2017 was unquestionably the year of the Negroni; it was hard to walk past a bar in London last summer and not see it listed as one of the cocktails on offer. Invented, as the story goes, for Count Negroni in 1919 when he asked the barman to make him a stronger version of his…

Usquabae and Whisky tasting in Edinburgh
When it comes to what to do in Scotland, drinking whisky is of course at the top of the list. But what to try and where? Well, if you have the time and are so inclined you can of course head off and visit many of the distilleries across the Lowlands, Highlands and the Islands…

The Professional Kitchen - Behind the Scenes
Thanks to the recently departed Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, we’re all pretty familiar with the idea of the dark and dirty side of a professional kitchen, the rampant sex, drug taking and alcohol abuse. Stories of Marco Pierre White making Gordon Ramsey cry and of Tom Aikens branding the hand of a trainee employee are…

Tips for that Winter Break
Our resident holiday expert Rob Farrow is here to provide guidance, advice and answers to your holiday dilemmas. In this edition he looks at getting the most from autumn and winter breaks. As the autumn draws in, traditionally people’s thoughts turn away from holidays and towards nights indoors, but things have changed. Gone is the…

Wild Mushroom Risotto
A classic risotto, and one that I have spent years trying to perfect and replicate having tracked the worlds best one to Mosimann’s dining club in Knightsbridge. The key is to cook the rice so that it still has a slight bite to it and to keep stirring the rice to release the starch and…

3674 On The Orient Express
The diminutive grand piano is being tinkled upon as groups of cheery travellers sit chatting and giggling on ornate blue sofas and stools, sipping champagne, cocktails, and even the occasional coffee. The room judders and sways to the steady rhythm and beat of the clickety clack of iron on iron as sun light streams in…