Review: Sacla' at The Friday Food Club

You’ve got sauce

A summer’s evening by the Thames for some quality food and vino

Despite several trips to idyllic Italy, we have never tired of its diverse landscape, achingly good wine and simple but delicious food. Last Friday we unfortunately were not on the banks of Lake Garda or trekking the undulating hills of Umbria, but attended an equally pleasing dinner courtesy of Sacla’, the Italian Food Company and The Friday Food Club.  The evening was organised to showcase Sacla’s new range of fresh produce and celebrate the brand’s 20th year. The parmesan on the pasta (ok, groan) is that not only would The Friday Food Club (Lee & Fi) be preparing the meal that evening as part of their renowned Supper Club, but they would be teaming with Masterchef Professionals Winner 2009 Steve Groves, Ex River Cottage Head Chef Mark Lloyd, renowned food terrorist John Quilter and private caterer Lily Simpson.   

 

The Mediterranean sun-gods shone down on us, as we were welcomed to the evening with a refreshing glass of Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut Spumante, on the al fresco terrace of the Auriol Kensington Rowing Club in Hammersmith.  The Spumante was light, effervescent and biscuity in taste.  We immediately relaxed us into the celebration. The hubbub of Friday evening revelry from pub goers below us and enchanting views over the Thames made us giddy with anticipation as we mingled with twitterati friends.  The attentive waiting staff glided in between guests offering platters of sage puffs, quails eggs with artichoke and basil sauce, poached mussels pesto cream crumb and goats cheese and tomato pesto calzoncini.

The amuse buche was a coriander pesto pea fritter with spiced green sauce. The coriander pesto, using cashew instead of pine nuts is part of the Sacla’ Italian range, however the pre-starter felt Asian inspired. The crisp fritter dipped in the sauce had a superb bite, and the kick from the heat had a satisfying warmth.  It was served with a Roero Arnies 2010. The wine was flaxen in colour with delicate apricot and citrus aromas. It had an intensity which married well with the fritters.

Coriander pesto pea fritter with spiced green sauce

The primi platti was Sacla’ fresh Trofie pasta with cherry tomato and wild garlic sauce and shaved aged parmesan. I enjoyed this dish as it was probably one of the truest to the Sacla’ range. Endorsements by people we trust are great, but I had been sceptical as to whether we would have the opportunity to try any of the range in its true, naked, no bells and whistles form.  Foodies do not like to admit we buy ready made meals, or eat take away. Keith and I lead busy lives and we sometimes have to take shortcuts at meal times, especially on a Friday night post a sociable Thursday evening.  We could imagine ourselves on an evening off from the kitchen, tucking into a bowl of comforting pasta smothered with a rich, tangy vine tomato sauce, sprinkled with fresh basil and parmesan shavings. 

Fresh Trofie pasta with cherry tomato and wild garlic sauce and shaved aged parmesan

Secondi platti consisted of arancini and pork bitterballen served with spicy red pepper sauce and rocket pecorino salad.  The delicious breadcrumbed risotto spheres were crisp on the surface and then oozed seductively with molten mozzarella.  The spicy red pepper sauce fired subtle heat bullets, dissipating the richness of the balls. The pork bitterballen (a Dutch mince cutlet) was equally tasty. We felt that maybe the arancini and bitterballen were a little too similar in texture.  We would have been perfectly happy eating one or the other.  This course was accompanied by Nebbiolo D’Alba a fantastic, mellow, strawberry hued wine, bursting with summer berries.  I could not resist the hypnotic, allure of the ripe bouquet. 

Arancini and pork bitterballen served with spicy red pepper sauce and rocket pecorino salad

For dessert we had bison grass vodka and mint pannacotta with candied pistachio and summer berries. Lee was concerned for the wobble, but he needn’t have been as it had the perfect Jessica Rabbit swagger.  It was deliciously light and creamy with a sexy, boozy bite but underlying hint of refreshing mint. The candied pistachio provided a crunchy texture whilst the fruity summer berry offered bursts of sweetness.

Bison grass vodka and mint pannacotta with candied pistachio and summer berries

The Supper goers of the evening were ablaze with commendations. In the morning, the Twitterati fired praise and pleasure for Sacla’, Friday Food Club and Team’s hosting efforts.  Another fabulous evening was had by all, so a special thank-you to Lee, Fi and Claire Blampied (Sacla UK’s Managing Director).  We look forward to lazy suppers with wholesome bowls of Sacla’ fresh pasta and authentic sauces accompanied by a splash of red wine. 

Say “Sacla’ Fresh”!

Sacla’ Fresh Range – available in Selfridges, Waitose and Opodo

The Friday Food Club

Steve Groves

Mark Lloyd

John Quilter

Lily Simpson

Top Chefs: Steve Groves, Mark Lloyd, Lily Simpson and John Quilter

Review: The Champagne Bar at One New Change

The pink Champagne on ice

When Keith I heard there was a Champagne Bar opening at One New Change, adjaent to St Paul’s Cathedral, we were restless until we locked down a date to partake in trying the establishment.  Searcy’s, the company behind the bar, are continuing to expand their ever growing empire. Their formula is genius. They appeal to people who now and again desire to feel special, especially when celebrating. Searcy’s are also credited with owning the largest Champagne bar in Europe (situated at St Pancras Station). When we stopped by last Friday, with a friend, we were surprised to find that there were no hoards of thirsty punters also clambering for honey coloured liquid sustenance. Instead, there were pockets of people who were relaxing into the weekend.

We were shown to a table and the staff were immediately attentive. We selected a Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Réserve Privée Grand Cru NV (£85). Bruno Paillard founded in the early 1980s are a relatively new Champagne house.  Although comparatively small alongside the Bollingers, Taittingers and Lansons of the world, they have managed to elevate themselves to a prestigious and reputable status. The Champagne was served in elegant, elongated lily shaped stemmed glasses.  We were not expecting for the Champagne to be as tart as it was, but that first sip was heaven. Whether it was the brightness on the nose which instantly alighted us, or the green apple crispness, citrus and peach, we could hear the weekdays’ shackles click and unlock. 

Worthy of note were the impressive list of Champagnes by the glass, as well as by the bottle.  Finding a decent selection of Champagnes (and wines for that matter) by the glass is an ongoing challenge for most oenophiles. However, Searcy’s lists include Bruts, rosés, vintage, blanc de blancs, demi sec, prestige cuvée as well as decantable Champagnes.  Impressive.  It sounds oxymoronic to say there are Champagnes to suit all budgets.  Do not worry if Champagne is not number one on your drink list; Searcy’s also offer a limited range of beers, wines and cocktails.

Having polished off the first bottle amidst animated chatter, we then selected a Philipponnat Rosé (NV) (£75). We were feeling peckish, so ordered a large mixed seafood plate (£12), large charcuterie plate (£12) and foie gras marinated in green peppercorns (£6.50).  You may think that everything we have listed sounds plenty for three, but we were not wowed by the nibbles verus the price.  The seafood platter was the best of the three.  In particular the prawns were meaty, chunky and fresh.  The crab (served in the jar), was an endearing idea but tasted bland and unseasoned.  You would have expected a lemon segment, but there was nothing.  The Charcuterie plate only had two slices of each type of cured meat, so not much of a sharing plate– none of which were outstanding.  The foie gras, should have been the highlight.  It had a beautiful glistening tanned sheen. However, it too had no discernible taste. Conversely, the Philipponnat Champagne was fantastically effervescent and sprightly.  It was perfectly balanced, which made it a pleasure to drink.

Our biggest let down came towards the end of our visit.  At eleven o’clock on the dot we were presented with our bill without having asked for it.  After spending over two hundred pounds we found this rude and unnecessary. The service up until that point had been impeccable, some may have argued, even over the top.  Having a bill presented to us without having asked for it is wholly unacceptable.

It did feel strange to be staring across at a North face clothing store and Wasabi noodle and sushi bar, whilst sipping Champagne.  We would have preferred to be slightly more cocooned from the shopping mall. The food is not worth returning for at all, but the appeal of Searcy’s Champagne Bar at One New Change, is the instant availably to a decent range of Champagnes by the glass as well as en vogue restaurants at close range.  Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa and Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen (soon to open) will make this bar an ideal setting for budding Romeos attempting to woo their Juliet or groups celebrating a special occasion.

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Review: Brightwell Vineyard Tasting Evening at Artisan & Vine

Blue moon, keep shining bright-well Blue moon, keep on shining bright

For a number of years we have kept a keen eye on English wines. We had first encountered an English sparkling wine three years ago at Aubergine in Kensington, as it was served as their House Champagne, and we fell in love with the light refreshing flavour.

In recent months we have been eager to learn more and researched English wine tastings.  Artisan and Vine in Clapham happened to be hosting and promoting a series of English vineyard nights over the coming months. As North Londoners with full time jobs, a mid-week trek to Clapham in South London was daunting, but we can confirm it was well worth the schlep.  The evening that we chose was dedicated to Brightwell Vineyards in Oxford, who own fourteen acres of land and produce thirty thousand bottles per year.

We began the evening with a sparkling Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs).  We were immediately surprised by the unexpected light, but acidic flavour. Very quickly we realised we had to adjust our expectations. The sparking wine had a hint of green apples and vanilla, but very dry.  There were nibbles of focaccia and green olives laid out on the table, but in the home we would have paired this with shellfish, perhaps oysters.  

I have to say we were on an excellent table of wine lovers; a couple who own a pub and another who were in year two of owning a vineyard.  We were set for a great night.

The starter consisted of golden beetroot and goat's curd, sprinkled with pine-nuts, served with a perfectly chilled glass of the Crispin.  In our opinion, this was probably the best of all the courses as every aspect clicked.  The Crispin is similar to an easy drinking Pinot Grigio.  It is made partly from Reichensteiner (no, it's not a heavy metal band) which is a hybrid of a number of grapes developed form Reisling.  Despite its acidity there was a softness to this wine with the salad.  Golden beetroot is having a revival at the moment and it brought an appealing sweet freshness to the dish, whilst the curd and pine nuts cut through the acid to balance the entire course.

The fish course was squid served with fregola and blood orange, paired with a 2009 Oxford Flint.  The Oxford Flint is a hybrid of Huxelrebe and Chardonnay grapes and is described by Brightwell as being in the style of a Loire Valley wine. It has also won the International Wine & Spirit Competition Bronze Medal 2010 and the Decanter Bronze 2007.  The marinated squid and sweet, but tangy blood orange were excellent with the crisp dry Oxford Flint.  The meatiness of the squid was perfect with the Chardonnay elements of the wine.  We also loved the scattered bean-like fregola, which added another dimension to the dish. Our only complaints was that the squid was slightly too tough.  Overall there was a lovely melange of flavours, well matched to the Oxford Flint.

Brightwell's red wine is the Oxford Regatta, which was accompanying Suffolk salt-march lamb, spiny artichoke and sorrel.  I think it is best to talk about the wine first as it sets the scene for the rest of the course.  The Oxford Regatta was likened to a Pinot Noir. The aroma of the red wine on the nose was slightly mildewy and of course it had a knock on effect on our palate.  There was a bitter foxiness which lingered unpleasantly.  We were having a laugh on our table and concluded that we needed more alcohol, so after a democratic vote bought another bottle of wine.   We chose a Bajondillo which was superb (c.£20).  On the the nose was a beautiful waft of caramel and it tasted buttery, fruity and was simply delicious.  Yes, we had been naughty, but as you can imagine, like a giant magnifying glass this held up every flaw in the Oxford Regatta.  It was obvious the grapes in the Regatta had not seen enough sunshine to impart body into the wine.  The Regatta had been soaked in oak for seven months in an attempt to beef out the wine, but there is an unfortunate obvious question;  Why bother struggling through a bottle of English red wine, when there are obvious other great wines in the world. Up until now, the chef had done a great job in creating the perfect dishes with the wines.  I think he must have struggled here.  Lamb was probably the lightest meat the chef could have prepared, but probably the most ideal pairing should have been a meaty white fish.  He had also opted for light seasoning maybe in an attempt to not strangle the wine.  There were to many compromises made in the food. I am not going to comment further on this dish, as I do not blame the chef for falling down at this hurdle.  A carpenter is only as good as his tools.

For dessert we had the Oxford Rosé, served with white chocolate and fennel seed panna cotta, and poached rhubarb.   The rosé had a beautiful bubble gum colour.  It had a lively, subtle berry finish, again with the light acidic edge which was becoming a recogniseable trait of the English wines.  It immediately conjured images of strawberry desserts at summer barbecues. The rich white chocolate panna cotta dessert with its soft peak texture was very enjoyable. The liquorice fennel was very subtle.  Fennel appears to be en vogue at the moment, especially in desserts.  It worked well with the chocolate and fleshy, juicy rhubarb. 

We had an entertaining, interesting and fun-filled evening courtesy of Artisan and Vine.  We believe that the series of wine events they have undertaken is very ambitious and we commend them for their efforts.  Four courses with wine pairings and an aperitif for £29.95 was a bargain, but each glass was only half full.  I would rather have had a full glass with each course and paid £50.  Fifty millilitres was not enough to see us through the course and the wait to the next dish.  Artisan and Vine is one of those wine bars you wish was in your neighbourhood.  It is refreshingly elegant, adventurous, with an excellent wine list and fun.  If we could steal it and move it to North London, we would in a flash.

Find out more about Artisan & Vine's Best of English Meet the Winemaker Series

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Review: WhizzBangPop! Pop-up Restaurant

And now the whizz-bang-pop gang from uptown

It appears that pop-ups are becoming to foodies what Pinot Grigio was to wine drinkers in the early noughties; Perhaps a little over-baked but in danger of being very over done.  This is a shame as on Friday 28^th January Keith and I attended our first event courtesy of WhizzBangPop.  Our hostess for the evening was Emily O'Hare one of the sommeliers at the River Café in Hammersmith.  We first met Emily at an “Around the World Wine Tasting”.  We were researching a piece on wine pairings for Indian Curry Week.  Emily was the most helpful and knowledgeable amongst the wine merchants and specialists and we kept in touch. 

Emily's chef comrades in arms were Charlie Capehorn and Eliza Murray Willis.  We chatted to the ladies about why they believed the pop-up's day has not yet dawned.  Emily was passionate about events like these as she believes they promote creativity and imagination.  The wine-matching experience allows you to be adventurous and introduce new dynamics to your regular drinking patterns, similar to a Tasting Menu at a top restaurant. 

The event was held at the Aueriol Kensington Rowing Club which I assume boasts scenic views of the Thames in the daylight.  We were in a celebratory mood as it was the first night of our holiday and we jumped straight into the night feet with a glass of Laurent Perrier in the bar area (not included as part of the evening).

Just after 8pm we were ushered upstairs to where the tables were pleasantly laid.  Emily looked very glamorous as the event was also being covered by Red magazine. She introduced the night's festivities with enthusiasm and humour and we immediately found ourselves relaxing into the evening as we listened to her droll rhetoric.  The first wine we were acquainted with is the lesser known Loimer 'Lois' Grüner Veltliner 2010 from Austria.  Emily described it as bursting with green apples, hints of white pepper and sprightly. The wine was accompanied by a rich cauliflower soup with gorgonzola and almonds, topped with red grapes.  The humble cauliflower has a poor reputation.  Unfashionable, unpopular and pallid in colour, we have forgotten how to cook it and worse still, have stopped experimenting and creating new recipes.  The last ten years has seen a decline of ten percent in cauliflower sales.  I know not why.  Our soup was was creamy and the buttery bite of the gorgonzola created depth. The red grapes gave the dish release from the saltiness of the cheese.  Meanwhile, the wine was a perfect fruity accompaniment.  The light acidity cut through the richness.

Next up, Emily introduced the Omrah Pinot Noir 2009 from Australia, which partnered with duck confit with celeriac, leek and a salad of blood orange, watercress and chicory.  At our own dinner parties we have paired duck with pinot noir, but a personal favourite would be a fuller bodied wine.  However, the pinot noir was reminiscent of a forest fruit jam and together with the droplets of pomegranate and tartness of the blood oranges in the salad, was exquisite.  The duck was tender and juicy from its own fat with a crispy shell.  Simply wonderful!

There was no chance of being disappointed with the cheese course.  Generous slabs of Tomme de Chevre and Bleu D'Auvergne were married with Azamor, Touriga Franca, Merlot from Alentejo in Portugal.  The cheese board selection was bold and so needed a meaty wine to do it justice.  The Azamor had a subtle spicy berry flavour but prickled with wispy peppery punches that spiked up when gobbled down with the cheese.  We enjoyed that the wine was not overtly tannic, as it made this course all the more pleasurable.

By dessert we could have been rolled home we were so stuffed.  However, when a trio of desserts were placed in front me I soon shifted my weight to accommodate.  The three delectable delights were Crème de Myrtille jelly with a walnut praline ice-cream, Tiramisu and dark chocolate and a tranche of clementine tart.  Emily paired this with an Pieropan “Le Colombare” Recioto di Soave Garganega 2006.  Visually, the amber intensity of the wine was like an vibrant flame in a glass.  The syrupy texture was reminiscent of light honey.  The wine was not too citrus or acidic.  Instead, gooseberry or greengage flavours with speckles of melon (honeydew?) swilled in our glasses.  I have not said much about the desserts, but the jelly was outstanding.  I loved the light fruitiness of the jelly, with the contrasting nutty creaminess of the ice-cream. 

If you can keep an eye out for a WhizzBangPop event, you will have an exceptional time.  Emily, Charlie and Eliza opened our imaginations to a wonderful array of wines as well as thoughtful and delicious dishes.  If this pop-up event is anything to go by, we will be attending them for a long time.  If you expect fireworks at WhizzBangPop you will not be disappointed.  There are taste explosions aplenty.

To contact or be added to WhizzBangPop's distribution list e-mail info@whizzbangpop.com.

You can also follow Emily on twitter

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Review: Tierra Brindisa in Soho. Authentic Tapas in London.

I'm on tapas the world looking down on creation

We were close to desperation when we spotted Tierra Brindisa from across the t-junction between Broadwick Street and Lexington Street in Soho.  Both our pre-planned lunch options had failed us by being closed after 3pm.  We had tried several places off the cuff, but like Mary and Joseph we were turned away.  There was no room at the inn.  We were wandering through Soho like hyenas on the prowl.  Across the stone clad street, we spotted an unassuming green door.  It beckoned invitingly like the transom into Never, Neverland.  On close inspection it was Tierra Brindisa, sister restaurant to Tapas Brindisa in Borough Market.  In between gnawing at Keith's femur, I managed to utter the simple words “Are you still serving?” at the Waitress.  She answered yes and beckoned us to pole position in the corner leather seats on the frontline of the restaurant

We shrugged of our Christmas baggage and immediately sought refuge in the wine list where a cheeky Conde de Valdemar Crianza 2006 beckoned seductively.  It might as well have been steaming hot Ribena as this was seriously quaffable.  This wine has tobacco and black pepper undertones but the dominant Tempranillo grape (90%) gives this it an amazing Jessica Rabbit appeal… full bodied. 

Keith and I settled in and noticed they had borrowed out chill out music from home, which was a big mistake on their part as we had decided we were now part of the furniture based on the Conde de Valdemar.,

We were not in a rush, especially after knowing there was only Christmas shopping on the other side of that green door, so decided to order our Tapas Spanish stylée, that is, as required.  We are all about the dried cured meats (I like to pretend it contributes to my Atkins diet), so we ordered a charcuterie plate of spicy chorizo, peppery salchichon and Teruel ham and loin.  Our platter was served with bread and a gloopy olive oil.  Amazing.  The charcuterie plate was everything we believe in.  Happy pigs skulking around the countryside being happy some more, and then when reincarnated, are happy tasty dried cured meats.  Simple, pure ingredients of high quality that have been cared for. 

Later we chose our tapas; Ham and chicken croquetas, octopus a la gallega, revuelto of eggs with wild mushrooms and truffle oil and prawns al ajillo, served with herby salad dressed in a moscatel vinaigrette.  The croquetas were piping hot, crispy on the outside with a smooth paste consistency on the inside, bar tiny nibs of ham.  They were of course accompanied by the food nod.  The chilli, garlic prawns had been served at the same time. We have to admit, initially we were a little disappointed.  My mother makes restaurant quality prawns and we did not really feel that that they compared.  We were promised garlic and expected it. We then had the idea of basting and turning over our pink friends.  We left them a few minutes and retired to the revuelto, which was a good move.  When we returned to our rosy crustaceans it was as it should be; pungent and powerful.  The revuelto was yummy. The truffle oil was not too over powering, but nonetheless aromatic and rich.  It was the deal breaker to the dish which would have otherwise been scrambled eggs and 'shrooms.  Our favourite tapas was the octopus a la gallega. We do not shy from our eight-legged mate, who so many think is tougher than OJ Simpson.  But no, the octopus was cooked perfectly and full of flavour. The accompanying sautéed potatoes were spicy and offered a contrast in texture to the tenderised octopus.  You must try this dish you make it to Tierra Brindisa, as this is how Octopus should be cooked. 

We were on a roll. The Baked la Bauma cheesecake, made from goats cheese and accompanied with tomato jam, streaks of honey and a dusting of cinnamon was the only choice for us (we shared).  We decided on Finca Antigua (Moscatel) from the La Mancha region as our dessert wine. We loved the rich and unusual flavours incorporated in this dessert but they work best in unison.  Could they not be somehow brought together?  This would mean that whilst I chat away (as I invariably do) and forget to run my spoon through the honey, I do not feel like I lucked out with my mouthful.  By the way, it is undeniable that goats cheese and tomatoes are a winning combinations.  We have not had such an uncontrived dessert in a while.

Last but not least, Cheese.  The cheese board selection had an abundance of variety; Goats cheese, Manchego, Mahon cow's milk cheese and Valdeón Picos de Europa.  Then enhancing the favours of the cheeses were quince paste, red grapes, tomato jam and an almond fig roulade.  Keith is all about the variety so the ample choice was heaven for him. The xylophone of mild to strong cheese also allows the diner to enjoy a full range of regional cheese.  This was one of the most comprehensive selections of cheeses we have experience in a while. 

I want to stop here in our synopsis of “lunch”.  I will use that word lightly as at one stage I was almost begging the waitress to “let us go”.  Like she had some magic hold over us.  Minx.  It might have been the delectable wine or the prospect of more Christmas shopping, but the lure of drinking the granacha and seeking sanctuary in Tierra Brindisa was too enticing!  There were two more glasses of wine and a guest appearance from my sister, and we left smugly satisfied we had evaded the last of the Christmas shopping, at least until this morning…

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All a foodie wants for Christmas

All I want for Christmas is food…

…and drink.  Not fussed which.

We have not done any of of Christmas shopping as of yet as we have been so involved with work and our Christmas Party last week.  We started to compile our list of Christmas treats, some of which we have and some of which we want (hint, hint).  We thought we would share them with you.

1. Le Creuset 24cm cast iron Casserole

We have pots galore in the Wennie household! However, we have had our eyes on the Le Creuset 24cm cast iron pot for quite sometime.  The dish is heavy duty, durable and a fancy way of serving of tasty stews, casseroles and other oven dishes.  That said Keith has made his way through two porcelain pots whilst making his no knead bread. Enter stage left Le Creueset pot.

Richmond Cookshop £88.99 (Free Delivery)

2. Breathable glasses

Keith's late uncle and aunt own a vineyard in the Saint-Emilion region (like you do).  They unfortunately could not attend our wedding as it was the grape harvest (of course it was).  However, when Keith and I got engaged his Uncle and Aunt gave us two enormous, breathable Bordeaux glasses. We decant our wine, but these superb glasses ensure we maximise the potential of every drop of wine drunk in the Wennie household.  Not only are the glasses impressive looking, but they provide a practical purpose.

3. A food experience

For Keith's birthday I bought him (and myself, how cheeky am I?) a food gift experience.  There are so many experiences, courses and events to get involved with and not enough free days.  We like Buy a Gift and Tastours.

Buyagift

Tastours

4.  Gourmet Food hamper

The food hamper's reputation was destroyed in the 1980s when all you could expect to find in your hamper was some cheap fizz pretending to be a champagne (with giant bubbles), shortcake, which if you were lucky were Walkers and a Christmas pudding which you were expected to boil yourself.  Thankfully we have moved on leaps and bounds in the hamper department in the last thirty years.  Lewis & Cooper allow you to create your own hampers from scratch.  We love the fact that you can veto what is chosen for the hamper and not get stuck with the weird jellied sweets destined to send you into a diabetic coma. Thanks t'internet.

Lewis & Cooper

5.  Wine club, copious choice of wine

Wine clubs provide you with an opportunity to expand your palate and experiment with non-supermarket wines.  They also can provide you with an opportunity to receive a discount from buying in “bulk”.

Sunday Times Wine Club

6.  Barware set, a la Tom Cruise in Cocktail

In our barware set we have all the accessories; Cocktail shaker, bar tool set, shot measurer, ice bucket, serving tray.  Our definition of a cocktail is not juice with a shot of spirit.  We love a well made cocktail and buying the kit is the first step in being able to produce an expertly made cocktail.

Amazon have a great range of barware from £15 

7.  Offensively massive pepper mill

Finding just the right offensively large pepper mill has been the bane of our lives for about ten years.  Part of the problem was when it was on our minds and we would walk into a shop to buy it, find the label on the shelf and there would be nothing there.  There is obviously a shortage of offensively large pepper mills and very high demand (hint, hint peppermill producers).

Richmond cookware have a 40cm pepper mill with a 25 year guarantee.  

8.  An Apron fit for youself

We love our aprons in the Wennie household.  An apron obviously performs a practical purpose in protecting your clothes, but is also an opportunity to stamp your own personality not just on your food, but visibly in your chef attire .  Check out Zazzle's range where I bought Keith's “Les Paul” and “You can never have too many guitars” aprons.

Zazzle http://www.zazzle.co.uk/custom/aprons

9. Fancy schmancy Cheese board kit

When we moved in to our (soon to be beautiful) Edwardian home !8 moths ago, my university friends bought us a wonderful quirky cooking board which we use as our cheese board.  We love cheese, all our friends love cheese, the dog loves cheese.  Therefore, it is essential for cheese to be show cased as it deserves.  The below website has an excellent range of unusual cheese utensils. We constantly have nightmares in our household, but it is so worth it.

http://www.culinaryconcepts.co.uk/category.asp?CtgID=18270

10. Magazine Subscription

There are a multitude of foodie magazines available to buy.  I honestly believe I could look at food and read about it all the time.  Therefore, why not ensure that you are receiving all the food news, tips and recipes straight through your letter box every month.

We love Olive (the BBC food magazine)

UK Curry Week: Original wine pairings to enjoy with your curry

Sugar and spice and all things nice, kisses sweeter than wine

Think about Friday evenings after work.  Being at home.  Appraising your wine options.  Selecting. Uncorking. Pop.  Glug, glug, glug. Sip.  Heaven.  God we love wine.

There are many passions in our life.  One which we have not had an opportunity to write about in depth is our love of wine.  God we love wine. 

Today we attended An Around the World Wine Tasting event ay Vinopolis, in London Bridge.  Rather than walk around with our glass pointing at wine and saying “can we try the red?”, we thought since it is UK National Curry Week (21^st to the 27^th November), it would be interesting to investigate which wines paired well with spicy eastern foods, in particular Indian curries.  We wanted to avoid the contrived Riesling, Gerwurztraminer, Zinfandel options and investigate what else is out there.

The overwhelming consensus was that a wine pairing with spicy foods should either compliment or contrast.  Anything in the middle will get lost.  General advice was to avoid wines which were too tannic (therefore a full bodied red), or too sweet or dry.  Several of the stands, straight of the bat, mentioned rosés.  This is due to their light, fruity and demure nature.  In no particular order are the top seven wines which were recommended to us. The last two were quite good fun, so we threw them in for good measure.

Clos Poggiale, Corsica (white)

This Corsican wine is ideal with food of all sorts.  Its unusual weighty flavours, acidity and richness makes it robust enough to take on the mighty spice.

Stockists:  Tescos (when in stock), wineandco.co.uk £11.82

Vega de la Reina, Spain (white)

Apricot, aromatic and sweet, this wine naturally lends itself to spicy food.  We would recommend it with a prawn dhansak.

Stockists:  Fine Wine Sellers £7.99

Yalumba Barossa Bush Vine Grenache, Australia (red)

This versatile wine would be perfect with red or white meat and even fish. It has a beautiful crimson depth and the aroma of black fruits.  We loved the delicious, smooth and creamy texture commonplace in a Grenache.   This wine would be perfect at room temperature or even slightly chilled in the summer.

Stockists:  Majestics £8.99

Louis Roederer 2004, France

Vintage Champagne.  Nobody cares if it pairs well or not with spicy food.  No truly, sparkling wines do not lend themselves readily to spicy food.  If you were to do this correctly, then a sparkling rose bottle of fizz would suffice.  Now back to that vintage champagne…

Stockists:  TheDrinkShop.com £52.82

Durbanville Hills, Pintotage, South Africa (red)

We chatted to one the sommeliers at River Café, Emily O’Hare about our quest.  One of her recommendations was this sweet clove flavour wine.  We were warned that the smoky flavour of this wine can be quite overpowering.  However, she recommended pairing it with a spicy grilled or tandoor meat, which we agree would be perfect.

Stockists:  SAwinesonline.co.uk. A bargain at £6.99

Duc de Vendome, Saint Mont, France (white)

The fresh acidity of this white wine will cut through the heaviness of a spicy curry.  Whilst, the presence of exotic fruit and frail sweetness would also offset the heat.  This winery is actually located in the lesser known sub region of Gascony in south west France.

We will leave it to the experts to provide the detail.

Stockists:  Waitrose:£6.64

Chateau Civrac, France (red)

35% Mabec, 50% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, this brooding red is quite robust looking and tasting.  The tannin structure of the wine may appear to be unsuitable for spicy foods, but its richness would probably put up a good fight.

Stockists:  Commercial only

If you have the cash and are curious:

Theophile, France

This creepy sounding wine is one to watch out for we believe.  There is a lot to say about the strange name (Homage to the trend setting Theo champagne of the 1930s) and unusual art deco packaging.  The champagne is quite interesting.  As a sister champagne to Louis Roederer, this sparkling wine is hot off the press (wine press that it is).  It has only just (and we mean just), been released.  Pale in colour and with a subtle bouquet, this champagne is made of young Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines.  We believe this wine would make the perfect aperitif to accompany a wide selection of canapés.

Stockists:  Still an orphan in that it is looking for a stockist, but available at Simpsons on the Strand

Inniskillin Rielsling Icewine 2007 – Niagra Peninsula, Canada

A wine from Canada?  Yes folks.  The wine is naturally frozen on the vine and picked when the temperature drops to -10C.  Only a fraction of nectar is captured from the grapes, which is fermented into what is known as icewine.  The syrupy wine is similar to a Sauternes in some ways, except it is lighter and has an excitement to it.  Perfect with dessert, you could possibly find this wine too heavy with a rich pudding.  However, the heaviness of the wine would complement a blue veined cheese perfectly.  Strange, we know…

Stockists:  DrinksDirect.co.uk £54.94

God we love wine