Around Snacks Never Relax: Linden Honey + Buttered Muffins + Thoughts on Taking Pictures

I shall begin this by saying that this post will be about images of food and the act of looking at them. I am neither an art historian nor an artist: I’ve dabbled in practising art and studying its history for much of my life, but it is not my career so I am essentially … Continue reading →

Fine-Cut Blood Orange Marmalade

I made this for my mother, who almost got on with a jar of home-made Seville orange marmalade but was ultimately deterred by the bitterness. Since father was polishing off the first jar, I decided it was only fair to give one to my mother so she could have some marmalade all to herself. I’m … Continue reading →

Heart-shaped Custard Creams

Yeah, I went there. Or rather, Nigella Lawson went there first in ‘Feast’, which is one of my favourite cook books. I think she conveys quite well the sort of feelings I have towards Valentine’s Day: she talks about her all-round cynicism (and it’s this darker side of Nigella which comes through in her writing … Continue reading →

Tagliatelle with Duck, Orange and Thyme

I spent most of an evening this weekend making this duck pasta. There are many dishes for duck ragù and while I can’t promise that this is ultimate version of the dish, what I did end up making was very satisfying. The amount of fresh thyme and orange might seem a bit much, but you … Continue reading →

Around Snacks Never Relax: Banana Chocolate Chip Pancake Ice Cream from Chin Chin Labs

Obviously the solution to the wind and sleet is to consume more cold things. This is my first and so far my favourite weekly special from Chin Chin this year. Every flavour comes through clearly–fresh banana, little melting bits of dark chocolate, the starchy-sweet middle of a doughy pancake. We chose salted caramel sauce to … Continue reading →

A Bear’s Favourite Food: First Time Adventures in Seville Orange Marmalade-Making

While marmalade generally refers to any preserve made with citrus fruit, Seville orange marmalade is the assumed default in Britain. Marmalade wasn’t something I especially enjoyed until quite recently–yesterday morning, in fact, when I tried a jar of the home-made stuff. I didn’t have much of an idea of what I was really aiming for, … Continue reading →