A Health Hit with The Core Cheltenham

A couple of weeks ago I was suffering with a hangover from hell. It may or may not have involved me being sick at work *hangs head in shame*. Stuffing myself with biscuits to give me that much needed sugar, it sure was a low moment.

That night, after I shuffled my way into bed at a stupidly early hour, I scrolled through Facebook and spotted an offer for a High Veg Juice Programme courtesy of The Core in Charlton Kings.

My eating with good intentions went awry after my Birthday; naughty habits of having a piece of cake here and there, and drinking midweek wines seemed to become a regular occurrence. A juice programme, therefore, sounded like the perfect opportunity to put me back on the straight and narrow... Probably and irrational hungover decision, but with £30 off, it was worth a try.

I've done a couple of one day juice cleanses before (with Cheltenham's Kin Juicery - also great), and I'm used to making smoothies for breakfast every morning using my Nutribullet, though a five day juice-fest felt like throwing myself into the deep end. Still, I'd visited The Core a number of times, and I absolutely love their menu, so I was sure that I could trust them to get me through my working week.

The High Veg plan follows the same recipes as the main Core Juice Programme, but is technically a bit healthier due to the drinks being split into 70% veg and 30% fruit. At 8am on Monday morning I went to collect my first day's goods, consisting of two 500ml juices and two 500ml smoothies, with a raw snack to eat at some point throughout the day. Being a bit of a control freak with regards to food/where I eat out/looking up menus/etc, the element of surprise made this whole thing more exciting.

I can't quite remember what drinks I had on which day, but the varieties were as follows:

• Refresher (J) carrot, apple, mint 
• Roots (J) beetroot, parsnip, carrot, apple, lime
• Cleanser (J) carrot, apple, lime, pineapple, mint 
• Vitality (J) parsnip, mint, spinach, pear, apple 
• Energy Boost (J) cucumber, celery, kale, lime, apple 
• Mineral Magic (J) carrot, ginger, parsnip, pineapple, apple, lime 
• Total Tonic (J) cucumber, celery, apple, ginger, lemon
• Blood Booster (S) beetroot, carrot, apple, lime, avocado 
• Super Greens (S) apple, ginger, lemon, kiwi, cucumber, spinach, avocado 
• Calcium Kick (S) spinach, cucumber, pear, apple, celery, lime, ginger, avocado 
• Carotene (S) carrot, pineapple, celery, lemon, avocado

Monday: Drank the first smoothie (my fave - Blood Booster) at the suggested time of 10am, it's probably more than I'd usually have with my Nutribullet, so I wasn't desperate for the next one at lunchtime (1pm). I sipped it throughout my lunch hour, and as a result, I really wasn't feeling another juice at 3pm. Instead, I ate half of my snack - the tastiest raw flapjack known to man (I'd even swap it for a regular one!) - and drank my third juice en route home between 5-6pm. I had the last one at 8pm, then snuggled on the sofa with a herbal tea and the other half of my flapjack, making sure I didn't miss a crumb! I went to bed feeling incredibly full and pleased that the first day was a breeze. 

Tuesday: I'm pretty sure I had the best night's sleep I've had in ages, and I felt full of energy despite not having any caffeine in me. I followed the same routine as the day before - 9/10am, 1pm, 5pm, 8pm - leaving my snack to have as 'dinner' whilst The Chap ate his evening meal. My Tuesday snack was a Nutty Bowl; muesli, cashews, vanilla, cinnamon, almonds, banana, pineapple, with a topping of pecan halves, maca powder and coconut blossom nectar.

Wednesday: Another really good night's sleep, presumably from the detox, and the day whizzed by. The snack of the day was a kale salad, which gave me that much needed texture I was craving. As soon as it hit 9pm I was falling asleep in front of the TV, so I headed to bed for an early night.

Thursday: I woke up super hungry, and was desperate to crack into my first juice - there was no way I was holding out until 10am. I was in serious need of more salty foods, and the savoury gods must have heard me; Thursday's snack was a pot of quinoa salad. Me and my mum have had this at The Core before, and we flippin' love it! Can't quite pinpoint the flavours in though; perhaps soy/tamari? It felt like I had quite a lot to eat, so I didn't finish my juice until late, which resulted in me not being able to sleep straight away (I got some reading in, so I wasn't bothered).

Friday: I MADE IT. I was a little sad going to collect my bag of goodies, knowing that it was the last day; the guys in the cafe are so friendly and supportive. I was still full from yesterday, so drank my juice between 10 and 11am, then 1pm, 5pm, and 8pm. My final snack was a Protein Bowl combining muesli, blueberries, banana, almonds, oat milk, apple and hemp seeds, topped with flaxseed, pecans, mixed nuts and coconut nectar. It was sweet (leaving it sitting all day in the fridge probably didn't help - bananas don't fare too well), but had enough texture and nuttiness to balance it out. A herbal tea, and a feeling of achievement, and I went to bed whilst the rest of Cheltenham seemed to be out partying.

The next morning I anticipated being excited for a breakfast of peanut butter and banana on toast (my go-to weekend treat), but surprisingly I fancied a smoothie.. You'd have thought I'd be sick of liquids! 

The 5 day High Veg Juice Programme was much easier than I imagined - probably down to the fact everything was so bloody tasty - and the support that Jay Halford and the rest of The Core team offer gives you that extra boost if and when you need it. You can still eat extra snacks if you want (bananas, nuts, carrot sticks and hummus) whilst on the programme, but I didn't think it was necessary; herbal teas kept me sane! 

At the end of the five days I felt great (and still do); I have much more energy, I don't feel the need to have a cup of coffee every day, and I even managed to lose a couple of pounds too! It honestly felt like luxury being given my treats each day, and now, feeling smug and slightly more streamlined, I'd say I'd definitely do it again... 

Interested? Visit The Core website for more info, and give it a go! 

Hibiscus: 15 Years and 8 Memorable Dishes with Claude Bosi

Last month The Chap took me to London for my birthday; he'd done his research, and where we were going was meant to be a surprise, but quite frankly he could not keep it to himself! I don't blame him though; he'd pulled out all the stops by getting a reservation at Claude Bosi's Hibiscus.

Coincidentally, we were going during the month that the restaurant was celebrating its 15th anniversary, and throughout June they were offering diners an extra special eight course tasting menu, based on guests' favourite dishes from over the years. Quite a few people had cast their vote in the poll, which was then whittled down according to season and availability, producing a menu of the finest summer combinations... A summertime "Greatest Hits" if you will.

Claude Bosi originally opened Hibiscus in Ludlow, before relocating to London in October 2007. It has held two Michelin stars since 2003; has five rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2015 (retained since 2003); it has a 9/10 rating in the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015, and is ranked 5th in the UK. Flippin' heck.

Bosi brings together classic French cooking with modern techniques and the best ingredients from the British isles; a formula that has proven highly successful. And so, the celebratory £135 tasting menu - the crème de la crème of Hibiscus' 15 years - was one that we couldn't miss. And although we weren't going to go down the wine flight route (especially at an extra £95 each), after a chilled glass of Billecart Salmon Rosé from the Champagne Trolley - YES, A CHAMPAGNE TROLLEY - we were totally sold on the idea. We're weak, I know.

Looking back on it now, it probably wasn't the wisest decision, especially as our table was at 9.30pm, which was also way too late to embark on a mega tasting menu (we didn't have our final course until gone midnight!). No doubt these factors fueled the fire with the snooty people on the next table, and unfortunately their "we're so much better than you" attitude completely ruined the end of my spectacular birthday meal, leaving me exiting the restaurant in tears (the wine flight definitely didn't help with that either, haha). But enough about that, it happened, and we're actually returning to Hibiscus next month to make sure we leave with a smile.

The menu kicked off with Foie Gras Ice Cream, mango and sherry vinegar caramel, served with a fine flute of Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut, 2000. Since posting a picture of this on Twitter, I received a backlash of animal rights comments from randomers, but hell, it was worth it! A mini cone filled with sweet mango puree, topped with an unexpectedly light liver-y ice cream, swirled with a tangy caramel, and sprinkled with what can only be described as 'savoury crunch'. It gave your typical cornetto a run for it's money.

Next was the Clarence Court Egg with pea, coconut and Thai curry. I've had a "filled egg" at many a restaurant now - it's particularly favourable around Easter - but just like dippy eggs and soldiers at home, it still brings out the child in me. Fresh and fragrant, it made sure I was ready for more food, and the fantastic bread that came out (courtesy of Mikael Jonsson of Hedone), slathered with salted butter, certainly hit the spot too.

The delicate and dreamy Devonshire Crab dish, with gel like pearls of elderflower and new season almond was served with a 2013 Karner Gabor Rizling from Hungary; a beautiful match, and a beautiful wine! (No surprise - we're riesling fiends!)

The Spring Onion Ravioli was one I was looking forward to after seeing some photos of it on Social Media. With broad beans, lime, Moroccan mint, and a creamy sauce, the humble pasta pillow was elevated to new heights, and it confirmed that I should definitely order ravioli when eating out more often. It was partnered with a crisp glass of Les Enfants Sauvages Cool Moon 2012,  from the Roussillon region of France; the floral, stone fruit nature of the blend of Grenache Gris and Grenache Blanc, ticked all the boxes against the very 'green' flavours in the dish.

Although the Cornish Cod ‘Grenobloise’ isn't the most attractive plate of food you'll ever see, I must remind you that you should never judge a book by it's cover. Grenobloise is a classic French sauce, composed of capers, nutty brown butter and lemon - simple - but Bosi's version sees a cream coloured foam covering the entire plate. It's a rich-but-sharp sauce that, thanks to the aeration, doesn't leave your mouth feeling coated with butter, therefore, letting you really enjoy the other textures in the dish (i.e. the meaty flesh of the cod). It was matched with a glass of biodynamic Eugenio Rosi, Anisos, 2011, Trentino, Italy; the honey, blossom and nutty flavours complimented the cod 'Grenobloise' wonderfully, and the bitter finish cleansed the palate.

The next dish was Native Lobster with fresh cherries and black pepper sauce; a plate of food containing lobster and cherries totally has 'Lucie' written all over it. There were also some little deep fried lobster ravioli served alongside, which I could've scoffed all night long. The wine match for this was an orange wine, tasting a little sherry-like, Domaine Julien Courtois Savasol, 2008, from the Loire Valley, France. It was probably the only wine of the night we were unsure about.

Both of us agreed that the tenderest hunk of Milk Fed Veal with girolles, apricot and chervil was THE BEST course. The fact that it came with our only glass of red wine probably influenced this; Broc Cellars “Syrah 13.1” 2012, Sonoma County, California. The sweet meat melted in the mouth, and the earthy mushrooms were backed up by the black pepper, spice, dark fruit, and powerful tannins from the wine. Neither of us wanted it to end.

Photo Credit (as mine was blurry): Genuiness Blog

Our first dessert was Gariguette Strawberry, celeriac and szechuan pepper; a mini trifle of sorts. The combination of strawberries and pepper is not an alien concept, however, the nutty celery flavour with the szechuan Asian punch, felt inspired. It was partnered with Vial-Magneres Banyuls 2009, Roussillon, France; tinged gold, with full fruit flavours, it ensured us that we were in 'sweet' territory, then the final course sealed the deal.

A deliciously dark chocolate tart case, filled with a mousse of New Season Peas, infused with mint and topped with pop corn, toyed with our taste buds. The most perfect quenelle of snow-white coconut sorbet added an extra dimension; an English garden with a twist of the Caribbean! And with just enough naughtiness from the chocolate, freshness from the peas and mint, and creaminess from the coconut, it was a stellar end to the tasting menu.

Upsetting experience aside, Claude Bosi's Hibiscus rightly lived up to it's reputation; every course was a delight! And I'm just thankful that we get to go again in a month's time...

Hibiscus, 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2PA