Archive For The “Food and Drink” Category

Value and quality Viña Leyda Reserva Syrah 2019 is a creditable and great value wine which will be available at Co-op stores from 5th March. It’s priced at an exceptional £8.25 and this offer runs until 23rd March; after this time the wine will return to a very reasonable £12.00 per bottle. Viña Leyda Reserva…

Mum’s the Word – favourite cocktails for Mother’s Day The co-founders and creators of Rock Rose Gin and Holy Grass Vodka, made by the Dunnet Bay Distillery, are celebrating Mother’s Day in style. The UK’s most northern mainland distillery is run by Claire Murray and Martin Murray, and they will be serving some deliciously thoughtful…

I could live without chocolate; I could live without wine (but I wouldn’t want to); and I could live without hair colour; but I could never have a complete and meaningful existence without cheese. Luckily, I have made the acquaintance of a company called Sharpham Cheese, so I won’t need to. There is so much…

Hampers and Gin Cocktails for Mother’s Day and Easter revels Mother’s Day: Sunday 14th March 20201; Easter Sunday: 4th April 2021 Celebrate Mother’s Day, Easter and the start of Spring with some delicious gin cocktails. We bring you some ideas from Brockmans Gin which beautifully combine the botanicals from across the world that gives this…

Being home and entertaining at home is the new and not always appreciated normal. We have found our kitchens as well as our drinks cabinets, and we are taking more interest in both cooking and cocktails. Positives indeed in these months of fear and disappointment. Mexgrocer has added to our battery of ingredients for dinner…

For any special occasion Madame Pommery, the inventor of Brut Champagne, created a style which has endured and is perfect for the contemporary palate. She was known as ‘Lady of the Roses’ and the bottle with its blush pink label reflects that title – Pommery Brut Rosé Champagne. The company of Pommery and Greno was…

Sharpham Cheese – Garlic and Chive I could live without chocolate; I could live without wine (but I wouldn’t want to); and I could live without hair colour; but I could never have a complete and meaningful existence without cheese. Luckily, I have made the acquaintance of a company called Sharpham Cheese, so I won’t…

In these strange times we are looking for comfort, and that will likely come in the shape of pasta – different shapes of pasta. Beroni now offers their frozen pasta at Waitrose for speed, convenience and a great deal of warming comfort. UK shoppers can now get their first taste of fresh frozen pasta from…

Such strange times! But at least we have taken more interest in food, and some of the population have discovered what a kitchen is for. The UK’s first restaurant-style Caribbean DIY meal kit has been launched by London-based Caribbean kitchen Juici Jerk, and they are offering nationwide delivery. Times have been tough for many businesses…

Campari, the classic red – with chocolate Campari is the iconic bitter spirit, with a distinctive red hue that is a point of delicious difference from its competitors. It has a wide audience of lovers of that classy evening encounter called aperitif. It’s that time before dinner when one partakes of a glass of something…

More than a garnish A decade or so ago, Nick Vadasz created his range of Eastern European inspired pickles and ferments. These have now been joined by more condiment delights from even further east. It all started when he was making quesadillas on a market stall, and found his garnish of pickles to be the…

No guilt and delicious meatless meals It’s been a year of shock and re-evaluation. 2020 was full of tragedy and loss, but there have been positives and they will endure, even when lockdowns are thing of the past. We spend more time in the kitchen and we pay attention to what we eat. Squeaky Bean…

A hug in a glass – gin cocktails for Valentine’s Day 2021 After last year, what we all need on Valentine’s Day is a hug. We bring you three cocktails each of which is tantamount to a hug in a glass. This is 2021, so it’s out with the old and in in with the…

Hot itsu food delivered! itsu is a polished chain of Asian fusion takeaway/restaurants offering some rather delicious foods. Yes, dear reader, I did say ‘chain’ but consider this – the reason a business becomes a successful chain is that it’s popular and to become popular it must have appeal. itsu does. The company has all…

Time To Sow ‘Green Knight’ For a Taste Sensation! Next week you can begin to sow your Burpee Europe Aubergine ‘Green Knight’ indoors. This glossy jade green aubergine with long, smooth fruit is a culinary delight and to demonstrate this fact just take a look at the marvellous dish that can be made with it below. …

The Roots of Kimchi is a British company distributing an iconic Asian product. So, what exactly is Kimchi? Kimchi is perhaps the most celebrated of Korean foods, although it’s not a dish in its own right, as it’s a versatile condiment. The Roots of Kimchi products have been using the same traditional methods that Koreans…

The Big Fry Burger! Sounds tempting, comforting and meaty, and it is. But no animals were harmed in the making of these patties. They are vegan but please, dear reader, do not turn the page. We are not a vegan. I am not even a vegetarian but having said that, we, chez nous, only eat…

27 January – 16 February 2021 Whether your interpretation of ‘Dry January’ was to drink dry gin and dry wine or to ‘go dry’, here’s a reason to change all that. Celebrate the end of dry January with a gin that is filled with fruity notes. Brockmans Gin, the distinctive super-premium gin that brims with…

From Morrisons Frosted Sherry and Spice is a cooling cocktail with a cinnamon twist. Ingredients 50ml Harveys Bristol Cream 50ml pressed apple juice a dash of ginger ale 1 cinnamon stick Method Pour the sherry into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Add the apple juice and top with ginger ale. Stir with the…

From Sainsbury’s Toffee Apples are a childhood favourite that’s a must-eat-treat at Halloween. Use a crunchy British-grown apple like a Braeburn or Falstaff. Serves: Makes 10 Preparation time: 10 Minutes Cooking time: 10 Minutes Cooling Time: 15 Ingredients 10 lolly sticks 10 British Braeburn apples, scrubbed to remove wax residue, and stalks removed 500g…