Breakfast/Brunch

These small yeast pancakes take a little while to make but are worth the effort. Delicious served with sour cream, smoked salmon, lumpfish roe or caviar and chopped hard boiled eggs. Ooh...we know how to live!

Buckwheat flour is gluten free and has a delicious nutty flavour.  In Brittany, France the buckwheat pancake is a regional speciality. Although delicious with a sweet filling, such as stewed apples, you cannot beat a savoury filled buckwheat pancake... bacon and egg .... smoked salmon and creme fraiche.....ham and melted cheese....

Drop scones also known as Scotch Pancakes are smaller and  thicker than a crepe and sweet rather than savoury. Eat them for breakfast spread with butter, jam or honey. Also experiment by adding grated citrus zest, sultanas or fresh fruit such as blueberries into the batter before cooking.

A toasted muesli, nice with fresh fruit and yoghurt for a vegetarian breakfast, this is a very adaptable recipe using any grains, seeds and nuts that you fancy.

12 hot cross buns for Easter. The dough can be made the night before and the first rise allowed to take place in the fridge, but check that it has doubled in size before knocking back and kneading.  Serve warm from the oven with butter.

A note about yeast - Active dried yeast and fresh yeast both need to be dissolved in liquid and activated with a little sugar before using. Quick action or instant yeast can be added directly to the dry ingredients without dissolving. Quantity wise using fresh yeast means doubling the quantity of active dried yeast. For quick action/instant yeast follow the manufacturers directions although as a guide half the amount of active dried yeast will be required.

You can't beat the flavour and colour of the new seasons' forced rhubarb. Look out for it in January when it brings a welcome lift to the seasonal fruit offering. Eat this compote on yoghurt for breakfast, or with rice pudding, or on top of a cheesecake or just enjoy it as it is.