Author: Maga Flores-Trevino and Sophie Smith

Image Description: Madeleine Cakes on a plate “She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called ‘petites madeleines,’ which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim’s shell. And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to […]

I am a summer person. Despite my academic lifestyle and a never-ending list of hobbies, I am most content blissfully passed out on a sun-lounger by the local pool, letting the sun tan my skin as it crosses the sky, a book and an Aperol Spritz by my side. I spend most of the year […]

There are many things to miss about Oxford but one which stands out is time spent in the college bar. Whether it’s to catch up with friends, enjoy a bop or partake in a bar crawl, these sacred havens have been the spots of many a happy hour. But, as with all forms of fun […]

For my parent’s generation, catering for vegetarians was certainly not the ‘norm’. In fact, ‘vegetarian’ wasn’t a recognised term like it is today – plenty of people had never met a vegetarian before, and to embrace that title was to identify yourself as completely outside of the mainstream. Since then, social stigma has greatly improved […]

Sourdough loaves, banana bread and Dalgona coffee are but a few of the edible boredom busters that might spring to mind when we reflect on this lockdown in years to come! But I’m sure you’ve seen and heard enough about them, so I’ll spare you the tales of my interesting attempts. Instead, I’m turning to […]

Celebrity chefs, like supermarkets and the CEO of zoom, are amongst the few in society who seem to have benefited from the recent lockdown. Swathes of people bored pretending to work from home have flocked to their recipes to make the 17th banana bread of the week (find our awesome banana bread recipe here) or […]

I’m sure that I am not the only student with a severe case of Itsu withdrawal. It’s a first-world problem, I know; but it’s the little things, like grabbing post-essay-crisis sushi with friends, that one misses most in a time of quarantine. I’ve always considered sushi to be a delicacy whose preparation went well above […]

It seems that while working from home has triggered the sourdough renaissance, home cooks have also turned to a baked good on the opposite end of the commitment spectrum. It’s squidgy, it fills your kitchen with an aromatic fug, and is the perfect home for those bananas you have left languishing on the kitchen counter. […]

The couscous and mackerel salad is a great, simple recipe requiring just a kettle, a chopping board, a large bowl and an enthusiastic chef! It takes 15 minutes tops (unless you’re cooking with a friend and there is wine involved, in which case be careful with the chopping). You can be super flexible with the […]

Missing your favourite coffee shop? Fear not, the viral ‘Dalgona coffee’ will provide the fix you’ve been waiting for. I’m sure you will have all seen this delicious whipped coffee on one of your social media feeds by now. With many countries in lockdown due to COVID-19, people all over the world are finding ways […]

This is part 2 in the sourdough series, for part 1: how to make a starter, click here. Welcome back, young grasshopper. We meet again and you are now one bubbly, vibrant starter richer. But how to transform this beast into a humble, crackly chunk of sourdough? Onwards! There will be a bit of science […]

A renaissance is afoot. Social media is inundated with pictures of crusty loaves boasting burnished crackly tops, with cross-sections flaunting that well-sought-after ‘open crumb’. The millennial vice that is avocado toast has been given a makeover—avocados now sit on top of homemade, salt-of-the-earth-type fermented bread. In case you’ve been living under a rock, here is […]

Read part one of Caffeine Culture in Quarantine here Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and felt overwhelmed by the sheer range of drinks on offer? Do you remember feeling mind-blown by the many different types of coffee available? There’s no question that café drinks are much more varied, and a step up […]