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12 Great Christmas Cookbooks

Posted November 24, 2017 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

Christmas food isn’t just about roast turkey and mince pies! There are so many different recipes to try so why not make Christmas this year a special one where you can ‘wow’ your guests with a range of magnificent festive food creations!

The Christmas cookbooks below come in various formats including hardback, paperback and Kindle. Click the links to see all the options available to you.

Christmas With Gordon

In Christmas With Gordon, chef Gordon Ramsay gives the reader 75 delicious recipes for all occasions over the festive period, including five Christmas feasts using turkey, goose, beef, ham or sea bass, and along with this you will find accompanying recipes that go perfectly with the main course.

In his typical straight forward way, Gordon also advises the reader on ordering, shopping, preparation and timing. There is a great Party Food chapter, and handy recipes for breakfast, brunch, lunch and supper, as well as tasty treats for those with a sweet-tooth! There is advice on wines and party drinks, cheese and other festive ingredients, making “Christmas With Gordon” a great guide to Christmas eating.

Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection

Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection combines traditional festive dishes with a great selection of new and exciting recipes to add interest to your Christmas feasts.

Within the pages of this Christmas recipe book you will find many excellent meals, and to make your entertaining easier and stress-free, Mary has included some great handy hints. If you’re holding a family Christmas dinner, a Boxing Day crowd or a quiet New Year meal, Mary Berry is here to help! Included in ‘Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection’ is a useful Christmas Day countdown, sample menus, shopping lists and handy tips on preparing for the celebrations and for cleverly using and saving what food is left (if any). This is a must-have recipe book for the festive period.

Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities

In Nigella Christmas, Nigella offers a no-nonsense approach and inspirational way to approach your Christmas cooking. By using sensible advice and easy-to-follow recipes, this Christmas recipe book is sure to bring festive joy to your household.

From party food ideas, delicious cake and pudding recipes to the main celebratory meal, Nigella has you covered. Included are sections on cocktails and canapés, soups, salads and sauces, easy dinner ideas and stress-free suppers, traditional Christmas dinners as well as alternatives such as goose, beef, pork or vegetarian, plus Christmas baking and sweet treats and recipes to make Boxing Day special.

With attractive photography, well written recipes and a beautiful design, you will treasure this book and look forward to using it each year. It also makes a fab Christmas present for friends or family.

Delia’s Happy Christmas

It could well be said that Delia’s Happy Christmas is the ultimate guide to Christmas cooking!

In this Christmas recipe book you will find 150 festive recipes including all your favourite traditional dishes and, of course, Delia’s Classic Christmas Cake recipe that has been in print for over 40 years. Naturally there is Delia’s foolproof recipe for a Roast Turkey dinner and all the trimmings and a traditional Christmas Pudding as well as ideas for parties, boxing-day suppers, vegetarian feasts and what to do with leftovers.

Organisation is the key to success so Delia also provides us with helpful menu plans, food shopping lists and her very own special Christmas calendar. If you’re unorganised there is also a chapter named ‘Last-Minute Christmas’ for the unprepared!

Illustrated with glorious full-colour photography, there’s no mistaking that everyone needs Delia at Christmas!

The Hairy Bikers’ 12 Days of Christmas

If you’re looking for a more relaxed Christmas cookbook then take a look at Si and Dave’s offering of The Hairy Bikers’ 12 Days of Christmas. With their unending enthusiasm for great food and everything festive, this is an excellent Christmas recipe book for you to own and enjoy. In this book you will discover many popular festive dishes plus new and inventive Christmas recipes that the guys love to cook for their own family and friends.

The Hairy Bikers offer you some great recipes for the main meal on Christmas Day as well as giving you many tasty dishes for the rest of the festive period. Don’t miss out on their choice of delicious cocktails to tame your in-laws, clever recipes for any leftovers and super snacks to nibble on in front of the telly. Si and Dave even tell you how to make your own Christmas crackers – perfect for keeping the kids distracted for a while. Make ‘The Hairy Bikers’ 12 Days of Christmas’ the handy and tasty companion to your all of your festive celebrations this year.

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook is full of classic recipes for the big day and beyond, as well as lots of tasty recipes for parties and exciting ways to make use of leftovers.

Chapters include Meat, The Wonderful World of Potatoes, Vegetarian Mains and Scrumptious Veggie Sides, Cute Edible Gifts and Festive Puddings, so you’re guaranteed to have many delicious festive feasts, without any stress.

You will discover many tasty alternatives to the standard Christmas dinner and in this cookbook there are recipes for pâtés and soups, roast turkey, goose and venison, nut roasts, roast and mashed potatoes, vegetables, gravies, sauces, stuffing, and risotto. For the dessert there is Christmas pudding, trifles, pavlova, chocolate logs, Christmas cake, mince pies, gingerbread, baked camembert, smoked salmon bilinis, hot buttered rum and lots more besides!

The Christmas Chronicles

More than a cookbook, The Christmas Chronicles speaks of the passion that Nigel Slater has for winter. With recipes, decorations, tales and suppers, Nigel expertly guides you through the neccesary preparations for Christmas and the New Year, plus all else you may need to enjoy the winter months.

Directing you from the start of November all the way through to the end of January, this book has chapters on everything from Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year to Epiphany. Nigel gives the reader over 100 recipes that are perfect for the winter months, including the festive period. Traditional and loved Christmas classics such as goose and turkey, mincemeat and Christmas cake are here, and you can also find recipes to make the cold months feel warmer and bright flavours to welcome the new year.

Chock full of feasts, folktales, myths and memoir, all told in Nigel’s welcoming style, The Christmas Chronicles is the perfect book for the winter solstice.

Tanya’s Christmas: Make, Bake and Celebrate

More than simply a Christmas cookbook, Tanya’s Christmas: Make, Bake and Celebrate is a celebration of Christmas crammed with festive recipes and craft projects.

In this festive book, Tanya Burr offers the reader her knowledge of everything needed to make the most of Christmas. Besides some classic Christmas recipes such as roast turkey with all the trimmings and baked festive treats, she aims to guide you on how to choose the perfect gift, decorate your home, host a memorable party, and she also offers her own hair and make-up tips.

Written as a countdown to Christmas Day and the New Year, this book has over 50 delightful recipes and inspiring craft projects. ‘Tanya’s Christmas’ is a celebration of the season that makes a wonderful gift – or simply buy it for yourself!

Gizzi’s Season’s Eatings: Feasts & Celebrations from Halloween to Happy New Year

Nobody enjoys a gathering more than Gizzi Erksine, and in Gizzi’s Season’s Eatings, her winter book offering, she shows you how to create tasty, crowd-pleasing food for your family and friends. Whatever the occasion, you will find something to make for the ones you love.

With chapters including Halloween, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, you will find recipes for Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and New Year’s brunch. For Halloween she creates a frightful feast and for Guy Fawkes night you’ll love to make her sausage casserole. Other recipes include Boxing Day turkey mole enchiladas, Thanksgiving clambake and dense chocolate Christmas cake.

New York Christmas: Recipes and Stories

Written by authors Lisa Nieschlag and Lars Wentrup, New York Christmas is a combination of recipes and stories. In it you can live the dream of a White Christmas in New York where coloured lights decorate the buildings, Jingle Bells rings out from every street corner and festive cuisine tempts you to indulge.

If you’ve ever dreamed of strolling down a wintry Fifth Avenue, ice-skating around the Christmas tree in front of the Rockerfeller Center, or enjoying a delicious slice of pumpkin pie in a bustling New York cafe, you will love this book. Inside you will discover 50 uniquely American recipes from Maple Glazed Ham and Savoury Bagels to Blueberry Brownies and an unforgettable Cheesecake, all interwoven with a collection of lovely Christmas stories from the Big Apple. You will also be thrilled to find three special Christmas-themed tales that are so well-known in the US that they have now become part of popular Christmas folklore in the USA.

Scandinavian Christmas

In Scandinavia the whole of Christmastime, from the first Sunday in Advent to New Year’s Day, is celebrated by festivals – both traditional contemporary – and you will discover all the pleasure of it in Scandinavian Christmas by Trine Hahnemann. Bakers will love to hear that the first week of December is baking week when enough baked goods have to be made to last the whole Christmas period. From brunches, cocktail and tea parties, to lunches and dinners, the Scandinavians cook a mixture of traditional and modern recipes. Duck and pork are most common on Christmas Eve, whilst fish, ham and seasonal vegetables are served on Christmas Day. Sweets, biscuits, puddings and other tasty foods are plentiful – all accompanied by gluwein and fruity cocktails.

This lovely book, complete with beautiful photography, contains 70 Christmas recipes as well as tips on how to decorate your homes and celebrate Christmas the Scandinavian way.

Good Food: 101 Christmas Dishes

Full of inspirational ideas, excellent menus and superb recipes, the Good Food: 101 Christmas Dishes cookbook will find festive foodies jumping for joy as the discover everything they need to make Christmas magical.

This Christmas recipe book is split into six sections: Edible Gifts, Christmas Cakes and Other Bakes, Party Drinks and Nibbles, The Christmas Feast and all the Trimmings, Entertaining Starters and Centrepieces, and Festive Finales. The recipes are varied, and most are simple and quick and could be made by anyone. Each recipe is accompanied by its own picture which is essential for any good cookbook.

From canapés to Christmas cake, the BBC Good Food Magazine will guide you on every step of journey through Christmas cooking with mouthwatering, simple recipes that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours on end.

The Best Christmas Bakeware

Posted November 21, 2017 by Nicki & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

Cake tins, cookie cutters and cake moulds in a Christmas theme

There’s plenty of opportunities for baking at Christmas time and all you need are some stylish baking accessories to help you keep in the theme. Here we’ve selected a sample of the best Christmas bakeware to help you show off your skills and delight your friends and family. There are Christmas tins to house your Christmas cakes and goodies whilst travelling or unveiling at the table, and cookie cutters and cake moulds to make the perfect Christmas themed cakes and biscuits. Take a look below and choose your accessories from the best and most highly rated we can find.

Christmas Cake Tins

These Christmas Cake Tins come in sets of different sizes and have patterns or Christmas themed illustrations to suit your tastes. The six below are highly rated and so it is just a matter of choosing a design and the sizes you need.

KitchenCraft The Nutcracker Collection Christmas Cake Storage Tins

Tin sizes: 25cm (10”) and 22cm (8½”)

khevga Set of 3 Christmas Cake and Biscuit Tins

Tin sizes: 19cm x 8cm, 16cm x 7cm, 13cm x 7cm

Emma Bridgewater Set of 2 Reindeer Square Cake Tins

Tin sizes: 22cm x 22cm x 11cm, 24.5cm x 24.5cm x 12.5cm

Red Pattern Christmas Cake Tin Set by Gisela Graham – Set of 3

Tin sizes: D20cm x H8.5cm, D22cm x H9.5cm, D25.5cm x H10.5cm

Carousel Set of 3 Festive Gingerbread Christmas Storage Tins

Tin sizes: 20cm x 9cm, 17cm x 8cm, 14cm x 7cm

LETTUCE EAT Set of 6 Round Tins – 3 Large and 3 Small – Random Selection

Tin sizes: Large Tin = 17cm x 8cm, Small Tin = 15.5cm x 6.5cm

Nordic Ware – Christmas Cake Moulds

Nordic Ware is the best in bakeware for high quality professional cake moulds. This highly rated selection will have you baking the most beautiful and tastiest Christmas cakes you can. Impress your family and friends with a cake made using Nordic Ware Christmas cake moulds.

Nordic Ware Platinum Holiday Wreath Bundt Pan

Nordic Ware Baking Mould with Snowflakes Design

Nordic Ware Yule Log Cake Mould

Nordic Ware Gingerbread House Bundt Pan

Nordic Ware Sweet Snowflakes Shortbread Pan

Nordic Ware Platinum Cozy Village Baking Pan

Christmas Cookie Cutters

Baking cookies with the children is one of the best Christmas traditions. With this selection of Christmas cookie cutters you have a wide choice of festive shapes to make and the kids will enjoy decorating them in true Christmas style.

Wilton Christmas Metal Cutter Set – 18 Pieces

Lurch 8-Piece Christmas Cookie Cutters

Swift Set of 7 Christmas Cookie Cutters

If you’re looking for gift ideas for the Baker in your life, take a look at our article: Gift Ideas for the Baker.

The Black + Blum Leaning Tower of Pasta Spaghetti Jar

Posted October 16, 2017 by Paul & filed under Editor's Choice.

I stumbled across this fantastic spaghetti storage container whilst I was looking through the Black Friday Deals on Amazon.co.uk. I was instantly hooked by its clever design and quirkiness! What do you think – Smart isn’t it?

The Black + Blum Leaning Tower of Pasta isn’t the cheapest pasta storage jar that you can buy, but it is certainly a talking point in the kitchen. I love the way that the Leaning Tower of Pisa, that classical world renowned structure, is depicted in classy looking white ceramic. It really does make me think of Italy when I view it!

Not only does this spaghetti jar look great, it is practical too. The cork stopper contains a clever measuring system which enables you to determine how much pasta you need for your meal and the Leaning Tower of Pasta is also dishwasher safe.

Now the bad news… Amazon stopped selling Black + Blum Leaning Tower of Pasta in January 2019 so I’ve had to look elsewhere to satisfy my long pasta storage needs. Fortunately in my searches I have found a great looking tall spaghetti jar made by T&G.

T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Jar

The T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Storage Jar is available in four different colours so it suits many kitchen colour schemes, including my own. The T&G Pride of Place Spaghetti Jar measures 120mm diameter by x 315mm tall and it’s made of very classy ceramic which is dishwasher safe.

T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Storage Jar Ceramic White 18087

T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Storage Jar Ceramic Grey 18103

T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Storage Jar Ceramic Green 18017

T&G Pride of Place Pasta Spaghetti Storage Jar Ceramic Cream 18037

If you like the look of the T&G spaghetti jars above then you’ll be glad to know that you can also purchase bread bins and tea, coffee and sugar jars in the same design. Now that would really make your kitchen look incredible!

Meet the author of lifestyle book “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist”

Posted April 10, 2017 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

In this article we are chatting to Haley Erin Miller, lifestyle pioneer and author of Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist, a book for healthy recipes, exercise and stress management.

KCS: Hello Haley, it’s great to be able to chat with you today. I can see that you have a tiny waist so your lifestyle is working perfectly, but please answer the question on everybody’s lips – what is a tiny plate?

Haley: The Tiny Plate is your key to creative cooking at dinner time and lets you lose weight without counting calories! The plate is 10 centimeters square.

KCS: Why did you develop the “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” lifestyle? Was it for personal reasons?

Haley: Yes, I fell away from healthy living soon after starting to work in an office environment. My body felt awful and I wanted to get back in shape before having children.

KCS: When did you decide that the “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” lifestyle could be beneficial for everyone?

Haley: I realized that I was able to re-create a healthy lifestyle because I already knew how to cook and exercise. I have met quite a few people over the years that have no cooking knowledge. I realized that a person without cooking skills would have a very difficult time trying to lose weight because they can only eat whatever is available at restaurants. While there are some healthy foods in restaurants, they tend to be more expensive or less tasty than the unhealthy options. I wanted to help others learn to cook healthy foods that also taste good!

Many people are unsure of how to start exercising. There are others who need techniques to manage their stress in order to have a healthy life and I felt that I should share this information for their benefit as well.

KCS: How many recipes do you have in your book?

Haley: There are 59 unique recipes in the book. Many of them have a gluten-free version and a regular version. There are over 80 recipe variations in the book.

KCS: How many exercises are there? Are there age or weight restrictions on who can do the exercises?

Haley: There are 22 resistance exercises included in the book. Several of the exercises have more than one variation, so there are 29 resistance exercises in all. The book also includes 18 stretches and relaxation techniques. I suggest that each person who wishes to adopt the Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist lifestyle speak with their doctor regarding the suitability of the exercises and meal plans for their individual situation. Day 1, for example, begins with a 20 minute walk. This is quite gentle and it will be possible for many, but not all, people to participate. I do include an appendix for people who are not physically permitted to exercise.

KCS: What is Stress Management and how does your book help us cope with stress?

Haley: Everyone experiences stress. When negative events occur, many people choose to make unhealthy choices like over-eating or eating foods with a high amount of sugar/fat. This can contribute to weight gain. Stress management is learning techniques to better cope with stress.

Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist includes an inspirational stretching program to manage stress. The plan for each day has an inspirational quote and stretches. You focus on the quote while breathing deeply and stretching. It helps both the mind and the body to relax and relieves tension.

KCS: Back to the food… You don’t like to count calories. Why is that?

Haley: The Tiny Plate makes calorie counting unnecessary so you are freed up for something more fun!

KCS: Are any special kitchen appliances needed to make the recipes in your book?

Haley: No, you don’t need anything fancy to make the recipes in the book. There are a few items that make cooking easier and more fun!

It is definitely helpful to have a food processor if you are going to make your own hummus. You can choose to purchase hummus at the store, but it is especially tasty when you make it yourself! Rice cookers are not required, but they make the cooking process much easier. The rice tends to have a better texture coming from a rice cooker rather than a pot on the stove as well.

I love slow cookers! It’s great to put a roast in the pot, season it and come back to a hot meal! I have instructions for slow-cooker chili and pot roast. I have made the broiled chicken recipes in a slow cooker as well and they turn out very nicely!

It might also be helpful to have measuring cups and spoons with both imperial & metric measurements. Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist uses imperial measurements.

KCS: I have watched your excellent video. In it you mention Day A, Day B, etc. How does the days plan work?

Haley: The book includes instructions for 22 weeks of meals, exercises, inspirational quotes and stretches. There are five primary meal schedules with different options available to spice things up. There are daily instructions that tell a person the available food choices, so it’s not necessary to look at the chart and keep track of whether you are on Day B or Day C, but the chart is there for people who like to see the bigger picture.

KCS: Are there any strict rules to your “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” lifestyle?

Haley: Yes, there are just three rules of the Tiny Plate: You cannot select a whole stick of butter, a whole block of cheese or foods with refined sugar. There is, however, a cheat day every week and you can eat whatever tickles your fancy without size limitations.

KCS: Creativity in cooking is a big part of the “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” lifestyle. What are some of the most creative meals you have made?

Haley: My Chicken curry soup is an awesome accompaniment to dinner and you can eat as much of it as you want! It’s packed with flavor and veggies, but is very low in fat!

My mushroom and beer chili makes a fabulously tasty lunch and it’s also great for you!

KCS: Where can I buy a Tiny Plate?

Haley: You can use any plate about 10 centimeters square for the Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist lifestyle.

KCS: Where can we buy your book “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” and what formats is it available in?

Haley: Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist is available on Amazon UK as a paperback and also in Kindle format. You can also buy it on Amazon.com and Amazon.com.au.

Paperback (UK): Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist: Paperback
Kindle Edition (UK): Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist: Kindle Edition
Paperback (US): Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist: Paperback
Kindle Edition (US): Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist: Kindle Edition
Kindle Edition (AUS): Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist: Kindle Edition

KCS: Thank you for spending time with us today and for telling us all about your “Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist” lifestyle which is definitely working for – you look fabulous! One last question… what meal is on your Tiny Plate tonight?

Haley: I’m making my favorite pot roast, mashed potatoes & a berry balsamic salad!

KCS: Thanks, Haley!

Haley: Thank you so much for the interview, Paul!

You can follow Haley on Twitter at @HaleyErinMille1 and on Facebook at TinyPlateTinyWaist. You can also find more information about this fantastic healthy lifestyle on the Tiny Plate, Tiny Waist website at www.tinyplatetinywaist.com

Personal Blenders for a Healthy Lifestyle

Posted February 19, 2017 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

Here at Kitchen & Cook Shop we’ve been looking for new products from established manufacturers that aim to make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable and productive. We’ve tracked down a few of the best selling personal blenders that we hope you will find useful in the busy lifestyles that we all seem to have nowadays!

VonShef 1000W Personal Blender

One of our favourite manufacturers, Von Shef, has a wide range of kitchen appliances, including this very highly rated blender / smoothie maker. The VonShef 1000W Personal Blender (Model No. 13/283) has 1000 Watts of power and this set includes one large 800ml cup, one medium 500ml cup, and two lids. The strong 1000W motor combined with a 25,000 RPM speed and super-sharp stainless steel blades means that this blender handles everything with ease – including ice. It usually retails for around £54.99 but can sometimes be found on offer.

If you’re looking to have a healthier lifestyle this year then this personal blender is perfect for making green juices, protein shakes & fruit smoothies. And it is so simple to use – simply twist the blending cup until locked in place, then twist back when you are done! A large percentage of the reviews of this blender are very high, which is typical of many Von Shef products, so you know you’re getting a quality product at a good price.

NUTRiBULLET 600 Series High Speed Blender

Loved by millions around the world, the NUTRiBULLET 600 Series High Speed Blender uses cyclonic technology and a powerful 600 watt motor to break down fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and ice with its strong and reliable extraction blades. This set includes two cups so that you can enjoy simply made nutrition throughout the day, and even better is the fact that cleaning the blender is a breeze!

The NutriBullet blender breaks down ingredients into a pulp free, tasty smoothie. Ice is crushed. Seeds burst open. Stems and tough skins are shredded allowing you access to the normally unused nutrition of the produce you are blending. This eight piece set includes two cups, lids, a user manual with recipes and a pocket nutrition guide. The NUTRiBULLET 600 Series Blender has an RRP of £59.99 but like most things on Amazon UK, it may be discounted from time-to-time, so if you’re lucky you may get a deal on this great personal blender.

Ninja 2-in-1 Blender with Auto-iQ 1200 W (BN750UK)

Nutri Ninja blenders have been around for many years and they have a good reputation for quality and dependability. This can certainly be said of the Ninja 2-in-1 Blender with Auto-iQ 1200 W (BN750UK) that enjoys a 4.8 star rating on Amazon UK with over 800 reviews.

This highly rated kitchen blender includes a few pre-set Auto-iQ programmes that take the guesswork out of blending your fruit, vegetables and more. It has a 1200 Watt motor and it has blend, max blend and crush buttons as well as the Auto IQ functions. It is noted that this blender handles ice crushing with ease as well as all common fruits and veg, however some buyers comment that it is very noisy and bigger than they expected. In addition to the 2.1 litre jug and a 700ml cup with lid. This Ninja 2-in-1 Blender 1200 W has an RRP of £149.99 but can often be found on offer at a lower price.

Ninja Nutri Slim Blender and Smoothie Maker (QB3001UKS)

Another personal blender made by Ninja that is enjoyed by many is the Ninja Nutri Slim 700W Blender and Smoothie Maker (QB3001UKS) Its 700 watt motor is not the most powerful here, but it still spins at an impressive 20,000 RPM, blending most ingredients – including ice – with ease. This blender is also ideal for making sauces, soups, dips and delicious desserts with little effort.

This personal blender has an excellent rating with very few complaints. It comes with two dishwasher-safe cups, two sip and seal lids and a recipe guide make yourself. Another positive feature of this blender is its compact size. It can stay on your kitchen worktop all the time, ensuring that you always have access to it. This great little blender has an RRP of £59.99 but it is often on special offer at £49.99 or less!

It is always worth searching for different offers and deals on Nutri Ninja products because you could find the same product with extra cups or features for a similar price from time-to-time.

Round Up

Here we have just shown a few of the best selling personal blenders from renowned manufacturers available today, and you can’t really go wrong with any of the products show above. It just goes to show that having a healthy lifestyle really can be easy, so don’t delay, get yourself a personal blender today!

Best selling kitchen appliances make great gifts!

Posted December 6, 2015 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll find it very difficult to choose gifts for your family and friends, especially at times like Christmas when it is even harder than usual as we have to buy a multitude of presents for many different types of people.

A while ago I discovered that on the Amazon UK website you can view all of the best selling items in each category. This was a massive time saver for me! I now know that what I am buying as a gift is very often a tried and tested product, and not only that, I can get some great ideas for birthday or Christmas gifts, including many products that I may never have thought of if I hadn’t seen the web page.

Below I have chosen some kitchen appliances that are often purchased on Amazon UK or via articles on our own Kitchen & Cook Shop website. Most of these kitchen items are quite affordable as gifts and because they are well known I am sure that the recipient will be happy with your choice of present.

Kitchen blenders are a healthy lifestyle gift

There is no quicker or easier way of getting homemade nutritious food inside you than blending together some fruit or vegetables and making a smoothie, shake or soup. In our lives today we have little time to spare so the quicker it is to make a healthy drink or meal, the better. Below are three blenders that allow you to make nutritious food in no time at all. Perfect for single people, couples or families, these kitchen blenders are affordable, reliable, simple to use and easy to clean!

Breville Blend-Active Personal Blender

Tefal Blendforce II Blender with Plastic Jug

Breville Blend-Active Personal Blender Family Pack

Clever cooking with a slow cooker

I love my slow cooker and it gets used almost every week for making stews and soups or for cooking joints of meat. Slow cookers are an efficient and simple way of making a meal that is often nutritious, filling and tasty! Also known as a crock pot in the US, a slow cooker is a great way for busy people to cook meals for themselves or their family. Simply prepare the ingredients, add them to the slow cooker, stir, turn it on and get on with your day. When you return home after doing your duties, your kitchen will smell wonderful and a delicious meal will be waiting for you to serve! The three slow cookers below are best sellers on Amazon UK.

Morphy Richards Accents 48702 Sear and Stew Slow Cooker in Red

Morphy Richards Accents Sear and Stew Slow Cooker

Crock-Pot DuraCeramic Digital Saute Slow Cooker with Hob-Safe Pot

Russell Hobbs 24180 Chalkboard 3.5L Slow Cooker

Make soup just the way you want it

A soup maker is both a time saver and a space saver! Being almost the same size as a kettle, a soupmaker is perfect for those that wish to make chunky or smooth delicious and nutritious soups but have limited space in their kitchen. In my household, we use the hob or slow cooker to make soup, but I can see the many advantages that a soup maker has. The process of making soup in a soup maker (such as the three best sellers shown below) is simple. Just chop up your ingredients, put them into the soup maker, put on the lid and choose the type of soup you want. In 20 or so minutes you’ll have a pot full of delicious soup, made exactly how you want, and without any of the unnecessary additives that shop bought soups tend to be full of nowadays. In many soup makers you can also make smoothies and milkshakes too!

Morphy Richards 48822 Soupmaker

Salter EK2613 Go Healthy Electric Soup Maker

Tower T12031 Soup Maker with Stainless Steel Jug and Blade

Coffee machines – Gifts to perk up your day!

If you have friends or family that are coffee lovers then a coffee machine makes an excellent gift. For the coffee purist, a bean-to-cup coffee machine or a manual espresso coffee machine is probably the best choice, however many people like coffee but want it quickly and without fuss, and in these cases, a capsule coffee machine is perfect! Some of the best selling coffee machines seen below all make excellent coffee and the capsule machines shown here are very affordable and would make an excellent gift. Perhaps you could even treat yourself and purchase a coffee maker so you can have a tasty brew whenever you want without having to pop down to a big chain coffee shop and pay their extortionate prices!

Bosch Tassimo Vivy Multi-Beverage Machine

Bosch Tassimo Vivy 2 Multi-Beverage Machine

De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM4200 Bean to Cup Espresso/Cappuccino Coffee Machine

De’Longhi Magnifica Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Morphy Richards Bean to Cup Grind and Brew Coffee Machine

Breville All-in-One Coffee House, Espresso, Filter and Pods Coffee Machine with Milk Frother

Sage BES875UK The Barista Express with Temp Control Milk Jug

DeLonghi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Jovia Pod Capsule Coffee Machine

DeLonghi Nescafé Dolce Gusto Jovia Pod Capsule Coffee Machine

Top Selling Bamboo Steamers

Posted January 12, 2021 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

In our household we use our steamer all the time to cook nutrition-packed vegetables and, on occasions, fish fillets. It’s so simple and quick! At present we have a metal steamer but I am thinking of buying a bamboo steamer for a couple of reasons:

A bamboo steamer absorbs some of the water so condensation is less likely to drip on the cooked food
In general, metal steamers get hotter than bamboo steamers and sometimes the bottom of the cooked items are a bit dry

Our metal steamer works well but it does sometimes suffer from the problems noted above. Another reason I want to get a bamboo steamer is purely aesthetical – they simply look so cool, and are much more authentic if you plan on steaming Asian foods such as dim sum, dumplings or bao buns. We also very much like bamboo on Kitchen and Cook Shop as you can read here and here!

From doing some research, the only drawback with owning a bamboo steamer is that they are more delicate than metal steamers so require careful cleaning and dry storage. Bamboo is porous so only the very smallest amount of detergent should be used and the steamer must dry fully at room temperature before putting away to prevent the build up of mould.

Visit Amazon UK for the latest and greatest bamboo steamers available in the UK. I’ll let you know when I’ve bought mine and do a review on it.

Bamboo Steamers

The use of bamboo steamers dates back over 5,000 years, and the design has barely changed in all that time. The steamer consists of a layer with bamboo strips that allow steam through and a lid. The most commonly found bamboo steamers have two steaming layers (tiers) and a lid, but they can also be purchased with single steaming layer or three tier plus lid. They are available in a variety of sizes with the most popular being 8″ (20cm) and 10″ (25cm) in diameter.

10 Inch Handmade Bamboo Steamer

BirdRock Home Large 25cm Bamboo Chinese 2 Tier Steamer

Hcooker 2 Tier Kitchen Bamboo Steamer Basket

KitchenCraft World of Flavours 20cm 2 Tier Bamboo Steamer Basket

Ken Hom Excellence 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer

BlauKe 25cm Bamboo Steamer Basket

Jaomon Organic 2-Tier Oriental Bamboo Steamer with Lid

Typhoon Double Tier Bamboo Steamer

Dexam 25cm Bamboo Steamer Set With 2 layers and Lid

Metal Banded Bamboo Steamers

It is quite common to find bamboo steamers enhanced with rings of metal. Manufacturers claim that these stainless steel bands help to more efficiently trap in moisture, and make the steamer more sturdy and durable. The addition of metal bands also adds a pleasing look to the bamboo steamer.

10 Inch Premium Organic Bamboo Steamer by Harcas

Hcooker 2 Tier Kitchen Bamboo Steamer with Double Stainless Steel Banding

VonShef Premium 2 Tier Bamboo Steamer

Thank you for reading this quick look at some of the UK’s top selling steamers made from bamboo. We hope that they help you make dim sum to perfection!

Top Selling Kitchen Knife Sets

Posted December 9, 2020 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

If there were just one item in the kitchen that is absolutely essential, I would say that a kitchen knife would be it. Without a knife you would struggle to prepare even the simplest of meals, unless of course you only eat take aways and canned food!

The first ever knives were pieces of flint crudely shaped to have sharp edges, and these were used even before Homo sapien were around. These ‘knives’ were used for hunting, fishing, and protection, as well as harvesting and preparing food. We’ve moved on a lot since then and now you can find a plethora of options when it comes to kitchen knives.

Many people would say that there are four essential knives to have in your kitchen: A chef’s knife (8″ to 10″), a small paring knife, a serrated bread knife, and a carving knife. Of course, it is always useful to have extra knives to hand so below we have picked out some of our favourites from the best selling kitchen knife sets on Amazon UK.

Not only are knife sets useful to purchase for yourself, they also make great gifts for others. Just make sure you wrap them safely!

Great Starter Kitchen Knife Sets

These four kitchen knife sets are all highly recommended, especially for those on a budget. They make excellent gifts for anybody starting a new home as they are great value and fully functional. They will provide their owner with all they need for cutting, chopping and paring in the kitchen. They also look very neat too!

Kitchen Devils Control Starter Set

TRENDS Home 5 Piece Kitchen Knife Set

Ankway 5 Piece Ceramic Knife Set in Black

Kung Fu Carrot Kitchen Knife Set

Stylish Kitchen Knife Sets

If you like to show off your kitchen knives in a stylish way, look no further than these four knife sets. They are made to be displayed proudly in your kitchen, and of course, they are all excellent knives in their own right too – they aren’t just for show. Who says kitchen knives can’t look great and perform well at the same time. Not us!

Velaze 8pcs Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Sets with Sharpener and Spinning Block

Tower Damascus Effect Kitchen Knife Set with Acrylic Knife Block

Home Hero Chef Kitchen Knives Set

Tower Marble Effect Kitchen Knife Set with Acrylic Knife Block

Colour Coded Kitchen Knife Sets

Some people like to colour code their knives for specific purposes. You may wish to keep a knife for cutting meat only, or perhaps a knife or two solely for vegetables. Other people like to use one knife for fish and nothing else. Whatever your preference, using a colour coded system helps the process and looks great at the same time. Naturally, these knives all perform as brilliantly as they look.

Nuovva Colour Coding 5 Piece Kitchen Knives Set

VonShef 5 Piece Knife Set

Joseph Joseph Elevate 6-Piece Multi-Colour Knives Set

Joseph Joseph Elevate Multi-Colour Knives Carousel Set

Hecef Kitchen Knife Sets

HECEF stands for “Hi, Enjoy Cooking, Enjoy Food!” and they know a thing about kitchen knives as they are constantly at the top of the best selling list on Amazon UK. All their products are FDA, LFGB, ISO9001, and ISO14001 approved and buyers are very happy using their knives. In fact, you could say that they Enjoy Cooking with them! We love the look of Hecef knife sets and the picks below are just four of our favourites.

Hecef Kitchen Knife Set

Hecef Marble Pattern Kitchen Knife Set

Hecef Premium Kitchen Knife Set

Hecef Black Oxide Knife Set

Wanbasion Kitchen Knife Sets

I can’t find much information about the Wanbasion brand but they are highly rated on Amazon UK for their kitchen implements and knives. We really like the look of their knifes, and the knife sets that they manufacture seem to be very well priced. They incorporate into their knives features commonly found on more expensive products, such as anti-scratch coatings and ultra fine blades.

Wanbasion Professional Blue Kitchen Knives Block Set

Wanbasion Damascus Style Cooking Chef Kitchen Knife Set

Wanbasion 6 Pieces Matte Black Titanium Plated Knife Set

Wanbasion 16 Pieces Blue Kitchen Knife Set

Wooden Knife Block Kitchen Knife Sets

I’ve written before how much I appreciate the look and feel of real wood in the home and kitchen. Wooden knife blocks have many positive points to consider including:

they keep your knifes safe
they keep your knives close to hand
the wood helps them to keep a keen edge
the can store a large number of knives and other implements
they look great and stylish

The following wooden block kitchen knife sets on Amazon UK really appeal to me.

homgeek 8 Piece Kitchen Knife Set with Block

Ross Henery Professional 6 Piece Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Set in Solid Oak Block

HOBO 14-Piece Kitchen Knife Set with Block Wooden

HOBO 15-Piece Kitchen Knife Set with Block Wooden

Cookit 15 Piece Kitchen Knife Set

ROMEKER 6 Piece Knife Set

Toni Sharpe 16 Piece Premium Knife Set with Wooden Block

Bill.F Kitchen Knife Set

Thank you for reading this roundup on some of the UK’s top selling knife sets. We hope that it has helped you choose your new kitchen knives!

Whisky Glasses and Whisky Gift Sets

Posted December 1, 2020 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

Many whisky drinkers feel that it’s important to drink their tipple out of a decent glass – and we completely agree! Whilst some whisky drinkers can be as choosy about their glasses as they are their whisky, we are happy to enjoy our dram out of any glass that has a solid base and room to allow the drink to breathe, ensuring that we are able to enjoy the aroma of the whisky.

Below are some of the whisky glasses that have caught our eye among the many hundreds available on Amazon UK. Most are of the tumbler or old fashioned style glass as we feel that these are the most popular and most useful in the home as they are perfect for mixers and other drinks too. We have also included a couple of Glencairn style glasses that are often used at whisky tastings, which are a great addition to your glassware collection if you buy or receive a Whisky Tasting Gift Set at some point.

Whisky Glasses

You can purchase whisky glasses as singles but it is quite common for them to come as a set. This can make it better value to buy, but more importantly, it is also a great gift idea, especially if you have a drinking buddy whose drinks cabinet you might like to explore but need a reason to do so without appearing rude!

Glencairn Whisky Nosing Tasting Glass

The Glencairn Official Whisky Twin Pack

GEO Whiskey Glasses by FLOW Barware

Dartington Crystal Set of 2 Handmade Old Fashioned Dimple Tumblers

Set of 2 Crystal Whiskey Glasses by FLOW

Set of 2 Cooko Twist Whiskey Glasses

KANARS 4 Piece No-Lead Crystal Whiskey Glasses Set

Set of 4 Whiskey Tumblers

Set of 4 RCR Mixology Luxion Crystal Tumblers

English Pewter Company 11oz Whisky Glass Tumbler with Monogram Initial

Set of 2 Cooko Whisky Glasses

Dartington Crystal Whisky Glass

Whisky Glass Gift Sets

If you know a whisky drinker and are looking for a present for them, any of these fantastic whisky glass sets would be a brilliant gift idea. Many of these gift sets include whisky stones – an excellent alternative to ice cubes to keep a good whisky cool without impairing the flavour, strength or purity of the drink.

Whisky Gift Set with Old Fashioned Glass and Stones

Rocking Whiskey Glass & Mega Ice Ball Mould Set

Whiskey Stones and Glass Gift Set for Men

Whiskoff Whiskey Glasses and Stones Gift Set

Whiskey Chilling Stones Gift Set

Kollea Crystal Whisky Stones and Glasses Gift Set

Our Favourite Whisky Glasses

On Kitchen & Cook Shop we have already written a couple of articles about our favourite whisky glasses. Our absolute favourite glass is the The Cibi Double Old Fashioned Glass as featured in the film Blade Runner. I wrote an entire article about the history of these whisky glasses and their role in the groundbreaking Sci-Fi movie starring Harrison Ford.

The other glasses we really like are the Bormioli Rocco Sorgente Glasses with their unique shape and utterly fantastic price! They are a real talking point and also very good for those that find it difficult or uncomfortable holding straight sided glasses. Read more about these great Sorgente drinks glasses.

The Cibi Double Old Fashioned Glass

The Bormioli Rocco Sorgente Whisky Glass

Bormioli Rocco Sorgente Glass

Top Selling Pots & Pans Sets

Posted October 28, 2020 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

If you’re looking for some decent cookware to replace your tired looking pots and pans, or perhaps you’re setting up a new home and have very little to cook with, take a moment to read this page and discover some of the UK’s top selling pots and pans sets.

Buying Considerations

When looking to buy new post and pans it’s important to consider a few things:

The type of material: stainless steel, copper, cast iron, aluminium, etc.
Non-stick or not
The type of hob you will be using them on
Can you also put them in the oven? This affects handle material.
Number of saucepans required
Number of frying pans required
Sizes of saucepans and fry pans

We won’t dwell on these points too much however it’s important that you choose the right material dependant on the type of hob you have. Many modern hobs are induction hobs so your pots and pans will need a special type of base for them to work. Also check if the base of the pots is safe to use on ceramic hobs as they can be quite susceptible to scratching. When you have figured out your own particular options you will still be amazed at the wide range of choices available to you.

Pots and Pans Sizes

After a while you get to know which pots and pans you use the most and it’s easier to decide what size and type of pots and pans set you need. It’s not so easy when you are starting out though! In our household we use the 18 cm and the 20 cm saucepans the most. The 16 cm saucepan gets used occasionally and the 24 cm frying pan is used weekly but we would prefer something larger. We do have a milk pan and a small frying pan but they are pretty much collecting dust now!

Once you know what size set of pots and pans you need why not check out the latest best selling pots and pans sets on Amazon UK to see what people are buying at the moment. Many of the products there can also be found on this page.

All the products shown on this page have received high ratings on Amazon UK by their buyers, but it’s always good to read a selection of positive and negative product reviews to get a good idea of what people don’t like about the new pots and pans they have bought and are using.

3 Piece Pots and Pans Sets

If you’re just looking for new saucepans, a 3 piece set is probably the best choice for you. Most 3 piece pan sets come with saucepans sized at 16 cm, 18 cm and 20 cm in diameter, and most 3 piece saucepan sets include lids, but not all. The Tefal Ingenio set shown below has a removable handle to save storage space in the kitchen, but lids can’t be used whilst cooking so they are not included. All the sets shown below can be used with induction hobs too which is very handy!

Morphy Richards 3 Piece Saucepans Set With Lids

Circulon Momentum Set of 3 Hard Anodised Saucepans Set With Lids

Swan 3 Piece Retro Induction Saucepan Set With Glass Lids - 11 Colours Available

Swan 3 Piece Retro Induction Saucepan Set With Glass Lids – Choice of Colours Available

Tefal Ingenio Saucepan Set Stainless Steel

5 Piece Pots and Pans Sets

By far and away the most common pots and pans sets purchased are the 5 piece sets. Some sets will come with 3 pots and two frying pans, whilst others will have a milk pan instead of a small frying pan. It’s up to you which kind of set will be more useful in your household. A standard set will usually include 16 cm, 18 cm, 20 cm saucepans, a 14 cm milk pan and 24 cm frying pan. In cases where you don’t have a milk pan, you usually find a 20 cm frying pan instead but this isn’t always the case so check.

As noted earlier, most of these pots and pans sets will include lids for the saucepans, but you may also find that some manufacturers include lids for the frying pans or even the milk pans. This can make for excellent value for money and be very useful when cooking, however you have to think about the space available for storage for these extra lids.

Tefal 5 Piece Delight Cookware Set

Morphy Richards 5 Piece Frying Pan and Saucepan Set With Lids

Prestige Everyday Milkpan, Saucepan and Frypan Set

Meyer Induction Non-Stick Cookware Aluminium 5 Piece Set

Meyer Induction 5-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Circulon Set of 5 Premier Professional Saucepan and Frypans

SHINEURI Nonstick Ceramic Copper Cookware Set

Tower Induction Frying Pan and Saucepan Set with Cooking Tools

Circulon Infinite Set of 5 Saucepans and Frypans

Swan 5 Piece Retro Induction Pan Set With Glass Lids - Choice of 7 Colours

Swan 5 Piece Retro Induction Pan Set With Glass Lids – Choice of Colours Available

Russell Hobbs Classic Collection 5-Piece Pan Set

SHINEURI Pots & Pans Cookware Set - 4 Colours Available

SHINEURI Pots & Pans Cookware Set – Choice of Colours Available

Just a quick mention about the Swan 5 Piece Retro Induction Pan Set above. This particular set includes a 20 cm fry pan and a huge 28 cm fry pan which we think is a great size as in our house we often find the standard 24 cm frying pan a little too small.

6 Piece Pots and Pans Sets

As you go up the scale in pots and pans set sizes you will find that manufacturers tend to offer a wide (and sometimes unusual) choice of options. Some will include extra fry pans whilst others will add a griddle pan, and others will have no pans at all, but include extra sized pots! Here we have four different highly rated 6 piece sets all giving the buyer a different choice. Whilst shopping for pots and pans you will also see sets with 7 or more saucepans and frying pans so there really is no limit to what you might wish to include in your kitchen if space and money is no issue!

Gr8 Home Induction Aluminium Non Stick Grey Marble Effect Pot and Pans Set

CUSIBOX 6 Piece Cookware Pans & Pots Set

Velaze Series Motti Cookware Set

Tefal Easycare Cookware Set with Tools

Thank you for reading this article on some of the UK’s top selling pots and pans sets. We hope that it has helped you choose your new cookware!

Make the Perfect Roast with these Roasting Tins and Pans

Posted October 21, 2020 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

A roasting pan is best made of metal to handle high temperatures and to give strength and durability. They also have high sides which serve two purposes. Firstly to redirect heat back to the items being roasted, and secondly to retain any juices that may come from the meat. Some roasting tins have a removable rack to keep the meat off the bottom of the pan, allowing air to circulate and give a more even roast, whilst some have a lid. Lidded roasting dishes can keep the items you are cooking more succulent and less prone to drying out. Some roasting pans have neither a lid or a tray but perform equally well dependant on your needs. They are perfect if you are short on space because those with lids and trays can be quite bulky and hard to fit in an oven, especially if you have other items cooking in there at the same time.

It’s not uncommon to only use a roasting pan once or twice a year at special occasions, which is a shame as they are very versatile. Cooking a large joint of meat on one day can allow you to prepare and freeze meals for the rest of the week, giving you more time for other things at busy times. They can also be used for meals such as lasagne and tray bakes.

If you are vegetarian then please don’t think that a roasting tin is just for meat – it can cook the most amazing vegetables too. Imagine honey-roasted parsnips, roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary, and thyme roasted carrots – Yum! At the bottom of this article are a selection of books for roasting tin meals, including one dedicated to vegan and vegetarian dishes.

I was prompted to write this article as it is late October now and Christmas will be here soon. Perhaps you are thinking about what roast meals you may cook over the festive period, such as the classic turkey dinner, roast chicken, a tasty joint of ham, or perhaps goose or game. If your roasting pan is looking a bit tired then now is the perfect time to get a new one. Check out our favourites below!

All the roasting pans in this article are highly rated by their buyers, and I suspect that they have all made delicious roast dinners with them. It makes me hungry just thinking about it!

Roasting Tins Without Racks

Some roasting tins without racks have indentations at the base of the pan to allow a little air to flow underneath the items being cooked, thus giving a more even cook, however it is very easy to make your own clever and tasty ‘rack’. How? With vegetables of course! Place a layer of vegetables in a grid pattern under your joint and it will lift the meat a little to allow airflow. The upside of this is that you get the most amazing vegetables that have been cooked in the meat juices. A downside is that they may become too wet and dissolve into a mush – but a tasty mush none-the-less! A roasting pan without a rack is absolutely perfect for roasting vegetables on their own though.

MasterClass Non Stick Deep Large Roasting Tin 39 x 28 cm

Prochef Teflon Non-Stick Premium Tray Tin 35cm x 25cm

KitchenCraft MasterClass Professional Induction Safe Large Enamel Roasting Tin, 40 x 28 x 7.5 cm

Russell Hobbs Romano Vitreous Enamel Deep Roaster 42cm

KitchenCraft MasterClass Heavy-Duty Deep Stainless Steel Roasting Pan, 37 x 27cm

ProCook Elite Tri-Ply Roasting Tin 37cm

Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick Baking and Roasting Tin, 33 x 23cm

Lakeland Bakeware Non Stick Large Roasting Tin with Pouring Lip, 42cm x 27.5cm

Roasting Tins With Racks

As mentioned earlier, using a rack lifts the meat off the bottom of the pan which allows air to flow underneath and produce a more even cook. Using a rack does have some disadvantages though. Juices that drip onto the rack might be better dripping onto vegetables to add flavour, whilst some people say that cleaning racks after a roast can be very time consuming and tricky. Unless you put in the effort after each use, over time the rack will soon be almost impossible to clean enough to return it to its former glory. Some racks have lifting handles which make it easier to lift out the meat which is a great advantage.

MasterClass Teflon Non Stick Roasting Tin with Rack, Carbon Steel, Grey, 36 x 27 x 7.5cm

Penguin Home Stainless Steel 37cm Roasting Tray with Rack

Russell Hobbs Romano Vitreous Enamel Roaster and Rack, 34cm

Dawsons Living Premium Roaster and Rack

IKEA KONCIS Roasting Tin with Grill Rack 40 x 32cm

Tala Performance Non Stick Extra Large Roaster with rack 38 x 32cm

Menax Stainless Steel Roasting Tin with Rack 35cm

ProCook Non-Stick Roasting Tin and Rack 40cm

Roasting Tins With Lids

Roasting tins with lids offer excellent heat circulation. Think of them as having an oven inside your oven! Your roasts will cook quicker and the end result will be more succulent. When the lid is on a roasting pan, the steam from your cooking items reaches the lid and turns into juices that drip back down, thus basting the meat as it cooks. This saves you a job and keeps items moist and juicy – and very tasty too! Be aware though that if you want crispy skin or crackling you will need to remove the lid at some point during the cooking process to achieve this.

Russell Hobbs Vitreous Enamel Self Basting Roaster with Lid, 36cm

32cm Professional Stainless Steel Roasting Tray with Rack and Lid

KitchenCraft MasterClass Smart Ceramic Heavy Duty Non-Stick Roasting Tin with Lid, 41.5 x 31.5cm

Stainless Steel Roaster 7.2L Induction Roasting Tin with Lid and Rack

KitchenCraft Living Nostalgia Enamel Self-Basting Roaster with Lid

Judge Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack

GSW Stahlwaren Rectangular Roaster with Aroma Glass Lid and Grate Insert

Karcher 2-in-1 Cast Aluminium Roasting Pan with Lid and Oven Mitts

Fantastic Roasting Pan Cookbooks

Now you’ve got your sparkly new roasting tin, what are you going to cook in it? It’s so easy to think about simply roasting a joint of meat, but there are so many wonderful dishes available to cook. The following recipe books offer a wide range of recipes to kick up your roasting skills, and there is also a very highly rated selection of cookbooks by Rukmini Iyer dedicated solely to making meals in a roasting pan, which goes to show just how versatile a roasting tin is!

Roast Revolution: Contemporary Recipes for Revamped Roast Dinners by Kathy Kordalis

Mary Berry’s Family Sunday Lunches by Mary Berry

From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves by Diana Henry

Roasts (National Trust Food) by Laura Mason

The Roasting Tin: Simple One Dish Dinners by Rukmini Iyer

The Green Roasting Tin: Vegan and Vegetarian One Dish Dinners by Rukmini Iyer

The Roasting Tin Around the World: Global One Dish Dinners by Rukmini Iyer

The Quick Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

Alcohol Gift Sets for Valentine’s Day

Posted January 19, 2021 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

Like many others, I am reducing my intake of alcohol this year, but on special occasions, such as Valentine’s Day, I am happy to make an exception and have a drink or two, especially if I have received a wonderful bottle of something special from my lovely partner. She knows I like beer and wine so perhaps I’ll get a nice surprise this year!

If you are looking for a gift to make your loved one smile this year then we think that the following choices will really help you find a great alcoholic present for your Valentine. As expected there is a huge range of options for you; from beer to wine to spirits and everything in between! One of the first ports of call is to look on Amazon UK at their Best Sellers in Beer, Wine & Spirits Gifts page.

Our personal favourites are shown below. I’ve displayed them here just to give you a small sample of what delights you may give to your Valentine this year on the 14th February. Of course, alcohol gift sets such as those shown here can be given as gifts all year round, so whenever you choose to give your present – drink responsibly, keep safe and have fun!

Pink Gin Gift Sets

If you’re looking for a ‘girly’ drink for your girlfriend, wife or lover, one of the most popular alcoholic drink choices is a pink gin gift set. Gin is one of the trendiest drinks at the moment and pink gin is the prettiest of them all. It has a lovely flavour and aroma that reminds the recipient of warm summer days and floral garden fragrances. Many gift sets include chocolates which makes the gift even more desirable, and you are sure to make your Valentine very happy indeed!

Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Tonic Gift Set

The Pink Gin Gift Set Hamper

The Pink Gin Collection

The Gin and Treats Hamper

Pink Gin Gift Set

Pink Gin and Chocolates Hamper

Prosecco Gift Sets

Despite a fall in recent sales (mostly in 2020 due to COVID19), prosecco is still a drink that people crave more than other sparkling wines. As with pink gin, it is marketed towards women, however many men enjoy drinking prosecco too. It is an ‘adult’ drink with a sweetness that ranges from dry to brut, so the gift of prosecco can be consider sophisticated and stylish – exactly like your Valentine! As with the gin sets seen above, many prosecco gift sets include chocolates so you really will be in your partner’s good books when you give the gift of prosecco!

Prosecco Made Me Do It! by Hay Hampers

Bottega Gold Prosecco Gift Set with Champagne Flutes, Chocolates and Gift Box

Duo Hamper Prosecco Wine Gift Set

The Gold Rush Prosecco Gift Box

Freixenet Prosecco & Belgian Chocolates Handbag Gift Set

Prosecco Celebration Gift Set

Champagne Gift Sets

Receiving the gift of champagne is an experience that lingers in the memory for a long time – sometimes forever. When you give champagne, you are telling someone that they are very special and dear to you. At Valentine’s, the gift of champagne can be used to note a memorable year such as your tenth Valentine’s Day together, or simply give a bottle of champagne to show your partner that you really care for them in ways they cannot begin to imagine! It truly is a gift for lovers.

Moet and Chandon Champagne and Chocolates Gift Hamper Box

Bollinger Champagne Gold Polka Dot Gift Set with Champagne Flutes and Chocolates

Champagne and Chocolates Hamper

Sparkling Wine Gift Sets

Why not give a unique bubbly gift set this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy the pleasures of a cava from Spain or a sparkling rosé wine instead of the more common prosecco or champagne. Whoever receives your gift will impressed that you’ve chosen something unique for them – just as they are unique in their own special way.

Cava, Prosecco & Pink Italian Fizz in Wooden Gift Box

The Ferrero Rocher & Lindt Lindor Chocolate Bouquet with Silk Roses & Vino Spumante Prosecco

Freixenet Sparkling Wine & Pamper Gift Set

Wine Gift Sets

Wine is a gift that almost any adult who drinks alcohol would be happy to receive. There are so many different grapes, tastes and colours that the range of wine options is huge, however we think that the following choice of wine gift sets are a very good place to start. You can spoil your Valentine this year and not break the bank – which we think is great!

Wine, Cheese and Pâté Hamper

White Wine & Chocolate Hamper

Carlos Serres Rioja Wine Twin Gift Set

Wine and Chocolate Hamper

The White Wine Collection & Chocolate Bouquet Gift Hamper

White Wine and Chocolate Gift Set

Beer and Real Ale Gift Sets

If your partner is a beer drinker then you have a massive range of Valentine’s Day gifts to choose from. From large worldwide brand lagers to small independent breweries, you are sure to find an ale or beer gift for your other half. Beer may not be considered as sophisticated as champagne or as classy as a bottle of spirits, but it is guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of your loved one – and really that’s all that matters!

Brewdog Craft Beer Case Gift Set With Official Branded Glass

Beery Gift Hamper Selection Box by Beer Hawk

Beer Hawk Belgian & Trappist Discovery Case

Mr Tubs Premium Double Hand Cooked Pork Crackling with Hobsons Old Henry Real Ale Beer

Alcohol Free Mixed Beer Case Non Alcoholic Beer Gift Set

Mr Tubs Premium Double Hand Cooked Pork Crackling Gift Set with Hobsons Old Henry Real Ale & Twisted Spire Blonde Beer

Hiver Craft Beer Gift Set

Scottish Real Ale Discovery Beer Box

Lagers of the World

Whisky Gift Sets

If pink gin is said to be marketed at women, then whisky is probably at the opposite end of the marketing spectrum. Many women enjoy whisky too but we suspect that most whisky gift sets have been designed with men in mind. The following choices would make fantastic Valentine’s Day gifts for the man in your life. As expected, there is a massive choice of whisky gift sets available but to save space we have chosen just six of our favourites below.

The Premium Whisky and Food Gift Basket

The Flying Scotch Dram Whisky Gift

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Gift Pack with Two Glasses

Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Whiskey Gift Set with a Gasby Style Cap

The Dalmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky Gift Pack

Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky Blending Kit

I hope that we have been able to help you choose a wonderful alcoholic gift this year for your special Valentine. Don’t forget that if you want a special glass to drink your gift out of this year, we recommend you have a look through our website for great drinks glasses ideas!

30 of The Best Fish and Seafood Cookbooks

Posted February 23, 2021 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

Most health services and dieticians around the world would suggest that we don’t have enough fish in our diets. The NHS recommend that we increase our intake of fish and shellfish to at least two portions a week, including at least one of oily fish, such as sardines or salmon. This is because fish and shellfish are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and oily fish is particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids which can help keep your heart healthy.

In our household we eat fish at least once a week, but I must admit that we don’t eat enough oily fish, although we both like sardines and mackerel, so this is something we will look at. I like all fish, but my partner is less keen, saying that she doesn’t like fish that “tastes like fish”! The biggest problem we have with fish is how to cook it. One memorable time I made a fish stew, following the recipe carefully, only for us to both get food poisoning and being laid up in bed for a week. It scared me somewhat.

After this ‘episode’, I now only buy frozen fish and put it in the oven to cook, so yes, I definitely need help when cooking fish. The following fish and seafood recipe books are those that I have thought about buying and I think will help my fish cooking no end. They are all highly rated and offer the reader lots of information of different types of fish and how to cook them in a myriad of mouthwatering ways. I hope that these books help you cook fish too – and to expand your menu at home, which I’m sure could do with having more fish in it!

Fifteen Fabulous Fish and Seafood Cookbooks

Here are some of the best fish, shellfish and seafood cookbooks that I have found on Amazon UK. I have tried to include a variety of cooking styles here – from resturant style dishes to snack bites and everything in between. In this list of fish cookbooks I have not included sushi cookbooks as I feel that this would require an entire article in itself as there are so many cookery books available on this exciting type of food.

Some of the cookbooks here only have recipes whilst others also include fishing and cooking stories, or information on fish and fishing.

The Big 10 Fish & Seafood Cookbook

Good Food: Fish & Seafood Dishes

The Whole Fish Cookbook

Tom Kitchin’s Fish and Shellfish

Fish, Indian Style: 100 Simple Spicy Recipes

The Seafood Shack: Food & Tales from Ullapool

Fish by J Sheekey

Fish by Tom Aikens

Fish: The Complete Fish and Seafood Companion

Prawn on the Lawn: Fish and Seafood to Share

The River Cottage Fish Book

Leith’s Fish Bible

Hook Line Sinker: A Seafood Cookbook

Mediterranean Seafood

North Atlantic Seafood

Rick Stein Cookbooks

You can’t talk about fish or seafood cooking without mentioning Rick Stein. He has published over 25 books and has appeared in countless TV shows. He creates fantastic recipes from fresh, local ingredients, and is known predominantly for his fish dishes and his love of the sea. Below you will find most of his fish and seafood cookery books, but I have also included a couple of his travel & cookery books as they are such a good read and full of interesting cultural insights.

Rick Stein – 100 Fish and Seafood Recipes

Rick Stein – Fish & Shellfish

Rick Stein’s Taste of the Sea

Rick Stein – Coast to Coast

Rick Stein’s Seafood Lovers’ Guide

Rick Stein – English Seafood Cookery

Rick Stein’s Seafood

Rick Stein’s Seafood Odyssey

Rick Stein’s Fruits of the Sea

Rick Stein’s Seafood

Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes

Rick Stein’s Secret France

Pescatarian Cookbooks

If you didn’t know, a pescatarian is a person who doesn’t eat meat but does eat fish. Because fish is packed with vitamins and minerals, and is also a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, the pescatarian diet has some great health benefits. Although fish is often praised for its benefical properties against heart disease, the oils in fish are also helpful to fight cancers, ease depression, relieve arthritis, and they’re also good for your skin. If you are a pescatarian, here are just three books (of many) that may offer you some exciting new recipe ideas.

Pescatarian Diet

The Flexible Pescatarian

One Pan Pescatarian: 100 Delicious Dinners

Best Stylish and Modern Electric Kettles

Posted February 11, 2021 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

A kettle is one of the most used items in the kitchen, and it seems strange that we have not written about them before now, but hey, better late than never! In this short article, we have chosen a few of our favourite modern kettles on Amazon UK that combine quality, reliabilty and style in a single water boiling appliance. You are sure to recognise the brands found here as many of them have been making electrical items for your home since the 1930’s.

Although you can still buy kettles that are used on the hob, we are only concentrating on electric kettles in this article. You will notice that many of the kettles I have chosen are black in colour. I have done this as I feel that black is a colour that looks good in most kitchen colour schemes, but the majority of these kettles can be purchased in a range of colours so it’s not too hard to find a tint or tone to suit your decor. Please also note that a lot of these kettles have a standard capacity of 1.7 litres, but I have included a couple of 1.5 litre capacity kettles too.

Contemporary Style Modern Kettles

We begin by looking at three electric kettles that we feel have very clean lines and a sleek, modern design that would look great in any kitchen. They all have a 1.7 litre capacity and a 360 degree rotating base with cordless jug that lifts off effortlessly. The clear windows at the rear easily show how much water is in the kettle and the opening is wide to make filling up with water simple.

De’Longhi Active Line Kettle in Black

Swan Symphony 1.7 Litre Jug Kettle in Black

Breville Impressions Electric Fast Boil Kettle in Black

Super Stylish Kettles

If you are looking for a kettle that dazzles as well as performs perfectly, then the three options below might be perfect for you. Each kettle, although completely different in shape to one another, has a timeless design that we think looks amazing. The Dualit Architect Kettle oozes style and quality, the De’Longhi Brilliante Kettle impresses with its triangular pattern that is echoed in the overall shape of the kettle, whilst the SMEG Retro Style Kettle reminds us of the classic SMEG style fridge with its large, bold logo sitting fully across the curved body. I’d love to have any of these kettles in my kitchen!

Dualit Architect Kettle

De’Longhi Brilliante Kettle in Black

SMEG Retro Style Kettle in Black

Russell Hobbs Kettles

Russell Hobbs are possibly the number one manufacturer of kettles in the UK, closely followed by Morphy Richards (see below). Their products feature highly in the top 100 best selling kettles in the UK and they have an enviable reputation for quality and style. Russell Hobbs make kettles to suit more traditional tastes, but here I have picked six kettles that I think look modern, stylish and fantastic too! As you can see, each of their electric kettles has a different design so it is easy to find one to fit your tastes and decor.

Russell Hobbs 24361 Inspire Fast Boil Electric Kettle

Russell Hobbs Compact Home Small Glass Kettle

Russell Hobbs 26051 Honeycomb Design Cordless Electric Kettle with Fast Boil and Boil Dry Protection

Russell Hobbs 24280 Luna Fast Boil Cordless Electric Kettle with Copper Accents

Russell Hobbs 25240 Geo Steel Cordless Electric Kettle

Russell Hobbs 25113 Eclipse Polished Stainless Steel and Copper Sunset Ombre Electric Kettle

Morphy Richards Kettles

Morphy Richards have been making excellent homewares since the 1930’s and their current range of electric kettles are modern in design and high in quality. The three kettles we have chosen combine sleek chrome elements with high gloss bodies to create designs that look worth much more that their affordable price tag implies. All the kettles below are available in a range of colours to suit your kitchen, but I have to admit that these look stunning in black! The first two kettles shown here have a capacity of 1.5 litres which may suit smaller kitchens or single occupants in a house.

Morphy Richards 103010 Verve Electric Kettle in Black

Morphy Richards Vector Pyramid Kettle 108131 in Black

Morphy Richards 108266 Dune Jug Kettle

Scandanavian Style Kettles

Finally we arrive at a new trend in kettle design – tasteful Scandanvian Style kettles. These kettles are styled with wood-effect elements that add warmth and earthy accents to a typically ‘non-descript’ type of kitchen appliance. As with most of the modern electric kettles on this page, they are available in a choice of colours, but we think that grey goes especially well with the wooden-styled components of the kettles. Scandanavian designed kettles also tend to have clean lines and smooth surfaces.

Swan Nordic Rapid Boil Jug Kettle in Slate Grey

Daewoo Scandia 1.7L Stainless Steel Kettle in Black

Tower Scandi Kettle with Rapid Boil and Boil Dry Protection in Grey

We hope you have enjoyed reading our short look at what we considered to be the best modern kettles available to buy in the UK at the moment. Don’t forget, if you’re not a fan black kettles, most of these appliances come in a myriad of other colour options to suit!

Best Mum Mugs for Mother’s Day

Posted February 1, 2021 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

Giving your mum a mug on Mother’s Day may not seem to be the most exciting of presents, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving! Every day, when your mum makes a drink and uses the mug you gave her, she will take a moment (even subconsciously) to think of her children and how much she loves them – and how much they love her in return.

The mug you gift can your mum is sure to be given a special place in the cupboard and may even take pride of place on the kitchen worktop. If she drinks a lot of tea and coffee you may find that it never even gets put away! Mum mugs come in lots of different shapes, sizes, colours and styles. Below we have chosen for you some of the best mugs to buy for your mum this year. We have separated them into different sections to help you pick your favourite, and we are sure that any of these mugs will make your mother happy. Go on, give her something to smile about every time she drinks a brew!

Best Selling Mum Mugs

The first few mugs we have chosen are six of the best selling mum mugs you can purchase for Mother’s Day, or for your mum’s birthday. Whether you want to tell your mum that she is the best in the world, or to let her know that she will always be your best friend, we have you covered. All these mugs are stylish and would make any mother very happy on Mother’s Day.

The World’s Best Mum Mug

Pink and White Striped Mum Mug with Diamante Heart

Mum Mug

You Are The World Ceramic Coffee Mug

The Best Mum In The World Mother’s Day Mug

Boofle Marvelous Mum Mug

Best Funny Mum Mugs

Mums love having a laugh so why not make them chuckle each time they have a hot drink by giving them one of these best selling fun mum mugs this Mothering Sunday. These mugs have managed to combine style and humour together which we think is very clever indeed!

Great Job Mum I Turned Out Awesome Red Mug

Mamacorn Mug

Thanks For Wiping My Bum and Stuff Mum Mug

Ugly Children Ceramic Coffee Mug

And… Mom is Awake Ceramic Mug

Favorite Child Coffee Mug

Pretty Mum Mugs for Mother’s Day

These three mugs are especially pretty with their pastel colours and subtle designs. Flowers, birds and butterflies never go out of style, and your mum is sure to love drinking out of her pretty mum mug at any time of the day.

Home Is Where My Mum Is Mug

Cath Kidston British Birds Mum Mug

The Best Mum in The World Mother’s Day Gift Mug

Mummy Mugs

Mummy Mugs are especially good for young children to give as gifts to their mother, and we think that the three mugs below would be fantastic for new mums. Of course, we don’t expect your newborn to go online and order these mugs for their mum by themselves, so you might have to help them a little, but I’m sure they can point out which one they like the best!

Emma Bridgewater Pink Hearts Mummy Mug

The Most Amazing Mummy Ceramic Mug

Best Mummy Ever Mug

Mum Latte Coffee Mugs

If your mum loves latte coffee then you could buy her a tall latte mum mug so she can really get going in the morning in style! In either 12 or 17 ounce sizes, your mum is sure to love getting her morning caffeine hit in a mug telling the world how special she is!

This Lady is One Awesome Mum Coffee Mug

Mum I Love You to The Moon and Back Latte Mug

This is What an Awesome Mum Looks Like Latte Mug

Sass & Belle Mum Mugs

Sass & Belle make a wide range of very beautiful items for your home. This includes a brilliant choice of ceramic products, from flower pots to tea pots to mugs and lots more in between! Below we have chosen six of their loveliest mugs which we think would be perfect gifts for your mum on Mother’s Day this year.

Sass & Belle Bohemian Stars Mum Mug

Sass & Belle Blue Willow I Love You Mum Mug

Sass & Belle Sunflower Mum Mug

Sass & Belle Mum Love You to The Moon and Back Mug

Sass & Belle Scattered Stars Mum Mug

Sass & Belle Mum Superpower Mug

We hope that we have helped you choose a lovely mug for your mum as gift this this Mother’s Day. Don’t forget, a Mum Mug also makes a super gift for your mum on her birthday – or at any time of the year really!

Best Selling Cookbooks for Your Mum on Mother’s Day!

Posted January 26, 2021 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

It doesn’t matter how long your mum has been cooking, every once in a while she is bound to feel that she wants a little more inspiration when cooking and the chance to discover a new recipe or two. The following best selling cookbooks offer a wide variety of recipes from famous chefs, respected cooks and up-and-coming culinary artists. In these cookery books she will find healthy meals, sweet bakes and everything in between!

We also have a few books especially for new mothers, and some options for those whose Mum has a slow cooker but doesn’t use it very often. Simply put, we have some great cookbook gift ideas here for your lovely mum this Mother’s Day!

Cookbooks by Mary Berry

Household name and baking legend Mary Berry has published more than 75 cookery books since her first cookbook in 1970, so she knows a thing or two about cooking! The Baking Bible was published in 2009 and is still one of the best selling cookbooks available today, selling in its thousands every year. Gifting a Mary Berry recipe book for Mother’s Day is always a strong choice and is sure to make your mum very happy indeed.

Mary Berry’s Baking Bible

Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook

Mary Berry’s Simple Comforts

Jamie Oliver’s Cookbooks

With his cheeky smile and outgoing personality, Jamie Oliver is one of the UK’s favourite celebrity chefs. He has a wide range of excellent cookbooks under his belt, and he always promotes and encourages people to cook and eat well within their budget and capabilities. Here we have picked just three of his recipe books that we think would be perfect for your Mum this Mother’s Day.

Jamie Oliver – 5 Ingredients

Jamie Oliver – 7 Ways

Jamie Oliver – Veg

Recipe Books from Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson has a relaxed, calming method of cooking which appeals to many women (and men) who consider cooking an important part of each day. She has been quoted as saying, “I think cooking should be about fun and family.” and we think that there are a great many mothers who share this view. In our home we have at a couple of Nigella Lawson cookery books and they are used often for main meals, snacks and desserts. Your mum is sure to be overjoyed to open a Nigella cookbook this Mother’s Day!

Simply Nigella

Cook, Eat, Repeat

At My Table

Cookbooks for Health

These recipe books from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tom Kerridge and Dr Megan Rossi are all about improving your health through a balanced diet of good food and nutritious ingredients. If your mum has taken up a healthier lifestyle this year, then any of these three cookbooks will give her lots of tasty recipes and helpful information.

Eat Yourself Healthy

Eat Better Forever

Lose Weight for Good

Slow Cooker Recipe Books

As you probably know, we love slow cookers on Kitchen and Cook Shop, and ours is used most weeks. They are simple to use and very cost-effective too. One of the best things about using a slow cooker is that your mum can prepare the ingredients, put them in the slow cooker and set the appliance cooking whilst she gets on with her busy day. In the evening, a healthy, nutritious and tasty meal will be ready for her and others in the household. In additional, if she cooks more food than required for that day, she can freeze some meals for the future – very useful on days when your mum does not have enough time to prepare a meal from scratch.

Hamlyn All Colour Cookery: 200 Slow Cooker Recipes

The Slow Cook Book

Good Food: Slow Cooker Favourites

Pinch of Nom Cookbooks

This series of recipe books is written by authors Kay Featherstone and Kate Allinson. There are currently three cookbooks in the range with two food planner books also available. Pinch of Nom cookbooks are packed full of slimming recipes to make with minimum fuss and maximum flavour. These cookbooks have been at the top of the best selling list for quite a while and the authors are over-the-moon that people are using their recipes to make themselves feel phenomenal! Gift your mum one of the Pinch of Nom cookbooks and see what low-fat wonders she can create!

Pinch of Nom: Quick & Easy

Pinch of Nom: 100 Slimming, Home-Style Recipes

Pinch of Nom: Everyday Light

Cookbooks for New Mums

New mothers have so much to do, and so little time to fit it all in, so why not help a new mum with the cooking side of things by giving to her one of the following cookbook choices. They offer advice on how one can use the same ingredients for the baby as for the rest of the family, thus saving time and money… and as we all know, both of these things are extremely valuable when there are babies or young children around.

What Mummy Makes

What Mummy Makes Family Meal Planner

Annabel Karmel’s New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner

The Great British Bake Off Recipe and Cookbooks

The Great British Bake Off has been running on television in the UK since 20010, and some people even call it a national institution now! Sure, it’s been through format changes, and some great presenters have come and gone, but it continues to be enjoyed by many in the UK and across the world. If you look past the tent and its occupants, you will find that the real stars of the show are the bakes themselves, and the following books are sure to give joy to your mum this Mother’s Day, especially if she likes the TV show or baking in general.

The Great British Bake Off: Big Book of Baking

The Great British Bake Off: Love to Bake

The Great British Bake Off: The Big Book of Amazing Cakes

I hope that this short article has given you some great cookbook ideas for Mother’s Day this year. Buying her any of the above cookery books is sure to give her joy… just make sure you offer to do the washing up after your mum has created another home-cooked masterpiece that you have just finished eating!

Mother’s Day Gifts for Kitchen Queens!

Posted January 24, 2021 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

Is your mum a Kitchen Queen? Does she enjoy making, baking and creating fantastic food for herself and others? If so, we think that she might like to receive any of the following kitchen items as a thoughtful gift on Mother’s Day.

This Mother’s Day gifts guide is packed full of best selling kitchen appliances to make life easier for your mum. It’s been especially written to include gifts for mums that love being in the kitchen but sometimes wish that they had the tools to make tasks simpler and quicker.

Remember though… Some mums may not fully appreciate being given a kitchen appliance as a gift, even if they adore cooking, so don’t forget to also buy your lovely mother an additional present, such as flowers or chocolates, too!

For Ladies Who Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch!

To begin our look at great gifts for your mum, we look at kitchen appliances to make her morning and midday as easy as possible. Help her to start the day with a tasty fruit juice, healthy smoothie or berry-packed crepe, then as lunchtime comes and she feels peckish, she can enjoy a homemade soup, omelette or panini made with fresh vegetables, cheese and any other ingredients she may have to hand.

Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer with Quick Clean Technology

Breville Blend Active Personal Blender & Smoothie Maker

Morphy Richards Soupmaker Stainless Steel Soup Maker

Breville Traditional Crepe Maker

Breville Cafe Style Sandwich Press

Electric Dual Omelette Maker

Cooking Up a Storm!

If your mum is a whizz in the kitchen, she will love having new appliances to help her whizz up the ingredients to create a range of amazing meals! These best selling food processors are sure to give her the confidence to attempt new recipes and improve on old favourites.

Braun MultiQuick 5 Vario MQ5235 Hand Blender

Braun MultiQuick 5 Vario Hand Blender

Kenwood Compact Food Processor

Kenwood MultiPro Classic Food Processor

Cook Healthy and Save Time!

I think that most mothers would love to be able to save time in the kitchen, but still create healthy meals without compromising on taste and quality. The kitchen appliances below aim to maintain a balance between speedy cooking with an emphasis on healthy results. Modern air fryers allow you to use a tiny amount of oil to get a crispy outcome, whilst electric pressure cookers and all-in-one machines allow you to make fantastic meals with the minimal of fuss. Of course, a slow cooker is just that – slow – but this allows your mum to cook an entire healthy meal whilst she is working and doing all the other things that keep our mums so busy throughout the day!

Tower T17005 Health Manual Air Fryer Oven

Tower Health Manual Air Fryer Oven

Tefal OptiGrill+ Intelligent Health Grill

Philips Air Fryer with Rapid Air Technology

Crock-Pot 3.7L Slow Cooker

Ninja Foodi Electric Multi-Cooker Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

Mix, Zap and Freeze!

These three best selling kitchen appliances are not commonly consider as gifts, but we still think that they will make your mum happy. Baking mums will love the Kenwood KMix stand mixer – and you get to enjoy all the tasty cake and baked results if you’re lucky! Of course, most homes have a microwave now, but this top selling 20L oven is probably a great upgrade on her present microwave that is perhaps a few years old and looking tired, as microwaves often do. Lastly we have an ice cream maker. Not perhaps the most common gift item for the chilly UK climate, but once you’ve tried making your own ice cream, it’s hard to go back to store-bought tubs. Plus she can make sorbets and yoghurt desserts too.

Kenwood KMix Stand Mixer

Russell Hobbs 20 Litre 800 W Black Digital Solo Microwave

Cuisinart Deluxe, Pre-Freeze Ice Cream, Frozen Yoghurt and Sorbet Maker

Essential Yet Simple!

There are some items in the kitchen that are often overlooked but play a major role in making daily kitchen tasks easier and quicker. We think the following three choices are unusual but ultimately very useful gifts for a kitchen queen (aka your mum) – just make sure you buy her some chocolates or flowers as well!

Kenwood 3-in-1 Can Opener, Knife Sharpener and Bottle Opener

AnySharp Pro Metal World’s Best Knife Sharpener with Suction

OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner in Green

Perfect Party Drinks – Punch Bowls, Ice Buckets and Drinks Dispensers Galore

Posted October 20, 2020 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

As I write this article we are heading into party season as Halloween and Christmas draw near (although 2020 is bound to be a little different than normal) and you might be thinking of what drinks to have at your bash and how to serve them. In this short article I will be looking at a few best selling items that might give you some ideas on how to present your drinks, how to serve them, and how to keep them as cool and as fresh as possible.

Party Punch Bowls

Punch bowls aren’t as popular as they used to be, but don’t let that stop YOU from having a party with a tasty punch that everyone can enjoy. Made from glass or plastic, a punch bowl is especially good for children’s parties. There are a huge range of punch recipes online but the classics usually include fruit, fruit juice, a fizzy drink, an alcoholic drink, some herbs or spices, and ice. If you are holding a party with teenagers present, make sure that none of them steal a bottle of vodka out of the drinks cabinet and sneak some of it into the punch!

27 Piece Glass Punchbowl with 12 Punch Cups

Bohemia 9 piece Cristal Punchbowl Set

Heavy Duty Plastic Punch Bowl

XL 5 Litre Plastic Cocktail Fish Bowl

Brilliant Open Ice Bowls

Ice bowls are fantastic in the summer months for keeping beer, cider, wine or bubbly cool, and of course they are useful for winter parties where lots of people are gathering in one place and heat is created. Drinking a warm beer or white wine is not very pleasant so these ice bowls are very useful to serve bottled or canned drinks. Just fill with ice and enjoy the happy looks on your friends faces as they cheerfully grab another cool beverage from your bowl. Some of them can also be used as punch bowls but don’t use them as an ice bowl and a punch bowl at the same time – it just doesn’t work!

BarCraft Metal Champagne Cooler/Punch Bowl

Large Stainless Steel Punch Bowl/Ice Bucket

BIBO London Extra Large 12 Litre Ice Bucket with Free Punch Ladle

BarCraft 10 Litre Large Drinks Cooler/Beer Bucket

Luscious Ice Buckets with Lids

Lidded ice buckets serve a dual purpose. They can be used to keep ice cubes cool when the lids is kept on, but you can remove the lid and use them as ice buckets for bottles of wine or beer. They are often supplied with a tong or scoop to help remove the ice chips or cubes, and as you can see, they are very stylish in looks.

Amerigo Insulated Ice Bucket

High-Grade Stainless Steel Ice Bucket with Lid and Tongs

2.8L Insulated Stainless Steel Double Wall Ice Bucket with Lid and Ice Tong

VINN DUNN Warm Sunset Gold Ice Bucket with Lid

Dapper Drinks Dispensers

Drinks dispensers with taps are a very clever way of serving punch or fruit juice or any other beverage that you might serve at your bash. A sealed lid keeps unwanted insects or objects out of the drink and the tap feature makes it easy for party goers to serve themselves. These drinks dispensers come in a range of sizes and shapes, and some have removable compartments for ice and/or fruit slices to keep the drink cool or infuse flavour.

The Vintage Company Jumbo Glass Drinks Dispenser

Kilner 8 Litre Round Drinks Dispenser with Lid

Kilner Barrel Drinks Dispenser 3.5 Litre

10 Litre Dual Barrel Beverage Dispenser with Stand

On Ice 6 Litre Plastic Drinks Dispenser

AETKFO Glass Drinks Dispenser with Tap

YoL Pineapple Drink Dispenser With Airtight Lid and 4 Mason Jar Glasses with Straws

YöL Pineapple Drink Dispenser With Airtight Lid and 4 Mason Jar Glasses with Straws

Kilner 5 Litre Drinks Dispenser

Awesome Party Drinkware Accessories

Here we have a few ideas of what you might also need drink-wise at your party. Wine coolers can be used all year round but are especially useful at gatherings, whilst a corkscrew and bottle opener is an essential item for your home. Ladles are needed for your punch bowl if you have lost or broken one, and finally you might be tempted to make a few cocktails at your ‘do’, so why not make them in style á la Tom Cruise and impress all your friends with your shaking skills and cocktail making recipe knowledge (by practising in advance of course)!

Guzzini Punchbowl Ladle

Clear Punch Bowl Ladle 7oz

BarCraft Double-Walled Stainless Steel Wine Bottle Cooler with Hammered Finish

Vacu Vin Rapid Ice Elegant Wine Cooler in Black

Professional Waiters Corkscrew by Barvivo

IPOW Wing Corkscrew and Bottle Opener

Godmorn 15 Piece Cocktail Making Set

Blusmart 5 Piece Cocktail Making Set

We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading this short ideas list of what we feel are useful items to have for serving drinks and keeping them chilled at your party, whatever you might be celebrating. Have fun and drink responsibly!