Hot Cross Love

We like a hot cross bun here at FP, just like sweetcorn it’s an excuse to shovel down loads of lovely butter. So when a bunny came through the door with some free samples from the wonderful Gail’s Bread, the toaster went on faster than you can say ‘clogged arteries’.

Nara restaurant

It’s one of those uninspired, grey London evenings buffeted by chilly pre-Spring winds, when your sluggish, gravy-soaked system simply cries out for a jolt – fierce, piquant flavours, hearty portions of meat and carbs, unfussy, substantial food. We decided to head out West – specifically, to Korean restaurant Nara in the West End.

Royal China restaurant

An article this week in the papers said that Chinese was replacing Indian as the most popular ‘UK’ dish. Some pundits said it was because Chinese was perceived to be healthier for you as a stir-fried dish will inevitably have less oil for you to absorb. Also the use of MSG, which you once used to see being literally sold by the sack full in Chinese restaurant wholesale suppliers, has declined. If you wake up thirsty in the night though, that’s a good sign your meal wasn’t entirely MSG free.

Tsuru restaurant

Tsuru is a clean bright place with tables outside and inside a kitchen turning out bento boxes, sushi, salads and even Katsu curries all at reasonable prices. Blackboards and signs scream sustainability telling you that the yellow fin tuna is line caught and that the salmon is fresh from the Shetland Isles. Chicken is free range and the packaging is as biodegradable as can be.

Spinach Risotto

With the sun starting to finally make an appearance and all the signs of spring firmly in place, it’s time to start enjoying the gorgeous foods that come into season at this time of year. Here’s a great recipe from olive oil specialist Filippo Berio which uses spinach, an incredibly versatile, iron-rich food which is at its best at this time of year.

Sugar in the blood

Down in Greenwich, a husband and wife team are flying the flag for Jawbreakers, Rhubarb and Custard, Poor Bens and over four hundred other sweets. We went to meet Mr and Mrs Humbug