Features

The Independent Food & Drink Awards 2009

Sunday, 15 November 2009

Britain's best restaurants, most passionate producers and finest food shops - as revealed by our panel of experts.

Best food festival: Feast of Dorset

Saturday, 14 November 2009

I've lost count of the food festivals I've been involved with this year, but the foodie culture is definitely on the up all over the country, which is a great thing.

My Secret Life: Heston Blumenthal, chef, 43

Saturday, 14 November 2009

My parents were ... eccentric. My mum's not shy in speaking her mind. My old man prefers an easy life – like me. Dad had a leasing company but retired over 15 years ago. Mum helped with the business and brought up me and my sister, Alexis.

A porcine adventure: Award-winning food writer Lori De Mori embarks on a 'Pig Weekend' in the Auvergne

Saturday, 14 November 2009

One bleak morning in the dead heart of a winter that was beginning to feel interminable, an invitation intriguingly entitled "Pig Weekend" landed in my inbox.

Sweet treats: Britain's top bakers and chocolatiers serve up their finest festive biscuits and tree decorations

Saturday, 14 November 2009

One pot wonders: Mark Hix's warming casseroles are the ultimate comfort food

Saturday, 14 November 2009

Although one-pot cooking is a great traditional way of conjuring up hearty meals, there's a lot more to it than just throwing some ingredients into a casserole and hoping for the best. The preparation is crucial to the end product and the quality of ingredients is, of course, equally essential.

Best wine list: Chez Bruce

Saturday, 14 November 2009

I wish I didn't have to let so many people into the secret of my favorite wine list, but duty calls. You might think that a restaurant that lets you bring your own wine (£15 corkage charge) lacks confidence in its own wine list. In the case of Chez Bruce, the opposite is the case. Why would you want to bring anything (other than a very expensive bottle indeed) when faced with such a mouthwatering wine list?

Best cheese: Montgomery cheddar

Saturday, 14 November 2009

Rather amusingly, Charles de Gaulle once pondered, "How can anyone govern a nation [France] that has 246 different kinds of cheese?" I wonder if in the near future we will hear Gordon Brown say something similar about British politics, because our cheese-making is on the up and up, and the day is not very far away when we will surpass the French with our cheese-making ability.

Best restaurant: Terroirs

Saturday, 14 November 2009

My restaurant of the year isn't strictly a restaurant at all. Or at least it wasn't when it opened, a year ago. Stealing quietly on to the over-heated London dining scene with the minimum of publicity, Terroirs has single-handedly restored the reputation of that most debased of dining options, the wine bar.

Best kitchen gadget: pestle and mortar

Saturday, 14 November 2009

My favourite utensil or tool in the kitchen is the pestle and mortar. To achieve the best results when cooking means making the most of what nature has to offer – so ideally you want to be using the freshest ingredients and only using powdered ingredients as a last resort.