Archive for the ‘food & drink’ Category
mixing it up W style
Eclipse bar
drink it up…
As we welcome September in and bid farewell to the summer that, well, never was, we’re looking to the sleek and innovative folk over at W hotels as they shake things up for the autumn months. From September 1st step behind the Eclipse bar and enter a world that’ll delight the senses, as you embark on a mixology master class alongside the Eclipse Barcelona’s cocktail gurus.
Discover the secrets behind the world famous Watermelon Martini, W’s very own Venezuelan Mojito and the seductive Passion fruit Martini, trust us your Friday night cocktail parties will never be the same again.
Find out more about the W Hotels here
(3 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ...jordan’s cuisine 101
tabouleh
Get ready for this… Roast lamb, houmous, labneh, fragrant rice and baba ganoush, just thinking about Jordanian food sends a rumble of longing through our stomachs. Similar to the delicious staples that populate the Middle East, Jordan’s traditional mezze dishes of tabouleh (vegetables and parsley salad), baba ghanoush (roasted aubergine dip) and our favourites like houmus, tahina and labneh (yoghurt with butterfat) are the most ubiquitous of foods, as well as fast food Middle Eastern style dishes, like shwarma and falafel.
Labneh, in its traditional hard form, has long been made by Jordan’s Bedouins. They press the strained yoghurt of the labneh into a cheese cloth and leave it to dry out in the sun, producing a rich, strong, and full-flavoured cheese to eat as it is, or roll into balls and eat with olive oil and zaatar (a blend of herbs, sesame and salt). Make sure to ask for this speciality when touring through the Wadis with your Bedouin guide.
For a hearty traditional treat, get your teeth into the fragrant delights of Mansaf. The variations and ingredients of this year-round dish, popular predominantly with the Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian Bedouins, is a constant topic for debate in culinary circles. The most common recipe is of roasted lamb and dried yoghurt on a bed of fragrant rice and spices. It’s all set up then for you to grab your Markook Levantine flatbread and scoop up all the flavours for a meaty mouthful of deep flavours and zinging undertones. Other recipes call for the inclusion of lots of nuts like almonds and pine nuts, while others lose the lamb and use fish instead. Whatever combination you find, know that Jordanians take their Mansaf very seriously – we even heard a story on our travels of a Jordanian couple divorcing over the wife’s perceived lack of pride in her Mansaf. That’s some serious food appreciation.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...a taste of karnataka
fragrant spices used in karnataka's cuisine
India’s delicious cuisine is so popular here at home it’s virtually an institution in itself, but we know we’ve discovered only a mere corner of the enormous gallery of India’s tastes, smells and textures. In Karnataka, the contrasts between cities and provinces is startling; the deep, earthy flavours of Northern Karnataka, the traditional cuisine in the vegetarian heartlands of South Karnataka, the thick meaty curries of Kodagu and the delicate and fragrant spices of the coast. Try Mangalore’s spicy fish with fresh coconut and chillies, or the ‘pure’ vegetarian classics (no garlic or onion) of Udupi made with sweet pumpkin and refreshing gourds. For something with a bit more bite savour the region’s chutneys and spicy curries but leave room for Karnataka’s ubiquitous favourites like gojju (vegetables in tamarind and chilli), huli (thick lentil broth with spices and coconut), and bisibelebheth (rice, dahl, and spices with a splash of cinnamon).
fancy getting to know more about the delights of karnataka… click here
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...top 5 for local bites
With a summer of food festivals upon us and some of the best chefs in the world showing us how to make even the most simple of foodstuffs gourmet, here at Black Tomato, our thoughts are all on our favourite places to fill our stomachs.
So today, these are our top 5 picks to stop those grumblings:
colombian coffee houses
For a quick morning boost, that almost magical caffeinated liquid is mastered in the best parts of Colombia. Visit the plantations and get the real thing to take back home. This is no instant…
Truffles usually come in the form of those tiny shavings that make just about any dish a little touch gourmet. But at Western Australia’s Mundaring Truffle Festival next month, they’re right under your feet. Literally. It’s not just about the Outback… (but we love that too).
Everything from world-class concoctions to traditional bites like Charoset (a sweet paste made from fruit and nuts) can be uncovered in Israel. Head to Tel Aviv to find it, and plenty more traditional nibbles.
keep with tradition in israel
Organic brandy, spiced chocolates, earthy mushrooms… No lack of food to cosy up to during a South African mealtime. And the wine’s not bad either…
In Chile, a day out in the Atacama Desert will work up an appetite — we say, fill it with pastel do chocolo and tomaticán. The perfect warming dish.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...shout out to stonebarn
stonebarn hotel
Looking out over the epicurean heartland of Pemberton, WA, there aren’t many rooftops to shout from, so here, we’re going to have to climb one of the many trees in this verdant expanse of nature to tell the world about the amazing boutique hotel, Stonebarn.
Reflecting all of the surrounding nature’s serene brilliance, Stonebarn is the place to go to escape from the rushing reek of traffic and the stress of life in the urban fast lane. Witness as your world here transforms from stressed-out humbug to nature loving zen guru. Don’t think that discarding the city’s hum means you have to skimp on luxury. No, no. Having been designed by Paris’s famous architect, Aviva F Shpilman, at Stonebarn there is nothing that isn’t supremely chic and stylish; there are only six rooms, each handcrafted out of local stone and timber with luxury four-poster beds, handpicked furnishings, and stylish bathrooms, complete with an agelessly elegant claw-foot bath.
The kicker for Stonebarn though, ahead of even its setting and its style, is the amazing food and wine served up. In a region that is fast earning deep respect and racking up the accolades for its delicious fresh produce and wineries, Stonebarn is leading the WA way with their philosophy of sourcing locally and using it to create innovative and exciting dishes. Work your way through the menu of dishes prepared using ingredients from Stonebarn’s own herb garden, hen house, truffiere and orchard. Move onto the fresh artisan breads, cured meats, pates, cheeses and salsas, and wash it all down with one of Stonebarn’s brilliant selection of local wines. You’ll quickly discover that Stonebarn really is the ultimate treat for the senses and the soul.
Like the sound of Stonebarn, love the sound of WA click here to find out more….
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...the great singapore takeout…coming to a city near you
the take out van
Singapore International Culinary Exchange
Last night we enjoyed a sneak preview of the tempting treats on offer at the Singapore Takeout pop up restaurant which has parked up on London’s South Bank for the weekend. The first stop on its nine city tour, the Takeout van will be showcasing the tastiest morsels from Singaporean cuisine in Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, New York, Paris, Shanghai and Sydney, just to name a few.
dumplings
This weekend and last night saw the culinary exchange of top Singaporean Chef Janice Wong of the 2am:dessertbar and London’s father of fusion food Peter Gordon from the Providores and Tapa Rooms. Busy behind the pop up kitchen the two chefs whipped up a menu of 6 delicious creations inspired by traditional Singaporean recipes. With beautifully presented dishes being offered around the room such as lemongrass infused dumplings, and a mouthwatering chilli chocolate mousse we were in foodie heaven.
Open to the public on Saturday the 11th of June on a first come first serve basis for those with a penchant for flavours from the East we highly recommend popping down. And if you happen to be reading this in New York, Delhi, or Sydney then watch this space…
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...cravings for a summer feast
As an ex resident of the USA, I’m sometimes surprised by the things I miss the most. Friend’s recent trips to Boston and Miami have had me thinking about American summers and my sense memory is flooded with one thing in particular…
the only utensil you need
The perfect summertime crab feast.
Food is one of the most important parts of any travel story (unless you’re the type to hunt down the nearest ‘Irish’ pub no matter what country you’re in…let’s hope not). Crab feasts are something of an East Coast specialty, especially in the state of Maryland where their native blue crabs (perfectly red once cooked) fall on the plates of people from all walks.
All you need is a big wooden bench covered in newspaper, a bucket (for shells), a hammer (for cracking said shells), a cold libation and a pile of freshly steamed Maryland Blue Crabs. Preferably covered in Old Bay spices. Dig in.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...go west with willy
kayak
the big blue…
This summer we’re hooked (line and sinker) on Canada’s eastern region; Québec. A place usually synonymous with winter sports and the cutting edge cosmopolitan hubs of Montreal and Québec city, and whilst these are all great, during the summer months this expansive region comes alive with colourful national parks teeming with wildlife and that’s just on dry land…
Just off the dramatic coastline in a unique location nestled between the Saguenay fjord and the Saint-Lawrence River, Tadoussac is where the whales come to play. The confluence point of these two water masses brings a ton of food that attracts the regal creatures of the deep, grab a kayak or hop on a motor boat and keep those peepers peeled for Belugas, Humpbacks and the elusive Blue.
Terrace on Saint Denis Stre
Finish off with a city hit in true Quebecois style a la Montreal, for cafe culture, boutique bargains, and a dynamic music scene to sink your teeth into.
Fancy a real summer adventure… get in touch
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...into the wild with mamont vodka
mamont mammoth
Deep in the heart of wintery Russia something quite special is happening. Our adventurous team at Epic Tomato have partnered up with Mamont Vodka to bring you our bespoke pioneering voyages into the heart of the planet’s Polar Regions.
The story of this unique vodka begins when 12 expedition members found themselves stranded in Antarctica following an emergency landing and set about devising a plan to go in search of the ‘great mammoth’. As they spent their time huddled together passing round a bottle of vodka to stave off the cold, one of the adventurers, Paulsen, came up with the idea of creating an aspirational vodka that embodied the timeless spirit of exploration. And Mamont was born.
Housed in a tusk-shaped bottle, this vodka earns its Siberian stripes from its intricate distillation process. It is produced in limited small batches using water from artesian wells that has filtered through the volcanic rocks over thousands of years, the vodka is distilled five times and triple filtered through Siberian birch charcoal to obtain a truly smooth flavour. Now here’s the clever bit… cedar nuts, the very same nuts that the woolly mammoth would have fed on, are added to the vodka as it ferments to add a deeper, more complex flavour.
For centuries, explorers have relied on the translucent firewater to fend off the elements and with its mission of obtaining perfection complete, Mamont and Epic Tomato now invite you to embark on your unique Polar discovery.
(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5) Loading ...currying our favour
brick lane curry is a london favourite
what's your favourite indian curry?
Returning to Shoreditch for its 11th year (and handily just round the corner from Black Tomato HQ), the Brick Lane Curry Festival once again ignited our taste buds with treats from the East. Well, it was near enough in time for a perfect lunch hour feast…We are pleased to confirm that every delicious gastronomic titbit we stuffed into our traps was amazing. Still full in fact.
Got a craving for India? We hear you. Check out this bespoke foodie experience…
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...
