Christmas Gift List For The Woman In Your Life

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Frostie

The woman in your life can be hard to buy for so we have tried to include a few different suggestions. All are top quality and were fun to review.

100% Natural Australian Jojoba From The Jojoba Company. This is a brilliant multi-tasking product and the bottle is gorgeous. Something of a miracle product, it can be used on skin, nails, hair, lips and hands. They also don’t test on animals and it contains no nasty chemicals. There is already a waiting list so hurry up and get it. £12.99 for 30ml and £19.99 for 85ml from hollandandbarrett.com

English Rose Cosmetics Rose Bath Oil. “Lay back and think of England” it says and what a brilliant idea. This smells amazing, so amazing that I sniffed it for about five minutes when I should have been writing this review. English Rose Cosmetics are a particular favourite of Frost. This bath oil is brilliant, it has sunflower oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and rose absolute. Buy it for your love and run her the bath too. Oh, and a glass of wine won’t hurt either. Available from www.english-rose-cosmetics.com

The Wild Geese Premium Rum. Check out the bottle! It is amazing! And the diamante covered skull. Sure the skull is a little scary but it is also really cool. If your other half is Irish she can even call herself ‘Wild Geese’. If not, she can just enjoy this intense, bright gold rum with notes of light vanilla, mango and banana whilst oohing at the super cool diamante skull. The Wild Geese Premium Rum £36.99 from selfridges.com

Forsaken Perfume From True Blood. Already popular in the US, HBO have brought their Forsaken Perfume to the UK. A tie-in from their popular TV show. This is a one-of-a-kind luxury fragrance. It has an addictive blend of light and dark notes. Pulpy fruits are paired with crisp pear notes and Jasmine. It also has dark muskiness of amber and patchouli. It smells amazing, is especially perfect if she is also a fan of the hit TV show about vampires. £28.99 for 50ml from Tesco.com

Earthzest Organics Beauty Products. Feed Your Face Cleanser smells amazing and really works £25, Toner For Well-Balanced Skin is effective and refreshing, £20, and Flower Power Moisturising Balm, £24, is their best-selling product and is divine. These wonder products have no water, preservatives, synthetics, artificial colours or perfumes. They are just 100% pure concentrated organic goodness. Instead of being full of chemicals these wonder products bring it back to basic. They are so pure they are suitable for everyone, even those with sensitive skin. They are not tested on animals and are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. Because they contain no water a little really goes a long way. They last a long time and make an excellent present. http://www.earthzest.co.uk

Super Mario Bros, The Original Motion Picture – Movie Review

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Junior Smart

Regarded by many to be an all-time cult iconic movie, Super Mario Bros receives its high definition Blu-ray and DVD release on Monday 3rd November thanks to Second Sight.

Originally released in 1993 Super Mario Bros was later nominated for two Saturn Awards (one for Best Costume, the other for Best Make-up). But there are other reasons why this movie has received cult status and why, no matter your age you should purchase this film. Firstly, Super Mario Bros remains the only live action adaptation of a Nintendo video game; a company which celebrated its 125^th anniversary this year. Super Mario Bros the game is their iconic title; the very fact that it made it to the big screen demonstrates just how loved these character are. Secondly, it remains one of the last movies where you can see legendary actors such as the late Bob Hoskins alongside John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper all in one film.

If you haven’t seen the film, the story revolves around Brooklyn plumbers Mario and Luigi and how they discover a parallel world populated by the intelligent descendants of dinosaurs. It seems they weren’t destroyed by a meteor millions of years ago, but hurled in to a new dimension and now under leadership of the evil King Koopa have plans to take over the world. These two unlikely yet plucky heroes must battle ‘Goomba’ guards, free the beautiful Princess Daisy and save mankind in what has to be said was an all-out adventure of its time.

Just like the dinosaurs it also has to be said that Super Mario Bros represents a time that land soon forgot. Before the advances of green screen and endless CGI effects (of which this film still has loads) the emphasis was on characterisation, story telling, costly sets and building unique fan bases. Computer Games especially those which involve plumbers, dinosaurs and pipes do not fit into motion picture territory easily. I take my hat off to the script writers who had to juggle the complex nature of the game and weave it into something convincing and understandable for its audience. It’s no wonder that the film differentiates so much from the game and why many of the actors would talk about the endless challenges involved as well as just how much time they had to dedicate to making this film.

The end result though is something that shows its merit and is worth watching both for the nostalgia value but also because it is great fun, there are moments of excitement, there are loveable characters, and frequent nods to the game and the company that inspired it.

Being brought up to date means both discs are filled with loads of bonus features including:

‘This Ain’t No Video Game’ – Brand new 60 minute documentary featuring new interviews with: Co-directors Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, Producer Roland Joffe, Actors John Leguizamo and Richard Edson, Writer Parker Bennett, Production Designer David Snyder, Art Director Walter Martishius, FX Artists Paul Elliot, Vincent Guastini and Rob Burman, Visual FX Designer Chris Woods, Editor Mark Goldblatt and Creature Designer Patrick Tatopoulos. Archive interviews with Bob Hoskins and Producer Jake Eberts
Making Of
Original Electronic Press Kit
Behind-the-scenes/Storyboard Galleries
And of course English subtitles for hard of hearing

Super Mario Bros receives its high definition Blu-ray and DVD release on Monday 3^rd November from most retail stockists, pre-order your copy now and check out the trailer below.

The Best of Tech | Christmas Gift Guide

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Frostie

For those who you truly love giving the gift of great sound, music or even just a retro Mad Men style telephone is going to make you truly popular indeed. We have been blasting music and making calls galore. Our neighbours probably hate us, or they were dancing away as much as we were. Time will tell. Either way: here is out best of tech.

Stellé Audio Pillar

£249 / Available from Apple stores and selfridges.com

The Stellé Audio Pillar was a lot of fun to test. It was very easy to use, had amazing sound and could even be used wirelessly. You can even take calls on it. We have fallen completely in love with it. Just AMAZING. The Stellé Audio Pillar is for those who refuse to compromise style, boasting high-quality sound and fashion a subwoofer connecting to any Bluetooth enabled device in a 50ft range. With a built-in microphone, users can enjoy handsfree calls and 15 hours of continuous play. The Pillar is currently available in four colours; Hi Gloss White, Brushed Aluminium, Matte Black and Pewter.

Stelle Audio Brushed Aluminium Audio Pillar Bluetooth Speakers

Stellé Audio Couture Pillar Carriers in Leather and Suede

£99 / Available from Stelleaudio.com

Great for carrying around this amazing speaker. Effortlessly stylish. Available in four styles, black and white python, black and midnight blue cross hatch and Pantone’s new Colour of the Year, radiant orchid, these bags have been designed to securely transport the elegant Audio Pillar.

Libratone Loop

£399 / Johnlewis.com and on Apple Online

The sound on this unique and beautiful speaker is amazing. It is also wireless and has a lot of connectivity options. Some of us found it hard initially to connect it wirelessly and some of us also had technology that was too advanced. It is still brilliant, has amazing sound and is perfect for people who are not as inept technically as some of us are.

Create the perfect Christmas soundtrack with the Libratone Loop. It’s not only a powerful sound source, equipped with Libratone’s signature FullRoom™ technology and numerous connectivity options including DLNA, PlayDirect™ and Apple’s Airplay, it also really stands out, whether mounted on the wall or free standing thanks to its svelte cylindrical design. The Loop comes in three colours – pepper black, salt grey and raspberry red.

View Quest ColourGen Retro Radio

￡59.99 / Available from viewquest.co.uk

We love this radio. Retro is very much in at the moment. That doesn’t mean there is any compromise on sound or quality however. It has the best of both worlds. The much-loved Retro radio is now available in a smaller and more compact form. Offering both DAB and Bluetooth functionality this radio is sure to put a smile on the face of any loved one.

View Quest Emma Bridgewater Black Toast radio

Available from Apple for ￡129

There is also this unique one from Emma Bridgewater: With an in-vogue vintage look, the Emma Bridgewater Black Toast Retro radio features all the latest technology and functionality for unbeaten audio quality.

Pure Evoke D2 Digital Radio

Also retro and very cute. Is small and portable along with great sound. Has Bluetooth which enables wireless music streaming both inside and outside the home. Is ideal for small spaces. Equipped with kitchen timers and alarm function. Additional features include an aux input for iPod/iPhone and the option to purchase a chargePAK for portability.

Pure Evoke D2 Portable DAB/FM Radio is available here.

Leitz Complete Professional Bluetooth Stereo Speaker £134.91 Via Amazon.co.uk

This stereo speaker is absolutely gorgeous. Just slick and glamorous. It allows you to listen to music anytime, anywhere via wireless Bluetooth technology. The sound is crystal clear and the adjustable base and treble give perfect sound From Amazon.

GPO Classic Rotary Telephone

We are completely obsessed with this phone. The fact we have been watching Mad Men has not helped. It is just so freakin’ cool. This is a wonderful blend of modern tech and retro inspired design that runs through the GPO brand. Sometimes when you can have just about anything, stylish and retro is best. It even has the proper traditional rotary dial up. Each of the products is stocked in GPO’s online store but also NotontheHighStreet.com, Tesco.com, Amazon.co.uk and Very.co.uk so plenty of choice.

GPO 746 Rotary in red is available here.

What is your favourite?

Carluccio’s Metquarter Liverpool Restaurant Review By Dawn L Foster

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Frostie

Carluccio’s is one of the more up market Italian Restaurants in Liverpool City Centre and it shows. I went for a meal with a friend on Friday evening. As well as having the restaurant they also have a shop.

I am a wheelchair user and found the entrance door a bit heavy to open so it was good I had my friend with me.

Restaurant Review - Carluccio's Metquarter Liverpool

The staff were very attentive and gave us both time to decide what we wanted to eat. My friend needs to eat Gluten free food and was very pleasantly surprised to see that the restaurant have a full menu of Gluten free food.

For our starters my friend had Ham with Mozzarella and I had Calamari which was very close to being the nicest Calamari I’ve ever eaten. For our main meal Hayley had Rib Eye Steak and a side of Potatoes Gratin, my main meal was Chicken & Lemon Risotto which again was lovely and I really enjoyed it, my side was Garlic Bread. For our sweets Hayley ate Chocolate Pudding and I had Ice Cream with a Carluccio’s wafer, the wafer actually had the name of the restaurant on which I thought was a great touch.

For drinks Hayley had Peach Juice and I had a glass of wine.

We both had a great night and would definitely recommend Carluccio’s to anyone.

By Dawn L Foster

Jacqueline Waggett PacaPod Founder Interview

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

We interviewed Jacqueline Waggett, founder of the amazing PacaPod changing bags. A must for all parents.

How did you come up with idea of the PacaPod?

I never even had a baby bag, I created a mock-up first PacaPod with different bags inside and thought this was a really good solution to getting out the house quickly when you had a precious window of opportunity between feeds, sleep, changes!

What makes it different?

PacaPod bags contain a unique ‘baby organisation system’ with two detachable pods to store feeding and changing items which keeps them hygienically apart and organised so there’s no panic rummaging for lost wipes or dummy. All three elements can be used on their own, clip onto a buggy and great for sharing with a partner, travelling or dropping at nursery – it’s very versatile and more than a bag it’s a toolkit for parents.

Was it hard getting the design right?

I held “focus groups” – basically having a bunch on my new found NCT friends around for a coffee and asking them to bring their changing bags with them and tell me what they loved and hated about them. The passion these ladies had about their bags just blew me away and I realised that everyone had the same frustrations as me and that I was really onto something. My background as an outdoor clothing designer for high profile brands meant that I had the tools to and knowledge to bring a product to market, so from those early discussions I designed a bag that would incorporate all the requirements necessary for the perfect baby bag – basically the PacaPod 3 in 1’ baby organising system’ was born. Using my previous experience and contacts I sourced some factories to make bags, made samples, and held more focus groups, field tested and amended the bag again and again until the feedback from parents was just right.

Do you have a favourite bag?

I use a PacaPod everyday even though my children are not in need of a baby bag as it makes a great work bag. I use the parent section for paperwork and laptop, the feeder pod for my lunch and the changer pod for all my odds and ends, make up and so on. So it depends when you ask me – right now I love the Sydney leather messenger.

How hard was it getting the business off the ground?

When I spoke to nursery retailers about the concept to gain industry feedback and I was told there were too many bags out there already! But my gut feeling and the response from other mums told me it would work – so I took the plunge and booked a stand at the Harrogate nursery trade show in 2008, ordered the goods, set up a website and started selling! From the first idea to the launch at Harrogate it took just one year. Looking back it’s hard to believe I achieved so much, especially as I had a one year old and I was pregnant with my second child at the time.

What was the biggest challenge?

The early days and the legalities of launching a brand and protecting the copyright, patents, trademarks and testing standards required for the nursery industry on such an unusual product was a real education because there was nothing like it before in the market! Just to give you an idea the lining in the feeder pod alone is tested to the same degree as a dummy. It has taken years and a good deal of financial investment to ensure the product is protected worldwide and when you are self-funded re-mortgaging your house twice with two small children certainly takes its toll on the nerves.

When did you realise you had gotten it right?

Probably at that first trade show when we had such amazing feedback and great orders!

What is the high point so far?

When I see the bags out and about and people take the time to let us know how they love their bag.

For me it’s about people and places, helping people with babies to go places!

Our PacaPod review will be up soon. They are available from johnlewis.com and mummyandlittleme.co.uk

Olivia Colman Calls For More Diversity In The Film Industry

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The amazing British actress Olivia Colman has said that diversity is not just about race and that there must be more opportunities for all in the film and TV industries. Colman told her views as she was appointed as a judge for the TriForce Short Film Festival. She said that it was important that a wide range of people had a chance to tell their stories.

Colman said: “This is not just about race, it’s about diversity in all its forms. TV and films are fundamentally about storytelling and it is important that as many voices as possible have the opportunity to tell their stories.”

The TriForce Short Film Festival will be held at BAFTA on November 22nd. TriForce is a networking firm which has been set up to raise diversity in the industry. Colman said it has been working for years to improve opportunities for people from “truly diverse” backgrounds. Which can only be a good thing. We see the same people over and over again on the TV. We should also hear more different accents. I have been told many times to pretend I am not Scottish to help my career. I understand changing my accent for a role but denying I am who I am? It is just not right. So lets hope for more people from all walks of life.

What do you think?

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

Getting Into The Christmas Spirit | Alcohol Gift Guide

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Frostie

Ah, Christmas. The time for overindulgence. Too much food, booze and time spent with ~~people you have to~~ people you love dearly. No having to go to work in the morning, just bad TV and lying comatose on the coach. It truly is magical. To help the magic along we have started our Christmas Alcohol Reviews. Here are our top picks to buy the people who have been very, very good this year.

Snow Leopard Vodka

This vodka (made with spelt, the so-called ‘grandfather of grains’) was created by a passionate conservationist determined to save these critically endangered big cats. Which is why we should all buy one this Christmas.

Stephen Sparrow, an ex-drinks industry expert, heard about the snow leopard’s plight during a trip to the Himalayas. Shocked at learning there were less than 5,000 left in the wild, he came back and founded the Snow Leopard Trust UK – and then created this super-premium vodka to help fund its projects. Stephen has set a global goal to raise a million dollars annually for snow leopard conservation by 2025. That’s the the figure the President of the Snow Leopard Trust has advised could provide the ‘step change’ to remove the animal from the endangered list. This goal has been helped by the vodka recently gaining national distribution in Waitrose.com

With 15% of the vodka’s profit going direct to the Snow Leopard Trust, funds are provided to community-based conservation projects. These range from replacing farmers’ livestock that might be taken by snow leopards; through to helping educate herders’ children and training for adults in spinning wool and handicrafts for extra income. Supporting these projects helps educate the local communities and fosters a positive attitude towards the snow leopard.

£36.00 RRP for a 70cl bottle and available at Waitrose.com, Harvey Nichols and Ocado.com, as well as all good independent drinks retailers. Snowleopardtrustuk.org / snowleopardvodka.co.uk

Snow Leopard Vodka – The Conservation Martini

Glass: Martini

75ml Snow Leopard Vodka
5ml French Dry Vermouth
1 sprig of rosemary to be stirred in a mixing glass

Method: Add ingredients into an ice-filled mixing glass and briskly stir for 20 seconds.
Pour into a Martini glass.
Garnish: Rosemary sprig placed in the Martini or cocktail glass.

Whitley Neill Gin

This is top-class, truly wonderful gin. Perfect for gin lovers, winner of the World’s Best Gin Award at the International Wines and Spirits Festival, super-premium Whitley Neill Gin stands out from the crowd with its African botanicals cape gooseberry and super-fruit baobab, which has six times more vitamin C than an orange. Whitley Neill is slightly softer than more traditional gins and the taste is refreshingly citrusy and sweet. Whitley Neill Gin is available in sainsburys.co.uk priced £24.00.

Lamb’s Spiced

This is wonderful spiced rum with a lower alcohol content that other spiced rums. The sophisticated readers of Frost will know that is a good thing. New Lamb’s Spiced is a perfect gift for rum aficionados and cocktail lovers. It’s a gentle blend with a lower alcoholic content (30% abv) than other spiced rums, which makes this smooth golden liquid ideal for sipping. Natural spices and hints of cinnamon and caramel give Lamb’s Spiced a sweet, warming flavour. Lamb’s Spiced is available in Tesco.com priced £14.49 for a 70cl bottle.

Lamb’s Navy Rum

A true classic. This is high-end rum. Truly Iconic British rum, Lamb’s Navy, is the perfect tipple to have in the cupboard at Christmas – not only is it a great cake preservative and ideal ingredient for flambéing the Christmas pudding, but it’s a great winter cocktail ingredient too. Lamb’s Navy Rum is available from all major supermarkets priced around £14.50 for 70cl.

Bootlegger

This is something truly unique for whiskey lovers who want something different. It is actually unaged white whiskey. It is gorgeous, sophisticated and luxurious with just the right amount of vintage kitsch.

Bootlegger is an unaged white whiskey inspired by the raw liquor ‘Bootleggers’ moved around the US during Prohibition. It has a raw sophisticated taste with aromas of peat, oak and vanilla with a smooth finish and has been created for sipping neat over ice as well as in cocktails. Bootlegger is available from Harrods.com and other premium retailers priced around £37.50.

Tequila Rose

Our editor loves tequila, just a shame she can’t drink it at the moment because she is pregnant! We did the hard work for her: This is a unique and delicious take on tequila. Tequila Rose is a luxurious blend of premium Mexican tequila and real strawberry flavoured cream liqueur. It’s an ideal alternative to traditional cream liqueurs at Christmastime and makes a fabulous gift for female foodies and cocktail lovers. Tequila Rose is priced £14.99 for 70cl from various supermarkets.

Grant’s Signature

Grant’s whisky is always brilliant. Perfect for a wee dram. This Christmas Grant’s Whisky is putting a new twist on tradition this Christmas with the release of its Signature character and maltiness blend. With a smooth yet rich taste, with hints of caramel and biscuit which is delicious on its own, over ice or with a mixer. The product of five generations, Grant’s is Scotland’s oldest family owned blend.

The Grant’s Family Reserve is priced at RRP £17.49 (70cl) available supermarkets and off licences. The Grant’s Signature blend will be sold exclusively at Tesco.com, priced at RRP £18.49.

Koko Kanu Coconut Rum

Perfect for rum lovers: Koko Kanu is a subtle blend of crystal clear rum and coconut; the only full strength coconut rum available in the UK.

This beautifully rich tasting coconut flavoured rum from the Caribbean island of Jamaica, is so smooth and round that it’s delicious on its own over ice.

Koko Kanu Daiquiri

Ingredients:

50ml Koko Kanu
25ml freshly pressed lime juice
5ml Gomme (available at all good retail outlets)

Method:
Chill a martini glass
Add all ingredients to a boston shaker, shake and double strain
Pour into the chilled glass and garnish with a slice of lime or a mint leaf

Koko Kanu Grikoko
(Created By Chris Langhan)

Ingredients:
2 Shot Koko Kanu
½ shot lime juice
1 whole Mandarin (quartered)
Dash orange bitters

Method:
Muddle whole mandarin including flesh and zest (everything), add liquid ingredients
Shake hard and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a twist of orange

Bowmore Black Rock Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

This is a very unique no age statement whisky. It has a rich sherry and peat smoke which is then followed by blackcurrants, treacle toffee and cinnamon spice. Buy for someone you want to impress. It is unique and they probably would not have tried it before. This was released for the travel retail market in 2014.

Don Papa Rum

This is brilliant and new for rum lovers. New Don Papa is a premium aged small batch rum from the Philippines which was launched in the UK in February 2014. It is light and fruity on the nose, smooth and delicate on the palate with flavours of vanilla, honey and candied fruit. The Don Papa Rum Gift Pack is available from majestic.co.uk and Majestic stores for £30 and from Harvey Nichols stores and online at www.harveynichols.com

Glen Moray Single Malt

This is a top-class Scotch whisky, buy it for the whisky lover in your life. Glen Moray Single Malt is distilled at the Glen Moray Distillery, Speyside’s most northerly distillery which has been producing whisky since 1897. This 10 year old single malt has been uniquely aged in chardonnay casks. £25.00, available from sainsburys.co.uk and glenmoray.com.

Three Barrels Honey

Excellent French Brandy. Drink it and cook with it. Oh, and buy it for someone else if you can give it away. The UK’s favourite French grape brandy, Three Barrels, has been blended with the finest honey flavours to create Three Barrels Honey. The new spirit drink is so smooth and mellow, you won’t want to give up a drop for Saint Nick.

THREE BARRELS ON THE ROCKS WITH A TWIST

Glass: 10oz Rocks

Method: Pour over ice cubes and spray orange oils over the top of drink

Ice: Cubed

Ingredients:

50ml Three Barrels Honey

Garnish: Trimmed orange zest

THREE BARRELS HONEY AND GINGER

Glass: 12oz Hiball

Method: Fill glass with ice and pour in order listed

Ice: Cubed

Ingredients:

35ml Three Barrels Honey

Top ginger ale

Garnish: Lemon wedge squeezed and discarded, garnish with fresh wedge

THREE BARRELS HONEY COLLINS

Glass: 12oz Hiball

Method: Pour all ingredients in glass except soda, and then add ice

Fill with soda and gently stir, top with ice if required

Ice: Cubed

Ingredients:

50ml Three Barrels Honey

20ml Fresh lemon juice

5ml sugar syrup

Top with soda

Garnish: Lemon slice

THREE BARRELS HONEY FIZZ

Glass: Chilled flute

Method: Pour in order listed and stir

Ingredients:

25ml Three Barrels Honey

Top with Champagne or dry sparkling wine (Cava or Prosecco)

Garnish: Lemon oils sprayed and discard zest

What will be your tipple?

The Best Christmas Stocking Fillers

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Frostie

Christmas is coming in fast, October is nearly over and we are already hearing jingles when we are out. It may be a time of festivities but it is also stressful and shopping can be a nightmare. So we are bringing you Christmas Gift Lists. Lots and lots of Christmas Gift Lists, bringing you great ideas and suggestions for your nearest and dearest. First up: stocking fillers. We hope you enjoy and feel free to add any comments below.

Ringtons’ 2015 Diary set £4.99 available now

This fantastic 2015 Diary Set will make organising the coming year as simple as making a cup of tea. Offering fantastic value for money the set includes both a desktop and a slimline diary. Exploring Ringtons’ history and including recipes, stories, Ringtons facts and customer poems, this diary set makes a lovely keepsakee or gift. We thought this looked great and was very handy. The little one will fit in your handbag, the bigger one is great for more detail.

Front Door Toffee Tin £4.99

This gorgeous red front door with festive Christmas wreath lid lifts off to reveal a selection of traditionally made flavoured Devon toffees. With six different flavours to choose from – including vanilla, strawberry, rum and butter, liquorice and treacle clotted crèmes, as well as chocolate éclair – this is a must-have for toffee fans. We loved this. It looks great, couldn’t be more festive if it tried and the toffees are good too.

The Bay Tree Christmas Selection

One of the UK’s leading producers of fine preserves, The Bay Tree is celebrating 20 years in business and has launched a collection of Christmas products. They have wonderful jams, chutneys and biscuits. They look great and they taste great. We would like a stocking full of their stuff this Christmas please.

Christmas Mini Jar Selection

All delicious: This trio of festive favourites has all bases covered. The three mini jars may be small in size but each is bursting with flavour. The Christmas Pickle is a delightful mix of cranberry, apple and currants – far better with hot turkey than simply cranberry sauce. To add a dash of sweetness and spice to the cold meat platter is the Boxing Day Chutney – an aromatic blend of apricots and coriander seeds. You’ll wonder how you ever survived Boxing Day without it! To keep the over-indulgence running right through till breakfast The Bay Tree’s Christmas Marmalade is a decadent recipe made using wild Moroccan oranges and a luxurious mix of spices.

3 x 100g RRP £8.30

Mulled Wine Spices in a Tin

We love mulled wine at Frost. So much that we have been known to have it all-year round. This gorgeous tin has five Bundles for mulling your festive Wine or Cider in a pretty oval tin. £3.60.

Brandy Butter

Yum. We love this. Just wonderful. Rich, buttery and boozy serve with Mince Pies and Christmas Pud £3.00.

We are a sucker for a good notebook and they are always the perfect thing to buy someone-who-has-everything. These Style Notebook range are from one of the leaders in office products and accessories, Leitz. Ideal for the jet setter that likes as much style in her work life as her wardrobe, Leitz Style Notebooks are the perfect gifts. The elegant Notebooks are available Via Amazon.co.uk and are available in five slick colours: arctic white, garnet red, celadon green, titan blue and Satin black. The Style Notebooks are available in A5 or A6 and have an attractive soft brush look, perfect for everyday note taking and comes with special features such as a built in back pocket and two sticky note piles to ensure optimum organisation. With the choice of a hard and soft back, the Style notebooks are as practical as they are chic.

Buy a Leitz Notebook here.

Avlaki Olive Oil 250ml Presentation Gift Box

We are a huge fan of Avlaki olive oil and were delighted when they sent a beautiful gift box for us to review. Their olive oil is first-class, truly brilliant stuff: Avlaki have created a festive gift pack featuring two of their extra special finishing oils – one of which won a gold one star in Great Taste 2014 and 2013. It is the ultimate gift for lovers of fine foods and those who enjoy exploring new tastes and flavours. It is also the perfect treat for those who would like to add a touch of gourmet glamour to their festive feasts.

Avlaki’s finishing oils are completely different. They are made from olives grown at varying altitudes on Lesvos Island in Greece, under the watchful eye of producers Deborah MacMillan, an artist, and broadcaster Natalie Wheen. They are handpicked in December, milled and bottled as soon as possible to capture the explosion of flavours from the olives in the bottle – and all to the highest British quality standards.

Cordello Home have a great range of everyday homeward products featuring their iconic heart symbol. The launch collection is designed to bring vibrancy and fun into your home – a true reflection of what the festive season is all about. These cute mugs are £12 each. They are good quality and look beautiful. They also have cushions and plates with the same designs.

Beanies have brought out Christmas flavoured coffee. Yup, Christmas Pudding flavour and Mulled Spice flavoured coffee. All coffees are syrup free, sugar free and only 2 cals per cup. Great for stocking fillers.

Pebble Grey specialise in LED bathroom mirrors and cabinets. They have a recently launched range of LED vanity mirrors and we love them. This hand held mirror makes you feel like a Hollywood star whilst checking out your appearance in a very good mirror. Presentation is beautiful: it comes in a box and a velvet drawstring bag. Beautiful and functional. Available for £19.99 at www.pebblegrey.co.uk

American hot sauce Frank’s RedHot is the ideal last-minute present for students, food fanatics or the man in your life. Perfect for fans of spice. Slip this into their Christmas stocking, they will love it.

Choose from the classic Original recipe, authentic Buffalo Wings, tangy Chili N’ Lime and daring Xtra Hot
£1.49 from Amazon.co.uk, ASDA.com, Sainsburys.com, Tesco.com, WholeFoods.com, Waitrose.com and Ocado.com

If you’re struggling for inspiration this Christmas, fill your stockings up with Frank’s. Hot, flavoursome and authentic, it’s the must-have sizzling stocking filler that’s perfect for men and foodies. Watch and enjoy as your loved one cracks open their present to reveal one $#It hot saucy gift this Christmas.

Frank’s is the American classic beloved by foodies everywhere for its versatility and zest. Add a fiery twist to a Christmas classic and

put a drop or two on your Boxing Day sausage rolls. Or if you’re ‘Christmased’ out by the 26^th, take some leftover turkey and a splash of Frank’s Original to make some mouth-watering fajitas. We have recipe for you below. Yum, sounds delicious.

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

2 lbs softened cream cheese

2 cups blue cheese dressing

2 cups Frank’s RedHot® Sauce

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

8 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups finely diced celery

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

Julienne vegetables, chips, crackers, etc. as needed

1. Whisk together cream cheese, dressing, Frank’s and crumbled blue cheese. Fold in chicken and celery, mix well. Portion 1 cup of mixture into shallow oven or microwave proof ramekins. Top each with 2 tbsp. cheese. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. For service reheat dip until golden and bubbly and surround with dips

My Little Day has a great range of decorations for children’s parties that are also stylish and festive enough for Christmas. Their napkins, straws and glittery decorations are all beautiful and first class. Highly recommended for adding a bit of class to Christmas.

Popcorn Kitchen

Popcorn Kitchen refer to their popcorn on their website in caps locks as “THE BEST POPCORN YOU WILL EVER TASTE, HANDMADE USING TRADITIONAL METHODS”. We like confidence here at Frost and we also love popcorn so we thought we might be on to a winner. Turns out we were right. The popcorn is hand-popped in a giant kettle and then they hand-sift it to remove unpopped kernels and then taste every batch to make sure it’s perfect. It works and is tasty, moreish stuff. Perfect for watching endless Christmas TV with.

What would you add?

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