Food 'n' Drink – Food and Drink news |

Tea drinking in England goes back centuries, since the first tea was imported in the mid 17^th century, the British have gone mad for it. Although tea didn’t originate in England, we have China to thank for that, the craze took hold of England with such gusto that drinking tea is now very much thought of as an English tradition. Whilst its popularity has peaked and troughed over the years it has never gone out of fashion.

Tea is available absolutely everywhere these days; cafes, tea shops, restaurants, gastro pubs, supermarkets, health food outlets, anywhere you go sells tea in some shape or form. You can now buy tea online from a tea shop, and it is increasingly popular due to both convenience and the variety and ranges available. Those with a more discerning palate who like a tea that is out of the ordinary invariably head online to track down their favourite blend.

Master tea producers Twinings offer one of the most comprehensive online ranges of tea that you will find anywhere. The greatest teas from around the world are all covered by Twinings globally recognised and respected brand, and there literally is a tea to suit everybody and every occasion.

The rise in popularity of herbal and fruit teas has been phenomenal, and Twinings have been right at the forefront of this revolution. A trip to their website will take you into a world of teas that you never knew existed. There are loose teas, tea bags, traditional teas, green tea, exotic teas, you name it, and you can buy it online from Twinings. There are even 2 free samples available so you can try before you buy.

Whether you have a penchant for a Chai Black tea, or a revitalising cup of lemon and ginger tea, or even a caffeine free Redbush blend, you will find it online from Twinings. Whether you are already an avid tea drinker, or want to try something new and exciting, head down to the Twinings website and see what they have available. There is so much available that you would be hard pressed to have a drink of the same tea twice.

You can order multiple packs to try, or simply stock up on your favourite type and rest in the knowledge that you are never going to run out. As long as there are British citizens there will be tea, and as long as there is tea, we will have Twinings.

Article for Twinings

The largest retailer in the UK is Tesco, and they’ve recently announced that De Vallois Champagnge is going to be sold in bottles that weigh just over 800grams so that carbon emissions can be reduced and less glass is wasted in consumption.  The New Year is always a time of year when champagne sales increase and it is hoped that this environmentally friendly bottle has contributed to keeping people green during this festive period

The previous weight of the bottle was 900grams and Tesco have announced that they will be introducing a greater number of lightweight bottles during the course of this year. The supermarket have said that they are dedicated to reducing the levels of waste that their food and drink items produced as this not only helps the environment but also reduces their transport costs.

The change to lighter bottles is not something that is just limited to Tesco however and their use has been seen across the industry. Andrew Gale, who is responsible for alcohol at Tesco, has commented, “We are not just working with champagne bottles and wine and beer are also going to now be sold in lightweight bottles.

We are working very closely with those who supply our alcohol so that we get lighter weight bottles. We are sure this is something that our customers are going to appreciate as it is good for the environment and does not affect the product in any way.”

A recent report by the government has shown that the amount of waste being produced by supermarkets has fallen in recent years and waste is being cut at all levels of the supply chain. Tesco is one of the leading supermarkets in waste reduction.

BrewDog have opened a new bar in Camden and continue to expand their craft beer empire.  In order to get a taste for what London can expect from the microbrewery, it is worth investigating what makes their flagship bars north of the Scottish border so popular.

The first BrewDog Scotland bar was launched in Aberdeen, October 2010.  Taking over a venue formerly known as The Marischal, the team renovated the bar ‘in the one way BrewDog knows best – with a sledgehammer’.

By branching out into the public space where they could serve their real ale on draught, BrewDog created an opportunity to share their passion and knowledge directly with their fellow craft beer lovers – a concept that became a major attraction and one which was instilled in all of the satellite bars that followed.

Aberdeen

With real-brick interior walls and open plan seating, BrewDog Aberdeen is definitely one of the coolest looking pubs in North East Scotland.  The steel doors and fittings, together with the overhanging and exposed air conditioning pipes, give the bar an industrial feel which is an apparent homage to their HQ brewery, also based in Aberdeen.

The staff here are as knowledgeable as they are passionate about craft beer but also about everything that goes with BrewDog – music, culture and even what food you should be eating with different beers.

Edinburgh

BrewDog Edinburgh was a step towards UK domination and a step towards new ideas for the business.  Serving home-made pizzas and a wide selection of BrewDog and guest IPA beers from across the world, the venue rapidly became a hotspot for fellow ‘beer revolutionists’.

Incorporating the same factory style decor as Aberdeen, BrewDog Edinburgh has carried the brand southwards and is an awesome bar to stop into when visiting the Scottish capital.

Glasgow

The BrewDog attitude was always destined to marry up with the attitude of the Glaswegian people and in July 2011, the city was chosen to house the third and largest BrewDog bar.

Again, inside is warehouse-themed but this bar has even more of a twist.  All furniture and decoration is second-hand and reborn with the BrewDog edge.  Old, laminate gym flooring has been used as wallpaper on one wall – an example of how contemporarily-artistic the building is on a whole, in beautiful contrast with the historic Kelvingrowe Gallery & Museum, which overlooks the corner venue on Argyle Street.

Micro brewing is becoming big business, and one Shipton man is hoping that his pints can become a local success.

John Lewis, who lives in Shipton-by-Beningbrough with his artist wife Jane Blackman, has turned his home brewing hobby into a small business and now hopes to see his ales stocked in pubs in the York area. John, who used his scientific background as a medical researcher to good effect when creating the micro brewery Treboom, has developed two drinks for serious drinkers; Drum Beat and Kettle Drum.

Having turned his back on cancer research at the University of York to follow his passion for fine ales, John set up his micro brewery in a brewhouse owned by neighbour Martyn Sellers, and housed in a converted barn.

Thanks to financial help from friends in the business, including the owner of a top London restaurant, as well as a grant from the Rural Development Programme for England, John and his wife are planning to extend their business and develop new beers, based on both the European and American methods of brewing.

John added that Treboom is hoping to expand its range of drinks in the near future and that he is already working on pale ales, traditional bitters, milds and even a porter.

THE ANTIQUE WINE COMPANY CONDUCTS A UNIQUE EXPERIMENT THAT PROVES A LINK BETWEEN SOUND & TASTE

Find out why sound matters in the wine world

The Antique Wine Company, www.antique-wine.com has carried out a unique experiment to ascertain whether or not sound has a direct influence on how a wine tastes. While corporations and supermarkets have looked into the effects of environmental sounds, this is the first time that it has been so directly explored in its relation to taste.

This project, that includes several experiments that looked at it in different contexts, was the subject of an RTE radio documentary in Irelandon the 9^th of December. It looks at things such as sound affects senses via intonation, subtlety of language and its subtext, and also looked at volume and resonance.

Part of a larger on-going study, the experiment is a fascinating, fun, scientific and well-researched look at exactly how sound impacts on us, thus changing our behaviour. Other interviewees for the documentary include James Sanger, producer of Keane’s hugely successful ‘Hopes & Fears’ album and Ed Bentham, founder of the Atlantic Whale Foundation, looking at how sound is used to change human brain states.

The experiment at The Antique Wine Company looked at key aspects of how sound affects us, cognitively, physiologically and psychologically in relation to wine specifically.

The session was presided over by Stephen Williams, Managing Director of The Antique Wine Company and was held in the company’s bespoke wine-tasting facility in Marylebone, which also houses the AWC Wine Academy.

Participants, who were members of the public with little or no wine knowledge, were asked to give their views on five red wines, while different types of music were played into the room as they drank them. None of the members had any prior knowledge of what the experiment was about, so that views could be unbiased. The wine served was also all red wine, so that it was purely the music that could influence them.

The music, which was all classical, moved from slow and relaxing, to more robust and dramatic. The Results were extraordinary, they showed that 40% of the participants who described wine number one as ‘subtle and refined’ went on to describe the same wine (which was labelled as wine number five), as ‘powerful and heavy’. This very tangible evidence gave us a direct example of how just by the change in tempo and style of the music, the perception of the same thing gave the participants a whole different experience!

Another example of how powerful outside influences are, was that when asked which wine was their favourite, not one person chose wine number one, yet 70% of participants chose wine number five as their favourite, which as you might have guessed, was the same wine !

All participants were surprised when it was revealed to them that the music had been the determining factor in the experiment and 90% of participants increased all four categories in wine rating from wine one to five, as ‘more powerful’ in colour/intensity, nose, fruit and quality – a direct correlation with the music having been increased in tempo and drama.

It was evident by the end of the experiment that different types of music, which ranged from ‘mellow and soft’, to ‘powerful and heavy’, strongly determined the way that they perceived the wine.  This compounds the theory that the environment in which you consume wine is very important, as it has a sway on your feelings towards it and how you actually perceive the ‘taste’ of what you are drinking. The results of the experiment conducted, demonstrated the direct impact and strength of influence that the surrounding environment in which you drink wine, plays. The journey into sound proves unequivocally that sound does matter!

The experiment was the idea of Peter Stone, CEO of the Riviera Media Group. He is one of the world’s leading consultants on Sonic Branding and has an impressive music career that includes conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna National Opera, amongst others. In his consultancy role, Peter has also advised The Antique Wine Company on sonic branding.

Commenting on the experiment Stephen Williams, said: “We were delighted to be asked to conduct this experiment, as at The Antique Wine Company we believe in advising our clients, not just on the intrinsic qualities of wine, but also the best way to enjoy it. The environment that you drink wine in makes a huge difference to how you experience and taste wine and this experiment has proved just that.”

Stephen Williams goes on to explain: “This was one of the main reasons for launching the AWC Wine Academy, as many of our clients wanted to not only know more about the wine that they were purchasing, but to understand how and where best to drink it, as well as what to eat with it, in order to really obtain maximum enjoyment from the wine that they acquire.”

AWCWineAcademyoffers a wide range of tasting events that offer the opportunity to taste unique, best-in class wines. Events include everything from instruction on food and wine matching to exceptional verticals and rare tastings with iconic winemakers. All of our events are designed to encourage participation and interaction. Events are always fun and informative, never pretentious or stuffy.

The wines tasted were all very similar (the first and last were purposely repeated to see if a change in music made any difference) – details of the wines tasted are as follows:

Margaux 2004 (which was repeated)

Medium ruby, developing nose, very classy, elegant, cigar box and blackcurrants-fragrant. A classic Margaux in a classicBordeauxvintage. Fine silky tannins, balanced acidity and seamlessly integrated oak. Lovely concentration and very long. 18

Palmer 2004

Medium to deep ruby, ruby rim. Developing meaty and undergrowth, spice, cigar box. On the palate black fruits and hints of aniseed with fresh balancing acidity and silky tannins.  Mouth coating fragrance. Long lingering finish. Good 17.5.

Palmer 2002

Medium crimson, pale rim. Developing nose, ripe blackberries, cassis with a hint of undergrowth and liquorice. Quite intense and fragrant on the nose. On the palate bright acidity, smooth velvety tannins with a lingering finish. Lacks a bit of concentration of the palate, found on the nose. States 13% abv but feels higher. 17

Margaux 2002

Medium crimson, pale ruby hinting on garnet rim. Nose more elegant and restrained than the Palmer 2002 (tasted alongside). More cigar box, hint of dried violets, spice, blackfruits and mouthwatering acidity. Fine concentration on the palate, silky tannins. Finish is long and fragrant. 17.5

Music played during the tasting was as follows:

Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy, Arabesque by Claude Debussy, Pavane for Dead Princess by Maurice Ravel, Adaggio for Strings by Samuel Barber, Planet Suite Jupiter by Samuel Barber, The Planet Suite Jupiter (half played) by Gustav Holst, Carmina Burana O Fortuna by Carl Orff, Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner.

It has been announced by Gouman hotels that the stylish new Reunion bar at the Grosvenor hotel will be offering an exclusive and limited edition cocktail menu throughout December that has a strictly Victorian theme.

The inspiration for this is that this historic hotel in London was built during the Victorian era, and guests can enjoy a selection of delicious drinks including a Dorian Gray, a Penny Black and a Victorian Martini while relaxing in stylish and elegant surroundings which overlook the bustling concourse that is Victoria Station.

Visitors who come to the new bar can also sample a ’19^th Century’ that is made using Beefeater premium London Dry Gin, fresh orange juice and quality dark chocolate that is then infused with Madagascan vanilla and baby figs. This drink has made the shortlist for the south region in the prestigious Beefeater 24 cocktail championships.

Explosive rum based cocktail including gunpowder tea, the ‘HMS Temeraire’, is named after the first British ship to be equipped with barbette gun shields in 1876 and ‘Cuffs and Buttons’ is a refreshing fruity tipple based on a traditional Victorian recipe which later became known as Southern Comfort.

Reunion’s Head Barman, Paul Bradley, said: “This is the first of a regular series of themed menu offerings that we have designed to celebrate the rich history and heritage of Reunion and the hotel itself. We created each bespoke cocktail to reflect the charm and character of this iconic Grade II listed building and to give visitors a valuable insight into Victorian life.

The Grosvenor was one of the largest and grandest hotels in London when it was originally opened in 1862 and our aim is to put Reunion on the map as the destination bar in the capital. The limited edition menu also serves as a souvenir for visitors so that they can feel like they are part of the hotel’s story.”

Reunion bar, which was designed to reflect the hotel’s colourful past with unique decor and art inspired by the golden age of railway travel, was formerly the VIP lounge for first class rail passengers at Victoria station and was often frequented by famous actors including Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Platform one, which could be accessed directly from the lounge, was famous for the luxurious trains The Orient Express and the Brighton Belle, the latter being depicted in paintings hanging at each end of the room.

The Grosvenor hotel is nearing the end of an extensive £20 million refurbishment which will see it become the official fifth member of the luxury Guoman Hotels collection in January 2012. London’s oldest railway hotel will also celebrate its 150th anniversary next year.

This Christmas season marks the introduction of a new type of wine for Waitrose shoppers. For the first time, the supermarket will be offering a desert wine made from pomegranates and according to the supermarket wine buyer, Ken McKay, the wine is set to be a great hit. Mr Mckay is the youngest wine master in the world and also one of the first to embrace the idea of pomegranates being used in the production of desert wines.

He has recently commented, “Pomegranates are a fruit that very popular in the UK and we are delighted to start offering this type of wine to our shoppers. If you’re looking for a great after-dinner drink this winter it can be a great addition to a meal. If you are serving cheese and biscuits after a meal then this wine can be very complimentary to that.”

Pomegranate wine has been being produced since 2003 and it comes from Israel, specifically the mountainous region of Upper Galilee. The wine is being made by a father and son team, Avi and Gaby Nachmias, at the Rimon orchard and winery.

The type of pomegranate they are using for the wine has been specially cultivated by them and it is well known for its particular ability to make great wine. It has soft tannins, a high juice content and a wonderful sweetness that make it such a success. Pomegranates are also known as a fruit that have great antioxidant power and those who choose to drink this wine will be benefiting from this. The wine is also very flexible and can be used in a number of popular cocktails.