Sainsbury's Magazine.

Proudly presenting our feature, home, menu, recipes and a very rare public picture of our sweet baby girl.

You will need sunglasses and a scarf.

Days requiring sunglasses and a scarf always remind me of this far away lady. They epitomise all that is great about Autumn - low light, crisp air, blue skies, twirling leaves, harvest bounties. And, in my opinion, if the weather lottery plays kind and dishes you this happy combination then go and explore, breathe deeply and enjoy. There will be plenty of days like today with rain (or worse still flooding), chill wind and dark, grey skies.

Just over a week ago, we made the most of such a day and headed to the charming Logierait Country Market, just as the weather offered all that is good about Autumn, this market offered all that is good about a Perthshire country market. Excellent produce, happy, friendly people, contented dogs of all sizes, live music, wild flowers on tables, a spinning wheel, free parking (for cars and bikes) and even a narrow gauge railway!

The next and last of the season is October 20th. Go.

Simple supper

I was looking for a very quick Tuesday tea featuring some delicious home grown rhubarb. A brief leaf through Nigel Slater's pages and I decided on a roasted rhubarb and pan fried mackerel combination, served with cous cous to allow the stronger flavours voice across the palate. There's no recipe, it was very simple but it worked (and was probably quicker than a more usual Tuesday pasta dish).

Being filleted in wonderful Armstrongs.

Simply picked, washed and chopped.

Ta da!

The happiest of birthdays

To celebrate my birthday, I was whisked away to North Berwick harbour for the yummiest feast at The Lobster Shack . If you can drive there don't delay or plan a visit from further afield, it's open until 2nd October (12-6pm) and the combination of the freshest shellfish, excellent cooking and presentation, the wine list (including champagne), views and the casual atmosphere can't fail to impress.

From nature...

...to plate (of sorts).

The harbour.

The shack.

And finally, to finish of the trip, a stroll on the beach and an ice cream. E's tiny toes experienced sand and icey sea for the first time. Happy birthday to me.

Five tips from a Michelin starred kitchen

It's Chris here, taking a break from our kitchen and a step into a very different kitchen, that of Martin Wishart's Cook School.

Recently, I had the privilege of attending a Martin Wishart Cook Course specialising in fish and shellfish. A wonderful gift from past colleagues, I arrived, slightly daunted and unsure what to expect but keen to learn and enjoy what was in store.

While it was an amateur course all the attendees were, as you might expect, pretty seriously into food and the standard was high.

First the chef gave a rough description of the exciting dishes we’d be cooking: pan fried scallops with leek and water vinaigrette, crispy hake galettes and sea bass with fennel and warm tomato vinaigrette.

Each dish was then clearly demonstrated and we were left to our own devices to copy what we saw - preparing then eating our creations. Some of it was new, some of it was familiar but it was great to have the luxury of time to think through and enjoy each stage of the process without the pressure of a table to serve. And, I left with some hints that I thought you may find useful and interesting:

1. It sounds obvious, but use plenty salt when cooking shellfish - cook in very salty water to make sure you get the taste of the sea.

2. When making galettes or fish cakes, shape the mixture then freeze before frying to ensure the cakes keep their shape.

3.When frying a fillet of fish with the skin on, cook on the skin side only for the majority of the cooking time then finish off for 30 seconds on the other side – this will ensure the skin is crispy, not soggy.

4. When pan frying fish, season and oil the fish – not the pan.

5. When seasoning shellfish only use salt, not pepper. Pepper is too strong a flavour for the delicate flavours of shellfish.

Flavours of Italy 2010

Well, it didn't take much to tempt us back. We've just returned from another food filled trip. This time, higher in the stunning mountains and chestnut forests, not far from Pieve Fosciana and pretty Sillico. The views were amazing, the sun shone and the food, rustic, simply served allowing the delicious, local flavours to speak for themselves:

Amazing figs and ham

Baked cheese with generous gratings of truffle

Sillico perched on the hill

Doorway in Sillico

View from Sillico

Tagliatelle con funghi

Antipasti

Sunset over the Apuan Alps and across the Garfagnana valley

Supper Seven

Last night's guests came from near and far, gathered by one very special lady for a summer menu with all the colours, tastes and sunshine which were sadly lacking outside.

Walnut and honey soda bread (thanks for the Bread book, Carrie).

Plain white soda bread.

Charlie and Evelyn's Table.

Cucumber, hummus and radish canapes.

To amuse Mint and cucumber summer soup with lemon thyme and mint ice.

To start Duck rillettes, plum, soda bread.

To follow Marinated tuna, rice noodles, tempura prawns, coriander dressing.

To finish Melon, macaroons, Kaffir lime syrup.