ChelseasDownTown

Thinking about a trip to France, he is still the image to go on one of many delicious, wonderfully relaxing and delicious wines of Bordeaux, visits. The Bordeaux region of France has long been known for the stunning wines, it has produced - and continues to produce. The Bordeaux region has been divided into four areas of wine production by Emperor Napoleon III in 1855, and for each area a unique and distinctive type of wine. Since the Bordeaux region is relatively low, it is possible, with a little planning to visit each region and examples of the incredible quality of wines produced in the region.

Most wines in Bordeaux wines, visits will be red, but with constant pressure from other countries wine, french vineyards and wineries have responded with a variety more and more. Today, on a wine tasting tour of the region, participants can expect to enjoy the traditional bodied red wine with medium body and red-dry and sweet white wines.

There are many options when considering one of many visits Bordeaux wine. One of the most popular excursions for wine lovers, and those who are not familiar with wine tasting and enjoyment, harvest includes visits. These visits allow participants to work alongside the harvesting of grapes in the field, helping to harvest for a short period of time. Lunch is served in the fields and is usually a french traditional meal, served, of course, with magnificent wine cellar. After lunch, the visit continues with wine classes, wine tasting, then ends with a dinner in a restaurant authentic Bordeaux. For those who really learn about wine and winemaking, this is an ideal opportunity to experience the whole production.

In addition to harvest visits there are also many other options for Bordeaux Wine Tours. It is a wine bike tour offered by the region which allows participants to experience the countryside in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Everyone will ride bicycles and central vineyards and cellars, and also stop for lunch at local restaurants for traditional great prizes.

For those who wish to travel in comfort, Bordeaux Wine Tours just options. There are tours limousine which individual or small group tastings at various castles and wineries in a given area of Bordeaux, May or completes a circuit broader different houses of wine. There are also large charter bus services that provide guides, instructors and even leaders who can provide ideas for meals that are compatible with various types of wines in Bordeaux.

Sushi Sophistication

Even if you’ve heard about sushi and you think it sounds interesting, it can be intimidating to visit a sushi restaurant without knowing how to order. Let’s start with the menu:

You have some choices as to how you’d like your sushi to look:

- Nigri – a small piece of fish placed on a mound of rice, often secured with a small band of nori or seaweed. Some restaurants place a bit of wasabi in between the rice and the fish for added flavor.

- Maki – probably the most recognizable form of sushi, the ingredients are rolled inside rice and nori and cut into bite-size pieces.

- Temaki – cone-shaped hand rolls that include a great deal of fish and other ingredients wrapped in a large piece of nori. Because they are so large, they are eaten with hands rather than chopsticks.

Once you’ve decided what form your sushi should take, it’s simply a matter of choosing ingredients. Modern sushi restaurants in the United States pride themselves on creative rolls with interesting ingredients, so it pays to be adventurous. Below are some of the most popular types of nigri that will help you translate the menu:

Japanese English

Magura = Tuna
Tai = Red Snapper
Awabi = Abolone
Hirame = Halibut
Saba = Mackerel
Ikura = Salmon Roe
Toro = Fatty Tuna
Ika = Squid
Mirugai = Giant Clam
Hamachi = Yellow Tail
Ebi = Shrimp
Uni = Sea Urchin
Tako = Octopus
Sake = Smoked Salmon
Unagi = Eel
Anago = Sea Eel
Kani = Crab
Tomago = Egg

- Wasabi – known as Japanese horseradish, the green pasty lump is quite spicy and made from the root of the wasabi plant. Many people mix it in with their soy sauce to add a spicy kick to their sushi when they dip. A very small amount, usually one chopstick-full provides more than enough spice for a small dish of soy sauce.

- Ginger – this sweet, pickled condiment is used as a digestive aid or to cleanse the palate after the meal or in between rolls.

The Prospect of Whitby
57 Wapping Wall E1W 3SJ.
Fancy a bit of rough or a walk in the criminal underworld of smugglers? Then try popping into the formerly named ‘The Devil’s Tavern’ for a pint and you will be following in the footsteps of 17th century smugglers. The pub was a notorious den for smugglers and ironically was burnt to a crisp in the 18th century. In its place was a new pub renamed sedately ‘The Prospect of Whitby’ after a ship usually moored there. Reflecting the ‘ye olde’ English feel of the past, the interior is decorated with relics of ships such as ropes and lanterns. For those suffering from claustrophobia, the terrace may be a better choice with plenty of fresh air and an excellent prospect of the river Thames.

The Anchor
34 Park Street, Borough SE1 9EF
This quaint pub, close to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, has been around since the 1600s and its claim to fame is as the place where Samuel Pepys safely watched the Great Fire of London ravaged the city. The famous diarist mentioned in his diary that he sat in this pub and ‘watched the fire grow’.

Like any other historical building, the pub has suffered the wears and tears throughout the years and in the late 1600s it was rebuilt following a fire. Since then different owners have added to the character of the buildings making it a really interesting combination of various styles.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
145 Fleet Street, City of London, EC4A 2BU.
This Pub may possibly be the most famous in London, as it has been a favourite haunt for all the illustrious names of literature and Fleet street writers. Famous names include Charles Dickens, Thackeray, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle and many others. It even has a stuffed parrot named Polly in the bar which was famous for mimicking customers, so much so that upon its death it was mentioned in the BBC.

The pub is thought to have been built on a 13th century monastery as there are remnants from this time in the cellars. There was an inn going back all the way to mid 1500s which was destroyed in the Fire of London in 1666, and the Ye Olde Cheshire cheese as it is known was rebuilt in 1667.

The pub is a maze of wooden beams, low ceilings and open fireplaces which is very cozy and quaint, or claustrophobic, dependent on your tolerant level.

The George Inn
77 Borough High Street, Borough, London, SE1 1NH.
Situated in Southwark near London Bridge this is London’s only surviving coaching inn. There was a coaching inn here since 1600s, but after damage from a fire in 1676 it was rebuilt. The demise of the George Inn as coaching inn coincided with the increase in rail travel which unfortunately had a negative effect on coach travel. Sadly, Great Northern Railway destroyed large parts of the George Inn to convert into warehouses, but luckily the south side of the inn was left alone and is not listed by the National Trust.

Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons

4 ounces of crab meat (you can use fresh or canned)
2 ounces cream cheese (solid is best, not whipped)
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chives
Small dish of water
Wonton wrappers

Mix the crab, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chives together. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

Put a spoonful of mixture into each wonton shell. Use water to moisten the edges and fold into triangles.

When ready to eat, heat in oil until brown on both sides.

Another of my favorite recipes using cream cheese is this recipe for chocolate cupcakes, using cream cheese to make them very moist:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix (any brand)
1 package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup mini chocolate chips (I always use milk chocolate, as I like the cupcakes sweet)

Preheat oven to 350F. Put cupcake papers into pan. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package instructions and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat egg and add to sugar mixture, mix well. Gently mix in the chocolate chips. Fill cupcake cases 1/2 full of chocolate cake batter. Then add 1 full teaspoon of cream cheese mixture to center. Top with more chocolate cake batter. Cupcake cups should be 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched in center.

Note: You can use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips for a wonderful peanut butter and chocolate taste.

And finally, a wonderful cream cheese dip to serve with either crackers or vegetables:

Horseradish & Cream Cheese Dip

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste (experiment using both white and black pepper)
6 slices of bacon, crumbled

Mix the cream cheese, horseradish, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Add bacon pieces and mix. Refrigerate over night so flavors can blend.

Yoghurt and Oat Muffin Recipe

1 cup unsweetened plain yoghurt
1 cup rolled oats
1 egg
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
1 ¼ cups self-raising flour
1 ripe banana mashed
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Alternative flavour combinations:
instead of the banana and cinnamon try adding
1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ cup chocolate chips or
½ cup mixed nuts and raisins
or make up your own variation with whatever berries and fruits are in season.

Mix together the yoghurt and oats and leave them to soak in the fridge for half and hour. After they have soaked, beat in the egg, sugar and the oil, and fold in the flour with ingredients for whichever flavour combination you have decided on.
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