Friday 18 November 2011

A festive feast with Love Your Larder

The dry chill in the air and cascade of commuters clutching red coffee cups that greet me every morning en route to the office is a sign of only one thing – Santa Claus is coming to town! I’m totting up a long wishlist of London food markets to get me into the festive spirit, but I’ve asked my friends at Love Your Larder to share their favourite seasonal recommendations to make sure that your Christmas is a cracker, no matter where you live. With over 1000 gourmet products on offer from 80 different independent producers, you’re bound to find the ideal foodie gifts for all the family in their online marketplace…

love your larderAll the good things about Christmas, the giving and sharing, spending time with loved ones and celebrating this time of year just wouldn’t be as good without all the gorgeous food and drink it is almost compulsory to indulge in at this time of year. There is no other occasion in the year where it is perfectly acceptable to have chocolate followed by champagne at breakfast, followed by smoked salmon, more chocolate and lots of gorgeous joints of meat and roast potatoes before eating decadent Christmas pudding with lashings of cream or brandy butter. And that’s before we even start thinking about what we are will be washing it all down with.

Working at Love Your Larder means sampling lots of food and drink (hard job we know, but someone has to do it) and here are our top picks for the festive season, whether you’re looking for something to give the foodie in your life or want to make your Christmas dinner the one that goes down in family history.

Friday 4 November 2011

Magnificent meatballs to leave him wanting amore


Beef meatballs with rosemary tomato ragu
I’ve received an urgent recipe request on my Facebook fanpage for the perfect meal for a romantic night in. Like a savvy lady’s pre-date beauty regime, the dish needs to be dressed to impress without breaking the bank balance or taking hours to prepare.

For me, Italian food is ideal for inspiring intimacy – and the classic combination of pasta and meatballs is the ultimate embodiment of this. The heady scent of rich tomatoes and fresh herbs instantly conjures up images of gondolas gliding over Venetian canals, and what better way to get into the mood for amore than by recreating the infamous spaghetti-sharing scene from Lady and the Tramp?!