organic kitchen garden
When October arrives, the days are shortening, a cold wind is creeping into the air and the trees are turning rich shades of gold and red. I can’t help but look forward to cosy evenings, and the promise of the festive season to come. (Probably not helped by the increasingly early sale of Christmas decorations… Continue reading My Top 5 Autumnal Recipes
Created for St Patrick's day, this pie is filled with a rich, hearty steak and mushroom mixture with a savoury Guinness gravy. Slow cooking the filling for an hour before putting it in the pie helps make sure that the beef is soft, and the gravy is at its best. All of this delicious flavour… Continue reading Steak and Guinness Shortcrust Pastry Pie Recipe
There are few things more delicious and satisfying to eat in the summer than a slice of warm homemade quiche with a crunchy side salad – and maybe a buttery new potato or two!
I don’t often eat desserts at home, so they always feel like a treat. They are reserved for meals out, occasions, dinners at home shared with family and friends. My favourite desserts are generally the ones I associate with nostalgia and home cooking, and it’s a tribute to my Mum’s amazing cooking and baking that… Continue reading Comforting Autumnal Apple Pie Recipe
Anyone who knows me well will know that I love pie. I love pie with creamy mashed potato, doused in thick gravy until the mash begins to dissolve in the liquid and the pie crust starts to soften (to my mum’s sheer horror). I love cutting into fresh, crisp pastry, homemade when I have the… Continue reading 3 things that make a perfect pie & my 3 favourite pie recipes
Before holly, trees, presents and cards, my first whiff of Christmas in the air is always signalled by the reappearance of mince pies in my life. Usually in early November, hopefully sooner. The garish boxes appear in the supermarkets far earlier, but, call me fussy, these can never match up to a home baked mince pie. I’m talking dreamy wafts of Christmas seeping through the house, leading to bites of crumbly, buttery pastry melting away in my mouth to reveal tangy fruits, rich spices and a hint of alcohol, all rounded off with the sweet drizzle of glace icing over the top. The pie in my hand almost falls apart in surrender: ‘eat me!’, and the filling is jewelled with glace cherries so red it’s almost offensive. But it’s Christmas: red goes.