That's Food and Drink Wine Festival

As part of the That's Food and Drink Summer Wine Festival we are reviewing two very good wines today.

They are both very different from each other, but both are very eminently drinkable.

The first is a sparkling Italian wine, Bortolin Angelo Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G.

It is a 2015 vintage and is described as "Extra Dry."

However, I have to say that this wine did not "drink" as an extra dry wine.

There was, to my taste, a sort of underlying sweetness that gave me hints of the fruits of the summer, with the taste of the grapes perfectly balanced.

This wine is a perfect representation of the Prosecco type of wine and it is, very much, a "superiore" representation of this wine.

It is recommended to drink it whilst it is still young, so it is best not to be laid down in a wine cellar or a winestore for any great length of time.

It is best served at roughly 8 to 10 degrees centigrade, that's about 46 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is suggested that it is kept in the refrigerator for a minimum of time and that previously it should be stored in a cool, dark place. 

The second wine tasted was a fine example of the craft and skill represented by the Australian wine makers.

It is the '15 wine, labelled as apo|stro|phe stone's throw.

It is described as a Riesling/Gewürztraminer wine/blanc wine, great southern '15.

What to say about this wine?

I love the cool, crisp Riesling style of wine making, but it must be said that this '15 Riesling (with the addition of the  Gewürztraminer grape) actually, to my mind at any rate, takes this style of wine to (I hate to use this term, but I feel that this is one rare occasion that it is genuinely justified) another, higher, level.

It is a simple and highly effective wine. There is the beautiful simple -yet, paradoxically, complex- taste of the Riesling grape and the  Gewürztraminer grape, yet there's the extra oomph added by the nurturing and warming Australian summer sunshine.

Ideal with snack foods, light snacks, main meals, deserts or just chilling in a wine cooler on the patio, this Larry Cherubino Wine is imported into the UK by Halgarten Druitt.

To learn more visit http://www.apostrophewine.com.au. 

 

Glorious! Soups!

Yes, soup, Glorious! soup comes from the foodies who run Glorious! Explorer.

They take your tastebuds through a wonderful tour of the whole wide world!

You will find yourself travelling over the Atlantic to visit the Eastern seaboard of America to enjoy a very delicious New England Butternut Squash soup.

Next stop, the Indian Ocean where we visit the tiny island paradise of Goa, where you will thrill to a tasty and pleasingly spiced Goan Tomato and Lentil soup.

Next you will come back to something a little closer to home, a perfectly delightful Spanish Chicken Paella soup, which is new to the range.

Now, let's go back over the Atlantic to visit the South Eastern USA, to taste a bowl of Texan Four Bean Chilli soup. Mmm! Absolutely delicious!

Now we travel back around the world to the Indian subcontinent where we will try some Mumbai Lentil and Chickpea. Another culinary tour de force in a soup bowl!

Still in Asia we visit the country of Singapore to sample some Singapore Crushed Tomato, then just a short distance away we find ourselves indulging in the luxurious flavours of Fragrant Thai Carrot soup. I must admit that I had no idea how wonderfully tasty you could make a carrot! Now, I do.

And you'll absolutely adore your visit to Vietnam for the Vietnamese Supergreen soup!

Then the final leg of our journey takes us over to West Africa, where we will find some delicious and highly evocative West African Chicken Soup.

The recipe for each of the soups in the range has been carefully created by expert chefs who know more than a thing or two about how to craft a perfect bowl of soup!

Each recipe is exquisite in texture, appearance and, most importantly, in taste. And each soup tastes completely unlike the other soups in the range, so there is definitely something for everyone in the range.

And they are "skinnylicious" too and ideal for people who cannot tolerate gluten. So, serve up with some gluten free crackers or gluten free rolls or fresh sliced bread and it's a feast for everyone!

And they are as good as homemade, too. And at under £1,40 in leading supermarkets, you really will have something to write home about... from  Spain, Texas, New England, Goa, India, Singapore, Vietnam or West Africa.

However, there are other soups in the range, so do stop by at www.gloriousfoods.co.uk to learn more.

Chock Chick brings you Blissful Blends

Chock Chick brings you Blissful Blends.

These are very special chocolate treats that are filled with absolutely delicious flavours yet are utterly guilt free!

They take raw cacao powder and blend it to make some utterly tasty hot chocolate.

You can indulge in the citrus power of "Marvellous Mandarin" or "heart-warming cinnamon."

These hot chocolate treats are utterly free of guilt because there is no dairy, no sugar and no gluten.

They are ideally suited to people who are vegans, coeliacs and all lovers of good quality hot chocolate drinks.

Alsop, due to the fact that, unlike 'leading' hot chocolate rinks there is no added sugar so they should be fine for people who are diabetics.

The sugar content of Chock Chick Blissful Blends is a very respectable 0.3 grammes per 10 gramme serving, or 3.1 grammes per 100 grammes of product. (EDITOR: If in doubt you can discuss this with your doctor or your clinic's diabetes nurse.)

However, there's much more you can do with Choc Chick Blissful Blends! There are lots of absolutely yummy recipes that you can try your hand at.

Just visit www.chocchick.com for details and a little bit of inspiration. (And to find your nearest stockist, or you can order direct from their website. do please check out the rest of their range.)

Choc Chick points out that the Thebroma Cacao (chocolate powder) they use is 100% organic and is only ever single origin Nacional Arriba variety. Which is only ever sourced directly from Ecuadorian cooperatives ventures

All additional flavours are also guaranteed to be natural.

Natur Boutique's Organic Artichoke Tea. A miracle in a box!

Natur Boutique's Organic Artichoke Tea is a miracle in a box!

They are made by Fito Pharma of Binh Duong, Vietnam and distributed in the UK by Fito Ltd of London.

The first thing that you will notice when you make a cup of tea with the tea bag is a very distinct yet rather pleasing scent.

When you drink it, you will notice that it has a sort of smoky under note to it, with a deliciously savoury taste.

However, the rather nice taste is not the magical part of this Artichoke Tea.

The magical part is what it does to other substances when you taste them.

For Artichoke Tea has the amazing ability to make other things taste sweeter than before when you taste them after drinking the Artichoke Tea!

So, the amazing thing is that you do not need so much sugar or sweetener when you are cooking or making a drink!

I also found, and this is just a personal observation, that the Artichoke Tea seems to somehow enhance the flavours of other substances, too.

Natur Boutique organic Artichoke Tea is certified as organic by Ecocert SA.

Natur Boutique can proudly point out that the organic artichokes used are grown without artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

They are gown in high altitude areas of Vietnam. The artichokes -they use the flower heads to make the tea-  thrive very nicely there. But insects, however, don't, so hence no need for pesticides!

Incidentally, the farmers are paid 30% over and above the normal market price, so their farmers always get a fair deal.

To learn more about this astounding tea, please visit www.naturboutique.co.uk.

You can buy it from their website (20 tea bags for £2.99) or from Holland and Barrett stores.

Cook properly with an Everhot range!

Everhot ranges are designed and constructed to last you a lifetime.

And the advantage is that, unlike some ranges, you can easily have your Everhot range removed from your home and moved with you to your new abode!

The new Everhot 100i (Teal with Chrome Handles and Hinges) costs £7,530.

Over 35 years ago the story of the Everhot ranges began at Coaley Mill, which is in Gloucestershire.

What was the intention? To develop an efficient heat storage range which could make use of the water turbine which had been installed by the owner of Coaley Mill, Mr Ossie Goring.

In fact, Ossie still lives at the mill, but the business is now in the equally capable hands of his son, Guy.

Incidentally, Everhot’s passion for conservation means that the company is now carbon negative.

Everhot cookers are built to last a lifetime and thanks to an in-house installation team, a robust design and traditional British craftsmanship there is usually no need for servicing.

Everhot cookers are also available in ten colours: The new Teal colour plus Black, Graphite, White, Cream, Green, Sage, Blue, Burgundy and Aubergine.

Costs for the additional chrome package costs £150 for the Everhot 60 and 90 ranges and £200 for the bigger sizes.

The NEW Teal Range Cooker from Everhot aims to bring some lightness and joy to kitchens nationwide.

This vibrant new colour range is available with the option of chrome hinges and handles to make a bold, striking statement.

Everhot’s handbuilt cookers are the most energy efficient heat storage ranges available.

They use a stunning half the energy of equivalent comparable range cookers, Everhot cookers gently warm a kitchen with electricity.

What's the advantage? They run cleanly and they are also easier and quicker to switch on or off, they are simpler and easier to install (no flue is required, so no chimneys or flues to be swept clean!) and they are ideal for running off solar panels or other forms of renewable energy.

They are also really, really good for cooking with!

The ability to have an induction hob together with a more conventional and traditional hot plate, plus the grill, makes Everhot cookers a big hit with just about anybody and everybody.

Busy parents, dedicated amateur and professional cooks and chefs, all are seduced by the charm and versatility of the Everhot ranges.

Want to cook a full English breakfast? Grill some meat? Bake bread or cakes, slow-roast a joint, or whip up a quick meal from scratch? The ever-so-capable Everhot will help you do it.

There's a massive selection of different models and different sizes, so there's one to suit every kitchen.

And no servicing costs and much lower energy bills are two more plus points to buying an Everhot.

To learn more about Everhot and their ranges please visit www.everhot.co.uk call them on 01453 890018 or email: sales@everhot.co.uk.

Lucy Rocks Paleo. Breakfast time just got better!

With the introduction of Lucy Rocks Paleo breakfast meals, breakfast time has, indedd, just ogt better!

Blush Crunch £6.49.

Blush Crunch is specially created using  raw activated buckwheat which is coated in a very tasty selection of anti inflammatory beetroot powder and lucuma.

This makes it delightfully creamy. As buckwheat is naturally gluten free buckwheat, it's great for those who have a problem with gluten.

And buckwheat is a very valuable source of protein, rutin and manganese.

Not only is it a great breakfast meal, you can use it in smoothies or as part of a tasty dessert.

However, we were also able to try Golden Granola. It's also £6.49, and it is a real breakfast treat.

It's delightfully crunchy -but not too crunchy!- and it is so flavoursome that you might want to hide it from guests or visitors!

Our ancient ancestors used to have to forage in the woods to collect up enough super berries in order to put a decent breakfast together.

All we have to do is to grab a box of Golden Granola and enjoy a fantastic paleo diet meal which is a good and hearty start to your day!

Also available are Glowing Granola and Lush Crunch and a whole range of other yummy products!

For details and for buying information please check out their website at http://www.lucyrockspaleo.com

Skippy Peanut Butter. It's what Americans eat!

America's favourite, Skippy Peanut Butter comes in smooth and crunchy varieties.

And both are equally delicious.

However, my wife and I noticed that the smooth version is much smoother than other peanut butters that we have tried.

And even the crunchy version is also smoother, too.

There's none of that annoying cloying lumpiness that one can come across in other brands of peanut butter.

There's enough crunch to keep your teeth busy, but there are no ridiculously large chunks of peanuts that can occur with other brands of crunchy peanut butter.

But here is a curious thing. My wife, who for years has assured me that she "hates" peanut butter, has really and seriously fallen very deeply in love with both the smooth and the crunchy varieties of Skippy Peanut Butter!

Rather than hating peanut butter, it looks as if the real reason for her previous antipathy to peanut butter was that she had just never tried Skippy Peant Butter, before!

They are available in 340g jars and cost £2.25 each from Sainsbury's.

Goa Premium Beer

The island of Goa, off the coast of India, is known for its beaches, its sun... and its beer.

Goa is the home of the Impala Distillery and Brewery, Ltd., of Assolda, Quepem, Goa.

One of the beers that it brews is Goa Premium Beer, which is a lager style beer.

It is brewed with all of the essential ingredients to create a good, classic lager style beer.

Water, malt, maize flakes, hops and yeast.

It is a good, honest lager style beer, yet there is something else there, almost, in the complex background flavours, there seems to be a hint of spiciness, that adds a little certain something else to this light and refreshing lager style beer.

Is this due to a reaction between the maize flakes and the other ingredients? It could well be.

It is best served chilled and it makes an excellent accompaniment for all types of food, it goes well with tapas, meals from the Indian subcontinent, British, American, European and African foods, and a bucket of these bottles kept chilled with ice is a perfect addition to anyone's BBQ spread.

In the UK it is distributed by The Offie Ltd., for Viking Ventures UK Ltd.

Aduna cacao bars. Heavenly eats!

Aduna cacao bars do make for Heavenly eats!

For example, please take into consideration the Aduna Cacao bar with the crunchy cacao nibs, walnut and hibiscus.

Some people in the food industry argue that they need to shove large amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners or sugar alternatives into pies, puddings and confectionery because they need to make their products sweet enough for the British palate.

Well, Aduna products are living proof that the above argument is just not true!

The bar is sweet and delicious, with the combination of tastes nothing short of phenomenal.

There's the cacao, the almonds and the walnuts, with a very alluring tang of hibiscus flowers, too.

It's also a good source of fibre, is good for vegetarians and vegans, too and is compatible with the paleo diet so there's a whole lot going on in favour of this nifty product and the other bars in the range.

To learn more please visit www.aduna.com.

We will be reviewing other Aduna products over the next several days. Please do look out for these.

Chika's Plantain Crisps

Chika's Plantain Crisps are a real taste of West Africa brought to the UK.

The plantain is described as the West African reply to the humble spud.

Well, whilst there's some truth in that, you have to remember that the plantain has a little bit more of a taste thing going for it than the more traditionally known potato.

It's also just as versatile as the potato, as Chika has been able to prove with her highly delicious and most agreeable Plantain crisp snacks.

They are hand cooked and the ingredients are plantain, sunflower oil, a little bit of salt (but not too much!)  and with the addition of some kickingly good chilli in the chilli flavoured plantain crisps.

You know they are different to crisps when you open the packet. Well, they are plantains, after all!

But the things you notice about them is their unique flavour.

There is a subtle sweetness there, but then there is also a nice savoury tang to it, also.

There is also a good, satisfying crunch to them, too.

And the kick from the chilli flavoured plantain crisps? It's good. Excellent, in fact, though it is not over-the-top, it's got a sort of laid back kick to it.

Chika has taken her West African heritage and used it to serve up a veritable plantain feast for us.

They are ideal for a snack, as a lunchbox treat, something good for a party or as a tasty supplement to a summer BBQ.

And the clincher is? They are gluten free, too!

To learn more please just visit www.chikas.co.uk.

And these fantastic crisps are available through Ocado, which is one of the main retailers for Chika!