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Chocolate is perhaps the most indulgent ingredient to emerge from the Americas. It was once considered a royal drink and prepared especially for the ruling elite. Chocolate itself is made from the cocoa bean and as such is actually, technically, a spice. It's hardly surprising that this magical substance has inspired a host of memorable quotations...

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Prue Leiths' 'Leiths Cookery Bible' is one of those books that you never new you couldn't do without. It is the one cookery book that you need on your bookshelf (not that it will stay there very long). To find out why this book is so indispensible why not read the review now?

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The Romans were the first peoples to formally add a dessert course at the end of a meal. Here you will learn a little about why we like sweet desserts and why they all, in one way or another, echo the fruit our ancestors used to eat. You will also see two recipes for classic fruit-based desserts.

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Those obsessive about wild foods will source a whole meal from the wild. But this is not the way that it's best to start with or even to keep going with wild foods. It's far better to gather a few fruit, wild greens or mushrooms and to add these to your everyday cookery. This way you get an introduction to the range of wild foods available and you begin to extend your cookery by adding wild ingredients.

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An ice cream is a cold dessert made, at the most basic level, with cream and flavourings and which is whipped to incorporate air into the mix both before and during the freezing process. However, Italian ice creams (gelati) have more flavour and are whipped less so they contain less air and are creamier. French ice creams (glaces) are based on an egg custard and taste rich and creamy. Find out more about these frozen desserts and how to prepare them.

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Senegal was formerly the capital of French West Africa and the French influence remains strong in the country, not least in the cooking. French cooking techniques and European vegetables mix with rice, fish and hot chillies to yield a cuisine that is vibrant exciting and above all tasty. Try out two classic Senegalese dishes for yourselves here.

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Scottish cookery swings from the essential spartan nature of Highland Cookery, where the most is made of scant ingredients, to the richness of the recipes of the East Coast ports and border towns. Despite its reputation as something of a joke (which is, at least partially, deserved) Scottish cookery is alive and vibrant and represents a fusion of good ingredients, old recipes and modern techniques. Here, recipes are provided for a traditional highland meal and this is contrasted with a traditional rich cake.

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According to tradition, marmalade came to Scotland in 1797 when Mrs Janet Keiller had to do something with a ship-load of ripe oranges her husband had bought. From this was born Dundee Marmalade and this bitter-sweet product has been a traditional part of Scottish cookery ever since. Here you will find recipes that include marmalade as an essential ingredient.

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Beans are a classic storage food and have been a staple of the human diet for millennia. In recent decades, however, we have forgotten just how useful and versatile beans are. Here is a brief description of the importance of beans, with two classic bean recipes for you to try.

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Pot roasts are the preserve of the meat-eater as they need a solid lump of meat to make them work. The difficulty of producing a vegetable pot roast is in replicating the job of the meat in the dish. This recipe does that and allows vegetarians to enjoy the texture and flavour of this classic dish.