Guzzling bottles of lager in Indian restaurants has hitherto been the most prominent example of’beer and food matching’ but the new, distinctive, diverse range of brews hitting the shelves has got people considering the idea more seriously. To further encourage us to consider beer in this way, beer and food matching nights are regularly held by the Meantime Brewing Company at its Old Brewery restaurant in Greenwich
Plaimont wines in Gers France
A lover of foie gras, Nick Harman heads to Gers in France where the wonderful people of Plaimont wines take him under their (duck) wing and treat him to tastings of their fine reds, whites and the ambrosial, legendary Pacherenc. Two stone heavier, here is his report.
The Stack at Malmaison
The core flavour of The Stack emanates from the juicy inch-thick patty. The beef is aged for 28 days, ground and seasoned: simple, unfussy, delicious . The sweet cured bacon is of an exceptional quality and nutty notes in the gruyère give a sophisticated complex edge. The onion rings snap and crunch as they should and the bun gift wraps the savoury contents in a semi-sweet parcel.
Three German Wines
Ignoring the nasty, cheap stuff of the bottom shelf and sidestepping the highly priced aristocrats, we’ve taken a look at what’s currently available from good quality producers at a reasonable price.
Shifting Fens
Mark Poynton’s journey to the palms (via poor family cooking and a modestly signed fax…)
Culture Feast
Douglas Blyde recalls a ‘baijiu’-laden banquet in the cashmere capital of China…
Diwali menu at Moti Mahal
Moti Mahal is high end, but low-key. So low-key in its outward appearance that we miss the entrance- the companion notes,’it’s designed to keep riff-raff like us boho types out’. But then this is a venue that has no need to shout for attention. And when we finally bumble in to the elegant dining room, we’re treated less like riff-raff and more like royalty.
Mui Choy Kong Bak
Pork belly. Braised with garlic and preserved mustard greens overnight with a small bunch of dried chilli just for a little baby kick in the back of the throat. The fat and the meat took on all the flavours from the braising liquid and melted in the mouth from hours of braising.
Angela Hartnett gets into truffle
Angela Hartnett launches the first of the Fortnum & Mason Chef’s Dinners series on 21st November with a seasonal White Truffle Dinner in The Fountain restaurant. Fortnum & Mason Chef’s Dinners will be regular events in The Fountain restaurant to highlight the very best Chefs in the UK cooking with the very best seasonal produce.
Food writing course- the perfect Xmas pressie?
Blogging means that anyone can write about food. But how do you go about it? What are the tricks of the trade? And what do you do when you upset a 2 star chef with your opinions on his cooking and he comes after you on Twitter with a virtual cleaver?