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Making sure that you’re eating healthily is usually a pretty low priority with a schedule that’s packed to the brim, especially right in the middle of all the action. Time-consuming meal prep and deliberate, calculated grocery shopping feel like luxuries that your hustling lifestyle just can’t afford. There are healthy lunch recipes that don’t require wild amounts of time and energy, you just need to know where to find them! Luckily, I’ve got some options for you right here.

Pack-and-go style lunches take minimal prep work the night before a busy workday. This type of meal makes an excellent option for chaotic mornings, where being able to grab something straight from the fridge as you’re heading out the door is a necessity.

Mason Jar Salads
Use your choice of ingredients and layer properly. First, the dressing always goes on the bottom. Then, add in grains and/or protein, like chicken, quinoa, or edamame. Everything else except the leafy greens go on next, such as corn or broccoli. Top off the jar with leafy greens, then store in the fridge until you need it! When stored properly, these salads will last in the fridge for four to five days.

Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
Whisk 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and one pinch of salt and pepper into a medium bowl. Take three hard-boiled eggs, discard one egg yolk, then chop the remaining eggs and toss into the bowl. Add two stalks of minced celery and two tablespoons of minced red onion then stir to combine. Cut in half two or three lettuce leaves and double layer them. Divide the egg salad among the wraps and top with tablespoon of chopped fresh basil. Store in fridge up to four days.

Ravioli and Vegetable Soup
Heat one tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add two cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced, two cloves minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook. Stir for one minute. Add one 28oz can crushed tomatoes, one 15oz can vegetable broth, 1 1/2 cups hot water, and one teaspoon dried basil. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add one six to nine ounce package of fresh or frozen whole-wheat cheese ravioli and cook for three minutes less than package directions. Add two cups diced zucchini, return to a boil, and cook for three minutes. Season with black pepper, then cover and refrigerate up to three days.

When any cooking at all just is not an option due to time constraints, you can always opt for some low-carb, no-prep snacks for lunch. You can buy pre-packaged at the grocery store, or save money by buying in bulk and then dividing up on your own. Another option for guaranteed healthy meals that make life easier is to sign up for a meal prep delivery service.

Pomegranate Seeds
Pomegranate seeds are a great source of antioxidants. They come naturally packed with healthy fats. One thing to look out for when buying pre-packaged is the added sugar that many manufactures put into dried pomegranate seeds. Overall, they make a perfect small meal for on-the-go.

Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese has a slight sweetness while staying low in fat and high in protein. Mixing in some berries is a popular way to improve on this snack further. As with the need to watch for sugar content with dried seeds, you need to keep an eye on the sodium in cottage cheese. This snack makes a great healthy lunch option in moderation.

Meal Kit Delivery Service
There are tons of options today for meal kit delivery services. Each service offers different benefits for different diets and lifestyles, so it pays to do some research before committing to one. In consideration of health-focused meal services, Freshly has been ranked as the best for extremely busy people. Freshly’s meals are premade and ready to eat within two minutes or less. Nothing in these meals comes frozen, and they are all free from refined sugars, high in protein, gluten-free, and all-natural. They are well-insulated in eco-friendly biodegradable totes and the company donates all leftover food from its packaging process to local shelters and food banks. Freshly is a total wellness brand, on top of being super convenient. The cost for this meal kit service starts at $50 for four meals per week for one person.

You don’t have to sacrifice eating well when life gets hectic. You need to identify which style of meals fits best into your individual routine, whether that’s pack-and-go, small snacks, or signing up for a service that does all the work for you. Eat well, and thrive.

Coffee Gin creators Lava Spirits Co have teamed up with Peckham’s Coffee & Cocktails (@coffeecocktails_peckham) to offer bottomless Gin Espresso Martinis throughout the whole of UK Coffee Week which runs from 19th to 25th October. With the weather getting colder and potential restrictions getting stricter, this is just the positive news that Londoners have been waiting for. To make the offer sweeter, 25% of the proceeds go to Project Waterfall which is UK Coffee Week’s official charity and combats the water crisis in some of the world’s poorest areas.

To celebrate UK Coffee Week in its tenth year, cocktail bar Coffee & Cocktails will be offering bottomless Gin Espresso Martinis throughout the week on a walk-in basis from 5-7pm or 4-6pm on Monday, for just £10 a pop. The Gin Espresso Martinis will be made with award-winning Lava Spirits Co Coffee Gin.

Lava Spirits Co, launched by female entrepreneur Laura Bridge, has crafted a truly delicious blend using South American sourced Arabica coffee beans with comforting aromas and satisfying richness, alongside wonderfully sweet notes of marzipan, chocolate and cherry. The gin is ideal for creating the perfect Gin Espresso Martini (drunk on a bottomless basis) for coffee lovers to enjoy throughout UK Coffee Week or to purchase in order try your own hand at recreating the perfect cocktail at home this autumn.

lavaspirits.co.uk

Naturally, the first thing that most people will see when interacting with us is our skin. Since first impressions will always last, it’s only appropriate that we take care of our skin. Common knowledge would tell us that having a more “organic” and leafy diet can give us glowing skin and slow down the aging process.

In the last few years, veganism has gained traction, with more individuals practicing this diet. 8% of the world’s population would consider themselves as vegan or at least heavily relied on a plant-based diet in 2018. In the US alone, veganism rose by 600% in three years.

The rise in veganism in the United States has been attributed to some inhumane practices. They have been done to livestock by several companies. However, some individuals are skeptical about switching to veganism since some diets can result in nutrient deficiencies. However, some would argue that almost any type of nutrient acquired from animals can also be obtained from plants.

But what’s with all the rage regarding vegan food? What makes it such a great way of taking care of our skin?

Can a Vegan Diet Help the Skin?

But before we get anywhere else, does the vegan diet help with your skin? Well, A more straightforwardanswer to this question is: yes, a vegan diet can be the answer to some of your skin woes. Not only does having a vegan diet help with your skin, but it’s also a great way of improving your overall health.

Theoretically,cutting meat from your diet a great way of stopping hormonal imbalance, which is known for causing breakouts and acne formation. In most cases, processed meat from livestock grown in factories is usually pumped up with growth hormones. Most of these growth hormones are responsible for many health complications present in meat-eaters.

What’s a great way of circumventing processed meat and food that are packed with harmful toxins? Well, simply changing your diet to something a bit more organic and free from cruelty can help ensure that you are taking only the substances that your body needs.

Tofu

So far, tofu is known as one of the best sources of protein for most vegans. Tofu is made from soybeans and is quite rich in proteins and nutrients. It’s got a lot of protein that it’s known for being a go-to food for many body-builders.

If you’re looking for younger-looking skin, tofu is great for improving your skin elasticity and toning up your facial structure. It’s no wonder why a lot of elderly folks in the Far-east have such great skin!

Although, it’s important to note that if you’re looking forward to younger and more toned skin, there’s no hurt in looking for more active means of stopping aging in its tracks. Loose muscles in the face can affect a person’s ability to express their emotions. But with state-of-the-art lip filler specials, you can easily express yourself naturally.

Kiwi

If people have been telling you that you look “tired” most of the time, then you might need to get those dark wrinkles and eye bags off. Kiwis are known for being a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin E. The vitamins and antioxidants present in kiwi promote skin elasticity, eliminating wrinkles and any signs of aging.

Avocados

Avocados are known for being one of the most iconic vegan favorites in the market. You can place this in almost any dish, and it would still taste amazing. Like other vegetables and fruits, this is known for being packed with vitamins C and E, which can help with your skin’s overall health.

In some cases, people would directly apply some avocados on their faces since it’s a great way of retaining moisture while keeping your skin smooth. Plus, avocados are known for having many healthy “fats,” which can help evenly distribute all the nutrients across the body.

Spinach

You’ve probably heard about how spinach can give strength to some individuals. Not only is it great for your body, but you’ll have glowing skin. Spinach is known for being rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Potatoes

These tubers are known for being so versatile that they have almost all the minerals and nutrients needed. Certain types of potatoes, like sweet potatoes, are also known for boosting collagen production, which can help eliminate blemishes and impurities in the skin.

There are plenty of ways of making your skin look good while still keeping the environment clean and free from carbon emissions. Veganism has come a long way in ensuring that we live in a sustainable environment while also giving us the necessary nutrients and minerals needed for our day. You don’t necessarily need to follow a strict vegan diet, though; it’s okay to eat a bit of meat once in a while.

London’s home of authentic paella, Arros QD has announced a virtual guest chef series with three of Valencia’s most recognised paella chefs to celebrate the signature dish. From now until December, Michelin starred founder, Quique Dacosta will do a live cookalong per month, alongside Vicente Rioja (Restaurante Rioja) Luis Rodríguez (Casa Elías) and Rafa Margós (El Paeller) to create regional, traditional and unique paella dishes. The special guest chef’s paella will then feature on the menu at Arros QD for a month for guest to try for themselves.

Kicking off on Saturday 17th October at 12pm will be Vicente Rioja, head chef and owner of Rioja restaurant in Benisano. The historic restaurant, which opened in 1924, is famous for making one of the best traditional paellas in Valencia. 96 years strong, the restaurant is now lead by Vicente Rioja, a fourth-generation master paella chef. He’s modernised the menu while keeping the paellas as authentic as his predecessors did. Vincente will be making a classic Valencian paella with chicken, rabbit and beans.

The second masterclass of the series will be hosted by Luis Rodríguez from Casa Elías in November, who will be creating a unique rabbit and snail paella. A famed Spanish restaurant with a long family history, it has manged to move with the times without losing touch with its traditional heritage. Luis is admired for the respect shown for traditional regional recipes and his cooking methods, with many dishes grilled over the embers in time-honoured fashion. These include different meats, unusual local dishes and one particular speciality, the spectacular rice with rabbit and snails.

The third and last in December, will be a seafood paella with Rafa Margós from El Paeller. With over 25 years of experience, each of his paellas are identifiable by its aroma, colour, texture, and magnificent flavour. His expertise and control of wood-fired cooking have made him the consultant of renowned chefs such as José Andrés and Quique Dacosta when they prepare their wood-fired paellas.

After each paella masterclass, the bespoke dish will also be available as a special at Arros QD for a month with a £10 discount per person on all paella dishes every Monday to Wednesday, an extension of the pre-existing Eat Out to Help Out Scheme. The cook along masterclasses will also be on offer for any private groups or corporate events all available on Zoom, the perfect 2020 Christmas party for friends, colleagues or families.

Dates:

17th Oct: Paella Valenciana with Vicente Rioja from Restaurante Rioja

14th Nov: Paella con Conejo y Caracoles (rabbit and snails) with Luis Rodríguez from Casa Elías

12th Dec: Seafood paella with Rafa Margós from El Paeller

Guests will be able to enjoy a discount on the dish from Monday to Wednesday if they reach a min spend of £30 on food and drink per person.

For more information:

Website: https://www.arrosqd.com/

Social: https://www.instagram.com/arrosqd/?hl=en

How to book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paella-valenciana-cook-along-with-vicente-rioja-tickets-124051729061

58 Gin launches two beautiful new gins crafted with a conscience

London-based artisan spirits distillery, 58 Gin, has launched two new hand-crafted gins, 58 English Berry Gin and 58 Apple & Hibiscus Gin, created using wonky apples and foraged berries.

With food waste high on the environmental agenda[1] gin enthusiasts, mindful of their own social impact can enjoy these premium gins – which are completely free from artificial sugars and sweeteners – happy in the knowledge that they have been produced in accordance with the highest ethical standards.

58 English Berry Gin is carefully crafted over a six-month period using foraged sloe berries from Kent. Twice distilled, the result is a crystal-clear gin with a full-bodied berry kick that contains no sugar. The ideal base for summer ‘cooler’ style cocktails, 58 English Berry Gin also lends itself very well to warming autumnal and winter serves.

If you’re looking for deliciously smooth, fresh tasting pink gin 58 Apple & Hibiscus Gin will deliver to the fullest. Made using surplus and wonky Cox’s apples collected from across the UK which would otherwise go to waste, they are vapour distilled alongside hibiscus flowers to create an incredibly pure flavour. The sweet and sour notes of the apple and hibiscus compliment the spice of juniper and cubeb pepper and the outcome is a perfectly balanced gin that can be enjoyed equally sipped neat, in a cocktail or with your favourite mixer.

58 English Berry Gin (70cl, 43% ABV) and 58 Apple & Hibiscus Gin are both available from Amazon (£34) and Master of Malt (£32.95).

Both gins contain only natural ingredients and like the rest of the 58 Gin range, are entirely vegan and gluten-free with no artificial additives, sugar, sweeteners or sulphites. Presented in bespoke, embossed, recycled glass bottles that are 100% recyclable even down to the glass cork, these beautiful gins would make an attractive pairing on any gin shelf or summer garden bar.

Carmen O’Neal, Managing Director, 58 Gin says: “We’re incredibly proud of our new gin additions which have been developed with a huge amount of care and attention to detail to reflect our passion for ethical distillation.

“With over one third of the food produced globally going to waste we pride ourselves in creating premium gins that help to tackle this issue at the same time as being incredibly delicious!

“We’re confident that both will appeal to eco-conscious gin enthusiasts who appreciate the purity of taste that can be achieved from our standing as a true artisan distiller.”

Sustainably suitable serves:

The 58 Cosmo

Ingredients:

40 mls 58 Apple & Hibiscus Gin

20 mls Triple Sec / Cointreau

10 mls Lime

20 mls Cranberry Juice

Method:

Shake and double strain into a martini glass and garnish with orange zest

Hackney Cooler

Ingredients:

50 mls 58 English Berry Gin

20 mls Lemon Juice

15 mls Mint Sugar (steep mint leaves in sugar syrup for a couple of hours)

Sparkling Water Top

Method:

Shake and strain into a highball glass, top with sparkling water and garnish with a mint sprig.

To discover more about 58 Gin, visit: www.58gin.com / Instagram:@58Gin Twitter: @58Gin Facebook: 58Gin

To celebrate with its official reopening, London’s favourite cicchetti haunt, TOZI Restaurant & Bar, has partnered with actress Harriet Thorpe to develop an especially indulgent dish to benefit Acting for Others. The charity provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities and now, more than ever, their role is vital.

Known for her previous on-screen roles as Fleur in Absolutely Fabulous and Carole in The Brittas Empire, and many West End performances including Cabaret andLondon Victoria’s own Wicked (which reopens on 2 November 2020), Harriet has lent her talents to TOZI Head Chef, Maurilio Molteni, and together they have created a mouth-watering Scottish Scallop Carpaccio, with samphire, dried tomatoes & lemon oil.

Starring on the menu for £12.50, the new Scottish Scallop Carpaccio will be available until the end of October. Importantly, £1 from every dish sold will be donated to Acting for Others, alongside an optional, discretionary, £1 donation on every bill.

Inspired by the casual dining ethos and culture of the Veneto region of Italy, the critically acclaimed restaurant in the heart of London’s Victoria, focuses on high quality, seasonal ingredients, serving small plates that are bursting with flavour and take guests to the heart of Venice with every bite.

Maurilio Molteni, commented:

“We’re very excited to reopen our doors and it’s been a pleasure to work with Harriet to create this special dish, that will help us play our part in supporting the theatre industry as it recovers from the impact of COVID-19. With two of London’s most revered shows on our doorstep, we wanted to support to our friends during these incredibly challenging times.”

Harriet Thorpe added:

“I’m excited to be working with Maurilio and create something that will directly benefit those in our industry. Support for the arts has never been more important, and I implore all of TOZI’s guests to try our Scottish scallop carpaccio, which combines my personal favourite of the intense samphire with sumptuous scallops – it’s truly delicious, even if I say so myself!”

It has also implemented a range of robust measures to ensure the health and safety of its customers and teams, whilst maintaining its top-quality service. These include enhanced cleaning regimes, with special attention to high touch-point areas, hand sanitiser stations at both entry and exit, staggered bookings and physically distanced tables. A digital menu and daily temperature checks for team members and diners have also been introduced.

Open for dinner only during September, booking is recommended. For more information and to reserve a table, visit www.tozirestaurant.co.uk or call +44 20 7769 9771.

Tyrrells Hand Cooked English Crisps has teamed up with celebrity pub owner Jodie Kidd to raise money for the Licensed Trade Charity
Research commissioned by Tyrrells shows at least a third (29%) of British pubs took an active role in community effort to fight COVID-19
Jodie carried out guest bar shifts for three pubs across the country, as part of a competition to reward hardworking landlords with a prize celebrating the extra mile that British locals went to this year

With the recently announced 10pm curfew meaning the UK’s pub industry will likely continue to suffer from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, supermodel and publican Jodie Kidd has teamed up with Tyrrells Hand Cooked English Crisps to support British pubs and the people that work in them.

One million limited-edition Tyrrells ‘pub packs’ have gone on sale across the country, with 5p per pack donated to the Licensed Trade Charity and the pub people the charity helps. Despite being closed during the beginning of lockdown research by Tyrrells’ uncovered the great work that has been carried out by British pubs to support their community during lockdown, with many helping the local effort to fight the COVID-19 crisis. 15% of respondents said their local pub had helped to organise food deliveries to the vulnerable, while one in 10 (12%) said their local had fed key workers, supported elderly residents (11%) and provided meals for children not at school (9%).

As part of the campaign, Tyrrells hosted a competition for pubs to win a guest shift from Jodie Kidd, with the brand wanting to reward hardworking landlords with a great prize celebrating the extra mile that British locals went to this year. As well as getting behind the bar to pull pints, Jodie met with staff and local punters to hear about the work pubs carried out to support their local communities during these difficult past few months.

Tyrrells campaign ambassador Jodie Kidd said: “As a pub owner myself, I know many landlords who have suffered from being closed during lockdown. I also know first-hand how important pubs are to the local community. It was my pleasure to join Tyrrells on this campaign to support the Great British pub, and to get to travel around the country to meet the landlords and locals who’ve gone above and beyond to support their local communities over the last few months.

“After all, nothing is as quintessentially British as having a drink and a bag of crisps in your local pub. British pubs are an institution and it’s hugely important we help support them in whatever way we can so they can get back on their feet after this challenging period.”

Kevin McNair, Marketing Director at KP Snacks which owns Tyrrells, said: “In what has been a hugely challenging year for the whole country, we at Tyrrells want to recognise and celebrate the role British pubs play in bringing the community together. So many pubs and landlords have been hit hard financially by the lockdown, and while it’s great to see so many have been able to reopen safely, there’s a long way to go in terms of weathering the storm of the pandemic.

“We’re proud to be raising money for the brilliant work the Licensed Trade Charity does and we hope the money donated from our limited edition packs will play a role in helping the pub industry to get back on its feet.”

I’m actually not mad that National Taco Day didn’t fall on a Tuesday this year – because then it didn’t take away from my weekly moment to indulge in my taco obsession. Today’s taco feasting is at Plaza Pastor – Casa Pastor’s outdoor counterpart – in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London.

Serving up the same tasty taco dishes and excellent, if not a little dangerous, margaritas and mezcal, Plaza Pastor also offers a covered seating space – meaning, come rain or shine, guests who would prefer to sit outside in the fresh air are able to do so. I’m one of those people who believes that a meal is barely Mexican if it doesn’t start off with freshly-made guacamole and tortilla chips (there’s no alternate opinion here, by the way) and I also quite enjoy matching my food to my drinks to bring on a couple of those avocado and passionfruit frozen margaritas and the meal is off to an excellent start.

Upon my first visit ever to El Pastor (the restaurant’s first branch in London Bridge), I had a euphoric experience eating, probably, the best tuna toastadas I’d ever eaten. Three years later, sat in what is two tequilas away from being my Mexican cabana, I’m still a fan and those tuna tostadas will never fail to be part of my order. I think what I love most about them, aside from the beautiful flavour, is the amount of tuna loaded onto each tostada – absolute committment to getting as much on a small surface as possible and none of this fobbing you off with two pieces of tuna and calling it a dish. I’m here for this.

Tacos next. Again, I kind of stick to what I know here: the sharing taco boards at Plaza Pastor are a must. The 12-hour braised short rib is another frequent order – dusted in a Chipotle-muscovada-coriander seed rub and served with pickled red onion, salsa and spiced sugar. Do not think of doing anything but adding on the bone marrow and you can thank me later for the explosion of flavours and textures that hit your mouth.

The cochnita pibil (slow-roast, free-range pork shoulder) is marinated in orange, achiote and charred garlic and is a sold eight for me; served with red onion-habanero escabeche, it’s definitely spicy in more way than one. For those trying to cut down on the meat and for those who know that fish tacos are simply the best, the ‘contramar’ seabream is chargrilled to perfection, making it the perfect filling for the warm tortillas that keep on coming to the table. Plaza Pastor don’t believe in giving you hardships like choices so they marinate one side of the seabream in salsa roja and the other in mojo verde because, here, you really do get the best of both worlds. You might have to choose your sharing board, however, as these are suited to two to four people and even in a group of four, we struggled. That being said, I also feel I have a bottomless pit for a stomach when it comes to tacos, in particular, and your girl here hates to see food waste on her watch.

The baja (beer-battered pollock) and the crispy fried soft shell crab are excellent contenders but, somehow, I truly struggle to look elsewhere but the sharing plates section of the menu. Ordering a side dish might slip your mind but try to remmeber to get some of the esquites: beautifully toasted, buttered corn with queso and jalapeño chilli. Plaza Pastor elevates the humble Mexican streetside snack favourite, leaving this dish one you’ll be fighting over at the table.

Tacos – 0, Amira – 1 and I’ve devoured the food (helped to be washed down by a few more of those frozen margaritas). Now you’re probably thinking this is where I tell you the story of me waddling home but we’ve still got dessert to come. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; THERE IS A SEPARATE STOMACH FOR DESSERT. I will not be challeneged on this one, okay? The bounty bar and chocolate and mole tart both sound divine but despite being a ‘chocolate, forever’ kind of girl, the corn cake has my name written all over it. Sweet, sticky and glazed and served with homemade roasted corn ice cream, this one you won’t want to share. Final margarita of the night saw me switch it up to the spicy mango margarita which was better suited to the choice of pudding but comes second to my dangerous love that is the avocado and passionfruit flavour. Right, Amira out.

White wine, red wine, rose, champagne – there are so many different types of wines that you feel like a kid in a toy store once you enter the wine section. However, just like there are many types of wines, there are also hundreds of different prices – often within the same variety.

While the reason for the price difference between wines bought on auctions organized by Acker Wines or Fine Wine and Spirits and the local supermarket is quite apparent, the reason behind the price difference in the local store might not be.

When assessing the price of a bottle of wine, consider factors such as the winemaking process, aging potential, and the use of oak barrels, as these elements often reflect the wine’s quality and character

So what exactly does the price say about your wine, and what it depends on? Why is there such a difference in pricing? Well, that’s something we will be discussing in this article, so if you want to find out more, all you have to do is keep reading.

Wine’s Price – What Does It Depend On?

While we are used to the fact that ‘better’ things are more expensive, especially when it comes to food, the matter is slightly different with wine. The price is not a good measurement of quality or taste, but rather it’s a representation of how much the producer hopes the customers deem to be worth it.

Truth be told, you can buy expensive wine, but it might not have a good taste, or you can have the opposite situation – you buy one of the cheapest wines out there, and it turns out to be one of the best you have ever tried.

What Contributes to the Wine’s Price?

Wine price is almost like a minefield. However, we can distinguish some factors that have an impact on the price.

Location

The first factor that affects the price of the wine is location. There are some regions that are known for producing great values because of economies of scale, lower land value, long-term experience, or larger crop tonnage. However, there are also regions that are more recognized for producing expensive wines, usually due to opposite reasons, including small production, high land values, or limited experience.

Labour Costs

The second factor affecting the wine’s price is labor costs. After all, people who make the wine need to know what they are doing – they need skills. That’s why handcrafted wines tend to cost more than wines that were pruned, harvested, and sorted by machines. All the people who take part in the winemaking process ensure consistency and quality of the product – however, at the same time, they also influence labor costs, therefore affecting the wine’s price.

Equipment Costs

In some cases, the vineyard might experience a shortage of people – in this case, they have no other choice but to buy the machinery that will help them beat the problem of not having enough hands on deck. While, initially, those costs will most likely make a dent in your pocket, once the system starts to run efficiently, it can help save money.

Aging

The costs connected with wine production are not only associated with labor and vineyard. After all, the wine has to rest somewhere before it is ready to be sold. To do that, producers need things such as filters or oak barrels, which tend to be quite expensive. One oak barrel can cost as much as $1.000. The producers of less expensive wines tend to use oak staves, oak chips, or sometimes even an oak-flavor additive, to get a similar result at a lower price.

Another thing that needs to be considered when it comes to wine’s aging process is where the barrels are stored – after all, it doesn’t take a month or two for the wine to be ready. It usually takes several years.

Vintage

The fifth factor affecting the wine’s price is vintage – this is especially important in regions with colder climates, in which there is a variation from year to year. For example, wine from the year when the winery experienced a grape shortage will most likely be more expensive than a wine from a year when there were more than enough grapes.

Packaging

The last factor affecting the wine’s price is packaging. If you have ever seen a large number of different wine bottles, you must have noticed that some of them are fancier and heavier, or include some special label – all this can make the wine more expensive. For many people, the packaging is the symbol of quality, which is why wine producers are trying to make the bottles more sophisticated for more expensive wines.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve been to the supermarket’s alcohol section, you must have noticed that some wines are more expensive than others. Does it mean that they are better? Not necessarily – there are many factors that influence the price, which we have already discussed above.

So, next time you are looking for a wine, and find one more on a pricey side, at least you will more or less know why that’s the case. Cheers!

Opt for a staycation in Surrey or jump on the train or in a taxi thirty minutes outside of London and, trust me, your tummy will thank you for it. Having opened its doors only months before the country went into lockdown, The Drumming Snipe is back up and running and is proof that good food minus any entitlement is easy to find outside of Zone One.

With a large beer garden and patio, featuring a couple of quirky horse trailers, there’s more than enough outdoor seating to satisfy those minimising time in indoor spaces, as well as offering more tables for a high number of bookings – something from which the smaller spaces of central London restaurants suffer.

I always order snacks for the table (yet somehow they always make their way to sit right in front of me…) and the beef shin croquettes with truffle mayonnaise definitely did not disappoint. Oozing with meat, you most certainly get your bang for your buck here and with or without the truffle mayonnaise, they are a delightful start to the meal. The crispy Cornish squid had just enough tang to its taste with its salt and pepper flavour and chilli dipping sauce – however it could have been cooked a little longer for my liking.

The trick to eating well is going out for a meal with your family who will feel compelled to let you assist them with their orders and let you sample a bite or two (read, ten). The Jersey potato soup with spring onion comes in a glorious bright green and is the perfect warming appetiser as we move into the colder months. Brixham King scallops feature on the starters menu, in case you were fretting that leaving an obnoxious London postcode would mean any less fanciful dishes and ingredients. Served with truffled sweetcorn and garlic, these were up there with the croquettes. I believe the suffolk chicken, smoked ham and crayfish terrine was a dish enjoyed by the whole table as it was devoured almost entirely before it made its way round to me. There’s always one… Fresh, flavoursome and fruity, with its addition of celeriac, grape and apple salad.

“Everything you could want from a dish”

The mains menu offers a variety to choose from; there’s everything from gurnard with summer girolles to grilled peach with goat’s curd almonds but also the humble shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and burger plates for those who prefer the safer home comforts. Then comes to the specials. Considering three out of four at the table selected from this additional menu, I’d say it’s worth paying a bit of attention to. The pork chop with pork stew was met with a gasp and then silence, as mouthful after mouthful was greedily golloped up. The rib of beef comes on an impressive board, accompanied by bone marrow; triple-cooked chips and its own cast-iron bonus pot of beef stew. I’d advise going for the bar above your usual ‘doneness’ for steak as this medium was a little pinker than expected. An absolute feast, – that might make you temporarily comatose – these two will surely satisfy all meat-eaters out there. Advice: don’t order extra chips with these dishes – and that’s coming from someone who states fries as one of her love languages.

I chose from the à la carte menu and could not have been more pleased with my plaice swimming in shrimp butter sauce and smothered (in such a positive way) with samphire and shrimps. Everything you could want from a dish and it is one that I will definitely re-order upon my return to this friendly little gastropub.

Accompanying our mains came carrots and peas in chervil butter and Cornish new potatoes in seaweed butter. These butters are small but mighty and did their job perfectly, adding both flavour and complexity to these simple side dishes. I used to work in a restaurant where the mother of the owner would order miso soup and a bowl of rice upon each visit, without fail. She said if these two foundation dishes were done right, she could trust the rest of the menu. If they lacked in any way, it was likely the rest of the food would also be compromised. This has never resonated more with me than when I was eating these carrots, peas and potatoes. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever spent more time thinking about carrots, peas and potatoes, let alone writing about them.

“I’m a strong believer in the existence of a separate dessert stomach.”

I know, you’re thinking, how can she possible have room for dessert? Now I’m a strong believer in the existence of a separate dessert stomach. Not only this but I also truly believe that eating something sweet after a large and/or heavy meal can actually aid the digestion process. Im serious and not just looking for any way to justify dessert – although this is something I would absolutely do. Regardless, if you think I’m passing up my cheesecake or sticky toffee pud, you can think again. We did opt to share the gooseberry crumble, peach and almond tart with clotted cream and the sticky toffee pudding. My winner was the latter, with the honeycomb ice cream and butterscotch ginving it that little bit of an edge.

Yes, it’s a little bit of a trek from London but we also forget how long it takes us to move across London most of the time. Here, what you pay in cab or train fare you make up in fair prices, large portions and some pretty good pub-style grub.