Forget the English rose, start drinking the English grape September 10, 2013 [email protected] LAST Friday the day job took me to visit the vineyards of Chapel Down in Kent. The visit left me with no end of ideas and information and spurred me into action. I have always been a sceptic about English wine. Let’s face it, we live far closer to the Arctic than the Equator [...]
The real Willy Wonka is as experimental as ever September 10, 2013 Think you love chocolate the most? Elizabeth Fournier meets choc-God Paul A Young IT’S NOT hard to be passionate about chocolate, but Paul A Young takes it to a whole new level. Reviewers and customers alike may wax lyrical about his imaginative creations, which include Marmite brownies and Eccles cake truffles. Get him talking on [...]
Five wacky Paul A Young Creations September 10, 2013 The Marmite brownie It may look like a regular brownie but Marmite’s distinctively salty tang is lurking inside. Limoncello and cucumber It may sound more like a cocktail but it’s actually a light, zingy confectionary creation. Cigar leaf caramel Young is famed for his caramel and here he pairs it with a heavy, spicy cigar [...]
The MPV that’s cool… in a dad way September 9, 2013 Citroën has bent over backwards to make its new C4 Picasso accessible for style-conscious families MULTI-PURPOSE Vehicles (MPVs) have a reputation for being dull to look at and boring to drive. They’re seen as functional, humourless boxes, with sensible, easy-wipe cabins populated by the children of practically minded parents who shop with the head rather [...]
Not convinced? September 9, 2013 HERE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES Ford C-Max Zetec 1.6 TDCi £19,345 The Ford C-Max Zetec 1.6 TDCi easily outdrives the Citroën and it’s also almost £5,000 cheaper. It’s a tad behind the Picasso on acceleration (0-62mph 11.3 seconds) but trails a bit on top speed (114mph). It’s also behind the Picasso’s impressive CO2 emissions with 117g/km [...]
The Lexus LF-NX concept is a muscular, angular beast; a vision we hope will become a reality September 9, 2013 The Japanese carmaker is known for its stunning concept designs. Here is one from the top draw. LEXUS will today unveil its latest striking concept vehicle in the muscular LF-NX mid-sized crossover. The car, which will be displayed at the Frankfurt motor show, combines Tron-like styling with the latest hybrid technology. It adheres to Lexus’s [...]
On yer bike! Pedal your way to peak health September 9, 2013 AS the Prime Minister announces plans for a major cycling investment and a summer of BBQs and Stella has taken its toll, the question is, is cycling really the multiple box-ticker it’s made out to be? Cycling: The Perks ■ Numerous studies have found that you will get from A to B quicker cycling around [...]
Undergo a cava conversion in rural Catalunya September 8, 2013 Are you a snob about Spanish bubbly? Penedès will change your mind I ALWAYS thought of cava as Champagne’s poorer cousin – something one takes to parties when the French stuff seems a little dear. You turn up, sheepishly handing the sparkling Spaniard to your host, with the caveat that you would have bought France’s [...]
You’ll feel like you’ve been here before with this time travel rom-com September 5, 2013 FILM ABOUT TIME Cert 12a | By Daniel O’Mahony Three Stars FOR ME, it was always going to be about love.” That’s the reaction of Domhnall Gleeson’s Tim upon discovering he can travel through time. A knowing line from writer-director Richard Curtis, whose Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually trademarked the [...]
A third installment that’s as Riddick-ulous as the first two September 5, 2013 FILM RIDDICK Cert 15 | By Daniel O’Mahony One Star IN A heated standoff with bounty hunters Vin Diesel’s Riddick offers some ominous advice: “Forget about the start; it’s the end you want to think about now.” Say what you want about Vin Diesel, he clearly knows his audience: I had forgotten all about the [...]