The 7 day work week reward

There are times when working 7 days a week is necessary - and Christmas is one of those times when if you need to work until mignight and start again at 8am, so be it...

My usual morning run is now replaced with lifting wine boxes and bottles, my usual gourmet dinner - a meer microwave meal from Waitrose or a sandwich. Should I mention the chocolate consumption?

Thank goodness Sundays are at least earlier closing in the UK, allowing for just that well deserved R&R. Last night, was the end of week one of 7 days and the start of week 2 of 7 days - so I thought I needed to make something extra special: Crab Raviolli for starters and steak for mains.

Fortunately I have the fantastic Il Bordello across the road from meal, so starters was sorted - convenience and gourmet in one....Bless them, they even delivered it to me in their bowls not take-away containers. Clearly the tired look on my face said everything...

Wine was courtesy of the lovely Pays d'Oc wine tasting and bloggers evening last Monday at Gauthier Restaurant. The 'Le Blanc' 2011 from Domaine d'Aigues Belles - a full bodied Chardonnay so completely well matched to my need for a decent wine...

So for the start of another 7 day work week...Coffee *yes please*, wine *oh yes*, chocolate *like water: essential to my well being*, christmas festive cheer *big smile*....

Lets the festivities begin!

Raising a Glass to Fresh Ideas....

After a few months of neglecting my blog, I decided it was high time to start writing again.

I did lose interest in it, I have to admit, I was bored of not getting the responses I needed from people who read my blog so I began to question if actually it was worth continuing with it.  I find there is nothing worse than placing a great deal of effort into something only to get a few responses or worse none at all.  My medium of choice became Facebook, an effective and quick platform for expression of opinions and the occasional need for therapy.

Inspiration was also sad lacking considering my office has a view of the river Thames, with the Tower Bridge a convenient 10 minute walk away leading onto the running routes around the city. London happens to have exceptionally convenient travel routes to the world and in turn is the phenomenal melting pot of cultures and nationalities….and of course wine and food…

During much of my time in the UK, I build up a wealth of information, material in the form of photographs, opinions, stories from work, much gossip and observations about daily life. Many of these, fuelled by a glass of wine or two or three.., a few fuelled with my quick wit, savage sarcasm and the occasional spot of charm. Cooking – once the domain of the Canadian Man – became my therapy & focus. Please note however, my cupcakes, are more in line with rock cakes. The Canadian Man – blessed with the patience of a saint, the athletism of a marathon runner and focus of a computer programmer – somehow copes when I come home, regaling tales of work and then involve him in work trips.

The inspiration to start writing again came in the form of a realisation - I am my blog, I am opinionated, I am me. 

This epiphany?   

Well it came in a couple of stages – at a recent interview, I was asked why I hadn’t blogged for a few months. The Canadian Man (bless him) was tired of me whingeing about how great other blogs were and why mine wasn’t, told me I needed to write again.  I was watching recently the videos of Adele performance at The Royal Albert Hall last year and got all teary and lastly I the realisation I am flying home in a few weeks and all of sudden I haven’t blogged which is terrible considering people think I have fallen off the world (yes, truly I received an email asking me what has happened to me…?). 

I also miss writing – and I love it. I love the fact blogs are self-publishing. With a click of a button, it is on the web and in article format. The only deadlines are those you set for yourself.  I love the ability to combine words and photography to create a story. I was always the one to keep a diary – filled with little mementos of events to remember the dates and important events.

When I started writing professionally I loved the thrill of submitting articles and the little fame & fortune which came my way and indeed the odd bottle, lunch, dinner and drinks were always appreciated! It was my excuse to drink good wine, attend fantastic events, eat superb food and tell people about it. 

Credibility, has also something to do with it – there is nothing worse when someone asks ‘who are you?’. You have to explain your blog and how you earn money and why you haven’t written anything for a while….*issues*…. 

So if ever I needed a good kick up the bum to do something these prompted me into action…So here goes. I’m not promising anything grand – just more articles related to wine, food, musings about everyday life, a little gossip here & there, DIY ideas (not just pretty but practical), travel ideas to inspire and little ponderings…

Raising a Glass to fresh ideas!
Pauline!

This is Your Life. Do what you love and Do it often....

Wednesday WineTail.....

Wednesday is WineTail time...A take on the traditional cocktail....and perfect for a 'warm-ish' (read 17 deg warm) evening in London...

Take 2 slices of Oriental pear (little round ones which look like apples), a seedless red grape and a Cape Gooseberry, a splash of tonic water, a gulg of Nabygelegen Sauvignon Blanc 2012, and an ice-cube or two and mix. Serve in a pretty glass (preferably a vintage glass) and relax!

Perfect for those days in the sunshine or remembering days when sunshine was there...

Ah...This is a winetail not a cocktail!

www.nabygelegen.co.za

Nabygelegen and Mellasat Wine Tasting with a Vintage Edge

Nabygelegen & Mellasat Wine Tasting, with a 'Vintage' Edge

The fascination with 'Vintage' is not limited to wine, it extends to cars, fashion, art and jewellery….Like wine there are those fantastic years in the fashion industry which everyone remembers so fondly because there was a uniqueness to them and then there are those years which were influenced just a little bit too much by fad trends.

Brought on by the influences of various TV programmes from Antique Road Show, Downton Abbey, The Paradise, What is in your Closet, the movie The Help (those women where so stylish - forget the politics, which is for another article) and a walk through Brick Lane, were I stumbled into the House of Vintage where I fell in love with the most gorgeous dress I could ill afford, the idea sprung to combine a vintage wine tasting event with fashion event. 

A great friend then introduced to Schelay McCarter - a fashion Bloggist, Stylist, Childrens Clothing PR Guru and Lecturer at Central St Martins College to come give a talk on Vintage fashion from the 1920’s to present, to add a touch of glamour to the tasting.  And glamour she added in the form of a fashion video from the 1960s and a fashion quiz ranging in eras from 1920's - present, which left us a great deal more educated about the world of fashion.

To complete the Vintage Theme, I sourced Vintage wine glasses from markets, charity shops and the Gumtree. The Vintage tea sets were sourced from the fantastic Oxfam Charity Shop in Southfields were the black & gold 1920’s retro tea set and the gilt edged apple tea cups were sourced. An exceptionally kind donation was the gilt Foreign tea set – so gorgeous, delicate and well so very kitsch it was fantastic!

The Prospect of Whitby is also a vintage as it comes – one of the oldest pubs in the City with a 400 year history dating to 1520. It was a perfect setting from the history, to the view of Thames river, a traditional brightly patterned pub carpet and the pitch black pub cat called Thomas….

 

Wine Inspired Cupcakes were made by Kala Naidoo, using the Mellasat Shiraz – a different & boozy take on the red velvet cupcake, which were better than any cupcakes from the legendary Hummingbird Bakery. Don’t believe me, come try them for yourself!

Emma Richardson, daughter of Stephen Richardson – the wine maker at Mellasat, was on hand to give me a hand with the tasting. Great company and of course great wine!

Biltong was supplied by The South African Shop in Embankment, was devine and left everyone clambering from the last piece in the bowl! Much attempted bribery ensued when it emerged there was a secret stash…

The concept of the Tasting was this ‘Dress as your favourite Vintage’. From the beads, stripes, feathers, art inspired jeans and tweed – it was all there….

Now I made it very easy for people considering your favourite vintage could be 2010…I’m a 1978 Vintage but my favourite vintage is 2009…

2009 is when I was thrown back into the world of wine and falling in love with the magic of wine making in South Africa at a little estate in Wellington, called Nabygelegen. Roll on a few years, and Nabygelegen and Mellasat have now become the 2 wineries I look after in London bringing these fantastic wines to the city.

Technical support before the jeans (please note the meerkat selling wine not insurance....*smile*)

Mellasat

White ∑ Pinotage  – Mellasat is the only South African farm to produce this unusual wine in a blanc de noir style. A generally consensus that it was unusual and ideal to match with the sushi & salads. An enigma in itself...

Chardonnay 2010 - 

Dekkers Valley Shiraz - 

Dekkers Valley Revelation  - 

Mellasat 'M'  - the flagship Red blend from Mellasat Wines - Shiraz, Cabernet and Pinotage

 

Nabygelegen

Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Barrel fermented Chenin Blanc 2011 – winner of Veritas Gold award 2012

Lady Anna 2011 – blend of 70% Chenin, Sauvignon and Semillon

Snow Mountain Pinot Noir - a very elegant Pinot Noir, featured on the Queens Jubilee Heads of State Dinner!

Scaramanga  - red blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Tempranillo and Malbec. Winner of Veritas Gold Award 2012! A very sexy blend!

1712 - The Flagship Red Blend of Nabygelegen. A gorgeous & very supple blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Petit Verdot - velvety luxuriousness!

‘In Wine, Out Wine, About Wine’ is the new wine tasting group on Meetup aimed at combining wine, travel, writing, meeting new folks, cocktail classes etc. http://www.meetup.com/inoutandaboutwine

Nabygelegen Private Cellar: www.nabygelegen.co.za

Mellasat: www.mellasat.com

Venue: The Prospect of Whitby: 57 Wapping Wall, E1W 3SH

http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/pub/prospect-of-whitby-wapping/c8166/

Sunday Wining & Dining - Pauline Style

Gaining inspiration from the warm weather, a portable braai/bbq, the abundance of great salad ingredients and fantastic choice of wine from Waitrose, I decided a late Sunday shin-dig with friends, along the river was in order...With views towards Tower Bridge, Shad Thames embankments and the very cool 'Arts Ark' boating community, the private gardens in Wapping is the perfect venue for such a shin-dig.

And yes 'shin-dig' is my new word for those entertaining days....

Alfresco entertaining calls for a more relaxed style of cooking – it invites messy fingers, tasty non-fussy food, picnics on lawns, chilled wine and cocktails, paper serviettes, the smell of burning coals and the sounds of chilled beats drifting through the afternoon air. A braai or BBQ serves a melting pot and meeting point – the fire serves as a natural attraction point, the sunshine draws people into its warmth...

A simple salad of wilted spinach, herb encrusted chicken, avocado wedges, marinated chestnut mushrooms, and fresh peppers complemented roasted rosemary potatoes, grilled leeks and flatbreads. 

 

Dessert – a decadent concoction of FT Food Columnist Rowley Leigh inspired grilled nectarines in maple syrup and sultana raisins, vanilla ice-cream and camembert roasted over the coals – all decadent & gorgeousness that can only be achieved with cooking food over coals.

Before.....

After....

 

 

A dessert you want all to yourself....

The wines complimenting this superb afternoon were the Morgan Metallico Chardonnay 2010 from the California and the Jean Pierre Auvigne Le Clos Pouilly-Fuisee 2008. The Morgan Metallico – an unoaked Chardonnay expressing the blend of fruit gained from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco Avas’ in Monterey County. A delightful Chardonnay which is light, zesty, cheeky and calls for another glass.

The Jean Pierre Auvigne  Le Clos Pouilly-Fuisse – rather a serious wine – it needs to be mulled over & enjoyed in the sunshine with the laughter and conversation of friends filling the air. It also likes to a part of the conversation & atmosphere changing with character in the glass. A heavy white – you certainly aren’t going to having this with chips & dip – it is the second course wine leading to dessert .  After all It has spent a year of its life inside of a barrel gaining texture & complexity, with 45 years vines providing the fruit – not just another Chardonnay.

I wanted to use this wine with the roasted Camembert and nectarines – as not only can heavy weighted Chardonnay stand up to poultry & shellfish – but it will also match soft cheeses and desserts. And it did – beautifully! If you want to hear the sighs of appreciation the next time you cook – do this….Oh my….!! Heaven, cheese & wine heaven…

Do try this at home - heaven!!!

Wine was kindly sponsored for this event by Waitrose.

·         Morgan Metallico 2010 retails at £ 17.99

·         Jean Pierre Auvigne Le Clos 2008 retails at £ 18.99