The alchemists of time: How watch companies combine age-old techniques with cutting edge materials December 8, 2016 Let’s face it: a finely made timepiece is, in a rather nice twist of irony, a flashy anachronism. For starters, no one really needs a watch these days, finely made or not. Secondly, the delicate concoction of wheels, springs and levers driving a mechanical watch is based on an ancient principle – 200-year-old technology that [...]
Gotta catch ‘em all: how extreme collectors hunt down the world’s rarest watches December 8, 2016 In a thankfully deserted café near the river in Battersea, my acquaintance extracts an unassuming plastic shopping bag from a rucksack. From inside it, he unfurls 12 wristwatches, laying each one gently on the table; were the sole waitress present paying us any attention, she might think it a rather suspicious scene – even more [...]
Foodie predictions for 2017: top chefs, writers, restaurateurs and food producers give us their thoughts on the year ahead December 7, 2016 Vivek Singh Executive chef of The Cinnamon Club, cinnamonclub.com Butter is back and fats will be in vogue. Masterclasses will also become key to true foodies, with as much focus on drinks as on food. We will continue to want to know more about the ethics behind our food and its provenance. Shaun Clarkson Interior [...]
Our resident chef Mark Hix on the perfect way to cook kale, our generation’s hipster superfood December 6, 2016 As a kid my grandmother used to serve curly kale every winter but like a lot of her home cooking, she’d completely crucify it. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't a bad cook per se, but like most people of her generation, she didn't really know when to turn the gas off. There was just [...]
Threadneedle Bar at the Royal Exchange shares its recipe for the Mediterranean cocktail Amalfi Sour with us December 6, 2016 Now the cold snap has arrived, we’re all eager to reach for a warming drink. But what makes a great winter cocktail? There are many ways to heat up a drink; stew it on the hob like a mulled wine, add a few warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg or pour in the booze, that’ll [...]
City Social’s gender-bending cocktail is now one of the most popular on the menu December 6, 2016 How much of a role does gender play in what you drink? Why are some drinks thought of as ‘masculine’ and others ‘feminine’? These big societal and cultural questions inspired the bar at City Social to play around with gender drinking stereotypes, which led to the creation of two of their best-selling cocktails. Freedom of [...]
Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith is the playful reinvention that combines flying carpets with Brexit jokes December 6, 2016 Some pantomimes rely on hiring former celebrities to lure in the crowds – “Where are the best years of my career?” “Behind you!” This production has no need for such gimmicks, having instead a tight script that playfully reinvents a classic, high-energy dancing, inventive use of pop songs, engaging performances, and lots of audience participation. It [...]
Fancy some gluhwein? Yeah you do. Here are the best Christmas markets in Europe December 6, 2016 The traditional Christmas market has existed for centuries, and for the most part has remained relatively unchanged. Nativity scenes depict the birth of Jesus Christ, carol singers drop festive beats and boozed up revellers stave off the freezing temperatures with Gluhwein and roasted chestnuts. But while London has certainly enjoyed its own festive renaissance of [...]
Don’t want to cook? Left booking late? Try these excellent London options for Christmas dinner December 6, 2016 Rivea Knightsbridge, SW7, £105pp, rivealondon.com Toast Christ’s birth in the glittering basement of the Bulgari Hotel, where executive chef Alexandre Nicolas has created a traditional menu with decadent twists. Scottish salmon gravlax and a pear and chestnut yule log rub shoulders with more unusual delicacies, such as a foie gras terrine with muscat grape gelee [...]
Edinburgh: a city of lights offering a box of delights December 6, 2016 | City Talk The festive season is a magical time. Comforting childhood memories of twinkling city centre lights, carol singers and sipping hot chocolate mingle with familiar festive music and echoes of the butterflies once felt before meeting Santa in the local department store. Today, the hot chocolate might have been supplanted by a mug of warming mulled [...]