I got my first sandwich toaster for university, my mother feeling that I would otherwise starve. In fact I had already mastered the art of making spaghetti Bolognese as well as curry/stew (one contained curry powder, one didn’t) so I was quite safe. All I recall about using the toaster at university are clouds of acrid cheesy smoke on the staircase by my rooms and the college porter giving me a lecture on fire drill.
Negotiating the Wine List – how to be hip before you sip
In truth, the event will please anyone with an interest in wine, not just those who have sat basting in beads of their own sweat whilst studying the wine list on dates of yore. Thierry is a character as well as an expert and the private dining room at Angelus is a relaxing environment. Thierry famously considers sommeliers as ‘salesmen of pleasure” and the food, wine and conversation at the press dinner suggest he at least is living up to his own billing.
The Best of British Cheeses
Both traditional and modern British cheeses are up to the task of satisfying our demanding, modern palates. I was pleasantly surprised by the textures and intensity of flavours from these modern varieties and will definitely be more inclined to choose locally in the future.
Royal China, Queensway
All the staff we met had a smile and a friendly air about them and it didn’t seem forced. They were quick to refresh our crockery in the face of my messy eating and swift to top up the tea. And that’s about all I want. I certainly don’t want the American ‘Hi my name is Greg and I’ll just perch my resting actor’s buttocks on the table next to you and simper’ style of serving.
Sherlock’s Grill at Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes
Does Sherlock Bar and Grill overcook its food as much as Cumberpatch overdoes his acting? Marcus Sedghi finds that in fact the food at Sherlock’s is well balanced, restrained and easy to get down.
Stilton at the Hilton
The Waldorf Hilton has partnered up with the Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association to create a special menu featuring the classic English cheese.
The Arts Club
Mayfair is a fitting location for this exclusive club founded by Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope and Lord Leighton. The Arts Club has overcome a shaky past to become the beacon of style and substance that it is today.
Caparossa, Italian restaurant in Putney, London
You could pop into Caparossa and have a glass of wine and plate of pasta and feel yourself well fed. Go for all four courses and you could feel yourself a bit fat. This modern Neapolitan eatery has a lot of charm, some very good cooking and not an oversized pepper mill in sight.
Bacon buddies. Two Americans have created Bacon Salt that is even kosher
The Bacon Salt is totally, irredeemably and unapologetically artificial. It’s a bacon flavour never found in nature. Like the malt salt it is zero fat, zero calorie and, good news if you’re Jewish it’s totally kosher as there is not a single bit of bacon in it. It is at base a sea-salt with a lot of spices, and it is rather addictive. What am I saying? It’s terribly addictive.
A Sweet Life in the Cévennes
L’oignon doux de Cévennes, is prized for its tender texture, honeyed taste and fine, pearly white, almost iridescent papery skin.Jane Egginton peels back the layers on this unique and ancient alium