The lowdown on... SARDINES

WELCOME TO THE May/June issue

Are you still catching up psychologically with how

COOK IT LIKE delicious.

…and win a private chef experience in your own home

HALF PRICE OFFER!

We know that, over the past few weeks, buying your

Cuppa time

There are prizes to be won and foodie fun to be had with our new page of brain teasers

YOUR delicious. special

Emma Sturgess’s frustration at the pressure to use

And now for… THE GOOD NEWS

GREAT THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW + SMILE-WORTHY STORIES

“I TRY TO SPREAD POSITIVITY AND GOOD VIBES”

The GBBO favourite turned TV presenter has a creative streak, loves his nan’s Caribbean cooking and can’t believe how his life has been transformed. Phoebe Stone finds out how Liam’s been coping with lockdown – and what it’s taught him

EDITOR’S CHOICE online shopping

Gorgeous and useful things make the world seem a better

MEET THE FOOD HEROES OF THE CRISIS

These generous souls were feeding people in need long before the lockdown – and continue to do so, armed with birthday cakes, a sprinkle of celebrity goodwill and a whole lot of mushrooms… Phoebe Stone reports

THE FIRST MEALWHAT’S YOU’LL EATWHEN THIS IS OVER

We asked favourite food lovers and delicious. fans on social media about the blowout they’ve been dreaming of these past weeks… Prepare to get hungry

WHY DO PEOPLE PANIC BUY?

The moment the coronavirus pandemic struck, the stockpiling began: the pasta, the flour, the eggs, the TOILET ROLLS. Headlines and social media were full of pictures of supermarket shelves picked clean – coupled with furious comments from people shocked at the selfishness of ‘others’. Kimberley Wilson gives the psychologist’s view

10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM THE LOCKDOWN

Food writer and self-confessed cynic Neil Davey didn’t expect to find any comfort in the weird situation we’ve found ourselves in, but even he couldn’t help noticing the odd silver lining

Felicity Cloake writes to Gary Rhodes

It was his fun approach to cooking that first captured Felicity’s attention. Here, the Guardian food writer fondly remembers the brilliant, groundbreaking chef who inspired her own kitchen experimentation through his enthusiasm, his almost subversive championing of British cooking and his signature spiky hairdo

What’s all the fuss about... THE GREAT TASTE AWARDS?

You’ve seen the star labels on products, but what do they actually mean? We’re delighted to say delicious. is now the media partner for the Great Taste Awards, and we caught up with their head honcho John Farrand to get the inside story

WHAT TO DRINK

Susy Atkins on how to make the best choice, whatever your budget

How the crisis gave me the confidence to cook

When much of your life is spent writing about, talking about and eating food, it’s assumed you’re a superstar in the kitchen. Surprisingly, perhaps, the two don’t necessarily go hand in hand, as journalist Ellen Manning confesses

MAKE THIS BOOZY TOMATO PASTA

Now pasta is back in the shops (disclaimer: at time of going to press!), this is the just-about-perfect simple supper. It’s all about versatility: you can make it with canned or fresh toms, plus the sauce freezes well, so you can use it as a base for a host of other dishes. Dream recipe? We like to think so

How to do nothing… WELL

When life changes beyond all recognition, as it has done for the entire world over the course of the past few weeks, there’s a lot to be said for recipes you know will work, about the sweet pleasure of filling the house with the smell of baking. Debora Robertson muses on the reassuring joy of the familiar

The simple, quiet joy of baking

When you feel the need to lose yourself in the therapeutic task of making a cake or a batch of biscuits, these recipes are the ones to reach for – even if eggs or flour are in short supply

“A summer favourite for all time”

Four ingredients (give or take some oil and black pepper), a roasting tin and an oven. That’s all you need to make this classic, which was born in northern Italy but has been on a quite a journey

ALL IN ONE (roasting) TIN

Whatever’s happening in the world right now, we still need to get dinner on the table. If you need speedy meals, you might be thinking of the hob rather than the roasting tin – but it could be time to think again

WHAT MAKES THE sandwich SO GREAT?

The fact that two slices of bread – or other capture-agood- filling carb – have a week dedicated to their glory (15-23 May) is testament to the importance of the butty to our national psyche. Whatever you’re doing at home – working, gardening or relaxing, it’s reassuring to know a good lunch is never more than a few minutes away

How to make the most of THE INGREDIENTS YOU HAVE AT HOME

It’s never been more important to know how to use the contents of your storecupboard, fridge and freezer wisely – helped by the stars of the spice cupboard. Deputy food editor Sophie Austen-Smith explains what ingredients to have to hand and how to magic them into great-tasting meals, snacks and puddings

Welcome to your spring kitchen

Gill Meller’s new cookbook is full of vibrant dishes that make vegetables the star, as well as flavourful herbs, peppery leaves and tender fruit. The seasonal recipes we’ve chosen to highlight here are resplendent with spring produce, providing food for the heart and soul as well as the taste buds

“These sweet coconut pastries are why I look forward to Eid”

Writer Dina Begum is passionate about highlighting the food and traditions of Bangladesh. Some of her most treasured memories are of times spent at the kitchen table, helping her mum make family recipes, and these sticky parcels, made for the festival of Eid, prompt a sense of sweet anticipation like no other

MOVIE NIGHT

Choose an evening to make into a bit of a family moment, then add three ingredients: an Oscar-winning Pixar animation set in Mexico, a satisfying bowl of smoky chipotle chicken on your knee – and a good bottle to go with. Tequila chasers optional

The new curry roast

In challenging times, sitting down to a Sunday roast gives you a sense of familiarity and reassurance. This is my take on a classic roast, and it’s my all-time favourite meal. Introducing curry flavours to the chicken adds a spicy sweetness, and the chopped peanuts and mango give complexity and texture. It’s an all-round winner.

FRENCH MENU

Trips across the Channel are but a memory, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream about them and create a similarly delightful occasion at home. This modern menu, inspired by the classics, promises all the flavour and panache you’d expect, without the lengthy prep and cooking process… Bon appetit!

…in 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes

Running out of inspiration for quick, satisfying meals? Here are seven recipes designed to get to the table fast, without compromising on flavour, using storecupboard basics and a few fresh buys

Steak

Three clever ideas that stretch two steaks to feed four

THE HEALTHY SLOW-COOK COLLECTION

Time has been turned on its head during this unique period in our lives. As well as needing recipes with fewer ingredients to make shopping easier, many of you tell us you’ve been rediscovering the joy of slow-cooked meals. Chopping veg, stirring pots, letting the magic happen under the lid… These simple actions ground us when everything feels out of our control. Whether you’re a frontline worker or looking after children at home, we’ve given instructions for how to prepare each meal in advance so you can have nourishing sustenance to look forward to

The DIY veggie takeaway

When you get a curry craving, nothing else will do. Luckily these good-for-you vegetarian recipes from Roopa Gulati’s outstanding new book are fairly simple to make – and they sing with fragrance and flavour. The likelihood is you’ll be making them more than once

YOUR HEALTH

FAD-FREE insight DEBUNKED food & health news HEALTHFUL ways to eat better

Why aren’t spuds one of our five a day?

Did you know that in America and Australia potatoes count towards people’s daily veg quota, yet they don’t here? Sue Quinn finds out if the nation’s favourite carb deserves its stodgy reputation

Proper corned beef hash

Bringing comfort in times of trouble, this classic storecupboard recipe has become part of the British food psyche: crispy yet squidgy and oh-so satisfying. Who’d have thought a meal of tinned meat and potatoes could be so much more than the sum of its parts?

BAKED ALASKA

Many of you have been getting in touch to say how, with more time on your hands at home, you’ve been getting stuck into some proper cookery projects. Well, here’s a classic to try: the famous ice cream dessert that goes in the oven

YOUR FRIDGE & FREEZER LOWDOWN

What temperature should it be?

Learn to cook Thai

Bangkok-born Kay Plunkett-Hogge shows how to master the pillars of Thai cuisine using authentic techniques and ingredients. This month it’s all about flavour-packed grilled chicken, a street-food favourite. This is one stunning dish

THE KNOWLEDGE

Tips, hacks and know-how in the kitchen, key techniques explained step by step, plus in-depth appreciation of the best food and drink. Find it all and more, right here each month

THE BIG BOIL-OFF

We love a good boiled egg, and we love Clarence Court

How to make pasta from scratch

Whether you’ve run out of shop-bought pasta or just fancy having a go, you need only four ingredients and a little time

HOW TO CUT DOWN ON YOUR FOOD WASTE

Eco-friendly chef Tristan Welch shares a few nifty, thrifty tricks