Passionfruit , Chocolate Orange and Sour Cherry Curds - Thursday Cottage

What we really miss during the Winter months at The Amazing Blog, is the vibrancy of summer tastes, we have always found that just as everything looks brighter in the summer so too are the flavours stronger. While it might be hard to believe it's June by looking out the window, you can certainly tell it is as you stroll through the supermarket aisles. As big fans of summer flavours we couldn’t wait to get our (oven) mitts on Thursday Cottage’s delicious jams, curds and marmalades. We love the twist that they put on traditional flavours to create unique and mouth-wateringly good products. We decided that we had to try their Sour Cherry Curd, Passionfruit Curd and Chocolate Orange Curd to really get us in the summer spirit.

Thursday Cottage takes great care in choosing the best ingredients for their products and combines a variety of traditional and unusual fruits to recreate your favourite summer flavours. It’s, therefore, no real surprise that they’ve won so many awards including the 2010 AND 2012 Great Taste Awards. We loved the Passion Fruit Curd, which had a delectably moreish sweet and tart flavour that was fantastic at jazzing up some plain vanilla ice cream or adding a zing to a Pavlova. In fact, it was this curd that won the much sought after award in 2012.The other two curds we tried are relatively new to Thursday Cottage as they only came out in 2016. The Sour Cherry Curd is bursting with a vibrant taste and sent us back to our childhoods – just as it promised it would. The Chocolate Orange seemed like something entirely different and unusual. With a smooth and creamy texture, the curd had chocolatey overtones with subtle hints of Orange coming through; this flavour is so good it was awarded one gold star at the 2016 Great Taste Awards. We found that the chocolate orange was a great addition to cakes, acting as a moist and flavoursome filling. What’s more, these curds are vegetarian. Thursday Cottage uses pectin instead of gelatin so everyone can enjoy these delicious table favourites.

You can purchase all of these curds here on Thursday Cottage’s website for as little as £2.65. While you’re there, we seriously recommend checking out their other items as well as the recipes they suggest for their products. With this brand by your side, you’ll have the best desserts all summer!

Hot Drinks Feature - Friday Favourites

Struggling to make it through this winter? Here at the Amazing Blog we have been trying to combat the gloominess with some warming hot drinks. We are sure you'll agree that when it's as wet and grey outside as it is today, there is nothing better than curling up with a tasty and comforting hot drink. So, we thought we would round up some fun and unusual winter warmers, that are guaranteed to make you feel cozy and comfortable.

Akesson’s is a brand that passionate about cacao. Today Akesson’s has grown from a single plantation to haveing buisness with plantations based in Madagascar, Brazil, and Indonesia. The company produces undoubtedly one of the finest forms of cocoa, which they supply globally to famous chocolatiers and chefs.

We loved trying Akesson’s exclusive line of chocolate and we particularly enjoyed the Choco-Tea Cacao Infusion. The tea is a natural product made from cacao nibs and their shells, producing a rich and warm flavour that lifted our spirits after exposure to the damp weather. The cacao in this comes from the Sambirano Valley, in the North-West of Madagascar, and has a wonderfully expressive chocolate aroma, with subtle fruit and citrus notes. The tea is organic and rich in polyphenols, antioxidants, iron, magnesium and Vitamin D, making it a very healthy and natural drink.

We infused half of one large teaspoon for five minutes in hot water. We liked the fact the tea is not overly sweet, but of course, if you like your tea sweeter adding a teaspoon of honey or sugar can help round out the flavour to match your cravings.

Try Akesson’s sumptuous Choco-Tea here for £6.95.

Pure Chimp’s Super Tea specialises in matcha green tea, a nutritional powerhouse produced in Japan. This tea is different to regular green tea, as it's partially grown under cover helping to fill it with extra goodness. Equally, matcha tea also differs from normal green tea as it has higher levels of theanine and chlorophyll. Theanine offers a wonderful energy boost without the crash that usually follows after a cup of regular caffeinated tea. The higher chlorophyll gives this tea a lovely soft and smooth flavour that we can’t get enough of. 

We love the versatility of this product. You can add it to hot water, juice, smoothies and even bake with it. Our favourite combination was to simply add hot milk and drink it as a matcha latte! The product is also suitable for vegans so everyone can enjoy the health benefits of Pure Chimp Super Tea.

Try Pure Chimp’s Super Tea here for £4.95.

Next is PHROOTI, a UK based brand which has created the perfect product for those of us who don't like tea but still enjoy the tradition and comfort that a good hot drink can give. The founders of PHROOTI were frustrated with conventional flavoured teas that smell incredibly fruity but lack any real and discernable flavour. The brand thus decided to reinvent fruit tea to give the people what they want, and we can't thank them enough as the result is delicious. PHROOTI consists of 95-97% natural and dried fruit powder and contains no traces of tea. This gives the product an intense fruity flavour that is guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds!

The faux-tea is caffeine-free, low calorie, and free from added sugar, making it a delicious and guilt-free treat. PHROOTI currently comes in three fabulous flavours, including Sour Cherry and Cranberry, Blackcurrant, Blackberry and Blueberry. Our favourite was Raspberry and Strawberry. This is the perfect option for those who don’t enjoy tea but love fruity flavour infusions.

Try PHROOTI here, you can buy 6 packs for £17.70.

We thought we would end today’s feature on a more traditional and classic note, simply, tea. Here at The Amazing Blog, we love tea and love to try out new and exciting flavours. Tea Shirt is a new UK brand founded by a tea-obsessed couple with a passion for discovering high-quality teas and unearthing original flavours.

After the endless office tea runs we've all done, you know how hard it is to find two people who enjoy their tea the same way. Whether it's an argument over when the milk goes in or type of tea, it can be a nightmare filling out those tea orders! But this isn't a problem with Tea Shirts, as not only are all their teas delicious but they have an extensive selection to choose from; ranging from the typical ‘Irish Breakfast’ to unusual flavours such as ‘Barbados Rum’ and ‘Marshmallow’ there is definitely a flavour for everyone. We personally loved the ‘Apple and Grapefruit’ tea blended with its fresh and citrus flavours, we felt completely revitalised and refreshed after a cup.

The teas are packaged in “Tea Shirts” - labels which mimic traditional textiles and embroidery from the areas where they originated. We think Tea Shirts makes a perfect gift for tea lovers or just a winter warmer by the fire.

You can buy Tea Shirts here from £1.79.

Hand-Crafted Skincare - Te Mana

Here at the Amazing Blog, we know that it is rare to find an entire skincare line that you can fall in love with; it is often the case that some products work brilliantly for you but some you may not get along with. Finding a brand that is "all killer no filler" comes once in a blue moon and we think we have found it with Te Mana.

Founded in New Zealand, Te Mana is a hand-crafted skincare range that offers the best ingredients from the region. The founders have developed unique products which are derived from native botanicals, while respecting Maori traditions.We were lucky enough to try the whole range, which consisted of five products all containing a combination of natural and active botanicals such as Manuka Honey, Merino Wool Proteins, Zealong tea, and Pine Bark Extract. These ingredients are sustainably sourced from the remote Antidopean Islands and have fantastic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties.

Starting with Te Mana's High Performance Cleansing Gel, this is a very effective yet gentle facial cleanser. Formulating powerful antioxidants, the cleanser removes impurities and make-up whilst leaving the skin soft and balanced. It is a fuss free product and works wonderfully with their Radiance Infusing Essence, a serum which fights to prevent free radicals, targets wrinkles and lack of firmness to produce a youthful complexion.

The range includes two moisturisers that target different concerns. The first, Time-Release Hydration, prevents and fights water-loss to provide nourishment and intense moisture. This works brilliantly on dry skin, protecting it in colder environments. The other cream is the EXQ Pro-Collagen Complex - a bioactive day cream formulated to combat skin aggressors such as pollution as well as prevent aging. The product contains skin-loving proteins that leave the skin hydrated whilst battling imperfections.

Last in Te Mana's range is the Vitamin C4 Oil Elixir, a lovely little oil which brightens and hydrates for radiant skin. The product is full of ingredients we love such as Vitamin C, Rosehip Oil and the unique addition of New Zealand Kiwi seed oil. The concentrated elixir repairs the skin and helps to protect it, effectively diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

You can buy the Te Mana range from the Natural Skincare Company here from £29.95.

Christmas Special - Drinks

At this festive time of year there’s nothing better than cracking open a bottle of the good stuff with family and friends. Here at The Amazing Blog we love nothing more than a cold glass of Baileys in the evening, or warming mulled wine, but we wanted to go on the search for some fun alternative Christmas drinks. These were the ones that came out on top.

Firstly we moved away from traditional festive beverages, to introduce Juniper Green Organic Gin. This is a refreshing and versatile spirit to give you a break from all the rich and heavy foods that we will no doubt consume too much of.

The strong yet smooth spirit is perfect for a delicious, crisp gin and tonic, but also allows for some creativity. We loved trying it out in Cocktail recipes, one named Strawberry Basiltini combined the gin with strawberries, syrup, lemon juice and basil. If you prefer a burst of citrus, add some lime or grapefruit juice to the gin with crushed ice. It was so refreshing to try new flavour combinations and a fun festive activity with our friends. If you want to get your hands on a not so traditional Christmas drink, Juniper Green Gin is available here for £16.90.

Next, we have a drink that will get every chocolate-lover excited. Rubis have created a Chocolate Wine. That’s right, combining two divine flavours to enjoy at once. This incredibly indulgent wine is the ultimate Christmas treat, blending tempranillo wine and rich chocolate that contains hints of cherry and red fruit. The flavour combination is typical of Christmas, it could be enjoyed as a light dessert or reserved for those special occasions. We couldn’t get enough of this beautifully rich and fragrant wine, it was truly delicious and luxurious.

We found it could be enjoyed best when chilled over ice, but it can also be served at room temperature. If you want to pull out all of the stops this Christmas, treat your guests to this ultimate chocolate experience, Rubis Chocolate Wine is available here for only £13.

Not quite chocolatey enough for you? Maybe try out the delicious Chocolate Rum Liqueur from Demijohn .

Distinctly unique, and perfect for chocolate and rum lovers alike (all the better if you love both!), this delicious blend of cacao and Golden Caribbean Rum is the perfect digestif, or even nightcap come Christmas Eve. Not as sickly sweet as some chocolate drinks, it certainly warmed us up.  Certainly a more adult way to enjoy a chocolate treat at Christmas, we’d be happy to see this delicious beverage in our stocking. Grab a custom bottle here , with prices starting from £4.92 for 40ml.

For something a little fruity, British Cassis is the ideal candidate this Christmas. This is a highly versatile alcoholic fruit mixer can be combined with our favourite spirit;, white wine, and Champagne. The mixer is inspired by the French liqueur, but given a modern British twist by using the blackcurrant crop. We thought it made a decadent after-dinner drink to provide some fruity refreshment after the heaviness of a meal. It added excitement to the dullest of spirits, sweetening up the bitterness of vodka, and contrasting the sharpness of gin. Our favourite combination was without a doubt British Cassis and Champagne, it created the most fragrant, luxurious and sweet sparkling beverage.

Get fruity this Christmas with your own British Cassis, available here for £15.

Lastly, Christmas isn’t the same without a warming, spiced beverage. Friary Liqueurs have created a delicious and fitting Christmas Liqueur, combining honey, French brandy and Christmas Spices. I can almost feel the liquid warming my belly just thinking about it. Best served warmed in a brandy glass, this festive drink makes a perfect evening tipple accompanied by a mince pie or two.

The fragrant liqueur sparks memories of Christmas’ past and present, the spices encompass everything we would associate with this time of year. If you want to enjoy a more traditional Christmas beverage, Christmas Liqueurs is the one for you. It’s available here for only £15.  

Minor Figures - Coffee Scrub & Soap

Here at the Amazing Blog we love anything and everything beauty related, but we are also equally interested in taking care of our environment. Believe it or not we’ve managed to combine the two in this next product. Minor Figures has produced a Coffee Soap and Scrub using only recycled coffee grinds. We can help the environment while gaining the natural benefits of the coffee bean; caffeine stimulates and enriches the skin. It has also been proven to reduce that unwanted orange peel effect that so many of us suffer from.

The scrub is handcrafted with pumice and coffee for a deep exfoliation, with added natural tea tree and peppermint oils to soothe the skin and give it a strong, clean scent. The soap, on the other hand, is handcrafted with olive oil, recycled coffee, vanilla, coconut, and star anise. These ingredients are designed to also exfoliate the skin but also make it feel refreshed and deeply nourished. We loved how the products left our skin feeling smooth and our conscience feeling clear. 

Keep both your skin and the environment happy by purchasing your own scrub and soap here for £5.90 each.