DIY with H – Foot Care Ritual

31/05/2023

By Saurabh Syal

With Global Wellness Day around the corner, what better way to start your wellness ritual than by giving your feet the TLC they deserve?  I have teamed up with our Mandara Spa therapists to bring you this DIY foot care ritual tutorial that will not only leave your feet feeling soft and refreshed, but it’s also a great way to relax and unwind after a long day.

But the benefits of this tutorial go beyond just pampering your feet. By taking the time to care for your feet, you’re also promoting overall health and wellness. Healthy feet can improve your balance, reduce your risk of falls, and prevent foot problems such as blisters, calluses, and infections. So go ahead and indulge in this foot care ritual, your feet will thank you, I promise!

Step 1: Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Soak your feet in the water for a few minutes to soften the skin. This step is important because it helps to relax your feet and prepare them for the rest of the ritual.

Step 2: Apply 2 pumps of lavender body wash to your feet and use your hands to lather and clean them. Rinse your feet in the bowl of warm water. The lavender body wash not only cleanses your feet but also helps to soothe and calm your senses.

Step 3: Use bath salt to remove dirt and scrub away dead skin. The bath salt helps to exfoliate your feet, leaving them feeling soft and smooth.

Step 4: Soak your feet again in the bowl of warm water to rinse off any remaining salt. This step is important to ensure that all of the salt is removed from your feet.

Step 5: Use a pumice stone to gently rub away rough or calloused areas on the feet. Rinse your feet in the bowl of warm water. The pumice stone helps to remove any rough patches on your feet, leaving them feeling soft and smooth.

Step 6: Soak your feet one last time and wash them again in the bowl of warm water. This step helps to ensure that your feet are clean and free of any remaining salt or dead skin.

Step 7: Finally, apply Mandara Spa Foot Spray to keep your feet soft and hydrated. The foot spray helps to moisturize your feet, leaving them feeling soft and refreshed.

So go ahead, give your feet the tender loving care they deserve, and enjoy the benefits of healthy, happy feet!

DIY with H – How to make an Impressive Cheese Board

03/12/2022

By Simran Tandon

Is it just us or there is something incredibly scrumptious about a good cheese board? Be it for a perfect weekend night with wine or for an impressive dinner to slay your guests, a well-paired cheese board with a bottle of wine can go a long way. Easy and fun to put together, a cheese board has everything to suit every taste. From different types of cheeses to a selection of sweet and tangy fruits, dips and crackers, you can have some great cheese and wine nights in the comfort of your own home.

With the holiday season fast approaching, take this chance to learn how to make an impressive cheese board which is highly customizable and enough to feed a few people or a houseful of gazing guests. Oh and don’t forget, good quality wines are a must with cheese boards.

Check out this appetizing step-by-step video on how to create a fancy cheese board specially curated by our Executive Chef. Fancy some tips on how you can customise it and pair it well with your wine? Well, keep reading the blog below.

Components of a Cheese Board

Cheeseboard is all about the variety of textures. From soft to hard, to nutty and crunchy, cheeseboards tend to tickle all your taste buds in a single meal.

Add a selection of cheese

A good rule of thumb to follow while selecting cheeses is to focus on flavour and texture. Hence, pick 2-3 varieties of hard cheese, soft cheese and semi-soft cheese. It is also good to remember that roughly 3 ounces of cheese per person should be kept. Some cheese varieties that you can easily find for your cheese board can be:

Soft Cheese: Goat cheese, Brie or Camembert

Semi-hard cheese: Cheddar, Gouda or Swiss

Hard Cheese: Parmesan, Manchego or Pecorino

Blue Cheese: Stilton, Roquefort or Gorgonzola

A cheeseboard for 2 people can have 3 varieties of cheese, however, for a large party of 6-7 people, definitely pick 5-6 varieties of cheese. 

Add something savoury

A good bowl of pitted green olives does the trick of adding the right amount of saltiness to the board. You can also add some roasted peppers, tapenade, salted cashews or almonds.

Add some sweetness

A little bit of sweetness helps to balance out the creaminess and saltiness of the board. Therefore, feel free to add naturally sweet items like dried fruits, candied nuts, preserves, honey or even chocolate.

Add some crunch

Crunchy texture is adored by all. Hence, add those crispy chips, bread sticks, crackers of different shapes and sizes or baguette slices.

Top it up with garnishes

Spruce up the final look of the board with some fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, edible flowers, fresh fruits like apples or pear slices, blueberries, apricots etc. 

Complement your cheese board with good wine

Depending upon the selection of cheese you choose, pick the right bottle of wine because that has the power to elevate the whole experience. Some cheese and wine combinations that can’t go wrong are:

-Cheese that is young and fresh, for instance, goat cheese, goes well with a delicate and aromatic white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.

-Semi-soft cheese can be paired well with medium-bodied white wine like Chardonnay

-Someone who enjoys hard cheese should definitely have a glass of rich and full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Grenache.

-Varieties like Gruyere, and Emmenthaler go well with Pinot Noir or Gamay wines as they have a fresh and fruity taste.

Making a cheeseboard is an activity which is fun and pleasurable. With these tips and tricks, you are all set to customize your own cheeseboard as per your taste palate. If you want to master the art of cheese and wine pairing to be an impressible host, experience a Wine and Cheese night at Eat & Meat Restaurant at The H Dubai. With an international selection of cheese and wine, you can indulge and understand the nuances of this art well. 

DIY with H – Cocktail Recipes

27/05/2022

By Gabrielle Chaux

Ever dream of being able to create cocktails like a pro? This week’s blog is all about it.

Follow Mahesh, our Expert Mixologist, behind the bar and discover three timeless cocktail recipes: Espresso Martini, Negroni and Cosmopolitan. Try your hand at making these fancy beverages at home through three DIY videos.

If you want to learn from the expert himself, book your Mixologist Masterclass at H Bar, including a 60 minutes class, complimentary canapes and cocktail tasting.

So bring out those cocktail mixer sets because now, it is your move!

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of gin
• 1 ounce of Campari
• 1 ounce of sweet vermouth
• Orange peel for the garnish

Instructions:

1)In a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, add the gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Stir until it is well-chilled.
2)Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes.
3)With a small knife, peel the orange skin into a thin slice.
4)Add it on top of the drink.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces of citron vodka
• 3/4 ounce of Cointreau
• 3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce of cranberry juice
• Lime wedge for the garnish

Instructions:

1)Add ice in a cocktail glass to chill it.
2)In a separate shaker filled with ice, add the vodka, Cointreau, lime, and cranberry juice and shake until it is well-chilled.
3)Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4)Garnish with a lime wedge.

DIY with H – Mocktail Recipes

26/07/2023

Unleash your inner mixologist with our blog on crafting mocktails like a pro!

Follow Indika, our expert Mixologist, as he introduces three refreshing mocktail recipes to try at home this summer: Blackberry Smash, Green Spritzer, and Star Passion Martini. Made using Lyre’s – the finest range of non-alcoholic classic spirits, every cocktail mix can be faithfully recreated and enjoyed in a non-alcohol fashion.

For those seeking to refine their mocktail skills, don’t miss our exclusive Mixology Masterclasses at H Bar. Join us for a 60-minute session, complete with hands-on learning, complimentary canapes, and a well-earned certificate.

Get ready to shake, stir, and sip your way to mocktail mastery with these delightful recipes. Let’s get started!

Garnish:

Garnish the mocktail with a sprig of fresh mint and a few fresh blackberries on top.
Enjoy your refreshing and delightful Blueberry Smash Mocktail! Perfect for any occasion or when you want a non-alcoholic drink with a burst of berry goodness. Cheers!

Ingredients:

• 30 ml Orange juice
• 10 ml Lemon Juice
• 4 ml Sugar Syrup
• Fresh Mint Leaves
• 4 slices of Fresh Cucumber
• Soda water

Preparation:

1. In a wine glass, place 4 slices of cucumber and a few fresh mint leaves.
2. Add ice to the glass, filling it about halfway.
3. Pour in the orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar syrup into the glass.
4. Top up the glass with soda water to your desired level.

Garnish:

• Garnish the mocktail with a slice of fresh cucumber and a few fresh mint leaves on top.

Enjoy your refreshing Cucumber Mint Spritzer Mocktail – a delightful blend of citrusy and minty flavors with a hint of cucumber! Perfect for a cooling and enjoyable mocktail experience.

Ingredients:

• Lyre’s Dry Gin
• Vanilla Syrup
• Passion Fruit Puree
• Fresh Pineapple Juice
• Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Start by chilling a cocktail glass with ice.
2. In a separate shaker filled with ice, combine Lyer’s Dry Gin, Vanilla Syrup, Passion Fruit Puree, Fresh Pineapple Juice, and Lemon Juice.
3. Shake vigorously until well-chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into the chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish:

Garnish it with fresh Passionfruit and Mint (take half of the passionfruit, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and a sprig of Mint)

DIY with H – Warm Christmas Drinks

19/12/2022

By Simran Tandon

It’s the season to savor all things warm and sweet. Don’t you agree?
With the chill in the air now, it’s never a bad idea to skip the Starbucks line and prepare yourself a hot beverage from the comfort of your home. 

Rodney, from Urban on 4 has curated for you 2 step-by-step recipes of warm Christmas drinks that are perfect to sip through while watching your favorite holiday movie or while opening Christmas presents. 

So what are you waiting for? Make these warm cups of comfort with your family or friends, and enjoy all that this season has to offer.

The classic duo of peppermint with chocolate can never go wrong. Deliciously rich & pleasantly minty, this everyone’s-favorite drink makes you want to cozy up and just indulge. 

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 tsp Peppermint candies, finely crushed

3 tbsp Hot Chocolate Powder

3 cup Milk of choice (Barista Milk, Oat or Almond Milk etc)

Garnish (Optional)

Peppermint Candy Cane, stick or crushed

Chocolate shavings

Marshmallows

Preparation

-On a chopping board, crush the peppermint candies into fine pieces. Doing this helps the peppermint to dissolve better in the drink and give a nice flavor.

-In a cup, add the crushed peppermint candies and hot chocolate powder and mix well. 

-Prepare the milk: use a coffee machine or a hand frother to prepare frothed milk. Alternatively, you can heat milk in a saucepan on high heat. Using a hand whisk, keep whisking the milk throughout to create froth. It often only takes a few minutes. 

-Add the hot frothed milk to the peppermint and hot chocolate mix and using a spoon, stir slowly to combine all the ingredients well. 

-Garnish your hot chocolate with marshmallows, peppermint candy or chocolate shavings for some extra delightful taste.

-Snuggle up and enjoy your warm drink!