Woking for 1000

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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.

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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.

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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

Ecoffee Cup – The Natural Reusable

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Looking for a stocking filler? The perfect choice  for the Secret Santa? For an original, beautifully designed, practical gift, look no further than Ecoffee Cup. After all, how many of us grab a coffee on the way to work? With over 100 billion single-use coffee cups going to landfill every year globally the Ecoffee Cup is the perfect choice for those looking for Christmas gifts with a conscience.

Made with natural, organic and biodegradable bamboo fibre, the Ecoffee Cup is sturdy yet light, is naturally sterile, has a resealable and ‘drip proof’ lid and is fully dishwasher safe.

The cup will last for years if treated nicely (it can split if stepped or sat on). However, it is not suitable for microwave use.

Created with the world’s fastest-growing, most sustainable crop – naturally organic, bamboo fibre – and non-GMO corn starch, Ecoffee Cup is BPA and phthalate free. It’s the Natural Reusable.

The Ecoffee Cup feels a bit like thick, yet light cardboard. Nice to hold and gorgeous to look at.

And if that wasn’t enough the cup is biodegradable; when it has reached the end of its lifecycle – simply crush it, soak it in boiling water and bury it with organic compost. So no more faded plastic cups lurking in your cupboards or sitting for years in landfill.

Available in a wide range of fun, vibrant designs; from block colours, striped or spotted, to geometric, feather or floral patterns prices start at £9.95.

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We particularly like the recently launched William Morris collection with 14oz cups priced at £11.95

We tested it here at the Frost offices and happy to say the Ecoffee Cup doesn’t taint the coffee, unlike many plastic reusables. It looks great, feels good to hold and is easy to store in your bag.

For more information or to purchase your Ecoffee Cup, go to www.ecoff.ee.

Bimbamboo Children’s Dining Sets From Ecoffee

And if you are looking for something to delight the little people in your life why not take a look at the Bimbamboo dining range for children.

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Perfect for tiny tots. It looks and feels great, the designs are colourful and cheerful and our little band of testers enjoyed using them. Designs in the range are Owls, Robots, Transport, Hot Air Balloons and Animals.  Made from the same natural, organic and biodegradable bamboo fibre as the Ecoffee cup, they are kind to the environment and look so much better than many of the plastic versions available.

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Each set includes a divider plate, a bowl and handled cup.

They’re also naturally sterile – making them the ideal surface for serving kids’ food. We loved them.

Priced at £15 per set

Four Fun Gifts For Young Children This Christmas

Groov-e Kiddiez

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A pair of fun over-ear headphones designed for children. They feature volume limiters to protect young ears from hearing damage. They have soft ear pads and an adjustable headband.

Groov-e Kiddies Headphone with Volume Limiter – Pink/Purple available here. 

 

Hape Dumper Truck

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This was a huge hit. Fun and high-quality. The Hape Dumper Truck is made from tough and resilient materials. Built to last using wood from sustainable sources, and water based paints. Highly recommended.

Hape Dumper Truck is available here.

 

Jojo Mamen BéBé Sammy Stegosaurus.

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This cute dinosaur was a huge hit with the Frost toddlers. From www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

 

Jojo Mamen BéBé Fishing Boat Shape Sorter

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Well made and with a lovely design. The children loved this. Extra bonus points for the learning aspect. From www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

 

Sequential Drawings The New Yorker Series By Richard McGuire

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I really loved this book of drawings from Richard McGuire. Not only does it tell a story, but I also found it meditative. A wonderful book to add to any art lovers collection. 

From the author of the widely acclaimed graphic novel Here, awarded the 2016 Prix D’or for best graphic album at Angouleme, a new graphic work that celebrates another aspect of his incomparable genius.
Sequential Drawings gathers together more than a decade of McGuire’s witty and endlessly inventive spots a veritable short-story collection each drawing given its own spread, which, in turn, assures for the reader the experience of surprise and delight that the drawings unfailingly deliver. Richard McGuire’s first series of “spot” drawings debuted inThe New Yorker in February 2005 for the magazine’s 80th anniversary issue. Spot drawings, scattered among the magazine’s text, had been a long-running feature of The New Yorker, and over the years, many artists had contributed them. But McGuire was the first to conceive them as a sequence, and his drawings were something altogether new: deceptively simple images that imbued the series with movement and narrative, telling their own unexpected stories.
With illustrations throughout and an introduction by Luc Sante.

 

RICHARD McGUIREis a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His comics have appeared in The New York Times, McSweeneys, Le Monde, and Liberation.He has written and directed two omnibus feature films: Loulou et Autre Loups (Loulou and Other Wolves, 2003), and Peur(s) du Noir (Fear[s] of the Dark, 2007). He designed and manufactured his own line of toys, and is the founder and bass player of the band Liquid Liquid.Here was based on his six-page comic that appeared in RAWmagazine in 1989 and was quickly acknowledged as a transformative work that expanded the possibilities of the comics medium.”

Sequential Drawings: The New Yorker Series is available here.

 

The Best iPhone Cases For Christmas

Gear4 D30 Oxford Bookcase for iPhone 7

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A great multi-tasker. We love this phone cover. It looks great and protects well. It felt a little tight to begin with, but the give happens quickly. A great-looking iPhone case that is functional. It is a mobile wallet with credit card slots. You can get rid of your wallet or purse. It also has a viewing stand. It closes well and secure, keeping valuables safe. It also has the D30 smart material that offers the highest performance impact protection. £34.99 from www.gear4.com

Cygnett RealCurve for iPhone 7

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Looks great on the phone. 3D curved glass. Offers impact and scratch protection.

CYGNETT Realcurve 3D 9H Curved Glass Screen Protector for iPhone7 is available here.

 

X-Doria Revel for iPhone 7

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Beautiful and fashionable. Has hard outer shell to shield against impact and raised front bezel helps protect your iPhone screen. We love the design. This one is a husky, but there are others.

iPhone 7 Case, X-Doria (Revel) Case for iPhone 7 is available here.

 

Scuderia Ferrari Fragrance Spray Hard Case for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s

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It is an iPhone cover and a fragrance spray. The spray is refillable. Stylish and perfect for racing fans.

Ferrari Hard Case Scuderia 3D for iPhone 6/6S is available here.

 

Cygnett UrbanWallet for iPhone 7 

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A stylish genuine leather iPhone case. The internal card pockets mean you can streamline your life and get rid of your wallet. Just slip your credit card in. It has two credit card slots but you can put more than two cards in.

CYGNETT Flip UrbanWallet Genuine Leather Case for iPhone7 is available here.

 

X-Doria Defense Lux for iPhone 7

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Survives a drop test of 2 metres. This no bulk military-grad machined metal protective case combines luxury and durability. Great design. Stylish and protective. What more could you want?

iPhone 7 Plus Case, X-Doria (Defense Lux) Case for iPhone 7 is available here.

 

 

This Month’s Top Picks

Welcome to November. The month of cosiness and fireworks. While you Hygge (look it up) let us bring you some of our top picks for the month.

Katie Flynn An Orphan’s Christmas

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An Orphan’s Christmas is a great and relaxing read that will help you get into the Christmas spirit.

 

Nancy Revell The Shipyard Girls

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The Shipyard Girls is a great tale of friendship and war.

 

Only Fools and Horses The Peckham Archives

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Only Fools and Horses: The Peckham Archives is perfect for fans of the series. Stick it in their stocking.

 

J.D Robb Apprentice in Death

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Apprentice in Death is another great novel from the prolific crime writer.

 

Egyptian Magic

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Egyptian Magic Cream is a huge hit with celebrities. It is a great all-purpose cream that really moisturises skin.

 

Milton Sterilising Fluid

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Milton Sterilising Fluid is a convenient way to sterilise your children’s things, keeping them germ-free. Available at Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, John Lewis, Mothercare, Ocado and Superdrug.

 

Excilor Protector 3 in 1 Spray

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Excilor  3-in-1 Protector Spray For Feet provides a water proof barrier protecting your feet from a dreaded fungal infection. Great stuff. It works.

 

 

Sisters At War by Milly Adams Book Review

Sisters At War is the second book by Milly Adams and it is yet another brilliant piece of historical fiction. Sisters at War is like a  Sunday Afternoon. It is like one of those great BBC dramas that you watch with your family that are both entertaining but also filling. They teach you something: entertainment with substance. Warm and life-affirming; it is hard for younger people to fathom wartime. Lucky us, but the previous generations suffered, fought and sacrificed.

Sisters at War is about two sisters. Selfish Hannah and selfless Byrony. Hannah is irritating. You really want to slap her. I think we all have a Hannah in our life. Byrony is the best of humanity. A person of decency and morals. Hannah only cares about herself and stays in Jersey. Bryony is happiest amongst her family and loved ones  and stays at Combe Lodge where everyone is pitching in. The family home has filled with evacuees and Bryony has joined the ATA, helping to ferry planes across the country, whatever the risk.

Sister at War is a wonderful book. A hard to put down book which fills the soul.

 

A compelling new Second World War novel. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Ellie Dean.

Bryony and Hannah are sisters, but they couldn’t be more different, and war has brought even more of a rift between them. Bryony is happiest where her family and loved ones are – at Combe Lodge, the family home – and these uncertain times have brought them all closer together. But Hannah is young and headstrong. No one will stop her from doing what she wants – and this time she’s decided to flee to Jersey.

Even though Hannah has left, at Combe Lodge, everyone else is pitching in with the war effort. The family home fills with evacuees and Bryony is doing her bit, flying planes at the nearby Combe Lodge Airlines.

But despite all that is going on with war, Bryony knows that above everything she needs to reach out to Hannah. Only she will be able to keep her flighty younger sister’s feet on the ground. But is Bryony too late to help her? Will Hannah ever come home?

Sisters at War is available here.

 

Ah, Christmas approaches…        

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One of our toughest jobs here at Frost Magazine is to taste the alcoholic samples we are sent. Oh how we complain, how we hate it… And if you believe that, then what can I say?

Looking for grown-up stocking fillers? Graham’s Ports could be the answer: Graham’s 10, 20 and 30-year-old Aged Tawny Ports are now available in attractive contemporary glass 20cl bottles. Or if you’re looking for the perfect tipple for your Christmas dinner party, this range is great for those wanting to try something new and pair with different dishes.

Available from Harvey Nichols: 10 Year Old (no tube) – £7.49. 10 Year Old in tube – £8.49. 20 Year Old (no tube) – £11.99. 30 Year Old (no tube) – £19.49

They are also available in larger sizes. For instance Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port (75cl) retails at £20.00 from Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s & Ocado

There is an impressive range of other ports, and sizes. Ideal for Dad, Mum and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. For instance:

Graham’s Six Grapes: With its flavour of festive plums with hints of cedar and tobacco this shout Christmas. The Drinkshop.com (75cl) RRP £15.00

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I’m not a whisky fan so Richard Graham, and ex-submariner known to enjoy a single malt, gave these a whirl, and liked them. He thought them honest and true to the single malt ethos.

The Macallan Gold showcases the single malt’s natural colour, with a hint of vanilla, and a great oak aftertaste. Available in multiple retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Saninsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. RRP £35. www.the macallan.com

Highland Park 12 year old would go a treat with your Christmas pud. It is apparently at the heart of the Highland Park’s core range and Richard found it sweeter, but also smokey, but not too much so.

Available at multiple retailers, including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op: RRP £35 www.highlandpark.co.uk

Finally

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Rampur Single Malt Indian Whisky from the Himalayas has launched in the UK.

This whisky is handcrafted and aged in the foothills of the Himalayas. Distilled in India’s oldest distillery this premium malt whisky is excellent. The distilling location of the Himalayan foothills exposes the whisky to polar opposite climate conditions throughout the year (something my son can attest too, having been caught in a freak snowstorm not so long ago). This gives the flavour of Rampur an added dimension and depth. Try it. It’s truly is excellent.

Available from: The whisky Exchange www.thewhiskyexchange.com £41.95