Food and Drink

A criminally under loved cut of meat, shin of beef demands to be cooked slowly for a long time, given its natural toughness. When cooked properly, nonetheless, the shin is amongst the cow’s most flavoursome offerings (along with most of the cuts that have fallen out of favour), perfect as the base of a rich ragù sauce. As a result, a delicious, crowd-pleasing, relatively economical meal can be made with some due care and patience. This beef shin ragù recipe...

“The elixir of quietude”, according to E.B. White – the iconic Martini has become one of the world’s best-loved cocktails over the past century. Now with so many variations on the classic (traditionally made with gin and dry vermouth) readily available, from the lauded Espresso Martini to the Porn Star Martini, through to the Dirty Martini. One of the most iconic versions, apart from the classic Dry Martini; the Dirty Martini is typically embellished with a splash of brine from...

Everybody knows that grain is crucial in spirit production, yet the importance of water quality is so often overlooked by consumers. Operating from a site within The Lake District National Park – famous for its vast rainfall, in addition to breathtaking scenery - The Lakes Distillery uses water directly from the nearby River Derwent in the production of all its spirits. A fast flowing spate, the Derwent is one of the fastest flowing rivers in Europe which ensures the waters...

Eccentric, but warm and welcoming - Oslo is housed within Hackney Central’s redeveloped railway station building. Built in 1870 by the North London Railway Company, the two-storey building serves as not only a restaurant, but a bar and event space, hosting regular gigs throughout the week. The décor, which I am told draws on Nordic aesthetic, is somewhat moody with exposed bricks, dark wood table tops and interesting lamps . But it’s also cosy, with large windows and a lovely...

After London, Venice has quickly become my favourite European city. Compact, charming and boundlessly beautiful – with its picturesque vistas, compendium of canals and Italo-Byzantine architecture. Ignore the American tourist complaints of “this damn curb ain’t wide enough” or “what’s with all these goddamn tourists?”; avoid being fleeced for €80 to ride a gondola around the canals – and it’s almost impossible to avoid swooning over the city’s serene pulchritude. And so, it’s hardly surprising that restaurateur Russell Norman is...

In celebration of their 21st anniversary, The Porterhouse Brewing Company began to supply their range of craft beers throughout the United Kingdom earlier this year. Initially opening Ireland’s first brewpub, The Porterhouse Brewing Company was launched by cousins Liam LeHart and Oliver Hughes, spotting an opportunity to compete against the bland beers being produced by mass-producing breweries at the time. Since then, the brewery has developed a four-strong core range, while The Porterhouse in Temple Bar still serves just the brewery’s draft craft beer brewed...

With the UK & Ireland regional competition taking place next month, S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 is well under way. Set across 21 global regions, 210 semi-finalists having selected, chosen by ALMA – the International School of Italian Cuisine. Taking place at Aveqia in London next month, the UK & Ireland semi-finals will see ten semi-finalists face off against one another, preparing their ‘signature dishes’ for a panel of acclaimed chefs. This year’s chef judging panel includes Angela Hartnett MBE, Alyn Williams,...

Ahead of London’s first Nordic food festival, we spoke to renowned Moro restaurant chef, Sam Clark, about the growing popularity of Nordic cuisine. The Great Nordic Feast will visit London’s Southbank for the first time this weekend to showcase signature dishes, ingredients and flavours from a range of Nordic countries. As part of the year-long cultural Nordic Matters festival at the Southbank Centre, from Friday 20th until Sunday 22nd October, eight cooks from Nordic countries team up with some of...

An amalgamation of one of Britain’s best loved dishes and best loved alcoholic drinks, Manchester House chef Aiden Byrne has created ‘Gin Fish and Chips’. Celebrating the best of British gins and showcasing their versatility, this recipe uses super premium Liverpool Gin, which is mixed into the fish’s batter, alongside a splash of tonic water and some extra botanicals. Not merely a tired, unpalatable gimmick - this recipe is also ideal for International Gin & Tonic Day taking place this...