CoolCucumber TV
Cool Cucumber TV is the baby of food guru Roy Ackerman aimed at that crossover area inhabited by knowledgeable foodies, and people in the business. The third in the series has just gone up on-line with a new programme every month (with previous programmes always available).
This issue comes in six parts
Part 1 Openings – Kettners
Part 2 Ackerman Local – Odins
Part 3 Cafés – Vienna, Landtmann and Hawelka
Part 4 Celebrity Chef Interview – Antony Worrall Thompson
Part 5 Incomplete History – Renaissance Italy
Part 6 Great Cooking – at the Kitchen, Parson Green
The latter, organic salmon fishcake and a ‘French Classic’, look particularly delicious and easy to replicate and offers several simple tips.
The Great Australian Wine Experience 2009
Don’t miss these dates:
Edinburgh will celebrate Australia Day - 26th January - with a live wine tasting in the company of some of Australia’s best winemakers at ‘Our Dynamic Earth’; an inspired arena where over 500 wines will be on pour.
Moving south to London where the Emirates Stadium will again play host to the Great Australian Wine Experience on the evening of Wednesday 28th January, 2009.
The night will include guided ‘trails’ through the array of nearly 800 wines on tasting, led by great characters from the world of wine such as TV presenters Ollie Smith and Isabelle Legeron plus top Aussie sommelier Paul Green from Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, ‘Fifteen’.
This is your chance to get the inside track and find out about more about the best of Aussie wines; enjoying the many themed walks which offer tastings by varietal (e.g. ‘Popular Pinots’ or ‘Cabernet Classics’) or by theme such as dinner party dates or the ‘green dream’ of organic and bio-dynamic wines.
The ticket price in London includes a souvenir glass, the trails and a mouth-watering assortment of canapés.
Edinburgh
Venue: Our Dynamic Earth
112-116 Holyrood Rd Edinburgh, EH8 8AS
The Great Australian Wine Experience
Date: Monday 26th January 2009
Time 6pm-8pm
Tickets: £15.00
Contact: www.seetickets.com
London
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Woolwich Suite (Door J) Arsenal Football Club, N5 1BU
The Great Australian Wine Experience
Date: Wednesday 28th January 2009
Time 6pm - 9pm
Tickets: £25.00
Includes a souvenir glass, wine tastings & canapés
Contact: www.seetickets.com
Spain - On The Road Again
Hollywood superstar Gwyneth Paltrow comes to UKTV Food this month with a brand-new and exclusive series that sees her indulge her passion for Spanish food and embark on a culinary roadtrip around the Latin country.
Joining Gwyneth on her trip is Iron Chef Mario Batali, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols.
The four foodies start their journey in Castilla La Mancha where the boys explore the fish market while the girls celebrate Claudia’s birthday in style – lounging luxuriously eating churros and drinking hot chocolate. The series continues when Gwyneth and Mario meet up with legendary architect Frank Gehry, and Mark and Claudia head into the woods where they discover the ultimate grilling restaurant.
Elsewhere there’s a trip to Galicia to dig for shellfish and eat wood-fired empanadas, and a visit to Basque country where there’s a behind-the-scenes vineyard tour at a luxury hotel. Feeling peckish, Gwyneth and Mark indulge in a spot of vine-side grilling. Meanwhile, Claudia learns from master chef Juan Mari Arzak.
Spain - On The Road Again
Weekdays, 9pm (from Monday 5th January) UKTV FOOD
A book to accompany the series - Spain…a Culinary Road Trip
Baileys With A Hint Of Coffee
Now available - a new version of Baileys with an added hint of coffee. This makes four in the Baileys range the coffee version joining those with a hint of mint chocolate, a hint of creme caramel and the original.
In anticipation of a marvellous Baileys filled Christmas the wonderful people behind the creamy drink have created an ‘Essential Guide To A Baileys Twist on Christmas’ - a selection of Baileys inspired cocktails and puddings created by celebrity chef James Martin.
From this guide SpittoonExtra has tried out the Baileys Coffee Cream Crunch pudding with tremendous results.
Available from ASDA for £12.79.
Three Quick Cocktails - ‘How To’ Video
A perfectly prepared mixer is a prerequisite to a superior party experience, and just a little knowledge of mixology can raise your soirée a notch or three above the rest this Christmas. But if the prospect of preparing mixed drinks leaves you feeling shaken, have no fear. Ben Reed is Britain’s leading mixologist and he’s joined forces with ‘Schweppes‘ to stir up a special video feature that strips the mystery from mixing and gives you all you need to get the ball rolling drinks-wise this Yuletide.
It takes a whole lot of practise to get to Ben’s level of cocktail creating competence, but here he shows us how to make three quick signature serves to dazzle your friends - and their palettes - in mere moments.
Whipping up a Vodka Russchian, Game On Ginger or an Almond Affair as per Ben’s recipes will instantly confer the decadence of a Fred Astaire movie upon your humble festive get-together or, indeed, the louche savoire faire one might typically associate with James Bond at the roulette wheel.
So hit the link and get mixing!