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Recipes & more...


Tulip time
I took this picture outside the Church of St John the Baptist in Yeovil on a sunny early evening last week. I haven’t seen such a...


Melmerby Slice
In honour of the publication of the latest in the seriesby JM Hall, A Brush With Death, I’m delighted to share this Melmerby Slice recipe.


Murder Below Deck
My new book in the Chef Paul Delamare Mystery series comes out on Thursday – let me tell you a bit about it. First of all, though – the...


Where I write
After last year’s flurry of literary festivals and book events, I’ve discovered readers are fascinated to ask authors: when and where I writ


Thinking of becoming a writer?
Thinking of becoming a writer? This course is for you


Hello, goodbye
Happy New Year from Orlando Murrin, along with a recipe for a wonderful Queen of Sheba Cake.


‘Marigold’, by Billy Mayerl
This year’s festive music is a piano novelty that I used to play in my bar-restaurant days, 'Marigold' by Billy Mayerl. It’s one of my...


A life on the ocean wave
If I don’t look very happy in this picture, it’s purely because it’s such a strange, cold, clammy feeling having a crustacean on your...


The Knife Skills Recipe Collection
Christian Wagner's recipe diary contained the recipes that he held most dear to his heart, which Paul's students made for their final...


Six things you never knew about me
I stole the idea of this from the website of a fellow author. At first I worried it seemed a bit vain, but then I started making a list...


Why you don't need to preheat your oven
Recipes instruct us to preheat our ovens even though it's unnecessary and a waste of energy. Why is this still happening – and when is it...


Why you must buy mixed weight eggs
For years cooks food writers have advised us to buy large eggs, on the basis that they are somehow superior to smaller eggs. They're not…...


The Art of the Scone
I dread to think how many scone recipes I made over the years, until finally – thanks to Angela Nilsen's The Ultimate Recipe Book – I...


This is my kitchen
When I left the hotel business I made a vow that I had done enough entertaining to last the rest of my life; therefore my kitchen...


My writing room
I've been busy at work on the sequel to Knife Skills For Beginners , specifically on 'edits'. Until I officially became an author, I had...


'Love Theme' from Cinema Paradiso (1988)
The music credit for this much-loved film goes to Ennio and Andrea Morricone, but the main theme was written by Andrea, Ennio's son. I...


The best mincemeat, ever
Here is my recipe for the best mincemeat ever, perfect for Stir Up Sunday in November.


It’s never too early…
Forgive me for jumping the gun, but it’s the beginning of October, and it's never too early to make your Christmas cake.


Kate Atkinson does it again - review of Death At The Sign Of The Rook
I’m more at home reviewing cookbooks than crime fiction, but I was so impressed by Kate Atkinson’s latest offering, Death at the Sign of...


Behind the scenes of taste testing
Like many food writers, I’m frequently invited to be a judge at food awards – most recently the Food Drink Devon Awards, held at Exeter...
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