Friends with Recipes

Today’s episode brought us to Letchworth Garden City which is the home of today’s guest, The Big Fat Greek Mother. AKA Olga. Olga is a hilarous, eacher and mum of two whose ridiculous characters and skits will make you laugh out loud, even on the greyest of days. Yet, underneath all the jokes, Olga is a very warm, kind, thoughtful friend and she makes a mean Fasolakia Lathera! Find the recipe at www.friendswithrecipes.org

Today’s episode brought us north east of London near the port town of Ipswich which the home of today’s guest: Sally Emslie. Originally from South Africa, Sally has just recently moved out of Hackney to start a new life for her family in the countryside. Not only did we get a glimpse of Sally’s incredible stockroom for her secondhand designer clothing business Manifesto Women, we also took a brisk country walk to a gorgeous, abandoned church where I might have done a bit of singing . . . Find Sally's chicken soup recipe at www.friendswithrecipes.org!

Anna Whitehouse (AKA: Mother Pukka) is an amazing woman for many reasons, but she is probably best known for her flex appeal campaign which champions flexible working. She is also an author, mother of two, and all around hilarious woman. Anna cooked us up her favourite meal made entirely of ingredients from her friend Rash’s corner shop. In typical Anna style, the recipe and story behind it was absolutely charming, the chat hilarious, and the food comically good given that it literally took her five minutes to make! Get her recipe at www.friendswithrecipes.org!

I have long been an admirer of Jacqui Ma’s business Goodordering, but only met her for the first time when I showed up at her house! Jacqui was just as cool and interesting as I hoped she would be and her chat about the food that she and her partner Mia make in their Chinese/Sweedish/British/Australian household was absolutely fascinating! Also, how cute is it that Jacqui’s business Goodordering is named after something she and her brothers would say to her mum if they liked what she ordered at a restaraunt: “good ordering, mum”! I love that!Get Jacqui's recipe for Asian Noodle Crab Salad at www.friendswithrecipes.org!

Fritha Quin is a life-long vegetarian and now primarily plant-based eater based in Bristol. Though she claims to be completely useless in the kitchen, she still managed to whip us up her husband's easy and delicious recipe for vegan mac & cheese. (It was so good I went for thirds!!) Get her recipe at www.friendswithrecipes.org.

Today’s episode brought us to the charming, family friendly neighbourhood of East Dulwich in South London. I know this neighbourhood quite well as I live here too! That’s how I got to meet today’s guest, Vivi Allende (@byvivi.co). Vivi is a stylist, interior designer and mother of two. She is also an all around fascinating and absolutely adorable woman as you will see. 

Clemmie is a creative consultant and busy mother of three. She is also known for her funny and candid instagram account (@clemmie_telford) and her fascinating blog: Mother of all Lists. I visited Clemmie, her husband Ben, and her youngest child, Greta just up the road from my house in Peckham. Clemmie whipped me up her most favourite recipe for an Asian inspired salmon bowl and we discussed everything from my dodgy tastes in popcorn, to the food Clemmie claims is "the single best thing that has happened to me".

Chris Cox is an illusionist, mindreader, comedian, and all around entertainer whom I met at a cooking event in London a few years ago. Chris may look unassuming, but he is absolutely fascinating. I didn't realise quite how fascinating he was untilI got to his house and found out that he not only worked on creating magic tricks for the Harry Potter show on the West End, but he also worked with Heston Blumenthal creating magic tricks for his restaurants! This man has many tricks up his sleeve, in more ways than one . . . He also makes a DARN good cookie!! You absolutely must try this recipe. It is the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had.