I’m re-thinking my holiday checklist, and perfection isn’t on it. It is mid-December and there is so much to do -- cards, presents, tree, the turkey, the cake -- and that’s not even considering work and day-to-day survival in the meantime. The only … [Read more...]
Cambridge in November: wild venison and walnuts
November is like the little girl in the nursery rhyme. When it’s good, it’s very good – but it also has its less endearing side. A country walk may be an ideal way to spend a weekend when November’s at her best, but when she’s got her pouty face on, … [Read more...]
October in Cambridge: apples and squashes
"All this colour and crunch. It’s better than living in an Impressionist painting.” October is the golden month, its honey sunlight on a blue-sky-day giving even ordinary scenes a radiant glow. Grasses, leaves, nuts and berries: everywhere there … [Read more...]
Rose geranium sponge cake
If you are a fan of the edible rose geranium, as I am, this is a beautiful cake with a herbal, floral note, supported by Cognac and the flavour of good butter and eggs. The leaves of this scented pelargonium add prettiness and a complex flavour. … [Read more...]
Autumn leaves
This has been the most colourful October I've seen in England for years. We've been blessed with generous sun this month after a wet September, and it has burnished our autumn palette with gold. My edible-flower and salad garden, newly planted … [Read more...]
The pleasures of the plum: a season in review
This summer has enlightened me on plums. Never before have I seen or tasted such a diversity as I have this year, having made the discovery of the Manning family farm in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, where 35 varieties are grown. They also, to my … [Read more...]