Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough starter is a wonderful thing – I’ve not yet used mine to make bread, but already my nose and mouth have developed an appreciation for all it can convey. Take these pancakes, for instance; never before has a pancake been so flavourful, complex or versatile. Indeed, what you see before you are equally suited to both sweet and savoury toppings – there need be no limit to your imagination here. Just you wait!

Pure Cocoa Hot Chocolate

Sweet, bitter or white, hot chocolate is the ultimate hug in a mug. It is warm, luxurious and, most importantly, contains a rather popular stimulant about which you may or may not have heard. Personally, a rich and bitter hot chocolate appeals to my inner desires, so for this recipe pure (100%) cocoa paste seemed in order. Though the recipe includes both milk and sugar – two of three fundamental parts of milk chocolate – pure cocoa helps lift this rendition above the attempts of most cafés. Indeed, insipidity reigns supreme in the world of hot chocolate – time to turn things around.

Honey Cake (lekach)

Honey cake, or lekach, is a dense and sweet cake traditionally consumed by Ashkenazi Jews over the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Despite having Middle Eastern roots the flavour of honey cake will likely be dependent on the region in which it is baked. Local flora heavily influences the flavour of honey, making it specific to a certain area or even garden. This local connection is what makes food like this truly spectacular – not only is it homemade, its flavour is drawn from its surrounding environment.

Blood Orange and Couscous Salad

The blood orange season is drawing to a close – March will be their last hurrah – though their tart flavour and vibrant colour more than makes up for a rather ephemeral existence. The best way to consume a regular orange is to feast on its sweet flesh, alone and unadulterated. However, as a result of their somewhat more complex flavour things are a little different when it comes to blood oranges – it makes them ideal candidates for all manner of salad. Though, of course, they do remain a pleasure when consumed in culinary isolation.

Open Stuffed Mushroom Toastie

There are so many recipes for stuffed mushrooms in the foodie wilderness – the concept is something of a classic, in all its forms. From chestnuts to ricotta, many different ingredients work a treat when bundled headlong into the cap of a dark, flavoursome mushroom. Spinach is a top-notch candidate for fungi padding; once wilted with a little freshly grated nutmeg and butter it has both the taste and texture to compete with its woodland captor. The nutritional value of this dish also makes it the ideal start to the day – let your boss know who I am, he can thank me later for your increased productivity.