Fig, almond and yogurt cake with a warm honey glaze

Joan Ransley August 13, 2015

This is the season for ripe, succulent figs. It is rare to taste ripe figs in this country but if you are going to now is the time to seek them out in good green grocers where they have been imported from Europe.

Avocado, lemon verbena and mint smoothie

Joan Ransley July 30, 2015

This week has been busy. Last Saturday I ran my third food photography workshop at the School of Artisan Food. It was a great success with two of the students writing wonderful blogs about how positive their experience was.

Pink elderflower champagne

Joan Ransley July 19, 2015

Last year I wrote a post on how to make elderflower champagne using straight forward white lacy elderflowers. This year I decided to try a version of the same using pink elderflowers from a black elderflower tree (sambucus nigra) growing in my garden.

Gooseberries and elderflowers

Joan Ransley July 3, 2015

I began today thinking I would make a seasonal salad. 'It is so warm and sunny' and everyone loves to eat salad when it is hot' I thought. 'I could make the salad hearty enough for a main meal and include some interesting ingredients from the garden.'

Elderflower power

Joan Ransley June 27, 2015

We love this gluten free polenta cake. It takes 10 minutes to weigh out and mix the ingredients together and just 40 minutes to cook. It can also be adapted to the flavours of the seasons.