Nirvana in a major key. The weirdest, warpiest thing your brain has heard this week.

Sometimes academia is a dog-eat-dog world.

Colour impacts on our ability to taste different flavours.

Having the kind of day when only cake will do? This gingerbread salted caramel layer cake looks delicious.

“Eating comfort food can cure a lonely heart“.

Improving oneself in January. An article to make you think about the point of it all.

Baking the cinnamon rolls from Mario Batali’s ‘apology’ letter. And related, Batali & Bastianach restaurant group is restructuring.

Volunteering can help improve your life.

“Reading too many health stories, I’ve decided, is bad for your sanity“. Bee Wilson on health in the new year.

Protecting cocoa trees in the wake of the modern world.

I loved both these articles from the NYT magazine. The first, by Dorie Greenspan, reflects on learning to cook instinctively, without recipes or measurements. The second, by Samin Nosrat, is on the joy of friendship and cooking. The importance of cooking in taking care of, and being cared for…

Thoughts on robots preparing your salad in a restaurant?

An interview with Tim Hayward.

I made these cookies on the weekend. (To accompany some rather delicious fig, dark chocolate and marsala ice cream I made for dessert – from Nigel Slater’s Christmas Chronicles). They are very good, and rolling them in sugar before slicing and baking is a genius idea but are they the best chocolate chip cookie ever? I am not convinced.

This tart looks delicious. The feed over on Canal House is inspirational if you are not sure what to cook this month. Pistachio lemon bars sound like a brilliant idea.

Have a good week! x