Food

Wondering What Food To Eat In London? 10 Must-Eat To Make You Swoon

August 22, 2018

Great Britain is filled with interesting culinary traditions. Some are quite obscure and hard to find elsewhere, while others have been copied over and over again. No matter what, you’ll want to eat these ten traditional British foods the next time you’re in London.

1) Fish and Chips

There’s nothing quite like the Brit’s version of fish and chips. This makes sense, since they were the first to create this dish. Imagine fried potatoes and fish served with spicy vinegar. You’ll want to go back for seconds.

2) Cockles

A cockle is a tiny clam that’s usually boiled and served with vinegar. In Great Britain, these are more of a snack or a treat than a whole meal.

3) Eton Mess

Yes, this traditional dessert is named after the famous all-boys school. It consists of strawberries, cream, and meringue, served on one single dish. It usually looks like a bit of a mess on the plate, hence the name. Thankfully, you don’t need to be male or attending Eton in order to enjoy it.

4) Pork Pies

Few things are as British as pork pies. The rest of the world refers to them as pot pies, although the Brits skip right to the meat that’s inside of them. These are usually served with mash (also known as mashed potatoes) although in some cases, the vegetables are just cooked inside of them.

5) Bangers and Mash

This is just a combination of sausages and mashed potatoes, but the name of this dish is wholly British. The sausages are seasoned slightly differently as well, turning it into something that you can’t find in any other country.

6) Roast and Yorkshire Pudding

A good beef roast with a side of Yorkshire pudding is a quintessential British meal. Some say that Yorkshire pudding is an acquired taste, but we beg to differ.

7) Afternoon Tea

Even if you don’t like tea, you’ll find yourself wanting to try some. When it’s brewed the British way and served alongside clotted cream, scones, and tiny cookies, you’ll feel right at home.

8) A Traditional English Breakfast

We hope that you’re hungry in the morning! A traditional English breakfast consists of a combination of mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs, and sausages served with a blood pudding, toast, and some potatoes.

9) Toffee Pudding

This dessert is as sticky and sweet as you imagine it to be, making the perfect complement to just about any traditional English dinner.

10) Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is a classic British entrée. It consists of a fillet steak that has been covered in pate and then a flaky pastry shell. It’s cooked with the shell on it and then sliced thin before it’s served. Typically, you’ll have mashed potatoes (or just “mash”) along with it.

If these classic British meals and desserts sound good to you but leave you with some questions, just follow this link to find out more: https://www.londonxcity.com

Food

Final Staying In Doesn’t Mean You Have To Compromise On Good Food

August 15, 2018

Always have good food

On a typical weekend, we are more than happy to dress up and hit the town to take a break from our everyday routine. After all, the opportunity to have some great time with friends we haven’t seen all week sounds nothing but great, especially when the reunion involves some delicious food to boot.

However, there are those weekends when we are so exhausted by the week that we just need to wind ourselves down and take some much-needed rest. Our friends can come over to hang out at our place, so that solves one problem from that fear of missing out right there.

But by not going out, we still pass up on the other great aspect of a weekend outing: the opportunity to have high-end food; since on most of these lazy hangouts at home, we end up having food that we have been eating all week. And for gastronomes, that is a weekend wasted sinfully.

Fortunately, you can resolve that problem by following a few choice tips.

Find Food Delivery Services That Get High End Cuisine to Your Doorstep

Gone are the days of thinking that the one special dish you like from that prime restaurant can’t just be delivered due to their policy. Thanks to people who love food just as much as you do, ordering that special plate of grub right from your couch has never been easier.

There are a few choice services that make food delivery possible even from restaurants that don’t usually deliver or ones that would require you to fetch a menu and order through phone. All that you need to do is make up your mind on exactly what kind of food you want from the restaurants in your area, and services such as Barrow takeaways can have it delivered right at your doorstep.

Bring Out That Inner Chef By Making a Day Out of Cooking

While cooking elaborate meals on a lazy day sounds like a task, if you are comfortable around a stove, then it would not prove to be a difficult feat to achieve even on your day off.

You don’t have to cook a seven-course meal in order for it to be good, but you may need to put in just a little effort into the process. To make it possible, you can try various recipes from sites such as Food Network and find something that strikes the perfect balance between effort and deliciousness.

Plan Ahead for a Lazy Weekend

Another option that you can go with is to plan for a “lazy weekend” beforehand. This would allow you to get your affairs in order and plan your meal for the two days that you want to be nothing but relaxing for yourself.

You can precook your meals throughout the week and save them for the weekend. If you make the right selection of ingredients and dishes – such as fried chicken that you could cook beforehand and have later – then you may just be having an amazing meal on the said weekend with only five minutes of your time dedicated to the process.

By following these few tips, you can make your weekend as relaxing as possible. Just remember: no matter how slow of a day you’re planning to have, ensure to eat well and make that inner foodie proud.

After all, if you don’t treat yourself on the weekend, when will you find the time to do so?

Business

Everything You Need To Know About Alcohol Licensing

August 13, 2018

Ever thought of opening your own restaurant or pub?

It’s a dream that many hold: running a pub or restaurant – whether it’s an ultra-modern gastro pub, a cosy inn with a log burner, or a top of the range eatery.  However, for many, the first stumbling block for any business wanting to sell alcohol can be the licensing procedures.

Here, Flogas, who specialise in business gas, have broken down some of the key points:

General rules

If you’re opening or running a business in England and Wales that is going to sell or supply alcoholic drinks, you must have a licence that has been authorised by the licensing authority. This is usually a local council and the legislation is overseen by the Home Office. It is defined as follows:

  1. Businesses that sell or supply alcohol on a permanent basis, such as pubs, need to apply for a premises licence.
  2. Those who plan to authorise the sale of alcohol must apply for a personal licence, alongside the premises licence, if they are also the owner of the business in that premises.

Alongside the payment that’s required, you’ll also have to complete an application form and send it to your local council. As well as the local authority, you will also have to send your application to the police and other responsible authorities; these responsible authorities can include:

  • Local fire and rescue
  • The primary care trust (PCT) or local health board (LHB)
  • Environmental health authority
  • Planning authority
  • Local trading standards
  • Any other licensing authority in whose area part of the premises is located.

Premises licences

This licence, simply put, authorises the use of any premises for any activities that involve the sale of alcohol. To successfully apply for this licence, you will have to provide the following information:

  • General information regarding the premises such as the address.
  • Your details as an applicant.
  • The operating schedule, including the date you want the licence to start from on the premises.
  • You should indicate what licensable activities you wish to carry out by ticking the appropriate boxes on the form. You should also indicate what days and times you want the licence to be active from. This also includes the provision of regulated entertainment, such as indoor sporting events, live music and recorded music.
  • Under the new licensing laws, you should also stipulate who you wish to be the designated premises supervisor (DPS).
  • The opening hours of your premises.
  • How you intend to promote the four key licensing objectives, which are: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, the protection of children from harm.
  • The planning of the premises and any advertising on or around the premises that you wish to use.

Personal licences

In a pub, your general staff aren’t required to hold a personal licence, but it is necessary that all pubs do have to have a premises supervisor that holds a personal licence.

You would also need to apply to be a personal licence holder if the pub was your own business. Furthermore, anyone who works in a pub should be authorised to do so by the personal licence holder.

But note, it’s important to take into consideration before applying that anyone running or managing a pub or restaurant should do so in a professional fashion.

With the information provided, you should now know all you need to get started with your application in the hope that one day you’ll be pouring the pints in your own pub or eatery — cheers!

Food

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast – DIY Style

August 13, 2018

Any of the next cooking methods can be sure to result in some juicy, tender and moist chicken breasts. Anyone interested in getting to know how to cook frozen chicken breast should read on and find out exactly how. Ensure to follow these instructions armed with a meat thermometer and you will successfully carry through with the recipes for your home electric smoker. Any of the following cooking methods can be used in conjunction with other ingredients and especially seasonings. Some favorite ingredients include thyme sprigs especially the fresh ones and thinly sliced lemons.

Let’s start off with the brining cooking method which is a favorite due to its ability to draw in water into the chicken flesh and enhancing the flavor. Take up a large bowl and mix some 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of salt and 4 cups of water. Ensure that the salt and sugar dissolve completely by stirring up the mixture.

Take chicken breasts that have been thawed and immerse them into the mixture and then cover it up and refrigerate for an hour. After the lapse of the one hour, have the chicken out of the brine and rinse it thoroughly with cold running water before preparing it using any of the following methods. Frozen chicken breasts can also be brined in much the same way like that of the normal chicken.

Simply mix the chicken breasts that are frozen and the brine solution and refrigerate them overnight so that the chicken gets to thaw. Ensure to cover the mixture well with some lid as it thaws out. Have the chicken rinsed well and patted well with some paper towels before you start cooking it. Let’s begin with the baking in parchment method.

This method is a type of moist heat cooking method which leaves for a good error margin and which has the chicken breasts cooking really well without necessitating rearrangement. The oven has to be preheated to a high of 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Have your work surface spread with heavy duty foil or parchment and then bring over the well thawed chicken breasts and have them arranged on it.

Put some bay leaves, spices, herbs and lemon slicing on top. Fold the foil well together and then crimp it up to hold some steam inside ensuring that the chicken is in a single layer with some expansion room. Have the chicken bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for some 30 to 35 minutes or 50 to 55 minutes which will be dictated by the type of chicken and add some more time if you are cooking more than four breasts.

You can also decide to use the crock pot, microwave, pressure cooker, saut? them, poach them or just steam them. Poaching the chicken breasts will require you to have a skillet and then add some 2 cups of chicken broth or water before boiling them for some 10-14 minutes. You can also decide to poach with the oven where you will need to pour some boiling water on the chicken, have it bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes. Garnish using some good chicken salad recipe.

Food Gadgets

How To Set A Table For Formal and Informal Dinner Parties

August 13, 2018

Dress to impress: dinner party table settings

Dinner parties are a wonderful social experience, both to attend and to host. But, like with any fashionable trend, the expectation changes by the year. How should you dress your dining table when hosting a dinner party? What are the key differences between formal and informal parties?

In the following guide, provided by AC Silver, retailers of antique silver we’ll give you pointers for a perfectly presented dinner party table, whatever the event.

Formal parties

Perhaps you’ve invited your boss over for dinner, or you’re the host of a special occasion within the family; perhaps a relative has popped the question to their significant other with a beautiful antique engagement ring, and you want to host a party of equal elegance to celebrate! In this instance, you might wish to lean towards a more formal table setting. A formal table will have pre-set cloth napkins — and potentially antique silverware and glassware — as well as a quality tablecloth and elaborate centrepiece. Candelabras, sterling silver wine ewers and antique claret jugs ae also perfect for setting an elegant dining tone.

In-keeping with tradition, an empty plate is set before the guests for each course. A server would then bring in the food and offer it to each person in turn, rather than placing plated-up food on the table. However, this is quite old-fashioned, so you may prefer to serve your guests already-filled plates/bowls for each course. If you’re hosting a formal dinner party, preparing up to six courses is a generally accepted rule, which will often include a starter, fish course, meat course, dessert, and cheese.

Setting a table for a formal dinner party

Cutlery placement is important when setting a formal dinner table.

The plate should be in the centre, with the forks to the left and the spoons and knives to the right. When it comes to the dessert fork and spoon, these must lie above the plate — the fork below the spoon — with the former pointing to the right and the latter, to the left. Next, all side plates go to the left of your dinner plate, while napkins go on the side plate — or you can put these on each dinner plate, if you prefer.

Here are some important points to consider when setting a formal table:

  • All cutlery must be placed in the order it will be used — starting from the outside and working in.
  • Your knife blades should face the plate, while all fork prongs must face the ceiling.
  • Serving salad and soup? The salad must be served on a salad plate, which is placed on top of the dinner plate. The soup bowl then goes on top.
  • If you’re serving red and white wine, they must have their own glasses. These should sit above the table knife, on the right-hand side.

Each dish should be tidied away when the course is over, and it’s vital that your guests have everything they need to dine already on the table.

Informal parties

You may be hosting a less formal affair, such as a dinner party for some friends. The entire atmosphere will be more relaxed and there’s less of a need to use your finest china and silverware. However, that doesn’t mean your table shouldn’t look nice and you could still use attractive centrepieces — such as an LED vase or decorative wooden bowl, if you wish.

Your table will have less cutlery and flatware than for a formal party, as all the food will be out for the guests to pick from. An informal dinner party can also be comprised of a single course or standard three. Go for the typical ‘starter, main and dessert’ dining structure, or simply cook up a hearty main meal and let your guests chat, laugh and drink as they dine.

Setting a table for an informal dinner party

With an informal dinner party, you have more room to let your creative side out, as there’s less rules involved. However, you still want to create an attractive setting.

A good idea is to pick a theme. Whether this is simply a colour, or you want to go for something quirkier — like the seaside or fairy tales — a theme can really bring your informal dinner party to life. Get tablecloths and runners that complement your chosen theme and put out handmade crafts on the table to add personality. Why not also tweak formal table setting trends to make them more casual? For example, you can use wine corks, toothpicks and paper to make fun place card holders for each guest or opt for colourful, simple tealights to illuminate the table without the need for ornate candelabras.

Informal parties are a great place to serve interactive dishes, like gourmet burgers or fajitas, so your guests can make their own combinations. Put everything out on the table in one go so that your guests can pick and choose which ingredients they want to eat and pass food around for a more sociable atmosphere.

It’s a wonderful social experience to host a dinner party. Simply choose how formal or casual you wish the evening to be and use the appropriate tableware and dining etiquette to set the ideal tone!