Charles Campion: Food & drink notes

To Moro the world?

When Samantha and Samuel Clark, the culinary mainsprings of Moro (a well-established restaurant in London's Exmouth Market), wrote their last two books The Moro Cookbook and Casa Moro they picked up a good many awards and a great many sales. Their latest book, Moro East, has great charm. This is the story of Manor Garden Allotments in east London, where the Clarks have a plot. The allotments bring together Cypriots, Kurds, Turks, Pakistanis, Iranians and restaurateurs! Recipes include partridge escabeche and Hassan's cracked potatoes with coriander. The pictures capture the mood of the place, a valuable record as Manor Garden will soon be under concrete it is to become a walkway for the Olympics.

'Moro East' by Samantha and Samuel Clark is published by Ebury Press, 25

Choc-a-block

As the Christmas choc-fest becomes ever more imminent, chocoholics may consider tuning up with some serious drinking chocolate. Drinking chocolate has come a long way since the days of bitter cocoa made with boiling water and the hot drink of choice for Naval officers in black-and-white films. Whittards the tea and coffee people have put together a pack containing seven ways to enjoy hot chocolate. You will get to sample caramel chocolate; ginger chocolate; Aztec chilli chocolate; a drinking chocolate made with 70 per cent cocoa; one styled as luxury chocolate; mint chocolate; and white chocolate. This compendium of choccy cuppas costs 18, is called the Chocolate Sins and is available from Whittards stores ( www.whittards.co.uk, or buy direct).

You're as cold as ice

Sometimes kitsch has a place in the kitchen kitsch in-sync? and these novelty ice-cube makers will strike a chord with any guitar-obsessed drinker. The moulds will produce small ice-bodied guitars with the plastic neck acting as a handle so that you can stir your drink. All you have to add is the exotic glass and a retro cocktail consider the merits of the "Gloom Chaser" from the Savoy Cocktail Book published in 1930. You'll find the moulds on the engagingly trivial website, www.paramountzone.com, for 5.95.

Slowly does it

If Christmas shopping brings you to London, it's worth remembering that from Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 December (11am-8pm) there will be a Slow Food market at the Southbank Centre. There are 25 different stalls laden with foodie goodies ranging from Sheepdrove Organic Farm's Heritage turkeys to Somerset Cider Brandy; Farmstead's hand-made French cheeses (which will be going head-to-head with fine British cheeses from Neal's Yard); Patchwork pts; and Cyrus Todiwala of Caf Spice Namaste will be selling his renowned chutneys and pickles. "The Slow Food Movement believes that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health." With such sensible aims and objectives, this is one movement that is worthy of your support. Happy shopping!