UKseries Home       Blog Home       UK Hotels       UK B&Bs       UK Self-Catering       UK Camping       UK Tourist Attractions

Category Archives: Eating & Drinking

5 ‘must visit’ pubs in the UK

0
Posted by Paul on September 2, 2010 – 12:05 am
Filed under Eating & Drinking

The Ordnance Survey recently did a blog post that cited 5 ‘must visit’ pubs in the UK.  I’m ashamed to say I’ve only visited one of them (the one in Yorkshire) but here’s their list nonetheless:

The Old Forge – Inverie, Knoydart, Scotland

This pub is the most remote in Great Britain and can only be access by an 18 mile hike over munros or a 7 mile sea crossing – but it’s well worth the journey. The pub started life as a smiddy’s forge before it became a workers social club. The pub is currently up for sale if you fancy becoming a publican in a pub that’s miles from anywhere!

Jamaica Inn – Bolventor, Cornwall

Made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s novel by the same name, this old coaching inn is now a museum and hotel where ghost hunters can learn about the smugglers that used to pass through. Bodmin Moor is close by, adding to the mystery and intrigue offered at this inn.

The Old Smith’s Arms – Godmanstone

This is said to be the smallest pub in Great Britain. The story goes that Charles II stopped at a blacksmiths forge where he asked the smithy for a glass of porter and granted him a license to sell beer and porter. The bar measures 20ft. x 10ft, perfect for a cosy pint after a winter walk!

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – St Albans

One of several pubs that claim to be the oldest in Great Britain, this pub is currently in the Guiness Book of Records with some parts of the building dating back to the 11th century. It was originally used as a pigeon house which is why it has an interesting octagonal shape.

The Tan Hill Inn – Yorkshire

The Tan Hill Inn is on the Pennine Way and is Britain’s highest pub standing on a lonely spot 1,732ft above sea level. The pub is said to be haunted by Mrs Peacock who ran it for 40 years. It is surrounded by unspoilt moorland in the Yorkshire Dales.

Paul Johnson is a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. which offers luxury self-catering accommodation between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales

Useful link:
UK Pubs

Dundee Flower & Food Festival 2010

0
Posted by Paul on September 1, 2010 – 3:24 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

With over two acres of marquees set in the magnificent grounds of Camperdown Country Park, the Dundee Flower & Food Festival has become the region’s top lifestyle event and offers the best in food, horticulture and live entertainment. The packed weekend programme from 3rd to 5th September 2010 includes free cookery and gardening demonstrations, children’s activities, a craft fair, the chance to buy an amazing range of plants and quality food products and much more. The festival is the main competitive horticultural show on the east coast and the Food Festival is now an integral part of the line up, featuring celebrity and local chefs and allowing visitors to purchase some of the best local, national and international produce.

Useful links:
Hotels in Dundee
B&Bs in Dundee
Self-catering in Dundee
Tourist attractions in Dundee

Cadbury World – Chocoholic’s heaven!

0
Posted by trev on August 31, 2010 – 3:54 pm
Filed under Attractions, Eating & Drinking

Cadbury World is based in the Bournville village on the edge of Birmingham and site of the main Cadbury chocolate factory.

Today Cadbury World lets families discover both the history of Cadbury’s and how their favourite chocolates are made. There’s a newly refurbished jungle with boardwalks and waterfalls, plenty of hands-on-action in the demonstration area and 3D cinema screen where ‘Flex6’ the robot brings to life the Cadbury pack & wrap process.

Oh and of course there’s plenty of free chocolate along the way and at the end with the world’s largest Cadbury chocolate shop.

Hotels in Birmingham

Shopping, culture and history…and more shopping

0
Posted by trev on August 26, 2010 – 3:02 pm
Filed under Attractions, Eating & Drinking, Miscellaneous

If you ever felt a bit guilty about going to a fantastic city like York or Chester, famed for their  architecture and history, but spent most of the time doing a little retail therapy then the Shambles in York might have the answer.

Voted recently the most picturesque street in Britain, the Shambles is also often regarded as the best preserved Medieval street in Europe with it’s narrow cobbled street and buildings that almost seem to lean over you.

Actually many of the original buildings do lean, sometimes rather alarmingly in towards the street from the upper floors, but this design from the 15th Century seems to have weathered both nature and history plus a few conflicts to stand the test of time. The street was even mentioned in the Doomsday book, so we know it was in existence around the end of the 1080’s.

The name Shambles signifies that the street was once the home of many butchers with the name being a corruption of the Medieval word “Shamel” meaning flesh. Records show in 1872 there were 27 butchers on this one street alone!

Today there are a wide range of shops to browse from general shops to tourist attractions and restaurants, so there’s sure to be something to suit all kinds of retail therapy….then you can sit down with a cup of tea to admire the historic nature of the area. There are also plenty of other shops around as the Shambles is right in the heart of the city.

More links to York:
York things to do
Hotels in York
Holiday cottages in York

Sushi dinners at Swinton Park, North Yorkshire

0
Posted by admin on August 24, 2010 – 12:41 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

Swinton Park has launched a new cookery and dining experience at its Cookery School, Sushi Dining. The event will be run by a Yorkshire sushi expert, Simon Phillips, who has many years experience making sushi both in the UK and in the Far East.

The event will be run in the Cookery School demonstration kitchen and starts with an introduction to Japanese food and a demonstration, also with some hands on opportunities for those wanting to try. This is then followed by a sushi dinner which is made to order for each guest at the demonstration table. The focus of the meal will be on sushi, but also with yakitori, Japanese salad and tempura on the menu along with sake tasting.

The Sushi Dinner costs £45 per person and will be held on selected weekend dates – the first being 23rd October 2010. A Sushi for Beginners Day Course will also be running in 2011. Simon will also be running Sushi events for private groups at Swinton Park and also demonstrating at the Alfresco Food Festival on 12th September 2010.

Are we Brits completely obsessed by tea?

0
Posted by trev on August 19, 2010 – 7:39 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking

It’s an interesting question as for generations one thing everyone from outside these shores would say when asked about the Brits is – they’re tea obsessed!

Some would say with our busy lifestyles and all the marketting of soft drinks this isn’t the case, but going by the Tea Palace in Covent Garden I might beg to differ. For those who enjoy their tea, this has to be paradise with what they claim is the widest selection of tea in the country.

Did you know for example that France and Germany play an important part in some teas, as good quality oranges are needed for certain blends and these countries are well reowned for the quality of their fruit. Or for more modern teas with anti-viral properties, you need Orange Myrtal from the rainforests of Australia.

So if you want to go beyond your supermarket tea and impress your friends with your knowledge on the subject, or just fancy a good cuppa, try the Tea Palace web site.

A taste of Thailand in the Lake District

0
Posted by Paul on August 19, 2010 – 3:22 pm
Filed under Accommodation, Eating & Drinking

From 13th to 16th October 2010 Linthwaite House Hotel, overlooking Lake Windermere, will be offering guests a taste of Thailand when the hotel hosts a culinary extravaganza in conjunction with Koh Samui’s original boutique hotel, The Tongsai Bay.

So whilst guest can enjoy the autumn colours of the Lake District by day, by night they will be transported to the flavours of the Far East as Linthwaite’s head chef Richard Kearsley and his experienced team open up their kitchen to Tongsai Bay’s executive chef Alvin Tan Kian Chee and sous chef Jaturan Ounnahasuwan to fuse the exotic flavours of southern Thailand with the highest quality produce from Cumbria, creating exclusive menus and sharing the knowledge of their respective cuisines.

Both Linthwaite and Tongsai Bay have a long tradition of culinary excellence. At Tongsai Bay, the cuisine was overseen for many years by chef Piengchom Darbanand (known as ‘Chom’), a former chef to the Thai Royal household. Although now she is almost in retirement her standards are strictly maintained and her occasional visits to the hotel are much anticipated. Linthwaite is also renowned for its imaginative cuisine, using the best local produce; previously of The Waterside Inn, Mallory Court and Lords of the Manor, Richard Kearsley learnt his trade alongside stars of the culinary world. Both hotels also have a strong connection to the late Keith Floyd, who worked on his legendary ‘Far Flung Floyd’ series with the team at Tongsai Bay, and more recently hosted cookery theatres at Linthwaite.

The chef’s visit will culminate in a series of events at Linthwaite, at which they will present their dishes through cookery demonstrations and exclusive menus.

To celebrate Linthwaite is offering a special two night dinner, bed and breakfast package from £128 per person per night on 13th and 14th or 15th and 16th October 2010. Cost also includes a special afternoon tea with traditional Thai fruit carving.

Paul Johnson is a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. which offers luxury self-catering accommodation between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales

Useful link:
Tourist attractions in Windermere

Steam off for a great day out from Preston this Summer

0
Posted by Paul on August 19, 2010 – 3:19 pm
Filed under Attractions, Eating & Drinking, Transport

School’s still out for summer and parents looking for inspiration on what to do with the kids, or adults just wanting a different kind of day out, can opt for a nostalgic and atmospheric train journey, to a station that lies in the shadow of England’s tallest mountains.

From Monday to Saturday every week up to 30th October 2010, a Northern Rail service runs from Preston, in Lancashire, to Dalegarth, in the beautiful Eskdale Valley, Cumbria, on a journey that provides spectacular views of beautiful Morecambe Bay and the Furness Peninsula en route.

The train leaves Preston railway station at 08.38, Lancaster at 08.58 and Carnforth at 09.08, picking up at various other Lancashire and Cumbrian stations including Silverdale, Arnside, Grange-over-Sands and Ulverston.

On leaving Barrow-in-Furness, the train continues along the Cumbrian Coast line to Ravenglass – the only coastal village in the Lake District. There, passengers can board a Ravenglass and Eskdale 15″ gauge train and take a seven-mile steam journey full with the romance of steam travel.

The magical journey transports passengers through hidden Miterdale, past woods and landscapes rich in wildlife and along a route that runs in the shadow of Muncaster Fell. Travelling through the beautiful Eskdale Valley enables passengers to experience some of the lesser-known, stunning landscapes of the Western Lake District before they arrive at Dalegarth.

A modern visitor centre, complete with Romans in Eskdale exhibition, awaits those wishing to explore the station’s facilities, which also include a well-stocked gift shop, catering for both children and adults alike.

The Fellbites Eatery at Dalegarth provides home cooked, tasty hot and cold food, whilst the play area, officially opened by Princess Alexandra in summer 2009, has some exciting features on which children can let off steam.

There is enough time for passengers to also explore the local village of Boot with its historic working, water-powered corn mill and take a short walk before the return journey, which starts at 14.50 Monday to Friday. Passengers will then arrive back in Carnforth for 18.54, Lancaster at 19.04 and Preston at 19.30.

On Saturdays, passengers have an extra hour in Eskdale, leaving at 15.50 and returning to Carnforth for 18.54, to Lancaster at 19.04 and to Preston at 19.30.

The fare from Preston to Dalegarth costs £27.60 for an adult and £13.80 for a child. The adult return fares generate a £1 donation to The Railway Children charity thanks to the fundraising efforts of Martin Cookman, assistant general manager at the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

Martin is raising funds for this charity, which supports children who are abandoned or have run away from home, for a variety of reasons, and who arrive at railway stations around the world, living in station buildings, on the track, or on trains themselves.

Paul Johnson is a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. which offers luxury self-catering accommodation between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales

Useful links:
Attractions in and around Ravenglass

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal to open at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London in December 2010

0
Posted by admin on August 19, 2010 – 11:08 am
Filed under Eating & Drinking

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and The Fat Duck Group have joined forces to  create Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Chef Heston Blumenthal’s first London restaurant which will open at the award-winning Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on 1st December, 2010.

Blumenthal, of the three Michelin starred The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire and The Hinds Head pub of the same village, has won international acclaim for his unique and multi-sensory approach to cooking. This first restaurant to open outside of the village of Bray will feature the chef’s inimitable style of culinary alchemy with a menu heavily influenced by his ongoing research and discovery of historic British gastronomy.

Focusing on the revival and modernization of traditional British recipes, the menu at this highly anticipated new restaurant will feature simple contemporary dishes inspired by Britain’s historic gastronomic past and recipes dating as far back as the 16th century, such as Scallops with Cucumber Ketchup and Peas, Bergamot cured Mackerel Salad and Slow Cooked Short Rib of Beef.

Mandarin Oriental and Heston Blumenthal are working together with the internationally renowned designer, Adam Tihany, to create the restaurant interior. Inspired by historical British style references and Blumenthal’s novel approach to cuisine, Tihany plans to highlight traditional materials such as wood, leather and iron, found in the historical roots of British style, using them in contemporary ways to reinforce Heston’s revival and modernization of traditional British recipes.

With uninterrupted views over Hyde Park, the restaurant will also feature floor to ceiling glass walls providing a glimpse into the open kitchen and an unusual contemporary stainless steel pulley system, which has been modelled on a 16th century design for the Royal British Court’s kitchens. A selection of 16th century British recipes taken from antique cookbooks will be on display in the bar area, and a private dining room will be available for up to 12 guests as well as a chef’s table for six located within the kitchen. During the summer months, a terrace overlooking Hyde Park will provide guests with one of London’s finest al fresco dining locations.

Seating 140 guests, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will serve lunch and dinner and from March 2011, afternoon tea. The kitchen will be headed by Ashley  Palmer-Watts, group executive chef of the Fat Duck, who has worked with  Blumenthal for ten years.

The etymology of the word ‘dinner’ gave rise to the name of the restaurant. In Britain, ‘dinner’ still means the main formal meal of the day, and it is usually served either in the middle of the day, or in the evening, depending on where you are in the British Isles. Originating from the 13th Century French word disner (pronounced dee-nay), dinner was in fact originally eaten at breakfast time. The rise of social and economic  changes, including technical innovations such as gaslight and electricity, allowed for the timing of this main meal of the day to be eaten later in the day.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will be open from 12 noon to 2.30pm and from  6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Three course set lunch from £25
Three course a la carte dinner from £55

Reservations can be made from mid October.

Arbroath Sea Fest

0
Posted by admin on August 18, 2010 – 3:23 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

The annual Arbroath Sea Fest (21st and 22nd August 2010) offers entertainment for all the family. The diverse programme varies from year to year but regular features include boat-dressing competitions, fishing displays, train displays and cookery demonstrations. Raft racing takes participants past the spectacular cliffs north of Arbroath. For those who enjoy a bit of retail therapy there is a wide range of stalls selling everything from fresh seafood to handmade jewellery, crafts and confectionery.  The star of the show is undoubtedly the Arbroath Smokie (haddock smoked over hardwood) but past years have also seen trout specialities, suckling pig, venison and ostrich all available from the Smokie Trail, comprising 70-odd stalls along the harbour.