Spaghetti Carbonara - Theodora FitzGibbon, 1952

My journey through British Carbonara recipes starts with Theodora Fitzgibbon’s 1952 recipe, from ‘Cosmopolitan Cookery in an English Kitchen.’

12 hrs ago

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Pesto Genovese

I’ve been eating pesto since 1977 and making it since the mid 1980s. This is my pesto.

Sep 18 • Mark Gowen

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The Road to Nowhere… or Finally Revealing Carbonara’s Hidden DNA?

Welcome to my new Substack miniseries, and the start of my journey to discover the origins of Authentically British Carbonara...

Sep 14 • Mark Gowen

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Pappardelle with Caper Pesto and Scallops

pappardelle con pesto di capperi e capesante

Sep 10 • Mark Gowen

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DID THE NORMANS BRING PASTA TO BRITAIN?

Around 1290 an Anglo-Norman manuscript recorded a dish made from saffron and ginger flavoured pasta ribbons, woven into patterned squares. But is it…

Sep 3 • Mark Gowen

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Meet the RAGUETTO

I’m pretty sure this is a world exclusive - say hello to the RAGUETTO.

Sep 2 • Mark Gowen

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August 2026

WHEN ADVERTISING TAUGHT US HOW TO COOK PASTA

Millions of years ago I worked in advertising as a copywriter. I've recently been researching some early 20th century pasta press ads and I've…

Aug 31 • Mark Gowen

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September 2025

Food & Faith

It’s 15th August, ‘Ferragaosto,’ and I’m in Sori on the Riviera East of Genova. For the first time in well over 30 years, I was attending the…

Sep 10, 2025 • Mark Gowen

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April 2023

Spaghetti alla Carbozzona

not carbonara …. not zozzona…..

Apr 22, 2023 • Mark Gowen

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March 2023

Pici con Salsiccia e Zucchini / Pici with Sausage and Zucchini

I stumbled across this in Siena last summer and have cooked it 3 / 4 times since.

Mar 13, 2023 • Mark Gowen

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Pici all’Etrusca

Pici all’Etrusca

Mar 8, 2023 • Mark Gowen

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