I popped round the Boxpark Shoreditch outlet recently and would not be averse to paying a repeat visit again soon.
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME.
I’ve teamed up with Trek Protein Energy Bars for a special giveaway competition offering one lucky tikichris reader a chance win a box of 16 mixed flavour Trek bar so you can taste the complete range while upping your energy nest time you’re on the go and caught between meals.
Trek Protein Energy Bars pack up to 10g of protein and are made with all natural ingredients (fruit, oats and protein crunchies). With no added sugar or syrups, Trek bars are gluten, wheat and dairy free.
These cold-pressed whole food vegan bars count as one of your five a day.
Most people also seem to assume vodka originated in Russia or Poland, and that is indeed the partial truth. What many people don’t realize is that nowadays, these countries are no longer regarded as the top producers of this popular ethanol-based distillate.
Continuing with my Save a Crust series, here’s a look at my attempt to bake a bread and butter pudding based on the lessons taught by Chef Mark Borrell during the NLWA’s free cookery workshop last week at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School near Archway Station.
Verdict? Bread and butter pudding is super easy to make – and is great for home cooks like me who enjoying winging it.
A darling of the Brighton dining scene, The Coal Shed opened an outlet on the south end of Tower Bridge in 2018 to somewhat mixed reception. A search yield for “Coal Shed London reviews” suggested almost diametric 50/50 ambivalence toward this year-old surf and turf eatery. My own visit (midweek in what looked like an at-capacity dining room) resulted in an overall positive experience.
I left the restaurant with thumbs up, belly full and palate fairly well satisfied.
Here are some of the top places where you can have a great time after sunset in the Lion City.
In my previous introductory post for this collaborative Save a Crust series, I mentioned that the NLWA was hosting a range of free cookery workshops and how I was looking forward to attending one. I did just that on Wednesday evening, sitting in on the Islington session at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School near Archway Station. I had a great time and took home a meal for my supper.
In London at the Barbican Conservatory for the launch of Valrhona’s new single origin Tulakalum 75% from Belize, Benjamin took a moment to speak with me for episode 65 of tikichris Talks. During our conversation, we chat about Benjamin’s fascinating job and Valrhona’s project in Belize. Benjamin also shares a few tips on how to pick the best chocolate for this Valentine’s Day.
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Don McCullin, the Battle for the City of Hue, South Vietnam, 1968 © Don McCullin
If you’ve heard of Don McCullin (born 1935) you probably think of him as a war photographer. His pictures of Vietnam are iconic– as are those of wars in Belfast and Beirut– and wars you may have forgotten in Bangladesh, Biafra, Cyprus and the Congo, to name a few that he has covered in more than half a century. But what you get in this major retrospective of Don McCullin’s life and work at Tate Britain is not just the horror of war but the concern of a man who really cares. “If you can’t feel what you’re looking at” he says, “then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures”.
Passing through Spitalfields recently, I was hankering a burger and an excuse to kickoff my new series about eateries around London with vegan only menus. A quick Google search yielded a very highly rated Mooshies London Vegan Burger Bar at the corner of Brick Lane and Princelet Street. So I was off – but by no means was I put off with my burger!
Let’s face it, 1945 post-war Europe was a bleak and desolate place. Into this grey void stepped the shy but supremely talented son of a fertiliser manufacturer from rural Normandy. His name was Christian Dior.
Continue reading
Here’s the skinny on lunch at The Skinny Kitchen.
Here’s the low down (with a bit of a Valentine’s Day spin) on some fine things to see, sip, savour and more – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy.
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME.
Stats from a new survey of 1000 parents, commissioned by Fruit Bowl reveal that only 9% of children get their five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, every day. More staggering findings include the following:
These findings are supported by Mintel’s recent survey which showed that 50% of parents who buy snacks for children agree that it is hard to get children to eat healthier snacks.
The folks at Fruit Bowl want to make it easy and affordable for kids to get their five a day. I can go along with that! So I’m teaming up with Fruit Bowl for a friendly giveaway competition offering a bundle of goodies from the Fruit Bowl range while helping share the message that we all need to do a better job eating enough fruit and veg.
Did you know that 24 million slices of bread are thrown away every day in the UK, contributing to the average household tossing out £800 worth of food annually?
According to research commissioned by NLWA, more than 250 million bread crusts are binned every year across London alone, with one in four people saying they overlook the end slices of loaves. Just under 13 million loaves of bread (and just over £13 million) is thrown away every year and the equivalent of one and a quarter full loaves of bread being discarded every month by households that choose not to eat the ends of their loaves. In total, 1.2 billion bread crusts binned across the nation each year – worth nearly £62 million.
This all stacks up to a very sad situation indeed! But I’m here to help spread the news about the Save a Crust campaign and offer some tasty ideas to help you reduce waste and save money.
For episode 64 of tikichris Talks, I chat with Matthew about the back-to-basics concept behind Roadkill and how sourcing quality meat direct from British farmers can result in better tasting food, less wastage and lower prices for customers.
Listen now:
Download and subscribe to tikichris Talks at Apple Podcasts.
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I tagged along for yesterday’s press preview and left the exhibition feel invigorated but grounded. The world has changed a great deal since 11 February, 1990 when Nelson Mandela was released from being in prison for 27 years and his moral authority has been missed sorely since his death 5 December 2013 at the age of 95.
I’ve always been drawn to gin when craving an inventive cocktail or thirst-quenching spirit-and-mixer combo, so I jumped at the chance to learn more about The Botanist and the source of its distinctive complex taste. The first and only dry gin from the Isle of Islay, The Botanist features a unique combination of 22 hand-foraged local botanicals and offers a rare insight into the heritage and heart of this remote Scottish island.
Continue reading
Next up on the roster is Bosphorus Kebabs, a South Kensington stalwart that’s been serving kebab shop basics of lamb and chicken kebabs made to a high standard since 1974. Continue reading
Readly is a global subscription service for digital magazines that gives users unlimited access to more than 3,000 national and international magazines in an app. From the latest issues of your favourite titles to all sorts of back issues of various topics to mine, Readly provides endless hours of reading on your mobile, tablet or laptop – whether you’re online or not. I reckon Readly would makes an ideal purchase for you and your Valentine.
Here are a few reasons why. Continue reading
During our conversation, Chef Locatelli recounts some of his earliest food memories, such as when his father took him to eat his first pizza. He also looks back on how his career as a chef and restauranteur developed, talks about being a judge on the current season of MasterChef Italia and provides an update on his involvement with the Amara hotel opening later this year in Cyprus.
Listen now:
Download and subscribe to tikichris Talks at Apple Podcasts.
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As in Kobe, the food in Hiroshima was fantastic. And despite a tight schedule with plenty of sightseeing I managed my best to consume with craven curiosity.
Here are the culinary highlights of my few days there.
Read the complete article at Great British Chefs.
Then see what you think about these four easy recipes I came up with using Leksands Original Rye Crispbread triangles as the base of each for extra crunch and deeper flavour.
I’ve had the notion to start a vegan review series in mind for quite a while. However, I waited until February to kick it off because I didn’t want folks thinking I was hopping on this year’s especially crowded Veganuary bandwagon. Rather, I hope people will notice along with me that beyond foodie fads and fading New Year’s resolutions there’s a longterm trend toward plant-based dining and that it can be far healthier, considerably more ethical and sometimes even yummier than conventional western eating habits.
Nonetheless, it offers enough fun for me to recommend going to see this sci fi flick when it’s released in the UK cinemas next week.
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With award-winning restaurants in New Delhi and New York as well as the year-old outpost here in London, Mehrotra’s culinary aim is to explore “progressive ideas in Indian cuisine while maintaining traditional integrity” to present dishes that taste distinctively Indian in character but reflect an openness toward global techniques and influences.
It’s all about Urban, the app and web-based way for you to book wellness treatments – such as massage, manicures and pedicures, facials and osteo services – and have them delivered to your door and provided by trained practitioners in your own home, office or hotel room.
In this short episode I describe two of Urban’s services I recently booked: Osteopathy Consultation & Treatment and Thai Massage (with Oil) while explaining how wonderful it was to enjoy these in the privacy and convenience of my own home.
I also share a special promo code available only to listeners of the pod worth 15% off your first Urban treatment as a new customer.
Urban is this podcast’s first sponsor! I’m really grateful to have their backing and for taking a chance with tikichris Talks. So do yourself and me a favour and book your discounted wellness session today.
Listen now:
Download and subscribe to tikichris Talks at Apple Podcasts.
Follow and save tikichris Talks on Spotify.
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME.
How would you like to drink and celebrate in the same way as your favourite stars of film and TV?
Here’s a chance to win a BAFTA bundle of wine, including a special BAFTA-labelled bottle of Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV, a bottle of Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon.
Americana fans (that’s me) will be flocking to Hackney, East London this week for AmericanaFest UK 2019, three days of glorious Americana music in all shapes, sounds and styles. Reliable sources tell me there are still some tickets left for tonight’s and tomorrow’s live music Showcase and Thursday’s Gala International Awards Show, but if you’re keen I recommend you get in quick!
For the third profile in the series and the first of 2019, I’m crushing on the sweet scented city of Köln (which from here on out I’ll address with the anglicised spelling, Cologne).
Perhaps not as unsung as the first two cities I profiled (Pittsburgh and Cleveland), but as is the case with a number of German cities (that aren’t Berlin or Munich), Cologne is often overlooked and under appreciated by international travellers. Continue reading
As 2019 settles in, I carry on with another round of My Coffee blogging in collaboration with premium coffee machine maker, Melitta. Continue reading
From sourcing the best parking posts or ensuring the area is as safe and secure as possible, you’re responsible for more than your bottomline and even perceived customer satisfaction.
Shall we take a look at a few top tips for better organising your car park? Let’s. Continue reading
I’ve been blogging for 13 years. Running my blog has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Since the outset and continuing on a weekly basis to this very day, something amazing has come my way that simply wouldn’t have without me having a blog to serve as an interface and conduit between me and the world.
Of course, to see even a modicum of success via blogging one needs to be disciplined and aware of what it is people want to read. Still, beyond any other media available today, I believe blogging remains the best way for anyone with a great idea to spread their message on their own terms.
Ready to start your own blog? Here are three key reasons why you should do so today. Continue reading
With Urban, it’s possible to book quality expert treatments at your convenience. Be it a variety of massage therapies, osteo services, facials, or manicures and pedicures, Urban does you right when and where it’s best for you.
All you’ve got to do is go online or open the Urban app to pick your wellness treatment and then choose from thousands of practitioners available from 8am to midnight every day of the week.
I’ve teamed up with the mobile wellness provider to spread the word about how wonderful it feels to take advantage of its simple and quick and reasonably priced booking system to access professional insured practitioners ready to come to you.
To add even more incentive for you, I’m sharing a promo code worth 15% off your first treatment as a new customer. Be sure to use discount code TIKIBLOG when you book!
Urban treatment are available in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Paris.
First of my 13 stops is Icco, a utilitarian pizzeria in Fitzrovia that’s been baking tasty and nicely priced pizzas for 20 years. Continue reading
