Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

Along the sides of roads and down country lanes blackberry brambles are in full fruit. They are in fact coming to an end and before they disappear for another year along with fresh blueberries, here is an easy mixed berry pie, finished with a crumble topping. When picking wild blackberries, it is always a good […]

This year was a good reminder of the fragility of nature. Not to say nature is fragile. It can cope with a lot and since time is measured in epochs not work weeks it can afford to take the long view. The more immediate view is that the weather here has not been good for […]

We have a valley about three hours away by car that grows wonderful fruit; grapes for wine making, cherries, melons, apples, peaches, apricots and nectarines for jams, wine, preserving and just enjoying. This time of the year I always look forward to the first of the local nectarines and generally do not do anything other […]

Before classes begin again next month a little summer excursion into the pantry was in order the other day. I came across a small container of hazelnuts, shelled one evening last winter and then forgotten. Roasting seemed like a good idea and then I remembered the sweet chili sauce sitting in the fridge almost finished! […]

For the past few years, at the end of July, I teach a “Working with Herbs” class. It is often the last class of the season and I try to make it a little special. My challenge is that there are several people who have taken each class and I therefore work at coming up […]

In that time where summer transitions to autumn and we are not really ready for gingerbread or spiced pear cakes, this lighter fresh option makes sense to me. Delicate and fragile, the taste of pears stands alone. I have mentioned before that I have a favourite little 4 inch spring form that I often use […]

Baklava is a sweet Mediterranean dessert made from filo(or phyllo) pastry, nuts of some variety and honey or a syrup. After baking the thin sheets of pastry to golden brown perfection, honey or syrup is immediately poured over the individual pieces or a full tray allowing the sweetness to be absorbed into the layers of […]

There will be a need for two things with this dish, a love of rhubarb and a sense of adventure. Khoresht Rivas is a Persian Rhubarb Stew. As any recipe that travels through many countries there are variations galore and the thought of a savoury option for rhubarb may be a little outside the box […]

With all the lovely berry jams that can be made at this time of the year, it is a nice idea to have a batch of these stored away as something to put the jam on. They work just as well for a summer high tea or afternoon coffee clatch. They, in truth, are a […]

As we head towards the end of summer, the vine-ripened field tomatoes and basil are perfectly paired in this light and tasty soup. Large beefsteak field tomatoes have wonderful flavour this time of the year and that would be my first choice. Delicious fresh with mayonnaise and a little salt on a slice of Sovital […]