"ObserverFoodMonthly" news and stories

The July issue of the Observer Food Monthly. If you like long lists then you will enjoy this issue.

• The Taste of Summer Special details the top five restaurants and eateries - Top five seafood Top five British Top five chic eats Top five beach shacks Top five by the seaside Top five curries Top five in Scotland Top five in Manhattan Top five Chinese Top five tapas Top five meat Top five sushi Top five in Cornwall
• Recipe wise Nigel Slater goes for Mango Fool, Meringues with Summer Berries, Goats Cheese and Cherries (a combination I have not encountered before) and Pistachio and Blackcurrant Trifle.
• There is an interview with Morgan Freeman who has moved to a nondescript town in Mississippi
• More childhood memories from Nigel Slater (how does he remember all this stuff? obviously didn't do enough drugs during his teenage years)
• A fascinating article on Tea in China - in Shanghai alone there are now 47 Starbucks
• Tim Atkin reviews 37 wines for summer (another list)

Food For Kids Special - that's the heading emblazoned on the this months issue of the Observer Food Monthly.

• The truth about school dinners: what happened when Jamie went home Are the UK's children now eating healthier foods?
• So what do Michelin kids like to eat? Better in pictures than online - it all gets a bit messy - but what do the children of Britain's top chefs eat?
• Top 50 pubs for lunch this summer : Dream locals Eat outside Rural bliss Exceptional food Stay the night My favourite pub 
• Can we have one, Dad? - ice-cream for kids a taste test of tubs, lollies and cones.
• Tried & tested: Prosecco from £3 I told you Prosecco was going to be big this year and the Observer agrees - a 19 bottle taste test
• Let them bake cake Time to get the kids and the mixing bowl together says Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

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• Nigel Slater puts the season's vegetables and herbs to good use with braised spring vegetables, grilled chorizo with almonds sherry vinegar and spring cabbage, green chicken and coconut soup and salmon with pea puree.
• Green and Black's Maya Gold, the first British Fairtrade project, is the livelihood for a whole area of Belize.
• Scottish children have the worst teeth in Britain. But can the blame really be laid at the door of sugary sweets?
• Willie Mae Seaton explains how, post Katrina,  food is the key ingredient in the regeneration of New Orleans.
• New books for foodies.
• Can you shop at the supermarket and be eco-friendly? Only if you drink carbon-neutral tea.
• Gardener Diarmuid Gavin at his favourite table in Eden, Dublin.

I have just posted this over on our Digital Photographer blog but I thought it worth repeating here - The Observer, in conjunction with Seeds of Change, is hosting a food photography competition with prizes up to £10,000.

FOr all you budding foodporn merchants: you need to impress! They have set up three categories: Food and People, Food and Thought, and Food, Glorious Food. So plenty of opportunities for demonstrating your creativity. Entrants can submit up to 5 photos per category, and short listed exhibitors will receive a subscription to Practical Photographer magazine. UK only I believe.

Entries are due by June 30th, and can be submitted on-line.

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The Observer Food Monthly published a taste test last Sunday that detailed those selected by Christophe Michalak the world's top pastry chef. He works at the Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris.  His top selections are -

• White Chocolate - Marks and Spencer Swiss (£1.19 125g) 'refined and delicious'
• Milk Chocolate - Divine Fairtrade (£1.09 100g) 'smells and tastes like milk chocolate should'
• Dark Chocolate - The Chocolate Alchemist (£1.75 100g) 'very intense... fantastic'
• Nutty Chocolate - Prestat Organic (£3.60 80g) 'Absolutely delicious'
• Boxed Chocolate - Pierre Marcolini (£25.50 250g) 'not perfect but very good'
• Truffles - Fortnum and Mason (£25 250g) 'seductive presentation' (but only two out of 5 stars!)
• Chocolate Spread - Nutella (£1.35 400g) 'Nothing compares to Nutella'
• Low Fat Chocolate Mouse - Marks and Spencer Count on Us (49p 70g) 'a good texture and isn't too sweet'
• Chocolate Pudding - Marks and Spencer Fudge (£3.49 400g) 'almost perfect'
• Brownies - Village Bakery Organic (£2.39 140g) ' great flavour'