Avlaki Freshly Bottled Organic Olive Oil Review

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olive oil, olive oil review, avlaki, organic, freshly bottled, unfiltered, extra virgin, greeceI love olive oil. I eat some pretty much everyday. Despite just how much olive oil is on the market, what is clear when you try lots of different brands is this: not all olive oil is created equal. And Avlaki, freshly bottled organic olive oil from Greece is certainly not your run-of-the-mill olive oil. It is unfiltered and unadulterated, and is bottled within weeks after the olives are picked at their peak condition.

I like to think I know good quality olive oil but I made sure I had a second opinion so their was no bias. We tested two different bottles of Avlaki Olive Oil. Here is our findings:

Avlaki New Season Single Estate Extra Virgin Unfiltered Avlaki Groves ‘Grassy & Fruity”.

The packaging is great, with a handwritten detail on the label. It even tells you who produced the oil. The oil is amazing. It is fresh and clean. It tastes expensive and delicious.

Avlaki New Season Single Estate Extra Virgin Unfiltered Agatheri Groves “Complex & Sophisticated”.

This is also brilliant quality. We both choose different favourites and then we switch at different times. There is a very slight peppery taste to this olive oil, while the other one tastes fresher, this one has more going on, more complex flavours working together. Sometime I prefer this one, and sometime the Avlaki Groves.

Result: World class olive oil. Get your hands on some.

Avlaki Freshly Bottled Olive Oil – from branch to bottle within weeks

Avlaki olive oil is exactly how Deborah MacMillan and Natalie Wheen believe an excellent olive oil should be. The olives are picked at the peak of condition, milled immediately and then the oil is bottled, unfiltered and unadulterated, as soon as possible – all within a few weeks.

Olive oil is the juice of the fruit: the fresher it is – the more taste, nutrients and health benefits it has. Avlaki oils come from two separate single estates. They each have a distinct flavour and finish, for people to enjoy with different foods. Most commercially available oils come from production that has been standing in tanks for many months – and more. This oil is a mix from various farms and locations, harvested throughout the season. It is filtered before processing and then blended to make a uniform product.

Avlaki oils are different – they have a freshness to them; full of grassy, fruity notes, with a peppery zest and are perfect ‘finishing’ oils for fine dishes. Drizzle on hot vegetables, soup, pasta, fish and salads. Or serve simply, just by themselves – with a good bread for dipping.

The Avlaki adventure…

Deborah and Natalie were simply buying a small place to escape from London stress: making olive oil was not something that they set out to do. Deborah is a painter and Natalie a writer and broadcaster on the arts and classical music. After buying their tiny piece of Greece – the small property is just above the sea on the Greek island, Lesvos – they discovered the repairs they had made to the little ruined house broke all of the planning regulations, due to a lack of land. Fortunately they could buy small parcels of land from their neighbours to add to the plot – all had sadly neglected olive trees growing. They applied their knowledge of British gardening practice to the trees – pruning, mulching, manuring – and also researched the latest information about olive farming from the internet. Avlaki Groves, the home fields, were the first to start producing a good crop in 2000 and a few years later Deborah and Natalie bought the mountain fields of Agatheri Groves, 5/600 metres above sea level. Having witnessed the questionable quality of traditional farming practice, they converted their fields to strictly organic farming (certified by Bio-Hellas) – also practising permaculture and encouraging bio-diversity. Avlaki’s fields are now full of wild flowers, insects, birds and all kinds of wildlife.


Why is Avlaki Olive Oil different?

Avlaki’s olives are only harvested in December, when the olives are a perfect mix of ripeness: green, turning to pink and black, all helping to create the lively Avlaki tastes. They are hand-picked, raked off the trees into soft nets and cleaned of any leaves and twigs and damaged fruit, before being taken to the mill immediately – in shallow crates to avoid bruising. Deborah and Natalie closely watch their olives through every stage of the process and the freshly milled oil is stored straight away in air-tight churns. Once the grove is completely picked and the oil tested by Bio-Hellas, Deborah and Natalie ensure that it is all bottled as fast as possible – every bottle is dated. All small olive farmers take home fresh oil for the family, straight from milling – the rest is left in the communal tanks at the mill to sell on after the end of the harvest. During this time the oil can become a featureless blend from different kinds of production; from high fields and low, spicy early pick and bland oily late pick – lacking any characterful taste and losing nutritional properties. The olive varietals used in the final oil, also make a difference – ‘Kolloví’ and ‘Andramytianni’ are particular to Lesvos and are the only olives used in Avlaki oils. These give the island a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) from the EU, for their naturally golden oil – which has a light consistency and distinctive taste. It is well known in Greece: Avlaki now brings this excellent quality and fabulous tasting oil to the UK.

Deborah and Natalie were once amateurs trying their best to improve the land that they had acquired but have become passionate advocates of real olive oil and the difference between their fresh olive oil and many of the products on the shelves. Consumer education is vital, as Natalie explains; “The description ‘pure’ olive oil conveys an impression of purity but in fact this term is used to describe oil that is not considered fit for human consumption until it is pasteurised. This is just one misunderstanding and we hope that when people try our Avlaki oils they will be converted like us. They will understand the difference and why we feel that it is so important to treat the olives as naturally as we can, to really have the purest product possible.”

Stockists

UK: George Mewes Cheese – 106 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB/ Papadeli – 84 Alma Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2DJ/ Pear Tree Deli – Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN/ Duke’s Deli – 22 Duke Street, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9PZ/ Williams Fish Market and Food Hall – 3 Fountain Street, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire GL6 0BL/ Beetham Nurseries – Pool Darkin Lane, Beetham, Nr Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7AP/ Drewtons Farm Shop – South Cave, Brough, E.Yorkshire HU15 2AG/ Much Ado Deli – 7 – 9 Stanley Court, Olney, MK46 5NH

Overseas: Anton & Anton – Oy, Helsinki, Finland

SRP: £18 – £20+ per 50cl bottle

Minimum trade order 12 bottles at £12 per 50cl bottle

£144 per case plus £10 delivery

Avlaki will include a pair of 100ml promotional bottles with each order

‘Taster’ Packs

Sets of 2 x 100ml marasca bottles (1 Avlaki oil and 1 Agatheri oil)

SRP: £10

Minimum trade order of 1 box: £72 (12 packs at £6 per pack)

English Rose Cosmetics Review

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English Rose Cosmetics have great packaging. The right amount of kitsch and glamour. All inspired by women living in war-torn Britain in the 1940s and how they managed to look glamorous despite having limited resources. Founder of English Rose Cosmetics, Karin McKay, drew on her 16 years of experience to create the brand. She choose ingredients that are proven to work.

We reviewed two of the products from the range.

daily defence moisturiser, english rose cosmetics, beauty, beauty magazines, beauty blog, beauty review

 

Daily Defence Moisturiser.

This moisturiser has a wonderful texture, it is a cream but is gel like. It is very refreshing to put on and melts into the skin. It makes my skin look instantly radiant and it smells great. Long term it improves skin, making it look loved and more youthful. What more could you want?

This lovely refreshing gel like moisturiser plumps out fine lines and wrinkles whilst intensely moisturising.  Skin is protected from free radicals and shielded from allergens and pollutants and helps reduce redness caused in inflammation.

£14

 

cocoa ration body butter, body butter, moisturiser, body, beauty, beauty review, beauty blog, beauty magazine

Cocoa Ration Body Butter

This body butter is the way body butter should be. It is thick and takes a while to massage in. It smells great and improves skin tone. Even on the first use. It has cocoa, shea and avocado: all brilliant ingredients that really make a difference to skin. What’s more, it only costs £10. I know that is not cheap, but for what it is and how long it lasts it is worth it. A good product. I loved it.

Skin is intensely moisturised by penetrating and calming Cocoa, Shea & Avocadol , leaving a velvety after feel with natural vanilla fragrance.  Highly recommended for sensitive, irritated skin that needs calming.  As shea and cocoa butter melt at skin temperature, we recommend warming a dollop between your palms before applying.

 

£10

http://www.english-rose-cosmetics.com/

Flaviar, The First European Members Club For Spirits Aficionados, Review

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I am not a natural whiskey drinker. Mainly because I am a lightweight who barely drinks and whiskey is strong. But as the editor of this magazine I have come to appreciate whiskey due to the amount of samples we receive.
I have come to appreciate different types of whiskey, the sometimes subtle differences from one bottle to another is great and interesting. So when the opportunity to try Flaviar, a members club for spirit aficionados, came I jumped at the chance, and I am glad I did.
You get a tasting pack of five different 50ml bottles of whiskey. The 50ml is enough for three tasting shots. In my tasting pack is Nikka From The Barrel Whiskey, Hakushu Bourbon Barrel Whiskey (full of flavour and kick), Taketsuru 12 year Whiskey, Isawa 10 Year Whiskey, and Yamazaki 12 Year Whiskey. They are strong, one is even 51.4%. But they are luxurious and decadent. An ideal present to yourself or others. The whiskey is incredibly good quality as you would expect. For the £24.99 it costs, considering the quality and quantity, I think that is a bargain. You would be surprised how much 50ml is. 12 year old whiskey is incredibly special. These are hard-to-find bottles of whiskey at an incredibly affordable price. So, Flaviar: Frost loves….
whiskey review
FLAVIAR, the first European members club for spirits aficionados starts their second year with $400k seed funding and a launch of Flaviar Deals
Spirits subscription commerce startup Flaviar entered its second year of business with the launch of Flaviar Deals – limited sales of selected hard-to-find full bottles of high quality spirits at very special prices.
Flaviar’s unique approach to spirit tasting through storytelling and perfectly designed products received great feedback from the customers, many of whom were interested in the purchase of full bottles as well – thus the launch of Flaviar Deals. Just like the samples in Flaviar tasting packs, Flaviar Deals will also feature a fine selection of spirits, ranging from some of today’s most renowned brands to those from craft distilleries worldwide. The company also announced to have raised seed funding that will be used to pursue further growth of membership and new markets expansion, allowing them to ship the tasting packs also outside the EU.
Oliver Holle, founder and CEO of SpeedInvest, said:
“Flaviar is one of the rare examples that combines a proven model that can scale, with expert founders that think global. It is the poster child of European startups and we are really happy to be part of it.” 
First year’s lesson: There is more to spirits than Whisky
To date, Flaviar’s curators already prepared 16 packs with 80 drinks. “In the first year it was all about exploring new categories. Many spirits lovers were amazed to discover that there is much more to top-notch spirits than Whiskies. Rums were one of the biggest surprises and a big hit, but we also introduced our members to some great cognacs, grappas, peated whiskeys and even Austrian schnaps,” says Soba, founder and CEO. “We have some great discoveries on the shelves prepared for our future packs and we are very excited about introducing them to our members – with the last pack shipped, we took them to Japan.”
Personal spirits sommelier on your doorstep each month
Flaviar monthly tasting packs of 5 spirits samples are delivered in a robust and eco-friendly packaging. Each stylish gift-ready black package is a story itself, told by the spirits as well as by witty comments, tasting instructions and one-of-a-kind SmartAss Corner, prepared by Flaviar curators to help you improve your spirits-smarts. “Once they were pirates, arrrr!”, “Star Spangled Bourbon” and “Schnaps of the Alps” are just some of the previous Flaviar packs’ names. Each pack is available at only GBP 24.99, (compared to a GBP 200-300 full bottle price of a typical spirit included). “Flaviar promises to teach newbies to appreciate spirits, engage in new social activity and improve their smarts. As for aficionados, they get a chance to discover new flavours, show off their extensive knowledge and collections, meet with others alike and teach newbies. We encourage everyone to taste and fully appreciate specific properties of top shelf spirits at home, within the comfortable circle of their friends. Tasting experience is best when done in a small group, allowing one to “compare notes” and observations. That is why our tasting packs include five 50 ml samples, which is enough for 3 tasting shots,” says Soba, who is a seasoned spirit-maker himself. “After the tasting members can fill their virtual MyBar cabinets on Flaviar.com with information on the most wanted, tasted or owned spirits, thereby creating valuable feedback for the producers and us as curators.”

Style Your Living Room With Feng Shui

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A cluttered room can make you feel disorganised. Ever had a piece of work to do but just haven’t been able to until the mess surrounding you has been cleared? That’s exactly it! Creating the perfect feng shui in your home is so important, particularly for your peace of mind. This infographic from Furnishing Homes explains just how important the placement of items are in terms of creating the perfect zen area for your front room!

Furnishing Homes
Furnishing Homes

Time To Give Up Sugar? Day 6 and 7

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,I am at the end of week one and Laura is happy with me. Laura is a reformed sugar addict and Mentor Me Off Sugar is her programme. She also has an excellent website.

My first call was with Laura today and she talked me though what I could and could not eat. I filled in a questionnaire and she has gone through all of my eating habits. My weakness is tea and fizzy drinks. If I skip a meal when eating out it is usually dessert. I do love chocolate, biscuits and sweet treats though.

Week one is the easiest of the four. In week one and four you are allowed fruit and dark chocolate. You are eased into the programme but week two and three are harder: no fruit apart from avocado, tomatoes, lemon and lime. No chocolate and no white bread, pasta or cousous. Sob.

Yesterday was relatively easy despite it being the weekend. I had a cup of tea because of the weakness, fainting and headaches but apart from that, and a square of the Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate I had in my goody bag from the Sure Improve Rooms, I don’t break despite a long walk with lots of temptation. I feel very proud of myself. Even better, a lot of my friends have sent me emails of encouragement and articles about sugar. I feel happy and healthier. I now have a 26 inch waist in just a week. I have also lost weight from my hips and my stomach. I still have a headache but the intensity is less. Both Laura and I agree that I have gone through a strong detox because of the headaches – which were so bad they made the migraines I had as a child feel easy- nausea and weakness. Another reason for the strong detox is the lack of caffeine. I just cannot drink tea without sugar.

Today I feel more energetic. I am slimmer and feel happier. I still miss tea, fizzy drinks and cakes but I am determined to get through to the end of the programme. My body is already changing and I want to give my all. I can feel myself being converted to a healthier lifestyle and I start to think of what else I can do. I am using bread, butter and cheese as a crutch for sugar and Laura says she did this too. The next step is also to get off bread. I love bread but we will see what happens. I have also decided to take up Pilates and yoga. I am almost surprised at this new and improved me. I can’t see a future without sugar yet, but I can see one with moderation. Another benefit is that amount of work I get done: anything to distract me from sugar and how great it tastes.

What do you think? Would you give up sugar?

 

How to Make the Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe

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I love to make a good roast. Here’s my tips for lemon,  thyme roast chicken with vegetables and mozzarella

1.  Stuff the chicken with lemon and thyme. Peel a couple of garlic cloves and rub the chicken all over then chop them up very finroastely and sprinkle all over the chicken.

 

 

2. Now here’s the most important tip to a great roast chicken. Place the chicken upside down (breast facing down) in the the roasting tray. This will cause the juices from the bird to flow into the breast meat and will stop the meat drying out.

3. Prepare your vegetables. I like parsnips. Peel them and cut them lengthways creating two equal parts and repeat twice again until the parsnip is in eights. Then chop the pieces in half. This should give you nice thick parsnip strips. I also like to cook peppers and I prefer red to green as they are sweeter. Cut the top off the pepper and scoop out the inside. Then cut into thin strips.

4. For the potatoes. Peel them and cut them into reasonable sizes. The smaller you make them the easier they will be to cook. Put the potatoes in a pan and boil for ten minutes and add salt. Meanwhile add some fat to the roasting tin and let it heat up. Drain the potatoes with a colander and sprinkle with flour. Add the potatoes to the roasting tin along with the parsnips and leave to roast. (I add the peppers later so they don’t get over done and the peppers with about 35 minutes left)

5. 15 minutes before it is ready bring the roasting tray out. Turn the chicken over. At this point I recommend covering your chicken, parsnips and potatoes in honey. Add chopped cherry tomatoes and slices of mozzarella on top. Make sure to add enough mozzarella (two basic packs from sainsbury’s is about right, there’s no point using better quality buffalo mozzarella in this instance). Place back in the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes.

6. Finally remove chicken and vegetables from the oven and leave to rest. Pour flour and stock into the juices remaining in the roasting tray to create the gravy. Put on a very low heat for two minutes. Serve delicious chicken with vegetables and gravy!

roast2

Time To Get Off Sugar? Day 5

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Today I turned down Jaffa cakes, did not buy any fizzy drinks despite the hot weather and only had one cup of tea. The headaches are still there but with a slightly less intensity. I still feel fainty and at one point really think I am going to pass out. I am not sure if this is normal but it must be due to the combination of sugar and caffeine withdrawal. Thankfully I feel like I have more energy today.

I go to the supermarket and want to buy sugary stuff but I don’t. Instead I spend £7.50 on good bread and butter. Which seems excessive! It is a lot of money but there are good things in life that are not sweet. I am learning more and getting ideas. There are wonderful recipes and lots of different foods to try.

I still want tea, coke, chocolate and biscuits but I have come this far. Five days in I already have a slimmer waist and my energy levels are returning. I bought some skinny jeans yesterday and they fit well.

This week is the easy week. I am allowed dark chocolate and fruit. Next week I am not even allowed fruit, couscous or white bread. But I am proud of myself so far. I am even beginning to enjoy herbal tea. Something I have not enjoyed in years.

So day five and all good. I have salad and fish cakes for supper. The salad is colourful and tasty. This morning I had scrambled eggs, salmon and wholemeal toast. Lunch was tortilla. There is a lot of great food out there I can still eat. Since I am such a foodie I am channeling the programme in a positive way, one of better health and new experiences. Onwards.

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Changing Hands Film Review

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indexChanging Hands is a terrific new short film comedy written and directed by Sarah Gordon, and produced with backing from the National Film and Television school. Taking the form of a mockumentary, it follows director and wannabe cinematic genius Kevin Perkins (Dominic Allen), as he embarks on an ambitious new project. Venturing into ‘the most average areas of Britain’, Perkins hopes to discover how the lives of several young men and women from various social backgrounds have been shaped by their parents and upbringings, and what paths their lives have taken. This proves to be a more challenging task that he planned…

Running at a brisk running time of just under half an hour, Changing Hands wastes no time in establishing its influences and tone. The work of Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap) looms large over the proceedings though there are also echos of the incredibly dry wit of Alan Bennett. Thankfully the unique brand of characters and settings do keep the proceedings very fresh. Despite the seemingly meandering tones that the faux talking head interviews take on, the pacing is incredibly brisk and light footed, with the comedic timing of both writer and performers spot on. We whisk through an array of eccentric characters from a pair of pretentious would-be musicians to a preschool teacher with yearnings for Shakespeare. There’s that unique sense of quiet desperation and disappointment underlying the interviews that I’ve always felt is quite unique to British comedy. Or at least British comedy at its finest. Some of the material is cringe comedy in the best possible sense. Each segment is pitched at just the right length; each individual character has a lasting impression yet the writing knows never to over indulge or linger too long.

I had the fortune to meet the writer and director Gordon at a screening at the BFI Southbank. Though our discussion was brief we talked about the influences that had been brought to the project as well as it’s inception. With the idea in place, crowdsourcing funding was used in order to obtain the budget. A brief ‘proposal’ video was created to get backers interest once a script and performers were lined up. It was apparently a quick and efficient process that marks an exciting and unique time for budding filmmakers, where finance and resources are now so readily available from both professional and private services. As she put it to me, ‘you can now pretty much make a film on a phone’. It certainly helped to have such a supportive and creative body as the NFT involved in the project. Changing Hands will have a wider release at upcoming national film festivals before Gordon commences production of another comedic short this winter. On the basis of this, it will be well worth checking out.