Monthly Archives: November 2011

Vimto Limited Edition Hot Mulled Berry Punch

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Its the time of year where it’s getting cold and it’s dark outside early. There is nothing nicer than snuggling up watching a film with a nice hot drink on cold nights. Vimto have just launched a new limited edition seasonal spiced punch, which is perfect for keeping you warm and cosy this winter and a brilliant non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine.

The Vimto Hot Mulled Berry Punch is based on the original Vimto recipe but has been blended with aromatic cloves, warming cinnamon and sweet nutmeg to give it those Christmas overtones. All you need to do is add hot water to make a lovely warming drink or it could also be used as the base of a hot winter alcoholic cocktail.

I was sent some to try and made it on a rather cold day. It has a lovely berry taste and you can definitely taste the undertones of the spices which reminded me a lot of mulled wine. It is a really warming drink, perfect when you have come in from the cold and fancy something different. My son was not very keen on the spiced taste, this is definitely one for adults.  I think it would be rather nice served at Christmas parties as a drink for the drivers among us.

You can get Vimto Hot Mulled Berry Punch exclusively in Tesco. It comes in 725 ml bottles. RRP £1.89

It has been available from the 21st November, but remember it is a limited edition so get it while it is there.

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Vimto

Bella Vie Cocktail recipes

Method Laundry Detergent

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Recently I was sent some Method Laundry Detergent to review which came in the scent of Peony Blossom. As I am a mum of an eleven year old boy I am constantly washing clothes, which have a variety of interesting stains on them. Once he managed to ride his bike down a slope into the ditch at the bottom which was filled with water and mud and really smelled horrible. I really need to use laundry products that work well.

The first thing I noticed about this laundry detergent was the small bottle. It is a really nice size, much easier to fit into your cupboard than some of the big boxes of washing powder you can buy. Even though it is small it is meant to be enough for 25 washes. It is an ultra concentrated formula (8 x more concentrated) and is 95% plant based so the ingredients are all natural and renewable which make it much greener.

The pump is really easy to use, you need to unscrew the top a little when you first get it to release the pump, but once that is done it is really easy to squirt what you need into your washing machine. It gives you guidelines on how many squirts you need for what sort of wash which is great. I always find I get washing powder on the floor when measuring it, or gel based products all over the side of the container but with this container it just squirts into the machine with no mess. Just four squirts is enough for a standard load of washing.

As well as having a handier sized bottle Method laundry detergent has a formula which seeks out dirt and stains, the cleaning agents get drawn to the dirt and stains and work quickly to remove them. I had visions of little people with sunglasses running around in the laundry detergent zapping the dirt and stains with guns but I am sure that is not what happens. It sounded brilliant and I decided to test it on a load of my son’s clothes.

I have to say that it works really well. The clothes really did get clean and they also had a lovely smell which was not too strong. I also noticed they felt soft as well, especially my towels.  I was very impressed by this laundry detergent and will definitely be looking out for it in the shops.

The other great thing about this product is that you can buy refill pouches as well. Once you have used all the detergent in your pump dispenser you just refill it using the refill pouch, which holds 85 washes.

Method Laundry Detergent  is available in Peony Blossom, Fresh Air or Free and Clear scents.

You can find Method products at Sainsburys, Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, Homebase and Booths and also online at: http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/products.html

RRP: £5.99 for the pump dispenser and £14.00 for the refill.

For more information: http://methodlaundry.co.uk/

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Method Waterfall Handwash

Lilly’s Eco Clean Products

Create My Tweet

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Samsung Electronics have come up with a fabulous idea which shows off the full potential of the Samsung Galaxy Note, the new phone that has just been launched that is a mix of a tablet and a phone with a special S-Pen allowing you to use it as a notepad.

From 22nd November till 25th November between 9am and 9 pm GMT Samsung Electronics is teaming up with four of the UK’s most talented illustrators who will use a Galaxy Note to create original pieces of art from a 140 character tweet.

The four artists will use key features of the Samsung Galaxy Note to create a unique work, using the S-pen, S memo and a number of other applications optimised for running on the Note. You need to tweet @sumsungmobile using the hashtag #createmytweet for the chance to get your tweet made into a unique piece of art.

I tried it earlier and this was the result, I think it is really fabulous and shows off the potential of the Samsung Galaxy Note.

http://twitter.com/#!/SamsungMobile/status/139638315837165569/photo/1

The artists who are taking part are:

22nd November:  Steve Wilson, who is best known for his techniques using a pen, pencil and collage with tools like Photoshop,. He has worked with brands like Sony BMG, Universal Music, Nike and Vodaphone,  including his artwork featuring Amy Winehouse.

23rd November:  Rose Stallard – known for her street graffiti artwork and rock n roll ties, Rose was commissioned by The Guardian to illustrate their merchandise for this year’s Glastonbury festival and has also worked on projects for Urban Outfitters and Top Shop

24th November:  Danny Sangra – famous for his experimental approach to art using techniques such as design, film illustration and video. He has worked with brands such as Sony, BBC, Louis Vuitton and Nylon magazine.

25th November: Natasha Law – in high demand from the fashion world for her paintings and line drawings. Past commissions include Vogue, Mulburry, Harrods, Globe Trotter and Mr and Mrs Smith.

You can find out more on facebook here and see each artist discuss their work and the Galaxy Note here

Mu Cheddar Cheese Review

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We are great cheese eaters in our house, in fact you might be forgiven for thinking that we have mouse ancestry somewhere along the line as we eat so much cheese. I was delighted to be sent some samples of a new brand of cheese to try called Mu Cheddar. The cheese arrived in this fabulous box which made me think instantly of cows.

Inside the box were two of the different types of cheddar available in the range,the Mature Lighter Cheddar and the Mature Cheddar. If you are not keen on Mature Cheddar you will also find Mild Cheddar and Medium Cheddar and for convenience you can also get sliced Cheddar and grated Cheddar packs. As you can see the cow related theme continues though out the packaging which is rather fun.

So how does it taste? I have to report it has a lovely creamy taste and is easily as nice or nicer than the normal cheddar I buy. Normally cheese that is named lighter, which contains 30% less fat, does not taste as nice as the full fat variety. In this case I could not tell the difference, both were equally delicious.

In our house we use cheese in lots of different ways, cheese sandwiches, grated on top of pasta dishes, in cheese sauce and on toast. The Mu Cheese was equal to all these tasks, and I am sure it will be used for many more dishes. It would make an excellent pizza topping or used on top of baked potatoes, the list is endless.

Mu Cheddar has been sourced from well fed cows in the UK and Ireland in order to create the delicious taste, and explains the eye catching cow packaging.  You can find Mu Cheddar in Tesco RRP £2.49

For more information visit: www.mucheese.com

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Branston Peanuts and Crackers