Welcome to JULY

It’s that full-of-lighttime of year when proper sunshine

FIVE GOOD THINGS TO DO

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Five quick things to make with…

Courgette & buttermilk salad Whisk 100ml

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NEWS, NIBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE AND GOOD THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

WISH LIST

“These pages are about us doing the hard work so you

“WE’VE SURVIVED FIRE, FLOOD – AND THE 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM”

A trinity of disasters saw London’s oldest smokehouse, H Forman & Son, threatened with extinction. Its indefatigable proprietor explains how traditional values helped its survival

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT…

Our regular columnist is down with the big-city restaurant scene, but when it comes to a good feed in a friendly spot she likes to keep it local

Your burning food questions…

Some cooking queries just aren’t satisfied by the ‘I wonder what happens when I try this…?’ style of kitchen experimentation. We asked, via Twitter and Facebook, for your niggling food-related conundrums, then put the best of them to kitchen guru Debora Robertson (and friends)

CHEERS!

Susy Atkins rounds up best buys and top summery cocktails

delicious TEST REPORT

WHERE The Foodworks Cookery School, near Cheltenham

Take me to THE WATER

New Brunswick, on Canada’s east coast, is the historical land of the Acadians, early French settlers of North America. It’s a place of big skies, blue ocean and peaceful rivers, and those waters teem with wonderfully pure seafood. Hugh Thompson hits the Trans-Canada Highway and tries it all, from the workaday (smelts and mackerel) to the luxurious (caviar and lobster). Around here they like to eat it fresh… Very fresh

A SUMMER OF GREAT FOOD

High summer is upon us and festival season is in full

BITE-SIZE BREAK LEEDS

Independent cafés, craft breweries and restaurants with seasonal, fiercely local menus have turned Yorkshire’s biggest city into a food hub. Lorna Parkes explores the hotspots to check out

Why picnics aren’t worth the bother

As soon as we get five minutes of sunshine, why does everyone insist we grab blankets (and half the contents of our kitchen) and haul ourselves off to the great outdoors to eat? This summer, says Debora Robertson, it’s time to hold firm and organise a dining room sit-in

Skewers for the barbecue

Whether you’re cooking in the kitchen or out on the barbie, summer’s the time to get grilling and create a feast with an outdoor vibe. These three kebab recipes are guaranteed to put smiles on faces

ROAST PLAICE FOR TWO

The combination of anchovy and sage is known in Italy as ‘il tartufo di pescatore’ or ‘the fisherman’s truffle’. Add a beautiful buttery whole roast plaice along with waxy new potatoes and salty sea vegetables, and you have a real catch on your hands

FISHCAKES

Fishcakes are all about thrift, says Debbie Major. They evolved during times when expensive fish needed to be padded out with cheaper ingredients to make money go further. As with many recipes borne out of frugality, they have timeless appeal, making them more than worthy of a slot in our recipe hall of fame

Summer SCANDI-STYLE

Long bright days, fresh air, great food on the table, chats and laughter, candles lit as twilight falls and blankets are draped around shoulders… The Scandinavian way of life has a certain aura about it. It’s all about balance, and when summer arrives this food from northern climes bursts into big, bold, colourful life. Mix and match these new recipes from Brontë Aurell and let the sun shine inside as well as out

THE GREAT FRENCH CYCLING ADVENTURE (with fine food along the way)

In the second part of her delicious. residency, Felicity Cloake travels across La Manche and takes a two-wheeled tour from the Alps to the Atlantic, then serves up un petit menu of seasonal Gallic dishes to entice you into the wonderful taste of France

CHERRIES WE SALUTE YOU!

British cookery expert Debbie Major conjures up recipes that showcase summer’s much adored but short-lived fruit. Cherries are having a proper revivial – and about time too

Broad beans

PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS FOOD STYLING SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH

Gill Meller A COOK’S YEAR

During his 11 years at River Cottage, our resident columnist has made an art of knowing how to show off seasonal food to its best advantage. This month he turns his attention to trout in all its fresh and flavoursome glory

The bring-and-share book lovers’ feast

What’s not to like about a book club – especially when getting together with friends to discuss a novel’s merits (or otherwise) is accompanied by great food and a cocktail or two? Food editor Jen Bedloe and her co-conspirators turned their book club into a food moment to remember – and now you can do the same

THE SPICY SUMMER BURGER

Moroccan food blogger-turned author Nargisse Benkabbou shares a North Africanspiced burger that will be a big hit on your barbecue. “I love mixing Moroccan flavours with Western dishes”, she says. “Fusion food reflects the world and age we live in, and I find it immensely comforting and tasty. This burger, which combines beef with spicy merguez flavours, is just such a creation. I think you’re going to like it”

“Mum’s been baking for so many years she feels the need to be creative”

Chef Peter Gordon grew up in New Zealand, where he was inspired by mum Timmy and her fantastic baking. Here, as his mum prepares to celebrate her 80th birthday on 19 July, the king of fusion cooking pays tribute to Timmy’s own clever hybrid

JOIN US FOR AN EXCLUSIVE DINNER WITH PETER GORDON AT THE PROVIDORES

Join delicious. editor Karen Barnes and the master of fusion cooking in the heart of London for a three-course dinner matched with top New Zealand wines – it’ll be a night to remember

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LOOSE ENDS

Don’t let this month’s special ingredients linger in your kitchen. Instead make the most of them with these smart and easy ideas

BE A BET TER COOK

10 PAGES OF TIPS AND KNOW-HOW TO GET YOU COOKING SMARTER, FASTER AND WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE

WIN! A luxury country estate break

Enjoy award-winning food, country house splendour and a wealth of history on the doorstep

COOK THE COVER

Become a sourdough master with a Hobbs House Bakery course, essential kit and a year’s supply of bread

delicious A taste of sunshine

• So simple, so good: 3 of the best Mary Berry bakes

FOOD LOVER’S CROSSWORD

See how much you really know about the world of food

READY IN 15

Is it possible to magic up a nutritious, satisfying supper in less than a quarter of an hour? Yes it is, and these five recipes prove how simple it can be

THE QUICK-FIX MEAL FOR ONE

The sweet, warming flavours of this recipe recall simple Greek cooking and the tangy feta and olives make it a satisfying veggie supper

THE BUDGET RECIPE

This summery dish makes the most of aubergines in their prime

THE 5:2 RECIPE

Rich savoury flavours combine with nutritious ingredients for a satisfying supper

SOUP OF THE MONTH

Delicately fresh and sweet, this cooling soup is a summer stunner

THE FRIDAY NIGHT SUPPER

The secret with this beauty is to bake the case the night before so it’s only 10 minutes’ work to finish it off before everyone can dig in

COLESLAW

A lighter take on the classic barbecue side, with a fresh herby dressing

TAKE A PACK OF… MIXED OLIVES

Olives aren’t just for nibbling on with drinks. The salty, umami characteristics of marinated olives give a burst of flavour to weeknight meals

Is red wine a health food?

A low-to-moderate intake has long been hailed as a way to protect against heart disease, yet official advice states there are no grounds for drinking any form of alcohol for health reasons. So can a good bottle of cabernet sauvignon keep our arteries unclogged, or do alcohol’s risks outweigh any benefits? Sue Quinn uncorks the debate

WHY NOW’S THE BEST TIME TO TRY THAI

Spicy, aromatic and fresh, Thai food lends itself brilliantly to meat-free cooking, especially at this time of year when vegetables are at their peak. These recipes from Saiphin Moore’s new book will add zing to your mid-summer mealtimes

THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN…

While the delicious. team are testing recipes, they’re often debating the best ways to do things, as well as answering cooking questions that arise in the test kitchen. What can you do with tomatoes that are past their best? How do you make pastry in summer? How can you make tofu more interesting? Who has a good barbecue sauce recipe? It’s the kind of information you won’t find anywhere else, and it will help take your cooking to the next level.

STRAWBERRY TARTS

These beauties will be met with oohs, aahs and ooh-la-las – and they taste every bit as good as the ones that grace the windows of Parisian patisseries

TURKISH-STYLE PIZZA by Selin Kiazim

PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS FOOD STYLING SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH

Welcome to summer

There’s nothing quite like the tantalising aroma of

WIN! BARBECUE KIT

Enter our competition and you could win a Broil King Regal S590 Pro gas barbecue, together with a portable barbecue and a host of accessories