Picasso, bluebells and blood orange sgroppino
April 11 2023
Travel
UK
Seven of the best places to see bluebells in the Times is an exciting reminder if you live in the UK that it’s April and that Spring is coming. Our acer tree is coming into its bright limey leaf and the quince has fat pink buds on it. I have just read ‘Enchantment: Reawakening Wonder in an Exhausted Age’ by Katherine May and I know that observing the changes in the seasons replenishes me spiritually. You might not be near any of these places in the article but do go and seek out some locally. I saw clumps of bluebells on Putney Common yesterday but the photo is of last year in the Lake District.
Suffolk in the spring, an article on Aldeburgh’s art, food, beach – and big skies is in the Guardian and continuing the nature theme, Kent is featured again with a reminder that the North Downs Way isn’t just in Surrey as I tend to think. It goes right to Dover with this article in the Guardian on foraging, art and history in the Kent Downs as well as one in the Telegraph on giving the Isle of Sheppey a new lease of life. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is in the Telegraph.
Northern cities are in the limelight this week with ten hidden gems to see in Leeds during the city’s Year of Culture 2023 in the Guardian and Manchester attractions, restaurants, nightlife in the Telegraph.
The FT has an article on five marvellous micro hotels including Holm in Somerset where we went for their great value set lunch last October on the way back from Dorset and had a wonderful time.
Europe
Nine alternative UK ferry ports to avoid the chaos at Dover in the Times from northern France, Spain and the Netherlands which I looked at for inspiration and then realised how much cheaper the Eurotunnel is.
There’s a really good article on Umbria in the Times including Valnerina and the village of Scheggino, Assisi in the Daily Mail and a spring cycle tour of Tuscany which ends at Siena, in the Guardian, where I’ve been on holiday for the last few years, all of which have made me question my old allegiance to France.
It’s the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death this year and there’s a description of the Picasso pilgrimage in the Guardian. Picasso Celebration 1973-2023, funded by the Spanish government, will have exhibitions and events to honour the artist in places with a strong Picasso connection, such as Malaga, Madrid and Barcelona. There’s a guide to Barcelona in the Independent and another article in the Daily Mail about the Picasso celebrations in Barcelona.
There are the most magical places in Greece from the Daily Mail with alluring photos of azure skies and golden crescents of sand from the new book, Wild Guide Greece by Sam Firman and Nick Hooton and visiting vineyards in the Peloponnese in the Daily Mail, including the two regions of Nemea, the largest cultivation region; the second further south, in Mantinia.
Copenhagen is in the FT, there is a weekend break in Cologne in the Sunday Times, and the weekend guide to Paris is in the Telegraph with things to do there including the best shopping in Paris.
Restaurants
In the FT, Tim Hayward returned to Quo Vadis after its refit, loved it, and said, ‘the portions are vast, yet there’s still that definite “modern British” aesthetic of “a few brilliant things” on the plate.’
In the Guardian, Grace Dent travelled to Castle Douglas in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, to Mr Pook’s Kitchen and thought it ‘a menu of fine-quality local meat, fish and veg, served in painstakingly concocted ways.’ One to make a note of, in case you are up that way.
In the Observer, Jay Rayner visited Sakura in Salford, note: not the restaurant of the same name in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, and declared that ‘For Manchester’s Chinese students, this small Hong Kong-style café is a true taste of home…. and it was all delightful.’
In the Standard, Jimi Famurewa went to Nessa in Soho, London W1. He thought it put ‘something artful, distinct and generous-spirited into the world.’ In the Times, so did Giles Coren for ‘an epochal celeriac carbonara.’ and said ‘the cooking at Nessa is so good, and the room is so perfect for this time of year.’
In the Telegraph, William Sitwell was at Asador 44 in Cardiff and thought it ‘a tremendous emporium that celebrates the glory of rustic Spanish cuisine, specialising in large cuts of meat and entire fish roasting over the coals of the parilla grill.
Recipes
The outstanding success of our Easter meal was Ottolenghi’s blood orange sgroppino., the sorbet made with a bottle of blood orange juice and Vault red vermouth. We all loved it. I overcooked the lamb, the new potatoes boiled dry and burnt as I wasn’t paying attention and too busy having another drink and the pistachio meringue pavlova stuck to the paper so I made it into Eton Mess. Never mind, we were quite happy.
I’m doing an Easter bunny hop skip and a jump over celebratory recipes for roast lamb and chocolate and concentrating on those ones you might make in the week.
There are useful recipes by Diana Henry in the Telegraph for leftover gammon and ham including green eggs and ham, ham with lentils and mustard sauce and a ham and Comté cheese feuilleté made with puff pastry. You could also try Rachel Roddy’s pasta with ham and eggs and cheese in the Guardian.
I like Ottolenghi’s recipes for cannellini beans with grilled tomatoes and crisp oregano and there’s also one with clams and spiced tomato and finally a cannellini bean and sweet potato dip with lemon, olive and urfa sauce.
Crispy salmon with curry butter mash by Eleanor Steafel in the Telegraph
Nigel Slater’s recipe for gnocchi with leeks, cream and mustard in the Observer
Georgina Hayden’s vegan recipe for roast purple sprouting broccoli gyro with tzatziki in the Guardian
PS Just in case you are interested, easy Easter lamb recipes are in the Times including Ben Tish’s leg of lamb with cumin and mint vinaigrette, Richard Corrigan’s Easter shoulder of lamb with tahini, lemon, garlic and polenta and Monica Galetti’s spiced shoulder of lamb, rack of lamb with new garlic and new potatoes by Honey & Co in the FT and José Pizarro’s recipe for lamb albondigas with oloroso and piquillo peppers in the Guardian.
Nigel Slater’s hazelnut chocolate mascarpone cake and chocolate praline wafers recipe is in the Observer, with Easter baking from Candice Brown in the Telegraph.
Books
Bao by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung and Wai Ting Chung
They share their tips for perfecting the traditional Taiwanese steamed buns at home in the Independent.
Cook Thai by Sebby Holmes
A recipe from the Farang chef for mango jam cake.
Leon Big Salads by Rebecca Seal
Salad recipes made from Sunday roast leftovers in the Sunday Times for roast chicken salad; roast lamb with new potatoes, lamb’s lettuce and salsa verde and pork and gochujang salad.
I so appreciate all the work you put into these informative and entertaining letters. We are off to Copenhagen soon so the FT guides are very helpful. Like you I I looked to The Sunday Times for inspiration for ferry crossings to France and like you also realised how much cheaper the Eurotunnel is, which is how we usually get there anyway!