Food and Drink
Beer of the Week – BrewDog 5AM Saint
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Strength: 5% ABV Brewed: Ellon, Scotland Tired of a market dominated by industrially brewed lagers and ales, the team behind BrewDog set up the world’s first crowd-funded brewery in 2007. Now operating from a site in Ellon, just north of Aberdeen, a community of over 35000 investors own shares in the business, with shares still available. And what’s more, the brewery that’s made for the people, by the people is still constantly striving to encourage passion for craft...
Spirit of the Month – Crystal Head Vodka Aurora
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Although having gone hand-in-hand for decades, it seems that the celebrity endorsement of alcohol has accelerated significantly in recent years. Yes, Frank Sinatra constantly extolled Jack Daniels during his lifetime, and Woody Allen famously advertised Smirnoff vodka back in the 1960’s, but nowadays it seems as though more “A-list” celebrities than not have something to endorse, and the relationship with alcohol is perhaps the strongest. Most prominently, we’ve witnessed joint campaigns between Cîroc vodka...
Forget the Cupcake, 2016 Is Year of the Biskie
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Artisan bakeries, cake shops, and patisseries (mainly in gentrified East London) have certainly witnessed a boom in popularity in recent years. Something that’s peculiar given that now, more than ever, we’re constantly encouraged to limit our sugar intake, thus becoming more health conscious than ever. One establishment that has grown to receive particularly positive acclaim in recent years, however, is Cutter & Squidge – having opened their first permanent residence at the tail end...
Breweries And Music Line Up Announced For Craft Beer Rising 2016
Over 600 beers and ciders will feature at next month's Craft Beer Rising festival at The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. This year will see the largest and most diverse mix so far, featuring established UK breweries such as Beavertown, Thornbridge, and Harviestoun, to international talent from Little Bichos, Lagunitas, Mikkheller, and Bronx Brewery. A selection of newcomers will also make their debut with Bad Seed and Mondo both making an appearance. But it's not just about the beer. Brand new for 2016 is a...
The Weekly Cocktail Recipe – Las Iguanas’ ‘Carnival Kitsch’
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Today (February 5th) marks the start of the world famous Rio Carnival, so to tie in with celebrating the festival carrying on into the weekend, Latin American restaurant chain Las Iguanas have created their own celebratory cocktail. Combining Malibu, blue curacao, mango and orange, ‘Carnival Kitsch’ is available from Las Iguanas until Tuesday (February 9th) priced at £8.95. Alternatively, the restaurant has shared the simple recipe for readers to celebrate Rio Carnival and make...
S.Pellegrino Launches UK & Ireland Leg of 2016 Young Chef Competition in London
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food As we press further into the new year, S.Pellegrino’s Young Chef competition has returned once again for a 2016 instalment. Last year’s contest was a resounding success, especially for the UK & Ireland heat, with Irish chef Mark Moriarty winning the overall competition, named champion in Milan last year, having been coached by mentor Clare Smyth, previously Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay’s three Michelin-star restaurant in Chelsea. Applications for this year are now open...
Beer of the Week – Toast Ale
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food It’s no secret that food waste in the UK is a real issue, and with Brits wasting an estimated 15 million tonnes of food each year, it’s bread that’s wasted the most. In fact, recent figures have shown that UK households are throwing away a collective mass of approximately 24 million slices of bread each year. Yes, bread does have a short shelf life, and although there are obvious ways of saving bread, most...
What is Matcha?
Wellness has become somewhat of a goldmine in the food and drink industry, so it perhaps shouldn't come as a surprise that an antioxidant rich, weight reducing cancer deterrent such as Matcha is all the rage. In very basic terms, matcha is a stone-grounded powder which is in effect a very concentrated green tea. The powdery substance is a more versatile version of its tea leaf counterpart and is used to serve lattes and iced drinks in cafes and everything from...
London’s Best New Restaurant Openings – February 2016
By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food With plenty of exciting restaurant openings constantly taking place across the Capital, here’s our pick of the best new restaurants arriving in London over the coming month. Patty & Bun – Soho Since initially setting up as a pop-up restaurant, Patty & Bun have become renowned for producing some of London’s finest burgers. And with three permanent sites already open across London, as well as a popular street food van, the team are currently gearing up to open...