From 1 June until the 30 September 2012, a retro ice cream cart will be parked outside Island Grill, opposite Hyde Park, selling Jude’s eco-friendly, gluten-free ice cream, every day from 11am-7pm. The Salted Caramel ice cream is bound to be a hit.
Jude’s uses fresh, natural ingredients, sourced from local producers. Jude’s is undoubtedly the cream of the ice cream crop, supplying world class chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Raymond Blanc.
ONLINE SUPERMARKET, Ocado, opens the 
. Proving that fresh really is best, the new delivery service, in partnership with Daylesford organic farm, will provide customers with a number of live farm animals to produce their own milk and eggs. All available to order from Sunday, 1st April.
The modern day ‘Tom and Barbara’, seeking out The Good Life, will be impressed with Ocado’s offering of livestock from Daylesford’s organic farm in Gloucestershire. Ranging from a single chicken, to a flock of rare hens, and even cows, the online grocer’s fifteenth ‘shop in shop’ caters to those looking to have the freshest produce delivered straight to their door.
To ensure that all animals go to the right ‘farmer’, potential buyers will have their property inspected by the new Ocado farm team, headed by Daylesford’s Senior Farm Manager, Richard Smith. Once homes have been found fit, the in-house team will provide buyers with invaluable urban farm knowledge – from building chicken coops, to milking a cow.
The newly developed Ocado farm van provides a spacious environment for the livestock travelling from the heart of Gloucestershire. Fitted with fresh grass from the West Country and incorporating a state-of-the-art shower spritz and drying system, the farm animals will be truly fresh when they arrive at their new grazing ground.
Following the success of their first online farmshop, launched on Ocado.com in September 2011, Daylesford CEO, Jamie Mitchell, said: “There is a growing market of allotment owners who want to produce more than boring runner beans and cabbages. At Daylesford, we are lucky enough to farm 2,000 acres in the Cotswolds, and wish to give Ocado shoppers the opportunity to farm their own animals, giving them the freshest milk and eggs.”
Ocado co-founder, Jason Gissing commented: “Ocado is dedicated to making life easier for its customers and, on our mission to becoming a food emporium, we strive to provide our shoppers with more of what they want.
“Just like our customers, we strongly believe that fresh is the best, hence why our fresh fruit and vegetables are already handled less than they would be at a traditional supermarket – fresh produce is touched only once or twice before being delivered. It’s also why we guarantee that we’ll never sell products right up to their ‘use by’ date. Ocado’s Daylesford Livestock-Shop is the next step in providing our shoppers with the freshest produce available.”
Prices are as follows:
· Daylesford Legbar Hen – £25
· Heritage Gloucestershire Cow – £1000 to £1500
· British Friesian Cow – £1000 to £2000
Stowells Cabernet Merlot
I really like this red wine. Red wine is not usually my thing as the wrong one gives me a headache, but I think I have found a winner. This one is reasonably priced and medium-bodied and a little sweet. It is very smooth. A really good fruity red wine. It goes down very easily so you might drink too much. Never put red wine in the fridge. It is not meant to be drank cold.
Nottage Hill Chardonnay 2011
This is a nice white wine. Quite light. It doesn’t taste cheap or like acid as some white wines do. Has a very good, fruity flavour. Eat with white meat and always keep white wine and rose in the fridge.
Has tastes of melon and tropical fruit with subtle oak characters.
Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose
This is not my favourite Rose. I like my Rose sweet and this is the least sweet Rose I have ever tried. It is much drier than most rose’s but is perfect if you want some fizz. However, I know a lot of people who would love Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose because it is not overly sweet. It is an affordable, sparkling wine which is good for summer. Just not to my tastes.
Montezuma is a British chocolate company that makes the best chocolate in the world, and, dammit, it makes me feel so proud. Upon receiving Montezuma’s Monkey Bars in the post I was so happy that I actually couldn’t speak for at least a minute.
Montezuma have just brought out new Monkey Bars that are bigger than an ipad. These half-kilo slabs of pure chocolate heaven are named after Cockney rhyming slang for ‘500’. They measure an impressive 10” by 6”. They have been inspired for this special year for Britain; the Royal Jubilee and the Olympics in case you have been living in a cave.
I tried the Nanny Goat; Venezuelan Milk Chocolate with salted peanuts and butterscotch, and Adam & Eve; Venezuelan Milk Chocolate with Orange and Hazelnuts. It was so hard to pick a favourite but the latter just managed it. Rick Stein call this family business “food obsession at its best” but that’s an understatement. They also mix chocolate with traditional desserts like Eton Mess, Spotted Dick and Apple Crumble. Montezuma’s chocolate it one of my favourite things in the world, and, no, I am not being paid to say that.
Available from montezumas.co.uk, one of their stores [there is one in Spitalfields in London that I pass and nearly spend all of my money in], and John Lewis. They may be £13.99 but they are worth every penny. Foodie Heaven.
Looking to banish winter blues and summon the spirit of the new season? Head straight to the award-winning Babylon Restaurant at The Roof Gardens in Kensington and treat the whole family to a memorable Easter.
To celebrate Easter Sunday, on the 8th April each guest will be treated to a complimentary Easter bunny rabbit shaped chocolate lollipop from a lucky dip. Each lollipop will have an envelope attached to it where guests will find out if they’re one of the lucky ones to win a fabulous mystery prize. Prizes will include 20% off your next Babylon booking, a year’s Club membership for the Private Members Club on the 6th floor, a VIP table for you and your friends in the Club to name but a few.
The delicious Easter menu offers a selection of favourite roast dishes including tender roasted Pork Belly with Bramley Apple Sauce or mouth-watering Roast Beef. All roast dishes are accompanied by sharing platters of seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes. With a menu bursting with equally enticing starters, vegetarian dishes, and indulgent desserts, the whole family will be catered for this Easter. Kids (and adults too!) will also be able to enjoy a visit from The Roof Garden’s very own magician Easter Bunny as they tuck in to a three course children’s menu priced at only £8.00.
The Babylon menu is priced at £26.00 for two courses and £29.00 for three courses. For reservations please call Babylon on 020 7368 3993 or visit Babylon@roofgardens.virgin.com
The Ealing Rose & Crown is a beautiful pub with very friendly staff. I previously said in an interview with the Ealing Gazette that it was my favourite pub in London, and it still is. It also has a great outdoor area. It is the perfect place to spend lazy summer days. The Rose & Crown is definitely a ‘village pub’. I had my last birthday party here (just after the riots in Ealing, let no-one tell you West Londoners are wimps) I had a brilliant time with my friends and the food was amazing. The décor inside is great too, and it is quite spacious.
The Rose and Crown is a traditional pub, just off the main road in South Ealing. The food is fresh produce with a Mediterranean twist. The kitchen serves home-cooked dishes – try the roasted seabass, grilled lamb steaks. Their Sunday roasts are amazing, but it is best to book ahead.
The Rose & Crown is also the venue for the Ealing Tweetup, which is arranged by Mark Hillary, Mark now lives in Rio, but still comes to London for the Tweetup. That’s dedication.
Rose & Crown.
Church Place St. Mary’s Road, Ealing W5 4HN
020 8567 2811
Email: roseandcrown@fullers.co.uk
Licensee: Tom Tucker
South Ealing (0.2 miles), Northfields (0.5 miles), Ealing Broadway (0.9 miles)
Ealing Broadway (0.8 miles), West Ealing (1 mile), Brentford (1.2 miles)
Peter Gordon shows ex-England star Will Greenwood how to make a roast leg of lamb treat,
Watch our video where they show you how to prepare the perfect Mother’s Day treat for the special women in your life this Mothering Sunday
Mother’s Day is the time where we‘re even more grateful for the women in our lives. Whether it’s our mothers, grandmothers or mother in laws, why not try something different this year than the usual chocolates with a card?
Peter Gordon was joined by ex-England international rugby star Will Greenwood, to show him how to prepare a delicious roast leg of lamb meal with all the trimmings on behalf of Will and his children, to allow his wife to enjoy a relaxing Mother’s Day.
Peter Gordon’s delicious leg of lamb with roasted parsnips, baby carrots, buttered peas, broccoli and creamy mashed potato is the perfect recipe to impress this Mother’s Day. Peter talks Will through the recipe showing him how easy it is to try something different.
Peter Gordon is renowned for his culinary philosophy and is famous for his unique fusion cooking style which focuses on the best quality and tastiest ingredients, no matter where they originate from. Peter happily mixes flavours from Asia through to the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Europe, along with his native New Zealand. He owns restaurants in London and New Zealand.
Watch our video and learn how you can give your mum or wife a break this Mothering Sunday with this great lunch.
Mother’s Day Roast Leg of Lamb
For 4-6
Preparation Time:20mins
Cooking Time: 2h 20
1 x 2 – 2.5kg leg of lamb
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (optional)
the leaves from 2 x 10cm stalks of rosemary
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 medium parsnips peeled, topped and tailed, cut into chunks
1 bunch baby carrots, scrubbed
800g mashing potatoes, peeled and cut in half
100ml double cream
60g butter
1 medium head broccoli, cut into large florets
150g frozen peas
a small handful mint leaves, torn
1 ½ Tablespoons flour
Oven at 180 ?C 2 – 2 ½ hours
Place the lamb in a roasting dish and poke a thin small knife into it in about 20 places.
In a bowl, mix the onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme and olive oil with some salt and pepper and rub this all over the lamb.
Leave for 20 minutes, then rub it in again and place in the centre of the oven and roast for an hour.
Turn the lamb over and add the parsnips to the roasting dish along with half a tea cup of hot water.
Roast for 45 minutes, basting the lamb with the pan juices a couple of times.
Turn the lamb over again and add the baby carrots.
It will be cooked medium (which is lovely for leg of lamb) in another 20-40 minutes.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water.
Remove the lamb from the roasting dish and place in a dish loosely covered with foil and rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes into a colander, then using the pot they were cooked in bring the cream and all but 1 Tablespoon of the butter to the boil. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with salt and pepper, keep a lid on the pot to keep warm.
Bring another pot of lightly salted water to the boil and add the broccoli. Bring back to the boil and add the peas. Bring back to the boil and cook 2 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, then toss with the reserved butter and mint and keep warm.
If you can place the vegetable roasting dish on the hob then remove the vegetables. If not, pour the roasting juices into a saucepan. Place over a moderate heat, add the flour and stir to make a paste, then slowly add the juices from the leg of lamb and as much liquid from the vegetables to make a gravy. Taste for seasoning.
To serve: simply carve the lamb and arrange on warmed plates with vegetables, mash and gravy.
British Onion and Potato Tortillas
Serves 2
This is an ideal mid-week meal. It’s an idea dish to use leftovers so you could add bacon, peas or
cheese.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
2 British brown onions cut onto 12 wedges
3tbsp olive oil
300g new potatoes, cooked and sliced
5 eggs
2 tbsp parsley
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1. Heat the oil in a 20cm frying pan and add the onions. Cook the onions for 6-7 minutes or
until the onions are soft and lightly brown.
2. Add the potatoes and toss with the onions. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes, shaking the
pan occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
3. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the parsley and season.
Gently pour the eggs over the onion and potato mixture, shaking the pan so the egg
mixture runs into all the gaps.
4. Return to a low heat and cook gently for about 20 minutes or until the eggs are jut set.
5. Place the tortilla under a preheated grill and cook for a few minutes further or until the
eggs are completely set and the top is lightly brown.
6. Serve with a salad or as part of a packed lunch or picnic.