List of All Articles with Tag 'and'

No matter where it is I’m planning on eating, from the latest smash burger pop-ups to far fancier and far-flung establishments, if I can get hold of their menu beforehand, I’m reading it. I’m not sure if it’s my inclination towards over-preparedness, a fascination with food, or a bit of both – but it’s a compulsion. When I scoured the menu at Pearly Cow, Margate, I was mesmerised. Words started jumping out at me: “celery salt”, “dijonnaise” and “smoked caramel”. I found myself returning over and over to pour over it. From experience, this can often set you up for disappointment, as reality doesn’t always match up to the culinary delights conjured in your mind. Luckily, this wasn’t the case with Pearly Cow. The meal begins with a salt cod taco paired with parsley mayonnaise and preserved lemon, and a garlic-baked oyster with parsley and Ashmore cheddar. The crab-like texture of the cod contrasts beautifully with the crunch of the taco, while the oyster is bursting with flavour, once again disproving that cheese and seafood don’t belong together (tuna melts, melt-in-the-middle fish cakes, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels… I could go on.) Although bread was not needed, bread was ordered, for I’m not a sociopath, and freshly baked sourdough with Hinxden farm butter proved all too irresistible. It arrives still steaming with a quenelle of salty butter dolloped on its side. It’s all you could hope for. There are tempura prawns with seaweed mayonnaise. Delicately battered and garnished with briny seaweed. The only issue is there aren’t more of them – definitely for the best, given what was to follow. Up came a lobster roll that was almost too pretty to eat; a charred, buttery brioche encasing generous chunks of lobster, doused in a delicious mayonnaise-y sauce. With the restaurant’s emphasis on “cooking over fire”, it felt necessary to try a steak. The ribeye came suitably charred, the open flame a definite flavour enhancer – mushrooms served in bone marrow were an indulgently lovely touch. As much as I resist playing into stereotypes of my Russian and Irish heritage, the star of the show for me really was a potato. Not just any potato, beef fat chips, to be precise. A sort of mix between latkes and thousand-layer potatoes, yet somehow with the texture of creamy mash within, these crunchy, crispy little wonders were a little bit magical. And don’t forget the dijonnaise. With just enough room for dessert, I managed to stuff down a chocolate custard tart topped with freeze-dried raspberries (arguably one of the best flavour combinations out there), this was the only dish that didn’t do much for me; a little crumbly and could have used a touch of salt to bring out the flavours, however, it was pleasant. Not forgetting the passionfruit souffle, which my guest described as the best thing he’d ever put in his mouth. A seasonal and creative cocktail menu has a variety of inventive tipples, perhaps only lacking in a few of the classics. Pearly Cow looks out onto Margate beach; for those fortunate enough to dine on a sunny, blue-skyed day, the view really is as pretty as a postcard. Velvet upholstery and twinkly lamps pair with the colours of the sea to offer up a comfortable yet luxurious setting for a long, seaside lunch. Pearly Cow, 16 Marine Dr, Margate, CT9 1DH | pearlycow.co.uk | 01843 261200 Read More From a £22 bag of pasta to £28 sandwich – why do they cost so much? How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three authentic Thai recipes to try at home

The BBC has been looking in detail at how the casualty figures are totalled.

The rival presidents found common ground on climate change, military communications and fentanyl.

Millions of women will be able to get free contraceptive pills on the high street from next year without having to see a GP, under new plans revealed by the NHS. Starting next month, women in England can obtain a first prescription of the pill by visiting their local pharmacy. The change will give women greater choice over where to get the pill, and will free up 10 million appointments in GP surgeries, according to NHS England. The move has been hailed as a “step in the right direction” for patients and comes as part of a broader plan to allow patients to be treated for a range of conditions at local pharmacies. These conditions include sore throats and urinary tract infections. William Pett, the head of policy, public affairs and research at Healthwatch England, said: “Women across England will welcome the convenience of getting the contraceptive pill at a local pharmacy. “Being able to see your GP in a timely manner remains the public’s top concern. “If this initiative is effectively communicated and delivered, it will make a real difference to patients and relieve the pressure on hard-pressed services.” Mr Pett said there could be problems with the plan, though, such as pharmacists not being able to see a patient’s GP records, or differences in access between different areas of the country. The plan to make the pill available from pharmacies was piloted among a cohort of 4,500 women earlier this year. Under the scheme, if women opt for the combined oestrogen and progestogen pill, they will have a check-up with a pharmacist to record their blood pressure and weight. No checks are needed for the mini pill (progestogen only), which is also the case in other settings, NHS England said. Pharmacies need to sign up for the new service, meaning that it will not be available immediately everywhere in England. As more pharmacies join the scheme, the NHS web page will be updated so that women can check which locations offer the service. Women who are significantly overweight, or whose blood pressure is high – putting them at higher risk of blood clots on the combined pill – may be referred to their GP for further checks. The ongoing checks on blood pressure and weight that women need when they are on the pill will also be available in pharmacies. Funding has also been put in place to allow more pharmacies to offer repeat prescriptions of all types of contraceptive pill. NHS England said it expects almost half a million women to be able to access the pill next year without needing to contact their GP first, with the figure rising after that. Prescription figures for 2022-23 suggest there were almost 3 million prescriptions for the combined pill and more than 4 million for the mini pill. NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said of the plan: “This is really good news for women – we all lead increasingly busy lives, and thanks to this action, rather than making a GP appointment, they can simply pop into their local pharmacy when they need or want to access contraception. “We will also be expanding services so that more health checks are available for patients on the high street, which is not only better and easier for patients but also frees up NHS time for more GP appointments for those who need them most.” Under wider plans, pharmacists will be offering more blood pressure checks to patients who are at risk of high blood pressure, with a commitment to deliver 2.5 million a year by spring 2025. NHS England estimates that this could prevent more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes in the first year. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said: “This is a step in the right direction for patient care. The pharmacy network has the knowledge, skill sets and the willingness to deliver these services and support the NHS. For years we have been highlighting that, if supported appropriately, pharmacies can add a lot of value to the NHS. We are accessible and we have a track record of delivering for patients.” Victoria Atkins, the new health and social care secretary, said: “For the public, these changes will mean more options for women when making a choice about their preferred contraception, reduce the risks of people suffering heart attacks and strokes, and make it easier to access medicines for common conditions.” Janet Morrison, chief executive at Community Pharmacy England, said: “It makes perfect sense to use community pharmacies as a first port of call for healthcare advice, access to contraception, and health checks such as blood pressure tests.” Read More Stephen Fry uses walking stick after breaking his leg, pelvis and ‘a bunch of ribs’ Jonnie Irwin jokes he’s ‘whacked’ after attending The Streets gig in Newcastle Kourtney Kardashian ‘gives birth to first child’ with Travis Barker Stephen Fry uses walking stick after breaking his leg, pelvis and ‘a bunch of ribs’ Jonnie Irwin jokes he’s ‘whacked’ after attending The Streets gig in Newcastle Kourtney Kardashian ‘gives birth to first child’ with Travis Barker

The two leaders also agree to take steps to tackle the flow of fentanyl into the US.

The New England Patriots are in free-fall, meaning Bill Belichick's future remains a question mark. The Los Angeles Chargers are a recent rumored destination.

Eruptions on the south-western Reykjanes Peninsula may mark a new cycle, warn Icelandic meteorologists.

A new party leads the polls, while the leader of another could become the first female PM.

In today's NFL rumors, Kirk considers a comeback on the Vikings, the Steelers are confused, and Mac Jones gets rumored to join the Browns.

Young British footballers are trying to help lowly ranked Pakistan qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The Rwanda plan is in tatters - and it is very difficult to see how the PM can salvage its flagship policy.

Despite an obvious connection, this potential Jimbo Fisher replacement is not coming to Texas A&M, man. Now, who could it have been, man? You don't even know, man!