Food & Drink Ideas for the Bank Holiday Weekend

Going out

If the weather’s nice and you fancy heading out, then make your way to Balham. The Regent’s got its very open pop-up and it’s only around until the end of August. Turn up and slip through the closet into the Secret Garden, a secluded area tucked away from the busy streets.

Discover it by stepping through an old wardrobe, situated within the pub’s garden. Once through, you’ll find yourself in a botanical hideaway, decked out with festoon lighting, bamboo, flowers, rustic wooden tables, cosy lounge chairs and bright décor, bringing a magical, festival feel to South West London.

Turn up hungry and make a day or evening of it. If you’re after small plates and sharers with friends then try the generous portion of Caesar Arancini with mouthwatering chicken and bacon salt. Other standouts include Sticky Chicken Wings, Hash Nuggets and Char-Grilled Jalapeno and Cheddar Cornbread. If there’s a group of you, you can also order a Livelyboard (which offers a selection of the small plates including some of the above), a Mezze Plate or classic Nachos.

If you don’t like sharing then there are classic pub grub-style mains available, as well as burgers, including the Crumbed Buttermilk Chicken Breast Burger, which should hit the spot nicely.

Wash the food down with an Aperol Spritz, jugs of Pimms, pints of Czech beer or pale rosé. Foodies will appreciate The Regent’s unwavering commitment to sourcing all produce from the very best suppliers and serving up elevated pub favourites.

For more information and bookings visit www.theregentbalham.co.uk

The Morning After

If you’ve had one too many at The Regent, then we’ve found just the thing to sort you right out. DRGN is a turmeric superdrink full of powerful detoxifying properties to help protect and improve liver function. While spending a near decade living in Hong Kong, DRGN founder Vishal Sodha had the opportunity to learn about the benefits of various botanicals, herbs, and spices used across the Asia Pacific region, in particular turmeric and ginger.

Since returning to London, Vishal has made it his mission to create a product that incorporates the health benefits of traditional Eastern medicine. The result is fresh and delicious, making it easily drinkable even if you’re feeling rough and the results should pull you together again. After all, it is brimming with 15 health-boosting ingredients and has been created with the aid of a dedicated food science and technology team! This is a highly refreshing and sophisticated adult soft drink that’ll boost your body gloriously.

For more information visit www.drgndrink.com

Picnic

Cheese lovers, listen up. Plan a picnic this weekend, it doesn’t matter if it’s last minute, because The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company have put together a seriously unmissable Summertime Picnic Pack that should not be missed.

It’s filled with:

  • 1 portion (190g) of Cheddar with Cider, Garlic & Chives – a lovely raw milk mellow cheddar with the added flavours of Somerset Cider, Garlic and Chives. This is a mellow cheddar, not too strong which gives it a light and summery feel
  • 1 portion (190g) of a Traditional Cheddar (because why not?) – the Extra Mature 15-month-old cheddar is a strong traditional raw milk cheddar with a natural rind which provides an interesting contrast to the softer Cider, Garlic and Chives portion
  • 1 box of Cornish Sea Salt Biscuits – these are hearty oat biscuits made with Cornish Sea Salt – another reminder of the seaside!
  • 1 jar of Red Onion Marmalade – both sweet and savoury and an ideal complement to the cheeses
  • 1 box of Cheese Straws (of course) – the perfect picnic food; so easy to nibble on!
  • 1 small jar of Chilli Jam – try dunking a cheese straw in this – what a combo!

The two cheeses are exceptional and if you love cheddar as much as I do, then you will find yourself in heaven with these two. The Cheese Straws too are so, so good. Dangerously moreish. While the chilli jam is fantastic with the cheddar and chives, if you like big flavours together.

The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company know a lot about picnic food so have included a few essentials too. All this is delivered within a reusable company cool bag, some napkins and they also include a reusable ice pack to keep the cheesy goodness at its best.

The family-run business has made it their mission to produce heritage cheddar cheese true to its regional provenance and traditions. Since 2003 they have succeeded at doing exactly that, winning major awards and acclaim as the only cheddar still made in its natural birthplace – in the village of Cheddar in Somerset!

For more information visit www.cheddaronline.co.uk

Staying In

If you’re having a stressful time at work or if 2020 in general has got to you, then chill out this Bank Holiday with Little Rick. This is a selection of fruity, CBD-infused, low-calorie, and refreshing drinks designed to improve sleep, reduce anxiety and depression, ease pain, and support overall health. These eco-friendly, plant-based, vegan-friendly and gluten-free drinks and treats are the brainchild of co-founders Charlotte Nielsen and Norman Kremer who are aiming to change the way CBD is perceived and consumed through the range of Little Rick’s refreshing cannabinoid-infused sparkling drinks and chocolate-covered fruit treats.

The sparkling drinks are available in several flavours including Pina, Raspberry Coconut, Raspberry Lemonade and Mint & Lime. All of them are great and taste just like summer should – even when the sun isn’t shining. Thanks to support from Virgin StartUp, Little Rick is made using only natural emulsifiers that are high in water soluble fiber. That means the active ingredients are absorbed into the bloodstream much more effectively; the body absorbs up to 4x more cannabinoids with Little Rick compared to traditional methods! It takes around 30 minutes, on a full stomach, for cannabinoids to reach the bloodstream and effects last between 6-8 hours.

For more information visit littlerick.co.uk

Lazy Mornings

Bank Holidays are made for lie ins, right? It’s the little things that matter and after starting out with a 15kg small-batch roaster in the Surrey Hills, Chimney Fire Coffee was launched last year after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The concept was to make ethically sourced speciality coffee more accessible in the workplace, in cafes and in your home. Step forward founder Dan Webber. Dan worked in Ghana for two years specialising in coffee and cocoa traceability. When he returned home in 2016 he began work in his garden shed and a year later committed himself full time to the business, moving from his shed into converted stables.

A range of eight coffees in their core range is available, all sourced from around the world to suit different tastes. They’re available in various grinds too, to suit the way you like your coffee. There’s the Ranmore Signature Espresso, a deliciously sweet, nutty and chocolatey full-bodied espresso roast; the Peru Classic Espresso, a biscuity flavour with notes of chocolate and blackberry; and there’s the Ethiopia Biftu Gudina, a supremely flavoursome Ethiopian roast with tasting notes of jasmine, apricot and honey.

The Chimney Fire Coffee team are all extremely passionate about coffee, enterprise and positive impact, and aim to create a fully sustainable coffee journey through their sourcing companions, biodegradable packaging and sharing experiences to ensure you get the most from every cup. Something to feel good about over your Bank Holiday cuppa.

For more information visit www.chimneyfirecoffee.com