Step 1. Analyse the beer: before even thinking about food, you need to understand the key characteristics of the beer you want to match. As this involves copious amounts of tasting, it's also the most fun part of the process, so my advice is to take as much time as you need! Key aspects to consider include:

• Flavour notes: can you detect red berry, spice, citrus, tropical fruit, caramel, chocolate, banana, or maybe mineral notes in the beer? Identifying individual flavour compounds will suggest complementary or contrasting ingredients for the final dish. To help, I'd recommend the "new beer flavour wheel", by Mark Dredge, which identifies the 85 different flavours most commonly found in beer.
• Bitterness: used to offset spicy food and cut through richness. This means very bitter beers are ideal for foods that are naturally high in fat or cooked in oil.
• Strength: particularly alcoholic drinks, such as Belgian Trappist beers, need robust food pairings to stand up to them.
• Colour: is it dark or light? As a general rule lighter beers match well with lighter dishes - a lightly poached fillet of plaice will never go well with an Imperial stout. The Standard Reference Method (SRM), a system used by brewers to specify beer colour, is useful to assess this on a consistent basis.
• Temperature: is the beer served cold or warm? The sensation of taste is more than just flavour, so temperature matching can also be useful - for example, pairing chilled lager with a spicy curry.
• Carbonation: bubbles are a well known way of cleansing the pallet between mouthfuls.

Step 2. Identify candidate ingredients: use the beer's profile to identify "candidate" ingredients for your final dish. There are, broadly speaking, three areas to consider:

2(a) complements: ingredients with a similar flavour profile to those of the beer. For example, apricot wheat beer works well with light fruit based desserts. You could also consider the beer itself as an ingredient (think beer-based batters or stews). 

2(b) contrasts: foods that balance the main flavour profiles of the beer can also work well. For example, sweet and sour, or bitter and savoury.

2(c) cleanse: many naturally rich and fatty foods require something to cut through them and cleanse the palette. This might be because of the ingredients they contain (e.g. foie gras) or the cooking method used (e.g. frying). This can be achieved by bitterness from the hops or carbonation.

Much like the beer flavour wheel, I often refer to Niki Segnit's flavour thesaurus to help identify candidate ingredients. However, experience is usually enough to identify a suitable list of candidate ingredients.

Step 3. Develop matched dish: once you've identified potential ingredients you can develop complete dishes to match the beer. These might include elements that complement, contrast or cleanse; or - as you become more adept - a blend of all three.

As an example of how to use the framework consider Kirby's Pale Ale.

Analyse the beer: in Jon's own words, his beer "is a golden hoppy ale brewed with plenty of citra hops, giving a powerful aroma; it has an enjoyable session bitterness with additional amber malt giving a rich golden colour."

Candidate ingredients: For me, the tropical fruit from the citra hops is a real feature of this beer and I wanted to find a dish that incorporated similar flavours. The lingering bitterness from the hops also suggests it would pair well with something rich.

Develop matched dish: sometimes, you taste a beer and know immediately what you'd like to find on your plate. Chef Rob Spencer once introduced me to the combination of crab cakes and chilli-mango salsa, which would match this pale ale brilliantly. The bitterness of the ale cuts the natural richness of the brown crab meat, whilst the tropical fruit characteristics of the beer complement the salsa perfectly.

As you can see, beer matching doesn't need to be complicated, but done properly it's a great way to enhance your eating and drinking experience.

Many thanks to Jon Kirby for providing samples of his Kirby's Pale Ale. Hope you approve of the result...

There is definitely something to be said for eating paella under the Spanish sun, but I think that the warming spice and comforting carbs are even more effective as an antidote to a grey English winter.   

Origins

Often described as the Spanish national dish, paella is actually the signature cuisine of the Valencia region.  Developed in the 19th century as a cheap and nutritious way to feed local workers, it used the local Calasparra rice and whatever protein was in season -  water vole and eel were particular favourites.  Thankfully though, a "traditional" paella nowadays is more likely to contain chicken, chorizo, rabbit or snail than trapped rodents from the local river.

The secrets

Whilst every recipe is different, whether valenciana (meat), de marisco (seafood) or mixta, the best paella are based on the same time-honoured basics:

1. The pan: the word "paella" means "pan" and most afficionados would insist that you cannot make a great paella in anything other than a traditional paelleras. I have to say that this is not quite true, the key is to ensure that as much rice remains in contact with the pan as possible, so that the socarrat (see below) can be created. This means a good wide-bottomed frying pan will do the job, although I do concede that nothing beats a real paella pan for that authentic touch when serving.

2. The rice: short grained Calasparra rice is really the only choice, with Bomba being the most famous. These varieties absorb up to 3 times their own volume in liquid, ensuring the paella is packed with flavour from the saffron and paprika infused stock. It also ensures that the paella remains moist, despite the lack of sauce in the dish.

3. The cooking: despite some of the versions I have eaten, paella should not resemble risotto. Luckily, this also means that it doesn't need the same constant stirring and attention. When cooking a paella it should be left alone to do its thing.

4. The socorrat: the layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the pan created by not stirring is considered a delicacy and is the paella holy grail. If cooking on the hob, rather than an open fire, you can create this by covering the pan with foil and giving a blast of heat at the end of cooking,

If you want to create your own taste of Spain, try my delicious Paella Valenciana recipe.

This post first appeared in the Ashburton Cookery School online newsletter.

Surprising then that only The Fat Duck (of best restaurant in the world fame) and L'Enclume (The Good Food Guide's number one) have ever hit the highest levels for me. But, to that exclusive list, I now add Chiswick resident Hedone - brainchild of Scandinavian super-chef Mikael Jonsson.

My nervousness about ordering a Michelin starred tasting menu that the waiter could not describe ("I've no idea what you'll get - but it'll be different to every other table here"), whilst perched on a bar stool like Norm from Cheers, quickly dissipated when the bearded lawyer-turned-chef-patron, lent over for a chat. 

"You hungry?"

I nodded.

"Really hungry?"

I nodded again.

"Excellent - I really need to get rid of some leftovers..."

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Things started with the bread basket - so far, so dull. But the Hedone sourdough - supplied to a other michelin starred restaurants in the capital - was actually the reason I returned. The bread here really is good enough to bring any right sane person back for a second taste.

From then on the food kept coming - with Mikael checking in every couple of courses to check I could take more of his perversely delicious version of the Chinese water torture.

• To start...a beautifully fresh mackerel tartar with umami custard and seaweed sauce. A lovely combination to awaken the taste buds...
• ...crab - alive two minutes before it arrived on my plate - served with pistachio mayonnaise and crab consommé...
• ...turbot, broken down so perfectly that you could still see the rainbow sheen of connective tissue, drizzled with caviar sauce...
• ...Isle of Man scallop cooked live in it's shell until motionless and then BBQ'd until translucent and served with a pure white umami foam...
• ...the sweetest langoustine ravioli you've ever tasted, pea puree and smoked sweetcorn...
• ...pork belly with the thinest, crispiest skin imaginable...
• ...wagu beef and smoked potato...
• ...local venison served with pickled beets, elderflower jelly, figs and blood sauce...
• ...a simple pre-dessert of raspberries, cream and dehydrated meringue...
• ...and a chocolate crisp, chocolate mousse and mint ice cream to finish.

It's not unusual for chefs to use tasting menus to show off the latest impressive techniques at the expense of flavour, but here you'll find those same methods combined with perfectly executed traditional cooking to deliver the most delicious food you've ever tasted.

Anyone who can do this much with a few "left-overs" is a genius in my book and judging by the words of super chef Tom Kerridge on the downstairs wall, I'm not the only one to think so.

The clear message is that any good weather must be savoured because it will soon be either too hot or too wet to spend any serious time outdoors. This weekend was particularly gorgeous, so I decided to give in to the urge to break out the buffalo wings, a real guilty pleasure for me and as close to barbecue food as I can achieve in a 2-bedroom London flat with no garden. 

I should warn you that these little beauties are addictive, but there are a couple of key tips (1) add a little honey to the sauce (it adds another flavour and helps the sauce stick to the chicken), and (2) turn the wings into "lollipops" to make the eating less messy - take a look at this video to see how.

Other than that try my ultimate buffalo wings, crack open a beer and enjoy. 

It's difficult to choose just a few salts as they are all very different and offer unique properties so we've chosen six – we probably should have had a smoked one in there somewhere, but there is always next time…

All salt has ultimately come from the sea: rock salt is thousands of year old seawater which has been dried and trapped underground. Seawater itself is different all over the world – it even varies as you go down in depth; so as you can see how the properties of salts are dependent upon where the sea water is taken.

Location is not the only variable, however. How the salt is extracted also has implications for its character. Sea water can contain in excess of 90 different elements, so the exact point at which the extraction process starts and stops, retaining or removing different elements, is critical. The industrially processed salt we are all too familiar with, not least in our chippies and fast food outlets, has been scientifically cleared of all minerals and elements to leave 99.99% sodium chloride; this is also broadly the case with readily available processed sea salt. The procedure strips all other elements out as they can be used separately and sold on more profitably.

The first salt we recommend trying is Saltverk. This is a clear, glistening crystal which almost looks like ice, hinting at its origin. Sea water is taken from the north Arctic oceanic stream as it flows past a small peninsular in northern Iceland. The water is then evaporated using the heat from geysers. This leaves a clean, crisp tasting salt that has a light crunch and works brilliantly for a tasty tomato salad and will bring out the phenomenal flavour of smoked lamb.

The Fleur de Sel (Flower of Salt) traditionally comes from Brittany and one of our favourites has to be Brittany’s Fleur de Sel de Guerande. Salt has been produced there since at least the 4th century, but it was in the 6th or 7th century that they developed the process still used today. They draw the sea water into a single pond and then move it on when it has reached a heightened salinity. It is moved on again when it is a stronger brine and again until it reaches the final settling pond where crystals start to form. These precious crystals are then diligently hand harvested in time-honoured fashion. This salt gives a sensationally smooth taste that leaves a lovely lingering mouth-watering flavour. Just crumbling this onto a green salad will lift it to gourmet levels and any butter made with this salt alone is worth travelling for.

Now, to move on to a bolder, more eccentric and perhaps exciting salt: Agnui no Shio from one of the most southerly islands of Japan in the East China Sea. The Japanese have just started producing sea salt as in 1975 it was banned and everyone had to use the industrially processed salt with its alien implant, iodine. However, in 2002 the doors were opened for a passionate revival in sea salt made in traditional ways. The Japanese have to be resourceful as they have a high humidity which has necessarily impacted their unique production methods: sea water is pumped up a tower then gently trickled down bamboo. This encourages the water to disperse into small droplets, thereby increasing the surface area exposed to air and, in turn, increasing the amount of water that is evaporated. Once the brine has reached a specific concentration, it is boiled up to produce the final product. This salt gives a bold burst that dissipates very quickly leaving the mellow flavours of your food on your taste buds. Agnui no Shoi works particularly well with fish and rice, leaving fantastic aromatic flavours to dwell around the mouth.

Himalayan Rock Salt is probably one of the most celebrated of all the specialist salts: carved out of a mountain side in Northern Pakistan, it too, was originally sea water. Subsequently there is little or no pollution affecting it and it prides itself as being one of the freshest available. It is often marketed, although not so much in the UK, as being a health food or a purifying tonic due to the abundance of elements, its origin and wonderful pink colour. Its uses are boundless as it comes in all shapes and sizes such as an amazing block which you can cook on, and also a shot glass or a pestle and mortar which incorporates some salt as you pound. This salt encourages a particular sweetness onto the tongue whilst allowing the true flavours to flood through. In this form, its versatility is similarly broad – we would recommend for sumptuously curing venison from the highlands or adding a certain panache and depth to a curry.

This leaves us with a couple of “flavoured” salts. The “diva” of salts is Hawaiian Hot Black Lava: not for the faint-hearted, this is a traditional Hawaiian sea salt which has been infused with activated carbon. The flavour works on many punchy levels and the carbon serves to not only enhance the intestinal benefits of the salt, but also challenges the whole concept of “salt” for the consumer by the contrast in expectant colour. This is THE salt to put on pineapple! As you eat the salted pineapple, an elevated sweetness comes rushing in and, magically the often bitter and astringent note of pineapple, is oppressed then there is the final crunch down on the crystals giving a gratifying contrast of soft and hard, tantalisingly leaving you with a light, poignant, tingle from the chilli: WOW, you will never eat pineapple alone again!

Think of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean where the sun beats down and the dry African winds blow past: it is ideal for producing Ravida Fennel Pollen Sea Salt. This is from the West Coast of Sicily where they have been harvesting salt for centuries. It also plays host to abundant crops of fennel. Local producers take advantage of a unique opportunity to marry the two and the strongest part of the fennel plant, the pollen is combined with freshly garnered salt crystals. The result is simple and effective: throw this onto the top of sole and put in the oven, when brought out, the aromatic fennel will cause delighted squeals and force you to pick at the fish with renewed ardour.

Each salt offers a range of trace elements which affect the flavours and dynamics of your food. The secret is to use the right salt at the right time – reducing the amount required, while ensuring that the body’s salt needs are met. Great salts are not purely sodium chloride – they bring an intriguing mix of minerals including magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and many more besides. Get your taste buds working and enjoy.

Many thanks to all at the Salt House for their insight and the chance to try their delicious products.

Last time out, Michelin starred Adam Bennett achieved Britain's best ever finish - 4th overall, including best meat dish – so hopes were high that he and the team could go one better and grab a podium spot this time.

Adam was confident going into the competition, having spent more than 300hrs in a purpose-built replica kitchen, but winning the Bocuse requires more than practice alone. Teams have coaches, masseuses and mentors - 3-michelin-starred Thomas Keller for the USA and ready-steady-cook’s Brian Turner for us*. This is proper competition.

This year’s event was like a cross between the superbowl, the FA cup final and the Eurovision song contest. A multi-national crowd of 4,000 noisy fans, drinking and singing football chants - at one stage the French were warned to pipe down. The British boys even had their own brass band to entertain the flag waving travelling support (think of the Barmy Army but with posher packed lunches).

Rjan Johannessen picked up the overall title, Norway's 5th win in the competition, with Team UK a creditable 10th. 

Adam was philosophical, saying

"I think what we have done this year is better than what we did last time but I had a look around at what the other competitors have done and I think that everybody has raised their game." 

__________________________

*just to be clear, Brian Turner is not a masseuse but a very accomplished chef. Sorry Brian.

___________________________

Thanks to Orama TV for the pictures.

St Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Rome, where Emperor Claudius was unimpressed with the increasing impact of women on his pillaging.  He believed romantic liaisons were impeding his efforts to recruit and retain the soldiers he needed, so he banned both marriage and engagement.

Finding this a little extreme, a local priest defied the ban and continued to perform marriages in secret.  When his actions were inevitably discovered, Saint Valentine was sentenced to death.  

Whilst on death row, the priest fell in love with his jailor's daughter and, before being clubbed and beheaded on the 14th of February, he left a romantic farewell note signed "from your Valentine". 

...of course, it's also possible that Valentines Day was invented by a greeting card company to increase sales in the quiet post-Christmas season...

Whichever version you believe, why not brush off your cooking skills and impress the person you love with this little Valentine's treat. 

This is a common problem for many people who wish to have a healthier diet but are struggling to compensate for the lack of sweet treats available to them. We've compiled a list of 5 treats that are surprisingly good for your pearly whites, while also taking care of your sweet tooth.

#1 Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is well-known for containing lower levels of sugar than milk chocolate. Its flavor is somewhat more bitter, but the upside is that it’s also significantly healthier and more filling. Dark chocolate also contains noticeable levels of theobromine, an alkaloid that comes from the cacao plant and provides numerous health benefits.

As well as being good for your heart, brain, and for reducing inflammation levels, theobromine is also fantastic for your bones and teeth. Over 140 times less concentrated than fluoride, it happens to provide twice the amount of protection. Scientists who have witnessed its effects have also said that teeth exposed to theobromine suffer 10% less damage than those using fluoride.

In fact, theobromine happens to be very similar to caffeine in structure, meaning that it provides adequate energy depending on the amount consumed. It's also one of the active ingredients in Yerba Mate, the hot beverage of choice in Argentina.

Another thing worth noting about theobromine in dark chocolate, is that you'll find a significantly larger amount of it in darker chocolate. That is to say, the darker the chocolate, the higher the levels of theobromine. Who says you can't enjoy chocolate while also caring for your teeth?

#2 Sugar-Free Gum

Recent scientific studies have provided surprising results, as well as an interesting conclusion: chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after meals can significantly reduce the damage caused by tooth decay.

The power of chewing sugar-free gum can be traced to the saliva caused by chewing. Saliva is the body's way of naturally fighting off bacteria, and the amount produced from chewing a single stick of gum will keep teeth naturally clean in between brushes.

While sugar-free gum is better for your teeth and gums than the regular type, it still manages to retain its sweetness thanks to xylitol. Xylitol is a product derived from birch bark, which not only tastes good but also prevents excess bacteria from lingering and sticking to your teeth.

In order to encourage good oral hygiene, we'd recommend that you chew sugar-free gum after every large meal when you can’t brush. This will encourage a healthy environment for your teeth and gums that otherwise might be completely absent.

#3 Yogurt

Organic whole-milk yogurt is not only full of healthy nutrients and vitamins, it also happens to be very good for your teeth. One of the many benefits of eating it is that it provides a special kind of bacteria which will help to fortify and protect your teeth and gums.  Beyond that, whole-milk yogurt tends to be gentle on the stomach while still feeling like a treat.

#4 Raisins

Your mother probably tried to coax you into eating fruit during painful moments of your childhood, often using lines like "Fruit is nature's candy."  We all know, however, that fruit pales in comparison to high-sugar candy and treats in terms of satisfying the ol' sweet tooth.

One of the pleasant exceptions to this rule is raisins. They taste good, are affordable year-round, and also contain high levels of fiber. Additionally, one of the active components is oleanolic acid, which has antibacterial properties that protect your teeth from detrimental plaque.

#5 Cheese

For most, eating cheese often feels like an against-the-rules treat. So, if you're someone who loves to partake in sampling dairy's delight every now and again, you'll also be pleased to know that it's actually surprisingly good for teeth.

The dental benefits of cheese can be put down to Casein, which is a protein that both protects the enamel and also wears down the resistance of bacteria in the mouth.

#6 Honorary Mention: Tingz

While they're only currently available in the UK, Tingz are health-focused sweet treats for kids that opt for xylitol rather than sugar (just like the sugar-free gum mentioned above). They’re definitely worth checking out if you're looking for healthier treats for your young ones!

Taking care of your teeth should be a constant consideration, and you should always try to avoid going overboard with sugar-heavy treats. The added benefit of eating foods that are good for your teeth is that you'll also improve your diet and feel healthier overall. Talk about positive results!

About the Author: Dr. Kenneth Mak is a general and cosmetic dentist practicing in Los Angeles with partners Dr. Dennis De Mesa and Dr. Rodney Kleiger at MKD Dentistry.  When he can, Dr. Mak likes to contribute to several health and lifestyle blogs, where he can help readers shape their daily habits around oral health.  To learn more, head to www.MkdDentistry.com.

If I controlled the world, we’d be able to teleport to our favorite places, read people’s minds and French fries would be as healthy as broccoli.

Unfortunately for all of us, I don’t control the way things work – we still have to endure a long flight to go spend a week in Spain, and French fries are frightfully bad for you.

It’s a sad fact of life that some of our favorite foods are not our bodies’ favorites.  But you can’t give up everything delicious that’s on the unhealthy side of the spectrum. Instead, it’s best to do your darndest to avoid the ones that wreck the most havoc on your health.  Start by trying to steer clear of these 4 foods that are worse for your oral health than you probably think.

1.     Crackers

Crackers seem like such a harmless food, don’t they?  They’re so plain and innocent, how could they be hurting your teeth?  Well, as we often learn the hard way, looks can be deceiving.  Most crackers, like saltines, are a hyper-processed, starchy carbohydrate.  The problem with that is that simple carbs are basically just sugar, which is the favorite food of your mouth-dwelling bacteria. 

Cavities and tooth decay occurs when bacteria multiplies and hangs out in your mouth for an extended period.  Oral bacteria have a field day with stuff like crackers, which also become sort of sticky as you chew, and then get stuck between your teeth. Given that crackers are such a commonly consumed food, it may be tough to give them up.  Instead opt for whole-grain versions, which don’t do as much damage

2.     Dried Fruit

It’s easy to assume that any form of fruit or veggie is healthy for you.  And sure, dried fruit can be a good alternative to processed, corn syrupy sweets.  But, they aren’t risk-free when it comes to your teeth.  They are super sticky and packed with sugar – natural sugar, but still sugar.  As you eat that yummy dried apricot, the sugar feeds the bacteria and the sticky bits get stuck in your teeth.

As far as snacks go, however, dried fruit is pretty healthy.  So, instead of just giving up on the stuff, remember that when you eat it, it’s important to brush soon after.  The point is to not allow the sugar-fed bacteria and remnants to stay in your mouth for very long.  If you don’t have a brush handy, it’s always good to rinse well and chew on some sugar-free gum to help mitigate the damage. 

3.     Pickled Veggies 

In the foodie world, pickling has become pretty en vogue.  But as cool as eating your veggies pickled may be, it’s not such a cool scene in your mouth. In its natural state a cucumber is a friend of teeth, but once it’s been sitting in a vinegar and sugar bath for several weeks, it turns into a foe that’s a far cry from the healthy veggie it once was. 

Now, it’s bursting with acid and sugar and will declare war on your teeth and enamel.  If you do get the occasional (or frequent) craving for something pickled, go for it.  But just make sure that you have a big old glass of water to sip as you eat.  And then, get yourself to a toothbrush as soon afterwards as you can.

4.     Peanut Butter

Most Americans have a positive, childhood-related association with peanut butter.  It’s a comfort food for most of us.  But when you learn the impact that PB has on your teeth, the thought of it might be slightly less comforting.  First off, most of your garden variety peanut butter on the grocer’s shelves is overflowing with sugar.  Second – now get ready for a shock – peanuts are not nuts, but actually legumes.

Legumes are essentially carbohydrates, which, as you know, are broken down into sugars, which are broken down into teeth-damaging acid in your mouth.  So, peanut butter is basically just a carb-sugar overload.  You can lessen damage to your teeth by only eating the natural recipe kinds – when shopping, look for ingredient lists that aren’t lists at all, just one thing: peanuts. 

I told you this wasn’t going to be easy.  You probably groaned a bit as you learned the ways that your go-to eats damage your teeth and I don’t blame you.

The good news is that consistent self-care like brushing and flossing, as well as regular check-ups with your dentist, can help you keep an eye on the state of your teeth and limit damage from the food and drink you absolutely adore.

Dr. Kimberly Dyoco is a top dentist in Chicago, a health writer and the founder of One Mag Smile Dental Practice.  She’s also a frequent contributor to several online publications, in which she shares her expertise about how people can maintain excellent oral health by improving their daily habits.  To learn more, head here and find Kim on Google+.

• an idiots guide to the two most common techniques, “direct” and “reverse” spherification
• one recipe for each, including melon “caviar”, the dish that persuaded Ferran Adria that spherification had a gastronomic future at El Bulli
• sachets of sodium alginate (a natural seaweed extract) and calcium lactate, the chemicals that cause the spheres to form
• pipettes and a syringe

The process isn’t difficult, even my shaky hands produced perfect liquid filled spheres, and the base recipe can be easily adapted. For example, Phil Howard uses this technique at his 2-michelin starred restaurant to add shots of pure red, green and yellow pepper juice to his gazpacho. Just be aware if you do decide to experiment that the acidity of the liquid will impact the quantity of chemicals required and the choice of direct or reverse spherification - get this wrong and you'll end up with a bowl of jellied gunk (I speak from experience)!

As well as the melon caviar, I also made some simple mango carpaccio garnished with blueberry caviar and passion fruit ice cream - delicious, easy to make, and good fun too.

At just £7.99, the kits are great value. The last time I bought something similar from the Ferran Adria Texturas range it cost me nearer £100 – admittedly it contained more in the way of base chemicals, but unless you’re a serious Heston Blumenthal wannabe it’s unlikely you’ll ever use that much anyway.

My verdict: if you're interested in molecular gastronomy, this is a great introduction. Some people will get hung up on whether it's “proper cooking”, but if you want to intrigue your dinner party guests and have some fun in the process who cares?

*Cheeky monkeys provided me with a sample kit to review for this post

Given the recent weather, this month's tea time treat challenge is perfectly timed - so, here are two of my all-time picnic favourites especially for the ladies at Lavender & Loveage and The Hedgecombers. Enjoy!

The book is certainly beautiful, capturing the essence of Brazilian culture with its evocative photography of vibrant street food, churrascaria barbecue restaurants and amazing seafood from the rivers and Atlantic ocean.

It's also an education. As somebody with a borderline food obsession, it's rare to come across such an unexplored cuisine - my previous experience being limited to the odd caipirinha... The book is filled with dishes I've never cooked before (fish skin crackling anyone?) and ingredients I've never even heard of (jaboticaba?).

With two restaurants, including one of "Latin America's 50 best", 26 year old Thiago Castanho grew up in the Amazonian region of Brazil. This means he, and the other contributing chefs, have access to the world's most abundant larder - which is certainly more exotic than my local Sainsburys or Waitrose. Combine these unusual ingredients with a food heritage that takes from Portugese, African, Italian and Japanese cooking and the results are spectacular. Ultimately though, even a keen cook will struggle to source everything needed for these recipes - however, they will be rewarded with an insight into a truly unique cuisine.

Torresmo de peixe com molho de acai 

Fish crackling with acai

Serves 4

Fish crackling

• 500g fish skin, from small lean fish
• 150g coarse rock salt
• vegetable oil for deep frying
• sea salt flakes

Acai juice

• 100g acai pulp
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp sugar
• salt, to taste

1. Clean the fish skin removing the scales, Prepare a brining solution with the rock salt and 500ml of water in a bowl. Soak the fish skins in this liquid for 20 minutes.
2. To make the juice, mix the acai, lime juice and sugar together with a pinch of salt.
3. Bring some water to the boil in a saucepan. remove the fish skins from the brine and scald them briefly in the boiling water. Drain and cool.
4. Using a sharp knife, remove any remaining flesh from the skins. Cut the skins into 10cm squares.
5. In a deep-fat fryer or heavy-based saucepan, preheat the oil to 180C. Use the kitchen paper to thoroughly pat dry the squares of fish skin. Working in batches, deep-fry the squares until they crackle.
6. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with sea salt befoe serving with the acai juice.

Recipe taken from "Brazilian Food", Thiago Castanho, Mitchel Beazley, 2014

Once in a while, though, it can be really good. A light, honeycombed crumb hidden beneath a golden crust, moist with extra virgin olive oil, a hint of sourdough and crunchy flakes of sea salt. The truth is, good focaccia is one of life's simplest joys.

Of course, there's only one foolproof way to make sure you get the best stuff on your plate - and that's to make it yourself. Afterall, it’s only flour, yeast, olive oil, salt and water, so there's no excuse for eating bad bread - but there are a few things that separate the substandard from the sublime:

• the dough

Focaccia should have a light, sponge-like texture that can soak up the last remnants of olive oil or pasta sauce from your plate. The only way to achieve this is by making a really "wet" dough - you'll be tempted to add more flour, but don't. To make things more manageable do the majority of the kneading in a bowl to stop the sticky goo finding every nook and cranny of your pristine kitchen, use only one hand to do the kneading (so that you always have a clean hand available - believe me you'll need it), and oil everything that comes into contact with the dough to prevent it sticking.

• kneading

As well as traditional kneading, repeatedly stretching, folding and turning the dough will add structure to the bread.

• proving

Good focaccia should have a slight sourdough taste. This means giving the yeast time to do its thing. Allowing it to work slowly is the key to great taste, so proving overnight in a fridge is the only way to go.

• make olive oil your friend

It's in the dough, it's used to stop things sticking, it’s drizzled on top; and mixed with balsamic it is the perfect accompaniment. This is a good thing - remember, olive oil eating countries have some of the longest life expectancies on the planet...and it makes the bread taste great!

• the dimples

The traditional dimples you see on focaccia are there for a reason. They reduce the air in the dough and prevent the bread from rising too quickly. After proper kneading and proving there will be plenty of large bubbles in the dough. If you try and bake the loaf at this point, they will expand and burst, causing the bread to collapse. To avoid this, you need to dimple your loaf with wet fingers or an oiled wooden spoon handle. This will also increase the surface area allowing you to drizzle over even more extra virgin olive oil. If you do decide to add extra flavourings you can push these into the dimples so that the bread swallows them up as it bakes.

• toppings

You can be as creative as you like: cubes of mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives… you get the idea. However, I wouldn’t look any further than a traditional sprinkling of sea salt, picked rosemary leaves and, of course, a drizzle of olive oil. 

Try my rosemary and sea salt focaccia recipe and you’re guaranteed a gorgeous, light bread every time.

To help understand the process better, I’ve enlisted the help of craft brewer and CAMRA member Jon Kirby. Over the coming months we’ll taste a variety of his brews and develop recipes that work well together.

The beer

Jon’s first offering, Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild, is a “strong Mild with a deeply rich character, the crystal and black malt giving a dark colour and an acid bite to finish. Despite the strength it has a smooth character and plenty of malty flavour.”

Where to start?

When matching any beer, you first need to determine its key flavour notes. As well as helping to identify foods that will work, this is a great exercise in developing your palate and appreciating the elements that make each beer different. 

For this particular brew, it didn’t take a lot of “taste testing” to identify the predominant flavours of malt, dark chocolate, coffee and red fruit.

Even for newcomers to the art, picking out individual flavours this way makes it easier to start identifying food matches. From the simple list of ingredients above, most people could start to imagine dishes that might work well.

Complement or contrast?

The next consideration is whether to complement or contast the beer with the main flavours in the food. Either approach works well, but in this case, the bitterness would complement any big savoury dish, such as a robust game stew, whilst the chocolate and coffee notes would work well with toffee or caramel dishes such as crème brulee. Keep in mind that you do not always have to match the main protein element, i.e. the fish or meat, but might match a dressing, sauce or side dish.

Match strength with strength

Finally, you need to think about the beer’s strength in terms of alcohol, flavor and colour. This ruby mild is pretty strong on all three fronts and so requires a robust food match - this isn’t something to drink with lightly poached white fish…

The result

I decided to match Jon’s beer with a cherry and chocolate clafoutis. As a warm dessert, it brings back memories of drinking dark beers by a roaring country pub fire. To complement the colour and flavour profile I’ve added bitter chocolate to the batter and macerated the cherries in kirsch to really maximize their “cherryness”. Serving a scoop of vanilla ice cream completes the black forest gateaux homage, which works brilliantly with the chocolate and red fruit notes in the beer, as well as providing a temperature and flavour contrast for the dish itself.

For those who struggle with the idea of drinking beer with dessert I also created a welsh rarebit as a more conventional alternative. The mature hard cheese, sage and onion make this a particularly savoury version and there is just enough of Jon’s beer in the recipe to tie the food and drink together.

Hopefully we’ve got you thinking that wine is not the only option when matching food. Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge famously serves a shot glass of dark ale with his chocolate ale cake at the two Michelin starred Hand & Flowers - and if it’s good enough for him…

Click on the image below for the full recipe.

Courgettes are at their best this month and offer a range of possibilities to the adventurous cook - from delicate flowers stuffed and coated in crisp tempura to grated courgette in a delicious chocolate cake. Alternatively, you might prefer to exploit their flavour carrying qualities by marinating in flavoured oil and shaving  ribbons into a dressed salad.

However you like them, you probably think there is little you don’t already know about this summer squash, but a little research reveals a few surprises:

MYTH #1: “courgettes” are called “courgettes”

In countries such as Canada, Australia, the USA and Germany, the plant is called a zucchini - from the Italian “zucchina" (small pumpkin).

MYTH #2: courgettes are small

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s largest courgette was almost 6 foot long and weighed 65 lbs.

MYTH #3: courgettes are green

There are more than 100 varieties of courgette, each with different markings - including the "Sunbeam" with bright yellow and white stripes!

MYTH #4: courgettes are vegetables

Technically, courgettes are actually fruit - with a distant relationship to watermelons…

MYTH #5: but no-one really loves courgettes

In a 2005 Dolmio poll, the courgette was voted Britain’s 10th favourite vegetable.

MYTH #6: courgettes are mostly water, they have no nutritional value

Courgettes do have a high water content, which makes them low in calories, but they are also a good source of folates, vitamin C and vitamin A - helping to prevent both cancer and heart disease. A single courgette also contains more potassium than a banana.

MYTH #7 courgettes can drive you crazy

OK - maybe not a commonly held myth, but there is some evidence. Consider the two-day Annual Zucchini Fest in Hayward, California. This celebrates everything about the little green vegetable and attracts up to 30,000 visitors each year. The event features live music, arts and crafts – all with a “Zucchini” theme…

When shopping, look for courgettes that are small (water content increases as they grow bigger diluting their flavour), heavy for their size with shiny unblemished skin.

Seasonal recipe: try this simple courgette and citrus salad with pan fried cod.

PIE tells a story that started with filled Egyptian breads before being influenced by Greek, Roman and Medieval bakers and then French culinary superstars such as Antonin Careme. Together, they have all contributed to a dish that is equally at home in roadside cafes as fine dining restaurants around the world.

The eclectic range of recipes in the book reflects the antipodean roots of the author, with everything from "mince and cheese" to "spicy monkfish".  It does, however, miss some of the northern hemisphere staples that you might expect to see in a definitive work - a killer chicken and mushroom wouldn't go a miss, nor would the definitive steak and kidney. Despite this, there are enough classics to inspire any true pie lover. In fact, Brettschneider's Melton Mowbray style pork pie has already made me a picnic God in the eyes of my family and friends.

As with many genre-specific cook books, there is a tendency to stretch its scope. I struggle to agree that a cheesecake strictly meets the brief, even tarts are pushing it for me, and whoever decided ginger biscuits deserved to make it into a pie based bible should be slowly beaten with a rolling pin. However, even I have to admit they all taste delicious and look amazing in the mouth watering photos that accompany them.

This book is a great reference manual, clearly explaining how to make every type of pastry you might ever need, as well as other foundation recipes such as creme patissiere that every cook should have in their armoury.

Richard Bertinet described PIE as "mouth watering and clever", and he has a point - but as far as I'm concerned it's worth buying for the pork pies alone.

So, when I saw that Karen over at lavenderandloveage.com and Janie at Hedgecomers.com were using edible flowers as the basis of their June tea time treats challenge I had to get involved. Take a look at my squid and chorizo salad entry or pop over to Karen's and see what other great recipes have been entered.

For guidance on which flowers are safe to eat, or to buy them online, try this link from the good folk at Greens of Devon.

Simon Rogan has been building an impressive CV. After learning his trade under Jean Christophe Novelli and Marco Pierre White, he recently won the Catey best restaurant and best chef "double" - the first in more than 30 years. L’Enclume, his 2 starred flagship, is one of just 11 restaurants in the UK with 5 AA rosettes and knocked the Fat Duck from top spot as Britain's best according to the 2014 Good Food Guide. One of his chefs won this years prestigious Roux scholarship and he’s recently taken over from Gordon Ramsey at Claridges, where he has publicly stated he is looking for 3 michelin stars at the £3m Fera. This man is not short of accolades…nor ambition.

Situated in the idyllic village of Cartmel (of sticky toffee pudding fame), L’Enclume is housed in an 800 year old blacksmiths just minutes from Lake Windermere. This rugged setting is perfect for the naturalistic style of Rogan’s cooking, which fuses leading edge technique with locally foraged flora and fauna, much supplied by his own farm.

On the night we visited we were treated to an incredible 21 course tasting menu kicked off with Oyster Pebbles "if you can't spot the real ones, this could be a long night"; cod yolk made from various "fish bits" coloured with saffron and served with salt and vinegar puffed rice; the L'Enclume hot pot with spherified potato, lamb and red cabbage; poached quails egg with a black garlic yolk; and a suckling lop served with a brutal looking sabre but which could be cut with a wooden spoon it was so soft. This wasn't the sort of food you cook at home.

To be honest I was looking forward to a good gripe about over-pretentious, over-worked cooking but this was just too good.  The food here demonstrates the level of technique that made Heston Blumenthal a star, with flavours and presentation that turn foraging into a fine-dining spectacular. As well as the cooking, the service was as good as you'll find – we enjoyed a Harvard-esque debate on the topic of world-class service with the brilliant maître d’ before being given a guided tour of both the service and development kitchens. Given the 266 mile each way drive from London, I would recommend making a week of it to take in the natural beauty of the Lakes and the hospitality of the local hostelries, but if you decide just to come for the food I promise you won't be disappointed. 

I’m sure getting a table at Fera will be nigh on impossible for the next few years, and even worse if Rogan delivers on his 3 star promise, so take a trip to the Lake District and immerse yourself in the original jewel of the Rogan empire…and if you get really hungry, there's always the sticky toffee pudding.