July INSPIRATION

This month’s on-the-radar restaurants, goodies to adorn your kitchen shelf, and a must-make crumpet topped with slow-cooked lamb and puffed barley from London’s Ploussard

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SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM

Cool creative flavours and palatepleasing toppings are the frozen dessert of choice this summer. Not easy to recreate at home, these cones, cups and dishes topped with soft vertiginous swirls are best eaten from the source and include flavours such as buckwheat, lemon and basil or coconut and hibiscus @soft_n_swirly, inji-puli (tamarind and ginger) at Sri Lankan restaurant Rambutan or pain au chocolat and mandarin @bakestreetdn. This almond and dill topped with crunchy almonds from Tom Sellers @story_cellar ratchets up the flavour with a savoury edge.

3 MUST-VISIT RESTAURANTS make a reservation

Rockingham Forge Equilibrium

This knife performed far beyond its price point, and is a great for efficiently chopping ingredients with a rocking chop. Although slightly restrictive for fine work with the tip of the knife, the curved blade means you can also brunoise and mince with ease, as we did during testing. Harts of Stur (£19)