So the sun is finally shining here in the UK - but for how long? Make the most of it with as much alfresco eating as possible. After a picnic, a barbecue is my favorite outdoor eating.
Barbecues can be a dangerous place, especially for small children and inexperienced cooks. Follow these handy tips to ensure your barbecue is safe and fun.
I am not a fan of sizzled sausages and charred chicken but with a little care in cooking and some creative recipes, there's no need to have either.
If it rains…most barbecue foods are suitable for cooking indoors under a grill or in a hot oven (400°F, 200°C, gas mark 6.) so don’t let rain stop play.
Tomatoes on the Vine
This weekend I had one of my favorite moments of the summer - picking and eating my first ripe tomato in the vegetable garden.
The tomato is for me, one of the simplest pleasures of summer food. Not the fraudulent red bullets on sale in supermarkets but the juicy fruits, picked from the vine, on a sunny afternoon. One hint of the musky aroma and I salivate; it is my favorite fruit. I could give up many foods but never tomatoes.
Eating fresh from the vine is the best, but with the glut in the coming months I cook my tomatoes as well in as many ways that I can. And, for the autumn and winter months ahead, preserve them into sauces so I can bring back that wonderful moment on a summers' day when I ate the first one, warm from the vine.
