The Perfect Family Christmas Cake

Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot and when we get home we’ll eat the lot! Here we are nearing the end of November and believe it or not, Stir it up Sunday is almost upon us. Christmas is a dream for a food history fanatic like me, offering a wealth of …

Rosehip syrup and honey

First published Oct 2015 Autumn is the perfect season for foraging as the hedgerows burst forth with elder, bramble and sloes. Among these sit an often forgotten bounty of ruby-red wild rose hips, once a very popular crop for those seeking winter nutrition. This member of the Rosaceae family is a relative of apples, quince …

Leek, broad bean and dill soup

First published September 2015 in York Food Festival magazine One of the things that I love about autumn and winter are the endless opportunities for nourishing, warming soup. Dried pulses, root vegetables and alliums are readily available and seem to exist purely for this ages old form of cookery. It is the cooking pots of …

An apple dish fit for a king

I love finding ancient recipes and trying to cook them at home. Living in York certainly means that I can find plenty of historic inspiration right on my doorstep. As a small nod to local royal celebrity Richard III - and in celebration of Bramley Apple week - I thought I would share one of …

Bay infused custard

The bay leaf tends to get a bit ignored these days but it didn’t always have such an inconsequential role in cookery. It’s Greek name Daphne is a nod to an ancient myth in which a river nymph must be transformed into a bay tree to protect her from the lusty pursuits of the God …