Latest news with #Corker
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
They're great outdoors: wines to drink with a barbecue
In one section of my first book, Corker: A Deeply Unserious Wine Book, I sought to address the single-biggest DM slide I get every summer: what wines to bring to a barbecue. And the reason this is my most common request is pretty simple: where I live, in London, being invited to a barbecue means you have a friend with a garden, whereas most of us are concertinaed into blocks of flats and house shares. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The prospect of spending a hot afternoon outdoors and with a glass of something delicious is far more delightful than the idea of spending it in my sweaty room surrounded by black clothing (an excellent heat-insulating technique, by the way), especially if it involves an actual garden and generous pals. That's an occasion to which you want to bring a bottle of something good. In the book, I suggested a red Côtes du Rhône, and the thinking behind that is also simple: Côtes du Rhône is sublime when drunk slightly chilled (drag it out of the ice bucket 10 minutes before you want to pour), it pairs well with most things that you can chuck on a barbecue, and you can buy more than one bottle without completely rinsing your bank account. See also: gamay, barbera, barbaresco, pinot noir, malbec and darker rosés. However, this year, I want to expand my horizons beyond the obvious pulls, not least because there's a sincere satisfaction to be found in an unexpected but undeniably congruous wine and food pairing. So I asked a few friends in the know for their off-the-beaten-track recommendations. Aleesha Hansel, a wine writer and broadcaster, offers this advice: 'Barbecues aren't the place to bring out your grand crus or the weird-and-wonderfuls. Wine people will usually recommend a wine to go with the food, which is often a red with a bit of spice or savouriness, but I think matching with the vibes is the best way to go, and méthode cap classique sparkling wines tick that box for me. Look for bottles that are a bit richer and rounder – they remind me of golden-hour sunlight with their ripe, stone fruit flavours.' I also had to ask the sovereign of the grill, Christian Stevenson, AKA DJ BBQ, for his pointers on what to drink, because, well, if anyone knows what to drink with a barbecue, it's him. He is likewise anti-red: 'Vinho verdes and albariños are my go-to wines in summer. Lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, ribs, fish tacos and coal-roasted veg all rock nicely with those bottles. I'll dive into a chewy red when it's winter, but right now it's summer, and I'm standing around hot coals in the sun.' Sounds like the man has a garden, so I'll wait for my invitation in the post. Natural Mystic Vinho Verde £9.95 The Wine Society, 11.5%. With a touch of alvarinho, this is crisp, bright and citrussy. Chapel Down English Rose £12.50 (on offer) Ocado, 12.5%. Eton mess fruit meets a creamy finish in this English rosé. Tacherons Pinot Noir VdF £16 Uncharted Wines, 13%. A classic, easy-drinking red with a touch of oak to enjoy with grilled meat. Journey's End Méthode Cap Classique Brut Reserve NV £16.90 Tanners Wine Merchants, 11.5%. This really fits the vibe with apple, pear and full patisserie notes.
West Australian
20-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
New CEO Gillian Corker plans to re-engage membership with 90-day plan for Denmark's Chamber of Commerce
Gillian Corker has given herself a 90-day window to refocus Denmark's Chamber of Commerce as she marked the end of her first week as its new CEO. Her appointment comes only 18 months after she moved to the town, and she has hit the ground running with her plans to engage the small business community in an organisation which she believes can go beyond administering the visitor centre and holding networking sessions. 'The visitor centre contract is up in 2026 and we are at a pivotal point for the chamber where we can refocus on the membership,' she said. 'I have a 90-day plan to really get back to a membership-first organisation. 'Most people I speak to say they don't need more business; they are busy enough, so it's not just about networking and finding new clients. 'But the world is now compliance led, there's HR, legal and bookkeeping, there are changes coming to superannuation and these are the sort of areas where the chamber can help. 'I want to provide training programs and development opportunities because while being a brickie hasn't changed, the business of being a brickie has changed exponentially.' One area where Ms Corker won't need the chamber's advice is in running an Airbnb because she and her family moved into the house she had built for that purpose. 'We built it to be a holiday home, but we came down for one school term and Christmas and loved it so much we stayed,' she said. It was then she noticed a gap in Denmark's provisions for business owners. She was running her own SEO, website and marketing company and felt she needed support, so she started Denmark Women in Business with friend Bee Pope. This has a weekly co-working space and morning tea, a real bonus for those working from home in a town with a changing demographic. 'There are a lot more young families coming to Denmark post-COVID,' she said. 'It means that women who are working remotely can see what's going on and be seen.' 'I have an amazing team at the chamber and an amazing board, all with a passion for small business, so I'm looking forward to getting really involved in Denmark and really making change.'
