A look back in time: thebigfatnoodle spring clean
Nothing beats a good spring cleaning It was long overdue but it really needed to be done, and what better way to make sure I stayed off my broken foot then to finally finish the blog clean up I started a few weeks ago. It’s taken me almost a month to do so, not just … Read more
Every day should be pancake day
Be careful what you wish for… When I was growing up, I always wanted to break a limb, ideally my arm. It had nothing to do with wanting broken bones and everything to do with wearing a cast. Kids in the neighbourhood who did break bones and wear casts lorded it over every other able-bodied … Read more
East meets West: A Japanese cheesecake and sponge layered celebration cake
Japanese cheesecake If you’re a fan of cheesecake but have never tried Japanese cheesecake (chiizu keeki) before, all I can say is that you really don’t know what you’re missing. Japanese cheesecake is pure unadulterated pleasure – it’s soft, pillowy, creamy goodness – and what gives it its unique, velvety, gently cheesy creaminess is that it’s … Read more
A 30-minute summery take on pork and beans – grilled lemon and thyme pork chops with a cider bean casserole
Cooking by weather Unfortunately, the ever-changing climate we are experiencing in Europe has turned summer topsy-turvy. I know people already associate the UK with rain and bad weather but what we are going through this summer really is bordering on the ridiculous. Parts of the country are flooded again while in the South-east where I … Read more
Getting my mojo back, the Chelsea Flower Show and banana cupcakes
It is what it is Arrrrrrrrrrggghh! All my best intentions flew out the window after my last post almost 3 weeks ago… I’ve always said April/May has never been kind to me and but this year has really been taking the mick… My husband has been really ill, and during that time, I’ve lost a … Read more
A four cheese cauliflower cheese
Sticking to the tried and tested Heston Blumenthal made a TV programme all about cheese recently and one of the dishes he ‘re’-made was the humble but utterly delicious cauliflower cheese. I went online to look at his recipe but in all honesty, I don’t have 5 hours spare to make all the component parts … Read more
I ‘heart’ bread… freshly baked milk bread
Couldn’t have asked for a nicer accident On Easter Sunday, my husband and I roasted a rib of beef. Our butcher threw in a few veal bones as I wanted to make a bone marrow gravy to go with the rib of beef. As there’s only two of us, we had plenty of roast beef … Read more
Easter Sunday roast: Rare rib of beef and bone marrow gravy
The bones hold all the flavour! This Easter it’s just been me and my husband last weekend. No friends, no visitors, just him, me and the cats for company. Sadly, it was a bit of a miserable weekend in terms of the weather, full of blustery, cold wind and the ever present drizzle – not … Read more
If you haven’t had enough chocolate yet… hazelnut and walnut chocolate brownies
Crispy squidgy chocolate goodness As some of you may know, I’m married to a chocolate fiend. My husband has to eat chocolate every day and I’ve never known him not to. So imagine my surprise when this Easter, he told me he didn’t want me to buy him an Easter egg. I thought this was … Read more
Nigella’s Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
A bit too sweet for my liking… It was Mother’s Day in the UK recently and this year, and I decided to bake some chocolate chip cookies for my mother-in-law and my husband’s Nanny. Nanny unfortunately has been really poorly and the day before Mothering Sunday here, we drove to see her with my husband’s … Read more
