We’re incredibly lucky to have independent retailers in Ilfracombe, who sell real food – not processed cardboard. I also enjoy growing fruit and vegetables, and cooking mainly traditional English food.
I was exhausted this morning and didn’t make it to the beach, much to the disappointment of deep spaniel eyes – we’ll go tomorrow, I promise. This made me realise that I needed to relax today and I decided to make a cake ,as I find baking very calming. The other day, we had been … Read more
I’ve noticed that food figures a lot in my life’s essentials. It is, after all, essential to life for us and I think it figures so highly because I’ve had to look at my diet closely because of my Crohn’s disease and also to prevent middle-age spread. My aim is to achieve a balance of eating healthily while … Read more
Following on from my home baking post, yesterday I realised that the wooden spoon I use for baking has become an essential. As I spend so much time typing on a keyboard, using my iPhone, apps and software, one of the biggest pleasures I take in baking, and cooking generally, is working with ‘real’ things: ingredients … Read more
Why? Because the flavours are overwhelming. And because I know what’s gone into it. And because it’s been a big part of my life. And because I find it a very relaxing activity. And because I like eating it . . . . . . and sharing it. When I was young my Mum baked a delicious light fruitcake … Read more
I’d wanted to do something about it for years. I didn’t think I was overweight, I just felt uncomfortable at times: not right. In 2013, a stomach bug caused me considerable bloating and discomfort for some months. I had to buy bigger trousers as I couldn’t wear 90% of those in my wardrobe. As a Crohn’s … Read more
I enjoy cooking and find it helps me relax a lot. I’ve been so busy this year that I haven’t spent much time cooking some of the more time-consuming meals I like to prepare. I was determined to unwind this weekend and decided to try out a new recipe. I dug out a cookery book … Read more
Is the recent news about burgers sold by national supermarket and fast food chains containing horse meat really a surprise? Perhaps the horse meat is a surprise, but I’m not surprised that the actual content does not always match the description on the label. The vast scale of industrialised food makes it very difficult to … Read more
The Lamb has recently reopened as a steak house restaurant, so as it is just a couple of minutes’ walk away in Ilfracombe High Street, Mrs Z and I thought we would pop along for a meal. On the evening we visited, the restaurant was full (always a good sign) so we opted to sit … Read more
hate the concept of spread. It sounds industrial, unappetising and harmful, like something you’d use to repair a pot-holed road, smear on a rash or apply to a vegetable plot.
. . . worth getting up at 7am to prepare from the dough made last night . . .
The fruit has ripened later this year up Hillsborough in Ilfracombe and there are lots of lovely berries ready for jam making.
Breakfast on a Good Friday is a one-off for us: a supply of freshly baked hot cross buns from the Pantry in Ilfracombe High Street, North Devon.
It’s that time of year when some people tire of brussels sprouts, but the Victorians knew what to do with them: turn them into soup.
a deliciously tangy lemon sponge/soufflé dessert.
I found this recipe in a Potato Marketing Board leaflet at a food fair many years ago. What is has do with China apart from soy sauce, I don’t know, but I like it. (You could always substitute noodles for potato.)
We’d been meaning to pop in and see what the Rainbow Corner Café was like for some time as it’s changed hands several times in the past few years, so yesterday we made it and it was wonderful.
or me, Christmas fare is a mixture of tradition, family favourites, magical flavours and aromas, and memories of relatives who either passed down the recipes or introduced me to special foods. I think Christmas favourites should be a personal choice: forget fashion and foodies.
A new recipe and wonderfully delicious, we tried these new sausages from Mike Turton Family Butcher in Ilfracombe High Street.
It wasn’t my fault. Someone else started talking about pies and the conversation moved on to plunge pies made by Mike Turton Family Butcher in Ilfracombe High Street.
Today we devoted ourselves to pickling a supply of onions for the year ahead.