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Our girl Hannah Tan-Gillies, Pho-connoisseur, and Vietnamese food super fan, sampled PHOMO, London’s most authentic Vietnamese meal kit.

Growing up in an Asian household, food was everything. Food brought people together, food was the source of pride and joy, and sometimes even the occasional loving bickering too.

So, when given the opportunity to try PHOMO, a solo venture, born out of lockdown, by female entrepreneur Daniya Stewart, I jumped at the chance.

Daniya spent 16 years working in London and fell in love with Phở Bo Tái, a classic Vietnamese noodle dish with aromatic bone broth and rice noodles. During lockdown, she couldn’t gain access to her favourite noodle dish, and from that the idea for PHOMO was born.

Eating a PHO in a MO, in the comfort of your own home — genius. Her mission is that you shouldn’t have to live in a big city to eat wonderfully diverse and delicious food – and we couldn’t agree more.

Now to the Pho. PHOMO’s Pho Kits are freshly made with premium ingredients and can be prepared as quickly as ten minutes. We had the beef pho and the prawn pho for two. The kits are delivered every Friday and arrive in a tightly sealed cool box, maintaining its freshness.

The Beef Pho Broth is the undeniable star of the show and offers all the complex aromas and flavours of a traditional Pho broth. PHOMO’s version was brewed for eight hours and is the perfect base for the gluten-free rice noodles. The Beef Pho kit also comes with 28-day rare grass fed dry-aged steak, which is both tender and flavourful.

The Shrimp Pho Kit or Phở tôm could be made with the chicken pho broth or vegan pho broth. (Ours was chicken and was brewed for five hours with fresh herbs) It also comes with a healthy serving of King Prawns and gluten free rice noodles.

Both kits come with all the necessary pho toppings including spring onions, limes, birds eye chilli, coriander, and Thai basil.

So, what’s the verdict? It took me about ten minutes to cook and assemble both Phòs, effortless, yet certainly packs the flavour punch. PHOMO is the perfect meal for a Friday night in, or to drive away any hangovers or Monday blues. So, if you’re’ looking to elevate you

dining-in game, we definitely recommend it.

WWW.PHOMOUK.COM

Brazilian Shrimp Bobo.

Spotify Playlist – WanderSups Tropical Vibes

Serves 4

Shrimp bobo hails from the Bahian state of Brazil, north of the more well known cities of Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo. A creamy fish stew, sometimes likened to a bouillabaisse and nearly identical to the West African dish Ipete. The Bahia region is known for its Afro Brazilian characteristics – a warm, vibrant culture, steeped in history both painful and joyous; and rich in food, music and colour.

During a trip to Brazil that took in many Lapa street parties, many caipirinhas on the beach and all the other fun decadence that the country throws at you, I was in need of respite. I hopped on a boat, hangover in hand and headed for Ilha Grande – an island just off the coast of Rio De Janeiro that can only be described as paradise. Planning to be there for a long weekend, we ended up staying for three weeks. Whilst my friend hiked trails, went surfing, got up for early morning jogs to reset her soul after our Rio experience, I chose the more sensible option, I worked my way through every single white sand beach, complete with Caiprinha – I wasn’t that broken. And with every white sand beach, some of the best seafood I’ve ever eaten.

Brazil is often synonymous with churrascaria (Brazilian bbq) and rightly so, I am yet to taste a cow as good as that of South American soil. But party after party, feasts of feijoada and skewers of prime beef, lunches of rices and beans (I could only afford one protein-heavy meal a day), I needed fish. I needed something light and nourishing, something I would be confident would allow me to get back in the 30c heat without fear of sinking during my hourly cooling off dip.

And so it was, on one afternoon, wandering through the streets* of the island, hunting for my next catch, I was beckoned to sit down at a wooden-fronted restaurant. Taking my seat on the customary plastic chair, complete with plastic table, feet in the sand, I explained to the waiter my plight. I needed something light, no meat, no beans – something from the sea. What would he suggest? He spoke to me about this wonderful dish that hails from his native region, the name alone made me laugh – Bobo – which to this day I can’t say without a cartoon voice. Plump prawns fresh from the sea in a creamy sauce made from coconuts and cassava from the island, I was in. Bring me the shrimp! And so it came, served in a huge coconut shell, with a side of rice (not needed but consumed anyway – love a carb). I have been trying to recreate this recipe for years, never quite landing it but after many, many, maaaaany attempts and a lot of research into some very specific ingredients I’ve bloody done it. This dish will transport you to a tropical island, trust. Ok you might be missing the sun and the sand but it is good. I promise you it’s good.

*Sandy paths flanked with beach bars, wooden huts serving catches of the day and oddly long stray dogs everywhere – apparently a very fertile sausage dog made the island his home and now all the strays have a certain length to them.

What you need :

  • 5 white onions
  • 750g plum tomatoes
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 bunch coriander
  • 500g cassava (you can also use yams or manioc root. These are available in most exotic food shops)
  • 250ml EV Olive oil
  • 750ml coconut milk (cooking variety rather than drinking variety)
  • 500g of the largest prawns you can find, shelled, from sustainable sources.
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tbsp dende oil* (this is an online job but is vital to the dish to give it it’s distinctive colouring and flavour)
  • Salt

*Organic raw cold pressed red palm oil (dende oil) is a sustainably farmed oil from small producers in central America. It is not to be confused with the processed palm kernel oil that is responsible for mass deforestation. The health benefits of this product are huge and it is rapidly becoming as popular as coconut oil. You only need a tiny bit for this recipe but you can use it as you would any other cooking oil and reap the benefits.

How you do it :

  1. Peel and chop the cassava, then boil in water till soft (as you would potatoes). When tender drain and mash.
  2. Whilst the cassava is cooking, chop two of the onions and the green pepper. Deseed and chop 500g of the plum tomatoes.
  3. Chop half the coriander.
  4. Put the cassava, onions, pepper, tomatoes and coriander in a heavy based saucepan. When they start to sizzle, add in the olive oil and 500ml of coconut milk. Stir constantly for about ten minutes until the mixture thickens and it starts to pull away from the base of the pan.
  5. Take off the heat and set aside.
  6. Chop the remaining onions and tomatoes and mince the garlic.
  7. In a separate saucepan, heat a glug of oil and fry the garlic, onions and tomatoes until softened.
  8. Throw in the prawns, remaining coriander and a large pinch of salt.
  9. Keep stirring over a high heat until the prawns begin to take on some colour.
  10. Add in the remaining coconut milk and stir continuously for five minutes.
  11. Add the cassava mix and stir till combined, turn the heat down and allow to simmer for a further five minutes.
  12. Just before taking off the heat, add in the dende oil and stir till combined and the bobo takes on a red colour.
  13. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This Summer let your spirits go wild and enjoy a taste of nature with the most refreshing tipple around, NEW Fresh Citrus Vodka from Wyre Forest-based Wildjac Distillery.

A fresh and zesty vodka distilled with Worcestershire Endeavour hops and Lemon Thyme, this beautiful, hand-crafted spirit boasts bright citrus notes on the nose followed by crisp lemon freshness and coriander warmth on the palate, with an orange, grapefruit and lime finish.

A blend of 12 homegrown and locally foraged botanicals including elderflower, pink grapefruit, eucalyptus and bergamot form this exceptionally smooth citrus English vodka, which is batch distilled at Wildjac’s eco-distillery, located in the heart of the beautiful Wyre Forest in Worcestershire.

As delicious as it is sustainable, Wildjac Fresh Citrus Vodka is hand-bottled within 100% post-consumer recycled glass bottles featuring recycled labels, FSC certified wood stoppers and biodegradable closures. Each bottle also comes with a book of wildflower Seedsticks to encourage people to affect change by supporting their local habitat.

Ideal mixed with soda and garnished with fresh lemon, Wildjac Fresh Citrus Vodka (70cl, 37.5% ABV) is available from Wildjac.co.uk (£29).

Chris Sadler, Co-Founder, Wildjac Distillery said: “We’re delighted to be officially launching our Fresh Citrus Vodka in time for Easter as one of our core range of eco-friendly spirits. Wildjac Distillery has over 150 years’ worth of distilling experience behind it and we’re passionate about sourcing the very highest quality botanicals & spices from our beautiful location in the Wyre Forest.

“We’ve taken great care in ensuring that our Fresh Citrus Vodka impresses with its clean, light, smooth taste and we think it makes the perfect base for spring cocktails, sipped neat over ice or perfectly paired with soda and fresh lemon.”

Hop to it this Easter and mix up one of Wildjac’s signature spring cocktails featuring Fresh Citrus Vodka:

Bee’s Knees

INGREDIENTS:

50ml Wildjac Vodka

50ml Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Honey

50ml Warm Water

METHOD:

  1. In an empty shaker dissolve honey in warm water.
  2. Add vodka, lemon juice and ice cubes.
  3. Shake to combine.
  4. Pour through a strainer into a saucer.
  5. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Razor Sharp

INGREDIENTS:

50ml Wildjac Vodka

25ml Elderflower Liqueur

25ml Lemon Juice

Half a Ruby Grapefruit

Rosemary And Grapefruit slices to serve.

METHOD:

  1. Mix all ingredients and shake well with ice in a cocktail shaker.
  2. Strain over ice and garnish.

A truly sustainable business, Wildjac is part of the 1% For The Planet programme which sees 1% of all sales revenue given back to charities and organisations including the Wyre Forest Community Land Trust, Trees for Cities and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

To discover more about Wildjac Distillery visit www.wildjac.co.uk or follow @wildjacspirits on InstagramTwitter or Facebook.

Now you can enjoy the authentic taste of Japan at home, because Shoryu has launched a new menu of DIY Shoryu Kits. Our girl Hannah Tan-Gillies cancelled her Saturday night plans to try her hand at mastering the art of ramen with Shoryu’s Restaurant Kits – and honestly – it was a lot easier than expected.

Nothing beats a steaming hot bowl of Ramen and Shoryu’s Ramen kits come with everything you need to turn yourself into a socially-distanced ramen master in no time. We sampled the Shoryu Ganso Ramen Kit, which has more than enough noodle goodness for two and will add some Japanese style to your Saturday night meal.

Each DIY kit includes 600ml of Shoryu’s absolutely delicious 12-hour ‘bangin’ Tonkotsu soup stock, two servings of original ramen noodles, Char Siu barbeque pork belly, Beni Shoda red ginger, spring onions and Kikurage mushrooms.

Ramen enthusiasts can also order additional soft boiled nimatago egg, and nori seaweed to add that extra dash of authenticity to your ramen concoction.

The DIY kits are fool-proof and can be assembled in 10 minutes. You start off with mixing the soup stock with some water and putting it to a boil. While this is simmering, you slice and brown the Char siu pork and thinly slice the spring onions and quickly boil the noodles. Once all this is ready, assemble your noodles and enjoy.

While the preparation is quick and easy, the result is absolutely incredible. The soup stock is wonderfully rich and is perfectly balanced with the light wheat noodles. The browned char siu pork belly, mixed with all the trimmings, certainly captures the authenticity and flavours of Shoryu Ramen, and we didn’t even have to leave the house.

There’s nothing better than a delicious breakfast to kickstart the work week, but Breakfast En Bread’s loaded buns certainly take breakfast to new bready heights. Breakfast En Bread has been delighting breakfast lovers since 2014 with is scrumptious loaded bread loaves and now you can order them in for Next-Day Delivery too.

You can get all the loaded bread favourites like The Original, Smokey Salmon, Vegetarian and Vegan or add a splash of bubbles with ‘The Furnace Sparkling Wine Box’ which includes a 750ml bottle of The Wren English Reserve Sparkling Wine.

We sampled the loaded vegan bread loaf, which arrived just in time to perk up our Monday morning breakfast situation. All of Breakfast en Bread’s ingredients are sourced form the best local fishmongers, free-range butchers and seasonal vegetables in the UK.

The new Vegan loaded bread loaf, a totally new addition to the Breakfast en Bread menu for 2021, combines its Gail’s Bakery sourdough lined with kale and overflowing with delicious cannellini beans, smothered in rich passata sauce. Don’t be fooled, because that yellow round thing in the centre of the loaf is certainly not an egg, but instead a preserved lemon adding zest to the hearty bready breakfast concoction.

Oyster mushrooms, slow-roasted banana shallot and a healthy serving of vegan mozzarella finish the loaf, adding plenty of surprise and flavour to your breakfast. We must warn you; you better bring your appetite when ordering one of Breakfast en Bread’s loaves – because they certainly don’t scrimp on the goodness, giving you a bang for your buck.

Because cinnamon buns are sooo 2020…

Salty, sweet, with flaky puff pastry, my savoury equivalent of everyone’s favourite breakfast treat will see you through the tail end of 2020. I’m not going to stress you out by suggesting you make your own puff pastry (if Mary Berry can’t be bothered, then neither can I), a roll of pre-made stuff will do just fine.

Maple Bacon Buns with Cheddar Cheese Frosting

Serves: Anything between 1 and 6 people, depending on how bad your day was

Ingredients:

  • 1 375g pack of Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
  • 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon
  • 4 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted

For the sauce:

  • 115ml milk
  • 15g butter
  • 9g plain flour
  • 55g cheddar cheese, grated
  • Pinch chilli flakes
  • Salt and pepper, to season

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/gas mark 6. Brush a 20cm oblong tin with the melted butter.
  2. Unroll the premade puff pastry and brush with the maple syrup.
  3. Lay the rashers of bacon on top of the pastry so they run parallel with the short side of the pastry sheet. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the pastry into strips (the number of strips depends on the width of the bacon. I generally yield between 6 and 9).
  4. Roll up the pastry and bacon strips and transfer to your baking tin. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the both bacon and pastry and crisp and golden.
  5. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it starts to bubble. Whisk in the butter and flour to form a medium density paste. Add the cheese and chilli flakes, stirring continuously until the thick but spreadable.
  6. Spread the cheese frosting over the warm maple bacon buns and serve immediately.

Spice up your nog this festive season with Apple Pie Gin from That’s the Spirit. A beautiful blend of nine botanicals, including lemon myrtle, ginger and vanilla on a juniper base, this special gin brings notes of sweet apples, buttery pastry and warming cinnamon with every sip.

Apple Pie Nog

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 eggs

4tbsps sugar

570ml whole milk

60ml double cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp nutmeg

Pinch of salt

120ml Apple Pie Gin

Apple slices, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, to serve

Method:

  1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Whisk together the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until smooth and creamy.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and remaining sugar until peaks start to form.
  3. Combine the milk, cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt in a small pan. Gently heat until bubbles start to form.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the egg yolks. Add the Apple Pie Gin.
  5. Fold the egg whites into the nog. Transfer to two mugs and top with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and a grating of nutmeg.

Up your festive dessert game with The Lakes Whisky

An easy dessert with a whisky kick, this white chocolate mousse can be whipped up in less that 2 hours. Using The One Orange Wine Cask Finished Whisky from the Lakes Distillery, the white chocolate is complemented beautifully by the fresh lychee, marmalade and hints of tobacco from the casks of the exceptionally rare aromatised wine, known as ‘Vino de Naranja’ from Huelva in Andalucía.

If you haven’t the time or inclination to make the gingerbread houses, a ginger biscuit for dipping works just as well.

Serves 4-6:

Ingredients:

For the gingerbread

  • 100g dark brown sugar
  • 3tbsp golden syrup
  • 125g unsalted butter
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 350g plain flour
  • 2tsp ground ginger
  • 150g royal icing sugar

For the mousse:

  • 50ml The Lakes Distillery The One Orange Cask Finished Whisky
  • 125g white chocolate, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 leaf of gelatine (soaked in cold water)
  • 300ml double cream

Method:

  1. Start by making a template for your gingerbread houses. Cut out two 3cm by 2cm rectangles for the sides, two 3cm by 3cm squares for the roof panels, and two 2cm by 3cm rectangles for the front and back, snipping the top section into a triangle shape.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper in preparation.
  3. Combine the butter, sugar, and golden syrup in a small saucepan. Gently heat until the butter and sugar have dissolved.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour, ginger, and bicarbonate of soda. Bring the dough together with your hands and roll it out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 6 gingerbread houses and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 7-12 minutes, or until the gingerbread is golden. Leave to cool completely.
  5. Whilst the gingerbread is cooling, melt the white chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.
  6. Remove the bowl from the pan. Replace with a fresh bowl containing the egg and caster sugar. Whisk vigorously until thick and frothy.
  7. Carefully heat the whisky until it starts to steam and the scent fills the kitchen. Whisk in the soaked gelatine.
  8. Add the whisky to the egg mixture, then add the egg mixture to the white chocolate.
  9. Whip the double cream until peaks form. Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream,
  10. Divide the whisky mousse between 6 glasses. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  11. Mix the royal icing sugar with a little water until thick, but pipeable. Use the royal icing to construct and decorate the gingerbread houses. Pop a gingerbread house on top of each mousse, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately.

The Lakes Distillery The One Whisky is limited to 2994 bottles and can be purchased here.

Green, fluffy, and a little bit “extra”, everything you’d expect from The Grinch himself.

Mint, chocolate, candy floss, vodka, gin, ice cream, this cocktail is festive as heck. Using The Lakes Gin, a classic English gin distilled with water from The Lake District National Park, and the ultra smooth, The Lakes Vodka, this glass of green goodness is the perfect after dinner cocktail.

Serves 1:

Ingredients:

  • 300g mint choc chip ice cream
  • 100ml milk
  • 50ml The Lakes Gin
  • 20ml The Lakes Vodka
  • 30g white chocolate
  • Christmas Sprinkles
  • Small tuft of candy floss
  • Candy cane, to serve

Method:

  1. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of barely simmering water.
  2. Remove the bowl from the pan and spoon the chocolate over the edges of your glass. Scatter the Christmas sprinkles over the chocolate and leave to set.
  3. Blitz together the mint ice cream, milk, vodka, and gin. Transfer the mixture to the glass and top with the candy floss and candy cane. Serve immediately.

British food culture is known throughout the world. That has been attributed to the colonialists, missionaries, and settlers who took it with them to the countries to which they went.

Is it known in your country? If yes, then I guess you are familiar with the legendary full English breakfast. Maybe you keep hearing those supposed “well-travelled” folks bragging about it, but you have no clue about it. At least that’s the case for many individuals, from where I come.

If that’s right, I would encourage you to read this post to not only know what the full English breakfast is all about but also to learn how to make it using everyday kitchen ingredients. By the way, you can conveniently source these ingredients online at Sun Basket, Hello Fresh, or Home Chef where they will come as a meal kit.

What Is Full English Breakfast?

It’s a traditional breakfast for the English people, which is made up of baked beans, bacon, eggs, sausage, tomato, black pudding(a black sausage consisting of suet, pork, and fried pig’s blood), and mushrooms. Typically served in the United Kingdom and Ireland, this hearty meal goes well with a beverage like tea or coffee. It is yummy, filling, and loaded with amazing health benefits.

Source: iamafoodblog.com

A Full English Breakfast Recipe That Yields 2 Servings

This recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Plus, it requires only 10 everyday ingredients, some of which you probably have in the kitchen. You can conveniently order those that you don’t have at Sun Basket. By the way, SB is closely comparable to Home Chef, and Hello Fresh. You might want to read this post to know more about it. Some of the things you’ll learn by reading it include; how the meal delivery service works, what’s in their various boxes, the menu and meal options they offer, their pricing structure, and how their delivery system works. Other things include the nature of the company’s customer support, how to cancel a plan, as well as the good and the bad of the company.

What You Will Need

i. A source of power.

ii. A cooker.

iii. Three pans of different sizes: two small-size and one medium-size.

iv. A baking dish.

v. A knife.

vi. A chopping board.

vii. A cooking stick.

viii. A butter knife.

ix. A large food tray.

xi. A watch.

xii. A toaster.

Ingredients

i. 1 tin(440g) baked beans.

ii. 2 large eggs.

iii. 4 pork sausages.

iv. 3 tbsp. butter plus more for your bread toasting needs.

v. 2 tomatoes.

vi. 220g mushrooms.

vii. 4 rashers bacon.

viii. 4 slices brown or any bread of your choice.

ix. A bunch of parsley.

x. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Directions

i. Start by washing and chopping your fresh, green parsley, using the knife and chopping board.

ii. Next, making sure the cooker is plugged in, switch the wall socket on.

iii. Now, turn on the appliance and preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F.

iv. After that, ignite your cooker, setting the heat to medium.

v. Thereafter, place the pan over the heat, wetting its surface with 2 tablespoons of butter.

vi. Once you see smoke starting to come out of your butter,it’s time to brown the sausages on every side before cooking them for about five minutes.

vi. Then, place the cooked sausages in the baking dish and bake them for about 10 minutes in the oven.

vi. Next, gently score a cross into the bottom of each tomato, using the knife and chopping board.

vii. Thereafter, place the scored tomatoes in the baking tray together with the sausages, cross side up.

viii. Now, bake the tomatoes and the sausages for about 10 minutes, after which turn the heat off, leaving them inside the oven so that they don’t become cold.

ix. Meanwhile, ignite the cooker again, setting the heat to medium.

x. Now, melt a tablespoon of butter, then fry mushrooms and bacon over the heat for about seven minutes, in the same frying pan you used to cook your sausages.

xi. Once the bacon is crispy and the mushrooms have softened, remove the recipe from heat, transferring it to the oven so that it remains warm.

xii. Next, add the beans to the small-size saucepan and warm over medium heat, making sure to stir often.

xiii. Thereafter, add one tablespoon of batter to the separate, small-size saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot enough.

xiv. Then, break and fry the eggs gently, making sure that the yolk does not break.

xv. Now, spread some butter over the sides of your bread slices toast and toast them, using the toasting machine.

xvi. After that, arrange all the foods you’ve cooked i.e the sausages, beans, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, fried egg, and toasted slices of bread on the tray, seasoning them with salt and pepper.

xvii. Finally, serve with tea, coffee, or any other beverage of your choice.

The Nutritional Value of the Full English Breakfast

It goes without saying that the full English breakfast is highly nutritious, providing a high nutritional value, thanks to its combination of ingredients that are rich in some very high-quality nutrients. Having said that, here’s the value of nutrients you’ll get per single serving:

i. Protein–37grams.

ii. Carbohydrates–37 grams.

iii. Dietary fiber–5 grams.

iv. Fat–37 grams.

v. Sugars–21 grams.

vi. Saturates–11 grams.

Final Thoughts

The full English continental breakfast is fancied across the world. Maybe that’s because of its delicious, nutritious, filling, and low-calorie nature. By the way, a serving contains just 618 calories. Consisting of baked beans, eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, bread, and vegetables, it’s a complete breakfast just as its name suggests. That’s all I had to share with you about the traditional English breakfast. The next time somebody brags to you about it, shut them down by letting them know that you actually know how to cook it. With nothing more to add, good luck with the recipe.