What on earth would you cook Heston Blumenthal for dinner? This was the conundrum faced by Rabbi Sybil Sheridan which she recounted on a new food blog set up by members of Wimbledon and District Synagogue.

Wholesome, kosher food lurks in places you would never expect. There is a whole range of falafelstyle snacks. All 100 per cent kosher, licensed by not just one but three separate Beth Dins — Kedassia, the LBD and SKA — but don’t expect to find them only in the supermarket’s kosher fridges.

Please don’t tell me you’re detoxing for January. The word means as close to nothing as a word can mean. When it’s attached to a foodstuff – “the miracle detox powers of goji berries” – it makes me grit my teeth in anger.

Cholent is a good example of function over form.

Steamy but never sexy, it may not look pretty nor have pretensions of nouvelle cuisine grandeur, but it serves the purpose for which it was evolved — a low cost and minimal-effort meal that will be hot and ready to go for Shabbat lunch.

Until recently, Israel had not been famed for its cuisine. The idea of an Israeli chef being sought after in London would have been laughable. To cater a kosher function maybe, but a draw for foodies? Never.

But Israel is rapidly becoming known for its great food and its chefs have started exporting their talents.

So, another year. Soon to be bidden farewell with another new year’s eve.

Champagne? Dancing? Noise and crowds? Not for me thanks. New year’s eve is an occasion for low-key celebration, at least in my book. And this isn’t solely because I’m getting to be a boring old grump. I’ve liked it that way ever since I was young — a very long time ago.

As we loosen our belts and limber up for the last Shabbat of 2012, it seemed a good time for to reflect on what has made our eyes light up and our mouths water during the past year.