The other day I got a text from my friend, Jill, that our local store had gooseberries, and did I want any? What a silly question! Of course, I wanted some gooseberries. Within seconds I was dreaming of the gooseberry-almond cake from my days in Heidelberg, Germany. When Jill arrived …

My inspiration for Spiced Duck Breasts was a recipe in Food & Wine. The dish is an international fusion where a Mexican spice blend meets a French-style magret de canard. The blackberry-balsamic reduction adds a touch of sweetness offsetting the spice. The result was delicious despite not quite following my …

As it is with all cultures, international flavours and dishes are adapted into your local cuisine with a loving and “tasteful” twist. And this dish is no exception. Local honey lends itself to this sweet and spicy favourite that is traditionally Asian inspired, but classically French in execution.

This main dish is a recipe from Hilda it is easy to prepare and a perfect savoury pairing with duck and figs.