The Secret history of the Wedding Cake

Welcome to MAY

One of the joys of working on delicious. is having

May FIVE GOOD THINGS TO DO

…eating a meal at a table suspended 30 metres above

EAT WELL FOR LIFE

NO FADS, NO UNREALISTIC HEALTH CLAIMS… JUST 20 INSPIRING

ONLY 5 INGREDIENTS

These short-order recipes, each made with five key ingredients, add bang for their buck in terms of looks and flavour. All we’ve added are olive oil and seasoning from your kitchen cupboard

THE QUICK-FIX MEAL FOR ONE

A zen-like recipe for when you’re in need of a nourishing solo supper that’s ready in a flash

THE 5:2 RECIPE

Easy to throw together and super-nutritious, this recipe is a healthy-supper winner

THE FRIDAY NIGHT SUPPER

A steak sandwich hits the spot every time – and it’s even better with the knowledge that it can be on the table in half an hour

TAKE A TIN OF… CHOPPED TOMATOES

Turn the handy pantry staple into one of these packed-with-flavour meals

THE BATCH-COOK RECIPE

Get ahead with midweek cooking with a big batch of classic chicken stew. Freeze some, then turn it into a fruity tagine

The new health scare you’ve probably never heard of

Just when you thought there was nothing left for the wellness movement to recommend we eliminate from our diets, along come lectins – a group of proteins being dubbed ‘the new gluten’. But what are lectins, and should we avoid them? Sue Quinn investigates

How to serve up goodness – time after time

“For as long as I can remember the kitchen has been

LIGHTER FISHCAKES

All the yum-factor of a classic smoked fish patty, with less fat and far fewer calories

FOR STARTERS

NEWS, NIBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE AND GOOD THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

WISH LIST

These pages are about us doing the hard work so you

FROM OUR INBOX…

Tell us what you think of delicious. (good and bad)

“IF MY BUTTER MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY, I’M HAPPY”

While working on a farm in the wilds of Sweden, Grant Harrington discovered how to create gold – a creamy, yellow cultured butter with a taste that puts a smile on your face. He knew then it was his destiny to spread the word (and the butter) back in the UK

OLIVER PEYTON

The former hard-living restaurateurturned family man and Great British Menu judge salutes good home-grown food – and the joy of gratin potatoes

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT…

Our columnist Kay Plunkett-Hogge contemplates staging a foodwriting world cup in recognition of recipe books long held dear

The truth about SEASONAL EATING (HINT: it’s not as simple as you think…)

‘Eat with the seasons’ has become a mantra for people who care about their food and eating well. But, asks food writer Emma Sturgess, are purists missing out on much deliciousness by sticking to the seasonal-eating rulebook? After all, the times – and the seasons – are a-changin’

Meet the food pioneers BEHIND THE SCENES AT GOODWOOD

This month sees the start of ‘the season’ at the famed West Sussex estate. But behind the racing and razzmatazz is a working organic farm and a team who have long pioneered better farming and eating in Britain. Susan Low unearths the story

CHEERS!

Susy Atkins rounds up best buys and top English wines

WHAT’S HOT

Pink English fizz

Delicious TEST REPORT

THE COURSE Market tour, cooking class & lunch,

Broke girl in LALA LAND

Wandering chef Rosie French jets to Los Angeles in search of sun, fun and fabulous food – food that doesn’t require fabulous wealth to enjoy. Follow in her footsteps, from Venice Beach to Sunset Boulevard

BITE-SIZE BREAK TALLINN

Once a favourite for stag-do revelry (which made it a no-go for the rest of us), the Estonian capital has matured into a chic city-break destination. Katrina Kollagaeva hits the hotspots

COMING NEXT MONTH IN Delicious

16 EXTRA PAGES OF RECIPES & KNOW-HOW: COOK THE

Back off, back-seat cooks!

Offering unwanted advice, meddling with ingredients, questioning the timings… If you’re planning on cooking over the May bank holidays, says Christina Quaine, beware the looming kitchen botherer

ALWAYS A WINNER Pesto

A jar of pesto might be a great storecupboard ingredient but it’s also easy to make – and DIY versions give you the opportunity to get creative. These recipes will get you started but don’t stop there – let your imagination run riot

SADDLE OF SPRING LAMB

Put a fresh spring spin on the Sunday roast with this knockout dish of tender new-season lamb with herbed stuffing and crispy roast new potatoes. It’s a guaranteed crowdpleaser

EGGS BENEDICT

Who invented eggs benedict is a matter for debate, says Debbie Major – but what’s not up for argument are the ingredients: two lightly toasted English muffin halves, good bacon, poached eggs and velvety hollandaise. It’s the best way to kick off a long weekend

Come rain or shine… THE BANK HOLIDAY FEAST

RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING OLIVIA SPURRELL PHOTOGRAPHS

ASPARAGUS

RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING LOTTIE COVELL PHOTOGRAPHS

Gill Meller A COOK’S YEAR

He’s made an art of feasting on the fruits of land

“It’s immigration and innovation that have made British food great”

In the second part of her residency, chef and writer Ravinder Bhogal proudly raises a fork to those who have transformed the nation’s cooking, introducing ingredients and flavours from far-flung lands

“Turkish people take hospitality seriously – it always turns into a feast”

For Turkish Cypriot chef Hus Vedat, cooking börek is like a magic carpet ride straight back to his childhood, and memories of time spent in the kitchen with his grandmother

YOUR NEW FAVOURITE THING ON TOAST

You can’t go wrong with any snack that involves a crisply toasted slice of good bread as its base. But top it with a sublime combination of sweet-savoury crab and other good Cornish things and the taste experience is a heady one. Dare we say it’s a must-try…?

THE INSANELY GOOD RHUBARB & CUSTARD TART

The magic combination of sweet custard and tart candy-pink rhubarb is a classic flavour match, but we’ve added a next-gen twist with the zing of fresh lime and a touch of stem ginger. We think it’s a winner!

Sensational celebration cakes

There are times when a showstopping cake is the most fitting tribute. This month’s royal wedding is one, of course, and the warmer days bring countless occasions (weddings, birthdays and more) to pull out the stops and celebrate with a wow-factor cake. We asked three great cooks to devise three very different creations… Whether you’re new to cake making or already a bit of a pro, this is your moment

FREE! TWO PORCELAIN JUGS

Hurry! Offer ends 31 May 2018

LOOSE ENDS

Don’t let this month’s special ingredients linger in your kitchen. Instead make the most of them with these smart and easy ideas

WIN! A gourmet Cornish break

Enjoy a river cruise, spa treatments and three nights of sensational food – put these dates in your diary

WIN! a private dining experience

Cook any recipe from the magazine this month and you

FESTIVAL FEVER

Food festival season is upon us at last: time to relax in the sunshine with family and friends, sampling the best local food and drink. And this year you can meet delicious. too

FOOD LOVER’S CROSSWORD

See how much you really know about the world of food

BE A BET TER COOK

8 PAGES OF TIPS AND KNOW-HOW TO GET YOU COOKING SMARTER, FASTER AND WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE

THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN…

While the delicious. team are testing recipes, they’re often debating the best ways to do things, as well as answering cooking questions that arise in the test kitchen. What’s the best way to boil potatoes? Why do chefs spoon butter over pan-fried meat at the end? What are micro herbs? And what’s the difference between free-range chicken and organic? It’s the kind of information you won’t find anywhere else, and it will help take your cooking to the next level.

NUTELLA DOUGHNUTS

PHOTOGRAPHS MIKE ENGLISH FOOD STYLING LOTTIE COVELL