The sphere of cafés, coffee culture and proliferation of the espresso coffee itself has become such a defining influence these days that it shapes cities and whole societies, exemplifying urbanity. Read More >
I left for a week in Piedmont with high gastronomic hopes. I still recall some of the magnificent food I ate last time I was there (which was over a decade ago, in November, the beautiful and mysterious time of fogs and white truffles). It wasn’t just the truffles, though. I adored the Italian respect for raw materials, and the way Italian chefs were prepared to serve a beautifully grown, simply prepared vegetable as a course on its own. Read More >
So here we are back in London, again! That is we were in London for 7 days in early June, and on to Paris for 3 days, then down to Burgundy for 3 days, back to Paris, subsequently home to Singapore. All of which I should have written up by now but got as far as Tate Gallery and have been sidetracked by all number of things since. Not least a fantastic 4 days of the continuing pinot noir conspiracy with Sam Neill (Two Paddocks) and Phillip Jones (Bass Phillip) with several events in Singapore.