La Choza Review - Mexican Street Food, Brighton

Rating: 6/10

Cost: Burrito and beer for £9.50

Go there if: You're young, trendy, hungry and want some tasty, filling, inexpensive nosh.

Conclusion: Not bad but disappointing; restaurant reliant on image and decor more than food.

______________________________________________________

La Choza is proving to be an extremely popular new restaurant in Brighton. It's unlikely you'll get a table as this small venue is permanently packed. Instead they have a system of taking your mobile number and calling you when a table becomes available, and they're keen to stress that they won't be offended if you find somewhere else to eat in the meantime.

I missed out the first time I tried to try La Choza as my friend and I were too hungry to wait and we went to The Chili Pickle for lunch instead (for the £13 thali) followed by 2 for 1 caipirinhas at chain restaurant Las Iguanas (it was Christmas Eve). On my second visit to La Choza for lunch a few days later there still wasn't room for me and I still couldn't wait to eat, but this time I got take-away. I was dying to try the food and wouldn't be back in Brighton for a while.

The menu is quite limited - no bad thing - and all the main courses are based on the simple system of selecting a base (burrito, burrito bowl, quesadillas, tostadas), a filling (slow cooked beef, marinated and shredded free range chicken, homemade Mexican chorizo, pit-smoked pulled pork by Bar-B-Q Shack, deep-fried battered fish, roasted spicy squash and sweet potato with feta, prawns fried with garlic, chili and lime) and a salsa (mild pico de gallo, mild green, medium cooked chipotle, hot habanero).

I chose a burrito with the pulled pork and hot salsa (£6). As well as your chosen filling, the burritos come stuffed with green rice, cheese, sour cream and refried beans.

The helpful and cheerful waiter recommended the Modelo Especial Mexican beer (£3.50), which I enjoyed while waiting for my lunch. I had to stand in the cramped space between the door and the little bar, and watch seated diners enjoying their meals while being jostled by constant new arrivals trying to get a table.

The decor is very bright and funky, featuring lots of sugar skulls (Mexican painted skulls) and Mexican-style fabrics. The clientelle seemed to be predominantly young and female. I think everyone there apart from me was under 30.

Image from La Choza's website

My burrito arrived and I took it outside to eat standing up next to a table that I put my beer on. The soft burrito was large and generously filled but mainly with rice. The rice was nice and the burrito was tasty, but it was lacking - lacking in care for the way it was filled (sections of individual ingredients clumped together so it was impossible to get a mouthful of everything, and I had to work my way through grated cold cheese followed by sour cream and just tonnes of rice), lacking in pork, lacking in salsa, lacking in punchy Mexican flavour. Some of the quite hard chunks of 'pulled' pork were too big for one mouthful but were difficult to bite in two.

Much is made of the slow-cooked element of La Choza's fare, but I struggled to taste the sparse pork. I could tell that effort had been made with the rice but the sheer quantity of it took over everything else. The refried beans clearly hadn't been made to an authentic recipe. They seemed to just be a bean purée. Why take such care with the meat and rice but not bother with the beans? Especially as the menu is so limited; every item should be the best it can be. That is what I assumed I would experience after reading about the restaurant's pride in the meats it serves and seeing the small menu. I was disappointed.

I'm sorry to say that I think the popularity of La Choza is down to its trendy image and the aesthetic appeal of its interior and not to its food. Hence the youthful customer base. Yes, I only tried one dish but I think you can judge a Mexican by its burritos. It would still be nice to eat in there with the bright colours and filling, tasty food, but it could be really fantastic and it just isn't. The crampedness would even add positively to the street food feel if the food was as good as it could be. But as it is, I would rather have fajitas in Las Iguanas, with plenty of juicy meat, salsa, guacamole and enough space to dine comfortably.

Food and Drink Serving Etiquette for Restaurants, Caterers and Dinner Parties

The etiquette of serving food is a set of rules which are adopted by restaurants, caterers and even at private dinner parties. Use these rules as a guide, they are not official rules and can differ between cultures and countries.

While some of these techniques may sound petty and a bit over the top, most have a sound explanation. Making service appear smooth and faultless allows the customer to relax and not be interrupted by service staff. It dates back to when servants were required to serve their masters without being noticed.

The order of who to serve first starts with the guest of honour and anyone else of importance. Followed by the eldest woman all the way to the youngest male. The host is to be served last. This is for all service to the table including taking food and drink orders and serving them (if serving all at once isn't possible).

Food and drinks are usually served from the left and cleared from the right but this varies in different regions of the world.

Plates are only cleared when everyone on the table has finished. To make sure everyone has finished, ask the table if they have finished followed by 'Was everything OK?' Although, this is fine, try ask a open question so you receive feedback rather than a yes or no.

Never rush your guests, allow for a break between courses especially before desserts. Obviously drinks are served before any food orders are taken. The bill is only given to the table once it has been asked for.

If the table has wine or champagne, remember to periodically top up their glasses. However there is a fine line between being intrusive and neglecting your customer. Avoid letting your customer pour their own drinks unless they have expressed this.

Remember to be human; you want your guests to be relaxed and comfortable. Build rapport with your guests, but don't become friends with them. Avoid making remarks about your guests, such as don't comment on a clean plate as that could imply your guest is greedy or fat.

Basic Rug Cleaning Tips for Food and Drink Spills

Food and drink spill are among the toughest cleaning problems to deal with for rug owners. It is a common occurrence yet some still do not know the right way to approach cleaning up this kind of mess. Not knowing the basics of cleaning up food and drink spills can really put rug owners at a disadvantage and their carpets at serious risk of long-term damage.

Whether you are having a party at your home or are just eating in the living room, spills can happen without a moment's notice. This is why learning how to properly clean them up is essential. Here are some basic rug cleaning tips for food and drink spills, which you can use the next time, you are in this kind of situation.

    Immediately Pick Up or Scoop Up the Spilled Item - Whether it is liquid or solid, it is important that you pick up or scoop up the excess spillage as much as possible to avoid making the problem worse. If you are dealing with liquid food or drink spills, get a clean sponge and absorb as much of the excess liquid as you can. For solid food spills, carefully pick up the loose particles using your hands.

    Blot the Spilled Area - After removing the excess food or drink spilled on the rug, the next basic step that you need to do is to blot the area with a clean white cloth or paper towels. This will help remove the excess moisture and to lessen the chances of it staining the rug. Pouring some warm water onto the stain before blotting will help get you better results in removing the spill or stain.

    Detergent Cleaning Solutions Work Great with Food and Drink Stains - When faced with food and drink spills or stains, using a cleaning solution made out of a solution of one teaspoon of laundry detergent (non-bleach) and a cup of warm water. This will be sure to get rid of any stains and spills coming from food and drinks. Apply this to the stain and blot using a clean, white cloth and you'll get your rug clean in a matter of a few tries.

These three tips can be of great help for those who are unfamiliar with cleaning food and drink spills on their rugs. Remember this useful advice to properly clean up any food or drink spill on your beautiful rug.

Do Not Eat These Foods If You Are an Asthma Sufferer

A healthy diet is recommended for asthma sufferers since some kinds of food might trigger any symptoms of this disease. If you are a sufferer of this disease, being really careful in eating will be very helpful to prevent sudden attacks. Surely, you do not want to take a big risk of suffering in pain just because you want to have certain delicious foods. Even though food allergies could trigger this respiratory problem in a small number of people only, avoiding some kinds of food will be highly recommended.

Some foods might trigger asthma attacks since it might cause allergic reactions. Therefore, check your meal well before you have it. If your meal contains additive benzoates, sulphites, gallates, and some colorings such as E102, E104 and E110, it will be better to avoid it. Then, you should also avoid cider, wine, and beer.

Other foods and drinks that you should avoid are food that contains yeast or mould such as bread and blue cheeses. Nuts, especially peanuts, is also should be avoided. Meanwhile, some kind of food such as milk, wheat, and eggs are also should be reduced.

Fruits and vegetables are commonly safe to be consumed. However, it will be better to avoid ripe bananas, oranges, lemons, sour fruit juice, sour fruits and pickles. Some vegetables that have constipative effects potatoes, arbi (colocasia) and legumes are also quite harmful. You can have white meat, red meat and fish but only in small quantities. However, sea fish should be avoided.

Other simple thing that will bring very bad effect for asthma sufferers is having cold drinks. Usually, some sufferers think that the temperature of the drink will not bring any bad effect for them. In fact, drinking water in cold temperature might trigger their disease. Therefore, avoid drinking cold drink will be really important to do.

Surely, being very careful in choosing certain kinds of food to be eaten will be very helpful to reduce your suffer from asthma. It is sort of simple thing, right?

Asthma sufferers could have a lot of preventive acts that will be helpful to reduce the symptoms of this disease, including by maintaining the humidity of the air in you house. Providing humidifier cool mist in your house will be a great solution to provide a home living environment with proper humidity level. However, you should also prepare replacement filters for your humidifier device. Whatever the brands, you can always find the best filters for each brand, such as Hunter humidifier filters or others. Just choose a certain product that matches your needs well.

Little Taste of Ibiza

A quick couple of days in Ibiza made for a seriously therapeutic treat. We did manage one rather short evening of partying but the main focus was food and a bit of sun-cramming before enduring a long British winter - and having endured a long British summer.

The highlight was a spa day at the five star Hotel Hacienda. For €70 we got to experience the incredible view, stunning surroundings and luxury of the venue, along with a full body massage delivered through various kinds of water jets in a series of pools, AND a three course lunch.

The place is normally pretty crowded by its supermodel and DJ clientele, but by the beginning of October there was hardly anyone else there, which made it feel even more exclusive.

We felt very pleased with ourselves, admiring the view in the hot sun (imagining the cold in England) and sipping cava while we waited for our spa slot.

Next, we were admiring the view again, but this time from bubbling pools of salt water, teetering on the edge of the cliff.

After that we enjoyed the view from our restaurant table, right at the highest point of the hotel and indeed the mountain. The starter was a tapas plate of broad bean and mint salad, tempura prawns and sweet chili sauce (yawn), ricotta toasts, rabbit samosas and chilled asparagus cream. All very nicely done.

The main course was grilled salmon steak, octopus stew, steak and a lamb chop, all served on solid slabs of salt – ideal for a sodium chloride addict such as myself. The meat was seared to crispiness on the outside, pink within. They were accompanied by a buckwheat tabouleh.

Steak and lamb chop was served on a block of salt

I thought I didn’t have room for dessert or care much about it, but the beautifully presented platter of mini-puds was particularly good, and rather less of them than promised were donated to a friend. I forgot to photograph them in my haste to taste. They included a little ice-cream cone filled with chocolate, a rich vanilla ice-cream and a lemon tartlet.

We didn’t want our special day to end just yet, so after lunch we slurped on the best mojitos ever in the world ever while watching the sunset. The designated driver had the best ever virgin mojitos in the world ever, which were literally – and I mean literally – as good as the boozy ones.

We went home for a nap followed by cava and a giant paella at the unassuming Villa Manchega. Such a waste – it was a really good one but the three-person pan-full was enough to feed 12. We didn’t have a fridge at the hotel so we had to leave the copious leftovers at the restaurant.

Other memorable meals included our first meal of the holiday when we had seafood and the saltiest, most garlicky garlic purée/mayo imaginable (that is a good thing, by the way) at the Restaurante El Carmen; a seafood selection with chips and rosé from the Cala Gracio beach café (owned and run for 40 years by a charming native Ibizan guy who’s married to a lady from Burnley and called us 'lasses'); and posh nosh at Villa Mercedes.

Squid and grilled red mullet at Resaurante El Carmen (above); 

Last meal of grilled sardines (below).

Top Foods and Drinks Detrimental to Your Oral Health

Does it matter which snack, breakfast cereal or beverage you reach for on the grocery shelf? When it comes to your oral health, it can make a big difference. The foods and drinks you select each contain different ingredients, including minerals, vitamins, sugars and acids, each with varying nutritional values and effects on your teeth and mouth. In some, the nutritional value is very low and their ability to cause problems to your oral health is high. The next time you reach for a soda, think twice. It could mean avoiding a cavity, even if you routinely use other good oral hygiene habits.

What Is So Bad?
The problem with some foods or drinks is what they are made of. Carbohydrates break down in the mouth into sugars. Sugar is detrimental for teeth. It works as an acid to slowly harm the enamel on teeth. It can damage the tooth structure. Overtime, this leads to cavities and tooth decay that may be hard to halt. Any type of acid that comes in contact with your mouth has the risk of harming your oral health.

Shoddy Food and Drink

What is the worst of the worst? What should you avoid at all costs? The following foods and drinks are considered the ones to vanquish from your diet:

    Carbonated beverages, including soft drinks, are hazardous thirst quenching choices that endanger your oral health. They have the least nutritional value, and have so much sugar and phosphoric acid that they can begin attacking the teeth within 30 minutes.

    Some drinks labeled healthy or sport drinks can also be poor selections. Many promise health benefits, but also contain acidic and sugary substances that lead to the breakdown of enamel on your teeth. Be careful even with chewable vitamins, if they contain sugar.

    Sticky foods, including caramel candy, sugary sweet breads and other sweet carbohydrates are very unhealthy for your teeth. Their sugars are harder to wash away with saliva, therefore, they stay on your teeth longer, causing damage.

    Foods that dry out your mouth, including alcoholic beverages, can lead to an accumulation of bacteria in the mouth. Saliva is necessary for flushing away bacteria, but alcoholic beverages keep your mouth dry.

Other foods to leave on the grocery shelf more often are dried fruits and starchy foods, such as potato chips, bread and fries, as well as highly acidic fruits like oranges and lemons. If you consume them, brush your teeth immediately afterward, or rinse your mouth with water, to reduce their effects.

Beat the Heat, Eat and Drink - The Top Six Water-Rich Foods

Six of Nature's Highest-Hydration Foods

It is well-known that our bodies can get by without food for extended periods, but without water, we can face the most drastic of consequences within a few days. Our bodies are made up of 65-70 percent water and continuing to hydrate can be challenging for many people.

Using nature's fruits to flavor water is one great way to make drinking water more appealing, as well as thirst quenching. All of those wonderful electrolytes that are touted in sugary, artificial "sports drinks" can be obtained through lemons, limes, and oranges! Imagine that!! So start slicing those beautiful citrus jewels - they are also full of vitamin C and aid in digestion - great side benefits we could all use! The body's need for water is often taken for granted. If you wait until you feel thirsty, you are already in a state of dehydration. This means we have to replenish our bodily water constantly - so keep that pitcher in the fridge nice and full, with your water bottle close by and refill, refill, refill!

While essential to staying hydrated, drinking the recommended minimum 8 glasses of water a day isn't the only way to get all our water requirements. It's also important to consume foods that are high in water content to regulate metabolism, circulation, and vital biological systems. Smoothies are a quick and delicious way to get the best of both worlds. All of the foods listed below can be used in tasty and nourishing smoothies.

Six of the Top Water-Rich Foods

Cucumber

Comprised of 96% water, eating a cucumber is like drinking a three-ounce glass of water, only better. It contains key nutrients that can boost health. Cucumbers counteract toxins, cleanse the blood, and are high in electrolytes and potassium. Potassium and sodium work together to maintain fluid levels in the body. This helps regulate circulation and heartbeat.

Watermelon

Watermelon is 95 percent water and rich in vitamin C as well as being a thirst-quenching summer treat. Its health properties include being mildly diuretic so it is helpful for edema, bladder and kidney problems and flushing toxins from the body. It has even been used to treat depression.

Lettuce

Lettuces are roughly 94 to 95% water and are highly refreshing and high in hydration. Lettuce contains fiber, chlorophyll, cellulose and minerals. It is a good source of Vitamin A and potassium--and remember, the greener the lettuce leaves the more phytochemicals and minerals they contain.

Pineapple

At 95% water content, pineapple is very effective in neutralizing summer heat. Pineapple also contains bromelain, which increases digestion, and destroys many parasites. Pineapple has properties that are anti-inflammatory and is especially helpful with intestinal distress. It is delightfully sweet and very thirst quenching. Pineapple is used in Chinese medicine to treat sunstroke, indigestion, anorexia, diarrhea and edema.

Tomato

An important and delicious food, tomatoes contain 94 % water and are rich in the antioxidant: lycopene. Studies show that lycopenes reduced risk of many cancers. Tomato builds the blood, helps the liver and relieves high blood pressure. The tomato alkalinizes the blood and is therefore is useful for acid conditions. Whether you use them in a salad or sauteed with onions and your favorite greens in a breakfast omelette, tomatoes are a super food - and in season this month here in the northeast! Nature's sweet candy for sure so pop some cherry tomatoes in your mouth today! Surely a kid favorite snack too!

Blueberries

Blueberries contain up to 95% water and are rich in many phytochemicals and antioxidants. Blueberries are helpful in renewal of liver cells and because of their high content in Reservatrol they can be helpful in anti-aging, skin regeneration and healing. It is said that eating a cup of blueberries a day helps improve memory function!! While they are in season, buy in abundance - they freeze great for breakfast smoothies!

These delicious and naturally healing foods can be used in simple dishes or combined with other healthy foods into gourmet recipes. The creative opportunities for incorporating these foods are limitless,

Diane Hoch, CHC, founded The Food Evolution in 2010, and is currently its CEO. Diane is passionate about healthy eating, delicious meal creating and furthering a new, eco-conscious food system. She is a crusader for better school food and is actively committed to nutrition education for children and their parents.

The Food Evolution is Nutrition & Cooking center in Bardonia, NY that helps educate individuals and families in healthful eating and meal preparation. The Center is dedicated to fostering the peaceful progress of food evolution on our planet.

Food and Drink in the British Isles

UK restaurants offer a wide diversity of cuisine from all over the world but why not try some local dishes during your villa holiday. Traditional British food usually involves good plain cooking with fresh local ingredients and is often found in pubs or in restaurants which offer lighter versions of old favourites. Roast beef served with Yorkshire pudding or local specialties such as Lincolnshire or Cumberland pork sausages can be found on most menus. In the North Black Pudding made with offal is popular and lamb and chicken dishes feature on many menus along with hearty meat pies and homemade soups. Meals are usually served with chips, mash, boiled or roast potatoes and a good selection of vegetables. Whitbyon the east coast is famous for its crabs and the southeast coast is renowned for its mussels, whelks, cockles and jellied eels. In Britain you are never far from a fish and chip shop selling battered cod or haddock with chips sprinkled with salt and vinegar. Traditional puddings include fruit crumbles, apple pie or sponge pudding usually served with custard. Afternoon tea is still popular and you will find a good selection of cakes, scones, jam and cream and sandwiches on a teashop menu. Cheese is a great regional specialty; look out for different varieties at delicatessens and farmers markets.

There are some excellent award winning white English wines such as those produced by Three Choirs in Gloucestershire and Wickham in Hampshire.While enjoying your British Self Catering holiday you'll find a good selection of real ales is served in many pubs; look out for local micro-breweries. Mild such as Banks', Holdens and Highgate is most often found in the Midlands. Pale ales are more popular and Timothy Taylor, Adnams, Shepherd Neame and Marston's have good examples. Cider is still a favourite particularly in the southwest of England like Thatcher's in Somerset.

In Scotland look out for traditional foods such as haggis (spiced sheep's innards and seasoning) usually served with tatties (potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnip). Venison and grouse dishes are popular as are stovies, a mix of potatoes, onion and beef cooked in dripping. Scotch broth is made from mutton or beef stock, pearl barley, carrots and leeks while Cock-a-leekie soup is made from chicken, rice, leeks and prunes cooked in chicken stock. Smoked fish dishes such as kippers, salmon and Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock) can often be found. Finally, look out for a delicious chowder like dish called Cullen skink made from smoked haddock, mashed potato and milk. Scotland is also famous for its numerous whisky distilleries and a few beers too, like Deuchars and Caledonian.

Traditional dishes in Wales include Welsh lamb hot pot and cawl (meat stew with potatoes and vegetables). Fish is popular and other dishes such as Welsh rarebit (melted cheese on toast) and laver bread made from oatmeal and seaweed. There are plenty of local cheeses to sample such as Caerphilly and Pencarreg. Try Bara brith, a type of tea loaf and Welsh cakes, flat scones cooked on a griddle. Look out for eating establishments belonging to the Taste of Wales (Blas y Cymru) usually a sign of good food and finally some beers to try, Brains or Felinfoel.

In Northern Ireland try local cheeses, oysters and Guinness, Irish stew and drisheen (Black pudding). Look out for soda bread, Barm brak (tea loaf) and potato bread and finish the evening with an Old Bushmills whiskey.

If visiting the Channel Islands, self catering in Guernsey and self catering in Jersey, then you will find plenty of fresh fish, local dairy products and fresh seasonal produce on the menu. Look out for delicious home grown produce known as hedge veg sold by the roadside throughout the islands. Enjoy!

Croatian Food Odyssey

I used to want to marry Giles Coren, but a few incidents recently (nothing to do with editorial hissy fits – I liked them) are making me wonder if he’s not just a bit of a knob. Don’t worry; I would never normally be as unprofessional as to slag people off, but he’s much ruder about most people all the time and his mushrooming ego wouldn’t allow him to take offence anyway.

The main thing that stopped me wanting to marry Giles quite so much was his disdain for Croatian food. IT IS WONDERFUL. He must not have eaten in the right places. That said, I didn’t eat in a single place that wasn’t incredibly good and I wasn’t even trying very hard so I don’t know how he would have managed that.

It’s a fusion of Mediterranean and Eastern European cuisine that revolves around a bountiful and diverse array of fantastic local ingredients – abundant seafood, salt marsh lamb from Pag Island, suckling pig, wild boar, truffles, hot peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, potatoes, olive oil, wine and so on. Influences from the west are pizza, risotto and seriously dreamy ice-creams, and from the east comes peka; super-slow-cooked potatoes in olive oil, garlic and herbs, with octopus or meat. And shredded cabbage.

Seriously, Giles, I want to go back just to explore more of the food (although the scenery is dramatically beautiful and varied too).  Try spit-roast suckling pig at a casual roadside eatery! Or barbecued wild sea bass with homemade chips and luscious salad by the sea. Spit-roast lamb at Tamaris in Zadar (on an industrial estate/retail park by a main road, but don’t be put off) is outstanding and comes with THE most delicious peka potatoes. I am not even a potato person but I can’t imagine eating anything more enjoyable than these soft, salty, oily, addictively ambrosial spuds.

Spit-roast lamb and peka potatoes at Tamaris

Spit-roasting suckling pig, by the roasdside

Delicious plate of suckling pig, tasty potatoes and warm pickled cabbage, 

after a starter of exceptionally good octopus salad.

The people were delightful too! Impeccable English everywhere, an eagerness to help Croatian exploration, and not a tiny whisp of the old tourist-foreigner resentment you sometimes sense when abroad was detected from anyone during the 10-day break.

We were given homemade cherry jam by our hosts; offered homemade grappa by other hosts. And the cherry jam hosts came to find us late at night when our sat nav failed to nav, drove us to their favourite restaurant the next night (at 11pm) and carried on being just as kind and friendly when they discovered we were renting their apartment in order to attend a big rave in their neighbourhood (Dimensions Festival).

A recent Croatian National Tourist Board's press release claimed that Croatia is ‘The ultimate foodie destination’. Interesting angle, because even apart from Coren’s erroneous views their cuisine has barely been covered by any foreign press and often – utterly inexplicably – it is criticised. But unlike lots of tourist board manifestos, the Croatians are making an entirely accurate claim (well, maybe ‘an’ ultimate foodie destination, anyway) and I bet pretty soon it will be ‘discovered’ as the biggest new thing in foodie travel.

Driving back to Trieste Airport through Croatia and Slovenia - 
breathtaking scenery (and wild wolves).

We stayed in one of lovely Marina and Ivan's apartments near Pula and the great top floor apartment with large sea view balcony belonging to Anita and Neven in Zadar.

Hotels in Taunton and Food and Drink

Hotels in Taunton: Food and Drink

Somerset has been synonymous with food for many years and staying in hotels in Taunton will certainly set you up for a hearty and delicious break! Apples, cider and cheddar cheese are three of the county's most prestigious foods but there is so much more of its local produce awaiting you. Its love of food is celebrated throughout the towns, villages and visitor attractions, that are all accessible from hotels in Taunton. No matter where you visit in Somerset, you'll never be far from some good grub! Whether it's dining in one of its many restaurants, visiting a farmers market or taking a trip to a local cider farm, you'll be full to the brim by the time you arrive home!

Cider Attractions

Sheppy's Cider Farm and Museum is within close proximity of hotels in Taunton and makes for an interesting afternoon out. The Sheppy family are proud to share with visitors, local and afar, their beautiful farm and orchards and show everyone how they make their tasty ciders. Book a guided tour, visit the museum or taste some of the farms cheese and ciders in the shop. Other cider attractions in Somerset include the Avalon Vineyard which is a working organic vineyard and fruit farm offering self-guided walks and wine and cider tastings throughout the year and The Somerset Distillery which is the county's only apple distillery and traditional cider house. These attractions will give you a detailed insight into the countys passion for cider and food.

Hotels in Taunton and Visiting Cheddar

If you're a cheese lover, you absolutely must visit the village of Cheddar whilst staying in hotels in Taunton. Situated about a 45 minute drive away from Taunton, Cheddar is completely unique and a fantastic place to visit for a day out. Its distinct feature is that it boasts Britain's largest Gorge, which can be seen and explored in many ways. From the dramatic cliffs to the ancient stalactite caverns, this famous Nature Reserve appeals to all members of the family. There are some superb opportunities for caving and rock climbing too.Cheddar has a rich history of farming and cheese making and authentic cave aged Cheddar is available today from the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company shop. Be sure to save some money to take some home with you! The village and the Gorge is a wonderful experience so make sure you don't miss it when staying in hotels in Taunton.

What Sort Of Food And Drink Should I Take Regularly To Help Me Lose Weight?

If you are wondering what sort of food and drink should I take regularly help me lose weight, then you have come to the right place. There are many fat loss foods that people can eat so that they can lose weight. However, it is important for every person to remember that the best weight loss programs take time to produce long lasting results.

When you want to shed off a few pounds, there are some meals that you must avoid. For instance, sugary and fatty foods must be eliminated from your diet, especially if your metabolism is too slow. This is because all the sugar and fats that are not used up in the body are stored as fat in different parts of the body. That being said, processed foods that have a lot of industrial sugar and fat must be avoided at all costs.

Drinking a lot of water everyday is the best advice anyone can ever give you. Water flushes out all the toxins out of the body. It also keeps skin cells and other types of cells in the body replenished. This means that water makes you look younger and livelier. The recommended daily water intake for adults and young adults alike is eight glasses.

There are some foods that are known to help with digestion and consequently slimming. For instance, fiber-rich foods are known to help with digestion. When making fruit juices from mangoes, bananas, pineapples or any other type of fruit, the juice should be consumed wholly. This is because most fruits are rich in fiber.

Green tea is known to awaken and speed up metabolism. Drinking a few cups of green tea everyday will ensure that the metabolic rate of your body is high. This means that your body will burn fat faster at any given time to produce energy. When more fat is burned, you will lose more pounds.

Pepper might be too hot for some people to handle, but it will help you to shed off a few pounds. It is one of the best metabolism accelerators available. Ideally, pepper should be used raw as opposed to cooking it while preparing food.

That being said, if you are still wondering what sort of food and drink should I take regularly help me lose weight, there is your answer. Weight loss is only safe and effective when done gradually without using any type of drug. Vegetables should be consumed in plenty, preferably while raw. This is because they are among the best fat loss foods available in the market.

Getting to Know the Food and Drink of Tuscany

When you plan your trip to Tuscany, villas can make the perfect place to base yourself while you spend a bit of time getting to know the region, which sits on the western coast of Italy. Once you have explored the larger cities of Florence, Pisa and Siena and have gotten your fill of walking around and discovering the amazing amount of artwork and culture that permeates the area, you will need to sit down to a lovely Tuscan meal to refuel. While there, you can eat the ubiquitous pasta and breads and drink the famous wines, but why not go that extra mile and seek out the local specialties such as Chianti wine, Pecorino Toscano and the pasta from Orvieto.

Chianti

If you are a regular traveller to Tuscany, villas, you may notice, often are decorated with squat bottles half-encased in a straw jacket that were the traditional indicators for one of the regions most well known wines: Chianti. The first defined area of Chianti was mentioned around 1716 as around the Tuscan cities of Radda, Castellina, and Gaiole. In 1932, the region was expanded to include the towns of Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. The vast region is covered by the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), or the DOC, which is a guarantee of product quality and control and has strict regulations regarding the amount of grapes used in production, and more stringently, the aging process involved in the Chianti Superiore. The wines themselves tend to be medium bodied with a range of acidity and pair nicely with most Italian foods and meats.

Pecorino Toscano

When spending a bit of time in the region of Tuscany, villas make a great base for exploring the area in detail. Once you have gone to do a wine tasting at a local Chianti winery and have brought back a few bottles to your villa, head back into town or to an artisianal cheese maker's farm to get a block of the local Pecorino Toscano. Pecorino Toscano is a firm textured cheese made from full cream and pasteurised ewe's milk. Though it has a short maturation period of only 20 days, the Pecorino Toscano is usually served as a hard cheese, which requires it to have up to four months of maturation, during which it is often washed with crushed tomatoes, ash and olive oil. The cheese has a strong flavour and is often used with wines, as a starter, or grated over dishes as you would use a parmesan. In 1986 it was granted a Denominazione di Origine status, which was upgraded to DOCG status in 1996.

Pici Pasta

Once you have purchased your cheese and wine, you need to grab a bit of local pasta before heading back into your retreat in Tuscany. Villas near the city of Siena will give you excellent access to local shops that can provide you with the Sienese pici or pinci pasta. The dough for the pasta is rolled into thick sheets before being cut into strips and rolled to create pasta that is thicker than spaghetti and slightly thinner than a pencil. Like other food products, pasta in Italy is a source of pride and regulated by the government. Dried pastas can only be made from durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina, which is commonly used in the southern parts of Italy; in the northern parts, they prefer the egg pastas which are equally controlled in regards to purity of ingredients.

The Perfect Food and Drink for Courier Work

For those embarked on courier work, the job can lead to some pretty full on days. Often there are long journeys involved with only a short space of time in which to drop-off or pick up deliveries. It can often seem difficult to grab food in the course of the day, but this is incredibly important, especially when your eyelids start to droop in between service stations on the M1. Because of this, drivers involved in the delivery industry often opt for less healthy options, such as a full English breakfast first thing in the morning, or a burger and chips at lunch.

However, those involved in courier work should know that a healthier diet can work wonders for their alertness and enjoyment for the job; here are some foodstuffs to chew over:

Water

Cold water consumption is one of the best ways to keep yourself awake in the course of your courier work. Dehydration has a much greater effect on our brain functioning than most of us are aware of. When you're driving you should make sure that you always have a bottle of water or two at your side. You might notice that you have mild headaches throughout the day. If you haven't been drinking much you'll be amazed at how quickly some gulps of water can chase the headache away.

Caffeine

If you're really lagging then it certainly doesn't hurt to pull over and have a coffee (unless you happen to be sensitive to caffeine of course!), but you should always remember that tea, coffee and cola drinks can give a temporary boost before causing a later drop in energy. This effect can be especially pronounced if you over do it.

Whole Grains

It might not seem as obvious as glugging down an espresso but by upping your consumption of whole grains you will notice a rise in your energy levels as you go about your courier work. Whole grains take longer to digest within the body and this means their energy is released more slowly rather than giving you a boost that soon fizzles out. Whole grains include brown rice, whole wheat pasta and other foods that contain wheat, oats, maize or barley.

Apples

The humble apple is actually a great way to satisfy your energy need, allowing you to get some much needed vitamins and nutrition while helping you to stay alert. Apples will give your blood sugar a boost that you might find has a more beneficial effect than a cup of coffee.

Gnocci in Gorgonzola Sauce

I tasted these at a press event in March. We were at Food4Media's MediaPlace: All About Italy and Olive Magazine's 100th issue party, at Assaggetti in London. Lots of standard nibbles had gone around already but towards the end of the event all sorts of freshly cooked hot nibbles started coming thick and fast out of the kitchen. They were all delicious, but these little beauties blew me away. The gnocci were quite big and square but were not stodgy or heavy. These soft, neutral pillows of comfort were coated in a tasty blue cheese sauce. They were just stunning. 

Assaggetti's PR people kindly got hold of the recipe for me. I made the gnocci in the traditional shape in these photos, just because I like making them, but the recipe's easier cube option actually worked better.

It was only when making this dish that I realised quite how calorific and fat-filled the sauce is. Red wine (I had a nice chianti) is definitely required to dissolve some of the cholesterol. I am no calorie counter or one to choose 'healthy' options, but this is hardcore!

Ingredients to serve four

Gnocchi:

1kg of Potatoes

1 egg

300g plain flour

A pinch of salt to taste

Sauce:

300g Gorgonzola cheese

50g butter

100cl of whipping cream

What to do

Gnocci:

• Wash potatoes and boil whole for 50 minutes, then peel and mash. Allow to cool. 
• Add the flour, egg and a pinch of salt to the mash working the mixture with your hands until it is a firm dough. 
• Cut the dough into long 2-3cm strips, then roll and cut into cubes 
• Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for two minutes; They will rise to the surface when cooked. 
• Scoop out and then place in the pan with the cheese sauce and cook for a minute longer.

Sauce:

Put the butter, gorgonzola and cream into a pan and melt over a low heat for two to three minutes.

Pure Strawberry Juice - A Taste Sensation

This is strawberry juice. Not liquidised strawberries, but the pure juice of strawberries and it is a quite awesome elixir.

I had some strawbs in the fridge and kept forgetting to take them out to get to room temperature for eating so they risked going off. My housemate recently invested in a top-of-the-range juicer, and we’ve had lots of fun concocting potions with fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Pineapple, cucumber, pear, ginger, mint and beetroot have become favourite ingredients, but the fun thing about this adventure has been that the flavours of pure juices are often quite different from the un-juiced item. It seems that secret magical flavours are locked away in the structure of all fruit and vegetables, and releasing them adds a whole new dimension to food preparation and cooking.

Strawberry juice, still a little frothy on top

So, I bunged my chilled strawberries in the juicer. I didn’t add anything else, because I wanted to experience the flavour on its own first. Unlike liquidised whole strawberries, it didn’t need lemon juice or sugar to enhance the flavour. It was pretty special; smelt mainly just like strawberry but was intensely clean-tasting. Essence of strawberry but also somehow the taste of fresh verdant countryside air, slightly floral, and if the juice hadn’t been dark red I would have immediately thought it tasted ‘green’ – I realised that later. As I carried on sipping and savouring I could also taste cucumber, and every mouthful brought new flavours and scents. 

Jubilee Set Menu, By Real Royal Chef

Try this excellent value celebratory meal at The Montagu (Hyatt Regency Hotel, London), until 6^th June. For £20, you can indulge in a two-course lunch and £25 will get you three courses, including half a bottle of wine. Evening prices for the same menu are £22 and £27.

The enchanting choices - complete with info about when they were originally served, in Buckingham Palace, Sandringham House and The Royal Yacht Britannia - are all French classics and relatively simple dishes. I had heard the queen does not like garlic, and her taste for delicate flavours seem to be reflected here.

We chose Crêpe au crabeand Oeufs Pochés à l’Ecossaiseto start. The crêpe was sweet and light, the ‘eggs’ were actually one poached quail’s egg perched on a really tasty spherical salmon cake and covered in a seriously good frappé of hollandaise, dotted with pink peppercorns – it was thoroughly delicious.

Next, we went for Côteletts d'Agneau à la Menthe avec Les Legumes and Chicken poached in Champagne – both were cooked to absolute perfection, with the lamb chops browned and crispy on the outside and pink within, and the chicken wonderfully moist and only just white with its gentle, creamy wine sauce and crispy skin.

For dessert, we had a fantastic and generously portioned tarte tatin and an unusually good selection of cheeses. I wished we’d also had room to try the Soufflé Glacé aux Framboises (served at the State Banquet in honour of King Khaled of Saudi Arabia on 9 June 1981, no less). I wished it even more when I saw the pretty dessert being served to someone else, but we were replete with royal dishes by that time.

The regal surroundings of The Monatgu add to the sense of occasion for enjoying The Jubilee Set Menu, with the great space of the restaurant itself, dramatic pieces of art (including from the Saatchi Gallery) and the green of Portland Place outside.

Chef Mervyn Wycherley created The Jubilee Set Menu. He worked for the Royal Household between 1972 and 1995 and travelled all over the world with the Royal Family.

Remember, the Jubilee Menu only runs until 6^thJune…

Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce & Cream

I was seduced by an offer of a huge box of blueberries for £2. There was no way I could enjoy them all fresh before they went mushy. Blueberries always make me think of pancakes, so after eating about 6 fresh berries, I bunged the rest in a pan with some sugar and lime juice and cooked them down to a jammy sauce.

Pancakes are so easy and delicious - why don't I make them more often? Like more often than about three times in my entire adult life?

Anyway, after the pancake mix had rested, I made pancakes stuffed with an outrageous quantity of blueberry sauce and crème fraîche. Very nice - it felt quite indulgent. I will now consciously look out for those supermarket berry bargains for the purpose of sauces.

Tapas & Rioja at Chef's Table, The Montagu, London

Had a wonderful meal at The Montagu (in Hyatt hotel London). We were on the Chef’s Table, right in front of the impressive open kitchen.

First, we had champagne and iberico cured ham (two of my favourite things in the world). Then, superb tapas was followed by half a lobster on saffron rice. After that, we had some outstanding roast iberico pork – vaguely pink, fragrant and extremely juicy – and a platter of five mini desserts.

The photos below don't do the tapas justice. They look very pretty but this is misleading, because they maintained real gritty authenticity, and were full of punchy Spanish flavours.

Between courses we had wine tasting with the lovely Trindad Villegas, Export Manager of Bodegas LAN wines . She talked us through the wines that we had with each course, including a fascinating white rioja - Santiago Ruiz - that smelled exactly like a rich, honeyed dessert wine, but tasted fresh, crisp and clean.

And apart from the food and wine tasting, we also of course had the pleasure of the Head Chef's surprisingly relaxed company - which he managed to fit in, between bouts of catering for us and the rest of the restaurant. Carlos Machado might make thoroughly authentic tapas, but he is actually Portuguese, and chats passionately about the cuisine of his own country. Carlos is the ideal asset for a chef’s table, as he’s completely down-to-earth and personable - despite his obvious talent and rapid professional progress.

Spanish black pudding with poached quails' eggs

Chef's Table

Gazpacho

Tortilla

Rioja with Trinidad in the background

Spicy Octopus - another of my favourites. It was served in the most fantastic olive oil

Cured Sardines



Carlos Machado, Head Chef

Themes for the Chef's Table at The Montagu vary, so check you're getting a cuisine you love before you book.

Market Café, Hackney – Top New Eaterie

I was lucky to enjoy a ‘hard-hat’ preview of this brilliant new place before it opened. There was still bare plaster everywhere and it was far from finished, but the almost-done back dining room demonstrated the theme of the décor; 50’s mismatched furniture, slick and cool, friendly and familiar, thoroughly enjoyable.

The food and drink follows a similar model, with “rustic London-Italian food and drink with a modern take on the ‘breakfast and bolognaise’ menu…no airs or graces here. Steak and kidney pudding for two, hand cut tagliatelles with meat sauces, truffled rarebit, jam doughnuts…and homemade Hackney Downs ice-cream”. I had the delicious tagliatelle with meat sauce that tasted so familiar but reminded me of a distant memory I couldn't quite place. It was flavour combination that definitely reminded me of something I’d eaten as a child. Braised beef shin in chianti with polenta was clearly cooked in home-style quantities of wine for e very long time. No corners had been cut and it was wonderful, like the absolute best home cooking. The rice pudding with jam was ambrosial… the creamiest and vanilleriest ever.

For drinks, we had lovely East London Cups, that were cocktails reminiscent of pimms and Market Café’s take on classic London cups (I hadn’t heard of them either). They also do wines, other cocktails and cups, fizz, and craft beers.


East London Cup

Husband and wife team Hugo and Fran Warner, who own the Market Café have taken on some fantastic staff. This really stood out. Their team is made up of genuine individuals who clearly really care, including the ultra-knowledgeable and enthusiastic long-haired and bearded bar manager/deputy manager (Rob? Sorry, I did ask but promptly forgot). The staff fit perfectly with the whole feel of the place; eclectic, down-to-earth, and welcoming. The chef, James Adams has worked at Canteen, Fifteen, St John and River Café and believes there is “no substitute for flavour”.

Hugo sat with us for a bit and his obvious passion for historical reference and good food bubbled over, “…working class cafés once lubricated and nourished a whole post war generation of artists, writers and crimes lords, and galvanised East End and British cultural life. These places were where ordinary people could afford to eat out and also to experience what was in its day exotic food.” He hopes that the “whole local community” will want to eat and drink with them.



Market Café is open all day and evening every day, for breakfast, elevenses, lunch, high tea and supper, as well as freshly ground coffee and evening drinks.

Quick Week in Goa

A week is barely long enough to realise that you need at least a week just to work out what’s going on… It takes at least a week on the beach to acquire the knowledge about those famous beach raves (There aren’t any; go to a silent disco in Palolem – I didn’t have time, but they’re really good, apparently), where you can get good thali and ‘fish curry rice’ (A challenge, since beach shacks that used to serve them now concentrate on ‘international’ menus), and the best beaches (Colva, Palolem).

I now need to go back to Goa quite soon, so I can use the basic knowledge that I picked up on the last trip – before it’s out of date.

Anyhow, despite only having a few days, I did manage to enjoy the following:

6 beaches
Lots of lobster – barbecued several times; in massala sauce once
Crab xacuti - hot, rich, tangy coconut curry
Amazing breakfasts of idli rice cakes, vada savoury doughnuts, eggs and omelettes, chick-pea curries, delicious fermented coconut sauce
Boat trip to Morjim turtle beach and Ajuna market, via dolphin-watching
Disasterous attempt at partying in Baga - don’t go to Mambos club at the bottom; freezing cold air con, appalling charty music, undrinkable wine, empty club other than a couple of locals, a couple of hookers and some drunk seedy tourists. Oh and they think anyone black is from Nigeria and are therefore trouble-makers, and will be refused entry.
Great Goan restaurant in Panjim, called The Upper House
Cashew and coconut palm varieties of fenni – the local distillation
Fish ambot tik - sour curry with tamarind
Loads of wonderful roti bread, straight from the tandoor, usually brushed with melted butter
Fish-curry-rice - mackerel in a coconut curry sauce with rice
Vindalho, of course

That’s quite a lot I suppose, but I had a massive list of things I wanted to try that will have to wait until next time.