The Wine List

Do you admire people who swirl and sniff their wine in a glass and pronounce: "With a whiff of the orchard in both spring and autumn, this has the pulse of fresh acidity and seasoning of peppery spice"? (quote is from 20 best wines for the summer by David Williams)

Do you enjoy drinking wine but tend to stick to those varieties you've tried in the past and know what to expect? Whenever I go out (or went out, since I haven't been in a restaurant, like everyone else, for months and months), I look at the wine list, and then choose a glass of something "safe".

Let's just say, I'm the opposite of being adventurous when it comes to wine.
I applaud people who know their wine and can easily pick the right bottle in the supermarket rather than stand by the wine aisle in confusion, not sure what's best to pair with the dinner you're cooking for guests.

If you want to educate yourself about wine, The Wine List is a wine subscription box focused on learning.

When I was approached with an offer to review The Wine List box, I cautiously mentioned that I'm not a wine expert, though I do enjoy reading features on wine in food magazines and online.

How does The Wine List subscription work?

Once a month you receive a box which contains two bottles of wine, interactive tasting cards and a leaflet which allows you to learn one wine principle.

The box I received had a very informative piece on Wine Roots/Vessel, talking about how the shape, size and material of the vessels impact the final wine.

You discover two wines, which are rarely available in the UK - usually a white and a red.

Let's have a look at what wines we received in our box - Massaya White/Massaya (2018, Lebanon) and Cara Sucia/Durigutti Family (2019, Argentina).
These are definitely new wines for me, I haven't come across these winemakers before, and enjoyed reading their stories, origins, food pairing, including the local food pairing.

The tasting notes and information about the winemakers are concise and direct. As you sample wine, you might want to tick off the aroma profile notes as appropriate, so not only you sample new wines, you develop your skills at the same time. Each month you try new wines and expand your knowledge.
The tasting guide will give you twelve lessons through the year.

The Wine List write on their website: "We've looked at wine learning in a load of different ways. and we believe the best way to learn is through discovery - new grapes, regions and winemakers - with a few core principles underneath."
They promise: "With some practice, after six-to-twelve months, you should be able to look at a restaurant wine list, or shelves in your local merchant, and have an inkling of what a bottle should taste like".

The Wine List subscription box costs £36 per month.

Let's look closely at each wine we've tried.

Massaya White/Massya - 2018 is a medium to full-bodied white, showing off mineral aromas, as well as prominent lashings of white flowers, and lemons.
With background hints of honey, this is a very drinkable wine. It is crisp, refreshing, and will go well with a variety of cuisines and dishes.

Massaya is run by two brothers, Sami and Rammzi Ghosn, in partnership with the Brunier brothers from Vieux Télégraphe and Dominique Hébrard, formerly from Château Cheval Blanc.

Suggested food pairing - seafood-heavy pasta would work well here. I imagine it would be a treat to pair it with spaghetti alle vongole (or pasta with clams).
Local food pairing would be Samkeh Harra, Lebanese grilled fish, marinated in chilli, citrus and coriander.

I consulted a book called Souk by Nadia Zeruali and Merijn Tol, which I reviewed a couple of years ago. It's a cook book of Middle Eastern cuisine, and has a good number of Lebanese recipes.
I was searching for the authentic vegetarian Lebanese recipes. Hummus and Moutabal (aubergine spread with yogurt, pomegranate and oregano) are easy to make, and are perfect for a light dinner.

As it happened, these cold mezze and Massaya White are great together.

Cara Sucia/Durigutti Family - 2019 is an Argentinian wine from the region of Rivadavia, Mendoza.
Described as light and fresh, with crunchy redcurrants, red cherries and hints of strawberry, it has a definite tannic bite on the palate, but nothing aggressive. It would suit slightly chilled.

Brothers Hector and Pablo made wine all over the world in Italy, Chile and Argentina before returning home to Mendoza in 2002.
Cara Sucia is the epitome of that journey: the wine that signifies their return home.

Food pairing suggestions: try vegetarian-led food, or smoky, cured meats, even thrown over the BBQ.
Local food pairing would be a Choripan, an Argentinian sandwich: barbecued chorizo, topped with chimichurri, caramelised onions and pickled aubergines.

I served it lightly chilled, with chilli pistachios and Ancho peppers. It is a fragrant, red-fruited wine, perfect to drink on a summer evening.
This wine of glorious ruby colour makes you think of long summer days and fruit ripening under the sun.

Both wines are perfect for entertaining, or while enjoying a quiet evening in the garden, sitting in the sunset.
I appreciated learning about the wine we sampled, and reading the stories behind the brands.

The Wine List subscription box will make an excellent gift for any foodie.

If this wine subscription box with the focus on learning sounds like something you would enjoy, check out their website or Insta page - @the_winelist which has a discount code offer for your first box.

Disclosure: As mentioned above, we received a box of wine for the purposes of reviewing.

Photo Diary: Week 26, Project 366

Annalisa Barbieri, The Guardian's Weekend columnist is a wise lady. I admire that she doesn't just give her own opinion on whatever problem she is discussing, but consults psychologists and psychotherapists, thus presenting a more focused and balanced reply. I don't always agree with what she has to say, but I follow her column with great interest.
In the latest article she gives advice to a lady who is very anxious about "returning to the world" after the lockdown. She says that our world has shrunk, and expanding it again - safely - can seem onerous for some. And that's how I feel as well. I go out shopping, as if going to the battlefield. My husband needs to go to his office in Oxford, and the idea of him travelling by bus sends me into a mild panic.
Sasha goes to school three times a week, and I keep worrying about the risks he's taking. It's unrelenting.

I was supposed to meet up with a friend for a social distanced coffee in town, but I felt so anxious and stressed that I asked her to postpone the meet-up. I felt guilty about it later.
I need to build up my confidence to expand my world and not to transfer my anxiety to my family.

Last Sunday was Father's Day. I baked a marbled ricotta cake, which turned out very tasty. Eddie did a lovely drawing of Han Solo for his Dad, and we've also chosen a gift for him in the book shop.
I thought of my late Dad, and how much I miss him.

This is one of a very few pictures where my Dad and I are together. We didn't have a camera when I was a child, and there are not many photos from my childhood. A different era, unlike these days, when everyone seems to record every bite they eat for posterity (myself included).

It was taken on the day my Mum was in the hospital, giving birth to my brother, while my Dad looked after me. In those days, fathers were not permitted to be present during the labour. If they were lucky, they would have seen a baby held by a nurse from a window.
With my short hair I looked like a boy, but at least, I've got hair in the photo, as apparently I was a baldie as a baby, while my little brother had long locks, huge eyelashes and was utterly gorgeous.
I'm so much older now than my Dad in this photo. Wasn't he handsome?!

On Monday Eddie did one of the school tasks on Seesaw - to draw a cover for The BFG. The teacher said it was amazing, and awarded him an extra house point for this work.

I was well-chuffed, seeing that Danilo Cortellini has visited my Insta page. Not every day famous chefs look at my pictures.

I was waiting for a hand saw delivery from amazon, which I ordered the day before, so when a thin long package has arrived, I just put it aside. When an hour later, another long package was delivered, I looked at the first one, wondering if I got two seesaws by mistake.
It was a bouquet, which my friend sent to cheer me up. I almost welled up.

Another screenshot - it was so hot, my brain was melting. I hate the heat, I cannot function properly.

Another hot day, made more unbearable by the inconsiderate twats, aka builders next door. They were rebuilding the conservatory, with the music on full blast all day. I'm not a vengeful person, but I did wish a series of calamities on them and the new owner.
My potted phloxes are not doing that well. One of the plants is being eaten by some bugs. I cannot see anything suspicious, but the leaves are pretty much destroyed. Any ideas on who might be the culprit?

The tomato plants in the greenhouse show the very first tiny fruit. I'm very pleased, as these are the tomatoes I've been growing from seeds, and they've been quite a challenge.

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Marbled ricotta cake

Reading Rachel Cooke's column in the Observer Food Monthly, I kept nodding my head in agreement. She writes about the food in lockdown, that in a world where we have been deprived of so much that we love - friends, art, restaurants - every meal is a treat. In such times, pleasure really is vital. And a cake is definitely one of life's pleasures.

Last Sunday many people celebrated the Father's Day, and I wanted to bake something special to treat my boys and their Dad.
I was mixing the cake batter and thinking of my late Dad. How I wish he lived long enough to meet my children. He's being gone these last twenty years. I lived with my parents until I was in my mid-twenties. I often baked then, but my cakes were quite basic. We didn't have the same variety of ingredients as you can get now in Russia. I often think how much I would have enjoyed cooking a good meal for him now.

Ricotta cake is one of the cakes I bake quite often, with slightly different variations. The original recipe was given to me by my husband's aunt Giuseppina. Her recipe, adapted for the competition sponsored by Grana Padano, helped me win the first prize a few years ago.
I play around with different added ingredients, keeping the main ratio of eggs/sugar/ricotta/flour and butter the same.
Ricotta cake is very tasty as it is, but I fancied slightly jazzing it up for the occasion, plus I wanted to see if it would work as a marbled cake. It worked well. The cake barely lasted two days.

Marbled ricotta cake
Ingredients:
3 medium eggs
160g caster sugar
200g ricotta
300g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
100g butter, melted
1tsp vanilla essence
4tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp chocolate spread + 1 heaped tsp of cocoa powder
2tbsp Biscoff spread (optional)
+
icing sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice for the icing

Beat the eggs with the ricotta and sugar, sift in the flour and baking powder and mix well. Melt the butter, let it cool slightly and add to the batter together with the orange juice and vanilla.
Divide the cake batter into two bowls. Add 2tbsp of chocolate spread and cocoa powder to one, and 2tbsp of Biscoff spread to the other one.
The cake batter is rather thick. Spoon it into the oiled bundt tin, alternating spoonfuls of different batter.
Place the tin in the oven preheated to 180C. Bake for about 45+ minutes. Check if the wooden toothpick comes clean, then the cake is ready.

You can simply dust it with the icing sugar, or make a runny icing with icing sugar and orange juice.

Eat warm or cold, with tea or coffee.

Photo diary: week 25, project 366

Bookshops are open! That's the best news in a long time.
Rather than that, our week was a bit meh. The same worries about Sasha's anxiety meds, Mum's health, other family issues, on top of that, the Internet connection is intermittent, and I'm feeling low and dispirited. Mostly helpless and not sleeping well.
I'm going through the motions, and I'm not optimistic.

Eddie's been drawing Star Wars/Mandalorian characters in the past week, following step by step from the YouTube channel for kids. I think this baby Yoda is super cute.

On Monday morning we ventured into town, just three of us (Sasha was at school). It was lovely to re-visit Waterstones after a long closure. We put on our fetching masks and gloves, and while my husband was taking Eddie's picture, I photobombed him. We didn't buy anything that day, as the stock was still pretty much the same we have seen a couple of months before.
We did come back to the shop two days later, and they had a new stock. Eddie and I got a paperback each (The Truants for me and Wonderscape for Eddie). I also bought a book of Norse myths, as we are reading Magnus Chase, book 1, at the moment, and I wanted to revise the myths of Odin, Thor, Loki and more.

I think I've watched too many Marvel films. I was walking into town, looked at the clouds as usual, spotted this strange cloud and thought of the Chitauri. Showed it to Eddie later and we both said: the Chitauri are coming.

Started reading Lockdown by Peter May. It's pretty amazing that he wrote it back in 2005, when the publishers didn't want to publish it as they thought the portrayal of London during the epidemic is completely unrealistic.
I was reading it, sitting in the garden, sipping Coca Cola Signature Mixtures Herbal. I bought it for the first time, and quite enjoyed it with ice. It will be great in a cocktail.

Following the same Art for Kids Hub tutorial on Youtube, Eddie was drawing Han Solo for Father's day. I told him he should draw Darth Vader, but he said he asked his Dad what his favourite Star Wars character was, and that was Han Solo.

Passing by Derwent House, local interior design shop, I admired their colourful window display.

Last week I received two bottles of wine from The Wine List for reviewing. It's the first wine box subscription, focused on learning, as you receive tasting cards with lots of information about the wine and the producers. I wanted to pair the Lebanese wine with the authentic food, and found a recipe for Moutabal. It's similar to babaganoush, with added yogurt and oregano leaves. It is a tasty dish, and goes well with the crisp white wine.

What else did we do? Homeschooling, of course, not that much of TV... We started watching Artemis Fowl, but didn't like it at all. I finished reading The Sewing Room Girl by Susanna Bavin, which I plan to review later this week.
How did your week go?

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Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity launches Phizz-whizzing Workshops

I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I'll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else.
Roald Dahl

Dahl's books have been enjoyed by several generations of readers. Some of his books - like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or The Twits - have become true classics of children's literature. He is considered to be one of the greatest storytellers of the last century. His unique style of writing, his characters and dark humour appeal to readers of all ages.

Do your children love Dahl's books? Maybe, like my son's class, they study The BFG right now.
If you're looking for fun and educational activities, check out Dahl-inspired online workshops.

Today Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity is launching a series of Phizz-whizzing Workshops to teach primary school age children about core values including bravery, empathy, resilience and kindness.

The workshops highlight the charity's work, the vital role its Roald Dahl nurses play in supporting 21,000 seriously ill children across the UK and why these values are important to foster better understanding of the challenges faced by children with lifelong illnesses.

The workshops, which have been developed in partnership with national children's radio station, Fun Kids Radio, are designed to encourage families to take part in fundraising for the charity through a competition to come up with their best fundraising idea.

The winning idea will be picked by Doctor Who star, Jodie Whittaker, Blue Peter Presenter, Richie Driss and CBBC Presenter, Ed Petrie and launched by the charity as part of its Roald Dahl Day fundraising activities.
The winner will also win a bundle of Roald Dahl prizes.

Richie Driss, Ed Petrie and Jodie Whittaker

Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity provides specialist nurses and support to seriously ill children and has created the workshops to stimulate conversation between parents and their children about the challenges faced by children with lifelong illnesses as they are more likely to experience bullying. A study found that 96% of parent carers said that their disabled child has been bullied at school.

Each workshop, which is presented by the charity's mascot, Marvin the crocodile (designed by renowned Roald Dahl illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake) has a fun challenge to complete to further their understanding and there are accompanying worksheets and certificates to download.

You can find all the videos and read the T&Cs at Phizz-Whizzing Workshops. Your children will enjoy taking part in the workshops, and don't forget to enter the competition!

Photo diary: week 24, project 366

Social media could be a blood pressure raising tool. In the last week there was so much hate posted, and accusations thrown around, that at times all I wanted to do was to look at the pictures of flowers and fluffy kittens.
It was a difficult week for me personally as well, as my Mum has been quite unwell for several days. My brother helps as much as he can, but I'm totally helpless, can't do anything, being thousands of miles away.

On the positive side, Eddie's a real book worm. At the start of the year I opened a Goodreads account in his name, and he put a goal of reading 35 books this year. Well, believe it or not, he's already beaten his own goal!

The other day I was checking my Facebook Memories, when a post from four years ago popped up. Eddie's school (like many other schools in the UK) was celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday. Eddie was very excited about it, but when I came to collect him, he said in a disappointed voice: "There were lots of people, but the Queen didn't come". It tickled me to think that my little boy was expecting the Queen to arrive.
He still cracks me up with his jokes.

Tomorrow we're reaching a new stage of the lockdown, with shops selling non-essentials getting open. Not sure if I'd rush into the shops, though I do need new shoes urgently, mine are looking like they're not going to last much longer. I can't buy shoes online, as I have "difficult" feet, and need to try the shoes on. I hate shoe-shopping, it's always such a chore for me.
We can't wait for Waterstones to be open. Not that we don't have enough books, but we missed visiting the book shop.

Last Sunday I was walking in High St and spotted that Huffkins cafe was open for takeaways. They have the tastiest eclairs in town. I got a strawberry eclair and a rocky road for my boys.

Eddie's year is studying The BGF right now, with daily tasks. They sent a link to an audio book, but we prefer a real book, it's also much easier to use as a reference, when you need, for example, to find all the words and phrases which describe movement in a chapter.
One of the tasks was to do a drawing of the BFG, when Sophie first spots him.

Our local manor farm Cogges has opened its grounds to the seasonal ticket holders. My husband decided to get tickets for himself and Eddie. So far, the play area is not opened, and there is not much to see, except their beautiful walled kitchen garden and some animals.
This photo of Eddie at Cogges was taken by my husband.

On Wednesday we attended a celebration of life event at the cemetery. Our friends' daughter would have turned 18. She died last year. She was one of Sasha's class mates.
It was raining earlier, and I wasn't sure if we'd be able to attend if it kept raining.
The cemetery is on a hill outside the town, in a serene, peaceful location, with the wild flowers all around.

Eddie and I have seen quite a few rainbow stacks of books on social media, and fancied making our own. We chose a few of our favourite authors. Since we have all Cressida Cowell's books, it could have been just a rainbow of her books, or Liz Pichon's, or Robin Stevens, since they tend to have book covers in different colours.

I've mentioned the "ghost house" in the neighbourhood before, with the façade completely overgrown with the creepers. It's a home to a big number of white doves, who have nests in all windows.

I made a tomato salad a few days ago, with Galbani burrata and Newman's Own Italian dressing, and tagged them in my Insta story. Newman's Own re-posted my photo in their story, and called it perfect.
It made me smile.

What have you been up to in the last week? And do you plan to hit the shops now that they are re-opening?

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Biscoff-flavoured granola cookies

Before you point out that there are perfectly tasty Lotus Biscoff biscuits available everywhere, let me explain. My younger son is a big fan of Biscoff: he loves the biscuits as well as Biscoff-flavoured ice cream and crunchy spread. Recently my husband bought a jar of smooth Biscoff spread, and my fussy child said he didn't like it.
I prefer savoury toast, or just a thin layer of jam on toasted bread for breakfast, and poor old smooth Biscoff jar is staying unloved in the kitchen.
I put my thinking bonnet on to decide what to do with it. Biscuits can take any spread/nut butter. Typically I would add oats to biscuits, but having a good rummage in the kitchen realised that all oats are finished. Instead I have had two small pouches of Lizi's granola, which were products in the latest Degustabox. Good, that should do.

I used a 50g pouch of Lizi's Low Sugar Granola which includes jumbo rolled oats, rapeseed oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashew nut pieces, almond pieces, hazelnut pieces, walnut pieces, dessicated coconut, fructose and black treacle.
Nutritional information: 250kcal per small pack and 1.9g of sugar. It's a good source of fibre, GMO-free and suitable for vegetarians.

It can be swapped for any quality granola or muesli, or even a pouch of porridge oats.

Biscoff-flavoured granola cookies
Ingredients:
70g demerara sugar
60g Biscoff smooth spread (3 heaped tsp)
50g granola
1 medium egg
160g self-raising flour
50g butter

In a big mixing bowl beat together sugar with Biscoff spread, mix in granola and egg. Add the softened butter, flour, and mix together until you have an evenly mixed cookie dough.
Pinch cookie dough the size of a walnut, roll between palms, flatten into a small disc and place cookies on the tray, lined with parchment paper, or on a baking sheet.
Put the tray in the oven preheated to 180C.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
Remove the tray out of the oven and carefully transfer cookies on the cooling rack. The cookies will be very soft at this stage, but will get firmer in texture once cooled.
If you like your cookies very crispy, keep them in the oven for longer.

I still have some smooth Biscoff spread left, and am thinking of using it to make a marbled cake, with chocolate/cocoa. What would you suggest doing with the spread?

May BBQ & Snacking Degustabox

Sun's out, BBQs are out. A couple of weeks ago it was a National BBQ week, and many households have enjoyed their meals al fresco. 

While I like the taste of BBQed dishes, I am not a fan of smoke and smell of burnt food, so we just don't bother with it. Having meals in the garden, on the other hand, is really lovely, especially in the shade of a big tree, or a parasol. 

May BBQ & Snacking Degustabox was brimming full of snacks and condiments to enjoy, whether you're keen on BBQs or avoid them.

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when you place an order.

What did we receive in May BBQ & Snacking Degustabox?

There was a lot of excitement about the chocolate and jelly.
Hartley's Juicy Jelly Pouches (£2.79) are pouches of wobbly jelly. Super convenient for kids (and less messy to eat). Made with real fruit juice and under 100kcal, it's a lovely sweet snack on the go, or a lunchbox treat.
Available in the major supermarkets.

Lindt Lindor Milk Bar (£0.85) is the ultimate milk chocolate bar, smooth, creamy and moreish. It's the perfect combination of the finest Lindt milk chocolate with a smooth melting filling, crafted with expertise and passion by master chocolatiers.
This bar is also available in Orange and Mint.
Available in all major retailers, and online at www.lindt.co.uk

Barebells Hazelnut & Nougat Protein Bar (£2.50) is a milk chocolate coated protein enriched bar with hazelnuts and nougat. A tasty snack, to have after gym or with a cup of tea.
It contains 20g of protein per bar. No added sugar, 205kcal per bar.
Available at Sainsbury's, Holland & Barrett and Amazon.

YES! snack bars (£2.99) are wholesome snacks, a mix of fruit and nuts and chocolate. They are wrapped in recyclable paper packaging.
A good source of protein and fibre, these tasty bars are a handy snack to carry in a bag for when you're feeling peckish or as an addition to a lunchbox.
Multipacks are available at ASDA and Morrisons.

Mission Street Tacos (£1.20) are soft tacos in the signature recipe, ready to fill and fold for street style eating.
These wheat flour tortillas are ready to enjoy, and are also suitable for home freezing to eat at a later date. Typical values: 68kcal per taco.
We received two packs in the box - Original and Mex Chilli and Lime.
Available now in Morrisons and Sainsbury's.

For my younger son I made soft tacos with meatballs, sweet peppers, BBQ sauce and cheese.
I also made some vegetarian tacos with grilled vegetables and grated cheese.
I still haven't used the second pack, it's in the freezer, but have an idea of making taco chips (baked in the oven with oil and spices).

We do love BBQ sauce, and were happy to receive a bottle of Bull's Eye Original BBQ sauce (£2.49). It's sweet and smokey, perfect for all kinds of sandwiches, burgers, chips or even pasta.
I enjoy it with a grilled cheese sandwich, it adds a lovely sweet flavour and spice.
Available in major supermarket chains.

Hellmann's Fat Free Vinaigrette/ Classic House Salad Dressing (£1.65 each) disappeared very fast, as it's a season of salads. These handy bottles could be used in a variety of salads, adding flavour and zing, without the unwanted fat, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Available in all major supermarket chains.

Moving onto the drinks:
Beronia Rioja Crianza 18.75cl (£2.99 for 18.75cl or £11.79 for a 75cl bottle) is made predominantly from Tempranillo, complemented by Granacha and Mazuelo. It's intensely fruity, with blackberry and strawberry notes and hints of vanilla and spice from ageing in mixed French and American oak barrels for 12 months before bottling.
Available at Waitrose & Ocado and Tesco.
I'm planning to make a small batch of red wine jelly with it, to serve with cheese and crackers.

XITE Energy Drink (£1.49) is a healthier alternative to the energy drinks that are currently out there.
Made with natural caffeine and flavours to create a refreshing boost to help you stay focused through the day. These energy drinks are zero sugar and use as little unnecessary ingredients as possible.
Available at Holland & Barrett, WHSmiths.

And finally we got two tins of Skinny Tonic Water (£0.75) - Indian (a Botanical blend of Sicilian lemon, bitter orange and thyme) and Mediterranean (a Botanical blend of fresh citrus, thyme, floral and sweet basil notes).
Available in BOOTHS, Amazon and online.