Recipes (my own and from reviewed recipe books), reviews of cookery books and cookery classes, food and kitchen equipment product reviews – if it’s about cooking or eating at home, it’s here!

A Review of The Whole Hog Cookbook

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The Whole Hog Cookbook

It was the pull of the pig that drew me towards The Whole Hog Cookbook. Promising “chops, loin, shoulder, bacon and all that good stuff“, author Libbie Summers draws on childhood memories of her grandparents’ hog farm together with “modern sensibilities [that] lend new twists to beloved dishes“. As the front flap declares, “the best ... Read more »

Malawian Ginger & Garlic Fried Fish

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In my review of Bought, Borrowed & Stolen by Allegra McEvedy, you’ll see that my favourite aspects of the book were Allegra’s travel memories, and her introductions to her amazing collection of knives brought back from those travels. We did make a recipe though, choosing her Malawian Ginger & Garlic Fried Fish. (Ginger & Garlic ... Read more »

Book Review: Bought, Borrowed & Stolen

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Bought, Borrowed and Stolen by Allegra McEvedy's

When I read Allegra McEvedy’s book, Bought, Borrowed & Stolen: Recipes & Knives From A Travelling Chef, I immediately felt a kinship – a warmth that comes from the shared personality disorder of the collecting mindset! In her introduction, Allegra describes her knife buying as gathering, explaining that she hesitates to use the word ‘collect‘ ... Read more »

Kavey’s Cackalacky Roast Rib of Beef

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When I was invited to take part in the Grey Poupon cooking challenge, I immediately remembered the intriguing recipe for Cackalacky Spare Ribs that I’d read in my recently acquired book, The Whole Hog Cookbook by Libbie Summers. As Grey Poupon was originally an American-owned brand (born back in 1777) Cackalacky seemed doubly appropriate. (These ... Read more »

Lamb Kifta Tagine With Eggs

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This delicious recipe for meatballs and baked eggs in a spiced tomato sauce is from Greg & Lucy Malouf’s Malouf: New Middle Eastern Food. We really enjoyed the dish, fniding it a lot like a North Indian tomato-based curry in flavour. Read our review of Malouf: New Middle Eastern Food. This dish is best described ... Read more »

Let’s Make Christmas Pickles, Chutneys, Jams & More!

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I love the idea of giving homemade gifts for Christmas. I’ve come across the mentality that homemade is second best; I know people who judge on monetary value and assume that shop-bought, established brands are always better than amateur efforts. Homemade to these folks is about thrift or stinginess or rose-tinted nostalgia, if they’re being ... Read more »