England · Scotland · Wales · Ireland
British Isles Cuisine, Kitchen & Dining
The traditions behind the food: afternoon tea, British baking, the Sunday roast. Recipes that belong to them, tools to plan them, and honest guides to the kitchen and table that make them work.
New this week
Fresh from the kitchen
Recipe · 3 hr 20 min
Irish Spiced Beef
Cork's Christmas tradition: beef rubbed with spices and sugar for a week, then simmered and served thinly sliced. Start it now.
Kitchen design
The Christmas Larder Checklist: What to Stock and When
A printable checklist of what to buy in November, what to leave until Christmas week, and how long each keeps.
Buying guide
Kitchen Fire Blankets: What They Are and How to Use One
A fire blanket on the kitchen wall costs little and can smother a small pan fire. What to look for and the rules for using it safely.
Recipe · 25 min
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
The recipe that wins over sprout sceptics: crisp-edged sprouts fried with smoky bacon and sweet chestnuts in 15 minutes.
Kitchen design
How to Set a Christmas Table: Place Settings, Crackers and Centrepieces
The cutlery order that never confuses anyone, where the crackers go, and a centrepiece that still leaves room for the turkey.
Buying guide
Punch Bowls for Christmas Parties
A big bowl of mulled punch does the hosting for you. Sizes, materials and how many cups you need.
Cuisine
Explore the British Isles
English Food
Roasts, pies, puddings and regional bakes from Yorkshire to Cornwall.
Scottish Food
Shortbread, oats, smoked fish and the Burns supper.
Welsh Food
Welsh cakes, bara brith, lamb and leeks.
Irish Food
Soda bread, stews and the breads of the Irish kitchen.
Northern Irish Food
Griddle breads, the Ulster fry and home baking.
Kitchen
Kitchen design & decor ideas
Kitchen design
The Christmas Larder Checklist: What to Stock and When
A printable checklist of what to buy in November, what to leave until Christmas week, and how long each keeps.
Kitchen design
How to Set a Christmas Table: Place Settings, Crackers and Centrepieces
The cutlery order that never confuses anyone, where the crackers go, and a centrepiece that still leaves room for the turkey.
Kitchen design
Kitchen Fire Safety: Alarms, Fire Blankets and Chip Pans
Most home fires start in the kitchen. The alarm that belongs there, what to do if a pan catches fire, and why water makes it worse.
Kitchen design
Kitchen Condensation and Mould in Winter: How to Stop It
Streaming windows are a warning sign. Why kitchens get condensation in winter, the habits that cut it, and when mould is a health risk.
Kitchen design
Buying Vintage and Antique Kitchen Furniture: What to Check
Old dressers, tables and chairs bring real character, and real pitfalls: woodworm, wobbly joints and old lead paint.
Kitchen design
Deep Pan Drawers or Cupboards? Why Many Kitchens Are Switching
Pull a drawer and everything comes to you; open a cupboard and you kneel. How deep drawers compare, and what to put in them.
Kitchen design
Kitchen Extensions and Orangeries: What You Can Build Without Planning Permission
A single-storey rear extension can often go up to 3 or 4 metres without full planning permission. The limits, exceptions and design choices.
Kitchen design
Christmas Dinner: How to Plan Your Oven and Hob Space
One oven, a turkey and six side dishes: a timetable that fits them all, plus safe defrosting times from the Food Standards Agency.
Kitchen
Bake & cook
Guides
Choose well
Buying guide
Baking Beans: Blind Baking Without a Soggy Bottom
Ceramic beans, metal chains or dried pulses: what to use for blind baking, and how to do it properly.
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Flat baking sheets, deep trays and bun tins: which to own for biscuits, scones and mince pies.
Buying guide
Biscuit Cutters for Christmas Baking
Stars, trees and gingerbread people: the cutters worth having for Christmas biscuits, and how to keep their shapes sharp.
Recipes
Traditional bakes & classics
Recipe · 3 hr 20 min
Irish Spiced Beef
Cork's Christmas tradition: beef rubbed with spices and sugar for a week, then simmered and served thinly sliced. Start it now.
Recipe · 25 min
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
The recipe that wins over sprout sceptics: crisp-edged sprouts fried with smoky bacon and sweet chestnuts in 15 minutes.
Recipe · 1 hr 30 min
Macaroni Pie
Macaroni cheese baked inside a crisp hot-water crust: the Scottish bakery classic that sounds odd and tastes brilliant.
Recipe · 1 hr 30 min
Mince Pies
Crisp, buttery pastry and a spoonful of spiced mincemeat: make a batch now, freeze them, and bake fresh all December.
Recipe · 40 min
Clapshot
Orkney's buttery mash of potato and swede with chives: two Scottish staples better together, and ready in 30 minutes.
Recipe · 1 hr 40 min
Apple Tart (Plate Pie)
Sharp Bramley apples between two layers of sweet shortcrust on a pie plate: the apple tart of every Northern Irish kitchen.
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