Newsletter Library - Food and drink

It's that back to school rush again soon so here is a lunchbox favourite and a quick and easy evening meal... More →

When I started Fair Cake, I had no idea about running a business. All I knew was that this was going to be a 'good' business. I had been hooked on the American blogs about cupcakes for a good few months when I decided that I could start my very own cupcake company in London. Little did I know how difficult the next few months were going to be... More →

A wonderful recipe to use up the glut of marrows that are cropping up at this time of the year. An ideal way to store marrows and, dare I say it, put into decorative jars for perfect homemade Christmas presents! More →

For me, the main part of Christmas is good food and good company, not worrying about what to buy for people or what to feed people. So to help you out I have prepared a number of vegan recipes for anyone having a vegan guest or wanting to try something a bit different this year. More →

Give us this day... With the credit crunch moving into a full-blown recession, how can we tighten our belts a little further? Easy! Make your own bread. Now don't stop reading...it really is so simple. Trust me. Making your own bread has many advantages More →

Wotcha Peeps! Well it seems as though Spring may have sprung at Wren Towers! Daffy Dillies are popping up, things are sprouting in the seed trays and the spuds are chitting nicely. So...what delights can I conjure up for you this month? Well, with the popularity of veg boxes, particularly during the winter months, when allotments tend to resemble primeval swamps, I thought I'd have a look and see just what you get in a medium sized veg box, and give you some hints on what you can do with all that lovely veg. More →

You know spring has finally sprung when you go to inspect the veg plot and discover all of your carefully prepared beds covered in little sprouting seedlings - but they're weeds. For most of us the resumption of this annual battle of wits with nature can be a source of extreme irritation. But instead of laboriously rooting them out and resorting to the compost heap, allow me to suggest a much more satisfying way to get even. More →

Honey is an incredibly rich and luxurious natural energy food, and as such is often used as a symbol of sexuality and fertility. In fact, the term 'honeymoon' comes from a reference to the oldest alcoholic drink known to humanity - mead. Mead is simply honey dissolved in water, and fermented to produce a sweet and also slightly savoury wine-like beverage, which is said to have aphrodisiac properties. Mead was traditionally drunk by the happy couple for a month after getting married, whilst they enjoyed their new union, as a luxury celebration and for its arousing properties. Hence the term 'honeymoon'. Mead is actually quite easy to make; Andy tells us how. More →

Hello Lovelies! Now I've been thinking, not easy to do at times around here, and I've decided that given the current economic situation and rising food costs, it's time we looked back to the past. Meat especially seems to be increasing in price at an alarming rate, and I got to thinking how did people manage during the war on rations? Any trawl of t'interweb can provide a wealth of information, but today I'm going to share some recipes that my mum left me. More →

The simple act of harvesting food from the wild is an ancient pastime and while we in Britain may have allowed our ancestral habits to slip a bit over the years, in Europe there is still a long and unbroken tradition for harvesting the bounty of nature. Carol tells us how to she made trout baked in paper with hop-tops and sea beet on a campfire - obviously you could adapt the method to cook in your home oven. More →