We have always been familiar with Brown’s and frequent their lovely rivreside location in our neck of the woods at Kingston Upon Thames.

So when I was invited to celerated their 50th Anniversary at their newly refurbished Covent Graden establishment, I knew it would be a fun evening.

With a half a million pound investment into refurbishing the grand Grade II Westend former courthouse building, this grand re-opening of Brown’s Coent Garden venue was celebrated with much pomp and fanfare.

The Grade II listed building has been transformed beautifully to highlight some of it stunning original features like the high ceilings and court cells turned into wine cellars.

The main dining area gives off a retro-mordern vibe with it’s art deco makeover. Original features like courtrooms and the judges chambers have been converted to cosy private dining rooms, all oozing an old-world charm.

The cocktails for this grand re-opning party, also paid homage to the 1920’s and 30’s.

We also enjoyed a steady stream of delicious bite-sized snacks throughout the evening to the sound of live musical performances. I thoroughly enjoyed the face-painiting part because the retro theme was maintained there to with symmetrical patterns done in shades of black and gold.

Brown’s Covent Garden is perfecly located right in the West-End and a stone’s throw away from both Leivester Square and Civent Garden tube stations. It is open late and they do an everything from an Afternoon Tea to a great Pre-theatre menu, all against the backdrop of a stunningly refurbished historic building. To Book click here

*With thanks to the PR agency and Browns Brasserie for the invite. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered. 

Cooking with Heroes Cookbook

Cooking with Heros, published in partnership with St James House, is a fitting tribute to the Royal British Legions centenary year.

This is not just a cookbook but an ode to the 100 regions that the legion has been active in over the past century including the commonwealth and beyond. This hardbound beauty is jam-packed with deliciousness and will keep keen home cooks coming back for more. From finding inspiration for your weekday dinners to cooking to impress your guests, this cookbook will not disappoint.

In keeping with the centenary theme, Cooking with Heroes features 100 profiles of military heroines and heroes specific to each region. To honour each local hero or heroine, recipes have been created by a team of highly skilled military chefs who have delved deep into the profiles of the heroes and the regions they represent. Not only this, many celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, Cyrus Todiwala, James Martin, Melissa Hemsley, The Hairy Bikers, Ainsley Harriot, Rick Stein, and Phil Daniels have also contributed their recipes to this amazing cookbook.

The Royal British Legion is the nation’s largest armed forces charity and worked since 1921 to support the armed forces and their families. A portion of the sale from every copy of Cooking with Heroes will help raise funds to ensure that the legion continues doing the amazing work they have been doing successfully for the past century.

Official Book Launch Party

Cooking with Heroes Cookbook’s official launch was hosted over an afternoon tea at Claridge’s in London in October. The event was well attended by military officials as well as members of the media. I was honoured to be invited to this launch event and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea at the beautiful Claridge’s in Mayfair, London.

I sampled a selection of artisan food and drink brands at the launch party, do check out the details coming soon in my Christmas 2021 Gift Guide here on my blog!

Author Profile and Q&A

I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with the Author Squadron Leader Jon Pullen (retired). Get to know the Author via some interesting answers he has for my interview questions to him.

Q) How did the idea of ‘Cooking with Heroes’ take root?

A) Cooking with Heroes started with a discussion with Richard Freed of St James’s House (SJH) who asked me whether I wanted to do another book to raise money for the Royal British Legion (RBL).  I’d authored 2 previous books, ‘Food for Heroes’ that raised £50-80k for Help for Heroes and with Richard, the RAF100 Cookbook which raised around £145k for the RAF100 Appeal that raised funds for the RAF Centenary. 

The idea for the book was really a play on the RBL’s Centenary and what this charity that has supported the Military Family for 100 years means to me. So it started with a plan to write 100 entries, one for every year of the Centenary, with a focus surrounding the charity’s qualities… ideas like remembrance, tradition, integrity, strength, valour, courage, and support.  If you turned these ideas into the food they would be home-cooked honest, authentic, traditional food but brought into the 21st Century.  In terms of valour and courage, we worked with the RBL around the UK and Commonwealth to nominate someone who has made a great contribution to Defence to represent them, a ‘Local Hero’. And that’s what we have, 100 Regions across the UK & Commonwealth with a story of valour, endeavour, and often sacrifice alongside traditional, old and forgotten foods from that region. A unique idea that I believe properly captures the spirit of the RBL

Q) Inspirational stories are a great way of holding the attention of the reader what is your experience and how did you go about selecting them?

A) I pulled together a team from the Military Family to engage with the RBL across the UK & Commonwealth… this was a Tri-Service Team of serving, veterans, reserves, friends, families and youth services. These became known as our RBL Ambassadors, a role that saw them engage with the RBL Membership in their region and to work with them to select a local hero or heroine who had ‘made a great contribution to UK Defence’ and that the RBL local Membership wanted to celebrate and represent them.  The list is astonishing and whilst there are many well-known VC and MC winners in the Book, there are others much less well known like Captain John Perkins RN who was born a slave in Jamaica in the 18^th Century and rose to Captain a 32 Gun Naval Frigate; Sergeant Alfred Holmes from Gibraltar who looked after the Barbary Apes for 38 years; Sybil Kathagasu from Malaysia who gave her life standing up to the Japanese invaders during WW2 by supporting British SOE Agents and so many more amazing and courageous individuals who have been chosen as outstanding by the members of the UK’s largest Military Charity, so many of whom are veterans themselves… a wonderful mark of respect that I hope does their memory justice.

Q) Food discussions are common ways of coming together to discuss other issues too. So how was this possible to get so many people to tell their stories? How did you reach out to them?

A) We sent members of today’s Military Family to engage with the RBL Membership.  When I started the Project, these were supposed to be sit-down meetings in an RBL club, sharing stories of our service face to face with the Membership and as we say in the Armed Forces, ‘pull up a sandbag and swing a lantern’.  The reality was sadly less engaging and fun with the majority of the engagements being over Zoom or old-fashioned telephones.  Our team then took the chosen candidate and researched the individual before presenting the article to the editorial team.

I’m particularly proud of one region and that was ‘Tyne & Wear’ where we set up a competition with the County Air Training Corps Squadrons to tell a panel, chaired by me but representing the RBL, the Publisher, and the County, who should be in the Book representing their County. I spent the most wonderful evening watching and listening to presentations from young Cadets passionate about their chosen candidate before having the unenviable task of choosing one:  Kate Adie. A superlative choice of a Journalist who spent her career supporting and representing the Armed Forces, always reporting the stories as they really were and never refusing to go anywhere where British Troops were deployed.  A truly inspirational choice.

Q) In your travels which cuisine have you most enjoyed discovering and why?

A) I’m that person who leaves the group to find a back street restaurant and ask the waiter what he or she is having for tea… on occasions, this has been a truly bad idea but mostly it gives an insight into the real food culture of the region. There’s no way I can choose a favourite as there’s no experience like trying a new taste for the first time but if I had to choose one it would be the Proustian moment brought on by Cypriot food.  Having grown up in Cyprus, the memories that the fusion of Greek and Cypriot Food brings back to me is unsurpassed:  Even just a smell of Sheftalia, Dolmades, Stifado, and of course Kleftiko turns me into a sun-tanned 8-year old bare footboy with grazed knees, a voracious appetite and probably guzzling a glass of Kokinelli and Lemonade. Heaven.

Q) In your opinion, what is the single most versatile ingredient?

A) Probably Eggs, I haven’t much to add to the world’s knowledge of the million and one uses of eggs other than to say, even with all of the sweet and savoury uses of Eggs that are out there, nothing beats a properly prepared poached Egg.

Q) What is your signature dish?

A) I think that would be my favourite recipe from the RAF100 Cookbook… the Italian North African (Ethiopia today) Dora Wat. So seldom do we encounter entirely different flavours but that is why the Dora Wat is so amazing.  It starts with slowly melting 1.5Kg of Red Onions (that’s a Bag and a half that need thinly slicing so make sure you have plenty of tissues around… it’s going to get emotional) in a pot (that’s the Wat in the title).  Once they have melted to a gloop, you reconstitute them with Chicken Stock and the beautiful Berebere spice mix (available in the posh supermarkets but we published the recipe anyway) before adding Chicken and finally boiled eggs… it’s an utterly delicious fiery and sweet red chicken stew and like nothing you’ve ever tasted before… unless your Ethiopian!

Q) Breaking bread together is a great way of bonding; can you share any traditions that you have experienced while you served in the armed forces, that you will always hold close to your heart?

A) As Napoleon observed, an Army Marches on its stomach and this is never so true as after an operation when it is often the opportunity to stop and eat that provides that first chance to relax.  The same is when we used to Exercise when I was much younger where the enemy was always an un-named Eastern-Block aggressor and each 3-day scenario became astonishingly similar as the directing staff went through their scripts to check that we were operating as we should.  This was just as true with the exercise food where you could tell how well we were doing by the food that arrived. By the time we received the ‘Egg Banjos’ we knew we were on the home straight, that we could remove our respirators (gas masks), that our fictional foes were finally in retreat (again), and that we could perhaps, for a moment, get warm, dry and eat.  The Egg Banjo is a humble treat being no more than a runny fried egg between 2 pieces of thick(ish) ham held between 2 pieces of bread.  These were brought to us en-masse in hotlocks which were neither hot nor locked, but nonetheless, to this day these eggy treats still brings pangs of nostalgia as perhaps the ultimate comfort food.

But, I hear you ask, why are they called Egg Banjos… in truth it was many years before I worked out why they were so named. I was sat opposite a colleague at the end of one of these exercises, dressed in his NBC suit with dirt and camo across his face as he bit into his Egg Banjo… which subsequently exploded egg-yolk across the front of his jacket. Exasperated but not beaten, he immediately took the Banjo in his left hand, drawing it away from his body so it would drip no more before and with a flourish that any stringed instrument player would recognise as a strum, vigorously wiped the egg off the front of his jacket, looking exactly like an Air-Banjo player. Needless to say, I immediately understood why they are referred to as Egg Banjos.

Cooking with Heroes – The perfect Christmas Gift for all foodies

Why not add this amazing cookbook to your Christmas shopping list? This is bound to make for a fabulous gift for your friends and family alike. A high-quality hardcover book filled with fabulous easy-to-follow recipes and interesting stories of military heroes and heroines with a sprinkling of celebrity spice, what’s not to love?!

Cooking with Heroes is available in all major bookstores including Blackwells, Waterstones, and WH Smith, to purchase RRP £19.95 – with all profits (£5 per sale) going to support The Royal British Legion.

* With thanks to the PR agency and St Jame’s House for the invite and a complimentary copy of the cookbook. With thanks to Author Jon Pullen for taking the time to patiently respond to my questions. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered. Images credit E Jacobs Photography unless stated otherwise

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:

1. Cut the tomatoes into 2cm wedges.
2. Quarter the cucumber and cut into chunks.
3. Peel and thinly slice the red onion.
4. Halve the Kalamata olives.
5. Roll the mint leaves up and thinly slice into ribbons, place these into a small bowl with the
   oregano, salt and pepper, and mix.
6. Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl, along with the seasoning and some extra virgin olive
   oil and mix.
7. 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.

One of my hobbies has always been photography. Growing up I have always asked my Baba to gift me camera’s. I do have a few old camera’s still stashed away in a drawer at my Mum’s place back in India.

I really started exploring my way with a point and shoot camera during my college days in Mumbai. I even made a bit of pocket money selling prints from the photos that developed from film. I do wish I had continued with experimenting and developing my own film but I do plan to get into that soon!

After moving to London, I used small cameras for a while until my darling husband gifted me my first ever DSLR Camera. Armed with my Canon, I have travelled to various destinations all over the world and photographed my way through lot of foodie events, food festivals, cooking demos with leading chefs and even managed to do some paid work. Some of my most exciting meet-up’s in London have been with budding photography enthusiats and I have found some long-lasting friendships thanks to this shared passion too.

On my first visit to Mumbai after I moved to London, I went on a photo walk in the evening with my friend A who is a talented photographer himself. I love vibrant colours and open markets and India has these in abundance.The photograph below won me an prize for an online contest in India. It means the essence of Diwali for me. I was born and raised in Mumbai and for me the festival of lights Diwali is one of the best times of the year.

This photo of a flowering tea is somethig I would set-up to play around with different elements and use them to photograph food and drinks at home. I love collecting photography props. Yes, I am that crazy woman who will swoon over cool finds in charity shops and carboot sales 🙂

But like many of my hobbies, this has moved to the back burner now. Time to get behind the lens again.

And what better day to make this decision than on World Photo Day – August 19th!

A while back when Maplin invited me to join in with a select group of bloggers and freelancer for a Photo Walk through Central London, I was beyond excited!

We met up with talented professional photographer Kay Ford at Covent Garden and walked through to Neal’s Yard and then Chinatown. Kaye shared some of her top tips on clicking photos in busy areas like Central London with lots of people milling about. I loved the tips she shared about composing a photo and how to work with a DSLR camera.

Kaye encouraged us to really get into street photography, something I do struggle with. There is always so much happening in Covent Garden with so may tourists, street performers, vendors, street food and it is always alive, buzzing and full of colour. So many photo opportunities!

Though I clicked close to a 150 photos with my Canon camera during this photo walk, it seems minsicule in comparison to the massive number of photo albums I have stored on my laptop and external hard drives. This is where Maplin comes in with photo storage solutions.

Our photo walk took us just over half an hour and we walked starting from Brigit’s Bakery across Coivent Garden, Neal’s Yard and through Chinatown and via Cecil Court (the inspiration behind Diagon Alley in the famous Harry Potter series) back to Brigit’s Bakery.

To view all social media photos from this fun event look up the hashtag #maplinphotowalk

We enjoyed a delicious Afternoon Tea at Brigits’s Bakery and it was the most wonderful way to wrap up an afternoon of walking across the streets of Central London and getting top tips from Kaye.

Here I am putting into practise one of Kaye’s tips – create a ‘photo within a photo’ effect

Here is a photo of the city from Waterloo Bridge taken a few days after this photo walk.

To read my detailed post about the fabulous sit-down Afternoon Tea at Brigit’s Bakery check out my blog post here.

Looking for Travel Inspiration around London or other parts of the U.K, then have a browse through my travel posts below:

• An insider’s guide to London Bridge and the surrounding area in Central London
• Top 5 places near London for the perfect day out with family
• Borough Market, London’s iconic market steeped in history
• Portobello Market, Notting Hill, London – an insider’s guide
• Neighbourhood guide to Angel, Islington, London
• England’s largest Vineyard – Denbie’s Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey
• Exploring Guilford town and River Wey Valley, Surrey Hills, England
• Weekend Getaway, Southampton, England
• Blog Camp at River Cottage
• Five Bells Inn, Aylesbury, Weston Turville, England
• A week in North Wales – Southstack Lighthouse and Cemaes Bay

*With thanks to Maplin and the PR agency for the invite. Thanks to Kaye Ford for a memorable experience and sharing so many wonderful photography tips, also a huge thank-you to Brigit’s Bakery for a wonderful complimentary Afternoon Tea. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered.