Taste the Local Flavor. A blog about British Pub

In the past couple of years there has been a great resurgence of British Pubs. Like to the craft beer craze, the pub industry is experiencing a small revolution. Local ingredients, as well as historical culture used to create authentic pubs.  This is great news for you because although you may not be familiar with every type of food that is being served in a traditional British Pub. You sure as hell know how to get hungry while at one of them!

In the summer months visitors from far and wide come to enjoy the cosy place of Brook. Before they go they leave behind memories that will last a lifetime. While you may never have been, you need to visit the place to experience the food. At Brook British Pub we have worked hard to create a list of recognized outstanding pub foods and drinks. We hope you enjoy it!

The Brook British Pub, in Cambridge, is a hidden gem right on the doorstep of Cambridge. Within easy walking distance from where you are likely to find your college campus. This cosy, atmospheric place serves up some of the best food in the area. British Pubs hits the nail on the head when it comes to providing our customers with top-notch pub experiences. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best food, atmosphere and service. It all starts with our food and drink which is fresh and bought from local market. Our friendly team of chefs prepares food for the customers according to their taste. We pride ourselves on giving all our customers the unique opportunity to enjoy.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and there are few things more visual than pub food. The smell of frying bacon and toast wafting through the air as you order your pint is an experience in itself. It creates the atmosphere for any party you organise. So when you’re deciding where to grab an outdoor meal or a drink at a local pub. It’s wise to choose something that has good reputation with customers. There are plenty of reasons why people love visiting British pubs. It’s the only place where making new friends to meeting new people, enjoying a great time is at the top of the list.

The most popular reason to go to a pub is to try something new. Food from another country, an atmosphere different from your own, a craft or two. Many people who live in the U.K. don’t have a favorite place to go out because there are too many options. Too many different types of pubs, too many different types of food. So you can fast forward through the days until you decide which one you want to visit.

When you decided to go to a pub then drop in at our Brook pub in Cambridge. Here we serve the best Sunday Roast, Onion Bhajji and many more curries. One can indulge in tasting ur finest wines, Cask Ales, Beers and other bevergages. If someone is not in a mood for a drink then they got options to choose from teas, coffees or juices. We are planning to sart a new section of cocktails soon in our bar which we will update in our facebook.

We have a crazy go of orders for food pickup each day due to the pandemic. Still most of our customers are coming in to enjoy their food at the pub. We are following all the governemnt rules of social distancing for the safety of the people. We are happy to say that our doors are once again opened for the people and would love to see the local customers more. We miss the energetic vibrations that comes from you all while watching the game our big T.V in the premises.

When you travel, there are many things that can make or break your experience. It isn’t the language or the food (although those play a big part) but also the people’s attitudes and sense of style. There is something very British about the idea of a local pub. It is a tradition dating back hundreds of years in some parts of the world. Although it might not be everyone’s first thought. We mjust consider where to eat after a foreign trip, a proper British pub is well worth a try.

English Countryside Pub Food: A write up of the classic Brook Pub has to offer.

Going to a pub is a day out for Englishmen. A proper English meal, a proper pint and proper night’s rest can be the reward for an exhausting day in the office or an exciting day out on the town. Pub food is served Sunday – Thursday 12-11 Pm and Friday – Saturday 12 to midnight, but there is a list of suggested pairings that goes with each dish so you can get the full Brook experience.

Despite being situated in the heart of Cambridge, Brook Pub Food is small and bohemian. The menu changes occasionally but includes everything you’d expect from a local gastro-pub. The Indoor area is speckled with wall paintings and littered with cushions and high chairs from when previous customers have left for the day. The interior is delightfully atmospheric, with warm lighting lending a cosy glow to the listening gallery, Indoor bar and live T.V. If you fancy an intimate atmosphere with fine dining as your winter soundtrack, then come on down to Brook and indulge in some of the best traditional British pub food.

This guide to Cambridge’s greatest pub food highlights the finest dishes made by our chefs with the local ingredients and produce. Sit down under the stars with your mates for a good night out on real ale or wine from the local cask, and enjoy some very special food from some of Brook’s favourite menu. Be surprised by what you discover; our knowledge is quite extensive yet you might find something new, or familiar, that you didn’t know about the area.

A visit to Brook will always be a delight. Not only is the pub itself a pleasure, but the atmosphere and surroundings are conducive to a good time. Everyone should try their hand at some of the delicious traditional pub food; the range is extensive and includes vegetarian and vegan options. You’ll also discover some of the oldest, finest spirits at the Brook pub while you imbibe your favourite type of beer from the Brook Pub garden – around which there is a wide variety of food as well as local news and entertainment. The Brook pub is also one of the most unique and delicious neighborhood joints because of the food and the environment. 

Even if you haven’t visited Brook yet, you’ve most likely heard of it. They’re one of the top pubs in the UK, and well known for their delicious food and quirky atmosphere. It’s also worth mentioning that they offer some of the best food offers in Cambridge!! After visiting Cambridge on holiday, One can vouch for this – as our food is worth tasting for!! So, without further ado, here’s my pub food write up. Hope you enjoy…

Outdoor Beer Pub Garden | Brook Pub Cambridge | British Pub food

Summer is an appropriate time for Outdoor Beer pub gardens for people to gather with family and friends; we can also increase sales in winter when it comes to outdoor pubs. Most of us love to spend time in the outdoor space, even in the cold weather, as long as they are kept warm and dry. We can have heaters, blankets, and hot water bottles in the garden to make it cozy. It’s a good idea to give the customers the experience of both the weathers.

Some may opt to cover the garden area with canvas or cannoli in various sizes and shapes. Thinking of constructing a permanent structure would cost a lot than using these flexible and less cost-effective cannolis and canvas. It brings in the joy of enjoying the cold under the temporary roof with heaters on the side to keep them warm. Suppose one is planning to get a permanent structure to be built covering the entire beer garden. In that case, it’s always good to leave some space open on the roof, allowing the cool breeze to flow inside during summer then transformed into a cozy winter place with rugs or other materials to close the roof.

We all love games, especially when organized outdoors like music nights, Karaoke, Poker games, etc. would be great. If you are looking for the best outdoor garden experience, then The Brook Pub in Cambridge is the place to visit. Customers love our services, and they come very often with family and friends. We always get fresh ingredients from the market for preparing the curries and salads. We are also noted for serving Indian dishes like Chicken curry, beef curry, onion bhaji, chicken 65, etc., and various Italian dishes like beef lasagne, mushroom risotto, etc. We are known for our finest Wines, Cask Ales, Beers, Gins, and Whiskies. Some of our customers may not like alcohol, and we do have something for them like cocktails, teas, and coffees. There is always something to drink for everyone here.

The British people are known for their food, fashion, Universities, and culture all through the globe. There are over 60,000 pubs in the U.K where some of which have two bars, one being the Indoor bar and the other Outdoor bar. Today, customers head to the pub to enjoy alcohol and food and relax and spend a good amount of time with family and friends. We at the Brook Pub entertain our guests with Live Sports on T.V placed at the premises. The local customers are regular visitors to the pub as they love to watch their favorite sports on T.V and enjoy their drinks. In addition, it allows them to meet new people and talk about various topics.

As our pub is situated close to the University, we see many students hanging out at our pub with friends enjoying British pub food or evening snacks. A great place to enjoy food and beer after a college break. Our customers are free to give their views on our pub and food, allowing us to make changes for a better environment. We serve through our hearts and try to give 100% to our customers.

Next time you are here in Cambridge, make it a point to stop by the Brook pub to enjoy your evening.

U.K. Pub Market Bounce Back

The year 2021 has brought new hopes to people all around the world. Many businesses have bounced back positively following a catastrophic year in 2020. People have come up with very innovative new ideas as well as crowd appeal.

2020 A year of Loss for the Pub Market:

In 2020, the U.K. Pubs saw a heavy loss due to the pandemic. The main reason for consumers not visiting pubs are:

  • Not to visit busy places
  • To reduce the spread of the virus
  • Its much cheaper to drink at home.

A big challenge for pubs is to take safety measures for the customers. Nearly 11% of the people don’t feel like going to a pub, so the remaining are willing to go if they are assured of the precautions taken. When asked what safety rules they would like to see in pubs for the foreseeable future, the answers were:

  • Maintaining social distance while seating
  • Hand Sanitizing stations
  • Contactless payment only

Now Pub Market is back in action to recover the lost revenue in 2021:

Markets worldwide had seen many ups and downs in 2020, but the availability of vaccines in early 2021 has given the confidence to bounce back. The reports say that this year 2021 will see a growth of 104% in the U.K. pub market, reclaiming the loss seen due to coronavirus.

The pub owners have come up with various solutions depending on the unfavorable variables. However, most of them have expanded their outdoor garden using creative skills, introduced fast delivery services and easy payment methods. Trying to elevate such things will encourage the customers to visit pubs over the coming months and bring the pub market loss.

There has been a very high demand for takeaways post lockdown. Nearly 16% of people have purchased takeaway beer, and 76% will do so if such services remain. 14% of customers have ordered cocktails to takeaway, and more than 80% will do post lockdown. As much as 45% of pubs have elevated their outdoor space and invested more to improvise their outdoor pub garden area. They have introduced heated, well-sheltered outdoor space for the customers to enjoy their time without transmitting the virus. We need to use better technology to provide good and fast services to the customers during this pandemic.

One way to increase orders is to update the menu and add on some fresh salads at our Brook Pub. We have given a new twist to some of our dishes and included new ones too. We are also planning to start cocktails soon, which will be updated on our Facebook. Finally, we included dart games for our customers as few events are put to a temporary halt. We have the best outdoor space to enjoy fresh air, drinks, and pub food and create memories. It’s also a pet-friendly place, so do get your pets to spend quality time with them in an open space.

Our Outdoor garden area is open to hosting birthday parties, small get-togethers, etc.; Pre-order your food and have fun with your celebrations while our cooks prepare the best dishes for you. Join us on Facebook to get more updates as we are looking forward to starting new events and food soon. Our customers are the best critics, and we love to hear your feedback to improvise on the menu and the ambiance. 

 

The Best British Sauces

Food connects people in the world, especially when we are talking about various flavors. The British are very passionate about their food and their sauces. There are multiple varieties that people love to eat with their meals, and they are well aware of what Sauce goes well with the dish.

The British sauces differ slightly from other countries, and one can find many varieties of dips that can be seen elsewhere. Let’s check out the most British Sauce consumed by its people.

  • Worcester Sauce: 

Made this Sauce around 1840 A.D in the city of Worcester. It has a unique flavor that combines vinegar, molasses, garlic, anchovies, tamarind pulp, chili, pepper powder, sugar, salt, cloves, soy, lemon essence, and pickles. One can enjoy the Sauce over a sausage, chops, toasted cheese, steaks, etc. Sometimes we can raise the taste of some dishes like meat stews, casseroles, pies, soups, and marinades by adding this Sauce. The popular drink classic Bloody Mary is prepared by adding a little Worcester sauce. 

  • Marmite Sauce: 

This Sauce is a somewhat sticky, dark brown paste with a powerful smell and flavor of salt. This food spread is made from yeast extract. A teaspoon of it is added to French onion soup for extra flavor, Bolognese, and meaty stews. Most British people apply this paste on the whole chicken while roasting to get golden salty skin. Sometimes can use the spread on toasts and poached eggs, cheese sandwiches, or crackers.

Even though this spread is widely used in various dishes, it also has a wrong side: high sodium content. If used on a large scale, then one can suffer from hyponatremia or sodium poisoning.

  • Mint Sauce:

It is a sweet and sour sauce that was used a lot during medieval times in Europe. It’s made with chopped spearmint in vinegar and sugar. One can use fresh mint to get the extra fresh flavor. This Sauce cannot be used as a spread on chicken for roast due to its sweet and sour taste. As many new sauces have come up in this modern era, people tend to use less mint sauce. There are few pubs and restaurants that still serve mint sauce even today.

  • Ketchup: 

Who is not aware of this finger-licking sauce “Ketchup.” Anywhere around the world, you go this Sauce plays an integral part in fast foods. Made with simple ingredients like tomatoes, sweetener, and vinegar, mixed with other seasonings and spices like onions, allspice, coriander, cloves, cumin, garlic, mustard, cinnamon, ginger, and sometimes celery.

In the U.K, Heinz is the top company that produces the maximum ketchup. Ketchup is also known as tomato sauce by the British people. It is eaten with chips, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, wedges, etc. I guess we can eat it with pretty much any starters.

  • Brown Sauce:

The name itself says that it is a dark brown color sauce that is quite popular in Britain. The ingredients are simple to find in the market, such as tomatoes, molasses, dates, apples, tamarind, spices, and vinegar. Sometimes raisins or anchovies are added to get a distinct taste. It tastes sweet and peppery, similar to Worcester sauce. Many places make this Sauce, but the best one comes from the Daddies brand from Britain. It is used on sausage rolls, bacon sandwiches, fish & chips, and a full English breakfast.

  • Piccalilli:

It’s a mix of Indian pickles like chopped pickled vegetables and spices. The British have a recipe that contains different vegetables like cauliflower, onion, and gherkin. The seasonings used are mustard and turmeric. This mix has everything from vegetables to spices to color. The rich yellow color attracts many to taste the dish, and all love it. First, made the mix a bit chunky and later made it into a smooth paste. It’s eaten with cold meats like ham and head cheese and traditional Ploughman’s lunch served with bread, meat, onions, and butter.

  • English Mustard:

Mustard sauce is famous all over the world. Some of the places serve it with thick consistency while others are in a bit tin. Let it be any form; it still tastes the best with hot dogs, sandwiches, and burgers. English mustard tends to be the most desirable variety globally, with a bright yellow color attracting the eyes. There are many brands now in the market, but Colman’s mustard is famous as a powder in 1814. It will be sold as a ready-made sauce just waiting to be squeezed on your favorite dish in the coming years.

  • Branston Pickle:

It’s a bit similar to Piccalilli sauce that has diced veggies. Still, Branston pickle also includes carrots, onions, and cauliflower pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomatoes, apples, and spices. The British version uses corn syrup while preparing thin Sauce, whereas they use sugar in the American version. So, the British people still go with their original sweet and spicy Sauce with chutney-like consistency. One can find some sandwich shops selling cheese and pickles as a lunchtime option. This spread can be made with significant veggies or as a small chunk to spread on the bread.

  • Liquor:

The name itself makes people think that liquor is used in the preparation. It’s not correct as it is made with parsley and eaten with London-style Pie and mash. Adding the Sauce to pie and mash is confusing, but sellers think they go well with the dishes and earn extra money.

  • Bread Sauce:

Two simple ingredients: bread crumbs and milk combined to form the Bread sauce. This Sauce is eaten with Turkey or roast chicken. We can add onion, salt, cloves, mace, pepper, and bay leaf to bring in more flavor. Sometimes the fat that oozes out of the roasted chicken can be added for additional taste. To get the best bread sauce use slightly stale bread as one can use leftover bread without throwing it.

  • Gravy

It is a sauce that is usually in liquid form. It is made from juices of cooking meats that are mixed with wheat flour for texture. If one wants to color the gravy and add flavor, we can put in some gravy salt made from salt and caramel food coloring. We also get ready-made cubes like OXO and powders like Bisto that can be used instead of gravy on meats and vegetable extracts. We can eat the Sauce with Sunday roast, Pie & Mash, and Chips.

There are so many sauces around the world that explain their Culture, Country, Region, and Heritage. People might use the same ingredients for a sauce, but the style of preparing it differs. In this modern and ever-growing world, we try out many new dishes, curries, and Sauces to please our appetite by adding extra ingredients, but one thing does not change at all, and that is the base of the Sauce. The British do love their food topped with juicy, sticky, sweet, and sour Sauce.

In Brook Pub, we prepare the best sauces from fresh ingredients brought from the local market. Our cooks understand that the newer the ingredients are, we can make the best Sauce. We are open to know more about our customers’ different dips as we think each one has its twist. 

Come In to enjoy some of the main course dishes served at the Brook Pub in Cambridge, along with our finest wines and beverages.

Tips on How to Taste Wine

Most of us love Wine as it’s an exceptional drink. Many of them enjoy the drink to welcome various occasions like birthdays, marriages, and family events. Still, very few of them like to evaluate the Wine. So, if you want to learn a few tips on evaluating a glass of wine, check it out like an expert.

Before you taste a glass of Wine, first, you need to check out the environment. So let’s follow the wine tasting tips below.

Good Tasting Surrounding: 

The first thing to note is the surrounding conditions while Wine tasting leaves you with an impression of the Wine. If the place is crowded with people making noise, you cannot concentrate fully on the taste. Sometimes a perfume smell or some cooking smell can disturb your ability to get an unmistakable taste and sense of a wine’s aromas. One more thing that can affect the taste of Wine is when the wine glass is small or wrong in shape, sometimes the smell of dust can also be a reason.

Apart from all these, the temperature of the Wine and the age leave you with an impact. Even if you ate any food or drank anything just before wine tasting, it could affect the taste as it leaves residual flavors. We need to neutralize the tasting conditions to enjoy the Wine giving it a fair chance. We should enjoy Wine at room temperature; if it is served too cold, make it warm by cupping the bowl. If the glass has a stale smell, rinse it with Wine rather than water. Swirl the Wine on all sides of the bowl like conditioning the glass. The more powerful aroma is the perfume, so try to be as far as possible.

  • Sight evaluation:

Once you have settled down in a fresh air environment, your next step is to examine the wine closely. The Wine must be one-third complete, and now follow the steps to evaluate it with our eyes.

Straight Angle View:

When you have Wine in your glass, the first thing to do is to look into it, then lift the glass and hold it to the light. Next is to tilt the glass allowing the Wine to roll and cover the edges. This way, one can get to see the full-color range of the Wine. The depth of the color explains the density and saturation of the Wine. It helps us to understand the grapes used by just seeing the color and scent. If the saturation levels are more, it leaves a black-purple color, and if lighter, it shows pale brick color.

Side View:

This view tells us how clear the Wine is. The center of the Wine is always dark unless you see through the side of a glass. Sometimes it might look unfiltered or sedimentary, but still, if the Wine looks clear and sparkling, then its a good sign.

Tilted View:

To know more about the weight and age of the Wine, you need to tilt the glass so that the Wine thins out at the rim. If the wine color is pale, then it’s not strong, and if the color is brown for white Wine or rusty brick or orange for red Wine, then it’s old.

Swirl:

They say that swirling is not for beginners; to swirl the Wine well, you must keep it firmly on a flat surface in freestyle. While swirling the glass, check for tears on the sides of the glass. If you find more tears running down the glass, it says more alcohol is present. These wines are riper and dense than those that are not.

  •    Sniff Evaluation:

Once you viewed your Wine in different side views and swirled, then it’s time to give a good sniff. Swirl the Wine well and take short sniffs rather than burying your nose into the glass. The quick short sniffs allow your brain to filter the data about the Wine.

Wine has many fragrances, which are both good and bad. The wine bottle holds many components, and naming all the flowers, fruits, herbs, or scents can be fun. But, let’s not waste so much time while enjoying a glass of wine. Just sniff the Wine and look for the aromas that you can guess to understand the Wine’s characteristics better.

Wine Flaws:

Nothing in this world is flawless; the only thing is that we need to be more careful without our product. If the wine is corked, it will give a smell of an old attic and leave a taste of a wet newspaper, and cannot fix such flaws. If a wine is bottled with a strong dose of SO2, then the Wine tastes like burnt matches.

Some use of vinegar is acceptable, or it will leave a volatile acidity taste; if you get a nail polish smell, they use ethyl acetate. So we need to learn these flavors to know what fruits and flowers are used. The discovery you make and like is the fundamental way to choose your Wine.

Fruit Aromas:

If you don’t get any weird smell from your Wine, look out for fruit aromas. Wine is made from various grapes like white or yellow, or black, to smell fresh fruit and the variety of grapes used unless it is too cold, old, or sweet. It also tells us about the grapes’ climate, if it is a cool climate, moderate or warm.

Wine Barrel Aromas:

When Wine is stored in Barrels, it leaves various tastes like Vanilla, Chocolate, espresso, smoke, roasted nuts, and caramel. Wine taste also depends on the way the barrels are made, age, type of oak used, and the way the Wine is mixed in the barrel by the winemaker

Secondary Aromas:

Sometimes you can smell beer in white wines and sparkling wines when they are young due to yeast. Some of the dessert wines have a strong smell of honey due to noble rot trying to balance the taste with other fruits.

Some of the wines have caramel or buttered popcorn smell as the Wine underwent a secondary, malolactic fermentation process that converts malic to lactic acids. It softens the Wine giving it a pleasant aroma. If the Wine is old, the smell becomes complex as one can senselessly fruit smell. However, if the Wine is fully matured, it explodes with exquisite taste, leaving pure pleasure.

  • Evaluating by Taste:

During tasting time, do not take a mouth full of Wine and try to sip in a little, then spread the Wine evenly in the mouth to understand the taste and texture. As we have already learned how to sniff a wine, one can find the aroma of fruit, flower, herbs, barrel, etc.; we are mostly trying to use our taste buds to know a well-balanced wine, its complexity, and harmony, and its maturity.

Balanced: 

What do we mean by a balanced Wine? First, we need to look into the essential components like sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Two tastes that are common in Wine are sweet and sour. We never come across salt taste in any wines, but bitter taste is seen due to the presence of tannins. Coming to the dry wines, we can find mixed flavors of sweet, sour, and bitter. So we cannot detect anything just by the smell.

All wines do not follow the same method in the making or formula, and they must always balance the flavor. If the Wine is very sweet or sour or too hot or bitter or has no acid, it is not a balanced wine. It should not be a young wine or old, so check for the best Wine properly.

Harmonious:

When all the flavors are integrated well, then it is called Harmonious. In young wines, not all the components are in the right portion, and if they do, it will become a great wine. If one cannot feel the blend, then it’s not a good sign. On the other hand, if the proportion of elements is used correctly, it’s an excellent wine-making sign. It tells that the young Wine is coming together with flavors harmoniously.

Complex: 

Smelling and tasting Wine is a complex process. As you keep learning, it will become easy for you to recognize the taste. Those new tasting wines recognize the tastes as ripe, intense vanilla and Jam fruit flavors from different barrels of wines. Most of them relate to them as knowing the flavors. Sometimes good wine brands also have such flavors oozing out that might not sound complex.

Coming to complex wines, they seem to dance in your mouth and tend to 

 change its flavor while tasting. The complexity comes with the age of the Wine, and it tells that it is a good one or not. Nature and Wine are closely related, so we need to enjoy every sip of it with love. Don’t just quickly sip in. Let it dance in your mouth before you go for another sip.

Complete:

A complete wine includes many things like balance, complexity, harmonious and evolution. In addition, it has to satisfy the taste buds attracting attention as they have more to offer in terms of training and pleasure.Now that you got some tips try out few wines and maintain a book where you can write your wine tasting journey and adventures. Pin down the tastes of the Wines that you liked and disliked can help you choose the right Wine. So, now you have learnt how to choose Wine on your own. Cheers !!!

We understand what wines are loved by our customers and purchase them from a trusted seller. The Brook Pub serves some of the best British Pub food that goes very well with the Wine and other beverages. So ensure to visit our Brook Pub in Cambridge to spend quality time with family and friends over drinks and food. Check our website for more information on timings as they sometimes change due to the Government orders, but we are still a phone call away from taking your orders. So make a call at 01223 410023 and make us your new local.

 

All About Wines

The light, fresh and bright red juice from the grapes has produced the finest wines in the World. Wine has become an important part of celebrating good times, daily gatherings and marriages. It is known that the first Wine originated in Georgia way back in 6,000 BC. The first ground the grapes and took out the juice; then, they buried it underground for the Winter. Many of us wonder why it is named “Wine”. Wine is an old English word “win”, and many believe that it is named after the Greek God of Wine, Dionysus.

One thing is for sure that no one can resist a good wine as it’s the most delicious thing to drink. Anyone should enjoy the drink in moderate amounts to maintain good health. The oldest drinkable Wine is the Speyer Wine, dated back to 325 AD – 350 AD. It is found in the casket in the grave of a Roman nobleman and his wife. The country that has the best wines to taste is France. It is listed on the top of a chart as a great wine-producing country. Other than Italy that stands first in producing Wine globally, the French stand second in producing Wine.

What are the Five Types Of Wines?

Wines come in various flavours, colours and textures. Many of them love to sip sweet Wine, and others are a little bit crisp and dry. First, let’s know all about Wines, the type of grapes used, and the process of making various wines.

White Wine:

This Wine is made with a variety of grapes, and various methods are used along with the correct ratio of residual sugar. White Wine is made mostly from green and white grapes or a little yellow like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Sometimes we can use coloured skin grapes for the different flavours it produces.

We have many types of white wines; among them, Dry Wine is less aromatic and has a tangy taste as it is completely fermented. On the other hand, sweet wines are interrupted during fermentation before all the grape sugars are converted to alcohol, known as a fortification. Thus, white wines are enjoyed mostly with dessert or as a refreshing drink between meals.

Red Wines:

Many of them love Red Wine because of its rich texture, colour and taste. It’s an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. The sugar in the grapes reacts with the yeast to convert into ethanol, carbon dioxide and heat. The World produces different wines with different tastes; this is because of the different grapes and yeast.

Some wines are not made from grapes, and they use additional crops for fermentation like rice wine and fruit wines such as Cherry, Currant, Plum, Pomegranate and Elderberry. Wine has been made for 1000’s of years; some say the earliest Wine is from China dated back to 7000 BC, others say Georgia 6000 BC, Persia 5000 BC and Italy 4000 BC. Today the five places with the largest Wine producing regions are Italy, France, Spain, the United States and China.

Wine has a strong connection with religion. For example, red Wine was associated with blood by the ancient Egyptians. Italy, Spain and France also have a heritage connecting them to their past culture and traditions. 

Rose Wine:

The name Rose Wine makes us feel special because of its colour and beauty. The Winemaking from Rose dates back to ancient Greece when red Wine was popular and pale red.

The Greeks and the Romans made the first Rose wine. They tried many recipes until they figured out the procedure to separate red Wine from their white Wine. In the 6th Century BC, the pink rose became the talk of the town in Southern France. The first Rose wine that became popular was Mateus rose in 1943. The colour was very appealing to women and younger generations. It has got a sweet, slightly sparkling taste.

What’s the difference between Rose Wine and Red Wine?

The red grapes used for making red Wine are also used for rose wine. The same procedure is followed for both wines, but the fermentation time is less with grape skin for the rose wine. As the contact with the skin is less, it leaves a rose pink hue and lighter flavour than the red Wine.

Rose wine is sweet with a fruity or dry taste and can be paired with savoury or rich dishes. It contains an alcohol content of 12 % ABV average. One sweet rose wine is the Moscato wine with a low alcohol content that is much loved with desserts and appetizers. Pick the best rose wine by selecting from a trusted region, and it should be a recent vintage; check if it is sweet or dry, check for the colour, and choose your grape.

Dessert or Sweet Wine:

 Dessert or Sweet Wine is the same as other wines in the market. They are enjoyed during or after desserts. They are usually sweet with good flavour and high alcohol content. However, many of them phrase it as a “Sugary Ring”, leaving a bitter impression on their minds. As time has changed and people are more health-conscious, drinking such sugary sweet Wine might increase their insulin levels. Dry wines are not so sweet and are enjoyed with main course dishes, whereas dessert wines take the centre table.

Some of the dessert wines are Madeira, Sherry, Port etc., with an alcohol content of 15% or more. To get that extra sweet, they use the late harvest grapes to build more sugar content. Then, later in the fermentation period, they halt the process so that the yeast does not eat up all the sugar.

Dessert or Sweet wines are more on the sugary side but come with many variations. They are made from red or white grapes and can be sparkling or still, dry or sweet. So, think twice about what you are looking for in a Wine? Is it the colour or the taste or both !!

Sparkling Wine: 

It’s a wine that has a good amount of carbon dioxide to make it look fizzy. Sparkling Wine is known as Champagne, and the word is reserved as it’s produced from the Champagne region of France. These wines are white or rose in colour, but you can also find sparkling red wines. The taste can either be too sweet or dry.

The sparkling effect is due to the carbon dioxide present in the content and left either in a bottle or in a large tank for fermentation. Many other regions are known to produce such wines, but France stands on top of all. The other regions that follow are Italy, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and the United States.

One problem with sparkling Wine is the presence of bubbles. No one understood the formation of such bubbles that has led to many bottles burst suddenly. In addition, during winters, the fermentation process stops and starts once the climate gets hot, this allows the rise of carbon dioxide gas and a cork is used to control the sparkling effect.

Acquiring knowledge of various wines and their characteristics have given us more choices as per the taste. Some might like their wines a bit dry and others sweet. What is the Wine you love to taste? 

Tasting a wine needs an experience that comes when one works closely with wineries. We need first to see the colour, smell it, then swirl it around the glass’s edges to see the colour change rather than the dark colour in the centre and then sip it. Experts examine the Wine in various views like side view, straight angle view and tilted view. It helps them to know if there are any chemicals or fermentation problems in the Wine. 

We at the Brook Pub choose the perfect wines for our customers from trusted sellers around the World. We understand that a good dish always needs the finest Wine to go along. Most of our customers are from the local community who spend their time watching sports on our big T.V screens, drinking beer and enjoying our food. Our updated menu brings in more surprises for the food lovers as we have given an option for a few dishes to be prepared according to the customer’s level of spice intake. So who wants to try something hot?

Ensure to visit our Brook Pub in Cambridge to spend quality time with family and friends over drinks and food. Check our website for more information on timings as they sometimes change due to the Government orders, but we are still a phone call away from taking your orders. So make a call at 01223 410023 and make us your new local.

The Brook Pub – Best Selling Food on the Menu

We all know that the British people love their food very much. They tend to cook with their heart out using healthy meat and vegetables. Though they are not into many spices before they tend to change with time and incorporate some spices of their own changing the dish from bland to much more. Meat is mostly eaten in Britain when compared to vegetables as they have the finest of produce in the market. There are many popular dishes like Fish and Chips, Yorkshire Pudding, English Breakfast, Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes etc. One vegetable that is much used in cooking along with the meat is the potatoes. They tend to roast or boil the potatoes and then mash them.

The name Roasted Chicken itself tells us that it is prepared on hot fire. In old times the chicken was marinated with spices and herbs before it was attached to a spit and hand-turned. Most of us don’t follow that method anymore and cook in a more convenient way, that is in the Oven. So technically we can call it baked meat rather than roasted ones. Most of them choose the male chicks over the females as they are required to lay eggs. The original recipe was from France during the Medieval period during the 12th century. It was first made as a stew and later started to roast the meat using spit skewers.

Let’s check out how to cook some of the Best Selling British Dishes:

Roasted Chicken:

A roasted chicken is everyone’s favourite and can be enjoyed any time of the day. To pair it with a glass of wine or chilled beer saves the day. The ingredients that we need for this recipe are roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped carrots, 1 chicken about 1.5 kg/3lb 5oz, lemon sliced, a small bunch of thyme and soft butter. For making the gravy we need chicken stock and 1 tbsp plain flour. Preheat the oven to 190C/fan, 170C/gas. Make a shelf ready and do not place any shelves above it. Take a roasting tin, scatter the onions and carrots over the base. Place the whole chicken and season the cavity with salt and pepper, stuff it with two lemon halves, and a small bunch of thyme. Apply butter on the outer skin and season it with salt and pepper. Place it in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins till a perfectly roasted chicken is done. 

Once it is cooked take out the chicken leaving all the juices in the roasting tin to prepare the gravy. While the chicken is resting we can prepare the gravy by placing the roasting tin on low flame, then stir in 1 tbsp of flour until lightly brown, then add the chicken stock, a little salt, stirring all the time until the sauce is thickened. Once the gravy is cooked remove it into a serving dish which can be poured on the chicken for some extra juices.

Chicken Caesar Salad:

A salad that is most loved by people all over the world as comfort food. The salad was named Caesar as it was invented by an Italian man named Caesar Cardini. It was invented in the late 1920s which is loved even till today. The original recipe has only six elements and they are full stalks of lettuce, raw egg, olive oil, croutons, parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce.

 Many changes have been made to this recipe adding some extra ingredients. The ingredients needed for this salad are 4 thick slices of white bread, olive oil, skinless, boneless chicken breasts and lettuce. For the dressing, we need 1 garlic clove, 2 anchovies from a tin, medium block parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and white wine vinegar. Cut the bread into pieces and add salt and fry them in a pan or bake them for 8-10 mins turning till they are brown. Take the chicken breast and rub it with salt and olive oil. Fry the chicken in a pan for 4 mins on each side. For the sauce, crush one garlic clove, mix the mash of 1 anchovy, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar and salt for taste. Place the lettuce in a large bowl, pull the chicken into bite-size strips and scatter over the leaves, then add the croutons. Now pour the dressing as much as you like and toss it with your fingers. Then sprinkle the parmesan on top and all set to eat.

Traditional British Sunday Roast:

A Sunday Roast is often cooked and served on Sunday’s. It first originated in Britain as a meal that was eaten after Church. People such as  Roman Catholics and Anglicans would fast on Sunday’s before the services and later break the fast with a large meal. The other reason is most of them ate meat only on Sundays and the other days ate vegetables and fish. It is made from meat and potatoes served with accompaniments such as stuffing, gravy, Yorkshire pudding and condiments like apple sauce, mint sauce, redcurrant jelly etc. Potatoes are most commonly used when one thinks of roasted meat but we can use many more vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, peas and parsnips. These can be steamed or boiled or roasted along with the meat and potatoes.

Sunday Roast holds a special place in the British culture and the meal is compared to that of Christmas dinner. There are other names for this dish such as Sunday Lunch, Sunday Dinner, Roast dinner and Full roast. The type of meat used for cooking a Sunday Roast are the chickens, lamb, pork or beef. During the season duck meat, turkey and other birds may be used. The potatoes can be cooked along with the meat to absorb all the juices and the flavours or it can be cooked separately with the Yorkshire pudding in a hotter oven. 

No matter what meat you use and the vegetables, the flavour of the dish is always spectacular. Even today in most of the pubs in Britain a special Sunday menu that features a Sunday roast will be there. 

So many dishes to taste when you’re in Britain and what more than visiting our Brook pub where you can choose the best dishes and enjoy. This place is even loved by kids and the younger generation as they have their own menu to choose from. We know what kids want and tend to prepare the dishes accordingly. Apart from the above dishes we also serve Italian and Indian according to the spice levels of the customer. Our opening hours are from Sunday – Thursday: 12 – 11 pm and Friday – Saturday: 12 pm to Midnight. Kitchen hours are from Monday – Saturday: 12 pm to 10 pm and Sunday: 12 pm to 9 pm. 

We also serve various drinks starting from Beers to Wines, Whisky, Gin, Rum and Cask Ales. Local customers like to hang out here to enjoy the Euro football match in our wide T.V screens placed all over the premises. This gives them more joy to shout out and support their teams. Those who are not much into T.V can play games and we are also planning to incorporate many more events in the coming months. Just check out our social media account for more updates.

Our staff understands what our customers need and their food is prepared according to their spice levels like less hot, medium hot or spicy. Our spices are prepared at home and all the sauces too. We use fresh local ingredients and produce every day to place the best dish on the table. So, if you love to try out some of our awesome food and drinks do come into the Brook Pub in Cambridge and give us the chance to serve you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Desserts At The Brook Pub Cambridge

Deserts are something that everyone craves to eat all the time. Each country has their own unique desserts and method of making them. The most colourful platter that we see in a restaurant is always the Deserts. One can be so playful with the ingredients, flavour and colour. We always dream that deserts are soft texted cakes soaked in syrup, covered with fruits, dry fruits and edible flowers.

Most of them follow the old school process while making desserts even if it involves more time. Let’s see some of the best British Desserts:

 

  • Chocolate Fudge Cake: 

 

The name itself allows us to get indulged in chocolate. This cake was first originated in 1764 by James Baker. He ground the cocoa beans in millstones to create this delicious cake to fulfil people’s sweet tooth, which is now one of the best-sold desserts in the U.K.

The name Fudge cake means moist cake which is a single layer covered with dense chocolate. It can be served with or without icing as per the taste. The ingredients for preparing are butter or margarine, sugar, vanilla essence, egg’s, flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa and hot water. Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another. Then add cocoa, hot water and beat into a batter. Bake it at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 and 35 minutes. The best chocolate fudge cake is ready.

 

  • Sticky Toffee Pudding:

 

A pudding that can steal your hearts. It’s always listed in every British menu as a top seller dessert. It’s easy to bake and quite impressive with the sweet sticky texture. Pudding is a type of cake made with dates, flour, water, baking powder, soda, a pinch of salt, unsalted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, vanilla ice cream or sweet whipped cream. The sticky toffee sauce is made with heavy cream, unsalted butter, corn syrup and granulated sugar.

The dessert is served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It may have originated from the lake district or from Aberdeenshire but still, it’s the most loved dessert by all. It’s popular in Australia, Ireland and Scotland.

 

  • Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake:

 

Who doesn’t like cheesecake? It’s one of the most loved desserts around the world. Now enjoy a creamy slice of cheesecake and know about it’s story. Cheesecake has made its name from the ancient Greek time during the 15th century. In the early days, cheesecakes were made with fresh cheese pounded smooth along with flour and honey. The patties were then cooked in an earthenware griddle. At the beginning of the 18th Century British started to make changes to the original recipe, they used beaten eggs instead of yeast and emerged in tart form with a pastry base.

In Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake we use digestive biscuits, freeze-dried raspberries and melted butter. For the filling, we use frozen raspberries, lemon juice, caster sugar, full-fat soft cheese, eggs, double cream, vanilla bean paste and white chocolate. Grind the biscuits then add butter and mix well, pour the mixture into a tart tin bowl and level the base. Add all the other ingredients to a bowl and pour it into the bowl and level it. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C and place the bowl into a roasting tin covered with 2 ½ cm hot water on the sides of the tin. Bake it for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until the edges are set.

Each Country in the World has their own way to create the Desert. Italians use more Ricotta cheese, the Greeks use Feta cheese, Germans prefer Cottage cheese and coming to the Japanese, they use a unique combination of cornstarch and egg whites. We can use other ingredients like Blue cheese, Seafood, Spicy chillies and Tofu. One thing that is important in cheesecake is wheat, cheese and sweetener, they are the base ingredients for any cheesecake.

 

  • Ice Cream Sundae:

 

 What better way to end a meal than by enjoying an Ice cream. There isn’t anyone in the world who would say no to an ice cream especially during hot summers. Some people love to eat even in the cold winters and rainy days but summer is the right time for ice cream.

The name Sundae came from an owner of a soda fountain who created this dish with various flavours of ice creams topped with chocolate sauce and cherry. It was sold for nickel during the initial days. This ice cream was sold only on Sunday’s because of its popularity. Now, we love to create Sundae ice cream with different flavours topped with sprinkles, whipped cream, marshmallows, peanuts, cherries or fruits.

To enjoy the above desserts, you need to visit our Brook Pub. We prepare the desserts fresh every day from local ingredients. Our kitchen is open from Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 10 pm and on Sunday it’s open from 12 pm-9 pm. You can place an order at any point after selecting the item and don’t forget to note your table number. Now sit back while our chefs prepare your dishes back in the kitchen. 

Apart from food, you can enjoy sports on our big T.V screens. As the Euro football fever has already started from June among the people, many of them seem to enjoy it at our pub. This allows them to cheer for their favourite teams, meet new people and start a conversation on random topics.

During this pandemic, we are adhering to all Government rules by maintaining social distance, sanitizing the place and regularly monitoring the staff’s health. We want to bring a family atmosphere into our community pub through our food, drinks and good service. Those who love games can play the new Dart game that we have just updated in our Pub. In the coming months, we are planning to add a few more things to our pub and to know more about it just check our Facebook page. Do come in to enjoy our service of food and drinks.

The Brook Pub – Beer

Water is the first drink consumed the most globally, and the second to it is Beer. It’s the oldest one among the alcoholic drinks consumed widely by people.
Starting days, made Beer from malted barley, wheat, maize, rice and oats. Most of the beers are brewed with hops added to it with a modern touch to bring in bitterness and more flavour to the drink. Hops indirectly act as a stabilizing agent and natural preservative. Instead of hops, we can add various flavours like fruits or herbs for more taste. They use forced carbonation instead of natural one when it comes to commercial brewing.
Let’s Know All About Beers:
  • Draft Beers:
This Beer is not stored in bottles or can’s instead they are served from a Cask or
Keg, a Keg is different from a Cask. A Cask has a tap hole near the top, and a spile hole on the side used to condition the unfiltered Beer. A Keg has a single opening in the centre of the top to which a flow pipe is attached. Cask beers are stored at a cellar temperature of 12 degrees C (54 degrees F). If you open a cask, it must be consumed within three days. A Keg beer should be cooled at temperatures between 3 to 8 degree C (37 and 46 degree F) before they are served.
  • Cask Ales:
An Ale is brewed from traditional ingredients, then fermented in the container and later dispensed to be served. It’s a known fact that Cask and Bottle conditioned beers are real Ale’s as they are served from the container in which they have undergone the secondary fermentation.
  • Beers:
Beer has more water quantity than other liquors. Each region’s water tastes different due to the mineral components present. Depending on the various regions, each one has got their taste giving a regional character.
The first main ingredient is water, malted barley that works as starch to convert into alcohol, then comes the brewer’s yeast for fermentation, hops to add flavour. Secondary ingredients like maize, sugar or corn can be used as a substitute for malted barley. Starch sources that are less used are millets, cassava root, potato, agave etc.;
Many Brewing steps start from malting, lautering, boiling, fermentation, conditioning, filtering, and then packing. In the past, the brewing process used to take more time because of the old equipment and methods. Now, the present brewing equipment is more sophisticated than covers complete access to the brewing process.
After mashing the grains, we must boil tthe wort with hops in a copper or brew kettle, and then the liquid goes to the cooling stage at a temperature of 20-26 degree C (68-79 Degree) before adding the yeast and then fermented in vessels. Fermentation can be done in three ways like warm, cool and wild. They are done in open or closed vessels. In warm fermentation, yeast such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae are fermented at a warm temperature between 15 and 20 degree C (59 and 68 degree F). In cool fermentation, the Beer is brewed at a temperature of 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). The Beer is stored for weeks at a freezing point; it is called as lager. Beers are brewed in Brussels and cooled in open vats. It allows the yeast and microbiota to settle down and then left in oak barrels to mature for three years.
Lagers are stored at cellar temperature or below for 1 to 6 months. The whole process of storing, conditioning, ageing at low temperature for a long time is called lagering. In Secondary fermentation, the yeast settles at the bottom, leaving the product less hazy. In bottle fermentation, the Beer undergoes extra fermentation giving natural carbonation. The third stage of Cask Ale is fermented in metal, plastic or a wooden cask. The Ale is poured from a tap or pumped up from a cellar via a beer engine from the cask. Beer can be aged by storing in barrels for long days. It is called barrel ageing, and the result it produces various tastes.
We at the Brook Pub serve various draft beers and ciders like Carling, Amstel, San Miguel etc. Most of our customers love bottled beers for its extra fermentation flavour. We serve a large section of cold beers such as Corona, Budweiser, Old Mout, Icebreaker, Heineken etc. One can enjoy many other drinks like Gin, Whiskey, Vodka, Rum and Wine. Those who don’t drink can order soft drinks like J2O, Red Bull, Appetiser, Ginger Beer, Fruit Shoot, Coke and Lemonade Pint.
A cold beer and freshly prepared food are just what is called heaven on earth. One needs to try out the Brook Pub special starters like Chicken 65, Grilled Chicken Wings, Onion Bhaji, Brook sharing platter and many more. We serve salads made with fresh ingredients from the market. Most of our customers like to order Chicken curry or Beed curry for their main course, and coming to vegetarian dishes, people love our Panner Makhani.
If you are in Cambridge and looking out for a Sports Pub, you must visit our Brook Pub as the locals here love to watch their favourite football match live on T.V. screens. The Euro Cup starting from June 10th till July 10th is something that no one wants to miss and what good way to watch it on our big T.V. screens in the outdoor garden. Grab a chilled beer and make yourself comfortable in our indoor sitting area or the outside beer garden indulging in a conversation with family and friends.
We do serve Sandwiches, Panini’s, Deserts, and a special menu for the kids to order as per their choice. We always keep track of our customer’s reviews and amend the changes to provide a better service. Come In to taste some of the finest beers, wines, ales and many more drinks from our menu. Our updated food course will make you happy to taste some of the best British Pub food as well as Indian and Italian. We are known for our best service, food and drinks, so next time you are in Cambridge you need to visit The Brook Pub to experience all these.