A hot smoker is a method of cooking food, particularly fish, in a mixture of steam and wood chip or sawdust smoke. This article tells you how to make a very cheap home-made smoker from standard kitchen components, as well as telling you how to cook with it.

Pastry is one of the most basic components of cooking, needed for pies, tarts and cake bases of many types. It originates in the ancient method of applying a paste of flour and water to baked meats to protect them in the fire. But, in the Middle Ages fats were added and modern pastry was born. Learn a little about the different pastry types and see a recipe for a traditional classic flaky pastry.

With Autumn approaching, the mind naturally turns to how best to preserve the season's glut of fruit for the coming winter. One of the best preservation methods is to turn the fruit into jams and jellies, which will last you through the winter and well into the following spring. Here you will learn the secrets of making perfect jams and jellies with grape jam being used as an example.

When thinking of cakes, everyone automatically imagines a recipe for baking. Yet, for hundreds of years before ovens became ubiquitous cakes were being steamed rather than baked. Here you will find a recipe for a classic steamed cake that you can prepare anywhere, even on the barbecue or whilst camping. Wow your friends by giving them a freshly-steamed cake the next time you go camping.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to letting you get the most from your cake baking. This article takes you through some of the history, science and practicalities of cake making so you will know not only what to do, but why your should do it. Armed with this information you can turn out perfect light and creamy cakes time after time...