Great summer recipes and the inside story of Britain’s food supply during the coronavirus lockdown
During lockdown, many chefs and cookery writers have taken to the internet, with demonstrations, Zoom chats and vlogs filmed on their phones. The presentation is often amateur, the lighting unprofessional and the locations unpolished. All of which I find delightful. The informality, even when someone is battling less than successfully with technology, is somehow charming and refreshing. Rachel Cooke has been watching quite a few of these Instagram broadcasts. She writes this month: “I have to admit that there are days lately when my laptop is a very useful bit of kitchen kit.” Having been invited into people’s homes in this way I rather hope that this deliciously impromptu way of watching our favourite cooks will continue long after we are back to the new normal.
The pandemic turned the food industry on its head. As supermarket shelves were stripped bare and restaurants closed, many food banks and community food projects watched their regular supplies disappear. Jay Rayner looks at how the country fed itself and especially how the hospitality industry took up the challenge.
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