Month: August 2018

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The Do’s and Don’ts when Storing Fine Wines

(Collaborative Post)

Fine wine storage is an art, and if you’re unfamiliar with the whole process, you could end up making mistakes that will have a negative on your wine’s quality and not allow it to develop and age the way that it should. If you want to preserve your fine wines the right way, there are some strict rules that need to be followed. In this article, we’re going to discuss some of the things you should do and avoid when storing fine wines.

Do Consider a Wine Storage Facility

If you’re serious about your wines and look at them as an investment, then it would be wise to consider storing them with a wine storage company. Fine wine storage is not something to be taken lightly, especially if your goal is to pass them down or resell them, so handing the wine storage process over to a company that is familiar with vintage wine storage is a wise decision. These companies usually have underground cellars which have the perfect conditions for fine wines and will also allow you to record the condition and duration of storage, which will make appraising and reselling your wines easier. If you want to know more about the process in general, you can always check this guide to fine wine storage.

Don’t Expose them to Light

Wines are very sensitive to UV rays, so you should do everything in your power to protect them from sunlight and fluorescent lights. Dark bottles are already better for wine storage, but they won’t be enough to completely protect your wines from light. Delicate white wines in particular are prone to light damage, so take extra precautions with them.

Heat is also an enemy of good wine, so make sure that you store your wine away from any heat source like radiators, hot water heaters, furnaces or any appliance that emits heat. Wines should ideally be kept at about a 13c to 14c temperature for optimal results.

Do Check Humidity Levels

Besides light and temperature, humidity also plays a major role when storing your wines. Store them in an environment that is too dry, and the cork might dry out and let air in, which could ruin them. This could also lead to leakage. At the other extreme, if you store your wines somewhere that is too humid, you might have to deal with mould and contamination. The humidity of the room you choose to store your wines in should hover around the 60% mark. This will allow your corks to remain fresh and expanded.

Don’t Put Your Wine on Your Fridge

Some people just put their everyday wines on top of their fridge out of habit. But that’s one of the absolute worst places for a bottle of fine wine. Not only do refrigerators give out heat, but the vibrations they emit are bad for vintage wines. Vibration will affect the way the wine ages and tastes. Not only that, but your bottles will most likely be exposed to direct light if you store them there. So, whatever you do, make sure that your never store any vintage wines on top of your fridge if you want them to age properly.

Storing fine wines doesn’t have to be difficult once you know the basics. If you follow the few simple tips in this article, you’ll allow your wines to develop to their full potential and get the most out of your investment.

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How to make mushy peas at home.

I used to buy mushy peas.  Tins of them, then one day I had none and the teens were moaning, I decided to have a go at making my own.  Marrowfat peas make the closest thing to the tins you buy in the shops, but marrowfat peas are not something I tend to have on hand.  I do, always, however, have bags of frozen peas or petit pois.  The taste is slightly different with the younger garden variety peas, rather then the more mature marrowfat ones, but to be honest, the taste with the younger peas is actually amazing and doesn’t take long to do.

I think it comes with the advent of kids needing fed quickly, and no time to go shopping, which is always my issue these days with mum requiring more soft meals and the teenagers always bringing friends home for food.  They don’t always eat what I make, but hey, at least they’ve been offered decent food.  Cook the peas in a microwave or use a hob on the pan.

This version is made so that my mum can eat them, so they are very well blended and are just made using petit pois.   These are also great for making mushy pea and ham soup.

Mushy Peas Recipe

Lesley Smith
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Accompaniment, Vegetables
Servings 2 -4

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g Frozen Peas any kind Use marrowfat peas to get a similar effect to tinned mushy peas
  • 30 g Butter
  • Tablespoon Double Cream Optional
  • Water
  • Half Level Teaspoon Salt
  • Pinch Cracked & Ground Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Put your peas into a microwaveable bowl, sprinkle the salt and pepper and cover the peas with water. Cook on full power for between 6-10 minutes. Depending on the type of pea you have, it might take longer. I usually put mine on for 5 minutes, then check them to see if they've softened up. If they haven't, I just microwave them for a slightly longer.

  • When peas are softened, drain the water from the peas and add the butter and optional cream. Depending on your taste, you may want to add a little extra salt. .

  • To keep a tinned style effect, use a potato masher to mash down the peas, or for a more pureed version, like the image here, just pop them into a blender for a few seconds. This can also be blitzed for longer, as a pure puree version for those who need it.

 

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Creative Ways To Choose The Unique Gifts For Him

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Gifts play an essential role to give some unforgettable moments to the recipients. It is the perfect way of strengthening the bond of love and care with close ones. We all live in a beautiful relationship with our siblings and parents in the family. Everyone finds time for the ceremonial occasions of each other like birthday, anniversary and other special events at home. These celebrations give us a chance to express our feelings to the family and friends.

Gifts make it simple for you to show the sincere feelings to your close ones. The unique gifts always make a remarkable impression for the recipients on their particular occasions. The gift selection for men is never an easy task. It should be according to the passions and hobbies of the recipient. You can also dedicate some gifts which they wish to buy in the upcoming time. The primary purpose of gift-giving is to give the memorable moments of the day. You can also create new memories by sending unique gifts for your brothers, boyfriends and the best man in your life on their special occasions.

Here are some creative gifts ideas for him (man) to give some surprising moments of the day.

Box of nutritious dry fruits: 

Most of the men are health conscious and follow the balanced diet plan. They like to eat light food items and also do regular exercises. The dry fruits are best to provide the essential nutrients with a unique taste. You can dedicate a box of delicious dry fruits to your elder brother. Sisters can also Send Rakhi with dry fruits hamper to their distant brothers on the Raksha Bandhan. It will be a perfect food gift for them on this day.

 Dedicate personalized gifts for him: 

Everyone knows the importance of unique gifts to give some remarkable moments to the recipients. The occasions give you the opportunity to dedicate something from your heart to the close ones. You can make the personalized gifts like photo frames, photo coffee mugs, and photo cushions, etc. to give the best moments of the day. It is the best gifts choice to dedicate some personalized items to men. They will remember you for these unique gifts on their occasions like birthday, anniversary, and other special days.

Gift apparels for him:

Men are also a fashion freak, and they love to carry some cool apparels according to the latest trends. You can dedicate a dress of his choice to surprise on the particular occasions. Girls can also purchase the printed t-shirts to gift their boyfriends on the birthday. They can also make personalized by using their photos to print on the t-shirts. It will help to create the new memory of the special day. They will outshine with your gifted apparels on their birthday.

Delicious cake for him:

A cake is an essential dessert to celebrate the memorable occasions. It is also the most awaited sweet item to commemorate the event. You can prepare a designer birthday cake to surprise your partner. Make it choosing his favorite flavors and ingredients to give him an appetizing feeling of the day. You can also make a photo cake to refresh the beautiful memories of your past time together. It will be the perfect dessert to spread the happiness of the day.

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Recipe: Dulcey de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes

National Cupcake Week 2018

Bakers at the ready! National Cupcake Week returns to the UK from 18-24 September 2018. To celebrate the occasion, Royal Lancaster London will be serving up an exclusive cupcake-creation from Head Pastry Chef Steve Penny: Dark Chocolate and Dulcey de Leche Cupcakes.

The indulgent treat will be served in the hotel’s Hyde Lobby Bar throughout the week and is priced at £3 per cupcake. Steve Penny shares his recipe for a twist on a classic that’s sure to be the icing on top of a sweet week.

Dark Chocolate and Dulcey de Leche Cupcake by Steve Penny

Ingredients (10-12 cupcakes):

250g   Softened butter

150g   Caster sugar

100g   Light brown sugar

250g   Eggs

20ml   Milk

250g   Self-raising flour

30g     Cocoa powder

20g     Cocoa nibs

2 cans Condensed milk

100g   Dulcey de leche

Valrhona Dulcey pearls

Chocolate Butter Cream:

50g Dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

100g Unsalted butter, softened

200g Icing sugar

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Splash of Milk (to loosen)

Method

To make the Dulcey de Leche:

Step 1: Take two cans of condensed milk and place them unopened in a bain-marie in the oven. Set the oven temperature to 120 degrees for around 2-3 hours. Be careful when opening the cans as they will remain hot for a long time!

To make Chocolate Butter Cream:

Step 1: Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Allow to cool until the chocolate no longer feels hot to the touch.

Step 2: Beat the butter in a second bowl until soft then gradually add the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and beat again.

Step 3: Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture until completely mixed, you can add a few drops of milk if the mixture is a little stiff.

To make the Cupcakes:

Step 1: In a bowl mix together the flour, cocoa and cocoa nibs.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Slowly add the milk, eggs and lastly the dried ingredients (flour, cocoa and cocoa nibs). Fold in the Dulcey de Leche into the mix.

Step 4: Fill 10-12 muffin tins. Don’t fill to the top, only ¾ of the cases should be full!

Step 5: Bake at 180 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes (or until a knife inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean) and allow to cool.

Step 6: Once cool, carefully make a hole in the top of the cakes using a teaspoon and pipe in the dulcey de leche. Top with a spread of the milk chocolate butter cream to give a smooth velvety finish.

Step 7: Sprinkle Valrhona Dulcey pearls and drizzle more chocolate on top just for luck!

Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY
Reservations on 020 7551 6000 or visit wwww.royallancaster.com

 

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Fun Family Activities For Days Off In Scotland

Finding activities for your family to do on your days off can be quite difficult when you’ve lived in the same place for a while. If you live in Scotland or are planning on visiting soon, then you’ll find that there are a lot of outdoor activities that you can take part in. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the fun family activities that you can do in Scotland. Make sure to keep reading if you’d like to find out more.

(Collaborative Post)

High Ropes 

Our first activity that your kids will love is a high ropes course. You’ll find that there are plenty of high ropes courses across Scotland with most of them being hosted by Go Ape! High ropes courses will teach your kids to be brave and they’ll love the adventure of the day. There will be swings, high jumps and much more. Don’t worry about the safety aspect as they’ll be harnessed in.

Kayaking

If your family like a bit of adventure, then they’ll love going kayaking in Scotland. There are loads of lochs and bodies of water that you can do this on and you’ll have the best time doing it. If you have kids that are quite young, then you’ll find that you can actually get tandem kayaks where two people can be together. This will help you and your family get closer to nature and you’ll bond at the same time. Make sure to check out bestkayaks.reviews if you’d like to find out more about what kayak to purchase for the activity you’re going to be doing, for example fishing kayaking or sea kayaking.

Mountain Biking

Another great activity that you can enjoy on your day off with your kids is mountain biking. If your kids love cycling, then they’ll love this new take on it. There are plenty of mountains in Scotland that you can take them up and if they are too young to ride a mountain bike then you could invest in a trailer. This activity is really fun, and you’ll love getting some amazing views and taking in the fresh air. Make sure to try out mountain biking if you want to try something new.

Rock Climbing

Although you might want to get out and explore the outdoors with your family on your day off, the weather does not always permit it. The great thing about rock climbing is that you can do it both indoors and outdoors, so you won’t have to cancel your day out because of the weather. You’ll find loads of rock climbing centres in Scotland and your kids will love climbing the colourful walls while they are harnessed in. Makes sure to consider this activity for your next day off.

Final Thoughts

There are loads of different activities that you can enjoy when you take the time to do your research.  Make sure to get out and enjoy the adventure in Scotland when you have your next day off. You’ll be able to spend time with your family and enjoy yourself.

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How to Make Easy Spaghetti Carbonara – Cheaply – £2.50 – Feed up to 8 People

My special needs boy needs help with making meals, and one day, he’ll likely have to try and make his own, and on a budget.  For this, I kept the ingredients light, and it was to feed 7 people, although we could easily manage 8 small to medium bowls with these ingredients.  The price…..   We kept it low.  20p for Tesco 500g spaghetti, £1.99 for 2 jars of Carbonara sauce from the Co-op, which fabulously, actually has real bits of ham in it, and a creamy sauce.  It’s the best version I have used for this.

Count the milk and butter, and we are at around:

  • £2.50 to feed 8 the basic carbonara.
  • Plus garlic bread from Tesco Hearty Food Range at 32p each x 3 = Optional 96p for three baguettes.
  • Total £3.46 for Spaghetti Carbonara and Three Garlic Baguettes.

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara

Lesley Smith
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Mains, Pasta
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g Spaghetti
  • 30 g Butter
  • 2 Jars Carbonara Sauce Co-op
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 200 ml Milk

Instructions
 

  • Very simply, just bring the spaghetti and salt to the boil, and simmer until the right consistency for your palate. My boy likes it soft, and other like it al dente, so choose your favoured options by the instructions on the packet you buy.

  • Drain the pasta, rinse with boiling water and drain again.

  • Return the pasta to a pan and add the carbonara sauce. Heat and stir until thoroughly hot.

  • Add butter, stir, then add milk until your carbonara reaches your desired consistency.

  • Serve with garlic bread.