Valentines - Share the Love

I love Valentine's Day - because it is an opportunity to tell someone you love them, and frankly there are never enough opportunities to show and share love.

I've heard the complaints.  The bitterness, and the despair.  I've listened to the rant about commercialisation.  I take all points on board and disagree entirely.

YOU CAN NEVER TELL SOMEONE YOU LOVE THEM TOO MANY TIMES

Ever!

Of course we don't need a day where we have to do this - we should be doing it everyday.  But we are stuck with Valentines, so rather than being a hater, I say to you embrace it, but embrace it on your own terms and from a position of LOVE.

It doesn't have to be all about couples either.  I have heard the single rant, and as someone who is single this year, again I completely disagree, and I say to everyone bemoaning the fact they aren't sharing love with a partner today - Get Over Yourself.  Go out there and share the love with your friends, your family, your connections.  Don't make it all about 'the one' there's plenty of love to go round.

Sometimes on Valentines day I gather all my single friends together, and we have a five course dinner, we laugh and joke, and generally just love on each other.

This year I am spending Valentines with one of my best chums and we are going to laugh, drink bubbles, and eat copious amounts of deliciou food.  I am excited.  I will never have the opportunity to hang out with her on this day again.  Once its gone, its gone.  I celebrate our friendship.

This heart shaped box of chocolates from Marks and Spencer is one of my favourite gifts.  Gifts don't need to be lingerie, or diamonds, they can be chocolates and a cuddle.  Can you think of anything better than snuggling with loved ones and sharing these delicious morsels.  With flavours like mint and raspbery, praline truffle and duche de luche, they are downright delicious.  If you are going to eat chocolate, I always say, eat it well.

I shared this box with family and friends just the other night, I made a fuss of them, told them I loved them, and we had fun eating the chocolates as we planned a wedding.

I haven't told you yet have I - I am up to my eyes in wedding preparations for my brother and my beautiful sister in law - Sarah.  We are organising a Vietnamese Irish celebration that is all about love.

 Live in the moment, don't put things off for one day, enjoy a box of Marks and Spencer Chocolates for Valentines with your friends or your lover.  

This week in preparation for Valentines, I called into Marks and Spencer and stocked up, on possibly the most fun and funky chocolates.  These little bars come in packs of around 25 bars, each with a gold wrapper and paper label, some with great words on them.  I have bought several packs and sent groups of the individual bars to my friends.

Scattered over a dinner table, or a coffee table, they make a romantic and delightful addition to your table.  Whether you are eating four courses or just eating chocolate and watching romantic movies, do it, while you are enjoying eating little mouthfuls of chocolate.

Celebrate love all year round.

Marks and Spencer do fantastic 'Dine in for Two' meals all year round.  These are exceptional bargains, and the quality of the food and wine, is that of a regular restaurant.  In fact one of Belfast's Michelin Starred chefs told me just the other day - 'Its not other restaurants I have to compete with, it's Marks and Spencer, dine in for two.  That's my competition.  And those meals are brilliant.'

We started with roasted cherry tomato and Camembert tartlets, which has the lighted flaky puff pastry, which I cooked to a real crisp encasing creamy cheese with the tomatoes adding a sweet sharpness to the rich flavours. 

For mains there was beef Wellington, served with green beans, peas, and crunchy cabbage.  The meat had a rich flavour, that sat nicely with the freshness and spring aromas of the veggies.

There were lots of other options for mains and puddings, including a main course of whole Seabass, and fennel which my brother and his finance are buying for themselves for tomorrow, as they celebrate Valentines over a Marks and Spencer, Dine in for two.

The dry fizz of the cava that ended with a sweet taste and some slightly sour top notes, gave me a sparkling wine that worked perfectly with chocolates.  Marks and Spencer have put a lot of thought into planning this meal, to make every part of it enjoyable.

There were triple chocolate mousses that had a sweet, then bitter taste, then milkly taste.  Each chocolate actually tasted as it should of chocolate, and not just sweetness.  The lightness of the pudding perfectly accompanied the richness of the Beef Wellington, and the Camembert Tartlet.

To finish we had a gooey chocolate brownie that had been covered in a thick layer of chocolate and some sparkly hearts.  There was a really rich chocolately flavour, with an intensitity that brought a smile to my face, as so often chocolate desserts disappoint.  This one was perfect served cold.  But we also warmed it up and then drizzled some double cream laced with baileys over the top.  

In this time of nail biting recession, eating at home has never been more popular.  I have always preferred eating at home to eating out, because I love to cook and entertain.  Plus on Valentines, you want to be alone with either your lover or your friends and family, you don't want the fakeness of a restaurant setting.  But you do want restaurant quality food, and Marks and Spencer have this in abundance.

Eating a delicious dinner with the Dine in for Two deal especially for Valentines from Marks and Spencer, means your Valentines day has never been easier.  Light some candles, decorate your table, and enjoy the fact you are loved, and share your love.

They say those that love the best, love the most.

HAPPY VALENTINES

That's it for now...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Gong Hei Fat Choi! Happy Chinese New Year

Gong Hei Fat Choi!

Happy Chinese New Year, wishing you Happiness and Wealth and Joy.

 Chinese New Year festivities start on the first day of the lunar month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest.  This year the festival starts on 10 February 2013, is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar.  Also known as the Spring Festival it celebrates the start of new life and a season of sowing and ploughing.  

In 2013 the Chinese are welcoming in the year of the Water Snake.  People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be intuitive, private and reticdent, as well as wise.  Regarded as great thinkers, they like to live a peaceful life in a quiet environment.

Crispy Aromatic Duck - the mix of heady aromatics, Chinese Five Spice, Hoi Sin Suace, and succulent crumbly meat, wrapped in little pancakes with slithers of spring onion and cucumber is a combination which is very difficult to beat. Marks and Spencer Crispy Aromatic duck is one of the finest I have tasted. Placed in a very hot over the skin crisps quickly without drying the meat. Peking duck is very difficult to make at home because of the process of curing the meat, and basting and cooking, over severals hours. This duck was restaurant quality but served at home, and its server without MSGs or other nasties.

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Duck spring roll - the sweet and savoury heady mix soft sweet duck and Chinese Five Spice, which interestingly sometimes continues seven spices, served in crispy crunchy rice pastry, takes some beating. Marks and Spencer have got these duck spring rolls down to a tee, and they make a perfect nibble to serve with drinks or they can be served family style, along with everything else.

Chinese culture is filled with fascinating tradition and ritual, New Year is no different.  Before the festivities start, Chinese people usually spring clean their houses.  Believing they are sweeping away any bad luck. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, dustpan and brushes are put away so that good luck can not be swept away. Houses are decorated with paper scrolls with good luck phrases such as 'Happiness' and 'Wealth'. 

Mini spare ribs - always a winner in my house especially when there is rugby on. The sweet sticky sauce, over broiled then roasted meat is just right in these Marks and Spencer Creations. They disappeared very quickly.  I will know in future to get in more than one box.

A Chinese friend of mine told me it is good to celebrate Chinese New Year with foods that are well seasoned with pepper and basil, ginger and cinnamon, cloves and chili, coriander and nutmeg because bold flavor is associated with the year of the snake.  Red food is very important at this time of year because the colour red symbolises fire which will scare away evil spirits, so people dress in new red clothing.

Veg spring rolls - I absolutely love spring rolls, and these little fellas are just the ticket. Cooked again in a hot over, the rice pastry crisps to a crunch, and the inside remain juicy. I served them with a jar of Chilli and Mango Chutney, which has quickly become a staple in my home. This chutney, works brilliantly with Asian food, but also a jar of it mixed with some sliced chicken fillets, and cooked slowly in the oven, served with a spinach salad, makes a very popular tea in my house. My tip is to always make sure there is plenty leftover for lunch the next day, it wraps perfectly into sarnies or as a filling for a baked potato

Families get together for a large traditional meal, after which they stay up to midnight to let off fireworks to frighten away evil spirits.  On New Year's Day children will wake up to find a red envelope filled with money and sweets under their pillows left by their parents and grandparents.  This year I celebrated Chinese New Year with my soon to be sister-in-law Sarah and some scrumptious dishes from Marks and Spencer.  Their dishes are the best you will find on the high street, and the research that has gone into making each dish has taken the team to seek advice from some of the top Chinese chefs in the world.  Like David Chang at his legendary New York restaurant, Momofuku SSam Bar, who is the king of Pork Buns.

Char Siu Roast Pork in Chinese style BBQ sauce - Somehow the Chinese do BBQ unlike any others, except perhaps for the Southern States of the USA, and then again, the flavour combinations are different, but both somehow achieve a balance of sweet and south, depth of flavour, with a slightly zingy flavour left on the tongue. This roast pork with tender, and not in the least fatty or greasy, a normal complaint when eating pork, and had a melt in the mouth consistency.

Beef in black bean sauce - tender strips of broiled beef, served in a rich sauce that had a peppery bite, with chunks of soft red pepper that brought a sweet depth to the dish, enhanced the smooth finish on the tongue in terms of final taste.  Add to this the crunch of water chestnuts and you are somewhere near a perfect bite combining, soft and succulent, spicy and sweet, with crunch and texture. This was one of my favourite dishes of the evening. The sauce was absorbed by the fried rice, which actually tastes more like boiled rice, with lovely bits of soft omlette and peas - fried rice, without the greasy aftertaste is something very difficult to achieve, and Marks and Spencer, execute it very well here.

One of my favourite things about eating Chinese food, is the way it is eaten - family style. A range of different dishes and textures, flavours and colours all served in the middle of the table for people to share is the perfect way to eat. I love how eating in this way encourages conversation, and interaction at the dinner table, something always to be encouraged when children are around.

Children are very important at Chinese New Year, and they are an intrical part of the celebration. The layers of flavour, the ease of cooking, the quality of the meat and the taste of the Chinese Food from Marks and Spencer, make it easily the best food Chinese Food on the High Street, it is so good in my opinion that I would have to be eating at a really good Chinese restaurant to beat it.

 Gong Hei Fat Choi!

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable 

Pick up some Pink Port

The room was packed with tables laden with bottles, glasses were clinking and people were josling to try, any array of wines.  Luvians Wine Fair in St Andrews, Scotland was packed.  In the corner was a man with an interesting looking bottle, and some tasting glasses.  He had one bottle on his table.  One.  In a room filled with bottles, and tables covered with them he stood out.

I made my way over.

'Would you like to try some' his Edinburgh accent asked me, as he lifted up a tight nosed tasting glass and swirled it around.  Handing it to me, he added, 'What do you think it is?'

I glanced at the bottle, then at his brown eyes hidden under a mass of silver hair.

'Port' I murmered, 'is it port?'

'Yes, but this isn't just any port. Tell me what you taste.'

The liquid was light, fruity, with flavours of cherry and strawberries, and the bottle had a clean, modern design.  I was attracted to it.

'This is a port for you ladies.' the white haired gentleman told me, explaining how Port's stuffy imagine for old men in dark clubs filled with smoke, was alienating women.

Marks and Spencer's Pink Port is designed specifically for women, its lean, long and clean bottle, with light branding, make it something I want to pick off the shelf and hold in my hands, wrap in tissue and bring home, or give to friends as a gift.

Pink Port is not in the slightest bit traditional and all the more attractive to my palate for that.  It is light, floral, and fresh, delicious poured over ice with a splash of tonic.  The cherry, strawberry notes are prominent, there is more depth and flavour than rose wine, however, it is quite sweet.  

Serve it ice cold as an aperitif for those who aren't fond of bubbles at Christmas, or with a milder cheese at the end of the feast of food that will be shared on Christmas Day.  Dribbled over some soft chevre, which is then spread on salty crackers is the food of midnight feasts.

Marks and Spencer Pink Port would make a uplifting and lightness to your Christmas dinner drinks, and its great to bring to parties as a gift for the hostess.  

If you want to introduce young adults to Port this Christmas, Pink Port would be a superb place to begin drinking this smooth fortified wine.  

What is your favourite type of Port?

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Christmas Present Shopping at Marks and Spencer for Foodies and Friends

Marks and Spencer is always one of the shops I do a lot of my Christmas shopping in both for gifts, home decore, and Christmas food.  Today I am going to share with you some of my favourite things for Christmas Gifts from Marks and Spencer.

There are few things more pleasurable at Christmas than the smell of mulled cider, wine or juices.  I seem to constantly have a perserving pan filled with spices and liquids simmering away on my stove, when I am expecting company or even just to fill my house with the smells of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and orange.  THe aroma is inviting and the liquid warming and robust to drink.  Serving mulled drinks can be a bit of a pain and this red jug with Scandanivan designs is just the thing.

You can never have a big enough bowl or a sturdy enough wooden spoon in your kitchen.  I love colour, especially red, and this huge bowl is perfect for mixing cakes, cookies and bread in, and these spoons will mix even the stiftest of doughs.  What is it about wooden spoons, that they bring so much pleasure to the mixer! I love them, and use them constantly.

 

These cake stands make me smile.  The little one is a good size for children to leave Santa a mince pie on Christmas eve, while the larger one would work for a whole array of Christmas purposes - cake, buns, mince pies, and cheese.  These to me are items that will bring years of pleasure and use.

Vetiver is one of my favourite scents, I love its sharp citrusy burst, with a herby undertone.  This Vetiver candle has a full scent that fills a room with freshness.  A pleasant change from all those synthetic Christmas candles out there, that do nothing but fill my head with headaches!

Christmas is all about peace and these mugs with their peace and love messages allow words of life to be declared over everyone who drinks from them.

Tins of sweet biscuits are always handy to have in the cupboard at Christmas, offering a little something to give to visitors or last minute callers to your home, especially if you haven't had time to keep your tins full of baked goodies over the entire Christmas period - from experience I know that is no mean feat.  I love the mesage of joy this tin brings, and I can't wait to fill it full of lovely things and use for years to come.  JOY is another message of Christmas.

I have lots of little people to get small gifts for at Christmas, and I don't buy pointless presents.  I love to give presents that bring people joy, and I have never seen a child's face not erupt into a huge smile the moment Percy Pigs are produced.  These presents are both yummy and practical. For some of the children I have been teaching to cook this year, the Percy Pig timer will be perfect to help them time their own poached eggs, while the mug and keep sake time will get continual use throughout the year, and the tin with the biscuits is perfect for keeping pencils in after the cookies have been consummed.

I love candlelight, and these glass candlesticks make a great addition to any dining table.  I will be using them throughout the year, as nothing but nothing beats eating by candlelight.

I love chocolate but not just any chocolate - it has to be dark and delicious.  At the end of dinner rather than serve some sort of creamy concoction I have often been known to skip pudding and instead serve bowls of chocolates.  

These Chocolate Almonds bring a flakely almond together with a coating of dark chocolate and a dusting of cocoa powder, they are delicious with a coffee or on their own.  Salted Caramel seems to have been the flavour of 2012, these little balls have a crunch of chocolate and are filled with runny salty caramel, balancing sweet and salty.  

The mint chocolate buttons are perfection.  I really don't like fondent filled dinner mints, what I do love is mint chocolate, and these mints combine the darkest chocolate with pungent mint oil.

Any of these boxed chocolates would make a hostess gift that would be well received, or a great present for doctors, dentists, hairdressers and the like - they are decadent and delicious and packaged in rich chocolate and gold colours, which makes looking at them very appetising.

Serving a bar of chocolate at the end of dinner, especially one filled with crunchy macademia nuts, and chewy caramel nuggets makes of a delicious pudding that lifts the palate after a heavy meal.  I love to serve broken bars of chocolate after an apres-ski fondue, or a heavy roast dinner.  Best of all these chocolate bars are make in Ireland, by Lir Chocolatiers.

How is your Christmas Shopping going?  I hope these ideas have helped you fill the parts of your list that were causing your concern.

Merry Christmas,

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Have you got your Advent Calendar yet?

December is two days away.  Can you believe it?  Just where has 2012 gone?  What has this year been like for you?

For me this has without doubt been one of the fastest years of my life.  Going through some of the year was like treading water in treacle, other parts like swimming in the aqua blue waters of a warm sea.  But day by day 2012 has slipped away and just outwith a month the year will be gone, and we will be onto new things.

The end of November has always been the beginning of a countdown, the start of Advent, a time when we wait with eager anticipation the opportunity to celebrate the birth of a baby who changed the world.

I have always marked Advent with a calender.  We would go with Mum at the end of November to Marks and Spencer to buy our calendar, and it would be brought home, as if we had been given a treasure of the finest gold because we knew this calendar meant the beginning of Christmas.

As children my siblings and I took it in daily turns to open the little doors of the calendar always relishing the day when it was our turn.  

With each little door we opened we knew we were one day closer to the big event the day Santa came, and the day we celebrated the birth of Jesus.  Behind each door were small chocolate shapes that often unbeknownest to our parents made their way into our mouths before breakfast.  

German friends of mine told me that the origins of the Advent Calendar come from German Lutherans, who as early as the beginning of the 19th Century, marked the countdown of the first 24 days of December with a physical action - the marking of a chalk line on a doorframe, the lighting of a candle, the reading of a piece of scripture.  1851 is the date of the first handmade Advent calendar, with the first decade of the 20th Century, seeing the introduction of commerically printed calendars.

It has been suggested that German printer Gerhard Lang, started the commercialisation of printed Advent Calendars from 1908, in his Munich based firm Reichhold and Lang.  To start with the calendar was simply 24 individually printed pictures that could each day be fixed to a larger piece of cardboard.  He then introduced the doors for people to open several years later, and the calendar we know today was born.

During World War Two the Advent Calendar disappeared to save paper, but was reintroduced to bring hope to the war weary Germans by Stuttgart printer Richard Sellmer after the war.  It wasn't long before the calendar had been seen by other companies around the world, Cadbury's being one, starting making Advent calendars with little doors hiding nuggets of chocolate.

This year I have chosen a Spencer Bear Advent Calendar, from Marks and Spencer to countdown the days until Christmas Day.  The calendar has 24 pieces of British made milk chocolate, and a cardboard cutout on the back, that makes a homemade Christmas Cracker.  I am looking forward to my first piece in just two days time.  

Advent Calendars are wonderful for adults as well as children, because they teach us to wait with expectant hearts, and remind us that the best things come after a period of waiting.  And, in a world of instant gratification learning to wait is a key skill for life.

May I wish you a joy filled Advent, as you wait with expectation for Christmas.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Marks and Spencer Asian Range Review

Although Asian food cannot be pin-holed into one particular food type, with each region in each country having what can almost be described as a specific food culture, I can say without doubt that I love the layers of flavour, the colours, the textures and the vitality that can be found throughout Asian cooking. 

 

Where does your experience of Asian food come from? Has it started and stopped at the Chinese takeaway?  Places that serve one food outwardly to customers and consumes another completely different and much more refined cuisine inwardly.

It is really sad that for many their only experience of Asian food is a forgettable experience of grease, sugar, salt, rubbery meat and what I like to term ‘deep fried delights’.  Food that sits in the belly and reminds with increasingly regularity as you try to digest it, that it really wasn’t a great choice.  And, not to mention it was a choice that came with a hefty price tag of over 2,000 calories.

 

I have always been fascinated with Asian food.  Yes, my first experience of it was in a Chinese Restaurant, but this was a restaurant, serving reasonably authentic Chinese food.  From the moment I tasted the combinations of sweet and sour, succulent and crispy, potent fiery spice and soft soothing tea, crunchy vegetables and softly steamed rice, lightly fried soy noodles with beansprouts, bathed in steamy soups, I was in heaven.  It seemed instinctive to me that there was so much more to Chinese food than what was on offer on restaurants menus.

In fact for my 9^th or 10^th birthday I persuaded my Dad to build me a gas ring to use my new wok on, as I worked my way through Ken Hom’s ‘Wok Cookery for Beginners’ and a whole new world of cookery opened up before me.  This was a counter intuitive way to eat for a girl who had been raised on endless stews, potatoes and breads.  Here was food exploding like a firework with flavour, that made everything else seem bland in comparison.

 

Although I haven’t made it to the Asian continent yet, I have eaten Asian food in Chinatowns across the world and have had the pleasure of eating amazing dishes cooked for me by friends from Vietnam, China, and Japan.  Authentic food, cooked without msgs, excess deep frying and endless calories.  Food that tastes of something, that is elegant and refined, with layers of flavour. 

Trying to get food like this in many Chinese Restaurants in Britain unless you specifically know where to go is difficult, if not downright impossible in the main.  The only other option is to go with someone from the East, like I am able to do with my future sister-in-law Sarah, who was born in Vietnam but has lived in Northern Ireland since she was 4.  When we go into restaurants together Sarah will often be given another menu written in Cantonese and she will suggest things for me to try that absolutely delight my palate.  Since she and my brother have been together my tolerance for chilli has increased 20 fold, I am still not quite at Sarah’s level yet, but I do love things hot and spicy.

When I heard about Marks and Spencer new Asian Range, without doubt I knew Sarah was the lady to try the dishes with me.  The Asian range has 26 dishes and refreshingly they aren’t the normal starters, mains and sides, but a selection of dishes - bento boxes, noodle bowls, curries, salmon and rice, and of dim sum – these are dishes that can be brought to work, snacked on, served to friends for dinner. 

 

They are dishes that in my mind will replace those from a local takeaway, because they are properly made, with well sourced ingredients, and thought out combinations.  But for me importantly, they are healthy.  If I have had a long day where cooking is not an option, or I know I am having some friends over and we want to eat Asian food without going to a restaurant or cooking ourselves, then buying a dish from the Marks and Spencer Asian range, gives me several things –

-       A selection of dishes to choose from

-       A healthy dinner, that is made from fresh ingredients

-       Food that can be prepared quickly with a minimum of fuss

-       Food that has the tastes and textures of the Far East

-       Food that makes my eyes, palate and tummy smile

-       Food that isn’t laden with calories or transfats, or grease

-       Food that I would be happy to share with friends and family

 

Since I have first eaten from this range, there have been several times I have stopped off at my M&S food store on the way home, rather than lift the phone to call for a takeaway.

To find our more about how the range was developed I spoke with Caroline Crumby, M&S Global Meals Developer about the range, I asked her why Marks and Spencer, who have always had a traditionally based Cantonese inspired food range, decided to create a new selection of dishes, she told me,

‘There is a wider trend for more contemporary Modern Asian dishes, as seen at places like Wagamama with their noodle bowls etc and we (Marks and Spencer) wanted to create a range that had all the tastes of Asia – but wasn’t pigeon-holed into a certain country’s cuisine. Modern Asian is intended as a more contemporary take on Asian food that is not constrained / defined by one cuisine rather influenced by several ( i.e. Japanese,  Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian ) whether in terms of dishes, ingredients or techniques.’

Caroline went on to tell me that the range was developed with trips throughout Asia, and to the vast Chinatowns in London and New York.   I asked her what was the most interesting dish she ate during the development period -

‘The most  unusual dish I have eaten as we developed this range was at the Moma Fuku Ssam bar (NYC): Bo Ssam with slow cooked whole pork “butt” , oysters, kimchi, ssam jang Korean bbq sauce, steamed rice and lettuce wraps.’

Asian food is intricate, freshly cooked and has a myriad of flavours, as we tasted the Asian Range, we felt that Marks and Spencer, had got managed to capture the freshness and vitality of the continent in their dishes, as well as steps of flavours .  I was interested to find out from Caroline how they managed it –

‘There is a lot of complexity in Asian food in terms of building layers of flavour and texture, which we wanted to be faithful to, so we use a lot of master stocks, sauces and fresh herb and spice pastes to deliver this, as well as raw fresh vegetables for crunch / texture and different cooking techniques to finish e.g. we use a wok for some of our dishes to deliver a smoky authentic “ breath of the wok“ flavour.’

And now, I think y’all are wondering, what did you eat, what did you try, what did you think of the flavours, did Sarah think they were authentic?

Teriyaki Salmon – had a light and fresh flavour, the fish had a full flavoured flaky texture, and the black rice had a zingy dressing with a sharpness from the chilli, and the crunch of the sugarsnap peas, nicely sat with the soft fish.  This was one of Sarah’s favourites.

Crispy Vegetable Dim Sum – these are handmade in Vietnam Caroline told me and the myriad of textures – rice cones, crispy spring roles and crunchy potato balls – with soft and full fillings, made them fun to eat, the textures and tastes playing with the palate, inviting it to eat more.  I made a dipping sauce for them with soy sauce, and grated ginger and garlic.  These were among my favourite dishes.

Steamed Prawn Dim Sum – Sarah thought these were the most authentic of all the dishes, and nearly as good as her families homemade one’s.  The bun was made with rice pastry and filled with Tiger prawns, courgettes, Chinese Chive Flowers, Black Cap Mushrooms, chilli, Garlic, Ginger and shallots.  The soft bun’s contrasted against the crunchy vegetables and prawns.

Prawn Toast Baguettes – where crunchy and succulent with a sweetness coming from the shredded coconut.

Crispy Prawn Dim Sum Selection – these were light and crispy without a heavy oil aftertaste.  They all had different textures – the wontons had a siu mai pastry, while the spring rolls were made with wheat pancakes. Overall balanced flavours of ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander came through.

Sticky Peanut Chicken – this was without doubt my favourite, you can read my separate post of this dish here.  The chicken had been chargrilled which brought a slight smokiness to its flavour, the meat was thigh, so it was sweeter with a deeper flavour than breast, while the vegetables were crunchy carrots, sugarsnap peas, spring greens.  Everything was brought together in a sweet sour ginger, garlic, lime, sesame and peanut dressing.  This is a dish that I can see myself picking up to eat in work for lunch.  It was flavoursome and I felt wholesome eating it, I also felt like I had eaten well, but without feeling stuffed, I felt this came not only from the mixture of flavours, but also the fact the noodles were rice, rather than wheat.

Green Thai Spiced King Prawns – were fragrant and pleasant to eat, they had a freshness which came from the lime, soy and coriander, which was nicely balanced, with the coconut and and chilli in the dressing.  Pak Choi, Spring Greens, and sugar snap peas, brought a lift to the dish both in terms of texture and flavour. 

Multigrain Rice – brought together several types of rice in one bowl – Jasmine, Longrain, Red and Wild rice, mixed with adzuki beans, ginger and sesame oil.  Rice is often seen as a main meal in Asian households, no just as a side dish, this mixture of rices, and dressing really brought this dish centre stage, it would be perfect on its own with some steamed or stirfried vegetables.  I loved the rich dry taste of the sesame and the sweetness of the rich.

Sticky Jasmine Rice – was flavoured with lime leaves, bringing a sharpness that contrasted well with the sweetness of the jasmine and brought a lovely aromatic taste to the palate.

Chicken Penang – was a rich noodle dish served in a soupy coriander and coconut lime sauce.  This mixtures of fish sauces give the dish a real kick.

Red Thai Spiced Duck Curry – this dish was very heavy and creamy, and the layers of flavour weren’t quite so obvious beneath the coconut cream.

Beef Massaman – was rich and coconutty, it was a very traditional Thai dish.

Sriracha Hot Sauce - A brilliantly spicy, hot chilli, loaded with fish sauce, sauce.  Perfect to bring heat and eye watering warmth if you add enough to any dish.

The Sticky Peanut Chicken, Multigrain Rice, Steamed Prawn Dim Sum, Teriyaki Salmon, Green Thai Spiced King Prawns and Peanut Chicken stood out to our palates.  With each of these dishes, the flavour came in layers, first spice, then sweet, then salt, then depth of flavour.  The textures were clever and the sauces light rather than creamy and heavy.

This is a range that I look forward to eating from time and time again.

Have you tried the Marks and Spencer Asian Range?  As we head into the party season, I highly recommend it, because the dishes are quick to prepare, nutritious and taste so much better than anything from a takeaway.  Not to mention the fact that because they are from Marks and Spencer, I can rest assured that the ingredients have been properly sourced.

That’s it for now …

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Thankful for M&S - month of thanksgiving

chocolates created for Marks & Spencer by Irish company Lir Chocolates

These chocolates are smooth with firm rich flavours. My favourite was the praline, which combined wafer thin dark chocolate, with a thin piped drizzle, with an inside that was soft and filled with the tiniest slithers of crunch.  The taste of the chocolate confirms its quality and high coco count.  

For my winter dinner table I love the idea of having a Christmas tree made from chocolates, served with rich coffee, after a cheese board they to away with the need for pudding.  There is nothing nicer after a rich meal than a chocolate or several.

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to go to Dublin for the Marks & Spencer Christmas food show.  We tried meats, cheeses, chocolates, mince pies, and gingerbread men, all made by Northern Irish suppliers for Marks and Spencer.  

mince pies created for Marks & Spencer by Genesis Breads, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

I am not really a mince pie fan - either making or eating them.  They just don't appeal and I usually end up with a clawing feeling in my mouth.  Making them takes ages, all that rolling and cutting, and mixing to make good mincemeat. However, I am going to have to think about rethinking my opinion on mince pies after eating these little bites.  

I spoke with one of the six baker brothers at Genesis who created them, and I am hoping to visit the bakery soon, to see them being made.  The secret I think is a really short, butter pastry. Rolled very thinly it has a crunch which melts away on the tongue, and the filling is a boozy juicy berry combination.

Today I am thankful for how a global company like Marks & Spencer uses businesses in Northern Ireland to make and grow their produce/products creating opportunities for wonderful food from this tiny country to be eaten all over the place.

Today I am thankful Marks & Spencer have branding on their items that says 'made in Ireland' it is something to celebrate how a multinational firm uses local businesses to create their products. I love supporting local business & through my shopping at Marks & Spencer and am also thankful that I can support the economy on this island - Ireland.

Bonus I am thankful for great conversation and laughter with Sasha and Maeve traveling to and from Dublin last night.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable