When street hawkers were a vital part of London life
Unfairly dismissed as hucksters and fishwives, itinerant traders drove the capital’s expansion for centuries, says Charlie Taverner
In defence of duck à l’orange
Duck à l’orange is so deliciously retro, it’s almost a cliché of kitsch. It seems hard to believe that there…
A last-minute alternative to Christmas cake: boiled fruit cake
This time last year, I was disgustingly well organised. Awaiting the arrival of my first baby, with a late December…
You don’t need a fondue set to make fondue
‘This dish is very you,’ my husband says, as I serve up 650g of melted, boozy cheese to the two…
Bread pudding is the perfect bridge from autumn to winter
I am incapable of throwing anything away in the kitchen. In my fridge, there must be at least half a…
The ultimate American comfort food: how to make meatloaf
Meatloaf has some obstacles to overcome: it has an unprepossessing appearance, and an uninspiring, slightly off-putting name, which it shares…
What it means to be a black African in London
Since 2011, black Africans have been the dominant black group in the UK. Many of them are the descendants of…
Hot, cold, sweet, salty, boozy, spiced: Bananas Foster has everything
I’m a sucker for a challenge. I absolutely cannot resist a little competition. Throw down a gauntlet, and I am…
Moules mouclade, as big a hit as Beyoncé
Mussels were probably the first thing I ate as a child that I knew at the time was ‘an acquired…
The sweet satisfaction of a burnt Cambridge cream
If a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, then a Trinity or Cambridge burnt cream must taste…
The ultimate chicken pie recipe
Laurie Colwin wrote: ‘No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is…
How to make a true apple strudel
It’s possible that, like me, your first encounter with the Grande Dame of the Austrian pastry world, the apfelstrudel, was…
The politics of butter
Butter was not a major part of my childhood. In fact, I don’t remember it ever being in our fridge.…
Sole Véronique: there’s no need to fear fish and grapes
One of the joys of writing about old-fashioned food is coming across dishes that are new to me, and turn…
How to poach peaches (and why you should)
I’ve never been very good at leaving things be. I tend to gild the lily. I may plan to do…
Sundae best: how to make a knickerbocker glory
I grew up by the seaside. More precisely, I grew up near South Shields, on the north-east coast – somewhere…
Why you should never buy scotch eggs
One of the perils of being a recipe writer is that people regularly ask me why I bother making things…
Eccles cakes
When I first made Eccles cakes, I’m not sure I really knew where Eccles was. I certainly didn’t think I’d…
The secret to baking the fluffiest hot cross buns
What makes a hot cross bun a hot cross bun? Is it in the bun: the spice, the dried fruit…
Crunch time: how to make the perfect crisp sandwich
A crisp sandwich is a private and personal endeavour. In my experience (and I have considerable experience in this particular…
The magical kitschiness of black forest gateau
Kitsch is something of my stock-in-trade. And it doesn’t get more kitsch than Black Forest gateau. Pots of cream, pints…
Steak Diane: the perfect date-night dish
Cooking for romance is no laughing matter. The stakes are high. Get it right and woo the love of your…
Lardy cake: a royal favourite
Lardy cake has a branding problem. We don’t mind puddings or cakes which explicitly announce their richness or decadence —…
The women who changed American cuisine forever
What is ‘immigrant food’? In America, the answer can be just about anything — from burritos to bibimbap to burgers.…
The sheer joy of a sherry trifle
Christmas brings out the best and the worst in me. It’s a chance to give in to my inclination to…
