Did you just shudder? Wince? Don’t worry; you’ll get over it. Stick with me, kid. If you’ve travelled in North America, you’ve already encountered some terrible shocks, especially first thing in the morning, and between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, when the blood sugar drops. And at 11am, and of course, at bedtime. And […]
There was no serious tradition of cider-making in New Zealand [where the author lived for several years before returning to Dorset]. I pretty much gave up drinking cider there, as it was usually too sweet. Though I love to drink cider, West Country cider-making is something I knew little about. I probably know more about […]
It was probably due to World War Two and the British servicemen returning from Italy that interest in Italian food began to take off in the UK… as immortalised by Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers. As regards pasta, in the 1950s one had to shop at International Stores or J Sainsbury to buy macaroni and […]
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Indeed, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) which are defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees, accounted for 60 per cent of all private sector jobs in the UK, a total of 16.6m. Make no mistake about it, SMEs are crucial to the UK’s economy and their […]
The first thing people ask when they find out you are from Somerset is “how much cider do you drink?” The apple-based drink is synonymous with our county. It has imprinted itself on our culture, forming much of our history and traditions. For instance, wassailing is an ancient West Country cider festival which ensures a […]
Well, here we are again, heading for the end of the transition period without any real sign that the UK will have a proper trading arrangement with the EU, and amidst increasingly dire warnings about possible shortages of food and other essentials. The Covid-19 pandemic has also served to expose the weaknesses in the “just-in-time” […]
Chicken and Courgette Risotto Serves 3-4 This recipe can be adapted by adding more courgettes or other vegetables if you prefer it to be vegetarian or vegan Ingredients 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 medium courgette, diced 2 chicken breasts, diced 250g risotto (Arborio) rice 1 litre hot vegetable […]