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COOKING LESSONS in LONDON SAUCE by the Langham

Immerse yourself in some cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham.

A classy, interactive, fun, cooking workshop where you’ll hone your culinary skills regardless of the level you’re currently at.

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce at the Langham DoinDubai chicken on stove

Building Blocks of Good Cooking

The cooking school is called Sauce and the lessons are all about the building blocks of good cooking. I tried their Stocks and Sauces course one Saturday in July.

The workshop includes lunch with wine, a tour of the Roux at the Landau kitchen, all your instruction, ingredients to replicate everything you’ve watched being made and you get to take home your creations too.

Coffee and gorgeous snacks are also included to help you get through the day.

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce at the Langham DoinDubai Kitchen banter

What do you learn in your cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce at the Langham DoinDubai take home sauces in containers

We learnt how to make chicken stock, chicken jus, a sauce Antiboise, Hollandaise sauce and variations on that as well as a superb Crème Anglaise sweet sauce. 

How do they teach you

We watched a very informative, practical demonstration by the Kitchen Manager Millie Simpson for each dish and then returned to our fully equipped cooking stations to replicate what we had seen but under some expert guidance. We didn’t have to clear anything away or wash up. You do need to keep your station tidy though.

Do you need to know how to cook

No, you don’t need to know how you cook, but you must have a keen interest in cooking and you probably do cook a bit yourself at home. Millie showed us classical, but accessible French methods to make our stocks and sauces. There aren’t really any short cuts. You do have to be quite energetic, not be afraid of sharp knives and quite quick at your workstation. There is a fair amount of cooking involved in the workshop so you get great value for money.

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce by the Langham Monica Kapila

I learned how to:

expertly cut onions (banana shallots, always hold at the root)

concasse tomatoes (blanche with a slit, peel, petal and dice)

make a good crème anglaise from scratch (and I know how to rescue if needed)

make a chicken jus

make a sauce Antiboise

we were shown MUCH MORE than the above, but I am confident at trying all I have listed having done the lessons with Millie!

What was the most impressive dish

The brown chicken jus:
I would never have believed such a tasty, classy chicken jus could be made by simply starting to roast chicken wings in their own fat in the oven, lot’s more to do after that of course, but that’s how you start.

The crème anglaise:
Even the one I made (that needed rescuing in a water bath) was a good French restaurant quality custard. Creamy, not too sweet, milky and infused with vanilla pods, I served mine cold the next day with warm rhubarb crumble dessert. 

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce at the Langham DoinDubai chicken and salad

I have also learnt that there is a logical order involved in sauce making:

It’s Alcohol followed by Stock followed by Fat

REMEMBER

ALCOHOL THEN STOCK THEN FAT

Course details

The class started at 9.15am with a light breakfast.  It finished with lunch and wine at about 2.15pm.

Cost £150.00 per person.

It’s a great, group activity. Go with some mates and combine with a cocktail at the award winning Artesian bar on the ground floor before you leave.

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce at the Langham DoinDubai salmon on rye bread

Sauce is located on the first floor of the Langham hotel in London. 

Disclaimer: This post was written in conjunction with the Langham but the views are all my own. Would I do a class here again? I would definitely do the pasta making cooking lessons for sure. Some of the participants in our class had already done it and highly recommended it.
Monica
Editor
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RADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON

Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

Did you know the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London is five minutes away from Selfridges? But there are other factors to take into account apart from just location.

Often we need to combine work and pleasure while we travel but how do you find a hotel that allows you to do just that? Your reporter had to unexpectedly visit London to deal with some complicated issues and was in a conundrum about where to stay for the most part of the trip.

Location is always key but then so is comfort and functionality and did I mention price? Luckily I decided on the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London in Portman Square and I think I found a gem!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai Bedroom

I hadn’t stayed there before so in all honestly I was a little skeptical about what to expect. I needn’t have worried as all my fears were allayed on arrival and my experience just improved as time went on.

The accommodation at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

I stayed in an executive room that was spacious and fully equipped with everything you might need in a hotel room.

The little things really make a difference to me so the kettle could be plugged in to a socket on a proper table. You still had ample space to actually make your hot drink at any time.

Real milk was provided for your tea or coffee as were any number of bottles of mineral water I asked for.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON TEA

The room could be arranged with a king bed or two singles however required, but the important thing was the beds were supremely comfortable with high quality linen. I had a large sliding door window that gave me a good view over London and some of Portman Square that was a pleasure to wake up to. But importantly I could open the window to let in the fresh air at night, but I had the air conditioning on during the day.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai room view

I also really appreciated the White Company toiletries in the bathroom. There was an ironing board and iron but I didn’t need to use them.

The food at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

I had breakfast a number of times in the Portman Grill (previously known as the Portman Corner) and was impressed with the quality and range of food on offer.

Do try the poached smoked salmon along with whatever style of eggs you like. They will make them fresh according to your order. The waiting staff got to know us quite well and always asked how our day was going.

It was easy to stay healthy with the breakfast offering here but still feel nourished and fuelled for the day.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai Breakfast

The same restaurant also serves dinner in the evening and again I was very happy with our meal, which offered good quality British food that was very well priced bearing in mind the area we were in.

It was a great comfort to simply walk up stairs to sleep after a long, tiring day, but it was also easy to walk out to any of the good cafes and bars nearby to have a late night coffee or drink after dinner too.

London has long daylight hours in summer so it’s nice to be in a location that allows you to walk freely in the evenings.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON PORTMAN GRILL DINNER DoinDubai

We liked the Grazing Goat a few minutes walk away for a drink or snack.

Pop Ups are all the rage in London now and the pretty terrace outside the Radisson SAS Portman Square hosted a special Portuguese themed pop up with street food and drink from Lisbon!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON lisboa jardim pop up

The Location at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

Location is key for any trip but especially when you’re combining work and pleasure, so Portman Square was perfect with Marble Arch tube station just a few minutes walk away.

Hyde Park is also very near but then again the buzzy Edgware Road area with well known Middle Eastern restaurants is just a few minutes walk or a short taxi ride in the other direction and open quite late into the night.

All the shopping of Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street are very nearby and let’s not undervalue the convenience of having a huge Primark five minutes walk away from your hotel!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON LUGGAGE TROLLEY

Last but not least, the lobby of the hotel is large and very welcoming and makes for the perfect place to arrange to meet people in a relaxed atmosphere so you can avoid going to often cramped and expensive restaurants.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON Lounge Lobby

It may not be the poshest hotel in Portman Square but it worked perfectly for me.

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THE LANGHAM London Luxury on a lavish scale

The Langham hotel in London does luxury on a lavish scale. Here’s why we think you should visit soon.

Image ofThe Langham DoinDubai Roux Take away box

The Langham is the destination just like London is 

We all know London is the destination of choice time and time again for discerning travellers the world over for work and pleasure, but sometimes it’s the hotel itslef that becomes the destination. This is definitely the case with the Langham, that just happens to be in located in London.

Image ofThe Langham London Street View DoinDubai

Your reporter knows London well, having been born and brought up there, but living in Dubai for the last 10 years brings a new standard of service and luxury to mind that’s not easy to reproduce in a developed European city. But a two-day stay at the Langham London convinced me that we now have a home from home.

The Langham has some history behind it 

It opened in 1865 and was the first Grand Hotel in the city. Home to emperors, princesses and high society, it pioneered the installation of electric lights, hydraulic lifts and even air conditioners! Read on to see how it’s still first in its class and still innovating today.

The location of the Langham is perfect for a London trip 

The Langham hotel is located at the iconic Number 1 Portland Place W1, directly opposite the contemporary BBC building and a couple of minutes walk from every main store you can think of in London’s Oxford Street.  Bond Street and Regent Street are just a few more minutes walk away.

Don’t forget to explore Marylebone village  just behind the hotel.

The busy location of London’s Oxford Circus though is completely juxtaposed with the feeling you get when you walk in to the lobby of the Langham. Calm, tranquil spaces filled with signature pink roses and smiling personal assistants who take your bags and ask you how they can make your stay more pleasant.

Image ofThe Langham London Lobby DoinDubai

Going back to the cold, the uniformed doorman asks if you would like to step into his “office” in the front porch – a cosy little area with an outdoor, overhead heater, which makes waiting for our Ubers more bearable!

The Langham Club Lounge is the only 5 * hotel lounge in London 

In this part of the world, we’re all familiar with the various tiers of airline loyalty cards that permit us into club lounges at airports, but which hotels have club lounges that rival and surpass any first class airline lounge you’ve experienced? The Langham’s of course.

The only five star hotel in London to have a club lounge concept, but not just your standard club lounge with urns of free flowing tea and coffee, this is a five star, first class club lounge, worth upgrading for every time.

Image ofThe Langham London Club room Afternoon Tea

On our first evening in the Langham’s club lounge we spoke to some fellow guests relaxing at our adjoining table, “Good Evening, are you here on holiday?” I asked. The two guests from the North of England were there celebrating a special birthday and thought very wisely to skip walking round London in the freezing cold, but rather to simply stay and sit by the roaring fireside while enjoying everything the club lounge had to offer.

We had our evening drinks and canapés, went off for dinner and returned to the lounge just before 10pm and found the same guests still there, more relaxed than ever. And that’s the kind of place the Langham’s club lounge is, somewhere you really don’t need to leave, unless you have to!

Image ofThe Langham DoinDubai Smoked Salmon at Roux at the Landau

The lounge is open for breakfast from 6.30am till 11am but later at the weekends and holidays. We didn’t have breakfast here, as we tried both the Palm Court and the newly opened (the day we arrived!) Roux at the Landau on the ground floor of the hotel.

I suggest the latter for a stylish breakfast in an elegant, contemporary dining room with service that should be a benchmark for the industry.

Image ofThe Langham DoinDubai Breakfast Roux at the Landau

There is the great British tradition of Afternoon Tea at the Palm Court but you can try everything you’d receive there in the comfort and privacy of your club lounge between 2.00 and 5.00pm. Expect a sophisticated selection of both sweet and savoury bites with any kind of tea you can imagine, all included in your room rate!

Image ofThe Langham DoinDubai Room snacks

The canapés and cocktails served from 5.30 onwards really don’t describe well enough what’s on offer in the club lounge’s evening service! There is a fresh, hot soup, a whole array of charcuterie and some moreish Middle Eastern dips all spread out over a large marble table for guests to help themselves.

Image of Langham London mocktail

Waiters come to your seating area by the fireside lounge, at the high marble counter tops or the dining tables to take your drinks orders that you choose from a comprehensive beverage menu that includes cocktails, mocktails, fresh juices and champagne.

Image ofLangham London Champagne club lounge

Do you see now why those two guests from the North didn’t bother leaving the hotel?

But if you are going to eat and relax on a lavish scale, then start your day with some delicious exercise in the Langham’s health club. Definitely try the peaceful, zen like swimming pool and the modern gym if you can.

Image ofThe Langham DoinDubai Swimming Pool

The club lounge also offers private check in and check out of the hotel and the pressing of three garments if you need it, all free of charge.

There is also complimentary Internet access and use of the business center. They don’t mind if you ask to take home one of their pretty, pink pens either!

So make the Langham synonymous with London and don’t think about upgrading to the club lounge rooms, just do it and send your reporter’s warmest regards to the charming Emilija, who manages the Club.

But before you leave, buy some of the sublime Ginger Flower room spray that the hotel has adopted as it’s signature scent so once you’re back home you can be reminded of that Langham in London feeling.

Image ofLangham London Flowers of Langham Ginga flowers DoinDubai

 

Hotel Website  The Langham London.

The Club Room Offer

 

Thank You Monica.

 

 

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EXPLORING NORWAY how would you organise a holiday in Norway

Exploring Norway things you should know

Have you ever thought about exploring Norway?  Maybe you’ve seen those dreamy pictures of magnificent fjords or watched episodes of Vikings on Netflix?

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Fjord small boat

How would you go about organising a trip to Norway?  It’s a vast country more than half of which is covered in forest. It’s the richest country in Europe and it’s people have a high standard of living. Of course we all know how cool Nordic design is! Read on to find out about Fjords, Oslo sights, Bergen, boutique hotels and everything in between!

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Airline view forest

Take the work out of your trip and get some inspiration from our itinerary and experiences this summer August 2017.

Our itinerary covered the ultra modern capital city of Oslo, the UNESCO world heritage city of Bergen and in between we spent some glorious days exploring Norway’s fjords in rural Aurland. We spent a week doing this and we are a family of 4 people.

How did we go about organizing our trip? Luxury Action, a company that specializes in organizing luxury travel to Arctic countries, helped us organize our trip. There is a direct flight to Oslo from Dubai on Emirates, but on this occasion we took a British Airways flight from London Heathrow.

Stop 1 Exploring Norway – Oslo

We stayed in the very modern Tjuvelholmen area of Oslo that’s right on the water’s edge. We spent 2 nights at the iconic The Thief hotel. It screams high tech and luxury at the same time, from the moment you enter the hotel elevator to when you turn out your lights at night, everything is very high tech here, but it’s also a hotel that focuses on art too.

 

A swim in the indoor hotel pool is a must do, the floor and walls of the pool are made of aluminum, one of Norway’s major exports, and the pool lights will subtly change colour as you swim.

Try the Rasool treatment if you have time, then alternate between the steam, sauna and swimming pool. But do check your room rate includes use of this small but exclusive spa area. Coffee, tea and small fruit platters are complimentary while you use the spa area, and that includes the pool. The Rasool treatment is great but do note you apply your face scrubs and body rubs yourself.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai The Theif Oslo

Breakfast at The Thief was full of local produce and featured everything you’d expect from a hotel of this standard. We loved our fruit and vegetable shots and of course the Norwegian smoked salmon was a must try!

Key sights to see in Oslo include the impressive Holmenkollen ski slope jump, the Oslo opera house and Vigeland sculpture park.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Vigeland Sculpture Park

We also really liked the Viking Museum. We managed to see all of the above and more in one day using a combination of a private car and driver with a guide, again organized by Luxury Action.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Holmenkollen

We couldn’t have done this otherwise as distances and more importantly ticket queues are long!

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Viking Ship

We ate dinner at Oslo’s answer to Zuma, that’s Hanami Sushi one evening, and it’s conveniently located just 2 minutes walk from The Thief hotel. We loved the warm rugs on the outdoor chairs and the heaters above us kept away any cold winds very effectively. It’s really worth sitting outside if you can just to take in the changing light in the evening over the marina.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Hanami Sushi Oslo

We also experienced what the Norwegian’s call a Prawn Buffet one evening. This was part of a boat cruise that lasted for around 3 hours and again started just a few minutes walk from our hotel.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Prawn sandwich

Our family really enjoyed this experience that involved sitting on simple outdoor benches while sailing around the bay. The prawn buffet really is literally a prawn buffet. So that means barrels of fresh shrimp prawns, bowls of salad and some sliced bread.

Do note you do have to peel the prawns yourself and that could take a while, but you do end up with a delectable prawn sandwich for your dinner!

Stop 2 Exploring Norway Aurland and Fjord country

We took 2 trains to get to Flam, where we were picked up by car for the last 10 minutes of our journey to the cosy riverside farm lodge Aurland 292. Our first train from Oslo station to Myrdle took around 3 hours or so and this was a very comfortable journey despite it being standard class. You must book your seats before hand though.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Buffet car train

There is a small kiosk cafe selling refreshments on board, and behind it is a really comfortable dining car that’s open to everyone. It has leather seats and proper tables.

I loved the stools with counters by the windows! It’s a good idea to buy some snacks from the supermarkets in the station beforehand though especially if you’re travelling with children, the supermarket food is better value too.

Our second train took us on a very scenic route from Myrdle to Flam, but this was an extremely different journey as it was packed with tourists, but the journey was just an hour.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai train to Flam

Aurland 292 is not a working farm but it is arranged very much in farm house type accommodation. There are a variety of beautifully decorated rooms, some with sitting room and patio areas, but all have their own en suite bathrooms. There is even a self-contained fisherman’s cottage on the grounds that would be perfect for families.

Image ofExploring Norway Auralnd 292 Kitchen DoinDubai

The farm is still owned by the original family who first worked here and Ency, now 3 years old was the first child to be born and stay on the farm in 85 years!

Aurland 292 is a special place for a number of reasons. The warmth of the people is evident throughout and nothing is too much trouble. The design of the rooms is very in keeping with tradition without sacrificing comfort or design and the communal dinners are really special.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Aurland 292 Dining Room

We explored Aurland on a proper tour by Tune one of the owners of Aurland 292. She took us by car around the local area but then parked by a mountain to explain we were starting a hike up to a goat farm!

This took around 1.5 hours or so and was in parts a bit challenging, but we didn’t need special hiking boots or gear at all. We’re all averagely fit.

Image of Exploring Norway DoinDubai Aurland 292 Fjord Views on trek

For Tune, who also took her dog with her, it was literally like a walk in the park! We were rewarded at the top with some very fresh goats’ cheese and pancakes all hand made by Anne Karin who’s lived on the farm for almost 30 years.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Aurland 292 Goat Farm Trek

We also tried some Brunost cheese, this is cheese again that’s made fresh every day on the farm and specific to Norway. It’ brown in colour due to the caramelizing of the whey, that’s the liquid that’s usually thrown away during the cheese making process! But this liquid is boiled, then caramelized almost and kneaded into a soft, salty, creamy cheese!

Check out the video above to see the cheese being made.

Going down the mountain was much quicker but I found this more challenging than going up as it was quite steep in parts. We found a gorgeous spot by the fjord for a late afternoon lunch. Aurland is well worth a visit to hike, climb, walk around in or just to hang around in.

Stegastein is also well worth a visit for the dramatic views and the pathway that literally juts out onto thin air for about 30 meters!

Image ofExploring Norway Stegastein DoinDubai

Last stop exploring Norway – Bergen UNESCO world heritage site

The quickest way to Bergen from Aurland would be by car and the journey would take around 2.5 hours, but we took a ferry right from Aurland quayside and this took nearer 5 hours, obviously going through some magnificent fjords. This is quite a long journey though. We were rewarded with a spectacular sky when we arrived at Bergen harbor or the Bryggen as it’s known!

Image ofExploring Norway Bergen Harbour DoinDubai

Unlike Oslo, Bergen is a much smaller city and it’s very walkable. Nevertheless our guide showed us the key sites and again we were so glad she bought tickets for our passes to Floyen, which saved us a lot of time waiting in long queues. Do see the video to get an idea of views at the top.

The Floyen is Bergen’s funicular railway and it’s worth going to get some spectacular views of the city from the top. There is a café at the top, but we recommend going back down and trying some of Bergen’s very good small coffee houses.

We got amazing views from the tower on the 6th floor of our hotel in Bergen, the Clarion Collection Havnekontoret, about 10 minutes walk from the quay side.

The hotel is ideally situated for exploring Bergen and the staff are all super friendly. Do have a good breakfast before you go exploring. You, can come back for tea, waffles, again self made in the afternoon, or a light salad and soup meal in the evening. All these refreshments are included in the price of your stay so it does make it a good value hotel with good sized rooms. The food is simple though and you make the waffles yourself!

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Floyen Bergen

Bergen used to be the capital of Norway and it’s rich in tradition and history. The fort area is well worth a visit and while we were there, it played host to a concert of local pop stars Marcus and Martinus who attracted crowds of 23, 000 young fans! They themselves are only 14 years old themselves though!

The Bryggen houses are a set of 11 old wooden houses that sit right by the waterside of Bergen’s harbor. They’ve been carefully restored and are still working shops and restaurants. Walk in between the houses and explore in between the alleys. Have a look at the wooden fish on one of the courtyards.

Image ofExploring Norway The Bryggen Bergen DoinDubai

You must visit Bergen’s fish market, both the indoor one and the outdoor one, again right in front of the harbour. We preferred the indoor one and we got to taste all kinds of seafood delicacies from smoked trout to smoked minke whale!

Image ofExploring Norway Fish Market Bergen DoinDubai

Do make time to visit the Kode museums in Bergen. There are 4 inter related museums and one ticket of 100 Norwgian kroners, that’s about AED 50 allows you in to all 4.

Prioritise the Edward Munch museum and go on the free guided tour. It provides a fascinating insight into the painting and psyche of the painter.

Image ofExploring Norway DoinDubai Devard Munch Bergen

Do also try and make time if the weather is good to walk to the botanical gardens in Bergen in the area of the university museum. We loved our walk here and this was well off the beaten Bergen track.

Bergen’s airport is extremely modern and opened in August 2017 after an extensive refurbishment.

Image ofExploring Norway Bottanical Gardens Bergen DoinDubai

Restaurants are expensive in Bergen so have a good breakfast at your hotel and if the weather is good make one of your meals a picnic!  Stop for a coffee at Lyseverket, the very popular restaurant in Kode 4, just next door. We couldn’t get a table for dinner, but coffee and the typical cinnamon buns make a great pit stop.

Read our post on Eating out in Bergen to get our tried and tested recommendations. (that post is coming soon)

Image ofExploring Norway The Bryggen Bergen DoinDubai

Exploring Norway is it worth it

Overall we’re really glad we explored Norway, the fjords were magnificent and we loved Oslo’s cool vibe and Bergen’s history. But as everyone kept telling us, we were so lucky with the weather, we had almost uninterrupted sunshine for most of our week, it would have a completely different experience exploring Norway in the rain! Eating out in Norway, especially in Bergen was much more expensive that we had anticipated so do allow for that, but don’t let that stop the explorer in you!

Useful Links

Luxury Action

Aurland 292

The Thief

The Clarion Collection Havnekontoret

 

Share this post in your favourite way if it’s inspired you to travel to Norway. I’d love a comment to know what you think!

Thank You Monica.