Checkout Valentine’s Day Edition
Life Fork & Spoon Plays Cupid
The way to a man’s heart is definitely through his stomach – it’s safe to say the same must apply to ladies. So the clever chaps at Life Fork & Spoon, the home-delivery service by TV Chef, James Martin has introduced three Valentine’s Boxes, allowing you to indulge in delicious, restaurant quality dishes in your own home. This way you won’t have to spend time preparing a meal and waste time washing up when you could be doing something far more exciting! (No Saff, that doesn’t mean watching Home & Away…)
You can choose from three Valentine’s Boxes, each with free luxury chocolates:
The ‘love hearty’ classic… Two servings of Carrot and Dill soup, followed by succulent Chicken, bursting with Pork, Leek and Bacon Farce served in a Portobello Mushroom and Madeira sauce. Lovers can then spoil their Valentines with James Martin’s fab twist on a classic dessert: White Chocolate Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding with a hint of Whisky (£40, free delivery).
The ‘oo la la’... A tempting Cream of Three Mushroom Soup starter, followed by a delicious Duck Confit accompanied by a rich Orange Sauce for the main course. Finish off with two delightful Apple Tart Tatins served with Caramel Sauce, pure luxury! (£40, free delivery).
For the (vegetable) lovers… A veggie option consists of two servings of heart warming Broccoli and Stilton soup, followed by a beautiful creamy Mushroom Strogonoff and two portions of a very decadent Sticky Toffee Date and Pecan Pudding make for dessert. (£35, free delivery).
All of the dishes in the Valentine’s Boxes are created using top quality ingredients and choice cuts of meat. They are snap frozen allowing them to reach the customer in perfect condition and can then be gently thawed or put in the freezer for later, you just reheat and serve.
James says “We have worked hard to create a delectable range of Valentine’s menus that are sure to delight that someone special. The dishes, designed with convenience in mind, require minimal preparation from the customer. This Valentine’s Day, our customers can free themselves from the kitchen and concentrate on the romance.”
These Valentine’s Boxes will be available to order from Monday 6th February.
Go to www.lifeforkspoon.co.uk to order.
Follow Life Fork & Spoon on Twitter @lifeforkspoon or at www.facebook/lifeforkspoon.
A romantic night away at Llawnroc, Cornwall
Push the boat out and go away to Cornwall for the night. This gorgeous boutique hotel is offering a fab package, exclusively available only on February 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 17th, 18th and 19th and includes:
• Bed & breakfast in bed
• Pink Champagne on arrival
• Strawberries dipped in chocolate
• 3 course dinner in our Gwineas Bistro
• A romantic turndown
• Late check-out
Prices from £175 for a non sea-view room to £280 for a suite.
The Llawnroc Hotel,
Chute Lane, Gorran Haven,
St Austell, Cornwall PL26 6NU
01726 843461
Mirror mirror on the wall who's the best Valentine of them all?
Love on the rocks!
Russian Standard Vodka have come up with two seductive cocktails that you (and your lover/partner/target) won’t be able to resist. Both look and taste amazing. After a couple of these beauties, who knows what might happen?
Guess which one's called the Ruby Red...
Cherry Kiss – Teasingly sweet, a true temptress of a cocktail
• 60ml Russian Standard Vodka
• 10ml Wild Cherry Amarena
• Small slice of ginger
• One dash cherry bitters
• 15ml lime juice
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• Top with Champagne
Muddle, build and top
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Mint sprig
Ruby Red – A vibrant splash of red
• 45ml Russian Standard Vodka
• 30ml fresh squeezed pink grapefruit
• 10ml lime juice
• 15ml sugar syrup
• Two basil leaves
• 2 dashes orange bitter
Muddle, shake and strain
Glass: Coupette
Garnish: Basil leaf
VALENTINE’S DAY DINING IN LONDON
A huge choice of Valentine’s Day dining this year, we, however, will be having an unromantic night in and will go out the following night.
- The perfect place to pop the question
For real romance… Clos Maggiore
According to Harden’s London Restaurant Guide 2012, Clos Maggiore is officially London’s most romantic restaurant. We have never been, but it’s on the list, maybe Ade will take me one day… A five-course tasting menu with a glass of champagne on arrival (£125) or with paired wines (£164). And if you feel like popping the question, staff will hide your sparkling ring in a bespoke chocolate box ready for the big moment.
33 King Street,
London WC2E,
020 7379 9696
Something a bit different… Volupté
Love a man in uniform? Then head to burlesque and cabaret supper club Volupté, which will be hosting a ‘Blitz Party’ to welcome all those sharp-suited soldiers and sailors home from war; women are encouraged to glam up for their macho military men, too, in glamorous 1920s attire. Expect air raid sirens, a surprise black out, performances inspired by the sultry era and a menu of oysters, lobster and chocolate fondue. £75 for three courses and a show. Read our recent review here.
7-9 Norwich Street,
EC4A, Tel: 020 7831 1622
A taste of the middle east… Comptoir Libanais
Lebanese restaurant group, Comptoir Libanais is offering a mezze of Middle-Eastern delights at the recently opened South Kensington outpost, whilst a range of cool cocktails will help wash everything down in style. And if you’re a little more low-key, a takeaway does the trick every time, whilst an on-site shop enables you to pick out your own ingredients to cook up a storm in the comfort of your own home.
1-5 Exhibition Road,
SW7, Tel: 020 7225 5006
Made with love… The Table
The Table does everything in style, and a very romantic and special place it would be to spend Valentine’s night. £35.00 for a two course set menu, or £40.00 for a three course set menu and each guest receives a Champagne cocktail on arrival. The menu looks fantastic and they will also have live Jazz for the evening.
• Amuse-bouche
• Jerusalem artichoke soup, apple and truffle oil
or
• Hand rolled tortellini of New Forest crayfish
and organic salmon poached in light bisque
• Slow roast, free range Welsh lamb
with Dauphinoise potatoes and spinach
or
• Pan fried Lemon sole with fine French beans,
new potatoes & cherry tomatoes
or
• Aubergine Parmigiano, wild roquette, pear
and toasted walnut salad
• Lemon pannacotta, blackcurrant sorbet
or
• British cheese selection
• Coffee and chocolates
This weekend it was recommended in the Guardian as somewhere to eat on the London tourist trail. Read our review here
83 Southwark Street
London, SE1 0HX
0207 401 2760
The lovely people at The Table are offering 20% off the food bill for the 6.00pm sitting, just quote ‘We Love Food, It’s All We Eat’ when booking.
Somewhere cosy… Meatballs at the Quality Chop House
Our favourite Meatballs are dedicating Valentines celebrations to the late great Barry White. They are running a five-day and night passion extravaganza with the sound track that you would expect! Click here for more info and here to read our review.
92-94 Farringdon Road
London. EC1R 3EA
T: 020 3490 6228
Somewhere spicy… Dishoom
www.dishoom.com/velantimes-day
The fantastic Dishoom have created a gorgeous ‘Velantimes Day’ menu and another brilliant video to go alongside it. They will be serving grilled Dishoom Lobster Tail, plus the favourites such as Calamari, Bhel and Chicken Berry Biryani, and a special Velantimes Chocolate Chilli Martini. They also have a veggie feast with Bhel, Dum ka paneer (delicious stuffed paneer dumplings) and other delights.
The continuing adventures of the Desi couple, brilliant.
Watch the video here!
Email on reservations@dishoom.com, if you’d like a table.
You can also ‘like’ their Facebook page to keep an eye out for some nice (passworded) Velantimes freebies…
Sweet hearts…
- Why play a little game of hearts and crosses?
When I was emailed this little poem…
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I want to send you
a Biccies or two
… I thought my luck had changed, (cue big slap from Saff!) but no it was from the lovely people at Biccies.com. They’ve come up with some brilliant biscuit based Valentine’s Day treats. At Biccies.com they like to create things that are a little different but say a lot and we think they’ve got it spot on! Choose from a Beautiful Bouquet of Biccies (£32.99), Box of Hearts & Kisses (£24.99), Box of Love Letters (£25.99) or a Single Heart In A Box (£7.99)
Place your order at www.biccies.com, last orders for Valentine’s will be taken on February 8th. They’ll also be spreading a little love of their own this year, for every Valentines order placed they will donate £1 to the children’s charity Demelza.
Cook your own Valentine’s dinner…
www.sabrinaghayour.com
& blog.bespokersvp.com
Private Chef, supper club host, cookery teacher & writer Sabrina Ghayour has conjured up this fantastic Valentine’s menu to cook at home, featuring a Blood orange and radicchio salad with chargrilled tiger prawns, venison fillet with black truffle dauphinoise, cavolo nero & wild blueberry sauce and a dark chocolate and espresso mousse cake with passion fruit. Visit The Bespoke Blog for the easy to follow beautiful recipes.
Blood Orange and Radicchio Salad with Chargrilled Tiger Prawns ©Sabrina Ghayour
For die-hard chocolate fans…
If you are married to, going out with, or have your eye on a hardcore chocolate fan, then you must fork out for this beautiful box of chocolates from Zchocolat.
They cost a staggering £102 for 27 chocolates, and arrive fresh from France in this stunning solid handmade mahogany box. These individually numbered chocolates are handmade in France by Pascal Caffet, world champion chocolatier, it doesn’t get better than that!
The selection includes dark chocolate hearts – ganache infused with bergamot inside white chocolate, a vanilla bourbon caramel in dark chocolate, hazelnut praline…
We have never seen such a special box of chocolates, too stunning (and expensive) to eat, I think we’ll just sit and stare at them.
Simply beautiful
Touche x2, you can even get an engraved plaque on the box
Look out for our February edition of Checkout
us at welovefood@btinternet.com or message us on our Facebook page
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