January can feel like a rather cruel month. The glow of the holidays has burned itself out and the warmer weather sits contentedly on the horizon. The distance between the two seems to yawn endlessly, dark and cold. Yet January also holds that promise of a pristine new year, all cleaned up, purged and organized. A time to get back to life’s simple basics after the craziness and overindulgence of Christmas. And in the kitchen it doesn’t get more basic than homemade chicken stock. I am rarely without it in my freezer as it’s perfect for homemade soups at this…
Category: <span>EATING</span>
Spring – when the world opens up once more and we can lift our faces to the warmth of sunshine and the pink of cherry blossoms. A time when it just feels right to lighten our eating habits. And what better ingredient to turn to than asparagus, the vegetable harbinger of spring with its bright, fresh earthiness. Combine it with an egg and a few shavings of parmesan and you have a delightfully easy dinner. Add a crusty loaf of bread and glass of crisp white wine and you’ve dressed it up for company. While you can certainly steam the…
There are few desserts I enjoy more than a good fruit crumble. You can keep your cake this and chocolate that but for me there’s nothing better than warm fruit with a sweet, buttery topping. Just about any single or combination of fruit can be used for crumble, but for spring that classic pairing of strawberry and rhubarb fits the bill perfectly. I know that most of the world seems to love oats in crumble topping but that’s a firm no for me. Now, if I was at your home for dinner and you served it that way for dessert,…