Honeybuns Fantastic Christmas Stocking Filler!

The perfect Christmas Stocking Filler to open on Christmas morning as you face the exciting day ahead – a fabulously innovative ‘Tea Party in a Purse’ – a delicious moment of indulgence to share before the day ahead, from Honeybuns, the multi-award winning, rural artisan bakery based in the rolling Dorset countryside.

This competitively priced stocking filler retails at £5.95 from the Honeybuns online shop: www.honeybuns.co.uk/shop, and consists of an exquisitely textured, handmade natural linen purse designed by Bill Brown (www.bill-brown.com), cleverly packed with the choice of two seasonally scrumptious mini Honeybuns (either two Cranberry and Pecan Flapjacks or a gluten-free option of two Milk Chocolate Brownies) and two individually wrapped tea bags from Dorset Teas, prettily complemented with a paper doily to add that extra festiveness to an impromptu tea party!

The sumptuously buttery flapjacks are made with rolled oats, roasted pecan nuts for that extra crunch, and both golden and delicious maple syrup to round off the wickedly tart cranberries, a sensational combination of tastes which have made this product a Honeybuns Best Seller.

The gluten-free Milk Chocolate Brownies, described by Lesley Waters as ‘The best brownie on the market’, are made with a cheeky dash of espresso coffee added to accentuate the chocolateyness. The Dorset Tea is perfectly balanced blend from Spicers (www.dorsettea.co.uk), recent winners of a double gold star award from the Great Taste Awards.  Lastly, the gorgeous, beautifully designed Honeybuns purse can be re-used for anything and everything you can fit in it, from holding pennies, to storing make-up, mobile phone, as a travelling sewing kit, or even as an overnight wash bag – “What’s in your purse?”

Your Christmas Stocking Filler from Honeybuns can be ordered online up until Tuesday 20th December to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve.

FACTFILE:
• All Honeybuns products are gluten free except the two flapjack products (Plain Flapjack and Cranberry and Pecan Flapjack).

• The Cranberry and Pecan Flapjack has a shelf life of 90 days and the Milk Chocolate Brownie has a shelf life of 21 days. All Honeybuns products are suitable for home freezing.

• Online orders are subject to specific postage and packing instructions, as stipulated on the website.  Delivery to addresses in Mainland UK is included in the price for orders over £20, but a delivery charge of £5 is made for smaller orders.

• For a Gift Wrapping Service, please refer to the website.

• Honeybuns holds an astonishing track record of National Great Taste Awards with the Guild of Fine Food. This thoughtful artisan bakery has won Supreme Champion, Best of British, Best Speciality from the South West and this year, three Great Taste Double Star Gold Awards. They won the Harmsworth Award, the highest of accolades at the Taste of Dorset Awards 2011.

(EDITOR: My wife's verdict? "The flapjacks, the tea and the bag were all worth 10 out of 10! And they are such fantastic value for money!")

Ernest Jones introduces Swarovski jewellery collection. Just in time for Christmas!

Ernest Jones has announced a new brand partnership with Swarovski, which will see Swarovski branded jewellery available, both in selected stores and online. Ernest Jones Love & Life already has a wide selection of jewellery, gifts and pens which uses Swarovski Crystal Elements in their design such as.

Ernest Jones' Head of buying, Beverley Mitchell said: "This is an exciting fashion forward brand and Ernest Jones is very pleased to have formed a partnership with Swarovski, enabling us to stock this brand online and in 105 stores."

The Swarovski jewellery range features a selection of timeless and iconic pieces created for evening and daytime wear. The range consists of 69 pieces of jewellery including bracelets, necklaces, rings, bangles, earrings and jewellery sets. Thirteen of the items are only available online and not in store. The prices range from £40 for a simple pair of Swarovski earrings up to £245 for the Swarovski Diamanta Collar, which has already been featured in Vogue and The Sunday Express newspaper. Included in the collection is the Oceanic pendant featuring a heart shape tanzanite coloured crystal centre and elegant matching earrings. The Alicia earrings set with pave crystals and Intervalle bangle also feature within the range. The Intervalle bangle is available in white, gold and red, although the red and gold versions are also only available to buy online.

Since it was founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski I. (1862-1956), a visionary scientist and entrepreneur, Swarovski has been family-owned. Born and raised in Bohemia, Daniel Swarovski I. revolutionized the industry by inventing the first machine for cutting and polishing crystal stones.

The new crystal chatons, more brilliant, perfectly cut and faceted, and more consistent than any crystals previously produced, were welcomed by jewelers and couturiers such as Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, and became an essential ingredient of 20th century luxury, glamour and style.

Today, Swarovski jewellery and accessory collections showcase the creativity and versatility of crystal, ranging from timeless classic creations to on-trend fashionable designs for men and women, including watches, eyewear, handbags, small leather goods and technology accessories.

Ernest Jones has a broad range of brands suitable for all gifts and occasions. The recent jewellery brand additions include Sattva, Amanda Wakeley, Daisy Chakra and Swarovski. Ernest Jones shows commitment to all their brands and embraces new trends.

Using fashion expertise, industry knowledge and experience Ernest Jones brings to the customer only the best jewellery collections from leading brands. If customers are shopping online the jewellery retailer has buyer’s guides for watches, diamonds, and metals with expert information to assist customers with their research.

FACTFILE:
Ernest Jones Love & Life has around 200 stores and a retail website. Ernest Jones offers a wide range of leading brand watches and high quality jewellery. Ernest Jones also has a stunning selection of gifts for all occasions. Ernest Jones is part of Signet Jewellers Limited, the world's largest speciality retail jeweller.

Gran Stead’s for Christmas!

You really do need some Gran Stead's real non-alcoholic ginger wine in for the Christmas and New Year Season!

Alcohol free it may well be. But! It's not for the timorous! Gran Stead's has a bite and a kick more associated with a mule than with a so-called soft drink!

It has a traditional and proper taste of real ginger, like ginger drinks used to taste of, until they decided to go all chemical and 'nature identical' on us!

But there's none of that artificial nonsense with Gran Stead's! It gives you exactly what it says on the bottle!

It mixes well with other drinks so can be at home in a glass by itself or as part of a cocktail for Christmas.

It is also your editor's experience that it also helps should you get one of those nasty little Christmas time sniffles! Though warming it up to help make a nice hot toddy is a good idea, here.

Percol the Christmas coffee!

Why is Black and  Beyond so highly spoken of? Because it is a new product from Percol. A new product that will rock the Christmas table!

It has an intensity of flavour that is unrivalled and it combines this with a rich and somewhat nutty flavour, with perhaps hints of chocolate, making this an ideal coffee to create the ideal espresso coffee.

Brian Chapman is the master blender and the genius who expertly created and crafted this coffee. Probably one of his finest achievements to date. He said: I have been searching out the finest quality beans and perfecting the roast for the ultimate espresso for nearly twenty years. It is my passion. Finally I have found the perfect beans and the perfect roast to make an espresso which is simply just perfect for coffee lovers."

Ideal for sipping with family and friends throughout the Christmas and New Year periods, and well beyond that, of course!


(EDITOR: Why keep Percol just for Christmas? I love it all year round!)

The Topping Pie Company, Doncaster

When Bill Topping founded his butcher’s shop in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in 1960 could he know that it was the start of a multi award-winning company whose products would one day grace the delicatessen counter at Harrods? From somewhat humble beginnings Toppings went from strength-to-strength, moving to town centre premises in Doncaster in 1971.

Following Bill’s retirement in 1989, his son Roger and his wife Maggie took over the butchery firm, but it was Maggie’s talent for home baking that changed the landscape of the business. In 1991 Maggie started making traditional home made pies using her own family recipes and totally natural ingredients to sell in the company’s shop. The reputation of the tasty premium pies quickly spread and within two years Maggie had set up a separate bakery division and moved to new, larger premises in order to keep pace with customer demand.

The ethos of the business continues to be that of making pies and quiches using only the very best 100% natural ingredients with no additives or chemicals and locally sourced meat. By 1997 the company continued to enjoy its reputation for fantastic home made pies and picked up a number of awards. By 2000 the company had once again outgrown its premises and the Topping Pie company was officially born when Roger and Maggie took the decision to buy a new, larger building and fit it out as a bakery.

Over the next five years awards continued to flood in. The Best Speciality Food Product from Yorkshire was won two years consecutively and in 2003 Maggie received the accolade of “Speciality Producer of the Year”, awarded by the Guild of Fine Food Retailers. The award was presented at the Great Taste Awards Dinner where Andra Dang, the delicatessen buyer from Harrods first heard about the company and decided he wanted to sell its products on his counter at the top people’s store.

The Topping Pie Company has now transformed from a small family butchers to a multi-award winning speciality pie business, employing 50 people in a newly refurbished bakery.

Milestones

1960. Toppings opened as a butchers shop in Scawsby, near Doncaster by Bill Topping

1971. Toppings moved to Doncaster Market Hall to accommodate a growing customer base

1989. Founder of the business retired and son, Roger and his wife Maggie took over

1991. Toppings awarded butcher of the year in 1991 and 1992

1991 Maggie Topping started to make pies for the business using family recipes and totally

natural ingredients that she had always used at home

2000. Pie sales grew and grew and by 2000 it was necessary to open a bakery in Doncaster

2003/5 Business continues to grow year on year and products win numerous awards

Including Best Speciality Food from Yorkshire two years running and 2003 Speciality

Producer of the Year.

2007. With the support of a South Yorkshire Objective 1 grant and part-funded by the

European Regional Development Fund, Toppings invested £500,000 in the expansion of its bakery as part of its future growth plans to supply major multiples.

Over the past seven years the Topping Pie Company has grown from £60K to a £1.3m turnover business. Every customer loves the taste of Toppings pies because they can see how much passion both Maggie and Roger have for their traditionally handmade products.

Current customers include EH Booths, United Co-op stores; Fenwick’s of Newcastle, Dobbies Garden Centres, ASDA and P&O Shipping Lines. The company is currently in talks with major retailers to stock its premium pies.

Product Range

Pork Pies

Traditional Family Size

Pork Pies (Medium)

Dinkies

Wakefield Rhubarb Pie

Huntsman

Scrumpy Pie

Yorkshire Farmers Pie

Speciality Pork Pies

Game Pie

Apricot Pie

Pork Pie

Apricot & Poultry Pie

Huntsman Pie

Yorkshire Farmers Pie

Scrumpy Pie

Chicken & Ham Pie

Pork & Egg Gala

Pork & Egg Round

Duck & Orange Pie

Cherry Nut & Game Pie

Large Quiches

Cheese & Onion

Chicken & Chive

Sun Dried Tomato

Quiche Lorraine

Salmon & Broccoli

Ham, Stilton & Asparagus

You can buy Topping Pies on line.

http://www.toppingspies.co.uk

(EDITOR: My wife knows a thing or two about pork pies. Some of her relatives are award-winning pork pie makers, themselves. My wife's verdict? "I hate to have to say this, but these Topping Pies are even better than the one's my family makes!") 

TomTom launches limited edition Top Gear satnav featuring The Stig and Clarkson

TomTom has launched  the TomTom GO LIVE Top Gear edition, bringing fans a combination of a Stig mode, Jeremy Clarkson's directions and unique Top Gear selected points of interest including race track and raceway locations related to the series.

Featuring TomTom's congestion-busting HD Traffic technology, the new satnav will steer drivers through traffic jams and is packed with Top Gear features including start-up and shut-down screens and car icons. Drivers can choose to have The Stig mode, which renders the device instantly silent, or select Jeremy Clarkson's voice to guide them.

“For Top Gear fans, this limited edition satnav is the ultimate driving companion. Featuring The Stig, Clarkson and TomTom HD Traffic, the GO LIVE Top Gear edition is perfect for drivers who love the open road,” said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom.

At £179.99, the TomTom GO LIVE Top Gear edition includes one year of TomTom's LIVE Services for free. The flagship service is TomTom HD Traffic, which delivers dynamic routing and accurate traffic information every two minutes. HD Traffic gives drivers detailed incident reports, length of delays and reason for them, accurate travel and arrival times and alternative route proposals.

The LIVE Services bundle also includes the Speed Cameras service, providing mobile and fixed speed camera alerts, while TomTom Places local search helps to pinpoint shops and businesses in the area. QuickGPSfix gets you navigating in seconds and TomTom Weather gives local and five-day forecasts.

Available from today in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US, this special edition also features richer, more detailed maps, hands-free calling (via Bluetooth®) plus voice command and control for entering addresses and more.

Available exclusively at Halfords in the UK, more information on the TomTom GO LIVE Top Gear edition at http://www.tomtom.com/topgear

The Tanooki Power-Up Returns For Super Mario’s Latest Adventures on Nintendo 3DS

The Super Leaf returns in SUPER MARIO 3D LAND and, for the first time, in Mario Kart 7 exclusive to Nintendo 3DS.

Mario is back and ready to take over your Nintendo 3DS™ this Christmas. Mario stars in not one but two exciting new Nintendo 3DS games when SUPER MARIO 3D LAND™ and Mario Kart™ 7 launch across Europe on 18th November and 2nd December respectively. Both games are exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS and both feature classic Mario action including a return of the classic Tanooki power-up.

SUPER MARIO 3D LAND, features a unique mix of classic and brand new Mario gameplay. Princess Peach is in trouble once again; Bowser has kidnapped her and there is only one man who can save the day.

SUPER MARIO 3D LAND mixes traditional elements of side-scrolling Mario titles like Super Mario Bros.™ 3 (NES™) and New Super Mario Bros.™ (DS), with newer 3D platforming action as seen in 3D Mario titles such as Super Mario Galaxy™ (Wii™). SUPER MARIO 3D LAND offers game play that every Mario player can easily get into as well as challenges for the biggest Mario experts. Can you make it to the Goal Pole in one piece?

Get ready to master a mixture of new and classic abilities on your quest through the Mushroom Kingdom, as the fan-favourite Tanooki Suit returns in SUPER MARIO 3D LAND. By getting a brown Super Leaf, Mario slips into his cute and furry Tanooki Suit giving him the ability to glide in mid air as well as perform a tail attack. You will also have fun mastering the many other abilities from the Propeller Box which makes Mario fly high in the air and the Fire Flower that allows Mario to throw fireballs at enemies.

Look out for special binoculars placed in certain stages and use them to shift perspective to first person, controlled by motion control, you can scout ahead in stages to spot enemies, obstacles and hidden options.

Mario Kart 7 is the latest instalment in the fan-favourite Mario Kart franchise and brings exciting 3D kart action to the palm of your hand. Drivers can explore all new competitive kart possibilities, on big jumps your kart will deploy a Glider to let you fly over the track, or speed over sea floor as you race underwater. Mastering these abilities will allow you to find shortcuts and beat your opponents to the finish line.

Classic items return and some new power-ups appear for the first time in Mario Kart 7. Fans of the Tanooki power-up will be glad to hear that the Super Leaf makes an appearance in this latest instalment giving you both offensive and defensive abilities. Use your Tanooki tail to both protect you from incoming shells and to whip opponents off the track.

Show off your style by customising your vehicle to give you a competitive advantage on the track. For example, some tyres will help you to drive off-road when the course gets rough while other tyres help you on the smoother city circuits.

All the classic Mushroom Kingdom characters return along with some new characters like Metal Mario and Lakitu, but if you would like to jump into the fun, then why not race as your Mii™ character? Challenge your friends in local wireless matches or online over a wireless internet connection while you try to master the new courses.

Share Ghost Data with people you encounter via StreetPass™ and register those you meet to challenge them online. You can also download Ghost Data from across the world via SpotPass™ to test your global karting skills.

There is a course suited to every driving style, from wild rides over a mountain road to city streets and dusty deserts. Fans might recognise new courses on Wuhu Island and in the jungles from Donkey Kong™ Country Returns.

SUPER MARIO 3D LAND and Mario Kart 7 will be available exclusively for Nintendo 3DS across Europe from 18th November and 2nd December respectively.

For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.co.uk.


(EDITOR: An ideal Christmas present for the gamer in your life!)