For the Love of Wine & Food!

Have held back mentioning the festivities of next month as long as possible, but too excited not to share.

.My wine article in Great British Food magazine is now out, and packed with vinous gens to delight at Christmas. If it`s for Boxing Day Turkey Curry or reviving Fizz after present wrapping marathon, we have it covered with a host of irresistible wines!
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#festivewine #christmaswine #lovewinefood #englishwine #trysomethingdifferent
@freedomofthepresswinery @harrowhope @gusbourne_wine @danburyridgewine @sugruesouthdowns @simpsonswine @ambrielsparkling @lymebaywine @biddendenvineyard @gbf_mag ...

Pre festive stock cupboard clear out combined with testing new recipe at the weekend.

Love cannelloni but each time forget the faff of stuffing them, but box of tubes balefully looking at me from back of the cupboard, so decided to try out a stuffing inspired by some festive flavours, namely cranberry and chestnuts.

Fried a leek & pork mince, lots of warming nutmeg, threw in a large handful of crimson cranberries, chopped chestnuts, sage, rosemary. Off the heat, stir in ricotta till right consistency. Made bechamel, heavy on the parmesan, layered the stuffed pasta tubes between two duvets of the sauce. Bake for 35 mins at 180.

Worth the faff of stuffing! Delicious, the cranberries giving a pop of freshness to the rich sauce and underpinned by the earthy chestnuts.
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#receipetesting #festiveflavours #lovewinefood
#christmaspasta #whattodowithcranberries #chestnuts #cannelloni ...

Sunday relaxation. Opened a bottle of 2013 Late Disgorged Brut Reserve from @gusbourne_wine

Delightful intense notes of brioche leading into notes of baked apple & cream.

Bliss!
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#wine #englishsparkling #lovewinefood #kentwine #sundayvibe @winegardenofengland ...

A long lazy lunch with a close friend on a miserly grey day was the perfect place to be yesterday.

@bluesardinia in Guilldford have just won Best Italian Wine List outside of Italy at the recent Milan Wine Week, an Award well deserved for their well curated list

So we kicked off with Prie Blanc variety, planted in Valle d`Aosta from @cave_mont_blanc , lovely freshness with hints of sage, and was perfect with Vitello Tonnato

Onto traditional Sardinian pasta Malloreddus, the fennel in the ragu, was perfect with Rabaja 2019 Barbaresco Bruno Rocca (it`s been a Barbaresco kind of week!). Also matched happily with fegato alla salvia.
But we also needed something Sardinian to celebrate with the Sardinian owners of this delightful restaurant, so step up a long-time favourite, Turriga from @argiolaswinery such silky tannins and incredible finish.

Sheer heaven. Grazie mille and Congratulations Jonathan & Cinzia at Blue Sardinia.
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#italianwine #italianwinelover #lovewinefood #rabaja #valledaosta #trysomethingdifferent #sardinanwine #bestwinelist @milanowineweekofficial ...

Despite overcast weather and rain threatening, was so lovely to be back at @stophamvineyard in West Sussex this morning. Introducing a Tuscan wine friend to English Wines. Fascinating vineyard walk with winemaker Simon, (especially hearing about how to prevent against the dreaded SWD) and led by faithful canine guide!

Pinot Gris as always impressed, and star of the tasting for me (it`s so food friendly). Perfect intro to English Wines for an Italian wine producer! Thanks Simon!
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#wine #winefriends #winefamily #lovewinefood #englishwine #ınstadogs #vineyarddog #sussexwine @sussexwineries ...

Was v excited to meet this Canine Super Celebrity today at the @dartmouthfoodfestival .

I had promised Wilf a bacon sarnie to make up for the outrageous bath he suffered yesterday at the hands of @felicitycloake ,

So courtesy of a brilliant bacon butty from @jennykooskitchen , bread ignored, bacon eagerly devoured to help forget the indignity of that bath!! Super Wilf!!
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#dogheaven #caninecelebrity #lovewinefood #baconbutty #dff2025 ...

Home.
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#turin #happyplace @caffetorino1903 ...

Leisurely lunch in Castiglione del Lago at @angolo.del.buongustaio . Well selected wine list, so went v local with a Grechetto from Colli del Trasimeno. Crisp minerality and enough character to pair with a platter of local charcuterie including an incredible lardo from Cinta Senese pigs (yes, seconds were ordered!) as well as the unusually named palle del nonno salami from Norcia!
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#trysomethingdifferent #lovewinefood #salami #grechetto ...

Informative and fascinating afternoon chat with food photographer @charlottebland during my stay at @villa_pia in Umbria.

The above are no reflection on Charlotte`s brilliant evocative phography & amazing talent, her images that just draw you in, but only a couple of snaps i took to play around with natural light and shadows. But left wanting to do more.....
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#notjustwine #lovewinefood #foodphotographyً
#umbria ...

Today feels that Autumn has truly started. So to cheer a slightly stressy Friday, cooked these delicious stuffed squash for lunch. Could not resist these cute small squashes in Petersfield Market this week, so combined with a pre festive freezer clear out, had some minced lamb to use up - result!

Roast whole at 200 fan for 35 mins (till skewer goes in easily). Remove and allow to cool enough to touch. Reduce oven to 170 fan.

Chop white part of leek and fry in olive oil till soft. Add range of warming spices. I used cumin, sumac, cinnamon, paprika about half teaspoon each ( for about 250gms lamb), but tweak to taste.
Add in grated garlic, and the lamb plus squeeze of tomato puree and three chopped prunes. Fry for about 7 mins, stirring often. Add chopped fresh mint leaves at the end. Add splash of water if needed.

Slice top off baby squashes. Scrap out seeds. Remove rest of soft cooked flesh and add to lamb. Smush in well.

Fill empty squash shells with lamb mixture and return to oven for 12 to 15 mins.

Serve topped with natural kefir or greek yoghurt, sprinkle of smashed nuts (used almonds as could not find the pistachios!).

Matched with a cheeky glass of Pinot Noir (well, it is Friday) from @mtdifficulty - delicious!
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#fridaylunch #workingfromhome #lovewinefood #autumnfood #supportindependent #pinotnoir #squashrecipes #plussideofwfh ...

Fabulous lunch pre theatre at Doppo in Soho at the weekend (tad late posting!), everything just heavenly.

One of those menus it is so hard to choose from as would have happily eaten everything! Leeks with romesco & hazelnuts was great combo of textures. Tagliatelle con ragu bianco - exquisite, but so was the forkful that I stole from PJ`s pappadelle with ragu of Yorkshire longhorn beef.

Perhaps even more than the food was the outstanding service, which made a brilliant lunch even better.

As for the wine list. Oh wow!! The kind of list I enjoy reading for pure pleasure!! Incredible extensive selection, well balanced with classics and quirky (and the dessert wines choice by the glass brilliant!).
I could happily lunch here every day of the week for the next 6 months and still find vinous gens to order! Settled on an old favourite, Barbaresco Rabaja from Bruno Rocca. Such elegance, so ethereal - drinking wines like this reminds me how good life can be.

If you are planning a jaunt to London, make sure you book a table - but maybe don`t plan too much for the afternoon!
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#wine #restaurantreview #soho #londonitalian #lovewinefood #pastaheaven #winelisttodiefor #nebbiololover @dopposoho #brunorocca #barbaresco @liberty_wines ...