Staying In

Cook A Restaurant-Quality Meal At Home

Remember the restaurant meal kits that took off back in lockdown? While the idea of whipping up Michelin-quality food at home was always appealing, the dishes were often hard to master – so we’re loving the rise of a new, simpler trend: restaurant-quality cooking sauces. Ottolenghi’s pantry has long been selling marinades and pastes which make replicating the group’s vibrant Middle Eastern cooking easier, from Calabrian chilli and tomato pesto to sticky date sauce. And now you can also recreate the famous curries of fine dining Indian eatery Gymkhana through its small-batch sauces (butter masala, Rogan Josh, Goan curry and vindaloo) alongside marinades to add flavour (tandoori, tikka, garlic and chilli). Italian-American Soho hotspot Grasso, meanwhile, sells the tomato sauce for its signature creamy vodka pasta, while Poon’s offers a range of sauces used at the Somerset House kitchen including its fermented soybean paste and chilli oil.

Going Out

Try Endo Kazutoshi’s Residency At Annabel’s

If you’d rather leave it to the professionals, here’s an exciting dining experience. While his Michelin-starred Rotunda restaurant is temporarily closed, world-leading sushi master Endo Kazutoshi has kicked off a five-month residency on the top floor of Annabel’s – a rare chance to experience the private club as a non-member. With just ten seats at the counter, the pop-up offers an intimate and personal dining experience where guests will be treated to a 14-course blind tasting menu of Japanese omakase. Although dishes won’t be revealed until they’re presented on the night, we know the meal will include Kazutoshi’s signature ‘business card’ which sees handrolls made and passed directly from the kitchen to the guest. Expect theatrical flourishes and the chance to hear about meticulous omakase techniques passed down through generations – all while enjoying paired sakes and cocktails. No snapping your sushi though: in-keeping with the ethos of Annabel’s, you’ll have to lock your phone away in a box before sitting down, which means you’ll be even more present and immersed. £245pp, available Tuesday through to Friday, evenings only, with 6pm and 9pm sittings. annabels.co.uk

Property Of The Day

From its English Civil War origins as a base for locking up Cavaliers and the mulberry tree planted by order of King Charles I, to the scandalous site of Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton’s affair, this historic home has donned many caps over the years. More recently the spot where Aston Martin was sold to Ford, and the star of various TV programmes, ad commercials and photoshoots, Battlecrease Hall really has seen it all.

On the market for £3m, search.savills.com

Little Luxury

Florals, for spring? Groundbreaking – but if you want to be ahead of the curve this season, the print to know (and wear) is polka dots. And for a dose of pre-spring serotonin, look no further than KITRI’s new line. It’s here that the classic print gets a 2026 makeover, dressed in a long skirt, flared sleeves and a butter yellow palette. The perfect piece for dressing up or down, whatever the weather. Keira Yellow Pin Dot Print Dress, £195, kitristudio.com

Competition Time

Fancy a countryside escape to rural West Sussex? Here’s your chance to win a two-night bed and breakfast stay at The Horse & Groom in East Ashling, including dinner and a complimentary glass of English sparkling wine. Enter here.

Psssst…

If you’re recently engaged and dreaming of a beautiful Cotswolds venue, check out The Bower, a brand-new space opening at Hyll hotel in 2027.

Whatever You Do, Don’t

Buy a card this Valentine’s: try making your date a Victorian puzzle purse instead. Also known as a ‘love token’, this intricately folded paper craft was used in Victorian times to convey sentimental and romantic messages – here’s how to create your own.