Prosecco crips: The verdict

When someone mentioned to me that prosecco and crisps were a thing, it was certain I was going to try them out. So when I recently spied these fizzy finest crisps in my local Tesco, there was no going back....

To say I was left a little confused, but also very much satisfied at the same time, is slightly bewildering to myself, never mind confusing for you guys. However, the experience (which quite frankly I can't believe i'm saying this...) is something you that you simply must try for yourself.

What do they taste like?
Well...exactly what they state on the label I guess. Very fizzy to begin with, much like the sensation you would get when drinking prosecco, which I wasn't really expecting from the crisps in all honesty. Leading on from the bubbles, was a much sweeter, vibrant flavour, which  I presumed could only be the elderberry due to its sharp, yet fragrant flavour on my palette. However, it wasn't too soon until the familiar taste of potato filled my mouth, although, I guess that's what you would expect to taste when sampling any type of potato crisp, right guys?

What do they look like?
You're going to think this is the most ridiculous question ever, and I bet you were already thinking "A crisp, duh!" but you'd be left a little unsatisfied if I didn't show you what they looked like wouldn't you? True, they do look like regular crisps, varied in size, colour and flavour of course. The really dark one's are the one's which boast the most flavour, and if you enjoy the fizz, there's plenty of that too. These were my favourties by far, and luckily in my packet I managed to bag quite a few #winning.

What did I like most about them?
They're something different to the usual bog-standard flavours available on the market, and there's something a little exotic about them in that respect. Although they may have been brought to shelves around the UK throughout the festive period, there's something very refreshing about them and I could easily see myself enjoying a packet (well, sharing a packet) with friends at a picnic on a beautiful Spring afternoon. The flavour was obviously a winner in my opinion, and as much as I appreciated the fizziness on my tongue, the sweetness of the elderberry vs potato flavour won it for me.

Would I recommend them?
If you're into the weird and wonderful, or love a crisp glass of fizz (no pun intended), then you should definitely give these circular (well, when they can be), golden delights a try. They would be a fantastic addition to Christmas nibbles or any New Year's Eve party. However, I would advise giving your guests a heads up about the tangy initial burst of flavour, as they may not be best pleased with an unexpected fizzy surprise!

Where can you buy them?
If you fancy putting your culinary palette to the test then any local Tesco supermarket should have them, although, I have a sneaky suspicion the larger stores are more likely to have them in stock! Happy munching.

  For Now...

Just Julia

10 ways to put Christmas cheer into your prosecco

Twas a few days before Christmas, when up on the blog,

Came a feature so fizzy you'd possibly explode;

So read if you dare, the secrets I share,

What else can fare with Prosecco and glassware!?

Prossecco is one of my favourite tipples, that is, alongside gin, cocktails, and Champagne obviously. The way the bubbles tickle my tongue always makes me giddy, and the only time better to have bubbles (than all the time) is the festive period! I love to celebrate everything and anything with my family and friends, be that birthdays, promotions, new jobs, engagements, anniversaries, you name it. So, with that in mind, and with the month of festive celebrations already underway, it would have been rude not to have pulled together a number of 'quirky' prosecco tipples for y'all to indulge in over the festive period. It is Christmas after all! 

CHRISTMAS MORNING

For those who like to kick-start the festivities bright and early

1. Terry's Not-So-Chocolate Blood Orange:

Squeeze and strain the juice of a ripe blood orange and pour 50ml into a tall flute glass. Top up with ice-cold prosecco and garnish with a slice, or twist, of the orange. The perfect way to start off Christmas morning, especially when accompanied by eggs Benedict and smoked salmon, delicious!

2. Oh-So-Classy Buck's Fizz:

Pour 1/3 of fresh orange juice into a Champagne flute and top up with 2/3 prosecco. Add 1/2 teaspoon of grenadine and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

JUST FOR FUN

For those who love a little bit of Christmas quirk, and are avid Instagrammers #proseccoparty

3. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Fill a champagne flute with prosecco, and add a flavoured rock candy stick into the prosecco. The flavour is completely up to you, however, to create a variation of different tastes add two different flavours together and experiment with your tastebuds before, or even after Christmas dinner.

AFTERNOON/DINNER

For those who enjoy a spicing up the festive period

4. Spicy Santa-Tini:

To a glass of prosecco add 1 shot of chilli infused vodka and 1 shot of chocolate liqueur. Dust cocoa powder round the rim of the glass. Ho, Ho, Ho.

5. Cranberry and Pear Prosecco Cocktail:

Pour one or two shots of pear vodka (Absolute Vodka has a fantastic one), and top up with prosecco, garnishing with fresh cranberries. Decorate the rim of the champagne flute with sugar and cinnamon. (Put one tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, mix, and then dip the glass rim into the mix).

AFTER DINNER GAMES:

For those feeling a little adventurous...

6. Rudolph's alcoholic water bucket:

Every hard-working reindeer needs to replenish after a long night at work.

Slice lemons and limes and squeeze into a punch bowl, add 200ml of Edinburgh Gin's Raspberry Liqueur, and 100ml of Vodka alongside one cup full of raspberries (preferably frozen) to the punch bowl and top up with a bottle of prosecco. Top up with prosecco, raspberry liqueur and vodka as and when.

7. The Grinch:

Grab a champagne flute, add one shot of Midori and a dash of lemon juice, top up with prosecco - oh so sweet and not so sour, just like The Grinch (in the end that is!)

8. Jack Frost:

A glass of your finest prosecco with a shot of Blue Curacao (decorate by putting coconut shavings on the rim of the glass)

LATE, LATE EVENING

For the traditional Christmas lover;
someone who will usually be seem sporting a variety of Christmas jumpers throughout the day...

9. Mrs Clause Bakewell Fizz:

Place a tablespoon of Kirsch into the bottom of a champagne flute and top up with one part Amaretto Disaronno and three parts prosecco. To garnish, add a Kirsch-soaked cherry into the glass, the more the merrier!

10. Gingerbread Bellini:

Before you get started, get those mini gingerbread men at the ready!

Put 1 tablespoon of ginger cordial, or gingerbread syrup and a dash of lemon juice into a cold champagne flute. Add splash of hazelnut liqueur in and top up with prosecco, voilà!

Tip: If you want to keep those wee gingerbread men standing tall, roll up a tiny piece of icing sugar and place on the rim of the glass, it works a treat!

For Now...

Just Julia

Eat on the Green: Something rather special

Food and drink is my first love. Well, I'd say it was one of them at the very least. The ways in which food and drink impacts almost everything we do has been something I have found greatly fascinating. I love learning about the different aspects of food and drink, especially when it involves tasting, and is something I have grown very fond of over the years. Within my job (my full-time job that is) I have met a number of extremely enthusiastic, creative individuals, who are even more passionate than I am about food and drink. Let's be frank, there's only ever going to be one type of person more into their food than me, and that ladies and gentlemen is a chef.

I first met Craig Wilson (the Kilted Chef) and his team at the Eat on the Green a few years back, working on an exclusive event with some famous faces from the TV show, Emmerdale. The two AA rosette Scottish restaurant situated in the idyllic village of Udny Green, is a decadent wee place, awaiting to welcome and spoil guests with some of the finest Scottish cuisine Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has to offer.

Bumping into Craig and his team recently, I was kindly invited out to the restaurant one wintry Thursday evening to sample some new Laurent Perrier champagne they were launching for the exquisite champagne lounge. This event was set out to be something rather special indeed.  Although the phenomenal showcase of Scottish cuisine was oh so divine, the underlying charitable message, and the launch of the Festival of Hope (#ropeofhope) was the real reason we had gathered in Udny Green that frosty night.

Restaurant manager, Craig Rochester and myself

On arrival to the restaurant we were serenaded with seductive sounds from the bagpipes, bellowing beautifully out over the open green. In front of the restaurant, two large flames roared ferociously, and beside them stood a familiar friendly face, The Kilted Chef, greeting us with that cheshire smile we are all so familiar with.

Ushered into the restaurant out of the cold the fabulous (and when I say fabulous, I mean fabulous) duo, Craig Rochester and Craig Profeit, greeted my guest and I with a glass of ice cold champagne. The new range of Laurent Perrier was smooth, full of bubbles (without being overwhelmingly fizzy), and very refreshing on the palette. It seemed that I would be been dancing with the champagne devil that night, signing over my soul to the famous Laurent Perrier. Well, just for the evening that was.

Readers note: Just to keep you up to speed, there's three Craig's at Eat on the Green. You get used to it, I promise!

Next to meet my lips was an array of small handcrafted balls of love (homemade haggis balls guys, come on...), and a number of other carefully sculpted canapes, all delicately created by the restaurants five-star chefs. Good food is at the heart of everything Eat on the Green stands for, and the team works tirelessly to deliver something truly rather special.

As an added extra to the event, Craig and his gorgeous wife Lindsay invited along two very dear friends of theirs; Scottish artist and fashion designer, Iona Crawford, and Scottish artist, Gerrard M Burns, who both displayed some spectacularly stunning work throughout the restaurant. On the evening, Lindsay sported a smashingly sensational dress featuring a elegant print of the famous Kelpies, designed by Iona herself. Sadly I didn't manage to capture any photos of her in the unique gown, but trust me when I tell you, the dress was like nothing I had seen before. Wow-factor indeed.

The Festival of Hope...
This year, Eat on the Green launched its Festival of Hope featuring the #ropeofhope initiative in partnership with Friends of ANCHOR. The charity, which was set up to directly support the ANCHOR unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, helps make the North-east of Scotland's cancer and haemotology care be the best it can. The unit cares and treats patients with all forms of cancer, leukaemia, and benign blood disorders, and with the support of Friends of ANCHOR, can invest in the latest medical equipment, fund leading clinicans' research in Aberdeen in the fight against cancer, and also allows them to offer additional care, comfort and support to patients during their time in the ANCHOR unit.

Cancer is something which is especially close to my heart, as well as my friends and family, and is something which has effected many people I know in a number of different ways. When a project like this comes along, it really does make me think about the true meaning of Christmas, and how important our health, and life itself is. Strength comes in many shapes and forms, so go on, do something meaningful this Christmas.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED...

(AND BE IN WITH THE CHANCE OF WINNING A MEAL AT EAT ON THE GREEN!)

1. Visit Eat on the Green between Wednesday and Sunday up until Christmas Day and ask the reception for a Rope of Hope.
2. Put a £5 donation in the gift aid envelope provided by the restaurant for Friends of ANCHOR. (One lucky donor will be selected at random from these envelopes to win a meal for two at Eat on the Green!)
3. You can also decorate your Rope of Hope before placing it on the Trees of Hope outside the restaurant.
4. When hanging your Rope of Hope on one of the Trees of Hope feel free to make a short dedication video of what you are hoping for this Christmas.
5. You can upload your video to your own Facebook page tagging Eat on the Green, or you can send it to them to upload.

You can also get involved by texting ROPE15 £5 to 70070

Help make a difference this Christmas....#ropeofhope

 For Now...

Just Julia

The Secret Supper Club: The most sought after membership in town

Have you ever had an invitation so insanely unbelievable that you feel like you have to re-evaluate your life to figure out how the hell you got invited to such an event? Yeah? Well that happened to me twice recently, how and why I'll never know, but I can tell you one thing, I am beyond grateful to those two individuals who invited me along.

Chris Tonner, head chef at The Courtyard (which is soon to be converted to CUE; a Southern US and American BBQ food joint due to open in February 2016), invited me along to one of the most unique dining adventures I may ever experience in my life.

The Secret Supper Club, Aberdeen's first exclusive secret dining club, treated a select number of individuals to indulge in some of the finest Scottish produce the region has to offer. The intimate event, which took place over a dinner table in the heart of Aberdeen saw two fine chefs develop a culinary experience like no other.

The menu, which was created by guest chef, Bruce Morrison, alongside Chris, who prevously worked with Bruce back in 1995, consisted of a round of seven courses. To say I was excited about the abundance of food  which would be teasing my tastebuds any second now, was a serious understatement.

What I loved mostly about the evening (apart from the food obviously) was that guests were asked to bring an 'interesting tipple' for others to sample. I've come across my share of fantastic rums and gins in my short legal drinking age time, however wasn't sure what was actually up to the task of being my 'interesting tipple'. After careful consideration I decided to opt for the North Hop Festival Gin, a strawberry and rhubarb infused gin created by Rock Rose Gin masterminds Dunnet Bay Distillery.

The room was set, ready to unleash the artistic Michelin star banquet we were about to endeavour, and what a treat it was going to be...

First up was a quick opportunity to catch-up with all the guests over a warm 'pint' of mulled cider. The cider was oh so sweet, and oh so tasty, a real 'Christmas in a glass' type tipple. Very appealing to the tastebuds I must add, and the perfect way to kick-off the Christmas festivities whilst warming up our tums.

Mulled cider created by the fantastic Lauren of Adelphi Kitchen

Sitting down to dinner, Chris took to the floor discussing the first four savoury dishes, going into great detail about how the dishes were created and constructed. Some very fascinating facts on how to utilise different flavours and many interesting concepts discussed that is, for someone who doesn't own a CO2 cylinder gun or a culinary water bath!

To awaken our senses Chris presented us with a purple potato foccachia with marmite butter on the side. Not a fan of the "love it or hate it" gooey spread, I was sure I would hate the butter. However, to my surprise it was delightfully delicious. A strange concept which worked extremely well and was very popular with the other guests.

Purple Potato Foccachia bread with Marmite Butter

Our first course, the scallop tartare, was initially meant to be served on our hands (clench your fist; the flat surface where your thumb and index finger join - that's where). However, due to the size of the amuse bush the chefs decided otherwise. A nice touch to even have been considered in my opinion. The scallop was succulent and melted in my mouth, and the intense flavours of the lemon were quickly softened with the creaminess of the parmesan and the white chocolate arrancini. Very delicious.

Scallop tartare: Onuga caviar, white chooclate arrancina, savory lemon curd and shaved parmesan

Not a massive fan of absinthe I was a little sceptical how I would take to the Adnams absinthe which I was presented, not to my surprise sadly (I hate liquorice you see), I didn't take too fondly to the absinthe, although the colour was vibrant and it was 66% ABV too! The ideal tipple if you love liquorice.

Some fabulous Adnams Absinthe which owner and head barman of 10 Dollar Shake, Adrian Gomes, contributed to the evening. 

Our second course was to be one of the strangest, but tastiest dishes of them all...packed lunch on a plate. A foil wrapped stuffed potato (edible silver foil may I add), seaweed mustard, pork pie puree, cucumber pickle and ham salt. The different textures ensured the dish was continuously developed throughout, right down to the last fork-full.

Packed lunch on a plate

Packed lunch on a plate

Chocolate wine provided by the lovely James of CRE-ATE

The third course was to be my favourite savoury dish, and boy was it a catch.

Warm King crab, potted shrimp butter, crispy bacon loaf, celeriac remoulade, lemon bulgar wheat and sweetcorn sorbet. The prawns and the king crab were cooked excellently, both tasted fresh and took me back to a walk along the beach on a crisp Spring morning. The crispy bacon loaf provided a totally different taste in comparison to the fresh seafood and complimented this greatly to my surprise. I've never thought on pairing seafood with anything lse but vegetables, rice or pasta, so it was great to incorporate a totally unpredictable ingredient into the dish. The sweetcorn sorbet was very creamy and was also something I had never tried before. It's definitley something I would love to try re-create at home.

Warm King Crab

Warm King Crab

The gorgeous Michelle Barclay of Elevator UK and myself sipping on prosecco with the North Hop Festival Gin

Course four was very interesting, not only in the way it was presented but the flavours in which it produced.

Chicken which was poached in a water bath, skin granola (the actual chicken skin made into granola, how I have no idea), various vegetables, cepe broiche crisps, thyme jus gras and toasted hay cream. What I loved about this dish is how the green puree type sauce on the left hand side is actually some of the vegetables, insane, I know.

Poached Chicken

Poached Chicken

Chris Tonner briefing guests on the courses to follow...

Course five, and the first of three desserts, was without a doubt my favourtie dessert (I'm a chocolate fan, there was no hope for the other desserts in all honesty as divine as they were).

Frozen white chocolate aero, tarragon oil and wild blackberry juice. The aero was actually created in-house with some fancy shmanshy CO2 type gun-thing. The chocolate was them vacuum packed, frozen then sliced - a culinary military operation to produce this dish it would seem!

Frozen White Chocolate Aero with a number of 'interesting tipples'

Frozen White Chocolate Aero

The sixth course was extremely appealing to any custard-loving, apple adoring crumble fan. It was super rich, a little too rich for me to be honest. However, what I could eat of it tasted exactly like custard creams, but 100 times better. When I say it was creamy...I mean it was CREAMY, still a delight though.

Vanilla custard cream, tarte tatin puree, apple salad with sorrel, mascarpone beignet and apple crumble sorbet which was made with Granny Smith apples and was the freshest, and probably best sorbet I have tasted to date.

Vanilla Custard Cream

Vanilla Custard Cream

And finally course eight.

Caramelised buttermilk ravioli. This dish was intended to be one, if not, THE Mona Lisa of the event. Chris and Bruce had envisioned mastering the art of making ravioli with the buttermilk's skin (once boiled), however, due to the fact a very small, minuscule fraction (I mean only a handful) of chefs know how to do this, and have spent months if not years trying to perfect this art, they were unable to deliver the ravioli in the way which they would have liked to present it. Nonetheless I can't do anything but commend them for their fantastic efforts throughout the day trying to perfect this culinary craft. So what was meant to be caramelised buttermilk ravioli was now deconstructed caramelised buttermilk ravioli, still outstandingly stunning though. Served with a banoffee sauce and topped with pistachios, the textures of this dish finished the extensive menu off perfectly.

Pickled spiced watermelon and a rib infused bourbon shots

An outstanding culinary adventure around a Michelin star menu, Chris and Bruce really did go up and beyond in creating a five star experience.

Without a doubt a culinary experience I will never forget, and one I can't stop talking about (and showing all the pictures to my friends). Genuinely still can't believe the skills and techniques which were presented on the evening, and I proudly take my hat off to both Chris and Bruce, jolly good show chaps, jolly good show. Thanks again for the invite and I look forward to seeing how the Secret Supper Club develops. To keep up to date with The Secret Supper Club news, ssubscribe here: http://www.mysecretsupperclub.co.uk.

The Secret Supper Club #1

  For Now...

Just Julia

Vernez: A fashionable affair

Vernez. If you haven't already heard of this fresh new fashion app taking the Internet by storm, then trust me, you're about to.

Sleek, stylish, modern and all black (and white) errythang, I knew straight away it would be love at first download.

Vernez, a hot new fashion app allowing you to create and design your very own unique fashion magazine at the touch of your fingers, offers users the chance to create sleek and stylish magazines right in the comfort of their own home, on the train home from work, or even lounging in the sun on holiday. With hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of items from global high fashion designers, to your everyday local high street brands available to view, use or even buy, this app gives you an exclusive access into the world of fashion, and everything that comes with it. A one-stop shop for all of your fashionable needs whether that be to let your creative hair down in developing a magazine, or to look/purchase your next Christmas night out outfit, Vernez does it all.

When I first came across this trendy app, I was darn excited to try it out. I'm accustomed to loving the odd photography app, however, I haven't come across a fashion app that I've fallen in love with immediately, that was until Vernez came along...

First bonus: the app is free, its easy to use and also helps keep you up-to-date with the latest trends as they happen. Secondly, it can become pretty addictive so if you're one to get needy with apps, this will definitely end up as your Sunday 'Netflix and chills' replacement. Don't get me wrong, it takes a few minutes to get into the swing of things, but once the app has taken you through its initial 'hello and welcome' tips then you'll be singing and dancing the rest of the way. 

Note: pay attention to the 'how to use' stage - it will save you the hassle of working everything out yourself.

Also, the app is not just a creative platform, its a collaboration, acting as a social networking platform too, allowing fashionistas across the globe to engage in each others style, allowing you to gain some top tips from others. Vernez is a platform to present your craft as a stylist, or your talent as a designer to a global society whilst socialising with a bunch of like-minded people who all have one thing in common; a love for fashion. Either way that's pretty incredible.

You'll see below I have already been pretty busy on the app (I've had it for the sum total of 48 hours and already, I'm addicted). It's easy to navigate through, although the only negative for me is that it makes me want to buy ALL of the clothes, #majorstyleenvy.

The app is filled with #fashioninspo left, right and centre, and you can create different editorials with the shop tool, or source your own images from your camera feed by adding them to your 'personal wardrobe', which I thought was a really cool aspect to the app. It also remembers all of the clothes you use in your posts and embeds their information into the post you are working on. So if you, or someone checking out your editorial wants information on the items featured, then they can all at the click of a button (well tap of a finger so to speak!). Below will give you an idea of how this information is presented...

Unfortunately, the app isn't available on Android phones yet, however, there are plans to develop the app so it should be accessible on androids soon. When, I couldn't tell you... sorry!

If you are interested in the app and would like to access and download it, you can click here, which will take you straight to the iTunes store. You'll never know who's #ootd will be trending next until you Vernez...

So go on...get creative and show us what you've got fashionistas! Also, if you would like to follow me on Vernez then you can get me on my handle at @justjulia. Ps, it can become very addictive so beware!

  For Now...

Just Julia

CUP: Aberdeen

This Alice in wonderland meets pastels and porcelain little slice of girly heaven, is not your average tea room; taking you to a world so far away from reality, you'll forget you were ever in Aberdeen...

Established in 2013, this artisan tearoom has been one of my top places to grab a hot chocolate or a quick bite to eat for the past two years. Its reputation in Aberdeen proceeds itself and I would quite happily stay there all day accompanied by a good magazine or book in hand.

The attention to detail within the four walls of Aberdeen's cutest tearoom, CUP, is every Pintrest fans dream dining destination. From the stunning duck egg 'map of the world' blue wall, to the delicate salt and papers shakers, to the decorative teacups and saucers guests are treated to, and the exciting journey through an unknown world of mischief to the bathroom, this place truly is adorable.

Not only is the aesthetic and interior a huge talking point of the tearoom, the food and drinks selection is also deliciously divine, and in my opinion, the proof of the pudding for this quirky premises.            

I've visited this cute local establishment plenty of times, with many waffles and hot chocolates consumed, and I must confess, they have some of, if not the finest waffles I have tasted in the Granite City. The atmosphere is always buzzing in CUP (not dependent on how much coffee you drink), and whether you visit on a Wednesday morning or Saturday afternoon, this place is always busy.

Not only are the thatched delights (yes I'm referring to the waffles here) something I tend to waffle on about to friends, but the soup and sandwich menu is also very varied, offering a wide selection of tasty sandwiches to meet all preferences. What I love about the sandwich dishes is the healthy portion of crisps which comes on the side. The small taster of the soup of the day is also a nice touch. Although I've never experienced it yet, I've heard the all day breakfast is what dreams are made of. 

Another aspect to the tearoom which has always stuck with me, is the way they present their flavoured teas. Below, you can see my flavoured berry ice tea, with timers at the ready, to help me brew the perfect cup of tea. I'm not a coffee fan; the stuff really doesn't agree with me at all, so anytime I'm out and about I enjoy trying out new hot or cold beverages, which can tantalise my tastebuds and make my company jealous. I think CUP have nailed this in a oner with their iced teas and pink lemonade. This little fantasy world away from home is somewhere I urge every Aberdonian to try out, and if you're not a local get your ass to Aberdeen, trust me, it's totally worth it for the waffles alone.

  For now...

Just Julia

Kevin bridges: A night with the AECC

What do you get when you put a well-known Scottish comedian in front of nine sell-out audiences in the oil and gas capital of Europe...a kick-ass comedy show, that's what you get.

I've been a massive fan of KEV.I.N Bridges for as long as I can remember, so it's no surprise when I was invited along to one of his 'A different kind of story' shows as a guest of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), that I would jump at the chance of seeing him live again.

Our evening was to begin before the show, upstairs in a intimate room in the main building where we were treated to pre-show dinner and drinks. Being the food enthusiast I am, my eyes went straight to the menu, once I had made introductions with the other guests of course. We were treated to a two-course meal prepared by the AECC catering staff. The menu was very different to the usual banqueting menu of chicken and beef; which I was anticipating, so was pleasantly surprised to see duck, sea bass and mushroom risotto on the menu. I opted for the duck, it was deliciously succulent and was extremely easy to cut into. For dessert it had to be the chocolate brownie of course (see my pervious post on my love of brownies) and boy was it worth the battle I had endured to get it. (Some other guy was eyeing it up when I was taking photos of the gingerbread house, resulting in major panic in almost losing my beloved - you can't imagine my relief when he picked another dessert).

Seared and Roasted Duck Breast, Confit Leg Bon Bon with Star Anise and Ginger Carrot Puree, Braised Pak Choi, Spiced Red Cabbage, Soy Glaze and Toasted Sesame Seeds

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Ginger Spiced Bon Bon, White Chocolate Sauce and Raspberries

After dinner we were then taken down to the main exhibition arena where we took to our seats. Eleven rows back may I add, pretty snazzy seats indeed. We arrived just as the support act, Karl Spain, took to the stage. For the next 30 minutes Karl entertained the audience telling us jokes about his life, his wife, and some childhood experiences which literally brought tears to my eyes, tears of hilarity that is.

What I've always loved about Kevin Bridges is his ability to tell stories in the most interesting, but humorous way. From his 'gee us a quid or your getting stabbed' joke a few years ago, to the new material he produced reciting half of Wikipedia back to us, due to his unfortunate incident with a new neighbour, Kevin really did pull out all the stops regarding his performance. 

A main vocal point throughout his act was his very noticeable weight loss, and his attitude to food during his younger years. He talked about those 'gym posers' we are all so familiar with and a personal trainer who it seems has a vendetta against fruit, carbs and everything 'yella' (yellow). What really did it for me was how he had lied to his personal trainer/nutritionist about what he had eaten for breakfast; this had me in tears as all I could picture was myself many years ago lying to my mum about what I'd eaten for lunch at school, classic.

His performance was also based around his childhood, touching on times in his life he was grateful to have the family he does. I really enjoyed his stories and how humble he came across on stage. I'm a fan of those individuals who stay grounded to their roots and Kevin truly comes across as someone who is. Although I must admit, I'm just grateful I'm not the hoose rice of my friends! (You'll have to buy the DVD to understand this if you didn't catch the show, but I promise it will be worth it!)

All in all Kevin was outstanding, although I've probably broken some photography law taking the above pictures slyly resulting in me annoying half of the stewards at the AECC (sorry guys, a girls got to do what a girls got to do for her blog!). He continually engaged with the audience throughout the show and even encouraged them to tweet him questions, so he could come up with more jokes at the end of the show. A great touch to round the evening off.

The evening was a remarkable experience and one I will not forget for a long time! Thanks again to all at the AECC, your hospitality was impeccable and very much appreciated.

  For now...

Just Julia