Fierce Botanics - Apothecary Tonic No. 1

How wonderful is it to find new ways to turn classic drinks into something unique? The Amazing Blog found just the tonic to give our favourite drinks, gin & tonic and rum & soda, a new kick. Fierce Botanics being the flavoursome brainchild of A.S Apothecary.

Amanda Saurin is the founder of A.S. Apothecary, a traditional apothecary with over thirty years of experience in the UK and the Levant. She leads a team of ten women and a couple of chaps, who produce a small-batch natural skincare brand that uses ingredients local to the UK. Together, they decided to branch out from the world of botanical skincare, to tonic, with the launch of Fierce Botanics. Their goal is to be transparent, honest, respectful, and environmentally-conscious. They also thrive on collaborations with other green brands, traditional crafters and drinks makers, who share their passion. All of which is highly commendable!

We had the chance to taste Fierce Botanics’ Apothecary Tonic No. 1. This botanical hit immediately had us hooked, with its best quality organic ingredients (like their skincare) used in small batches and ‘done by hand’. Sipping this tonic was a delight! It was a surprise to enjoy such an unusual tonic, with complex flowers and herbs, combined with a subtle citrus tang of bright and bitter notes. Cleverly it allows for a light balance, as none of the ingredients overpower, and it’s easily quaffable with the lightly aerated bubbles. It is a luxurious tonic made from fir and spruce trees, citrus peel, juniper, East Sussex roses, organic cane sugar, and cinchona bark from Ecuador.  What we particularly like is that instead of using a nasty preservative, Fierce Botanics have opted for just a touch of citric acid. It took Fierce Botanics two years of experimenting to perfect this tonic, and we can see why!

Fierce Botanics recommends that their Apothecary Tonic No. 1 be enjoyed as a mixer with spirits such as rum, gin or vodka. Although actually, we have to confess we liked it best by itself, so we could savour the flavours of this sophisticated alcohol-free bevvy. You can purchase the Apothecary Tonic No. 1 250ml here for £3.50 per bottle.

The Return of Brick Lane’s Oldest Market, Cheshire Street, London

Sundays are for strolling. After an exciting Friday and jam-packed Saturday, we at The Amazing Blog like to have a bit of a change of pace... The Cheshire Street Market is new to the market scene and strives to support local traders, crafters, and artists who work with recyclable materials, fair trade products, homemade and locally sourced crafts and fashions. Located on Brick Lane, the Cheshire Street Market has an enjoyable, family-friendly environment that we have the pleasure of checking out!

Revived by the East End Traders Guild, the Cheshire Street Market has a showcase for independent designers to present their polished work to the public. As you may know, The Amazing Blog team are huge fans of art and artisan products, like homewares, art, crafts, jewellery, vintage fashions, and clothing. No worries, Cheshire Street Market has it all! It’s powerful to see in person the hands that made the items we take home. If you’re more of a foodie than you are artsy, not a problem! There are plenty of products tailored uniquely to you such as sauces, spices, and chilli plants.

We love how the products are handmade, sustainable, and locally produced—far more meaningful than being mass-produced. We are definitely going to get creative in at least one of their offered workshops to hone new skills! Pop by from any Sunday in September 10.00-16.00 to enjoy the lingering summer heat and discover new artisan products! Also to quickly add, many thanks to Cutlass Comms for sending us information and images which were kindly donated by Phil Maxwell and assorted photographs by Jeremy Freedman and Rossana Leal.

Rosenserien Wash and Shave Gel for Men

While a product that contains essential rose oil may sound like it is designed specifically for women, Rosenserien, an award winning brand, has totally changed my mind. Based in Sweden, Rosenserien is a natural skincare brand that has products for the entire family. Their natural products nearly all contain rosa damascena flower oil which offers a wide array of benefits for the skin. Having heard so much about this brand from the rest of the team and enviously seen the girls sporting a health tan using their natural Self Tan see here. We boys at The Amazing Blog were thrilled to have tried out a product of our very own from this range, with their Wash and Shave Gel for Men and were delighted with the results.

First of all, this Wash and Shave Gel has a refreshing, sporty scent that is perfect for any man. While combining a face wash and a shave gel into one, this two-in-one product cleanses and softens the beard hair before shaving. It is 100% natural, 100% vegan and contains more than 75% certified organic ingredients. The key ingredients include aloe barbadensis leaf juice, mentha piperita leaf water (peppermint), argania spinosa kernel oil (argan), hamamelis virginiana leaf extract (witch hazel), and rosa damascena flower oil. To use this product you simply wet your face and neck and massage the gel into your skin, until you get to have a nice lather. Then you can shave and rinse with warm water. Afterwards, you’ll notice that this gel leaves the skin feeling refreshed, clean and smooth. Even if you are not shaving, the product still makes for a great face wash and is suitable for all skin types. You can purchase a 100ml tube of Rosenserien’s Wash and Shave Gel for Men here for £24.

All Naturals – Organic Soaps

Julita Geary suffered from eczema all her life. She tried dermatologist-recommended products, but they didn’t quite do the job. To make matters worse, Julita learned that there are over 90,000 chemicals used in today’s skincare industry, and only a portion are tested for long-term effect. Once her daughter was born and had even worse eczema than her, Julita decided enough was enough.

All Naturals was created with the intent to provide consumers with eco-friendly, non-irritating soaps. Their sixteen soaps consist of key ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, and rosa canina (or rose hip) seed oil. The soaps also contain shea butter and cocoa seed butter, refreshing essential oils, botanical extracts, herbs, and scents. As regular readers will know, The Amazing Blog is very fond of products with uncomplicated ingredients. We particularly like All Naturals products are cruelty-free and vegan, plus every bar of soap has a rich lather and is made using the cold process technique. This process guarantees that the loveliness of natural ingredients is preserved as much as possible.

All these soaps are suitable for face, hands and body and are free from preservatives, parabens, silicones, detergents, PEG’s polyethylene glycols, petroleum products, SLS sulphates, propylene and alcohol. There are also ethically handmade in Nottingham. When it comes to our bodies, there’s nothing like simplicity, and the All Naturals soap bar formula removes skin toxins, defends against skin cell damage, moisturises, and provides relief from skin irritation. These are things we like to hear.

We tested out four of their 100% organic soap bars. The Neroli Orange Blossom soap bar is great for skin in need of hydration. It is full of omegas, vitamins, minerals, and natural moisturisers, with a light citrus scent. The Almond Blossom and Oatmeal, is gentle, and aids dry skin by soothing it. We loved the sweet nutty fragrance. The Linden Blossom and Honey helped to ease tension, as we enjoyed its creamy lather. This bar is great for all skin types, and can also be used on the face. Lastly, is our favourite, the Olive Oil and Calendula, designed for eczema. Some members of our team deal with eczema, so it was particularly special to find a natural, fragrance-free soap that caters towards those needs. Each of the All Naturals soap bars can be purchased from Boots here £4.99 each or for a more extensive collection of products from Amazon here.

Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company

The best part of our day is treating ourselves to something sweet – especially if it happens to be confectionery! We’re not ashamed to admit our penchant for all things chocolate - after all they say 'a little bit of what you fancy, does you good'. So when we at The Amazing Blog had a delivery of a Gourmet Chocolate Pizza, let’s just say, it didn’t last long…the team devoured it within seconds, and we’re not joking!

Based in Nottingham and started by Helen Ellis in 2007, the Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company’s sole purpose is providing those with a sweet tooth, like us, with a delectable chocolate treat. The bases of their chocolate pizzas use handmade Belgian chocolate, with an assortment of toppings. Whether you have a fondness for milk, dark or white chocolate, their 21 different flavours will undoubtedly satisfy all of your cravings. To top it off, the pizzas come in a variety of sizes (4”, 7”, 10” and 12”) making them a perfect gift for any occasion. Additionally, you can customise each of the pizzas to suit your preferences: see here. We love the fact that you can design this chocolate gift from scratch. The process is simple, just click and select the chocolate you want, then choose the toppings and the size etc. 

The Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company sent us their Strawberry Sensation, a delicious pop of fruit flavour on a creamy base. As we devoured the slices, the chocolate melted and the fizzing popping candy awakening our taste buds! The Strawberry Sensation is made from smooth Belgian milk chocolate, topped with chocolate curls, freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate rice balls. We highly recommend this chocolate pizza - it was truly moreish. If you’re now suitably hungry, you can purchase one here: 7” for £10.50, 10” for £14.50, or 12” for £17.50.

Whether it's a birthday, anniversary or to wish someone congratulations for a job well done - we think these Gourmet Chocolate Pizzas are rather a novel way to say 'I'm thinking of you'.