The Hackney Butchers Association

The next one in my quest to start drinking a little less in the week...  This one is 0.5% alcohol, which will have no effect unless you drink a bathtub full. This is a nice drink that actually tastes like lager! I got it from Tescos, it's mass produced and should be readily available. A few of the other alcohol free beers I've tried have an unpleasant bitter metallic taste.  This one is clean, light, and refreshing with a malty taste.  Quite impressive considering how bad some of the others are! I might try one out on a friend and see if they can spot that it's low alcohol... Also recommended is the Bavaria Wit 0% (Wheat Beer)

This is a great light ale from a fantastic small brewery, HOBSONS in Mortimer, Shropshire. Well worth a look if you like ale.  A total waste of time if you don't. Even more exciting, you can order direct delivery from this link.  CLICK HERE The site has six breweries, & delivers anywhere.  It would be brilliant for a special event.  You can order cases of bottles, 18/36pint polybins, or even barrels.  Enjoy!

My new favourite song.  Ok, I know it's not a recipe, but you could cook while listening to it? It's like the Beta Band mixed with a bit of Simon & Garfunkle.  I love it. http://www.myspace.com/djangotime I can't work out where to buy the album, if there is one. I might have to invent a Django Django sauce...

I got given this fantastic book for Christmas.  (Thanks M&P!)  Definitely recommended. It will set you straight on the types of game, their history, and uses.  It has a breakdown of each type of common game with a load of recipes, some straightforward, some more unusual. There is a recipe for Quails on toast with a sweet onion sauce and watercress that looks fantastic.  It's effectively a roast bird with bread sauce, but looks incredible. Another one that leapt out for me is a Partridge escabeche with orange & thyme.  The dish is cooked a day in advance with the meat being almost cured in the process. I'm going to try and get some Partridge tomorrow... There are dozens of things I'm planning on trying out.   I'll post the results. Let me know if anyone else has tried any of these, or has any family game recipes.  Cheers!

This restaurant has been open for a few weeks and will stay open until the end of January.  The food is great!  It's modern Thai.  The curries are authentic, generous & delicious.  The lunch set menu is only £6.50 and includes a beer or glass of wine.  The Pomelo salad was really interesting.  Big chunks of orange, with beautifully cooked prawns in a spicy peanut & holy basil sauce.  It was £4 as a starter.  Easily big enough to share for 2. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun.  The place has been rapidly thrown together with rough wood & lots of style.  It's very cool. Wow.  I'm going to try and get back as often as I can before it's gone. Noodles - Modern Thai 48, Dean Street, London W1D 5BF It's being run by the people that do Rosas off Spitalfields Market: DETAILS HERE

This mad and noisy shop never ceases to amaze...  I love it. Last night I saw that they now sell, trotters, pig's ears, pig tripe, bags of pork blood etc etc.

A fantastic book for meat lovers, by the author of "Ripailles" (Feasts).  It has beautifully shot  instructional photos of how to prepare various joints, along with dozens of roasts for beef/veal,  lamb, chicken, rabbits, venison, salmon & more.  There is great looking food on every page.  It's good to open on an indecisive day when you needed a quick idea.  It would make a great christmas present.

James Eliot 96 Essex Rd, London, N1 8LU ‎ - 020 7226 3658 ‎ A great butchers shop in Islington.  Love it.

The Ginger Pig are top of the range butchers. They have shops in Borough Market, Hackney, Marylebone & Waterloo.

This a delicious lager from a micro brewery based in Alloa - Central Scotland.  3.9%, so not too strong.  It's got a great caramel after-taste. They make a lot of different brews.  CHECK THE FULL RANGE HERE So far I've only tried a few.  There's always tomorrow... I didn't get on too well with their 'Premium Red' to be honest.  Then again I don't really like any Red beers.  I find them too vinegary.  There you go. The IPA (India Plae Ale) is also very good and worth looking out for. They sell this one at Odbins.  They also do online ordering , though you have to order 5 cases minimum.  I can think of worse things.

 I've just been recommended this book.  It is a pork-fest.  I like it already. It's now on my Xmas wish list... Anyone?.... It looks pretty cool.  The book's website has a taster of the recipes inside....  CLICK ME!

This is a brilliant little Lebanese place. As I found out last night, you need to book!.. Yalla Yalla 1 Green's Court, London, W1F 0HA Tel: 0207 287 7663 View Larger Map

I got given this book many years ago (Thanks Mum! x) It took me a while to realize just how good it is. Now I use it all the time. It's splattered in food and probably a health risk... It's one of those books, full of all the classics, that you'll use for life.

The original & still brilliant... The food is cooked in an open kitchen. It's rustic, delicious stuff. 159 Farringdon Rd London, EC1R 3AL 020 7837 1353 Get Directions MAP

This is so easy & totally delicious! 5 garlic gloves 2 tbsp fennel seeds 3 tbsp chopped parsley 2 teaspoons sea salt olive oil Pork loin 2-3kg on the bone (preferably rib end) 1. (5mins) Finely cut & bash up the PARSLEY, FENNEL SEEDS, GARLIC and SEA SALT. Add just enough nice olive oil to make a paste & rub on any joint of pork. Leave uncovered overnight in the fridge.... Next day cook pork as normal. Serve with roasted spuds etc. It's so damn good.... BIG FLAVOURS & ROUGH EDGES was the Eagle Pub's first book. It's was reprinted in 2009 as The Eagle Cookbook: Recipes from the Original Gastropub.