Rambling through La Boqueria

It's the start of the holiday season, with people jetting off to warmer climes in search of some sunshine after the total washout that has been this year's British Summertime (based on the evidence so far).

Fudges' milk chocolate florentines - sharing my delightful Dorset discoveries!

At heart I will always be a Dorset girl, no matter where I live in the big wide world or how long I'm separated from the Jurassic coast.

Occasionally the rural twang in the pronunciation of my vowels gives away my heritage (much to the amusement of my trendy urban friends), coupled with my obsession for seeking out the nearest spot of beach as soon as the sun begins to shine. In my eyes there are few things more mesmerising than watching the deep blue sea lapping against the sandy shore, whilst breathing in the salty air - transporting me back to my childhood in an instant.

Bank Holiday weekend binge

One of my favourite blog series' is Weekend Things on How Sweet It Is - the photos are always fantastic and it's so clever how your mind fills in the gaps in the story. If anything my love of food photography has grown after completing Project 366 in 2012, so I thought I'd share with you my Instagrammed snapshots from a particularly gluttonous Bank Holiday weekend...

Three Bears' Porridge at Restaurant Story...which one was "just right" for me?! More photos from this fantastic meal coming soon

7 things for 7 days...#4

Reflecting on my favourite foodie moments from the past week, plus an exciting announcement...

1. Sometimes the most surprisingly impressive meals are the unplanned ones that you concoct in the pan relying merely on your instincts. Last weekend I returned from Brockley Market with a bulb of aromatic fennel and a punnet of Olive Branch's juicy fruits mixed with garlic and rosemary, which I felt certain could be combined to create a dish epitomising the spirit of Mediterranean cuisine.

Sure enough, when fried together with rich sausagemeat and a little lemon juice, these ingredients united to produce a perfect balance of flavours, which were soaked up by fluffy couscous. I've promised to write these notes up properly for Olive Branch's Recipe Tree soon, so keep your eyes peeled for the full recipe.

7 things for 7 days...#3

A collection of favourite moments and random musings from the past week...

1. I've been suffering from one of those colds that the term "rotten" was created for. Fuzzy head, aching muscles, sore throat and snuffly nose; I felt so lethargic this week that I couldn't even drag myself to the gym (a sure sign that I was really sick!).

In an attempt to KO the flu I bubbled up a vat of this spicy broth packed with prawns, noodles and healthy vegetables - yet another recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals. The sour liquor with its chilli kick made a refreshing change from the rich and creamy coconut milk soups I normally make, and went a long way to speeding up my recovery.

#Project366 – Week 50

Every day this week I’ve expected to find a bright white landscape greeting me when I leave the house for my early morning gym sessions, but sadly we’ve yet to see a snowflake fall in London this winter. There has been some serious frost and face-aching cold winds lately though, so it can’t be long before my fantasy of a lazy “snow day” is fulfilled! Judging by these photos from the last week on #Project366, it’s certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Day #344 – I drink alcohol very infrequently these days, but I decided there was no better way to get into the “Taste of Christmas” spirit than by treating myself to a bottle of this rich and fruity Sipsmith sloe gin

#LickaBrick - Ben Spalding dinner at John Salt

There are some dishes that are so infamous they become practically legendary. Tom Kerridge's duck fat chips at the Hand and Flowers in Marlowe is one example that I have been lucky enough to experience, and Heston Blumenthal's egg and bacon icecream at The Fat Duck in Bray is another that is still on my bucket list.

Ben Spalding's chicken on a brick at John Salt in Islington is rapidly approaching that category. It seems like lately everyone I follow on Twitter has been gushing about the incredible sensory tour they had willingly subjected their tastebuds to at the skilled hands of the former Roganic head chef. Despite the ever-growing montage of caramel coated stone blocks on my Instagram feed, I felt this intriguing dish had to be seen right up close to be believed.

Find me on Instagram...@katy_riddle!

I'm so busy with work during the week that the weekends are my main opportunity for "foodie fun", checking out the latest independent produce at local food markets, developing my palate for foreign delicacies at new supperclubs and challenging my own culinary skills by testing recipes in the kitchen.

#Project366 - week 32

A combination of meaty evening meals and fruity daytime snacks (plus a sweet chocolately treat!) during this mid-August flashback from my challenge to capture a food-related photograph every day for a year...

Day #218 - Testing out Sharpham Park's speltotto included in my Flavrbox, with an additional spicy boost courtesy of Flavours of Spain chorizo

Sensational fiesta at the Flavours of Spain supperclub brunch

Anyone who's read this blog before will know what a fan I am of Brockley Market - the most fun you can (legally) have in a carpark. No visit to this chilled-out foodie haven is complete for me without a stroll past the Flavours of Spain stall to check out the tapas treats on offer.

I'm always stunned by the rush of rosemary that smacks your senses as soon as you bite into their herb-crusted Manchego cheese, and their piquant cooking chorizo is so addictive that it dominated week 22 of #Project366.

#Project366 – week 14

During the first few weeks of my #project366 challenge it was fairly easy for me to photograph a dish or snack I’d enjoyed every day. But as a creature of habit and counter of calories, my daily diet usually follows the same routine – which means it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find new foods to capture on camera! Thankfully Easter’s celebrations have provided some seasonal snapshots for this week’s round-up…

 Day #92 – As a huge fan of Outsider Tart’s baked goodies, I felt honoured to grab a front row seat at David’s demonstration of the secrets behind their black and white cheesecake during the Southbank’s Chocolate Festival

Brixton Village – Hunting out the hidden food hall

For months my fine food antennae had been twitching with anticipation at testing out what Brixton Village had to offer. I’d heard numerous rave reviews of this collection of independent eateries from natives of the capital (including my favourite food critic and Brixtonite Jay Rayner), so I jumped at the opportunity to combine a summer’s evening at the retro Ritzy Cinema with a visit to the Village.

Favourite foodie finds from 2011

Before I devote my full attention on this blog to the gastronomic wonders of 2012, I thought I’d spend a few moments looking back at some of the palatable independent produce that has caught my eye since moving to the “big smoke” during the summer.

Each of these foodie finds are so outstanding that they really deserve an article from me dedicated solely to their own deliciousness (and I know you’ll find rave reviews from journalists and bloggers alike if you Google any one of their names) but as I recently confessed, a combination of time and timidity limited my writing rate in 2011. However, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spread the word on the culinary creations that have prevented my hunger pangs over the last few months, and that I predict to be even more successful in 2012!

A festive feast with Love Your Larder

The dry chill in the air and cascade of commuters clutching red coffee cups that greet me every morning en route to the office is a sign of only one thing – Santa Claus is coming to town! I’m totting up a long wishlist of London food markets to get me into the festive spirit, but I’ve asked my friends at Love Your Larder to share their favourite seasonal recommendations to make sure that your Christmas is a cracker, no matter where you live. With over 1000 gourmet products on offer from 80 different independent producers, you’re bound to find the ideal foodie gifts for all the family in their online marketplace…

All the good things about Christmas, the giving and sharing, spending time with loved ones and celebrating this time of year just wouldn’t be as good without all the gorgeous food and drink it is almost compulsory to indulge in at this time of year. There is no other occasion in the year where it is perfectly acceptable to have chocolate followed by champagne at breakfast, followed by smoked salmon, more chocolate and lots of gorgeous joints of meat and roast potatoes before eating decadent Christmas pudding with lashings of cream or brandy butter. And that’s before we even start thinking about what we are will be washing it all down with.

Working at Love Your Larder means sampling lots of food and drink (hard job we know, but someone has to do it) and here are our top picks for the festive season, whether you’re looking for something to give the foodie in your life or want to make your Christmas dinner the one that goes down in family history.