The message of food

Food talks. Making a meal for someone says:  "There is a tomorrow and I'll be there to share it with you." 

A Hug from the Kitchen is about the giving and getting of comfort through cooking and sharing simple meals. 

I'm a traveller, gardener, cook and obsessive collector of recipes that soothe, calm, invigorate and most of all, care.

Have a look at my blog for seasonal and tasty recipes and please don't hesitate to get in touch - I'd love to hear from you with comments on my food or recipes of your own that you just can't live without!

My Christmas in the Caribbean menu is designed to make life easy for you over the festive period - cook up tasty party food that can mainly be made in advance and imagine you're on a perfect beach, lapped by warm waves.

My "Summer of Six" menus were invented for post-lockdown parties, when we could only meet in gardens and in small numbers - but they're great for any outdoor simple entertaining, and can easily be scaled up as needed.
LOST THE PLOT....
My allotment produce turns into jams and chutneys, vinegars and pickles. 

I have flowers, salads, berries, fruit, vegetables and a LOT of courgettes.

You'll see recipes using my produce on my blog.
RECIPES FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR
My blog posts follow the food and recipes cooked and eaten by women servants in the First World War.

My book, "The Family Way" follows the fortunes of two young Scotwomen in service near Edinburgh as the war breaks out.

I share facts about their lives and the lives of women at that time as I cook original recipes and adapt them to the modern kitchen.




Blog
LUNCH CLUB
I run a Lunch Club for the local elderly, part of my voluntary work for Didsbury Good Neighbours. Each week we meet to discuss an interesting topic, have a gossip, maybe do a quiz or play a game.  I used to bake a cake or make something sweet for the group but due to new food hygiene regulations that's not currently allowed. There are a lot of recipes on my blog that I previously cooked for the group so if you are looking for a good reliable recipe for a cake, look no further!
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In the early period of Covid, we switched our face to face meetings to an audio conference call, but now we're back meeting in person, and loving it.

You'll see some of my recipes on my blog.