You wouldn’t think that behind Oxford Street’s Christmas huffers and sharp elbows is an oasis of south Indian charm, but that’s La Porte des Inde’s secret. Now,on the final Friday of every month, they host a master class and Anita Pati got stuck in.
Salvatore Calabrese’s Festive Cocktails at Salvatore’s at Playboy
We’re at the Playboy Club. Yes, there are bunnies. Yes, there are men in suits, but there are also just as many ladies, and they are resoundingly not’of the night’. The lighting’s low but more to create atmosphere than to disguise any nefarious activities. Oh, and Salvatore Calabrese, aka’The World’s Leading Cocktail Expert’, is mixing drinks and holding court with oodles of panache.
The Big Fat Foodepedia Christmas Food Guide
A subjective selection of sublime scran we like to scoff and/or share at Christmas.
Annual Old Ale Festival at The White Horse
The White Horse held their Annual Old Ale Festival for the thirtieth time last weekend, an event that sees the pub meticulously clean their cellar and lines to bring in around 80 different beers, from old ales, porters, stouts and barley wines, to strong ales and milds.
The Kingly Seekh-Kebab
The nan is just crispy enough to enjoy but still soft enough to get a firm grip on the lamb kebab inside. The spices were well-balanced but personally I could have done with some more chilli kick. If I’d been drunk, I’d have liked a lot more chilli. Let’s face it sublety is wasted on a man full of cooking lager.
The Fat of the Land, London Spanish restaurant
Attempts to de-pubify the place have involved hanging jamons in the window like meaty Christmas decorations. This presumably in homage to the average tapas bar in Spain, where chunky legs hang over your head sweating gently into their cups. Rather like the clients.
Festive recipe: Paul A Young’s Muscovado chocolate cakes with cocoa nibs and Mayan spiced syrup
Paul A Young: chocolatier extraordinaire and self-confessed ‘cake-a-holic’. Alright then Paul, give us your stickiest, most intense muffin recipe for festive munching. And, sure enough, with these muscovado-cocoa-nib creations, boy done good…
Tia Maria Festive Cocktails
When mulled wine-induced ennui sets in, nip over to the dark side and sup on one of these tasty tipples from Tia Maria.
Nathan Outlaw’s Davidstow Crackler Cheese Straws
Easy, tasty. savoury- who doesn’t love a cheese straw at Chrimbo?
Learning to taste cheese World Cheese Awards 2012
Do you reach thoughtlessly for a packet of hard Italian cheese – or make your decision based on colour, age and flavour? Joanna Biddolph urges you to look carefully when you buy – including for evidence of success at the World Cheese Awards.