Restaurant review: Market Porter Supper Club

Something a little different for a restaurant review today. Market Porter is an amazing online supermarket who specialise in artisan cheese, meat, chocolate and charcuterie from British producers. You'll know exactly where your food comes from and enjoy treats from small-scale produces. The older I'm getting and the more I'm reading, I'm starting to really care about where my food comes from and how it's made. I'm not perfect but I'm trying. Slowly but surely right?

Last week Market Porter took over a The Table in Southwark to put on a two day supper club showcasing their incredible produce in a seven course menu thought up by Young British Foodie's 2015 chef of the Year Adam Rawson. What a way to get to spend a Thursday eh?

Starting with a Japanese gin and tonic, we eagerly awaited the first course. Soft Highland Brie with crunchy oats and smoked russet apple topped with a leaf of nasturtium. The oozing cheese was so rich and paired perfectly with the flavours of the apple to help take it down a notch. Officially established in 1967, the cheesemongers in the Scottish Highlands produce a staggering 150 tonnes of cheese a year. When it tastes as good as this, I can see why they're in demand!

Second was my favourite course. Tender pork cheeks topped with roasted shallots and watercress on a bed of Chevril root - not too dissimilar to celeriac. The meat fell apart as soon as you dug your fork in and just melted in your mouth. It had a similar texture to pulled meat and is something I'd definitely order again if I saw it on the menu. Coming from Lakehaven Farm, they specialise in rare-breed pigs and takes the time help them mature and enjoy their surroundings in the 25-acre space.

Next up was Dorset air dried beef, potato, a sprinkle of rosemary and Enoki mushrooms. Sitting in a rich, salty broth, the little balls were delicious. I loved the hint of rosemary paired with the broth. I wish I didn't have to share them! Capeolus Fine Foods specialises in local bred and reared rare-breeds. The beech wood chips help to add a delicate flavour to the cured meats.

Amazingly I still had room for more so welcomed the next course. Juicy roast chicken on a base of Cornish Blue cheese topped with charred leeks and tempera mini eels. The cheese sauce was so addictive with such a subtle taste. The production of the 'world champion cheese' was first started in 2001 and has been going strong ever since.

When I read gammon, egg and chips on the menu, this was not what I expected to arrive on the table! The salty gammon and sweet pineapple proved to the perfect partners. You really can't go wrong with chips and gravy either! The last of the savoury courses, it was time for the puddings.

A rich chocolate mousse used sea salt chocolate from Edinburgh-based Ocelet Chocolate. The brand won a staggering six medals at the Academy of Chocolate Awards in 2015. Finally, a deconstructed custard cream appeared as the final course. The perfect end to one of my favourite ever blog events. It's made me want to sign up for one of their meat boxes asap. Thanks so much for having me Market Porter!

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6 of the best places to eat in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a foodie's paradise. Hands down one of the best cities I've been to for food. There's such a insane collection of different cuisines to try from street food markets to more fancier sit down restaurants with tablecloths. Being lucky enough to spend almost the majority of the week in London stuffing my face, I've turned into a bit of a food snob and rarely spend time in a city that compares. But the food scene Copenhagen was incredible and completely rivalled my 'home' city  - it's easily in my top two of cities I've eaten in. So what did I manage to eat?

1. Fleish
As soon as I discovered The Meatpacking District, I knew that I wanted to spend a lot of my time eating in the area. One restaurant that grabbed my attention was Fleish and I booked us in for an evening meal immediately. This butchers slash eatery has a busy open kitchen and industrial decor vibe. My boyfriend and I are massive meat eaters and really appreciate good quality cuts so this seemed right up our street. Being the greedy little piglets we are, it took us a total of 10 seconds to spot the seven course taster menu and order it. It. Was. Incredible. Easily one of the best meals I have ever eaten. Ever. Consisting of various dishes including ham-wrapped asparagus, rich bone marrow, zesty scallop ceviche and rare steak medallions. The portions were surprisingly generous and the high quality meat was insanely tender. Each bite melted in your mouth, was bursting with flavour and made us hum with pleasure. Copenhagen is not cheap but if you don't mind splashing out, pick this restaurant. You won't regret it one bit, it's worth every single penny.

2. Nose2Tail Madbodega
We both like to be pushed out of our comfort zone when it comes to eating out, eager to try different foods we've never tried before and different cuisines that we've only read about in books. Copenhagen's first sustainable and organic steakhouse is based on the 'nose2tail' concept meaning that every single part of the animal is used. They have three specials on the menu, a meat of the day, an innard of the day and a fish of the day. After choosing to sample the plank, we feasted on a selection of board of different local meats, lashings of mustard, addictive pates and a basket full of bread, alongside a huge slab of pork crackling. Delicious! For the main we decided to ask for the innards of the day which turned out to be veal liver. I'm going to hold my hands up and admit that I didn't fall in love with this. It was a bit too tough and dense for my liking, I prefer chicken livers. But it wasn't horrible in the slightest and was just down to personal taste. It came with a pile of homemade coleslaw, crispy potatoes, roasted tomatoes and garlicky green beans. It is a really cool concept and the atmosphere was buzzing. Definitely one to eat at if you're a big meat fan.

3. Paper Island
Copenhagen Street Food calls this industrial estate near the harbour home. Getting it's name from the paper storage facilities, it's only here until 2017 so make sure you get in a visit quick! It had endless stalls offering everything from potent mojitos to Korean fried chicken. During the evening the place comes alive with live music but during the day it's a really cool place to hang out and eat your way around the stalls before settling down outside along the canal. It's very similar to Street Feast  night market in London. The prices are similar to that too, you're looking at dishes or around £7-10 for a main dish and cocktails are about £9.

4. Mad & Kaffe
For brunch I'd been hearing a lot about this cafe in the Vesterbro district. One word of warning is to arrive early because we ended up waiting around 45 minutes for a table on a Sunday morning at about 11am. It was well worth the queue but sometimes it's just nice to get seated straight away. They do a great mix and match brunch menu during the morning. You can pick from 3, 5 or 7 items - simply mark which ones you want on the menu with a pencil and hand it over to a waitress. I pumped for the avocado in chilli sauce with baked almonds, organic Vesterhavs cheese with fruity marmalade, creamy scrambled egg with chives and fried mushrooms, organic fluffy white and rye bread and spicy fried chorizo sausages. Paired with a fresh orange juice, it was the perfect sized breakfast to fuel lots of walking!

5. Torvehallerne KBH
Boasting over 60 different stalls selling a variety of different dishes, fresh produce and drinks, this food market is the perfect place to enjoy cheap eats without compromising on the taste. Similar to Borough Market in London, the market is a great place to explore. Make sure you take a stroll around the whole place before deciding what to have. Already addicted to the Danish smorrebrod - or open sandwich - we decided to opt for the only stall selling the dish. Piled high with generous toppings of fish, ham and coronation chicken, we eagerly tucked in and declared it absolutely delicious. The one above topped with ham, roasted tomatoes, egg and chives won for me. We obviously had to pick up a Danish pastry for the road too.

6. Schonnemann
This was the surprise of the bunch for me. The restaurant was rated very highly in my Lonely Planet book and kept popping up time and time again during my research. Rightly so, as the three sandwich sample we ate was so flavoursome. They offer over 110 different types of smorrebrod and is a lunch time only restaurant so get there early around 11.30 or book a table. We hadn't a foggiest what to order so decided to go for the set menu paired with a glass of beer. In Denmark, the herring is supposed to always be eaten first and you go from left to right. I couldn't recommend the set menu enough and it was a great introduction into the Danish tradition. The waiter was extremely helpful and friendly, making the whole experience a hundred times better. Definitely one to add to your list!

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Recipe: grilled avocado barley bowl with Lakeland

Lakeland got in touch to see if I wanted to try out the new Davina McCall range and test them out with a recipe. Always one for kitchen equipment, I said yes and soon a parcel arrived. Consisting of a pair of kitchen scissors, crinkle cutter, grater, peeler and a pairing knife, they were the perfect addition to my kitchen. I decided it was time to try out a recipe from one my favourite cookbooks at the minute, A Modern Way To Cook by Anna Phillips - the recipe called for most of the items to be used. So what did I think? I loved the bright colours as I think aesthetics are everything in a kitchen, they felt sturdy to withhold my clumsiness and were simple and quick to use whilst preparing a meal. Who has time for complicated equipment on a week night? The price point is great too - good quality at a really reasonable price.

Serves 2 with leftovers for lunch

Ingredients
1 large avocado
300g pearl barley
1/2 bag of baby spinach
50g chopped walnuts
Zest and juice of one lemon
100g feta cheese
200ml plain fat free Greek yogurt
A handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
A few pinches of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper

Method
1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water then boil it in a saucepan. Include a good pinch of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon before putting the squeezed lemon half into the pan too. Cook for around 25 minutes.

2. Cut the avocados in half - leaving the skin on but discarding the stone. Put them cut side down in a griddle pan and cook until they have black griddle marks.

3. To make the yogurt sauce, mix the chopped basil leaves with the zest and juice of the remaining half a lemon. Add a good pinch of sea salt and pepper for some extra flavouring.

4. Wilt the spinach in a frying pan.

5. Once the pearl barley is cooked, drain away the water and crumble in the feta cheese and chopped walnuts. Add the wilted spinach to the dish and mix it all together.

6. Divide between two bowls - remembering to keep some aside for lunch leftovers! Top with the grilled avocado and spoon on the yogurt mix.

As always I'd love to know if you try this recipe out, drop me a tweet to let me know!

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Review: Whyte & Brown, Kingly Court, Soho

Kingly Court in Soho is one of my favourite places to go for a bite to eat. It's a cluster of brightly coloured restaurants offering cuisines from all over the world. This time we opted to head to Whyte & Brown, a specialist chicken restaurant on the ground floor. All of the chicken is free range from a grain-fed farm in Yorkshire. Making the most of the rare sunshine, we asked for a table outside and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Carnaby Street.

Coming from work, we were absolutely starving so promptly ordered some crispy chicken skins to keep our bellies ticking over. I wish we'd ordered more. And more. The thin, salty crisps were similar to pork crackling but a much lighter taste. Very addictive. Keen not to over order - as usual - we ordered a black pudding scotch egg to share. With a perfectly cooked bright orange yolk, the chicken meat made a nice change from the sausage meat - the black pudding gave it a nice tang.

For mains we opted for pulled barbecue chicken in a sweet bun topped with spicy jalapeños and sour cream and the puff pastry chicken and tarragon pie with kale, roasted red onion and a rich, creamy celeriac mash. Of course a side of parmesan and truffle fries were needed too. The tender pulled chicken just melted in my mouth and the brioche bun withstood the serious party going on inside. Anyone else hate it when they fall apart at the seams? The celeriac mash was a revelation. So creamy. So rich. So flavoursome. I may have finished off most of this portion...

Whyte & Brown is a good solid choice. The food is reasonably priced, tasty and it's in a great location in the centre of town. The food is hearty, tasty and varied. This is the second time I've visited and both times they've been on top of their game. It's not going to win any awards for being the most innovative but for British comfort food it can't be beaten.

These pictures were taken using a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. As a iPhone nerd I'd always wondered about the other side. And when I crossed over to the other side I was delighted. The camera on the phone is absolutely great and hands down is one of the best phone cameras I've ever used. An Instagrammers dream. 

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Review: Pachamama, Marylebone, central London

A few weeks ago I met up with Lauren and Hannah for a much-deserved catch up. Pachamana had 50% off their new spring menu all weekend so it would have been rude to not take advantage. God bless Hannah for finding out that information. It was my first time trying Peruvian food so I'm not sure how it compares to other restaurants in the city. But I do know that it was absolutely delicious.

After ordering a very strong cocktail, we sat down to study the menu and prepared ourselves for a feast. First we decided to order a sweet potato waffle topped with Peruvian fried chicken, sweet yacon and slightly spicy aji sauce. The tender fried chicken had a lovely crunch and moreish taste. The waffle was a little dry and could have done with a bit more sauce but overall it was an enjoyable dish.

We all shared a trio of different ceviche including sea bass and samphire, salmon tiradito, beetroot and avocado and sea bream, grapes and fennel.  The sea bass ceviche was incredible. So fresh and so flavoursome - it was a shame to have to share it!

The juicy burger consisted of a Galician beef patty, pork belly chicharron, aji rocoto ketchup, aji amarillo mustard and salsa criollo between a week toasty bun. Generous with the fillings, the burger really hit the spot. The aubergine covered in pecans siting in smoked yogurt was great. A little overpriced at £7 but the smoked yogurt was a great partner to the soft aubergine.

Pachamana was a great introduction to Peruvian food. The dishes were flavoursome and inventive. I tried new food I would never have paired together. The price point was a little high so I think it's one for a for a special occasion or when you don't mind splashing the cash. I definitely recommend visiting for brunch and trying those delicious but potent cocktails!

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Review: Stable Pizza, Whitechapel, East London

Last week I was invited to the launch of Stable Pizza in Whitechapel. Back in 2009, Richard and Nikki Cooper swapped London for Dorset and their first restaurant in a renovated stable at the back of their hotel. Cider is produced in abundance in the West Country so the pair decided to combine it with pizza to create a chilled out atmosphere where crowds of friends could gather for a laid-back night out. The chain uses local produce when possible and each menu is different depending on which restaurant you visit.

Stocking over 80 different types of cider from dry to sweet, fizzy to still,  Stable has one of the biggest cider selection I can think of in London. There doesn't seem to be anywhere like it. Craft beer and Gin, yes. But cider no. The great thing is they change it regularly so there are always different ones to try.

Now to the crispy sourdough pizza. The toppings seem endless, giving you some really tough choice to make! My favourites included The Coppa-Cabana, creamy Direct Coppa topped with field mushrooms, fresh tomato sauce, milky mozzarella before being drizzled with a dijon dressing and a handful of rocket leaves.  I was converted by The Porky Pancetta. A delicious combination of tomato sauce, sweet white onion and Dorset pancetta before being topped with a free range fried egg. Why have I have never had egg on a pizza before? Finally The King Crabbler was absolutely delicious.  Hand picked West Country crabmeat lightly infused with red chili, garlic and lemon provided the star player. It was topped with tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, fresh basil leaves and mozzarella. Creme fraiche, lemon and parsley provided the finishing touch.

It was honestly one of the best launches I have been lucky enough to attend. The staff were so knowledgeable and blew my mind with their cider knowledge. The pizza was absolutely delicious with so many different, unusual toppings. The venue was great, so laid back with a fantastic atmosphere. I genuinely can't wait to go back and have a table booked at the branch in Bristol for when I go stay with a friend in June. If you're looking for a chilled, fun night out then Stable Pizza should be first on your list. Thanks for such a great evening guys!

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Review: Jackson & Rye

Not working in London anymore means I'm usually always late to the party - I can hardly keep up with all the new openings. My list doesn't seem to be getting any shorter!

When I arranged a dinner date with Elodie in central I suggested - well maybe bullied - her into going Jackson & Rye. She'd already been quite a few times already so was all too happy to go along with my suggestion. I booked a table for 6pm and when we arrived it was already starting to get busy so I really would suggest booking before turning up! We had such an attentive waitress who made the meal really enjoyable. I loved the old American feel of the place - it felt like you'd stepped back in time to the Deep South.

After being persuaded to stay away from the burger I went with the crispy buttermilk fired chicken with spicy white cabbage slaw and a side of sweet potato fries. The portion was absolutely huge so I'm glad we didn't opt for a starter. The chicken was succulent and perfectly crunchy. There's nothing worse that soggy fried chicken.  The fries were very moreish with a tasty spice to them. The batter did get a bit too sickly and greasy towards the end but I'd still have it again! I loved the white cabbage slaw. The ratio of mayo and lemon couldn't be better and I could have eaten a whole bowl of the stuff. I'm not even much of a slaw fan either!

On a side not this whole mood lighting trend in restaurants really doesn't help me to take pictures - sort it out owners!

Have you ever eaten at Jackson & Rye?

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