Chef Wise

Take a Different Look at Christmas Drinks This Year If you want to spice up this year's Christmas dining with a selection of drinks, look no further than Friends of Glass and drinks educator of the year, Jane Peyton. Together, they bring you the essential guide to alternative festive drinks and argue that beer and cider are the best partners for your food choices this Christmas.  In recent times, both beer and cider have undergone a huge surge in popularity. Partly driven by the rise of craft beers and premium ales, there are now more breweries per capita in the UK than any other country. New cider brands have transformed the choice of great ciders on offer in the shops, with many styles now available. Jane Peyton believes that both beer and cider are great British options for pairing with your food this Christmas. She says: “With a huge range of brilliant beers and ciders now widely available, there's never been a better time to explore these wonderful ...

It's Sheppy's - but not as you know it! Sheppy's are already masters of the art of producing award winning traditional premium cider. Now they have teamed up with mixologist, BlackLeaf Events, to create a unique collection of luxury cocktails and long drinks using some of their best known ciders. The recipes have been designed to show how innovative and creative cider can be. Not just for drinking on its own or for pairing with foods - cider can also be enjoyed as a contemporary cocktail. There are eight creations in the collection featuring Sheppy's multi award winning Oak Matured Vintage, award winning Dabinett Apple, Cider with Raspberry and one of the finest cider's of them all -  Kingston Black - made from a very rare old Somerset apple. Sheppy's Cider - just with a twist! Cherry Dab 25ml Jim Beam Maple Bourbon 50ml Cherry Juice 5ml Fresh Lime Juice Top Sheppy's Dabinett Apple Cider Add all ingredients to a rocks glass filled ...

Publicans, clubs and anyone else looking to hold a cider festival can now take advantage of the Cider Festival in a Box service offered by Bristol Cider Shop. Launching just in time for the World Cup, this new service will enable anyone to host a cider festival, with detailed tasting notes and a hand-picked selection of award-winning cider and perry included. If you have particular favourites, Bristol Cider Shop will put together a bespoke list for you, or you can order a pre-made selection ‘off the shelf’. Like everything else in the Bristol Cider Shop, all of the ciders on offer are award-winning and (unlike some of the more commercial brands) are made from 100% fresh cider apple juice. They are all made by small independent producers within 50 miles of Bristol, and are sourced directly from the producers. Peter Snowman, owner of Bristol Cider Shop, said, “We have so many people asking us to help them organise cider festivals. A lot of publicans and festival organ...

Sit back, relax and enjoy a refreshing glass of the West Country's much loved tipple, scrumptious Devon cider.  Next time you're picking up a bottle, why not try one of The Shops at Dartington's fabulous two new varieties?  Launching at The Shops at Dartington Food Fair on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June, Dartington Organic Vintage Cider and Dartington Organic Cider Devon Blush are two immensely drinkable ciders, certain to quench any thirst. Produced using only apples from local orchards within a five mile radius of the Dartington Estate, these delightful ciders are sure to be very popular.  Fruity, lightly carbonated and medium dry in taste, Dartington Organic Vintage is produced using nothing but pure apple juice from more than 15 wonderful bittersweet and bitter sharp varieties.  Lovingly pressed using traditional methods, a rich well balanced juice is produced which is then slowly fermented.  The result is a charming fruit aromatic cider w...

Who says cider is just for the summer? This season, rip up the rule book and spice up your night with a Rekorderlig Winter Cider. Made with apples and infused with cinnamon and vanilla this limited edition drink can be enjoyed hot with a slice of orange or simply poured over ice for a cold crisp taste. This winter warmer is the perfect kick start to the brisk wintery months. So long mulled wine - there’s a new hot toddy in town. Rekorderlig Winter Cider is available at Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and leading bars nationwide as single bottles and multipacks. Gift packs are also available at Sainsbury’s, items in the gift pack include a bespoke Rekorderlig half pint glass and one 500ml bottle. A cider for all seasons, Rekorderlig is loved by festival goers, surfers, sun worshippers and snowboarders alike. Following popular demand, it’s just been announced that Rekorderlig Passionfruit is here to stay, joining year round bestselling exciting flavours including Strawberry ...