-
Are posh mince pies worth it? Four of the best on test, from Daylesford, The Newt and more
Do you prefer a zesty, fruity filling or a crunchy pastry topping? Amie Elizabeth White asked the Country Life team to assess some of the fanciest mince pies on the market — here's how they fared.
-
A Brussels sprout recipe that sounds completely bizarre, but will make you glad you didn't wait until Christmas to start eating them
Anyone for Brussels sprout spaghetti carbonara? No, really — wait until you try it.
-
'Hotter than the hinges of hell': Tom Parker Bowles's 10-alarm chili
All will argue that theirs is the one-and-only true recipe, but when it comes to a Texas chili, tomatoes and beans are sacrilege
-
What to get the wine lover who has everything? How about a 300-bottle barrel, a string of über-vintages or a wine that comes with a trip on a private jet
One of the most storied wine-producing families in Italy has put up a series of rather incredible bottles (and more) in Christie's impending fine wine auction.
-
Best bar none: The London pub renaissance
Against all odds, the pubs of the capital are thriving. William Hosie raises a glass to their comeback.
-
A cake with a surprise ingredient that's either a stroke of genius or 'grounds for divorce'
The best way ever to get one of your five a day, or a crime against baking? You decide.
-
Curious questions: Where did Quality Street get its name from?
You sit there, devouring them all Christmas, and you didn't even think to ask, did you?
-
'After one lunch, our server took £5 out of a tip we had left and handed it back to our gobsmacked four year old. He’s still talking about it': The best places for Sunday lunch in south-west London
Jo Rodgers tracks down the finest roast lunches in London's smartest postcodes to see you through the winter.
-
How to make three-cheese sourdough bread and a perfect winter-warmer soup to go with it
We'll leave it up to you to decide whether the soup or the sourdough is the star of the show in this pair of recipes...
-
Salt of the earth: The secret history of the pub peanut
Having profited from the downfall of the oyster as a bar snack, the salted peanut itself is now in danger of being usurped.
-
Curious Questions: Margarine used to be pink — but why?
Margarine has been a staple of our breakfast tables for over a century, but it hasn't always had a smooth ride — particularly from the dairy industry, who managed to impose a most bizarre sanction on their easily-spreadable, industrially mass-produced rival. Martin Fone explains.
-
Curious Questions: Wine has been made in Britain for over 1,000 years — so why have we only just turned it into an industry?
With the UK wine industry booming, Martin Fone takes a look at its history.
-
Dessert divine: A pear and saffron clafoutis
This recipe from Melanie Johnson combines two seasonal fruits you can find in your garden to create a sumptuous dessert.
-
'Handheld heaven: Tom Parker Bowles on the 'baroque symphony' of spicy, sublime Mexican corn
Hot and cool, sharp and sweet, spicy and sublime, Mexican corn on the cob is peerless — but the golden kernels must never, ever be allowed near a pizza.
-
A fig, honey and walnut cake that's the perfect autumn bake
Make the most of these sweet late summer fruits, and finish them off with a Cognac glaze.
-
'I enjoy seeing people having a good time. That, for me, is the key': Meet some of London's best restaurateurs
The secret to success in hospitality is often a simple one — give people what they want and do it well.
-
This Victorian boozy blackberry cordial is as good today as it was 150 years ago. Here's how to make it.
Deborah Nicholls-Lee has been delving into the history of the blackberry, and discovered a brandy-enhanced blackberry cordial recipe from Victorian cook Phyllis Browne.
