With Omicron throwing a massive wrench into everyone’s winter travel plans, we’re getting our alpine fix at The Botanist Gin’s new alpine themed winter terrace at The Shangri-La London’s Bar 31.
Located on the ground floor of The Shard, Bar 31 or better yet Hütte 31, has been transformed into a winter wonderland, inspired by the cosy ski chalets of the alps.
Team Coco babe Hannah Tan-Gillies ventured into wintery London bridge, to visit Hütte 31 which is the next best thing to enjoying a mulled wine, après ski, in the slopes. The Winter Terrace is covered in small huts (appropriately so) each one decked out in comfy fur blankets, heaters, and whimsical snow-covered touches. All looking like it could be lifted straight from Verbier.
While you may think that gin and après-ski don’t go hand-in-hand, The Botanist proves otherwise. The Botanist Gin menu at Bar 31 reimagines all your favourite gin cocktails with a wintery twist. The Junipear is a blend of The Botanist, poire Williams and thyme, while the Lady Rossa is a warming blend of The Botanist, ruby port, sweet vermouth and citrus. Both unexpected concoctions, that worked surprisingly well with the Austrian-inspired dishes on offer.
The food is appropriately festive, with plenty of après ski classics like the Chicken Schnitzel Roll, dressed with Lingonberry sauce, lettuce and leritage tomatoes, and the Nürnberger Sausage which is served with sauerkraut in a Kaiser roll. The Pork Bun is also wonderfully delicious and comes with white cabbage salad, mustard and caraway mayonnaise.
The Austrian Charcuterie platter and French fries with truffle and parmesan are excellent starters to pair with The Botanist Gin cocktail, perfectly complementing the menu filled with guilty pleasures. End the evening with a delicious mulled wine – close your eyes and it’s like you’ve been transported to the snow-covered peaks of Switzerland.
So, while we’ve all had to put a collective pause on this year’s ski season, why not pay a visit to Hütte 31, a playful yet authentic take on après ski right at the heart of London Bridge.
For all the last minute Christmas shoppers out there who like to order online, this gift guide was written with you in mind. Get your phone ready to order and pop the gifts in your virtual basket for friends and family.
Food
Mon Dessert Noel Macaron Gift Tin, £30 from Mon Dessert The ultimate gift for foodies or dessert lovers, this kit comes with full instructions of how to make your own amazing Noel themed macarons.
Franks RedHot Grow Your Own Chilli Gift Set, £15 from Amazon For all hot sauce fans this set comes complete with three chilli sauces including smoked chipotle, chargrilled habanero, and fire-roasted jalapeño. Plus you will find a ‘grow your own’ chilli plant kit inside too!
Selfridges Ultimate Treats Hamper, £100 fro Selfridges Included within The Ultimate Treats Hamper you will find a curated edit of decadent Selfridges Selection delights. There are salted caramel mini bites, a trio of British preserves, a selection of traditional teas, chocolates, shortbread biscuits, and more.
Cambrook Nuts Gift Set, £14 from Cambrook Foods You can expect your taste buds to be in heaven with this duo of nuts. Including Baked Truffle Nuts, and Hickory Smoked Seasoned Almonds & Cashews, both jars are simply divine!
Montezuma’s Christmas Grand 50 Truffle Collection, £37.49 from Montezuma’s Starry Starry Night by Montezuma’s is stacked with truffle favourites including; American Idol, Eclipse, Sweet Summertime, Secret Squirrel and Milking Maid. 700g of pure indulgence!
Petrossian Truffle Tasting Set, £54.90 from Petrossian Composed of a black truffle olive oil, mushroom and summer sauce, and a black truffle fleur de sel. The perfect addition to a cook’s pantry, this tasting box is the ideal gift for truffle lovers.
Drink
Smokehead Twisted Stout Whisky, £49.99 from Smokehead Single malt Scotch whisky matured in bourbon casks, finished in stout casks. Fiery, peaty and full on Smokehead meets sweet, silky, smooth stout. The results are twisted in this limited release.
Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit Vodka Twist, £16.50 (700ml) from Tesco Unexpected flavours and taste discovery with Sminroff’s NEW Mango & Passionfruit Twist Flavoured Vodka. Perfect for the budding cocktail maker, and ideal to add a playful twist to a punch.
Carthy & Black Yorkshire Gin Cream Liqueur, £15.40 (50cl) from Master of Malt Made with fresh cream from a dairy farm in North Yorkshire and matched with Harrogate’s Slingsby Gin, this makes a rather decadent cream liqueur.
Hunter & Grey Christmas Cocktails, £19.99 (500ml) each from Hunter & Grey The Christmas Collection includes Christmas Martini, Winter Spiced Pear Martini, and Christmas Negroni all in 500ml bottles. Perfect to add to your Christmas Day drinks list!
Tidal Rum, £34.95 (70cl) from Tidal Rum Tidal Rum is a lighter, more refined craft spirit. A rum for the beginning of the night and best enjoyed as a fresh Tidal Lime Soda, which lets the spirit sing.
Wild Eve Infusions, £32 (50cl) from Wild Eve This small batch non-alcoholic drink is hand crafted from an exclusive selection of organic flowers, fruits, leaves, and seaweeds, hand foraged on the Isle of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. A botanicals dream!
Heartsease Farm Sparkling Presse, £14.99 (6 x 750ml bottles) from Radnor Hills The ideal gift for a non-drinker, or someone who loves fresh fruity, fiery, and flavoursome soft drinks. A case of 6 Heartsease Farm Presse bottles includes; 2 Raspberry Lemonade, 2 Elderflower Premium, 1 Ginger Beer, and 1 Traditional Lemonade.
Jing Assam Breakfast Gift Set, £40 from Jing Tea The perfect gift for breakfast tea lovers looking to enjoy a better cup of tea anytime of day. Included in the gift is a recyclable caddy of Assam Breakfast Tea (100g), a one-cup Tea-iere™, and a 3-minute sand timer.
58 Gin English Berry, £34 (70cl) from 58 Gin Enjoy Christmas with a 58 Gin Mince Pie Martini:
Ingredients: 50ml 58 Gin English Berry 30ml Mince Pie Vermouth 5ml 1:1 Sugar Syrup Orange slice
Method: To make the Mince Pie Vermouth: 200ml Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi di Torino) 200ml Dry Vermouth (Dolin Dry) 100g Mince Meat mix, from the jar
Shake all ingredients well and immediately strain.
Combine the mince pie vermouth with the 58 Gin English Berry and sugar syrup in a Nick & Nora glass. Light the orange with a flame and squeeze for the zest – discard the zest at the end.
This year has been all about businesses collaborating with each other, and we’ve been here for it wholeheartedly. We’ve seen fashion houses collaborating with unknown designers, sports brands collaborating with celebrities, and drinks brands collaborating with museums.
It’s the drinks brands that we are currently fixated on, so let’s check out three of our favourites at the back end of 2021.
Cooper King Distillery X Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum has teamed up with Cooper King Distillery to launch an exclusive carbon-negative gin, available to purchase at the Museum Shop or online priced at £39.00.
Created using fresh basil, beautifully balanced with fragrant lemongrass and aromatic clove, this bright, herbaceous gin will make the perfect sustainable tipple for anyone who enjoys a refreshing G&T.
For every 70cl bottle, innovatively cold-distilled in small batches using 100% renewable energy, one kilogramme of carbon dioxide equivalent is removed from the atmosphere (including carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases) and one square metre of English woodland is planted through the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. The packaging is sustainably produced, with a lightweight bottle made from 55% recycled glass and labelled by hand at the distillery.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society X Kingdom Scotland
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has collaborated with Scotland’s first fragrance house, Kingdom Scotland, pairing SMWS single cask whiskies with two luscious perfumes. Available to sample at Society venues in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh the partnership explores the fascinating relationship between whisky and perfume.
The Kingdom scents Metamorphic and Portal have been expertly paired with SMWS Flavour Profiles Lightly Peated and Juicy Oak & Vanilla. The collaboration will bring to life Society guests’ olfactory systems (sense of smell), igniting the senses at Society venues across the UK this festive season.
Join SMWS today to find out more about the below pairings.
METAMORPHIC paired with LIGHTLY PEATED Inspired by metamorphic rock, Metamorphic fuses black pepper and tobacco, incense, minerals and rose absolute. As it’s warmed on the skin, the scent reveals a base of amber resin and leather. A natural fit for the Lightly Peated Flavour Profile, the scent was matched with bottling ‘Peat fire tales on Orkney’.
PORTAL paired with JUICY OAK & VANILLA Portal evokes a fresh, outdoorsy, gusting nose with herbaceous botanicals and bergamot, resting on a veritable forest floor of vetiver and Scots pine. Sampled & sprayed with ‘Summer garden curiosity’, a match made in heaven for Juicy Oak & Vanilla.
Quarter G/N X Dash Soda Water
Quarter Light G/N is the new kid on the block, it’s a lighter alternative to your usual gin. At just ¼ the alcohol, ¼ the calories, and ¼ strength it’s sure to become a favourite.
Quarter was created to offer a more balanced and enjoyable way to enjoy drinking spirits. And at only 12% alcohol it still gives the buzz and flavour that comes from full strength alcohol, but leaves you without any regrets!
Less of a full collab with Dash Soda Water, and more of a partnership with Dash Soda Water. Quarter suggests pairing your Quarter G/n with Bitter Orange & Grapefruit Dash Soda Water to make The Quarter Soda.
Quarter available from Quarter Proof, priced at £27 per bottle.
To make the perfect The Quarter Soda:
Rocks Glass 50ml Quarter G/n 150ml Dash Soda Ice and a thin slice of grapefruit
PIMM’S Sundowner Spritz perfectly paired with seasonal snacking boards – the ultimate accompaniment to evenings in.
With lively bubbles and a mouth-watering bittersweet finish, PIMM’s Sundowner is the ideal all-year round aperitif. Thanks to flavours of juicy raspberry and redcurrant it’s also a deliciously versatile food match, making it the perfect accompaniment for cosy evenings in with friends.
To demonstrate the versatility, PIMM’s Sundowner has teamed up with food and drink expert Abbie Moulton to createtwo Spritz and Snack Boards, all specially designed for the aperitif occasion. From an autumnal feast to a plant-based platter – both are full of flavours that have been expertly crafted to complement the signature PIMM’s Sundowner Spritz.
To make a PIMM’s Sundowner Spritz, simply fill a wine glass with ice and combine 50ml each of PIMM’s Sundowner and prosecco, top up with soda, then garnish with fresh raspberries (1.5 units). The sumptuous mix of fruit flavours and a bittersweet finish makes it a brilliant pairing for each of our crafted Snack Boards. So why not settle in and get cosy during the darker evenings by enjoying both together.
Abbie Moulton says: “Snack boards are a surprisingly easy way to add an extra sense of occasion to nights in at home, with minimal effort especially when you don’t have the time or energy to cook a full meal. Everything on the PIMM’s Sundowner Spritz and Snack Boards can be found in your local supermarket, so you can just pop in on the way home and grab the ingredients. At home, simply arrange the ingredients nicely on a wooden board (bonus points for making it “Insta-friendly”) light a candle, get out your favourite wine glasses for a PIMM’S Sundowner spritz, and wait for your friends to arrive. Nights in are the new nights out…”
Autumnal Harvest Feast
This board is all about celebrating the harvest season and capturing the colours of autumn together with rich berry flavours that work wonderfully with a PIMM’S Sundowner Spritz.
Abbie’s tasting notes: Luxurious rich figs work perfectly with the juicy red fruits of PIMM’S Sundowner. Meanwhile, the acidity and bubbles of your spritz will cut through the richness of the meat. Cheese and honey brings a salty-sweet note.
Ingredients:
Seasonal fruits, including: blackberries, plums and figs
Charcuterie meats such as Prosciutto di Parma ham, classic Mortadella
Walnuts
Camembert (served cold or baked), with oatcakes, chutney and a sprig of rosemary
Red grapes
Parsnip, Beetroot & Carrot Veg Crisps with Sea Salt
Smoothies are a simple and delicious way to enjoy your daily intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, or other ingredients. With all these nutritious ingredients in one glass, smoothies act as an extension to the diet plan that will best suit your needs. These days many different types of smoothies can improve your health and skin in different ways because each type has its own unique set of vitamins and minerals. Let’s explore some of these popular types!
Organic Smoothies
Organic smoothies are the healthiest choice. It’s important to buy organic ingredients because non-organic ingredients can be contaminated with pesticides, bacteria, and even parasites. Organic smoothies are full of antioxidants that fight free radicals and reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. If you lead a busy lifestyle and don’t have time to make them every day, you can even get organic smoothie delivery to your door. These smoothies can help you with weight loss, improve your skin complexion, and reduce appetite. The best thing about these smoothies is that you can get healthy without changing your diet completely!
Green Smoothies
Green smoothies became popular a few years ago, and for good reason. Green smoothies are packed with nutrients that are essential to your health. They’re a great way to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables, and they can also help you lose weight and improve your skin complexion. Greens like spinach, kale, and chard are high in fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Adding these greens to your smoothie is a great way to increase the antioxidant content and reduce your risk for diseases. A great smoothie blend is to use 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, ½ banana, 1 cup spinach, 1 tablespoon honey, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Blueberry Smoothies
Blueberry smoothies are a delicious and nutritious snack or meal. They’re high in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidants. Blueberries are also known for their anti-aging properties. They can help improve your skin complexion, reduce wrinkles, and fight free radicals. Adding blueberries to your smoothie is a great way to get all these benefits in one glass! To make a blueberry smoothie, you’ll need 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 banana, ¾ cup almond milk or cow’s milk, and 2 tablespoons of honey.
Fruit Smoothies
Fruit smoothies are a healthy and delicious snack or meal. They’re high in fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and antioxidants. Most fruit smoothies are also low in calories and fat. The combinations of fruits you can use are endless, so you can always find a new flavor to enjoy. Fruit smoothies are a great way to increase your intake of essential nutrients and antioxidants.
Vegetable Smoothies
Vegetable smoothies are a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables. They’re high in fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and antioxidants. The best thing about vegetable smoothies is that you can combine different ingredients to make the flavor more enjoyable. If you don’t like vegetables or simply can’t consume as many as you should, adding them to your smoothie is a great way to increase the nutritional content without sacrificing taste!
Beet Smoothies
Beet smoothies are very nutritious and the perfect complement to any other type of smoothie. Beets contain important nutrients like folate (vitamin B9), manganese, iron, potassium, copper, phosphorus, and vitamin C. They also contain antioxidants that help fight free radicals and improve skin health by reducing acne outbreaks. Beet juice has even been known to improve stamina and athletic performance.
Cucumber Smoothies
Cucumber smoothies are great for your skin because they contain silica, a very important mineral that helps build collagen production in the body which results in smoother and firmer skin. Cucumbers also contain vitamin B1, potassium, magnesium, and silica. They’re low in calories and fat but high in fiber and water content which makes them perfect for weight loss and hydrating your skin from within!
Zucchini Smoothie
Zucchini smoothies are good for weight loss because they contain healthy carbs that will keep you full until lunchtime, as well as high amounts of fiber to aid digestion. Zucchinis also add plenty of vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium to your smoothie. They’re a great way to increase the nutrient and antioxidant content of your drink without sacrificing taste!
There are endless possibilities when it comes to smoothies, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients until you find a combination that you love. All of these different types of smoothies are packed with essential nutrients that can improve your health and skin in different ways. So why not try them all? You may just find a new favorite!
In today’s busy world, it can be hard to find the time to think up and prepare 3 different balanced meals a day. The prep, cooking, and cleanup time can all make cooking more chore than fun. Meal prepping is a great way to save time, money, and the environment while getting a balanced meal in! If you’re new and want to learn the ropes, here are 6 simple steps to make your meal prepping easier!
Start small
If you’re used to preparing every meal from scratch every day, meal prepping can seem like a daunting exercise. The easiest way to get into meal prepping is to start small and simple. Start small by prepping only parts of your meals. You can buy cooked meats and combine them with prepped vegetables and carbohydrates. In the beginning, focus on prepping meals for the next two days, and work your way up.
Ready the shopping list!
The best way to start planning out your future meals is to get serious with your grocery shopping. When you’re buying ingredients for multiple meals at a time, instead of trusting your memory, write down a list and take it with you. Making a list will make sure you’ve got everything you need and help you budget better and avoid wasting food.
Get the right containers
If you’re just starting out, chances are you won’t have the right Tupperware for full-scale meal prepping. Food containers are half the fun of meal prepping, and they’re essential for doing it right! Filling up and packing Tupperware with food to last you a week can be a therapeutic and aesthetically pleasing activity. Look for airtight, microwavable containers that are easy to carry and stack. If you’re not a fan of plastic ones, there are plenty of eco-friendlier options out there.
Keep a backlog of recipes
Having to remember all those recipes can be tricky for anyone, let alone someone new to meal prepping. A great way to make sure you get the same results every time is to write down and backlog your recipes. Whether you use an app or pen and paper, this makes it easier to get straight to cooking when you’re in a rush. Having a stack of recipes ready to go also helps you avoid any kitchen messes or failures!
Stay inspired
Once you get started, it’s easy to fall into a rut when it comes to meal prepping. Sticking with what you know is great, but it can get boring, especially when it comes to making food. To make sure you don’t lose hope, always be on the lookout for meal prep inspiration online. From healthy recipes to cooking or packing techniques, there are plenty of things to learn online to keep you inspired and ready to prep!
Don’t be afraid to “cut corners”
It’s important to remember that you can prep your food however you want, using whatever ingredients you like! Don’t feel compelled to stay away from things like frozen foods when prepping. Pre-made or frozen foods are an easy and nutritious way to prep meals that can cut your cooking time in half. Start with simple recipes you know you’ll love, and get more creative with your ingredients as you go.
So there you have it! Getting into meal prepping is easy when you start small and simple. Before you get to prepping, make sure you have your groceries planned out and the proper tools and recipes at hand. Have fun with your recipes and ingredients and get inspired online and remember, there’s no wrong way to meal prep, so go out there and have fun with it!
When opening a luxury catering business, the first step is to conduct market research. During your research, identify the types of customers that are not yet adequately catered for and try to fill in this gap, as this could pave your way for success. For instance, if you live in an affluent neighbourhood with upscale clientele, you might want to open a luxury catering business. And if you do, make sure that your menu and concept suit the type of clientele you are targeting.
So, here’s everything you need to know about luxury catering.
Bespoke Menus
Luxury catering requires creating a menu based on what the clients want and collaborating on the best fit for the event. Creating a bespoke menu should start with an initial consultation. It is not enough that you understand the client’s dietary restrictions and food preferences. You must also understand their full vision for the event. Find out what their theme is, how they want the food to be displayed, and the things they like and dislike.
It’s also a good idea to ask questions that can help you better connect with the clients on a personal level. For instance, you can ask about their favourite restaurants and the foods they would order when eating at these restaurants. These questions can help you determine their food personalities and help you decide how much creativity you can put into creating their menus.
It’s also important to ask the client if any guests require special foods, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, etc. Find out if children are attending the event and if you need to prepare a kids menu for them. Ask if any of the guests are diabetic or have allergies to certain ingredients, such as peanuts, etc. After the initial consultation, send your proposal to the client within 24 hours. This is a great way to prove that you are serious about catering for their event, which creates a good impression.
Seasonal Food
Catering companies nowadays are adapting seasonal menus to feature the unique flavour profiles of each season. Seasonal menus are a great way to attract your luxury clientele by promoting sustainability while giving your chefs the freedom to get creative in the kitchen. Eating locally sourced fresh ingredients has been popular among upscale diners recently. If you develop a seasonal menu, you will end up providing a fresh and locally sourced dining experience.
When you embrace a seasonal menu, consider which foods will likely be seasonal at their best. A seasonal menu can help keep the costs down while providing fresher and tastier food. Upscale diners are always on the hunt for ways to enjoy each season, so you need to craft a seasonal menu that can perfectly encapsulate the flavours they crave. Try to offer dishes that are different from the standard options found in the restaurants. This will excite your new clients and encourage them to keep coming back for more.
Drinks
Another key aspect to consider when preparing a catering menu is the different drinks that you can offer. In most cases, drinks packages are included on the menu. But it’s worth asking in advance what drinks they want to pair with the foods for a high-end culinary experience. Remember, the pricing of the menu could change depending on the client’s choice of drink, so make sure you inform the client about this.
Sometimes, the client might opt for an open bar, especially for evening events. But you can save on the cost if you offer local craft beer and wine selections instead of setting up a full bar. For daytime events, you might want to serve a variety of juices and perhaps coffee and tea. If you are catering for conference events, consider setting up beverage stations where attendees can gather in between breaks.
What You Should Be Asking
You must communicate well with your clients. Ask the right questions and pay close attention to what your clients want. You need to know every detail about the event, starting with their budget. If you can get an idea of how much the client would be willing to spend on food, you will know the type of foods to prepare. Another thing you need to ask is the number of guests who will attend the event. That way, you can accurately bill the client and effectively plan the wedding.
Another key question to ask the client is the date, time, and venue of the event. This is very important as it will give you an idea of how you should set up the serving area, transport the food, and plan the logistics well. Once you have all the essential information you need, review this with the client to ensure that you did not forget anything. Also, find out if the client has any special requests and see if you can grant these. Otherwise, offer other alternatives.
Luxury Food Still Needs Protocols
Although catering companies have now been allowed to operate, they are expected to follow health and safety protocols to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Remember, we are still in the middle of a pandemic, so luxury catering companies should train staff to the standard of level 2 food hygiene in catering and teach them to follow strict protocols and guidelines. While it is very unlikely that the virus will get transmitted through food, your catering staff should be encouraged to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as a matter of proper hygiene practice.
Food business operators, including caterers, must ensure that their food handlers receive appropriate training and supervision for food hygiene, in line with the area they work in, allowing them to handle food in the safest way possible.
Proper food hygiene training is essential not only to prevent the spread of the virus but also to ensure that the food you are serving is safe for the clients to consume and keeps them from getting food poisoned. Remember that if any of the guests get food poisoning, you could face legal consequences, which could damage your reputation as a luxury catering company.
It was back in 2017 that white port and tonic was rumoured to be the “drink of the summer,” yet after that we heard little more of the intriguing pour.
Fast-forward a few years (and a ghastly pandemic) and it seems the return of the Port and Tonic is imminent.
Many bars around the city are championing tonic-based drinks that subvert the norm and steer away from the classic G&T – including tequila and tonic which is a delicious tipple indeed.
The drink has come to be known as a ‘Porto Tonic,’ and it’s ever so refreshing and easy to make, too.
Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal that’s made with aromatic grape varieties, and it’s known to be a popular drink to enjoy around the festive period.
Now, as Port and Tonic starts to make waves once more, we’ve taken a look at some of the best places for it around the city.
Without further ado…
1857
If there’s one chic bar you simply must visit for a port and tonic, it’s the newly re-launched bar 1857.
Here, you’ll peruse an eclectic range of port that’ll have you licking your lips in anticipation. In fact, it’s the widest variety of port in any London bar, with vintage pours, aged tawnies and single quintas all available.
And take it from us, their port and tonic is pretty darn hard to beat! Both silky and refreshing at the same time, it goes down far too easily. What’s more, you can enjoy it amongst the decadence of the 1857 bar – housed inside St. James’ hotel and club, you feel far removed from the hustle and bustle of London.
A port treasure trove at its finest.
stjameshotelandclub.com
Gordon’s wine bar
London’s oldest wine bar – Gordon’s – sure does a varied selection of amazing tipples, including amongst which is port.
Drenched in history, this quaint and atmospheric gem in London houses barrels filled with sherries and port, all of which can be enjoyed in rustic caves surrounded by candlelight. It’s a perfect setting for a spot of romance, with port and tonics on the cards for the aperitif.
Gordon’s is just a short stumble from theatreland and Covent Garden, and for the warmer days it boasts a charming outdoor seating area where a port and tonic is a must, accompanied by a cheese or charcuterie board.
Established in 1890, this spot is really worth a visit, as it blends not only good food and drink, but atmosphere and history too. We’ll let the port do the rest of the talking…
gordonswinebar.com
Bar Douro
If you’re looking for somewhere fizzing with Portuguese wine options then Bar Douro. But, if you’re to visit, do not miss out on the white port and tonic. It’ll change your life.
Here, you’ll discover bottle upon bottle of Portuguese wine, as well as vintages, and the food follows suit, with the likes of tender octopus on the menu, to go very nicely indeed with your port selection.
To add to the allure, the venue is very pretty and boasts a blue-and-white tiled seating area. On your next visit to Flat Iron Square go, go, go… you won’t regret it!
In a last minute panic about what to get your loved ones for Christmas? Here are three quick and easy stocking filler options that they will definitely love. Why? Because each includes some delicious booze to get everyone merry on Christmas Day.
1. Hunter & Grey Cocktails
These little cocktails from Hunter & Grey are great to pop in a stocking or gift in a personalised box. Each drink is perfectly blended to create your favourite cocktails in 200ml or 500ml bottles.
The range includes a Pornstar Martini, Mojito, Espresso Martini and Strawberry Daiquiri. The bottles can also be personalised, making them an ideal present for loved ones.
Visit hgcocktails.com
2. One Gin
One Gin offers delicious spirits which feature sage as the star ingredient. Their new gift box is a perfect stocking filler, featuring a sage gin, sage and apple gin and smooth port barrel rested gin. The best shout for gin fans, One Gin also gives back, donating 10% of its profits to clean water projects.
Visit thespiritofone.com.
3. BIRCH by Buck & Birch
A delicious alternative to gin or vodka, this new spirit by Buck & Birch is the perfect pre-dinner drink. BIRCH is filled with the flavours of raw sap and botanicals. Paired with tonic or soda, this will be a brilliant way to surprise a spirit-loving family member or begin your Christmas meal in style.
The Experimental Group’s fabulous Miracle pop-up has landed at Henrietta Hotel bringing enough Christmas cheer to brighten up even the dreariest of Decembers. #TeamCoco babes Hannah Tan-Gillies and Hannah Gregory checked out Covent Garden’s most festive pop-up, which transformed the hotel’s mezzanine into a wonderfully whimsical winter wonderland.
Described as the ‘perfect pitstop’ for a Christmassy cocktail, the Miracle pop-up is a fully-immersive space that transports visitors back in time to a 70’s Christmas home. Upon climbing up the stairs you are greeted with an appropriately over the top lighting display, larger than life Christmas tree, and every single retro Christmas decoration ever invented, creating a wonderfully kitschy escape from the realities of daily life.
At the bar, Santa’s little helpers (or in this case Miracle’s expert elvish mixologists) conjure up some fabulously festive cocktails with names to match. The ‘Christmapolitan’ – a crowd favourite — combines Vodka, Elderflower, Dry Vermouth and Spiced Cranberry Sauce. Meanwhile, the ‘Yippie Ki Yay Mother F*****!’ is another cheeky concoction of Barbados rum and rum Agricole, with hints of coconut and pineapple juice that proves (once and for all) that Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie. There are also ‘Nice and Naughty’ Shots – depending on how naughty you’re feeling during your visit.
There are plenty of festive nibbles too. The Italian Charcuterie is perfect to balance out the sweet flavours of Miracle’s holiday-themed cocktails, while Lamb and Cumin skewers with spicy mayo offers just the right kick to add a flavour punch to your meal. The Wild Mushrooms and Cheese croquettes, our personal favourite, are hearty bite-sized treats that pair perfectly with a serving of Miracle’s ‘Jingle Balls Nog.’
So, whether you’ve been naughty or nice, if you’re looking for an experience to ramp up the Christmas vibes, then definitely head over to the Miracle pop-up at Henrietta Hotel. You’ll get enough Christmas cheer to last you another year (at least!).
