On many occasions, an informal buffet and casual seating offer a little more intimacy than a loud gathering around a big table.

Good-quality nuts, toasted in a little butter and salt, make a magical addition to many salads.

There's nothing more marvelously wintery than orange root veg mash; some butter is all it needs.

Like parents, cooks shouldn't have favourites, but some recipes inevitably shine more than others.

A quick shallow fry is a great way to transform leftovers, and no more so than in the case of risotto.

Like brown rice, black rice is unmilled, and it is the dark outer husk that makes it so nutty and chewy. It's also why it takes longer to cook than many other rices.