Florentines are said to have originated in France, rather than Italy, but were made in honour of a Florentine queen who was a member of the De' Medici family

Blood oranges are picked from December to April, so this is a good time of year to seek them out.

This bagel recipe is one for a lazy afternoon when you have time to knead your dough and let it rise for an hour or so in a warm corner of the house

I like the versatility of these pancakes; they can just as easily be used for a savoury meal as well as a sweet

There is no baking involved, just firming up in the fridge

They pair wonderfully with coffee or a sweet milky tea.

Malt is an extract usually made from barley that has a very distinct taste

Miso is usually used to make Japanese broth like soups, or as a glaze for baked fish, or a marinade for different meats, but here it works well with the sweet biscuit ingredients and the combination of sesame seeds 

There is something wonderfully satisfying about pulling apart these warm swirled rolls after they come out of the oven

Focaccia comes from Central Italy so any ingredients you can think of from that region are a particularly safe bet when dreaming up your toppings