It's time to take advantage of the beautiful British asparagus season, what better way than simple spelt tempura asparagus, served with a delicious garlicky aioli. This may sound complicated, but they are such simple recipes that give a feeling of mastery and sound utterly seductive. These vegetarian dishes make beautiful starters which your guests will be seriously impressed with.

Spelt Tempura Asparagus with Aioli

Gavin Wren Recipes, Small Bites, Spelt & ancient grains, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian

There are recipes in this world which are hurried through the dining room with an aura of devout reverence, as their presence at the table embodies the pinnacle of gastronomic endeavour. I have always held tempura in such lofty esteem, regarding it a delicacy of such immeasurable finesse, that it would be sacrilege for a homely cook of my standing to even attempt it. God forbid.

Yet, after an afternoon of frolicking with flour, ice cold sparkling water and the most beautifully fine, delicately fresh, organic British asparagus, tempura’s spell has been broken. I now feel comfortable sharing this delicacy with you, fully believing that it is within the reach of every single one of us, because it is beautifully simple.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Spelt Tempura Asparagus with Aioli.

Spring, along with the asparagus season, has well and truly sprung. The past few days of high twenties… come and read more…

Here's a food photography lightroom tutorial along with how to make the perfect sourdough cheese toastie with homemade red onion chutney.

Food Photography Lightroom Tutorial and Sourdough Cheese Toastie

Gavin Wren Food Education, Recipes, Sandwiches & Wraps, Writing

Today’s post is a bumper double edition where I’m giving you quick food photography lightroom tutorial demonstrating how to select images, colour adjust them and edit them, alongside a lovely simple recipe for a sourdough cheese toastie with my own lovely, homemade red onion chutney.

I’m going to keep it short today and let the video do all the talking. But first, here are the images before and after Lightroom, you’ll find the video below them… come and read more…

Today's recipe harks back to the simplicity of great cooking, using the bare minimum of ingredients to create a simple red onion chutney which tastes utterly beautiful. This simple relish contains all of the delicious zingy sweetness that a good chutney should have. It's utterly beautiful slapped atop splinters of crusty bread alongside a summer spread of meats, fish, salad or during a sun drenched picnic.

Delicious & Simple Red Onion Chutney

Gavin Wren Basic Ingredients, No Added Sugar, Recipes

Today’s recipe harks back to the simplicity of great cooking, using the bare minimum of ingredients to create a simple red onion chutney which tastes utterly beautiful. This simple relish contains all of the delicious zingy sweetness that a good chutney should have. It’s utterly beautiful slapped atop splinters of crusty bread alongside a summer spread of meats, fish, salad or during a sun drenched picnic.

Earlier this week, I decided to make a red onion chutney, jam, marmalade, whatever the hell you want to call it. I’m going with chutney, I think jam or marmalade needs more sugar and less vinegar. Anyway, my first port of call was research – to the internet! Barrages of recipes, flavours and ideas had quickly engulfed my reading list proposing a vast range of styles and names for a red onion relish. People were extolling the benefits of multitudinous ways of making this simple… come and read more…

Today's recipe is a simple beetroot and mint salad with a pomegranate dressing, made with just a few ingredients and prepared in a matter of minutes. This delightful vegan and vegetarian dish makes a perfect side dish for a quick lunch or salad staple for the summer BBQ season.

Beetroot and Mint Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Gavin Wren Recipes, Salads, Side dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Today’s recipe is a simple beetroot and mint salad with a pomegranate dressing, made with few ingredients and whipped up in a matter of minutes. This delightful vegan and vegetarian dish makes a perfect side dish for a quick lunch or salad staple for the summer BBQ season.
My spiritual culinary hero, Edouard de Pomiane sums up beetroot beautifully in his book ‘cooking in 10 minutes’.
“Beetroot can be a very pleasant vegetable. Its [sic] possibilities are exploited far too little.” – Edouard de Pomiane
He continues to describe several beetroot recipes which redefine the word simplicity, the most straightforward recipe being laid out using thirteen words, including the title. That, however, is not the shortest in the book.

Hero.

Edouard de Pomiane published that book in 1930, becoming hero to many of today’s most lauded cookery writers. The inside cover sparkles with comments from pillars of culinary knowledge Elizabeth David “

Roasted broccoli is a revelation! It’s a great way to cook this green, adding a welcome texture which can easily be ruined by boiling. Coated with garlic and olive oil, along with slightly crisped and browned edges, it brings a completely different flavour to this Brassica. Throwing in some chickpeas and a herb yoghurt rounds it off beautifully, making a truly engrossing vegetarian side dish to bring to the table.

Roasted Broccoli with Herb Yoghurt

Gavin Wren Recipes, Side dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

A Big Day.

Today is spectacular milestone in the history of my blog.

It’s the day that I publish my two hundredth blog post. I can feel a huge surge of pride and satisfaction having created such a significant body of work. This is a very special moment for me, I feel a sense of joy, in recognition of the commitment required to reach two hundred blog posts.

I love a few stats, so here’s what 200 posts consists of, since 31st July 2014…

33 months, 1003 days, 193408 words, 1325 images, approximately 1280 hours writing, cooking, photographing and editing

…not to mention untold hours researching, using social media or swearing at Wordpress and my theme.

What have I learned?

A lot, I’ve learned a phenomenal amount whilst creating this blog. I have gained a heightened knowledge, not only about writing, photography, cooking and creating a

Virgin mojitos, or ‘nojitos’ are the most refreshing drink this side of a fresh lime soda. Perfect for a hot summer day or when you simply don’t want alcohol, these alcohol free cocktails are stunningly tasty, filled bashed lime and mint, topped up with chilled soda and ice cubes. The perfect mocktail for any occasion.

Virgin Mojito or ‘Nojito’ Alcohol Free Cocktail

Gavin Wren Drinks, Recipes

Today, I’m making a virgin mojito, or a ‘nojito’ as I call them. Alcohol doesn’t have a monopoly on awesome drinks and these alcohol free cocktails full of bashed up lime and mint make the perfect mocktail to tease your tastebuds, whatever the weather.

Alcohol Free.

I don’t drink alcohol, I stopped a few years ago. I wondered what the future of drinking would hold for me, was a destined for a life filled with fizzy water, squash and fruit juice? Had I just turned my back on the diverse, technicolour world of cocktails forever, consigned to boring, simple drinks forever more?

Well, no. That was clearly not the case and simply the ‘old’ Gavin wondering how any drink that doesn’t have alcohol could ever be exciting. The fact is, virgin cocktails still taste absolutely awesome, there is no need to have alcohol in them, unless you want