Online sensation Sweet treats for Diwali

welcome

PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL MITCHELL, ISTOCK/GETTYIMAGES What a month it’s

APPETISERS

Inspiration, bite-size news, reviews & great stuff to do

PUB OF THE MONTH

THE KING WILLIAM IV, MICKLEHAM, SURREY

Fireside read

Swiss-French writer Sylvie Bigar was living in New

THRIFTY TIPS FOR COOKS

Over 25 UK cookery schools are sharing advice

The worm has turned

A petition is demanding the new Prime Minister

KOSHER COOKING

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES, JAKE EASTHAM, CHRIS PAYNE IMAGES,

THE COST OF COOKING

After buying your ingredients, how much will you

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Food editor Tom Shingler mixes and matches this month’s creations

OVER TO YOU

STAR EMAIL ★ Subject: Budget in mind From:

Meet the reader

Lucky Beryl Leach, 84, divides her time between

Can you use too much garlic?

No, argued Anna-Marie Julyan in the September issue [p130] – and over on the delicious. Food Lovers group on Facebook, you agreed…

GREAT PRIZES TO BE WON ONLINE!

To enter our online competitions and for Ts&Cs,

HOT LIST

What’s new, what’s great, what we rate – plus bargain buys

Books you’ll love

We appraise hundreds of cookbooks published every year, choosing only the very best to recommend to you. Here are this month’s must-reads

A G&T with Lisa Goodwin-Allen

The acclaimed chef of Michelin-starred Northcote in Lancashire, who’s twice tasted success on Great British Menu, talks fast cars and fantasy dinner guests

I propose a toast... to toast!

PORTRAIT: SÉAN DONNELLAN W hen I have a

Chef’s secret recipe Nathan Outlaw special

“This makes such a good starter or lunch… The

Pumpkin patch HEAVEN

In the run-up to Halloween, massive (and watery) orange pumpkins fill shop shelves, ready to be carved into spooky faces. Choose instead the smaller, tastier specimens – grown for their flavour rather than size – in these beautiful dishes and see why pumpkins and squash are prized the world over

The perfect pear

Plucked from the tree they’re a juicy autumnal treat – but baked in a cake, pickled in a salad or grated into a burger, pears are even more sublime, as food writer James Rich shows in these stunning recipes from his latest book

ABSOLUTE BANGERS

Mince some meat, mix it with herbs, spices and salt, then stuff it into a casing – atechnique that’s managed to find its way into cuisines the world over. Pay homage to the splendid sausage by cooking up these dishes from Germany, Poland, China, North Africa and, of course, the UK

Slowly does it

Cherie Denham brings a subtle shift in flavours to this slow-roast Italian classic with a citrussy sweetness that works wonders with the punchy dressing

Thrills & chills

A beautifully simple make-ahead dessert, perfect for Halloween – without any plastic spiders or jack-o’-lanterns in sight

Beat the BAKE SALE

Bake Off’s hotting up on the telly, and in offices and village halls around the land, bake sale season is in full flow... Whether you’re an unashamed show-off or just want the easybut-oh-so-tasty option, we have a must-bake for you. They’re all guaranteed to sell like hot cakes – unless you feel compelled to keep them to yourself (we won’t judge you)

Your expert guide to cheese tasting

So you’ve tasted the cheese – then what? How do you describe it? Expert Patrick McGuigan shows how to rise above the cheesy phrases and express yourself with confidence, ‘wet wool’ and all

Cake + love = joy

The big reveal of a birthday cake, candles lit, puts a smile on any child’s face, but for some children that moment of happiness never happens. Community movement Free Cakes For Kids UK is determined to change that

Drinks

Cool-weather wines, German-style beers and an autumnal aperitif

Susy’s best buys

The arrival of autumn heralds a change in appetite, so drinks editor Susy picks some richer, riper wines to match the cooler weather, plus three satisfying softies for Sober October (or any time)

Beer school Cool brews

Beer is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and 90 per cent of all beer drunk is lager, yet it’s often dismissed as an inferior brew. Mark Dredge disagrees and celebrates the joy of the good stuff

Half an hour to happiness

Need something fast for dinner? These curries – inspired by the flavourpacked cooking of South Asia – can be on the table in 30 minutes

Make a hero of your slow cooker this autumn

It’s easy to use and can cook meals at a third of the cost of a conventional oven – and with tested-and-trusted delicious. recipes, the results are always fantastic

The easy roast

Everyone loves a simple roast chicken but, as with most things in life, it’s made even better with lashings of cheesiness. Try this fondue-like sauce – boosted by umami-rich mushrooms – instead of gravy this Sunday

Thrifty cook

Get the most out of your broccoli by using it – stalk and all – in a rich pesto bolstered by super-savoury anchovies, a warming hit of chilli and fragrant basil. It works wonders in this speedy gnocchi dish

Emergency choc chip cookie

Urgently need something sweet? Edd Kimber’s single-serve cookie will come to the rescue – in less than half an hour

Use it up

Don’t let this month’s ingredients clutter up the fridge and go to waste – get creative with these uncommonly useful ideas

Health NEWS

News, nuggets of knowledge and advice you can trust.

Mighty omega-3s

It’s a health buzzword we’ve all heard of, but many people are still unclear about what omega-3s are. You might know they’re found in foods like oily fish and good for all sorts of things but, as they’re a vital component of your diet, it’s worth knowing more. Sue Quinn delves into the essential info and creates three recipes packed with omega-3s

delicious.

Get ahead for Christmas with next month’s

TAKE A LUXURIOUS TO BATH’S CHRISTMAS MARKET

Dress to impress and step aboard the luxury British Pullman, A Belmond Train, for a return day trip from London to Bath, where you can visit the historical city’s magical festive jamboree

October Recipe index

31 STARTERS, SIDES AND NIBBLES • Kabocha squash

Take five

with Hugh Thompson’s delicious. brain teasers There are prizes to be won and fun to be had

THE FOOD QUIZ

IT’S WHAT COFFEE, CAKE AND SOFAS WERE MADE FOR

Be a better cook

Learn how to create the silkiest pasta sauce, plus a foolproof guide to the new way to fry and a classic fruit tart from Michel Roux Jr

The magic of PASTA WATER

“Cook sauce, cook pasta, combine, enjoy – the

5 Learn with Michel Roux Jr TARTE AUX POMMES ET CALVADOS

[apple tart with calvados] Fruit tarts are so

The project Tempura

This Japanese dish – introduced by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century – is the pinnacle of crisp batter cookery. Follow our in-depth guide to discover how easy it is to make at home and create one of the most satisfying plates of food in existence

delicious. discoveries

The best new products from the popular retailers, tastetested for you – plus a special roundup of newly awardwinning must-tries

Win! A gift box of Italian goodies

COMPETITION WORTH £250 EACH 4 GIFT BOXES TO

Land of paella

The ingredients of Spain’s classic rice dish are bound to its birthplace. Susan Low travelled to the rice fields of Valencia for a crash course in making proper paella, seasoned with a generous spoonful of sightseeing

The customer is often wrong

Drinkers and diners often complain about bad service, but those doing the asking can be guilty of much worse behaviour – and former hospitality worker Sam Wilson bears the scars