It’s all about warmth and at-home vibes this month… Here’s what editor Karen Barnes is loving for January – for kitchen, for dining, for hunkering down, plus a must-book restaurant in the capital
SPLURGE VS SAVE
Snuggle up
Warmed by the thought of our extreme-comfort issue? You need the tools to help you do it in style. One of those essentials is a hot water bottle.
SPLURGE The sausage dog is the sell on this one – cuteness in pure wool. £60 (32cm; smaller version also available), thefinecottoncompany.com SAVE This one’s in alpaca/acrylic-mix chunky rib knit so it’s soft and super-snuggly. Hottie hot water bottle, £40 (34cm; available in six colours), loaf.com
SORTED
Every January I get a nagging inclination towards junk-clearing, and I’m embracing the usefulness of receptacles for the clutter that gets dumped in the kitchen. These baskets (from £17 to £45, in various sizes and colours) are mainly made by weavers in Kenya. There are shopping baskets for bikes, too (from £45.50).
thebasketroom.com
ARTISAN WORK AT ITS BEST
I’ve loved Melin Tregwynt textiles ever since my Welsh grandma bought me one of the purses when I was 12. The Pembrokeshire mill was founded in 1841 and, now employee owned, has been producing handwoven cloth in stunning graphic designs ever since. Investment pieces destined for a lifetime of use, the price of each reflects the hours of time that go into the weaving and making. At the more affordable end is this tea cosy in Knot Garden design (£39). Or, if you have Christmas gift money to spend on a handmade mill treasure, lambswool throws cost from £189.
melintregwynt. co.uk
WIN!
Visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk/promotions for an exclusive Melin Tregwynt competition
THE RESTAURANT I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF
The Portrait is Richard Corrigan’s new restaurant at the top of London’s National Portrait Gallery and it’s fast become a favourite (two visits and counting). What was once an austere space is now vibey and glowing, with an open kitchen and food that manages to be refined yet relaxed. Expect treacly soda bread and dishes like lamb chops with harissa and labneh, pasta with cauliflower and spenwood cheese, or sole with miso mushrooms. The service is warm and the view towards Nelson’s Column and the London Eye is as pleasing as the food on the plate. theportraitrestaurant.com
STONE IN LOVE
Life isn’t always a bowl of cherri
