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October Degustabox

November 16, 2017 by Erica Hughes 4 Comments

October Degustabox

The arrival of the monthly Degustabox always leads to a bit of excitement in our house.  There’s usually something new to try, in fact quite a few things.  We like to see what we like and what we might like to buy in the future.

The Nuttvia Breadsticks Snackpack was virtually inhaled by my son not long after this picture was taken.  Unsurprisingly the combination of breadsticks with chocolate and hazelnut spread went down incredibly well. Feel Good Drinks Water Infusions were for me to enjoy. I have to say I preferred the Orange, Mango and Water to the Strawberry and Mint. Kabuto Noodles Thai Green Chicken Curry are a favourite lunch time treat – they are so quick and tasty too. The Pulsin Kids’ Fruity Oat Bars Orange Choc Chip made an appearance in my son’s lunchbox and the empty wrapper was returned which is good news as anything not eaten usually comes back.  I like that it doesn’t contain too much sugar (for a fruit snack) and it’s high in fibre too. When the Heinz No Added Sugar Hoops came out of the box, I realised that I hadn’t introduced my son to hoops at all, so we were soon able to put that right. Valfrutta offered a ready to eat Mediterranean meal.  I had the Basmati Rice & Lentils and it was very tasty – so convenient too.

October Degustabox

I was so pleased to see the Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs as I’ve had these before and they are very moreish.  Likewise my son was chuffed to bits to see Pechkeks Misfortune Cookies for the same reason.  We’ve had a box before and he was very taken with them – they are a slightly different take on the fortune cookie and recommended for Halloween or if you just want a bit of fun.  I’m afraid I’ve never been that keen on Vimto, but my brother loves it and he was very happy to try this Vimto Millions Gift Jar and gave them the thumbs up.  We had some spare ribs in the freezer so we dug them out for the Lee Kum Kee Sauce For Honey Garlic Spare Ribs and they were delicious.  We also got a Lee Kum Kee Sauce For Tomato Garlic Prawns which we have yet to try.  Now my son is adding salt to his food it’s good to have a healthier alternative available so we were happy to try the LoSalt, which has 66% less sodium. A couple of very moreish treats to finish on.  Pip’s Real Hot Chocolate Co Real Hot Chocolate Coins make delicious hot chocolate and are so easy.  They were the perfect match for Michel et Augustin‘s oversized cookies with chocolate chips.

 

Filed Under: Food

Back To The Eighties

November 4, 2017 by Erica Hughes 1 Comment

altered images on stageYou know when you haven’t done something for ages, you can forget how good it is to do.  A few weeks back I received a phone call telling me I’d won some tickets to see Midge Ure at Birmingham Town Hall.  I put it in the diary, lined up someone to go with and forgot about it until this week when I could see it there in the diary.  A bit of quick research on the Birmingham Town Hall site revealed that it wasn’t just Midge Ure we were going to see, but The Christians and Altered Images too, so quite a fest of 80s music really.

This made the evening out a lot more exciting as seeing three bands rather than just one artiste has got to be good, assuming the bands are high quality.  The advantage of a three band bill, as we found out is, that you will know almost all the songs.  With only a short time on stage each, it tends to be the fan favourites that come out with only one or two other songs per set.  This was perfect for us as whilst we liked all three bands we weren’t committed fans of any of them.

midge ure on stage

It’s difficult to pick a favourite out of the three, so I won’t.  I loved Altered Images and their quirky pop songs which started the evening on a happy note.  Clare Grogan has lots of energy and I enjoyed her banter with the audience.

The Christians had apparently had a few drinks (they told us so), but it didn’t impact on the music. Their set covered their biggest hits and got most of the audience up and dancing.

Of course, Midge Ure was the biggest act of the three and had the longest set.  I was surprised how many songs he’d written that I knew including some for other bands. He played a number of Ultravox songs, some of his solo hits and Fade to Grey (a Visage song that he’d co-written).

I think I’ll be looking out for similar lineups in the future.  It’s great to see some live music and getting to see three eighties bands in one night was quite a treat.

Filed Under: General

Fressh, A Vegan Cafe

November 1, 2017 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

vegan cafe birmingham

Vegan food is really on the up in Birmingham and I’ve been invited to sample the cuisine of a few vegan establishments in recent months.  I’m finding within my circle of friends that more people are adopting the vegan diet or simply incorporating more vegan food into their lifestyle these days.  After all as my dining companion, my 10-year-old son, said ‘vegan food is just food’ and it is that simple.  There’s every reason to try to include some vegan options in our diets whether it’s for health reasons, animal welfare concerns, thinking of the environment or just fancying a bit of a change.

Fressh has recently set up in City Arcade (right at the Union Street end near W H Smiths, Sainsburys and Poundland).  It’s really centrally located so it’s perfect if you want a bite to eat while you are out shopping or you pop out of work for some lunch. Sit by the window if you fancy doing a little people watching while you eat, but you can take away your food if you prefer. The decor is really ‘fresh’ too with lots of white and clean lines.  In fact, we got a really fun, fresh vibe from the cafe.

vegan burgers fressh birminghamThe menu is simple and pared down.  Until 11am there’s a breakfast menu available which looked interesting, but we were there for lunch. We liked the names of the burgers: I had a What the Guac and my son had a Son of a Bun. We paired up our burgers (which can be gluten-free on request) with some Baked Skin On Fries, but there are also Baked Kale Fries available.  Our burgers were packed full of flavour and they made a good hearty lunch, which we needed as we had been doing plenty of walking that morning. We certainly didn’t miss the meat or the dairy products.

To wash our food down I had the Organic Coconut Water which I find very hydrating without making me feel I have water sloshing around inside. My guest for the day had Homemade Lemonade, a traditional lemonade with lots of lemony flavour which is just the way he likes it.

The staff are friendly, helpful and eager to please.  From what I overheard when I was eating they seemed knowledgeable about the food and able to answer any questions.

Filed Under: Food

Hilary Leach Natural Therapies Review

October 21, 2017 by Erica Hughes 7 Comments

Hilary Leach Natural Therapies
I first encountered Hilary Leach‘s therapy skills, probably somewhere around 13-15 years ago. As it happened I just rang a clinic that I knew of locally and ended up having an appointment with Hilary, but I quickly realised that I’d got lucky with that call.  At that time I’d go along for the occasional treatment to help me destress after a day taking the sort of flack that a manager in the financial services industry tends to take.  It really helped.  Sometimes I’d have an aromotherapy massage and other times I’d go for reflexology.  On other occasions I’d go to help clear a persistent ailment with an Indian Head Massage or Hopi Ear Candles.

When I was pregnant I had treatments with Hilary regularly, which was a welcome treat and really helped me through my pregnancy.  I had few problems with my pregnancy, despite being an older mother, and I put some of that down to the care I received from Hilary during that time. In fact, we followed a programme of treatments which led to me trying out some new (to me) therapies, including the Bowen Technique and Reiki Healing. Hilary has studied and gained qualifications in a wide range of treatments and is quite a specialist in treating pregnant women and those trying to conceive.  Many therapists don’t have the right qualifications and expertise to treat you when you are pregnant, so it was good to be in safe hands with Hilary.

aromotherapy

After having my son H I didn’t have so much time to go for treatments, but I still managed an occasional treat.  Thankfully though my stress levels have been at a much lower level since giving up my office job, until recently that is.  This year things have moved up a gear or several and I have been visiting Hilary again.  Her friendly manner has a way of putting you at ease and I always feel very welcome and relaxed.

This time I went along for a massage and reflexology combo, which was great as I find it very hard to choose between these treatments as I find both really effective. I just had a back and shoulder massage to begin with and as that is where I carry a lot of my tension it was really valuable. Now that I was feeling relaxed, we moved onto the reflexology which I always find fascinating.  Hilary found evidence of tension in my neck which I wasn’t surprised to hear.  There was an area on my feet though that felt really tender when Hilary reached that part and it related to my adrenal glands, which given my stress levels isn’t perhaps so surprising.

She also tried some of the Bowen Technique moves for tennis elbow on me and they did seem to have some effect and I’m now wondering if I shouldn’t book in to have a proper treatment session for that.

Hilary Leach is based in Harborne in Birmingham.  She provides a wide range of different treatments including relaxation packages. If you are looking for a thoughtful gift, you could consider one of her gift vouchers.

treatment room towels

 

 

Filed Under: Health, Pampering

Dell’ Ugo Filled Pasta

October 12, 2017 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

Dell'Ugo Pasta

Filled fresh pasta is a bit of a family staple in this house and it makes a quick and easy meal, when we are short on time.  I love the fact that they are cooked almost instantly and usually they don’t need a lot of sauce because of the filling.

Dell’ Ugo send me some samples to try and we tried them out for a family meal.  I think though that they are a bit of a grown up sort of taste experience and would be better served to adults. There are some strong tastes and flavours in the range and they might not suit children.

filled dell'ugo pasta

My pick of the bunch was the Asparagus and Mozzarella with Lemon Butter.  These ingredients are basically some of my favourite foods and it’s a great combination of flavours. The pack came with the filled fresh pasta and a little pack of flavoured butter.  After you have drained the pasta, you melt the butter in the pan and return the pasta to the pan to coat the parcels with the sauce. Then serve with parmesan and/or black pepper to your personal taste. I really enjoyed this bowl, although there was slightly too much butter for me and I didn’t feel I needed any parmesan.

filled pasta

Next up was the Goat’s Cheese and Beetroot with Mint Butter variety. This was less successful for me. There was too much butter by quite a long way so it was very greasy and with parmesan as well it was over done.  I wish I’d left the parmesan off as you don’t really need it with the goat’s cheese.

There are 5 fresh pasta meals in the Dell’Ugo range, so there will be one to suit most people.  I liked the fact that you don’t need to buy a separate sauce. It all comes included.

Filed Under: Food

So Much More at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, Redditch

October 6, 2017 by Erica Hughes 7 Comments

Last weekend we were invited along to the Kingfisher Shopping Centre for an experience day. Now I’d never been to the centre, although it’s actually very easy to get to.  We went by car and it was a very easy drive with lots of choice for car parks (if anything I was spoilt for choice and wasn’t sure which would be the best one for me). A friend said they liked to visit by train, which is easy too as Redditch is on the cross-city line that runs through Birmingham.

kingfisher shopping centre redditchInside it was much bigger than I expected.  It was bright and airy with lots of shops.  We wandered around a number of the shops and I was impressed by the size of them and the range.  The Debenhams was quite a big store and as luck would have it they had 20% off a lot of lines, so I was able to get a bargain.  Meanwhile Hawkins Bazaar was popular with my companion for the day. Still I’m getting ahead of myself, we weren’t really there with shopping in mind, although it did form a part of our day, we were there to have some fun.

First off we went to Perfect Nails and Brows.  It was very busy and there were clearly lots of regular clients.  The service was friendly and efficient, plus the staff are skilled at their jobs. I had my nails done with a gel polish and I was very happy with the results.  In fact, today almost a week later I am still very happy with the results as the finish is still near perfect.  I’ve already recommended it to a friend who goes to Redditch regularly.
nails after manicure

Next up we went to Nando’s for lunch. Nando’s was very popular, but everyone who turned up at the door was quickly found a spot.  We were looked after by friendly staff and had a enjoyable meal which set us up for the day.

nandos wrap

After a leisurely meal we strolled over to the Vue Cinema to see a film.  I’d taken a very patient 10-year-old along with me when I had my nails done, so it seemed only fair he should choose the film: Despicable Me 3.

Despicable Me 3

I loved the fact that we found so much to do at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre.  I’d not thought of having a day out there before, but I’d certainly consider it again.  There are plenty of eating places in The Hub and the cinema too, plus there’s even a play centre for the kids.

Filed Under: Pampering, Restaurant

Tamatanga Restaurant Review

October 3, 2017 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

Tamatanga Birmingham

I was invited along to try the cuisine at Tamatanga on Navigation Street in Birmingham.  Obviously here in Birmingham we are well endowed with Indian restaurants, so I was keen to see if Tamatanga could add something new to the mix of Indian dining establishments.

The decor is the first thing that strikes you as you go into Tamatanga.  As you can see it’s quite striking and not what you expect from a traditional curry house and that’s because it’s not, so don’t expect to find any flock wallpaper here. It’s a very modern vibe and generally very comfortable, although the seating in our section was either a little too big for the area, or maybe it needed one less table as it was a little difficult for the waiting staff to get past as the restaurant filled up. I really liked the colourful look and I think it made it clear that the food here was going to be a little bit different and certainly have a modern twist.

cocktails tamatangaWe started the evening sampling the cocktail menu.  I do find that cocktails go nicely with Asian cuisine and generally pick something long and refreshing to drink like this Berry Bombay cocktail made from vodka and pink lemonade with plenty of berries.  There’s plenty of choice on the drinks menu including a range of craft beers including Tailgate Peanut Butter Milk Stout which I wish I’d spotted earlier as I’d have liked to give it a go.chaat bombs tamatanga

We tried a range of starters including the delightful chaat bombs.  These are crisp bread puffs that are filled with chickpeas, sprouts,spiced yoghurt, tamarind & coriander and topped with home-made vermicelli. Crunchy, fruity, mildly spicy: very much my idea of a good starter and very colourful with the pomegranate garnish on top.
salmon indian dishFor my main course I picked out the Tamatanga Salmon and I wasn’t disappointed.  It was wonderfully moist and aromatic. It’s a salmon fillet that’s cooked with a light and fresh blend of tamatanga’s spices and served with their in-house tamatanga chutney.
I certainly think I’ll be going back to Tamatanga, in fact I think my 10-year-old would enjoy the style of the place and the kids’ menu is a little bit different, which I think he’d like.

 

Filed Under: Food

September Degustabox

September 24, 2017 by Erica Hughes 3 Comments

September Degustabox

As ever lots of goodies in this month’s Degustabox.  I’d never thought of making my own egg custard, but Green’s Egg Custard Mix makes that easy.  Another thing that makes cooking easy is this Knorr Concentrated Stock which is perfect for adding to stews or bolognese sauce to add extra meaty flavour.  Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna Steaks are ranked number one in the US by Greenpeace for sustainability which is good to know.  I try to make sure all my fish comes from sustainable sources.

Latin American Kitchen by Santa Maria is the perfect thing for those evenings when you need to prepare your food fast.  There are five different flavours of rice and five different flavours of sauce to choose from, so there’s plenty of variety.

september degustabox

I’d never really thought about beer having gluten in it, but this San Miguel beer is gluten-free, which is great for those who enjoy a beer and have problems with gluten. Cheerios Oat Crisp makes a crunchy start to the day and it contains beta-glucan from oat fibre which is good for the heart as it helps reduce cholesterol.  It’s good that there is such a range of dairy free alternatives to milk now.  In this Degustabox we get to try Dream Ancient Grains made from a blend of oat, spelt, buckwheat and linseed.  I have a full value voucher to try out Seriously Spreadable Squares which are great for picnics or lunch boxes and they are made from tangy Scottish cheddar. Virtue Energy Water is a naturally sugar-free energy drink with the same amount of natural caffeine as a cup of coffee. Some lovely treats too in this month’s box like the Mentos Mint Mix Sharing Pouch and the Green & Black’s Velvet Edition (I’m not prepared to share that one).

Filed Under: Food

Navigating The Balti Triangle

September 6, 2017 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

navigating the balti triangleWe decided to try out a balti house in the famous Birmingham Balti Triangle. For those not in the know, the word ‘balti’ actually refers to the bowl that the dish is served and is thought to originate from the Urdu word balty, meaning ‘bucket’. There are balti houses all over the Greater Birmingham area, but there is a real concentration in the Balti Triangle, also there’s a very Asian atmosphere with lots of shops selling Asian produce or clothing too. We picked out the Diwan Balti because it was on the nearest edge of the triangle to us and looked very promising.  It turns out that we weren’t the only ones who thought so as there were quite a few people in there for early on a Friday evening and it turns out that David Cameron had been there in the past. Apparently David Cameron and his wife Samantha celebrated David’s 46th birthday at the restaurant and you can even order the same complete meal as him as it features in a special section on the menu.

Diwan Balti MoseleyWe started the meal with some popadoms whilst we mulled over our choices from the menu. The service was quick and attentive.  We asked for some starters to be served with the main course and others as starters and all was accomplished as we asked.  We sampled a seekh kebab, made from minced lamb mixed with onion, herbs and spices, cooked in a charcoal oven on skewers.  Also on our wishlist was the chicken tikka and the tandoori chicken (young spring chicken marinated in yoghurt with herbs and spices, barbecued in a tandoor) and both of these had the delicate spicy taste that I’ve come to expect.

naan bread diwan balti

 

For our main course, we had to have a balti of course.  It’s traditional to eat your balti without using a knife and fork and to just tear off pieces of your naan bread to scoop the food onto.  It works very well, but I must admit I prefer to have my balti with a portion of rice mixed in and then share a naan bread with a friend.  This is just what we did.  Having had a chicken starter, I thought a lamb balti would be just the thing for my main course. It’s a medium strength curry, but you can ask the restaurant to tone it down or spice it up to suit your taste buds. I find baltis have quite a light sauce which doesn’t sit too heavily, which is just as well as the portions were generous and the naan was pretty large given it was meant for one.  That said it was quickly snaffled up and in fact, I hadn’t anticipated that my son would eat quite so much of it, or I would have ordered two.

Travelodge kindly sent us along to try out a restaurant in the Balti Triangle and if you are staying in Birmingham and like Asian cuisine, a trip to the Balti Triangle is a must.

Disclosure: This post is in association with Travelodge.

Filed Under: Food

Miss Saigon At The Birmingham Hippodrome

August 30, 2017 by Erica Hughes 6 Comments

miss saigonMiss Saigon is one of those big West End musicals that everyone should take the opportunity to see at least once. I was invited the the Birmingham Hippodrome to see the famous show and sample their special menu themed around the musical’s Eastern setting.  I’d really recommend this approach because it makes for a very special evening and a complete experience.

miss saigon canapesWe started off the evening with some canapes and a lovely fruity Miss Saigon cocktail.

viatnamese prawn summer rollsWe got to try all 4 of the starters on the special menu which was a real treat.  There was White Bean Soup with Basil Pesto which was silky smooth.  I think my pick of the bunch was the Vietnamese Prawn Summer Rolls with Sweet Chilli Sauce as for me these were light, but packed with flavour and everything was cooked just right which takes a bit of doing when you are dealing with such a mix of ingredients.  My second best (and it was quite a close call) was the Salt Beef Croquette with Salad of Mooli, Shallots and Capers.  I loved how the capers cut through and provided a zest and freshness to this dish. I also enjoyed the Goat’s Cheese Mousse with Marinated Tomatoes and Walnut Toast, but I didn’t feel it sat quite so well with the evening’s theme.

Miss Saigon menu main coursesI loved getting the opportunity to try out the mini mains.  It was quite difficult to pick out a favourite.  I enjoyed the Pan-Seared Fillet of Coley with Rice Noodle, Samphire, Ginger and Spring Onion Broth, but I think my top choice would be the Honey-brushed Confit of Duck Leg with Celeriac Puree, Bok Choy and Star Anise Jus as it was packed full of deep duck flavours with the celeriac  providing a good foil.

Another favourite was the Chilli & Coriander Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Soy & Sesame Braised Savoy Cabbage, which combined tried and tested British flavour combinations with Asian spices.  The Yellow Curry Lentil Scotch Egg with Asparagus and New Potato Salad was a bit of a revelation as I would never have picked a scotch egg to order off the menu, but I did enjoy it.

Off to see the musical where we spent the first half enjoying the developing love story of Kim and Chris against the backdrop of the Vietnam war.

Miss Saigon dessertsAt the interval we had our desserts.  I’m afraid the Matcha Green Tea Panna Cotta with Kalamansi and Sesame Tuille, but I’m not very keen on matcha tea and I think that flavour didn’t help make it a winner for me.  I enjoyed the Poached Peach and Pistachio Cake, but for me the stand out was the Bitter Chocolate Tart with Lychee, Strawberry & Mint Compote.  The chocolate tart got the perfect balance between bitterness and sweetness, plus you could clearly taste the quality of the chocolate that had been used to make it.

Back to the musical for a dramatic, if very sad, second half where I learnt a lot of about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the children left behind.  An evening to remember.

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I'm Erica Hughes: a keen foodie and amateur cook. I write here about my passions in life including good food, fine wine, plus the little luxuries that make life worthwhile. Read More…

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