Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

British historical cooking

Meat Fruit

I recalled Dinner by Heston when it was launch in 2013, it was the talk of the town, the first London restaurant by Heston Blumenthal, no less is inside the stunning 5 stars hotel Mandarin Oriental in Knidgebridge. I caught into the hype and dine there in its early days of launching. I found it's British themed cooking, based on historical recipes was playful, creative and produce top-notch flavour, which I would rate is around the 1 Michelin star level. However, the restaurant has become such a hit, and gained 2 Michelin stars in the end and was rated within the top 10 from the World 50 Best Restaurant Guide, which I found was a little overkilled. The cooking was cook, but far anything truly memorable for me.

Martell Cognac

The Sublime Society of the Beef Steaks & Cognac Punches

Roasted scallops with garlic and white port

As part of London Cocktail Week 2018, Martell (the oldest cognac house in the world) teamed up with British steak joint Hawksmoor to offer one hell of an evening called "The Sublime Society of the Beef Steaks & Cognac Punches". A special dinner that paired with cognac and food. (For those who would like to find out more cognac, check out my "Harmonies" article in partnership with Cognac Bureau). It is great to see cognac brands repositioning to be a bit edgy, more versatile and fun along the way, vs the old days when it was associated just as a winter warmer. Good quality cognac is such a beautiful thing that can rival the finest single malt whiskies in the world.

Spirit of Sharing

Irish style

With St Patrick's Day just around the corner, it is time to take a look at all the wonderful Irish beverages. The Irish food board, Bord Bia hosted a special evening at the Irish Embassy in London called the "Spirit of Sharing", putting together some very special Irish products that were beautifully crafted and exceptional in taste. Irish beverages is much more than just Guinness and Magners, and here are some of the stand-out products you should definitely try!

London Cocktail Week 2016

Recap of the biggest cocktail festival in the UK

Another year of London Cocktail Week (LCW), under new management for the first time, it was a week of pure joy with plenty of fun and eyeopening experiences. The LCW village Spitalfields Market featured many interesting and engaging pop up bars, such as the Caorunn's 'flavour wheel'. The major change for me this year was the high number of "big brands" that took part. I would have preferred a higher ratio of craft and independent brands, as I think LCW is an ideal place to explore new things you wouldn't usually have the chance to.


Key highlights:

Ford Gin at City Social

oysters and martinis matching

Cod, spicy ponzu, squid and miso

Hazelnut plaisir sucre with gin &milk

This has to one of the very best LCW event of all time, a 3 course dinner at the Michelin starred City Social by Jason Atherton, it was a dinner full of joy and excitement. Bar Manager Jamie explained how martinis and oysters worked with some of the most unique drink pairing I have encountered, from Asian-inspired to stout-infused martini. All the dishes by Executive Chef Paul Walsh was top notch and I especially enjoyed the dessert which worked wonders with a gin and ice cream cocktail.


For more information, please visit: http://www.fordsgin.com/


Buffalo Bourbon Empire

Eagle Rare 10

Cocktail masterclass

Antique Collection tasting

The lads from Buffalo Trace always came up with some really fun and engaging concept, this time was no difference. New to this year was the bartender stalls, where an informal cocktail class took place to learn everything about American Whiskey cocktails, from the history to how to make it with ease. To finish off the night, we tasted some of the latest antique collection which just landed in the UK. The Sazerac was the most enjoyable in the collection, rich and complex without being challenging on the palate. The antique collection was truly exquisite, it was easy to understand why it had won so many major whiskey awards.


For more information, please visit: http://www.buffalotrace.co.uk/


The World Class House

Love Scotch cocktail class

Bullet Barista Booth

Tanqueray 10's Future Forest

The World Class House once again delivered a glamour and spectacular pop up in 2016. The "Love Scotch" experience offered a sensory journey and education about the diversity of Scotch Whisky. "Future Forest" offered a DIY cocktail session with a twist, where guests could hand pick fruits and herbs to create their very own Tanqueray cocktail. My last stop of my LCW experience was the "Bullet Barista Booth" where the brand ambassador educated us about Bullet Whiskey, and how the brand worked with a coffee barista company to come up with a truly special coffee based cocktail. 


For more information, please visit: http://www.alexanderandjames.com/

Old Pulteney Whisky

Whisky and food matching

These days, consumer's knowledge in whisky is not what it is used to be, people generally have a much greater understanding and seek finer quality whiskies, comparing to 10-15 years ago. But if you are new to whisky, you might find it challenging due to the taste and the "Granddad" images that whisky has. Old Pulteney Whisky however has came up with a great idea that was both fun and engaging, which I am sure would get people excited even if they are not whisky drinkers. They have teamed up with chef Aiden Byrne at his restaurant, Manchester House, and created a special whisky and food pairing event. Aiden had created a selection of bespoke canapes to match 3 of Old Pulteney's offering. Aiden is well renowned for his creative modern fine dining and I was really interested to see what he had in store for the event.

The Arts Theatre Club

Soho's hidden gem

Soho is full of top bars, but there isn't one quite like The Arts Theatre Club, a hidden cocktail bar located on Frith Street. The Art Theatre Club is sandwiched between the ever popular Japanese restaurant Koya Bar and the hot in demand Sri Lankan restaurant Hoppers. A little red door will lead you to an underground speakeasy cocktail bar with plenty of retro vibe and classical element. The decor tells a story: the lower level ceiling, moody red lights, vintage piano... Stepping inside felt like stepping back in time and visiting a secret member's club. 

When beer meets fine dining

Beer paring at Outlaw's at The Capital

Sharps Brewery products

Have you ever considered ordering a beer to pair with your dinner instead of wine at a Michelin restaurant? As part of London Beer Week, Sharps Brewery and Outlaw's at The Capital has teamed up together to challenge the mindset of diners and educate them about the idea that beer can be just as good as wine to pair with haute cuisine, if not even better. Head chef Tom had came up with a 3 course dinner, using first rate ingredients from Cornwall whilst Ed, the sommelier from Sharps had carefully selected a wide range style of beers to go with Tom's creation. Beer as a type of drink has such a big diversity: from IPA, lager to bitter and stout etc. So in theory, this is something I can see it works and I'm certain it will have a bright future ahead.

5 fantastic beverage gift ideas for Xmas

The Berry Bros Christmas Hampers

Berry Brothers shouldn't be a stranger to any food and wine lovers. They are the oldest wine and spirit merchant in the UK, they are offering a great selection of premium Christmas Hampers. Matching fine, carefully selected wines and spirits with artisan delicacies, the Christmas collection ranges from neat apéritif selections to the lavishly indulgent Le Grande. They have also just released a new wine book: "Exploring & Tasting Wine.Also, a wine course with digressions, is the perfect gift for any wine lovers. Do check out their impressive retail store located on St James Street, Mayfair or browse their selection online, free delivery for all Xmas gifts and unmixed cases, go shopping!

http://www.bbr.com/christmas


Pinkster Gin
 

A pink gin for Christmas? Why not. Distilled in small batches, Pinkster is an award winning, premium gin. If heavy and full body spirit such as whisky or traditional gin, isn't to your taste-bud, Pinkster should be the one for you. They hand-steep fresh, locally grown raspberries in the spirit from Cambridge and the result is a truly refreshing and light fruity gin. The taste is dry, with a hint of fruit and an exceptionally smooth finish. For a refreshingly different G&T, mix with a decent tonic and add a sprig of fresh mint.

http://www.pinkstergin.com


Montanya Rum

  

Montanya Rum isn't your typical rum, they are a range of rums from Colorado, America. Their Montanya Platino is the one that stood out for me. In fact, it makes perhaps one of the very best daiquiris that I have had ever tasted. A light, crisp rum aged to maturity in American Oak, coconut-husk charcoal filtered, and blended with Colorado mountain spring water. Every drop is fermented, distilled, aged and bottled on premises, no excpetions. The Platino has been awarded 9 gold medals and two "Best in Class" designations in International competitions, as well as "Best White Rum" at the World Rum Awards, UK 2015.

http://www.montanyarum.com/


Ruby Blue Liqueur
 

A bottle of liqueur is essential for any Christmas party, and Ruby Blue Liqueur is a must try if you have a sweet palate. A small batch Northern Irish Liqueur collection from a craft distillery in Co Antrim. They have a selection of premium liqueurs: Wild Blueberries, Chilli Pepper, Cranberries and Blackcurrant. Wild Blueberries is my personal recommendation, not overly sweet and finely balanced, works perfectly well on its own or in a long drink. Also try the Chilli Pepper if you like kicks in your drink, it works wonderfully as a shot or on ice.

http://www.rubyblueliqueur.com/

Chase Rhubarb Vodka
 

Simply put, Chase's rhubarb vodka is the very best natural flavoured vodka. Slowly cooked Herefordshire Rhubarb and then marinated with the award-winning, three times distilled Chase Original Vodka in a beautiful copper pot still. The resultant spirit is then further distilled a fourth time to infuse the flavours before adding macerated fresh rhubarb and filtering to leave a delicate pink colour. Chase Rhubarb Vodka captures the true flavour of carefully pressed rhubarb, achieving a natural scent of rhubarb and custard with the subtle sweetness of rhubarb on the palate, without using any artificial ingredients or heat methods.

http://chasedistillery.co.uk/

Noob's XO Cognac Xmas gift guide

Nothing can beat a fine a bottle of XO Cognac as a super premium and classy Xmas gift, treat someone special with these special Cognac...

1) Delamain Vesper XO

A 100% Grande Champagne Cognac, matured in well seasoned Limousin oak casks (350L). Roundness, body, length, maturity and mellowness. Lovely aroma of perfumes and fragrance. Taste: Scents of underwood, dry vine shoots, vanilla (rancio). Finish: Fullness, maturity, extreme mellowness. Intense fruitiness.
RPP: £120
http://www.delamain-cognac.fr/


2) Frapin VIP XO

Old amber gold in colour, this XO quality Frapin enriched with very old brandies combines the age, roundness, bouquet and finesse characteristic of very old Champagne cognac distilled over lees. This exceptional cognac reaches its optimum balance after ageing for several decades. It comes in a carafe, a reproduction of a sixteenth-century bottle in extra-clear glass, decorated with a gold frieze at the bottom and topped off with a cap gilded with fine carat gold.
RPP: £150
http://www.cognac-frapin.com/


3) Camus Borderies XO

The eaux-de-vie used to make this Cognac have an astounding aromatic intensity and a remarkable velvety texture. Produced mainly from the most prized vines in the Domaines Camus estate, the wine is distilled on the lees before its long ageing in oak barrels. Each step in the ageing process has contributed to and enhanced the already rich and complex aromatic palette of this Cognac from the smallest and most highly favored of the AOC crus. Produced in limited quantities.
RPP: £110
http://www.camus.fr/


4) Hine Antique XO

A truly sensory journey: provocative perfumes of spices, vanilla and liquorice blend together with irresistible hints of chocolate and baked apple. Complex, rich, supple, balanced and long-lasting on the palate. It is a blend of over 40 cognacs all aged for a minimum of 10 years, exclusively from grapes grown in Grande Champagne, the finest cru of the Cognac region.
RPP: £105
http://www.hinecognac.com/



5) Ragnaud Sabourin Fontevieille No. 35

Colour: mahogany, Nose: fruity liquorice - lime, Taste: mellow marked by the Charente rancio , Varietal: 60% Ugni Blanc and 40% Folle Blanche - Colombard . The balanced marriage of 3 Cognac grape gives it a unique charm . Its name comes from the oldest plots of the property.
RPP: £115
http://www.ragnaud-sabourin.com/

Li Veli Italian Winery & Bistro

Chestnut & Wine

Li Veli Italian Winery & Bistro 

Li Veli is a trendy Italian Winery & Bistro in Covent Garden, spreading across two floors with a wine shop. It is a joint venture by two Italian families, with one family operating as a wine producer from Puglia while the other, owns a hotel business. Towards this winter, Li Veli is debuting its Li Veli Orion 2014 and Li Veli Passamante 2014, two wines that are carefully selected from its own winery, it has also come up with an Apuglian chestnut and San Martino inspired menu, which every single dish contains some element of chestnut to go with the newly launched wines.

Noob's sipping rum guide

My top 5 picks for under £40 a bottle

1) Pusser's 15 Yr Old Navy Rum

Perhaps the very best rum in the world for under £40, rich and powerful with great depth of flavours. Pusser’s Rum is a blend of rums from stills located in Guyana and Trinidad. The blend is heavily influenced by century-old wooden stills, an important ingredient in “navy rum”. Each rum is hand-selected for its individual smoothness, flavor, and mellow depth— creating the perfect balance of “esters” and “congeners”. The rim is then aged for fifteen years in oak wood barrels. The full, rich flavor is all natural, no flavoring agents are added.

RPP: £40

http://pussersrum.com/


2) Ron Abuelo 12 Year Old

A good value 12 year old rum, settled and smooth, great for short cocktails as well as sipping it neat. Made with a blend of rums aged 12 years, Sublime distillation, the best selection of white oak barrels and the passing of time under the tropical heat have resulted in this extraordinary product. Its character, softness and complexity will give satisfaction to the most sophisticated and challenging palate.

RPP: £32

http://www.hi-spirits.com/

3) Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Extremely mellow and smooth with a good level of sweetness and oak tone. Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva is an elegant and complex sipping rum, carefully crafted from the purest of sugar cane honeys. It is delicately distilled in ancient copper pot stills and aged in small oak casks for up to twelve years. Marrying a unique body with excellent balance has made it a reference for rum lovers and connoisseurs throughout the world.

RPP: £40

http://www.rondiplomatico.com/

4) Dos Maderas PX 5 5

A rather unusual rum that aged in two types of barrels. First resting for five years in the Caribbean, then for three more at the Williams & Humbert facilities in casks which have aged "Dos Cortados” (Palo Cortado), Dos Maderas 5+5 rum once finished then undergoes a third stage of ageing in butts which have previously aged "Don Guido" sherry (Pedro Ximénez) for 20 years, thus giving origin to the extraordinary Dos Maderas PX rum. Both "Don Guido“ and "Dos Cortados" have been aged for 20 years as certified by the oldest Denomination of Origin in Spain: that of Jerez-Xérès-Sherry.

RPP: £40

http://www.rondosmaderas.com/

5) Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Blend

A mainstream yet very delicious rum, the mild smokiness and spicy notes make this a great rum to pair it with cigars. Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old is a ‘minimum age’ rum as indicated by the number 12 displayed on the bottle. The rum is aged in Number One Select American Oak barrels. A constantly evolving taste experience – you’ll find deep oak, fruity, and cocoa notes, followed by delicate molasses, vibrant orange peel, rich vanilla, subtle coffee, with a hint of toasted oak and almond.

RPP: £34

http://www.appletonestate.com/

Launceston Place

The Last Supper

Launceston Place 

It was my 10th, and sadly my last visit to Launceston Place, the Michelin starred restaurant is my personal favourite fine dining restaurant. The super talented chef Tim Allen has decided to move on to Wild Rabbit  in the Cotswolds after 3 successful years acting as head chef, winning countless acclaim including 4 AA Rosettes and a Michelin star. The refined, modern and innovative approach of his cooking is just pure music to my ears, every time when someone asks me to suggest a good fine dining restaurant, Launceston Place is always the first one that I recommend. So as soon as I discovered that Tim was leaving, I even moved forward my planned birthday dinner to experience his cooking one more time in London while I still had the chance.

Ciroc Vodka

Grapes distilled vodka

Cîroc, launched in 2003, is the first global French vodka to be made from grapes. Unlike most vodkas that are distilled from grain, at the heart of Cîroc lies fresh French succulent grapes. This delivers an exceptionally smooth and distinctive citrus taste. From inception, Cîroc was created to be a celebration vodka.

Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, the Master Distiller, believes the ‘joe de vivre’ that goes into creating Cîroc makes it stand apart from other vodkas, making it the ultimate luxury drink. While Cîroc is unmistakably modern, it is also about creating something of substance and enduring quality.

Suggested Cocktails:

1) THE Cîroc WHITEHALL LADY

A glamorous cocktail to sip in style.
 

Ingredients

50ML Cîroc Vodka

15ML Elderflower Cordial

10ML Fresh Lemon Juice

Top up with Champagne

Ice cubes

Method

Shake all ingredients together with cubed ice and strain in to a glass. Top Up with Champagne and garnish with a twist of orange or grapefruit.


2) THE Cîroc SOUR SIDE

An elegant cocktail that has a sharp zesty flavour. Perfect to add sparkle to your weekend.
 

Ingredients

40ml Cîroc Vodka

10ml Aperol

15ml Orange and grapefruit sherbet

25ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Dash cardamom bitters

1 Fresh egg white

Method

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain back into shaker. Shake again without ice (dry shake) and fine strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with Dehydrated grapefruit slice.


3) Cîroc French 76

A fresh and sparkling serve that’s easy to make yet impressive for your guests.
 

Ingredients

30ml CÎROC Vodka

20ml Lemon juice

10ml Sugar syrup

Champagne to top

Dark grape

Method

Shake together the CÎROC Vodka, lemon juice and sugar syrup with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Top with splash of champagne.

Sip in the sun this summer

Cocktail advices by the Pro

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest body worldwide in wine and spirit education; they teach how the history and production of spirits influences the style and taste of our favourite drinks. Following extensive reports of a Prosecco shortage and talk of a similar situation with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, summer 2015 is the time to turn to refreshing cocktails. Think Gin & Tonics at a weekend barbecue, or Cuba Libres on a rooftop bar in the sunshine, but do you know the reasons why these iconic drinks taste so good, or what those in the know are drinking this summer?

Gin

Gins were first brought to England in the 1600s and by the early 20th century had become known as the mixing spirit for cocktails. In recent years, a new generation of gins has arrived meaning creating the perfect Gin & Tonic has become a quite a skill.London Dry Gins commonly use dry citrus peels in their botanical mix, the flavours of which can be brought out by garnishing with a slice of the same fruit. For styles with lots of strong spices in the recipe, try a garnish of star anise, rosemary or acinnamon stick for a good pairing. Plymouth gin is a good pairing for a sweet slice of orange which help balance the juniper forward sprit. 

Caorunn G&T

If you like Gin…

Gin & Tonic fans may enjoy white port over ice, topped up with tonic water and garnished with a slice of lemon or sprig of mint for a new refreshing summer cocktail.



Rum

Another popular summer highball drink is the Caribbean inspired Cuba Libre. Supposedly invented by a member of the US Signal Corps known as ‘Mr X’ during the Spanish-American War of Independence in the early 20th century, a Cuba Librecontains golden rum paired with cola and should be garnished with a zesty slice oflime to offset the sweetness.
 

El Dorado Old Fashioned

Rum fans should look out for…

If rum is your usual drink, try Brazilian spirit Cachaça as your pick for this summer. Largely confused with rum, Cachaça is actually made from distilled fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses. There are two main varieties; white Cachaça, which is aversatile cocktail mixer, and dark Cachaça, which is usually more expensive anddrunk straight.


Vodka

Once known only as the most popular spirit for mixing, recent times have seen many premium and quality vodkas hit the shelves which are thoroughly enjoyable straight. Best ice cold and sipped slowly, those made from grains often have a subtle cereal aroma, grape-based vodkas have a crisp, aromatic taste and potato vodkas are often described as creamy on the palate.
 

Belvedere Martini

Vodka drinkers might also like…

Adventurous vodka drinkers looking for something new this summer could try white whiskey. Known in its illegal form as ‘Moonshine’, when distilled correctly, white whisky can be delicious. Try it mixed into your Moscow Mules and Martinis this summer.

For more information about the WSET, qualifications and where to study please visit: www.WSETglobal.com

Yelp's Slides and Scoops

Ice Cream Festival for Adults!

London is home to some of the best playgrounds in England, possibly the world, but you as a standard sane non-weirdo adult will never get the chance to play on them... until today!Yelp is taking over the Kids Adventure Playground for a day of food, drinks, slides, swings and sweets, just for adults. This is not one of those new, overly done plastic playground but an old school, hand-crafted wooden behemoth from your childhood. And when was the last time you got to climb into a playground's crow's nest while holding a cocktail? Never, that's when!
 

And if that's not enough, to make you even more of a kid at heart again, there will also be an ICE CREAM FESTIVAL with everything from old school ice cream trucks, alcoholic pops, liquid nitrogen ice cream and more. The event will support of KIDS, which is a charity that supports children with disabilities, so you'll even be doing a good deed while having fun. 

RSVP now and we'll see you there!

--

**YELP'S OLD SCHOOL PLAYGROUND TAKEOVER WILL INCLUDE**

AN ICE CREAM FESTIVAL FEATURING:
Bee Me Yogurt (beeme.co.uk)
Black Vanilla Gelato (yelp.co.uk/biz/black-van…)
Gordan Ramsay's Union Street Cafe (yelp.co.uk/biz/union-str…)
Greedy Goat (yelp.co.uk/biz/greedy-go…)
Jaz & Jull's (yelp.co.uk/biz/jaz-and-j…)
La Gelatiera (yelp.co.uk/biz/la-gelati…)
LIC (havealic.com)
Piccadilly Whip (piccadillywhip.com)
POPS (wearepops.com)
Mamoo Ice-Cream (yelp.co.uk/biz/pizza-buz…)
The Original Crispy Candy Co. (yelp.co.uk/biz/the-origi…)
YOG Yogurt (yelp.co.uk/biz/yog-london)
Whaam Banh Mi (yelp.co.uk/biz/whaam-ban…)
WhipSmiths Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream (yelp.co.uk/biz/whipsmith…)

FOOD BY:
Bootlegger Jellies (facebook.com/bootleggerj…)
Liberty Cheesesteak Company (yelp.co.uk/biz/liberty-c…)
Melt Room (yelp.co.uk/biz/melt-room…)
popchips (popchips.com)
Smith & Sinclair (smithandsinclair.co.uk)

DRINKS BY:
Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur (chambordchannel.com)
Finlandia Vodka (finlandia.com)
The Pickle House (thepicklehouse.com)
Supernatural (sprntrl.co.uk)

ENTERTAINMENT BY:
Big Potato Games (bigpotato.co.uk)
citysocializer (citysocializer.com)
Fantastic Services (fantasticservices.com)
disqovr (disqovr.me)
Rabble (joinrabble.com)
SuperBooths Europe (superboothseurope.com)
Thinking Bob (thinkingbob.co.uk)

MUSIC BY:
The Big Everything (facebook.com/TheBigEvery…)

A/V By:
Shoreditch A/V (shoreditch-av.co.uk)

MEDIA PARTNER: 
WJ London (wjlondon.com)

PLUS, IT ALL HELPS SUPPORT:
KIDS (kids.org.uk)

RSVP now! See you there!