I was the subject of a hideous experiment the other day. I was given a glass of white wine by my wine connoisseur* brother-in-law, and asked to try it. It was very nice indeed, off dry, a little sweeter than I usually choose but perfectly good. It wasn’t the best wine I’ve ever tasted, but [...]
It’s the middle of May, and the weather is quite nice, a bit wet, but warmer. I think it’s time to make ice cream, to get the freezer stocked up for summer. Of course, this is Britain, and the North of Britain at that. This may be summer. This ice cream is based on a [...]
India and Pakistan are home to some of the world’s best pickles, all types of fruit and vegetables preserved in a fiery mix of spices, citrus juices and oils. The best are little more than sliced chillis with lime, oil, mustard and turmeric. They’ll blow you away. Literally. In Hindi, ‘achar‘ means pickle, and gosht [...]
The English Lake District is one of the most beautiful and spectacular parts of the British Isles. Mountains tower over lush valleys and deep lakes. There’s a long and proud brewing tradition in these parts, and some excellent pubs. Hawkshead Brewery supplied me with a couple of excellent pints – Lakeland Gold and Red. Red [...]
The loin of a pig is a magnificent cut of meat, a dense strip of heavy meat flanked by part of the belly and encased in skin destined to crackle, nested in a cradle of bones. As a joint, this has everything. Preparation is simple, and the most important parts happen in the butcher’s shop. [...]