Namaaste Kitchen’s Olympic Menu

I have no tickets, I have no official merchandise, and what’s more, I have absolutely no inclination to spend my summer glued to a sporting event of any kind. But, like it or not, ‘the games’, like a particularly determined teenage boy, will touch us all in some way. And imbibing a rainbow selection of lassis and a hearty Indian feast is surely the least objectionable manner.

Weber’s Barbecue Anytime

I’ve had memorable BBQs in deep snow and only last weekend I grilled under a jury-rigged shelter of three golfing umbrellas, rain dripping cheerfully down my neck while mocked by everyone inside looking out. So Weber’s book, Barbecue Anytime strikes a chord with me.

Bombay Palace relaunch

Arguably, everyone loves a curry. But, as any discerning fellow knows, there’s curry and there’s curry. There’s the huge vats of base gravy turned into sickly-sweet kormas; dull, derivative dhansaks; or vicious, volcanic vindaloos. Then there are scratch cooked, silky, butter-based sauces; bright green, spanking fresh herbal preparations; and thick, nut-enriched pastes. And Bombay Palace are firm champions of the latter bunch.

Courtyard at 51

I thought I knew London well, but The Courtyard at 51 was a real surprise. Hidden away in a quiet street in Victoria just minutes from the station is a secluded alfresco eating and drinking spot that I had no idea existed. I don’t mean a tiny terrace or narrow pavement that is so typical of inner London outdoor spaces: this atmospheric area with an elegant fountain as its centrepiece is a spacious oasis.

Supper heroes

By day they walk amongst us, spending their weeks unnoticed, as they live out a normal life as teachers, journalists and doctors. But at the weekend, their super-human cooking powers come to life, turning their homes into pop-up restaurants  around London to become  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Supperheroes Series’.