A START TO FOOD & WINE PAIRING

There are thousands of people in the world who thoroughly enjoy good food and good wine, but it can be surprising how many of them are unaware of how to properly combine the two. More than perhaps any other substance, wine can be enhanced or detracted from depending upon what it is drunk alongside. For example, drinking a bold, dry red wine while eating a light, sweet dish combines two flavours that are far from complimentary, and this will take away from your enjoyment of both the meal and the wine. So, here are some wine pairing tips to keep in mind the next time you head to Marks & Spencer for some wine shopping.

One of the most popular and most delicious general wine pairings is matching a steak dish with a strong, dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. One of the basic rules to abide by in pairing food and wine (though it is not universally true) is to pair bold flavours with each other, and weak flavours together as well. Thus, a strong, rich meat such as a steak needs to be placed alongside a wine that can keep up with the strength of flavour without being overwhelmed.

Keeping in tune with the rule of matching bold flavours together, most chicken dishes are recommended with white wines, though some light red wines (Rioja, for example) are often acceptable. For the most part, experts recommend preparing a chicken dish alongside a Chardonnay. However, it is important to remember that chicken is a very broad term. With a steak, you generally know more or less what to expect in terms of flavour, with chicken however, there are enough different styles of preparation that the boldness of the flavour can easily change.

Fish often has its own rules for pairings as well, as different fish flavours are bolder than others. However, it is almost universally true that red wine will overwhelm most fish dishes, which leads most people to lean toward lighter white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Chablis. This makes for a very light, easy meal with emphasis on crisp flavours that are pleasant but not overwhelming.

Ultimately, the advice listed above is just a start toward understanding wine pairings. However, it does provide a helpful outline for how to match major meat dishes with different types of wines. If you truly wish to maximize your enjoyment of your wine, and your meals, there are plenty of online resources, and even classes that you can take, that can help you to understand the full depth of wine pairing techniques.

H&M EXCLUSIVE CONSCIOUS COLLECTION

High St fashion giant H&M launch their Exclusive Conscious Collection tomorrow! A collection full of bold colours, great cuts, embroidery, amazing fabrics and Hollywood glamour; on top of all this the clothes are made of sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and organic hemp.
The collection consists of around ten pieces, showing off the whole spectrum of glam dressing – from Michelle Williams-style gamine dresses to full-on Beyoncé knockouts. A floor-length meringue skirt will only be available in a limited edition of 1,000, all individually numbered.

I’m loving the neon dresses, the digital print floral suit, and the embroidered front dress with removable sheer skirt! Available online and in selected stores from tomorrow!

NEW CAMPAIGN: LOVE IS FREE!!!

Blogger favourite, model Charlotte Free is the face of Forever 21’s Spring/Summer 12 campaign, “Love is Free”. The campaign is the brand’s first global launch and is part of a series of trend setting, edgy campaigns for the brand. Shot by famed photographer, Kenneth Cappello, Forever 21 captures the fun, and whimsical spirit of Charlotte in a series of striking poses and fashion-forward looks; making us want to be her in every single shot!

“Forever cool” Charlotte, whose image and style can be seen in Forever 21 stores starting next month, is dressed in the brand’s neon statement pieces, floral pantsuits, Americana-inspired ensembles, and must-have metallic accessories, as featured in the campaign’s lookbook.  Neon tank tops and dresses inspired by the campaign are currently available in stores, with more coming online and in stores next month.

Forever 21 is scheduled to create large in-store installations around Charlotte Free across select global stores with a series of “Love is Free” campaign products for purchase debuting in May. We can’t wait!!!

GLASSES OF THE WEEK: LONDON RETRO – PATSY

The Patsy is a new addition to the London Retro family, a modern take on the iconic Wayfarer shape with a rounder base. With rounder glasses set to be a huge trend this summer these glasses are a great transition for the individual that’s used to the squarer frame, as well as those that like to make a statement with their eyewear!

The Patsy is available from Glasses Direct in black and tortoiseshell, and are priced at ÂŁ99 incl single vision lenses.

TOP 5… FLAT SANDALS

BLACK BUCKLED SANDAL – ZARA

BROWN SANDAL WITH GOLD PLATE – H&M

NEON GLADIATOR – TOPSHOP

NUDE STUDDED GLADIATOR – ZARA

METALLIC STRAPS – TOPSHOP

I can’t say the past few days have been too inspiring to go shopping for sandals, however I have learned that the gloomy weather of early spring is the best time to shop for summer essentials because no-one else has their mind on dressing for the warmer summer months – unless of course they’re going on holiday!

The sandals above are perfectly versatile, there’s definitely one pair for everyone that will go with your entire wardrobe.