Spanferkel in Germany, lechon in Spain and ruzhu over here … nothing says Winterval like a hearty hog roast. Here are five spots to feast on roast suckling pig.

This time of year, Comptoirs de France bakeries around town become veritable Santa’s grottoes. We called in on jolly owner Benjamin Devos for a cup of seasonal cheer in his Ritan store.

the Beijinger: Sure are a lot of chocolate Santas in here …
Benjamin Devos: They’re really traditional, huh? The biggest Santa is 70cm high, around 3kg of chocolate. Parents like to buy it for their children so they can destroy it then eat the pieces.

It's the third Thursday of November, which means Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive! Originally made to celebrate the harvest in the Beaujolais region north of Lyon, this lightweight red wine is now a genuine globetrotter. A brief fermentation period means very little tannin and a dominance of fresh fruit flavors - think of it as a fading taste of European sunshine to be enjoyed now before the Beijing winter closes in. Here’s where to imbibe:

Do you know the muffin man that lives down Guanghua Lu? It’s Frank Siegel, and he’s just opened a new branch of Sequoia Café in the Kerry Centre next door to Papa John’s Pizza. They’re giving away free muffins from now until the end of November, so pop down for a bite and one of Beijing’s better cups of Joe.

If I had a kuai every time a new restaurant opens at The Village at Sanlitun and its surrounding streets, I could probably afford some fish nuggets at Let's Seafood (two doors down from Let's Burger). To keep you apace with the gastronomic goings-on, here's a round-up of the new and coming soon.

It’s one of the culinary events of the year, food fans, and we’ve got two tickets to give away (worth RMB 888 each).

In honor of elBulli chef Albert Adrià’s visit to Beijing, and to celebrate the impact of Spanish cuisine across the world, Chef’s Brian McKenna of ROOMbmk and Da Dong of Da Dong Beijing Roast Duck Restaurants will be creating a magnificent eight-course Spanish-inspired dinner.

Using signature ingredients – many shipped in especially for the dinner – and techniques created by Spain’s culinary masters, both chefs will cook four courses each, pairing every dish with a perfectly matched wine.

For your chance to join guest of honor Chef Albert Adrià at UCCA Restaurant this Friday October 30 from 6.30pm, answer this simple question:

What is the name of the “world’s best” Spanish restaurant where Chef Albert Adrià made his name?

 

Those food safety concerns just won’t go away. It’s a few months old, but we recently came upon this Greenpeace report on the use of pesticides in China. The findings are frightening.

Starting from today you’ll be able to buy a nice crispy youtiao at KFCs throughout Beijing and around the country as the fast food giant has decided to add the traditional Chinese morning snack to their breakfast menu. The colonel is making a big deal of the fact that his KFC youtiao are safe, clean and free of the 明矾 (ming fan) or alum that a lot of the street vendors add to give their deep fried dough sticks that extra bit of puff.

Another mid-Autumn festival has come and gone, and that means boxes and boxes of unopened mooncakes – the "Chinese equivalent of the Christmas fruitcake" – in homes and offices across the city. But before you throw those salted-duck-egg-yolk stuffed-delights in the trash, consider this: