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Wine Tasting of Surprising Sweet Wine of Southern Spain

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  I went to a wine tasting, a Monastrell Masterclass and walk-around Tasting on 14th October 2024 at a  Asia House in London. The Monastrell Grape Masterclass Growing vines to make wine in Spain dates back many years. The name monastrell probably comes from the Latin for monastery.   The monastrell grape grows in the sunny south-east of Spain. During the masterclass I learned that wines can thrive in hot climates without irrigation, (sending their roots deep down).  Uprooting old vines to replace them with orchards might seem a good idea short term. However, orchards need water.  If the climate change results in less water, as predicted, those areas which saved their vineyards might be glad of their old vines in years to come. Food to Match Monstrell Wine Other fascinating facts. A popular saying is that what grows together goes together. What kind of food goes with Monastrell wines? Anything unusual? Distinctive? A local speciality? Yes.  For those seeking something savoury, rice with
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Tarte Tatin and Hotel Tatin

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 Tarte Tatin is named after the Tatin sisters who ran a hotel with a restaurant. The hotel is still there. You can stay in the hotel. Eat Tart Tatin.  A side trip from Paris.  You can read a book about the Tatin sisters. And find dozens of variations of the supposed recipe, which they never wrote down. My family tried out a version. You make pastry and add apples and flavours. Oddly, you don't use cooking apple Home cooked Tarte Tatin by Trevor Sharot. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. s because they disintegrate into a mush. The apples to use are eating apples which hold their shape.  Useful Links https://www.ipreferparis.net/2021/08/maison-tatin-.html Please share links to your favourite posts.
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Lebanese Date Drink and Duck Wrap at Zufa in London, England

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  Zufa Lebanese restaurant, beside Kyoto Korean and Izgara Turkish, all in bustling Hatch End, beside the crossing. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. Restaurant location   Zufa Lebanese restaurant in north west London has branches in both Hatch End and Northwood. The Restaurant Name  The name Zufa is a girl's name meaning elegant. It is elegant and understated.  Zufa at night. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. Website Menu I looked up the restaurant menu in advance so I knew what I wanted to order. The date drink. The mixed starter or mezze. The duck wrap for my main course. Baklava for dessert. Seating Greeting We had made an evening dinner reservation for four, two couples. We were immediately greeted by Diana who offered us a choice of tables. I normally like to sit away from the window. However, our guests seemed intent on sitting under the glass canopy with a view onto the street. Whether Window Seats? Fortunately for me, the two tables immediately next to the outside we
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Singaporean and Malay Food and Beer In London - how we research and choose

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Spot the Malaysian flag? It has the crescent moon, multi point star, and horizontal red and white stripes.   My family is in touch with expats who live in or used to live in Singapore and Malaysia. We often meet in London once a year at a Singaporean or Malay restaurant. Food and Drink The requirements are  A good Signaporean or Malay food restaurant. Or an Asian restaurant serving these and more.  A nearby bar serving Tiger beer where we can meet in advance, and wait for latecomers.. Location Not too far from a station, to limit waking for the older ones. And reduce the risk of people getting lost and arriving late. Reconnoitre Somebody who lives in or near central London has to check out a few restaurants to find one which is suitable.  Why not go to last year's or pick one at random? Firstly, they want a change, a novelty. Secondly, the food has to be good. Thirdly, restaurants oepen and close all the time. Whaat could limit the choice?  Malaysia is a Moslem country and does not
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Indian Food Insights & Delights at a South Indian Restaurant, New in 2024

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What's this? That's what we wondered when we saw it arrive at the next table. Read on and you'll find out more.  Veera Restaurant Angela Lansbury in Indian outfit outside newly opened Veera by Sarasas Indian restaurant. Photo by Trevor Sharot. In July 2024 We went to try out the new South Indian restaurant in Hatch End, near picturesque Pinner and historic Harrow on the Hill. Hatch End has so many restaurants that a local newspaper called Hatch End the restaurant capital of north west London. The name Veera means older brother in two Indian languages as well as being from the Sanskrit for brave. The owners have two other successful restaurants in Hayes and Ruislip. The new restaurant in Hatch End was designed by the family. While it's new, they will be overseeing the Hatch End branch. But they keep an eye on the quality of service with video so they can spot if customers are looking for attention. I think this is wonderful.  The family were busy checking up looking afte
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When to Visit Italy For Food Festivals. In October? From the February Food Fight to sweets and crumbly almond cake in October. Sbrisolona, Other Sweets, Olives and Savouries

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  The flag of Italy, the tricolor, or three colours, is often featured in food such as the starter made of green avocado, white feta cheese and red tomatoes.  All over Northern Spain and Portugal I enjoyed almond tart for breakfast and dinner. Italy has something similar. An almond crumb cake comes from Mantua, also called Mantova, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It is featured in a food festival.  Sbrisolona. Photo from Wikipedia. The city of Mantua has had a Sbrisolona festival. The second one was Oct 13-15 in 2023. The next one is 18-20 Oct 2024. Any month is a good time to visit Italy, but October is the month of the Sweet and Sbrisolona Fair.  Festival of Sbrisolona, Mantua, Italy. Photo by Franzk in Wikipedia. The distinctive features of this almond cake are that it is crumbly and it is made with orange instead of lemon zest. Some recipes add white wine and hazelnuts. It is also made from corn meal. (Not finer cornflour.)   Cornmeal comes in three textures and the heavy
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Sparkling Sake and Plum Sake revealed at the Restaurant Show in London

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  At the Restaurant Show in London I had the chance to drink and try (taste) lots of new wines and spirits. I tried the sparkling sake and the plum sake. I like any sake. But these were great. The sparkling is an aperitif. Sparkling, like Champagne and prosecco, so it can be drunk on its own, without being overwhelmed by strong foods, and Japanese food is often bland, or to put it more delicately, delicately flavoured. The plum sake is from the UK which saves on import duty. Sake comes in small bottles, but you don't drink much. (In Singapore my Japanese friends at the Japanese club insisted on my trying plum wine and the dearer plum wines there were the strongest flavours. Most non-Japanese people would not know the difference and would be equally happy with the milder flavour and very pleased with the better price. In the UK the really strong flavoured plum sake imported from Japan costs more. If you go to a Japanese club or restaurant, look for the plum wine. Be careful, if you
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