Give peas a chance

A pea picked from your own plot though is another matter. As long as you don’t leave them in the fridge for days then you have the only pea that’s better than a frozen one. The pods burst open with a crisp crack and a little spray of moisture hits your hands. Quickly rattle the peas out into a bowl, toss the pod into your bucket for the compost heap or for stock and sing along to your favourite tune on the radio

Tasting the Russian Standard

You will find Russians who poopoo Russian Standard, who say its market dominance is down to many things not all of them the vodka itself. No doubt the detractors have their valid reasons, but for us in the UK this is a premium vodka that absolutly (sic) stands head and shoulders over its nearest rivals.

Cox Cookies & Cake Cookbook

With a foreword by Sir Elton John and David Furnish, this book was never going to be anything but high camp but the cakes also speak for themselves. Wondrous cupcakes such as Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with a chilli-flavoured frosting. Summer Flower Cupcakes and Orange and White Chocolate Chip Cookies are just some of the 75 recipes, on glossy black backgrounds, created by Eric Lanlard and designer Patrick Cox.

Satsuma to re-launch on 1 September

Currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment Satsuma, Soho’s urban-style Japanese restaurant, is set to officially re-launch on 1 September 2011. The complete redesign will include pod-style seating for up to four diners. Diners who visit the restaurant during the two week soft opening period, from mid-August until 31 August 2011, will receive 25% off the total food and drinks bill.

Lutyens restaurant in London

I’d like to see what chef David Burke can do a la carte; the constrictions of keeping to the £40 line are perhaps too much to handle given the overheads of a place like this. That said the Lutyens meal deal is a fair one, nothing stunning but perfectly ok and you get to eat in a classier place than you deserve for the money.

Vegetarian restaurant near Regent Street, London

It’s always a pleasure to discover new, vibrant parts of London that make you wonder how you ever managed to miss it. Heddon Street is one such enclave off Regent Street where hundreds of party-goers and vegetarians (and vegetarian party-goers?) flock for a nibble at Tibits before dancing the night away.