tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719196846461518182024-03-13T03:42:07.288+00:00FoodieOnTour | Food, Family and a Sprinkling of FitnessFood, Family and a Sprinkling of FitnessFoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-68920203644062411612015-07-16T22:00:00.001+01:002018-02-13T13:14:35.581+00:00Dining out with Demons<div class="p1">
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<i>Published in the <a href="http://issuu.com/valelifemagazine/docs/vale_life_jun-jul_2015_web_edition/3?e=1911465/13973360" target="_blank">Jun/July edition of Vale Life Magazine</a></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chocolate's at the bottom of the bowl, right?</td></tr>
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With two boys now nearing ages two and four, dining out is starting to become... let's say challenging. Before the boys were born we would happily indulge in a meal out whenever it took our fancy, at whatever time of day we fancied, in whatever restaurant we fancied. No worrying about fitting meals in around nap times, no fretting about children’s menus and the availability of highchairs.</div>
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<span class="s1">Even when the kids were little, we could just leave them sat next to us in their car seat and they'd happily sleep all the way through the meal.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Not these days. These days dining out can be sheer and utter hell.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It's not that the boys are badly behaved, they're just typical, run-of-the-mill, kids. And most restaurants are adept at managing tables with children. I wrote once before about how impressed I’d been with the child friendliness of local restaurants, however all changed when I stepped foot in a particular, recently reopened, Oxford pub.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Visiting with a group of mums and kids, we experienced quite possibly the worst customer service I’ve encountered yet. An absurdly rude owner, parent to four as he told us (*slow clap*), questioned our ability to “control our children” after an <i>exhaustive</i> wait for food led to them become rather restless. And that’s only one of a long list of issues there.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The whole experience left me furious, the man an utter arse. But that’s not to say I don’t get that kids in restaurants can be annoying. To be frank, I find dining out with them pretty frustrating myself. Let me be clear, I love my kids to bits, but <i>God</i> do I miss those uncomplicated pre-child meals. I miss the peace and quiet. I miss not having a giant bag stuffed full to the brim with nappies, distracting toys, baby wipes, nappy creme and multiple changes of clothing. I miss eating food with a knife AND fork, instead of stabbing at bits of food with one hand whilst wrangling a child with the other. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">But what should we do once we’ve made the decision to bring another little human into the world - never dine out with them? I’m no fan of unsupervised children running around in restaurants, or staying at the table while they cry, that’s got ‘take it outside’ written all over it, but sod avoiding restaurants altogether. It might be tough work but I think it’s far more productive teaching kids early about table manners and how (or not) to behave in public. That, plus the fact we’d all go stir crazy if we were stuck at home for EVERY SINGLE MEAL.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So next time you find yourself twitching at the noise coming from the ‘brats’ at the table in the corner, feel for the parents who are sitting right in the middle of it. Unless they’re taking no notice while the kids whoop around the place, in which case you have my full backing to evil glare.</span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-92024033555490063262015-05-03T19:00:00.000+01:002018-02-13T13:16:08.464+00:00Meal Planning Like a Pro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Published in the <a href="http://issuu.com/valelifemagazine/docs/vale_life_mar-apr_2015_web_edition/59?e=1911465/12071700" target="_blank">March/April edition of Vale Life Magazine</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkH-kud0KjOexOszwZDyLt_gSodua_T3caOjZ1y1rXAyDPY6O6lgd6_cxEPoGdH_6tjlDY6GrDzCX0eLuvpskcq1FHsHHH2t_tkKu7QEQyiB5FgDISAM2MceINvnI4h2v5zttJTipZFFo/s1600/Meal+menu+planning.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkH-kud0KjOexOszwZDyLt_gSodua_T3caOjZ1y1rXAyDPY6O6lgd6_cxEPoGdH_6tjlDY6GrDzCX0eLuvpskcq1FHsHHH2t_tkKu7QEQyiB5FgDISAM2MceINvnI4h2v5zttJTipZFFo/s1600/Meal+menu+planning.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">Before I had kids, when I was a suit wearing nine to sixer, I used to stock the fridge full of anything and everything I could possibly fancy that week. Lots of ready meals (hello Tesco Finest) and quick cook dinners like steak; things I could throw together in under half an hour while my stomach hungrily grumbled away. Mealtimes weren't all that healthy and were rarely seated at a proper dining table. Get changed, throw something tasty together, feet up on sofa - <i>that</i> was my ideal evening.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I never planned my meals out and ended up throwing loads of food away, especially meat and veg. The snacks and chocolate, however, well they always managed to get eaten… Funny that.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">These days though, with an exercise mad husband and two growing boys to feed, on one income and a tight budget, I have to be a lot more economical and organised.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Every week now I sit down with a cuppa, armed with a notepad and pen, my online grocery basket and some source of inspiration. I mark out breakfast, lunch and dinner for Monday to Sunday, then gradually fill in the blanks with meals I want to cook that week. Once I’ve added in a few meals I’m particularly keen on, I see if there are any other dishes I can make with leftovers, or use the same ingredients for, to limit how much I need to order.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The BBC Good Food website has a fantastic selection of inspiring recipes, and Jamie Oliver’s “Save with Jamie” gives a great choice of ‘mothership’ dishes (usually big joints of meat or fish), from which leftovers can be turned into all sorts of interesting new things.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">There are definitely still weeks where I leave it to the very last minute, then hop online in a blind panic the night before my delivery is due, throwing all my old ‘favourites’ back in the basket; you know, those ‘go to’ meals. In our house this entails some form of large roast, jacket potatoes, steak, sausages, chicken breasts for some form of curry, another large joint of meat for spreading across two nights, plus some sort of fish dish. With little time to think about which veg I actually need for each dinner (let alone lunch), I always end up missing things then having to do multiple mini shops during the week. These are also the weeks I end up ordering things I don’t need, intending to use them up, then ultimately throwing them away. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">So while the pennies are being saved and evening meals are so much less stressful, without any last minute panicking about what to cook, I think I’ll keep up the menu planning.</span></div>
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In fact, I’ve got a couple of hours to spare now while the kids are in bed. My hot chocolate awaits, with a couple of new cookery books and the latest series of Game of Thrones at the ready. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to fill up that empty shopping basket!<br />
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You can find a really good meal planner template over on <a href="http://craftychai.co.uk/planning-healthy-meals/" target="_blank">A Crafty Chai</a></div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-44070101409854220462015-03-12T15:30:00.000+00:002016-11-28T14:37:03.246+00:00This isn't just ANY food...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6YDU1n9GjbXbWP2WRBLx_fjLCgmIgGJM34y9uFAlYeMY92Yuw1zEu1BrmEPABtpHt914Yd_bc8LGm6LDe2gSNB-Gyh_8WNgiCzCvymvStvHyex7zA4cGeBxD3fnRCEsI8Dy6C0wX5C57/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+valentines+mothers+day+samples+12.35.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6YDU1n9GjbXbWP2WRBLx_fjLCgmIgGJM34y9uFAlYeMY92Yuw1zEu1BrmEPABtpHt914Yd_bc8LGm6LDe2gSNB-Gyh_8WNgiCzCvymvStvHyex7zA4cGeBxD3fnRCEsI8Dy6C0wX5C57/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+valentines+mothers+day+samples+12.35.02.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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When it comes to quality food, you know you can't go far wrong with <a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/" target="_blank">Marks & Spencer</a>. Granted, it may not be the cheapest, but you get what you pay for, and you <i>know</i> it's alway going to taste great. And if you want something really tasty while saving the pennies, they run those handy 'Dine in for £10' offers including main course, side dish, dessert and bottle of wine.<br />
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In my previous life as a suit-wearing office worker, I used to pop in all the time for my lunch. I'd grab some of their huge, juicy, clementine-sized 'King Strawberries' in Summer, a comforting heart casserole in Winter, or - if watching the calories - one of their 'Count On Us' meals. Not forgetting the odd packet of Percy Pigs, obviously. Mr Foodie, a competing triathlete these day, regularly buys their 'Fuller for Longer' meals for lunch, then spends the evening <strike>boring me</strike> boasting about how long he can go afterwards without wanting more food (probably while I've been nibbling away on biscuits).<br />
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So, when I was offered the chance to try a few samples from M&S recently, I managed to restrain myself from all out biting their hands off and very casually accepted the offer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qtzY3NDzYOjPyniLy-bnTCdYi1s_cP-RF2mBJ2vEl0hRcwzCwCKSsygh79GPKr18MTe7Ri_cBEiJyjmzAtV1ajuyZxjmIE_1Jw6M6dC4P1fcxc-7rYQshyBjweWYT1SVQSYwU8Nb3lmU/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Samples+Gifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qtzY3NDzYOjPyniLy-bnTCdYi1s_cP-RF2mBJ2vEl0hRcwzCwCKSsygh79GPKr18MTe7Ri_cBEiJyjmzAtV1ajuyZxjmIE_1Jw6M6dC4P1fcxc-7rYQshyBjweWYT1SVQSYwU8Nb3lmU/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Samples+Gifts.jpg" height="640" width="416" /></a></div>
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Arriving a few days later in the post was a set of goodies designed as gifts - champagne truffles, chocolate 'Love Bugs', luxury fudge, herbal tea, chocolate covered nuts and heart shaped biscuits.<br />
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Oh alright then, if I must!<br />
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The 'Pink Marc De Champagne Truffles' got it first. Dusted with free dried strawberries, their outer chocolate shells giving way to a smooth champagne spiked truffle underbellies. I managed to savour these over the course of a few days, hiding them well away from the kids (and Mr Foodie), and they definitely felt like a treat.<br />
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I can't say the same for the 'Love Bugs'. These got stolen almost immediately by the Mini Foodies. The few I did manage to wrestle free of tiny paws were delicious, with an unexpected caramel filling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU4JiBNg_i25cc758CwYTMw54ak0xi0ZqIdkIpBg8ngMIKun3mzR8Fzofz886aG7yhZwiVabhvE3hJo1KP5OOUl6Q4xfs108WHKYewCSiY24iqUWGcniCaID2WemyRG77tBpZnT4ft6FX/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Love+Bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU4JiBNg_i25cc758CwYTMw54ak0xi0ZqIdkIpBg8ngMIKun3mzR8Fzofz886aG7yhZwiVabhvE3hJo1KP5OOUl6Q4xfs108WHKYewCSiY24iqUWGcniCaID2WemyRG77tBpZnT4ft6FX/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Love+Bug.jpg" height="200" title="Too cute!" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chocolate Caramel Love Bugs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQivHoXUevqNTyJLlkY21daU209okEPwz1wlYaY2DpUh1ZyirVYnPdnok-QN9huowMpn3szPMWkGgh4gKlAzAGuEbJCdGthD9oafOgbJbX1CE_TVxPt1fLwX5cfw8Su5SIIKBBggwlJigx/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Pink+Marc+De+Champagne+Truffles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQivHoXUevqNTyJLlkY21daU209okEPwz1wlYaY2DpUh1ZyirVYnPdnok-QN9huowMpn3szPMWkGgh4gKlAzAGuEbJCdGthD9oafOgbJbX1CE_TVxPt1fLwX5cfw8Su5SIIKBBggwlJigx/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Pink+Marc+De+Champagne+Truffles.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champagne Truffles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrABpNYOiFRNP62lCrSVwiGIYGJFTlFu0-akX-APTT5PG1AQNd4m9TofpUBIGgPKa2IMWbmFjTCBr0Z8F8EUhNYVLtWGk1fseXuBYdB_DZjZXY2dxvh0VZWVZRzJZw-1veaMiN1R7HhH3/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Luxury+Fudge+Selection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrABpNYOiFRNP62lCrSVwiGIYGJFTlFu0-akX-APTT5PG1AQNd4m9TofpUBIGgPKa2IMWbmFjTCBr0Z8F8EUhNYVLtWGk1fseXuBYdB_DZjZXY2dxvh0VZWVZRzJZw-1veaMiN1R7HhH3/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Luxury+Fudge+Selection.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luxury Fudge Selection</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-SJDnRvJY7edVGdoKOB8wdYqXYcIIc_7Q4UypxckqvH4jD8BbVjGcJ_08JfwwRByp9a1F8cdZnzrNjAXY8OLEESLbfbaIOQSr-uOapbHuoHeaXvz6VeTpjTxh7oXfdyvxkb7bpFwn4iS/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Chocolate+Heart+Biscuits.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-SJDnRvJY7edVGdoKOB8wdYqXYcIIc_7Q4UypxckqvH4jD8BbVjGcJ_08JfwwRByp9a1F8cdZnzrNjAXY8OLEESLbfbaIOQSr-uOapbHuoHeaXvz6VeTpjTxh7oXfdyvxkb7bpFwn4iS/s1600/Marks+&+Spencer+Chocolate+Heart+Biscuits.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanilla Fondant Biscuits</td></tr>
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The 'Nuts About You' - caramelised nuts smothered in chocolate with butterscotch pieces - were so moorish they barely lasted an evening, with Mr Foodie snaffling most of them. Where's your triathlon diet now MrF?! The 'Lovers Heart' biscuits covered with vanilla fondant and raspberry pieces didn't last much longer either.<br />
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I admit to not trying the aniseed, fennel & liquorice tea yet, but the tube of Luxury Fudge - Oh. My. Word - Australian Ginger Fudge and Cornish Clotted Cream Fudge to be exact, talk about addictive! I'm drooling just thinking about them. They tasted just like the Scottish tablet I used to eat as a child, only softer.<br />
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So, if you're reading this Mini Foodies, Mummy would be more than happy with a big box of champagne truffles and a couple of packets of fudge for Mother's Day this Sunday pretty please. Oh, and a full eight hours of sleep, thank you very much. Love Mum x<br />
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<i>The samples were provided as gifts by Marks & Spencer for sampling</i></div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-79646824019724393872015-02-23T13:02:00.001+00:002018-02-13T13:17:28.048+00:00Steamers Aren't a Girl's Best Friend<i>Published in the <a href="http://issuu.com/valelifemagazine/docs/vale_life_feb-mar_web_edition/65?e=13045960/11498592" target="_blank">Feb/Mar edition of Vale Life Magazine</a></i><br />
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Several years ago, someone (naming no names) bought me the biggest Christmas present ever. It sat majestically under the Christmas tree, larger than any other gift, and I had absolutely no idea what it was. I was so very excited. I tried every means possible to work out what it was. I sniffed it. I felt every angle of it. I shook it. I still had no idea what it was.<br />
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On Christmas Day, I left that great big present to the very end, like the most desirable sweetie in the bag. When the time came to finally unwrap my huge gift, excitement levels were at an all time high. Gently, I slowly peeled back the wrapping paper, savouring the anticipation. Then suddenly the contents were revealed. A great, big, almost industrial sized, electric food steamer. Yes. Never have I been so disappointed.<br />
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It wasn’t that I wasn’t grateful, it was a thoughtful(ish) gift - I do like to cook after all. It was just that small (or rather large, in this case) kitchen appliances are not gifts - they are simply kitchen appliances. Functional. What became of the giant steamer? I used it once, then it was packed up never to see light of day again.<br />
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Having recently read an <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2015/01/07/this-butter-mill-will-transform-your-cold-block-of-butter-into-beautiful-spreadable-ribbons-5012279/" target="_blank">article about a new butter mill</a> that will magically "transform your cold block of butter into beautiful spreadable ribbons" - can't you just use a butter dish and not put it in the fridge?! - it got me thinking about all those other pointless kitchen gadgets that have probably made their way to the back of a cupboard already, now the Christmas decorations are all packed away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Spreadable butter for all! (Picture: Cooks Innovations)<br />
Via <a href="http://metro.co.uk/">metro.co.uk</a></td></tr>
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Here are a few of my favourites…<br />
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Egg, banana or avocado slicers - really? You can't use cutlery? Unless you're eating them by the dozen, you probably don't need a specific tool to slice them up.<br />
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Fruit peelers - come on, you don't even need cutlery for this, use your fingers or just a regular peeler!<br />
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Twirling forks - love spaghetti? Too lazy to twirl your own fork? This gadget is definitely for you!<br />
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Steamers - less of a pointless gadget, but if you are going to buy one, make sure the person actually wants one. Or at the very least make sure they won't need to build an extension just to fit it in the house<br />
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So in case you are wondering what to buy for the lady in your life, here's a little tip - steer well clear of the kitchen appliances, foodie or not. May I please direct you to the jewellery store further down the road. And no, not the cheap one either. “Steamers and cubic zirconia are a girl’s best friend”, said no one ever.</div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-66839807305967284072015-01-11T19:00:00.000+00:002018-02-13T13:18:02.343+00:00Recipe - Easy Peasy Rock Cakes<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i>Published in the <a href="http://www.vale-life.co.uk/">Nov/Dec 2014 edition of Vale Life</a></i></div>
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I've never watched Great British Bake Off before. There, I've said it [runs for cover]. Before last year that is. Last year I watched GBBO for the very first time and realised what everyone else did ages ago, that it’s awesome! I’m not someone who generally enjoys baking, but watching all the drama unfold - those sideways sneaky peaks at neighbouring kitchenettes, the ‘to prove or not to prove’ dilemmas, the show-stopping show-stoppers, coupled with Paul Hollywood stalking his way round each of the contestants’ benches like a lion with its prey - I could barely tear my eyes away. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Seeing all those delicious creations <i>almost</i> sent me running straight for the kitchen to immerse myself in a dust cloud of flour and icing sugar. Not quite though, because I’m simply not a baker at heart – and heart, I think, is required. When it comes to working with food, you have to love what you do.; otherwise that lack of passion will ring through every mouthful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Though not a natural Mary Berry, I am occasionally tempted to step into the bakery arena and have one little recipe that saves the day every time I fancy something baked, sweet and homemade – the ever so humble Rock Cake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Five minutes to prepare, then 15-20 minutes in a hot oven and BOOM, instant gratification. The husband loves them, the kids love them, plus they can be made large or small enough for packed lunches, biscuit tins… or simply stuffing straight into your mouth. Now this is home baking I can enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So as a change to my usual wittering on, and for all you other non-bakers out there, I’m going to share the easiest recipe of all (other than MrF’s ‘<a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/FoodieOnTour-Food-Column-AugSept.html">cheese on toast rules</a>’), my mother-in-law’s Rock Cakes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>You will need…</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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8oz/225g self raising flour<o:p></o:p></div>
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3oz/85g sugar (I use golden caster sugar)<o:p></o:p></div>
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3oz/85g margarine (I use unsalted butter)<o:p></o:p></div>
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4oz/115g sultanas<o:p></o:p></div>
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One egg, beaten<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some milk</div>
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<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Mix in the egg and enough milk to form a stiff dough.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Form into 10-15 rough heaps and place onto a greased baking tray.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Bake in hot oven (425-450<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">°</span>F/220-230<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">°</span>C/Gas 7-8) for approx. 14-20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out dry.</span></li>
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Pop them on a cooling rack if you have one, until ready to eat – et voila, perfectly formed little handfuls of subtlety sweet, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside cake. Good bake, as the queen of baking, might say. Just make sure you get in there early, they go really fast. </div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.7520209 -1.2577263000000585 51.7520209 -1.2577263000000585tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-43844044921938067892015-01-07T13:59:00.001+00:002018-02-13T13:18:49.012+00:00Hello 2015!<div class="p1">
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<i>Published in the <a href="http://issuu.com/valelifemagazine/docs/vale_life_dec" target="_blank">Jan/Dec edition of Vale Life Magazine</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xYoT65YtUfKwwD1Cn8QzvdOXg8RiQvDlbD4cSn9GFz22HQQ_0qL5vVow05d-UxKd0rJmZLhdiG6YOqjdLNkqOoYlb5dj4KM-tWM-Gq7Nms60Qd6bIJcgMbO3oTgJtbAuRp_A46gFKePa/s1600/2015.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xYoT65YtUfKwwD1Cn8QzvdOXg8RiQvDlbD4cSn9GFz22HQQ_0qL5vVow05d-UxKd0rJmZLhdiG6YOqjdLNkqOoYlb5dj4KM-tWM-Gq7Nms60Qd6bIJcgMbO3oTgJtbAuRp_A46gFKePa/s1600/2015.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">With the festive season full of overindulgence, New Year is a natural time for those all too familiar health-related resolutions – stop smoking, start dieting, drink less, hit the treadmill – you know, the ones that last all of a month or two. This year though, I’ve decided not to bother lying to myself that I’ll make use of that annual gym membership.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span> <span class="s1">Though generally not one for resolutions, this year it's about time I set one or two I might actually stand a chance of keeping. So, what of my resolutions for 2015? Well, in order to look forward, we first have to look back.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Having launched a street food collective, <a href="http://bittenoxford.co.uk/bitten-street/" target="_blank">Bitten Street</a>, 2014 involved an awful lot of - you guessed it - street food. I've tasted my way through everything from pulled pork, to gourmet burgers, pimped-up hot dogs, numerous varieties of dumpling, American and British bbq, curries from Tibet, Japan, India and Thailand, churros and pizza. I can't even say I'm bored of it yet, street food just keeps on getting better and better.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pho - Vietnamese noodle soup</td></tr>
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<span class="s1">But there are some foods in particular that left me wishing I could cook it at home. Vietnamese street food in particular has enthralled my taste buds, with its potent balance of herbs and spices, so this year I’m challenging myself to learn some Vietnamese recipes. Resolution number one sorted!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">While resolution number one is all about food pleasure, resolution number two is more about food conscience. Having spent an awful lot of the last two years focussed on food, and given I write about it regularly, it dawned on me that there is still a lot more I need to learn about its ethics.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span> <span class="s1">Great local groups like <a href="http://www.goodfoodoxford.org/" target="_blank">Good Food Oxford</a> and <a href="http://www.cultivateoxford.org/" target="_blank">Cultivate Oxford</a> have been springing up around me, focussed on building local and sustainable food networks and knowledge, whilst finding better solutions for ongoing food issues. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji90H_QHD9OIK4exVsckcc9XMcAUVNX5mufNTypuscGTIYltjfLNJzGclZcCei-N-q5sbsoDt-uld7YIB3ftUwwMt4yAkKbbp46jdBytKTEYzeSnjjB_9k4tTsd7MXBIoHuzPxBDUUVD-i/s1600/Screenshot+2015-01-07+13.57.10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji90H_QHD9OIK4exVsckcc9XMcAUVNX5mufNTypuscGTIYltjfLNJzGclZcCei-N-q5sbsoDt-uld7YIB3ftUwwMt4yAkKbbp46jdBytKTEYzeSnjjB_9k4tTsd7MXBIoHuzPxBDUUVD-i/s1600/Screenshot+2015-01-07+13.57.10.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodfoodoxford.org/" target="_blank">Good Food Oxford</a> website</td></tr>
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<span class="s1">This has been making me question things a lot more. Where does my food come from? Is it sustainable? How does it affect our planet? Our community? So my next challenge is to learn about these topics. Think of it an idiot’s guide to food ethics, starting right at the beginning.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So with food for the belly, food for the brain and food for the soul all covered, I think I’ll leave it at that. Whatever your own plans for New Year resolutions, I hope you had a wonderfully delicious Christmas and have a fabulous foodie year ahead. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span> <span class="s1">Love Foodie x</span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-14044286898116468892014-10-19T19:00:00.000+01:002018-02-13T13:19:33.770+00:00Trend Zone - the scary and the cool<div dir="ltr">
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<i>Published in the Sept/Oct edition of <a href="http://www.vale-life.co.uk/" target="_blank">Vale Life Magazine</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSMghZyR12TyDQLERI4a-FTvWDeASfG3N_VBn8RsLB_2p1mXtl60pBnAPThP38-inpc_DsRuQG_vs9rN-kVvEehxc8_rOaTFHwE51ROhpcsVD29bTwCGXJ6b1D1UYzvY8iOWKtDGaJFD3/s1600/TREND+ZONE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSMghZyR12TyDQLERI4a-FTvWDeASfG3N_VBn8RsLB_2p1mXtl60pBnAPThP38-inpc_DsRuQG_vs9rN-kVvEehxc8_rOaTFHwE51ROhpcsVD29bTwCGXJ6b1D1UYzvY8iOWKtDGaJFD3/s1600/TREND+ZONE.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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When it comes to food, simple is often best. Traditional Victoria Sponge, good old steak and chips, comforting cheese on toast, or early morning bacon sarnies on really good bread – all these things can be perfectly executed with little need for fuss. Every now and then though, I just need something, well, different. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tonight I'm off out to a restaurant near MrF’s hometown, where the menu consists mostly of burgers and steak. Not just any old burgers and steak though, seven different cuts of steak (or a mixed grill if you simply cannot choose) and eighteen, yes EIGHTEEN, variations of burger. There are small plates and salads available, but when online reviews promise the “best burgers” in the local vicinity, which are “to die for & on par (if not better) than high end London restaurants”, well, what’s a Foodie to do – I'll take one of those thank you very much. In fact, I'm currently struggling to decide between “The Frenchie”: topped with pan fried Foie Gras, gingerbread and truffle mayo, and the “Crabby Patty”: a pan fried crab burger with baby herb leaf, tomato and spicy mayo. Decisions, decisions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The trend for gourmet burgers with endless topping choices clearly isn't a new thing; neither is pulled pork, which seems to be on 90% of all menus these days. But some trends do stick around for a while, ultimately ending up shoehorned on mainstream chain restaurant menus, in a sad kind of ‘child star’ style downward spiral.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIr53mNjmUMJb9xqEx4sZqnVQ4Jd8LcU5vMi-wbIDwwldvJhg6uN9DjOWuQdBRwWqOCfmw3MvY3epXbgjrJ6SLT4z_WdwoF6SfN37frbNK2Se7EIcrkEM8o_ZuPWxgY4ck6QqegiPGlCcK/s1600/IMG_20131222_150527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIr53mNjmUMJb9xqEx4sZqnVQ4Jd8LcU5vMi-wbIDwwldvJhg6uN9DjOWuQdBRwWqOCfmw3MvY3epXbgjrJ6SLT4z_WdwoF6SfN37frbNK2Se7EIcrkEM8o_ZuPWxgY4ck6QqegiPGlCcK/s1600/IMG_20131222_150527.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to do pulled pork...<br />
<a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/top-pick-rusty-bicycle-burger.html">'The Angry Texan' from The Rusty Bicycle</a></td></tr>
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2012 trends predicted by <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkpicturegalleries/8989727/Top-ten-food-trends-for-2012.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a> included: cheap cuts of meat, slow roasted and served up with store cupboard essentials; all things pickled, inspired by kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage); meatballs; salt beef; casual dining (think minimal interiors or supper clubs); and doughnuts. All recession-friendly and easy on the pocket.</div>
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Jump forward to 2014 and slow cooked meats are still on menus, you'll likely still see kimchi and salt beef kicking around and supper club popularity continues to rise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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According to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/06/food-trends-2014-digital-dining-healthy-junk-food" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> though, future food trends are much scarier. Kale ice lollies? Please God no. Smart knives that can check the levels of harmful bacteria while you're cutting? Too much information. Alcohol awareness ice cubes, which warn you if you're drinking too fast? No thank you. Sensors embedded in your teeth that report your diet and smoking habits back to your doctor? No. Freaking. Way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s a fine line between genius and crazy, and you sometimes have to go a little crazy to find the genius ideas. Personally, I can’t wait to see what comes next, and I'm all in favour of a little crazy – you just won’t catch me near the kale lollies. </div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-35217155840464548842014-08-08T15:30:00.003+01:002016-11-28T14:38:12.063+00:00Restaurant Review - The Old Parsonage, Oxford<div dir="ltr">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW9RhRw8QNiOvTtZwya7f7J75e16HUq9YhZmY1lejdbFJJYFWgGnvqueb1w1XyKeoLk6KZ8iNmhQZN8v6xaxZedJ-jVrLMjGaU8e9Esy2kNoE9nsIuIODsdjSMcfg9cHgq5E3rFiusVPz/s1600/Old+Parsonage+Oxford+-+FoodieOnTour+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW9RhRw8QNiOvTtZwya7f7J75e16HUq9YhZmY1lejdbFJJYFWgGnvqueb1w1XyKeoLk6KZ8iNmhQZN8v6xaxZedJ-jVrLMjGaU8e9Esy2kNoE9nsIuIODsdjSMcfg9cHgq5E3rFiusVPz/s1600/Old+Parsonage+Oxford+-+FoodieOnTour+(5).jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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After what had been a stressful July, MrF and I decided it was high time to let our hair down. With one MiniF nearing three years old and the other approaching one, we booked our first child-free 24 hours in well over a year and a half. Feeling a little flush and in need of a worthy celebration venue (no kids... for TWENTY FOUR hours!), the shortlist was very short indeed. High Table, an old favourite of ours, was fully booked; so the slightly more grandiose Old Parsonage, part of the Mogford Group and sister to Quod and Gee's, was booked. I'd been for dinner once, years ago, and afternoon tea since, but hadn't stepped foot inside since it's refurb and was eager to visit.</div>
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Monkey bag, tiger dummy and Mummy's scarf packed up and kids loaded in Grandad's car, the front door shut and I was enveloped by a quiet quite unfamiliar. The mantel clock ticked by with a loud clattering beat, wind blew threw the open sashes, gently nudging blinds back and forth. I sat. Forty minutes passed and the only thing awakening me from my dreamlike state was a call from my parents reporting safe arrival.</div>
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Time to party! OK, that might be a slight exaggeration. </div>
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The night started off with a couple of Havana Clubs at The Royal Oak, before making our way to Old Parsonage. MrF, in his wisdom, had selected an outfit of t-shirt and jeans - albeit with smart shoes - and we were immediately offered the option of sitting in an empty second dining room to one side of the main entrance, separate from the main dining area and directly behind the front terrace. We assumed this was down to MrF's attire, though it turned out to be quite the result for a 'date night', having it all to ourselves for a large part of the evening. </div>
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Our waiter for the evening, a fine young man with an eager presence and professional nature, allowed us space to settle in, offering menus, drinks, table water and subsequently bread - a delicious sourdough sourced, as I understand it, from local baker Natural Bread Company. Surrounding us were portraits of artists, writers and even Mr Mogford himself (prompting me to imagine him standing aside his own image for an instagram shot, #doubleselfie?). Walls and paneling painted with a dark mauve, curtains a rich velvet in deep pink hue, aged wooden doors natural and thick with original metal rivets. You could be fooled into thinking this was a modern day take on a secondary residence for Henry VIII.</div>
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MrF may have felt a little out of place, but my inner princess felt really rather at home - fetch my other glass slipper and I'll happily stay a little longer. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious sourdough from local baker,<br />
<a href="http://naturalbreadcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Natural Bread Company</a></td></tr>
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Back to the job at hand, our regal feast began with fish soup, served with rouille and croutons (£8). Having told MrF in advance I would definitely be partaking in three courses, we both opted for fairly light starters and mains, selecting a luxurious sounding lobster salad for main (£18.50 - sometimes available as a starter for £9.50). On arrival, the soup matched in quality with others I'd sampled at equally high end restaurants - velvety as the drapes, rich as the clientele - though in need of a tad more seasoning. The salad of lobster, avocado, fennel, radish and little gem was tasty, though a little underwhelming. I'd have possibly preferred a more exciting leaf, possibly frisee, to add a more interesting dimension and greater elevation of the dish. Little gem felt a tad too common for it's classy crustacean partner. The lobster itself was delicious though and generous enough in portion, plump and sweet with freshness. </div>
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The pace of the meal flowed naturally and calmly, allowing us to savour the evening. We were joined by this point by another couple. With tables spaced comfortably apart there was no feeling of crowding or lack of privacy, impressive given the diminutive size of our 'private' dining space.</div>
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Dessert glided in, crème brûlée (£6.50) for me, raspberry ripple ice cream (£6) for MrF. MrF really does love his ice cream, if it's on the menu in a restaurant, you can guarantee that he'll choose it. But raspberry ripple? In a posh restaurant? Seemed like an odd choice, even for him. His predictability did him no favours on this occasion, as he wasn't impressed with his ice cream - bordering on crumbly with ice particles throughout. My crème brûlée on the other hand, well that was divine. Rather than a deep ramekin, this brûlée was served low and wide, in a small gratin-style dish, allowing for a greater proportion of sugar crust to soft underbelly. Delicious. The caramelised sugar topping was perfectly executed - just thin enough, just caramelised enough, with a satisfying crack upon meeting the spoon.</div>
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With 12.5% service automatically added to the bill, no extra thought was required on paying. After an experience of this quality, I have no objection to that. Ask me about automatic service charges after a solitary sandwich or crêpe though and my answer will differ.</div>
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Including drinks (lager, wine, rum, dessert wine and mint tea!) and service, the bill totalled just under £110. Pretty impressive given the expensive perception of Old Parsonage. Certainly we'd ordered light for main, but without consideration to price, so it was pleasing to see a posh meal out in Oxford can be obtained without having to break the bank.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Overall Score: 8</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;">Old Parsonage</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">1 Banbury Road</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Oxford</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">OX2 6HT</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/OldParsonageOx" target="_blank">@OldParsonageOx</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OldParsonageHotel?fref=ts" target="_blank">@OldParsonageHotel</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Website: <a href="http://www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk</a><br />Phone: </span><span style="color: orange;">01865 310210</span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com41 Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxford OX2 6NN, UK51.759462199999987 -1.260264699999993431.426627199999988 -42.568858699999993 72.09229719999999 40.048329300000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-16093445230989203722014-07-15T19:00:00.000+01:002018-02-13T13:20:19.564+00:00Bring back the buffet!<i><span style="text-align: justify;">Published in the Jun/Jul edition of </span><a href="http://www.vale-life.co.uk/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Vale Life Magazine</a></i><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5aKahX882UXQA0xV61D1xyNq-rSMG6a3sRNoVDk1a2i0Sz7R6regv8KejkvXKrpQbffU5UqCF1wsTTUXJkH9LuW6BhcbaHh-EUpN_a7MbMGxi6k_K0yO32B_3V3rH38tn5BdKAeRTsEe/s1600/10137691074_078676fc44_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5aKahX882UXQA0xV61D1xyNq-rSMG6a3sRNoVDk1a2i0Sz7R6regv8KejkvXKrpQbffU5UqCF1wsTTUXJkH9LuW6BhcbaHh-EUpN_a7MbMGxi6k_K0yO32B_3V3rH38tn5BdKAeRTsEe/s1600/10137691074_078676fc44_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/26126239@N02/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Exeter</a></td></tr>
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As I write this I'm three days away from being bridesmaid at one of my best friend’s weddings. I haven’t been a bridesmaid since I was about twelve and never particularly enjoyed it then. With five of us as bridesmaids this weekend, you might be surprised to hear I'm one of the tallest – especially given I’m about 5’3”. I'm not massively excited at the prospect of towering over most of the wedding party on the bride’s side, nor am I excited about teetering around on a risky pair of 4” heels. What I am looking forward to, however, is seeing my friend getting married; she’s kissed her fair share of frogs and has finally met one who isn't a complete pillock. <o:p></o:p></div>
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BUT, all that pales by comparison, to what I'm most excited about… the food of course!<o:p></o:p></div>
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You see I love a bit of wedding catering. A little bubbly here, some banquet food there, table wine, wedding favours, canapés, maybe even a buffet if I'm lucky.</div>
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Wait, what? Yes, the B-word is a little out of favour these days, but as a natural grazer I like nothing more than a sea of tasty treats stretching from one end of a room to the other. I am very partial to the odd prawn vol au vent (who am I kidding, I’d happily clear a plate by myself), but I'm not talking cheese and pineapple on sticks or frozen sausage rolls. I’m talking big beautiful salads, crostini, gourmet quiches and tarts, really good sausage rolls, salmon, prawns, terrines, cheeses, plus platter after platter of meat. And puddings, think of all those puddings! From the obligatory trifle, to pavlovas, cheesecakes, wedding cake... <i>profiteroles!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I'm literally like a kid in a sweet shop. My knees go weak, my pulse races, my eyes widen. And as much as a try not to leg it to the buffet table as fast as my little legs will carry me, in my head I've already dived straight for the cold cuts, rolled around in the meringues and landed in a happy heap amongst the cupcakes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/" target="_blank">Alpha</a></span></span></td></tr>
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We may have moved on from buffets to more formal sit down meals or street food fun these days, but I'm sure that if I just wait long enough, the buffet will come back around again - eventually.</div>
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If, however, my friend went a bit 80’s and I do spot my beloved prawn vol au vents this weekend, don’t be surprised if I lose all sense of dignity after one too many glasses of fizz and end up head first in the crustacean canapés. Just look the other way, nothing to see here. </div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-1761799041204021562014-06-14T15:15:00.001+01:002016-11-28T14:38:47.283+00:00Restaurant Review - Oxford's Grill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once in a while, a restaurant comes along that looks like nothing special, but knocks your socks off with amazing food. Port Mahon was the last place that did that to me, while Hamzah was still Chef, but that was some time ago and we may have to wait a while longer till his return at The Chester. After several restaurants that have over-promised and under-delivered of late, I was blown away once more - this time by a humble little Turkish cafe at the bottom of Cowley Road.<br />
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With its bright red, budget-looking signage and windows busily adorned with menus, frosting and stick-on text, the cafe lacks any kind of kerb appeal. My only real desire to visit was born from hearing numerous people raving about it, about the amazing food within.<br />
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Visiting on this occasion, with MrF and the littlest Foodie, I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. It was our Anniversary night and we were desperate for some time out, some peace and quite, with really good food. From the outset, it may have seemed like an odd place for an Anniversary meal, but if you're sleep deprived like we were, you just need something low key and easy. It turned out though, that we had some of the best food we'd had in a very long time.<br />
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On arrival at Oxford's Grill, we were all warmly welcomed by the Manager and directed to a table by the window, next to a large green pot plant, before being presented with menus, table water and some complimentary bread and houmous. I can't think of many places in Oxford offering complimentary bread and houmous - especially any where you would pay less than £20 a head and still get great food. The houmous was soft and silky, with the right balance of tahini, chickpea and lemon - a generous portion too - alongside a decent supply of traditional Turkish bread, pide - a flat'ish bread with a texture somewhere between ciabatta and farmhouse.<br />
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The menu contains a mixture of Mediterranean dishes like Beef Carpaccio, Lasagne and Bolognaise, alongside a larger quantity of traditional Turkish dishes like Borek (baked filled pastries made of a thin flaky dough), Imam Biyaldi (braised aubergine stuffed with onion, garlic and tomatoes, simmered in olive oil, and served at room temperature), Shish and Kofte.<br />
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I love Beef Carpaccio (£4.95), so had to order that, while MrF chose Sucuk (£3.95), a Turkish garlic sausage. For mains, Iskender pour moi (£9.95 - grilled layers of kofte, lamb and chicken, presented on crispy bread cubes and served with yoghurt and a tomato sauce) and Pirzola with mashed potato for him (£12.95 - marinated lamb chops with crispy leeks, on mashed potato or rice with a shallot sauce).<br />
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The starters were good, though didn't leave us wowed. The Turkish sausage, served simply cut in half, was flavoursome and slightly spicy, and unfortunately far too well flavoured to try before my carpaccio - which I did. Once the spikes of cumin, sumac and salt had left my palate, the carpaccio tasted much better, though it's difficult to judge. I wouldn't say it was the best carpaccio I'd eaten.<br />
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It was really the mains though where OG excelled. Beautifully plated up, each dish looked amazing. MrF's dish had a think and buttery looking mound of mash, topped off with dark glazed lamb chops, delicately splayed out in a circle, all drizzled with the shallot sauce and topped off with an unexpected but evidently delicious aubergine crisp, finished with a dusting of sumac around the edge of the plate. My Iskender looked slightly less pretty, but attractive nonetheless - a generous portion of marinated mixed meats and bread, beside a large dollop of thick yoghurt, all surrounded by a moat of rich, paprika-red tomato sauce.<br />
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Literally diving in, we both looked at each other with eyes wide, this was amazing food - tasty, expertly cooked, with perfectly balanced spices and seasoning. Tangy in some parts, sweet or savoury in others - each mouthful wowed. I eyed up MrF's Pirzola, and he my Iskender, so swapping ensued. Both swaps met with grunts of appreciation, and an acknowledgement that we'd each landed the perfect dish for our personal tastes.<br />
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The Iskender was delightful, with an abundance of the stunningly piquant tomato sauce, spiked but what I can only imagine was paprika. The yoghurt accompaniment a nicely cooling companion, providing a creamy contradiction to the zesty tomato sauce. The Mash underneath the lamb chops adorning MrF's plate was exceptionally tasty, thick and luxurious, though bordering on rubbery in texture (I would say due to excess mashing by a food processor rather than over-cooking). Given that I'm not a big fan of fluffy mash, this was a good thing for me. The aubergine crisp was a huge hit with MrF, who usually avoids eggplant, as were the lamb chops - the caveman-style gnawing of the bone was testament to this.<br />
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Upon reaching the end of our meal, as MiniF2 was beginning to become unsettled, we agreed we needed to return - a lot! With this quality of food, at these fabulous prices (they offer a lunch deal of £6.95 for 2 courses, or a set dinner menu of £10.95 for 2 courses and a glass of wine), the place should be full every day - which is isn't - so go there, NOW!<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Overall Score: 8</span></b><br />
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If I was just reviewing the mains, then 10/10 - stunningly good food in a remarkably humble setting, with warm and hospitable service throughout at exceptional prices. Keep your eyes out on <a href="http://www.bittenoxford.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bitten</a> for an <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OxTweatUp&src=typd" target="_blank">#OxTweatUp</a> there. Takeaway also available (but it tastes better if you eat in).<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Oxfords Grill</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>21 Cowley Road</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Oxford</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>OX4 1HP</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/OxfordsGrill" target="_blank">@OxfordsGrill</a></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oxfords-Grill-Turkish-Restaurant/176555485750158" target="_blank">@Oxfords-Grill-Turkish-Restaurant</a></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Website: <a href="http://www.oxfordsgrill.com/" target="_blank">www.oxfordsgrill.com</a></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Phone: 01865 201120</b></span>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com021 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1HP, UK51.7496303 -1.243118200000026331.4168263 -42.551712200000026 72.0824343 40.065475799999973tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-15403351963927116562014-06-14T15:02:00.001+01:002016-11-28T14:39:17.320+00:00Restaurant Review - The Mole & Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In recent months, the only time MrF and I have had the chance to enjoy a meal out together has been mostly for an occasion of some sort - my Birthday, our Anniversary, or simply a long overdue date night. On these special occasions, I try my utmost to hold back all temptation of photographing the food, the setting, the frontage... pretty much everything. Long suffering MrF has waited countless times to dive into his food, while I spin the plate to the best angle and snap away with my camera phone. It's bad enough that he has to wait for me, a notoriously slow eater, to finish my meal while he looks on in anguish, ordering yet another pint of ale or glass of wine.</div>
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Our recent visit to The Mole & Chicken was for my Birthday, not a milestone birthday, but a birthday nonetheless, so I knew I wanted somewhere low key but with great food. Who better to test the water for me than the future King and Queen of England, who stopped by a few months ago. </div>
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So with a venue fit for a Queen (to be) and Grandparents booked for babysitting, off we trotted to a restaurant we hadn't been to for almost two years. We'd only visited twice before, but both times had been exceptional: the first - a light lunch on the rear terrace with views of rolling green pastures and puffy green trees, the second - a visit for Father's Day a couple of years ago, with a spot of delicious Sunday Lunch inside the pub.</div>
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This time round, we were visiting for an evening meal, which we'd been looking forward to since I booked it a few days prior. Pouring over the menu, I knew exactly what I wanted - it was a celebration meal and a celebration calls for STEAK! So building a menu around my ribeye, I opted for a lighter shaved fennel salad to start. Seeing as it's now just over a month since my Birthday, and given I was a little tipsy on wine, I've since completely forgotten what else the salad contained - but I do recall enjoying it if that helps (note to self, if not taking pictures, remember to take notes!). MrF had the Flaked Confit Duck Salad with spicy thai herbs & cashew nuts to start (£8.50) which he mostly enjoyed, though felt it lacking a little in punch.<br />
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As we awaited our mains, we chatted about The Mole & Chicken's similarity in feel to that of The Mole Inn, in Toot Baldon. It so transpired that both mole-monikered pubs are in fact related - take one look at the bespectacled mole logos and you'll spot that. Both L-shaped pubs share the same Franglaise 'country kitchen chic' decor, with solid wooden furniture, dried flowers and muted colour palettes. The layout is almost identical too - you walk in to find the bar offside to the left, with the dining area further left and extending into the left wing. Both have beautiful sun-trap gardens, with traditional garden furniture, perfect for dining al fresco on a hazy sunny day.<br />
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Having enjoyed food at both establishments, I'm pleased to say the consistency of quality is also a common denominator. Time for mains - Braised Shoulder of Lamb for MrF, with creamed potatoes, spring vegetables and fresh mint (£19.95), which while delicious, was no match for my steak - served perfectly medium-rare with an outstanding peppercorn sauce, tomato, mushroom and excellent chips (£19.50).</div>
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We didn't have room for puddings at the end (we'd naughtily had some bread and sumptuously silky houmous on arrival), but I was pleased to be furnished with a cup of fresh mint tea at the end of the meal - no second-choice tea bag in sight.</div>
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Off we rolled home, bellies full and hearts warmed.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Overall score: 9</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>The Mole & Chicken<br />Easington<br />Nr Long Crendon<br />HP18 9EY</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/moleandchicken" target="_blank">@moleandchicken</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mole-and-Chicken-Restaurant-and-Rooms/48276874077" target="_blank">@The-Mole-and-Chicken-Restaurant-and-Rooms</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Website: <a href="http://themoleandchicken.co.uk/">www.themoleandchicken.co.uk</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Phone: 01844 208 387</b></span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Long Crendon, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 9EY, UK51.7860622 -1.005469500000003851.781150700000005 -1.0155545000000037 51.7909737 -0.99538450000000378tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-9982072556030616142014-05-21T23:20:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:39:31.086+00:00CiCi-CoCo Cookery School<div dir="ltr">
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One wet Wednesday a couple of months ago, I arrived at a gorgeous little stone cottage, in a village on the outskirts of Aylesbury. The cottage itself turned out to be quite the tardis - opening out into a modern glass and steel kitchen extension, overlooking beautifully manicured lawns. Greeting me on a homely wooden table was a delicious ricotta and almond cake, flanked on either side by a bottle of San Pellegrino and a big bunch of Tulips - not the toughest of days then!<br />
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So what was the reason for this escape from my usual chaos of nappies and play groups? A cookery class at <a href="http://www.cici-coco.com/" target="_blank">CiCi-CoCo Cookery School</a>, to which I had kindly been invited by Giuliana - the lady behind CiCi-CoCo and its wonderful lasagne!</div>
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If you've visited Vale Harvest Market in the past, or ventured to Selfridges Food Hall, then you may be familiar with CiCi-CoCo already. Residing in Cuddington in Buckinghamshire, Giuliana originates from much sunnier climes, specifically Friuli Venezia Giulia in the north of Italy. Having built a business selling Italian meals and pasta, picking up a few awards along the way, Giuliana branched out into cookery classes - lucky for me, as it meant I got to spend a few pleasant hours with good people and good food.<br />
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Over the course of the next three hours I, along with three other students (one young couple whose places were purchased as a gift, plus a returning student), assisted in the preparation of a two course Italian meal, centred around the 'Flavours of the Italian Alps' - a sumptuous polenta starter of Toc' in Braide (the farmer sauce), followed by an Oxford wild venison, pork, mushroom and Sud Tirol speck ragu baked with Socchievina mountain style polenta. Not quite diet food, but then when is diet food ever this good?</div>
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A slice of cake and a cuppa was the perfect ice breaker and start to the course, then pinnies on, hands washed and on with the cooking. Baked polenta and the ragu to start with, wonderfully high quality ingredients all laid out awaiting our attention. We chopped, we chatted, we tasted, we drank more coffee; I even picked up a few tips along the way (add some milk to your ragu - sounds a bit odd but leads to a wonderfully rich and creamy).<br />
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Once the ragu was simmering and the polenta was in the oven, we moved on to our wickedly naughty starter - think full fat milk, polenta, butter, cream and cheese, topped of with sautéed mushrooms - absolutely delicious. Rich, smooth, silky... bordering on sensual, this would be well received at any dinner party or restaurant. Once we'd all ooh'd and ahh'd over the soft polenta it was time to move on to the baked version, this time with that wonderful rich ragu. Served up with braised cabbage and bacon, the ragu and mountain style polenta was earthy, heart-hugging, home cooking; great for a large family gathering or meal with friends.<br />
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With the cookery class done, I was somewhat hesitant to leave the cool calm of Giuliana's kitchen; she'd been a warm host, a patient teacher and an oasis of calm amidst a sea of life's usual to-do lists, chores and toddler negotiations. I'd met some great people, talked <i>a lot</i> about food, eaten well and added a few extra dishes to my personal repertoire - not a bad way to spend a morning!<br />
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If you've previously purchased some of Giuliana's fab lasagne (count me in, I loved the venison & chestnut version), then you'll be sad to hear she is no longer selling them. But, if you're interested in attending one of her cookery classes then you'll be very happy to hear Giuliana will be focussing her efforts here, with a selection of interesting classes coming up. And, if you're a home-leaving student in need a repertoire of meals to cook yourself, or the parent or grandparent of one, then Giuliana's 'Cooking for College' classes will definitely be of interest.<br />
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Here's a list of CiCi-CoCo's upcoming classes (do <a href="http://www.cici-coco.com/" target="_blank">check the website</a> for further events):</div>
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06/06/2014 – Friday 10-3</div>
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Tyringham Hall: £95</div>
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Italian lunch 2. </div>
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Summer in Tuscany: family lunch al fresco. Traditional recipes form the Tuscan hills using local and seasonal ingredients to taste for lunch. Perfect with a good bottle of Chianti in the wonderful setting of Tyringham hall.</div>
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17/06/2014 Tuesday 10-3</div>
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Beam Cottage: £65</div>
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Quattro pasta 3: Summer feast!</div>
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Summer’s here. Enjoy making pasta for lunches, in salads with the best local seasonal produce, meats and cheeses.</div>
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29/06/2014 Sunday 10-3</div>
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Sandy Lane Farm: £95</div>
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Italian lunch 3. </div>
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A Sicilian family feast! </div>
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Using all the beautiful ingredients from the farm you will cook and eat a three courses Sicilian style lunch with a refreshing glass of wine. </div>
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COOKING FOR COLLEGE</div>
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A series of fun, hands-on courses to equip first-time home-leavers with the knowledge and skills to cook simple, delicious and nutritious meals on a student budget</div>
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Session 1: The Famous Five. The five classic pasta sauces: Authentic Ragu’ alla Bolognese, Carbonara, Spicy Sausage & Chilli, Puttanesca and Neopolitan Meatball Ragu’.</div>
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Session 2: Kitchen Parties</div>
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Session 3: Quick Street Food.</div>
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Aug 6th, 12th & 14th. 10-2pm (ish) inc lunch.</div>
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£75 per session; 2 for £135; or 3 part course for £200</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">CiCi CoCo</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Website: <a href="http://www.cici-coco.com/" target="_blank">www.cici-coco.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Email: <a href="mailto:thecook@cici-coco.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thecook@cici-coco.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/cicicocokitchen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@cicicocokitchen</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CiCiCoCoKitchen?fref=ts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CiCiCoCoKitchen</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">I was invited as a guest of CiCi CoCo Cookery School</span></i></div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Cuddington, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18, UK51.793671 -0.92906100000004710.959387500000005 -83.546248500000047 90 81.688126499999953tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-38419515389322495202014-05-11T19:00:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:39:43.167+00:00Restaurant Review - 1855<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The true test of a restaurant's customer service has to be in it's ability to handle a customer complaint. Serve me up an undercooked sausage then tell me it's meant to be cooked like that, I'll be livid; but apologise unreservedly and bring me a perfectly cooked banger, all is forgiven. So when faced with a rather unusual complaint from me on a recent visit, I was hugely impressed that the team at 1855 were unflappable, apologetic and quick to address the issue.<br />
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Having visited 1855 for its <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/1855-preview-new-wine-bar-bistro-oxford.html" target="_blank">launch last December</a>, I'd been meaning to return for ages, but what with one thing or another, it had taken me a while to get back there. With the promise of tasty dishes on the menu, Ue coffee at the bar and free wifi, I was pleased to be returning for a spot of blogging and a lunch meeting.<br />
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With an hour or so to spare before my meeting, I grabbed a seat in front of the glass-fronted wine bar bistro to crack on with some writing, with a little 'people watching' thrown in for good measure. Great coffee, quiet setting, hospitable staff - all going well so far. My companion (Katy) joined me a little later, ordering a house selection of three cheeses (£11.50), possibly easier for mid-meeting eating than my confit duck requested (£8.95), but arguably less enticing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's not a knife, THIS is a knife!<br />
House three cheeses with hand made biscuits & quince jelly</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Confit Duck with salad and sourdough</td></tr>
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The cheese selection arrived accompanied by handmade biscuits and quince jelly, Katy happily nibbling away, showing all the signs of being satisfied with an agreeable plate of food. The confit duck arrived soft-skinned, served alongside sourdough, a tomato confit and salad leaves. Whilst some may have expected a crispy skin to their duck, I was less bothered - not a fan of fat on meat it was swiftly removed. Skin aside, the duck was delicious; simple but elegant, rich and silky, I could've eaten it several times over. While this may be one of the larger dishes on the <a href="http://www.1855oxford.com/content/1855_quick_menus_st2_rt9_website.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">menu</a>, with most of the dishes being more like bar snacks, it still remains light - leaving plenty of room to partake in a glass of vino or several. On this occasion I wasn't drinking, so won't discuss the wines other than to say each one sampled on launch night impressed (and ask MrF, I'm really quite difficult to please with wine).<br />
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Still going well. That is until I found we'd not been dining alone.<br />
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With at least two thirds of the duck eaten, I found a little 'guest' which had seemingly been confit'd along with the duck, attached to the bone. On alerting a waitress quietly to the unfortunate woodlouse, she promptly whisked my plate away with a sincere apology, offering to remove both meals from our bill. General Manager, Alistair, then followed afterwards to apologise. As far as complaint handling goes, this has to be pretty textbook - no excuses, no deliberations, no doubt, just sincere apologies and removal of the food from the bill. Downright good customer service.<br />
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Now, I must say, this particular complaint was a highly unusual experience for me, and not one I expect 1855 had encountered before either. Had they handled the issue poorly, I would have gone away fuming, not wishing to return. In the end, I went away feeling happy to revisit, maybe even ordering the same dish (minus the added seasoning). Goes to show what a good customer service can do; and, to be fair, if you were ever going to eat a woodlouse then confit seems a great way to do it!<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Overall score: 6 (7 without the added 'guest')</span><br />
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1855 provided the following comment in response:<br />
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Following this incident of the 'guest' in the duck, we... removed the remaining stock as a precaution. Each of these Confit of Duck have since been checked and nothing untoward was found... ...followed back through our hygiene procedures and at no stage could the foreign body have entered the system in either the bar or our kitchen... ...contacted our local supplier and provided details for the original supplier, we await their response. We see no reason for the issue arising at our local supplier.</blockquote>
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It seems from the position of the foreign item that it was within the body of meat prior to cooking. This most probably occurred during the original packaging of the duck. We work to the highest possible standards at all times through our preparation, cooking and customer service. Once again we apologise for this unusual and unfortunate incident.</blockquote>
<span style="color: orange;">1855</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">4 Oxford Castle</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">New Road</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Oxford</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">OX1 1AY</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/1855oxford" target="_blank">@1855oxford</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/1855/514467228646917?fref=ts" target="_blank">@1855</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Website: <a href="http://www.1855oxford.com/" target="_blank">www.1855oxford.com</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Phone: 01865 247217</span>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford Castle, 6 New Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 1AY, UK51.7519778 -1.261441200000035751.7519778 -1.2614412000000357 51.7519778 -1.2614412000000357tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-29746970929973240842014-05-07T15:28:00.000+01:002014-05-07T15:28:30.139+01:00Foodie OverhaulEvery now and then, life gets just a little more complicated and a little more hectic - you add little hobby here, a new exercise routine there, a couple of extra projects and, before you know it, you suddenly realise you can't juggle any more.<br />
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Two kids, two websites, a fledgling business, a household to manage AND a residents' committee brought me to just that point. Thankfully though, I've recognised it before it drove me totally insane.</div>
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So, time to prioritise. You'll see a few minor changes to Foodie, while I'm busily squirrelling away on <a href="http://www.bittenoxford.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bitten Oxford</a>, but hopefully it will mean improvements for both.</div>
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Foodie will continue, as my ongoing hunt for great food - be that in recipe books, at home, on holiday, round the corner... wherever I find it. The Foodie Events Guides will stop (sorry if you were enjoying these), and the <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Foodie Events Calendar</a> will eventually relocate to Bitten as part of Bitten Events, promoting lots of wonderful food-based things do to locally.</div>
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I'll continue publishing restaurants reviews here on Foodie, along with my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Top Picks</a> and search for <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23OxSundayBest" target="_blank">#OxSundayBest</a>. The <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23OxTweatUp" target="_blank">#OxTweatUp</a> events will all be organised by Bitten, so do make sure you sign up to the <a href="http://bittenoxford.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ec91c1417885f3778dcb173cb&id=b6eded2182" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> to keep up to date with upcoming events.<br />
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In the meantime stay tuned for reviews of 1855, The Wandering Kitchen and CiCi-CoCo Cookery School, plus food travel features on Suffolk and London street food.<br />
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Foodie x</div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-61237929025442546072014-04-27T21:39:00.001+01:002016-11-28T14:39:55.953+00:00Restaurant Review - Pierre Victoire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With a young family at home, it's a rare treat when MrF and I get to go out for a date night. So when we do finally get the chance for a few hours to ourselves, the last thing we want to do is risk it on a restaurant that could be hit or miss. We have a few favourite 'date venues' - either they hold some kind of romantic significance, or they're simply delightful places to spend time together away from the chaos that is parenthood. But what do we look for when we want to dine out for those few precious hours on our own?</div>
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Well, let's see, we need a restaurant that's romantic, local, reasonably priced (aren't we all on a tight budget these days?!), and that serves really good food... Easy answer, Pierre Victoire.</div>
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Having been before, and loved it, we hadn't revisited since I started the blog. Not because we didn't want to, simply because we like going to a variety of places, and rarely revisit the same place repeatedly. A year or so later though, we were really excited to return. So table booked, babysitters arranged and expectations high, the big question was - could they meet those expectations? Oh yes, yes they did!</div>
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After pre dinner drinks at The Duke of Cambridge, my first step through the door at Pierre Victoire was a reminder of how 'bijou' the restaurant feels. With lots of 2-4 seater tables dotted at varying angles around a small ground floor dining area, couples and families as far as the eye could see, the restaurant feels intimate without being crowded. We were led up to an even smaller first floor dining area, near some stairs, which I assume (based on customers passing through) led to a further dining space.</div>
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With table water, menus and fresh crusty baguette with butter provided promptly, first impressions were excellent. Second impressions, from browsing the menu (not that I hadn't looked before), were better still, with a 3 course pix fixe option available for an astonishing £22 (excludes Filet de Bœuf and Rib Eye Steak Frites). Talk about a no-brainer!</div>
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MrF decided on the Chicken Liver Parfait (£6 with caramelised red onion marmalade and garlic toast), while I decided on a lighter starter of Mille Feuille de la Mer (£6.50 crab, avocado and prawn with a grapefruit vinaigrette). Both were equally tasty, beautifully presented and perfectly proportioned. The salad light and delicate, with the freshness of the shellfish brought to life by the zestiness of the vinaigrette. Both myself and MrF being big fans of chicken liver parfait, often choosing it to start a meal, and thankfully this one did not disappoint. Rich, fruity and well accompanied by the crispness of the garlic toast.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Crab, avocado and prawn with a grapefruit vinaigrette</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXaudzRFmIbJuSDQPXC1iwsUAD7VP9HpeXj9uhHQ-rrtoNAAmHjVVSpo8zUtFHEgB4-9Y7KspuSZ57TF5YrEC65MIejVwecAdbxAZ3k1ktC6rErLIbGZBz7G3l-8jYpNvwZbpuMVPEBU5/s1600/2014-03-26+20.21.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXaudzRFmIbJuSDQPXC1iwsUAD7VP9HpeXj9uhHQ-rrtoNAAmHjVVSpo8zUtFHEgB4-9Y7KspuSZ57TF5YrEC65MIejVwecAdbxAZ3k1ktC6rErLIbGZBz7G3l-8jYpNvwZbpuMVPEBU5/s1600/2014-03-26+20.21.45.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Chicken suprême, stuffed with a mozzarella & jambon de<br />Bayonne farce, baked with a herb crust and served on gratin<br />dauphinoise with a red wine jus</span></td></tr>
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Now, you'll be forgiven for mistaking the meat in the picture above for lamb at first glance - with the herb crust and threat of pink from within. But no, this was the Poulet (£11.50) ordered by MrF. Not a fan of ordering chicken in restaurants, finding them often too dull or lacking imagination, this one had me literally reeling with envy - chicken suprême, stuffed with a mozzarella & jambon de Bayonne farce, baked with a herb crust and served on gratin dauphinoise with a red wine jus. *droooooooool*. And yup, it tasted great too. NOT that I'm bitter of course.</div>
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Thankfully though, I'd ordered pretty well myself, opting for the Magret de Canard aux Pruneaux (£14) - duck breast roasted pink on a winter vegetable & potato rosti, with a prune & Armagnac sauce. De-bloody-licious! The duck was soft, and juicy, and pink, and absolutely gratifying to eat. Perched atop a vegetable rosti and drenched in that wonderful fruity and boozy sauce, I was literally in food heaven. Or at least I thought I was, until I reached dessert!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwsLCyBqRGlQIe4ca5cDkB9yPkplPwVYe-sSDFd-IKYSqqyYPTGULT1XQeJReJhedYvc3XbPgAxOjfOCeWdilb7zlfNZ1jnTjVqm7UTC47Moqs6nUp-rp_UPSmqIOmcug8BfhbNPOhb9c/s1600/2014-03-26+20.22.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwsLCyBqRGlQIe4ca5cDkB9yPkplPwVYe-sSDFd-IKYSqqyYPTGULT1XQeJReJhedYvc3XbPgAxOjfOCeWdilb7zlfNZ1jnTjVqm7UTC47Moqs6nUp-rp_UPSmqIOmcug8BfhbNPOhb9c/s1600/2014-03-26+20.22.07.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Duck breast roasted pink on a winter vegetable<br />& potato rosti, with a prune & Armagnac sauce</span></td></tr>
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Banana Tarte Tatin!!! OMFG.... £5.50 worth of groan inducing, eye closing, fist clenching, foodie pleasure. I couldn't finish the whole thing, but what I could manage was shamefully good. A proper sexy pud... what a way to end a perfect dinner date.<br />
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Courteous and inoffensive service throughout, detectable food, fabulous prices - will I return? Just try stopping me!<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Overall score: 8</span><br />
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They also offer a 3 course set price lunch for £10.90 Monday to Saturday, you'd be mad not to give that a try.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Pierre Victoire<br />9 Little Clarendon Street<br />Oxford<br />OX1 2HP<br />Twitter: </span><span style="color: orange;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PierreVictoire?fref=ts" target="_blank">@PierreVictoire</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Website: <a href="http://www.pierrevictoire.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.pierrevictoire.co.uk</a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Phone: 01865 316616</span>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com09 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford OX1 2HP, UK51.7585841 -1.261662800000067431.4269721 -42.570256800000067 72.0901961 40.046931199999932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-10543718597449264132014-04-23T19:00:00.000+01:002018-02-13T13:21:09.319+00:00Get Fresh on Market Date<div style="text-align: left;">
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<i><span style="text-align: justify;">Published in Mar/Apr edition of </span><a href="http://www.vale-life.co.uk/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Vale Life Magazine</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g5XITLE0gPygmHZsFjIfZ2OFobXyd0g6gq6-NhMITraed-krPA3GOSBj5pcLtAjd6XCgmgQV2Amyl5knKR-sAuz-GnI81TtRGVNQ8abNXof0CG-OeIQjcC2drXpT_xAaeB9QOyFrX80N/s1600/FoodieOnTour+-+Vale+Harvest+Market+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g5XITLE0gPygmHZsFjIfZ2OFobXyd0g6gq6-NhMITraed-krPA3GOSBj5pcLtAjd6XCgmgQV2Amyl5knKR-sAuz-GnI81TtRGVNQ8abNXof0CG-OeIQjcC2drXpT_xAaeB9QOyFrX80N/s1600/FoodieOnTour+-+Vale+Harvest+Market+(3).jpg" title="Fab local produce from Vale Harvest Market" width="400" /></a></div>
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After what seems to have been relentless rain and storm force wind since December, the UK has been a battleground for the elements. Our media has been filled with the reality of flooding, with some southern areas of the country underwater for several weeks. Motorways were closed, public transport halted, numerous homes suffered power cuts and whole villages have been cut off.</div>
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One of the worst hit communities has to be that of the farmer, suffering damage to crops, loss of feed and accommodation for livestock, along with the flooding of their own homes. I've read of the agricultural community banding together by sheltering livestock for flood hit neighbours and donating feed. But what can we, the consumer, do to show our support? Build an ark? Well, yes, quite possibly. But perhaps something a little more realistic is to invest our hard earned.</div>
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Oxon and Bucks have a stunning selection of farmers’ markets and farm shops, where you can buy direct from the producer, often at lower prices and fresher than in supermarkets, but with higher profit margins and less restrictions for the farmer. Not only that, but you can stop for a tea or coffee at an onsite cafe or refreshments stall, get some fresh air, meet the producers, pick up a bargain or two and discover a whole world of fabulous local produce that may not end up on your supermarket shelves... could this quite possibly be the most enjoyable good deed ever?!</div>
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Most of our local towns, even villages, have regular weekly or monthly markets. Often steeped in history, these markets can date back hundreds of years, to a time well before the big supermarkets – though the produce has probably moved on somewhat.</div>
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Reopening in early February was one of my favourite markets – Vale Harvest Market. Based in the quaint village of Haddenham, the market runs on the first Saturday of every month, from 9am to 1pm. Make sure you get there early though, to avoid missing out on all the good stuff - such as fresh fruit and veg from Bucksum and Sandy Lane Farm, wonderful fresh bread from Cornfield Bakery, breakfast-ready bacon and sausages from Egg House Charcuterie, fresh beef for your Sunday lunch from Oving Dexters and delicious Italian dinners from Award winning CiCi-CoCo.</div>
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It doesn't stop there though, you'll also find plenty of fabulous cakes, soft centre Scotch eggs, hot drinks, beer, oils and chutneys. I don't know about you, but I’d much rather amble around a lovely local market than elbow my way round a packed and frenetic supermarket at the weekend. Better still, you'll be supporting your local producers through what, for many, will be a very challenging time. That has to be a no-brainer, right?</div>
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Just remember to pack your wellies though; while I can promise great food, I'm afraid I can’t do much about the weather.</div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com2Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK51.815606 -0.80840000000000651.815606 -0.808400000000006 51.815606 -0.808400000000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-85217065867081108562014-04-20T19:00:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:40:32.464+00:00Restaurant Review - Oxfork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFNdf8_QE0K2p_GI3IiQL_kKH4yyRTlwhYvvm7bvEOu7HhwTc1nl3QZ1OUrUw2mf64OH-tR8QauZwncdqwi7jePWZbPTC0yEQIf3B1y1IHWW_GdtADFagpLqBUEociy_mgK4i6GwX46AQ/s1600/_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFNdf8_QE0K2p_GI3IiQL_kKH4yyRTlwhYvvm7bvEOu7HhwTc1nl3QZ1OUrUw2mf64OH-tR8QauZwncdqwi7jePWZbPTC0yEQIf3B1y1IHWW_GdtADFagpLqBUEociy_mgK4i6GwX46AQ/s1600/_20.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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After almost three and a half years of living half a mile away from Oxfork, I finally made it there for breakfast. Not at breakfast time, like one might expect, but at lunchtime. You see Oxfork, though very close to my house, has never been all that convenient for me. With its buggy unfriendly interior, and 9.30/10am opening, I was either in need of somewhere more accessible, or ready to gnaw my own arm off with hunger by the time it opened. No, I'm not one for a late breakfast - neither am I particularly patient (MrF will be nodding furiously).</div>
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So, when someone pointed out they serve breakfast for lunch too, well, it seemed like a pretty genius way of finally getting to try what many refer to as one of Oxford's best brekkies.</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Now, it's not fair to say I don't have any experience of this eccentrically decorated East Oxford cafe - I've been in for a coffee after a local baby group; bought a jar of bacon jam from the mini deli at the cafe counter; had a takeout of Mac 'n' Cheese (quite wonderfully rich, served with honey roasted carrots, greens and puy lentils); and had one of their BLTs to go (I could still kiss them now for their delightful addition of sunblush tomatoes).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dfPskW37Hom-G5kN_Kk7CXzejSUy-RM4TYBcNYf6wWEMVWSM90f7_EaSa75bTlGzAzQ0eRYwsb5w8qCKV80UD-VMZjd7izgMosIDRPqwyI_UtbWk2H6cHY8J2WubKOiieGg-V7rY1MVE/s1600/_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dfPskW37Hom-G5kN_Kk7CXzejSUy-RM4TYBcNYf6wWEMVWSM90f7_EaSa75bTlGzAzQ0eRYwsb5w8qCKV80UD-VMZjd7izgMosIDRPqwyI_UtbWk2H6cHY8J2WubKOiieGg-V7rY1MVE/s1600/_18.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many delights adorning the cafe counter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eclectic interior</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhABP5hP0unn1TbfeqJp5FM3ZaCW_ZkLH2639Fqs3kzKtdqO6_ujlZTPJepEbayDTho73pojgyX4yIKhIq6ixiHH1MKuEgXEyKkcXxuW7eay92Jq4HnyiDswnBmmpsNXAtMniPda9ThWgU/s1600/_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhABP5hP0unn1TbfeqJp5FM3ZaCW_ZkLH2639Fqs3kzKtdqO6_ujlZTPJepEbayDTho73pojgyX4yIKhIq6ixiHH1MKuEgXEyKkcXxuW7eay92Jq4HnyiDswnBmmpsNXAtMniPda9ThWgU/s1600/_17.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little light reading...?</td></tr>
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I'd scoped out the interior at each opportunity - it's kind of Grandma's house meets arty student digs, with old fashioned lampshades and cookbooks intermingled with cutlery chandeliers and bistro chairs hanging on the wall (yes, you read that right). The small counter area near the front door is furnished with a tantilising selection of cakes, overlooked by slelves of teas, coffees and chutneys<br />
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This time though, I was finally at a table... with a menu... ordering some <i>actual </i>food. I'll have a Full English please! And here it finally was, in all it's glory - the Oxfork breakfast. So... was it worth the wait?<br />
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I guess so. I won't be raving about it to anyone that will hear, but it was a damn good brekkie. Bacon and sausage all passed my taste and cooking test - i.e. they were actually cooked! (I'm gobsmacked by the number of times I've been served flaccid bacon or under-cooked sausages) - with the sausage being of particularly high standard. The mushrooms, tomato and egg all perfectly pleasant - if a little over on the egg - and the buttered sourdough toast an ideal companion. </div>
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One thing I'm not completely sold on though, as at another local cafe, is is the addition of home made baked beans. I know the tinned variety is no gastronomic feat and hardly 'high end', but, I'm yet to try a home made version that isn't too dry - especially when mopping up at the end with toast. I get that tinned beans may not have a place here amongst such high quality produce, so I'd almost rather not have beans at all; throw in a potato cake, hash brown, black pudding, or an extra mushroom or two instead. It was a bit like eating quorn when what I really wanted was meat.</div>
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As far as cooked breakfasts go, this was up there, however I'm not left with a sudden urge to revisit for the same. Given that Oxfork do a good variety of breakfast choices, I'd probably choose something a little more exciting next time - I hear they do particularly good Eggs Benedict. If you fancy something even more exciting though, they often do breakfast specials, both veggie and meat versions, featuring the likes of baked eggs with new season garlic, mushrooms, plus organic potato and herb cakes. Arrrghhhh, I want that now! Oxfork also open in the evenings for dinner and often host pop up events, so it's really worth keeping an eye on their Facebook page for updates.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Overall score: 7</span> </div>
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Good, but do check their egg dishes and breakfast specials for something more exciting. Their FB page currently suggests they open at 9.30am during the weekend, but am waiting for confirmation.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Oxfork<br />39 Magdalen Rd<br />Oxford<br />OX4 1RB<br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/oxfork" target="_blank">@oxfork</a><br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Oxfork">@Oxfork</a><br />Website: <a href="http://oxfork.com/">www.oxfork.com</a><br />Phone: 01865 243280</span>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com139 Magdalen Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4, UK51.7422175 -1.235229699999990851.742179 -1.2353086999999907 51.742256000000005 -1.2351506999999908tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-65997524154703850802014-04-17T16:03:00.001+01:002016-11-28T14:40:32.461+00:002013 Scores<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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OK, so it's <span style="font-family: inherit;">half </span>way through April already. Where the hell has the year gone?! I've been meaning to write this for <i>ages</i>, as a follow up to my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/2012-review-scores.html" target="_blank">review of 2012</a> scores.<br />
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I find it really interesting looking back at the previous years scores, to see who ranked alongside each other, to see if repeat visits are consistent, and to see if I feel I've scored each review fairly.<br />
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What I notice looking back on 2013 is that there are only 3 restaurants scoring below 7. In the majority of cases I've made decent choices in where to eat - thankfully I'm getting pretty adept at finding good food - and I'm sure you won't mind if I don't go out of my way to eat somewhere shit, for the sake of balancing things out (I hope!). However, while my scores are fully reflective of my enjoyment levels at the time, in hindsight I do think I've been slightly over-generous in some cases - which I'll be doing less of this year. I'm also going to try avoiding half-point scores, unless I <i>really </i>can't make up my mind!<br />
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With all this in mind, I've tweaked my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/having-lived-in-oxfordshire-for-over.html" target="_blank">scoring system</a> accordingly and here we have it, 2013 in review. Oh, and remember you'll have to work a little harder for a higher score this year! ;-)<br />
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<b><i>Foodie x</i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Date<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Venue<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Score<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">18 Dec <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/magdalen-arms-oxford-restaurant-review-FoodieOnTour.html" target="_blank">Magdalen Arms (follow up)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">20 Sep <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/Restaurant-Review-Olis-Thai-Oxford.html" target="_blank">Oli's Thai</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">23 Oct <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/wolvercote-supper-club-oxford.html" target="_blank">Wolvercote Supper Club</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 Apr <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/review-magdalen-arms-oxford.html" target="_blank">Magdalen Arms</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">28 Apr <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/review-breakfast-at-jacobs-field.html" target="_blank">Jacobs & Field</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7 Jun <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-broad-face-abingdon.html" target="_blank">The Broadface</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">18 Jun <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/FoodieOnTour-St-Giles-Cafe-Oxford.html" target="_blank">St Giles' Café</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6 Aug <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><st1:place><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/Jacobs-Inn-Oxford-Restaurant.html" target="_blank"><st1:placename>Jacobs</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Inn</st1:placename></a></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">21 Aug <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/oxford-restaurant-review-brasserie-blanc.html" target="_blank">Brasserie Blanc</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">11 Sep <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/marsh-harrier-oxford-restaurant-FoodieOnTour.html" target="_blank">The Marsh Harrier</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">17 Oct <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/door74-restaurant-review-brunch-foodieontour.html" target="_blank">Door 74 (brunch)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">24 Mar <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/big-society-oxford.html" target="_blank">Big Society</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">31 Mar <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/review-white-rabbit-oxford.html" target="_blank">The White Rabbit</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">28 May <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/east-oxford-market-and-vaults-gardens.html" target="_blank">Vaults & Gardens Café</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">31 May <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/st-giles-cafe-oxford.html" target="_blank">St Giles' Café</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">16 Jul <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bills-restaurant-review-oxford.html" target="_blank">Bill's</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">26 Aug <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/Byron-Burgers-Oxford-Restaurant-Review-FoodieOnTour.html" target="_blank">Byron Hamburgers</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">20 Nov <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/Rusty-Bicycle-Oxford.html" target="_blank">The Rusty Bicycle</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 Dec <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/taberu-oxford.html" target="_blank">Taberu</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Apr <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/review-pointer-brill-restaurant-and.html" target="_blank">The Pointer</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6 Jun <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-royal-oak-oxford.html" target="_blank">The Royal Oak</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 10.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 73.8pt;" valign="bottom" width="123">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">15 Aug <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: 2.0in;" valign="bottom" width="240">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/door74-oxford-restaurant.html" target="_blank">Door 74</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="height: 10.2pt; padding: 0in 1.8pt 0in 1.8pt; width: .75in;" valign="bottom" width="90">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/review-afternoon-tea-at-hawkwell-house.html" target="_blank">Hawkwell House</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/FoodieOnTour-Cherwell-Boathouse-Breakfast.html" target="_blank">Cherwell Boathouse</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/follow-up-brunch-at-browns-oxford.html" target="_blank">Browns (follow up)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-25421700280930321312014-04-13T19:00:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:40:44.053+00:00Restaurant Review - The Red Lion, Gloucester Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNC9xY9JyCEub_vJCSFBJDkClJIOw5ouoCnSELW4YegFmvNqXx9HZtI2uTFut5T0MQ9XlyWhs97fflOunfJa4c4oF3J6f1wxknpdmKGTQEtZMNsiuc3eLtAAzSH6e2_uX1BQD0jYZRy7M/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNC9xY9JyCEub_vJCSFBJDkClJIOw5ouoCnSELW4YegFmvNqXx9HZtI2uTFut5T0MQ9XlyWhs97fflOunfJa4c4oF3J6f1wxknpdmKGTQEtZMNsiuc3eLtAAzSH6e2_uX1BQD0jYZRy7M/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Firstly, I have no idea why it's taken me sooooo long to review The Red Lion. I've visited a number of times with MrF and the kids for the last few years. I've bigged them up on Twitter, recommending them for full English, Rotisserie Chicken and Duck Salad. I've always found the service to be friendly and helpful; the setting stylish without being pretentious; the atmosphere pleasant and relaxed; the seating comfortable and spacious... the list kinda goes on. They even have really nice toilets, with the most amount of cubicles I've ever seen in a ladies loo!</div>
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For one reason or another, I just haven't gotten round to reviewing them. Until now.</div>
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Part of the vast Mitchells & Butler empire, The Red Lion is sister pub to The Trout in Wolvercote, The Chequers on High Street, All Bar One on High Street, The Crown in Cornmarket Street, O'Neill's on George Street, The Eagle & Child in St. Giles', The Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Iffley Road, Browns Brasserie on Woodstock Road, The Royal Oak also on Woodstock Road, Jericho Tavern on Walton Street AND Britannia Inn on London Road! Wow, twelve of them in Oxford alone?!</div>
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This does taint things somewhat, especially when you realise a number of them share menus - The Trout and The Red Lion both fall under the same sub-brand and share a menu (though Red Lion cooks it much better); as do The Chequers, The Crown, plus Eagle & Child; The Cape of Good Hope, The Royal Oak and Jericho Tavern's menu sharing caused some controversy not that long ago when people noted some menu items priced at £1 more in North Oxford than in East Oxford.</div>
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So, with all this going on in the background - and after all my recommendations on social media - the 'steaks' were high for The Red Lion (excuse the pun). Many were non believers, having visited in a past life and having a bad experience. So, thank Christ, it turned out to be good. Like REALLY good!</div>
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I'm throwing the rules out the window here and going straight for the conclusion -<b> </b><span style="color: orange;">this was possibly the best roast dinner I've had in Oxford so far</span>, bar my own (obvs). I had help, so we sampled not one, but three types of roast on the day and all were bang on - delicious and perfectly cooked meat, gorgeous proper gravy, HUGE home made Yorkshire puddings, tasty roasties, plus all the condiments required - I do hate when correct condiments are not available - plus a nice bit of crackling for the pork. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSqgBrsHHWqW88tdANy1ZQY9OsZWRaB_qmCtgp6oZMkQ5Y3q18XKX05zqCOfWuSJxZ6o9eyJhbBUBpKiA6Z4xLqaI8iQ1UDGdrIdaRQWyWnjNWmr7gg3TZzX5Sz6tamn90yrTdEt2z-CF/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSqgBrsHHWqW88tdANy1ZQY9OsZWRaB_qmCtgp6oZMkQ5Y3q18XKX05zqCOfWuSJxZ6o9eyJhbBUBpKiA6Z4xLqaI8iQ1UDGdrIdaRQWyWnjNWmr7gg3TZzX5Sz6tamn90yrTdEt2z-CF/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+(1).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Spit Roast Chicken, Apricot Stuffing & Bread Sauce £12.95</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn87SLWjUjdLg8WO07DFNSerMSpFfNybXe5lCQ-wMoobn_4jBTKpo6KVHWE92OlnpusEfjpzxFoX2tt7h40xeb8Aiuu4NVRpR6lg8gszLXj3_48GGJLiUuLjiUOW3kItxe3J3_kySpFXJh/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+3+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn87SLWjUjdLg8WO07DFNSerMSpFfNybXe5lCQ-wMoobn_4jBTKpo6KVHWE92OlnpusEfjpzxFoX2tt7h40xeb8Aiuu4NVRpR6lg8gszLXj3_48GGJLiUuLjiUOW3kItxe3J3_kySpFXJh/s1600/The+Red+Lion,+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+3+(1).jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Roast Pork Loin, Sage Stuffing, Roasted Apple & Crackling £11.95</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Roast Rib of Beef & Yorkshire Puddings £13.95 </td></tr>
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Given the quality of everything, the prices seemed really rather reasonable. So, with such great food, why the hell is it always so quiet when I visit? Who knows. Though maybe it's better that way, I'm always guaranteed to get a good table!</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Overall score: 8.5</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><br />The Red Lion<br />14 Gloucester St</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Oxford</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>OX1 2BN<br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/RedLionOxford" target="_blank">@RedLionOxford</a><br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/redlion.oxford1?fref=ts" target="_blank">@redlion.oxford1</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.redlionoxford.co.uk/home/">www.redlionoxford.co.uk</a><br />Phone: 01865 726255</b></span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com014 Gloucester Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 2BN, UK51.7545416 -1.26171369999997331.422929600000003 -42.570307699999972 72.0861536 40.046880300000026tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-34747302623461010502014-04-09T10:30:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:40:32.458+00:00Try This - Momo's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CR7dnqiaAwUpEw_d55zsXa5qG6ktKkracVRCWqdKlWy0dCOZPqED1vU6ujVHHHaN9vzKEYZpb3lGZopCDV9tFBccZgVfnTUMjw5FTGn83c8EAHngXi2C0iwHC-TTVhAT14_kcRy1CeJL/s1600/Momo+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CR7dnqiaAwUpEw_d55zsXa5qG6ktKkracVRCWqdKlWy0dCOZPqED1vU6ujVHHHaN9vzKEYZpb3lGZopCDV9tFBccZgVfnTUMjw5FTGn83c8EAHngXi2C0iwHC-TTVhAT14_kcRy1CeJL/s1600/Momo+Oxford,+FoodieOnTour+(2).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: orange;">WHAT: </span></b>Momo (a Nepalese version of Gyoza or Dumplings)<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">HOW MUCH: </span></b>£3 for 10 vegetable dumplings, £4 for 10 chicken or pork dumplings, £3 for fried rice. Or mix it up and have 5 dumplings with vegetable fried rice, like I did in the pic above and as recommended by <a href="http://inoxfordwilleat.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/momo-gloucester-green.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In Oxford, Will Eat</a>)<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">WHERE:</span></b> <a href="http://www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decLP/GloucesterGreenMarket.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gloucester Green Market</a>, Wednesdays weekly<br />
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<b style="color: orange;">HOW GOOD: </b>Bloody marvelous! If you work in town and haven't had your lunch here yet, or if you simply love dumplings, then you're seriously missing a trick. For under a fiver you can get five plump, steamed dumplings, with fried rice and a spicy (or not) sauce - delicious <i>and </i>cheap. Go get your Momo on!<br />
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FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Gloucester Green, Oxford OX1, UK51.7542889 -1.262009000000034631.4226769 -42.570603000000034 72.0859009 40.046584999999965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-29054754123216934852014-04-08T19:00:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:41:03.652+00:00Restaurant Review - The Marsh Harrier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxAAx5ZsXrBgnCYfff95PgP8R94oj_IZEcLyq3GusmglAUfrLm53yhOCLLjtZE_zovn733It00Ft7F24GTc-tjSWwIZe0vYtlj8FCaKvKHTVYEu0C589DUhS7HNLAuVG1Od1nn_HrUfzV/s1600/_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxAAx5ZsXrBgnCYfff95PgP8R94oj_IZEcLyq3GusmglAUfrLm53yhOCLLjtZE_zovn733It00Ft7F24GTc-tjSWwIZe0vYtlj8FCaKvKHTVYEu0C589DUhS7HNLAuVG1Od1nn_HrUfzV/s1600/_6.jpg" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
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Having visited The Marsh Harrier <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/marsh-harrier-oxford-restaurant-FoodieOnTour.html" target="_blank">a few months ago</a>, and thoroughly enjoying some tasty bar snacks, it was about time I revisited - this time to sample their roast dinners. The Marsh is always a popular drinking pub for MrF en route home from work, and I can see why. It's a comfortable pub, recently redecorated in soothing, homely, Farrow & Ball'esque colours; the staff seem friendly, as do the customers; it has a nice garden; and it's literally equidistant between our house and MrF's office.</div>
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So, having covered them previously, I won't launch into full review mode, but what I will do is give you a little insight into recent events, and answer that all important question - <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23OxSundayBest" target="_blank">can they cook a good roast</a>?</div>
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After my earlier review, I was invited along to a 'tasting day' - nothing formal, but an opportunity for the kitchen to show the pub's customers it's new menu. On arrival, we grabbed a seat in the garden and waited patiently to see what the plan was. Then we waited some more. And some more. Before long it became apparent that things were a little haphazard. Waitresses were bringing out large, cheap looking, disposable platters (not a great look) and delivering them to seemingly random tables. When a platter finally made it's way to our table for sampling, we were pleased to see a good selection of items, though none of which stuck in my memory (other than the overly dry mini burgers and quite dull potato wedges). The odd thing was though that the platter before us didn't match up with the sampling menu on the tables. Disorganisation seemed to be the theme of the day. Since then, as I understand it, the chef has moved on and someone else has donned the chef's whites - the menu remains and is being cooked perfectly well. As to better organisation, I cannot complain so far.</div>
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Anyway, on to the Sunday Roast! I ordered the Topside of Beef - quelle surprise! At 10.95 it was good. Ok, I can expand more - it was really good. The meat was delicious and of decent quality, as were the vegetables. In fact I'd say I was pretty happy with the entire plateful - until I spotted the 'cook from frozen' yorkie *sigh*. I know they have a really small kitchen, so maybe it's impossible to get a big stack of yorkies prepped alongside all the other required elements, but that styrofoam texture of a frozen yorkie is <i>always</i> a disappointment. Don't let that be the overarching impression though, as the meat really was very tasty, and cooked well.</div>
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For dessert, I'd gone for the high-risk Hot Chocolate Fondant with Vanilla Ice Cream (4.50). How many fondants die the death of an overcooked centre? Millions? Billions..? <i>Trillions...!?</i> Unfortunately this one fared no better - dry throughout with a slightly less dry middle. The texture was actually quite unpleasant, so much so that I didn't even finish half of it. A shame really, because I know they do some great dishes here. Stick to the bar snacks and meat and you won't go far wrong, but I'd definitely steer clear of the puds - both of the Yorkshire and dessert variety. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Overall Score: 6</span><div dir="ltr">
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<span style="color: orange;">The Marsh Harrier<br />40 Marsh Road<br />Oxford<br />Oxfordshire<br />OX4 2HH<br />Twitter: N/A<br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marshharrieroxford?fref=ts">@marshharrieroxford</a><br />Website: <a href="http://marshharriercowley.co.uk/">www.marshharriercowley.co.uk</a><br />Phone: 01865 718225</span></div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com040 Marsh Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 2HH, UK51.7385405 -1.217567099999996631.4069285 -42.526161099999996 72.0701525 40.0910269tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-8296469315328345142014-04-04T21:57:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:41:03.659+00:00Foodie Events - APRIL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we have it guys, the start of the foodie festival season - YAY! Fill your boots with a deluge of delicious and delectable events coming your way. Food, food, and more FOOD! And maybe some coffee..<br />
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<img alt="The London Coffee Festival" height="200" src="http://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/App_Themes/LondonCoffeeFestival/Images/Graphics/LondonCoffeeFestival-Logo.jpg" width="200" /></div>
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If you're even remotely interested in good coffee, go check out the <a href="http://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/Home.aspx" target="_blank">London Coffee Festival</a>, running from 3-6th April at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London. Oxfordshire's own <a href="http://www.bittenoxford.co.uk/MeettheProducersUeCoffee.html" target="_blank">Ue Coffee</a> will be there in the True Artisan Cafe, alongside some of Europe’s best coffee shops and roasters.</div>
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11th April sees the launch of the <a href="http://www.thecentremk.com/Events/Events-Listing/Milton-Keynes-Food-Festival" target="_blank">Milton Keynes Food Festival</a>. Running until 13th April the event features recipe demonstrations, children's cookery school sessions and more. Find out how to make the perfect chocolate truffles and delicious cocktails, along with Easter workshops, a cool children’s food lab and cookery school and interactive cooking lessons with retailers including Wagamama. Celebrity chef Richard Fox will be hosting the event and Heart FM will be on site with exciting competitions throughout the weekend.</div>
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Continuing the Bucks link, head back over the county border for the Easter weekend and visit the <a href="http://www.doyoulovefood.co.uk/food_easter_festival.html" target="_blank">Great Missenden Food Festival</a>. With up to 120 exhibitors, TV chefs demonstrations and masterclasses, you can be sure you won't be bored... or hungry!</div>
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Since the launch of <a href="http://wolvercotesupperclub.com/" target="_blank">Wolvercote Supper Club</a>, <a href="http://chilliboochan.com/" target="_blank">Chilli Boo Chan</a> (visiting this month, review to follow) and <a href="http://thewanderingkitchen.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Wandering Kitchen</a> (visited last week, review on it's way) have both popped their heads above the parapet to a warm welcome. Oxfordshire just can't get enough of these homely, but high caliber, pop up restaurants. Spaces go quickly though, so book well ahead to avoid disappointment. </div>
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As much as I love tea and toast, sometimes I need a bit of inspiration for what to cook; but with a great selection of cookery classes and workshops within driving distance, I never need to run out of ideas!</div>
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<li>Check out <a href="http://www.cici-coco.com/#" target="_blank">CiCi CoCo Kitchen</a> for bellissimo Italian (I visited recently, review to follow)</li>
<li>Try <a href="http://www.littlecowcreativecakes.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Cow Creative Cakes</a> if you fancy your hand at cake decoration</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sophiescookeryschool.com/events/" target="_blank">Sophie's Cookery School</a> (as in TV chef Sophie Grigson) run regular events each and every month</li>
<li><a href="http://www.themontpellierchapterhotel.com/restaurant-cheltenham/our-events" target="_blank">The Montpellier Chapter Cooks Club</a> takes place monthly, with a cookery demonstration and slap up lunch included</li>
<li>OR, if you think you could fashion a stunning figurine out of chocolate, then <a href="http://www.rumseys.co.uk/events-courses" target="_blank">Rumsey's in Thame</a> is the one for you!</li>
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<b>With regular farmers' markets in East Oxford, Jerico, North Parade, Gloucester Green, Wolvercote, Summertown and South Oxford, you have no excuse to miss out on a fabulous selection of local produce. Check my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html">Foodie Events Calendar</a> for full listings.</b></div>
</b>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-61930310449044427092014-04-02T16:51:00.000+01:002016-11-28T14:41:12.338+00:00Try This - The Baconator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgbVlNdNBe-IKtTTx-3b9qlFqFUZt70EufLpfjo6GzIkFg1cBe-EpWoIPVyh-AP4e34A9OceEU7E-3RnYxubrMvNRvqFMNER3N1rHO41UHi-b5YFrY8TBdX5n20vt3-DTqTHi6m5zwNoY/s640/baconator_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgbVlNdNBe-IKtTTx-3b9qlFqFUZt70EufLpfjo6GzIkFg1cBe-EpWoIPVyh-AP4e34A9OceEU7E-3RnYxubrMvNRvqFMNER3N1rHO41UHi-b5YFrY8TBdX5n20vt3-DTqTHi6m5zwNoY/s640/baconator_1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><strong>WHAT:</strong></span> Caramelised Bacon Milkshake with Cream<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">HOW MUCH:</span></b> £4<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">WHERE:</span></b> <span style="color: #2288bb;"><a href="http://atomicburger.co.uk/" target="_blank">Atomic Burger</a> or <a href="http://atomicpizzas.co.uk/" target="_blank">Atomic Pizza</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">HOW GOOD: </span></b>If you've never considered making a bacon flavoured milkshake, with a rasher of streaky bacon sticking out the top - which to be fair, you probably haven't - one taste and you'll realise what a fool you've been. A head-screwing combination that just plain works. But if you think about it, people have been eating bacon and maple syrup for years, which this basically tastes of.<br />
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When Florio's in Summertown closed down, some were distraught, others were more interested in what it would be replaced by. Initial rumours of a large pizza chain taking over the building led to grumbles about a lack of independent restaurants in Summertown. Eventually though, news broke that the recently refurbished restaurant would be inhabited by <a href="http://www.theoxfordkitchen.co.uk/#welcome">The Oxford Kitchen</a>, a brand new independent restaurant (not part of a restaurant chain, though owned by a larger catering company), led in the kitchen by Executive Chef John Footman and Head Chef Gerd Greaves - whose combined experience boasts Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, L'Orlotan and The Nut Tree. NOW we were interested....</div>
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With another <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/%23OxTweatUp">#OxTweatUp</a> due, it seemed like an obvious choice to check out one of the hottest new restaurants in town. Initially billed as "Modern British", we didn't have much to go on until the restaurant finally launched - though with dishes like Duck Confit ‘Bon Bon' with Pickled Pear and Gingerbread as well as Hand Dived Scallops with Confit Pork Belly, Mandarin and Almond Puree - it sounded like it might have been worth the wait. <br />
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Now, it is worth noting this isn't a cheap restaurant, with prices varying from £13 to £40 for a main (Wagyu Burger with Cornish Lobster Salad, Triple Cooked Chips and Black Truffle Mayonnaise being their most expensive dish, requiring 48hrs notice), but then this is a fine dining restaurant. If you want fine dining at a lower price, then their set lunch/supper menu is worth a look - with one course for £10.50, two courses for £13.50 or three courses for £16.50 (available 12pm - 2.30pm and 6pm - 7pm).<br />
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The evening kicked off with a quick drink at the Dew Drop Inn to round up the troops, then over the road to dinner. If you've previously visited Florio's then you won't notice much of a change to the interior. Restaurant Manager, Tom, gave us a quick tour of the brand new kitchen and soon-to-be chef's table - a small counter at the front of the kitchen where four eager diners will be able to sample a six course tasting menu while watching the chefs at work. Not really something I'd fancy myself, I'd find it all rather awkward and "is it ready yet" watching from such close quarters, though there may well be a number of people keen.</div>
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Having been seated upstairs - a wise decision given our levels of chatter noise - we settled in and ordered some wine for the table. Again, prices here aren't low, a decent bottle of Sancerre or Chablis will set you back £36 or £60 respectively - non-house wines range in price from £24 to £70, with house wine ranging from £17.50 to £22. Thankfully the house white selected was very pleasant.</div>
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Dinner began with an amuse-bouche <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_French"></a><span class="IPA" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)"></span>of Artichoke Velouté with Truffle Oil - earthy, warm and silky, this was a tantalising treat to get the taste buds working. Our interest peaked, we were ready for more.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artichoke Velouté with Truffle Oil Amuse-Bouche</td></tr>
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When the starters began arriving, there was a brief moment of silence. Eager to see who had the best dish, whilst reassuring ourselves we'd ordered well, we all scanned our companions' plates. Thank the lord, my Duck 'Bon Bon' (£8) was the winner - dark golden baubles of confit duck, encased in gingerbread crumbs, partnered alongside pickled pears, pickled pear sauce and little clusters of oats, nuts and seeds (very tasty but almost too hard to cut without them pinging off across the table). What looked like rockery plants adorning the plates turned out to be something called 'ice salad', a wild coastline-grown leaf with a firm texture and slightly salty taste - not one I'd tried before. As an individual plate of food, this was immaculately well balanced, with the flavours working seamlessly together to create something quite perfect.</div>
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Other starters sampled at the event were Cauliflower Soup with Onion Bhaji (£5.50), Crispy Ham Hock with Celeriac Purée, Compressed Apple and Walnut (£7), plus the Hand Dived Scallops with Confit Pork Belly, Mandarin and Almond Puree (£14). However, I was so immersed in my glorious globes of duck, I can't report on the others! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRmMmY8J10_uzcuoMhEMAJWxJipDqgl7lT_kDuSIzHWlJR5JE2AntbSbFTRRImJBQ6XZsqyKQCXH7HF2DnEM7t5sYV1hbT_0ckGXeVXC_yb2XZy0SnulJVCKRpy1mgG8KOqeVtx5d1UjI/s1600/IMG_20140302_084047.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck Confit ‘Bon Bon’ with Pickled Pear and Gingerbread <strong></strong></td></tr>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAENVHdvKfAcNHwSRtYPyhMbWo0-Y2JhDWzPYpCTm1z6gohtED7J-oJIijee2hlVCKbESS463l7se8OkcTLJYKHK7wVs9SCd1yzFdNRHWYUqULpdgRQX2m-wvVO9ocrzZhVYYEjaDzNl1X/s1600/becca+starter+(2).jpg" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand Dived Scallops with Confit Pork Belly, Mandarin and Almond Puree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr20IpUpPpWgEKLILLq9ws-rvtGLiJAHbqDSUNJPBh9l84DAE9_ynbAerKXuGxhtaAaOnGNLcKVsHdJRrTtVjICV2fhHcOVnh3_nZvGWvvUqrqXr6XggqCTMrcuwdsnk1nVUiCwAyM0ytC/s1600/terrine+(2).jpg" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy Ham Hock with Celeriac Purée, Compressed Apple and Walnut</td></tr>
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When it came to the mains, some faired better than others. Chilliboochan, who had ordered the Parmesan Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom, Roasted Garlic, Parsley and Truffle (£15) <strong></strong> was understandably disappointed when a starter sized portion of eight fluffy little gnocchi pillows with a few salad leaves were set down in front of her. The Creedy Carver Duck, however, served alongside Potato Fondant, Chicory Marmalade and Duck and Vanilla Sauce (£20), looked stunning. My 36 Hour Braised Ox Cheek, with Smoked Potato Puree, Baby Onions, Lardons and Red Wine Sauce (£18.50) was a contender, though I did find myself looking longingly at the duck. While the Ox Cheek was very tasty, it wasn't quite as melt-in-the-mouth tender as I had hoped and the red wine sauce lacked punch. The smoked potato puree (or mash), lardons and baby onions were all perfectly fine, but the dish as a whole fell a little short. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZZ1Ua1MMGUP9OnN1I3Sv4RkQZ2wCvUk8UEaTDy5EkCtcVkBNNQgfV6wccmpMBh2ThZMcWrs51x1I5DlRleVzKAh12ukPdrPZ29LM8tWdT2sP2LgDcy-QVc95Y64wYVFmFAUSPmjkKU1S/s1600/gnocchi+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZZ1Ua1MMGUP9OnN1I3Sv4RkQZ2wCvUk8UEaTDy5EkCtcVkBNNQgfV6wccmpMBh2ThZMcWrs51x1I5DlRleVzKAh12ukPdrPZ29LM8tWdT2sP2LgDcy-QVc95Y64wYVFmFAUSPmjkKU1S/s1600/gnocchi+(2).jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parmesan Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom, Roasted<br />
Garlic, Parsley and Truffle </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4R4wyaeUC4Whl-sXYypykcKv3ufBRQST72l9ksCdBed6KftG0X0Ff6cDgAwfjx94gvmTCtrFGYmBerJH9rf_qIIj841KmRbEJiIbjV43ViURwpKR9czRAHQT6TXw20iINMoccsS2phuy/s1600/duck+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4R4wyaeUC4Whl-sXYypykcKv3ufBRQST72l9ksCdBed6KftG0X0Ff6cDgAwfjx94gvmTCtrFGYmBerJH9rf_qIIj841KmRbEJiIbjV43ViURwpKR9czRAHQT6TXw20iINMoccsS2phuy/s1600/duck+(2).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creedy Carver Duck, with Potato Fondant, Chicory Marmalade and<br />
Duck and Vanilla Sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G_AN5X8Z37iNQ4ye-fo88B0OzWOQfltS2qV_dEAhii2yK9oarkcLRyYKHn4ejKAetRKOmaglsBH2twmlxWCxTjGVUwOKBpew9j4p2n-kKLIcWpniVWd3FajcNAyniX-1aEuXKR2LISUy/s1600/ox+cheek+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G_AN5X8Z37iNQ4ye-fo88B0OzWOQfltS2qV_dEAhii2yK9oarkcLRyYKHn4ejKAetRKOmaglsBH2twmlxWCxTjGVUwOKBpew9j4p2n-kKLIcWpniVWd3FajcNAyniX-1aEuXKR2LISUy/s1600/ox+cheek+(2).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 Hour Braised Ox Cheek, with Smoked Potato Puree, Baby Onions,<br />
Lardons and Red Wine Sauce </td></tr>
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Another little unexpected treat arrived in the form of a pre-dessert - a tiny little apricot mousse with yoghurt ice cream. The mousse was delicious and refreshing, though having only been delivered to the diners who'd ordered an actual dessert it left a sour taste with some.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvdTDO4Cljfd_eIj9pUKGhla3RpFwNsGx3KFxaoylHBa8MasAcyhqBQJXmTLdZzH9qcd0eK5zcANpIiJEjsjsGhxSfNFPq3J-dPH_13ZUlVxDM8dw0T6JK_MsY0eIsf6rdPjidiLRXbl0/s1600/pre+pudding+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvdTDO4Cljfd_eIj9pUKGhla3RpFwNsGx3KFxaoylHBa8MasAcyhqBQJXmTLdZzH9qcd0eK5zcANpIiJEjsjsGhxSfNFPq3J-dPH_13ZUlVxDM8dw0T6JK_MsY0eIsf6rdPjidiLRXbl0/s1600/pre+pudding+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-dessert of Apricot Mousse</td></tr>
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When it came to desserts, I was hoping to land myself the winning dish; but alas, the title went to Ox_Bex, who ordered the Chocolate Delice with Blood Orange and White Coffee Ice Cream (£7). Almost 'Blumenthal'esque' with it's chocolate delice 'toadstool' and chocolate 'soil'. Becca was looking rather smug at this point, and rightly so! Whilst my Trifle with Poached Figs, Almond Sponge and Amaretto Cream (£7) was delicious, I felt it a little too heavy on amaretto cream and light on almond sponge. That said, at this point I was struggling to manage another mouthful anyway. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Delice with Blood Orange and White Coffee Ice Cream</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trifle with Poached Figs, Almond Sponge and Amaretto Cream</td></tr>
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Overall, a really good meal, in great company. The service we experienced was very good, though we were clearly expected and, for the most part, looked after by the Restaurant Manager. I'm aware Giles Coren had a particularly unpleasant experience of the service here recently, though I'd hope that was the exception rather than the rule. We had some food highs and some food lows, but thankfully mostly highs. Would I return? Yes, I genuinely would - I'd order the Duck Bon Bon, followed by the Creedy Carver Duck (oh yes, double duck!), then the Chocolate Delice.. unless I can afford the Wagyu Burger, then I might just try that!</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><u><span style="color: orange;"><b><u>So... what did everyone else think?!</u></b></span></u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei75yprBdSM1nvBOlGIhrc1ZIataVyu6HzMbPI5gd58UIMrgRjH2m9bIw_0mp2Gbj-_hVPvuwrXVduXKsdLtBhrn9QTLjtgtyxcX6wKOw_N67BFOcwJ1PbGa-oS7WjiToRgcPnW3XeGm9/s1600/Oxford+Kitchen+(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei75yprBdSM1nvBOlGIhrc1ZIataVyu6HzMbPI5gd58UIMrgRjH2m9bIw_0mp2Gbj-_hVPvuwrXVduXKsdLtBhrn9QTLjtgtyxcX6wKOw_N67BFOcwJ1PbGa-oS7WjiToRgcPnW3XeGm9/s1600/Oxford+Kitchen+(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei75yprBdSM1nvBOlGIhrc1ZIataVyu6HzMbPI5gd58UIMrgRjH2m9bIw_0mp2Gbj-_hVPvuwrXVduXKsdLtBhrn9QTLjtgtyxcX6wKOw_N67BFOcwJ1PbGa-oS7WjiToRgcPnW3XeGm9/s1600/Oxford+Kitchen+(2).png" height="640" width="344" /></a></div>
<complete><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">From left to right, top to bottom:<strong> </strong></span></complete><complete><a href="https://twitter.com/dancingoyster">@dancingoyster</a>: </complete>Food as good looking as the restaurant. But unless you are a tiny eater, sides needed with main. The duck bon bon was my highlight - dreamy! <a href="https://twitter.com/ChilliBooChan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ChilliBooChan</a>: The service was excellent. My scallop starter was the highlight of my meal, though the greedy side of me wishes my gnocchi main was bigger! <a href="https://twitter.com/Ox_Bex" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Ox_Bex</a>: Scallops were lovely but baffled by presence of almonds, duck succulent & rich, didn't register vanilla & I won with my dessert! <a href="https://twitter.com/wisdom440" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wisdom440</a>: Exquisite food beautifully crafted in very pleasant surroundings with knowledgeable and friendly staff. <complete id="goog_40911491"><a href="https://twitter.com/RootsofOxford" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@RootsofOxford</a>: </complete>Scallops to start were cooked and presented perfectly. Ox cheeks were just as they should be cut with a spoon, melt in the mouth! Excellent! <a href="https://twitter.com/ProperEllipsis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Proper Ellipsis</a>: Soup,rich but tasty–prefer bread to onion bhaji. Pizza,small/expensive/over-cooked.Odd excluding non dessert folk from pre-dessert <s>#</s>NoFlorio. <a href="https://twitter.com/WolSupClub" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WolSupClub</a>: I'm not a fine dining girl - have a good appetite - so it must be exquisite + memorable quality to compensate + sadly just wasn't. <a href="https://twitter.com/steveburholt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@steveburholt</a>: Cauliflower soup and onion bhaji was a great combination. Main: Creedy Carver duck was cooked perfectly with a chicory marmalade.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">The Oxford Kitchen<br />215 Banbury Road<br />Summertown<br />Oxford<br />OX2 7HQ<br />Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Kitchenoxford"><span style="color: orange;">@Kitchenoxford</span></a><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theoxfordkitchen?fref=ts"><span style="color: orange;">@theoxfordkitchen</span></a><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Website: </span><a href="http://www.theoxfordkitchen.co.uk/"><span style="color: orange;">www.theoxfordkitchen.co.uk</span></a><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Phone: 01865 511 149</span> </div>
FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0215 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2, UK51.7767303 -1.264860499999940731.443907799999998 -42.57345449999994 72.109552799999989 40.043733500000059tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-471919684646151818.post-25048576429547545772014-03-08T22:18:00.003+00:002016-11-28T14:41:03.649+00:00Foodie Events - MARCH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Sorry for the delay folks, but I promise </span><a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/bitten-oxford-FoodieOnTour.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">I've had good reason!</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> The foodie festival season kicks off next month, so there will be bucket loads of awesome taste-bud tingling things to do - but no need to wait, there are still plenty of fun food things to keep you busy in March...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.fishesoxford.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/07/peach-pubs-staff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.fishesoxford.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/07/peach-pubs-staff.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Check out one of the special <a href="http://www.fishesoxford.co.uk/events/" target="_blank">weekly events at The Fishes</a>, in North Hinksey, including Burger Night every Monday, 1/2 price Prosecco every Thursday, French Night every Friday and Steak Night every Saturday! I haven't been let down once by the food here, and it doesn't hurt that they're in a lovely location too.</div>
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Another Oxford pub offering special menu days is <a href="http://www.victoriaarms.co.uk/events" target="_blank">The Victoria</a> in Botley, one of my favourite riverside watering holes to catch a few rays on those rare sunny days. The Victoria will be hosting Sunday Pie Nights (choose from a huge range of pies, served with two sides for only £11.50 with a limited free drink) and Steak Tuesdays (Choose your steak, choose your side and pay just £9.95).</div>
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<a href="http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/events/?type=Food+%26+Wine&my=032014&id=20#calendar" target="_blank">Waddesdon Manor</a> have a selection of Mother's Day events this month, including lunch, dinner and afternoon teas - if you have time afterwards you can even take a wander around the stunning Waddesdon estate. Book soon though, tickets are moving fast! </div>
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Fancy cooking and eating some delicious Italian food? Of course you do, then book yourself on to one of <a href="http://www.cici-coco.com/index.php/cici-coco-bambini/2014-cookery-courses-by-month/" target="_blank">CiCi-CoCo's cookery classes</a> with the lovely Giuliana. I had the opportunity to try Giuliana's classes out last month and had a fab time - blog post to follow!</div>
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With regular farmers' markets in East Oxford, Jerico, North Parade, Gloucester Green, Wolvercote, Summertown and South Oxford, you have no excuse to miss out on a fabulous selection of local produce. Check my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Foodie Events Calendar</a> for full listings.</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">For lots more cookery classes farmers' markets and events, check out my <a href="http://foodie-ontour.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html">Foodie Events Calendar</a>.</span></div>
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</span>FoodieOnTourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844579108110180335noreply@blogger.com0Oxford, UK51.7520209 -1.257726300000058551.594735899999996 -1.5804498000000584 51.9093059 -0.93500280000005853