October 10

food to eat, places to go from the UK weekend papers

Nigel Slater’s sautéed chicken with lemon and olives.

Travel

As winter draws near, it’s time to think about cultural weekend breaks in the UK and European cities. The Telegraph has a handy month by month no fly guide and the Times has 25 European rail trips with epic views.

UK

The Times advises Harrogate and also St Ives where they are encouraging visitors to go off season as Tate St Ives’ new exhibition Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life is on from November 26 to May 1, 2023. There’s also a ‘cultural art break’ to Belfast in the Independent.

Martin Compston goes around Scotland in the Daily Mail for his new TV series,   Scottish Fling (here on iPlayer,) or on BBC2 on Friday at 9.30pm.

Europe

The Guardian has an article on readers’ favourite museums and galleries which I loved browsing, to find out what art is where outside Europe’s capital cities and deciding where I would like to go.

There’s a local’s guide to Bratislava in The Guardian, a weekend break to Trieste in The Times and, in the Daily Mail, one to Bilbao as well as a walking tour in Dubrovnik.

Restaurants

I read the restaurant reviews and there are some that stick out that I would like to visit such as the Rose in Deal and the Walnut Tree near Abergavenny. I remember a walk up Pen Y Fan in the Brecons years ago when a GP friend of mine told me medical sales reps took him there and I was so envious as it was well out of my price range. Maybe this year……

In the Daily Mail, Tom Parker-Bowles went to Maria G in West London, which he thinks might be the first in a new chain by chef Robin Gill.

In the FT, Tim Hayward goes to the Walnut Tree near Abergavenny in Wales where he lauds chef Shaun Hill as a genius.

In the Guardian, Grace Dent went to Aberdeen to the Silver Darling and advises to ask for a table at the window for the view. She then says the cooking at Café 52 is more exciting so if I was in Aberdeen that would be my choice although it’s cash only now.

In the Observer, Jay Rayner went to the Rose in Deal, Kent which he said was ‘a parade of impressive cooking.’

In the Standard, David Ellis went to Andrew Edmunds in Soho. A friend once told me it was her ‘first date’ restaurant and then forbade me from ever going in case I saw her there.

In the Sunday Times, Marina O”Loughlin went to Flawd in Manchester.

In the Telegraph, William Sitwell goes to Dakota in Leeds, a steak restaurant where the chef is Craig Rogan, son of Simon.

In the Times, Giles Coren travels to Acton in West London to My Old China which sounds fantastic and is also under £40 per head which is his new rule in these days of economic restraint.

Recipes

Rosie Birkett is back in The Sunday Times with enticing vegetarian recipes including a mushroom puff pastry tart recipe, a celeriac and cheese vegetarian ‘meatballs’ in tomato sauce recipe, and a prosciutto, sage and squash gratin recipe. As usual, The Guardian has the best food section in both the Saturday edition and Sunday’s Observer. I liked Nigel Slater’s recipes for chicken so much so much that I rushed out on Sunday morning to buy some chicken to make the sautéed chicken with olives and lemon, (pictured above) and I am sure I will make the one with mushrooms, mustard and soured cream sometime soon. He also had a recipe for chocolate orange friands.

It was a zero waste issue in The Guardian with Ottolenghi cooking recipes using all parts of a corn on the cob, charred corn with lime crema and hot sauce, prawn tamales with spicy coconut sauce and corn creme brulee with coffee liqueur. Benjamina Ebuehi has a spiced caramel pudding recipe which is just the sort of dessert I like but I’m saving it for Christmas as otherwise I would eat it all at once. Rachel Roddy had a great tomato and lentil soup recipe which feels warming and welcoming for the winter ahead and economical to make.

Ravinder Bhogal had a recipe in The FT for kimchi and gochujang mac and cheese.

Books

Diana Henry wrote about the best cookbooks to buy in Autumn 2022 in The Telegraph. I have already bought Spice by Mark Diacono and Cooking by Jeremy Lee and have my eye on others. Some of her choices are also featured below as they were in the weekend papers.

Food for Life: The New Science Of Eating Well, by Tim Spector

This is not a cookery book but possibly the most important book in this list as Tim Spector has written an evidence book about what we should eat. The extracts explaining the dangers of processed foods are in the Daily Mail and also here.

Settlers: Journeys Through the Food, Faith and Culture of Black African London, by Jimi Famurewa.

The Standard’s restaurant critic’s book about his slow burning love for African food.

Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Art and Science of Baking by Rahul Mandal

A book from the 2018 BakeOff winner, there’s an interview here, instructions on how to ice a cake and answers to cake problems here.

The British Cookbook: Authentic home cooking recipes from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by Ben Mervis.

There were recipes in the Telegraph including mince and tatties, cauliflower  cheese, bacon  chops with parsley sauce.

Is This a Cookbook? by Heston Blumenthal

There was an interview with Heston Blumenthal in the Times and also a roast potato recipe, a triple-cooked chips and chippy dip recipe, a bacon butty recipe and finally a prawn cocktail salad sandwich recipe which has seeds from half a vanilla pod in it. Who knew?

The River Cafe Look Book: Recipes for Kids of all Ages by Ruth Rogers, Sian Wyn Owen and Joseph Trivelli.

In the Telegraph, there are recipes, including homemade gnocchi, raspberry sorbet, spatchcocked chicken, a pressed chocolate cake, and a pistachio cake which I have made, and and an article all about the philosophy behind the book.

‘India Express: Fresh And Delicious Recipes For Every Day’ by Rukmini Iyer

There is an interview in the Independent and more recipes including beetroot, curry leaf and ginger brunch buns and chilli and coconut salmon.