February 27, 2015By Linda Parker

New Year celebrations are but a dim and distant memory now, but with a new Bake Off for Comic Relief on TV, it seems as if nothing’s changed. The Great Comic Relief Bake Off starred some unlikely bakers, including Alexa Chung, Abby Clancy and Johnathan Ross… needless to say will undoubtedly be a riot, and […]

February 16, 2015By Linda Parker

Well… from the depths of a freezing spell, weather-wise, and the doldrums and post-Christmas self-loathing that come when you mentally add up how many mince-pies and turkey sandwiches have been scoffed, I am trying very hard to be enthusiastic and positive about a sprinkling of New Year resolutions. They are quite simple … cook healthily, […]

January 23, 2015By Linda Parker

The story: This former 17th century barn was built on a hillside location in Herefordshire with fabulous views. It’s now an open plan conversion, part of a wider restoration and rebuild project by architect Alex Coppock of communion design. The owners are a busy couple that wanted to fulfill their desire of living in the countryside, whilst still working in London. They chose Roundhouse, the multi-award winning British design and manufacturing company to create their bespoke kitchen. Kitchens are from £35,000.

December 23, 2014By Linda Parker

If you’re reading about Christmas now, it’s a bit too late to start making home-made Christmas puddings and cakes. So … unless you are one of the ultra-organised home chefs who have already marinated their dates, frozen the home-made bread sauce and laid down a few bottles of home-made sloe gin or raspberry vodka you will be going to do the last-minute run to the supermarket on the 23rd Dec like the rest of us…

December 2, 2014By Linda Parker

For writers and reviewers, Christmas starts in July, with a host of events to launch the festive season’s goodies. As always with seasonal celebrations, there’s a danger of peaking too soon and getting far too fed up with all the Christmas razzamatazz before the day itself even happens…

October 21, 2014By Linda Parker

It was only a few weeks ago that we were enjoying an early autumn hot-spell, & had got the barbecue equipment out again. It hardly seems possible that the nights are drawing in so quickly, & that I’m sweeping leaves off the lawn as well as collecting apples…