News & Stories

Isle-of-Wight-Distillery

A Little Piece of Victory
A Little Piece of Victory 1382 922 Taste of Portsmouth

Award-winning oak-aged gin recently launched on board the HMS Victory…

The Isle of Wight Distillery’s limited edition Oak Aged HMS Victory Navy Strength Gin recently celebrated its second release on the 7th May, having been aged for a further seven months. The gin was launched at a special event held on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The Distillery, in partnership with The National Museum of the Royal Navy, has been working to produce a unique Oak Aged Navy Strength Gin which has been aged in oak barrels, containing original oak from HMS Victory herself. This gin contains a higher concentration of botanicals resulting in a more intense flavour. The first batch was released in October 2016, with two further barrels to be released in due course. Its Oak Aged Navy Strength Gin recreates the style of that drunk by Naval officers who served in the Battle of Trafalgar. The four barrels have been created by England’s only master cooper, Alastair Simms. This limited edition batch is now available to purchase online at isleofwightdistillery.com and a percentage of all sales will go towards the ongoing restoration of HMS Victory. The next (third) release will be in two years and the fourth release in four years on the 7th May 2021.

The Isle of Wight Distillery recently attended the American Distilling Institute (ADI) Spirit Competition where they won the Bronze Award for their Oak Aged Gin as well as a gold award for ‘Best in Category International Navy Strength Gin’. Bottoms up!

Top-Five-Fish-and-Chips

Top Five Fish and Chips
Top Five Fish and Chips 1500 1000 Taste of Portsmouth

It’s national fish & chips day, so we thought we’d share with you our top 5 fish and chips stops in Portsmouth.

There is nothing more British than fish and chips. Freshly cooked, piping hot, smothered in salt and vinegar – it simply cannot be beaten! But did you know that fish and chips are good for us nutritionally. They’re a valuable source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins, providing a third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins for men and nearly half for women.

Earlier this year, our team of experts trawled Portsmouth to discover the very best fish and chip restaurants and takeaways. So, if you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting, do yourself a favour and give one, or all of them, a go!



  1. Kingfisher, 10 Albert Road, Southsea
  2. Whistler’s Fine Fish & Chips, Hayling Island (they also have a gluten free option)
  3. Southsea Beach Cafe, Southsea
  4. Loch Fyne, Gunwharf Quays
  5. Village Fish Bar, Gosport
Ice Lollies

Ice Lollies
Ice Lollies 874 1240 Taste of Portsmouth
Ice Lollies

Ice Lollies

A healthy treat to make with the kids and keep them busy over the summer holidays…
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Freeze Time 4 hours
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Avocado Coconut:
  • 113 g Avocado
  • 78 ml Coconut milk
  • 6 tbsp Raw sugar/honey
  • 170 g Sweetened shredded coconut flakes
Strawberry Yogurt:
  • 150 g Strawberries
  • 90 g Caster sugar
  • 500 g Natural yogurt
Fruit Salad:
  • 1 Peach 1cm slices
  • 2 Kiwis peeled & sliced
  • 75 g Blueberries
  • 110 g Strawberries halved
  • 500 ml White grape juice
Summer Fruits:
  • 250 g Summer fruits
  • 100 ml Natural yoghurt or apple or orange juice
  • 1 tsp Honey
Traffic Light:
  • 250 g Strawberries
  • 4 ½ tbsp Honey
  • 3 Large ripe juicy peaches peeled, stoned and sliced
  • 5 Large ripe kiwi fruit peeled and sliced
Chocolate Avocado:
  • 1 Avocado
  • 1 Banana
  • 2 tbsp Raw cacao
  • 2 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice
  • 237 ml Almond milk

Method
 

Avocado Coconut:
  1. Combine the avocado, milk and sugar in the blender and mix until smooth.
  2. Add the coconut flakes and mix together.
  3. Pour into the lolly moulds.
Strawberry Yogurt:
  1. Put strawberries, caster sugar vanilla extract in a bowl.
  2. Crush fruit until roughly broken up and the sugar has dissolved.
  3. Mix in low-fat natural yogurt.
  4. Pour into the lolly moulds.
Fruit Salad:
  1. Snugly arrange some of each fruit in the lolly mould.
  2. Pour enough juice into each mould to just cover the fruit.
Summer Fruits:
  1. Whizz up the strawberries, natural yoghurt (or apple or orange juice) and 1 teaspoon honey in a blender or food processor.
  2. Divide the strawberry mixture between 4 ice lolly moulds, then pop a stick into each one.
  3. Put the ice lollies in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until solid.
Traffic Lights:
  1. In a blender, puree the strawberries and then sieve the puree to get rid of the seeds. Stir 1 ½ tbsp of the honey into the strawberry puree.
  2. Pour the strawberry puree into the lolly mould until each mould is one third full and freeze until firm (about 1 ½ hours).
  3. Repeat the process with the peaches and 1 ½ tbsp of the honey (no need to sieve the peaches) and freeze until firm, then add the kiwi fruit mixed with the rest of the honey and insert the sticks. Freeze until solid.
Chocolate & avocado:
  1. Peel avocado and banana.
  2. Place into a blender with cacao, maple syrup, lemon juice, half the amount of almond milk and blend until smooth.
  3. Slowly add the rest of the almond milk.

Notes

For all recipes: make sure you freeze for at least 4 hours.
Hake Curry

Hake Curry
Hake Curry 1000 667 Taste of Portsmouth
Hake Curry

Hake Curry

One of the most sustainable fish in UK waters, hake surely deserves to appear on your plate more often…
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • Chunk of ginger grated
  • 3 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp Shrimp paste
  • 1 Small red chilli shredded
  • 2 Lemongrass stalks split & bruised
  • 1 heaped tbsp Medium curry powder
  • 1 heaped tbsp Brown sugar
  • Small bunch coriander finely chopped
  • 400 ml Can of coconut milk
  • 450 g Skinless hake fillets
  • 220 g Frozen whole prawns
  • 1 Lime halved
  • Cooked rice to serve

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a wide, lidded frying pan, then soften the onion.
  2. Increase the heat a little, stir in the ginger, garlic, shrimp paste, chilli and lemongrass and leave for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the curry powder and sugar and keep stirring.
  4. When the sugar starts to melt and everything starts to clump together, add the coriander stems, coconut milk and 2 tbsp water, then bring to a simmer.
  5. Add the fish and prawns to the sauce, then squeeze over half the lime.
  6. Pop on the lid and simmer until the hake is just cooked and flaking and the prawns are pink throughout.
  7. Season to taste, adding a squeeze more lime to the sauce if you like.
  8. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Tray Bake Chicken

Tray Bake Chicken
Tray Bake Chicken 1000 1087 Taste of Portsmouth

 

Tray Bake Chicken

Tray Bake Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 250 g Cherry tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp Pesto
  • 6 Ciabatta rolls

Method
 

  1. Put the chicken breasts in a large, shallow roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil.
  2. Grill for 10 mins, then add cherry tomatoes and grill for another 5 mins until chicken is cooked.
  3. Drizzle pesto over the top and serve in grilled ciabatta rolls.

French Yogurt Cake

French Yogurt Cake
French Yogurt Cake 455 594 Taste of Portsmouth

 

French Yogurt Cake

French Yogurt Cake

French Yogurt Cake has been made by French grandmothers and taught to toddling grandchildren since time began. It’s a wonderfully moist, light crumbed, simple cake that’ll make quite the impression come tea time…
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Pot of natural yogurt sugar free about 125mls but don’t be too strict on this
  • 2 Pots of self raising flour
  • 1 Pot of white sugar
  • Half a pot of mild olive oil or vegetable/ coconut oil if you prefer
  • 3 Large free-range eggs
  • Splash of vanilla essence
  • Small pinch of salt
  • Handful of raspberries or chocolate chips blackberries, blueberries, whatever you fancy!
  • Large-ish loaf tin

Method
 

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C. Add your yogurt to a mixing bowl.
  2. Add two pots of flour and one of sugar. Throw in a small pinch of salt.
  3. Add half a pot of oil, your vanilla and your eggs.
  4. Beat until you have a gloriously shiny, fragrant batter.
  5. Pour into your loaf tin. (Be sure to grease the tin if it’s not silicone).
  6. If you like you can add a few berries/chips in half way through pouring, or just dot into the top.
  7. Place them in and poke down until almost submerged.
  8. Bake for 45mins – 1 hour, depending on your oven.
  9. If it’s still a bit wobbly at 45mins, give it 10 more, and so on.
  10. Once it’s firmed up and golden, it’s done!
  11. Pop onto a pretty plate and snow with icing sugar (through a sieve).

Victorious Festival Competition
Victorious Festival Competition 150 150 Taste of Portsmouth

Victorious – the UK’s biggest metropolitan festival – has today (Wednesday) announced additional acts to an already incredible line-up that features headliners Stereophonics, Madness and Elbow.

Drum and bass pioneer Shy FX and frequent collaborator Stamina MC bolster the dance bill. Rightfully known for their riotous party vibes the duo is guaranteed to deliver a proper old-school jungle rave.

Following critical acclaim for last year’s Lost Property, veteran indie-folk rockers Turin Brakes are a welcome addition and with a wealth of material from a back catalogue that numbers 7 studio albums their set is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Indie singer/songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich also joins the bill as does feted newcomer Will Joseph Cook whose brand new album Sweet Dreamer is garnering rave reviews from across the media spectrum.

Famously unsigned Mancunian rockers Slow Readers Club are sure to be a Victorious highlight. Described by the MEN as “one of the most exciting sounds coming out of our fair city” and known for their dynamic live performances their set will be unmissable.

Renowned Canadian folk musician Dan Caplan and acoustic singer/songwriter Matt Wills complete the announcement.

With early bird tickets still available at an unbeatable £30 for Friday and £37 Saturday/Sunday, Victorious Festival remains the most fun for the family available for the price.

For tickets and details go to victoriousfestival.co.uk or enter our competition below.

For your chance to WIN a family ticket to Victorious, all you have to do is answer this simple question:
Can you name one of this years headline acts? A. Knee B. Elbow C. Toes

Isle-of-Wight-Distillery

Award-winning oak-aged gin to be launched on board HMS Victory
Award-winning oak-aged gin to be launched on board HMS Victory 1382 922 Taste of Portsmouth

The Isle of Wight Distillery’s limited edition Oak Aged HMS Victory Navy Strength Gin is now ready for its second release on the 7th May, having been aged for a further seven months, making 12 in total. The gin will be launched at a special event held on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Sunday 7th May 2017.

The Distillery, in partnership with The National Museum of the Royal Navy, have been working to produce a unique Oak Aged Navy Strength Gin which has been aged in oak barrels, containing original oak from HMS Victory herself. This gin contains a higher concentration of botanicals resulting in a more intense flavour. The first batch was released in October 2016, with two further barrels to be released in due course. Their Oak Aged Navy Strength Gin recreates the style of that drunk by Naval officers who served in the Battle of Trafalgar. The four barrels have been created by England’s only master cooper, Alastair Simms. This limited edition batch is now available to purchase online at isleofwightdistillery.com and a percentage of all sales will go towards the ongoing restoration of HMS Victory. The next (third) release will be in two years and the fourth release in five years on the 7th May 2021.

The Isle of Wight Distillery recently attended the American Distilling Institute (ADI) Spirit Competition where they won the Bronze Award for their Oak Aged Gin as well as a gold award for ‘Best in Category International Navy Strength Gin’

Record-Store-Day

Get set for Record Store Day 2017 Castle Road Street Party!
Get set for Record Store Day 2017 Castle Road Street Party! 1170 800 Taste of Portsmouth

The 10th annual ‘Record Store Day’ is taking place on the 22nd April 2017, with independent record stores up and down the country and across the globe, coming together to celebrate their unique culture.

Pie and Vinyl on Southsea’s historic Castle Road, will be central to Portsmouth’s celebrations with the road closed and a street party taking place right outside. The day starts at 8am when the doors open for the folk who have earned the right (by queuing all night!) to purchase some specially released one off records from the likes of David Bowie, Prince and The Doors. See the full list of releases here.

Live music will start at 12pm. A mixture of super massive acts, and introductions to supreme new acts – all with links to the locality, such as Plastic Mermaids from over the water on the Isle of Wight, and local favourites including IDLES from Bristol and homegrown The Magic Gang.

The stage is sponsored this year by Taste of Portsmouth and Mermaids Gin, who will be running their bar, stocked with delights such as Turbo G&Ts and Espresso Martinis.
Considering this is a completely free event to attend, we can’t think of any reason not to go, so see you there!

Ale-ing-Fest

The Ale-ing Fest Beer Festival gets bigger and better each year
The Ale-ing Fest Beer Festival gets bigger and better each year 2000 1333 Taste of Portsmouth

A must for all Hampshire fans of beer, cider, good music, good food and good times! 7th & 8th October

Entry Fee includes:

  1. A free commemorative Ale-ing Fest glass (while stocks last) to take home.
  2. A programme detailing all the beverages on offer.
  3. A token for 1 glass of Beer or Cider.
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