50 ml Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka | 15 ml Pumpkin Spiced Syrup | 100 ml Tonic Water | 3 Dashes of Orange Bitters Combine all the ingredients (except the syrup) in a tumbler glass. Drizzle the syrup over the top and stir. Garnish with a snapped cinnamon stick and a wedge of fresh orange. Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka – ABV: 40%, RRP from £30 for 70 cl, available nationwide from dutchbarn.com, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Amazon and other good retailers
Newly Launched – Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced Vodka
This new expression is the perfect addition to Halloween celebrations. Whether you bring it as a gift or enjoy it with friends, Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced Vodka is made with fresh organic ginger juice and designed to make bar-quality cocktails with zero fuss. Dutch Barn Vodka has partnered with The Donkey Sanctuary, supporting donkey welfare, and is donating 25% of profits from every bottle to this great charity, which helps give donkeys better lives, every day. Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced Vodka – ABV: 38%, RRP: £32 for 70 cl, available exclusively at DutchBarn.com
Renais Gin
Winter Citrus Punch 30 ml Renais | 15 ml Blood Orange Juice | 15 ml Clementine Juice | 15 ml Pink Grapefruit Juice | 15 ml Lemon Juice | 10 ml Cinnamon Syrup |15 ml Ginger Syrup | 60 ml Cold Brewed Earl Grey Add all ingredients to a bottle and pop it in the fridge. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with a fresh orange wedge and a toasted cinnamon stick. Renais Gin – ABV: 40%, RRP: £45 for 70cl, available from Renais, Waitrose, Master Of Malt and Amazon
Cotswolds Distillery
The Devils Share 45 ml Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky | 25 ml Lemon Juice | 15 ml Cotswolds Amaro | 15 ml Honey Syrup | 7.5 ml Red Wine
Place all ingredients except the red wine into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Drizzle red wine over the cocktail and ice to create a ‘bleeding’ effect in the glass.
Cotswolds Distillery Signature Single Malt Whisky – ABV: 46%, RRP from: £46 for 70cl, available from Waitrose, Tesco and Amazon.
Get into spooky season with these autumnal versions of mini little calzone pizzas. Filled with oozing cheese, these showstoppers are perfect for parties!
Prep Time: 40 mins
Bake Time: 15 mins
Servings: 8
Tip
For a vegetarian option, substitute the pepperoni for either eight cooked sliced mushrooms or 150g cubed roasted squash.
Soak the string in a little olive oil before using, to make it easier to remove.
Equipment
Large bowl
Wooden spoon
Rolling pin
Scissors
Pastry brush
Food-safe cooking string
Tea towel
Ingredients
350 g strong white bread flour
One 7g sachet of fast acting yeast
½ tsp sugar
200ml water
200g packet mozzarella cheese, drained and cut into 8 pieces
100g pepperoni slices
350g jar of tomato pasta or pizza sauce
1 egg yolk
1 tsp paprika
Handful of fresh basil leaves to decorate (optional)
Method
1. Pre heat the oven to 200’C.
2. Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast. Now make a well in the middle and add the water, stirring until all the flour is mixed in and you have a soft dough.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Wash out the bowl, place your dough into it and cover with a tea towel. Now leave to rest for five minutes.
5. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll these out. Now top each piece of dough with a slice of pepperoni, a spoonful of sauce, a piece of Mozzarella and another slice of pepperoni.
6. Bring the edges of the dough together, enclosing the filling and pinch well at the top to seal.
7. Now tie a piece of string around the ball three times, crossing over at the top and the bottom. Pull the string just tight enough that the dough looks like the segments of a pumpkin.
8. Mix the egg yolk and paprika and brush all over the pumpkin balls. Then place these in the oven and bake for 15 minutes till they are cooked through and golden.
9. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before snipping the string and carefully removing it, and if using, garnish with baby basil leaves
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Makes 12 @ 70g per muffin
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
215g pumpkin puree (this comes in a can and is available in supermarkets)
2 eggs
125ml/g sunflower or vegetable oil
75ml/g water
300g caster sugar
225g self raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tsp mixed spice
Pumpkin seeds
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Whisk or spoon
Lined muffin tin
Measuring spoons
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°c (fan).
In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and water then add in the sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice and whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, top with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen, golden and springy to the touch.
Allow to cool before serving.
Mummy Sausage & Pumpkin Pies
Makes 9 portions
Ingredients
350g plain flour
2. 175g salted butter, cubed
3. 4 tbsp cold water
4. 350g sausage meat
5. 150g pumpkin purée
6. 1 tsp dried sage
7. ½ tsp salt
8. 1 egg
9. 18 edible eyes
Equipment
1. Mixing bowl
2. Lined baking tray
3. Rolling pin
4. Spoon
5. Fork
6. Knife
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
2. In the large mixing bowl, combine the flour and butter by rubbing it together between your fingertips, until a crumb consistency is achieved. Add the water and bring together with your hands to form a pastry dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and pop in the freezer to rest while you make the filling.
3. Wash up the mixing bowl then use it to combine the sausage meat, pumpkin purée, sage and salt. Set to one side.
4. Take the dough out of the freezer and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a large rectangle (2-3mm thickness) then portion into 12 smaller rectangles.
5. Place 9 of the pastry rectangles onto the tray and spoon the sausage filling into the centre of each one leaving an index finger width border around every edge.
6. Beat the egg, then use your finger to egg wash the edges of each pie.
7. Cut the remaining 3 rectangles into 1 cm strips and lay them over the filling of each pie, using the egg washed edges to stick them. Trim if necessary.
8. Use your finger to egg wash the strips then bake the pies for 20-25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly before placing two edible eyes on each one and serving. They can also be enjoyed cold.
Homemade spaghetti and spooky “eyeballs”
This scary, saucy spaghetti and “eyeballs” recipe will be a fun and frightening addition to your Halloween! Incorporating homemade pasta, meatballs and a delicious tomato sauce, these tick all the boxes and are sure to delight children and adults alike. While we recommend making your own, if you’re short on time, feel free to buy ready-made pasta for a simplified (but still full of fun!) version.
Serves 4
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Ingredients
For the pasta:
315g plain flour
3 eggs, beaten
For the meatballs:
750g lean beef mince
150g breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 slices mozzarella cheese
Black olives, sliced
For the pasta sauce:
1kg passata
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp garlic granules
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs (or dried basil if that’s all you can find)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Reserved pasta water
Equipment
Rolling pin
Knife
Mixing bowl
Baking tray
Large saucepan or casserole dish
Piping nozzle or bottle cap
Method
To make the pasta dough:
Form the flour into a heaped pile on a clean surface, then create a well in the centre.
Pour the beaten eggs into the centre of the well then fold in the flour, bringing it in from the edges. This will be a little messy at first but keep going until all of the egg has been worked in and a dough is formed.
Use a little extra flour to knead the dough until smooth, then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for around 20 minutes.
To make the meatballs:
While the pasta dough is resting in the fridge, prepare the meatballs.
Preheat the oven to 190°c (fan).
In the mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the beef mince, breadcrumbs, egg and seasoning.
Form the meatballs (approx. 40g each, see pictures for size estimate) and place onto a baking tray.
Cook the meatballs in the oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Set aside on the counter (ensure these aren’t left out for more than two hours).
To make the eyes:
Use a piping nozzle, bottle cap or cut freehand to create 24 discs of cheese, placing them on a plate.
Top each disc with a black olive slice to create an eyeball and leave in the fridge until assembly.
Rolling the pasta:
Once the meatballs are cooked, it will be time to roll and cut the pasta.
Place a large saucepan or casserole dish filled with salted water on the stove and bring to a rolling boil.
Take the pasta dough from the fridge and cut into 4 equal pieces.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, then roll one of the pieces out—the aim is to get it as big and as thin as possible without the dough breaking or sticking. Extra dustings of flour throughout will likely be needed to achieve this.
Fold the rolled dough in half and then onto itself again before using a sharp knife to cut it into thin strips.
Pick up the strips and give them a good shake to unravel them, dusting with a little extra flour to prevent them sticking.
Set aside and repeat for the other 3 portions of dough.
Carefully drop the pasta into the pan of boiling salted water and cook for 5 minutes.
Before draining, reserve some of the pasta water in a cup/jug for the sauce.
Drain the pasta and set to one side.
To make the sauce:
Return the saucepan/casserole dish to the stove over a medium heat.
Pour in the passata, tomato paste, garlic granules, dried herbs and seasoning.
Bring to a simmer and cook out the tomato paste for a few minutes.
Add in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce.
Assembly:
Add the meatballs to the sauce to allow them to heat through then add the cooked pasta.
Once everything is heated through, arrange the meatballs on top of the pasta and place a disc of cheese and an olive slice on top of each one to create the eyeballs.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot.
Recipe from FAB Flour’s Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers, making baking simple. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes, information on the campaign, and info on how flour nourishes the nation over on the FAB Flour website: https://fabflour.co.uk/ or on social: @fab_flour on Instagram or @fabflour on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Christmas just got more inclusive with Wise Bartender’s brand-new Alcohol-Free Advent Calendars, the perfect choice for anyone cutting back or skipping alcohol this festive season. We have already dove into it and love the selection. It is a fantastic present for those who don’t drink or are cutting back.
Each calendar (£80 incl. delivery) includes 24 drinks from top brands like Lucky Saint, Tom Holland’s Bero Beer, Sea Arch and Sip Cocktails. Choose from:
The Cotswolds Distillery, producers of the world’s best-selling English whisky Cotswolds Signature Single Malt, today launches an exclusive limited edition of 1,500 bottles.
Cotswolds Wychwood Harvest Single Malt Whisky is the latest in a series of whiskies released by the Distillery to celebrate the English harvest and is named after the ancient Wychwood Forest, near Witney in Oxfordshire.
Cotswolds Distillery was the first English Whisky Distillery to sell 100,000 bottles of English Single Malt Whiskyglobally and is available in more than 30 markets, including the US, Japan and Europe. “With the world spotlight on the Cotswolds region and many people relocating here from the US in particular, we feel the time is right to continue our global expansion, not only with our best-selling Signature English whisky but also introducing exciting new limited editions,” says Cotswolds Distillery Founder, Dan Szor.
Alice at 25 years old, is one of the youngest female distillers in the UK and has been personally involved in the Port cask selection which makes this whisky such a distinctive expression, with its deep red colour and depth of flavour. Alice has crafted this release from a rare parcel of Port and selected Bourbon casks, laid down nearly 10 years ago.
Under Dan’s guidance, Alice has been given free rein to innovate and experiment with different cask finishes and maturation lengths. It is Cotswolds Distillery’s most accomplished tribute to Port cask maturation to date and shines a spotlight on Alice’s innovative and creative mindset.
Commenting on this launch, Alice Pearson says: “I am really excited to introduce this latest Harvest expression both to UK and international consumers. We wanted to create a whisky that celebrates the traditions of the farming community which is bold and expressive.”
A new Harvest Series expression is released once a year and celebrates the Cotswolds scenery through the art of painting and whisky selection. The region attracts artists and craftsmen from around the world who are drawn to the area by the beauty of the Cotswolds. The design for the presentation tube for this fourth release was produced by Oxfordshire-based artist Andrea Bates. Taking inspiration from the Cotswolds landscape and a nod to the farmland that produces the harvest, it depicts a stunning farming landscape set against a cloudy sky.
Tasting Notes
The liquid offers deep crimson hues from being aged in the Port casks and delivers a concentrated dark fruit character with structure and depth, featuring notes of stewed berries, blackcurrant, and dark fruit compote. These layers are complemented by soft vanilla from carefully selected bourbon barrels, with a gentle wisp of peat.
ABV: 50.0% | RRP: £100 for 70cl bottle. Available from the Cotswolds Distillery and other fine retailers around the world.
I have a new favourite thing: luxury alcohol-free wine brand, Moderato
With brighter days ahead and summer socials well and truly on the horizon, Moderato (the award-winning French wine brand shaking up the alcohol-free scene) is here to answer all of our non-alcoholic needs.
With so many of us choosing a more mindful approach to drinking during the summer months, Moderato’s Cuvee Revolutionnaire White Wine lands in Majestic wine stores at just the right time. With <0.5% ABV and no compromise on taste, this white wine is fresh and crisp. What’s more, it tastes just like the real thing. A typical grape variety from Gascony, our colombard is responsible for our non-alcoholic white (<0.5%), which is highly aromatic and slightly acidic and a true representative of the region.
So, whether you’re hosting a sun-soaked BBQ in the garden, picnicking in the park or simply enjoying golden hour with friends on the balcony, Moderato’s alcohol-free wine brings effortless elegance to the occasion – allowing you to make the most of your active summer social plans.
Founders Sebastien and Fabien created Moderato, together with Oenologist Frédéric Brochet, to pioneer a new approach to alcohol-free wine. Just last year Moderato has collected a total of four medals from the globally recognised international Wine, Beer and Spirits Competition of Lyon, as well as the World Alcohol Free Awards. Moderato’s full range of award-winning alcohol-free wines is available to taste and buy at the Club Soda shop, bar and tasting room, online at joinclubsoda.com, with Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Colombard, Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Merlot-Tannat and Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Rosé available at Majestic Wines.
Moderato’s Cuvee Revolutionnaire white wine is available from Majestic wine.
Why not explore the rest of the Cuvee Revolutionnaire range (red, rośe and sparkling) at Majestic, Club Soda or Wise Bartender?
If you are looking for something a bit different to add to your Christmas drinks cabinet, why not try Choya Umeshu which is a Japanese fruit liqueur made from the ume fruit, a popular fruit in Japan. It is one of the most well known drinks in Japan and is gaining popularity worldwide. Choya Umeshu offers a unique tasting experience reflecting Japanese cultures and traditions. With Umeshu’s strong sweet-sour flavour and fruity aromas, there are a number of ways of serving Choya both hot and cold.
I adore the Choya Ume Salut Sparkling Wine. It is like a plummy champagne. Very rich and full of flavour. It’s a joy to drink and brings sparkle to the day.
Choya Ume Salut Sparkling Wine – A champagne alternative
A crisp and refreshing blend of Italian wine blended with Choya’s exotic sparkling plum wine. A wonderful marriage of Japanese and Italian wines, best enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or with your favourite food.
Choya Umemshu Extra Years can be made with Royal Honey which imparts additional sweetness and a darker vanilla colour which is completely natural. It is perfect enjoyed on the rocks or with soda to release the honey flavour.
50ml Choya Royal Honey | 100ml Choya Sparkling | Soda Water
Add 50ml Choya RoyalHoney in an ice-filled wine glass, add 100ml Choya Sparkling and a dash of Soda Water
Mamma Mia makes a great gift for friends and family, or a light and refreshing treat to serve guests this festive season.With Limoncello being the shining star of supermarket Christmas collections, including Waitrose’s
Limoncello infused Panetone, Stollen and Stilton, it’s a must have for your home bar too.
I love Limoncello. It’s delicious and refreshing. Mamma Mia uses only natural ingredients and it perfect for the party season.
Mamma Mia is made with the oldest variety of Italian lemons, the “Femminello del Gargano” which are small, flavourful organic lemons from the Puglia region in Southern Italy. The lemons have been harvested by hand since 1850 by the Ricucci family who continue to cultivate them to this day. The lemons are hand peeled and the outer part of the zest is infused in Italian grain alcohol for 30 days. Mamma Mia is made with all natural ingredients, is free of preservatives and artificial colouring and is less sweet than traditional Limoncello. As part of Mamma Mia’s sustainable production process, the labels of the Mamma Mia bottles are entirely made of recycled lemon peel.
Mamma Mia Limoncello Spritz 40ml Mamma Mia Limoncello | 50ml Prosecco | Sparkling Water or Tonic Pour Mamma Mia Limoncello and Prosecco over ice. Add some sparkling water or tonic and stir. Garnish with a lemon zest or a mint leaf.For an extra Christmas sparkle, add some edible glitter and watch your spritz glisten.
The Limoncello Spritz is not just a summer serve, it makes the perfect Christmas Cocktail too. Requiring just three ingredients; Mamma Mia Limoncello, Prosecco and Soda Water, this is a delicious serve for the busy Christmas hosting season.
The Mamma Mia Spritz is not only delicious but also lower in alcohol content and less sweet than traditional Limoncello, it is a great option for a light and refreshing drink.
Mamma Mia Shooter 25ml of Mamma Mia Limoncello Pour into a shot glass, and cheers to a Mamma Mia Christmas!
A delicious sweet treat for welcoming guests, or serving as a digestif after an abundance of Christmas food.
Shaken Udderlaunch a new range of delicious protein milkshakes.
I love milkshakes and I’m always trying to get more protein in my diet. So these milkshakes from Shaken Udder are perfect. They taste brilliant. Like they have been freshly made in a restaurant. They also come in a good amount of flavours. I would definitely be adding them to my shopping basket.
Premium milkshake brand, Shaken Udder, has launched a new range of delicious and creamy protein milkshakes in chocolate and strawberry flavours. The new shakes contain 20g of protein, are made with top-quality real ingredients — including Belgian chocolate & real strawberries — and have no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners
Shaken Udder’s new protein milkshakes can be found in selected Sainsbury’s stores.
A recent food and drink study* showed that a third of people look for foods which are high in protein and 12% of people have actually changed their diet over the past year to consume more protein.
Shaken Udder Co-Founder, Andrew Howie, said: “Protein products are in demand at the moment. We identified the need for a protein milkshake that still delivers exceptional taste. Our new range of shakes offers customers delicious flavour with a 20g protein hit.”
Shaken Udder will celebrate its 20th anniversary later this year. The brand has seen phenomenal success over the last two decades and is now the second largest milkshake brand in the UK**. All of Shaken Udder’s milkshakes are gluten-free, contain less than 5% added sugar and are suitable for vegetarians.
Shaken Udder began as a top-quality event-based brand in 2004 bringing fresh, tasty milkshakes to festival goers. Today their silky-smooth shakes are sold in all major supermarkets nationwide and the full range includes seven different flavours, 750ml sharing bottles and yummy kids shakes. Their bottle design features the infamous Shaken Udder cow and celebrates their festival spirit and real ingredients.
The Shaken Udder Story
Shaken Udder began as a top-quality event-based brand in 2004 bringing milkshakes to festival goers. Founders, Andy and Jodie Howie, quickly realised there was year-round demand for their premium shakes and by 2009 Shaken Udder was sold in Harvey Nichols. Waitrose, Harrods and Selfridges followed soon after.
The brand has its headquarters in Tiptree in Essex and today the milkshakes are sold in all major grocery retailers; wholesalers; schools; farm shops and cafes nationwide. The range continues to expand and includes protein and kids shakes, 750ml share bottles and exciting new flavours. Shaken Udder are the No. 2 flavoured milk brand in the UK and celebrate their 20th anniversary this year. ShakenUdder.com
