A little trip to France

We haven't been to France since Our Month in France in 2024 and I have certainly missed going. As part of my birthday week we stayed in Kent (I'll write about that soon) and took an overnight trip to Calais with our son and his girlfriend joining us for the trip.

It's a while since we used Le Shuttle, it was son's girlfriend's first time, and as she said it is a strange concept driving a car onto a train. The cost of the journey even with a short stay offer, petrol, overnight hotel and eating out does not actually make any purchases cheaper especially now there are limits on what you can bring back to the UK .... for me it was all about being in France.

We shopped at Auchan and Citè de Europe buying a few bits for home, most importantly my vanilla sucre for my baking. We also popped to Lidl and Aldi as some of our UK purchaseable wines are much cheaper. Our dining experience was Flunch, it's such a great concept and brings back many memories of Flunch meals with my dad when our kids were young.

All in all it was a good trip, Calais is not as it was and I think our next trip to France will be a long travelling holiday but it was nice to be back. The car did chink home with some of our favourites and a few new finds, our son commented that that was the sound of a holiday in France!

Sparkling wine is one of my favourite French buys, there is sn abundance of choice from low priced easy drinking bubbles to high end champagne. Pol Remy and Paul Henri are good basic priced bubbles which we often enjoy as a Kir cocktail using Chambord. We found a couple of demi-sec mid priced wines along with a Blanc de Blanc on offer, it's always fun to try new wines.

I didn't pick up many whites as our cellar at home is white heavy, I must drink more! However I did include a couple of my cheap go to, I'm not sure if I bought them for taste or memory but we always bought Muscadet with the blue boat label and Pierre Chanau (Auchan's wine label) White Bordeau.

Two bottles of Sauvignon, one of which was from Touraine, a bottle of Chardonnay were easy drinkers for our cellar. Aldi's Cotes de Gascogne is one of my favourite wines, it was less than half the UK price so a good find. We have holidayed many times in the South of France near the Etang de Thau, Picpoul is grown there, and this quirky labelled bottle caught my eye. 

A lovely selection of white wine safely home and ready to be enjoyed. I was a little disappointed to not find Cellier des Dauphins white in full size bottles or a wine box, there was red or rose but no white. I did find small bottles which will be perfect for just me to enjoy.

Our red wine choices were a mix of favourites and bargains. Hubby picked three Bordeaux wines including his favourite Baron de Lestac, he also  selected Costellore an Italian favourite from Aldi. My choices of red were all based on our previous fab times in France, they were a Corbieres, a Ventoux and a wine from Cahors.

We did buy double bottles of our favourite wines; 

Blaye, Cotes de Bordeaux

Primivito, Puglia 

Croix de Ceyssac, Bordeaux

Cellier des Dauphins Cotes du Rhone

I'm very much looking forward to the darker nights now we have some super wines to enjoy, not necessarily expensive choices but I'm sure they will evoke great memories from flavour and aroma.

With Christmas approaching we stocked up too on a few favourite beers. There are more and more places selling French and Belgium beers, craft beer shops are opening all over the UK but as we were in France a few packs were added to our trolley.

Affligem is a family favourite that we're looking forward to sharing over the festivities. Grimbergen makes me think of autumn time and La Goudale always goes down well.

Nothing like enjoying a beer and a big bottle makes the enjoyment last longer. I have had Kasteel beer before, a very strong dark beer, and I like fruit beer so when I spotted Kasteel Rubus it was a no-brainer purchase. 

And so to my favourite beer treats. I do believe beer should be served in the matching brand glass and I do have a Kasteel glass ready for my Rubus beer.

I do have glasses for Triple Karmeliet, Rince Couchon and Kwak which is like a yard of ale glass on a vertical stand but I don't think we have a La Goudale glass .... might need a return trip to solve that one!

Neither of us are great cider drinkers but we do enjoy a glass of French cidre which is mainly produced in Normandy. We selected a bottle of brut which is dry, a doux which is sweet and a bottle of rosé cidre which is described as fruity. I don't think we've had rosé cider before although I guess it will be similar to the fruit ciders now available in UK stores.

Our final buys were at Le Shuttle duty free, Gordon's is my favourite standard gin and was such a great price two jumped into my trolley. Asbach brandy from Germany is delicious, when Hubby was working he was often given a box of chocolates filled with Asbach at Christmas. It's made in Rudesheim and most definitely on our tour visit list but for now we'll happily enjoy Asbach at hone.

We had a lovely time shopping in Calais, we didn't visit any of the big wine stores but as you can see we found plenty to bring home. It was so nice being back in France, I hope it won't be so long before we're there again.

A Leamington Night Out

Our super friends treated Hubby and me to a gin tasting at Warwickshire Gin Company, an early birthday pressie for my upcoming 60th. Taking the train to Leamington we had plenty of time to enjoy a meal in town before heading over to the old railway arches and its lively atmosphere. 

Before our tasting we enjoyed a beer at Windmill Hill Brewery a great Taproom next door. As the weather was so nice we sat outside but there was plenty of indoor seating. It was lovely to see the brewing vats and a variety of taps, so many beers to choose; it's certainly a place we would visit again.

Almost hidden in the arches, the doors to Warwickshire Gin hold quite a secret. From the outside there is an air of being in a production location but its much much more more, as we discovered through the beautiful glass doors.

What a delight, a room full of comfy sofas and chairs with low lighting offering a 'come, relax and enjoy' atmosphere. It was very different to other gin tastings I have been too, it was such a superb atmosphere.

David, Warwickshire Gin's owner, was our gin pourer and mixologist with Olivia our gin host sharing her passion and knowledge. Settling in with a delicious welcome gin based cocktail it was so interesting to learn about how the company began and the future plans for this small but brilliant gin maker. 

The still is one of the smallest I have seen, however it is perfect for the quantity of gin Warwickshire Gin produce and gives time for their other spirits to be made as well. Olivia explained how each gin is made, how and when the botanicals are used depending on the flavour required and how making vodka and rum is slightly different. 

In all we tasted six gins and one rum, each spirit served as a neat short. After each two tastings we each chose our favourite and David poured us our choice with a mixer, or as I prefer it, neat with ice. There was plenty of time to learn about each spirit and enjoy each longer drink. 

I really enjoyed all the gins, I have given a brief descriptions but to fully appreciate these spirits a tasting experience is very much recommended, or an afternoon tea or cocktail night.

Leamington on Parade - honouring the elephants brought to Royal Leamington Spa this gin's botanicals include Ceylon tea, cinnamon and hibiscus

The Philosopher's Daughter - flavoured with rosehips, rose petals and orchard fruits this gin is named after an Elizabethan philosopher's daughter with links to Kenilworth Castle

Kingmaker - named after the 16th Earl of Warwick this gin includes many hedgerow botanicals such as blackberries and elderberries

Pelota - full of citrus flavours from the Mediterranean this gin's name is a form of early lawn tennis, a game developed by a Spanish Merchant. Royal Leamington Spa was the home of the first Lawn Tennis Club

Emperor - in honour of locally based Purity Brewing Co.'s founder who loved Roman history there is an abundance of bergamot and black tea in this gin

Peeping Tom - a legend involved in Coventry's Lady Godiva history, this gin is as cheeky as the young spy with it's unusual flavours of cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg

The Pugilist - a warm rich rum named after the town's famous boxer 'The Leamington Licker' 

I cannot say enough about just how lovely our evening was, it is certainly the best gin tasting I have ever done and is on my must do again list for sure. 

Thank you David and Olivia for your hospitality, knowledge and great skill in producing these amazing spirits, two of which I couldn't resist. 

Huge thank you to our super friends Kay & Colin, it was an amazing birthday gift, thank you.

Our friends took part in the Warwickshire Gin Company video to promote the business, I think you can see from the video we all had a great time. 

Video link 

As a footnote: Warwickshire Gin Company have kindly donated Gin Tasting Tickets for our Grand Raffle to raise money for our replacement minibus at Nuneaton North Scout Group as our previous minibus is no more. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity.

If anyone can help too please email NunNorthEvents@gmail.com ... thank you 

Rugby Distillery

The other weekend we strolled into town to the Food Festival where there were many different food stalls and a few wine/spirit sellers. Our eyes were drawn to Rugby Distillery especially after our  tour of Bombay Sapphire where we had both enjoyed their Citron Pressé Gin.

Rugby Distillery is a new gin brand to us and we were very pleased to discover they are only 25 miles away so a visit in the near future is very possible, no actually it's a must!  

Rugby is the town where the wonderful game began, rugby sport is a big part of our lives so it was equally pleasing to find links to the sport too. The striking labels on the gin bottles represents the teams rugby shirts and the bottle stopper has been designed to emulate the 'broad shoulders' of rugby players. I really liked how their logo includes rugby posts and a gin still - for me a perfect blend. 

It has been known for us to have a tasting early in the day - memories of a 9.30am wine tasing in Sardinia - but neat gin at 10.30 was an experience. It would have been rude to not try them all, especially as they were ALL absolutely delicious. Rugby Distillery gins are:

1823 Dry Gin - named after the year Willian Webb Ellis first picked up a football and ran with it - a great gin, lovely with a splash of tonic

1878 Navy Strength - the year of the first Army versus Navy rugby game - a weighty spirit, this would be delicious neat over ice

Rhubarb - perfect for cocktails with a tangy edge

Half Time Orange - not so much these days but previously an energy boost mid game - a great gin for longer drink with ice and an orange slice, this would make a lovely white sangria too

Menton Lemon - a superb town in  Southern France producing great fruit, Menton is also where William Webb Ellis is buried - delicious neat but perfect with tonic, ice and a slice

Hubby and I both agreed the Menton Lemon was superb and preferred it to the Citron Pressé so a purchase was made and after a stroll home we were soon enjoying our G & Ts in the summer sun.

Rugby Distillery are at many Food Festivals, I'll be certainly looking out for them. They also do Gin Tastings and have a Gin School. Both of these are high up on my 'must' do list, hopefully sometime soon. 

Thank you Rugby Distillery, it was a pleasure to meet you and discover your super gins, see you soon!

Bombay Sapphire

Our son and his girlfriend gifted us an Experience Day voucher for a Discovery Tour at Bombay Sapphire.

We were pleased to discover its location is at Laverstoke which is on the way to Portsmouth where we were taking a Brittany Ferries crossing for our month in France.

All packed and ready to go we had a leisurely, due to a few road closures, Sunday morning drive south.

Laverstoke Mill was recorded in the Doomsday Book, the buildings hold so much history which you can read on Bombay Sapphire's Web page

For 100s of years the papermill made England's bank notes but this ceased in 1963. Bombay Sapphire purchased the mill in 2010 and opened it to the public in 2014.

There's no better way to start a gin distillery tour than with a gin and tonic. There were three gins to choose - Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin, Bombay Citron Pressé Gin or Bombay Sapphire Sunset Special Edition Gin, with a variety of garnishes and tonic. All served in a very stylish Bombay Sapphire signature glass and enjoyed in a plush theatre whilst watching a short introductory video.

 

Our tour included visiting the beautiful glass houses, both striking in their still interprative design. Bombay Sapphire works hard to ensure their buildings and processes are as efficient and sustainable as possible. The glass house are used to house specimens of the botanicals used in their gin, one being a tropical house heated from the waste heat from the stills.

Bombay Sapphire were awarded the BREEAM Award for Industrial Design in 2014.

Inside the glass houses each botanical had its own display detailing it's origins and flavours in the gin making. The only botanical outside was the lemon tree. The botanical were: 

Juniper
Cassia Bark
Grains of Paradise
Cubeb Berries
Bitter Almonds
Liquorice
Angelica Root
Coriander Seed
Orris Root
Lemon Peel 

The mill buildings and stills inside were amazing, great industrial structures in both brick and copper. 

Our tour included visiting inside the still house but no photos were allowed, in fact any electronic item had to left in lockers and collected later.

The old cottages on the mill site have been knocked through and now house a lovely tearoom. On site there is also a bar and restaurant which can be visited without being on a tour.

We had a super time exploring the old paper mill and discovering more about Bombay Sapphire. It was a super gift and great way to start our holiday. 

Day trip to Lye

Lye? No I hadn't heard of it either and only discovered it when our lovely son gifted me a Gin Afternoon Tea at Windsor Castle Inn

Lye is just outside Stourbridge and being honest it isn't really a location to visit, however the pub, brewery and distillery is a must! 

We decided to go on Hubby's birthday as going by train meant going through Birmingham and was a great opportunity for breakfast and evening drinks. Hubby really enjoyed his full English at the Sun on the Hill; I had their Spanish breakfast which was potatoes and chorizo topped with an egg, it was delicious but a huge portion.

As Hubby's birthday is just before Christmas we could also enjoy the Birmingham Christmas German Market. The market stalls and Christmas tree looked amazing in the blue December skies but the market was a bit disappointing. The only German reference was the bratwurst and steins of beer .... every other stall was either food or drink, all the same and very expensive. Austrian and Hungarian Christmas markets are full of many food and drink stalls but all selling different items and there are many different crafts on sale. I haven't been to the Birmingham one for a few years, if you want a night of eating and drinking under the stars in a log cabin atmosphere it would be a great place to go.

The train to Lye was direct from Snowhill Station, it was very interesting to see the west side of Birmingham. The Windsor Castle Inn was a short walk from the station was a super surprise when we walked in. The bar was a proper bar with a superb selection of beer, not just lagers. We were very conscious that we were having a Gin Afternoon Tea but could not resist a beer first, just two halves. 

The pub was quite busy with works Christmas parties which gave a very festive fun atmosphere. We had no idea what to expect, our first delemia was which gin. Beginning with Dr Hardewicke's Gin we also tried their Christmas Gin. Both were amazing, clean and full of flavour.

Our Afternoon Tea arrived: a plate of delicious sandwiches, two large pigs in blankets as it was Christmas, mini mince pies and a selection of mini desserts. It was so delicious, I cut my desserts in half to try them all and then enjoy the other halves in order of favourite... it was a hard decision.

We were not ready to leave, we would have stayed all night hee hee, so we had another beer. I opted for a half of Letterhead Stout, full of chocolate, vanilla and marshmallow flavours ... it was a superb pudding beer. Hubby enjoyed a pint of their Bumblesbees Pale Honey Ale, there was so much variety it was hard to choose.

As a treat to myself I bought their festive tasting box which contained five different gins, mixers and all the recommended garnishes. The packaging was so clever, very simple, very planet friendly with the gin being the highlight. It has been very nice to enjoy these gins at home over the festive season ... cheers.

It was a superb Tea, we are hoping to visit again one day even if it is 45 miles away or a two hour train journey. I have however discovered that they have accommodation so there's an option. 

Thank you Windsor Castle Inn for a superb birthday gift for me and great birthday day out for Hubby.