Food & Drink

Blind tasting spirits

Why taste blind? Our approach to tasting spirits

Blind tasting spirits isn’t just an exciting challenge of identifying distinctive characteristics—it’s also a way to strip away preconceptions, flashy packaging, and marketing hype. What’s left is the pure essence of the spirit itself—whether it’s delightfully memorable or, well, not quite to your taste!

Blind tasting has long been a trusted method for judges at awards ceremonies to avoid bias and focus solely on aroma and flavour. It’s also a popular activity among wine enthusiasts, offering individuals and groups the chance to explore, enjoy, and test their knowledge of the diverse wines...

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Azu Spirits

Azu Spirits

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Elevate Your Tasting Experience: Expert Insights for Flavor Exploration

Authored by Simon Wells
Posted: Mon, 10/14/2024 - 6:45am

What is it that makes a great meal? Or a scrumptious dessert or fantastic cocktail? Is it the presentation, the ambience, or the company we share them with? Indeed, these all play a role, but the most significant factor is the flavour.

If you want to get the most from the flavours around you, read on, and get ready to elevate your taste experience. These are our seven expert insights for flavour exploration.

Understanding the Basics of Flavor Profiles

Flavour is more than just the taste of a meal or beverage. It’s a glorious combination of aroma, taste and texture that...

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Devon’s Top Culinary Talents Celebrated at 2024 Food Drink Devon Awards

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 10/08/2024 - 11:27pm

Devon’s talented food and drink scene was alive at Monday (7th October) night’s 13th Food Drink Devon Awards. Over 450 individuals from the county’s finest food and drink producers, hospitality and catering businesses and speciality retailers celebrated in style at the esteemed awards’ ceremony, held at Sandy Park the home to Gallagher Premiership Rugby team, the Exeter Chiefs. During the evening, Luke Heaver, Head Chef at The Salutation Inn (Topsham) was awarded the coveted title of ‘Chef of the Year’. The award acknowledges the explosion of talented chefs in the region who have been...

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From SEO to vino: Devon wine expert Paul Edworthy launches The Wine Dealer, the Southwest's newest wine venture

Authored by Al Gibson
Posted: Fri, 10/04/2024 - 5:00pm

Devon wine expert, Paul Edworthy has recently expanded his entrepreneurial portfolio with the launch of The Wine Dealer, a new online platform that connects wine lovers in the Southwest and across the UK with exceptional wines. Known for his expertise in SEO, Paul is now making waves in the wine industry, leveraging his tech background and passion for fine wines to create a unique shopping experience.

Recently launched, The Wine Dealer website enables customers to easily explore and purchase wines by filtering through grape variety, country of origin, bottle size, or alcohol...

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From Devon to Culinary Excellence 

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 09/30/2024 - 8:29pm
Local chef receives 5-star mentorship from Michelin-starred Simon Hulstone ahead of prestigious competition final

The Craft Guild of Chefs' Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) competition is in full swing, having recently staged its highly anticipated Mentor Day, sponsored by Seafood from Norway. Michelin-starred chef Simon Hulstone spent the morning mentoring Devon’s rising culinary star, Lewis Nicholas.

The YNCOTY competition, organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs, stands out among young chef contests, bringing together the most talented and promising chefs in the industry...

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Elements That Make Fine Dining a Special Experience

Authored by Liv Butler
Posted: Fri, 09/27/2024 - 7:42am

Fine dining is more than just a meal; it’s an experience that tantalises the senses and creates lasting memories. Various elements come together to create this unique ambiance, transforming an ordinary meal into a special occasion. This article goes over the key components that contribute to the allure of fine dining. Keep reading to learn more.

Ambiance and Décor

The atmosphere of a fine dining restaurant sets the stage for an exceptional culinary experience. Elegantly designed interiors , sophisticated table settings, and carefully curated artwork all play a role in...

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Knoops to launch new store in Exeter city centre

KNOOPS ( www.knoops.co.uk ), the British brand that is revolutionising chocolate drinks with its unique and completely customisable chocolate % menu, is opening its 21st UK store in the city of Exeter just in time for the colder Autumn weather. Pumpkin Spice hot chocolate anyone?

Opening its doors to the first store in Devon in the centre of town, just in front of Exeter Cathedral, on 13th September, at 63 High Street , shoppers will be able to customise their ideal hot chocolates, iced chocolates, and milkshakes from KNOOPS’ tantalising menu of chocolate %s and additions....

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South West food & drink experts serve up success to FUEL region’s small businesses

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 09/03/2024 - 9:10pm

Sell-out business growth event from food & drink experts KW Marketing returns this September for a second serving, bringing the region’s foodie brands together ahead of Christmas and 2025

South West business growth event, FUEL Live, returns on Thursday 26 September, to inspire, empower and connect the region’s foodie brands hungry for knowledge as the busiest and most lucrative months of the year approach.

After a sell-out success in April, huge demand has driven the second event in less than six months, hosted by leading foodie experts KW Marketing.

Taking...

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A Feast for the Senses: Powderham Food Festival Returns

Authored by CJC_Media
Posted: Fri, 08/30/2024 - 9:59am

The much-anticipated Powderham Food Festival is back, promising a mouthwatering celebration of the finest food and drink the South West has to offer. Taking place over two days, 5th - 6th October from 10am to 5pm, this year’s event is set to showcase over 100 of the finest food and drink producers from Devon and beyond.

Nestled in the stunning grounds of Powderham Castle, the festival will showcase a huge array of local producers, offering everything from quality meat (Pipers Farm) artisanal cheeses (Quickes Cheese) and handcrafted breads to award-winning ciders, locally...

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Food Drink Devon Announces This Year’s Exceptional Finalists

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 08/30/2024 - 12:07am

As anticipation starts to build for this year's annual Food Drink Devon Awards in October, Food Drink Devon has unveiled the shortlist of finalists for its prestigious awards. Since entries closed in April, a distinguished panel of judges and industry experts has evaluated an extraordinary number of entries sampling over 340 products, visiting 107 hospitality venues, exploring 17 retail outlets and experiencing nine training schools to identify the best that Devon has to offer.

Winners will be announced during the organisation’s glittering black tie award ceremony on Monday 7th...

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10 Happiest Vegan Wedding Cake Designs to Celebrate Your Union

Authored by Ellie Green
Posted: Fri, 08/23/2024 - 11:00am

When it comes to wedding celebrations, the centerpiece of the reception is undoubtedly the wedding cake. It is a symbol of love and union, and finding the perfect cake that aligns with your values can be a great way to celebrate your special day. If you and your partner follow a vegan lifestyle or have guests with dietary restrictions, opting for a vegan wedding cake is not only inclusive but also reflects your commitment to sustainability and compassion.

In this article, we will explore ten of the happiest vegan wedding cake designs that are bound to delight both you and your...

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