A touch of mayo revs up any toastie. But why not go the extra mile? 

Spread it on the outside of the bread BEFORE toasting, and get ready for your humble toastie to pack a surprisingly supercharged crunch.

Fancy Mac N Cheese but don’t fancy the faff? Simply mix grated cheddar with sour cream and mayo to create an instant, tangy, winning white sauce. 

Once baked, you’ll wonder why you ever did it any other way.

A spoonful of mayo will thicken up any warm sauce or cold dressing. 

It adds a creamy texture and tangy flavour, and works as well whisked into warm meat sauces, as it does in a mustardy salad dressing

Mix up your slaw. Throw in some sweetcorn or cold prawns for a surprising different Asian-style crunch.

Perfect with crisp peppery salad leaves. 

Or throw caution to the wind and dollop it in fish soup for an adventurous taste.

Give your mash a punch. Fire up roast beef sandwiches. 

Or for something truly unique, dip a forkful of pork.

Obviously it goes well with spring onions, chives, or new potatoes. 

But it really shines as a dip for globe artichokes.

Great salads combine lip-smacking flavours with perfect timing. 

If it’s a cold one, mix the ingredients and dressing in a bowl just before you put it on the plate. 

But warm salads like to be coated and left for a few minutes to soak up the new flavours.

It’s not something anyone usually thinks about, but you can make any simple salad more remarkable by adding fresh herbs. 

Mint, parsley, tarragon, chervil - they all punch above their weight.  

This spring, look out for the arrival of new potatoes, asparagus, radishes, rocket and samphire. 

English asparagus has a season of just 8 weeks; traditionally the first day for cutting is St George's Day (23 April), though that's sneaked forward over recent years.

In Thailand and Vietnam they call asparagus mang tây, which means ‘European bamboo shoots’

You’ll find that fresh peas, and green and broad beans are at their brightest and sweetest this summer. 

Did you know that fresh peas and early, baby broad beans don’t need to be cooked? Eat them raw, fresh from the pod.

It’s Autumn, so right now you’ll find courgettes are plentiful, corn on the cob is irresistible, and kale is bushy and at its most flavoursome.

Around Bonfire Night, why not griddle those courgettes and corn for a warm and topically charred salad?

This Winter, look out for bumper crops of heritage winter squashes and bitter leaves like radicchio and chicory.

You’ll find root vegetables like parsnips and celeriac are sweetest in winter after the first frost. So get them roasted and in a salad once Jack Frost’s been.

Like ketchup with your cheese toastie? Best keep it separate. 

If you put it inside the toastie it’ll lose its zing and end up hotter than the surface of the sun.

Go on, squeeze some ketchup in your pasta ragu or meatball sauce. 

It adds an immediate tart and sweet hit, especially when it comes to bringing leftovers back to life.

For extra crispy roasties, remember: Tightly packed spuds bake, rather than roast, so use a large tray, and allow loads of space. 

Plus, salt draws out moisture, which makes things soggy, so only add salt when they’re cooked. 

Did you know Harissa originated from North Africa? It’s from ‘harasa’, Arabic for ‘to pound’ or ‘to puree’.

Use it as a marinade for roast and grilled meats or veg, or as a punchy sauce in a wrap or on a lamb burger.

Did you know that a chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, traditionally grown in Mexico?

It works as a marinade or a sauce anywhere you want a smoky tickle, though it’s particularly good with BBQ pork. Oh yeah.

Did you know that a chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, traditionally grown in Mexico?

It works as a marinade or a sauce anywhere you want a smoky tickle, though it’s particularly good with BBQ pork. Oh yeah.

Did you know that a chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, traditionally grown in Mexico?

It works as a marinade or a sauce anywhere you want a smoky tickle, though it’s particularly good with BBQ pork. Oh yeah.

Did you know that the habanero chilli is one of the world’s hottest? It’s forty times as hot as a jalapeño!

Use as a marinade or a sauce to spice up grilled fish, or home-made tacos. Or mix it through your mac ’n’ cheese for something really special.

Making egg mayo? Plunge your just-boiled eggs straight into ice cold water to stop them overcooking, and keep those yolks nice and yellow.

Here’s a baffling burger secret: When mixing your patty meat, add a teaspoon of mayo per burger (then let it rest for an hour).

It keeps them moist and juicy even when you cook them thoroughly.