St Maur Partridge and Pear Sour Cocktail recipe

St Maur Partridge and Pear Sour Cocktail recipe

This Christmas no one will remember the gin and tonic.  But they will remember the Partridge and Pear Sour cocktail you made with St Maur elderflower liqueur and your favourite gin.

A sweet and sour, beautifully balanced, silky Christmas classic. Easy to make, this delightful cocktail pairs nicely with savoury canapés and those hot, herby sausage rolls.

The partridge is provided by Percy, St Maur’s partridge brand mascot. For the pear puree used in this recipe either make your own, purchase an expensive specialised cocktail ingredient, or as we have done here, nip down to the supermarket and buy a pouch of 100% pureed pear baby food!

Ingredients: 1½ measures of St Maur, 1½ measures of dry gin, the freshly squeezed juice from half a lemon, 1 egg white, 7.5ml of pear puree.

Recipe: Put all the ingredients in a shaker and dry shake.

Add ice and shake again, then strain into a chilled martini glass. That should be enough for two.

Garnish to decorate and serve.  (We have used a small sprig of purple sage as a garnish.)

More cocktail recipes using St Maur can be found here

More about St Maur

St Maur is a hand-crafted premium elderflower liqueur, made from responsibly sourced ingredients and flavours gathered in ancient family-owned woodlands in Warwickshire.

A versatile, internationally award-winning drink, it is perfect for sipping or mixing. A beautiful aperitif on its own and sublime in Christmas brunch and pre-dinner cocktails or for enjoying with some festive snacks later on.

St Maur is the creation of William and Kelsey Seymour, Earl and Countess of Yarmouth, and created uniquely by its producers to offer “a little drop of England’s heart” to share and enjoy wherever you are in the world.

On the bottle you’ll see Percy, the brand’s partridge mascot, a bird successfully introduced to England in the 19th century by an ancestor Francis Seymour, the 5th Marquess, and now the brand’s mascot. He is the ideal house guest for Christmas, even if you don’t have a pear tree to hand.

The co-ordinates on the bottles will take you to Ladies Wood in the bucolic Warwickshire countryside, and to an elder grove where the elderflowers are hand-picked early summer by Lady and Lord Yarmouth themselves.

REVIEW: Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire

REVIEW: Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

A very short drive from Plas Robin Rural Retreats in Powys – our home for three nights – we ventured across county (and country!) to Shopshire’s Kerry Vale Vineyard.

While maybe a little off the beaten track, it is well known among locals – and, as we found, should be a must-do for visitors. It’s well worth a visit, whether for afternoon tea, a light bite or the full vineyard tour experience. Here you can enjoy a guided Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting, Tour with Cheese and Wine or Tour with Sparkling Afternoon Tea.

But if you want the taste without the tour – they can of course cater for that too. In fact I understand their tastings are incredibly popular.

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

This wonderful family-run business grew on the six-acre site of great archaeological interest and once part of the ancient Roman site of Pentreheyling Fort, a vicus (provincial civilian settlement), is on the edge of a number of Roman marching camps.

As well as its Roman history, two decades of archaeological research show the site was once occupied by Bronze Age funerary monuments, a druid road and a medieval settlement – with Offa’s Dyke just a field away!

But it is now the proud home to 6,000 vines of four varieties of wine – Rondo, Pinot Noir, Phoenix and Solaris, ideally suited for the English climate.

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

As we were celebrating a friend’s ‘special’ birthday, it seemed fitting to partake in their Sparkling Afternoon Teas – and at Kerry Vale our culinary and cultural appetites were left extremely well satisfied. And what a joy it is to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of the grape pickers’ labour overlooking the vineyards themselves – with the added bonus of, well, plenty of cake! (Worth starving yourself for this one!)

We were very attentitively looked after from start to finish as we devoured our fresh and delicious selection of sweet and savoury treats, beautifully presented and accompanied by a flight of wines for our mini tasing experience.

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

My friend and I we were guided through our experience of these locally grown wines with helpfully provided tasting notes to hand. And we both purchased a bottle of or self-declared favourites before leaving.

Don’t worry- for those looking for a lighter bite, there is a tasty lunch menu offering a selection of hot dishes and daily specials all made from the quality locally-sourced ingredients.

 

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

Take time to browse the quaint Cellar door gift shop for some unusual local souvenirs too.

Whether you are enjoying a whistlestop tour of the area or enjoying a short break in the area, Kerry Vale is a must-do. If you can find nominated driver, I particularly recommend the wine tasting.

Find our more about Kerry Vale Vineyard at: https://www.kerryvalevineyard.co.uk/

We visited the vineyard whilst staying in the area at Plas Robin Rural Retreats See review here

Kerry Vale Vineyard, Shropshire, afternoon tea

REVIEW: Definition of the word ‘luxury’ – Plas Robin Rural Retreats

REVIEW: Definition of the word ‘luxury’ – Plas Robin Rural Retreats

Plas Robin, Shepherd's Rest,Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

The word ‘luxury’ is overused – as are ‘tranquility’ and ‘unique.’

Yet, as I discovered at Plas Robin’s retreats in the heart of the rural Wales, sometimes justifiable.

A picture, it is said, paints a thousand words and, to be honest, the breathtaking views from these two bespoke holiday homes perched atop the rolling Welsh hillside, do most of the talking!

However, it’s only after staying in the Shepherd’s Rest lodge for three nights that one can truly appreciate the true magic and gentle pace of life it offers.

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Shepherd's Rest, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

Who For?

Families, couples, friendship groups – and, quite simply, anyone who loves nature or is in need a some much-needed RnR.

Accommodation

This exquisitely designed, bespoke holiday home is equipped with every modern comfort. But it’s the design and attention to detail are what elevates it to the next level of luxury.

Indeed, in their approach to the properties’ design, owners David and Carol have made the most of every inch of the property’s biggest asset – the spectacular vista – full-length bifold glass doors perfectly framing the views from your armchair. We never tired of that!

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Shepherd's Rest, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

The fine weather enabled us to make good use of the many comfortable outdoor seating areas and watch the country life unfold before us, from kites and buzzards, sheep, chickens and Welsh ponies. (You can even help yourself to some fresh eggs from the hen house in the morning!) And as for that sunset. . .

Indeed, the only visitor during our long weekend was the owners’ friendly dog who invented a new game of fish the stick out of the hot tub for us. Hours of entertainment!

Shepherd’s Rest sleeps four in two bedrooms, one with en suite shower room which, like the bathroom, is exquisitely presented and scrupulously clean. There was even a fluffy robe and slippers for each of us. (It is very easy to just lounge around in an environment that quickly left us feeling unravelled from the stresses of our lives.)

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Shepherd's Rest, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

The master bedroom’s king size bed is so sumptuous, one doesn’t want to climb out of it! I felt so rested following my stay, I could barely summon the energy to drive home – or maybe that was more about wanting to not go home at all!

The contemporary open-plan kitchen and living area are well thought out in design and equipped with all the gadgetry and cooking utensils even the most enthusiastic chef could ever need.

The SMART TVs in the living area (and both bedrooms) meant we could truly kick back with a girls’ movie night be on the cards.

Thoughtful touches can be found in every corner of this property which has clearly had a great deal of passion and love poured into it – from the jar of bath salts in the bathroom to the ice bucket and hot tub side table for that all-important wine resting place!

All the sundries are laid on, including clingfilm, foil, tea and coffee and sugar. (More often than not we’re caught out by this, right?) Plus there’s locally-sourced milk in the fridge for that all-important cuppa for the weary travellers.

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Powys, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

A welcome hamper of other local produce, including cake, eggs and chocolate, also got our stay off to an seamless start.

And, whilst not bemoaning the fine weather we were lucky enough to be blessed with, we did miss the opportunity of cosying up in front of the inviting log burner – literally the only thing that could have possibly made this stay even more relaxing. Perfect for the colder months. Certainly not needed however with underfloor heating that kept us toasty throughout.

Although we didn’t make use of the barbecue, I can see why this would be a popular choice here. Sizzling sausages in a sunset like that one would be unbeatable.

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Powys, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

Facilities

We discovered that the optimum vantage point from which to soak up the scenery was the supremely positioned hot tub, overlooking the acres of fields and valleys below.

Is wi-fi available?

Yes. Good connection considering where you are although Netflix did experience some buffering!

Plas Robin Rural Retreats, Powys, Wales
Photo courtesy of The Wanderlist

How much?

Between £1,400-£2,100 per week. – Not just premium accommodation but premium views. If you can afford it – and you want the best, this is worth the price tag for the full monty!

What’s nearby?

While it wasn’t easy leaving this beautiful property and view behind, we decided it would be a shame not to explore the area.

Within a short four-mile drive of Plas Robin, is the pretty little town of Montgomery. It was a delight to while away a couple of hours in the beautiful timber-framed shops and tearooms while also picking up some local produce.

Kerry Vale Vineyard – See review here

How to book

Book Plas Robin properties through WanderlistUK here

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Review)

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Review)

Just a few weeks after waving off my eldest to his new temporary home in Portsmouth (where he is embarking on a university work placement), we followed him down for a long weekend.

With early positive reports reaching us of this previously unexplored Hampshire island city, it was definitely the perfect excuse to experience it properly as a family for the first time.

It was an opportunity to appreciate Portsmouth at its most authentic – through its rich maritime history. No better place to start then than at The Historic Dockyard area, where the history of the British Navy dates back 1,200 years to its earliest days under King Alfred the Great in the 860s.

This is the first of a three-part blog, in which I review most of the Portsmouth and The Dockyard’s 12 museums and attractions, all of which can be enjoyed throughout the year with a great value Ultimate Explorer Ticket.

The Mary Rose, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum
The preserved remains of the Mary Rose take spectacular centre stage in the museum.

The Mary Rose

History: The flagship of Henry VIII, it served in his fleet for 34 years before sinking during the Battle of the Solent in 1545, with the king watching from nearby Southsea Castle.

The Museum: Her remains, which were raised in 1982, are now on display along with thousands of the original objects recovered alongside the ship, giving a unique and moving insight into life in Tudor England. She is the only ship of her kind on display anywhere in the world. The Museum tells the stories of the 500 men who lived, worked and died on-board. With some 19,000 artefacts on display, recovered from the seabed in one of the most challenging archaeological excavations of all time. You can even listen to the sounds of the past, smell real Tudor smells and see the ship brought to life with cutting-edge technology telling the emotionally compelling stories of what life was like on-board when she sank in the Solent in 1545.

What’s New: This summer visitors can re-live the final moments on board the Mary Rose as it sinks during the Battle of the Solent on 19th July 1545 in the Mary Rose 1545 Experience. Step back in time to hear from King Henry VIII and the crew of Britain’s most famous shipwreck and even experience the immersive Tudor warship sinking. Don’t worry – no sea sickness tablets required!

The Mary Rose, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum
The new Mary Rose 1545 Experience

My verdict: This impressive museum certainly does what it says on the tin and is packed to the rafters with thousands of genuinely fascinating artefacts through which we get a glimpse into everyday Tudor life. The new interactive experience is a great addition, especially for families and immediately engages the visitor. It’s easy to see why this museum has won awards and definitely takes centre stage in the Dockyard.

Visit: https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/site-attractions/attractions/the-mary-rose

HMS Victory, The National Museum of The Royal Navy, The Mary Rose, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum

HMS Victory and Gallery

History: The Royal Navy’s most famous warship, best known as Vice Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar.

What’s New: Opened in May, HMS Victory: The Nation’s Flagship exhibition retells the extraordinary story and lesser-known history of the oldest naval ship still in commission in the world. The gallery at the neighbouring National Museum of the Royal Navy, displays previously unseen objects from the ship including a section of HMS Victory mainmast, damaged at the Battle of Trafalgar and displayed in Portsmouth for the first time. Through a mixture of large format cinematic film, interactives, newly displayed and previously unseen artefacts including a shot-damaged section of original Victory mast from the Battle of Trafalgar and a spectacular ten-foot-tall, 200-year-old figurehead, it charts her decline and rescue in the 1920s by the Society of Nautical Research (SNR) and the dramatic events when she could have been permanently lost to the nation.

This enhanced visitor offer also includes a self-guided audio tour of the ship and a dedicated walkway to take you down into the dry dock to view the hull of the enormous 3,600-tonne ship.

Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Wyllie’s The Panorama of the Battle of Trafalgar in the National Museum of the Royal Navy’s Victory Gallery.

My Verdict: The new gallery is a fabulous addition to the all-round HMS Victory experience. Nothing quite beats standing in the ship directly in front of the spot, marked by a plaque, where Lord Admiral Nelson fell. Being part of the bowels of history in this way is both mystical and magical. And I highly recommend tuning in to the new audio tour which really helps bring the stories to life. A personal highlight from my Dockyard experience so far.

Visit: https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/site-attractions/attractions/hms-victory

HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum
HMS Warrior upper deck

HMS Warrior 1860

History: The largest and fastest of all Royal Navy ships, HMS Warrior is Britain’s first iron-hulled, armoured battleship and the newest member of the National Museum of The Royal Navy’s fleet. Launched in 1860, at a time of empire and Britain’s dominance in trade and industry, HMS Warrior 1860 was the pride of Queen Victoria’s fleet.

The Museum: Warrior has undergone a re-interpretation, reflecting what she was like in 1863 by opening up new areas of the ship and bringing stories from the period to life. With every room you discover and every object you hold, you immerse yourself in a time gone by. Whether you meet a gunner getting ready for battle or a Victorian tourist who’s wowed by the ship’s beauty, history is brought to life like never before. Her story is also told through characters that lived, breathed and worked during the Tour of Britain thanks to the Dockyard Alive team.

What’s New: New spaces including the captain’s cabin and galley have been reinterpreted to reflect how it was 156-years ago. Authentic set dressing you can touch transports you to another time when the grandeur of Queen Victoria’s favourite ship ruled the waves.

HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum
First stop was HMS Warrior

My Verdict: A fascinating experience, not dissimilar to the HMS Victory one, and worth including on your Dockyard museum itinerary, but if you want to visit it’s one to prioritise as it closes for the winter season at the end of October.

Visit: https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/site-attractions/attractions/hms-warrior-1860

Harbour Tour, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum

Harbour Tour

What to Expect: On the 45-minute Harbour Tour you can expect to see many of the fortifications that were built to protect Portsmouth over the centuries, in particular the Round Tower at the harbour entrance and the Solent forts which formed the centre of a string of fortifications along the coast during the Napoleonic Wars. This wide natural inlet in the coastline is a flooded river valley protected by a deep narrow entrance on two sides of the dockyard, here and at Gosport, which makes an ideal harbour.

Harbour Tours, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, museum
Interesting Naval history made up a major part of the Harbour Tour commentary.

My Verdict: Fascinating insight whether or not you’re a maritime or naval enthusiast. There’s lots to learn and even more to see, including unrivalled views of modern frigates, destroyers and helicopter carriers, as well as historic buildings and the dramatic skyline. We’re appreciating this city from its most unique and beautiful vantage point – and there’s even the opportunity to alight at Gunwharf Quays for designer shopping and entertainment. (Also a must-visit on any trip to Portsmouth.) Worth making time for ships AND shops!

NB: The Harbour Tours operate hourly throughout the summer but are weather-dependant so it’s important to keep a check on their up-to-date timetable.

Visit: Harbour Tours (historicdockyard.co.uk)

Read second part of my Portsmouth Review here

Circolombia: Buckle yourself in and enjoy the ride (Review)

Circolombia: Buckle yourself in and enjoy the ride (Review)

 

Circolombia, Coventry City of Culture, Festival Garden

In case it had escaped your notice (where have you been?!) there’s a lot going on as part of City of Culture in Coventry these days.

And, for the large part, the focus is on the city’s Festival Garden currently dominated by the world’s largest spiegeltent, where a host of exciting entertainment is unfolding daily.

As you approach the stunning double-decker Queen of Flanders (the flagship venue, supported by the pint-sized Piccolo spiegeltent and the Treehouse performance space) it’s instantly apparent you’re in for a treat.

This is the epicentre of a scintillating programme of shows throughout the summer, including comedy, circus, cabaret, music and more. And it’s here that last night we were introduced to the phenomena that is. . . Circolombia.

Jaw-dropping has never a more apt description. Indeed two members of this high-energy modern circus troupe can, in one act, quite literally be seen to be hanging by their teeth!

Transporting us to the streets of Colombia’s capital city of Bogotá, this hour-long emotional rollercoaster will leave you feeling exhausted – in a good way. Whether it’s marvelling at the acrobat who is balancing a huge metal ring on his forehead while a gymnast coils herself into geometric shapes around it – or watching in awe the man hoisted by just a rope tied across the back of his neck as another performer clings to his legs – you’ll find yourself spellbound throughout.

What makes this show extra special is the intimacy of this beautiful venue. Bag yourself a front row seat if you can to really feel like part of the action. – Although, at times, one can’t help but find themselves tensing in readiness for the arrival of an errant acrobat on your lap!

Columbian carnival beats help the show to keep skipping along at high-octane pace, with some stunning vocals to enjoy into the bargain.

But it’s undoubtedly Circolombia’s nerve-jangling and mind-blowing stunts that have us mesmerized.

If you’re still carefully planning your return to the live entertainment scene post-lockdown, there couldn’t be a better place to start than this talented troupe of acrobats and contortionists who will blast those cobwebs away.

 

Welcome to Circolombia and Coventry City of Culture. Grab a front row seat, buckle in and enjoy the ride. . .

Tickets cost from £15 and are available from: https://coventry2021.co.uk/what-s-on/circolombia/

Review The Choir of Man here