The quiet side of Tuscany

WELCOME TO may

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8 REASONS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT may

Ruth Reichl edited one of the most prestigious, groundbreaking

FROM OUR INBOX…

Katy Salter’s call to ‘use or lose’ independent local

FOR STARTERS

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

A SLICE OF MY LIFE Eric Lanlard

The expert patissier and owner of one of London’s best cake shops on troublesome wedding cakes, taking risks and a memorable voyage

Wish list

How do you decide what to buy? Everything you see and read about here has been chosen from the hundreds of products we see, test and try out. Only the most useful, most beautiful and best value for money make it onto these pages

‘‘The knife decides who buys it’’

Chef and restaurateur Henry Harris had long coveted a special handmade kitchen knife but wasn’t sure if he would ever get his hands on one

Why it’s important to MAKE MISTAKES

We’ve all been there: people sitting at the table while a hot mess is being rescued in the kitchen. No one aspires to failure, but sometimes getting it wrong can shape your skills forever. Debora Robertson salutes trying, failing, learning – and carrying on with dinner regardless

A TALE OF WAR, DESPERATION, FAMILY RECIPES… AND HOPE

What’s it like to have to flee your home and country in search of safety? Food writer John Gregory-Smith travels to Lebanon to meet Syrian families who’ve taken refuge there. Against a backdrop of the most challenging circumstances, he discovers how, with the help of the World Food Programme, refugees are working hard to keep spirits high – and their food traditions alive

“Eric’s advice is gold dust for the perfectionist baker”

THE COURSE A baking masterclass with Eric Lanlard (£75

WIN! A luxury Cotswolds break

Spend two nights at a classic country house hotel set in eight glorious acres of gardens and parkland

10 reasons why Malta makes an unbeatable WEEKEND BREAK

If this tiny group of islands in the Med has escaped your attention, it could be time to rethink your bucket list. Food and travel writer Fiona Sims finds there’s change afoot that makes Malta a compelling destination for anyone who loves culture and gastronomy

Plas Bodegroes: for a warm Welsh welcome

WHY IT’S GREAT After a wild and wet drive through Snowdonia

THE FILM TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)

What better way to celebrate a classic movie than with a recipe devised by its director? Food writer Kay Plunkett-Hogge and movie buf Fred Hogge settle in for a night of thrills, spills, romance – and pastry

ALWAYS A WINNER Scones

You can knock them up in 45 minutes from start to finish, making them the pick of the bakes. And if you’re not sure whether it’s cream or jam first, our limoncello number avoids the issue as the whipped cream is already generously rippled with zesty lemon curd. Divine!

Cook up an adventure!

May’s two bank holiday weekends offer the chance to cut loose from the workaday routine and swap the same-old, same-old for fun new dishes that cry out to be devoured round the campfire. Whether your adventure takes you deep into the great unknown – or just to the end of the back garden – is up to you

ASPARAGUS

RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH PHOTOGRAPHS

A cook’s year GOOSEBERRIES

Gill Meller makes a visit to his gooseberry patch, picks the first early berries, then heads straight to the kitchen, emerging with a cake that doubles as a pudding, heralding soft summer days

“Brunch is how I like to roll”

May is Georgina’s favourite month – and with two bank holidays, brunch is her favourite way of entertaining friends. You can spend more time at the table and, food-wise, anything goes… Sweet or savoury? Coffee or cocktails? You can do whatever you want; there are no rules

THE SPEEDY ONE

This hot and sour fish curry is the kind of easy-to-prepare yet impressive dish every cook should have in their repertoire. Delicately spiced, aromatic and rich with Bengali flavourings, it’s a bowlful to fire up the senses – and satisfy the soul

“Gran turned everyday food into something magical”

For maths teacher, blogger and dedicated baker Philip Friend, the kitchen is his happiest place, especially when celebrating the craft he learned from his gran and his mum

“How I transformed from cooking-phobe to food devotee”

For nearly two decades, Lindsay Nicholson had a split personality when it came to food. By day, the magazine she edited championed home-cooked family meals – but by night, on her own, it was all too often the ping of the microwave that heralded dinner. It was only when cooking became a form of solace and escape that she discovered how pleasurable it could be

COOK THE COVER

Re-create our cover-star burger for the chance to win stylish Joseph Joseph kitchenware

“I love to create bigflavoured dishes with a sun-soaked taste”

Certain styles of cooking have ‘irresistible’ written all over them, and Ben Tish’s Moorish-inspired dishes qualify big-time. These vibrant recipes from his new book will have you running into the kitchen for a cooking session extraordinaire

WHOLE ROAST TURBOT

Serving a whole turbot may seem extravagant, but it’s simple to prepare and makes a memorable centrepiece. In fact, the dish is so good that chef Tomos Parry named his restaurant after it

THE ULTIMATE VEGGIE BURGER

It’s no wonder they’ve conquered the world as the handheld food of choice – a good burger is a thing of beauty, all the flavours and ingredients perfectly balanced and stacked up in a bun. And these herby, spiced falafel burgers, topped with griddled fennel and halloumi, are stunning. Serve them in a brioche bun and all you need is a side of fries and a cold drink for the best bank holiday vibes, whatever the weather

FREE! TASTECARD

UP TO 50% OFF AT 1,000s OF RESTAURANTS!

“We started making cheese only 10 years ago”

Julie and Kevin Hickey are making waves with their handmade cheeses – and sperrin blue is the jewel in the crown. Lucas Hollweg visited their dairy to find out how the story began

How to throw a RAMEN PARTY

It’s the Japanese sensation that’s sweeping the nation… Restaurants around the UK serving big, steaming bowlfuls of flavourful stock, stretchy wheat noodles and a variety of toppings. None near you? Here’s the good news: ramen is easy to make – and it’s a great dish to serve for friends to share

WHAT TO DRINK

Susy Atkins picks her favourite bottles for May, plus sublime pairings for asparagus

THE HEALTH DEBRIEF

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

How to give chicken a makeover

It’s the UK’s favourite meat and if you and the people you cook for love chicken, you can never have too many recipes. The five new ideas here all bring new and memorable flavours to your midweek table

THE LEFTOVERS RECIPE

Transform a spare batch of mash into a real winner

THE QUICK-FIX MEAL FOR ONE

Meet your new weekday staple: frozen Japanese gyoza dumplings. Cooked straight from the freezer, they make a brilliant shortcut supper

THE BATCH-COOK RECIPE

Make this fragrant curry sauce and keep it in the freezer to use when you need a timesaver. This master recipe is free from gluten and dairy and it’s vegan, too, so everyone can enjoy it

THE 5:2 RECIPE

This quick Thai-inspired salad brings crunch and tang to your table

THE PLANT-BASED MEAL

This vibrant, zesty pasta dish can be on the table in 30 minutes

TAKE A PACK OF… SALMON FILLETS

Here’s an ingredient that gets top marks for versatility. We’ve created four super-easy, full of flavour recipes to help weeknights feel just as good as the weekend

Is it safe to eat that bacon sandwich?

Studies suggest that the chemicals added to processed meats, some sausages and certain kinds of ham can lead to cancer. Does this mean it’s time to shun salami and wave goodbye to bacon? Sue Quinn gets to the meat of the matter

FILL-YOU-UP SALADS

Three quick, flavourful veggie ideas to pack and go for lunch – or to rustle up for a light weeknight meal

“The food on your plate is more powerful than pills”

Dr Rupy Aujla firmly believes that the route to a happy, healthy life starts in the kitchen. Keen to find out how? Try these healthful, colourful, great-tasting recipes from his new book and see for yourself how easy it is to cook food that boosts your zest for life

THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN…

When the delicious. team test recipes they often debate

Sherry vinegar

Rich, complex and nutty, most sherry vinegar is made from dry sherry and has firm acidity and subtle oak notes from barrel aging. It can also be made from sweet moscatel sherry for a sweet-sharp taste or from syrupy, raisiny pedro ximénez sherry

SPICED BEEF BAO BUNS

“Bao are Asia’s answer to the burger. These pillowy-soft

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

PRIZE CROSSWORD

Complete the puzzle, take a picture and email it to

MAY 2019 RECIPE INDEX

TERMS & CONDITIONS 1. All information forms part

Why choice when you shop is an illusion

An abundance of orange varieties lumped together as ‘easy peelers’; an exotic array of potatoes that you can’t buy loose; all manner of chickens, but not a giblet to be seen… Our in-store options are not what they seem, says Felicity Cloake