Christmas is Coming: last post dates; Xmas meals; Dec 18 event: Hatch End

Put up lights in gardens, post the cards, buy and decorate trees, book dinners, lots to look at and plan.

The front gardens are getting ready.

Christmas tree outside Fellini Caffe Italian restaurant.

Get fit and healthy with your pills and prescriptions from Tanna's chemists. 

Buy and post your seasonal cards in time for Christmas. This handy reminder is in Tesco Express. Last local postal times 1st class 21st December 2015, 2nd class 19 December. 

Bookings for Christmas dinners:

The moon and Sixpence pub.

 Or Pizza Express.

Or maybe Christmas at home.

A Christmas tree for the table from Tesco, at £3.

Or something from Bella's Blooms:

If you've nothing else planned, yet, Friday December 18th, note the date in your diary, Hatch End charity Christmas street event happens in Hatch End, 4-8 pm, with a sweet cart, Santa's Grotto, a raffle and horse-drawn carriage.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Panettone - all kinds: from Italy, England, Tesco, Morrisons, Caffes, Wine Society

Panettone is a traditional cake from Italy, made at Christmas. I first tried panettone when I was given it at Christmas at Fellini caffe restaurant in Hatch End. My panettone came in a big box. When I received one in a tin, I was much more excited by the tin than the contents.

The panettone looked great, huge. I wasn't over-impressed by the taste. Until this year, when we had the remains of a previous year's panettone every day for elevenses for over a month. Now I'm hooked.

It's like brioche, like croissant, but slightly less over the top with the calories. if you can resist eating a whole one!

I am now absolutely an addict. I look for the piece of panettone with my coffee, the way other people anxiously ask, 'where's the milk', or 'got any sugar'?

Panettone can be presented in a decorated cardboard box, but also in a keep it until next Christmas circular high tin. Handy to keep as a home for any panettone which you buy which does not come in a tin.

The following year I saw several tempting large, luxurious high-priced presentation boxes in another Hatch End cafe. I must admit I was daunted by the price.

Now panettone is in several supermarkets in England.

Wine Society
I also saw pentane in the Wine Society's shop in Stevenage.  They have a catalogue. You have to be a member to buy. I have found it well worth while to have at least one member of the family a member.

This is the one in the Wine Society.

Panettone. Now in England, is ubiquitous. Meaning it is found everywhere.

Morrison's panettone. Best price I've found. Fruit was fine. The 'cake' rather too bland for my taste. I'll try the chocolate next.

Paxton and Whitfield Panettone. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Morrison's Panettone
This week I have tried two. The cheapest was only £2 from Morrison. Cooked in their bakery in the Hatch End branch of Morrison, that quintessential English supermarket. What was good about Morrison's panettone? The irresistible bargain price.

What about the taste? The sultanas. Large sugary sultanas.

The label says it also contains currants and candied peel. I haven't yet found that. But today I had a small piece.

(If you've read my posts before, or met me, you will know that I attend Toastmasters International. We are taught to commend, recommend, commend. Praise, add a suggestion, for improvement, praise. In other words, I do not rant and rave. I damn with faint praise.)

However, if you want more of a melt in the mouth egg flavour, you might try a panettone from Italy.This one says Antica Ricetta which I presume means ancient recipe.

This was ours in England.

This tin says Merry Christmas.

This tin says 'panettone classico'.

Plenty of information, which you can translate with guesswork, or on translate Google.

Panettone in Singapore

Similar from Cold Storage in Singapore, catalogue on their website, scroll down beyond sweet treats,

Singapore $31.350 for a 1000 gram size.

https://coldstorage.com.sg/media/uploads/pdf/cs_catalog_2015.pdf

Americans can use the Panettone circular high tins as popcorn containers, or vice versa, use a popcorn container to store panettone. 

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author and speaker.

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Valentine's Day Deals At Fellini Restaurant

On special days such as Valentine's day you usually find owner Andrea beaming in the restaurant welcomingly.

Here are the Valentine's Day deals. The Earlybird Menu is £21.50 plus a ten per cent service charge. Offer only available at table from 5 pm to 7.45 pm. Offer price not applicable if you are a the table after 7.45.  

Since you don't know the speed of the service and cooking on these early bird offers, in order not to be rushing and looking at your watch, I always try to get in early. Who would want to eat early? People who are wary to rise and early to bed, elderly people wanting to avoid the crowds and noise, people who want to get home before it gets dark and late, anybody on a budget.

Not for you? Then there's the four course menu, £31.50 plus ten per cent service charge including a glass of champagne on arrival. Feb 14th is a Saturday. 

Any other alternatives? Yes, celebrate Valentines all weekend - Friday evening out and Saturday night at home. 

Or, Saturday lunch out and feel good all day on Valentine's Day. 

Alternatively, a card on Saturday promising Sunday lunch out. 

Or Sunday evening out.

Where To Go For New Year's Eve Restaurants North London and Lunch New Year's Day

LIST BY LOCATION

Ruby's Restaurant & Bar (see my previous post)

Christmas Pudding at Ruby's Restaurant, Bushey Heath.

Casa Mia Restaurant in Hatch End.

BUSHEY HEATH
www.rubysrestaurant.co.uk/specials_at_rubys.php
£50 including drinks New Year's Eve
Ruby's Restaurant, 81 High Road, Bushey Heath, Herts, WD23 IEL
tel:020 8950 8231
rubysrestaurant.co.uk


HATCH END
Fellini New Year's Eve dinner and Dance live music
£70 plus 10% service charge.


RUISLIP
Hawtreys Barn Hotel Ruislip
Hawtreys is already fully booked for New Year's Eve but you can have the same menu in the Cromwell Room.

Alternatively:
New Year's Day lunch at Hawtrey's Restaurant in The Barn Hotel, £29.95 three course meal including tea and coffee. Add a glass of sparking wine £5-£10.


WELWYN
The Wellington at Welwyn
New Year's Eve £75.

Fellini Restaurant in Hatch End.

LIST BY PRICE

NB - Check whether drinks, coffee and service are included. Adjust price if drinks are not included and you wish to drink bottled water, juices, alcohol and coffee. Allow for 10% service charge, any higher service charge listed, service not included, or more generous tip.

RUISLIP

New Year's Day lunch at Hawtrey's Restaurant in The Barn Hotel, £29.95 three course meal including tea and coffee. Add a glass, or two glasses, of sparking wine £5-£10 = £40 each person.

BUSHEY HEATH
www.rubysrestaurant.co.uk/specials_at_rubys.php
£50 including drinks New Year's Eve
Ruby's Restaurant, 81 High Road, Bushey Heath, Herts, WD23 IEL
tel:020 8950 8231
rubysrestaurant.co.uk

HATCH END
Fellini New Year's Eve dinner and Dance live music
£70 plus 10% service charge(Including service = £77).

WELWYN
The Wellington at Welwyn
New Year's Eve £75.

Too dear? Have a pub lunch at Wetherspoons Hatch End. You must book.

If you are outside the area, or considering going to different restaurants, you could draw up a chart or grid with locations down the left and prices listed on the right.

Fellini Restaurant Magic of Calabria Dinner and wine tasting in Fellini Restaurant, Hatch End (Harrow) NW London

Andrea, the owner of Fellini Restaurant, delighted to welcome you.

Angela Lansbury, local author, bon viveur.

What's the Italian for bon viveur? Google translate says buon viveur.

John, far left, Fellini's collaborator on importing wine from Calabria, the toe of Southern Italy.

A birthday party. Wow - that's some candle! Can you blow it out?

The walls of the restaurant are painted with tromple l'oeuil windows, but we were too distracted by all the evening entertainment to notice.

Happy couple in Hatch End.

This is the lady who I describe in my previous post. She had demonstrated making pasta, then rolling pasta to the thin-ness of a piece of spaghetti, creating a hole down the centre with a straw. I presume the girl she's hugging is her daughter.

Sugar bowl and chocolates at Fellini restaurant in Hatch End.

Link to Come to Hatch End website, Twitter and Facebook.

More pictures being loaded up. Come back shortly.

www.felliniacaffe.co.uk/

Angela Lansbury is a travel writer, author, comic poet, caricaturist and photo-journalist.

See more about Angela Lansbury the author on Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube (on restaurant etiquette).

FELLINI RESTAURANT Magic of Calabria Celebration

When we booked a four course dinner including wine for £30 per person at Fellini's Italian restaurant we thought it sounded good value. We had no idea it was going to be such a fun evening, like a cocktail party followed by an Italian wedding!

Andrea, genial owner of Fellini restaurant, welcomes everybody with Italian gusto.

Four wines from Calabria, the toe of Italy, the homeland of the restaurant owner and genial host Andrea, were offered to the diners at the Magic of Calabria dinner. Two red wines and two whites.

Convivial seems a suitable word.

VIP guests Conservative councillor Jean Lammiman, centre, with her husband and fellow councillor John Hinkley, on her right, front of picture. Residents of Harrow, and those who work in or visit the area and patronise the shops and restaurants hope she will help us save Harrow Arts Centre which is threatened with closure. Meeting this Thursday to try to save it.

For me the highlight of the evening was the novelty of watching pasta being rolled around a straw of wheat, to make a tube of pasta like a hollow drinking straw with  a hole down the middle, created when you pull out the wheat.

Here she is rolling out the pasta.

And here's the straw making the hole down the middle of the pasta.

What a happy family. A jolly birthday party with the birthday boy at the top of the table front right. Want to see more of the jolly girl giving us thumbs up on his right?

Are we having a good time? Yes!

For a birthday there's a musical fanfare to get attention and a dramatic candle to blow out. 

A great place to celebrate a birthday, or any small dinner or big party.

www.felliniacaffe.co.uk/

Post being written - I'm trying to add the video so come back soon for more great pictures.

Fellini restaurant fun - The Magic of Calabria - In Hatch End, North West London

Yesterday, November 10th 2014, Fellini was promoting an evening with Barry Cryer, the comedian who lives in Hatch End. Tonight, 'Fellini proudly presents The magic of Calabria'.

CALABRIA
The flyer says Calabria is Italy's sunshine region. Looking at the map, it's the toe of Italy.

  Tickets cost £30 and for that you get 'a delicious four course meal with free glass of wine. Plus meet the wine maker and the pasta grain farmer'.

 Book early to avoid disappointment they suggest. The event starts at 7 pm. So if you are interested, call now.

FELLINI

About Fellini Acaffe Restaurant Hatch End

www.felliniacaffe.co.uk/

Also today:
Yapp brothers Tasting. (See next post.

Angela Lansbury
Author, travel writer, comic poet, caricaturist. See YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Lulu.com for books by Angela Lansbury

JOLLY PICTURES OF THIS EVENT IN NEXT POST INCLUDING HOST AND BIRTHDAY CAKES!

Calabrian Citrus Wine, Calabrian Diamonte Lemon, and Sukkos (Tabernacles)

I looked at a publicity flyer for Fellini restaurant's Calabrian wine dinner in November 2014 and started researching Calabrian wine, then wondered what about Calabrian food? I found a sweet white wine with a citrus aroma and/or flavour mentioned, so when I saw the Wikipedia list of Calabrian foods the first one I turned to was the lemon, the engagingly named Diamonte lemon. Apparently it's named after a town named Diamonte. And the lemon is exported to israel and elsewhere to help Sephardi (Spanish origin) Jews decorate the Sukkos which is a temporary structure, like a small hut or canopy often in the grounds of synagogues or gardens in private houses, attached to the back wall of the house, decorated with hanging fruit built every year to celebrate the harvest (Sukkos or Sukkot). 

This is what Wikipedia says:

The Diamante citron (Citrus medica var. vulgaris^[1] or cv. diamante^[2] − Italian: cedro di diamante, Hebrew: אתרוג קלבריה‎ or גינובה) is a variety of citron named after the town of Diamante, located in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, on the south-western coast of Italy, which is its most known cultivation point. This is why this variety is sometimes called the "Calabria Esrog", the Hebrew name for the citron.

Many religious Jews call it Yanova Esrog (Genoa citron), because of a long association of the fruit with the trading port of Genoa in northern Italy, that exported it to other countries.

Calabrian Wine at Fellini, Tuesday 11 Nov, £30 ticket.

Fellini restaurant and caffe, Hatch End.

The entrance to Fellini restaurant.