Desperate Reader

I love the River Cottage handbooks, every time I write about them I find myself enthusing about the same things - they're lovely to ha...

A new River Cottage handbook is, as far as I'm concerned, a cause for celebration. A new River Cottage handbook from John Wright is most...

After a very hectic few weeks I'm finally sitting in a reasonably tidy flat, awake, and happy in the knowledge that absolutely nothing...

I've been away in the Scottish borders for a week - it's a part of the country I love more each time I go there. It has idyllic sce...

A river cottage handbook. About Herbs. By Nikki Duffy - whose 'Source It' column was my favourite thing about 'The Guardian...

It’s that time of year again – the blackberries are ripe in the hedges, I’m asking my friend L about the state of her father’s plums (alth...

Inspired by my sister and the river cottage ‘Fruit’ book in almost equal measure (but sister’s summer pudding was quite remarkable so sh...

This is the latest river cottage handbook and today it’s had a proper outing from the shelf. I’ve been stuck indoors waiting for a courier t...

Thursday night whilst I was settling in front of the television for an hour or so of thinking about getting round to the ironing I was distu...

I saw swallows yesterday, and the Scottish one disappeared for quite a long time to look at pictures of boats on the internet – both sure si...