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.

Hair Care - Friday Favourites

At The Amazing Blog, we love switching up our hair care products. We know that after using the same shampoo and conditioner for a while, our hair just doesn’t reap the same benefits anymore. So to keep our hair soft and shiny, we’ve been testing out a few new products with some exotic new ingredients.

We all know that harsh winters dry out our skin, but it’s also important to remember that it’s also drying on our hair! The new OGX Argan Oil of Morrocco Extra Strength collection is the perfect way to revive and renew your weather-worn locks. We’re all very familiar with this beloved brand, so we were especially excited to receive the Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Shampoo, Conditioner, and Miracle In-Shower Oil.

This ultra-hydrating shampoo and conditioner duo contain a potent blend of extra-strength argan oil and silk proteins to nourish your damaged hair. The sulfate-free products also form a rich lather that stimulates and rejuvenates your scalp while cleansing. You should get ready for compliments because they also have an amazingly soft and sweet scent that really lingers after we get out of the shower. The Miracle In-Shower Oil is an amazing, multi-purpose in-shower oil for head-to-toe hydration. You can add a few drops to boost your shampoo or conditioner, moisturise your skin, or smooth onto damp clean hair to prevent damage. It also has the same luxurious, soft smell as the rest of the collection.

We love OGX products because they’re effective and also easy on your purse! Each product is available for £7.99 from your local Boots.

If your hair has been feeling a bit dull or limp recently, it might be time to try out Vatika’s Black Seed Complete Hair Care Shampoo and Black Seed Enriched Hair Oil. Black Seed has been used in Asia and the Middle East for centuries for its potent ability to improve texture, shine, and volume. For hair repair, try the Vatika Wild Cactus Deep Conditioning Hair Mask.

The shampoo provides all of the nutrition that your scalp needs to keep your hair in great condition. Its formulation of black seed and olive fatty acids makes the Enriched Hair Oil is the perfect pre-shampoo treatment to boost growth and prevent thinning with its formulation of black seed and olive fatty acids. The Wild Cactus Mask is enriched with ingredients like cactus, garlic, and coconut that prevent breakage and promote silkier hair growth.

Check out your local Tesco or Superdrug for the ultra-affordable Vatika products, or purchase online from Amazon.

We saved the most interesting product for last on this list—Repcillin offers an Extra Mild Shampoo with Crocodile Oil and Wild Harvested Baobab Oil and a Hair Conditioner with Crocodile Oil and Organic Marula Oil. Repcillin products are based on crocodile oil which is obtained from the fat of the Nile crocodile native to Africa. The oil has shown to possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and it has been used to treat a variety of skin conditions including eczema, acne, and allergy symptoms. Repcillin only processes crocodile oil that is a by-product of commercial crocodile farms so that no wild animals are harmed.

The Extra Mild Shampoo is perfect for sensitive scalps and thirsty hair. The blend of naturally derived ingredients gently cleanses the hair and scalp without stripping away natural oils. The crocodile oil helps prevent breakage and nourished dry scalps whilst the wild harvested baobab oil locks in moisture. A blend of Lavender, Rosemary, Geranium, and Sandalwood essential oils also helps balance, condition, and moisturise hair while leaving behind a clean earthy scent. The Hair Conditioner hydrates, detangles and thickens, and helps to restore and maintain the health of the cuticle layer of the hair. Best of all, the products contain no parabens, no sulfates, no mineral oils, no phthalates, no artificial colours, and no synthetic fragrances.

Test out the magical properties of crocodile oil by purchase your own bottle of the Extra Mild Shampoo and Hair Conditioner here.

Lingham’s Chilli Sauces

Temperatures are dropping and here at The Amazing Blog, we’re putting a bit of heat back into our lives with Lingham’s Chilli Sauces. Who doesn’t love a nice soup with a spicy twist? The range of sauces by Lingham will do the job whether you like it super-hot or not.

Lingham's have been created sauces since 1908, to an Asian traditional recipe. What's great about their sauces, and makes them so unique, is their ingredients list: fresh chillies, salt, vinegar and sugar. You get what you see. No artificial colours or flavours and no preservatives. Nothing but natural ingredients to offer you the best culinary experience ever.

We personally had a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen as the sauces go with practically everything! Great as a dipping sauce, or pop a bit in a noodle soup - if you fancy a bit of a morning kick whack some in your scrambled eggs to help wake you up in the morning.

Make sure you try the entire range; Original Chilli Sauce, Ginger  & Garlic, Extra Hot Chilli (made with bird’s eye chillies) and the traditional SriRacha (a tangy hot sauce). Whatever your taste, there's something to suit everyone. They’ve also been approved by the Vegetarian Society and are also Halal and Kosher.

You can find Lingham’s Chilli Sauce at Waitrose for £1.69, so don’t waste anymore time and stock up your kitchen before winter properly hits.

Soft Sage - Doughballs

Here at The Amazing Blog we know everyone loves nibbles and do you know what everyone loves even more? Doughballs and cheese, mustn't forget the cheese! We've all been in the situation when there is one left on the plate and everyone wants it. Now, imagine that pressure and awkwardness times 10 because these dough balls are extra special AND we have a packed office... Oh my goodness we were just in heaven withSoft Sage‘s beautifully delicious gluten free dough balls and unlike others, these contain no added sugar, yeast, wheat corn, codex wheat starch or xanthan gum.

We were really impressed with the entire operation that Soft Sage is running. Not only are they able to get frozen products which then need to be baked safely through the post, they also offered to come cook them for us. Luckily for us we can operate an oven with some flair, so we declined this gracious offer. Hot out of the oven, these little balls of gluten free dough (VIP to mention!) and potato are just divine. We tried the Tomato, Basil & Cheese, Original Cheese, Garlic & Cheese, and Rosemary & Cheese flavours which were all delicious and perfectly sized for normal snacking or party hors d'oeuvres. We particularly liked the Rosemary & Cheese doughballs, as the infusion of the two flavours worked so well together and they were definitely the most popular here in the office. They are fast, tasty and easy to cook and you can serve these little bites of heaven in the happy knowledge that they’re free from preservatives, flavourings and gluten. We highly recommend getting a stash of theses and keeping them in your freezer for when you have some unexpected guests - they'll soon be inviting themselves back for more!

Soft SageDoughballs are available here for £3.50 for a pack of 10.