Drink | Charlotte's VVeb

Royal Tokaji Gourmet Tasting Dinner at Brudenell Hotel

17/04/201306/03/2017 by Charlotte J

If you, like me, love Tokaji, or you just want to find out a bit more about Hungary’s most notable wine, then Suffolk-based Brudenell Hotel’s Royal Tokaji gourmet tasting dinner on 5th July, 2013, will be right up your street.

Founded in Hungary in 1990, the Royal Tokaji Wine Company has become one of the most prestigious wineries in the region producing single-vineyard wines from Mezes Maly, Nyulaszo, Szt Tamas and Betsek. Brudenell Hotel’s head chef, James Barber, has matched a different wine to each of the four courses.

Wine, dine and stay from £120 per person based on two sharing an Aldeburgh coast facing room, including a full Suffolk breakfast. Or book in for just dinner, priced at £55 per person. The evening begins at 7pm with an aperitif. The dress code is smart casual.

Tel: 01728 452071 ; www.brudenellhotel.co.uk

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Grand Hotel Europe Launches Vodka Experience

22/08/201206/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Russians are famed for many things, but arguably none more so than their love of vodka. This tipple is said to have been first created in St Petersburg. To celebrate this long-standing Russian love, The Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg has created a vodka experience where guests will learn how to pair the Russian spirit with food, have a cocktail masterclass with the hotel’s head barman, and indulge in specially created vodka spa treatments.

First up comes the food pairing. The hotel’s executive chef will take vodka enthusiasts through the classic accompaniments of Astrakhan Beluga Caviar, marinated salmon, and strawberries with icing sugar. Once guests have let the knowledge seep in, they’ll then spend an evenign with the sommelier and learn how to create some of the most popular vodka based cocktails including, a Dirty Martini, Bloody Mary, Moscow Mule and White Russian. To finish, guests will be pampered with one of two vodka-based spa treatments designed to rid the body of unwanted toxins – the welcome to Russia vodka scrub or the vodka massage.

With the hotel’s lobby bar serving no less than 22 types of vodka, the Grand Hotel Europe really is the place to head if you want to indulge in a lengthy Russian session of vodka imbibing and zakuski devouring, or just buff up your knowledge of the traditional tipple.

The vodka experience is priced from £72 per person, and nightly rates start from £272 for a superior king room per night including taxes. Visit www.grandhoteleurope.com for more information.

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Cocktail of the Month: Grey Goose Orange Blush

20/01/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

So while most people are grappling with a detox in January, I wonder where the fun in that is! This January I’m indulging in a Grey Goose Orange Blush using Grey Goose l’Orange vodka with orange liqueur. Here’s how to make this delightful cocktail…

Ingredients

35ml Grey Goose L’Orange

10ml orange liqueur

Tonic water

Instructions

Mix the Grey Goose vodka with orange liqueur and ice, then balance by topping with tonic

Serve with lemon wedges to taste

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Wine of the Week: Bulgarian Enira Red Wine at Waitrose

05/01/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Enira 2006 Thracian Lowlands Bulgarian Red Wine

This New Year I was excited to see yet another East European wine on sale at Waitrose; it’s no wonder Decanter deem them the best supermarket supplier of wines. I saw in 2011 with a bottle of Enira 2006 Thracian Lowlands Bulgarian red wine. This fabulous, spicy red wine is produced and bottle by the Bessa Valley Winery in Ognianovo village.

This wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot. The deep, vibrant, ruby red colour is further complemented by its rich flavour. Boasting flavours of plum and blackcurrant, this wine is particularly smooth. Unlike most East European wines, it is ripe, and equals any bottle of cabernet sauvignon from France or the New World. It would not be impossible to enjoy this wine chilled as is a popular trend in Balkans and Greece.

Most excitingly I then found out this wine won a Bronze Award at the International Wine Challenge. I couldn’t agree with the decision more. It’s certainly a worthy punt for wine enthusiasts!

For more information visit

Waitrose Enira 2006 Thracian Lowlands Bulgarian Wine £7.59.

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Bavarian Beerhouse Oktoberfest Franchise Opportunity

28/10/201006/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Love Oktoberfest or always wanted to visit but never had the opportunity? Well the biggest beer festival in the world may soon be happening in a city near you! Bavarian Beerhouse, the UK’s number one Oktoberfest specialist, is expanding and offering franchise opportunities for this unique concept in the UK and Ireland. Bavarian Beerhouse Franchise Ltd is planning to roll out 15 new venues over the next five years.

Oktoberfest is well known all over the world, but so far there has been no Oktoberfest restaurant chain, never mind an ‘Oktoberfest’ franchise. That is about to change, as the Bavarian Beerhouse is offering its unique Oktoberfest concept to enterprising franchisees. Potential locations are Birmingham, Brighton, Dublin, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bradford, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Wakefield, Cardiff, Coventry, Nottingham and Leicester.

Following the foundation of Bavarian Beerhouse Ltd in 2004 by husband-and-wife team Rene and Sabine von Reth, the first year of operation saw this authentic Bavarian pub and restaurant quadruple the revenues seen by the previous tenant, a well-known wine bar. Since then revenues and profits have risen continuously, and in 2009 the couple established Bavarian Beerhouse Franchise Ltd to start the rollout of its successful concept across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

On Tuesday, 2nd November 2010, Bavarian Beerhouse Ltd will hold an information day for pre-qualified franchise prospects, enabling potential franchisees to view the premises and get an idea of what it’s like to run a Bavarian Beerhouse. Attendance is by invitation only. Interested franchisees should contact franchise@bavarian-berhouse.co.uk

www.bavarian-beerhouse.com

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Hungarian Inspired Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason

21/10/201006/03/2017 by Charlotte J

I was rather excited to hear about the Royal Academy’s latest art exhibition straight from Budapest and to coincide with this celebration of art from the former Eastern Bloc Fortnum & Masons has launched a Hungarian inspired Afternoon Tea. This fabulous afternoon tea, with a distinct Hungarian twist, is served on exquisite Herend porcelain, made by Hungary’s historic premier porcelain maker.

Immerse yourself in the Hungarian experience with delectable warm Hungarian strudels and traditional Hungarian cakes, as well as a selection of open afternoon sandwiches in the St James’s restaurant at £46 from 27 September to 29 October, Monday to Friday. Or for the duration of the exhibition, Monday to Saturday, with dinner in the Fountain Restaurant at £38. For reservations call 0845 602 5694.

After enjoying the Herend Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Masons wander a few minutes down the road to see the Treasures of Budapest Exhibition, featuring glorious masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery, at London’s Royal Academy. The exhibition is open to the public until 12 December 2010.

The St James’s Restaurant, 4th Floor, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER www.fortnumandmason.com

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Friday Night Cocktails for National Chocolate Week

15/10/201006/03/2017 by Charlotte J

This week, Britain has been celebrating all things sweet throughout this year’s National Chocolate Week where every self-respecting chocoholic can, and has indulged in every imaginable form of chocolate. Come Friday night why not continue to enjoy chocolate but this time with a real twist, all courtesy of the mixologists at Russian Standard Vodka who have dreamt up this deliciously pleasurable range of chocolate cocktails.

Combining the smooth indulgence of chocolate with a luxurious base of Russian Standard Vodka Original, it’s the perfect way to kick off a week of cocoa based extravagance! You’ll be in chocolate heaven. Check out the recipes below…

Choc-Orange Russian Screwdriver

50ml Russian Standard Vodka Original
100ml freshly squeezed orange juice
25ml crème de cacao
To serve: Slice of orange, a twist of rind & grated chocolate

Shake the Russian Standard Vodka, crème de cacao and fresh orange in a cocktail mixer then pour over ice into a chilled hi-ball glass, add the freshly squeezed orange juice and garnish with a slice of orange and a twist of rind.

Chocolate Russian
50ml Russian Standard
20ml Creme de Cacao
30ml Fresh Cream

Pour Creme de Cacao and Russian Standard over ice and stir gently. Float fresh cream on top.

Russian Standard Vodka Original owes its name and quality to scientist Dmitri Mendeleev’s classic formula, commissioned by Tsar Alexander III. Its optimum balance and purity make it perfect alone or at the heart of a magnificent cocktail.

Step up the celebrations this National Chocolate Week 11th and 17th of October!

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Russian Standard Vodka Originals Pop-up Party in Soho

23/08/201023/10/2016 by Charlotte J

When I was invited to attend the Russian Standard Vodka Originals Pop-up Bar Party at the Vinyl Factory on Poland Street in London’s Soho, held last Thursday, I naturally jumped at the chance! An evening of fabulous, chilled Russian vodka cocktails (The Russian Tea being my personal favourite – bringing back all the flavours and aromas of the Russian samovar, zakuski feasts and the iciest, driest vodka) combined with music from DJ Mr Hudson, Tim from the Filthy Dukes and Sam Bell and a fantastic crowd made for one of the best nights I’ve had out in a long time.

Check out a little video compilation from the event below…

Note: If you cannot see the above video it may be because you are using a browser it is not compatible with. Try using Firefox or updating your browser so it runs the latest settings.

To see photographs from the event click here!

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Wine of the Week: Croatian Plavac Mali 2007

09/04/201022/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Yet another East European find in Waitrose, this time a bottle of Croatian red wine! Croatia is renowned for its wine, particularly its red which is hearty, rich and intense in flavour and colour.

Plavac Mali is produced at the Svirče Winery on the island of Hvar, located on the Adriatic. The vineyard is noted for its quality wines. This particular bottle is a ripe, smooth red, from the Plavac Mali grape. This grape variety, indigenous to Hvar, is closely related to Zinfandel and so the wine has a very similar style.

The Plavac Mali is soft enough to drink one its own but makes an ideal pairing to beef dishes such as cevapi served with ajvar. Alternatively serve with a delicious Sunday lamb roast. Packed with notes of punchy berry fruits this bottle is simply delicious and would not be a poor accompaniment to an abundant cheese board.

Plavac Mali Hvar 2007

750 ml

13% vol.

£9.79

Available at Waitrose

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Russian Easter Traditions at The Merchant’s Yard, London

26/03/201019/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Kulich at the Merchant's Yard — Kulich at the Merchant’s Yard

Triple kissing and the giving of eggs as presents are distinctive features of celebrating Easter in Russia. On the first day of Easter people marvel at sunrise early in the morning and predict weather for all of the summer. People put on new clothes as a symbol of new life, a tradition that goes back to the early Christians who were baptised at sunrise on the first Easter day. After the end of Lent, it is acceptable to wear bright and colourful clothes, especially red. It is believed that the gates to heaven are open during Easter week and everybody who dies during this time goes straight to heaven.

The Imperial Kulich is a traditional Russian Easter cake. You will need a lot of eggs, butter and sugar so that the cake remains fresh for a long time. A special 1-1.5 cubic litre, tall cylindrical form, made from aluminium is used for baking the kulich. Forms are washed over with butter and half-filled with dough. The finished Kulich is decorated with sugar frosting, candied peel, nuts and sugar, with a rose placed on top to add the final finishing touch. Kulich, pashka and painted eggs can all be found at the Merchant’s Yard this Easter.

Easter Eggs at The Merchant's Yard — Easter Eggs at The Merchant’s Yard

The Easter breakfast is an important ritual in Russia, bringing all the family members together around a beautifully-decorated table for a sumptuous feast. The Lenten fast is broken by first eating the eggs bless in church. Kulich and pashka are then divided up and then the family can proceed on to other dishes.

The Merchant’s Place, 41 Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1NX