tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74579451487920713432024-02-07T04:46:13.464+00:00Extreme HousewiferyMorrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.comBlogger937125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-7168147010506544012018-08-08T22:37:00.000+01:002018-08-08T22:37:51.062+01:00Great British Beer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had quite a beer soaked week so far. It is the <a href="https://www.gbbf.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Great British Beer Festival</a> this week, and this was preceded by my first ever <a href="https://www.beerguild.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">British Beer Writers Guild</a> event, their summer party. I couldn't miss my first opportunity to meet some new people and try some interesting beers, so The Boy and I dutifully packed up and headed to That London for a couple of days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a blisteringly hot Monday evening in Brixton as I ambled down Milkwood Road, towards the new home of the Brixton Brewery. They only began full scale brewing at this behemoth new brewhouse two months ago. This expansion is thanks to a tie in with Heineken and has more than doubled their capacity (with some serious potential for future expansion) as well as adding a canning line. This has made them into one of London's biggest craft breweries almost overnight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite being rather nervous to meet such an illustrious bunch of writers, journalists and beer industry bigwigs, I was immediately put at my ease by secretary Ros and had a beer put in my hand by the cheery Brixton team. It was a very convivial environment with lots of sharing of beers, light hearted banter as well as some seriously interesting beer related chat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good job we were sharing as I was started with an Atlantic APA from Brixton, which at 5.4% just tips over what I consider to be a sessionable ale! From the sample I enjoyed though, I really got the burst of tropical fruit flavours - this packs a lot of flavour punch. I liked the condition that the can presented to the drinker too and of course their artwork is eye catching, but cannot be taken as an indicator of quality! I will be keeping an eye out for more of their beers in the future though, and given their expansion I'm sure that this will become easier here in the Midlands with the might of the Heineken distribution engine behind them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqbnM5ewLGIiCZKLfqMkZ8uB_PE5m3C_fktxr0CnBqw1kHDIBdHIWwt9WleWrMq2JUpKoFemIORncreVEWtHhhhmZaVrQ40JWwkaF-4pxf9R5jVPg6_j0StBZZtm9n0uHqsXuwIBwolU/s1600/IMG_2814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqbnM5ewLGIiCZKLfqMkZ8uB_PE5m3C_fktxr0CnBqw1kHDIBdHIWwt9WleWrMq2JUpKoFemIORncreVEWtHhhhmZaVrQ40JWwkaF-4pxf9R5jVPg6_j0StBZZtm9n0uHqsXuwIBwolU/s320/IMG_2814.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had two real highlights from that evening though - the first of which was Heretic Brewing Company's Make America Juicy Again New England IPA. More on that anon, because it deserves consideration on its own. The second was a real heavyweight - the Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery's Enlightened Despot. This Russian Imperial stout weighs in at 11.3% ABV and all of us who shared a taste of the bottle agreed that while it had incredible body and texture, there was still a slightly green element to the flavour that felt a little raw and suggested a few years in the bottle would be of benefit. That said I was rather taken with its deep cacao flavours and just a hint of coffee, blended with the rough and ready flavours of the Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels in which it is aged. You can taste the oak and the smoke, just like a good bourbon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day, it was on to another beer adventure in the form of the trade session of CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival. With over 900 festival ales on offer, you really are spoiled for choice, so my tried and tested technique of 'wander round until something catches your eye' really came into play. The wildcard approach to beer festivals really is the best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it went, the first two halves I tried were deeply dull - the Truman's Bow Bells and Slater's Citrus both lacking in flavour, interest and complexity. However as usual once I moved to the dark side things immediately got more interesting. I adored the smooth texture of the Bristol Beer Factory's Milk Stout, obtained from the Bottle Conditioned Bar, although it transpired that being given a shot glass in case I fancied tasting the sediment was a little pointless as I couldn't spy any at all! It was a malty, thick and rich stout with overtones of hot cocoa and burnt coffee and a very slight petillance from the conditioning. I will certainly return to that if I see it again. The Boy opted for the Lynx Wildcat from Yeovil and was also very pleased with his choice.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBze81YXTszLU3ehUqsnTN_r1szneE5TyysNO284XPsr9ho4o5PXPjnz0iRf264xF7cqMeRlVI9vtKb5hHktnW-gjy0J_0YFbw2WE6SNBTVqXTvbMnvHd1hFIx7A16IA3OSZaFrZDpg8w/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBze81YXTszLU3ehUqsnTN_r1szneE5TyysNO284XPsr9ho4o5PXPjnz0iRf264xF7cqMeRlVI9vtKb5hHktnW-gjy0J_0YFbw2WE6SNBTVqXTvbMnvHd1hFIx7A16IA3OSZaFrZDpg8w/s640/IMG_2859.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For our next tipple I found myself in the vicinity of the Siren Brewery and as a confirmed fan couldn't resist taking a squizz at their wares. Turned out they were showing the Broken Dream Breakfast Stout and at the very moment I was ordering my half to try, it was being awarded the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain over on the main stage! This either demonstrates my incredible taste and knowledge, or just makes me prone to overthinking coincidence. I'll leave that one with you. Meanwhile The Boy took a punt on the Sauvignon Blonde, a golden ale from Crafty Beers. Had we had more time available I would have gone back for a half of that myself - we were both blown away by the genuine similarity to an Old World sauvignon blanc in both the aroma and the flavour - but still with a strong malt backbone. They really took their vinous inspiration and ran with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as the beers there was also a huge variety of snacks on offer and traditional pub entertainments to keep everyone occupied. Punters played beer pong in exchange for free bags o pig snacks (that's scratchings if you're not sure), the merry sound of table skittles being thwacked by cheeses rang out. We also noticed a very neglected game of Cornhole which we first encountered in California a decade ago - I have never seen it in the UK before and judging by the way it was being ignored, neither had anyone else!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given the rise in fascinating, aromatic and delicately flavoured craft beer in this country, I have to say that generally speaking the snack offering was relatively predictable. Sausage rolls, pork pies (not from Melton though...) and pork scratchings were the main order of the day with a few more interesting vendors like oriental dumplings and such. However, I'd love to see much more street food collaboration in the future. Even if vendors offer real food with suggested food pairings, that would be a great start. But even more fun would be paired menus developed between breweries and food producers. Perhaps that's just something that appeals to me above and beyond the more traditional beer festival offering though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A very inspirational couple of days all in all then, and plenty more material for future posts for me to share with you as the ideas that were planted in my brain take root over the weeks to come. There are another three days left for you to enjoy the GBBF if you find yourself down London way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I leave you with a photo that will be cryptic to many, but some of you will appreciate why I took a photo of this card when I managed to get it at the UK's biggest beer festival... And yes, it was as creased as the Leicester one. 😂</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com1Hammersmith Rd, Hammersmith, London W14 8UX, UK51.4965005 -0.2106880999999702951.4099305 -0.37204959999997028 51.583070500000005 -0.0493265999999703tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-88756073351783789542018-08-01T22:50:00.000+01:002018-08-01T22:50:32.661+01:00Battle Royal 2017: English rosé from Rothley Wine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a while since I posted about a specific wine from <a href="http://www.rothleywine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rothley Wine Estate</a>. As some of you will know, I have been volunteering there for some time - helping with every element of caring for the vines and making the wines. In fact, it was recently my three year anniversary at Rothley Wine! I went there originally to write a blog post - <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2015/06/english-wine-rothley-wine.html" target="_blank">this one in fact </a>- and as anyone who has done one of my wine tastings will know, I basically haven't left since.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now I've volunteered for 3 years I get to drive the tractor (lawnmower).<br />No one else lets me drive *anything*</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />What better way to understand the mechanics of wine than to volunteer at a vineyard? One of the real privileges has been hosting the wine tasting element of the Rothley Wine public tour and tastings for just over a year now. I get to meet some absolutely fantastic people. Some are hyperlocal - Rothley residents. Some have travelled great distances to come and find out more about Liz's wines. All have proved to be singularly fascinated by the vineyard and what Liz does there and it is my great pleasure to introduce them to wine tasting and to her wines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So why this post, and why now? Well, at last month's tastings we introduced the 2017 vintage for the first time. King Richard, the white composed of Siegerrebe and Solaris has been the best selling wine for at least three years now. However, it really struck me what a rousing reception the 2017 rosé, Battle Royal received at our tastings. It literally outsold the other wines 4 to 1.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I spend a lot of time telling people about vintage variation at this little boutique vineyard. That is to say that every year we make wines using the same grapes in roughly the same proportion, yet they come out tasting incredibly different. Don't get me wrong, the 2015 Battle Royal has been popular. I've called it the "non-rosé drinkers rosé" or "the grown up rosé" because of its dry, savoury character, and the interesting complexity that has arisen as it has aged in the bottle (I know, that should be wrong, but I have a feeling that English whites and rosés, well the good ones anyway, may gain interesting character when they age and lose their initial fresh fruitiness. But that's probably a future blog post).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the phone. This is me taking a selfie! No, really! But before my fat ass started going swimming.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And everyone gets it, and loves the idea that their little local vineyard is producing exciting, interesting and varied wines each year. But people are really going mad for Battle Royal 2017. And of course, there isn't a lot of it. So I'm taking the time to write about it while I have it in front of me. My biggest regret is not blogging about all of Liz's wines methodically, every year. I could make notes now, from memory, because the broad brush strokes are still not quite dry in my mind. But I didn't write in detail when they were new, and revisit those notes later on. I know Spirit of Freedom 2013 isn't the same as when I first tasted it, and I know it's better now, but it can be quite difficult to articulate why.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So perhaps this post is more an aide memoire than anything. And so you're all welcome to move along. But if you read it quick enough, it might give you enough time to grab a bottle of this lovely little wine before it's too late.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Siegerrebe - Solaris - Frühburgunder</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A clear, deep pink wine. Crystal clarity and bouncing colour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A light, to medium light aroma with intriguing hints of red fruit, not quite ready to reveal it's true character, balanced against a subtle leafy note. The lightness of the aroma makes it quite difficult to put your finger on what you are smelling, but there is a subtle background note of red stone fruit - cherry perhaps - with a noticeable absence of sweetness that makes you want to explore further.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an off dry to medium wine with a medium plus to high acidity and medium alcohol. It has a moderate body, for a rosé and a pronounced flavour profile. What makes it really interesting for me is this fruity punchiness - this fresh vibrancy. What I also love is that it hits your palate with fruit characters that I don't often identify in wines (which could well be my own failing) - cranberry, pomegranate, and there's that cherry again. A hint of strawberry, a hint of the strawberry patch itself. All of this is wrapped up in a refined package where the fruit is the star. I'm inclined to say a dash of white pepper comes through on the finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, the balance of sweetness and acidity is not quite there yet - there is something on the finish that gives a hint of immaturity and knowing Liz's previous wines deeply I know will mellow.I think the sweetness is too much, too young at the moment and I am confident that 6 months more is all it will need to make the finish as pleasant as the wine is in the mouth. But that is barely a criticism, merely an observation of how this small batch boutique wine will progress in the bottle. We Leicestershire folk sure are lucky to have this on our doorstep.</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Kingfishers’ Pool Vineyard, 43 Westfield Ln, Rothley, Leicester LE7 7LH, UK52.7055273 -1.152189700000008127.1834928 -42.460783700000007 78.2275618 40.156404299999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-7531844277081564252018-07-22T19:52:00.000+01:002018-07-22T19:52:27.498+01:00Spanish in Sawley?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've been spending more time around Sawley, I've been desperate to try the tapas restaurant <a href="http://www.esquinasawley.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Esquina</a>, but am usually in the area around weekday lunchtimes where they are closed. So when I found myself practically tripping over the venue on a Saturday early evening I could not resist calling in to give their Spanish menu a spin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We entered the surprisingly empty restaurant and received a friendly welcome from the bartender who served our drinks and seated us efficiently. The drinks selection is not particularly inspiring, but all the usuals are there, so you're bound to have an old favourite to fall back on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We perused the menu and were a little surprised by some of the options! The restaurant has been open for nearly a year, having been converted from a British traditional restaurant. This influence still shows through with items like pulled pork sliders on the menu, and 'meatballs' instead of the more familiar 'albondigas' that you would associate with a typical Spanish restaurant. I have no doubt that having been in business for over 2 decades, the owner has his reasons for keeping a more English take on the Spanish classics!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were warned that they were fully booked for the evening so could only have our table for 2 hours, but this was no problem for us as we weren't planning on a lingering meal, but I appreciated them letting us know that in advance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We placed our order and waited. And waited a bit more. And waited a bit more. This was a bit confusing as we had not ordered a huge amount of food, and were one of just a handful of occupied tables in the place. Fortunately, we were sat near to the window looking into the kitchen, and could see that the kitchen team were significantly more occupied drinking what looked like tasty mojitos rather than cooking, which explained the delay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After all while though, our food began to arrive. Each dish is brought out as it is cooked which is a nice assurance that the food is made fresh to order. We had the serrano ham and manchego croquettes which were formed into two large balls. I think I would have preferred a larger number of the more traditional long croquettes as the texture balance was a little bit off. I do love a crispy coating. However, the filling was flavourful and I really liked the powerful salty meat hit from the ham.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next up were pork and thyme meatballs with tomato and garlic. Albondigas is our go to dish when in Spain, so we were looking forward to this one, however I have to say we were bitterly disappointed. The meatballs were just that - formed balls of pork mince - with no discernible seasoning, or indeed the benefit of caramelisation from the cooking. They were splashed with an unremarkable tomato sauce, which was not the rich, velvety slow cooked delight we were hoping for, but tasted rather more like chopped tomatoes that had been warmed up. Sadly, this meant that the sauce was a little raw and one dimensional. We would have asked to swap this dish out we were so disappointed with it, but as we received no checkback and there were no members of staff watching the floor this wasn't possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, on to better things and the octopus dish we had was more enjoyable. It was served with some tiny cubes of chorizo, which was surprisingly bland, along with tomatoes and potatoes. The menu billed chilli oil as well, but again I did not get the punchy Spanish flavours I was expecting - perhaps another effect of the Anglicization of the menu? Despite that, I found the octopus to be well handled - retaining a little bite, but generally tender and plentiful in the dish. A relative highlight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally we had opted for chicken pinchos, which had the surprising addition of green pesto. Despite reading this on the menu, we had chosen to go for it because we love pesto, even though it's probably one of the least Spanish things I can imagine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, the billed 'spicing' of the chicken skewers turned out to be rather hyperbolic, with the pesto sauce being the only real element of seasoning for my money. However, the chicken had been carefully handled and was still moist on the skewers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So a mixed bag here. The chronic lack of flavour was something of a let down for me, and all the more surprising as the more difficult elements to get right (i.e. the octopus) were nicely done. The meatballs were a total waste of time - although to the credit of our waitress when we bemoaned this (and the absence of a checkback) at the end of the meal she immediately went and took it off the bill. This was a nice touch on her part, but does make me wonder whether that is a common occurrence...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pricewise, dishes were around £4 to £8, with most of what we ordered falling to the top end of this. They recommend 3 dishes per person, but I would suggest that four would be required for a decent meal, particularly given the absence of complimentary bread (which always gets my goat in this country). So slightly more expensive than a chain tapas restaurant, but with the same middling quality of ingredients and execution. I shan't be rushing back, but it wasn't terrible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Esquina did not know I was going to write up my visit and we paid for our meal in full.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Except for the meatballs, which were taken off the bill.</span></div>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0384 Tamworth Rd, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 3AU, UK52.8781244 -1.300673200000005627.356089899999997 -42.609267200000005 78.4001589 40.007920799999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-61590639331663319802018-07-16T20:42:00.001+01:002018-07-16T20:42:25.534+01:00Mocktails: Bartenders are mocking you<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While Brits have a reputation abroad for significant binge drinking activities (not without just cause, as I would be the first to admit*) the evidence suggests that there is an increasing number of teetotallers in the population. The <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2017/pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Office of National Statistics</a> reported a drop in the percentage of those surveyed who had drank alcohol in the previous week from 64.1% in 2005 to 57% in 2017. The same survey showed 27% of 16-24 year olds describe themselves as completely teetotal.<br />
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While the health benefits of drinking in moderation are undeniable, those of you who do enjoy an occasional tipple may be relieved to know that those who don't drink at all are <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/drinkers-take-less-sick-leave-than-the-teetotal-ggf6w9d06" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more likely to take sick leave</a> than those who drink sensibly. Although who funded that study I don't know. Probably B*@~*#g.<br />
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This means that bar owners are under increasing pressure to provide more interesting non-alcoholic drink options to entice consumers into their premises. Oxford University demonstrated some years ago that the social aspect of visiting the pub is a positive influence on wellbeing and we all know that it is not necessary to drink alcohol to have a good time.<br />
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Are mocktails good for the consumer?</h3>
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Never knowingly missing out on an opportunity to maximise gross profit - understandably - this has led to increasing selections of mocktails on our drinks menus. However, these drinks are not necessarily as good for our pockets as they are for our livers!<br />
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Basic mocktails with a bit of garnish can <a href="https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/522814/the-soft-option-revitalise-your-alcohol-free-drinks-offering" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">add 40% to the profit a bar makes</a> on a mocktail, compared to a simple soft drink serving. The only place I have found to buck this trend is Turtle Bay, although if I'm paying £3.60 for any soft drink, I'm going to pick a berry smoothie rather than lime juice and club soda, or 'genuine coconut water'. Where are my emojis? Ah, there we go. 😳<br />
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And the problem that I have is that I can accept the wild variation in price in cocktails. Some spirits cost more than others. The influence of how a spirit is distilled, stored, matured, macerated and more all have an influence on the flavour and push up the price that each element of an alcoholic cocktail cost to produce. However, when it comes to mocktails, I find it hard to see where the additional cost is justified.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI92TnCXKtFsBmJOvgv4XHyTD7PH523wvTj6rk8eDMzPIRZ-wGBXIeoXuwEUdkEeOqJm3k9FlfLjxBQvHRwsBU4wkx5oesnyl-L-1ASYxnkZI0r4-Yi8fhHbfR1y8ZnPDyEI_wYgomZ0/s1600/IMG_8821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI92TnCXKtFsBmJOvgv4XHyTD7PH523wvTj6rk8eDMzPIRZ-wGBXIeoXuwEUdkEeOqJm3k9FlfLjxBQvHRwsBU4wkx5oesnyl-L-1ASYxnkZI0r4-Yi8fhHbfR1y8ZnPDyEI_wYgomZ0/s640/IMG_8821.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Yes, they take fractionally longer to serve, so there is an additional cost to the business in terms of staff time. And, increasingly we are seeing more expensive premium soft drinks coming on to the market which push up the basic cost per pour. But can an additional 40% of gross profit be justified in terms of the satisfaction to the consumer?<br />
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Not at all in my book. It's not like they have been subjected to the sugar tax - mixed drinks in open containers are exempt. I've enjoyed plenty of mocktails around town, but they are pretty much always a simple mix of non-premium fruit juices, often 'watered down' with soda water to make them fizzy, but also cheaper. Very rarely do you see the same care which we all enjoy from the skilled cocktail making in our high quality bars in Leicester** - homemade syrups with innovative flavour profiles, careful use of egg white as a thickener, or even the now ubiquitous dry ice theatricals. I know that doesn't add anything to the flavour, but it does add to the experience!<br />
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My recommendation then, is seek out the bars that offer a premium quality soft option and shell out your hard earned pennies there. There's nothing more depressing than being charged £3 or £4 for a 250ml drink which consists mainly of ice and three flavours of Rubicon juice from the wholesaler. Good, carefully considered mocktails are undeniably out there, but at the moment rarely justify the price they command.<br />
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Suggested Alternatives to Mocktails</h4>
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The explosion in the gin market has led to the gentrification of the tonic industry. However, this is good news for those who are choosing to abstain from alcohol too. Fevertree is obviously everywhere now, seen as a classier choice than Schweppes, but my tip is to search out <b>Lamb & Watt</b>'s made in the UK premium range. The basil tonic is a surprising and interesting flavour, all on it's own. Or over ice on a day like today.<br />
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Ditch the J20 in favour of freshly squeezed juices. They are essentially pre-mixed mocktails and priced as such. I've just had a good browse of the website and I can't find any indication of where their fruit comes from. Search out bars sourcing local produce and making their own juice, preferably to order. Sure, both options have a high sugar content as fruit is naturally relatively high in sugar (something around 14% per serving) but the taste is going to be way higher with freshly squeezed!<br />
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Seek out <b>Breckland Orchard</b>'s Posh Pop if you're craving a fizzy treat. Their Ginger Beer with Chilli won a Great Taste Award, and my personal favourite is the Sloe Lemonade. They are a family run business who still retain their sense of taste - and the whole business was inspired by Granny's secret lemonade recipe. Sadly their drinks are made from concentrate which is generally imported, but the flavour is there in the recipes. I guess with this market at the moment it's hard to have it all!<br />
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* Find impartial alcohol advice and information at <a href="https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DrinkAware</a><br />
** It is out there, but you'll have to do your own research, I'm not name dropping in this article.</div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-32343192111135611282018-07-15T17:48:00.000+01:002018-07-15T17:48:47.948+01:00Garofoli Verdicchio Classico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's always nice to have a little browse around the emporium that is David North's in Rothley. It is a long established deli, with the added bonus of the beautiful patisserie of David's son, Dominic. They also have an excellent, and interesting, wine selection. I popped in recently off the cuff and decided to treat myself to a little something as a treat for passing my WSET Level 2 with distinction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along with, naturally, a good range of <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2015/06/english-wine-rothley-wine.html" target="_blank">Rothley Wines</a>, which are grown just a couple of hundred metres up the road from North's, there are some interesting wines from various parts of the globe. Their French selection is strong, but do take your time to find the more exciting bottles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was enticed to buy by a bottle of Verdicchio. A traditional grape of the Marche region of Italy, the name reflects the Italian word for green, verde, because of the yellow-green hue that the grapes and the wines take.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is Verdicchio?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It takes me back to our visit to <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2017/07/gelato-artigianale.html" target="_blank">Agugliano</a>, almost exactly a year ago. There seemingly every meal was crowned with either a sparkling or still Verdicchio and after a few days of such unseemly treatment I was a confirmed fan of the crisp, citrusy flavours. Here was a new producer for me, Garofoli, with their Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. Castelli di Jesi is one of the most well respected and best known DOCs for Verdicchio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was intrigued that the bottle I found was a 2014, and my terrible grasp of Italian took on the back label and suggested that it was aged in steel for some time. A little research suggests that it is relatively common for Verdicchio wines to be kept in steel vats until needed for bottling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The slight hint of age really impacted well on this wine in my opinion. It has a beautiful medium gold colour with a light to medium aroma hinting delicately at citrus fruit - orange and grapefruit - and honey flavours. As expected, this wine has a high acidity, and so would make a great food pairing wine (as is true of pretty much every Italian wine.) It has a touch more body to it than the young Verdicchios I have tasted in the past, giving a rounded mouthfeel. This meant that the fruit flavours of orange, lemon and green apple were moderated by creamy touches which were almost almond-like in flavour and texture. I didn't get a honey note as much in flavour as in the aroma, but still a very good wine which opened up beautifully when the initial fridge chill had passed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A steal at £11.50 at <a href="http://www.dominicatdavidnorth.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David North</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I paid in full for this wine.</span></div>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-63357800647417884162018-07-10T16:44:00.000+01:002018-07-12T11:09:16.621+01:00The Olive, Leicester<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, there's a new Greek in town! We've suffered a dearth of Greek food in Leicester city centre for many years now, sadly. It is one of the few cuisines that we lack and, typically, one of my very favourite.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They don't mess around when you order extra halloumi!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So it was with much anticipation that I paid my first visit to The Olive, newly opened on Belvoir Street in the city centre. It is a simply decorated, medium sized eatery boasting a simple, modestly sized but hugely tempting menu of Greek street food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would in fact say that the menu is 'carefully curated' rather than small as it took me an extremely long time to decide what to choose from the menu. It all sounds delicious and I will certainly be returning. However, in the end I decided to plump for the classic Souvlaki - start with the basics and then work from there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The food is delivered with a smile and relatively quickly - it is clearly cooked to order. My pork souvlaki was served wrapped in a paper, but I think that eating it on the go would be nigh on impossible. This thing is fully loaded. The fluffy white flatbread is topped with a thick smear of creamy homemade tzatziki and sprinkled with a very generous layer of salad. On top of that comes the marinated meat skewer. In my case this was succulent pork, with the added interest of a flavourful marinade, sprinkle of lemon juice and light char on the edges. This in turn is topped with a small handful of fat chips. It's a beautiful combination of flavours and textures - crisp and smooth, creamy and sharp, crunchy and soft. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like all classics it is the simplicity that makes it so good. You can order the Souvlaki with a range of fillings - as well as pork try lamb, kofta, halloumi, chicken or mushrooms. Prices start at £3.95 for the vegetarian fillings and it is well worth it. This is a filling, satisfying dish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Boy opted for the Chicken Gyro - a similar combination to my dish, but with shavings of chicken meat instead. You can also have the shavings of chicken or pork meat in a gyro 'burger' form if you choose. Again, it was the flavourful marinade and the combination of textures that made this good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly we had no time to sample the baklava, which stared out at me, tempting behind the glass dessert counter. However there are so many reasons that I want to go back and take another shot at The Olive. What does their moussaka taste like? How good is their calamari, their halloumi fries? I'm also a sucker for Spanakopita, the spinach and feta filled filo pastry delight. And as readers of my <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2018/03/lunch.html" target="_blank">previous posts</a> will know, I love mezze. So I have about a hundred reasons to go back. There just aren't enough meals in the day, are there?</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Edit:12/07/18</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As promised I did go back to try some more of the menu. This time I went for the keftedes - in all honest they were a little on the dry side, but it was still one helluva meal. We also tried out the halloumi fries, which are £2.45 well spent!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Olive did not know I was going to write up my visit(s) and we paid for our meals in full.</span></div>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com029 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6SL, UK52.632962799999987 -1.13121350000005827.110928299999987 -42.439807500000057 78.154997299999991 40.177380499999941tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-85357237946411570602018-07-08T19:25:00.000+01:002018-07-12T11:31:35.094+01:00Gallows High at Western Park Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check out my video of Gallows High performing The Clock is Ticking at this weekend's Western Park Festival. Scroll down a little to get the best view and click anywhere on the image to play!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />You can find more of the Leicester five piece's tuneage on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1q9Vd3Ev1a0kxiOD026dJc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>.</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Western Park, Leicester LE3 6HX, UK52.6372767 -1.180778099999997727.1152422 -42.4893721 78.1593112 40.1278159tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-26018804939972927492018-06-27T19:06:00.000+01:002018-06-27T19:06:12.988+01:00Welcome to the Two-Tailed Lion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been a good month for new pub openings in Leicester and Leicestershire. The <a href="https://www.demontfortsu.com/news/article/8481/Historic-building-on-the-DMU-campus-given-new-lease-of-life-as-the-Castle-Inn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Castle Inn</a> on Castle Street, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/millhillcask" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mill Hill Cask & Coffee</a> in Enderby and, the only one that I've managed to get out to so far (twice) - <a href="https://twitter.com/twotailedlion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Two-Tailed Lion</a> on Leicester's Millstone Lane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many of you will remember Matt & Alice who ran the St Martin's Square pop-up The Tap in the Square in the run up to Christmas last year. They have now left Brewklopedia and have joined forces with Framework Brewery to bring us the Two-Tailed Lion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Located in the former <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2015/05/wonderful-wines-at-case-leicester.html" target="_blank">Case shop</a> (rest it's soul - note, the <a href="http://www.thecase.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Case Champagne Bar & Restaurant</a> is still very much open), the historic building very much retains its light and airy charm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Set over a couple of floors, there are screens featuring current menus (and also showing the World Cup at present) with plenty of room for a quiet drink in private, tasting events and more, which will surely be a prominent feature at the Two-Tailed Lion, given Matt and Alice's certified expertise in beer.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blimey, that one looks good!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Great, the Good and Kieran from The Blue Boar came along to The Two-Tailed Lion for both its opening night, and early in the next week (as we'd kindly been invited along to enjoy our first tipple on the house- thanks guys). The new pub has a wide selection of beers on offer - two fridges bulging with various cans and bottles, a good range of keg beers and three cask ales on at any one time. There is also a selection of natural and organic wines on offer as well as a select but high quality range of spirits - I've not had chance to work my way through that little lot yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started off with the Tiny Rebel Milkshake IPA and you can see from the photo why it has that name! It settled into a lovely and refreshing pint in this beautiful hot weather. The combination of creamy and tropical perhaps doesn't sound that appealing (unless you like pina coladas and dancing in the rain) but actually it was fresh and refreshing. It wasn't just us who enjoyed this cheeky pint - this was the first cask to be finished in the new venue!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On my second visit, I opted for a 2/3 of the Mad Hatter Easy Imbiber East Coast Pale on keg. This was bursting with fruit and delicious hoppiness from the Cascade dry hopping. As you would expect, all the beers were served in immaculate condition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are always lots of Framework Brewery options to choose from too for those with local tastes, as the pub is part of their ever expanding empire. I'm looking forward to seeing how this beautiful building and delightful team grow and mature in their new venture. Cheers!</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Leicester, UK52.6368778 -1.139759199999957752.4826958 -1.4624826999999576 52.7910598 -0.81703569999995773tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-7105000027338146222018-06-24T16:07:00.000+01:002018-06-24T16:07:46.834+01:00Alino African Bar & Restaurant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things that Leicester can pretty much not be beaten for is the variety of restaurants available within a very short distance. Forget your boring chain restaurants with their microwaved food and disinterested staff, join the independent revolution and try something a bit more interesting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2018/03/lunch.html" target="_blank">Turkish food</a>, the work of <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2017/12/fine-dining-face-off-iii-taste.html" target="_blank">students in training</a>, <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2017/11/black-iron.html" target="_blank">steakhouses</a>, fantastic <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.com/2017/04/geese-fountain.html" target="_blank">British</a> cooking - I've been enjoying all of these in recent months. But one thing that I do not often get to experience is African food. So it's safe to say that I'm no judge of authenticity, but I hope I can offer something in regard to flavour!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stopped by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Alino-African-Bar-Restaurant-754393214680545/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alino African Bar & Restaurant</a> at the top of Narborough Road recently. I've never visited them before, and I don't recall having eaten any African cuisine since visiting an Ethopian restaurant in Reading about 10 years ago. It's not the most salubrious environment, I'll be honest, but the staff were extremely welcoming - perhaps their enthusiasm is partly the only way to be heard over the deafening music that is pumped out none stop in the restaurant!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We kicked off with a selection of African beers from the menu, not realising that Star is the official Nigerian beer of Man City! You learn something new every day. Essentially the options were all large bottles of strong lager, served well chilled they were crisp and refreshing. But lager nonetheless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a short wait, our food was brought out. The Boy enjoyed a curried goat, which was slow cooked and strongly spiced. I tasted a little and it would have been a little too spicy for me had I had the whole thing, but he got stuck right in and enjoyed every mouthful of powerful sauce and melt-in-the-mouth meat. You can order from a range of sides to accompany your main, and he went for a simple rice, which I didn't bother to photograph. Because rice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had had some trouble ordering from the menu as there were so many new things that I hadn't heard of before which I wanted to try! Nigerian ogbono soup made with ogbono seeds, egussi (melon seed) dishes served with your choice of meat, jellof rice made with tomatoes, onions and spices - all of these are things I have never heard of before and have no idea what they will taste like! In the end I settled for ordering a chicken maffe - a peanut stew. This was absolutely to my taste, with a rich, creamy peanut sauced which was fragrant and more delicately spiced than the in your face flavour of the goat dish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had this with pounded yam, a traditional Nigerian side dish. This was bloomin' delicious. A dense 'sausage' of yam was simply presented on the plate. It's thick, relatively bland texture made a superb vehicle for mopping up the delicious maffe sauce and made for a hugely filling meal. It was kind of like a really, really dense mashed potato. But better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uncomplicated, home cooked food then, but certainly somewhere I will be happy to return to. What new food have you tried recently?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Alino did not know that I was visiting to review and we paid for our meal in full.</span></div>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com011 Narborough Rd, Leicester LE3 0LE, UK52.6303675 -1.148150399999963227.108333 -42.456744399999963 78.152402 40.160443600000036tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-44053619210305846872018-06-20T15:29:00.000+01:002018-06-20T15:29:52.955+01:00Texfest is coming!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's a new festival in town this summer and it's being held at the Market Harborough Showground. Hot on the heels of Download, Leicestershire is continuing to keep it real this festival season with <a href="http://www.texfest.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Texfest</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's some big names playing including Example, Tinchy Stryder and The Fratellis. Yet weekend tickets are only £75.60 for adults, with reduced prices available for students, teens and free places for children under 12. This makes it one of the best value festivals around! Camping tickets must be purchased on top of this though, and of course VIP upgrades are available. VIP access also includes front row viewing area and a chillout garden space, which sounds pretty awesome to me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's a lot more than 3 days of live music and DJ sets on offer. Texfest has paired up with LCFC, the Leicester Riders and the Northampton Saints who will all be putting on activities and challenges to keep you occupied. There will of course be plenty of street food available in the arena too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a tough year for festivals, with a number of much loved events being cancelled in 2018. Smaller festivals like Grillstock have disappeared as the organisers 'ran out of time', whilst Portsmouth's Mutiny Festival was cancelled as a precautionary measure after the terrible news of the drug-related deaths of two people occuring on the first day. It's clearly a difficult time to run a sustainable festival so I wish the Texfest organisers all the very best with their inaugural event!!</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Market Harborough Showground, Market Harborough LE16 7QB, United Kingdom52.497592999999988 -0.9471260000000256726.975558499999988 -42.255720000000025 78.019627499999984 40.361467999999974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-86094598294602833672018-06-13T19:25:00.001+01:002018-06-13T19:32:45.854+01:00Chimpanzee Eden: Twycross Zoo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was my privilege to be invited to <a href="https://twycrosszoo.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twycross Zoo</a> today to celebrate the launch of their latest habitat - Chimpanzee Eden. This facility is part of the zoo's ambitious £55m masterplan which will transform it into a world class conservation facility as well as leading visitor attraction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chimpanzee Eden is a multi-storey £3.5m building which seeks to give the animals the same kind of stretch and challenge that they would experience in their lives in the wild. This includes carefully designed structures and environments to stimulate their natural social behaviour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were welcomed to Twycross with a fascinating set of introductions about the development of the space from the CEO of the zoo, along with a really interesting talk from long time supporter of the zoo, Professor Alice Roberts. In particular, a short film of the chimps being introduced to their new habitat and exploring the outside space really got me in the feels - you can't fail to be absolutely melted by their obvious joy at their new environment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, some of you reading this will be anti-zoo, but you may not realise the distinct focus on animal welfare, conservation and conservation research that is absolutely embedded in the culture there. And of course, as we were told, the major species of great apes are all currently predicted to become extinct in the wild in our lifetimes - a devastating fact which places the emphasis on world-class facilities like Twycross Zoo as a sort of 'ark', giving humanity more time to figure out how to undo the damage we have to done to our environments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the welcome we were treated to a fabulous afternoon tea. The venue is flanked by huge windows facing out on to the enclosure of a family of Snow Leopards, an absolutely breathtaking bunch of beautiful felines who held us all captivated as we ate. This is one reason that I think <a href="https://twycrosszoo.org/venue-hire/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">venue hire</a> at Twycross Zoo is an amazing idea. The second is the quality of the food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The afternoon tea was beautifully presented by a sleek, professional team of staff. A delicate selection of sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls and an enviable selection of cakes and scones was placed before us, along with piping hot pots of tea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As if that weren't enough, additional plates of eclairs, lemon possets and vegetarian sandwiches soon followed! This was a lot of food, even for the hungry folk at our table. However, we managed and soon it was time to make our way through to see Chimpanzee Eden for ourselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We enjoyed the experience lubricated with a glass of fizz, which was an unexpected treat. The whole of Chimpanzee Eden is full of nooks and crannies, where getting up close and personal with the chimps is delightfully easy, but also feels like it gives the animals the maximum opportunity to escape the gazing hordes when they prefer. It was quite clear to me that the fascination of watching primate behaviour was very much a mutual activity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are also plenty of hidey-holes for the smaller members of your family to explore and to get a unique view of the chimps. It was genuinely a fascinating experience and great to see that classroom spaces and study facilities have been built into this space to allow for the continuing role of education and inspiration, as well as the building of our knowledge of these bewitching animals - our closest cousins in the animal world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly, there was not a huge amount of time remaining for us to explore the rest of the zoo, which was a real shame as I have never been able to visit before. The main barrier to me visiting has always been the absence of public transport and I think it's something that tourism bosses in both city and counties (Atherstone is on the border of Leicestershire and Warwickshire) should really have at the forefront of their minds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />I'm sure that with 60,000 school visits per year a lot of Leicester's children get the chance to go to Twycross, but I fear that for families without their own transportation the amount of time it would take to get there would be prohibitive. Not to mention that a visit for a family of four would amount to something in the region of £60 (not an unreasonable charge for the quality of experience in the fleeting estimation I got from my visit) - but add on transport costs to this and I think that it would put people off. However, this is not the zoo's fault, but an infrastructure problem which I hope is considered more broadly as their Masterplan continues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many thanks to Twycross Zoo for inviting us to this fantastic celebration. I found it fascinating to learn about the zoo's conservation pedigree, relationship with the fantastic Ape Action Africa charity and of course to come face-to-face with some sublime, well cared for and happy animals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">** If you fancy visiting soon, the zoo is offering free entry for dad's this weekend to celebrate Father's Day! Don't miss this <a href="https://twycrosszoo.org/events/fathers-day-weekend/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">limited time offer</a> **</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0East Midland Zoological Society, Burton Rd, Atherstone CV9 3PX, United Kingdom52.652437100000007 -1.529103500000019327.130402600000007 -42.837697500000019 78.1744716 39.77949049999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-5526504189621458992018-06-06T13:36:00.000+01:002018-06-06T13:36:14.894+01:00Pork Butchery: The School of Artisan Food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegans, vegetarians and people who eat meat but don't understand where your food comes from, you aren't going to like this post or the pictures in it. So don't read it and no-one gets upset. I've even put a picture of flowers as the first image in the post so you don't accidentally see dead pig pictures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was extremely pleased to be invited to the <a href="https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">School of Artisan Food</a> to road test one of their day workshops recently. I have been watching the reputation of this phenomenal facility grow and grow in recent years and have always had my eye on visiting, but never quite got round to it, so this was an absolutely unmissable opportunity for me.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A peaceful welcome in the onsite refectory</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The school is out in Welbeck, which means that absolutely the only criticism I can level at them is that it can be difficult to reach them if you don't drive, like me. This meant an early start for me, leaving just after 6am to get the first bus into town, to get a train, to get a taxi to get to the school in time for 9.30am. But a lot of people drive, so I guess that's my own tough luck really.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The School is located in rather splendid surroundings on the Welbeck Estate</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a glittering array of courses for me to choose from. I'll confess that it took me ages to pick and I had to ask the helpful team at the school for help because I basically wanted to do everything! There really is everything you can imagine on offer as a short course and many items for more formal, longer training. Baking, chocolate making, brewing, curing, butchery, cheese-making, foraging, preserving... I knew that I wanted to learn a new skill that I hadn't tried before and in the end settled on the Pork Butchery: Nose to Tail day course.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quick anatomy lesson - identifying the cheek 👌😂</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are in (quite literally) safe hands on this course with tutors Chris and Rich having decades of experience in the meat industry under their belts in a variety of roles, and both have a very visible passion for British artisan butchery. Just having the opportunity to spend a day in their company is a privilege. We were given a fascinating introduction into the British pork industry, the rearing and slaughter of pigs and useful details about the transition of those animals into the food chain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then it was time to get practical, and we worked in pairs at our butchers blocks with a side of pig a pair. The nose to tail element comes into effect straight away, with the head and tail being the first elements to be removed - with attendant discussion of the uses for pig's cheeks and the now rare dish of brawn, which is made from the head of the pig. It's also known as Head Cheese. Which sounds pretty horrible if I'm honest, so let's stick to calling it brawn.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be honest, I was already pretty proud of myself when we got to this point!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were given detailed instruction on knife techniques and good practice throughout the day, and soon everyone in the small group was (relatively) confidently using their boning knife, steak knife and bone saw to take the side down into the primary cuts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the primary cuts had been obtained, with careful consideration of how the pig was divided up to maximise the useful cuts and minimise the additional trim generated (which will still be used... keep reading) we started on looking at secondary joints and how to use them in the kitchen. This is where your more familiar butcher's cuts began to appear from the huge half a pig. The chops, tenderloin, pork belly and much more were discussed, as well as the different ways you can theoretically prepare each primary cut for different final outcomes.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scared? I don't really blame you.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was all pretty hungry work, and as I'm sure you can imagine, lunch at the School of Artisan Food does not disappoint! Food prepared by the students is on offer and we were treated to roast pork (very appropriate) with excellent locally sourced vegetables, as well as fresh bread, butter and cheese being on offer and a delicious selection of homemade cakes, pastries and macarons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the training room after lunch, we finished off cutting our pork chops, learning to tie our roasting joints and stripping the ribs from our pork belly. Then we packed as much as we could carry to take home. I know have half a freezer dedicated to pork I butchered myself - ✋✋✋</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When this process was complete, it was time to turn our attention to the trim. This is all the perfectly good bits of meat and fat that you obtain when cleaning up your joints. We stuck it in the mincer, added salt and mixed, then added fat and pepper and mixed again (a lovely hands-on process). And yes, it was sausage making time. Which literally reduces a group of seemingly grown-up individuals into gibbering wrecks of spluttered innuendo. Not least me. Chris and Rich were very patient, even though I'm sure they've heard it all before a million times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all took turns in using the sausage maker to fill the casings and then were taught the bewildering art of creating links. Naturally with so much amazing fresh meat in the house, the very next day I had some friends round for a BBQ and I can confirm that the sausages were amazing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my heartfelt thanks to the School for inviting me to enjoy such an educational and entertaining day! I learned an incredible amount and now want to become a butcher or learn to cure meat, or do the venison course... Basically I'm giddy with excitement about the whole thing and am looking out a way to practice my new-found skills. I really cannot recommend the School of Artisan Food highly enough, either for the quality of the courses they offer, or for the role they are playing in promoting food culture in this country. Wonderful.</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com1Lower Motor Yard, Welbeck S80 3LR, UK53.2608469 -1.166397700000061427.738812399999997 -42.474991700000061 78.7828814 40.142196299999938tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-57832567083131173152018-06-03T10:00:00.002+01:002018-06-03T10:05:56.112+01:00St Martin's Square Gin Trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's World Gin Day in a week's time and Leicester always has some good events on offer. This year is no exception, with <a href="http://www.stmartinssquare/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">St Martin's Square</a> offering a Gin Trail!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Five of the bars in the Square have teamed up and you can sip your way around the Square by purchasing a wristband for the trail, which costs £18 for 3 gin-based drinks. If you love a classic gin and tonic, then try those offered by Bodega. If you prefer something a bit more experimental, then how about the Betty Brown at 33cankstreet, which is also helping to raise money for charity with every sale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trail is running from the 8th to 10th of June, so you've got a whole weekend to enjoy World Gin Day, which sounds extremely sensible to me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The full T&Cs for the trail are on the <a href="http://www.stmartinssquare.co.uk/blog/gin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">St Martin's Square website</a> and the full list of drinks are below! Have a great time, gin lovers...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />33CANKSTREET<br /><br />Betty Brown {aka Gin-Dependant-Woman}<br /><br />Brockmans Gin//Homemade Quince cordial//Campari//Italicus Bergamot liqueur<br /><br />{Strong,Feminine, Silky}<br /><br /><br />45 ST MARTIN'S<br /><br />Gin Refashioned 45<br /><br />50ml Burleighs Leicester Dry <br />Blue Curacao <br />Passionfruit Syrup<br />Angostura Bitters<br />Orange Bitters<br /><br /><br />BODEGA - choose one option from:<br /><br />Bombay Sapphire served with lemon, juniper berries & Fentiman’s herbal tonic<br />Hendrick’s served with lemon, rosemary & Fentiman’s herbal tonic<br /><br /><br />THE BOTTLE GARDEN<br /><br />Summer Smash<br /><br /><br /> A refreshing, summery blend of Brooklyn gin, Pimm’s, strawberries, mint, muddled together and topped with a lemon and rose fizz. There will also be a signature gin and tonic available which is King of Soho gin paired with Fevertree Indian tonic, grapefruit and rosemary.<br /><br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos3RSfP8J_5WIFvA98nkYewmCurJUTGqyps-9Y_WHR-kP41FcvQpLiwwAIpbgqm9E-90sGBIzFZVHjkcMQqyxamyZS1Z9XvdpXIr-y6RKvCHUQUlHqWjYdiRO0qZ45P1xwmMQ56BZ2fQ/s1600/The+Bottle+Garden.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos3RSfP8J_5WIFvA98nkYewmCurJUTGqyps-9Y_WHR-kP41FcvQpLiwwAIpbgqm9E-90sGBIzFZVHjkcMQqyxamyZS1Z9XvdpXIr-y6RKvCHUQUlHqWjYdiRO0qZ45P1xwmMQ56BZ2fQ/s640/The+Bottle+Garden.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><br />Image courtesy of The Bottle Garden <br /><br /><br /><br />GRILLSTOCK - choose one option from:<br /><br />Chattahoochee - pomegranate cordial, gin and tonic with fresh cucumber<br />Emperors Memoirs - gin, dry vermouth, ginger beer, sours and fresh lemon<br />Cheekwood Garden - gin, elderflower cordial, ginger beer, fresh cucumber and fresh mint</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Saint Martins Square, Leicester LE1 5DF, UK52.6346218 -1.135141599999997252.6340193 -1.1364020999999973 52.6352243 -1.1338810999999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-80432367232948727812018-05-21T19:45:00.000+01:002018-05-21T19:45:20.833+01:00The Enthusiastic Amateur: WSET Level 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As some of you may know, I enjoy a drop of wine. And I like talking about wine. And I like writing about wine. I do as much volunteering at the <a href="http://www.rothleywine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vineyard</a> as I can, helping care for the vines, harvest and make the wine. I do the odd wine tasting session, or host wine and food pairing evenings (always available for bookings!)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recaredo - you are now entering Cava country...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It actually took me a long time to build up the confidence to start writing anything about wine at all. I can remember being deeply intimidated at tastings by the knowledge and expertise of the people I met at wineries and events. But then I suddenly realised that it's like art - sure you can spend a lifetime learning about it, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can take whatever they like from the experience.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food and wine tasting with Caro Feely in Saussignac left an indelible mark on me</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So then I got on it, writing more and more (and then recently, as time is tight, less and less) about wine, as well as making sure I took as many opportunities to get involved in the wine world as I could. Here's an early post from 2012 when I visited the magnificent <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/review-ceja-vineyards.html" target="_blank">Ceja Vineyards</a> in Carneros, CA.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlfkcePoYAFJzN7zzzJHiWFz-XyOOjnZLvtsahbld93zx5heYq8acVDYo5awPmYAv1Ahe7aP0eFnrCEZOzJSZdciMg4N_20mHzUL3UV_ky4Fq6KsWGndJW6GmlvLZwyyhXK-zXpyFg7A/s1600/2012-08-27-387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlfkcePoYAFJzN7zzzJHiWFz-XyOOjnZLvtsahbld93zx5heYq8acVDYo5awPmYAv1Ahe7aP0eFnrCEZOzJSZdciMg4N_20mHzUL3UV_ky4Fq6KsWGndJW6GmlvLZwyyhXK-zXpyFg7A/s640/2012-08-27-387.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's only Randall Grahm! The old Santa Cruz Bonny Doon tasting room</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, several years down the line, I've decided that it is time to put my money where my mouth is and actually get accredited. The Wine & Spirits Education Trust are globally the leading wine educators and their courses are widely respected in the industry, so this seemed like a good place to start. I always describe myself as an enthusiastic amateur when I run wine tastings, and I don't think that will ever change. There's so much to know, but also so much to love. I'd hate to make wine into a chore, or even worse, a competition!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0uMRE2JSJEFZXyZvuaf77VkYwGMxVLwaREGHuwGmcTObTW0s5nxWzNjcUjL8-sqUQ_t121WdP-hQslxnMGZPNl7OSMAl4dMjfuJxDiQfU7HT4b8kSCrdrtYkLilg0-UfN6lEJnwVcnI/s1600/PICT0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0uMRE2JSJEFZXyZvuaf77VkYwGMxVLwaREGHuwGmcTObTW0s5nxWzNjcUjL8-sqUQ_t121WdP-hQslxnMGZPNl7OSMAl4dMjfuJxDiQfU7HT4b8kSCrdrtYkLilg0-UfN6lEJnwVcnI/s640/PICT0259.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you remember Argentina, you weren't there.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So last month I was delighted to take my WSET Level 1 at the <a href="https://www.hanwellwine.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hanwell Wine Estate</a> in Nottinghamshire. It was a lot of fun to visit a new vineyard and taste some new English wines as well as taking the course.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_DPFs0E-E3LxVyRQWjjhBi6h34Ou7Zvgd5SwlT780-4dg4_Qkv3_hsWjeZbmh4kiYC3lUFEC_nZ_QI88N3vH7jU5L5CV1NgUib5M35_XOXRiVzYCbqTQzCDCdiMgWayrzxUhYJ4ZS_s/s1600/DSC00514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_DPFs0E-E3LxVyRQWjjhBi6h34Ou7Zvgd5SwlT780-4dg4_Qkv3_hsWjeZbmh4kiYC3lUFEC_nZ_QI88N3vH7jU5L5CV1NgUib5M35_XOXRiVzYCbqTQzCDCdiMgWayrzxUhYJ4ZS_s/s640/DSC00514.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful Barolo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be honest, level 1 is not the hardest thing to pass - but I was still a bit terrified that I might fall at the first hurdle! It's a 30 question multiple choice exam and basically if you learn all the stuff in the course book then you can easily pass - there are no trick questions. You learn about the main styles and types of wine, wine producing regions, how to store and serve wine, get an introduction to food and wine pairing and learn to describe wine using the Level 1 systematic approach. It's all very interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you know what, I got 100%! Couldn't believe it! So now I have my little WSET Level 1 badge and a little boost of confidence... Which is great because my WSET Level 2 course starts tomorrow!! And it is nowhere near the cakewalk level 1 is... So I'd best stop blogging and get back to cramming in preparation. Wish me luck!</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-33783937483924566112018-05-09T10:48:00.000+01:002018-05-09T10:48:49.710+01:00New menu at Boneyard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were invited to the new menu launch at Boneyard recently and were delighted to accept. Boneyard has been open in the city for a year and a half now, although it feels like it's been around for much longer as it's such an established part of Leicester's food scene. Their Asian American fast food menu is a pretty unique offering in the city and with their new gin & fizz bar they are only adding to a dining experience that is live and loud!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were treated to a cocktail masterclass when we arrived - a new part of their offering which can be wrapped up with private hire and party nights. Whether there are two of you, all the way up to 40, their bar area can accommodate you for a fun masterclass. We really enjoyed the energy and bouncy attitude of the masterclass leader. Once our Gin Coolers were muddled and shaken and mangled, we took our seats to check out some of the new menu items.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were seated in the bustling restaurant, with fast paced service and bangin' choons. I opted for the lamb burger, which was massive like pretty much everything on their menu! All of their meat comes from local butchers and the veg is from Leicester market, so I give two thumbs up to this independent being so vocally in support of their local producer network!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, I found the burger a little dry, which seemed a shame for their signature dish - but there was plenty of slaw and sauces on it to make up for this, and I particularly enjoyed the addition of baby spinach. The skin on fries served alongside it were absolutely spot on, really liked those.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Boy opted for a couple of dishes from the street food menu - chicken wings (as usual) and paneer. The Boneyard Paneer is served in a lightly spiced tomato sauce, and for my money is by far the best thing on the menu (I've had a few conversations with other people who have visited recently since we went along and they agree!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I think it's safe to say I'd happily recommend a trip to the Boneyard. They are a larger than life independent with a unique food offering and a combination of flavours that you won't find elsewhere. The addition of a bar area means that they can accommodate a much wider range of celebration events and trust me, you will not go home hungry!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Thanks to Boneyard for their hospitality!</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com015 Granby St, Leicester LE1 6EJ, UK52.6340577 -1.131399399999963927.1120232 -42.439993399999963 78.1560922 40.177194600000036tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-78509391542487031422018-04-27T19:01:00.000+01:002018-04-27T19:01:39.228+01:00Club 1967: Hospitality at Leicester Riders basketball games<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We were invited along to test out the Club 1967 offer at <a href="http://www.leicesterriders.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leicester Riders</a> this week. Luckily for us this was during the game where the Riders lifted the BBL trophy for the third successive season.<br />
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On a stiflingly hot day, we came to the Morningside Arena and were seated at our table in the first floor suite. The space is a flexible one with many daytime and night time uses and the red carpet was out for honoured guests and sponsors, with table carefully set for dinner.<br />
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The main issue we experienced was that there were very low staffing levels in the suite which meant that service was extremely slow if you wanted a drink or had a question. However the staff that were available were all very personable and helpful and were doing their best despite the heat! It was a convivial, family friendly atmosphere pre-game with everyone enjoying a drink and a chat in anticipation of the game ahead.<br />
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We were treated to a two course buffet along with an introduction to the game that we were about to see. The food was a hot meal, presented self service. That evening there were a selection of pies, which made excellent sporting event fare, but perhaps a little on the heavy side given the weather. There were a good selection of vegetables to accompany the beef or chicken pie, along with vegetarian and vegan options and healthy dollops of mash or freshly made wedges to go with your dish. I found the chicken pie to be very flavourful and moist and the pastry topping was nice and crisp despite its time under the heat lamp staying warm.<br />
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It would be rude not to partake in a pint of Everards Tiger too, since they are one of the Riders' key sponsors. After a choice of fresh berry cheesecake or crumble, the guests dispersed - making their way down to their seats in the arena in anticipation of the tip off.<br />
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It was another four quarters of fast paced basketball action as the Leicester Riders took on the London Lions. Sadly captain <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/bernadini.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tyler Bernadini</a> was not able to lead his team to victory on this occasion, with the Riders losing 81-95 to their strong opposition, in a game that was filled with thrills and the odd bit of over-exuberance from the Lions (imho!)<br />
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It mattered little though as at the end of the game we had the honour of watching the team lift the BBL league trophy for their third successive league win. As ever, the Riders fans were in strong spirits and strong voice, making a trip to watch the Riders play a really entertaining evening out for all ages, but being particularly special on this occasion, watching each member of the team getting the recognition they so richly deserved.<br />
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After the game, it was back upstairs for cheese & biscuits, a spot of post match analysis from the Captain, and the chance to see the trophy, proudly brought in by ace coach Rob Patenostro. All in all, a trip to the <a href="http://www.leicesterriders.co.uk/hospitality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1967 Club</a> is a great night out and very family friendly, but even if you don't fancy splashing out on being wined and dined but just want to get stuck in with watching the game I would highly suggest heading on down to the Morningside Arena. It's the last home game of the season tomorrow against the Surrey Scorchers. I will be there and am very much hoping to see the Riders take victory - and I'll see you all down there for the 2018-19 season from September!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very happy coach and Chairman!</td></tr>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com031 Charter St, Leicester LE1 3UD, UK52.6436615 -1.130859299999997327.121627 -42.4394533 78.165696 40.1777347tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-8767460494653586152018-04-21T17:03:00.000+01:002018-04-21T17:07:41.526+01:00Fancy a pint?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beer lovers have been delighted to welcome <a href="http://www.theheadofsteam.co.uk/bars/leicester" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Head of Steam</a> to Leicester this month. They kindly invited me along to their press launch so I could see for myself what it's all about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Head of Steam chain started in 1995 and was bought out by Cameron's Brewery in 2013. This year is seeing a meteoric expansion in the Midlands, with a Nottingham venue opening shortly before the new Leicester venue and a Head of Steam in Birmingham set to open in the next month. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They pride themselves on their beer offering and it's not hard to see why. They have an enviable selection of cask, keg, bottle and canned beers - you really will be spoiled for choice. This includes local breweries, big name favourites like Cloudwater as well as an impressive number of world beers which are detailed in a hefty menu. Everything I sampled was well kept and in good condition, although I think there will be a bit of a lag while the staff get up to speed with everything on offer and how to serve it correctly. Teething troubles though and nothing more I would think. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The venue itself, on Market Street nearby the new Distillery, has always been impressive but the redecoration that has taken place really shows it to its best. Of course the beer bottle chandeliers in the high ceiling will be the focal point for most and speak of the million+ price tag that I heard being bandied around in relation to the retrofit. Given this, I found the generous use of oversized vinyl graphics stuck to floors and ceilings a little incongruous. Often blurry and pixellated they didn't add to the ambience for me, but rather looked like an homage to 90s TV show Knightmare... I think the areas of simple wood and metal decor are far more effective and suit the feel of the pub more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As well as beer there is plenty more going on. A well stocked back bar gives punters the opportunity to try a range of cocktails (some made with beer of course) and there is also a generously sized menu. All of this choice along with the decor makes me a little confused about what the Head of Steam is trying to be - pub, bar, restaurant, or something else? It does sadden me a little that more of these chains are opening up which have less individual character and could certainly not be described as traditional pubs. While the range on offer is certainly impressive, I still feel that 9 times out of 10 I will still be choosing our smaller local pubs and micropubs which are independent, with an admittedly smaller selection of beer but with more character and a more traditional feel. Maybe I'm old fashioned about my pubs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We dined early and the food was fine. Our starters of calamari and chorizo were perfectly well cooked and the chorizo particularly was full of flavour and a good portion size. I think the four mammoth calamari rings were slightly bizarre, but would certainly act as a decent snack along with a pint. The menu also offers pairing advice for choosing beer to match your dish which is a nice touch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The beef bourguignon I ordered for a main was homely and satisfying, but sadly The Boy's steak was more in the medium-well department than rare as ordered. Again, I think that this is probably just a beginner's error. As with the beer menu, I felt that everything was OK, but that the price tag was just a fraction high on everything with regards to the quality - a hint of the products all being overvalued by the chain, which is perhaps understandable given the considerable investment that has been poured into the bar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, all that said, it's a great addition to the city. A fantastic selection of beers that will hopefully entice some new people to get involved with beer. A dog friendly and comfortable venue with friendly staff and lots of space. Plenty of choice of things to eat, and plenty of alternatives if beer's not your thing. I'd definitely recommend everyone try it once and see what you think. I don't suppose I will find myself in there particularly regularly, but I will certainly be an occasional visitor to see what's new on the bar for me to try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks to the Head of Steam for inviting us along to the press night - I'm very grateful for the invitation and your generosity in keeping us fed and watered.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Framework Brewery doggo getting settled in</td></tr>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com017-19 Market St, Leicester LE1 6DN, UK52.6325916 -1.133763000000044527.110557099999998 -42.442357000000044 78.1546261 40.174830999999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-47341545549855016762018-04-15T22:13:00.001+01:002018-04-15T22:13:31.697+01:00Leicester Folk: Tyler Bernadini<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pottered across to the newly christened Morningside Arena a couple of weeks ago to catch up with <a href="http://www.leicesterriders.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leicester Rider</a>'s captain Tyler Bernadini. He was fresh from a victory over the Rider's key rivals, the Newcastle Eagles, that day in what has now turned out to be another winning season for the basketball team. This is the third year that the Riders have won the BBL League and hopes are still high that they might achieve the treble again.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Tell me a little about your background?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I grew up in Southern California. I went to high school in San Diego and then went to business school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philedelphia. I played basketball there at Division 1 level, the top level in College Basketball in America. I had a nice career there, had a lot of fun and won a lot of games. It really helped developed my skill and my passion for what I wanted to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I went to play professionally in Italy. After that I took a little bit of time off, started some businesses in San Diego. I ran a property leasing business for a private school to help monetise their facilites outside of school hours, and I also ran a basketball academy where we did skill development, strengthening and conditioning, leadership skills and all of those kind of things that encompass what it means to be an athlete at the next level. Then I got the call to come back to professional sport - not only play here at the Riders, but also to get my Master's degree at Loughborough University in International Management.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since finishing my Master's I have continued my playing career and also I work in the front office here and oversee the sales for the club. This is my fourth season here. I guess I have quite a comprehensive occupation here at the Riders now! It's different from everybody else, but it's a lot more fun. A lot more busy as well though, it definitely keeps me occupied.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When was your original interest in basketball sparked?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really can't remember life without sports in general. From a young age I played American Football, basketball, I swam, played water polo - I did everything! As I got older, I grew and my athleticism fit with basketball being a sport that I thought I could really excel at. Swimming was probably the thing I was best at, but I got a bit bored of it and so basketball fit and I haven't looked back since.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm interested to hear that you got your Masters through the Riders, can you tell me more?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the guys are full time pro, s they play full time. Some of the guys decide that they want to further their academic career and they have that opportunity because of the relationship between the Riders and Loughborough University. It's an incredible opportunity for us players and it's one of the key relationships for the club to offer for not only athletes but aspiring individuals generally the opportunity to further their education - it adds a lot of value.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWwzsXZmlwm6hI7PKrq7TRYTHsAVfk73fG106Rp2RB36fLvuMc0Ce_JLdpajFycZLsEOmLf4uNG75mO-sAOo4LuLtsfJQysBVV9kb6RiZoULzWs5zXwNj7dj25GyBLWMO2N04xxLsARo/s1600/bball2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWwzsXZmlwm6hI7PKrq7TRYTHsAVfk73fG106Rp2RB36fLvuMc0Ce_JLdpajFycZLsEOmLf4uNG75mO-sAOo4LuLtsfJQysBVV9kb6RiZoULzWs5zXwNj7dj25GyBLWMO2N04xxLsARo/s640/bball2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another oldie I took!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was really important for me that I found the right place to come and because of the relationship between the Riders and Loughborough this was the right place for me. I think that other clubs are starting to see how successful it's been for us and now this kind of relationship is being replicated by some other UK clubs. Where basketball is in the UK the wage bill is not what it is for football or rugby. So to attract players who might be able to earn more at other places, this offer differentiates the compensation package. The opportunity to study for a Master's degree is a really attractive offer and has really suited the club well for our development.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other thing too is that it helps us to get the players who are the right fit. When you have guys that study for a Masters, those guys aren't going to be knuckleheads. They aren't going to be doing things they shouldn't be doing on Friday and Saturday nights. When you get a guy that you know is serious about basketball, he's generally going to be serious about other things. If he's keen to put in the time on a Masters you know this is a guy that's going to work hard. You say to yourself there's a certain amount of work ethic here, this might be the right guy for us.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are involved with charitable work too?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I work with <a href="http://hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hope Against Cancer</a> and I work with <a href="http://alexswish.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alex's Wish</a>, which is a local charity fighting against Deuchennes Disease. I am really excited to be able to provide increased awareness for them and to shine a light on the incredible work that both of those charities are doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex and Emma [at Alex's Wish] are incredible. What they are able to do with that charity, the profile that they have given the small size - just the two people running it all - is amazing. As an athlete, you have a short period of time where there is a platform, where people care about what you have to say, they want to listen to you or they want to interact with you. When you have that it's important to use it I think for the right kinds of things. People aren't all on the same level, whether that's because of health, mental or physical, whatever difference it might be. And it's important when there are opportunities to improve other people's lives that you do what you can to help. And so if that's sending tweets out, if it's getting people down and raising money, whatever it is that I can do, I keenly try to do the little part that I get to play to help.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What prior knowledge did you have of BBL (the British Basketball League) before you came to Leicester?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing! Before coming here I didn't know really much at all about it. One of my College Assistant Coaches played in the BBL in the early 90s, but other than that I didn't know about it. Since being here, the standard of basketball has proved higher than I would have expected as an external person looking in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">British basketball has a reputation, maybe because of the international level, but when you come and play in this league the standard is high. We've gone and played teams in Sweden and Belgium which are leagues that have more global recognition and we've gone and beat some of the best teams in those leagues. So the standard that we're playing at here in Leicester is really high.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZ5DDdHagfDzDa5M1GHOgVp-LAks7q45HIVFDd49k-SPIXT4ST0BOraI5EGbYTeuLYNNwc_1Uj7P3fQlkn4Ep-gM0r6jWOnbNqeOC3qWZcX9M2_WB1Mk7TPefYyYA8C7Wt4J5SynOXMI/s1600/IMG_7919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZ5DDdHagfDzDa5M1GHOgVp-LAks7q45HIVFDd49k-SPIXT4ST0BOraI5EGbYTeuLYNNwc_1Uj7P3fQlkn4Ep-gM0r6jWOnbNqeOC3qWZcX9M2_WB1Mk7TPefYyYA8C7Wt4J5SynOXMI/s400/IMG_7919.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So about last night... You played the Newcastle Eagles and were trailing until you slayed it in the fourth quarter...</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did! I thought it was a great, great night of sport. We've shared the league titles with them now for seven years I think. It's two teams with rich histories, neither want to lose - and it was a battle of will. We're both down guys, they have guys away in the Commonwealth and people that are hurt and we have people away at the Commonwealth as well so neither of us were playing at full strength. It was really about who wants to win that game that night - and they were really good! There were loads of opportunities for them to have won that game, but fortunately it worked out for us but a lot of credit has to go to them and their effort and their skill level last night to make it such a good game.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Riders continue to ride high* then?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, it's been one of those years where we've had different guys step up a lot throughout the game, we haven't had one consistent person leading scoring every time... We've had loads of guys injured and be down bodies and so we've had to find ways just to get it done and win. That's what this team's all about - finding a way to win and whatever it takes we've just gotta get it done. We've been able to do that night in and night out and I'm just so proud of this group. I'm proud to be a part of it and be team mates with these guys who are just really really good people and it's fun that we get to celebrate and share in the success.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, I'm interested in your thoughts on Leicester!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really really love Leicester. Since we moved here in 2014, my wife and I have really felt at home. We came here with our dog from America - it's an Old English Sheepdog crossed with a poodle so maybe it was a sign that we were always going to end up here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're always out in the woods. The Outwoods, Beacon Hill, Bradgate Park, Swithland Woods. We're all over the place doing the country parks and we love it. From that standpoint the pubs and the culture here in Leicester have been great for us. It's a family atmosphere. We go to the cinema, pubs and we have all of our friends in the different villages. Everywhere we go everyone's just so friendly and nice and we really enjoy our time here in Leicester.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cringe - yes I did say that to Tyler Bernadini</span></span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com031 Charter St, Leicester LE1 3UD, UK52.6436615 -1.130859299999997327.121627 -42.4394533 78.165696 40.1777347tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-34521330503453250672018-04-01T11:19:00.000+01:002018-04-01T11:19:30.178+01:00A Leicestershire Treasure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've been treated to something very special this weekend. Anstey Ale have moved their brewery to new premises on Albion Street in Anstey, and during the move they have also added a lovely taphouse space.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOt_z9Lwp6aMUflA0n0RSSK-gFc2VUZUhvySp0CL4RYMinHFQRhD2fca_qKa5jZyGaFZkHruFJXyAeaJn5DU1T94Fk8dsd1UeXy9dzeXakf_wRCL8i6IameXYbVL0jhVSjkvxuNYPJLmg/s1600/IMG_7945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOt_z9Lwp6aMUflA0n0RSSK-gFc2VUZUhvySp0CL4RYMinHFQRhD2fca_qKa5jZyGaFZkHruFJXyAeaJn5DU1T94Fk8dsd1UeXy9dzeXakf_wRCL8i6IameXYbVL0jhVSjkvxuNYPJLmg/s640/IMG_7945.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This weekend has seen the inaugural pop-up pub event at the Mash & Press and I don't mind telling you it's a little bit special. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A true Leicestershire treasure, it's filled with delicious treats that are all made on site or within just a few miles of the brewery.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcvJvnX1QQSw1oAgFCw1Yh195KYq1oUS8kKtIktoDoJ7OMcXkAmqnlkZuPdsLCAOSUd41XM66MOLQJlqmymOZAXQor5Uk22MASY5glQnOAV982-WNjixkOcdinyO-Cj1f2jKVJlTjrWU/s1600/IMG_7978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcvJvnX1QQSw1oAgFCw1Yh195KYq1oUS8kKtIktoDoJ7OMcXkAmqnlkZuPdsLCAOSUd41XM66MOLQJlqmymOZAXQor5Uk22MASY5glQnOAV982-WNjixkOcdinyO-Cj1f2jKVJlTjrWU/s640/IMG_7978.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the bar you can enjoy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ansteyale/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anstey Ales</a> own range of beers. When I visited yesterday, Darkroom Oatmeal Stout was on the pumps, along with Show Stopper (the special developed for this year's Leicester Beer Festival) and Daydreamer, their bitter. There was also a tantalising pump for Nook IPA which will be up next, but sadly not during my visit.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob of Charnwood Cider</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Along with these tasty brews, you can enjoy a full selection of <a href="https://twitter.com/CharnwoodCider" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charnwood Cider</a>. Rob grows the apples in Ulverscroft and presses them in Cropston and you can sample pretty much the full range at the pop up. Dry to sweet, there's something to suit everyone's taste.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liz of Rothley Wine</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is all complemented by a choice of wines from <a href="http://www.rothleywine.com/" target="_blank">Rothley Wine Estate</a>, again just up the road (although with the current flooding it takes a bit longer to get from one place to the other!) Their award winning range of still wines are on offer, all grown and made at the Kingfisher's Pool Vineyard on Westfield Lane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's comfortable, cosy, and has amazing furniture. And it's dog friendly. Say hello to the official Charnwood Cider CEO, Marley, or bring your own pooch along. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's all about Marley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whatever you do, don't hang around. It's the last day of the pop-up today and they are open from 12pm-9pm. Will the pop-up make a triumphant return in the weeks to come? I hope so.</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com0Albion St, Anstey, Leicester LE7 7DD, UK52.6748758 -1.185392600000000152.672468800000004 -1.1904351000000002 52.6772828 -1.1803501tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-17701387942750733512018-03-18T23:08:00.000+00:002018-03-18T23:29:42.520+00:00Leicester Lunch Hotspot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The magical confluence of Braunstone Gate, Narborough Road and Hinckley Road is one of my favourite hotspots in Leicester. We all know that Narborough Road is packed full of restaurants with cuisine from all over the world (not all great, but many are), but in that area too we have loads of my favourites - my favourite Japanese place in <a href="http://little-tokyo.co.uk/new/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Little Tokyo</a>, my favourite city centre fine dining restaurant in <a href="http://www.northbarandkitchen.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">North Bar and Kitchen</a>, my favourite brewpub in town in the <a href="http://thewestendbrewery.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">West End Brewery</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, right on that foodie corner, <a href="https://antalyaleicester.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Antalya</a> has finally re-opened. I'm not sure if the long closure period saw the restaurant change hands - I'd been previously and never had any complaints - but when I stopped in for lunch recently it had been taken to a whole new level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Antalya Turkish Kitchen's refurbishment has left it feeling cosy and on theme, but also clean and well maintained. It is smart and stylish, with a beautiful edge of Turkish decor. I was greeted by a friendly front of house team who attended with diligence and care to my every need during my visit. The service could not be faulted, and, as you will see, certainly went the extra mile!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I popped in during lunch service as I was passing through the area as I'd been tipped off that the unit was trading again and I wanted to see what the score was. The lunch time deal represents astonishing value, with a cold starter, small grill and a drink for £6, the same with a large grill for £8.50 on offer. That sounded like a lot of food, so I went small.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The manager came to take my order, making me feel right at home whilst dining alone. Being right in the middle of an incredibly busy day, I was not in a great place for making confident decisions, so I asked for his recommendation for a starter - should I go humus (always a great way to judge a Turkish restaurant) or the stuffed vine leaves (I know them as dolma or dolmades, but I think they were named something else on this recipe. I just love them). The manager suggested I have a little of each, since I couldn't decide. How very accommodating, thinks I!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So my starter arrives, and I see no indication that I have received either a half portion of humus, or of vine leaves. And of course, I receive a basket of fresh bread - light, fluffy and still warm, with a chilli sauce and yogurt dip accompaniment. And what's a starter without a plate of pickled vegetables and another plate of cous cous spiked with vegetables?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All of the food was great - the humus had just the right hint of garlic, with a decent olive oil drizzled over the top. I think I could basically have just had that and the bread and I would have been good for lunch. I loved the vine leaves and the balance of sweet and sour flavours in the cous cous. Clearly I didn't eat it all, as while I was halfway through, my main came out, leaving me to spend the rest of the meal diving from plate to plate at my own personal Turkish buffet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I opted for the lamb kofta and loved the spicing - it had just the right amount of chilli kick which balanced beautifully with the slight char on the edges from the grill. The main came with the grilled veg from the skewer, a mound of white rice and four salads - cucumber and tomato, red cabbage and onion, green leaves and grated carrot with a little lemon. It was all fresh and light - the perfect way to cut through the rich meat. And a helluva lot more food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I slipped gently into a food coma while finishing my can of pop, in full knowledge that I had to be across the city centre within half an hour for my next meeting, my plates were cleared and the waitress asked me if I would like some Turkish Tea, which I politely declined. I had managed to exercise enough self restraint that I wasn't dying of food baby, but I was close to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, a couple of minutes later, she came across with a small plate of bitesize pieces of baklava and turkish delight, as well as a steaming cup of Turkish tea. I was beginning to think that I'd accidentally ordered much more food than I intended during this visit and was starting to assume that my bill was going to be at least twice what I had originally expected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The baklava, once I'd given it a minute to allow some space to settle in my stomach, was delicious - crisp pastry soaked in honey, with a light nutty pistachio edge running through. The turkish delight was light and aromatic, with a little texture from nuts within. The Turkish tea was strong and perked me up beautifully.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So an unexpectedly awesome meal. I will be back as I want to work my way through the myriad of other grill options on the lunch menu, and try their Lahmacun (a kind of Turkish pizza) which is also available on the lunch deal. I have no doubt this is also a spiffing place to while away an evening eating with friends. I have no idea what might be on the wine list, so I'm also very keen to check that out next time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So big thumbs up from me! Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments below. If you're not a meat eater, the website suggests that you will be catered for, but I am not going to make any guesses as to what you'll be munching on...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Antalya did not know who I was, or that I would write this meal up (neither did I until I got into it) and I paid for my meal in full. Which was still the mind bending amount of SIX WHOLE POUNDS. Wtf.</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com03-5 Narborough Rd, Leicester LE3 0LE, UK52.6305686 -1.148075299999959552.427396099999996 -1.4707987999999594 52.8337411 -0.82535179999995956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-4991989967880233652018-03-13T20:29:00.000+00:002018-06-28T13:55:48.067+01:00Leicester Beer Festival 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is only one thing that happens in March around these parts, and that is the beer festival. Here's what I thought about <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/leicester-beer-festival.html" target="_blank">last year</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In January we all recover from Christmas and complain how cold and dark it is. In February, the comedy festival coaxes us out and gets us in fine spirits, so that by March we are ready to get our festival on. And <a href="http://leicester.camra.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leicester CAMRA</a> are always more than happy to oblige.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And once again, Leicester didn't disappoint. This was the first year that the festival was held in the newly refurbished <a href="https://www.haytheatre.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Haymarket Theatre</a>, so newly refurbished in fact that it was the first public event that has taken place there. It is fantastic to see the Haymarket back in action and looking so magnificent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Strewn around the perimeter of what I understand to be the biggest stage in Europe were the 260 cask beers (not to mention the ciders and perries, keykeg bar and European bottled beer bar.) We grabbed our festival glasses, with topical theatrical mask logo, and off we went on a voyage of discovery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly, the voyage of discovery led us almost immediately into the path of some Morris dancers, who stopped us, and everyone around us, from being able to adequately negotiate the stage to get to the delicious beer, but I'm sure someone in the room must have enjoyed them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having ducked around the sea of waving handkerchiefs and general bonhomie, we were able to get to the casks - as well as finding a couple of publicans who were unable to behave appropriately for a decent quality picture to be taken of them (above). Occupational hazard at a beer festival that is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I enjoyed a couple of halves from some of my favourite local brewers and good friends - in particular raising a glass of the deep and mysterious chestnut ale Storm from <a href="https://www.oldsawley.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Old Sawley</a>, whose namesake pub dog had sadly passed away that morning, as well as enjoying the festival brew Show Stopper by my nearest home brewery, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ansteyale/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anstey Ales</a>. This is a perky golden ale with citrus notes running through it - vibrant and easy to drink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course half of the fun of a beer festival is going rogue and just wandering round until you see a beer that you fancy trying. It's never a problem to have a taste to make sure you like it before committing your precious beer tokens. I took a punt on a pint of Boozey Muses from <a href="http://elliswoodbrewery.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elliswood Brewery</a> - a tasty pale with a strong ABV backbone and hop heavy finish - and the Dark Ruby by the <a href="http://sarahhughesbrewery.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Hughes Brewery</a> - a mild with a really interesting finish that I couldn't quite put my finger on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Keg stand called to me as well and after a disastrous taste of <a href="http://cloudwaterbrew.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cloudwater'</a>s Small Nelson Sauvin Rye Pale (hated it - think Nelson Sauvin hop with rye combination is just too out there for my taste) I enjoyed a delicious third of the ever-so-satisfying <a href="https://www.magicrockbrewing.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Magic Rock</a> Common Grounds coffee porter. I loved the texture of this humdinging dark ale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all that excitement it was time to pop across to see friends of the blog and main festival sponsors, <a href="https://www.everards.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everards</a>. They were presented their latest seasonal brew, Patriot, which I found to have a surprisingly robust flavour in my tasting sample.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all the excitement I decided to treat myself to an old favourite, so it was off to the <a href="https://www.tinyrebel.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tiny Rebel</a> casks where I rounded off the day with a Stay Puft. Yes, it's predictable, but it is delicious. Great mouthfeel, predictable and consistent quality and enough sweetness to make this a superb beer festival 'dessert' to end the day - how can you resist a marshmallow porter of this quality? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So as you can tell I approached the whole thing with no plan and not even any rational order of styles in mind for my tasting. You can do this too, or you can plan the whole thing out with military precision, if you have a magnifying glass in order to be able to read the teeny tiny writing in the programme. I do enjoy seeing the people who plan their manouvre, ticking the beers off as they sample.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only real problem we experienced on the day was the coloured lighting in the theatre meaning you had absolutely no idea what your beer *actually* looked like, but I've heard a rumour that this was sorted out later in the week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those who wanted a break from the beer, there were of course the magnificent Travelling Juniper Berries, bringing their own selection of 50 gins each with its own bespoke garnish (and even teenier writing in the festival programme). You could also head to the CAMRA stand for a general chinwag, the opportunity to join CAMRA (which you can always do online too) and to pick up one of the bottled European beers on offer. There were also a range of charity fundraising opportunities, merch stand and the like to keep you entertained.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In honour of National Pie Week, we also indulged in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gamble-and-Hollis/131755606883416" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gamble & Hollis</a> pork pie, topped with black pudding. Which really are some of the best pies you can eat, here in the most pork pie based of all the counties. As is traditional, there were also a range of authentic curries on offer along with a selection of Indian snacks to help soak up all of the beer. This year there was also a stand in the main beer festival offering a range of snacks like olives and the like. For some reason they had a giant parasol, even though they were indoors, which literally ruined every panaromic photo I tried to take of the festival, and made everything look a bit like a marketplace. But there you go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, if you didn't make it you now have another year to wait. But never fear - we are a city not short on beer festivals. My big pick coming up is the pre-cursor to the Western Park Beer Festival, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/178492306086617/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pop-up Pub</a>, which is conveniently this Friday (16th March 2018). Six casks, six kegs, cider and whatnot all in the good name of charity. An excellent run-up if you haven't given a beer festival a go before. And pizza!</span></div>
Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com01 Garrick Walk, Leicester LE1 3AF, UK52.637092 -1.132048700000041227.115057500000002 -42.440642700000041 78.1591265 40.176545299999958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-18410949212695034632018-03-10T10:33:00.000+00:002018-03-10T10:40:24.390+00:00Indian food on the go<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://wrapchic.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wrapchic </a>is the Indian Burrito Company, which has 19 locations around the UK and continues to expand by the minute. There used to be an outlet on the DMU campus, but I expect that passed most of you by as it did me. However, a new one has opened up on Gallowtree Gate, right at one end near to the Visit Leicester Centre, and I was invited along to the launch day celebrations to find out more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was intrigued when I read about the concept, and it turned out the rest was too, as their initial promotion of the first 200 customers getting a burrito for £1 had sold out within the first hour! It was a bit quieter in the shop when I arrived, with a number of curious people popping their head through the doors into the light airy dining area to try and find out more for themselves and a few people being game enough to give this Indian food to go concept a whirl for themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Basically it's Indian food in the easy-to-eat format of Mexican street food - wraps, burritos, quesadillas, bowls and the like with an array of fillings inspired by the cuisine of different regions of the Indian subcontinent. The food is created by top Indian chefs in a central location and then shipped out to the stores for final preparation for service. At first this puzzled me a little, as the chain makes a virtue of this practice, while I would much prefer to know the chef was in the kitchen preparing my food to order, but I suppose that doesn't make a fast food service model work. However, freshly prepared food in any format is definitely a step up from most of the fast food options we have available!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Wrapchic are certainly setting themselves up against the myriad of takeaways, chicken shops and kebab houses that we already have in Leicester city centre. Their opening hours are 8am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and 8am until 4am on Friday and Saturday! So you can basically go there whenever you want. Not only is their model different from the standard grab and go, but they also have a no-fry policy, which I would suggest moves their food a little away from your standard Indian fare, particularly when it comes to breads like paratha. Although I suppose you don't know how much fat is in the food already even if it isn't cooked in it...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paratha - to be fair, takeout food is always pretty hard to sexy up for a photograph</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking of paratha, to start the day there is a breakfast menu of mini wraps, quesadilla and filled paratha. I tried the lamb keema paratha and I have to say this was probably my favourite thing out of everything, right out of the traps. It seemed amazing that the paratha wasn't fried as it was still really quite rich and decadent, with a beautiful flaky finish. The filling had just the right level of kick for me and I can certainly see this as a great breakfast offer. I did get down to the bottom of mine and realised that I'd accidentally squeezed half the filling into the foil by accident, but that probably speaks more about my lack of capacity as a normal human being than anything else. Teamed with a steaming cup of fragrant and aromatic masala chai, I think this would make a royally good breakfast.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grab a cup of chai on the go</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The format of the mains is a similar one that most people are accustomed to from burrito houses - choose your format, choose your filling, choose your extras. There are a range of levels of spicy hotness available dependent on which filling you choose, and burritos, wraps and bowls are designed to suit a range of needs in terms of dietary requirements and how hungry you are!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I found some of the extras a little confusing - there were predominantly Mexican accompaniments on offer like sour cream and guacamole, which I love, but don't particularly make good bed fellows with fillings like paneer masala and chicken methi IMO. I also found that my burrito cooled far too quickly and was made far too wet to comfortably eat as an 'on the go' food with the addition of these elements, so perhaps that is one area for improvement. However, that said I tried a range of fillings and found that their spicing was on point, all distinct, interesting and spoke of the region their recipe reflected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This commitment to authenticity in Indian cooking is reflected around the restaurant, in the photos and spices on the walls, as well as the Maharashtran art inspired logo of the iconic bull - of course relevant to Indian culture, but also reflective of Wrapchic's own humble origins in Birmingham, in the shadow of the Bullring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can team any of these elements up with a range of sides. I liked their 'Wrapchips' which are a no-fry chip served with a sprinkling of spice which makes them really quite more-ish. They still have a pleasant crunch and soft centre in the mouth despite not having been fried. The Boy also enjoyed the Indian spicing of the chicken wings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you haven't even got time for this fast food, Wrapchic have a chiller stocked to the gills with freshly made wraps, salads and even homemade ready meals. They offer a catering service which is centred around these elements, which would add something with a bit of additional interest to a buffet. I liked the freshness of the salads, with lots of great energy coming from grains like quinoa, and beautiful fresh vegetables being pepped up with the same style of saucing as the hot menu. As you would expect there are lots of vegan and vegetarian options available on both the hot and cold offerings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ready meals were one thing I found lacking a little in inspiration, I suppose because you are kind of restricted just to the fillings and rice to be sure that it would travel and microwave well, but you can't have everything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I washed it all down with a mango lassi and an extremely large korma muffin - spiced with a similar range of spices as the chai, cardamom and the like - which left me very full after my journey of exploration. The price point is around £2.75 to £5.50, so it's not going to break the bank - it's a very reasonable selection particularly as a breakfast or office lunch option in my opinion. I think that they do offer something different to the takeaway and grab and go options in the area, and the store itself is unpretentious and welcoming, so it takes on all the big boys like Pret and such. I can see this place becoming popular with young people out shopping on a Saturday as it's affordable and comfortable to sit and chill in (although if I'm honest, the cushions on pallet wood could be fractionally more comfortable and the barrel tables could equally be fractionally more stable.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't a menu item, just me trying the paneer masala - one of my favourite elements</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks to Wrapchic for inviting me along, explaining the concept and insisting I either try or takeaway just about everything on the menu. The paratha and the paneer masala were definitely my favourites and the things that I will be coming back for.</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com049 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester LE1 5AD, UK52.6346557 -1.132231700000033927.112621200000003 -42.440825700000033 78.1566902 40.176362299999965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-16064700360868905452018-02-22T13:31:00.000+00:002018-02-22T13:31:06.498+00:00New menu at Bodega Leicester<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's five months since we <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/taco-tuesday.html" target="_blank">took a peek</a> around the brightly coloured doors of <a href="http://www.bodegacantina.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bodega Cantina</a> in <a href="http://stmartinssquare.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">St Martin's Square</a>, Leicester. Last night I was invited back with a gaggle of beautiful bloggers, to take a look at their new menu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new menu is greatly streamlined from the rather unwieldy affair of the past. All your favourites are still there - a compact street food menu, a selection of more unusual South American mains, and a cocktail menu which features some imaginative drinks options.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started our journey with a bit of a cocktail mash-up - the Pornstar Daiquiri. This was a fruity rum based mix, topped of with a splash of prosecco in a passionfruit shell. We teamed this up with a selection of nachos and dips - tangy salsa, creamy guacamole and delicious refried beans, served warm and topped with queso fresco. These are part of the new 'nibbles' section of the menu and I will be back for more of those tasty beans! Always my favourite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After this it was an examination of the revamped taco offer. Now made with black corn tortillas, for a bit of added Instagrammability - but sadly no real addition of flavour. I've been a big fan of the Bodega tacos in the past, but I'll be honest both the chicken and vegetarian fillings and the tacos themselves struck me as a little bland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They did not have the spice and kick that I have come to associate with food at Bodega, so hopefully this is one dish that they will return to in the near future. The mole mushroom version for veggies is a really nice idea, so perhaps with a few tweaks they will be back to their usual standards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst sipping on an enormous copa of Bombay Sapphire gin and tonic, we were treated to a selection of mains. The key message with the drinks at Bodega is that they have now moved away completely from plastic to paper straws. When I pointed out that even with paper you probably don't need two with a G&T I was told that it was actually one just cut in half, but that seemed a little besides the point... Anyway, the Brazilian Xim Xim has become something of a signature dish for Bodega, and while I have never been fortunate enough to visit Brazil and enjoy this for myself, I have no doubt in the authenticity of the delicate spicing and creamy sauce enfolding chicken and prawns, and served up with dirty rice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For vegetarians (or not!) there is also now a Quinoa Chifa dish. This is a bit lighter than many other of the menu offerings but I liked the freshness and colour. We were also given a taste of the light bites menu in the shape of the sweet potato side, served with queso fresco and olives. This was very sweet, on account of the agave syrup on the already sweet potato, so for me the addition of black olives felt a bit strange. But I am not the world's biggest olive fan so this can probably be discounted as me just not knowing what I'm talking about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After dinner, we were given a cocktail masterclass - learning how to make the classic caipirinha and a few variations on the theme. Then we all got stuck in and had a go at shaking one for ourselves. There were no major ice shaker disasters and a lot of giggles! I definitely enjoyed my passionfruit caipirinha to round off the evening, given that we can see with some confidence that there is (luckily) no such thing as too much cachaca....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So a bit of a mixed bag in the food department, but great drinks and fantastic service from the welcoming team in this fun-filled restaurant, which offers something a little different from other restaurants in Leicester. I encourage you to give it a go - perhaps dip your toe in with their lunch menu which is a pocket friendly £6 for a dish and a drink. Thanks to Bodega for inviting me along to this fun evening!</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com06 Saint Martins Square, ST. MARTIN’S SQUARE, Leicester LE1 5DF, United Kingdom52.6347051 -1.135274999999978727.112670599999998 -42.443868999999978 78.1567396 40.173319000000021tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-19872263329934787022018-02-20T21:52:00.000+00:002018-02-22T10:15:35.465+00:00Is this the finest interior in Leicester?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I popped my head, finally, into <a href="http://www.brickandbeam.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brick & Beam</a> on Queen Street this week. Leicester's newest bar still feels like a little bit of a best-kept secret, although I'd been expecting good things having heard a lot of compliments from several reliable local sources.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was welcomed to the bar, just around the corner from the Curve theatre, by its striking contemporary urban look. Brick & Beam is a fantastic name, giving the evocation of the harnessing of the Cultural Quarter's manufacturing history a luxurious and well thought out finish. The space consists of a 150 capacity venue on the first floor, fully equipped with a bar and integrated audio system. The second floor has the public bar space, which transforms from light and airy in the early evening to subtly atmospheric and quite desperately cool at night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every detail has been carefully thought out, and the combination of colour, texture and form really struck me. Along with this you have a friendly, professional bar staff who are working hard on creating innovative and interesting cocktails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I tried a vodka based cocktail, which combined a shot of bubblegum, with lemon & lime - garnished with an actual bubblegum and the rim of the glass dusted in popping candy. Pretty much ticked all the boxes for this child of the 80s, but also was presented surprisingly elegantly - this is no comedy sweet shop drink, this is a serious, adult interpretation creating a well balanced and neat concept.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alongside the first second floor bar is a terrace, which looks likely to be a suntrap in the summer evenings, and next to this there is a conservatory, fitted out to the same high standards as the main bar, which is part of the public bar, but can also be hired out for private events for smaller groups. I have heard tell of exciting future plans for these spaces - barbeque cook-outs and live music in the summer, a cigar club and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a place I want to be. It's very much cliche now to say that you are 'transported away' when you enter a venue, but Brick & Beam really does give that impression. It's not quite something I can put my finger on but it does take you away from the streets of Leicester and make you feel like you are experiencing something quite different to what we have seen before. Fans of retro ephemera will enjoy the subtle, but ubiquitous touches around the bar, which cleverly evoke both the heritage of the building as well as the photography obsession of the bar's founders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm also excited to hear that an 'urban tapas' menu is on thecards, along with an afternoon tea with a difference, so I can imagine that as this venue grows we will see a lot more that takes us away from the everyday - a place to relax, a place to party, a place to be seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanks to Brick & Beam for offering me a complimentary cocktail during my visit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It was appreciated, but as ever has not impacted on the content or honest of my review.</span></div>
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com012 Queen St, Leicester LE1 1QW, UK52.6350561 -1.125666700000010727.1130216 -42.43426070000001 78.1570906 40.182927299999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7457945148792071343.post-40587513111690981152018-02-17T23:05:00.000+00:002018-02-17T23:05:02.037+00:00The Duffy's Session<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wrote a little while ago about <a href="http://extremehousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/duffys-bar.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Duffy's Bar</a> and it's greatness as a live music venue, but strictly speaking I was talking about gigs in the back. What I didn't really tell you about was the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DuffysLeicester/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Duffy's Session</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've ended up there, mainly by accident admittedly, on a couple of occasions now, but I have to confess the session this week was an unbridled joy to attend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Duffy's Orchestra are a marvellous group of musicians, drinking Guinness and playing a wide range of Irish traditional songs. If like me, you weren't fortunate enough to be born Irish, you probably won't know them all, but there will be plenty that you can sing along to. And trust me, you will sing along. And probably dance a bit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All players are welcome, although of course the house orchestra leads. But regardless of whether you are a maestro on the Irish harp, or completely tone deaf, I avidly encourage you to pop along to experience this spectacle for yourself. If you want to know the meaning of a community, this is truly it, one where all is welcome. There is a smile on every face and the craic is so very, very real. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm probably spilling one of the best kept secrets in Leicester here, but I can't help myself, I have to share. Join them on the second Wednesday of the month, or the last Friday of the month. Kick off is at 9pm.</span><br />
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Morrighanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12376900220958695339noreply@blogger.com018 Pocklingtons Walk, Leicester LE1 6BU, UK52.6326027 -1.134143900000026427.1105682 -42.442737900000026 78.1546372 40.174450099999973