Category Archives: Wine
Portugal Please: Even More Douro Valley Quintas
No, I didn’t just lounge around at a couple of scenically situated hotels while in the Douro (although, that would be a terrifically recuperative way to spend one’s time). When I wasn’t enjoying my stay in the luxury laps of Quinta do Vallado and Quinta Nova, I was bopping all over the rest of the valley trying to visit as many different vineyards as possible – and loving every minute of it. Here are a few brief notes about the rest of the Douro Valley quintas I visited, including Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta do Panascal and Quinta do Seixo. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged 30 Year Old Tawny, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Fonseca, Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port, Fonseca Port, Food, hotel, hotels, Late Bottle Vintage, LBV Port, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta da Pacheca, quinta da pacheca 30 Year Old Tawny, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Panascal, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Seixo Wine Centre, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, sandeman, Shopping, Tavora River, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery
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Portugal Please: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
A lovingly restored 18th century manor cum 21st century four star hotel and the centrepiece of a lofty patchwork of vineyards rolling down to the Douro River: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo was my home for a night. Leaving Vallado for a full-on day of winery visits around the Douro, my second evening in this idyllic valley wound down in equal parts elegance and comfort. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Chef Jose Pinta, Clã Special Reserve Port, discover the origin, douro, douro river boat rides, douro valley, douro wines, Food, geocaching, Grainha Reserve, Grainha Reserve 2012, hotel, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta Nova, Quinta Nova Reserva 2012, Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine caching, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery
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Portugal Please: Sniffing Around Quinta do Vallado
After a quick sightseeing jaunt and overnight stay in Porto, I was off to the Douro Valley for a few days of scenic sipping. My first night there, I had the ultra-luxe pleasure of spending some time – and a very restful night – at Quinta do Vallado. To put it plainly, I loved everything about this place. It hurt a little to have to leave and I’m aching to return for another chance to admire in situ this wine hotel’s blend of tradition with modern design; savour more of its homey food; and, of course, enjoy its fabulous wines. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Adelaide Vintage Port, Antónia Ferreira, discover the origin, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Francisco Ferreira, hotel, Muscatel Galeg, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta do Vallado, red wine, Reserva Branco, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Sausa, Shopping, tawny port, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, Vallado, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery
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Portugal Please: Porto
My Portugal Please tour commenced in the compact and cosy city of Porto, which proved to be an excellent gateway to the Douro Valley and a fine place to visit in and of itself. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit for a city break, Porto is only a two hour flight away from London with plenty to see and do and eat and drink and browse and buy. Here are some highlight from my all too brief time there. Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged 1969 Single Harvest Tawny, beer, cheese, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Gaia, Graham's Port, Graham’s, Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny, hotel, Hotel Teatro, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, IVDP, Mercearia das Flores, o porto, port, port cellar, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sovina, sovina beer, Sovina Cerveja Artesanal, tawny port, trael, Travel, travel blog, Vila Novo de Gaia, vinum, Vinum at Graham’s, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery
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Portugal Please: Wão. What a Trip!
Does it ever seem like far too many folks are stuck in the same tired rut of a far too well beaten path, only hitting a few main sites in a short selection of only a few Western European countries – namely Spain, France, and Italy – and never realising that there’s so much more to explore just as close, just as scenic, just as steeped in tradition … and often accessible at far greater value than most of the EU? Not you and me though. We’re going to Portugal! Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged alentejo, centro de portugal, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Drink, Festival of Food, fly tap, Food, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, Maria Cabral, o porto, Patrícia Martins, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese wine, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Silvia Aires, TAP Portugal, Travel, travel blog, Turismo do Alentejo, Visit Centro de Portugal, wine
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New Regional Wine & Cheese Menu at Theo Randall at the Intercontinental
Allow me to commence this rave by saying that Theo Randall’s Head Sommelier, Yuri Gualeni, is a frickin’ genius and Chef Randall is a very wise man indeed to let Gualeni do his thing. Case in point: the young sommelier’s new wine and cheese pairing that’s been “designed to be a journey through Italy’s terroir and traditions.” I tried it last night and loved every moment. Priced from £24 per person – and tailored to guest preferences – the menu includes four Italian wines paired with four regional cheeses. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged 2000 Vernaccia di Oristano, 2011 Ronchedone, at One Hamilton Place, Ca dei Frati, cheese, Contini, dessert wine, Fiori della Langa, Flor, Food, gorgonzola, gorgonzola naturale, hotel, hyde park corner, INTERCONTINENTAL, INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON PARK LANE, italian cheese, italian cheese and wine pairing, italian cuisine, italian food, italian restaurant, italian wine, Lombardia, London, London blog, Marenco, Metodo Classico, park lane, Passito di Strevi, Passri Scrapona, Pecorino Sardo, red wine, restaurant, review, Ronchedone, Rosanna, Selvapiana, Selvapiana Vino Santo, sommelier, sparkling wine, Taleggio della Valsassina, theo randall, theo randall at the intercontinental, Vernaccia di Oristano, Vino Santo, W1, W1J 7QY, white wine, wine, wine blog, wine pairing, wine tasting, Yuri Gualeni, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Dixie Detours: Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!
Happy Mardi Gras! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my Dixie Detours miniseries featuring the highlights from my recent trip to Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida along with suggestions for planning your own sojourn to the Deep South. Continue reading
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Posted in Alabama, Art, Coffee, Design, Dixie Detours, Drink, Florida, Food, Georgia, Hotels, Music, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tennessee, Travel, Wine
Tagged Alabama, athens, Deep South, Dixie Detours, florida, georgia, louisiana, MIAMI, Muscle Shoals, road trip, TENNESSEE, Travel
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Dixie Detours: Miami in a Minute
The final stop of our Dixie Detours visit to the US was Miami, where an overnight layover afforded Kemey and me the chance to check in on some friends who had recently moved there – big thanks to Tanya and Francesco for being such fantastic hosts and showing us around so much of your fine town – while soaking up some south Florida sunshine before heading back to Blighty. Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Coffee, Dixie Detours, Drink, Florida, Food, Hotels, Music, Restaurants, road trip, Travel, Wine
Tagged BARS, cocktails, coconut grove, collins avenue, cuban coffee, CUBAN SANDWICH, cubano, design district, Dixie Detours, Drink, florida, Food, hotels, jazz, lagniappe house, las olas, las olas cafe, las olas cafe south beach, LINCOLN ROAD, live music, lulu in the grove, lunch, MIAMI, MIAMI BEACH, miami dade, miami florida, midtown miami, music, restaurants, road trip, sanctuary south beach, scotty's landing, SOUTH BEACH, south florida, Travel, travel blog, wine bar, wynwood
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Win a Big Bag o’ Booze!
Ya get a lot of freebies in my profession (if actually I can call what I do for a living a profession). There always seems to be plenty of booze to go around especially! So much so, I’m not quite sure what to do with it. No, I’m no teetotaller and can assure you I’m doing my damnedest to drink my way through all of it. I’ve just got way more than I can get to at the moment. And this is where you come in. Want to help a blogger out and take some of this alcohol off my hands? Keep reading to find out how you can win my Big Bag o’ Booze. Continue reading
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Posted in Competition, Drink, Freebies, Wine
Tagged alcohol, bigbagobooze, Booze, Drink, free, free samples, gin, retweet to win, rum, sample bottles, twitter competition, win a big bag o' booze, wine
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La Giaconda Café Bar Restaurant on Denmark Street
Following a major refurbishment, Denmark Street’s landmark rock ‘n roll restaurant, La Giaconda Café Bar Restaurant brings together a quality caff experience and a fine dining options in the heart of Soho. Continue reading
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Posted in Celebrities, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Music, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged cafe, caff, Celebrities, cocktails, coffee, david bowie, Denmark Street, Drink, Elton John, Following a major refurbishment, Food, jimi hendrix, La Giaconda Café Bar Restaurant, London blog, music, restaurant, restaurant review, review, Rock 'n' Roll, rolling stones, sex pistols, soho, the kinks, the Rolling Stones, WC2, WC2 H8LS, wine fine dining, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Win Hotel Chocolat’s From Sunrise to Sunset Giftbox Worth £50
Hotel Chocolat’s From Sunrise to Sunset giftbox has “everything you need to create the perfect day for the one you love, from a sensual shower at sunrise to a sparkling drink at sunset”. An ideal Valentine’s gift for the fine chocolate lover in your life, the Sunrise to Sunset giftbox runs at a very reasonable £50 – but I’ve got a freebie to share with one lucky reader. Keep reading to find out how you can score one of these all-day fantastic and romantic chocolate gift sets. Continue reading
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Posted in Chocolate, Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Shopping, Valentine's Day, Wine
Tagged chocolate, competition, contest, Drink, free, free chocolate, freebies, prosecco, retweet to win, sparkling wine, Valentine's Day, wine
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Turin: City of Foodie Firsts (CheapOair)
Turin is a city of firsts in many ways. The northern Italian city is home to the country’s first official capital. It’s the birthplace of the Fiat automobile and is essentially the go-to scene for contemporary art in Italy today. And … Continue reading
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Posted in CheapOair, Chocolate, Coffee, Drink, Food, Italy, Restaurants, Travelbag, Wine
Tagged aperativo, barney's bar, BARS, bicerin, cheapoair, chocolate, Cinzano, coctails, coffee, Drink, Food, Ganci, gelateria pepino, gelato, hot chocolate, ice cream, Italy, lavazza, Martini Rosso, northern italy, pepino, piedmont, Piemonte, pinguino, red wine, restaurants, Shopping, Torino, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, turin, vermouth, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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New Year’s Eve Dinner at Nobu London
What a way to end (and start) a year! The seven course New Year’s Eve 2013 dinner and wine menu at Nobu London at the Metropolitan Hotel ended the year on a delectable note and set high the bar for restaurant experiences for the months to come. Check it out … Continue reading
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Posted in Christmas, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged Drink, Food, hyde park corner, JAPANESE CUISINE, japanese food, japanese restaurant, London, London blog, mayfair, menu review, metropolitan hotel, new year's eve, nobu, NYE, old park lane, park lane, restaurant, restaurant review, sake, seafood, sushi, tasting menu, W1, W1K 1LB, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Restaurant Review: Rocket Bishopsgate
A crowd pleasing menu at a convenient location with funky décor, Rocket Bishopsgate is a safe bet decision if you’re looking for a quick bite or a night out near Liverpool Street Station. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Pizza, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bar, bishopsgate, city of london, Drink, east london, Food, liverpool street, London, London blog, pizza, restaurant review, restaurants, review, rocket, Rocket Bishopsgate, sparkling wine, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Best Restaurants (Everywhere Else) – 2013
To say I ate and drank well this year does not begin to describe how delectable 2013 was for me. Both in London and beyond, I had the pleasure of experiencing some of the best meals outside the home I’ve … Continue reading
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Posted in Best of 2013, Best of the Best, Drink, England, Food, France, French Polynesia, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged Best of 2013, Best of the Best, best restaurants of 2013, brighton, Drink, enoteca, Fa'a'ā, fish, Food, france, french cuisine, french food, french polynesia, french restaurant, french restaurants, GB1, GB1 Seafood Restaurant & Bar, Grand Brighton, Grand Brighton hotel, hotel, hotels, INTERCONTINENTAL, Intercontinental Tahiti Resort, italian cuisine, italian food, italian restaurant, italian restaurants, Italy, Le Lotus, michelin stars, osteria, pad thai, paris, restaurants, seafood, sussex, Tabernalibraria, tahiti, thai food, thai restaurants, Thai Spices, Torino, Travel, turin, wine, wine shop
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Best London Pizza – 2013
To say I ate and drank well this year does not begin to describe how delectable 2013 was for me. Both in London and beyond, I had the pleasure of experiencing some of the best meals outside the home I’ve … Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Best of 2013, Best of the Best, Drink, England, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
Tagged bakery, Best of 2013, Best of the Best, best pizza of 2013, bristol, chatsworth road, CHEAP EATS, clapton, CLAPTON POND, corner shop, covent garden, DE BEAUVOIR TOWN, Drink, Drury Lane, E5, E5 0LH, E5 0QJ, E8, E8 1BP, east london, Ecco, Ecco Pizza, england, enoteca, Food, hackney, homerton, italian food, italian restaurant, italian restaurants, Latto's Pizza, London, london pizza, london restaurants, London's best pizza, lower clapton road, N1, N1 3JS, north london, palm 2, pepenero, pizza, restaurants, rossopomodoro, seven dials, Shopping, shoreditch, sourdough, sourdough pizza, south bank, south london, southbank, SOUTHGATE ROAD, street food, Sweet Thursday, tottenham court road, Travel, venerdi, W1, W1J 3QY, W1J 7NW, W1S 2AX, W1T 1JH, W1T 7NG, WATERLOO, WC1, WC2, WC2B 5RU, wine, wine shop, wood fired oven
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Best London Restaurants – 2013
To say I ate and drank well this year does not begin to describe how delectable 2013 was for me. Both in London and beyond, I had the pleasure of experiencing some of the best meals outside the home I’ve ever eaten. Here’s a list of the ten London restaurants I enjoyed visiting the most over the past 12 months along with a few extra honourable mentions. Keep an eye out for more posts over the coming days listings my favourite London cheap eats and pizza places, as well as the ten best restaurants I visited outside of London this year. Continue reading
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Posted in Best of 2013, Best of the Best, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Parma, Pubs, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged 1 Hamilton Place, alvin leung, American steakhouse, BARS, BELGRAVIA, Berners Tavern, Best of 2013, Best of the Best, best restaurants of 2013, bo london, BRASSERIE, Brasserie at the Tower Hotel, charlotte street, chefs, chelsea, chinese cuisine, chinese food, chinese restaurant, chinese restaurants, chiswick, city of london, cocktails, cookbook cafe, coq d'argent, county hall, coya, devonshire road, dim sum, Drink, east london, EC2, EC2A 2DQ, EC2R 8EJ, extreme chinese, fish, Food, france, french, french cuisine, french food, french restaurant, french restaurants, GASTRO PUB, gastropub, Gillray's Steakhouse & Bar, green park, Guoman Hotels, hackney, hakkasan, HKK, hotels, hutong, hutong at the shard, hyde park corner, INTERCONTINENTAL, INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON PARK LANE, italian cuisine, italian food, italian restaurant, italian restaurants, Italy, king's road, knightsbridge, latin cuisine, latin food, latin restaurant, Latin restaurants, Lima London, London, London blog, london bridge, london bridge quarter, London Marriott, london restaurants, marriott, mayfair, michelin stars, mill street, Mozzarella & More, north london, osteria, pad thai, palm, palm 2, paris, park lane, pepenero, PERUVIAN CUISINE, peruvian food, peruvian restaurant, peruvian restaurants, pescatori, pescatori fitzrovia, piccadilly, Pont Street, pub, pubs, Quantus, RATHBONE PLACE, restaurants, SE1 9RY, seafood, shoreditch, south bank, south london, southbank, St Thomas Street, steak, steakhouse, steakhouses, street food, SW1, SW1X 9EJ, SW3, SW3 5EL, tahiti, thai food, thai restaurants, The London Edition, the only running footman, the shard, Torino, tottenham court road, tower bridge, tower hill, tower hotel, Travel, W1, W1J 3QY, W1J 7NW, W1S 2AX, W1T 1JH, W1T 7NG, W4, W4 2HD, WATERLOO, WC1, WC2, WC2B 5RU, west london, wine, wood fired oven, Worship Street, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Spaghetti Bolowhatta? The Real Bolognese Revealed (Great British Chefs)
Let’s get to the meat of the matter. There’s no such thing as spaghetti Bolognese. Or, at least, there isn’t in the actual city of Bologna. You would do well to seek Bolognese inspiration for its rich tradition in pasta making. It’s a deliciously saucy city too and one which rightly lays claim as the original home of a large variety of food products – just not spag bol. Bologna and the region of Emilia-Romagna have as prominent a cuisine and as celebrated a food culture as anywhere in the world. Even among Italians from other parts of the country, the gastronomic sensibilities of the Bolognese are held in the highest esteem. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Chefs, Italy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged bologna, deli, Drink, emilia romagna, Food, GBC, gelato, GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, ice cream, Italy, Mercato delle Erbe, Mercato di Mezzo, northern italy, pasta, polpette con piselli, ragù alla Bolognese, recipes, restaurant, restaurants, salumeria, Shopping, street markets, tortellini, tortelloni, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Via Drapperie, wine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Arrivederci and Grazie Mille!
Over the past several days I’ve been sharing highlights from my recent Ham Highway adventure across northern Italy in a special 14-part miniseries. The series features entries about the following destinations – Forni di Sopra, Sauris, San Daniele, Udine, Collio Goriziano, Trento, Torino, Parma, Modena, Nonantola, and Bologna – along with tips and suggestions to help you plan your own delectable Italian itinerary. Continue reading
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Posted in Art, Beer, Cars, Chocolate, Coffee, Design, Food, Italy, Parma, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged 7th chamber, bologna, Collio, Drink, emilia romagna, Food, Forni di Sopra, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, ham, hotels, Italy, Modena, northern italy, parma, Piemonte, proscuitto, restaurants, San Daniele di Friuli, sauris, Shopping, speck, SPONSORED POST, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, the 7th chamber, Torino, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Trentino, Trento, Udine, wine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Bounteous Bologna
That I’ve been to Bologna four times (twice just this year) should speak volumes about how much I love this city. It and the region of Emilia-Romagna have as prominent a cuisine and as celebrated a food culture as anywhere in the world. Even among Italians from other parts of the country, the gastronomic sensibilities of the Bolognese are held in the highest esteem. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Street Markets, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged A F Tamburini, Al Cappello, Al Cappello Rosso, atti, bakery, bologna, deli, Drink, Drogheria Gilberto, eatly, emilia romagna, Food, gelato, hotel, Hotel Al Cappello Rosso, hotels, ice cream, italian deli, Italy, Mercato delle Erbe, Mercato di Mezzo, northern italy, osteria, osteria del cappello, paolo atti & figli, pasta, polpette con piselli, restaurant, restaurants, salumeria, Shopping, street markets, tamara venturi, tamburini, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, tortellini, tortelloni, TOUR GUIDE, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, vecchia malga, wine, wine bar, wine shop, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Modena: Fast Cars and Slow Food
For a town with a population of fewer than 200,000 people, the list of icons associated with Modena is impressive. Pavarotti, Ferrari, Maserati, Balsamico, tortellini … whatever floats your proverbial boat, odds are you’ve been inspired by someone or something Modenese at some point in your life. Continue reading
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Posted in Cars, Coffee, Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Street Markets, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged albenilli market, Balsamico, bar schiavoni, best western, bottega storica, bottega storica di modena, cars, chef, chef massimiliano telloli, chef max telloli, Drink, emilia, emilia romagna, enzo ferrari, ferarri, ferrari, Food, francesca stradi, ham highway, hotel, hotel liberta, hotel liberta modena, hotels, Italy, Maserati, massimiliano telloli, max telloli, mercato albinelli, Modena, modenatur, modenese, museo casa enzo ferrari, northern italy, osteria, osteria stallo del pomodoro, panini, pasta, restaurant, restaurants, sandwich, Shopping, sports cars, street markets, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, tortellini, tortellini en brodo, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, wine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Ancient Frescos and Fresh Mountain Air in Trento, Italy (CheapOair)
With a newly opened museum designed by star architect Renzo Piano; a distinctive sparkling wine with a rich tradition behind it; an exquisite regional gastronomy that’s big on flavour; and of course a stunning backdrop of snowcapped mountains, the lively … Continue reading
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Posted in CheapOair, Drink, Food, Italy, Shopping, Travel, Wine
Tagged alpine, alps, Castello del Buonconsiglio, design, dolomites, Drink, Food, Italy, methodo classico, MuSe, MuSe Science Museum, museum, northern italy, Palazzo Roccabruna, renzo piano, restaurants, science museum, Shopping, sparkling wine, spumante, Travel, Trentino, Trento, trentodoc, wine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Good Stuff
Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some yummy treats I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy! Miss P’s BBQ Pop-Up I attended a porky preview of a new pop-up from … Continue reading
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Posted in Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Antica Corte Pallavicina
Just outside the blink-and-miss-it village of Polesine Parmense, Antica Corte Pallavicina is a gorgeously restored 14th century castle situated on the banks of the Po that’s been transformed into a six room boutique hotel with Michelin starred restaurant. As refined as it is rustic, the venue is the result nearly two decades of dedication by local chef Massimo Spigaroli (whose other Michelin starred restaurant, Al Cavallino Bianco is located in the same village). Dining at Pallavicina was a sumptuous affair, yielding one of the loveliest meals I’ve had this year. Knowing that practically everything I put in my mouth came from here and was made onsite made all the more tasty. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Parma, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged Al Cavallino Bianco, antica corte pallavicina, Antico Corte Pallavicina, boutique hotel, chef, Chef Massimo Spigaroli, culatello, culatello di zibello, Drink, farm, Food, ham, ham highway, hotels, Italy, Massimo Spigaroli, michelin, northern italy, parma, po river, Polesine Parmense, province of parma, restaurant, restaurants, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, vineyard, wine, zibello, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Twelve Days of Christmas Afternoon Tea at the InterContinental London Park Lane
It’s no secret. I’m a big fan of the fine foodie offerings InterContinental London Park Lane. With Executive Chef Paul Bates calling the palate pleasing shots (not to mention chef Theo Randall doing his own tasty thing with onsite upscale Italian restaurant), I’ve never never even come close to having a less than ideal dining experience here. So an invitation to try the hotel’s limited edition Christmas afternoon tea was one I greedily accepting. This was my second time to enjoy an afternoon tea at the InterContinental and it did not disappoint. If anything, my expectations for a high level of quality and service were exceeded. Continue reading
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Posted in Christmas, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, ARCH BAR & WELLINGTON LOUNGE, bar, champagne, cheapoair, chef paul bates, christmas afternoon tea, cocktails, Drink, executive chef paul bates, gin, hotel, hotels, INTERCONTINENTAL, InterContinental London, INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON PARK LANE, intercontinental park lane, jazz, live music, lobby bar, London, London blog, london hotel, mayfair, park lane, paul bates, tea, Travel, Twelve Days of Christmas Afternoon Tea, W1, W1J 7QY, wellington lounge, wellington lounge & arch bar, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Torino Unshrouded
Initially pursuing an opportunity to visit Torino (perhaps better known to some of my readers by its anglicized name, Turin) was what eventually led to me coming up with my the full blown “Ham Highway” itinerary. The city was (and I assume still is) keen to have bloggers visit to write about the city. There was a chocolate festival scheduled for when I knew I would be able to go, and I was pretty sure I could get a commission to write about it. The more I looked into Torino, the more I of a hunch I had that it would be the sort of “content rich” place that I’d enjoy checking out. Continue reading
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Posted in Art, Christmas, Coffee, Drink, Food, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged ancient egypt, barbaresco, barbera d'asti superiore, barney's bar, bicerin, chestnut gnocchi, chocolate, chocolate festival, Cioccolato, coffee, Drink, egyptian museum, Food, gelateria pepino, gelato, hot chocolate, hotel, hotel victoria, hotel victoria torino, hotels, ice cream, Italy, lavazza, museo egizio, museum, museums, northern italy, Palazzo Madama, pepino, piedmont, Piemonte, pinguino, red wine, restaurants, Shopping, spa, swimming poll, swimming pool, Tabernalibraria, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Torino, Torino+Piemonte Card, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, turin, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: a-MuSe-ing and Bubbly Trento
After an all too short sojourn in Friuli (God, I hope I make it back there before too long), I hit the autostrada heading west to the region of Trentino for an overnight stay to see what sort of wonders its scenic city of Trento had to offer. With a newly opened museum designed by a star architect; a distinctive sparkling wine with a rich tradition behind it; and an exquisite regional gastronomy that’s big on flavour, locally sourced ingredients and seasonality – the answer I soon discovered was A LOT! Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Design, Drink, Food, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged al vo', alpine, alps, antica birreria pedavena, beer, bellaveder, Blanc de Noirs, Bollicine su Trento, brewery, bubbles in Trento, cantine ferrari, Castello del Buonconsiglio, chef alfio ghezzi, design, dolomites, Drink, ferrari, ferrari spumante, ferrari wine, Food, hotel, Hotel America, Hotel America Trento, hotels, Italy, lager, Lager Chiara, locanda margon, mach, methius, methodo classico, michelin star, microbrewery, MuSe, MuSe Science Museum, museum, northern italy, Palazzo Roccabruna, Perlé Nero Pinot Noir, pizza, pizzeria, renzo piano, restaurants, science museum, Shopping, sparkling wine, spumante, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, tavern, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Trentino, Trento, trentodoc, wine, wine festival, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Wine of the Month by @willbedwards: Pol Roger ‘White Foil’ Brut
Champagne is a wine intimately linked to celebration and festivities, and Christmas is the one day of the year when the ‘wine o’clock’ rule is entirely disregarded. Wine, and particularly Champagne, makes a wonderful gift at Christmas; or if like me you are just choosing a breakfast tipple, then the Pol Roger ‘White Foil’ Brut is a perfect candidate. Continue reading
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Posted in Christmas, Drink, Social Media, Will Edwards, Wine, Wine of the Month
Tagged brut, champagne, pol roger, pol roger white foil, pol roger white foil brut, Shopping, sparking wine, white foil, Will Edwards, wine, Wine of the Month, wotm
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Delectable Collio Goriziano
With the charming Udine as my base for a couple of days, I spent an afternoon in the nearby wine country of Collio Goriziano visiting a wine producer and cheese maker, both of whom had been recommended to me … along with finding out about a local ham maker whom I wish I’d had the chance to meet. Here’s the scoop on what makes this little nook of northern Italy such a yummy destination. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged agriturismo, Agriturismo Borg da Ocjs, Borg da Ocjs, borgnano, cheese, cjarandon, Collio, Collio Goriziano, Cormòns, d'Osvaldo, d'Osvaldo ham, dairy, dessert wine, Drink, farm, farm stay, Food, Formaggi Zoff, fosarin, friulano, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, hotels, Italy, Lorenzo d'Osvaldo, milk, northern italy, pancetta, Picolit, prosciutto, raw milk cheese, restaurants, Ronco dei Tassi, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Udine, vineyard, white wine, wine, winery, yoghurt, zoff, zoff cheese, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Udine
Udine is the hub and historical capital of the small Friuli Veneza Giulia province of the same name. With a sizeable university, it’s a lively setting with an interesting mix of people and pretty decent nightlife. If you’ve been to your share of checklist-y must-see Italian destinations (such as … oh let’s say … Florence) or you simply get a kick out off veering off the beaten path in an attempt to see what real life in a foreign country is like then Udine is a brilliant town to keep in mind. Continue reading
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Posted in Art, Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged ai frati, alps, Ambassador Palace, Ambassador Palace Hotel, collio gorizia, Do the Dolomite Loop, dolomites, Drink, Food, friulano, Friulguide, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Giovanna Stringher, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, ham, hosteria, Hosteria Alla Tavernetta, hotel, hotels, Italy, mortadella, Museo del Duomo di Udine, northern italy, osteria, Osteria Pieri Mortadele, pieri mortadele, restaurants, review, reviews, San Daniele ham, Shopping, St Nicholas, tajut, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Tiepolo, trattoria, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Udine, wine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利
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TONIGHT: Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard Christmas Shopping Night Out
Tonight, Seven Dials will be transformed into a pedestrian shopping haven with the entire area closed to traffic. There will be live music including performances by “vintage pin-up singer” Roo Savill and urban pop trio Mama Do as well as other bands and DJ in shops and around the area; street food from Urban Food Fest and sweets from Merinuqe Girls; free cocktails at St Martin’s Courtyard; a Champagne & Fromage pop-up bar; in-store parties; free makeovers; exclusive one-day offers; comps and giveaways; a festive spirit in the air and lots lots more … there’s even a tikichris special! Check it out. Continue reading
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Posted in Christmas, Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Fashion, Food, Freebies, London, Music, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
Tagged BARS, cambridge satchel company, champagne, christmas, christmas shopping, christmas shopping night, cocktails, covent garden, discounts & special offers, discounts and special offers, DJs, free, free canvas bag, FREE COCKTAILS, free drinks, freebies, g-star, joules and Orion London, live music, London, mama do, Meringue Girls, neal's yard, neal's yard remedies, peter werth, pop-up, roo savill, seven dials, Shopping, soho, st martin's courtyard, tikichris special, WAH Nails, WC2
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Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Ciao and Grazie!
Over the next several days I will share highlights from my adventure in a Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway miniseries of posts featuring entries about the following phenomenal destinations – Forni di Sopra, Sauris, San Daniele, Udine, Collio, Trento, Torino, Parma, Modena, and Bologna – all with tips and suggestions to help you plan your own delectable itinerary. Continue reading
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Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Parma, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine
Tagged 7th chamber, bologna, Collio, Drink, emilia romagna, Food, Forni di Sopra, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, ham, hotels, Italy, Modena, northern italy, parma, Piemonte, proscuitto, restaurants, San Daniele di Friuli, sauris, Shopping, speck, SPONSORED POST, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, the 7th chamber, Torino, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Trentino, Trento, Udine, wine
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Wine of the Month by @willbedwards: 2011 Barda Pinot Noir, Bodega Chacra
Up and coming wine writer, Will Edwards is back with a second Wine of the Month review. A “relative newbie” to the world of wine, Will works in the Chelsea shop of independent wine merchants Lea & Sandeman where he loves “to hear what our customers are enjoying to drink”. With the festive season fast approaching, Will finds an intriguing choice from a rather unexpected New World region to share with us. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, Shopping, Will Edwards, Wine, Wine of the Month
Tagged 2011 Barda Pinot Noir, argentine wine, Bodega Chacra, Lea & Sandeman, Lea and Sandeman, London, London blog, patagonian wine, pinot noir, red wine, review, Will Edwards, wine, wine blog, Wine of the Month, wine review, wotm, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Get 15% Off the Ticket Price for This Weekend’s BBC Good Food Show
Sponsored by BBC Heading to this weekend’s BBC Good Food Show at Olympia Exhibition Centre this weekend? Be sure to watch this video for 15% off your ticket price!
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Posted in Celebrities, Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Food, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Shopping, Wine
Tagged BBC, BBC Good Food Show, Celebrities, celebrity chefs, chefs, cooking, discounts and special offers, Drink, Food, Good Food Show, Good Food Show London, London, olympia exhibition centre, recipes, SPONSORED POST, Video, wie, wine
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Limited Edition Truffle Lusciousness at Coq d’Argent, EC2
An invitation to try a seasonal truffle menu led to me discovering what a crème brûlée is really supposed to taste like and where for an impeccable wine and dine in the City. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine
Tagged bank station, best crème brûlée in london, black truffles, city of london, coq d'argent, crème brûlée, Drink, EC2, Food, french restaurant, french wine, Head Chef Mickael Weiss, La Syrah à Papa Stéphane Montez 2010, London, London blog, menu review, Mickael Weiss, MUSHROOMS, NV Barbadillo Pedro Ximenez, pasta, pedro ximenez, poultry, red wine, restaurant review, review, sherry, spanish wine, tagliatelle, truffles, white truffles, wine, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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