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!


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.


Chewy, creamy, perfect caramels with a delicate hint of honey, my recipe for Soft Honey Vanilla Caramels is super easy and dangerously addictive.

Soft Honey Vanilla Caramels

Lusciously soft, chewy and gently flavoured with a hint of honey, Honey Vanilla Caramels are pure pleasure. Homemade candy is easier to make than you might think!
German Christmas Stollen Title card showing two pictures of Stollen.

Traditional German Christmas 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.
Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

With perfect spirals of chocolate and vanilla, my melt-in-the-mouth Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are as good to look at as they are to eat. Made from crumbly, buttery shortbread they make a perfect and beautiful Christmas gift, though they are delicious any time of year!

Pumpkin and Ginger Soup

With plenty of ginger and bright and zesty orange, silky Pumpkin and Ginger Soup is like a burst of sunshine in a bowl. A delicious recipe to keep you warm when it’s grey and cool outside.
Hasenpfeffer Title Card.

Hasenpfeffer (German Rabbit Stew)

Nothing beats a rich and comforting stew when the weather turns cold outside. Hasenpfeffer, or German Rabbit Stew, is a deliciously flavoursome meal made from tender red wine marinated rabbit. Serve this traditional German dish with plenty of mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage. Guten Appetit!
German Butter Cake or Butterkuchen Title Card

German Butter Cake (Butterkuchen)

German Butter Cake or Butterkuchen is like a big, soft hug from a German grandmother. This old-fashioned bake is made from an enriched yeast dough, topped with loads of butter, sugar and sliced almonds – and let me tell you, one slice is NEVER enough! Perfect to serve for Kaffee und Kuchen.
Bee Sting Cake Title Card

German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

Made from sweet yeast dough, vanilla custard cream and a crunchy honey almond topping – it can only be a Classic German Bienenstich or Bee Sting Cake. This most beloved of German cakes is perfect for afternoon tea and will surely have you coming back for more.
Easy German Apple Cake

Easy German Apple Cake

My easy German Apple Cake recipe is a tried and tested family favourite. Known as Versunkener Apfelkuchen (sunken apple cake) around these parts, this traditional cake is very popular and totally delicious.

Recipes By Meal Type


light-bites
Main Event
Sweet Things
cocktail hour

Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)
Easy Cherry Tomato Tart
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian Plum Tart)
Homemade Chocolate Popsicles
Classic Apricot Tart

Comfort Food for Autumn and Fall


It’s my favourite season! Autumn or Fall is such a wonderful time for foodies and cooks. The markets are still full of late produce, the kitchen has FINALLY cooled down, and everyone is hungry for rib-sticking comfort food. Check out some of my favourite recipes below!

If you’ve ever travelled to Hungary you are sure to have eaten plenty of this famous dish. Similar to goulash, Hungarian Pork Stew or Pörkölt is thick and hearty with a rich tomatoey sauce, perfect as a winter warmer.

If you’ve ever travelled to Hungary you are sure to have eaten plenty of this famous dish. Similar to goulash, Hungarian Pork Stew or Pörkölt is thick and hearty with a rich tomatoey sauce, perfect as a winter warmer.

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Braised Chicken and Beans

It’s been a real spring day today, with bursts of brilliant sunshine interrupted by squalls of rain. The mountain opposite the house has been disappearing periodically behind a veil of clouds, then suddenly appearing again, green and lush with all the new growth. The thick stone walls are still keeping the house cool, a blessing…

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Tender, moist turkey breast filled with traditional stuffing and roasted to perfection. This delicious roast only cooks in under 2 hours, making it perfect for smaller celebrations.

Tender, moist turkey breast filled with traditional stuffing and roasted to perfection. This delicious roast is ready in under two hours, making it perfect for smaller celebrations.

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Country-style Farmhouse Rabbit Stew is a rich and warming casserole filled with classic flavours. If you like, ask your butcher to joint the rabbit for you.

A simple country-style rabbit stew or casserole with classic flavours, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and bay, with bacon and wine to round out the sauce.

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A heart-warming classic, French Pot Roast Chicken or ‘Poulet au Pot’ is a terrific recipe for beautifully juicy, tender chicken with flavoursome root vegetables and a rich gravy. As a bonus, it’s all cooked in one pot so less washing up!

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Stifado Greek Beef Stew title card.

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.

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Looking for Dinner Inspiration?


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

Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon and Sage title card.
Honey and Ginger Chicken
Chicken and Farro Salad
Zigeuner Schnitzel or Gypsy Schnitzel on a plate served with french fries and a glass of beer
Garlic Miso Chicken Thighs

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