It’s Friday!  Who doesn’t feel like enjoying a cocktail with friends after a week at work?  Why not give your happy hour a twist this Friday and go international?

Here are a few of the most popular cocktails from around the world:

USA  – The Sazerac

Said to be the oldest cocktail in the United States, this old faithful has been around for over a century.  Orginally mixed with absinthe, although banned in the US, now all you need is a chilled glass, one cube of sugar, three drops of Bitters and Pernod to prewash your glass.

Bermuda – The Dark ‘n Stormy

Gosling’s rum has copyrighted the ingredients and the name.  Orginally a tiple among pirates, the British Royal Navy got wind and added spicy ginger beer over ice.

Italy – The Negroni

Named after Count Camillo Negroni who asked or something special in Florence one evening, the gin cocktail was born.  Negroni Bar in Florence is the place to taste this drink, but why not give your guests a break from all the G&Ts and try something new.

Why not try one this weekend? Or two? Oh, OK, who are we trying to kid?  We’ll call it research…

There comes a time when we must ask ourselves “What’s the catch?” in this case, however, I can assure you there is no need whatsoever.

Catalan Chef Sergi Arola has opted for a vision of simplicity to fight back against the crisis making Michelin-starred food available to any budget.  His restaurant in the centre of Madrid currently offers a Lunch Menu for just €49!  Don’t be led to believe the quality of food is under par; the set menu offers delicious bites like the fillet of sole, on toasted onion bread with a sun-dried tomato and boletus gratiné (€48 à la carte).

Arola admits his brain works the same as that of any small business owner and that it was high time they implemented some sort of plan to cut back on costs.  His plan is working wonders.  By introducing a menu, lowering prices and changing opening times (the even open for lunch on Saturdays and offer a €25 children’s menu!!) the restaurant is reaping rewards and Arola gives thanks for the most part to his foreign clientele.

Visit the web and make a reservation today!

It’s time to set your skin free, dust away the winter cobwebs and get ready to soak up some sun.  Is there anything olive oil can’t do?  This magical substance can literally be used for everything; it is so good you may feel the need to spring clean/throw away all of your other products!

Here is the most complete guide you will find for preparing your body for the months to come…

-Nails – Smooth and shiny nails are a springtime must, soak your fingertips in a bowl of olive oil for 20 minutes.  Dab off any excess with a paper towel and massage the remaining oil into your cuticles.

- Hands – Harsh winds and icy temperatures will have battered your hands, moisturise in some olive oil before you go to bed and slip on a pair of cotton gloves.  By morning all signs of winter will have completely disappeared!

- Lips – The dreaded mixture of wind and heating have cracked and dried your lips.  Avoid perfumed balms that work for 5 minutes at best and gently dab your lips with olive oil for an irresistibly soft.

- Feet – Your feet have been wrapped up for months, moisturise with olive oil gently for 30 minutes, this action will distress your mind and body… your feet will thank you for it too.

- Skin – For beautiful, lustrous, silky soft skin nothing works better than an all over olive oil massage.  You will de-stress and nourish your skin at the same time.

You may well have a few too many this Paddy’s Day but don’t worry, yes, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is meant to be green.  Turning the world’s most famous monuments green is all part of a campaign started in 2011 by Tourism Ireland to boost the number of visitors to the Emerald Isle by literally giving them the “green light”.

Last year monuments such as the Sydney Opera House, the Moulin Rouge and the Burj al Arab in Dubai got into the spirit of things and turned green.  This year is set to be bigger and better with Niagara Falls, Table Mountain in South Africa and the Leaning Tower of Pisa joining in with the craic so keep your eyes peeled!

Have you noticed that new, industrial-chic bar on the corner?  The one with the stainless steel countertops, exposed beams, corrugated metal and the salvaged industrial furniture?  If that sounds familiar you may be asking yourself “If there are so many bars like that, why are they so busy?  What makes them special?”  Maybe it’s not just the décor attracting the in-crowd.  It could well be due to the fact that they have gone and jumped on the Craft Beer-Bandwagon… It would appear that the beverage is making its comeback.  A drink once considered suitable only for the 50-year-old-flat-cap-wearing-farmers is now a full-on trend and it’s easy to see why.  We may all know beer is the third most popular drink after water and tea, but it’s the packaging which has always inspired and amazed…

Check out the powerful packaging designs making Craft Beer a very cool choice… Thanks Topdesignmag.com for the images.

Russian jewellers Fabergé, famous for their precious egg-shaped jewels, have launched The Big Egg Hunt in London.

200 giant eggs created by an incredible array of designers, artists and architects are hiding in and around the capital city waiting to be discovered.

The scheme is aimed at raising money for the charities Action for Children and Elephant Family, and all entrants stand a chance to win The Grand Prize Egg – a Fabergé 18 carat gold Diamond Jubilee Egg valued at over £100.000.

For more info and to eggsplore all 200 of these eggsceptional designs, click here!

The tasting technique is simple; chefs recommend popping the balloon with your tongue and sucking out the helium. What better way to celebrate this American delight than with a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

Ever wondered how to carry out an olive oil tasting?  Here we will show you step by step how it’s done.  Before you can awaken your senses to the world of oil, you must first learn how your senses work.

It is a common myth that we taste only with our tongues when in fact our tongues are only able to taste sweet, salt, sour and bitter.  The real flavour comes from aroma and for this we need our sense of smell.

Pour a tablespoon of oil into a tapered glass.  Cover with your hand and swirl the glass setting the aroma free.  Uncover the glass and deeply inhale the perfume.  Another common myth is that the colour of the oil defines the strength; dark oil is robust while pale oil is mild.  This is in fact false, only upon inhaling the oil can we determine the true depth.

Next, sip a little oil and then ‘sip’ in a little air, this is done to spread the oil around the mouth in order to fully taste and smell the oil.  Repeat to fully savour every nuance of the oil.

Finish by swallowing the oil to see if there is a stinging sensation in the throat.

Visit www.oliveoilsource.com for more information on the wonderful world of oil.

A group of young designers led by Ami Goodheart and featuring two Project Runway alums have come together to blur the lines between food and fashion.

The intricate, delectable collection named “Hunger Pains” would not look out of place on the catwalk.

Celebrated photographer Ted Salabrese is the man who has brought these delicious dresses to life, and a team of 15, who can only be described a culinary tailors, put in the painstaking hours to create each mouth-watering look.

We bring you Pain au Chocolat and the Artichoke and Red Cabbage Diva.  Bon appétit!!

Yes! Olive Oil Chocolate Mousse to be exact.  Impress even the most gourmet savvy dinner guest with a simple yet ingenious little recipe combining sweet and savoury.

You will need:

6oz 70% dark chocolate

5 large free range eggs

6 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cognac

A few pinches of fleur de sel

4 sprigs of candied thyme

Here we go…

1. Slowly melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of water on a low heat (a.k.a. a bain-marie) once melted, set aside to cool slightly.
2. Take the 5 eggs and separate the yolks from the whites – save these for later!  Take the yolks and whisk together with 4 tbsps. sugar until thick and smooth.
3. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the egg yolks, little by little, so as not to cook the yolks.  Add the olive oil, cognac and a pinch of fleur de sel. Fold in.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and add the remaining 2 tbsps. sugar.  Continue whisking until stiff.
5. In 2 or 3 batches, fold the whites into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula and continue to fold until no white mixture remains.
6. Divide the mousse into four portions – Martini glasses are ideal serving vessels.  Cover, and place in the fridge until the mixture is set.  Around 4 hours.
7. To serve, garnish with another pinch of fluer de sel and a candied thyme sprig.

Et voilà!  Chocolate heaven!