Gin Mondays: Elephant Gin and Basil Smash

I've noticed lately that the world's gone mad for gin. Whenever I mention gin on social media it goes mad. If I attend a foodie event, there are always stalls for gin. Palaces that serve just gin are popping up all over the place and there is even mass gin tasting events going on right here in Norwich! We all love gin!

I was recently soaping myself up in the shower (where I do my most serious cogitating) when an idea suddenly dawned on me; Gin Mondays! What better way to lift the spirits and relieve the stress of the worst day of the working week than with a gin and tonic or, even better, a delicious gin based cocktail?!

From now until I've drunk all the gin in the world, I will be having Gin Mondays every other Monday here on the blog. Each time, I'll introduce you to a gin you may not have heard of before. I'll tell you a little bit about it and sometimes I'll have a cocktail recipe or some other recipe to use with the gin. If you're really lucky there may even be a giveaway or two from time to time.

So, now I've justified my midweek thirst for gin told you all about the new feature, it's time to introduce my first star of the show... Elephant Gin!

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?! This really is a gin that is beautiful on the inside and out; as you may have guessed from the name, this gin has something to do with Elephants in Africa. In fact, the founders donate 15% of all profits to two elephant foundations. Isn't that just amazing?!

Now, I love Elephants as much as the next man but what I REALLY love about this gin is the amazing flavour of it. It's infused with 14 different botanicals which gives it a really complex and unique flavour, particularly because some of the ingredients are rare African herbs and fruits you'll struggle to find in any other gin.

One of the fruits used is baobab which is touted as a 'superfood', so a G&T with this gin is practically a health food; like drinking a glass of nutrient-packed juice. Kind of. And of course, the more you drink the better the flavour gets as I'm finding out right now *hic*

Of course, I'm no gin expert (I just know how to drink it and what I like!) so if you want to know more about the production or the company behind it, check out their website.

The complexity of flavour you get with Elephant Gin means it lends itself perfectly to cocktail making and blends well with other flavours. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd give you my Basil Smash recipe to try alongside it!

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Crafty Basil Smash

by Kevin Chambers-Paston August-31-2015

A crafty twist on a classic Basil Smash.

Ingredients

• 50ml gin
• 1 lime, cut in half
• 25ml simple sugar syrup (1:1)
• 8 basil leaves

Instructions

1. Place the basil and lime into a cocktail shaker and smash with a muddler if you have one, or a rolling pin. Really squish those lime halves to release the juice. 2. Add the gin and sugar syrup, then top with ice and shake until ice cold and frosty on the outside of the shaker. 3. Serve over crushed ice with a sprig of basil for garnish. Enjoy whilst still really cold!

Details

Prep time: 5m Cook time: 0m Total time: 5mYield: 1 cocktail

I hope you've enjoyed my first Gin Monday. I know I have! If you have any questions or comments then please do leave them below. If you are a gin distillery and want to get in on some Gin Mondays action, you can contact me using the details found on the 'Disclosure Policy and Enquiries' tab above.

Disclaimer: I was provided a bottle of Elephant Gin free for me to review but I was not paid for this post. As always, I wasn't expected to write a positive review and all views expressed are my own personal opinions.

Mindful Eating

There seem to be a lot of 'faddy' food trends appearing here, there and everywhere lately. If I'm honest, I'm a little uncomfortable with the obsession with everything being 'gluten free, dairy free, raw, vegan dust', particularly when a gluten-free diet may do more harm than good for those of us who are not diagnosed as gluten intolerant.

So, given this surge of new fads, I was quite sceptical when Legal and General contacted me for my thoughts on 'Mindful Eating'. Sounds like some kind of hippy diet, I thought. I was wrong!

Mindful eating, as the name suggests, is all about thinking more about what you eat, listening to your body and tuning in to what it needs. Who can argue with that?!

Since becoming single and living alone, freshly prepared evening meals were a very rare occurrence. A quick pizza or a mug of soup were my staples; quick, easy and reasonably tasty. However, this challenge allowed me to invest more time in actually cooking food from scratch and then enjoying eating it and I really loved the opportunity to reconnect with my food.

Cooking from scratch doesn't have to mean complicated recipes that take hours. The food provided to me was from Hello Fresh and I followed a couple of their recipes as they looked really simple, fresh and delicious. I wasn't disappointed. Here's the 'Tiger Prawn Linguine' and the 'Honey Mustard Sausages with Red Onion Gravy'. Yum!

I'm sure you'll agree, taking a little extra time and consideration over my food has paid dividends in making the dishes a feast for the eyes!

Not only did I cook my meals from scratch, I also took time to sit at the table to eat. I put on some classical music at a low volume for some background noise and actually concentrated on what I was eating. By doing this, I slowed down the pace at which I was eating, giving my body more time to recognise the food and triggering the signals that tell me I'm full long before I'd finished the whole plate of food. I really do think this has meant I ate less during those meals, only giving my body what it needs and not stuffing myself full.

So, now that I've tried mindful eating for myself, will I carry on with it? Absolutely! I will continue eating at the table rather than on my lap and whilst I can't always spare the time to cook a full meal every night, I will do so whenever possible. After all, food has such a massive impact on my physical and mental wellbeing I need to make sure I get it right as often as I can! I've already lost 4 stone in weight over the last 18 months, and I think mindfulness could be the key to losing the last few lbs.

Have you tried mindful eating? Perhaps you're already mindful when it comes to food? Let me know in the comments if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I was provided with food to cook whilst trying out Mindful Eating. As always, I wasn't expected to write positively about my experiences and all views expressed are my own personal opinions.

Jack Daniel's - No. 7 Sour

I was recently contacted by Jack Daniel's to see if I fancied trying out their recipe for a No. 7 Sour. If you know me, you'll know I'm not one to turn down alcohol so my reply was a resounding YES!

Based on the traditional Whisky Sour, this cocktail is a mix of JD No. 7, Angostura Bitters, sugar syrup and lemon juice; I must say, I really did enjoy it!

The JD adds a heat and smokey flavour, whilst the lemon and bitters add a sharpness. The sugar syrup then mellows this all out a little to create a really well balanced and delicious drink.

I made my own simple sugar syrup to use here. It's really easy; just put equal quantities (by volume) of sugar and water in a pan and heat just until the sugar has dissolved. Bottle and store in the fridge.

Isn't my cocktail shaker just gorgeous? I love it; it's made by a company called Mason Shaker from a traditional American mason jar. You can get it online here if you want one too.

Want to make your own No. 7 Sour? Here's how!

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Jack Daniels No. 7 Sour

by Kevin Chambers-Paston August-23-2015

A delicious cocktail made with Jack Daniels No. 7!

Ingredients

• 50ml Jack Daniel's No. 7
• 25ml Lemon juice
• 15ml Simple sugar syrup (1:1)
• 2-3dashes Angostura Bitters

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until mixed and ice cold. 2. Serve in a short glass filled with cubed ice. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest. 3. Enjoy whilst still very cold and strong!

Details

Prep time: 5m Cook time: 0m Total time: 5mYield: 1 cocktail

Cheers, readers!

Disclaimer: The alcohol in this recipe was provided free for me to review this cocktail but I was not paid for this post. As always, I wasn't expected to write a positive review and all views expressed are my own personal opinions.

The Larder List: August 2015

Sorry it's taken a while to get this latest list of goodies online, but it's here now at least!

I hope you enjoy hearing about some of the products I've been trying in the last few months. If you've tried any of them yourself I'd love to hear about it in the comments box below.

Elizabeth Shaw Dark Chocolate Mint Thins

These little treats are a bit like a more sophisticated, better quality 'After Eight'. Perfect after a nice meal, with a smooth dark chocolate sprinkled with strong minty chips which also add a bit of crunch. These didn't last long!

Price: £3.00 per 100g box

Score: 9/10

Wonderbake Utensa Ovenware

I used to think that most oven trays were created equal. Whether cheap or expensive, value or luxury they all do the same job, right? Wrong! These trays are made by Utensa in the UK and I was so impressed with the non-stick qualities I had to make a video to post on twitter about it! See below... I think you'll be amazed too.

Price: Various

Score: 10/10 !

I put the @UtensaLtd non-stick coating to the test and I am very impressed! Wow! pic.twitter.com/Fgp8UbeoRc

— Kevin (@thecraftylarder) August 19, 2015

Blends Ltd Flavours and Colours

This company have made their name by supplying quality flavourings in a commercial capacity to many of the UK's top brands and now you can buy the flavourings from them direct too. I've tried the Sicilian Lemon and the Valencian Orange and I'm very impressed so far. The flavour is excellent and they are super concentrated. 

More testing to do before I can give these a full score... Stay tuned for a recipe or two!

Ashleigh and Burwood Fragrance Lamps

Fragrance lamps are little vessels which are filled with a scented liquid. They contain a wick and a hot stone at the top which burns the liquid and releases the fragrance into the room.

I'd heard about these fragrance lamps a while ago and I saw a different brand (La Tee Da) in a shop here in Norwich thinking it would be the same. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed with it.

However, I contacted Ashleigh and Burwood who were really helpful with fragrance choices and after thorough testing I can confirm it is infinitely better than the other brand. I LOVE this little lamp so much I'm using it every night right now. Not only does it fragrance my whole house when it's burning, the scent also lingers for the next 24 hours so the house always smells wonderful.

I tried the new Amber and Tonka Bean fragrance which for me is a winner. The amber is deep, rich and woody and the tonka bean adds a hint of sweet vanillary loveliness. Perfect!

Price: Lamps start from £20, fragrances £6.49 for 250ml.

Score: 10/10

Slow Cooker Liners

I'd never heard of these until the company contacted me and I'm an avid slow cooker user, but apparently they're big in America.

They are basically a heat-resistant plastic bag which fits inside your slow cooker and reduces the cleanup to just a quick wipe.

I found these were good to use, though a little big for my small slow cooker and sometimes it was hard to spoon the food out as the plastic moves around a bit. Much easier than all that cleaning though.

Price: £1.39 per pack of 4

Score: 7/10

Disclaimer: Some of these products were provided free for me top review whilst others I paid retail price for. As always, I wasn't expected to write a positive review and all views expressed are my own personal opinions.

REVIEW: Donnelli's Pizzaria, Norwich

Like many people, I was sad to hear last year that Tea and Little Cakes (TALC) in Norwich had closed. I used to love it in there and their breakfasts were especially good!

However, rather than mourn the loss I can now celebrate as the fab Donnelli's Pizzaria has opened in it's place. It's a small restaurant with a big wood-fired oven at the back, serving top quality pizza made from scratch with a variety of toppings.

Here's what I thought...

First Impressions 

From the outside, Donnelli's looks really inviting. It's been painted white which makes it looks really fresh and the menu is displayed prominently.

The same look continues on the inside of Donnelli's; fresh and clean, but without being too formal. The tables have a slightly rustic quality to them and there are big candle holders on the tables too, which all adds to the charm. Perfect for a lunchtime occasion or an informal dinner situation. 8/10

Service

The staff were really friendly, with the lady I assume to be the owner particularly willing to chat to me about their lovely pizza oven. You could tell right away that she has a passion and talent when it comes to Italian food.

My only slightly negative comment would be that the waitress's outfit was not particularly modest, with her top being particularly skimpy. It didn't really bother me, but it did seem slightly inappropriate and could put some people off. 9/10

The Food and Drink

I can't comment much on the drink, as I only had a Diet Coke, but what I can say is that it was lovely and cold! (For me, there's nothing worse than a warm Coke!)

A friend and I decided to take advantage of their 'half and half' pizza, ordering half Florence and half Sorrento with a garlic bread and cheese to accompany it. 

The garlic bread was very nice, with the smoke flavour coming through from the oven which had also ensured the edges and the base were beautifully crisp. However, the real star of the show was the pizza.

Again, the base was lovely and crisp as all good pizzas should be and not soggy at all. The edges were puffy and golden too and not doughy. There were a number of toppings across the pizza and all tasted wonderful with a real feeling of quality to them. The tomato sauce in particular was very tasty and fresh.

A slight criticism for the food is that in my opinion there is a lack of choice on the menu. There are a lot of pizzas but it's somewhat difficult to decide which to order as they are all fairly similar. The current list could be cut in half which would make way for some more interesting pizzas, such as a Pizza Blanca with a white sauce base, something including goat's cheese for the vegetarians and I definitely would appreciate more vegetables available as toppings; onions, peppers, mushrooms etc. are delicious on pizzas in my opinion! I also think it wouldn't hurt to have a pasta dish or two on the menu for those who aren't pizza fans but are attending with friends who are. With this in mind, the food gets 7.5/10

Value for Money

The meal was good value with our food and drinks coming to under £15 per person. For food of a high standard, this was a bit of a bargain! 10/10

Overall

To sum up, I think this place is really good and it could be brilliant for me with just a few tweaks to the menu. Make a few small changes and it will be deserving of an even better score than the 8/10 I am currently giving it.

Have you been to Donnelli's or do you have your own favourite pizzaria I MUST visit? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to review this restaurant and they were not aware I would be blogging about my visit. My experience, therefore, represents one of an average customer paying full retail prices. Views expressed are my own personal opinions.

Affogato

I recently told you about my fab new coffee gadget, the Minipresso. Whilst playing with it and looking for recipes that would make a quality shot of espresso shine, I was reminded of the traditional Italian dessert of affogato.

"Affogato" literally translates to "drowned" and gets its name from the method used to create it. In essence, it's a hot shot of espresso poured over rich vanilla ice cream. It can then be left as per the traditional recipe or jazzed up with a variety of toppings. It is the perfect combination of hot and cold, bitter and sweet. A joy to eat.

I ALWAYS have vanilla ice cream in the freezer and will always have coffee too, so this will be the perfect dessert for those last minute dinner guests. It could even be a really fab addition to afternoon tea or a nice sweet treat to enjoy in the summer sunshine.

I'm almost embarrassed to call this a recipe, because it really is super simple but I'll give you all the info anyway, just in case you need it to refer to!

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Affogato

by Kevin Chambers-Paston August-04-2015

A traditional italian dessert of ice cream and coffee. Simple yet divine!

Ingredients

• 1 scoop good quality vanilla ice cream
• 1 shot strong espresso coffee
• Various toppings such as toasted almonds and crushed amaretti biscuits (optional)

Instructions

1. Scoop the ice cream into a glass or cup. Try to keep it in a tight ball so that it melts slowly in the coffee. 2. Optional: Place in the freezer to completely firm up for an hour or so. This will ensure the ice cream stays cold once the coffee is poured on top. 3. Brew the espresso and immediately pour over the cold ice cream. It will start to melt. 4. Quickly top with anything you want; in my example I've used toasted almonds and crushed amaretti biscuits. Delicious! 5. Eat quickly while the coffee is still hot and the ice cream is still cold. If you have lots to prepare, it's worth brewing the coffee in one go and then pouring over really quickly so the first one doesn't melt too quickly.

Details

Prep time: 5m Cook time: 0m Total time: 5mYield: 1 affogato

For more great ideas involving espresso, check out these links from other bloggers:

• Ultimate Tiramisu Cupcakes and Skinny Coffee Smoothie from The Petite Cook
• Coffee Biscuits from Tin and Thyme
• Gluten-Free Tiramisu from Family, Friends, Food
• Espresso Coffee Cupcakes from Mostly About Chocolate