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  Pickling is more than a recipe; it’s a rhythm, a way of moving through the seasons with curiosity, creativity, and a little bit of joyful rebellion. As summer stretches across the hedgerows and gardens, Jen is out gathering, tasting, and pickling her way through the warm months, turning everyday vegetables into jars of brightness. Because here’s the truth: Whether it’s for today’s dish or your Christmas table… whatever it is, pickle it. Pickling gives you flavour that lasts. It gives you a way to stretch ingredients across the week. It gives you a spark of colour on a BBQ...

 There are certain moments in the year that feel like quiet rituals small, familiar markers that tell me the seasons are turning. For me, spring truly begins with elderflowers. One of my earliest memories is scrambling up steep hedgerow banks, tiny hands reaching for those creamy, fragrant blossoms. The banks always felt impossibly tall, but the promise of elderflower was enough to make me climb, stretch, and scramble. Even now, I still feel that same spark of excitement. As soon as the air begins to warm, I’m out searching the lanes like a cat after a mouse, scanning the hedgerows, peering into the...

Making jam isn’t just a kitchen task; it’s an art form, a slow, mindful ritual built on patience, commitment, and a deep respect for the ingredients. But before the fruit, before the sugar, before the gentle simmer that fills the house with sweetness, there’s something even more fundamental. It starts with the pan. Not any old pan pulled from the back of a cupboard. A jam pan needs soul. It needs history. It needs to be crafted with intention by people who care as much about the making as you care about the cooking. And that’s where this story begins....

 Medlar Magic at Greenwich Park Some days feel timeless, stitched together with history, community, and the scent of fruit simmering on the stove. Last week was one of those days. At Queen’s Anne Orchard in Greenwich Park, alongside the amazing volunteers and staff, we gathered medlars — those curious, ancient fruits — and turned them into something extraordinary.  From Orchard to Jelly Jar ! We made classic medlar jelly, a recipe that has been passed down for centuries. The fruit, once bletted (softened and sweetened by time), transforms from its comical “dog bottom” appearance into a silky, amber jelly. It’s...