When a friend visited recently she came bearing a bunch of green leaves – in all honesty, I had no idea what they were. It turned out to be lovage. She’d grown the ornamental herb in her garden and it had sprouted furiously. The leaves were big, lush and vibrant and the scantest of touches… Continue reading Why I’ll be giving lovage a home in my garden…
Occasionally things happen in life that are so memorable they stay with you forever. It might not be anything big or fancy, it may just be a fleeting experience that moves you in some shape or form. …a dance with a stranger in a backstreet bar, a random act of kindness in the supermarket, a… Continue reading My culinary life has changed forever thanks to fig leaf syrup…
I’ve grown artichokes for two years now. Grown from seed as much for their dominant structures as their distinct green globes. Over the years, I’ve eaten a few but not many – but this is all set to change. The memory of my first artichoke remains clearly with me. I was 13 and in France… Continue reading Growing globe artichokes…
In recent years I’ve not been much of a fan of ice cream, all too often it can taste too sweet and manufactured. Having said that, on a hot summer’s day I head straight for a sugar-laden Mr Whippy if the opportunity is there (it must be the legacy of growing up in a seaside town).… Continue reading The joy of ice cream…
Compost heap – where have you been all my life… Although I have my own vegetable beds I haven’t had a compost heap until this year and, now I have one in my life, I can’t believe I didn’t make it happen years ago. As well as composting waste from the garden – veg tops,… Continue reading Let’s talk about compost…
On January 1 I always start with good intentions for the year ahead – it always involves being more healthy, more organised and more proactive – but due to a stinking cold and various other factors January has been a bit of a wipe out. It’s for that reason I’m resolving to do all of… Continue reading February, what do you have in store…
Well, what an experience that was… A few months ago I decided to put myself forward for the Norfolk Home Chef of the Year award which is part of the Norfolk Food & Drink Awards. Looking back, it was a rather brave move for me, but I did it out of a love of cooking. I… Continue reading Norfolk Home Chef of the Year…
A few weeks ago I harvested a large number of cucumbers from the greenhouse. I was thinking about what I could use them for, aside from salads and pickles, when it suddenly occurred to me that the crisp, clean flavour would lend itself well to an ice cream. My thinking was inspired by a grapefruit and basil ice cream… Continue reading Cucumber ice cream, really?
Every year the glut of courgettes hits me with a bang. I always know I’ll have lots (each season I religiously plant four seedlings) and there’s always too many, but for some reason I can’t cut back! To try and tackle the mountain of courgettes that is starting to build, I decided that this year I would try lots of… Continue reading Courgette season (and a recipe for courgette lemon drizzle cake)…
As May draws to a close, I’ve realised what a busy month it has been. With long days, warm weather and plenty of enthusiasm, much of it has been spent outside getting the vegetable beds and main garden in order. There’s still lots to do, but progress has been made. May has brought with it… Continue reading May…
