Blueprint Café embarks on a Great British flavour trail
Shad Thames’s much-loved Blueprint Café has mapped out a quartet of dinners designed to tour some of Britain’s finest flavours. Chef Patron Mini Patel has invited brewers, winemakers, distillers and fishmongers to showcase their products, each supported by a matching menu from Mini. From July to September – and from Fife to Cornwall – these Thursday night dinners represent a gastronomic journey around the nation.
Blueprint Café has collaborated with Tanqueray gin on its summer terrace menu, so Mini’s flavour trail begins in Fife – the only place in the world where the gin is made. On 5th July, Mini will welcome Tanqueray’s Ali Reynolds to team up on a five-course botanical feast playing homage to the four botanicals in Tanqueray London Dry Gin. Utilising ingredients associated with gin, such as coriander seeds and cardamom sauce, the menu pairs a cocktail of Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Beetroot Shrub, Coco Lopez and Thyme with Cheltenham baby beetroots roasted in liquorice sheep’s curds, cobnuts and nasturtium leaves. To finish, Treacle tart, bergamot and Devon clotted cream will be served with a Juniper Prince, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Bergamot Syrup, Fernet Branca and Blush Cider cocktail.
A night of South Downs wines follows on 26th July, when Mini welcomes Nyetimber’s Steffan Griffiths and a clutch of the producer’s choice bottles. Raised by a Master of Wine, Steffan grew up touring Europe’s vineyards and discovered Nyetimber while hosting events in the cellars of Berry Bros. & Rudd. This five-course menu will kick off with Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvée Multi-Vintage matched with Hot, sweet and sour Colchester oysters and also makes room for Baked Cornish sole, gooseberries, preserved fennel and citrus with a glass of Rosé Multi-Vintage.
The next stop on the flavour trail is just 1.5 miles away in South Bermondsey, home to the Small Beer Brew Company. Brewed between 0.5 and 2.8% ABV, their beers represent an entirely new underpinned by great flavour, while cutting out the slow-down often associated with higher- strength products. Co-founder James Grundy will join Mini at Blueprint Café on Thursday 23rd August, when these innovative beers will be matched to five meat-focused courses, including the Original Small Beer Lager with Short rib croquettes with mustard mayonnaise, and the Small Beer Steam with Grilled sirloin of Hereford beef with lovage, sticky brisket, wild mushrooms and dripping-cooked chips.
On 27th September, Mini’s British odyssey concludes all the way down in Cornwall. The region’s fish and seafood supplier Flying Fish will be visiting the restaurant, to bring a flavour of the coast to the shores of the Thames. Drawing the catch of the day from boats in Looe, Brixham, Newlyn and Plymouth, Flying Fish is devising a menu with Mini to accentuate its sparkling-fresh produce.
Cherry-picking top tastes from around the country, Blueprint Café’s Great British flavour trail will see Chef Patron Mini Patel collaborate on one-off menus with Tanqueray gin, Nyetimber, Small Brew Beer Company and Flying Fish. Taking place on Thursday evenings from 6.30pm, the suppers are scheduled for 5th and 26th July, 9th August and 27th September.
Links to all dinners:
Let the Evening Be Gin: https://shop.danddlondon.com/product/minis-summer-supper-club-series-let-the-evening-be-gin/
An Evening of English Wine and Fizz: https://shop.danddlondon.com/product/minis-summer-supper-club-series-an-evening-of-english-wine-and-fizz/
Cornish Fish and Seafood Dinner: details to be revealed soon
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Blueprint Café
28 Shad Thames, SE1 2YD
020 7378 7031 www.blueprintcafe.co.uk | @BlueprintCafe Facebook – @TanquerayGB | Instagram – @tanqueraygb LUNCH
Monday (closed)
Tuesday – Friday: 12pm – 2.45pm
For further information, please contact Natasha Goldsmith natasha@saucecommunications.com or call Sauce Communications on 020 8600 3600
Saturday: 11am – 2.45pm Sunday: 12pm – 3.45pm DINNER
Tuesday – Saturday: 5.30pm – 10pm
Note to Editors
About D&D London:
D&D London is a group of luxury restaurants, bars and hotels based principally in London, but also with venues in Paris, New York and Tokyo. It was founded by Des Gunewardena and David Loewi (the eponymous D and D) in 2006, following a buyout of Conran Restaurants, which itself was established back in 1991. Today D&D London owns and operates over 35 restaurants, with one Michelin Star, and an award-winning hotel.
Nyetimber: http://nyetimber.com/
Small Beer Brew Co.: https://theoriginalsmallbeer.com/
Tanqueray: https://www.tanqueray.com/en-gb/