Category Archives: Food

The Perfect Tea Gifts: Christmas at Mariage Frères

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Stepping inside Mariage Frères is like being transported into a bygone era. Mariage Frères is exclusively one of France’s oldest tea shops and we are fortunate enough to have their flagship store open on our doorstep in the heart of Covent Garden. This is also the brands largest tea emporium to date, boasting five storeys of tea history. The ceiling to floor tea wall is filled with all the teas you can imagine and is definitely worth a visit just to marvel at the longest tea wall in the World featuring over 1000 varieties of tea. The shop also features a Tea Museum on the second floor showcasing tea antiques from around the World as well as providing you with a lowdown on the history of tea and of course, the pièce de résistance has to be the Salon de Thé. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner each dish is expertly created to feature, you’ve guessed it… tea. We heavily recommend their tea infused cocktails! There really is something for everyone here. 

The emporium is a stunning addition to Covent Garden and like everywhere else at this time of the year, we thoroughly recommend paying this place a visit over the festive period. Tea lovers will be blown away by the quality of the products and we promise you will not be disappointed by their incredible collection of luxurious and stunning Christmas gifts and cakes to impress your guests! 

Our personal favourites had to be…

Mariage Frères Gold Cake £66

Not only is this completely show-stopping, but the Gold Cake is scrumptious. Covered in shimmering gold, this chocolate marbled cake is infused with Marco Polo black-tea and flavoured with festive spices with a core of gianduja and hazelnut. The Gold Cake will serve around ten guests and if you’re in my house, will last about 5 minutes! 

Noël Fruit Tea: £49

This stunning fruit tea comes packaged in a hand-blown glass bauble design. The tea itself is fruity and spicy and festive and can be enjoyed hot or cold and like any, would make a great infusion  perfect for a Christmas cocktail. 

Opera Musical Tea-Box £65

Now this really is a unique and extraordinary present. A beautiful, illustrated musical gift box is filled with four packets of tea and when opened, each plays a different operatic tune. This really is the kind of gift one would have been presented with many years ago and we are so thrilled to see that it is still possible to buy such a traditional gift. 

Soho Bohème Teapot £299

For the tea-lover who has everything. We guarantee they won’t have such an exquisite teapot. This expertly hand-blown glass teapot is sculpted into a soufflè shape and can be bought with a gold or silver lid. This teapot really oozes class and sophistication. 

NOËL SUBLIME® £39

Nestled in an elegant gift set, painted in black & gold and decorated with silver stars, this NOËL SUBLIME advent calendar beholds 25 tea-inspired Mariage Frères treats to make the countdown to the holidays all the more pleasant.
The clock, symbolised by a hanging Christmas ornament, ticks while imaginary windows, opening day after day, glimmer under the guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem.

All gifts are available to buy in Mariage Frères flagship store in Covent Garden or in Selfridges London.

www.mariagefreres.com 

Festive Cocktail Guide Vol. 2 ft Three Spirit Social Elixir

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This year the market and demand for non-alcoholic spirits and beverages have boomed and more and more bars and restaurants are offering a much more exciting and varied non-alcoholic alternative menu. Accessing non-alcoholic bets has becoming so much more easier and it seems we can now treat ourselves with something other than the boring juice and ‘mocktail’ options that appear as an add-on to every drinks menu. 

This year we were treated to a host of tastings and samples of more and more innovative non alcoholic beverages and our favourite this far has to be;

Three Spirit

The World’s first non-alcoholic ’Social Elixir’. 

Created in a lab this came about as an experiment to create a plant-based alternative to alcohol…’for the bold the curious and for the good times with those who matter the most.’ The bold and curiously flavoured drink contains 11 plants, herbs and mushrooms which have been used for centuries in ceremonies and potions. Don’t be discouraged by the mushroom element… we are talking the strictly non magic kind, however Three Spirit does make you feel good made with an expert blend of plants and active compounds intended for the purpose of taste and effect. This goes without saying Three Spirit is Vegan-Friendly and Gluten Free!!!! 

Some of the ingredients included their Social Elixir blend are;

Lion’s Mane Mushroom which promotes cognitive function and mood, 

Tulsi which fights stress and introduces balance 

Damiana which is well…er an aphrodisiac 

Coconut Vinegar which promotes gut health

to name a few…

The serving suggestions for this drink are just stunning…

We recommend;

Herbal Stimulant;

50ml Three Spirit Social Elixir 

25ml Espresso 

10ml Maple Syrup or Agave 

Shake hard in an ice filled cocktail shaker

Strain into a chilled glass 

Garnish with Raw Cacao Beans.

Light & Stormy 

50ml Three Spirit Social Elixir 

100ml Ginger Ale

Pour ingredients over ice and garnish with a wheel of lime.

Three Spirit comes in three different variations and RRP £24.99 per 50cl Bottle 

https://threespiritdrinks.com

BAR + BLOCK ALDGATE: A RESTAURANT TO BLOCK OUT SOME TIME FOR

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As soon as you enter Bar + Block you’re immediately enveloped by this cosy, atmospheric and bustling steakhouse – mood lighting included! We took a trip to this humble favourite and are here to give you the lowdown.

THE FOOD

If at first you’re intimidated by the extensive menu, you’ll soon  be put at easy by the modest, and ‘so-not-London prices’. Everything about the menu screams comfort and big flavours, from the pulled beef tacos, aromatic crispy mushroom pancakes and middle eastern king prawns through to the hispa cabbage and beef dripping triple cooked chunky chips (heaven). And that just scratches the surface. The quality of the steaks at Bar + Block rivals the best steakhouses in town. Choose from classic cuts like rump and ribeye or specialty steaks like the spiral cut (marinated in garlic and parsley) or the Tira De Ancho (similar to the spiral marinade but with a chilli kick and chimichurri sauce).

Steak not whetting your appetite? Don’t worry, you can choose from handmade burgers, grills or fish. We hear that the grilled veg and burrata burger, lamb souvlaki and grilled salmon are excellent choices. If you think you’ve got room for appetite, we struggled but made it through, the Chocolate Toffee Fondue Sharer is the perfect sweet ending. Made up of warm churros coated in cinnamon sugar, triple chocolate brownie chunks, fresh strawberries, banana and apple served with a chocolate toffee dipping sauce – you’re welcome.

THE DRINK

As with the food, the drinks prices are much more appetising than that of other steakhouses. Cocktails start at just £7.99, swoon, and specialty gins come in at £4.95. Take your pick of wine, beer or soft drinks if you’d prefer – the welcoming prices continue!

THE ATMOSPHERE

Warm and welcoming would be how we sum up the atmosphere at Bar + Block. There’s a constant buzz about the large dining area and it’s packed with a mix of corporate singletons grabbing dinner, groups of friends, date night couples and families.

THE PRICES

Starters begin at £3.95 for the creamy mac and cheese bits and steaks begin at £12.95 for an 8oz rump. A steak sample will cost you £27.95

THE OFFERS

Half price cocktails Monday to Thursday – 5pm – 7pm

LET ME BOOK

To book, visit https://www.barandblock.co.uk/en-gb/locations/london-aldgate/book

 

 

 

 

Festive Cocktail Guide Vol. 1 ft Italicus

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It’s that time of the year again… and to kick it off, we bring you our favourite festival tipples guaranteed to wow your guests and to top your Christmas lists. 

Impress your guests this Festive season by creating a cocktail using a fine and majestic liqueur. Italicus is made from Rosolio di Bergamotto and was actually the main Aperitivo drunk by the King of Savoia.

This exquisite liquor is made from Bergamot from Calabria, Cedro form Sicily, Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Melissa Balm, Yellow Roses, Gentian. 

The result; a finely aromatic and floral flavour with light notes of citrus which certainly mixes well with a number of mixers, garnishes and other spirits.

Italicus has already won numerous awards including a few for the packaging which is utterly show-stopping, another reason to grab a bottle this Christmas. The beautiful design will certainly wow sitting atop your bar or drinks cabinet. 

Italicus can be served in a number of ways

Negroni Bianco:

35ml Italicus

35ml London Dry Gin

35l Dry Vermouth 

Served: In a tumbler with 3 olives.

Italicus Cup:

50 ml Italicus 

25ml Pink Grapefruit

Top with Soda add a Pinch of Salt and 3 Olives

Italicus is priced at RRP £29.95 for 70cl bottle ABV 20%

https://www.rosolioitalicus.com

The Top Alcohol Gifts This Christmas

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wine advent calendar from laithwithe

Wine Advent Calender

Wine Advent Calendar: Case of 24 – £69.99

This wine advent calendar from Laithwaite’s Wine Christmas range is a brilliant idea. Have fun all December. There is a half bottle for every advent day. It has a great mix of wine. Perfect.

From www.laithwaiteswine.com

Tiki Lovers Pineapple Rum – Infused with Pineapple Extract – a new Rum experience

This is a fantastic rum, perfect for Christmas.

Our Tiki Lover’s Pineapple Rum from The Bitter Truth is a rum blend infused with an all-natural, pineapple extract from South America which is allowed to rest for several weeks.  This gives the flavours of sugar cane time to mingle elegantly with fruity layers of juicy pineapple, while maintaining the full and complex aromas of the rum blend. Made using a careful blend of aged and unaged Jamaican pot-still rum, 3-year-old Barbados rum, aged in former Bourbon Whiskey barrels and some young column-still rums from Trinidad and Guyana.

This new rum is bold, vibrant and taste-rich with both the rum and pineapple characteristics being given space to shine.

The Serve: Brilliant in all tropical drinks and tiki cocktails.

Available from masterofmalt.com, thewhiskeyexchange.com

Price £28.95

 

Brut Zéro from Bouvet Ladubay

We were very impressed with this wine and we are very fussy indeed. It is a delicious and fun bubbly. It’s a limited edition sparkling dry wine from Bouvet Ladubay and the first time it has been available in the UK. It’s currently available at Lay & Wheeler.

As the name suggests, this cuvée has no dosage, and so has not a drop of residual sugar. As a result, the wine expresses abundant freshness and minerality, supported by bright citrus and green fruit.

From www.laywheeler.com

Tomatin Scottish

Tomatin Scottish, whisky

Fantastic whisky. These are perfect stocking fillers.

El Bandarra Red
El Bandarra Red, wine, alcohol,

This is juts fantastic stuff and perfect for Christmas. Xarel·lo and Macabeo grapes are macerated with 50 herb extracts such as clove, cinnamon and bitter orange. After fortifying the wine, it is given a touch of caramel and balanced in Solera oak barrels for two months.

ABV: 15%

Serve: On the rocks with a slice of orange and an olive. This is ready to go or can be topped with soda/tonic.

Available from winebuyers.com, masterofmalt,com, thewhiskeyexchange.com, drinksupermarket.com

Price £21.95

Dark ‘n Stormy Ready-to-Go Cocktail Can – The Perfect Stocking Filler

Goslings Rum Dark ‘n Stormy ready-to-drink cocktail

Cocktails in a can usually taste artificial or just not nice. Not so this Dark ‘n Stormy. It tastes amazing. Just as good as the same cocktail made in a bar or at home.

When you need a convenient, highly refreshing drink that can quickly hit the spot, wherever the parties at, what better than our brand new Goslings Rum Dark ‘n Stormy ready-to-drink cocktail in a can that has just launched in Waitrose!

The iconic Dark ‘n Stormy is Bermuda’s national drink and a trademarked cocktail, which mandates the use of Goslings Black Seal Rum. The name is said to have originated when an old salt observed that the rum floating on top of the ginger beer was the “colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under.”

A true taste of Bermuda – the Dark ‘n Stormy ready-to-drink can is made using Goslings Black Seal Rum and Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer with no mixing and no ice required.

Price £2.20 for a can/ 3 for £5

Available at Waitrose.com

 

Gin Baubles – £35.00

The perfect gift for: The Christmas tree decorator
gin, gin baubles, christmas

We love these. They look great, are a fun idea and the gin is superb. A crowd pleaser and the perfect ornament for your Christmas tree. Pickering’s Gin Baubles, filled with Edinburgh’s Nine Botanical Gin, are a fun take on the classic decoration. If the temptation is too much, the best thing about these baubles is that they’re refillable, no-one will ever have to know!

From www.laithwaiteswine.com

360 RESTAURANT: TAKING TAPAS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

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When you think about tasting the most wonderful tapas, your mind won’t immediately spring to Surbiton. But after one mouthful of its olivo ascolane, you’ll shun central London and be waiting at Waterloo with your return ticket to Surbiton ticket in hand..

The food

Using only the freshest ingredients, Chef Akshay Sabharwal has brought a modern, flavoursome flair to the Kingston area. Having worked for the likes of Emirates and F1-Silvererstone, Sabharwal has thrown everything into 360 and his vision comes through in his dishes. Aside from the tapas, our personal favourite dishes of the day included Crisp Fried Crab with black risotto rice and a passionfruit and chilli sorbet or a Crispy Talo Corn Tortilla with burrata, heritage tomatoes, micro basil, chlorophyll infused olive oil. Still not convinced? Two words for you… truffle arranchini with Parmesan cream. OK that’s five, but we had you at ‘truffle arranchini’.

Every ingredient at the restaurant is paired in a way that’s the most sophisticated form of matchmaking we’ve seen. Not ordinarily searching for the sweets, we almost went to heaven when we saw the dessert menu and the tastes far outweighed the expectations set by the words on pages of the printed menu. The Pecan and Whiskey pie packs an almighty punch combo – sweet and seriously boozy. If chocolate dessert is your vibe, the Chocolate 360 Orbit with dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut praline ice cream, milk foam, honeycomb and popping candy will blow you away. Rich, sophisticated and deliciously decadent, we’d seriously suggest saving some room for this one, if you can contain yourself.

The drink

One of the things that surprised us the most about 360 was the affordable and classic cocktail lists.  From the whiskey sour, through to the coveted cosmo and margarita, you’d be hard pressed not to find your favourite. We opted for the gin fizz and spiced mojito – a culmination of fresh and festive in one serving! If you prefer a crisp and cold glass of wine to accompany your taste buds’ trip around the world, the wine selection is impressively varied, a true reflection of the restaurant itself. Choose your tipple from south Africa, Chile, Spain, New Zealand, Italy, the USA or of course, the Queen’s country itself.

The prices

Tapas start at £4.50 for Galician padron peppers and go up to £9.95 for smoked Scottish scallops. Dessert starts at £7.50 for a vanilla panacotta or a warm chocolate brownie and at the higher end is £8.95 for a cheeseboard. A glass of white wine starts at £5.50 for a crisp, dry Spanish and if you’re feeling like splashing out you can buy a Tattinger Brut Reserve for £45

The atmosphere

Set directly to overlook the Thames, 360 has a chic and modern look and feel. Plush seating, burnt orange and teal accents throughout the space and a venue is flooded with natural light, it’s a formula for a London local’s oasis. Soft and subtle music often plays the air warves and the team are more than happy to help, whatever your needs. For us, the beauty of 360 was that the London bubble felt like a distant memory. We were able to relax and immerse ourselves in whatever part of the world our palette was experiencing.

The important bit…

To book a table at 360, visit https://www.hikingston.co.uk/restaurant-and-bar/ or call
020 8786 6520

Holland & Barrett – Sustainable Favourites

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We were recently invited to the Holland And Barrett Summer Showcase which allowed us to try and test some of the best new products they have in store for us, or coming to a store near you. Here is our round up of some of our favourite sustainable  and Mixed Zero Waste products which we have been putting to the test. 

Live Coco – Recyclable Electric Toothbrush heads

Compatible with any Oral – B Electric Toothbrush, these fantastic toothbrush heads are infused with Charcoal which removes impurities from your mouth. The charcoal also helps to absorb and remove chlorine from tap water. What’s more, if you send them back once you’re done Live Coco will recycle them for you. 

RRP: £9.99 pack of 2

Holland & Barrett – Thin Cotton Pads

Fed up of make-up wipes, these re-usable cotton pads are just the answer. Available in a pack of six, that’s almost one for every day of the week, these pads are designed to be used with micellar water and come in a handy drawstring bag to collect them up in and throw in the wash after use. They are available in a thick or thinner cotton which is completely organic

RRP: £8 pack of 6

Patch – Aloe Vera Bamboo Plasters

Made from 100% natural bamboo fibre, these plasters are 100% compostable, hypoallergenic and enriched with Aloe Vera to help soothe and repair burns, blisters and minor abrasions. They are completely chemical free and are available to buy now in Holland & Barrett in a pack of 25. 

RRP: £6.99 pack of 25

Flux Undies – Period Proof Underwear

There are currently quite a few of period proof undies on the market at the moment but we simply love Flux, not only because they have just been released in Holland & Barrett stores, but because they are designed to last around three years, they are made sustainably, and hold up to 4 regular tampons’/pads worth. The proof is in the testimonials of many happy customers claiming that they have not worn disposables since. Not only that, Flux employ the ‘By You, For Her’ scheme which ensures every pair of Flux undies bought will allow a girl in need to receive a reusable, menstrual cloth pad. 

RRP: £27.99 each

Beauty Kitchen – Seahorse Plankton Beauty Boost BB Cream

In fact we simply love the entire Beauty Kitchen range who design their entire range with sustainability in mind. From their packaging which you can send back to be recycled or refilled, to their 100% natural ingredients. The new Seahorse Plankton range promises not to contain any seahorses, but does contain blue chamomile and sustainably grown microalgae which is scientifically proven to boost and brighten. After using this for two weeks now, the first thing I noticed was the creams ability to blend in with all skin tones. This really leaves your skin feeling radiant and smelling like you’ve stepped out of a day spa. 

RRP: £15 for 30ml

As well as this… Holland & Barrett are launching their very own vegetarian and vegan meal deal. Priced at just £3.99 customers will be able to choose from a range of plant-based sandwiches, wraps and salads and indulge in tasty treats from brands such as Deliciously Ella and Hippeas. The meal deal will be available 

initially in six London flagship stores. 

For more information on any of the products or to order, visit 

www.hollandandbarrett.com

Celebrate Bastille Day at Brasserie Blanc with Boeuf Burger’gnon

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Salut… and do we have a Bastille Day treat for you!

From 8-19th July, Brasserie Blanc have a special main course of pure culinary genius to help celebrate. They have transformed their top rated Boeuf Bourguignon sauce into a delicious burger aptly named ‘Boeuf Burger’gnon’ and will be serving it up to willing diners across all of their sites this month. 

We tried the twist on the traditional French dish for ourselves in the Chancery Lane branch of Brasserie Blanc slap bang in the lunchtime rush and we were blown away. A perfect blend of bold, upfront flavours of a burger balanced well with the slow cooked spices of their famous Boeuf Bourguignon served alongside some tasty skinny fries. 

We decided to start our meal with a quintessentially French dish, a cheese soufflé, which was like eating a delicious cloud.  But what I must say is that although the special, nicknamed the “dirty burger”, appears petite and unassuming at first glance, this packs the punch of a rich fillet steak. The burger itself is deliciously tender and well seasoned. The meat is top notch and the Bourguignon sauce which subtly brings it together is not overwhelming at all. We did have to get our knife and fork out for this one to break up all the components equally but the burger was not uncomfortably packed to the brim. The onion rings were well cooked and the bacon naturally salted the burger. As for the bourguignon sauce, i’m surprised it’s taken this long to come up such a concept as the two are so well suited. As for the case of Man V Food, food certainly won us over – but nicely. I definitely regretted filling up on bread for this meal but if you’re hoping for bang for your buck you will not be disappointed and you will not leave hungry. This is something that has to be tried for yourself though and we can honestly say “Bravo” to this novel and inventive treat. If you still have room for dessert, Brasserie Blanc’s summer menu is full of decadent treats that it’s hard to pick just one thing. One thing’s for sure, they’ll definitely execute it well and with a fine French finesse. 

Boeuf Burger’gnon is available from now until the 19th July at all Brasserie Blanc branches and what’s more – if you decide to dine on July 14th Bastille Day itself and are dressed in the famous red, white and blue colours of the French flag, you will get your Boeuf Burger’gnon for HALF PRICE(£7.50)

You will be foolish to miss out so make sure you make those reservations now.

http://www.brasserieblanc.com