Gourmet Brownie Valentine’s Launch at Poets House – Ely, Cambridgeshire (UK)

I’ve been a fan of Gourmet Brownie since I first discovered Kirstyn and Andrew’s delicious brownies several years ago at one of my local markets. I’ve been hooked on their chocolaty goodness, crisp crust and rich centre ever since. I can honestly say that some of the best brownies come from their kitchen in Ely, Cambridgeshire. They’re all hand-baked in small batches with no artificial flavourings, preservatives or colourings – just fresh, quality ingredients.

I’m pleased that their signature all-butter brownies are being stocked in an increasing number of establishments and can also be ordered online (keep reading to find out how to get 15% off all Gourmet Brownie orders for Valentine’s Day). It takes an incredible amount of hard work, business savvy and creativity to take a business from strength to strength – and this is precisely what Kirstyn and Andrew are doing, with the help of a small team. So I was elated to receive an invitation to Gourmet Brownie’s launch of their 2019 Valentine’s range. It was held at the fabulous Poets House in Ely, where a group of bloggers gathered at the bar for cocktails and mocktails before proceeding to a private function room.

I don’t think any of us expected to feast our eyes on such a stunning tablescape. We were all impressed by the grazing table of brownies, beautifully laid out on carved wooden boards. The glass vases with gorgeous flower arrangements by Farm Flowers, tall candle holders, crisp white napkins, vintage style cutlery and dyed linen ribbons added to the sumptuous ambience.

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Ely Markets Food Tour – Ely, Cambridgeshire (UK)

On 24 September 2016, I had the pleasure of attending a “meet and eat” food bloggers tour of Ely Markets, organised by fellow blogger Alex Higgs who is doing some work for the markets. Alex was accompanied by Ely Markets representatives Julia Davis and Lisa Quin and took us on a 3-hour tour, sampling the delights of the food and farmers markets.

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ely-markets-foodies

Saturdays are real foodie days at Ely Markets, especially every 2nd and 4th Saturday when they hold the Farmers Market in conjunction with the Food, Craft & Collectables Markets. The Market Square has a food aisle every Saturday, which includes excellent street food and other food traders. I was impressed by the quality and variety of food stalls. I will definitely return on a Saturday morning to do some foodie shopping! Paulo drove me to Ely (just over a half hour drive) but the market is also easily accessible by train. Parking was so easy to find, especially in the morning. The short stay car park has free parking for 4 hours, which allows plenty of time to wander the markets. If you want to spend more time in Ely, then the long stay car park is best.

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We tasted and nibbled our way through various delicious food and drink stalls and by the end of the tour I was happily stuffed!

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Gin Festival – Cambridge (UK)

The Gin Festival took place at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 8-10 April, 2016. Tickets sold out in record time and I was delighted to attend the Friday slot with my husband Paulo. Aimed at gin novices and connoisseurs alike, the Gin Festival was a lot of fun and I enjoyed discovering the fantastic variety of gins in a laid back setting.

Gin Festival Cambridge Crowd

Gin Festival Balcony View

The event was well organised and each ticket holder received a branded balloon gin glass and a handy Gin Book.

Gin Festival Glasses

Collage Gin Festival

All of the gin brands at the festival offered samples but with a staggering selection of gins at 4 different bars (A, B, C or D), it was a good idea to purchase tokens (4 for £20). One token per G&T and two tokens for a cocktail, served at the bar upstairs. The gin-based cocktails included Drunken Tulip, Northern Soul, Rhubarb Rumble, English Garden, Red Snapper and Negroni.

Gin Festival Bar C

Gin Festival Cocktail Bar Sign

Gin Festival Cocktail Bar

I took the time to go through the booklet as it contained information about the gins on offer and which bar they could be found. I also brought my own tote bag to carry the Gin Book and any other promo material I picked up from the brands. It was also handy for carrying my gin glass when I needed to keep my hands free.

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