The Frost Food And Drink Christmas List

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Frostie

Panettone from Carluccio’s

It is just not Christmas without it.

http://www.carluccios.com/shop-online

I Sea Pasta

Organic seaweed pasta. Original, healthy and delicious.

From planetorganic.com

Żubrówka Embossed Bison Grass Bottle

Żubrówka Vodka, the Original Bison Grass Vodka, has over 500 years of tradition and history. Żubrówka’s exceptional character is emphasized by a single bison grass blade that is hand placed in every bottle. Each blade of bison grass is hand-picked and dried under natural conditions, making each bottle of Żubrówka an exceptional gift this Christmas.

For the perfect Christmas cocktail our brand ambassador, Przemyslaw Matuszewski, suggests our legendary Apple Zu, an extraordinarily smooth and aromatic cocktail, with a festive twist.

Glass
Highball

Ingredients
50ml Żubrówka
100ml traditional pressed cloudy apple juice
Squeeze of lime

Method
Fill a highball with ice, add all the ingredients and stir
Garnish with a few slices of apple and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon to tickle your festive tastebuds.

Available at Tesco.com, Waitress.com and Sainsburys.co.uk

Courvoisier VSOP

Cognac is experiencing a revival this year, with the discerning drinker opting for spirits steeped in sophistication, history and glamour. Whether you drink a quality cognac such as Courvoisier neat to enjoy the pure flavours of lavender and citrus, tobacco and patchouli, or as a part of an aromatic cocktail before dinner, let Courvoisier help you celebrate this Christmas.

Luxury cognac house Courvoisier has been an expert in celebration since the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 where its cognac was served as a drink of choice. The cognac can now be served at your own Christmas celebration, alongside your favourite Christmas indulgence. For a real delicacy, try our VSOP with your smoked salmon or alongside your coffee and a decadent chocolate Christmas treat.

Since no celebration is complete without Courvoisier, make sure to add a drop of luxury to your Christmas festivities this winter.

A gift for cocktail lovers – Courvoisier VSOP

Courvoisier VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a distinguished cocktail. This blend of Courvoisier is an elegant mix of cognacs that are up to 10 years old, from two of the finest crus in the Cognac region.

For a cocktail that is as indulgent as it is delicious to serve at your festive soiree, try the Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail with your chic canapés.

Tasty and decadent stuff. We love it.

Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part Courvoisier VSOP
1 Demerara sugar cube
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Top up with Champagne

Method: Soak a sugar cube in bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Cover with Courvoisier VSOP and slowly top with champagne.

Casso Cocktails
Available from cassococktails.com

Casso Cocktails has launched in the UK with a delicious range of ready-to-shake cocktails. Served in their signature individual jars and available in both glass and plastic format, opportunities for cocktail sipping moments are now endless.

The carefully curated range features five ‘twist on the classic’ flavours; Raspberry Cosmo, Coconut Mojito, Apricot Mai Tai, Peach Appletini and Grapefruit Sling. With equal focus on flavour and convenience, this delicious array of cocktails has been developed under the discerning tastebuds of Casso’s in house mixologist team, perfect for those unforgettable Christmas parties.

A great idea. Just add ice for a delicious cocktail.

Harveys Bristol Cream

Let’s face it, Christmas isn’t Christmas without Harveys, so what better gift to bring to your next Christmas party? This year the UK’s favourite sherry celebrates its 220 year anniversary and has launched a new campaign celebrating the timeless moments that Harveys has been a part of.

Harveys Bristol Cream is not only the UK’s favourite drink at Christmas it’s also a world renowned icon for its quality and heritage, This unique blend of Sherry combines the character and body of aged olorosos with the aroma and finesse of finos and amontillados, sweetened with the addition of high-quality Pedro Ximenez wine. It has a deep golden colour with a full, fragrant aroma and rich, mellow and long-lasting flavours.

This Christmas classic is the perfect way to embrace the festive season whether it’s to refresh your palate with a classic serve over ice with a slice of orange, shared amongst friends over Christmas party snacks, or alongside the inevitable stocking sweet treats and heaving Christmas cheese board. You can even impress your festive guests with a simple Harveys cocktail like our delicious Frosted Apple & Ginger recipe below:

Harveys frosted apple & ginger
Harveys frosted apple and ginger is bursting with effervescent flavours and is great served in a punch bowl so you can share with friends

Recipe:
Fill a highball glass with ice (crushed ice looks even better!)
Pour over 50ml Harveys Bristol Cream and 50ml premium pressed apple juice
Top up with a dash of ginger ale
Swirl with a cinnamon stick and leave in the glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and apple slices

A Hamper

We got sent this wonderful hamper full of delicious and original products. Unfortunately it didn’t have a label and we couldn’t see a press release. We just had to feature it anyway. Please let us know if you know where it is from. Thank you!

Merry Christmas from Frost Magazine.

Capsicana Cook Sauce

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

I am all for cooking shortcuts but I am not a fan of ready meals. Problem is, I am also too tired to cook from scratch, so what is a woman to do? Well I tried Capsicana Cook Sauce. Okay, it is a sauce you buy, but it isn’t your run-of-the-mill cheap jar of sauce. It comes in three flavours Chilli & Lemon Peruvian, Chilli & Honey Mexican and Chilli & Coconut Brazilian. Inspired by Peru, Brazil and Mexico, the sauces are quick and authentic. Each two-pack serve comes with simple recipes that can be ready in under 20 minutes.

So the taste test: the sauces do not taste manufactured or bland. For just £1.99 (RRP) you can get great Latin food on your plate. The founder Ben Jackson started his business with £500 borrowed from a friend. I hope he does well. These are great sauces which bring the spirit of Latin cooking into your home. Frost loves.

Available from waitrose.com, wholefoods.co.uk and amazon.co.uk

Frost Loves: The Cadbury Christmas Chocolate Range

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Frostie

At Frost it is known that we love chocolate, and you cannot beat Cadbury when it comes to chocolate. We reviewed the new range for our readers. Hard job, we know.

There are much-loved favourites and new and exciting products this Christmas. These novel and fun products are sure to be a winner with the family.

NEW FOR 2016

Cadbury Dairy Milk Snow Balls

As Christmas approaches, this brand new product is sure to get families across the country in the mood for the festive season. These Cadbury Dairy Milk Snow Balls are the ideal treat to share and come in a pack of four. Simply crack open the top of the Snow Ball and use the spoon provided to scoop out and enjoy the fluffy mousse centre. Yum! RRP £2.99

This is novel, tasty and fun. You eat the middle out with the spoon enclosed. Very festive.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Santa Gift Box

Another new product for 2016, this Santa gift box – filled with delicious chunks of Cadbury Dairy Milk – is the perfect stocking filler. To spread the excitement and magic this Christmas, why not treat a loved one to this cheeky chappy and tuck into the delicious delights from Santa’s sack. RRP £2.99.

Gorgeous Dairy Milk chunks in a fun santa.

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar, the best way to count down to the most magical day of the year. If you can’t get enough of the delicious Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, this advent calendar will keep the festive excitement growing this holiday season. Complete with a tantalising assortment of milk chocolates, and milk chocolates with vanilla flavour fillings, everyone will want a piece. 200g RRP £4.99

If you can’t get enough of the delicious CadburyDairy Milk chocolate, this advent calendar will really keep you wishing away the days to Christmas. Open a door to reveal a delicious piece of Cadbury Dairy Milk every day until the big day. RRP £2.19

A must for the Christmas season. A tasty chocolate for each day.

STOCKING FILLERS

If you are looking for a sweet stocking filler for the kids, the Cadbury Dairy Milk Hollow Santas are just the perfect reminder that Santa will be on his way soon. A quirky twist on the classic Christmas traditional icon, these Santa’s are made from delicious Cadbury Dairy Milk, a supremely scrumptious Santa if we ever saw one! 50g RRP £1.49, 100g RRP £2.99

These hollow Santas are perfect for Christmas.

For a jolly way to treat family and friends during the festive season, Cadbury Dairy Milk Jolly Santas are perfect as they come in packs containing five pocket sized Santas, each presented in fun wrapping. Santa has had a makeover and there are now seven cheerful looks to be discovered. Kids will surely love them! RRP £2.99

These are so jolly and awesome. We love them.

There is no better feeling than opening your stocking on Christmas morning. Here to put a smile on the faces of every chocolate lover, the Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Faces Tube is bound to be the kids’ favourite. The festive tube is packed full of cheeky choccy pieces, with Freddo pulling a range of playful faces to entertain the little ones. RRP £1.42

These were a huge hit. Our new favourite. So tasty.

For a timeless treat that will be well received by kids and grandparents alike, slip a tube of Cadbury Dairy Milk Button in the stockings. The classic bite-size button shapes of solid Cadbury Dairy Milk come packaged in an exciting festive tube that will bring joy to everyone. RRP £1.42

A classic chocolate in great packaging. We love the owl.

If you know someone who really cannot get enough of the delicious Cadbury Wispa we have the perfect gift for them, the Cadbury Endless Wispa. The classic and much loved Bitsa Wispa now comes in a giant Christmas stick, so why not impress your friends with the gift that keeps on giving. RRP £2.49

How much Wispa is enough Wispa? This almost gets there, but not quite. Perfect for Christmas.

DECK THE HALLS

Add a touch of Cadbury Christmas purple to your tree, or surprise your relatives by gifting them with the new Cadbury Dairy Milk Baubles. These spectacular supersized baubles are available in two different varieties. Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo Baubles are filled with Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates complete with a vanilla flavour filling and Oreo biscuit pieces. Cadbury Dairy Milk Snow Bites Baubles includes 4x34g bags of Snow Bites; Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate balls encased in crisp sugar shells and dusted with delicious icing sugar. RRP £4.99

These are just the most perfect thing ever. A great invention and so tasty.

Make your tree even sweeter with Cadbury Dairy Milk Tree Decorations. There are different designs and shapes for everyone in the family to leave their sparkly mark on this year’s decorations. Available in both 84g (RRP £2.13) and 144g (RRP £3.46) packs.

Yummy and look perfect on the tree. Just keep them away from the lights.

FAMILY FAVOURITES…

Everybody loves classics at Christmas and there is nothing more classic than Cadbury chocolate during the festive season…

Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Edition is made up of mini white and milk chocolate tree-shaped chunks, perfect for also decorating your Christmas cake. You can break them apart and share with the family for an instant taste of Christmas joy. RRP £1.42

So festive and is both white and milk chocolate. What more could you want?

The irresistible Cadbury Dairy Milk Snowman will bring you the joy of a snowy Christmas day regardless of the weather. Available with chocolate mousse or vanilla mousse, the Snowmen are encased in a Cadbury Dairy Milk shell, with a light and fluffy mousse centre that tantalises the taste buds. Whether you choose a vanilla or chocolate mousse is up to you! RRP £0.65

Very yummy. The mousse is great. We loved these.

PERFECT FOR SHARING

Everybody loves a selection box at Christmas time.Cadbury selection packs comes in two sizes, small and medium. The smaller selection pack enables chocolate fans to enjoy all their favourite Cadburyclassics as they count down the days until Santa arrives! There is a bar for each day with CadburyChomp, Cadbury Curly Wurly, Cadbury Fudge and Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo. The Cadbury Medium Selection box contains a mix of favourites, such as the Cadbury Double Decker, Cadbury Crunchie and Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons. 81g RRP £1.09, 180g RRP £2.99

The Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo selection box is a fun sharing box with a sweat treat for everyone in the family. For extra fun, each pack contains a voucher for free child entry to Cadbury World. Classics include Cadbury Crunchie, Cadbury Chomp, Cadbury Curly Wurly and Cadbury Fudge. RRP £2.99

Christmas is not Christmas without a selection box. This Fredo one is full of the classics.

A Bonfire Night Treat – Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Christian Gott

Early Autumn is one of my favourite culinary times of the year, root vegetables are becoming abundant, it is the season for game, hearty stews and fiery curries and it is when soups really come into their own. As the expected cold spell descends from the Artic just in time for Bonfire Night I thought I would pass one of our family favourite recipes. There is nothing as comforting after walking on the beach or kicking up some leaves up in the park with the children as a nice bowl of soup.

We love creamy chowder, spicy sweet potato with cumin and chilli but in my house the girls love roasted red pepper best. This is a really easy, comforting recipe that freezes exceeding well so could be made in advance, it is a fantastic thick tasty potage full of sweet, smoky flavours and great served in a mug as you stand to watch the fireworks. Passed through a sieve it can be dressed up as a lovely lunchtime treat or simple supper dish. So for the perfect fifth of November feast make sure you have some crisp-skinned jacket potatoes freshly baked in the oven, a plate full of toffee apples for the children and a big, big pan of this delicious soup.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup serves 4 to 6

2 large deep Red Peppers, halved & de-seeded.

1 large Onion, peeled and sliced

3 cloves of Garlic, peeled.

2 sticks of Celery, washed and thinly sliced

1 large Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

2 x 400 gr tins of chopped Tomatoes

1/2 litre of Vegetable Stock

100 ml quality Olive Oil

50 gr Tomato Purée

1 heaped teaspoon dried Basil

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Juice of one fresh Lemon

A generous pinch of dried Chilli flakes

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 200 C / 360 F / Gas Mark 4. Place the pepper halves and garlic cloves on to a baking tray and drizzle with a little of the olive oil. Bake at the top of your oven for thirty minutes until the vegetables are roasted and nicely caramelised. In the meantime, heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan, over a medium heat, and sauté the chopped up onion, carrot and celery for about ten minutes until soft.

In a second pan heat up the vegetable stock and add the tomato purée and the chilli flakes. Whisk and then add to the onions, celery and carrots. Peel any very dark, burnt spots from the peppers and add them, the garlic and remaining ingredients to the stock and vegetables. Bring the soup to a low boil, turn down the heat and simmer for twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to completely cool then using a hand blender or food processor blitz the until the soup is smooth. You can pass the soup through a sieve if you want a more refined dinner party finish. To serve, reheat and season with salt, pepper and lemon to taste.

The Fiesta Continues

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Kesh

Argentine Pop-Up Barullo delivered and conquered the appetites of many an anticipating guest this week. Hosted by Wines of Argentina and catered by Mauro Colagreco, we danced, drank and dined our way through the South American splendour in the heart of Hoxton. Barullo delivered to us Argentina with an extra serving of wine. My aim was to make my way though the extensive wine list but found myself somewhere after my 4th glass of Torrontes before I found that to be ‘wishful drinking’. Mauro Colagreco, owner of renowned Two Michelin Star French restaurant Mirazur, served up a sumptuous four-course meal perfectly suited to the supper-club style dining area making it an evening full of the delights of Argentina.

The end of Barullo does not mean the fiesta has ended though as our equally esteemed Argentine friends at Gaucho have come up with another night to remember with another appearance from Mauro himself. On the 11th November. Gaucho welcomes “The 10 Hands”. Featuring 5 of the most influential and creative chefs of Argentina; Mauro Colagreco, Fernando Trocca, Narda Lepez, Guido Tassi and German Martitegui, are to showcase their gastronomic expertise just for you. Centered around the infamous Asado (Argentine Barbecue), Gaucho Piccadilly’s terrace will be transformed into a night of Argentine bbq indulgence featuring five-courses of pure Argentinian fayre served with pairings from their sumptuous wine list.

Tickets are priced at £100 and will be available from the Gaucho Website;

www.gauchorestaurants.com

Woking for 1000

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Kesh

Today, Frost were extremely privileged to have spent the day making meals for the capitals food banks alongside 200 others with School of Wok. Wok for 1000 is the first of it’s kind, large scale cookery class helping to create 1000 meals in just one day. This incentive is a collaboration with charity, Plan Zheroes, who are an online database helping to put food businesses in touch with participating shelters. For the past two years the School, based in Covent Garden, were inviting corporate parties to cook double the portions which totalled somewhere near 800 meals in total which then supplied Passage, a non profit homeless shelter in Victoria. Pang then explains that if he can double the portion through his cookery school, why not hold a mass cookery class for corporate parties and try and make 1000 meals in a day! So, this morning that’s exactly what we did. 200 participants from small businesses took their away day for a three hr cookery class in London’s Borough Market and not only did we enjoy a lesson in Chinese cookery from Jeremy Pang himself, we also got to enjoy the meal whilst creating meals for those in need. When setting up this incentive, what most food businesses quickly realise is when trying to get this off the ground was that getting charities to accept food in the first place is the hardest part. Having spoken to other eateries in cafés in the past, there is a lot of red tape when dealing with food liability and even the differing amounts which could be donated day to day.

With the help of Plan Zheroes, Wok for 1000 could not have been possible. They are the superstar charity with an online system in place which links food businesses and their food waste to participating shelters. In the UK alone, we waste 10 million tonnes of food per year so we think that’s enough to sustain the people that are in desperate need of a meal. As well as all guests enjoying an incredible cookery class in their corporate teams, this was a fabulous team building experience with wonderful community spirit. In turn, Wok for 1000 helped to feed a number of different homeless charities, as well as, care homes for the elderly, mental health trusts and children who have been affected by the refugee crisis.

School of Wok were extremely lucky to have had some incredible sponsors for the event who helped to make it extra special for participants and also to those who donated ingredients, space, appliances and of course TsingTao for their beer. With Wok for 1000 being such a success they are hoping to continue this incentive annually but there are also other ways you can help to end food poverty in the country. Sarah from Plan Zheroes explains, there are many ways to lend your support, firstly, you can ask shops of food businesses to donate surplus food through Plan Zheroes, you can donate food yourself or you can continue to fundraise for this worthy cause.

We think that it’s the little things that help, so even by becoming aware of this issue, gradually, we can start to combat food poverty in the UK. School of Wok continue to run their corporate social responsibility incentive and you can find out more here:

https://www.schoolofwok.co.uk/events/cook-for-the-homeless

Preventing Food Poverty with Wok for 1000

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Kesh

Studies have shown that we are becoming increasingly aware of the negative effect food wastage is having on the environment. Not only is this causing a massive blow to our economy, but we are also wreaking harm to the environment by increasing our green-houses gasses significantly. As well as this, a study has shown that approximately 870 million people go hungry each day so as well as food wastage being detrimental to the environment, we also find ourselves in a moral dilemma. Remarkably, the wonderful team at School of Wok have come up with a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to help us make some small differences to combat this downward spiral we find ourselves in by making sure this doesn’t have to be a laborious task.

Following on from their previous (CSR) initiative which invited guests to cook double the portion to donate to food banks, Wok for 1000 is the follow-up, one of kind, very first large-scale cookery event and will be showcasing this Tuesday November 1st at Borough Market. Hosted by Jeremy Pang and his School of Wok, they are inviting you to sign up in groups of ten, if you’re part of a small business or incentive, and help to produce 1000 meals. This event is designed to build awareness of the ongoing issue of food poverty across our country and demonstrate how we can work to address this issue in future. The most wondrous part is that you not only get to enjoy a cookery class with Jeremy himself and enjoy your meal after, you will also be producing 1000+ meals which will be delivered across the capital to various different food banks.

The event will feature;

3 hour cookery class with Jeremy Pang and School of Wok expert Chefs.

A sit down meal for all participants

Prizes, goody bags and give-aways from participating sponsors

Following on from the lunch, 200 or so charity beneficiaries will also be invited to Borough to enjoy the freshly cooked meal. Participants will be welcome to stay and volunteer here as well.

Prices will be £100+Vat and ALL Proceeds will go be donated to charity Plan Zheroes working to achieve zero food waste and hunger.

Find out more about Plan Zheroes here: https://planzheroes.org/#!/

For more info for Wok for 1000 visit;

https://www.schoolofwok.co.uk/partners/wok-for-1000

Spooktacular Cocktails for Halloween

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Kesh

If you’ve found yourself run rugged this year with pumpkin carving, costume picking and sweet buying antics, take some time out to create a little spooky pick-me-up.

Casamigos Tequila have created two spooky offerings for you to try this Halloween and we think you’re in for a treat.

Casa Crawler

Casa Crawler:

Ingredients

56 ml. Casamigos Blanco

28 ml. Fresh Lemon Juice

28ml. Real Blueberry Purée

8-10 Mint leaves

Method:

Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. Add ice. Shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Fine strain into collins glass. Add ice. Garnish with pop rocks, mint sprig, and 2-3 sour gummy worms.

Casa Crazy Eye

Casa Crazy Eye:

Ingredients

40 ml. Casamigos Blanco

56 ml. Lychee Liqueur

7 ml. Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Basil Leaves

Thick rim of salt, sugar, oreo cookie crumbs* (equal parts)

Method:

Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. Muddle herbs. Add ice. Shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds. Fine strain into a small martini glass. Garnish Luxardo cherry inside lychee ball (as eye ball) through skewer.

*To add sugar, salt, oreo rim – Wet rim of glass with lime wedge and agave nectar and roll rim through mixture.

Casamigos is available from most retailers in the UK including Selfridges, Harrods and 31 Dover online for a RRP starting £48.95 – £77.99

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