WINE & DINE WITH ANGELA LANSBURY

  Food prepared to match wines at the Haberdashers Hall, near Spitalfields Market near Farringdon station in London. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. The Italian chef at Haberdashers Hall was asked to devise seven dishes to complement and compliment seven Italian wines from Zonin at their Zonin1821 event. I had to pass on the prawns as I have an allergy. However, I got feedback from my husband Trevor who has WSET level 4 diploma, and is wine educator, jointly runs a wine tasting group in central London and a fine wine lunch group meeting in London Restaurants. He is in a member of AWE, the Association of Wine Educators, and the Circle of Wine Writers. 

  Translation Of Wine Label Words into English altemura - high wall, possibly a fortified house, mansion or castle atelier - studio or workroom of an artist or designer (not attic which in Spanish is atico) Asti - placename in Italy bianco - white brut (French) - dry brut nature - naturally dry, no sugar added at the end to the dosage in the bottle Burgundy - place name in France Castello - castle Castello di Albola - the maker's name Champagne - place name in France, and the Champagne method Chianti (place name in Italy) Chianti Classico - wine from the Chianti region using  San Giovese grape variety Classico - classic del - of the di - of (Italian) Manduria - a place name Monin - family name from Italy. They still have their family wine production on north Italy, but have grown to a worldwide company, with one of their headquarters in London, managing and promoting labels and wines from Italy, France, Lebanon, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand and other countries.  ...

  Italian Zonin History I went to the Zonin1821 event. Zonin is an Italian company, in the wine business, founded by the Zonin family in 1821, long before I was born. They started in the Veneto area, famous for the port of Venice, and Prosecco wine, and the Zonin bottle label is associated with this region. They set up Zonin UK in 1998. How come I had never heard of them? This event aimed to put that right and it did.  They now have wines from Europe, France, Spain and Italy, and the Lebanon,  South Africa, Chile and Argentina, and going south, from South Africa and New Zealand. At a walk around tasting, I started with my favourite, Prosecco. From Italy. I compared a couple of them. Then I went on to Asti, from Italy. A couple of sweet Moscatos, muscats, sweet, of course. Then a couple of Champagnes, from France, of course, to compare with Prosecco. Wine Tasting The walk around wine tasting of their wines had the usual arrangement of a good event, spittoons scattered abou...

  If you park behind the Queens Head pub in Pinner, you see the back garden area on your way in.   Queens Head pub, Pinner, has a large open area at the back  Photos by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.   For the funeral tea, we had platters of sandwiches, vegetable spring rolls, sausage rolls. And something with fresh fruit, strawberry tarts. I drank a Prosecco. Photo Panels We had just seen slides of photos of our next door neighbour at the Breakspear crematorium during the service. In addition at the pub, three panels of pictures of our neighbour and her family were set up on shelves around the walls. Atmosphere & Ambiance Altogether, a very pleasant event, where the family could cheer up with food and drinks and company in the historic pub. Parking At The Pub The fact that we could park for free in the car park behind the pub alongside the back garden was an added bonus. We just had to give our numberplate to the staff behind the bar.  

English Food  English favourites: 1 crumpets 2 hot cross buns = traditionally for Easter time 3 Scones Pain au chocolat. Lidl. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Pancake in Lidl.  Scones in Lidl French Food French breakfast food, 1 pain au chocolat. (Called chocolatine in the South of France.) 2 Followed its cousin, the croissant, which now comes with chocolate or almond fillings, just to add variety, flavour, and more calories. (Pancakes are served at Mardi Gras, like English pancake day, using up leftovers. Spring clean. Paper thin and called crepes with accent like a hat on the first e, cooked on a large flat griddle, often with added Grand Marnier at Mont St Michel.) German Food 1 German stollen, with its marzipan centre 2 Stollen, in bite size pieces. You would expect a German speciality from Lidl, a German supermarket chain, in the UK and other countries. Italian food 1 Panettone - full size 2 Mini panettone Anything more missing?  I did not see these English Mince Pies. Min...

 French menus need not be a mystery. You already know many French words. You can pick up a newspaper in a cafe or restaurant and spot a matinee of a ballet. Here are some handy words. French flag B ballet bon - good, used in bonjour, good day, bonsoir, good evening, and bon-bon the sweet boulevard - wide street bouquet - bunch of flowers brasserie - eatery brassiere - bra, item of women's clothing also called soutien gorge which means lift neck which is a euphemism or polite word C cafe - both the coffee and the coffee shop cafetiere - utensil for making coffee by pressing down a plunger centre - centre chateau - castle or grand house, mansion, often surrounded by vineyards, sometimes a hotel. The plural is chateaux. chauffeur - driver, usually a paid employee in smart uniform of braided jacket and matching hat, dressed like a hotel porter at the door chocolat - chocolate, as in pain au chocolat, breakfast bun with oozing soft chocolate centre, called chocolatine in other parts of ...

  Outside entrance of Hawksmoor Restaurant in Borough Market, London, England. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. The bar area of the Hawksmoor restaurant in Borough Market, London, England. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. The restaurant table area. Hawksmoor restaurant. London. England. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. Hawksmoor Steak Steak is their Speciality. They have English, French and wholegrain mustard and horseradish but you. Have to ask for it. Muscat not sweet enough for me. Delightful, Delicious Dessert - Pavlova Pavlova pastry was delightful. Good to look at. Strong, dramatic, delicious taste of black cherry. Chocolate looked good. At the last, no real chocolate flavou. Like confectioners' chocolate or Hersheys which was created to not melt in summer tropics in the pockets and hands of wartime soldiers, so it was made waxy with oily ingredients instead of melting milk. I am a British Cadbury's fan. Pavlova? A small piece of solid, hidden underneath, whit...