Photo © Graeme Yuill (cc-by-sa/2.)

And it’s all steeped in art. If you know your Greek mythology, you recall the Nine named Muses who represented the arts. The Tenth Muse had no name and “represents all that is unseen, not captured, defined or understood.” You’ll cleverly find the brand strap line under the waxed bottle top: ‘Plura Latent, Quam Patent’ (more is hidden than revealed). Nice touch.

It’s all rather beautiful, the bottle is stunning sculptural piece that plays with the light, the white wax and textured paper label all exude that feeling that this is not your average bottle of voddy. I doff my hat to the design and marketing teams involved, the brand story is exquisite. You can read more on their website.

But to the taste Fran! X MUSE is the first barley blended vodka, inspired by the Whiskey traditions of Scotland. Two heritage varieties of barley are used; Plumage Archer and Maris Otter, prized for flavour, distilled separately and combined to produced this luxurious, rich, smooth vodka. It’s one of the very few vodkas I would drink neat, and is surprisingly characterful/complex.

Taste profile: Citrus, apple, cereal and pepper.

You'd think that vegetarians would burst into flames on passing the doors of MEATLiquor wouldn't you? Home of those messy, naughty burgers that everyone loves diving into, surrounded by graffiti, neon, chain mail booths and nightclub lighting. There's the name too. But here we are, behind the beast it's a pretty inclusive place.


I still can't get over how much I like it here. Anyone that knows me would probably laugh at this - you wouldn't think it would be my thing, but then my collection of heavy metal normally raises a few eyebrows too!

Although I like the standard burgers, being the carnivore I am, today was all about the vegetarian specials and the "dry" cocktails.


Starting with the "Poppaz", which were cheese and jalapeño croquettes, crumbed and deep fried. Eaten molten hot, there's not really too much to complain about. The ranch dressing served with them helped cool down the spice.


I can't imagine salad is the first thing on any one's mind here but after trying it, I would definitely order the Blue Corn Tortilla Salad again. Probably one of the genuine healthier options, this included a decent portion toward your five a day in the beetroot, corn, cucumber, tomato and lettuce. There was a sprinkling of feta and serious crunch from the crushed blue corn tortilla chips and sunflower seeds. It's a really generous size too - at £6.75 a bargain for lunch.


On the other end of the health scale were the Black Bean Chilli Fries. Beautifully thin fries topped with a well seasoned black bean chilli, jalapeño, finely diced white onion and mustard. (These are vegan without the cheese option by the way.)

Although I really like the chicken Monkey Fingers on the menu, the paneer version made a really nice alternative, the firm texture holding up well. Still slathered in that finger licking hot sauce and served with a blue cheese dip.


As there was so much food to get through, the cheddar and Hobo Beer dip for the tortillas had congealed a bit as it cooled. That savoury beery taste was there though and eaten hot this would not have been an issue.


Drinks were lush and even without the recommended booze addition for each, were really interesting. I hate fizzy soda (cola is the DEVIL), so if I'm not drinking booze I tend to struggle with drinks. Hopefully they'll keep these on past January. Root 69 with it's vibrant colour from the beetroot was fresh and zingy with soda and lemon juice and the Carrot Top with turmeric I could have been drinking in some clean eating cafe for twice the price.


Although people should be well and truly off the January wagon by now (MEATliquor even did a ‘Falling Off the MEATwagon’ package deal to celebrate), don't rule this place out if you are going easy on meat or if you are vegetarian/vegan. There are of course still the vegetarian and vegan options on the burger menus as well as the Setan Fingers and sides you can bolt on to the specials. Whilst I would still opt for a Dead Hippie or buffalo wings on future visits (because, you know...MEAT) I would absolutely consider the meat free options again after trying them out.


(Excuse the odd colour on the photography, the interior is bathed in a red light district ambiance.)

MEATLiquor Brighton
22-23 York Place
Brighton BN1 4GU

I dined as a guest of MeatLiquor. Words and thoughts, as always, my own. 

I'm surprised that there is any inspiration left to be squeezed out of the juice market but Mello brings something surprisingly different.

Essentially just a raw, cold pressed juice made from watermelon or Cantaloupe, it's a really nice and healthy option especially if you are off the booze. And let me tell you if your are off the booze (as this mamma has been on and off over the last few years) your options for something interesting to drink is limited. (Please never let me drink another glass for Shloer ever again.)

Unlike traditional fruit juices I found this clean crisp and refreshing to drink. The USP seems to focus on quite a lot of health and beautification claims, but other than hydration and being naturally good for you as part of a decent diet, I would take it all with a pinch of (lo) salt. I don't think it will be reducing wrinkles anytime soon and as for the prevention of certain diseases, drinking this every now and then isn't the answer. As you can tell, I'm getting a bit grumpy about food brands with big claims as it sucks in people looking for a miracle short term product. It's all about the bigger picture and balance for LIFE in my book.

Ok, ok, I'll admit that if you look into my tea cup you would normally find a cup of the finest mass produced builder's tea. Other than that I may have a few Earl Grey and some dusty herbal tea bags in the cupboard. Yet look on my shelf and you'll see my collection of teapots. I love them! I even had 200 British made teapots flown out to Italy for my wedding favours for the Italians, that like me, will display them on the shelf whilst we down our espressos.



But genuinely, the arrival of Bluebird Tea Co. in the North Laine has transformed hot beverages at GF towers. We've dusted off the teapots and filled them with the most wonderful Bluebird Tea blends. I suppose my lack of enthusiasm for tea is due to my ignorance on the subject. I've avoided mass produced fruit teabags because they taste like disappointment and dust. Yerk. But the Victoria Sponge mix here, with a base of Ceylon black tea with coconut, strawberry granules, whole freeze dried raspberries and raspberry leaves was anything but dusty. It was really vibrant and had a truly fruity taste with a comforting vanilla cakeish (it's a WORD) background.



I was trialling an "experience pack" which I think is a great idea if you are new to real tea or the BTC brand. They contain five blends in specific collections (chai, caffeine free...) or a pick n' mix of your own choosing. There is enough loose leaf tea in each for quite a few cups and there are some I would never have chosen yet will absolutely repurchase. Handily on each pack is the brewing guide, temperature and if it is served with or without milk for each tea to enjoy it at its best.
Favourite of my pack (which you can purchase in store and online) was the Gingerbread Chai. I loved it for after dinner. Handily caffeine free with a Rooibos base and an intense but not over the top spice from cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, softened with Mallow flowers.

I also tried out the Peppermint Cream (fun for after dinner), Nearly Nirvana (jasmine silver needle with spearmint) and the prettiest tea on the planet, Enchanted Narnia, with whole rosebuds, cocoa shells and raspberry leaves.



And look at the blends! They are utterly beautiful, as you can see all of the ingredients. yes some of the teas are quite quirky and I guess that gives this brand their playful charm but the taste is very serious and well considered, something you will want to drink again and again rather than experience for gimmicks sake.

And they don't just sell tea and tea accessories. There is a little bar in the corner for delicious iced and hot teas for take out or to perch on their bench seating. Plus they hold tea events in the evenings. I particularly like the sound of the tea mixology classes with tea cocktails. There is also a tea club you can join to really try out the different blends which are delivered to your home every month via a subscription.



www.bluebirdteaco.com
Order online or at their store:
41 Gardner St
Brighton



I was sent an experience pack for review.

Sometimes you open up your inbox to the really unexpected. An invitation to a night out on a tequila bender with Cleo Rocos was certainly one of those messages.

I can't tell you how much I like this woman. I love her glamour, her style, her wild crimson hair and as it turns out, her adorable, enchanting personality. What I wasn't expecting is Rocos being the only female Tequileira in Mexico and President of the Tequila Society with a line in her own premium tequila brand. She's even been highly awarded for it. However, after a lifetime in showbiz and practically a degree in partying (I will never forget her Lady Di smuggling story) she really does know her onions when it comes to booze and is currently promoting her Power of Positive Drinking, educating people in how to drink properly and happy. West Street listen up.

No soft drink has ever excited me as much as an alcoholic tipple (yeah, yeah...lush). I hate fizzy pop and generally stick to water or a Belvoir Pressé, San Pellegrino Lemon, or Bottlegreen drink for guilt-free refreshment. When I was pregnant the worst part was going out to dinner or a bar and being asked what to drink. I just used to look blankly at the waiter and shrug.

And the taste! I’ve probably only had three Cocoa-Colas in my whole life, maybe I don't have enough friends to share one with. And I once tried Redbull and couldn't feel my face for half an hour after, not the sort of thing I look for in a drink. As for flavoured waters... bleugh!

Zeo are bulldozing into this frankly flat soft drinks arena with a pretty heavyweight marketing plan and budget. They are certainly here to shake things up. I really like the bottles, the fine neck that twists and feels glacial is elegant. These drinks are not pitched to the kids, but adults. Mixologists too are getting a bit excited by them. The main drive is that they are sensory, giving you a little pleasant tingle on the tongue.

Amazingly Zeo are 100% natural. I think–with my C in Science GCSE–it's the Stevia sweetener and 32 other botanicals that give you the tingle. The sensation is enough to be interesting without gimmicky.

We tried three of the flavours out at the design studio I work at. My preferred one was "Burst" with peach and grapefruit and was quite refreshing. It did have a strange aftertaste - unlike any other drink I could put my finger on. This was more evident in the citrus "Crush" flavour. You know when you drink orange juice after having brushed your teeth? Like that. "Zest" was the most synthetic tasting and was rather medicinal. I can't say I enjoyed that one at all.

These weren't for me if I'm being honest. Maybe I'm not much of a soft drink drinker or maybe I need to experience them as part of a cocktail - I imagine them as an interesting backdrop for clean spirits and blended fruits maybe. Intriguing for sure.

Visit the Zeo website for more info.

Thanks to Zeo for the samples.

I've been meaning to do a "Best of Brighton" post for a while now, with my handful of favourite spots I go back to again and again. One of those many things on my to-do that I needed a kick up the butt to get done. Anyway, an interview with listings site WOW247 was indeed just that so have a read here: www.wow247.co.uk/blog

There is even a little map so, I dunno, do a crawl of the places which would be my idea of heaven, although I would strongly suggest wearing elasticated waistbands and actioning over a few days.


View Brighton dining in a larger map

My little black book for Brighton eating and drinking features:

The Chilli Pickle
Sam’s of Brighton
The Gingerman Group
Plateau
The Little Fish Market Restaurant
Riddle & Finns
Julien Plumart Salon du The
Iydea
Terre a Terre
Boho Gelato
Ridgeview Wines (Grosvenor Blanc De Blancs)

UPDATE: Due South has now closed its doors. Review for historical purposes. Visit their fantastic sister restaurant, Riddle & Finns instead.



Women and beer. To me these words used to conjure up the image of the "ladette", the shouty, aggressive bird with tattoos featuring names of long gone lovers that you would avoid eye contact with in the local boozer. But the beer industry is taking an active approach to entice women of a more say, sophisticated tastes (cough) with a wine or spirit mixer preference to try beer. Founded by a group of women in the brewing industry, Dea Latis (named after the Celtic goddess of beer and water no less) is an organisation focused on changing women's perceptions of this national drink. Historically not a beer drinker myself, I was amazed by my love of porter at a recent beer festival. And have now really started getting into real ales. I'm still not at the multiple pints level but yeah, you could say I've gotten a taste for it.

So it was really interested to be invited by Dea Latis to a night down one of Brighton's best restaurants, Due South, which is sat nicely overlooking the beach, to sample some interesting (and some local) beers to match a scrumptious 7 course feast. Apart from Indian food, and I like to wash down my meals at the Chilli Pickle with a Meantime, I would never order beer with a meal so this was a real eye opener and something I would definitely do in future as the right beer with the right food is actually quite stunning.



This beautifully light, clean Sea Bass cerviche with pickled Sea Purslane was served with a Hepworth (local Sussex beer heros) Blond. This worked as well as any wine could and I was actually pleasantly surprised. The freshness of the beer and the citrus of the Sea Bass dish was spot on. Good start!



Next was a really interesting Mushroom Scotch Egg and Shititake Ketchup which had oodles of dark, densely flavoured local mushrooms packed behind the crisp breaded shell. This was matched with another Hepworth, this time a smooth, liquorice tinged stout called Conqueror. A far more masculine approach and a sharp contrast to the fresh and light sea bass which displayed just how diverse, yet appropriate, the beers could be.



A little palette break arrived as a pretty salad of edible flowers with the only wine we were to taste this evening in the form of the Forum Chardonnay Vinegar dressing (which is made by blending the must with the wine from the preceding year before maturing). The beer match to this was Hammerpot's Madgwick Gold which I liked but felt it had too much personality for the delicate salad.



A home-cured, smokey duck ham and breast with red currents and watercress was almost festive and great with the spice, fruit and darkness of the matched Adnams Broadside.



My favourite dish of the night was a huge lobster ravioli filled with big, fleshy pieces of sweet meat. It was served with slices of carrot, broad beans and a carrot foam as well as an additional spherified broad bean. The sweet hints in the Honey Dew beer from Fullers I thought worked perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the lobster and vegetables but was a little contentious on the table, some thinking the Hepworth Blond a better match.



Least favourite (although I still liked the pudding and drink individually) was the sweet. A perfectly lovely Chocolate Fondant with Liquorice Ice Cream and a very drinkable, luxurious Beau Porter from Royal Tumbridge Wells Brewing Co had almost exactly the same tasting notes to me. I think there needed to be more light and shade taste-wise.



Finishing on a high note, Golden Cross Goat's Cheese was served on top of a toasted brioche with salty beetroot crisps and sweet orange beetroot. Matched with a beer originally brewed to flavour barrels meant for whisky production, the beer itself was actually thrown away before they realised how good it was! The toffee, vanilla and oak of the Innis & Gunn Original was excellent with the cheese and the perfect full stop of the evening.

Thanks to Dea Latis for opening my eyes further to beer and to Due South for the excellent food. Together it was a really informative and fun night.

So ladies (or chaps!), do you indulge in the national drink? If any recommendations for me?

The Hove Champagne Festival could not have picked a better weekend to take place. As I popped along after a long week at work, perched myself on a table overlooking the sea, sun shining, with a glass of Roger Coulon Rosé in hand, I thought life was not so bad after all.

The vast seating area was surrounded by champagne stalls, where you could claim your allocated tasters given with your ticket or purchase by the glass or bottle. Joining them was also an array of other stalls, selling anything from pearls to Polish art, which I found a bit odd really but a good opportunity for vendors to capitalise on half-cut people purchasing on a whim!



The two impressive triangular tents in the centre housed the grills for two successful Brighton restaurants, Sam’s of Brighton and Riddle and Finns, where you could buy plates for around £4-6, which was blinding value for money. However, seafood really seemed to be the order of the day at the busy Riddle and Finns tent. Being a (beautifully designed) champagne and oyster bar anyway, they seemed right at home creating a menu to suit. It was also nice to see them creating two champagne based desserts too, just incase you weren’t drinking your fill.

Knowing absolutely zilch about champagne, apart from the myth that the champagne coupe is apparently moulded on the shape of Marie Antoinette's breast, I found the tasting theatre really informative and enjoyable. I selected the session with Alex Murray, manager of Waitrose Wine Direct, who guided us through 3 champagnes versus 3 sparking wines.



He threw in quite a few tips along the way, for instance the smaller the bubbles, the better the quality, aroma and flavour of champagne due to the refermentation stage and that flutes are better for drinking champers rather than my beloved vintage coupes due to surface area and therefore bubble retention (don’t care, I drink it quick anyway). Also the colour of the champagne is linked to the length of the pressing, the faster the press the lighter the colour. A slower press will result in the infusion of colour from the skins, giving it a deeper biscuity colour.



First up was a Waitrose bestseller, SanLeo Prosecco Brut NV from the Friuli region for a mere £5.99. This is the prosecco served in Harry’s Bar for their famous bellinis, just with a different label, obviously. This was light, fresh and really excellent value for money. However, despite being Italian, I preferred the "real" champagne we were tasting it alongside! This was a Waitrose Brut Non Vintage Champagne, £20 which is made up from grapes from 30 villages. Made by Piper & Charles Heidsieck for Waitrose, it would be a good choice for a celebration party that won't break the bank.



Next up was Freixenet Elyssia Gran Brut Cava NV £15, who's second fermentation occurs within the bottle, just like a Champagne. Elyssia is actually Latin for "heavenly bliss" but I wouldn’t go as far as that, preferring the gorgeous Waitrose Blanc de Blancs NV £22. This is 100% Chardonnay beauty. Totally delicious and creamy, I would happily forgo dessert and have a glass of this after dinner. My favourite of the day.



We ended on an English sparkling wine, Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2002. Nice as this was local from down the road in West Sussex using grapes from 14 year old vines and aged for 5 years in the bottle. It’s won tons of awards, so many my pen couldn’t write them all down quick enough. However, I did prefer the Waitrose Flave Curvée 2002 which is also a 100% Chardonay Blanc de Blancs. This was only aged for 3 years, but was far more fragrant.

The session was a bit irritating in parts, straining to hear poor Alex over the chatter and giggles from the scores of perma-tanned blonds (weirdly dressed for the races with big hats) who were more interested in getting pissed than learning anything, but on the other hand they were there to enjoy champagne, it was a festival after all, and beats an event surrounded by a load of pretentious wine bores. I’ll raise a glass to wine education and enjoyment being for open everyone without any snottiness, just like, shut up when someone's trying to talk.



Anyway, back at the festival, apart from my rather nice glass of Roger Coulon Rosé, where the skins of the black grapes are added after to infuse the white, I also tried the house champagne at Hotel Du Vin which I would have liked to tell you more about it other than it was “light, fresh and different” as the very French chap repeated to me over and over again until I gave up bothering him and went away. I also had a glass of Black Label Brut NV from the Lanson stall, which reminded me what type of champagne I had been drinking in the past to think I didn't enjoy it at all.

So there we go. Don’t say I don’t do my research (hic). My tip off would be the Waitrose Blanc de Blancs from what I tried, but there were hundreds more to sample.

Looking forward to next year!

This really is the season for pubs. Roaring fires, hearty meals and festive guest ales. Makes it worth the bitter cold. Well, almost.

The Chequers Inn is a 35 minute drive (or less if you're Italian) from Brighton. Call me fickle but I wasn't inspired to visit looking at their circa 1995 website. No menu and a pretty generic food message coupled with amateur photography really does not float my boat. Which is a shame because this is a cracking pub with all the little nooks and crannys you could wish for. A lot of people would scoff at the idea a traditional pub needs a decent website, but as there are a number of good pubs serving food in the area, competition is rife and I would say it is vital.

Following a few blips, The Chequers has recently changed hands and is now run by an enthusiastic (and really, really, really talkative) new manager. Let's hope he sorts that website out. The pub also has a 100ft well in the middle of it which is worth a penny and a wish. The good news is that it does have iron bars across it so any post drinking accidents are avoided.

We were brought here by friends who recommended this pub based on the pork alone. A decent enough reason in my book. We were sad to see it missing from the menu on this occasion but apparently the new chef has had quite a lot of pressure from locals to put it back on.



As the starters didn't grab me, I went straight into the main event with the Confit of Duck, Mash and Braised Red Cabbage served with a Cranberry and Orange sauce. I can be a bit funny with duck but this was lovely, crispy skin and tender, melt in the mouth pockets of meat. I would have liked more of the sauce as there was plenty of duck and the mash was a little uninspired, but the quality of the meat made up for it.



Mr. GF ordered the roast beef and had no complaints at all. The meat was served very pink but he likes his cow served with the horns cut off and walked through a warm room anyway. For me an important part of a roast is really good veg and aside form the potatoes, they were on good form on this plate and plentiful. Mr. GF did think the roast potatoes had been hanging around for a while and suffered a little for it. The only real complaints with the mains generally was that the plates were cold, and therefore the food was lukewarm which was a real shame as you feel the need to hoover up you meal quickly before it goes completely cold.



I haven't had banoffee pie in years and had a real hankering for it. Banoffee pie is what it is, just a really good, unpretentious naughty pud. And this slice was massive, but I ate it all like a real trooper.



Mr. GF is a professional apple pie eater and was so happy with his choice that I only got to sample a measly little bite. When I asked him for a taste he actually looked at the huge piece he was just about to devour on his spoon and put it back on his plate to give me a smaller piece. Who said love was dead?

£12.50 for 2 courses and £15.50 for 3 courses which is really good value for money.

For more information on this nice pub and their nice food, visit their crap website at http://www.chequers-maresfield.co.uk/

The Chequers, High Street, Maresfield TN22 2EH
Telephone 01825 763 843

If you are super quick and very lucky, you may just get the end of the elderflower season. I was randomly bimbling home along a pedestrian lane last week and spotted a glut of these on the side which I duly and enthusiastically helped myself to. I made sure I picked evenly and left enough on the plant to help it spread next year (the reason was more likely that I am short and I couldn't reach the rest, but hey-ho).

As it was now late and you really do need to use the flowers asap, I couldn't acquire some citric acid which you can buy in brewers shops (if they still exist), online or the chemist. Now it is an unfortunate fact that drug users use the stuff and I didn't fancy my chances with the local pharmacy as, quite rightly, who on earth really, really needs citric acid at that time of night? I sure they have had their fair share of junkies pleading that they are making cordial after sun down!

Anyway, I decided to power on regardless and make a small amount doubling the amount of lemons as they are, obviously, high in citric acid anyway. I have also bottled and frozen the finished cordial in small plastic bottles (leaving room for expansion!) so that it will be preserved for sure.

The recipe I used was based on Sophie Grigson's. If you have the citric acid you can use the full recipe here.

Ingredients
10 large elderflower heads
900g granulated sugar
600ml litres water
2 lemons

Pick off any insects and beasties you see on the flowers. Eeek!

Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Strip large ribbons of zest off the lemons with a vegetable peeler, lose the knobbly ends, then slice the lemon and place in a large bowl with the elderflower heads.

Pour the hot syrup over the lemons and elderflower heads and give it a good stir. Cover the bowl with a cloth or a big plate and leave it for 24 hours.



Strain the mixture with muslin or kitchen paper in a sieve and pour into sterilized bottles. I used a couple of small glass ones for the fridge which should be used within a month and a small plastic bottles for the freezer for future use.

Apart from using it as a drink with San Pelligrino for day and the addition of a shot of vodka at night, I'm looking forward to using this long after the summer has gone in baking, with poached pears, in a fool when the gooseberries come out, in jellies...

I have this thing where if I think something on a menu is going to be weird tasting I have to order it. Taste experimenter extraordinaire me. So imagine my delight in seeing a cocktail that read like a Thai green curry recipe.

This little find was on the menu at Blanch House, a tucked away boutique guest house in Brighton with very well revered cocktails and a superb restaurant. They are also well-known for their interior, slickly designed but comfortable and the bar unpretentiously classy. Not many people know about it or pass it (so shhh) and you have to knock to get in, so the bar is nice and quiet, devoid of any riff-raff and the bar staff are not gap year travellers. These guys think a lot about drink. In fact, this time we were treated to an impromptu gin tasting session with the barman and a short history of gin making and different botanicals. Brilliant. We only asked his opinion on which gin to order.

The picture shows the Thai Monk cocktail which really stopped me in my tracks. It was created by Blanch House as a competition entry and although it didn't win, it's kooky flavour hit the spot for me. With chilli and honey infused wyborowa, noisette liqueur, ginger and lemongrass cordial and coco syrup it was a really unusual flavor and one I'd recommend if you were passing.

I've been here a few times now and it's always been good, despite the headaches and huge card bills the following morning (how do I remember my pin number after 4 cocktails?) Working your way thorough the menu is a delight and yes it is pricey, but for drinks you are only paying a pound or two more than the chain bars in town. For the quality of ingredients and the attentive and knowledgeable staff, that's a couple of pennies well spent.

Blanch House
17 atlingworth street
brighton
bn2 1pl