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I’ve used Rachel’s coconut yogurt as it’s really rich and creamy (although vanilla also works really well). Simply churn the yogurt in an icecream machine for 40 mins, then pop it the freezer for a couple of hours, or until ready to serve. Top with fresh passion fruit and let your lucky love marvel at your creation.

If you don’t have an icecream machine then it’s a bit more work but don’t be put off. Simply put your yogurt in a tupperware container and pop in the freezer. Check it after 45 mins and give it a good whisk and return to the freezer. You’ll need to check and whisk it every 30 mins until it becomes resistant to whisking. Leave for 2-3 hours until set in the middle.

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Our ancestors had no choice but to be seasonal eaters. From their fruit and vegetables to their meat and fish, they were limited to what they could grow and rear from season to season. To carry them through the months when food was scarce, they became adept at pickling, salting, drying and preserving everything they could.

Nowadays in Britain, most of us have fridges and freezers so we can easily preserve our own food, and we can pop into the supermarket and buy our favourite fruit, vegetables, meat and fish all year round.

So what is all the fuss about seasonal eating and why should we bother with it?

Because when food is naturally in season it is cheaper, fresher and, ultimately, it tastes better! If you’ve ever tasted a tomato picked fresh from its vine and slightly warm from the sun, or the sweet crunch of a home-grown carrot, then you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, you don’t know what you’re missing!

In the UK, we grow sublime seasonal treats, asparagus, apples and berries to name but a few. But if you want to enjoy these foods at their very best (and cheapest) then you’ll need to equip yourself with a bit of seasonal food knowledge. A seasonal food chart, such as this one, is an excellent reference point and a great place to start on your seasonal food adventures.

All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2014

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At this time of year my go-to breakfast is porridge, usually with a honey and a sprinkling of seeds on top. But when I fancy a change I like to make up a big batch of whoesome Bircher Muesli.

There are lots of variations of Bircher, some made with milk, some with juice and some just with yogurt. I prefer to use a combination of juice and then add some yogurt in at the end – I found fruit yogurt works especially well, and you can pretty much use whatever flavour you like best.

The best part of the this recipe is that you can make it the night before and leave the oats & liquid to work their magic overnight. The next day all you need to do is chose you toppings and you have a deliciously satisfying breakfast – and less prep on the days means more time in bed!

I’m especially chuffed that this recipe featured in the Simple Things magazine a few months ago.

Ready for some autumnal breakfast loveliness? Ok, here you go!

Ingredients
300g of porridge oats
300ml apple juice
3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons of raisins
2 tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts
200ml of either natural yogurt or good quality fruit yogurt (blueberry or raspberry works well)
1 grated apple
A teaspoon of honey to drizzle
A few roughly chopped hazelnuts as a garnish

How to

Put the porridge oats, chopped nuts, raisins and seeds in a large tupperware container, pour over the apple juice and mix all the ingredients together. Seal the container and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, stir in the yogurt and spoon into serving bowls. Top with grated apple, roughly chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of honey to taste.

All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2013

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I love all the colours of summer, especially when in the form of gorgeous fruit and veg. These tomatoes are some of my Mum’s homegrown beauties, the very last of the season. So vivid and totally delicious served with fresh basil and torn mozzarella.

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I’ve tried to grow figs myself but I’ve found that you really need an extended period of lovely hot weather for them to ripen properly, inside and out. And in England, the only thing you can pretty much guarantee are long periods of rain, wind and cold.

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It’s been a while since I’ve been able to attend any of the Brighton Food Society events, so an invite to meal provided by Well Hung Meat Company, hosted by the Food Society, and held at Flour Town in Hove, sounded like an ideal opportunity to get back into all things food. The invite basically mentioned meat and wine – how can a girl refuse?!

The Well Hung Meat Company are based in Devon, specialises in high quality online meat supplies. All the meat is home-grown, organic and produced to the highest standards of animal welfare; they pride themselves on the quality of their products & the knowledge and expertise of their staff.

And their passion for their product was very clear in the brief introductory talk they gave us prior to the meal. They believe that if you eat meat then you should take some responsibility for the welfare of the animal and the process it goes through to get to your table – a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with.

Their website goes in to a lot more detail about their background, beliefs and values. If you like good meat and care about where it comes from then I encourage you to give it a read!

What we ate:

Charcuterie board

Starter: Beef carpaccio with green beans

Main: Seasoned lamb chops with a homemade potato salad and fresh samphire

Dessert: Lemon Possett with raspberries and a homemade shortbread biscuit (made by Matthew Drennan)

A selection of Pong cheeses (love that name!), all stocked by Well Hung

Plenty of booze (fuzzy heads all round)

Huge thanks to Paul and Matthew from Well Hung for all the lovely food and for coming all the way down from Devon.

Also a massive thanks to Matthew Drennan for allowing us to take over Flour Town for the evening and to the rest of the Food Society gang for being great fun as always!

All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2013

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I’ve been updating my portfolio recently so I thought I’d share a couple of preview pics with you. I think beautiful cakes are probably my most favourite food photography subject – probably because I’m always hopeful a slice might come my way!

All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2013

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