Recipe for the perfect garlic bread, (courtesy of Nick) – not to be eaten every day obviously

1 French type baguette of good quality. (Not Ciabatta – too many holes inside.)

1 clove of garlic for each 2 inches of baguette (sounds a lot but absolutely necessary and apparently counteracts the effects of cholesterol and blood pressure.) Look it up on Wikipedia if you don’t believe me.

1oz Butter for each 2 inches of baguette (this might seem a lot but is absolutely necessary.) There is nothing worse than garlic bread loaded with a mean amount of butter. For me it must always be butter, but alternatives might work just as well.

Finely chop garlic and mix with the softened butter. Make a slit lengthways two thirds down into the baguette and spread it open without breaking it in half. (Don’t cut slits across the stick as it becomes harder to fill.) Spread butter and garlic mixture along length, wrap in foil and bake at 180 degrees C for 20 mins. Remove foil at end of cooking if you want crispier bread. It is perfectly delicious.

For variation add a cheese into the garlic butter mix or finely chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme or rosemary. Don’t overdo it though as additions need to be frugal or the bread just doesn’t work.

If you’re scared of butter remember it’s a natural food without many additives or chemical processing. That’s got to count for something. If reported health issues associated with some foods bother you don’t eat so much refined and processed food. If you buy readymade garlic bread look at the ingredients next time you shop. It can be an eye opener.