About me
Hi, and welcome!
I’m Karon Grieve welcome to my world of cooking and kitchen crafting here in the Scottish countryside.
Larder Love is all about using real honest to goodness food, not packets and ready meals. It’s about cooking from scratch as easily as possible.
Become the captain of your kitchen and take charge of exactly what you put on to plates.
Why Larder Love, Where it all began…
I started my blog in 2008 and it’s called Larder Love because while many people say the kitchen is the heart of the home, for me it is the larder, that old cupboard or pantry that until fairly recently was where all the ingredients for household cooking were kept.
It was also the place where homemade preserves, seasonings, drinks, cured meats and treats were stored with a marble slab to keep cheeses and the like chilled and fresh.
Of course nowadays we have fridges and freezers to help us but to me they are all just facets of that old fashioned larder.
For me the larder is the true heart of the home, it supplies the kitchen with the ingredients to feed the family and keep the wheels of life well oiled and running smoothly.
From books to television and radio
I used to have a little herb business called Dream Acres and it was through that and my blogging that I wrote my first book, “So Easy Herbal – Ten herbs, how to grow them, use them and save money” and this lead on to my position as Herb Expert on Scottish Television’s “The Hour” daily show where I had a regular slot for 18 months until the programme finished.
I then went on to write “So Easy Christmas” in 2011 and found myself as the regular Homecrafts Expert on BBC Radio Scotland’s McAuley & Co show, and I’m still there regularly chatting about all things foodie.
In 2012 I was asked to write about baking and wrote Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes for Forth Books. This has proved really popular and is now in it’s third printing. It was followed in 2013 byA Wee Taste Of Scotland for the same publishing company.
Since then I have created my own small run cookbooks to sell at demos and produced these as eBooks too. They are Gourmet Gifts For Christmas, Naughty & Nice Edible Gifts For Christmas and A Passion For Pesto.
I have also reworked So Easy Herbal as an eBook called Ten Herbs At Home complete with 20 how-to videos inside it.
Fun Facts About Me
Doing cooking demos
I love the whole Show & Tell aspect of writing, talking and presenting and do lots of talks and demos for different organisations. The Country Living Magazine fairs, Homes & Interiors Scotland shows, Edinburgh Foodies Festivals, Hopetoun House Present Event, The Scottish Food Show, The European Games and Gardening Scotland shows. I also do smaller events too, like talks for the SWRI and other social groups and schools.
Writing for magazines and newspapers
I’m a freelance writer and have had a regular columns in “Handmade Living” and “Simply Beautiful” magazines. I have also written for “Scottish Woman” and had articles in “Making”, “People’sFriend”, “Baking”,”Yours”, “Making Cakes & Bakes”, “Baking Heaven” and “Sweet” in the UK and also in “Mingle” magazine in the USA. In 2017 I wrote for The Herald about living in Crete.
Chefs At School
From 2015-1019 I was the hand behind the pen that wrote for chefs@school, a government funded initiative to help children learn more about food, where it comes from and how to cook it.
It was great being part of something so valuable. It is just a pity the government decided to withdraw our funding and this valuable resource had to close down.
Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas Finalist 2017
In 2017 I was thrilled to be a finalist on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas TV show for Channel 4 where I made a Christmas hamper on the Auld Alliance theme of Scottish and French foodie goodies. You can read all about my adventure on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas and get the recipes too.
Travel
I have been lucky enough to have spent a lot of time in France over the past ten years. Often staying with friends in the South West of that gorgeous country out in the countryside, la France Profunde. Soaking up not just the sunshine but the culture and the way of life. Enjoying the fabulous food and of course the great wines too.
Blogging
I write my blog at least once a month and post regularly on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. I’d love it if you’d follow me, see my photos and read my chat on my social media channels.
FREE Recipes
A Little Larder Love in Your Inbox
Get simple recipes, seasonal inspiration, preserves, baking, and homemade favourites straight from my kitchen to yours. Just good food, useful ideas, and a little weekly inspiration.
What you will find on this blog
Larder Love is full of easy recipes made with real ingredients, from simple main meals, soups, salads, and home baking to jams, chutneys, curds, pickles, and homemade liqueurs. You’ll also find sauces, pestos, flavoured oils, seasonings, and other useful goodies to keep in your larder.
I love cooking with the seasons and making the most of what is growing around me, so there are plenty of foraging recipes and clever ways to use fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Scottish favourites sit happily alongside Greek, French, and Mediterranean-inspired dishes gathered from my travels and time living abroad.
Whether you are cooking for the family, making a meal for one, or creating homemade foodie gifts, the recipes are kept simple and approachable. Good food should be full of flavour, not fuss.
Thank you for stopping by and spending some time in my little corner of the Scottish countryside. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, where I share more recipes, photos, and everyday chat.
Got a question about one of my recipes or something you’ve found on the blog? Send me a message and I’ll do my best to help.
While you are here
Check out some of my most popular recipes that I’m sure you will love too!
