Grenada Chocolate Festival – Festive Giveaway

December 12, 2022 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Hello and welcome back to my happy space in the virtual world. I am so excited to share some festive excitement with all of you with a fabulous new festive Giveaway and a delicious chocolate-themed cocktail recipe too! Woohooo! But first, lets take a deep dive into all things Grenada and Chocolate!

Grenada Chocolate Festival 10th anniversary festive Giveaway

What is the Grenada Chocolate Festival all about?

The sunny Caribbean island of Grenada is home to cocoa plantations and many other spices. For years now the island has been supplying cocoa to chocolate factories across Europe and North America. It was back in 1999 that the first ever local modern tree-to-bar fine chocolate factory was founded in Grenada by the late Mott Green and partners.

During the Christmas of 2013 Magdalena Fielden, a local resort owner and the founder of the Grenada Chocolate festival invited Mott over to share his wealth of knowldege about all things chocolate with her guest and tourists. Mott had never before been invited to talk about his work and share his passion but the response shown by the guests to Mott’s story was very encouraging. After Mott’s passing later that year, Magdalena created the first ever chocolate festival to honour his extraordinary journey and to highlight the contribution and hardwork of the local farmers and producers .

The festival is now litreally a movement of social change and has only gone from strength to strength. Now a very well-attended event that attracts global attention , this has also given birth to a whole host enterpreneurs and businesses revolving around locally grown cocoa.

When is the Grenada Chocolate festival happening next?

Grenada Chocolate Fest will celebrate it’s 10th Anniversary next year from the 17th to the 21st of May 2023. The highlight of the 10th anniversary is a twin celebration of local chocolate and local rum.

In adddition to the annual events that include popular activities like being a cocoa farmer for a day and a chocolate medidation event, next years 10th anniversary special events include has exciting new activiries planned like the learning how to make ‘under the counter’ cocoa infused Grenadian rum and much more!

For details about the festival, the various events and more, check out their website here.

True Blue Bay Boutique Resort

Magdalena and her family own and manage the sustainability award-wining water-front True Blue Bay Boutique resort on the south coast of Grenada. The resort is the host hotel for the festival and guests will have free access to some of the exciting events happening next year. The festival is open to everyone and welcomes all tourists visiting Grenada.

The resort hosts some amazing local food and drink experiences including a True Blue Farm-to-fork experience, Chocolate and Rum experiences, Grenadian cultural experience and more.

To Book your stay at True Blue Boutique resort check out availability here

Festive Chocolate Goody Bag Instagram Giveaway

Now that you know the amazing story behind the wonderful Grenada Chocolate festival and how it was created, you are ready to truly appreciate and enjoy a whole host of fine tree to bar chocolates all the way from Grenada and some great quality cocoa products – all for free (for one lucky winner) in the comfort of your own home! How? Well read on for details of participating in my Instagram giveaway!

Festive Giveaway – Chocolate Goody Bag from Grenada Chocolate Festival – image courtesy Grenada Chocolate Fest

Win a fabulous cloth goody bag stuffed with chocolatey goodies courtesy Grenada Chocolate Festival

How to enter my festive Instagram Giveaway courtesy Grenada Chocolate Fest:

Head to my Instagram Account and check out my giveaway post.
To enter, follow my account on Instagram and follow Grenada Chocolate Fest on Instagram, then like my Instagram giveaway post and add a comment while tagging any two friends. Each Tag counts as an entry. This step is mandatory.
To increase your chances of winning, all participants can comment and share my post to their stories by tagging my Instagram account and Grenada Chocolate Fest, this can be done daily until the giveaway ends to increase your chances of winning. This daily step is optional. Sharing to story is a bonus entry
I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the mandatory steps mentioned above.
Accounts that follow me on Instagram just for the festive giveaway and unfollow me later will be banned from participating in any future giveaways – it is simply bad form to do this – kindly avoid, please? 🙂
One lucky winner will be picked at random at the end of the giveaway period.
The winner will be announced by me, the day after the giveaway ends – I will share the name and tag the winner on my Instagram story.
The winner has to ensure they check their messages on Instagram for a message from me congratulating them on winning.
The winner agrees to share their email with me so that it can be shared with Grenada Chocolate Fest who will arrange for the Goody Bag to be sent to the winner.

Chocolate treats come with this beautiful cotton Bag courtesy Grenada Chocolate Festival – – image courtesy Grenada Chocolate Fest

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

One lucky reader who enters my Instagram Festive Giveaway and follows all the rules will win a goody bag with Chocolate courtesy of the Grenada Chocolate Festival. (This festive giveaway is hosted by me on my Instagram account and Instagram is in no way associated with this giveaway. I have made no monetary or other gains in kind by way of associating with this giveaway whatsoever)
One lucky winner will be picked at random at the end of the giveaway period.
My Instagram festive giveaway will run from 12th Dec 2022 Monday until midnight GMT on 25th of Dec’2022 Sunday.
Entry is open only to residents of the U.K, except Scotland and Ireland.
All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
The winner agrees to share their email id with me and allows me to share it with the Grenada Chocolate festival who will then send them the goody bag directly. This means they will have to share their address with the festival.
The giveaway prize comes packed in a complimentary beautiful sturdy re-usable eco-friendly cloth bag.
The contents of the goody bag include Two Crayfish Bay Organic Chocolate 75%, Two Crayfish Bay Organic Coconut Cream, a Selection of individual squares of Crayfish Bay Organic Chocolate 75%, two traditional Grenadian cocoa balls, a Pack of roasted cocoa beans and a Pack of cocoa nibs.
The prize is as stated: it is non-transferable, and cash alternatives or any other alternatives are NOT available.
The winner will be notified on the 23rd Dec 2022 Friday via my Instagram account and here on my blog post too.
If the winner fails to respond within 7 days after their name has been announced, then another winner will be chosen at Random. Please allow for 15 days after this process for the goody bag to reach you.

This is what one lucky winner will WIN!

Grenada Chocolate Festival 10th anniversary festive Giveaway – image courtesy Grenada Chocolate Fest

Tips to enjoy your treats from Grenada Chocolate Festival like a Pro!

The selection of individual squares of Crayfish Bay Organic Chocolate 75% are the perfect after-dinner treat.
Grenadian cocoa balls are made from cocoa beans that have been pot-roasted, ground with a pestle and mortar, blended with various locally grown spices, and hand-rolled into balls. They are perfect for making traditional Grenadian cocoa tea, hot chocolate, or grated over a cappuccino.
The roasted cocoa beans will have a bitter taste and are a healthy snack as they are said to benefit heart health. The beans have been hand-harvested, sweated, sun-dried, and pot-roasted on the sunny Caribbean island of Grenada. To use remove the shell and eat or add to breakfast cereal or yoghurt.
Cocoa nibs are broken pieces of cocoa beans and are perfect as a snack or added to cakes or other dishes for added crunch and a chocolatey flavour.

You are welcome to add your own creative touch and enjoy your treats in any way you like!

Chocolate Martini Recipe

As promised earlier in my post, here is some bonus festive content.

No celebration is complete without an element of chocolate. And what better way to celebrate the spirit of the festive season and the Caribbean than with a Caribbean-themed cocktail?

This Chocolate Martini recipe is very easy to put together and a real celebration of all the things that the island is famous for – fresh spices, delicious chocolate made using local cocoa beans, and all things fun.

Decorate with grated nutmeg and ginger on top and as you sip on this fab cocktail, imagine how much fun it would be to enjoy this cocktail and so much more on the island of Grenada while sitting on a lovely soft sand beach with the warm sea breeze for company and the soft lapping of waves in the background …..sighhh…sounds positively heavenly to me!

Chocolate Martini

Fun chocolatey recipe with fresh spices from Grenada

Print Recipe

Course Drinks

Cuisine Caribbean

Equipment

1 Cocktail shaker

Ingredients

1 tbsp Cocoa powder
5 tsp Ground cardamom
175 ml AMAZ-IN chocolate liqueur plus extra for decorating
100 ml Blue Light vodka
75 ml Single cream
Ice cubes

Instructions

Decorate the glass, first. Mix the cocoa powder and ground cardamom on a plate then por in a little AMAZ-IN in to a separate saucer.Gently dip the rim of each Martini glass in the liqueur and then into the cocoaand spice mix to coat. Set aside.
Add AMAZ-IN, Blue Light vodka and single cream to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 20 seconds. Pour into the decorated glasses andraise a toast to the Caribbean!

*Feel free to swap up the ingredients with what you have on hand.

Dreaming of all things Chocolate? Why not browse through my chocolate-themed recipes below?

*With thanks to Grenada Chocolate festival for providing such a fabulous Goody bag for my Instagram giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own. Image Copyright: all images with my watermark are styled and clicked by me, any other images in the post are courtesy the Grenada Chocolate Festival.

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 on 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 as 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 a 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 canapes, 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 are arranged in vases of all shapes and sizes, spread all over the farm this rustic styling 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 into 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 the 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 recharged, ready to take on the kitchen garden and grounds tour.

Head Gardener, Will Livingstone explained how the farm is a self-sustaining ecosystem 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 our group of camera 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 for 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 H Q.

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

*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.

OXO stock pots- ‘All you need to make great soups’ GIVEAWAY

April 19, 2016 by manjirichitnis 108 Comments

Though we are having sunny spells, chilly and windy evenings still seem to be getting in the way of spring season. At ours, both my OH and I are obsessed with hot soups and one-pot stews and casseroles. A hearty soup can be just the thing for a cold chilly evening and works as a complete meal that can be rustled up in no time.

Most of February, I was fighting off a terrible viral and bacterial flu and cold bug which just didn’t seem to go away. Naturally, I tried all sorts of home remedies and made lots of different varieties of soups.

Around this time OXO sent me a fabulous goody bag with some OXO stock pots, a good quality stainless steel Ladle with a sturdy handle, a Mackie’s Soup Mug – handy for eating soup in and looks very cheerful too, a Sistema Microwaveable Travel Mug – handy for carrying soup for a working lunch and an OXO Cookbook for recipe inspiration to make some delicious meals at home.

And now, I would like to share the joy with all of you with an opportunity to win this generous goody bag from OXO. To win this giveaway from OXO all you need to do is answer a simple question and follow some easy-peasy instructions.

One lucky winner gets this lovely bundle of goodies worth £50 : OXO Cookbook and a selection of OXO stock pot x5, 1x odour & stain resistant Ladle, 1x Mackie’s Soup Mug and 1x Sistema Microwaveable Travel Mug.

CONGRATULATIONS to Laura Z Banks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

CONGRATULATIONS to Laura Z Banks! Kindly check your email

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

One lucky winner will be picked automatically by Rafflecopter.
Deadline for entering this contest is 1st June’ 2016 midnight GMT.
Entry is open only to residents of the U.K, except Scotland and Ireland.
All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
Increase your chances of winning by visiting daily and tweeting out the pre-recorded tweet, provided they have done all other steps the first time when they enter.
ONE lucky winner will be chosen using random number generator.
The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post – OXO Cookbook and a selection of OXO stock pots x5, 1x odour & stain resistant Ladle, 1x Mackie’s Soup Mug and 1x Sistema Microwaveable Travel Mug.
Neither OXO, nor I am liable for any damage of giveaway prize and / or contents in transit.
Please allow a minimum of 15 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The giveaway prize will be sent directly by OXO.
The prize is as stated: it is non- transferable and no cash alternatives is available.
I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the steps mentioned above.
The winner will be notified on 4th June’ 2016 on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the winner on Twitter via their twitter id. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and OXO to contact you via email id and share your details with OXO who will arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you, to have your name announced here on my blog post and on Twitter.
If the winner fails to respond by 8th June’ 2016 then another winner will be chosen at Random.

*With thanks to OXO for arranging these fabulous gifts and sending me a similar set to sample and for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Please note photograph is post is only representative and actual OXO products and other goodies sent may differ.

Brighten up a chilly, grey day with Horlicks Light + Reader Giveaway – Closed

March 1, 2016 by manjirichitnis 54 Comments

When a winter illness bug gets to you real bad – like it has to me, several things happen as a result. To top the list of annoying ill-effects is the feeling of being constantly drained out and lacking energy. To combat the lack of appetite and a do good a weakened digestive system, I found that I could benefit from a little pick me up! That’s where Horlicks Light comes in – which appears to work well with my many home remedies and an onslaught of daily rejuvenating soups. Horlicks Light has 14 key nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Thiamin (Vit B1), Riboflavin (Vit B2), Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (Vit B5), Calcium and Protein. It is also suitable for vegetarians.

There is just something very welcoming about a steaming hot mug, loaded with nutrients that make me feel good instantly. Even more so, when it comes with some limited edition Horlicks memorabilia.

As am sure all of you know, that I am always looking for ways to share the love with my readers. So am pleased to announce, that Horlicks is offering one lucky reader a chance to win a set of this gorgeous limited edition Horlicks memorabilia – a ‘Store and Pour’ jar, a set of coasters, a sturdy and beautiful mug and a 500gm jar of Horlicks Light to get you started. Horlicks Light and Horlicks Light Chocolate have 55% less fat than Horlicks Traditional which means no added guilt for those of you watching your weight.

So why not enter this easy giveaway so that when the weather turns grim you can curl up on the sofa with a warm milky drink, to give you a boost for the afternoon. Horlicks is great for those looking for an alternative afternoon cuppa to help boost energy levels! A mug of Horlicks Traditional is packed with 14 key nutrients including Vitamin B6 which contributes to the normal functioning of both the nervous and immune system and can reduce tiredness and fatigue. It is also low fat and a source of protein.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the WINNER is Adrian Bold! ( Twitter id:@AEBold123) CONGRATULATIONS – Please check your email and respond asap, thank you.

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

Winners will be picked automatically by Rafflecopter
Deadline for entering this contest is 31st March’ 2016 midnight GMT.
Entry is open only to residents of the U.K except Scotland and Ireland.
All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
ONE lucky winner will be chosen using random number generator.
The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post – a ‘Store and Pour’ jar, a set of coasters, a sturdy and beautiful mug and a 500gm jar of Horlicks Light. Neither Horlicks, nor I am liable for any damage of giveaway prize and / or contents in transit.
Please allow a minimum of 25 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The giveaway prize will be sent directly by Horlicks.
The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available.
I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the steps mentioned above.
The winner will be notified on 6th April’ 2016 on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the winner on Twitter via their twitter id. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Horlicks to contact you via email id to arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you.
If the winner fails to respond by 12th April’ 2016 then another winner will be chosen at Random.

*With thanks to Horlicks and the PR team for arranging the fabulous gifts and sending me a similar set to sample and for review . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Pasta Please – Round Up July 2015

August 3, 2015 by manjirichitnis 9 Comments

And yet another calendar month this year has flown past at lightning speed. The weather was brilliant over the weekend but it is acting up again… but don’t let the grey skies bring you down for I have a round-up here of some really creative entries for the Pasta Please blog linky hosted by me last month for Jacqueline of Tinned Toms.

First up is a slimming world recipe for Spring Vegetable Orzo from a blog called Penelope’s Pantry. An easy to make a recipe that Penelope has customised to make it dairy-free, it is loaded with veggies. Great for using up any veggies lying around so a good way to prevent food wastage. What’s more, is that it tastes good at room temperature too, Penelope recommends adding chopped tomatoes if you want to have this healthy and filling dish cold.

Up next is a moreish Pea and Mint Gnocchi Bake from Allotment2Kitchen – a blog from a Welsh Vegetarian who has loads of vegan and vegetarian recipes. And girl when you say you have a small freezer I totally hear you! Me with my mini fridge freezer in a small but very cute flat – my little matchbox world – I too ALWAYS have frozen peas – ready for emergency meals. And kudos to her for not giving into cravings for chips but coming home and making this baked pasta dish with a crispy, golden cheese topping.

Orzo seems to be the popular choice this summer as the next recipe is a Sicilian Orzo with Cauliflower and Saffron by Kate of The Veg Space. The very mention of such a rich combination of ingredients and saffron roasted cauliflower has me hooked. She describes her dish as a cross between a pasta and risotto – am sure that got your attention. Go Drool!

Shrimp pasta with spinach sauce topped with crispy Brussels sprouts from the blog Law students cookbook is a perfect example of how a great dish can be created with some imagination and ingredients that you have at hand. I especially like the way the brussels sprouts have been flash-fried to a garnish, I love the sprouts and can eat them plain or in absolutely any form – well almost.

Pasta Please July 2015 round up - creative recipes — Pasta Please July 2015 round-up – creative recipes

Top L -R – Clockwise: Spring Vegetable Orzo , Sicilian Orzo with Cauliflower and Saffron, Pea and Mint Gnoochi Bake and Shrimp pasta with spinach sauce topped with crispy Brussels sprouts

Easy Cheesy Pasta by Anitha of Veggiesome blog is a quick and easy pasta dish to rustle up when you need something delicious in a jiffy. Whole wheat pasta and cheese come together in a lovely combination of flavours.

A bowl full of deliciousness is the first thing that I thought of when I saw this Slivered veggie and soba salad with maple tofu from Janet at The Taste Space. A superb combination of Asian flavours this is a healthy and wholesome meal with no compromise on flavour. I especially love the whole avocado in there! I see myself making this for a weekend lunch soon.

Another fabulous money saver meal is the Pasta with tomato and bacon sauce from Jane at Onions and Paper blog. I simply adore thrifty recipes that combine leftovers, vegetables leaning towards being chucked out, store cupboard cans lurking at the back of a drawer and other odd things which can spare you the guilt of ordering a takeaway when faced with an empty fridge staring back at you when you know tummies are rumbling.

Hot smoked salmon, fennel and pea pasta by Linzi of Lancashire Foods blog is a another quick to put together dish. The hot smoked salmon is something husband and I love too. I love the sound of adding fresh garden fennel fronds which I imagine will add a fragrant touch to this comfort food.

Pasta Please July 2015 round up - inspiring recipes — Pasta Please July 2015 round-up – inspiring recipes

Top L -R – Clockwise: Slivered veggie and soba salad with maple tofu, Easy Cheesy Pasta, Pasta with tomato and bacon sauce, and Hot smoked salmon, fennel and pea pasta.

Thanks to all the bloggers who linked up their creations to Pasta Please for July 2015 and I hope you enjoy browsing through them as much as I did. And last but not the least thanks once again to Jacqueline who blogs at Tinned Tomatoes for letting me guest host the food blog linky challenge.

Pasta Please – July 2015

July 7, 2015 by manjirichitnis 5 Comments

After almost a year am happy to be hosting the Pasta Please food blog challenge once again. For those of you who don’t already this is a fun food blog challenge where you simply make your favourite pasta dishes, post them on your blog and then add them to the linky below. This challenge has been created by Jacqueline who blogs at Tinned Tomatoes and is an accomplished vegetarian blogger and recipe developer. She has many delicious and fabulous recipes made from scratch.

So what will you be cooking up? Am very excited to see the recipes that are linked up. Vegetarian, meat, fish, green , gluten -free or the latest fad courgette pasta noodles! – Bring it all on. There is no theme and I am a meat eater so all types of pasta recipes can be linked in.

If you would like to browse some of the delicious recipes that bloggers linked up last time I hosted, have a look at my round-up post here.

I have just ordered yet another kitchen gizmo much to the dismay of my hubster who worries I now need a new kitchen on stat! I am hoping I can make some cool courgette pasta or my new favourite – sweet potato noodles or ‘snoodles’ as the jargon goes.

But here is one of my favorite recipes that I make often at home, my Spicy Chorizo Pasta with loads of veggie goodness

All we ask is that you have a read through the following rules :

Post your pasta dish on your blog and add it to the linky at the bottom of the current challenge.
Link to my blog Travelsfortaste and Tinned Tomatoes
Use the Pasta Please logo in your post
If you use twitter, tweet me your post at @travelsfortaste and Jacqueline at @tinnedtoms with #PastaPlease and we will re-tweet it.
Only one entry per blog.
Recipes must be added to the linky by the 28th of each month.

Add you linky below:

Exploring SOHO on a gastronomic adventure with Scratch London

June 5, 2015 by manjirichitnis 13 Comments

SOHO – London’s famously infamous district where sex shops sit comfortably nestled between artisan bakeries, will always hold a sense of intrigue to everyone who visits. No matter how many times you go to SOHO each time the place will reveal a new facet of it’s colourful personality. I truly believe that there is no better way to discover any place than on foot. And a walking tour that involves eating at 10 very different foodie joints is what you will experience on a SOHO walking tour with Michelle of Scratch London tours.

A chef and ex-restauranter who has worked in some establishments in SOHO it is fair to say that as regards the food scene in SOHO Michelle is an insider. She also hosts Marylebone’s Scratch SupperClub.

On a bright and crisp Saturday morning a few weeks back Michelle met a small group of people including me at SOHO square from where the tour normally starts. After a background into the history of the surrounding area Michelle indulged us with a quick little treat of mini croissants with fruity and chocolaty fillings. Procured from a local artisan bakery. It is fascinating to hear how an area once populated by aristocracy is now home to swanky bars, sex shops and Michelin starred restaurants. Immigrants from various European countries who migrated here like the Huegenots had a profund impact in the development of the area in the pre WWI era.

First stop was Princi – an Italian casual dining restaurant – brainchild of entrepreneur Alan You – who founded Wagamama , Hakkasan and Yauatacha.

Looking at the large amount of variety on counters behind glass panes got us all salivating and craving to dig our teeth into some food.

With our appetite whetted we walked through the by-lanes of SOHO sampling various types of world cuisines taking in the sights, sounds and more nuggets about the history of SOHO from Michelle. Michelle has lived in London long enough to give you a real insight into this dynamic neighborhood. While we spotted Grade II listed buildings, mock-Tudor style architecture and half timbered buildings oozing old world charm we also took in the unmissable sign boards for massage parlours and posters advertising ‘models’ .

Of all the different tastes that we experienced the most indulgent was fresh Oysters. Randall & Aubin – a quaint French restaurant complete with Victorian fittings and a humongous millor ball is a SOHO institution. As a special birthday treat for one of the guests on the tour that day Michelle had managed to get us some Champagne too.

Oysters at Randall & Aubin, SOHO, London

Next we moved onto another fabulous seafood grill and oyster bar where we were introduced to ordering food using an ipad and very tuna ceviche. My past experience of indulging in ceviche at Uni in Victoria has made me a great fan and I genuinely adore the taste of Tuna which in my humble opinion tastes great raw as a ceviche and medium rare in a steak.

When we set out on the tour little had I expected that in half a day we would be taking our taste buds on a world tour while discovering some hidden gems in an area buzzing with energy.

Walking Tour with Scratch London in SOHO

Of course all gastronomic adventures should end on a sweet note and Michelle does not disappoint. Not only did we sample hand crafted artisan chocolates from London’s leading chocolatier we also got a cool discount on our purchases. I managed to find some black truffle chocolates from Mast Brothers which had made their long journey from NY just a few hours ago.

As the danger of the modern property market and campaigns to ‘clean up’ SOHO are rapidly changing the look and feel of neighbourhood from grunge, quirky and a hub of adult entertainment, it is important to experience SOHO and all its varied foodie offerings in it’s original and natural setting. To do so with a knowledgeable guide like Michelle as part of a small group where you do not loose yourself and can actually make sensible conversation is a great pleasure.

For £61.50 per head, a Scratch London tour will include all ten food and drink destinations on the route.

*With thanks to Michelle for inviting me on a gastronomic adventure through SOHO. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

In My Veg Box – Courgettes – March 2015 Round Up

April 10, 2015 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

As you may remember I was hosting the recipe linky challenge called In My Veg Box an event run by Vegetarian food blogger Nayna Kanabar of Citrus Spice UK– with the theme Courgettes for March 2015 and here’s a quick round up of all the fabulous entries I received :

Spinach Zucchini soup – if a bowl of green goodness is what you’r after then this is the recipe for you, just add in more creamy to make it more delicious is the tip from Mayuri who blogs at Mayuri’s Jikoni.

Zucchini Carrot Salad – another delicious creation from Mayuri – a quick and delicious salad that you can make in a jiffy with very few ingredients.

Beetroot top and Courgette tartlets with lovely photos from Kelly’s brilliant blog called Kelly’s food to glow, I love her idea of using beet tops why throw away those bright and beautiful stems.

Moosewood Summer Vegetable Curry – a sunny and bright curry from the blog Taste Space, I love the name of this curry and just one look at the bowl makes me very, very hungry!

Another creation from Mayuri this time it’s stuffed Zucchini boats , I quite like the sound of that as I love roasting and stuffing marrows and courgettes with interesting fillings.

Last but not the least I have some guilt free snacking home-made courgette ‘chips’ or crisps – easy to make and gone in a flash ummm

Baked courgette chips

Thanks Nayna for letting me host this fun challenge!

In my Veg Box: Courgettes – Recipe Linky Challenge

March 1, 2015 by manjirichitnis 10 Comments

After a whole year am guest hosting In My Veg Box again, an event run by Vegetarian food blogger Nayna Kanabar of Citrus Spice UK. In March last year, the vegetable of choice for In My Veg Box was Cauliflower and you can view the recipes in my round up post here.

I have a long standing love affair with courgettes. Why? I think it goes back to childhood habits of eating loads of fresh cliced cucumber and in dahi raita with biryani very often. But now I am obsessed with getting just the right amount of Courgette curls for a Courgette ‘pasta’ OR even getting to bake a cake with Courgettes.

I have recently taken it upon myself to go on a weigh loss journey and in the process eat healthier, eliminate food waste and of course educate myself about the health benefits of various foods. Courgettes are very low in calories and fat, and have a high water content. 100 grams of Courgettes contain approximately only 15 calories!

Besides this the biggest health benefit is that Courgettes have anti-cancer properties and are known to inhibit cell mutations and therefore help in preventing colon and lung cancer. Not only that they contain a whole host of beneficial and necessary Vitamins – Vitamins B1, B2, B6, Vitamin K and Vitamin A. It is also a good source of folic acid, potassium, fiber, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium and copper.

They are also known to help prevent a whole host of diseases like:

Stroke
Heart Attacks
Scurvy
Multiple Sclerosois

Now with so many health benefits this delicious vegetable must form a very important part of your diet, don’t you think?

Besides I think those who are lucky enough to grow their own vegetables can enjoy amazing dishes like stuffed Courgette flowers and make the most of this summer squash . At it’s peak in July, the Courgette which is part of Curcarbita is actually a fruit and is commonly mistaken as a vegetable. Popularly known as Zucchini in America, the beautiful golden yellow Zucchini makes for beautiful salads and is a gorgeous addition to many recipes.

Rules to Participate:

Please prepare any vegetarian recipes using Courgettes and link your dish to the linky code below. You will need to enter the name of your dish, as well as the url of your blog.
Current theme is COURGETTES.
You must link your blog post to both this blog post on Travelsfortaste and to Citrus Spice UK, this is mandatory.
Use of the logo is not mandatory but it helps to spread the word if you can use it.
Multiple entries are allowed.
Archived entries are also allowed, only if they are re-posted and updated with this event link, as well as the Citrus Spice UK link.
Recipes must be added to the linky by 31st March 2015.

In the event of any problems with using the linky code, please email me your entry to fruitsnveg@yahoo.com. Please include your name, recipe name, url and an image no larger than 300 pixels.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you! Can’t wait to see variety of recipes that I am sure are possible with the humble cauliflower! Get Cooking Bloggers!

References: Courgette Recipes,U.K

*Disclaimer : I am not a trained health professional and what I have written about is from what I have read, please ensure that you consult a certified health professional and/ or consult your Doctor for advice relating to any serious illness, ailments, queries etc.

Help Action Against Hunger end world hunger and Win a trip to Spain, £300 to spend at Ibérica,your recipe on the Ibérica menu!

January 6, 2015 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

We all experimenting with various types of cuisine when we plan to go for an evening out and I love catching up with friends over Tapas as I think may of you do too. I also love making Tapas at home for fun stay at home movie evenings with close friends, it’s a great way to enjoy food and cocktails.

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That’s why I am excited with the Tapas Recipe Competition Tapas challenge hosted by Spanish Ibérica restaurant in association with humanitarian charity Action Against Hunger to raise awareness and funds. It is a great opportunity for all budding chefs and passionate foodies to work with a charity to end world hunger. Action Against Hunger works to save the lives of malnourished children and provide families with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. In 2013 they helped over 9 million people in 45 countries worldwide.

Anyone who is interested has the opportunity to have their very own tapas recipe included as a special on Ibérica’s menu between 15th Feb – 15th April 2013 at the Marylebone, Farringdon, and Canary Wharf. The winner of the recipe competition will also jet off to Asturias, Spain, where they will visit Ibérica ’s Executive Head Chef Nacho Manzano’s two Michelin starred Casa Marcial!

All you need to do is submit your own Spanish tapas recipe via Ibérica’s website. All entries must be received by 8th Jan 2015. The top five best recipes which are shortlisted will be announced on 9 Jan 2015. The finalists will be invited to attend an exclusive 1 on 1 masterclass with Ibérica’s Group Head Chef César García, to develop their dishes and ensure that they can be rolled out in a restaurant kitchen. Click here to find the Competition entry page.

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Another brilliant opportunity for the 5 finalists is at the Tapas Showdown where they will present their creations to an impressive panel of judges like The London Evening Standard’s Comment Editor and wine critic Andrew Neather , Olive magazine editor Christine Hayes to name a few.

Consumers and judges will then sample these creations at a drinks reception and raffle to raise funds for Action
Against Hunger. If you are interested to be part of this gala evening and help this honourable cause head over to the Action Against Hunger website and book yourself for only £35 – your chance to be part of a project to help end world hunger.

Sounds like a fun event to me! And the lucky winners get a whole bunch of prizes to with the 1st prize winner jetting off to Asturias and £300 to spend at Ibérica, if that is not enough also an opportunity to record a professional video for Ibérica’s recipe club ! 2nd and 3rd prize winners both get £300 to spend at Ibérica but the 2nd prize winner also gets to treat family and friends to a very special meal cooked by César García in the comfort of their own home – wow !

£1 from the proceeds of each winning dish will be donated to Action Against Hunger’s life saving projects.

What are you waiting for foodies? Put on your creative hat and get cooking!

* No monetary compensation was offered for this post. Images courtesy Action against Hunger and Ibérica.