by Kyle Hassel | Jan 15, 2019 | Uncategorized
Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet
By Will Hewlett (Food blogger and commis chef at The Boathouse)
Can you believe it? The curtain’s only just risen on 2019 and the January blues band is already in full swing. As the new year fires up, I’m still clinging to the Christmas season. My January routine goes something like this – I stare into my empty fridge a couple of times a day, wondering what happened to the turkey, cheeses, mince pies and chipotle sausages. It seems like just yesterday I couldn’t shut the fridge door properly because of the lorry-load of food that was crammed in there. Sure, it may seem like a mystery, but let’s be honest here. It wouldn’t take Columbo to figure out where all that food went!
The New Year is a time where many see fit to make changes to their lifestyle. If, like me, you are searching for a way to re-adjust your eating habits after some Christmas feasting, the thought of wading through diet plans may seem a little intimidating. However, the team here at The Boathouse Upton may have a solution for those January blues! Why not consider a Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet’s positive impact on health is well documented across the internet, so I won’t rattle on for too long about it here. If this blog entry attracts you to the idea of a Mediterranean diet, I’ll throw in a few useful links at the end that you can explore at your leisure. For now, I’ll just gloss over a few reasons why many people are taking to these lifestyle habits.
Many people promote the Mediterranean diet for the simple reason that there is no real Mediterranean diet. Rather than forcing you to stick to a rigorous day-by-day plan, the diet operates from a food pyramid with basic ingredients that can be adjusted to suit you and your palate. Here is a list of these components, provided by the BBC Good Food website:
* Fruit and vegetables
* Wholegrain food variants (including pasta, bread and brown rice)
* Beans
* Fish
* White meats
* Dairy (in small amounts to be enjoyed once or twice weekly)
The Mediterranean food pyramid limits red meats, sugary and processed foods to special occasions only. This allows for potentially harmful saturated and trans-fats to be substituted with healthy fats such as mono-unsaturated fat (found in olive oil) and poly-unsaturated fats (found in assorted nuts, seeds and oily fish).
The Mediterranean diet’s fresh, non-processed components bring with them a variety of proven health benefits for both body and mind. In 2008, the NHS reported that diets rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and fish offer protection against conditions such as heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. These findings were the result of several studies conducted by Dr Francesco Sofi and the University of Florence, examining over 1.5 million subjects worldwide. The Health website reported a separate study, finding that women who followed a Mediterranean diet were 25% less likely to develop heart disease.
These health benefits are partially down to the diet’s inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to help moderate blood pressure and prevent blood clots. However, I would regret not mentioning the importance of olive oil in a Mediterranean diet! Antioxidants contained within olive oil have been known to prevent mental decline, and its anti-inflammatory effects are thought to help fight oxidative damage linked to ageing. The University Health News website reported that those who followed a similar diet had a 40% reduced risk of cognitive impairment, and suggested that
compounds found in olive oil may even help to preserve bone density.
Although many health outlets praise olive oil for its benefits, the Dr Axe website suggests that those looking to pursue a Mediterranean diet should seek out ‘extra virgin’ olive oil in shops. This is due to some olive oil products being harvested in such a way that removes many of their nutrients. The article’s author Jillian Levy also suggests that a person should consume one-to-four tablespoons of olive oil a day within the diet in order to fully experience its benefits.
Well, adopting a Mediterranean diet certainly seems fruitful. It’s a relaxed diet plan that inspires creativity whilst promoting good health, and the benefits don’t stop there! According to the Harvard Health Publishing blog, getting into the Mediterranean diet later in life isn’t a problem. The blog reported a 2013 study, showing that middle-aged women who adopted the diet were 40% more likely to reach later life without severe health issues. I’d like to point out that the blog’s author, Heidi Godman, includes a number of useful DIY tips for those looking to ease themselves into the diet.
If you think that adopting a Mediterranean diet seems like an appealing way to improve your 2019, or even if you’d like a taster before you dive in, then we at The Boathouse Upton invite you to take a look at our extensive tapas menu. Our menu is heavily inspired by the Mediterranean diet and can be found on our website. In many Mediterranean countries, it’s common for meals to be enjoyed with family, friends and a glass of red wine. That being said, why not call in to our restaurant with some good company and experience a slice of the Mediterranean diet for yourself?
Below are some of the links I used whilst researching for this blog. Happy eating, and I hope you have a great 2019!
* Why are Mediterranean Diets So Healthy? by Victoria Taylor – BBC Good Food
* Benefits of Mediterranean Diet – NHS
* 7 Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet – Health
* 6 Major Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet – University Health News * 9 Major Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet (+ the Retracted Study Controversy) by Jillian Levy – Dr Axe * Adopt a Mediterranean Diet Now for Better Health Later by Heidi Godman – Harvard Health Publishing
by Kyle Hassel | Dec 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
We are excited to introduce our new wedding brochure for 2019 including packages and menu options for unique, bespoke weddings at our stunning riverside venue. Here is a sneak peak at what we have to offer here at The Boathouse.
We believe a congratulations is in order! Now it’s time to plan your perfect day.
Host a wedding alongside us, at our unique, stunning venue situated on the River Severn.
We can help you create the wedding of your dreams!
Our venue is a family run business who already own a well established wedding and function caterers and been involved in hospitality for over 15 years, the dedication and professionalism of our friendly and well trained team who take complete pride in making sure your special day will be one to remember and ensure that every requirement will be fulfilled with a high standard of service.
Our events manager will be at hand 24 hours a day prior to the big day, and could answer any questions you may have whilst also taking the pressure off you during the busy build up.
We have 2 floors of space to offer each with their own unique style, our ground floor has a gin and cocktail bar with a cosy lounge area and its own river terrace,
Our first floor dining room has 2 balcony areas with stunning views of the River Severn and the malvern hills (seats up to 22). Both floors have easy access toilets,
with two spacious bars both fully stocked with delicious craft ales, the best wine around, a wide range of spirits, well known draft lager and cider and over 60 gins to taste!
Your privacy is important to us which is why the Boathouse is only available to hire on an exclusive-use basis.
THE PERFECT VENUE FOR EVERY SEASON: WITH EXCEPTIONAL VIEWS OF THE RIVER SEVERN AND THE MALVERN HILLS
WEDDING PACKAGES
Standard Package
FULL USE OF BOTH FLOORS AND RIVER TERRACE
WELCOME DRINKS
A CHOICE FROM A 3 COURSE MEAL OR 11 DISH TAPAS
A GLASS OF SPARKLING WINE PER GUEST
1 BOTTLE OF WINE PER 4 GUEST
ROOM DECORATING
LINEN AND CHAIR COVER HIRE
EVENING RECEPTION BUFFET
DJ HIRE
CAKE KNIFE
50 GUESTS £3425
ADDITIONAL GUESTS £40.00 PER PERSON
Premium package
FULL USE OF BOTH FLOORS AND RIVER TERRACE
WELCOME DRINKS AND CANAPES
A CHOICE FROM A 4 COURSE MEAL OR 11 DISH TAPAS
A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE PER GUEST FOR TOAST
HALF BOTTLE OF WINE PER GUEST
ROOM DECORATING
TABLE LINEN, NAPKIN LINEN AND CHAIR COVER HIRE
EVENING RECEPTION BUFFET
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND DJ HIRE
CAKE KNIFE
RED CARPET
50 GUESTS £4450
ADDITIONAL GUEST £50.00 PER PERSON
WEDDING BREAKFAST
Menu one
Starters
Chicken liver pate with caramelised onion marmalade and home baked bread
Roasted tomato and basil soup (v)
Sweet melon and Parma ham served with Rocket and balsamic
Main courses
Roasted chicken breast with a creamy dolcelatte cheese and pancetta sauce served with baby new potatoes
Blade of beef slow cooked with gratin potatoes and horseradish jus
Scottish filet of salmon with a lemon and dill sauce scattered with baby prawns
Stuffed peppers with Moroccan couscous and a pea and feta sauce (v)
Mushroom, Cranberry and brie wellington (v)
Dessert
Dark chocolate tart served with red fruits
Homemade white chocolate profiteroles
Amaretto panna cotta
(All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables)
For private parties and Weddings we also offer a design your own menu service, ask one of our team for more details
WEDDING BREAKFAST
Menu Two
Starters
Spiced butternut squash & sweet potato soup (v)
Salmon fish cakes with lime wedges and rocket salad
Goats cheese and beetroot filo tart (v)
Main courses
Roast rump of lamb served with thyme and white wine sauce and saffron infused potatoes
Breast of chicken with a wild mushroom and tarragon sauce served with potato Gratin
Sea bream fillets served with a champagne and lemon sauce with fresh roasted vegetables
Stuffed Aubergine with baby artichokes and baby new potatoes
Dessert
Mini passion fruit pavlova
Raspberry and white chocolate cheese cake
Chocolate and Cointreau mousse with red berries
(All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables)
For private parties and Weddings we also offer a design your own menu service, Ask one of our team for more details
WEDDING BREAKFAST
Menu Three
Starters
Pea and mint soup with Crème fraiche (v)
Cornish crab and dill mousse with samphire and tomato concasse
Goats cheese and asparagus bruschetta with sweet balsamic
Main courses
Slow roasted sirloin of beef with braised red cabbage, sweet roasted garlic and potato Gratin
Lamb shoulder with roasted vine tomatoes and red wine jus served with sweet potato Gratin
Grilled seabass with lemon and garlic served with samphire and pan fried Mediterranean vegetables
Stuffed Portobello mushrooms with pistachios and creamed leeks (v)
Desserts
Limoncello cheesecake
Baileys and white chocolate tart
Strawberry and passion fruit panna cotta
(All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables)
WEDDING BREAKFAST
Menu Four
Starters
Baked whole Camembert with rosemary and garlic served with ciabatta bread (v)
Tuna Carpaccio with beetroot pesto and rocket salad
Classic Greek salad with feta cheese and olives (v)
Pumpkin and sweet potato soup (v)
Main courses
Braised rump of lamb with thyme and white wine sauce served with potato gratin and pea and mint puree
Rainbow trout with a butter and almond sauce served with potato gratin
Homemade gnocchi with a parmesan, spinach and wild mushroom sauce (v)
Breast of chicken slow cooked in red wine with a rich basil and chorizo sauce
Why not go for Tapas?
Tapas Menu One
Each guest will receive their share of each of the following dishes
Hummus and Tzatziki with freshly baked bread
Pan fried mushrooms in lemon and garlic
Classic Greek salad
Oven baked halloumi with roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes
Kings prawns saute with truffle oil and chorizo
Meatballs with tomato and basil salsa
Piri Piri chicken
Chicken strips flambe in vodka and smoked paprika in a creamy tarragon sauce
Dessert
A selection of mini pastries, individual cheesecake, chocolate truffles and fresh fruits served on slate platters
Tapas Menu Two
Beetroot hummus and pesto served with olives and freshly baked bread
Shredded parmesan and sun dried tomato mixed leaf salad
BBQ feta cheese with oregano and thyme
Baby chorizo with roasted vegetables
Pan fried mushrooms in garlic and lemon
Deep fried Calamari with chilli mayo dip
Pan seared cod cheeks with chilli and grapefruit salsa
Pork Gyros skewers with quinoa salad
Patatas Bravas
Chicken strips flambe in vodka
Desserts tapas available for extra £5pp
Vegetarian Tapas
Selection of dips and freshly baked bread
Deep fried halloumi
Greek salad
Pan fried mushrooms in garlic and lemon
Vegetable dumplings with chilli jam
Spinach and feta filo parcels
Pearl couscous
Stuffed vine leaves with pine nuts
Aubergine and red onion tagine
Pearl couscous
where to find us?
The Boathouse is situated in the small town of Upton Upon Severn outside the border of Worcestershire, surrounding areas such as Cotswolds, Malvern and Hereford.
With access of the M5 and M50 nearby makes it that little bit easier to travel to from all directions.
Contact us
The Boathouse, waterside, Upton Upon Severn Worcestershire, WR8 0HG
Email us directly to info@theboathouseupton.co.uk
Call us on 01684438161
Thank you for considering the BoatHouse as a venue for your special day.
by Kyle Hassel | Nov 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
For a Christmas party with a difference look no further than The Boathouse, with live music every Friday and Saturday, an 11 dish tapas taster menu, festive cocktail menu and a range of 65 Gins the Boathouse is the ultimate party venue.
Looking for a midweek Christmas meal? we offer a discount on our midweek meals as well as private Gin tastings, cocktail masterclasses and themed food nights all from £20 pp.
Look out for some of our music nights in December including our tribute evening on 15th December, Soul and Motown night and our famous ‘ Evening with The Blues Brother’ on 22nd December .
Christmas Eve
Festive buffet menu, Christmas disco until midnight – £10 pp
New Years eve
Canapes and champagne on arrival, live music from ‘Aimee’ , buffet served from 9pm followed by a late night Disco until 1am all for only £20 pp
Ask a member of our team to receive our Christmas party menu and line up of live music events
by Kyle Hassel | Jun 5, 2018 | Uncategorized
It looks like a busy summer ahead here at The Boathouse Upton with lots of events, tasting evenings and festivals planned for the coming months. Here is just a taster of whats on offer –
Gin tasting – 21st June
Try a selection of 5 craft gins paired with 5 of our seasonal special tapas dishes for only £25pp. We also provide private group tastings from our ground floor Gin bar or at your home! ask one of our team for details
Upton Jazz festival 22nd June – 24th June
Here at the Boathouse we will be serving food as normal throughout the festival and will also have live Jazz bands performing during the afternoon on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival.Also worth a mention is our outside Real Ale bar , come and give it a try!
Champagne tasting – 5th July
Come and try a selection of sparkling wines and Champagnes in our ‘blind tasting’ can you tell your Champagne from your Cava….
Moroccan Night – 12th July
A selection of 8 authentic Moroccan tapas dishes using rare herbs and spices to create stunning flavours, vegetarian options available
Upton Blues Festival 19th – 22nd July
Food will be served from 9am – 7pm daily throughout the festival with live music every evening from 9pm and bands performing all day on Sunday.
Greek Night – 17th August
A 12 dish Greek feast with our amazing mezze consisting of all your favourite Greek delights!
For more information or to book for one of our events contact one of our team now 01684438161
by Kyle Hassel | Mar 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
With spring around the corner we are excited to introduce our new Tapas menu along side our new beautiful breakfast and daytime menu. In addition to our new menus we also have a range of 5 specials which will change daily. Breakfast is served 10am – 11.30am with tapas available 12pm – 4pm and 6pm – 9.45pm evenings.Here is a sneak preview of our new tapas menu which is available from 2nd March –
Tapas Served Tuesday – Sunday
(Open Tuesday – Sunday)
Lunch 12pm-3pm (any 5 tapas for £20)
Evening 6pm – 10pm
Celiac? no problem! 80% of our menu is gluten free, we do not use flour in any of our sauces and with prior notice any fried foods can be made with corn flour. We also always stock gluten free bread
Light Bites
Small dishes to begin with…..
Marinated Olives – £3.90
Selection of breads with olive oil, balsamic and pesto dipping pots – £3.80
Home -made Humous and tzatsiki dips served with warm pitta bread – £4.20
Tapenade – Home made Kalamata olive tapenade made with anchovies, capers, lemon and garlic £4.20
Panzarosalata – Diced beetroot dip with Greek yogurt and garlic £4.20
Meat Dishes
Home -made beef meatballs in a tomato and basil sauce – £5.90
Spicy Chorizo and pepper casserole – £5.90
Chicken Flambe in vodka with a creamy sauce and sweet peppers – £6.10
Slow cooked chicken strips in tomato cinnamon and red wine – £5.90
Marinated chicken and peppers on a skewers served with Yogurt and mint dip – £6.50
Beef and pomegranate tagine with pink peppercorns – £6.80
Pork Skewer marinated with lemon, garlic and oregano with cous cous – £5.90
Seafood dishes
King prawns – Pan fried in garlic butter and lemon – £6.50
Calamari – Deep fried squid rings served with a lemon wedge and parsley – £5.90
King prawns pan fried in truffle oil served on roasted chorizo £6.95
Pan fried seabass in champagne and garlic – £7.50
Mussels in garlic, white wine and tomato – £6.30
Cheese Dishes
Oven baked feta cheese in oregano and olive oil – £5.10
Deep fried halloumi (Cypriot cheese) – £4.90
Warm Goats cheese on a ciabatta crouton – £4.90
Mozzarella, tomato and basil platter – £4.20
Vegetable Dishes
Spinach and feta filo parcels -£4.80
Stuffed peppers with Moroccan rice topped with mozzarella – £5.90
Pan fried garlic mushrooms in white wine – £4.20
Aubergine and red onion tagine – £5.70
Mixed oven roasted Mediterranean vegetables – £4.60
Marinated baby artichokes £4.30
Stuffed Vine leaves with ground nuts soaked in lemon £5.50
Grazing boards – (serves 2)
Boat house Grazing Board – Honey roasted ham, Cheddar, Double Worcestershire cheese, Brie Pickled onions, Worcester sauce pickle and bread selection £11.00
Mediterranean Grazing Board – Cured meat selection, Feta cheese, marinated olives, humous, pesto, artichoke hearts and bread selection £11.00
Vegetarian platter – Stuffed vine leaves, spinach pie, Moroccan cous cous, beetroot salad, artichokes and tzatsiki with bread selection £11.50
Worcestershire Cheese board – Hobson ale and mustard, Malvern blue, Worcestershire sauce and shallot, Horseradish and chive, served with home made apple and fig chutney £9.90
Vegetarian platter – Haloumi, spinach and feta parcels, marinated olives, tzatsiki, humous, stuffed peppers £11.50
Greek platter – Mini Greek salad, halloumi cheese, stuffed vine leaves, hummus, tzatsiki, pitta bread £11.50
Salad Corner
Greek Style – Diced cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese drizzled in olive oil and vinegar – £6.50
Italian Style – Mixed leaves, croutons, olives, capers, shaved Parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette £5.95
Moroccan Style – Mixed leaves, spiced cous cous, peppers, onions, olives and lemon dressing £6.20
style
Side orders
Hand cut chips – £3.00
Potato bravas, cubed potatoes with paprika and white wine – £3.50
Pitta breads – £2.00
Side salad – £3.20
Parmesan fries – £3.50
Pearl cous cous – £3.00
by Kyle Hassel | Nov 29, 2017 | Uncategorized
Celebrate Christmas in style here at The Boathouse !
There will be live music and a DJ every weekend throughout December as well as lots of special offers and fantastic cocktails available form our new ground floor cocktail bar. So whether your meeting family and friends for a meal or just visiting for a drink and a dance The Boathouse is the perfect night out for you this Christmas time. Here are our live music and entertainment nights planned for the festive period –
Friday 8th December – Fully booked
Saturday 9th December – The Ferrets 4 piece band followed by a DJ
Friday 15th December – Live music from Two Dollar Salad followed by a DJ
Saturday 16th December – Haunted Souls followed by a DJ
Sunday 17th December – Comedy Night 3 stand up comedians a night not to be missed!
Friday 22nd December – Live music from The Bones
Saturday 23rd December – An evening with The Blues Brothers! The UKs number 1 Blues Brothers tribute act
The Boathouse will also be open all day on Christmas Eve and for Lunch Christmas Day 1pm – 5pm
For more information or to book a table contact one of our team now
