Me and my flatmate got a discount voucher to attend one day of this event. We took the DLR to Custom Excel which was fun in itself. It reminded me of the first time I took the DLR. A few years back my boyfriend wanted to take me to the Canary Wharf ice skating rink. The ice skating was for me because he's as wobbly as jelly on ice but the DLR trip was definitely for him, we stalked out the front seat because he wanted to pretend to be driving the train and then we had to go to the back for a different view. I would recommend any chance to take the DLR.
Anyway, back to Taste of Christmas, we were greeted by friendly and helpful staff into a hall that wasn't overcrowded. There were lots of artisan food stalls. I managed to find a beautiful buffalo mozzarella (honestly I didn't know mozzarella could taste like that) and the best truffle oil for miles around, and I live next to Borough Market so I've tasted my share of truffle oils!
Not only were there stalls to buy from but there were live food demonstrations by famous chefs who gave us Christmas dinner tips. I'll share some below:
1. Soak the turkey in brine (water, salt,sugar) for 24 hours before cooking it to keep it moist
2. Start cooking your turkey at a low heat 120C for 90mins, then up to 140 for 30mins, 180 for 30 mins and a quick heat blast near the end for an even heat throughout
3. When making roast potatoes, season after they go a golden colour and they won't stick to the pan
We also got the chance to cook a beautiful eggnog bread pudding with caramelised apples, it took 30mins to make and eat. Ingredients: cream, brandy, milk, eggs, sugar, apple....DELICIOUS and will definitely be recreated for dessert this christmas.
My one recommendation, arrive early! We missed Jamie Oliver who I am a little in love with and we had to queue for the cooking station because they were fully booked and we were lucky because people weren't turing up towards the end of the day. Arriving early means you can book yourself in for a session.
We took a busy train back home, arms loaded with oils, yoghurts, booze and cheeses. We also have a list of restaurants to try and some ideas for Christmas dinner. It's starting to feel like Christmas!x
Anyway, back to Taste of Christmas, we were greeted by friendly and helpful staff into a hall that wasn't overcrowded. There were lots of artisan food stalls. I managed to find a beautiful buffalo mozzarella (honestly I didn't know mozzarella could taste like that) and the best truffle oil for miles around, and I live next to Borough Market so I've tasted my share of truffle oils!
Not only were there stalls to buy from but there were live food demonstrations by famous chefs who gave us Christmas dinner tips. I'll share some below:
1. Soak the turkey in brine (water, salt,sugar) for 24 hours before cooking it to keep it moist
2. Start cooking your turkey at a low heat 120C for 90mins, then up to 140 for 30mins, 180 for 30 mins and a quick heat blast near the end for an even heat throughout
3. When making roast potatoes, season after they go a golden colour and they won't stick to the pan
We also got the chance to cook a beautiful eggnog bread pudding with caramelised apples, it took 30mins to make and eat. Ingredients: cream, brandy, milk, eggs, sugar, apple....DELICIOUS and will definitely be recreated for dessert this christmas.
My one recommendation, arrive early! We missed Jamie Oliver who I am a little in love with and we had to queue for the cooking station because they were fully booked and we were lucky because people weren't turing up towards the end of the day. Arriving early means you can book yourself in for a session.
We took a busy train back home, arms loaded with oils, yoghurts, booze and cheeses. We also have a list of restaurants to try and some ideas for Christmas dinner. It's starting to feel like Christmas!x
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