Persimmon & apple french toast

in Breakfast, Taste -

persimmon-apple-french-toast

My love for breakfast has been well documented here. I’m down for almost anything, almost every morning. Οn week days, I like to keep things simple with quick smoothies, full of goodness and flavour, or crunchy and perfectly sweet homemade granola, a nutty bar or hot and creamy quinoa. Some days though call for eggs and I’m so down with that as well. Creamy and pretty? Yes, please. Saucy & spicy? A thousand times yes. And let’s not forget chocolate: in a pudding, or spread on warm crusty bread or mixed with booze for the perfect morning warmer. I’m in for all of the above. [READ MORE]

Cranberry, dark chocolate & pistachio pavlovas

in Desserts, Taste -

Cranberry- dark-chocolate-pistachio-pavlovas

I’ve been doing a lot of baking the last couple of weeks. Maybe it’s because of the cold and gloomy weather, which increases my longing for nesting and quiet nights in. So I bake. I measure, stir and fold; I go back to familiar recipes and test out new ones. I gather ingredients– sometimes carefully, lovingly, savouring their looks, taste, smell and texture; other times, I hurry and grow impatient- yet even then, when the kitchen and my spirit seem to be on fire, when my mind is not quite there- even then, there’s some kind of magic in the process: in seeing ingredients change before my eyes, coming together, a whisk here, a fold there and there really is magic. Or something close to it, something you can savour, be somewhat proud of and share with others. [READ MORE]

Chorizo, kale & blue cheese pasta bake

in Savoury, Taste -

pasta-bake-4

Let’s start the week with the absolute best food in the planet: pasta (duh!). Ever since I was a kid I loved everything about pasta: all the varieties and their versatility, how they’re basically the perfect canvas for different sauces and ingredients, textures and layers. From a perfectly green, salty and nutty pesto, the elegance of a squid ink sauce, or the wonderful simplicity of a one pot dish, pasta is king. As part of a tuna salad, in a jar or featuring the best summer ingredients, to more wintery versions, featuring dark colours and no frills. And of course, my all time favourite version: covered in a cheese sauce and baked until bubbly, golden brown and delicious. If I had to choose one comfort food, it would be this. Every time. [READ MORE]

Chilli, lemon zest & parmesan popcorn

in Small bites, Taste -

Chilli-lemon-parmesan-popcorn

Happy first of November y’all! I like this time of year- it’s not “OMG it’s Christmas” spectacular, nor “can’t wait to hit the beach” carefree, yet there’s something about this month, with it’s dark afternoons and first cold blasts, that fills me with a somewhat calm sense of comfort and an ever so slight excitement for the more glamorous month which follows. [READ MORE]

Chocolate & coconut spider cakes

in Desserts, Taste -

Chocolate & coconut spider cakes

Less than a week. That’s how long there’s left before Halloween- not that I’m counting. For the past few years, this time in October I get all excited and giddy and spend a ridiculous amount of time decorating the house, testing recipes (this candied salty cashew popcorn and these fruity and spicy cookies are among my favourites) and doing research for my costume. Last year, Halloween was admittedly a bit of a bust. No matter how excited I was, not matter how many bat-shaped things I’d eat make, not matter how spookily dreary London was, the happy/haunted feeling I so love was just not there. [READ MORE]

Coquina squash, quinoa & goat cheese salad

in Savoury, Taste -

Coquina squash, quinoa & goat cheese salad

It’s pumpkin season and I’m in love. And by pumkin, I generally refer to all you wonderful squashes out there. All the different shapes and colours and textures- every year I get so excited and overwhelmed, I end up covering every corner in our house and sneaking squashes and pumpkins into most of our meals: from soups, snacks and mini cheese pies to main dishes and dessert, come October, chances are there will be squash or pumpkin in there. [READ MORE]

Apple, pear & cardamom pie

in Desserts, Taste -

Apple, pear & cardamom pie

It’s cold! And sunny! And cold, dammit, so very cold! But hey, it comes with the season, along with a few other things, so lovely and so close to my heart: leaves with the most stunning colours, Halloween and Bonfire night right around the corner and, you guessed it, delicious, hearty food. I honestly can’t get enough of fall’s fresh produce: crispy carrots and so many pumpkins, leeks and sage, swede, celeriac and beautiful wild mushrooms. And the fruit! Oh, all the different varieties of crisp apples and sweet juicy pears, which all just beg to be used in a pie!  [READ MORE]

Aubergine, garlic & feta stuffed loaf

in Savoury, Taste -

Aubergine, garlic & feta stuffed loaf

Every September, I’m dreading the whole back to school transition: until my work schedule is all figured out and most of my boring everyday affairs are in order, I’m constantly in a mild frantic state. At the same time, I love going back to parts of my routine, especially those involving exercising, eating and cooking. Even more so, I’m looking forward to the activity which involves the latter two, plus our friends: casual dinners at home. [READ MORE]

Spicy tomato & corn dakos

in Savoury, Small bites, Taste -

Spicy tomato & corn dakos

With the exception of a super rainy, gloomy Saturday, the weather in London has been almost unseasonably sunny and hot- and the forecast for this week is similarly bright and promising. We won’t be around for it, but luckily California also promises a beautiful Indian summer. And while I kinda can’t wait for pumpkins and apples galore, I’m happy to enjoy the beautiful summer produce for a little while longer. My favourites at the moment: juicy tomatoes and crisp corn on the cob. [READ MORE]