110 Great Portland St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 6PQ. Meal for five, including drinks and service: £240 It all began with a phone call.   This year, they would be asking me to organise the annual Christmas lunch. A motley crew of esurient accountants, demolishing Brobdingnagian carcasses and knocking back “complex” wines by the pail, only … More Picture Fitzrovia

“Miranda Priestly is a huge deal. I bet a million girls would kill for that job.” As those of us who are au fait with our fashion-centric film will realise, these words, taken from the indomitable Streep-Hathaway tour de force, The Devil Wears Prada, cannot help but leave somewhat of an acrid aftertaste in the … More Nine to Five

Five a.m. An alarm clock stirs, dazed and bewildered. Cheek by jowl with the hapless bod lying alongside, ballooning peacefully up and down, the clock grows ever cognizant of his own solitude. Akin to the one rather overzealous partygoer that actually turns up to an event on time, naturally, he soon begins to yearn for … More An Unhealthy Obsession

To my dearest boyfriend, Ric. For enlightening me as to the pleasures of beautiful food in all its simplicity. For proving that exceptional cooking comes from feeling, and not from understanding alone. For sharing your passion for food in an eclectic range of guises, celebrating both tradition and modernity. For making me fall in love … More Ode to Joy

Preparation Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 25 minutes Makes 5 puddings Ingredients: For the pudding: 225g whole Medjool dates 175g boiling water 1 tsp vanilla extract 175g self-raising flour, plus extra for greasing 1sp bicarbonate of soda 2 eggs 85g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 140g demerara sugar 2 tbsp black treacle 100ml milk … More Sticky Toffee Pudding

Preparation Time: 2 hours Cooking Time: 27 minutes Serves 8 Ingredients: For the pastry: 225g plain flour 100g butter, cubed (cold) 50g caster sugar 1 free-range egg For the crème patissière: 100g caster sugar 4 medium egg yolks 60g cornflour 500ml milk 3 tsp vanilla extract 40g butter For the decoration: 250g raspberries 150g blueberries … More Raspberry & Blueberry Tart

Cooking Time: 16 minutes Makes 15 cookies Ingredients: 6 oz. firmly packed brown sugar 4 oz. caster sugar 8 oz margarine 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 14 oz. plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 ½ tsp table salt 6 oz. white chocolate chips 4 oz. dried cranberries Pre-heat the oven to … More Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookies

Preparation Time: 3½ hours Cooking Time: 20 minutes Makes 15 hot cross buns Ingredients: For the buns: 300ml full-fat milk, plus 2 tbsp more 50g butter 500g strong bread flour 1 tsp salt 75g caster sugar 1 tbsp sunflower oil 7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast 1 egg, beaten 75g sultanas 50g mixed peel Zest … More Hot Cross Buns

Preparation Time: 1½ hours Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients: For the rough puff pastry: 250g strong white bread flour 1 tsp table salt 250g butter, at room temperature 100ml cold water For the tart topping: 125g mozzarella 100g mushrooms 1 courgette 4 tbsp sundried tomato paste 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 garlic clove, … More Courgette, Mushroom & Mozzarella Tart