August might be the month of holidays but we've been holding the fort back at home, testing out a few new products and trying to get a tan between rain showers. A little summary of our favourites...

1) DRINKING - these new-to-us Quelle? beers from Beavertown Brewery. We are a sucker for anything from these brewers, particularly Neck Oil and Bloody 'Ell. This didn't disappoint and the labelling was a much needed ray of sunshine in the August gloom.

2) SLURPING - peaches and nectarines with white flesh. Not sure why, but the white flesh makes them seem extra special. These have also been wrapped with parma ham and thrown into salads. 

3) STORING - a little cache of tinned fish. After a visit to Taberno do Mecardo and a delicious starter of scallops in a tin, we were converted and have been collecting our own stash. So far there are sardines, with and without Pastis, and some rather interesting looking smoked oysters.

4) TESTING - new products for the Japanese edit that will hit the store in September. One of our favourites is the super Benriner, a larger version of the classic Benriner mandolin that allows for slicing on an even bigger scale. We have upgraded our vegetable matter for guillotining from potatoes, onions and cucumbers to cabbages and aubergines. We still have all our fingers and some quite immense vats of coleslaw. 

5) READING - the latest edition of Root and Bone (you did see us in the Root Reviews section, didn't you?). Particularly the article on eight great ways to eat outdoors in London. Not just places to picnic but lidos, the best beer gardens and a shout out for Somsaa (a rather stunning Thai pop up in a railway arch). 

6) HAGGLING - Ignoring all protests that we have reached saturation on mismatched vintage crockery, I snaffled up a coffee pot and jug in Avignon. Pearlescent, lime and raspberry with a dodgy pattern that looks a bit like a caterpillar... definitely playing hopscotch with the line between good taste and bad taste. 

How's your August been?