At Home in Hackney

A Taste of Vietnam in Shoreditch

2011-12-22T22:05:00.010Z

It was a cold, wet, blustery day in Shoreditch, in London's East End, but I felt warm and soothed as soon as I stepped inside Hôp Namô's beautifully custom designed sea container in the brand new Boxpark. Billing itself as the world's first pop up mall (although it will actually be around for five more years), I recommend going to Boxpark – but for the food, rather than the fashion.

Hôp Namô is run by husband and wife Colin and Linh Vu (owners of one of my favourite restaurants in Hackney - see my rave review here and whose parents run the ever popular Huong Viet on Englefield Road). I had managed to forget my notebook on my visit to Hôp Namô (Hop means 'Box' in Vietnamese), but the waiter sweetly and unblinkingly fetched some paper for me. I had also forgotten my glasses - but luckily the huge print of the pared down menu written on the stainless steel counter was easy enough to read.

The food on offer is very much 'express' – to suit shoppers and workers diving in during their lunch hour or after work. But its no less impressive for that – this is delicious, authentic cuisine that just happens to be served fast. Most dishes – Star Anise Beef Shin with pickled red cabbage, lemongrass free range chicken and caramelised organic salmon with honey and lime glaze – ring in for just a fiver, with soups (Pho, a homemade broth of beansprouts, basil and coriander) or (Hue – spicy noodle soup with lemongrass, garlic and chilli), both served with either rumptail beef, chicken or prawn only £6.50.

A cute blue and white enamel bowl arrived filled with melt in the mouth chilli squid, accompanied by a delicate, papery spring roll filled with richly flavoured five spice duck and pools of dipping sauce. The chargrilled lacquered pork appeared, blackened and glistening, with a simple salad a welcome foil to its lovely intense sweetness while the thick spicy chicken curry with tangs of lemongrass and coconut was more than warming, it was heart-warming.

I blissed out to the chilled out sounds of electronica as the weather raged outside and felt an overwhelming desire to visit Vietnam. I have never been, but was convinced by my experience at Hôp Namô and gentle urging of the owner who says I must go...

London’s Best Panto – Oh Yes it Is!

2011-12-02T11:26:00.006Z

‘A little magic can go a long, long way’ sings the FG (Fairygodmother) in Hackney Empire’s Cinderella. This slick production with lots of good old-fashioned fun, up-to-the-minute quips and some belting musical numbers certainly provides plenty of sparkle and a little bit of magic on a dark midwinter London day. This show skilfully combines the best British theatrical traditions with knockabout comedy and musical spectacle.

I got a sneak preview before the rest of the press were allowed in and found myself grinning, giggling and roaring with laughter pretty much the whole way through this relentlessly-paced performance. And I was not the only one. The whole audience ranging from toddlers and teenagers right through to pensioners lapped up this gag-a-minute show, eagerly joining in with the audience participation and swaying their arms and singing along with the songs.

The stars of the show were the sluttish Ugly Sisters described as ‘fastidious’ because one was ‘fast’ (and Jamaican) and the other ‘hideous’. They made their memorable entrance belting out the soul classic ‘Hold on, we’re coming’ from a (nicked) hot air balloon descending onto the stage. Their hilarious headgear included a cupcake, flowerpot, candelabra and giant cocktail. Cinderella and Prince Charming (who happened to be Indian) was a suitably pretty pair with the requisite pop star voices.

There were a few local references that only locals would get – jibes at upmarket Islington and a mad horse named Clapton after one of the city’s most diverse neighbourhoods. There were cracks too about the new Westfield shopping centre and the upcoming Olympics – both major East London features. But this was inclusive entertainment and the audience was from all over the world, with the United States and Australia particularly well represented.

‘Our professor told us that pantomime is an important English tradition and this one was the best in London’, an American student told me in the interval. I was pleased to hear her teacher had done his homework. Hackney Empire’s pantomime has been hailed as the city’s best for several years now. And its high energy never flags – I saw it right at the end of the run last year in the dog days of January (read my review here) and the performers were just as impressive.

With tickets from £9.50 there’s no real reason not to go but I would suggest you book as soon as possible though the Hackney Empire as tickets go very quickly and it will sell out – it does every year.

This article appeared in CD Traveller.

Hackney Central Put on The Map

2011-11-01T19:38:00.001Z

Hackney Central has now been put on the map through the Greeters programme, which used to take place all over London but now Hackney Central has been added to the list. Less than a year before the Olympics, the initiative was inspired by the overwhelming success of a similar programme in New York. This was set up in 1992 to take people off the well worn tourist trails and show them something they might not usually see. It was also motivated by the desire to show people that New York wasn't the dangerous place it was perceived to be and now offered in cities such as Paris, Berlin and Tokyo. They are not professional guides, but knowledgable locals who can show visitors the best their neighbourhood has to offer – for free.

A Local Light in Chatsworth Road

2011-10-14T19:47:00.002+01:00

'Chatsworth Road is raw and diverse. I love it around here', declares Lumiere, owner of the local juice bar which shares his name. 'It’s a real community, which is something quite special in London, but it’s not too in your face: it’s just right.' Lumiere is a big fan of villa holidays but Chatsworth Road is his favourite place in the world. All of the juices on offer are named after local streets. Berry Blurton is made up of strawberry, peach, papaya and blueberries while a Clifden Cherry is a startling combination of cherry, strawberry, banana and mint. All around are heart shaped signs. 'I opened this place because I wanted to give something back.' It is hard to define: yes, it’s a juice bar with organic elements, not least the reclaimed tree trunks outside, but there is velour wallpaper on the walls, smooth jazz playing in the background, trickling from water features and the sound of the sea can be heard when you open the toilet door. There is even a VIP room downstairs, complete with red rope. Lumiere insists it is not a café. There is no tea on sale and he has only recently started selling coffee, but then he does a brisk trade in Yummy Mummy – a mixture of fig, date, vanilla and banana that is a clear nod to the changing demographic, Clapton Carrot, a refreshing blend of carrot, ginger, orange, apple, celery and a unique combination of banana, strawberry, orange, milk and granola, which he chooses to call a Homerton Hangover.

Hackney Honey

2011-09-18T22:16:00.014+01:00

The producers of Hackney Honey only started keeping bees in their garden two years ago but have already taken two honey harvests this year - one in June, and another in August. Their regular home insurance covered them until they sold their first jar, when they had to take out a special beekeeping policy. The early spring harvest produces a very light coloured, fruity honey, they tell me. The later honey is probably a real mix of the many different flowers in the gardens and parks around Hackney. It is much darker in colour and has more of a toffee taste.

Hackney Honey is joining Hackney Homemade Saturday market in St John at Hackney churchyard next week. You can't get more local than this as the bees are kept in a garden in central Hackney and it is thought that they probably collect most of the early spring honey from the trees in the churchyard, although it is of course almost impossible to keep tabs on the bees whereabouts.

All of Hackney honey is kept unfiltered, which leaves it with just a slight cloudiness. This means it contains local pollen. Many hayfever suffers swear that eating local honey alleviates their symptoms, which is a very good reason to buy Hackney honey – apart from supporting your local producer, of course.

Corner Room

2011-07-15T18:06:00.014+01:00

The aptly named Corner Room, the latest offering from Michelin starred chef, Nuno Mendes, is tucked away in the Town House Hotel, Bethnal Green. When I finally found it, the staff seemed rather vague and asked for our booking, even though the restaurant doesn't take them (tables are available on a first come, first served basis). Open only just over a month, the idea of Corner Room is to provide a more affordable, more accessible alternative to the hugely successful – and expensive – existing hotel restaurant, Viajante which only offers a set menu for £65, and is booked up for at least the next three months.

The whole experience is intimate – it's like dining in a front room, with only 10 tables or so – and quirky: a flight of stairs leads bizarrely to nowhere. Fellow diners included a man with two babies, a group of Japanese tourists who fiddled with their phones but didn't seem to eat anything and two pretty young locals who were delighted with their food, even letting me taking photos of it.

The food menu is gratifyingly concise, although the drinks menu was frustratingly and strangely focussed solely on wine. My husband, who can't drink wine, did manage to get a beer although he was told that a cocktail was out of the question.

You get much than you bargained for from the descriptions on the menu, which are rather understated. My starter was a wonderfully pleasing combination of intriguing textures: jelly-like, slow cooked eggs with tapioca like meaty caviar, tender baby asparagus and flaky parmesan. My husband's starter of squid, jersey royals and fennel was also excellently executed as were our mains of sea bass with crushed potato and watercress and lamb rump.

A couple of minor criticisms which I think will be ironed out easily in due course: the staff seemed nervous and the food could have been a bit hotter. But, all in all, a highly enjoyable meal and at credit crunching prices too: £6 for a starter, £5 for dessert and £12 for a main is unbelievable value, especially when you are talking about this quality of food.

Bonnie and Wild

2011-07-06T13:31:00.013+01:00

On the rather ragged Chapel Market in Islington is this jewel of a Scottish seafood and wild game restaurant, describing itself as 'part time' (apparently a new, sustainable version of a pop-up). Bonnie and Wild set up just last week in a 100-and-something-year-old pie and mash shop and will be open every Saturday from now on.

I had an unfortunate accident on the way and managed to break a rather special bottle of wine from Zanotto on the bus (Bonnie and Wild is BYO). Typically the high street off licence offered a rather poor selection, but I tripped in happily to the sound of 'Aint No Sunshine When She's Gone' being played on a ukulele as a bright young thing outside exclaimed, 'what is this man… It looks cool'. The pie and mash shop, lined with large green, white and black tiles, with delicate glass lights overhead, certainly looked pretty and was buzzing with diners.

Photo credit above: Sophia Whitfield

The ukulele player seemed so familiar to me that I assumed I knew him, but it was just that he bore a striking resemblance to Spud from Trainspotting. A pretty girl led me past the little wooden booths with skinny, pew-like seats through the kitchen to the toilet, sweetly explaining, 'this is a bit of an adventure'.

The weekly changing menu, stamped with three miniature silhouettes of a fish, a deer and a pheasant, was delightfully concise, with three starters, four mains, two desserts. Prices averaging around £6, £15 and £5 respectively, with sides of chunky chips and asparagus £3.50 are particularly reasonable when you consider all of the ingredients are responsibly sourced. The trio of Malden oysters (I went for classic shallot vinegar rather than the tempting seaweed butter), each one three mouthfuls, were as plump and big as a baby's fist.

In the booth next to me, a gaggle of DJs were having a feed before their set in a Shoreditch disco and although I was eating alone (which I hate to do), I felt, strangely, perfectly at home. Alex Hunter, one of the owners, sat down to share a glass of wine with me. The waiters have a tendency to join the guests at their tables anyway as they take their orders, apparently genuinely enjoying their company. Alex eagerly asked, 'what are you having?' and immediately declared 'the venison is superb!'

Photo credit above: Sophia Whitfield

Alex may sell private jets for a living, but he insists he is dedicated to offering sustainable Scottish suppers. A little blast of the smell of the sea hit me when I tucked into the main of buttery coley and seaweed with an inspired blast of chilli and the aroma of the wonderfully pungent cheese selection reached me before it did, although by this stage I was completely full.

The joint venture uses organic meats from The Wild Game Co. and sustainable seafood from Bonnie Gull. On Thursdays and Fridays, Bonnie Gull can be found at Leadenhall market, which is where Alex came across the ukulele player and the Glaswegian actor/waiter who work there as shoeshine boys. Alex points out the owner of the pie and mash shop who has just come in for his free dinner, telling me that at its peak, this pie and mash shop once sold 4,000 pies in a day. In its turn, Bonnie and Wild is fully booked for the next three weeks, which is saying something in this economic climate, especially as they have been generated only by word of mouth and the power of twitter. Something exciting is happening with London's dining scene – at last.

The Bonnie & Wild at M. Manze, 74 Chapel Market, N1 9ER. Book in advance (bookings@bonniewild.co.uk). Cash only.

Canalside

2011-04-11T08:35:00.008+01:00

The Towpath Cafe may have been created by Lori De Mori, an American Italian food writer, but there is not a hint of pretension in this lovely little unassuming offering, which opened last year without a whisper of media attention. Right on the Regent's Canal (between Whitmore Bridge and Kingsland Road Bridge, N1 5SB) and just five minutes away from distinctly urban Kingsland Road, the Towpath has been delighting joggers, cyclists and passers-by for a year or so now. No need to call on the help of a pizza delivery expert now in this one-time culinary wasteland.

The coffee imported from Caffe Piansa in Florence is served by barista Amanda Thompson. Chef Laura Jackson cooks up simple but delicious British and Italian dishes from what is little more than a hole in the wall. As I sat eating my porridge and fruit as I waited for the attached bike repair 'shop' to mend my broken brake, a burly, grey haired man, who was clearly a regular, hopped off from his dredger to order a spinach salad. The cafe has proved so popular that a pontoon has cleverly been transformed into an extension.

My favourite Vietnamese

2011-03-27T20:50:00.025+01:00

The restaurant is Viet Hoa. It was the first to appear on this stretch of Kingsland Road over a decade ago, with its signature red and white checked tablecloths, but you wouldn't recognise it now. It was a busy Friday evening and we hadn't booked: there was no room upstairs but it was no problem. We were accommodated in the funky basement complete with sunken astroturfed floor and legless chairs, which the restaurant rather ambitiously describe as 'garden tatami'. The bar itself is – not obviously – made entirely out of recycled materials including dried moss and park benches. Credit cards are accepted, although the prices are so reasonable that a meal here shouldn't break anyone's bank.

The staff here couldn't be sweeter. When I told our waitress I wanted to go to Vietnam, she wrote down a couple of places on the back of a receipt and then gave me her email address, urging me to get in touch for more information.

I got very excited because my cousins from Scotland let me order for all of us. I ordered a lot (see below) and it was all delicious. We really couldn't fault it. There was a small mistake and they didn't bring one of the starters and one of the main courses: chicken satay and drunken chicken with cloud ear mushrooms. But even that turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we probably wouldn't have made it up the stairs if we had eaten any more.

Starters:
Summer rolls,
Beef in betel nut
Crispy duck pancakes
Banh xeo - crispy pancake of prawns and vegetables

Mains:
Stir fried prawns with bok choi
Vegetable noodles
Chicken with chilli & lemon grass
Beef with chilli & black bean sauce
Jasmine rice

'Beautiful' declared my husband's cousin, who was still talking about the prawn and bok choi dish two days later.

The parting shot on Viet Hoa's slick website says:
'We hope you enjoy the new East London. It's getting smarter.' Quite.

The Best Sunday Roast in London

2011-03-01T21:59:00.012Z

'That's never a penalty,' declares my husband, glued to the football match on the screen a few feet away from our table. I have no idea how he can take his eyes off the most perfect Sunday roast I have ever seen – and one which costs less than a fiver. I feel great sympathy towards the straggle of shakey-looking, bright young things who clearly haven't been to bed. They have just been turned away because they haven't booked and I hear them mumbling something about trying to get a pizza delivered instead.

Having Sunday lunch at the Pride of Spitalfields (3 Heneage Street E1 5LJ), for me, is like travelling back into a soothing '70s time warp. There is no choice; you get chicken, pork or beef depending on what the kitchen has decided on. It is served almost instantly (although I have to say my mother never managed to do this; I remember, age six, trying to keep my eyes open at 10pm on a Sunday school night with the beef apparently still not cooked) and you don't get much conversation. It is also free - well, practically, where else can you get a proper two course Sunday lunch for six quid?

This is classic British grub laid out on a red and white wipe down check tablecloth, dished up by a motherly platinum blonde in sheepskin slippers. Utterly unpretentious, the Pride of Spitalfields has to offer the best Sunday roast in London. You get four vegetables, two kinds of potatoes: roast and mashed, a jug of gravy, AND yorkshire pudding whether it is roast beef or not. Once you have got through that lot, a cheerful voice will ask: 'are you ready for your dessert?' This could be anything from Walls Viennetta to school dinner style pudding and custard. We were a bit disappointed to be presented with tinned fruit salad and custard, but let's not forget we are talking £6 for two courses.

The 'Pride' is a wonderful time warp, where the ageing pub cat rubs up against the old boys at the bar, who happily rub shoulders with some of the bleary eyed fashionistas lolling on the sofas. Paying £13 for a Sunday roast consisting of some dried out slab of meat, greasy potatoes and one veg by a skinny, miserable north (or west) Londoner just sends me into a fury. Well, it would do, but I don't do it anymore. If you go to 'The Pride', do book, but don't expect the staff to be snotty; they are not, it is just that the 'dining room' only seats about 12 people, so they just like to know.

Crêperie du Monde

2011-02-28T17:01:00.014Z

This lovely little 'world' crêperie is the funkiest place on charming Chatsworth Road (Number 51, Hackney, London, E5) and certainly at the centre of my universe. It is just round the corner from my house, so I am often here on the squashy retro leather sofa in the window, working away on the wi-fi, writing up my travel features and earning myself a little Travel Money.

I spend it too, of course, on the delicious freshly made juices with mouthwatering combinations of spinach, ginger, pear and beetroot. The crêpes are the thing, though, whether with white, vegan or buckwheat flour. Their names are as imaginative as the decor, featuring distressed furniture, much of it reclaimed, tables made out of old wooden floorboards and empty vintage picture frames on the wall. I can recommend the Oriental Infusion with teriyaki chicken and green beans; my favourite though is the brunch classic of smoked salmon, scrambled egg, asparagus, hollandaise and salad. Sweeth-toothed crêpe lovers may want to go for an 'English Countryside', with apple cinnamon and fresh cream or the 'London Loves' combo of banana, caramel and ice cream. Are you one of those people who for some strange reason have a thing against crêpes? Why not try a Belgian waffle (with reduced prices for little ones) or a fluffy omelette – plain, cheese or with mixed herbs?

You may come across one or two young 'creatives' on their white apple macs, but this little spot is far away from the wannabes of London Fields and far from being pretentious – yet. A stray yummy mummy might wander in with their offspring, and you could see some bright young things having an impromptu brain storming at the big table at the back but, again, they don't spoil things. I normally order a cappuccino, served in a delicate china cup, but every now and then I get a 'Persian Pomegranate', a lovely, tart, blood red herbal tea in a white mug.

Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market

2011-02-26T18:57:00.018Z

Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market takes place in the courtyard behind the independent bookshop, the Book Box (www.bookboxonline.co.uk) and on the pavement outside, on the corner of Chatsworth and Glenarm Roads Clapton, London, E5 0LH.

For information about forthcoming market days, take a look at our Facebook page.

Our impressive roll call of local traders sell a variety of handmade and vintage goods. These include collectible ceramics, vintage toys and furniture, artisan food, home made herbal creams, handcrafted jewellery and and screen-printed pillowcases.
For a stall or more information
contact
jane@hackneyhome.co.uk
07956 934 768

The People

These are just some of the talented people who have been part of Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market.
• Ingrid Behic sells desirable homemade goods including beautifully crafted fabric hearts, toys, cards and decorations.
• Jo Thorpe www.jothorpemosaic.com is an established and innovative mosaic artist who produces decorative mosaic panels and jewellery – Jo's work can be seen in Westminster Cathedral.
• Patricia Bennett is an expert knitter, selling baby cashmere balaclavas, who also runs popular knitting courses.
• Kirstin Ingham is a graduate of Leith’s School of Food and Wine specializing in artisan creative cooking.
• Elsa Hamaz is a skilled herbalist who creates her own exquisite herbal creams, herbal teas, syrups and tinctures, all free of any artificial ingredients.
• Adam Cobbold sells handmade cushion covers using vintage British fabrics from pre-war to the 1970's as well as contemporary textiles from Morocco, Iran, Cambodia and India.
• Hazel Thomson www.thechalkhouse.com is a designer with an architectural background who designs and makes her own sought after range of laser cut plywood and acrylic jewellery.

On the Edge of the Olympic Site

2011-02-03T09:34:00.005Z

As someone who lives right on the edge – of the olympic site, I am both concerned and fascinated by how our neighbourhood, particularly Hackney Marsh and the River Lee, has been transformed before our eyes. David Lee has created a series of bold, yet moving images over the last two years, recording what has changed, looking at the echoes of history and the re-imagining of this unique area. David's exhibition runs from 3rd - 27th February at Pages, our wonderful local, independent bookshop that puts on startlingly good events.

Town Hall Hotel

2011-01-31T22:00:00.013Z

This little gem is a wonderful addition to an undeniably grubby corner of the East End. The original Edwardian building of the Town Hall Hotel has been transformed into a sparkling boutique hotel with no less than 98 rooms and apartments. I was surprised to find the hotel even has its own pool and spa. There is a staggeringly good restaurant – which I vowed to return to (it's booked out for dinner for the next three months) and the Viajante (which means Traveller in Portuguese) is a real find of a bar, where I imbibed more than one fine cocktail.

The low lit, buzzy, intimate bar with slick yet friendly service reminded my (very experienced) drinking companion and me of our favourite drinking dens in New York. We asked for a Sake Tomi, a delectable sounding gin, watermelon and sake cocktail, but learnt that the bar was (rather optimistically, we thought) switching over to a new spring menu. It is not just the juices that change seasonally, but the spirits too. So expect the list to change like that for any reputable restaurant. From that point on we happily handed over control – very wisely it turned out – to our bar man. ‘We like to talk to guests and find out what they would like’, he explained and, as he mixed our chosen drinks, we went for a whirlwind tour of the fine hotel.

The bar and restaurant are part of the building constructed in 1909 – as we swung through some double doors, we walked into the section built in 1939. I loved both the communal spaces and the stylish, modern rooms and apartments that combine the classic features of this historic building with East London edginess – an assured blend of the classic and eccentric. As we walked past two statues of Truth and Happiness, we learnt how the venue had been used in film shoots and sit coms. Anna, our guest relations guide, showed genuine enthusiasm for the place, exclaiming: ‘I am fascinated by the building’. She told us how the owner of the hotel got married here, saying ‘so he must have the building in his heart’ as she tapped her chest.

We return anxiously to our cocktails, only to find we have taken so long Alex has made us some new ones. I get a Buffalo Bourbon with Buffalo trace whiskey, served imaginatively in a jam jar. My companion, Ruth is presented with a Japanese Matcha tea with gin, lemon and egg white in a delicate Japanese ceramic cup (the barman has his own collection), laced with some pretty white flowers. There are no generic glasses here. The cocktail list is assured, and very reasonably priced – with prices hovering around 7 or 8 pounds.

The decadence of the Breakfast Martini appealed – a chase marmalade, vodka and cointreau combo billed as the ‘first drink of the day’ – but instead I plumped for a rum with Porter foam and angostura served in a half pint handled beer glass. Other concoctions we felt compelled to try included Absinthe Saki, a gin, cucumber, mint, lemon and champagne creation and ‘Traveller number 3’, a refreshing blend of lemongrass, gin, orange bitters and bubbles. In an attempt to soak up some of the alcohol, we tucked into some delicious bar snacks of prawn samosas with cucumber yoghurt and dry aged beef burger, stacked with vanilla onions, stilton and crispy root vegetables.

Alex winced when I mentioned molecular cocktails and foam, which seemed to be a feature of his drinks, but went on to show me a photo of his latest creation on his phone– a vodka cocktail in a miniature flower pot topped with chocolate for a soil like topping.

Forgive me if I forget the rest of ingredients – by this time we had pretty much worked our way through the whole cocktail menu. Alex told us he is planning a cocktail tasting event, which I hope to attend, so watch this space. I also hope to be able to stay the night at the Town Hall Hotel so expect a full review. Book between now and the end of February and get a whopping 50% off the regular room rate.

‘We could move in,’ we whispered to each other. As we were leaving we heard someone else say the same thing.

The Pig's Ear

2010-11-24T21:11:00.008Z

Pig’s Ear means beer in cockney rhyming slang in case you didn't know – I didn't. The Pig’s Ear Beer and Cider Festival, organised by the East London and City (ELAC) branch of the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) takes place in the Round Chapel in Powerscroft Road, E5, from Tuesday November 30 to Friday December 3. This year it showcases 17 new beers from seven new London breweries: Brew Wharf, Brodie’s, Camden, Ha’penny, Kernel, Redemption and Sambrook’s. “The renaissance of brewing in London is wonderful and astonishing. None of the 17 London Beers on offer existed just two years ago; now they’re praised by more and more quaffers,” declared organiser Derek Jones. “They represent the revival of a once-glorious London brewing tradition. For centuries the city was Britain’s leading brewing centre but most breweries closed in the post-war period. These new producers are expressing skill and innovation that will give London new brewing status.” Derek Jones went on to say that the Grade II listed English Heritage building built in 1871 with a magnificent three sided gallery “will become a Chapel of the Blessed Barley and Holy Hop for almost 150 notable Real Ales.”

Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market

2010-11-03T14:44:00.006Z

A new market selling homemade and vintage goods is to open in Hackney on November 7th. It will take place in the courtyard behind the lovely independent bookshop, the Bookbox (www.bookboxonline.co.uk).

The Bookbox, which boasts a charming ceramics cafe in its basement, is at 53 Chatsworth Road, Clapton, London, E5 0LH, UK on the corner of Glenarm Road.

The People...

The emphasis is on local, quality goods that are either handmade or vintage.

For the very first market, there is an impressive roll call of traders.

• Christa Davis (www.christadavis.com) selling vintage clothes, reconditioned cashmere and her latest designs.

• Rhea Daley-Serieux (www.eatmyheartout.com), a talented young Hackney photographer selling prints and postcards.

• Colin O’Brien (www.colinobrien.co.uk), an acclaimed Hackney photographer, selling posters, framed prints and books.

• Jane MacIntyre (www.hackneyhome.co.uk) selling vintage clothes and homeware.

• Jean Morris, who also has a stall at Broadway Market on Saturday, selling vintage postcards and prints.

• Ingrid Behic’s homemade goods include fabric hearts, toys, cards and Christmas decorations.

• Mary selling vintage ceramic homeware, much of it from the 1950s.

• Patricia Bennett is an expert knitter, selling baby cashmere balaclavas amongst other handmade items, who also runs popular knitting courses at Venetias.

• Kate Georgiou selling classic vintage clothes from the last 20 years as well as lovely homemade items.

The Philosophy...

is that stallholders and shoppers alike will enjoy a pleasant Sunday as part of their local community.

A rustic feast in the heart of Hackney

2010-09-29T20:01:00.008+01:00

Once a month, usually on Tuesday, Su Susazzagoni hosts a spectacular supper called Cena Agrituristica. This feast is all about the special secret dishes that are rarely seen outside traditional Sardinian farmhouses. Yet here they all are in Victoria Park, at a buzzing local trattoria which is a great place to meet friends, or even have a romantic meal.

The Cena is a 17-course meal to remember – a three-hour extravaganza that is the antithesis of fast food; I suggest you have nothing more than Ryvita for lunch.

We arrived to a warm welcome from sweet, smiling host Elena, and after settling in, the first of ten starter dishes arrived. As always, eating here was an education: “There isn’t a restaurant in Sardinia where you won’t find seafood salad”, explained Elena. She was rightly proud of her Sardinian meatballs, made to ‘nanny’s recipe’, which involves a half and half mix of pork and beef, with breadcrumbs and nutmeg.

Still on our starters, we tucked into a vegetarian antipasti of chargrilled aubergine, courgette and pepper (that to me seemed classic Italian) as well as a unique dish of chicken livers in an onion and vinegar sauce. My husband declared, “even the lentils are yummy” – words I never thought would be uttered from his Scottish lips. Elena reveals the secret of their tastiness, “I am the chef’s worst nightmare: I made him cook the lentils three times this evening until they were right.” I sipped slowly on the robust red wine – Rosso Valle del Tirso from the centre of Sardinia – and taking Elena’s advice, paused for a little break before the next course.

Malloredus cun sattizzu (Sardinian pasta with fresh aromatic sausage) was served with ricotta and spinach ravioli in a delicate yet rich tomato sauce. The sausages were divine, pure pork, a little salt and fennel.

We tucked into melt in the mouth suckling pork with roasted potatoes and crudités and managed to finish with dessert of sweet, star-shaped biscuits that were surprisingly – and gratifyingly – delicate.

“It’s heaven” announced my husband at the end. Seconds later, I heard a man on the next table repeat the same words. I would add that it’s great value, with generous portions and good quality ingredients. This is fine, unadulterated food, hand made, prepared with love and served with confidence.

The Cena Agrituristica costs £45 per person, and comes with a bottle of wine for two to share.

Riverside Cafe

2010-09-06T15:06:00.006+01:00

At the bottom of the huge sweep of Springfield Park’s Spring Hill, which looks as if it could have been transplanted from Hampstead Heath, is the beautifully basic Riverside Cafe. Sit in the café’s steamy interior or on one of the casually scattered chairs next to the River Lea and the Lea Rowing Club.

I normally go for a faultless and very reasonably priced (under a fiver) English breakfast, but they serve good omelettes, filled baguettes and a range of cakes too. Despite appearances and the bargain prices, the service is (generally) friendly and so efficient it would put most sophisticated restaurants to shame. Just across the water are the wilds of Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, where an old breed of cattle still graze in the summer. It is just one part of the pretty Lee Valley Park, which languishes for a full 26 miles along the banks of the River and is London’s biggest open space, crossed by a network of footpaths.

Riverside Cottage, Spring Hill, Clapton E5 9BL Tel: 0208 920 3994

Last of the Real High Streets

2010-07-26T16:30:00.003+01:00

Next to the bakery on Chatsworth Road is ‘The Shop’ – which has changing window displays but nothing for sale. The Shop is actually a home, and the owner readily admits he could never leave this ‘peculiar and wonderful street’. Made up almost entirely of independent shops, Chatsworth Road is a rare jewel among the homogeneous high streets of modern Britain. There’s no McDonalds here, no Gap, no Starbucks – just a roll call of unique businesses that locals love.

Paks Cosmetics, a Black hair and beauty shop that caters primarily to African Caribbeans, does a brisk trade, while a steady flow of customers buy fresh yams and plantains from the Caribbean supermarket next door. ‘Mighty Meats’, the local butcher of 30 years standing, and a tyre shop that has been trading for 50 years are typical of the treasured old guard. Stalwarts like the Kashmiri Kebab shop and Jamaican take away reflect a more recent demographic. And now, a new breed of outlets is multiplying.

See my full story about the 'Last of the Real High Streets' on www.hackneyhive.co.uk

A Taste of Sardinia

2010-05-31T23:21:00.009+01:00

When I attended one of the highly recommended cookery courses at Su Sazzagoni, it was much more than an delicious introduction to Sardinia's unique cuisine. It was a complete, sensory immersion in the island's traditions, geography, history and wine. This included a very enjoyable lunch that almost rivalled my memorable dinner at the restaurant.

I, and the other would-be chefs sat down to a flavoursome, meaty (vegetarian alternatives were available) starter of salami with fennel and parma ham. As we sipped on Vermentino, a very good dry white from the island, our host, the lovely owner, Elena, told us that even the grapes grown in Sardinia are completely different from those found in the rest of Italy. It was explained to us that Sardinian cuisine uses lots of simple, seasonal and fresh ingredients and very little chilli or butter.

We moved over to the kitchen where the twinkly eyed, smiling chef showed us how to make light, buttery gnocchi. Fans of mashed potato – I imagine that is just about everybody – can use some of the same tricks. There was a certain amount of adapting from local recipes necessary to take account of the availability of ingredients, and the chef suggested we use Maris Piper potatoes, even though they use red potatoes in Sardinia. The potatoes should be boiled whole in their skins (which means they absorb less water), before removing the skins when still hot and then sieving.

We went on to cook, and eat, a flavousome seafood fregola (often described as a Sardinian couscous, but actually rather more like a risotto), and malloreddus alla campidanese (a spicy sausage pasta), all the while assisted by the friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgable staff.

This resulted in some other useful tips:

Cook mussels and clams in oil – not water – in order to preserve their flavour.
After cooking seafood in a pan, soak up the flavours using white wine and use the liquid in your risotto.
If you make fresh tomato sauce with basil and don't add anything else (such as pine nuts), it will keep for much longer.

When I was at Su Sazzagoni, a couple who had come for lunch were pouring over a map of the island with Elena the owner. Having tasted something of Sardinian food, they were eager to visit the island. I felt the same way. D. H. Lawrence wrote that Sardinia is 'lost between Europe and Africa and belonging to nowhere'. Yet although the island is actually closer to North Africa than to Italy, Sardinia does not seem to suffer from any lack of sense of identity.

The Mayor of Mesquite Chooses East London

2010-05-10T16:01:00.004+01:00

Susan Holecheck, Mayor of Mesquite, visited London for the World Travel Market:

'I knew my trip only afforded one day for relaxation activities and I wonder how best to “feel” London. Well, the answer came with a visit to the Columbia Road flower market. I started out for the market around 9 a.m. A faint mist had started, but coming from a city in the United States where it only rains 3 inches a year, I found the moisture not intrusive, but rather welcoming. The cold penetrated my very existence and seemed to be daunting. But within minutes my body was more consumed by the sights and smells from the fabulous array of flowers and plants. The floral colors seemed brighter, the petals on the flowers more perfect, the green of the plants luminous. I wish I could have purchased all the bundles. Then there were the smiles on the vendors’ faces as they called out for purchase of their wares. I listened to the people as they spoke, I smelled the delicious aroma of a neighboring coffee shop, I saw retailers exhibiting their fashions. I was in London! The memory of those few hours walking the streets of the flower market is indelible. I would suggest that if you ever have an opportunity – let Columbia Road treat your senses.'

Give it a Grow

2010-04-28T20:02:00.004+01:00

What is it about garden centres and hairdressers that makes them so fond of a pun? I quite enjoy a good one myself and anyway am a staunch supporter of Growing Concerns hidden between the Hertford Union Canal and St Marks Gate entrance to Victoria Park. This charming community garden centre in a lovely spot is run by a relaxed and knowledgeable group of people, offering a wide range of plants and accessories, all reasonably priced. They serve coffee and ice cream too. Growing Concerns, as one of the few small, locally run garden centres in Hackney, indeed the whole of the East End, is a special place that deserves support. After a very long wait, it has only recently received support from British Waterways and Capital Growth to transform their area from a 20-year old rubbish dump to a wildlife haven, orchard and vegetable patch. They have just kicked off their season of Community Growing Workshops, every Saturday 11am–1pm (by donation, call or email to reserve a space). Currently aimed at children and their carers, it is hoped to host workshops for adults only too.

Su Sazzagoni

2010-04-04T17:23:00.018+01:00

The latest addition to the burgeoning Victoria Park Village scene is this Sardinian trattoria and delicatessen, which also describes itself as an Italian classic bar and English coffee shop. It is run by owner, Elena and a friendly and enthusiastic team who, characterised by an unadulterated love of Sardinian cuisine, provide a delicious education. Drop in to purchase delicacies such as spreadable pecorino by the jar, smoked scamorza (similar to mozzarella) and caprino, Italian goats cheese from the deli counter. But don't let it stop there.

Breakfast lunch and dinner are served here at communal tables. On the night I went I was given a never ending feast of Italian and Sardinian specialties. Seasonal and homemade are the watchwords of the menu. When the gelato was served, our waiter apologised sincerely that it was not made on the premises – because everything else is, from the Italian breads baked daily to handmade pizza and pasta. We began with Calamari Ripieni (stuffed squid with parsley and breadcrumbs), and were given a succession of dishes from fregole (Sardinian cous cous), malloreddus – a Sardnian pasta made from semolina flour, and macaroni de buzau - yes, from Sardinia.

Such was the enthusiasm of Marcelo, our waiter and assistant manager that not only would he smilingly and encouragingly describe all our dishes in detail, but on his break, he leafed through magazines about Sardinian food. Marcelo explained that Sardinian is a language, not a dialect and when he presented the Rissotto Zafferano (Saffron Rissotto), he told us that Sardinia is the number one producer of saffron in Europe.

I am not a wine expert, but my friend and colleague, Stuart George is. He was my dinner companion – read his review here. Although, good as he writes, he had just returned from a week-long trip to Italy involving much food and wine, and wasnt much good to woman nor wine novice by the end of the meal.

There are plenty of bargains to be had at Su Sazzagoni. Italian happy hour runs from 4pm to 7pm daily, during which you are given complimentary appetisers with your 'aperitivo'. Enjoy acoustic music with your meal Tuesday to Friday from 6pm and Saturday from 1pm, a highly reasonable fixed price lunch Monday to Sunday and take away pizzas from just £7.50. On Sundays, you can bring your own wine and get a 5% discount from Bottle Apostle across the road.

I confess my notes were even more of an illegible scribble than normal by the end of the meal. I was drunk, not so much on the copious wine, but - as my mother says happily at the end of a particularly satisfying meal – 'drunk on food'.

13th and 15th April sees Su Sazzagoni's very first cookery master classes. It's not too late to book your place, £25. Tel. 0208 985 8448 reservations@susazzagoni.com

Sunday Lunch at The Chesham Arms

2010-03-19T20:38:00.005Z

Sunday lunch at The Chesham Arms (5 Mehetabel Rd, Hackney, London, E9 6DU) is something of a ritual for me, and I don't have many of those. You know when menus say 'all the trimmings'? Well, in the case of The Chesham, its true. There is no need to agonise over whether to order roast beef because you'll get Yorkshire pudding, as all the roasts come with Yorkshire – as well as stuffing, three vegetables and both roast and mashed potatoes. Choose from beef, chicken, pork and nut roast (which the Chesham claims to be the best in Britain, or something, and isn't far off) – all for just £6.50. Join a happy local crowd watching football on Sunday, or now that summer is nearly here, sit in the large walled garden.

Buen Ayre

2010-03-05T17:06:00.004Z

Argentinean steaks are the best in the world. That's a fact. Argentineans are not known for their bashfulness, but when they tell you this they are not just showing off. I have been meaning to write about this place for ages. Buen Ayre is good, really good. And I am not even much of a meat eater. I suggest you kick off with empanadas (kind of mini South American pasties) to share as you don't want to spoil your inevitably enormous main course. You can't go wrong with any of these which are basically lomo (fillet), churrasco (sirloin), or parrillada (mixed grill) – although I wouldn't bother with the vegetarian options. Don't forget to order chips for a side and a portion of delicious, spicy chimicurri sauce - here's the chef's recipe, should you be inspired to make it at home. Wash it all down with a beer from Cuba, Belgium, Peru, Spain, or stick to the Argentine theme and order a Quilmes beer or a smooth Malbec from the long and purely Argentinean wine list, perhaps followed by a trago (shot) of a South American spirit. Buen Ayre really is a little piece of Argentina in Broadway Market and, as they say themselves: 'the one and only' – there are no others. Just make sure you book and arrive hungry.

Something Fishy

2010-01-31T22:35:00.009Z

Fin and Flounder is one of two new Hackney fish mongers – I have yet to try the new fish shop in ever blossoming Victoria Park, but I am looking forward to it. I am not a fan of the pretentious, over-priced, Saturday Broadway Market, but many of the shops on this market street have a fascinating history (not least the jellied eel and pie and mash shop) and are good value.

Fin and Flounder sells good quality fish at competitive prices, even when compared with Marks and Spencer. I bought some wild red bream, which wasn't cheap, but was excellent and sustainable – and cooked it simply with parsley, butter and garlic – my favourite way to cook fresh white fish.

I was in Tenerife last week with a group of over 100 journalists from the British Guild of Travel Writers. Although we were presented with some dodgy looking frozen fish at a cookery course, at another lunch I had wonderful slivers of carpaccio, scallops and my favourite Spanish dish, gambas al ajo (prawns with garlic). Mountains are not usually associated with good fish, but after Tenerife I was in the Eastern Pyrenees where, because they are only an hour or so away from the coast, fresh fish features on most menus. Salmon, scallop and fresh haddock in a cream sauce on cabbage is a local speciality.

It's Behind You!

2010-01-08T17:11:00.010Z

Today's trip to see the panto at the Hackney Empire was very much a last hurrah – mine before properly buckling back down to work after the New Year and the theatre's before it closes for much of 2010. Generally agreed to be London's best panto, Aladdin (which closes tomorrow) really is joyous. The cast genuinely seem to really be enjoying themselves and I can't remember when I last saw such an appreciative audience at a theatre. For less than £10, you can enjoy a live performance that lasts nearly three hours – making it more reasonable than most cinema showings. The punters at the performance I went to were pretty good value too – from the bolshy woman who insisted on eating her chicken and chips, proclaiming: 'Dont you know who I am?' to the six year old who asked for fizzy wine in the interval. When widow Twanky pushed for a bigger 'aaah' at the news that her husband had died, an elderly man with his carer retorted instead with 'big f***ing' deal'. But by the end even he was laughing at local jokes about the magic carpet being clamped in Stratford and singing along with the tap-dancing pandas.

Listen to this podcast trace the shifting guises of the Hackney Empire - from music hall to bingo hall, from television studio to wrestling venue, where the likes of Charlie Chaplin and George Fornby have performed.

St Nicholas Pop-Up Restaurant (supper club)

2009-12-11T21:12:00.033Z

St Nicholas is a new pop-up restaurant in Hackney that for one night is offering a four course Christmas dinner by an open fire in a Victorian house. Enjoy champagne soup, miniature minced pies and a starter of fresh fig, honey and fontina cheese crostini, followed by baked whole roast goose with chestnut puree, morel mash, crispy turnips and port gravy. Dessert is Christmas trifle with zabaglione, jersey cream, winter berries and amaretti biscuits and a hot brandy cup.

£40 donation

Bookings jegginton@btopenworld.com

17th December 7.30pm

Christmas Cards with Meaning

2009-12-05T22:14:00.014Z

Do you, like me, question the point of sending cards at this time of year? Well, why not do something different? This year, I am making hand painted Hackney Homemade cards – for my family, friends and clients – but most importantly for a group of 32 people around the world who have been falsely imprisoned or tortured for their political beliefs. Amnesty International run a christmas card campaign every year, asking that you send a card with a friendly message. This can make a difference. Since the campaign, a 'slum' in Nairobi is not currently under threat from developer, for example. As well as whole communities, you can show concern and support for an Algerian journalist arrested on the way to buy food for his family, an 18 year old in Algeria shot by police who lost the use of his legs, and nine Nigerian women facing legal proceedings for their involvement with a nine-year old girl raped and made pregnant. A story that moves me is that of Patrick, a 14-year-old arrested in Nigeria who had his teeth pulled out by police. To date, Patrick has spent 24 years in prison for a crime he apparently did not commit. The headquarters of the UK arm of Amnesty moved to Hackney four years ago and Islington and Hackney Amnesty Group describes itself as 'one of the biggest, friendliest and most dynamic Amnesty groups in Hackney'. Full details www.amnesty.org.uk

The Palm Tree

2009-11-15T20:53:00.008Z

'This is both my hairdresser's and my milkman's favourite pub', I happily declared to the landlord in the Palm Tree (Haverfield Road, E3) on my first visit 'Well, don't tell anyone' he snapped back. Mercifully free of any pretensions, this little gem is a bit of a throwback to when pubs were pubs and landlords were as moody as they wanted to be. Forget gastro – you can have a packet of crisps if you're lucky – and if you want tap water it's £1. In the middle of Mile End Eco park, The Palm Tree is not easy to find, but in a lovely spot next to the canal, with a grassy bank that is great for summer lounging. The interior, complete with gold, flocked wallpaper, remains unchanged from the 1930's, there's live jazz every weekend and the locals are as real as they come.

Winter Wonderland

2009-11-15T19:24:00.007Z

Dark days may be here but a welcome bit of magic and sparkle can be found in a small but enchanting exhibition at Hackney's Museum of Childhood (www.vam.ac.uk/moc). Wonderland is open now and runs all the way until the new year (10th Jan 2010). A wonderful world of dark beauty and imaginary beasts is explored through more than 80 artworks. Old European favourites are there, like the bewitching Hansel and Gretel, but the cultural landscape of folklore from other countries is travelled too. Wonderland is thanks to the East London Printmakers (www.eastlondonprintmakers.co.uk) an independent collective of 200 artists and printmakers based in Hackney that offers studio space and workshops.

Bottle Apostle

2009-10-31T18:12:00.019Z

This lovely little shop is a real gem and the staff are pure charm. Yes, it stocks fine wines, but there are also plenty of bottles for around £6. The people who work here may be knowledgable, but don't be intimidated if, like me, what you know about wine you can write on – well, the back of a wine label. Bottle Apostle (www.bottleapostle.com) , 95 Lauriston Road may be the holy grail for Hackney residents who are fond of a decent drop, but it's also a friendly spot that is very much part of the Victoria Park Village neighbourhood. I love the tasting machine which dispenses shots of wine. Just put a few quid on a smart card and sample away, it's great fun and a perfect aperitif before supper at The Fish House.

Free, Free, Free!

2009-08-22T13:59:00.008+01:00

The hedgerows of Hackney Marshes seem to be bursting with blackberries this year.

I, like many others, filled containers full of them and took them home for a free dessert – well, nearly. Thanks to a stop-off on the way home at the charming, riverside Ferry Boat Inn, I gathered some cooking apples that had fallen in their orchard, so all I needed to add was some sugar, flour and custard for a delightful blackberry and apple crumble. I highly recommend a trip to the Ferry Boat, a hundred-year-old waterside pub, for good, reasonably priced food (I tucked into a delicious turkey roast with all the trimmings last Sunday for £6.95). And for the next few weeks (until 30th September), there's another good reason to go this popular pub – they are giving away free Gin and Tonics. Here's a voucher for you to download – a good way to celebrate summer.

Cycle City: Hackney vs. Amsterdam

2009-08-19T18:50:00.005+01:00

Guest feature by Hackney writer, Imani Backes:

Amsterdam is Europe’s most famous cycling capital, with nearly half of all traffic movement made by bike. From nannies to bankers from school kids to senior citizens, everyone in Amsterdam likes to cycle. So, as our borough of Hackney attempts to raise its two-wheeled profile, who better as a source of inspiration than the clog wearing capital. Surely Hackney should take a leaf out of Amsterdam’s book and try to emulate this radical city?

From the 1960s onwards, Amsterdam transformed itself from a congested, traffic laden, commuter nightmare to a cyclist’s paradise. Statistics currently show the preferred mode of transport at 35% bicycle, 40% car and 25% public transport. Impressive? Not quite as impressive as the borough of Hackney. Our cycling achievements easily match the Dutch capital, and it’s about time we got some recognition for it.

Despite London being one the most congested capitals in the world, Hackney refuses to follow suit. In fact most people in Hackney use public transport or walk to get around, with the level of car drivers at just 19%. And although the percentage of cyclists is only 8%, that’s four times the Greater London average.

Hackney Council has recently introduced a “Move by Bike” scheme, which includes a free five-minute bike check up for cyclists and a chance to purchase lights and reflectors wholesale. The scheme offers free cycle training, promotes the health benefits of cycling and makes plans to improve security. Hackney has passed an historic motion in favour of 20mph limits on all residential streets, which is more radical than any other London borough, and even makes our Dutch counterparts look tame.

It does help that a quarter of elected councillors are themselves regular cyclists, including the mayor and the leader of the Conservative group. It’s a shame that the biggest streets in the borough remain under Transport For London control, and TFL refuses to budge on its rather conservative cycling policy.

Hackney should be proud of its cycling feats and its similarities with the renowned Dutch capital. Both Amsterdam and Hackney boast a beautiful and popular canal system, they’re both full of creative movers and shakes inspiring a new cycling revolution and making cycling glamorous too, from pink BMXs to vintage Bromptons. And finally, both Amsterdam and Hackney have a strong and established cycling community holding it all together – in our borough, there are over 16 bike retail and repair shops and even unique dedicated cycle cafes like Lock 7.

But Hackney is steering clear of Amsterdam’s biggest mistake: schemes that segregate cyclists and car drivers. Trevor Parsons, a leading light of the London Cycling Campaign (www.lcc.org.uk), believes that integration is the way forward. He says that “[in] the Netherlands people are compelled to ride on separate cycle tracks and paths where they exist and Dutch police shout at people for cycling on smooth, empty carriageways. We don't want that over here. Our view is that the whole street network is the cyclists' network, and we want to take the 'permeability' approach, which means minimising diversions, removing blockages and re-introducing two-way cycling as a way of maximising people's route choice.”

In immigrant communities, cycling is often looked down upon as a ‘lower class’ hobby, and children don’t usually see their parents cycling. Amsterdam has plans to promote cycling to ethnic minorities, but in this area Hackney has stolen a march: the Council actively promotes cycling to Jewish schools and has released a DVD on road safety specifically for young black Africans. It has undertaken a range of initiatives to encourage people with low incomes to take up cycling: installing lock-ups on estates, promoting the bike purchasing scheme and selling cycling accessories very cheaply, or at cost.

Hackney council says: “We are always looking for innovative ways to encourage as wide a take-up of cycling as possible. One example was our Wheels on Heels in London fashion week. We knew that not as many women were cycling, and this show was designed to show that you could be stylish and fashionable on two wheels.” Cycling could soon be as fundamental an aspect of being a Hackney citizen and as iconic as Hoxton fringes, Saturday markets and Pearly Queens.

A Trace of My Existence

2009-08-07T12:47:00.005+01:00

Don't miss the chance to see this mesmerising photographic exhibition at Chats Palace, which runs until August 31st. The first European show of the Colombian collective, Click Por Los Barrios features the work of some of the country's poorest children. The unique project was set up by a group of international photographers sick of trying to feed the media's seemingly insatiable appetite for violent images from Colombia. Children (aged between five and 26) were provided with cameras and tuition: the result is some exquisite black and white photographs documenting their life on the street.

Colombia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world (I chose to get married there) and its people are some of my favourite on the planet. If you don't trust my review, read Ken Russell's in the Times.

Flower arrangements for free

2009-07-26T09:48:00.009+01:00

These were supposed to be the table decorations for our Lunch in the street. I had 30 bottles loaned by
my lovely milkman which I had filled with sweet-smelling flowers – roses, daisies, jasmine, honeysuckle – from my garden Unfortunately, wind stopped play and the bottles remained safely under – rather on top of – the series of tables on the pavement all covered with pastel coloured table cloths and an amazing collection of home-cooked food (recipes to follow). I took the flower arrangements home, though, where they now grace my mantlepiece. If you are feeling the squeeze in these credit crunch times, and either have a garden or have a friend with one, fill up some washed bottles (jam jars will do too) for a pretty display that costs nothing.

Picnic in the Park

2009-07-11T11:25:00.008+01:00

I love going out to eat as much as the next person – well, probably more. But when the sun is shining, why sit inside, especially if you live in London's greenest borough? I live within ten minutes cycling of Springfield Park, London Fields and Victoria Park, so on a fine day just pack up a picnic and set off for the great outdoors. If you really don't like to self cater, Springfield has the very decent hill-top Spark Cafe www.sparkcafe.co.uk and Victoria Park the lovely, lakeside Pavilion www.the-pavilion-cafe.com

Lunch in the Street

2009-07-11T10:57:00.005+01:00

Inspired by the nationwide initiative, The Big Lunch (www.thebiglunch.com), we are having a neighbourhood 'Lunch in the Street' on Sunday 19th July between 2pm and 6pm. Residents of Dunlace and Glenarm Roads are all invited, along with all our favourite shopkeepers on Chatsworth Road. Despite the name, the event will actually be on the pavement and in the courtyard of our lovely, local Bookshop, the Bookbox (http://bookboxonline.co.uk). The idea is that we close the street next time as a trial run for the historic Chatsworth Market www.chatsworthroade5.co.uk comeback which used to take place between the junctions of Dunlace and Blurton roads. Participants just bring food and anything to share – games, music, poems – anything really, and there will be the chance to take part in making a community mural. I have been making bunting – from old sheets and clothes bought in local fetes and charity shops and I am hoping that my husband will make buckets of his delicious champagne soup (secret recipe to follow).

Make Do and Mend

2009-06-30T22:12:00.008+01:00

Make Do and Mend is the name of just one of the current exhibitions at the Museum of Childhood (www.vam.ac.uk/moc), in Bethnal Green, satellite of the V&A Museum.

Particularly relevant in these credit crunch times are the offerings from three contemporary designers who have reinvented and recycled everyday materials. Old socks have been turned into loveable toys, a battered chair given a new lease of life with a glossy floral covering and an abandoned supermarket trolley converted into a stylish chair. Victorian parlour games, traditional moving toys and wooden rocking horses are some of exhibits in the permanent collection, where the cry of 'I remember those!' can be heard from reminiscent adults wandering around the galleries. The museum also has a serious remit. Dedicated to informing the public about child labour, its extensive outreach programme in Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney is designed to help all visitors explore the themes of childhood – past and present.

Fish in the House

2009-06-15T18:15:00.020+01:00

The Fish House is a modern fish and chip shop restaurant that has really got it right. The owners of this family run operation on Lauriston Road, on the edge of Victoria Park really seem to care, and use sustainable fish wherever possible. Waiting staff are usually efficient and delightful (on one occasion we had a disinterested waiter), but the food never falters.

Arrive hungry and have two courses, if not three. The seafood starters – such as calamari aioli or Colchester oysters – are sublime and the very English desserts like Eton Mess and Victoria Plum and almond tart are always enticing. It goes without saying that you can't go wrong with the fish and chips here, ideally with a some bright green mushy peas, but my favourites are the creamy Fish House pie and the scallop saffron risotto, with a side of buttered samphire, when it is available.

Dine in the charming, contemporary indoors space or at one of the outside tables. For counter service customers, there are a few bench tables set aside, or get your take away wrapped and eat in the park.

Hackney Home History

2009-06-15T16:20:00.017+01:00

A little gem of a museum, the Geffrye is housed in 18th century almshouses, protected from the busy traffic of Kingsland Road by its own peaceful gardens. And it is very good value – free, in fact.

The Geffrye showcases English homes through history, allowing visitors to walk through a series of living rooms, peppered with fascinating objects and insights – many with particular resonance today. The use of seasonal, good quality, local produce may be a current trend, but in the 17th century it was a necessity. We are told that 'the angel of the house' had to know which vegetables were in season and which cuts of meat were right for a particular dish. Visitors learn that green was very much the old black, with a sample of Samuel Pepys sage coloured curtains, which apparently were all the rage.

'Voices from the past' speak to us through telephones. You can hear a reading from the Female Spectator aimed at improving women's lot rather bizarrely recommending that women 'counteract the depressive qualities of tea by drinking alcohol'. An amusing excerpt from Dickens' Our Mutual Friend (read the full text here) describes Mr and Mrs Veneering – who, like their brand new house and furniture, were 'in a state of high varnish and polish'.

Don't miss the delightful walled herb garden (accessed through a separate entrance). It may be that you shouldn't judge a museum by its cafe, but I always do. This museum cafe is a light filled, charming spot, often peopled by 'ladies who tea', sampling the tangy lemon cake or the rich chocolate brownies. washed down with traditional lemonade.

Hackney Homemade

2009-05-18T23:43:00.007+01:00

It is pretty embarrassing to be writing this, but I have just had a really fun evening playing in my bathroom. It gets worse: it was Kirstie Allsopp that got me going. I know this woman is a hideous combination of gushing Nigella Lawson and nauseating estate agent. But there is something about her TV programme that is downright enchanting and, actually, inspirational. I can't say that it was down to watching her this evening that made me re-collect some of my most mundane things and see them in a new and beautiful light, but it must have had something to do with it. My somewhat functional bathroom became a shining, colourful shrine to pink and turquoise. First, some glossy books in my living room grabbed me, including the gilt glad Erotica Universalis ('A banquet for the imagination and a feast for the eye'), and the shiny turquoise The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tam. which I placed on top of my steel bathroom cabinet. Inspired, I pounced on a collection of (empty) small bags – all pink and turquoise – I have amassed, which look lovely together above my bathroom window. Chinese silk bags in similar hues bought in New York hanging on the back of the door fitted the scheme perfectly. And then I realised I have two matching dresses... and, miraculously, my recycled, tin-worked lanterns from Morocco matched too.
Continuing on the cocktail theme, my clear blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire, the queen of gin, which my godmother always perfectly described as 'liquid anesthetic' sitting alongside twin Moroccan rose and green tea-lights filled with candles completed the picture. I thought I was done with this whole pink/turquoise trip until I stumbled on an exquisite painting done by my four-year-old god-daughter on top of our cocktail cabinet. In the style that any Expressionist would be proud of, it now takes pride of place above our toilet. As a result of all this, I have just signed up for a an 'Introduction to Colour' workshop at Walthamstow's divine shop, Beautiful Interiors (www.pennyfielding.com)

In a Glaze

2009-05-13T21:35:00.002+01:00

Saturday saw a trip to the much loved Ginger Pig (www.thegingerpig.co.uk) – see my earlier blog for more details. We rather overdid it on the meat front, purchasing a whole chicken (as the butcher said to a girl asking for two breasts: 'we haven't got any, but we have a whole one, which includes legs and wings – much more economical'), a 3-kilo ham (apparently excessive for a household of two, but it did us for three dinners and two lunches) and four very meaty sausages (which we just scoffed with leeks and mash – delicious). I glazed the ham, which made me feel very Nigella Lawson, but actually the recipe was Oliver's: The marmalade goes very sugary and the ham just falls off the knife. I cant recommend it enough. We had it with coleslaw, also from Jamie and new potatoes with mint.

The Shop

2009-05-13T21:06:00.006+01:00

Now, I am not saying this is The Shop in my area (far left); that just happens to be its name. But this little treasure trove on a Brick Lane side street (just out of Hackney in Tower Hamlets) is pretty wonderful. Past purchases have included elbow length, tan leather '40s gloves (£8), a lilac mohair scarf (£10) and a cherry print vintage dress (£15). Have a rummage through the vintage linen tea towels (£3), beautifully printed with colourful, quintessential British subjects: birds, vegetables, squirrels and castles. There are neatly folded piles of brightly coloured bedspreads, curtains and tablecloths that you wish you'd nicked from your granny, and a pristine, lovingly chosen collection of shoes, clothes and handbags. The owner is a delightful woman (or you may get served by her equally affable son) who has a genuine love of vintage textiles and clothes, all sold for an incredibly reasonable price. You can't go wrong: no rip offs here.

The Shop: 3 Cheshire Street E2 6ED (off Brick Lane).
Tel: 0207 739 5631.

Open Tues–Sat 11am–6pm, Sun 9.30am–4.30pm.

Nearby are two of my other favourites. Labour and Wait (18 Cheshire St) and Vintage Heaven (on Colombia Road) both sell lovely things for the home.

I love my milkman

2009-05-09T13:13:00.002+01:00

Johnny Milko is my milkman (yes, I do believe that is his real name) and I love him for several reasons. Did you even know it was possible to still get your milk delivered? I had no idea until a Hackney local told me. Now we never run out of milk (although if we have a midnight milk-binge, we live just a minute from a 24 hour shop). Milk delivery is the ultimate in recycling, as the bottles are actually re-used. It also means that our once fit-to-bursting recycling box now has room in it, instead of being full of those awful plastic bottles that take up so much room and are so bad for the environment. And, no, in case you are wondering, we have never had our milk stolen. Johnny Milko is a diamond geezer and a lovely man who really cares about his job. When we had the snow that brought London to a standstill earlier this year, Johnny was about the only delivery man who made it out. One of his customers made him a well deserved medal. Johnny is also very handsome, but unfortunately too modest to let me post his photograph here. I won't go on too much because my husband is always teasing me about my fondness for our milkman. If you live in Hackney, you may be lucky enough to get Johnny to deliver you full fat, skimmed or organic milk, as well as orange juice, free range eggs, and cat food. Give him a ring on 07946 281 889 or 0208 985 2021. Otherwise just type your postcode into www.findmeamilkman.net

Pure Poetry

2009-05-03T14:12:00.005+01:00

thine codpiece on that poison boson
is wanton vehemence this sedulous winter

My fridge magnet poem appears on my old friend, Nicola Caroli's blog

Nicola runs a successful poetry festival in Berlin, where she launches her poetry space today.

Add your own fridge magnet poem to her site.

And if you find one of HackneyHome's clever magnetic flyers (they can be found in The Ginger Pig's Hackney Shop), take one home and put it on your fridge.

Have a Butcher's!

2009-04-28T12:22:00.001+01:00

The Ginger Pig at 99 Lauriston Road is my favourite shop in Hackney. That is quite difficult for me to say because I love shopping in Hackney. Why is it so good? Quite simply, the meat comes from happy, well looked after animals from Yorkshire farms. And the highly knowledgable, friendly butchers are apparently as happy as the pigs. They've got all the cuts you'd expect, plus 20 kinds of delicious sausages. The downstairs deli sells superb meat pies that are a meal in themselves and legendary sausage rolls. 'Wow, I have had sausage rolls before. But that is something else', declared Raf, HackneyHome's decorator (www.hackneyhome.co.uk). I no longer buy meat from anywhere else – not even M&S's organic range compares. The Ginger Pig also does highly recommended evening butchery courses. We know they are good because Joel at the hilariously surreal rathergood.com told us. His 'You Want a Piece of Meat' video, in which Britney dances with a chop the size of her head, and The Ginger Pig's very own HogBlog www.thegingerpig.co.uk are both well worth a look.

Have a Butcher's!

On the Shelf

2009-04-25T20:27:00.003+01:00

These are some of the books I have written or edited. South America, particularly Brazil, is my speciality, but I also write a lot about Europe and the UK too. I have just had three guides to Marrakech published by the AA. My Michelin guide to Rio de Janeiro will be published in September and I have just been commissioned to update an AA guide to Amsterdam. On June 18th, I will be doing a book reading in Book Box, my local book store on Chatsworth Road, with Iain Sinclair and Sarah Wise, both pretty big name Hackney writers.

Namo - Outstanding Vietnamese Restaurant

2009-04-25T10:57:00.001+01:00

'Outstanding'. 'Amazing'. These are words that are rarely uttered by my husband – an accomplished cook and a very considered critic. But Namo's food is both of those things. And the restaurant is a lovely, friendly, funky neighbourhood operation that reminded us of some of our favourites in New York. We began with fine, icy lychee vodka cocktails laced with lemongrass and moved on to a very decent Pinot Grigio and 'Hue' –a very good, golden, hoppy Vietnamese beer. Yes, we did eat too. We shared a first course of crispy duck, which was perfect – only lightly shredded, with a dark, thick, crunchy skin. Smearing the pancakes with the sweet plum sauce, we eagerly filled them with the delicate matchsticks of cucumber before loading them with the richly aromatic duck. Iain ordered Bo Vi Huong, a deliciously soupy beef curry spiced with native star anise and egg fried rice. I had Cha Ca La Vong - the signature dish from a hundred-year-old Hanoi restaurant. Monkfish is marinated in tumeric and a tangy shrimp sauce and served with vermicelli, creating a wonderful mix of textures and flavours. Both were outstanding. Pak choi is one of the few vegetables my Scottish husband really enjoys, but even I was surprised when he exclaimed that our side dish in a thick ginger and sesame soy sauce was 'amazing'. The whole bill came – with a sweet, little parcel of pastel coloured jelly beans and a 'thank you' label – to just over 50 pounds. A very good price for excellent, authentic food, served with love by the helpful, happy staff. Namo is on 178 Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD. Tel 0208 533 0639. www.namo.co.uk

Save money by going on holiday

2009-04-24T11:50:00.001+01:00

I own an apartment on Bulgaria's Black Sea Coast, in the village of St Vlas. Long sandy beaches, water sports, an upmarket marina (www.dineviandco.com), and a charming UNESCO village, with cobbled streets and medieval churches are all minutes away. You can rent it from £30 a day. It sleeps six, so that's a fiver each. Dinner with wine is another £5 and a pint of beer just 70p (www.pintprice.com). S0, its' true: you can actually save money by going on holiday here. The spacious apartment's got two balconies, and sea and moutain views. It is fully equipped, with a modern kitchen in a four-star complex with 14 swimming pools, and a variety of bars and restaurants. The weather and water temperature is like that of the Mediterranean - but much cheaper. Call Jane on 07956 934768 or email me at jane@hackneyhome.co.uk What are you waiting for?

Massaging Figures

2009-04-23T14:00:00.003+01:00

No, this is not a comment on today's unremarkable budget. I want to tell you about an amazing woman, called Tracey in Hackney, who works as a masseuse and beauty therapist. As a travel writer, I have had massages and spa treatments all over the world, but Tracey's are the best I have had. She will come to your home (depending on where you live) and give you the deepest tissue massage you can imagine, or a reviving facial, or waxing.

To book, contact us via www.hackneyhome.co.uk.

Me and My Shed

2009-04-23T10:47:00.002+01:00

In the bottom of my Hackney garden, is my office. Sometimes its my log cabin, sometimes my summer house, but mostly just my 'shed'. It is higher spec than our house, with double glazing, stylish slimline radiator and an environmentally friendly seedam grass roof that changes colour with the seasons. Surrounded by trees and gardens, I feel like I am in the woods, with squirrels scampering noisily over the roof and local cats pressing their faces against the glass. The huge windows mean it is always flooded with light, and when I have had enough of writing, there's a sofa and a mini bar.