Events

Chocolate Afternoon Tea at The Landmark Hotel

November 22, 2019 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

Afternoon Tea – it is all about the experience and not just about perfectly made sandwiches or warm scones. It is all about the setting, the atmosphere – don’t you think?

I love sampling the afternoon tea at various places around London and I couldn’t turn down an invite from Fiona to accompany her to The Landmark.

Winter Garden at The Landmark, Marylebone

Through a grand stone arch up a flight of stairs, when one enters into the soaring Winter Garden, it is quite a breathtaking experience.

The massive central courtyard is a beautiful space flooded with natural light. The glass roof that covers the atrium sits at a massive height, creating a huge dome surrounded by the rooms on all sides. Tall palm trees add to the grandeur of the Winter Garden.

Rich Victorian Heritage of The Landmark Hotel, London

The Landmark Hotel at Marylebone is built around a huge central courtyard. When it was first opened in 1899 it was called the Great Central Hotel. Sir Edward Watkin has envisioned the creation of the Great Central Railway, Marylebone Station and a Grand Hotel for its elite passengers.

When his health failed him, the project was taken over by Edward Montagu, the Earl of Wharncliffe. At this time the site was bought by the famous furniture store chain of the times Maples. To match the grandeur of luxury hotels of the time, the hotel was designed around a vast courtyard that delivered guests directly into the courtyard by horse and carriage offering them privacy. The glass roof and airy interior made for a very dramatic entrance and ensured all rooms got adequate light and air.

The hotel changed hands once again in 1988 when the new roof to the atrium was raised and the winter garden was designed. Windsor Hotel was the name proposed at this time, but it reopened as the Regent in 1993 under new management. Two years later it was renamed The Landmark Hotel.

Award-winning Afternoon Tea

Our welcome glass of bubbly was the Champagne de Castelnau Brut Reserve. Then we picked our teas and picked a theme for our pastries. I choose to have the chocolate afternoon tea while my companion picked the classic afternoon tea.

Picking a tea to pair with my chocolate tea was quite easy as the Smooth Caramel sounded like it was made to pair with the chocolatey delights on my afternoon tea menu.

Our afternoon tea came laid out on elegant trays on shiny silver trays. The steaming hot teas came in beautiful silver teapots.

We thoroughly enjoyed our sandwich selection which consisted of deliciously fresh cucumber sandwiches (which I loved and couldn’t get enough of), coronation chicken on walnut bread, Lapsang Souchong tea-smoked Scottish salmon sandwiches which were a hit with my companion, and organic egg mayonnaise with mustard and cress. The sandwiches were so fresh and delicious that we asked for more.

My chocolate-themed pastries included a decadent blood orange and white chocolate mousse which was also my absolute favourite. The other chocolatey delights were a milk chocolate dacquoise sponge with hazelnut Chantilly cream, a beautiful banana, pecan nut, and milk chocolate cake and a perfectly formed large coconut and chocolate macaroon topped with a tiny dollop of delicate edible gold foil.

My companion picked the Earl Grey tea which was a bit too strong for her liking. She loved her pastry selection from the classic afternoon tea though. It included a rhubarb and lemon meringue tartlet which looked very tempting, a pretty looking simnel cake with dried fruits spices and marzipan, a delicious dark and white chocolate sphere which was my companion’s favourite pick from the lot and last but not the least a salted caramel macaroon.

The scones we were served also offered a selection depending on our choice of afternoon tea. So while I enjoyed a selection of plain and chocolate scones, Fiona was served plain and fruit scones. I loved that we could pick two jams from a really good selection of jams. This was for me was a big plus point in favour of this whole afternoon tea experience. The other positives, of course, include the fabulously fresh sandwiches, the lovely selection of premium teas and the exquisite selection of chocolate pastries.

I picked a gooseberry and elderflower jam to go with my scones and clotted cream which I thought went really well with the warm scones, especially the chocolate scones. An unexpected but very pleasant combination of flavours. My companion picked apricot jam which she thought paired really well with the fruity scones, as expected. We had plenty of clotted cream to smother our scones with and am sure we would have managed to eat a few more scones if we hadn’t done round two of the sandwiches.

I would rate this experience amongst my Top 5 afternoon teas in London and I have tried quite a few. I love the location for this hotel too and that definitely adds to the score. With Marylebone station right around the corner, this grand venue has loads of offer. So you not only enjoy a delicious afternoon tea served in pretty silver wear by very attentive and polite staff but you always experience being inside a larger than life Winter Garden, sitting in a quiet seating area surrounded by tall Palm trees looking up at glass roof atrium and enjoy the soft music thanks to a harpist playing in the background.

To book this luxurious afternoon tea experience at The Landmark Hotel check out their menu and other details on their website here: The Landmark Hotel, Marylebone, London.

Curious to explore more options for Afternoon Tea in London? Why not browse through my blog and read about my experiences in various places:

Looking for more options for places to eat at while in Marylebone, why not read Fiona’s review about Twist Kitchen, an independent local restaurant in the area.

* With thanks to Fiona who blogs at London Unattached and The Landmark Hotel for the invite. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered.

Greek Cookery Class with Jet2

September 11, 2019 by manjirichitnis 18 Comments

Celebrating Greek cuisine

Greek cuisine has always fascinated me and though I haven’t yet been to Greece (I know!) I do, very often dream of visiting this stunningly beautiful destination. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Greek cuisine is moussaka and tzatziki. This popular cuisine has some much to offer with dishes made using fresh fish, delicious meat, cheese and of course plenty of vegetables.

Jet2.com invited me to a Greek cookery class a few weeks ago to celebrate the launch of two new destinations in Greece for 2020. The azure waters of the coast at Lefkas and the quieter beach town of Parga can go onto your travel itinerary for 2020 with Jet2

#JetMe2theGreek event with Jet2

To celebrate the two new destinations for 2020, Jet2 came up with the wonderful idea of celebrating Greek cuisine with a cookery class.

Jenius social kitchen organised a very enjoyable group cooking class for us. A very talented chef and her team patiently taught a large group of us how to quickly rustle up a five-course Greek feast.

We cooked a very simple but beautiful summery greek salad, stuffed peppers and stuffed juicy tomatoes, delicate filo pastry parcels stuffed with two different fillings, skewers, and my absolute favourite tzatziki.

All of us were divided into groups and each group made generous portions of each dish. There was great attention given to all guests, ensuring that everyone’s dietary requirements were met.

I personally loved making the filo pastry parcels because they were so delicate to handle and it was great to pick up some pro tips on how to create the perfect triangular shape and not overdo the stuffing.

It was an incredibly warm and humid summer evening and the salad proved to be a crowd favourite. The recipe created by the chef at Jenius social Kitchen, we followed is very easy to re-create at home and can complement any main dish very nicely. Why not create this dish at home and enjoy it while you plan your Greek adventure for 2020?

Greek Salad
Ingredients:
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• Handful of Kalamata olives
• 80g feta cheese
• Glug of Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

Cut the tomatoes into 2cm wedges.
Quarter the cucumber and cut into chunks.
Peel and thinly slice the red onion.
Halve the Kalamata olives.
Roll the mint leaves up and thinly slice into ribbons, place these into a small bowl with the
oregano, salt and pepper, and mix.
Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl, along with the seasoning and some extra virgin olive
oil and mix.
Chop or crumble the feta on top of the salad to serve.

After all that hard work, we enjoyed a proper Greek feast at the huge and neatly set table. The menu was perfect for a summer evening and the stuffed filo parcels and skewers dipped into the cooling dip went down a treat. The wine kept flowing thanks to the fab team at Jenius social kitchen.

Ready to fly to Greece for a relaxing holiday soon? Well why not consider Lefkas and Parga where you can fly straight into with Jet2.com.

Lefkas and Parga

Lefkas – home to spectacular scenery and stunning sandy beaches. The turquoise waters, wild olive groves, and breathtaking hills are the stuff dream holidays are made of.

Parga – Sitting on the slope, this picture-postcard perfect town has the best of both worlds. Cobalt sea and rugged hillside dotted with traditional terracotta-topped houses. This beach town is home to unspoilt white sand beaches and a promenade that will coax even the most camera-shy out of their shell to proudly pose for pictures.

*With thanks to Jet2 Holidays for an invite.

Egg based Tea Time Treats – February 2017

February 6, 2017 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Put all your eggs into one basket for this exciting linky bloggers!

The new year seems to be hurtling us ahead in time at a lightening speed. January came and went in the blink of an eye! And before we know it we are already in Feb and the annual frenzy surrounding Valentine’s day seems to be in the air.

Every evening while I return from my evening stroll I happen to pass by a beautiful flower shop. The florist has gone a bit overboard this year with a massive heart-shaped display of red roses, red balloons and cute cuddly teddy bears! I think looking at that window display every day has subconsciously influenced me into purchasing a heart shaped baking tray – believe me, I have resisted for many years now but this year, I just succumbed to the temptation.

So a heart shaped cake or two will soon feature on the blog! That got my co-hosts, Jo and Karen thinking about the theme for this month’s #TeaTimeTreats linky and we all unanimously agreed on EGGS!

The vital ingredient to most sweet and savoury #TeaTimeTreats, eggs are not just for breakfast! Think muffins, cakes, cup cakes, sandwiches, quiches, french toast, pakoras , sweet and savoury delights ! The possibilities are endless 🙂 Afternoon tea never felt so egg-citing 😉

Just a few reasons we at the #TeaTimeTreats team love EGGS!

Eggs are so versatile to cook with and they are easy on the pocket.
Eggs are DELICIOUS , great for kids and adults alike.
ONE egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals.
ONE egg contains 6 gms of protein – wow!
Eggs are an egg-cellent source of vitamin D, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin
Eggs are great for those looking to loose weight as they can easily be incorporated into a healthy meal plan to support a regular exercise regime.

Chocolate Coconut Cake with Coconut flavoured Icing

So please do join in and link up with us for this month’s #TeaTimeTreats linky, can’t wait to see your cakes, pancakes, bakes, muffins, rolls, wraps,stuffed delights, crispy delights, fried temptations, based goodies, sweet treats, savoury treats and other creative recipes with egg as one of the ingredients- bring it on!

Meanwhile, if you are looking for some recipe inspiration for leftover ingredients from Christmas that are still lurking around in your freezers, then have a look at these 7 creative ideas to have some fun cooking for tea.

7 tea time treat recipe ideas – January 2017 #TeaTimeTreats recipe round-up by Jo of Jo’s Kitchen Blog.

Just a gentle reminder of some simple rules to follow while linking up to #TeaTimeTreats

Rules:

Post your recipe on your blog with a link to Lavender and Lovage, Travels for Taste and Jo’s Kitchen and mention the relevant month’s host and attach the Tea Time Treats logo as shown on the event page.
Add Tea Time Treats in your blog post as a label/tag.
The recipe can be one of your own or one you’ve seen elsewhere. You are welcome to republish old recipes/posts but please add the information about this challenge.
Please be as creative with the theme as you like.
If you put your post on twitter please mention @KarenBurnsBooth, @travelsfortaste, @Jos_Kitchen and #teatimetreats in your message and we will re-tweet all those we see.
You do not need to enter every month to join in with the challenge.
Your post can be submitted for other blogging challenges, just make sure this complies with the rules of the other challenge.
VIP: Add your recipe link to the live linky posted at the bottom of every challenge post.
If using a recipe from another person, book, website, chef or blog, you must link back to the original recipe and not reproduce the recipe in full in your post. You must also use your OWN images for the recipe and not the original images, unless you have permission to do so, with appropriate links and any other information requested by the photo’s owner added to the image.

Get your creative hats on bloggers and make some magic happen with those eggs! Am so egg-cited to see what you come up with! (Don’t blame for being so egg-static!)

(Copy and paste the code below into your Text editor to embed the logo into your blog post)

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/tea-time-treats" title="Tea Time

Please add you Afternoon Tea and Tea Time Treats recipe links below!
THANK YOU and have a dreamy, happy and lovely February 2017, may every tea time be filled with inspirational recipes and eggy treats!
Manjiri, Karen and Jo xxx

Christmas Lunch at River Cottage

November 30, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Winter at River Cottage

River Cottage is an experience and after the power-packed day, I spent there last year with Foodies 100, I couldn’t turn down an invitation to go back this year.

Thankfully, my friends and I managed to find rooms at the same gorgeous B&B which we stayed at last year, Millwater House run by Tim and Ruth. This year in addition to maintaining very clean rooms, a stunning reception, and dining area and a massive back garden complete with a green-house they also built a makeshift disco in a barn and kept the signage as a memory and a huge rack to grade and store the excess supply of apples from the many fruit-laden trees that dot the driveway.

Last year thanks to Heidi’s husband the very kind Mr. R, we ( Tina, Nayna and I ) managed to go see the beach at Lyme Regis and explore the beautiful town and even have a fabulous dinner at one of the best sea-food places in town.

This year though we spent our extra day off, window-shopping and shopping for props.

Unlike last year, when we had brilliant sunny weather and had a farm tour, kitchen garden tour, a fabulous baking session in the superb teaching kitchen and not to mention some cracking blogger training sessions, this year gave us an opportunity to really connect with other bloggers. We had a brainstorming session where everyone shared their tips for increasing social media following to scheduling blog posts and collaborating.

The main hall at River cottage was decorated with pretty flowers and pumpkins of all shapes and varieties of adorned tables. It could have been a setting for a dreamy country wedding.

We were given an insight into brining of meat and vegetables and I managed to learn a few great tricks.

Though I did enjoy spending some time in the huge yurt and loved how toasty and warm it is inside with the fireplace, but of course, the best part was the fantastic festive dinner.

We started off by enjoying eating some of the fantastic sharing platters with pork and leek croquettes with a tamarind and green tomato chutney, goats cheese, beetroot, honey and fennel on impossibly thin crispbread, mussels served with a scattering of finely chopped red onion and a few other gorgeous dishes.

For starters, we were served celeriac ravioli with wild mushrooms and leaves – what an absolutely satisfying dish this was. I craved an extra portion …alas, it was not to be 😉

River Cottage brines and cures their own meats of course, as they use natural ingredients versus the nitrates used in commercial varieties. For my main course, I enjoyed some succulent ‘fall off the bone soft’ River Cottage pork, brined in cider served on a bed of carrot puree, fried savoy cabbage, and braised beans. Probably the only time I have felt like asking for helpings of cabbage;)

The dessert was a perfectly formed honeycomb crème brûlée served with apple puree, the puree had a really sharp taste though. The best part was of the dessert were these divine wafer-thin apple crisps.

Crème brûlée at the River Cottage Christmas Blogger Lunch

I am so glad I wore layers and purchased a fab new pair of warm gloves before we made our way to the farm. It was a very cold evening and a crazy tractor ride to and fro to the farm was just one of the things that made the evening really fun.

I am not entirely certain whether I feel brave enough to cure or brine meat on my own though, but I am certainly hoping I can go back to River Cottage sometime soon to pick up some more kitchen skills.

This wonderful experience also reminded me of the past events organised by Foodies 100 and one such was a Blog Camp at Birmingham. I was only in Birmingham for a day but would love to go back and properly explore the city especially the food scene there. Meanwhile, my fellow blogger has written an interesting blog post about her visit to Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Centre with her children, do check it out if you need ideas of day trips out ideal for families.

*With thanks to Foodies100 for organising such a Christmas Lunch and the talented team at River Cottage for an unforgettable experience. As always all opinions expressed are as always my own. No incentive was provided for a positive review.

Pickling with Sarsons new speciality blend vinegar

October 23, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

When life gives you lemons, make a jar of – yes you guessed right – Lemon Pickle! No proper Indian meal is complete without a bit of pickle on the side. Growing up my mum pickled every possible vegetable and fruit that she would get her hands on , whatever was seasonal and also many times what took her fancy. That is why I was curious to experience how pickles are made using Sarsons vinegar, which now I know is a a very different and easy way to create great tasting pickles.

I cannot resist a good mango or lemon pickle – both of which are firm favourites in our family. But pickled chillies, garlic and even fish come a close second and third. As a preservation technique pickling is almost 4000 years old and am proud to say it started in India with cucumbers.

Fresh ingredients are always the best for pickles

U.K’s leading vinegar brand has launched a new speciality blend this year and I spent a happy evening pickling bright coloured peppers . The condiments which lend any pickle their distinctive flavour are already a part of these unique Sarson Vinegar and are a must try for anyone who is remotely interested in making pickles. Not only do Sarsons speciality vinegars have the added benefit of coriander seeds, black peppercorns and pink peppercorns, they also help extend the life of your pickles. For recipe inspiration, hints and tips have a browse through the Sarsons website here.

The beauty of this process of pickling is that all you need to do is chop what vegetable you would like to pickle and add in the beautiful speciality blend. Ensuring that the Kilner jars used are sterilised properly to prevent any illness and also ensuring that only the most fresh produce is used at all times.

At the event, Denise Tollyfield was at hand to provide her top tips and guide us through the process of making pickles. My friends Nayna and Heidi bottled cucumber while Vaishali and me worked on the peppers. Must say we were quite the team.

Denise recommends boiling the lids of the Kilner Jars separately as they have a rubber ring to ensure the jar shuts tight and prevents leakage – this shouldn’t be oven dried whereas the jars should be sterilised in a pre-heated oven for at least ten minutes. The most important tip she shared is that when pouring the prepared pickle into the sterilised jar – both the glass jar and the pickled mixture should be equally hot. Before sealing the filled jars its best to add enough vingear to cover all the vegetables in the pickle.

I was quite tempted to amp up the heat in our pickled peppers so we added a naughty red chilli sliced into or jars. The garlic pickle looked so good that I was really craving to try some but alas, once the jars were sealed we would have to wait for a a few hours to allow the flavours to mature before enjoying the fruits of our labour. Just remember to label and date each pickle and store them in a cool and ideally dark place,

Garlic pickle with Sarsns Vinegar and Kilner

No better way to spend a chilly winter evening than with friends like Nayna and Heidi doing something we love, working with food and even better when it turns into a chance meeting with another passionate foodie like Vaishali.

There is a definite joy in working with the best possible ingredients especially fresh produce as it guarantees great results each time. I cannot wait to create more fun pickles and add mini jars to share with my friends and family in their Diwali and Christmas gift Hampers.

Fresh produce gives great results each time when pickling with Sarsons

Disclaimer: With thanks to Sarsons for the invite. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.

Norwegian Fjord Trout hits U.K shelves in shoals

October 10, 2016 by manjirichitnis 3 Comments

Norway – home to clear, pure, ice-cold, sparkling waters surrounded by majestic mountains with waterfalls and glaciers – also home to the Norwegian fjord trout fish. The only saltwater trout in the world that has the benefit of a unique environment, a mix of seawater and pure glacial water melting into the fjord.

Norway has a great environment for aquaculture and fish-farming, thanks to their long and vast coastline, deep fjords, and of course clear and pure water. Responsibly farmed, the fjord trout are fed a nutritious diet to help them develop slowly.

Norwegian fjord trout – Purity on a plate

The vibrant orange coloured flesh has a firm texture and delicate flavour. Perfect for raw dishes like sushi and sashimi. Since all of the fat is stored in the belly this oily fish is very lean the perfect choice for the health-conscious. Naturally high in omega 3 and essential vitamins, it is a great source of healthy protein.

Norwegian fjord trout - bright orange colour

At an event in London, unveiling this beautiful fish to the U.K audience Brand Ambassador Chef Daniel Galmiche. explained exactly why it is that he is so passionate about the fresh taste of fjord trout. He demonstrated simple recipes that allow for the fresh taste of the fjord taste to shine through. He also shared some expert tips on how best to pan fry this fish and add in ingredients that enhance the inherent great taste of this oily fish.

I sampled some delicious recipe combinations while Chef Galmiche explained the fjord trout is farmed sustainably thanks to centuries of learning and adherence to the world’s best aquaculture practices.

Norwegain fjord trout tasters at the U.K launch

To sample the very best of seafood from Norway, one doesn’t need to venture too far, as Tesco will now be stocking this healthy fish at their counters. The beautiful marbled red flesh is suited well for marinating, curing, smoking, and pan-frying.

To keep the party going, there was a beautiful bar area set up at the launch event, a refreshing elderflower presse’ made for a great accompaniment to the freshly prepared starters.

Norwegian fjord trout U.K lunch event, silent pool gin

Norwegian Fjords Trout lets you get a Taste of the glaciers straight from the Cold, Clear and spring Norwegian Fjords onto your plate. Ready in minutes, enjoy the fjord trout grilled to enhance it’s flavours or bake with fragrant herbs and finish with citrus notes or simply serve marinated as a ceviche. Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, celebrate the arrival of this new and healthy oily fish to the U.K by creating some magic in your kitchen.

Where to buy: At select Tesco fish counters at an estimated price of £12.50 per kilo.

*Sponsored Post. All images taken by me unless they appear without the ‘travels for taste’ mark.

Norwegian fjord trout - seafood from Norway — Norwegian fjord trout – Seafood from Norway

Lamb Tasting Press event, London

August 20, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

September first week will ring in the second year for British Lamb Week. A campaign that has been launched to popularise the versatile and tasty meat, especially to make it appealing to a younger audience.

Last year I was invited to the launch of this campaign which was hosted at Chef Cyrus Todiwala’s restaurant Cafe’ Spice Namaste’. As the new Lambassador for ‘ Tasty Easy Lamb’ Cyrus very passionately demonstrated some quick and delicious ways to cook lamb. Lamb is perfect for the summer season as it can be barbecued or grilled and enjoyed al-fresco. Amongst other dishes, we tried a fabulously juicy Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger. The recipe for this by Chef Cyrus is too good not to share with all of you.

As expected the incredible spice man has incorporated the use of many wonderful spices in this recipe.

Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger recipe by Chef Cyrus Todiwala

Print Recipe

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

675 gms lamb mince
1 finely chopped medium onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 x 2inch piece minced fresh ginger
1 slender minced green chilli seeds included
1 tbsp ground cumin powder
1.5 tbsp ground coriander powder
2 tbsp tomato purée
3 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black pepper

Forthe Stuffing

150 gms Blue cheese, crumbled
2 Finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp Finely chopped fresh coriander
2 Finely chopped cloves of Garlic
Rolls or bread, to serve

Instructions

In a large bowl gently mix all the burger ingredients together. Divide into 6 evenly sized burgers
In a small bowl blend the stuffing ingredients together and shape into equal-sized balls to stuff the burgers
Make an indentation in the centre of each burger with your thumb and fill with a ball of the cheese. Make sure the cheese is completely encased when you form the burger
Cook on a prepared grill or barbecue for 6-8 minutes on each side or until any meat juices run clear
Serve with your favourite bread or rolls with some sliced tomatoes, onion and lettuce and some relish

We must appreciate that the demand for meat consumption is ever increasing in spite of the many pressures on limited resources of our planet. But as a meat lover myself, I must say, that it is great to know that it is possible to love your planet while continuing to consume meat. One of the ways to do that is to choose to add locally produced lamb to your diet. It is not only easy to cook but also, lamb raised in the English countryside is among the most sustainable in the world.

Sheep and lambs graze on naturally occurring grass which is good for the environment. It helps permanent grasslands to pull in carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil. In addition, it preserves water quality and overall helps farms reduce their energy consumption. Along with being sustainable, sheep farming aids employment thereby building communities and supporting the economy.

Here is an easy kitchen cheat sheet to get you started with which cuts of lamb are best for what you want to cook, with handy tips on freezer storage and cooking techniques.

So won’t you be doing to your bit to help protect the lambscape? The results of your kitchen experiments are bound to be lambtastic! Excuse the puns, I couldn’t resist 😉

Disclaimer: With thanks to AHDB Beef & Lamb and Cyrus Todiwala for having me as a guest. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Kitchen cheat sheet chart and images provided by AHDB Beef & Lamb.

Behind the scenes at a free range Happy Eggs Co farm

August 19, 2016 by manjirichitnis 15 Comments

Happy Eggs – Behind the scenes at a free-range farm in rural England

Scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, in an omelette, in a frittata – whichever way you like your eggs, they are an unbeatable source of protein and unsurprisingly, a much-loved way to kick start the day with a power-packed breakfast. I have always loved eggs especially runny scrambled ones like the ones my Baba makes for breakfast. It was hard for me then, to say no to a tempting invitation by Happy Eggs to come visit their farm up in Tring.

Travelling to Happy Eggs farm from London

Having read so much, about how Happy Eggs Co like to have their girls roam around freely, this was a chance for me to experience things firsthand. So on a perfectly fine summer afternoon, I set out from London to the Hertfordshire. Arriving from London on the day would have been a nightmare, so I decided to stay one night in the village nearby the farm.

After a rather nightmarish re-routing of my otherwise straightforward journey to Luton, I finally managed to get there only about two hours late, thanks to cancelled and delayed trains. Thankfully, after that bit, it was a just quick drive from Luton station into the picturesque countryside.

No better way to recharge my batteries than a quick getaway out of London city limits. After I checked into the Five Bells Vintage Inn, I met lovely Jane who writes at The Hedgecombers for a quick drink and dinner. It was absolutely fabulous catching up with her after months. Jane is just one of the many amazing bloggers I have met at FBC and over the years we all have become really good friends. While Jane went back to her cute camper van for the night, I settled in early to ensure I got to the farm on time.

120 acres of space at the Bulborne Happy Eggs Co. Farm

Feeling Egg-tastic at the Happy Eggs farm at Bulborne

Breakfast at the B&B with Jane was a quick affair and I even got to ride with her to the farm in that camper van – Woohoo!!! – quite a treat for a city like me! We lost our way a bit and after driving around in circles for a bit we finally made our way to Bulborne farm. We were greeted by a big bunch of bloggers and the Happy Egg co team.

It was a good that we had an early breakfast then, as we missed the morning treats laid out for us. After a quick introduction we all donned fresh blue overalls and sipped into wellies – I have NEVER walked for so many hours in wellies before but it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

Happy Eggs Farm at Bulborne is an Organic farm spread across 120 acres of open,lush green space

Farmer JP of Bulborne farm is one of the many farmers who work with Noble Foods, the company that owns the Happy Egg brand. Bulborne Farm houses 14,000 girls as the hens are known or VIBS – very important birds in a space spread across 120 acres. This farm is a fully organic farm which means it is audited by bodies such as Organic Food Federation or Organic Farmers & Growers. This is in addition, to being certified and audited by the BEIC Lion Code.

All the Free Range, Barn and Organic farms that Noble Foods works with are also certified and audited by the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme – a scheme to ensure hen welfare giving them not just wide open spaces to roam around freely but also to ensuring that they have access to dust-baths and specially designed activity kits, exactly like the one you see in my photo below.

Activity Kits for hens at Happy Eggs farm

Specially designed activity kit at Bulforne farm for Hen welfare

The focus on hen welfare and production of free-range eggs is given so much importance that they even sponsor research into work that how to create and maintain a stress free environment for the girls and keep them happy. After all Happy Hens produce Happy eggs!

Happy hens at Bulborne Farm - Happy Eggs

At the hen-house, ( no pun intended!) we saw the hens run outside to enjoy the sunshine, all the while, clucking away very happily. As we stood and took in what Farmer JP told us about a typical day in the life of an egg farmer, the hens roamed around freely around our group, not in the least perturbed by our presence.

While one part of our group went inside the hen house to look at how it is designed and what facilities are provided to ensure the hens are healthy and happy and feel safe while laying eggs, we took turns holding these handsome birds. The naughty hen I held tried to peck at my hand and escaped from my hands before I could pose for a decent picture – naughty girl!

Happy Hens posing for our cameras - Happy Egg farm at Bulborne

Did you know that a hen lays an egg every 26 hours? Or that hens need dust to keep themselves clean and well-groomed? Hens are very intelligent beings and quite inquisitive by nature. To ensure that they get to satisfy their natural curiosity, each farm ensures that at least 20% of every open area must have trees planted on it.

Space aplenty and lots of trees and foliage at Happy Egg farm in Bulborne

Farmer JP explained that he understands the difference between a happy clucking and would know of his girls were unhappy instantly. One of the indicators as I already mentioned is that the hens are fearless around humans, also the hens at his farm have a very healthy and shiny set of feathers.

Now that we have established that these eggs truly are free-range, how do we differentiate between the taste of eggs laid by happy hens versus caged hens? Farmer JP told us that the happy state of mind and healthy living conditions of his Happy hens results in tastier eggs. Also, fewer eggs with defects are found. These defects include a thin shell or wrinkled eggshell, which are indicators that the hens are under stress.

Jp explains why Happy Eggs are tastier because they are free range

Ergonomically designed housing for hens at Happy Eggs farm

As I walked into the e hen house, I steeled myself for an assault on my olfactory senses – what with all the pee and poo of hens, but honestly I was quite pleasantly surprised. There was dust flying around, thanks a bunch of excited hens who were jumping around in their dust-bath and cackling loudly as if exchanging some juicy gossip.

JP explained that the feeders, waste management system and egg collection areas are designed to ensure that hens are well-fed, their living space is kept clean, all this also designed to provide privacy for the hens when they want to lay eggs.

On being quizzed about an article in the Daily Mail about hens being caged, we were informed that those hens were being treated for an illness and the article was factually incorrect. A claim that was backed by RSPCA. Sadly, as the article was not fact-based, it was followed by an apology later. Unfortunately, bad news spreads like a virus and this affects all the farmers who strive to maintain high standards. I speak from my personal experience of my visit to Bulborne farm which I can assure you, was very clean. To maintain the level of hygiene we witnessed on the day, I am positive that there is a lot of work hard involved backed by careful consideration towards hen welfare. Happy Egg farms at Bulborne contribute to research and have performed better than expected during all their audits, yes, even the ones that happen unannounced and when least expected.

Picking eggs at the Happy Eggs farm

We then picked some of the freshly laid eggs and had a look at the area where the eggs are stored before being shipped out. The stamping of the eggs is a manual process and the unique codes help identify exactly which farm they originate from. The eggs are graded by size and packed into the trademark cheery yellow cartons that are so easily recognisable on supermarket shelves.

Famished after all that hard work we headed back to the base where a freshly prepared four course meal awaited. Chefs from Jackson & Rye restaurants in London cooked us a feast of smoked devilled eggs as canapes’ sprinkled with chives and a taste of delicious mayo, creamy avocados and spinach in Eggs Florentine.

This was followed by a massive portion of the classic Mexican treat – Huevos Rancheros – loved the perfectly poached eggs on top oozing golden yolk and the fresh tomatoes and guacamole. Dessert was a Pecan tart which I wolfed down at lightening speed.

To truly understand the meaning of free range and how gold standards are achieved and maintained one must experience at close quarters how a Happy Egg farm is managed. By no means, an easy task, the passion that the whole team here has towards hen welfare is evident from the love they have for these birds.

Recipe inspiration from my kitchen

While I have you here, can I interest in you in some of my egg-tastic recipes? Have a gander and leave me a comment (or two) if you rustle up any of these dishes :

I was so egg-cited to meet some of my fellow food bloggers who came along for this farm visit. They were egg-cellent company! Alex Ryder writes at The Gingey Bites Heidi Roberts blogs at Kitchen Talk and travels

Visiting Tring? Have a look at my review of the beautiful Five Bells Vintage Inn here.

Disclaimer: With thanks to the Happy Eggs co for having me as a guest at Tring and Bulborne Free Range Happy Egg Co Farm. Many Thanks to Farmer JP and his team for a fabulous day out. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.

River Cottage – memories of Blog Camp 2015

August 2, 2016 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

Farm visits are a great way to spend a sunny day outdoors exploring, learning and eating al fresco. In preparation for my press trip to Happy Eggs farm at Tring, which I leave for today, I decided it was time to re-live some happy memories of last year’s blog camp at River Cottage HQ. It was by far the best day out and short break of 2015 – A mini staycation in Axminster with some friends and a packed day full of great sessions at blog camp in a farm in the picturesque countryside.

Summer this year has been good so far with the weather really holding up. I do hope the weather is just as glorious for the next two days at least like it was last year when I went and spent a whole day at River Cottage. I am ignoring the fact that we have had a really gloomy start today with big scary grey clouds looking over London and a rather wet and chilly evening last night – Gaaaahhh!

Visiting River Cottage HQ for a day out, is an excellent idea, especially for fans of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s famous TV cookery show. My blogger friends Heidi, Nayna, and Tina decided to make the most of this opportunity Blog Camp by Foodies 100 and booked ourselves into B&B called Millwater House in Axminster. (Sylvia who blogs at Happiness is homemade was busy and couldn’t join in the fun but we missed her dearly!) With plans to not just experience a day out in the gorgeous River Cottage, we also made plans to visit the Lyme Regis and drink in the sights and sounds of Devon.

To kickstart our day packed with a kitchen tour, cooking workshop and photography and blogging workshops all of us made our way to the farm in a large tractor. Yes, the said tractor ferried us in groups from the massive car park area which has sweeping views of the countryside, up the hill to the beautiful grounds. They house a charming 17th-century farmhouse, cookery school and a massive kitchen garden ,a yurt and sprawling few acres of grounds housing all manner of farm animals.

Tractor ride to River Cottage views from car park

Inside the yurt a log – fire welcomed us while we were divided into groups. Settling onto bales of hay we got a chance to mingle while the day’s plan was explained. But before all the ‘hard work’ began we were treated to some freshly made canape’s, pastries and piping hot cups of tea and coffee- after all what use is a hungry soldier ?

Breakfast tent outside the yurt at River Cottage

Group Cookery Demo at River Cottage

My group started with the cookery demonstration and demo with Chef, Gill Mellor. We made butter and used fresh herbs to flavour and garnish. I used the butter at home for many weeks and it was always great fun because it brought back memories of my mum making ghee at home and sneakily using the by-product into various dishes later.

The process of making butter from cream was fairly simple and I choose not to use any fancy equipment. It does take some effort but its well worth it. The buttermilk which is produced during this process went into the soda bread dough. I went a bit mad with the soda bread and added all sorts of delicious things like honey and berries and herbs into the dough. We left the butter to set in the fridge and the soda bread to cool by the huge windows.

Making butter with fresh cream at River Cottage

What went into my soda bread at River Cottage

Doesn’t that vase look lovely? The pretty flowers used in vases come from the grounds and you them in vases of all shapes and size, all over the farm – adds a very homely and welcoming touch.

Photography session with Lucy

After the cooking session, it was off to practise our food photography skills with Lucy. Lucy’s blog Capture by Lucy is a visual treat and she shared a wealth of knowledge with us all the while patiently answering our many queries. We practised styling fresh produce with flowers and cutlery and various light settings.

Photography session by Lucy at Foodies 100 BlogCamp 2015 at River Cottage

By then we were famished and I was relieved that as we trooped in the large dining hall, we all needed a rest and those gorgeous aromas wafting around had us salivating. So when the mains were served everything went quiet for a while as we hungrily wolfed down our food. It was a great opportunity to catch up with other bloggers between courses and I was glad to see so many familiar faces. It was nice to be finally able to put faces to names of all the bloggers I ‘meet’ almost daily in cyberspace.

Foodies 100 BlogCamp 2015 at River Cottage

Lunch at River Cottage

The beef ravioli was melt in your mouth delicious and was served with summer vegetables. I think we first ate with our eyes – what a pretty plate and the aromas floating around were thanks to the 36-hour slow cooking treatment given to the beef. Naturally, all the produce used came from the farm. Without a doubt, this is the best ever ravioli I have ever eaten – can’t get a better farm to fork plateful, I guess! For sides, we devoured slices of freshly baked bread and generous portions of chilli-garlic corn on the cob slathered with swirls of golden butter dripping off the sides, as it melted over the warm corn. Ummm utterly delightful.

Beef raviloi at Foodies 100 BlogCamp 2015 at River Cottage

Freshly baked bread for lunch at River Cottage

If that didn’t send me into a food induced coma of absolute happiness then maybe it was the gorgeous dessert that followed. Again brilliant plating, for the coffee flavoured ice cream (my absolute fav flavour – yay!) with crunchy salted caramel, served with meringue infused with delicate fennel, topped with juicy and moreish roasted damsons, crumble and finally slathered with runny honey. Passport to food heaven I say!

River Cottage Kitchen Garden Tour

Tummies full, soul satisfied, we walked out, our batteries’s recharged, ready to take on the kitchen garden and grounds tour.

Head Gardener, Will Livingstone explained how the farm is a self-sustaining eco-system in itself . A living model of sustainability and growing and consuming local produce the variety of vegetables and fruits produced here is mind boggling. During this guided tour he gave great tips on growing organic. The best tip he gave which is ingrained into my brain is to plant other plants next to the vegetables so that the bugs can munch on them for example – garlic.

Fruits ripe to pick at the River Cottage farm

The produce from the farm feeds a mind boggling number of people every year at the various events and cookery classes that are held regularly. Whatever the farm cannot provide is sourced from neighbouring Trill farm and other local producers. No wonder then that they are organic certified as accredited by the Soil Association and are managed under Countryside and Environmental Stewardship; schemes run by Natural England. And this 1.5-acre farmland and the team managing it are also proud to be ambassadors of the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Guided tour of kitchen gardens at River Cottage HQ

After the kitchen garden tour, we met the pigs and the hens who became overnight Instagram celebrities thanks to us trigger happy bloggers.

It was then time to say our goodbyes and head back to our quaint B&B but not before a bumpy but fun ride in the massive tractor – an unforgettable experience.

The team at Foodies 100 and the one at River Cottage cannot be faulted on their organisation skills, their generosity, and of course their wealth of knowledge. To find out what’s happening now at the River Cottage check out their events calendar. I cannot think of a better day out especially as a corporate team-building exercise than going to River Cottage HQ.

*With thanks to Foodies100 for organising such a fabulous blog camp event and the talented team at River Cottage for an unforgettable experience. As always all opinions expressed are as always my own. No incentive was provided for a positive review.

eINDIE Launch of Handmade Chutneys by budding Momtrepreneur Sonal Sher

March 22, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

I have always endeavoured to get the word about for foodie entrepreneurs via my blog. I am passionate about food and love talking to people who share my passion. That’s why I was really happy to be at the launch of eINDIE -Chutneys & Relish and am so glad I can share with all you the story behind the big day and some glimpses from the launch party.

eINDIE range of handmade Chutneys and Relishes

eINDIE was launched at a grand opening last month at Tante Marie located on Woking high street. The launch was attended by some very high profile guests like Lord Dolar Popat (Conservative Peer), a leading businessman and former Minister for Small Businesses & Transport who was the Chief Guest. The other special guest invitees were Mayor of Woking Borough Council and Cllr Derek McCrum while Local MP Jonathan Lord was not able to attend he sent his good wishes in support of eINDIE.

**Lord Dolar Popat at the launch of eINDIE**

**Special guest of honour at the launch of eINDIE**

Sonal’s close friend and ardent supporter Lakshmi Kaul, was at hand to introduce the guests of honour and introduce us to the delicious range of chutneys. Lakshmi Kaul, for the uninitiated, is the Founder and executive member of the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society. She recently has also elected as Deputy Chairman (Fundraising) for the Hounslow, Chiswick, Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Association.

***Lakshmi Kaul at the launch of eINDIE***

These dignitaries were there alongside Sonal’s loyal friends and family to encourage her and share in the joy of her new start up.

Sonal's friends at the launch of eINDIE — ***Sonal’s friends at the launch of eINDIE***

I honestly think that conceptualising a new brand and launching is nothing short of giving birth to a baby. The labour pains being no different to all the hard work, blood and sweat that am sure have gone into getting eINDIE to a larger audience and out in the market.

So how was this product line born? eINDIE is the brainchild of gorgeous ‘Momtrepreneur’ Sonal Sher.

Sonal Sher - creator of eINDIE range of handmade Chutneys and Relishes — *Sonal Sher – creator of eINDIE range of handmade Chutneys and Relishes*

To hear it in her own words ‘ The idea for eINDIE came about when my chutneys were appreciated by those who tasted them and this prompted me to think of upscaling the production. I am pleased to say that my chutneys and relish are enjoyed by many households in Surrey. Having informally become the provider of a ‘magic ingredient’, I am now launching this ‘magic ingredient’ to reach out to a wider discerning market.’

What is even more fascinating to me is Sonal’s story of how Woking became her second home after Kashmir, India where she was born. Sonal has lived in the UK for 17 years (in Woking for nearly a decade), which is now home. Originating from a region that celebrates food and boasts of unique flavours, she has experimented with world foods and varying culinary techniques over the last decade.

***Delicious nibbles at the launch of eINDIE***

Sonal Sher is a trained and qualified chef and believes that her creation eINDIE Chutneys and Relish reflect the variety of food she likes, where different flavours work together in harmony. Designed to make everyday meals exciting by providing a boost of flavours into pretty much all cuisines, eINDIE are guaranteed to be a great accompaniment to any party food. A true reflection of the best of British and Indian flavours brought together.

***eINDIE is a great accompaniment with cheese***

On the menu at the launch and food tasting were many delightful tasty tidbits prepared by the enthusiastic team at Tante Marie which also has a teaching academy.

***eINDIE Hot chilli relish with chicken skewers***

***eINDIE Hot chilli relish with sauteed paneer and sweet cherry tomatoes***

Currently, eINDIE Chutneys and Relish are available to try at a local wine bar at Woking high street called Cellar Magneval and they will soon be sold online. To place orders get in touch with creator Sonal at orders@eindie.co.uk

Why not follow eINDIE Chutneys and Relish on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

*With thanks to Sonal Sher for the invite and samples. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.