3.6. Chocolate Tempering chocolate—the process of selectively melting and solidifying the various forms of fat crystals in cocoa butter—can be an intimidating and finicky process. The chocolate must first be melted to above 110°F / 43°C, then cooled to around 82°F / 28°C, and then heated back up and held between 89°F / 31.5°C and … Read more
3.2. Fish and other seafood Fish cooked sous vide is amazingly tender, moist, and succulent. Unlike fish that has been sautéed or grilled—cooking methods that can lead to a dry and rough texture—sous vide fish can have an almost buttery, melt-in-your-mouth quality. Other seafoods, such as squid, also respond well to sous vide cooking, although … Read more
3.5. Vegetables The geeky way to think about cooking is to consider the addition of heat to a system. Adding heat isn’t a spontaneous thing: there will always be a heat gradient, and the difference between the starting and target temperatures of the food will greatly affect both the cooking time and the steepness of … Read more
You may be feeling anxious about your new responsibilities, but be reassured by the support network around you. Your baby today Newborn babies sleep around 16 hours a day, although some sleep for most of the first few days while others seem awake and fretful. If your baby is very sleepy, you may need to … Read more
If you’re ever wondered what makes Britain’s most famous restaurants’ food taste so marvellous, then read on. Word-class chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants spill their bestselling recipe secrets… Nobu Matsuhisa As one of the greatest chefs, Nobu Matsuhisa manages to turn simple dishes into masterpieces of honest complexity. After just a single mouthful, you know that … Read more
With Albert Roux as your father, and Michel Roux as your uncle, its not surprising that Michel Roux Jr grew up to be a world-class chef. He trained in both London and Paris under various culinary masters, before eventually taking over the reins of Le Gavroche (which was opened in 1967 by his father and … Read more
Founded by Terence Conran, chef Simon Hopkinson and the late Paul Hamlyn, Bibendum is one of London’s most recognised restaurants. It is now in the hands of Matthew Harris, who continues where Simon left off and delivers classic, unpretentious food to loyal patrons. Many of the stars on the menu are unarguably classics that have … Read more
Lancashire-born Marcus started cooking at The Savoy aged 18. He honed his classic French skills alongside Albert Roux at Le Gavroche, then became sous chef to Gordon Ramsay. This partnership lasted 15 years, the last nine of which Marcus spent as chef patron of Pe1trus. In 2008, Marcus and Gordon parted ways and Marcus rebranded … Read more
A defining point in the career of Jason Atherton was in 1998, working at the legendary elBulli restaurant in Spain. He became the first British chef to complete a work placement there. In 2005 he joined up with Gordon Ramsay to head up Maze in Mayfair, which won a Mechelin star. In 2010 Jason embarked … Read more
It may surprise you that Gordon Ramsay didn’t originally dream of becoming a fine-dining chef, but fortunately for the food world an injury put an end to his promising career as a footballer. Years later, he owns a string of restaurants across the globe, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, which has held three Michelin … Read more
Worcestershire sauce bolsters the meaty flavour of these pretty pasty parcels. Beef Pasty Moneybags Hands-on time 30min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 55min. Makes 4 · 1tbsp vegetable oil · 200g (7oz) rump steak, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 2cm (3/4in) pieces · 1 large carrot, finely diced · 1 small onion, finely chopped … Read more
Faced with a serious illness, the one person you would expect to support you is your partner. Sadly, research shows that women who fall ill are far more likely to end up alone than men. Our advice can help you to pull through the trauma together. When she decided to move to France with her … Read more
Talk it through There for each other: keep the lines of communication open Many people still see a cacer diagnosis as a death sentence, and couples stop communicating with each other because that fear of loss is too hard to put into words. While the patient’s energy is focussed on trying to survive, their partner … Read more
Once I’ve created a menu plan, not only has this made mealtime easier, but the task of shopping for groceries has now been simplified too. The menu plan allows me to easily collate a shopping list to take to the supermarket. Shopping lists Shopping lists are the key to efficient shopping for our family. I … Read more
Menu planning helps solve the dreaded question that arises at about 4 or 5 pm every day: ‘What’s for dinner?’ Before having kids, I would rarely give a thought to dinner until I arrived home from work. I would even make a quick trip to the supermarket to buy additional ingredients if I felt like … Read more
As your baby gets older, her needs will change slightly. You may find she’s now ready for “real clothes” rather than just pajamas and onesies, and she may also be ready for more sophisticated equipment as her world increasingly extends beyond your lap. To wear Your baby will still need regular changing, so be practical … Read more
Once your breast milk arrives, your baby may start to appear more relaxed and contented and go longer between feedings. Your baby today A new baby’s skin is often quite dry in the first few weeks. This is normal and the skin will eventually correct itself. Although you don’t need to put moisturizer on a … Read more
Between three and six months your baby will discover how to use his hands, putting everything he can into his mouth. He’ll also be developing a sense of humor, and will enjoy playing with you, laughing and smiling when you spend time together. Best toys Toys that don’t have small parts that come off, or … Read more
30-Second Chocolate Cake In a microwave-safe bowl, melt: 4 oz (113g) chocolate (bittersweet preferably) Add and thoroughly whisk together: 4 large (240g) eggs 6 tablespoons (80g) sugar 3 tablespoons (25g) flour Pass the mixture through a strainer to remove any lumps and to filter out the chalazaes (the little white strands that attach the yolk … Read more
Make sure you are the stalks of the coriander in the coconut mixture – they have a brilliant flavour that’s not to be missed. Green chicken curry soup Hands-on time 20min. Cooking time about 25min. Serves 4. · 1 garlic clove · 4 spring onions, roughly chopped · 3cm (11/4in) piece fresh root ginger · … Read more