Blog
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – dark chocolate mousse
For me, this is the best chocolate mousse recipe. Incredibly simple and very chocolatey, it’s not too terrible on the calories (around 170 per mousse) is low in carbs and has no cream or butter in it, just 3 ingredients.
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Vineyard update 19th April 2018
A few pictures taken yesterday in the Saumur Champigny appellation. As you can see there is a little more development and the tiny leaves are beginning to unfurl. We have had glorious sunny weather for the past two days and it’s set to continue over the weekend with temperatures reaching 28°C (82°F).
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Peter Hahn’s lovely Vouvrays available on-line in France and Europe
Many of you will have tasted Peter Hahn’s lovely Vouvrays while you have been with us at le tasting room. I’m happy to say that he has launched an on-line facility and his wines are now available on-line in Europe and France for delivery.
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Budburst 2018 – a few pics
A couple of pics taken first thing this morning in the garden where we have 6 Cabernet Franc and 6 Chenin Blanc vines.
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Tips for Travellers to France – Bread on the table
At home, in a relaxed dining situation or an informal bistro/restaurant you will not be given a plate upon which to put your bread. Bread goes on the table.
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding
Bread and butter pudding. A very English pudding made with bread. A firm favourite of ours and very easy to make, here I have added a French and a British twist. I have used buttery brioche instead of bread and as you can see from the photo I snuck in some gooseberries, that quintessentially tangy British fruit.
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Trying to pronounce French wines! Bourgueil
I had to repost this little video taken recently at Prowein. It shows a variety of people from different countries trying to pronounce ‘Bourgueil’. Bourgueil is one of the Loire’s best known red wine appellations but it takes some pronouncing, especially if you are not familiar with the French language.
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – Joue de boeuf
Things are a bit chilly here in the Loire and today it’s raining outside so I thought I’d share the recipe for a long slow cooked beef cheek (joue de boeuf) that will brighten up even the most miserable day.
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Wine Education – Introduction to the Loire Valley
No wonder that the Loire has a vast range of wine styles and grape varieties and this doesn’t take into account the multitude of small satellite regions that are also gathered under the Loire valley umbrella when it comes to wine.
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What’s going on in the vineyard in April?
Signs of budburst have been seen in the Muscadet region and in Saumur Champigny but there was little sign of it in St Nicolas de Bourgueil yesterday (the 9th). Meanwhile, growers are replacing dead or diseased vines with new ones and putting in stakes to support replacement vines that are now 2 years old.
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News from the Loire – Bois Brinçon portes ouvertes 21 & 22 April
Chateau de Bois-Brinçon in Anjou has its open house on Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd April. Great wines from this bio-dynamic producer in Anjou.
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – Gateau Nantais
A boozy rum laced cake that was invented in 1820, the Gateau Nantais from Nantes in the Loire valley is sure to get you in the spirit! (excuse the pun) It’s great to serve as a dessert for a special dinner or celebration.