December 12 2022

UK

There’s a local’s guide to Belfast in the Guardian.

The Standard has the best country pubs with rooms with some nice sounding ones included and the Guardian the best literary hotels with libraries.

Europe

This week, journalists are trying to persuade you with varying rates of success that winter is the time to visit these particular places.

A city guide to Annecy on the edge of the Alps in France and and a long weekend guide to Brussels are in the Independent.

Valencia is in the Daily Mail and Seville for a winter weekend break in the Telegraph with the Hotel Rey Alfonso mentioned as a place to stay.

A weekend city guide to Lisbon is in the Times and the Algarve coast in the Telegraph which apparently has ‘joys off season’. The comments say otherwise. There’s a rail journey through Portugal by train from Lisbon to Vigo via Porto in the Guardian.

Restaurants

A week of the critics all raving about the places they went, but apart from Grace Dent in Lewes, they are all in London.

In the FT, Tim Hayward went to the The Plimsoll, in Finsbury Park, London N4, website here, and thought it was ‘the most spectacular, inventive, beautifully crafted food’

In the Guardian, Grace Dent went to Fork in Lewes, Sussex , website here and recommended a visit as it is ‘small, neighbourhood restaurant with a heart that is bursting with ambition.’

In the Mail on Sunday, Tom Parker Bowles went to Sudu, a Malaysian restaurant in NW6, Instagram here. and loved it but I can’t link to his review as it’s under Mail Plus. One to remember, anyway.

In the Observer, Jay Rayner visited Tsiakkos & Charcoal, a Greek restaurant in London W9, website here and loved it

In the Standard, Jimi Famurewa went to Evernight and thought this Japanese isakaya ‘might be one of the most quietly remarkable restaurants currently operating in the city.’

In the Telegraph, William Sitwell went to Mriya, London, Instagram here and said ‘the Ukrainian food was a revelation'

In the Times Giles Coren has been the first of the critics to visit Bouchon Racine in ECI, website here, the new version of the old restaurant in Knightsbridge, by Henry Harris, and raved about it.

Recipes.

There were so many Christmas recipes in the papers this weekend that I’ve eschewed the articles on how to cook your turkey and make the perfect roast potatoes which you can just google to your heart’s content and concentrated on the more original offerings. I’ve felt overwhelmed by all the variety and so here’s a straightforward list of what I liked. It is supposed to be ‘a Cook’s Edit.’

Honey and Co carob sesame crisps in the FT, a lovely looking crispbread to serve with cheese

Eleanor Steafel’s beef and ricotta meatballs with crispy fennel crumbs recipe in the Telegraph, a straightforward and crowdpleasing way to get away from endless turkey and pork.

Diana Henry’s vegetable side dishes in the Telegraph, roast Jerusalem artichokes with mushrooms and baked garlic cream, confit leeks with white beans and black olives and roast red pepper, carrot and harissa purée.

Nigel Slater in the Observer always appeals and this weekend, there was a double lot with recipes for red leaves, warm cheese and chestnuts and chocolate chestnut cake in the Observer and Christmas dessert recipes in Observer Food Monthly. These include recipes for orange and elderflower jelly with pomegranate and mint , chocolate coated halva , no-churn candied fruit and clementine cassata ice, poached quince with whipped blue cheese and mincemeat baklava. 

I also enjoyed reading about Claire Ptak’s festive brunch recipes, cardamom pancakes, apple and pistachio galettes, and salmon toasts in Observer Food Monthly.

In the Guardian there was a Christmas party food special and I liked the look of Meera Sodha’s vegan walnut and mushroom samosas as well as Ravinder Bhogal’s prawn yuzu mayo blinis. But there were lots more, although how many could be eaten standing up as a canapé, I’m not sure. I do love that equivocal, passive aggressive. I’m not sure but maybe I’m just messy and clumsy. OK, I know, I am.