editor’s letter.

April means new life and hope, and there’s a lot of

The delicious. manıfesto

The values underpinning everything we do and everything we are

Made for Sharıng

Some flavours, like some people, make good company. And when the mix is right, even the simplest ingredients can produce stunning results

‘Why we need to build a better food future

From shameful levels of child hunger to a reliance on imported fruit and vegetables, Covid-19 exposed a complex and deep-seated set of problems with our food culture. Now’s the time to learn from what’s happened and build a system that works for everyone. Katy Salter reports

Transform your cooking skills online

Take a professional online course from your own kitchen with top cookery school WhitePepper Online and delicious.

The universe smells

Harold McGee is a food legend. He brought food science from the lab onto cooks’ bookshelves and inspired a generation of chefs. Many’s the obscure food debate in the pre-Covid delicious. office that was settled with, “I’ll see what McGee says.” In his latest book, Nose Dive, McGee takes a leap into the osmocosm - the universe of smells. Susan Low sniffed him out for a chat

The good-cheer glow

It’s the shade in-the-know designers are loving in 2021: sunshine yellow. Laura McLeish takes her cue from the colour of daffodils, double gloucester cheese and good cheer, rounding up the beautiful and the useful

Great cooks always have great knives!

Hone your skills with the new Damascus 67 knife range from ProCook

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Save over 50% on 12 hand-picked wines

Including luxurious bubbly and FREE DELIVERY from Virgin Wines

WIN! A five-star stay in historic Bath

Enjoy VIP treatment at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

Take five

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

Not for Sharıng Recipe for one

Some things are meant to be kept to yourself, and this is one of them. If you gobble it up late at night straight from the frying pan, we won’t tell!

Cook it like delicious.

Great recipes are at the heart of delicious. and editor Karen, food ed Jen and the rest of the team love to see what you’re cooking and hear what you think of the recipes. But did you know you can win prizes for your pictures? Cook any recipe from our April issue and share it with us this month for a chance to win two handy pieces of kitchen kit (see right)

Want to have a go?

For your chance to win a pair of Ninja gadgets, make any recipe from this issue and share it with us

The talking point Why we need to love soil

Something to get you thinking… It’s not the sexiest subject, but writer Clare Finney reminds us that it needs our urgent attention

Meet the reader

When did you become interested in cooking? At school.

Banish the drudgery and have fun

If your cooking emotions have veered wildly over the past year from excited to demotivated, you’re not alone. Don’t cook if you don’t want to, says Debora Robertson - but if you yearn to be inspired, she has just the easybut- yum recipe to tempt you back into the kitchen

A banana colada with Andi Oliver

The Great British Menu judge-turned-presenter talks about her change of role, the importance of Caribbean food history and why it’s okay to cry

Nutshell

News, diary dates and interesting nuggets, compiled by Phoebe Stone

The wonder of herbs

When the earth bursts back into life in spring, soft, fresh green herbs are first out of the soil. As soon as cooks see them they know it’s time to get excited because those heady aromas bring layers of flavour to all sorts of dishes. Buy some abundant potfuls or snip sprigs from plants growing in the garden and wake up your April cooking

Always a Winner Roast chicken

How do you improve on something that’s already a sure-fire hit? Change it up with fresh flavour combos and star-quality sides. Job done!

April’s best Savoury tart

Luscious leeks will only be around until the end of spring, so Gill Meller urges you to make the most of them in this comforting tart, which pairs their soft, sweetly poached flavours with the sharp umami tang of creamy blue cheese. A wonderful crumbly pastry case seals the deal

Spring is in the air

Get ready for two joys in one… foraging and DIY pasta

Dreaming of sunlit escapes… & glorious food

Revel in the holiday spirit with a menu that transports you to another place and time. This inspirational menu from food writer Yasmin Khan’s new book brings the vibrant culture of the Eastern Mediterranean to life - and to your table

Dessert time The 2-in-1 pudding

Is it a pudding? Is it a cake? No, it’s a pudding cake! Serve it with the sauce and custard after dinner, leaving plenty of cake for a coffee break another time

The technical bake Flor’s famous lardy buns

Rich, sticky, crisp and sweet - it’s no wonder these deeply golden spirals have acquired a cult following

Health matters

News, nuggets of knowledge and advice you can trust. By Sue Quinn

Immune-boosting’ foods How healthy are they really?

At a time when health concerns are high on the agenda, a host of companies are cashing in on the anxieties of the worried well, teasing us with claims that hint at boosting our ability to fight off disease. Sue Quinn investigates what’s good, what’s not - and when to proceed with caution

Don’t forget your lunchbreak

As the UK moves along its journey towards normality, here’s the final part of our mission to encourage those working at home to take a proper break at lunchtime. This month’s mood booster is a quick, restorative nature fix - plus inspiration from Mary Berry for satisfying midday lunches

Mary Berry’s jazzy jackets

Who doesn’t love a filled jacket potato, especially when the recipes come from the queen of home cooking? As Mary says: “They’re the ultimate comfort food”

5 stars of the storecupboard

Power up family meals and revitalise jaded palates with a little magic from everyday ingredient heroes, all of which come in unassuming bottles and jars

The easy bake

A couple of secret ingredients and a simple frosting transform a standard sponge into a treat for the cake tin

Cook once, eat twice

A colourful, flavourful soup that’s easy to adapt to the size of your crowd or the contents of your fridge - this recipe belongs in your favourites file

Use it up

Roast chicken and asparagus soufflé omelette

The 5:2 recipe

Capers, parsley and lemon bring zing to these lighter-than-light fish burgers

Jen’s kitchen

Behind every great recipe lies lots of effort and experience. Food editor Jen Bedloe shares the know-how and best buys she’s picked up during this month’s testing at home

Food geek

Ready to raise your cooking game? In this new series we equip you with the science to ensure success every time

Green kitchen

Katy Salter is on a mission to help us all be more ethical in the way we cook and eat. Her advice may change your life

6 gins with pizzazz

The market is awash with gins: new, familiar and reinvented. If you’re keen to explore beyond the well known names, here are six, tasted and rated by editor Karen Barnes

Cheers!

Susy Atkins picks her bottles of the month, polishes her cocktail shaker and takes a can-do attitude to a hot new booze trend

UK cheese tour

…with Patrick McGuigan. First up: the ‘Scottish manchego’, corra linn

delicious discoveries

In this new collection, curated by editor Karen Barnes, we find, test and tell you about the best new ingredients, products, meals and initiatives - all indie, all available nationwide

“The bees come before the honey”

Though one of its honeys has won a top national award for its flavour, urban producer Bermondsey Street Bees is more concerned with the plight of the product’s winged workers

Recipe index

• Alpine cheese spread 28