Recipes: Life on the veg

Karen Neville

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Contents:
Nutrition basics
Budget Tips
Base shops
Example menu
Recipes

Lelita Baldock is a web-developer by day, fiction author by night. Part-time nutritionist, full-time foodie. She says: “I love food. But I am also very busy. So for me, healthy, satisfying meals that are quick and easy to prepare, that also come in on a tight budget are essential” Follow her tips & recipes here

It’s the new year, a time of renewal, resolutions and looking forward to the future. And if you are anything like me, a time to focus on healthy choices. The festive season is delightful, but it can often come with over-indulgence. And that’s all part of the fun. But by January our bodies can be crying out for simpler, more nourishing meals.

Luckily for us in the UK, January is also a time of hearty, healthy seasonal produce: think root vegetables and leafy greens. Perfect food to nourish our bodies and come in on a budget too.

The cost of living has been rising, and many of us are feeling the pinch. So it is natural that we are looking for savings everywhere, including on our grocery bill.

But budget doesn’t mean meals can’t be delicious too!

To help us all incorporate healthy, nourishing meals into our routine, while also being budget conscious, I have put together a series of tips and recipes to guide your choices. And have fun with food!

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Nutrition basics

Let’s start with the basics of nutrition. We all know we want to be eating a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. This baseline ensures our intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Also fruits and vegetables are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Low in calories, high in nutrition. The perfect bang for your buck!

So, the first focus is to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables.
Add berries or chopped fruit to breakfast cereals or toast.
Add spinach or kale to smoothies.
Include vegetables with lunch and dinner.

And my biggest tip? Include a serve of beans/pulses everyday. Beans are a nutrition powerhouse. Packed with fibre and plant-based protein, they are filling and great for digestion. Including them is easy. Spread hummus on wraps or sandwiches, add lentils to soups and stews, mix white beans into salads.

Aim for 30 different plants a week. Time and time again, research is showing the importance of fibre and consuming a variety or different plants. The fibre and variety supports the development of a healthy microbiome. Don’t get hung up though, 30 is just a positive goal.

Other tips to round out your nutrition basics are:

Enjoy dairy twice a day. Top porridge with yogurt, snack on a slice of cheese, add milk to coffee and tea. If you are plant-based or doing veganuary, swap your animal products for plant alternatives, just be sure to choose calcium fortified options (see more veganuary tips below).
Base each meal on whole grains or starches. Grains and starches are rich sources of soluble fibre, that type of fibre that adds bulk to our stool and helps waste move smoothly through our digestive tract. Full of nutrition and filling, these foods should form the base of each meal.
Snack on fruit, dairy or nuts. An easy way to reach your five a day.
Keep red meat to a maximum of two serves per week. Red meat is a great source of iron and protein, but we don’t need huge quantities. Enjoy up to twice a week.
Enjoy fish. Fish is a lean, healthy protein that also boosts our intake of healthy omega 3 fats. Aim for two serves per week.

So how do we keep to a budget?

With the rising cost of living many of us are looking to save where we can. And our food budget is a great place to look for bargains.

Healthy eating does not have to be expensive. Here are some tips to fill your plate with nourishing food at a low price.

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Budget Tips:

Buy in season
Use what you have: stew, soup, roast veggies – don’t let anything go to waste, it can all be made into a meal
Use fresh first so thing’s don’t go off
Add bulk: cabbage, kale, spinach will add nutrition and satiety to meals for low cost
Halve meat and add beans/ pulses to make it go further
Cook in bulk
Buy in bulk. Purchase large bags of staples like rice/pasta/potatoes. If you have time to prep them, choose dried beans/ pulses and soak, rinse and cook. With meat/poultry/fish buy large amounts when on special and portion and freeze
Focus on starches. Cheap and filling
Use herbs and spices for flavour, rather than buying packaged food
Buy the fruit that is on sale. If apples are 6 for £1, buy apples, if oranges are on special, buy oranges
Purchase essentials then add extras according to budget: fresh herbs, out of season veg (eg salad items for sandwiches/ wraps)

So what’s in season in January?

Think hearty roots and filling greens:
Potato
Swede
Parsnip
Carrot
Beetroot (can cook and eat leaves too!)
Cabbage
Kale
Onion
Leek

Another budget tip is to include frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen is great. Produce is snap-frozen as soon as possible after picking, which ensures that the nutrients are kept. You can buy frozen food at a lower cost and in bulk to save money. Great for fruit and meal bulking veggies.

Putting it all together

As an example, I have created a 2 week meal plan that will provide all your nutritional needs, with all meals coming in at under 30p per serve (most even less).

This menu is what I call a ‘base shop’. It is a plant-based menu that will cover all your nutritional needs, for around 30 pounds.

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Base shop

Potatoes x6
Carrots x4
Parsnip
Swede
Pumpkin
Cabbage
Onion
Leek x2
Avocado (if you enjoy them, buy the large bags much better value)
Apples x3
Pears x3
Frozen mixed berries
Frozen peas
Frozen ratatouille mix
Frozen spinach
Peanut butter
Bread mix
Canned tomatoes x2
Canned chickpeas x2
Canned cannellini beans x2
Canned red kidney
Canned lentils
Basmati rice
Porridge oats
Pasta
Almond milk (traditional milk is fine, this is just personal preference)

You can take this base menu and then add meat and dairy as per your taste, preference and budget. To keep the cost of these additional lower, go for bulk:

Dairy

Buy litre tubs of yogurt for breakfast topping and snacks
Choose large cheese blocks for sandwiches and grated on meals

Meat/ fish/ poultry

Halve your meat portion and mix with beans/pulses to make it go further
Look for bargains, choose cheaper options such as: beef chunk, chicken drumsticks, fish pie mix

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Example fortnight menu

All meals are quick and easy to make, simply peal, wash and chop the produce, put it in a pot, cover with water and cook. All can be cooked in a slow cooker or on a stove top. You can sauté or fry the onion first if desired. But I am a lazy cook, so I just put it all into a pot and cook!

All herbs are optional. Fresh or dried is fine. Add according to preference and availability

Breakfasts:

Oats, berries, linseed
Toast peanut butter apple slices

Lunches:

Leftovers
Sandwich topped with bean spread and lettuce/ grated carrot/ spinach/ tomato/ cucumber
Soup – I have chosen pumpkin, leek and white bean soup

Dinners:

Pumpkin, pea, spinach, thyme risotto
White bean, carrot, onion (sage optional) stew over baked spud
Slow-cooker root stew (beef optional)
Ratatouille and lentil pasta
Shepards pie with lentils carrots, peas, onion (mince optional)
Cabbage and red lentil dahl over rice (fish optional)
Chickpea, spinach, tomato stew over rice or pasta (chicken optional)

Other budget meal ideas:

Muesli and milk/ yogurt
Corn and potato chowder with peppers
Goan fish curry
Fish pie
Beef stew
Pea and ham soup
Tuna and corn in baked spud
Baked beans on toast with cheese
Potato and spinach pie
Sardines on toast with spinach and tomato slices
Chicken drumsticks with rice and steamed veggies (great in air-fryer)
Red lentil, chickpea, can tomatoes, onion, pepper and chipotle
Red lentil, grated carrot, onion, gammon soup
Peas, onion, bacon soup
Salmon, pea, spinach risotto with fresh dill

Time-saving tips:

I like to bulk cook on the weekend, portion and freeze. Great time saver.

I will cook up the following on a Sunday to enjoy through the week:

Soup for lunches
Bean spread (e.g. hummus) for sandwiches/ wraps
Stew for dinner
Pasta sauce to top pasta or baked potatoes
Curry to top rice
A bake/ pie

Some Veganuary swaps for healthy plant-based eating

Veganuary is a fun way to focus on getting more plants on your plate, and do something for the environment and animals. If you are vegan, or looking to eat more plant-based, here are some tips to ensure you are still getting all the nutrition you need:

Plant-based swaps:

Beef – lentils
Chicken – chickpeas/ tofu
Fish – white beans
Milk – oat milk
Iron – eat plant foods rich in iron with foods high in vitamin c, this helps iron absorption
Calcium – fortified plant milks such as almond, oat, soy
If you eat vegan long term, add in a high quality vitamin b12 supplement

Whole grain swaps

It is not essential to choose whole grain options. If you are getting a variety of fruits and veggies you will cover your fibre needs. But whole grains are more nutritious and higher in fibre than their more processed equivalents. Experiment and find some you like.

Bread – grainy/ whole grain bread
White rice – brown rice
Pasta – whole grain pasta/ bean based pasta
White wraps – corn tortillas

Herbs and spices

Herbs and spices add flavour and variety to your meals. The initial cost to purchase them can be high, but a little goes a long way. They will last you for many meals. My tip would be to stock up your spices over time, purchasing something new each week as you build up your selection.

The essentials I swear by for versatility and taste are:

Dried thyme
Paprika
Cumin

From just these three options alone you can create all manner of Mexican, Indian and European dishes.

Condiments

Mustard – a little goes a long way
Mayo – buy in bulk for dressings
Ketchup – if you like
Hot sauce – great for extra flavour and affordable

By focusing on eating a variety of in season fruits and vegetables, basing meals on grains and starches and adding small portions of meat/ fish/ poultry and dairy, you can build a tasty, health-promoting meal plan that is also affordable.

Experiment with different recipes, use what you have, and most of all, enjoy your food!

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Recipes

Breakfast Oats

Serves 3-4

· 1 cup rolled oats
· 2 cups milk
· 2 cups mixed fruit of choice
· Yogurt for topping

Place oats and milk in saucepan. Heat until oats are soft.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and portion of fruit.

Breakfast fruit toast

Serves 1

· 2 slices whole wheat toast
· 2 teaspoons peanut butter
· 1 banana

Toast bread.
Spread with peanut butter. Top with chopped banana
(Tip: experiment with different nut butters and fruit combinations. I love almond butter and blueberries)

Bean-spread open sandwich

Serves 2

· 4 slices whole grain bread
· 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 avocado
· 1 cup salad vegetables of choice, eg chopped tomato, cucumber, lettuce, spinach

Place beans and avocado in a bowl. Mash together until mixed like a chunky spread
Toast bread. Top with bean spread and salad vegetables. enjoy.

Pumpkin and white bean soup

Serves 4-6

· 1 whole pumpkin (technically out of season, but always a cheap staple at the supermarket)
· 1 can cannellini beans – drained and well rinsed
· 1 leek – green part discarded. Washed and chopped
· 1 litre chicken stock or water and salt to taste
· Dried thyme

Chop pumpkin and leek. Add all ingredients into a saucepan. Cover with chicken stock.
Cook until pumpkin is soft. Allow to cool. Blend with stick blender. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
Serve warm with thick slice of whole grain toast.

Pumpkin, pea, spinach, thyme risotto

Serves 4-6

·  1 cup basmati rice
·  1 cup chopped pumpkin
·  4 rounds of frozen spinach (or 2 cups fresh)
·  1 brown onion, finely chopped
·  1 cup frozen green peas
·  2 cups chicken stock, or water and salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until rice is cooked and vegetables are soft. Serve warm. Optional – top with grated cheese

Slow-cooker root stew

Serves 6-8

· 1 swede
· 2 potatoes
· 2 carrots
· 2 celery stalks
· 1 brown onion
· 1 parsnip
· 200 grams chunk beef (optional)
· Chicken stock to cover
· Black pepper to taste

Peal and chop all vegetables into large chunks. Place in a saucepan with beef if using. Cover with stock and cook on medium to low heat until cooked.
Serve warm.

White bean, carrot, onion (sage optional) stew over baked spud

Serves 3-4

· 1 can white beans, drained and well-rinsed
·  2 carrots
·  2 stalks celery
·  1 brown onion
·  4 sage leaves, chopped finely
· 1 potato per person

Peal and chop carrot, celery and onion. Place in a saucepan with white beans. Add chopped sage. Cover with water. Cook on medium heat until all vegetables are soft.
While cooking, wrap potatoes in foil and bake in the oven until soft.
Serve potatoes cut open with bean mix as filling. Optional – sprinkle with grated cheese.

Ratatouille and lentil pasta

Serves 4-6

· 1 packet of mixed Mediterranean vegetable: eg. courgettes, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes
· 1 can lentils, drained and well rinsed
·  Chicken stock
·  Pasta for number of people you are feeding

Place vegetable mix and beans in a saucepan. Cover with chicken stock. Cook until soft and soupy.
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
Serve vegetable mix over pasta. Optional – add a sprinkle of grated cheese

Shepards pie with lentils carrots, peas, onion (mince optional)

Serves 6-8

· 1 can lentils, drained and well rinsed
· 1 cup frozen pea
· 2 carrots, pealed and chopped
· 1 can chopped tomatoes
· 4 rounds frozen spinach
· 250 grams lean beef mince (optional)
· 2 large potatoes
· 1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)

Place all ingredients except potato into a pot. Cover with water and cook until vegetables are just soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While cooking. Boil and then mash potatoes.
Pour vegetable and beef mix into a baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with grated cheese (optional).
Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for around 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Serve hot.

Cabbage and red lentil dahl over rice (fish optional)

Serves 3-4

· 1/2 green cabbage, washed and chopped
· 1 cup dried red lentils
· 1 carrot grated
· 250 grams fish pie mix
· 1 can diced tomatoes
· 1 cup water
· 2 teaspoons curry powder (or, if you have them, a teaspoon each of: turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes)
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Rice for each person

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until lentils are soft.
Cook rice according to package instructions
Serve over a portion of rice
Top with fresh herbs like coriander (optional)

Chickpea, spinach, tomato stew over rice or pasta (chicken optional)

Serves 3-4

· 1 can chickpeas, drained and well rinsed
· 4 rounds frozen spinach
· 1 can diced tomatoes
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 250 grams chicken thighs, diced (optional)

Rice or pasta for number of people
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until soft.
Cook rice or pasta according to package instructions
Serve vegetables over rice or pasta

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Star Q&A: Zoe Lyons

Round & About

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Comedian Zoe Lyons shares her thoughts ahead of her Bald Ambition live comedy tour which visits Aldershot, Banbury, Farnham, Salisbury, Maidenhead & more

Q. How are you?
“Very well thanks. Life is a very pleasant mixture of work and fun so all is well in my world.”

Q. I read your funny quotes about a ‘midlife crisis’…
“Well I had an absolute cracker of a midlife crisis during the pandemic. I turned 50, hit the menopause and bought a sports car, among other things. It was a tricky time but because there was a backdrop of global chaos I managed to hide it quite well. But in this challenging time, there were also a lot of funny moments. And surely the best thing about being a comedian is we can turn personal difficulties into a new show! It’s cathartic to laugh in the face of adversities.”

Q. Who was your comedic inspiration growing up?
“It was always Billy Connolly as a kid. We’d get his videos at Christmas, watch as a family and howl laughing. I remember watching my mum, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks.”

Q. Did you enjoy school?
“I was taught by nuns at my first school in Ireland. I’m afraid I wasn’t a big fan of school, I think largely because I didn’t like reading, especially aloud in class. I found it hard and I was always slightly embarrassed. We moved around quite a bit to and that made things difficult. I went to high school in Glasgow. There I found a love for geography and my teacher Mr Knowles made it so interesting and fun. I can’t look at a U-shaped valley even now without thinking…ahh glacial erosion. Funny what stays with you.”

Q. Loving your bold look… How are you coping with the alopecia?
“The alopecia was another symptom of my midlife blip. It was quite shocking to watch my hair all fall out over the course of the year. Pleased to say it has started to sprout back. I’m currently going through my dodgy growing-out phase… some patches, tufts and some longer bits. I need to get the tour done before it all grows back!”

Q. Who would be your dream dinner party guests?
“Grace Jones, Billy Connolly and David Sedaris… I think it will be a fun night and I know Grace will end up dancing on the table.”

Q. Do you have anything on your rider?
“I need to up my ‘diva’ game. I have such a basic rider; water and a mirror and I’ll be honest I don’t always use the mirror! I try and eat well on tour but sometimes a girl’s just got to have a burger on the road… and fries….and milkshake… and maybe another burger.”

Q. Who is your favourite author?
“George Orwell. When I finally started enjoying reading, Animal Farm changed everything for me.”

Q. What new year resolutions or perhaps cool things or goals do you have planned for this year..?
“I don’t do resolutions. But I do want to keep up my fitness. My goal is to run another sub-two hours half marathon and complete a 100k challenge in 17 hours. I want to carry on enjoying my work. And of course growing a luscious head of hair.”

To find tickets to Zoe’s show click here

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All That Glitters at Quaglino’s

Round & About

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Quaglino’s, the iconic restaurant in the heart of St James’s, has created a delicious menu specially for Christmas Day, as well as an all-day swing extravaganza for New Year’s Eve.

Where better to celebrate the festive season than the first restaurant the late HM Queen Elizabeth ll ever visited? The historic and stylish vibe is the perfect backdrop to enjoy contemporary European cuisine, vibrant cocktails, champagne and live entertainment.  

Christmas Day

Guests will revel the season spirit in a relaxed manner and glamorous style, feasting on four courses (£150pp) whilst listening to the sounds of live music from the wonderful String Infusion from 12pm – 8pm. The lavish meal begins with starters such as Wild mushroom tortelloni, winter truffle, aged parmesan or Duck liver parfait, clementine, candied walnuts, toasted brioche. Sumptuous mains includes dishes such as the classic Roasted bronze turkey breast, venison sausage roll, pigs in blankets, potato fondant, cranberry & red wine jus or Gnocchi, roasted Delicata pumpkin, oyster mushrooms, kale crisps. Desserts include delicate crowd pleasers such as Christmas pudding, hot butter rum sauce, redcurrants and Chocolate, raspberry & pistachio. This comes to a satisfying conclusion with a seasonal mince pie.  

New Year’s Eve:

See out 2022 with an all day swing extravaganza in the heart of London’s West End, with the theme of ‘All That Glitters Is Gold.” Live entertainment starts with the swing brunch at 12pm, followed by early dinner seatings from 6:30pm (£150pp) or there’s the option to choose the late dinner seatings (£280pp), meaning guests can keep their tables right up until 3am. Britain’s Got Talent winner’s Jack Pack will create a memorable atmosphere to welcome in the new year before a DJ sees the evening off. Guests can raise a glass of champagne, carefully curated cocktails and dance the night away with the incredible acts on the grand stage.

Quaglino’s, is the ideal place to indulge in contemporary European food, legendary cocktails and live music. Founded in 1929 by Giovanni Quaglino, the iconic restaurant became famous for its fashionably late supper followed by music and dancing. In addition to Quaglino’s own charm and grace, the venue struck exactly the tone which glamorous society favoured. Some of the restaurant’s most famous visitors include The Queen in 1956 as well as a number of royals, including Princess Margaret, who enjoyed a permanently reserved table. Quaglino’s was the first public restaurant the late HM Queen Elizabeth ll visited after her coronation in 1952 and this made it the first public restaurant a reigning monarch had ever eaten in. 

After Quaglino’s retirement, the restaurant was opened in 1993 by Conran Restaurant, once again creating excitement amongst Royals and celebrities alike. It is even rumoured that Princess Diana was known to sneak through the kitchen to access her table unseen by paparazzi.

in 2014, Quaglino’s relaunched again, now as part of D&D London, with a brand-new look and glittering stage. The venue’s famous staircase remains, making one’s entrance to the restaurant a truly glamorous affair and the rest of the interior is brimming with elegance, boasting mirrored walls, black and gold décor and a grand bar in the centre of the space. With its iconic history and unique dining experience, Quaglino’s maintains its reputation as the ultimate evening hotspot. With entertainment seven nights a week, the venue is always alive with conversation and live music.

The European menu offers exciting, vibrant dishes and much-loved classics using seasonal ingredients. Complementing the live music and a decadent dining experience, the talented bar team at Quaglino’s offer a new depth to the drinking experience and have a created an innovative list of cocktails that reflect the style and elegance of the venue.

To book please email [email protected] or call 020 7930 6767.

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Tom Kerridge’s Full Time Meals Christmas

Karen Neville

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Michelin-starred chef’s festive meal for the same price as the average school lunch in the UK

Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge has created a festive Full Time Meals Christmas recipe for four with plenty of Boxing day leftovers for under £10.

Tom’s Turkey Meatloaf Tray Bake uses turkey mince, sausage meat and stuffing to create a tasty festive treat alongside roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts and Savoy cabbage topped with a rich gravy and all for just £9.88.

Follow Tom’s step-by-step guide on how to create this dish on Full Time Meals.

Tom and The Food Foundation, supported by Bloomsbury Publishing, are highlighting the situation of more than 800,000 schoolchildren who slip through the eligibility net and go hungry at school. These children do not meet the Free School Meals criteria despite household income being so low they are classed as living in poverty.

He has produced the tasty meal for £2.47 – the average price of a hot meal.

He says: “No child should be hungry at school. I wanted to highlight this critical situation the best way I know how – with food, so I created a Full Time Christmas meal for the same price as an average school lunch in the UK. Christmas is a stark reminder to look after each other, and it shouldn’t be just over the festive period, it should be all the time.

“No child should be hungry at school”

“There are kids going to school with empty lunch boxes, hiding from the dining room because they are so embarrassed. It’s a national crisis and truly a heart-breaking one, that the Government can change. So, I am asking the Great British Public to write to your MP to ask for a change in policy, we need to make our voices heard, for our children, and make it clear that enough is enough.”

The Full Time Meals campaign supports FareShare, the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste. The average cost of a school meal is £2.47 – that’s less than the price of a high street coffee. Please help by making a donation – just £5 will cover the cost of two school meals. A donation of £12.34 could help buy a week’s worth of school meals for a hungry child.

To donate £5, simply text 5FULL to 70580. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network message. To donate £12.34, or whatever you can afford, head over to fareshare.org.uk/fulltime

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Fantastic festive fizz worth a pop!

Round & About

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Round & About’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett gives his top ten choices for bubbles at this most wonderful time of the year

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” So the song goes, and while I wholeheartedly agree with Andy Williams on this, I do wonder if our reasons for thinking so are the same. For while he seemed focused on marshmallows toasting and kids “jingle belling” (1963’s equivalent of TikTok?), for me it’s all about the fizz.

The festive season gives me the excuse (like I need one!) to indulge my passion for sparkling wines. When I first started taking a serious interest in wine, this meant champagne. While there were non-French sparkling wines out there most were either brilliant but expensive (Californian), lovely but hard to find (New Zealand), or affordable, available, and avoidable at all costs (Lambrusco).

“The festive season gives me the excuse (like I need one!) to indulge my passion for sparkling wines.”

Roll forward 30 years, and the world of fizz is a better place. From Spain to South Africa, Australia to England, the US to France (yes, I was surprised) great, affordable sparkling wines now abound.

So, in my final column of 2022 for Round & About, I’ll run down my top ten festive fizzes, wines that are bound to put some sparkle in to your Christmas.

10. Tesco Rosé Cava – at the time of writing (and until mid-December if my inside source, OK our delivery driver) is to be believed, the Clubcard price and 25% off any six wines makes this £4.50 a bottle. At such a price I’m prepared to forgive the fact that this should be called “rosado” rather than rosé. Pedantry aside, this is an excellent bottle of affordable fizz. Pale pink, the nose offers red cherries, raspberry sherbet, and earth. On the palate its fresh, with strawberries leading the charge, quickly followed by cherries, boiled sweets and just a hint of salinity. Great fun, and amazing value.

9. Champagne Bruno Paillard “Dosage Zero” MV (Multi-Vintage) (Hedonism Wines £49.80) A wine I came to late in the year, from a producer I fell for early in my career. Bruno Paillard is an exceptional champagne house, one that has consistently wowed me with the quality of their wines, and their willingness to innovate.

The “Dosage Zero” element refers to the fact that this wine doesn’t receive a shot of sugar before bottling, which is the case for almost all champagnes. This is a bold move as dosage can balance out a wine and add creaminess to the mouthfeel. Paillard have achieved a similar effect by using 50% reserve wines from previous years, and by giving it extended ageing of three-to-four years prior to release.

The result is a striking, fascinatingly complex wine with a style that is all its own. The nose is piercing and intense, with notes of white berries, citrus, and yeast. The palate is at first clean, and lively, but soon a creaminess joins the pear, grape, grapefruit, and chalky tones, so that by the time the finish hits you get a taste of brioche with lime marmalade. Bravo, Bruno!

8. The Wine Society’s Celebration Cremant de Loire 2019 (£12.95) – a vintage fizz for under £20, yes please. Cremant de Loire is one of the world’s oldest sparkling wines and is traditionally made from Chenin Blanc, though a proportion of Chardonnay is also often included these days. Cremant’s have slightly less C02 than Champagne, and this and the choice of grapes can give them a richer, more luxurious mouthfeel. Produced by leading producer Gratien Meyer, the bouquet is complex and subtle, with notes of yellow plums, apples, and honeysuckle. In the mouth it’s well-fruited, but elegant and stylish, the white fruits balanced by a clean acidity and a ripe note of yeast.

7. CVNE Cava (Majestic £9.99 when you buy any six wines) – CVNE is one of my favourite producers. They make a huge range of wines including the Rioja Reserva (Sainsbury’s £12), which is never out of my cellar, up to world-class fine wines such as the Contino Viña del Olivo (Waitrose £66) a wine I would urge any lover of Rioja to try. Their Cava is a new wine, to me, and it didn’t disappoint. Rich, creamy, and full of autumn fruits, there’s serious depth and complexity on show here, with highlights of citrus and white currant, balanced by honey and yeast. Another class act from CVNE.

6. Balfour Hush Heath Estate 2018 Blanc de Blancs – English sparkling wine has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame, and is now rightly said to rival the world’s best. I’ve enjoyed several excellent examples this year, and many have come from Balfour. We toasted the Jubilee with a bottle of their joyous Hush Heath Estate Rosé (Waitrose £33.99 on offer, down from £39.99), and two of their wines make this list.

The Hush Heath Estate 2018 Blanc de Blancs (Balfourwinery.com £45) is a serious, refined, elegant wine. The citrusy nose is tinted with coconut and lime leaves, while the palate offers apples, melon, biscuity yeast, and touch of peachy ripeness on the finish.

5. Balfour Hush Heath Estate 2018 Blanc de Noirs (Balfourwinery.com £45) provided a fascinating contrast. Still young, I let this breathe for a couple of hours, and it opened with a shot of pure raspberry fruit before robust tones of brambles, red apples, minerals and pears come through. This impressive wine will age well, I suspect, though it’s hard to resist now, and would be glorious with smoked salmon.

If you feel like pushing the boat out, Balfour have just released their Archive Collection 2008 (Balfourwinery.com £120). Showing the remarkable ageing potential of English fizz, it’s on my must-taste list for 2023.

4. Taittinger 2015 (John Lewis £60) – my second champagne is an absolute pearl of a wine, 2015 was an exceptional vintage and Taittinger have taken full advantage of this. Typically stylish, the nose combines grapes, white flowers, peaches and yeast. In the mouth flavours of white berries, peach stones, black grapes, vanilla, and minerals effortlessly flow together, to give a silken, seamless experience. It’s a beautiful wine, one the despite its delicacy has the capacity to age and develop.

3. Gosset Grande Reserve (Waitrose £50) – there are many wonderful things about Gosset’s wines. They are made to exacting standards in the pursuit of perfection, they are stylish, strikingly powerful and intense, yet have such charm. The Grande Reserve is incredibly precise, the nose wonderfully delineated with notes of red berries, citrus, yeast, and dried pears. On the palate it seizes your attention with an intense attack of red and white berries, followed by rich, creamy tones of peaches, vanilla, mirabelles and minerals. Try this with smoked fish and white meats.

2. Graham Beck Vintage Rosé – I’ve been an admirer of Graham Beck’s wines for decades. The Graham Beck Brut (Majestic £11.99) has been our house fizz for years and yet every time I open a bottle I exclaim “Such a good wine.”

The vintage rosé takes their efforts to a whole new level. This is a sublime, a fizz that’s fit to grace anyone’s festive table. Deep pink with amber highlights, the nose is a blend of strawberries, cherries, and a hint of minty citrus. The palate is broad, rich, and offers a range of red berries, cherries, lime, and orange zest. The best value rosé sparkler in the UK? Probably.

1. Taittinger Prelude (John Lewis £55) – and so we come to not only my wine of choice for Christmas, but my wine of the year. I had this for the first time in 2020 and I’ve used any excuse to open a bottle since. Made from grapes from Grand Cru vineyards and given a luxurious six years of bottle ageing (double the usual amount for a non-vintage wine), this is a remarkable wine. The nose is a mellow mix of yellow skinned fruits suffused with vanilla, and a lovely savoury tone. The palate is succulent, packed with fruit and has Taittinger’s signature peaches in syrup tone to finish. This is a wine that fascinates and delights in equal measure, and will certainly make for a happy Christmas in my house.

Well, that’s it for 2022 from me. I hope you will try some of these wines and that you will have a fine Christmas.

All together now, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…

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The Crown, Church Enstone, December delights

Round & About

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You’re sure of a friendly welcome & fantastic food at The Crown in Church Enstone which has lots of December delights on the menu…

This year the news has been mainly doom gloom, debt and rising prices. But the good news is that nothing feels as though it’s in short supply at The Crown in Church Enstone.

From the moment you step inside the flagstone bar you feel your shoulders dropping, especially once you’ve cosied yourself up next to the roaring fire with a perfectly mixed cocktail in your hand.

There are many easy excuses you can make for making a night of it and booking into one of the five lavishly appointed rooms (from £130 a night on a B&B basis). For one thing, the hearty breakfast served up by the friendly team are legendary, with Cacklebean eggs (any way you like) given a starring role, as well as incredible local sausages and bacon. As this pretty Cotswold village is perfect walking territory, a breakfast like this is the perfect fuel for a stroll across the fields to Soho Farm House at Great Tew.

The Crown, a picture-perfect honey-hued pub dating back to the 17th century, is as charming and gorgeous as a tourist’s dream but it’s been lavished in modern luxury, with all mod cons and stunning details. It it now under the new ownership of Matt and Kate Beamish, who also run the two acclaimed dining pubs with rooms The Kingham Plough and The Hare at Milton-under-Wychwood.

As you’d expect from these gastro geniuses The Crown’s food offering is top-notch, featuring a monthly changing seasonal and locally sourced a la carte menu offering modern British dishes with innovate twists and re-imagined pub classics.

To whet your appetite, here are some of the December delights from the menu… How about a starter of oysters with apple and horseradish dressing (healthy and punchy) or else chicken liver parfait, cranberry, fig marmalade, with chef Mark’s brioche?

If you can tear yourself away from the very tempting rib-eye steak (with peppercorn, red wine or chimichurri sauce) other main course specials for this month include turkey pie with mash, greens and red wine jus or else, a rare vegetarian treat, beetroot wellington with chestnut puree, greens.

Pudding fans… The desserts are too tempting, so here’s a head start to mull over. French lemon tart with meringue; Christmas pudding with brandy sauce; chocolate tart with double cream; sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce & vanilla ice cream; Greek yoghurt with white chocolate ganache, passionfruit pulp; Baked Alaska; affogato with vanilla ice cream & espresso; Black bomber mature cheddar, house chutney, Membrillo & crackers; chocolate, vanilla, mint choc chip, or pistachio ice cream or mango, lemon or raspberry sorbet.

I’ll leave that conundrum with you.. Or maybe make a few return trips?

Please visit crowninnenstone.co.uk

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Leftfield thrill fans with collaborative album

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Electronic and dancefloor pioneers Leftfield have delivered fans an early Christmas present with their new album This Is What We Do, out now

Just when we all needed a burst of energy, Leftfield’s new album This Is What We Do has delivered this with bells on.

Neil Barnes and Paul Daley joined forces to create Leftfield more than three decades ago. Now led by Neil, Leftfield remain at the cutting edge of music. This is their fourth studio album and taps into the much-needed themes of connection, love, acceptance, diversity and healing.

You’ve probably heard the new single, Full Way Round, starring Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten with a spoken-word verse over banging beats and a poignant twist.

The other 10 tracks are also works of collaborative genius including Making A Difference featuring a poem by Lemn Sissay, the roots City of Synths and Kraftwerk-infused Machines Like me.

Full of raw energy, Accumulator, which Neil describes as the most fierce and aggressive on the album, is a blast from the past, tapping into the original Leftfield sound.

Many of the tracks were conjured up before the pandemic. Neil has spoken movingly about being diagnosed with bowel cancer last year, and of the tumult in his life, including divorce and depression. By opening up about his experience with other students on his psychotherapy course, Neil says that he was able to face down his demons and free up space in his mind, allowing him to be more creative. After an incredibly fertile time in the studio, Neil went into overdrive when he received his cancer diagnosis, finishing a batch of demos and handing them to the record company the day before his colon operation.

Now in remission, he has earned all the praise the new album is earning, infused with hope and urgency, which is why it feels like it is pulsing with life.

He says: “I just decided, if I don’t get this done now, I will probably either die, or it will never be done.”

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Divine dining with Christmas tablescape ideas

Karen Neville

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A B Events Hire in Woking have fabulous creative ideas to help you wow your guests with a festive table that’ll really make you the host with the most

Christmas dinner is the time when friends and families come together to spread love and joy over the most special meal of the year. It’s also the perfect time to create an inviting show stopping tablescape for all the family to sit around.

You don’t need to get your tinsel in a tangle, styling a festive table doesn’t need to be expensive and can be created using handmade decoration, hiring items, and using what you have at home.

Here are our top tips for creating a festive table that’ll make you the envy of all

Start with thinking of a theme. Will you go for a white wonderland table, Elf candy canes or something like a natural Scandi Nordic look? Having a theme can add instant fun or a luxurious element to the tablescape. Plus, it helps with the décor decisions.

Do you have enough seats for everyone or chairs that match? You can hire extra chairs and benches to make sure your guests aren’t sitting on the floor or guests aren’t on office chairs. Have a matching set to give your table the extra wow factor. You could hang a little Christmas wreath, mistletoe, bells, or big bow to the back of your chair. This is a great way to bring your theme into all areas of your Christmas tablescape.

Linen always adds a luxurious feel to a table, but you don’t need to necessarily buy it! This can be hired for a fraction of the price. If you don’t want a full tablecloth, you could always use a runner down the centre of the table. This will add texture, a pop of colour without covering the whole table. Napkins matching the colour scheme will look wonderful, plus, you could be creative and fold your napkins into Christmas trees!

Incorporate all the beautiful festive foliage and pretty winter flowers into your table set up. Why not go foraging for ivy, holly, mistletoe, and fire tree to create a table runner? Then add in elements like pinecones, small baubles, faux foliage in golds/silvers etc. Remember to think about the height of the centrepiece, your guests need to be able to see other, without a great big candelabra blocking their view! Use odd numbers of items, it creates a much more pleasing effect on the eye.

A cost-effective décor idea is to make pomanders and place along the table runner and decorate pillar candles by slicing oranges and drying them, to then tie them with cinnamon sticks and twine around the candle. A Christmas tablescape wouldn’t be complete without some fairy lights intertwined around the foliage, and main centrepiece.

A great tablescape is all about layers! At AB Event Hire we’re conscious about the environment and stay away from one-use plastic throw-away items. Instead of buying new tableware, hire it in at a fraction of the price. Not only does it help reduce waste, but we can wash it up for you too! Use matching plates, cutlery and glasses to create an instant cohesive feel to the tablescape. Charger plates add a special element to the table, they can add textures and colours without overpowering the setting, these can easily be hired in too.

Personal touches – will you create name tags for each guest or leave a little Christmas present at their seat? A handmade salt dough decoration or a candy cane with a name tag on could make a heartful gesture to a family member.

For more information about how to hire items & tips on creating Christmas tablescapes, head to AB Event Hire social media pages @ab_event_hire or our website www.abeventhire.co.uk.

AB Event Hire is a family fun wedding, event & catering equipment company. They’re based in Woking and can supply you with all the items you might need to create a perfect festive celebration. Get in touch, they would love to hear from you. Telephone number 01276 856440 and the office email is [email protected].

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The Flying Child earns lottery funding

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Image: Girl in a Gilded Cage by Elise Macdonald.

Well done to Surrey-based community interest company The Flying Child has been awarded three years of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, to support survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA).

Founded in 2020, the survivor-led Flying Child Project has reached more than 1,000 professionals to date, across the UK in education, social work, and healthcare settings.

The team have earned praise for improving understanding of trauma resulting from CSA and the confidence of professionals in supporting both children and adults in a trauma informed way. In a recent participant survey, 100 percent of attendees said they felt better equipped to manage a disclosure of CSA, with all likely to recommend the training to a colleague.

The new National Lottery funding will allow The Flying Child Project to continue their training, aiming to reach thousands more over the three-year period. It will also fund The Flying Child peer support and creative wellbeing groups for survivors of CSA in the local community.

The groups will consist of a 12-week therapist-led programme, co-facilitated by a lived experience support worker. In addition, creative groups for survivors will be offered, providing the opportunity to express trauma through art and writing, meet other survivors and build networks in a supportive space. Over the next three years The Flying Child aims to support 360 survivors of CSA with initial groups starting in the new year.

“As an organisation we normalise speaking about an ‘unspeakable’ subject and challenge the societal culture of silence.”

Sophie Olson, founder and managing director of The Flying Child, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this grant means we have a fantastic opportunity to improve outcomes for both child victims and adult survivors of CSA. As an organisation we normalise speaking about an ‘unspeakable’ subject and challenge the societal culture of silence. Lived experience in training helps to break down barriers and dispel myths that lead to victims of abuse being overlooked, and their normal reactions to trauma being misunderstood. The current statistics estimate there are 11 million adult survivors of CSA in the UK, equating to 1 in 6, yet are a large, hidden, and marginalised group, with services often not adequately trauma informed of accessible.

CSA is a devasting form of abuse with long-lasting consequences on mental and physical health, and wellbeing. Peer support groups play a vital role in the community. Because CSA is considered a taboo subject, stigma and shame silences the majority with many believing they are the only one. This is something we aim to change. This grant will make a big difference to people’s lives.”

The Flying Child encourages the local community to engage on Twitter and Instagram @flying_project, and to become survivor ‘allies’ – helping to challenge the silence surrounding CSA. Sophie Olson’s story can be heard on the BBC Radio 4 documentary The Last Taboo. For more information about the training or peer support groups, please visit theflyingchild.com.

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Wildlife volunteers honoured at awards

Ellie Cox

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Thirteen unpaid but dedicated workers have been recognised by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) for decades of work they have put in at the charity’s nature reserves across the three counties

Previously BBOWT has presented one lifetime achievement award at its ceremony, but this year has chosen to award the title to six volunteers.

Richard and Julie Birch have been active and influential members of BBOWT’s Chilterns volunteer group for 20 years. Mr Birch used his marketing and business experience to grow the group while his wife took over management of the newsletter and moved it online. Richard said: “As active conservation work becomes less of a pleasure, there are so many other activities to keep one occupied, making a useful contribution and seeing one’s BBOWT friends – like organising events, meeting and greeting and doing publicity.”

Ched George has been a volunteer at BBOWT since 2014, when he helped the Trust to acquire its Yoesden Bank nature reserve, a 13-hectare site of precious chalk grassland in the Chiltern Hills. He took the role of volunteer warden and helped organise regular conservation work parties and ecological surveys.

Richard Herbert as been volunteering with BBOWT since 1984. For most of that time he has been a core member of the Sunday work party at Bowdown Woods reserve near Newbury, led guided walks around the site and given countless talks to local groups and societies.

David Litchfield has dedicated 15 years to volunteering at BBOWT’s Warburg Nature Reserve near Henley. As well as helping with practical conservation work such as scything and teaching other volunteers a host of skills including tool maintenance. Mr Litchfield has also run ecological surveys on the site and passed on his wealth of knowledge to others.

Outstanding Contribution (Individuals)

Gustav Clark has been an enthusiastic and hard-working volunteer with the West Berkshire Living Landscape team. He has also championed the new online Volunteer Hub where BBOWT and volunteers share news, photos and campaigns.

John Lerpiniere is awarded for his exceptional long-term commitment and contribution to the Trust’s conservation work in Berkshire. He works for the Reserves and Ecology teams, and participates in external volunteer groups on several receivers and is also a volunteer stock watcher.

John Parker has volunteered at Greenham and Crookham commons since 2000. He also volunteers with several other BBOWT groups, occasionally up to five days a week, offering his practical conservation skills as well as his organisational acumen and extra help planning tasks.

David Richardson has been a member of Finemere Wood volunteer work party since 2016. He has taught many volunteers how to scythe and has raised funds to buy more scythes by using his skills as a wood turner to turn felled trees from the reserve into bowls and chopping boards for sale.

Dave Stevens welcomes and engages visitors to College Lake with a ready smile. Dave has also been integral in welcoming new volunteers and will often take them for a tour of the site and stay with them until they feel comfortable.

Phil Townsend has been volunteering for the Trust since 2005 and has been involved with the Reserves Surveying Programme since 2007. During this time, he has helped with butterfly transects, bird surveys, and the dragonfly count at College Lake.

Roger Walton helps provide a rewarding experience for visitors to College Lake through the seasons and helps to make resources for visitor trails.

Outstanding Contribution (Groups)

College Lake Wildlife Garden Group have been going for 30 years. The group is self-led with minimal staff input and come up with ideas and plans to ensure the garden is an inspiration to visitors, demonstrating that anyone can create more nature everywhere, from a few pots in the garden is an inspiration to visitors, demonstrating that anyone can create more nature everywhere, from a few pots in the garden to beautiful nectar-rich borders and bug hotels.

The Greenham and Crookham Common Volunteers (GCCV) were recognised for 25 years of conservation and maintenance work. Working closely with staff, the group is reliable, autonomous and very knowledge about the reserve, its history and ways to assist in its management.

The Oxfordshire Field Team is made up of six volunteers, all retired, racking up 83 years of volunteering for BBOWT between them. The group go out twice a week in all weathers and help with all kinds of tasks to look after BBOWT reveres and the animals that graze them.

Warburg Nature Reserve Volunteer Team includes stockwatchers who help look after livestock that graze the reserve, two work parties which carry out practical habitat management and infrastructure maintenance, and volunteers who make charcoal from by-products of coppicing. The team also volunteer at Hartslock and Cholsey Marsh reserves when needed.

The West Berks Badger bTB Vaccination Team was established in 2021 when they responded to a plea for help with baiting badger traps as part of BBOWT’s successful badger vaccination programme. This involves unsociable hours, long commutes, and assisting with vaccinations at sunrise. Their work has been essential in carrying out this year’s vaccinations.

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