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Baluchi restaurant at The Lalit, London – a Review

June 29, 2018 by manjirichitnis 6 Comments

Baluchi at The Lalit, London – a Review

Nestled amongst modern glass structures sits the beautiful Grade II listed red brick building housing The Lalit, London. Acquired as part of an ambitious project by the Lalit Group, it is their first Hotel outside the Indian subcontinent.

I was invited to lunch at the Baluchi restaurant at The Lalit, London and so a few days ago, on a fabulously sunny Monday afternoon, my friend N and I, were welcomed by a warm Namaste at the grand front entrance.  From thereon, every staff member who walked past greeted us with an equally warm traditional Indian greeting – Namaste – best way to make me feel instantly at home.

This stunning building, former home to the renowned grammar school St Olaves, has been painstakingly restored to retain most of its period features. This period building housing The Lalit, London, is a tribute to the late Mr. Lalit Suri, whose love for London city had always drawn him here and he had envisioned setting up a hotel in the city.

The central theme of marrying Indian Opulence to the grand features of a former school extends to the names of the hotel rooms,aptly called classrooms,  the meeting rooms are ‘Laboratories’ and the bars have been named the ‘Teachers Room’ and the ‘Headmasters Room’. Many a former student, have been known to enjoy a drink or two in The Headmasters Room Bar, no doubt reminiscing about their school days.

Baluchi, the pan Indian restaurant, occupies the grand former assembly Great Hall. The spacious seating and larger than life blue chandeliers add a modern twist to old world charm. The delicate jaali woodwork around the beautiful bread bar called ‘The Naan’ery’ compliments the original parquet flooring.  The gallery offers a bird’s eye view of the ‘Great Hall’ and enjoying a themed afternoon tea at the gallery, is probably the best way to relax and admire the beautiful view and marvel at the stunning interiors.

The vivid blue ceiling and the exquisite chandeliers are reminiscent of the grandeur of Indian palaces, while the timber-panelled walls ooze Victorian charm.

After welcoming us, Chef de Cuisine atBaluchi, Chef Jomon took us on a tour of the grounds. Chef Jomon Kuriakose has over a decade of experience in the kitchen and before coming to Baluchi, has worked at the Cinnamon Kitchen under the guidance of Vivek Singh.

A beautiful and very artistic, milky white stone statue of Lord Ganesha, looking onto a great view of the Shard, seems to be keeping watch over the red brick hotel building, silently, from its place in the outside terrace. The elephant-headed god also makes his presence felt in the hotel room decor, in the form of rustic stone structures.

While the Chef excused himself to the kitchen we continued on a grand tour of the building. The Lalit houses 70 luxurious bedroom some even with 30 foot high ceilings making this a very unique boutique hotel. The Lalit legacy suite connects three rooms and offers all modern day amenities including a grand tub and a heated seat Japanese toilet – ah the luxury! The timber panelled walls, embroidered Indian tapestry and framed photos of former school building vye for attention against stunning views of the Shard and the Thames.

This room definitely has my heart but I cannot explain the feeling of being inside the Prestige Classroom, this room was flooded with light, thanks to its high ceiling and the skylights letting in the warm sunlight. I can only imagine waking up in one of these suites and enjoying my morning cuppa while looking onto the Thames and seeing the city come alive with its daily buzz of activity.

Next stop was to admire the state-of-art spa called ‘Rejuve’ offering traditional Indian therapies. I would love to be pampered with a warm Indian hot oil head massage and indulge myself with one of the relaxing therapies sighhhhh….

After this grand tour, my friend N and I got to pick a table to be seated at and enjoyed some very refreshing cocktails. A cucumber flavoured vodka cocktail helped cool me down several degrees on that very warm summer afternoon. A perfect accompaniment to our cocktails were the crunchy papads served with a selection of chutneys.

First to arrive at our table was a beautifully presented platter of starters. Even the menu follows the central theme, with the starts titled ‘Term1’ – reminding us that we were seated in the majestic Great Hall, a former school assembly hall.

The plating was so artistic, almost too beautiful to eat! Top L-R in the photo above: A Gluten-Free monkfish tikka called Panch Phoran Mahi Tikka which was so delicate it simply melted in my mouth – pure joy!  It was flavoured with Kasundi mustard and herbs and placed on a bed of tomato emulsion. Scattered around were some bits of a beetroot brittle – so moreish! Dotted along the side was a seabuckthorn gel – and because it sounded so exotic I just had to try it! I found that it had a very sharp, tart taste if consumed on its own and as a chutney used to mop the courgette fritter – yes that seemed to work unexpectedly!

In the centre of the plate was a stuffed courgette flower, coated in a light batter. The crisp fritter or Bharwan Zucchini was delicious and I would have loved a small platter of just these fritters with a tangy tamarind chutney – ummmm. The Kaafir lime chicken tikka was juicy, flavourful and tandoor-cooked to perfection and was topped with a lovely cashew crumble.

For our mains or ‘Mid Term’ we were served some of my favourites which also happen to be some of their most popular dishes, Tandoori Prawns, Butter chicken, Palak Paneer, Dal Baluchi and a mixed bread basket to mop it all up with. I love seafood and the prawns were brilliant, the spices were just right and they were not cooked to retain the plump and juicy texture – mouthwatering!

Black daal is cooked overnight giving it a thick, creamy and rich texture, making the Dal Baluchi a very comforting dish. Amongst the other breads, there was a very unusual mango flavoured bread stuffed with coconut – a fusion take on the regular Peshawari naan. It was delicious but probably not my favourite one amongst the selection, a very personal choice though because I much prefer a regular naan or chilli garlic naan to the Peshawari – a matter of personal choice, I guess. The palak paneer was very good, I love paneer and never pass up an opportunity to try a paneer dish. I am glad I opted for panner, I was not in the least bit disappointed and if I had to pick just one main with my naan it would probably be this humble spinach dish. The best part was the paneer was so soft and had a melt-in-your-mouth consistency – such a pleasure for my taste buds and the hint of kasoori methi and ginger flavour in the spinach base was very pleasing too. The butter chicken was delightful, the chicken had soaked up the marinade and spices and the buttery creamy sauce it was cooked in was very tasty.

And just when I thought that the start platter plating was so amazing that no other dish served that day could keep up, Chef Jomon decided to dial up the visual delight, a notch or two with two stunningly well-presented plates of dessert aptly titled ‘Term Break’.  A very exotic sounding Paan Kulfi sat on a bed of sevai, the paan infused kulfi flavour was spot on and a great tribute to both the traditional kulfi and the meetha paan that many people love to chew after a meal. The texture was perfect, creamy and the lovely berry compotes dotting the plate were delicious too – we scooped them up with the fresh strawberries on the plate. Paan lovers – add this dessert to your list of not to be missed dishes!

The cardamom ice cream was my favourite though and the saffron infused pineapple it sat on was beautifully juicy, sweet and the flavour pairing worked so well together. My very tropical and Indian palate was very satiated with this dessert.

All these amazing dishes are a testament to Chef Jomon’s passion for creative flavours and innovative dining.

We spent a happy few hours exploring the opulent suites, devouring fabulous Indian food and experiencing the very warm hospitality of the team at The Lalit in London. Chef Jomon spoilt us with some really great food and the bright sunshine just made it a perfect afternoon out in London.

*With thanks to The Lalit, London for an invite to a truly memorable afternoon at the Baluchi. All opinions expressed are as always my own. 

 

 

Filed Under: Featured Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: a Review, Baluchi at The Lalit, london

Honey Afternoon Tea at St. Ermins, London

November 26, 2017 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

Afternoon Tea with friends is on top my list when it comes to a relaxed day out in London. And a few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to experience a delicious Honey themed afternoon tea at the exquisite tea room of the tastefully decorated and very plush 4-star rated St Ermins Hotel in Westminster, with my favourite fellow food-obsessed bloggers.

The delicious honey comes from their very own rooftop which is home to 350,00 Buckfast Bees. Much like the regal design of St Ermins tea room, the bees get to wander around the royal parks surrounding St. Ermins. Because these friendly bees have access to such a wide variety of blooms in the capital city’s well-maintained and stunning royal parks, it translates into a unique flavour profile for the honey.

The location for St Ermins is unbeatable, located right among some of London’s most popular landmarks, this  4-star hotel boasts an impressive history. The hotel played a vital role during WWII with historic meetings and clandestine exchanges between spies. Even today St. Ermins is an important historical landmark with rumours suggesting a secret underground tunnel running from the grand stairway in the main lobby, all the way up to the houses of parliament!

The reception rooms echo drama and ooze charm thanks to the famous Victorian theatre designer J.P. Briggs.

The limited edition Honey themed afternoon tea buzz-worthy menu is special thanks to the bees who call the hotel their home. I try and eat GF as much as possible now and the GF honey tea that I choose was quite delicious. The large variety of teas on offer will leave you spoilt for choice. I cannot resist a fruity infusion and my berry flavoured tea was very refreshing and a fabulous accompaniment to the sandwiches.

Savoury bites include the classic salmon sandwich and a moreish honey mustard chicken sandwich on brown bread and a delicious portion of glazed pork loin on rye bread smothered with cheddar and a richly flavoured onion chutney.

The star of the sweet offerings was an innovative dessert called the mini beehive  – a pretty honey flavoured orange and yoghurt mousse pot

Honey afternoon tea at St Ermins

This afternoon tea option comes with unlimited bubbly which Heidi and I, enjoyed while we took lots of photos of tea-cups and edible treats, while Nayna relished a refreshing glass of freshly made orange juice.

While you are savouring your cuppa do gaze at the amazing vintage silverware collection on display.

No afternoon tea is complete without some freshly baked scones slathered with clotted cream and jam. Inevitably our conversation drifted towards the eternal debate – Cream first or Jam?! Which way do you like your scones?

To make this Honey themed afternoon tea even more exciting, you get to adopt a bee, complete with an adoption certificate. You can view the beautiful terrace area where the bees buzz around, safely from behind the glass.

Tempted to visit London’s 1st Bee hotel? Head here to book yourself in for a bee-licious treat and a chance to adopt your very own bee. Psst… You might want to hurry as the unlimited prosecco offers runs out on the 27th of Nov, you wouldn’t want to miss out that now would you? 😉

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

  • Boyds Brasserie, Charing Cross
  • The Wallace Collection – Afternoon Tea amidst Art, Westminster
  • Moroccan Afternoon Tea at Leila, Ealing
  • Chocolate Afternoon Tea at The Landmark Hotel, Marylebone

*With thanks to the team at St Ermins for inviting me.  All opinions expressed are as always my own. No monetary compensation was provided for a positive review.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Honey afternoon tea at St Ermins, london, St. Ermins Hotel

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.

Happy Eggs Farm Visit
Happy Eggs Florentine
Happy Egg Co

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

Bulborne Happy Egg 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 Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

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.

Happy Hens at Happy Egg Co farms

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.

Happy Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

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.

Happy Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

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.

Inside a Happy Egg co farm hen house
Happy Hens enjoying a dust bath
Happy Hens have a gossip - cluck cluck!

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.

Freshly picked Happy Eggs
Happy Eggs of various sizes
Freshly picked Happy Eggs

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.

Devilled Happy eggs
Happy 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.

Huevos Rancheros with Happy Eggs
Huevos Rancheros with Happy Eggs
Pecan Tart at the Happy Eggs Farm

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 :

  • Indian Masala Egg Omlette
  • Egg curry – Anda curry – easy recipe for Uni students 
  • Turkish Poached Eggs – Cilbir
  • Eggs baked in pots with smoky chorizo and chives
  • Soft boiled eggs and asparagus soldiers – one of my Dad’s fav recipes
  • Vintage Frittata recipe

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. 

Filed Under: Events, Food, London and rest of U.K, Travel Tagged With: A day out on the Happy Trail with Happy Eggs, Aylesbury, BEIC Lion Code, Bulborne farm, camper van, chickens, eggs Florentine, free range eggs, hen welfare, Hertfordshire, homepage-slider, Huevos Rancheros, Jackson & Rye restaurant, london, Noble Foods, Organic Farmers & Growers, Organic Food Federation, Pecan tart, smoked devilled eggs, Tring

Great British Chefs Masterclass with Chef Russell Brown

July 29, 2015 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting and cooking along with a chef I greatly admire – Russell Brown.

Chef Russell Brown

Chef Russell Brown

Self-taught Master chef Russell Brown owned and ran a successful little restaurant called Sienna in Dorchester, Dorset. It was awarded 3 AA rosettes and a Michelin star in 2010. Only very recently has he closed shop to pursue a new venture – Creative about Cuisine.

We started out by preparing the ricotta in a process very similar to how I make paneer at home. Reminded me of all the times growing up when Aai would show us how to expertly get the paneer out from the vessel and hang it to set in a soft muslin cloth – which usually was engineered from her and aji’s ( nan’s) old cotton sarees’s. Chef Russell strongly suggests using distilled vinegar to split the milk to ensure that the end product is not affected by residual odours which may lurk around when anything else is used – lime for example.

How to make ricotta cheese - easy and quick method

How to make ricotta cheese – easy and quick method

While Russell recounted his adventures from his recent travels to Italy he showed us how to make the pasta dough. Then as our dough was resting Russell showed us how to make a delicious vegetable sauce which really was the highlight of the evening. It was so good with the pasta – almost like an edible silk scarf.

Making the vegetable sauce for the agnolotti

Making the vegetable sauce for the agnolotti

I was making Angolotti for the first time and it was great to really get hands-on with using the massive rolling pin to flatten the rested dough before passing it through the dough attachment on a KitchenAid. Pipping the ready ricotta mixture was great fun and gives more precise results than filling ravioli parcels with any kind of stuffing. Why? Well, the pipping ensures an almost even filling provided the fluted cutter is wielded almost symmetrically across the stuffed pasta sheet.

How to make agnolotti stuffed with ricotta cheese filling

How to make agnolotti stuffed with ricotta cheese filling

The dessert was Raspberry and Mascarpone mille feuille and we had a team working furiously in the background to make it for us while Chef Russell showed us how to make the raspberry gel. I can never forget the taste of the gel on my palate – it sets almost instantly as it lands on the tongue – weird and fabulous at the same time.

Raspberry and Mascarpone mille feuille

Raspberry and Mascarpone mille feuille

In 3 hours flat we had made fresh ricotta and fresh pasta learnt how to make a delicious sauce to accompany our pasta and filled and cooked the agnolotti too.

At GBC cook school I have had the opportunity to meet and cook with some acclaimed chefs who have shared tips from their vast experience working across the best kitchens across the world. As a home cook and a writer, it is always a great pleasure to meet accomplished chefs and learn invaluable tricks and sample the brilliant food they cook. Working alongside some of my close blogger friends and getting an opportunity to meet more like-minded journalists and food enthusiasts is definitely a plus.

I have to also mention the lovely Rosalind Rathouse and her efficient team at the Cookery School. A spotless, well-maintained kitchen is the least one can expect from Rosalind who is a stickler for perfection and hygiene.

I am now quite determined to explore the joys of home made pasta by recreating Chef Russell’s delicious agnolotti and vegetable sauce sometime soon.

*With thanks to Great British Chefs and Chef  Russell Brown for an invite to a truly memorable evening. Many Thanks to Rosalind and the team at the Cookery School. All opinions expressed are as always my own. No monetary compensation was provided for a positive review.

Filed Under: Events, Food Tagged With: 3 AA rossettes and a Michelin star, Chef Russell Brown, Cookery School, distilled vinegar, Dorset, fluted cutter, foodie event reviews by travels for taste, GBC Cook School, how to make fresh handmade pasta dough, how to make fresh ricotta cheese, How to make ricotta cheese - easy and quick method, KitchenAid pasta making attachment, london, Raspberry and Mascarpone mille feuille, ravioli parcles, Rosalind Rathouse, Sienna in Dorchester, travels for taste, travels for taste is a food and travel blog based in London, vegetable sauce for the agnolotti

Pack a healthy protien punch into your meals with Quorn

June 15, 2015 by manjirichitnis 6 Comments

One of the main challenges I have been facing off late as I am trying hard to throw off weight is maintaining a high protien diet and keeping my meals low on fat. Believe me it’s tricky trying to go low on sugar, saturated fats and ensuring blood sugar and cholesterol are at acceptable levels too- almost like a tight rope walk!

But even if you do not need to actively lower your cholesterol or sugar levels and are just looking for a healthier alternate to protein from meat sources I would consider including Quorn in your diet. I first tried Quorn simply out of curiosity. Both my husband and me love lamb mince but eating it more that 2 times on a week made me really feel very guilty. But swapping Quorn mince for lamb, once a week was something we are happy to do.

I always marinate Quorn mince with spices overnight and leave it to soak in all the flavours overnight. So when I was invited to an event to cook with Quorn at the Underground Cookery School, I was quite keen to see what recipes they had in mind.

Starters for the evening

Starters for the evening

We started by making dessert – always a great way to start the evening! Chocolate Torte was on the menu and we really enjoyed working with chocolate and working to an easy recipe created by the Underground Cookery School .

Chocolate Torte

Chocolate Torte

Next it was the BBQ pulled Quorn and pink coleslaw followed by Quorn Thai Curry – which I enjoyed making the most. I really loved the recipe created by Denise.

Denise in conversation with bloggers at the #quorncooks event

Denise in conversation with bloggers at the #quorncooks event

And for you, my readers here its is for you:

Quorn Thai Curry

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

Marinade

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp korma paste
  • 2 tbsp vegetarian Thai green curry paste
  • 500gm Quorn pieces

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 400gm onions, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 60gm fresh coriander
  • 1 tbsp fresh, frozen or dried lime leaves (optional)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp turmeric
  • 1 vegetable stock cube crumbled
  • 2 x 400 gm tin coconut milk
  •  3 tbsp sweet mango chutney
  • 30 gm fresh basil
  • 350 gm red peppers, thinly sliced
  • 200 gm mangetout or sugar snaps, halved

Quorn Chicken Pieces

Quorn Chicken Pieces

Method

  • Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl until the Quorn is coated. Transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • To prepare the sauce heat the oil in a pan then gently fry the chopped onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured.
  • Add half of the coriander, the lime leaves, turmeric, stock cube, coconut milk and mango chutney. Gently bring to the boil then simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Add the basil and remaining coriander to the sauce for the last 5 minutes of cooking time then remove the pan from the heat and blend until smooth with a hand blender.
  • Meanwhile transfer the marinated Quorn pieces to a baking tray and cook in a moderate oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
  • Add the Quorn pieces, red pepper and mangetout to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked.

Quorn Thai Curry

Quorn Thai Curry

While our curry was bubbling away we sat through a presentation over wine and a  Q-A session. The question many of the bloggers had – as am sure many of you do was – what exactly is Quorn made up of?

Quorn’s core ingredient is a plant protein that is exceptional at replicating the texture and taste of meat.  This is a naturally occurring fungus, which is harvested through a fermentation process. Other key features that make it a great choice are:

  • Quorn has no cholestrol and is high on fibre
  • From the sustainability perspective consider this Quorn mince uses 90% less greenhouse gasses than lean beef mince,

It was lovely to meet so many bloggers that evening and also bump into familiar faces like Leyla Preston and Becky. And for me it’s always a good feeling to come back to Underground cookery school where Chef and Patron Matt Kemp and his able team of chefs ensures that every blogger feels welcome, wine glasses never run dry and cooking is fun all the way.

DSC_9363 (Copy)

The BBQ pulled Quorn was delicious and I really liked the texture of quorn and how easily it had taken up the flavours of the seasoning used. Paired with pink coleslaw it makes for a really great snack and a lovely idea for a summer BBQ.

BBQ pulled Quorn and pink coleslaw

BBQ pulled Quorn and pink coleslaw

Served with steamed basmati rice, perfectly done – each grain cooked to satisfying perfection was the creamy Thai Green curry – this was the most satisfying dish that evening and one that I am happy to make at home over and over again.

Both hubby and me love our meat and seafood but we are consciously trying to eat healthier, include more vegetables and fruits in our diet and look for healthier protein choices. That’s where Quorn comes in. Quorn certainly is a healthy protein alternative with a wide range of options – a solution to both vegetarians and the rapidly expanding group of people wanting to reduce their meat consumption.

Infographic-Quorn

Infographic-Quorn

Today is World Meat Free Day, why not create your very own easy vegetarian delight for an easy dinner at home tonight? And for those feeling less adventurous there’s many options Quorn has like my favourite Quorn steaks – served with a peppery salad of rocket leaves and fresh summery cherry tomatoes they go down a treat.

World Meat Free Day

World Meat Free Day

*With  thanks to Quorn for the invite and for the team at Underground Cookery for another great experience.  All photographs used in this post are courtesy Preston Perfect Photography. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Filed Under: Events, Food Tagged With: #quorncooks, #worldmeatfreeday, @QuornUK, BBQ pulled Quorn, blogger event, easy recipe, foodie event review by travels for taste, healthy protein alternative, london, pink coleslaw, Product reviews from travelsfortaste blog, Quorn Thai Curry, travels for taste, travels for taste is a food and travel blog based in London, travelsfortaste, Underground Cookery School

Great British Chefs Masterclass with Michelin-starred Chef Adam Gray

May 1, 2015 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Last week, I was invited to the #GBCCookSchool by Great British Chefs to cook up a 3-course meal with Michelin-starred Skylon Chef Adam Gray at the Cookery School.

I have always been a great fan of the Great British Chefs website and their many cool recipes and some life saving How-to videos. So it was really exciting to be invited to a masterclass with them and watch a  Michelin-starred Chef show us some cool tips and tricks.

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After nibbling on some cheese and yummy starters washed down with a glass of bubbly (oh alright I confess – several glasses of bubbly!) we gathered for the demo by Adam Gray. Assisted by his sous chef Damon Stokes, he showed us how to expertly fillet fresh Cornish mackerel.

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He then used a wafer-thin slice of bread and wrapped it around the fish dabbed with a little mustard and then lightly pan-fried in Rapeseed oil.

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I have used Rape seed oil before it has a strong nutty flavour probably only less overpowering that it’s bright yellow colour but as the Chef rightly informed us it has half the saturated fat content of olive oil making it lower in cholesterol and also it has 10 times more Omega 3 than olive oil. Besides hailing from Northampton too, the locally produced rapeseed oil (Farrington’s Mellow Yellow) has the Chef’s seal of approval, as expected he is as proud a supporter of British produce, as he is of seasonal ingredients.

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Served with a delicious Rhubarb Relish and a Pea Shoot & Sea Kale salad, these really elevate a simple dish to Michelin-star quality by combining otherwise unusual ingredients to create an imaginative dish.

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Image Courtesy: Great British Chefs

The sea kale is something I had never tasted before and like me was quite a discovery in a new taste sensation for me and a few other bloggers. Chef Adam Gray showed us how to serve the Crispy Cornish Mackerel chopped at a slant and plated with the relish at the side adding a final flourish to a posh looking yet easy to prepare crispy fish finger starter – easy if you can master filleting the mackerel that is!

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It looked ever so easy but that wasn’t the case as we were all about to find out when later a few enthusiastic bloggers got to try their hand at it with the Chef showing them how to wield their knives and expertly handle the fish even if it was a delicate small mackerel or a large meaty specimen. 

After that, we formed 3 groups and set out to make Ticklemore & Goat’s Cheese Fritters under the watchful eye of Chef Adam and Chef Damon. Coated in panko breadcrumbs with a generous sprinkling of fennel seeds, I busied myself with adding 2 coats of the egg wash and breadcrumb mixture to the fritter while the others chopped up the delicious heritage tomatoes seasoned with lovage – an intriguing herb and in taste aptly described by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as ‘ The flavour is like parsley and celery combined with a hint of aniseed and curry’. We used Sharpham farms goats cheese and combined it with some soft cheese resulting in a delicious and rich fritter that tasted fabulous served on a bed of fresh salad.

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Moving on to the dessert we made individual portions of Flourless Citrus Cake served with English Strawberries and Vanilla Yoghurt. This is by far one of Chef Adam Gray’s most popular recipe on Great British Chefs, a completely gluten-free cake it is one of those recipes which is perfect for cooking along with kids and helping them master some basic skills.

While our cakes were baking in the oven, we once again huddled around the demo kitchen and watched while some brave bloggers volunteered to learn how exactly to wield a knife and fillet a Cornish Mackerel.

The flourless cakes were delightfully light and soft and the fresh strawberries mixed with Tiptree strawberry jam relish was a perfect accompaniment to the dessert. The vanilla-infused yoghurt added an interesting dimension to the dish.

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This was the second in a new series of Masterclasses by Great British Chefs. Held at the Cookery School, where Rosalind Rathouse and her team hosted all of us and made sure that we were well looked after, it was a great experience. The Cookery School itself is very well maintained, as is evident from the spotlessly clean kitchen and work surfaces and eco-friendly practices.

Needless to say, the event was even more fun because I caught up with blogger friends Vaishali and Heidi, also finally go to meet Deena Kakaya and Felicity Spector in person. It was lovely to see some more familiar faces like the lovely Miriam and Alexandra too.

*With thanks to Great British Chefs for inviting me. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 

Filed Under: Events, Food Tagged With: #GBCCookSchool, blogger event, Chef Adam Gray, cook along, Cookery School, Crisp Cornish Mackerel with Rhubarb Relish, demo, Farrington's Mellow Yellow, Flourless Citrus Cake with English Strawberries and Vanilla Yoghurt, food blogger event, foodie event review by travels for taste, Great British Chefs, heritage tomatoes, keen cooks, kitchen, london, lovage, Master class, Northampton, Rape seed oil, Sea Kale & Pea Shoot Salad, Sharpham Farm, Skyon, Ticklemore & Goat's Cheese Fritters, travels for taste, travels for taste is a food and travel blog based in London

MoBa – New Boulangerie with a French-Asian fusion menu opens in London

March 30, 2015 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

The new artisan bakery where Bánh Mì meets  Boulangerie called MoBa opened it’s doors to the public on Monday at Goodge street in London.

MoBa press day

Before I dive into the details about their unique and well thought of menu, a bit about the background – the how’s and why’s ( humm ,maybe all those hours am spending watching House M.D have started affecting the way I think – need to know the why first..)

The Paris born founding duo – Thibaut and Theodore, met while studying Hotel Management in Switzerland and then kept in touch even when their careers took to various locations across the world.  They recently moved to London with the aim of  bringing a new concept of dining to London. Though they are still in their early 20’s this duo has gained lots of experience between the two of them and have been exposed to various culinary influences.

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With a bold and fabulous new fusion menu this new casual dining spot promises to serve up interesting food, which like their lovely window display will change with the seasons. ‘MoBa’ an acronym for Modern Bakery aims to combine traditional French cooking with fresh and simple flavours from Asia – a culmination of friendship, passion for creativity and of course a shared love of good food.

The interiors are cool and fresh, the minimalist look adds a soothing touch while the sleek leather lined stools give it just the right edge.

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I also got a feel of a  bit of behind the scene the counter action – a masterclass of sorts. Thibaut Voury, one of the founders , who was managing the kitchen showed me how to make my own Bánh Mì.

MoBa press day

Because I wasn’t too keen on a heavy lunch, the naked Bánh Mì sounded good and Theodore Charoy the other founder suggested that I choose ‘Tokyo’ because of the fabulous flavours of the Salmon gravlax. He was right! I absolutely loved this mix of seasonal veg wok, Japanese lime and garlic cream served on a bed of noodles. Not only is it light and fresh it is still full of wonderful Asian flavours.

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I resisted having any beer but they have my favourite Asian beer – Asahi, while the other bloggers loved Bellerose – a blonde beer from Northern France.

MoBa press day

I also learnt that the word Bánh Mì was born out of a misspelling for ”pain de mie” which simply means ‘sliced bread’. This sandwich dated back to the time when French colonised Indochina, a perfect example of a fusion born out of the meeting of two very different culinary worlds.

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The other bloggers choose the Toulouse (£7.20) which as they described as a fabulous combination of spicy mango sauce and duck confit in a traditional baguette stuffed with seasonal veg wok. It was massive and looked very delicious , I do hope to go back soon for this one.

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Apart from the fusion menu, the Boulangerie also stocks beautiful breads and some baguettes with unusual combinations like the soya-ginger baguette which I got to take home in goody bag. I was greedily eyeing the green tea croissant while photographing the place and the mango croissant looked so tempting with the beautiful glaze over it – wow – almost irresistible!

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MoBa croissants (2) (Copy)

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Ever since I started having my matcha green tea everyday I am totally addicted to the taste of green tea and the match green tea brownies were my absolute favourite from the sweet treats we were given to sample. Of course the fusion of flavours spills over into the dessert menu too then and the exotic sounding Zen Lightning Éclair packs a punch with a strong tangy flavour while the Speculoos Mango Cheesecake is delicious too and a perfect companion with a steaming hot latte. What I loved most is that the dessert tray came lined with the MoBa ‘newspaper’ – hot off the press!

MoBa press day

MoBa is conveniently located a short walk from Goodge Street tube station and is a fabulous lunch option for lunch go-ers and would make for a great place for a casual catch up over dinner with friends too.

Don’t know about you but I think MoBa is going to kick off a new trend in London with their  fusion menu!

*With  thanks to the PR Agency and MoBa for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.All images without my watermark for ‘travelsfortaste’ are provided by the PR Agency. Kindly do not re-produce any images without prior permission.

MoBa Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Square Meal

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: a bed of noodles, a traditional baguette, Bánh Mì, Bellerose, blogger event, blonde beer, Boulangerie, duck confit, food blog, food writer, foodie in London, French colonised Indochina, French-Asian fusion menu, garlic cream, Goodge street, green tea croissant, Japanese lime, lifestyle blogger, london, mango croissant, Manjiri Chitnis, Manjiri Kulkarni, MoBa, MoBa newspaper, Modern Bakery, naked Bánh Mì, New Boulangerie in London, Northern France, pain de mie, press launch, reviews from travelsfortaste blog, Salmon gravlax, seasonal veg wok, served, sliced bread, sliceoffme, soya-ginger baguette, Speculoos Mango Cheesecake, spicy mango sauce, Thibaut and Theodore, Tokyo, Toulouse, travel blogger, travel writer, travelsfortaste, Zen Lightning Éclair

The Spice Traveller explores Great Britain’s culture and cuisine

October 4, 2014 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Crab Kasoori Methi  – sounds intriguing right?  If that piqued your interest then there’s lots more in store in the creative repertoire of Celebrity Indian chef Saransh Goila who’s food and travel show aptly titled The Spice traveller debuted on his YouTube channel last week. For the uninitiated Saransh Goila won the hearts of millions of fans when he won the  Food Food Maha Challenge which was hosted by Sanjeev Kapoor ( a chef he has watched on T.V in his formative years & greatly admires! ) and Madhuri Dixit ( Bollywood super start, mommy to 2 and possibly the most graceful dancer Hindi films have had in the ’90s!). He then went to host the TV show Roti Rasta aur India on Food Food channel where he travelled 20,000 km of India by road in 100 days  – exploring local flavours and cooking feats for a lucky few along the way.

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First, of its kind, India’s youngest celebrity Chef Saransh Goila’s digital food travelogue show is a 20 part series where the celebrity chef travels across England and Scotland exploring beautiful travels destinations, local food and culture. He attempts to change perceptions about how people travel across England and Scotland and what they normally expect to eat while they discover new destinations. Goila’s  1000 km journey takes him to exotic locations around Cotswolds, Yorkshire, Edinburgh and Fife where he cooks up finger-licking fusion cuisine.

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Chef Saransh at Kellie Castle –  Fife

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Chef Saransh making cheese in Yorkshire

Saransh also managed to throw in exciting experiences including cider making , also pretending to be ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for a day at what he described as the best cream tea party ever, took over the reins of a Michelin starred kitchen, spent a day at a trout farm in Yorkshire and fell hook,line and sinker in love with fishing – while learning all there is to about fly-fishing and Rainbow trout!

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 Chef enjoyed some amazing cream tea and warm scones with clotted cream and jam polished off with fresh British strawberries!

And while he was cooking, travelling and making exciting cocktails at the Virgin Atlantic bar in the air at 35,000 ft, he also managed to get a designer kilt made and ermmm pose  🙂

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Chef Saransh in a pensive mood, maybe his day out in Scotland left him enamoured with the Scottish Highlands!

So throw away all those musty old travel guides and hop onto an exciting culinary journey through English and Scottish countryside with Chef Saransh!

And what better place to start that journey than in the city I have fallen madly in love with – London city! Watch the second episode of The Spice Traveller as he explores multicultural London  – learns to make Britain’s favourite Fish-n-Chips with Chef Micheal Brown at Fishworks, discovers a restaurant that serves 100% vegetarian food in the heart fo Central London, cooks up England’s favourite curry  – Chicken Tikka Masala in the kitchen at Cinnamon in Soho, explores the sights and sounds of Covent Garden and wanders the beautiful street markets of London city!

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Chef Goila’s 1000 km has only just begun and you have lots more episodes to look forward to and exciting contests to participate in too!

So fasten your seat belts, as VisitBritain  – @VisitBritain and Virgin Atlantic Airways – @VirginAtlantic in partnership with One Digital Entertainment and Zenga TV.com – @ZengaTVMedia take you on a fabulous journey – no passport or air ticket required for this one folks!

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Hungry for more? Watch this space for an exclusive interview with the charming Chef – COMING SOON!

Disclaimer: With Thanks to Chef Saransh Gola for sharing his fabulous culinary adventures with me and my readers.

All images are courtesy Chef Saransh – Please do not reproduce without seeking prior written permission, feel free to share with due credit.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Miscellaneous Tagged With: Borough Market, Chef Saransh Goila, cinnamon, Cotswolds, Covent Garden, Crab kasoori methi, Edinburgh, England, Fife, Fishworks, Food Food Maha Challenge, fusion Indian cuisine, Great Britain, India’s first ever digital food travelogue show, london, Madhuri Dixit, Sanjeev Kapoor, SOHO, street food in London, The Spice Traveller, TV show Roti Rasta aur India on Food Food channel, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Visit Britain, Yorkshire, You Tube, Zenga.TV

Radha Krishna Bhavan – Tooting , a review

September 10, 2014 by manjirichitnis 7 Comments

On a dreary Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago after my weekly Indian shop form Dadu’s at Tooting, not feeling particularly in the mood to cook , we walked into Radha Krishna Bhavan for an early lunch . The place was open and barring one table we could pick and choose where to sit , unusual for a Saturday afternoon , little did I know that minutes later the place would be buzzing with activity.

 

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This is a sea food lovers heaven with authentic ,well balanced south Indian cuisine. We ordered a starter of spicy Vadas – flat, fried lentil dough spiced with green chillies and onion , this was crunchy and delicious and just the thing needed on a boring Saturday afternoon when the weather was playing traunt ! (£2.95)

 

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The first thing I noticed was the many sticker on the glass outside with various ratings from the Good Food Guide, Square Meal etc  and a bright yellow mini menu saying ”3 courses for just £5.95′ ! Super ! That definitely drew us in.

 

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But we decided to go a la Carte and ordered for some Kerala Fried Rice (£4.50)and Kerala Fish curry (£7.50) .The fish curry was yum but the portion size was a bit small to share , same with the rice and we found the rice had more than a generous use of oil but it was delicious all the same.

 

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Hungry for more we decided to experiment with some Vellappam – a pancake made of fermented rice with ground coconut and coconut milk with a  lacy egg like appearance . These were light yet  filling and 2 panckakes per dish came with the curry at a combined price (£7.95 ) .The pancakes were mopped up with the accompanying  curry –  a spicy King Fish Malabar.

 

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With no room left for dessert after this we decided to skip and just get ice lollies on our way home 😉

 

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I’d definitely recommend you visit Radha Krishna Bhavan if you are looking for delicious and authentic  flavours of South India at budget rates in a clean , welcoming atmosphere with quick service head (opposite Sainsburys on Tooting High Street)

 

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*This review was written by me of my own accord . I bore the expense of this meal. All views  expressed as always are my own and no monetary compensation of any sort by provided to me by either the restaurant or any other third party.All opinions expressed are valid for this particular visit .

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: authentic cuisine, blogger review, budget eats in south west london, budget eats in Tooting, curry leaves, delicious, eating out in London, fish curry, flavours of India, food blogger, Kerala, lifestyle, lifestyle blogger, london, love Indian food, meal deal under £5 in London, prawn, Restaurant Review, rice, sliceoffme reviews, South Indian cuisine, spicy, tasty, theatre, Tooting Broadway, travel blogger, travelsfortaste, water, yummy

Wine Pairing made easy by Waitrose Cellar

May 22, 2014 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

On a fine evening last week when the sun suddenly decided to shine upon us Londoner’s I happened to be invited to a blogger bash to celebrate the launch of Waitrose Cellar – the  new online wine service by Waitrose ,at the London Canal Museum.

With over 1200 interesting & exclusive wines,Champagnes & spirits to choose from at Waitrose Cellar online you can order any 6 wines with free delivery.The best part is the Waitrose Cellar experts hand pick mixed cases and  they are just a phone call away to address any queries you may have related to their wines  ,but if you’d rather do the food and wine pairing yourself ,there’s a wealth of knowledge on the Waitrose Cellar website where you can browse through 40 articles, watch over 150 tasting videos and read ratings on product pages,you can even learn how to expertly pop open a bottle of champagne!

Our wine experts for the evening – Stèphane and Xenia set the mood for the evening by popping some champagne.Stèphane started with a  level 3 award in wines and spirits from WSET and perfected his wine knowledge to become a wine waiter, then head sommelier before he became part of the Waitrose Cellar team. Xenia a Master of wine (2003) came to Waitrose last December ,with 24 years experience in the wine trade, she has worked as an independent wine consultant,a buyer for a large brewery,retailer and wine importer. After a spot of introductions over some champagne and starters I chatted with some very familiar friendly  faces. 14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event5 (Copy) It’s then that I noticed my name badge had a little picture of a glass of red and some others had picture of white wine on their badges ,the red wine gang set sail with Stèphane and the white wine badges went off with Xenia.We were taken onto a traditional canal boat to sail along the Regent’s Canal ,sample some of the brilliant Waitrose wines while Stèphane, took us through the story behind each wine and got us to think how best we could pair our wine with various mains. 14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event1 (Copy) (Copy)

If like me you’ve never sailed before on a traditional canal boat these beauties come equipped with a cute compact kitchen, ‘leisure’ accommodation and a nice little seating area for socialising which we promptly abandoned for a place on the deck, after all who can resist the soft evening sunlight and the light cooling breeze while sipping some fine wine and dreaming of  delicious food to pair it with! While sipping on Prosecco, Stèphane shared a naughty little trick to amp up your sweet bakes,he adds just a tiny pinch of pepper along with some salt ,takes the tooth-grinding sweet edge off the bake and gives just the right hint of flavour,am definitely going to give this fab idea a try soon!

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We started with tasting the  white wines ,of the white wines we tried I loved the Cave de Lugny Sparkling Burgundy Blanc de Blancs NV the most ,perfect for summer parties and nibbles.This Chardonnay from Burgundy has a  fresh, crisp, apple and citrusy flavour makes it really easy sparkling wine to drink. Also quite liked the Vasse Felix Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon,which is a very dry,fresh western Australian Sauvignon which would go really well with fresh seafood,steamed greens by the side or a sinful portion of gnocchi with toasted pine nut and fresh green basil pesto. This white,I daresay is even better than the other Antipodean varieties like Chardonnay. Moving on to red’s, by which time we had passed through the Reagent’s Canal and am sure managed to gulp some stray drops of water falling off the musty old bridge as well, but am sure we were either honestly engrossed in conversation or blissfully unaware of anything expect how much fun we were having by then , which I shall safely blame on the progressive climb towards feeling pleasantly buzzed – no , not shamelessly tipsy.Am  eagerly waiting to once again savour the Waitrose Chianti Classico Barone Ricasoli. This full-bodied Tuscan red is a delight on the palate with its woody notes and velvety texture,perfect for grilled meats and roasted peppers- think juicy kebabs with minty chutney. Made in partnership with Ricasoli family who were the first producers of Chianti , no wonder then this wine has won the Decanter Bronze Medal for classic Chianti. Before we knew it, we had worked our way through 16 different ,fabulously delicious Waitrose wines and by the time we got back to the Canal Museum we had worked up quite an appetite and speedily devoured the fab spread laid out for us.

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Stèphane and Xenia continued to reveal one secret after another of how best to choose a wine just right for you and how to go about pairing  food & wine.Then it was time for some speed wining – yes you heard that right Speed Wining!  I’ve never been speed dating but enough hours of watching crime and romantic dramas on the telly have left me no stranger to what its all about ,only this was way more fun because we got to talk about our favourite food and wine and didn’t need to impress our very friendly bunch of fellow foodies. I think I managed to ask some rather interesting and fun questions along with some rather boring ones but the user-friendly Waitrose Cellar website made it really easy for us to look for wines that would best suit the personality and tastes in food of our speed wining partners.

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Don’t we all look like we really had a great time ‘speed wining’? 🙂 And now a look at my favourites from the evening, the sparkling burgundy and classic Chianti both perfect matches for the sea food lover in me who also has a weakness for juicy kebabs,lamb curry and a major sweet tooth.

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Am happy to say that as a result of our speed wining session my fellow red team mates Becky,Snigdha,Anne,Laura and May managed to almost accurately guess which type of  wines I’d  enjoy the most.So when the 6 wine case for each of us, sent by Waitrose Cellar online, reached me I couldn’t wait to get cooking and wine pairing!

First up of course I shall be popping some Champagne – Waitrose Blanc de Blancs Brut NV(picked for me by Laura for my love of sweet and a bit of fizz) – to celebrate becoming aunty to a bonny boy and my niece clearing her GCSE equivalent in India with flying colours!Definitely calling for some bubbly,loads of canapes and well some more bubbly 😉

For my Sunday lunch with my family I will be pairing lamb curry with Catena Malbec chosen for me by Anne .I know my dessert wine for this month  will be the Limited Reserve Peachy wine from my wine case selected for me by May to appease my sweet tooth after a spicy meal.  Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett  will keep me company for familiar flavours of fresh seafood curries and fusion meals with scallops and soft shell crabs ,thanks to Snigdha’s choice.Waitrose Chablis picked for me by Becky who quizzed me and learnt of my love for ciders.This Chablis is so apt for a lazy summer afternoons with sea food starters.Last but certainly not the least the Sparkling Burgundy with a beautiful label that adorns the bottle ,which also is in my case,will be shared over lots of cake for a double birthday celebration with my family who are visiting us end of this month – exciting times ahead!

Feeling a bit of envious are we now? Don’t !For even you can win £1000 worth of wine specially chosen JUST for you by Waitrose Cellar Experts .Plus 5 runners-up will win a ready-made collection of  Waitrose Wine Teams 30 favourite wines. Now I would certainly clink my glass to that! You can also tweet away – @waitrosewine and chat up the wine experts.

 

14th May'14 Waitrose Wine Cellar event2 (Copy) All the fabulous photos in this post are by Emma  @emmakerf.

*With thanks to Waitrose Cellar for the invite.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Events, Food Tagged With: a slice of me, apple, Cave de Lugny Sparkling Burgundy Blanc de Blancs NV, Chardonnay, citrusy flavour, crisp, editor, food and travel blogger, food photographer, food writer, foodie in London, fresh, great BRITISH summer, lifestyle blogger, london, London Canal Museum, Manjiri Chitnis, Manjiri Kulkarni, Prosecco, recipe developer, sailed along the Regent's Canal, sliceoffme, sliceoffme blog, sliceoffme recipes, traditional canal boat, travel writer, travelsfortaste, travelsfortaste blog, Vasse Felix Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon, waitrosecellar.com, win £1000 worth of wine specially chosen JUST for you by Waitrose Wine Cellar Experts, Wine Pairing made easy by Waitrose Wine Cellar, Xenia

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