Winter Cocktails by Maria del Mar Sacasa – review
Cocktails! We tend to have a vision of summer evenings, flowery dresses, sipping colourful libations in some place exotic. But for those of us who...
Autumn Beef Roast
From Stop and Shop Ingredients 3 pounds boneless chuck roast, bottom round or rump roast 1/2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp canola oil 2 cups...
Pumpkins & Squashes by Janet MacDonald – review
I am an enthusiastic home cook and a periodic professional cook, but I hold my hands up and admit that I have avoided using pumpkins...
Sprinkles by Jackie Alpers – review
Baking is, thank goodness, enjoying something of a revival. We are reconnecting with some old-fashioned culinary values – the kitchen filled with tempting aromas, a...
Barbecue Sauce
From BBC Food The perfect sauce for any barbecue – slather it on sausages and burgers. Ingredients 1 small onion, chopped 3 cloves...
Valencia, Spain – travel review
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. The Port of Valencia is the 5th busiest container port in Europe and...
Asian Beef & Broccoli Slaw Wraps
From Stop and Shop Sides: Serve with fried rice and snow peas. Dessert: Finish the meal with homemade fortune cookies with personalized messages. Wine Pairing:...
Oriana Christmas Cruise 2013 – travel review
There is a whole section of the British population that lives to float. They are dedicated cruisers and remain faithful to their chosen line. P&O...
Oriana – cruising for adults – travel review
I am not, by Oriana standards, a seasoned cruiser. I have only had three floating holidays to date and this was the first with P&O....
Tapas Bars and Michelin Stars with Travels and Tapas – review
Jose and Isabel Macicior have fast become the faces of bespoke food and culture trips to Spain and southern France. They have hit the ground...
Anytime Chili
From Stop and Shop Ingredients: 1 pound ground round 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 2 cups chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced...
The Food and Cooking of Venice and the North-East of Italy – review
Valentina Harris, author of The Food and Cooking of Venice and the North-East of Italy, has long been the UK’s Italian culinary authority of choice. She...
The Hague – Staying and Eating – Contemporary and Historic – travel review
The Hague is indeed a ‘Royal’ city. You might even come across one of the ‘Oranges’, as they are considered perhaps the most accessible royal...
The Delicious Simplicity of Alentejo – the food and drink of forgotten Portugal – travel review
We live life at a frantic pace and when we take a moment to reflect we muse on the quiet life, the good life, of...
Sweet Valentines – Etruscan Chocohotel – Perugia, Italy – hotel review
Isn’t it a perennial problem? What to do for Valentine’s Day! When one has had the same partner for several decades one starts to run...
Atithi, Twickenham – restaurant review
Atithi devo bhavah is part of a Sanskrit verse and means ‘The guest is God’ or ‘Guest become God’. It’s a thoughtful phrase and indicates...
The Saké Handbook by John Gauntner – review
Saké has become more popular than ever in both restaurants and bars. One can find good quality saké by the bottle and made into cocktails,...
200 Years of The Netherlands and Prince William – travel review
Our links with The Netherlands have been long-standing. We shared a monarch in the guise of William III of England, known as William II in...
Alentejo – Open Fires and Warm Hospitality – Where to stay – travel review
Pousadas de Portugal in Alentejo is a network of quality and characterful hotels that give the guest a chance to experience unique charm. The group was...
The Nuns and Tarts of Alentejo, Portugal – travel review
Portugal is on the very edge of Europe and often overlooked in favour of its more vocal neighbour, Spain. But this country has so much...