Paper Palate

Healthy eating headlines in the August edition of delicious – summer entertaining menus and ‘thinner dinners’ feature, with a variety of light, easy to prepare dishes that are ideal for the hot weather.

Also included is an assembly no-cook section with 6 weekday meals. I must admit to being baffled by this feature – the quick and simple meals section I enjoy and occasionally find quite inspirational for my own midweek culinary apathy. But really, what’s the point of buying a cooking magazine for tips on what packaged food to shuffle together? Sometimes ‘taking it to basics’ is taking it a step too far.

However, for those wishing to enjoy the current sunshine with something a little bit special, Chef Angela Hartnett presents a chicken salad derived from a recipe served at Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café. There’s also a BBQ dinner party menu that includes Smoked Paprika Pork with Lime Mayonnaise (sounds divine!) or Grilled Squid with Lemon & Thyme Dressing, as well as a number of exciting salads and extras.

Strawberries are the quintessential Summer fruit, and delicious interviews Marion Regan, Managing Director of Hugh Lowe Farms, a family business that has been selling strawberries since 1893.

Peas and Beans feature as the seasonal vegetables of the month in some interesting looking main dishes - the Pea, Lettuce and Tarragon Soup sounds particularly delectable. Jill Dupleix declares that “there’s only one way to use fresh herbs, and that is to excess” and offers up some recipes to help expend that excess – Chive & Beetroot Couscous, Parsley Oil and Basil Sorbet with Red Fruits amongst them.

And it is definitely time to dig out that ice cream maker, because who doesn’t like a bit of something sweet and chilly to cool down (or as a comfort food binge)? Ice cream, granita and sorbet recipes feature, including low fat and low calorie options. The Rice & Ricotta Ice Cream gets my vote as most intriguing, but the winner is definitely the ice cream recipe combining my favourite apple, the Pink Lady, and my favourite tipple, champagne.

Pink wines – or rather, rosé - are this month’s featured wine, with a whole slew of delectable sounding recommendations from wine editor Susy Atkins.

Adding a little rock ‘n roll to the August edition is an interview with model and actress Jerry Hall, who is currently fronting a campaign on behalf of Splenda’s Britain Back To Baking campaign.

Jamie Oliver has just opened up his third ‘Fifteen’ restaurant, this time helping train underprivileged youths as chefs in the beautiful setting of Watergate Bay, near Newquay, Cornwell. delicious finds out from him how his latest venture is going, and what his plans are for the future.

Ginger beer makes a fizzy end to this month’s issue – a feature that brings back memories of childhood summers and making ginger beer to varying levels of success. I guess I know what I’ll be doing this weekend!