Delicious UK Mar-18

Four days off … That’s what most of the population look forward to at Easter, isn’t it? A shining nugget of relaxation on the horizon after the dank, dark days of winter. Link that in your mind with images of spring flowers, the smell of a sticky-glossy joint of meat roasting in the oven, the promise of chocolate, a family/ friends gathering that doesn’t involve having to write cards and wrap presents and it all adds up to something pretty special. Which means pretty special recipes are needed to give the proceedings heart and focus… Welcome to your Easter issue! It’s Mothering Sunday this month as well – a moment to pause and say thank you. Perhaps, this year, make it an excuse to bake a cake for any…

1 Make… …edible Easter nests. Melt 200g milk or dark chocolate in a bowl over hot water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir in 100g pulled-apart shredded wheat, then divide among 12 paper muffin cases – or do them freeform. Make a dent in the middles using the back of a teaspoon and let them set. Fill with a clutch of mini eggs. 2 Put… …your brain to the test with our Easter quiz – the best way to round off a meal after one of your gatherings over the long weekend. The questions will test your knowledge on anything from chocolate bars to eggs to children’s fiction and films – all with a food theme, naturally. Find the quiz online at deliciousmagazine.co.uk/easterquiz. 3 Enjoy... …an Easter egg…

The 5-minute recipe 1 Watercress pesto MAKES ENOUGH FOR 400G PASTA In the small bowl of a food processor whizz together 100g bag of watercress, handful of fresh basil leaves, 1 garlic clove, 75g grated pecorino cheese, 5-6 tbsp olive oil, the grated zest and juice of ½ lemon, 50g toasted hazelnuts and a generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper (or finely chop the watercress by hand, then pound all the ingredients in a pestle and mortar). Stir into pasta for a quick supper or spread on crostini and top with smoked salmon for a smart nibble. 2 Easy watercress soup Gently fry 1 chopped onion in a pan with a little olive oil for 10 minutes until softened. Add 2 small chopped potatoes, 2 x…

SUBJECT: The meat you eat FROM : Julia Domanski I can’t express the joy and pride I felt reading your article ‘10 reasons why it’s better to eat no meat than cheap meat’ by Philip Lymbery [February issue, p68]. This issue is something I’ve spoken about passionately for a long time and I’m usually met with eye-rolls or an abrupt change of subject. I live in London now but write for the food section of a publication in my home country, South Africa. Your article has inspired me to write on the same topic in the hope of educating and inspiring South Africans in the same way that I’m sure you’ve now inspired many of your UK readers. SUBJECT: ‘Pronounced irritation’ FROM : Savita Ayling Victoria Glass’s take on pronunciation…

Top 5 kitchen appliances We like our gadgets, we do, and these are the five bits of kitchen kit most often found in British households. Predictably, kettles and toasters are owned by the highest proportion of homes (that’s breakfast sorted), but then it gets interesting… And the next-most popular kitchen gadgets... ✭ JUICER/SMOOTHIE MAKER (38%) ✭ CAPSULE COFFEE MACHINE (35%) ✭ ELECTRIC FRYER (35%) CHEESE BEHIND THE SCENES Acclaimed cheesemaker Quicke’s is opening the gates to the family farm in Devon for half-day cheese tours From April to September, visitors can learn about the long history of the Quicke family at Home Farm and meet cheesemakers with a combined experience of more than a century. It’s a chance to discover the secrets of fine cheesemaking, from the traditional skill of…

1764 Bath-based physician William Oliver died on 17 March leaving the legacy of the Bath Oliver, a pale, dry cracker. He’s said to have bequeathed the recipe and £100 to his coachman, Atkins, who founded a baking business and made a fortune. 1930 On 12 March Mahatma Gandhi began his 241-mile walk across India to the salt town of Dandi, as a non-violent protest against the British Salt Act, which banned domestic salt production. 1990 Food writer Jane Grigson died on 23 March on the eve of her 62nd birthday. The Observer cookery columnist for 22 years, she once famously advised “clever food isn’t appreciated at Christmas. It makes the little ones cry and the old ones nervous”.…