Delicious UK November 2023

Gingerbread pancakes with bacon & maple syrup Serves 2-4 Hands-on time 20 min, plus 20 min resting BE A BETTER COOK The resting time isn't essential if you want your pancakes in a hurry. However, resting allows the gluten in the flour to relax (after the whisking), giving fluffier pancakes. Put 180g plain flour, 1 tsp each baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger, ½ tsp mixed spice and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Pour in 220ml whole milk and 1 tbsp melted butter, crack in 1 large free-range egg, then whisk to a smooth batter. Leave to rest for 20 minutes. Heat the grill to medium, then cook 12 streaky bacon rashers until crisp (or however you like them).…

We love putting each November issue together because the season has properly turned (after this year's long-overdue burst of sun in October). With the change of seasons has come a raft of new ingredients to spark ideas in the kitchen as thoughts leap ahead to the celebrations a few weeks away. delicious. has a milestone to mark, too: the magazine was launched 20 years ago this month. If you're a long-standing subscriber you might just remember that, yes, our first ever issue was dated December 2003, not November, but back then the magazine came out a month ahead of the cover date. So much has changed during that time – in the food world and beyond – and it's been uplifting to take a breath, look back and be reminded…

PARTY TIME Turkey kofte with cranberry-tahini dip p65 Ripped oven chips with smoked chilli and roasted garlic dip p58 Spiced fruit and mascarpone ice cream cake sandwiches p84 If your diary is filling up with various soirées, get-togethers and parties, you'll need an array of culinary delights to satiate your guests. These finger foods will go down a storm, whether you're cooking for four or 14. FESTIVE FLAVOURS Blood orange, burrata and cinnamon-cashew salad with mulled wine glaze p48 Sausage and cheese brioche dough balls with ‘nduja cranberry dip p82 Black forest ‘forest’ p70 Christmas fare doesn't always mean turkey dinners – there are plenty of festive-adjacent dishes that still bring seasonal cheer. A colourful salad served with a bang-on-trend sharing dish, followed by a pud gearing us up for…

READY FOR CRAFTS-MAS? Make your own centrepiece or book a creative workshop in the run-up to Christmas GOOD FOR GIFTS At Winchester City Mill in Hampshire, ceramicist Tash Fry klā will host a session on creating handmade candlestick holders, trinket dishes and more. 6-8pm, 13 & 14 Nov, £50, nationaltrust-tickets.org.uk FOR A FESTIVE FRONT DOOR Learn the art of wreath making with The Northern Flower Garden at Souter Lighthouse, Tyne & Wear (3 and 5 Dec, £50; thenorthernflowergarden.co.uk) or with floral expert Caroline Millar at spectacular Floors Castle in Roxburghshire, Scotland (7 Dec, £65; includes coffee and lunch; floorscastle.com). To find a course near you visit either nationaltrust.org.uk or english-heritage.org.uk Joys of the season New in… Clementines, cranberries. Going strong… Beetroot, butternut squash, celeriac, celery, chicory, chestnuts, horseradish, jerusalem artichokes, kale,…

STAR EMAIL ★ Subject: Looking forward to comfort food From: Claire I've been so busy moving house that I missed summer, and now, in my new home, I've been pining for the warmer months. Not any more: your October issue made me look forward to autumn and winter, and the section on chestnut recipes, in particular, has inspired me… It's time to open that tin of French chestnut purée I've not known what to do with. Thanks for helping me look forward, not back. Last month's Talking Point, on the topic of orderly vs disorderly spice racks, sparked differing opinions… From: Sarah I always flick to Talking Point first, but I was disappointed to read the narrow-minded opinions of Cat Thomson. Apparently, if someone is a “perfectly coiffed queen” and…

“I will eat or try almost anything ” Drink order? Decaff tea or a negroni spritz. Kitchen obsession? My two mini doughnut makers. I'm loving a savoury doughnut canapé! Fridge staple? Sriracha sauce and sriracha mayo. Perfect for livening up any bowl of food. ‘Secret weapon’ ingredient? Truffle honey. Ever had a cooking disaster? One Christmas I served a gammon centrepiece I'd bought, which I thought looked beautiful and festive. It was only as my chef brother-in-law sliced into it that he asked if I shouldn't have roasted it first. Any foods you don't like? I will eat or try almost anything, but I can't tolerate mushrooms (despite that, I do like truffles). And octopus – how can we eat them? They create their own gardens! Favourite food writer? For…