Yet what makes a good gin? Try to describe the flavour of your favourite tipple and the words dance on your tongue whilst never quite finding their rhythm. The folks at Bombay Sapphire invited me along to the St Pancras hotel to try out something that might get the words dancing to the right tune: An Aroma Kit, designed to get your nose trained up and sniffing with the best of them.

The day before this year’s two-day festival of food and drink at Aldeburgh a spirited conference focused on Suffolk and the Sea…

Farmison.com, we were told as we munched their sausages on sticks as canapés (very good too) is backed by former ASDA chief executive Andy Bond and represents over 75 of the best independent British suppliers across butchery, fruit and vegetables, and farmhouse cheese – more than 60% of which are not available anywhere else online.

There’s a magic moment as the First Great Western train leaves Exeter when you finally know that you’ve quit London. Suddenly the monotonous banks of earth and fields of green give way onto what seems like an endless expanse of water. The wet sand is reflecting a late September sun and small boats lean drunkenly in all directions, patiently waiting the return of the tide to float them back to sober and dignified bobbing.

Jackie Lee visits L’Atelier des Chefs to learn a little more about EBLEX’s quality standard and beef and lamb butchery and almost bites off a little more than she can chew…

Caroline Sargent reviews a new range of ready meals from David Oliver and finds them more than fine. She samples their Guinea Fowl and Lentils, a classic Venison Stew, and Rabbit with Flagolet Beans. Her boyfriends gets to try the hearty Beef and Dorset Ale Stew.

There were some delicious starters, however, at Eight over Eight in Chelsea. Apparently this place is a hit with the yummy mummies who (*delight*) have no idea the salads they wolf can contain fatty lashings of delicious palm sugar – v. common in south-east Asian foods – not that they care, what with debating the next buggy brand to adopt.

Macarons is the eagerly awaited English translation of the book by legendary French patisserie chef Pierre Herme. Herme is considered by many to be the best Macaron maker in the world and is credited with kick starting a renaissance in their popularity. The book features a wide range of flavours ranging from classics such as chocolate or lemon to the more outre caviar and walnut brandy.

A new iPad app from Intercontinental hotels allows users to try out recipes at home, from Sichuan Deep-fried Chicken with Dried Chilli to New York Times Square cheesecake

Heston Blumenthal’s new stright-from-the-freezer biscuits are easier to prepare than you might imagine. And all without liquid nitrogen.