Out & About February 2017

VALENTINE’S GIFT IDEAS FOR FOODIES

NIBBLES

FORTHE LOVE OF CAKE Win their heart through their stomach, especially if they are a cake-lover. Cakenest is a company where you can buy subscriptions to cake and your beloved can get a different slice a week, for a month, three months, six months or a year. Cakenest’s kitchen is always creating mouth-watering new recipes, from salted caramel to chilli chocolate, so your loved one will never tire of the same old thing. Sign up and the first slice comes with a card explaining what they can expect to receive, with a personal message from you. Once a month for six months is £45 for example. Check out: www.cakenest.co.uk

CAMPBELL COOKERY We’ve all fallen in love with John Campbell’s The

Woodspeen restaurant but if you’ve not tried a course at its state-of-the-art cookery school you should. They are a perfect gift for the foodie in your life and you can choose between shorter evening courses or fuller, day-long courses. For example, in March they have: Butchery, March 11, £185 (full day) Steak Night, March 16, £95 (evening) A full diary of courses is online and you can also see video demos. Call 01635 26507 to book or go online: www.thewoodspeen.com/cookery-school Bangers and Mash , £95, March 3 (evening) Pastries and Desserts, March 9, £195 (full day) CHEERY TIPPLES Of course, a home-made gift for your loved one should be a real winner. Fruit-infused vodkas are so easy to make and you don’t need to wait ages until they are ready. The rule is generally two cups of chopped fruit to two to three cups of vodka and then infuse for three to five days. Here at O&A we love blueberry-infused vodka which takes on a lovely violet hue. Simply crush the blueberries and transfer to a sterilised bottle or even a jam jar, adding any juice left on the chopping board. Cover with the vodka, seal and leave in a dark place. Give it a shake each day then taste after three to five days. If you think it’s ready, strain the liquid, discard the fruit and strain into a new jar or bottle.

If you want a sweet tipple, more like a liqueur drink, add some simple sugar syrup (sugar dissolved in water) at the first stage.