Saturday, October 5, 2024 |
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Jeremy Clarkson's gone full English, and oddly enough, it works. In a plot twist no one saw coming, Clarkson's new pub, The Farmer's Dog, has turned wine expert Rosamund Hall into a reluctant fan. Serving nothing but British farm produce, his wine list features English bottles, which Hall admits – through gritted teeth – are surprisingly good. She also takes a well-aimed swipe at the generic pub wine lists drowning in the usual Pinot Grigio and Malbec, calling for more landlords to follow Clarkson's lead. Yes, you read that right.
Meanwhile, the Brits have finally found something worth protesting: service charges. More than 20 per cent of diners are refusing to pay the discretionary 12.5 per cent, and who can blame them? Harriet Mansell of Lilac in Lyme Regis explains how the new tipping legislation, which was supposed to bring fairness, might just tip restaurants over the edge. The reality is grim: rising costs, dissatisfied customers and tips that can't quite make up for the fact that the industry is on its knees. But hey, at least we can keep telling ourselves that service charges are "optional".
On the topic of vices, let's talk sobriety. Olivia Foster reflects on her complex relationship with alcohol, and the eventual decision to kick the booze to the curb. It's a story of mental clarity, better mornings and the revelation that you don't need to be an "alcoholic" to decide you're done. The rise of non-alcoholic drinks and the likes of Florence Welch embracing sobriety mean that quitting is officially cool. So, if you're sober-curious, there's never been a better time to start.
Hot honey, on the other hand, is getting a little too cool for its own good. What started as a curious drizzle over pizza has now become the condiment of the moment, finding its way into everything from fried chicken to cocktails. It's spicy, it's sweet, it's trendy – until it's overdone. Just like avocado toast and salted caramel, hot honey risks becoming a culinary cliché. But for now, it's the darling of the dining world, so you might as well get sticky with it before it's yesterday's news.
If you're still clinging to the last dregs of summer, pumpkin spice is here to help with the transition. This homemade syrup recipe lets you bring autumn's most divisive flavour into your life – whether in a creamy affogato, an iced tea, or (if you're really committed) an espresso martini. Think of it as the bridge between the seasons: warm, spicy but still clinging to the cool.
John Torode and Lisa Faulkner's new cookbook wants you to eat like a pro without breaking a sweat. John and Lisa's Kitchen marries Torode's restaurant expertise with Faulkner's practical, no-nonsense style, offering recipes like fish finger katsu tacos and sausage and French onion soup bake. It's all about making restaurant-level food with supermarket ingredients and zero panic. After all, who's got time to make their own fish fingers?
And if you need even less fuss, Torode and Faulkner's latest recipes are here to save the day. From brick roast chicken (yes, there is a literal brick on the ingredients list) with chipotle cabbage to a gloriously messy chorizo and broken yolk smash, these dishes are designed to impress without effort. Finish it off with a burnt basque cheesecake because – believe it or not – this is one recipe where burning the cake is actually the point. Forget perfection; this is about having fun with your food.
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I never thought I'd say this – but I admire Jeremy Clarkson |
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The former 'Top Gear' presenter has done the impossible – by championing English wines at his pub, he's finally won me over, writes Rosamund Hall
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Something terrible is happening to me. Something that fills me with a deep sense of shame and has me questioning my judgement: I think I'm starting to like Jeremy Clarkson.
Yes, the very same Clarkson who said terrible things about the Duchess of Sussex, and who has, for many years, appeared to be the poster boy for a certain sort of "lad's lad". Oh, and I never enjoyed Top Gear, either – speeding cars and bants just isn't my jam.
But, on the occasions I've watched his Amazon Prime hit Clarkson's Farm, I've found myself rather enjoying it. Even more alarmingly, I've found Jezza (a tiny bit) endearing, haplessly playing the fall guy to perfection.
But it's his latest venture that has wildly increased my respect for him: the opening of his pub, The Farmer's Dog. Clarkson opened the Oxfordshire watering hole at the end of August with one guiding principle – to ensure that everything he served was produced by British farmers. And he's done just that, with the exception of tonic water and lemons (we can't produce quinine, or grow lemons – our coastline is glorious, but we're not blessed with the sunshine of the Amalfi coast, after all).
So what does that mean in terms of his wine list? Well, it's a concise list made up of all English producers. He's given playful names to wines that have been bottled under a special label for the pub, such as Chateau Dorking (this is in fact Denbies' Surrey Gold) and Chateau Tenterden (also known as Chapel Down Flint Dry), and English wine rules the day. To top it off, with a glass of white starting at £5.50, it's reasonably priced, too.
Read the full article here |
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