KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE

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Of the meals I remember most clearly, it is simple ones that I think of most fondly. The first “Steak Frites” I had in Paris. Barbouni, just landed from a fishing boat in Lebanon. The kebab “Mixtures” (lamb pieces, shish kebab, minced lamb skewers) prepared by the lady proprietor of Ttokos Kebab house, London. BBQ’d […]

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SEASONAL GREETINGS AND SOME THOUGHTS TO GO WITH THEM

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As yet another year comes to a close (where did it go to?) I realise that I have now been writing professionally about food and drink for almost 55 years. At 85 I wonder if I am – or on the way to be – the world’s oldest food and wine writer? Who cares! Not […]

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Book Review “LEVANT”, by Anissa Helou. Penguin hardback, RRP St£20.00.

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I got a copy of this book as a Christmas present for my daughter, and was so taken with it I straightaway ordered a copy for myself. It is not printed on art glossy paper, it has no colour photographs (just three black and white pictures – two of the author and one of “A […]

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WHAT’S FOR DES(S)ERT?

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  “And wise men came from the East” Strike slightly south-west from Baghdad and after a long camel ride of something like a thousand kilometres you would come to the little town of Bethlehem. As it seems there was little between them apart from desert, the guidance of a star for the wise men would […]

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FOOD WRITING–and ONE OF THE GREAT FOOD WRITERS

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There are probably more people writing about food than ever before. What they write is better illustrated, more fact-filled and better presented than in times past. But for me, there’s just too much of it that’s not very good. As a music lover can recognise Mozart, Beethoven or Brahms after hearing a few bars, so […]

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Patrick Skinner’s FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER MATTERS–November

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    THE MEZE TABLE The sight of a meze table fully set is an inspiring one. “How on earth have they done all that?” you ask yourself; but if you look, on closer inspection a lot of the little dishes have come out of jars, cans, packets and the freezer. And you can produce […]

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