I've heard it said that curry powder — that deep yellow blend of spices you can find premixed and on offer in almost any grocery store's spice rack — is not for serious cooks. And there's some truth to that. Curries are a complex category of dishes, and a true curry will have a specific blend of spices to match the ingredients and methods used. There are thousands of curries and to apply one generic powder to all of them is frankly insulting. That said, I still keep a small jar of the generic curry powder in my spice cabinet and I feel it has its place, but just not in most curries!

If you're one of our UK readers, then Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will likely need no introduction.  And to a certain extent, American readers may be familiar with many of his cookbooks published here from 10 Speed Press (River Cottage Meat, River Cottage Fish and River Cottage Veg have been reviewed by The Kitchn.)  It is my hope that many more Americans discover this passionate cook, writer, and activist and become inspired, as I have, to cook with fresh ingredients sourced as locally as possible.  

For just a hint of the enthusiastic and delicious ideas that come from this very creative and exuberant cook, read on for Hugh's 5 essential things for the home cook.

Q: I was raised in Hong Kong and grew up eating desserts with Chinese and European/British influences. A lot of the cakes back home had this hard layer at the bottom, almost like a cardboard cake round, but edible. There was a thin jam brushed between the cake and the edible round. 

Q: Since my husband and I discovered Fresh & Easy we have been overjoyed to have an easy place to get British back bacon. (He is English, and I lived in England for several years.) Well, Fresh & Easy is in the process of closing up shop. 

Q: Could you recommend some British cookbooks and cooking blogs? I am an ex-pat and find some ingredients different here (flour for example). Thanks.

Sent by Marcia

Cooking Indian food, as Megan shared earlier this week, can be overwhelming. Trying to replicate restaurant-style dishes often involves complex processes and lists of ingredients. On the flip side, an Indian mother or grandmother's homestyle cooking is usually intuitive, with no written recipes or measurements. What many of us need is a simple way to get started and a good foundation for deeper exploration. Vicky Bhogal's Cooking Like Mummyji is our guide. More

When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long. More

I can think of few finer uses for jam than a bakewell tart, a scrumptious British dessert combining buttery short crust pastry with sweet fruit preserves and almond frangipane. For these mini bakewell tarts made in a muffin tin, I used raspberry jam and early autumn figs, a lovely summer-meets-fall pairing. More

Mushrooms on toast is a classic British dish, usually served with tea after work or as a light supper. It is perfectly delightful in its simplicity, just sautéed mushrooms with maybe a little onion and parsley, dumped over toast and dug into after a hard day's work. I did play with it a little in this version, which gussies things up with a splash of wine, some crème fraîche and fresh thyme. Please don't yell at me — it's really quite good and not that fancy! More

The world needs more British pubs. A place to find your friends after work and where you can take the family on weekends. Somewhere to pick up a pint of decent beer and have a hearty meal. I can taste the shepherd's pie now. Can't get to a pub? We can still enjoy our favorite pub foods at home. More