Summer Drinks and Festival Fun – Not long now till another – and the final for a while – bank holiday weekend. I thought it appropriate to suggest some summer drinks, as well as remind you about a great food festival.
Regular readers will know that I’m rather partial to a good gin and here’s a fabulous new one I’ve discovered: Portofino Dry Gin. Using a medley of botanicals that convey the sensations and fragrance of Portofino, its initial notes are from fresh lemon and crisp juniper that transport you to the hills of Portofino. They give way to a universe of Mediterranean flavours: from the wild rosemary and lavender perfumes of the coastal scrub to the sweet and delicate notes of marjoram and sage that evoke the taste of traditional Ligurian cuisine. Strong: 43%ABV, and really rather special, it’s available from Amazon or Master of Malt for around £43 a bottle. Not surprisingly, it’s won hosts of awards. It’s really worth trying.
Nothing says summer like a delicious, refreshing Spritz serve, which can be enjoyed over long lunches, sun drenched afternoons or golden hour gatherings. Cotswolds Distillery has recently launched Cotswolds Wild Spritz, the distillery’s take on an English aperitivo, offering a distinctive, refreshing and bittersweet taste. Hand-crafted at the distillery, using classic English botanicals including lavender, hops and lemon balm and lifted with bright, distilled fresh orange peel, it offers a balanced serve with a drier, more refined profile than others I’ve tried – and it’s inspired by the beauty of our English countryside. It works brilliantly with English sparkling wine or other fizz or top up with tonic or soda water. £25 for 70 cl ABV 30% cotswoldsdistillery.com
Limoncè is an award-winning limoncello liqueur, produced using Femminello Sicilian lemons, which are world-renowned for their superior quality and taste. Limoncè is top selling Limoncello in Italy and is free from artificial flavours and colouring. It’s delicious served neat and on the rocks, but also makes a refreshing spritz if mixed with soda and prosecco or cava. Limoncè Limoncello RRP: £15 for 50cl | ABV: 25%. Available from: Ocado and Amazon
There’s something rather special (in my opinion) about a crisp, dry, Spanish white wine. Possibly just because I have so many happy memories of summers at my sister’s place in Mallorca, but I do find they are reliably good, and reasonably priced.
For example, produced in Spain’s D.O. Rueda region in Castilla y León, Verdejo wines are crisp, vibrant and full of citrus, stone fruit and subtle herbal notes. They’re also growing in popularity here, with exports to the UK up +6.65% year on year to more than 1.31 million bottles. One bottle attracting plenty of attention, particularly across social media, is Four Lines Verdejo, available at Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s for around £10. It’s generated thousands of comments from shoppers raving about the wine. It’s a beautifully balanced and easy drinking Verdejo, with ripe lemon and delicate tropical fruit on both the nose and the palate. Harmonious, refreshing with a herbal twist of fennel on the finish.
Another excellent Verdejo is this Beronia Rueda Verdejo: a pretty, pale yellow wine with subtle greenish hints. Intensely aromatic, it displays notes of fennel, white flowers, and fresh grass over a rich background of stone fruits. On the palate it’s dry and full of flavour, with a balanced acidity and a certain bitterness typical of this grape variety. It’s a great stand-alone aperitif and it pairs well with food. Available from Waitrose, Sainsbury and Majestic for around £11.50-£12 a bottle.
Festival Fun
And finally, don’t forget that over the bank holiday weekend (29-31 August), there’s the annual
Hampton Court Palace Food Festival hrpfestivals.com/hampton-court-palace In this spectacular historical setting, the glorious grounds of Henry VIII’s former palace, you can try new dishes, discover a new favourite flavour, while away the hours with some traditional garden games, enjoy the sweet melodies from the live music performers and tick off your cultural visit. There will be loads of street food and drink stalls, so take your picnic blanket and make a day of it. For tickets and further info see link here
The Seasoned Gastronome