Good Food
type: channel
link: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com
date: 2025-10-03T12:51:29.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Best cocktail recipe books 2025
items: How to cook cabbage
items: How to cook tofu
items: How to microwave a baked potato
items: What's in season – September
items: What’s in season – August
items: What's in season - July
items: How to cut a pineapple
items: Vegan Victoria sponge cake
items: Rosita

Best cocktail recipe books 2025
type: item
date: 2025-10-03T12:51:29.000Z
creator: Lucy Roxburgh
subject: Review
subject: best cookbooks
description: Become an expert mixologist in your own home with our favourite cocktail books, plus books on wine, beer and more.
encoded: Fancy becoming a top mixologist or bartender in your own home? Looking to branch out from a classic G&T? Get inspired, learn new skills and try unique new cocktails with our selection of the best cocktail, wine and beer books to add to your cookbook collection. From recipes inspired by The Savoy dating back to 1930, to books packed with simple three-ingredient cocktails to get you started, there's something for everyone. If wine or beer are more your drink of choice, there are books for those, too. Check out our cookbooks hub for book reviews on everything from baking to vegetarian cooking. Once you've got plenty of recipes to start practicing, make sure you're fully equipped to create top-quality drinks at home. It's time to pick your perfect tipple: we've reviewed the best white rum or dark rum, vodka and whiskies. If gin is your drink of choice, choose between citrus, pink or classic gins – or even have a go at making your own homemade gin. Best cocktail and wine books at a glance Best cocktail bible: The Madrusan Cocktail Companion by Michael and Zara Madrusan, £25.85 Best for tequila fans: Tequila by Millie Milliken, £16.36 Best cocktail read: The Cocktail Diaries by Sam Heughan, £14.79 Best easy-use cocktail book: The Spirits by Richard Godwin, £13.59 Best for forgotten gems: The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, £10.83 Best for home distilling: Booze (River Cottage Handbook No12) by John Wright, £14.19 Best for gin lovers: The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart, £9.76 Best for novice cocktail makers: The 12 Bottle Bar by David Solmonson & Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, £12.99 Best for aperitif fans: Aperitif: A Spirited Guide to the Drinks, History and Culture of the Aperitif by Kate Hawkings, £3.69 Best for wine fans: Red & White: An unquenchable thirst for wine by Oz Clarke, £10.54 Best for easy gin cocktails: Sip: 100 gin cocktails with only 3 ingredients, £12.65 Best for beer fans: Brew by James Morton, £3.99 Best for alcohol-free drinking: How to Drink Witho…

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How to cook cabbage
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Brassicas
subject: Cabbages
subject: How to cook
subject: Leaves
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Salad
description: Read our tips and ideas for cooking with all varieties of cabbage. We have details on cooking methods such as sautéing, frying, braising and more
encoded: Cabbage is available in many different varieties, and is in fact part of a bigger family known as brassicas that extends to cauliflower and kale. Easily available varieties are red, savoy, spring and white. What are the main types of cabbage? Red cabbage has firm, tightly packed and shiny purple leaves White cabbage has a similar texture to red cabbage but has very pale leaves and a sweeter flavour Savoy cabbage has leaves which are crinkled and wavy, and get lighter towards the middle Spring cabbage has softer leaves that form more of a point instead of a round shape Hispi cabbage (aka sweetheart cabbage) is a sweeter and more tender green cabbage, with a pointed shape What's the best way to serve cabbage? All are extremely versatile: they can be served raw in salads such as coleslaws but can also be quick-cooked, such as in stir-fries, or simply steamed and even slow-cooked (braised) or used in soups and stews. See our recipe ideas below and also check out our collection of cabbage recipes. Also browse our red cabbage recipes for some festive ideas. How to prepare cabbage There are two ways to prepare cabbage, depending on how many you want it to serve, and how you want to cook it. To serve a small number of people, or for recipes when you need to keep the leaves whole: It’s a good idea to peel the leaves off individually, taking what you need then putting the rest of the cabbage back in the fridge, wrapped up. You can then use these leaves whole or shred them as needed. Depending on how old the cabbage is, you may not want to use the outer leaves, particularly if they are bruised, blemished or damaged. If they’re no good for stock, they can be composted. The central vein in each leaf is tough, particularly on the outer leaves, so you may wish to cut this away, too, especially if you want to cook the cabbage quickly as this part is very dense and will take a long time To serve a bigger crowd: Halve or quarter the cabbage, lay it cut-side down on a board and chop o…

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How to cook tofu
type: item
subject: Techniques
subject: Videos
subject: how to cook tofu
subject: how to use tofu
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Tofu
subject: Tofu recipes
subject: Vegan
subject: Vegetarian
subject: Video
description: Watch our video and learn how to cook tofu three ways, check out our top tips and try our favourite tofu recipes once you’ve mastered the technique
encoded: Tofu is a versatile ingredient often used in vegetarian and vegan cooking. It can be blended into smoothies, fried and served in salads and stir-fries or even turned into chunky veggie steaks. It is made by curdling fresh soya milk, pressing it into a solid block, then cooling it, much in the same way that traditional dairy cheese is made by curdling and solidifying milk. The liquid (whey) is discarded, and the curds are pressed to form a cohesive bond. A staple ingredient in Thai and Chinese cookery, it can be cooked in different ways to change its texture from smooth and soft to crisp and crunchy. Check out the health benefits of tofu and the nutritional highlights of this super soya product. Want some serving suggestions? Try our top tofu recipes, from pancakes to pasta bakes. Types of tofu These include silken tofu, firm tofu and marinated tofu. Silken tofu Silken tofu contains lots of moisture so is perfect for recipes which require it to be blended, such as adding to smoothies or in this recipe for tofu brekkie pancakes where it is used as a substitute for eggs. Firm tofu Firm tofu is a lot drier making it a good alternative to meat as it holds together much better. If shallow frying, wrap it in kitchen paper first, then place a weight on top such as a saucepan in order to squeeze out excess moisture. Coat it in your favourite spices, curry pastes, or marinades before frying. Try this technique with our spice-crusted tofu with kumquat salad recipe. Marinated tofu Marinated tofu has already been flavoured – try it in the following smoked tofu sandwich recipe: How to prepare tofu for cooking If you want to make extra crispy tofu, it's worth pressing it before cooking. This helps to improve the texture as it removes excess water. You can use a tofu press or simply cover with kitchen roll and weigh it down with a heavy pan or book. Certain types of tofu don't need pressing before use, or depending on the dish, it might not be necessary. Find out more about how to …

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How to microwave a baked potato
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Budget
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Baked potato
subject: Easy
subject: How to cook
subject: Jacket potato
subject: Microwave
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Potato
subject: Quick
description: Fancy a jacket potato for dinner? Speed it up by starting off the potato in the microwave and finishing in the oven or under the grill for a lovely crispy skin.
encoded: Achieving jacket potato perfection in the oven can take up to 90 minutes, but using the microwave you can do it in less than half the time. Read our guide on how to cook the perfect microwaved jacket potatoes. The only downside to cooking jacket potatoes in the microwave is that you won’t get that crisp skin you’d get from long oven baking. But you can either halve them and turn them into loaded potato skins and grill them, or bake the jackets in the oven for a few mins to crisp up. Microwaving potatoes whole is also a really good way to maximise the flavour of mashed potato. Once they're cooked, leave them to cool then peel away the skin. Mash the flesh with butter, milk and a little grated cheese if you like, then microwave to heat through. For more ideas of what to serve with jacket potatoes, see our guide on how to make the ultimate baked potato, then see our best baked potato toppings for plenty of ways to pile your spud. We also have plenty of healthy jacket potato fillings and vegan jacket potato filling ideas. Stuck on what to do with the rest of your potatoes? Find out how you can turn one bag of potatoes into 5 easy meals, or check out our most comforting potato recipes and top potato recipes. The important thing to remember is always to prick the potatoes with a fork before cooking – this allows the steam to escape and will stop them from exploding. Make sure you’re using top kitchen kit with our pick of the best microwaves, tried and tested. This guide was brought to you by Cook Smart, a campaign designed by Good Food experts to help you save money and reduce food waste. Dive into more Cook Smart content in our budget hub. How to microwave a jacket potato recipe Serves 2 2 large baking potatoes 1 tsp olive oil pinch of salt butter You will also need: 2 sheets of kitchen roll 1 microwave-safe plate Wash the baking potatoes and prick the skins all over with a fork, creating lots of little holes for steam to escape from. Lay a piece of kitchen roll on a mic…

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What's in season – September
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Aubergine
subject: Chives
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: New potaoes
subject: Seasonal
subject: September
subject: What's in season
description: We've partnered with Gardener's World to bring you the best seasonal picks for September. See our pro tips for cooking aubergines, potatoes, chillies, figs and more.
encoded: September is a great time to try new things with so much coming into season, and as the kids go back to school, it’s the perfect opportunity to experiment with new ingredients as well as busying yourself in the garden. Read our tips for making the most out of September seasonal food such as aubergines, chives, potatoes, chillies and figs and check out some gardening tasks to start you off for autumn. Finally, celebrate the best of nature’s bounty with our list of seasonal calendar dates to look out for this month, from Sourdough September to British Food Fortnight and Seed Gathering Season. If you want to make the most of Autumn's bounty, check out more of our September recipes, Autumn recipes, Autumn vegan recipes and Autumn drinks & cocktails recipes. September season produce 1. Aubergines Aubergines drink up flavour so work brilliantly in curries, bakes and warm salads with punchy dressings. This griddled aubergine salad with sultanas & pine nuts from writer and stylist Sarah Cook is beautifully simple, too. Or try our baked ratatouille & goat’s cheese. Tip: Aubergines come from the tropics, so they’re best grown in a greenhouse, with lots of watering and a humid atmosphere. Wait until each fruit has developed its full colour, then cut the stem, about 2cm above the fruit. 2. Chives With their fresh oniony flavour and subtle garlicky pepperiness, just a few snips of these grassy stems can completely transform dishes. Sprinkle them on scrambled eggs, over a simple tomato salad or on anything fish or seafood-based. They make a brilliant shortcut, too, if you don’t have time to fry an onion – simply sprinkle some chopped chives over at the end. Try them in noodle dishes, soups made from leftovers and dumplings like our easy pork & chive dumplings. 3. Potatoes This is the perfect time to dig up maincrop potatoes. They take longer to mature than new potatoes and keep well in paper sacks. Check the crop is ready by removing a little soil first. On a dry day, carefully f…

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What’s in season – August
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: August
subject: Basil
subject: Cherry tomatoes
subject: French beans
subject: Fresh sweetcorn
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: What's in season
description: Emma Crawforth of BBC Gardeners’ World helps us recommend what to grow, cook and eat in August. See our top summer recipes, featuring tomatoes and sweetcorn
encoded: We're thrilled to be working with the gardening oracle that is Emma Crawforth of Gardeners' World. To complement our August seasonal food recommendations and selection of some of our favourite recipes, she’ll be providing top-notch gardening advice, giving us a better understanding of the plants we eat. This month is filled with reasons to get outside and enjoy growing your own; with Eat Outside Day (31 August) and a bank holiday, it couldn’t be a better time to have Emma on board. For more inspiration on using fresh seasonal summer produce, check out our summer recipes, summer budget recipes and summer dinner ideas. Also, discover more August recipes made with the best of this month’s seasonal produce. August season produce 1. Tomatoes Fully developed colour and shiny skin are good indicators of tomato ripeness – they should feel slightly tender, neither soft nor hard. While the fruits ripen best on the plant, left too long they will split. Most tomatoes come away from the plant easily, but others need cutting off. For the best flavour, choose good varieties – such as Sungold or Black Opal – grow in full sun, neither overwater nor overfeed, and harvest at the right time. Refrigeration is the enemy of tomato flavour, but be aware that ripe fruits give off ethylene, which hastens ripening in others, so if you’ve picked a lot, use them quickly. Tip: Try adding a splash of vodka to this tomato & basil granita just before serving to make it extra special. For more delicious tomato recipes, see our ultimate tomato collection, including our roasted tomato tart with double-cheese crust. 2. French beans Also known as green beans or common beans, these need hardly any prep at all. You can top and tail them, but we often just take off the woody top stalk and leave the curly end intact. Great simmered for just a few mins until tender and dressed in vinaigrette, or the unusual sweet-nutty topping in our maple pecan beans. Tip: Pick French beans regularly (every few days) in the…

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What's in season - July
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Blueberries
subject: Cherries
subject: July
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Runner beans
subject: Samphire
subject: Summer
subject: What's in season
description: Discover the best recipes to celebrate summer produce and important food dates for July. Our guide includes blueberries, cherries and hearty vegetables
encoded: View Green Video on the source website Enjoy the best of July's seasonal food. July is a great time to rest and recharge. We can’t all afford to go away on long holidays, but taking some time out for a lazy picnic in the park, a quick paddle in the sea or just a potter in the garden can be enough to feel revitalised. Gathering and prepping the fruit and vegetables that are around right now can also be a great avenue for contemplation. Got a punnet of cherries to stone, runner beans to slice, blueberries to pick, or samphire to forage? Take the time to enjoy the quiet monotony of these tasks in the sunshine, then reap the rewards of your gentle effort. Much of the season’s produce is so simple to serve and enjoy, just as it is, especially when freshly picked. But if you're looking for something unique, we've selected our favourite recipe ideas for doing something a little bit different with your summer harvest. Fired up for summer flavours? Dive into our July recipes for a month of delicious dinners. But that's not all! We have a treasure trove of summer recipes at your fingertips, featuring refreshing summer drinks, Perfect for sipping into the long summer evenings, and summer budget recipes which help stretch your grocery budget further while still enjoying seasonal produce. July season produce 1. Blueberries Blueberries are in season from July to August. Varying in size these deep blue, almost purple berries have a grey bloom, sweet flavour and are prized for their antioxidant properties. They are usually used alongside other berries in desserts or on their own as a breakfast berry or in baking. Tip: For blueberry curd, put 200g blueberries and 50g caster sugar in a saucepan. Mix 25ml water with 1 tsp cornflour, then pour over the blueberries. Simmer for 5 mins, squishing the berries a little as you stir. Tip the thickened mixture into a heatproof bowl with the juice and zest of ½ lemon, 50g butter, ½ tsp cinnamon and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. St…

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How to cut a pineapple
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: how to cut
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Pineapple
description: Read our simple guide for how to cut a pineapple. This refreshing tropical fruit can be cut into chunks in salads and kebabs or sliced up in a dessert.
encoded: Want to know how to prepare a pineapple? Chopping up these prickly fruits can be a bit daunting if you haven’t done it before, so follow our simple steps to minimise waste and faff. Talking of waste, the skin and core that's left over from your pineapple prep can be used to make a delicious iced tea – giving them one more use before they hit the compost bin. When are pineapples in season? Pineapples are at their peak season from March - July, but are widely available all year round. What to look for when choosing a pineapple Ripe pineapples will be a green or golden/grey colour, and if you pull out a spiky leaf from the top of the crown it should pop out with very little effort. How to serve pineapple Pineapples are intensely sweet, with a citrusy sharpness and strong fruity perfume. Their sweetness means they’re great in desserts or fruit salads but their sharpness also works well in savoury recipes, including salsas, marinades and spicy pork or fish dishes. Once your fruit is prepared, take a look at our pineapple recipes for more inspiration on desserts, drinks and mains to serve them in. Are pineapples good for you? Not only does a slice of pineapple count towards your 5-a-day, they’re a good source of fibre and vitamins too. Find out more about the health benefits of pineapples. Watch our video on how to prepare and chop a pineapple: View Green Video on the source website How to cut a pineapple into chunks These small blocks of pineapple are perfect for fruit salads, fruit kebabs or adding to savoury dishes – or even for the barbecue. 1 ripe pineapple Cut off the base and the leafy top of the pineapple and discard them. Stand the fruit up on one of the cut ends. Slice away the tough skin using a sharp or serrated knife, curving the blade a little as you cut to follow the shape of the pineapple. You will find that there are small indentations on the fruit with small spokes in the middle – these are called the eyes. To remove these you can either slice the skin o…

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Vegan Victoria sponge cake
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Health
subject: Recipes
subject: Baking
subject: CAKE
subject: dairy free cake recipe
subject: Egg-free
subject: Free from
subject: Indulgent
subject: Miriam Nice
subject: Vegan
subject: vegan afternoon tea
subject: vegan baking
subject: Vegan cake
subject: vegan sponge cake
subject: Vegan Victoria sponge
subject: Victoria sponge
description: Treat friends and family to a Victoria sponge cake made with vegan ingredients. This easy recipe is perfect for afternoon tea or a coffee morning

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Rosita
type: item
creator: Miriam Nice
subject: Drinks
subject: Premium
subject: Recipes
subject: Campari
subject: Cocktail
subject: pink negroni
subject: red vermouth
subject: Tequila
subject: tequila cocktail
description: Try a new take on the classic negroni in this cocktail where tequila replaces the usual gin to add extra punch. Garnish with pared lemon or grapefruit

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