It's ages since I reviewed a product. But I've been moved to action by Cawston Press and their apple and ginger juice.
It's delicious, refreshing and feels as if it's doing all kinds of good!
Go on - give it a try (as Neil Hannon would say).
Showing posts with label drinking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drinking. Show all posts
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Monday, 22 June 2009
Tea time again
Remember I mentioned the Sikkim tea at Kim's Coffee House in Saffron Walden? What do you mean, no?!
I love this tea and I have sampled it several times when I have visited the coffee house. On our last visit we picked up a leaflet which gave some information about the supplier, the Kent Tea and Trading Company. We visited their website and were pleased to find that we could order the tea to be delivered to our very home, for enjoyment in our own little mugs and everything!
It's delicious - a second flush, so quite a lot of fruitiness and moisture, but with the distinctive Darjeeling edge. I always want to describe that as 'tobacco taste', no matter how unappetising it sounds.
Anyway, if you like your Himalayan silver tip teas, I'd recommend it. So, some good things do come out of Kent, then!
I love this tea and I have sampled it several times when I have visited the coffee house. On our last visit we picked up a leaflet which gave some information about the supplier, the Kent Tea and Trading Company. We visited their website and were pleased to find that we could order the tea to be delivered to our very home, for enjoyment in our own little mugs and everything!
It's delicious - a second flush, so quite a lot of fruitiness and moisture, but with the distinctive Darjeeling edge. I always want to describe that as 'tobacco taste', no matter how unappetising it sounds.
Anyway, if you like your Himalayan silver tip teas, I'd recommend it. So, some good things do come out of Kent, then!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Tea is better than coffee
In the world of tea rooms, an honourable mention must go to Kim's Coffee House in Saffron Walden.
Firstly, it has the most amazing selection of tea, all loose leaf. It's served in great teapots which don't lose the heat immediately and is of a great quality. Ask to see the 'full' tea list and try the Sikkim - somewhere between an Assam and a Darjeeling.
Secondly, the food is pretty good. One expects a nice selection of cakes from a tea room, but this cafe serves a good range of sandwiches, salads, breakfast options and homemade cakes. I had a delicious open bagel with mounds of smoked salmon, presented with a huge lemon wedge and some black pepper.
Thirdly, it's in a good location and has a nice garden at the back.
My only complaint is that it isn't open on Sundays!
Firstly, it has the most amazing selection of tea, all loose leaf. It's served in great teapots which don't lose the heat immediately and is of a great quality. Ask to see the 'full' tea list and try the Sikkim - somewhere between an Assam and a Darjeeling.
Secondly, the food is pretty good. One expects a nice selection of cakes from a tea room, but this cafe serves a good range of sandwiches, salads, breakfast options and homemade cakes. I had a delicious open bagel with mounds of smoked salmon, presented with a huge lemon wedge and some black pepper.
Thirdly, it's in a good location and has a nice garden at the back.
My only complaint is that it isn't open on Sundays!
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Tasty summer festivals
Hurrah - the Taste festival is approaching!
If you've never been to or heard of this festival before, it's well worth a look. Leading restaurants each have a stand where they sell small 'taster' portions of three of their popular dishes - one of each course. The festival has its own 'currency' - Crowns - so you pay for everything beforehand and carry your vouchers around as if they're golden tickets!
There are also stands with free samples of cheese, wine, chocolate, fruit juice and other goodies, plus things to buy and read. I've only ever been to the London festival before, which is held in Regents Park and has a lovely summertime picnic feel.
It's a great way to learn more about restaurants you don't know and eat good food from those you already know and love. But beware the free alcohol if the sun's out!
If you've never been to or heard of this festival before, it's well worth a look. Leading restaurants each have a stand where they sell small 'taster' portions of three of their popular dishes - one of each course. The festival has its own 'currency' - Crowns - so you pay for everything beforehand and carry your vouchers around as if they're golden tickets!
There are also stands with free samples of cheese, wine, chocolate, fruit juice and other goodies, plus things to buy and read. I've only ever been to the London festival before, which is held in Regents Park and has a lovely summertime picnic feel.
It's a great way to learn more about restaurants you don't know and eat good food from those you already know and love. But beware the free alcohol if the sun's out!
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Port authority
I've just come back from a holiday in Portugal: land of no cuisine. I'm prepared to stand corrected, but as far as I can tell there is no good food in the whole country. The national specialities appear to be greasy, fatty pork and biscuit cake with ice cream (eet's a cooookie, we've been told!).
We did spend most of the time in Porto, so the majority of restaurants cater firmly for tourists and offer nothing more exciting than 'frying pan steak' and 'frog-fish rice'. I did, however, have a chance to visit the 'real' Portugal (the north-east, near the border) and I can confirm that the food situation doesn't improve away from the Ryanair track. Apparently the locals make caldo, a revolting cabbage soup, every day.
During the holiday I had a chance to venture into Spain for a day. This was incredibly exciting because it meant we could visit a tapas bar and eat some real food! We dined gratefully on excellent Spanish jamon, bread and ensalada russa (Russian salad, which contains tuna, potatoes and vegetables with a creamy sauce).
What Portugal lacks in food it makes up for with wine, though. Red wine from the Douro region is particularly nice. We also visited some Port cellars to learn how Port is made and, of course, to sample some into the bargain. I'd recommend this is practically the first thing you do once you're off the plane in Porto: hot-foot it down to the river, cross the Eiffel bridge and get yourself into a cellar, preferably the Calem one. For about five euros you get an interesting tour and two decent-sized glasses of delicious Port to taste. But be warned: it certainly works up a craving for cheese and there's none to be found, so take your own!
We did spend most of the time in Porto, so the majority of restaurants cater firmly for tourists and offer nothing more exciting than 'frying pan steak' and 'frog-fish rice'. I did, however, have a chance to visit the 'real' Portugal (the north-east, near the border) and I can confirm that the food situation doesn't improve away from the Ryanair track. Apparently the locals make caldo, a revolting cabbage soup, every day.
During the holiday I had a chance to venture into Spain for a day. This was incredibly exciting because it meant we could visit a tapas bar and eat some real food! We dined gratefully on excellent Spanish jamon, bread and ensalada russa (Russian salad, which contains tuna, potatoes and vegetables with a creamy sauce).
What Portugal lacks in food it makes up for with wine, though. Red wine from the Douro region is particularly nice. We also visited some Port cellars to learn how Port is made and, of course, to sample some into the bargain. I'd recommend this is practically the first thing you do once you're off the plane in Porto: hot-foot it down to the river, cross the Eiffel bridge and get yourself into a cellar, preferably the Calem one. For about five euros you get an interesting tour and two decent-sized glasses of delicious Port to taste. But be warned: it certainly works up a craving for cheese and there's none to be found, so take your own!
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Wining on
We celebrated English Wine Week by visting a couple of local vineyards. Chilford Hall, in Cambridgeshire, is fairly well-known locally as a conference centre and civil wedding venue. Unfortunately, this was the focus of the tour rather than the wine itself, which didn't make for a particularly interesting visit! We did get to see the wine-making equipment; their wine is mostly processed and bottled on-site in a small but highly organised 'shed' on the estate!
Of course, the major draw of any vineyard visit is the tasting session and we eagerly awaited our chance to sample the award-winning wine. The white wine, primarily made with Reichensteiner and Schonburger grapes, is fairly successful; I liked the Chilford Dry 2006 and the Schonburger 2006 in particular. I wasn't overly impressed by any of the reds or their sparkling wine, though. There's something too harsh and a bit yeasty about both the white and rose sparkling ones.
At the end of the week we visited Sandyford vineyard in Great Sampford (close to Saffron Walden). It immediately has a different feel as it's part of a farm and it's the home of owners Sue and Mike, who are always around to greet visitors. There's no wine production on site; the grapes are sent off to larger vineyards to be fermented and bottled. We had a stroll down to look at the vines themselves - again, lots of Reichensteiner grapes but also Bacchus, Rondo, Regent and Triomphe d'Alsace.
We've been here before so I already knew which wine I liked and I was looking forward to the tasting. Again, the red wine isn't very impressive; our climate just isn't suitable. The English rose, on the other hand, is amazing and completely converted me to pink wine! I am also a big fan of their sparkling wine - expensive, but as good as a medium quality Champagne for certain. It's made from Bacchus and Reichensteiner grapes in the traditional method (the same as Champagne) and has the typical English gooseberry/elderflower flavour. It's amazingly refreshing and uplifting on a summer's day.
English wine is now a far more common sight in supermarkets and it's well worth spending a little more - particularly if you're lucky enough to live in Essex and spot the Sandyford wine on the shelves.
Of course, the major draw of any vineyard visit is the tasting session and we eagerly awaited our chance to sample the award-winning wine. The white wine, primarily made with Reichensteiner and Schonburger grapes, is fairly successful; I liked the Chilford Dry 2006 and the Schonburger 2006 in particular. I wasn't overly impressed by any of the reds or their sparkling wine, though. There's something too harsh and a bit yeasty about both the white and rose sparkling ones.
At the end of the week we visited Sandyford vineyard in Great Sampford (close to Saffron Walden). It immediately has a different feel as it's part of a farm and it's the home of owners Sue and Mike, who are always around to greet visitors. There's no wine production on site; the grapes are sent off to larger vineyards to be fermented and bottled. We had a stroll down to look at the vines themselves - again, lots of Reichensteiner grapes but also Bacchus, Rondo, Regent and Triomphe d'Alsace.
We've been here before so I already knew which wine I liked and I was looking forward to the tasting. Again, the red wine isn't very impressive; our climate just isn't suitable. The English rose, on the other hand, is amazing and completely converted me to pink wine! I am also a big fan of their sparkling wine - expensive, but as good as a medium quality Champagne for certain. It's made from Bacchus and Reichensteiner grapes in the traditional method (the same as Champagne) and has the typical English gooseberry/elderflower flavour. It's amazingly refreshing and uplifting on a summer's day.
English wine is now a far more common sight in supermarkets and it's well worth spending a little more - particularly if you're lucky enough to live in Essex and spot the Sandyford wine on the shelves.
Friday, 23 May 2008
English Wine Week
I love where I live for many different reasons, not least because of the excellent food and drink produced in the area. Several vineyards can be found a short drive from my house and, from what I've tasted, the wine they produce is of a pretty good quality.
This is my main reason for supporting English Wine Week, which starts tomorrow (Saturday 24 May). I love to see bottles of local wine on sale in our supermarkets - it fills me with a bit of East Anglian pride (which sounds as if it should be a local ale)!
English wine is usually a little more expensive than wine of equivalent quality from other countries, because it costs more to produce. It's all done on a smaller scale and often the grapes are sent to other vineyards to be processed, which adds up. We can, however, bring the cost down if we support it and buy English wine when we find it for sale. It's worth our support, I promise!
This is my main reason for supporting English Wine Week, which starts tomorrow (Saturday 24 May). I love to see bottles of local wine on sale in our supermarkets - it fills me with a bit of East Anglian pride (which sounds as if it should be a local ale)!
English wine is usually a little more expensive than wine of equivalent quality from other countries, because it costs more to produce. It's all done on a smaller scale and often the grapes are sent to other vineyards to be processed, which adds up. We can, however, bring the cost down if we support it and buy English wine when we find it for sale. It's worth our support, I promise!
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Christmas, Christmas, ching, ching, ching
Oh, those sleigh bells! That roasting turkey smell! The constant feeling of bloatedness and indigestion ... yes, Christmas time is here again!
My traditional dinner didn't disappoint. This year I added some sort-of mulled red cabbage (from Nigella's Feast book, but massively changed to suit my own tastes and ingredients!). I shredded some red cabbage and cooked it in a saucepan with red onions, red wine, sultanas, cinammon, black pepper, nutmeg, brown sugar and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. I have no idea of the quantities - just keep bunging it in and tasting as you go along! It's great because you can just put the lid on, leave it on a very (very, very) low heat and come back in about an hour and a half! Also, I tend to leave it in the saucepan overnight and heat it up again for Boxing day, to go with the cold meat and bubble & squeak.
My other exciting discovery this year is champagne cocktails, made by heating a little bit of brandy with cinammon, cloves, nutmeg, a bit of sugar, some star anise perhaps ... all the things normally used to make mulled wine, basically. You then leave it to cool before adding a teaspoon to each glass of chilled champagne, with a splash of Angostura bitters. It gives champagne an extra Christmassy kick and looks really pretty in the glass, too!
I also discovered Loyd Grossman's nuts. He doesn't show them on his website so I can't provide you with a link, unfortunately. For about £3 one can purchase a decent-sized bag of mixed roasted nuts with caramelised red onion; I bought them from Tesco but I think most supermarkets probably sell them. They've probably got a lot of added salt, but they're delicious and it *is* Christmas, after all!
My traditional dinner didn't disappoint. This year I added some sort-of mulled red cabbage (from Nigella's Feast book, but massively changed to suit my own tastes and ingredients!). I shredded some red cabbage and cooked it in a saucepan with red onions, red wine, sultanas, cinammon, black pepper, nutmeg, brown sugar and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. I have no idea of the quantities - just keep bunging it in and tasting as you go along! It's great because you can just put the lid on, leave it on a very (very, very) low heat and come back in about an hour and a half! Also, I tend to leave it in the saucepan overnight and heat it up again for Boxing day, to go with the cold meat and bubble & squeak.
My other exciting discovery this year is champagne cocktails, made by heating a little bit of brandy with cinammon, cloves, nutmeg, a bit of sugar, some star anise perhaps ... all the things normally used to make mulled wine, basically. You then leave it to cool before adding a teaspoon to each glass of chilled champagne, with a splash of Angostura bitters. It gives champagne an extra Christmassy kick and looks really pretty in the glass, too!
I also discovered Loyd Grossman's nuts. He doesn't show them on his website so I can't provide you with a link, unfortunately. For about £3 one can purchase a decent-sized bag of mixed roasted nuts with caramelised red onion; I bought them from Tesco but I think most supermarkets probably sell them. They've probably got a lot of added salt, but they're delicious and it *is* Christmas, after all!
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Spanish rose
My new favourite wine is this rather nice Gran Familia rioja rose, available from Tesco. It's made with Tempranillo grapes and is as good quality as any red rioja I've ever tasted.
It's surprisingly dry for a rose wine and has some lovely fresh berry flavours. I think it tastes great chilled but not as icy cold as I'd have a white wine. I'm not going to spout any nonsense about what food it goes with - drink it whenever you like!
It's surprisingly dry for a rose wine and has some lovely fresh berry flavours. I think it tastes great chilled but not as icy cold as I'd have a white wine. I'm not going to spout any nonsense about what food it goes with - drink it whenever you like!
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