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Shortlisted for the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards
Exciting news! I am thrilled to announce that Comfortably Hungry has been shortlisted in the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards . In...
sjfbilton
Apr 91 min read
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Welcome to A is for Apple!
I've been keeping busy with a new project recently. A is for Apple is a food and drink encyclopaedia exploring letter by letter one...
sjfbilton
Mar 5, 20242 min read
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Banana Gingerbread Pudding
A lovely warming pudding that uses leftovers. Great for a cold day!
sjfbilton
Oct 24, 20232 min read
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Ribiselkuchen (Red Currant ‘Cake’)
I have let the veg garden run to weeds (I’ve had more important things to think about this year) but managed to salvage some red currants...
sjfbilton
Aug 7, 20232 min read
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Parkin Ice Cream
This parkin ice cream was one of the contribution to the virtual pot luck supper discussed at the end of my first Comfortably Hungry podcast
sjfbilton
Nov 2, 20222 min read
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Take a Goose or a Duck by Cynthia Bertelsen (Book Review)
What is the essence of the book? Take a Goose or a Duck: Eclectic Essays on English Cookery Through the Ages is a series of concise...
sjfbilton
Sep 9, 20223 min read
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Strawberry & Saffron Tarts
Here's a sneak preview of one of the recipes in my next book, Fool's Gold: A History of British Saffron. Once you've tasted these...
sjfbilton
Jul 10, 20223 min read
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A History of Herbalism by Emma Kay
What is the essence of the book? Humans have exploited the benefits of herbs (or ‘yarbs’ as they are known in some parts of Britain) for...
sjfbilton
Jul 5, 20223 min read
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Melons & Other Cucurbits: Growing & Cooking
What is the essence of the book? I am a reasonably keen gardener. I have never been flummoxed by growing cucumbers or pumpkins but melons...
sjfbilton
Jun 14, 20222 min read
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A Dark History of Sugar by Neil Buttery
I don’t possess a sweet tooth. I feel quite smug writing this but really I’m kidding myself. Sugar is everywhere from natural sources...
sjfbilton
Jun 6, 20222 min read
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Jubilee Madness?
It’s been a busy few weeks. The final edits are being made to my next book Fool’s Gold: The History of British Saffron (out in July...
sjfbilton
Jun 1, 20223 min read
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Risshewes (Medieval Fruit Pasties)
The blog has been taking a back seat this year. I’ve been busy promoting First Catch Your Gingerbread and immersing myself in the middle...
sjfbilton
Dec 16, 20213 min read
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A Dark History of Chocolate by Emma Kay
What is the essence of the book? Chocolate may be deliciously decadent but it turns out that it also has a sinister side which is...
sjfbilton
Nov 8, 20212 min read
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The Village in the Valley: Travels in Mexico & Italy by Corinna Sargood
I’m not sure how I feel about hallowe’en. On the one hand, I am fascinated by the folklore surrounding it and the Celtic tradition of...
sjfbilton
Oct 31, 20214 min read
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Brandy Snaps
Golden syrup is used to make modern brandy snaps but the original brandy snaps sold at fairs were made from treacle. They were a...
sjfbilton
Sep 28, 20212 min read
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Soyer’s Symposium of All Nations
Alexis Soyer is remembered for many things. He was saviour of the Irish famine creating soup kitchens capable of feeding thousands of...
sjfbilton
May 17, 20215 min read
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‘Whitebait’ Goujons
White Bait,—‘This is a fish which belongs especially to London; although it is obtainable in other rivers in Great Britain and the...
sjfbilton
May 17, 20214 min read
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The Crystal Palace
Over a period of nine months from August 1850 the residents of Kensington witnessed a colossal glass building being erected in Hyde Park....
sjfbilton
May 1, 20216 min read
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Lost and Found
Losing or misplacing stuff is a daily occurrence in my house. For me it’s usually a particular kitchen utensil. For my husband, it’s...
sjfbilton
Mar 15, 20215 min read
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The Biscuit by Lizzie Collingham
What is the essence of the book? The Biscuit: The History of a Very British Indulgence frankly does what it says on the (biscuit) tin. It...
sjfbilton
Feb 5, 20212 min read
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