After the excesses of the festive period, and the general cutting back on rich food during January, we start to regain our appetite for the occasional treat. Here from the Fruisana Kitchen is a quick and easy recipe which uses store cupboard ingredients.
Chocolate is always a favourite and this delicious cake, with its soft, rich, gooey centre makes a perfect dessert perhaps for Valentine’s Day?
Three wishes with three dishes menu to celebrate Chinese New Year at Kai
It’s Chinese New Year 2009 and to celebrate the Year of the Ox, multi award-winning Kai Mayfair, one of the capital’s favourite Chinese restaurants, is serving up an unmissable treat for the celebrations. The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work; a fitting association in the current climate. To fit in with this theme, Kai has created a special New Year treat -‘Three Dishes with Three Wishes’ – that it has aptly named ‘Good Fortune’, ‘Long Life’ and ‘Prosperity’.
Meeting the Family at Spaghetti House
Spaghetti House has been a family run business for over fifty years. If you would like to see how the menu is being developed for the chain of restaurants, you can check out their website at www.spaghettihouse.co.uk to see what is on offer now to tempt you. A number of the newly developed dishes will be available as ‘specials’ from next week and the fully revised menu will be in place by the end of February, after Franco Taruschio has approved content of the menu and the quality of the new creation
Dazzle them with six-courses, diamonds, a weekend away or even a cooking class
London area businesses have put on their creativity caps to design a playground of choices for you this Valentine season. Create the perfect surprise for that special someone with a six-course meal, Thames cruise, overnighter in a rustic cottage, or weekend away in the Lake District. If you’ re feeling a bit worn out from holiday shopping, let the experts help you create a romantic package full of memories.
Sexy chocolates from Galler
According to CBC News, Chocolate came to the old world from Mexico too late for Saint Valentine to ever taste the fine aphrodisiac, but the beloved sweet is so powerful that over the years it has been used for currency and even caused a few bloody battles when it was outlawed. Our modern day Valentines feel absolutely cheated if they aren’t honoured with the finest chocolate available on this special day. And Luxury Belgian chocolate company, Galler, is here to help you stay out of the dog house. Previously only available at Harrods, you can now purchase products online and have them delivered straight to your door. With sexy presentations ranging from gift boxes that look like corsets to inseperable hearts flavoured to blend into exquisite pleasure this just might be your ticket to a night of love.
Kettner’s Restaurant
I do miss seeing Mel Smith smoking cigars in the Champagne Bar, maybe they should have him stuffed and brought back? Maybe they should have us all stuffed and brought back? No, you can’t preserve the past you have to move on.
Crunch Time with Cameo
Cameo at L’Atelier de Chefs? I dig out my best red codpiece and hurry along humming ‘Word Up!’ to myself. On arrival all I can see are apples everywhere and a bit of paper that explains that Cameo is a type of apple and not an 80’s rap group. Blast, I got all Afro’d up for nothing.
A Lebanese lovers’ feast at Fakhreldine
If you want to save the chequered tablecloths and candles stuck in bottles of wine for a spring movie date, plan something more grown up for Valentine’s at Fakhreldine in the nation’s capital. One of London’s favourite Lebanese restaurants is laying out a lovers’ feast to include roasted prawns, kafta skewers, sea bass fillets, lovely saffron rice, and Halawat el Jibn, a cheese and cream of milk dessert, topped with strawberry and honey flavoured with zalou, Lebanon’s legendary aphrodisiac root. While enjoying your meal in a sparkling, romantic setting overlooking Green Park, you will sip from a bejewelled bottle of Love H2O from Wenlock Springs.
Valentine’s Day at the Red Lion Inn
The recent winner of the ‘Best Local Produce Menu’ award, have dreamt up a great menu for this special day for lovers with delicious morsels which can be offered directly to your loved one, such as oysters, scallops, prawns and passion fruit.The Red Lion Inn is situated in the Vale of Belvoir, the very heart of the lovely English ‘shires’ countryside. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with a traditional bar that serves real ales, lagers and speciality bottled beers, plus an informal lounge with magazines, newspapers, comfy chairs and sofa.
Want to do it up right on Valentine’s? Stay all night!
This Valentine’s Day, whether it’s with a spouse, a lover or an exciting new fling, Bonds Restaurant in the 5* boutique hotel, Threadneedles, is opening its doors for the first time on a Saturday with a specially created three-course menu for just £45 per person*. Start with ravioli of ‘native blue’ lobster with Armagnac bisque, followed by slow cooked ‘Pyrenees’ pork belly with pearl barley and chorizo ‘like risotto’ and caramelised onions and finish with warm chocolate pudding with peanut butter ice cream. For a real surprise, the full Romance Package costs £160 per person (an extra £115pp).