Food & Drink
Seasonal recipes, restaurant reviews and food and drinks features, from the experts at Country Life.
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The Oldest Sweet Shop in the world is a child’s dream and a dentist’s nightmareIt's got everything bar the Oompa Loompas. Harry Pearson pops in to the Yorkshire shop.
By Harry Pearson Published
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How to cook up a storm with courgette flowers, the most delicate summer blossomsMelanie Johnson serves up two recipes that solve the pesky problem of what to do with your courgette flowers.
By Melanie Johnson Published
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Feeling hot hot hot this summer? There's no cooling down with Britain's finest 'chilli-makers'Hot sauce is more mainstream than ever and it is, literally, addictive. Ben Lerwill meets the best makers in the UK.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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From fresh Whitstable oysters to cracking claws in the Hebrides: Britain’s best coastal restaurantsHere are 15 of our favourite spots for a seaside feast.
By Oliver Berry Published
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Tom Parker Bowles: Ceviche may be minimalist, but it's a bona-fide masterpieceBring a touch of Peruvian zing to your table this summer with a dish of sparklingly fresh, zesty ceviche.
By Tom Parker Bowles Published
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'This is a Mozart, not a Beethoven vintage': Why 2025 might be the best Bordeaux in decadesWine experts have long advised against buying Bordeaux 'en primeur', but 2025 might the year to change that, as long as you're quick about it.
By Harry Eyres Published
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In Victorian England, to flex on your friends was to serve them swan-shaped ice creamThe original influencer was the Victorian 'Queen of Ice' Agnes Marshall, hailed by Heston Blumenthal as one of Britain's greatest culinary pioneers.
By Agnes Stamp Published
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Avoid flaccid lettuce, gently-rotting cucumber and shiny processed ham with Tom Parker Bowles's guide to the perfect saladTom Parker Bowles draws inspiration from around the world and tucks in.
By Tom Parker Bowles Last updated
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They might eat cheese from a can, but the Americans can barbecue the world's best ribsIt’s time to banish memories of charred sausages with a plateful of succulent smoked pork ribs cooked the all-American way.
By Tom Parker Bowles Published
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'For a penny, one could buy entry into a new way of thinking: egalitarian, restless and caffeinated' — London's enduring love of coffeeRupert Clague explores how caffeine-fuelled conversation in Hanoverian London’s ‘penny universities’ helped shape the modern world — and where that same spirit still lingers today.
By Rupert Clague Published
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The definitive guide to London's best afternoon teasThere's an afternoon tea for everyone — from gluten-free to art-inspired — if you know where to look. Here are some of our tried and tested favourites.
By Country Life Last updated
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The death of Gentleman's Relish (and how I learned to stop worrying and make my own instead)Tom Parker Bowles laments the loss of one of Britain's savoury delights, but modern problems require modern solutions, as he suggests a suitable home-made alternative.
By Tom Parker Bowles Published
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'Do you want to be known as someone who’s simply too uptight to take lunch?' A snob’s guide to midweek diningIn her recurring column, Sophia Money-Coutts praises the midweek lunch.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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You've got to have a lot of bottle to be an independent wine merchantIndependent wine merchants are going from strength to strength in rural communities. Gabriel Stone raises a glass to some of the best. Photographs by Millie Pilkington and Mark Williamson.
By Gabriel Stone Published
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How to have the perfect picnic in a pinch, according to Country LifeShort of time or inclination to prep a proper picnic? Follow our cheat's guide to alfresco success on sunny days.
By Emma Hughes Published
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The art of the great British summer picnic, as described by Tom Parker BowlesA penchant for picnics is part of our cultural DNA, regardless of the weather. Pork pies, pan bagna and good company are integral to getting it right.
By Tom Parker Bowles Published
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'I’ve sat structural engineering exams, but nothing compared with this': How to become a honey sommelierAs challenging and prestigious as achieving a master of wine certificate, the quest to become a honey sommelier requires an elite sensory education.
By Melanie Cable-Alexander Published
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What is everyone talking about this weekend: Is cider the new black?Cider — more specifically, fine cider — is making waves on the British dining scene following a bumper apple harvest in 2025. Could cider tasting menus soon replace those for wine?
By Will Hosie Published
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What is everyone talking about this week: The curious case of American diningAs His Majesty The King heads stateside, Will Hosie ponders why Americans — who are allegedly Great Britain's greatest fans — haven't yet adopted our table manners.
By Will Hosie Published
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The lunch menu is where it's atOsip's announcement of a new table d’hôte menu shows that fine dining is having to be more flexible than ever.
By Will Hosie Published
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'It soothed the most vicious of hangovers, the only possible justification for that ghastly thing called brunch': Tom Parker Bowles talks eggs BenedictFrom midtown Manhattan to west London, eggs Benedict is a luxurious treat at any time of day.
By Tom Parker Bowles Published


