Our chef columnist Mark Hix on his enduring love for black pudding and the dish that made him fall in love with it January 10, 2017 I’ve been hooked on black pudding ever since it first passed my lips as a kid. There was just something about it I loved, even though the blood pudding I grew up with probably contained way too much rusk or filler and not enough actual meat, which was cheap and low quality. Maybe it was [...]
Dentists are calling for workplaces to cut the cake in 2017 January 3, 2017 New year, new you? Here's another reason to go on a diet this January: dentists are calling for workplaces to cut the cake in 2017. For many, the festive season will have been stuffed with rich foods and heavy drinking – both at work and at home. Read more: Retailers will need to brave fierce [...]
Get lost you old fool – the whisky is to toast at your funeral! December 28, 2016 | City Talk An old man spends his last days in his bed. Weak yet resigned, he's ready to leave the world. He smells an aroma from the kitchen downstairs. The scent is an old, blended whisky that reminds him of his youth. He just has to have one last nip. Struggling out of bed, he crawls downstairs. Reaching the kitchen, with withering hand, he [...]
The secret to scrummy seasonal seafood is a click away December 21, 2016 | City Talk Why did the fish get bad grades? Answer: Because he was below sea level… Ka-boom! You may grimace, but have you considered clipping the wings of the traditional Christmas game or fowl this year in favour of a seafood feast? Serving up a little fishy on your dishy will put you in the same school of thought as many [...]
Osteria review: An Italian diner embedded deep inside the concrete labyrinth of the Barbican December 20, 2016 A slick, bistro-style Italian restaurant embedded somewhere deep inside the concrete labyrinth of the Barbican Centre, Osteria specialises in classic pasta dishes, cocktails and wine. A vintage meat slicer makes an odd centrepiece here, looking slightly out of place on the carpeted flooring. What if a bit of ham shaving fell on the shag? Best [...]
Six of the best freakshakes: There are only 12 days left to stuff our faces. Quick, grab one of these milkshakes with cake on top December 20, 2016 Molly Bakes Kingsland Road, E8, £7 Relatively new on the Dalston scene, this cafe is for the control freak(shake) inside you that just can’t leave dessert up to any old pastry chef. A simple menu of chocolate, raspberry, caramel and peanut butter awaits with the option to customise your toppings. mollybakes.co.uk A healthier take on [...]
Our columnist Mark Hix loved the acerbic food writer AA Gill, even when he wasn’t complimentary about his restaurants December 20, 2016 I first met the food writer AA Gill when I started as head chef at Le Caprice. Its co-proprietor Jeremy King introduced this monocle-wearing guy who was sat at the bar on his own as Adrian, the new Sunday Times food critic. “Great, nice to meet you,” I said hurriedly, “I had better get back [...]
Working Lunch: Think you know what Venetian food is? Educate and treat yourself at the same time at Veneta in St James’ Market December 13, 2016 Veneta St James’ Market, SW1Y WHAT? Everyone knows what Italian food is about, but could you name a distinctly Venetian dish? If you can’t, educate and treat yourself at the same time with a visit to Veneta. Stuffed full of regional delicacies like bigoli (fat spaghetti) and spice trade seasonings (plenty of saffron and cardamom), [...]
Our resident chef Mark Hix on the hidden potential of the humble sprout December 13, 2016 Sprouts have something of a bad reputation. They’re a huge part of the Christmas roast, yet all too often they’re inadequately prepared and cooked with no love. But the humble brussels sprout has got untold potential in the right hands. For a start, don’t fall for the Christmas marketing scam of buying them on the [...]
My Inspiration: Jake Burger, chief gin instructor at Portobello Road Gin’s Ginstitute on fabled recipe tome The Savoy Cocktail Book December 8, 2016 The Savoy Cocktail Book was first published in 1930 and it’s been in print ever since, apart from a brief break during the second World War. Lots of the drinks remain relevant today, although there were far fewer ingredients back then than we’re used to today. I did a bit of analysis and about a [...]