All posts tagged: london

Tequila & Mezcal Fest

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Where Spitalfields Market What Tequila & Mezcal Fest Experience Salt first, then tequila, then lime. Then grimace. This is how I usually drink tequila, and I’ve been drinking it like this for so long that I thought it was the only way of doing it. I was wrong, of course. Proper tequila – which is not drunk from a plastic shot glass – is smooth, citrus, and delicious. It comes in different vintages, and the longer it has been aged for the more sippable it becomes. Because you sip proper tequila, you see, you don’t shot it. And forget about the salt and the lime – tequila made from 100% agave and oak-aged for more than a year has a flavour that stands on its own. The best place to try it? The UK only has one festival dedicated exclusively to showcasing the best things you can make from agave, and it’s coming to Old Spitalfields Market this weekend. Tequila & Mezcal fest wants to teach you how to drink and enjoy Mexico’s greatest export. There will be …

Family Fun at Pizza Union

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Where Pizza Union, Kings Cross  http://www.pizzaunion.com/ What After two years at the original Spitalfields restaurant, Pizza Union fires up its new all-day Pizza Bar in Kings Cross.   Experience I met my two sisters, niece and nephew at St Pancras Station, who were all visiting from the Midlands. Before we set off on a jam packed day of London tourism, we stopped by Pizza Union at Kings Cross for lunch.   “Pizza is my favourite” my little nephew Bobby told me with a huge grin on his face. You can tell we are related. We made our selection at the till and were given a buzzer and instructions to collect our pizzas at the bar. We ordered a Margherita and Fiorentina for the table, and grabbed some olives and drinks at the till. With such a reasonable price, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of our pizzas. The Roman-style thin and crispy 12” wonders were made fresh to order and fire-baked in 3 minutes in a huge traditional domed stone pizza oven. The rich tomato …

The Festival of Heat

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What Heat-Seekers gather together on Sunday 27th September for the return of the hugely celebrated Festival of Heat, London’s Chilli Festival. This year the festival will take place at East London’s favourite pop up market, The Red Market. Experience Promoting aspiring and established talent, the festival brings together the very best producers, market traders and chefs from around the UK. Encona will also be showcasing their extensive range of sauces and marinades that will take you on a journey around the globe. There will be plenty of chillies to sample, as well as great food vendors demonstrating their culinary skills. Watch, listen and learn as Flavour Gurus from The World of Zing and Made in Hackney reveal their secrets in the Festival Kitchen through master classes, workshops and demonstrations. Topics include, ‘Growing the Perfect Chilli’, ‘Cooking with Chilli to achieve the perfect Heat’ and ‘How to Make a Good Curry’. There is also the opportunity to pick up some top tips on sending your own hot sauce to market – from production to shelf. The …

Melt Room – Say Cheese

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What The grilled cheese sandwich goes gourmet at London’s first American-style grilled cheese diner. Experience The Melt Room is taking grilled cheese sandwiches to the next level. I met up with my cheese fanatic friend Lucy in Soho before wandering over to Noel Street on a busy Friday afternoon. The pocket sized 12 seater diner, fittingly decorated bright yellow, stands out for all the right reasons. Inside, the simple menu offers melts including slow and low lamb shoulder with mustard greens and melted Swiss and Portobello mushroom with thyme, roasted peppers and provolone. Behind the glass cabinet I was tempted by the pastrami with porcini, Sparkenhoe Red Leicestershire and horseradish melt. The crust was evenly toasted and crunchy. The filling was salty and oozed with delicious British farmhouse cheese. Three thumbs up! A Melt Room grilled cheese is not for the feint hearted. To balance out the gluttony, I ordered a house salad on the side which made everything better. As I went in for my third bite I hesitated for just enough time to sing the ‘Pure and …

Negroni Trolley at Cartizze

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What The new Negroni Trolley at Cartizze brings the drink of summer to your table. Experience Nestled along a cobbled back street in the heart of Mayfair lies Italian-influenced cocktail and Bellini bar, Cartizze. I was invited along to try Cartizze’s newest addition, an antique Empire-style drinks trolley where a variety of Negroni twists are mixed to order. The Negroni is rumoured to have originated in Florence back in 1920 when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano cocktail with a kick. Gin was added, and the Negroni was born. The Negroni is the cocktail of the moment – strong, complex and refreshing. The Cartizze Negroni contains Portobello Gin, Antica Formula, Campari, Aperol and Martini Rosso. This twist on the quintessential Italian aperitif delicately balances bittersweet, sharp and herbal flavours. I found it far too drinkable. It was sipped in minutes. For those seeking a sweeter flavour the waiter will suggest the Grapoi Negroni, which is sweetened with Cointreau and clarified grapefruit juice. The most tempting drink on Cartizze’s Negroni menu, and not just because …