Felicity Cloake

Felicity Cloake compares different approaches to making fruit galettes and settles on an apricot version with rich flaky shortcrust, roasted-almond frangipane, lightly thickened fruit and an apricot-jam glaze. She argues that keeping the pastry and fruit cold, controlling excess juice and adding sugar during baking help preserve the tart’s structure. The recipe serves eight and is best eaten on the day it is made, though its components can be prepared ahead.

Felicity Cloake answers readers’ questions about cooking, ingredients, food traditions and personal tastes. She explains how she develops her Guardian recipe columns, advises using carefully chosen garlic and adding it before oil becomes too hot, and supports adapting traditional dishes to personal preferences. She discusses food in books and television, recommends trusted writers including Delia Smith, Nigel Slater and Diana Henry, describes her ideal last meal, shares cycling-food advice, offers a relaxed view of meat-cooking guidelines for healthy diners, and suggests roast chicken and Cornish pasties for picnics.

Felicity Cloake provides a recipe for gambas al ajillo using raw shell-on king prawns, garlic-infused olive oil, chilli, parsley and vinegar or lemon juice. The prawn shells and heads are fried separately to deepen the oil’s flavour before the prawns are quickly cooked and served with bread. Alternatives are offered for cooked or peeled prawns, different chilli options and other seafood such as squid, scallops, clams and fish.

Felicity Cloake compares several approaches to recreating Wall's Viennetta, assessing ice-cream bases, chocolate layers, flavourings and decoration. She concludes that a French meringue folded into whipped cream gives the closest texture and flavour to the original while improving its richness, and recommends freezing thin chocolate sheets separately before layering them with the cream mixture in a loaf tin. The finished dessert is decorated with sweetened whipped cream and cocoa powder, keeps for up to a month in the freezer, and can be adapted with flavours such as mint, basil, nuts or cherries.

A food writer explores the Gower Peninsula by car and on foot, sampling seafood, ice cream, Greek pastries, artisan bread, local gin and Welsh specialities. Highlights include crab sandwiches at the Gower Seafood Hut, Michelin-starred dining at the Beach House in Oxwich, and the View cafe at Rhossili. The journey celebrates the peninsula’s strong links between dramatic landscapes, local producers and high-quality cooking, while the final stretch toward Pen-clawdd remains to be completed.

A step‑by‑step guide to preparing Russian salad, outlining recommended ingredients, preparation of individual vegetables, and instructions for making homemade mayonnaise. Emphasizes balancing textures, cooking vegetables separately for best results, and offers optional additions such as eggs, meat or plant‑based alternatives, herbs and pickles before mixing lightly with mayonnaise.

Explains how to prepare Uyghur-style lamb skewers, comparing cuts of meat, marinades, spice blends, and cooking techniques drawn from several recipe authors. Highlights the importance of cumin and chilli as defining seasonings and recommends lamb rump with simple onion-and-salt marination. Provides detailed grilling guidance, finishing steps, and serving suggestions to recreate the popular street snack at home.

Cooking while camping becomes easier by focusing on durable, versatile ingredients such as cured chorizo, feta and eggs, combined with minimal equipment like a small stove and basic seasonings. Simple dishes inspired by various chefs offer adaptable options, from salads and tortillas to baba ganoush improvised over a campfire. Additional reflections include baking a triple‑chocolate malt cake, the intense diets of Tour de France athletes and seasonal cherry preserving, alongside a recommendation for preparing cold brew coffee during hot weather.

Explains the origins, ingredients and preparation of a classic Cobb salad, outlining steps for cooking the chicken and eggs, making the dressing, preparing the vegetables and assembling the dish. Offers substitution suggestions for dietary preferences and includes practical notes on handling the leaves and components.

A series of new and classic cookbooks is highlighted for their distinctive culinary perspectives, from Özlem Warren’s exploration of Istanbul’s diverse food traditions to Nokx Majozi’s celebration of South African cuisine. Additional titles cover Mediterranean inspirations, trattoria cooking, simplified Indian dishes and creative everyday meals, while others offer cultural reflection or revisit foundational Southern US cooking. Each book is praised for evocative storytelling, strong recipes or fresh approaches, offering wide-ranging options for summer cooking.

Discusses variations in Greek and Cypriot souvlaki, comparing marinades, meat cuts, cooking methods and accompaniments from several chefs before presenting a streamlined recipe for chicken souvlaki using thighs, a simple lemon–garlic–oregano marinade and grilling, along with suggested salads, sauces and serving methods.

Provides a step-by-step method for preparing courgette fritti, covering optimal courgette size and shape, salting for crispness, mixing a light batter, whisking egg whites, and frying in batches. Recommends serving the crisp fries with dips such as garlic mayonnaise, hot sauce, salsa verde or yoghurt-based mixtures, and notes that components can be prepared in advance.

Detailed steps outline preparation, drying, frying, and saucing techniques for buffalo chicken wings, accompanied by a blue cheese dip and crudités. Emphasizes separating wing cuts, achieving crispness through air‑drying, balancing tang and heat in the coating sauce, and serving with complementary sides for a classic presentation.

Traditional British bakes such as lardy cakes, iced buns and simple scones are becoming harder to find as trends toward constant reinvention and globally influenced desserts accelerate. Felicity Cloake highlights local bakeries still producing classics while lamenting the decline of long‑standing regional specialties in the face of fast‑moving food fashions. She notes broader cultural shifts, from rising chocolate‑centric desserts to diminishing use of sweet spices and dried fruits, and points to similar losses in places like Singapore and India. The column closes with observations from her travels, upcoming food events, and initiatives promoting local food systems.

A step-by-step method for preparing keema peas using minced lamb or mutton, toasted spices, aromatics, yoghurt for richness, and fresh herbs and peas. Offers advice on ingredient substitutions, heat adjustments, and serving options, noting that the dish stores and freezes well.

Explains how to prepare papas arrugadas using small new potatoes cooked in heavily salted water to achieve their signature wrinkled, salt‑crusted finish, drawing on methods from several chefs and traditional Canarian sources. Highlights the impact of salt levels on texture and flavour and outlines a preferred technique that avoids overcooking. Provides a detailed mojo picón recipe, describing chilli, spice and vinegar choices and how they influence heat and balance. Concludes with serving suggestions and contextual notes on the dish’s history and regional variations.

Actors from The Archers reflect on the show’s 75th anniversary and their upcoming live theatre tour, describing the appeal and challenges of bringing a radio drama to the stage. They discuss the deep connection listeners have with the characters, the imaginative demands of radio performance, and their excitement and anxieties about adding a visual dimension. Cast members share humorous anecdotes, production details, and their affection for their long‑standing roles while noting how devoted fans may know more history than the actors themselves.

Describes how to prepare bourride, a simpler Provençal fish stew enriched with aïoli, offering ingredient guidance, optional shellfish variations, and step-by-step instructions for making the broth, cooking the fish, and emulsifying the aïoli before combining everything for serving.

Risotto primavera is presented as a versatile spring dish built around fresh green vegetables, with comparisons of methods and ingredients from various Italian and British cooks. Carnaroli rice is recommended for the best texture, while asparagus, peas and broad beans form the core vegetables, blanched separately to preserve freshness. Homemade stock made from vegetable trimmings is preferred over commercial options, and butter is favoured for richness, complemented by pecorino for its salty tang. The recipe concludes with step‑by‑step instructions for preparing a bright, seasonal risotto suitable as either a starter or main course.

Food serves as the central inspiration and emotional anchor for the author’s new novel, shaping characters, settings and memorable scenes through vivid culinary detail. Reflecting on influential food-centric literature, the author highlights how dishes from various novels linger in memory longer than plotlines. Recent personal experiences, culinary discoveries and events—from literary festivals to restaurant dishes and unique cocktails—further underscore food’s significance as both creative fuel and sensory delight.

Provides a step-by-step method for preparing Sicilian arancini, explaining how to cook and season the rice, shape and fill the balls, prepare the batter and breadcrumbs, and fry them to achieve a golden crust. Notes offer guidance on substitutions, use of leftovers, and ensuring proper oil temperature. The dish is presented as a practical snack or lunch option, with suggestions for serving and advance preparation.

Explores traditional and modern approaches to Spanish broad bean stew, comparing techniques, ingredients and cooking times suggested by various chefs and writers. Highlights the benefits of long, slow cooking for richer flavor, discusses the role of pork elements such as cured ham or bacon, and outlines optional additions including garlic, mint and sherry. Concludes with a detailed recipe emphasizing soft, stewed beans served warm with olive oil and bread.

Custard creams are examined through their history, texture and flavour, with multiple recipes compared to identify the ideal balance of crisp biscuit and custard‑powder‑based filling. Variations from Prue Leith, Alison Niven, Regula Ysewijn, Nicola Lamb and Nigella Lawson are tested, leading to a final method that emphasises a snappy vanilla biscuit, minimal moisture‑retaining ingredients and a simple buttercream enriched with custard powder and salt. The recipe provides detailed steps for dough preparation, shaping, baking and assembling to create a refined homemade version of the classic British biscuit.

Explains how to prepare traditional French creme caramel by infusing milk with vanilla, cooking a caramel syrup, assembling the custard, and baking the filled moulds in a water bath before chilling and unmoulding.

Provides a detailed nine‑step method for preparing Southern fried chicken at home, including buttermilk brining, flour coating, chilling and frying techniques to achieve a juicy interior and crisp exterior, with guidance on ingredient choices and cooking temperatures.

Late-winter and early-spring produce shortages prompt cooks to rely on stored winter vegetables, spring greens and frozen fruit, with chefs offering lighter seasonal dishes from soups and salads to baked beetroot, ceviche and nettle-based recipes. A variety of desserts featuring rhubarb and frozen berries provide sweet options, while culinary discoveries from a new Edinburgh cookbook shop to an In-N-Out-inspired London pop-up round out a week of food-focused experiences.