A recipe from Penny Dalrymple-Smith All sorts of delicious pairings go with this summery vinegar. It is especially good used in salad dressings and mixed with honey to serve on strawberries. Fill a jar loosely with elderflowers, and then top up with cider vinegar. Leave in a sunny place for 3-4 days. Decant through a…

I love hummus and all through summer there will always be a pot in the fridge. Simple hummus, made from chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic is a great start but why not also try to make alternatives? My favourites at the moment are inspired by recipes from Rick Stein and Sabrina Ghayour. It…

Impromptu, alfresco, Asparagus Mimosa, is the perfect dish to serve in May or early June on a warm day when friends happen to call. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare. 24 spears asparagus3 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped finelyOlive oil2 tsp capers, drainedSalt and freshly ground black pepper Trim the asparagus and cook…

Late May and, after a long dry hot spell, the elderflowers are smelling wonderful. Perfect time to pick just the few needed to make elderflower cordial. I am very grateful to Diana Cray for this excellent recipe which I haveused for many years. 25 heads of elderflower1.5kg granulated sugar1.2 litres water4 lemons50g citric acid Collect…

I have much enjoyed a series of discussions on 20th century Chinese literature, held in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath. Lu Xun’s story about Kong Yiji was the main subject this week. It concerns an elderly, impoverished scholar living in Luzhen, Shaoxing. He drank in the ‘public bar’ and always ordered two bowls…

We are having a wonderful spell of fine weather and bottles of rosé and invites are springing up for impromptu gatherings on the allotments and in gardens. Asparagus cigars are surprisingly easy to make and always welcome. 16 asparagus spears, woody ends removed1 pack filo pastryOlive oilSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 tsp sesame seeds1…

Early May and I am back from a break in the walled Tuscan city of Lucca with Anna, a friend from university days. We had a great time and some excellent meals but I returned to an empty fridge. However, I did bring back a large piece of pecorino and a tour of the allotment…

Two teachers, in charge of a group of 40 teenagers, were staying with me for two weeks before Easter. They came from Rivne, in the north west of Ukraine; a flat landscape which, in my mind, makes sense of the translation of Ukraine – frontier land. They were surprised not to find buckwheat, which for…

It’s early March 2023 and the news is of shelves in supermarkets empty as supplies of salad ingredients imported from Europe are not being delivered. The Guardian published Yotam Ottolenghi recipes which more than amend for the loss. I have two Italian girls arriving early on Tuesday evening to attend a language course. One has…