Wednesday 3 December 2014

Feel good and do good this Christmas by supporting the Chelsea Pensioners

Bertie the Bulldog; this British Bulldog dressed as a Chelsea Pensioner in scarlet coat and RH initialled black hat is a beautiful soft toy hand-made by Keel toys in Kent.

He is hand-washable and Bertie the Bulldog will make someone that you care about very happy this Christmas.

And this very real feel good factor will also be extended to the giver too!

Why you may ask? Because all profits go to the registered charity, the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the Chelsea Pensioners.

Bertie is a remarkably keen £14 or a very reasonable £25 for two.

You can only purchase them through the Royal Hospital Chelsea shop, http://royal-hospital-chelsea.myshopify.com/products or www.chelsea-pensioners.org.uk.



Tuesday 2 December 2014

Timeless Scottish Gifts from Glen Tanar Estate

Tweed is timeless and it is not just for Christmas. The elegance and traditional style of Glen Tanar Estate’s new range of handbags and purses ensure that your loved ones will cherish them long after the festive period.

Created exclusively for the estate by young Scottish textiles talent, Araminta Campbell, these quality, limited-edition gifts celebrate the heritage and tradition of Glen Tanar, which is nestled close to the Royal Deeside town of Aboyne.

The tweed was designed by Araminta, who took inspiration from the subtle, natural colours which run through the landscape of the estate.

The handbags some in four different sizes, ranging from a small pocket purse through to a large shoulder bag. They are sophisticated enough for special occasions, yet their design makes them ideal for everyday use.

Placemats made from the Glen Tanar tweed are also available, a perfect way to help transform you dinner table with a traditional Scottish twist.

These limited, bespoke accessories are available to purchase in the Glen Tanar Estate Christmas Shop, which is open to Monday 22nd December, seven days a week from 9am-4pm. They can also be bought online at www.glentanar.co.uk.

Prices are: Rectangular placemat set of 6 - £50; Large circular placemat set of 6 - £54;    Small circular placemat set of 6 - £50; Shoulder Bag - £210;   Handbag - £150; Clutch Bag - £94; Purse pocket - £15.

Angling for the perfect gift for the fish loving foodie this Christmas? Then here it is!

This Christmas, treat the foodie in your life to a gift they will really love and will be truly thankful for.

Set them up with the opportunity to learn some awesome cookery skills at Billingsgate Seafood School.

It's located at one of the world's most famous fish markets, London's Billingsgate.

Led by cookery school director, CJ Jackson, the Billingsgate Seafood School offers a class for every person, every budget and every occasion.

There's the fish lovers classes, where visitors can learn the essential knife skills needed for fishmongering, plus some truly ace recipes.

Then there's the shorter morning and evening classes, where the guests can enjoy a glass of wine and will be given the opportunity to test run some new recipes using fish that is responsibly sourced.

Prices for classes typically vary from £40 to just under £200, there's the chance to indulge the food enthusiast in your family to a genuinely unique experience, giving them the chance to experience one of Britain’s oldest markets and London’s traditional institutions.

All vouchers are available online (http://www.seafoodtraining.org)  or can be brought by calling 0207 517 3548 and each voucher is valid for 12 months after purchase.

(EDITOR: The school is established as a charitable company, with the aim of promoting the awareness of fish in young people.)

Tantalise your guests with a Black Cherry Trifle this Christmas

Hartley’s have decided to launch a new and thrilling extra to their range of jellies.

Black Cherry flavour is available just in time for Christmas.

So, apart from making a black cherry jelly  (I rather like how that rhymed, there!) What else can you make with it?

How about a delicious Black Forest trifle?

It's a great new desert recipe and it's quick and easy to prepare, too!

Ingredients
Sugar (for decoration)
Madeira cake
Canister of whipped cream (EDITOR: That's fresh whipped cream)

To make the jelly
Hartley’s 135g Black Cherry jelly (or a flavour of your choice)
1 pint of water

To make the syrup
300g of fresh raspberries (keep a handful aside for decoration)
1 jar of Hartley’s Raspberry Jam

To make the custard
300ml milk
300ml double cream
2 large eggs and one egg yolk
50g caster sugar
50g cornflower
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
For the desired look you will need 8 glass cups.
·        Wipe a wedge of lemon around the edge of each cup
·        Dip the cups in a bowl of sugar, moving it round clockwise until the rim is covered in sugar
·        Set aside until they are ready to be filled

Method
·        Make the jelly according to the packet instructions

To make the syrup
·        Add half a pot of Hartley’s raspberry jam to a sauce pan with your fresh raspberries
·        Cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes before removing from the heat and leaving to cool

To make the custard
·        Add the sugar, cornflower and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Next add the eggs  and egg yolk before whisking until the mixture is blended
·        Pour milk and double cream into a pan and heat gently until hot but be careful not to boil. Pour this over the egg mixture and immediately whisk until blended
·        Wash pan to remove any scum from milk, and then pour the mix back into the pan heating gently and stirring constantly until thickened. Do not panic if the mix is lumpy just continue to heat and whisk until it is thick and smooth.
·        Finally pour into a jug and cover with cling film to prevent any skin from forming, and then set aside to cool

Making the trifle
·        Cut 8 1cm slices of Madeira cake, place one slice into the bottom of each cup, pushing down to make sure it covers the bottom
·        Next pour the raspberry syrup generously over the Madeira slice
·        Take the chilled jelly from the fridge and spoon into the cup on top of the Madeira cake
·        Spoon in some custard on top of your jelly layer
·        Next whip cream and apply over the fresh custard
·        Finally place a couple of fresh raspberries on top and pop in the fridge to chill for two hours before enjoying with friends.

Monday 1 December 2014

The One a unique British Isles spirit

For the first time in centuries, there are distilleries all over the British Isles, where experts in this ancient and revered craft (some even argue that its origins lie deep within the religion of the early British tribes) are now crafting and creating some very fine whiskies. Some very fine whiskies, indeed!

But then along came the Lakes Distillery in the English Lake District. A small, traditional, yet modern, distillery with a fairly unique take on things.

They fell to thinking and pondering. What if...? What if...? What if they went to all of the distilleries in the British Isles... and what if they brought together the best of the best of these different whiskies?

And what if... they spent month after month blending and tasting again and again until, finally, the had created a veritable admixture that would be justifiably called The One, combining the best  of all the British Isles whiskies?

And that is it. That's exactly what The One is.

Before we start, a question. So, after all that work what does it taste like? Did all that effort pay off?

That's actually two questions and I'll answer the second question first, for no better reason than I can!

All that effort did pay off.

As for the taste, it's not easy to be definite about this.

But it is very pleasing on the tongue. It has all the hallmarks of a great whisky. There are hints of spices, it reminded me of the delicious spices that are used mainly at Christmas. Although there was also a hint of nuttiness, too, with perhaps a tang that reminded me of citrus fruits? Malty smokiness also came through and the finish was surprisingly, sweetly attractive.

To learn more about The One visit http://www.lakesdistillery.com/en/.

And don't forget they also produce Cumberland's first and only Vodka and Cumberland Gin, too!

A 70cl bottle of The One costs £29.95 on the site.

Baru at Christmas

Baru have produced one of the best confectioneries known to man and woman kind.

They take their awesomely delicious honey and vanilla bean Marshmallows, and then make them even more awesomely delicious by giving them each a topping of proper burnt sugar caramel with just the right amount of genuine Fleir de Sel sea salt from Guerande.

And then just to make the whole process even more deliciously decadent, they cover them in thick, rich dark chocolate.

The result? A truly wonderful experience for the chocolate lover in your life.

They come in boxes of four, so please don't expect them to share them with you! That would be far too cruel!

Our best suggestion is that you should buy two boxes, one for you, one for the recipient. But here's a tip, don't try them before you make the presentation, or you will eat both boxes yourself!

They cost £6.40 for a box of four.

By the way, other flavours and other delicious treats are available, learn about them at http://www.baru.be/en.htm.



Soft Brew. Brewed for discerning adults


Just because you are driving or on antibiotics or just because you do not want alcohol is no reason why you should be condemned to a life of drinking fizzy pop!

Because it's no longer the bad old days when you would find yourself, as an adult, drinking some awful rip-off cola like drink at a party whilst all the other adults were drinking stuff that, you know, actually had a taste of something?

The bad old days of yesteryear have been replaced by the good new days and a new range of tasty, adult drinks that, although they are proud of their brewing heritage actually contain zero alcohol.

Whilst the Soft Brew range lacks alcohol the drinks contain a whole lot of taste and character.

There are three flavours to choose from: Apple, Lemon and Lime and Elderflower.

They are brewed to bring out the full, soft flavours of the fruits, there's a delicious aroma of hops and a full, satisfying flavour that is free not only of alcohol but also of preservatives and additives.

Chill the bottles (not too much) Gently shake the bottle (not too hard!) to make certain that the fruit is properly mixed throughout the bottle and then pour into your glass and enjoy.

Which one would you like best? Well, as for me, Lime and elderflower is probably the best, though Apple and Lemon come as join seconds, though not far behind.

To learn more about this delicious addition to the Christmas and New Year party scene please visit
http://www.alfresco.co.uk/ourbrands/soft_brew.