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I had this caper mocha butter at the launch of Upwards, and came straight home to make it. Because I did that, I had to use what was in my kitchen, rather than what was in the recipe. I switched out Tabasco for my homemade sriracha, and used a freshly made espresso instead of instant coffee. … Continue reading Caper Mocha Butter
Kiss Her Goodbye opening lines: When I was a girl, I dreamed. Running through my father's orchard in pursuit of my brother, ten years older and newly returned from school. My blurb: Sabera is a mother who will do anything for her child. She will marry a much older man, just to have them both … Continue reading Kiss Her Goodbye, Lisa Gardner
I had a little bit of my togarashi left over so I adjusted the recipe for furikake in Upwards to only use what I had. Since then I have used this blend numerous times when making flatbreads. It really is an amazing addition to that, as well as a great topping for bread. Skip ahead … Continue reading Furikake
Karen recommends using sardine butter on steaks and fish. Or under the skin of a chicken that you are going to roast. She loves this with new-season radishes, which was an entirely new concept to me. I had plenty slathered onto toast when I was on a bread baking spree. Skip ahead to the recipe … Continue reading Sardine Butter
The Impossible Fortune opening lines: They show you how to make bombs on the internet. If you know where to look. My blurb: Elizabeth has not been her normal self for quite some time. But, with everyone occupied with their own lives, she is finally ready to be a part of the gang again. Only … Continue reading The Impossible Fortune, Richard Osman
I had thought that the heatwave had ended, but March 2026 proved me wrong. And, it was one of the hottest weeks we have had for ages. The temperature did not drop at night, making it even worse. And, despite Gordons Bay being known for the wind, it did not blow. That being said, we … Continue reading March 2026 Showcasing In My Kitchen
Karen is now looking and living upwards! This was so evident when I met her last November at the launch of her recipe book. It was amazing to see her living well, and with grace. In her latest recipe book, the recipe layout goes against the grain. With the method on the left and the … Continue reading Upwards, Karen Dudley
The Invisible Woman opening lines: My name is Elinor Gilbert. And I am the Invisible Woman. No, not the kind that can make a deck of cards look like it's shuffling itself. My blurb: Elinor was the best at what she did, because she could blend in. But, when her boss ends her career, she … Continue reading The Invisible Woman, James Patterson
Packed full of fresh coriander, flat leaf parsley, and a little bit of chives and lemon zest, these hake fish cakes will make for a perfectly simple meal any day of the week. Skip ahead to the recipe for Hake Fish Cakes Hake fishing in South Africa Merluccius capensis is one of our greatest exports, and … Continue reading Hake Fish Cakes
The key to making this confit garlic butter is to cook it low and slow. You want the garlic to be soft to the touch, and you do not want the butter to boil. Once cooled it is blended into a homogeneous compound butter, which can be served as is, or remelted to add on … Continue reading Confit Garlic Butter
One Night in Paris opening lines: It happened to people, this longing, emerging from an unknown void, grabbing the soul with a firm hand, the urge to simply let go and sink to the depths of the ocean. My blurb: Claire is not sure if she is just bored in her marriage, or bored with … Continue reading One Night in Paris, Nina George
These chocolate macadamia biscuits are a healthy, gluten free treat. I made a small batch, but you could easily double up the recipe. They will keep well if stored in an airtight container and make a great lunch box addition for children. Skip ahead to the recipe for Chocolate Macadamia Biscuits When biscuits are good … Continue reading Chocolate Macadamia Biscuits
This chocolate ginger slice is made from a base of condensed milk and chocolate, to which I have added nuts and cookies for texture, candied ginger for spice and dried cherries for something different. Use this recipe as a base and create your own flavour profile. Skip ahead to the recipe for Chocolate Ginger Slice … Continue reading Chocolate Ginger Slice
Exit Strategy opening lines: Nathan Gilmour knew things that other people did not. People, like his coworkers at the Port Administration in Baltimore. My blurb: Usually, Reacher is at the right place, at the right time. But, this time, even though he is at the right place at the right time. He is the wrong … Continue reading Exit Strategy, Lee Child
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is a chocolate based dessert heavy on the cherries. It served as inspiration for my black forest rusks which are full of chocolate and cherries. As I used a sugar free 80% dark chocolate, these are not overly sweet. Skip ahead to the recipe for Black Forest Rusks Full disclosure These rusks did … Continue reading Black Forest Rusks
You will need a lot of patience to make these dried cherries. The total time they take to dehydrate will be anything from 9 hours onwards, depending on the texture you want. I preferred to use them when they were still soft. Skip ahead to the recipe for Dried Cherries Making dried cherries In December, … Continue reading Dried Cherries
Billion Dollar Ransom opening lines: Elizabeth "Boo" Schraeder couldn't help but smile as she settled the tab at her favourite Beverly Hills salon. My blurb: Everything has to go to plan! At the same time, in three different places, five people are going to be kidnapped. But, despite the kidnapper mastermind getting this correct, he … Continue reading Billion Dollar Ransom, James Patterson
Given that we had salami curing in our kitchen, I felt I really had to make the easy cheesy salami bread from Jan Braai Junior! This bread does not need kneading, making it perfect for young hands. The high hydration recipe results in a soft bread, with texture from the meat. Skip ahead to the … Continue reading Cheesy Salami Bread
The heat was relentless for most of February 2026 and I did very little in my kitchen. We had one day of rain which was most welcome for my garden, and the water tank. On Valentines Day I prepared a meal I have been planning a long time. I made ravioli stuffed with burrata and … Continue reading February 2026 Showcasing In My Kitchen
Return of the Spider opening lines: My name is Alex Cross. I have been a criminal psychologist for the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and am currently working - for the second time in my life - as a homicide detective with the Washing, DC, Metropolitan Police. My blurb: No matter where Alex is right now … Continue reading Return of the Spider