Our weekly bite-sized review series.
This week in our kitchen we’ve been trying some rather fantastic gravy granules, smoked cheese, a four course Italian meal and I bought myself a new piece of hand crafted pottery. Oh, there’s also a link to a new marketplace platform for social influencers to check out!
Essential Cuisine – makers of mighty fine stocks and gravy granules. I’ve been using this brand for the last year and I could never go back to a supermarket shelf variety. Seriously tasty results every single time. Click here to try a free sample of their chicken stock and see for your self! I used their new savoury gravy granules to thicken some slow cooker Shetland lamb shanks this week and oh my goodness gracious me, mouthwatering! It’s expensive, but worth it. £8.15 for 96 grams from Amazon.
Studio Favelle Pottery – last May my blogger friend Kavita went to Japan and took a pottery class. She fell in love with creating pottery and so she took another class when she returned to the UK. Recently she’s set up her own Etsy shop and I’ve purchased one of her gorgeous little bowls. Hand made with love, her pottery items would make great Christmas gifts! £24 for the bowl pictured.
Orkney Triple Smoked Cheddar – triple smoked! I might have swooned when I saw this in my rural village shop chiller cabinet. I’m a big fan of the Orkney Cheese smoked cheddar (it makes a great lasagne!) and this triple smoked is intense in flavour. If you like a good mature cheddar you’ll like this. No idea how much it costs – I just bought it without checking, twice!
Venice Menu from Fine Italy – Everything you need for a four course Venetian meal for four people shipped direct from Italy in a wooden box. Artichoke pate on bruschetta for a starter, served with Italian salami cured in beeswax; white duck sauce with spaghetti for the first course; stockfish cream on toasted bread for the main course, the Venetian specialty Doge’s cake for dessert and a fine Soave white wine to wash it down. £72.69 for the
Inzpire.me – one for my fellow bloggers! Inspire.me is a brand new marketplace platform connecting influencers (that would be you and me) and brands (the folk that help pay our bills). I haven’t had any work off them yet, but it’s got potential so watch this space. Free!
With thanks to Essential Cuisine, Etsy and Fine Italy for the review samples. This is not a paid post and all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to do what I love: mess up my kitchen and share recipe stories.
Food for Thought: A Taste of Things to Come
That cheese sounds amazing! I definitely need to try it.
I just got back from Venice so that menu would definitely be something I would want for me. Italian foods are just my favourite.
That bowl is just so beautiful, will have to check out the Etsy store.
Oh wow, Kavita’s bowl is absolutely gorgeous <3 I wish I had a talent like that. I'm probably the least creative person I know!!!
Louise x
Inzpire me sounds ace. Off to check it out.
I want to try the cheese. Lasagna sounds so good to me right now!
Wow Kavita did a great job with that bowl it looks very pretty. That cheese sounds gorgeous!
Love all of this, the Italian dinner sent directly from Italy sounds like a dream! and your friend’s pottery it’s very beautiful! As you said, a great christmas gift 🙂
Oh wow that smoked cheddar sounds absolutely gorgeous, I can just imagine it being great on the lasagne xxx
You’re friend is really talented! Love that bowl! Might have to go and check out the Etsy store xx
That cheddar sounds amazing – triple smoked??
I signed up to Inzpire Me myself recently. looks interesting!
The sound of that cheese and he Italian meal have got my tummy begging for food! Your friend’s design is beautiful too xx
That pottery is just lovely! I must say I am a really big fan of cheese
Triple smoked cheddar, oh my gosh! I would be in heaven, it sounds so delicious! I also love your friends pottery, it’s absolutely gorgeous xx
I practically wanted to jump out of my
Seat with joy when I read the words triple smoked cheddar. Delicious!!’
The triple smoked cheddar sounds absolutely incredible and the bowl is so pretty, she’s so talented x
This is beautiful, love the pottery and design 🙂
such great picks. that bowl is absolutely stunning and delicate
Ohh what some amazing sounding icks I totally need to try that cheese please!
I really like the pottery! I know a few people who would like something like this.
I am definitely going to check out inspire me! Anything to get connected 🙂
That bowl is lovely! Will take a look at the shop. What a brilliant thing to know how to make.
Love the bowl your friend made and also rate the foods you’ve tried… is making me hungry now! 🙂
ooooh the cheddar cheese sounds divine. I’m a real cheese fan!
What gorgeous pottery! I always like to find something different for presents xx
oh the Orkney Triple Smoked Cheddar sounds amazing, I love smoked cheese so would love to give this a try
Triple smoked cheddar has my name all over it, so I am off to give that a read!
Love the gorgeous pottery perfect Christmas gift. The Venice menu box looks amazing too.
I really like the look of the pottery – it’d suit my house. The cheese too (if it were vegan!)
Some great tips and ideas, thanks. You really have me hankering for some Orkney cheddar now. Plus my wife loves quirky pottery so that’s a great tip as well.
The pottery looks so lovely, my Nan would absolutely love it for Christmas.
The pottery would make such a beautiful gift for Christmas, I love her passion, she’s really gone for it.
Love your picks ♥
Thank you so much, so kind of you to support my fledgling Etsy store, I’m so thrilled that people like my pottery. A wonderful feeling.
By the way, that triple smoked cheddar is calling to me!