Fruits Of The Forage

At The Amazing Blog, we love writing about brands that have adopted sustainable practices, especially food brands that have joined the fight against our current consumer-driven society. Fruits of the Forage, is one that has made it their mission to capture the ‘sustainable taste of the British landscape’ with their range of chutneys, jams, cordials, wines and beers which are made using less than conventional ingredients. Recently, they kindly sent us five of their amazing chutneys and chilli jams to try – and trust us, we were not disappointed!

Based in founder Freddie Throrneycroft’s hometown of Cheshire, Fruits of the Forage uses neglected fruits from abandoned British orchards and other wild British native plants in all their products. Chutneys, are widely used in South Asian cuisine, are made up mainly with a mix of vegetables, fruits and spices. Their tastes, spice-levels and textures can range as well depending on the concoctions of ingredients used. What we like about Fruit of the Forage’s products is that they have elevated jams and chutneys contain less-known ingredients such as Cheshire Damsons, heritage plums and even Hogweed seeds.

After trying their Hogweed Curry Chutney, Hot Crabby Chilli Jam, Perfect Pair Chutney, Damsloe Chutney and Hot Rhuby Chilli Jam, we can see why Fruits of the Forage has won not one BUT 10 Great Taste Awards in the last three years! Each of the jams and chutneys have a delicious and very individual taste which will suit all sorts of different taste palates. The Hot Rhuby, is made out of rhubarb, garlic and ghost peppers, is a good mixture of warm and spicy and, like Fruits of the Forage and is indeed very moreish. If you’re craving a more fresh and fruity spread, the Hot Crabby Chilli Jam, made with crab apples, adds a sweetness to cured meats, lamb or game. Or perhaps you want to add a savoury kick to your cheeses and meat? Fruits of the Forage’s trio of chutneys (Hogweed Curry, Perfect Pair and Damsloe) are a great mix of fruits, vegetables and pickling spices and add a great piquante to any food. For our vegan readers, don’t worry, all of their products are entirely animal-product free. We particularly liked spreading some of the Hogweed Curry Chutney on our veggies to give them that perfect little kick – Yum!

If you want to try Fruits of the Forage’s chutneys and jams for yourself, purchase a jar on their website here for £4.

Body Hydrator - Noble Isle

At the Amazing Blog, it’s no secret that we are always on the hunt for the the best products that are right for our reader's skin. We recently discovered a wonderful luxury brand that we all adore in the office: Noble Isle. We particularly enjoyed thair Body Hydrator which refreshed and moisturised our skin.

The Body Hydrator is truly marvellous! It is a light gel based moisturiser that cools and tones when applied, helping to nourish and refresh your skin. With a delectable scent, the product quickly absorbs into the skin, smoothing it while leaving the light and divine fragrance of bittersweet rhubarb. This product has a unique twist as it's extracted from a rhubarb farm in the Yorkshire Triangle, giving it all the goodness of Britain in the bottle.

Noble Isle has a broad and diverse range of beauty products, including bath and shower gels and their own exclusive range of home fragrances that we highly reccomend exploring!

Purchase this product here for £25.

Bilton Basics Cookery Book

If there is one thing I have learned from working with the lovely ladies here at The Amazing Blog it is that women admire a man who can cook. Personally, I think cooking can be a bit overwhelming. And with all those wordy and dull recipe books out there, I have never had a desire to learn more. But with my recent discovery of Timothy Bilton’s new Bilton Basics cookery book, there is a change in the air. From the opening pages, Bilton claims that he has designed this book as a simple and straightforward guide to learning the skills of cooking. The words ‘simple’ and ‘straightforward’ grabbed my attention immediately and after thumbing through the first few recipes I couldn’t seem to put the book down.

While this book is indeed simple, Bilton takes a rather wholesome approach to the skills of cooking. Starting from the beginning, Bilton explains various cooking techniques including boiling, poaching, stewing, braising, roasting, frying, baking, and steaming. I was familiar with these terms but never fully understood them. His instructions make learning these techniques quite easy. This cook book covers a large range of foods from Baked Scallops and Scottish Salmon to Venison and Lamb. If you are not too fond of the seafood or game dishes, he has also included some sweets such as Puddings, Yorkshire Ice Cream and Rhubarb. Being a big steak fan myself, I would love to master Bilton’s Yorkshire Flat Iron Steak. It seems like a fairly simple recipe and hopefully with a few tries I should be able to make it at least somewhat appetising. And for dessert, I definitely want to experiment with Bilton’s Rhubarb creations. Although I will say, the chocolate tart looks equally delicious. With just a quick glance through this book you’ll see why all his dishes are enticing. Each recipe is complimented with a beautiful photograph courtesy of David Walker that is sure to get your taste buds tingling.

Bilton Basics captures the true cooking choreography that all recipe books should, one of delicious dishes, clear recipes, beautiful images, and a little bit of story and wit. Timothy Bilton has turned complexity into simplicity - making it easy to learn some luxurious recipes and cooking skills. For £25 you can began to surprise the women in your life with your new-found cookery. It’s a purchase you won’t regret. Available direct from Butchers Arms at 014 8468 2361 or info@thebutchersarmshepworth.co.uk and also on amazon.