Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

GIGGLING SQUID SALISBURY REVIEW

Saturday

Disclaimer: This was a PR visit but all opinions are my own.

I was recently invited for a meal at The Giggling Squid in Salisbury. This is a firm favourite in my family but this was the first time I'd visited.


Seating area at the giggling squid

Seating area at giggling squid


First of all, I want to start by saying it has been newly decorated in there and the interior looks great. I took my mum along with me and we were lucky enough to sit at the most insta-worthy 'bird cage' table.


The food


Let's get straight into the main part - the food.


Prawn crackers at the giggling squid


At the start of the meal, they brought over some prawn crackers which was great because I was really hungry. Then for starters, I had the duck spring rolls, and mum had the salt and pepper squid. Of course, we tried each other's and both were incredible.


salt and pepper squid

duck spring rolls


For the main course, I had the giant butterfly prawn Pad Thai which was soooo nice. This was my first time trying Thai food and it turns out I am now a huge fan of Pad Thai. Definitely the best noodle dish I've had for sure. Mum had the sea bass on the summer menu which she really enjoyed. I did try it but it had a little too much spice for me (bearing in mind the spiciest thing I can eat is a tikka masala curry).


giant prawn pad thai

seabass giggling squid


We also then had dessert even though we may not have had the room for one. I had the chocolate melt in the middle heart and mum had the caramelised mango cake. Again - both incredible.


chocolate melting heart pudding

caramelised mango cake

Related: Cosmo Bournemouth restaurant review

The cocktails


Our first cocktails were from the summer menu. I had the pink and peachy which I was pleasantly surprised with actually. I thought it was just going to taste like pink gin and lemonade but it was really delicious and had such a lovely flavour. Mum had the midsummer mule which was also lovely. Safe to say they both went down well.


summer menu cocktails giggling squid


For our second cocktails mum had a lychee bellini which she didn't really like too much but she loved my Thai Sabai. Typical. The Thai Sabai was recommended to us by our fantastic waitress as it was her favourite. Apparently, they serve them all over Thailand!


cocktails at the giggling squid


The service


From the moment we arrived at The Giggling Squid we had excellent service. I think we were served by the manager as she didn't have a uniform on like her colleagues. She was really attentive and we could tell they all really cared about what we thought of the experience.


I'd have to give The Giggling Squid in Salisbury a 10/10 overall. There is literally nothing I can fault. The food, drinks, service and decor of the table we sat at were all amazing and I am so happy I have found a new favourite spot in Salisbury.

Related: The ultimate foodie guide to Salisbury

It was also great to try new things as well. You definitely need to try The Giggling Squid in Salisbury if you are local, or one near you!

COSMO BOURNEMOUTH RESTAURANT REVIEW

Disclaimer: This visit was a PR invite but all opinions are my own.

I was recently invited to Cosmo, an all-you-can-eat buffet with cuisines from around the world, along with my friend Kitty. There are a few Cosmo restaurants across the country but I went to the Bournemouth one which I think is pretty new, another one near me is in Southampton.


Depending on which day you go and what time, the price for the all you can eat experience ranges from £19-£21 which in my opinion, is a pretty good price for what you get. They also add a 3% service charge which again is not bad.


The restaurant


restaurant with pink flower decorations

My first impressions of the restaurant were good as the walkway from the front door to the front desk was stunning with lots of pretty pink flowers. It was also very busy which is a sign of a good restaurant. Although it was busy, the food was plentifully stocked at all times and it was all still hot.


I get a little apprehensive of buffets when thinking about food that has been sitting there but I could tell that their standards were high when it came to looking after the food that was out.


Another thing that I found really cool was they had robots! It was the first time I'd ever seen them in a restaurant before. These robot device things (whatever they are called) took plates away and they can also sing happy birthday. I am not very good at describing it but it was so cool and you should go and see for yourself!


The food


There was such a large range of food from all over the world. We started on the left-hand side with all the Asian dishes, then got to the European dishes. After that, there were burgers, etc and a carvery.


I mainly had Asian and Italian food. In true buffet style - I piled my plate(s) with a random mix of food. My favourite food was probably the Chinese food and the mac and cheese.


buffet food

buffet food


I would say this restaurant is very family-friendly and would be great to go to for kids' celebrations. There is a lot of picky-eater-friendly food, which was good for me too.


For dessert, there was a chocolate fountain, along with many other cakes and an ice cream machine - the chocolate fountain alone is enough to impress me.


chocolate fountain

chocolate dessert

chocolate dessert


I believe the soft drinks like Coke, Fanta, and so on are refillable, but with cocktails and alcoholic drinks, you have to pay per drink.

Related: Best pizza in Salisbury

The service


I couldn't fault the service at all it was brilliant. Even though you are left to your own devices a lot while going up and getting your own food, the staff were still really attentive and asked us how our food was. They were also super speedy at clearing plates away (this is needed when you are going up to get multiple plates).


Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at Cosmo in Bournemouth. The restaurant had a really nice interior, good food, fab service, and robots! It was a great experience and I'd definitely recommend going. All you can eat for around £20? Bargain.

Related: Blacklock Covent Garden review

Would you try Cosmo all you can eat buffet?

BLACKLOCK COVENT GARDEN REVIEW

One of my favourite accounts to follow on Tiktok and Instagram is @foodguidelondon. It's run by a woman and sometimes her daughter and basically, if they have been to a restaurant in London and have enjoyed it, you will want to go!


One of her favourite restaurants in London is Blacklock, so I had to give this a try, especially because I recently went to London on a Monday and they do special deals on a Monday!


Blacklock is a steak restaurant that does sharing steaks so it's great to go with a group or for date night with just the two of you. I think they have a few restaurants across central London, and we went to the Covent Garden branch.


Blacklock covent garden porterhouse steak


On Mondays, their steaks are at butcher's prices so the Porterhouse steak that we had would have been £9 per 100g but we got it for £6 per 100g. Our steak was 700g which for two people is about 12oz each.


The steak


If you are vegan, you should probably stop reading now.


We had the Portherhouse steak which is effectively a T-bone steak with mainly a sirloin cut, with a little bit of fillet down the other side of the bone.


They cut the steak for you which is great and the fat down the side was really easy to see and cut off.


For a starter, we tried the Cull Yaw crumpet, I only had a bit because I have a bit of a weird thing about crumpets, but the meat on it was amazing! It was slow-cooked mutton, I wasn't expecting much but it was really tasty.


Cull yaw crumpet blacklock covent garden


With our steak as the main, we got the chips, the kale and parmesan salad (tried to get some greens on there) and the garlic and marrow rub for the steak, along with the gravy - which by the way, was the best gravy I've ever had.

Related: Flesh and Buns London review

We had the steak cooked rare as I was sharing and didn't mind as much, I would normally have mine cooked medium-rare but I still really enjoyed it - especially with the accompaniments.


I feel like Blacklock is quite an indulgent restaurant and would be perfect for a celebration, especially if you pay full price on any other day that isn't a Monday.


There were 2 of us and we paid around £50 each for a bottle of prosecco to share, a starter to share, the steak, 3 sides between us, and 2 steak sauces. There was also a 12.5% service charge added too so overall, I didn't think this was too bad. And I love getting money off so I'd definitely try to go on a Monday if you can, but it would be worth going any other day too because the food is 10/10!


The service


The service was also as good as the food. Our waitress was lovely and very knowledgeable. She explained the menu to us very well as we hadn't been before and she filled up our glasses of water and prosecco so often that we barely had to touch them ourselves.


I definitely want to go back on a Sunday to try their roast dinners now!

Related: Gordon Ramsay Bottomless Street Pizza review

Will you be adding Blacklock to your list?

THE ULTIMATE FOODIE GUIDE TO SALISBURY

Disclaimer: Some of the restaurants I have tried have been from a PR invite, but all opinions are my own. I have a put an asterisk* next to the ones that were a PR invite.

So a few years ago, I did actually write a blog post about where my favourite places to eat in and around Salisbury were, but I thought I could do it even bigger and better now. A lot of new places have opened since then, and I have also tried a lot of new places since then.


Also, I wrote that at a time when I didn't like Salisbury as much as I do now. When I was at uni I was so anti-Salisbury because I much preferred Bournemouth (where I went to uni) I still do prefer Bournemouth because I love the beach, but I have learned to appreciate my home city more.


If you didn't know, I live kind of near Salisbury but not really that close. I am about a 25-minute drive but because it is my closest city and I live in the middle of the countryside, I just say I'm from Salisbury.


I am making it my mission to try as many new things while I'm in my 20s as possible, that's why I have also written a list of restaurants I want to try in and around Salisbury, as well as showing you my favourite ones.


Anyway, enough about me - let's get onto the foodie info you really want to know! I have split them into categories of chains and independent restaurants in Salisbury. Then I have included some other faves that are worth driving to from Salisbury if you can.


Restaurants in Salisbury


Independent restaurants


Tinga*


tacos and quesadillas at tinga salisbury

passionfruit margharita cocktail at tinga salisbury

I have only been to Tinga once so far but had such an amazing experience at one of their bottomless brunch events. They have these events every few months and usually post these on their Instagram @tingasalisbury. 

I was a bit scared to try Tinga as I don't like spicy food but there were a lot of amazing non-spicy options. The cocktails were amazing, especially the passionfruit margarita, and my favourite thing on the menu was the steak and cheese quesadilla.

The portions at Tinga are small so you can try a lot of different plates, however, this can add up in £££. I would still say the plates are reasonably priced though. AND they have a lunch and early evening set menu if you want to try Tinga and save the cash.

Maul's 


cheese board at mauls cheese and wine bar salisbury

Maul's is Salisbury's one and only cheese and wine bar AKA one of my favourite places to go. They have a great selection of cheeses and wines and the staff are so friendly and knowledgeable about it all.

Maul's is great for date night with your friends or partner. If you are in Salisbury and haven't been to Maul's yet, what are you doing? (I will let you off if you can't eat cheese).

Reeve The Baker


Reeve's is a childhood classic for me. There are 2 in Salisbury, a small one with just takeaway, and a bigger one on Butcher Row with takeaway and sit in upstairs. They also have Reeve's in Amesbury, Wilton, Warminster, Ringwood (and probably a few more places).

I am not sure if it's because I grew up with Reeve's but it genuinely is my favourite bakery and if you're in Salisbury - you MUST try it.

Pizza Venti*


salisbury foodie pizza at pizza venti salisbury

Pizza Venti is the best pizza in Salisbury (sorry Nole I love you too). When I was first invited to Pizza Venti, I was able to see straight away that the owners really care about the quality of the pizza they're making.

Not only that, but they are always helping the local community and giving to charity. I would go as far as saying Pizza Venti is up there with the best pizza this side of Naples. 

If you are lucky enough to live in the centre of Salisbury, you can get Pizza Venti delivered. But, sitting in the restaurant gives it that homely family feel. I am already thinking about my next pizza!

Nole Pizza


Nole pizza

I do love Nole Pizza too, I feel like I need to try their pizza again to make a fair judgement on which is the best pizza in Salisbury as the pizza I got from Nole last time had blue cheese on it which I didn't like. This is my fault I should have asked for it without.

Nole has one restaurant in the centre of Salisbury, but they also do their pizza at a couple of pubs around Salisbury such as the Dog and Gun in Netheravon and The Pembroke Arms in Wilton.

If you get the chance please try Pizza Venti and Nole and make your own mind up which is the best pizza in Salisbury because it is a huge debate.

The Salisbury Orangery


full english breakfast and avocado on toast at the salisbury orangery

I was wanting to try The Salisbury Orangery for ages and I finally managed to recently! I had a lovely Full English Breakfast, however, I am really fussy on fry ups, they have to be perfect for me. Basically, I have such great ones at home that I need them to match that when I go out and my breakfast didn't quite but I'd still recommend The Orangery.

I feel like I need to try something else next time. The building it's in is really nice and it's in a lovely part of Salisbury. Definitely worth a try for brunch.

Naked Bagel


Naked Bagel is a great place for breakfast or lunch and it's fairly central. If you are shopping around Salisbury and want to get a bite to eat for lunch and want to go somewhere independent (i.e not Pret or McDonald's) then Naked Bagel is worth a try.

I definitely prefer trying out new and independent places when going somewhere, although I do love Pret and McDonalds.

Chain restaurants


There are quite a lot of chain restaurants in Salisbury, some that I don't like as much, but I have included the below list as ones that you just can't go wrong with.

Cosy Club


cosy club burger

There are so many restaurants in Salisbury that I haven't tried yet and need to try, and somehow I always seem to go back to Cosy Club. I think it's just because it's so easy and it suits most people if you are going out with friends. Also if you are wanting cocktails and food then it's a winner, especially at happy hour.

They do a great brunch, good cocktails, tapas and good mains so you can't really go wrong.

Zizzi


carbonara at zizzi salisbury

Again, a classic Italian that you can't really go wrong with. I have never had a bad meal at any Zizzi, it is pretty safe and at a pretty good price too.

Cote Brasserie


beef bourginion cote brasserie salisbury

Now I have only recently tried the Cote in Salisbury, but I think Cote is my new favourite chain restaurant. I had the most amazing Beef Bourginion there a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.

I am torn between wanting to try new restaurants and wanting to go back to Cote for every single meal I have out now.

Wagamama*


Wagamama is a classic for a lot of cities and the one in Salisbury is no exception.

The Giggling Squid*


pad thai the giggling squid

The Giggling Squid is a firm favourite for a lot of people who live around Salisbury, especially in my family. If you want good quality Thai food and brilliant service you definitely need to visit.

Restaurants a short drive from Salisbury


If you like good pub food, there are lots of great pubs hidden around south Wiltshire that you probably wouldn't hear of unless you are local.

Piazza - Amesbury, 17 min drive from Salisbury


pasta from piazza amesbury

When I used to live in Amesbury we used to walk there a lot, sadly we don't live within walking distance anymore but it is still our closest Italian.

You just can't go wrong they have great pizza and pasta and their staff are really friendly too. It is probably the one and only 'nice' restaurant in Amesbury so it is definitely one to visit if you are there.

Rosebourne - Weyhill, 28 min drive from Salisbury


Rosebourne afternoon tea weyhill

Rosebourne is a big garden centre with a cafe near Weyhill, just off the A303 on the way to Andover. I love the whole experience of Rosebourne, having a look around the shop and getting something to eat too.

I have only had lunch and afternoon tea at Rosebourne, both are really nice. I would like to try their breakfast too, but it finishes at 11am and I am not normally up early enough.

The Crown Inn - Cholderton, 22 min drive from Salisbury


Roast dinner at the crown inn cholderton

The Crown is another out-of-the-way pub in the village of Cholderton that you probably wouldn't know about if you weren't local. It has recently been taken over by new management and has been super busy and of great quality ever since. Definitely worth booking if you go here.

My favourite thing I have had so far at The Crown is their beef roast dinner. Such a generous portion for a good price and everything was amazing! Also, their seafood cocktail starter is another highlight - it's huge.

They also host a pub quiz once a month (I think it's on a Wednesday evening) where you have a curry and a quiz. The quiz questions are really hard, but luckily I went with intelligent people so we ended up coming third place and winning a bottle of rose.

The Pembroke Arms - Wilton, 13 min drive from Salisbury


The Pembroke Arms host a pub quiz every Monday that I have started going to and it has a great atmosphere. Not only that, their food is stunning. It is a little on the pricier side, but they use such delicious ingredients and would be a great place to go for a special occasion meal.

I am dying to try a roast dinner at The Pembroke Arms, but I have already tried their burger and steak pie, both of which are my favourite burgers and pies in the whole of Salisbury.

Cholderton Farm Shop - Cholderton, 22 min drive from Salisbury


chickens at cholderton farm shop

Another hidden gem not too far from Salisbury is Cholderton Farm Shop. This food is breakfast and lunch stuff so mainly toasties, jacket potatoes and they have a full English too.

The actual farm shop itself is quite small, but they have a sheltered outdoor seating area. I love having brunch at the farm shop because you can sit there and watch chickens walking around while you eat.

I have heard of some other farm shops around Salisbury but haven't tried any others as of yet.

The Malet Arms - Newton Tony, 22 min drive from Salisbury


If you are looking for an old-school pub in the middle of the countryside then The Malet has you covered. They have great local produce and they don't actually have a set menu. 

Their menu changes each day depending on what produce they have that day so you can tell it is fresh. Not great if you are fussy or have had your heart set on something you had the last time, but it is pretty much along the lines of typical pub food.

Places I want to try


The Chapter House - Salisbury

Boston Tea Party - Salisbury

Lalahan - Salisbury

Grillado - Salisbury

Allium - Salisbury

Haunch of Venison - Salisbury

The Wig and Quill - Salisbury

Southern Quarter - Amesbury, 19 min drive from Salisbury

The Greyhound Inn - Stockbridge, 25 min drive from Salisbury

The Hawk Inn - Amport, 33 min drive from Salisbury

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse - High Post, 12 min drive from Salisbury


And there we have my ultimate foodie guide to Salisbury. Once I have tried restaurants from the list above, I will add them to my recommendations if they are worthy.


There are a lot more restaurants in Salisbury that I have heard good things about but I am still quite fussy with food even though I am trying to be better. There are some Indian and Thai restaurants that I have heard good things about if that is your thing!

Related: Greyhound at Corfe Castle review

Have you tried any of these restaurants? Let me know which ones you like the sound of, or if you have some Salisbury recommendations I haven't put on this list.

FLESH AND BUNS LONDON REVIEW

Visiting Flesh and Buns in Oxford Circus was a very big deal to me so I had to write about it. I am really fussy with food - you may know this if you have read my Being a Fussy Eater blog post. This was the first time I'd tried Japanese food or have been to a Japanese restaurant. 


Full disclaimer, my go-to cuisine is usually Italian but I am on a mission to venture out, especially when I visit London. I live in a place where the only Japanese food you can get is from Wagamama or Sushi in a Tesco meal deal.


Spoiler alert, I loved it here and this has opened me up to trying more new restaurants and trying more Japanese food.


I had seen Flesh and Buns reviewed on TikTok a lot and thought it would be the least scary place to try for Japanese food.


You might be thinking Flesh and Buns is a bit of a weird name, it's because their main thing is bao buns and meat, but they also have lots of small plates, sushi, and Poke Don bowls to choose from too. I am not sure if bao buns are technically Japanese. I believe they originated in China but they may have them in Japan too.


Just from walking into this restaurant, it felt very central London kind of posh vibes already so I knew we were in for a special meal just from walking in. Basically, the decor sets you up for the meal. We also sat right next to the lucky cat wall which I was excited about.


Lucky cat wall flesh and buns


The drinks


To drink, I got their signature cocktail, the Lucky Cat. I had to go for this one even though it was their most expensive cocktail. It came in a lucky cat cup with a sparkler. They definitely use this novelty cocktail to make money and it worked on me! I thought it tasted quite nice but if it was in a different glass and didn't come with a sparkler, who knows if I would have felt the same? I can't even remember what flavour it was, I was too excited by the presentation.


Lucky cat cocktail flesh and buns


Joe got Sake which he'd been wanting to try for a little while. He really liked it and I wasn't so sure when I gave it a try. It kind of just tasted somewhere between a strong white wine and a weak vodka to me, and I don't really like either of those things, but I'm glad I can say I've tried it.


The food


Now onto the main bit! First of all, we got some Seabass Sashimi to try which was so pretty and it was nothing like anything I have ever tasted before. It was amazing to try and I was so impressed with myself for liking it because I'm so fussy with food.


Seabass sashimi flesh and buns oxford circus


Second of all, we tried some of the small plates. I really wanted to try the beef fat potatoes as they looked so nice but sadly they had run out. Instead, I went for the corn tempura and Joe had chilli squid. The corn tempura was really nice, again, nothing like I'd had before but it got quite filling towards the end.


It was at this point I had to ask for a knife and fork as it turns out, I'm a bit of a chopper at using chopsticks. But I will keep trying! That was my first time so hopefully, I can become a pro soon.

Related: Gordon Ramsay bottomless street pizza review

For the main course, I had crispy duck leg with bao buns and Joe had the Chicken Teryaki Poke Don bowl. The bao bun and meat mains are quite expensive, it was just under £20 for my duck and you only get 2 buns and there other meat options that were closer to £30, but this is what I wanted to try. 


Crispy duck leg flesh and buns

Crispy duck bao bun flesh and buns

Chicken teryaki poke don flesh and buns


The Poke Don bowls are way cheaper and are around £12, so you can end up spending a lot here, or you can have a more budget-friendly meal.


And if that wasn't enough food, we both went for a dessert. I had the s'mores which came with a fire for you to roast your marshmallows on, and biscuits with chocolate. This was so messy but so good. I had to use a spoon in the end. Joe had a chocolate brownie with match ice cream that was also presented in a really impressive way.


Smores flesh and buns

Chocolate brownie flesh and buns


I can never normally fit in a pudding but the food was so light and not too filling I was able to have one.


The bill


Our bill for basically 4 courses and a drink each came to around £106 for two, including a 12.5% service charge, which I didn't mind paying because we had great service. Because this was in central London, I don't think that price was too bad for all that food. The beauty of this place is, you can get as many or little courses as you want and can end up spending loads, or you can spend less than we did.


Flesh and buns logo oxford circus


There are probably loads of restaurants similar to this around London that cost way less but it was a special meal and we loved trying new things here.


I would definitely recommend it here and can't fault anything.

Related: 7 fun things to do in Shoreditch

Will you be trying Flesh and Buns next time you're in Central London?

GORDON RAMSAY BOTTOMLESS STREET PIZZA REVIEW

Since I have been trying a lot more foodie places lately, I thought why not review some restaurants as blog posts? Although, I only decided to write a blog after the fact and didn't think to get lots of pictures.


The latest place I have been that I thought would be good to review is Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza in Battersea. There are a few locations across London, but we decided to go to the Battersea one as it was the closest to where Joe (my boyfriend) lives.


It is located around Battersea Power Station, near the new tube station and it seems like everything around there is new - I'm not sure though. There are loads of restaurants around there and they have Birdies mini-golf and bar, so we went there beforehand.


The pizza


Gordon ramsay bottomless street pizza

For Christmas, Joe's mum got us bottomless pizza for two at Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza, so we went there for a kind of Valentine's Day celebration. I love experience presents like this!


Our table was booked for around 6pm and as soon as we got there, we saw people walking around with the pizza. For the bottomless pizza, I believe it is £16pp for 2 hours of pizza, they do have a few sides too but the pizza was SO filling I didn't even look at the sides. Although we did get the garlic pesto dip which I would highly recommend!

As they are bringing round pizza so frequently, pretty much as soon as you sit down and order a drink you can start getting your pizza, on a slice by slice basis. For this reason, we got really full in about the first 20 minutes and couldn't even last the full 2 hours. So my advice would be to take your time.


For a drink, I had the special lemonade cocktail (I forget what it's called now) but it had vodka, limoncello and lemon and it was really tasty and refreshing. To be honest, the cocktails on the menu weren't really my thing, lots had elderflower so great if you like that but I don't really.

Related: Greyhound at Corfe Castle Review

There were five pizza flavours including the special which was nduja. Surprisingly the nduja special was actually my favourite as it wasn't spicy at all, but I found the pepperoni really spicy. The pizza itself was really good and it was a good thing it was really thin because it's more practical for fitting more slices in.


After the pizza though, I was the most full I'd been in ages. Did I have to secretly undo the button on my jeans and hide it with my scarf on my lap? Yes. I would NOT have been able to last the full 2 hours.


The service


The service was generally good although the waiters did forget things a couple of times, I think a few of them were new but that's ok. It was a busy Saturday and the main thing was the pizza - which was brought round VERY promptly.


Also, we were well looked after and were asked multiple times how everything was.


For sport lovers, they had football on in the background. Important information for dates if you want your football-mad partner to talk to you, maybe go on a day they don't have football on. Thank me later.


Overall rating


For the food, service and general ambience, I would give our experience an 8/10. Everything was great but would have given the extra two points for more pizza flavours and if the waiters hadn't forgotten to bring us our water.


I would definitely go there again and it was such a great gift for Christmas!

Related: 7 fun things to do in Shoreditch, London

Did you like this review? I am thinking of doing more as I try new restaurants and experiences.

5 PROSECCO COCKTAILS YOU NEED TO TRY

Ok so I love cocktails and I love prosecco so I thought this would be an exciting post for me to write! I have been loving going out for cocktails lately but it's still good to know how to make some of your own at home. Whether you are having people round, or whether we are in lockdown number 107583.


Prosecco cocktail with candy floss


If you're a prosecco drinker like me and would drink it anyway, then it's very handy to know how to make prosecco cocktails because they are simple but look far more impressive than just an ordinary glass (even though there is nothing ordinary about it). What is it Gino D'Acampo says? Minimum effort maximum satisfaction - and I live my life by that mantra.

Related: 5 cocktail recipes you need to try

Why Prosecco Cocktails?


I always want to try making different cocktails at home but it can be expensive, and just a lot of effort to buy lots of different ingredients. However, if you're going to drink prosecco anyway then you will already have one ingredient in. 


Also, they are just tasty and elegant and let's not lie, it will make you look fancy if you have guests over. Try any of these cocktails with champagne too if you're feeling really boujee.


5 Prosecco Cocktails you need to try


1. Kir Royale

This is a super easy cocktail, it's literally just a glass of prosecco with some creme de cassis (a fancy way of saying blackcurrant liqueur). At home we usually just use Chambord which is more widely available and tastes like a jammy doughnut. I am not going to give any measurements because everyone has different tastes, but its just a small bit of Chambord or your liqueur in your prosecco.


2. Peach Bellini

Again, super easy! It's just a glass of prosecco again with a little bit of peach puree added. You can make your own puree or just buy it.


3. Mimosa 

You may know of this as a Bucks Fizz, it's a glass of prosecco with orange juice. This is breakfasty for me, I probably wouldn't have it in the evening but a lot of people like it. I am thinking more brunch on holiday vibes. (I saw a video saying how we get away with day drinking by calling it brunch, SO TRUE)

Related: A-Z of date ideas

4. French 75

I hadn't actually heard of a French 75 until I read a blog post from Faye at Female Original. It is usually gin and champagne but as I thought I'd swap it for prosecco for this blog post. Faye has a great recipe to make a French 75 with Bobby's Gin.


5. Pink Gin Spritz

OK, I kind of stole this one from Slug and Lettuce, but we have had to recreate cocktails in various lockdowns when we haven't been able to get them out. This cocktail is a bit bigger than the others so I'd use a gin glass rather than a prosecco one for this. It's a double shot of gin, prosecco and then topped up with soda water or lemonade. Basically like a posh, stronger G&T.


And there we have 5 really easy prosecco cocktails you can try making at home. Which one would you love to try the most?

GREYHOUND AT CORFE CASTLE REVIEW

AD: PR Visit - This experience was gifted in exchange for a review but all opinions are my own.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting the Greyhound at Corfe in Dorset with my friend and partner in crime, Maddie. The Greyhound is a stunning old English pub right next to Corfe Castle, which of course meant there were stunning views in their pub garden area. We had originally booked to sit inside but the garden just looked so nice that we requested to sit out there with the sun shining too. There were also some really cute dogs so that was a plus!


Crab Tien at Greyhound Corfe Dorset


Upon arrival we were greeted by the most lovely staff that just couldn't do enough for us, they were very attentive and chatty - I wish I caught their names now but we were served by a lot of people so I safely assume that they are all as friendly as each other.


Maddie and I both ordered the same thing which was nice, nobody got food envy. For a starter, we had the Dorset Crab Tien (when in Rome). It was really nicely presented and tasted amazing too!


After that, we had the beef and chorizo burger for a main accompanied with halloumi fries on the side. It was a mega burger, you definitely won't be leaving hungry if you order it. The halloumi fries were 10/10 although, I did wish there was a few more of them. 


Beef and chorizo burger greyhound corfe dorset

Related: Places you need to visit in Dorset

We only had soft drinks but were very envious looking around at some of the cocktails, maybe next time.


If you are in Dorset or want to go then I'd definitely recommend visiting Corfe and the Greyhound. It's such a picturesque, historical village and did you know it's home to the smallest town hall in England? The Greyhound is such a lovely way to top off a great day out in Corfe.


Garden seating area greyhound corfe dorset


I would definitely visit the Greyhound again, it's pub garden area is one of my favourites ever and the food and staff are both great.


Where have you been for food lately that you really enjoyed?

Related: A day at Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorset

HOSTING A CHEESE AND WINE NIGHT AT HOME

Cheese is one of my favourite things ever and I would literally have a cheese night every night if I could. But as I want my jeans to still fit me, I will have a cheese night every so often as a treat. Because it's one of my favourite things to do, I will share with you my favourite cheeses to have on a cheese board. I will admit, I am not a huge wine connoisseur but I will work on it.


Disclaimer: I am not working with the companies mentioned, I just really love their products.


cheese board inspiration

High end soft cheeses to include on your board


Brillat Savarin - I only discovered this cheese last year. We had it at Maul's cheese and wine bar in Salisbury and bought one from there as it was so amazing. It was pretty expensive, it was a wheel smaller than a camembert but I think it was around £8. However, if you love brie-like cheeses it is definitely worth it as a treat. It's similar to a brie, but instead of being made with milk it's made with full fat cream, so you will only need to eat a little bit at a time anyway. It tastes amazing with honey!


Tunworth - Tunworth is basically the British version of a camembert. We had it cold and it seemed to me creamier and a little softer than a camembert so I'm not sure how it would work if you wanted to melt it. However, I believe this is £8 again in Waitrose so I'd recommend using a camembert to melt as it's a lot cheaper and you don't want to ruin this cheese. Again, great for a treat if you want a high end cheese and tastes amazing if you like brie and camembert.


Lyburn Garlic and Nettle - A flavoured cheese is a must for a cheese board and this one tastes amazing. You can buy this one from Lyburn Farm in the New Forest, so it is pretty local for me. Definitely use your favourite flavoured cheese on your board, they have some in supermarkets, I've had the chive one from Tesco before which is nice.


Budget friendly soft cheeses to include


Brie - Obviously! My favourite is the round Castello brie that they have in Tesco for about £2 but I do love any brie, use your favourite.


Camembert - I feel like a melted camembert is a centrepiece and if you are having a cheese board with lots of other cheeses you might not need it. It's good to have as the main even though, with a couple other bits to go with.


melted camembert


Port Salut - This is good for anyone who doesn't really like strong cheeses, it kind of reminds me of a babybel. This is around £2 I believe, depending on which supermarket you go to.


Smoked Mozzarella - You should definitely choose a smoked cheese to go on your board and this is definitely a good one. It's quite mild so will be good for anyone who doesn't like their cheese too strong.


Boursin - amazing soft garlic cheese to put on bread or biscuits. Always a staple for me!


High end hard cheeses to include


Kirkham's Lancashire - This is a bit like a cheddar but obviously it's made in Lancashire. You can get this from The Fine Cheese Co for £5.80. It's a little more tangy and earthy than a cheddar so it's good if you like cheddar but want to try something with a more unique taste.


Stoney Cross - This is from Lyburn Farm again. It's a little softer than a cheddar and tastes a little more earthy and tangy. Definitely a good one to try if you want to support a local New Forest farm shop.


Budget friendly hard cheeses to include


Cheddar - Everyone's favourite, every cheese board needs a cheddar and you can get lots of different kinds so it's whatever suits you. I do like a classic cathedral city but a lot of local cheese companies will have some form of cheddar if you wanted to support a local supplier.


Red Leicester - I have to admit, I always forget about Red Leicester cheese, but it tastes amazing and is good if you like mild cheese again.


Stilton - You either love it or hate it but every cheese board needs a blue cheese. I haven't really found the right blue cheese for me yet and I don't really like stilton too much, but it's just the easiest option for a budget blue cheese. Replace this with your favourite blue cheese if it's another. I am still on the hunt to find a blue cheese that I like the taste of.


Manchego - I only tried this for the first time recently and really enjoyed it even though it is quite hard an crumbly and I'm more of a soft cheese girl. It's a bit like parmesan but not as strong and you can eat it on it's own easily. I find parmesan too much to eat by itself but I love it on top of pasta!



Pair your cheeses with your favourite wine and charcuterie. I mainly drink prosecco or rose wine but there are lots of reds that go really well with cheese. I like to put different breads, biscuits and meat with my cheese, so just pick your favourite. The best thing about doing your own cheese board is that you can make it personal to you with all of your favourite things on there.


What's your favourite cheese? Let me know in the comments.


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Related Read: 5 Cocktails to Try at Home


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