The Kitchen Cafe

What is it about getting towards winter which makes you want to reach for food which gives you a great big fat cuddle? This week as the nights draw in Pennie Latin searches through the Kitchen Café recipe archives for ideas to make you want to cosy up. So on the menu we've got cauliflower cheese with Stilton from Castle of Mey; Neil Forbes has the ultimate crowd pleaser with pot roast chicken; Jak O'Donnell is turning dauphinoise potatoes into a dish to cuddle up to by adding black pudding and goats cheese while Mark Greenaway makes the ultimate happy food with his hot chocolate fondant. Food which makes you feel good about the arrival of winter!

What would your perfect weekend breakfast or brunch dish be? This week Pennie Latin searches through the Kitchen Café recipe archives in search of ideas so delicious you'll actually want to get out of bed for them! So Neil Forbes conjures up a creamy, indulgent mushrooms on toast; Kirsten Gilmour makes New Zealand style savoury muffins and Andy Cumming goes for what he thinks is the ultimate cure for the night before - kedgeree - plus we've got a recipe for smoked salmon omelette perfection from Lara Bross. Go on, treat yourself, join us for breakfast and brunch on this week's dive into the recipe collection!

Fast food fun but with all that homemade flavour packed in too! This week Pennie Latin searches through the Kitchen Café recipe archives for recipes inspired by a weekend takeaway. So if you want to make the best burger ever then Neil Forbes has the perfect formula; queen of Italian cooking Mary Contini has an utterly simple but delicious pizza on her menu while Sue Lawrence provides the how-to on the ultimate treat night pud with Orkney fudge cheesecake. Loads of delicious ideas with a nod to the naughty for when you're feeling like treating yourself but keeping it homemade!

Chef Peggy Brunache and food innovator Simon Preston fire up the barbecue and their imaginations as they attempt to recreate the tastes of a US style Barbecue pit using just a domestic oven and a £20 BBQ. We hear from the Yorkshire couple who have fallen so far in love with the smokey flavours of US style outdoor eating they've imported a smoker and started up a BBQ Pit in Auldgirth in Dumfries. Does Barbecue always mean beer? Not necessarily - Simon finds the red wines that can cope with even the smokiest flavours. Peggy tells us about the history and regional variations in US barbecue culture. Why there is no such thing as "barbecue sauce" - we find out about three totally different authentic taste sensations that will enliven even the most wretched hunk of charred meat. In a nod to our unpredictable weather we find out how to always be barbecue ready in just one hour.

This week spice expert Ghillie Basan and the team are delving into the world of DIY summer drinks. From Kombucha to lassi and homemade lemonade. Simon Preston's continuing his series on summer wines with a look at great white wines while Kiwi chef in the Cairngorms Kirsten Gilmour shares the secrets behind her sensational pops, presses, juices and award winning smoothies! Kick back, raise a glass and quench your thirst with the Kitchen Café team!