SITWELL'S
SCOOP
Food critic William Sitwell dishes up his exclusive monthly food and drink newsletter
with ideas, offers and stories you won't find anywhere else
June edition
LIVING IN A BOX
While the meek shuddered I've always loved the concept of wine in a box. It afforded, according to your powers of restraint or otherwise, a single glass or several squillion sips to squiffiness. And, hoorah, look at today's quality. Speaking of which I worship at the altar of BIB Wine. Their critically acclaimed bag-in-box wines stay fresh for up to six weeks once opened. Plus the packaging is fully recyclable and with lower carbon footprint than glass bottles. Try them out with a six-pouch taster pack for just £20, using code SITWELLSCOOP. Offer ends 04/06.
EXMOOR GETS MORE
The wilds of Exmoor are set to be graced with a new gastronomic paradise, well, sort of, as it's a new snazzy pub, The Bittescombe Inn. Formerly the Lowtrow Inn at Upton, it has new owners, a beautiful face-lift (think cosy booths, comfy chairs, gorgeous art and a private dining room) and, crucially, a brilliant chef. Frenchman Olivier Certain will be dishing up the likes of suckling pig, twice-baked soufflé, toasted crumpets with mushrooms and whipped cod's roe on tapioca crisps. Oh, and guess who's curated the wine list? Yup! William Sitwell! Get 15% off when you book in for lunch between launch date 18 June and 18 July. Call now and quote Sitwell's Scoop!
ME AND MABEE
In Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand and I'm hoping for a quiet night. My adventures in Aotearoa, the Maori word for the country, saw me enduring a relentless, punishing schedule. So when the prospect of a 23 course tasting menu was dangled in front of me, I did my best to swerve it. But no such luck. Hearing I was in town the chef, Vaughan Mabee sent a car for me and open the place specially on what is usually chefs' night off. But was it worth it, for me, and the chefs who lost a day's relaxation: Read the full story of my extraordinary culinary adventure at Mabee's Amisfield
OIL SUBSCRIBE
So there are some new purveyors of olive oil in town. They call themselves Citizens of Soil and while they may sound like vigilantes who clear up unwanted doo-dah, in fact they support and sell olive oil from small independent producers from mainly Greece and Portugal. More of the retail price goes into the pockets of the growers, you can subscribe (brilliant idea for this category) and you can purchase delicious oils in refill pouches. Oleaginous genius. Get 15% off, quote Sitwell15
HEANEY COMES TO SOMERSET
He's the creative Northern Irishman with a love of Welsh ingredients performing miracles in his kitchen with the likes of lamb, oysters, beef and strawberries. And on Thursday July 6 he's leaving his Cardiff restaurant, Heaney's, for the night and travelling to Rooks Nest Farm in Somerset to cook for the acclaimed Sitwell Supper Club. It's a six-course feast, with champagne from Fortnum & Mason included in the ticket price and it promises to be a sizzling, summer, sell-out. Reserve your seats now!
A ROSÉ TO GLUG
Here's my go-to great-value, gluggable rosé. It's a wine from the Languedoc, that large coastal region of Southern France, and it's made from a combo of two red grapes: Grenache Noir and Syrah. And I don't care if to you it's Lady Petrol, Lash Blush, Pink Slurp or Femme Diesel, to me it's the taste of summer in a glass, refreshing and lively, great with food. Heaven on its own. For hours. Only £11.50 in my online store now!