Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
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
Sultana, Orange & Cinnamon Pancakes are light, fluffy and so easy. Plumped dried fruit, along with plenty of zest and spice in a simple, lightly sweetened batter make a delicious snack, dessert or scrumptious weekend brunch. Try them drizzled with maple syrup or honey, extra …Read more
Ye Olde Rock Inn is a family run country pub in the stunning Staffordshire Peak District. Although it’s been a pub for over 200 years, it took me until last weekend to pay my first visit. But I shouldn’t have left it so long. Because …Read more
Cauliflower, Mushroom, Carlin Pea Curry is warmly spicy with a hint of creaminess thanks to a little coconut milk in the rich tomato-based sauce. In this easy curry made with whole and ground spices, roasting the vegetables intensifies their flavour and keeps more of the cauliflower’s …Read more
Beer Braised Beef Cheeks are wonderfully tender with a deep, meaty flavour. Either slow-cooked or pressure cooked, the cheeks absorb the braising liquor of dark beer and beef stock flavoured with vegetables, garlic, and thyme. The result is an easy, comforting dish of spoon-ably soft …Read more
Multigrain Seeded Bread is a tasty, nutritious loaf with wholemeal, rye, granary, and white flours plus oats and seeds. It’s also super-simple with my no-knead, overnight method. Just stir up the dough the night before, cover, and leave it. In the morning shape it, prove, …Read more
Chicken, Ham and Leek Pasties make a hearty meal either on their own or with potatoes and greens. For the filling in these delicious pasties, I’ve combined leftover roast chicken plus chunky ham in a lightly creamy sauce with leeks and a touch of garlic …Read more
Homemade Hot Dog Buns are better than any you can buy. Made with an easy, overnight dough enriched with butter, eggs, and milk, they have a full flavour I think you’ll love. The texture of these light, brioche buns, while delectably soft and fluffy, is …Read more
Cassoulet is a rich and filling, slow-cooked bean and meat stew from the southwest of France. In my take on the classic, cooking time is reduced by using tinned instead of dried beans. But with sausages, bacon, duck legs, vegetables, garlic, and herbs, it’s still …Read more
The Knot Inn Rushton Spencer, close to the Staffordshire-Cheshire border, reopened under new owners just before Christmas. I paid my first visit on the New Year Bank Holiday and had a tasty, enjoyable lunch that represented great value for money for good quality cooking. Read …Read more
Cheese and Onion Soup features a classic flavour pairing in a simple, lightly creamy, cheesy broth. But simple doesn’t mean dull. Top each bowl with bubbling, golden brown cheese toasts and you’ll see what I mean. MAKE A MEAL OF CHEESE I …Read more
Fruit and Nut Chocolates are easy, no-bake treats that are incredibly good. Cut into squares or made into bars, they’re the perfect homemade gift. Simply mix melted chocolate with your favourite nuts, dried fruits plus any other flavourings you fancy. Stir in some alcohol for …Read more
Mince recipes are some of the most useful to have in your repertoire. Whether it’s minced beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, chicken, or turkey, minced or ground meats are so versatile. Often quicker to cook than meals using large cuts of meat, in many mince …Read more