Nat Geo Food - Feast of Flavour PDF

WH ITE A S PAR AG U S
GER M ANY ’S TRUE

CULINARY PA SSION
FE AST
OF
FL AVOUR
From fungi fests to seafood
celebrations: 25 of the best
food & drink festivals
ICEL AND INDULGE GIN FOR

ORIGINAL S: YOUR SWEE T BRE AKFA ST ?
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CONTENTS
2018 ISSUE 2
58
HONG KONG:
DRINK IT IN
The city’s drinks scene
in pictures, from coffee
shops to cocktail bars
Mains
36
FE STI VA L
FL AVO U R S
Our pick of the world’s best
culinary celebrations
48
O N TH E TR A I L
O F W H ITE G O LD
Celebrating white asparagus
in northwest Germany
68
ICELAND
O RI G I N A L S
The innovators embracing
homegrown ingredients
78
B RE A KI N G
B RE A D
IMAGE: MARK PARREN TAYLOR
Dining at home with a

farming family in Lazio, Italy
90
D ECO N STRU C T:
BO U I LL A BA I S S E
The complex art of making
this French classic
N ATG E OT R AV EL L ER .CO.U K / F O O D 5
CONTENTS
2018 ISSUE 2
Starters
12 | TRY IT NOW Hybrid croissants
15 | WHAT THEY’RE EATING IN Mexico
City 17 | NUMBER CRUNCHING Olive oil
18 | SPOTLIGHT Where to find the UK’s
best ice cream 19 | MAKE PERFECT Sushi
rolls 20 | THE DRINK Bourbon 23 | MEET
THE MAKER Austria’s ‘Vinegar Pope’
24 | FIVE WAYS Josh Katz on tahini 27
| WINE Top tipples to pair with spicy
food 28 | ASK THE EXPERTS Advice for a
Deep South road trip and vegan dining
in Paris 30 | MY LIFE IN FOOD Radio DJ
and musician Cerys Matthews 32 | THE
28
PIONEER Chef Niklas Ekstedt brings old
Swedish techniques back to the future
98
106
112
On the cover Features Regulars
98 | CITY BREAK Eat and 112 | BOOKS Moroccan
drink your way around family favourites 118 | NEW
Melbourne 106 | A TASTE RELEASES Five of the best
OF Getting to know cookbooks 122 | REVIEWS
Menorca’s local specialities, Restaurants, experiences
IMAGE: MATT RUSSELL
including mayonnaise, and escapes 129 | THE

mature cheese and gin INSTAGRAMMER A foodie
110 | ON LOCATION How to to follow 130 | ON THE
Chanterelle mushrooms spend a gourmet break in TABLE What we’ve been
Image: StockFood the Brecks, Suffolk eating, making and buying
6 N ATG E OT R AV EL L ER .CO.U K / F O O D
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CONTRIBUTORS
Editorial Director: Maria Pieri Editorial Manager:
Editor: Glen Mutel Jo Fletcher-Cross
Deputy Editor: Nicola Trup Contributing Editors:
Assistant Editor: Stephanie Cavagnaro, Connor
Farida Zeynalova McGovern, Tamsin Wressell
Contributing Editors: Sub Editors: Charlotte
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Sarah Barrell Designers: Philip Lay, Kelly
Operations Manager: McKenna, James Ladbury,
Seamus McDermott Lauren Atkinson-Smith
Online Editor: Josephine Price (maternity leave)
Sub Editors: Chris Horton, Production Controllers:
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Events Manager: Joanne Roberts, Anthony
Natalie Jackson Wright, Karl Martins
Art Director: Chris Hudson
Art Editor: Becky Redman Chief Executive:
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Production Manager: Managing Director:
Daniel Gregory Matthew Jackson
Sales Director: Alex Vignali
Special Projects Consultant: Sales Administrators:
Matthew Midworth
Business Development:
Melissa Jurado, Hayley Rabin
Executive Assistant:
Mark Parren
Joe Haftel, Martin Brackenbury, Taylah Brooke Taylor
Olivia Harper, Lora Codrington Financial Controller:
William Allen, Mark Salmon Ryan McShaw In a city renowned for the
Head of Creative Solutions: Credit Manager: Craig Chappell scale of its food scene it
Chris Debbinney-Wright Accounts Manager:
Siobhan Grover Rachel Roddy was just a matter of time
Accounts Assistants: For 12 years I’ve bought before I took a well-earned
Jana Abraham, Stefano Pica
fruit and vegetables from break from chomping
Filippo Di Meo’s stall at my way through Hong
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Limited, Unit 310, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Road, London Rome’s Testaccio Market. Kong, to ‘research’ how
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It was therefore something the city washes down all
Editorial T: 020 7253 9906. editorial@natgeotraveller.co.uk
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Subscriptions T: 01293 312 166. down the coast to visit teahouses and speakeasies
natgeofood@subscriptionhelpline.co.uk the land on which this in Kowloon and Wanchai,
National Geographic Traveller Food is published by APL Media Ltd under license seventh-generation farmer “yam bui!”
from National Geographic Partners, LLC. Their entire contents are protected by
copyright 2018 and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission cultivates produce as P H OTO S TO RY, P. 5 8
is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of the magazine, but
the publishers assume no responsibility in the effect arising therefrom. Readers
his family have done for
are advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information which is centuries, before breaking
contained in the magazine. Neither APL Media Ltd or National Geographic Food
magazine accept any liability for views expressed, pictures used or claims made by bread with his family.
advertisers. For more information contact natgeo.com/info
B R E A K I N G B R E A D , P.7 8
National Geographic Traveler National Geographic Society

(US) Interim President & CEO:
Editor-in-Chief: George W. Michael L. Ulica
Stone Board of Trustees Chairman:
Director of Photography: Jean M. Case
Anne Farrar Vice Chairman: Tracy R.
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Andrew Nelson Explorers-in-Residence: Sylvia
Senior Editor: Amy Alipio Earle, Enric Sala
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Publisher & Vice President, Chief Communications Officer: to Iceland: mountains,
Global Media: Kimberly Laura Nichols
Connaghan Chief Marketing Officer: Christie Dietz waterfalls and a lot of
Senior Vice President, Global Jill Cress
Think of German food, layers. But I also wanted to
Media & Experiences: Consumer Products &
Yulia P. Boyle Experiences: Rosa Zeegers and plates of pork and seek out some great food.
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Publishing: Rossana Stella Global Networks CEO: potatoes probably spring In fact, Iceland is full of
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Editions: Amy Kolczak Legal & Business Affairs:
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International Editions: Sales & Partnerships: white asparagus season food scene, whether it’s
Leigh Mitnick Brendan Ripp
reinforced my conviction through barley breakfasts
Copyright © 2018 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights that sausages and or local twists on sushi. I
Reserved. National Geographic Traveller Food and the Yellow sauerkraut are just part of left feeling well-fed and
Border Design are registered trademarks of National Geographic
Society and used under license. the story. Traditions are desperate to return.
now being reinvented by I C E L A N D , P. 6 8
the younger generations.
G E R M A N Y, P. 4 8
Please drink responsibly
Editor’s letter
ISSUE 2, 2018
Like many people, my first experience of a food-and-drink festival involved beer.

Quite a lot of it, in fact. I was in Munich, and there was a low-key tented affair going
on. Oktoberfest, I think it was called. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
All in all I had a good time, although it was an uneven experience. I laughed a
lot, I remember that much — and sang and danced a bit too. But I also nursed a few
hangovers, got lost several times and, at one point, I’m pretty sure I fell off a table.
Since then, my approach to these things has changed somewhat. For while the
bonhomie and oblivion of Oktoberfest still excites, these days I’d probably be more
inclined to try the International Berlin Beer Festival — a mile-long celebration of
beer, which, in the name of variety, offers a completely different selection each
year. The 2018 festival saw the debut of Lithuanian pea beers. The only thing I
know about this is, for some reason, I’d really quite like to try one.
I suppose what I’m saying is, while the chaos of Oktoberfest still appeals, I’d
sooner treat my palate to more than just an intense dowsing in Bavarian grog.
What’s more, having been inspired by our cover story (p36), I feel inclined to
give a few more festivals a try. Maybe I’ll visit the Isle of Wight and overdose on its
garlic. Or the South of France to worship the local lemons. Or Spain to celebrate all
things octopus. To be surrounded by food, flair and enthusiasm; now that sounds
like fun. No table dancing required.
Glen Mutel, Editor
N AT G E O T R AV E L U K
W H AT ’ S O N LI N E : V I S IT N ATG E OTR AV E LLE R .C O.U K /FO O D
Zest is best A matter of taste Carrots in Cordoba

Author and chef Anna Jones How does taste work? How does In our latest online column, food
discusses her love for lemons this sense change as we get and travel writer Nina Caplan
— especially the Amalfi variety, older? Why do different cultures relives the meal that changed the
found on the Italian coast — while appreciate such contrasting sets way she looks at vegetarian food
also offering up zesty recipes, of flavours? Get the lowdown in — an unforgettable carrot dish
IMAGE: GETTY
including Indian lemon pickle. our latest report. sampled in southern Spain.
IMAGE: VIVE LA TARTE / MICHELLE MIN
S TA RT E R S
TRY IT N OW
Crossbreed
croissants
First came the cronut, then the cruffin, and now
the tacro. A new generation of hybrids is here
The basics filo replaced by croissant dough. It’s

When is a croissant not a croissant? proved so popular that a London
Over the past few years, bakers branch is set to open later this year.
have been reimagining the classic
French viennoiserie, and the latest The history
hybrid is the tacro (pictured), at San Dominique Ansel began the hybrid
Francisco’s Vive La Tarte. The much- trend when he unveiled the cronut
Instagrammed creation — a folded at his eponymous New York bakery
shell of croissant pastry filled with in 2013. The doughnut-croissant
pulled pork or jackfruit and pineapple cross — fried croissant rings filled
salsa — sold out within two hours with flavoured creams and custards
when it was launched earlier this — was an instant hit, spawning a
year. Yet tacros are just the latest in a host of imitators. Ansel has since
long line of crossbreed croissants. For expanded his cronut empire (a
example, Coyle’s Bakeshop, in Seattle, London outpost opened in 2016).
serves cretzels; pretzel-shaped, The next incarnation of the craze
laminated dough baked with salt came later in 2013, with Lune
flakes. There are lemon meringue pie Croissanterie’s cruffin — a muffin-
croissants at Mr Holmes Bakehouse, shaped croissant. Find out more
which has branches in Los Angeles, about this Melbourne bakery in our
San Francisco and Seoul. The Bagel city guide on p98.
Store in New York, meanwhile, sells
cragels (from jalapeño and cheddar to Close to home
French toast) — boiled before they’re For more #frankenbaking here in
baked, like bagels, yet fluffy inside. the UK, visit Bea Vo’s Butterscotch
In Europe, Dimitris Koparanis, bakery in London for a pumpkin-
of Estrella World Street Food in stuffed ginger cheesecake croissant.
Thessaloniki, is challenging Greek Or head to Northern Rye in
tradition with his bougatsan — a Newcastle for cruffins with black
custard-filled bougatsa with the usual sesame brittle. Heather Taylor
G LOBAL HYB RID S

PrinsessSemla, Sweden Biskie, UK
Marzipan-laced princess cake and A cookie-cake sandwich with
cream-filled semla buns, served at buttercream inside, available at Cutter
Thimons bakery in Nässjö. & Squidge, London.
Tacro, USA Soufflé pancakes, Japan

Tacos meet flaky croissants at Vive La Try this cloud-like combo of two
Tarte in San Francisco. classics at Tokyo’s Pluffy Café.
S TA RT E R S
W H AT T H E Y ’ R E E AT I N G I N
MEXICO
C IT Y
On the menu in the capital:
contemporary combinations
of quirky ingredients and
top-notch traditional dishes
1 2 3 4 5
PA STA DONE
WEEDS &
SOPA SECA
IN SEC TS
DE NATA S
CHA MORRO
CL A M S
PROPERLY
REINA
LA DOCENA
Q U I N TO N I L
S A RTO R I A
NICOS
BAR SELL A
A new generation of A cult object from

big-idea restaurants is Baja California, reina
shunning Old World clams can be as big as The current trend
influences in favour grapefruit, and nearly as in Mexican food is Loquacious sophisticates
of local edible flowers, A cantina classic, round, with glistening transforming age-old perennially jam into this
oddball herbs, weeds and chamorro is a tender, golden shells. Shucked working-man’s recipes tight, minimalist bunker
bugs. Reserve way ahead well-larded, peppery pork and dressed in vinegar from the nation’s far- for delicate yet flavourful
for a table at Quintonil shank that falls from the and lime, with onion, flung regional cuisines Italian-inflected greens,
(pictured), the impeccable bone into homemade tomato and red pepper, into white-tablecloth meats and pasta. The
jewel box that’s a high guacamole and corn their flesh is so generous delights. Sopa seca de menu shifts with the
temple of grass-roots tortillas, topped with red it must be shared. At La natas (‘dry cream soup’), seasons, but recent
grazing. Menus change and green salsas. The Docena it’s served by the flies from the kitchen highlights have included
seasonally but a recent best is at no-nonsense piece, or as part of an iced to nearly every table orecchiette with
visit here included greens Bar Sella, a Valencia- shellfish colossus that, at Nicos. Picture two swordfish and tomato,
from the city’s muddy, inspired tavern (lunch while pricey, provides dozen tissue-thin crepes, and a fazzoletti (‘silk-
Aztec-invented chinampa only) favoured by those a feast that’s great for stacked lasagne-style handkerchief’ pasta)
gardens, ejote-bean in the know. Libations groups. You’ll be digging and held together in a tossed in a pesto whose
ice cream, ant larvae flow freely, increasing into it alongside a crowd subtle tomato and cream each ingredient sounds a
in charred guacamole, the buzz as the afternoon of neighbourhood sauce. Its delicacy on distinct, indulgent note.
and grasshopper adobo. waxes, then wanes. hipsters and grandees. the palate is sublime. sartoria.mx Michael
quintonil.com T: 00 52 55 5578 2001 ladocena.com.mx nicosmexico.mx Parker-Stainback
Embrace spontaneous get-togethers, the
flavours of sun-ripened local produce, food
made to be shared and lively conversation.
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S TA RT E R S
SPOTLIGHT
Cold as ice
O U R PI C K O F TH E VAN S , PARLO U R S , FAR M S AN D
L AB S S ERVI N G U P TH E B E S T SCO O P S TH I S S UM MER
It’s not often we get the chance to revel in good weather, but when the sun
does make an appearance, it’s our cue to seek out ice cream. In this spirit,
the National Farmers’ Union has relaunched its digital ice cream map (bit.ly/
NFUicecream), highlighting farms that produce ‘real’ British dairy ice cream
— many of which will sell it to you on site. But farms aren’t the only place to The van: Ginger’s Comfort Emporium,
get your hands on the good stuff — here are five options for those wanting Manchester
their ice cream fix. Ginger’s dishes up gourmet ice cream from a
vintage van in Manchester and beyond; on
1-2 September, catch it at Vintage by the Sea,
in Morecombe. Served in a cone, cup or bri-
oche bun, flavours include marmalade on
toast and a vegan malted coconut milk.
gingerscomfortemporium.com
The parlour: Gelupo, London

Chef Jacob Kenedy’s menu changes con-
stantly, but you can expect off-piste concoc-
tions like saffron and vanilla ice cream, and
tomato, basil and chocolate sorbet. This tiny
Soho gelateria is open late — so you can stop
for a scoop after dinner at sister restaurant
Bocca di Lupo, across the road. Pull up a stool,
or take your cone for a wander. gelupo.com
The ice creamery: Callestick Farm,

Cornwall
Watch flavours being mixed from a viewing
platform, then pick up a tub to take home. At
this farm and ice creamery in Truro, the ice
cream is made using milk from Callestick’s
cows, and local fruit. Try the Cornish sea
salted caramel, or a sorbet — made with the
farm’s spring water. callestickfarm.co.uk
The lab: Science Cream, Cardiff

Every scoop here is made to order and frozen
while you watch, using liquid nitrogen. The
point? Because it freezes in seconds, only tiny
ice crystals form and the end product comes
out silky smooth. Plus clouds of vapour drift off
your dessert. On the menu: Heston Blumenthal-
inspired flavours such as black coconut char-
coal, and bacon and egg. sciencecream.co.uk
Did you know? Norway

consumes more ice cream
per capita than any other
country, averaging 9.8 litres
*SOURCE: MINTEL
per person in 2016. Australia

Gelupo. Above right:
Science Cream
comes a close second, with
9.4 litres per person.*
MAKE PERFECT
SUSHI ROLL S
You don’t have to be a sushi master to make these
rolls at home — you don’t even need any special
equipment. It’s all a question of technique
RICE FISH
Japanese rice — usually labelled ‘sushi A lot of recipes call for ‘sashimi-grade’
rice’ at supermarkets — has plump, or ‘sushi-grade’ fish. The problem
toothsome grains, a slight stickiness is there’s no such legal definition or
and a rich aroma. In sushi it’s dressed E Q U I PM E N T labelling scheme. The bottom line is:
with seasoned vinegar, which brings If you already have a sushi mat it has to be fresh. Supermarket fish
out the natural sweetness of both the — probably collecting dust in the is actually a pretty safe bet for sushi;
rice and the fish. back of a drawer — then by all means just don’t choose stuff that’s got one
use it. But if you don’t have one, don’t day left before its use-by date.
buy one. You can roll your sushi just as
easily with a tea towel.
M AKE ME
Find Tim Anderson’s
S E RV I N G
recipe for spicy
Sushi is best when the rice is slightly
tuna rolls at
above body temperature, so it’s good natgeotraveller.
to get all your ingredients ready as co.uk/food
the rice cooks, so it’s not too cold by
the time you’ve finished your prep.
Serve with pink pickled ginger, which
acts as a palate cleanser.
METHOD
When making sushi, always have a
bowl of water handy — to wet your
hands so the rice doesn’t stick to your
fingers. Lay the nori seaweed shiny
side down — this gives your rolls a
smarter finish.
FILLINGS
Once you’ve mastered the technique
for making sushi rolls, you can fill
them with pretty much anything.
Spicy tuna is an American sushi shop
classic, but queenie scallops are also Excerpted from
tasty, as is salmon with avocado, JapanEasy, by Tim
cucumber and wasabi. Anderson (£20,
Hardie Grant)
S TA RT E R S
THE DRINK
The rise
of bourbon
TH I S C L A S S I C A MERI C AN S PI RIT I S AT TR AC TI N G A N E W
GENER ATION OF DE VOTEES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATL ANTIC
Bourbon, eh? American stuff? Kind of all the requirements needed to call itself a
like whisky? bourbon, but… chooses not to, preferring the
Not ‘like whisky’. It is whisky. Well, ‘whiskey’. appellation ‘Tennessee whiskey’. Essentially
With an ‘e’. And it’s not to be looked down a bourbon, and then some, it takes the further
upon. Scotch has the social cachet, but step of filtering through stacks of sugar maple
bourbon is on the rise in the UK. Sales topped charcoal. This is known as the Lincoln County
£1bn here last year, with Britons drinking Process, and is the prime distinction between
more than one million litres of the stuff every Tennessee whiskey and bourbon.
month. There are a few potential reasons for
the spike. The ever-thirsty Don Draper from How do I drink it? Just slam it back while T H E C O C K TA I L
TV’s Mad Men became a flag-bearer, while thinking about the Star-Spangled Banner? Haberdasher
the current popularity of American-style You could. But good bourbons can be sipped Chocolatey bourbon with a freshening
barbecues here in the UK certainly hasn’t like a good single malt. As mentioned earlier, herbal blast of Fernet-Branca, smoothed
hurt. But it’s mostly because bourbon is seen it’s also great for cocktails. The most famous by sipping through a Chartreuse cream
as more accessible than the esoteric, rarefied ones are the Old Fashioned, Mint Julep and head. The ultimate after-dinner drink.
world of Scotch. Bourbon feels more ‘anything the Manhattan. One of our favourites is the Invented in January 2013 at Pouring
goes’, and lends itself more to cocktail culture. Negroni’s sister, the Boulevardier — equal Ribbons, New York.
parts of bourbon, sweet vermouth and
What makes it a bourbon? Campari conspire to create a bracing but INGREDIENTS
All bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskey warming drink. Meanwhile, adventurous 45ml Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select
is bourbon. The main difference is that Scotch drinkers can also seek out bourbons that have Kentucky Straight Bourbon
whisky is made from malted barley, while been ‘fat-washed’, which is a way of flavouring 30ml Edmond Briottet Crème de Cacao
bourbon is made mostly from corn — at least spirits with fatty foods such a bacon or cheese Brown Liqueur
51%. While bourbon is commonly associated — although, with a description like that, you’d 7.5ml Fernet Branca
with Kentucky (95% of it comes from the be forgiven for preferring a cocktail. 22.5ml Green Chartreuse
Bluegrass State), it can made anywhere in 22.5ml cream
America. Furthermore, it must be bottled at 80 And what should I be buying? 22.5ml milk
proof or higher and aged in new, charred oak Woodford Reserve and Maker’s Mark (you
barrels (the used barrels are usually then given know, the one with the red wax seal) are both METHOD
to Scotch or rum distillers). There’s no ageing pretty smooth and drinkable. But if you’ve Stir first three ingredients with ice
requirement, but ‘straight’ bourbon needs to got a couple of grand to spare, you could try and strain into a chilled wine glass.
age for at least two years. to track down a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s Dry shake (without ice) Chartreuse,
20-year-old Family Reserve. The production cream and milk, and layer by carefully
The only bourbon I’ve had is Jack Daniel’s. run is so small that bars sell shots for hundreds pouring over the surface of the drink.
This is awkward. Jack Daniel’s isn’t bourbon. of dollars, and some people have even resorted Garnish with cocoa and a mint leaf.
Well, it is. But it isn’t. Technically, it fulfils to stealing the stuff. Zane Henry diffordsguide.com
B E ST BA R S
1 Maysville, New York

The decor is sleek NYC
sophistication, while the food
2 Bourbon Bar, JW
Steakhouse, London
Claiming to have the largest
3 Bluegrass Tavern,
Lexington, Kentucky
We’d be remiss to not
IMAGE: DIFFORDSGUIDE.COM
is Southern-inspired. The selection of bourbons in London, recommend a bar in the

extensive bourbon offering is this bar (pictured) will have you birthplace of bourbon, especially
the big draw — best enjoyed rolling through a tasting session one that offers a selection
while pretending to be a 1960s with a beatific smile on your face. of around 750 varieties.
ad exec. maysvillenyc.com jwsteakhouse.co.uk thebluegrasstavern.com
OUR PASSION. YOUR PLEASURE.
When you’re celebrating a moment that was made for Bourbon, make sure it’s not just any Bourbon.
Make it a Bourbon expertly handcrafted from our 10 unique Bourbon recipes – as only we can.
Handcraft the Moment at

cocktails.fourrosesbourbon.com
Be mellow. Be responsible. FourRosesBourbon.com
mionetto.com
Since 1887, Mionetto in
Northeast Italy’s enchanting
Prosecco region has been
writing its story, creating wines
that captivate and inspire.
The inimitable Mionetto style is
expressed in this refined
Prosecco Brut, with its seductive
aromas and flavours of honey,
golden apple and white peach.
Experience Mionetto’s world of

sparkling inspiration.
S TA RT E R S
MEET THE MAKER
THE VINEGAR POPE

Since taking over his family pickle business, Erwin Gegenbauer has gone
on to make vinegar that’s used by some of the world’s top chefs
I N YO U R PA NTRY
Sauvignon
Blanc Privat
Erwin has been maturing a
stock of 50 litres of this ‘noble
sour’ in his private cellar since
2004. Technically not a vinegar
because it contains less than the
requisite 6% acid, it has notes of
chestnut, walnut and dried fruit.
€55 (£48). gegenbauer.at
Makkurozu black rice

and wheat vinegar
Velvet-smooth, with balsamic
notes of chicory, coffee, cocoa
and malt. Rich in natural amino
acids and minerals, it can even
be drunk as a cordial, mixed
They call Erwin Gegenbauer the ‘Vinegar producing pickles with various additives and I with cold water. €29.55 (£26).
Pope’ as it’s said he makes the best vinegar was asking myself, ‘Why am I producing this?’ nishikidori.com
in the world. And his church? A former Those additives have associations with cancer
brickworks in Vienna, which is both his home and other health issues. So I stopped.” La Guinelle
and where he creates his various vinegars, oils, Having already begun dabbling in turning Banyuls vinegar
apple juice and cider. His elixirs have been wine into vinegar, Erwin turned his hobby into A limited-edition vinegar made
used by chefs such as Thomas Keller, Daniel a job. Now the old cellar vaults are packed with from wine that’s over a decade
Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. glass balloons and demijohns full of vinegar, old. Produced in southwest
Ferran Adrià is said to have made a sorbet out sediment on the bottom, quietly ageing. Up France, it’s available in the
of the sherry-like Noble Sour PX. on the roof, barrels of balsamic vinegar sit UK from The Vinegar Shed,
Wiener Essig Brauerei (‘Viennese Vinegar alongside four bee colonies. When the sun established by food writer
Brewery’) is in the heart of the city’s working- shines, the sugar leeches out of the wood and Andy Harris, who sells his own
class 10th district, and was previously the the bees feed on it, producing balsamic honey. homemade products too. £24.
Gegenbauer family’s sauerkraut factory. “My Erwin began selling his goods at Vienna’s vinegarshed.com
grandfather came here in 1929. The 1930s were Naschmarkt. The vinegar sold, and soon the
very poor and sauerkraut — which is full of range expanded to includes apple balsamic, 1995 Bordeaux
vitamin C — was important because we didn’t raspberry, and asparagus vinegar. “I try to Cult Vinegar
have any fresh fruit or vegetables,” Erwin says. preserve natural flavour with its own acidity. This unpasteurised, ‘live’
Like many of Vienna’s sauerkraut producers, So I take white asparagus, press it, ferment vinegar containing living
Erwin’s parents had branched out into pickles it to get asparagus wine, then on the second pro-bacterial cultures, is made
by the time he took over in 1992. “We were fermentation it becomes asparagus vinegar.” from wine from the Fronsac
It’s a job that requires patience and appellation in Bordeaux. £15.
dedication, but Erwin clearly loves what he cultceramics.co.uk
does. “Before I was living off my products. Now
IMAGE: ANDREAS PESSENLEHNER
I’m living with my products.” Audrey Gillan
Where to try it
In Vienna, you can buy Gegenbauer
Upstairs downstairs The cellar is vinegars at Erwin’s stall in the
packed with vinegars, while up on the Naschmarkt (stand 111-112) or from

the shop on the ground floor of his
roof are bees and barrels of balsamic house/workshop. gegenbauer.at
S TA RT E R S
F I V E WAY S W I T H
1 Sauce
Tahini
Whisk equal parts tahini
and iced water together,
with the optional addition
of lemon juice, garlic and
seasoning. This becomes
tahina sauce, often used
TH I S C RE A MY S E SA ME PA S TE EN HAN C E S E VERY TH I N G on kebabs and falafel, but
FROM BARB EC U E S TO B RE AKFA S T. WO RD S: J O S H K AT Z which goes with just about
any grilled meat or fish.
I first encountered tahini as a child, when

I was hopelessly addicted to falafel and
shawarma; I would insist my wraps and pittas
honey too, for added sweetness). It’s also
increasingly used in desserts as a base for
cakes, cookies, brownies and ice cream; it
2 Dip
You can serve tahina
sauce by itself as a dip for
be drenched in the stuff. In later years I’d come adds extra depth and nuttiness to sweets. But freshly grilled pitta bread.
to work with it professionally during my time it’s as a condiment for grilled meat, fish and Add a little za’atar and
at Ottolenghi, which is where I gained a new vegetables that it really comes into its own, olive oil over the top, and
appreciation of it. These days, I’m rarely more and I seldom throw a barbecue without placing try whisking some harissa
than 10 metres away from a jar. a bowl of tahina sauce in the middle of the through it for added spice,
Made from toasted, ground, hulled sesame table for my guests to help themselves to. or fold in blended, roasted
seeds, it comes in the form of a thick, oily, My favourite type of tahini is Ethiopian, pumpkin to give it even
creamy paste, with a deep, rich nuttiness that but it’s difficult to source and can be very more depth.
makes it incredibly moreish. It’s wonderfully expensive. So, when in the shops, try to
versatile. You can eat it for breakfast, as a
way of adding flavour to Greek yoghurt and
granola, or simply smothered on toast, much
find Middle Eastern varieties (Palestinian,
Lebanese or Israeli), which I believe are
superior to Greek or Cypriot versions. Josh Katz
3 Marinade
Combine tahini, lemon
zest and juice, ground
like peanut butter (you can drizzle on a little is chef-owner of Berber & Q. @chefjoshkatz cumin, garlic, smoked
paprika and olive oil.
Marinate chicken thighs
or wings for 2-4 hrs,
and cook through on a
barbecue. Serve with
tahina sauce (obviously).
M AKE IT
Check out Josh’s recipe
4 Dressing
Use a blender to
emulsify tahina sauce with
for tahini-drizzled
cauliflower shawarma at maple syrup to produce a
natgeotraveller.co.uk/ sweet, salty dressing that
food works well with crunchy
green beans, mange tout,
beansprouts, and grilled
asparagus, tossed with
fresh herbs.
5 Baking
Tahini works just as
well for sweet as it does
for savoury. Try beating it
into chocolate-chip cookie
dough, or a sponge cake
batter, perhaps with the
addition of some perfumed
orange blossom flowers.
IMAGE: STOCKFOOD
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S TA RT E R S
WINE
FEEL THE HE AT
You might think lager is the perfect partner for a
spicy meal, but wine can do the job just as well,
providing you choose carefully. Words: Fiona Beckett
Unless you’re averse to chillies, there’s a good Mexican dishes — which tends to work with and Thai dishes (especially red duck curry) but
chance there’s quite a bit of spice in your diet. zesty whites such as Sauvignon Blanc — is not so well with Mexican or Vietnamese ones
But how often have you drunk wine with a quite different from the rich spice warmth you — in the latter case the clean, herb and citrus
vindaloo or a green curry? The idea that beer get in a rogan josh or the mild aromatics of character of many dishes can make the wine
— particularly lager — is the best match for a Middle Eastern and Moroccan cooking, both of taste a little sickly.
meal with a bit of heat is so well established which work well with a dry rosé. When it comes to red wines, while some
that many of us have never even considered You can pair milder Indian dishes, such as a don’t work with spicy food, a surprising
the alternatives. korma and butter chicken, with the same sort amount do, especially ripe, mellow reds
Part of the problem is that the countries best of wines you’d normally pair with any creamy with soft tannins. So, think Tempranillo,
known for their spicy food — India, Thailand chicken recipe — Chardonnay and Viognier, Shiraz or Malbec rather than tannic Cabernet
and China, for example — don’t have a culture for example. But bear in mind Indian dishes Sauvignon. And while Spanish food isn’t
of wine drinking, not least because hotter are rarely served on their own — it’s the heat of generally thought of as spicy, many dishes
climates aren’t ideal for vine cultivation. the entire meal you need to judge. contain pimentón (smoked paprika), which
Which is why many of us wouldn’t consider Aromatic white grape varieties such as pairs particularly well with a young Rioja and
pairing wine with these cuisines. Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer are similar Spanish reds.
But this is changing, particularly as the most frequently cited as ideal partners You find the same sort of flavours in
winemaking is on the rise in some of these for spicy food, mainly because they tend Tex-Mex dishes (such as chilli con carne),
countries. India, for example, is producing to have a touch of residual sweetness from as well as traditional Southern barbecue food
impressive reds, such as Yaatra, a Shiraz from the fermentation process, which offsets the and Mexican moles. I’ve even drunk a full-
York Winery in the hills of Maharashtra state. It heat of chilli. But they go better with some bodied South African Pinotage with a fiery
works well with meat-based curries and grills. dishes than with others. Gewürztraminer, vindaloo — a pretty successful match.
Spice, of course, takes many different forms. for example, with its rose petal and lychee So don’t be afraid to try something new.
The chilli hit you get from many Thai and aromas, works very well with spicy Chinese @winematcher
FIVE OF THE BEST
Terroir des Chateaux Black Cottage Ashwood Estate Pinot Yaatra 2016 Felsner Moosburgerin
Forts 2016 Rosé 2016 Gris 2017 Gisborne INDIA Grüner Veltliner 2016
FR ANCE NEW ZEAL AND NEW ZEAL AND Never tried Indian wine? AU S T R I A
From Alsace, a blend of Fruity rosé is a good all- A mouth-wateringly This lush Shiraz made by This versatile dry white
three grape varieties rounder for Indian food, as fragrant, off-dry white from English Master of Wine with an appealing dash
— Gewürztraminer, Riesling it deals well with different Gisborne, eastern New Liam Stevenson, at York of white pepper works
and Pinot Gris — that has degrees of heat. Take this Zealand. It’s ideal alongside Winery in Maharashtra, is a well with Vietnamese and
the sweetness to stand refreshing rosé to your a cold noodle salad or pad great place to start. Drink milder Thai food. Try it
up to chilli heat. £16. local BYO. £12.99. thai and is terrific value. with spicy kebabs. £12.95. with summer rolls. £11.99.
highburyvintners.co.uk majestic.co.uk £6.99. aldi.co.uk red-white.co.uk waitrosecellar.com
S TA RT E R S
A S K THE E XPERTS G OT A F O O D
QUESTION?
Email it to
foodeditorial@
natgeotraveller.
O U R PAN EL HA S ALL TH E AN SWER S , WH E TH ER IT ’ S WH ERE TO S TO P O N A co.uk
G O U R ME T ROAD TRI P O R WH I C H C U LI NARY SO U VEN I R S TO B RI N G H OME
TH E E X PE RT S
Are there any restaurants in Paris that such as scallops and speck. Another good choice
will keep both me and my partner — a is Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée. The chef offers
meat-lover and a vegan — happy? his celebrated his take on haute cuisine with
A L E X A N D E R LO B R A N O In Paris, when a options made using cereals and vegetables. At
carnivore and a vegan dined out together in the both places, specify you’re vegan when booking.
past, it invariably meant a meal where someone At Cambodian-born chef Tomy Gousset’s
got the short end of the stick. That's now changing new restaurant, Hugo & Company, in the Latin
OZ L E M WA R R E N as younger Parisians want food that’s as healthy Quarter, try dishes such as quinoa and avocado
London-based chef, as it is gastronomically satisfying. salad with radishes, kale and mushrooms;
author of Recipes For a splurge meal, try chef Alain Passard’s or grilled mackerel with chimichurri sauce.
from My Homeland L’Arpège. He uses produce from his own organic Elsewhere, Tavline is an affordable Israeli
(out this October)
farm for the seasonally changing vegetable restaurant in the Marais, with a great small-plates
tasting menu — expect dishes such as beetroot option that will keep both diners happy. Dishes to
with Meyer lemon and timut pepper. Meat-eaters, try include roasted cauliflower with tahini, pistou
meanwhile, can opt for the ‘Terre & Merre’ menu, and tomato-seed vinaigrette and ktsitsot daguim
which still features plenty of veg, plus ingredients — grilled fish balls with Moroccan spiced lentils.
ALEX ANDER
LOBR ANO
Author of Hungry
for Paris and
Hungry for France
WA R R E N
RICHARDS
Head chef and
owner of Café
Caribbean, London
K A R A C A R A DA S
Travel blogger at
Heels in My Backpack
I visited Turkey recently and fell in love the ice cream, and mastic, a natural resin, is
with dondurma, Turkish ice cream. Is it added to make it deliciously chewy. Both of
readily available over here, or is it easy to these ingredients can be found in some Eastern
make at home? Mediterranean and Middle Eastern shops, but it’s
OZ L E M WA R R E N Turkey’s unique ice cream still rather difficult to make at home.
originates from Maras in the southeast of the While it’s not easy to find dondurma outside of
country, and what makes it so special is its hard Turkey, it is stocked in speciality shops and Turkish
ANJUM ANAND texture and resistance to melting — you can even restaurants. If you’re in London, you’re in luck
Food writer eat it with a knife and fork. Salep flour, made — you’ll find it at Kazan Restaurant in Pimlico, or
and TV chef from the root of the early purple orchid, thickens Gallipoli Cafe in Islington, among others.
I’m heading on a road trip across the quirky Gatlinburg. This kitsch joint has a fun,
Deep South US. Can you recommend Wild West vibe and serves huge cinnamon
any essential food stops? rolls that you need to see to believe.
K A R A C A R A DA S No trip to the Deep South Going off the beaten track, the Wildflower
is complete without barbecue. Different states Cafe in Mentone, Alabama, is beautiful,
have their own preferred techniques, but the dripping in fairy lights and homemade crafts. I
dry rub ribs served in Memphis are a firm recommend the specialty cheese-laden tomato
favourite. Head to Charlie Vergos Rendezvous pie, followed by a decadent peanut butter cake.
for the smoky, slow-cooked pork that the city is Finally, colourful New Orleans is the
famous for. destination for seafood-lovers, with oysters,
Southern-fried chicken is also a must, soft-shell crab and crawfish on the menu. Try
and Hattie B’s Hot Chicken in Nashville is Red Fish Grill for your gumbo fix and Coop’s
absolutely the place to try it. Beware, it can be Place for a hearty jambalaya. Alternatively,
I’d like to make proper pretty spicy, so order sides of mac and cheese book on to the Magazine Street Foodie Tour
jerk chicken — do you and creamy coleslaw to cool off. by New Orleans Secrets for some unique local
have a recipe? For breakfast, there are a few key dishes restaurants in the leafy Garden District. For an
WA R R E N R I C H A R D S This is you need to try when you’re in the South: authentic NOLA experience, make sure you go
my family recipe, which I was traditional grits, biscuits with gravy, corn to the Jazz Brunch at The Court of Two Sisters
taught by my mother. It was pone and fluffy American pancakes. And if — a buffet of Louisiana specialities in the
handed down by her mother you’re planning on hitting the Great Smoky courtyard, accompanied by a live jazz band,
who grew up in Jamaica, and it’s Mountains on your road trip, there’s nowhere is the perfect cure to any lingering hangovers
still a firm favourite in our house. better than Crockett’s Breakfast Camp in from a night in the French Quarter.
S E RV E S : 4
TA K E S : 1 H R 5 M I N S
INGREDIENTS
1 whole medium chicken
juice of half a lemon
For the marinade

4 garlic cloves
1 medium, roughly chopped onion
1 tbsp fresh or dried thyme
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 Scotch bonnet peppers
4 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 bunches spring onions
½ tbsp lemon juice
METHOD Order up at Charlie Vergos

Add all the marinade Rendezvous, Memphis
ingredients with 1 tsp salt to a
blender and blend to a smooth
paste. This can be kept in the
fridge for up to 2 months to use I’m going to India soon and want to chutney, it’s ready to eat and can be sprinkled
with chicken, pork, fish or veg. stock up on spices. Are there any I can on to food or mixed with oil for a spicy kick.
Chop the chicken into I bring back that I can’t buy in the UK? Back to single spices, look for the dried
portions and lightly season A N J U M A N A N D Picking up spices in India gem marathi moggu. It looks like a large
with salt and lemon juice. is a great idea; the variety and freshness is clove but is actually a dried flower bud with a
Massage 4 tbsp of the incredible. Dagad phool (black stone flower) is distinctive peppery flavour. Fried in hot oil,
marinade into the chicken. dried lichen and adds its distinctive savoury it’s delicious in curries, vegetables and rice
Cover and leave to marinate earthiness to a curry. It’s also added to dishes. Another dried bud worth picking
in the fridge for at least 30 goda masala, a sweet and aromatic up is nageskar, or cobra’s saffron — it
mins, but preferably overnight. spice blend with dried coconut. has a woody tone with citrus notes.
IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY; STOCKFOOD
Lay the chicken in a roasting Another blend worth buying is Long pepper can be found in the
tray and roast in a pre-heated Kashmiri ver. It’s similar to garam UK but is better sourced in India. It
oven at 180c/160c fan/ gas 4 masala but with more complexity. It’s adds lovely heat and flavour when
for 45 mins, or you can finish it formed into flat ‘cakes’ and air-dried; fried and simmered in a sauce. Also look
off on a barbecue after 25 mins you powder one as you use it. out for dried pomegranate seeds (pictured),
in the oven for a nice smoky If you prefer your blends hot, look for the which add tart fruitiness; I use them in stuffed
flavour. Serve with a side salad. southern milagu or molaha podi. This is a very flatbreads and meat curries. Finally, if you
spicy blend of ground red chillies, roasted find Lakadong turmeric, buy some — it has a
lentils and a few aromatics. Known as a dry higher curcumin content than any other.
S TA RT E R S
MY L I F E I N F O O D
C ERYS M AT THE WS
The musician, BBC Radio 6 Music DJ and festival organiser
tells us about her favourite ingredients, her need for spice,
and her love of deep-fried tofu
I carry chillies with me wherever I go. I’ve been roast on top of a fire and then you peel and dip
eating them ever since I was a child — I love into a peanut and tomato sauce. I also learnt
them. South Indian food is my favourite, with how to make paella, which traditionally is
mustard seeds and curry leaves and all the made with rabbit. People are putting chorizo
rest. I like subtle flavours too, but definitely in everything at the moment. Enough! Because
with chopped fresh chillies on the side. I don’t eat meat now, I use a lot of rosemary in
Espresso in the morning makes me too paella — and fava beans for protein.
excited. On my radio show I’m playing some I don’t like the phrase ‘clean eating’. What
of my favourite records, and I tend to geek I’m passionate about is eating wholefoods and
out a bit. When I get too excited I talk fast knowing what’s in everything. I’m also trying
and my voice goes high, and I’m not sure it’s to encourage Waitrose and Sainsbury’s to open
particularly listenable; if I add espresso to an aisle of dried goods, where you can refill
excitement and I play long-lost gems by John your original container and avoid single-use
Coltrane, that’s not going to be very cool. I plastic or cardboard.
tend not to drink coffee until we’re further We don’t give enough kudos to potatoes,
into the show — when my energy levels are onions and lentils. They’re so humble and
dipping, I’ll give myself a cappuccino. often taken for granted. You use an onion
I’m trying to learn to cook meals from around as your base for so many things — gravies,
the world. I’m a fan of Japanese food, and my soups, sauces. With lentils, you taste a good
IMAGES: NENAD OBRADOVIC; GETTY; STOCKFOOD
absolute favourite dish is agedashi tofu dhal and you’ve tasted heaven. And potatoes
— deep-fried tofu. Sukiyaki, a hotpot dish are so versatile.
similar to Welsh cawl, is also great, especially Cooking on fire is a culinary passion of mine.
in winter. I use miso paste for the broth, and I love cooking outside and being close to
kombu [kelp], because I’m trying to use more nature, which is what I wanted for The Good
seaweed. Being Welsh, I’m used to laverbread. Life Experience festival (pictured). We have
You must never use chorizo in paella. When chefs like Bill Granger, Tom Herbert and Claire
I was 18, I lived in Spain for a year, staying Thomson doing demonstrations on a massive
with a family in a little village just outside camp fire. Interview: Farida Zeynalova.
Barcelona. The mother was from Valencia Cerys Matthews’ The Good Life Experience
and she taught me how to cook — things like takes place in Flintshire 14-16 September.
calçots, like thick spring onions, which you thegoodlifeexperience.co.uk
Dyma ddathliad.
Gwlad Gwlad.
@BwydaDiodCymru
This is a celebration.
This is Wales.
@FoodDrinkWales
© Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown Copyright 2018 WG35498

N IKL A S E KSTE DT
THE PIONEER
S TA RT E R S
A S GA S TRO N OMY B ECOME S E VER MO RE SO PH I S TI C ATED,

O N E SWED I S H C H EF I S G O I N G BAC K TO BA S I C S , CO O KI N G
O N AN O PEN FI RE AN D E VEN C H O PPI N G H I S OWN WO O D.
TH E RE S U LT ? A MI C H ELI N S TAR . I NTERVI E W: S TEFAN
C H OMK A . PH OTO G R APH S: LO L A AKI NM AD E ÅKER S TRÖM
In a world of gastronomy that has embraced just 21, molecular gastronomy had taken hold
classic French cooking techniques on the and he found himself serving the avant-garde
one hand and increasingly sophisticated food of his peers, a far cry from the rustic
kitchen gadgets on the other, Niklas Ekstedt cooking of Jämtland, central Sweden, where
is an outlier. At the 39-year-old chef’s he grew up. Then one day, at the age of 33, he
eponymous restaurant in Stockholm, the felt the sudden urge to return to his roots.
cooking is more homely than haute; dishes This Naked Lunch moment informs the
often feature tallow and lard rather than approach Ekstedt takes today. In 2011, while
butter, while rich, heavy sauces and julienne taking time out of the industry to care for
vegetables are not on the menu. his newborn son, he bought a wooden cabin
There are also no water baths, induction and started fitting it out. “There were solar
hobs or rotary evaporators, nor is there even panels for light and to charge phones, but no
the faintest haze of liquid nitrogen in the air. stove”. As a result, he started cooking using a
“The whole industry was looking up to chefs wood-fired cast-iron stove. When his thoughts
who were using additives and complicated eventually returned to the restaurant industry,
gadgets and I didn’t see the point of it,” says it was this old-school style of cooking that he
Ekstedt of his ‘analogue’ approach to cooking. knew he had to pursue.
“There was no romance, no philosophy. I had Using this as his jumping-off point, and
become very sick of the industry, which was taking on a former Italian restaurant that
moving in a very complicated direction.” already had a wood-fired oven, Ekstedt
In fact, at this unique fine-dining restaurant scoured 18th-century cookbooks to discover
there’s barely any need for electricity at all time-honoured cooking techniques. He then
— save that used for fridges in which to store set about building a kitchen in which he could
ingredients and wine. Instead, Ekstedt harks practise them — one that would have looked
back to a time before the advent of electricity, familiar to the Swedes of 200 years ago, with a
when fire and smoke were the only tools of the fire pit, cast-iron stove and a couple of smokers.
culinary trade. To eat there is to experience Ekstedt opened in November 2011, a time
a cuisine untethered from modernity. when New Nordic cuisine had reached dizzy
This wasn’t the path Ekstedt had initially heights, with René Redzepi’s Noma crowned
intended to take. Like his contemporaries, he the best restaurant in the world. But Ekstedt
was trained in French techniques and taught would be no Noma facsimile.
Pike perch at Ekstedt; to love the ingredients of Spain and Italy. By “There was a Scandinavian food boom
Right: Niklas Ekstedt the time he opened his first restaurant, aged but it was all about products and producers,
S TA RT E R S
Left: Niklas Ekstedt in his

eponymous Michelin-starred
restaurant in Stockholm
Birch coal-grilled pike

perch with juniper
butter, Jerusalem
artichoke and endive
Fire up your charcoal barbecue
for this dish from Niklas Ekstedt
S E RV E S : 2 TA K E S : 1 H R
INGREDIENTS
500ml whey
2 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
200g butter
1 lemon, halved
1 endive
10 green juniper berries
200g pike perch fillet
500ml concentrated fish stock
(reduced from about 800ml)
Out with the new While most chefs’ first daily interaction
METHOD
with their kitchen is to turn on their appliances with the Light your charcoal. While it
flick of a switch, Ekstedt has to chop wood and fire up gets hot, pour the whey into a
saucepan, lightly salt and bring
the stoves. “Sometimes it feels like I’m in a modern to the boil. Add the Jerusalem
yacht race in an old-fashioned sailing boat,” he says artichokes and cook for 15-25
mins, until tender; remove.
In a clean pan, boil 1 litre
which I thought was very strange,” he says. picked up so quickly and we have forgotten water with 50g butter and a
“No one was talking about the technical about heritage and handcraft.” lemon half. Cut the endive into
aspects of Scandinavian cooking, it was all He describes his current situation as small wedges, add to the pan
very prestigious and expensive. Sweden was “liberating and frustrating”. He’s doing and blanch for 2 mins; remove.
one of the poorest countries in Europe in the something that he not only loves, but that Mix 50g butter with the
1910s and 1920s, and post-Second World War he can call his own. “People are looking for juniper berries. Salt the pike
gastronomy focused on everyday food. It is not a more authentic experience and are pushing perch and grill over charcoal
supposed to be fancy, it is very down-to-earth. the industry into being more individual. They until cooked. Brush with the
Why not have a gastronomy that focuses on are tired of consuming things without soul.” juniper butter, then set aside.
old Scandinavian techniques, and which goes But it comes at a price. While most chefs’ In a pan, boil the stock and
back to its roots?” first daily interaction with their kitchen is whisk in 100g butter to make a
Yet, this is no time capsule. Instead, Ekstedt to turn on their appliances with the flick of sauce. Add salt, lemon juice and
is using old techniques and translating a switch, Ekstedt has to “do a day’s work just the leftover juniper butter.
them into very modern dishes. For example, to fire up the stoves”, thanks to the continual Serve the pike perch with
a meal might include delicate, hay-flamed need for chopped firewood. “People don’t the artichokes, endive wedges
mushrooms with sweetbreads and bone understand the challenges they review and a spoonful of buttery sauce.
marrow; birch-fired lamb with cabbage; or me against other restaurants,” he says.
seared langoustine with deer and celeriac, “Sometimes it feels like I’m in a modern yacht
finishing with an intense wood-fired-oven- race in an old-fashioned sailing boat.
baked almond cake with pear and yeast. That said, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I wanted a restaurant that was Chefs are continually looking to broaden their
contemporary,” the chef says. “I didn’t want it horizons, and Ekstedt is no exception. Even
to be a museum.” within his own constraints he is pushing the
With a Michelin star to its name, which boundaries, with the restaurant now using
it won in 2013, Ekstedt has proven to the what he describes as the stone-age equivalent
restaurant world that you don’t need to be of a microwave (an iron box filled with burning
high-tech to be high-end — but its rise to embers) to enable him to cook different dishes.
acclaim hasn’t been without its difficulties. “It’s time to figure out where to take the
“So many things are complicated,” he restaurant,” he says of his future plans. “I’d
admits. “It is still a challenge using old like to push it even further, to the next level.
techniques in a modern world. Technology’s I am not lacking in ideas.”
A
FESTIVAL
OF
FL AVOUR
Whether you’re a fan of
mushrooms or mole, sake or
seafood, a trip to a food festival
is a chance to get outdoors,
embrace new cultures and indulge
your culinary passion. Here’s our
pick of the world’s most
delicious events
WORDS: SAR AH BARRELL, LIZ DODD,

N ATA L I E PA R I S , J O E L P O R T E R
IMAGE: STOCKFOOD
M AINE
LOB STER
FE STIVAL
R O C K L A N D , M A I N E , U S 3 1 J U LY – 4 A U G U S T 2 0 1 9
LOW D OW N : In 2008, organisers had in which contestants run across a line

to commission the construction of the of crates strung together in the chilly
world’s biggest lobster cooker to cope waters of Rockland Harbor, going
with demand — a sign of just how huge back and forth until they fall in.
this festival had grown. Over five days, mainelobsterfestival.com
the giant, steaming cauldron is capable A LT E R N AT I V E : The Dungeness Crab
of getting through 20,000 pounds of the & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles,
crustaceans — to be served in a variety Washington is rite of passage for crab
of dishes, from lobster rolls and creamy lovers. The three-day
bisques to stuffed risotto balls and event sees the world-
wontons. If all that wasn’t enough there’s famous crab served
an abundance of other seafood to choose in quiches, pot
from, including clams, fried shrimp, pies, mac ’n’ cheese,
and steamed mussels. The fun doesn’t poutine, pizza, and a
stop there, however; there’s a fiercely whole lot more. There
contested cooking competition, live are also cooking demos, a
music, local beers and wines, a parade, chowder cook-off and the Grab-a-Crab
and a Maine Lobster Festival Sea Goddess Derby, where you can fish for your own
beauty pageant. Perhaps best of all, crab to take home. 5-7 October 2018.
though, is the bizarre lobster crate race, crabfestival.org
F E S T I VA L S
BAR- B - Q
FE STIVAL
OW E N S B O R O , K E N T U C K Y, U S
M AY 2 0 1 9
LOW D OW N : You’ll likely smell this festival

before you see it, as plumes of meaty smoke fill
GALWAY
the air from scores of industrial smokers that
line the streets, ready to feed 85,000 hungry
people. With dozens of local chefs serving up
barbecued chicken, mutton and pulled pork by
OYSTER &
the pound, and a spicy stew called burgoo by
the gallon, this is an all-out meat feast. There’s
also a healthy dose of competition, with the
coveted Governor’s Cup awarded to the best
SE AFOOD
barbecue team, plus the Mutton Glutton
Sandwich Eating Contest. With all those
calories to burn, the 5k charity run is surely a
no-brainer. bbqfest.com
A LT E R N AT I V E : Expect a whole lot of bacon
FE STIVAL
at Baconfest. The two-day celebration in
Chicago includes the tongue-in cheek Golden
Rasher awards, given for achievements in the
‘bacon arts’. April 2019. baconfestchicago.com
G A LWAY, I R E L A N D 2 8 – 3 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
LOWDOWN: This gourmet extravaganza was

founded back in 1954, making it the world’s oldest
oyster festival. Each year it attracts thousands
of people, who descend on the city to celebrate
the start of the oyster season (which runs until
April), gorge on the native Galway bivalves, cheer
on competitors in the World Oyster Opening
Championships and watch the parade. There’s
plenty of live music too, to keep the party going.
galwayoysterfestival.com
ALTERNATIVE: Wrap up warm for an autumnal
alternative in the seaside town of Bluff, on New
Zealand’s South Island. As well as prized Bluff
oysters, there are scallops, salmon, and crayfish
aplenty. 25 May 2019. bluffoysterfest.co.nz
C ROP
BARBADOS SUMMER 2019
LOW D OW N : Steeped in 300 years of tradition, Crop Over originally marked the end
IMAGES: STOCKFOOD; GETTY
of the sugar cane harvest. It’s now a six-week celebration of Bajan culture; a riot of
OVER
colour, music, rum and food. Local specialities include salt cod cakes and pudding ’n’
souse, a dish made from pickled pork and sweet potato. The rum flows like water — as
the locals say, Crop Over ‘is sweet fuh days!’ visitbarbados.org/crop-over-festival
A LT E R N AT I V E : For an event that really does stay sweet for days, try the Louisiana
Sugarcane Festival, which features a multitude of cookies, cakes, pies, muffins and
candies, as well as great Cajun cuisine. 26-30 September 2018. hisugar.org
I NTE RNATIONAL
PAE LL A
COMPETITION
VA L E N C I A , S PA I N 9 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
LOW D OW N : There’s a saying in Valencia that goes:

‘Paella is a rice dish, but not all rice dishes are paella.’
It’s in honour of the province’s trademark dish that
people have been flocking to the tiny Valencian town
of Sueca (known for its rice cultivation) since 1961 for
the final of this paella contest, in which top chefs and
restaurants from around the world — everywhere
from Peru to Japan — compete. Thousands of visitors
come to feast on true Valencian paella, which is
made with a strict list of ingredients that includes
rice, snails, chicken, rabbit and an assortment of
vegetables. It may not have the variety of other
festivals but for lovers of Spanish food, it’s hard to
beat. concursodepaella.com
A LT E R N AT I V E : Another event revolving around
a very specific dish is the Giant Omelette
Celebration in Bessières, southern
France. More than 15,000 eggs and
a dozen chefs contribute to the
ludicrously large omelette at the
heart of the event, an Easter
tradition that’s said to date
back to Napoleon. He allegedly
enjoyed one particular
omelette so much he asked the
locals to cook a huge version to
feed his army. Spring 2019.
BORDE AUX SALÓN DE L

WINE FE STIVAL C HOCOL ATE
QUITO, ECUADOR JUNE 2019
BORDEAUX , FR ANCE JUNE 2020
LOW D OW N : Ecuador has one of the world’s oldest
LOWDOWN: This biannual festival has cacao-growing industries, and the crop is integral to its
culture and economy. So it’s only right that the country
done wonders for Bordeaux’s stuffy image, should host the annual Salón del Chocolate, South
welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors America’s pre-eminent event for chocolate lovers, who
come to sample the finest Ecuadorian cacao, prized for
to a 1.5-mile ‘wine road’ along the waterfront its unique floral aromas. Purists can try organic bars
to try wines from such renowned local from Ecuador’s new wave of producers such as República
del Cacao, and Pacari, whose range includes chocolate
appellations as Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. flavoured with lemongrass and cardamom. There
bordeaux-wine-festival.com are also truffles, cakes, chocolate drinks and live
demonstrations. salondelchocolateecuador.com
ALTERNATIVE: At the Batalla del A LT E R N AT I V E : For something a little closer to
IMAGES: GETTY; STOCKFOOD
Vino (‘wine fight’) in the town home, head to Paris for Salon du Chocolat. Here,
around 500 participants from more than 60 countries
of Haro, Spain, wine is not
showcase all manner of chocolate treats, plus — this
only drunk but thrown and being Paris — there’s a fashion show, featuring
sprayed over the crowd. June flamboyantly creative (but mostly brown) dresses,
top, skirts and accessories made of chocolate. 31
2019. wine-fight.com October-4 November 2018. salon-du-chocolat.com
F E S T I VA L S
DI SFIDA
DELL A
ZUPPA TA STE O F TH E C IT Y
STR E E T FO O D FE STI VA L
L U C C A , I TA LY S P R I N G 2 0 1 9
C A P E TOW N & J O H A N N E S B U RG ,
S O U T H A F R I C A 1 -9 S EP T E M B ER 2 0 1 8
LOWDOWN: Don’t come to the final of
Open-air markets selling colourful
Tuscany’s annual soup challenge expecting Bake quick bites set up stall on consecutive
Off-style dramatics. Organised by the region’s weekends in two cities, alongside live
music and talks from food entrepreneurs.
slow cooking organisation, this is a cook-off, The vendors for 2018 are still under
Italian style, and everything comes down to wraps but be prepared for foot-long
Gatsby sandwiches, anything that comes
competitors’ skills with nonna’s family recipe. hot off the braai and a crispy chicken
It all centres around the humble zuppa alla foot or two (known as walkie talkies).
frantoiana, a rustic bean and vegetable soup from streetfoodfestival.co.za
Lucca that’s elevated by the judicious addition of BA N G KO K V E G E TA R I A N

top-notch local olive oil. As well as watching the F E STI VA L
final, you can drop in on the qualifying rounds, B A N G KO K , T H A I L A N D
9-1 7 O C TO B ER 2 0 1 8
held across the region in early spring. facebook.
This festival — strictly speaking a
com/SlowFoodLuccaCompiteseOrtilucchesi celebration of the vegan, not vegetarian
ALTERNATIVE: At the opposite end of the diet — transforms Chinatown’s restaurants
and street stalls into a riot of colour, noise
scale, the World Championship Chili Cook-off, and taste sensations. Expect plenty of
in St Louis, Missouri is a contest with a serious sweet cakes, noodle soups and tofu,
as well as colourful parades, crashing
incentive: the winner takes home $25,000 cymbals and banging drums. But the real
(£18,815). 28-30 September 2018 chilicookoff.com treat is the array of vegan (usually soy)
meat substitutes, crafted to look just like
the real thing.
M E LB O U R N E FO O D
& W I N E FE STI VA L
M E L B O U R N E , AU S T R A L I A
15 -24 M A RCH 2 0 19
A celebration of Victorian fare, held at

venues across the state (pictured)
— from food trucks and basement bars to
riverside cafes and rooftop restaurants.
Visitors can take part in the world’s
longest lunch: a three-course-meal at a
530 metre-long table running along the
Albert Park’s Grand Prix circuit. The most
scenic spot at the festival is by the Yarra
River, where you’ll find pop-up bars and
stalls. melbournefoodandwine.com.au
F E S T I VA L S
I SLE OF
D R I N K S C E LE B R ATI O N S
O K TO B E R F E ST
WIGHT
B LU M E N AU
B L U M E N AU , B R A Z I L
3 - 2 1 O C TO B ER 2 0 1 8
GARLIC
This alternative to Munich’s beer festival
takes place in the hills of south Brazil
— because nothing says Oktoberfest
like samba dancing and sunshine. The
FE STIVAL
town was founded by German settlers,
and with timbered buildings in among
the skyscrapers it’s worth a visit for
the novelty alone. But the beer is a
serious business, with German brewery
Eisenbahn supplying dunkel (dark lager)
and Kölsch. oktoberfestblumenau.com.br NE WC HURC H , I SLE OF WIGHT AUGUST 2019
S P I R IT O F S PE YS I D E LOW D OW N : Garlic fudge, garlic ice festival, alongside gourmet garlic

W H I S K Y FE STI VA L cream, garlic scones and even garlic mushrooms and posh garlic bread.
beer: stay well clear of Newchurch’s As if that weren’t enough, ‘scrumpy
S P E Y S I D E , S C OT L A N D
2 - 6 M AY 2 0 19 rolling farmland in August if you’re and western’ band The Wurzels are
not a fan of the pungent bulb. The on the bill. garlicfestival.co.uk
Go behind the scenes at some of the Isle of Wight is the biggest garlic A LT E R N AT I V E : For more allium-
world’s most famous whisky distilleries and producer in the UK, growing some related fun, the annual sweet onion
explore the great outdoors too at this five- 150 tons every year; some of the festival in Vidalia, Georgia, US,
day celebration (pictured). Together with best comes from The Garlic Farm, celebrates the harvest of the state’s
a programme of tastings and workshops, a 50-year-old, family-run producer official vegetable with a parade, a
you can enjoy a ceilidh aboard the Keith whose delicacies like aged, black recipe competition and a covered-
and Dufftown railway and drive out to and smoked garlic are available wagon cowboy cook-off. April 2019
remote glens to hear stories of old-time to taste at this family-friendly vidaliaonionfestival.com.
whisky smugglers. spiritofspeyside.com
B E R LI N B E E R FE STI VA L
BERLIN, GERM ANY ALBA TRU FFLE FE STIVAL
2 - 4 AU G U S T 2 0 19
A L B A , P I E D M O N T, I TA LY
Spanning a mile-long stretch of central 6 O C TO B ER - 2 5 N OVE MB ER 201 8
Berlin, this festival — known as ‘the world’s
longest beer garden’ — features some LOW D OW N : Alba is well known for its white truffles, which are more
2,400 beers from 87 countries. Varieties delicate and rarer than their black counterparts. The town’s festival spans
can appear at one annual festival only, six weeks and includes food markets, a world truffle auction and ‘sensory
and the stars of the show are rare beers analysis’ sessions. But how best to eat an expensive truffle
from tiny regional brewers. However, — shaved over local tajarin egg pasta or muddled with
IMAGES: GETTY; STOCKFOOD
expect surprises — for example, the butter atop a ribeye steak? fieradeltartufo.org/en
last festival saw the debut Lithuanian A LT E R N AT I V E : The truffles from Istria,
‘pea beers’, made from recipes dating Croatia, are also well-regarded, and Zigante
back to when grain was in short supply. Truffle Days are intimate events held over
bierfestival-berlin.de a series of weekends in the hilltop town of
Livade. 15 September-18 November 2018.
sajamtartufa.com
ARDÈC HE
C HE STNUT
FE STIVALS
A R D È C H E , F R A N C E 7 O C TO B ER - 11 N OVE MB ER 201 8
LOW D OW N : More than 60 gourmet hikes in Saint-Pierreville,

varieties of the humble chestnut and a demonstration of traditional
H UMON GO U S
grow in the Ardèche, southeastern cooking techniques in Gluiras.
France, and they’re all venerated castagnades.fr
FU N G U S FE ST
during a series of one- and two-day A LT E R N AT I V E : Sicily also
festivals in 11 different villages dedicates a little part of autumn
across the region. Used in a whole to its favourite nut — but one of a
C RY S TA L FA L L S , M I C H I G A N
host of local dishes, they can different kind. The Bronte Pistachio
AUGUST 2019
be glazed, roasted and added to Festival takes place near the slopes
soups, or a soft, sweet, fragrant of Mount Etna and showcases
pie called Lou Pisadou. Meet the traditions involved in planting and LOWDOWN: What started
producers and makers, eat plenty picking. There are free city tours,
of chestnuts, and go and gather as well as plenty of opportunities to as a way to celebrate
some yourself. Highlights from eat everything from pesto to creamy a natural oddity — an
this year’s programme include cannoli. September 2018.
ancient 37-acre network of
subterranean mushrooms
beneath Crystal Falls,
Michigan — has expanded
into a rambunctious slice
of mushroom-themed
Americana. Enjoy mushroom
Swiss burgers while you watch
the opening parade, marvel
at contestants in the three-
hour eating competition,
take part in the annual men’s
beardy pageant, watch a
giant pizza being made,
and learn more about the
locally grown Armillaria
gallica fungus on a guided
forage. michigan.org/event/
humongous-fungus-fest
ALTERNATIVE: A slightly
more refined option, Emilia-
Romagna’s porcini mushroom
festival showcases local fungi,
with not a mushroom pasty
in sight. 5-7 October 2018
facebook.com/fieradialbareto
‫הרשות לפיתוח ירושלים‬
‫הרשות לפיתוח ירושלים‬
THE JERUSALEM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

THE JERUSALEM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Experience JERUSALEM
A
A DREAM
DREAM DESTINATION
DESTINATION FOR
FOR FOODIES
FOODIES
J erusalem
erusalem offers
offers everything
fine-dining,
fine-dining, each
traditional
everything from
each providing
providing a
from cafes
cafes and
a unique
unique mix
and lively
mix of
lively restaurants
restaurants to
of international,
to creative
international, Middle
creative
Middle Eastern,
Eastern,
traditional and
and modern
modern flavours
flavours and
and styles.
styles. Mahane
Mahane Yehuda
Yehuda Market
Market is
is the
the
hub
hub and
and soul
soul of
of the
the city’
city’s
s food
food scene
scene bringing
bringing together
together a
a bustling
bustling exchange
exchange
between
between vendors,
vendors, locals
locals and
and tourists.
tourists. While
While many
many think
think of
of Jerusalem
Jerusalem asas
the
the city
city of
of gold,
gold, when
when the
the sun
sun goes
goes down,
down, there
there is
is still
still plenty
plenty that
that shines
shines
and
and the
the Yehuda
Yehuda Market
Market boasts
boasts a
a lively
lively and
and exciting
exciting atmosphere
atmosphere at at night.
night. To
To
celebrate
celebrate Jerusalem’
Jerusalem’s
s dynamic
dynamic food
food movement,
movement, the
the city’
city’s
s restaurants
restaurants open
open
their
their doors
doors annually
annually for
for the
the Jerusalem
Jerusalem Open
Open Restaurants
Restaurants Festival
Festival (this
(this year
year
from
from 13th–17th
13th–17th November
November 2018),
2018), featuring
featuring talks
talks and
and demonstrations
demonstrations from
from
world
world renowned
renowned chefs.
chefs.
F E S T I VA L S
SAIJO
SAKE
M ATSU RI
H I RO S H I M A , JA PA N
13 - 14 O C TO B ER 201 8
LOWDOWN: Winding through the

streets of Hiroshima’s Sajo district,
this is a pub-crawl with a difference.
Sajo is one of Japan’s three great
sake-brewing districts, and after
a traditional Shinto festival gives
FE STIVAL DE thanks for the year’s sake bounty, its

50-odd breweries throw open their
LOS MOLE S doors to the public. Despite being a

rice wine, sake is brewed rather than
fermented. Hiroshima’s is typically
O A X A C A C I T Y , M E X I C O J U LY 2 0 1 9
slightly sweet, and rather potent,
LOW D OW N : Oaxaca’s signature Botanical Gardens. The festival is so follow a trip to the festival’s
sauce, celebrated at this two-day part of a month-long celebration of
festival in southern Mexico, is a Oaxacan culture, called the Fiestas ‘5,000 Person Izakaya’ (an outdoor
slow-cooked, unctuous blend of de la Guelaguetza, and restaurants pub) with street food from one of
spices, chocolate, chilli and other across Oaxaca City showcase
regional ingredients. Oaxaca’s their twists on the regional moles
the many stalls, or the regional
seven traditional moles — including throughout July. bit.ly/MoleFest2018 specialty — hot pot cooked with
a deep, dark version thickened A LT E R N AT I V E : What the Arizona
with bread and dried fruit, and Taco Festival, in Scottsdale, lacks in
sake. sakematsuri.com
Manchamantel, which is turned authenticity it makes up for in spirit: ALTERNATIVE: The London Sake
fire-engine red with chorizo grease come for the Tex-Mex food, stay for
and chillies — can be tried at the the margarita mixology classes and
Challenge is an invitation-only
opening ceremony, in the Jardin chihuahua beauty pageant. 13-14 event, but it’s followed by a public
Carbajal and at a tasting event in the October 2018. aztacofestival.com
reception and sake tasting. Spring
2019. londonsakechallenge.com
YORKS H IRE DALE S

C H E E S E FE STIVAL
YO RK S H I RE , U K 15 - 2 3 SEPTEMB ER 2018
LOW D OW N : You’ve heard of Wensleydale, of course, but what about

Coverdale, Ribblesdale or Fine Fettle? No? Well you can find them all at this
Yorkshire cheese extravaganza, taking place at 20 venues across the Dales.
IMAGES: STOCKFOOD; GETTY
Highlights include a two-day ‘mini-festival’ at Wensleydale Creamery, with

35 stalls, plus tastings and pairings; guided national park walks; and a ‘War
of the Roses’ tasting contest, where Yorkshire cheeses will compete against
Lancashire’s finest. yorkshiredales.org.uk/cheese-festival
A LT E R N AT I V E : Stuff yourself with Spain’s best cows’, goats’ and sheep’s
cheese at the National Cheese Festival, which takes over the main square in
Trujillo, Extremadura, each year. Spring 2019. feriadelquesotrujillo.es
F E S T I VA L S
POUTINE
FE ST
O T TAWA , C A N A DA
APRIL 2019
LOW D OW N : Chips, thick gravy, and curd cheese; if

you’re not down with that then look away now. Canada’s
defacto national dish (at least on the winter-embattled
East Coast) is sometimes mocked but has lately been
reimagined by such gourmet names as Martin Picard
from Montreal’s Au Pied du Cochon restaurant. This
festival in Canada’s capital comes with unapologetic
trad varieties, served in City Hall. It features eating
FE STA DO
contests, plenty of local craft beer stands and refined,
experimental versions from such hipster names in the
world of poutine as Smoke’s Poutinerie and Toronto’s
PU LPO O
Roost food truck. ottawapoutinefest.ca
A LT E R N AT I V E : A more sophisticated slice of culinary
Canadiana: Prince Edward Island’s Shellfish Festival
in Charlottesville offers the world’s longest lobster roll
C ARBALLIÑO
and shucking contests, but all the fun is underpinned by
seriously top-notch Atlantic seafood. 13-16 September
2018. peishellfish.com
G A L I C I A , S PA I N AU G U S T 2 01 8
LOWDOWN: Each summer at this Galician

event, up to 30,000 kilos of octopus is cut into FÊTE DU
C ITRON
bite-size pieces and dished up on wooden plates.
Thousands of people gather around open-air
kitchens to share octopus ‘a feira’ (‘market style’),
cooked with sea salt, paprika and glistening MENTON, FRANCE
virgin olive oil. All washed down with fine white F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 1 9
Ribeiro wines. bit.ly/FestaDoPulpo LOW D OW N : A tourist board poster child, this

ALTERNATIVE: At the Ouzo Festival on Lesbos, celebration of all things citrus is nonetheless a foodie
favourite. An integral fi xture of the Cote d’Azur’s
Greece, line your stomach with grilled octopus, Lent carnival season, this is an all-out street party,
sardines and calamari before sampling the with truly eye-boggling floats decked in towering
displays of citrus, but it goes beyond the decorative.
anise-flavoured spirit from the island’s many You can get your limes, oranges and lemons done every
distilleries. July 2019. ouzofest.gr which way including loose, whether
in jams, chutneys, syrups
or tarts, or pickled,
candied and lovingly
NAPLE S PIZ Z A VI LL AG E preserved.
fete-du-citron.com
N A P L E S , I TA LY J U N E 2 0 1 9 A LT E R N AT I V E : Sagra
del Limone, which takes
LOW D OW N : International pizza chefs are invited to a makeshift village place in the harbour town of
by the sea to compete with Naples’ most renowned pizzerias. Unesco has Massa Lubrense, Sorrento,
officially recognised the cultural heritage of Neapolitan pizza tossing, and the is arguably the Queen
sight of maestros whirling discs of dough around puts this event a class above of Mediterranean citrus
other pizza festivals. Grab a slice of a margherita and ponder what makes festivals, and celebrates
IMAGES: GETTY
molten cheese and tangy tomato so irresistible. bit.ly/NaplesPizzaVillage the huge, oval Sorrento
A LT E R N AT I V E : Boston’s Italian district sits in North End, but the Boston lemon, from which
Pizza Festival takes centre stage, with dozens of stalls outside City Hall. The limoncello is made. Mid-
ticket allows unlimited sampling. July 2019. bostonpizzafestival.com late July 2019.
For the love of
white gold
Nothing ignites German culinary passions like white asparagus.
In the northwestern region of Münsterland, during the harvest
months of April to June, those precious white spears really
make their presence felt
WORDS: CHRISTIE DIETZ. PHOTOGR APHS: CELIA TOPPING
W H I T E A S PA R AG U S
I’m scouring the flat upper surface of the

knee-high, grey-brown mound of soil for
the tiny undulations that might indicate
a spear of white asparagus trying to
b r e a k t h r o u g h
Next to me, Lukasz Dominikowski, armed with oversees a 14-generations-old family farm,
his asparagus cutter (a long, flat tool with a takes me to a newly planted field. Pulling a
sharp, forked blade), has detected a ripple. He bundle of roots from the soil — a cluster of
plunges two thickly-gloved fingers into the earthy rats’ tails attached to a feathery green
soil, pushes it away to expose a single, cream- shoot — he explains the labour-intensive
coloured spear, then slides his asparagus white-asparagus-growing process. It requires
cutter down alongside it, perfectly parallel, precision planting and constant monitoring
and breaks it away from its root. Picking up a of the soil that’s heaped over the spears to
flat trowel, he smoothes over evidence of his prevent them being exposed to sunlight: if
operation. It’s all over in less than 30 seconds, its too hot, too cold, too wet, dry or hard, the
and I’m left trying to work out how he knew growth of the spears is affected. It’s hard work
anything was there. made easier through modern technology and
It’s hardly surprising Lukasz has an eye for the support of a collaborative local network:
spotting white asparagus: the 33-year-old has Elmar uses manure donated by a pig farm;
travelled to Hof Grothues-Potthoff, a farm their asparagus waste goes to a dairy farm as
estate with a bakery, farm shop and hotel, in cow fodder.
Senden — 42 miles south west of Münster We arrive at the farmyard just as Lukasz
— for the past eight years, to help harvest and his co-workers are hoisting crates
and sort up to 100 tonnes of Germany’s white containing the morning’s harvest off their
gold. Every April, he leaves his wife and job truck and into a barn. The crates are filled
in Poznań, Poland, to work 10 hours a day, six with cold water to keep the asparagus at peak
days a week, until the official end of the season freshness. The shiny steel sorting machine
on 24 June, the Feast Day of Saint John the is a veritable homage to the German love of
Baptist. It looks like backbreaking work, but systems and procedure; each spear is sliced
Lukasz thoroughly enjoys it. “It’s satisfying, to a uniform length before being computer- Clockwise from top left: Lukasz
and the money’s much better than repairing analysed, classed and spat out into one Dominikowski harvests white
asparagus at Hof Grothues-
computers back home,” he says. of 20 water troughs for manual collection
Potthoff; asparagus detailing
White asparagus season is celebrated with a and storage. The straightest, smoothest,
on the Erbdrostenhof
passion in Germany, and I’ve come to the flat, whitest spears with a tightly closed head
palace, Münster town centre;
castle-filled region of Münsterland, with its command a far higher price than the wonky, processing white asparagus at
maritime climate and sandy soil primed for broken or discoloured ones. I wonder if their Hof Grothues-Potthoff; white
the spring vegetable’s production, to find out appearance is a reflection of quality. “Not at asparagus ready for delivery,
why. Elmar Grothues, who with his siblings all,” Elmar admits, rather sheepishly, “It all Hof Grothues- Potthoff
tastes the same. We just like it looking nicer SOUPS, SPEARS & STEWS Eyes twinkling, salt-
on the plate.”
The day before, in the lively student city of
Today, the market is still shunned by some
locals — those who prefer to buy their white
and-pepper beard
Münster, I’d seen signs of the city’s culinary asparagus from source. Heading out at week- neatly groomed,
history everywhere, from plaques among the ends into the countryside, often by bicycle
and bowtie knotted
cobblestones marking the old salt trading — surrounded by a spectacularly flat land-
route, to white asparagus carved into the scape, it’s obvious why Münster is Germany’s meticulously, Joseph
stone facade of a private mansion. Münster’s cycling capital — they like to support local has the air of natural-
old town, almost completely destroyed in producers, and they want know where their
the Second World War, was rebuilt in its food comes from. Having cottoned onto the born host and a man
pre-war style, and the buildings along the idea that Münsterites like a day trip, many who likes the finer
Prinzipalmarkt — tall, pale and narrow with farms now open a restaurant in the harvest
acutely angled roofs — look not unlike a row of season, serving white asparagus dishes in the
things in life
white asparagus tips themselves. sunshine, right where it’s grown.
The city’s weekly market takes place in a It’s a short walk from the marketplace
large, leafy square by the cathedral; a maze to Altes Gasthaus Leve, a traditional
of trucks and stands shaded by colourful German restaurant that’s been in the
awnings. The fresh produce stands are same family for three generations. Joseph
currently dominated by punnets of bright Horstmüller greets me at the end of the
red strawberries and stacks of bright white long, wooden bar, eyes twinkling, salt-and-
asparagus. The annual asparagus harvest is a pepper beard neatly groomed, and bowtie
Above, from left: white asparagus on sale
source of great local pride, and I find only one knotted meticulously beneath his chin. He
at the Wochenmarkt, held every Saturday
vendor indifferent to it: “I grew up with two has the manner of natural-born host, and
outside St Paul’s Cathedral; white
white asparagus addicts for parents,” she says. the air of a man who likes the finer things asparagus with air-dried ham, boiled
“Back in the ’50s we grew it ourselves, like most in life. During the high season, he tells me, potatoes and butter sauce, served at the
people, and we never went to market. I’ve eaten his restaurant serves up to 100kg of white Altes Gasthaus Leve; dining room, Altes
my fill, and it doesn’t interest me any more.” asparagus a week. Gasthaus Leve
Some of Joesph’s customers have been
eating at Leve for over 50 years, and it’s clear Getting Started
that he and head chef Frank Lembeck, who’s
emerged from the kitchen in his chef’s whites, W H AT L I E S B E N E AT H them, wrap them carefully in
know them well. “Out of habit, their main meal White asparagus needs to a damp tea towel, making sure
is lunch, perhaps white asparagus served the be peeled before cooking. the ends are covered, and store
classic way, with ham and potatoes,” Frank Use a vegetable peeler to them in the fridge to keep
explains. “Or they might order chicken stew remove the tough outer layer, them fresh.
[made to Joseph’s grandmother’s recipe]. In from just beneath the delicate
the evening, they’ll have bread and soup. The head of the spear all the way TA K E S TO C K
younger evening crowd are open to a more down to its base. For a greater depth of flavour,
creative menu, but we know what our regulars cook the spears in a light stock
want.” I ask Frank if he’d put green asparagus FRESH TEST made with the ends and peelings,
on the menu. He shakes his head. When you buy it, white asparagus seasoned with butter, salt and
As is the case at Hof Grothues-Potthoff, should be fresh enough that the sugar. You can gently reheat the
nothing here goes to waste. Peelings are used to ends are still wet. If they’re dry asparagus in the stock if you’ve
make a delicate, creamy soup; broken spears are and woody, snap them off where cooked it in advance.
added to stews. And like Elmar, Joseph fosters they naturally break, but don’t
strong local relationships; he’s been buying his throw away the ends — you can AL DENTE
asparagus from the same farm for over 20 years. use them (and the peelings) Cooked white asparagus should
I sit down at a small wooden table, where for stock. have a bit of bite to it. Cooking
waitress and student Paulina Brandt, dressed times vary depending on the size
in a traditional black and white uniform, BEST KEPT of the spear, but when it’s ready,
brings my plate of white asparagus with a If you’ve bought spears a day you should be able to easily slide a
beaming smile. or two before you want to cook sharp knife into its thickest part.
With a backdrop of wood-panelled walls and
hand-painted tiles, a tall, flickering candle and
Münster town centre.

Below: flavoured cheeses
at Haferkäserei
Cream of white
asparagus soup
This delicately flavoured, silky
soup from Frank Lembeck,
chef de cuisine at Münster’s
traditional Bavarian restaurant
Altes Gasthaus Leve, is a
German favourite
S E RV E S : 4 TA K E S : 3 0 M I N S
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp caster sugar
130g unsalted butter
500g white asparagus spears,
washed
150ml single cream
a glass of honey-coloured Mosel Riesling, its full of vitamins, so it’s really very healthy.” 30g plain flour
my lunch could be a Dutch Golden Age I drown my white gold in butter. whipped cream and finely
painting. The raft of white asparagus chopped chives, to serve
— straight and white and meticulously MEETING THE QUEEN
aligned — shares the plate with waxy, Over the course of my three days here, I try METHOD
yellow new potatoes and a crumpled heap white asparagus several ways. There’s the Bring 400ml water to the
of wafer-thin, dark pink Westphalian ham soup, garnished with chives; and a fresh, vin- boil in a large pan. Add the
(a regional delicacy made from acorn-fed, egary salad with chopped egg, bacon, tomato sugar and 100g of the butter.
forest-dwelling pigs; their meat dry-cured and and herbs. I eat it grilled, served on a charcoal- Peel the asparagus, then
cold-smoked over beechwood). grey plate with tiny poached quails’ eggs and blanch the peel quickly in the
This is the best of the best local produce, dots of bright green moss mayonnaise. But water. Remove and discard.
prepared and cooked very simply, and I it’s the potatoes and ham that I keep thinking Next add the asparagus to
suddenly feel terribly spoilt. Paulina puts about: it’s an old-fashioned dish, yet it doesn’t the pan and simmer over a low-
down two stainless steel sauce boats next to feel outdated, and when I think of sweeping a medium heat for 10-15 mins,
my plate. One is filled with a bright yellow forkful of potato, ham and white gold through until a sharp knife slides into it
hollandaise so thick it wobbles, the other with melted golden butter, I don’t want to have it easily. Lift the asparagus out of
a pool of glossy melted butter. I ask why she any other way. the pan, run under cold water,
likes white asparagus, and she gives the same As I learn about the traditional regional drain and set aside.
answer I keep receiving: “It’s around for such a cuisine here — cured meat and sausages, Melt the remaining butter
very short time and has such a fine taste, plus pumpernickel bread, stews that use up odds in another large pan. Add the
and ends — it becomes apparent flour and stir until you get a
there’s a focus on simplicity, quality, smooth paste. Add the stock
and avoiding waste. Culinary from your first pan along with
traditions are respected for the hard the single cream, and heat
work they represent, and they’re gently for 10 minutes, stirring
being embraced by the younger constantly.
generations, too. Down by Münster’s Pass the soup through a
harbour — once a bustling port sieve; season with salt and
now buzzing with cafes and bars ground black pepper to taste,
— I visit the Hafenkäserei, an and more sugar if desired.
organic dairy producing creatively Chop the asparagus into
flavoured Gouda and red smear small pieces, then add to the
cheeses using four-generation-old soup. Serve garnished with
processes. In the dairy’s cafe, the whipped cream and chives.
cheeses are served with beers from
one of Münster’s flourishing craft
breweries. Elsewhere, at the six tiny Tolkötter White asparagus served with
bakeries dotted around town, over 50 different quail eggs at Hof Grothues-
types of bread are sold — a mix of traditional Potthoff. Below: Christine
loaves made from old grains, innovative fruit Hengemann, the ‘asparagus
queen’, at her family farm,
loaves, and rye sourdough rolls.
Spargelhof Hengemenn
On my final afternoon in Münsterland,
I drive 10 miles east to meet the region’s
‘asparagus queen’, Christine Hengemann, at
her family farm, Spargelhof Hengemenn. I’m
hoping she’ll shed more light on Germany’s
passion for the white gold. I’m struck by just
how relentlessly flat the landscape is. The
fields — in turn, lush green, bright yellow, and
brown and white (rows of polythene sheeting
covering mounds of white asparagus) — are
interrupted only by clusters of trees and huge,
whirring wind turbines.
Twenty-one-year-old Christine is sitting
outside the farmhouse in the shade of a
200-year-old tree when I arrive, looking regal
in a burgundy dress, embroidered cream sash
and glittering tiara — although she’s eager to
let me know she’d rather be wearing jeans and
a T-shirt. Showing me round the small, tidy
farm, Christine tells me the paid role involves
promoting white asparagus at festivals and
events all season on behalf of the regional
growers’ association.
We sit down at a table outside the farm shop
in the late-afternoon sun, and Christine’s
mother Sabine appears with bowls of white
asparagus soup. She’s been running the farm
for nearly 30 years. I ask her why the vegetable
is so beloved in these parts. Wearing the sort
of misty-eyed expression reserved for the very
fondest of memories, she recalls her childhood:
“White asparagus was a wonderful treat, and

ESSENTIALS
expensive, because of the hard work required
to produce it. We’d have it as a special meal GETTING THERE
on Sundays, or to celebrate Mother’s Day or Lufthansa has flights to
Pentecost. It’s what you go home for to have Münster Osnabruck, with
cooked by your mum.” a stop at either Frankfurt
I think about this as I travel the long, or Munich, from Heathrow,
straight road back to Münster. Over the past Manchester, Birmingham,

Edinburgh and Glasgow.
three days, I’ve asked everyone I’ve met why
lufthansa.com
white asparagus is so popular in Germany.
Some said it’s because the season is so short
W H E R E T O S TAY
that they can’t help but gorge themselves; H4 Hotel Münster has rooms
others have expounded on its health benefits. from €120 (£105) a night, B&B;
Sabine’s nostalgia, however, rings truer than Hof Grothues-Potthoff in
these explanations, and Germany’s passion for Senden, has rooms from €103
the white gold suddenly makes sense. Having (£91), room only. h-hotels.com
learned what’s important to many people here hof-grothues-potthoff.de
— a deep pride in their regional produce and

H OW T O D O I T
respect for hard work; a love of good-quality
Expedia has two nights at H4
ingredients prepared simply and without
Hotel Münster, including a
waste; and an appreciation for tradition — it
return flight from Heathrow
seems that white asparagus represents all of with flights from £260.
this, a symbol of all that is Münsterland. Isn’t expedia.co.uk
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Last summer, the Hong Kong government identified 20 examples of
its intangible cultural heritage. Its list featured two drinks: herbal
tea, and Hong Kong-style milk tea. Their inclusion would have come
as no surprise to anyone who knows the territory — for while it has
a celebrated food scene, Hong Kong has always taken its beverages
as seriously as its chow. In fact, the only real surprise was that
more drinks weren’t listed: where was snake wine, for example, or
‘yuenyeung’ tea–coffee mix, or flower teas such as jasmine or love-
pea vine? If you want to get to know Hong Kong, sip with the locals:
from the scalding Chinese tea, which is also used to clean bowls and
chopsticks, to cocktails created in some of the world’s best bars. Not
to mention sugarcane and fruit juice, sold by streetside hawkers, and
craft and homebrew beer — Hong Kong’s latest passion.
W O R D S & P H O T O G R A P H S : M A R K PA R R E N TAY L O R
Making an ‘Open Sesame’ at
Mrs Pound, a speakeasy-style bar in
the hipster PoHo neighbourhood
H O N G KO N G
Clockwise from top left: ‘Wakou’ (a variant of mojito) at Shoku,

a Japanese restaurant at Repulse Bay; H K Brew Craft stocks the city’s
largest selection of craft beers, supplies home brewers and offers
workshops; a cup of Chinese tea at Duddell’s; Elephant Grounds
coffee shop at Star Street, Wan Chai
Herboland, on Lamma, one of Hong
Kong’s Outlying Islands, is a sweet
spot for a herbal tea pick-me-up
H O N G KO N G
From left: Award-winning mixologist

Antonio Lai at his bar with a view, VEA;
Angel’s Share is a whisky bar on SoHo’s
Hollywood Road. This is its version of the
classic Manhattan, called the ‘Six-months
barrel-aged Manhattan’
T HE ART OF CHO C OL AT E
32 NE W DESIGNS
NEW NEW
4 NE W B ARS
3 x RESP ONSIBIL I T Y:
Nº01 We only use sust ain able

or g ani c c er t i f i e d
ing r e di ent s.
Nº02 O p t imal pr o duc t

pr o te c t i on by c omple tely
e c olog i c al p a ck ag ing
NEW NEW
( Na t ur e F lex T M inste a d o f
aluminium foil, FSC cer tified.)
Nº03 C o c o a cul t i va t i on
wi th out ex ploi t a t i on
and child lab our.
compostable
foil inside
replaces
aluminium foil
W W W. VIVANI. DE
H O N G KO N G
From top: Afternoon

tea at The Peninsula;
For all their love of tea,
Hongkongers take their
coffee seriously too
H O N G KO N G
Clockwise from top left: Beer on tap; gin was popular among colonial
Brits, who apocryphally swilled their just-cleaned teeth with the spirit
because the water was unpotable — and the love lives on at Ping Pong,
the Sai Ying Pun district gin palace; Belle Leung and Warren You from
H K Brew Craft, who say most of their customers are women; floral tea
IC E L ANDIC
The people of Iceland are embracing their natural larder like never before,
creating everything from traditional skyr to birch sap to vegan sausages
ORIGINALS
WORDS: HANNAH SUMMERS
PHOTOGR APHS: K AROLINA WIERCIGROCH
ICELAND
E
ymundur takes a big gulp of black coffee. Frowns. And then smiles. “Being
a farmer is a gamble,” he tells me. “Especially in Iceland.” He points to the
floor-to-ceiling window of his farm’s cafe. Light floods through it, revealing
berry bushes, towering aspen trees and, somewhere in the distance, a long ridge
of snow-dusted mountains.
Consider the most idyllic conditions for years old — then sprinkles it with edible purple pansies. Twenty years on,
crop growing — then slide to the other end the dish remains popular, just one of the many ways in which Eymundur’s
of the scale. And even further still. This is low-sugar, low-GI grains help to fuel locals and travellers passing through
gluggaveður (‘window weather’ — nice to look the region. “It’s delicious,” I enthuse.
at, not so great to be out in), when cobalt-blue Not an adjective commonly associated with Icelandic food, it has to be said.
sky combines with blow-you-over wind, frost The country’s diet has long been — unfairly — caricatured by outsiders as
and snow — probably the worst conditions something of a comic novelty, thanks in part to the disproportionate fame of
for a farmer. dishes like fermented shark, sheep’s head and rams’ testicles. But while such
But Eymundur isn’t just any farmer. Far traditional foods are still consumed, the island’s culinary range is far broader.
from it. Today, Vallanes, his 988-acre farm in It has long relied heavily on imports, though, so when the financial crisis hit
East Iceland, is the most successful organic in 2008, Icelanders were forced to look to their own shores and see what they
farm in the country; the barley producer of could produce themselves.
choice for everyone from hip indie chocolate “It was like a volcanic eruption,” Eyglo, Eymundur’s partner tells me.
brand Omnom to the cosy, traditional “Energy was released through all sectors; people moved from finance
restaurants that dot the countryside. “I Previous pages: to food. It created new producers — it made us realise we could make
wanted to be a farmer since I was six,” the dried cod heads, something for ourselves.”
sixty-something tells me. “Cultivating gives Borgarfjörður Eyglo, who previously worked for a company importing Italian
me a good feeling. A freshly ploughed field is Eystri goods, was one of the many who shifted focus. Today, she runs the
From left:
the most beautiful thing in the world.” greenhouse at Vallanes, a vast space filled with rocket, tarragon and
Eymumdur and
Today, I’m sampling produce at his farm’s angelica, which she tinkers with as she shows me around. In the adjacent
Eyglo, outside their
cafe, built using wood from trees Eymundur cafe she serves punters hearty breakfasts, including barley pancakes,
cafe at Vallanes;
planted here in the late-1980s. He heaps two greenhouse, which I heap with her homemade rhubarb jam, plus punchy chutneys and
spoonfuls of Gabriel’s Breakfast into my bowl Vallanes; Gabriel’s fermented cabbage. I’m surprised just how tasty this last item is, especially
— a cinnamon and barley concoction that Breakfast, served considering it’s 8am. But it feels like a good time, and the right place, to try
Eymundur made for his son when he was three at the Vallanes cafe new things.
O N TH E M E N U
Reindeer
The animal was introduced
to Iceland from Norway in
the late 18th century and
today 9,000 or so roam the
countryside — but only in the
east. Head to Skriðuklaustur, a
cosy cafe located in the former
house of local writer Gunnar
Gunnarsson. The owner,
Elisabet, makes delicious
homemade reindeer meatballs
served with barley-otto (a
barley risotto). skriduklaustur.is
Cod
Cod is one of the main catches
from Iceland’s waters, and
one of the best places to try
it is Beituskúrinn - The Bait
Shack — located right on the
water in the fishing town
of Neskaupstaður. Go for a
sharing platter of salt cod,
tomato and new potatoes,
or the lemon sole and barley.
hildibrandhotel.com
Lamb
Icelandic lamb is lean and
game-like in flavour, partly
because many of the animals
live in the mountains and feast
on lingonberries and wild
herbs. Try a traditional stew
with root vegetables and lamb
shank at Íslenski Barinn, an
informal restaurant in Reykjavik
that’s known for its historic
recipes. islenskibarinn.is
Chocolate
They may source their cocoa
beans from across the globe,
but hip indie chocolate brand
Omnom only uses Icelandic
milk in its chocolate bars, which
are pimped with local sea salt
and barley. Try, or buy, at its
Reykjavik-based shop-factory.
omnomchocolate.com
Geothermal rye bread

Fifty miles from Reykjavik,
Laugarvatn Fontana
Geothermal Baths sit on the
edge of Laugarvatn lake. The
baths may be lovely for a soak,
but the geothermal energy is
also used to make rye bread.
Try it with local trout. fontana.is
ICELAND
Mum knows best dolloped into a bowl and doused even more generously with cream, to an
A few miles down the road in the small even sweeter version layered with a chunky blackcurrant jam. Traditionally,
lakeside town of Egilsstaðir (the gateway to it’s a product that would have been topped with blueberries and eaten as a
the region, thanks to its small airport), I meet meal — although nowadays commercial giants around the globe stock it in
Vigdis and her son, Baldur, at their family- the yogurt aisle and market it as a snack.
run farm. The duo are the region’s go-to In the small kitchen at the back of the cafe I get a sneak peak of the skyr-
producers of one of Iceland’s most traditional making process, and sample the latest batch. It’s tangy, almost cheesy,
dishes: skyr. While Brits may be familiar with although not at all off-putting. “It’s a forgotten art to enjoy sour foods,”
skyr for its recent trendiness — the protein- Baldur explains. “The 21st-century diet has become so accustomed to sugar.”
packed, low-fat, low-sugar yogurt-cheese Despite this, their lightly sweetened version is a hit: the family deliver
hybrid has been labelled as the next superfood paper parcels (no plastic packaging here, thanks) to hotels, restaurants and
— it’s a food that’s been eaten in Iceland for families all over the east of the island.
over 1,000 years.
“I learnt to make skyr from my mother- Happy coincidence
in-law,” Vigdis tells me. She adds that her For many Icelanders, the financial crash meant they were forced into a new
grandmother went to school in the early 1900s career, but for others the straitened economic climate proved fortuitous,
to learn to make it, and shows me a black-and- opening the door to new opportunities. I drive out of Egilsstaðir towards
white portrait from that era. Hallormsstaður — the biggest forest in the country. Unlike the car-clogged
The family has operated a dairy farm for southern coast, which is much more popular with visitors, the roads here in
the past 30 years, and as the country’s tourist the east are blissfully empty, aside from the few thousand geese that happily
industry boomed, so did visitor interest in saunter across the lanes, or plant themselves on the hard shoulder, enjoying
their Icelandic cattle — traditionally, they’re a breezy snooze. After a series of turns, I arrive deep in the forest where
the only breed used to make the protein. Gudny and Begga are working in their ‘office’ — 90 or so spindly birch trees
“I said to my husband that visitors kept Clockwise that stretch into the sky, where the only sound is the whoosh of air through
coming to look at the farm. I told him we from left: Skyr, their leaves.
should do something to market ourselves. Fjóshornið; salmon In theory, anyone could come to this government-owned forest, tap the
He ignored my ideas,” she says. “Then the belly on hot birch trees and pick leaves for their tea. But turning that into a lucrative
volcanic stones,
financial crisis hit,” she laughs, “and he finally business is a different matter. In many ways, the two friends were helped
Norð Austur - Sushi
paid attention.” along by the crash: they were reluctant to take out a bank loan to turn
& Bar; Gudny
The result is Fjoshornid, the family’s small, their hobby into a business, so decided to pick pine cones in the forest
tapping birch sap
comfy cafe next to the farm. I settle into a in Hallormsstaður and sell them over Christmas. That coincided with a period when cones
vintage velvet armchair and try their skyr in forest; kleinur — traditionally imported from Holland — suddenly became very pricy,
various forms, from the straight-up barely doughnuts, forcing people to buy local. “We made 400,000 kroner [£3,000] selling cones
sweetened version, which is generously Hildibrand Hotel at Christmas, which allowed us to fund our kitchen,” Gudny says. Today,
ICELAND
although still part hobby, part business, the ladies supply the country’s of skyr. Next is a delicate crab roll (“Alli, the
supermarkets with birch syrup, birch tea leaves, rhubarb and stoneberry fisherman, showed up at my door today asking
jams — a selection of which I happily stash in my suitcase. what I could do with it,” Jonny says), before
thick slices of salmon belly are seared on a
New ideas, new life piping-hot stone nabbed from a beach on the
But the island’s economic woes weren’t solely responsible for the exciting south coast.
shift in Iceland’s culinary landscape. East Iceland is crammed with Instead of trying to recreate Japanese
motivated entrepreneurs and creative individuals who are shaping the cookery using authentic Asian ingredients
country’s cuisine, and injecting new life into the coast’s tiny fishing towns and techniques, Jonny has simply adapted
while they’re at it. to what’s available here on the east coast.
Take Seyðisfjörður, for example, a little town accessible only by a road For instance, instead of using rice bran and
that drops over the top of a mountain and down into a bay via a series of salt in the pickling process, as before, he now
10%-incline switchbacks that pass plunging waterfalls. It’s hell for the uses barley sourced from Vallanes. The farm is
cyclists that arrive here on the ferry from Denmark, but heaven for my nerdy also his main herb provider — Eyglo finds out
inner geographer. It’s also achingly pretty, with its little houses, sunsets on what he needs, then commits to growing it in
the sea and bobbing fishing boats making me long to pick up a paintbrush her greenhouse.
and coat some canvas.
I could stand here by the water, taking it in for hours, but I’ve a reservation Microbrews & vegan bangers
to keep. On the second floor of a repurposed convenience store I find Norð A little way along the coast in the tiny
Austur - Sushi & Bar, a beautiful restaurant with moss-green walls and navy fishing village of Breiðdalsvík, Elis has a big
net curtains (the hip kind, not the type you’d find at your grandma’s house). responsibility on his hands. Huge. In a two-
It’s the work of David, one of the restaurant’s co-owners, who’s spent the past storey warehouse that once functioned as a
few years converting the village’s abandoned bank, school and shops into slaughterhouse and fish factory, he uses the
restaurants and boutique hotels. region’s abundant water supply to brew beer,
Traditionally prepared cod was never going to cut it here. Instead, David serving his fruity 6% pale ales to the village’s
wanted to put a whole new spin on the Icelandic catch, serving it — much loyal locals, as well as travellers like me.
to the horror of the ageing locals — as sushi. “It gives the fisherman a whole Clockwise from The east’s first microbrewery, Beljandi
top left: Jonny
new appreciation for fish, culturally,” explains Jonny, the half-Japanese, Brewery, opened last year following an
prepares smoked
half-Italian chef who relocated from Washington DC to work here. “To see an ambitious, whisky-fuelled agreement between
arctic char with
old, experienced fisherman open up new doors, and be excited about what Elis and his now business partner. “Iceland is
skyr at Norð
we can do with the fish here is so fun.” He adjusts his baseball cap and starts Austur - Sushi & a country that’s full of opportunities,” he tells
slicing the freshest fish I’ll ever taste. Bar; Jonny at work; me, pouring me another ale. “We adapt fast.”
It starts with a punchy, tongue-tingling coriander, mint and yuzu (a citrus Seyðisfjörður; I see what he means. Beer, to my amazement,
fruit)-dressed ceviche, followed by a smoked arctic char served on a dollop Beljandi Brewery was only made legal here in 1989, but today
ICELAND
Happy marriage cake

Skriðuklaustur cafe’s version of a
simple traditional Icelandic dessert
made with oats and rhubarb
S E RV E S : 8 TA K E S : 9 0 M I N S ,
INCLUDING COOLING
INGREDIENTS:
F O R T H E R H U B A R B JA M
220g diced rhubarb
150g granulated sugar
F O R T H E OAT B A S E
220g plain white flour
180g salted butter
150g granulated sugar
125g rolled oats
1 medium sized egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
METHOD
First make the jam. Put
the rhubarb and sugar in a
saucepan over a medium-high
heat. Cook for an hour or until
it’s thick, stirring frequently and
reducing the heat if it starts to
bubble, then set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C, fan
160°C, gas 4 and grease a 25cm
tart tin with a removable base.
Mix all the base ingredients
in a bowl, bringing it together
to form a crumbly dough. Set
aside ⅓ of the dough, and
press the remaining ⅔ dough
into the tin, spreading it evenly
and pressing it about 3cm up
the sides.
Spoon over the cooled
rhubarb jam, then crumble the
reserved dough over the top.
Bake in the oven for 20-25
minutes, or until golden. Leave
to cool completely before
removing from the tin.
Dust with icing sugar, slice
and serve with double cream.
ICELAND
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE:
Flights to
Reykjavik’s Keflavík
International
Airport from
the UK include
Norwegian Air
from Gatwick,
Wow Air from
Gatwick and
Iceland Air from
Manchester and
Heathrow. Iceland
Connect has flights
from Reykjavik
(domestic) to
Egilsstadir.
norwegian.com
wowair.co.uk
icelandair.com
it’s guzzled as fondly as black coffee. And when the ales inevitably take their Above: Currywurst Bulsur vegan sausage airiceland
toll, the bar-brewery also serves fish and chips on its sun deck. With a pint with mashed homegrown organic connect.com
in my hand and the hypnotic sound of the waves in my ears, I have to be potatoes and hot curry sauce
practically dragged away. Below: Berglind serving hot chocolate at W H E R E T O S TAY:

Havarí, the cafe on Karlsstaðir farm
We then take the coastal road — an empty winding slice of tarmac that The Wilderness
virtually touches the Norwegian Sea on one side and mountains on the other Center has quirky,
— soon arriving at Karlsstaðir farm. From the outside it looks like a series of vintage-style
twin rooms in
sheep sheds surrounded by fields, but inside is a super-cool cafe, complete
its converted
with dangly light bulbs and a stage for live bands — Svavar, one of the
farmhouse, plus
owners, is the lead singer in an Icelandic group called Prins Polar.
dorm rooms
He’s on tour, but his wife, Berglind, is keen for me to try their Bulsur, the designed to
vegan sausage that catapulted them to culinary fame in 2013. “We were replicate life in
vegetarian at the time and there wasn’t anything on the market like it,” she 19th-century
tells me. “We made them in our kitchen and they sold out in supermarkets in Iceland. The
three hours.” restaurant serves
Nowadays, the couple source barley from Vallanes and sell more excellent home-
than 20,000 packs of sausages a year; many of them are served up cooked dishes.
From £104 per
at their farm’s cafe, Havarí, alongside homemade kale chips — kale
room. wilderness.is
being one of the vegetables that will happily grow in Iceland’s somewhat
inhospitable climate.
H OW T O D O I T:
I go for a currywurst — a delicious vegan sausage packed with chilli, Discover the World
garlic, barley and seeds, served on a duvet of mashed homegrown organic offers a seven-
potatoes, and topped with a slightly spicy tomato sauce. It’s deliciously night North and
filling, but I have one eye on dessert — a traditional Icelandic happy East Iceland trip
marriage cake. Packed with rhubarb (which grows as readily as weeds in from £1,329 per
Iceland) and oats, it’s a crumble-esque dish that’s supposed to guarantee a person, including
successful marriage — providing you remember to serve your other half a accommodation,
flights from the
generous slice.
UK and internal
Full and content, I take a wander outside. There’s a dizzying amount of
flights, plus car
space, with endless fields of kale, swaying heather and waterfalls negotiating
hire. discover-
their way down the surrounding mountains. I think back to Eymundur’s the-world.co.uk;
comment, that life as a farmer is a gamble. That may well be the case, but Tanni Travel offers
if East Iceland’s culinary entrepreneurs are anything to go by, the risk is bespoke multi-day
paying off. @BurgersandBruce tours. tannitravel.is
FROM
FAR M
TO
FORC HETTA
In the seaside town of Scauri, 100 miles from Rome, the Di Meo
family produce all they need to dine like gourmets. Be it
succulent beef rolls, tender mozzarella or homemade wine, it’s all
served with Italian hospitality — and a slice of wild cherry tart
W O R D S : R A C H E L R O D DY. P H O T O G R A P H S : S U S A N W R I G H T
BREAKING BREAD
H
Scauri is a district of Minturno, the last coastal
AVING FOUND WHAT I town before the region of Lazio becomes
Campania. It’s taken two and a half hours to
HOPE IS THE CORRECT drive here from Rome. Later, during lunch,
Filippo laughs and shakes his pinched fingers
UNNAMED STREET, at my journey along the Pontina and Appia
— both B roads — when the motorway would
I’M REASSURED TO have shaved an hour off that time. Slow it was,
but the Appia, one of ancient Rome’s most
SEE GEMM A WAVING important roads, cuts through a changing
landscape of reclaimed marshland, national
AT THE GATE. SHE DIRECTS MY parks and coastline, linking important towns
to appealing seaside spots: San Felice Circeo,
CAR TO A SPOT BENEATH THE Sperlonga, Terracina, Gaeta. The final payoff
for an extra hour in the car was the taste of the
SHADE OF A LEMON TREE. A sea on my lips along a stretch known locally as
Costa d’Oro (‘golden coast’), which twists and
WAR M WELCOME IS FOLLOWED BY rises through craggy almost-mountains and
past holiday resorts, before arriving in Scauri.
M ATERNAL WORRY — ABOUT THE I’ve come with my son, Luca, to eat Sunday
lunch with Filippo and Gemma Di Meo, their
WEATHER, ABOUT MY JOURNEY, son, Paolo, daughter-in-law, Manuela, and two
grandchildren, seven-year-old Arianna and
ABOUT WHETHER I’VE HAD four-year-old Filippo. Inside, I’m greeted by
the warm fug of cooking smells and the sound
ENOUGH COFFEE. of a cartoon on the TV. The house was built
in the 1960s next to the house Filippo was
born in, which is now long gone. I’m familiar
with insistent Italian hospitality. Guests are
encouraged to make themselves at home. “Are
you sure you wouldn’t like more coffee, or tea,
or juice?” “Would Luca like a biscuit?” “What
time would you like to eat lunch?”
Previous pages, from left:
homegrown broccoli; Gemma,
Filippo and family. Clockwise
from top left: the town of Gaeta;
the streets of Minturno; Filippo
picking broccoli; buckets of grain
on the Di Meo family farm
Clockwise from top left: roast
chicken and potatoes; Gemma
preparing greens picked from
the garden; Filippo on his farm;
potatoes with rosemary; sun-
dried, homegrown chillies
BREAKING BREAD
Family favourites
M OZ Z A R E L L A D I B U FA L A :
Once, all mozzarella was ‘di
bufala’, meaning it was made
from the milk of water buffalos
grazing in Campania. Over
time, though, ‘mozzarella’ has
come to refer to any stretched
curd cheese. Mozzarella di
bufala campana, which has a
Protected Designation of Origin
(PDO), can only be produced
using particular methods, in
specific parts of Campania, or
Latina or Frosinone (both in
Lazio). Manuela describes it as
the “purest expression of this
territory”. Good mozzarella di
bufala is best eaten on the day
it’s bought, having never seen a
fridge. It’s richer than the stuff
made from cows’ milk; velvety
in texture and fragrant, both
I realise everything we’ve seen, smelled or talked about sweet and decidedly savoury.
— potatoes, olive oil, peas, onion, sausages, beef, tomato
C O N S E RVA D I P O M O D O RO :
sauce, preserved vegetables, dried chili, vinegar, lemons, The annual task of bottling
chicken — was grown, raised or made by a family member tomato passata is one Gemma
and her sisters have been
doing since childhood. It’s a
Involtini di manzo (beef rolls braised in eyebrows and a Christopher Walken-esque laborious race against ripeness
tomato sauce) are spluttering on the stove, crest of white hair. His greeting as he walks in the heat of high summer.
misting the kitchen window. Gemma explains into the kitchen is much the same as the one The process of washing kilos
how she rolled the slices of beef around he gives at the market: a raised arm, cocked and kilos of tomatoes, cooking
batons of carrot and celery and secured them eyebrow and easy, “tutto bene?” (‘all good?’). them down, passing them
with a cocktail stick before simmering in the He takes me to a storeroom across the yard. through a huge food mill,
sauce. Peas are braised with onion, olive oil It smells of damp newspaper and wine, which bottling and boiling takes
and crumbled sausage. She’s also preparing is unsurprising given the two large aluminium the women several days. It
chicken with potatoes and rosemary, while her tanks, each one 6ft high with the girth of a provides them with a year’s
son is bringing fresh mozzarella di bufala and tractor tyre. Filippo has brought two empty worth of rich tomato sauce,
her daughter-in-law a wild cherry tart. Would bottles from the kitchen. He sits them beneath which becomes the foundation
we like antipasti too? the tap on one of the tanks and twists — the of thick soups, pasta sauces,
As the potatoes are chopped, and garlic bottle is filled with a rush of liquid, the room braised fish and vegetables,
peeled and squashed with the heel of Gemma’s with the thick scent of fermented grapes. and dishes such as beef rolls.
hand, kitchen advice is mixed with talk of her Even in the half light the wine is a deep, inky
sons, Gaetano and Paolo, of learning to make purple; a mix of three grapes grown locally C H I C K E N W I T H P OTATO E S
preserves as a young girl, and her frustration by two of Filippo’s brothers: Negroamaro (an A N D RO S E M A RY: A Di Meo
at not being as strong as she once was. I’m ancient indigenous variety), Montepulciano family favourite, with crisp skin
about to ask where she buys her ingredients and Primitivo. and even crisper potatoes.
when I realise everything we’ve seen, smelled Filippo describes his wine as simple, just The chicken, raised by Filippo,
or talked about so far — potatoes, olive oil, for family and friends. Also just for the family has been allowed to run free
peas, onion, sausages, beef, tomato sauce, is passata di pomodoro (tomato conserve), and fed on grain grown by his
preserved vegetables, dried chili, vinegar, 100 bottles of which — maybe more — line brother. Gemma plucks the
lemons, chicken — was grown, raised or made the shelves. In the next room hangs salami, bird, and once it’s jointed, each
by a member of the family. cured by Filippo and his brothers as a way of piece is rubbed with olive oil
It may be my first time meeting Gemma, but preserving the pig slaughtered each December. and rosemary — as are pieces
I’ve known Filippo for 13 years. Now in his 60s, As we walk back across the yard, Gemma of potato. The whole lot is then
he has one of the longest-running and best is choosing a lettuce from the six or so picked roasted. Chickens are precious
fruit and vegetable stalls at my local market that morning. While she pulls away the leaves, because they provide eggs,
in Testaccio, Rome. Other stallholders joke she tells me the great pleasure of having a so this dish is something to be
that he’s the most famous and photographed modern house — of not living the hard, poor shared and appreciated by the
— which is most likely true — because he’s way they did as children — is that the produce, whole family.
affable and approachable, and because he’s so animals and earth stay outside and her house
distinctive, slight and strong, with very dark is clean.
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BREAKING BREAD
Gemma’s involtini
di manzo
A traditional dish of beef rolls
braised in tomato sauce. It can be
served in two parts — the sauce
for pasta and the rolls as a second
course — or all together with rice or
a scoop of buttery mashed potato
S E RV E S : 4
TA K E S : 2 H R S 2 0 M I N S
INGREDIENTS
1 large carrot
1 large celery stalk
10 slices of beef (rump or chuck
are ideal), approx. 3mm thick,
flattened using a meat hammer
or cling film and a rolling pin
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
125ml white or red wine Paccheri al pomodoro
METHOD
Julienne the carrot and celery
to get thin batons roughly as A little goes a long way Gemma’s extended family still farm and own
long as the beef is wide. Take Filippo offers to show me his land, 1.5 miles much of the local land. No one is rich, but
a slice of beef, lay it flat on the away, and as we drive there he points out they live well enough, as between them they
work surface and season with houses the way a tour guide would: the produce everything they need. But things are
salt and pepper. Place a bundle home of his brother who grows grapes, of changing, as fewer children follow in their
of carrot and celery (about another brother, of an uncle who is half-blind, parents’ footsteps and supermarkets undercut
three of each) along the edge a sister. A pop song by Loredana Berté plays the true cost of ingredients.
of the beef slice and tightly roll, on the radio. Filippo grabs a handful of hay for the horse.
tucking in the sides. Secure with We make a pit stop to stand on the sea wall There are also half-a-dozen chickens and
a cocktail stick. Repeat for the and look out towards the island of Ponza while two-dozen rabbits to feed. Most fascinating,
rest of the meat. Filippo has a cigarette. In summer, this is a though, are the large, intricately woven and
Very finely chop the hugely popular destination for families, and painted pictures leaning against the shed,
tomatoes or blitz in a food even on a grey day like today the arching bay including a particularly beautiful one of St
processor. Warm the olive oil is impressive, ending with the lip of Gaeta one Francis. They were all made by Filippo for
in a frying pan over a medium way, Volturno the other. The land in these the local festa del grano, festival of grain — a
heat, add the beef rolls and parts is good — natural salt meeting volcanic ritual dating back to ancient Roman times,
brown on all sides. Add the soil and elevation, enough rain in winter to see which sees the whole village celebrate the
wine, increasing the heat until it it through the long, hot summers. It’s land that wheat harvest with a parade and a feast.
sizzles and evaporates. begets some of Italy’s great produce: olives, Before we leave, Filippo cuts some sprouting
Add the tomatoes and stir. greens and citrus in autumn and winter; deep broccoli for me to take back to Rome. He is,
Reduce the heat and simmer, red tomatoes and watermelons the size of he says, happiest on his land. With our shoes
turning the rolls a couple of basketballs in summer. And it’s good grazing clogged in mud, we climb in the car and drive
times, until the meat is cooked for buffalos, whose rich milk produces some of back the long way, so we can pause to look up at
through and tender (1½–2 hrs). the best mozzarella. the ancient town of Minturno.
Add a little more wine or water There’s little to see at this time of year, Back at the house, the scent of chicken,
if the sauce dries out. Rest the Filippo tells me as we walk out over one of his potatoes and rosemary fills the room. While
rolls for 15 mins before serving. fields. Only broccoli, artichokes and a variety we wait for the rest of the family, Filippo pulls
of chicory called puntarelle. His ‘little’ seems out photographs of the festa to show me. It’s
like an abundance to me. Most of his and touching to see the pictures of him and his
BREAKING BREAD
Manuela’s crostata
di visciole
This version of a beloved Italian
classic is filled with wild cherry jam
S E RV E S : 8 TA K E S : 1 H R
10 MIN S, PLUS 1 HR RESTING
INGREDIENTS
300g plain flour
150g cold unsalted butter, plus
extra for greasing
100g caster sugar
grated zest of 1 small unwaxed
lemon
3 eggs
500g sour cherry jam
METHOD
Sift the flour into a large
bowl. Dice the butter and add
to the bowl. Working quickly,
rub the butter into the flour
until the mix resembles fine
breadcrumbs. Add the sugar,
Manuela’s Crostata di visciole lemon zest and a pinch of salt,
and mix everything together.
Beat 2 eggs, add to the flour
and butter mixture, then bring
brothers in the parade at every stage of their More wine is poured and glasses raised. The it together to form a smooth
lives: as young boys, gangly teenagers, with sauce from the beef rolls is served with wide dough. Wrap it in cling film and
their own sons. There are photos of Filippo’s tubes of pasta called paccheri, which we eat as let it rest in the fridge for 1 hr.
father, his and Gemma’s wedding, him behind a primo (first course). The rolls themselves are Preheat the oven to 180°C,
his market stall. He was nine years old when part of the secondo, with chicken, which Paolo fan 160°C, gas 4 and grease
he first took the train to Rome with his older pronounces overcooked. I’m asked what I think a 24cm tart tin. Put a baking
brother to work, and in 1967, at just 14, Filippo — Gemma insisting I tell the truth because, she tray in the oven to heat up.
was given his own stall at Testaccio Market. says, if you can’t be honest about food, what On a flour-dusted work
Half a century later he still wakes up at 3am can you be honest about? surface, roll two-thirds of the
each morning to drive the hour and half into With Italian meals, how you eat is often as dough into a round just larger
Rome. He arrives back in Scauri at 5pm and important as what you eat; Sunday is the day for than the tin. Lift the pastry into
goes straight to his land to prepare for the next mangiata, a big get-together with lots of food. the tin and press it gently into
day. Sunday is his day for resting — and eating. Family lunches are central to Italian culture the corners. Trim off any excess.
The front door bursts opens and the two and can go on for hours; bread — an extra piece Prick the base with a fork.
grandchildren charge in, followed by Paolo and of cutlery — is used to wipe plates clean. Pour over the jam and smooth
Manuela. They live in the self-contained, first- The mozzarella arrives, tender and fragrant, out with a knife to cover. Roll
floor flat, but more often than not they eat here some of the best I’ve tasted. Manuela laughs; out the remaining pastry, cut
— and always on a Sunday, often with Paolo’s for them it’s a five out of 10 — just wait until the it into strips, then criss-cross
brother too. A true Pranzo domenicale (family buffalos eat grass with spring herbs. We talk them over the tart. Beat the
Sunday lunch). about the seasons, the beach, sights we should remaining egg and brush the
Bread, wine and water are first on the visit in Minturno, our return visit in summer. egg wash over the strips.
table. Then antipasti: salami and vegetables Hours have passed, the light is fading, the Put the tin on the preheated
preserved in olive oil. I ask if many families children — tired of being at the table — are baking tray and bake for 45–50
grow and preserve as much of their food as they playing. Filippo keeps attempting to refill mins, until the pastry is golden
do. “In Scauri, yes,” says Paolo. That’s because glasses. Manuela needs to take her family and the jam bubbling gently at
it’s a town of farmers, because his parents’ some vegetables, we need to return to Rome. the edges but set in the middle.
generation still know how to live by the seasons. Everyone begins to stir. “La crostata!” cries Serve hot, warm or cold.
Paolo, though, isn’t following in his family’s Gemma — the cherry tart! “You must taste it.
footsteps; he works for the local council. And coffee! Would you like coffee?”
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THE ANCIENT
SECRETS OF KEFIR
Try the psychobiotic milk drink that’s been performing
wonders for centuries. Words: Shann Nix Jones
KEFIR I S OLD.
RE ALLY, RE ALLY OLD.
This tangy, fermented milk drink was Now modern science has confirmed
already ancient when Marco Polo visited the tribesmen’s beliefs — kefir provides
the Caucasus Mountains in the 14th noteworthy health benefits for the human
century. He found tribesmen there kicking body. These include a powerful, positive
the traditional goat-skin kefir impact on the gut and the brain, earning
bag each time they entered it the name psychobiotic. Kefir has also
or left a hut; it was been found to be helpful for IBS patients,
considered polite to aid as well those who suffer from depression
in the stirring process. and anxiety.
The tribesmen jealously Kefir’s international fame continues
guarded the living kefir ‘grains’ today. As an American living in the UK, I
required to make the drink. Polo, like many first learned about kefir while listening to
visitors after him, was allowed to taste, but a Russian doctor on the radio. From there,
not to take any grains away with him. we started making kefir on our family Further reading
The secrets of Kefir remained intact until farm, and in 2012, I used it to cure my Shann Nix Jones’ best-selling
the latter part of the 19th century. Nobel Welsh husband of an antibiotic-resistant book, The Kefir Solution: Natural
prize winner Dr Elie Metchnikoff, now superbug infection. Healing for IBS, Depression and
known as the Father of Modern Immunity, Kefir, with its wondrous health benefits, Anxiety, is available in bookstores
identified kefir as playing a key role in the has turned our little kitchen-table throughout the UK.
long lives of the mountain tribesmen. business, Chuckling Goat, into a million-
Growing impatient with the tribesmen’s pound global enterprise. In June this year,
refusals to share this treasure, in the 1970s our traditionally made kefir was named
the Russian government took 10lb of the Best New Dairy Drink at the International
grain by force. This spawned what today Beverage Awards. Today, we use stainless
is a billion-euro kefir industry traversing steel vats instead of goat-skin bags,
Russia and Eastern Europe. but we feel sure that the Black Caucasus AVA I L A B L E TO
Since their liberation, kefir grains have tribesmen would still recognise our kefir O R D ER FROM
been spreading across the globe. By the as a direct descendant of their own. Kefir, A M A ZO N .CO.U K ,
turn of the century, Japan and America it seems, is on a global mission. The march WAT ER S TO N E S .COM
had begun to embrace kefir. In Chile, goes on. A N D M A N Y MO R E
where it’s known as yogur de pajaritos Psychobiotic kefir is suitable for use B O O K S TO R E S
(‘little birds’ yogurt’), kefir has been against IBS, depression and anxiety and is
consumed for over a century. available from chucklinggoat.co.uk.
DECONSTRUCT
BOUILL ABAI S SE
There are seafood stews, and then there’s bouillabaisse — the pride of Marseille, and a
dish with its own murky folklore that’s worth travelling to the South of France for
WO R D S : M I C H A E L R A F FA E L . P H OTO G R A P H S : C H A R L I E R I C H A R D S
Iconic, complex and a little bit mysterious, tended to be marinated in oil before being demands of a city with a population of around
bouillabaisse is a dish that arouses passion. brought to a rolling boil, then left to finish one million. Some fish species traditionally
Even describing it as a seafood stew, rather cooking on the side of the stove. used in a bouillabaisse — including
than a soup, can be provocative. Once upon a In the pre-molecular gastronomy era, when scorpionfish, weever, wrasse and moray eel
time, it was a simple dish of boiled fish. What haute cuisine was taking shape, the top French — are already in short supply or unique to
happened to it next is a matter of fierce debate, chefs made their soup first and then simmered the Mediterranean coast. Others, such as red
even among the Marseillais, who claim it as the fish in it. This method established itself mullet, John Dory, conger eel, monkfish, sea
their own. once bouillabaisse shifted from popular bass, gilt-head bream and gurnard — could
One version of the story has it that to bourgeois cuisine. In his 1897 book La come from any fishing port in France. For those
fishermen invented it while at sea — boiling Cuisinière Provençale, the chef Jean-Baptiste that equate the authenticity of bouillabaise
a portion of their catch in seawater. Another Reboul described a recipe that became gospel with the use of local fish, this is problematic.
version attributes it to fishmongers simply for decades. He boiled whole fish to create a But in truth, what mustn’t go in the pot is
using up what they’d failed to sell. soupe de poisson à la Marseillaise, a sieved perhaps even more relevant as what must: oily
Either way, what was originally known and strained soup of small rockfish caught in fish like sardines, sprats, mackerel, tuna and
as boui abaisso (meaning ‘boil lower’ in the coastal inlets. salmon are all definite no-nos.
Provençal) emigrated to the French language Reboul’s version remained the norm When making your own, it pays to buy fish
about 200 years ago, causing a culinary for much of the 20th century, but when whole, except for large species like monkfish.
dispute to bubble up that’s yet to be resolved. unscrupulous Marseille restaurants and bistros If they aren’t bright eyed or if they smell fishy
According to one school of thought, the began fleecing tourists with cheaper, less give them a miss. And ask your fishmonger to
fisherman-cook boiled his water, and once complex versions, a scandal was born. To halt scale and fillet them too, ensuring they discard
the fish went into the pot, the temperature its declining reputation, a group of restaurants the gills. Keep all of these trimmings — the
was lowered, allowing it to poach. An early created a charter in 1980, laying down what head and the bones — for stock. Provençal
Provençal poem supports this theory: ‘Never kinds of fish a true bouillabaisse had to include fishermen often add small, velvet crabs they’ve
put oil in a bouillabaisse,’ its author, one S (a minimum of four different types). It also caught to the pot. If you live near the sea it’s a
Crémazy, wrote. ‘Water nourishes the fish but recommended presenting the fish to the practice worth adopting.
oil destroys it.’ customer and filleting them at the table, prior Curnonsky, aka the ‘Prince of Gastronomes’
However, others believe that adding olive to preparation, as a proof of freshness. — the writer who popularised French gastro-
oil during the boiling process, to create tourism after the First World War — called
an emulsion, is an essential stage in the Into the pot bouillabaisse soupe d’or (‘soup of gold’).
preparation of the broth. And yet another Even now, it’s impossible to vouch for the He may have been extolling its colour — it
theory argues that the ‘lower’ part of the name authenticity of every bouillabaisse ladled always includes saffron — but it’s more likely
refers to the reduction of the stock before out in Marseille Vieux Port restaurants. he was referring to the depth of flavour. This
adding the fish to concentrate the flavours. Barqueroles — the small open boats the rich intensity comes from crunching up and
In Martigues, a fishing town that’s almost a top chefs tend to buy directly from — catch straining its component assortment of fish,
suburb of Marseille today, all the ingredients a fraction of the fish that would meet the fish heads, bones, vegetables and seasoning.
O boui-abaisso! Quenti lesco!

STYLING: JACK SARGESON
Lou pèis-sant-Pèire a mourdu l’esco

(O bouillabaise! What slices! The John Dory has taken the bait.)
From Calendau by the Provençal poet Frederic Mistral (1867)
BOUILL ABAISSE
Aside from bones and trimmings and the prized titbits from the rascasse and John
saffron, the jury is out on what else should go Dory heads.
in the soup. Most people these days agree that That boisterous scenario rarely plays out
olive oil is required, and plenty of it. Some today, as table etiquette and fashions in fish
insist on fennel; others say it distracts from cookery have changed a great deal. Ultimately,
the flavour of the fish. Orange zest — dried presenting bouillabaisse as a single-course fait
or fresh — is standard for a soupe de poisson, accompli is more convenient, even though to
but doesn’t always figure in a bouillabaisse. some traditionalists it’s still heresy. Meanwhile,
Old-school cooks sniff at the addition of the fear of lawsuits from clients who’ve choked
white wine. Tomato changes its character on fish bones has done enough to persuade
and colour. Garlic should really be included many restaurateurs to switch to fillets.
— after all, Marseille holds a Garlic Fair every Also changed is the rouille — the ‘rust’
June; anything from a few cloves to a bulb. In — accompanying it. At first, it was an
Martigues, potato is a part of the stew, and in afterthought, which, in the words of author
Marseille, just 25 miles away, it isn’t. Rene Jouveau, was only of interest ‘for
Never assume that the longer a Martigues fishing folk’. A mix of pounded
M AKE ME
bouillabaisse is simmered, the better monkfish liver, garlic, oil and tomato, it made a
Check out the full
rouille recipe at it will taste. Half an hour is plenty. sauce to liven up boiled fish. This evolved into
natgeotraveller. What matters more is the blending a mayonnaise-like emulsion, made with potato
co.uk/food and pressing out of the juices from from the bouillon, oil and red pepper. Spooned
the resultant bone-mush through a onto slices of baguette it enriched the soup. It’s
fine-meshed sieve. Just how much texture still made this way, but sometimes cut with
it should have is up for grabs. On Les Carnets aioli, sometimes flavoured with saffron and
Rouille There are probably de Julie, a food-related programme shown on

French TV, resident expert Raphael Haumont
sometimes seasoned with a hot smoked paprika.
Less convincing is the grated gruyère that
as many versions of this recently advised filtering the soup a second was chic for a while. Deep-fried croutons seem
popular Provençal sauce as time through a pair of 30 denier tights to make a step too far for purists, but that doesn’t stop
it smoother! many restaurants from serving them.
there are cooks making it. If there’s to be a new chapter in the history
The basic ingredients here On the table of bouillabaisse, it’s Marseille’s cooks who’ll
Bouillabaisse wasn’t designed for romantic, most likely write it. Alex Passedat, the chef-
are olive oil, roasted red tete à tete dinners. Honorine, the fishwife patron of three-Michelin-starred Au Petit
pepper puree and garlic. from Marcel Pagnol’s 1930s ‘Marseille’ film Nice, dishes up a series of eight tasting plates
trilogy, would’ve dished it up as two courses for his Menu Bouille Abaisse, in which each
Popular additions include to her colourful group of friends and her fish receives bespoke treatment. It costs a mere
breadcrumbs, cayenne daughter, Fanny. They would’ve eaten the €210 (£183). Elsewhere, you can snack on a
soup first with slices of dried bread. The bouillabaisse burger with panisse (chickpea
pepper and saffron platter of fish would’ve followed, maybe with polenta) chips, and sip a bouillabaisse
a couple of slipper lobsters, or even octopus, ‘milkshake’. Authentic? Perhaps not, but then
for good measure. Towards the end, the men bouillabaise has always been a dish few can
might even have fought over who got to suck agree upon.
1980 The ‘fake

1431 La Corporation de 1897 Chef Jean-Baptiste bouillabaisse’ scandal
Pecheurs Prud’hommes Reboul publishes La involving restaurants and
(part fisherman’s guild, Cuisinière Provençale, bistros in Marseille leads to
part court) is established to 1861 Charles Elmé which became a culinary the creation of the Charte
monitor and control fishing Francatelli publishes a bible of bourgeois de la Bouillabaisse, which
in the port of Marseille. It bouillabaisse recipe in cookery on the French standardised ingredients
still operates today. English in his Cook’s Guide. Mediterranean coast. and service.
TIMELINE
1837 First appearance 1868 Nobel prize- 1931 Marius (the first 2008-present Le Petit
of ‘bouillabaisse’ in the winning Provençal author, instalment of Marcel Nice, a family-owned hotel-
French language, although Frédéric Mistral describes Pagnol’s ‘Marseille’ film restaurant becomes the
it’s long been part of bouillabaisse in his epic trilogy) woos the public only three-Michelin-starred
Provence’s lingua franca. poem Calendau. with a romantic image of restaurant on the French
the big-hearted Marseillais Mediterranean coast. Its
lapping up bowls of speciality is the Menu
bouillabaisse. Bouille Abaisse.
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BOUILL ABAISSE
Bruno Loubet’s bouillabaisse taste, zest of 1 orange, smoked paprika, 1 star Stir in the seasonings, pour in the wine
Before leaving London to open his cookery anise and 5 garlic cloves, crushed and bring to the boil. Add the passata and
school in Queensland, Michelin-starred chef 250ml dry white wine roasted fish heads and bones. Cover with
Bruno Loubet dished up a version of this classic 350ml tomato passata 2 litres water, bring to the boil again, then
in his Clerkenwell bistro, using British fish pinch saffron, crushed simmer, uncovered, for 30 mins.
S E RV E S : 6 TA K E S : 1 H R Pernod, to taste (optional) Blend the soup to a coarse purée using
500g waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced into a stick or stand blender, then push through
INGREDIENTS rounds a fine sieve into a clean pan, making sure you
Ask the fishmonger to scale and fillet the fish, 250g squid or cuttlefish rings squeeze out as much juice as you can. Return
discard the gills but keep the heads and bones. 18 mussels the soup to the heat and add the saffron plus
1.5kg (approx) gurnard extra smoked paprika and Pernod, if you like.
700g monkfish tail METHOD Next add the potatoes (and conger eel,
3 x 200g red mullet (or John Dory or Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. if using) and simmer for about 10 mins, or
gilthead bream) Split the fish heads and chop the bones, then until cooked through. Portion the monkfish
1 x 600g bass (or 6 middle-cut conger eel steaks — brush them all over with 50ml olive oil. Place and add this, along with the remaining fish
traditional, but beware of bones) in a roasting tray and roast for 10-15 mins. fillets, to the pan, then simmer for a further
250ml extra virgin olive oil Meanwhile, heat 100ml oil in a large pan 2 mins. Finally, add the squid (or cuttlefish)
1 large onion, chopped over a low heat, then add the onion, leek, and the mussels; cook until the mussels
1 large leek, chopped fennel and celery. As it starts to soften, add have opened, discarding any that have
150g fennel, chopped salt and the rest of the oil. Once tender, stayed closed.
2 celery stalks turn up the heat and cook for 10 mins or Serve with baguette croutons and rouille
seasonings: rosemary, thyme and bay leaf to so, until golden. sauce (recipe at natgeotraveller.co.uk/food).
BOUILL ABAISSE
WHERE TO EAT
For great bouillabaisse, here’s our pick of Marseille’s best options,
plus a few restaurants dishing it up a little closer to home
LE PETIT NICE , restaurants in town, but it L’A RO M AT, M A R S E I L L E will vary on seasonality P O RT H M I N S T E R
M A R S E I L L E doesn’t skimp on the local For €15 (£13) a head, you and availability of the K I TC H E N , S T I V E S
Gérald Passédat called fish. Accompany with a can get a bouillabaisse morning’s catch, but the An offshoot of the much-
one of his cookery books bottle of Cassis from the starter at this modern brown crab rarebit is a lauded Porthminster Beach
Des abysses à la lumière eponymous wine-growing bistro in the heart of the must-try, if available. The Cafe, this restaurant is
(‘From the Abyss to the area that overlooks the city. Don’t let the fact that signature bouillabaisse, located above the harbour.
Light’), and savouring the calanques (rocky inlets) it’s in burger form (John found at both the Soho Its bouillabaisse of steamed
three-Michelin-star cuisine where the best seafood is Dory, roasted tomato and and Fitzrovia branch, is plaice fillets and crab
at Le Petit Nice — seafood, caught. Bouillabaise, €69 rouille, served in a focaccia garnished with a rouille- served with new potatoes,
sourced (and sauced) with (£60) a head. lemiramar.fr bun) and accompanied by drizzled crostini (£24 rouille and crouton (£18 a
care — is an illuminating soup in a shot glass (the a head). A starter-size head) may lack a Provençal
experience. His Menu CHEZ FONFON, whole thing served as a portion is offered at the pedigree but stays true
Bouille Abaisse rings the M A R S E I L L E starter) put you off. This Fitzrovia branch for £12 per to the spirit of the place.
changes: expect tempuras; Vallon des Auffes is a is tongue-in-cheek, post- head. bonniegull.com porthminster.kitchen
a carpaccio of shellfish; small fishing harbour in modern cuisine that still
beignets; and stuffed and the 7th arrondissement, tastes pretty darn good. S A R D I N E , LO N D O N HARBOUR INN,
baked daurade (gilthead about 1.5 miles from Le Main courses from €21 (£18) At Sardine (pictured LY M E R E G I S
bream) in a saffron Vieux Port. Chez Fonfon a head. laromat.com above), restaurateur The Dorset town of Lyme
consommé with lobster is a local institution, and Stevie Parle serves his Regis doesn’t have a fishing
tail. It costs €210 (£183) a its bouillabaisse (€53/£47 BONNIE GULL SEAFOOD bouillabaisse in true fleet, but a handful of day
head. Gérald also owns two a head) and bourride (a S H AC K , LO N D O N Marseille fashion: soup boats land anything from
bistros in the city, Le Mole fish stew enriched with In the heart of Soho, first, with a punchy rouille, John Dory and sea bass to
and Albertine. passedat.fr aioli) have been served for you’ll find an authentic followed by a medley of whiting and gurnard. At
over 60 years. The rockfish taste of the British seasonal fish, shellfish the Harbour Inn, close to
MIR AMAR, MARSEILLE soup, with croutons, garlic seaside at Bonnie Gull. and saffron potatoes. the town’s stone pier, the
A founder member of the cloves and rouille, costs €17 Diners are assured that It’s available, nominally, Dorset-style bouillabaisse
Charte de la Bouillabaisse, (£15) a head and is a must the sustainably caught for a minimum of two (fish in a tomato and
this classic seafood for anyone serious about produce has been out of diners, but is infinitely basil soup), served with
restaurant in the Vieux Provençal cooking and who the water for no longer more fun when enjoyed toasted focaccia, is a
Port is steeped in tradition. doesn’t worry too much than 24 hours, something by a much larger group. bargain at £16.80 a head.
It’s formal compared to about the smell of their that becomes evident Bouillabaisse from £24 a harbourinnlymeregis.
many of the new-wave breath. chez-fonfon.com with every bite. Menus head. sardine.london co.uk
F O R MO R E I N F O
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the picturesque and diverse Dutch countryside, indulge
in either a delicious brunch, a gourmet four-course dinner,
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from the Netherlands.
Choose from either the Green Heart Tour, showcasing
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Marion, Gertrude Street
C IT Y B R E A K
MELBOURNE
From flat whites to fusion cuisine, Melbourne has a knack
for making things special. It may not match Sydney for
sunshine and beaches, but when it comes to eating out,
Australia’s second city is second to none
WORDS: LEANNE CL ANCEY
You’ve heard about the coffee culture, of course. regional produce is easy to find, and it often takes
You may also know about the laneway bars and a starring role. Thanks to innovative local chefs
the city’s obsession with meat pies. But that’s all like Ben Shewry of acclaimed restaurant Attica,
just scratching the surface of Melbourne’s food and Shannon Bennett of Vue de Monde, native
and drink scene. A visit to Australia’s second- ingredients such as saltbush, wattle seed and the
largest city means exploring the atmospheric wine Davidson plum are no longer the sole preserve of
bars and historic pubs of backstreet Fitzroy, the Australia’s indigenous peoples. Instead, they’re
humming bars and mod-Asian diners of Chapel increasingly making their way onto menus and into
Street Windsor, and the chi-chi cafes of Carlton and the culinary lexicon of the city — providing new
South Yarra. fusions of taste and texture.
Melburnians are as passionate about eating Yet, Melbourne is also a place where
out as they are about flat whites (which they’ll international influences abound. The progressive
tell you were invented in this city, and not across waves of migration over the past 200-plus years
the Tasman Sea in Wellington). But just what have contributed heavily to the city’s culinary
is it that makes dining here so special? As with fabric, making going out for pho or dim sum every
every major Australian city, it’s geographically bit as de rigueur as eating eggs on sourdough for
isolated (relatively speaking), and in Melbourne’s brunch. One of Australia’s biggest migrant groups
case this really seems to have inspired local chefs — the Chinese — first arrived in Victoria with
to get creative, and to embrace what’s on their the mid-1800s gold rush. Later, after the Second
doorstep. Rather than striving for ‘authentic’ takes World War, Italians, Greeks and Eastern Europeans
on European classics, they prefer to embrace the established the foundations for the lively cafe and
inimitable magic that comes from all that is fresh, dining culture that Melbourne is known for. And in
local and seasonal. the 1970s, mass arrivals from Vietnam and Lebanon
The position on the coast, as well as the added further flavour to a city, which today has one
proximity of rural Victoria, means excellent of the world’s broadest palates.
IMAGE: HARVARD WANG
A D AY I N
THE CBD
Only really finding its feet in the late 1990s (it
used to be dead after 5pm), the CBD (Central
Business District) in the heart of Melbourne is
now ground zero for the city’s best eating and
drinking. One of the great joys of dining out
here is being able to craft your very own multi-
stop dinner, skipping from wine bar to tapas
bar to bistro and supper club across the space of
an evening.
Flinders Lane and its offshoots offer more
than enough options for a whole day of dining.
Start with a morning stroll along the banks of
the Yarra River before grabbing a coffee and
pastry at the bijoux, tile-lined Dukes Coffee
Roasters espresso bar on Flinders Lane.
Brunch is always a good idea in Melbourne,
and with its 50ft-high ceilings, the
architecturally impressive Higher Ground
is considered a master of the genre. Expect
beautiful plating and thoughtfully executed From top: drinks
cafe fare that brims with colour, flavour at Longsong;
brunch at
and texture.
Higher Ground.
It’s easy to fill a day exploring the city’s
Opposite page:
laneways, where you’ll find an abundance of
Marion wine bar
small galleries, bookshops and local designers
tucked away. Visit Anna Schwartz Gallery for
contemporary art, e.g.etal for locally designed
handmade jewellery, and independent
bookshop Hill of Content for the best in local
and international reading.
As aperitivo hour rolls around you’re spoiled
for choice. Off the cobbles on graffiti-lined
Hosier Lane, Spanish bodega-style Bar Tini
offers delicious Iberian snacks to accompany
its huge list of wines by the glass (there’s
vermouth on tap, too).
For something a little more substantial,
wood-lined bistro French Saloon is known
for its elegant interiors, dry-aged steaks and
exceptional seafood, while sophisticated
Osteria Ilaria (across the street) offers a
fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine (try the
prawn oil-infused paccheri pasta). Finish
it all off with a nightcap at the wonderfully
atmospheric and pint-sized Romeo Lane,
where dapper staff mix some of the city’s
best cocktails.
DRINKS
The Everleigh Longsong City Wine Shop

For classic cocktails, factor in a visit to this Located in a former horse stables, Longsong Despite its name, this place is much more than
sophisticated speakeasy — accessed via a has lovely warehouse-style interiors, a great a bottle shop, as Aussies call an off-licence.
secret entrance in an American diner. Once you booze list and some of the best bar food in town Thanks to the quality wines and friendly,
get to the bar, it’s all moody lighting, booth (try the grilled skewers or the kangaroo jerky). knowledgeable staff, you’ll be quoting the
seating and heavy crystal glassware. The owner, Located in the CBD, above sister restaurant varietal characteristics of Heathcote Shiraz in
Michael Madrusan, earned his stripes at some Longrain, It’s the place to go for pre-dinner no time. Come for the aperitivo, stay for the
of New York City’s legendary bars, and it shows. cocktails with a side of people-watching. Tasmanian oysters and panko-crumbed chicken
theeverleigh.com longsong.com.au schnitzel. citywineshop.net.au

MELBOURNE
A D AY I N
COLLINGWOOD & FIT ZROY

Just north of the CBD things start to get even fare, as well as the infamous Bogan Burger;
more interesting. Fitzroy and neighbouring more of a challenge than a meal, it’s a steak,
Collingwood both have colourful histories chicken schnitzel, onions, cheese, pineapple,
and have long been a draw for Melbourne’s beetroot, egg, potato cake, bacon, lettuce and
musicians, creatives and outcasts. In days tomato — all stuffed into a huge bun.
gone by, the area was home to the city’s biggest Good wine bars are thick on the ground here,
breweries and toughest gangsters. Today, so if you’re keen to explore Victorian wines
it’s where you’ll find some of Melbourne’s and craft spirits, this is the place to do it. On
most innovative cafes, bars and dining Gertrude Street, standouts include Marion and
establishments, alongside charming old pubs Gertrude Street Enoteca, both of which offer a
and a thriving live music scene. Melbourne take on the wine bar, with excellent
During the day, Everyday Coffee leads the food in the form of house-made charcuterie
pack for speciality brews, while Smith Street and European-accented small plates. I NTE R N ATI O N A L
Alimentari makes a fine spot for lunch (think Here, and around the corner in Brunswick F L AVO U R S
Ottolenghi-style salads and slow-roasted Street, you’ll find independent local fashion
meats). Afterwards, head to nearby bookshop designers galore; look for names like Alpha Annam
Happy Valley, Northside Records (which 60, Bul, Pickings and Parry, Leonard Street Vietnamese food is much
specialises in local roots and soul music) and and Megan Park. Chances are you’ll be hungry loved by Melburnians, and
quirky local gift shop Third Drawer Down. again, so start with a charcuterie plate and most locals will have a favourite
If a quiet pint is on the cards, a glass of Victorian cool-climate Shiraz at cheapie in Abbotsford, Sunshine
neighbourhood favourite The Napier Hotel Napier Quarter before getting serious at fine or Footscray that they swear
(built in 1866) is the perfect perch to try a brew diner Cutler & Co, the achingly sophisticated by. Over in the CBD, Annam
such as Melbourne Bitter, and take in some flagship venue of highly respected chef-patron offers a more elevated dining
local culture. You’ll find some very solid pub Andrew McConnell. experience (pictured above),
taking the familiar flavours
of Vietnam and applying a
clever, contemporary spin.
Try the squid ink cuttlefish: it’s
addictive. annam.com.au
Bar Saracen
Sit back, be guided by the staff
on what to eat and drink,
and you’ll soon be swooning.
Consistently delicious, the
food here is inspired by the
Middle East and North Africa.
Standouts include pickled
beetroot with labne and dukka
butter, and the textural Wagyu
kafta nayeh (a Middle Eastern
take on steak tartare).
IMAGES: ADAM GIBSON; CARMEN ZAMMIT; HARVARD WANG; JANA LANGHORST
barsaracen.com.au
Trattoria Emilia
Breaking away from generic
Italian food, restaurants
specialising in regional
cuisine (think Sicilian and
Sardinian) are gradually making
ground in Melbourne. And at
Trattoria Emilia, the region of
Emilia-Romagna is given top
billing. This hidden laneway
gem emphasises seasonal
produce, plus homemade
charcuterie, exceptional
wines and great service.
emiliamelbourne.com.au

MELBOURNE
ESSENTIALS
SPOTLIGHT GETTING THERE
SWEET TREATS Airlines offering

one-stop flights
to Melbourne
from various UK
Die-hard sweet tooths will be spoiled for choice in airports include:
Qantas, Emirates,
this city, whether they’re after classic Italian gelato
Etihad and Cathay
or contemporary crossover pastries. It’s practically
Pacific. qantas.
obligatory for Melbourne visitors to join the early-
com.au emirates.
morning queue at Lune Croissanterie — and Instagram com etihad.com
their haul, of course. Located in backstreet Fitzroy, this cathaypacific.com
bakery has a cult following, not least for its cruffins, a
croissant-muffin hybrid. W H E R E TO S TAY
Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio is a multi-level Located amid the
cathedral to confectionary, with acclaimed British pastry restaurants of the
chef Darren Purchese creating decadent delights, from CBD, the Grand
Hyatt Melbourne
petite, layered desserts to hand-crafted chocolates.
has an award-
Third-generation gelataio Marco Enea is following
winning breakfast
in the footsteps of his Sicilian father and grandfather
buffet. Doubles
at Compa, and the results are delicious. Order a trio of from A$395 (£219),
flavours of gelato, stuffed into a fluffy brioche bun — it’s B&B. melbourne.
works surprisingly well. grand.hyatt.com
Over at neighbourhood cake shop Beatrix, pastry The Larwill
chef Natalie Paull produces an ever-changing range of Studio, in Parkville,
nostalgia-tinged sweet treats locals love. Order some tea offers boutiquey
From top: gelato counter
to wash down the raspberry and cream sponge, pineapple style and great
at Compa; cruffins at
value. Doubles
shagg layer cake or roasted quince cheesecake. Lune Croissanterie
from A$159
(£88), room only.
artserieshotels.
com.au/larwill
C O FFE E S H O P S
H OW TO D O I T
Market Lane Traveller Vacation
IMAGES: PETER TARASIUK; CARMEN ZAMMIT
Austravel has
Wherever you find a food market Part of the hallowed Seven Seeds With pastel decor and a distinct two weeks in
in Melbourne, you’ll invariably coffee family, Traveller is a blink- Miami vibe, Vacation delivers Australia — with
find Market Lane, a prolific coffee and-you’ll-miss-it laneway coffee quality coffee without the three nights in
Melbourne — from
roaster known for its quality and bar with seating for just a handful seriousness often associated with
£2,849 per person.
ethical sourcing. As well as serving of people. Expect exceptional the beverage. Choose from single
Includes flights,
great brews, it stocks freshly espresso, single origin batch filter origin or espresso blends, but if it’s
accommodation,
roasted beans and a range of coffee and a selection of pastries sunny, don’t miss the pink grapefruit seven days’
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some activities.
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S P E C I A L P ROMOT I O N
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the families behind each of our favourite Ultimate Winery
winery, but also involve a scenic Experiences, but if these don’t take
regional flight, a fun bike ride or your fancy, they have more than 40
adventurous 4WD tour. alternative tours on offer.
BLEND YOUR OWN

Unlock your inner connoisseur and take on
the blending challenge under the guidance
of the expert winemaking team at The Lane
Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Construct
your own blend and compete against your
friends or family to see whose
palates reign supreme.
Enjoy a cheese board and
glass of wine while the judging
panel decides on the winning
blend. Return home with a
personalised bottle of the
master blend to show off
your newfound prowess.
BEHIND THE SCENES WINERY TOUR
Visit Montalto’s Vineyard and Olive Grove in the Mornington Peninsula and
experience the winemaking and grape-growing process with this behind the
scenes tour. Taste Montalto’s range straight from the barrel and understand
the important changes taking place in the vineyard and the winery. You’ll
see the work that goes into each bottle, together with the little things that
IMAGE: GETTY
make a difference. Follow up the tour with a private wine tasting in the
Wine Experience Room overlooking the property and enjoy a ‘Feed Me’
lunch with wine in the Montalto Piazza Café.
For more information

visit flightcentre.co.uk
or call us on 0800 280 8915
A TASTE OF
GUATEMALA
Guatemala’s food is every bit as diverse
as its unforgettable landscapes
Guatemala is blessed with a varied climate and rich, fertile soil
— both of which allow a wide range of crops to flourish year-round.
Influences from Mayan and Spanish cultures continue to find their
way into the country’s ever-evolving cuisine, having long shaped
Guatemala’s traditional dishes. Such a unique wealth of food and
drink makes Guatemalan cuisine among the richest in Central
America. Nicknamed the ‘Land of Eternal Spring’, Guatemala’s
colourful gastronomic bounty includes a host of fruits: from the
familiar mango and papaya to the more exotic sugary, citrusy
níspero and the sweet zapote fruit; as well as the likes of the
sweet potato and beetroot. Indigenous herbs and spices are
used throughout the cuisine, and tortillas and tamales are eaten
everywhere — so be sure to seek out these delicious street food
staples on your travels
The power of three

While many of Guatemala’s dishes are steeped in tradition,
three have been given official IntangiCultural Heritage of the
Nation status. Staples for over four centuries, they combine
native, pre-Columbian and Hispano-Arab influences:
Jocón de pollo Kaq´ík Pepián

Coriander and There’s no single Often seen as
green tomatillos recipe for this Guatemala’s
(small green- turkey stew national dish,
purple fruit) give — communities all pepián is a rich
this Mayan chicken over the Q’eqchi’ stew made with
stew its distinctive Maya region have roasted spices,
colour. The meat their own. Turkey vegetables such as
is simmered legs are gently squash and potato,
in the vibrant cooked in a rich and up to three
green sauce until tomato broth types of meat,
tender, before flavoured with usually chicken
being served with chilli. Try it with or pork. It’s a
vegetables, rice white tamales popular street
and mopped up steamed in food, served with
with corn tortillas. banana leaves. rice and tortillas.
FEED YO U R
I N S P I R AT I O N AT
V I S I TG UAT E M A L A .C OM
FAC EB O O K .COM /
V I S I TG UAT E M A L A
@V I S I TG UAT E M A L A
@V I S I TG UAT E M A L A
YO U T U B E :
▲
V I S I TG UAT E M A L A
Try it yourself:
JOCÓN DE POLLO
There are few dishes more iconic in
Guatemala than jocón. From the region of
Huehuetenango, its name originates from
the Quiché ‘jok om’, which means ‘green
condiment’ or ‘five greens’, due to its
original ingredients, including coriander
and bright green tomatillos.
S E RV E S : 4
Ingredients
680g chicken breast/ coriander,
thighs, cut in pieces with stems
1 tomato, halved 6 green tomatoes
1 white onion, peeled 2 small cloves garlic,
and halved peeled
1 clove garlic 2 spring onions, peeled
1.5l water and halved
salt, to taste 55g pork lard
225g creole tomatillos, 4 green chiltepe hot
skinned peppers
Medium bunch salt, to taste
Method
Cook the chicken, tomato, white onion and
garlic in the water, adding salt to taste. When
the chicken is cooked (soft and tender),
remove from heat and strain through a sieve,
setting the broth aside.
Cook the coriander, including the stems,
in the broth with spring onions, onion,
tomatillos, tomato and garlic.
Once these ingredients are cooked,
remove the broth from the heat. Blend the
ingredients until a smooth green sauce.
Add the chiltepe peppers and, if necessary,
a little broth to thin the sauce.
Heat the lard in a pan, and add the sauce
and chicken pieces. Season will salt and
pepper to taste and bring to the boil.
When reduced slightly, serve with rice,
white tamales, or string beans and potato
if desired.
A TA STE O F
MENORCA
With its surprising culinary traditions and array of tasty local
specialities, the lesser-known Balearic island packs real flavour
WORDS: GLEN MUTEL

Sílvia seems to know exactly what she’s doing.
ES TA ST DE NA SÍLVIA
DON’T MISS
She glides with quiet purpose, like an owl

silently scanning the fields for fresh morsels.
In the farm shop of Finca Torralbet, it’s rich
sobrasada sausage and mature Menorcan
cheese. In the arched pavilion of butchers
in Ciutadella, it’s succulent cuts of beef. At a
nearby fruit and veg stall, she sniffs out a huge
sweet potato, and holds it up like a newborn
before declaring it the last of the season.
Finally, at Ciutadella’s indoor fish market,
she stands with a patient smile, as her red
scorpionfish is descaled. I amble over in time
to hear her make an additional request. “She’s
asked him to keep the liver,” my guide says.
“She’s going to add it later, for flavour.”
Sílvia’s restaurant, Es Tast de na Sílvia, is
located down one of Ciutadella’s countless
ancient side streets. ‘KM 0,’ says the sign
outside, beneath a cartoon drawing of a snail Perched at the end of a little pier, jutting out
CA SA VENECIA
B E S T- K E P T S E C R E T
— a symbol of Sílvia’s dedication to slow food. into one of the world’s largest harbours, the
Her aim today is to prove it’s possible to create two-story, whitewashed Casa Venecia is like a
a high-quality menu almost entirely from floating mirage — the type of bar that appears
Menorcan produce. out of nowhere, offering salvation to the lost
In her neat, rectangular kitchen, she and thirsty. Outside its rear doors is little jetty
goes about things with her trademark quiet that’s often used to serve passing speedboats.
purpose, showing us ingredients, instructing However you get there, it’s a great place for a
volunteers and occasionally explaining her cocktail, or perhaps a glass of Biniarbolla Licor
methods in Spanish. By her side, Toni d’Herbes Dolces — a brand of the herbal liqueur
— her partner in both business and life — is popular across the Balearics, macerated with 17
spreading fig jam onto little bits of bread. types of plant, including chamomile, mulberry,
He brandishes a broad bean. “Normally, we and rosemary. It’s as memorable as the venue.
just use the beans and throw the husks in the veneciamenorca.com/en/home
bin,” he explains. “But that’s expensive. So
now we use the skins to make a panna cotta
— which will be your dessert.” “Older Menorcans often drink it in the
MENORCAN GIN
WA S H I T A L L D OW N W I T H
The hour of the feast approaches, but there’s mornings,” says Alfons. “A shot of gin, then
still plenty to do, and Sílvia turns her attention a shot of cold water. It gives them energy. It
to the fish liver. This she mixes with not only keeps them warm in winter.”
garlic and parsley, but also chocolate, cognac, I can’t help but be impressed. But then
toasted almonds and hazelnuts to form the Menorca has a rich gin heritage, dating back to
base of a soup. the 18th century, when the islanders first began
It seems a rather flamboyant combination, producing it for their British occupiers.
but the resulting dish earns nods of approval With its windmill logo, Xoriguer is the most
when we finally sit down to eat. The other famous local brand, its gin created in a little
six courses of our tasting menu fare just as distillery in the capital, Mahón, using 300-year-
well — from the wondrously dense sobrassada old, wood-fired copper stills. Xoriguer’s
mixed with honey, which we’re urged to chew signature gin uses vine alcohol instead of grain,
well and not just swallow; to the medium- which allows the botanicals to shine. Warm and
rare Menorcan red cow beef, served without flavoursome, it’s thoroughly refreshing.
seasoning but salted by the gorgeous puddle of But there’s a lot more on offer, and during a
local cheese in which it proudly sits. tasting session in the adjoining shop I try Palo, a
We finish with the broad bean panna cotta, In descending wondrously bitter gin aperitif; a moreish cactus
presented in the unpromising company of a columns, from top fig gin; and an aniseed-flavoured Glühwein
fennel confit. While savoury desserts aren’t for left: Ciutadella; fish for (which I’m told would taste better hot).
everyone, I’m surprised just how much I enjoy sale, Ciutadella; Hotel I’m then handed gin with crushed ice and
it. More than anything else I’ve been served, Torralbenc; Xoriguer lemon — a concoction drunk island-wide,
this dish really demonstrates Sílvia’s complete Gin Factory shop, and known in Mahón as pomada. According
Mahon; Cala Mitjana;
IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY; PICFAIR
confidence in her ingredients. to Xoriguer’s Alfons, young Menorcans prefer

Hotel Torralbenc;
After a final toast, we say our goodbyes and gin this way. I decide that, were I Menorcan, I’d
Mahón at festival time;
head back out into the street. And for a second, mix things up — a neat gin in the morning, in
fishing at Fornells;
I lose my bearings and nearly walk off in the solidarity with my elders, while in the evening,
gin cocktails; pork
wrong direction. It’s probably the Cava, I think sausages; Mahón; some pomada in a nod to youth. But what about
to myself, but then I realise something — it’s Hotel Torralbenc. Alfonso? “I personally like drinking shots,” he
the first time in five hours Sílvia’s not been This page: Casa says. “I like to sometimes finish lunch with one.
there to guide me. estastdenaSílvia.com Venecia It means the lunch is over.” xoriguer.co.uk

M E N O RC A
Mahón-Menorca cheese
On the Pont Modorro estate, they Menorca’s two best-known gifts

THE ORIGINAL M AYONNAISE
M ATURE CHEESE
B R I N G I T H OM E
O N LY I N M E N O RC A
make oil using several types of to the world are mayonnaise

olive, including the acebuche — the and the director’s chair — the
wild olive tree that also provides former best experienced in local
the wood used to make the island’s restaurants, the latter visible all
distinctive gates. Acebuche olives across the island. But, in culinary
yield a realatively small amount of terms, at least, this is a land of many
H OW TO D O I T
high quality oil — which is why a specialities, each one jostling for a EasyJet flies to Menorca from
tiny bottle of extra virgin sets me space in your suitcase. Gatwick, Luton, Southend,
back €10 (£8.70). It is, however, so Whether it’s virgin flor de sal Stansted and Bristol, with
wondrously warm and spicy that I’d from the island’s salt flats, delicious return prices starting at £50.50
happily have paid more. paprika-tinged sobrassada or the per person. easyjet.com/en
Today, the estate has a guest wonderfully light ensaïmadas
— locally based chef Patrick James (coiled cakes made with pork fat), Hotel Torralbenc has rooms
from €181.50 (£158.50) a
— who’s putting its olive oil to good there are so many tastes you’ll want
night, based on two sharing
use, mixing it with egg yolk, salt to bring home. But top of my list is
on a B&B basis, and has its
and lemon, and patiently beating Mahón-Menorca cheese. A white
own fine dining restaurant,
it with a pestle. After much expert cow’s-milk variety, it’s tasty enough serving wines from its on-site
tending, a familiar creamy mixture when its young, mild and soft. But vineyard. torralbenc.com/en/
is formed — mayonnaise, the it’s the hard, salty, mature stuff
all-star condiment first invented you’ll be crumbling into meals for Local organisations Farmers &
in Menorca, but borrowed and weeks after you return. Co and Cómete Mallorca can
then championed by the French. Mahón-Menorca cheese can be organise excursions, including
A Frenchman himself, from bought all over the island, although the shopping, cooking and
dining experience at Es Tast
Normandy, James understands the if you stay at the hilltop farm hotel
De Na Sílvia, and mayonnaise
irony of his role today. Agroturismo Son Vives you’ll get
demonstration at the Pont
“You know it’s ready,” he explains, to see it being made on site. What’s
Modorro olive estate.
“when the pestle sticks up on its more, every morning, you’ll also get E: visita@farmersandco.es /
own.” He lets his pestle go. It sticks up to enjoy one of the best breakfasts in info@cometemenorca.com
straight — our cue to grab some bread the Balearics (with views to match). For details, visit Menorca.es
and start dipping. sonvivesmenorca.com and Illesbalears.travel

SARASTRO RESTAURANT
126 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5SU
020 7836 0101
Located in the heart of Theatreland, Sarastro is a rich tapestry
of flamboyant artwork, gilt furniture and wall mounted opera
boxes. Tantalising Turkish and Mediterranean dishes plus a
spectacularly striking interior makes Sarastro not just a feast for
the palate but for the eyes and ears as well with live musical
performances during the week featuring opera, a string quartet,
70/80s pop, swing & Motown or a Latin trio.
www.sarastro-restaurant.com
reservations@sarastro-restaurant.com
O N LO C ATI O N
THE BRECKS
Head inland from Suffolk’s celebrated coast and you’ll
find local produce that’s among the country’s finest
WORDS: SAR AH BARRELL
Suffolk is a hallowed spot on the culinary map, As well as an inn with rooms, it has a cavernous
synonymous with superlative seafood and food hall — a brilliant showcase of the best local
Southwold’s Adnams ale. But turn inland from the produce. The butchery and grocers are packed with
smokehouses of Orford and seafood shacks the estate’s wild venison, rabbits and game, plus
at Aldeburgh and you’ll find the forests and produce from Elveden’s free-roaming pigs and
orchards of the little-known Brecks region, and sheep along with estate spuds and onions. And if it
with them some of the county’s most delicious hasn’t been grown or made on site, or drawn from
home-grown produce. the immediate local area, it won’t be on the menu at
This area brushes up against Constable Country, the Courtyard Restaurant.
and the barns and farms appear little changed since More sweet smells linger around the peaty
The Hay Wain was created. It’s unapologetically marshland of the Brecks’ Norfolk borders: the
arable land, announcing itself immediately as you ground grist that will eventually become single
leave the gateway town of Bury St Edmunds with malt English whisky, matured in Bourbon barrels
swathes of shiny, green-leafed sugar beet — and the imported from the US. Back in the early 2000s
distinctive saccharine scent of those roots being venerable local brewer-farmer family the Nelsrops
refined nearby. Narrow country lanes circumvent decided to put local barley and water to good boozy
apple orchards, fields of potatoes and heritage use, and the English Whisky Company was born.
carrots and, in spring, some of the UK’s sparkiest Head here for tours and tastings of its whisky — both
little asparagus. peated and unpeated — along with the chance to
The sandy soil that spawns these green spears is sample from its rolling programme of cask trials.
also fertile ground for some award-winning wines. If you’re going to bed down in the Brecks, try
At Wyken Vineyard’s restaurant the feted Bacchus Tuddenham Mill. Set around a Domesday Book-
white — made from the eponymous go-to grape of era millstone, the 17th-century mill house and
Suffolk vintners — is the perfect partner for local towering chimney has just added five ‘nooks’
asparagus, though the estate’s pigeon, venison (glamping-style pods) to the meadows alongside
and lamb are winners, too. Exit through the gift its river. Head to the main house for dinner:
shop for a wealth of premium local goodies, from a candle-lit affair under heavy oak beams
home-grown fig chutney to don’t-need-must-have surrounded by rustic bits of old mill kit. Here an
kitchenware and cookbooks. autumn menu might include Fenland parsnip
With its turreted mansion house and formal soup, Breckland lamb, sous-vide Suffolk heritage
gardens, Wyken is a star among the Brecks’ carrots and — if you’re lucky — foraged fungi, local
impressive crop of sprawling old estates. But there venison and Baron Bigod blue cheese made from
are plenty to chose from, such as neighbouring unpasteurised milk.
Elveden Estate, the 19th-century home of Duleep
Singh, India’s last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire, H OW T O D O I T Rooms at Tuddenham Mill start at £145 per
which is now a multitasking venue: a working night, with breakfast. tuddenhammill.couk
farm owned by the Guinness family, with plenty of Food-related tours and trails of the region can be
hunting, fishing and shooting pursuits to try out. found at both brecks.org and visitsuffolk.com
11 0 N ATG E OT R AV EL L ER .CO.U K / F O O D
THE ENGLISH WHISKY
C OM PA N Y
Get to know the malts drawn
from the boggy, barley-rich
Brecks landscape, and don’t leave
without bagging a bottle of the
single grain Norfolk Parched
— named the ‘best whisky in
Europe’ by wry rye critic Jim
Murray. englishwhisky.co.uk
W Y K E N V I N E YA R D
Visit on a Saturday to shop at
the farmers’ market before
lunch in the 14th-century barn
A D N A M S C E L L A R & K I TC H E N restaurant. It’s airy and bright
You don’t have to schlep to with the New England aesthetics
Southwold; Adnams has an of American-born owner, Lady
outpost in Bury St Edmunds, with Carlisle. wykenvineyards.co.uk
a tasting bar stocked with beers,
wines and spirits to sample. There
ILLUSTRATION: TANYA COOPER
are even gin-making sessions, so

you can attempt to create your
own version of the distiller’s multi-
award-winning Copper House.
cellarandkitchen.adnams.co.uk

BOOKS
MO RO C C O
GE NER ATION GA ME
BRUSSELS-BORN AND NOW LONDON-BASED, NARGISSE BENK ABBOU HAS USED
FOOD TO STAY CLOSE TO HER ROOTS. SHE TELLS US ABOUT HER FIRST COOKBOOK,
CASABL ANCA: MY MOROCCAN FOOD, AND THE INSPIR ATION BEHIND HER RECIPES
You grew up in Brussels — did you spend much time soon realised how much I loved it. So, I decided to go to
in Morocco as a child? Leiths School of Food and Wine. I was so happy, I was in
My mother was so homesick for Morocco, she’d take my element. It was stressful and exhausting but I looked
me to Fez, where my grandparents lived, four or five forward every day to going in. I started my blog (My
times a year — all my summers were spent there with Moroccan Food) when I realised no one was really talking
my aunts, uncles and cousins until I was 16. I have so about Moroccan cuisine. In the beginning, I had three
many happy memories of Fez. It’s one of the oldest visitors, but my last blog post had 20,000 — it’s crazy to
cities in the country — Morocco was founded there. see it evolving.
It’s beautiful. I went back to my grandparents’ riad
a few weeks ago with my two-year-old daughter — I What’s distinctive about Moroccan food?
hadn’t been there for 20 years; it was so emotional. There are so many different things I’d love people
to know — it’s a cuisine all of its own. It’s not from
Were your family in Morocco involved with food? the Middle East, it has its own way of cooking and
Meat is very important in my family. My grandfather ingredients that are different from Levantine cuisines
was a butcher, and had a shop in the Fez Medina. He — it’s much more spiced, fragrant and fruity — and a lot
was well-known for having the best mrouzia (lamb of dishes combine sweet and savoury. It’s also influenced
tagine). My father didn’t go to high school, because he by so many cultures, especially Persian; we use all the
had to work with his father — there were nine sisters Persian spices, like turmeric, saffron, ground ginger.
and two brothers, so the sons had to work, and the girls
went to school. At 16, he went to Belgium to look for How did you develop the recipes for your book?
new opportunities. He’s an entrepreneur at heart, and I wanted to make traditional Moroccan dishes easier
has become a successful one, selling halal charcuterie. for the Western world. A lot of it is based on my mum’s
My brother went to butchery school, and now they recipes. She doesn’t speak English so my husband
work together. translated the recipe titles, and the acknowledgements
— she cried when she read them. I love cooking on a
Who taught you to cook? daily basis, but I’m a bit lazy and I can’t spend hours in
I was very close to my mum as a child. I’d help her in the kitchen. So, I’ve included 90% easy recipes and 10%
the kitchen, peeling prawns, potatoes. She was the chef more complex ones — from my blog, I know that’s what
and I was her sous chef. Mum stayed at home, and her people want.
passion was food; she used it as a medium to stay close
to her roots. I remember coming back from school and How did you make the dishes accessible?
finding her in front of the TV with a notepad, writing In order to make a cuisine more popular, you might have
down recipes. When I left my parents’ place and started to change things if you want to share it with the rest of
cooking for myself, I realised there were huge gaps in my the world. Having eaten Moroccan food all my life, I felt
knowledge, so I called my mum — after all, she was the I had a good idea about what I could tweak and what I
one in charge, the head chef. couldn’t. I’m a big fan of fusion food; as long as it tastes
IMAGES: MATT RUSSELL; GETTY
good there’s nothing wrong with mixing influences

How did your interest in food develop? — that’s evolution. For example, bastilla (chicken pie)
After studying in Paris, I came to London to do a is traditionally made with almonds, but I like to add
Casablanca: My
master’s degree. I wanted to work for a charity or an NGO Moroccan Food, by pistachios and lemon zest. My mum is a traditionalist
to do with women’s rights, but ended up doing office Nargisse Benkabbou. and was rolling her eyes — then she tasted it. Ultimately,
jobs. It was a bit disappointing, as I’d studied for six RRP: £20 (Mitchell I like to focus on food that’s packed with flavour.
years. I started cooking more and more at home, and I Beazley) Interview: Charlotte Coleman-Smith
Clockwise from top left:
Walking through Fez
Medina; roasted grapes;
tannery, Fez; preparing
chermoula sauce

BOOKS
Berber breakfast eggs 4 eggs

In my parents’ home, eggs are something ½ red onion, finely chopped
we used to enjoy almost religiously. They handful chopped spinach
were allowed only for breakfast and never khobz or other plain white bread, to serve
on weekdays. In my opinion, eggs are
much more than a cheap way to get our METHOD
daily serving of protein; they are delicious, Warm up a frying pan with the olive
especially cooked the right way. This Berber oil over a medium heat. Add the tomato,
recipe is one of the many ways my mum used pepper, garlic, parsley, spices and ½ tsp salt,
to prepare eggs for us at the weekend. give it a good stir, then add 2 tbsp water.
S E RV E S : 4 TA K E S : 3 0 M I N S Cover the pan and leave to cook for 20 mins,
stirring occasionally. If it looks like there is
INGREDIENTS not enough liquid in the pan at any point,
2 tbsp olive oil add a couple more tablespoons of water.
3 tomatoes, grated Break the eggs straight into the sauce,
1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped cover and cook for about 5 mins until
1 garlic clove, crushed the whites are set but the yolks are still
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley runny. Garnish with the chopped
½ tsp paprika red onion and spinach;
½ tsp ground cumin serve immediately
½ tsp ground turmeric with fresh
pinch cayenne pepper bread.
Bakoula-stuffed Romano peppers 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley mortar to coarsely grind the nuts. Set them
with yoghurt and hazelnuts 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander aside until you’re ready to serve.
I love bakoula, a Moroccan salad made with 3 tbsp lemon juice To make the bakoula salad, heat the olive
mallow. Ever since I moved to London, I have 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed oil in a large saucepan set over a medium
been trying to get hold of this plant so I can 1½ tsp paprika heat. Add the Swiss chard, then stir in the
reproduce my mum’s bakoula. Having failed, ¾ tsp ground cumin chopped parsely and coriander, 3 tbsp lemon
I tried using kale and spinach, which worked juice, crushed garlic, paprika, cumin and ½
well, but I’ve found the closest substitute METHOD tsp salt. Cover the pan and cook for about
is Swiss chard. Used as a filling for Romano Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, 8 mins until the chard is soft. Uncover the
peppers, then drizzled with yoghurt and gas 4. Start by roasting the Romano peppers. pan and cook, stirring occassionally, for
sprinkled with hazelnuts, my mum’s bakoula Use a sharp knife to make a vertical incision a further 5 mins or until all the liquid has
reaches a whole new level. It’s tangy, crunchy, 5cm in length from the stem end towards evaporated. Taste and adjust the seasoning,
seriously tasty and yet unbelievably healthy. the other end of each pepper, making sure adding more salt if necessary. Remove the
S E RV E S : 4 TA K E S : 3 5 M I N S you don’t cut right to the ends. You will use pan from the heat and set aside until you’re
this incision to scoop out the seeds once the ready to stuff the roasted peppers.
INGREDIENTS peppers are cooked. Lay the peppers in Once the peppers are cool enough to
4 Romano peppers a roasting tin and roast in the oven for about handle, use a spoon to carefully remove
50g blanched hazelnuts 25 mins or until the skins of the peppers look and discard the seeds, making sure you
50g Greek yoghurt wrinkly and their flesh is soft. Remove from don’t damage the flesh as you go.
2 tbsp lemon juice the oven and set aside to cool. Mix the yoghurt and 2 tbsp lemon juice
Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan over together in a small bowl. Divide the bakoula
IMAGES: MATT RUSSELL
F O R T H E B A KO U L A S A L A D a medium-high heat, add the hazelnuts and salad into quarters and use one quarter to
4 tbsp olive oil toast for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally, stuff each Romano pepper. To serve, drizzle
800g Swiss chard, stalks removed, leaves cut until golden. Leave to cool for a few mins, the yoghurt sauce over the stuffed peppers
into 3cm-wide strips then use a food processor or a pestle and and scatter with the ground hazelnuts.

WHAT MAKES US
SPECIAL?
We make incredible cocktails and low sugar sodas in
our centrifuge machine. We only cook, the freshest
things, using unsalted butter or virgin coconut oil. We
make our velvety, house nut milk from organic cashews
and tiger nuts. Our coffee and tea are exceptional. We
99 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4ER have delicious, sweet things that are low in sugar. We
01273 620 036 make fantastic sourdough. It takes 26 hours and like
www.doughlover.com everything here, its gluten free and delicious. Best of
www.instagram.com/dough_lover_ all, we have magnificent people waiting to greet you,
and everyone is welcome.
BOOKS
Harissa and lemon chicken INGREDIENTS METHOD

tray bake with sweet potatoes 2 large onions, sliced Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
and cauliflower 8 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole Mix all of the marinade ingredients together
We all need recipes like this sometimes, 4 large chicken legs in a bowl. Spread out the sliced onions in
when just thinking about what to cook and 1 large sweet potato (250g), cut into large chunks a deep roasting tin and scatter over the whole
how to cook it feels like a gigantic effort; 300g cauliflower florets garlic cloves. Place the chicken legs, skin-
it happens to the best of us. On those 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds side up, on top along with the sweet potato
occasions, a one-bowl/one-pan approach is chunks and cauliflower florets.
the answer — the kind of recipe where you FOR THE MARINADE Pour the marinade over the chicken and
just throw ingredients together, and voilà! 200ml vegetable stock vegetables, turning the chicken legs several
You’ve got a delicious meal that you can finely grated zest of 3 lemons times to ensure that they are fully coated with
proudly take credit for. Harissa and lemon 3 tbsp lemon juice the sauce. Top with the lemon slices.
IMAGE: MATT RUSSELL
are like bread and butter: they work so 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed Bake for about 1 hr or until the chicken
well together, we should marry them. 3 tbsp harissa, plus extra to serve is golden and cooked through. Serve
S E RV E S : 4 TA K E S : 1 H R 5 M I N S 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander immediately with extra harissa on the side.

BOOKS
N E W R E LE A S E S
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THE HEARTY STAPLES OF A WINDSWEPT LANDSCAPE
OUR PICK
Shetland: Cooking on the Edge
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James and Tom Morton
Former Bake Off finalist James Morton
and his journalist father, Tom, have
penned a culinary homage to the islands
where James grew up, and which Tom
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of freckled locals and windswept
landscapes, this isn’t a book of fancy
dishes. Instead, single ingredients take
centre stage — from ‘singing carrots’ to hot smoked salmon and
the black potato — showcasing techniques born from necessity,
like pickling and smoking. If recipes that require you to dig fire
pits, or instruct you to ‘catch, gut and fillet the mackerel’ sound
challenging, there are plenty of beautifully simple ones that will
appeal, such as craft chicken, Eshaness lentil soup, poached salmon,
and James’s granny’s perfect cake. Throughout, there’s a strong
sense of the importance of community, with locals always ready to
gather for a foy (celebration), or a Sunday tea, where the tea itself
is strong and stewed, and trestle tables groan with bannocks. Fans
of the BBC drama Shetland can fill in their own backstory of low-lit
intrigue; the rest of us can breathe in the pure, salty air of this fresh
and original book. Released 6 September; RRP: £25 (Quadrille).
M E AT- F R E E M A RV E L I N D I A N I N S P I R AT I O N FUSION CUISINE F R E S H F L AVO U R S

Vegan Recipes Darjeeling Express CIBI Zaitoun
from Spain Asma Khan Meg and Zenta Tanaka Yasmin Khan
Gonzalo Baró Having turned her supper The Tanakas opened Cibi, Food and travel writer
‘Spanish’ and ‘vegan’ club into a restaurant last their Japanese-fusion cafe, Yasmin Khan’s collection
may sound an unlikely year with an all-woman in Melbourne in 2008. Its of recipes and stories
pairing, but photographer- team, Asma Khan has now name, meaning ‘little one’, celebrates Palestinian
turned-chef Gonzalo Baró brought together recipes was meant to reflect the cooking and food culture.
combines the two neatly from her royal Mughal delicacy, innocence and Alongside zesty dishes
WORDS: CHARLOTTE COLEMAN-SMITH
with these imaginative heritage with hearty dishes fun of their food. There are such as a salad of fennel
recipes. Alongside takes from her hometown of plenty of light and zingy and apple with herbs and
on classics like Andalusian Kolkata. Keema mattar recipes, such as beetroot citrus, there are hearty,
gazpacho, there are (fragrant beef mince with and daikon salad with lime; comfort-food classics like
exquisite combinations such peas) is a family staple, while while ‘Mum’s pork cha-siu’, lamb meatballs. The 80
as aubergine and apple chingri bhaja (ghee-fried and green tea muffins bring recipes are all accessible
mousse with asparagus, prawns) is a special-occasion the flavours of Japan to the to the home cook — and
almonds and chilli oil. dish. Released 4 October; home cook. RRP £22 beautifully photographed.
RRP: £18.99 (Grub Street). RRP: £20 (Pavilion). (Hardie Grant Books). RRP £26 (Bloomsbury).
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DINE OUT
THE PETERSHA M
LO N D O N • P E T ER S H A M N U R S ER I E S .COM /COV EN T- GA R D EN
TH E CO U PLE B EH I N D RI C HMO N D ’ S LE AF Y PE TER S HA M N U R S ERI E S HAVE B R AN C H ED O U T

TO AN U N LI KELY LIT TLE OA S I S I N C ENTR AL LO N D O N
When the Boglione family announced they were opening

a spin-off of Richmond’s Petersham Nurseries in Covent
Garden, it seemed to invite disaster. After all, wasn’t the
joy of the original the bucolic vision it offered, the sense
of being transported, briefly, from the smog and filth of
London — and yet being able to get back to that same
smog in less than 40 minutes? Besides which, how were
they going to fit a cafe-bar, shop, florist and restaurant in
cheek-by-jowl Covent Garden?
But then Francesco and Gael Boglione are not your
average proprietors. The story of how they came to
acquire their first restaurant in 2004, and win a Michelin
star for it in 2011, is restaurant lore. They’re perhaps
the most successful accidental restaurateurs on earth,
given they only bought Petersham Nurseries because
they owned the house next door and didn’t want anyone
coming in and ruining the view. At any rate, they
prospered and now have opened up in a part of Covent
Garden called, appropriately enough, Floral Court. And
it’s the flowers that you see first: foxgloves and ferns,
and wrought iron tables full of people in pashminas and
those pastel shirts you see in Tuscan beach towns.
Everything on the menu is seasonal, often from the
Bogliones’ son’s farm; radishes are heritage, there are
spring peas, new shoots and broad beans. The cooking
has the accent of an Italian nonna, albeit one adroit
with edible flowers. The starters are elegant but homely:
a venison tartar is subtly constructed — thin flecks of
game picked out with Zisola almonds and cacoa. It’s a
delight. As is the artichoke alla Romana, which appears
arranged like the ruins of The Forum — the warm
artichoke given happy distinction by the wild sorrel and
the slight brininess of the Nocellara olives.
Main courses are less assured. The broad bean and
Mayan gold potato masala with fragrant Ermes rice,
coconut and Zisola almonds suffers from too cloying a
sauce and too few potatoes. The lobster and gurnard in
the fish stew was toothsome, although the squid that
accompanied it was a touch tough; the whole thing
benefitted from the addition of a little salt.
Bottles on the all-Italian wine list start around the
£30 mark and reach into the hundreds. But there are
excellent wines by the glass, the finest of which was
a Castello di Gabiano Gavius at only £6.50. Special
mention from the dessert menu goes to the honey tart,
which had just the right degree of eggy richness.
The decor is much like the food — well put together
and summery, with modern art, stripped wood floors
and furniture similar to that in the courtyard. This is a
restaurant with style and confidence; the Bogliones have
done it again. Three-course dinner for two around £175,
including wine and service. Samuel Muston @SAMuston

REVIEWS
RO UX AT TH E L AN DAU
LO N D O N • RO U X AT T H EL A N DAU.C OM
Wine pairing: rip-off or revelation? I’ve never that’s laden with charcuterie and shellfish;
been sure. But, over lunch at the Roux at the and a golden, floor-to-ceiling cheese cabinet,
Landau, I decided to give it another try. positioned at the end of the dark entrance
It was an excellent decision, because the corridor like a set of celestial gates.
revamped Roux has expanded its wine list to The food, meanwhile, remains classical,
525 varieties, all available by the glass (thanks with a French accent, and while our mains
to its Coravin cork manipulators). With these were full of flair and flavour — petite lamb
tools at his disposal, our sommelier put in a chops enlivened with ras el hanout; delicately
virtuoso matinee performance — starting cooked Cornish cod — they were upstaged
with an appley Czech Pálava that matched by the starters, not least the stracciatella and
the subtle flavours of white asparagus and mozzarella sorbet, a delectable puddle of cool
porchetta, and finishing with a Tokaji that savoury cream encircled by a tricolour moat of
made my matcha mousse worthy of song. fresh tomatoes. Oh, and did I mention the wine?
This isn’t all that’s new — there’s a sleek Five-course set menu with wine, £120pp (or £145
new marble counter, set up for light meals, with Coravin wine). Glen Mutel @glenmutel
FH IOR
E D I N B U RG H • @ FH I O R R E S TAU R A N T
Having set Leith’s dining scene alight with with fermented barley, lovage oil and shards
Norn, Scott Smith’s new venture Fhior (‘true’, of crisp, golden skin. The breast of the bird, I
in Gaelic) is once again focused on seasonal, was reassured, had been reserved for someone
modern Scottish food. Here, menus vary else’s dinner, while the drumsticks could be
according to what’s in season and has been found on the bar menu — no waste here.
foraged — anything unused is preserved Things were rounded off with a creamy
through fermentations, tinctures and drying. white chocolate mousse and a crumble spiked
At lunch, there’s a concise menu of snacks with seaweed, beremeal and cheese: sweet,
and small plates, each one showing confidence sour and salty with every bite.
and skill. Our choice of fresh mackerel came Come evening, Fhior dispenses with printed
with a smoked broth punctuated with anise- menus, instead offering four or seven courses
like sweet cicely oil, while the asparagus was of the restaurant’s choosing. This means
served on a pillow of fermented wild garlic putting faith in the chef. Easily done when the
mayonnaise, fragrant spruce and acidic sorrel. food is this tasty. Four courses with matched
Next came a gamey, pan-seared chicken thigh, drinks £75pp. Louise Rhind-Tutt
2 0 STORI E S
M A N C H E S T E R • 2 0 S TO R I E S .C O.U K
If the weather were different, the terrace at menu of accomplished modern British plates
20 Stories could easily look like it’s in Dubai. like pork cutlet with black pudding puree, and
On the 19th floor of a skyscraper, it serves up a 16oz chateaubriand to share, at the suitably
panoramic city views alongside an impressive beefy price of £72.
cocktail menu. Alas, the weather isn’t The Scottish rope-grown mussels are
different. This is Manchester, and it rains. A plump, juicy and full of flavour, served with
lot. And bravely (or stupidly) there’s no roof. a curried sauce that cries out to be soaked up
Thankfully, there’s also an indoor with the lightly toasted sourdough. My main,
restaurant, which, even on a Monday night, smoked haddock with curried cauliflower and
is packed. One of the bar staff tells me Noel a Pommery mustard crust, was perfect; sweet
Gallagher was in last week with Mani from the fish with a little zing coming through.
Stone Roses, which is just about as Manchester 20 Stories isn’t cheap. But when the food
as it gets. is at this level and the view so spectacular
Despite the chef’s Michelin background (at it’s worth it. You feel like you’re somewhere
22, Aiden Byrne was the youngest ever chef to special — even if it’s not Dubai.
get a Michelin star), 20 Stories is relaxed and Three courses for two around £180, including
informal. But the food is serious; a fine dining wine and service. Matt White @mattyfwhite
N ATG E OT R AV EL L ER .CO.U K / F O O D 12 3
REVIEWS
E AT & STAY
SINGLETHRE AD
H E A L D S B U RG , C A L I F O R N I A • S I N G L E T H R E A D FA R M S .COM
FAR M- FO C U S ED AN D FA S H I O NAB LE, S I N G LE TH RE AD I S

TH E L ARG ELY S ELF-S U FFI C I ENT S TAR O F SO N OM A Best of the rest:
Sonoma restaurants
Kyle Connaughton holds out a clay pot. It’s a that moves you through the meal, the tempo S H E D : A dynamic cafe,
Japanese donabe, he explains, lifting the lid increasing as the evening progresses. The market and event space with
with a just a smidge of ceremony. There, in a sounds were still fairly ambient while I scoffed a fantastic salads. Winter citrus,
microcosm, is his life’s work, an orchestrated starter of amberjack with daikon and miso, plus avocado, radishes, shio koji
medley of plump, homegrown greens, edible a charred citrus jelly and greens. It was washed and pea shoots, anyone?
flowers and pearly-fleshed black cod. down with a racy Mendocino Riesling, which healdsburgshed.com
Connaughton is chef-owner of SingleThread also paired well with the next course of sweet,
— one of the US’s most talked-about locally caught Dungeness crab. D RY C R E E K K I TC H E N :
restaurants of recent years. He opened the 52- I began swaying slightly (to the music, not New York chef Charlie Palmer
seat Sonoma Valley inn (it has five bedrooms) the booze) during the ora king salmon smoked brought the gourmets to
with his farmer wife Katina, at the end of 2016 over cherry wood, and I foot-tapped to the Sonoma nearly two decades
and just nine months later they were awarded poached foie gras with dried and fermented ago when he opened this
two Michelin stars. But Connaughton does beets and roasted chicken broth. By the time place, and it still holds up.
have form with Michelin. The California-born I sliced through the Duclair duck — served Expect plenty of fresh seafood,
chef used to head up Heston Blumenthal’s with charcoal-roasted broccoli, nettle cream including octopus carpaccio.
experimental kitchen at The Fat Duck, and and sunchokes — I was having the most fun I’d drycreekkitchen.com
led the kitchen at three-starred French chef ever had in a Michelin-starred-restaurant.
Michel Bras’ Hokkaido outpost, Toya. To book a meal at SingleThread, you have C OA S T K I TC H E N : Slick
About 70% of the menu at SingleThread is to buy a ticket up to two months in advance Californian cooking overlooking
grown on the couple’s farm, and the weekly- — but if you reserve a room, available up the ocean. Part of the Timber
changing, 11-course menu (there’s no a la carte) to a year ahead, a table is guaranteed. And Cover resort it comes with mid-
is based on whatever’s ripest. Most seats have a what bedrooms they are, with Matouk linen, century styling and a ringside
view of the open kitchen, where Connaughton Japanese toilets and elaborate breakfasts that seat for whale-spotting.
and his team whisper to each other through are almost as thrilling as dinner. Tasting menu timbercoveresort.com
headsets. Not that there is a deathly hush $320pp (£230), including service. Doubles from
— speakers pipe out carefully curated music $869 (£623), room only. Fiona Sims @2fionas
E X PE R I E N C E
GIN M AKING
S T R AT H M A S H I E H O U S E , C A I R N G O R M S N AT I O N A L PA R K • DA FF YS G I N .C OM
AT TH I S SCOT TI S H H I G H L AN D S D I S TI LLERY YO U C AN FO R AG E FO R B OTAN I C AL S BY

S TAN D U P PAD D LEB OARD AN D LE ARN H OW TO M AKE MOTH ER’ S RU I N LI KE A PRO
Whisky may be Scotland’s national tipple, — among them day lilies from the grounds and to it I add some of what was collected
but gin is slowly catching up; there’s even an rosemary from the garden at Maria Callas’s today, plus lemon peel, rose and pine, before
official Scottish Gin Trail, so you can trace former home. leaving my potpourri to macerate in grain
a route between the distilleries, botanical Chris draws a flavour wheel, representing spirit overnight.
gardens and bars. Daffy’s Gin isn’t on the trail levels of juniper, citrus, spicy, floral and herby The next morning, our strained potions
yet, but it’s very much a Scottish operation notes. “Most gins have about 10 botanicals,” are poured into the stills (“Copper makes the
— so much so that the owners recently he says, and after having a good sniff of the gin softer,” says Chris), which are sealed and
relocated their 7,000-litre still from the contents of the cabinets, I choose eight that heated over a flame. Once the liquid reaches
Midlands to their Cairngorms home, should give a floral, herby flavour. Juniper is a precise 79.4C, gin starts trickling out. We’re
Strathmashie House. They’ve also just opened crushed using a giant pestle and mortar, and told to keep smelling it — the best way is by
up to guests, who can stay on site, forage for rubbing it on your top lip, or by taking three
botanicals and learn the art of gin making. big sniffs. Initially, all I can detect is alcohol,
My masterclass in mother’s ruin begins on but a bit of woodiness starts to emerge,
a standup paddleboard, with Barry Wallace followed by the floral notes. At the end of the
of Wilderness SUP leading a group of us along process, I’m left with a 70cl bottle of what
the River Spey. It’s gloriously sunny, but due smells very much like, well, gin.
to the long winter, the botanicals we hoped to A month later, I open up the bottle and have
collect on our boards aren’t out yet. There are a sip. It smells incredibly floral but it’s more
some slightly further from the shore, though, harshly boozy than any gin I’ve tried before;
so we abandon the SUPs and pick handfuls of I don’t think it’s supposed to sting the back
yarrow, bog myrtle, meadowsweet and viola. of the throat like that. But the herbiness does
Back at Strathmashie, Daffy’s MD, Chris eventually come through. A bit. And tonic can
IMAGES: ED SMITH
Molyneaux, leads the gin-making session in a hide a multitude of sins. Daffy’s and Wilderness
Hogwarts-esque room full of copper pot stills SUP experience from £100pp, including Red
and apothecary cabinets. They contain more Paddle Co board hire. Foraging and gin-making
than 120 botanicals collected by the team from £90pp. Nicola Trup @nickytrup
N ATG E OT R AV EL L ER .CO.U K / F O O D 12 5
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TH I S I S S U E, WE’RE FO LLOWI N G L AU R A ARIA S , AN
IT EN G I N EER B O RN AN D R AI S ED I N B I LBAO, S PAI N
Tell us about Bilbao’s food culture

The Basque Country loves food. Every
celebration is around the table — with
wine and at least a few pintxos. We’ve
been raised watching our mothers
cook, and almost every moment at
home is spent in the kitchen.
What are some of your favourite

dishes from the region?
Angulas (baby eels) sautéed with
extra virgin olive oil, sliced garlic
and a pinch of chilli is one of the
most popular dishes in Bilbao,
and my favourite. I love my mum’s
chipirones en su tinta — tender
squid cooked in its own ink. Also,
no one should leave without tasting
bollos de mantequilla, fluffy buns
stuffed with cream.
How did you get into

photographing food?
I’ve always found the kitchen a
relaxing place to be after work. My
family loved all the dishes I cooked
for them, and this made me want
to take a leap and share it online. I
borrowed a camera from my sister
and enjoyed it so much that I bought
my own and went from there.
Who’s your food hero?

Donna Hay. She’s an Australian
chef and a stylist who focuses on
taste as well as visuals. I think she’s
W H O L AU R A’ S FO LLOW I N G changed the aesthetics of food in a
revolutionary way. At the same time,
@cannellevanille @jo_rodgers @marte_marie_ @gkstories her recipes always work, and are
Basque-raised and A contributor to forsberg This blog takes simple but tasty.
Seattle-based, Vogue, Jo takes I really love her vegetarian
Aran has fun food photos with way of cooking, recipes to a new Do you have a favourite cookbook?
with recipes and plenty of style. especially dimension, and Maybe Julia Child’s Mastering the
photography with Her Instagram is her fusion of proves vegan Art of French Cooking, Vol 1 — it
a bit of personal British elegance at Scandinavian and cooking can be contains a lot of techniques and is
life thrown in. its best. British styles. mouthwatering. very detailed.
Where do you like to eat in Bilbao?

I always recommend La Viña
del Ensanche, downtown. It’s a
restaurant with 90 years of history,
and it never disappoints. Wild
mushrooms with egg yolk, and
red berries gratin are two of my
favourite dishes there.

ON THE TABLE
What we’ve been enjoying in the world of food and travel
I’VE BEEN DRINKING…

Italicus spritz. I’m allergic to
Aperol, so this new aperitivo spirit
— served 50/50 with prosecco,
over ice — is my go-to summer
drink. rosolioitalicus.com
Lauren Gamp, designer
I D I N E D AT…
The North Fork Table &
Inn in Southold, New York.
Long Island’s food scene is
blossoming at the moment,
and here they make the most
of local produce. A starter of
spring radishes with buttermilk
and chive was the highlight — beautifully
simple but incredibly flavoursome. northfork
tableandinn.com
Nicola Trup,
deputy editor
I D I S C OV E R E D…
Vivera Veggie Steaks.
In terms of taste and
texture, it’s the meatiest
veggie-meat I’ve had.
I closed my eyes and
actually thought I was eating a filet mignon.
I’VE BEEN FEASTING ON…
vivera.com Becky Redman, art editor
Duck eggs en cocotte. An admittedly fiddly
upgrade on a boiled egg breakfast, cooked with
wine, mushrooms and, crucially, about a tonne W H E N I N P O RT H L E V E N
of Le Gruyère cheese. Check out the recipe on Cornish highlights

Duck and Waffle’s website. duckandwaffle.com
Glen Mutel, editor 1 Roskilly’s ice cream
Fancy wild cherry, blackberry crumble
or raspberry yoghurt? Nauti but Ice has
them all. nautibutice.co.uk
What do you put on your burger?

2 Wood-fired pizza
At The Corner Deli. Also try
the local cheeses and charcuterie.
thecornerdeliporthleven.co.uk
A M O U N TA I N O F A S P I C Y, S M O K Y TR AC KLE M E NT S
F R E S H G UAC A M O L E .
I mix avocado, coriander,
lime, red onion and sweet
C H I P OT L E M AYO .
I make my own, mixing a
spoonful of chipotle paste
S PEC IAL E D ITI O N
H OT M U STARD
KE TC H U P. Sweet but
3 Fudge
The Hand Cut Cornish Fudge kiosk
has over 50 flavours, including lemon
cherry tomatoes to make into good quality mayo. a bit spicy, it’s like posh meringue. Maria Pieri, editorial director
a zingy topping for crispy Alternatively, a swirl of American mustard.
black bean burgers. harissa does the trick tracklements.co.uk
Stephanie Cavagnaro, too. Connor McGovern, Farida Zeynalova,
contributing editor contributing editor assistant editor

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THE SECRET COUNTRY
Guatemala’s cuisine is one of the
world’s most compelling, made with
local spices found nowhere else, and
blended with modern culture.
GASTRONOMY
SHAZAM THIS PAGE

TO DISCOVER MORE

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Glen Mutel, Editor

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The olives used in every bottle of our extra

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The ice creamery: Callestick Farm,

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is Southern-inspired. The selection of bourbons in London, recommend a bar in the

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MEET THE MAKER

THE VINEGAR POPE

Makkurozu black rice

I’m living with my products.” Audrey Gillan

packed with vinegars, while up on the Naschmarkt (stand 111-112) or from

I first encountered tahini as a child, when

AGED & B LEN DED I N

FIVE OF THE BEST

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WORDS: SAR AH BARRELL, LIZ DODD,

LOW D OW N : In 2008, organisers had in which contestants run across a line

LOW D OW N : You’ll likely smell this festival

LOWDOWN: This gourmet extravaganza was

LOW D OW N : There’s a saying in Valencia that goes:

BORDE AUX SALÓN DE L

LOW D OW N : Ecuador has one of the world’s oldest

frantoiana, a rustic bean and vegetable soup from streetfoodfestival.co.za

Lucca that’s elevated by the judicious addition of BA N G KO K V E G E TA R I A N

A celebration of Victorian fare, held at

S P I R IT O F S PE YS I D E LOW D OW N : Garlic fudge, garlic ice festival, alongside gourmet garlic

LOW D OW N : More than 60 gourmet hikes in Saint-Pierreville,

THE JERUSALEM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

LOWDOWN: Winding through the

FE STIVAL DE thanks for the year’s sake bounty, its

LOS MOLE S doors to the public. Despite being a

YORKS H IRE DALE S

LOW D OW N : You’ve heard of Wensleydale, of course, but what about