April seemed to fly by but we still managed to squeeze in a fair bit of product testing and eating. Here are our highlights...

1) GORGING: on tapas. Not Indian-tapas, Japanese-tapas, or Vietnamese-tapas, but proper old fashioned tapas. If the quality is there, there is nothing better than to sit at the bar with a glass of cold sherry and order round after round of delicious morsels. Very fortunate that there is somewhere amazing on our doorstep to do this. Escocesa in N16 is well worth a visit and, if you do, don't pass over the croquetas as they are truly life changing (if your life has been known to revolve around all things cheesy and deep fried).  

2) REMEMBERING: that this is pretty much the last month for a while where oysters are at their best. We have gone old school on the dressings recently sticking to shallot and red wine vinegar. Grab an oyster shucking kit and get stuck in. 

3) PREPPING: while we aspire to a full-on kitchen garden, in the meantime we are trying to make our little courtyard as productive as possible. And this means planning. Tomatoes, peppers, peas, salad crops (including the intriguing "salad burnet"), this year we are going to have it all. 

4) RADISHING: not really a verb, but we have been ravishing (definitely a verb) bunch after bunch of ruby red radishes. Not just on their own, but in salads, sandwiches, pretty much everything.

5) LAUNCHING: a new product. Just in time for the wedding season we have some gin themed wedding favours. Yup, you heard right. What could be better to give your guests as a memento of your special day than the ability to make a blend of gin to toast you with.

6) RIFLING: through our range of cookbooks to work out what salads we are to have on regular rotation come summer. The one below is a mix of lentils, chicory, walnuts, honey and white cheese. Ottolenghi is, of course, a go to favourite but we are keen for even more new ideas about what to chop, toss and blend. Answers on a postcard.