Feeling a little worse for wear after copious amounts of pinot grigio and a several glasses of green punch none of us were feeling up to a large breakfast so once again had Crunchy Nut.
We decided to have a lazy Sunday lunch at The White Hart in Crystal Palace, which was lovely. I had pork belly with leeks, bacon mash and mustard gravy. It was absolutely gorgeous and I felt so much better after eating it that I decided more wine would be a good idea and so had a large glass of their house red - lovely.
Later on in the afternoon Mr P and I decided to demolish a large packet of cool original Doritos and we weren't feeling too hungry for a big meal and so Mr P fried up four pancakes and we filled them with a spinach, ham and cheese mixture I made. I made the mixtures by adding 5 lumps of frozen spinach to a saucepan, adding some chopped up ham, some grated cheese, two dessert spoons of cream cheese and some salt and pepper. I then stirred it and left it to come together on the hob for about five mins. It was actually a very tasty meal and we finished off with a sweet pancake each - mine obviously with lime and sugar.
Sunday 31 October 2010
Saturday 30 October 2010
A quad of pizzas
Due to having people to stay, the gym to go, etc we didn't have time for a slap up breakfast so instead just had Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, which are basic but utterly brilliant. Such a good cereal.
We also had a very quick, basic lunch of cheese and onion pasties cooked in the oven and served with tomato sauce. I really enjoyed mine and it reminded me of when I was at uni and would have such easy and not to mention cheap meals on a regular basis.
With my cousin and brother staying plus a very boozy party to attend Mr P and I cooked four pizzas for us to share with a variety of topping on - a thin and crispy vegetable one, a deep pan barbecue chicken one (probably my favourite of the four), a pepperoni one and a chicago town four cheese one.
We then went dressed as dead celebrities (myself as Audrey Hepburn) to my sisters Halloween/House Warming party where I demolished a large amount of snacks:
Cobweb cupcakes - made by Mr P and I, which were little chocolate buns with cream cheese icing and black icing cobwebs - they looked pretty impressive and tasted good too.
Spiced pumpkin cookies - Once again another baked good provided my Mr P and I. The name cookie is not entirely true and they looked more like patties. While the flavouring was very good (well done Mr P with his pestle and mortar) the dough was pretty dry.
Prawn crackers
Pringles
Onion rings
Vodka jelly with added passionfruit
Mini poppadoms
On returning home at 2am me and my brother were hungry so tucked into some instant noodles drowned in soy. At the time I believed they were the most tasty meal ever, perhaps due to the sheer amount of wine I had!
We also had a very quick, basic lunch of cheese and onion pasties cooked in the oven and served with tomato sauce. I really enjoyed mine and it reminded me of when I was at uni and would have such easy and not to mention cheap meals on a regular basis.
With my cousin and brother staying plus a very boozy party to attend Mr P and I cooked four pizzas for us to share with a variety of topping on - a thin and crispy vegetable one, a deep pan barbecue chicken one (probably my favourite of the four), a pepperoni one and a chicago town four cheese one.
We then went dressed as dead celebrities (myself as Audrey Hepburn) to my sisters Halloween/House Warming party where I demolished a large amount of snacks:
Cobweb cupcakes - made by Mr P and I, which were little chocolate buns with cream cheese icing and black icing cobwebs - they looked pretty impressive and tasted good too.
Spiced pumpkin cookies - Once again another baked good provided my Mr P and I. The name cookie is not entirely true and they looked more like patties. While the flavouring was very good (well done Mr P with his pestle and mortar) the dough was pretty dry.
Prawn crackers
Pringles
Onion rings
Vodka jelly with added passionfruit
Mini poppadoms
On returning home at 2am me and my brother were hungry so tucked into some instant noodles drowned in soy. At the time I believed they were the most tasty meal ever, perhaps due to the sheer amount of wine I had!
Friday 29 October 2010
It's wine time
Glasses, no, not the ones you wear on your face, that help you see. The glasses you fill with wine that make your vision all blurry.
Like I've mentioned, I did a run of amateur theatre shows. I was (low)tech, sound and lighting etc. I played the House soundtrack in the interval. Well, we were drinking some pretty atrocious pinot grigio post show 3 and 4. Well, well, community centre number 5 was a marvel. It had a bar, and two smartly dressed chaps with white hair and grey stubble pouring the drinks, a total novelty on the circuit we frequent. So interval, 9pm, I got a glass of wine, wahoo! For free too, but even if I'd have paid, it was a 125ml measure and would have been £1.60, an absolute bargain. I'm pretty sure it was a generic French 'vin du pays' merlot, I only caught a glimpse of the label. It was pretty young, 2009 I assume. Being a merlot it was pretty fruity, but had an unexpected blackjack liquorice and cough syrup feel to it, still pretty thin and not much depth, more toes in a paddling pool than diving in a swimming pool.
Aaaaaaanyway, glasses. The only downside, was the tiny little Paris goblet that it was served in. If you don't know what I mean by Paris goblet look it up (or if I get technical enough, I might see if I can 'do a photo', I took one...). I think they should all be smashed or melted, they are the lowest of the low when it comes to wine. You might as well be drinking from a shoe. A good glass makes a good wine great and an average wine, well, average, but you get the idea. This tiny little goblet they served me the wine in was frustrating, I wanted to give it a swish and a sniff but couldn't, didn't get a chance to open up the wine. Also, it was poured to about a millimetre from the top of the 125ml glass and I almost spilt it, see previous weeks posts, which was a concern.
When I'm at home, I use a 750ml glass, it can fit a whole bottle of wine in it... I don't EVER do that though. Honestly, it's stupid. I got given the glass as a joke birthday present and loved it instantly. It's a proper handful, pretty cheap so it's quite robust and I'm not fussed about breaking it. I like the room it gives, you can almost lose a 125ml measure in it, but gives plenty of room to swish and swill and sniff.
We sell loads of glasses in the shop, and in every pub you go to they have robust wine glasses and restaurants have posh, elegant glasses, different for red and white and water and whisky. Students, probably have a Kit Kat mug from Easter or a stolen pint glass.
Still, wine glasses are the lovely shape they are to engage smell, you taste with your nose too. They should be a good size, bigger than your measure, give it some room. Room to swirl, room to look at the colour, room to assess the tannins (the legs or tears you get rolling down the inside of the glass give an impression of viscosity or syrupyness or thinness). Bubbles or no bubbles however should have a different glass. The fizz flutes concentrate aroma and keep bubbles, bubbly.
Either way, the glass has an effect on the wine.
Get a few glasses and do a little experiment. (I do love a good practical test). Do it, do it now. Well later. Get an opaque mug, a pint glass and and an average wine glass. Not a Paris goblet style glass, smash it if you've got one and spend £3 in Wilko on 4 perfectly acceptable wine glasses. Right, got that? Doubt it. Pour the same amount of wine in each glass. The three things to assess in a wine are sight, smell and taste. In that order. Now, the mug, what does the wine look like. Can you even tell if it's red, white or rose? Now smell it, and then compare the smell to the wine glass and the pint glass... Which one smells more alive? More interesting? Then try a little wine from each glass. Which one tastes the best? (If they all look, smell and taste the same to you, then stop reading now, go back to your brown paper bagged paint thinners, sit on the naughty step and think about what you've said and done...)
If I'm worth the words in this blog, the wine glass comes out on top. Better sight, you can see it. The colour gives you an impression of what the wines going to taste like, an earthy rusty red or bright fruity purple, a shiny crisp silver or warm sunshine. Better smell, more intensity and a wider range, from bin bags to cough syrup, from apples to vanilla. Better taste.
That's just the glass.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Like I've mentioned, I did a run of amateur theatre shows. I was (low)tech, sound and lighting etc. I played the House soundtrack in the interval. Well, we were drinking some pretty atrocious pinot grigio post show 3 and 4. Well, well, community centre number 5 was a marvel. It had a bar, and two smartly dressed chaps with white hair and grey stubble pouring the drinks, a total novelty on the circuit we frequent. So interval, 9pm, I got a glass of wine, wahoo! For free too, but even if I'd have paid, it was a 125ml measure and would have been £1.60, an absolute bargain. I'm pretty sure it was a generic French 'vin du pays' merlot, I only caught a glimpse of the label. It was pretty young, 2009 I assume. Being a merlot it was pretty fruity, but had an unexpected blackjack liquorice and cough syrup feel to it, still pretty thin and not much depth, more toes in a paddling pool than diving in a swimming pool.
Aaaaaaanyway, glasses. The only downside, was the tiny little Paris goblet that it was served in. If you don't know what I mean by Paris goblet look it up (or if I get technical enough, I might see if I can 'do a photo', I took one...). I think they should all be smashed or melted, they are the lowest of the low when it comes to wine. You might as well be drinking from a shoe. A good glass makes a good wine great and an average wine, well, average, but you get the idea. This tiny little goblet they served me the wine in was frustrating, I wanted to give it a swish and a sniff but couldn't, didn't get a chance to open up the wine. Also, it was poured to about a millimetre from the top of the 125ml glass and I almost spilt it, see previous weeks posts, which was a concern.
When I'm at home, I use a 750ml glass, it can fit a whole bottle of wine in it... I don't EVER do that though. Honestly, it's stupid. I got given the glass as a joke birthday present and loved it instantly. It's a proper handful, pretty cheap so it's quite robust and I'm not fussed about breaking it. I like the room it gives, you can almost lose a 125ml measure in it, but gives plenty of room to swish and swill and sniff.
We sell loads of glasses in the shop, and in every pub you go to they have robust wine glasses and restaurants have posh, elegant glasses, different for red and white and water and whisky. Students, probably have a Kit Kat mug from Easter or a stolen pint glass.
Still, wine glasses are the lovely shape they are to engage smell, you taste with your nose too. They should be a good size, bigger than your measure, give it some room. Room to swirl, room to look at the colour, room to assess the tannins (the legs or tears you get rolling down the inside of the glass give an impression of viscosity or syrupyness or thinness). Bubbles or no bubbles however should have a different glass. The fizz flutes concentrate aroma and keep bubbles, bubbly.
Either way, the glass has an effect on the wine.
Get a few glasses and do a little experiment. (I do love a good practical test). Do it, do it now. Well later. Get an opaque mug, a pint glass and and an average wine glass. Not a Paris goblet style glass, smash it if you've got one and spend £3 in Wilko on 4 perfectly acceptable wine glasses. Right, got that? Doubt it. Pour the same amount of wine in each glass. The three things to assess in a wine are sight, smell and taste. In that order. Now, the mug, what does the wine look like. Can you even tell if it's red, white or rose? Now smell it, and then compare the smell to the wine glass and the pint glass... Which one smells more alive? More interesting? Then try a little wine from each glass. Which one tastes the best? (If they all look, smell and taste the same to you, then stop reading now, go back to your brown paper bagged paint thinners, sit on the naughty step and think about what you've said and done...)
If I'm worth the words in this blog, the wine glass comes out on top. Better sight, you can see it. The colour gives you an impression of what the wines going to taste like, an earthy rusty red or bright fruity purple, a shiny crisp silver or warm sunshine. Better smell, more intensity and a wider range, from bin bags to cough syrup, from apples to vanilla. Better taste.
That's just the glass.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Chorizo pasta
I didn't have much time for breakfast today, so when I got into the office I grabbed one measley Weektabix which didn't do much to stop any hunger.
I went out with a colleague and a contact for lunch to Hix on Brewer street in London. Loved the atmosphere in there, it was laid back yet formal and was very bustley and lively. Those I was with had fishfingers with mushy peas and chips which I was slightly jealous of. I had monkfish tail with a shrimp sauce, which went perfectly with my sprouting brocolli and white wine. A very very enjoyable lunch.
Mr P and I spent the evening doing a strange mixture of activities, drinking Moet, carving pumpkins and baking cakes (for my sisters Halloween party tomorrow). Mr P whipped up a very nice chorizo pasta with a big chunky chorizo sausage, not the thinner slices you can get. We had it in a sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, courgettes, curly pasta and a dash of cream. It tasted really delicious but was a little oily, more the fault of the chorizo having a lot of fat in than Mr P adding excessive oil.
I went out with a colleague and a contact for lunch to Hix on Brewer street in London. Loved the atmosphere in there, it was laid back yet formal and was very bustley and lively. Those I was with had fishfingers with mushy peas and chips which I was slightly jealous of. I had monkfish tail with a shrimp sauce, which went perfectly with my sprouting brocolli and white wine. A very very enjoyable lunch.
Mr P and I spent the evening doing a strange mixture of activities, drinking Moet, carving pumpkins and baking cakes (for my sisters Halloween party tomorrow). Mr P whipped up a very nice chorizo pasta with a big chunky chorizo sausage, not the thinner slices you can get. We had it in a sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, courgettes, curly pasta and a dash of cream. It tasted really delicious but was a little oily, more the fault of the chorizo having a lot of fat in than Mr P adding excessive oil.
Thursday 28 October 2010
Fishcakes and salad
Sorry I have been a little lax these last couple of days at posting anything, but we have had some internet problems at home so I haven't been able to update any of my meals.
Quick update from Wednesday... usual cereal and soup for breakfast and lunch. Then in the evening Mr P and I were a little tired after a busy press day and so we got a take-away curry:
Chicken korma
Lamb dopiaza
Saag Aloo
Plain naan
Pilau rice
It was all absolutey delicious and much needed after a stressful day.
On thursday I had marmite on crusty toast, which was a dream after the horrors of muesli this week. For lunch I once again had soup, this time carrot and corriander.
For dinner I had fish-cakes (Tesco finest) one which was salmon, spinach and lemon and the other which was cod and cheese. I had them with salad consisting of very elegantly and finely cut pepper and carrot, plus lettuce and a healthy dollop of mayo. Lovely.
Quick update from Wednesday... usual cereal and soup for breakfast and lunch. Then in the evening Mr P and I were a little tired after a busy press day and so we got a take-away curry:
Chicken korma
Lamb dopiaza
Saag Aloo
Plain naan
Pilau rice
It was all absolutey delicious and much needed after a stressful day.
On thursday I had marmite on crusty toast, which was a dream after the horrors of muesli this week. For lunch I once again had soup, this time carrot and corriander.
For dinner I had fish-cakes (Tesco finest) one which was salmon, spinach and lemon and the other which was cod and cheese. I had them with salad consisting of very elegantly and finely cut pepper and carrot, plus lettuce and a healthy dollop of mayo. Lovely.
Tuesday 26 October 2010
Al Tirolo pizza
Muesli and soup again for breakfast and lunch respectively today, although rather unfortunately | didn't have a bread roll so instead I caved in and had a bag of salt and vinegar Walkers - yum.
I went out for another Tuesday after work pizza today with my friend Chet. I had a large glass of Pizza Express's house red, which I thought was very very nice indeed, perhaps a little too nice, I could have had another couple quite easily.
I ate Al Tirolo on a Romana base (one of the bigger ones) with fondal cheese, a medley of mushrooms (porchini, portobello and closed cup), palma ham, garlic oil and parsley. I was absolutely starving and it tasted delicious. I will definitely be ordering it again.
I went out for another Tuesday after work pizza today with my friend Chet. I had a large glass of Pizza Express's house red, which I thought was very very nice indeed, perhaps a little too nice, I could have had another couple quite easily.
I ate Al Tirolo on a Romana base (one of the bigger ones) with fondal cheese, a medley of mushrooms (porchini, portobello and closed cup), palma ham, garlic oil and parsley. I was absolutely starving and it tasted delicious. I will definitely be ordering it again.
Monday 25 October 2010
Mince, gravy and mash combo
Monday monday. The start of a new week and the start of a new box of cereal - exciting times for me, or not.
I decided to have Alpen this time around for a bit of a change and I'm already regretting it. I'm just not a huge fan of raisins. I can just about handle them in a hot cross bun, but on pouring out my first bowl of muesli I was horrified to see hundreds of shriveled black raisins. I tried to be grown up about it and swallow them down with the rest of the oaty goodness, but I will no longer look forward to breakfast time and instead dread their gleaming black eyes staring up at me from the sea of floury white oats.
For lunch i stuck with a safer option and had Covent Garden's spicy butternut squash and sweet potato, which I have decided could in fact be my favourite of all their soups.
After going to both the gym and Sainsburys Mr P and I were ravenous to say the least and we snacked on a tub of cocktail sausages rescued from the reduced aisle of the supermarket and still craving junk food when we returned home each had a packet of Wheat Crunchies.
For dinner we had to use up the other half of a large packer of mince we opened the night before, so I made a mince, gravy and mash combination. It consisted of chopped onions, mince, carrots, peas, gravy granules, water, wine and tomato puree all simmered up together and served over a dollop of creamy mashed potato courtesy of Mr P. It wasn't the best meal we've ever made and lacked something, yet I couldn't quite work out what it was. It did the job of filling us up though, something we were both relieved about.
I decided to have Alpen this time around for a bit of a change and I'm already regretting it. I'm just not a huge fan of raisins. I can just about handle them in a hot cross bun, but on pouring out my first bowl of muesli I was horrified to see hundreds of shriveled black raisins. I tried to be grown up about it and swallow them down with the rest of the oaty goodness, but I will no longer look forward to breakfast time and instead dread their gleaming black eyes staring up at me from the sea of floury white oats.
For lunch i stuck with a safer option and had Covent Garden's spicy butternut squash and sweet potato, which I have decided could in fact be my favourite of all their soups.
After going to both the gym and Sainsburys Mr P and I were ravenous to say the least and we snacked on a tub of cocktail sausages rescued from the reduced aisle of the supermarket and still craving junk food when we returned home each had a packet of Wheat Crunchies.
For dinner we had to use up the other half of a large packer of mince we opened the night before, so I made a mince, gravy and mash combination. It consisted of chopped onions, mince, carrots, peas, gravy granules, water, wine and tomato puree all simmered up together and served over a dollop of creamy mashed potato courtesy of Mr P. It wasn't the best meal we've ever made and lacked something, yet I couldn't quite work out what it was. It did the job of filling us up though, something we were both relieved about.
Sunday 24 October 2010
Mr P's mincey pasta
Nothing special for breakfast today, just a bowl of Special K.
For lunch we met up with my siblings and my sisters boyfriend at a pub in Islington. After 20 minutes of waiting for my sausage and onion sub and watching my brother sister and boyfriend all hoover up their lunch we asked where my meal was and they went to check. My brother then suddenly realised he had not ever ordered his meal and he was in fact just finishing up my meal. He then had to go explain the predicament to the barman, which made us all look slightly silly. My lunch eventually turned up, by which time everyone else had finished and had to instead watch me eat mine.
For dinner Mr P made a mince pasta cretaion while I was watching X Factor. I didnt see him cook the meal, so am not 100% sure what went into it, but on esating it I can make a reaonable guess at the ingredients:
Mince
Onions
Garlic
Chopped Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Cream
Pasta
Some kind of seasoning
It was very tasty indeed and I was ravinous and so had two helpings, but fell asleep on the sofa before I got a chance to finish my second bowl, perhaps a good thing.
For lunch we met up with my siblings and my sisters boyfriend at a pub in Islington. After 20 minutes of waiting for my sausage and onion sub and watching my brother sister and boyfriend all hoover up their lunch we asked where my meal was and they went to check. My brother then suddenly realised he had not ever ordered his meal and he was in fact just finishing up my meal. He then had to go explain the predicament to the barman, which made us all look slightly silly. My lunch eventually turned up, by which time everyone else had finished and had to instead watch me eat mine.
For dinner Mr P made a mince pasta cretaion while I was watching X Factor. I didnt see him cook the meal, so am not 100% sure what went into it, but on esating it I can make a reaonable guess at the ingredients:
Mince
Onions
Garlic
Chopped Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Cream
Pasta
Some kind of seasoning
It was very tasty indeed and I was ravinous and so had two helpings, but fell asleep on the sofa before I got a chance to finish my second bowl, perhaps a good thing.
Saturday 23 October 2010
Chicken and wild mushroom strognoff
Mr P made his weekend special this morning... pancakes. Once again I had sugar and lime juice whereas Mr P had cheese and ham. They were the perfect consistency and were delicious.
For lunch we had a prawn and peanut satay stir-fry which was basically just a bag of stir fry veg, with prawns, noodles and a sauce. It was surprisingly tasty though and I will definitely be getting the sauce again, although I now can't remember what brand it was, which could make it difficult.
We had some friends round for dinner, so Mr P and I rustled up a feast.
For starter Mr P roasted cubed butternut squash and half an onion, with salt, pepper and thyme in the oven for half an hour. He then put in in the food processor to liquidise it before straining it through a sieve to get rid of any slightly more corse bits. This was then left to the side before we were about to eat, when we heated it up in a saucepan for five minutes. We served this with pan-fried scallops, which I fried in a little bit of olive oil for around 3 mins on each side. We then sprinled tiny crunchy pieces of bacon [something we prepared earlier by slowly grilling a couple of rashers then cutting them up] over the top. It all went beautifully togeter, a very good flavour combination in my opinion.
For the main course we had a chicken and wild mushroom stroganoff. For this I fried some chopped onions until translucent and then added some chopped chicken. I fried this for around 5/10 mins and then added salt, pepper, thyme and parika and left it sizzling for a futher few minutes. The mushrooms were those dried porchini and other sorts which you have to soak in warm water for half an hour. I then added the soaked mushrooms with half of the delicious mushroomy water they had been soaking in. I left this on a very very low heat for 15 mins before adding a teaspoon of dijon mustard, a glug of white wine and a tub of sour cream. IIonce again left it on a very low heat (while we ate our starters) then served it with some beautifully fluffy rice, which Mr P made. I once again enjoyed this course, the only change I would perhaps have made would have been to have some roughly chopped fresh herbs on top. I think this would have been a perfect finishing touch.
For dessert we had blackcurrent jelly [which was almost slightly disaterous after collapsing on getitng it out of the mould] with vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce and sprinkles. I nice childish end to a tasty meal with lovely food, delicious wine and excellent company.
For lunch we had a prawn and peanut satay stir-fry which was basically just a bag of stir fry veg, with prawns, noodles and a sauce. It was surprisingly tasty though and I will definitely be getting the sauce again, although I now can't remember what brand it was, which could make it difficult.
We had some friends round for dinner, so Mr P and I rustled up a feast.
For starter Mr P roasted cubed butternut squash and half an onion, with salt, pepper and thyme in the oven for half an hour. He then put in in the food processor to liquidise it before straining it through a sieve to get rid of any slightly more corse bits. This was then left to the side before we were about to eat, when we heated it up in a saucepan for five minutes. We served this with pan-fried scallops, which I fried in a little bit of olive oil for around 3 mins on each side. We then sprinled tiny crunchy pieces of bacon [something we prepared earlier by slowly grilling a couple of rashers then cutting them up] over the top. It all went beautifully togeter, a very good flavour combination in my opinion.
For the main course we had a chicken and wild mushroom stroganoff. For this I fried some chopped onions until translucent and then added some chopped chicken. I fried this for around 5/10 mins and then added salt, pepper, thyme and parika and left it sizzling for a futher few minutes. The mushrooms were those dried porchini and other sorts which you have to soak in warm water for half an hour. I then added the soaked mushrooms with half of the delicious mushroomy water they had been soaking in. I left this on a very very low heat for 15 mins before adding a teaspoon of dijon mustard, a glug of white wine and a tub of sour cream. IIonce again left it on a very low heat (while we ate our starters) then served it with some beautifully fluffy rice, which Mr P made. I once again enjoyed this course, the only change I would perhaps have made would have been to have some roughly chopped fresh herbs on top. I think this would have been a perfect finishing touch.
For dessert we had blackcurrent jelly [which was almost slightly disaterous after collapsing on getitng it out of the mould] with vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce and sprinkles. I nice childish end to a tasty meal with lovely food, delicious wine and excellent company.
It's wine time
Today, I saw a man, with an ice-cream. It was raining.
The story starts, I was driving, he (lets call him Bob) was fiddling about trying to get into his car, holding an ice-cream. It was a pretty simple '99', affair, no flake. Who knows where Bob had got it from, clearly the type of ice-cream you get from a van, and not one in sight. It was a fairly un-eaten one too, I imagined Bob was going to sit in his front seat and quietly watch the world go by, listen to some music and enjoy himself an ice-cream. Two fingers up to the cold and the rain. But in this briefest glimpse into someone else's life, as I drove by, he dropped it. On the floor. And then I was gone, on my way and Bob was left ice-cream-less. Now, I know it wasn't my fault, or my ice-cream, or someone I'll ever see again, but I felt sorry for Bob. Why did I feel sorry for Bob?
I spill my wine. Frequently. The red stains on my green blanket haunt me.
Lets jump back a month or two. One occasion we were sitting in bed, watching some ridiculous, rubbish telly. I tend to rest my wine on my leg rather than have to lean about faffing with bedside tables and "can you pass my wine", and I spilt it.
Jump back a month or two further, I woke up in the night covered in half a glass of wine, lights on, rubbish telly on. I know, I know, I'd poured it after a late night at work, tucked myself up in bed, taken a swig and gone to sleep with my wine in hand. Mostly a full whack of tiredness with a lingering hint of stupidity.
Jump back to today and Bob and his drop. It's so frustrating to have invested time and money into the acquisition of a simple pleasure only to have it ruined by stupidity and carelessness. So I'm going to suggest some wines this week that you should really take some care about, don't drop them, certainly don't spill them, and these beauties will be well worth it.
A quick note on shelling out some cash on some nice wines, I'm not talking about hundreds of pounds on a 1999 Chateau Cheval Blanc or a 1989 Chateau Margaux here. If you're a casual wine drinker, you probably won't want to jump from a £6.99 pinot grigio to a £99+ Montrachet, (they're for collectors who probably won't drink it and people with more money than sense). Soooooo, I'm going to pitch my versions. Indulgent, top quality wines around the £20 - £30 mark. I tasted a Usoa de Bagordi, Rioja, Gran Reserva, 2001 the other day, only £20 and full of earthiness, oak and dense fruit, smells a bit like a newly opened black bin bag, (Thanks Neilos) in a good way!! It usually indicates a well matured wine..., could have done with an hour in a decanter to open up though.
Two ideas: First up. Get some friends over, treat them! If you're cooking a hearty stew for a few on a wintry night, get somebody else to bring some sassy walnut bread to start, another chum to whip up a seductive pudding and you won't feel so bad about parting with £25 and really enjoying an excellent wine. You don't have to glug down a bottle of Hardys sickly sweet Zinfandel rose each, it would totally trash the stew anyway.
Secondly, don't be snobby about it, tell them, but don't be snobby. More "I picked up a really nice wine tonight guys". Less "careful with that bottle it's worth more than your car...!!". But talk about it, I love talking about the wine I've just poured for someone. Remember one or two interesting lines about the wine and how it goes with the food and get into it, if you're going to drink a good wine, do it properly. Do it socially, don't keep it to yourself.
I'm going to suggest Te Koko, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand, available in good wine shops for about £22. Cloudy Bay is a modern classic region and this is the premium wine from them with an interesting twist, they've really pushed themselves to compete with the famous French Sancerre style. Bone dry, with minerality and flintiness, but a really interesting complex full flavour. The reason this wine is above the rest is the roundness, depth of flavour, the balance between fruit and acidity, the length of finish. A lot of cheaper Sauvignons are over acidic or bland and almost nondescript (they just taste like wine don't they?). This one really has its own identity, something you'll remember, a benchmark you'll refer to or a stepping stone you'll jump from.
I find spotting an expensive white easier than an expensive red. Here's why.
As a red gets older and aged it starts to act a bit like your granddad. Frustratingly confused, erratic and often hard work. A dusty old fella from some remote corner of a vineyard, sat in a comfy barrel and transferred to a bottle when it couldn't make it up the stairs on it own. What I'm saying is they can be so complex, especially old Bordeaux, that I mistake them for inferior new world. An over fermented, high alcohol Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon, can masquerade as an intense St Emillion Cru. A deep almost rust colour and a real length are the leading signs to look out for in an old, expensive, good wine.
I'm going to recommend a Bordeaux. I have to. My favourite, a Haut-Medoc. 2005 Chateau Les Vimieres, Haut-Medoc, available from Wines Of Interest (www.winesofinterest.co.uk) £21.75 but absolutely in every way, worth it. Expect it to taste like a French cellar, deep and dark and a little scary at first. It won't taste as fruit driven as a younger wine and looks slightly rustier in colour. It's had a lot of time in the bottle and that's going to allow crazy slow, chemical reactions to play positive, desirable havoc with the wine, giving it a mustier, earthier, refined and more complex taste. A taste that will last for ages and keep coming back for more, unlike a lot of cheap wines, that, like meeting a girl in a bar, are initially fun but don't last.
I'd definitely suggest a cheeky decant, a rest. Just pour the whole bottle out into a jug, any old jug, and (carefully) back into the bottle if you haven't got a decanter, and don't put a stopper in unless you're about to put it away for the night. Remember your granddad, just like he needs to relax after a walk, a wine needs to relax after a pour, needs to catch its breath after 5 years in a bottle. Enjoy.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
The story starts, I was driving, he (lets call him Bob) was fiddling about trying to get into his car, holding an ice-cream. It was a pretty simple '99', affair, no flake. Who knows where Bob had got it from, clearly the type of ice-cream you get from a van, and not one in sight. It was a fairly un-eaten one too, I imagined Bob was going to sit in his front seat and quietly watch the world go by, listen to some music and enjoy himself an ice-cream. Two fingers up to the cold and the rain. But in this briefest glimpse into someone else's life, as I drove by, he dropped it. On the floor. And then I was gone, on my way and Bob was left ice-cream-less. Now, I know it wasn't my fault, or my ice-cream, or someone I'll ever see again, but I felt sorry for Bob. Why did I feel sorry for Bob?
I spill my wine. Frequently. The red stains on my green blanket haunt me.
Lets jump back a month or two. One occasion we were sitting in bed, watching some ridiculous, rubbish telly. I tend to rest my wine on my leg rather than have to lean about faffing with bedside tables and "can you pass my wine", and I spilt it.
Jump back a month or two further, I woke up in the night covered in half a glass of wine, lights on, rubbish telly on. I know, I know, I'd poured it after a late night at work, tucked myself up in bed, taken a swig and gone to sleep with my wine in hand. Mostly a full whack of tiredness with a lingering hint of stupidity.
Jump back to today and Bob and his drop. It's so frustrating to have invested time and money into the acquisition of a simple pleasure only to have it ruined by stupidity and carelessness. So I'm going to suggest some wines this week that you should really take some care about, don't drop them, certainly don't spill them, and these beauties will be well worth it.
A quick note on shelling out some cash on some nice wines, I'm not talking about hundreds of pounds on a 1999 Chateau Cheval Blanc or a 1989 Chateau Margaux here. If you're a casual wine drinker, you probably won't want to jump from a £6.99 pinot grigio to a £99+ Montrachet, (they're for collectors who probably won't drink it and people with more money than sense). Soooooo, I'm going to pitch my versions. Indulgent, top quality wines around the £20 - £30 mark. I tasted a Usoa de Bagordi, Rioja, Gran Reserva, 2001 the other day, only £20 and full of earthiness, oak and dense fruit, smells a bit like a newly opened black bin bag, (Thanks Neilos) in a good way!! It usually indicates a well matured wine..., could have done with an hour in a decanter to open up though.
Two ideas: First up. Get some friends over, treat them! If you're cooking a hearty stew for a few on a wintry night, get somebody else to bring some sassy walnut bread to start, another chum to whip up a seductive pudding and you won't feel so bad about parting with £25 and really enjoying an excellent wine. You don't have to glug down a bottle of Hardys sickly sweet Zinfandel rose each, it would totally trash the stew anyway.
Secondly, don't be snobby about it, tell them, but don't be snobby. More "I picked up a really nice wine tonight guys". Less "careful with that bottle it's worth more than your car...!!". But talk about it, I love talking about the wine I've just poured for someone. Remember one or two interesting lines about the wine and how it goes with the food and get into it, if you're going to drink a good wine, do it properly. Do it socially, don't keep it to yourself.
I'm going to suggest Te Koko, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand, available in good wine shops for about £22. Cloudy Bay is a modern classic region and this is the premium wine from them with an interesting twist, they've really pushed themselves to compete with the famous French Sancerre style. Bone dry, with minerality and flintiness, but a really interesting complex full flavour. The reason this wine is above the rest is the roundness, depth of flavour, the balance between fruit and acidity, the length of finish. A lot of cheaper Sauvignons are over acidic or bland and almost nondescript (they just taste like wine don't they?). This one really has its own identity, something you'll remember, a benchmark you'll refer to or a stepping stone you'll jump from.
I find spotting an expensive white easier than an expensive red. Here's why.
As a red gets older and aged it starts to act a bit like your granddad. Frustratingly confused, erratic and often hard work. A dusty old fella from some remote corner of a vineyard, sat in a comfy barrel and transferred to a bottle when it couldn't make it up the stairs on it own. What I'm saying is they can be so complex, especially old Bordeaux, that I mistake them for inferior new world. An over fermented, high alcohol Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon, can masquerade as an intense St Emillion Cru. A deep almost rust colour and a real length are the leading signs to look out for in an old, expensive, good wine.
I'm going to recommend a Bordeaux. I have to. My favourite, a Haut-Medoc. 2005 Chateau Les Vimieres, Haut-Medoc, available from Wines Of Interest (www.winesofinterest.co.uk) £21.75 but absolutely in every way, worth it. Expect it to taste like a French cellar, deep and dark and a little scary at first. It won't taste as fruit driven as a younger wine and looks slightly rustier in colour. It's had a lot of time in the bottle and that's going to allow crazy slow, chemical reactions to play positive, desirable havoc with the wine, giving it a mustier, earthier, refined and more complex taste. A taste that will last for ages and keep coming back for more, unlike a lot of cheap wines, that, like meeting a girl in a bar, are initially fun but don't last.
I'd definitely suggest a cheeky decant, a rest. Just pour the whole bottle out into a jug, any old jug, and (carefully) back into the bottle if you haven't got a decanter, and don't put a stopper in unless you're about to put it away for the night. Remember your granddad, just like he needs to relax after a walk, a wine needs to relax after a pour, needs to catch its breath after 5 years in a bottle. Enjoy.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Friday 22 October 2010
Nachos
I was feeeling a little worse for wear after a late night and perhaps a little too much wine, so I wanted something stodgy for lunch and so had a cheese and baen jacket potato, which did the job perfectly.
Mr P and I popped out for a drink after work and were a bit peckish so we decided to get some nachos with cheese, jalapinos, guacomole, salsa and sour cream. They were a very nice nd to the working week but weren't quite as good as the nachoes I make according to Mr P. They lacked a serious amount of cheese.
Mr P and I popped out for a drink after work and were a bit peckish so we decided to get some nachos with cheese, jalapinos, guacomole, salsa and sour cream. They were a very nice nd to the working week but weren't quite as good as the nachoes I make according to Mr P. They lacked a serious amount of cheese.
Thursday 21 October 2010
Duo of lamb at Foyles literary dinner
I was out of the office this morning, so didn't have my usual weetabix and instead has oats and honey special k, with a cup of tea, which was lovely.
After loosing my phone and feeling sorry for myself at Brighton station I went to Upper Crust and bought a hunters chicken baguette, which was filled with chicken, cheese, barbeque sauce, bacon and spinach. It was quite tasty, but there was a huge amount of barbeque sauce, slightly too much I'd say. I had a bottle of coke alongside it.
I went to Foyles 80th anniversary gala dinner for the booksellers literary luncheons. It was a very glamouous affair with guests including Sir David Frost, Kate Adi, Frederick Forsyth and Tara Palmer Tomkinson. The menu was:
Chilled crab salad, artichoke, french beans and tomato vinaigrette. - This tasted delicious but I didn't think it looked so pretty. It was served with Emporium Sauvingnon Blanc, Venezia 2008/9.
Duo of lamb, sweet garlic and thyme jus, rosemary potato cake, provencal vegetables, french beans. It was served with Emporium Shiraz Sicily 2008/9. The light wine complimented the tender lamb perfectly . The jus was delicate and the potato was delicious - all round a lovely course.
Dessert was a bitter chocolate mousse with orange sorbet. I was originally very dissapointed to see chocolate on the menu as I would rarely choose a chocolate dessert as I find them too heavy. However this was actually very light and went beautifully with the orange sorbet.
After loosing my phone and feeling sorry for myself at Brighton station I went to Upper Crust and bought a hunters chicken baguette, which was filled with chicken, cheese, barbeque sauce, bacon and spinach. It was quite tasty, but there was a huge amount of barbeque sauce, slightly too much I'd say. I had a bottle of coke alongside it.
I went to Foyles 80th anniversary gala dinner for the booksellers literary luncheons. It was a very glamouous affair with guests including Sir David Frost, Kate Adi, Frederick Forsyth and Tara Palmer Tomkinson. The menu was:
Chilled crab salad, artichoke, french beans and tomato vinaigrette. - This tasted delicious but I didn't think it looked so pretty. It was served with Emporium Sauvingnon Blanc, Venezia 2008/9.
Duo of lamb, sweet garlic and thyme jus, rosemary potato cake, provencal vegetables, french beans. It was served with Emporium Shiraz Sicily 2008/9. The light wine complimented the tender lamb perfectly . The jus was delicate and the potato was delicious - all round a lovely course.
Dessert was a bitter chocolate mousse with orange sorbet. I was originally very dissapointed to see chocolate on the menu as I would rarely choose a chocolate dessert as I find them too heavy. However this was actually very light and went beautifully with the orange sorbet.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Chinese take-away
For lunch today I was pretty starving, so needed a little something more than just my soup and so opted for some hot and spicy chicken wings from the hot chicken wings from the Tesco hot chicken counter.
I first ate my chilli pumpkin soup, also courtesy of Tesco. This was delicious, certainly spicier than I was expecting, but really good and smooth. I've decided I really like smooth soup. I had it with a mediterranean roll, which I think may have had some kind of tomato and herb in, but wasn't anything special.
I think tucked into my chicken wings, oh what a mess. I quickly came to the conclusion that there is no way you can eat chicken wings glamourously. I had chilli sauce all over my hands, in my finger nails and around my face. Not pleasant at all. Plus I think they stunk the office out. I felt slightly odd eating meat off the bone at my desk, like eating something like corn on the cob at your desk, its just done the done thing I guess. It's kinda a personal thing getting all covered in sauce and trying to peel meat of the bone with your teeth and not the type of thing you want to siteating while your boss looks over at you thinking you're slightly strange. I ate six of the ten and then put the rest in the fridge for another time.
I once again snacked on almonds and dried apricots and enjoyed some lovely orange squash. I know it sounds ridiculous but you can't beat a nice glass of orange squash, particularly the high juice varieties. I have some M&S high juice on my desk and is a lovely change from water every so often.
Mr P and I were particularly lazy tonight and couldn't be bothered with cooking anything so we decided to get a chinese takeaway. I had house special chow mein, my fave from our local chinese, and also beef with mixed vegetables. I really like our Chinese, its not too greasy and is always really yum.
I first ate my chilli pumpkin soup, also courtesy of Tesco. This was delicious, certainly spicier than I was expecting, but really good and smooth. I've decided I really like smooth soup. I had it with a mediterranean roll, which I think may have had some kind of tomato and herb in, but wasn't anything special.
I think tucked into my chicken wings, oh what a mess. I quickly came to the conclusion that there is no way you can eat chicken wings glamourously. I had chilli sauce all over my hands, in my finger nails and around my face. Not pleasant at all. Plus I think they stunk the office out. I felt slightly odd eating meat off the bone at my desk, like eating something like corn on the cob at your desk, its just done the done thing I guess. It's kinda a personal thing getting all covered in sauce and trying to peel meat of the bone with your teeth and not the type of thing you want to siteating while your boss looks over at you thinking you're slightly strange. I ate six of the ten and then put the rest in the fridge for another time.
I once again snacked on almonds and dried apricots and enjoyed some lovely orange squash. I know it sounds ridiculous but you can't beat a nice glass of orange squash, particularly the high juice varieties. I have some M&S high juice on my desk and is a lovely change from water every so often.
Mr P and I were particularly lazy tonight and couldn't be bothered with cooking anything so we decided to get a chinese takeaway. I had house special chow mein, my fave from our local chinese, and also beef with mixed vegetables. I really like our Chinese, its not too greasy and is always really yum.
Tuesday 19 October 2010
La Reine pizza
I once again had my standard Weetbix plus soup for lunch and breakfast today, which were both enjoyable.
I am getting into the bad routine of wanting a chocolate bar come 4pm every day so I decide to buy some dried apricots and plain almonds which I could snack on whenever I feel slightly peckish. So I had a few this afternoon and I can confirm that they were in fact very good at keeping hunger at bay.
I met up with my lovely friend Chet for dinner at Pizza Express on a good old Pizza Express offer, buy one get one for 53p, I have no idea why its 53p, but I'm not arguing with that. After perusing the menu for about 25 minutes and having changed my mine about six times I plumped for a La Reine pizza. For those of you not familiar with this pizza flavour it is ham, mushroom and olive. We shared a bottle of Frascati and Chet had her 'usual' a margarita.
We had a lovely meal with lots of chatting (I hadn't seen her for 2 and a half years).
I am getting into the bad routine of wanting a chocolate bar come 4pm every day so I decide to buy some dried apricots and plain almonds which I could snack on whenever I feel slightly peckish. So I had a few this afternoon and I can confirm that they were in fact very good at keeping hunger at bay.
I met up with my lovely friend Chet for dinner at Pizza Express on a good old Pizza Express offer, buy one get one for 53p, I have no idea why its 53p, but I'm not arguing with that. After perusing the menu for about 25 minutes and having changed my mine about six times I plumped for a La Reine pizza. For those of you not familiar with this pizza flavour it is ham, mushroom and olive. We shared a bottle of Frascati and Chet had her 'usual' a margarita.
We had a lovely meal with lots of chatting (I hadn't seen her for 2 and a half years).
Monday 18 October 2010
Spicy tomato chicken wraps
I had another Covent Garden soup for lunch today, spicy butternut squash and sweet potato. I think this is probably one of my favourite favours, it's delicious, smooth and creamy yet spicy. I had it with a crusty cheese roll.
This evening I made a mexican chicken wrap thing with all the leftover roast chicken. I fried chopped onion and garlic puree for five or so minutes, then added chopped peppers and mushrooms and fried for a further few minutes before adding a tin of chopped tomatoes, salt, cajun pepper, paprika, thyme and tomato puree. I then left that simmering for about half an hour before adding the chunks of chicken. I cooked this for a further ten mins and then served it with hot tortilla wraps, cheese and and sour cream. I will definitely be making it again, it was really really delicious and a perfect way to use up the last few bits of roast chicken.
This evening I made a mexican chicken wrap thing with all the leftover roast chicken. I fried chopped onion and garlic puree for five or so minutes, then added chopped peppers and mushrooms and fried for a further few minutes before adding a tin of chopped tomatoes, salt, cajun pepper, paprika, thyme and tomato puree. I then left that simmering for about half an hour before adding the chunks of chicken. I cooked this for a further ten mins and then served it with hot tortilla wraps, cheese and and sour cream. I will definitely be making it again, it was really really delicious and a perfect way to use up the last few bits of roast chicken.
Sunday 17 October 2010
Roast chicken
I decided to make breakfast today as Mr P so often makes it at the weekend. I wanted to make my favourite breakfast ever - eggs benedicte.
I toasted a muffin each for us and then dropped two eggs each into a pan of swirling hot water with a dash of vinegar. I was really worried as I've never made proper poached eggs before, but you'll be delighted to hear they turned out perfectly, well apart from being a little overdone. Once the muffins were lightly golden brown I spread some butter over each and placed some ham on top, then the eggs and then drizzled some warmed hollandaise sauce (from a pouch at Sainsburys). I finished each dish with some ground black pepper and was very pleased with my creation.
For lunch we were out and about and due to being skint Mr P made us some ham and lettuce rolls, (one brown and one white each), which did the job perfectly.
Being the excellent chef that he is Mr P made a magnificient roast chicken for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. I had the most lovliest crunchy roast potatoes, chicken, cabbage and carrots with an oddly rectangular yorkshire pudding which was delightful crispy on top but still soft and spongey in the middle. He is very good at batter! It was all covered in some sublimely rich gravy. A lovely lovely meal and was topped off with a glass of Spanish muscadet.
We also bought new crockery yesterday which I certainly think helps improve the taste. Plus everything looks so much more classy now on our square white dishes.
I toasted a muffin each for us and then dropped two eggs each into a pan of swirling hot water with a dash of vinegar. I was really worried as I've never made proper poached eggs before, but you'll be delighted to hear they turned out perfectly, well apart from being a little overdone. Once the muffins were lightly golden brown I spread some butter over each and placed some ham on top, then the eggs and then drizzled some warmed hollandaise sauce (from a pouch at Sainsburys). I finished each dish with some ground black pepper and was very pleased with my creation.
For lunch we were out and about and due to being skint Mr P made us some ham and lettuce rolls, (one brown and one white each), which did the job perfectly.
Being the excellent chef that he is Mr P made a magnificient roast chicken for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. I had the most lovliest crunchy roast potatoes, chicken, cabbage and carrots with an oddly rectangular yorkshire pudding which was delightful crispy on top but still soft and spongey in the middle. He is very good at batter! It was all covered in some sublimely rich gravy. A lovely lovely meal and was topped off with a glass of Spanish muscadet.
We also bought new crockery yesterday which I certainly think helps improve the taste. Plus everything looks so much more classy now on our square white dishes.
Saturday 16 October 2010
Prawn thai yellow curry
Mr P made pancakes for lunch, I had mine with sugar and lime juice and Mr P strangely chose to have bacon.
After going to Sainsbury's and buying some nice food for dinner we had a cup of tea and some mini caramel shortbread things and some chocolate cornflake cakes (my fave).
While Mr P was making dinner I sat and had a lovely glass of New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc and some prawn crackers. Mr P made a prawn yellow thai curry, which had onions, peppers, bamboo shoots and noodles with it and was absolutely gorgeous. Yum.
After going to Sainsbury's and buying some nice food for dinner we had a cup of tea and some mini caramel shortbread things and some chocolate cornflake cakes (my fave).
While Mr P was making dinner I sat and had a lovely glass of New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc and some prawn crackers. Mr P made a prawn yellow thai curry, which had onions, peppers, bamboo shoots and noodles with it and was absolutely gorgeous. Yum.
Friday 15 October 2010
Lamb rogan josh and gurkha chicken
I had the other half of my witches brew soup today, which was very dissapointing indeed after initially loving the first half. It was a mix of pumpkin, beans and tomatoes and the beans had basically all sunk to the bottom despite my best efforts of shaking it up. So my lunch consisted of mouthful after mouthful of kidney beans and what I think were chickpeas. I was so dissapointed with it that I decided to pop to Sainbury's and buy a packet of Walkers salt and vinegar crisps and a galaxy caramel. These certainly did not dissapoint.
To celebrate the weekend after a very busy week Mr P and I decided to go out for a curry. We went to a place called Gurkha Cottage in Crystal Palace. On sitting down we were brought a shot of what I think was fortified wine and a couple of poppadoms with mango chutney, the green yoghurty dip and chopped onions, cucumbers, etc.
We then shared:
Lamb rogan josh
Gurkha chicken - a buttery, creamy dish
Two pilau rice
Plain nann
It was all very nic and was just what I needed on a Friday night.
To celebrate the weekend after a very busy week Mr P and I decided to go out for a curry. We went to a place called Gurkha Cottage in Crystal Palace. On sitting down we were brought a shot of what I think was fortified wine and a couple of poppadoms with mango chutney, the green yoghurty dip and chopped onions, cucumbers, etc.
We then shared:
Lamb rogan josh
Gurkha chicken - a buttery, creamy dish
Two pilau rice
Plain nann
It was all very nic and was just what I needed on a Friday night.
Wine Time
Last week I mentioned trying unusual wines and this week I'm going to carry on that theme and look into Biodynamics. They don't taste unusual, but the production process is definitely unusual.
There's been a significant increase in organic produce in recent years, in the press and especially with local producers. I'm a total convert to the idea, I pay the money (when I can afford it) and can honestly appreciate the ethos behind organics and the environment. I'd lord it over the planet killing minions if I could. But Biodynamics?
Here is the wiki definition of biodynamic wine production. "Like biodynamic agriculture in general, biodynamic viticulture stems from the ideas and suggestions of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), who gave his now famous Agriculture Course in 1924, predating most of the organic movement. The principles and practices of biodynamics are based on his spiritual/practical philosophy, called anthroposophy, which includes understanding the ecological, the energetic, and the spiritual in nature. As a practical method of farming, biodynamics embodies the ideal of ever-increasing ecological self-sufficiency just as with modern agro-ecology, but includes ethical-spiritual considerations. This type of viticulture views the farm as a cohesive, interconnected living system".
Bonkers isn't it? Spiritual agriculture? The producers treat the soil with compounds and powders, hopes and prayers. It sounds to much like a religious belief. Whats next, turning rain into wine and the virgin harvest?
Let's bring it back to drinking, huh? I decided to compare a normal wine with a biodynamic wine from a similar region, grapes and style. A very scientific trial. Eliminate the variables then get my drink on, all in the interest of a blog.
Turns out it's harder to get hold of biodynamic wines than I thought. Wanting to actually get my hands on a bottle or two to try (within my budget of £aslittleaspossible) I wandered into a couple of wine shops. Lots of organic wines, I think consumers are starting to do the same as me and relate to the idea of organics and so producers that make organic wines are putting that front and centre on their labels. I even spent a good 15 minutes rummaging around the wine shelves of M&S looking for some biodynamic wines, but no mention, I didn't bother asking Julie (she looked like Yoda) for some help, the ladies of M&S and lots of the other supermarket wine sellers honestly aren't much help are they? I decided to stick to what I know best and go to work (the wine shop), and drink something I'm used to, Tuscany.
Apparently, I've missed something pretty cool. I need to catch up on some chap called Monty, he had a telly program about producing biodynamic wine!! I'm an idiot. Anyway his original tellybox antics were in France but he's moved to Italy and biodynamically produced Monty's Tuscan Red, 2009 available from Adnams wines. A classic blend of sangiovese and merlot with that typical Italian finish, spicy and warm, but rounded and fruity (I really do love Italian reds), I've often got an Italian red in the cupboard, and there's a few similar wines I've had recently to compare it to, namely chianti's and a few northern Italian country reds. Piccini Reserva, Chianti 2008 from Tesco being a usual suspect, both excellent wines, both similar and I really can't spot the underlying biodynamic difference. There's obviously a slight difference in taste but both sing northern Italy to me.
On reflection, with no positive or negative impact on taste or flavour, (I'm drinking Monty's as I type, FYI) I can only say that, biodynamic and organic wines are a preference just like buying an organic carrot. They taste the same but you feel a little better inside knowing that the ground and the earth and the planet and your soul and your taste buds are at one.
Conclusive, scientific, reasoned proof (opinion). Yes.
On a lighter, totally unrelated side note. I swigged at a generic pinot grigio (La Gioiosa et Amorosa, pinot grigio, Veneta, 2009. More than likely from Tesco or Sainsbury's) post show number 3 in my current run as tech for an amateur theatre company (twitter: @mustardtheatre). Midnight and after almost a whole packet of biscuits. Fairly light, fresh, a little over acidic and typical supermarket fair. Still, after such a situation there is call for any form of alcoholic refreshment, so who cares? That was show 3 and after show 4 the next night, yet another pinot grigio that (I didn't even bother to write down) could have been the same one, but definitely wasn't (I checked...). Equally as uninspired, like teenage poetry, existent but generally ignorable.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
There's been a significant increase in organic produce in recent years, in the press and especially with local producers. I'm a total convert to the idea, I pay the money (when I can afford it) and can honestly appreciate the ethos behind organics and the environment. I'd lord it over the planet killing minions if I could. But Biodynamics?
Here is the wiki definition of biodynamic wine production. "Like biodynamic agriculture in general, biodynamic viticulture stems from the ideas and suggestions of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), who gave his now famous Agriculture Course in 1924, predating most of the organic movement. The principles and practices of biodynamics are based on his spiritual/practical philosophy, called anthroposophy, which includes understanding the ecological, the energetic, and the spiritual in nature. As a practical method of farming, biodynamics embodies the ideal of ever-increasing ecological self-sufficiency just as with modern agro-ecology, but includes ethical-spiritual considerations. This type of viticulture views the farm as a cohesive, interconnected living system".
Bonkers isn't it? Spiritual agriculture? The producers treat the soil with compounds and powders, hopes and prayers. It sounds to much like a religious belief. Whats next, turning rain into wine and the virgin harvest?
Let's bring it back to drinking, huh? I decided to compare a normal wine with a biodynamic wine from a similar region, grapes and style. A very scientific trial. Eliminate the variables then get my drink on, all in the interest of a blog.
Turns out it's harder to get hold of biodynamic wines than I thought. Wanting to actually get my hands on a bottle or two to try (within my budget of £aslittleaspossible) I wandered into a couple of wine shops. Lots of organic wines, I think consumers are starting to do the same as me and relate to the idea of organics and so producers that make organic wines are putting that front and centre on their labels. I even spent a good 15 minutes rummaging around the wine shelves of M&S looking for some biodynamic wines, but no mention, I didn't bother asking Julie (she looked like Yoda) for some help, the ladies of M&S and lots of the other supermarket wine sellers honestly aren't much help are they? I decided to stick to what I know best and go to work (the wine shop), and drink something I'm used to, Tuscany.
Apparently, I've missed something pretty cool. I need to catch up on some chap called Monty, he had a telly program about producing biodynamic wine!! I'm an idiot. Anyway his original tellybox antics were in France but he's moved to Italy and biodynamically produced Monty's Tuscan Red, 2009 available from Adnams wines. A classic blend of sangiovese and merlot with that typical Italian finish, spicy and warm, but rounded and fruity (I really do love Italian reds), I've often got an Italian red in the cupboard, and there's a few similar wines I've had recently to compare it to, namely chianti's and a few northern Italian country reds. Piccini Reserva, Chianti 2008 from Tesco being a usual suspect, both excellent wines, both similar and I really can't spot the underlying biodynamic difference. There's obviously a slight difference in taste but both sing northern Italy to me.
On reflection, with no positive or negative impact on taste or flavour, (I'm drinking Monty's as I type, FYI) I can only say that, biodynamic and organic wines are a preference just like buying an organic carrot. They taste the same but you feel a little better inside knowing that the ground and the earth and the planet and your soul and your taste buds are at one.
Conclusive, scientific, reasoned proof (opinion). Yes.
On a lighter, totally unrelated side note. I swigged at a generic pinot grigio (La Gioiosa et Amorosa, pinot grigio, Veneta, 2009. More than likely from Tesco or Sainsbury's) post show number 3 in my current run as tech for an amateur theatre company (twitter: @mustardtheatre). Midnight and after almost a whole packet of biscuits. Fairly light, fresh, a little over acidic and typical supermarket fair. Still, after such a situation there is call for any form of alcoholic refreshment, so who cares? That was show 3 and after show 4 the next night, yet another pinot grigio that (I didn't even bother to write down) could have been the same one, but definitely wasn't (I checked...). Equally as uninspired, like teenage poetry, existent but generally ignorable.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Thursday 14 October 2010
Chicken fajitas
Me and the work girlies decided to go out for lunch as we couldn't face another day of soup or sandwiches. We popped to a little, rustic Italian which we sometimes frequent for occasions such as Birthdays, leaving lunches, etc.
We shares a bottle of their house red, I'm not sure what it was but it was absolutely delicious!! I had some very thin spaghetti type pasta with cream, bacon and mushrooms. it was very garlicy but very very good. I could eat it all over again right now in fact.
I met my sister after work and we decided to indulge in a few cocktails. We each had two martinis, I had a French martini and a Cherry Blossom one and Laura had an Indian martini and a Passionfruit one. We had them at Dirty Martini in Covent Garden, which i love as they do a very good happy hour deal, half price martinis from 5-10 from monday to thursday - I think it's rude not to have a couple every now and again when they are available for that price.
I then went back to Lauras house where she and her housemate Korina made dinner while I sat on the work service and watched them. We had chicken fajitas. They fried up some strips of onion, red and green pepper, chilli and chicken and then added an Old El Paso packet of smokey barbecue fajita mix. We had it with salad (made up of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions), sour cream and flour tortillas. It was a great meal - thanks girls.
We shares a bottle of their house red, I'm not sure what it was but it was absolutely delicious!! I had some very thin spaghetti type pasta with cream, bacon and mushrooms. it was very garlicy but very very good. I could eat it all over again right now in fact.
I met my sister after work and we decided to indulge in a few cocktails. We each had two martinis, I had a French martini and a Cherry Blossom one and Laura had an Indian martini and a Passionfruit one. We had them at Dirty Martini in Covent Garden, which i love as they do a very good happy hour deal, half price martinis from 5-10 from monday to thursday - I think it's rude not to have a couple every now and again when they are available for that price.
I then went back to Lauras house where she and her housemate Korina made dinner while I sat on the work service and watched them. We had chicken fajitas. They fried up some strips of onion, red and green pepper, chilli and chicken and then added an Old El Paso packet of smokey barbecue fajita mix. We had it with salad (made up of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions), sour cream and flour tortillas. It was a great meal - thanks girls.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Fry up with potato waffles
I had Covent Garden witches brew soup for lunch which I loved. It was pumpkin with beans and tomatoes and other things, it was gorge! I'll definitely get it again.
Mr P made my dinner and it was just what the dr ordered after a rather stressful day. It was a delicious plate of:
Cumberland Sausages
Cheesy scrambled egg
Potato Waffles
Beans
Fried onions and mushrooms
It was really really lovely and extremely filling so I couldn't eat it all unfortunately. My favourite part was the onions, particularly when mixed with the waffle and the beans.
Mr P made my dinner and it was just what the dr ordered after a rather stressful day. It was a delicious plate of:
Cumberland Sausages
Cheesy scrambled egg
Potato Waffles
Beans
Fried onions and mushrooms
It was really really lovely and extremely filling so I couldn't eat it all unfortunately. My favourite part was the onions, particularly when mixed with the waffle and the beans.
Tuesday 12 October 2010
Chilli tuna pasta
I was feeling a little bored of Weetabix this morning so I decided to re-kindle my friendship with marmite that I had originally re-ignited at the weekend. So I had some lovely white toast with butter and marmite - yum!! I fancy some more right now actually.
For lunch i had carrot and corriander soup and a roll again. Nice, but not too much to say about it.
For dinner me and Mr P made a tuna pasta concoction. We fried some onion, garlic and finely cut red chillies in a pan and then added courgettes, an orange pepper and some mushrooms before pouring in a tin of chopped tomatoes, a glug of white wine and a tin of tuna before seasoning it.
We served it with some fresh egg tagliatelle. It was good and filling. After I had a couple of Quality Streets and then ate some Haagen Daas (if thats how you spell it) Bailey's ice cream straight from the tube, which was yum.
For lunch i had carrot and corriander soup and a roll again. Nice, but not too much to say about it.
For dinner me and Mr P made a tuna pasta concoction. We fried some onion, garlic and finely cut red chillies in a pan and then added courgettes, an orange pepper and some mushrooms before pouring in a tin of chopped tomatoes, a glug of white wine and a tin of tuna before seasoning it.
We served it with some fresh egg tagliatelle. It was good and filling. After I had a couple of Quality Streets and then ate some Haagen Daas (if thats how you spell it) Bailey's ice cream straight from the tube, which was yum.
Monday 11 October 2010
Moroccan beef in pitta pockets
Had the usual Weetabix and a cup of tea for breakfast today. Then for lunch I had Sainsbury's carrot and corriander soup with a crusty roll.
I am attempting to be healthy and detox after Frankfurt and the weekend, when I consumed a large amount of alcohol. However once 3pm hit I was absolutely ravinous and so tucked into some mini chocolate bars, including a tiny little crunchy, a mini dairy milk and also some white chocolate toblerone someone bought back from somewhere. Yum.
Mr P and I also popped for a very brief drink after work and I bought some cheese and red onion kettle chips to go with my house red as I was extremely peckish.
For dinner I made a Moroccan beef thing. It was very easy. I fried up some chopped beef and onions in some olive oil and a Moroccan meat rub. I then added some very chunkily chopped courgettes and mushrooms and fried for another five minutes. I served it with some hot pittas filled with humous and the meaty filling. I loved it, the rub is a delicious mix of spices and I would really recommend it, although at present I can't remember the name or make of it.
I am attempting to be healthy and detox after Frankfurt and the weekend, when I consumed a large amount of alcohol. However once 3pm hit I was absolutely ravinous and so tucked into some mini chocolate bars, including a tiny little crunchy, a mini dairy milk and also some white chocolate toblerone someone bought back from somewhere. Yum.
Mr P and I also popped for a very brief drink after work and I bought some cheese and red onion kettle chips to go with my house red as I was extremely peckish.
For dinner I made a Moroccan beef thing. It was very easy. I fried up some chopped beef and onions in some olive oil and a Moroccan meat rub. I then added some very chunkily chopped courgettes and mushrooms and fried for another five minutes. I served it with some hot pittas filled with humous and the meaty filling. I loved it, the rub is a delicious mix of spices and I would really recommend it, although at present I can't remember the name or make of it.
Sunday 10 October 2010
Asparagus, pea and chicken risotto
For breakfast mum made me some tea and toast with marmite. I forget how much I love marmite on toast especially with 'proper' butter. Yum.
I then met up with my friend Emily for lunch and as it was so unusually sunny we decided to sit in a little beer garden. We both had prawn, lemon mayo and rocket sandwiches on granary bread with a bowl of chips to share. It was nice but had taken absolutely ages to come which is a bit annoying when all you're waiting for is a sandwich, but luckily we had the lovely sun and lots of chats to keep us amused.
My dad made me and mum dinner whilst we watched Strictly and X Factor. It was very very delicious, we had asparagus, pea and chicken risotto, which was gorge. The onions were sliced into thin strips and were really soft, which is exactly how I love onions. I also love peas in risotto because they almost pop when you bite into them. Dad had kept the skin on the chicken, which I am not often a big fan of, but it added not just an extra taste but a different texture. I particularly enjoyed teaming the skin with some asparagus, the two flavours seem to complement each other perfectly. On the side we had a pea shoot salad - yum, and my favourite wine in the world, a New Zealand Sauvingnon Blan
I then met up with my friend Emily for lunch and as it was so unusually sunny we decided to sit in a little beer garden. We both had prawn, lemon mayo and rocket sandwiches on granary bread with a bowl of chips to share. It was nice but had taken absolutely ages to come which is a bit annoying when all you're waiting for is a sandwich, but luckily we had the lovely sun and lots of chats to keep us amused.
My dad made me and mum dinner whilst we watched Strictly and X Factor. It was very very delicious, we had asparagus, pea and chicken risotto, which was gorge. The onions were sliced into thin strips and were really soft, which is exactly how I love onions. I also love peas in risotto because they almost pop when you bite into them. Dad had kept the skin on the chicken, which I am not often a big fan of, but it added not just an extra taste but a different texture. I particularly enjoyed teaming the skin with some asparagus, the two flavours seem to complement each other perfectly. On the side we had a pea shoot salad - yum, and my favourite wine in the world, a New Zealand Sauvingnon Blan
Saturday 9 October 2010
Home made lasagne
I love the weekend because breakfasts can be so adventurous, so much better than my standard Weetabix. Mr P made me pancakes again this morning (I am such a lucky girl). I had them with sugar and lime whereas he had cheese. They were very yummy and he is an amazing pancake maker.
I went home to see the parentals this weekend, so on arriving home ma n pa made a tasty asian selection for lunch consisting of a thai chicken soup (Tesco finest and ABSOLUTELY gorgeous) and then a vegetable spring roll and a chicken tikka samosa. It was all very tasty, however due to the ulcer of doom still reigning my bottom lip it was a little difficult to eat.
I held a little dinner party with three friends this evening, which went very well indeed. I decided to make lasagne as its a dish everyone likes and one which you can just bung in the oven with minimal faffing. I decided to make the bolognaise mix a few hours in advance in order to give it time to infuse.
First I chopped some onions and sweated them with some finely chopped and crushed garlic (which my mum did). After these had softened I added 800 grams of lean mince and some diced smokey bacon then let both cook before adding a tin of chopped tomatoes and a carton of passata. After letting it simmer a little longer I added some chopped red and green pepper then seasoned it with salt, herb de Provence, crushed coriander seeds, crushed chilli seeds and cinnamon. I then left it simmering gently for about an hour.
Later on once the girls were here and we were drinking sparkling pinot grigio whilst tucking into various types and flavours of crisps, caramelised onion humous and pitta breads I arranged the lasagne in its dish. First I put a layer of the meaty sauce followed by some sliced fresh mozzarella and then a layer of fresh pasta, I repeated this several times before topping the last layer with white sauce and covered that in fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan. I then put it into the oven for 25 minutes until it was slightly brown on top.
I served it with a (Tesco finest) garlic bread pizza and some salad. Oh and a glass of that mini red chianti Dan spoke about last week. It was all very nice and my guests seemed to enjoy it however after slaving over it all afternoon I was pretty much sick of the sight of it so didn't quite demolish mine.
After refraining from the table to watch X Factor I popped a delicious apple and sultana crumble in the oven which my wonderful friend Faye's mum had made. It was lovely with a really tasty crumble topping. I served it with some custard which I unfortunately burnt, but it was still tasty nonetheless. A very very successful evening.
I went home to see the parentals this weekend, so on arriving home ma n pa made a tasty asian selection for lunch consisting of a thai chicken soup (Tesco finest and ABSOLUTELY gorgeous) and then a vegetable spring roll and a chicken tikka samosa. It was all very tasty, however due to the ulcer of doom still reigning my bottom lip it was a little difficult to eat.
I held a little dinner party with three friends this evening, which went very well indeed. I decided to make lasagne as its a dish everyone likes and one which you can just bung in the oven with minimal faffing. I decided to make the bolognaise mix a few hours in advance in order to give it time to infuse.
First I chopped some onions and sweated them with some finely chopped and crushed garlic (which my mum did). After these had softened I added 800 grams of lean mince and some diced smokey bacon then let both cook before adding a tin of chopped tomatoes and a carton of passata. After letting it simmer a little longer I added some chopped red and green pepper then seasoned it with salt, herb de Provence, crushed coriander seeds, crushed chilli seeds and cinnamon. I then left it simmering gently for about an hour.
Later on once the girls were here and we were drinking sparkling pinot grigio whilst tucking into various types and flavours of crisps, caramelised onion humous and pitta breads I arranged the lasagne in its dish. First I put a layer of the meaty sauce followed by some sliced fresh mozzarella and then a layer of fresh pasta, I repeated this several times before topping the last layer with white sauce and covered that in fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan. I then put it into the oven for 25 minutes until it was slightly brown on top.
I served it with a (Tesco finest) garlic bread pizza and some salad. Oh and a glass of that mini red chianti Dan spoke about last week. It was all very nice and my guests seemed to enjoy it however after slaving over it all afternoon I was pretty much sick of the sight of it so didn't quite demolish mine.
After refraining from the table to watch X Factor I popped a delicious apple and sultana crumble in the oven which my wonderful friend Faye's mum had made. It was lovely with a really tasty crumble topping. I served it with some custard which I unfortunately burnt, but it was still tasty nonetheless. A very very successful evening.
Friday 8 October 2010
It's wine time
Last week at work somebody asked me "what does oaky mean?".
This was a new bartender at the pub I work in, just 18, and knows very little about wine. To sell or suggest wines to customers is an important part of bar service as well as pulling pints. I tend to get the enjoyable but occasionally frustrating job of 'wine training' as I can talk like I can type...I conducted an impromptu wine tasting there and then. I find it's much better to "taste the difference" (thanks Tesco) between wines rather than explain them. Think of it as trying to explain the difference in taste between a lemon and a lime, it's tricky. 'Oaked' loosely means ageing wines after fermentation in various forms of oak barrels which imparts a taste in the wine. Even simpler, If you left some water in a wooden box for a month, then drank it, it would taste 'woody'.
We serve lots of wines by the glass so I poured a small measure of an un-oaked, peachy Burgundy and a feisty, spicy oaked Australian Chardonnay. Both are really different, and at the same time really tasty. The fruity and buttery complexities of the burgundy, with a refreshing finish that lingers impressed my young barman with it's initial simplicity too. On to the oaky Chardonnay, a totally different affair, a shorter taste experience, like a slap in the face, with big fruit, acidity and that oak, powerful and warm. Nothing like the burgundy, and a question answered. We spent two minutes tasting and he could taste the oak, and begin to get a grip of a complicated subject that wine geeks like me can spend all day discussing. Someone once told me I'd be a good teacher, but you can't drink wine all day as a teacher, right?
Whether you prefer your wine oaked or un-oaked, opinions about wines are totally personal and that’s a good thing. It's your call. There's so many to choose from!! Lots of people tell me that they either "don't like" wine or they're "not too keen" on it. In my opinion, which is exactly what this blog is about, 50% of those people just haven't tasted the right one. I think I shouldn't tell you that, you should figure it out for yourself, it’s more fun that way. Spend some money, share a bottle with friends and choose something new... Take the hit on a wine you don't like and be impressed when you find a beauty. That being said, I work in a wine shop I've got pretty much unlimited access to trying wines, but on the tasting bar at good wine shops, so have you, don't be afraid to ask.
So, on reflection here are a couple of unusual recommendations for this week. Grapes from places you might not expect and countries you may have never known produced wine.
Tim Gramp, Grenache, Australia 2008, from Adnams wines. Grenache being popular and probably more well known for Spanish wines, and also a popular grape for rosé wines. This Australian red is different, big and bold but an almost floral taste with a kick of parma-violets, a hint of spice and some excellent cherry and plum fruit flavours. Unusual but really very nice. This Grenache would have gone brilliantly with V.G's lamb goulash from Sunday 3rd October. Goulash and Grenache, not just convenient word play...
Next, Hungary? No not food, the country (it's spelt differently...), they make fantastic wines you know. I've been hearing lots and lots of good things about them on the grapevine (I'm good, huh?). Apparently tricky to get hold of, and don't bother with the supermarket stuff. I've taken the stress out of research for you, get yourself on the internet and grab a bottle or two from www.mephistowines.co.uk. They are UK's main importer of Hungarian fine wine, but all still around a tenner a bottle, brilliant. I've been a little cheeky and emailed them asking for some free samples to give you a proper review of some specific wines. I'll keep you posted.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
This was a new bartender at the pub I work in, just 18, and knows very little about wine. To sell or suggest wines to customers is an important part of bar service as well as pulling pints. I tend to get the enjoyable but occasionally frustrating job of 'wine training' as I can talk like I can type...I conducted an impromptu wine tasting there and then. I find it's much better to "taste the difference" (thanks Tesco) between wines rather than explain them. Think of it as trying to explain the difference in taste between a lemon and a lime, it's tricky. 'Oaked' loosely means ageing wines after fermentation in various forms of oak barrels which imparts a taste in the wine. Even simpler, If you left some water in a wooden box for a month, then drank it, it would taste 'woody'.
We serve lots of wines by the glass so I poured a small measure of an un-oaked, peachy Burgundy and a feisty, spicy oaked Australian Chardonnay. Both are really different, and at the same time really tasty. The fruity and buttery complexities of the burgundy, with a refreshing finish that lingers impressed my young barman with it's initial simplicity too. On to the oaky Chardonnay, a totally different affair, a shorter taste experience, like a slap in the face, with big fruit, acidity and that oak, powerful and warm. Nothing like the burgundy, and a question answered. We spent two minutes tasting and he could taste the oak, and begin to get a grip of a complicated subject that wine geeks like me can spend all day discussing. Someone once told me I'd be a good teacher, but you can't drink wine all day as a teacher, right?
Whether you prefer your wine oaked or un-oaked, opinions about wines are totally personal and that’s a good thing. It's your call. There's so many to choose from!! Lots of people tell me that they either "don't like" wine or they're "not too keen" on it. In my opinion, which is exactly what this blog is about, 50% of those people just haven't tasted the right one. I think I shouldn't tell you that, you should figure it out for yourself, it’s more fun that way. Spend some money, share a bottle with friends and choose something new... Take the hit on a wine you don't like and be impressed when you find a beauty. That being said, I work in a wine shop I've got pretty much unlimited access to trying wines, but on the tasting bar at good wine shops, so have you, don't be afraid to ask.
So, on reflection here are a couple of unusual recommendations for this week. Grapes from places you might not expect and countries you may have never known produced wine.
Tim Gramp, Grenache, Australia 2008, from Adnams wines. Grenache being popular and probably more well known for Spanish wines, and also a popular grape for rosé wines. This Australian red is different, big and bold but an almost floral taste with a kick of parma-violets, a hint of spice and some excellent cherry and plum fruit flavours. Unusual but really very nice. This Grenache would have gone brilliantly with V.G's lamb goulash from Sunday 3rd October. Goulash and Grenache, not just convenient word play...
Next, Hungary? No not food, the country (it's spelt differently...), they make fantastic wines you know. I've been hearing lots and lots of good things about them on the grapevine (I'm good, huh?). Apparently tricky to get hold of, and don't bother with the supermarket stuff. I've taken the stress out of research for you, get yourself on the internet and grab a bottle or two from www.mephistowines.co.uk. They are UK's main importer of Hungarian fine wine, but all still around a tenner a bottle, brilliant. I've been a little cheeky and emailed them asking for some free samples to give you a proper review of some specific wines. I'll keep you posted.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Pork belly with spring onion mash
Back at work today, so the cheese for breakfast was not on the menu today and instead I was back to my usual weetabix.
For lunch I met up with a friend in a little cafe on High Holborn called Nosh. We both had a meal deal of a sandwich, crisps and a drink. Having a really bad ulcer meant eating was pretty much unbearable, so I didn't eat many of my salt and pepper flavour crisps. My sandwich was alright, it was chicken and avocado, but it was a little dry and lacking in avocado. A nice chat over lunch though.
For dinner Mr P and I decided to eat at our local pub The Bridge House in Penge. I felt like a good wholesome meal after a draining week and so I chose the pork belly cooked in cider with spring onion mash, vegetables (green beans, carrots and brocolli) with gravy and some crackling. It was absolutely delicious and exactly what I felt like having. Mr P had cumberland sausage and mash, which was also lovely. We shared a bottle of Pinot Noir with it which was a lovely light yet fruity red.
For lunch I met up with a friend in a little cafe on High Holborn called Nosh. We both had a meal deal of a sandwich, crisps and a drink. Having a really bad ulcer meant eating was pretty much unbearable, so I didn't eat many of my salt and pepper flavour crisps. My sandwich was alright, it was chicken and avocado, but it was a little dry and lacking in avocado. A nice chat over lunch though.
For dinner Mr P and I decided to eat at our local pub The Bridge House in Penge. I felt like a good wholesome meal after a draining week and so I chose the pork belly cooked in cider with spring onion mash, vegetables (green beans, carrots and brocolli) with gravy and some crackling. It was absolutely delicious and exactly what I felt like having. Mr P had cumberland sausage and mash, which was also lovely. We shared a bottle of Pinot Noir with it which was a lovely light yet fruity red.
Thursday 7 October 2010
Toasted pittas and red pepper humous
We visited the breakfast buffet once again today and this morning I was enticed by the warm hard boiled eggs, so I tucked into them and had two. I'd forgotten how much I love boiled eggs, I should really have more of them. I also obviously couldn't resist some kind of cheese and bread combo so I had a white roll with some phillidelphia.
Mid-morning I bought a selection of snacks to keep the spirits up in the news room, so I tucked into lots of cheese and onion crisps, a twix and some fruit salad. Plus a double espresso and a bottle of Sprite.
As I was travelling back to London all afternoon I didn't really have my regular lunch or evening meal. I instead had some pad thai in one of those lovely little take-away cartons while I waited for my train from Frankfurt at about half three. It was quite tasty but I have a horrible ulcer in my mouth at the moment making it extremely painful to eat, so it perhaps wasn't the most pleasurable experience.
I got home very late so too late for any kind of proper meal so I just toasted some pittas and dipped them into red pepper humous whilst sat on the kitchen counter chatting to Mr P. Happy to be home.
Mid-morning I bought a selection of snacks to keep the spirits up in the news room, so I tucked into lots of cheese and onion crisps, a twix and some fruit salad. Plus a double espresso and a bottle of Sprite.
As I was travelling back to London all afternoon I didn't really have my regular lunch or evening meal. I instead had some pad thai in one of those lovely little take-away cartons while I waited for my train from Frankfurt at about half three. It was quite tasty but I have a horrible ulcer in my mouth at the moment making it extremely painful to eat, so it perhaps wasn't the most pleasurable experience.
I got home very late so too late for any kind of proper meal so I just toasted some pittas and dipped them into red pepper humous whilst sat on the kitchen counter chatting to Mr P. Happy to be home.
Wednesday 6 October 2010
Seafood linguine
I love breakfast buffets in hotels, I always plump for things I would never normally have. So at breakfast today I chose a piece of stodgy oaty bread, if I were to use one word for it it would be dry, and it didn't help much that the butter was rock solid and sat in clumps instead of spreading evenly. I then decided to have a granary roll and some cheese. I love that sliced cheese you get for breakfast in foreign hotels, slightly rubbery, but oh so tasty. I washed that all down with a black coffee, a glass of orange juice and a glass of mixed fruit juice.
Another hugely busy day, but just managed to squeeze lunch in. Once again I opted for cheese and bread for what felt like the 37th meal in a row. This time it was a square granary roll with sliced camambert, rocket and cucumber. I really loved it.
In the evening I went out for dinner to a nice Italian restaurant where we sat outside enjoying the pleasant Frankfurt evening. Me and my friend shared a side salad to start, although we didn't set out to do this, the waitress just brought it at the wrong time. Then I had seafood linguine, which was so so nice. I have been steering away from squid since Mr P and I had our squid overload in Spain, however this reignited my love for the fish once again. It was beautifully soft and not rubbery at all.
Another hugely busy day, but just managed to squeeze lunch in. Once again I opted for cheese and bread for what felt like the 37th meal in a row. This time it was a square granary roll with sliced camambert, rocket and cucumber. I really loved it.
In the evening I went out for dinner to a nice Italian restaurant where we sat outside enjoying the pleasant Frankfurt evening. Me and my friend shared a side salad to start, although we didn't set out to do this, the waitress just brought it at the wrong time. Then I had seafood linguine, which was so so nice. I have been steering away from squid since Mr P and I had our squid overload in Spain, however this reignited my love for the fish once again. It was beautifully soft and not rubbery at all.
Tuesday 5 October 2010
German Chinese
Despite having to catch an earlyish train from Cologne to Frankfurt this morning I decided to go grab a coffee outside the station to sample the delights Cologne had to offer. The train station and my hotel were right next to the cathedral, which was really rather beautiful, so I had black coffee sitting in a cafe on a square near to the cathedral, then went to MacDonalds in the station and got an orange juice and a toasted thing with cheese and bacon in it. Classy this was not, but enjoyable none the less.
For lunch inside the book fair I basically had a larger version of what I had for lunch, a ham and cheese pannini. It was actually hugely enjoyable and I had it with a coke.
After an extremely busy day and lots of wine my colleagues and I went for a chinese. We shared a selection of things:
Satay chicken
Pork and vegetable with black bean sauce
Crispy duck
Chicken chow main
Egg fried rice
It was all pretty standard chinese but very tasty and just what we needed after a slightly hectic day.
For lunch inside the book fair I basically had a larger version of what I had for lunch, a ham and cheese pannini. It was actually hugely enjoyable and I had it with a coke.
After an extremely busy day and lots of wine my colleagues and I went for a chinese. We shared a selection of things:
Satay chicken
Pork and vegetable with black bean sauce
Crispy duck
Chicken chow main
Egg fried rice
It was all pretty standard chinese but very tasty and just what we needed after a slightly hectic day.
Monday 4 October 2010
Tinned soup
For breakfast today I had my usual weetabix and cup of tea, which was nice as I am going to Germany today for Frankfurt Book Fair, so I'll be away from my normal routine for a good few days.
For lunch I heated up the remains of last nights goulash and served it with a bread roll and some alfresco (lettuce, peppers and carrot) salad with a drizzle of mayo. The goulash tasted even better after stewing in its own juices for almost a day. I love it when food tastes even better the next day, I think both lasagne and bolognaise are this type of dish as well. The meat tasted really tender and it was really nice to have a 'proper' meal for lunch.
And it was a good job I had a 'proper' lunch because when I arrived at my hotel in Cologne at half nine I almost didn't have any dinner. I eventually decided to pop down to the bar and see what they could give me,a ll they had were two tins of soup, so I decided to have one of those and take it back upto my room with a large glass of wine... oh what a disaster that was. On opening my room door my wine glass started wobbling and the entire contents of the glass cascaded all over the floor. Thank goodness it was a wooden floor though. So I spent the next ten mins on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor and by the time I had finished I didn't particularly feel like my soup.
I ate most of it anyway and it was surprisingly nice. It had pieces of bacon, frankfurter sausage, potato and lentils. I really was quite delicious.
For lunch I heated up the remains of last nights goulash and served it with a bread roll and some alfresco (lettuce, peppers and carrot) salad with a drizzle of mayo. The goulash tasted even better after stewing in its own juices for almost a day. I love it when food tastes even better the next day, I think both lasagne and bolognaise are this type of dish as well. The meat tasted really tender and it was really nice to have a 'proper' meal for lunch.
And it was a good job I had a 'proper' lunch because when I arrived at my hotel in Cologne at half nine I almost didn't have any dinner. I eventually decided to pop down to the bar and see what they could give me,a ll they had were two tins of soup, so I decided to have one of those and take it back upto my room with a large glass of wine... oh what a disaster that was. On opening my room door my wine glass started wobbling and the entire contents of the glass cascaded all over the floor. Thank goodness it was a wooden floor though. So I spent the next ten mins on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor and by the time I had finished I didn't particularly feel like my soup.
I ate most of it anyway and it was surprisingly nice. It had pieces of bacon, frankfurter sausage, potato and lentils. I really was quite delicious.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Lamb goulash with tagliatelle
Pancakes again for breakfast today. Mr P is an exceptionally good pancake maker, today I had one with ham and cheese and another three with lime and sugar.
Due to being out and about, going to Ikea, getting my nails done, etc etc I shockingly didn't have any lunch. I only realised this on going to meet Mr P for a drink with his friend. When I got to the bar and ordered a glass of wine I realised I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, so we had a couple of packets of crisps, one ham and mustard (which tasted suspiciously like smokey bacon) and cheese and chive.
For dinner I made a goulash for the two of us after Mr P's very successful meal yesterday. I browned off some chunks of New Zealand lamb in a pan with some olive oil, chunky onions and a tablespoon of flour. I then added some diced smokey bacon, mushrooms, a tin of chopped tomatoes and half a cup of chicken stock. I let this simmer for about 15 minutes before adding some green peppers and around 1-2 tablespoons of paprika. I then left that simmering gently for about an hour while I watched X Factor.
After an hour had passed I added a large spoon of sour cream and stirred it in before putting on some fresh tagliatelle to boil. After five minutes I served the goulash on top of the tagliatelle with another dollop of sour cream on top. It was so so nice. A very wholesome but quite simple meal.
Due to being out and about, going to Ikea, getting my nails done, etc etc I shockingly didn't have any lunch. I only realised this on going to meet Mr P for a drink with his friend. When I got to the bar and ordered a glass of wine I realised I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, so we had a couple of packets of crisps, one ham and mustard (which tasted suspiciously like smokey bacon) and cheese and chive.
For dinner I made a goulash for the two of us after Mr P's very successful meal yesterday. I browned off some chunks of New Zealand lamb in a pan with some olive oil, chunky onions and a tablespoon of flour. I then added some diced smokey bacon, mushrooms, a tin of chopped tomatoes and half a cup of chicken stock. I let this simmer for about 15 minutes before adding some green peppers and around 1-2 tablespoons of paprika. I then left that simmering gently for about an hour while I watched X Factor.
After an hour had passed I added a large spoon of sour cream and stirred it in before putting on some fresh tagliatelle to boil. After five minutes I served the goulash on top of the tagliatelle with another dollop of sour cream on top. It was so so nice. A very wholesome but quite simple meal.
Saturday 2 October 2010
Chicken breast with asparagus, potato dauiphinoise and exotic mushroom sauce
Mr P spoiled me with lots of lovely food today. He made me my favourite breakfast in the world, pancakes. I had three big pancakes with lime (not the usual lemon juice, which worked really well) and caster sugar. Yum!
I made us a late lunch whilst watching Gillette Soccer Saturday. We had frozen breaded cod with mushy peas, and I also had ketchup. Ever so easy yet ever so tasty.
While I was relaxing with a glass of wine in front of Strictly and the X Factor Mr P made me a delicious dinner. He served up chicken breast stuffed with tomato puree and garlic wrapped in bacon on a bed of asparagus and potato dauphinoise. The chicken was perfectly moist and the asparagus was delicious. Mr P usually likes his asparagus cooked to death, but he kept it a little bit crunchy for me. The potato was so so nice, really creamy with lovely strips of onions.
He served the meal with a wild mushroom sauce, which he told me consisted of milk, the juice the mushrooms had been sitting in (they are those dry exotic mushrooms you have to soak before using) and a few other things like seasoning - it was AMAZING. I love wild mushrooms. It was probably the best meal Mr P has ever made me. I will make him dinner on sunday night in return.
I made us a late lunch whilst watching Gillette Soccer Saturday. We had frozen breaded cod with mushy peas, and I also had ketchup. Ever so easy yet ever so tasty.
While I was relaxing with a glass of wine in front of Strictly and the X Factor Mr P made me a delicious dinner. He served up chicken breast stuffed with tomato puree and garlic wrapped in bacon on a bed of asparagus and potato dauphinoise. The chicken was perfectly moist and the asparagus was delicious. Mr P usually likes his asparagus cooked to death, but he kept it a little bit crunchy for me. The potato was so so nice, really creamy with lovely strips of onions.
He served the meal with a wild mushroom sauce, which he told me consisted of milk, the juice the mushrooms had been sitting in (they are those dry exotic mushrooms you have to soak before using) and a few other things like seasoning - it was AMAZING. I love wild mushrooms. It was probably the best meal Mr P has ever made me. I will make him dinner on sunday night in return.
Friday 1 October 2010
It's wine time
Wine, wine, wine, welcome to the, hopefully weekly, guest appearance by me at On The Menu Today. I’ve known VG for ages, and have recently started working in a wine shop. Free samples, drinking at work, a healthy interest and words to say. I talk about wine all day and already have a bunch of stories about customers, unusual wines and events to share. I’ll be recommending and drinking wines from supermarkets to small scale producers, wines I like and wines I don’t. It’s an anything goes situation, so strap in.
First up, The Aldeburgh Food Festival, last weekend 26th/27th September. It was overcast, the merchandising people had placed our stock trailer about a mile from the stall and the till wasn’t working. My job for the day was chatting up festival goers and getting them to try wine and hopefully, buy wine. We had a red and a white planned for opening, the sun was trying its best at 12am, so we had plenty of take up on 2010 The Beach House White, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, by Douglas Green from South Africa, available for £7 from Adnams Wines. It tastes like a biting into watermelon that’s been stuffed with an apple that’s been filled with gooseberries, if you’ve ever done that. A “wappleberrie” or a “watergoople”, anyone?”. Crisp, fruity and fresh.
Once the rain set in, I needed a jumper and my uniform is only made in sizes XL or M, both generous, so I spent the afternoon drowned in a pale blue XL crew jersey, and partially drowned by the downpour. So we all went for a beer and some food to warm up. Lunch came in the form of free samples (sausages, hams, breads, cakes, fudge, vegetables, crisps, chillies, chocolate, and more ... all excellent) and a vegetarian cous cous dish, which was far too spicy for my taste. I even got in a little time for ‘C-list Celebrity Spotting’, the highlights being Valentine Warner and Matthew Fort (Google them, I did). We were pitched between the Aspall Cyder tent and the Paddy and Scotts Coffee tent, which got me through the rest of the day.
We had a Spanish red open all afternoon, 2007 The Adnams Selection, Monte Acuro Rioja Crianza, available for £8 also from Adnams wines. In Spain they have regulations and special words to define wine ageing as well as region, and Crianza means 2 years ageing with at least 6 months in oak barrels. This Rioja has had 14 months ageing in American oak barrels. American oak imparts a more subtle flavour than French oak and it gives the wine a smooth mellow finish with bit more depth than a younger Rioja. Crianza has been my favourite Rioja for ages, not over oaked but retaining that Spanish style. Everyone, including me liked it. Standing in the rain the people on the smoked fish stall polished off two bottles, theirs was the only outside stall without a cover, the company owner was frantically trying to boost staff morale by plying them with red wine, good for our business, bad for theirs.
The afternoon dragged on and I was pretty glad not to be working on the Sunday as it rained and rained, not a ray of sun. Apparently over the weekend 10,000 people visited the festival which is more than last year and better than anticipated. There are so many excellent local producers in all areas of our country, I urge you to go find them, give them your money in exchange for great produce and ditch the supermarkets.
However, this week at Tesco, my favourite wine at the moment, 2008 Piccini Chianti is £2.50! Yep, I said it. Tesco, £2.50, I bought 6. Not a good start for a high brow wine blog, but this isn’t, so there. This gloriously smooth and fruity red wine hints at cherries and has just enough spice. The reason Piccini is my current favourite it that comes in a smaller size 50cl (2 large glasses), bright orange bottle. Unusual and unmistakeable, apparently the idea is to get better quality wine for less money, simple. A 50cl bottle of an excellent wine for the same price as an inferior 75cl bottle really appeals to me and is something I’d like more independent producers to look into. The other great reason is that it’s a perfect amount of wine, if I open a bottle I tend to accidentally finish the damn thing, which can be nice, but unhelpful on some occasions, so smaller amounts means I drink less.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
First up, The Aldeburgh Food Festival, last weekend 26th/27th September. It was overcast, the merchandising people had placed our stock trailer about a mile from the stall and the till wasn’t working. My job for the day was chatting up festival goers and getting them to try wine and hopefully, buy wine. We had a red and a white planned for opening, the sun was trying its best at 12am, so we had plenty of take up on 2010 The Beach House White, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, by Douglas Green from South Africa, available for £7 from Adnams Wines. It tastes like a biting into watermelon that’s been stuffed with an apple that’s been filled with gooseberries, if you’ve ever done that. A “wappleberrie” or a “watergoople”, anyone?”. Crisp, fruity and fresh.
Once the rain set in, I needed a jumper and my uniform is only made in sizes XL or M, both generous, so I spent the afternoon drowned in a pale blue XL crew jersey, and partially drowned by the downpour. So we all went for a beer and some food to warm up. Lunch came in the form of free samples (sausages, hams, breads, cakes, fudge, vegetables, crisps, chillies, chocolate, and more ... all excellent) and a vegetarian cous cous dish, which was far too spicy for my taste. I even got in a little time for ‘C-list Celebrity Spotting’, the highlights being Valentine Warner and Matthew Fort (Google them, I did). We were pitched between the Aspall Cyder tent and the Paddy and Scotts Coffee tent, which got me through the rest of the day.
We had a Spanish red open all afternoon, 2007 The Adnams Selection, Monte Acuro Rioja Crianza, available for £8 also from Adnams wines. In Spain they have regulations and special words to define wine ageing as well as region, and Crianza means 2 years ageing with at least 6 months in oak barrels. This Rioja has had 14 months ageing in American oak barrels. American oak imparts a more subtle flavour than French oak and it gives the wine a smooth mellow finish with bit more depth than a younger Rioja. Crianza has been my favourite Rioja for ages, not over oaked but retaining that Spanish style. Everyone, including me liked it. Standing in the rain the people on the smoked fish stall polished off two bottles, theirs was the only outside stall without a cover, the company owner was frantically trying to boost staff morale by plying them with red wine, good for our business, bad for theirs.
The afternoon dragged on and I was pretty glad not to be working on the Sunday as it rained and rained, not a ray of sun. Apparently over the weekend 10,000 people visited the festival which is more than last year and better than anticipated. There are so many excellent local producers in all areas of our country, I urge you to go find them, give them your money in exchange for great produce and ditch the supermarkets.
However, this week at Tesco, my favourite wine at the moment, 2008 Piccini Chianti is £2.50! Yep, I said it. Tesco, £2.50, I bought 6. Not a good start for a high brow wine blog, but this isn’t, so there. This gloriously smooth and fruity red wine hints at cherries and has just enough spice. The reason Piccini is my current favourite it that comes in a smaller size 50cl (2 large glasses), bright orange bottle. Unusual and unmistakeable, apparently the idea is to get better quality wine for less money, simple. A 50cl bottle of an excellent wine for the same price as an inferior 75cl bottle really appeals to me and is something I’d like more independent producers to look into. The other great reason is that it’s a perfect amount of wine, if I open a bottle I tend to accidentally finish the damn thing, which can be nice, but unhelpful on some occasions, so smaller amounts means I drink less.
That’s it for now, you can follow me on twitter @danprobert and you can come and see me in-store at the Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Store in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Should you wish.
Fillet of red snapper with sweet potato rosti
As it's a Friday and we've had a busy week Mr P and I decided to get a treat for breakfast. I had a scrambled egg and sausage sandwich, while Mr P had a bacon and fried egg sarnie - a delicious if slightly greedy start to the day.
For lunch I had leek and potato soup followed by a Twix later on in the afternoon.
Mr P and I went out for a belated anniversary meal to a lovely restaurant called La Rascasse in Beckenham. The restaurant has a really nice bar next to it which we popped into first to have a drink. We then went through to the restaurant. On looking at the menu I was so excited as it was one of those menus where I could literally eat everything on it from the smoked duck salad with poached duck egg and beetroot dressing to the monkfish wrapped in pancetta.
I settled on the Fins du Claire oysters, whereas Mr P went for snails as he had never had them before. My oysters were absolutely delicious and I had them served with a squeeze of lemon, shallot vinegar and Tabasco. So so nice. Mr P's snails were nice too, but I always think the taste of garlic and parsley is so overpowering I'm not sure what snails actually taste like.
For mains I had fillet of red snapper served with sweet potato rosti, aromatic leeks and a mango sauce. The fish and rosti were absolutely delicious but the whole dish was slightly too sweet for my liking. I don't usually opt for fruity tastes in savoury dishes but I thought I'd go for something different, perhaps next time I won't. It came scattered with sultanas, which I also can't stand in savoury food.
Mr P had the most delicious venison I have ever tasted. I was beautifully cooked medium rare and came with braised spiced red cabbage and anna potato, which I found it a little like dauphinoise potatoes, but with less juice. It was amazing and both Mr P and I loved it.
We washed our food down with a bottle of Torrontes, which was hugely refreshing and crisp.
Although we were both stuffed we decided to have a chocolate tart, which had lovely crisp pastry and an almost moussey topping with a hint of orange. It came served with a pannacotta cream and I had a glass of dessert wine and Mr P had some port. A perfect end to a perfect evening.
For lunch I had leek and potato soup followed by a Twix later on in the afternoon.
Mr P and I went out for a belated anniversary meal to a lovely restaurant called La Rascasse in Beckenham. The restaurant has a really nice bar next to it which we popped into first to have a drink. We then went through to the restaurant. On looking at the menu I was so excited as it was one of those menus where I could literally eat everything on it from the smoked duck salad with poached duck egg and beetroot dressing to the monkfish wrapped in pancetta.
I settled on the Fins du Claire oysters, whereas Mr P went for snails as he had never had them before. My oysters were absolutely delicious and I had them served with a squeeze of lemon, shallot vinegar and Tabasco. So so nice. Mr P's snails were nice too, but I always think the taste of garlic and parsley is so overpowering I'm not sure what snails actually taste like.
For mains I had fillet of red snapper served with sweet potato rosti, aromatic leeks and a mango sauce. The fish and rosti were absolutely delicious but the whole dish was slightly too sweet for my liking. I don't usually opt for fruity tastes in savoury dishes but I thought I'd go for something different, perhaps next time I won't. It came scattered with sultanas, which I also can't stand in savoury food.
Mr P had the most delicious venison I have ever tasted. I was beautifully cooked medium rare and came with braised spiced red cabbage and anna potato, which I found it a little like dauphinoise potatoes, but with less juice. It was amazing and both Mr P and I loved it.
We washed our food down with a bottle of Torrontes, which was hugely refreshing and crisp.
Although we were both stuffed we decided to have a chocolate tart, which had lovely crisp pastry and an almost moussey topping with a hint of orange. It came served with a pannacotta cream and I had a glass of dessert wine and Mr P had some port. A perfect end to a perfect evening.
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