Tag Archives: Food

Recipe Kit Delivery Service Marley Spoon

Recipe kit delivery service, Marley Spoon, came knocking at my door recently with a couple of ready-to-cook meals for me to try. It was all yummy stuff, healthy too, and really easy to prepare. I was impressed with the service and the quality of the food. If you’re short on time but keen to have a home cooked meal, give ‘em serious consideration. Continue reading

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Win Two New #MojoRisin Aromatic Chilli Relishes from That Hungry Chef

Looking for something to spice up the summer? How about a couple of jars of instant yum? I’m offering one lucky reader the chance to win two new palate pleasing and oh-so aromatic chilli relishes from That Hungry Chef. Continue reading

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Preview: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015

I dropped by the show yesterday for the press/VIP preview. I skedaddled before I could get to any big game celeb and royalty spotting but managed to see most of what’s in store for the inevitable throngs of garden enthusiasts soon to swarm the gracious grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Here’s a quick look at what I enjoyed most … Continue reading

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Shake Shack Westfield Stratford City

Shake Shack launches its second London eatery with a new restaurant opening 20 May at Westfield Stratford City. Guess who got to sample some classic Shack favourites alongside some new and exclusive to Stratford menu items this afternoon?! Don’t hate the player, folks. In fact, don’t even hate the game. Just get over there starting tomorrow for some of East London’s best best burgers, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, frozen custards … Continue reading

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Barcelona Brief: OneOcean Club at Marina Port Vell

A key component of my brief Barcelona visit was a browse around OneOcean Club at Marina Port Vell. When it opened at the end of 2014, this private club raised the bar (and expectations) for the boating world by offering a range of luxury services and facilities just steps from the boundless amenities and amusements of an ever buzzing metropolis. Continue reading

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Barcelona Brief: The Stylishly Sumptuous Hotel Majestic

If you’re keen to hold convenient court in Barcelona’s elegant and central Eixample district (yet never realise it as long as the door to your room’s terrace is kept shut to not allow even a decibel of noise to seep in from the streets), then this five star hotel’s location is for you. Within easy reach of Las Ramblas; loads of upscale shops; Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, La Pedrera (Casa Milà) and Sagrada Familia; and the Barri Gòtic, it’s a fine location for sightseeing. The hotel is also only a minute’s stroll from Passeig de Gràcia station, where you can hope a train to the airport and be there in about a half hour. Continue reading

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Barcelona Brief: Ah-Inspiring Hotel Arts

The highest building in Barcelona? It’s the five-star, 43-storey Hotel Arts. At the top floor of this seaside beacon of luxury is 43 The Spa. For rarefied pampering with a view to match, the spa’s signature 43 Sea Experience allows the body to unwind while the mind and spirit soar. That guests can have a gorgeous al fresco lunch several floors down just minutes after … or a stroll the beach … or hit the far humbler but nonetheless inviting neighbourhood bars in nearby Barceloneta … or hop the Metro/hail a cab for more decidedly Barcelonan delights adds dreamy depth to such splendorous me-time. Continue reading

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Barcelona Brief: High on Generator

For my first of only two nights in Barcelona, I stayed at Generator … in the 8th floor penthouse … and absolutely loved it! If you hanker for a bit of luxury and a chance to spread out when in Barcelona (while still holding on to more than a few spare euros in your pocket), this suite is hard to beat. But whatever you might hope to achieve when booking a budget conscious visit to this bodacious city, you’d be smart to keep in mind Generator’s rather broad spectrum of possible overnight arrangements. Continue reading

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Barcelona Brief: Too Brief but Brilliant!

Just back from far too few but still wonderfully rejuvenating days in Barcelona, it’s easy to proclaim it as the ideal getaway. So ideal, I can’t stop thinking about what it might be like to getaway there for good! No matter your “thing” – art, food, beach, luxury, street life, shopping, history … etc etc ad nauseum – or whether you’re one to zealously guard a small budget or magnificently blow a big one, you can do so with flying colours in this captivating Catalan capital. And if you’re like me and want the best of it all in maximum dosage, then keep an eye out for upcoming posts in my Barcelona Brief. Continue reading

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Dammann Frères Teas at the Sofitel London St James’s Rose Lounge (espressoCrazy)

Man cannot live on coffee alone. And as much as I tried (often succeeded) in doing so, I must admit it’s nice to have a cup of something else every once in a while. Horses for courses and all that … Continue reading

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Win VIP Access to Yelp’s Mad Scientist Soiree at Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch

Exploding cocktails? A GIF Photo Booth? A mini ice cream festival? 600 Mad Scientists? And all for free? Yeah, I’m teaming up with Yelp again to bring more fun your way. This time, I’m helping spread the word about Dr Xander Alexander’s Mad Scientist Soiree. Presented by Yelp and Digital Shoreditch at Strongroom on Tuesday 12 May, it’s totally free and promises to be an absolute hoot. Read on! Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Zestful and Juicy Sicily

I hope you’ve enjoyed this online tour of Sicily’s via Le Vie della Zagara. I certainly had a wonderful time discovering this distinctive destination for myself and sharing the most zestful bits of that journey with you. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Ceramic Dynamic Caltagirone

Caltagirone was one of those places where soon into my time there I started wondered about the price of local property. Could I afford to chuck it all in and relocate? How could I make such a transition work – and what kind of work would I even be able to do if I actually did settle there? Such a feeling of immediate attraction to a place often used to overwhelm me when travelling in my 20s and early 30s. It’s a less frequent – but much deeper and more exacting – experience when it hits me these days. No, I don’t think I’ll actually up and move to Caltagirone (and I very much love my life here in London), but that possibility lingers still in my thoughts as I remember it. And I sorely hope I’m don’t have to wait too long to return there for further exploration. Continue reading

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La Vie en Rose Afternoon Tea at the Sofitel London St James

On now and running throughout May is a new floral-inspired La Vie en Rose afternoon tea at the Rose Lounge at the Sofitel London St James hotel. I got a taste of this limited run luxury a couple of weeks back and very much enjoyed it. Here’s a waft of what made it such a treat for me. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Limone di Siracusa

A fertile coastal plain stretching between the mountains and the sea with plenty of sea air and consistent year-round sunlight make conditions right for growing Limone di Siracusa, aka Syracuse lemons – some of the juiciest and zestiest on the market. Such conditions add up to a gorgeous place to visit too. The last of the low hanging PGI fruits picked along my journey across Sicily, here’s why I’m a sucker for the aroma and flavour of this mighty if diminutive squirt! Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: When Life Hands You Lemons Make Granita!

One of the zestier episodes during my zip across Sicily’s Le Vie della Zagara was a visit to the seaside town of Alì Terme in the province of Messina. Here and along the Valle del Nisi, aside perhaps from the tourist trade, the locally grown Limone Interdonato is the main draw – whether on its own with a skin so sweet you can eat it raw or transformed into one of many refreshing delicacies at the local bar/pasticceria/gelateria/bomboniere. Continue reading

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Are you Sitting Comfortably? Street Food Heroes Crabbieshack Pop-up at The Hat & Tun

For three nights only from Wednesday 13th – Friday 15th May, 5.30pm to 9pm, Crabbieshack will be serving Old Bay Batter Soft-Shell Crab Burgers (£9.50) at The Hat & Tun pub in Clerkenwell. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Sicily’s Beautiful Blood Oranges

The three varietals of Sicilian blood oranges include the deeply crimson Moro, the Tarocco (a great all rounder and Italy’s most popular orange), and the sweet and succulent Sanguinello. During my time travelling Le Vie della Zagara, I got a taste of all three blood oranges (and more – keep reading!) while visiting two places involved in the production of aranchia rossa: the lavish San Giorgio Estate with its upscale luxury Aranjaya villa and the more pragmatic but nonetheless impressive processing facilities of Pannitteri & C. Both are located in the eastern area of Sicily within the province of Catania and bestowed with jaw-dropper views of smoking and snow-capped Mount Etna. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Balanced and Scenic Ribera

The world’s only orange with PDO certification (protected designation of origin, DOP in Italian) grows in Ribera, Sicily. Belonging to the family of yellow navel oranges, it’s not all that different in appearance to any run of the mill orange you’re apt to come across at any supermarket anywhere in the world. But bite into a Ribera or drink some of its juice and what sets it apart becomes clear. It’s a juicy fruit with a balanced ratio of sugars and acids – not too sweet or tart – with a firm and smooth flesh and no seeds. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Ciaculli and its Anti-Mafia Mandarins

First stop on Le Vie della Zagara was the Palermo suburb of Ciaculli, home of the juicy Mandarino Tardivo di Ciacualli, where land once owned by the Mafia has been confiscated and converted into citrus groves by the locally run Consorzio il Tardivo di Ciaculli. Continue reading

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Le Vie della Zagara: Experiencing Sicily with Gusto!

Le Vie della Zagara is a new initiative encouraging visitors to Sicily to take at least a little time of their beach bound holiday to explore the island’s surprisingly diverse landscape and enjoy its equally varied bounty of citrus and many more treats along the way. Continue reading

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Finding Inspiration in Bonne Maman Desserts

Little angular jars of Bonne Maman jams, jellies, and compotes have sat on breakfast tables across the UK for decades, so imagine my surprise and delight to find that its brother branch, the brand’s lineup of fine cakes, biscuits, and tartlets, work as a great accompaniment to old favourites or as a tasty stand-alone treat. Continue reading

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The Ultimate Foodie Safari in Sabi Sabi (City AM)

The streets of Mayfair may seem a world away from the remote South African bush, but for discerning gourmet travellers the metaphorical – if not physical – distance between the two has just become smaller. A new initiative at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve invites some of the world’s top chefs into the kitchen at the area’s renowned Earth Lodge. The partnership was launched in February, with Michelin-starred Eric Chavot making the inaugural visit, taking a week-long break from his eponymous Mayfair brasserie (at The Westbury on Conduit Street) to share his experience with the cooks at Earth Lodge. Continue reading

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The George Foreman Grill “Evolves”

The George Foreman has grown up; the new “Evolve” model is described as “the next generation”. New features such as a deep bake pan mean you can easily create so much more than the toasties, paninis and grilled meats associated with the earlier versions. It’s now possible to cook small stews, casseroles and even pizzas using the grill. Continue reading

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Win a Variety Pack of Jaz & Jul’s Origin Mixture Drinking Chocolate

Award winning independent chocolate makers, Jaz & Jul’s, are launching a new Origin range of drinking chocolates. Featuring three single-origin dark hot chocolates made with cacao grown in a different region (Madagascar, Peru, Brazil) for a collection of subtle yet indulgent flavours. Keen to find out how to get a sneaky peek taste ahead of all the other choco-fiends? Keep reading, my cocoa loving friends. Continue reading

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Taking it Easy with an Overnight Spa Break in Bath

Easter week, Kemey and I made a quick overnight trip to Bath for a bit of rest and relaxation with a dash of history and scaled down but nonetheless urban ease. Both of us had been to Bath before but ages ago and not together. We had so much fun during our brief stay in this compact and attractive city. It’s a great place for couples and super easy to get to from London. Of course, more time to explore Bath and the bucolic countryside nearby would have been ideal, but our overnight visit proved to be an amply replenishing pause before having to head back to the London grind. Continue reading

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My Simple Italian by Theo Randall – Book Review (Great British Chefs)

Fellow alum of the kitchens at Hammersmith’s fabled River Café, Jamie Oliver likes the book and reckons it’s the “most deliciously gorgeous Italian cookbook I’ve seen in a long, long time.” Enough said? Maybe. But please indulge me in my own humble rave about this book featuring “100 inspired recipes from one of Britain’s best Italian chefs.” Continue reading

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Lunch at The Pig

Oozing with ye olde English shabby chic charm without coming across as twee, the look and feel of this “restaurant with rooms” very much did it for me. I could have staged a “you-can’t-make-me-leave” sit-in at the hotel’s ultra cosy lobby bar; I got a mini recharge from my brief amble through the kitchen garden and surrounding grounds; I would have loved to try a post-lunch treatment at the spa across the pond in the garden or maybe an expert-led forage in the forest for wild mushrooms.
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Recipe: Half Dipped Madeleines

When the friendly folks at Bonne Maman UK got in touch with me to see if I’d be up for creating with a recipe using their madeleine as the main ingredient, I was keen to give it a shot. But, I wondered what to do with something that’s already a perfectly complete treat in and of itself. So, I took the easy way out and did very little … and was pleased with the tasty results. I hope you’ll like my ideas for super simple Half Dipped Madeleines. Continue reading

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That Hungry Chef Supper Club

I don’t attend all that many supper clubs and can recall more mediocre or actually disastrous experiences at them than list any exemplary clubs doing anything all that interesting. However, I still love the concept and when it works it’s a wonderful way to dine. So, it is with pleasure that I recommend the delicious and convivial dining on offer by That Hungry Chef. Continue reading

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Preview: Bompas & Parr Dine with the Dead and Toast with a Human Skull

Over my years writing about the London dining scene one thing’s proved a certain constant: any email landing in my inbox from the jellymongering of Bompas & Parr is a must-read missive. The latest announcement of foodie frivolity (this time with a slightly darkened tinge) is no exception with an invitation to “a magnificent feasting occasion offering guests the ultimate tribute to departed Londoners in a spectacular environment.” Continue reading

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Win a Box of Wine from The Grape Club

I have recently tried and would love to recommend to you The Grape Club,– an online London-based subscription service that sends an assortment of four bottles of wine in a sturdy and easily transportable box to its members every month. There’s no membership fee, just a month payment of £45, which covers all the costs of having the club deliver a quartet of smartly selected quality quaffs directly to your door. Keep reading for more grape news about this new service as well as details about the chance to win a selection of four wines from The Grape Club. Continue reading

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Hot Cross Easter Creations from Paul A Young and The Bread Factory

For Easter 2015, Paul A Young Fine Chocolates has teamed up with North London’s The Bread Factory for a range of hot cross bun creations that are big on traditional seasonal flavours and offered in a fascinating variety of combinations, including a limited run hot cross bun caramel spread, truffle and brownie. Continue reading

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Say Bom Dia to a Brazilian Breakfast at Carioca Brixton!

Brixton’s Market Row favourite, Carioca (formerly Prima Donna), has introduced a new selection of Brazilian style breakfast dishes to its daytime menu. Served from 10am to 4pm every day, the new brekkie items are freshly prepared in house with locally sourced ingredients and free range eggs by Brazilian head chef Lucy and her team. I had a more than ample taste last Sunday and found everything I tried to be expressly tudo bem. Continue reading

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Yelp x tikichris: Morning Espresso Event at Bar Termini

The espresso masterclass will be held Sunday 19 April from 10.30am, and numbers for the class will be low (ten or under). During it, we’ll learn how to roast, pour, and create the perfect espresso. There will be some (so amazing you won’t believe it) pastries to enjoy as well as some other surprises … maybe even some cocktails if it hits after noon and we’re feeling saucy. Continue reading

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