Author: Elinor Davies

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 […]

As our feeds are bombarded with ways to spend these unprecedented times (in the words of every email received from Oxford these past weeks), it is hard to decide where to start. It often feels overwhelming, as productivity comparisons build with every refreshing of our Facebook pages. Cooking can be the easiest way to be […]

Shakshuka is a classic North African and Middle Eastern dish which is typically eaten for breakfast, but works great for any meal of the day! I first stumbled across it at St. John’s Sunday brunch (which I would highly recommend). It’s a tomato-based, mildly spicy and smoky-flavoured vegetable recipe, and the addition of the eggs, […]

We’ve heard it time and time again; a balanced, varied diet is essential for good health. As coronavirus continues to spread, and vaccinations remain a distant possibility, a strong immune system is one way for individuals to protect themselves. Having listened to Ella Mills’ podcast on gut health, the extent to which our food consumption […]

With the UK going into lockdown, going out to cafés is no longer a viable option, so we’re bringing the coffee to you. ‘Caffeine Culture in Quarantine’ is a four-part series focusing on various aspects of common coffee culture, from explaining the different drinks available in a café, to how you can recreate your favourite […]

I think you have heard this far too many times – stranger times are afoot. Stockpiling is a particular point of aggression for me because there is simply no point in buying far more than you need. If supply is an issue, the answer lies in simply utilising the best appliance at your disposal. Yes, […]

“Depression Cake” – not, as you might well assume, simply a chocolate cake rebranded to fit the current Corona mood, but a recipe which originated in America in the 1930s. When the Great Depression hit, rationing became commonplace and families had to stretch their budgets and make do with minimal ingredients to cook. Puddings became […]

Amidst all of the current chaos, my sister agonised over the question: “What will we drink?“. The internet is saturated with articles telling you to have FaceTime wine nights or to transpose your cocktail hour into the virtual world. I admit that many of my undergrad years were spent mixing house-brand vodka with Robinson’s squash, […]

It’s 2020, and humanity has become unmoored. Multiple countries have declared a state of emergency. Country borders are closing. Cities are on lockdown: shops are shuttered, rush-hour traffic is a thing of the past, supermarkets shelves lie desolate. Welcome to life in the time of the coronavirus outbreak. Here, pandemonium reigns, for there is nothing […]

This vegan banana upside-down cake is absolutely delightful, with slices of caramelised syrupy bananas on top a fluffy chai-infused sponge. Perfect for afternoon tea!   Ingredients Banana Layer ¼ cup vegan butter ¾ cup light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons dark rum 3 large ripe bananas, peeled Cake ⅔ cup soy milk […]