Top UK Food Bloggers #Infographic

Check out this list of Top UK Food Bloggers...there seems to be a few like this floating around at the moment....but as it seems that I made it in at number 47 for my vegetarian recipes I thought I'd share this particular one! There are some interesting facts about bloggers' motivation and reasons for blogging, and I've discovered a few new foodie friendly blogs too, so it's worth a look.

 
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The Red Hot World Buffet Manchester

A Food Lover's Fantasy

My daughter Megan lives in Manchester and one of her favourite places to dine is the Red Hot World Buffet.  So when I was offered the chance to review the chain I was only too pleased to take Megan and her two sisters for a Sunday lunchtime buffet.

We arrived at 2.30pm and there was a queue to get in.  It moved quite quickly though as families were directed to tables or diverted to the bar area.  The restaurant is housed over two floors and we were seated on the second floor in a really attractive dining area with decor from Mexico.  It was really modern and funky, bright and spacious.  We were served by our waitress who took our drinks order and explained the buffet system to us.

The restaurant prides itself on serving a huge range of healthy, fresh dishes that are replenished regularly.  Diners pay a set fee which allows them to visit the buffet as often as they wish.

The buffet area is huge with dedicated areas such as Indian, Italian, Chinese, Tex-Mex, Starters, Salads and Desserts.  Up to forty chefs are busy cooking a selection of the 300 dishes and keeping the food topped up.  There are  ten live stations where you can get food cooked to order.  Megan had an Asparagus Risotto freshly cooked in front of her.

As we are all vegetarians we were really impressed with how many veggie dishes were available to us, however a V sign on the labels would make it easier to identify which foods are suitable for vegetarians.  Kizzy almost piled her plate with Calamari thinking they were some sort of fancy onion rings.  A veggie friendly symbol would have avoided this mix up!

The food is beautifully presented with some dishes ready served into little bowls, others in big lidded serving vessels and some on platters.  It really is a treat for the eyes for any foodie!

The temptation is to go for a big mix and match plateful of different cuisines, and although I promised myself not to do this, I couldn't resist adding more and more tasty offerings onto my plate making a combination of Indian, Chinese, Italian and Tex Mex dishes.  I did actually enjoy having a little bit of everything and sampling all the different veggie food.

My favourites included Paneer Mather, Chinese Noodles, Thai Vegetable Curry, Four Cheese Pasta, Corn and Spinach Gratin, Spicy Veg Quesadila and Chana Dahl.  The Indian, Thai and Tex-Mex food was really quite hot and spicy and not for the faint hearted.  However, there are plenty of other offerings such as traditional roasts and pizza for anyone who prefers their food mild!

The desserts really were impressive to behold with up to 40 homemade puddings on offer.  A beautifully decorated ice-cream counter served up a selection of flavours including bubblegum, coconut, mango and my favourite banana and caramel.  There were gateaux, cake, brownies, fruits, mousses, jellies, cheesecake, apple crumble and sweets galore to chose from.  Everything was so pretty!  

Dirty plates were collected regularly from the table and we were given a jug of tap water to drink on request.    Lots of waiting staff worked the dining areas and the service was very efficient.

Lunch is served from 12-4pm and is £8.49 during the week and £9.99 at weekends.  Dinner is from 5.00pm -10.30 (or 11pm Friday and Saturday) and is priced at £13.99 (or £14.99 Friday and Saturday).   The later sitting has more food options including a Sushi Bar and Waffle and Pancake Station.   Children under 10 are half price.  Drinks are priced not included (a small fizzy drink costs £1.75).

Kizzy, who is 9, was charged adult price on the bill and I had to query this with the manager who promptly refunded me the £5 difference and apologised.  So if you take the kids make sure that you specify their age prior to being billed to be sure they are charged the correct price.

I would definitely recommend booking in advance because the place gets so busy, especially at peak times.  However the buffet area is huge and there is plenty of food which is constantly replenished so it copes well with the amount of people dining.

We had a really enjoyable meal with a great range of vegetarian food to choose from.  The Red Hot World Buffet is a slick and impressive operation that well deserves the string of awards and accolades it has achieved over the last couple of years.  I don't think anyone would be disappointed with the range and quality of food available.  Restaurants are located in Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Northampton and Manchester.

To find out more visit the website at www.redhot-worldbuffet.com

*We were given £30 towards our bill for the purpose of this review.*

My Secret Kitchen

My Secret Kitchen is the UK's first food tasting company, run by husband and wife team Clare and Phil Moran. Creating fabulous food, fantastic flavours and inspiring recipe ideas, they make meals more amazing.  The innovative products are sold by consultants who hold food tasting events in people's homes, giving their friends and family a chance to try and buy the products.  The products are also available online at the website mysecretkitchen.co.uk.

Food enthusiasts will love the exclusive range of My Secret Kitchen products.  New products have been launched as part of their Autumn/Winter range which will please foodies no end!

White Wine and Porcini Finishing Sauce has been launched as an accompaniment to white meat and fish. I love the fact it has been made using vegetable-based bouillon, making it suitable for vegetarians.  That is a really thoughtful touch and something I wish more companies would take note of.  So although it is designed to be poured over white meat, used in fish pie, added to chicken risotto or used to revamp turkey left-overs, it is also perfect for Quorn dishes or for adding flavour to mashed potato or for topping pasta.  The elegantly flavoured sauce combines the taste of Porcini Mushrooms and White Wine.  (RRP £5.99)

Chocolate Peppermint Sauce combines dark chocolate, vanilla and cool, fresh peppermint oil to create a creamy peppermint sauce.  It is a unique topping for profiteroles, can be added to ice-cream and desserts, can be poured over brownies or added to milk to make a soothing hot chocolate.  Alternatively it can be spooned straight from the pot...I dare you not too!  It tastes like luxury in a jar! (RRP £5.99)

Mochaccino Cookie Mix brings together coffee with dark and white Belgian chocolate chunks in a delicious cookie dough perfect for a coffee time treat.  The versatile mix not only makes cookies, but can be used to bake scones, melting moments or biscotti.  Inventive recipes offer delicious suggestions for the mix...but for me, nothing beats baking cookies with the kids! (RRP £5.99)

Other favourite products include Jumping Jack Chilli Jam which is a rich concoction of savoury onion and chilli with a dash of Kentucky Bourbon.  My Ian loves this as a pickle on cheese, where its rich and exceptional flavour and sticky consistency complements the tang of mature Cheddar perfectly.  It can also be used as an ingredient in soup or sauces or as a glaze to meats.  It is another versatile product from My Secret Kitchen. (RRP £6.49)

The range of products is inspiring and also includes the Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix, the Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix and the Lemon and Bergamot Shortbread Mix.  The recipe ideas are really inspiring with ideas for making the products into a variety of new dishes.  Great for inventive cooks as well as novices who want to make quality food in their own home.

If you fancy trying these products by hosting your own home tasting event, where you can also enjoy an array of rewards, contact My Secret Kitchen.  Details are here!

Also if you are a foodie who is interested in generating extra income as a consultant, full details are here.

You can also buy direct and find out more about this range at the My Secret Kitchen website.  This is an exciting company that I am delighted to have discovered!  The website makes me drool!!

Kent's Kitchen

Kent's Kitchen is an online stockist of quality, authentic food kits for foodies who want amazing food but don't have the time to make it from scratch.  Healthy, delicious ingredients are sourced and combined to give homecooks a shortcut to create gourmet meals quickly and easily. Just add a few components and you 'll be serving up culinary creations that are sure to impress.

I was given the opportunity to try out some products from Kent's Kitchen.  They have a great range of meal kits and risotto mixes, as well as gravies, stocks, sauces,  rubs and marinades.  I picked a Korma Meal Kit and a Wild Mushroom Risotto Mix.

The Korma Meal Kit comprised of a pot of curry paste, a pot of curry spice and a pot of garlic infused oil. All you need to do is add coconut milk, vegetables and chick peas to make an authentic vegetarian curry that generously serves two. It retails at £2.50. I love the presentation of the product.

The Risotto Mix contains a blend of gourmet ingredients including Arborio rice which cooks up into a delicious, rich, flavoursome risotto.  Just add water and a knob of butter.  For an extra special meal you can add cooked mushrooms. One pack is enough for two generous starters.  It retails at £2.40.

I love the idea of being able to make gourmet quality meal without the fuss!  My foodie daughter Meg is home from university over Easter which gave me the perfect opportunity to make us a delicious risotto for lunch.  It was as simple as melting a knob of butter, coating the rice, gradually adding 600ml of warm water until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is softened.  We added cooked mushrooms before serving.

The result was a deliciously flavoured risotto with a deep mushroom flavour and a peppery kick.  Megan who  enjoys good food said it was as good as risottos she has had in restaurants.  It served us both easily with a generous portion each.  I was really impressed that we had such a tasty, hearty lunch for just £2.40!

Kent's Kitchen stocks eleven different meal kits for Thai, Indian and Chinese cuisines.  The Risotto is available in five flavours which includes the wild mushroom and a vegetable variety which are both suitable for vegetarians.

Check out the website for more information on the company and the complete range of products which are available to purchase direct.  Postage and Packing is free on orders over £20 so you can stock up on  their delicious handmade and homemade products.  Everything is made, mixed, packed and labelled by hand.  You won't find any artificial additives, preservatives, flavourings or colourings. Kent's Kitchen can change the way you cook offering shortcuts to culinary magic.

Kent's Kitchen have a Facebook page too...pop across and say hello!!