Lifestyle

  • Tasty delights of the season
    Thursday, 2nd September 2010
    Autumn’s larder is rich with colour, nutrients and vibrancy. Enjoy it
    Zoe Strimpel
    For foodies and cooks, there is no better season than autumn. As a crispness enters the air, a cornucopia of colourful vegetables emerges from British fields. Not only is autumnal food delightfully vibrant, it tends to be low-fat and filling, full of potassium, Vitamin B, folates, calcium and zinc. So how to make the most of this new brightly-coloured bounty? Jane Baxter, chef at the Riverford Kitchen in Devon, says: “Autumn is an inspirational time to cook, especially vegetables. You’ve got sweet corn, squashes and outdoor tomatoes starting to be ready, along with French beans, leeks, chard... [Read more]

  • The queen of cocktails
    Thursday, 29th July 2010
    Fresh summer drink or hangover staple, the Bloody Mary offers numerous possibilities
    Timothy Barber
    CLASSIC morning-after pick-me-up or smart aperitif; fresh, salady cocktail for a summer afternoon, or thick, spicy meal-in-a-glass to fire up a winter’s evening. The Bloody Mary is arguably the most... [Read more]
  • SUPER-SUPER PREMIUMS | A NEW BREED OF VODKA
    Thursday, 29th July 2010
    Zoe Strimpel
    According to drinks company Whyte and Mackay, the last few years have been tough. Spirits, including vodka, have taken a serious hit. But there’s one area that’s bucked the trend: super-premium... [Read more]
  • GOING OUT
    Thursday, 29th July 2010
    Nothing beats a warm night outside in town
    TIM BADHAM
    WITH the summer just about living up to expectations this year, outside space has become the holy grail when picking a great place to drink in London. It’s certainly tricky to find in Mayfair and the... [Read more]

  • The rising stars of London’s wine scene
    Thursday, 15th July 2010
    The new generation of sommeliers is clever, passionate...and very good-looking
    Zoe Strimpel
    REMEMBER the old days, when you’d sit down in a posh restaurant and a scary-looking French man with a handlebar moustache would sidle over to you with a book the size of the bible? Well, times have... [Read more]
  • A very Moghul drama
    Thursday, 15th July 2010
    Historian authors are back with the second in a riveting series of 16th century intrigue
    EMPIRE OF THE MOGHUL: BROTHERS AT WAR BY ALEX RUTHERFORD Headline £18.99 by Verity Pugh THE Moghul dynasty, which spanned the 16th to 18th centuries in South Asia, is in itself like a work of fiction... [Read more]
  • Is snubbing a colleague on holiday okay?
    Thursday, 15th July 2010
    VEXED IN THE CITY SOLVING YOUR WORK-LIFE PROBLEMS
    DEAR VEXED: It turns out a close colleague and I have booked a week’s holiday in the same resort in France, each of us with a group of friends. She’s really keen to hang out when we’re there but all... [Read more]
  • Little black book: the Wharf’s new hotspots
    Thursday, 15th July 2010
    Tim Badham Going Out
    Tim Badham
    CANARY Wharf may have gleaming skyscrapers but it hasn’t exactly led the way with high quality bars or top-end members clubs (and no, Brodies doesn’t count). Most serious financiers have stayed put... [Read more]
  • The Gaul the world loves
    Thursday, 1st July 2010
    The man behind the iconic Sketch is on a roll. Zoe Strimpel asks him what his secret is
    I’VE visited a lot of restaurants in London: flashy ones, rustic ones, refined European ones, rooftop ones, flamboyantly ethnic ones and ones that closed after not very long at all. My favourite, on... [Read more]
  • Three hotpots for rooftop drinks
    Thursday, 1st July 2010
    Zoe Strimpel
    EVEN a hint of clemency in London weather sends people out onto the streets to try to lap up a ray or two. This summer, though, we seem to have a proper excuse to drink outside. The only question is... [Read more]
  • London is buzzing with new openings
    Thursday, 1st July 2010
    Tim Badham Going Out
    THE summer is normally a time when the club scene quietens down and everyone heads off on holiday or out into the countryside. However, there’s a surprising amount of activity in London’s clubs and... [Read more]
  • Summer quaffing
    Thursday, 17th June 2010
    Make the most of the season with wines to see you through dazzling afternoons and long, light evenings
    Zoe Strimpel
    AH, summer. Despite a frosty few days, the sun is shining and it’s the season for lovely uplifting wines. We’ve got two of our favourite City wine experts to tell us their top summer wine picks.... [Read more]
  • Where to eat out this Father’s Day
    Thursday, 17th June 2010
    Show how much you love Dad with a good meal
    Zoe Strimpel
    PROMISED you’d see Dad on Sunday but not sure what to do with the old man? Fear not: many of London’s best dining establishments have Father’s Day deals on offer so the two of you can have a good... [Read more]
  • High class: where to go for the best views in town
    Thursday, 17th June 2010
    Going Out
    Tim Badham
    WITH roof-top bars and outside space in London hard to come by (or just plain wet), top floor views and cityscapes have become the next best thing and a desirable year-round alternative. This week,... [Read more]
  • They drink its all over...
    Thursday, 10th June 2010
    Beer is football’s close brother. So City A.M.’s Frank Dalleres decided that a World Cup of brews was only fair
    FRANK DALLERES
    IF football is the universal game, then beer must be its companion drink. There is not a corner of the globe where the locals do not relish a kickabout. Similarly, wherever you find civilisation, you... [Read more]
  • How to eat like a (vegetarian) king
    Thursday, 27th May 2010
    It’s National Vegetarian Week, so meat-lover Zoe Strimpel tried veggie fine dining, and loved it
    Zoe Strimpel
    DESPITE the cult status acquired by super-deli Ottolenghi, known for its heavenly salads and cakes, and the super-sleek vegan Saf (see Joe McCanta’s column below), vegetarian restaurants aren’t... [Read more]
  • Wines to match your gourmet veggie dinner
    Thursday, 27th May 2010
    JOE MCCANTA SOMMELIER, SAF RESTAURANTS; FOUNDER, PURSIP DRINKS CONSULTANCY WORKING with primarily vegetarian (and even vegan) foods, I’m constantly having to look at innovative ways of matching food... [Read more]
  • Picnic of champions
    Thursday, 20th May 2010
    If you’re going to celebrate the sun with an al fresco feast, do it properly
    Timothy Barber
    AT bloomin’ last. It may have taken forever, but there’s finally warmth in the air and the weekend is expected to be lovely. The sunshine will have lots of us trotting off to the nearest park... [Read more]
  • Borough Market gets a taste of Caribbean cacao
    Thursday, 20th May 2010
    St Lucia is the source of the finest new chocolate around
    Timothy Barber
    THINK of premium, top-end chocolate and you probably think of exquisite truffles or smooth, silky bars in luxurious packaging, creations of meticulous artisan craftsmanship with the words “Swiss” or... [Read more]
  • A blooming good way to eat for springtime
    Thursday, 13th May 2010
    Edible flowers can add seasonal flair, exotic colour and vibrant taste to food
    Timothy Barber
    LOTS of us have aspirations of turning our gardens into allotments and impressing dinner party guests with all manner of home-grown delicacies. Since that requires time, effort, good soil,... [Read more]
  • Don Draper’s old fashioned drink of choice
    Thursday, 6th May 2010
    Bourbon whiskey can hold as much appeal for connoisseurs as single malt
    Timothy Barber
    IT’S probably a little too easy for us to be dismissive of bourbon in this country. After all, with all the world-beating malt whisky painstakingly produced up in the most northern parts of our... [Read more]
  • SUMMER SIZZLER
    Thursday, 29th April 2010
    The Bank Holiday barbecue has become a British tradition
    Timothy Barber
    AFTER a winter as long, cold and trying as the one we’ve just experienced, any excuse to wave it goodbye and welcome the arrival of warmer times should be celebrated – and there’s no better way of... [Read more]
  • ‘Tis the season for green shoots
    Thursday, 22nd April 2010
    British asparagus is the best there is, and its arrival means spring has begun
    Timothy Barber
    AS WELL as stranding tens of thousands of Brits around the world this week, the volcanic ash crisis had the supermarkets sweating over the possibility of serious fruit and veg shortages. Ironically,... [Read more]
  • Top ten summer quenchers
    Thursday, 15th April 2010
    Zoe Strimpel finds London’s most refreshing cocktails
    Black Diamond Sour For your late summer nights, this is a sultry rich cocktail with the aromas of a hot evening. Amaretto comes with blackberries, lime and violet liqueur, served over crushed ice and... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 15th April 2010
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    GO AL FRESCO IN LITTLE VENICE Rejoice: the season for summer popups has arrived. And none will be more summery than the 60-cover Summerhouse, on the banks of Little Venice’s canal. In keeping with a... [Read more]
  • Pink power
    Thursday, 8th April 2010
    Rhubarb has been a smash hit this year. Zoe Strimpel finds out what makes it great
    Zoe Strimpel
    T HE tangiest of British vegetables, so long relegated to fools and crumbles, stepped into the (pink-tinged) lime-light last week. Rhubarb made headlines when Waitrose suddenly found itself entirely... [Read more]
  • Chocolatey alternatives
    Thursday, 1st April 2010
    If you find Easter Eggs a little dull, Timothy Barber has found some unconventional stand-in options
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    Chocolate scotch egg Don’t worry, there’s no meat involved here. As it happens, Fortnum & Mason invented the scotch egg, and has made this chocolate version – with a vanilla fondant centre – to... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 1st April 2010
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    BRUNCH AT HAWKSMOOR We’ve long known that East End restaurant Hawksmoor was one of the best places to eat meat, and it’s now servring a truly spectacular brunch. From 11am you can get stuck into... [Read more]
  • What to Drink with your Indian dinner
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    LAURENT MIQUEL CAZAL VIEL ROSÉ VIELLES VIGNES 2008 £6.99 at Majestic This delicate rosé has red fruit flavours with a round, mellow structure and superb freshness on the finish, which makes it the... [Read more]
  • Currying flavour with fine wines
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    The noble grape makes a better accompaniment to Asian food than lager, says Zoe Strimpel
    FOR a nation that loves its booze as much as its Indian food, we have a strangely limited approach when it comes to alcoholic accompaniments for Asian cuisine. It’s not because we only like cheap... [Read more]
  • Cracking eggs for Easter
    Thursday, 11th March 2010
    Timothy Barber discovers which choccies are worth the festive calories
    Timothy Barber
    FLORAL EGG, COCOMAYA The chic Mayfair chocolate shop has come up with a rather eccentric egg, with a glittery surface decorated with a chocolate medallion embossed with the face of a Roman emperor... [Read more]
  • The good times are rolling again
    Thursday, 18th February 2010
    Post-crunch, new restaurants are flinging open their doors. Don’t miss out
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    IT’S been a rough couple of years for restaurants, many of whom – beginning life bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – were stopped in their tracks by the credit crunch. High-gloss French restaurant... [Read more]
  • How London fell for American cuisine
    Thursday, 28th January 2010
    We can’t get enough of its big, bold flavours and generous pieces of meat. No wonder
    Zoe Strimpel
    FIVE years ago, McDonalds was the best-known export of US cuisine in London. Yes, there have been other venues dedicated to that fine nation’s culinary tradition, such as Joe Allen and the Chicago... [Read more]
  • It’s not Burns’ night without the right dram
    Thursday, 21st January 2010
    Get the most out of Monday’s dinner with the right whisky for each course
    Timothy Barber
    MONDAY night will see Scots everywhere donning kilts, eating offal and downing an awful lot of whisky for Burns’ Night Supper, the annual celebration of the Bard of Ayreshire, Robert Burns. Haggis –... [Read more]
  • Ten places to toast the Bard on Monday
    Thursday, 21st January 2010
    GALVIN AT WINDOWS Basking in the glory of its newly-awarded Michelin star, the Galvin brothers’ stunning restaurant at the top of the Park Lane Hilton is offering a special Burns’ Night cocktail, the... [Read more]
  • It’s time to hunker down in a cosy pub
    Thursday, 14th January 2010
    When snow is falling and the wind is cold, a pint and a log fire are the only solutions
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    THE JERUSALEM TAVERN, CLERKENWELL Yes it’s a classic and an obvious choice, but there’s still no finer place to hunker down and enjoy a few pints of beer. And what beer it is. This Farringdon pub... [Read more]
  • London’s healthiest menus
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    You can honour all your diet resolutions even when eating out, and feel satisfied too
    Zoe Strimpel
    RICH meaty food is de rigueur these days, but if you’re trying to start the new year on a good nutritional footing, you can still eat out with gusto and enjoyment. We’re not talking a few sprouts... [Read more]
  • Eat your way out of winter blues
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    January is about nourishment, not deprivation
    Zoe Strimpel
    IF you’re one of those repentant souls trying to stick to a punishing detox regime of lemon water and cabbage throughout January, think again. Experts say that spring is the time to stick to salads... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    THE AVENUE REOPENS The mighty D&D London, owners of Coq D’Argent, Pont de la Tour and Skylon, are relaunching St James’s stalwart The Avenue with a new chef, ex-Launceston Place cook Mikko Kataja... [Read more]
  • Eat your way out of winter blues
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    IF YOU’RE one of those repentant souls trying to stick to a punishing detox regime of lemon water and cabbage throughout January, think again. Experts say that spring is the time to stick to salads... [Read more]
  • OUT OF OFFICE
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    GALLIANO TREE AT CLARIDGE’SIn a glamorous grab for attention, Claridge’s has unveiled an extraordinary Christmas tree designed by John Galliano, Dior’s chief designer. An... [Read more]
  • ...AND WINES TO MATCH
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    AS SUGGESTED BY TOM HARROW OF WINE CONSULTANCY WINE CHAP (WWW.WINECHAP.COM)
    CROFT’S PARTICULAR A rich Amontillado-style cream sherry like this one works well for your more traditional pie – and traditional pie eater. It’s an unusually pale sherry, which... [Read more]
  • Keep your eyes on the pies
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    When it comes to Christmas mince pies, it's vital to get the right one
    Zoe Strimpel
    CHRISTMAS without mince pies would be like a British summer without rain – simply not possible. We love our mince pies – at least before a month of over-eating them makes us a stone... [Read more]
  • Both black and white beers will bring out the best in oysters
    Thursday, 26th November 2009
    For a great food and beer experience, look beyond traditional stouts
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    LONDON’S connection with oysters goes back as far as the city itself. The eating of oysters in London began in Roman times, when the British product was shipped as far as Rome. They continued... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 26th November 2009
    PERFECT THOSE CARVING SKILLS Roast turkey may be a central part of the Christmas experience, but it can be ruined by bad carving. Just in time, Sloane Square’s historic department store, Peter... [Read more]
  • Best City spots for a winter warmer
    Thursday, 19th November 2009
    The Square Mile is the place to grab a traditional glass of mulled wine
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    When there’s a nip in the air, there’s nothing quite like getting your mitts around a nice, hot glass of mulled wine. In these days of online shopping and alternative Queen’s... [Read more]
  • Hot chocolates for that seasonal glow
    Thursday, 19th November 2009
    A steaming cup of cocoa is a cold weather pleasure Timothy Barber hunts out London's best
    Timothy Barber
    IF, like me, you’re impervious to the charms of caffeine drinks, or else – also like me – you’re powerless to resist the lure of cocoa, the idea of the perfect hot chocolate... [Read more]
  • Japanese whisky, the spirit of Christmas
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    If you are looking for a gift for a tippler, this could be it
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    IF JAPANESE whisky sounds like a joke – something akin to the Jamaican bobsleigh team, or Indian wine – then you clearly don’t know very much about spirits. At last year’s... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    MAJOR FOODIE SAVINGS WITH VIEW CARDInvest in a View card from the folks behind viewlondon.co.uk and reap some serious savings (up to 50 per cent) off meals at 500 of the city’s restaurants and... [Read more]
  • The best places to splash the cash with discretion
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    Private dining is ideal for work and play
    Zoe Strimpel
    MARCUS Wareing recently told City A.M. that ever since the start of the financial crisis, the phones have been ringing off the hook of his restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel with enquiries about the... [Read more]
  • Pork of the town
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    Making your own sausages requires close contact with pig intestines, but the results are worth it
    Zoe Strimpel
    I LOVE a good sausage – who doesn’t, really? So, in honour of British Sausage Week (a noble Week if ever there was one), I decided to pay tribute to the nation’s favourite pork... [Read more]
  • THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANTIN 14 days time we open Galvin La Chapelle and Galvin Cafe de Luxe. Wednesday 18 November will... [Read more]
  • WHERE TO GO FOR A TOP SAUSAGE
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    HG WALTERPremium butchers supplying Hibiscus, Arbutus and top schools in London. Their sausage maker has been making the same traditional recipe for 30 years using free-range Surrey pigs for juicy,... [Read more]
  • 20-hour shifts are the recipe for success
    Thursday, 29th October 2009
    Meeting Marcus Wareing is a lesson in passionate perfectionism
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S 9AM and Marcus Wareing looks very tired. We’re in the kitchen at his self-named Mayfair restaurant, the best in London, according to Harden’s Guide. It is unusual for a chef of... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 29th October 2009
    TIME FOR THE FINAL PUSH
    JEFF GALVIN WE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANTWHEN talking about opening a restaurant, my brother Chris and I like to use car analogies. We... [Read more]
  • LET THEM EAT CAKE
    Thursday, 22nd October 2009
    We've become a nation of (cup)cake lovers, as a new batch of chic, vintage-style bakeries attests
    Zoe Strimpel
    THE diet police seem to be losing. For nothing, these days, is chicer than a fresh baked goodie. The cupcake has taken us by storm, and the allure of the soft-baked cookie, or moist piece of cake... [Read more]
  • NEARLY THERE NOW
    Thursday, 22nd October 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT WE are now counting down the weeks until we open and tensions are running high. The site is a... [Read more]
  • HOORAY FOR THE BAR(S)
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT AS we all know, a great bar is the heart of a great restaurant. Not being people who like to... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    MALBEC AND CHOCOLATE AT GAUCHOThe Argentine steak house chain have stumbled upon something rather tasty. The predominant Argentine grape Malbec, which ranges from the delicate to the deep and fruity... [Read more]
  • Du pain, du vin, du Cornish Yarg
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    British cheese is firmly ruling our shops, hearts and finest cheeseboards, says Zoe Strimpel. For very good reason, too
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S a historic moment. British cheeses are outselling French fromages at a rate of two to one as shoppers choose the homegrown beauties now available by the hundred. The figures are not, to be... [Read more]
  • Take yourself out for a lovely dinner alone
    Thursday, 8th October 2009
    Solo dining can be a joy, and London is full of great places for it, writes Zoe Strimpel
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S not just about where you eat, but who you eat with. Nothing says quiet confidence like dining alone. Indeed, Suzanne Pirret, the pin-up chef, wrote a whole book called The Pleasure’s... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 8th October 2009
    PASSING THE KIDS' TEST
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT THIS week my two boys Daniel and William and my brother Chris’s children, Jessica, George... [Read more]
  • Shuck and awe
    Thursday, 1st October 2009
    With oyster season now in full swing, Zoe Strimpel chooses seven great places to get your fix of the little beauties
    Zoe Strimpel
    ROTUNDA90 York Way, N1 9AG, tel: 020 7014 2840As part of London’s Oyster Festival, there will be oyster masterclasses through October, plus a menu that includes oyster tempura and onuga caviar... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 1st October 2009
    THE WELCOME SPICE OF HISTORY
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT ONE of the best things about opening this restaurant is its history. Last week I bumped into... [Read more]