Delicious, easy recipes by Jay Wadams

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer.

Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer. Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

I am so excited to have you here, so let’s dive in and get cooking!


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!


Well, the countdown is until the year’s end, and Christmas is just around the corner. Check out some of my most popular Christmas and festive recipes below!

Homemade Irish Cream couldn’t be easier to make, tastes streets ahead of the commercial stuff, can be adjusted precisely to suit your sweet tooth and makes an excellent gift for friends – if you are prepared to share it!

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Beetroot Cured Salmon Gravadlax

We’ve landed back in beautiful Munich to the clear and crisp skies and very chilly nights of late winter. It’s not quite spring yet, but the promise of it hangs in the air, brightening the mood and sending the locals outside to soak up every last bit of available sun. I’m rather enjoying the opportunity…

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Perfect Roast Goose title card.

Beautifully bronzed Roast Goose is one of the most impressive festive meals. The dark and succulent meat is wonderful served with a rich gravy, red cabbage and potato dumplings, ideal for family celebrations like Christmas dinner. Brining the goose ensures that the meat is perfectly juicy and seasoned. Yum!

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German Christmas Stollen Title card showing two pictures of Stollen.

German Christmas Stollen is always a real treat during the holiday season. Made from an enriched yeast dough, loaded with rum-soaked fruit and candied peel, Stollen is delicious served with a cup of coffee or a warming mug of Glühwein.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti Title Card.

Crisp, nutty and deeply chocolatey, my Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti are so simple to make and absolutely irresistible! This classic Italian cookie (known as Cantucci in the motherland) is ideal for Christmas baking and makes a perfect edible gift.

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Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham title card.

Sweet and sticky with a touch of spice, my Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham recipe is sure to please the Christmas crowds. Made with a delicious apricot glaze, this ham is the tastiest, most stress-free Christmas main around.

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Candied Orange Peels title card.

Candied Orange Peel makes a great gift (especially when coated in lashings of dark chocolate). It’s easy to make at home and a great way to turn orange peel (which would usually be tossed out) into a tasty candy.

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Biscotti or Cantucci are a deliciously crunchy Italian treat. My recipe for Almond and Apricot biscotti is so easy and perfect for the festive season. Serve with a strong espresso or a glass of Italian vin santo.

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German Cinnamon Star Cookies zimtsterne.

The ultimate German Christmas cookie, Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Star Cookies are deliciously chewy morsels, topped with a crisp layer of snowy white meringue.

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Mini Berry Pavlova title card.

My simple recipe for Mini Berry Pavlovas with lots of tips and techniques to make sure you get the perfect Christmas pavlova!

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The Latest Recipes From My Kitchen

Discover my latest and greatest recipes below, or use the search function to find exactly what you’re looking for.


Juicy duck breast served with a sweet and sour pomegranate sauce. Seared Duck with Pomegranate is a delicious meal for two or perfect for a dinner party. Serve with jewelled couscous for a showstopper dinner.

Seared Duck with Pomegranate

Juicy duck breast served with a sweet and sour pomegranate sauce. Seared Duck with Pomegranate is a delicious meal for two or perfect for a dinner party. Serve with jewelled couscous for a showstopper dinner.
Stifado Greek Beef Stew title card.

Stifado (Greek Beef Stew)

This rich and sumptuous recipe comes from my good friend Deirdre Guthrie, owner of the Gardens of Irini in Bellapais, Cyprus. The secret to this dish is the long, slow cooking time, which makes the flavours extraordinarily intense and the meat meltingly tender.
Turkish Bread Ramazan Pidesi Title Card.

Turkish Bread (Ramazan Pidesi)

Pillowy soft, golden brown bread with a crunchy topping of nigella and sesame seeds? It can only be Turkish Bread or Ramazan Pidesi. This delicious bread is so simple to make and is perfect for filling, stuffing, dipping and more.
Oven Roasted Chicken Marbella

Chicken Marbella

The Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella is a fabulously retro dish bursting with Mediterranean flavour. The sweet, sour and salty combination of olives, capers, red wine vinegar, prunes and garlic has won fans for generations and for good reason – it’s delicious!
White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies title card.

White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies

White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies are, in my opinion, even more delicious than a classic chocolate brownie. With a gorgeous caramel flavour and a soft, fudgy texture, the glorious combination of white chocolate and macadamia nuts is simply irresistible.

Shrimp, Watermelon and Feta Salad

Shrimp, Watermelon and Feta Salad is a glorious mixture of textures and tastes, with cool watermelon perfectly pairing with garlicky shrimp, salty feta cheese and a pop of chilli. This simple recipe is summer on a plate!
Fruity Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

Deliciously sweet and sticky, my easy Hot Cross Buns recipe is perfect for baking this Easter. Serve generously slathered with salted butter.

Recipes By Meal Type


light-bites
Main Event
Sweet Things
cocktail hour

Marillenknödel – Austrian Apricot Dumplings
Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)
Easy Cherry Tomato Tart
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian Plum Tart)
Homemade Chocolate Popsicles

Looking for Dinner Inspiration?


Below are some of my most popular dinner recipes. Quick and easy with simple ingredients and big flavours.

Packed with roasted peppers, tangy feta, fresh herbs and chewy orzo, this bright and beautiful pasta salad is a summer favourite. Orzo and Roast Pepper Salad gets better as the days go by, so make a big batch to take you through the week!
Turkish Bulgue Salad Kisir
Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu title card.
Spicy, fragrant and bursting with flavour, Asian inspired Pork Meatball Soup with noodles will chase away the winter blues. Ready in under 30 minutes, it is ideal for a weeknight dinner.
Roasted Feta Stuffed Mushrooms
Herby Tomato Salsa Chicken Title Card.

My FAvourite German Cake Recipes

While people often associate Germany with pretzels and beer, it’s really all about coffee and cake!

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Easy German Cake Recipes