There are some wonderful places to eat in London. We made a day trip to Hampstead Heath and I wanted to eat at the Spaniard's Inn. The food wasn't this good last time I was there. We sat in the sun and enjoyed a leisurely lunch and a pint. From the June menu, I had the Scotch egg and Peter had the terrine. We then shared the salad of bulgar wheat, quinoa, lentils, soy flakes, radish, pomegranate & asparagus. There was one surprise with the salad - no asparagus. And a slightly odd response to its absence. The waitress had no idea what asparagus was and peered at the plate uncertain what was actually missing. The chef and the duty manager were surprised that I had thought fit to mention its non-appearance. That said, this was the best Scotch egg ever and a wonderful salad sans asparagus.I was keen to try out Ottolenghi's Soho offering, Nopi. We couldn't get a table in the main restaurant but there was space at the downstairs bar. It was a great atmosphere and great food. We had a selection of dishes to share. I was browsing in the Time Out and I found a review for another Middle Eastern restaurant in Soho, the Palomar. If you only eat at one Middle Eastern restaurant in your life, make it this one. Again we couldn't get a table but we did secure a perch at the bar where we could observe the food being prepared and the chefs having fun while they cooked.
We had two great meals in Glasgow. We were taken by friends to Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery. This was a five-star restaurant specialising in fish. We don't often eat out like this. At the other end of the scale we went to a family run Italian restaurant, Sarti, which is definitely worth a visit.
Phoebe searched out another amazing find in Canterbury. Next to the railway station is the Goods Shed where produce was once stored before being transported by train. This is now a Farmer's Market and restaurant serving locally sourced seasonal food. I can't describe the meal - you'll have to try it out for yourself.
I also enjoyed home cooking in the village of Rogat in the Netherlands province of Drenthe. I enjoyed traditional Dutch cooking including Stamppot, made with endive as a summer substitute for kale, and chervil soup. Most of what I ate was produced from the back yard including eggs and honey. 
Since we've been back we have been enjoying some of the coldest weather Wellington can throw at us, so we thinking slow cooking and lots of winter greens. Luckily the kale, cavalo nero and rainbow chard in the garden is keeping us going. We have a new eatery in Wellington, Loretta, sister restaurant to Floriditas. They have the ultimate comfort rice dish - warm rice with broken sausage and thyme. I am making a basic risotto with a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a handful of thyme leaves in with the very finely chopped onions. I used pork & fennel sausages, skin removed and broken up. Cook these lightly before adding the rice. Add extra stock so the resulting dish is quite sloppy. Add extra thyme at the end and omit cheese. Truly. I served with leeks and winter greens from the garden.
You should also try a potato tagine-style stew which has become a staple at our table. For four to six, soften a finely sliced onion and two roughly chopped carrots with a pinch of salt, in a heavy bottomed pan. Add a teaspoon each of ground coriander, cumin, ginger, turmeric and paprika and a pinch of chilli flakes along with three crushed garlic cloves, zest of a lemon, tbsp clear honey, a couple of bay leaves and three long green chillis left whole. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add scrubbed red skinned waxy potatoes cut into chunks and turn in the spices. Add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of chickpeas, two cups chicken or vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer fotry minutes. Add a handful of green olives at the end and serve with dollops of Greek yoghurt (I use Zany Zeus) and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds, a tsp of paprika and some finely chopped parsley (or coriander). You will make this again and again.
