London becomes fourth most expensive city in the world: Rent, petrol and cooking oil drive cost of living June 9, 2022 A perfect storm of rising inflation, the war in Ukraine and soaring house prices and rent, have turned London in to a pressure cooker of expense, making it the fourth most costly place to live in the world. London move up one place according to new research about cost of living for expatriates around the [...]
The A-Z of wine: H is for… Hunter Valley June 9, 2022 Our alphabetical tour of the wine world continues with a trip Down Under to find a hidden gem in Hunter Valley What’s this then? A bit of a niche area this week, because it turns out that when you commit to the rigid structure of an alphabet-themed series there’s always one letter that throws a [...]
As World Gin Day looms, we ask: Is the gin craze 2.0 finally over? June 8, 2022 World Gin Day is a relatively new phenomenon. Founded in 2009 by London-based gin enthusiast and educator Emma Stokes – the author of The Periodic Table of Cocktails, also known as Gin Monkey – it is intended as “a global celebration of all things gin”. The gin boom of recent years means that consumers are [...]
Frenchie has a wine list perfect for long, indulgent lunches June 1, 2022 On the cobbles of Covent Garden’s Henrietta Street, Frenchie is a petit, cool oasis of flavour for the bustling West End crowd. The food menu is minimalist with a choice of two starters, three mains and a host of nibbles. The wine list is extensive with over 100 bottles leaning towards the French and some [...]
All sizzle and all stake: Salt Bae’s restaurant owner to sell stake to Qatar wealth fund May 31, 2022 Internet meme and meat seasoner Salt Bae’s steakhouse owner is in talks to sell a 20 per cent stake to Qatar’s $450 billion wealth fund. Dream Group, owner of restaurants including the Nusr-Et steakhouse – which was founded by Turkish butcher and salt sprinkler Nusret Gökçe, who later became an Instagram sensation – confirmed discussions [...]
Why you should drink Cava for the Jubilee May 31, 2022 Cava did itself a disservice after its popularity boom in the 1950s and 60s, flooding the market with cheaper versions and paying the price by putting off discerning consumers for the last few decades. Now they are taking steps to create and cultivate a premium product through greater care and stricter regulations – and the [...]
Hatching a plan: Tesco to use 100 per cent British eggs for next five years May 26, 2022 Tesco has committed to use 100 per cent British eggs after signing lengthy contracts with five suppliers. The supermarket giant signed up its main producers to five year deals this week, against the backdrop of challenging market conditions, rising costs of living and inflation. It made the announcement as farmers also face supply chain problems, [...]
The A-Z of wine: G is for… Grenache, your secret favourite grape May 26, 2022 What’s this then? Grenache is a red grape variety, until 2000 the second-most planted variety in the world. It’s most commonly associated with France but actually believed to have originated in Spain – so we should probably refer to it by its Spanish name, Garnacha. It’s capable of making ripe and juicy quaffers, hefting bruisers [...]
Liquid investment: How a new breed of rum is biting at the heels of whisky May 25, 2022 The rise of rum has been predicted for some time. The staggering rise in the fortunes of the whisk(e)y industry – I’ll omit the “e” from now on for aesthetic purposes – over the last couple of decades means many enthusiasts and would-be collectors are now being priced out of that market, and rum is [...]
A toast to a famous Ukraine Eurovision win – with vodka of course May 20, 2022 Ukraine’s triumph at last weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest came as a surprise to no-one. The competition’s traditional regional, ethnic, and political voting blocs were abandoned, as voters from across the continent delivered their overwhelming support to the embattled people of Ukraine, and while the folk-rap number Stefania, by Kalush Orchestra, may not have won strictly [...]