Try a little Rape this weekend

At around £7.99 for a 750ml bottle Hillfarm Virgin Rapeseed Oil is reasonably priced against the better olive oils and is more versatile. And while I am still not happy at the yellowfication of our once green and pleasant land, I can at least say this particular Rape product makes some of it well worthwhile.

Time for Tagine with Emile Henry

As a simple, effective way of feeding up to eight people, the classy Emile Henry Tagine is the tops. Like a good casserole or stew there’s pretty much nothing that can go wrong with a tagine cooking session, but it scores high marks for real wow factor and ia magical way with tenderising meat. With it we brought some North African sunshine to a somewhat overcast South London last weekend.

Cheesy inspiration from the next generation

Due to go on sale in Tesco stores from September, Norseland’s blended Wensleydale with Sour Cherry & Plum sounds an odd combination of flavours, but having tasted it, the crumbliness of the Wensleydale and its mild flavour does work with the fruits, and makes for a nice mouthful.

Beach Blanket Babylon East

It isn’t easy to fill venues on the industrial stretch of Bethnal Green road where Beach Blanket Babylon has hunkered down. Brick Lane’s melee bristles five minutes away. Commercial Road’s pencil moustache and cupcake brigade posture to the right. But despite the relative quiet on our Friday night visit, the punters seemed still to be loving it.

Wine – The Recession

Whilst in the midst of the biggest recession in living history, does a nation internationally renowned for hard drinking consume even more? With brand booze seemingly ‘on tap’ at most supermarkets, and even a Champagne price war going on that caters for the higher echelons as well, is it no wonder that alcohol is now officially as big a problem as everyone thinks it is?