Food and Travel Magazine

This Month

Epicures across the country will be licking their lips with glee right now. As chef Michael Caines delights in telling us in his latest column on page 27, with summer fruits still in abundance, winter vegetables beginning to appear and the start of the grouse shooting season, these are two of our prime gastronomic months. And what better place to tuck into classic British fare than in the quaint villages and rolling valleys of the West Country’s Mendip Hills. Famous for its cheddar cheese still made in the eponymous Gorge, and home to generations of cider-makers, the area is rich with ancient food traditions. Helen Hokin took a journey through the hills to see if the age-old production methods, used for many centuries, show any signs of abating (page 78). Italy’s Abruzzo region has at least one thing in common with the Mendips; a propensity for farming sheep. Lamb appears on the menu of the most popular local restaurants and, as Melissa Kronenthal discovered, one resident is so passionate about preserving old shepherding customs, she has contrived an ‘adopt-a-sheep’ scheme which has garnered support worldwide. Read all about this culinary hot spot on page 66. Our recipes this issue are a celebration of European cuisine inspired by Greek Islanders, Parisian bistros and Spanish tapas bars and, for those days when the sun decides to shine, there are plenty of ideas for the barbecue. For those of you who want a break away from the stove and would rather someone else do the cooking, we visit three charming European cities that are perfect for alfresco dining.

Charlotte Swift Editor