FOOD NOTES

WHAT TO DRINK

TASTING

NOTES

The latest food and drink news from across the county

By MARK KEBBLE

GRAPE news

Wine recommendations for the month

Champagne Lanson Le Blanc de Blancs, France  £69.99

Le Blanc de Blancs has all the characteristics of a great Chardonnay. The wine's delicacy and fi nesse are enhanced by a very pure, mineral fi nish and by the freshness that is the hallmark of the Lanson style. It will pair perfectly with fi sh dishes. lanson.com

Olivier Baudin Brut NV Champagne, France  £29.99

This award-winning

Champagne blend provides a fi ne, toasty, spice hint with brioche characters on the nose, while the Pinot Noir and Meunier elements give a delicious red fruit tang and softness on the palate and the Chardonnay lifts the fi nish. majestic.co.uk

Nicolas Courtin Roseì NV Champagne, France  £24.99

Strawberry fl avours abound in this elegant and fi ne Rosé Champagne. The mousse is lively and the acidity is well balanced with the ripe fl avours creating a harmonious and delicious Champagne, bursting with raspberry aromas. majestic.co.uk

Just desserts

CREAMS CAFE

Sure to banish any lingering January blues, everybody’s favourite destination for larger-than-life desserts, Creams Cafe, is launching a range of ultra-good value bundles that are sure to provide some sweet relief from the post-Christmas blues, without breaking the bank. The bundles are available from 1 January at their High Wycombe and Reading outlets.

Break the rules

SORTED FOOD

Aptly titled ‘Can’t Be Arsed with Rules’, a new launch from Sorted Food includes eight chapters of dishes packed full of hacks from using cheats ingredients to ingenious ways to use kitchen gadgets, all in the pursuit of saving time, e ort and money, but still delivering dishes with maximum fl avour. Following recipe successes with too often shunned ingredients, the team of Sorted Food chefs decided to experiment with ripping up more traditions in everyday cooking. sortedfood.com

Question time

THE FAT DUCK

Three-times Michelin-starred The Fat Duck invited us to enjoy its unique ‘Christmas Edition’ experience recently. Designed around the question ‘what does Christmas mean to you?’, the Christmas Edition took guests who wanted to explore the boundaries of gastronomy on a nostalgic journey, through multisensory dishes, storytelling, interludes and truly original takes on Christmas classics. There were nostalgic nods to traditional Christmas-time rituals embedded in the restaurant’s DNA, ‘Question Everything’. thefatduck.co.uk

GO GREEN

Three to make the most of Veganuary

LOADING BAY CAFE

Load up on plant powered goodness; globally inspired, locally sourced. The Loading Bay in Windsor is a community social enterprise café, who off er a diverse plant based menu, quality speciality coff ee and locally sourced drinks and snacks. 4motioncic.com

CLIVEDEN HOUSE

Innovative, modern British dishes, fastidious preparation by extraordinary Executive Head Chef, Christopher Hannon and his brilliant brigade. Their specially created vegan menu is simply stunning. clivedenhouse.co.uk

BINN

BINN Smokehouse is situated in the heart of Buckingham. It is a great place to go with friends and family, with a great kids' menu and Sunday off ering – plus they have an excellent selection of vegan dishes too. binnrestaurants.co.uk

FISHING

FIXE

THE COMPLEAT ANGLER

The Compleat Angler in Marlow has released a new Prix Fixe menu at a reduced cost of £20 per person. The Prix Fixe menu includes a starter of roast parsnip and apple soup, fi nished with a parsnip crisp and tru e oil, followed by a choice of either herb marinated chicken thigh served with seasonal vegetables, garlic mash and roasted chicken sauce, or vegetable pithivier with root vegetables, spinach and vegetable jus. macdonaldhotels.co.uk/ compleat-angler

BRAY OF

LIGHT

MONKEY ISLAND ESTATE

Monkey Island Estate, the luxurious private island hotel located on the River Thames in Bray, is delighted to reveal its brand new a la carte menu, celebrating timeless British cuisine and the quality produce our country has to o er. This classic menu features infl uences from the chef’s international travels and will elevate the Monkey Island Brasserie experience, adding to the array of dining options in Bray. monkeyislandestate.co.uk