Category: Food

4 Festive Boë Violet Gin Cocktail Recipes

This post is sponsored by Boë Gin

I love this time of year; The festivities, the food, the drink, THE COCKTAILS! I say it as though the festive period is the only time I get into cocktail making and drinking, it certainly is not, however it does make a great excuse to do more of it, and so I’m all for it.

As friends and family know all too well, Damien and I love playing host over the festive period. Why venture out in the cold when you can have friends over and stay in and get merry instead. With Christmas fast approaching, we’re already planning food and drink for some of our festive gatherings over the coming weeks, including my all time favourite, New Year’s Eve!

If there’s one thing I love around Christmas time, it’s bringing the party to our home. I love gin and I love cocktails, so I’m really excited to be working with Boë gin on this post, and when they got in touch I instantly knew that I wanted to get my gin loving creative head on and create some fun, festive cocktails to share here on my blog…I can’t take all the credit though, Damien and I both took the time planning (and drinking) these cocktails, so let’s just say that they have been tried and tested. In the process we’ve come up with something to suit each of our tastes and hopefully yours too!

Violet Martini

We thought we’d start with a twist on an old classic, the twist being fabulous flavour from the Boë violet gin of course. Damien likes the more bitter and stronger cocktails and so a martini is right up his street. Whilst the martini making method remains the same as the classic for this cocktail, the Boë violet gin makes for a fun and modern twist. As someone who tends to favour the much sweeter cocktails, even I found myself liking this one, as you can really taste the distinct violet gin coming through.

What you’ll need

• Boë Violet Gin – 50ml

• Vermouth – 15 ml

• Blueberries to garnish

The Method

1. pour the Boë violet gin and vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir until cold

2. Strain into a chilled martini glass

3. Garnish with blueberries and serve

Scottish 75

If there’s one drink I love nearly as much as gin, it’s prossecco, so I thought, why not combine the two. This cocktail is very much inspired by the classic, French 75. The original cocktail dates back to World War 1 and was first created in Paris (believe it or not), originally using champagne and gin. I thought a fun twist on this would be to use prosseco and Boë violet gin, bringing it right up to date with modern times. Any ‘why Scottish 75?’, I hear you say! Well, quite simply, Boë gin is made in Scotland and so I thought the name was rather fitting…and I have to say I think I’m on to a winner with this one because it is soooo good! Maybe I’m bias but just try it for yourself and see!

What you’ll need

• Boë violet Gin – 50ml

• Prosecco – 150ml

• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp

• Sugar Syrup – 1 tsp

• Lemon Peel and Morello Cherry to garnish

The Method

1. Pour the Boë violet gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice.

2. Shake well until shaker becomes frosty and then strain into a prosecco glass.

3. Top up with prosecco and then gently stir

4. Add lemon zest and morello cherry to garnish

Violet, Orange & Cinnamon Punch

I wanted to create a cocktail that for me really encapsulated the essence of Christmas, as cheesy as that may sound. I love the flavours in mulled drinks around this time of year but I actually tend to favour cold cocktails. I guess this makes this one more of a punch as it’s quite fruity but with a nice hint of cinnamon. Damien and I both really enjoyed this one and Damien in particular named this one as his favourite. I know we’ll be making these again in the very near future that’s for sure.

What you’ll need

• Boë Violet Gin – 50ml

• Tripple Sec – 50ml

• Cranberry Juice – 75ml

• Orange Juice – 75ml

• Cinnamon Stick

• Orange Peel and Cinnamon Powder to garnish

The Method

1. Pour the Boë Violet Gin, triple sec, cranberry juice and orange juice into a cocktail shaker

2. Shake well until shaker becomes frosty

3. Pour into a tumbler glass over ice

4 Add orange peel, a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with cinnamon to garnish

Candy Cane

I really had fun coming up with this one. I wanted to create something that was sweet, festive and fun. Whilst I like my good old classics, I can occasionally be a sucker for a novelty cocktail when I’m out. The best thing about making your own novelty cocktail at home is that you don’t have to pay the fancy cocktail price tag and you can have fun making them for all your friends too. This is the perfect, post Christmas dinner cocktail to impress your family with. I wanted this one to taste like sweets and so I’ve gone for a super sweet concoction and I think it turned out pretty well (if I do say so myself), it actually tastes like a delicious liquified sweety with novelty candy decor to boot.

What you’ll need

• Boë Violet Gin – 50ml

• Raspberry Liquor – 15 ml

• Lemon Juice – 1 tsp

• Suger Syrup – 1 tsp

• Lemonade – 150ml

• Candy Floss and Candy Canes to garnish

The Method

1. Pour the Boë Violet Gin, raspberry liquor, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice

2. Shake well until shaker becomes frosty

3. Once cold, strain into a large gin glass over ice

4. Top up with lemonade

5. Add candy floss and candy canes to garnish

So there we have it, four festive and fun cocktail recipes, brought to you by yours truly, using the deliciously wonderful Boë Violet Gin, with help from my wonderful assistant and hand model, Damien. Right, after all this talk of cocktails I’m off to make myself a Scottish 75, what will you be having?

Samio x

December 14, 2018
A Post-Shopping Lunch Date At Bill’s

I’ve been to Bill’s Restaurant on more than one occasion, my fist encounter being in York a couple of years ago and it was whilst there, that I first tried one of the amazing Bill’s breakfasts. Since then, I’ve been back to Bill’s numerous times for lunch whilst in London but funnily enough, I’d still never been to a Bill’s Restaurant in the place where I actually live, Manchester…until now.

The second Bill’s to come to Manchester opened late last year at intu Trafford Centre. Last Saturday I finally went along to this particular Bill’s with my friend Chloe, who was new to the restaurant.

I always love introducing my friends to eateries that they haven’t tried before. Knowing that Chloe is vegetarian is something that I think about when I take her to somewhere new for food, and although Bill’s doesn’t have the largest selection of meat free dishes, I knew that there were a few meals on the menu that she’d enjoy.

If you’re not familiar with Bill’s Restaurants, a particular aesthetic trademark would be the rustic interior design. I like how Bill’s has a distinct shabby chic style about it and whilst sticking to its barn-like wood features and up-cycled tins, it has an element of glam with chandeliers here and there and the odd plush chair.

We decided to get a bottle of house white to accompany our meal and to start I went for the crispy crumbed halloumi, which I have to say was delicious and Chloe went for the white and rye sourdough.

For the main I went for the beer-battered cod and Chloe went for the halloumi and hummus burger, which looked amazing. I probably should have opted for a slightly smaller starter, as by time it came to our main meals, I was already starting to feel somewhat full. However the beer-battered cod was cooked perfectly and tasted so good, so I managed to get through the most of it, leaving only a few fries.

After cleaning off our mains, Chloe and I were left feeling full and content but with the dessert menu just staring at me (yes it was me, Miss Piggy, eager for dessert), I couldn’t help but not go for the blackberry and caramel Eton Mess.

We decided to share the dessert, which was definitely a smart move (I was already contemplating unbuttoning my jeans by this point). However the Eton Mess was certainly worth every mouthful. It was a truly tasty treat to finish a great three course meal.

Aside from the food being delicious, the service was also excellent. From being greeted at the front of the restaurant on arrival to leaving at the end, we were provided with great service by a bunch of super friendly staff. It was great to see that even whilst we were in there and the place was moderately full (this was around 2pm), that the service was still of a great standard and our courses each arrived in good time. I’ll definitely be heading back to this Bill’s again soon. Maybe next time however I’ll just stick to two course, but then again, who can say no to that fabulous dessert…Mmm Eton Mess!

Samio x

Thanks to the guys at Bill’s Trafford for providing us with this complimentary three course meal.

January 22, 2016
Snake Print & Faux Fur

Usually when my boyfriend and I head out for ‘date night’, it’s on an evening. Last week however, Damien had a couple of days off work, so we decided to go out during the day, which of course meant I could get some outfit snaps whilst it was still light out.

We finally went to the new(ish) Burger & Lobster in Manchester. It’s the first one to open in my city and so as expected it’s been very popular. I ordered lobster whilst Damien ordered the burger and then after visiting one shop, we deicide to ditch the Christmas shopping and go for cocktails instead.

It was a great opportunity to wear my new dress from Ark. I recently attended the Ark #YuleBelieve blogger Christmas party, where we did Secret Santa and I was gifted with a burnt orange dress from another blogger. Unfortunately, after trying the dress on I found that it plunged far too low at the front and didn’t look right on me. I then swapped my gifted dress for this snake print shirt dress. I think I went for a good replacement as I know I’ll get plenty of wear out of this one and I love the print.

As you can see, I teamed the dress with tights, heeled ankle boots and a faux fur shrug for a casual/dressy daytime look, but it could be easily be worn for an evening out. If I wanted to brave the cold and go tight-less, I think it would look good on a night out with a pair of cute stilettos, or even some killer thigh high boots (even though I don’t actually own a pair of those…yet).

What I Wore:
Snake print shirt dress – Ark (here)
Ankle Boots – TKMaxx (similar here)
Faux Fur Shrug – (similar here)
Bag – Whistles (here)

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

December 2, 2015
Burrito Party Challenge at Revolución de Cuba

Revolución De Cuba in Manchester is a restaurant and bar I know all too well. I’ve enjoyed many a meal in there, sipped on numerous cocktails and partied the night away there – on several occasions… It’s a place I’ve often gone to enjoy good food, some really good cocktails and they often have a live band playing which always crates a great atmosphere. This occasion was no exception and this time I was invited along with a few fellow bloggers to take part in a burrito and mojito masterclass and challenge.

On arrival we were welcomed with Cuba Libres and nibbles and it wasn’t long before chef Jaymi was giving us our burrito making masterclass…

Of course being a chef, Jaymi made it look so easy and for most people it probably actually is, however for me, the challenge proved all too much and as you can see, my burrito didn’t quite turn out how I had hoped.

It’s probably no surprise that I didn’t win the burrito challenge, however looks can be deceiving and my burrito actually tasted rather good (if I do say so myself).

Emma’s creation (left) is an example of how a burrito should look and mine is, let’s just say, a unique creation.

After a few more cocktails it was time for the mojito making masterclass and challenge. This time we were expertly shown how to make two types of mojito – a classic and a Cuban. Then it was our turn to get behind the bar and have a go at doing it ourselves. The challenge was to see who could make a mojito in the quietest amount of time.

I decided I’d mix it up a little by making a passion fruit mojito. My time was 1:10 but unfortunately I was beat, with the quickest time being 55seconds. My passion fruit mojito was pretty tasty though – I know what I’ll be making on the weekend.

After our burrito and mojito masterclass and challenges had finished, a few of us hung around to enjoy some more cocktails. I decided to try something different and go for a pineapple and chilli flavoured mojito and it was really good!

Overall the evening was really good fun. I’d be love to go back and do this or something similar again with friends, as it makes a change to your average evening eating or drinking out and it would be perfect for a birthday or special occasion with a group of pals.

Have you ever tried a cocktail/food masterclass or something similar?

Samio x

July 30, 2015
Rustic Home Cooking At Beautiful Café In Hamburg

One of my favourite things to do when exploring a new city, is to find somewhere great to eat and when exploring abroad I always love to try out the local cuisine. Yesterday was no exception and whilst in Hamburg, visiting my fellow model friend Tara, we decided to stop at a near by café for our final meal together before I set off home.

We’d been stopping in the area of Winterhude in Hamburg and decided not to stray too far when looking for a place to lunch, so opted to keep it local. Whilst taking a short stroll we stumbled upon a cute looking café, called Café Milou and decided to venture inside.

Although Tara is pretty good with her German, we were happy to find that the staff spoke English and were super helpful with talking us through the menu.

I went for the Wedding soup (apparently popular around this time in Hamburg, as it’s a tradition soup eaten throughout wedding season) consisting of asparagus and meatballs and Tara opted for eggs and a quiche, as earlier that morning she’d taken part in the Hamburg half marathon, so I’m sure she was in need of the egg/protein overload.

I’d never tried the Wedding soup before and it was actually really tasty, I definitely want to try and make this one at home. I also tried Tara’s rustic spinach quiche and it was so delicious. I went for a rhubarb juice with sparkling water to drink and I found it really nice and refreshing.

The biggest treat though was the chocolate cake that I had after my soup. It had a sort of brownie consistency to it and a richness that tasted amazing. I washed it down with an Americano and felt very content once finished.

The lunch was such a great end to a fabulous trip and it’s made me want to try and recreate my own home cooked spinach quiche, Wedding soup and brownie style chocolate cake to go with it! The lunch at Café Milou was truly delightful, there’s nothing like great home cooking when you’re away from home!

Do you like trying out the local/traditional cuisine when abroad? What are some of your favourite dishes you’ve tried whilst away?

Samio x

Café Milou Poelchaukamp 19, 22301 Hamburg, Germany

June 22, 2015
The Engine Plan 5 Day Detox

Thursday marked the end of my five day juice detox with The Engine Plan. Yes that’s it, I’ve completed it and now I’m back to to eating actual chewable food. I thought I’d forget the technique. No I’m just kidding, I’d never forget how to eat food.

Thursday also marked the start of a long weekend, with it being good Friday the day after and a bank holiday here in England. So naturally, Thursday felt more like a Friday and so after a casting, a group of us from my agency headed to my usual hang out, Dry Bar. Here’s the point where I have to be completely honest with you, because I just cannot keep a secret from you guys… I drank wine… And then I ate a pizza (mmm pizza). Yes, I failed but technically I only failed by half a day because I did juice in the morning and no liquor or delicious cheese smothered doughy carbs passed my lips until after 2pm. Don’t judge me for drinking wine at two in the afternoon, like I say, we were in Friday mode… Anyway, despite this slight failure, I did strictly stick to the plan for the most part and my verdict: I loved it! Or at least I loved the results because we’ve already established how much I love food.

I began my detox on Sunday and I must admit this was a strategic choice because I wanted it to be finished in time for the following weekend. Each day the plan instructed me to prepare and drink three juices and drink at least two litres of water a day. At first I was worried that I would feel hungry whilst doing the detox but I actually never was. The amount of liquid I had to consume meant that I felt constantly full and at times I even struggled to drink such large amounts. I soon got used to it though and by day two I was into the routine of juicing and drinking copious amounts of water.

I used my Nutri Bullet to make my juices and by following the Engine Plan’s guide lines and useful tips, I actually found it easy to stay on track and stick to my juicing (up until the last day).

Here’s where I should point out that this isn’t a weight loss plan, if you were wondering. The 5 day detox is more of a system reboot if you like and a way to help you get some much needed goodness back into your system – if you’re like me and eat a lot of junk food. It’s also a great pre-plan to take on before beginning one of The Engine Plan’s week or month long meal plans, which I intend to do later this month.

The results from my detox are that my skin feels and looks significantly improved. My under eyes look brighter and all round I feel and look better. Also any bloating I had was gone. After the boozy bank holiday weekend I’ve enjoyed I certainly think it was a great idea to prep my body with a detox as I don’t feel anywhere near as rough as I usually would after a weekend of non stop partying. I think I’ll definitely do the detox again in the future and I’d recommend it to anyone who is feeling a little worse for wear this bank holiday Monday and feels in need of a system reboot!

Samio x

You can rev your engine here.

April 6, 2015
Let’s Do This – 5 Day Detox

If you follow me on social media, you may have seen me post about my plan to begin a 5 day detox. So today, as promised to myself, I began my first day of juicing.

I’ll be honest, juicing isn’t really something I thought about before. Actually, I tell a lie, I’ve owned a Nutri Bullet for about two years and regularly juice in the mornings, however, I’d never thought about going full on and taking on a daily juicing detox because let’s face it, I love food. It wasn’t until The Engine Plan got in touch and after reading up on all their nutritional advice, that I decided to give it a go and take on their Refuel – 5 day detox diet plan.

At this point I don’t want to get ahead of myself because I’m only on day one but I have to say that I have been in need of a system reboot like this for a while. I’ve not stopped eating junk food as of late and often for me, it’s all or nothing. So I’m using this as a way to reboot my metabolism, get back to fitness (as I intend to re-jig my workout plan too) and start taking a bit more care of my body on the inside. So I’ll let you know how it’s gone in 5 days time.

Wish me luck.

Samio x

Rev your engine here.

March 29, 2015
The Blue Floral Print Coat & Dinner at Solita

I think I need another month of not eating meat as since going back to my carnivorous ways, I’ve not stopped eating burgers. With so many great burger joints in Manchester though, it’s often rather hard to resist. On Friday I met up with the boyfriend after work and after going for a few drinks around The Northern Quarter, we ended up in Solita for a meal.

It was my first time at Solita, so I wanted to try as much as I could by getting starters and mains (any excuse). To start we went for the Buffalo Wings and the Deep Fried Mac ‘n’ Cheese Balls to share. The wings of course were splendid and the Mac ‘n’ Cheese Balls were delicious, I only wished there were more of them.

For the main, Damien went for the Catalan burger; Consisting of grilled chorizo, roasted red peppers, pepperjack cheese, roasted tomato aioli, nicely presented with a padron pepper skewer. I went for the Manc-Hattan burger; Consisting of pastrami, melted Lancashire cheese, fried black pudding, Lancashire sauce and Coney Island mustard. Both were served with skinny fries and we went halfs on our burgers (because I really wanted to try Damien’s Cajun burger). I loved both burgers but my favourite was the Manc-Hattan burger. I would rate it high up there on the burger scale in terms of creativeness and taste. We washed our meals down, with red wine for me and a beer for Damien. The staff were friendly and attentive and the food was delicious, so I’m sure I will be back again soon.

What I wore:
Coat/Jacket – Lavish Alice (Last Season)
Tank Top – Primark – In Store Now
Bracelets & Necklace – Primark – In Store Now
Earrings – Topshop
Black Skinny Jans – ASOS
Bag – Zara (old)
Shoes – Urban Outfitters (old)

Samio x

March 23, 2015
Afternoon Tea

Friday was such a good day and I got to spend it with some of my favourite people, enjoying some of my favourite things.

Before starting the day’s activities I headed to Chorlton to my dear friend Beckler’s place, for a much needed hair cut! My hair has been so dry lately. Over the past weeks, every time I went to wash it, it was extremely knotty. My hair hadn’t been in this bad of a condition since I used to bleach it (which was years ago). I’ll be honest I’ve not taken the best care of my hair lately. During my month in Barcelona I was washing it everyday, so that it looked fresh for castings and work but I think that with that, along with the intense sun on it everyday, it just finally took it’s toll and my split ends got way out of hand… So anyway, after much deliberation, I decided that it must be a haircut that I needed and I was right.

Beckler is a very handy friend to have, because not only is she brilliantly funny, a good listener and lots of fun, she also cuts hair and is in fact the only person I trust with scissors near my fro. This time Beckler took about two inches off my fro, which was scary at the time but as soon as the ends were gone my hair felt much healthier. Straight away I was able to comb my fingers straight through my hair and it felt knot free and much thicker too.

Beckler and I then headed back into the center and went to (my favourite) Richmond Tea Rooms for afternoon tea. I’ve been to Richmond Tea Rooms lots of times, sampling many of their delicious cakes and food dishes (I’m sure many of you have heard me rambling on about it) but it was the first time I’d tried their afternoon tea.

We were there for Beckler’s belated Birthday celebrations together, so we decided to go all out and opt for The Richmond Tea, which is a traditional afternoon tea served with a glass of bubbly. It was delicious! We enjoyed a selection of finger sandwiches, quiche, a variety if mini cakes and two great big scones along with a large pot of Earl Grey tea, not forgetting our all important glasses of bubbly. It was very tasty and so filling too, so it was definitely worth the money and great for a birthday treat.

I just love it when food is so beautifully presented and so of course I couldn’t help but take a few snaps.

After our afternoon tea, Beckler and I headed over to The Northern Quarter and hung out in one of our favourite bars, drinking prosecco and chatting even more (when the pair of us get together we don’t stop). Soon it was after work time and so our friend Nick came and joined us, shortly followed by my boyfriend, Damien. We spent the rest of the evening drinking in The Northern Quarter and before we know it, it was late and time to head home. Beckler and a Nick decided to carry on the evening’s antics and turn it into a night out. For me however, I’d had one too many glasses of wine and so it was time for bed, ending an lovely day spent with great company.

Samio x

August 31, 2014
Another Afternoon At Richmond Tea Rooms

One of my best friends, Lydia is back over from Barcelona for the weekend, so yesterday I met up with her and her Mother for her belated Birthday Celebrations and went for tea and cake at one of my favourite places, Richmond Tea Rooms. This place has featured on my blog a few times now but I do always love taking friends along for their first visit. Lydia and her Mother loved their first visit to Richmond Tea Rooms and we had a lovely afternoon enjoying lunch, cake and wine whilst having a good catch up. We were seated in the far corner, under the mini marquee which is my favourite spot because you are able to look out onto the rest of the tea room whilst being costly secluded in your private corner.

Samio x

January 31, 2014