Battle of the Christmas Drinks

This post is about Christmas drinks! Yes I know what you're thinking, Christmas has been and gone, but I started this around 2 months ago. I wanted to try as many Christmas themed drinks as possible, and only managed about 5 but I have included my thoughts on the most popular flavours:


So I just tried the famous  Gingerbread Latte from Costa, which is one of their festive special edition drinks and my first ever holiday drink!

Yup, I've never tried any Starbucks, Costa, Pret, even McDonalds festive drinks ever! Call me crazy because it was the biggest mistake of my life!

So I had an epiphany, why not try as many festive themed drinks as possible and review them all? At first this sounded like a good idea, who wouldn't want to gorge calorific, sugary drinks and call it research?!

Then I realised how bad they were for you, so for 'research' purposes (and so I don't get diabetes), I will be trying the skimmed/non-fat sugar free versions. Also, these things aren't cheap and due to being so busy, I only got around to trying ones from Costa and Starbucks.

Disclaimer:
This is my personal opinion and taste, which differs from every single other person, so just because I don't like something doesn't mean you will too!

Up first is...

1. Costa Coffee Gingerbread Latte 

Well, this was delicious in every sense. I had it with no whip because I hate the stuff, but as soon as I took one sip of this I was succumbed to that warm, festive feeling. The gingerbread is prominent throughout the whole drink, not just the first few sips. It also meant I could enjoy a coffee without the need for sugar because the sweetness finishes it off nicely. If you are a fan of gingerbread, this is the drink for you. It was sensational! Extra points for the cute cup designs as well.

2. Costa Coffee Caramel Fudge Hot Chocolate

Admittedly I tried a sample of this as I'm not a big fan of hot chocolate, but nevertheless it was nice. I failed to taste the difference from normal hot chocolate's though, which made me question why it was a festive drink if there was nothing festive about it. It was pretty sweet, too much so that a full size drink would have been too much for me. Last year I believe they had a chocolate orange drink which they never bought back this year, to many peoples anger, and I couldn't help but feel this would have been better than the fudge version this year.

3. Starbucks Toffee Nut Latte 

Well this surprised me. I expected it to taste like a generic toffee latte, but the nutty flavour really stands out. I'm not the biggest fan of nuts (no pun intended), but this adds to the whole drink. It's subtle enough to not overpower the sweet toffee syrup in the milk, yet it adds a nice festive touch. I found myself wanting another one straight after. Again, I went for no whip but it was still really nice and I would definitely recommend trying it! I would even go to say that it is worth the more expensive price than the other coffee chains, just because it is quite a unique flavour.

4. Costa Coffee Black Forest Hot Chocolate

Another sample I tried, but I was remarkably surprised by this drink. The cherry flavour really is prominent in this drink and compliments the chocolate well. It really is like drinking a Black forest gateau. So if this is one of your favourite desserts, then this drink is the one for you!

5. Salted Caramel Cappuccino (Costa)

A cappuccino is by far my favourite coffee drink so I was very excited to try this. I love salted caramel as well, and when I received the drink it was topped with gold chocolate! How cool is that?! So when I took a sip of this I was a little disappointed. I could taste the caramel, but no salt. It tasted like a regular cappuccino but with a pump of caramel syrup. It did redeem itself with the gold chocolate though!

6. Starbucks Gingerbread Latte

So my last taste test was the Gingerbread Latte from the American chain, so I could do the ultimate comparison between Costa and Starbucks. I have to say, this was good, but Costa ever so slightly won in the taste test. In fairness, they do taste pretty similar so it was hard to distinguish which one was better, but maybe Costa had that little extra drip of syrup.

So that's all I managed this Christmas because these drinks ain't cheap!
My favourite and winner of this experiment has to be Costa's Gingerbread Latte, just because I love ginger and the cute cups made it slightly better than Starbucks!
However, it is followed closely by the Toffee Nut Latte which was unique and still just as delicious.

Hope you enjoyed this experiment, I know I have! Now it's time for a sugar detox as I wallow in post Christmas depression. See you next year!

BBC Good Food Show

Last weekend I got the chance to go to the BBC Good Food Show as well as the Bakes and Cakes show.

Now these are two of my favourite things: Baking and Food.

So as I arrived in Olympia in London, I was immediately greeted to free samples of kinder chocolates! From then on, I knew I was going to enjoy this!

The Good Food show has a huge variety a stalls, selling everything from local food to the latest culinary products. The main motto of this event is try before you buy! There was no need for lunch as I filled my stomach up on everything from fudge, chocolate to curry and falafel. Don't forget the vast array of wine, beer and cider to sample as well!

Of course these food stalls are selling there products, many of which aren't easily available in supermarkets. Also, they are all of high quality and are not excessively priced which means you are getting your moneys worth.


Unfortunately I was too full to fit anything in, but the things that caught my eye were the homemade sausage rolls which looked amazing, as well as the unique flavours of fudge. Also, in the smaller yet still amazing cakes and bakes section, there were so many delicious cake stands selling everything from giant donuts, cupcakes to macarons. Think borough food market but all sweet things!

The ticket also included a chance to watch many well known TV foodies participate in cooking demonstrations and interview panels. It gives you the chance to find out their tips and tricks, as well as gaining an insight into their favourite foods and how they got into cooking/baking.

Of course, the main man of the show was Paul Hollywood, who showed us how to bake bread and make a chocolate and cherry roulade in the supertheatre. I believe Mary Berry was there on the other days it was on, so if you are a fan of the Great British Bake Off, this is definitely the event to attend!

If you are a foodie, this is the place to go and I highly recommend it. I love baking so this was the part I enjoyed the most, seeing all the decorated cakes that looked like pieces of art! It also gives you the chance to receive so many discounts on baking equipment and accessories from independent brands as well as bigger companies like Lakeland.

You could easily spend the whole day here and it was a really valuable experience for anyone who has a passion for cooking or baking. The BBC also hosts a winter and festive show, as well as various other themed ones around the country. And best of all, they are great value for money.

Feeling Festive

Welcome to Christmas!

As the evenings get darker and Halloween has passed, we have now officially entered the countdown to Christmas (in my eyes)!

Yes, I am one of those people who is obsessed with Christmas and gets ridiculously excited over anything christmassy.
Last year I had all the christmas spirit sucked out of me, and I was miserable and a bit down over Christmas.

This year, I refuse to let that happen, and I will saviour every last detail.

Christmas candle from Primark

Since being away all summer, I have missed all things British, and nothing sums up being British than a traditional Christmas day spent with your family eating too much, drinking too much and watching too much TV.

As we are in November, I thought it would be acceptable to post my Christmas bucket list now, and then I can slowly tick them off as we progress through to Christmas Day.
This is the ultimate guide to get yourself to feel more christmassy, and if this doesn't work then I don't know what will!

- Get yourself a Christmas candle

A simple and cheap way to practically smell Christmas. This year, I've chosen a Cinnamon and Maple scented candle from Primark. At a mere £2.50, I've already got this burning and making my room smell like Christmas baking!

- Watch as many Christmas films as possible

There are the classics like Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, Santa Clause but this year I am going to make myself watch one I've heard of but never seen, and that is It's A Wonderful Life. Grab yourself a cup of cocoa, marshmallows and all, and snuggle down on the sofa in a onesie to make yourself feel  the Christmas spirit.

- Go to a Carol Concert/Midnight Mass

I say it every year but I never go. This year I am going to force myself to wonder down to my local church and sit through a carol concert on Christmas Eve. These remind me of my primary school days when we had to participate in them, so I'm hoping it will bring a sense of nostalgia as well.

- Buy some Christmas PJ's

Again, another simple one but they have a huuuge selection in Primark, including Disney themed ones, and I will adorn these whilst baking homemade mince pies, which by the way will feature in another post of my own recipe!

- Visit a Christmassy place

Not to go shopping as this takes all the fun out of Christmas. I will be going to London and various Christmas markets as well as ice skating just to take in all the lights, and the sights and sounds. Of course, I will treat myself to Christmas food and drink, especially the mulled wine! I will also be going to DISNEYLAND PARIS the week before Christmas! I'M SOO EXCITED! What better way to feel Christmassy than to visit Disneyland!

- Buy a Christmas jumper

I will wear this everyday in the lead up to Christmas. It has the added bonus of keeping you warm and snug as well. Again, visit Primark for their amazing selection!

Last but not least, I will be buying and trying every Christmas hot drink there is, as well as all the Christmas chocolate! This is a time for indulgence, so eat till you cannot physically fit in anymore and drink till your head is spinning! You can hit the gym in January, but my philosophy is that extra bit of tub is going to make you warmer through the colder days!

My First Mince Pie of 2015!

If you're still feeling cynical, remember that this is one of the only times of the year that many people get to actually relax and see their friends and family.
So enjoy spending time with your siblings and parents, as I've realised that growing up takes the fun out of a lot of things, so it's up to you to inject some of your own effort into making it more enjoyable and memorable to you.

Oh and... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

That Sunday Post...

Ahh... there is nothing in this world that beats that chilled Sunday feeling. I love Sunday mornings. It's a chance to forget about the stress of day to day life, and to spend the last bit of the weekend doing nothing without feeling guilty.

With the changing of the clocks, I arose from my bed feeling refreshed with the extra hour of sleep, and was greeted with the autumnal sun shining through my window.

After a lazy morning spent eating breakfast in bed, it seemed only fitting to do a tiny spot of Sunday baking. Being a student at university, I don't have the luxury of being able to use my mum's range of baking equipment that she has accumulated over many years. Instead, I go back to the basics when baking at Uni.

Something I hadn't baked in a while were brownies.

Nothing beats the smell of them baking in the oven, and the first taste of warm, gooey chocolate brownies that seem to melt in your mouth.

So, armed with tesco's basic baking ingredients, I managed to create the perfect (well, to me) chocolate brownie with a hint of orange.

The orange gave it an autumnal, almost christmassy kick, as well as providing a way of using up any leftover fruit I had lying around.
Seriously, when I was baking them, the kitchen smelt like Terry's Chocolate Orange. It was the perfect addition to spice up the simplest of recipes.

Speaking of the recipe, I followed the BBC Good Food Best Ever Brownie recipe (found here), but as I'm baking I tend to meander away from the steps and add my own little additions. You can do this to, creating it to your own taste by adding nuts, raisins, more chocolate, whatever! It doesn't have to be perfect, just as long as it tastes delicious!

So, when you're feeling lazy and in need of a cosy weekend treat, give these tasty little brownies a go!

Review: Jamie's Italian and Afternoon Tea at Bill's

So this week was mine and my dad's birthday, so I wanted to review two places that I went to:

Jamie's Italian

For my dad's birthday, we went out for a meal at one of Jamie's Italian restaurants in our local town. This was a small location so it was the Trattoria version, and had only recently opened. I've been to the Brighton Jamie's Italian for my 18th birthday and the food was amazing (definitely recommended), but I always see it as a pricey restaurant to visit on a regular basis.

As this was a birthday, we decided to treat ourselves and splash out. The Trattoria menu basically incorporates the most popular dishes of the normal Jamie's Italian restaurants, therefore it's a miniature version. Luckily they had the dish I was eager to have again, the Tagliatelle Bolognese. It is basically spaghetti bolognese, and although it doesn't sound adventurous, I can guarantee it's one of the best tasting bolognese I've ever had!
There are other delicious italian dishes that I sampled from the what the rest of my family ordered, such as the Porcini Fettuccine, the special risotto for that day was amazing, and my mum tried the italian beef burger. All of these tasted amazing and I would happily eat any one of these dishes.

So as far as food is concerned, Jamie's Italian is highly recommended for good tasting and flavoursome italian dishes. One thing I was disappointed by was the lack of a cocktail menu. The last time I had visited I had this delicious cocktail called the Florence Fizz, but due to it being a Trattoria restaurant, it wasn't included in the menu. But I did try the non-alcoholic cocktail called Citrus Crush which was soo good and made up for the other drink being absent.

Citrus Crush

Tagliatelle Bolognese

Overall, it was a nice meal out, and the atmosphere as well as the staff made the evening really pleasant and enjoyable. The decor was kind of old fashioned italian, and the toilets were amazing! Worth a visit! This was the perfect place for a birthday meal. My only fault for it are the prices, which aren't that much higher than the usual high street restaurants, but when drinks are incorporated it can become pricey, and dessert was out of the question. For a special occasion, this place is the perfect location to eat.

Bill's Afternoon Tea

Onto the next review, for my birthday I decided to go up to London for afternoon tea but as I had done this before in a fancy hotel, I wanted somewhere cheap. I came across afternoon tea at Bill's restaurant in Covent Garden. For only £9 something, it was perfect as I didn't want to pay excessive amounts for the location. When we arrived the location of the restaurant is in St Martin's Courtyard which is nestled in the side streets of Covent Garden and is in a really prime and pleasant location.

Bill's restaurants are very nicely decorated, and it was pleasant to sit down and enjoy the experience. When afternoon tea came, they gave us two stands for 4 people which included a selection of traditional finger sandwiches (around 3 per person), 4 mini cakes (brownie, strawberry and cream shortbread, lemon and poppyseed sponge and a marshmallow) plus two scones with jam and clotted cream. The food was nice and the mini versions meant we could eat all of it and still feel full up. Afternoon tea is a sugar overload though, so we were buzzing off sugar for the rest of the day!

Selection of mini cakes

Scones

The tea supplied was plentiful (I had 5 cups, that combined with all the sugar was a bad combination), and there is a selection of many different flavours. For £12, you can also upgrade to a glass of fizz.

English Breakfast Tea

It was good for the money and I wasn't expecting anything more, however I felt like because it was cheap then it was what we were getting. The staff didn't really know that we were there for afternoon tea even though we had booked it, and they gave us general menus to start with. We always had to go up to get there attention (we weren't handed any cutlery to cut the scones or cakes with) and I felt like I should have paid a little more for a better afternoon tea experience. Groupon always offer deals for not much more money and having afternoon tea whilst everyone around you is there for lunch felt kind of wrong. The atmosphere was very loud and it was difficult to have a conversation. In a hotel setting, it's usually in a high class restaurant so you do get the high tea experience, and this was lacking.

My advice is as a casual tea place, yes go to Bill's, but if you are looking for the classic and traditional 'High Tea" experience, then do it the proper way and book into a fancier location.

That Friday Feeling

Hello and Happy Friday! With the return of my favourite program; the Great British Bake Off, I thought I'd share one of my all time favourite things to do.

One of my favourite hobbies to do in my spare time is baking. I absolutely love it and when I can find the time to do it, I feel so much better! My mum loves baking and taught me how to do it when I was younger, but now its nice to bake for my friends and family. Only problem is, being at university means we have a small shared kitchen and there's no room or time to do it, plus baking ingredients are expensive to add to a weekly food shop. It's not practical, so when I come home from university, its the one thing I make time for.

I love the me time I get from it, as I go into my own world whilst baking sweet delicacies. I also love being creative and adventurous. One of my dreams when I'm old and retired is to own a bakery or maybe work there as a small voluntary job. My first paid job was actually working in a bakery, and although I didn't enjoy the 'make sure we make a profit' side, I did enjoy talking to people about our cakes and seeing their faces as they scan the vast array of cookies, pastries, cakes etc.

Another thing about baking is tasting it! Trying the finished project with a cup of tea is the best part. As a little weekend treat, I find time to have a cake and coffee with friends for a good catch up, and its the perfect thing to do on a winters day. Summer brings the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine with some cake and a summer refreshment. 

My advice for keen bakers out there is to avoid baking recipe books as much as possible. Yes they are pretty to look at but most of them don't work, or don't taste as well as they should do. I have a look online from time to time for ideas, but the best cakes come from recipes from my mum and grandma, as well as a little creativity of my own. That way you can bake it how you like, adding your own personal quantities of ingredients to tailor it to your own tastes. 

This week I fancied going back to basics and made some fruity flapjacks. A classic that will be enjoyed by all generations and in all seasons. I've uploaded some photos (not the best quality) for you to enjoy .x