THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • RECIPE: Overnight Oats, The Inexpensive Christmas Morning Breakfast

    Serves 1 hungry person | Prep 5 mins | No Cook

     
    Simple and inexpensive. Prepare these on Christmas Eve and let these overnight oats soak in the fridge to produce a “cooked”, creamy, gorgeous fuss-free breakfast to wake up and dig straight into in the morning filling and nutritious, a great way to begin your day, and not just at Christmas! The jars I use in the image are a 500g capacity.
    INGREDIENTS.

    Basic Recipe

    50g quick cook / rolled oats

    100ml coconut milk (not tinned variety, from alpro or koko)

    3 tbsp natural yoghurt

     
    METHOD.

    Mix all ingredients in a jar / bowl / vessel of your choice.

    Stir in either of the flavour combinations below.

    Cover and chill in the fridge overnight (or minimum 3 hours), remove and serve.My favourite flavour variations;
    Berry Coconutty- In picture on right

    50g raspberries (frozen is fine)

    small handful brazil nuts, chopped

    small handful blueberries (frozen is fine)

    small handful coconut flakes

    1 tsp vanilla paste / extract (optional)
    Apple & Cinnamon (tastes like pure Christmas!)- In picture on right

    1 small apple- blitzed or finely chopped, or 2 heaped tbsp apple puree

    1 tbsp maple syrup / honey

    1 tsp cinnamon

    small handful walnuts

    small handful raisins

     

    BACK TO CHRISTMAS FOOD IDEAS

     

  • RECIPE: Bubble And Chic, The Perfect Way To Use Up Christmas Leftovers

    Makes 4 |  Prep 20 mins | Cook 50 mins

     

    Leftovers never looked so good before, right? You can make changes to this recipe dependent on what vegetables you may have leftover from Christmas. Celeriac could be swapped for the beetroot (you will lose the pinky redness of the dish though), use any kind of cabbage or brussell sprouts, standard potato instead of sweet, leek instead of onion etc.

     

    INGREDIENTS.

    1 carrot (peeled if non-organic), roughly chopped

    200g uncooked beetroot, peeled and chopped in small chunks

    200g sweet potato, skin on and roughly chopped

    225g red cabbage, chopped

     

    1 medium onion, finely chopped

    8 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

     

    goes well with;

    dollop of yoghurt

    lemon zest

    pomegranate seeds

    romanesco / cauliflower / broccoli

    raw radish slices

    parmesan

     

    METHOD.

    Pre-heat your oven to 220c / 200c (fan) / Gas Mark 7

     

    Heat a little oil in a frying pan a gently sweat out the onions for 10 minutes, once softened, set aside.

    Meanwhile you can boil the carrot, beetroot, sweet potato and red cabbage in a large saucepan and do so for 15-20 minutes.

    Drain the vegetables thoroughly and tip into a large mixing bowl. Mash the vegetables lightly, then add in the panko breadcrumbs (if your mix looks overly wet then add a couple more tablespoons), and then stir in the onion. Season heavily with black pepper, and just a wee pinch of salt.

    Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to shape into four “cakes”. Alternatively you could use a cookie cutter or ringlet as a mould for the cakes, spooning in the mixture and pressing down as you go. Set the cookie cutter aside once all cakes are shaped.

    At this point you could top each cake with a good grating of parmesan. Now, place into the oven for 30 minutes. Pop under the grill for a few minutes on high if you want them extra crispy!

    Remove from the oven and serve with a dollop of yoghurt, pomegranate jewels, grated lemon zest, and some more left over vegetables that have been lightly steamed, I used romanesco and some raw radish.

  • RECIPE: Pistachio Pavlova, Something Different For Christmas Day Pudding

    Serves 6-8 people |  Prep 30 mins |  Cook 2-2.5 hours (more…)

  • RECIPE: Figgy Lavender Pudding, The Ultimate Christmas Pudding Replacement

    Serves 10-12 |  Prep 40 mins | (plus overnight soaking, and minimum 4-5 hours chilling once assembled) No Cook
    Pretty in purple, this dessert has no added sugars, dairy, or flour and uses only natural & nutritious ingredients. If you have an aversion to lavender then leave it out, but i promise you its presence is subtle and is really lovely.

    INGREDIENTS.Base

    200g pecans

    100g hazelnuts

    210g pitted fresh dates

    4 tbsp coconut oil
    Filling

    (soak the cashews & hazelnuts for the filling over night, just covering them in a bowl with filtered water)

    250g cashews

    100g hazelnuts

    150g dried figs (fine for the packet to say “slightly rehydrated”)

    90g runny honey

    75g blueberries (frozen is fine)

    75g coconut oil, melted

    1 lemon, juice of

    2 tsp culinary lavender (optional, but lovely!)

    optional- fresh figs to serve on top

    METHOD.

    9-inch springform tin (less than 9 inch is fine but will result in a cake with more height)
    BASE- Use a food processor or high powered blender to blitz the pecans and hazelnuts, and then adding the pitted fresh dates and coconut oil next, blitzing once again until combined.
    Put the base of the cake tin down on top of greaseproof paper, use as a guide to draw a circle around it. Cut the circle out and then lay the circle on the bottom of the tin, greasing with a little oil.
    Begin to spoon in the base mixture into the tin pressing down as you go, distributing evenly. Set aside in the fridge overnight, or place in the freezer for a few hours if you want to speed things up.
    FILLING- Drain the soaked nuts thoroughly, and then place all filling ingredients in a food processor or highly powered blender and combine thoroughly. If your processor struggles to combine the filling into a uniform texture then remove some and work in smaller batches, adding extra honey to loosen it up as you go.
    Spoon the filling into the cake tin on top of the nutty base and smooth over the top with a spatula or back of a spoon.
    Place back into the fridge and I really recommend leaving it for a day, covered, for the flavours to develop, but it essentially would be ready to eat after chilling for 4-5 hours.
    Remove from fridge 10 minutes prior to serving.

  • CAR REVIEW | Subaru BRZ, 30 MPH has never been so fun

    Ask a petrolhead to think of Subaru and rallying won’t be too far from the forefront of their mind. ★★★★★

    The Japanese firm’s turbocharged, four-wheel drive saloons and hatchbacks are a familiar sight on special stages across the globe. This competition pedigree doesn’t go to waste, their road cars benefit from lessons learnt from rallying too. This however, is a very different kind of Subaru.

    While there may be the familiar 2.0 litre flat-four boxer engine up front, there is no turbo. Nor is there four-wheel drive, just the rear tyres are powered. The expected levels of four or five-door practicality are absent as well, there may be four seats (just) but these are accessed by only two doors. Welcome to the BRZ.

    At this point, the more observant of you might be feeling a little déjà vu. That’s because the BRZ has a brother, a car that I’ve already tested – the Toyota GT86. There are three very good reasons for sampling this Subaru though. Firstly, the BRZ is completely standard, unlike the GT86 I tried. Secondly, the Subaru is different in its suspension setup and thirdly, I was desperate for another go with this chassis.

    Like the GT86, the Subaru BRZ has 200hp at a heady 7,000rpm, a six-speed manual gearbox (an auto is available) and a limited slip differential to help channel the power to the road. Visually the cars look very similar at first glance although the front bumper, faux wing vents and badges are different. Inside, there are different dials, dashboard trim and infotainment systems.

    In the case of the test car, infotainment is pushing it somewhat. There’s no sat-nav, Bluetooth or even a touchscreen, just an AM/FM radio, CD player plus an aux-in and iPod connectivity. With most people now possessing Smartphones with navigation included, I don’t think this is too much of an issue. The rest of the interior is well made but unmistakably Japanese – an Audi TT it isn’t.

    The BRZ is a very different proposition to the TT though. Not only is it up to £5,000 cheaper, the Subaru puts driving dynamics above all else. Drop into the low-set and fantastically figure hugging sports seat and you’ll notice the peaks of the front wings show you exactly where the centres of the front tyres are. Thumb the starter button and the engine fires into a distinctive idle, the scene is set.

    Slot the gearstick into first and you can’t help but notice the short, mechanical feeling action that will become very familiar. Unlike modern turbocharged engines that deliver power from what feels like little over idle, the naturally aspirated flat four thrives on revs. While it will pull from under 2,000rpm, you need at least 4,500rpm on the dial before it starts to feel genuinely quick.

    It’s once you get to a set of corners that everything clicks though. The BRZ rides on the same kind of tyres that are fitted to the Toyota Prius meaning there isn’t vast amounts of grip. That may seem strange for a sports car but it’s this that makes it such a blast. Unlike many performance cars, you don’t have to be travelling at ludicrous speed for things to get interesting.

    Even going well within the speed limit, you can feel the chassis working under you. Initially you’ll feel the front run wide but a little bit of commitment will soon see the car oversteering in a wonderfully controllable manner. Never does it feel scary yet it excites and entertains in equal measure. The steering may feel a little odd around the straight ahead but it proves quick and with enough feedback to know exactly what is going on up front.

    Despite the stunning handling, the BRZ is also a lot more comfortable than you’d expect too. You do feel bumps but they are smothered well enough while the car never feels crashy. Compared to the tweaked GT86 I tried, it’s a revelation – you could genuinely use it every day. There’s also a surprisingly large boot and the promise of near faultless reliability as well.

    Naturally, there are downsides. While the boot is decently sized, the gap is quite narrow and the seats don’t fold forward a great deal. Trying to squeeze a not overly big box into the back was quite a hassle. It’s also thirsty (I averaged just under 35mpg), not as well equipped as many hot hatchbacks and slower too. As for the rear seats, they’re suitable for children or the shortest of adults only.

    As you may have guessed already, for me the positives far outweigh the negatives here. Sure it could be more practical but at the end of the day, it’s a coupe. To make a car look like this, practicality will be sacrificed. As for performance, there’s plenty of aftermarket parts out there to make it as fast as you want. Me? I’d be tempted to leave it standard; I’ve never known a car entertain so much at less than 30mph. I want one so badly it hurts.

    Pro

    Handling

    Styling

    Price

    Cons

    Not overly practical

    Thirsty

    It isn’t mine

    The Lowdown

    Car – Subaru BRZ SE Lux

    Price – £23,995

    Power – 200hp

    0-62mph – 7.6 seconds

    Top Speed – 143mph

    Co2 – 181g/km

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hunter 486 @ The Arch, London

    Hunter 486 is situated within the Arch Hotel (we sneaked a peak at one of their delightful, bright and cosy rooms before we were seated- always a good sign to see a Bang & Olufsen phone in a bathroom).

    486 being the original dialling code for the area that the hotel appears to show much loyalty to via adorning walls in artistic photographs of local architecture, and even a one off piece of art by Vincent Poole concocted from the names of local streets, shops and galleries.

    There are three elements to Hunter 486; the bar, the champagne lounge (with leather booths, curtained for privacy), and the main restaurant, with an open kitchen on view, equipped with stone oven, hanging pots from the ceiling, and the chefs are pretty cute to boot too, which surely is the best thing about an open kitchen from a diner’s perspective, right?

    Some delightful options for tidbits / pre-starters are available, us opting for the Quail Scotch Eggs (£3), beautifully presented with trickling sunny yolks next to a pot of crunchy teeny cubed vegetable piccalilli. The scotch eggs deep-fried in a fine golden batter, encasing a wonderfully intense herby pork sausage, and perfectly cooked lovely, runny, quail’s egg (fab with the piquant piccalilli). This was an absolute peach of a dish, I feel it should feature as a proper starter option, somehow.

    Along with the eggs we tried some Homemade Crisps (£3), which were channelling an epic roast dinner via flavours coming from lemon and sage. Also at the table were a couple of homemade breads; the brown being nutty and sweet, slightly heavy for me – but the breadwinner of the plate being a crusty fluffy olive bread, which makes some seriously charming chemistry with mopping up of the scotch egg yolk.
    Never one to ignore scallops on the menu, it was medleyed with scorched chunks of chorizo and silky smooth strips of roast red pepper, altogether creating a flavourful din atop a pale green rocket salad (£12.50). Aesthetically the plate is perfection, which matches the cooking of the scallops.

    However, rivalling the scallops’ splendour, a colourful and fragrant Heritage Beetroot & Orange Salad (£8). Beautiful beets in three shades with bright orange slices create earthy and tart boldness that crave the mellowness that the chopped hazelnuts and goats’ cheese crouton bring to the dish. A symphony on a plate.

    What strikes me from the mains menu, is that nothing really strikes me. We both struggled to pick something, which is a shame as decisions were instantaneous with the starters (and we had even chosen desserts). The mains lack the creative flair that’s seen throughout the rest of the menu, and even in the hotel itself. Nothing jumps out from the “pubby” selection of burgers, steak, pizza, fish & chips etc.

    Due to season, Hunter 486 also had a thanksgiving menu, so we ordered one of the Norfolk Bronze Turkeys with roast sweet potatoes, glazed root vegetables and cranberry sauce. The meat was not dry at all, perfectly moist. Essentially a very good roast dinner, and it is what it is really, but there was no wow factor.

    The same enthusiasm with the other main on the table, in the form of Braised Lamb Shank (£19), with Mediterranean spiced aubergine and chickpeas. Served in a bowl decorated by a rim of an intensely sharp and minty sauce that was fab, and looked great against the dominant reds of the dish, adding a bit of zing to counteract a rich gravy from the lovely lamb. The chickpeas could have done with a couple more minutes cooking but other than that the dish was great, but again no wow factor. All down to, I feel, an uninspiring selection on offer.
    Desserts? Here we go, Hunter 486 back on form. There were so many enticing options (all @ £6.50) that we ordered three to share between the two of us. Hazelnut & Apple Tart – Sweet dreams are made of THIS; Pastry perfection with sweet toasty cinnamon lacing the nutty and dewy apple filling. A few sticky syrupy globules encasing crunchy whole hazelnuts decorate the plate, and i mourn for it as i pass to my friend to share.

    Coconut Panna Cotta and its creamy, silken texture paired with a bold, icy mango sorbet takes me somewhere tropical. The sorbet was leaning on the over powering side as the coconut flavour of the panna cotta was a little shy. A few toasted coconut flakes on the plate attempt to reinforce the flavour. Passing the plate over, the panna cotta delightfully wobbling as it went, i was almost tempted to wolf whistle at it.

    A refreshing clementine salad made a wonderful close to the meal, being zesty, cleansing and uplifting. Paired with toasted almonds, and another burst of freshness from pomegranate jewels, strewn with a herby hint of mint. I cleverly saved this for last as its healthy exuberance and feel good factor makes me forgive (but certainly not forget) the indulgence of the two desserts prior.
    As our plates were being cleared by the very well dressed and charming service staff, I go over the dishes that we had in my mind, and it is such a shame that there was that creative and flavour lull mid-meal with the mains. Everything else around this however, was absolutely enchanting; the starters and desserts stick with me still, and I would come back to Hunter 486 if not only for those gorgeous scotch eggs (and yes perhaps another slice of that hauntingly good hazelnut & apple tart). The good by far outweighs the disappointing, and i would even say it’s now on my list of the most memorable meals I have had for various reasons, and that surely, is good food.

    Reviewed by: @Lohanjordan

    ADDRESS: The Arch London, 50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London, W1H 7FD

    PHONE:+44 (0)207 724 4700

    PRICE: ££££

    STAR: ****

    TIPPING POLICY: Optional 12.5% will be added to your bill.

    MAKE A RESERVATION: http://www.opentable.com/hunter-486-brasserie?page=5

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | 108 Brasserie

    Entering 108 Brasserie you are welcomed with festive cheer in the form of smiles from the bar, and a wonderfully humungous autumnal wreath adorned in oh so trendy right now copper highlights and leaves.

    The aroma of the room is dominantly sweet, and I’m pretty certain the sugar and spice smell is emerging from the 108 Pantry adjacent to the restaurant, which deals in everything from sandwiches to scones, and gluten-free/low-sugar-healthy-feel-good options to sumptuous cake extravaganzas that just make you want to hit the f*** it button.

    The decor contemporary, and a bit ritzy cliche – cream walls, marble tables, red leather seating, with walls studded in black & white photography. Ceilings are high and so are expectations.

    To accompany our lovely, floral & fruity cocktail; The Marylebone (named after the hotel the restaurant is situated in)- which was made out of champagne, vodka, raspberry liquor, and elderflower, came a selection of homemade breads (from the 108 Pantry). I’ve never been a fan of bread before a meal, I find it far too filling. As my friend and began to discuss the bread, she told me a story she had heard of whenever Nicole Kidman is served bread at restaurants, she tips a glass of water over it, so she is not tempted by the captivating carb.
    The Rye bread was so dense and far too heavy – Though I’ve never really understood rye bread that has not been toasted. Eager to try the guinness brown bread, we tucked in and it was absolutely delicious but it was so cake-like and sweet it felt like it was at the wrong point of the meal, what’s more, because it was sweet, we wanted to keep going back for more of it. The soda bread and pumpkin seed loaf was much lighter, and solidly savoury- this was just right.
    Crispy Pig Cheeks with mustard creme fraiche, and an apple & raisin chutney (£8), caught my eye immediately on the starter menu (the menu in its entirety is full of tempting options, however those of you that are vegetarian/vegan may feel a little restricted with choices). Flakey and fleshy peppered pig cheeks in a light crispy batter were delicious and generous in portion, complimenting and working with watercress’ natural peppery pow. The only thing that let the dish down for me was the chutney, it just tasted like something mince pie, but the plate was still very enjoyable without eating the chutney.

    Also coming as a starter, the Balmoral Estate Venison Capaccio (£11) – very french in its style and presentation. The venison, like red velvet draped on the plate, pretty against the pale green frisee salad it’s freckled with. The venison pretty much melts on your tongue, all buttery and rich, which is fantastic combined with the pickled walnuts on the plate, bringing something sharp and sweet. A very well designed plate of food.

    Taking one for team vegetarian, I ordered the Spelt & Roasted Squash Risotto (£15). With it being the only main suitable for vegetarians (other than from the salad menu) it should have been a lot more than what it was. Texture wise the dish was on point, I love grains like spelt and pearl barley for their ridge down the middle that is just a treat on the tongue, as was the dishes creaminess. To look at the dish was underwhelming being basically beige. The dish could definitely handle more sage than just the one crispy leaf served, and way more black pepper.

    Served in their shells, the Seared Isle of Skye Scallops (£16), wonderful colours with the scallops sat atop an amber dahl-like spiced lentil dollop, flavoured with fresh coriander. This was an unusual dish in terms of its flavour pairings, although every other table in the restaurant was eating the scallops (the portion size is generous too). My friend loved this dish, but for me I thought where scallops are sometimes susceptible to being gritty, it was odd serving with lentils.
    For something light on the side we ordered a Superfood salad (£8), which I’m not really sure restaurants are allowed to put on the menu as “superfood”, unless it states specifically with scientific backup as to why it is superfood. It’s not just the name i would take off the menu, it would be the dish itself, as it just felt like a bunch of everything thats deemed “in” was put in a bowl and served; quinoa, pomegranate, edamame beans, raw broccoli. It had no flavour and too many textures.
    Blaming bread and generous portions we were struggling with the idea of dessert so opted for something light to share in the form of the Josper Grilled Pineapple (£7) – the josper is a grill and an oven in one, there is also a josper menu for mains featuring fish, tiger prawns and steaks. Unfortunately the dessert did the josper no justice. The pineapple tasted limp as did its chilli and lime sauce. Expecting fire and sweet and it was just overly sweet and syrupy. Topped with a scoop of coconut sorbet which lacked flavour altogether, which was a real shame.
    The end of the meal was sealed via a limoncello each, and some lovely small homemade chocolates (again from the 108 Pantry), large chocolate buttons topped with pistachio, cranberry and a bit of salt- they were delicious and had a great salty tang to them. The variations change daily.
    The service throughout was amazing, the staff that looked after us are certainly a credit to the establishment. I just got the feeling that they really enjoy working in 108, they knew the menu really well, were proud of the ingredients when talking us through them and where they came from etc. The 108 Brasserie has a lovely vibe, if it hadn’t have been for an appointment i had to get to, we could have easily just mooched around soaking up the atmosphere, and probably be tempted to explore the fantastic cocktail menu too.
    Reviewed by @Lohanjordan

    ADDRESS: 108 Marylebone Lane, London, W1U 2QE, United Kingdom

    PHONE: +44 (0) 207 969 3900

    PRICE: ££££ (explained)

    STAR: *** (explained)

    TIPPING POLICY: http://108brasserie.com/location/

    MAKE A RESERVATION: http://108brasserie.com/book-now/

  • MOTORING REVIEW | Porsche: We’ve Never Had It So Good

    When the Gay UK received an invite to the Porsche experience l jumped at the chance and on a cold and frosty Monday morning l headed to Silverstone not really knowing what to expect other than testing 3 new cars that had been launched.

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  • What Do You Need In A Rug? A Fertility God… Obvs

    A giant rug has gone on sale on EBay featuring a giant penis…

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  • CAR REVIEW | Mini Cooper S

    It seems barely believable that the first ‘new’ MINI was launched fifteen years ago before going on sale in 2001.

    Since that car’s introduction, we’ve seen the release of cabriolet, coupe, roadster and even crossover models with the iconic nametag. At the core of the range has always been the three-door hatchback, something which isn’t changing any time soon. All the more reason to look at this model, especially in potent Cooper S guise.

    Now on its third generation, the MINI has grown in all dimensions when compared to its predecessors to give improved safety and more room inside. While lesser models have shrunk in the engine department, the Cooper S now has a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine under the bonnet. Unsurprisingly power and torque are increased although not at the expense of fuel economy according to MINI.

    From the outside, the new model is unmistakably a MINI. Although it may have puffed-out cheeks and rear lights that look too big for the tail of the car, it’s still a cute little thing. Being a Cooper S, there are twin tailpipes out back, a jutting front spoiler and of course a letterbox air-intake on the bonnet. Inside will be recognisable to many as well; there’s the familiar circular theme running through the interior along with the usual row of toggle switches.

    It all feels more premium than ever before inside especially if you start opting for some of the swankier trim pieces. One option I’d definitely recommend is the head-up display that projects your speed, sat-nav instructions and other information directly into your line-of-sight. Anything that lets you keep your eyes on the road is a good thing in my book. I loved the rotary controller for the infotainment system too, much easier than a touchscreen. While it may be bigger inside, the boot is still on the small side while taller adults may be cramped in the rear seats.

    Not that you generally buy a MINI for practicality of course. Alongside those retro looks, you’ll probably be drawn to the driving dynamics the brand has always prided itself in. Despite the increase in size, the Cooper S still proves a playful companion on a country road, especially with the driving mode dialled round to ‘sport’. There are also ‘mid’ and ‘green’ modes for when you want to drive normally or as fuel efficiently as possible.

    It’s with the Cooper S in ‘sport’ that it really comes alive though. Throttle response is sharpened to allow you to tap into all 192bhp with ease while the exhaust makes some fantastic pops and crackles when you come off the throttle. The steering may not be as communicative as older versions but it is precise and well weighted. Handling is neutral but ultimately safe although there is still noticeable torque-steer at times. Overall I found it to be huge fun though.

    It isn’t all good news however. On top of the small boot, it can get expensive; you can easily spend over £25,000 with a few choice options ticked. While the MINI comes with a decent amount of standard kit including air-con, a Bluetooth connection and even a digital radio, many will want to spend more to get sat-nav, bigger wheels and other items to personalise their car. Economy won’t be brilliant with the Cooper S either; enjoy yourself and expect to average a low 30’s mpg figure. This is at least on par with other similar hot hatchbacks.

    In summary, the MINI is still a more style-led choice of hatchback than a Ford Fiesta or even Audi A1 for example. While it may not have quite as much space as many rivals and can become expensive quickly, it’s impossible to dislike once you’ve spent a decent amount of time behind the wheel. Not only does it drive well, the interior is well made and attractive too. It’s also worth remembering the One and Cooper models are cheaper to buy and run should you not be interested in going quickly. If you’re searching for a supermini, the MINI has a lot going for it.

    Pros

    Handling

    Interior quality

    Infotainment system

    Cons

    Inflated looks

    Small boot

    Gets expensive with options

    The Lowdown

    Car – MINI Cooper S

    Price – £18,840

    Power – 192bhp

    0-62mph – 6.8 seconds

    Top Speed – 146mph

    Co2 – 133g/km

  • Sex Box Is Back On Channel 4

    Channel 4 has commissioned another mini series of Sex Box, a show that explores the intimate world of sex being couples in front of an audience.

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