Recipes...

Are you someone who tries to eat healthily? If so I have the answer to your prayers: let me introduce Recipes for Performance Sports.

Devised and edited with nutrition in mind, this little book is packed with great recipes, and at £2.55 it's a steal. 

Moats and drawbridges.

I was talking the other day about infinity pools and how my ideal one would blaze a trail all the way around my house [not the present one, but my planned future one, of course] in a complete circle, when my partner said to me, "You mean you want a moat?"

And when I thought about it, he was absolutely right. Moats have always fascinated me, although I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe I just like the implied isolation of it...



Anyway, it was only a little strange when I found myself in The Drawbridge Inn in Shirley soon after, enjoying a birthday meal with my family.

I don't tend to eat out a lot with the children as their tastes are very different to mine but this particular pub has something to suit everyone and at a very reasonable price, including a whopping gut-busting 'Defeat The Meat!' section. And unlike many other establishments, the staff went out of their way to assist us.

But did the place have a moat? Sadly not, although there was water nearby and I think we drove over a sort of drawbridge in the dark!

I guess the idea of me swimming in a moat stems back from the very peculiar childhood I had, when my idea of luxury was going swimming in the local canal [I kid you not!] alongside rusty bikes and shopping trolleys.

Since I don't plan on doing that again anytime soon, I guess my dream of a moat will stay exactly that for now, a dream.

Until then, happy reading.

Blakes Restaurant Reception.

Last weekend I attended a champagne reception at the newly refurbished Blakes Restaurant.

The refurbished @Blakes_Bar #restaurant. Who will it suit? #Birmingham #Brumhour #amreading. Photo courtesy of @GezinGastro pic.twitter.com/CNe8kS8uip

— carmen capuano (@carmencapuano) October 3, 2017

Blakes is set within the Westmead Hotel, conveniently situated on the southern fringes of Birmingham, just a short drive from the M42 and M40. I have been to the Westmead many times in the past but, I confess, not for many years.

Always known for its good reputation, I hoped that its current owner who had acquired the hotel several years ago, had continued to maintain its former standards. And I wasn't disappointed.

The restaurant has been tastefully redecorated in neutral tones, with here and there a turquoise accent thrown in for good effect. Nowhere was it over the top.

Because of this, the décor and menu would as easily suit a business dinner or lunch as it would a couple seeking a romantic dinner a deux. And with a menu which abounded with reasonably priced dishes, including a great choice of freshly baked pizzas, I could see families wishing to dine there too.

Having sampled some of these on the night, I would thoroughly recommend them.

From the sublime to the ridiculous.

Sometimes I despair of our society - well I say sometimes, but actually it's quite often.

For a very long time, it has seemed to me and to many others, that the more we have, the more we crave, and that in some inverse need/want scenario, the less we actually enjoy those things which are the objects of our desires.

This is apparent everywhere in our consumer culture, from the frenzied rush to purchase the latest iPhone, which, regardless of cost in proportion to income, will be discarded as soon as an even better/bigger/smaller/louder/blingier version hits the shelves, to the fact that whilst cookery shows abound on TV and millions settle down to watch who will be heralded best baker or pastry chef, our high streets are filled with fast food outlets, our streets strewn with the discarded wrappers from the same outlets, and individual, non-chain shops are dying faster than the dodo.

And the answer to it all? Well according to some it's deconstruction - niche shops selling only specific items or catering for only a section of the population. A prime example of this, is those usually vibrantly displayed tobacco alternatives which have popped up everywhere, pumping their nefarious fumes out into the ozone...

But the latest trend that's got my goat, is not of the inhaling kind at all. It's of the imbibing kind.

Think of a cocktail. Its pastel or bold colours, its blend of flavours. It's pretty exotic right? Pretty awesome in fact.

Well apparently it's no longer exotic enough for our increasingly jaded tastes.

So now someone has come up with the idea of serving them in broken glasses. Deliberately designed and manufactured broken, to a precision that must make real artisan glass-blowers weep into their hands at the near profanity of the act, the glass is then filled with its intoxicating brew and served with what are apparently edible 'shards of  glass' protruding from it's center. Forgive me if I pass.

How is this high living? Maybe I'm old fashioned - hell maybe I'm just old. But I was taught to serve drinks in pristine, unchipped glass.

Have we come that far in our gluttonous lives, where every want must be immediately satiated for our juvenile sensitivities, that we can't even appreciate the most simple and unassuming things? I fear so.

And what's next? Will we be eating deconstructed shepherd's pie from stainless steel dog bowls, rendered-asunder fish pie from goldfish bowls? I hope not...but in truth I think it's only a matter of time.

So move over Fido... now where did I put that wire scourer?

Restaurant review

Yesterday evening I was treated to an Indian dining experience which went beyond anything I have previously encountered.

Located in Harborne, Umami is blessed with a great location which allows for a small outside seating area when the weather is fine, and large plate glass windows through which you can watch the world go by.

From the first sight of its chic decor, which fuses elements of modern and traditional design to create a lasting impression of serenity and elegance, it is obvious that Umami is different to other Indian establishments. Even the air seems to be more subtly aromatic than is the norm, redolent with aromas which evoke thoughts of long, balmy Indian evenings and fragrant nights.  

And Umami certainly lives up to its name, providing a fifth element of taste that is less definable than the traditionally agreed sweet, salty, bitter and sour, in its rounded, rich savoury dishes.  

Greeted by an elegantly bedecked hostess, we were ushered into a lounge area and presented with an extensive drinks menu which had everything I had ever heard of and more. Cocktails with exotic names and even more exotic ingredients, champagnes and spirits, soft drinks and wines to suit every budget and palate.

My companion chose a Cheeky Monkey, which was pleasingly strong and an excellent choice for the discerning whiskey drinker, whilst I chose a Rise of Umami, a soft and fruity concoction, which was both refreshing and delicious. We sipped on these whilst we took our time to consider the unique and innovative menu with a good selection of starters, mains and desserts, as well as three set-price menus, which each have a selection of starters and mains to share, and which can be replenished on request.

It was one of these set menus which we chose, the Royal Prix Fixe, whilst our drinks orders were replenished with yet another cocktail, this time an Old Fashioned, smooth and full bodied, and a glass of Cotes de Provence Rose, refreshingly chilled and light.

Suitably relaxed,  we were led through a very stylish contemporary bar area to the dining room, which exuded effortless class from its delightful soft furnishings to the semi-private dining booth, easily able to accommodate up to six diners.

What was apparent by this stage was the sumptuous attention to detail which was obvious throughout, both in the exceptionally well-appointed restaurant and in the attentive yet discreet service from the waiters. And we were clearly not alone in our opinion, for every table was filled with diners who radiated a sense of contentedness, lending the whole place an excellent ambiance.

But it was when the food emerged that an even greater meticulous care was evident. The three starters of tandooried king prawns, chargrilled chicken tikka and Welsh lamb chops were so well-executed that they seemed to melt on the tongue. Each mouthful was tender and succulent, with just the right bite to it.

Likewise the four main courses were exquisite. Each dish seemed to challenge the next to be even better; the fish simmered in coconut milk and mango curry was smooth and light, the Palak Paneer was delightfully moreish, the Welsh lamb was fragrant and piquant and the butter chicken was so sweet and juicy that it immediately became my new favourite. So much so, that I just had to ask what it was that made this dish so different from its counterparts across the country.

I learned that unlike most other restaurants, the chef at Umami uses pulled chicken in this dish and he considers it to be one of his finest specialities. Having tasted it, I had to concur, whilst my dining companion voted for the Welsh lamb with its subtle coriander and cumin flavours.

Somehow by sheer force of will, we managed to leave just enough room for dessert, ordering carrot pudding encased in a crispy samosa pastry and Hagen-Daz, which was served in a brandy basket with a fruit coulis. Both were delicious.

I have to say, we left with reluctance, and only once our plates were completely clean. But I don’t think it will be too long before we make another visit to this fantastic restaurant, to sample once more the banquet truly fit for a Maharaja.  

Small but perfectly formed.

I'm not good with directions. I seem to have no knowledge of which way up to hold a map and whether a turn is to the left or the right...and yet I managed to find my way to an event I had been invited to, at Bar Opus in Birmingham, even though I tend to get lost if I stray too far from New Street.

Bar Opus is situated at Snowhill, an area I am not at all familiar with. Large windows front the building and there is an outside seating area too. Initially I took up residence there, happy to watch the world go by in all its hustle and bustle.

In addition to the shoppers outside, I had a good view of the staff working in the open plan kitchen and this is something I have always enjoyed [not to see other people working whilst I am relaxing, you understand] but to see how professional chefs carry out their trade.

Looking at the menu, I have to say it wasn't extensive, but it did offer some interesting food combinations with some ingredients being prepared in such as way as to make the completed dish both unique and enticing. 'Scorched lemon' was one such ingredient. How and why anyone would chose to scorch a lemon is beyond me, but I was assured by one of the customers that it gave an edge to the dish it was used within.

The décor was a little retro and the overall effect of the place was small and sophisticated with an extensive range of alcoholic beverages on display. But there was one thing I didn't like - the two unisex toilet cubicles. Now quite frankly I don't want to share a bathroom with a man unless I intend to marry him! And as the two cubicles were separate, I couldn't see why one hadn't been allocated to men and the other to women.

I don't know what men think about this latest trend, but I can tell you one thing - women don't like it! It may well be very cosmopolitan but its also downright embarrassing for men and women alike!

So if you fancy a quick drink in a lovely bar with perhaps a bite to eat from an interesting menu, then Bar Opus is the place for you. Just make sure your bladder is empty before you arrive, otherwise that woman queuing behind you just might be me.

Sweating the small stuff.

Have you ever hear the saying 'don't sweat the small stuff'? It refers of course to panicking over the little things in life, rather than letting them pass over you in a gentle breeze.

Well today I want to take you on a tour of that small stuff, from a very different angle.

The reference to the 'small stuff' came in the form of a wedding reception I attended recently. As everyone who has ever been married knows, there is almost no end to the plans which need to be made, from the biggies such as where and when to get married, to the smaller stuff such as who sits where. And sometimes in the middle of all this, the detail can be lost. There is simply too much going on.

And I am sure that for this couple there were just as many headaches to account for, as with any other couple making wedding plans. But it was in the attention to the detail of the small stuff, that they elevated their reception beyond what was the norm, turning it into an almost magical event.

The ceremony was not a lavish affair nor was the venue for the reception afterwards but the couple's attention to detail was truly breathtaking.

The word 'buffet' did not do this sumptuous spread of food justice. It was a feast, a banquet of foods that both in volume and scale had required not four but a veritable army of ladies to set it out.

But even that is somewhat par for the course. What really set this fayre apart from all others, was that when the deserts were finally cleared away, the profiteroles, the cheesecakes and all the gateaux, the little army of helpers loaded the table once more...with £350 worth of pick-and-mix sweets for adults and children alike.

Little paper bags were provided, all labelled with stickers of the bride and groom's names and scoops were set across the table, encouraging the guests to fill their little bags to the very brim.

The atmosphere was no longer that of a wedding, formal and stuffy but was instead more like a fiesta or carnival. Everyone loosened up and joined in the fun.

All the tables had been decorated with confetti and glittering ornaments, balloons hung from every table leg and rafter and little filigree cardboard boxes filled with chocolate, adorned the table-tops.

And I can honestly say it was the best wedding reception I have ever attended [my own included].

And all because the bride had sweated the small stuff. She had paid minute attention to every detail. And it showed. 

So sometimes it pays to sweat the small stuff. So to Adele and Kevin, I can say this  in complete honesty:

Your reception was the absolute best EVER! And the fact that I got to dance, drink and be merry...well that was just the topping on my cake.

Congratulations and I wish you every luck for the future!