NEARLYWED NEWS

EDITOR’S FAVOURITE

The Cocktail Society is the UK’s leading cocktail delivery service. Their drinks are created by professional bartenders in Oxford using premium ingredients and no additives, resulting in bar-quality varieties every time. Their new one-litre cocktail pouches (£33 - £37) are perfect for hosting guests this Christmas. Each pouch contains 10-12 servings, meaning the cost of one drink starts at only £2.75.

The Cocktail Society also offers a smaller 500ml measure that serves five drinks and a 200ml size that serves two drinks. Their bottled cocktails, which include a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini are perfect for weddings.

The Cocktail Society also sells kits that include all of the ingredients needed to make four of the most popular cocktails, as well as an item of cocktail-making equipment, a snack and a recipe card. The kits are made exclusively with quality ingredients and the luxury packaging guarantees a premium gift.

To shop, visit https://thecocktailsociety.uk

EDITOR LOVES

Check out this quirky roll-top bath that can be hired as a photo tub, a booze tub or a disco tub from the wedding, event and prop hire company The Boho Shack which also offers an extensive range of props and backdrops to rent alongside it. To book, visit www.thebohoshack.net

The latest news from around the counties

STICKS’N’SANTA IS BACK

Sticks’n’Sushi has announced the return of its popular festive set menus, offering guests a tasty alternative to the traditional turkey and stuffing with enticing Japanese-inspired dishes ideal for pre-Christmas get-togethers.

Until Christmas Eve, three set menus will be available for pre-booked tables of seven or more guests, providing the perfect opportunity to celebrate the festive season with a unique fusion of Japanese and Danish cultures. It will be available at all of their restaurants including their Oxford-based one.

The Festive Menu (£40 pp) includes mouth-watering speciality dishes such as the Shake Tataki made with fresh salmon, daikon, cress, kizami wasabi and ponzu, a Red’n’Green Roll made with roasted pepper, avocado, cucumber, yuzu-kosho, shiso and tsume and the Chicks’n’Blankets stick – a playful take on the Christmas dinner staple.

For those who want their Christmas celebration to sparkle a little brighter, the Mistletoe Menu (£65 pp) is also available, including premium dishes such as the lobster korokke starter of lobster croquettes with shiso and lobster mayo or Gindara No Miso made with delicate black cod and miso.

The Green Menu is also available for guests who follow a plant-based diet. Priced at £40 pp, it includes dishes packed with flavour, like the Portobello Tataki confit mushroom made with truffle oil, ponzu, kizami wasabi and daikon, and Imo Yaki sweet potato stick with coriander cress and teriyaki.

Group bookings placed on a Monday or Tuesday will also receive a glass of Veuve Clicquot for each guest at the table as an extra-special Christmas gift from the Sticks’n’Sushi elves (conditions apply).

Smaller groups and walk-in guests are also able to have a little taste of Christmas with three seasonal dishes in addition to the all-new main menu. These are the Robusuta Korokke, Wagyu Aburi Nigiri and Miso Fried Sprouts – the perfect Japanese twist to convert even the most avid sprout-hater!

For guests wanting a seasonal tipple, look no further than the special Pear & Ginger Fizz cocktail made with Japanese whisky infused with cinnamon and cloves, pear puree, lemon juice, gingerbread syrup and topped with ginger beer. Or why not try Matcha Eggnog - a brilliantly creative take on the classic Christmas drink?

To book, visit https://sticksnsushi.com/en/restaurants/london/oxford 9

MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF ATUL KOCHHAR PROMOTES LUNCH IN BUCKS

Twice Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar is offering diners delicious, budget-friendly menus across his three restaurants in Buckinghamshire - Hawkyns, Riwaz and Vaasu restaurants.

Located in the picturesque town of Old Amersham, Hawkyns is situated inside the Crown Inn offering pan-Indian cuisine. Highlights on the extensive menu includes Makali fry crispy squid rings followed by authentic main dishes and a choice of mouth-watering desserts including apple tatin served with cinnamon ice cream. To book, visit https://hawkynsrestaurant.co.uk

In Beaconsfield, the stylish Riwaz restaurant offers tasty dishes such as Amritsari Machhi crispy fried tilapia, Kerala roast chicken with Nadan sauce and milk cake served with cream cheese, Genoise sponge and rose milk. To book, visit https://riwazrestaurants.co.uk

In the well-known gourmet town of Marlow, the restaurant Vaasu is serving dishes inspired by Atul’s travels across India. There’s roasted butternut squash soup topped with pumpkin seeds, artichoke fritters and main dishes include Murg Makhanwala tandoori chicken tikka with rhubarb, chocolate and strawberry crumble to finish. To book, visit https://vaasurestaurant.co.uk

Atul Kochhar commented: “Each restaurant promises fine dishes at wallet-friendly prices that don’t skimp on quality or taste. Our doors are open and we look forward to welcoming you soon.” THE LOCH & THE TYNE ANNOUNCES MAJOR PRICE REDUCTIONS

Adam Handling, the owner of the Adam Handling Restaurant Group, is responding to the rising cost of living at his restaurant The Loch & The Tyne, Old Windsor, by offering a real reduction on the price of the seven-course tasting menu that has been reduced by £25.00 per person and is available now. He is also extending choice on the à la carte menu and introducing a new set-price lunchtime menu.

Awarded an impressive three rosettes at the recent AA Awards in London, The Loch & The Tyne restaurant, rooms and terraces maintains the Adam Handling Restaurant Group’s ethos of sustainable British luxury and already offers the most sought-after and highest-rated accommodation in the Windsor area.

“By reducing our prices, whilst maintaining the full quality of what we do best, we’re helping destination and local guests get an amazing meal with us at even better value, at a time when we’re all feeling the pinch. And we’re giving greater choice for regulars by adding more a la carte dishes, so we can welcome them back more regularly,” says Adam. He continues, “The kitchen team, headed by Steven Kerr and Jonny McNeil, has been using their skills and refined techniques to make sure that every part of the highquality produce we use goes into sensational and seasonal dishes and reduces the emphasis on some of the most expensive ingredients, so we can bring down prices overall.”

The new seven-course tasting menu price has been reduced to £55.00 per head (previously £80.00) and includes lobster, plaice and pork. The plant-based tasting menu has been reduced to £50.00 per person including squash, courgette and cauliflower and the à la carte menu has been extended with a wider choice of snacks, small or large servings, classics and desserts. A highlight on the menu is the lobster rarebit omelette made with St Ewe’s eggs and Cornish lobster. This indulgent dish was created 10 years ago in Adam’s first-ever restaurant.

Other new à la carte dishes include crispy plaice with an anchovy emulsion and a whey butter sauce or Cornish mussels steamed in a green curry sauce. “We’ve opted for a more mix-and-match approach so that guests can have a wider choice of small and large dishes and make up their à la carte menu with options for sharing,” says the well-known chef.

The legendary The Loch & Tyne Sunday Lunch is priced at two courses at £48.00 per person and three courses at £58.00 per person.

To book a table, email: reservations@lochandtyne.com or visit the website www.lochandtyne.com

PEPPERMILLS IN ASCOT CROWNED REGIONAL TAKEAWAY OF THE YEAR AT ARTA

Peppermills in Ascot has been crowned the Regional Takeaway of the Year – South Central, at the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards (ARTA) 2022, the largest celebration of Britain’s vibrant Asian restaurants and takeaway industry. To unveil the finalists, ARTA spotlighted more than 2,370 restaurants and takeaways across the UK that were nominated by more than 700,000 customers of ARTA ‘s strategic partner, ChefOnline which is the digital application to order food and book tables on the go.

The winners were selected by an esteemed panel of ambassadors and judges comprising executive chef and the multi-award-winning celebrity chef Chand Rahman; Mohammed Mujibur Rahman, the ex-mayor of Corby and Graham Taylor, senior chef lecturer of Cambridge Regional College.

Restaurants were awarded based on three key factors: Quality of Food, Quality of Service, and Value for Money, followed by the ARTA score, which includes Food Hygiene Ratings and reviews from websites like TripAdvisor and Google. Restaurants that made it through the first phase were judged and invited to participate in a Cook-Off Competition. The score included various factors including flavour, appearance, texture, hygiene, and aroma.

To book, visit www.peppermillstakeaway.com

DAVID BOSTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD WIN

Photographer David Bostock has just been awarded a Fellowship qualification from the Master Photographers Association (FMPA) with a stunning panel of images of black and white wedding photography, which is David’s speciality.

The five judges commented on the unique style of the images within the panel (all shot on a Cannon 5Dmk4 or R5 or R6 camera) that, when viewed together, formed a cohesive body of work. The commitment to producing photographs of sheer quality was obvious to every member of the judging team.

Fellowship of the MPA is a very difficult qualification to achieve within the photographic profession, as this takes a great deal of time, work and dedication to your art to reach this level. There are only four master photographers with a Fellowship in Wedding Photography in the UK and David, based on the borders of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire is now one of them.

In addition to their images, photographers must also produce an in-depth working profile about work and business practices. This document covers essential elements such as health and safety, that must be understood when dealing with the public, and also documents a photographer’s creative approach and future ambitions.

Couples should only book a qualified professional photographer for their wedding because it’s the only way of guaranteeing the best creative photographs and personal service possible.

David tells us, “It has been a goal of mine ever since I became a professional photographer to obtain the coveted Fellowship qualification. Fourteen years of professional photography, honing my skills week in and week out at more than 500 weddings have brought me to this point and I was completely over the moon to be awarded my Fellowship of the Master Photographers Association in Weddings in September at The Photography show. I have always loved black and white photography since the days I had a darkroom in my teens and did my own processing and my black and white imagery in both the reportage/documentary and fine-art/ fashion areas of wedding photography, along with my colour work, very much represents my signature style. Having been awarded this Fellowship means I can get more involved in training and mentoring other photographers and provide wedding couples with the highest level of photography on their special day.”

To book, call 01865 400 070 or visit the website www.davidbostockphotography.co.uk