High on a hill, Le Saint James Hotel in Bordeaux offers unique style, fantastic views, superb food and a cookery school as well. Nick Harman went to try it all.

Walking into Mezcal Cantina is like stepping into the physical embodiment of *that* Mexican stereotype. Everything you expect to see and more adorns the walls – they even have a remote controlled shrine to the Virgin Mary. Honestly. It’s loud, it’s colourful, it’s attractive from the street outside, has a cocktail list as long as your arm and for reasons he can’t explain, the owner tells me that they attract a lot of parties at the weekend. Strange that.

This year San Sebastian Gastronomika was host to the Italian cookery stallions. Nik Speller flew in to Food City to see of pasta could trump pinxos.

Terrible errors, forgetting about food and losing the culinary plot are avoidable with a good kitchen timer, so we test the Oregon Scientific TW 331 clock and timer combined

Pigs and parmesan aren’t enough for the people of Emilia Romagna, Italy, they want to have their art and eat it too. Nick Harman heads out to sample a bit of both.

Leaving the bustle of London far behind, Nik Speller heads north of the border to The Glenrothes Distillery for a fascinating insight into the world of making (and tasting) whisky.

Tequila Fest 2014 runs from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 23rd November. Tickets are priced at £15.00 per person and include sampling of all Mezcals and Tequilas in the show, as well as entrance to all the seminars and master classes. Nik Speller gets a preview.

As Dan Doherty’s new and eagerly awaited Duck & Waffle cook book hits the shelves, Nik Speller ascends Heron Tower to have a word with Londons 24 hour chef

Not many people will get the headline, except other die hard Yes fans, but Nick Harman has a glass of rather good Lakeland whisky in his hand so he doesn’t care.

Not sure whether to make your next bottle of’special’ olive oil Spanish, Italian or French? Well how about going a bit further afield and  all the way to Crete?