The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
We were very organised on the allotment this year. We planned over Christmas holidays because we did not want to be pipped to the post with seeds running out or not getting things in time. We were keen to grow mange tout – or ‘mange toots’ as my littlest calls them. Our local veg stall […]
I’m a sucker for cheese. It’s my absolute vice. As soon as I get the nibbles I reach for the cheese. In restaurants, I find myself pondering skipping the mains and going for the dessert and cheese courses instead. My palette has developed from the mild Cheddars and Bries to the oozy Camemberts and even the […]
We didn’t plant any nasturtiums at all this year. Totally forgot. But the beautiful blooms have come up all on their own in the same place and randomly across the patch. They seem to know what needs company as a little bloom appeared right next to the Firestorm Runner Beans last week and a little sprout […]
It’s not every day that the postman brings a package from Buckingham Palace so there was much excitement in our household when this delightful book arrived. The Royal Cookbook by Mark Flanagan and Edward Griffiths Over 50,000 people visit Buckingham palace as guests of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth for State banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions […]
I paid little attention to World Book Day before I had children but as they started nursery and now school, it’s become a big thing in or house. They have always worn a costume from their favourite book. We’ve gone from princesses, to wizards, Gruffalos to robots. It’s all a bit of fun. World Book […]
Bananas are my go-to food when I need to eat but don’t have much time, when I’m hungry but not hungry enough for a full meal, when I’m starving but need to exercise first and finally when I want a bit of decadence. In all these scenarios eating a banana simply does the trick. It […]
I really dislike sweeteners. I dislike the rubbish E things they contain. I dislike the aftertaste. I dislike the consistency. I’ve therefore always stuck to sugar because at least I know what that contains and can moderate my usage accordingly. That being said, I think I’ve found a sweetener that challenges each of those […]
This book starts with a chapter entitled ‘From Kazakhstan to Kent’ so I was immediately drawn in. What on earth could have originated in Kazakhstan and then made it’s way to Kent? I learned that genetically this would be the apple. Yes indeed. Kent’s heritage may well be its orchards but genetic science has determined […]
I was introduced to this lovely honey at a foodie event last year. I had it on a salty cracker with some lovely manchego type cheese. It was incredibly memorable and incredibly moreish.Pasilla Oaxaca Chillies The honey uses Pasilla Oaxaca chillies from the Oaxaca region of Mexico which is about five hours from the Pacific […]
I felt a little sad this weekend as I emptied my freezer of the last bag of this summer’s courgettes. I was getting sick of the sight of them in August but on this cold, wet and windy weekend I was nostalgic for our excitement as the seedlings popped through the soil. I wanted to […]
After my epic summer of courgette production, I froze a lot in a grated a chunk form to use over the autumn and winter months in soups and curries. This dish took just half an hour with the courgette and mussels thrown in direct from frozen. This recipe serves four hungry adults. You’ll need 150g […]
A few months ago at The BBC Good Food Show, I was invited to meet the Barber family and learn about their cheddar. I’m a sucker for good British produce and even more of a sucker for family businesses so I could not resist. I was greeted warmly by three lovely gents from the Barber […]