My trip to Sonoma, California

Has it made the hard work worth it? Is the question I am asked the most when people heard what I won Employee of the Year. To anyone within the company who has the chance to try for the trip – Yes, it is worth every single minute of it!

I was truly honored and delighted to have won the trip to California and once it had sunk in and I had stopped bursting into tears I had already decided that I was going as soon as possible and was going to make it the holiday of a lifetime.

I look my partner of 8 years Steve and booked as soon as I could for October 2011. Having some family also in California that I hadn’t seen in 11 years just a 90 minute drive from Sonoma meant I was going be able to factor them into the trip too.

One of the best parts of the 2 weeks we had was going to visit the Peter Michael Winery. Even having worked for the company for 4 years I just had no idea how amazing the place was. Vast steep mountain slopes of regimentally straight vines stretched for miles around the gated entrance. Seeing the Vineyard poppy on everything was brilliant and really was a reminder of how closely linked we were despite the geography. The Michaels kindly consented for Steve and I to stay in the Cabin, a building with bridge access over a stream to the entrance, hot tub and what can only be described as luxury accommodation.

During our stay we had the chance to have a tour of the winery and tasting of the wine. Cote de mere is a large platform on the top of the mountain fully equipped for 5* entertaining used for fund raising for the Peter Michael foundation every year. The view is staggering stretching across the whole of Knights Valley and each of the different wines can be seen. Tasting Sir Peters wines was a once in a lifetime chance. It was a fantastic experience and meeting the other guests brought it home to us how much of a wonderful and rare opportunity it was sitting around that table, drinking those wines and in that location.

The local sights were an excuse for a little more tourist behavior and we took the opportunity to go to the local petrified wood, eat in Calistoga and visit the Geyser. The staff at Sugarloaf Ranch could not have been any more hospitable and I would do anything to go back again for longer.

Following the trip to the Ranch we spent a couple more days with family in San Jose and even had the chance to visit a ranch where Steve fitted right in with the lads drinking bud and shooting very scary looking Guns for the afternoon. We hired a car and drove to visit San Francisco then down the coastal road route 101 with a final stop in at Universal Studios to celebrate Steve’s 30th.

All in all a truly amazing two week trip that could not have been made possible without the Employee of the Year status. I cannot thank the company or the Michaels enough and will continue trying to win to have the excuse to go back!

Beth Willis
Senior Events Co-ordinator
Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa

Imbibe Sommelier Wine Awards

At the start of the year there are many wine tastings, award ceremonies and new bottles to try. In fact, one could visit a different tasting every day of the working week from January to April…

But, Square Meal Magazine, more specifically Imbibe (the on-trade offshoot) probably organises the best wine competition of the year. Why? Well, the wines entered are those that you will see on a restaurant list near you, plus they are judged by fellow sommeliers, restaurant wine buyers and people who really try to understand the “wine behind the label”. That’s where I come in…

The Imbibe Magazine Sommelier Wine Awards kicked off today in the heart of London, and yours truly was there to start the process. Initially, many hundreds of bottles from around the globe are submitted, then whittled down to a select few. Today started with such heady topics as “Rosé fizz over £14.00”, South Africa Chardonnay, and Chianti.

To give a very brief overview of the wine judge, we are little concerned with personal likes and dislikes. Our thought process is a very commercial one; is it good value? Can we sell it? Where does it fit in our wine list? What became immediately apparent today is that the overall standard of wine in restaurants today is pretty good…

So, highs and lows today. Well, tasting a Rioja for £4.50 that was stunning seemed pretty good, likewise the sub 20-quid Rosé Champagne that we all wanted to take home. Low point had to be Italy, specifically Chianti . However, tomorrow’s another day…

Part two to follow!

James Hocking
Director of Wine
The Vineyard Group
The Vineyard at Stockcross
www.vineyardcellars.com

Up and Coming Events for 2012

Friday 2nd March – Mencap Charity Raceday at Newbury Racecourse
Raceday in aid of West Berkshire Mencap – a great day for entertaining! Find out more

Saturday 3rd March –Greatwood Charity and Equestrian Raceday at Newbury Racecourse
Some of the season’s best jump racing. This racing day recognises the rehabilitation charity. Find out more

Monday 5th March – Flower arranging with gold medal winner, David Ragg at The Vineyard at Stockcross
Create your very own floral arrangement with Bournemouth-based award winning Floral Designer, David Ragg who will guide you through the design process from start to finish to make sure your finished piece will amaze and inspire. Find out more

Saturday 17th March- Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Newbury
Evening of traditional Irish entertainment at St. George’s Church Hall –  Find out more

Sunday 18th March – Mother’s Day at The Vineyard at Stockcross
Treat your Mum to a delicious five course lunch at The Vineyard and she’ll receive an Espa Replenishing Collection gift to take home. Find out more

Friday 23rd March- Betfair Grassroots Raceday at Newbury Racecourse
A great day at the races with another Friday jump meeting at Newbury. Find out more

Saturday 24th March- Jump Season Finale at Newbury Racecourse
A great day out to celebrate the end of the jump season. Find out more

Monday 26th March- International Antiques & Collectors Fair at Newbury Racecourse
The perfect introduction to antiques fairs for people new to the industry. Find out more

Thursday 29th March- Newbury back in fashion at The Corn Exchange
Parkway shopping centre will host two amazing fashion shows this March. An un-missable opportunity to see the new looks for spring and summer. Find out more

Get Ready to De-tox

After indulging over the Christmas period many of us look to undo this with what is termed as de-toxing. The simple truth of the matter is that the body is very good at de-toxing itself and many of our organs, such as the liver and kidneys, have this as part of their role. Even the skin has a role in detoxing through the sweating process. What we can do for an easy de-tox is to aid the body in what it does naturally. Here are some great tips to help you do this:

Drink 1.5 litres of water a day
Water is great not only for hydrating the skin, but also helps the body to flush out toxins. Take care not to drink excessive amounts of water as this can also cause the body harm.

Reduce alcohol consumption or have a tee total period
Pure alcohol is a toxin to the body, and yes while there has been some research saying alcohol can have some health benefits, it still needs to be broken down by the liver, which means that other normal processes that the liver undertakes may be slowed down such as processing fat, eliminating waste and metabolising carbohydrates.

Undertake regular exercise
This can be anything from walking, jogging and dancing round the room to music. Basically anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you feel a little warm, and even better a little sweaty. The heart pumping faster increases the circulation improving the movement of toxins to the liver and kidneys for their removal. Sweat carries toxins out of the body and flushes them through the pores.  The sauna and steam room is also a good way of doing this, but exercise is still better due to other health benefits . It’s always a good idea to make sure you check with your doctor before starting any kind of exercise programme.

Eat a wide variety of foods and cut out the junk food
This doesn’t mean go on a diet, but just give your body a wide variety of nutrients from a range of food. Many vitamins and minerals are needed by your body to work efficiently, and this includes those organs involved in the de-tox process such as the liver.

If you want that pampering experience mixed with the feel good factor of doing something to de-tox, here are some treatments we recommend:

• Darphin Lemon and Lavender Purifier Facial 70 mins
• Darphin Orange Energizing Exfoliating Polish 55mins
• Darphin Black Pepper Slim and Detox 1hr 40mins
• Espa Detoxifying Algae Wrap 55mins
• Full Body Massage or Hot Stone Ritual 55 mins

Kirsty Hughes
Spa Manager
The Vineyard at Stockcross
www.the-vineyard.co.uk

Up and Coming Wines

The period of time post Christmas and New Year may well seem quiet on the vinous high street, with the myriad of “detox” diets and credit card bills et al. However, January sees the wine trade kick off to a flying start as usual!

January is the time for new wines, new vintages and new opportunities, especially for our restaurant clients and retailers all looking for the next big thing. For those of you who know Vineyard Cellars and me well, I’ve always favoured California’s true North Coast – Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma Counties. This year, however, I’ve found something from down South and I’m very impressed.

Talley Vineyards are based down in the Arroyo Grande Valley, in the heart of Southern California and just below San Luis Obispo County.  They specialise in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Apart from the two excellent entry-level bottles from the estate, Talley produce single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Oliver’s, Rincon and Rosemary’s Vineyards. We have just shipped the 2009 wines and the vintage assessment is as follows.

2009 began with a cold winter, which led to some frost damage. Bud break was very even and the remainder of the year was marked by mild temperatures and healthy, even vine growth. An intense heat wave occurred in early September causing many grapes to ripen simultaneously. The harvest in the Arroyo Grande Valley was slightly larger than average and the quality of the fruit was exceptional with concentrated, intense flavours.

Flagship is the Rosemary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir. I won’t waffle too much about tasting notes, other than this is a must-try experience. It’s restored my faith in Southern California and I’ll be looking at other properties in that part of the world for 2012.

While we’re waiting for these fantastic 2009 wines to arrive, take a look at other great Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays I’ve carefully selected on previous visits to some great Californian vineyards, including the well known Le Moulin Rouge from the Peter Michael Winery.

What’s more, don’t miss out on the opportunity to be one of the first to try some of the Peter Michael Winery new releases at our wine dinner on Saturday 16th June. Find out more…

James Hocking
Director of Wine
The Vineyard Cellars
www.vineyardcellars.com

Another year!

It has been another very busy year both at The Vineyard and working with Panasonic, touring England during 2011.

2011 has been a very interesting year though. My first book came out in September after 18 months of hard work, labour and valuable help from my wife Claire, I did this whilst working full time so the support I received I am most grateful for. Thank you to Panasonic too as we made a version of my book (French Brasserie Cookbook) and adapted nearly half of the recipes for the new microwave combi oven, and I am pleased to say that it has been very well received.

I am very much looking forward to a good 2012 and to start another good year. But first I am having an operation on my ankle through key hole surgery. This was an old painful injure I got whilst playing football with my son Antoine four and half years ago. They finally found out what was wrong so looking forward to getting back to normal.

I would like to say a big thank you to my agent Rosemary from celebritychefs Uk for all her support this year. Of course not forgetting to mention the team at Saturday Kitchen including James Martin, BBC Good Food Show and everyone who helped at the taste shows.

And finally – I kept it for the end. I got married to Claire last July after 7 ½ years together and I am very proud.

Cheers
Daniel
Executive Chef
The Vineyard at Stockcross

Make up Tips from The Vineyard Spa

These are our tips for applying make-up at home.

Preparation

• Prepare a smooth canvas for your make-up

• Keep your skin free of build-ups by using a gentle cleanser morning and night, use gently with an upwards stroking motion

• Freshen your skin with a toner after cleansing

• Indulge your skin and keep it hydrated with a moisturiser

• Treat yourself to an at home facial 2 to 3 times a week. Use a mild cleanser, and then exfoliate with a gentle scrub.

• Apply a face mask after exfoliating. Rinse off thoroughly and get a good nights sleep.

The secret to a natural, flawless look

• Apply foundation to cheeks, forehead and chin using a foundation brush or sponge, or clean fingertips.

• Blend the foundation all the way to your natural hairline with long light strokes. Continue blending over the jaw line and onto your neck to achieve a natural, seamless look.

• Check your face and neck in natural light to make sure it is all blended in.

• If under eye circles or red spots remain, do not add more foundation as it can look heavy and cakey. Instead, try a concealer.

A few extra tips

• Choose the shade of your foundation carefully- pick one that matches the tone of your jaw-line exactly.

• Begin by applying a small amount of foundation, the increase to achieve the degree of coverage that suits your skin.

Alternately come to The Vineyard Spa and try our Makeup Lesson and Application at £70.00.

Spa Reception
The Vineyard Spa
01635 589415
http://www.the-vineyard.co.uk/spa

Wines by the glass at The Vineyard at Stockcross

Our ’short list’ – over 100 wines to taste by the glass

Serving over 100 wines by the glass now gives guests the opportunity to try different styles of wine that they may not have tried before. A wide selection of great wines is available in small quantities by the glass and in 250ml carafes that are great for sharing. The list is written in a very logical and user friendly manner with wines listed by style rather than region, making it very easy to choose a wine you like.

Myself and the sommelier team at The Vineyard at Stockcross really enjoy interacting with customers, explaining the differences between the wines and suggesting the best ones to match with their meal and taste. From a sommelier’s point of view, it is great that we are now offering more choice.  We are also able to broaden our first-hand knowledge by tasting lots of classic and more unusual wines.

We often have guests who dine with us for a working lunch and those that are driving, so the short wine list gives these guests the opportunity to enjoy a small glass of wine with their meal without having to order a bottle. The great selection of wines on our short list also works well with our tasting menu as there are so many wines on the list that match perfectly with the different courses.

When we get down to the last couple of bottles of very rare, great wines, we add them to our ‘Last Chances’ section so guests can enjoy a glass or two of some of our very best wines we have to offer.

For more details on our wines at The Vineyard at Stockcross, please visit our website: http://www.the-vineyard.co.uk/wine.asp

Romaine Bouger
Assistant Sommelier
The Vineyard at Stockcross

Christmas pudding recipe

This is my Christmas pudding recipe just in time for Christmas Day! Hope you enjoy making it as much as I do! The recipe makes 10 puddings or one 2-litre puddings.

Ingredients:

115g flour
12tsp baking powder
115g fresh white breadcrumbs
115g shredded suet
50g ground almonds
250g dark brown sugar
12tsp mixed spice
14tsp grated nutmeg
14tsp cinnamon
88g stoned prunes
88g carrots, peeled
375g mixed currants, raisins and sultanas 25g mixed peel
1 apple, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 orange, juice and zest
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
3 small eggs
75ml rum
2tbsp black treacle
2tbsp Golden Syrup
150ml stout

Method:

Sift flour, baking powder. Add breadcrumbs, suet, almonds, sugar and spices.
Mince prunes and carrots together in a blender.
Add to the mix along with the dried fruits, peel, apple, lemon and orange zest.
Beat eggs together, stir into mix with the lemon and orange juices, rum, treacle, syrup and stout.
At this stage the pudding should be reasonably moist. If it appears dry, add a little more rum or stout.
Cover and leave for at least 24 hours, but preferably one week, for the flavours to develop.

Cooking the pudding:

Butter and flour the pudding basins.
Fill 3/4 full with the mixture.
Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper, then cover with either muslin or foil.
Leave a fold in it to allow room for the pudding to rise.
Secure the muslin or foil tightly with some string.
Steam the pudding over boiling water (or in a steamer) for 4-6 hours (six hours will make the pudding more rich)
Leave the puddings to cool, then refrigerate or in a cool dark place.

Hazelnut Ice Cream:
Serves 10

Ingredients
2litres milk
20 egg yolks
400g sugar
300g noisette (hazelnut) paste
50g roasted hazelnuts, blitzed in processor
300ml whipping cream

Method:

Boil milk.
Combine yolks and sugar.
Pour a little of the milk on to the yolks and sugar mixture. Then combine milk and yolk mixture and pour back into the pan and heat to 83C to sterilise the eggs.
Add the noisette, sieve the mixture, blitz together then sieve again, then chill.
Add whipping cream and blitzed roasted hazelnuts.
Continue to chill and stir every 15 minutes until the ice cream is ready.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Daniel Galmiche
Executive Chef The Vineyard at Stockcross

Pamper evening at The Vineyard at Stockcross

An evening of pure relaxation took place at The Vineyard at Stockcross. Guests were invited for an evening of pampering to experience the Darphin products and to be shown around the hotel and spa.

Welcomed with fruity cocktails and mouth watering canapés around the poolside area, everyone gathered to listen to Lucy from Darphin and The Vineyards spa manager, Kirsty, talk about the treatments and products on offer.

Mini head & hand massages were available for you to try as well as Darphin’s skin analyser to find out how healthy your skin is. Products could be purchased and tailor made for your skin type.

Kirsty said ‘I am very pleased we can offer such wonderful products as Darphin at The Vineyard, tonight has been a great success’.

To find out more information on Spa days, breaks and treatments take a look at the website http://www.the-vineyard.co.uk/spa.asp or call on 01635 589415