Croatian wine is shedding its rep as cheap plonk – here’s why April 15, 2021 Croatia has an ideal climate for wine making, but lacks the reputation as a solid producer of premium bottles. For years its exports would feature in the bottom echelons of wine lists, labeled – mostly fairly – as cheap and cheerful plonk. But not any more. The UK’s first Croatian wine importer is run by [...]
Shaken, stirred or dirty: the lore and lure of the martini April 15, 2021 The martini was not the first cocktail—we don’t know what was, but likely some unappetising collision of spirit, sugar, water and bitters, more than two hundred years ago—but it has become iconic, almost metonymic. When we think of a cocktail glass, it is the v-shaped modernist twist on the coupe which we imagine. And we [...]
The best of wine tourism within day-trip distance of London April 15, 2021 The warm sun on my back, I sip a delicious glass of wine looking across a sweeping vista of vines with the rolling green countryside stretched out before me towards – yes, could that possibly be? – the distant sparkle of the sea and a blue-sky horizon. Have I thrown lockdown travel precautions to the [...]
Never go without fizz again thanks to The Finest Bubble’s Champagne Helpline April 13, 2021 There’s no feeling like it. That sinking sensation in your gut. You keep telling yourself it’s not happening; it’s something that happens to other people, not you. You check all the usual places but there’s nothing. No Blanc de Noirs. No Prestige Cuvee. No Extra Brut. So what do you do when you suddenly discover you [...]
Back in business: Lord Mayor kickstarts Square Mile reopening April 12, 2021 As the City officially reopened this morning, the Lord Mayor embarked on a tour of the businesses that have opened their doors after months behind shutters. While still noticeably quieter than pre-pandemic, it was heartening to see the City return to some kind of normalcy, with the streets busier than they have been for months. [...]
How to Navigate restaurant wine lists post-lockdown April 11, 2021 It’s happening. Things are shifting. Spring is in the air and soon restaurant terraces will be open for business and shortly after that (please oh please) inside restaurants too. I am among the thousands who are chomping at the bit to see friends and loved ones over a plate of linguine and a nice glass of [...]
Restaurants may be reopening but delivery kits are here to stay April 9, 2021 It’s just days until we’re allowed to sit outside and eat a socially distanced meal with people from one other household – a concept that’s far more appealing than that sentence might suggest. But that doesn’t mean the home delivery restaurant-in-a-box revolution is over. With top chefs and restaurants from across the culinary spectrum now [...]
Back to work: How to pack the perfect healthy lunch April 9, 2021 As we prepare for a phased return to something resembling normality, you can’t overstate the importance of nutrition to get you brain ready for the daily grind. Here are some nutrition tips and tricks to help set some healthy new habits. In the last instalment of this column, we laid down a few rukes of [...]
Chaos Walking review – dreary sci-fi romp wasn’t worth the wait April 9, 2021 It’s never a promising sign when a movie is released that should have been on our screens several years ago. Chaos Walking, an adaptation of Patrick Ness’ sci-fi novel, began principal photography in 2017, with a view to a 2019 release date. Poor test screenings resulted in extensive reshoots followed by a delay due to [...]
Genius Brewing, makers of healthy lager, to enter Dragons’ Den April 8, 2021 An innovative craft beer company producing a health-focused, light craft lager is set to go before the panel in tonight’s episode of Dragons’ Den. Jason Clarke and Charlie Craig, founders of Genius Brewing will take their 3% ABV, 79 calorie lager into the Den in the hopes of gaining backing for their ‘smart drinking’ company. [...]
