Bread Angels - Baking Courses

If like us, you cannot get enough of good fresh handmade bread and often thought about making your own, then please read on. In the past few years, we've seen the rise of micro bakeries that sell delicious, artisan bread. We at The Amazing Blog wanted to explore this a little bit further to discover more. There is a network of micro bakers in the UK called the Bread Angels. These are a group of like-minded people who work from their home kitchens (or in one case, a sea container in the garden) in order to produce excellent quality bread that benefits their local communities.

Many of these bakers run Bread Baking Classes too, we think that this is the perfect fun activity for your weekend or a day off.  Classes are small, anywhere from 2-6 people maximum which makes them friendly and informative. The great thing is that you'll leave the course with a new found confidence as a baker along with several warm loaves to take home.

The range of classes that Bread Angels offer is really quite impressive.  There are basic, Italian, flat, sourdough and speciality rye bread making. Not forgetting the buns and sweet bread courses too.  Another interesting course on offer is their micro-bakery course.  This teaches the basic skills required to set up and run a small baking business, including how to bake a huge range of breads.

Feeling ready to hone your baking skills? Then you too can take part in any of the Bread Angel Courses nationwide. Book a spot here and experience the mastery and knowledge that the Bread Angels bring to their classes. Course fees start at £75 and include a light meal, tea and coffee and all ingredients.

Trapped in a Prison Van

If like us at The Amazing Blog you prefer your challenges to be slightly more hardcore and with a greater sense of jeopardy, then Trapped in a Prison Van could be just the ticket for you … You must be a group of at least 4 (maximum 8), and your mission, should you wish to accept it, is to escape from the prison van which is taking you for sentencing (likelihood of life imprisonment) and head for freedom somewhere warm and away from all those pesky law abiders who would do you down!

This is the latest offering from Trapped - the team who have brought various immersive escape adventure games, from fleeing the clutches of a zombie, to the potential horrors of a 90s club, but each with the authenticity of staging and props to give each player a true sense of the drama. The premise we have here is that you and your gang have been found guilty and are en route to your final moments of freedom before being 'sent down' … for good. Can you work together and escape, or do you prepare for handing everything over for a less than flattering outfit, gruel for nosh and a mattress of straw?

You can book tickets from £30 here but it is worth keeping an eye open on the website for possible discounts on offer and the relevant codes. Timings run from Monday through Saturday. It’s also worth checking on the terms and conditions, as they do offer the option of joining a larger group if you are a total of 4 - perhaps an interesting way of making new friends or indeed cellmates, should you fail in the whole point of the mission!

Bnifty - Hatching Raptor Candle

Easter is one of our favourite holidays here at The Amazing Blog. We spent Easter weekend catching up with friends and family, just enjoying each other’s company. Normally, this would include a lot of chocolate eggs being eaten, but this Easter we decided to go for a zero-calorie egg option… and here it is, a Hatching Raptor Candle from the online shop bNifty. Based in London, bNifty is a shop where you can find unique and quirky gifts (like this hatching candle) for everyone on your list. So no matter the time of year, whether you are looking for a birthday gift or a Christmas present, bNifty will have you covered.

The Hatching Raptor Candle comes in a clever box designed to look like a wooden crate. The crate has ‘WARNING’ written in all capital letters across the front, warning users about the ‘dangerous’ dinosaur contents inside. When you open the box you find a highly texturized tan coloured egg that is approximately 16cm tall and 14cm wide. We couldn’t wait to see how the candle burned so we lit it right away. As the odourless candle slowly burns, a porcelain baby velociraptor hatches out of the egg candle.

The baby raptor is approximately 11 cm tall and 4cm wide and looks like it is straight out of Jurassic Park. We learned that as the candle burns the dinosaur turns slightly black due to the candle flame. But the black colouration wipes off with a damp cloth without a problem. This candle is a joy to watch burn. And how cool is it even after the candle is done burning you have a baby velociraptor to keep? This is unlike any candle we have ever burned before, so much fun. While dinosaurs haven’t been around for millions of years, you can be the proud parent of your own baby velociraptor thanks to this candle. You can purchase the Hatching Dinosaur Candle here for £29.99.

Vbites Vegan Food and Cookbook

Vegan food has had a bit of a bad reputation in the past. When people think of vegan food, they only think of salads and tasteless fake meats, but bland vegan food is a thing of the past. Due to the bountiful health and environmental benefits of veganism, we here at The Amazing Blog have put a lot of thought into the idea of starting a vegan diet. When we learned the story behind Vbites founder, Heather Mills, we were inspired to try out veganism for ourselves. After enduring a devastating motorcycle accident, Heather discovered that the best way to heal her body was from the inside out. Which meant using a holistic approach rooted in a vegan diet. This story helps to explain why she was determined to create delicious foods that satisfy every craving, while nourishing the body. After learning her story, we were even more thrilled to receive a sampling of the Meat-Free products from this pioneering and award-winning plant-based brand at Vbites.  

Eating less meat or cutting it out completely can be daunting for many individuals, which is why Vbites products are perfect for anyone who needs a little help getting their foot in the door when it comes to becoming a vegan. Vbites offers a wide array of vegan products including meat-free, dairy-free, and fish-free products. To help with meal preparations, we would suggest using The LoveBites recipe book. This cookbook from Vbites comes with each of their Plant-Based Kits, which offers 60 new easy-to-follow recipes to try out and fall in love with. You can whip up delicious alternatives to some of your favourite meals like shepherd’s pie or asparagus quiche that are all completely vegan. From starters to soups, salads and main dishes, these recipes have definitely inspired us to cook more hearty meals that make us feel good from the inside out.

Our personal favourite of the Vbites selection that we tried was the Meat-Free Duck Hoisin (£2.99 for 150g). We added it to a veggie stir-fry and were licking our plates clean. We had some friends over to it try out and they were amazed to learn what they thought was a duck hoisin stir fry was in fact 100% vegan! Coming in a close second was the Meat-Free Lincolnshire Style Sausages (£2.69 for 295g) which we plated up as Bangers 'n Mash for a quick Sunday night supper (with a dollop of baked beans). They truly did taste like savoury sausages and certainly satisfied one very hungry male guest! 

So whether you are already practising a vegan lifestyle or you are considering starting, these Vbites will help you to incorporate some seriously tasty and healthy meals into your diet. You can check out the wide array of Vbites vegan products on their website here. 

Eat and Drink Festival 2018

Self-professed foodie or not, The Eat and Drink Festival has a little something to satisfy every taste bud. We here at The Amazing Blog have to admit that we can never turn down an event that brings together mouth-watering cuisines from around the world all into one place, so when we found out that the festival was returning for its second year at Olympia London; we had to let everyone know.

Now we all love going to the outdoor market to get lunch or a snack on a regular basis, but what makes The Eat and Drink Festival a unique experience that’s worth your while has to be The Foodie Stage; a live cooking demonstration from renowned chefs and food experts. Get ready to up your own skill set as they let you in on their own culinary secrets and their top tips to impress at your next dinner party.

Their Late Night Thursdays boast the country’s top street food vendors and music from up and coming local musicians until 9pm, so you can dance a bit before indulging on more delicious treats. The irresistible aromas from each vendor will make it hard to resist going back for seconds or thirds. Of course every good meal needs a drink to compliment it, so head on over next to The Drinks Station to find your signature cocktail, while you pick up some tips on how to pair a meal with the perfect drink. You can also take home some fresh produce and handmade products at their Artisan Producers’ Market to try your hand at crafting a food masterpiece of your own. 

 The Eat and Drink Festival comes back to London from the 17th of March to the 2nd of April, so don’t miss out! They’re open daily from 10am to 6pm (except on Late Night Thursdays). Tickets are available here starting as little as £14 for adults on weekdays, with free admittance for children 15 and under.