Paper Palate

When on the BBC’s Magazine Panel, one gets to fill up questionnaires. My latest was about Celebrity Chefs: “who do I like, who I hate” sort of thing. Gazing at the list of the 30 odd names (that is, without counting “Other”), I could not help wondering about the flash-in-the-pan factor. Who of these top-notch cooks will still be in […]

This market is much more than hidden gem, it is a  treasure trove. Like in an adventure story you step sideways from one of the most frequented commuters’ bridge, leave the crowd of grey-suited City workers behind, venture down down down some stairs, trot around the cathedral and enter THE place of food celebration: Borough Market. Dating back to Roman time in […]

With fat/shrove/Pancake Tuesday, Valentine’s Day and new birthdays looming, you might think that reviewing 101 Christmas recipes is the equivalent of a writing suicide. When I opened the envelope and got a glimpse of jolly gingerbread men and sugar-decorated stars, my first thought was “What on @@@@”””???!!! am I going to do with this?”
OK, stay calm, start with 101 (that is less scary […]

Sometimes you get a moment of serendipity when the universe makes sense. On Monday, I was brought an offering of Seville oranges, which is quite some gift as it is more or less impossible to find these particularly bitter citruses any longer. At the market stall where I annually purchase my oranges, I was told in no uncertain terms, […]

If, in 2007, you had started a blog called: “Pebble Soup”, then you should expect to be showered with “soup-presents.” When I dreamt about Christmas, invariably the same nightmare came up: a vision of the big guy in red throwing colourful ladles at me.  I almost put a sign on the door saying: Dear Father Christmas, do not bother, I […]

Halloween out of the way, so we can now concentrate on the next big celebration. Soon we will be bombarded with advertisements, writing endless lists, running around in a state of despair, cooking for all & sundry and wish that Xmas had been cancelled. I wanted to catch you before the build-up and the pressure, when you are still relaxed and […]

… with “Country kitchen” magazine. I was not looking for a new magazine; I was only browsing, honest! Then I spotted it. Unassuming cover, neat, the kind that sends you a subliminal message: “I am what it says on the cover.” OK, then, juuust a little peek. And that was it….
 Love at the first sight, everything a food magazine should be: […]

Dyan Garris has many bells to her chime.  She is a clairvoyant, a creator of music, a meditation teacher, a writer.  Her latest offering is ““Voice of the Angels cookbook”: talk to your food! Intuitive cooking”.
We all have talked at inanimate objects, ordering them about: “do that,” “stay where you are.”  Dyan pushes this further […]