THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • CAR REVIEW: Alfa Romeo 4C

    If you’ve stopped staring at the picture and started reading, you might be wondering what the incredibly sexy automobile in front of you could be. ★★★★

    With something as low, lithe and purposeful as this, you might be expecting it to have a prancing horse on the badge and a price tag of over £150,000. What will surprise some of you is that this is, in fact, an Alfa Romeo with a starting price of not much more than £50,000.

    You may associate Alfa with a range of small hatchbacks but their history is full of sports and racing cars. The 4C featured here is the latest from the Italian marque and one that aims to bring excitement back to driving. While it may be a throwback in some respects – there’s not even any power assistance for the steering – it’s a thoroughly modern vehicle. Underneath the achingly beautiful body is a chassis made out of carbon fibre, the stuff they make Formula One cars out of.

    Fold yourself through the door opening and into the heavily winged driver’s seat and you’ll be just a few inches off the floor. The view out of the curved windscreen is dominated by the rising front wings and the plunging nose. Look in the door mirrors and you can see straight into the dramatic scoops that feed the engine and keep the intercooler chilled. As for the rear view mirror, you could just about see flashing blue lights approaching but not much else.
    The cabin itself is sparse with plenty of exposed carbon fibre, a TFT instrument cluster in front of you and not much else. You do get electric windows, air conditioning, a stereo and the option of leather seats but the luxuries stop there. For storage, there’s a compact glovebox with another small compartment in between the seats. Other than that, there’s just a pair of cupholders inside and a boot big enough for a couple of squishy bags. Practical it isn’t.
    Directly between the rear seats is the same 240bhp four cylinder 1750 TBi engine found in the Giulietta QV coupled to a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox with steering wheel mounted paddles. Those hoping for a manual gearbox should look elsewhere. While you might think that engine isn’t exotic or powerful enough given the mini-supercar looks, the reality is quite different. Thanks to the carbon construction, the 4C weighs less than a tonne.
    To put that into perspective, launch control helps the 4C get from 0-62mph in a mind-blowing 4.5 seconds. All you need to do is select ‘Dynamic’ mode on the three-way ‘DNA’ switch (‘Natural’ and ‘All Weather’ modes are also available), plant your left foot on the brake and flatten the throttle with your right foot. The revs rise to around 3,000 at which point you come off the brake. Assuming its dry, the 4C then finds amazing traction and hurls you towards the horizon while making some great noises.
    Not all aspects of driving this Alfa are quite as simple though. The unassisted steering is heavy at parking speeds and although it soon gets lighter, it constantly writhes about in your hands. While there’s no doubt it engages you in driving the car, the inexperienced will be intimated by the way it follows every little tramline and camber in the road. Although you soon learn that a little wandering is natural and grip the wheel less tightly, you can never relax in this car.
    The upshot of this comes in the shape of steering feel that shames almost every modern car I’ve driven. You always know what the front wheels are doing even as the limit of grip approaches while the speed of the rack helps catch any little slides you may encounter. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a drift monster but it is very easy to unstick the rear tyres coming out of junctions for instance. In ‘Dynamic’ mode (even with the traction control on) you’ll find yourself having to feed in opposite lock before the computers sort things out. It might sound scary but it becomes good fun very quickly.
    Not that you have to be travelling quickly to have fun. On several occasions on familiar roads it felt like I was hammering along only to look at the speedo and see surprisingly low number. If you did want to make those numbers bigger (on a track of course), then you really need to concentrate and work hard. For many it’ll be too much effort especially when compared to the likes of a Porsche Cayman. For me, it was addictive in a way few cars are. It really is an adrenaline pump virtually all the time.
    Despite this, fuel consumption was astonishingly good. On one thirty mile plus journey, I was able to coax nearly 40mpg out of the 4C without having to try too hard and keeping pace with traffic at all times. Even driven hard, the average refused to drop below 25mpg. Thank the relatively small engine and tiny kerb weight for that. There aren’t many rivals that can match that real world fuel consumption, that’s for sure.
    Does this make the 4C a car you could have as your everyday car though? I would argue not. Although the sensory overload is great when you’re in the mood, a day behind the wheel left a friend and I tired and with headaches. Storage space is limited at best and it isn’t easy to get in and out of. I would also bet that while being the centre of attention wherever you go was great fun during my time with the 4C, it would get old quite quickly.
    Would I have one though? Without any shadow of a doubt; the 4C makes you feel alive like little else on the road.
    Loves
    Looks
    Acceleration
    Economy

    Loathes

    Loud

    Impractical

    Can be a handful

    The Lowdown 

    Car – Alfa Romeo 4C

    Price – £51,500

    Power – 240bhp

    0-62mph – 4.5 seconds

    Top Speed – 160mph

    Co2 – 157g/km

    Reviewed by Alan Taylor Jones / October 2015

  • CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV

    ★★ | Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV

    It seems the default choice for a premium hatchback these days is Teutonic in origin. Whether it has a three-pointed star, four rings or a blue and white roundel, the Germans seem to have the market all wrapped up.

    What if you want some passion with your prestige though? Step forward the Italians with the gorgeous Giulietta.

    A competitor to the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class, the Giulietta is a five-door hatchback pretending to be a sporty three-door. The nose is reminiscent of the 8C & 4C sportscars with subtly sculpted flanks leading to an attractive rear end with distinctive tail lights. We’re not looking at any old Giulietta however, this is the top Quadrifoglio Verde (QV for short) model. Meaning ‘cloverleaf’ in Italian, it’s been the symbol of the most athletic Alfas since 1923.

    The Giulietta QV gains a couple of big bore exhaust pipes, sporty side skirts and 18” wheels, in this instance glorious teledial items that hark back to fast Alfas past. These items and cloverleaf badges on the front wings aren’t the only things that mark out the QV though. Under the bonnet is the same 1750 TBi turbocharged four-cylinder engine and six-speed dual clutch TCT gearbox that’s found in the 4C. Like in the mid-engined two-seater it has 237bhp; enough for a 0-62 mph time of six seconds dead.

    Driving the QV up to around seven-tenths pace, all seems good. You wouldn’t ever call it soothing but it strikes a good balance between ride comfort and handling. Yes, you do feel bumps but sharp edges are rounded off nicely and the car feels pretty agile. The gearbox shuffles between ratios smoothly and the steering is nicely weighted if not dripping with feeling.

    You can calm things down further by switching from ‘Natural’ to ‘All Weather’ modes on the three-way ‘DNA’ drive mode selector. This blunts performance but does tend to be the best choice for day to day use, ‘Natural’ seemingly always in a gear lower than you want when you’re being sensible. It also puts the traction and stability modes on high alert should conditions get slippery. It’s the ‘D’ in ‘DNA’ that’s most interesting though; that stands for ‘Dynamic’.

    Not only does it make the engine even more responsive, it reduces the assistance of the power steering to add weight and gets the electronic limited slip diff working as hard as it can to improve traction. There’s even a launch control mode that (in theory) makes that 0-62 time easily achievable. Just put your left foot on the brake, give it full throttle and then step off the brake. The computers will do the rest.
    Assuming you’re on a nice flat piece of tarmac with lots of grip, there’s plenty of flashing from the traction control light in first gear before it hooks up in second and flies making a fantastic noise in the process. Try accessing the performance on rougher roads especially in the wet and things get a little crazy. The differential isn’t a true limited slip diff, instead, it works by braking the front wheels individually seriously limiting progress and causing the nose to wander too.

    Pile into a corner really hard and the QV always seems safe but never really feels like it wants to play. Only braking deep into a corner will get any movement from the tail and you can’t turn off the traction and stability control either. The upshot is that it never feels like it’s going to throw you off the road but then never is it truly exciting – not unless you’re hard on the throttle with the steering wheel writhing in your hands and trying to stop it pulling you into a ditch.

    Still, you can count on Alfa Romeo for a stylish and driver focussed interior, can’t you? Errr no, not in this case. For starters, it’s like a coal bunker inside with an all black dashboard, black seats and a black headlining too. There may be some colourful piping on the disappointingly unsupportive seats but it’s not enough to lift the interior ambience. Some cheap plastics don’t help either. In the centre of the dash is a touchscreen infotainment system which works well enough but is trumped by newer rivals. Overall it feels a couple of generations old which isn’t really acceptable in a car that was facelifted just over a year ago. At least the boot is a decent size and rear legroom adequate.

    As a fan of much of Alfa Romeo’s back catalogue, I really wanted to like the Giulietta. I’ll even go as far as to admit to being prepared to overlook a few foibles and the stiff £28,000 price tag for a bit of Italian flair and excitement. Look past the good looking exterior and fantastic engine and you’re sadly left with a car that was at best mid-pack when it was introduced around five years ago. Fast forward to now and it’s way behind the pack in almost all areas. Alfa may be looking to facelift the Giulietta again but really they need to put it out of its misery and pull the plug.

     

    LOVES

    Engine
    Looks
    Not the obvious choice

    LOATHES

    Expensive
    Dated interior
    Could be more entertaining to drive

    LOWDOWN

    Car – Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde
    Price – £28,120
    Power – 237bhp
    0-60 – 6.0 seconds
    Top Speed – 151mph
    Co2 – 162g/km

    Reviewed by Alan Taylor Jones /Sept 2015

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Royal China (Queensway Branch)

    Brimming with locals, the Royal China (Queensway) was super busy even for a late lunch sitting, which is always a good sign.

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  • How To Keep Your Car Moving This Winter – Winter Driving Tips

    How To Keep Your Car Moving This Winter – Winter Driving Tips

    The festive season is upon us and travel around the country to visit loved ones, some not so loved ones and family is but part of it for most.

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  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet 1.2 TSI

    The Volkswagen Beetle has been around for over seventy years now with this being only the third all-new variant. ★★★

    Although the original Beetle soldiered on until 2003 in Mexico, we Europeans got the second generation car back in the late nineties. Whilst that traded on the rounded, cutesy looks of the original, it was considered way too feminine for many. Volkswagen looked to change that with this third generation car we first saw back in 2011.

    This model saw a few of the curves squared off while the roof line was dropped significantly to give it a more coupe-like profile. Naturally, if you really wanted to get the roof low, there was always the convertible we’re looking at here. The third generation of Beetle is available with a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines ranging between 1.2 and 2.0 litres. In this instance, we’re looking at the entry-level petrol version hooked up to the seven-speed automatic gearbox.

    You might think a 1.2-litre engine may seem small for a Golf-sized cabrio but a turbocharger gives performance that is more the adequate 90% of the time. Only when pulling onto a dual carriageway with a particularly short slip road do you feel like more power is needed. Slow your pace a little and the engine always feels willing, never seeming to struggle with inclines as some smaller engined cars do. The quick shifting and buttery smooth automatic gearbox helps greatly. There are steering wheel mounted paddles to shift up and down, however, I think I used them once.

    The main reason for leaving it in auto mode is that spirited driving is not the Beetle’s forte. Not only does it take nearly 12 seconds to reach 60mph, it’s never particularly entertaining around corners either. Sure, there’s prodigious amounts of grip but it never feels overly happy being thrown about. There’s precious little feedback from the steering and the suspension has most definitely been set up for comfort not cornering.
    Don’t get me wrong though, it’s unlikely you’d ever buy one instead of a sports car so why should it handle like one? Driven at a more leisurely pace you can enjoy the supple suspension ironing out bumps, let the gearbox shuffle through the gears and marvel at the lack of creaks and groans coming from the car’s structure. You’d expect some floppiness from hacking the roof off but the Beetle remains pleasantly stiff even up the roughest of roads. As an added bonus, you can raise or lower the roof at up to 31mph too.

    This feeling of quality permeates throughout the cabin with every button, stalk and switch operating with the kind of well-oiled precision the Germans do so well. Body coloured panels inside also help lift the interior and hark back to the original Beetle. The optional infotainment system as fitted to our test car proved easy to use with little to no lag plus great sound quality from the upgraded Fender sound system. This car also had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for even greater Smartphone connectivity.
    For me though, the most important option by far was the heated seats that came as part of a winter pack. Being able to open the roof on a clear yet bitterly cold morning with my back and bottom being gently toasted as the sun rose was a real highlight of my time with the Beetle. Tempting as raiding the options list is, care is needed. All in all our test vehicle had over £3,000 of options fitted pushing the price up to over £26,000. Over £1,200 of that was on the audio and infotainment system alone.

    Another downside is reduced practicality thanks to the convertible roof. Gone is the wide-opening hatchback and instead is a small boot-lid that can make unloading objects deep in the luggage compartment tricky. I would also recommend giving the rear seats a try before you buy. I’m sure they’re fine for occasional use but I found them to be very upright and not overly comfortable. Headroom was fine even with the roof up but then I am less than 5’ 4”.

    There’s a good chance that your decision to buy a Beetle Cabriolet will come down to one thing, the looks. At around £1,000 more than a more practical Golf Cabriolet, you really need to love the styling to pick the Beetle over it. If the Bug does take your fancy, then it’s an undoubtedly well-made and comfortable cabrio that is certainly a little different. Thrill-seekers should look elsewhere, however.

     

    Pros

    Premium feel

    Comfortable

    Smooth auto gearbox

    Cons

    Could do with a little more power

    Cramped rear seats

    Can get pricey with options

    The Lowdown

    Car – Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Design 1.2 TSI

    Price – £23,070 (£26,375 as tested)

    Power – 105hp

    0-60 – 11.7 seconds

    Top Speed – 111 mph

    Co2 – 127g/km

  • RECIPE | Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Cups

    Makes around 40 |  Prep 20 mins | No Cook

    When I think of a canapé, I immediately think of smoked salmon in some form, and my favourite form is its most simple. Blended with cream cheese, dill and lemon- really classical (and easy!), but topped with toasted pine nuts for an interesting added texture and flavour, their natural buttery-ness works wonderfully.

    The smoked salmon spread can keep in the fridge for a couple of days in advance but assembling is best up to an hour before serving.

     

    Ingredients.

    100g smoked salmon

    135g soft cream cheese

    10g dill, washed

    1/2 lemon, juice only

    50g pine nuts

    2 cucumbers, skin peeled, cut in half lengthways, seeds removed with a teaspoon

     

    Method.

    1. Dry fry the pine nuts in a pan to toast them, keep your eye on them as their high oil content means they can catch fast. Once sufficiently toasty and golden, remove and set aside.
    2. In a food processor, blend the smoked salmon until smooth.
    3. Add the cream cheese, washed dill, and lemon juice and blend once more.
    4. Spread the smoked salmon mix into the cavity of the cucumbers where the seeds were. (I save some of the spread to go on a bit of toasted rye in the morning!)
    5. Scatter over the pine nuts, evenly distributing. And slice into bitesize pieces. Serve.

  • RECIPE | Chestnut Squares

    Makes around 24 (using a roasting tin 10 x 8 inches) |  Prep 15  mins | Cook 30-35 mins

    No flour is used in these squares of utter indulgence. Dark chocolate & festive chestnut puree pair together to make these rich and dense squares of every chocolate fans dream. Don’t be fooled by their modest appearance, the flavour is intense and may induce your eyes to roll in the back of your head. You could easily put this into a circular cake tin and serve sliced as a dessert with some ice cream and berries etc.

     

     Ingredient.

    200g dark chocolate, blitzed or finely chopped

    150g unsalted butter, chopped

    3 large organic eggs

    2 x 250g Clement Faugier Chestnut Vanilla Spread (I got mine from Sainsbury’s)

    Topped with snowflake sugar decoration (also in Sains.)

     

    Method.

    Pre-heat your oven to 200c / 180c (Fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Place a heatproof bowl on top of a small saucepan that has simmering water in it (ensuring the bowl and water do not touch).
    2. Place both chocolate and butter in the bowl and warm through to melt and combine. Once that’s done, take off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together and then begin whisking in the chestnut spread.
    4. With chocolate and butter mix now lukewarm, begin to whisk it into the eggy chestnut mix until thoroughly combined.
    5. Line your roasting tin (mine 10 x 8 inches) with greaseproof paper so that the paper overhangs the top of the tin, and pour the chocolate mix into the tin.
    6. Place into the oven for 30-35 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in its tin before lifting out and slicing into squares.

  • RECIPE | Honey Mustard Frittati

    Makes 12 |  Prep 15 mins | Cook 25 mins

     

    I use grated parsnip for a seasonal and festive flavour in these mini frittatas, which is classically delicious with the honey and mustard.

    If you would like to substitute the parsnip, or perhaps make more than one batch with different varieties, then think seasonal, and replace the 200g parsnip with the same amount of; grated fresh raw beetroot (they’ll turn pink!), finely shredded kale, leeks, or wild mushrooms. For a meatier mouthful, add some diced chorizo or pancetta when cooking off the vegetables.

     

    Ingredients.

    1 onion (around 125g), finely chopped

    2 small parsnips (around 200g), grated

    2 big garlic cloves, finely chopped

    2 tsp honey

    1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

    1/2 pack (15g) parsley, finely chopped

    6 organic large eggs

    1 tsp baking powder

    2 tsp coconut oil, or oil of choice

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 190c / 170c (fan) / Gas mark 5

     

    1. Heat your coconut oil in a frying pan and begin to cook off your onion and parsnip, I cook these out slowly, so a low to medium heat for about 10 minutes.
    2. For the final minute, add in your garlic and stir around the pan. Remove from the heat.
    3. On a 12 muffin baking tray, grease the individual moulds with a little coconut oil or oil spray.
    4. Evenly distribute the cooked vegetables between each muffin mould.
    5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, honey, mustard and baking powder.
    6. Decant the egg mix into a pouring jug so you can now easily distribute the egg mix into each muffin mould.
    7. Use a fork to gently stir each mould.
    8. Place in the oven for 20 minutes (you may need 5 minutes longer depending on your oven, but look for golden, firm tops to the frittatas).

     

     

  • RECIPE | Celeriac Amaze-Puffs (topped with king prawn or wasabi peas)

    Makes 36 | Prep 30 mins | Cook 15 mins

    Seasonal and sensational. Puff pastry is the stage for a creamy zingy celeriac slaw topped with plump king prawn or wasabi peas as a vegetarian option. These look really pretty and paired with their deliciousness will disappear rather quickly!

    If you don’t want to make as many as 36 canapés, then the celeriac mix itself will keep in the fridge for a few days and would go wonderfully with leftover meats on Boxing day.

    Ingredients.

    1 celeriac (you’ll want around 350g of celeriac once you have removed the tough skin via peeler/knife)

    3 tbsp full fat greek yoghurt

    3 tbsp olive oil mayonnaise

    2 tsp dijon mustard

    1 garlic clove, finely chopped

    1 lemon, juice of

    1 pack cooked and peeled king prawns

    1 pack wasabi peas

    36 frozen vol-au-vent pastry cases

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 220c / 200c (fan) / Gas mark 7

     

    1. Cook the vol-au-vent cases as per packet instructions and leave to cool.
    2. Before removing the celeriac’s tough outer skin, make the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yoghurt, mayo, mustard, garlic clove, and half of the lemon juice. Add a bit of pepper and salt to taste.
    3. Now remove the outside of the celeriac, I try and use a peeler for the majority of this task but you will need a knife for its hard root.
    4. Give the prepared celeriac a little rinse in water and begin to grate it.
    5. Add the grated celeriac quickly to its sauce in the mixing bowl, otherwise it will turn brown.
    6. Add the remaining lemon juice and stir it all together to combine. Cover and refrigerate until required.
    7. Spoon the celeriac mixture onto the cooled vol-au-vent cases and top with either king prawns or wasabi peas. Serve.

  • RECIPE | Green Tea Chocolate Chunks

    Prep- 20 mins | Cook- 5 mins (Chill 3+ hours)

    with cacao nibs, goji, and poppy seeds. (Makes around 30 chunks)

    These bright and festively coloured chunks are heaven, and the topping is made up of an  antioxidant medley! I love the way they look and make a great dessert option as part of canapés / finger food. Feel free to experiment with toppings; dried fruit, nuts, chia, candied peel etc. would all work wonderfully here.

     

    Ingredients.

    400g white chocolate (must contain cocoa butter), chopped finely or blitzed in a food processor

    125ml whipping cream

    30g unsalted grass-fed butter, finely chopped

    2 tbsp Matcha green tea powder, premium grade or organic

    1 tbsp poppy seed

    1 tbsp goji berries

    1 tbsp cacao nibs

    gold shimmer spray, optional

     

     Method.

    1. Line a roasting dish or similar with greaseproof paper well enough so that the paper overhangs the edges of the dish (I used a roast pan sized 24.5cm x 19.5cm and 5cm deep)
    2. In a completely dry sauté pan or a deep frying pan , add the cream and over a medium heat warm through until you see small bubbles appear (DO NOT BOIL!).
    3. Remove from the heat immediately and add butter and white chocolate and stir swiftly to combine for a couple of minutes.
    4. Put back onto a low heat and continue to stir making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
    5. Once smooth, sift in your matcha green tea and stir well.
    6. Pour your green chocolate into your prepared dish, shimmy the pan slightly to evenly distribute and tap the dish down on your work surface a few times to eradicate any air bubbles.
    7. Top with cacao nibs, poppy seeds, and goji berries, pressing down lightly to secure them.
    8. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
    9. Remove from the fridge and spray with gold shimmer spray in your own design (if using).
    10. Lift the slab out of its dish using the greaseproof paper, and place onto a chopping board.
    11. Use a knife dipped in warm water to portion your chocolate slab into chunks. Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge, and refrigerate until serving.

     

     

     

     

     

  • RECIPE | Dipped Marshmallows

    Prep 10 mins | Cook 5 mins

    These look great for a novelty kind of canapé and will be well received if kids are present at the party (or for those just young at heart), these could also make a little token gift as they keep and store well (think gingham lidded jars). Any freeze dried fruit would work, or for a hit of nostalgia get some popping candy on there too.

     Ingredients.

    200g marshmallows

    100g milk chocolate

    20g freeze dried strawberries

     

     Method.

    1. If you want to serve the marshmallows on sticks then you can use cocktail sticks, lolly pop sticks or cut up some colourful straws. Impale each marshmallow.
    2. Break / chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water).
    3. Have your freeze dried strawberries laid out on a plate.
    4. Once the chocolate is melted, begin to dip the tops of marshmallows into the chocolate and then swiftly into the freeze dried strawberries (or popping candy), set aside, and repeat until all marshmallows have been dipped. If not serving straight away, store in an air-tight container.