It’s all about travel and food – lots of international excursions, art, culture and history, hotel, destination and restaurant reviews, chef interviews. Please look elsewhere for negative reviews.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love brought to me…Brockmans Gin Clove Actually. This is a delightfully spicy interpretation of a classic G&T with an attractive garnish to start your festive season in style. Clove Actually 50ml Brockmans Gin Top with good quality tonic Garnish: blueberries or clove-studded grapefruit Pour over large ice...
Welsh chef Kate Probert, who runs a cookery school in Gower and previously won guidebook recognition for two much-loved Welsh restaurants, has released her first book. From Mountain to Sea is a perfect Christmas present for any Francophile or food lover. It contains a beautiful collection of French-inspired recipes, interspersed with stories of Kate’s life...
Rum Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced rum cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year....
A Field Guide to Cheese is a veritable compendium of some of the most celebrated cheeses from around the world and a fully illustrated cheese reference book for cheese lovers. The guide starts with a history of cheese. It’s a long one, starting at 5000BC. There is information on milk-giving animals such as sheep, goats,...
Mix a cocktail, donate to charity – Hawthorn’s Gin helps out Ahoy there. It’s Hawthorn’s Gin Happy Hour A gin created from a recipe discovered in a Hampshire naval war hero’s diary, is inviting you to try some tantalising Autumn cocktail recipes. And as if discovering this multi-award-winning gin wasn’t enough, for every bottle you...
Well, shame on me! I looked at the pale blue bottle with 1950s surfer and tiki-bar tones and was determined that this wasn’t going to be my cup of tea. But wait! A little sip and one’s mixologist’s mind is racing. A second taste has one detecting an exotic tapestry of flavours. 65 attempts British...
The Brand New Aubergine ‘Genie’ It is time to banish those 1980’s memories of soggy ratatouille (whilst waiting in anticipation for your dessert of Arctic Roll) and herald the aubergine for what it truly is….one of the most interesting vegetables to grow and eat! As a staple of many recipes in cuisines from Europe, Asia...
Italy: The World Vegetarian is a vibrant volume penned by Christine Smallwood. It will delight vegetarians but, just as importantly, it will also be welcomed by lovers of Italian food of every kind. I confess! I am not a vegetarian and will likely never be one. I do, however, only eat meat a couple of...
Vodka Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced vodka cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year....
Biltong – Mighty Meaty Jack Links offer snacks which are healthy and full of delicious umami. Biltong is a traditional food and it’s been around for centuries in one form or another. European settlers arriving in southern Africa in the early 17th century used vinegar as the meat-preserving medium along with saltpetre which prevents botulism;...
MP Magic Socks, a rather classy brand, will launch a new product, MP Merino Wool Socks 37.5, which will keep you feet warm at 37.5°C (99.5°F). That’s a comfy blood temperature. I have been writing food, travel and product reviews for 15 years, and around Autumn time I start presenting Christmas gift suggestions. Those articles...
It’s Autumn Equinox today…so let’s get that soup pan bubbling for a home-grown tasty treat! We are now in the season of reaping the rewards of the seeds that we have sown for our autumn bounty of vegetables. We cannot wait to get cooking some good, healthy, comfort food. Now is the time that we...
Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World I am blessed! I have the opportunity to review books from every English-speaking country and I love my job. Each year I muse upon publications over the past months and consider my Book of the Year. It’s only September and I can tell you I have found it. Spirited...
Wild and Game Partridges in Lemon and Chilli Marinade It’s not yet that festive time of year but it’s always time for Wild and Game Partridges. The celebrated Christmas carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” mentions these birds and has them sitting atop a pear tree. That is just as unlikely as Lords leaping and...
It’s the last throws of summer and we are sadly heading into autumn. Young Living Essential Oils help us linger a little longer in the shade of orange and lemon trees. Young Living have a wide range of essential oils for well-being and spa use, but they also offer food-grade products …or should that be...
