Pastis Henri Bardouin

With the end of the Summer around the corner, at The Amazing Blog we've been enjoying the summer parties the French way with Pastis Henri Bardouin, 'le Grand Cru du Pastis'. It's the only pastis produced in Forcalquier, an area of Provence famous for its herbs and anise. At the beginning of the last century there were 10 distilleries in Forcalquier producing pastis, but only one remains today: Distillers et Domaines de Provence, an independent company founded in 1898 which is still produces the finest pastis named after its founder Henri Bardouin. Pastis Henri Bardouin is a complex of 50 natural Provencal herbs and imported spices rich in aroma and flavour such as: mugwort, bluebonnet, sage, star anise, cardamon, black and white pepper, tonka bean, grains of paradise, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. These spices and herbs are purchased directly from the growers surrounding the region or from specialist spice importers. Each ingredient of Pastis Herni Bardouin is individually infused in 96% alcohol to extract the aroma and flavour for 3 months. After that and in a month time, the blend takes place and the final result is bottled with a 45% of alcohol.

Pastis Henri Bardouin is recognised in France as the ultimate pastis, to be enjoyed as an aperitif or as a thirst-quenching drink mixed with water, which only requires one part of Pastis and 5 or 6 part of water. Pastis should be poured into a glass first and then add water from a jug containing ice - putting ice in the glass isn't recommended as it will kill the aromas of the pastis.

The taste of Pastis Henri Bardouin is intense and refreshing, the largest selling spirit drink in France, where over 6 million cases are consumed annually over vodka and whisky.

At The Amazing Blog we really enjoyed mixing Pastis Henri Bardouin with cola to make our own Mazout cocktail and enjoying it in the sun.

Pastis Henri Bardouin is available in Harrods, Waitrose and Independent Retailers at £20.75.

Good Heavens!

When you're in the middle of a meeting, on your way to school, or just busy around the house, it's so easy to reach for a quick treat that may not be so good for you. After all, no one wants to spend ages cutting up fruit and vegetables when you can grab a packet of Maltesers so easily. But The Amazing Blog cares about your health, so we have found a quick snack that's good for you, and tastes delicious. Good Heavens! drinking yogurt is going to be your new saviour. These delicious drinking yogurts not only taste seriously amazing, but they're completely portable and really good for you. The yogurts are all-natural with no preservatives, and much better for you than a regular fruit juice or smoothie. Good Heavens! takes care to source all their ingredients responsibly to make sure you're getting the highest quality product. They're a small boutique dairy with over 20 years yogurt making experience - so you can rest assured they know what they're doing. The Good Heavens! range has all the regular hits, like Vanilla, Strawberry and Banana but also delicious flavours like Mango Passion Fruit, Tiramisu, Apple and Pear and more. They're best when they're nice and cold, so keep them in the fridge until right before you want to enjoy them. My personal favourite is their newest release in Salted Caramel, its the perfect mix of sweet and salty and satisfies my sweet tooth every time.

They're available from their website, or you can pick some up Harrods, Selfridges, Tesco Express and Whole Foods starting at £1.69. So next time you think about reaching for a fruit smoothie, pick up a Good Heavens! drinking yogurt.

Jubilee Fashion Frenzy (Part 4 of 4)

So we've given you our favourite Jubilee inspired picks for Home, Food, and Beauty  so now it's time for the final installment in our Jubilee posts: Fashion. Here at The Amazing Blog we're a sucker for a good Union Jack print and these items definitely deliver. These bedazzled shoes from Aruna Seth will definitely make an impression at whatever Jubilee party you're at this weekend. Covered in Swarovski crystals, these shoes are the perfect way to show off your patriotism. Only 10 pairs were made, and are available at Harrods, starting at £1500.

With the cloudy cover we've been having in the past few days, you may want to wrap up this weekend, and we've found this amazing Union Jack lined Barbour jacket and at £269 you'll definitely want to wear this more than once.

For our male readers, don't think we've forgotten you. While we know you're probably not too keen on glittery nail polish and high heels, we know you'd love to show your British pride in a more subtle way. So we've found these Ernest Jones Jubilee hallmarked cufflinks. Available on their website for £115.

I think it's wise to assume that most of you will be going to some sort of soiree within the 4-day weekend we have, so pick up one of these Aspinal Jubilee clutches. They've got a whole Jubilee range of accessories to choose from, this clutch is on the pricier end at £595.If you're looking for some Jubilee fashion that you can wear outside of this weekend then these Pretty Ballerina shoes are for you. The cute crown pattern, made from Swarovski crystals, are the perfect flats for this weekend and all throughout the year. Pick some up on their website for €225

For another more subtle way to show your pride this Jubilee weekend (and even through to the Olympics) pick up one of these patriotic Monica Vinader Jubilee Fiji Bracelets. Available on their website for £95.

Finally we'll end this Fashion post the way we started, with a pair of patriotic heels. Gina shoes have brought out their own line of Swarovski embellished heels in time for the Jubilee. Starting at £475 the British Collection is available online.

We hope you've found some inspiration in our Home, Food, Beauty and Fashion features for the Diamond Jubilee - God Save The Queen!

Beauty Fit for a Queen (Part 3 of 4)

Now you've got your House covered in Jubilee themed items, and all your Food has a Jubilee twist, it's time to get ready like the princess you are! And in the spirit of the Diamond Jubilee, The Amazing Blog has found some brilliant beauty picks for you.

First we have Berkeley Square's patriotic tribute to our monarch, in the form of their Perfect Pout lip balm tin. Not only do you get three luscious lip balms in Strawberry, Coconut Kiss and Fruit Twist, but also this festive tin. Pick one up for just £7.95 online.

It's all very well looking like a princess, but you have to smell like one too of course. The iconic Grossmith perfumery has come out with their Diamond Jubilee Bouquet fragrance, perfectly scented with rose, jasmine and violet you'll smell as royal as you look! Available from Harrods and Fortnum & Mason in June for £175.

Like any girl, we're almost never without a lick of polish on our nails, so before you paint your nails this weekend, grab some of Mavala's patriotic Jubilee Nail Polishes! The set comes with a gold, silver and red, so you can create a few different nail looks. Available at FeelUnique.com for just £9.80.

So your primped, polished and smelling lovely, now time for your hair. Percy & Reed has come out with a travel range of some of their best products just in time for the Diamond Jubilee, aptly titled Hair Royal Highness. Available on their website for £24.00.

So there you have our top Beauty picks for the Diamond Jubilee! Be sure to check back later today and tomorrow for our Jubilee Fashion feature! Find our parts 1  and 2 picks here, and here.

Forest Secrets

With the end of February finally in sight, the gang at The Amazing Blog have gone through a few hectic weeks: never ending lists of emails to read, phone calls to do, new projects to plan… Sometimes I arrive home so tired that it's tempting to crawl straight into bed to forget the stresses and starins of the day. Unfortunately, stress sometimes can cause a whole host of skin reactions; one of the worst being unsightly blemishes. However, for anyone else over-worked and in need of a remedy, we want to share our latest beauty discovery with you: Forest Secrets pure elixirs and serums -without parabens and silicones- are the perfect combination to enhance your beauty, providing an intense moisturisation to make your skin look both smoother and more youthful. This fabulous personalised skincare system replaces a traditional moisturiser. The ‘Try Me Set’ is a fantastic idea, not only for travelling, but it's also a great opportunity to experience the Forest Secrets results on your skin. If you have a combination skin, you just need to mix one drop of the iRejuvenate Plus Elixir with two drops of iRejuvenate Plus Serum and apply to your face and neck in the morning, and one drop of iRejuvenate Plus Elixir and three to four drops of iRejuvenate Plus Serum at night (check the instructions online for oily or dry skin). If blemishes are your worry, you can also use iBright Serum twice a day, applying to specific blemishes or to the whole face for a general skin lightening effect.

Dr. Barbara Olioso, creator of Forest Secrets, uses only natural ingredients: Lupin Seed extracts aid skin’s elasticity and plant-derived Kinetin has powerful antioxidant benefits. Matsutake Mushrooms it’s another ingredient included in the Forest Secrets products, and it prevents oxidation and helps skin pigmentation caused by age and sun damage.

You can to shop online or buy Forest Secrets at Urban Retreat at Harrods.