Give me More More More

Dear bloggers,

My foodie prayers have been answered this week and I have a feeling yours will be too... This week I was invited to a tasting evening of More More More's new 'cook at home' gourmet range, so obviously I skipped from work to the venue in anticipation. 

The venue in question was one of Newcastle's (if not the North's) most beautiful venues: The Assembly Rooms on Fenkle Street, just minutes from the train and metro station. This striking Georgian building dates from the late 1700s and its grand entrance features beautiful stone columns that make you feel like a princess as you cross the threshold. I had my school prom here a few years ago and it was the perfect venue, a blend of historic charm and grandeur, with a fantastic city centre location. 

The Assembly Rooms has long been renowned for its banqueting facilities, but it seems owner Antony has had a brainwave. A self-confessed foodie. Andy and the team opened the More More More courtyard cafe a year ago, serving an exciting and delicious range of teas, coffees and light bites in the suntrap in fromt of this magnificent building. It really is a lovely place to sit back and relax during your lunch hour.

Well, it just so happens that the talented team have recently launched a menu of gourmet take away food which is homemade and available to pre-order, so busy people like me get to eat well without having to fork out a fortune for high quality ingredients and go to all the effort of cooking! What. A. Genius. Idea.

I'm sure you'll agree how beautiful the interior is, but wait until I tell you about the food! Upon arrival, we were greeted with a chilled glass of prosecco and introduced to the team. Once all of us bloggers had arrived, it was time to eat. After an honest and fascinating introduction by clearly passionate owner Antony, we were treated to crispy bruschetta and chicken liver parfait. I know it's not as important as taste, but the presentation of every dish was spot, it was a really nice touch. 

The parfait was really nice, not too strong but with just enough flavour and a garlic kick to leave you wanting more. Next, we made our way behind the scenes for a demonstration on just how easy these dishes are to cook at home. 

The single portion of marinated chicken skewers are more than generous per person and tasted amazing. Light, flavourful and perfect for BBQ season, plus they hardly took any time at all to cook. Now normally i'm a little reserved when it comes to dips, but their sweet chilli and lime dip was so good! It was a perfect sticky, sweet accompaniment to the chargrilled chicken. 

Next, it was Fiona's turn to talk. Introducing to her homemade lasagne and cottage pie, we were asked to taste test More More More's with a leading supermarket brand. I really am not just saying this, but the difference was amazing. Theirs looked nothing like a sloppy ready meal which quickly loses its shape and resembles a gloopy mess, the potato was light and fluffy with chunky vegetables. The lasagne however, was in another league. I never order lasagne when i'm eating out because i'm always disappointed. My mam makes a superb homemade lasagne and until now, I haven't found anything which lives up to it. (Sorry mam!) 

Just look how delicious and non-ready made mealish they look! (Yes that's now a word). I don't know their secret but the layers of pasta were tasty, the beschamel sauce wasn't gloopy or bland. It was delicious! I honestly can't praise it enough. 

Just look at the difference between More More More's on the right and the supermarket competitor on the left! Speaks volumes doesn't it? 

As the evening drew to a close we headed back to the beautiful ballroom and had the most delicious cheesecake with homemade ginger biscotti for the base, all washed down with prosecco. The cheesecake was faultless, it really was. The base was moist and crumbly with just enough of a ginger kick, the creamy cheese filling was complemented by the tang of the berries. 

I genuinely cannot fault the food, it tasted 100% homecooked and looked excellent. We were all joking that we'd be passing off their skills as our own at our next dinner party or first date. Have a look at their menu online, there's so much choice - classic dishes like brownies and burgers - and something more exciting like lamb tagine and pork and pistachio terrine. 

     www.more-more-more.co.uk

    You can thank me later, cheers! 

Joffers Grand Opening

There's been a buzz in the air for a while now about a new fine dining brasserie and bar opening in Whitley Bay - and last night I finally got to check it out at Joffers' VIP party. I know Whitley Bay very well having previously worked in the area and living at the coast, so naturally I was thrilled to hear that somebody new and exciting was setting up shop in the face of 'turbulent times' and on a 'dying high street'. 

We arrived shortly after 6:30 to an intriguing and cool black exterior, bustling bar and glass of Prosecco with our names almost etched in the icy chill. Scanning the busy seating area for a seat, Lauren and I slipped into a cosy booth towards the back and sipped our drink excitedly. Chatting to the table next to us, we mutually agreed that Whitley Bay, and indeed Whitley Road could certainly do with somewhere stylish yet intimate to meet for a drink or light bite. Furnished with sumptuous booths, chandeliers and smart wooden tables, Joffers certainly oozed style and sophistication. So far so good. 

Food was soon announced, so we slowly made our way to a huge table filled with gourmet goodies such as antipasto, olives, melon salads, cheeses, homemade bread and tapas. Popping a little bit of everything on our plates we returned to our seats to tuck in (for research purposes y'know). The scallops were amazing, as was the bread smothered in molten butter, cheese and charcuterie meat. Washed down with a few more glasses of prosecco we chomped and chatted happily, certainly feeling very relaxed in our sumptuous surroundings.

The calm before the storm...

It wasn't long before a fire breather arrived and took our breath away with her death defying stunts on the street outside (Lauren and I applauded from the safety of our seats and close proximity to the dinner table...) After chatting to former journo Jon, I couldn't believe that Joffers was actually a former charity shop, it was unrecognisable and bordering on cavernous inside! Being something of an afternoon tea connoisseur (at 22, a bit sad I know), Lauren and I quizzed Jon about Joffers' afternoon tea, which apparently is amazing. Lauren and I promised we would return during the day and see if it was up to our standards (watch this space).

Joffers is now officially open, so get down there this weekend and have a drink for me! For more information on their British-inspired menu/late opening hours, check out their website here: www.thejoffers.com 

Thank you for having us Joffers! 

Prosecco and Pie?

The best things in life are usually free, or laden with calories...

This is where I got my inspiration from when coming up with a blog name. I don't know about you, but I find it incredibly hard to be decisive, especially when blog names etc are like a first impression, and everyone knows you only get one chance, so I simply thought of the things I liked best, and added a little alliteration for good measure! 

Prosecco reminds me of warm summer evenings sitting in the garden with friends (a bright red strawberry swimming happily in our glasses of course), and pie, well as a Northern girl, that goes without saying. Whether it's mince pie and chips, steak and ale with mashed potato and gravy or pork pie, what's not to love? 

As they say, I live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. While it would be lovely to have a nice new car, holidays abroad twice a year and buy this season's must-haves, I am a huge believer in the theory that it's the little things that make you happy. 

'Small Pleasures To Save Your Life' by Maeve Haran (£8.99, HayHouse UK) is one of the most inspiring and lovely books I have ever read. Stumbled upon quite by accident (as all good books often are), this book is a collection of anecdotes, advice and inspiration all wrapped up in a delicious feel-good tone. 

Maeve writes with a delicious lightness of touch that reveals its true meaning to you when read at the right time. I was feeling a little low, my friends all seemed to earn more, have nicer things and I felt like I was chasing my tail. Flicking through the pages of this duck-egg blue book (my favourite colour by the way, so I should have known already it was going to be good), Maeve gently reminded me that the little things in life can prove the most satisfying. Everyday delights can make you feel better about yourself, they can heal a bad mood and even, as the title suggests, save your life? 

A few of my favourites are: 

- Leaving ten minutes early and relishing in those spare minutes, so you arrive feeling relaxed. (I absolutely hate being late, so this is a no-brainer for me)

- Clean sheets (self explanatory)

- Warm towels (ditto)

- Being met from a journey 

- Birthday breakfasts

- Lighting candles 

- Waking up early and realising it's the weekend/you have hours left to sleep

- Coming home after a long hard day 

- Eating outside 

- Drinking from your favourite cup (this one is so true, my current favourite is my bespoke Emma Bridgewater mug)

See what I mean? In a world with so much poverty, cruelty and evil, it's sometimes hard to remember the positives, the little things that are so often overlooked yet can really mean the world.

What are some of yours? I'd love to hear them!