My springtime foodie edit
From the latest cookbook launches to new condiments, food trends for 2025 and cook’s tips for making the perfect poached eggs, here’s my springtime foodie edit.
Three of the best pistachio treats
Go nutty and embrace the ongoing pistachio trend with my top three chocolate treats.
1. Hotel Chocolat’s pistachio chocolate selector
These smooth, bitesize morsels (pictured) provide a subtle taste of pistachio within a caramel milk chocolate. The perfect ‘not too sweet’ entry level pistachio treat that you’ll come back to time-and-time again.
2. No.1 The Cracking Pistachio from Waitrose
Join the millions of people addicted to the Waitrose internet sensation - crack open the blonde chocolate shell to reveal a pistachio-flavoured ‘nut’ inside, sit back and prepare for pure indulgence.
3. Pistachio cookies from The Bath Bakervee
Join the queue outside this boutique Bath bakery and choose one of their pistachio-based cookies. The white chocolate and pistachio is packed with nuts and sweet, gooey chocolate nibs, whilst the Dubai cookie builds on the Dubai chocolate bar trend, using a chocolate base cookie filled with a homemade pistachio cream that incorporates kataifi wafer, and is topped with crunchy pistachios.
Cook book review
The Little Book of Chocolate - Cakes & Pastries
By Melanie Dupuis
Melanie Dupuis trained as a pastry chef and caterer in France and worked in the country’s best hotels and restaurants (Benoit Castel) before becoming a food writer. Her fifth book follows a familiar style of beautiful infographics, contemporary step-by-step guides and adventurous recipes.
Why I love it
This beautiful little book takes the mystery out of those fancy baking terms, arming you with the confidence to attack seemingly complicated processes like crafting ganache and tempering chocolate. By the end you’ll know your rock glaze from your diplomat cream and feel like a master chocolatier in your own kitchen.
What to try
Start simple with shortbread cookies with chocolate chips and walnuts (Melanie suggests swapping walnuts for macadamia) before getting adventurous with the chocolate puff pastry millefeuilles filled with layers of creamy ganache.
Cook’s tip: poaching to perfection
Do you swirl, use a splash of vinegar or turn to a trusty silicone mould? How to poach the perfect egg comes with it’s own controversy, but Oliver Whyte, head chef of Rye Bakery Cafe, Frome believes he has the perfect poaching method.
“We poach the eggs in water that’s 64.5 degrees for one hour, then we dunk them into cold water, and then we leave them and to order we’re cracking them into boiling water for four minutes. That’s the best way to do it,” he says.
Food trends to get excited about
Flavours less travelled from the southern states of the US and Pampas in Argentina are likely to make it onto British plates in 2025. Here’s an overview of some of the likely food trends heading our way.
BBQ’d meats and gooey caramel from South America
Anything smothered in gooey caramel gets my vote which is why the thought of dulce de leche on pancakes, cheesecakes or ice cream fills me with delight. It’s part of a growing Argentinian food trend which could see more of this South American caramelised milk staple making its way into daily bakes and desserts.
Meat and cheese filled empanadas (bite sized ‘pasties’ wrapped in a light pastry) could also fill a demand for “on the go” lunches with a difference. What excites me the most is the thought of more Argentinian-style BBQ cooking making it into British gastronomy. If you think Brits have an unhealthy obsession with BBQ’ing, it’s nothing compared to the Argentinians, who place the assado at the heart of any social or cultural event. Layers of beef, pork and chicken are cooked over an open fire or grill called a parrilla for the ultimate meat feast. Pair that with plenty of chimichurri - a vibrant mix of parsley, garlic and lemon juice - and you’re in heaven.
*For a taste of Argentina in London, try Zoilo in Marylebone. The modern Argentinian grill combines seasonal British ingredients with Argentine beef and a carefully selected Argentine wine list. Dishes include grilled chorizo, carrots and dates, seed’s chimicurri and sorrel; and ASADO flank steak, bone marrow jus and oyster mayo.
Comfort food from the Southern States
Hearty, flavoursome dishes that blend African, European and Native American flavours are likely to head our way from the deep south of USA. Expect Hot Po’ Boy sandwiches with meat lettuce and mayo; chicken and American biscuits (flaky, fluffy bread-like scones); jambalayas and Creole blackened fish with southern corn bread. Brace yourself for super sweet desserts including pecan pie with cream, peach cobbler and key lime pie. Where’s my spoon?
Did someone say fried chicken?
If your weakness is a succulent piece of fried chicken (we all know it’s ‘Finger lickin good’) then take a bite of yangnyeom dak or Korean fried chicken. Known for its crunchy exterior and spicy-sweet glaze, this Korean staple is typically eaten as the perfect sticky accompaniment to a beer.
If you’re looking for a taste of Korea, head to Dongnae, which is causing a stir in Bristol. Dongnae (meaning “neighbourhood”) has a menu packed with flavours of a traditional Korean BBQ and fermentation processes. Settle in for a front-row view of the kitchen and some exciting flavours. It’s on my list of places to try.
Counter Talk
Looking for a perfect Easter cheese to roundoff an indulgent lamb roast? then Kelston Park from the The Bath Soft Cheese Company could be just the ticket, says cheese monger Christophe Bonneau, from the Bradford on Avon Cheese Shop.
The Kelston Park is a white mould-ripened cheese made with milk from the small herd of Holstein Friesians at Park Farm, Kelston on the edge of Bath. Its creamy, tangy flavours makes it an ideal addition to a cheese board, in salads or sandwiches.
“It’s like a milder Brie. . .It’s not too heavy, it’s quite mild on the pallet. I’d pair it with something sweet as it complements the little saltiness,” Christophe says.
Hooray for Malay!
BBC Masterchef Champion 2014 Ping Coombes and husband Andrew launched “Ping At Home” during the Covid lockdown to bring the bold, aromatic flavours of Malaysia to homes in and around Bath. As well as the small weekly, changing menu of freshly cooked, chilled Malaysian dishes which can be heated at home, Ping has also created a number of jars and oils available to buy online. Her new Tomato and Ginger Sambal Ketchup provides a gentle heat and depth of flavour to bring a rich Malaysian twist to any dish. Try it in your next bacon sandwich, with cheese on toast or as a dip for chips or dumplings. It’s exclusively available on DELLI (£8.50).
Know your…onions
What’s the best accompaniment for a burger or addition to a salsa? here’s a guide to knowing your onions.
Best for sautéing
Yellow onions
Yellow onions are the most well-known, all-purpose onion. They have a pale golden skin, strong taste and white flesh which retains its structure when cooked. Sauté them with rapeseed oil or butter to create a comforting base for stews and soups or eat them raw in a cheese sandwich.
Best for salsa
Red onions
Red onions are a milder alternative to the yellow onion with their red-tinged flesh.
They work well eaten raw in salads, pickles or salsas. They can also be sweated down to create a sticky, sweet addition to a burger bun.
Best in sandwiches
White onions
White onions have a white skin and flesh and are usually milder, sweeter and more tender than yellow onions. They tend to break down more easily than yellow onions, so use them in dishes where you want the pieces to melt away, like in stews.
Best for asian dishes
Spring onions
Spring onions - also known as scallions or green onions - are actually young onions harvested before maturity. The whole plant can be eaten from the small white bulb up to the green tips. Milder than onions, they are ideal sliced up and sprinkled on stir fries, in salads or added to a soy sauce dumpling dip.
