The bar is so new you can still smell freshly-sawn wood but its intimate and cosy. At the far end, two almost horizontally laid-back old blues player are showing how it’s done. ‘I don’t want the music down here to be drowning out conversation, but be behind it,’ Malcolm adds while trying one of his own mini puddings of slow-braised ox cheek.
The Artichoke in Amersham
Most people would consider throwing in the towel if their dream restaurant went up in flames. There’s not many who would rebuild, expand and then win a succession of awards. Laurie and Jacqueline Gear are doing sterling work with The Artichoke
Mary Berry cod steaks with anchovy and fennel
Simple and quick enough to join your repertoire for easy midweek after work suppers, the fennel adds an element of chic for the image-conscious, though it is just as suitably wholesome for families. Perfectly judged in every respect, each flavour is detectable – the anchovies adds a salty note to the sweetness of the fennel and onion, a hint of dark earthiness comes from the parsley – but none overwhelms the other. A slightly crunchy brownish topping above the glistening white fish, all moist and flakingly just-cooked, gives it a variety of texture.
Mary Berry Complete Cookbook
With the current trend for quirky cookery books offering an esoteric range of recipes from celebrity chefs, restaurateurs and bloggers, Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook plays the role of wise mother to their naughty children. It won’t set you up as a here today, gone tomorrow pop-up or supper club host but it will make your repertoire much more varied – and your life a lot easier, as Joanna Biddolph discovered.
Champagne Pommery Wintertime
From the depths of winter and with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought we could have another rummage around the Foodepedia Champagne cellar for something a bit special to share. Right now, I can’t think of anything more appropriate than ‘Wintertime’ a Champagne from the historic house of Pommery based in Reims.
Hazelnut Crusted Pork Chop Recipe
COOKS&CO, the fine food range for the discerning home cook, has added a range of gourmet oils, ideal for creating anything from delicious stir fries and salads, to sauces and homemade mayonnaise, as well as for use in home baking. Try it tonight in this Hazelnut encrusted pork chop recipe.
Comptoir Libanais in South Kensington, London
As a prospecting restaurateur driving expansion through an economic downturn it must feel like pennies from heaven to see the fourth incarnation of your Lebanese canteen packed to the gills on a cold Wednesday night in January. Not only were all 100 covers taken, people were queuing out the door and even eating outside.
Luscombe Raspberry Lemonade
Get all warm and fizzy this Valentine’s day with Luscombe’s new recipe Raspberry Lemonade and find out how to turn it into a terrific Valentine’s Day cocktail.
Riso Gallo Carnaroli rice risotto recipe
Cook up a comforting supper with Riso Gallo’s tasty risotto recipe
Ken Hom 100 Easy Suppers
Once you get the Chinese bug from this book it’s hard to stop. You’ll find yourself using it every night. It’s not often a cookbook is this good, this simple and this well produced for the money and it knocks many a posher production into a cocked hat. Well done our Ken and well done My Kitchen Table.