The second whisky tasting of Michaelmas 2008 is a Winter Warmer Whiskies Tasting on 5 Dec at 8p.
This tasting is for those who are looking for that special Christmas dram! The tasting will focus on special, limited-edition, or unique bottlings of whisky from around the world. In past premium tastings, whiskies such as the Balvenie 14 year Rum Wood Single Malt and Compass Box Orangerie Whisky. The menu for this tasting has yet to be created but will definitely contain something for every whisky drinker (and something that every whisky drinker has never seen)! Read the rest of this entry »
The first whisky tasting of Michaelmas 2008 is an Introductory Whisky Tasting on 20 November at 9p (after Hall).
The Introductory Tasting is a guided tasting through the world of whisky. It will give you an overview of the tastes and styles of whisky available from around the world (and available from the Whisky Cabinet at the Bar). This is the tasting to attend if you are interested in whisky but are unsure about which whiskies you enjoy. Also, during the course of the tasting, we will cover the basics about distilling and aging and try to answer any questions you may have about whisky. Read the rest of this entry »
We had some great sausages from our wonderful local farm, Foxbury, last night. They bred and raise a whole selection of livestock, including some wonderful pork, which they turn into amazing sausages - I would recommend that you try the Old Spot Sausages. If you are in Oxford and cannot get them from Foxbury (they do free home delivery on Thursday), then you can always get quality sausages from David John in the Covered Market or from the Big Bang, the 3rd best place to eat in Britian under £50 (actually most of the dishes are well under £20).
Also, for those who may be slightly cash-strapped, the Big Bang is currently doing a “Credit Crunch Lunch” of sausage & mash for £4.50! If you stop by the Big Bang, make sure and support our local breweries by buying a pint of Hook Norton or Cotswold Lager!
Okay, today I have been experimenting in the kitchen … in Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for More Food is a recipe for Whole Wheat Beer Bread. But, I did not have whole wheat flour or bread flour (and was too lazy to go buy some). So, I searched online till I found a beer bread recipe that I liked … and that I could combine with Alton’s recipe.
Then, the experimenting started … (Note: this is a great way to relieve stress and procrastinate) Read the rest of this entry »
The South Devon Chilli Farm staff are the UK’s leading experts on chillies and chilli growing. They started in 2003 and today, they grow over 10,000 plants. Not only do they have a great variety of chilli seeds, but they also have an extensive selection of chilli-based products … including chilli chocolates, dried chillies, and chilli growing equipment. I have had their products before and all of them are of top-quality! If you see them at a store near you, I would recommend that you pick up at least one to try.
In addition, if you are looking for an easy plant to grow, my experience with chilli plants shows that they are easy to grow and, unlike many other plants, they last longer than a single season. We are currently surrounded by potted chili plants in our flat because nearly every plant survived from a seedling (and most of them have fruited multiple times). On a slightly different note, they do make quite nice house plants.
Chilies are a wonderful winter food … they add a ray of sun to otherwise bland dishes!
The Heineken Experience reopens today (3 Nov). For those who remember, it was from the Heineken Experience that Jill & I first announced our engagement. For a reminder of it, see this video.
Anyway, they have posted a video (included below) about the newly renovated Experience and a large portion of it looks very similar to the old one. Then again, it has a special place in my heart and I would probably go back next time I am in Amsterdam! Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever wondered how your grandma made jam or lemon meringue pie? Well, there is a new website to help you … check out WCG. It is loading with video recipes from grandmother’s around the world! For a couple examples, check out:
Even with our small patio and limited sun, I have been able to grow some food … needless to say it was only some tomatoes, blueberries, and some peppers. Once I have a somewhat larger garden, then I will want to expand the variety of food grown. As I have posted before, there are a lot heirloom tomoto varieties available, but what else is available for your backyard?
One of the great things that we were looking forward to was the food in Morroco and we had some great food while we were there!
Yet, we were slightly disappointed by some of the traditional Morrocan food - especially couscous and tajines. On the other hand, we had some great breakfasts at two of our riads and greatly enjoyed all of the fresh juice that we were able to drink. The juice carts on the Djemaa el Fna are a great source for juice, but be sure to ask for fresh and the normal price is 3dh per glass. Two pieces of advice when dealing with the vendors: 1) always ask the price first and 2) make sure that you have small change when you go to get juice because the vendors will claim to not have change. Read the rest of this entry »
Maker’s Mark has produced special Rock the Vote bottles. The bottles are triple-dipped with red, white, and blue wax. They are available from a lot of good retailers or you can buy them online here.
Once I have a somewhat larger garden, then I will want to expand the variety of food grown. As I have posted before, 
