It’s official the John Lewis Christmas ad is out… back in to London with BBC Good Food show today and feeling thoroughly festive. The Christmas lights are on in Oxford Street and I already sense it seems busier, how many shopping days till the day? I have been busy with more Christmas canapés this time beetroot, dill and goat’s cheese cups (yes I know the beetroot is still featuring on my menu!)  and Thursday evening my first drinks party for Christmas.  My homemade marmalade

Its been one of those weeks, actually a couple now… car accident (not my fault), back door broke and then yesterday realised someone has been using my credit card, so on the phone most of the morning with the fraud department at Visa, no I haven’t flown to Switzerland recently! Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to sort this all out, let alone work. Yesterday ventured down the Purley Way, Croydon to return a computer that has not worked and we only purchased it 2

This great recipe comes via Ruth Hinks and you can watch the video on You Tube. Makes: 6 ramekins Ingredients 225g  70% dark chocolate 50g Unsalted butter 6 Medium egg whites 130g Caster sugar 3 Medium egg yolks Butter for lining the ramekin Caster sugar for lining the ramekin Pre-heat your oven to 200°C. To prevent your soufflé from sticking, brush the sides of your ramekins with soft (not melted) butter. Then coat each ramekin with caster sugar and tip out the excess. Place

Always pleasantly surprised when talking to a celebrity and find them to be – easy, relaxed and down to earth, just an approachable yet highly successful and passionate lady! I am talking about Ruth Hinks, World Class Chocolate Master, who secured a top-5 finish for the UK ahead of national Chocolate Masters from France, Belgium and Switzerland – the highest result by a UK pastry chef in an international competition. Read my interview at: Ruth Hinks – A Life in Chocolate Cert

Wednesday 1st June 2016 – Westerham Village Hall To celebrate the Queen’s Birthday in style I will be running with Sally Boulton a Royal Bake Off. A chance to come compete and prove you are the Royal Star Baker! Just like the TV Show, we will present you all with two baking recipes (clues a little closer to the time, so you can practise) and you will need to follow these recipe in an hour. You will have additional ingredients to ‘individualise’ your baking creations ready for

Friday 13th May 2016 – Westerham Village Hall Come and learn the secrets of Summer Entertaining, learning time-saving tips and some delicious new recipes using seasonal produce, with Jo Banks and Sally Boulton. A selection of canapé recipes and picnic food to include: Sweet potato miso bites… with the hint of Asian flavors. These miso sweet potato bites could be served before a Japanese- or Korean-influenced meal, or any number of vegetarian-friendly gatherings. The sauce or

Hi, I’m Joanne Banks – Jo to my friends – so please join me as Jo. A busy mum of 2 children – actually I will correct myself immediately – mum to one child and one challenging teenager, who reminds me she is an adult… and generally knows better! Unfortunately on Blogging, Social Media and generally life online she probably does! Her comment was…. ‘Mum, what are you doing writing a blog? You need to be young, hip and happening like Zoella…’ Oh dear! Well my target audience is

Take time, if you can, a day out or a few hours to yourself to visit this years Ideal Home Show at Olympia, sponsored by Zoopla. The usual marketing blurb…. whether you’re looking for a DIY fix or interior inspiration, you’ll discover new products and expert advice across eight sections including: Ideal Interiors, Ideal Home Improvements, Ideal Food & Housewares, Ideal Fashion & Beauty, Ideal Technology, Ideal Gardens, Ideal Shopping and beautiful show homes…. I would say it

After talking with these chocolatiers and continuing my learning about ‘real’ chocolate I am realising the benefits and how the antioxidants and the ‘feel good’ factor of chocolate is a really good thing to start the day! If you buy quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, then it is actually quite nutritious. It contains a decent amount of soluble fibre and is loaded with minerals. A 100 gram bar of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa contains (1): 11 grams of fiber 67

Monday 4th July 2016 Local chef Mike Pitt from Oxted, who is known for his exclusive Supper Clubs, as well as regularly freelancing with Jamie Oliver’s team will be teaching this Knife Skills course! Mike has his own catering company ‘Taste the Seasons’. Learn to handle a knife with confidence. Slice, dice, peel and chop fruit, vegetables, herbs and meat swiftly and efficiently. This hands-on workshop will show you the right way to choose, use, sharpen and store a knife. Star