The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
The Phoenicia Diner sits on Route 28, about two hours from New York City. It’s right in the heart of the Catskill Mountains and is a must visit if you are in the area. It was built in 1962 in Brooklyn and moved to the Catskills in the early 80s. The owners at the time […]
Vanilla is probably one of the most popular flavours and ingredients in my household and one that I certainly took for granted until I discovered its history. Origins in Mexico Vanilla beans originated in Mexico. For hundreds of years the Totonaco Indians guarded the secret flavour until they were defeated by the Aztecs and had to handover […]
A dark church crypt was the setting for this unique pop up created by Remember A Charity. It was all very atmospheric. Bare brick walls and sweeping black curtains. I was one of the first and saw no familiar faces so to be honest I was a bit worried. Was I about to eat my last […]
Decadence is such a beautiful feeling yet the dictionary defines is as ‘the act of falling into decay or deterioration – especially of the moral kind’ I think that’s just so sad. It’s a wonderful feeling. Complete and utter indulgence every now and then never did any of us any harm. And this is exactly […]
The Amalfi coast is one of Italy’s most magical places. Sun drenched and scenic but surprisingly laid back. This book exudes the classic Italian style that is this region. Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi have travelled across the Amalfi Coast in search of recipes that define the area. This is their fourth book and my first. A little […]
I had heard great things about Asma’s supperclub from many friends on Twitter so when she invited me to come along on a very cold and windy winter’s day I was delighted to accept hoping the heat of the spices would spark some inner warmth to ward off my impending cold. As soon as I […]
Westfield Shopping Centre in London’s White City have been running a lovely programme called Food Explorers. There are foodie events and offers for all tastes. We popped along on a rainy and cold Saturday afternoon looking for relaxed and warming comfort food. We found it at The Real Greek. We arrived to a bustling restaurant […]
Sugar. Such a lovely word. Such a lovely taste. There is nothing better than a hot, buttery crumpet with a sprinkling of brown sugar. A teaspoonful is only 15 calories vs 22 in the same of honey. Bet you didn’t think that would be the case eh? Sugar is a carbohydrate that’s naturally in most […]
I have been following Sabrina on Twitter for some time now and had always been fascinated by the pictures and menus she posted of her supperclub dishes. So I booked myself onto a Persian Kitchen Supper on a weekday evening to find out if her food tasted as good as it looks. The evening was […]
I love Nigella. For me she’s just totally and utterly glam. I loved that she was recently on the cover of one of my favourite magazines and came across as this earnest, shy woman despite the sexy goddess persona we see on TV. Nigella Bites – a cookbook I use time and time again Her […]
If you’ve read my review of Roast Figs, Sugar Snow, you’ll know that I am already a fan of Diana Henry’s writing. I love the ways she explores different writers, cooks, chefs and foodie businesses and converges them with wonderful recipes to make for books which are good reads as well as great recipe books. […]
It was my birthday yesterday and I wanted to celebrate but also do something completely different. Friends suggested various bars and restaurants but to be honest I really didn’t want a big night out. I thought about the theatre but there isn’t anything that I feel compelled to see. This year I just wanted a […]