Last week I attended the first Hello Fresh ‘FreshMeets’ event. Held in the food company’s Shoreditch offices, these fun and interactive evenings aim to educate guests while also providing a sociable and delicious occasion for fellow foodies to come together.

The first in the series was centred around the power of spice. The evening was led by well-known cook Sabrina Ghayour who spoke brilliantly about the different spices she uses in her Middle Eastern recipes and how we could all incorporate more of these vibrant flavours into our home cooking. We learnt about the origins of special spices like saffron and vanilla while Sabrina prepared a unique spice for the cucumber snacks. It was inspiring to hear how just a few sprinkles can transform a classic recipe into something spectacular… and I definitely feel more confident about how to use spice after Sabrina’s demonstration.

After guzzling up Sabrina’s wonderful treats – simple spiced cucumber and aromatic pulled lamb canapes – it was time for cocktails made by magical mixologist Dav Eames, Bar Manager from The Gilbert Scott. To complement the foodie theme of the night Dav had a few exotic concoctions on offer, including an addictive fruity rum-based cocktail served with a smoking cinnamon stick!

Those who were still hungry could indulge in Indian street food from The Cheeky Indian. I tagged on to a group of friendly instagrammers and we chose a selection of the curries on offer. I was mightily impressed with the punchy paneer curry, which had a rich and comforting sauce and a gentle warmth of spice.

As a busy freelance blogger I rarely have the time or energy to go food shopping. Hello Fresh is the perfect solution… introducing keen cooks to new recipes and conveniently delivering the exact pre-measured ingredients to the door.

More information on Hello Fresh services and events here.

This post was sponsored by Hello Fresh.