The best of SEPTEMBER

WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date,” Shakespeare

Letter from the Editor

Beyond everyday nourishment, food is a means of bringing people together

ALWAYS A WINNER: The fry-up

Whether you’re feeling a little morning-after fragile or just need a meal on the table fast, a fry-up always satisfies. We’ve revamped the British favourite with three easy, moreish recipes that work at any time of the day

“I owe my lifelong love of food to my mother”

Naved Nasir, executive chef of London’s popular Dishoom restaurants, recalls an Indian festival dish that brings back childhood memories of his mum’s wonderful cooking

Hold on to that HOLIDAY FEELING!

“Food and memory are closely linked, and I suspect we all have at least one dish we’ve eaten abroad that’s stayed with us – a flavour that, whenever we taste it, sums up that precious time away from t

MELONS

Pick melons that are heavy for their size and feel

THE CHEFFY MENU YOU CAN EASILY COOK AT HOME

Crab on toasted spelt bread with soft boiled eggs and

“Sharing food is at the heart of the community”

Food has the power to feed, nourish and unite. Ramona Andrews reports from Bristol, where she talks to women at a lunch held by 91 Ways, an organisation that’s bringing together people from around the world with sometimes life-changing results

THE GLAMMED-UP ROAST CHICKEN

Chicken is the ideal late-summer roast because it’s relatively light, especially when it’s married with fresh herbs and salty feta.

Diana Henry THE ART OF COOKING SIMPLY

“ We are all time-poor, but I still want to eat something delicious every night.

THE HERITAGE INGREDIENT: CHEDDAR CHEESE

With a good chunk of cheddar in your fridge, you’re never far away from a satisfying snack and you have the beginnings of a great meal. So says Debbie Major, who celebrates the versatility of a British classic

Behind the scenes of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF

As Series 7 of GBBO grips the nation, former stars share their stories from the tent – including a few they’d prefer to forget. Most exciting of all, we managed to persuade each of them to create a new recipe, exclusively for delicious

IF YOU MAKE ONE PUD THIS MONTH…

Clafoutis – a Yorkshire pudding-custard hybrid with a French outfit on – is one of the easiest desserts to make.

10 great dinners for under £60

This month’s collection was a challenge: 10 flavour-packed recipes, each feeding four and altogether costing less than £60.

The world’s healthiest way to eat

It’s been around for aeons, and there’s a reason the Mediterranean approach to food, with its emphasis on wholegrains, plenty of veg and good olive oil, has stood the test of time: the food tastes amazing

FROM OUR INBOX...

I agree with Margaret Rooke [August issue, p130] about shops

FOR STARTERS

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

FUCHSIA DUNLOP

The expert on Chinese cookery talks about her food journeys of discovery, shelling peas and a set of beloved china

WISH LIST

Only if ingredients or items of kitchenware are useful, goodlooking and value for money do they get the delicious. seal of approval!

THE OYSTER IS HIS WORLD

The broad tidal marshes of the north Norfolk coast are Daisy Meager’s destination, where she meets veteran oyster farmer Richard Loose

TEST REPORT

The Palomar Restaurant Book, The Woodspeen Cookery School and feat cheese are all put to the test

CHEERS!

Susy Atkins’ wine round-up, plus a grape variety that’s bang on trend

THE SANE VIEW: IS RED MEAT REALLY THAT BAD FOR YOU?

Barely a week goes by without red meat being linked with health problems such as cancer and heart disease. But is it as bad as all that? Registered dietitian Juliette Kellow gives the experts a good grilling

Why it’s time to visit THE LAKES

The Lake District has long been a magnet for seekers of natural beauty. Now it’s a destination for food lovers too. The region had more than its share of weather-based challenges last year but, as Susan Low discovers, the community has rallied round to recover and there’s never been a better time to go

THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN...

The delicious. food team's tips and techniques

BAGELS

Proper bagels with the ring of authenticity

LOOSE ENDS

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

Enough food festivals already!

At their best they’re about celebrating local produce. At their worst, food festivals are a cynical corporate exercise populated by uninterested, hungover chefs and freebie-grabbing punters. It’s time to boycott them and rediscover farmers’ markets, says champion of small producers Polly Robinson