Food, Wine & Beverages

It’s rich, fruity, concentrated and delicious; yet despite the best being valued as highly as fine wine, most of us in the 50 plus age group had to wait until we were well grown up to discover it! We’re talking about balsamic vinegar.

A soufflé without whipping the whites and the prepared pudding can rest for more than a day before baking. Ideal for a busy schedule!

A quick and easy fruit loaf which freezes well. You could try making it with different types of fruit (and nuts), or even chocolate chips for when the grandchildren come to stay. We dusted ours with icing sugar, or you could do a simple vanilla glaze with orange zest dusted on top.

These protein-packed crepes are simply delicious, and can be eaten fresh from the pan or made in advance and reheated. We enjoy them for breakfast, but you could have them at any time of day. The choice is yours!

These mildly spiced biscuits can be made in advance, and kept in the fridge up to a week. Just slice them up and bake when you want! Perfect for a festive nibble or when visitors call in.

This is a great comfort bake that’s filling, tasty and freezes well. I often make two at a time – one to eat and one to freeze, to save me time during the week when I feel like a night off from cooking.

A blast from the past. I had not eaten or even seen a chocolate ripple cake since my teenage years. But at my brother’s party for his 70th birthday his charming neighbour Carina volunteered to make a collection of sweet dishes.

Food waste is a hot topic, especially as billions of dollars worth of edibles disappear into the world’s landfills each year. Some food is wasted because restaurants and caterers over-order; some is thrown into big bins by supermarkets as ‘best-by’ dates reach their deadlines. But a vast amount of food is wasted in our own homes

Preparing simple dishes like this in advance keeps me organised during a busy week, and I can pre-track the recipe the night before. This loaf is generously portioned for a hearty breakfast, and also makes a great addition to a lunch box.

This is such a good recipe. I love this yeasted dough, which includes lard, the traditional shortening for many pastries and raised pies from the north of England. Long-time readers of my books will remember my grandmother’s wonderful bramble pie recipe that uses Lard Pastry.