Ice Cream & Champagne

THE PERFECT SUMMER PAIRING

July is National Ice Cream Month so let’s celebrate all things frozen! You may be pleasantly surprised to discover that Demi-Sec and Rosé Champagnes pair beautifully with ice cream.

Comité Champagne - the trade association that represents Champagne Houses and independent Champagne producers - has revealed a useful guide to chilling and serving Champagne; as well as suggestions for the best ice cream pairings to serve at your summer BBQ or picnic.

For some, Champagne is known more as a prelude to the main event at a party, or alongside hors d’oeuvres. Why not be adventurous this July and focus on pairing your Champagne postmain course with a tantalizing bowl of ice cream?

Before we look at ice cream, here’s a guide to impressing your friends and serving perfectly chilled Champagne:

Chilling Your Champagne

The best temperature to serve Champagne is between 6 and 8°c. For convenience when outdoor dining, the best and quickest way to chill a bottle is to get an ice bucket and fill it with equal measures of water and ice plus a healthy dash of table salt.

Flute or Tulip?

Today, the ideal glass for Champagne is high and bulging enough to allow the bubbles to evolve, but narrower at the top (tulip-shaped) to concentrate the aromas, similar to a wine glass. To appreciate Champagne at its best, choosing the right glass is important, but you must also take care to fill the glasses to a maximum of two-thirds, to be able to smell the aromas, and serve at the right temperature.

Open and Serve Champagne Like a Pro

To open a bottle of Champagne, take the foil off, untwist the wire cage, keep your thumb firmly on the cork, and twist the bottle (not the cork) anticlockwise.

For those with a sweet tooth, who enjoy snacks such as ice cream and cookies, a sweeter style of Champagne such as Demi-Sec should be your go-to. Demi-Sec may be a lesserknown style but it is rapidly growing in popularity.

Interestingly, the sweeter the Champagne, the better the freshness. The sweeter styles maintain the wine’s signature freshness and acidity. Demi-Sec is a Champagne that holds more sugars than Brut Champagne, which is why it works synonymously with desserts, making it the ideal Champagne for National Ice Cream Month.

Likewise, Rosé is also a great partner for ice cream. Champagne lovers are quickly switching over to the Rosé side as they realise the different sweet pairings this wine has to offer.

Here are some delicious Champagne and ice cream pairings to enjoy during National Ice Cream Month:

Vanilla - Luscious vanilla ice cream goes very well with a semi-sweet Champagne, but it’s also an excellent blank canvas for the toppings of your dreams.

Strawberry - Strawberry ice cream pairs beautifully with Rosé Champagne. Not only do these two look great together, but notes of fresh berries complement the ice cream.

Pistachio - This light and nutty ice cream creates a dream team with a slightly sweet demi-sec.

Salted Caramel - Not that there was any doubt, but the reason salted caramel is so fantastic is that sea salt does wonders to balance out the sweetness of the caramel. The only way to improve this already wonderful flavour is with a glass of demi-sec bubbles.

Cookies and Cream - A big favourite among ice creams fans, in this case three’s company when it’s paired with Champagne.

Berry Sorbet - Finally, for a lighter option, berry sorbet is a refreshing treat that is almost just as good as ice cream and partners beautifully with demi-sec Champagne.

Revolve Brasserie

This modern brasserie located in the heart of the city offers up an all-day menu demonstrating the best of timeless brasserie classics with an unashamedly British tone while providing an atmosphere akin to the dining institutions of Paris and New York.

Situated in the award-winning 100 Liverpool Street, Revolve Brasserie is a lively weekday dining venue serving up dishes including a British cheese sharing board and British charcuterie option to enjoy at the chic bar along with classic mains such as coq au vin with smoked bacon, riesling and pearl onions; moules marinière with muscadet, parsley and garlic; and Scottish Black Angus côte de bœuf to share complete with bone marrow on which you can indulge in the modern classic styled restaurant space.

The dining destination transforms on weekends with ticketed chef dinners. A guest chef series offers a unique, rotating line-up of some of the world’s top culinary stars. Introducing the very best regional, and international chefs to the London food scene, bringing with them a new wave of dishes to the menu for you to enjoy with family, friends and colleagues.

Whether you're looking for a light lunch with colleagues or a hearty feast with family, the menu is poised to suit every taste. A selection of small plates, appetisers and salads are perfect for a lighter, but equally delicious experience. All of course remaining within the modern classic model, dishes such as an indulgent beef tartare with Worcester sauce and baguette to be enjoyed as a starter or main course sit alongside chalk steam trout rillettes with créme fraiche and crostini and shellfish cocktail with king prawn, lobster, crab, brown shrimp, avocado purée, pickled fennel and marie rose sauce to deliver an inviting prospect for lunch or dinner.

As the weather continues to deliver, you can also enjoy a table on the extended outside terrace for a true alfresco dining experience. Perfectly paired with one of the exceptional cocktails from the bar or a glass or two of wine from the varied list hosting a selection of both new and old world options, the menu, restaurant space and terrace create the perfect recipe for a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience.

Currently open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, the restaurant has plans to open for both breakfast and Sunday brunches later in the year, so keep your eyes peeled.

THE SURPRISE

Welcoming neighbourhood pub and local landmark since 1853, The Surprise is the perfect spot for a lazy Sunday lunch. The handsome, red-brick freehouse is steeped in swashbuckling history, taking its name from HMS Surprise, the captured French corvette used by the British Navy to sneak up on enemy vessels in the days of Admiral Nelson. Now, this beautifully refurbished freehouse just a stones throw from the King's Road serves up flavoursome British fare alongside a unique drinks menu in a stunning, warm atmosphere.

Kick off your Sunday with a house blend Bloody Mary while you peruse the menu before settling down to indulge in burrata with heritage tomatoes, sherry caramel and mizuna leaves; crispy squid with lime mayonnaise, chilli and coriander; or chicken liver parfait with truffle butter, shallot chutney and sourdough before your choice of roast from a delectable selection. Take your choice from 38 day aged sirloin of West Country beef with horseradish cream; West End Farm pork belly with crackling and apple sauce; Somerset Meadow leg of lamb with mint sauce; chicken breast with thyme and bread sauce; and spring vegetable wellington.

Every roast is served up with a selection of roasted potatoes and carrots, braised red cabbage, green beans, parsnips, gravy, and of course, Yorkshire pudding. If that's not enough, you can order an extra serving from the sides.

A hearty, traditional affair, the classic Sunday roast doesn't get much better than this. Set in a fantastic location and offering the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the excellent food on offer with friends and family, The Surprise is exactly that. A hidden gem off the beaten track yet a popular mainstay of the area, it is clear to see why it's still making its mark.

Inevitably, you will want to indulge in a tipple or two and thankfully, the very well appointed pub has plenty on offer to help. From a healthy selection of draught lagers and cask ales to an imaginative cocktail menu boasting a royal mojito, paloma sour, oak aged negroni, mezcalita and tropical sunrise. The extensive wine list should be plenty to see you through your meal and beyond too. With everything from English sparkling wines to magnums of Vivanco Rioja Reserva and an impressive selection of fine wines, as well as a wide variety of bottles starting at just £25, you won't struggle to find something to suit your palate and your price.

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info@forzafi nance.co.uk

your

ROAD RACER

Truly pure driving experiences are hard to come by in todays production automotive market, with technology taking centre stage. However, if you look in the right places, you might just find something a little bit special. Putting the driving first, Porsche's little gem is raw driving pleasure.

AUDI'S SLEEK SUV

The German marque's SUV staple Q5 adds some sporting style and extra performance in the effortlessly versatile SQ5 Sportback. Combining family-friendly functionality with sophisticated technology and a coupé-like silhouette, this sporty all-rounder has it all.

Joining the ever expanding line up in the Audi stable, the SQ5 Sportback adds to the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) family. With dynamic coupé lines and sporty engineering under the bonnet, this athletic car has an appeal that stretches across market segments.

Topping the Q5 line, the SQ5 Sportback TDI packs a 3.0-litre V6 engine offering a concentrated power of 341 PS and impressive 700 Nm of torque. What that means on the road is a swift acceleration - considering its size and weight - from zero to sixtytwo of 5.1 seconds, a limited top speed of 155 mph, and some serious pulling power should you need to transport anything either in the car or behind it.

In line with its performance figures, the SQ5 Sportback exudes a powerful presence thanks to its sporting aesthetics. Large air inlets flank the octagonal grille combined with slender headlights showing their distinctive daytime running light signature LED or optional Matrix LED technology. A long, continuous, elegantly sweeping shoulder line runs the length of the car, emphasising the wheels and with that, the iconic quattro all-wheel drive which is a key feature of the SQ5.

The obvious design feature which distinguishes this car from the rest of the Q5 range is the low, sweeping roof-line and high sill which gives the appearance of a much slimmer vehicle than it actually is, adding to the aggressive, wide stance and athletic visual cues.

Thanks to that elegant roof-line, the rear windscreen adopts a sharply sloped appearance in line with an equally stark taper on the rear third window and apparently high rear bumper, further adding to this car's dynamic athleticism.

Despite all of these 'slimming' design features, the SQ5 Sportback continues to offer excellent luggage space with a volume of 510 litres available in the rear, increasing to a vast 1,480 litres when loaded to the roof with the rear seats folded down. You can also opt for the new rear seat bench plus, which can be shifted laterally and has adjustable seat back angles which expands the volume of the luggage compartment in the base configuration by up to 60 litres while simultaneously enhancing comfort for the rear-seat passengers when the seat back and seating surface are set all the way back. All of which makes for an incredibly comfortable and versatile vehicle ideal for transporting both passengers and luggage alike. A remote, foot controlled tailgate makes things even easier when packing up the car with your hands full.

Of course, if you're planning on filling your SQ5 Sportback to the rafters, it's important to know that the suspension has what it takes to support all of that extra weight. Thankfully, it is able to not only handle the additional weight, but also the performance of that powerful diesel drive when unladen with supreme ease. Fivelink suspensions direct each of the four wheels which are 20-inch with 255/45 tires are standard, with 21-inch wheels from Audi or Audi Sport GmbH available as an alternative. Supported by six-piston brake calipers made of aluminium and brake disks with a large 375 mm diameter on the front axle, the SQ5 Sportback is perfectly poised for dynamic driving.

The S sport suspension with damper control lowers the body by 30 mm compared with the standard Q5 Sportback and offers an especially wide scope between comfort and dynamism when required.

A multitude of additional features combine on the SQ5 Sportback compared to the Q5 variant to support all of that additional power and performance. The fast, smooth eight-speed tiptronic is one such feature, handling the power of the S model ensuring it's always ready. Paired with the ever impressive quattro permanent all-wheel drive which transfers the torque variably as required between the front and rear axles, the system can be supplemented with a sports differential which will actively adjust the distribution of the torque between the rear wheels when driving in a more dynamic manner providing more to the outside wheel which has better grip to allow for even more agility when cornering at speed. It also promotes swifter acceleration out of corners.

Along with the optional sport differential, engine, steering and the automatic transmission, the controlled dampers are integrated in the standard Audi drive select dynamic handling system, which allows the driver to manage the character of all of these systems via six profiles. A seventh profile - allroad - is added if the adaptive air suspension with S-specific tuning is on board - adapting the body’s ride height to the driving situation at the time.

The dynamism that the SQ5 Sportback affords is more akin to a vehicle of much smaller stature and thanks to clever engine technologies, manages to maintain reduced fuel consumption while enhancing response. A 48 V mild hybrid system (MHEV) recovers up to 8 kW of power when decelerating, with the electricity from the lithium-ion battery allowing the car to coast for up to 40 seconds with the engine off, after which the belt-driven starteralternator comfortably restarts the engine. Another building block in the 48 V network is the electric powered compressor (EPC). When moving off and accelerating from low rotational speeds, it accelerates the build-up of the boost pressure and ensures that the 3.0 TDI responds spontaneously.

Audi also employs the twin dosing technology with two SCR catalytic converters for the aftertreatment of the exhaust gas. The first of these catalytic converters lies directly behind the manifold in the exhaust line and serves as a particulate filter at the same time; the second is located away from the engine under the vehicle floor. With the two catalytic converters, different operating

situations and a wide temperature window for the exhaust gas can be covered. Thanks to the twin dosing technology, the SQ5 Sportback TDI also comes in well below the limits set by the new Euro 6d ISC-FCM emission standard.

Ride and comfort are key in order to enjoy all of these other features and thankfully, the well appointed interior space that has become a mainstay for Audi is ever present. Designed in black or dark gray colours, a choice of three upholstery options for the electrically adjustable sport seats complete with embossed S logos are available. Contrasting stitching adorns the seats and the steering wheel with a massage function and seat ventilation available on request - a must to enjoy comfort over the hotter months. Brushed aluminum is standard for the inlays, but alternatives including two carbon designs and a piano finish are available to bring a little extra sophistication or sportiness to the interior space. And the illuminated aluminium door sill trims are decorated with S logos to complete the aesthetic.

For the controls, displays and infotainment, the SQ5 Sportback features the third-generation modular infotainment system or MIB 3. When fully equipped, the digital Audi virtual cockpit plus with 12.3-inch display and a head-up display are also on board. The multifunction steering wheel plus enables the safe and simple operation of the most important functions and displays.

The MMI navigation plus infotainment system is paired with a 10.1-inch touch display. Its natural language voice control uses the knowledge of the cloud and can be activated by saying “Hey Audi.” Many vehicle settings can be stored in individual user profiles and saved on the myAudi customer portal in the cloud. Some online services from the broad portfolio of Audi connect use the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet for functions that include alerting drivers to hazards.

It is also equipped with numerous driver assist systems. Adaptive cruise assist takes over accelerating, decelerating and keeping in lane in many situations with the driver only having to touch the capacitive steering wheel to maintain lateral guidance. A second high-tech system is the predictive efficiency assist, which supports a predictive driving style. Turn assist, swerve assist, cross-traffic assist and exit warning systems also enhance safety. The standard Audi pre sense city system helps to avoid or mitigate the consequences of collisions with road users in front of the car.

AUDI SQ5

Engine Power (PS) Torque (Nm)

3.0l V6 TDI 341 700

0-62mph (secs) 5.1 Max Speed (mph) 155 (limited) Transmission 8-Speed Tiptronic Fuel Consumption (mpg) 33.1 CO² Emissions (g/km) 186 Price (from) £62,620

1957 Bentley S1 Continental £POA

RARE BREED BENTLEY

Built from 1955-59, the S1 was Bentley's last separate-chassis model, derived from the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Powered by a silky-smooth 4.9-litre straight-six, it was both longer and lower than the R-type predecessor, adding improvements to ride quality and braking. When the chassis-only Continental specification became available, it provided buyers with the opportunity to enjoy a lighter and more powerful S1 with coachbuilt bodies by the likes of James Young, H.J. Mulliner & Co, and Park Ward.

This 1957 example is courtesy of the exceptional work from James Young. One of just thirteen James Young bodied S1 Continental right-hand drive cars to be built to Design No. CT29 - and reportedly one of only four built in 1957 - this car was purchased whilst on display at the Earls Court Motor Show by Sir Brian Mountain of the Eagle Star Insurance Company. Following the purchase, the car was serviced and maintained by Jack Barclay - owners of James Young at the time - throughout Mountain's tenure with period records showing all works carried out. Offered in its stunning original specification, and in excellent order, it is supremely smooth to drive. Presented in Silver coachwork with grey leather interior, aluminium bodied, full-length sunroof and power steering. There are receipts for £14,679 in 2004 for chassis overhaul, brakes, wheel cylinders and strip-down of fuel and coolant systems followed by further receipts of £7,471 from 2005 including stripping and re-lacquering all wood trim, new headlining, new ignition switch and radio rebuilt. There are also invoices for new rear dampers, an overhaul of lighting systems, carburettor rebuild and new fuel pumps. This beautiful car drives and presents very well, it has its original leather interior and original full-length sunroof and is a very rare example not to be missed.