When my stepson, Alex, was a child, he lived in Birmingham, and his father and I lived in London. My husband used to scour the capital every weekend for postcards — from museums, galleries, anywhere to send to him. For several years, almost very day, he’d compose… Read full post »

More British school-leavers are heading to American universities to avoid a culture that produces exam junkies, according to a leading headmaster. The “Obama effect” has also been credited for encouraging record numbers of British teenagers to begin studying in the United States this autu… Read full post »

Method

1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the rigatoni. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes, or according to packet instructions, until al dente.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sausage and… Read full post »

Does the Teflon town exist? A place where the ravages of recession have not hit jobs and house prices, where affluence has acquired a certain resilience? A few months ago, the answer would have been no — even in Kensington and Chelsea, house prices fell by 16 per cent in the… Read full post »