welcome.

August… As I write, it’s blisteringly hot and

August MOMENTS

Editor Karen Barnes picks events, ideas and seasonal stars to celebrate the best of summer

WHAT ’S ON THE MENU?

Food editor Tom Shingler puts together perfect matches from this month’s wonderful recipes

#notforsharing

A fruity, summery dessert that’s ready in a flash

OVER TO YOU

STAR EMAIL ★ Subject: A taste of grey

APPETISERS

Bite-size news, reviews & diary dates. By Phoebe Stone

HOT LIST

What’s hip for high summer, what’s great, what we rate

A margarita with Sophie Ellis-Bextor

The singer-songwriter on backstage snacks and favourites from her family’s new cookbook, which shares the spirit of their live-streamed lockdown kitchen discos

Summer hits

Wish you were feasting on Mediterranean flavours on a villa terrace in the south of France? Spirit yourself there with legendary chef Raymond Blanc’s laid-back recipes... Just add chilled rosé

Roll on fry-day!

Who doesn’t love a crisp, golden fritter? Packed with veg, these recipes are excellent for anything from a weekend brunch to a midweek dinner or packed lunch. Great flavour combos and a quick turnaround are what you’re looking at here, which is exactly how we like our summer cooking

RESPECT FOR THE SLAW

When you need zingy flavours to cut through the smoky richness of a barbecue feast, you need a good coleslaw – and this colourful trio has zest and crunch to spare

BUTTERS

Get the lowdown on a freezer standby loved by chefs that will transform your cooking, from barbies to weeknight meals, in an instant

THE RECIPES

Each of these flavoured butters starts with a 250g block of unsalted butter, which needs to be left at room temperature until soft. Roughly dice the butter before you begin mixing it with the other ingredients to ensure an even distribution of the flavourings.

Fancy a kebab?

The ritual of skewering marinated meat onto pointy metal sticks and cooking them over glowing coals is one that spans the world, as fire-cooking expert Genevieve Taylor shows in these smokily alluring, global-flavour-mixing recipes

“My eyes were fixated on Mum’s corn on the cob pea nut curry”

Nisha Parmar, a MasterChef star turned private chef, recalls the family celebration recipe that stole the show – every time

RED ALERT

There’s nothing like the flavour of a British tomato, picked at its colourful, summery best – which is right now. Put this seasonal beauty centre stage with four fantastic recipes to tantalise your taste buds

A slice of the Med

Stuffed lamb leg with Greek-style beans PHOTOGRAPH SEAN

Chef ’s secret recipe

African garden eggs – atype of aubergine – are the star of this rich Ghanaian classic Akwasi Brenya-Mensa gleaned from his grandma

Life is better with pastry

From shortcrust to rough puff, Debora Robertson’s relationship with pastry has never failed to satisfy. Her advice? Be bold, use all-butter and ne regrette rien

A very British picnic dish

A picnic at Glyndebourne, the opera house in deepest Sussex, isn’t the place for a petrol station scotch egg and a bag of crisps. At your next outdoor feast, unpack this creation from the venue’s chef Steve Groves and you’ll have heads turning your way longingly. Evening dress not required – fizz optional

Shortcut to heaven

It’s simple to create this stunning tart, as it uses a clever timesaver: shop-bought custard. We’ve made a pistachio-flecked pastry for added luxury, but ready-made shortcrust would make it even quicker

Blueberry Basque cheesecake

US recipe writer and photographer Tieghan Gerard has millions of fans lapping up her recipes – like this stonking pudding we’ve re-created for you

Counting sheep

Less common than cow’s cheese and not as distinct as goat’s, sheep’s cheese can be overlooked, especially in the UK, where dairy cows proliferate. That’s a shame, says cheese guru Patrick McGuigan, as there are excellent examples to be had – especially at this time of year

Malmö a city by the sea

With its sandy beach and balmy summers, the former fishing port at Sweden’s southern tip is a beguiling spot. Add in a farm-to-table restaurant scene and coffee-and-cake culture and you’ll be hooked

YOUR PERFECT TOUR OF BRITAIN

Immerse yourself in some of the UK’s most spectacular landscapes, stately homes and gardens with these offers from delicious.Travel Club

August Recipe index

ESSENTIAL INFO ABOUT OUR RECIPES Our symbols explained

Take five

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

THE FOOD QUIZ

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

puzzles.

World of puds Match the sweet to the

delicious.

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Why I’m bananas for Fairtrade

Comedian and Junior Bake Off presenter Harry Hill explains why you should never sneak up on Mary Berry from behind – and why, when buying the yellow bendy things, we need to think of the farmers

Drinks

Bottle-f ree w ines, cloudy beers and inspiration from Japan

Susy’s Best buys

If you’re off to festivals and picnics, glass bottles are hefty to transport – but are there any good alternatives out there? Expert Susy Atkins tries the best wines in recyclable bags, boxes and cans

Going crazy for hazy

Cloudy beer isn’t always a bad sign, says Mark Dredge – not when it comes to a style that’s become a summer favourite

One chicken 5 meals

A roast chicken is a wonderful thing – but all too often it’s reserved for Sunday. These five recipes show how, with a little ingenuity, you can make a single bird last the working week

Friday night dinner

Throw these sticky glazed ribs in the oven or slow cooker and let time do all the hard work for you

Raspberry and white chocolate Rice Krispie bars

Children will love these sticky, crispy treats – but if you end up snaffling them, we won’t judge you

Use it up

Starve the food waste bin and use up the bits and bobs from this month’s recipes in simple and seriously flavoursome ways

The ultimate guide to meze

Discover the fundamentals of true Mediterranean meze, from what it is to how it’s eaten, with Odysea’s award-winning ingredients

Health NEWS

News, nuggets of knowledge and advice you can trust.

Salads with substance

“Abounding with colour, texture and flavour, salads bring freshness and zing to the table. But as well as culinary joy, they can also bring nutritional benefits. I hope these recipes inspire you to enjoy at least one plateful of salad a day”

How to ease your sugar cravings

Do you hanker for an energy boost mid-afernoon in the form of a hunk of chocolate, a slice of cake or a few Hobnobs? If so, you’re not alone – and Sue Quinn has strategies to combat the cry of the biscuittin

Barbecue like a pro

\ PHOTOGRAPHS: MAJA SMEND, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES “When you’re

The Dusty Knuckle’s sticky buns

Soft, sticky and gooey in the middle, these swirled pastries from the socially conscious London bakery are at their glorious best eaten fresh from the oven, but they keep well too

Perfect pizza (no oven required!)

Follow our foolproof guide to homemade dough, best-ever sauce, how to approach toppings and a hob-meets-grill cooking method for the best pizza you’ll ever make