Mark Hix says you should borrow some sugar beet from a friendly farmer March 7, 2017 Why don't we regard sugar beet as a vegetable like swede or turnips or parsnips or even its close relative the beetroot? It is commonly grown as a rotation crop in conjunction with wheat, barley and pulses, used to return organic matter into the soil and prevent the build-up of disease. It’s grown in some [...]
Monica Galetti interview: The MasterChef judge talks about her imminent restaurant launch, the pressures of television and why she hates being interviewed March 2, 2017 Monica Galetti speaks quickly and without hesitation, racing towards the next full stop like she’s in the conversation equivalent of a relay race. The sooner she finishes speaking, the sooner I can move on to my next question, and the sooner she can get back to doing absolutely anything that isn’t talking to me. To [...]
Sexy Fish review: An intensely glamorous tribute to pan-Asian dining February 28, 2017 Richard Caring’s curiously named fish restaurant opened last year to much fuss and fanfare, a knowingly ostentatious, very shiny and intensely glamorous tribute to pan-Asian dining that feels out of place in London, even at its Berkeley Square address by the Bentley showroom. But while Sexy Fish still feels like it belongs on the [...]
As The Ivy turns 100, chef Mark Hix recalls the dish customers would order without even looking at the menu February 28, 2017 Back in my days at Le caprice I inherited a dish called bang bang chicken which Chris Corbin discovered in a Chinese restaurant in Earl’s Court. He experienced a particularly disgusting example but with a bit of jiggery pokery it became a Caprice classic that never came off the menu (customers would order it without [...]
Six of the best pies: We scoured London in search of the meatiest bakes ahead of British Pie Week, a celebration of all things pie from 6-12 March February 28, 2017 Battersea Pie Station 28 The Market Garden, WC2E, £15 for two Once you’ve got over the fact it’s actually in Covent Garden and the owners lied to you for a cheap pun, this place is pretty great. Wean your kids on the Baby Pies with a baby portion of mash, then work up to The [...]
Today is Pancake day, here’s where you can get some if you don’t want to make your own February 28, 2017 Granger & Co We went for brunch at Bill Granger's Notting Hill outlet, and have just started salivating at memories of the honeycomb butter that accompanies its ricotta hotcakes. (Seriously, it's like Pavlov's dog around here.) You get three hotcakes, with maple syrup and a slab of banana. They are gorgeously fluffy and the ricotta [...]
Forget five a day: 10 a day is better if you want to live longer February 23, 2017 If you thought the five-a-day fruit and vegetable advice was unrealistic, think again. Although fewer than one in three UK adults manage to meet the recommended target, scientists at Imperial College London now say the greatest benefits come from eating 800g of fruit and veg per day, roughly the equivalent of 10 portions. Five portions [...]
A cheese and wine festival is coming to London February 22, 2017 Cheese lovers should listen up – you’ll be very grate-ful for this: a cheese and wine festival is coming to London. You could say it’s going to be a real crowd cheeser… Entry to the festival is free and it will take place on the first weekend of April in Stratford's East Village, which will [...]
Six of the Best: Chicken Wings. Here are the joints that are getting us in a right flap over their tasty, sticky wings February 21, 2017 1. Bird 42/44 Kingsland Road, E2 If you want decent wings, go to the specialists. Dalston favourite Bird, which now has a second spot on Holloway Road, serves free-range, gluten-free wings, fried to order, with a choice of eight homemade sauces. Flappin’ hell. birdrestaurants.com 2. Absurd Bird 54 Commercial Street, E1 First things first; we’ve [...]
Our resident chef Mark Hix on why you should ditch bland supermarket salad for something red instead February 21, 2017 A lot of salad farmers grow delicious red, Italian winter leaves at this time of year. While you are probably familiar with the round and quite common radicchio, there are lots of varieties to explore, like trevisso, tardivo, trevisiano and, of course, red chicory, which all belong to the same family. My salad and vegetable [...]