Iberica La Terraza | Restaurant Review

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

When Samuel Johnson made his often quoted remark about those who tire of London being tired of life he could have been talking about the restaurants in London. There is every nationality and cuisines in this great city. All of the different boroughs, offer unique and different experiences.

Iberica La Terraza has its own unique experience. A Spanish Tapas bar on a terrace in Cabot Square, in the heart of Canary Wharf. It is near a fountain and is just so beautiful. You almost feel like you are on holiday.

The menu has a great selection of food. Both hot and cold. If you are not in the mood for tapas you can have breakfast, or a salad. The menu offers something for everyone. Here is what we had. Which was a lot.

Half & Half, a selection of cured meat and cheeses: chorizo de pueblo, cecina de leon, Spanish cheese taster,

This was an amazing selection of meat and cheese. Very generous portions. Delicious. Some of the meat was even cured with Rosemary.

Smoked Cod with Roasted Red Peppers Salad.

This salty and smoky salad tasted great. Quite different.

Aubergine, Honey and Pinenuts.

I loved this dish. The aubergine was perfectly cooked with honey and pinenuts on top. The texture and taste was just perfect.

Meatballs with chilindron sauce.

These meatballs are ‘like grandma used to make’. Family food in Spain. The meatballs are pork and beef, with tomatoe, garlic and a hint of chilli. Great, honest food.

Baby squid sandwich.

Delicious for those who love seafood. Also a very generous portion. The bread was great too. The squid was fried and delicious.

Topside veal with roasted vegetable puree.

This was perfectly cooked with a yummy puree.

Tapas

Snow Crab Meat with mayonnaise and trout roe.

Baby Squid with Alioli.

Ensaladilla with tuna, egg, green olives and Piquillo.

Creamed cheese, sun blushed tomatoes, rocket and basil.

Green Asparagus, smoked salmon, quails egg and avruga.

The tapas were AMAZING. Just really good. It is hard to choose a favourite so I won’t. I loved them all. Definitely try a few.

Dessert.

Cream Catalana.

Double cream, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon.

Great puffy dessert. A bit like foam but with more consistency. Is light and tastes amazing.

La Tarta de la abuela. Chocolate, vanilla and biscuit.

Good chocolate tart. The crunch biscuit on top was a great touch. I, of course, also loved the chocolate. The entire mix of this dessert works well together.

To Drink

La Terraza Cocktail

Gin, cranberries and lime.

All of the cocktails are made in house and a lot of thought is put into them.

Agua de Valencia

Cava, vodka, gin and orange juice.

Another classic. The oranges are imported from Valencia to make the cocktail perfect. No shortcuts are taken. The original 1950s recipe was also sourced by Pedro Carvalho. You can taste the attention to detail and love that goes into the cocktails.

Sangria Cava

This amazing drink was packed with delicious juicy fresh fruit and was very refreshing. You could really taste all the different fruit flavours (Orange, strawberry, blackberry and mint) as they marinated into the cool cava. A truly special drink. The only way I can describe is that it was like sipping the sun. I can really do with another one of these right now!

Sangria White

Ditto. Both Sangria drinks were tasty and perfectly suited the mood. They also came in great jug glasses.

Berry Cavarinha

Blackberries, raspberries, lime sugar, chambord, cava.

La Terraza Cocktail

I loved this cocktail. What a great combination.

We were impressed by Iberica La Terraza. The food was great as was the atmosphere and the cocktails. Prices range from low to high so you can go and have some cocktails and food no matter what your budget is. In fact, the only problem I have with Iberica La terraza is the smoking. There were a few people smoking around us and as a non-smoker I don’t want to breathe in other peoples smoke. Only a few people were smoking though so I do recommend that you head down to Canary Wharf for an excellent Spanish experience. If the weather is ropey then don’t worry, the restaurant has heaters, blankets and a big umbrella.

Cabot Square London Borough of Tower Hamlets, E14 4QQ. Nearest Tube: Canary Wharf.

020 7636 8650

Domaine Vintur Cuvee Le Gentleman 2011 Wine Review

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Frostie

I am fussy about red wine. Some of it just tastes like acid and gives me a headache. So was Domaine Vintur Cuvee Le Gentleman 2011 (£14) drinkable? Yes, more than. It is a very good, full bodied red wine with a great taste and no bad aftertaste. It has a bit of spice and is well balanced. It has ripe, dark fruits and a good balancing of acidity,

This lightly oaked wine has full, fresh tastes of cherry and red fruit. It is a very fruity red wine. It has lots of flavour and does not have the acid-like aftertaste I feel some red wines have. It is also dominated by grenache.

My favourite thing about this wine is that it is not too heavy. It is just fresh and light and full of flavour. Worth every pound of the 14 it cost.

The wine is dedicated to all the cyclists who have climbed Mon Ventoux – one of the most famous final ascents in Tour de France history by the English owner of the estate Graham Shore.

What They Say.

Cuvée Le Gentleman 2011, Appellation AOC Ventoux

Our flagship red wine, made from grapes selected from the best and oldest vines. 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Carignan. Aged for 20 months before bottling with a light touch of oak.

The wine is complex. It has a round nose rich in woodland fruit, with a hint of oak. The palate is full and succulent, with fresh cherries and notes of the garrigue -Provençal herbs- and spice. Its tannins complement the length and balance of the sweet wild fruit and give a rounded full finish.

It is named to honour all the men who have ridden up Mont Ventoux by bike and to celebrate Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France win in 2012. It is a wine to enjoy with meats, cheeses and on its own. Ready to drink now but with aging potential.

The Widow’s Guide To Sex & Dating Carole Radziwill | Book Review

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating is not a guide. But if you thought it was then don’t be bothered, because, actually, it is a rather brilliant novel. Full of funny moments, great characters and wisdom filled ‘rules’ dotted throughout. Rule #29 says: A boy says, Have a good trip. A man says, Call me when you land. Wise words indeed.

Carole Radziwill has herself been widowed. She was married to ABC News producer Anthony Radziwill. He died of cancer after a five year battle at the obscenely young age of 40. Her book on the death of her husband, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love, became a New York Times bestseller.

Which leads us on to The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating. The novel follows Claire, wife and then widow of sex writer Charlie. When Charlie was alive Claire lived in his shadow, now he is dead and through the shock and grief she has to find herself again, and, possibly, love.

Claire is a brilliant character. Widowed at only 32, she is talented in her own right but sometimes finds it hard to blossom. Her group of friends are funny and have her best interests at heart. Claire struggles, she even has a second opinion therapist, but will she find her way and true love?

Finding out is fun. I loved this novel and found it hard to put it down. It is a must read. I cannot wait for the TV series that Radziwill has in development. TV is something that she should know about as she is also a cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The Widow’s Guide to Sex and Dating

Brugal Rum Cocktails | Cocktails and Rum Review

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Brugal Rum is the Caribbean and Spain’s No 1 selling rum. High praise indeed. It is 100% Dominican and has 80% of the market in the Dominican Republic. I received some bottles of the beautifully packaged rum; The Brugal Aňejo (RRP £20.29) and the Brugal Especial Extra Dry (RRP £20.27). I mean, look at it, if this bottle of rum was a model it would be Naomi Campbell. I love the rope detail. It just looks beautiful. But beauty alone does not make the world go around and taste is what really matters when it comes to rum. So let’s make some cocktails….

Brugal Especial Extra Dry with Lemonade. Delicious. Just a great mix. These two clear liquids work well together.

The Brugal Aňejo with Ginger Beer. Rum and Ginger Beer is one of my favourite drinks. It is just a classic exotic drink.

I decided to make my own cocktail called Fruity Brugal. The ingredients are Lemonade, orange juice, lime, lemon, sugar and Brugal Especial Extra Dry.

Put the rum in first. You need a shot of rum. Squeeze the lemon and lime in.
Add orange juice and then add lemonade.
Add a teaspoon of sugar and stir. Serve over ice.
Yummy.

I love rum and the amount of drinks you can make with it is vast.

Add your own cocktail recipes below.

Sponsored Post.

The Young Airhawk | Wine Review

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The Young Airhawk is a very interesting wine. In fact it is different from most other wines I have tried. It is a dry wine. Very much so. It also makes you want more. It tastes expensive, fresh and crisp. It also has a running taste of oak, but not too much.

I loved how fruity it was. It has a great, notable taste of peach, some lemon tones, green fig and a unique taste of asparagus. Which I don’t think I have ever tried in a wine before. This is a great wine full of a lot of great different flavours. A unique mix that really works. Fans of dry wine will especially love it.

Although this wine is priced at £14.99 from Morrisons I do think it is worth it. It tastes much more expensive.

The Young Airhawk – This wine is made entirely from barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Bouquet: Layer of green figs, asparagus and minerality, very well integrated with wood. Fresh, crisp and zesty with creamy texture.

The Young Airhawk, a fresh, crisp and zesty wine with a creamy texture made entirely from barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, pays tribute to Nederburg founder Johann Graue’s son, Arnold. Arnold Graue loved speed, action and adventure and showed his bravery from an early age by signing on as a trainee air gunner with the South African Air Force.

Like his father, Arnold was renowned for his winemaking prowess, winning many wine prizes, but sadly after hiring a light aircraft to celebrate a perfect spring day his life was tragically cut short in a fatal collision with another aircraft. The Young Airhawk Wooded Sauvignon Blanc captures the spirit of this professionally driven young man with a huge appetite for life.

The Young Airhawk is available from Morrisons for £14.99

Toulouse in Instagram Pictures Part 1 | Travel

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

I am fresh from a trip to Toulouse, I explored the wonderful city in the South of France, visiting hotels, restaurants, markets and tourist spots. All for my wonderful readers, It was hard, but someone had to do it. We are going to be doing a series of travel guides on the area but here is the first of Toulouse in Instagram Pictures. Our Toulouse Travel Guide is here.

Train to Birmingham Airport. Here is the shuttle to the airport.

No 1 Traveller Lounge at Birmingham Airport. A truly VIP experience.

BMI Regional plane to Toulouse Blagnac Airport. We flew business class and were looked after by the amazing Michael Love.

G & T time. When in the sky….

We stayed at the Citiz Hotel. A very stylish four star hotel. I loved my room.

Dinner at J’GO Toulouse. The best pork and chips I have ever had in my life.

While we were having dinner a brass band started up outside and played ‘Funky Town’.

It was Special National Music Day. The day that all of France get together and party. It was a lot of fun.

My hotel room is top left. Needless to say there was no point in getting an early night. So we partied.

The next day we went to the Cite de l’espace. An amazing space museum and theme park. I saw rock from mars and the moon, saw astronauts suits. I also experienced walking on the moon thanks to the Moon Runner. I also spent some time in a Space Capsule and saw a great temporary Mars exhibition, With David Leach-Davies of 69 Magazine.

Part 2 is here.

Part 3 is here.

Have you ever been to Toulouse? Make recommendations below.

About No.1 Traveller – fast facts

· No.1 Traveller specialises in premium hospitality and provides a complete ‘driveway to runway’ service – smart Chauffeur-driven airport transfers, express train tickets, airport parking, airport meet-and-greet and airport lounges (No.1 Traveller’s own collection, plus associate lounges abroad)

· It works with airlines, businesses and individuals to offer a convenient and comfortable service to take the stress out of going to and through airports – the smart traveller’s choice

· No.1 Traveller can be booked by anyone at www.No1Traveller.com or passengers can make their way to the reception of the airport lounge on the day

Airport lounge: Birmingham

· Opened October 2012; the first of No.1 Traveller’s lounges outside London

· Accessible to all passengers travelling through the airport

· Open daily from 0430hrs – 2030hrs; facilities include a range of seating areas across two levels, fully-tended bar, bistro area serving complimentary hot and cold dishes, complimentary newspapers, magazines and internet access

· Entry £27.50 per adult at reception, for up to three hours access (children £17.50 each), £22.50 if booked in advance (children £15)

BMI regional operates over 450 flights a week throughout the UK and Europe with one way prices starting from £59. bmi regional flies from Aberdeen, Antwerp, Bristol, Bremen, Billund, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Gothenburg, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg, Lyon, Milan, Munich, Norwich, Manchester, Toulouse and Zurich. All flights include complimentary food & drink on-board, free 20kg hold baggage allowance and 30 minute check-in. bmi regional is the world’s most punctual airline having recently been crowned the title for the 8^th consecutive year. For more information, visit www.bmiregional.com.

Chinese Shanghai Composite index falls 5.3% on Monday

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Frostie

Recent actions by the Chinese regulators to curb lending has further unnerved investors already unsettled by recent comments from Ben Bernanke. The interest rates Chinese banks charge each other surged last week to record highs before falling back. And following a recent statement by the People’s Bank of China, the Shanghai Composite Index fell 5.3% Monday night.

Adrian Lowcock, Senior Investment Manager, at Hargreaves Lansdown;-

“China’s new leadership is addressing some of the risks that have been building up in the banking system, inevitably this could result in some short term pain, possibly impacting on growth but it should benefit China in the longer run. Chinese stock markets do look cheap at present, based on 20 years of information. In addition it is important to remember that China is a state-controlled economy and therefore it is very difficult to make a clear judgement on the accuracy of the information being provided. There are some concerns China’s shadow banking system will spiral out of control, however it seems unlikely the People’s Bank of China will let the system fail.“

“In line with their 5 year plan China is undergoing a change from an export driven manufacturer to a consumer focused economy. This transition is not going to be smooth and there will be some bumps along the way. China continues to grow, at around 6 to 7% per annum, but like all emerging markets this does not lead to a smooth rise in the equity market.

In 2007 investing in China was very popular and as a result valuations rose to very high levels. The market has underperformed both developed and emerging markets since. There are clearly issues in China’s financial system and authorities are now taking action to deal with these. For long term investors that want to have exposure to China this setback could be providing an opportunity to invest. Company earnings are rising and valuations are looking much more attractive. Most investors can get sufficient exposure through a well-diversified emerging markets fund such as First State Asia Pacific Leaders which has 23.9% in the region or Aberdeen Asia Pacific which has 18.47% in the area. For investors wishing to take a more adventurous approach and are able to tolerate a higher level of risk then Jupiter China, managed by Philip Ehrmann, provides exposure.”

Taking the Big Fat Problem Out of Recipes

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Frostie

New study prompts the Fat Information Service (FIS) to introduce 10 ‘recipe rules’ to reduce saturated fat content when following your favourite recipes.

A recent UK study[1] analysed 904 recipes developed by celebrity chefs and discovered over three quarters (87%) contained high levels of undesirable nutrients, particularly saturated fats. Eating too much of this type of fat contributes to heart disease and obesity.

Prompted by the new findings, along with evidence indicating that the UK currently consume 20% more saturated fat than is recommended, FIS experts have developed 10 easy to follow rules that can be applied to any recipe to help make it healthier by reducing the saturated fat content.

The new initiative by FIS aims to encourage the nation to get ‘recipe savvy’ by helping them recognise how to make their favourite home-cooked meals healthier without compromising on taste. For example, simply swapping butter for a vegetable oil based spread or replacing cream with low fat yogurt can significantly reduce the saturated fat content of a recipe. In addition, FIS are also reminding people of the importance of comparing food labels and selecting products that are lower in saturated fat as another simple way to boost their heart health.

Dr Emma Derbyshire, nutritionist and independent advisor to FIS, comments, “Celebrity chefs are great for inspiring people to cook fresh meals and try different types of foods. The problem is that their recipes are generally far too high in saturated fat and calories to be eaten regularly, making them better suited for treats and special occasions.

“The ‘recipe rules’ developed by the Fat Information Service aim to address this by introducing simple changes that people can make to any type of recipe to make it healthier and allow them to include it as part of their regular diet.

“These simple steps to cut down on the amount of saturated fat, such as adapting recipes by swapping less healthy ingredients with lower sat fat ones, and using healthier cooking methods, could potentially save thousands of lives and years of living with heart disease.”

The Recipe Rules:

1. If the recipe includes cream, replace with lower fat fromage frais, natural yoghurt or crème fraiche

2. Swap whole milk for semi skimmed or skimmed milk

3. If you are using cheese to flavour a dish or a sauce, opt for a strong tasting cheese and use a smaller amount of it. Alternatively, try a reduced fat version

4. Swap butter for vegetable oil based spreads or margarine

5. Use unsaturated oils such as olive, sunflower or rapeseed oils instead of butter, lard or ghee

6. Wherever possible grill meat and poultry instead of frying it and cut off any visible fat or skin before cooking

7. Use a non stick pan to avoid adding extra fat when cooking

8. Add less meat to stews and casseroles and replace with pulses and extra vegetables instead

9. When making a pie opt for just one crust – either a lid or a base – as pastry is high in saturated fat – (also try to make pastry with

Vegetable oil based spreads or margarine instead of butter)

10. Grill, bake, poach or steam rather than frying and roasting

[1] Food and Public Health journal, April 2013.

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Books and Lifestyle

Monthly Archives: June 2013

Iberica La Terraza | Restaurant Review

Domaine Vintur Cuvee Le Gentleman 2011 Wine Review

Cuvée Le Gentleman 2011, Appellation AOC Ventoux

The Widow’s Guide To Sex & Dating Carole Radziwill | Book Review

Brugal Rum Cocktails | Cocktails and Rum Review

The Young Airhawk | Wine Review

Toulouse in Instagram Pictures Part 1 | Travel

Chinese Shanghai Composite index falls 5.3% on Monday

Taking the Big Fat Problem Out of Recipes