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Behind the pie
Keen eater of honest food. Love my life in Dubai but happiest in hiking boots & green hills. Wine nerd. Writer. Blogger. Dreamer. Read moreLooking for something?
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(Invite) Going to A Stiller Coopers was one of (many) highlights in Barossa. Geography, agriculture, science, language, history and a heightening of the senses. I found out when I did my WSET exams that delving into the world of wine brings all these things and more. Spending time watching barrels being made by hand while I was in Australia with @Jacobscreekwine added high drama as the wood was bent and charred over roaring flames by highly skilled men who love their craft. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ It’s always relaxing watching people work eh? Especially with a glass of beautiful oak-aged red in your hand. ⠀ .⠀ #ourtable ⠀ @ourtableuae #jacobscreek #ourtableuae ⠀When did you last eat fruit that tasted of something? Figs come from this part of the world but I always find them disappointing. The best ones I’ve had are from our friends’ trees in Devon and these beauties at Richmond Grove Winery in the Barossa Valley. Apologies to everyone else for hovering by the bowl and taking ‘just one more’. Bolstered by the figs and a cup of tea I donned a hard hat and we set off for a guided tour. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ It was a pretty big winery but @jacobscreekwine have a system of keeping parcels of vineyard crops separate for traceability, quality and so they can try new blends and methods. A fascinating look behind the scenes. See more in my stories highlight ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #ourtable #jacobscreek⠀ @ourtableuae ⠀(Gifted) Did you grow up celebrating Easter and did you believe in the Easter bunny? ⠀ .⠀ In top infants we had a spelling test every week and the top scorer of the term got a prize... of a Humpty Dumpty Easter egg 🥚 @marksandspencerme . Even though I was only 7 years old I remember trying really hard and the absolute thrill when it became mine. Unwrapping the foil, cracking open the hollow shell, liberating the chocolate buttons inside. ⠀ .⠀ M&S has all different kinds including vegetarian (no gelatin) and vegan eggs so that everyone can enjoy them. I dyed some of my own - red cabbage makes them blue.⠀ .⠀ The Easter bunny wasn’t a myth I perpetuated when the girls were little. The tooth fairy and Father Christmas were more than enough 😉 But they enjoyed cracking open their own chocolate eggs as much as I did back in the day. ⠀ Will you be opening some of your own this weekend?⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Fair Trade range means better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. M&S have a wide range of Fair Trade products which Al-Futtaim are promoting as part of @practicepositiveme We all need to do much more to save our planet so always glad to see steps in the right direction. ⠀ #adoremycupoftea #easterdecor(Invite) I try to be open & honest here online, but there’s one topic I’ve stayed away from deliberately .... until now...⠀ ⠀ 40 of us flew from different parts of the world to the Barossa Valley with @jacobscreekwine From a famous Thai superstar to a professional photographer with a beautiful portfolio, what united us all was an appreciation of wine & a degree of online influence. ⠀ ⠀ .⠀ ⠀ The owner of an online wine site said how much he admired my energy, dedication & for doing it ‘at my age.’ He found it inspiring. He meant it as a genuine compliment & I took it as such. ⠀ .⠀ ⠀ I’ve shied away from talking about my age as I don’t want to be defined by it. I want my content to resonate with like-minded people, not issues related to a number on a birth certificate. There are people I admire who make a feature of this like @alternativeaging & @doesmybumlook40 but I blog & post to hone my creative skills & imagination. ⠀ ⠀ .⠀ ⠀ I consult on digital strategy & content creation & have decades of marketing communications experience. I’ve been part of the digital world since 1994 when I helped create a website, I set up my own small site in the early 2000s, learning html & coding & was an early adopter of social media for business. I read articles & listen to podcasts every single day to keep my knowledge current. I’ve been told to my face that ‘only young people can do social media’ & usually approached due to the number by my Instagram bio. ⠀ ⠀ .⠀ ⠀ There’s been a lot about the lack of diverse representation online & I support those who suffer from bias & are fighting to change this. Age should not define, marginalise or belittle us either. Maybe I’ll raise some things that are pertinent to someone a few decades further on through their life (like Jane & Fi on the brilliant Fortunately podcast) but this is a small part of who I am. ⠀ ⠀ .⠀ ⠀ Jacobs Creek invited me for who I am & the connection I have with you & had faith in my abilities for which I’m extremely grateful. This shows me raising a glass of their excellent Le Petit Rosé at their lovely Visitors Centre. ⠀ Thank you for reading this far, I’d love to know what you think.⠀ #ourtable #jacobscreekI kept ducking into the shade at the final farmers’ market of the season today. The sun made the pavement shimmer, so I took my bags laden with veg home and simmered red chillies in a bath of Anastasia’s green olive oil to make confit. After the treat of a massage (belated Christmas present) to shake the final traces of jet lag, I emerged from candlelight and plinky plonky music to thunder, lightening and drumming stair rods of rain. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Two weeks ago I was slipping some cosy jumpers for chilly evenings into my bag for Australia. The light was just starting to fade when I found this pretty corner at @MountLoftyhouse in Adelaide Hills. Imagining myself back on that bench underneath a halo of leaves starting to turn Autumn gold. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Talking about the weather is in my genes 🇬🇧😉 - what’s it like today where you are?⠀ #ourtable @ourtableuae #jacobscreek - Invite .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #beautyundermynose #mountlofty #lovelycornersofhotel #ihavethisthingwithwindows #aseasonalyear #lifeslittlestories #alliseeispretty #asecondofwhimsey #bitsofbuildings #moodcollectors #myquietbeauty #myeverydaymagic #searchwandercollect #upandautumn #moodofmywindow(Invite) Do you find cooking with other people enjoyable or stressful? ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ As the setting sun glowed through the vines, Prosecco spritz in hand, we were thrown together in teams and pitched against each other in a cooking competition down at @jacobscreekwine in the Barossa Valley. We raided the organic veg garden for courgettes and herbs. Chopping, marinating and threading 6 kilos of meat onto skewers definitely brought us closer together. Language barriers vanished, united in a kebab-making marathon. Jumping barefoot into a vat of grapes seemed like a great idea after that. Move over Masterchef. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Thanks for following along with this trip to Oz. There’s a story highlight called #ourtable if you want a recap (including cute kangaroos). Swipe for more sunset pics. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ So best or worst group cooking experience? Or would you never even consider it? ⠀ #jacobscreek⠀(Invite) Why did I go to Australia with Jacobs Creek? Silly question you might think. And yes, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to visit an amazing country that I had never been to. But my obligation to you is that the tales I tell here in words and pictures have to be 100% genuine - fuelled by my curiosity to find out the stories behind food and drink producers. . . . Jacob’s Creek is a big brand known throughout the world, but they were eager to show us their roots, history and connect us to their local community. So I went with an open mind and a long list of questions. It’s a nerdy interest (you know I’m a bit of a nerd) as I have my @WSETglobal advanced qualification. Broader issues like the impact on the environment are also on my radar. . . . If you tap on #Ourtable you’ll see some gorgeous images from our trip taken by some very talented and lovely people from around the world. I’m going to share more of mine, plus behind the scenes of our time in the Barossa Valley - and why I’m honestly so glad I went. Whether you’re a wine lover or not I hope you’ll join me as I look behind the vines. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ This is from the vines next to the @jacobscreekwine cellar door. I had to hold my @lensball for just a second to avoid burning my hand as it acted like a magnifying glass in the intense sun. The reality behind the picture! ⠀(Invite) Sunlight creeping through the shade of gum trees, alongside the first vineyard ever planted in the Barossa Valley, and next to the actual Jacob’s Creek. After choosing soft cheeses, crusty bread and juicy, ripe figs from an incredible array of produce, we sank onto picnic blankets and relaxed under dappled sunshine. Peel me a grape someone?😉 #OurTable @jacobscreekwine @ourtableuae ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ I adore eating al fresco. What’s your favourite portable food?⠀(Invite) So many firsts. First 12 hour flight. First time in Australia. First time feeding a kangaroo and cuddling a koala. I’m at the start of a real adventure with @ourtableuae First time in the Barossa tomorrow. Will you join me wandering through the vines?⠀ PS Meet the kangaroos on my stories and in Our Table highlight. #dreamcometrue⠀ #ourtable⠀ #ourtableuae⠀ #jacobscreek #adoremycupoftea ⠀Past posts
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