Good year for the rosés

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Our wine columnist Giles Luckett invites us to enjoy all things pink

Hello. You’ll have to excuse the punning on that famous Elvis Costello song in the headline… But given Elvis’s predilection for all things boozy back then, I’m sure wine played a part in creating his 1981 album. Surely he’d had to have had a few to think doing a country and western album was a good idea for a follow up to his Motown-inspired Get Happy!

Anyway, rosé wines have certainly been on my mind of late. The warmth of the early spring sunshine always gives me a craving for rosé, and a recent trawl past many a tasting table has introduced me to some glorious new wines, ones that will ensure that 2023 will be a good year for the rosés.

First up, the Moulin de Pontfract Rosé 2021 (Laithwaites £8.99). This is a Provençal-style rosé from the neighbouring department of Var. If it was from Provence, it would probably come in a bottle that Jean Paul Gautier rejected for being outrageous and have a similarly outlandish price tag. This is a lovely, gentle rosé that offers a softly scented nose of red berries and blossom, while the palate is suffused with notes of strawberries, cranberries, and a hint of citrus on finish – just the thing for a spring lunch aperitif.

Next, a wine from Chile. Chilean wines offer an amazing combination of value and quality, and while the reds often steal the show, the rosés can be sublime. Take the Phantom River Sauvignon Blanc Rosé (Sainsbury’s £5.25). As you might expect from a Sauvignon, this is bright, zesty, fresh, and full of grapefruit and citrus. The addition of Shiraz (hence the colour) lends it weight and depth and imparts a satisfying note of blackcurrants to proceedings. Try this with green salads and roasted poultry or baked fish.

Spain is another good source of outstanding rosés – or rosados. Over the years, I’ve tasted hundreds, and rarely have I been disappointed. Recently I tried a new wine from a classic producer. Freixenet is best known for their excellent range of Cavas (more of those soon…), but they are also dab hands at still wines. Take their excellent Freixenet Rosado (Slurp £10). Garnacha-based, this is disarmingly pretty in pink but packs a punch. Bright strawberry and raspberry tones are joined by flavours of red cherry, orange and a touch of spice. Lovely on its own, I think this would partner well with rice dishes and cured meats.

As regular readers of this column may have gathered, I’m something of a fizz fan, in the same way that pandas are partial to bamboo. I recently had another encounter with an English sparkling wine with which we toasted the Queen’s Jubilee, the Balfour Brut Rosé (Waitrose £39.99). I recall being struck by how harmonious and refined this was when I first tried it and revisiting it; it’s even better. Bold strawberry, raspberry, and red currant notes tinted with creamy yeast, a lively, fresh mid-palate, and a long, salted digestive biscuit finish make this a class act.

“I’m something of a fizz fan, in the same way that pandas are partial to bamboo”

When most people think of Sancerre, their thoughts turn to gloriously leafy Sauvignons with their dry, mineral-rich finishes. Sancerre also comes in red and rosé styles which are produced using that most noble of vines, Pinot Noir. These tend to be more expensive and can be quite hard to find, so I was surprised to find an affordable example at Tesco, their Finest Sancerre Rosé (as opposed to their non-existent ‘ordinary’ or ‘value’ Sancerre Rosé – £13). This retains the classic Sancerre freshness and minerality, but with raspberry, strawberry, beetroot, black cherry, and pepper touches. This is fresh enough to be enjoyed on it’s own, but it would go brilliantly with pork or salmon.

And to finish, how about something indulgent, refined, and utterly exquisite? The Champagne Billecart-Salmon, Rosé (Mr. Wheeler £62.50) is all these things and more. This is one of the best rosé Champagnes I’ve ever had – and believe me, I’ve gone miles out of my way over the years to try as many as I can. The magic of this wine is how they manage to combine intensity with grace and generosity. This is a stunning wine offering layer upon layer of ripe strawberry, tangy blackberry, creamy yeast, soft apricot , and a dash of leafy blackcurrant. I’ve been fortunate enough to try this beautiful wine in various formats; the halves sit perfectly in the secret pocket of a Barber when you fancy a cheeky rinse at the cricket, and in magnum, it shows how well Champagne can age and develop. In any size bottle, this is a wine every wine lover should try.

Well, there’s a bottle of Freixenet Rosado in the fridge needing my attention, so I must away. Next time out, I’ll dive deeply into my favourite red wine region, Rioja.

Perfect roast at The Oarsman Marlow

Liz Nicholls

Food & Recipes

Meat-lovers (and even secret carnivores) are sure of sublime old-school classics & service at this perfect bistropub which is hosting a series of special guest chefs

With the weather still stubbornly wintry, and mojo levels decidedly lacking, the perfect roast is exactly what the doctor ordered. But where to find this mythical beast?

I had heard amazing things about The Oarsman, right in the heart of Marlow (the foodies’ favourite, with its pick of delicious delicatessens and boui bistros) and was delighted to find myself here last Sunday, with a leisurely lunchtime at my disposal as well as a similarly food-obsessed pal.

The indulgent interior of this gastro gem does not disappoint, with its arse-friendly banquettes and copper details glowing with promise at the pass. Last month saw the launch of The Oarsman’s special guest chef series creating one-off collaborative menus with head chef Scott Smith.

I had left my (mostly) vegetarian household far behind me for the day to indulge in some hearty doses of fresh meat… and it more than lived up to the hype. One of Scott’s classics (which apparently won the hearts and minds of the pub’s gaffers Nigel Sutcliffe and James McLean, and has stayed on the menu ever since) is bacon & trotters which we just had to try. This savoury joy more than delivers on its promise, as did the simply stunning classic fish soup with rouille and lacy cheesy croutons. After a refreshing marmalade martini, the main event, the holy grail of the perfect roast was then delivered not once but twice.

The perfectly pink entrecote of beef was matched by a towering Yorkshire pud and layered fondant tatties and spiced carrot that sang with the rich meaty gravy. Gina was genial enough to go swapsies halfway through, and it was a toss-up as to whether the porchetta, wrapped in the crispiest crackling of your foodiest dreams and cabbage (with a ladylike wodge of that dreamy potato again) was even better.

The staff seem rightly proud of everything served here and it was their warm praise of Scott’s Ecclefechan tart (a festive, fruity Scottish fave) with an impossibly gleamy and creamy artisan cheese that persuaded us to take a swerve from our usual chocolate choice that served us well.

I had to have a lie down after our feast – I haven’t felt that indulged since my post Christmas game-induced meat sweats. Hearty, old-school and satisfying, the Oarsman deserves a whole afternoon and a designated driver to do its offering the full justice.

The next star chefs to take the pass in the series are Simon Bonwick, Ben Tish and Daniel Smith. To book, call 01628 617755 or visit theoarsman.co.uk to find out more and check out the menu.

C’est La Vegan!

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Eat More Vegan by Annie Rigg, published by Pavilion Books

Potato & lentil cakes with coleslaw

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking: 60 minutes | Serves: Four

Ingredients:

• 500g floury potatoes (about four, medium sized)
• 100g green lentils, rinsed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 leek, trimmed & sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp plant-based milk
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• Salt and freshly ground
• Black pepper

Coleslaw

• 1 large carrot, coarsely grated
• ¼ white or red cabbage, finely shredded
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 50g pecan nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise, crème fraîche or yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon

Both the potato cakes and coleslaw can be prepared in advance, chilled and then the cakes coated and fried just before serving. Serve with chilli sauce and salad leaves or baby leaf spinach.

Cook the unpeeled potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender when tested with a knife. Drain and leave to cool slightly. In another pan, cook the lentils for about 20 minutes until tender, drain and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, tip the onion and leek into a frying pan with the olive oil and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until tender and starting to brown. Add the garlic, caraway seeds and paprika and cook for another minute. Tip into a large bowl with the lentils and parsley. Coarsely grate the potatoes into the bowl, season well and, using clean hands, mix. Shape into eight patties, cover and chill for 20 minutes. They can be prepared in advance up to this point.

Combine carrot, cabbage, spring onions and chilli in a bowl and add the herbs, seeds and nuts. Half an hour before serving, add the mayo and lemon juice, season and mix.

When you are ready to cook, tip the flour onto a plate, pour the milk into a shallow bowl and spread the breadcrumbs on a tray. Dip the cakes first in flour, then milk and finally breadcrumbs. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the cakes, in batches, until crisp and golden brown on both sides and hot all the way through. Remove and keep warm while you cook the remaining potato cakes. Serve with the coleslaw and a drizzle of red or green sriracha sauce, if liked.

Mushroom broth with buckwheat soba

Prep: 5 minutes | Cooking: 60 minutes | Serves: Four

Ingredients:

Broth

• 150g oyster mushrooms, roughly torn in half
• 130g shiitake mushrooms, roughly torn in half
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 10g dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 spring onions, trimmed and halved
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 star anise
• ½ tsp coriander seeds

Soba

• 200g buckwheat soba noodles
• 6 shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, to taste
• 1 tsp mirin or rice vinegar, to taste
• 3 baby pak choi, halved or quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely shredded
• Shichimi togarashi or toasted sesame seeds

This light broth has plenty of satisfying umami notes. Mushrooms are roasted then simmered with aromatics to create a rich stock. Prepare this broth ahead to allow for the flavours to shine through.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas mark 4.

First make the broth. Toss the torn oyster and shiitake mushrooms in the sunflower oil and season. Tip on to a large baking tray in a single layer and roast for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through until browned and starting to crisp at the edges.

Scoop the mushrooms into a large saucepan and add the rest of the broth ingredients. Add 750ml water and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes to extract all the flavour from the mushrooms and aromatics. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature or chill until ready to serve.

Cook the buckwheat noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and divide between four bowls. While the noodles are cooking, strain the cooled broth through a sieve into a clean pan, pressing down on the mushrooms to extract as much flavour as possible. Bring the stock to a simmer, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook for two or three minutes until tender. Taste the broth and add soy sauce and mirin to taste. Add the pak choi to the broth, and cook for a further minute until tender.

Ladle the broth over the buckwheat noodles, dividing the mushrooms and pak choi evenly between the bowls, and scatter with spring onions and shichimi togarashi or sesame seeds to serve.

Valentine’s specials at Atul Kochhar’s restaurant

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Are you seeking something specially curated for you and your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Have your date set to sizzle at one of these Bucks beauties.

Atul Kochhar and his chef teams are cooking up extraordinary experiences for their locals this February – here is a round-up of regional specials for this most romantic time of the year:

Riwaz riwazrestauarant.co.uk

Meaning ‘tradition’, Riwaz in Beaconsfield serves sensational Indian cuisine inspired by the history, cultural practices and rustic charm of the Indian states. The Valentine’s Day’s Menu (£65pp plus £49pp pairings) is a seven-course menu with vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian options, in addition to classic meat.

Highlight include Kekda West Coast Crab Cake with Green Chilli Mayo, which is paired with D’arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay from Australia. Atul has an extra treat in-store for Beaconsfield residents as singer/songwriter Ollie Wade plays live on Saturday 11th February from 6.30pm. There is also a Valentine’s Early Bird Menu (£49pp plus £35pp with wine pairings) available from 10th to 14th, served between 5pm and 6pm.

“Atul has an extra treat in-store for Beaconsfield residents”

Vaasu vaasurestaurant.co.uk

In the gourmet town of Marlow, Vaasu stays true to Atul Kochhar’s passion for gastronomical discovery, with a focus on pan-Indian cuisine. The Valentine Weekend Menu is (£69pp plus £51pp with wine pairings) is a seven-course menu with vegetarian/vegan and pescatarian options, in addition to classic meat. Highlights include Reshmi Seekh Kebab with apple chutney and rice bhel, which is paired with Thelema Vineyards Chardonnay from Stellenbosch, South Africa. There is also a Valentine’s Early Bird Menu (£49pp plus £35pp with wine pairings) available from 10th to 14th, served between 5pm and 6pm.

Hawkyns hawkynsrestaurant.co.uk

Over in Amersham at The Crown Inn Hotel, Hawkyns Valentine Weekend Menu is (£69pp plus £49pp wine pairings) is a seven-course menu with vegetarian/vegan and pescatarian options, in additions to classic meat. Highlights include Scallop with petit pois Maderia and citrus segments to Lake District Aged Lamb with purple sprouting broccoli, sweet potato and Kashmiri gravy paired with Fina Del Alta Malbec, Argentina. There is also a Valentine’s Early Bird Menu (£49pp plus £35pp with wine pairings) available from 10th to 14th February, served between 5pm and 6pm.

Sindhu sindhurestaurant.co.uk

Overlooking the River Thames, Sindhu at The Compleat Angler in Marlow pays homage to Atul Kochhar’s love of traditional Southern Indian cooking. The Valentine’s Menu (£79pp plus £51pp pairings) is a seven-course menu with vegetarian/vegan and pescatarian options, in addition to classic meat. Highlights include Turbot & Mussels in a Keralan Seafood Moilee with purple sprouting broccoli, which is paired with Rhythm Winery’s Peach Wine from India.

If you’re looking for romantic dining to spice up your Valentine’s Day then look no further than Atul Kochhar Restaurants. Please get in touch for a review (please note we cannot host in the evening on 10th, 11th and 14th)

Valentine’s Day wine pairings for lovers

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Make the most of Valentine’s Day with these romantic wine recommendations from our wine columnist Giles Luckett

Hello!

I’ve always liked to think that when Ernest Dowson penned the immortal line, “Days of wine and roses” that, he took his inspiration from Valentine’s Day. As a self-confessed romantic and someone who has more than a fleeting infatuation with wine, the two have always been inexorably intertwined in my eyes. After nearly three decades of marriage, I can recall the wines that marked significant anniversaries in our lives. Proposal accepted, Krug NV. Our first house, Dom Perignon 1990. Wedding Day, Laurent Perrier (innumerable bottles!). Daughter adopted, Lafite 1961. Silver wedding anniversary, Comte de Champagne 2009.

“As a self-confessed romantic and someone who has more than a fleeting infatuation with wine, the two have always been inexorably intertwined in my eyes.”

And so, with the annual excuse for romance upon us again, here are my wine recommendations for making February the 14th a date for the diary and the cellar book.

Let’s start with a couple of rosés. Rosé wines are versatile, often delicious, and obviously pretty in pink. My first recommendation is from my favourite Rioja producer, CVNE. While I’ve loved CVNE’s wines since my Harrods days, their rosé is a wine I only discovered last summer. The CVNE Rosado (the Co-op £8.50) is a joyous wine guaranteed to bring a smile to your lips. Mid-pink, the nose is all red berries, and cherries, with a touch of blossom, while in the mouth, there are gentle notes of strawberries, peaches, and a whiff of pepper.

My next wine is the oh-so-chic Whispering Angel (Laithwaites, £20). The Cotes de Provence producer has become the darling of the wine trade – Jancis Robinson described the winemaker as “the golden boy of rosé”. The estate’s top wine, Garrus, goes for an eye-watering £100 a bottle, but even their entry-level wine is something special. Easy on the eye and powerful on the palate, this is a rich, opulent rosé that exhibits peppered strawberries, dried raspberries, and watermelon notes, before the dry, full finish. Food-friendly, this is excellent with lamb or baked cheese.

Red is the colour of romance, so let’s look at a couple of red wines. Given its still winter, I’d recommend a couple of heart-warming winter reds. First up, a winery that has become very dear to my heart over the past couple of years, Vina Zorzal. Hailing from Navarra (head to Rioja and turn left), this is one winery I cannot fault, but if I had to pick my favourite, I’d say it was the Vina Zorzal Ganarcha (The Wine Society £8.50). Plump, luscious, easy-going, and brimming with soft blackberry, cherry, and plum fruit, this is a lovely cheery wine that is great with food or conversation.

If you’re looking for something more serious – perhaps to accompany a serious question…? then try the Joseph Drouhin, Chorey-lès-Beaune (Waitrose £21.99). Burgundy has enjoyed a succession of good vintages so that even (relatively) lowly villages wines such as this have been turning in mouth-watering wines. With a bouquet of fruits of the forest tinted with woodsmoke and a palate that offers red cherries, raspberries, cranberries, and a touch of spice, this is an easy wine to love.

And so on to fizz. Regular readers of this column will have gathered I have a bit of spot soft for sparkling wines. And when I say soft, I mean butter in the Sahara at midday, and when I say spot, I mean every fibre of my being. Now while there are lots of great ones to choose from – Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus (Sainsbury’s £26), Nyetimber (Waitrose £38.99), Tesco Cava (£6), or Chandon Garden Spritz (Majestic £19.99) – I’m going to recommend one from my sparkling wine producer, Graham Beck.

The Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (Majestic £19.99) takes Beck’s superb wines to a new level. Beyond the stunningly pretty rose gold colour, lies a wine that offers strawberries, red cherries, and dried raspberries with satisfying notes of yeast, peaches, and limes in weighty, yet clean and fresh form.

Of course, Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without champagne, and here are my three top picks for this year’s romantic night in. The first is Gosset Grand Rosé (Berry Brothers £58). I visited Gosset in September and was reminded of how special their wines are. The precision, clarity, and piercing beauty of Gosset’s wines is something to behold. Put in less winey language, they are bone dry, refined, high-toned, driven by pure red and white berry fruit, and are gloriously complex. Try this stunner with food from smoked salmon to chicken.

Bruno Paillard is another champagne house I’ve had a long-lasting affection for. This is a house of (relatively) modern origins that produces stylish, elegant wines of great complexity. Their Rosé Premiere Cuvee (Champagne Direct £55) is a delightful take on this classic style. Pale pink, it offers everything from rose petals and summer pudding to cranberries and brioche. This is a wine to sip and savour on its own.

And to finish a wine that a friend of mine at Laytons once memorably described one Valentine’s Day, as ‘A prelude to an happiness it’s the Taittinger Rosé (Sainbsury’s £44). Taittinger’s wines are framed for their elegance and refinement, and these fine traits are on show in this beguiling wine. Deep pink, the nose is fruit-driven, with lovely notes of super-ripe summer berries tinted with savoury yeast. The palate is light, yet the persistence gives it power and depth, and Taittinger’s hallmark preaches in syrup tone adds a luscious flavour to the finish.

Well, that’s it from me for now. I hope you’ll have a fine Valentine’s Day, and I’ll be back soon with some spring wine recommendations.

Cheers!

February recipes: Batch of the day!

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Here’s a taste of Suzanne Mulholland’s The Batch Lady: Cooking on a Budget, out now, published by HarperCollins

She says in the introduction to this book: “As I became a busy working wife and mum I realised that those skills are also very much needed in our home environment too. We’re constantly playing the juggling game that is modern day life, and it can be stressful as we try to manage budgets, feed our families well, and get nutritious meals on the table that offer variety and keep everyone happy. That, combined with trying to reduce packaging, reduce food waste and eat less meat, can have our brains spinning.

“This book was packed full of hearty recipes designed to fill your freezer (and your belly!) with tasty food that could be put on the table with little fuss. My second, The Batch Lady: Healthy Family Favourites, focussed on making the comforting family food we all love a little bit healthier.”

Roast butternut squash with a couscous crust

Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking: 70 minutes | Serves: Four

Ingredients:

• Glug of olive or vegetable oil
• One large butternut squash, topped, tailed, cut into quarters and seeds removed
• ½ cup (100g) couscous
• ½ cup (120ml) boiling water
• 100g feta cheese
• Juice of one lemon
• Two heaped tbsp pesto
• Eight cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil, for roasting

Roasting butternut squash in this way brings out its natural sweetness and delicious earthy flavours. Bulked up with fluffy couscous this is substantial enough as a main meal, but would also work as a side dish or even a dinner party starter.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Add a glug of oil to a lipped baking sheet. Place in the oven to warm.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the butternut to the tray, turning to coat in the oil as you do. Bake for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until the squash is golden and just tender.
3. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl and pour over half a cup (120ml) of boiling water. Cover and set aside for five minutes, then fluff the couscous up with a fork.
4. Crumble the feta into the bowl, then add the lemon juice, pesto, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

If you’re cooking to eat now… Spoon the couscous mix over the roasted squash and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Divide the wedges between serving plates and serve. Zhuzh it up with a good drizzle of balsamic glaze.

If you’re making ahead to freeze… Set the squash and couscous aside until cooled to room temperature, then transfer the squash wedges to a large freezer bag and the couscous to a smaller bag. Seal the couscous bag and then place inside the bag with the squash before sealing. Label and freeze flat for up to three months.

Then… Remove the squash and couscous from the freezer and place in the fridge to defrost, ideally overnight. Once defrosted lay the squash on a foil-lined baking sheet and spoon over the couscous. Transfer to an oven preheated to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4 and bake for 30 minutes, until piping hot all the way through. Serve as above.

Mexican beef nacho topper

Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking: 8-10 minutes | Serves: Four

Ingredients:

• Splash of vegetable or olive oil
• One cup (115g) frozen chopped onions
• 1 tsp frozen chopped garlic
• 250g minced beef
• 1 x 30g packet taco seasoning
• 1 x 395g tin mixed beans in chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato purée 
• One cup (175g) frozen sliced peppers

To serve:

• One 200g bag lightly salted tortilla chips
• One cup (90g) pre-grated Cheddar cheese
• MAKE IT Veggie! Replace the beef with a plant-based mince of your choice.

Cheesy, spicy and loaded with flavour, this is the ultimate sharing dish for when you have lots of hungry mouths to feed. If you’re feeding more than four, this is easy to scale up by simply doubling or tripling the ingredient amounts.

Method:

1. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and mince and cook, stirring, for about five minutes, until the onions are translucent and meat browned.
2. Drain any excess fat from the pan, then return to the heat and add the taco seasoning, beans, tomato puree and sliced peppers. Give everything another stir to combine, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and leave to cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Remove from the heat.

If you’re serving now… Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Transfer the tortilla chips to a large baking dish and warm in the oven for five minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven and ladle the chilli over the top. Scatter over the grated cheese then return the dish to the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Put the dish in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. Zhuzh it up… Scatter over some fresh coriander and serve with guacamole and pickled jalapenos alongside.

If you’re making ahead to freeze… Leave the beef chilli to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a large, labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to three months.

Then… Remove the bag from the freezer and leave to defrost in the fridge, ideally overnight. Once defrosted, tip the beef chilli into a large saucepan over a medium heat and reheat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, until piping hot. While the chilli is reheating, warm the tortilla chips then assemble the Mexican Nacho Topper as described above.

M&S Food launch new breakfast range

Round & About

Food & Recipes

M&S have just launched their biggest ever breakfast range from its own label for the first time, offering a range of tasty new cereals, granolas, porridge, breakfast toppers and breakfast pots to brighten your morning

Start the day right with an Eat Well breakfast from M&S Food – our clever product developers have created lots of new tasty cereals and breakfast toppers – complete with the health benefits you’d expect from Eat Well – for all the family.

Some have even been given the professional footballer seal of approval thanks to Eat Well’s partnership with the home nation football associations. Midfielders Mason Mount and Jordan Henderson and defender Eric Dier have all picked their choice for breakfast.

Mason Mount’s choice
Jordan Henderson’s choice
Eric Dier’s choice

Not only do we have some brand new cereal-ously tasty Eat Well options but we also have porridge, granolas and a new breakfast pot.

Our breakfast boffins have also added more Made Without options, alongside Vegetarian and Vegan options to cater for special dietary requirements – so no matter who you are we have a breakfast FOR YOU.

Sarah Jane Large, Product Developer, M&S Food, said: “At M&S we are constantly listening to our customers on what food and new products they would like to see across our Foodhalls. We know that most people have the same breakfast every day and think that’s a travesty! So, we wanted to inspire them to try something new this New Year and while we were at it completely overhauled our entire range to make it healthier and EVEN tastier.

“In particular our new gut health products taps into 48%* of Brits who are interested in breakfast items that support digestion and gut health – so we have introduced some great options for them.  Our new Eat Well Plant Kitchen High Protein Vegan Choco Crunch and Made Without Wheat Triple Chocolate Crunch also mirrors the trend that although people are looking to be healthier, they just can’t beat that sweet chocolate fix – just mix them with your favourite milk or alternative for a breakfast that feels like you should only have on special occasions!”

It’s not just chocolate and gut health that are trending at breakfast. Taking inspiration from our American friends across the pond, dessert flavours in the morning, yes in the MORNING, are also on the rise. And as the home of the food hybrid we HAD to get involved – so have introduced Eat Well Pecan Pie Flavour Porridge and Made Without Wheat Maple Syrup Flavour Porridge to our breakfast line up. And hey, who says you can only have it at breakfast anyway!

Kids eat free with Tom Kerridge

Karen Neville

Food & Recipes

The Butcher’s Tap & Grill is inviting under 12s to eat for free on Mondays to Fridays, 3-5pm

Spoil your kids at The Butcher’s Tap & Grill on Spittal Street Marlow, where kids 12 years and under eat for free Monday to Friday between 3pm-5pm.

Young guests can enjoy a range of tasty dishes such as a Hot Dog Topped with Fried Onions, Tender Chicken Goujons or Mini Cheese-Burger (or plain) all served with a Pot of Fries and an optional side of Coleslaw. Plus, kids can pick a choice of fruit and a soft drink such as apple or orange juice.

There is no minimum spend, or sneaky extra terms and conditions, simply turn up with your tots and leave the rest to us!

Adults may want to enjoy a pint or glass of wine from the bar or indulge in an early dinner with a range of burgers, hot dogs and steaks to choose from or just have a little nibble from the Bits ‘n’ Bobs menu.

So, when schools out and your munchkins have the munchies you know where to go.

The Butcher’s Tap and Grill

15 Spittal Street
Marlow, Bucks, SL7 3HJ
www.thebutcherstapandgrill.co.uk

Raising a glass to Australian wine

Round & About

Food & Recipes

Our wine columnist Giles Luckett is on a mission to raise January spirits with these wizard (wines) of Aus!

Hello, and a belated Happy New Year.

While for many people January can be a trying month, for the wine trade it’s a time of excitement and discovery. With the Christmas rush a distant memory and stocks as low as many people’s moods on Blue January, this quiet sales month gives wine professionals the chance to get out and taste. While tasting invitations are already piling up like pizza leaflets, there’s one that’s a big red-letter day in my calendar: 24th January and the Australia Trade Tasting.

I’m part of the generation of wine lovers who got to know wine thanks to Australia. In the late 1980s they exploded onto the scene, offering big, bold, fruit-bomb wines that were about as reserved as an Aussie backpacker in an Earl’s Court pub at closing time. They were a revelation. Affordable and accessible, they offered budding wine students the chance to get to grips with a range of grapes and styles.

Fast forward 30 years and Australian wines have matured and now boast a raft of examples that are fit to rank with the world’s best. Wines such as Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage and Bin 707, Henshke’s Hill Of Grace and Mount Edelstone, Leeuwin’s Art Series, and Wynn’s Michael Shiraz should be on every fine wine lover’s tasting wish list. And beyond these super stars there remain hundreds of exceptional wines that encapsulate Australian wines’ founding principles of individuality, brilliance and value. So, here are some suggestions for alleviating the January gloom with a taste of Australian wine excellence.

My first recommendation is the Robert Oatley Signature Series Chardonnay (The Co-Op £11.50) Oatley produce wines in various parts of Australia with the emphasis being on producing ones that have a “taste of place”. Modern in origin and outlook – the winery was founded in 2006 – the Signature Series Chardonnay is a fine wine at an affordable price. Pale green gold, the use of oak is well-judged and the nose is focused on fruit and floral tones. In the mouth there’s an immediate freshness and lift from apple, white peach and melon tones, before richer, fatter vanilla and honey comes through. The whole thing is rounded off with crisp acidity and touch of savoury minerals. Sophisticated is the word that leaps to mind, this is a far cry from the ‘bottled sunshine’ Chardonnays of old.

Next up is a wine that’s as leftfield as its much-missed creator, Taras Ochota. I had the pleasure of meeting Taras in London and his home in the Adelaide Hills before his untimely death at the age of 49. He was a maverick, a devout punk – wines such as Fugazi and In the Trees are named after bands and songs he loved – and one of the most talented winemakers of Australia’s modern era. Ochota Barrels Weird Berries in the Woods (Indigo Wines) Gewurztraminer is, for me, his best white.

I’ll be honest, usually Gewurztraminer isn’t my cup of tea. I find the combination of lychees, black pepper, sickly lavender honey, and tinned peaches about as lovely as it sounds. Taras, however, managed to tame these wild elements to produce a dry, elegant, complex wine that flows with oriental fruits with hints of spice and add a dryness, and a cleansing acidity that make for a memorable glassful.

Jacob’s Creek were one of the first brands to make it big in the UK wine market. Their wines have always been good value make for a great buy when popping into a corner shop for a last-minute bottle. Their Reserve Adelaide Hills Chardonnay (£6, Amazon) is on another level though. Adelaide Hills is a cool climate region that’s making some of the most exciting wines in Australia. This fantastically well-priced wine offers a smoky, crisp, elegant example of Chardonnay. Peaches, pears, stonefruit, and a touch of grapefruit make for joyful drinking.

I’ll leave the whites with a Riesling. Australia is rightly proud of its dry Rieslings, with examples from the Clare or Eden Valley being as good as the finest French and German efforts. One I’ve always liked is the Tim Adams Riesling (Tesco £10). This Eden Valley wine offers an intense nose of limes, grapes, and citrus mingled with apple blossom. In the mouth its precise, clean, and poised, with a lovely combination of white berries, green apple, pear and citrus fruit, with minerals on the long, dry finish.

Australia arguably offers the most consistent and consistently good value reds in the world. From entry level wines such as Koonuga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet (Waitrose £7.99) to the likes of the mighty Hill of Grace (£250 Berry Brothers & Rudd), Australia has it all. I’m going to start my red recommendations with a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons from revered producer Wynns.

Wynns’ wines are classically styled and are made to reflect the vineyards from which they are made. Founded in 1891, their years of experience shines through their wines which are always beautifully crafted and offer an exceptional drinking experience at all levels.

My first wine is The Siding Cabernet Sauvignon (Tesco £15). This is produced in the Coonawarra region which is famed for its iron-rich terra rossa soils. This soil gives wines minerality and an extra level of complexity and depth, something Wynns have taken full advantage of. The Siding offers fresh, intense notes of blackcurrants, mint, mulberries and raspberries on the nose, while in the mouth fleshier notes of black cherries, roasted meat, plums and dried herbs come through. Medium-bodied but with powerful intensity, this is one for the hearty winter dishes.

Providing a fascinating contrast we have the Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Majestic £25). Same grape, same producer, very different results. This is Aussie Cabernet showing its elegant, nuanced side. While the characteristic blackcurrants, mint and cherries are present, there’s also plums, earthy spices, these are all low-key, seamlessly integrated and nuanced. This is a fine wine that deserves respect. If you’re drinking it this year, I’d decant it or at least give it several hours open and serve it with fine red meats or baked cheeses.

Good Australian Pinot Noir was once a rarity. This notoriously fickle vine was once ‘a nice idea’ as one Australian producer caustically described Australian Merlot. These days great examples abound, and one of my favourites is the Yering Station (Waitrose £12.99). Based in the cool Yarra Valley in Victoria, Yering Station has established a reputation as one of Australia’s leading Pinot producers. The 2016 has a fragrant nose of plums, raspberries, with highlights of flowers and spices. In the mouth this gentle, medium bodied wine gradually reveals layer upon layer of black fruit flavours intermingled with creamy oak and touch of jamminess to the finish. This has to be one of the best value Pinots on the market, and it well-worth seeking out.

My last red is another Cabernet and another wine from Western Australia, the Robert Oatley “Signature” Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Taurus Wines £13.99). This is Cabernet in the Bordeaux mould. The benign climate and exceptional soils of Margaret River give us a Cabernet whose emphasis is on elegance and complexity rather than power and drama. Deeply coloured, the nose is a quiet riot of fresh blackcurrants, eucalyptus, black cherries, spices, and smoke. The silken palate is packed with fruit, but everything is sedate, unhurried and poised. Like a great Bordeaux, it deserves time and fine food to appreciate its charms.

“I was lucky enough to spend some time in Tasmania on my last trip to Australia”

And finally, a fizz. Well, I couldn’t write a column and not mention at least one sparkling wine, could I? I was lucky enough to spend some time in Tasmania on my last trip to Australia, a region that is probably the most exciting in Aus. Cool, damp, and undulating, it’s ideal for sparkling wine production and Jansz Rosé (Fenwicks £15.99) is a fantastic wine. Pretty in pink colour, the vibrant red berry and yeast nose is followed by a fresh, tangy palate that leads with raspberries and strawberries, before darker, richer notes of dried cherry, rhubarb, and yeast come through.

Right, all this writing and meandering down wine memory lane had given me quite a thirst so it’s on to the practical for me – well, I need to have my palate in shape for the trade tasting, don’t I?

Next time out I’ll look at some reds that will banish those winter blues.

More soon…

Healthy start to 2023 at Squire’s

Karen Neville

Food & Recipes

Wholesome food and a warm welcome await at Squire’s this January and there’s a comforting 15% off the bill

Healthy eating habits are often front of mind when looking to start the new year, with vegan and vegetarian preferences a considered choice, as well as wholesome, thoughtful eating options.

Squire’s Garden Centres has a great range of delicious, flavoursome food and healthy meal choices available to start the new year off – and all with a welcoming 15% discount off total food and drink* bills (promotion does not apply to alcoholic drinks) – from 1st-31st January* across all centres.

A visit to a Squire’s Café Bar makes the perfect spot this January to keep warm, meet up with friends, and enjoy saving money too.

Now is the time to try different flavours in the comfort of Squire’s Café Bars with a great range of dishes including Light Bite options of Mushroom & Sage Soup and Parsnip or Apple & Thyme Soup – served with sliced sourdough, Jacket Potato with Cheesy Beans as well as the delicious Smashed Avocado & Red Onion Sandwich.

More filling options available are the plant-based ‘Moving Mountain’ Burger in a vegan brioche bun with chargrilled tomato chutney, the delicious Butternut Squash, Cranberry & Red Onion Tagine – roasted butternut squash and red onion wedges in a sweetly spiced tagine style sauce served with basmati rice and garlic flatbread and Cauliflower & Spinach Balti Pie. Alternatively, and for a satisfying taste of tradition, try Squire’s Hand-Battered Fish & Chips – MSC certified cod with petit pois and fresh tartare sauce. Menus vary by centre.