It's that time of year again when we're not quite sure if we're still in summer or have slipped into autumn. Just as I think it's time to start flicking on the heating and baking crumbles we get a warm sunny day and it seems as though summer is hanging on for another day. But of course, autumn really is just around the corner so before we say goodbye to summer completely let's enjoy a few more summary dishes on the warmer days. Read post.
The smell of fresh sardines cooking on the barbecue, grilling or frying carries with it images of sultry hot summer days, the sea and sandy coasts of Britain and beyond, Mediterranean cafes, and the heady aroma of vibrant green herbs. I love how food can transport us in this way; it's a powerful and wonderful kind of earthy magic, and to experience it you only have to close your eyes and inhale deeply that smoky scent as the sardines grill. I bet you can smell it even now as you read; the magic is working already. Read post
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I feel I should warn you, out of respect for my more sensitive or vegetarian readers, that this post is about cooking a live lobster and it is rather frank in places. I won’t be offended if you choose to skip it.I’m a real seafood lover, I love shellfish in particular and lobster is probably my favourite. I say probably because these days I’m having a wonderful love affair with oysters, of which I can’t get enough. But this post is about lobster, not oysters and so I won’t go down that road this evening.Loving lobster as I do, and being such a passionate home cook, it’s only natural that I would want to cook it. It’s something I’ve thought about on and off over the years but what’s stopped me from doing so, up until now, is the fact that lobsters have to be cooked live or immediately after killing because, like all crustaceans, they deteriorate rapidly. Read post
It’s been a beautiful weekend here in Kent, and it’s not often you can say that on a Bank Holiday! Yesterday Rob and I took a trip to my favourite fish monger at Whitstable Harbour (which I think I may have mentioned once or twice on this blog!) and I picked up some beautiful fresh mussels for a late lunch. They’re the quickest thing to cook and are so delicious, especially when served with a broth and lots of crusty bread to soak it all up. Read post
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