That's Food and Drink: Avallen Calvados Launched in a Paper Bottle as a F...

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From their family to your family! Revealing the Thatchers 12 Days of Christmas Gift Box

Thatchers Ciders are unveiling their Christmas surprise. Their very first Thatchers 12 Days of Christmas Cider Gift Box.

Available online and from their Cider Shop at Thatchers in Somerset, the 12 Days of Christmas Cider Gift Box contains a stunning selection of Thatchers' family favourites, all made right there at Myrtle Farm in Somerset. It costs just £34.99 (plus delivery if you are ordering online).

In the best traditions of Christmas gift boxes, they're leaving it a special Christmas surprise as to which ciders you'll find when you open each door. But in true Thatchers style, there's a Somerset cider for everyone included. 

Happy Christmas from all of them at Myrtle Farm!

They're a family run cidermaker with their home in Sandford, Somerset. 

Their ciders, all full of natural apple character, are crafted there at Myrtle Farm. Pride in their heritage, they've been crafting delicious ciders for four generations, is at the heart of everything they do.  

A spokesman said: "Our knowledge and passion for apples is reflected in our ciders: authentic, full of flavour and with a distinct character that reflects Somerset cidermaking at its best.

"We craft a range of ciders – including Thatchers Gold, Thatchers Haze, Thatchers Blood Orange and Thatchers Cloudy Lemon, but whichever you choose, you can be sure they have all been made with the same care, attention and hands-on experience."

https://www.thatcherscider.co.uk/product/thatchers-christmas-calendar.

Win a Nobu Golden Ticket Worth £100 This Christmas

For those seeking out a full festive feast, or a lighter bite before a crisp walk around the Mayfair area, Nobu London is your perfect Christmas Day destination. 

Reservations are available from 12:30-3:30pm, and every guest will receive a complimentary glass of Champagne, amuse-bouche and petits fours. Dine from Nobu's à la carte menu, featuring iconic dishes such as Black Cod with Miso and Yellowtail Jalapeño. 

Limited-edition festive specials will also be available, including Grilled Scottish Lamb with Shiso Chimichurri and Beetroot Vinaigrette, and a decadent Chestnut Cream with Tonka Vanilla Cacao Foam.

Guests can expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and tables decorated with bespoke Christmas crackers. Inside each cracker is a pocket-sized present from Muji, and three hidden Golden Tickets, worth £100 each. The lucky winners will have 12 months to redeem their ticket. A deposit of £200 per person, corresponding to a minimum spend, will apply for all guests aged 12 and above.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Renowned for over 25 years of New Year's Eve celebrations, Nobu London will be seeing in 2023 in considerable style, with a live DJ in the restaurant playing from 6pm-1am. Reservations are open from 6pm-8:15pm with a deposit of £75 per person, ideal for those looking to dine early before heading on to other celebrations.

A special six-course omakase menu is available all night, priced at £200 per person. Dishes include White Fish with Uni, Caviar and Yuzu Ponzu Jelly, Seared Diver Scallop with Truffle Mushroom Risotto and Fresh Truffles, Nori-Crusted Wagyu Beef, and a selection of hand-crafted Nobu sushi. For reservations from 8:30pm, each guest will also receive a complimentary glass of Champagne on arrival.

From 8:30pm, a deposit of £200 per person, corresponding to a minimum spend, will also apply.

Full details can be found online: www.noburestaurants.com/london-old-park-lane

Reservations can be made by phone: +44 (0) 207 447 4747

Please note:- All menus subject to change. At the time of booking for Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve for reservations from 8:30pm, a deposit of £200 per person will be taken, a minimum spend of £173.90, plus an optional 15% service charge. Cancellations made up to 72 hours before the time of the booking will be refunded. Any cancellations after this time will be charged in full.

Asda Launches new, Extra Special Christmas Hampers for 2022

Asda has launched its range of Extra Special hampers, starting at a very modest £25, for those who you care about this Christmas. And they include all your favourite festive products, too!

Following the success of last year’s stunning selection of Asda Extra Special Christmas hampers,  which starred in the 2021 roundup from the prestigious Good Housekeeping Institute alongside the likes of Harrods and Fortnum and Mason. So Asda is bringing them back for Christmas 2022.

And Asda has revealed two utterly new Extra Special Christmas hampers, one version with alcohol ASDA Extra Special Hamper with Wine priced at £35, and a special non-alcoholic version too, the ASDA Extra Special Hamper with Presse priced at £25.

Both premium hampers contain 13 expertly crafted and curated Extra Special food and drink products, offering a truly stunning Christmas gift for your loved ones or simply an indulgent festive treat for yourself. (My wife declares these to be "Christmas in a box!")

The hampers will be available in the Asda seasonal aisles of 50 stores from Fifth November onwards, but not including Scotland or Northern Ireland.

All Christmas hampers can be ordered for delivery or via click and collect from the 50 stores too, but you are advised to be quick, as they are available on a first come, first served basis. IE, when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Both hampers include the following products:

Extra Special Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Nougat

Extra Special Sticky Toffee Pudding Cookies (A Christmas exclusive)

Extra Special Italian Biscuit Selection (A Christmas exclusive)

Extra Special Sea Salt and Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps

Extra Special Clotted Cream Fudge

Extra Special Blonde Chocolate Bar

Extra Special Strawberry Conserve

Extra Special Parmesan & Garlic Twists

Extra Special Rye Sourdough Crackers

Extra Special Columbia Ground Coffee

Extra Special Caramelised Onion Chutney

Incidentally, the Asda Extra Special Hamper with Wine will also include a bottle of Extra Special Malbec and Extra Special Pinot Grigio.

The Asda Extra Special Hamper with Presse instead will also include a bottle of Extra Special Apple & Elderflower Presse and Extra Special Raspberry Lemonade Presse.

Little Blessings: A very special, appropriate Christmas gift for your children

Little Blessings are six really beautiful Bible stories and a prayer book which are designed to provide inspiration to your children and also yourself.

This is a gift that is a true reflection of the real spirit of Christmas as it contains six beautiful Bible stories that are specially designed and written for children.

The six books are My First Prayers, The Easter Story, Noah's Ark, Joseph and his Coat of Many Colours, Jonah and the Whale and In the Beginning.

They come in a beautiful and colourful cover and each book retells classical Bible stories and each book is sumptuously, brightly illustrated by different artists for each book.

These books are designed to be shared between parents and grandparents and the children in the family and will help to encourage bonding between the generations of families in the context of a Christian family.

In fact, we feel that this set of books would also be an ideal purchase for all Sunday Schools.

It is published by Parragon Books Ltd.

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1527000036

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1527000032

It's available from a variety of retailers and although the publisher's price is $59.99 (£51.65)  it is currently listed on Amazon UK at £18.99, which strikes us as being an absolute bargain making it a really wonderful and very appropriate Christmas gift.

My Jingle Bells Are Gone by Zanger Rinus and Romana

Whilst researching something Christmassy I accidentally re-discovered this quirky and fun Christmas song sung and performed by Dutch pop music due Zanger Rinus and Romana.

It was release back in 2011 and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

That's Food and Drink: Asda announces new vegan range for Christmas

That's Food and Drink: Asda announces new vegan range for Christmas: From mains that have the festive wow! factor, to luxurious desserts to delectable and morish party nibbles, Asda’s new range of vegan Christ...

Wow! Biggest Mince Pie ever from Asda!

Is this the biggest Mince Pie ever? Quite possibly!  

It's ideal for Christmas parties and get together over the festive season. It's Asda’s new Extra Special Giant Mince Pie is a showstopping wintertime must-have.

It's new for this Christmas season, Asda’s Extra Special Giant Mince Pie which is deliciously prepared fresh in-store and serves six people.

The launch forms a part of a 15-strong mince pie range including a selection of boozy mince pies, too.

It's available as part of Asda’s largest Christmas range to date, in-store and online from now on.

Christmas just isn't Christmas without mince pies, is it? 

This Christmas, Asda has launched the king of mince pies The Extra Special Giant Mince Pie. The giant treat costs a very modest £4.50 and is enough for six people, thus making it perfect for festive get-togethers this Christmas and New Year.

The mega pie sees an all-butter shortcrust pastry filled with fruity mincemeat infused with brandy and port for the perfect bite. Wrapped in an orange zest-infused casing, this giant treat is bound to impress all mince pie lovers.

As we have already mentioned, it is an integral component of Asda’s 15-strong mince pie range, the range also includes a fine selection of boozy mince pies, perfect for getting the party started or continued!

Asda shoppers can opt for three tipple-tastic flavours, there's Sloe Gin, Irish Cream and Spiced Rum. They are available in packs of six for just £2.25.

Ideal for Christmas get-togethers, the Extra Special Sloe Gin Mince Pies are a gin drinker’s paradise, featuring mincemeat laced with sloe gin and encased in a rich all-butter shortcrust pastry pie.

For something a little bit special, Asda’s Extra Special Irish Cream Mince Pies are rich, velvety, and luxurious and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser this Christmas. Or for those who like a more classic pairing, the Extra Special Spiced Rum Mince Pies won’t disappoint, filled with rum-soaked mincemeat with a hint of spice.

For lovers of a classic, ASDA’s Signature Special Indulgent Mince Pies (£2.50) are a great choice. These traditionally tantalising mince pies come with an all-butter pastry and are generously filled with luxurious fruit mincemeat with citrus peel and a touch of Valencian orange oil, laced with cognac brandy, Portuguese ruby port and a dash of orange liqueur.

And it doesn’t stop there. Perfect for the big day itself, Asda’s Extra Special Indulgent Top Mince Pie Crumble (£2.50) serves as the ultimate treat! This all-butter shortcrust pastry is filled with Bramley apple and toffee and topped with a caramelised pecan nut crumble, offering a wonderful fusion of family pudding favourites.

Asda shoppers can pick up Asda’s new mince pie range online and in-store now. What’s more, the retailer is running an offer from now until the end of the season, giving customers the chance to buy any two packs of Asda’s Extra Special Mince Pies for £3.50 – a tasty saving of £1.

What’s more, with every purchase of the ASDA Extra Special 4 Extra Indulgent Mince Pies (£2.50), the ASDA Extra Special 4 Apple & Pecan Crumble Mince Pies (£2.50) and the ASDA Extra Special 4 Crumble Top Mince Pies (£2.50) shoppers will receive £1.50 in the Asda Rewards cash pot (offer runs from 1st November to 23rd November, 2022).

www.asda.com.

Great news, parents! Top 10 toys for Christmas are more affordable than in recent years

Yes, there's some good news for parents, grand parents, uncles and aunts, because now the average price of the top 10 toys for Christmas chosen by experts at Tesco will be more affordable this year. 

In recent years, interest in electronic toys in particular has forced the average price of a main Christmas gift for youngsters up to between £60 and £90. 

This year Tesco’s toy experts have chosen their top 10 based not only on their current popularity and desirability but they've also factored in the affordability also, to help parents during the current relatively tougher times. 

Although the toys are not listed in any particular order, there's one expected to create the ‘wow’ factor this Christmas, the Pokémon Sword and Shield Astral Elite Trainer Box which goes on sale early next month, November and is expected to be on many kids’ wish lists. 

Tesco Toys Category Manager Anne Borrett said: “We know times are really hard out there at the moment so our team of toy experts have created a top 10 list based on a number of factors that will not only put a smile on kids’ faces but also their parents’ and carers' too. 

“Over the last few years we’ve seen a lot of more expensive hi-tech toys dominate the Christmas market. 

“In the list there are toys for all budgets but more than half of them are priced between £30 and £45.”  

Tesco’s top 10 toys for this Christmas are as follows: 

Pokémon Sword and Shield Astral Radiance Elite Trainer Box £42.50

This brand new Pokémon toy is their latest collector’s set and features collectable cards, booster packs and much more.  

The Pokémon Sword & Shield—Astral Radiance Elite Trainer Box includes everything a player needs to outshine the competition in battle!  

Barbie Chelsea Playhouse £60

The Barbie Chelsea doll and her friends have their own playhouse with three levels so there are many play spaces plus a transformation area that unlocks secret play areas. 

Miraculous Switch N’ Go Scooter £43

Race around Paris with Miraculous Ladybug on her Switch N’ Go Scooter. The transforming scooter comes with a 26 cm replica doll of the popular kids’ TV cartoon heroine. 

Zuru Smashers Dino Island Giant Skull £37

Break into the skull to discover 30 hidden surprises while searching through candy cotton foam and super stretchy slime in this epic adventure for ages three and over. 

LEGO Super Heroes – I Am Groot £45

Kids get to build their own version of the Baby Groot model figure from the Marvel Studios Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 

Marvel Studios 3D Puzzle – Iron Man’s Helmet £30

Marvel fans can build this fantastic three dimensional puzzle version of the superhero’s helmet. 

Cocomelon Boo Boo JJ Doll £43

The Cocomelon Boo-Boo JJ Plush is designed to teach kids aged 2-3 years that mishaps are ok. The toy teaches youngsters how to make JJ feel better when a mishap happens. 

LEGO Super Hereos Batmobile £90

Inspired by the latest version of the Batmobile from the 2022 The Batman film, this toy will offer kids a thrilling challenge to build a true to life model of the famous car. 

Fisher Price DJ Bouncin' Beats £45 

A musical learning toy to allow youngsters to have interactive fun with colourful lights, motorised action and more than 75 songs, sounds and phrases that teach the alphabet, counting, colours and much more. 

Squishmallows (7.5” Plush) £9

One of the most popular toys in recent years, the Squishmallow is a cuddly plushie toy that comes in many designs and themes with new versions being released every month. 

Tesco’s Half Price Toy Sale which started at the beginning of October runs until Nov 2. All toys in the sale have been discounted by 50 per cent with some costing as little as £7.50 when bought with a Tesco Clubcard.  

To check these out and buy visit www.tesco.com.

Stage an Amaryllis race this Christmas

An Amaryllis race? Yes, and it's a great fun activity, too!

Just buy two potted Amaryllis plants and gift them to two people and get them to race them before Christmas.

You don't have them to buy them from any particular place, a garden centre, a hardware store with a gardening section such as Wilko, or a supermarket such as Morrison's, Tesco or Sainsbury's, etc, or from shop that uses eBay or Amazon to sell their plants, or who has their own, dedicated online garden shop.

You and they will have a lot of fun. You could give the winner a special prize, too!

Amaryllis racing is a long and honoured sport in my wife's family.

You can also buy them here https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/garden-amaryllis-orange-queen-hippeastrum-pack-of-three.