POPS - Premium Ice Popsicles

There is something so nostalgic about a popsicle; childhood memories come flooding back of those summer days running to the ice cream van, pennies in hand. Here at The Amazing Blog we've been revisiting those cherished childhood moments, but with a twist. POPS have created adult only Premium Ice Popsicles using Champagne. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

We had the opportunity to try out their Classic, and Prosecco & Peach Bellini flavours, as well as the Apple & Elderflower from the non-alcoholic range. POPS have certainly brought some childhood enthusiasm back to our offices. Come lunch time, we were running to the freezer with the same excitement we once had when we heard the ice cream van passing. The packaging is bright, fun, and fitting to each lolly; yellow and pink champagne glasses are printed on the Classic and Bellini pops, whereas the Apple & Elderflower is aptly decorated with a background of green apples.

The creators of the 'world's first Champagne Ice Popsicle' have caught the eye of poparazzi like Miley Cyrus, Kate Moss, Gordon Ramsey (who is notoriously difficult to please) and Jack Whitehall. Their rising popularity has seen them visit various events, including Glastonbury Festival, Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Royal Henley Regatta. We loved the freshness of the natural ingredients. The Classic contains 37% real champagne, and tasted just as though we were drinking a glass of cold, crisp bubbly, just what we needed after a long day at work. What’s more, they are all under 100 calories! A truly guilt free treat, just what we love. Although it should be noted that, with a 4.3% ABV, these alcoholic pops really are only suitable for adults, no matter how much childish glee they inspire.

If you want to try your own adult-exclusive popsicle, buy yours here (Classic) and here (Bellini) for £4 each.

The Lawn

Hello, Good morning (or Good Afternoon depending on your time zone) we wish you all a Very Happy Christmas! And today at  The Amazing Blog  we've found the perfect product to feature on this post. The Lawn’s new Rose Tea Syrup is our latest discovery and....the ideal addition to any festive cocktail or sparkling champagne or soda.

This new tea syrup has a hibiscus bite that cuts through the sweet taste of rose petals making it the most delicious accompaniment when splashed into a glass of fizz (be that non alcoholic or champagne!) This syrup also makes a great stocking filler for tea lovers alike. Even though today is Christmas, it is never too late to purchase a last minute gift for a family member or friend; you can even treat yourself!  Forget the ubiquitous 'Bucks Fizz' for Christmas breakfast, once you taste this Rose Tea Syrup  mixed with champagne you'll never look back. It is so simple to use which makes it even better. All you need to do is add a  small dribble to taste of this delicious syrup and it'll wow your guests. In fact,  it's Edwina's (our Exec Editor) fav tipple of the moment.

Also, don’t forget to try The Lawn’s Rose Garden Fruit Tea. This tea is mixed with all natural ingredients from an English country garden including rose petals, cornflowers, and rhubarb. The Lawn’s loose tea comes in a clear jar so that its floral beauty can be displayed and admired on your kitchen shelves. The finishing result is a tea drink that looks as good as it tastes. Their teas, along with the syrup, are two products that are perfect for  the Christmas festivities.

The Lawn syrup and teas can be purchased on their website here. The Lawn’s Rose Tea Syrup retails for £10.00 for a 100ml bottle. A little goes a long way. And the Rose Garden Fruit Tea retails for £7.90 for a 75g jar. We at The Amazing Blog hope you love these products as much as we do! We'll be having a toast tonight with The Lawn’s Rose Tea Syrup with champagne to ensure a very Merry Christmas!

Get in the Christmas Spirit!

Tis the season to be jolly, and as always with Christmas approaching, never is there a more appropriate occasion to enjoy a (responsible) tipple or two with friends and family. And whether you need a stiff drink (or several) to get through the unwanted influx of family members and squabbling siblings or will be nursing a post-Christmas Eve hangover with further alcohol consumption the last thing on your mind, The Amazing Blog has sourced some of the best drinks around so you can celebrate in style - hangover optional!

First up, and perfect for popping at midnight on New Year's Eve or sipping slowly at a Christmas dinner, is Pommery's Wintertime Champagne (Blancs de Noirs). Created to accompany traditional food with its special winter flavours, the champagne is produced from over a dozen Pinot Noir and Meunier grape varieties, and with its round and fleshy notes and just the right amount of bubbles it's ideal for festive shindigs. And in addition to the standard sized bottles are these fabulous mini versions which come in a range of stylish designs including both a gold and union jack finish, perfect for adding a bit of decadence or patriotism to a party! Pommerry Pop Champagne: prices from £15, available at John Lewis and other leading retailers.

If, however, Champagne doesn't tickle your fancy, try Oliver's Cider & Perry, a fun, fruity take on the traditional bubbly drinks for celebrating. We love Oliver's bottled conditioned Dry Perry with its taste of pear and honey and its light and refreshing bubbles. Using skills crafted and refined through the centuries, this fine perry is made with unsprayed perry pears from local and traditional orchards and the fresh pressed juice is fermented by wild yeasts, with the result giving a true reflection of the perrymakers art. So popular has this drinks brand become that the small, family-run company has just received an 'Outstanding Achievement Award' from Flavours of Hertfordshire. Sit back and enjoy! Oliver's Conditioned Dry Perry: £6.50.

For those after something somewhat on the stronger side of things, Sipsmith - an independent spirits company that specializes in small batch artisan spirits (500 bottles per batch), has released its Sloe Gin.  The gin is made in London’s first copper distillery in 200 years, after which it rests on sloe berries, giving it its fruitiness and hints of cherry and making it a perfect Christmas treat. Sipsmith Sloe Gin: £23.50 for 50cl, available at Waitrose and Majestic stores nationwide.

And while Christmas is a time for some serious over-indulging, if you're on the verge of liver failure and are looking for a light and yummy alternative to wine, Bottlegreen's range of cordials are perfect. At Bottlegreen, they strive to capture the essence of the countryside in a range of exquisitely flavoured soft drinks. Using their wine-making skills, they blend a medley of carefully selected natural ingredients and Cotswold spring water to produce truly delicious cordials and presses - our fave is the Cox's Apple & Plum and they can be enjoyed both hot and cold. Bottlegreen cordials are available from all major supermarkets, priced from £2.99.

Another alcohol-free alternative comes from Sussex's award-winning drinks creator Gran Stead with their new alcohol free tipple - the Light and Fiery Ginger Wine. Turning up the heat this winter with this hearty Christmas drink, it was created in response to calls for an even deeper-spiced sister to Grand Stead's best-selling Dark and Mellow Ginger Wine. Big on flavour, the Ginger Wines are a satisfying choice for both designated drivers and anyone wanting to avoid alcohol, and even better they come hangover-free guaranteed!

Finally is the Triple Tipple from Godminster Vintage in Somerset. Famed for their organic cheddar, Godminster also offers a fabulous range of cheese boards and hampers as well as their infused vodka spirits that are stylishly packaged and come in a variety of refreshing flavours. But rather than having to chose your favourite, why not go for the Triple Tipple, a lovely gift set that comes with three different flavours - elderflower, horseradish and bullace (wild plum). Triple Tipple: priced approx £15 from selected independent retailers.

Bottoms up!

Please note, The Amazing Blog does not accept any responsibility for hangovers that may result as a consequence of reading this feature.

The Wine Tasting Shop

I am not a wine aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, leaving the wine list and choices to others at every opportunity. When circumstances force me to make a decision alone I usually end up lost and bewildered in the supermarket wine aisle. I do have my own checklist of requirements, but it is one that would make a wine expert wince - white over red, but rose wins if it is sunny; never Chardonnay; screw-top preferable (I struggle with a corkscrew), a nice label/name is what usually swings the final decision, preferably coupled with a special offer or discount. I know there is a whole world of wine out there to be discovered, but I am aware of the fine line between being a wine buff and a wine bore and therefore relatively happy remaining blissfully ignorant. That was until I visited the first boutique 'try before you buy' wine shop in Balham, South London. The brainchild of Julia Michael an ex-British Airways hostess, The Wine Tasting Shop provides a platform for her to champion the boutique, natural and organic wine producer and change the average wine drinkers buying habits. While the formula of offering wine to sample before buying is tried and tested, no other wine shop offers the unique eclectic mix of personally chosen wines and champagnes from small producers around the world, some of which can only be found on the wine lists of the very top restaurants in the country.

The wines found at The Wine Tasting Shop provide an alternative to the boring/samey wines that are found at all the major supermarkets, aiming to offer an eclectic, interesting range, with the emphasis on small production, non-intervention in both the vineyard and winery. The majority of which are organic, bio-dynamic with a few being totally natural.

We think this is the perfect place to head for a few pre-dinner drinks, sample glasses of wines and champagne are available at 50p and £1 respectively. It really is the perfect excuse to try a few of the rarer wines that you can’t sample anywhere else and learn a bit about them, great for a wine novice like me to pick up some tips and start making better informed wine choices!

Check out the website here.