Food and Drink

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The first thing I said was, "it's a bit like secret cinema meets Winter Wonderland," but I was shot down immediately by my companions. It is the exact anthesis of the Hyde Park tourist trap, I was told. I apologised for my stupidity and took a massive gulp (ok sip through a straw) of my Jack Daniels cocktail, I had just acquired from their rooftop bar. So I will start again, "this xmas will see a...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Strength: 7.1% ABV Brewed: Hackney, London Based in the heart of East London’s Hackney, Five Points Brewing Co. first started to become established in 2013, following their Five Points Pale Ale, and now there are four beers within the brewery’s core range. We’ve already enjoyed the brewery’s Hook Island Red, but this week’s pick is Five Points’ IPA. Brewed using Cascade and Galaxy hops, the amber beer is topped with a very thin white...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent With the festive season approaching work productivity is about to face its sternest battle of the year so far; the month-long hangover. In the UK alone, researchers estimate holiday-season hangovers cost businesses almost £260 million, with over half of Brits (53 per cent) admitting that they plan to drink more over the Christmas period. Which is why Peckham-based craft meat business, Serious Pig, has developed a unique snack that aims to stop your dreaded hangover before it’s even kicked...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Carnaby Street’s relatively secretive Kingly Court has all of a sudden turned into a very popular spot for new restaurant openings, within the past three months. What with recent openings of a new Dishoom, Shotgun from The Lockhart’s Brad McDonald, and the second opening of Dirty Bones. First opened in Kensington, the main focus at Dirty Bones is aimed towards quintessentially American comfort food. This focus has been carried on with the Carnaby opening,...

An Argentinian essential.

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  British supermarkets have reported a £3 million drop in sales of sausage and bacon following a report by the World Health Organisation which grouped processed meats in the same category of cancer risk as tobacco and asbestos, despite a face-saving PR push during British Sausage Week. Analysts at IRI Retail Advantage told The Grocer that sales of pre-packed bacon had fallen 17 per cent in last week of October, and were down 16.5 per cent the...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Taking residence within the newly opened Hilton Hotel within London’s Bankside, The Distillery was designed as a bar and meeting point for the local area’s residents with a chic, casual environment. Built on the former site of Stevenson & Howell’s Standard Works essence factory, The Distillery pays homage to its heritage by serving a range of signature cocktails that incorporate a number of homemade aromatics, infusions and bitters. Also available, the bar stocks 50...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  Historians have created a timeline of the history of sweets in Britain dating back as early as 8000BC. Confectionery historian Tim Richardson created the timeline to show how our love of sweets has developed over the centuries, with Stone Age cave paintings showing our early ancestors raiding bee hives for honeycomb to get their sweet fix. And as the years went on, the first lollipops are thought to have been enjoyed way back in 1550AD, gums and pastilles...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food With an increase in restaurants that focus on communal dining and sharing plates, Forge & Co. has recently launched a new ‘Modern Grill’ at its Shoreditch High Street restaurant. Along with the new menu launch, head chef Timothy Brindley has recently joined the team, having previously worked at Tom’s Kitchen and The Ivy. Inside, the restaurant’s décor is unsurprisingly contemporary and the atmosphere is resplendently casual – a breath of fresh air juxtaposed to...