September 2026 favourites list

Welcome to this month's list! 

This month’s pictures are from my delicious lunch at Lahpet Larder from this summer. The food of Myanmar is under the radar in the UK, which is a shame. It is a fascinating culinary tradition, where quite literally you can see how geography has shaped a cuisine. Myanmar’s food is on the one hand an expression of its own identity, and on the other influenced by its neighbours. 

 

Like so much of south east Asia, the salads are fresh tasting, spicy affairs. I had never expected to want second helpings of a mashed potato salad! The fritters reminded me of a day trip to the Mingun Bell back in 2020. The rich and flavourful curry was like the warm hug of a friend.

I returned to Lahpet Larder as I had sampled the lunch menu last year, and wanted to explore the a la carte menu at a later date. I wrote about my previous trip to Lahpet Larder at London Bridge here: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2025/02/february-2025-favourites-list.html

I hope you enjoy the photos and selections here. Happy reading, happy cooking, and happy eating!

Foodie inspiration

Henry Harris has been working in restaurant kitchens since the 80s. His current restaurant Bouchon Racine continues the Paris Bistrot style of his previous Racine restaurant. Harris has now collected together some of his classic French recipes in The Racine Effect: Classic French Recipes by Henry Harris, a cookbook which Kavey has done a review of on her blog. As ever, she has done a deep dive, considering the storytelling, structure, recipes, and photography in the book. https://www.kaveyeats.com/racine-effect-henry-harris

Ful medames, or fava bean stew is a favourite across the Middle East and North Africa. This is an evocative read by Zahra Hankir about her grandfather, Ahmed, or as she calls him “The King of Ful”: https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2017/the-king-of-ful/#:~:text=In%20Arabic,%20the%20dish%20is,borders%20in%20the%20Arab%20world.

Nigella Lawson loves to big up new cookbooks on her website, reviewing the cookbooks with recipes she loves and would most like to make. Here is her Cookbook Corner review of Kitchening by Jeremy Lee. https://www.nigella.com/cookbook-corner/kitchening-by-jeremy-lee

Eating to help reduce anxiety, by consuming a small amount of choline each day: https://www.sciencefocus.com/wellbeing/anxiety-nutrient-choline

London’s Napoli On The Road named the best pizza in the world at the 50 best pizzas of the world 2026: https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/foodanddrink/london-best-pizza-restaurant-napoli-on-the-road-b1297238.html

Some restaurants, inexplicably, would rather use AI generated pictures for menus and marketing, rather than photos of their actual food. This is a trend I dislike intensely, and I am not alone. https://theweek.com/culture-life/food-drink/the-nauseating-horror-of-ai-food-slop

Personally, I just want a restaurant bathroom to be clean, for the toilet and seat to be intact and functional, and for there to be loo paper and running water. But for the Instagrammers and TikTokker, fancy restaurant restrooms are a big thing. Egg pods at Sketch, anyone? https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/sep/25/the-lure-of-the-loo-restaurant-bathroom-design

Kitchen tips

I am not sure I like the linguistic trend to call everything “something-maxxing”, but it is true we need fibre to keep our digestive systems moving and maintain good health. So here are some tips on how to get fibre in your diet if you are on a budget. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/fibremaxxing-budget-hacks

 

Recipes

Here is a collection of frugal one pot recipes for the students in your life. If you are a student reading this, good luck with your studies and don’t forget to keep yourself sustained. Eat properly, don’t skip meals, and do keep hydrated. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/one-pot_student_recipes

A recipe for sesame and miso soupy rice which can be pre-prepared, packed into a jar or flask, and rehydrated in the workplace if you only have a kettle to hand. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sesame_brothy_rice_with_39484

Mieke shares a recipe for a refreshing Peruvian drink – lemon verbena lemonade: https://www.dorothy-porker.com/limonada-de-cedron-peruvian-lemon-verbena-lemonade/

This Yum Goong (Thai Shrimp and Lychee Salad) Recipe from Andrea Nguyen and Pim Techamuanvivit’s new Thai food cookbook is one I can vouch for being delicious and easy to make. https://www.foodandwine.com/yum-goong-thai-shrimp-and-lychee-salad-11948737

Cottage cheese is back! Not quite the same as the 80s diet pots of low fat low taste misery, but protein rich soft cheese to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Unexpected? Wait until you see the next step – cottage cheese oven chips: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/a73864596/cottage-cheese-chips-recipe-perfected/

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

My aubergine and pancetta pasta recipe. My attempt at replicating Sicilian flavours. https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2026/09/aubergine-and-pancetta-pasta.html

 

TV

Colin From Accounts, Season 3

My TV watching this month has passed the time, without much which can be described as standout. So much evening wallpaper! But the third and final season of Australian sitcom Colin From Accounts is the only exception. Written and starring Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall who are a couple off screen, this season revisits Ash and Gordon three years after his proposal of marriage went wrong (the ending of season 2). Now, both are in new relationships, but their shared interest in Colin means they have to navigate the emotional terrain of rejection, guilt and whatever the hell their friends and family are doing.

Available on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0f255x9/colin-from-accounts?seriesId=p0f255x9-structural-3-m00303gt 

 

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.