A spicy raw green smooth Cavolo nero soup recipe made with a Vitamix blender. My Vitamix machine was originally gifted by their PR company although this post wasn’t directly commissioned and written some time later. What’s green and goes red at the flick of a switch? The answer – brace yourselves for being grossed out […]
School Tuck Shop Memories With Hope And Greenwood
Today I chuckled to read that school tuck shops selling sweets and chocolate have been banned across England. Not because I’m a gung-ho nutrionist or a sadist but the mere mention of the phrase “tuck shop” took me back to halcyon days of the late 1980s when I was a keen consumer and purchaser of […]
Chocolate Orange Truffles: Paul A Young
A guest recipe for Chocolate Orange Truffles by chocolatier Paul A Young. Updated 2026 · The chocolate class pictures originally part of this post are linked below. Following on from Adventures in Chocolate, Paul A Young has published How to Make Chocolates with Lakeland. Alongside Paul’s book, Lakeland have put together a range of […]
Chocolate Truffle Making Workshop With Paul A Young
Looking back at a hands-on Chocolate Truffle Making Workshop with master chocolatier Paul A Young at Little Portland Cookery School. Updated 2026 · Previously published alongside Chocolate Orange Truffles It’s a hard life, trucking into town on the tube for a Chocolate Event. At least that’s what I tell myself. A mesmerising evening watching chocolate […]
June Bitesize Bits
A selection of interesting goodies we have tried recently. My latest picnic package celebrating #AsdaSummer included this monster pork pie, individual circles of cheese and some chargrilled chicken and mango salads. I don’t tend to buy ready made salads but if you were buying picnic supplies on the hoof – as opposed to preparing ahead […]
Food Blogger Connect Battersea Arts Centre
Food Blogger Connect 2014 was possibly the best yet… Oh boy, it’s four days later and I’ve just about recovered from the frenetic weekend that was Food Blogger Connect 2014. I’ve attended five out of six FBCs and seen it grow from a 3 hour meet up in a basement for Food Blogger Connect 2009 […]
Giant Pasta Shells With Pesto, Asparagus and Bacon
Conchiglioni, or Giant Pasta Shells With Pesto served with asparagus and bacon makes a quick weeknight dinner that’s interesting enough to serve to guests. Updated 2026 · Now with printable recipe Aaah English asparagus season is just about still with us and I’m enjoying a couple of bundles each week whilst it lasts. This quickly […]
What happened at the Waitrose Summer Party and more May bitesize bits
It takes a lot to drag me out but the Waitrose Summer Party is one event that’s firmly marked on my calendar with the Sharpie. This year’s star spangled cocktail party took place at Lord’s Cricket Ground celebrating Waitrose’s recent sponsorship of the England Cricket Teams. I am – embarrassingly perhaps – becoming a veteran […]
Is Morrisons cheaper? Our mixed bag of bargains
A price war is looming… my theory is supermarkets want to maximise who shops where in the run up to trolley toppling splurges during the World Cup in June. Morrisons have just launched their “I’m cheaper” campaign to lure us through their revolving doors in greater numbers. With a near empty fridge and an invitation […]
Raspberry Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free)
Today’s gluten free chocolate cake recipe is from The Little Book of Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde. As you may know I love all things French and Joanne Harris’s first novel Chocolat was right up my street. Better still when Chocolat was made into a movie with one of my favourite actresses. I […]
Chocolate Cherry Yogurt Cake
If you think this chocolate cherry yogurt cake looks too naughty to eat, perhaps I can twist your arm by telling you it contains no butter? Better than that, you only need five minutes’ hands on work to knock this cake together, no prolonged mixing, no mountains of washing up. It really is too good […]
Plum and Almond Galettes
These Plum and Almond Galettes are puff pastry circles topped with fruit and flaked almonds. Updated 2026 · Now with printable recipe Puff pastry, I’m not sure whether to be ashamed to admit, is not something I’ve made from scratch since completing my GCSE home economics in 1989. I used to lovingly make it (Eccles […]
