Category Archives: Yahoo

Look out! Languedoc wines are coming!

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Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 28th February 2013:

Languedoc wines at Apero, Ampersand Hotel

Languedoc is a well known wine region in the South of France.

The plentiful sunshine (more than 300 days per year), which encourages tourists to the region in their droves, also facilitates easy grape growing. Unfortunately, bountiful supply of grapes have, in the past, encouraged bulk wine production. The wines produced, while drinkable, lacked finesse and definition.

Light notes on wine making…

Sunshine affects the quality of wines in one of two main ways.

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Ten food reasons to visit Rye

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Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 13th February 2013:

The Gallivant, Rye

Rye, a small Sussex town full of history, is also a surprising foodie destination. It’s proximity to the sea means that there’s an abundance of fresh seafood but there are also plenty of other surprising offerings.

Here’s just a few:

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Sourdough pancake recipe

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Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 8th February 2013:

Sourdough pancakes

While I was training as a chef at Leiths School of Food and Wine, we had a lecture on wild yeasts from bread expert, Hilary Cacchio.

Cacchio was all about making breads using sourdough starters and yeasts from the atmosphere. She had great anecdotes that really inspired me to start a sourdough culture myself.

With some helpful instruction from Virtuous Bread (it actually took a little longer than I thought it would) I soon had an active sourdough starter.

The trouble is, with a culture that’s constantly being fed and growing, I felt pressured to eat different variations of sourdough breads every week. As delicious as they were, it was time for a change.

I have always made pancakes in the American style, with added baking powder for an extra rise, so I decided to give the sourdough starter a try. And it worked a treat.

The result is a delicate pancake reminiscent of freshly made crumpets with a hint of acidity, not unlike the normal kind drizzled with lemon juice.

Here’s the recipe for sourdough pancakes. Makes around 18 small pancakes:

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Five Chinese cookery books you should invest in

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Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 7th February 2013:

Chinese cookery books

I often wonder if my room, with its heavily laden shelves of cookery books, is just another word for the library. My collection mostly involve chefs, restaurants or French cuisine; a sure sign of the food I like to cook, or at least look at.

When it comes to Chinese cookery books, things get a little more complicated.

Sure, there are a number of Chinese-themed books on the market with TV or celebrity tie ins but a quick browse through a few of my local bookshops revealed a very narrow selection with serious recipes.

With that in mind, I’ve chosen a few Chinese cookery books currently on sale online or in bookshops that will stand the test of time and offer ideas for years to come.

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How to make jiaozi (Chinese dumplings)

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Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 4th February 2013:

Dumplings by Qin Xie

There’s probably nothing more perfect than jiaozi for a Chinese New Year celebration – it’s the sort of dish that families make together and enjoy together.

Jiaozi, or Chinese dumplings as it’s more frequently known, are essentially little parcels of pastry wrapped filling. It’s traditionally considered a dish from Northern China although it’s enjoyed all over China.

The pastry is made with just water and flour while the filling can be almost anything you want. Most fillings are meat based and vary from region to region, like pork and garlic chives or beef and celery.

Here’s a recipe for pork and Chinese leaf dumplings:

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