It’s all about travel and food – lots of international excursions, art, culture and history, hotel, destination and restaurant reviews, chef interviews. Please look elsewhere for negative reviews.
I have said it before, and I will say it yet again – The Netherlands has amazing food! It’s not all gin and cheese, although both are very good. There is a wealth of dining opportunities in this country so why do we overlook such gastronomic treasures? I have no idea, but I think Mes...
From Whole Foods Market Serves 6 to 8 Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, this soup is a meal in itself. Serve Hearty Minestrone Soup with crusty bread and a green salad. Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 cup...
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or just offshore, making them easy to catch. They are high in omega-3 oils and so a healthy fish. Before the 19th-century development of putting fish in...
Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines by Tom Bruce-Gardyne introduces the reader to the colourful story of how this delicious sparkling wine became the centrepiece of any smart party or event, and almost anywhere in the world. Champagne has universal appeal. This impressive tome looks at the essential and celebrated method of...
Drawn from life 12 Oct 2019 – 19 Jan 2020 The exhibition Drawn from life features many seldom exhibited drawings, pastels and watercolours from the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum. The works provide an insight into life in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum is famed worldwide for...
Glorious Game by the celebrated Face Publications is well up to their very high and exacting standards. It is a substantial tome in full colour with gold-edged pages. This is a sumptuous cookbook of recipes from one hundred and one of the UK’s and Ireland’s best-loved chefs and food writers, and they offer the whole...
Nestled in the historic streets of Maastricht is the Bisschopsmolen or, in English, the Bishop’s Mill. It truly was once a mill and its reputation grinds on in the guise of its bakery and restaurant. The mill was built in the 7th century and has had different roles since its construction. In the 11th century...
First exhibition of Kollwitz’s work in nearly 25 years comes to London following successful UK tour 12 September 2019 – 12 January 2020 Room 90. Free Supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and the London Community Foundation Organised in partnership with Ikon Gallery, Birmingham After a successful tour in which almost 90,000...
Davy’s Tappit Hen? Sounds like a chicken-shaped friend of a lad called Davy. But it is in fact a cosy wine bar, and Davy’s Tappit Hen is one of the celebrated venues of a fifth-generation wine merchant. Wine has been the business of Davy’s since 1870 and they still choose and import their own wines....
We might well love good food, but so few of us actually have time to cook nutritious dishes. We get home and it’s often too easy to send out for a take-away or settle for a piece of toast. But there are options, and Merchant Gourmet have a selection of foods that will aid the...
Chinatown in Soho London throngs with tourists and locals every day of the week. This isn’t, however, the first Chinatown in London. The original Chinese area was in the East end of the capital in Limehouse. That run-down neighbourhood suffered severe bombing during the Second World War, forcing many Chinese to find another home. The...
Kruisherenhotel Maastricht is one of the most noteworthy hotels in which I have stayed in the Netherlands. Perhaps it’s one of the most memorable hotels I have ever visited anywhere. It’s a unique marriage of 15th century architecture and ultra-modern design. It truly is a matter of taste, but Kruisherenhotel was, for me, heavenly in...
From Whole Foods Market Serves 4 This is a great recipe for using leftover grilled vegetables. They’re wonderful for a summer supper or wrap in waxed paper for picnics or on-the-go. Ingredients 1/2 pound button mushrooms, grilled 1 red bell pepper, cut in pieces and grilled 1/2 large eggplant, cut in chunks and...
St Ermin’s has long been a favourite hotel and now I can boast that I have actually stayed there and also enjoyed breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner in their iconic Caxton Grill. There is a separate street entrance for the Caxton Grill but it’s a treat to arrive via St Ermin’s reception hall. One...
People often say that if they had a new kitchen they would be a much better chef. They believe that if they had a whole rack of knives, they would become the next Gordon Ramsay. In fact, one needs just the space for a prep area and a few knives – but they must indeed...
