Little Miss Foodie

Bringing you the latest food and drink related special news and reviews…

Burns Night Himalayan Fling – 25 January January 14, 2010

Filed under: Events — LittleMissFoodie @ 6:25 pm
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Back by popular demand, Babur’s Burns Night Himalayan Fling is an event you won’t want to miss. The evening begins with a Gurkha piper heralding the entrance of the Nepalese bhuton, possibly the first and original haggis recipe. There will be Slow-roasted Shoulder of Lamb marinated in Amrut Indian single malt whisky to follow, finishing off with Warm Barley and Amrut halwa with raspberry coulis. All in aid of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

Our talent search, highlighted in the last newsletter, has yielded some impressive results and heading the bill of Burns songs and poetry is harpist and soprano, Norma Ritchie, who has sung and played the Celtic harp on Burns Nights in exotic locations such as Cochin and Kobe, Japan. Her husband, Peter Fender, has been playing the violin for even longer than he has been eating curries and for 25 years has lived within walking distance of Babur. There will be other surprise guests and friends of Babur.

Thanks to Chivas Regal, we have a grand prize for our raffle that money can not buy. At a time and location of the winner’s choosing, Chivas will send out one of their best tasters armed with an array of high-end whiskies to provide and unforgettable whisky tasting for 10 people. We’ve also got a pearl necklace from Pearl Magpie (www.pearlmagpie.co.uk/) and dinner for four from your favourite Indian restaurant.

So join us at 7:30, to be piped in for dinner at 8 on 25th January.
£49.95 per person (including a £10 donation to the Gurkha Welfare Trust). Call 020 8291 2400 or visit www.babur.info for more information.

we’d like to share the recipe for our welcome cocktail for the night, the Himalayan Fling, devised by our head barman and wine champion, Rupam Talukdar.

To a tall glass, add some crushed ice, 50ml Amrut Indian single malt (or some other fine whisky such as Chivas Regal), 20ml sweet sherry, juice of 1/2 fresh lime, a dash of sugar syrup and stir well. Add a bit more crushed ice, 2 thin slice of fresh ginger and julienne of lime zest. Stir well and top up with more crushed ice. Slàinte mhòr.

 

The World’s First 3D Virtual Farmers Market Has Arrived January 14, 2010

Filed under: News — LittleMissFoodie @ 6:21 pm
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www.vfmuk.com

The first ever 3D Virtual Farmers Market (VFM) has officially opened its gates. The VFM is a fabulous new website that, using the latest games technology, allows you to ‘stroll around’ a 3D farmers market world, where you can ‘meet’ the people that produce your food & drink via video streams and buy delicious farmers market produce from more than 45 market stalls from the comfort of your own home, with your very own Virtual Farmer helping to guide you around!

The VFM has some amazing producers. Choose from Gower Brownies (some say the best they’ve ever tasted!), William Chase vodka, Paxton & Whitfield cheeses, Dave’s Chilli Oil, O’Shea Butcher, Burnt Sugar fudge, unusual teas from Choi Time & Teapigs and so many more. New producers and products will feature in the VFM the whole time, so it’s just like popping down to your local farmer’s market. One of the best things about the VFM is the Saturday Breakfast Box that has been created exclusively for the VFM by the legendary Peter Gott of Sillfield Farm in the Lake District – perfect to order in for an indulgent start to the weekend. The box includes freshly laid free-range eggs, Cumberland back bacon, Streaky bacon, Wild Bore pate, Cumberland sausage and sumptuous gammon.

If you love the idea of being able to visit a farmers market each week but just don’t have the time, or the means, then the VFM offers the next best thing, plus you can ‘visit’ it 24/7 come rain or shine; it’s so easy to use. Unlike with ordinary online shopping, the VFM allows you to virtually ‘walk’ around the farmers market and ‘visit’ the individual stalls, just like you would at a real life farmers market. The video streams that have been put together by the individual producers allow you to find out how your food & drink has been made, meet the face behind it all and listen to their brilliant stories (The Patchwork Pate, Rod and Bens Soups along with the Olives Et Al are a must see!).

The VFM introduces a totally new concept that is going to change the way you shop for food & drink online forever; for the first time it will bring the farmers market experience into your home and allow you to ‘meet’ the people that have produced your food. Once you have chosen what delicious farmer’s market food & drink you would like to buy, add it to your virtual shopping basket for check-out, and it will be delivered to your home in temperature-controlled boxes.

The VFM is designed to be used as a ‘top-up’ for the regular household shop, so you can add exquisite products to your weekly shop that can’t be bought at any supermarket. It’s incredibly easy to use; you can look around the 3D farmer’s market world or navigate direct to each page on the website to see a 2D version which also provides all information, depending on your preference.

Founder, Marcus Carter comments, ‘Seeing the face behind the food is more important today than it has ever been. To be able to connect remotely by using the internet, with the people who make what we eat, enables consumers to get a sense of trust before buying.’

 

The Basic Cooking Course (Age 16-21) January 14, 2010

Filed under: News — LittleMissFoodie @ 6:16 pm
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Aimed at school leavers and University students, Thierry Laborde, Michelin Star Chef and co-owner of The Kitchen has created The Basic Cooking Course to equip students with the basic and essential cookery skills to carry them through University and to ensure they never need eat another cheap chippy or dirty doner again, giving them confidence to cook for themselves and their friends.

The fun five-session course is a culinary combination of breakfasts, brunches, dinners and light bite meals to ensure any student will leave the course a Michelin Star student, fully equipped to prepare a medley of meals on a budget. At the end of each session they sit down together for lunch with the chefs to enjoy their master pieces. The best part is they get to take all of the scrumptious recipes off to University with them to impress their friends with.

All utensils, ingredients, and aprons will be provided and the students will take away recipes.

The Kitchen is a unique and stylish venue in sociable Parson’s Green, South-West London, with close proximity to public transport and street-parking.

These courses run over the Easter and Summer school holidays and are limited to 8 spaces per course for the ultimate hands-on experience. Great for the young chefs to meet new friends or come together as a gang.

The Kitchen of Parsons Green
275 New King’s Road, London SW6 4RD
www.visitthekitchen.com

 

Wallace & Co – New Cafe Restaurant Opens In Putney January 14, 2010

Filed under: Openings — LittleMissFoodie @ 6:13 pm
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Wallace & Co is a new cafe restaurant owned by Gregg Wallace and the team behind his company Secrett’s Direct. From its base at Secrett’s Farm in Milford, Surrey, Secrett’s Direct grows high quality fruit and veg specifically for the restaurant market, with the emphasis on flavour, not appearance or shelf life.

Wallace & Co is Gregg’s first restaurant venture and he has developed the menu with head chef Tim Payne. It features the best local and seasonal produce and will change regularly in order to showcase whatever is great right now.

There will be a small selection of fruit and veg available to buy at the cafe, and much of the menu is also be available for takeaway. Meat will be supplied by farmers in Tim’s home county of Lancashire.

Gregg says: ‘Wallace & Co is all about the very best of our British fruit and veg, and the salad and vegetable offering is at the heart of the menu – whether as an accompaniment to the main dishes or as the main dish itself.’

Wallace & Co can be found at 146 Upper Richmond Rd, London, SW15 2SW.

For bookings from Thursday 14th January please call 020 8780 0052 and for more information log on to www.wallaceandco.com.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 8am-11pm; Sun, 8am-6pm.

LittleMissFoodie Says: I love Greg Wallace so am excited to hear about this new opening. I wish him the best of luck.

 

Canapé Catwalk January 14, 2010

Filed under: News — LittleMissFoodie @ 5:57 pm
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Fashionista’s favourite add molecular gastronomy menus for London Fashion Week

The London outpost of Parisian caterer, Nomad Food & Design, is bringing to London Fashion Week (19th-24th Feb 2010) the super-luxe styling it is synonymous with in France.

Food, like clothes go in and out of fashion and food frumps such as pastry and bread bases are so last season, Nomad Food & Design is banishing the carb laden canapés of the noughties. Hitting the canapé catwalk this season are molecular dishes. The experimental cooking techniques are on trend for 2010 and are an enviable accessory to this seasons little black dress.

The molecular gastronomy canapés add a theatrical wow to an event as nomad chefs dip the menu items into a ‘boiling frozen’ pool of liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -180C. Nomad Food & Design liquid nitrogen menu items strutting their way down the catwalk include; ‘Foie gras with maple syrup and pecan nuts’, ‘Salmon with cream and pea mint’, ‘Frozen ball of tangy lemon meringue pie’ and ‘English strawberry covered in a light tiramisu cream’.

The on trend ‘espuma’ dishes will leave any attendee smelling of roses as the savoury or sweet foam is made with pressure siphons and then sprayed with essence of edible perfume. Menu items include; ‘Avocado and pomelo rose’, ‘Foie gras and confit fig’, ‘Pineapple and lychee jelly’ and ‘White peach and fromage blanc with dried apricot’.

Renowned as the fashionista’s favourite caterer, Nomad Food & Design, is overseen by Martin Philippe and has built an enviable reputation amongst France’s Fashion Houses and style-conscious socialites. Nomad’s London outpost caters for private and corporate events within both the homes of London’s elite as well as with prestigious venues such as Kensington Palace, The Victoria & Albert Museum, Sunbeam Studios & Forbes House

 

‘Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey’ January 14, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — LittleMissFoodie @ 5:21 pm
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‘Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey’

The perfect Valentines gifts available to buy *online from Honeybuns, the artisan Bakery in Dorset.

http://www.honeybuns.co.uk/

Gorgeous wheat and gluten-free cakes, cookies, retro enamel gift tins, hessian-shopping bags, cake flavored lip balm and vintage inspired gift-wrap.

A Hamper to share…
Presented in a retro enamel gift tin; eight gluten-free mini cakes and three gluten-free cookies.
Honeybuns Hessian shopping bag,
Two snowy hills flavoured lip balms and our
Sumptuously dark chocolate and orange Heathcliffe Brownie tray bake.

A lifetime on the lips…
Pucker up with Honeybuns glistening natural lip balm this Valentines day. Inspired by our delicious lemon and ginger cake ‘Snowy Hills’ this dreamy balm created by Filberts, the Dorset Bee Farmers is thick, creamy, long lasting and keeps lips moisturised.

Our full range of Valentines Day gifts will be available to buy on our online shop by early January ‘10. In the meantime, please feel free visit us virtually at http://www.honeybuns.co.uk/

LittleMissFoodie Says: This is a great gift to show those with gluten free diets that you’ve really made the effort to think of them this Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t love mini cakes?!

 

Celebrate Chinese New Year Of The Tiger January 14, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized — LittleMissFoodie @ 5:04 pm
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14th February is traditionally a day spent with a loved one, but as Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day this year, the UK’s leading Oriental food retailer is recommending we extend the invitation to family and friends and celebrate the day with a sumptuous Chinese banquet.

Wing Yip, the UK’s leading Oriental grocer, has a wide range of products perfect for the occasion, including authentic sauces, rice and noodles and fortune cookies, along with more specialist products and fresh ingredients from Pak Choi to lobster, all ideal for creating a romantic, Oriental home-cooked feast.

Leading Oriental beer brands from China, Thailand and Singapore and a choice of wines such as Kikkoman Plum Wine and Tajade Lychee Chiew are also available from Wing Yip and complement a variety of Chinese dishes.

Wing Yip has some great recipe ideas and tips for hosting an Oriental banquet to welcome Chinese New Year and celebrate Valentine’s Day, as well as further information on Chinese signs of the zodiac, Chinese New Year traditions and product trends for both the foodservice and consumer markets during this important event.

LittleMissFoodie Says: You can buy products online at www.wingyipstore.co.uk

 

Melt Into Each Other’s Arms This Valentine’s Day At The Chocolate Boutique Hotel! January 14, 2010

Filed under: Valentines Day 2010 — LittleMissFoodie @ 4:57 pm
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Looking for somewhere to snuggle up this Valentine’s Day? Why not melt into each other’s arms at the world’s first chocolate themed hotel, where they have a special Valentine’s Day package on the menu.

Here at the chic and unique Chocolate Boutique Hotel in Bournemouth you can treat your loved one to a romantic night of heavenly indulgence followed by a wonderful Belgian chocolate truffle making workshop the next day.

Included in the Valentine’s Day special is a luxurious night for two in a glorious chocolate-themed room, where you’ll be greeted with a cold bottle of bubbly and a cascading chocolate fountain complete with succulent strawberries and luscious marshmallows.

Later you’ll be able to sip deliciously decadent chocolate cocktails such as the Chocolate Martini in the Chocolate Bar with its amazing automated cocktail machine before heading into Bournemouth for a romantic meal or walk along one of the town’s famed beaches.

After breakfast the next day, you and your loved one will be able to take part in top chocolatier Gerry Wilton’s Valentine’s Special Workshop where you will be greeted with a glass of bubbly before learning about the magical history of chocolate.

As well as learning how to make delicious Belgian chocolate truffles by hand from raw ingredients, you’ll also get the chance to pipe a special message to your loved one on a gorgeous chocolate heart.

The Valentine’s Special Package costs £300, which includes one night’s stay for two people, bottle of bubbly, chocolate fountain with dips, two chocolate cocktails, breakfast for two and two places at a Chocolate Delight Valentine’s Special Workshop.

To find out more, ring 01202 556857 or go to www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk. For information on the Chocolate Delight Belgian chocolate truffle making workshops nationwide, go to www.chocolatedelight.co.uk.

 

Volupte host The Big V at Ministry of Sound this Valentine’s Day January 8, 2010

Filed under: Valentines Day 2010 — LittleMissFoodie @ 1:09 am
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The Big V at Ministry of Sound

~ Sunday, 14th February 2010 ~

V is for…Vintage
V is for…Vampires
V is for…Volupte
V is for…Valentine’s
V is for…Vibe
V is for…Verse
V is for…Violence – Let’s Stop It!

On Sunday, February 14th 2010, Volupté heads south of the river to the most famous nightclub in the world – The Ministry of Sound, in a bid to raise money and awareness for the VDay Movement.

Five rooms, bursting to the seams with live entertainment: a full banquet and show in the Main Box, a full live vintage band, swing dance lessons, taxi dancers, spoken word, live guest speakers, DJs, aerial acts to leave you breathless, soul, funk…and much, much more…

“The V-Day movement is growing at a rapid pace throughout the world, in 130 countries from Europe to Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, and all of North America.

“VDay is a charity founded by Eve Ensler (author of “The Vagina Monologues”). VDAY seeks to stop violence against women, and has since become a global movement, having claimed Valentine’s Day as its own.”– www.vday.org

Last year, over £3,000 was raised for VDAY at Volupté’s Voluptuous & Victorious show, which was held at the Café De Paris on Mother’s Day.

Volupte’s Big V will be raising money for the City of Joy in The Congo.

Sexual violence is regarded as the most widespread form of criminality in Congo. In one province alone, local health centres report that an average of 40 women are raped daily.

V-Day and UNICEF, in partnership with Panzi Foundation, are currently building a special facility for the survivors of sexual violence in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. The City of Joy will support women to heal and provide them with opportunities to develop their leadership through programming in group therapy, storytelling, dance, theatre, self-defence, comprehensive sexuality education, ecology and horticulture, and economic empowerment.

There are two types of ticket available for this year’s event:

1)    The Volupté Valentine’s Extravaganza – which includes a 3 course meal accompanied by a full, live cabaret show to entertain you whilst you dine, plus entrance to the club. Enjoy your evening in true Volupté style.
Price: £149.00
(Doors open at 5.30pm till 1am)
Tickets are now available from Volupté – 0207 831 1622

2)    Club Tickets – which will include 5 rooms of mind-blowing entertainment.
Price: £25
(Doors open at 7pm till 1am)
Tickets are now available from Volupté – 207 831 1622 OR Ticketweb – 08444 771 000

Sign up to the special database: www.vdayatministry.co.uk and you will also be given the chance to win 2 free tickets to a Volupté show in January or February 2010. Volupté have hundreds of tickets to give away! Winners will be notified in January. (Terms apply).

LittleMissFoodie Says: What a fantastic event for such a good cause. Vintage and Vampires? I’ll definitely be going to this!

 

Young Entrepreneurs Offered A Lifeline In Business August 21, 2009

Filed under: News — LittleMissFoodie @ 12:55 pm
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Debbie_&_Andrews_Wellies_004

On the day A level results are released in England and Wales, business entrepreneurs Debbie and Andrew Keeble are answering Lord Mandelson’s call to ‘Back Young Britain’ by launching an initiative designed to give young entrepreneurs the opportunity to become the next business leaders of tomorrow.

Enter the Dragons’ Pen, an idea dreamt up by the awarding-winning pig farmers-turned-sausage makers, will offer 18 to 24 year olds who have a passion for food and drink and a nose for a good idea the chance to enter a competition which could see them winning a cash prize of £5,000 plus a year of money-can’t-buy mentoring and support, taking their business idea off the page and onto the shelf.

Until 1999, Debbie and Andrew were struggling pig farmers, finding it difficult to make a decent living from their farm in Yorkshire. They decided to create what is now Debbie & Andrew’s, a sausage making business with high values and strong food ethics. After a decade of determination and hard work, Debbie & Andrew’s is now a household name and is stocked by every major supermarket in the UK.

“We are only three years away from being a £20 million brand but it has taken an awful lot of hard work to get there,” explains Andrew. “And times are even harder now for young people who are trying to break into the industry so we’ve decided to give something back by helping the next generation of entrepreneurs make that first step on the ladder to success. We want to prove that just because you don’t go to university or get a job straight out of college, it doesn’t mean you can’t get on in business if you have the passion and drive.”

Debbie and Andrew Keeble are available for interview to comment on their initiative and the current unemployment issues affecting young people.