Easter signifies Spring, sweet treats and an occasion for families to get together now more than ever after what seems a long darkish time at the coalface of Covid-19 restrictions. Restrictions, sensible though they are – which  are now easing. Hooray…

For Easter, ‘international farmers market’ Delicario (www.delicario.com) are introducing a festive variety of gift boxes and hampers of authentic artisan flavours from sustainably minded small-scale and family producers in different European regions, as well as a range of fine chocolate Easter eggs. With a ‘farm to table approach’, Frost Magazine’s regular readers will know that Delicario’s  emphasis is on high quality natural ingredients reliant on organic generational farming methods and natural preservation.

Delicario was set up by a small team of specialists working in the luxury services industry with a passion for food and travel to source outstanding delicacies to sell in their online shop as individual items, gift boxes and hampers. The new Easter range features biscuits, cakes, chocolates and Easter eggs made to  artisan recipes by small Italian chocolatiers and bakeries, accompanied by fine tea and Premier Cru Rosé Champagne from family vineyard Damien-Buffet. From Belgium there’s an elegant selection box of eye-catching praline eggs handcrafted by Frederic Blondeel.

EASTER GIFT BOX AND HAMPER RANGE  is well worth thinking about. 

Delicario Easter Essentials Hamper  is filled with gluten-free artisan treats from Italian chocolatier Autore, including milk chocolate mini eggs with sticky but crunchy croccantino, a signature Easter egg crusted with pistachios from Bronte, a chocolate bar made with traditional hazelnut paste, accompanied by fine and delicate Darjeeling tea.

https://www.delicario.com/hampers-gifts/p/delicario-easter-essentials-hamper

Delicario Sweet Easter Hamper is for all the family to enjoy, including hand-crafted mini eggs of fine milk chocolate and a single source Madagascar dark chocolate egg from Italian artisan chocolatier Autore. Also included are a melt-in-the-mouth sourdough Pear and Chocolate Bauletto cake, fragrant lemon cookies and crunchy rich dark chocolate and hazelnut Goloso biscuits made to authentic Italian recipes by Olivieri 1882 and Kucino.

https://www.delicario.com/hampers-gifts/p/delicario-sweet-easter-hamper

The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and Delicario have selected artisan chocolatier Autore from the picturesque Italian village of San Marco dei Cavoti in the Campania hills for their handcrafted chocolate eggs and also Frederic Blondeel from Belgium, creating an elegant selection box of handmade chocolates eggs with organic cocoa sourced from India, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and Vietnam.

My  particular favourite is  Autore’s ‘miracle’, or so I call it.  Honestly, it’s glorious; an egg made from extra fine chocolate, crusted in origin-protected crunchy hazelnuts from Avellino in Italy and there’s another in Bronte pistachios also of protected origin. Honestly, these must be savoured – slowly. And then let’s do an Oliver Twist: ‘More please, Sir.’ And for heaven’s sake let’s forget the diet.

There is more, so you’ll need to go to the very friendly and slick website and b-r-o-w-s-e, making sure you check out the INDIVIDUAL EASTER EGGS  https://www.delicario.com/chocolates/easter-eggs

Delicario’s aim is to bring families together  around the dining table. From daily deli needs to cherished presents for celebrating special dates and events, their individual items, artisan meal boxes, gift boxes and hampers capture the very best of authentic ingredients to create a ‘dining out experience’ at home. Each gift box and hamper can also be individually tailored by selecting products from the Delicario range. Gift vouchers and personalised greeting cards offer a personal touch. Delicario offer a 24-hour delivery service across the UK and advance delivery can also be scheduled. And trust me, their deliveries are speedy, and all is as they say.

Founder Marco Rosa commented, “We constantly search for innovative flavours to please  shoppers who are looking for the combination of outstanding taste and texture in sustainable and often organically grown foods. Our producers are perfectionists who move with the times but remain dedicated to the artisan techniques and recipes passed down through family generations.”

No more to say really except take yourselves along to the website. And enjoy.

The acclaimed romantic-fantasy novel The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A Dick will be adapted for the stage as a new musical which is great good news. A really good story of, well what? Romance, reaffirmation of life, and grief mitigated – at long last. A perennial favourite.

Under the direction of Kenneth Hoyt (The Blue Hour of Natalie Barney, Arcola; The Sea Plays, Old Vic Tunnels) this exciting project comes to fruition after a 26- year struggle to acquire the stage rights to the much beloved novel.

Best known for the charming 1947 film adaptation directed by Hollywood legend Joseph Mankiewicz (All About Eve; Cleopatra) and starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a timeless ghost-infused romance between a new widower, Lucy Muir, and the ghost of Daniel Gregg, a sea captain.

Through this uncommon companionship, Mrs. Muir learns to find liberation from her grief and loneliness, showcasing the boundless nature of true love, and its ability to transcend this life and beyond.

The exciting project has been taking shape for some time. Director Kenneth Hoyt comments, I have known all these years that there is a lush and sweeping musical lurking in the pages of the novel. It is a period piece yes, and I do think it holds a sort of classicism in its DNA, but at its heart it is a love story, albeit a haunted one. I have never understood the idea of an “old fashioned” romance. Romance doesn’t go out of style. I’m excited and very thankful to be part of any adaptation based on this lovely novel. It has an illustrious history and a stage version seems a natural fit.’

The team for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is currently being assembled and further creatives will be announced in due course at www. theghostandmrsmuirmusical.com

A three book offer on Helen H Durrant Detective Rachel King books 1 -3 for 99p/99c for a limited time. Such an exciting author, such page turning books, and a great introductory offer.

OUT NOW – ONLY 99P / 99C
                                                                       

Into Deadly Storms  by Judi Daykin   99p/99c

A tightly written detective novel, as Detective Sarah Hirst faces her toughest case yet.
A dog-walker discovers a dead body. Sara is the first on the scene — but who is the victim and who’s next?
The detective must take on some of Britain’s most wanted criminals to uncover the truth.

The Darkest Hours by Margaret Murphy    99p/99c

Another page turner: Two women have already disappeared, snatched by a prowler in the night. Fearing she’ll be next, Christine Radcliffe approaches Detective Jameson.  Does Christine know more than she’s letting on? And who is she protecting?
                                       

An Oxford Suspect by Maxine Barry  99P / 99C

An utterly gripping page-turner from #1 bestselling author Faith Martin writing as Maxine Barry or so sits the shoutline. Is it? Well, indeed it is one to keep the pulse racing full, as it is, with mystery, suspense and a dollop of romance.
Nesta Aldernay comes to Oxford to set the record straight for her father. Never in her wildest dreams did she intend to seduce the attractive Detective Inspector Lisle Jarvis when she becomes embroiled in a tragedy.

A vow of Penance by  Veronica Black   £1.99p   $2.99

A Cornish Convent is the setting for this intriguing mystery.  The discovery of a mutilated corpse, followed quickly by two more unexpected deaths, leads Sister Joan on a journey in order to investigate a crime from twenty years ago . . .   Let’s hear it for Sister Joan, because it is up to her to look  to the past to uncover the horrors of the present.

Constable at the Dam by Nicholas Rhea £1.99p    $2.99

I love cosy crime, and here it is, a feel good in every way. Well, one for me then. The villagers of Aidensfield are up in arms when plans to build a new reservoir are released.  Change is coming, whether the villagers like it or not.

“It’s original, it’s funny . . . one of life’s little pleasures.” Yorkshire Post

D.E. White’s GLASS DOLLS is the utterly gripping start of a brand-new series starring Detective Dove Milson.

Dove is called out to a chilling murder scene by the Devon coast. The murder is a replica of the work of serial killer Peter Hayworth, known as the Glass Dolls murderer thanks to his predilection for encasing his victims in glass to watch them die. He would be the prime suspect… but he’s already dead.

Dove’s own niece was one of the original Glass Dolls victims. When her other niece goes missing, it looks like the copycat killer plans to repeat history in more ways than one.

All available from Amazon. But go to Joffe Books for their full range.

Williams Handbaked Biscuits and Cakes told the Frost Magazine team that they don’t often  do giveaways, so when they do they like them to be special

Well quite and with our readers’ wellbeing in mind, we felt we must  try Williams Handbaked  wares, oh yes we did. Besides, it is our mantra that we can’t recommend unless we know what we’re talking about.

Talk about melt in the mouth, talk about let’s just break that diet, and have another …

But back to the matter in hand – the chance to win the giveaway:  Williams Handbaked explained: ‘We are giving away a box containing all six flavours of our Mini Biscuit Jars, including Milk Chocolate Oat, Oat, Milk Chocolate Ginger, Ginger, Shortbread and Chocolate Chip.

‘To enter, find just find our  post over on Facebook or Instagram, tag 2 friends you think would like our mini biscuits, follow us, and share the post. A winner will be chosen at random on Friday, 26th March. The prize can only be posted within the UK (excluding NI).’

Trust me, this is a prize well worth winning. To find out more go to www.williamshandbaked.co.uk

But let’s hear more about this small craft bakery, which reminds our team of Delicario, in its artisan ethos, attention to detail, and the excellence of its products.

Williams Handbaked was established more than 20 years ago by Valerie Williams and her small team, who  – as true artisans – handbaked, and sold, biscuits and cakes at local farmers markets.

Since those early days, Williams Handbaked has not only grown into a thriving business, but has stuck to its origins – handbaked excellence – stocking products in over 140 garden centres, village stores, and independent shops across Lancashire, the North West and further afield. Their online business is growing fast, as its hamper boxes become increasingly well known.  Just the other day I was chatting about this small craft bakery  to a friend via zoom, only to discover he had bought online one of the hamper boxes for his wife’s birthday. Delivery was spot on, the packaging ecologically sound. The problem had been keeping his busy fingers from opening up just one of the packets and secretely devouring them.

Despite their rapid growth the Williams’ family hold fast to the ideal of a small craft bakery and are determined to pay close attention to every detail, from making sure every single bake that they sell passes their  quality standards, and on to ensuring that every product is wrapped and finished to the highest standard.

Be aware, that if you are ordering a gift for a friend, a  message  can be included, if required.

It’s good to know that as well as actual cakes and biscuits there are gift vouchers available, so that your friends can choose what they would like.

But I simply have to add, that ‘Him Indoors’ has a passion for Eccles cakes. I feel I should buy some for him, but a few would never be enough.

For more information on this rather wonderful craft bakery, do go to Williams Handbaked

https://www.williamshandbaked.co.uk/

Delicario    Fine artisan foods.

Frost has featured Perfume Direct before. It’s a UK company which achieves great prices by using extensive supply networks. They’re real experts and Frost loves their perfume tips.

According to Perfume Direct’s recent survey, most of us have five perfume bottles open at one time – so why not try mixing two scents to make a unique fragrance?

Jonny Webber from PerfumeDirect.com tells us “Fragrance layering is ideal if you just can’t find the ‘one’. It can also help scent last longer, as your skin won’t absorb all the fragrance oils as quickly.”

I’m excited to try layering – I’ve several open bottles, and I rather fancy myself as a ‘Nose’. But how to do it?

1. Always spray the heavier scent first, or it could overpower the lighter one.

2. Think about the various notes and layers. Top notes are what you smell first and are generally fresh and light. Middle notes form the heart of the fragrance and are usually warmer and soft. Bottom notes develop last and linger for hours.

3. Consider combining two perfumes that share a common note, for instance jasmine, which is in many fragrances.

4. If you’re feeling brave, choose opposite fragrances; for example, a spicy note mixed with vanilla, or a woody note with citrus. Woody and musk-based fragrances are easiest to layer with, as they combine effortlessly with fruity, floral or even spicy notes.

5. Avoid combining two heavy fragrances – they could be overwhelming. For example, Black Orchid by Tom Ford is best on its own as it’s already intense and complex.

And if you do like to juggle several scents, Perfume Direct have important advice on storage too:

1. Store perfume in a cool, dark place. It’s tempting to display attractive bottles on a shelf or (worse) a windowsill, but light and swinging temperatures break down perfume, altering its smell. Humid bathrooms are also bad and a consistent temperature is ideal. So keep it in a cupboard or drawer.

2. Fresh air is not a fragrance’s friend. A perfume is the opposite of a good red wine. Allowing it to ‘breath’ is not good. The first spray introduces oxygen, which can oxidise the perfume, so only open bottles when you’re ready to use them, and then keep the lid on.

PerfumeDirect.com’s Jonny Webber advises: ‘If stored correctly, perfume can last for two or even three years once opened. Some scents have a time symbol underneath. On average this is 24M (two years).’

For more information and some really useful blogs, visit the Perfume Direct website.

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.