of good quality pork sausage meat is combined with healthy oats, wholemeal flour, breath-freshening parsley plus a little yogurt and/or water. Baked until crispy, the biscuity …Read more
Chocolate Orange Marble Traybake features a light sponge that’s rich with swirls of dark chocolate and orange zest. Add to that a topping of fudgy chocolate-orange frosting and you have an impressive-looking cake that also tastes fantastic. But Chocolate Orange Marble Traybake is surprisingly easy …Read more
Bean & Tuna Salad is a simple main course salad or antipasto that’s beautifully flavoured with olive oil, lemon, red wine vinegar, sliced red onions, garlic, and parsley. Based on Italian fagioli e tonno, it’s richly flavoured yet healthy. My quicker version of this classic …Read more
Coconut Traybake is proof that simple can be delicious. This light and moist coconut cake is easy enough for beginners and only needs around fifteen minutes of hands-on time. Topped with a quick coconut-flavoured glacé icing, you can give it a fun retro look with …Read more
The Feasted Chef’s Table is a unique event. An outstanding 11-course tasting menu rooted in the heritage and culture of Stoke-on-Trent. Seated in the Feasted kitchen, a maximum of 10 diners watch their food being prepared, learn about its creation, and bring their own stories …Read more
Sausage Salad is a great way to serve up a favourite ingredient in the warmer months. In this easy recipe, a simple base of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber is made extra special with lightly roasted slices of apple and red onion. They’re joined by just-warm …Read more
Orange Curd is a sweet, rich, and creamy preserve with the tang of citrus. A variation on the more common lemon curd, it’s quick and easy to make at home. All you need are oranges, a dash of lemon juice, eggs, butter, and sugar. Eat …Read more
Orange Victoria Sponge Cake is a citrussy take on a British classic. Buttery sponge cakes flavoured with orange zest are sandwiched with rich, smooth orange curd and, in my version, plenty of buttercream with a hint of vanilla. With its simple flavours of …Read more
Homemade Muesli is a healthy breakfast cereal with whole grains plus your choice of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. I like to toast some of the ingredients for extra crunch and flavour, but that’s entirely optional. Stored in an airtight container, Homemade Muesli will keep …Read more
Bloomer Bread is a classic English loaf. Baked to a deep golden brown, the distinctive diagonal slashes along its length help make it extra crusty. Based on a simple white dough, my overnight, no-knead method means it’s even easier – and tastier – to make …Read more
Roasted Root Veg Soup is a great way of using up odds and ends of all kinds of root vegetables. Roasted in olive oil with a few seasonings, they become sweeter as they caramelize. All you need do then is simmer in stock for five minutes …Read more
The Plumicorn is a fine dining but relaxed restaurant at the luxury Tawny Hotel in north Staffordshire. I went along to try their ‘Taste of The Tawny’ menu and enjoyed six faultless courses in the beautiful surroundings of the Consall Hall Estate. THE PLUMICORN …Read more
Fruit & Seed Oatcakes are a lightly sweet version of classic Scottish oatcakes. Healthy oats are joined by nutritious seeds for a toasty, nutty flavour. Sweetness is brought by currants and less than half a teaspoon of sugar per biscuit. Perfect when you want quick …Read more
Cheese & Bacon Loaf is a quick bread made with self-raising flour and eggs rather than yeast. That means no kneading, no proving, and minimal hands-on time. Just mix and bake. Soft, fluffy and cheesy inside, studded with little pieces of smoky bacon, the outer …Read more
Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup is a nutritious twist on the familiar leek and potato soup. Adding the peppery leaves right near the end freshens and lightens this delicious soup that cooks in around twenty-five minutes. When it comes to easy comfort food, …Read more
Staffordshire Oatcakes are a regional speciality of The Potteries and north Staffordshire. Unlike the biscuity Scottish oatcake, these are soft, oatmeal pancakes that are lightly risen thanks to the inclusion of yeast. Most often eaten alongside or filled with traditional breakfast foods like sausage, bacon, …Read more
Oatmeal Bread is soft, tender, flavoursome, and so easy with my no-knead, overnight recipe. Delicious as a sandwich loaf and to eat with soups, or toast it to bring out the sweetish, nutty flavours. With more fibre than plain white bread and keeping you fuller for …Read more
Scotch Broth, also known as barley broth, is a one-pot meal in a bowl. With pearl barley, pulses, root vegetables, greens and lamb, my version is hearty and satisfying. It’s also very economical. By combining a little leftover roast lamb with cheaper ingredients like green …Read more
Light Brioche Loaf is made with an easy, overnight dough enriched with butter, eggs, and milk. The result is a full flavoured loaf with a soft and fluffy crumb. Unlike most brioche recipes, you don’t need a stand mixer for this one and the kneading …Read more