Like a rocket, Viva la Revolucion! is now out there, not exactly in outer space or the ether, though it is on a few websites, but certainly in the public eye. Last night, on a balmy summer’s evening, the launch party kicked off at the Mexican Ambassador’s residence, a consummately chic mansion on Belgrave Square. It was an exhilirating send-off, nourished by trays and trays of delicious Mexican morsels and flowing margaritas. (Now I’m going to cheat a bit for this post & insert pics from Mexico itself - as you can imagine, I had no time to snap last night. This one is of a divine chilli and prawn ceviche)

I’ve been out intensively tasting again - in tune with the crackling leaves, blue skies and increasingly crisp air of autumnal London. As always, our capital’s food isn’t always of these shores nor is it always inside walls. While going at my usual accelerated pace through Islington the other day, I rounded a sharp corner and almost fell headfirst into a giant paella pan. This is it.

Serendipitous indeed, as the saffron yellow and fishy-chickeny aromas seemed pretty genuine to my alerted senses. This was going to make up for the paella I missed at the recent Taste Spain event at Borough Market (which incidentally while generous and delicious also came up with some great product discoveries). The rub came though when I started chatting to the behatted gentleman wielding an outsized spoon while his paella gently simmered. He turned out to be French, not even from the Spanish border but from deep in la France profonde of the centre. Ah well, no matter, globalisation bounds on. I made sure to pass by again an hour later when the paella was ready. Despite its Gallic origin it hit the spot - creamy with a good dose of prawns, chunks of chicken and that unbeatable saffron backtaste.