Indigo Restaurant

I was recently invited to the VIP Evening at Indigo Restaurant. My husband took the photographs and as you can see, we all had a wonderful time. The narrative is by one of the partner's daughters who has kindly written this Guest Posting.



The restaurant concept - we wanted it to be funky, modern, yet unique in style and something to stand out. Although we chose vibrance as colour, we wanted private seating arrangements away from the outside life. As you may notice - we tried to prevent windows and made the restaurant enclosed from what is going on outside. Instead, we chose to select ideas and detail to catch the eyes of customers inside the restaurant.


Interior and colours - the colours chosen came from the name itself, Indigo and led to a purple/blue theme, which just expanded with ideas. The Managers also travelled out far to explore different restaurants (the top ones), to see what they offered, so that we could be on a similar level. We wanted the interior to look different, unique and a style no one had seen before (especially locally). Again, much research was done to get the interior spot on.

The artist with some of her work which adorns the walls of the restaurant.


How the restaurant name was chosen - the colour created the name itself, also the fact that the restaurant provides Indian foods, Indi-go!!


Food - the food served is a la carte, it was a buffet on the VIP evening though. All food is cooked from fresh including the desserts. The food on the menu includes Himalayan, Rajasthani and Jaipuri dishes and also dishes from some of India's biggest and famous cities.


The chefs - there are several chefs with years of experience. They work fast and will only cook from fresh.

Indigo Restaurant
Claverley Drive
WV4 4LQ
01902 621155/621144

Which Colour of Wine to Choose

A number of considerations can affect our choices when buying wine. The selection available is vast and making the best choice can be a time-consuming exercise if we don’t have some knowledge behind us.

Wine drinkers with an appreciation for both red and white wine can often face a dilemma at the off licence. Wines of all varieties are readily available to suit all tastes and all budgets.

Sumptuous red wine from all over the world can be found for under £5 per bottle. French reds from the Cotes du Rhone-Villages region are a great example of this, offering full-bodied, heavy notes at brilliant prices. Occasionally, fans of Spanish Riojas can take advantage of shops and supermarkets dropping the prices below £5 and any red wine enthusiast would be well advised to join them when the chance arises.

Good white wine for less than £5 is equally simple to find if you know what you are looking for. Recently, bottles of the 2008 Marsanne, Vin de Pays d’Oc from France has been spotted on sale for as little as £3 a bottle and has been described by critics as offering “rather more sunny, apricot and almond-stashed fruit for your money”.

The final decision of red or white usually comes down to occasion. If wine is being bought to be enjoyed with a particular meal, this makes the choice significantly easier.

The basic guidelines read something like: red wine with red meat, game and casseroles, white wine with fish, spicy food, vegetarian food and pasta. For more detail on choosing the particular red or white wine to accompany your meal, the label on the bottle almost always makes some reference, or your wine merchant may be able to help.

However, wine is not only served with food and many of the wines that compliment food brilliantly might taste drastically different when tasted without food.

‘No-food’ wines are not hard to find in these days of wine being commonly purchased as an aperitif in bars and enjoyed in front of the TV with little more than a bowl of nuts for sustenance. The watchword for these wines is ‘smooth’. For wine to taste good on its own, it needs to be low in tannins, which give red wines their dry, tight flavours. Wines like Negroamaro and Rosso di Salento fit the bill here, with their softer, riper tannins and higher alcohols.

For white wine lovers, Shiraz tastes just as great on its own as it does with a curry or a Mexican banquet.

Thank you to Michael for this Guest posting and also to
Stephen Bolen for the photograph.

‘Tipsy Blackberry & Apple Cupcakes’ ‘Jane Asher Home Baker of the Year 2007

Linda has kindly accepted my invitation to write a 'Guest Posting' for my foodblog. I know that you will enjoy reading all about her very exciting day when she entered the above competition. Her cupcakes look amazing and I couldn't resist asking if she would share this wonderful day, photographs and recipe with us. A truly deserved winner!

Margaret has kindly invited me to do a Guest Posting as I have recently had the great honour of being crowned ‘The Jane Asher Home Baker of the Year Competition 2007'.

I entered the competition online (3 hours before the competition closed). I love creating new recipes and wanted to come up with something that was seasonal, tasty & original.

After an overnight stay at a smart London hotel, hubby, myself and the four other finalists & guests were whisked away to the Good Housekeeping Institute in London for the bake-off. Meeting everyone involved was very exciting - though waiting to start was quite nerve-wracking as I was unsure about using a different oven. As soon as I started baking the nerves melted away, the oven was nowhere near as fierce as mine so I had to whack the temperature up. The judges including Jane Asher & Chef Brian Turner chatted to us whilst we were adding the finishing touches to our recipes. Our cakes were then whisked away to be judged. We then relaxed with our guests & journalists whilst enjoying a lovely champagne buffet. Soon after, we were ushered into the judging room and Jane & each judge spoke about each recipe. When Jane announced my name as the winner I nearly fell over as the competition was very stiff indeed - all the other cakes were truly delicious. My husband’s face was a picture - he was so proud of me. I was literally speechless, overwhelmed & thoroughly chuffed to have won. Along with the title of Home Baker my other prizes were fantastic also. Lots of Jane Asher bake ware, her new book (signed), kitchen textiles, beautiful ceramics & a luxury spa break at the Westin Turnberry Hotel in Scotland. Oh! and a beautiful engraved silver trophy (I get to keep for a year).

I have since appeared in local press, radio (BBC) & television (ITV Anglia) & national magazines. Hubby & I have even been immortalized in a hilarious cartoon in my local Gazette newspaper. I am launching a cookery business in April next year and will make great use of my prizes. I would urge anybody who enjoys baking to enter next year’s competition at www.homebake.co.uk (dates for next year to be announced). Believe me if I can win anyone can. Here’s my recipe if you’d like to give it a go sometime (though it’s a little late for fresh blackberries just now).

‘Tipsy blackberry & apple cupcakes’
Ingredients for cupcakes

225 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
215 grams golden caster sugar
225 grams self raising flour
4 large free range eggs (very lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon Madagascan vanilla extract
1 – 2 tablespoons milk
2 crisp granny smith apples
large shot of ‘sour apple liqueur’ (Luxardo) or use calvados brandy for an even ‘tipsier’ flavour
10-20 grams golden caster sugar (to taste)

filling & topping
500 - 600ml fresh double cream
300 grams fresh blackberries (reserve 12 blackberries to top cupcakes)
splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur’
10-20 grams caster sugar (to taste – depending on tartness of berries)

You will need a sturdy 12 bun muffin tin lined with 12 muffin cases & a large piping bag with a 15ml plain round nozzle.

For best results make sure the baking ingredients are at room temperature and try not over beat mixture once eggs & flour are added.

method

1. preheat oven to 170-180, gas mark 4 (fan assist 150-160 depending on oven – mine is very fierce so that’s why it seems low temp, adjust accordingly ).
2. peel, chop & gently cook apples, sugar & ‘sour apple liqueur’ in a small covered pan (until very slightly soft). Strain apple and put to one side to cool. Reserve all the lovely apple liquid, as this will be added to whipped cream when cooled.
3. using the same pan put the fresh blackberries, sugar (to taste) & a splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur & cook until ‘jammy’. Leave to cool.
4. in a separate bowl cream butter with wooden spoon adding sugar & vanilla extract beat until light & fluffy.
5. gently mix in the beaten egg & fold sifted flour with a metal spoon.
6. fold cooled apple pieces into cake mixture & add a tablespoon or so of milk if required to ‘slight dropping consistency’ but not too much or apples won’t ‘hold’.
7. using a metal ice cream scoop, spoon mixture into the 12 muffin cases & fill until three quarters full.
8. cook on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Test with skewer. Remove tray from oven & leave for a few minutes. Transfer cupcakes onto wire tray to cool completely.
9. cut out a teaspoon sized piece from top centre of cooled cupcake using a serrated knife. Add a teaspoon of ‘fresh blackberry jam’ into the centre.
10. start to whip the cream (add the reserved ‘apple liquid’ as just as cream begins to thicken). Whisk into soft peaks & just firm enough to pipe. Fill piping bag with cream mixture. Pipe the cupcake with the cream and top with a fresh blackberry.

The cupcakes are best eaten fresh soon after baking. If refrigerated the sponge will become quite ‘dense’ in texture but will still be tasty. © Linda Edmonds Aug 2007