Seeing Out 2015 Pt.1

So, as the year draws to a close - when I'm feeling particularly guilty about my lack of efforts on the blogging front - I thought it was prime time to catch up on all those exciting things that I've been up to.

Truth be told, it's been a mightily crap year for The Chap and I; with families somewhat falling apart at the seams on both sides, it's not surprising that I haven't found the motivation, nor the hours in the day, to keep up with my posts. Still, despite not feeling particularly upbeat over the past couple of months, we've had some fun along the way.

Supper with Richard Turner on Thursday 12th November was a meaty highlight. Held at No. 38 The Park, this Lucky Onion Club event was one we really couldn't miss; the Hawksmoor, Pitt Cue and Meatopia legend lived up to his reputation by cooking the most epic menu (and drinking a lot of Bourbon).

Starters were Wild Sea Bass Sashimi with Chilli and Ginger, Fillet Steak Tartare topped with a shed load of Parmesan, Roasted Bone Marrow with Sourdough Toast, and Roasted Scallops with White Port and Garlic... I managed some self restraint and didn't eat everything in sight, but the sheer volume of food could have filled us all up, and I'd have been content just hitting dessert! FYI I still don't like Bone Marrow.

Main was Charcoal Grilled Rib Eye Steak and Chips with Bibb Lettuce Salad and Stilton Hollandaise. Pink, juicy, salty, charred - and seemingly endless - there are no words that can describe how good it was. And that Stilton Hollandaise; if I'd had a heart attack after eating it all, I'd have died very very happy. Sticky Toffee Pudding with Clotted Cream and a glass of Sherry finished us off, and we rolled ourselves home.

In contrast to this, I went along with a friend (K) to The Core Cheltenham's 4 Course Evening Special, which was full of vegan veggie goodness. Greeted with a heathy 'martini' of pomegranate, hibiscus and sumac, we then hit the gin (it was BYOB). Canapés were a shot glass of Pea and Mint soup served with "Cheesy" Polenta Chips, then we could choose our other courses out of three options. Watermelon and Kalamata Olives with a Pistachio Crumble, Capers and Watercress was my starter. K's was much more exciting; Carrot and French Beans with Tomato and Hemp Tabbouleh, Daikon Radish Ribbons and a Coriander Dressing.

K chose the best main too; Red Lentil Dahl, Spiced Sweet Potato Purée, Pickled Carrots, Crispy Shallots, Balsamic Onions and Chilli Enoki Mushrooms. That said, I definitely had the best dessert; Citrus Tart made with a Homemade Almond Yoghurt, Lime Curd and Chocolate Candied Pecan Nut Crumble. 

If you've not experienced raw, vegan foods, then going to something like this is a great introduction. I had a fabulous night, but I think visiting The Core for breakfast/lunch, or for your juice/smoothie fix is the best way to do it, especially after a heavy night! See my previous post on their 5 Day Juice Programme.

As with every month - *cough* week - November saw a lot of wine drinking, and none more special than The Super Fine Wine Tasting at The Grape Escape. Ten wines were opened from The Grape's reserve list, adding up to over £1000 worth of wine! Starting off with one of my favourite Champagnes - Krug Grand Cuvée - we drank Riesling, Chardonnay, and the best/most unusual Sauvignon Blanc I've ever experienced (the Silex pictured above).

With the reds, we worked our way around the globe; Spain, South Australia, Italy, USA and the two big Frenchies; Burgundy and Bordeaux. Needless to say, we were all bowled over by the wines, (which is probably not so great for our purse strings), and in true Grape Escape fashion, the best wines of the night were both Californian! If you're feeling flush, go and buy yourself a bottle of Kistler Chardonnay 'Les Noisetiers' 2013 or Corison Cabernet Sauvignon 'Kronos Vineyard' 2006; you won't be disappointed.

... Part 2 coming up!...

A Month of Munching

It's been very quiet on the Western Front lately (unless you've been following me on Twitter or been keeping up with my Vinspire posts). How on earth has it got to June already?! Well, I've just returned from a wonderful week-long holiday in Scotland, but before I divulge on my indulgences up north, I thought I'd best report my latest eats and experiences. So listen up..

I should probably start with where I left off at the end of April *slaps wrists*.. A 5 year anniversary celebration with The Chap saw a surprise trip to Cheltenham's KIBOUsushi. We went for lunch a week or so after it's opening, loved it, and vowed to return to try the dinner menu; it took us way too long to do this. Cheltenham had been missing the sushi boat for ages, and in the space of a few weeks, both KIBOU and a Yo! Sushi opened up. I'm sure Yo! Sushi is great, what with it's conveyor belt of food on brightly coloured dishes, but independent is always better in my eyes. Being tucked away in a basement on Regent Street, like a secret hide away from the bustling town centre, makes the whole thing much more memorable.

We started with some pork gyozas and scallop and venison tataki nigiri, then The Chap had a prawn/pork/sesame main dish, and I had an orange-y duck breast with pumpkin korroke (a bit like croquettes); both of which were off of the specials board. Everything was delicious, and I'm already thinking about when I can go back to get my next sushi fix. If you go, make sure you get a glass of the plum wine, as well as the obligatory jasmine tea.

A week later, I found myself at Cheltenham Jazz Festival drinking way too much wine and frolicking in the bank holiday sun. Being a massive lover of all things Hobbs House (thanks to the Bread Baking Masterclass I went on in February), I booked to go to Henry Herbert's Hobbs House Pop-up Supperclub on the festival site in Montpellier Gardens.

Being one half of The Fabulous Baker Brothers, and an advocate of all things local, Henry's Supperclub was destined to be something that you wouldn't want to miss. Upon entering the tent lined with tables and benches, we were handed a cocktail (I've no idea what it contained) and then showered with various canapés whilst we got settled into our seats and chatted to our jazzy neighbours.

No veggies here, BBQ Beef was what we were treated to; juicy charcoal grilled rib eye and a smoked brisket, which practically fell apart with as much as a glance. Bowls of Boston beans, slaw and blue cheese iceberg salad were shared round, along with a never ending supply of sourdough, and everything was kept topped up until we were sufficiently full.

Dessert was a doughnut trifle. Now I'm not normally a fan of those stodgy beasts, and the thought of having them topped with additional custard and cream was a bit daunting, but actually, it totally hit the spot and was just the right size. Coffee and truffles were kicked to the kerb until Henry had done the rounds thrusting picklebacks on every table. A shot of pickle brine and a shot of Chase Smoked Vodka sat in front of us, then on the count of three we downed the vodka then chased it with the pickle. It might sound a bit rough, but trust me, it works. Line them up please!

A trip to Bath was next on the agenda; a belated Mother's Day spa session with my Mum and Sister. I'd had a few recommendations on places to have lunch, and Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen was the venue of choice. We decided to opt for the tapas-style sharing dishes, ending up ordering pretty much the whole menu because it sounded that good.

We had mixed pickles (kohlrabi, radish and carrot), hummus with bread olives and harissa, asparagus in a lemon thyme dressing, brocolli with wild garlic, polenta chips and rhubarb ketchup, chickpea fritters with an orange rosemary emulsion, local leaf salad with toasted seeds and rhubarb dressing, and red wine fig and shallot salad with candied curried pecans. The one thing I love about veggie/vegan restaurants is that they're always so innovative; even the most stubborn carnivore couldn't possibly miss meat with this bounty. The red wine fig and shallot salad stole the show, along with the asparagus and polenta chips.. Actually, all of it was great, and our bill came to just over £30, which seemed great value considering how much we ate!

Last minute panic buying in preparation for a wedding resulted in a shopping slog at Cabot Circus, Bristol. In an attempt to get just an hours break from the herd of Saturday shoppers, we went to St Nicholas Market to refuel. Spying a queue at Grillstock surely meant that they were dishing out good grub, and on a sunny day, something meaty in a bun - alongside a cold beer - is just what the doctor ordered. I had the hickory smoked pulled pork with slaw, spicy sauce and extra jalepenos. It's messy business, but who cares when its this good?

Something sweet seemed necessary, so we popped into Source Food Hall & Cafe and I was blinded by this beauty; a salted caramel and cherry brownie. I think I died and went to heaven.. Though hell's probably more fitting, being so devil-iciously dark, rich and salty..

Nothing I can say will be able to follow that, so I shall leave it there.

Keep your eyes peeled for Glasgow goings on..