Sweet Memoirs

Stilton and Port March, 2010

Bread and cheese is one of those combinations that can be delicious, yet also conjures up prison food - or in my case - boarding school food in the 50s, which we imagined was somehow similar to prison. In the holidays my sister and I walked to the shops on our own. We bought our lovely fresh, tasty Cheddar, cut into slabs from a large truckle, at our local grocer. Back then, sweets were a treat, not part of lunch. A snack was bread and cheese, and an apple.

1st Prize - A Year’s Supply of Cadbury’s Chocolate February, 2010

Cadbury’s is - or was - a British Institution. So the take-over of Cadbury’s by Kraft Foods which has been in the news recently has not been well received, except by the shareholders. But for some extraordinary reason I suddenly craved a Cadbury’s Cream Egg or even a Box of Milk Tray - something I have absolutely not wanted to eat for decades. I wondered if there was a sudden surge in sales of all things Cadbury’s across the UK - a kind of nostalgia-fest?

Matron Knows Best January, 2010

My Father had a fetish about Nuns. Perhaps it was the long, black habit swishing gently as the Nuns glided along the corridors, heads bent in prayer, clutching their rosary beads, maybe it was the starched white wimple framing the pale faces. Or it could have been the glimpse of an ankle in black stockings above sensible lace-up shoes.

Piece of Cake... December, 2009

The sort of cakes and puds we love to eat at Christmas in England are not for the calorie conscious. But calories are comforting; like cardigans they don’t do much for your figure but the joy and warmth they provide makes you feel so good and cosy. If you can’t manage Christmas pudding straight after the roast goose, then go for a bracing walk, wait until tea time and plough in with a couple of mince pies and a dollop of brandy butter, followed by a slice of home-made Christmas cake with your cup of tea.

Burford, England. A Snapshot in Time November, 2009

Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, Burford has been a town for over 900 years. It is quintessentially English and staggeringly beautiful, and if you are looking for an idyllic lifestyle then Burford is the place to go. At least, according to Forbes magazine’s August 2009 issue, which has named this ancient town the sixth most idyllic place to live in Europe, even though its population today is hardly more than 1,000 people.

Earthy Meals Deserve a Perky Finish September, 2009

After a risotto with truffles for a main course you will need something fresh, white and red for dessert. As a designer, rather than a professional chef, I tend to think in colours as well as flavours, and truffles although utterly delicious are, well, earthy - black, brown or off-white in colour - and quite ugly but of course with that amazingly powerful and unique scent. Raspberries are the perfect antidote; gorgeous to look at, a designer’s dream of fresh, plump juiciness and bright red colour - and they smell marvelous too.

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Sweet Memoirs