The Canary Cocktail with White Port. On a mission since lockdown to try out new cocktails, I have found a fantastic new one to add to my favourites list; a ‘Canary’ made with dry white port. I recently received a bottle of Taylor’s Chip Dry Port so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try […]
Pink Port Cocktail with Croft
Pink Port – and a Perfect Summer Cocktail. If you had consigned your port to the back of your drinks cupboard, ready for Christmas, here’s something completely different to try. I was delighted to receive a sample bottle of Croft Pink Port to play with. Pink Port is a drink like no other that I’ve […]
White Port Cocktail – Port and Tonic
Classic Port and Tonic – a White Port Cocktail. While the sun is out, with Easter approaching I’m on the hunt for cocktails that are easy to make and really refreshing. A white port and tonic cocktail ticks so many boxes for me, not least because it’s a classic aperitif from one of my favourite […]
Potted Stilton with Walnuts and an Introduction to Non Vintage Port
Potted Stilton – the perfect pairing for Port? We’ve been tasting some excellent Port recently – and learning a bit more about one of those drinks many of us take for granted. I’m more used to drinking Port with a cheeseboard or with potted Stilton, but there are a lot more ways to enjoy this […]
The Grape Harvest – Porto and the Douro
Exploring Porto and the Douro Valley At any time of the year, RIB Beef and Wine in Porto would be a great place to enjoy a meal. Arriving, as we did, in Porto on a warm and sunny September day, our hearty lunch was the perfect introduction to the City. Part of the Pestana Vintage […]
Five Reasons to Fall In Love with Porto
Porto and the Douro Valley: We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe […]
Dining at The Don, City of London
Proper Dining in the City – The Don: Once upon a time, I worked in the City. One of my favourite places to eat was called ‘The Bleeding Heart’ – a charming French Bistro tucked away in a secret courtyard near Farringdon. Named after a 17th-century beauty, Lady Elizabeth Hatton, who was found murdered there, […]
Porto and the Making of Port
Northern Portugal – Porto Part I – Port For a while now I’ve been wanting to visit Northern Portugal. I have a real love for port so, apart from anything else, I wanted to learn more. My recent trip took me to Guimarães and Braga and then on to Porto. And, although we received a fitting […]
Hamburg – Part I
Hamburg – A Maritime City in the Modern World: Hamburg is the second biggest city in Germany and the eighth biggest in the EU. It is a hub of regional power, a centre for trade with a thriving cultural scene so when invited by the lovely people at cometohamburg.com I was keen to get to know […]