At long last it’s starting to feel like summer! Phew! 

Here are some great products that I’ve recently discovered and am happy to recommend:

An A-Peeling Tool

The impressive Microplane Professional Peeler range includes straight and serrated blades as well as the XL Peeler, for wider fruit and root vegetables with thicker skins. Three NEW Professional Y Peelers join the series with a straight, serrated and julienne blade, ensuring whatever your desired result, peeling fresh fruit and veg couldn’t be quicker, easier or more efficient.

The Y-shape makes peeling and cutting more comfortable and controlled. The new peelers are designed to simplify and speed up daily tasks. The extremely sharp stainless-steel blades glide effortlessly across fruits and vegetables. The ergonomic non-slip soft- touch handle fit is comfortable for both right and left-hand use.

With salads and soft fruit season upon us, the new Microplane range of Y-Peelers is perfect.

A Straight Blade (for peeling carrots, apples etc), a Serrated Blade  (razor sharp for peeling delicate, softer fruit and veg like a tomato or mango) and a Julienne Blade (with mini sharp teeth for cutting veg into uniform julienne sticks for stir fries and salads). 

From £22 at John Lewis

Mayo without any Nasties

Mayonnaise is such a staple in our house.

It can be used to add flavour and moisture to so many different dishes – not just salads and sandwiches. 

It’s important to know that the mayonnaise you’re serving is top quality and not packed with lots of ‘nasties’, such as seed oils, sugar, fillers and chemical preservatives. 

Tesco has just launched a range of seed oil (and other nasties) free mayo from Hunter & Gather, a company that I’ve held in high esteem for quite a few years.

Produced in small batches right here in the UK, it’s real food, with just four simple ingredients:100% pure avocado oil; British free range egg yolks from RSPCA approved, Red Lion certified farms; apple cider vinegar and Pink Himalyan Salt. 

They have even been endorsed and awarded stars by the Great Taste Awards.

Available in Classic, Garlic and also Chipotle & Lime, they are worth seeking out – Tesco supermarkets nationwide £4.00 , 175g jar

And Cakes, Too

St. Michel, France’s popular cake and biscuit brand, has brought its Choco Cakes range to the UK.

Available in handy boxes of six, each cake is individually wrapped in foil, making them perfect to pop in to lunch boxes or as an afternoon treat at home or on the go, guaranteeing freshness and that authentic French taste.

  • Choco Burger is a soft cake made of two slices of airy biscuits filled with chocolate mousse.
  • Choco Donut is a  light sponge cake, made in a donut shape and coated with thick milk chocolate.
  • Choco Muffin is made of fluffy dough, dipped in milk chocolate .
  • Choco Waffle is a little sponge cake with three soft squares filled with chocolate.

A selection of Choco Muffin, Choco Waffle, Choco Donut and Choco Burger is now available in Tesco and Waitrose stores, and Ocado (rrp £2.00 per box).

Made in France using French wheat, cage-free eggs and absolutely no palm oil, the Choco Cakes range contains no artificial preservatives.

Available in boxes of six, individually wrapped in foil, makes them perfect to pop into lunch boxes or as a treat at home or on the go.

They are rather yummy…

The Purest Honey Heaven

Artisanal honey brand, Honey Heaven has added three stunning new varieties to its organic honey range: Organic Honey infused with Bee Pollen, Propolis and Royal Jelly, Organic Natural Hungarian Acacia Honey with Honeycomb and Organic Wildflower Soft Set Honey

All three take the finest organic Hungarian honey, but each has its own special twist.  

Organic Honey infused with Bee Pollen, Propolis and Royal Jelly  RRP £18.00  (300g) Organic Natural Hungarian Acacia Honey with Honeycomb  RRP £18.00 (500g)Organic Wildflower Soft Set Honey  RRP £12.00 (300g).

Honey Heaven exclusively sources its honey from a small, artisanal Hungarian beekeeper.  The pristine Hungarian countryside is an area of natural beauty, unspoiled by pollution and pesticides with stunning landscapes, criss-crossed by springs and rivers, untamed Acacia forests and lush wild-flower and lavender meadows which are home to the bees.  

The organic honey they make is extracted using traditional methods which are sustainable and work in complete harmony with nature.

All are available from www.honeyheaven.co.uk

June 28 – International Rosé Day

Next week sees International Rosé Day and there are now so many wonderful pink wines available it can be hard to choose. 

I recently tasted Screaming Devil Côtes de Provence Rosé and it has a perfumed white peach, mango and passion fruit aromas, along with some rhubarb notes on the nose.

It has a really lively vibrant palate, a fresh and saline structure,  zesty length, with intense aromas. 

It’s perfect for a heatwave and goes really well with a Niçoise Salad.

Price: £13 from Asda and Ocado