We spent all afternoon today wandering around Tatton Park. What a gorgeous place that is! The gardens were so beautiful and we walked our not so little butts off! (ok . . . hmm . . . MY not so little butt.)



When we got home we were starving and so I threw together a quick Chicken Biryani. (Nothing special, just using a jarred sauce I got at the store, a couple of diced chicken breasts and some basamati rice. Quick and easy.)



While the chicken was in the oven I threw together a delicious dessert for us that turned out fabulous. AND . . . there's no fat in the apples at all . . . truly!



It's just apples, sugar and water . . . oh and a few spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.



Very healthy, very quick and oh sooooooo scrummy!!



Of course the Vanilla Mascarpone had lots of fat in it . . . but if you're feeling indulgent what the hey!! Quite, quite rich and delicious!



I had some non fat Greek yogurt with mine and it was quite yummy as well! Just look at those golden apples and that deliciously rich topping. Go on . . . just try to resist! I love it when something that is sooooo moreishly wanton . . . is actually not all that bad . . . don't you??



*Toffee Apples with Vanilla Mascarpone*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Simple, delicious and quite low in fat . . . ok well, the mascarpone is not low in fat, but you could substitute some fat free yoghurt instead if you wanted to.

6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
4 TBS golden caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 TBS water

For the mascarpone:
250g of mascarpone cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise

Place the apple pieces into a bowl along with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Give them a good toss together.

Heat a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the apples mixture, spreading it out into one layer as much as you can. Let them start to caramelize and turn golden on one side, before you flip them over and do the same on the other side, removing them as they become caramelized on both sides.

Split the vanilla pod in half lengthwise. Put the mascarpone into a bowl. Using the tip of a knife, scoop up all the black seeds from the vanilla pod and drop them into the mascarpone. Mix them in well. (Use the split vanilla pod in your sugar jar to infuse your sugar with the scent and flavour. Just plunge it in and let it sit forever. Well, it will last for a very long time at any rate.)

Spoon the hot apples into individual bowls. Top each with a dollop of the Vanilla mascarpone and serve immediately.



I just love my new Santuko Knife that Eden Webshops sent me to try out! It is one of their Damast series of knives and has a beautiful pattern on both the blade and the handle. The Eden Quality Damast series is made of Japanese Damast stainless steel with a core of hardened VG10 steel. The handle is made of durable composed material containing linen and synthetic resin and, like the blade, has a beautiful pattern.

High quality Santoku knife with hollow edge. Versatile Asian type knife for cuttingmeat, fish and vegetables. Alternative for the standard Chefs knife, lighter and more easy to handle. Missing of a sharp point makes this knife additional saver.

Eden Quality price advantage!
This Eden Quality knife is produced by a manufacturer that fabricates as well for trusted trade marks. This price advantage without a brand and distributor in the marketing chain is yours!

Characteristics

* High quality Damascus steel with a core of VG10
* Hardness ca. 60 Rockwell C (HRc)
* Thin and perfectly sharpened blade
* Fine ergonomic handle made of composed material containing linen and synthetic resin.
* Modern shaped blade without thickening in the cutting edge. Easy to grind.
* Double steel bolster for perfect balance and protection of the handle.
* 25 years warranty on material and construction defects

You can't ask for any better than that. It also feels very good in my hand, and I loved the ease with which it cuts and slices. It is now my favourite knife!

They also sent me a Ceramic Sharpening Rod. I haven't actually had a chance to use this yet as my knives are all pretty sharp at the moment. But here is a really good video on them.



I think you will find the video very useful. I know I did. Many thanks to the people at Eden Webshops for affording me this fabulous opportunity to try out some really fine kitchen kit!

The people from Shrewd PR representing Eddingtons sent me some of their newest summer range of goods to test out the other day. I love it when that happens! I have had a lot of fun trying everything out.



First up was a lovely set of glass cruets . . . 4 in the beautifully shaped Firenze pattern and 4 in the Venezia pattern. Both came in a lovely assortment of colours . . . ruby red, pale yellow, bottle blue and light green. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but very useful as well. They have lovely pouring spouts and seals . . . just perfect for taking cold drinks on a picnic or for use as vinegar and oil cruets on the salad table! I just love them.



Included as well was this lovely Salad Spinner by Tovolo! Not only is it quite large in size, holding 5 quarts of salad leaves etc., but it is collapsible!! Yes, you are not imagining things. I did say that . . . it's completely collapsible.



Here it is flat! Only about 3 inches tall, and very easy to store, not taking up much space at all! That means a lot to me in my kitchen as I have very little storage space, so anything that doesn't take up a lot of room makes me happy.



It very quickly pops out into a full size salad spinner! Very attractive!! Some other features are:

1. Effortlessly fast spinning - does the job efficiently and quickly
2. Pull-string handle with in-built brake mechanism
3. Bowl makes an attractive salad server, too
4. Good quality, robust item which is built to last



It is very easy to use. The pull toggle is effortless and the button for stopping the spinning works really well also. I really, really like it!! I love Tovolo everything! Real quality stuff! I like the funky green colour as well. I tried to take a movie of me spinning it, but . . . it's hard to pull the cord and press record on my camera at the same time. It just wasn't happening!

They also sent some lovely Tovolo Ice Lolly Molds.

The Jewel Pop Molds are not only cute but fun as well. They look like big diamond rings. I just know the kiddies will love iced treats made in these!



I made some little adult type of Watermelon ices in them for today. You could do any flavour you want and they are just a nice small size and so fun to wear!



*Minted Watermelon Pops*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe

Easy to make, low in fat and beautifully refreshing!

1 1/2 pound of seedless watermelon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1 inch dice
2 TBS sugar
a handful of mint leaves, minced (about 1/4 cup)
2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
pinch salt

Place the melon and sugar into a blender. Blitz until smooth. Stir in the mint, lemon zest and salt. Pour the puree into 8 popsicle molds and freeze until hard, about 3 hours. Use within a week.

They also sent a set of Ice Cream Pops freeze molds. They are so cute! They look just like Ice Cream Cones!



I did some really fun frozen Yogurt pops in them! They turned out really nice too! I did layers with the top layer being apricot and the bottom layer, summer berries. They can be low fat as well, especially if you use the low fat yogurt.



*Fruity Frozen Yogurt Pops*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe

Creamy and refreshing and good for you too, especially if you use low fat yogurt!

1 cup of fresh ripe fruit, chopped ( nectarines, mango, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, etc.)
12 fluid ounces of plain yogurt ( 1 1/2 cups. I like Greek)
3 fluid ounces of liquid honey (1/3 cup)
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into 8 popsicle (ice lolly) molds. Insert sticks and then freeze for 4 hours until frozen solid.

Note: I like to use two kinds of fruit, so I divide everything in half and the fruit in half as well, blitzing twice, once with half the ingredients and one type of fruit, and then the second time with the other half of the ingredients and another type of fruit. I then layer them into the popsicle molds. Top with the lids and freeze.

I was a little concerned that they might be difficult to release, but both types released very easily and I ended up with perfect ice lollies! I was most impressed!

Each mold can be reoved separately, so you can enjoy one pop at a time, and the built in drips guards put an end to sticky fingers!

So you can see I am all set now for some summer fun! Many thanks to the people at Eddingtons and Shrewd PR for allowing me try these lovely things out! I was very impressed with everything and highly recommend!

One of the big bonuses of having a food blogg is that I get contacted from time to time by companies asking me if I would like to review their products. Of course I always say yes!

Last week I received a lovely Ryvita Crackers for Cheese Hamper from the folks at Ryvita! What a lovely hamper it was too, containing a sweet little wooden cheese board, three lovely cheeses (Stilton in wax, a Wensleydale and Cranberry in wax, and a beautiful Double Gloucester Cheese in wax), a tasty bottle of Country Garden Chutney and two packets of Ryvita Crackers for Cheese! (Black Pepper and Golden Rye)

We were planning on having some people over for a Family Home Evening tonight and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to give them a try. The Family Home Evening fell though though and so I decided I couldn't wait any longer and Todd and I tried them out for our lunch today.



I chose to top the Black Pepper ones with some sliced Vanilla cured pears and crumbled Stilton. Oh my but they were really delicious.



I topped the Rye ones with the Double Gloucester and some of the chutney. Fantastic combination as well!



As you can plainly see they are quite sturdy crackers and held up well under the stress. They were not crumbly and stayed well together with our bites. I like that in a cracker. There is nothing worse than having a cracker that falls to bits the first time you bit into it.



All in all I was quite impressed with these crackers. Lovely flavour and texture all round. Healthy and wholesome as well, made with wholegrain flours and olive oil They are both low in fat and high in fibre. We both thoroughly enjoyed them. Another thing that I really liked about them was that they were packed in individual packets containing about half a dozen in each. That to me is a big bonus, as with there just being two of us in this household we can never use boxes of crackers up before they get stale. This eliminates that problem and the waste!



Take a look at the advertisement in this month's Sainsbury's magazine, which shows you how very adaptable they are! Some really good ideas there . . . Many thanks to the people at Ryvita for giving me this opportunity.

Oh . . . and knowing, me you just know I had to something different with them as well. Not that I don't like just cheese and crackers . . . but I do love to stretch the envelope a bit as well.



May I present Herb and Butter Toasted Crackers. I know . . . kinda takes away a bit from the low fat qualities of these wonderful crackers, but once in a while, it's nice to do something a bit different. You can use any herb combination you want . . . you can really give them some pizzazz with something spicy and hot, or you can dress them down. Add cheese, or not. You can even turn them into little pizzas by using a bit of tomato paste in the butter and pizza herbs and a dusting of parmesan at the end. It's up to you really! Enjoy!



*Herb and Butter Toasted Crackers*
Makes 2 dozen

These can be as snappy or as mild as you want. They are incredibly moreish. If you like you can go one step further and dust them with some Parmesan cheese as well. Yummily Scrummy!

24 crackers
2 ounces butter, melted (1/4 cup)
2 tsp of herb and spice mixture (I used a M&S mixture year which
contained smoked paprika, garlic, thyme, red peppers, etc. or you can create your own herb
combination)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Whisk together the melted butter and herb mixture. Brush this lightly on both sides of the crackers and place them onto a nonstick baking sheet. Bake in the heated oven for about ten minutes, until lightly browned and crispy. Allow to cool before serving.

The other day I was contacted by CSN Stores and asked if I would like to review one of their products. I once again jumped at the chance and was given a gift certificate to choose anything from the wide range of products that they offer.

It was not so easy to pick this time. There are a lot of nice things in their shop, everything from cookware and lighting to furniture . . . but you know me . . . it was the cookware section that got the heavy perusal!

I know you may find this hard to believe, but I have never had a decent set of pots and pans since I moved over here to the UK. When we first started our our life together, we didn't have a lot of money (still don't!) and so we have had to make do with the cheapest set we could find. ( Before our married life Todd made do with a tin opener, a cheap aluminum pot and an old beat up frying pan! Needless to say I changed that . . . um . . . quite a bit!)

When I worked at the Manor House I got to work with the best equipment any cook could ever want to use. I got rather spoiled there . . . I had a lovely Kitchen aid stand mixer and everything. It was really nice to be able to use nice things to cook with, I'll tell you!

Anyways, after devouring almost everything on CSN's store site, I decided I wanted to get myself a nice set of pots and pans and I found a fabulous deal!!



Raymond Blanc by Anolon - Anodized Clad Cookware
The new Anodized Clad range has a different construction from the Advanced range it replaces, with a stainless steel interior and hard anodized exterior bonded to an aluminium core.

• Clad construction guarantees fast, even heating, even up the sides of the pan
• Stainless steel and aluminium base further enhances heat conductivity
• Suitable for all hob types, including induction hobs
• Lifetime guarantee

The set includes a milk pan (always wanted one of those!) three saucepans (16cm, 18cm, and 20cm) and a frying pan (22cm). There are tempered glass lids for 3 of the saucepans with polished stainless steel rims, which allow you to see through cooking whilst keeping all the flavour and nutrients locked in. They also have nice and sturdy riveted stainless steel handles, and what I really like is that the largest saucepan has an extra handle on the oppposite side to the longer handle, which makes it a lot easier and safer to carry, especially when you have it filled! That is something these old arthritic hands and wrists of mine really appreciate!



Apparently it is safe to use with metal tools. A bonus!! This meant I didn't have to go out and buy all new tools to use with it. (A fact that made the Toddster happy!) The hard anodized exterior also will not scratch or chip, and they are suitable for all hobs, as well as being oven safe up to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4 (with lid).

The set normally retails for £215, but you can get them at CSN Stores for a mere £97.15, with free delivery right now. I am not going to tell you how much my gift certificate was for, but I will say that I got a very good deal on these pots and pans and I am well pleased, very well pleased.

They were delivered by courier, less than 2 days after I ordered them, and were in perfect condition when they arrived. Two thumbs up all around!



I have been using them for several days now and I am well impressed with their quality and value for money spent. It goes without saying that the next time I need something for the kitchen or otherwise I will certainly be checking out CSN stores first. This is the second time I have gotten something from them and I am well impressed with their service rendered.

Quick delivery which is free on almost everything over £40. Why not click on over now and take a look for yourself. Click here for CSN Stores UK and here for CSN Stores USA and Canada.

Many thanks to Kate and CSN Stores for having given me this wonderful opportunity. Tune in tomorrow for a tasty pudding that you are absolutely going to love, Love, LOVE!

A few days ago I was contacted and asked me if I would like to try out a few products. I was quite happy to oblidge.

I opted for the Giant Cupcake Pan from Eddingtons and a really cute little Retro Milk and Sugar set from Make My Day.



They arrived this morning and I could wait to get stuck in to using them. I have always wanted a cupcake cake tin and I was pretty excited about it. It came with expert instruction on how to use it and how much batter to use.



It suggested you use a 6 egg cake batter and so I decided to use Mary Berry's Victorian Sandwich Cake recipe, doubled, as it is one of our favourites. The cake tin is all in one piece, which includes the cupcake base section and the cupbake top section. One down side of this is that the bottom takes longer to bake than the top and so you have to put the tin into the oven with just the bottom filled and then take it out about halfway through the cooking time and fill the top part. Anyone who is a baker knows that messing around with taking cakes in and out of ovens during the baking process is a risky business, and prone to failure and sure nuff . . . my cake ended up sunk a bit in the middle and heavy. I would say that this is a major hiccup in anotherwise beautiful pan, and I'm not sure how to get around it.



I also decided to use all butter in the cake recipe this time, as someone had suggested in the comments section the last time I baked it that you should always use all butter in a Victorian Sponge, and I have to say we are not very happy with the texture of the cake, and have found it to be far too rich. I will definitely go back to using half butter and half marg. When Mary Berry says to use half and half, I would think she definitely knows what she is talking about. I should have listened to her. ( I would have to say that the cake is almost greasy and that is not good in my books. I like butter, but too much is too much!)



Nevertheless the cake was quite cute when completed and decorated and looked just adorable sitting on my table with that sweet little milk and sugar set. I am in love with that. It is not too big and not too small. The milk container resembles an old fashioned pint milk bottle, complete with a rubber cover to keep it fresh. I collect milk and sugar containers so this is a lovely addition to my collection.



I was able to use my Tovolo Utensils again, that they had sent me previously and I have to say that I am very impressed with the. Sturdy and brightly coloured they have become my favourite utensils. Knowing that I have something to use that is heat resistant, sturdy and that won't scrape my pans is a blessing! I am especially enamoured with the slotted mixing spoon. It has a lovely stainless steel handle and is very strong and able to handle the thickest of batters with ease. The scraper is also very good and sturdy. These are lifetime tools as I cannot see them ever breaking or melting, and after several months of constant use have remained as new looking as the day I received them. I highly recommend.



Thanks very much to Eddingtons and Tovolo, for having sent me these handy little gadgets. I will work at finding a way to make the cake tin work out a bit better. Perhaps a different recipe for the batter and if I bake the layers separately. It will take longer, as it will be like baking two cakes, but for a special occasion it would be well worth the trouble, as it is really cute!!



Nevertheless I did enjoy my little tea for one . . . a tiny sliver of cake and a delicious cup of Cranberry and Pomegranate Herbal tea . . . very refreshing. Sometimes it's nice to spoil yourself just that tiny bit.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone! we'll be enjoying our boiled bacon and cabbage today, how about you?


*Traditional Victorian Sandwich Cake*
Makes one 7 inch cake
Printable Recipe

Popular during the reign of Queen Victoria, this cake remains popular to this day, which is a huge testament to it's taste and ease of baking! Don't be tempted to use all butter. This is one recipe that is better for the use of a mixture of butter and margarine.

3 ounces of butter, softened (6 TBS)
3 ounces soft margarine (6 TBS)
6 ounces caster sugar (1 cup)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
6 ounces self raising flour (a scant 1 1/2 cups)

To finish:
3 TBS raspberry jam
buttercream to fill (optional)
icing sugar or caster sugar to dust the top

Butter and base line two 7 inch sandwich tins. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Cream the butter, margarine, sugar and vanilla together until light in colour and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour.

Fold in the flour with a metal spoon, taking care to use a cutting motion so as not to knock out too much of the air that you have beaten into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins, leveling off the surface. Make a slight dip in the centre of each.

Bake on a centre rack of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the sponges have risen well, are golden brown, and spring back when lightly touched. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges and turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, place one layer on a cake plate. Spread with raspberry jam and buttercream (if using). Place the other cake on top, pressing down lightly. Dust with icing or caster sugar and serve.

I was recently contacted by Neil, representing The Saucy Fish Co, wanting to know if I would be interested in trying out some of their products. I'm always up for trying out new things, and we always try to eat fish a couple of times a week in our house, so I said yes, quite happily.



The Saucy Fish Co is all about serving healthy and delicious fish, but also fish that is inspired and a bit above the norm. They produce four different ranges of products:

• Foil bake bags: A range of 5 different fish and sauce combinations, in a foil packet that you can bake in your oven.
  
• Fish and sauce packs: Salmon, Sea Bass or Smoked Haddock, fresh fish fillets with a variety of sauces (Sun Blush Tomato, Watercress and Creme Fraiche, Chili, Lime and Ginger for the Salmon, Mustard and Dill Vinaigrette for the Smoked Haddock, and Beurre Blanc and Dil for the Sea Bass. Fresh fish fillets that you can cook in your preferred way and a tasty sauce perfectly matched to accompany them.
• Sauce Sachets: Five fresh sauces ranging from a tasty Teriaki to a Marie Rose sauce, all prepared and ready to serve with your fish.
• Saucy Centre Fishcakes: Two different tasty varieties of fish cakes, in their words - fantastic fish with a smashing sauce, the lovely, oozy, melty bit in the middle and the crumbly golden coat that'll grab your tastebuds every time. (These look fabulous!)

Environmentally sound and sustainable fish presented in unique and delicious ways, traditionally made using techniques and all natural ingredients you would find at home. They make a wonderful choice for a no fuss meal option that goes far beyond the norm that we find in convenience foods these days.



I was given several vouchers that I could use at Tesco's to pick up some of their products to try. After seeing the fish cakes I was really keen to try them out, but I was sorely disappointed by Tesco's. Our local store, which is really quite large, had only one product for me to try, The Salmon Fillets with a Watercress and Creme Fraiche sauce. I really would have loved to try the fish cakes, but had to make do with what was available.



This was delicious. The fish was fresh and very tasty and the sauce was gorgeous. I could taste the pepperiness of the watercress, and a light tang of the creme fraiche and an underlying richness of cream and butter. In short it was deliciously rich and went fantastically with the salmon, which I had panfried in my grill pan according to the directions below.

All that was needed was a few side dishes to make a beautifully complete meal which felt and tasted special. Todd was really impressed. On the side I made my Colcannon which went wonderfully well with the fish and sauce and a tasty mixture of peas and beans, which also went quite well.



Many thanks to Neil and The Saucy Fish Co for a beautiful meal!

Here's my tips for cooking fresh fish perfectly everytime:

*How to Cook Fish Perfectly Every Time*
Printable Recipe

Fish literally only takes a few minutes per side (depending on the thickness) of your fish filets to cook.

GRILLED:

Sturdy and fatty fish, including grouper, salmon, tuna, swordfish and shark all grill beautifully. Make sure you have a very clean grill. Oil it lightly before adding the fish, then leave the fish alone. If the grill is properly heated and prepared, the fish will develop a nice crust and release when cooked. For more delicate types of fish, such as sole, Cod or haddock, using a fish basket makes the job easier. Just be sure to remove the cooked fish from the basket as quickly as possible so that it doesn't stick, or do like Nigella and cook it on a sheet of foil on the grill. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.


STEAMED:

To steam fish, place water or stock in a large saucepan and add seasoning ingredients (lemons, ginger etc.) Bring the liquid to a simmer, place the fish in a steaming basket and place over the simmering liquid. Don't let the liquid boil as this will cook the fish too quickly and it could overcook in seconds. Again the fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

BROILED:

Broiled fish is really tasty, especially if you season the fish well before cooking. Preheat the broiler ahead of time and then place the seasoned fish in a broiler pan, 4 to 6 inches away from the heat source. Watch carefully. Thin fillets should broil without having to be turned over, but thicker filets shoud be carefully turned halfway through the cooking time.

PAN FRIED:

Using just a light coating of oil and making sure to heat your skillet or grill pan are the surest tips for a perfectly sauteed piece of fish. Also remember to let the fish cook, without disturbing it for 2 to 3 minutes to help develop a nice crust, before turning it over. Also cook it in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. Thin fillets will cook in 2 to 3 minutes on one side and then flipped and cooked for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat of the pan to finish cooking the fish. Thicker fillets will take 5 to 6 minutes on the first side and then only 4 to 5 more on the second side.

POACHED:

The fish is poached in a flavoured liquid which is called court bouillon. You can use any aromatic herb or vegetable in the poaching liquid. I like to use a mixture of vermouth, water, peppercorns and parsley stems. Do not let the poaching liquid boil. It should be barely simmering.

One of my most vivid childhood memories is of the time my mother almost cut her thumb off. She was slicing cold ham for our dinner and because the knife was dull, she was having to put undue pressure on it . . . the knife slipped and you guessed it . . . instead of slicing through the ham, it sliced through her thumb, almost severing it. I remember having to run across to one of our neighbour's homes to get help. I couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old at the time. It is a memory that has stuck with me to this very day.

The most dangerous tool in any kitchen is a dull knife.



I was quite excited a week or so ago when Miriam contacted me and asked me would I like to test run the Any Sharp Pro knife sharpener. Having just recently been given a set of lovely knives I really jumped at the chance to try something out that might help to keep them beautifully sharp.

Oh, yes, I do have a knife steel, but to be honest I am always a bit leery when I use it . . . using one always requires a lot of skill in keeping your knife at just the right angle so that you sharpen them instead of ruining them. So far I've always been lucky . . . but . . .

I was invited to go and watch a brilliant video here on Youtube. It makes it's point (no pun intended) in quite a humorous and entertaining way! (depending on how mush sense of haha you have.)



In the intitial e-mail I was told that the Any Sharp Pro was simple to use, easy to store and extremely efficient. I was dying to try it out. Once it arrived I realized first hand just how brilliant it was. There are some really big features in this very small package!

Using the very latest in Octupus Technology, that is to say a Power Grip suction cup, leaving both hands free. I found it to be incredibly stable once I had affixed it to the counter top. I didn't need to dampen it down like most suction cups and once I had it clamped down there was no moving it . . . until I was finished and released the lever.

Another thing that really made it stand out was it's relatively small size. Easy to store in the kitchen where you will actually use it, it's just under 2 1/2 inches in diameter, roughly the size of a yoghurt cup. It easily fits into a drawer and is quite inconspicuous sitting on the countertop next to your knife block.



It's brilliant design allows you to maneuver just about any knife, scissor or blade into it easily without being restricted by the size or shape of the blade. The open design also makes it incredibly easy to use and versatile enough to be able to sharpen your whole collection of knives in just minutes.

Stylishly packaged in a stainless steel tin, it comes complete with a 10 year product lifetime guarantee, a beautiful chef's presentation ring and a tasty recipe card. It's not very often in this modern throwaway age that you get a product guarantee like that!



Product features include:

The Any Sharp Pro would make a fabulous gift for that cook in your life, or even for yourself. I am very impressed with it and highly recommend! Compact, efficient, and extremely effective, I’ve now got a whole set of newly sharpened, high quality knives that can cut through anything with ease. It is available to buy direct from HERE at a very reasonably priced £29.99

It's also available on Amazon at the same price.

PSSST!!!! They also have their very own Recipe Club!

The other day I was contacted by CSN Stores and asked if I would like to review one of their products. I jumped at the chance and was given a gift certificate to choose anything from the wide range of products that they offer.

Todd and I were in dire need of a new toaster, our old one having given up the dust, and so I had great fun perusing all of the toasters on offer in their store. There were more than 88 different toasters to choose from!



After spending some time looking them all over I finally settled on the DeLonghi Icona 4 Slice Toaster in Blue. I loved the retro look of it and the colour suited me to a "T". I placed my order and was thrilled when I got an e-mail a little while later telling me that it had already been shipped and I would be receiving it by courier the very next day!!

True to their word, it was delivered within 24 hours and in perfect condition. I was very impressed!

I just love the colour and sleek retro look of this toaster. It also comes in a few other colours as well, such as red and silver . . . but I love the blue! Here are some other features:

• Blue finish with chrome trim
• 1.8KW for rapid toasting
• Excusive Icona 4 slice toaster
• Stylish finish - will not show finger prints
• Electronic controls: reheat, defrost, bagel and cancel
• Extra deep crump tray
• Neon indicator function lights
• Extra lift position for easy removal of small slices
• Variable browing controls
• Variable width bread slots

I tested it out this morning by making my favourite Cinnamon Toast and I was really pleased with the way it toasted the bread, all even and very quickly too!

All in all I am more than pleased with my new blue toaster and am saving up now to get a kettle to match. It goes without saying that I will be ordering it from CSN stores. I was well impressed with their service.

Quick delivery which is free on almost everything over £40. Why not click on over now and take a look for yourself. Click here for CSN Stores UK and here for CSN Stores USA and Canada.

Thanks so much to Eileen at CSN Stores for having given me this opportunity!