Umbria’s Autumn Gastronomy with Valentina Harris – travel review
Valentina Harris is perhaps our most celebrated and prolific Italian food writer, TV presenter and chef. Yes, the lady truly is Italian, although one could...
Gouda – a cheese for all seasons – travel review
We have many cheese choices in specialist shops and even our local supermarket. Gouda can easily be overlooked. It seems to have been with us...
Jim De Jong – Say it with flowers …and cheese – travel review
Rotterdam is fast becoming known for food. It’s the Netherlands and it might be a bit of a cliché, but, yes there is cheese. Chef...
Waddesdon Bequest – arts review
The British Museum in London is famed the world over for its displays of artefacts and curios. Granted, there are some that feel many of...
Reims – Tasteful Souvenirs – travel review
Reims is a beautiful and historic city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. It is only 130 km from Paris with easy access by train....
The Sparkle of Vilmart & Cie – travel review
The Champagne house Vilmart & Cie was founded in 1890 by Désiré Vilmart and is considered by many an authority to be perhaps the leading...
Around Gouda – travel review
Gouda is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland. It’s an historic town which was granted city status in 1272 by Floris...
La Belle Epoque – 5-star floating through Burgundy – travel review
What a grand title for a barge! Luckily the lady lived up to her name and our expectations, which she did actually exceed in every...
World Street Food Congress 2015 – travel review
I have been fortunate enough to have been able to spend time in Singapore, in fact every year for the past 3 years. I am...
24-Hour Food Frenzy Safari – Street food and more – travel review
The name ’24-Hour Food Frenzy Safari’ might, to the untutored, give the impression of something of a greedy teen munchies extravaganza. Well, in truth, it...
Learn Japanese with Eurotalk – travel review
Most of us might have learnt a little French or German at school, although in the 60s when I was treading the corridors of wisdom...
Brooklands Hotel Surrey – travel review
I live in West London but whenever I consider a weekend break I turn right instead of left at the end of the road. That...
Bern – classic and chic – travel review
Bern might not be the first place one would think of for a short city-break. In fact, Switzerland probably isn’t a country one would list...
Champagne – a brief encounter – drinks review
One is spoilt for restaurants in London. Highend Michelin-starred, white-tableclothed establishments abound. The weather becomes warmer. We dream of those balmy days and longer evenings...
Strawberry Hill House – Former grandeur restored – travel review
Strawberry Hill. Even the name conjures visions of pastoral idylls, perhaps a water-colour of mature trees with the promise of a gently-flowing river just over...
The Three Faces of Richard – travel review
You couldn’t make it up! A story that, on the face of it, sounds quite improbable. The King in the Car Park … indeed a...
Famous Detective Falls in Switzerland! Sherlock! – travel review
Now I have the attention of my dear, curious reader! Always eager for some dramatic news. Did our hero trip over a ski pole? Perhaps...
Romantic Takayama – travel review
I admit it. I am now an unashamed Japan evangelist. I had always wanted to go and as a much younger person I had a...
WSET Japan Tour Winter 2014 – travel review
Sake is more popular than ever outside Japan. There is a growing body of beverage professionals who are now turning their attention to Japan’s iconic...
Rotterdam – beds, buildings and gastronomic surprises – travel review
It’s attracting lots of gastronomic and architectural attention, and it does indeed offer a wealth of national and international food outlets. The new Markthal is...