Food for Thought,

Lamb for Spring

Tuesday 9th March 2010

Hasn't it been a grim winter? We've all had the hatches well and truly battened down, but now that there's a glimpse of sunshine we're feeling much perkier. Lamb is the perfect thing for this in-between month - we've got some traditional, comfort food ideas for those days when it still...

Aphrodisiac Foods

Wednesday 3rd February 2010

Baby it’s cold outside – but it can be hot inside, with our round up of aphrodisiac food and drinks for a lavish love-in... So cook up a storm with the very best love foods, from a special breakfast to a devishly indulgent pudding. Plus the obligatory oysters and pink champagne to...

Saintly Snacks

Tuesday 12th January 2010

New Year, New You – isn’t that what all the mags are proclaiming this month? But healthy eating shouldn’t be all salads and soups, especially not in winter – you’ll never stick to it if you don’t keep it interesting. Here are some of our top tips for losing the...

Christmas Cookbooks

Thursday 10th December 2009

There's a mountain of presents to buy, a tree to decorate, and not forgetting the added worry of whether you'll have enough roast potatoes with which to feed the masses. Christmas is so stressful we almost can't wait until it's over. Luckily, we're here to take a little of the stress out...

Festive Feasts

Saturday 7th November 2009

So the clocks have gone back and with them the last vestiges of anything resembling summer, and the days are being pulled up short. But don’t despair – make the most of winter by gathering some friends around your table and enjoying a roast – with a bit of a...

A Ghoulish Grown-Up Get-Together

Wednesday 7th October 2009

It’s nearly Halloween, and what better excuse to indulge your childish side – even if you don’t have children. So get those pumpkins carved and get your fancy dress out; forget the trick part and give yourself a treat with our selection of spooky snacks, for a grown-up ghoulish get-together (plus...

Lunch Box Ideas

Monday 7th September 2009

The house is now eerily quiet and we’ve got that back-to-school feeling – but as grown-ups it’s so much nicer than when we were children. Instead of new, too-big school uniforms and being taken shopping for Wellies, we’re getting out our cashmere jumpers and going shopping for shiny new boots...

Taste of Morocco

Friday 7th August 2009

Apparently a third of Britons have chosen to holiday in the UK this year, with masses of us who would ordinarily be jetting off abroad opting for a ‘staycation’ instead. And if you’re one of the many who chose to save your air miles and take a British break this summer...

Summer Puddings

Thursday 9th July 2009

The sun, longer days, afternoons in the park - there are lots of reasons why we love summer, but our favourite thing? The picnics. Or more specifically, the puddings. All those luscious summer fruits can be used to devastating effect - plump, pink rhubarb makes a winning crumble, frozen berries and currants...

Father's Day Feasts

Tuesday 9th June 2009

As they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach so for Father’s Day, spoil Dad with some great foodie treats. Whether you’re planning on serving a breakfast of champions, a summery feast, or lots of sumptuous nibbles (caviar, foie gras and a selection of yummy antipasti), we’ve...

Have Your Cake & Eat It...

Saturday 9th May 2009

Britain has gone cupcake mad, thanks to American cake shop The Hummingbird Bakery and their delicious multicoloured cupcakes. Whether they're covered in bright icing, sprinkled with hearts, adorned with sweets or spell out a message, these little treats make the perfect present (if, that is, you don't scoff them all yourself)....

Lamb for Spring

Thursday 9th April 2009

Finally, the clocks have gone forward, the evenings are lighter, and Spring seems to be valiantly fighting its way through the snow clouds, bringing with it the promise of sunshine and plenty of fresh new ingredients to enjoy. April means Easter, which always seems to be associated with lamb. But...

Seasonal Stepping Stones

Tuesday 17th March 2009

It’s a funny sort of in-betweeny month, March. Spring hasn’t quite sprung, it feels too early to get stuck into making big salads and barbecuing, but you (and, if you’re anything like us, your skinny jeans) are starting to yearn for something other than stews and roasts. So what’s the...

The Food of Love

Saturday 7th February 2009

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about spending a fortune on dinner out and frankly we’d far rather go to a restaurant when it doesn’t involve an overload of cheese (and we not talking food). So what better way to show someone that you love them than by lining up...

New Year's Health

Friday 9th January 2009

So, that’s that for another year… Christmas is done and dusted, the shops are full of sales and the papers are full of diets and detoxes. But we don’t believe eating well and looking after yourself needs to be all about denial. Instead, here are some ideas for ways...

Hurrah For Hampers

Monday 8th December 2008

The post is full of treats at this time of year. In amongst the inevitable wodge of bills come all the glossy Christmas catalogues, their pages resplendent with great truckles of Stilton and boxes of chocolates a metre wide. And, best of all, hampers, of every sort, from the ordinary...

Food For Thought: Lemon Verbena

Wednesday 15th October 2008

Lemon Verbena is a favourite of mine for the intense, lemony fragrance of the leaves, and I enjoy using it as an alternative to citrus when I want a the flavour but not the acidity. Whilst the fresh leaves are very hard to come by, Lemon Verbena makes a lovely potted house...

Food For Thought: Penny Buns

Wednesday 1st October 2008

Penny buns are the British version of the well know Italian porcini ('little pigs') or French Cep. Whilst the dried variety is common, they are truly wild and are only available fresh in autumn and early winter. I prefer using British Penny Buns and always insist on using ones with small,...

Food For Thought: Mint

Monday 15th September 2008

The season seems decided on turning whether we’re quite ready to give up on summer or not. The great thing is of course the wonderful mushrooms that will be popping up everywhere and the first of our local late autumn fruit and vegetables harvests for foods like pumpkins and quinces. There...

Food For Thought: Dwarf Aubergines

Monday 1st September 2008

This time of year we go crazy for sun ripe aubergines – and interestingly, the Italian name for them, Melanzana comes from the Latin for ‘crazy apple’! Especially fun to cook with are dwarf aubergines, but make sure you buy the kind that are mature at that size, rather than just...

Food For Thought: Celery

Thursday 14th August 2008

Celery is great for this time of year because it grows very quickly in hot weather and is a milder ingredient than in the slower growing months (and is therefore less off-putting to those sensitive to its particular taste). Celery has many great health benefits; it’s especially good for those with...

Food For Thought: Padron Peppers

Thursday 24th July 2008

This fortnight’s Food For Thought: Padron Peppers Padron Peppers are small Spanish peppers introduced from South America to Spain in the 16th century – mostly they are deliciously sweet but every so often you’ll find one so hot it would make the toughest Mexican sweat – round about one in ten....

Food For Thought: Pea Shoots

Monday 7th July 2008

I’ve been using pea shoots for the last 7-8 years in spring and summer salads or with poached and grilled fish. We use them in all the restaurants in particular Toms Place where we’ve been doing a whole host of lovely summer fish salads. Garden peas take the whole summer...

Strawberries

Friday 20th June 2008

This fortnight’s Food For Thought: Strawberries As far as I’m concerned, British strawberries are the greatest strawberries in the world and I always look for British strawberries for my restaurants simply because they're tastier than any others. I’ve heard it’s going to be the best crop in years and I want...

Elderflower

Wednesday 4th June 2008

Of late we’ve been enjoying exceptional quality local produce and things coming into season earlier than usual. Elderflowers have been early and they’re now here in astonishing abundance so make the most of this British favourite because they won’t last long! This fortnight’s Food For Thought: Elderflowers The elderflower has a...

Edible Flowers

Wednesday 21st May 2008

The warm weather we’ve had has given a big boost to all things green and growing, so at the moment we're enjoying exceptional quality local produce and things coming into season earlier than usual. Flowers are blooming like never before, with elderflowers, summer violas, pea and broad bean flowers and...

Asparagus

Thursday 8th May 2008

We can sing and cheer because it seems Spring is here, well... for a while at least. I for one am ecstatic at the arrival of the new season; a whole host of new vegetables are arriving to inspire us in the kitchen and it means no more stews or casseroles...

Sorrel

Tuesday 22nd April 2008

We can sing and cheer because it seems Spring is here, well... for a while at least. I for one am ecstatic at the arrival of the new season; a whole host of new vegetables are arriving to inspire us in the kitchen and it means no more stews or casseroles...

Watercress

Tuesday 8th April 2008

We can sing and cheer because it seems Spring is here, well... for a while at least. I for one am ecstatic at the arrival of the new season; a whole host of new vegetables are arriving to inspire us in the kitchen and it means no more stews or casseroles...

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