If like me you believe in serendipity you will understand my delight to be invited to ASK Italian in Amersham to try their autumn three course dessert menu. Only a few days earlier a friend and I had a long conversation about how a three-course pudding menu would be a winner and here it was, on a plate, so to speak.

Surely it can’t just be my wife who would happily forgo a starter and main for two or even three puddings?

ASK Italian have a reputation for sensitively occupying historic buildings and this is clearly the case in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire, which boasts a huge log filled fire place and a plethora of 18^th century beams.

ASK Italian’s three course dessert menu costs £12.95 and does exactly what it says on the tin. Available at all ASK restaurants this menu takes traditional Italian ingredient and transforms them with a playful twist based on more traditional British tastes.

As a starter we are offered Baked Chocolate Gnocci (vegan) which is a sweet mini chocolate Gnocci, filled with Nutella and served with a chocolate sauce, which, when punctured by the accompanying cocktail stick, pleasingly oozes warm chocolate.

Next up is Rhubarb and Custard Ravioli and yes you read that right. Pink pasta filled with Rhubarb contrasts with the vanilla custard, set off with rhubarb compote and fine crumble. Once my taste buds had caught up with my eyes, I realised that I had underestimated Ravioli, which here is just as good as its more frequently seen savoury cousin.

After the Gnocci and Ravioli I needed something light and refreshing and I couldn’t begin to imagine what ASK Italian would come up with. I have to say that they don’t disappoint.

To finish, three perfect scoops of Prosecco Sorbet, light, delicately perfumed and meltingly soft. This not only refreshes the palate but is a perfect accompaniment to a double Espresso.

This menu is available until October 24^th 2019 at all ASK Italian Restaurants and at £12. 95 is well worth experimenting with the sweet stuff.

Michael Rowan ate at ASK Italian, 12, The Broadway, Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire. HP7 OHP

www.askitalian.co.uk

Although modern phone cameras are just amazing, and digital photos so useful, sometimes isn’t it just great to hold a real photo in your hand? I remember cycling in India a few years ago, and a German cyclist took a photo of an old Indian man with a polaroid camera. The look on the old man’s face when he was handed the photo will stay in my memory for ever.  But who wants to cart a polaroid camera around, when smartphones are so convenient and portable?

Let me tell you about KiiPix. This neat little photo printer doesn’t require any physical connection, power, batteries, wifi or Bluetooth.  It uses FUJIFILM Instax mini film (sold separately) – and that’s all you need. It comes in pink, black or blue and folds up small to fit in your pocket or handbag.

Simply, take a photo with your smartphone, unfold the Kiipix, place your phone on it and hey presto – it will print your photo immediately. For the best pictures, activate the rotation lock and turn the phone’s brightness up to maximum.

Kiipix produces credit-card size pictures which fit perfectly in a purse or wallet.  The photo size is 8.6cm x 5.4cm. How lovely to take a quick snap of your child with your elderly aunt and to be able to give her the snap straight away?

RRP is £39.99: It’s available from Amazon, Argos, Boots, Debenhams, Harrods, Firebox and Urban Outfitters.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

              Polly (Sarah Lancashire)

Sarah Lancashire proves a tour de force in this fearless Channel 4 four-part drama, set entirely in Wales, and for which she had to perfect her Welsh accent.

    
 POLLY (Sarah Lancashire) is standing outside. ANGELA (Joanna Scanlan) comes and joins her,               then GRETA (Eiry Thomas)

The story opens as a local community gets on with the day to day struggles of life, set against the town’s St David’s Day celebrations, in the shadow of a building project that local councillors believe will regenerate their town.

A group of 15 – year olds, who think that they are adults, but are really just kids, break into the building where an explosion causes the accident of the title and the catalyst for families and friendships to be tested to breaking point.

Written by Jack Thorne, whose earlier television credits include the ground breaking ‘Skins,’ shares many of its themes with the Grenfell tragedy. ‘The Accident’ is the third part of Thorne’s trilogy and looks at class, corporate manslaughter and restorative justice.

  HARRIET (Sidse Babett Knudsen) walks across    the hotel.

The main characters are so well drawn, that we the viewer, instinctively feels a part of this Welsh community and know how they will react until that is, they are faced with raw grief.

The families are looking for answers and seeking someone to blame as this chilling and thought – provoking drama unfolds.

Viewed from the point of view of the affected families, the local community, the politicians and the faceless corporate developers, it is hard not to wonder how we might react in similar circumstances.

Powerful, gripping and yes, harrowing, this is a drama worth setting the recorder for on 24th October.

Photos: Copyright © Simon Ridgway, 2019

If the little girl in your family is a fan of the Ritzy Rollers, she’ll be thrilled with this Spa playset.

A fabulous pink and white spa-on–wheels, it opens up to let your child give her Ritzy Roller characters a real treat. And why shouldn’t the Ritzy Rollers have some down time in a super-luxury spa?  Featuring a vanity mirror, where they can enjoy a makeup session or a hair-do, a lounge for chilling with a Ritzy magazine, a bubble bath for those muscle-relaxing treatments after a hard day on the road and even a dance stage for letting off steam. Press a button and the spa has lights and music too.

The set includes thirty of those sort-after, collectable charms, which can be attached to the wheels of the Ritzy Rollers, or stored in their ‘booty trunks’ for swapping with fellow collectors and, guess what? It includes the Tori Tada unicorn character too.

A fabulous surprise for your youngster.

Stockists include; Amazon, Argos, Smyths, The Entertainer, Hamleys, Shop Direct and John Lewis. RRP £34.99, but on special offer at The Entertainer at £27.99 at the moment, so hurry up and buy it.

Recommended ages 4-8 years (due to small parts not suitable for under 3 year olds).

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Do you remember when you were young, and little girls pushed plastic baby dolls in scaled-down prams like their Mum’s? Well forget all that and let Tomy take you into the space–age.

Meet Rizmo (short for rhythm and monster). This little space baby is cute and loveable – and grows up. Yes, really.

When you first meets Rizmo, he is a soft ball of fluff that makes gurgling noises when you move him, or sleepy sighs when you rock him. But, like a real baby, he needs attention.

He has five modes – including song recording and sleep. You can switch between modes by pressing a button, but then you must confirm by gently swinging Rizmo. His eyes change colour to confirm the mode setting.

Sing to Rizmo and he will sing right back, in a cuter version of your own voice, talk to him and he’ll talk back too. And the more you sing, cuddle and generally stimulate Rizmo, the quicker he’ll develop. Just like a real baby, he responds to touch, motion and sound.

Then one day, after making some warning noises, he’ll grow into kid Rizmo right in front of your eyes. But you must cheer him on to help his transition.

Kid Rizmo can do more and now has a furry tail. Keep on singing to him, playing with him and dancing with him, and one day he’ll transform into a full-sized Rizmo. Very exciting to watch, he makes some odd noises, then little legs pop out and he sits up; his face appears and he smiles adorably.

The full-grown Rizmo is even more fun – he remembers the songs you taught him as a baby, and even does a remix and dances.

Rizmo is something to cuddle and love, whilst showing features of computer-based entertainment – using Rizmo is intuitive rather than following instructions. Your child can experiment and see what he does.

For a child with a newly arrived sib, Rizmo may help them relate to the new baby. How many other toys learn and develop like a baby does?

Rizmo comes in Berry, Aqua and Snow – so suitable for boys or girls. Recommended age is 6+ yrs although I would have thought a mature four or five year old could enjoy it too.

Stockists include; Smyths, The Entertainer, Argos, Hamleys, Amazon, Very and John Lewis. At £59.99, there is a lot of toy and novelty here.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

What is Little box of books? Frost Magazine asked Little Box of Books.

Boxes of inclusive and representative books for families and schools, all yours to keep, help children better understand the world and their place in it. For every box bought, we donate a book to our charity partner, Doorstep Library, to support families with limited access to books.

How does it work?

We deliver great books, that are yours forever, right to your door. Getting hold of stories with a diverse range of characters, situations and family set-ups couldn’t be easier.

1. Choose a monthly subscription or a one-off box of books. All you need to do is simple select the child’s age, chose the number of books you would like to receive, chose subscription or a one- off gift, write a free gift message for free gift card and then pay using the secure payment method
2. We hand wrap your books, box them up & send them out. Subscription orders are posted on the 20th of each month. Gift and one-off boxes are posted in the week they are ordered. Boxes are mailed, usually by Royal Mail. Then Little box of books donate a book to Doorstep Library as a thank you for your purchase.
3. Your brand new, inclusive children’s books arrive at your door. Your books arrive. Read together and discover new favourites Complete all the puzzles and activities. Share your experience on social media. Wait patiently for your next box!

What I thought of my Little box of book’s

Well I loved it, I found that everything from the packaging to the books was perfect. In my ‘little’ box I received two children’s books, a hand puppet sewing kit, a reading record, puzzles and activities to do with my children which were connected to the story books I had received, a thinking pad (essentially a pad of blank paper for the children to write down their thoughts, feelings and emotions) Emoji stickers and lots of information on the background of the company and what it is that they do and why.

As a parent I understand the importance of reading to children, and the little box of books also understands that importance and the fact that they donate books to those who need them is fantastic. So we got two books and they were “How to be a Lion” and “The Prince and the Witch and the thief and the Bears” my son really enjoyed the “How to be a Lion” book as he loves animals especially lions, wolves and dinosaur’s so this was a hit, and the moral of the story is beautiful. My daughter being a typical little girl adores fairy tales, princes and princesses and dragons was so excited to read “The prince and the witch and the thief and the bears”  together we put together the hand puppet which has now become to be known as “Gertrude the Giraffe”

I would unquestionably recommend ‘Little Box of Books’ to anyone who has a child in their life. This would make a lovely gift as its totally one of a kind and is a different and more fun way to get more children reading.

https://littleboxofbooks.co.uk/

“I choose to fight so that today will be better than yesterday”- Supergirl

Meet the DC universe’s most incredible female superheroes!

Who granted Wonder Woman her mighty superpowers? How does teenage supergirl disguise her identity in public? And why can Vixen channel the power of any animal in the world?

Discover the empowering stories of Batgirl, Bumblebee, Mera, Hawkgirl and many more. You’ll be inspired to be brave and bold, just like them.

Compassionate, Bold, Curious, Persistent- everything we want our daughters, granddaughters, nieces and sisters to be. Brave and bold is a empowering book for young girls to read about the female superheores that portray these characteristics. Each Superhero has a page dedicated to them, their background, where they are from and most importantly- what they stand for.

My daughter has watched her older brother play with superman and batman toys and I often felt as though this is teaching her that women can not be superheroes. Well they can and this amazing book tells girls just that.

Beautifully illustrated, the stories of each superhero is bound to spark excitement and imagination of the readers. “Sometimes all it takes is for a few words to change your life” – Bluebird

Pub DK. Price £12.99

Recently, Frost Magazine featured the stylish Indigo and Ivory cake tins from Tala.  I just love the simple understated elegance of this modern product range from one of England’s most established baking manufacturers.

The Indigo and Ivory kitchen range has everything you need to bake that delicious cake, from flour sifters, to mixing bowls, and roasting dishes too.  All coordinated in distinctive indigo, ivory and silver finishes which will complement most modern kitchens.

So how about the new matching storage tins? Each displaying the signature Tala logo, in ivory with indigo lids, one fits inside the other, which is rather neat.

The largest is labeled flour, then sugar, then coffee and the smallest  – tea.  Designed to fit normal bags of flour and sugar, a jar of coffee and a box of loose tea – all big enough, but not too big.

On special offer at the moment – reduced from  £24.99 to £14.54 from Amazon – grab a bargain for Christmas.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.