The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
So excited to share with you details of my debut cookbook! All about the wonderful world of Gujarati snacking and our culture of sharing and hospitality. It’s full of stories as well as quick and easy vegetarian recipes from beer snacks to bhajia, masala mogo to green chilli margaritas! Have a look!
Risotto is a staple in our house. It’s simple to make, cheap and filling. My ‘technique’ was learned from TV Chefs. Jamie Oliver comes to mind. You soften the onions in butter and olive oil, you add the white wine, then the rice and slowly, slowly the stock. That’s how you make it right? Well let me tell […]
I’ve been a huge fan of Paul A Young since he opened his first shop in London in 2006. The flavours of his chocolates always create a sense of intrigue and live up to their descriptions. My favourite is still the Margarita which I had at his Wardour Street store about two years ago. Every […]
Eric Lanlard is a Master Pâtissier and twice winner of the prestigious ‘Continental Pâtissier of the Year’ at the British Baking Awards, he has changed the face of British Patisserie both in his retail ventures and on TV. But it wasn’t always that glamourous. He was once a chef in the French Navy so I […]
Seed Pantry was set up in 2009 with a view to helping everyone enjoy the rewards of nature and to learn about growing food to eat wherever they happen to live. They provide everything you need to grow your own food at home and/or in your workplace, from inner city spaces to back garden veg […]
I met Rosalind Rathouse late last year. She kindly invited me to lunch at her Cookery School just off Oxford Circus. I liked her right away. She was infectiously enthusiastic about quality food and teaching people to cook great meals. Two areas I am passionate about myself. Rosalind started teaching in her native South Africa where she […]
If you are as old as me and grew up in England you will be very familiar with the phrase “through the square window”. This was the time of day I loved. Just home from school, sitting with a snack in front of our tiny TV watching Play School on BBC1. Every episode you […]
Rupert is the Managing Director of Womersley Foods, a ‘botanically enthused’ company selling fruit and herb vinegars. It was launched by his parents from their home, Womersley Hall, in 1979. Rupert has been running the business since 2009. The home grown aspect of the specialist herbs and fruits used as key ingredients is what impressed me. […]
I came across Sharon on Twitter. She is the founder of the Fruitshare initiative. It is an internet-based project where people with surplus garden fruit can share their harvests – a great way to minimise waste and encourage local food sustainability. The project is non-profit making and has now been re-developed in partnership with Orange Pippin, an online resource […]