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Monthly Archives: February 2015
Oxford & Cambridge Blind Tasting Challenge
One of the great jokes of the wine trade is: – ‘Have you ever confused Burgundy with Bordeaux?’ – ‘Not since this morning!’ Last week I realised it isn’t a joke. I’d been invited to take part in the Varsity Blind … Continue reading
Posted in Wine articles
Tagged Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cambridge, Oxford, Pol Roger, Trenton Oldfield, varsity
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In the 1960s making proper coffee singled you out as a dangerous maverick
The paperback of the Breakfast Bible comes out this month and I’ve written something for the Guardian about coffee. The two events aren’t related, it’s just a happy coincidence. The new edition of the book looks beautiful. It’s perhaps even … Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged Adam Smith, Berry Bros, Coffee, Ian Fleming, James Bond, Len Deigton, London, Michael Caine, Spectator, Tatler, The Ipcress File
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Why is ice still a luxury in Britain?
There are two things that American visitors to Britain complain about. The first is having separate hot and cold taps on hand basins rather than a mixer tap. So pressing is this problem that the Wall Street Journal ran an … Continue reading
Posted in Wine articles
Tagged Boris Johnson, Elizabeth David, ice, Ice Cold in Alex, Wall Street Journal
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Passive aggressive BYO policy
Whilst in the impressive wine section of M&S Lewisham on Sunday, I marvelled that such riches were available on Lewisham High Street when all around were pound shops and stalls were you can unlock your or indeed someone else’s mobile phone. … Continue reading
Posted in Restaurants
Tagged Jancis Robinson, Lewisham, Passive Aggressive, Peckham, Peckham Bazaar, South East London, Wolf Blass
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After all that arak I felt no urge to copulate in the streets
If you look at the back of most British drinks cupboards, there will be a dusty, untouched bottle of ouzo or raki brought back from holiday. When I was a student, if we were considering broaching the ouzo, we knew … Continue reading
Posted in Spirits
Tagged aniseed, Arak, Brits Abroad, Clive of India, Demis Roussos, East INdia Company, India, Lebanon, Malia, Ouzo, Raki, Saudi Arabi
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How I made the worst negroni ever
There are a lot of ’boutique’ drinks around. There are boutique vermouths and boutique ouzos, boutique bitters and boutique vodkas. The category, however, with the most ’boutique’ labels is gin. Ever since I started writing about drink for the Guardian – … Continue reading
