We spent the day on a photo shoot with Sainsbury's magazine star writer Nigel Slater for our very special 20th-birthday May issue. Nigel wrote a recipe for the very first issue way back in May 1993 and is still a regular contributor – something we're very proud of. We rented a gorgeous location house in north London and had a busy morning with photographer Jenny Zarins taking lots of great pictures of Nigel. We kept lunch simple – sourdough bread, buffalo mozzarella, olives, wedges of little gem lettuce and a basket of ripe tomatoes.

I discovered The Wheatsheaf Inn, a gem of a pub in the Cotswold village of Northleach. It's got a buzzy bar with big comfy chairs and some great local beers on tap, but the main reason to visit is to sample the delicious grub. We ordered roast beef with proper creamed horseradish, followed by treacle tart. What better feast for a wintry Sunday?

We've been experimenting with brownies in the test kitchen – here's a line up of the beauties we've baked so far. Do you have a favourite brownie recipe? A twist of your own that makes them extra special? I'd love to hear from you.

I've been cooking from Katie Caldesi's new cookbook, The Italian Cookery Course. I'm a big fan of the Caldesi Italian cookery school and restaurants in Marylebone, so was keen to get my paws on an advance copy. It's due to hit the shops on 14 February and is full of evocative images (it prompted me to book my flights to Sicily this summer) and winning recipes. Stuffed mushrooms with mint and parsley, or ricotta, lemon and cinnamon tart? Yes, please!