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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.

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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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The traditional recipes of Wales are what might be thought of as 'peasant food' the kind of recipes made by the poor who want to make the most out of what little food they had. This, in some respects, has left Wales with a blank culinary slate where some very exciting modern foods, bringing together influences from all over the world have been created. Here I give an example of a traditional Welsh dish and an example of a recipe from the new breed of Welsh cookery...

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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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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.

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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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Barbecuing, or cooking meat directly above a flame, is a very traditional cooking method and probably represents humanity's oldest cooking technique. There is nothing like a summer outdoor barbecue and here you will find recipes for a classic kebab and sticky ribs both designed to make the most out of barbecuing.

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Learn a little about the origins of British biscuits and American cookies and how these classic baked goods differ from one another. Also presented is a recipe for a classic American chocolate chip cookie and a traditional British tea-time biscuit.

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Chillies are a South American fruit, unknown to the rest of the world before 1492. Learn about this amazing spice and find two rather unusual chilli-based recipes for a jam and a sorbet

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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.