The Henri Toulouse Lautrec is no ordinary venue. People travel here from all over the world for its live music performances. It also serves fantastic food. However – the martinis do not hit the mark just yet, but with a little re-adjustment this place could be a cocktail bar with real punch – a Moulin Rouge of south London. I would struggle to … Continue reading The Henri Toulouse Lautrec in Kennington
A London variation on the classic Mexican drink. As I’ve said before, I don’t always drink martinis. I also like beer and lager, to name but a few alternatives. I recently wrote about the Mexican drink Micheladas and here I’ve come up with another variation. In its most simple terms, a Michelada contains beer/lager, the juice of a lime, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a … Continue reading A Spicy Umami Michelada
Annyeonghaseyo. This is a really tasty, easy and even healthy vegetarian dish that you can serve as a vegetable side, a starter or, most importantly of all, as an appetiser to accompany a martini (obviously). I first ate this delicious dish in Koreatown, Manhattan. Of all the wondrous and unusual dishes I gluttonously consumed that night (my favourite being a gigantic simmered squid, still … Continue reading Korean spinach – Sigeumchi-namul
Here is another selection of savoury snacks I’ve recently served and eaten with martinis. Roasted and salted soy beans. Prawns on lettuce with Peking duck sauce and fried spicy broad beans. You can get a lot of good stuff in IKEA. Fish roe goes well in Swedish croustades. Here are some of the filled croustades, as well as some Japanese nuts and seaweed snacks. Here … Continue reading More snacks and nibbles to accompany martinis
Laura Santtini is a London-based chef with a recipe book that changed the way I looked at food. She describes herself as the genetic equivalent of a Molotov cocktail: half Italian, quarter Persian, pinch of Sephardic and then an English-Irish mix. Her recipe book is full of things you can prepare in a matter of minutes (ie before your friends get to your home via … Continue reading The Laura Santtini Umami Martini
Two days later and I’m still sick, at home, restless but lethargic at the same time. So here is a post about a hot drink I made to try and alleviate some of my cold symptoms. You will need: -Lemon -Ginger -Garlic -Hot water -Turmeric (optional) -Chilli flakes (optional) -Whisky or brandy or rum (optional) Take a piece of ginger around the size of your … Continue reading A hot drink for a cold
I went with some friends to this French restaurant in London, located on Greek Street in Soho. It was an occasionally perplexing and even tense experience, although the martini I drank before my meal was nice. The staff were friendly and pleasant but there was a strange, intense and even chaotic element to the service. It was difficult to book a table, despite the fact … Continue reading L’Escargot Restaurant, Soho, London, 3/5
I have sage growing in the garden so I thought I would make good use of it. When infused in gin it adds a subtle dimension to a martini. It also goes very well in a gin and tonic. Pick a generous bunch of sage leaves, approximately 15 per 100ml of gin you intend to infuse. Wash, pat dry, then roughly chop the leaves. Add … Continue reading How to make sage-infused gin (for martinis or gin and tonics)
The Martini Socialist 