I’ve had a busy day off. Up at 6am for new washing machine delivery, then a dash to yoga for a quick relaxation (yes, the irony is not lost) before shooting to the supermarket, followed by intense dance workshop, zoom meeting, urgent lawn-mowing – it had shot up to two feet whilst my back was turned – then a whizz through urgent emails, and before I knew, it was 8pm and my day off had disappeared. Frankly, I’m exhausted.

I’ve prepared something to eat (if taking a ready meal from freezer to microwave counts as food preparation – listen, I was tired) and now I’ve collapsed on the sofa and feeling a desperate need to be kind to myself.

So thank heavens for Northumberland Candle Company. They do an incredible variety of wax melts, covering pretty much any gift theme you could imagine.

I chose the Meditation Melt Selection Box. Even the box is simple, beautiful and calming with a sweet Buddha seal. As I opened the inner wrapping, embossed with buddhas, Aum, lotus and other symbols of Eastern spirituality, I caught the gentle aromas of the wax melts, five different scents. The stress of the day was already melting as I chose Nag Champa, placed it on my burner, sank back and let my mind drift to another place, far away.

My room is still pervaded with that wonderful perfume as I write, sandalwood infused with frankincense, geranium and rosewood, and I can’t wait to try the other fragrances too – Lemongrass & Ginger, Tranquility, White Patchouli and Seawood & Juniper.

Their Spa/Relaxation selection is another fabulous remedy for a stressed lifestyle, with Sweet Pea, Tranquility, Arabian Silk, Lavender Spa and Melon & Cucumber. At just £15 for each selection box of 25 melts these are such thoughtful and welcome gifts, particularly for someone who’s life is going through a few bumps.

But the Northumberland Candle Company doesn’t restrict itself to calm nurturing, lovely though that is – there’s so much more, from Girl Power to Molton B to Cake selections – yes, really. You can even buy a Mystery box reduced from £15 to just £10.

So whatever your mood Northumberland Candle Company have a wax melt selection for you, or a deserving friend, but you first. Do take a look.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

I’m planning for summer. Yes, I am. It may be freezing outside, but the days are getting longer, my tomato seedlings are stretching tall like little soldiers and hope is in my heart.

And before we know it, we’ll be wiping our dripping foreheads and sighing about the heat and what we’d give for a long cool drink, and as my imagination goes into overdrive, my thoughts turn to my grandkids.

They’re both super sporty and I get exhausted just watching, as they leap three feet into the air and do flying somersaults before dashing into the garden for football or to practise backwards shots into the basketball net, which their devoted father erected last year on the shed door.

Which naturally brings my thoughts, as a doctor, to keeping them hydrated and preventing overheating in the summer sun, which really is just around the corner, I promise you.

So I’m super excited about b.box Insulated Drink And Water Bottles, created by two Australian mums who totally get what’s needed in kid’s accessories.

Firstly I love that the drink bottles are insulated, meaning you can keep your child’s drink cool for up to 8 hours, and if needed, you can keep drinks warm too. Made with stainless steel and BPA-free plastic (a big plus for me), they’re surprisingly light, and strong enough to survive a few drop kicks when your grandsons practise their football skills (or is that just my two?)

With push button opening, the bottles are easy to fix together, open and close (imperative to avoid tantrums -from frustrated grandmothers that is, the kids are fine). The inbuilt straw is a favourite with the youngsters and the whole unit comes out for easy cleaning. I can confirm that they’ve been destruction-tested by my grandkids and still looks like new.

Available from Amazon, this high quality Drink and Water Bottle is a great price at £19.99. Made in a great range of funky colours, what’s not to like? And do check out the rest of the range too, including  Sippy Cups, Insulated Food Jars and Fresh Food Feeders plus much more, your kids will love them.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

A peeler is a peeler, right? Well, no actually, and I speak with some authority on the subject being the owner of three peelers.

At the risk of sounding like Goldilocks I now realise that I have been putting up with second best for some time now because – well a peeler is just a peeler.

One of my peelers has a metal handle and when wet I find it slippery and a little small (though I accept that it could just be that my hands are too big)

My other peeler has a ridged rubber handle for a better grip and is slightly larger and to be honest it was the one I used most often despite that the rubber grip would part company with the metal section during use, and whilst this was only annoying as I had to push it back on, I was willing to put up with this minor inconvenience.

That is until I was asked to review the Y peeler- straight which has seen me offloading my other peelers.

It has a smooth grip that fits the hand (yes even large hands like mine), it has some heft and immediately feels sturdy. This next thing and I may be making this up, but it seemed to me that I could peel Potatoes, Carrots and Parsnips more quickly. I accept that this was at the kitchen sink rather than under laboratory conditions, so you may wish to conduct your own experiment before contacting the Guiness Book of Records but that was my impression.

The blade and metal assembly also feels strong and honed (my wife raised her eyebrows at this point) which may help with the speed peeling.

In summer I make a salad of thin strips of courgette and carrots dressed in a lemon oil and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. It is a simple recipe, but the thickness of the strips can vary – not so with the Y peeler – straight and I cannot wait for summer to kick in (along with my new peeler)

The extremely sharp stainless-steel blades glide effortlessly across fruits and vegetables. The ergonomic non-slip soft-touch handle fit is comfortable for both right and left-hand use.

The ultra-sharp double-blade swivels to perfectly contour the fruit or vegetable and will only remove as much peel as necessary. It is also perfect for peeling ribbons of fruit and vegetable for veggie pastas, salads and decorating cocktails with a pith-free zesty flourish.

This peeler is part of a range along with a serrated and julienne blade.

The NEW Microplane Y-Shaped Peelers are available from John Lewis

Y-Shaped Peeler with Straight Blade RRP £21.95

Y-Shaped Peeler with Serrated Blade RRP £21.95

Y-Shaped Peeler with Julienne Blade RRP £24.95

Globally https://www.microplaneintl.com/en @microplaneintl #microplaneint

Men are so difficult to buy for,’ seems to be a popular refrain, particularly around Christmas and Father’s Day. In the case of the Father’s Day, when the focus of attention is on Dad, there seems to be even more pressure to find that perfect gift.

Some free advice – no matter what they tell you socks are not the perfect present – but then what do you buy your father that is something just for him, and yet not a cliched gift.

Treklemans have, if not the answer, certainly one good answer.

If your dad takes over the barbeque in summer, or fancies himself as Jamie Oliver in the kitchen, this is the gift for him. Or maybe he is at the other end of the spectrum, and just likes to eat. Either way this year you can give the gift of fabulous flavour, and it all comes in a rather cool gift box so you can sit back and know that this year, you have got it right.

Each item brings with it a burst of surprising flavour. Food is enhanced and cooking skills magnified.

I would love this box of goodies and would happily give it as a gift, as the everyday items such as Tomato Sauce, Mustard, Mayonnaise and Chutney have been sprinkled with Tracklement’s magic (I readily admit to being a super fan) and are supercharged with flavour.

The Tracklements Father’s Day Gift Box (£22) includes these lovelies:

• Proper Tomato Ketchup, 290g – made with the juiciest Mediterranean tomatoes and a subtle blend of spices for a perfectly balanced flavour. Perfect in a bacon or sausage butty, or with any barbecued meat. It makes you consider this ketchup in a whole new light, and I could definitely taste the tomatoes, as they were not overpowered by vinegar as some ketchups tend to be.

• Rich & Creamy Mayonnaise, 200g – made to a traditional recipe with just a soupçon of Dijon mustard, this delicious mayo is smooth, creamy and adds wonderful depth to summer dishes such as potato salad or mackerel pâté on toast. It is a little too early for potato salad, but I enjoyed this enormously on a not so humble baked potato, and I am sold.

• Fresh Chilli Jam, 210g – this original, multi award-winner smoulders with a gentle heat from fistfuls of fresh red chillies. Perfect with fish, meats, sarnies and creamy cheese. I enjoyed this, but I am not sure that I would describe it as a gentle heat, it seemed pretty punchy to me- and that is no bad thing in my book.

• Apple & Cider Brandy Chutney, 270g – made with Kentish Bramley apples and a liberal measure of Somerset cider brandy for a succulent, boozy kick. Indecently good with roast pork, mature cheeses and pies. I love all Tracklement’s chutneys, and this one is no exception. It is the fact that you can taste each individual element that set this apart for me.

• British Beer Mustard, 140g – made with a malty Wiltshire beer, this earthy, piquant mustard does great things for slabs of ham, pork pies or good, mature Cheddar. I have loved a cheese sandwich with mustard for decades but I can honestly say that this is the best combination that I have tasted.

The Tracklements Father’s Day Gift Box (£22)

www.tracklements.co.uk @tracklements #tastytracklements #LifeandSoulofthePantry

The Dandelion Dog is written in catchy and rhyming verse, has vibrant illustrations and a dancing font which will mesmerise children as they discover the Dandelion Dog’s powers, his amazingly handsome demeanour and unexpected magical prowess.

Written to encourage children to let their imaginations run wild, children (and those reading to them) will be hoping that this most extraordinary of hounds has plenty more adventures to share. But let me tell you more about this particular adventure:

This dandiest dog of them all pays a visit to a little girl who, unknowingly, has summoned him after wishing on a dandelion flower. Together they embark on a wonderful adventure through the countryside with the help of the Dandelion Dog’s powers, but will the little girl’s wish really come true? Gracious, I wouldn’t dream of telling you.

Before we go on, just look at the fabulous font and welcoming tone of the artwork:

I was as entranced as the 6 year old who read it to me. It has robust and energetic illustrations, which ooze with fun, and a bouncing rhythm to the rhyme. So much so, I simply can’t resist sharing a paragraph with you: (copyright Nathalie Warriner-White)

They let out a great big bellow! Then were saved when they landed in the meadow in a bed full of yellow.

‘Well thank you my marvellous fellows!’ said the Dandelion dog to the bed full of yellow. Which turned out to a sea of Dandelion flowers so wild and free.

I simply had to ask Nathalie how on earth she arrived at this wonderful creation, the Dandelion Dog.

Nathalie Warriner-White who lives in Kent with her husband and crazy Jack Russell dog loves to both write and draw ‘My inspiration comes from my cheeky crazy dog, the many camping adventures that I have been on, and all the places I have visited. I am a self taught artist, and have always loved to draw since I was 5 years old. My first recollection was drawing Tweety Pie at school and I carried it on throughout my life, doing pictures for all my friends’ children which they have hanging on their bedroom walls.’

So, has she always been a career artist, toiling in a studio? Well, not quite, she toiled in a bank and is now working for the council. However the creative urge was always present, as was reading. Her absolute favourite was that most original of authors, Roald Dahl.

But what brought about the birth of The Dandelion Dog? I asked. ‘I had reached a stage in my life when I needed to do something I absolutely loved which I could run alongside my job as a second string. After a conversation I had with my Dad, in which he asked if I had ever thought about illustrating childrens books, I realised that, as I loved to write, why not create my own illustrated children’s book? That was it and within days The Dandelion Dog magically elbowed its way into my life, insisting on being written – in rhyme. Then I drew the illustrations, colouring them in pastels before buying an iPad Pro to do all the pictures again digitally as they translated better when printed on paper.’

This second string is our children’s gain as we enjoy the birth of The Dandelion Dog series. Do read it, it’s fabulous.

The Dandelion Dog is available on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/2H5pd0H

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I must be honest, I don’t like prosecco – I’ve always found it too sweet, so I’m delighted to have found a soulmate in Katherine Jones, creator of ThinK Wine Group. Keen on reducing unnecessary sugar in her life and having failed to find any palatable low-sugar sparkling wine, in 2020 she decided to create her own, and I’m so glad she did.

In fact I’m very excited about ThinK Wine Prosecco. It’s made in the Treviso region of Italy, from the finest Glera grapes, thus earning its right to the Prosecco name. But this isn’t just ‘another prosecco’ – oh no – it’s organic and vegan, and lower in sugars, carbohydrates and sulphites.

But now for the exciting bit, unlike some low sugar wines, ThinK Wine haven’t relied on ‘cheats’ such as artificial sweeteners. Through arduous trial, error, and more trial, ThinK Wine have developed a method which allows nature to express itself. The ThinK Wine Prosecco process majors on the natural flavour and sugars in the grapes to create the alcohol and the fizz. As someone with a passion for the healthy benefits of natural, unadulterated products and the power of nature, this is a joy to learn.

So that brings us to the million-dollar question – how does it taste? Well my verdict is … exquisite. The lower sugar allows the natural flavours of the grapes to shine, and I now have a new respect for the Glera grape – pear and citrus, delicate and exciting – a real pleasure to sip slightly chilled. Thanks to a guest appearance of the sun today, I can confirm that ThinK Wine Prosecco is perfect for a warm afternoon in the garden with friends. And this isn’t just my opinion, it won silver at the world-renowned Glass of Bubbly Awards.

But there’s more. ThinK Wine have developed a great sparkling rosé too – ThinK PinK, made from Pinot Grigio grapes, also from Treviso, an area with a great reputation for this type of wine. Like the Prosecco, ThinK PinK is vegan and organic with reduced sugar, calories and sulphites. And yes I did test this in the garden today too, although only the one glass, I promise. It was simply delicious – light and distinctive – classic pinot grigio. And like it’s Prosecco sister, it also has the validation of a silver win at the world-renowned Glass of Bubbly Awards.

Both wines have just 75 calories and 0g carbs with just 0.58g of residual sugar per 125ml (classed as zero sugar by UK standards), while still retaining an ABV of 11%. 

So if you’re tempted, and you should be, these super sparkling wines are available from ThinK Wine at a very competitive £20.99 for a 75cl bottle. Handy 20cl bottles are also available. So think summer, ThinK Wine.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

As someone who loves cocktails and coffee in equal measure CAFÉ SOLO are pretty much pushing at an open door with their latest offering.

CAFÉ SOLO ORIGINAL is the first in a range of full-bodied super premium cold brew coffee liqueurs, carefully combining their exceptional blend of cold brew espresso -strength coffee, with premium vodka and natural sugar.  In restaurants I have been known to forgo pudding in exchange for an Espresso Martini, but one soon learns that the quality can vary, so thank goodness that CAFÉ SOLO realised the market is missing a premium coffee liqueur and crafted the ultimate Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur. 

CAFÉ SOLO Original is a premium espresso strength cold brew coffee liqueur. The cold brew coffee brewing process retains the natural flavours and oils from ethically sourced coffee which is mixed with British vodka and natural sugar and boasts a full-bodied flavour profile, rich acidity, and a refreshingly clean finish. It boasts a robust ABV of 25%, delivering a bold, rich flavour profile with hints of dark fruit acidity, chocolate and vanilla notes, culminating in a subtle sweet finish.

In the interest of balance, I felt that despite any personal hardship, I would follow the Espresso Martini recipe on the website visit: www.solocoffee.co.uk (it’s a tough job but someone has to do it.) and I can report that it is pretty much perfect, not too sweet and not at all harsh I would happily order this is a restaurant, so making it at home seems to me a great alternative and cheaper too. From my experience it takes practice and a fair amount of exertion to achieve that foam on the surface, but practice makes perfect.

I was keen to try the CAFÉ SOLO Negroni recipe as I consider myself something of an aficionado although previously my experimental urges only extended to adding a teaspoon of Limoncello to the traditional recipe. It had never occurred to me that coffee could also be added, and I can report that this is a game changer, although there is room for both.

Irish coffee is a little too retro for me as I well remember it from the 1970s, though I am sure that this would make one even better than the original, but I didn’t attempt to make it. However, in my homage to Affogato do try the coffee liqueur poured over vanilla ice cream. You can thank me later.

CAFÉ SOLO Original is available on Amazon at an RRP of £30 for a 70cl bottle.

For more information on CAFÉ SOLO visit www.cafesolo.co.uk and @CafeSoloLiqueur Instagram

 www.solocoffee.co.uk and @SoloCoffeeUK Instagram

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British sculptor Laurence Edwards’ striking bronze figures, Walking Men (2018-2022), have taken up residence in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, where they will be on display until 10th June.

​Laurence Edwards said of his creation: “These five 8ft ancient bronze figures pass through an iconic English view, on their search for a place, where have they come from, where are they going, what are they thinking?”

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The 8ft tall figures are seen to be anti-heroic and seem to have come from the earth itself. Branches, leaves and clods of clay are woven through them, making it unclear where human and ground begin and end. 

​The raw materials from which they have been cast, have been pushed, pulled and gouged into shape ‘with a visceral energy that makes the artist’s act of creation palpable’. 

​Heather Carter, Managing Director, Blenheim Palace, commented: ”We are delighted to welcome Laurence Edwards’ five Walking Men to Blenheim Palace.  

​Images courtsey of Pete Seaward

“These remarkable pieces set against the backdrop of the Palace allow our visitors to experience art at its most incredible within an awe-inspiring setting. This installation is with us until 10th June 2024, and we encourage people to visit us quickly to enjoy and appreciate

Blenheim Palace is home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705, Blenheim Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Set in over 2,000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland and designed by Vanbrugh in the Baroque style, it was financed by Queen Anne, on behalf of a grateful nation, following the first Duke of Marlborough’s triumph over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession.

​Today it houses one of the most important and extensive collections in Europe, which includes portraits, furniture, sculpture and tapestries. Blenheim Palace is also the birthplace of one of Britain’s most famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill, and it was his father who described the vista on entering the Estate from the village of Woodstock as the ‘finest view in England’.

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