Big game? Hunting down sustainability on a food safari in Clerkenwell

I’m ambivalent about the idea of starter in one restaurant, mains in another and dessert in a third. On the one hand it means I can have a fag between courses, a pleasure crudely curtailed when the smoking ban came in. On the other it means getting out of my seat and walking, which may be good for the digestion but not for my bonhomie.

New Wave Spanish wines

On, reportedly, the hottest day of the year, when the temperature in London had been predicted to rise to a sweltering 32 degrees I attended the New Wave Spain wine tasting at The Worx in Heathmans Road, Parson’s Green. The wines were lined up on long trestle tables set up end to end, a little like the set up for a jumble sale or a bazaar.

Tossed – evolving and developing new products

Having been growing over the past five years, Tossed has six branches currently, positioned mainly in the heart of central London, with an outpost at Westfield. Their focus is very much on providing food that is healthy, tasty and interesting to eat: they are in the process of launching three new breakfast bloomers and we went to check them out.

The Grand Esprit – Summer in a glass

The people at Grand Marnier have created this lovely cocktail, The Grand Esprit, a long fruity drink to enjoy with friends on a lazy summer’s day. We tried it at a gathering recently and it went down very well with everyone, so much so, that we had to make a few batches up!

NOW

NOW is that what I call Chinese? It’s Chinese street food for the masses, who probably didn’t know they wanted it until now, not living on Chinese streets themselves.They really do seem to want it NOW though; the queue is snaking out the door. There is no snake on the menu; no doubt someone thought that might not suit the tastes of a customer base largely dressed in Marks & Spencers’ suits.