Wigan Central
Finalist in this year’s Camra Pub of the Year awards, Wigan Central is a modern two-room pub housed in a 19th century railway arch between Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North Western Stations. It majors in real ales and continental beers, a beer club and, uniquely one imagines, has its own live screen displaying arrival and departure times for trains from both stations. Its fellow finalists are the Weaver’s Real Ale House in Kidderminster (8 beers, four ciders and a perry on handpump); the Stanford Arms in Lowestoft (courtyard garden, aviary and wood-fired pizza oven), and the Cricketers in St Helen’s Merseyside (13 handpumps, beers from new regional brewers and local microbreweries, 10 ciders, jam and quiz nights). The final Pub of the Year winner will be announced in February 2018. wigancentral.bar. Visit camra.org.uk for details
Rhubarb, rhubarb
Coinciding with photographer Martin Parr’s recent book and exhibition featuring the Rhubarb Triangle, the Hepworth Wakefield gallery has published a case of six illustrated rhubarb notecards in two designs inc three recipes (rhubarb and custard tart, rhubarb and orange cake, rhubarb and ginger jam). Rhubarb Triangle recipe tea towels are also on sale (£12)
Rhubarb recipe note cards, £7.25/6 cards, shop.hepworthwakefield.org
Home Economics
Guided by the £1 a day challenge set by the charity, Live Below the Line, blogger Jane Ashley began devising meals designed to enable families to do just that: buy, cook and eat decent food for £1 a day per person. Eatnotspend includes recipes, menu plans, and imaginative cakes made from leftovers. The best of the blog will be published in book form in January 2018
eatnotspend.wordpress.com; Home Economics by Jane Ashley, will be published by Short Books in Jan 2018
Plus… five great places to eat American in London
Balthazar
Keith McNally’s New York restaurant’s London outpost. Lost some of its NY elan en route but still a great place for a steak and chips.
4-6 Russell St, London WC2, balthazarlondon.com
Blues Kitchen Brixton
Tiled walls, booths and blues. Rock and roll with a southern vibe. Classic American drinks and Texan barbeque food
40 Acre Lane, Brixton, London SW2, theblueskitchen.com/brixton
Electric Diner
American diner with all-day menu, long bar, exposed bricks and red leather booths.
191 Portobello Rd, London W11, electricdiner.com
Burger and Lobster
Classic burger and lobster combo using wild live lobster and corn fed Nebraskan beef, hefty prices but a great cocktail menu will help wash away the pain
Hertsmere Rd, Canary Wharf, London E14, burgerandlobster.com/en/location/west-india-quay
Christopher’s
Classic all-day American steakhouse and grill, in a dramatically decorated dining room overlooking Covent Garden. Martini bar, build your own pancake option and theatre menu
18 Wellington St, London WC2, christophersgrill.com
