A Paris restaurant recommendation: L’Ebauchoir

April 25, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

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It’s safe to say we ate well on our last trip to gay Paris. There wasn’t a bad restaurant amongst the lot of ’em (and there were a lot of them!) but one that really stood out was L’Ebauchoir. I found L’Ebauchoir by keeping my Google search terms pretty specific: ‘traditional French restaurants near Bastille’, […]

Butternut squash, pancetta and blue cheese risotto

February 25, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

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I’m writing this the night before we go to Paris (eeeee!) and that’s not just a humble brag, it’s relevant in that it explains why I even considered using a half-used tub of Waitrose butternut squash soup to make this risotto: it was part of my ceremonial fridge-clear-out-before-a-holiday. I can’t bear to throw stuff away. […]

How to make cauliflower cheese {TRIPLE-cheese cauliflower cheese that is!}

November 15, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

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Of course, my recipe for cauliflower cheese includes three cheeses. Of course, it does! Up until last Sunday, my dad made the best cauliflower cheese in all the land, but I’m pretty confident the crown is now mine. Soz Daddy Press. I did steal a tip or two from the master – grate the stalk […]

7 things to do in Lyon

November 9, 2017.Reading time 13 minutes.

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There are way more than seven things to do in Lyon, but if you’re short on time and want to tick off some of the lesser known must-dos, consider this your checklist… Les Halles de Lyon This indoor food market is a little on the touristy side but like Borough or Broadway market in London, […]

The Fake {Chocolate Milk} Shake

November 6, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

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I’ve tried sweet potato brownies, I’ve replaced my rice with cauliflower and I’ve bought smaller, coloured plates (it’s supposed to stop you loading up on so much and yet still fill full *eye roll*). All of the above are healthy alternatives, and none of the above makes me a happy person. This fake chocolate milkshake? […]

Sweet and sticky Thai red curry with cauliflower, red pepper and sweet potato

October 11, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

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Lately, I’ve been trying to eat less *whisper it* meat. I didn’t think I’d ever type that either, but here we are. I’m still steak’s number one fan, I’d still trade my boyfriend for sweet ‘n’ sticky baby back ribs and a nut roast will never be my kind of Sunday – my body just […]

Turkey meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce with harissa yoghurt and jalapenos

August 1, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

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This is the only turkey meatball recipe you’ll ever need. The result is supremely succulent – almost melt-in-the-mouth-y – comforting but not so much so that you’ll need a nap post-feed, and suitably spicy. And if you faltered at the ‘turkey’ bit, let me assure you – as a self-confessed turkey naysayer – that these are […]

REVIEW: San Lorenzo, Wimbledon

July 13, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

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Should you find yourself in Wimbledon over the next week or so – I hear the tennis is quite good 😉 🎾 – I’ve got a great foodie recommendation… San Lorenzo is an independent Italian restaurant in Wimbledon, a mere 2 minutes away from the station. It’s refined but unflashy, contemporary but not in an overbearing way, […]

Fresh and fiery home-made guacamole

July 12, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

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I could eat avocado all day long. Filled with an egg, baked and sprinkled with paprika for breakfast, mashed on a well-oiled ciabatta for lunch, betwixt a bun with honey-glazed chicken and lettuce leaves at the end of a hard day, and even with a little balsamic vinegar drizzled on top and eaten straight from the skin […]

Salted caramel brownies with salted caramel-dunked pretzels

March 18, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

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I realise it’s pretty basic to say love salted caramel, but it really is the cat’s pyjamas… Last weekend, I made my own salted caramel – you know, just to have – and thought I’d best put it to use pronto to avoid actually eating it from the saucepan with a spoon. Enter my double […]

The best boutique hotel in Amsterdam

March 14, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

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I’ve been to Amsterdam a couple of times and I’ve stayed in accommodation that spans the spectrum – including a hotel with glass walls around the shower and full view of the toilet from the bed! – so it is with great confidence that I recommend my most recent home away from home in the […]

The Dream Terrine {Recipe}

March 9, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

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Put a menu with terrine on in it in front of me, and rest assured I’ll take you up on a slice of meaty loaf. I’ve wanted to make my own homemade terrine recipe for ages but I always convinced myself it was too much agro, too expensive and too icky – I’m not a […]

REVIEW: The Tame Hare, Leamington Spa

February 16, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

It’s not all about London, y’all… A couple of weekends ago, we took a trip to Leamington Spa to see some friends (hi, Mike!). We had a fab time playing games – girls are infinitely better at Articulate, it turns out – drinking lots of wine, and stuffing our faces. There were several face-stuffing sessions, but […]

Slow-cooked ox cheek goulash

February 9, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

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In celebration of my ox cheek goulash recipe being published in Voucherbox’s new e-book, I’m re-sharing it with you lovely lot. The team at Voucherbox wanted to create a collection of 22 recipes that didn’t break the bank, and I was more than happy to let my low-cost goulash recipe out into the world. Did […]

The only chocolate cake recipe you need

January 30, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

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This is the BEST chocolate cake you will ever eat. I’ve made it approximately 10 times, and not once have I been able to snap a picture of the whole thing before someone snaffled a slice. It looks the part and it bloody well tastes it too. It’s SUPER chocolate-y, not just a bit chocolate […]

The most decadent bacon sandwich you’ve ever eaten

January 27, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

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We do weekend breakfasts in a big way around here. All calorie counting goes out the window, and butter is considered a main ingredient. Grease is not dabbed away with a fresh piece of kitchen towel, and small plates are disregarded – only great platters the size of your face will do. Understandably, the bacon […]

Red wine-braised lamb shanks with cheesy polenta

January 23, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

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Oooooooh it just sounds hearty and winter-appropriate, doesn’t it!? I hadn’t cooked lamb shanks before this recipe, but I’ve eaten my fair share and I think they’re utterly underrated. When they’re cooked low and slow like here, they’re just as good as slow-cooked beef and have heaps of flavour. And you don’t have to treat them […]

Blueberry and raspberry oat bar bites

January 19, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

There are two distinct categories of people. Those who eat breakfast and those who don’t. I love breakfast. It’s one of my faves (along with lunch, dinner, and supper), and my mood and work is considerably better when I have it. HOWEVER, I am time-poor in the mornings, largely through my own inefficiency and a […]

REVIEW: Smokestak, Shoreditch

January 16, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

I fell in love with Smokestak’s smoky, meaty tendencies quite some time ago at Dinearama, one of my favourite pop-up foodie fests in London. In the summer, we went almost weekly, and every time without fail, I’d have to sample the signature pork ribs or beef brisket. So, I was pretty gutted when I found out […]

Tartiflette with chicken

January 7, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

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I saw a poster for apres-ski staple, tartiflette a couple of months back on the tube. The advert was actually about travelling to the French Alps with some low-budget airline, but the picture depicting a cheesy one-pot wonder was what lured me in (unsurprisingly) and after a little research (see: Googling ‘what the hell is […]

Easy chicken jalfrezi recipe

January 5, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

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This isn’t actually my chicken jalfrezi recipe. I pinched it from the Hairy Bikers – favourites of mine in particular for their fail-safe and relatively healthy curry recipes – and changed it a tiny bit. Mostly, I changed it because I can’t leave anything alone, but also because the recipe was written in a quite […]

The best brunch spot in New York: The Butcher’s Daughter, Nolita

December 28, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

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My list of places to eat in New York far outweighed my list of places to see. But I have been before, so I felt it was only fair that I move my attention away from viewing decks and shopping malls and on to buffets and brunches… Top of my must-visit roster was a vegan […]

5 mid-week meals you can prepare in advance

December 3, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

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I’m getting into the habit of spending my Sunday afternoon batch cooking our meals for the rest of the week and I’m not gonna lie, it’s pretty life changing. Last weekend, I made butternut squash soup and a meaty ragu and we were good to go four nights of the week (plus I had lunch […]

Brisket and chilli ramen

November 29, 2016.Reading time 7 minutes.

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Saturday afternoons of Christmas shopping are best followed by a steaming bowl of ramen. And Sundays are, of course, perfect for succulent slow-cooked meats or buttery pies, generously filled. And my brisket and chilli ramen sorts you out for both, thanks to the masses of leftovers this recipe produces (more ideas for leftovers at the […]

Self-service wine at The Black Bottle in Winchester

November 28, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

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If you’re a fan of wine, novelty, and shabby chic furniture and happen to have an afternoon spare in Winchester, a trip to The Black Bottle is the perfect way to fill it… In a cute country house, all lead-paned windows and creaky doors, you’ll find The Black Bottle. A ‘pub slash wine cellar slash […]