The SLMan Food & Drink List
THE GARDEN GADGET:
Alfa
Designed and handmade in Italy, Alfa’s domestic pizza ovens have just landed on British soil. Based in the ancient town of Anagni, Alfa is a family-run business that has been creating pizza ovens for 40 years. A flattened half-dome shape, innovative full-circulation flue system, ceramic fibre insulation and patented refractory brick base allow them to efficiently reach and maintain temperatures up to 500°C, meaning the oven can cook a pizza in just 90 seconds. They are also highly efficient at lower temperatures, providing the option to bake bread, roast meat and vegetables, or slow-cook stews. The ovens come in two signature lines: Classico and Moderno. The former is classy with soft curves and subtle colours, while Moderno is contemporary with bolder colours. Both lines include gas-fired and wood-fired ovens in several sizes.
Visit Alfa-Forni.co.uk
THE CHARCUTERIE:
Tempus
It’s the time of year when antipasti and aperitivi comes into their own. Enter Tempus, a UK-based charcuterie company from MasterChef alumni Dhruv Baker and Tom Whitaker which has already won Great Taste awards and Champion Product at the Great British Charcuterie Awards. Tempus creates and cures award-winning charcuterie in Surrey and its newest launch is Achari Fennel Salami. The spice mix for this salami is fennel, black pepper, nigella, fenugreek and mace, and is based on an Indian recipe for pickling going back hundreds of years. It’s best served with sheep’s cheeses or a medium cheddar and pairs perfectly with drinks from lightly oaked chardonnay, softer reds like gamay or pinot noir, dry to fuller bodied sherries as well as any number of styles of beer. Ideal for the next time you have guests round.
Visit TempusFoods.com
THE WINE LAUNCH:
Ottolenghi
Ottolenghi’s very first own-label wine has launched across all Ottolenghi locations and online. In collaboration with Czech winery Krásná Hora, Ottolenghi Wines are born from a two-year project between Yotam and head winemaker Ondřej Dubas to create wines that would perfectly pair with spice, flavour and fire. The Ottolenghi White is made from a carefully chosen and adapted blend of pinot blanc, riesling, sauvignon blanc and gewürztraminer, the latter of which spends three weeks on skin, giving the wine a slightly orange tint, with a good body and fresh finish. The Ottolenghi Red is a juicy, fresh blend of zweigelt, pinot noir and dornfelder, delivering cherry and forest fruit tasting notes following fermentation in both used oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks.
Visit Ottolenghi.co.uk
THE EVENT:
Tommy Banks at Lord’s Cricket Ground
Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks and the MCC have announced a new food and drink event at Lord’s Cricket Ground this summer. The Home of Food by Tommy Banks will run across the weekend of 9th and 10th September. Visitors will be able to experience cooking by Irish chef Richard Corrigan (Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill), chef and author Selin Kiazim of Oklava fame, Gareth Ward of two Michelin-starred Ynyshir in Wales, as well as Northcote’s Lisa Goodwin Allen and Opheem’s Aktar Islam. The Home of Food will also see chefs Nokx Majozi and Liam Fauchard-Newman of Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room bring their celebrated pies to Lord’s for the weekend, with more names to be announced in due course. We suggest getting your hands on tickets now.
Visit Lords.org
THE CONDIMENT:
Tracklements Wild Garlic Sauce
Condiment master Tracklements has created a seasonal sauce to prolong wild garlic season. Both vegetarian and gluten free, its Wild Garlic Sauce is a careful balance of delicate wild garlic – hand-picked in Wiltshire woodlands – honey and mustard. The inclusion of the latter ingredient makes this a natural accompaniment for ham sandwiches, pork tenderloin or roast chicken. We used it to take a potato salad up a couple of notches – and a dollop in a traditional pesto also adds a flavour wallop.
Visit Tracklements.co.uk
THE WHISKY:
Macbeth – Act One
Elixir Distillers and Livingstone have joined forces to create Macbeth, a Scotch whisky collection representing 42 characters from Shakespeare’s famous play. Amusingly, the selection includes the refined stature and elegance of a single cask, 56-year-old Glen Grant cast as King Duncan, with intensely smoky Islay and island whiskies for the witches and murderers. Best of all, these original limited editions all feature an illustration of the character drawn by Sir Quentin Blake and notes with the flavours woven into lyrical prose by top whisky writer – and proud Scotsman – Dave Broom. A great present for Father’s Day or a big birthday.
Visit TheWhiskyExchange.com
THE DRINKS GADGET:
Guinness Nitrosurge
After launching in Ireland last year, the Guinness Nitrosurge – a ground-breaking innovation which allows beer fans to experience a true Guinness and the ritual of its famed two-part pour at home – is now available via Tesco in the UK. The pocket-sized device uses ultrasonic technology to create the iconic Guinness surge, with nitrogen bubbles delivering satisfyingly smooth Guinness every time. Drawing on a proud 264-year history of brewing excellence, at the core of each device sits an ultrasonic transducer with a specifically tuned wavelength and frequency to deliver a signature surge every time. The device is activated by clipping the Nitrosurge onto the top of a Guinness can, before pushing the button and pouring. The resulting pour results in that famous creamy domed head.
Visit Nitrosurge.Guinness.com
THE COOKBOOK:
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen
Imad Alarnab is a Syrian chef, entrepreneur and refugee who ran three successful restaurants, several juice bars and cafés in Damascus. In the civil war that broke out in 2011, Imad's businesses were destroyed and he was forced to flee the country in search of safety. Making his way from Lebanon through Europe, Imad shared his skills cooking for other refugees, up to 400 at a time. He arrived in London in 2015 and eventually his family was able to join him. He burst onto the London restaurant scene four years ago with a series of charity events which became hugely popular, followed by supper clubs that sold out within hours. Imad opened his much-anticipated restaurant in Kingly Court in May 2021 – and now he has a cookbook of the same name. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is a vibrant tour through traditional and adapted Syrian dishes that can be at home. Imad introduces the delicious flavours and techniques of the Syrian kitchen, showing how simple yet rewarding this cuisine can be.
Visit Amazon.co.uk
@hirobjones; @khromacollective
THE PUB:
The Parakeet
The Parakeet in Kentish Town has taken over the landmark Victorian pub that was The Oxford Tavern. Retaining much of its local character, the space is now very much a culinary-led pub and dining room with ex-Brat chef – and north Londoner – Ben Allen at the helm. The food is some of the best we’ve had in ages. Starters include potato bread and smoked butter; spider crab croquette; and braised leeks, pecorino sauce and smoked mushrooms. Mains include lamb chop and artichoke; beef rump, braised turnips and nettles; and trout with sea herbs and butter sauce and wood roasted rabbit, kohlrabi and curry leaf. Don’t miss the warm croissant pudding served with brown butter custard.
Visit TheParakeetPub.com
THE SAUCES:
Gymkhana Fine Foods
Whether you’re partial to a butter masala or a rogan josh, you can now buy Michelin-starred Gymkhana’s famous cooking sauces, marinades and chutneys from its online shop. Gymkhana Fine Food has launched with eight products. Each of these Indian pantry staples – which includes more-ish peanut and sesame chutney, butter masala, goan curry, rogan josh and vindaloo – is beautifully packaged and created in small batches, using all natural ingredients, with no artificial colours or added preservatives. All will allow fans to recreate Gymkhana’s legendary dishes at home in a few simple steps – without compromising on flavour.
Visit GymkhanaFineFoods.com
THE POP-UP:
Cariñito
Shoreditch wine bar Oranj is collaborating with Mexico City taqueria Cariñito until 29th July. Celebrating Mexican street food in a modern context, Cariñito opened in 2021 with a commitment to using the best available ingredients and state-of-the-art techniques. With a playful approach to flavours, it explores how Mexico City’s Chilango and south-east Asia’s Issan cuisines complement each other. At Oranj, diners can expect tacos served in homemade tortillas, full of herbal fragrances alongside sweet, salty and spicy flavour combinations – think pulled pork belly with north-east seasoning, rice powder, chicharron (pork rind) and fresh mint. Cariñito’s creations are designed to be paired with natural wines and mezcals, which Oranj will have in plentiful supply.
Visit Oranj.co.uk
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