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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!

Ten items to help make a Successful Party

Posted January 4, 2017 by Nicki & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

These top ten items are sure to make your party go with a swing. There are great ideas for displaying your party food and making the table look fantastic, accessories for glasses so you know which one is yours, and of course the obligatory bottle of bubbly stuff. If you need some ideas for party accessories, things then this list is a great place to start.

1. VonShef Slate Cheese Board with Knives and Small Dipping Bowls

The VonShef Cheese board is a 9 Piece Set and includes a Slate Cheese Board, 3 Ceramic Dishes, 4 Cheese Knives, and 1 Piece of Chalk. It would make an eye-catching center piece for parties and can also be used to serve bread and tapas.

2. Apollo Rubber Wood Lazy Susan With Ceramic Dishes

The Apollo Rubber Wood Lazy Susan severing platter is a very popular turntable great for serving party food and dips. It is made from rubber wood from sustainable forests and is ECO friendly, and comes with 6 ceramic white serving dishes for dips and sauces.

3. Fred Wine Lives Drink Markers

These cute kitty Fred Wine Lives Drink Markers wine charms will help to identify your friend’s drinks at parties, and are purr-fect for cat and animal lovers. They will snooze comfortably around the stems of your wine glasses while you drink and talk. They are made of soft, flexible silicone in six different colours and will add fun to your party!

4. Bottega Gold Prosecco Non Vintage

This 75cl beautiful gold wrapped Bottega Gold Prosecco will add a brilliant focal point to your party and is a great choice for the essential bottle of bubbly. This sparkling wine has a fruity nose with scents of Golden apple, Williams pear, acacia flowers and lily of the valley. It is the ideal choice for parties and is also a prestigious gift for special occasions. Made in Italy.

5. Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial Champagne

The 75cl Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial Champagne has a style distinguished by its bright fruitiness, its seductive palate and its elegant maturity. It’s fruity with the sweetness of caramel but also the acidity of grapefruit and ginger creating a round fresh wine. The perfect bottle of champagne for your party in a stunning white bottle with bow. Made in France.

6. Freixenet Cordon Rosado Semi Seco Cava

This case of 6 bottles of Freixenet Rosado Cava Sparkling Wine will ensure that all your party guests will enjoy a special bottle of bubbly. Cava is a sparkling wine made in Spain and this special Freixenet Rosado from Catalunya is strawberry-pink in colour with a fruity nose. The taste combines blackberry, strawberry, dried fig and dates with floral and herb overtones.

7. Durobor Alternato Wine glass set of 6

The Durobor Alternato Wine glass comes in a highly stylish modern design and looks great on the table at dinner parties. These glasses come in a set of 6 with a maximum capacity of 410ml, without a filling mark. The bowl shape of the glasses make them ideal for red wine, but are equally good for white or cocktails, they are dishwasher safe and have dimensions of 136mm high x 95mm wide.

8. Dartington Crystal White Wine Glasses – Pack of 4

This set of four Dartington Crystal White Wine Glasses are made from lead free crystal. Dartington Crystal has been hand-crafting glassware since 1967 and they are now the only remaining large-scale crystal maker in the UK. Each ‘Cheers’ wine glass has a 350ml capacity and they are dishwasher safe.

9. LSA International Champagne Flute, Pack of 4

The LSA International Champagne Flute will hold 200ml of your favourite wine or champagne. This set of 4 distinctive glasses are made from mouth blown glassware and designed for everyday living and entertaining. They are suitable for all occasions and come nicely boxed ready to give as gifts especially for weddings.

10. Dartington Debut Flute Champagne Glasses Set of 4

These quality Dartington Wine Debut Flute Champagne Glasses are made from high performance crystal and are strong and tough as well as beautiful to look at. This set of 4 champagne flutes are also dishwasher safe and come in a convenient pack format that would make a great gift. Each glass will hold 17cl of wine or champagne and is 221 mm in height.

5 Best Selling Ice Cream Makers

Posted December 12, 2016 by Nicki & filed under Gift Ideas.

If you love desserts, what better way to enjoy them than eating fresh home made ice cream. These 5 best selling ice cream makers are a great addition to the kitchen, however some of them can be quite expensive – but worth it! Imagine ice cream with no additives, as much or as little sugar as you want and loads of your own ingredients like fruit, chocolate, and nuts. Fantastic for kids parties, or showing off your home made ice cream skills at your own dinner parties.

One thing to note when purchasing an ice cream maker is that with some machines, the bowl needs to be put in the freezer over night before you make the ice cream, so the bigger the bowl, the bigger the space you need in your freezer.

Here are our top 5 best selling ice cream makers and what makes them good.

Sensio Home Ice Cream Maker Machine

The Sensio Home Ice Cream Maker Machine is the lowest priced ice cream maker in this list. Priced at £34.95 and also available in black, despite being low priced, this machine is highly praised by buyers.

After freezing the bowl and mixing your ingredients, you can have fresh ice cream, sorbet, gelato or frozen yoghurt ready to serve in about 20 minutes. With the refill opening in the lid you can add almost anything you like during mixing to make your own favourite flavours.

The detachable 1.4 litre bowl allows you to make approximately 500-700ml of ice cream which can be served straight away at parties or put in the freezer to save for later. It is quiet to operate and with just 4 components it is easy to set up and clean. It also comes with a selection of recipes in an Ebook and a two year 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Cuisinart ICE30 Ice Cream Maker

The Cuisinart ICE30 Ice Cream Maker costs more than the Sensio at about £80 and is a very highly rated ice cream maker that is affordable to most. The ice cream bowl holds 2 litres of product and is able to make ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet.

The Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker has an open lid that allows you to add extra ingredients such as fruit and nuts easily whilst it is in operation for a much smoother consistency. It will also keep your ice cream frozen for up to ten minutes after mixing is complete. The lid, mixing arm and bowl are all detachable for easy cleaning, and for storing the remaining ice cream in the freezer.

Savisto Compact Ice Cream Maker

Next up in price is the Savisto Ice Cream Maker at £120.00. It has a compact 1.5 litre fast freeze bowl and comes with a 133 page recipe book. It can make delicious ice cream in only 20-30 minutes and can also make sorbet and frozen yogurt.

Featuring the latest digital technology, you can see exactly how long the mixing process has before ending, and you can set the timer and return later when the ice cream has finished and turned itself off. The extra-large ingredient funnel means you can add your favourite ingredients with ease, be they fruit, herbs, sprinkles or chocolate.

Cuisinart Gelato and Ice Cream Maker

As we go up in price we find that we don’t have to pre-freeze the bowl so you can make ice cream from scratch in about 40 minutes! Costing around £250, the Cuisinart Gelato and Ice Cream Maker has a 1.5 litre capacity and 2 mixing paddles (one for ice cream and one for gelato) to give your recipe the right amount of air for the perfect texture. Buyers adore this ice cream maker from Cuisinart!

What makes the difference between this ice cream machine and cheaper models is the addition of a compressor system meaning that there is no need to pre-freeze the bowl and no need to wait between batches. Making the freshest, tastiest ice cream is simplicity itself. Just add your ingredients and switch on. During the churning you can add extra toppings through the lid such as nuts, chocolate chips, fruit pieces and sauces to create the classic ripple effect. For peace of mind it includes a 5 year guarantee.

Klarstein Vanilla Sky Ice Cream Machine

At £259.99, the Klarstein Vanilla Sky Ice Cream Machine is very similar in both price and features to the Cuisinart machine above. It is a bit larger with a removable 2-litre ice cream container and features a keep-cool mode for one hour, so the fresh ice cream does not melt if you are not able to be at the machine to transfer the ice cream to the freezer straight away.

With a digital display and 180 watt-strong compressor motor, this ice cream maker from experts Klarstein is easy to use and tasty ice cream can be made in 30-40 minutes. It is supplied with a 250ml measuring cup and measuring spoon and is also available in red.

BONUS MACHINE: Musso Lussino 4080 Piccolo Ice Cream Maker

Costing £779.00, the Musso Lussino 4080 Piccolo Ice Cream Maker is aimed at the prosumer market. Musso machines can be found in the kitchens of the best restaurants in the world, as well as at Buckingham Palace and the White House. President Clinton purchased a Musso machine for himself after tasting an ice cream made by a Musso ice cream machine in a prestigious Boston restaurant!

Made in Italy from the finest materials and components, this stainless steel cased ice cream maker has a fully automatic timer and can produce up to 750g of the finest ice cream in 20-30 minutes. No ice crystals are formed during churning giving you a denser dessert and a smoother, creamier texture. The Musso MINI Lussino 4080 makes delicious and healthy ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and frozen drinks and is easy to clean and use.

Choose any of the above ice cream makers for your kitchen and you will be very pleased with the results.

5 Gift Ideas for the Health Conscious

Posted December 5, 2016 by Nicki & filed under Gift Ideas.

Are you looking for a gift for someone who loves to be healthy, likes to eat well and enjoys exercise? Here we have five products that would make perfect gifts for the health conscious individual. Whether it’s someone who likes to make soups and smoothies and is very active, or someone who likes to cook healthy meals there’s a gift here to suit them. If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further!

1. Breville Blend Active Personal Blender

The Breville VBL062 Blend Active Personal Blender is a very popular personal blender for those that want to make smoothies and blends quickly and cleanly. This 300w blender is robust enough to blend ice and frozen fruit, (although doing this often can dull the blades) and blends well to make a very smooth smoothie. You can make your drink directly in the drink container, unscrew the blade and add the air-tight lid to create a sports drink that you can drink immediately or take with you on the go.

This is a great gift idea for someone into their healthy drinks and smoothies, and it comes in 4 great colours too!

2. Morphy Richards Accents Slow Cooker

This Morphy Richards 48702 Accents Sear and Stew Slow Cooker allows you to sear, stew and slow cook all in the same pot meaning that a great range of recipes can be cooked in it. It’s lightweight, durable and the non-stick aluminium pot is also dishwasher safe. Slow cooked meals are often healthier and it is an essential kitchen tool for those with busy schedules. Why not come home to a ready cooked meal and an easy clean up!

This slow cooker is available in black, red (shown here), stainless steel and cream.

3. Duronic Air Fryer AF1

Do you want a healthier way to fry food? The Duronic Air Fryer AF1 does just that! It uses very little or sometimes even no oil to fry freshly cut, frozen or oven chips. It cleverly uses hot air circulation technology, and by circulating the heat quickly around and through the basket of food, it uses the foods natural oils and juices to cook itself. For the health conscious individual this would make a great gift as it not only fries food, but can also be used for pies, quiches and pasties, or to roast chicken or fillets of fish and many other recipes.

This health fryer is must-have item in the kitchen for healthy cooking.

4. NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender 9-Piece Set

The NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender is a super mini blender with 900 watts of power and 25,000 RPM for an extremely smooth drinking experience. Suitable for the health conscious individual who makes a lot of smoothies, protein shakes and blends the NutriBullet Pro is an excellent gift choice. This 9 piece set has all you need to make the best healthy smoothies and drinks including a 909ml large cup, a medium 680ml cup, a flip top lid and a stay fresh lid, and a user manual with recipes and nutritionist information.

Get the most nutrition from your food with a high powered NutriBullet Pro today!

5. Morphy Richards 48822 Soupmaker

This Morphy Richards Soupmaker makes it simple and quick to make soup at home to your personal taste, with the least amount of fuss. It has settings for chunky or smooth, and the blend function means that during the warmer months you can make smoothies and milkshakes. It really is so easy to use and you can knock up a tasty soup for up to 6 people in just 21 minutes!

This is the perfect gift for people who are often making their own healthy soups and smoothies!

We hope you have found a great gift idea for the health conscious individual or for yourself. Have a happy and health year!

Best Value Mixer – The Kenwood Patissier

Posted November 10, 2016 by Nicki & filed under Editor's Choice.

UPDATE: Kenwood have stopped production of the Kenwood Patissier mixer since we wrote this article. This is somewhat of a shame because it was such a quality made and affordable mixer, however do not despair as Kenwood have a few other brilliant food mixers available. The lowest price option is the Kenwood Prospero which is a very capable stand mixer perfect for smaller kitchens but here at Kitchen & Cook Shop we suggest that you look at the incredible Kenwood kMix stand mixer which is available in four colours. It costs a little more, but you get a full sized, high quality mixer at an excellent price!

The Kenwood Patissier

If you are looking for a stand mixer and don’t know whether to go for a kitchenAid stand mixer as used by Nigella Lawson or something cheaper to suit a lower budget, we at the Kitchen & Cook Shop would like to recommend the Kenwood Patissier mixer as the best value mixer. It looks similar to the kitchenAid, but its price is more affordable. It also has a much higher rating on amazon.co.uk than the kitchenAids that are imported from America.

We think the Kenwood Patissier MX3 series is the perfect friend for your kitchen and cake making duties. It has a stylish curvy retro look, and will look good in any kitchen as it is also available in black and 6 other colours including white, cream, blue, red, pink and teal. Here at the Kitchen & Cook Shop we have had the older silver version for about eight years which is no longer available on amazon, but think the other colours are brilliant and would love to swap it for the red one!

Kenwood Patissier Blue

Kenwood Patissier Red

Kenwood Patissier Pink

Reviewers love the splash guard and special spout that come with this mixer for adding ingredients without making a mess. From our experience the start-up of the mixer is slow enough that it doesn’t tend to send the ingredients flying over the edge of the bowl, but the speeds are fast enough to make light work of whisking.

Other plus points that people have noted are the following:

The mixing tools reach all the way to the bottom of the bowl so everything is mixed well.
The bowl is large enough if you want to double up on cake mixes.
It is powerful at 400 watts, but sturdy and heavy enough to remain on your worktop when mixing.

The good reviews on amazon far outweigh the negatives for the Kenwood Patissier, and from our experience of using this mixer we would have to agree that it is a brilliant little mixer at a great value price. Ours has mixed many cake recipes over the years and apart from it being a little heavy when we have to lift it down from a shelf to use it (my choice of course), we love it.

Kenwood Patissier Cream

Kenwood Patissier Teal

Kenwood Patissier White

Review of the Nespresso Inissia Capsule Coffee Machine

Posted January 17, 2016 by Paul & filed under Editor's Choice.

Please note: Unfortunately Nespresso no longer produce the Inissia Coffee Machine but we’ve been so impressed with its performance in the 5 years we’ve had it that we decided to keep this Editor’s Choice article live as a testament to the quality of this coffee maker.

In 2015, I purchased a Nespresso Inissia Coffee Machine for my girlfriend as a Valentines Day gift. It is now 5 years since we got the Inissia and I am confident that I can give an honest and unbiased review of this KRUPS capsule coffee machine.

Firstly, why did I choose a Nespresso Capsule Coffee Machine?

After much research of capsule coffee machines, bean-to-cup coffee machines and manual espresso coffee machines I finally decided that the Nespresso Inissia by KRUPS would suit our needs perfectly.

We are not coffee connoisseurs by any means, however we do like a decent coffee, but I felt that a bean-to-cup or manual espresso coffee machine was both too expensive and too much trouble for us. I looked at many types of capsule coffee machines and felt that the Tassimo and Dolce Gusto designed machines were too restrictive in their functioning. The capability of being able to use as much or as little water as I wanted with the Nespresso designed coffee machines was an important factor for me. I like the fact that I don’t need to use milk pods to create certain drinks, and most importantly, there are many compatible capsules available for the Nespresso machines, which does not seem to be the case with the other two.

The Inissia Coffee Machine

I ordered a Nespresso Inissia coffee machine in Ruby Red, and despite having no other items of red in our kitchen, it looks great! I feel that it has a small foot print and it is not obtrusive at all. This was a concern of mine at the purchasing stage, but my fears were unfounded. It fits perfectly against a wall and it is easy to use in situ.

Nespresso Inissia Coffee Capsule Machine by KRUPS - Ruby Red

The cable length is adequate and the cleanable parts come apart and refit easily. The capsule container holds 11 used capsules and the drip tray performs perfectly. The drip tray can be folded up to accommodate glasses, mugs or cups taller than 90mm, up to a maximum height of 138mm.

This coffee machine has some useful features such as energy saving mode, water volume programming and descaling mode.

What’s great is that this coffee machine is very easy to use!

1. Add water to the detachable water jug at the rear of the machine.
2. Turn on the machine and wait about 30 seconds.
3. Lift up the handle and place your coffee capsule in the machine.
4. Close down the handle and place a cup or glass underneath the spout.
5. Press the espresso or lungo button depending on the size of coffee you want.
6. Wait for the machine to pour your coffee.
7. If you want more water, simply press the button again to turn on the flow. Press once more to stop the flow.
8. Enjoy your coffee!

“How is the coffee?”, I hear you ask. Well, this really all depends on the quality of the coffee capsule that you are using, but when it comes to the mechanics of the coffee machine, it’s very good indeed. The 19 bar pressure pump creates an excellent crema on your drink every time and there is very little wastage.

As I mentioned at the start of this Nespresso Inissia review we have had this coffee machine for well over 5 years, and I am very pleased to say that we have never had any problems at all. It makes us coffee every day and still looks as good as new. I wipe it down with a damp cloth from time to time and the capsule catcher and drip tray get cleaned weekly. It is very easy to clean and use, however the instruction booklet supplied is hard to understand when you need to read it!

The instruction booklet has been designed to cater for twelve languages therefore it uses diagrams to explain how to use all the features of this coffee machine. Unfortunately these diagrams are difficult to decipher so I was forced to search online for instructions when I wanted to descale the coffee machine. Fortunately Nespresso have a comprehensive YouTube channel and it was easy to find the answers to my questions there.

Along with the Instruction Booklet was a neat folder with a QuickStart Guide, Coffee Menu, Safety Instructions, Guarantee and Serial Number for access to the Nespresso Club. The whole package of coffee machine, welcome folder, free capsules and box gives the feeling of a product that has been carefully designed and built to last. You really do get a quality product with Nespresso^© I feel.

Our Nespresso Inissia Capsule Coffee Machine by KRUPS

Coffee Capsules / Coffee Pods

We purchased our coffee machine from Amazon. It arrived safely and well packed in its stylish Nespresso box that included, as a gift, 40 original Nespresso coffee capsules. The coffee pods supplied with our coffee machine were 10 of each of Ristretto, Arpeggio, Roma and Decaffeinato Intenso coffee capsules.

When the Nespresso Capsule Coffee Machines first arrived on the scene, the only place you could buy coffee pods was via the Nespresso website or in their Nespresso Coffee Boutiques. Now, however, there are many coffee capsule options available to the Nespresso Coffee Machine owner. Many supermarkets have their own brand of Nespresso compatible coffee pods, and nowadays you can find many manufacturers of compatible pods that can be purchased on the high street or on online.

The coffee capsules from Nespresso and other brands come in many flavours, strengths and intensities. Some are suitable for ristretto or espresso sized coffees, whilst others are more suited to larger coffees such as a lungo or a tall cappuccino (as my partner takes her coffee).

A word of warning! Not all compatible coffee capsules are as well made as others. We find that some compatible pods are not a good fit, whilst others do not pierce correctly on their end, meaning that the coffee would take ages to filter through. In these cases we have to press open their pre-cut holes before placing them in the coffee machine.

The original coffee capsules from Nespresso are made of metal. They are an exact fit for the coffee machine and work perfectly. They are also recyclable which is good news, however they can only be recycled at official Nespresso recycling points, which is a pain. I like to recycle as much as possible and Nespresso actively encourage its users to recycle the used pods but unfortunately there is no recycling point near me.

After trying out many different brands of coffee pods we feel that the Nespresso coffee capsules probably have the best flavour but other brands are now very close in quality and taste. We are often trying other brands of compatible capsules, so having a capsule coffee machine allows its owner to enjoy many flavour taste tests, which can be a lot of fun!

A note about decaffeinated coffee capsules
Recently, friends of ours purchased a Nespresso Capsule Coffee Machine after enjoying a coffee with us one day. One of our friends should not consume too much caffeine on the orders of his doctor, but he has found it very difficult to find a compatible decaffeinated capsule with any intensity of flavour, despite the fact that there are many decaffeinated coffee pods available to buy. He often describes them as weak and flavourless. It would seem that manufacturers think that people that drink decaffeinated coffee must like weak coffee, and this simply isn’t the case. I have recommended the official Nespresso Decaffeinato Intenso coffee capsules to him, which I personally found to have lots of flavour. Although they are more expensive to buy, they might just give him the intense coffee flavour he desires!

The Different Inissia Models (KRUPS, Magimix, Siemens and De’Longhi) and Colour Options

During my research into buying a Nespresso Inissia coffee machine I discovered that there were different manufacturer options and many colours available to me. After a little more reading it seems that the differences between a KRUPS, Magimix or De’Longhi Nespresso coffee machine are aesthetic only. They are all produced in the same factory on the same production line, so really your choice boils down to which colour you prefer.

When I purchased our Inissia coffee machine there were a large range of colour options available to me, including Black, White, Green, Canary, Blue Sky, Pacific Blue, Blueberry Blue, Grey, Summer Sun, Vanilla Cream, and Ruby Red.

That being said, I preferred to purchase a coffee machine with the KRUPS brand name rather than Magimix. For us, this decision worked in our favour because the vibrant Ruby Red coloured coffee machine that we wanted is a KRUPS branded product.

Check the Deals

You can get some excellent deals when purchasing your Nespresso Inissia coffee machine. Some sellers may include an Aeroccino, whilst others will offer a selection of coffee pods for you to try for free. Do your research as there are many sellers offering Nespresso Coffee Machines on Amazon UK and it’s worth looking around.

Our Rating and Final Thoughts

As you have probably discovered by reading this article, my girlfriend and I are very happy with our purchase of the Nespresso Inissia Capsule Coffee Machine by KRUPS. We’ve found it to be robust, reliable, attractive and easy to clean. What’s more, it has made great coffee day in, day out for over 60 months without fault. We think it’s a 9 out of 10 stars.

It loses one star for the following reasons, but these ‘bad points’ are minimal:

1. In my opinion, the instruction booklet is poorly designed, but this is easily remedied by seeking answers to your questions on the Nespresso website or on their YouTube channel.

2. Compatible coffee capsules can be hit and miss sometimes, but this is in no way the fault of Nespresso or of their excellent coffee machine.

3. It’s not exactly quiet whilst using, but when the machine is pumping out 19 bars of pressure you’re going to have some noise!

This is a product that I would happily recommend to people. It is very affordable and the coffee pods (especially the compatibles) are good value. I paid about £65.00 when I purchased ours and it has proved to be an excellent investment!

If you are looking for a good value coffee machine that can make great coffee to your own required taste then Kitchen & Cook Shop highly recommend the Nespresso Inissia coffee machine, it’s just a shame that it’s not made anymore.

Gift Ideas for the Cook

Posted December 10, 2015 by Nicki & filed under Gift Ideas.

Are you looking for a gift for someone who likes to cook? We have come up with some great ideas to give you inspiration on that perfect gift for him or her. There are tools and gadgets for the kitchen that can help a cook at every stage, so take a look at the gift ideas below to find something for the cook in your family.

Gifts to help make easy meals

There are plenty of small kitchen appliances that can take the time and pressure out of creating meals. Those that love to be in the kitchen will be happy to receive these gadgets to give them more time to be creative in the kitchen. Slow cookers can create healthy meals through the day, leaving the cook free to do other things. Electric healthy grills can be used at your dinner table as a focal point to a party, and fryers make it easier to deep fry food unattended. Rice cookers are great for fluffy rice every time whilst a sandwich toaster or soup maker can help to make an interesting and tasty alternative lunch. All these great gifts are under £70.

Morphy Richards Slow Cooker Sear and Stew Slowcooker

VonShef Large Teppanyaki Grill

Breville VST025 Sandwich Press

Tefal Multicook 8-in-1 Multicooker

VonShef Deep Fat Fryer

Morphy Richards 48822 Soupmaker

Gifts of tools for easy food preparation

There are also kitchen tools that help the food preparation process saving the cook time, and enabling them to create healthy treats and meals. Steamers cook vegetables, fish and rice in a healthier way, and blenders are great for blitzing fruit into smoothies, or vegetables into soup. A food processor is great multi-function tool which can help chop, slice or dice vegetables quickly and easily and some even have blender and whisk attachments which makes it a very useful kitchen tool and a very welcome gift. If you don’t have room for a food processor then a mini chopper is a great space saver and makes a slightly more unusual gift idea.

Braun MultiQuick 5 Vario Hand Blender

Duronic BL1200 Stainless Steel Jug Blender

Easy-Cook Microwave Multi Steamer

Kenwood Mini Chopper

Gadgets and gift ideas under £25

For those on a budget, the below selection of gift ideas might make the perfect present for your cook.

HABOR Kitchen Timer

Easy Cook 2 Cup Microwave Egg Poacher

Le Creuset Stoneware Heart Ramekin with Lid

Bosch MFQ3010 Hand Mixer

BARVIVO Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

Star Wars R2-D2 Egg Timer

Luxury gift ideas for the cook

If you are looking for that extra special something for the cook in your life, then these more luxury items for the kitchen will be perfect.

Kenwood KMX754RD kMix Stand Mixer, Red, 5 Litre, 1000W

Kenwood KMX754RD kMix Stand Mixer in Red

Ninja Food Processor with Auto-iQ

Tefal ActiFry 2 in 1, 1.5kg Low Fat Fryer

Recipe books make great gifts

For any cook or budding chef, recipe books will always make a good gift. Here’s a selection of our favourite recipe books.

River Cottage Light & Easy

Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food

The Slow Cooker Cookbook

Great British Bake Off - Perfect Cakes & Bakes To Make At Home

Great British Bake Off – At Home

Thank you for reading. We hope that we have given you some great gift ideas for both the budding and accomplished cook!

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

Gifts for Wine Lovers – Part 2

Posted December 3, 2015 by Paul & filed under Gift Ideas.

It’s been a while since I wrote the article Gifts for Wine Lovers – Part 1 so I do apologise to you if you are a wine lover and you’ve been waiting for this second installment!

A bottle or case of wine makes an excellent gift for the host when you are invited to dinner, especially if you get the chance to enjoy a glass of the wine you’ve just bought. If you are celebrating, a bottle of sparkling wine such as Cava, Sparkling Prosecco or Champagne is ideal. Maybe you have someone else in the family that might prefer spirits or whisky, in which case take a look at our article Blade Runner and the ‘Cibi’ Double Whisky Glass which might give you some more gift ideas.

Since writing the last post we have discovered more wine gifts so in this article I will introduce you to some of my favourite corkscrews, wine glasses, books about wine, and, of course, bottles of wine.

Quality Corkscrews

There’s little point in giving the wonderful gift of wine if the receiver can’t get at the nectar inside so below I have chosen three well designed corkscrews that make opening a bottle of wine a simple pleasure.

Brabantia Classic Corkscrew – Matt Steel

Brabantia Classic Corkscrew in Matt Steel

Firlar Waiters Corkscrew

Le Creuset Lever Pull Corkscrew LM-150

Classy Wine Glasses

Although I have been known to drink wine in the style of a rustic farmer (i.e. out of a glass tumbler), I always prefer to drink wine out of a well shaped wine glass. Enjoying wine out of the correct glass allows you to see its colour clearly and the wine can also breathe properly to fully produce its bouquet. The wine glasses below are specifically for serving red wine in, but we have many other varieties of glassware available.

Set of 6 Amisglass Crystal Wine Glasses

Michelangelo Red Wine Glasses 230ml - Pack of 6

Set of 6 Michelangelo Red Wine Glasses

Villeroy & Boch 4-Piece Ovid Red Wine Goblet Set

Books for the Wine Lover

For those that are interested in not only drinking wine, but also learning more about where wine is grown, different varieties of grape, and the history of wine, then there are many excellent books about wine available. There are also many books that evaluate and review wine growers, vineyards, wine vintages and bottles of wine that you can might buy from your local off-licence or supermarket.

The World Atlas of Wine, 7th Edition

Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine 2020

The Wine Pocket Bible

Wine Gift Sets

Possibly the favourite gift a wine lover can receive is a bottle of decent wine! Of course, there are many, many bottles of good wine available online and in local shops, but here I have picked out two wine gift sets that have caught my eye, and a bottle of bubbly for when you are celebrating a birthday or special occasion. Enjoy!

Bella Italia, Italian Wine Pair & Chocolate Truffles

Prosecco and Red Wine Gift Hamper

Lanson Le Black Label Brut NV Giftbox

Gift Ideas for the Baker

Posted November 17, 2015 by Nicki & filed under Gift Ideas.

If you’re looking for gift ideas and you have a baker in the family then it’s not so hard to find something that they will love to receive. Our article of gift ideas for the baker will help give you some inspiration, whether you’re looking for a stocking filler or a main gift. We have chosen a few items from each step of the baking process that we think would make a great gift.

You can find all of these and much more inspiration in our Amazon gift ideas for bakers list here.

Small appliances

Essential electrical tools to make mixing up and weighing out ingredients so much easier. Bakers will love this stand mixer from Kenwood which comes at a great price. Or why not choose a simple hand mixer as a cheaper option. Kitchen scales are always a useful tool in cake making too as it’s important to measure out ingredients accurately.

Kenwood kMix Stand Mixer, 1000 W, Cream

Bosch MFQ3010 Hand Mixer in White

Duronic KS5000 Large Digital Display 5KG Kitchen Scales

Duronic Large Digital Display 5kg Kitchen Scales

Mixing

We never seem to have enough mixing bowls, or one the right size when mixing up ingredients so we don’t think you can go wrong with a mixing bowl gift. The Oxo Good Grips mixing bowl is a quality product and the bright multicolour Joseph Joseph set of bowls and measuring spoons stack brilliantly so it is great for space saving in cluttered cupboards. Not forgetting the scraping and hand mixing spatula, always useful and a great stocking filler idea.

OXO Good Grips 5-Quart Mixing Bowl

KitchenCraft Colourworks Multi Silicone Spatula with Built In Bowl Rest

Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus – Multi-Colour, 9 Piece

Baking

Baking containers, dishes, moulds and tins are always useful for the baker who loves to experiment. Here are some classic Le Creuset stoneware ramekins which come in a range of colours and are a little bit of luxury to the baker. There are also sets of cake tins in different shapes for the traditional baker. For a more quirky unusual gift or stocking filler why not buy a silicon mould for a giant cup cake, no one can go wrong with that!

Set of 2 Le Creuset 0.2 L Stoneware Ramekins

Set of 3 Premier Housewares Spring Form Cake Tins

Premier Housewares 3 Piece Giant Cupcake Mould

Decorating

First, whenever cake decorating, it is wise to wear an apron! If you are looking for a gift for someone who likes to decorate cakes, then these cake icing and decorating sets would be most welcome.

FantasyDay 127-Piece Cake Decorating Supplies Baking Tools

Beautiful CupCakes Design Ladies Apron

Bebester 32pcs Cake Decorating Supplies Set

Storage

Every baker needs somewhere to store their tasty baked treats, so these cake tins in stylish colours are the perfect accessory gifts for the baker. Plus it means your cakes will stay fresher for longer so you have more time to enjoy them!

Three Tala Retro Design Round Cake Tins

Pimpernel Set of 3 Cake tins

Katie Alice Stylish “Vintage Indigo” Set of 2 Nesting Tins

Recipes

Finally, inspiration is needed for the baker along with some great recipes to follow. As big fans of the Great British Bake Off, we think the following baking recipe books would make great gifts for all bakers.

The Great British Bake Off: Get Baking for Friends and Family

The Contemporary Cake Decorating Bible: Creative Techniques, Fresh Inspiration, Stylish Designs

Prue: My All-time Favourite Recipes

Great British Bake Off: Everyday

How to Bake by Paul Hollywood

Mary Berry’s Baking Bible

Find all of these and more inspiration in our Amazon gift ideas for bakers list here.

5 Great Autumn 2015 Recipe Books

Posted November 13, 2015 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

In the autumn of 2015, there were a great many new books released, most probably in order to be available as gifts in the early build up to Christmas. At Kitchen and Cook Shop we always like to see what new recipe books there are for us to spend our hard-earned cash on, so in this short roundup we are looking at five of the cook books released at this time to see what choice of interesting dishes there may be for us to cook at home.

Please note that in this post I will be looking at the printed editions of the books, but you may find that some (or even all) of these books are also available in hardback, paperback, Kindle or eBook format too.

Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls by Graham Garrett

The first two recipe books I’m going to look at have catchy, fun titles, and I’m hoping that my interest remains piqued once I have delved further into the cookbooks.

Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls is written by drummer Graham Garrett, who played in a few popular 80s bands and rubbed shoulders with world renowned rock stars such as Freddie Mercury and Bruce Springsteen. He is now a Michelin-starred chef and has worked alongside many well-known chefs, including Nico Ladenis, Richard Corrigan and Gordon Ramsay.

In his new cookbook of over 280 pages, you will discover more than 50 recipes with influences drawn from American, British, Indian, Japanese, Russian and Thai cuisines. This recipe book truly does contain a unique collection of dishes. What’s more is that between the pages of recipes you can read some of Graham’s fantastic stories of his rock and roll exploits throughout the years, so not only is this a great cook book, it is also an interesting read! It would make an excellent gift for a music fan that enjoys cooking, and I know quite a few people like that!

Buy Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls by Graham Garrett on Amazon UK.

Pimp My Rice by Nisha Katona

Loosely playing on the title of the TV series “Pimp My Ride”, a television show where an old banger of a car is taken away and ‘pimped’ up to look awesome, I wonder what will be within the pages of this recipe book.

Inside Pimp My Rice you will find rice recipes to spice up your mealtimes presented to you by British born Indian Nisha Katona, a full time Barrister and self-proclaimed Rice Evangelist! Nisha runs a fantastically popular Curry Clinic on Twitter and in this recipe book we find over 200 pages of rice dishes from around the world. Nisha explains the different types of rice available and shows us a wide range of meals to be made with the varied rice types. It is easy to get bored with rice so I am very interested in getting to know this cookbook better. If you’ve become a rice evangelist like Nisha, please let us know!

Buy Pimp My Rice by Nisha Katona on Amazon UK.

Kitchin Suppers by Tom Kitchin

Kitchin Suppers is a contemporary cookbook that is devoted to home cooking. It is a beautifully illustrated book with exciting photography that offers the reader over 190 pages of inspirational and accessible recipes. From one-pan wonders and quick meals to more flamboyant fare, Tom Kitchin gives us a cookbook that is full of valuable tips and hints as well as super meals.

The recipes within this book have been created specifically for the home kitchen. They are not dishes adapted from a chef’s restaurant that the home cook would struggle to make, but instead they are perfect recipes for those of us with limited budgets and busy lives. Shopping for the dishes is easy, and the techniques shown in the book are straightforward, making the meals fun to cook.

In the pages, Tom also offers us his own ‘Kitchin Secrets’ that cover a host of topics, including sourcing the best ingredients, preparing ahead, getting the timing right, and balancing the flavours in a dish. All-in-all, this is a recipe book that fans of Tom Kitchin will love, as well as appealing to those of us that enjoy making meals that are uncomplicated and tasty without the faff!

Buy Kitchin Suppers by Tom Kitchin on Amazon UK.

Make it Easy Cookbook by Jane Lovett

Restaurateur Prue Leith CBE says “Jane Lovett understands that good cooking is about simplicity and great ingredients.” and in the Make it Easy Cookbook we find a collection of delicious, easy recipes that can be prepared in advance to save time when entertaining or when time is short.

Make it Easy Cookbook contains 192 pages with recipes ranging from simple starters to quick suppers and further on to more elaborate meals. All the dishes given are contemporary, seasonal and fresh, and their ingredients are kept to a minimum. Within this recipe book you will discover tips, shortcuts and a host of original ideas along the way that aim to help you make the most of your time in the kitchen; before, during and after cooking! I’m all for quick and easy recipes and the thought of preparing meals in advance sounds great. The recipes in the Make it Easy Cookbook are very easy to follow and only require a basic knowledge of cookery, which sounds right up my street!

Buy Make it Easy Cookbook by Jane Lovett on Amazon UK.

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Curry Recipes That Taste Amazing by Julian Voigt

We end this month’s roundup with a book aimed squarely at fans of curry dishes. Author Julian Voigt is somewhat of a recognised author on Amazon and all of his curry cookbooks are very highly rated. In Quick & Easy Vegetarian Curry Recipes That Taste Amazing Julian explains that the number one reason people don’t eat more vegetable meals is that they don’t taste that great compared to their favourite meat based dishes. His plan is to show us than not only can vegetable dishes taste as good as meat based dishes, but that they can taste better!

This book is not called Quick and Easy for nothing! In the modern world in which we live, quality is often compromised for convenience, yet the incredible thing is that authentic South Asian cooking is simple and quick. This curry recipe book is not a gimmick but offers you real home-style curry recipes that can be made quickly and easily, and they are the same as those eaten my millions of Asian households across the world.

In this cook book, Julian also touches on the health benefits of eating Dal and he explains why Dal is to India what rice is to China. He will give you compelling reason to eat more plant based meals – and with the delicious curry recipes in this book you will be equipped to do so. If you’ve never cooked, or even tasted, a vegetarian curry dish, then why not take the plunge and give this book a go. Throughout its 100 plus pages you are sure to find many delicious curry recipes that don’t contain meat, but are as good as anything you might get from the local Indian takeaway!

Buy Quick & Easy Vegetarian Curry Recipes That Taste Amazing by Julian Voigt on Amazon UK.

Another great season for cookbooks

Once again, the excellent and varied recipe books keep coming. In this very small selection of published titles we have a great variety of dishes, menus, meals and recipes for you to enjoy, so get shopping and try something new!

Slow Cooker Lemon and Almond Cookie Cake

Posted October 12, 2015 by Nicki & filed under Recipes.

Our much loved combined oven, grill and microwave packed up the other day, which left us with limited ways of making food until we decided on a new oven combi, purchased it and had it delivered. With a craving for cake making and only a hob and slow cooker available, I did a quick search online to find out if it was possible to make cakes in the slow cooker. To my surprise I found that many people have done it with great results. So with a surplus of almonds and a lemon to hand, I thought I’d try making our favourite Lemon and Almond Cookies recipe, but in the slow cooker. This gave birth to the rather wonderful Slow Cooker Lemon and Almond Cookie Cake.

Tips for slow cooker cake making

It is actually not that difficult to make a cake in the slow cooker, you have to be aware that whatever you make will be ‘all-in-one’ and will need slicing up after if you want individual cakes.

It is advisable to grease the slow cooker bowl with butter/margarine and also line it with grease proof paper which enables easy removal of the contents once it is cooked. You can also use a giant cup cake case if it suits the size of your crock pot.

The best tip I picked up from other slow cooker cake makers is to place a tea towel underneath the lid of the slow cooker which soaks up all the condensation and stops it from dripping down onto the cake. We really don’t want a soggy cake.

Slow Cooker Lemon and Almond Cookie Cake

Ingredients

This recipe uses exactly the same ingredients and method as for the original Lemon and Almond Cookies Recipe.

100g soft butter or margarine
100g castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
185g plain flour (a little more may be needed)
Half a teaspoon baking powder
zest and juice of one lemon
a large handful of almonds or as many as you have available, crushed.

Method

Grease the inside of the slow cooker pot, and then line with grease proof paper.
With an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
Crush the almonds in a blender or manually with a plastic bag and rolling pin until they are ‘chocolate chip’ size pieces.
Add the egg and the vanilla essence to the butter mixture and beat until thick and creamy.
Pour in the lemon juice and add two tablespoons of flour on top and then mix well.
Slowly add the rest of the flour, whilst still mixing, along with the baking powder and the crushed almonds. The cookie dough should be thick and sticky so that it stands in peaks when the spatula is lifted from the mixture and it is tough to mix. Add more flour if it is not thick enough, it will depend on the size of the lemon and the amount of juice added.
Tip the mixture into the slow cooker on top of the grease proof paper and level it out. Put the tea towel over the top and then put the lid on. Cook on high for approximately two to two and a half hours. This will depend on your slow cooker, so check regularly. The cookie cake is done when the top is slightly golden in colour and knife comes out clean when inserted into the mixture. My mistake was to cook the cake on the auto setting on my slow cooker and it took about four hours or more to cook. If I had put it on high it would have cooked in half that time.
Once cooked through, pull the cake out of the slow cooker using the grease proof paper and place on a rack to cool.
Once cooled, peel back the paper and slice into squares as required.

Slow cooker cakes are a great way to make a cake if you only have time to mix up and not enough time to wait to take it out of the oven. A slow cooker cake gives you a couple of hours to nip down the shops, or clean the house while you wait. Then you can return to the lovely aroma of baking and a perfectly cooked cake for afternoon tea!

Best Selling Slow Cookers

If you’ve not invested in a slow cooker yet then we suggest you do – right now! Morphy Richards are the most popular providers of slow cookers and here are three of their best selling models available in the UK at the moment.

Morphy Richards Sear and Stew Slow Cooker 460016 Black and Rose Gold

Morphy Richards Sear and Stew Slow Cooker 3.5L Black and Rose Gold (460016)

Morphy Richards Sear, Stew and Auto Stir Slow Cooker 3.5L (460009)

Morphy Richards Slow Cooker Sear and Stew 460012 3.5L Black

Morphy Richards Slow Cooker Sear and Stew 3.5L Black (460012)

Great deals on selected Philips Juicers

Posted October 10, 2015 by Paul & filed under Kitchen and Lifestyle.

Philips make an excellent range of juicers and almost always there are special deals on Philips Juicers at Amazon.co.uk. These juicer deals often give you savings of between 15% and 60%, meaning that you can save over £100 on occasions!

Philips change their range of juicers every year or two, often improving the juicer to use stronger and more reliable motors. The five shown below are some of our favourite Philips Juicer models currently available at the time of writing (March 2020).

Philips HR1922/21 Avance Collection Juicer, 1 Litre, 1200 W

Philips HR1918/81 Avance Collection Juicer, 1 Litre, 1000 W

Philips HR1836/01 Viva Collection Compact Juicer, 1.5 Litre, 500 Watt

Philips HR1832/01 Viva Collection Compact Juicer, 1.5 Litre, 500 Watt

Philips HR1867/21 Viva Collection Quick Clean Juicer, 2 Litre, 700 Watt

Below is a quick comparison chart which details the major differences between the five models shown above.

Great deals on selected Philips Juicers (March 2020)

All five Philips Juicers have excellent reviews on Amazon.co.uk and elsewhere online and their range offers something for everyone.

Philips Avance Juicer Models

The Philips HR1922/21 Avance Collection Juicer and Philips HR1918/81 Avance Collection Juicer models in the Philips Avance Collection are similar but have different colours, however the HR1918/81 is slightly less powerful but also costs less. The 2.1 litre capacity applies to the pulp container capacity and not the capacity of the juice jug which is 1 litre in both cases.

Philips Viva Juicer Models

The Philips HR1867/21 Viva Collection Quick Clean Juicer model has a 700 Watt motor, a 2 litre juice jug and comes in brushed aluminium, whereas the Philips HR1836/01 Viva Collection Compact Juicer and the Philips HR1832/01 Viva Collection Compact Juicer both have 500 Watt motors and 1.5 litre jugs with the only difference being the finish. All three Viva juicers cost between £75 to £100 RRP but can often be found on Amazon UK for less.

The Benefits of Philips Juicers

One of the greatest benefits of all these Philips Juicers, besides the great price, is Philips Quick Rinse mode and the QuickClean technology. The QuickClean technology has been used to make all surfaces simple to wipe clean, even those parts that normally get clogged with pulp, and the Quick Rinse facility promises to clean the juicer in just one minute by flushing clean water through the device. A real time saver!

Juicing Books

To fully enjoy the benefits of juicing, we recommend the following books which contain lots of great recipes and healthy information and advice for juicing or dieting with juices. They are all available on Kindle devices and in traditional print. Make the most of your juicing!

4 ways to bring Floral Designs to your Dinner Table

Posted September 28, 2015 by Nicki & filed under Gift Ideas.

Floral designs in tableware are very popular at the moment. We have already written about floral designs for afternoon tea, so we thought we’d continue on the theme and take a look at what floral designs are available for the dinner table.

First of all the table needs to be laid, so we have a range of floral table mats to suit the theme, we also have some stunning dinner sets with shabby chic and more contemporary floral designs. To bring your delicious food to the table we have found some beautiful floral trays to handle the task. Then if you need some extra serving bowls we have found some excellent floral bowls that can even be used the following day for breakfast.

The items below all have complimentary matching counterparts even if we have chosen not to show them. You can have a whole dinner table decorated with the same stunning floral designs, but we wanted to show you samples from different designs. Some of these items would also make great gifts, especially if you know someone with a similar design already.

Floral Placemats and Coasters

Floral placemats and coasters will add a touch of elegance to your table before the food arrives. Even if you’re not having a dinner party you can make your table, or even coffee time, look floral.

Duck Egg Floral 4-Piece Cork-Backed Round Placemats by Creative Tops

Cooksmart Floral Romance Set of 4 Placemats

Set of 4 Cooksmart Vintage Floral Coasters

Floral Dinner Sets

There are some stunning floral dinner sets available, from ditsy shabby chic designs to more modern minimalistic floral designs. There’s something to suit your tastes to bring floral designs to your table.

TouchLife Bone China 8-Pcs Green Dinnerware Set

Royal Albert Old Country Roses 20-Piece Set

Sabichi Lydia Dinner Set

Floral Trays

Trays are functional, but can also be pretty. These floral trays will add style to your food’s journey from the kitchen to your table, and in beautiful complimentary designs.

Creative Tops Flower Study Luxury Serving Tray

Portmeirion Strawberry Thief Red Large Tray

Premier Housewares Alicia Serving Tray

Floral Bowls

Floral bowls are great on their own as serving bowls for the dinner table, or as cereal bowls for breakfast. Who said breakfast time couldn’t also be a floral extravaganza?

Set of 6 Cereal Salad Bowl Kyoto Orchid

Villeroy & Boch Artesano Flower Art Shallow Bowl

KitchenCraft Footed Stencil-Effect Flower-Patterned Ceramic Bowls

We hope this article has given you an idea as to what is available in floral designs for your dinner table. These items also make great gifts and there are plenty of different designs to mix and match what you have already.