Food & Drink
The world’s strongest gin is now available with a 95% ABV
This will knock your socks off.
A gin company have created the worlds strongest gin, coming in at a whopping 95% abv.
After this year, we might just need something this strong to help us forget about the ups and down!
Luckily, it’s been released just in time for Christmas.
The Anno Extreme 95 Gin was created by scientist who quit their jobs almost 10 years ago and turned to creating booze for a living.
Anno Extreme 95 surprisingly has tasty flavour of fennel, coriander, nutmeg and liquorice.
According to the tasting notes it has ‘robust juniper and smooth spices’ that ‘soften into a fresh bite of citrus with sweet herbal notes’.
There is also a ‘long, dry and complex’ finish with ‘hints of warm liquorice’.
The Kent-based company says: “Developed by scientists with a taste for adventure and pushing the limits of possibility, Anno Extreme 95 Gin was produced with one goal in mind – to create ‘the spirit of alchemy’.
“A gin that packs more punch and flavour, drop for drop, than any other spirit in the world.
“We use an extended distillation with a mix of steeped and vapour infused botanicals to extract huge flavour, packed into a 20cl bottle.”
And the best thing about it is that it’s economical. A normal G&T will have either a single (25ml) or double (50ml) shot of gin, to get the full G&T experience with this gin you only need 5ml.
That gives you a gull-flavoured G&T with 75% less alcohol.
But if you can handle a full 25ml shot, you’ll get a ‘huge botanical hit with a higher strength’.
Before this, a Swedish company, Strane Ultra Uncut held the title of world’s strongest gin with 82% abv.
The gin was released in 2018, at the time, the company said: “With Strane Ultra Uncut 82.5 percent, [brewer] Pär Caldenby has deliberately tweaked the production process to take the intensity and strength to a new level.
“This was done with a much stronger charge of the still than usual and also by doubling the amount of botanicals, for massive flavour.
“Exercising due care, it can be savoured neat and ideally well chilled, in very small sips (with a glass of water on the side), which delivers an intensive juniper-led flavour impact, with great complexity from the other botanicals, including coriander seeds, almonds, liquorice root, lime and fresh herbs.”
Food & Drink
Gordon Ramsay’s 1930s Tokyo-inspired restaurant is opening next month
This looks phenomenal!
Bookings are now open for Gordon Ramsay’s highly anticipated 1930s Tokyo-inspired restaurant in Manchester.
Michelin-starred celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay is thrilled to announce the grand opening of Lucky Cat, in Manchester, on Thursday June 1st.
This marks the first major opening for Ramsay in the city and the second Lucky Cat worldwide, further cementing the region’s reputation as a leading destination for food, drink, and entertainment.
Reservations are now open ready for the Japanese-inspired restaurant’s June debut — which will offer an unrivalled dining experience at the top of King Street.
The Manchester location promises to be a dining experience like no other, capturing the essence of the original Mayfair eatery in the very heart of the city in a truly iconic building —the old HSBC Bank and former home of fellow celebrity chef venture Jamie’s Italian.
Situated at the top of King Street with its upmarket retailers and designer stores, the venue resides within a breath-taking and fitting Art Deco building, standing majestically alongside Manchester’s iconic Gotham Hotel.
The restaurant spans three floors — meaning the building’s famous Bank Vault will be in use once again — and features opulent dining vaults, paying homage to the building’s heritage while offering a dining experience like no other to the city of Manchester.
In addition to the main restaurant, there are also extensive private dining spaces and private bars to elevate every event.
Lucky Cat masterfully fuses the vibrant atmosphere of 1930s Tokyo kissas and drinking dens. Diners can expect the ultimate dining experience, complete with world class wines and cocktails, and live DJ sets.
Embark on a gastronomic journey of culinary icons, such as succulent black cod, sumptuous sirloin weeping tiger and the legendary Lucky Cat Duck Bao. Journey onward to the ocean’s depths with sublime sushi and raw dishes, from tuna tartar to mouth-watering dragon rolls.
An innovative cocktail list includes the one-of-a-kind Lucky Negroni, where the gin in your drink is determined by a captivating game of chance.
With three dice hidden inside a mysterious box, the numbers rolled will unlock the perfect combination of gins, vermouths, and bitters destined for your drink. With a staggering 216 possible combinations, each Lucky Negroni will be a personalised, exhilarating experience, crafted by fate itself.
Gordon Ramsay shares his unbridled enthusiasm for the project, with a nod to Manchester’s vibrant dining scene, saying: “I’ve toured and worked in much of Asia over the years, and the culture, the flavours, and the incredible cooking truly inspire me.
“Manchester is renowned for its thriving culinary landscape, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
“We’re fired up to build on the phenomenal success of our Mayfair restaurant and bring something truly exceptional to the people of Manchester this Summer. I can’t wait for Lucky Cat to make its mark in this fantastic city!”
Book now to be among the first to experience this world-class dining destination — tables are expected to fill up fast.
Bookings can be made on the website or call 0161 424 9150 for restaurant and group reservations, or 0207 5921373 for private dining and event enquiries.
Food & Drink
McDonald’s launches new dipping sauces for nugs including garlic mayo and mega hot
Big news for Maccies lovers!
McDonald’s has launched a new menu range including four top tier limited edition dips.
The fast food giant has announced an impressive new menu to come as we sadly wave goodbye to the Chicken Big Mac — for now.
The chain’s brand spanking new range of mouth watering food items will feature the return of an old favourite with the option of its spicy counterpart, as well as some tasty new dips fans have long been waiting for.
The Big Tasty is coming back as well as the Big Tasty with Bacon, and a new addition set to make your taste buds tingle…the Spicy Big Tasty.
Just like the original, the Spicy Big Tasty will be made with a 100% beef patty, Emmental cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon and Big Tasty sauce, with a ‘jalapeño twist’.
But the burgers aren’t the only exciting new addition to the menu.
We’ve all been banging on about sauce flavour suggestions and it seems McDonald’s has been listening.
As our beloved McNuggets turn 40 this year, to celebrate a whopping four decades, Maccies is offering four limited edition dips that will land throughout the month.
From May 10th, you’ll be able to get your hands on a fiery Mega Hot Sauce dip, as well as a long-awaited new Garlic Mayo, which promises a ‘delicious creamy garlic flavour’.
The franchise says that fans have been asking for a Garlic Mayo since forever — so, if you’ve ever needed an excuse to treat yourself to a cheeky box of nugs, now’s your chance.
Then, on May 31st, you’ll be able to grab a new smokey and spicy Chipotle Mayo as well as an American favourite, Creamy Ranch dip — which McDonald’s call ‘the best thing to come from across the pond’.
The sauces will be available for a mystery length of time, ‘until stocks last’.
McDonald’s released the iconic McNugget back in 1979. It was an instant hit that the chain couldn’t keep up with demand.
Chef René Arend, who perfected the McNugget, revealed that McDonald’s couldn’t actually supply that much chicken. By 1983, this was fixed — and the McNugget was officially born.
The chain makes our beloved nugs in four shapes: the bell, the bow-tie, the ball and the boot.
And if that’s not enough, there’s more exciting items coming our way. Everyone’s favourite sidekick, Halloumi Fries, are also making a comeback.
For those who have never had the pleasure, it’s a portion of ‘four delicious halloumi cheese sticks coated in a light batter, served with a rich tomato dip’.
That’s all the savoury items, now for something sweet. Fans of the food can also expect to find old classics, Wispa and Wispa Gold McFlurrys.
These are made up of ‘soft dairy ice cream, swirled with Wispa chocolate pieces and a chocolate sauce’, and ‘soft dairy ice cream with Wispa chocolate pieces and a Cadbury caramel sauce’.
We can’t wait to try these!
Food & Drink
There’s a drive-in cake bakery in Greater Manchester serving up incredible scran
How’s that for convenience?!
There’s now a dreamy drive-thru cakery in Greater Manchester — yes, that’s right.
Wonderlust Bistro and Bakery on Library Lane, Oldham, first opened in February and is a real family affair headed by baker, Saarah Chowdry, brother Mohammed and mum Shelley Rahman.
Their incredible decadent sweet treats and bakes are to die for and have been sending locals wild as they harp on about this little Oldham gem.
Even The Oldham Times has said it could ‘rival any Manchester bistro’. It’s hard to miss this slice of heaven with its bright pink exterior with purple hues and dreamy clouds offering a piece of paradise for hungry visitors.
This wonderland offers a mouth-watering menu too. Not only is it filled with all things sweet and cake-like, it also offers bistro dishes ranging from roast dinners, to corn dogs, fry-ups, pancake stacks and more.
The demand for their treats has rocketed to the point that the team has recently launched its own ‘car service’. This means that visitors can easily pull up, place an order and have their gooey goodies brought directly to them.
With its opening times from 5pm until midnight, this is definitely the place to go for a cheeky late-night treat.
It’s a paradise for those with a sweet tooth who can choose from anything ranging from Jammy Dodger and Kinder Hippo cupcakes, Biscoff-stuffed cheesecake, milk cake, Snickers brownies and Nutella-filled cookies, all on offer from the bakery.
Here’s how to take advantage of the bakery’s new cake-to-car service: Those driving in for the car service are asked to park in the bakery and bistro’s rear car park.
Sharing the update in an Instagram post, the Wonderlust team wrote: “Due to overwhelming demand, we are introducing our car service for Wonderlust Bistro & Wonderlust Bakery! You can place your order via 07531557354 for food, cakes & drinks.
“How to order: (Open from 5pm – 12am Wednesday- Saturday)
“- Park in our car park
“- Call 07531557354
“- Place your order and provide your reg plate
“- Someone will bring your order out and we’ll take payment via cash & card”
(Wonderlust Bistro, Library Ln, Oldham, OL9 6DZ . Open 5pm-12am Wednesday- Saturday).
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