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I grew up in Britain, where Sunday dinners filled the house with the smell of roast beef, golden spuds and a proper gravy bubbling on the stove. My dad delivered fruit and veg on his lorry, my mum could stretch a pound of mince into a feast, and Nan’s sideboard was always home to a tin of peaches for unexpected guests. Food wasn’t fancy. It was comforting, shared, and a quiet promise that we’d always belong somewhere.
Years later, I found myself thousands of miles away in Australia. Sunshine instead of drizzle. Beach barbecues instead of pub roasts. But something was missing. It wasn’t just a pork pie or a proper jar of mint sauce; it was home. It was the sound of a kettle boiling, the hum of family around the table, and the smell of something familiar baking in the oven. So I started to recreate it. Little by little, I built my own corner of Britain here in Perth, from spiced chutneys and pickled onions to Christmas puddings and roasties crisped just right. What began as a homesick craving evolved into a way to connect with other expats who shared similar feelings of homesickness. Pork Pies & The Perfect Pickle isn’t just a collection of recipes. It’s a love letter to that shared ache for the familiar, and the joy of finding it again in a warm kitchen, even on the other side of the world. It’s for those who’ve crossed oceans, but still crave the taste of home. You can leave home, but home never leaves you.
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 Dear You,
I see you. Standing in the middle of a supermarket in Australia or wherever you have moved too, staring at the “British section” shelf with its lone packet of Rich Tea biscuits and a jar of pickle that costs more than your weekly shop. I see the ache that rises when you want a pork pie, or a proper cup of tea, or the smell of Christmas back home when the air outside is thirty-five degrees. You miss the small things, the burnt toast, the bacon butties, the sprouts on Christmas Day even though you never liked them. You miss the rituals that made ordinary days feel like home. And that’s why I do what I do. Every recipe, every jar, every word I write is for you. To remind you that you’re not silly for missing these things. To show you that home isn’t gone, it just looks different now. It can be here in a spoonful of chutney, in a candle that smells like Boxing Day, in a plate of roast potatoes cooked in the middle of an Australian summer. This isn’t just about food. It’s about belonging. About knowing that when you take a bite, or light a wick, or turn a page, you’re not alone in missing the things that mattered. So here’s to you, to us, to keeping home alive, not in the past, but right here, in the life you’re building now. With warmth (and extra pickle), Pork Pies & the Perfect Pickle Ah yes, the M&S Christmas food magazine has landed. Britain gets shimmering trifles, pigs in blankets by the battalion, and turkeys with a glaze so glossy you can see your face in them. And here we are in Australia, staring at our laptops like Dickensian orphans, noses pressed up against the glass of the internet, whispering, “Please sir, may I have some pudding?” I swear, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve sighed over an M&S yule log, I could probably charter a plane to fly one over. I’d even pay extra for the baggage allowance. Honestly, I’d trade my neighbour’s fairy lights, three rolls of wrapping paper, and possibly Carl’s camping chair just to get my hands on a box of those chocolate fir cone things. Instead, we make do. Our festive spreads are built on memory and improvisation: a pavlova pretending to be a Christmas pudding, stuffing balls cobbled together from sausages that “weren’t quite right”, and cranberry sauce that has travelled further than Father Christmas. But still, the ritual remains. We ex-pats dutifully flick through the pages, torture ourselves with visions of cocktail canapés, and tell ourselves that mango really does belong in December. So yes, the M&S magazine is out. Go on, pour yourself a glass of fizz, have a little cry over the prawn ring, and then get back to reality. Because this year, like every year, Christmas dinner is coming from our own kitchens, and honestly, it’ll taste all the sweeter for it. There’s something quietly satisfying about a fridge that hums with promise. A tray of sausage rolls ready to reheat, a jar of something pickled with love, or even a stack of muffins for weekday munchies. Whether you’re baking for comfort, prepping for chaos, or just trying to avoid that midweek "what’s for tea?" panic—this is your sign to get ahead. This week I’m nudging you (with love and maybe a rolling pin) to set aside an hour or two for a little food prep. Not a military operation, just a bit of British batch-cooking magic. Here’s a few gentle suggestions:
Lets start with comforting, prep-ahead dinners that carry folk through the week without fuss, two hearty recipes that reheat beautifully and are made for leftovers: Recipe 1: Cottage Pie with a Hidden Veg Twist (Warming, freezer-friendly, and perfect for batch cooking) Ingredients (serves 4–6): 500g beef mince 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, grated 1 courgette, grated 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 400ml beef stock 1 tsp dried thyme Salt & pepper 800g potatoes, peeled and chopped 50g butter Splash of milk Quick Instructions: Sauté onion, add mince and brown. Stir in carrots, courgette, purée, Worcestershire sauce, stock, thyme and simmer for 25 mins. Boil spuds, mash with butter and milk. Layer meat in a dish, top with mash, fork the top, bake at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 25 mins. ********************************************************* Recipe 2: Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake (Family-friendly, no-fuss, and good for odds and ends in the fridge) Ingredients (serves 4) 250g dried pasta (penne or fusilli) 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 red pepper, chopped 1 courgette or handful of mushrooms, sliced 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp tomato ketchup or paste 100g grated cheddar 2 tbsp cream cheese or a splash of cream (optional) Quick Instructions: Cook pasta. Sauté onion, garlic, and veg. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and ketchup, simmer 10 mins. Mix with pasta and half the cheese. Tip into baking dish, top with remaining cheese, bake at 180°C (fan 160°C) for 20 mins until golden. Shopping List: Prep-ahead Dinners Fresh: 500g beef mince 1 onion (x2 total)2 carrots 1 courgette (x2 total if using in both meals) 1 red pepper Mushrooms (optional) 800g potatoes Garlic cloves Pantry/Cupboard: Tomato purée Worcestershire sauce Dried thyme Dried oregano Ketchup or tomato paste Tinned chopped tomatoes (400g) Dried pasta (250g) Fridge: Butter (for mash) Milk Grated cheddar (100g) Cream cheese or cream (optional) Show Me Yours! If you’ve batch-cooked this week—or even just got a cheeky cottage pie in the oven—tag me! I love seeing your makes and sharing them in stories. Let’s make batch-cooking British again. When I think of a proper tea at home, I picture my dad with a plate of chips and maybe an egg or some leftover chicken. A simple, no nonsense meal that hits the spot. Now, loaded fries might seem a bit of a modern thing, more takeaway style, a little showy perhaps, but really, they're just the natural step in the great British tradition of turning humble chips into something a bit more exciting. Tea time can feel like a race against the clock—kids need feeding, you’re juggling work and life, and somehow dinner has to happen now. If you’re anything like me, you want something proper, filling, and fuss-free. This one's for anyone spinning plates, who want to get a meal on the table (or on the sofa tucked under a cosy blanket) without needing three pans or half an hour of stirring, who need to feed the family something hearty and (dare I say) a teeny bit special, even if it is a Monday night. Grab a hot cooked chicken from Woolies (or your local shop), shred it over a pile of golden oven chips, sprinkle with cheese, and you’re almost there. Add a few simple extras, pop it under the grill, and dinner’s done in 30 minutes or less.
Dinner sorted, fuss minimal, and everyone’s happy. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something tasty and a bit special, without spending hours in the kitchen. Got a favourite quick tea hack? Share it with me—I’m always up for new ideas! Love, Leigh x Includes recipe for English Muffin Breakfast Stacks It’s the weekend. The sun’s pretending it might show up, the bed’s too warm and cosy, and the dog’s already chomping on its foot.. Which begs the age-old, deeply philosophical question: what are we having for breakfast? It’s not the time for a sad slice of dry toast or last Tuesday’s cereal. No. This is the weekend, and the weekend deserves better. This is when you ceremoniously ignore all adult responsibilities and make the kitchen smell like syrup and smugness. The Good Old Days (Not That We’re Old, Obviously)Back when the kids were little and Saturday mornings weren’t yet hijacked by football boots and dance bags, Carl used to pop to Sainsbury’s early, not quite wearing his slippers, and come back with fresh bagels, cream cheese, and a punnet of berries that wouldn’t survive till lunchtime. The kids would pile into the kitchen like tiny, uncoordinated locusts, still in pyjamas. It was chaos. Beautiful, strawberry-smeared chaos. Let’s Be Honest Though…I hate doing breakfast. There, I said it. No one ever wants to get up at the same time, someone’s always “just finishing a game” or can’t possibly function before a second cup of tea, and I end up stuck on chef duty from 7am till nearly noon. Like a hotel buffet, but without the industrial toaster or polite tipping.
Waffles If you’ve got a waffle iron, now’s the time to feel superior. If not, borrow one from someone who impulse-bought it during lockdown. Top with fruit, cream, or Nutella and pretend you’re on a weekend break in Bruges. Bagels & Cream Cheese Still a classic. Toasted bagels topped with thick cream cheese and fresh fruit — Carl’s favourite was blueberry, although he’d claim it was ‘for the kids’. Smoked salmon if you’re fancy, peanut butter if you’ve lost the will. Pancakes Stack them high, serve with butter, jam, lemon and sugar, or whatever else you’ve got. Let the kids do the flipping — what could go wrong? (Answer: the dog gets fed early.)
Make It a Thing Lay the table (yes, even if it’s just the two of you), pop the radio on, and let it feel like a small occasion. Put the fruit in a bowl instead of the plastic punnet. Use the nice mugs. Weekend breakfasts are about more than food — they’re little moments stitched into family memory. Sticky fingers, syrup drips, burnt toast and all. So , ask yourself: What’s for breakfast? And answer with something worth getting out of bed for (even if you do grumble the entire time). English Muffin Breakfast Stacks The café classic you can throw together in minutes — rich, cheesy eggs and buttery mushrooms piled onto a toasted muffin. Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 English muffins, split 4 eggs 2 tbsp milk or cream 40g grated cheddar (or more, if you're feeling generous) 1 tbsp butter (for the eggs) 1 tbsp butter or oil (for the mushrooms) 200g mushrooms, sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed Salt and pepper Optional: chopped chives, hot sauce, or crispy bacon Method: 1.Toast the Muffins Split and toast your muffins until golden. Keep warm. 2. Sauté the Mushrooms In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp butter or oil. Add mushrooms and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until golden and tender. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Make the Cheesy Scrambled Eggs Beat the eggs with the milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a non-stick pan over low heat. Add eggs and stir slowly. When they’re just set but still creamy, fold in the grated cheese and remove from heat. Assemble Place toasted muffin halves on plates. Top each with a generous scoop of cheesy scrambled eggs and a spoonful of sautéed mushrooms. Sprinkle with chives or add extras like crispy bacon or a drizzle of hot sauce if you like. |
