January 2023 favourites list

Happy New Year, my friends! 

January is a month I find challenging. The short days, long dark nights, and chilly weather all conspire to make me want to retreat into my shell. I detest feeling cold, so I tend to wrap up. Only yesterday, I went to a meeting, clad in my big, long quilted coat, with a huge pink scarf. One of my colleagues immediately commented on how I looked like I was coming in from Siberia. It was friendly joshing, so please don't worry. It made me laugh and brought a smile to a few faces.  

Perhaps this desire to retreat into my figurative shell has influenced my choices this month. Certainly I have found myself snuggling on the sofa and watching a lot more TV. I have also been thinking about making and actually eating comfort food; soups and stews as internal central heating.

This month's pictures are a selection of this month's eats. I hope you enjoy this month's list. 

Food writing

What's in season in the UK in January? https://realfood.tesco.com/whats-in-season/january.html

I’m mystified by the whole “meal prep” trend. Stacks of Tupperware full of identical meals from Monday to Friday leaves me cold. I’m not alone. https://www.romper.com/life/why-meal-prep-trend-is-bad

Where to go out to eat in 2023: https://www.stylist.co.uk/food-drink/new-uk-restaurants-2023/745864

Jan 25th is Burns Night. Here's an interesting read all about the main attraction of a Burns Night Supper - haggis! https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/haggis-traditions-burns-day

Pizza Express has somehow managed to remain a chain restaurant which most people still like. Others have felt a backlash. This edition of the always great Vittles newspaper explores the history and design of the restaurant which brought Italian pizza (as opposed to the American-Italian version of Pizza Hut) to the UK: https://vittles.substack.com/p/the-radical-design-of-pizzaexpress

New to cooking?

A beginner’s guide to cooking: https://www.vox.com/even-better/23436672/how-to-start-cooking-beginner-guide

Kitchen tips

Top tips for cooking up smashing roast spuds! https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/mary-berry-roast-potatoes-how-to-cook-b2252010.html

Briefly marinading meat in baking soda can tenderise it. A technique I have seen used in Vietnamese and Mexican food: https://www.mexicali-blue.com/baking-soda-the-secret-to-tender-flavorful-beef/

Tips for home cooks from Chef Jacques Pepin: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/jacques-pepin-cooking-advice

Kavey’s guide to cuts of Beef and what they are best used for: https://www.kaveyeats.com/which-cuts-of-beef-are-best-for

 

Cost of living

How to cook and eat well when food is more expensive than ever (some useful ideas, especially on trade offs and personal priorities): https://www.vox.com/even-better/23465536/cooking-food-inflation-grocery-prices

Recipes

Fesenjan, the Iranian chicken stew with pomegranate and walnut: https://www.eater.com/23517322/fesenjan-recipe-nilou-motamed-yalda 

This is a Basque recipe for braised chicken, with chorizo and piquillo peppers:  https://www.saveur.com/french-braised-chicken-basquaise-recipe/

A Japanese pork belly recipe I discovered thanks to Kavey (I find slices of skinned pork belly in my local supermarket and never know what to make with them): https://www.justonecookbook.com/braised-pork-belly-kakuni/

Films

Knives Out

Glass Onion

TV

Vienna Blood, Series 3

His Dark Materials, Series 3

Stonehouse

The Real Stonehouse

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.

December 2022 favourites list

Hello and welcome to this final favourites list for 2022! I hope you have all had a happy, healthy and fulfilling year, and that you are looking forward to the fun of the festive season.

This month I am sharing food writing, recipes and kitchen tips. I am also sharing two collections of 2022 cookbooks. I put together a YouTube playlist of the songs which stopped me in my tracks this year, which you will find at the bottom of the list. 2022 has been an excellent year for music, I hope you will agree.

This month’s photos are from my incredible food experience at Aulis, London. The renowned chef Simon Rogan (of L’Enclume fame up in Cartmel in the Lake District) has opened this bijou London restaurant serving up a fine dining tasting menu with an informal kitchen table twist. The result is a relaxed and unsnobby feast of striking flavours and innovation. Head Chef Charlie has lived and worked in Japan, which means there are distinct Japanese influences and ingredients used here. Not to mention his own hand repaired Kintsugi work.

 

(Kintsuge is the art of repairing broken crockery with gold, thereby rescuing the broken item but also celebrating its imperfection). 

That such innovation and creativity happens in a restaurant next door to the studio where David Bowie recorded the legendary Ziggy Stardust LP is, for me, like cosmic alignment!

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I wish everyone good health, contentment, with a touch of fun and frolics for 2023. 

Food writing

What's in season in December? Parsnips, clementines, cranberries, dates and... the Marmite of Christmas veg, brussels sprouts!

https://realfood.tesco.com/whats-in-season/december.html

 

Looking for the perfect cookbook from 2022 as either a gift for yourself or a foodie in your life? Kavey's list at Kavey Eats is here for you: https://www.kaveyeats.com/cookbook-gift-guide

 

Aaron who writes the “1 dish 4 the road” food blog has summed up some of the things about the kitchen which upset even the keenest cook. I don't know how I find garlic skins all over the place, either! https://www.1dish4theroad.com/2022/12/kitchen-peeves.html  

The most commonly mispronounced foods of the world, by country: https://images.prismic.io/wordtips/81032786-1770-4ed4-ad9d-3bf878f2a502_01_Most-Mispronounced-Foods_World-Map_HiRES.png?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2398,1544&w=2400&h=1544

Gary from Big Spud blog chooses his three favourite cookbooks of 2022. No I'm not giving you any spoilers! Take a look: https://bigspud.co.uk/my-favourite-cookbooks-of-2022/

I'm with Jay Rayner on this - please quit with the quirky (often mash-up) Christmas food products. Figgy (Christmas) pudding Spam? No thanks! Just give us Christmas food. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/dec/08/christmas-pudding-flavoured-crisps-boxing-day-curry-peanuts-disgusting-festive-food-jay-rayner

 

Mahira Rivers’ evocative piece on straddling cultures and her family’s food is a beautiful read: https://www.romper.com/parenting/family-culture-cooking-for-daughter

Kitchen tips and hacks

What you can (and more importantly cannot) use in an air fryer: https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/21/can-you-put-tin-foil-in-an-air-fryer-materials-you-can-and-cant-use-17794038/

An intriguing way of cooking steak – the “reverse sear” method to avoid burning your steak. https://alikhaneats.com/steak-recipe-the-reverse-sear-method/

Cooking pasta (penne or farfalle is best) in the microwave: https://thetakeout.com/how-to-cook-pasta-in-the-microwave-best-tiktok-hack-tip-1849714963

Recipes

If you have been to Alsace, you’ve probably scoffed Flammkuchen, an incredibly thin “pizza” style bread topped with onion and speck. Here’s how to make your own.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/nov/28/flammkuchen-recipe-by-anja-dunk

This is a triumph of presentation over effort – puff pastry and Nutella combine with a little bit of cheeky flair to make a tear and share Christmas tree bake. https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/01/three-ingredient-nutella-christmas-tree-recipe-you-have-to-try-this-winter-17853171/

 

When it is cold outside, you can warm up inside with a hot mulled drink. I love a cheeky glass of mulled wine. But how about ringing the changes with mulled cider? https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/christmas/christmas-drinks/a549995/mulled-cider-recipe/

TV

Ghosts USA – Series 1

Umbrella Academy – Series 1 & 2

 

Music

My music from 2022 YouTube playlist:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcZVuU7Jd5iZwTLfMtsQfyWbEFwO8aInj

 

Maybe you know Horace Andy from his legendary reggae records, or maybe you know him from his Massive Attack collaborations. Whichever it is, enjoy the master playing a short live set here: https://youtu.be/RfkXW0Gm3eQ

Arctic Monkeys – The Car

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.

November 2022 favourites list

Welcome to this month's edition of the favourites list! 

This month the pictures are some street art I found on some hoardings on Clerkenwell Green. They have a great energy and seem to draw from history in a passionate way. They are bold in their design and execution. Sadly, there were no explanatory notes accompanying them to explain their message or interpretation. Nevertheless I hope you enjoy them. 

 

 

This month is a brief list of favourites. I hope you don't mind. Life has been busy recently.

 

 

What's in season in the UK in November? Potatoes, all the cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, kale and leeks. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/whats-in-season-november

I can vouch for Babur in Crofton Park, but this list of best places to eat in South East London has got me charging up my Oyster card! https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/the-best-places-to-eat-in-south-east-london/

Comedian Tom Allen on his life in food, with some of his travel tips: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2022/06/my-life-in-food-tom-allen

You don’t really need 8 glasses of water a day and coffee doesn’t dehydrate you. Hydration myths, busted: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/21/1124371309/busting-common-hydration-water-myths

Many world foods are dismissed as "unhealthy" usually unfairly and based on stereotypes and assumptions. This article tackles the notion Mexican tacos are unhealthy. I see the same said unfairly about Indian and Chinese food. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/nutrition/cultural-food-label/

Recipes

OK everyone. Drop everything. Sophia (known on Twitter as @Wer_ko_der_ko) has just shared this link on how to make Toum, the super strength Lebanese garlic dip. Garlic loving Twitter friends, rejoice! https://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/dips/lebanese-garlic-dip/

Chef Tim Anderson’s Steak bowl with warishita butter sauce and soy marinaded egg yolk: https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/steak-bowl-warishita-butter-sauce-recipe

Meera Sodha’s vegan Malaysian dal curry, flavoured with lemongrass, star anise and tamarind: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/oct/29/vegan-malaysian-dal-curry-recipe-meera-sodha

Nigella's Feta, Black Bean And Clementine Couscous, one of her new thrifty recipes for Ocado: https://www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/Nigella-s-Feta-Black-Bean-and-Clementine-Couscous/223061?ad=223439%7C4689678%7C223455%7C4689680

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s lamb chops with rocket, figs and walnuts and homemade flatbreads: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lamb_chops_with_rocket_33408

TV

Extraordinary Attorney Woo

The Walk-In

The English

Music

Peter Gabriel – So

Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork

Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space

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.