I was recently sent samples from The Berry Company of  three of their delicious range of juices.

Superberries:  A blended juice drink made with Red Berry Juices from concentrate.  The mix combines Pomegranate, Aronia, Cranberry and Grape juice concentrates.

Blueberry:  A blueberry juice blend made with fruits from concentrates, sweetened with natural flavours and natural sugars.

Acai Berry:  An Acai juice drink blend made with fruits from concentrates, sweetened with natural sugars and natural flavourings.  This amazing berry is packed full of taste and goodness; proving that not everything that is good for you tastes like medicine.

I found all to be very delicious.   They were very fruity with no aftertaste or artificial tastes.  I would buy these.

All of the Berry Company drinks are Gluten and Dairy free, with no artificial colourings, sweeteners or additives and no GMO's.    They come in both 330ml cartons for on the go, and 1 litre bottles for keeping the refrigerator stocked.   They make the perfect breakfast drink.

To find out more about these and their other drinks do check out The Berry Company website.

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Charlie Bigham's, makers of delicious dishes for two, have launched brand new recipes for their signature Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie dishes as they look to serve up the most delicious versions possible of these two British Classics.

I have long been a fan of Charlie Bigham's meat pies, having first tried them when we lived down South, and so I have been keen to try these new dishes!




























Charlie and his team have been busying themselves away over the stove to create some sumptuous flavours, including the richest red wine and thyme tomato ragu the chefs have ever made.



This is the ragu they use in the new Cottage pie, which features tender, slow-cooked British beef, topped with creamy mashed potato, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese. 

  

Charlie's Shepherds Pie now has an even more tomatoe-y ragu wih an extra sprinkling of thyme to give it that rich, deep flavour.  Originally the Shepherds Pie was made with a beef and lamb combination, but following customer feedback, it is now all lamb based and is succulent and full of flavour.

I like the idea that at Charlie Bigham's they are not afraid to take customer feedback on board and make changes to enhance their existing recipes making them even more delicious!  

One thing I love about the Charlie Bigham's products is that they can be ready in minutes and provide a homely supper which is just as good as homemade and from scratch.  In fact they taste like homemade and that's not bad.

These new improved pies are now available to buy in stores nationwide via Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Booths, Budgens and Ocado, RRP £7.00

For more information do check out the Charlie Bigham's website.
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I confess I am a real pasta lover.   Todd, not so much . . .  but I adore pasta in any way shape or form.  I do confess that more often than not I eat pasta shapes.  I also really love Gnocchi, and I have used it alot.   I was recently given the opportunity to try some pasta from a Company called Dell' UGO and I was sent three different types to test.  Two filled and one gnocchi.   I cooked them all at the weekend and here is what I thought!

There is nothing the Toddster enjoys more than a good British banger.   They are not something we eat really often, but when we do we tend to opt for a quality banger . . .  something which is meaty and well flavoured . . .  without a lot of fillers and ingredients that are questionable, and if they are wheat, gluten and dairy free, so much the better!  I like knowing exactly what is in my sausage!

I was recently sent some Serious Pig Charcuterie to review in the way of several snacking salami sticks, notably the Classic and the Chilli and Paprika.

“Serious Pig” is a  British company, a London based craft meat business, whose idea for snacking salami was thought up over a couple of pints and a few less-than-mediocre snacks eaten down at their local.  Since then, the pair have created arguably some of the best snacks in the country in the shape of two snacking salamis and a sliced lean offering, which they call snakingham.  All products have been expertly crafted using the finest British pork available and seasoned to perfection. They are now leading a crusade to inspire food brands to be more transparent about their ingredients.

The Peckham based charcuterie business has launched a "craft not crap" campaign to stop brands from misleading customers about unhealthy, overly processed junk foods and get the country snacking on more authentic products.

This campaign comes after leading scientists, writing in the British Medical Journal recently called for a pan on artificial trans fats from processed food which they claim (the BMJ) could save 7,000 lives.  As it stands at the present, there are no laws specifically designed to ensure food manufacturers label trans fats associated with processed foods.  Serious Pig founder George Rice claims that Producers hold the power to do this.

As a part of its initiative, Serious Pig is pledging to be fully honest with it's customers by adfding images, tasting notes and descriptions of two breeds of pigs to its website.  They are then hoping to encourage people to vote, via social media, for the pig they think would taste best in it's next batch of snacks.   The campaign aims to educate larger food manufacturers about the benefits of being transparent with it's customers and give consumers a rare glimpse into an honest, and open product creation process.



My thoughts -  The Chilli and Paprika had a bit of a kick, but not in any way which I found to be overpowering.  I quite likes.   The Classic was gorgeous with a delicious combination of spices and herbs,  and a mix of black peppercorns which really enhanced the flavours.  In all, the classic was my favourite.   Both were meaty and I can see where they would be a popular nibble for with drinks.  I like that they are a 100% British product and I like the company's ethos in wanting transparency and honesty when dealing with the consumer.   That really strikes a positive note with me!  Many thanks to them for sending me these to try.  As always any and all opinions are my own.

Available at Boroughbox and Ocado.

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 There is one ingredient that I am never without in my store cupboard and that is tinned tomatoes.  I just adore tinned tomatoes.  

I love popcorn and one of my favourite brands is Portlebay Popcorn, so when they recently asked me if I would like to try their new  Cinnamon Swirl - crunchy sweet popcorn - I jumped at the chance!

Portlebay Popcorn is all popped by hand in Devon with nothing more than a touch of rapeseed oil, a touch of raw cane sugar to give it a delicious crunch and their totally natural seasonings.  They are gluten free and have both Savoury Krackle Corn  ( Classic, Orchard Wood Smoked Cheddar, Wasabi and Sweet Ginger, Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup, and Chilli and Lime) ad Sweet Flavours (Very Berry, Lemon Sherbet, Cappuccino and the new Cinnamon Swirl).


From classic Sweet and Salty Kracklecorn through to the kick of Chilli and Lime and the fizzy fun of Lemon Sherbet, all of their nine flavours are equally moreish. They come in small packs which  are made for snacking, or  big bags that are perfect for sharing with friends. Kracklecorn is a wholegrain and naturally high in fibre.



And just what do I think of this new Cinnamon Swirl?  Why, it's fabulous of course.  Completely different than what I was expecting.  I was expecting it to taste like a cinnamon bun, but amazingly it tastes like spiced apple cider!  It's just gorgeous and would be lovely put out in snacking bowls when you have your guests over for drinks during the holidays!  I give it a nice 10 out of 10 and

 

and an English Kitchen Hearty Two Thumbs Up!  I am in love!  I think you will be too!

Available at Tesco's, Booths and Budgens across the country as well as a network of independant shops and stockists, including Soho Coffee, Thorntons as well as Sainsbury's regionally.    Additionally Portlebay Popcorn donate 25 % of their online sales to their nomincated charity CHICKS.



To find out more check out  http://www.portlebaypopcorn.com/
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Note - although I was sent several bags of popcorn to try at no charge, any and all opinions are my own.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian family and friends!  I hope you all have a wonderful weeend filled with lots of love, gratitude and plenty of good eats.   Family dinners, they're the best!  I've been working hard for the past few weeks to figure out a dessert recipe that I could eat that would be just as satisfying as Pumpkin Pie (traditional at Thanksgiving feasts!) and here I am down to the wire and guess what!  I figured one out and it's fabulous!

I found a nice looking piece of Pork Tenderloin in the freezer yesterday and since we hadn't had any pork in a long time I decided to do something with it for our supper today.   Todd loves pork and as he hasn't been feeling very well, I thought it would be a real treat for him.  I love pork tenderloin.  It's like the filet mignon of the pork world . . .  so long as it isn't overcooked.  It's tender and lean and quite adaptable to most flavours.

Hi there peoples!  I wanted to tell you about some of the equipment I've been using in my kitchen over this past month.  You know a cook is only as good as the tools she uses and I have been very blessed to have nice things that are really useful.

A few years when I was over in Canada, the Toddster wore out our tin opener and had to buy a new one. I have never been fond of the new one he bought.  (Sorry Todd!)  I recently got this new One-Touch Automatic Can Opener.



I've never had a battery operated can opener before.  At first I wasn't quite sure how to use it.   The handy instruction leaflet which came with it soon dispelled any mystery.

 


You simply place the can opener on top of the can with it's rim positioned in the groove between the cutter and the drive wheel.  With the tin on a flat surface you press the button for about one second and release and then it goes to work, cutting the can all the way around.  You then press the button again to reverse the cutter and it reverses and stops.

 


You then lift the cutter off the can, and the magnet on the can opener will pick up the lid for convenience.  Easy Peasy, lemon squeezy!  I tried to take a video of it in action, but I need a teenager around to show me how to use my camera.  Sigh . . .  all I got was the picture you can see at the top with the opener on top of the can and my finger going in to touch the button!




I've also been using these Colour Works Utensils.   The  Masher is made from Nylon and is dishwasher safe and suitable for nonstick surfaces.  Heat resistant to 210*C/410*F.,  it carries a five year warantee.

The Silicone Spoon Spatula is also dishwasher safe, hygenic and very flexible.  It's stain resistant and suitable for non-stick surfaces.  It is heat resistant for up to 260*C/500*F and also comes with a five year warantee.

What can I say?  They do their job and I love that they don't scratch my pans and are dishwasher safe.

All of these items can be purchases at Next Day Catering, a leading online catering supplier providing a range of high quality catering equipment and hotel supplies in in the UK. They have been the UK’s favourite catering suppliers for 20 years now, supplying quality products from top name brands including KitchenAid, Dualit, Panasonic, Samsung Victorinox and more. Their next day catering supplies are used across the UK by bars, hotels, restaurants, cafés, bed and breakfasts, schools, office canteens, bistros and other professional kitchens and hospitality businesses.  With a quick delivery,  great prices, and a full stock selection, they are my first port of call when it comes to finding the right tools to do what I love to do, and that is  . . .  cook.

I really do get sent the nicest things.  I was recently sent a box of some really delicious cracklecorn from Portelbay Popcorn.  Portlebay is a small company in the depths of Devon,which creates all of their products by hand.   I was sent both the Chilli & Lime and the Wasabi & Sweet Ginger flavours to try.

 

These are really unsual flavours.  I am not normally that fond of overly spicy things.  What would I think of these???


Chilli & lime: I was a little bit unsure about this flavour on the approach.  I normally find red chillis much to hot for my taste, and even the sweet chilli sauce can burn my taste buds, but I have to say I was pretty amazed. It was sweet yet spicy from the chilli, with an almost salsa like taste which the lime cut through, ensuring that it wasn’t too sickly sweet.  I found the heat not at all unpleasant.  It was crunchy and just sweet enough, with a bit of a nice but not overwhelming heat.


Wasabi & Sweet Ginger:   I have a special fondness of Wasabi Peas.  It's the one snack I can eat that the dog doesn't beg me for, so I can enjoy them without being stared at the whole way through.  They can be hot, but not so hot that I don't like them.   I have to say that this is most deliciously different and exciting popcorn I’ve ever tasted. It really was unusual, but quite tasty.  The Wasabi wasn't overwhelming, but there was a really nice Ginger taste which I would say was the predominent flavour in this. It wasn't quite as sweet as the Sweet Chilli and Lime. I quite liked it as well.

Both would be fab snacks to break out for watching the footie or rugby!



Of course these are only two in the wide range of flavoured Kracklecorn that Portlebay produces.   There are also Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup and the Original Cracklecorn flavours.

There are a quite a few companies out there at the moment who are trying to bring something new to the world of popcorn, but it's been my experience that most of them don’t deliver on flavour.  It either gets lost as a mere dusting over the corn, or drowned in a candy coating.   Portlebay Popcorn, on the other hand,  is without doubt packed full of flavour.  Popped in the pot with raw cane sugar to give it a more brittle, crunchy texture, and then sprinkled with  a little sea salt along with their specially developed natural seasonings, this Krackle Corn is designed  to tingle your tastebuds in a really special way!  I highly recommend this if you are looking for a snack which is delicious, wholegrain and naturally  high in fibre.

They also do a range of sweet popcorns, which I have never tasted but which sound really scrummy, with flavours such as Lemon Sherbet, Cinnamon Swirl, Very Berry and Cappuccino!

They come in small packs which are made for snacking, or  big bags which are perfect for sharing with friends. Available at Tesco's, Booths and Budgens across the country as well as a network of independant shops and stockists.

To find out more check out  http://www.portlebaypopcorn.com/
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I do get sent the nicest things.  Look at what dropped through my letter box recently!  Cadbury's latest smash hit . . .  Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables!  These two new bars are available in two deliciosu flavours;  the ever popular Jelly Popping Candy and the all new Rocky Mallow Road.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables are the perfect sharing treat for all the family to enjoy.  The bars have a completely new and unique design, which has been created to make them easy to smash in the middle and then break up into fun shaped pieces.

 

Simply flip the bar, smash in the centre and share out amongst loved ones and friends  . . .  or use as a fun family game whilst watching your favourite Saturday night TV shows!

Brand new Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables Rocky Mallow Road is filled with an assortment of delicious flavours including mini-marshmallows, sweet strawberry flavoured jellies and crunchy biscuit pieces (yum!0 topped with a layer of Cadbury Dairy Milk; a bar which is sure to send your taste buds into overdrive.  This new delicious bar is joined by the much loved flavours of Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables Jelly Popping Candy, which combines smooth Cadbury Dairy Milk with chewy jellies, colourful sugar coated cocoa pieces and curiously crackling popping candy.



Matthew Williams, Marketing Activation Director at Mondele International said:  "The new Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables range is a really fun and exciting addition, especially with the new Rocky Mallow Road.  We know how important family time is and we really wanted to introduce a joyful ritual that everyone can enjoy." 

Movie Night just got a whole lot better!   The Toddster has really been enjoying this, while I look on with longing . . .

Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Smashables are available in 180g family sized bars with an rrp of £2.49 and in the smaller individual 47g sized bard with an RRP of £0.61.

For more information visit www.cadbury.co.uk
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