FROM OUR INBOX…

WELCOME TO June

Could it really be summer? We’ve had a few false starts

8 REASONS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT June

A love affair with all things Gallic – that’s how I’d

in the know.

This month could be a scorcher! Then again, it is the

Make it EVERY DAY FOR A BRIGHT, FEEL GOOD JUNE

Our take on a classic Sicilian-style caponata has fewer

THE HEALTH DEBRIEF

• FAD-FREE insight • DEBUNKED food • health news • HEALTHFUL ways to eat better •

Just 5 ingredients

When time is of the essence, simplicity comes into its own. Here’s proof that suppers can have just as much flavour when made from a few ingredients chosen with the utmost care

THE 5:2 RECIPE

Our lighter take on the classic Sicilian dish with a sweet and savoury vibe

THE BUDGET RECIPE

A Mexican-inspired frittata with salty bacon and warming chipotle mayo

TAKE A PACK OF… PEPPERS

Creative twists on a favourite summer ingredient

SALAD OF THE MONTH

A punchy, flavoursome Asian-style mix, packed with poached chicken and herbs

THE PLANT-BASED MEAL

Crunchy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, a good croquette is hard to resist – but who knew it was possible to create a vegan version that tasted so good?

THE SKILLS ISSUE Be a better cook!

Next month’s special edition is different. It’s about taking your cooking to the next level – an unmissable collection of failsafe skills, recipes and ideas you’ll use for years to come

GOOD FOR YOU, BAD FOR YOU OR JUST HYPE? The truth about the charcoal trend

Activated charcoal is the health trend that won’t go away. For years it’s been added to an array of food and drink, served with a promise that it can cleanse the body of toxins and cure many other ills. Is it another harmless Insta-genic food fad or are there darker implications? Sue Quinn absorbs the facts

“How to make your kitchen a happy place”

Fed up with cooking the same-old, same-old veggie recipes? Grab your apron and your chopping board and prepare for something new: Elly Pear is a master of far-flung flavours that bring a whole new taste adventure to your home kitchen, starting with these creations from her latest book

FOR STARTERS

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

Donal Skehan

The Irish food writer, photographer and presenter on a big move overseas, the thrill of live TV and how starting a food blog changed his life

Wish list

How do you decide what to buy? Everything you see and

‘‘It comes out of the cupboard almost every day’’

Fashion designer turned baker and food writer Chetna Makan wouldn’t be without the vital tool that reminds her of her Mumbai home

PLEASE LEAVE OUR FOOD ALONE!

Has the food world’s obsession with novelty gone too far? Is ‘re-invention’ just another word for ‘needless crimes against foodstuffs’? Debora Robertson reckons there is such a thing as an innovation too far – and it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth

In the moment… JUNE

STRAWBERRIES AND NEW POTATOES ABOUND AS BARBECUE SMOKE

“We give our goats a life they wouldn’t have had”

There’s a dark side to the goat milk industry, but the Cole family is doing something about it. Lucas Hollweg travelled to Broughgammon Farm, near Northern Ireland’s wild Antrim coast, to discover a story of enterprise, survival… and possibly the best bacon you’ve ever tasted

WHAT TO DRINK

Susy Atkins’ best buys for June, plus what to sip alongside summer’s fruity puds

How chefs are transforming the way children eat in schools

In response to the UK’s child obesity crisis, primary schools have been making eforts to improve their food ofering – and if one growing east London initiative has its way, restaurant-quality grub could become the norm. Pip McCormac grabs a dinner tray and plastic beaker and queues up for a taste

TEST REPORT

WHERE The Seafood School at Billingsgate, Trafalgar

BITE-SIZE BREAK GIRONA

With a handsome, compact Old Town, photo-ready riverfront and views of the Pyrenees from its walkable medieval walls, the Spanish city draws in daytrippers from the nearby Costa Brava. But as Les Dunn discovers, it’s worth staying longer to make the most of Girona’s thriving food and drink scene

SHETLAND: LAND OF THE ‘SIMMER DIM’

The farthest-flung bit of the British Isles is finding fortune in an unlikely pair of exports: crime dramas and great food. It’s also the place to visit for the UK’s longest summer days. Susan Low heads north to find a community whose ship has come in

Why I don’t intend to give up my Sunday roast

Meat lover Neil Davey knows there are problems with the way a lot of meat is produced – but there are serious issues with global fruit, veg and grain production too. Ethical eating has never been more complex

ALFRESCO DINING Let’s eat outside!

10 outstanding recipes to pull out and keep

THE FILM BALL OF FIRE (1941)

Because every great film deserves a great dish… Food writer Kay Plunkett-Hogge and movie buff Fred Hogge serve up a helping of good-time comedy with a feelgood pud for a long summer evening

The unexpected BARBECUE

Embrace the thrill of the new with inspired recipes that add another dimension to outdoor eating. It’s time to sizzle!

THE CURRY BURGER

Inspired by the street food of Mumbai, this potato and cauliflower patty-in-a-bun delivers sweet, roasted spice flavours with a generous dollop of creamy fresh coconut yogurt and tangy tamarind paste

The 5 best Italian sauces for summer

When it comes to turning simple ingredients into a taste sensation, Italian cooks know best. For coating pasta, topping bruschetta and more, these are the season’s go-to sauces. Bravo!

A cook’s year NEW POTATOES

These tender young tubers figure high on Gill Meller’s best-seasonal-eating scale, and his simple salad demonstrates how fantastic new potatoes can taste

“Everything tastes better in the sunshine”

While I love the fresh spring days of May, it’s June

Jason Atherton’s fennel sausage pizza

I spend a lot of time in New York City and absolutely

VENISON The sustainable one

Sourced from deer roaming wild and free, this is a roast with sustainability credentials. Here, the meat is lightly salt-cured and flavoured with mustard, pepper, juniper and thyme

The recipe hall of fame BAKLAVA

Versions of this crisp, nutty confection abound in Greece, Turkey, the Caucasus and the Middle East, but how do you reproduce it at home? Food writer and cookery expert Debbie Major tested many combinations to come up with the best

ALWAYS A WINNER Pavlova

Its cloudlike, crisp yet mallowy texture makes meringue the ideal sunnyday pudding, especially when fresh fruit comes into play. We’ve created three recipes, including a vegan version made with aquafaba. Before you ask – yes, it works brilliantly. Summer never looked so sweet…

Classic lemon drizzle

A zesty, syrup-drenched sponge with a sugar crust is our go-to teatime bake. This timeless creation is sure to spark joy – but that doesn’t mean you can’t vary things a bit

foodies FESTIVAL

THE UK’S BIGGEST CELEBRATION OF FOOD, DRINK & LIVE

WIN! A luxury break in Devon

Spend two nights at Northcote Manor, set in 20 acres of glorious countryside

COOK IT LIKE delicious.

WIN a year’s supply of Tracklements goodies

FREE! Nigel Slater’s GREENFEAST: Spring, Summer

Hurry! Offer ends 30 June 2019

LOOSE ENDS

Don’t let this month’s special ingredients linger in your kitchen. Put them to good use with these smart and easy ideas for jazzing up all sorts of dishes, dressings, sauces and sweets

PRIZE CROSSWORD

Complete the puzzle, take a picture and email it to

BE A BETTER COOK

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

White vermouth

Used in place of wine, the herbal complexity of this classic aperitif adds layers of aromatic notes to your cooking

ELDERFLOWER FIZZ

This summer refresher is easier to make than you might think. Light and fragrant, it’s a fantastic alternative to shop-bought bubbly, and has hardly any alcohol