When day and night are of equal length and druids encircle Stonehenge; the moon grows fat and glows blood-red. Summer turns to autumn. Farmers and their families work hard to ensure their crop comes in before the first frost. It’s harvest time. The more delicate crops, beans and leafy greens, get picked first. The pumpkin,…
International Men’s Day Chocolate Cake
Who said chocolate cake is just for girls? Men deserve rich, fudgy, soul-soothing slices of chocolate cake just as much—and International Men’s Day is the perfect reminder that self-care doesn’t have a gender. Baking a chocolate cake isn’t simply about satisfying a craving; it’s therapy you can eat. Whisking, folding, melting chocolate… it’s a calm,…
Autumnal Mushroom & Leek Cannelloni
The minute the temperature drops into Autumn my eating habits and food choices change. Swapping an outdoor BBQ for the kitchen oven; exchanging light bites for creamy sauces. Staples that creep into my autumn repertoire are pumpkins, mushrooms and pears, oh my! Mushrooms Mushrooms will suddenly appear on sourdough toast with blue cheese for Sunday…
Beetroot, fig, blue cheese & walnut tart
Perfect for lunch or as an autumnal dinner with earthy beetroot and summer-sweet figs. Blue cheese makes this tart decadent; tangy goats cheese would work just as well. To make this a quick put together meal, shop bought puff pastry is ideal to use. 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F. 2. Roll out the sheet…
Black Chickpea Hummus
1 can of black chickpeas (reserve some of the aquafaba to slacken the hummus if needed) 1 tbsp tahini paste 1 garlic clove A pinch of salt & pepper Juice of half a lemon Blitz all the ingredients in a processor/magic bullet. Serve with whatever toppings you have at home. I used roasted veggies (beetroot,…
Pear and Ginger Cake
Perfect for afternoon tea: Recipe You will need: For the topping Method: Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F In a bowl, add the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon and ground ginger. Stir with a whisk until well mixed. In a separate bowl, add the yoghurt, oil, eggs and stem ginger. Whisk until…
Morning Meals aka Breakfast
During my working week, I would always meet up with friends and colleagues, at our regular spot, for a debrief over breakfast; a large paddle-tennis-sized slice of rustic toast, scraped with a garlic clove and spread with grated tomato and olive oil. Swiftly followed by a cafe con leche or two. Mid-morning I’d desperately need…
GastroRob 2.0
Food is magical. It has the power to make us feel happy and jubilant, whilst at the same time nostalgic and melancholy. With food, we feel renewed, cleansed and alive. It can wrap us in a security blanket to console our grief and lessen our sadness and sorrow, and can soothe us when we are…
Coming Soon
Redesigning the blog. Content to resume February 2025. Whilst you wait, check through my archives.
GastroRob 