Our local green grocer calls turnip tops ‘Jimmy the Rapper’ – not a surprising nickname when you learn that the Italian for turnip tops is ‘cime di rapa’. Sarah Raven and Franchi certainly sell seeds with this name which are grown for the tops, not the roots. A good alternative is to use tenderstem broccoli.…

A turnip grew in the middle of our beetroot; a welcome surprise! As well as using most of the root in  soup and rest grated in a slaw, the tender leaves from the green top provided a wonderful addition to a mixture of sauteed vegetables.  Turnip greens are getting popular. A few weeks ago, Alys…

A neighbour on the allotment has grown wonderful radicchio but his family are not its biggest fans. My gain!  My friend Trish was delighted to be given a plant and passed on the most delicious recipe.Take off the outer leaves and cut the radicchio down the middle into quarters or sixths (if large). Wash and…

It’s pumpkin time and this recipe from Monisha Bharadwaj’s new book Indian in 7 is already a firm favourite. Any recipe by Monisha Bharadwaj is likely to use ginger-garlic paste. I make mine in batches and use an ice cube container to freeze it. Be careful to keep the paste wrapped and well away from…

I had left a cutting for this recipe beside the computer. It must have been taken from a Waitrose monthly food magazine and is Rick Stein’s, based on the recipe in his book, From Venice to Istanbul, which I happen to have (and use a lot). William saw it and was not disappointed when I…

Sorting through all my cookery books, The Australian Women’s Weekly Biscuits (brownies & biscotti) booklet was a great find. These cinnamon biscuits are ideal for serving with teas and coffees when the French group meets. 30g butter 55g golden syrup (or 45g golden syrup and 10g treacle) 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp caster sugar…

It must have been an Ottolenghi recipe that made me curious enough to buy dried barberries. Amazon bill them as an alternative to cranberries but I think their flavour is more subtle; sharp but sweet. I had some left over rice and lots of herbs so it was a happy experiment to put things together…

I had totally missed out on this West Country drink but it does resonate with many – perhaps remembering their grandparents having tipples or even being given watered down versions themselves. J. R. Phillips is the oldest surviving wine merchants in Bristol. They still make lovage cordial. Founded by William George in 1739. James Phillips…

It has been an exceptional year for damsons. I made my first batch using fruit from Julie, my ‘Egg Lady’s’ south facing hedge. The jelly tasted good but I was disappointed with the set – I like a proper jelly texture. My second batch was perfect; the trick was to break the nuts to extract…

It has been a week of alchemy. I very much enjoyed reading Madeline Miller’s Circe, the sorceress who collects and boils up brews of herbs to work her witchcraft. For me it was for the making of borscht. It started by seeing some beef bones in the butchers and cooking these with onion, carrots and herbs (bay…