In aid of survivors of January’s earthquake in Haiti – the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere – Foodepedia’s Sabrina Ghayour masterminded a fundraising banquet at Le Bouchon Breton restaurant, Spitalfields Market. She talks to Douglas Blyde.
Block Party – Leerdammer gets bigger and tastier
Born in 1977 Leerdammer now outsells rival Emmenthal in France. Over here we have been slower to pick up on this popular cheese but with new easy to grate sizes and a Mature option, this versatile cheese should become much more of a family favourite. We take a taste and offer up some tasty recipes too.
Kenza, Devonshire Square, London
I can see why it appeals to the City crowd so much, with very few exciting restaurants in area, Kenza stands out and perhaps deservedly so. The interior design alone is well worth a visit. Well… it’s cheaper than a flight to Morocco, surely?
Romance the one you love with Garlic and Wine Mussels,Poached Salmon with Chilli Lemon Linguine and Chocolate Brownies
It’s that time of year again when the lucky in love ponder how to spoil that special someone on February 14th. What better way to show someone you care than by whipping up a deliciously romantic home cooked meal? Light the candles, open a bottle of wine and follow these yummy healthy and balanced recipes from Clover (which has half the saturated fat of most butters*) to make a three course Valentines treat to remember.
Empress of Sichuan, Soho, London
There’s a trend to big up Sichuan food right now. It’s all about having the guts to eat tripe, as well as the testosterone taste buds to take on fearsome amounts of chilli and the mouth-numbing effects of the Sichuan pepper itself. What helps the trend is that some of the better Sichuan restaurants are cheap and cheerful places that appeal to the post-backpacking, job-in-New-Media, type of person. What’s missing though is somewhere a bit posher, and located a bit more centrally, somewhere that we older chaps can take the good lady wife. The Empress fits that bill nicely.
Apple Crumb Cake
When the Vermont power goes out midway through her baking, Carol Egbert can’t even see to paint let alone save her crumb cake. Four hours later and with the cake suffering a less than perfect oven experience, she finds it still tastes great for breakfast or dessert.
Persian Braised Celery, Herb and Beef Stew (Khoreshteh Karafs)
This week my stress levels have kicked in to an all time high and not only am I craving comfort food, but also need the kind of dish that can be made in a large batch and eaten for a few days. Who on earth has time to cook every night when your workload is beyond hectic?
Lime Wood – an impressive country retreat
Lime Wood had the travel, food and business press all a little bit hot under the collar when it opened at the tail-end of last year – the main reason being that it was one of the most interesting projects to launch in a long time. The newly-restored Georgian hotel is set in the deepest depths of the New Forest and looks like it could become the definitive country pile for visiting tourists.
Flying chef landing on Valentine’s Day
Enjoy a truly romantic 3 course dinner for two, at home this Valentine’s day, with the ‘À la carte Gift Box’from London’s Flying Chef. Couples can indulge in their ideal romantic setting with scented candles, flowers and Barry White on in the background whilst sipping Champagne as the feast is delivered directly to their doorstep.
Cooking with Kumud Gandhi at the Saffron House
That I can do a mean keema myself made Kumud Gandhi’s Indian spice trail course all the more inviting. The trail began at Paddington, a train through winter snow to the former high-flying banker’s large Hertfordshire home.