Food & Drink

I’m a passionate foodie who loves spreading the word about delicious food, great spaces and smiling faces. The majority of my reviews are forked out (pun intended) by myself. Due to an increasing amount of review requests, I am having to set down some guidelines (as I want to afford books, food and rent you see). Take a peek at these guidelines here:

Meals or lunches are usually for 2 people. It’s no fun dining solo and I love chatting to my dining partner about their dish. If there’s more food ordered, there is more to write about.
A budget is decided pre-dining, so I can enjoy my meal without the faff and potential ick-factor of unpleasant surprises post-meal.
I’m PR friendly too, so if you’re a cool agency bod who wants me to review your gorgeous eatery, drop me a note on [email protected].
I look forward to connecting with you fine foodie folk.

RAxxx

PENDERYN WHISKY TASTING & FOOD MATCHING

PENDERYN WHISKY TASTING & FOOD MATCHING

What are your spirits of choice? I love a good brandy, with Remy Martin VSOP, Courvoisier and Frapin VSOP being my usual favourite tipples. There’s always a bottle of Penderyn in the cupboard, mainly because The Boy loves it (he has good taste).   I love finding out about new flavour profiles and tasting notes, which is why I enrolled…

REVIEW: THE STRUTT ARMS, BELPER, DERBYSHIRE

REVIEW: THE STRUTT ARMS, BELPER, DERBYSHIRE

#Ad-Gifted   The Strutt Arms first appeared on my radar last year after news of its opening last autumn. It only took a year for me to get over there to try out their new menu, on the eve of lockdown number two, no less.    The Strutt Arms is an approximate 10-minute drive from Derby city centre, and the…

REVIEW: THE TAP, DERBY

REVIEW: THE TAP, DERBY

*Ad-Gifted   What compels you to venture dining out? For me, it is the prospect of a new environment. Don’t get me wrong, I love the four walls of my very pretty flat, but it is the idea of a fresh voice, a new face that is one of the main drivers for me at the moment.   The far-reaching,…

RECIPE: CHRISTMAS COOKIES IN SUMMER

RECIPE: CHRISTMAS COOKIES IN SUMMER

Sorry for mentioning the C word, especially in the midst of summer, but I am a little in love with this recipe for Christmas cookies. In my defence, the weather has been rubbish of late, the grey skies, chilly evenings and constant rain feeling deceptively wintry. Plus, this recipe doesn’t really have Christmas spices (like cloves or cinnamon), so it…

REVIEW: VONHAUS | VONCHEF PANS

REVIEW: VONHAUS | VONCHEF PANS

*Gifted* As the UK takes tentative steps to ease lockdown, I wanted to ask how you were doing? I am finding that I am cooking more, baking less (more on that later), and generally appreciating the comfort of my cosy kitchen. I find cooking soothes my soul; I can’t control the crazy Covid situation, but I can retain some sort…

REVIEW: THE BOX BAKERY

REVIEW: THE BOX BAKERY

*Gifted*   Firstly, this post is for anyone who eats bread. Secondly, if you’re trying to be more vegetarian, embrace National Vegetarian Week that kicks off yesterday, and explore vegetarian-friendly foods such as The Box Bakery bread.   At the time of writing, the hashtag #LockdownBaking has over 50,000 results. No matter where you are on your baking journey –…

RESTAURANT OFFERINGS IN DERBY DURING COVID19

RESTAURANT OFFERINGS IN DERBY DURING COVID19

**List updated 12/06/20 – 16:07** Some eateries are adapting to offer takeaway and collection services; below is a list of places that would really appreciate your custom.    Please also note, that due to the mercurial nature of the news surrounding Covid-19, this information will invariably change. Please therefore check in with the eatery and give them a call beforehand. …