In my youth, an elderly gentleman once informed me that I should drink less gin as it was a depressant. Idiot. Although, in his defence he was completely justified in opining that, "cider on beer d' make you feel queer." One out of two is a fair average.

In those days few of us knew any better than a bottle of London dry and your basic schweppes' tonic water (or sometimes diluted with a pint of Somerset's finest). The last ten years has seen a huge revival in the gin industry. It's artisan these days. The copper stills are steam punk beauty, the bottling is pretty and the flavours are modern and crisp. Even the hipsters are taking a break from grooming their beards, to sip on a G&T. Not since the gin craze of the 1700's has gin been so popular. Only difference is, this time around it tastes good.

Every day seems to see a previously unheard of juniper infusion advertised in my inbox. What all these new producers (and the old hands) need is an event to showcase their wares, an opportunity for hundreds of thirsty punters to try several concoctions and find their new favourite tipples.

Well there is one.


We’ve been meaning to get ourselves to Gin Festival for a long time. Various people we know have been to events all around the country, raved about them to us, and still we’ve never managed to schedule it in. And we love gin.

Then a few months ago, we found out that the very first Coventry Gin Festival was going to take place, in the fantastic Cathedral Ruins. We’ve been to a couple of other foodie events at the venue, and as it’s just a short trip to town, this time we committed (prompted by a couple of our Gin Festival veteran friends).

We arrive to a very impressive and sympathetic set-up at the Cathedral. The main event takes place in a massive white marquee, with the four main bars set up back-to-back in the middle. The roof is clear plastic, letting in plenty of early evening light and allowing for a view of the historic walls and spires surrounding the tent. Around the edges are the brand, cocktail and tuck bars, gift shop, band stage and seating. It’s cosy, but not rammed. It’s a strictly ticketed event, and we felt that capacity was spot on for a bustling vibe without feeling like you’re never going to get your turn at the bar.


Upon entry, you’re guided through a smaller tent, where you’re presented with your own Gin Festival branded Copa balloon glass, pouch, brochure, pen, and pin badge. The bars operate a token system, which keeps it simple. Each token is worth £5, which gets you a measure of gin, garnish, and a Fever-Tree mixer. Two tokens will buy you a cocktail.

To avoid free-fire ordering, which could prove costly both to the wallet and to the hangover, it is advisable to peruse the "menu" - a booklet provided in the ticket price, listing all the available gins, their flavour profiles, and suggested garnish and mixers (the full spectrum of Fever-Tree's creations is available) - completely invaluable if one wants to know what one is about to drink, or record one's musings during.

We went as a group, so all selected different gins and sampled one another's - a good way to quadruple your gin tally.



Once alcohol to blood ratios were nicely raised, we attended one of the presentations delivered by a guest gin, inside the new cathedral. Slightly concerned that being chatted at about the glory of juniper berries, by a tweed-suited octogenarian might prove a bit of a downer at 10PM on a boozy evening, we went in, prepared to fall asleep. Fortunately, Brockmans Gin had thought about this, and sent a far more youthful man in jeans. A very entertaining man no-less, not to mention a free-gin bearing man. So, half an hour later, having learned a little more gin parlance, we were still merry and still able to manfully carry on sipping.


As the festival shuts up shop at 11PM, all remaining coupons were gathered up and invested into the cocktail bar. To be completely honest, the cocktail bar is probably a bit unnecessary. The event would not be short of refreshments without it. The drinks are passable, but does a exhibition of over one hundred exciting liquors really require a purveyor of average cocktails?

It was at this point that we realised we were too late to sample the on-site eateries (tragic, as there were tantalising wafts of braised beefy odours on the breeze).

Over post festival drinks in town, we concluded that in future (and there will be a future. Far too good a concept and far too many potions left untasted) we would be sure to attend another talk, try more gins and in essence do what we did, but better. The only problem with the Gin festival is us. We just can't physically drink enough.

N.B. We had already bought our tickets to Gin Festival, however the organisers got in touch to offer us some free drinks tokens to get us started. All opinions are our own.

Last week we fought through the mid-week torrential downpours and diabolic City Centre rush-hour traffic to try out Wagamama’s new summer menu, along with a group of other local bloggers at the Birmingham Bullring. We don’t really eat at chains, and having not visited the Japanese restaurant in a few years, we were curious to find out what they were up to.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and seated, with introductions to the front of house and Regional Development Chef for London, Craig Beavors. He took us through the menu and what we could expect over the evening, briefly describing the new dishes and affirming that none of us had any allergies or objections. Bellies growling at the ready, we didn’t have to wait long for the first course to arrive.



We kicked off with Beef Tataki – a light starter of thinly sliced seared beef, chilled, and dressed with citrus ponzu, chilli, Japanese mayo and pickled beetroot. We were advised by Craig to top each slice with a few strands of beetroot, roll them up, and eat. As lovers of beef, we thought this was a solid starter – simple ingredients, punchy flavours, and nicely presented.


Neither of us would normally order fish when eating out, especially if presented with alternatives such as duck, beef or pork, but we were pleasantly surprised by the next two courses: Seared Nuoc Cham Tuna Steak on a bed of quinoa and stir-fried kale, and Grilled Bream Donburi. The tuna steak was a firm favourite amongst the guests, many of whom had never eaten rare tuna before. The sustainably-sourced tuna meat was of high quality and perfectly seasoned, with a soft, melting texture. I would never pick out anything served with the dreadfully clean-sounding combination of kale and quinoa, but honestly, I would eat this dish again. It’s perfect for summer and would pair nicely with a quality, crisp white wine.
The Donburi was really tasty but in many ways for me, didn’t quite nail the summer theme. Donburi to me, is comfort food. The bream was good, with a lovely crispy skin, and the crunchy vegetables, kimchee, and glass of Pinot Grigio went some way to making it a bit fresher, but ultimately I would opt for something else on a summer’s day.


Finishing the mains, was the new Samla Curry (of Cambodian origin, I believe - both chicken and tofu options on the menu), and the unctuous Sticky Pork Belly. Before that, though, chef Craig did me a solid by making me my very own course of Chicken Katsu Curry after I admitted that I had never eaten it before (really!). It was delicious, and it’s pretty obvious why the general public go mad for this stuff (Japanese, better presented equivalent of KFC?), but as foodies, we’re always in the market for something more complex.

We got this complexity with the Samla Curry. I don’t think we’ll ever be tofu converts, but the chicken variation was bang on. Perfect amount of heat – the kind that makes you salivate – with notes of fragrant lemon grass and cooling coconut, garnished with chilli and spring onion. They also use chicken thigh, rather than breast meat for the Samla, which has a much better flavour. The Pork Belly is another flavoursome dish, but be warned – it’s bloody rich! (Again, maybe better suited to cooler weather?) Both the Samla and the Pork Belly were served with Wagamama’s own brilliant craft beers – the Kikku and the Kansho, in that order – and they were great pairings. The wines of the evening were pretty standard, but the beers were excellent. Sadly, but understandably, you can only get them in-house at Wagamama restaurants (otherwise I’d have ordered a few cases!).


Dinner was completed with a selection of desserts. We had to admit that we had never eaten from, or indeed even seen, the dessert menu at Wagamama before. In the past, we’ve been too full of savoury to bother. The Lemongrass & Lime Sorbet was really lovely, however. It had a zingy, sherbet flavour and was a perfect palette cleanser. The Chocolate Layer Cake and Yuzu & Lemon Tart we tried were nice, but we felt that they weren’t as accomplished as the rest of the menu.


To complete the evening, under the chef’s mischievous eye, we had the option to sample a weird concoction from the kitchen: vanilla ice cream with katsu curry sauce. It wasn’t for everyone, and you can only really make up your mind once you’ve tried it, but I won’t lie – I had more than one spoonful.

Although Wagamama is fundamentally a franchise, their dishes are largely based on fresh ingredients, cooked quickly. Sourcing high quality ingredients, developing their menu, and focussing on front of house, allows them to offer "fast food" but in a more nutritious, more delicious, more enjoyable format than most of their competitors.

We were really quite impressed by the Summer menu. I don’t think we’ll leave it so long before we drop by next time.

N.B. We were invited by Wagamama to try their new summer menu. Our meal was complimentary, however all opinions are our own.

For the final instalment on our time in Rye, we had to talk about Knoops.

We were advised by our host at the Rye Windmill that the most amazing hot chocolate could be found at the opposite end of town, if we happened over there during the weekend. We left the B&B with an hour to kill before dinner on the first night, and having not forgotten our host's words, we made a b-line for Knoops, incapable of waiting a day to try this mythical cocoa café. (Plus, it had been at least a few hours since our last sugar fix..)

Situated just the other side of the historic Landgate, Knoops sits unassumingly, the smallest and last of a row of old brick dwellings. The signage is clean and graphic; black sans serif text on a large white awning, and a sandwich board clearly stating "PURVEYORS OF THE FINEST HOT CHOCOLATE". We enter.

It's immediately different to the other twee cafés and vintage tea rooms about town. Knoops is modest and functional. Minimal furnishing and decoration mean that there is absolutely no distraction from the centre piece: the chocolate menu. A feature wall lined with clipboards setting out the huge array of cocoa percentages and flavour notes available for your delectation. It's fascinating, and to a stranger, slightly intimidating.

Luckily, the friendly purveyor of finest hot chocolate himself, Jens Knoop, is there to help you out. Whether you're a cacao connoisseur or a total novice, with some gentle probing he can suss you out and suggest the perfect hot chocolate for your taste. And there is something for every taste.



You can have your drink pure, with a chocolate spectrum ranging from a hardcore 100% dark Madagascan, through to the 60 and 70%s, where you will find superb single origin chocolates (the São Tomé is amazing!); down to a dreamy milk chocolate blend at 34%, and for those with a really sweet tooth, the creamy white hot chocolate options around 30%. All the chocolates are wonderful as they are, served in drinking bowls with hot, frothing milk artistically poured over. If you're feeling like experimenting, however, you can play around with a variety of flavour additions; spices, fruit zests, salts and peppers, or a shot of espresso (or booze!).

Some of their recommended flavour blends are available to buy in store to take home, or you can purchase online over on their recently opened Etsy shop. Nothing beats actually being there, but if you have a milk frother, you can have a go at recreating the magic for yourself: a small comfort as Jens hands you your final hot chocolate of the weekend, this time to take away, and you hop in your car to begin the 3 hour journey home to the Midlands.

See you soon, Knoops!

As we touched upon in our previous post about Rye Bay Scallop Week, we spent the weekend in the suite of the lovely Rye Windmill B&B, just on the edge of the town. This was booked massively in advance; we knew if we held off it would be snapped up by some other Scallop devotees. As Jonathan Creek fans as well as scallop fans, it was the icing on the cake.

Rye Town is small and compact - you could walk from one end to the other in 15 minutes - so when we say the Windmill is on the edge of town, you understand this bears little relevance to proximity to the action! The grade II listed landmark is situated next to the River Tillingham and the railway line, but far from being disruptive, the infrequent clack-clack of the local commuter train was rather pleasant.

We pulled up in the gravel drive early on a blue and brisk Friday afternoon, which made for a fantastic first view of the Windmill. We were welcomed by the smiling proprietor before we'd even lifted our cases from the boot, and immediately felt at ease. He was very welcoming and took the time to show us the town map, marking out some of the best spots for a couple of foodies. On the way up to the suite, we spied the Four-Poster room through an open door, and were immediately convinced that any of the 10 rooms in the B&B would have been lovely. Upon entering our own room, nestled up inside the top of the windmill, we were thrilled.

It was light and open, but cosy all at once, with windows on all sides for a panoramic view of Rye. We also had exclusive access to the balcony, where we enjoyed a brew while the weather held. The room itself covers two levels, with the king-size bed and living area on the main floor, and a large bathroom on the floor above, complete with both bath, spacious shower, and couples' sinks. C's favourite part of the suite, in fact, was the modern roll-top; positioned by a window looking out on to the countryside, it made for a perfect afternoon bubble bath.

Facilities in the room were well-stocked and thoughtful: from the tea and coffee making area, large dressing table and mirror, hairdryer, iron, and good-sized fridge (complete with complementary bars of Dairy Milk). Soft white bath robes were also provided as well as towels, which is always a nice touch to a B&B or hotel stay.

The communal area and breakfast room, named 'The Granary', was beautiful. All oak beams, and cute tables and chairs, with a stunning wood burning fireplace that would be wonderfully cosy in the colder months. The B&B is also licensed, with a well-stocked, reasonably priced 'honesty bar'.

Breakfast was also very good. Not only were there the usual self-service options of cereals, yoghurt, and fruit, you could also order a freshly cooked hot breakfast of more or less whatever combination you wanted. From a full English to perfectly cooked poached eggs on muffins, and catering for vegetarians and gluten-free diets too, everything was made from quality local produce.

Whenever we review anything, we always feel like we ought to dig for some negative aspects so as not to sound too gushing, but we honestly had a wonderful stay, and the suite was worth every extra penny. We'll definitely be returning to Rye - whether for Scallop Week again, or the equally interesting Wild Boar Week - and we would love to stay again at the Rye Windmill.

N.B. We booked and paid for our stay at The Rye Windmill ourselves, and all opinions are our own.

A year or so ago, as the daffodils were fading and the first leaves appearing on the trees, I felt the only thing that could make me more content was a portion of sweet and juicy scallops.
It was with great joy then, that I discovered during a little internet based research, The Rye Bay Scallop Week.

Every year, the pretty town of Rye in East Sussex hosts a celebration of it's coastal crop. Platefuls of delicious, plump scallops are dished up in restaurants all around the citadel. Ceviché, seared, marinated, tartare, deep-fried... you name it, They're serving it.

Obviously this was an event which required further investigation, so we booked a windmill, looked at some menus, waited for the ten intervening months to pass by and set off for Sussex.

The principle of Scallop week is that all the local eateries, from fish and chip shops and bars to steak joints and bistros serve a couple of scallop dishes all week. Or several scallop dishes. Or a whole menu.

Webbe's at the Fish Café was offering a 6 course Scallop Tasting Menu, which seemed the perfect way to expose ourselves to the scallop bonanza.
On the menu were a mixture of classic combinations and in places, some more modern methods. Or at least more modern to Britain. Pork belly and scallops in a ramen style broth being a perfect example.

The second night, we dined at The Landgate Bistro where, instead of basing a menu on scallops, an inventive 'tapas' style menu, of little scallopy mouthfuls was available in conjunction with the à la carte offering. We tried quite a lot. Obviously.
Smoked scallop with herb jelly, scallop tartare with gooseberry and sorrel, Moroccan spiced scallop... About eight were available in total.
The chef clearly places a lot importance on sourcing his ingredients from as close to home as possible, something which as a country boy has always been something I like to see (and on a non-scallop related note, this admirable ethos gave us the chance to get our chops round another local delicacy - deliciously tender salt marsh lamb).

Our final meal was lunch, before departure. In Marino's, the fish and chip shop in town, where they served battered scallops (IT WAS SCALLOP WEEK) and chips, which I promise you were the best chips I have ever had. Crisp and crunchy on the exterior, fluffy and light inside with an over-all melt-in-the-mouth texture. Delicious!

I think we were lucky in our choices of eatery. All the residents we spoke to agreed that they were some of the best options in town, and both restaurants allowed us to sample scallops in several different dishes, which is, I suppose, the whole point of the entire event, as far as the consumer is concerned.

If you like eating scallops, you'll find Scallop Week at Rye an excellent event. Get in there early with your restaurant reservations, too. Webbe's and The Landgate get booked up quickly!

Oh, and did I mention that there's a Wild Boar week in the autumn?