Minestrone was originally a very humble dish and was intended for everyday eating, being filling and cheap, and would likely have been the main course of a meal. Minestrone is part of what is known in Italy as cucina povera (literally “poor kitchen”) meaning poorer people’s cuisine. The history of minestrone soup dates back to… more »
As I was writing up this recipe I decided to look up the origins of the Balti dish. Apparently it was developed in Birmingham 20 to 30 years ago as customers wanted their Indian dishes to be lighter, healthier and served faster. A true Balti should be served in the same thin steel bowl it… more »
I’m writing this on the Autumn Equinox when the day and night are of equal length all over the world, which has been long interpreted to mean that the world is in balance. In the northern hemisphere this is the first day of Autumn (or “Fall” in the USA). Once the autumnal equinox passes, the… more »
Over the last couple of weeks I have tried to make chocolate cookies with little success. They were either too flat looking or they had were like biscuits all the way through with no chewy centre. Not good. So googled looking for the “best chocolate cookie” and Nigella’s recipe came up a few times. So… more »
I’m on my summer break but it’s actually the beginning of autumn and the days are definitely getting cooler and the nights are drawing in. But – there’s something very special about autumn. I don’t know whether it’s the reminder of returning to a new school year when I was younger but autumn always puts… more »