Food news.qxp_Layout 1 24/08/2020 13:28 Page 1
FOOD & DRINK
TASTY TIDBITS FROM THE CITY’S RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS Mimicking the traditional taste of tequila and the essence of mezcal, the first iteration of Mockingbird also includes ashwagandha to help combat anxiety
ALL THE MARGS, NONE OF THE MIGRAINES During lockdown, tequila sales soared – as did concerns for the amount people were drinking at home, accelerating the launch of an alcohol-free, vegan ‘tequila’ just produced in Bristol. Developed during the darkest depths of lockdown over the course of seven months of rigorous tasting and testing, Mockingbird Spirit is made with Blue Weber agave straight from Mexico, and is the brainchild of 30-year-old firsttime founder Fern McCoy. Having spent years working in the drinks industry on alcohol launches, Fern decided to align Mockingbird with the ‘alcoternative’ sector, focusing on the “vehemently necessary” wellness boom of 2020 in functional consumables. Embodying the spirit of the mockingbird, by mimicking the traditional taste of tequila and the essence of mezcal, tasting notes include sweet vanilla and cinnamon with habanerothis. This first iteration also includes another hero ingredient, ashwagandha. This medicinal herb and adaptogen helps the body manage stress and anxiety by diminishing cortisol levels, and can boost energy levels – a welcome plus for a sober evening. • mockingbirdspirit.com
“The extra space will enable us to show a much greater range of wines, as well as special collections that we have not had room to display in the past. “We will also have our bin-end deals and old favourites, and the shop will allow us to react to customer demand and further expand our popular online and free local delivery service.” Expect rare gems and some killer offers from this long-standing Clifton Village independent, and for a chance to win incredible prizes, including a Pol Roger Champagne Jeroboam, simply pop into the new shop for a browse and leave your email address with a member of the team.
RELOCATION, RELOCATION After 11 years, seven of which have been spent on Kings Road, Clifton’s DBM Wines is set to move around the corner to a much larger premises on Princess Victoria Street. Following extensive renovations, the new shop (previously occupied by Oddbins) has been transformed into a beautifully light and airy space that will soon be home to an extensive and interesting range of great value wines from this respected local wine merchant. “We’ve been extremely excited about this opportunity to expand,” says Richard Davis, partner at DBM Wines.
• dbmwines.co.uk
TOO GOOD TO GO With footfall unpredictable during the easing of lockdown, and bakery produce having a short shelf life, food waste app Too Good To Go is calling on Bristolians to help prevent bread, cakes and pastries from going to waste simply because they haven’t sold on the day they’ve George Walton, head baker been baked. at East Bristol Bakery Bakeries are hopeful that the first-hand experience many picked up during lockdown, thanks to marathon baking sessions, resulted in a greater appreciation for the time and effort that goes into
34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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SEPTEMBER 2020
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No 192
professionally made food. “A lot of what we sell is long-fermented sourdough so the process for each loaf takes two days,” says Rob Hagen, MD of East Bristol Bakery. “A lot of hard work and antisocial hours go into making bread. Making our products requires passionate, caring people who are dedicated to making something with their hands over a pretty long period of time. When you put your heart and soul into something it's devastating to have to throw it away. It’s always a balancing act for fresh food businesses when being mindful of the risk of food not selling and going to waste. If there is a football match or bad weather, it affects our production and it’s so hard to predict these elements in advance. It’s such a relief to me now that I can still sell it the next day through Too Good To Go. We know it will end up in someone’s stomach and not the bin if we’ve accidentally over-produced.” • toogoodtogo.co.uk
