Monday, June 28, 2010 at 9:33PM 
Aware that my chutney stocks were running low, I was horrified the other day to realise that I had only a paltry half jar left. Half a jar and several months away from British chutney-making season! August Victoria plums, the late summer tomato glut, autumn apples and pears. And then another three months to mature after making before eating.
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 6:32PM 
I woke up outrageously early yesterday morning, drawn out of sleep by the 4am dawn light, and somehow unable to get the thought of a moist, golden, fragrant fruit cake out of mind.
I blame the packet of dried pineapple that's lain open on my kitchen side for the last couple of weeks, too chewy for its intended use as a dessert topping. But in actual fact, the hankering probably goes back further than that, to a large packet of champagne-yellow sultanas that I found myself admiring in a local grocery store several weeks ago. A variety I haven't seen before, each one was tiny, almost perfectly round and much paler than usual. Like a shower of golden raindrops. Or a stash of citrine gemstones.
Friday, June 4, 2010 at 8:52AM 
A friend recently tasted their first salted caper. Biting down onto an unfamiliar, strong and distinct flavour, the culprit was immediately fished out for perplexed inspection. Thrusting their palm in front of me, they asked if I knew the identity of the tiny dark green knobble sitting there. A food lover that's familiar with pickled capers, I was a little surprised that they didn't. Then again, salted capers are utterly different from their pickled siblings - culinary chalk and cheese.
Monday, May 31, 2010 at 12:26AM I hope you liked that jaunty, candy-coloured beginning to this post. An "eye-filling, heart-thrilling" blast from the past, buoyantly refreshing and brimful of bygone elegance, charm and decorum, it shares more than a little with the wonderful teas from Postcard Teas.
Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 9:58PM I made my first, much longed-for visit to Ottolenghi's last weekend. In London for a Monday work meeting, I flew down the previous Friday and tacked on a few destinations that I've been dying to get to for ages. Postcard Teas whom I've been ordering from online for a couple of years; a spot of lèche-vitrine in South Kensington, where my tongue almost got stuck admiring Giuseppe Zanotti's very sexy sandals, spiky boots and heels; and a tour of the Victoria and Albert's ceramic, glass and jewellery collections. The last something I've wanted to do ever since my Mum gave me their Jewels and Jewellery book two Christmases ago.
