The secret of the amazing flavour of this cake lies in the long process of maturing and only natural ingredients such as honey and spices. I prepare the dough on stir-up Sunday and let it sit in the fridge for almost a month. After the long rest, the cake is baked, sprinkled with Amaretto Liqueur,  dressed up with layers of plum jam and marzipan, tightly wrapped, and left in the fridge for another week. Just prior to the festivities or one day before Christmas, Polish Traditional Gingerbread Cake needs only a shiny coat of chocolate ganache. Find the recipe here….

I always start the festive season by making homemade Gingerbread Mix Spice. The preparation takes only a few minutes, and all I have to do is mix all ingredients. The Gingerbread Mix Spice is a blend of seasonal spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg. You can make the spice mix milder by cutting the ginger amount or adding more if you need an extra punch. The Gingerbread Mix Spice is very aromatic, fresh, warming and great for gingerbread of all kinds and muffins. It should be kept in an airtight container. Find the recipe here…

In the summertime, I literally can’t live without this bright green sauce made from fresh basil leaves, pine kernels, garlic olive oil and parmesan cheese. I can eat it daily, spread on fresh white bread, tossed with pasta or gnocchi. Pesto originated in Geona, the capital city of Liguria, the region in Italy and was traditionally made in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. I find making the pesto easier and faster by using a food processor. Don’t be tempted by a ready sauce from the store, The ingredients are available all year round, and any other ready-to-eat sauce can’t be compared to a homemade version. This recipe shows you how to make pesto at home. Here...

A great burger starts with good-quality meat. Head to your local butcher, buy your cuts of choice and mince your beef for the burger. You will have full control over fat content and know where the meat is coming from. Fat provides moisture and flavour, so your cuts should have at least 20% of this. A binding agent as an egg is not needed because fat also holds the patty together. Grind the beef coarsely and don’t push down on the patty when it’s cooked as you’ll push away all the precious juices. Serve with a homemade bun, sauces and if possible, fresh veggies. Find the recipe for the best beef burger here....

The meatballs hold together better if you choose quite fatty pork such as pork shoulder. Cook the whole batch even though you don’t intend to eat them all at once – they reheat nicely and also freeze very well. Fry the meatballs over medium heat until golden brown, served over creamy mashed potatoes, with easy apple and beetroot salad. This dish can make a perfectly satisfying dinner after a busy weekday, it's tasty, warming and very comforting. Find the recipe here.

Look at this bowl of goodness, full of aromatic and spicy flavours that will warm you up, fill you up and give you a lot of energy. This dish originated in Northern Mexico or Southern Texas is known as Chilli (in the US and Canada) or Chilli con Carne (in Australia and the UK) and is a beef stew cooked with onion, tomatoes, spices and beans. The latter has been disputed by chilli fanatics as the earliest chillis did not contain beans at all. Chilli con Carne should be cooked for at least 45 minutes, however the longer it simmers on the hob, the better it gets – its flavours develop, the meat is more tender, and the sauce becomes richer. I serve chilli with fluffy rice, a dash of sour cream and avocado, but you can eat it with tortillas or tacos. Find the recipe here..

Their shape symbolises prosperity and luck, so by serving these little golden dumplings at Lunar New Year’s dinner, you may hope to have lots of good fortune in the coming year. Money Bag Dumplings can be filled either with vegetables, meat, seafood, and tofu – anything delicious you can think of, then steamed or fried. But they always have the shape of little money bags and yellow-golden colour. My Money Bags Dumplings are made with homemade dumpling wrappers, filled with flavourful pork and vegetable mixture, steamed and served with sour-sweet garlicky dumpling sauce. Find the recipe here…

Traditional stolen often contains marzipan – a confection made mainly from ground almonds and sugar. I don’t use marzipan because the fruit blend and a thick coat of icing sugar that covers the bread are sweet enough, so extra sweetness is overwhelming for me. Stollen is a yeasted bread baked with dried fruits and spices that's originated in Dresden. It’s traditionally served at Christmas time in Germany, Austria and parts of France. Stollen symbolises the baby Jesus blanket, and the fruits in it represent gifts of the Three Wise Men (called the Three Kings or Three Magi as well). Find the recipe here…

Panettone, sweet enriched bread comes originally, according to many sources, from Milan and is a true symbol of Italian Christmas. It’s more bread than a cake, although brioche-like dough of slightly sweet flavour is studded with dried fruits, almonds and raisins. The most traditional panettone is made by wild-yeast fermentation, augmented by a small amount of commercial yeasts. Making of this Christams sweet bread is a lengthy procedure, but the result is well worth it: you will end up with a golden, aromatic, and delicious Christmas bake that melts in your mouth with every bite.  Find the recipe here…

This is a classic dish served in the United Kingdom and Ireland as an accompaniment to roast turkey for a Christmas dinner or as a side dish. Pigs in Blankets, also called kilted soldiers are small chipolatas wrapped in bacon, and baked in the oven until crisp. I used the chipolatas of the usual size and divided each sausage into half to get ‘pigs’ that can be served as finger food or a one-bite size dish. And honey drizzle made this staple of the festive season super sticky and shiny. Find the recipe here...

Gingerbread Biscuits of different shapes can easily replace traditional glass baubles and stars on the Christams Tree. They also can be an excellent edible Christmas present and great fun for children in the festive season. This gingerbread dough has a perfect balance of spices – cinnamon, ginger, cloves, all spices, and plenty of honey. It’s soft and may be a bit difficult to handle at the beginning, however make perfect and delicate biscuits that snap when break. The dough develop its flavour and makes better biscuits when left for a few days in the fridge. We decorate our Christmas tree with homemade gingerbread biscuits every year. Find the recipe here…

This is a type of relish-like salsa commonly used in Mexican cuisine. A simple combination of fresh tomatoes and onion, serrano or jalapeno chilli peppers, lime juice and coriander, generously seasoned with salt, is also called salsa fresca, salsa Mexicana or salsa cruda. You can enjoy Pico de Gallo with tortilla crisps, Totopos, tacos or quesadilla. Make it a few hours in advance to let all-natural juices combine and marinate together, providing the salsa with more flavour.  For those who can’t stand fresh coriander - use parsley instead. Find the recipe here...

There are plenty of recipes for this French classic. Some bakers use puff pastry, thinly sliced sweet apples but no caramel; others - rough puff pastry, firm, crispy fruits and a vanilla pod. This recipe for Tarte Tatin comes from the book “Le Cordon Bleu. Pastry School”. It calls for a slightly sweet shortcrust pastry, beautifully caramelised apple halves with a pinch of cinnamon baked in a Savarin form. Big, lightly brown apple pieces that create a ring on the crisp, buttery base are soft, juicy and sweet. This upside-down fruit tarte looks absolutely fantastic and tastes divine. Find the recipe here….

These little buns are light and fluffy, and their dark sweet-sour filling makes your fingers and smile dark blue. I always bake them in summer when wild blueberries are in season. Sweet little cushions are made with yeasted, buttery dough, stuffed with aromatic wild fruits, and a little crumble on top. They are the best straight from the oven, dusted with a pinch of icing sugar, for breakfast or as a dessert. Find the recipe here…

The secret of excellent gazpacho is fresh, natural vegetables at their season’s peak: yellow tomatoes, melon, bell pepper and cucumber. You can keep the gazpacho wholly vegetarian, and vegan using only olives and diced vegetables as a garnish or serve it with chorizo, cured ham and shrimps. The chunky soup is easy to make; it comes together quickly in the food processor. Refreshing chilled Golden Gazpacho is perfect for lunch on hot summer days. Find the recipe here…

Ratatouille is a traditional Provençal vegetable stew, fragrant with garlic and thyme. It is excellent to have it on hand for a quick lunch or as a side dish for dinner. You can serve it warm or cold, on rice, with roast meat or a baguette. Aubergine, courgette, onion and pepper must be cooked separately in olive oil before being combined with diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped garlic, and herbs and stewed until all vegetables are tender. Use the vegetable at the peak of the season; then, you will get the perfect flavourful Ratatouille. Find the recipe here

This round flatbread with a pocket inside originated within communities west of the Mediterranean Sea and is considered the oldest type of bread in the world. Pita Bread is made from yeast-leavened wheat dough and baked at high temperatures in the oven or on a cast-iron skillet. It goes well with meat, cheese, and grilled and raw vegetables. The pita also makes an excellent starter when served with sauces and dips such as hummus, baba ghanush, and tzatziki. My homemade Pita Bread puffs up beautifully and forms the signature interior pocket you can fill with anything you like. Find the recipe here…

We are obsessed with herring in myriad forms. Pickled in vinegar or with onion in oil, creamed, fried, it’s served as a cold appetizer or a side dish at any time of year but especially at holiday times like Christmas Eve. This pickled herring should be prepared at least 5 days in advance as the fish needs time to develop its flavour and absorb the aromas of spices. The pickled herring can be served straight from the jar with pickled onions on rye bread, with various sauces and used as the main ingredient of cold salads. Find the recipe here…

A traditional polish delight is served usually on Christmas Eve. This meatless dish can be eaten on its own with a slice of bread or fill other traditional Christmas Eve meals – pierogi z grzybami (dumplings with sauerkraut and forest mushrooms). Sauerkraut is always prepared at least one week in advance as all flavours need time to combine and develop. We use porcini - the most delicious and aromatic wild mushrooms, a few dried prunes to balance the sour taste of fermented cabbage and a large glass of red wine that deepen the flavour of the dish. Find the recipe here…

Keks is a sponge cake with a high content of unsalted butter, packed with dried fruits and almond flakes. It’s baked in a loaf tin and then served generously dusted with icing sugar. Dried fruits – apricots, black currants, sultanas and raisins are soaked in a warm mixture of orange liqueur and orange juice with the addition of orange zest. Keks is buttery, sweet and moist, taste amazing both freshly baked and after a few days. The cake can be prepared in advance and kept tightly wrapped in baking paper and aluminium foil. Find the recipe here…

Vegetable Salad is a staple dish of Polish cuisine, served on many occasions and holidays. It's a delicious medley of root vegetables, complemented by sweet garden peas, crunchy apples, eggs, sour brine cucumbers, pungent leek, all blended with homemade mayonnaise. The salad is quite simple to make, but the whole process involves a lot of fine dicing: the finer dice, the better taste. Vegetable Salad is served cold, usually with sliced meat and bread for breakfast or lunch. Find the recipe here…

Dried Fruits Beverage is one of 12 traditional dishes served on Christmas Eve in Poland. This is a naturally sweet drink, which distinctive flavour comes from dried apples, pears, apricot, prunes and fragrant spices: cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Dried fruits, prunes, in particular, give the kompot enough natural sweetness; however, if you need to have it sweeter, add honey to the cool mixture. My Dried Fruit Beverage also contains thick slices of fresh orange, making this traditional drink even more Christmasy and citrusy. Serve cold with cooked fruits on the side. Find the recipe here...

Lunchboxes full of lucky food for the Chinese New Year from Polly Eats London! We are happy to announce that we've been invited to prepare and deliver delicious and luxury appetizers to Kensington Chelsea Woman's Club members for the Chinese New Year's online celebration on Friday, February the 12th. Inspired by the Far East and classic Spring Festival food flavours, we created dishes that have their symbolic meaning, and without which the Chinese New year's celebrations never be complete. More about the event and menu...

This is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese cuisine. A clear bullion-like soup served with previously cooked, delicate, filled with pork and prawn dumplings – wontons. The word wonton means "swallowing clouds" and each region of China has different dumpling's sizes and shapes. The delicious wonton soup's secret is a thin dumpling dough that can hold the filling, and an aromatic, nutritious and natural bullion, cooked on good quality meat. The soup sometimes contains bok choi, carrot and noodles but I serve it well seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce, and sprinkled with spring onions. Find the recipe here.

Aren't they beautiful? These white balls are made from minced meat and covered with short-grain glutinous rice which becomes translucent after steaming. They look like pearls, hence their name. Pearl Meatballs are a classic Chinese appetizer, originated from Hubei, China. They're a prevalent dish served at banquettes, parties and the Chinese New Year's family dinner. Soft, fragrant meaty balls, with a hint of ginger and tiny bites of water chestnuts, are a real crowd pleaser and a next great appetizer for a New Year Celebration. Find the recipe here…

Crisp bottoms and juicy filling, these Vegetable and Mushroom Potstickers are my favourite dumplings. They're stuffed with carrot, Chinese leaves, Shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and fresh ginger filling that burst in the flavours of the sweetness combined with spiciness. The potstickers are pan-fried and steamed at the same time; thus, they're moist and crispy. Serve with a potsticker dipping sauce consisting of Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and minced garlic, spiced up with a sriracha dash for an extra kick. Find the recipe here…

Chinese are famous for their dumplings called jiaozi. Steamed, cooked or fried, they come in various flavours, filled with vegetables, meat, fish and tofu. Jiaozi play a major role in Chinese New Year Celebrations - it is a classic lucky food for New Year that signifies family reunion, represent prosperity and wealth. Chinese New Year is upon us (falls on February, the 12th), which means we’re preparing to celebrate it with plenty appetizers such as Beef and Spring Onion Jiaozi – melting in the mouth extremely fragrant Chinese dumplings, served with spicy dipping sauce. Find the recipe here...

This is the classic Chinese Dumpling dough, generally for boiled dumplings (shui jia) and potstickers (guo tie) but I also use it - only thinly rolled - for wontons. This recipe calls for the equal amount of flour and water, and a generous pinch of salt which make the tougher dough that needs to rest at least 1 hour; however, the longer the dough is set aside and kept covered with a kitchen towel, the smoother and more springy will be. Freshly made dumpling wrappers needs to be used immediately as they become dry and difficult to shape. Find the recipe here…

They are extremely light, puffy and soft, filled with homemade plum jam and dunked in the lemon glaze. Polish traditional doughnuts - pączki (pronounced PAUNCH-key) - are our national treasure.  These sweet creations are made from enriched yeasted dough consisted of flour, eggs, fat, milk, then deep-fried (in oil or lard), stuffed with a sweet filling, glazed or sprinkled with powder sugar and eaten the same day. They're traditionally made for Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent fasting begins. Everyone must have at least one doughnut on Fat Thursday. Find the recipe here…

Ice cream is not strictly for summer and just because it’s cold and dark outside, doesn’t mean you don’t want to enjoy this frosty treat. Cinnamon Ice Cream is a perfect partner for Apple Pie, a baked apple or any apple desserts commonly eaten in the wintertime. I used the cinnamon sticks to infuse the milk because they give the ice cream full and more complex flavour. The sticks were left in the cold custard overnight and removed just before the process. Cinnamon Ice Cream is delicious and smells insane. Find the recipe here….

We can’t imagine the Christmas Eve table without herring. It's usually served pickled in vinegar or oil with onions or with soured cream and finely diced apple. Herring tartare is a great option for having herring this Christmas differently. The tartare consist of Matjes fillet pickled in salted brine and soaked in water, gherkins, shallots, pickled mushrooms, spring onions, all combined with mustard and citrus sauce. The sour capers and red hot peppers give this small dish a kick. The herring tartare tastes great served on dark rye bread. Find the recipe here…

Mackerel is great – extremely tasty, nutritious and packed with minerals and good fish oil. It’s usually eaten smoked, sometimes baked but less often battered and fried. Battered fresh mackerel fillets are delicious, no worse than cod or haddock fillets. They should be sold at the local fish and chips shops with fries, tartare sauce and peas because they make a wonderful British classic. This mackerel fried coated with fresh batter is an excellent rendition of a popular meal. I serve it with Mexican pickled onions, homemade tartar sauce and pulses salad. Find the recipe here...