The first summer pudding is made and ready for supper this evening. I have just picked a final bucket full of redcurrants and removed the netting from the bushes so that the birds can eat what is left. It was a good harvest this year. I have made enough redcurrant jelly and more redcurrant juice is frozen…

I’m really excited about this recipe. Inspiration came from Emma Grazette and Stevie Parle’s book on spices. As they happened to be to hand, I have added shallots and chilli. -Susan   6-8 tomatoes 2 aubergines 2-3 shallots, peeled and quartered 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds Olive oil Salt and…

Enough redcurrants remained to make a second batch of redcurrant jelly. As these were riper than the ones I had picked last week, I used less water and the result is a jelly which is brighter but has lass tang. Two well marinated lamb chops, new potatoes,  and a green salad were on the menu to…

My school friend Voirrey, with whom I spent every day of my school life, and her daughter, Angie (my god-daughter), and grandson Daniel are staying in Bath and coming for supper this evening. Good excuse to make Emma Grazette’s Flattened chicken with Swiss Chard Gratin (from her and Stevie Parle’s book, Spice Trip, The Simple…

In 1967, I was on the Exeter University coach on the Comex trip to India. We were a motley group. Students from Exeter, Reading, teaching training colleges and apprentices from Rolls Royce. The adventures we had were enough to bond us all for the rest of our lives. I was going to UEA later that year…

Bärbl is coming for supper and this is the pudding of the moment!  White and red currants are ready and the English cherries at their best. – Susan

Collette and Les are having an opening party for their allotment plot. We begin to believe it is an allotment plot but for a time there were rumours that Les was building a miniature Taj Mahal. Les is taking great care with careful brick laying, edging and seed planting. I could picture their plot winning an award at the Chelsea Flower…

My daughter-in-law Sam is having fun with allotment produce. Strawberry jam sounds good ! And now the courgettes are growing inches every day. Never let them get too big.  What you cannot eat give away; large courgettes never will become marrows. Here our favourite everyday recipe is to cut the courgettes into batons, dust them…

Hunting through my store cupboard, I came across chickpeas near their best before date. In homage to Greece, I had to use them and made hummus. Perfect for an easy  summer lunch as we had a rustic loaf, Pecorino cheese, crisp lettuce and some radishes to hand. – Susan

Inspiration for this salad came from Natalia Conroy’s book, The Kitchen Orchard. Refreshing and tangy, it was excellent yesterday, served with salmon, for a pre-theatre supper. 2 medium sized raw beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated 3 eating apples, peeled cored and coarsely grated A bunch dill, stalks removed and finely cut 1 tsp capers 1 tsp Dijon…