The UK national Sunday paper - the Observer - publishes a monthly food supplement. This
month the main focus is on the Best Recipes of All Time where "top foodies reveal their
favourites."
So we have Giorgio Locatelli (author and chef of Locanda Locatelli, London) recommending Antonio Carluccio's Bagna Cauda as a starter (taken from Carluccios book Italia) and Rainer Becker (head chef at Zuma) going for Best Roast Chicken by Alain Ducasse (from Flavours of France). The chicken sounds superb with a rich stuffing of duck foie gras, bacon and chicken liver and a second stuffing under the skin of herb butter).
Best Stew is by Richard Corrigan (From the Waters and the Wild) selected by Angela Hartnetts of the Connaught, London while Rose Gray (chef of the River Cafe Thames Wharf) selects Risotto with Sausage and Cranberry Borlotti Beans from Marcella Hazan's Marcella Cucina. Hugh Fearnley-Wattingstall nominates Simon Hopkinson's Roast Lamb (from Roast Chicken and Other Stories). This book lives up to its classic status by also being selected for the Roasted Leg of Rabbit and Bacon selected by Nigel Slater.
For a dessert how about the best chocolate pudding - from Nigella Lawson's How to Be A Domestic Goddess as nominated by Tom Aktins. Each of these recipes is detailed in the magazine; well worth buying just for these!
Two articles follow. The first covers corporate coffee producers buying up ethically produced coffee, the second looks at the Death of the Fashionable Restaurant; from the Russian Tea Room, New York through to Nobu at the Metropolitan Hotel, London. There is a profile of John Mackey founder of Whole Foods, which is about to open in London, wines for Valentines (which I will post in a seperate article) by Tim Atkin.
Finally a taste test comparison of pies. Oh, yes! It so happens I will be journeying to London on Tuesday for an Australian Wine Trade Tasting, which will give me the excuse for popping into Selfridges and picking up their winning Squarepie Fish Pie "Perfect mash to fish ratio", Steak and Kidney Pie "delicious" and the Chicken and Mushroom "creamy, rich" . Each are £4.25. Can't Wait.
[The Observer Website has not been updated with the latest issue - it is still showing December]
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