Dotty Dishes

VOTE FOR DOTTY DISHES IN THE COSMOPOLITAN BLOG AWARDS I started...

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:38:41 +0100

VOTE FOR DOTTY DISHES IN THE COSMOPOLITAN BLOG AWARDS

I started Dotty Dishes over a year ago now, back in January 2012. It was largely a result of friends telling me I should have a food blog after cooking them meals and baking treats for the office, and after some thought I decided it was a good idea. I loved cooking, regularly ate and drank in restaurants and bars and loved collecting cool retro kitchenware. I knew straight away these were the elements I wanted my blog to feature.

Dotty Dishes has now been extended to include Travel, Foodie News, Cocktail Recipes and my Favourite Foodie Things and i would be lying if I said it didn’t keep me busy! I love every minute of it though and enjoy writing about food so much.

Since I began my blog, I have eaten some amazing meals, drank in some great bars, visited some lovely hotels, sampled some delicious food products and collected more retro kitchenware. Dotty Dishes has been an adventure and can’t wait for all the experiences yet to come!

The Cosmopolitan Blog Awards have a Best Food Blog category and I would love you to vote for Dotty Dishes if you have the time and enjoy my blog as much as I do. You can vote here -

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/blogs/cosmo-blog-awards-2013/enter-the-2013-cosmopolitan-blog-awards-nominate-now#ixzz2UCYg0btJ

FOODIE NEWS: BONNIE GULL OPENS COCKTAIL DECK Since opening as a...

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:32:52 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: BONNIE GULL OPENS COCKTAIL DECK

Since opening as a seafood shack in East London, Bonnie Gull has fast become a trusted source for the finest fresh seafood in the capital since opening in Fitzrovia in October 2012. Now it is getting ready for their first summer trading, with the opening of the cocktail deck.

The daily changing menu at Bonnie Gull features seafood from every coast around the British Isles including Isle of Man Queenies, Inverawe Smoked Salmon and Cornish Hake. It also houses a raw bar, offering a fine selection of fresh shellfish which you can track the origins of on Bonnie Gull’s daily catch map.

All of this of course is best served with a fresh cocktail and Bonnie Gull mixologists have mastered the perfect drinks to match executive chef Luke Robinson’s menus. Cocktails include ‘First Thyme for Everything’ which fuses Portobello Road Gin, Dry Vermouth, Thyme Liqueur and fresh Thyme and the ‘Bonnie Mary’, a twist on a classic, which is made with house-made clamato Juice, Element 29 Vodka and topped with a fresh oyster. Wine connoisseurs who like to bring their own bottle are also welcomed to stop by on Shellfish Sundays; when Bonnie Gull operates a BYO (no corkage) policy.

Sounds wonderful - now where is that sunshine, London?!

For more information visit www.bonniegull.com.

BOTTLEGREEN & GREY GOOSE EVENT - 2ND MAY 2013 A couple of...

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:45:24 +0100

BOTTLEGREEN & GREY GOOSE EVENT - 2ND MAY 2013

A couple of weeks ago I was invited along to The Belgraves Hotel for an event with Bottlegreen and Grey Goose. The event was organised to celebrate Bottlegreen elderflower cordial and show the versatility of elderflower in both food and drink.

Chef Sophie Michell, who is taking over as Head Chef at The Belgraves Hotel from Mark Hix, created canapés for the evening using elderflower including elderflower and lemon marinated salmon with homemade soda bread, artichoke and asparagus tart with elderflower hollandaise and elderflower jellies.

We drank two different cocktails - an Elderflower gin and tonic and a Le Fizz which included vodka, lime, soda and elderflower. They were both absolutely delicious.

It was a lovely evening spent on the roof terrace of The Belgraves Hotel and it has inspired us to make our own elderflower and gin cocktails so look out for a recipe soon!

For more information on Bottlegreen visit http://www.bottlegreendrinks.com/.

FOODIE NEWS: QUEEN OF HOXTON SUMMER ROOFTOP OPENS THIS...

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:13:12 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: QUEEN OF HOXTON SUMMER ROOFTOP OPENS THIS WEEKEND

Since Spring is upon us, the Queen of Hoxton Rooftop will transform from its winter WigWamBam creation into a summer solace from this weekend.

It will be hosting events this summer including a series of rooftop headphone disco parties with well-known guest DJs such as Norman Jay and Jazzie B and the debut of the morning to late afternoon Hot Tub Tropicana which is set to be kitted out with loungers, a paddling pool and a hot tub.

The hugely successful Rooftop Film Club is also back this month with a packed programme of cult classics. This ultimate outdoor film experience is enjoyed under the stars with supplied blankets and headphones and you need to be quick as some films are already sold out. For film info check here - http://www.rooftopfilmclub.com/. Top Gun would have been my favourite to go to!

Food and drink menus have been revamped to feature the best BBQ food and cocktails. Food offerings include pulled pork buns slathered in whisky BBQ sauce and roasted red pepper, feta and pesto burgers and featured cocktails include a refreshing selection of alcoholic Iced Tea’s and a pink grapefruit Paloma frozen cocktail. There will also be a bespoke rum coke float stall with specially sourced delicious traditional ice cream (available at lunchtimes and weekends only) and keep an eye out for the announcement of their National Picnic Week celebration in June, which will feature gourmet hampers and vintage stalls with a typically British theme.

As our British weather is particularly unpredictable, they have also decided to introduce a semi-permanent cover this year which can be popped up if it rains!

For more information visit http://www.queenofhoxton.com/rooftop/.

THE FORAGERS AT DEAD DOLLS CLUB - REVIEW - 26TH APRIL 2013 A few...

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:48:00 +0100

THE FORAGERS AT DEAD DOLLS CLUB - REVIEW - 26TH APRIL 2013

A few weeks back I was asked to review The Foragers menu which is currently at Dead Dolls Club every Wednesday to Sunday (it was previously at London Field’s Brewery) and I was really excited to try it out as I’d heard great things.

The Foragers are a team of hunters and gatherers who use ingredients that they forage themselves from the countryside of Hertfordshire. Their food venture started at their wild food pub at The Verulam Arms in St. Albans and is now featuring at The Dead Dolls Club, where we went to review. The Foragers also run Mobile Kitchens around the country and organise regular foraging walks, wild food banquets, demonstrations, expeditions and tastings.

When we arrived at The Dead DollsbClub on a Friday night it was peaceful and quiet but soon filled up with people ready to celebrate the weekend. I loved the decor inside which featured old wooden tables with vintage wooden benches and chairs and hand painted parisien country style walls.

We were given a jug of water with jam jar glasses while we perused the cocktail menu and I decided to try The Gardener (£9) and my friend opted for a Lady of the Manor (also £9). The Gardener was wonderfully refreshing with the gin, lime and cucumber and the ginger ale gave it a nice spicy kick. The Lady of the Manor was sweet and fruity with the peach purée and apple juice and had a nice amount of fizz from the prosecco.

While we were drinking our cocktails we were greeted by Debbie from The Foragers who was absolutely lovely and talked us through the menu and recommended her favourite dishes to try. The idea at The Foragers is to try a selection of small dishes and the menu is based around sharing, which I always enjoy doing on a night out with friends.

We took a while deciding what to pick as everything sounded so nice but eventually decided on Mutton Ham with brown buttered leeks, hazelnuts, hedge garlic and wholegrain mustard dressing (£7), Salmon Ceviche marinated in sloe gin & herbs served with crunchy fennel with a coriander, lemon, orange & stonecrop dressing (£6.50), Spinach, Goat’s Cheese & Beetroot Quiche served with watercress (£6.50), Sea Purslane fish cake served with cauliflower purée & baby spinach leaves (£7) and lastly, wild herb seasoned broccoli (£3).

It all came presented really well and we got stuck in straight away. I had never tried mutton lamb before, and had to ask Debbie what it actually was, but it came sliced really thinly and tasted a bit like Spanish charcuterie with a smoky taste, almost like chorizo, and the leeks and mustard dressing worked really well with it. The salmon ceviche was wonderfully fresh and the fennel added a nice crunch to the dish with the citrus fruits enhancing the flavour of the fish.

Whilst I am normally not the biggest fan of quiche (I often find them far to eggy and tasteless), the spinach, goat’s cheese and Beetroot quiche was my favourite dish that we tried and it was just delicious. The pastry was wonderfully buttery and the cheese, spinach and beetroot worked amazingly well together, with the extra beetroot on top adding further sweetness. It was so moorish that I could have eaten another one!

The sea purslane fish cake had a very different texture to a normal fish cake and was almost omelette like but was really tasty. The cauliflower purée was the hit of the dish however and it had a really amazing depth of flavour and I couldn’t get enough of it! I am a huge fan of broccoli and it is definitely my favourite vegetable so it was great to try wild broccoli. It was quite different to normal everyday supermarket broccoli and had more of a stringy and crunchy texture and a lot more flavour.

For dessert we decided to try The Foragers cheese board (£10) and this is quite a bold statement for Dotty Dishes to make, but it was one of the best cheeseboards I have had in a restaurant for a very long time. It came on a wooden board with a great selection of cheeses - a vintage Gouda, Brie, Goat’s Cheese, Cornish Yarg, Smoked Cheddar and a cheese I can’t remember the name of but will be known as the ‘stinky feet cheese’ - along with picked wild vegetables, crusty bread and chutney.

The Gouda was my favourite and tasted absolutely delicious and I could have easily munched my way through a whole block! All of the cheeses were incredibly moorish apart from the one I have named ‘stinky feet cheese’, which was extremely pungent and literally made me gag when I tried it! We had to push that poor cheese off the cheese board as it was cramping the style of the other amazing cheeses! The cheeses worked well with the crunchy fresh bread and the sweetness of the chutney and vinegary tanginess of the pickled vegetables.

We had a lovely evening at the Dead Dolls Club and I really enjoyed trying lots of different food, knowing that the majority of it had been foraged from the countryside. I would definitely recommend a visit and The Foragers have lots of other events coming up this summer including:

The Skyroom - The Foragers this month teamed up with Platterform and The Gin Shed to run a monthly residency every Saturday throughout May at The Skyroom rooftop venue in London Bridge. Platterform have developed a wonderful cocktail menu to match The Foragers 3 course foraged menu. There is only one Saturday left next weekend so get in quick! http://the-foragers.com/theskyroom/

Midnight Apothecary at the Brunel Museum - every Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon The Foragers will be serving street food along side the Midnight Apothecary’s cocktail garden on the rooftop of the Brunel Museum. http://the-foragers.com/midnightapothecary/

The Foragers expeditions - every last Wednesday of the month The Foragers organise foraging walks in Hertfordshire near their wild food pub in St. Albans with a sublime feast after the walk incorporating the foraged goods found into the meal. http://the-foragers.com/hunt-with-us/

Dotty Dishes was a guest of The Foragers and Dead Dolls Club.

Dead Dolls Club, 428 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AA.

http://the-foragers.com/

FOODIE NEWS: CASSEROLE CLUB I found out about a lovely new food...

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:20:00 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: CASSEROLE CLUB

I found out about a lovely new food initiative this week from my sister called Casserole Club.

Casserole Club helps people share extra portions of home cooked food with others in their area who might not always be able to cook for themselves.

For those who aren’t on the internet, Casserole Club helps those who are offline to order meals, connect and pair up with local people and the organisation has met most of the diners personally and supports them through phone and text.

Interested cooks can sign up at the website and then will have a DBS safety check and if successful will then be able to search the website for a nearby neighbour to cook for. Cooks will then call their neighbour to set up a convenient time and date and discuss what meal they will cook to drop off.

I think it’s a lovely idea to help local neighbours and how nice to do so by providing a delicious home cooked meal. Not only will your food help them but I am sure it will be nice for them to have some extra company from a local resident also.

If you are interested in signing up visit www.casseroleclub.com.

MEAT MISSION - REVIEW - 25TH APRIL 2013 Dotty Dishes has grown...

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:48:00 +0100

MEAT MISSION - REVIEW - 25TH APRIL 2013

Dotty Dishes has grown to become very meaty of late. What with my first steak since being a Vegetarian (see review of Grill on the Market) and now a big fat juicy beef burger at London’s Meat Mission. I am not sure what is happening but I rather like it.

When I was asked to review Meat Mission, the Shoreditch based burger restaurant from the clever people behind Meat Liquor, I must admit I was quite excited. Not only was it my first time sampling a burger in a restaurant since being a Vegetarian, I had also been told numerous times by friends how good Meat Liquor was and I still haven’t had chance to visit myself so was happy to be trying out Meat Mission instead. My fiancé Steve, a big meat, and especially burger, fan was even more excited.

Meat Mission is situated in a great spot just off Hoxton Square and only a 5 minute walk from Old Street station. You spot it instantly by the illuminated red sign stating ‘Mission’ outside. On entering, the first thing you are greeted by is a big round bar in the middle of a dark room with a bright stained glass effect ceiling above and we were led off to the right into the restaurant area, which was equally dark but with cool bull artwork adorning the walls.

The tables are simple with condiments already laid out on them and we were given the small but appealing food menu and exciting sounding drinks menu as soon as we sat down. There are some delicious sounding cocktails on the menu at Meat Mission and we sampled the Space Gin Smash (£7.50) and the Lagerita (£7.50) to begin with. My Space Gin Smash was fruity and sweet from the apple juice and refreshing from the elderflower and mint and Steve’s tasted just like the name, a mixture of beer and a margarita, almost like Desperado beer, which we are both big fans of.

Whilst we were drinking our cocktails, we ordered some of the Bingo Wings (£6.50) from the ‘Bits N Pieces’ section of the menu, which I just had to try because of the great name! They came on a tray on top of retro style stripey red and white paper and were plentiful with a blue cheese dip on the side. The skin was crispy and the chicken was really tender but it was the house-made hot pepper sauce that really made them. It had a kick but was almost sweet and sour in taste and made the chicken wings incredibly moorish. Steve couldn’t get enough of them!

After all that chicken we needed another drink so I opted for a Daddy Burtt (£7), which came in an old fashioned champagne glass and was absolutely delicious. It had quite a dry taste from the grapefruit and Aperol but the gin and lime juice balanced the drink perfectly and made it wonderfully refreshing. So much so that I drank it rather quickly and had to order another! Steve fancied a beer after his Lagerita and Meat Mission serve their beers as a 2/3 pint or in 2 or 3 pint jugs so Steve decided on a 2 pint jug (£11).

For our main course, we of course chose a burger and chips each. I went for a classic Cheeseburger (£6.50) and Steve opted for the Red Chili Cheeseburger (£7.50) and we ordered Fries (£3 - not chips as it clearly states on the menu) each. The burgers and fries came on one tray to share and the burgers were high and heavy oozing with pickles, cheese and sauces.

For my first proper burger, it was pretty damn good and Steve said it was one of the best burgers he’d had in a very long time. I had mine cooked through and it came perfectly as did Steve’s, who had it medium rare as it came. As I am not a fan of mayonnaise, I liked the fact that mayonnaise came on the table to add yourself rather than slathered all over the burger. There was just the right amount of mustard and ketchup on my burger and the Chili burger had a pleasant amount of beef Chili on top.

The fries were absolutely delicious and some of the best fries I had eaten in ages. They were really crispy but fluffy inside and were salted to perfection. I have to say though, one thing I did miss was some sort of side salad. I would have loved a nice crisp salad or some corn on the cob just to balance out the meal and also to add a bit of health to my dinner! There is nothing like that on the menu at Meat Mission and I think it would go down well if there was.

We were far too full for dessert which was probably a good thing as we didn’t get offered a dessert menu! The service otherwise was good though and we were never short of a drink or water on our table.

The atmosphere in Meat Mission is really fun and it was packed in both the bar and restaurant when we were there on a Thursday night. It is a great place to go with friends and would be perfect for a birthday gathering or other celebration in a big group. The food is tasty and reasonably priced and the cocktails we tried were all delicious - if you want to blow out your diet, it’s the place to go!

The men behind MEATliquor and Meat Mission, Yianni Papoutsis and Scott Collins, will also be launching their first cookbook ‘The MEATliquor Chronicles: Chapter and Verse’ on 19th November through Faber & Faber priced at £30 for a hardback copy and £200 for a special edition book.

Dotty Dishes was a guest of Meat Mission.

Meat Mission, 14-15 Hoxton Market, London, N1 6HG.

FOODIE NEWS: FUDGE KITCHEN NEW LUXURY BUTTER FUDGE Dotty Dishes...

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:29:00 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: FUDGE KITCHEN NEW LUXURY BUTTER FUDGE

Dotty Dishes was invited to go to Fudge Kitchen’s new fudge factory in Kent a couple of weeks ago to have a tour and sample their fudge but I couldn’t make it, much to my distress! Who wouldn’t want to sample lots of lovely free fudge and see how it’s made?! Fortunately they sent me some fudge to sample anyway from the comfort of my desk.

Fudge Kitchen’s fudge is made from all natural ingredients and their new butter fudge has the same quality of flavour and texture that is associated with the Fudge Kitchen’s famous fresh whipping cream fudge. It has a 6 month shelf life (if it lasts that long and doesn’t get eaten straight away!) and currently has a residency in Selfridges Foodhall.

We were sent some of the Gourmet Fudge Dipped Sticks in the handmade chocolate fudge flavour which had been dipped in white chocolate. The fudge sticks came individually wrapped in a slim purple and cream box (above) and were delicious but very sweet so I couldn’t manage more than one (which my waistline was very pleased about!).

For more information and to buy Fudge Kitchen products visit http://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/index.asp.

FOODIE NEWS: A FETE WORSE THAN DEATH ON 5TH MAY The Book Club in...

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:49:03 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: A FETE WORSE THAN DEATH ON 5TH MAY

The Book Club in Shoreditch held a fantastic street party (above) for the Olympics, over the road at Leonard Street Car Park and will be putting their party hats on again this Sunday for a Bank Holiday May Day extravaganza entiteld ‘A Fete Worse Than Death’.

The event is free and will feature morris dancers ‘The Belles of London City’, a bandstand with bands including The John Langan Band and Cash Cows and an all day jamming session hosted by Jack Abraham of Live & Unamplified. There will be bunting and a maypole adorned with brightly coloured ribbons along with a fully stocked bar, including lashings of cider, and food supplied by the wonderful The Foragers - the team behind the Dead Dolls Club (look out for Dotty Dishes review soon). Expect wild foodie creations such as Venison Burger with Hedge Garlic Mayonnaise, Wild Pasties with freshly foraged Pigeon and Vegetarian Sausage Rolls with Nettles, Dandelion and Goat’s Cheese. De-licious!

And for the ladies, The Book Club’s May Queen will be crowned with a flower headdress at 4pm so dig out your best vintage dresses! Don’t fret - everyone else will be in with the chance of winning a prize if they dress to match the English eccentric vibe.

A Fete Worse Than Death takes places from 12pm-9pm across the road from The Book Club which is at 100 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4RH.

Visit the Facebook event page for more info here - https://www.facebook.com/events/150170658475004/.

CROSTA & MOLLICA ITALIAN BREAD SNACKS I received a very...

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:27:40 +0100

CROSTA & MOLLICA ITALIAN BREAD SNACKS

I received a very appetising package in the post last week of a sample of Italian brand Crosta & Mollica’s new range of bread snacks. I was sent Rosemary Linguette and Black Olive Grissini and couldn’t wait to dig into both as they both looked delicious.

They were both nicely packaged (above) and had a generous serving in both packs. I tried the Rosemary Linguette first which I spread with avocado. It was really tasty with a lovely hint of rosemary and had a good amount of crunch to it.

I was really hungry one day so sampled the Black Olive Grissini on their own and they were delicious as they are, but would be gorgeous dipped in houmous.

Both make a great, and pretty low fat, snack and I am definitely going to try the Rosemary Linguette next as part of a cheeseboard.

They are available to purchase from Waitrose, Ocado and Tesco . Visit www.crostamollica.com for more information.

GRILL ON THE MARKET - REVIEW - 19TH APRIL 2013 I couple of weeks...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0100

GRILL ON THE MARKET - REVIEW - 19TH APRIL 2013

I couple of weeks ago I visited Grill on the Market, opposite London’s Smithfield Market, to review. Grill on the Market is largely known for its steaks so for the first time in over 17 years, I decided to try a steak.

Now, don’t shout out in horror all your Vegetarians out there. I have not been Vegetarian for over 7 years and I have eaten other meat since departing from being a Veggie, just not steak. I was never much of a red meat fan before I became a Vegetarian (of which I was for 12 years!) but recently I have been getting quite into red meat and have been enjoying beef and lamb especially.

So when I visited Grill on the Market I decided I couldn’t really not try a steak. The thought of having a huge slab of meat on my plate didn’t massively excite me but I was feeling brave so thought I’d give it a whirl.

I have visited Grill on the Market before but on arrival I noticed it had been redecorated and had quite an American vibe to the place in the bar with more of a posh brasserie in the dining room at the back. We were given a cosy table for two and ordered a Champagne Mojito each (£10) and some bread and olives (£3 each) while we perused the menu. The Mojito’s were delicious and came in sophisticated long glasses and the bread was wonderfully fresh and warm - neither lasted long!

The menu at Grill on the Market is very substantial and it was difficult to decide what to have to start and my friend and I changed our minds quite a few times! In the end we decided to share the Garlic King Prawns (£9) and the Baked Goat’s Cheese (£7). The prawns came in a cast iron dish with an ample amount of big, juicy prawns in their shell with some garlic oil still in the dish. They had just the right amount of garlic and were wonderfully succulent and tasty and the crusty bread that came with them was great at soaking up the flavoursome oil.

The Goat’s Cheese came presented beautifully on a black slate board with Cashew Nut Biscuits and warm Fig Compote. The goat’s cheese was smooth, velvety and creamy and tasted divine with the sweet and sticky fig compote. The cashew nut biscuits let the dish down however as they were far too sweet and soft and the goat’s cheese needed something crunchy and plain, like the crusty bread with the prawns, and not a sweet biscuit. It was almost like the Hovis cracker that come in a mixed box of crackers that just doesn’t go (and I always leave).

For main course, as you by now already know, I ordered a steak. For my first steak in years I thought it was best to start with what many deem the best, so I ordered the 200g Fillet Steak, medium to well, (£22) with Green Peppercorn Sauce (£2.50), Hand Cut Chips (£3.25) and French Beans and Shallots (£3.25). My friend (a Vegetarian but who eats fish) ordered the Yellow Fin Tuna Loin seared pink with Soy and Ginger (£18.75) with some Champ Potato (£3.25) and Petit Pois a la Francaise (£3.25). We also ordered a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc each (£6.75).

The steak came and it was the perfect size and didn’t just look like a big chunk of meat on a plate, as I’d feared. It was cooked perfectly, medium to well as I’d asked, and my peppercorn sauce came in a little pan for me to pour over the steak (and dip my chips in). The steak was really tasty and went hand in hand with the peppercorn sauce and skin on chips and I almost finished the whole piece of meat so was quite proud of myself.

The vegetables were all delicious - the beans were perfectly cooked, the champ mash was melt in your mouth good, while the peas were hugely moorish, so much so that I finished off the pan of them even though I was stuffed! My friend said her tuna was perfect and she actually commented a few days later that she was still thinking about how good it was!

We were really stuffed after our mains but decided after a bit of a breather we would order a couple of puddings to share. We decided on the Cheese and Fruit Board (£7) and the Affogato (£4.50). The cheese board came with a good helping of water biscuits and some Brie, Blue Cheese and Smoky Cheddar with a Tomato Chutney, grapes and celery. It was all really tasty but it wasn’t the most memorable cheese board I’ve had. However, it was a good size to share between two with another dessert or to have to yourself.

The Affrogato on the other hand was delicious and came with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream, espresso cup of coffee and shot of Amaretto. You tipped all three into one bowl and the coffee melted the ice cream with the Amaretto giving the dish a gorgeous sweetness. It was simple but rather wonderful. Lastly, we finished our meal with a Martini each. I ordered a French Martini (£7) and my friend opted for The Oxley Gin Martini (£9). It was the perfect ending to a delicious evening.

The Grill on the Market is a really lovely place to go for a meal either with a friend or partner or big group of friends, of which there were both of when we visited. The menu is very varied and being opposite Smithfield meat market, if you want steak, it really is the place to go. After all, it’s where I had my first steak in years!

Dotty Dishes was a guest of The Grill on the Market.

The Grill on the Market, 2-3 West Smithfield, City of London, EC1A 9JX.

MANGO TREE’S SONGKRAN FESTIVAL - REVIEW - 17TH APRIL...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:53:00 +0100

MANGO TREE’S SONGKRAN FESTIVAL - REVIEW - 17TH APRIL 2013

A couple of week’s ago, I was invited to visit Mango Tree on the evening they were celebrating Songkran Festival or Thai New Year, as it’s otherwise known.

The evening promised to be a night of authentic Thai food, special cocktails and entertainment and it was exactly that.

Songkran, or Thai New Year, is celebrated across Thailand in April and signifies the passage of the sun from one sign of the Zodiac to another.

The Songkran celebration is similar to those of the Indian Holi Festival, the Chinese Ching Ming, and the Christian Festival of Easter. In Thailand the festival is traditionally celebrated by the throwing of water, which originates from the idea of spring cleaning for the New Year, but fortuanately we didn’t have any water thrown over us during the evening!

On arrival my guest and I were presented with a silk rose which was pinned onto our shirts and were then guided to our table which was at the front of the restaurant. We were given special Songkran menus which featured a selection cocktails devised for the evening and a set menu of 3 courses, with the starter and main made up of a combination of dishes to share.

We chose a cocktail each and they were delicious - due to the ingredient of rose water, mine tasted like alcoholic turkish delight and my friend’s had a lovely taste of lemongrass and lime.

For starter, we were given a platter of dishes including a deep fried quail’s egg, barbecued pork, deep fried tuna and a crispy noodle salad. As I am not a fan of eggs, my friend sampled that and said it was delicious and worked really well. The pork was tasty but just slightly too spicy and I am glad there was pineapple on the platter to help cool my mouth down! The noodles were unfortunately quite bland and I didn’t really like the crispiness of them and I have never tasted deep fried tuna before, but I am not sure I want to again as it was rather odd and the batter was crumbly and almost like sawdust!

We ordered a bottle of white wine with our main and were presented with a towering platter of various bowls of different dishes - fish ball thai green curry, spicy beef, deep fried-fish fillet with sweet and sour spicy sauce, stir-fried king prawns with capsicum, garlic and pepper, stir-fried beef, rice with crab and tenderstem broccoli.

Our favourites were the deep fried-fish fillet, the beef and the prawns and the thai green curry sauce was really tasty. It was really nice getting to try a selection of dishes as normally with a thai meal, I would just go for one of my favourite dishes and not try anything new.

Unfortunately we weren’t fans of dessert, which came in a bowl and looked like a creamy soup with balls of melon floating in it. It was quite an odd taste, and sight, and not to our liking at all.

I would be interested to visit Mango Tree again and choose dishes from the A La Carte menu as it would be nice to taste some of the standard dishes on their menu.

The entertainment during the evening was really varied and consisted of thai boxing, thai sword fighting, fruit carving, Thai music and dance performances and there was also a live demonstration by the Head Chef of Mango Tree. I must admit, the entertainment was slightly off-putting at times when you were trying to eat and chat but it was really different and not something I had experienced before.

My friend had been to Thailand before, unlike myself, and said the entertainment was really evident of Thai Culture, so it was witness that during the Songkran Festival.

Dotty Dishes was a guest of Mango Tree.

Mango Tree, 46 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7EQ.

COCKTAIL RECIPE - A NO FUSS NO.3 GIN It always comes as a...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:28:07 +0100

COCKTAIL RECIPE - A NO FUSS NO.3 GIN

It always comes as a surprise to people when I tell them I don’t like gin. And it is always a problem for me as a lot of delicious sounding cocktails are made with gin and it means I can’t try them! So when I was offered to try a bottle of luxury No.3 dry gin, I thought I should perhaps give gin a try again and see if it could turn my opinion around!

No.3 is the London Dry Gin distilled to a proprietary recipe of Berry Bros. & Rudd, London’s oldest wine and spirit merchant. The name No.3 refers to the address in St James’s Street. It is packaged in a very inviting way - arriving in a slim and stylish white box and when opened, revealing a dark green sophisticated bottle, it did beg to be tasted.

And much to my surprise, I actually REALLY enjoyed it when I tried it. Suddenly I realised that my dislike to gin was perhaps not actually to gin itself but to the tonic that it is often served with. I have a real problem with tonic water and I think when I’ve tried gin in the past, it’s been to have a sip of someone’s gin and tonic so I therefore presumed I didn’t like gin! And now I do, the prospect of all the gin drinks and cocktails I can try is rather exciting!

I thought since No.3 gin is such high quality, I should try it quite simply to really taste the gin so here is my No Fuss No.3 Gin. The perfect refreshing summer drink after a day at work!

1 single measure of No.3 Gin

1/4 of a fresh lime cut into 2 wedges

100ml of lemonade (or enough to top the glass up)

A few cubes of ice

Place a few cubes of ice into a short glass. Measure the gin and add to the glass. Half a lime and then cut again until you have two lime wedges. Squeeze into the glass and then drop the limes in. Pour over the lemonade until the glass is full. Stir and serve, ideally, with a cocktail umbrella straw (which I purchased from Sainsbury’s). *very important to add a bit of kitsch to the cocktail*

Sit back, relax and enjoy!

No.3 gin is available in supermarkets and also from http://www.no3gin.com/home#zone-findandbuy.

FOODIE NEWS: RENSHAW BAKING ONLINE SHOP LAUNCHES Renshaw,...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:59:03 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: RENSHAW BAKING ONLINE SHOP LAUNCHES

Renshaw, popular for its cake decorating products, has just launched its first online shop - renshawbaking.com - featuring a wide range of popular and essential cake decorating products now available at just the click of a mouse.

Dotty Dishes noticed Renshaw at the recent Cake & Bake show and aswell as standing out with their amazing colours of icing, they also had a rather impressive romantic hot air balloon cake on their stall.

Orders are available from the site for delivery within two to three days and products available include Renshaw’s full range of 29 coloured Ready to Roll Icings, White and Celebration Ready to Roll Icing, Natural and Golden Marzipan, Snip & Swirl frosting in 3 flavours and Simplymelt in 4 flavours.

These are all available in various weights, so it’s perfect if you’re just baking a celebration cake for a party or have a professional baking business.

Further products, including tools and accessories, will be added throughout the year – soon it will be a one-stop baking shop!

www.renshawbaking.com

FOODIE NEWS: NEW RESTAURANT MOZZARELLA & MORE Mozzarella...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:44:00 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: NEW RESTAURANT MOZZARELLA & MORE

Mozzarella & More, a mozzarella bar and informal Italian trattoria has recently opened on Kings Road in Chelsea. Owned by the 20 year old family run restaurant group Made in Italy, it is the only London based restaurant to produce its own Mozzarella in house, with options including creamy burratta, delicate buffalo mozzarella and naturally smoked Ricotta.

As a big fan of cheese this sounds de-licious! Mozzarella highlights include Burrata and aromatic ricotta with Parma ham, walnuts and fig reduction and Buffalo mozzarella with sun-blushed tomatoes, basil and olive oil.

The a la carte menu offers diners a selection of homemade pastas and grilled meat and fish from the restaurant’s charcoal grill and wood-fired oven. Popular dishes include Roasted pork belly, crispy red onion and balsamic glaze, Sea bass with a Sicilian oil, lemon and parsley dressing and Rosemary lamb chops with toasted aromatic breadcrumbs.

A drop-in delicatessen next to the open kitchen provides displays of fresh ingredients for all day take-away snacks, which change daily, including salads, lasagnes, arancini and truffle ricotta.

Wines are served from giant barrels displayed around the dining room (above) - Dotty Dishes definitely likes the sound of this! There are also cocktails including espresso, melon or apple Martini, Negroni, Bellini and a lovely sounding Apple Spritzer with Prosecco.

We definitely want to visit soon - it sounds delicious!

www.madeinitalygroup.co.uk

FOODIE NEWS - NEW RESTAURANT TOZI OPENS IN MAY Next month,...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:47:52 +0100

FOODIE NEWS - NEW RESTAURANT TOZI OPENS IN MAY

Next month, Venetian-inspired restaurant TOZI will open in the London Victoria area.

The 15-strong all-Italian kitchen team will serve an authentic Venetian menu of cicchetti (Venetian-style small plates), charcuterie and cheese platters, wood oven-cooked mains and sharing dishes. Prosecco on tap (how amazing does that sound?) will be available as an aperitif as well as barrel-aged Negroni.

A venture from the chefs behind Cecconi’s and Shoreditch House, the 80-seat restaurant will be decked out in warm woods with a terracotta and marble décor featuring a choice of seating options from a central sharer table to an informal bar area and open kitchen and charcuterie.

The menu at TOZI will include small dishes such as Buffalo Ricotta Ravioli with Black Truffle and Gnocchi with Duck Ragù (above) along with counter food including Italian salumi and cheese such as Coppa, Wild Boar Salami, Burrata and Buffalo Mozzarella. Anyone’s mouth watering yet?!

TOZI is located at 8 Gillingham Street, just a few minutes’ walk from Victoria station. Cicchetti are priced from £3.50 and Prosecco by the glass is priced from £4.

www.tozirestaurant.co.uk

FOODIE NEWS - BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & BRINDISA TAPAS JOIN...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:55:00 +0100

FOODIE NEWS - BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & BRINDISA TAPAS JOIN FORCES

This month, iconic gin brand Bombay Sapphire has joined forces with Spanish restaurant group Brindisa Tapas Kitchens. The two are working together with the launch of a specially created Ultimate G&T Tapas Pairing.

Taking inspiration from the original idea of tapas from the 17th Century, where you served a drink with a small plate of food sat on top of it, the Ultimate G&T will feature a special caper berry garnish and a small plate of ibérico bellota jamón (chosen by Brindisa’s Master Carver, Mario Hiraldo) and almonds. Sounds like a perfect match to us!

The Bombay Sapphire ʻUltimate G&T Tapas Pairingʼ is available now until 31 May at Brindisa Tapas Kitchens: Tapas Brindisa London Bridge, Tapa Brindisa Soho, Casa Brindisa South Kensington and newly opened Tramontana Brindisa in Shoreditch, priced £10 per person.

It almost feels like summer… almost!

www.bombaysapphire.com / www.brindisa.com

FOODIE NEWS: THE GRILL ON THE MARKET & BRITISH BEEF WEEK...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:36:02 +0100

FOODIE NEWS: THE GRILL ON THE MARKET & BRITISH BEEF WEEK

From this Sunday until 27th April it is British Beef Week so to celebrate, The Grill on the Market, based in one of London’s meatiest areas Smithfield Market, will be hosting a special Best of British menu.

The menu is brimmed full of juicy cuts such as a 312g Limousin rump steak (£20) from Bob Topping & Sons, Gail Hall farm, Penrith, a 227g Aberdeen Angus fillet (£35) fresh from John Blaylok at Hallburn Farm near Carlisle, and for those with a big appetite, there is a Big Boy Cut, including 1200g T-bone (£75).

The steaks can be washed down with some specially selected craft beers and ales from brewers including West Brewery, Windsor & Eton, Hawkshead Brewery and Chapel Down, while Aspall’s will be supplying cider.

St George’s Day falls mid-week on the 23rd during British Beef Week and any diners who say the secret phrase “I am a steak slayer” to their server, in honour of George’s mythical slaying of the dragon, will receive a complimentary bottle of British beer, ale or cider with their meal. Worth it for a free drink and a giggle isn’t it!

Dotty Dishes is visiting The Grill on the Market this Friday so look out for the review soon!

http://blackhouse.uk.com/restaurant/london-smithfield/

THE CAKE & BAKE SHOW MANCHESTER I had a well needed week off...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:40:00 +0100

THE CAKE & BAKE SHOW MANCHESTER

I had a well needed week off last week with my family in Manchester and while I was there, the Cake & Bake show was held at Manchester Central so I decided to pop along on the first day on the Friday. My sister had also entered a cake in the Stork Cake Catwalk competition for fashion inspired cakes so I went along with her to support her entry! She entered a 1960s inspired 3-tier cake and it was amazing to see all of the other entries as every one was different!

Manchester Central is a huge building but The Cake & Bake Show was heaving on the first day and I am told over 27,000 baking fans attended over the three days! The venue was packed full with stalls selling cakes and pies, baking and cake decorating equipment and lots of nice modern and vintage homeware. There were also lots of food demonstration stalls and areas, featuring the likes of Paul Hollywood and Simon Rimmer, and an impressive Billington’s gingerbread village with a 7ft high gingerbread house. Apparently an incredible 32,000 pieces of cake and over 10,500 pies were sold over the three days!

Much to my joy, there were also lots of tastings to be devoured. During my time there I managed to scoff some steak pie, some cheese and broccoli tart, bread, brownies, meringue, olives, feta cheese and cupcakes. I am surprised I needed any lunch that day!

The Cake & Bake show is a perfect day out for anyone that is into baking - cakes or bread - and my sister, who has just started her own cake business, got lots of ingredients and equipment there, which was all sold for the same prices or less than you pay online. And even if you don’t do baking yourself, it’s fun to go along and just see lots of fabulous cakes and tuck into some sweet and savoury treats!

Tickets are now on sale for The Cake & Bake Show in London at Earl’s Court from 13th-15th September.

FOODIE NEWS - MEAT MISSION If you’re a fan of the...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:35:00 +0000

FOODIE NEWS - MEAT MISSION

If you’re a fan of the infamous MEATliquor, then MEATmission is definitely going to be somewhere you need to visit. From the same team as the former, MEATmission is based in East London, rather than central London, and unlike MEATliquor offers the chance to reserve a table in ‘The Sitting Room’ whilst also having unreserved booths and tables in the historic Downing Wallace Hall, which also features a circular bar and Inner Sanctum for private parties.

The menu features staple MEATliquor favourites such as the Dead Hippie Burger and Chilli Fries along with plently of new additions such Monkey Fingers (battered fillets of marinated chicken slathered in house-made hot pepper sauce with blue cheese dip) and Roast Beef Sundae (garlic mash topped with roast beef, gravy, crispy onions & horseradish cream with a cherry tomato on top). My mouth is already watering at the thought!

Fancy having a delicious but dirty food fat day? This is the place to go!