Cheers to the Best of Britannia

               The Wild Game Co won the Young British Foodies Street Food Award for 2012-13
                                                             Kamm & Sons - Ginseng Spirits

Did anyone manage to get to Best of Britannia recently? If not, then here is the low down, especially for you. Tucked into an exposed brick East End warehouse, this was a showcase of British products and an opportunity to hear the stories of some of the more fashionable brands out there.

Amongst the sea of tweed jackets, hip bicycles and vintage light shades were a healthy representation of the latest independent traders of British food and drink. Nyetimber were present selling some of their finest English sparkling wines and in the outside area you could catch a band whilst munching on a lobster roll from Bob's Lobster.

Bob's Lobster

Harry Brompton's London Ice Tea

Something which did catch my eye was Harry Brompton’s London Ice Tea. Made from Kenyan tea with a hint of citrus, this lightly sparkling drink at 4% ABV was certainly a first for me. Although I found the combination a little perplexing before I tried it - it worked beautifully! The drink reminded me slightly of dandelion and burdock and smacked of summer in a bottle.

This drink has been positioned as a premium product and with the more discerning tastes we’re seeing in tea currently (check out Good & Proper Tea as an example), this could well be a drink which will tip next year.

Keeping on the theme of tea check out Comins Tea House who not only source tea but make an amazing range of tea ware including storage tins and tea caddy spoons – ideal Christmas gifts.

A range of tea caddy spoons from Comins Tea House

www.bestofbritannia.com
www.harrybromptons.com
www.goodandpropertea.com
www.cominsteahouse.co.uk

Posting courtesy of Kitchen Delights London Reporter @PaulFoodie

Kitchen Delights - Foodie Delights

teapigs - if you love your cuppa then why compromise on quality.  Hubby is the tea drinker and he likes a decent cup of tea, what he doesn't like is a tea bag filled with tea dust. None of this nonsense with teapigs tea, the loose leaf tea is contained within a tea temple, it is a roomy biodegradable mesh bag containing whole leaves giving all the benefits of loose tea but without all the mess. I was sent teapigs Everyday Brew tea and it is reassuring to know it is Rainforest Alliance certified. My son loves a quality cuppa and decided the tea was too good for his Dad, guess what, the teapigs travelled back home to London with him! Available from Waitrose, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis Food Hall and Whole Foods Market.

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Strawberry Daiquiri, Strawberry Woo Woo and Cosmopolitan

Funkin - these are a very cool way to make cocktails at home and are sure to impress your guests.  All you have to do is mix them with crushed ice and alcohol, or an appropriate non-alcoholic alternative.

The Cosmopolitan is a blend of cranberries and limes with a dash of orange and can be mixed with vodka or gin and for a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail mix with lemonade or soda water.  There is a video on the funkin website showing how to make your Cosmopolitan cocktail and there are lots of other amazing recipe ideas too.
                                                                                   
100% natural fresh fruit cocktail mixers, no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or additives.

They are available in 1L mixers and 120g mixer pouches.  Available from Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose, Ocado and Selfridges.

Thank you Kate for the samples.

Review: York Coffee Emporium - Coffee and Tea by Post

York Coffee Emporium have kindly sent me samples of luxury loose tea and gourmet coffee. They are York's only independent artisan micro-coffee roaster and all of their coffee is roasted in the heart of Yorkshire, fresh to order. York Coffee Emporium luxury teas are sourced from The Metropolitan Tea Company. Most of them contain either Fair Trade or Ethical Tea Partnership accredited tea.

Decaf 'Centrals' Blend is processed using the CO2 method and means no harmful chemicals have been used. I couldn't tell the coffee was decaffeinated, there is nothing worse than drinking decaf coffee that has a peculiar taste. The coffee is medium bodied with a good after taste and very enjoyable to drink.  If you drink decaffeinated coffee, or have considered buying decaffeinated coffee, freshly roasted gourmet coffee wins every time. Just imagine bringing that independent coffee shop experience into your own home.

Hubby is the tea drinker, he enjoys a cuppa and tasted the teas for me.  Russian Caravan (great name!) is a light black tea with a hint of Lapsang Souchong. In Russia the traditional way of making tea is to allow a pot to simmer and steep all day; this is why Russian Caravan tea is quite light and flavoursome to withstand a day in the pot.  Hubby described this fine tea as aromatic with a very good flavour and enjoyable to drink.

Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea - the tea is described as a medium body blend delicately flavoured with Earl Grey and Jasmine.  This is the blend specially selected for garden parties at Buckingham Palace.  Earl Grey is hubbys favourite and he really enjoyed this Jasmine perfumed tea, he is a creature of habit and normally chooses Earl Grey with Bergomot. No Palace Garden Party for us, but he said the tea tasted wonderful.  If you are having a posh afternoon Garden Party of your own, I am assured this tea would be perfect.........weather permitting of course!

Thank you to York Coffee Emporium and Ben for the samples.