Recipes
The cultivated grain
From Asian goddesses to boarding school puddings, rice has a remarkable history behind it
Let office workers eat cake!
Don’t listen to the joyless meddlers who think sweet treats should no longer be a part of office life
How quiche got its own hashtag
The much-derided dish has enjoyed an unlikely renaissance in recent times
How to make cranachan shortbread sandwiches for Burns Night
A sure-fire way to make this undervalued pudding star of the show on January 25
Pomegranate: the fruit that myths are made of
The pomegranate features prominently in folklore from all over the world
The hallucinatory history of nutmeg
Nutmeg has been used as a spice, and occasionally an intoxicant, for centuries
How to cook perfect crumpets
The trick to making faultless crumpets is surprisingly simple
A Christmas cake for people who hate Christmas Cake
How to bake sticky gingerbread wreath cake
Milk: a drink for the ages
We still can’t get enough of the stuff, but dairy farmers need our help to survive
How to make a smashing almond brittle
A sweet treat that won’t crack your teeth – honest!
How to cook classic canelés
These custard-filled cakes take the crème brûlée to the next level of deliciousness
The fruit of many talents
Lemons are magnificent, whether you use them for salad dressing or stain removal
How to bake Bonfire Night toffee apple cake
A surefire way of turning the perennially disappointing ‘treat’ into a thing of beauty
Don’t put jelly in my trifle — I may throw a wobbly
My recipe harks back to the one by Hannah Glasse in 1747
How to make smoky pumpkin and bacon soup
A reviving and delicious recipe, just in time for Halloween
Can corn flakes kill the sex drive?
Imagine if there was a cereal that could stop you masturbating
How to make cheat’s risotto
A recipe to follow when the thought of doing anything other than opening and closing the oven door is overwhelming
Jam: a beautifully preserved history
Joan of Arc, Nostradamus and Louis XIV were all partial to jam
How to bake creme brûlée cupcakes
Making cupcakes sophisticated involves light sponge and lashings of silky custard
We’ll never stop screaming for ice cream
From frozen flowers to breast milk, ice cream has a rich and surprising history