foodie christmas traditions.

Just like any season, with Christmas comes with annual traditions with family and friends. From gingerbread houses and festive bakes to special breakfasts and fusion feasts from around the world, I've put together a few little anecdotes from my fellow food bloggers on how they spend their Christmas break. For the last few December 25th mornings, I've put together a breakfast of lazy eggs for all the family. So simple but perfect to keep that hunger at bay whilst the house filled up with mouthwatering scents of Christmas dinner.

#fdbloggers secret santa.

Christmas has to be one of the favourites seasons of a food blogger. Food everywhere, cheese boards a plenty and edible gifts for all! Over with the fellow #fdbloggers on Twitter, we've been doing our own secret Santa gift swap. Exchanging gifts with foodies from all around the UK and Ireland, you can head over to the hashtag #fdbloggerssanta to see an array of super thoughtful foodie packed parcels from a mystery Santa. Here what I got from Sal... I mean, Santa...

my 500th blog post.

My 500th blog post. Wow, that's a lot isn't it. A lot of words. Even more so, a lot of food. Countless cups of afternoon tea, sushi rolls, spaghetti twirls and avocado on toast later... and I'm not really sure what to say. When I started my food blog back in January 2011, I hadn't a clue what fun foodie adventures it'd take me on. So I thought I'd put together a few of my fave parts, for old times sake.

24 glorious gluten free recipes.

Today marks National Coeliac Awareness Day - September 13th. With so many fantastic bakes, sweet treats and delicious dishes from fellow food bloggers, I thought it was about time I put together a round up of gluten free recipes. I have a few friends and family who live with coeliac disease, and am always keen to see restaurants putting alternatives on their menu too. 

It was also great that GBBO did a free from episode this year, which raised awareness of sugar free, dairy free and wheat free baking. So from desserts and cakes right through to pizzas and muffins - here are 24 sweet and savoury gluten free recipes to enjoy!

19 things food bloggers will understand.

The stash of Kilner jars, the pursuit for the perfectly gooey egg and the endless Post-Its decorating your cookery book stack. Sound familiar? Me too. Here are nineteen things that the seasoned food blogger is all too well acquainted with. 

Now, have you Instagram-ed your dinner yet? Are you sitting comfortably with a stripy straw in your drink? Okay, then let's begin.

#fdbloggers: get to know.

Oh how I love the #fdbloggers community. Because what's food blogging when you can't chat to others about your last meal, new favourite plate or recent foodie blunders?

Don't underestimate the amount of times you can Instagram an avocado, perfect the ultimate soft boiled egg shot or get the right angles on that buttercream. Never again will you (or any of your friends or family) eat food hot again. Sounds lots of fun, yes? Head over to the #fdbloggers Twitter hashtag and you'll see I'm right!

I was recently tagged by brilliant baker Mike over at The Bearded Bakery and lovely Megan of Got To be Gourmet in the latest #fdbloggersgtk so thought I'd better put my piping bag down and get to it...

happy 4th blog birthday.

happy new year everyone! i hope you had a wonderful christmas and fun filled new year's eve, whether you stayed in with a cuppa or indulged in one too many g&ts. i wrote my first ever blog post about some simple chocolate truffles back on the 4th of january 2011. four years on, i'm still somehow spending my weekends baking, evenings searching for the best natural light and saturday mornings running off the calories. 

midlands food bloggers festive afternoon tea.

Last weekend myself and another 9 midlands bloggers met up for an afternoon of tea, Tiny sandwiches, miniature desserts and an abundance of Instagram opportunities. Mostly though, it was super exciting to put a few faces to Twitter names and finally continue our foodie chats face to face. Off we headed to Hotel La Tour, With no sign of their festive afternoon tea menu online and a head full of Google images from previous reviews. 

the festive tag.

everyone is loving these festive tags lately, aren't they? i should really be wrapping some christmas presents right now. instead i'm watching nigellissima, drinking a snowball and answering these rather christmassy queries. could i get any more festive? since both the lovely amelia of xameliax and michael of the bearded bakery both tagged me up in similar seasonal blog posts, i've merged the questions into one festive blog bonanza. enjoy...

square meal bloggers' afternoon tea at boyds brasserie.

with a striking entrance hall and opulent chandeliers hanging from high ceilings, boyds on northumberland avenue is renowned for a british tapas and brasserie style menu. i'm told that miniatures of britain's classic dishes are what they do best, having read some fantastic reviews. on this occasion, a handful of food bloggers were invited by square meal to sample their new afternoon tea menu, which has only been running since july 7th. talk about pressure, hey?