Country Life's best recipes of 2018: Perfect scones, scrambled eggs and the Prince of Wales' favourite dish
Every week we bring you mouthwatering recipes from our team of contributing chefs – here are the ten most popular from Country Life in 2018.

How to cook The Prince of Wales’ favourite dish: Pheasant Crumble Pie
The Prince of Wales guest edited Country Life's November 14 issue, and this is the recipe he commissioned: his favourite dish, pheasant crumble pie. Here's how to make it yourself, as demonstrated by John Williams, executive chef at The Ritz in London.
Curious Questions: How do you make the perfect cream scone?
Everybody loves a good cream tea – but is there a secret to its centrepiece, the perfect cream scone? Martin Fone investigated.
A delicious shepherd’s pie recipe to take away the winter chill
Shepherd's pie is a true British classic which always hits the spot – this delicious take on the dish comes from chef Christian Turner.
How to make blackberry jam: A quick and easy recipe
You know all those blackberries you picked and popped in the freezer a couple of months ago? This is what they've been waiting for.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Curious Questions: How do you make perfect – absolutely perfect – scrambled eggs?
Another heavenly conjunction between curiosity and food - this time, how to perfect one of the simplest meals of all.
Perfect roast goose recipe from Mark Hix
Perfect roast goose and gravy for Christmas Day lunch.
How to make perfect macaroni cheese, creating your own béchamel from scratch
Don't be tempted to use a packet – the real thing is surprisingly easy to make form scratch and well worth the effort, as Christian Turner explains.
A perfect chicken pie recipe for the cold, dark nights ahead
As winter drew closer, we turned our minds to the sort of warm, comforting dishes which fill the home with warmth. Dishes like this one.
Greatest recipes ever: Anna Del Conte’s ragù bolognese sauce
The queen of Italian cookery's slow-cooked classic has been enduringly popular on the Country Life website for a few years now – once you've tried it you'll understand why.
How to make cranberry scones for a cream tea with a Christmas twist
Just when you thought you'd run out of excuses to buy clotted cream in the middle of winter.
Credit: Tara Fisher
Recipe: Thomasina Miers’s sweet potato shepherd’s pie
Thomasina Miers has shared this delicious recipe to help disaster relief charity Shelterbox.
Credit: Melanie Johnson
Pan-fried sea bass with caper-and-anchovy potato cakes, samphire and cream
Our kitchen garden cook reveals a delicious recipe that makes good use of seasonal samphire.
Credit: David Griffen
How to make Michael Caines's curried carrot soup
This delicious soup from the Michelin-starred chef is an ideal winter warmer – Michael Caines has shared the recipe to help
Credit: Melanie Johnson
Carrot, blood-orange and hazelnut cake with cream-cheese frosting
Carrot cake, but not as you know it.
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
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Five British gardens have a starring role on the New York Times's list of 25 must-see gardens — here are the ones they forgot
Multiple British gardens have topped a New York Times list.
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Country Life 16 July 2025
Country Life 16 July 2025 is our sustainability special, looking at the animals who are saving our landscape, solar power, and the best of the Proms.
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Tom Parker Bowles: This 90-year-old Italian restaurateur makes the world's best sorbet and granita
Descended from the thirst-slakers that cooled Arabian nights, sorbets are a beguiling way to embrace the colours and flavours of the season.
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Brat behaviour: The chef behind Shoreditch institution Brat and Soho favourite Mountain is running away to Wales
Disclaimer: For one weekend only.
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How to make The Connaught Bar's legendary martini — and a few others
It's the weekend which means it's time to kick back and make yourself an ice cold martini — courtesy of The Connaught Bar.
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Gill Meller's tomato, egg, bread and herb big-hearted summer salad
This summer salad is for people who enjoy proper seasonal produce.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: Why clinking glasses and saying ‘Cheers!’ is a tiny bit embarrassing
Sophia Money-Coutts is the new Debrett's and she's here every Wednesday to set some modern etiquette wrongs, right.
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What do an order of Catholic priests and actor Hugh Bonneville have in common? They helped this West Sussex sparkling wine triumph over multiple French Champagne houses
After being approached by a group of Catholic priests in 2006 to plant a vineyard, the power of the divine, and climate change, was on the winemaker Dermot Sugrue’s side.
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11 golden rules for making a perfect cup of tea
We drink tea every day, but are we doing it correctly? Who decided on the rules and do they really matter? Jonathon Jones reveals all.
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How to make Eton mess strawberry blondies
Our kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.