Bonds Retro Classics

Bonds Retro Classics

When I was asked to review Bonds Retro Classics I got very excited :)  I imagined being taken back in time to when my Grandparents owned the local newsagents and I lived on Black Jacks and Fruit Salads.  At that time you could buy a big bag of sweets for 10p and sit slurping away at a variety of flavours and sherbets all afternoon.

The Retro Classics bag claims to have 'All your favourites in one bag!' and on the packet shows images of Love Hearts and Lipsticks, Dennis & Gnasher Chewbies, Blackjacks, Fizzers, Parma Violets, Lollies, Drumsticks and Refreshers.
On the reverse it states "Mix Not Guaranteed" which is good on their behalf as the mix in our bag contained 4 different items!  We had Drumsticks, Parma Violets, Refreshers and a few Blackjacks.

To be honest - I was disappointed.  The sweets we had we the same as the ones we got in a mega bucket for a couple of quid at Halloween, there were no sweets that I hadn't tasted for years or any varieties that I could have chatted to my daughter about.

I know they cannot guarantee the contents but I think they could have made a bit more of an effort to give a wider selection.

Anyway a little about Bonds:
Bonds of London is one of the oldest confectionery companies in the UK and began making handmade sweets in 1895. Many of the original recipes are still used in today’s products.  

Bonds produces old fashioned jars and gift jars as well as traditional bags, plus the UK’s leading small 39p bag range. In addition the company wholesales a range of top selling kid’s products as well as a large range of novelty confectionery, ideal for the gift and seasonal markets. Bond’s is also one of the UK’s leading suppliers of own label products for many household name stores and discount retailers.

With well over 450 products in its portfolio (and now all available on the Bond’s Confectionery website) Bond’s is the one stop shop for all the UK’s favourite sweets. Bond’s Confectionary aims to offer fantastic products at fantastic prices, coupled with outstanding service to meet the most demanding standards.

For more information please visit: www.bonds-confectionery.com

Bonds Confectionery

BONDS CONFECTIONERY LAUNCHES NEW CONSUMER WEBSITE

As new research confirms that Britain is a nation of sweet lovers

A national survey of 2,000 UK consumers, commissioned by Bonds Confectionery, has revealed that over a third of people admit to having a sweet tooth and to buying sweets every day, with another 37 per cent claiming that their favourite sweet treats are guaranteed to cheer them up when they're feeling down. Forty per cent of confectionery lovers buy their sugary snacks to share on a cosy night in with their partner or family and when they are planning trips to the cinema or theatre.

The research also found that over 70 per cent of people now buy some of their sweets in the supermarket, as part of their weekly shop, with less than 25 per cent choosing to visit their local convenience store or newsagent. Another 18 per cent buy their sweet treats from discount retailers whilst 14 per cent pick up their confectionery at the same time as filling up with petrol. Even when budgets are tight most people don't give up their sweet snacks. Whilst 20 per cent of people give up takeaways to reduce spending and another 15 per cent cut out trips to the cinema, only six per cent are prepared to give up their favourite sweets.

Commenting on the research findings, Philip Courtenay-Luck, managing director of Bonds Confectionery, said: “The survey results confirm what we have known for some time and that is that in Britain we love our sweets, but that the way that we buy them has definitely changed.

“The days when a visit to our local sweet shop, to stock up on our family favourites, was part of our normal routine have all but disappeared with most of us now choosing to do this as part of the weekly shop. This has reduced the range of sweets that we have to choose from, as supermarket aisles are largely dominated by big confectionery brands, but at Bonds we know UK sweet buyers still want their traditional favourites as well as household name brands. It was this knowledge, coupled with the phenomenal growth of online retail, that prompted us to launch the new consumer website.”

The Bonds Confectionery website offers over 450 sweet ranges from bagged chocolates such as the indulgent Honeycomb, Caramel Barrels and Chocolate Mix to the ever popular sweet shop range which offers traditional lines like Sherbet Lemons, Fruit Jellies and Chocolate Limes. Also on offer is the hugely popular Retro Classics bag and an extensive range of kid’s sweets such as Fizzy Cola Bottles, Teeth & Lips and Dolly Mixtures.

Sweet lovers also admitted that chocolate is by far their favourite sweet indulgence, with over 40 per cent of people naming it as their top choice of treat with jellies and gums in second place at 10 per cent and old fashioned boiled sweets coming in third with eight per cent of the vote. The lowly marshmallow came last on the list with only one per cent of people choosing it as their favourite.

Philip added: “The survey also found that six per cent of people already buy their sweets online and with the rate of growth of online retail almost 10 times that of the overall retail market coupled with the fact that in Britain we love our sweets there is a real opportunity to recreate the traditional sweet shop experience online.”

For more information about the Bonds Confectionery range of products visit:

www.bonds-confectionery.com

Freshers Bacon Jerky

Bacon Jerky from Freshers Foods

I was asked to review Freshers Foods new snack product 'Bacon Jerky'.

Freshers Foods are an innovative snack food manufacturer specialising in meat snacks such as traditional pork scratchings, crunch and crackling.

They recently innovated and launched a brand new product to the market - Freshers Bacon Jerky. It's a ready to eat meat snack that is made from 100% sweet cured marinated bacon pieces and is available in Original and BBQ flavour. 

Basically the product is solid strips of marinated sweet cured bacon, which have been marinated, cured, cooked and air dried.

Each original flavour pack contains 
Nutrition Information (Typical Value per 100g)
Energy 1457 KJ (558 kcal)
Protein 48.9g
Carbohydrate 7.0g
Fat 13.7g
Sodium 1.3g
Salt Equivalent 3.4g


If you are watching your calorie intake the BBQ flavour is a little better for you
Nutrition Information (Typical Value per 100g)
Energy 1278 KJ (304 kcal)
Protein 45.9g
Carbohydrate 3.9g
Fat 11.9g
Sodium 1.8g
Salt Equivalent 4.6g

So what do they taste like?
This review has been a little difficult for me as I like to be truthfully honest, I understand that everyone has different tastes and prefer different products, flavours and textures so you may rate these snacks differently to me and my family
Basically we thought they tasted like dog treats.  The texture is thick and stringy, so chewy that it goes into tiny pieces of hard bacon in your mouth and ends up difficult to swallow.  I asked a range of people to try each flavour: my husband, my daughter and her friends at school, finally my Dad who was brought up eating strange snacks and dry cured products.
All who tasted decided that they didn't like them or that the product wasn't for them.

To save wasting them .. we fed them to our dog Ruby who smacked her lips in delight and polished off the rest of the packet!

If you would like to try Freshers Snacks, please visit http://freshersfoods.com/shop/
I would recommend their scampi snacks and pork scratchings :) they are yummy!!

Brent Cross Food Market

NORTH LONDON FOODIE HEAVEN COMES TO BRENT CROSS

New market set to satisfy gourmet appetites

Brent Cross has long been celebrated as a destination for the fashion-savvy, but it will soon become a must-visit site for foodies too when a new food market opens on the 26 April.

The market – seen as North London’s answer to some of the best markets elsewhere in the capital  – will take over the area by John Lewis in the centre’s car park every Friday and Saturday, throughout the year. More than 200 traders from across the UK have applied to become a part of it and now organisers have narrowed it down to the best 50  to create the ultimate foodie experience for North London.

The Brent Cross Food Market will be offering delicacies from around the world as well as locally sourced meats, dairy products, vegetables and mouth-watering treats for an indulgent food experience. The carefully selected stalls will include the best seasonal produce, exotic goodies as well as artisan groceries.  And for those who cannot wait to sample tasty goodies the market will offer some of the best street food around from chefs cooking up everything from exotic Caribbean dishes to spicy Spanish paella. The multicultural offering will also include Indian, Malaysian, French and Jewish specialties.

Handpicked traders include:

·         Wildes Cheese – dubbed “the urban cheesemaker”, this micro-dairy is based in Haringey and produces handmade artisan cheese including ‘The Smelly One’ and ‘The Drunk’ (made with London Pride ale to create a crumbly coat)

·         Rockwell End Farm – family farmers since 1936 with produce including potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus and sweetcorn

·         Ion Patisserie – a favourite at Borough Market, the culinary genius of Georgeta Decuseara is coming North. Too tempting to resist produce included lemon cheesecake, toffee and pecan cheesecake, banoffee pie, and tiramisu

·         Wild Country Organics – a modern organic family farm which has over the last twelve years developed new growing techniques to produce a wide range of the best tasting organic vegetables and salads

·         Karantania Delicatessen – experts in unique European artisan food, produce, and drinks using the freshest ingredients, locally and seasonally sourced without the use of any preservatives or artificial additives.

Brent Cross General Manager Tom Nathan said, “The response we have had from traders has been phenomenal. The Brent Cross Food Market will be the best in the area and further shows that we are a real destination for stylish food, with offerings that you can't replicate online.”

The organisers – Keay Events – are keeping a few stalls free for local people or small start up businesses who want to make their debut in selling their gourmet goodies to the public. To qualify, those interested will need to prove they are fully health and safety accredited.  For more information call 01923 726151. 

Olive Hill Farm Sausages

Make a Mediterranean feast with new Olive Hill Farm Sausages

 Tuck into the fresh, vibrant taste of the Mediterranean with four mouth-watering recipes using the revolutionary new range of sausages from Olive Hill Farm which contain at least 30% less saturated fat than other premium pork sausages due to a unique, award winning process which replaces the saturated fat with the finest extra virgin olive oil.

With the Olive Hill Farm range you can give a new lease of life to the British banger and add some delicious Mediterranean flair to your summer entertaining menu. Try serving the incredibly moreish Olive Hill Farm Pork & Chorizo Sausage Tapas with crusty bread and olives. This tasty dish uses Olive Hill Farm Pork & Chorizo sausages which were recently awarded the Overall Champion title in the 2012 Sausage of the Year Awards*. Also with the great taste of the Med and ideal for serving for an al fresco family supper is Olive Hill Farm Greek Style Pork, Feta & Sundried Tomato Sausage and Noodle Salad which has a fresh, zingy taste and uses Olive Hill Farm Pork, Feta & Sundried Tomato Sausages. The Olive Hill Farm range also includes a classic Pork Sausage which can be used to make the hearty and warming Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausage and Butter Bean Ragout or Fusilli with Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausages and Smoked Paprika which has a great smoky flavour and can be enjoyed both hot and cold.

All three Olive Hill Farm Sausages are available from Ocado and retail for £2.99. The Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausage and Olive Hill Farm Pork & Chorizo Sausage will also be stocked in selected Asda stores from 8 April.

Olive Hill Farm Sausages, from Scan Foods UK, are made using Red Tractor approved, fresh lean British pork shoulder. The revolutionary production process, owned and patented by Greek company Creta Farms, reduces the saturated fat content by at least 30% but retains the great taste and juicy texture that is lost in some ‘lower fat’ sausages on the market. What’s more, because they contain less saturated fat and water, these sausages don’t shrink during the cooking process – amazingly they retain more than 96% of their original weight. 

Try these recipes to cook up a delicious Mediterranean feast:

  

Olive Hill Farm Pork & Chorizo Sausage Tapas

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

8 Olive Hill Farm Pork and Chorizo Sausages

2 shallots, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

2 bay leaves

300g red wine

Method

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the Pork and Chorizo Sausages to the pan and fry until they are cooked and coloured evenly. Remove from pan, allow them to cool and cut into 4 pieces

Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the cooked pork and chorizo sausage, add the red wine and bay leaves and reduce wine down to a glaze. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

Serve in a tapas dish with crusty bread.

Olive Hill Farm Greek Style Pork, Feta & Sundried Tomato Sausage and Noodle Salad

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

25ml oil

500g Olive Hill Farm Pork, Feta & Sundried Tomato Sausages

Soya and oregano vinaigrette

75 ml soy sauce

2tbsp olive oil

1tbsp cider vinegar

1tsp oregano, dried

Noodle salad

250g noodles, cooked

100g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, diced

150g cucumber, diced

2tbsp chopped parsley

1 red pepper, diced

75g feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the Pork Feta & Sundried Tomato Sausages until juices run clear. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

For the Vinaigrette:

Place the soy sauce, olive oil, cider vinegar and oregano in a bowl and mix together to form vinaigrette. Then reserve.

Noodle salad:

Slice the cooked sausages and place in a bowl with the noodles, cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, parsley, red pepper and feta cheese.

Add the vinaigrette to the bowl and mix together. Store in the fridge until required. Serve.

Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausage and Butter Bean Ragout

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves 4

Ingredients

60ml oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

150g diced fresh tomatoes

200g sliced mushroom

1 clove garlic, chopped

1tsp paprika

1tsp thyme, dried,

1tsp oregano, dried

1tsp rosemary, dried

1tsp sage

750g Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausages

50g seasoned flour

400ml prepared chicken stock

400g butter beans

Method

Heat half of the oil in a pan and add the onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage cook until they have softened, remove from pan and reserve.

Pass the pork sausages through the seasoned flour.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the sausages and cook until brown.

Add the reserved vegetables, butterbeans, pour over the chicken stock and bring to the boil, returned to a simmer for 20 minutes. Once sauce has thickened remove from heat and serve.

Fusilli with Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausages and Smoked Paprika

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

25ml olive oil       

720g Olive Hill Farm Pork Sausages

1 onion, peeled and sliced

½ tsp chilli, diced and seeded

200g diced green pepper

400g pomodora sauce

1 tsp smoked paprika

2tsp dried oregano

300g fusilli pasta, cooked

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and brown the pork sausages evenly, remove from pan, slice and allow to rest until needed.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent. Add the diced chilli, diced green pepper, pomodora sauce, smoked paprika and dried oregano, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the sausages and cook in a medium over for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta and bring to the boil and return to the simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve.

Walkers TigerNuts

IT’S CRISPY, BUT IT’S A NUT – WRAP YOUR NOODLE AROUND THAT! 

Walkers launches TigerNuts; deliciously different crispy-coated peanuts

I'm naughty! Walkers kindly sent me a selection of their new TigerNuts to review ... and I ate a whole packet of Salt & Vinegar TigerNuts to myself!! 

So why am I naughty? Well for a start they are quite large packs and meant for sharing, now I 'could' have shared but they tasted so nice and the texture is so good ... that I hid by my computer and munched the whole pack to myself! 

This month Walkers Snack Foods is excited to launch new TigerNuts; a delicious range of crispy-coated peanuts with distinctive tiger-patterned shells. 

These crispy, nutty snacks are available in four ferociously tasty flavours that will leave you roaring for more. 

TigerNuts have been created using Walkers’ famous flavour expertise and come in four lip-smacking varieties that have been specially created to complement the natural taste of the peanuts. 

Crisp fans will be intrigued to try the TigerNuts’ twist on the classic Salt & Vinegar and purrrfect Smokey Bacon flavours, as well as the exotic Sweet Chilli and mighty Masala Curry options. 

Earn your stripes with family and friends by serving a sharing bag of new TigerNuts at your next gathering (four flavours, 130g, RRP £1.49), or tame your hunger with a handy single-serve pack (Smokey Bacon or Sweet Chilli, 40g, RRP 69p). 

Get your paws on TigerNuts at Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, ASDA, The Co-operative and leading independent traders from April. 

Whether you’re sharing or keeping them to yourself, when hunger’s on the prowl get ready to pounce! 

For more information visit www.WalkersTigerNuts.co.uk and www.facebook/WalkersTigerNuts

Example of ingredients and nutritional values:

SWEET CHILLI:  Peanuts (43%), Rice Flour, Starch (contains Wheat), Vegetable Oil, Sugar, Sweet Chilli Flavour [Salt, Sugar, Onion Powder, Flavouring (contains Wheat), Yeast Extract, Spices (Red Chilli Pepper, Black Pepper), Garlic Powder, Tomato Powder, Yeast Powder (contains Barley), Citric Acid, Colour (Paprika Extract), Glucose Syrup Powder], Salt, Modified Starch, Colours (Beetroot Concentrate, Paprika Extract).

Suitable for Vegetarians. No artifical colours or preservatives.  No MSG.

	Per 30g Serving	Per 100g
Energy	679kJ/163kcal	2262kJ/542kcal
Fat	10.0g	33.3g
of which saturates	2.8g	9.2g
Carbohydrate	13.1g	43.6g
of which sugars	2.1g	7.1g
Protein	4.8g	15.9g
Salt	0.73g	2.43g

GDA - Reference intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000 kcal)

ALLERGY ADVICE

Contains: Peanuts, Wheat, Gluten, Barley.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL FLAVOUR IS AVAILABLE FROM: www.WalkersTigerNuts.co.uk

Brantano Shoes For All The Family

I am lucky that we have always been able to afford good quality clothing and shoes for our family, however this isn't the case for most families especially with current money worries.

For shoes I have always insisted that Emma's feet have been measured for school shoes, my theory is that she will spend at least 8 hours a day wearing them and over 5 days a week .. 40 hours is a long time to wear ill fitting shoes!

I spent a lot of my childhood wearing trainers (my own choice, I was a nightmare child to buy shoes for!) and since then I have had arch problems, my feet are very wide and I now have trouble finding shoes that fit correctly and are comfortable.  If I had given in and let my Mum provide me with proper shoes I understand that my feet would not have the problems that I suffer with now.

Emma's feet are long and thin, at age 12 she is already in an adult size 8.5.  This does cause problems when shopping for school shoes and the fitters at Brantano are always patient with her.  She usually ends up with Clarks shoes as they provide stability and growing room, yet are a good fit, comfortable and hard wearing.  

I find that having many brands under one roof gives a good choice, especially with a stroppy teenager who has to have a certain style etc.. etc... I can just send her off down the aisle of her size and then fight the 'are they suitable for school' battle when she has chosen.  The Brantano staff are always on hand to check for a correct fit and will give their professional opinion as to suitability.

Trust Brantano with Growing Feet

Brantano (www.brantano.co.uk) are experts in kids’ fitting with professionally trained staff in every store nationwide. Recognised by the awarding body Edexcel and trained directly by top fitted brands such as Clarks, Hush Puppies and Start Rite.  Before any of the team can be called “an expert fitter” they go through rigorous training followed by at least 25 supervised fits – ensuring that with Brantano children’s shoes will always be correctly fitted.

At Brantano, the fitting service is absolutely free and there is no pressure to purchase.  Stores are open until late and friendly staff are on hand to help, making it easy and convenient to pop in and check your children’s feet.  If it’s time for a new pair of shoes, there is a wide range of the best brands so there are options to suit all budgets.

Getting fitted is quick and as easy as 1,2,3

1.       Measure

We use a specially designed foot gauge to measure the length, width and depth of each foot

2.       Try On

We find the correct fitting shoe from our wide selection

3.       Take a Walk

The very best fit cannot be achieved without taking a few steps. Our thorough checks always ensure a comfortable fit.

Brantano have created  "Five Fascinating Feet Facts" ... how many did you know?

The human foot is one of the most complicated parts of the body – it has 33 joints, more than 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles.

There are 28 bones in each foot.
 Children naturally hop, skip and jump more than adults and so their feet handle around three times more stress than the average adult foot.
 You should never hand-down baby shoes from one child to another. Baby shoes (especially those made of leather) form to a child’s foot making it unique to them.
There are three arches to the feet, the inner one, the across the foot one and the arch formed on the outer border.  They appear in variable formats when a child is around 2 ½ years old

Growing Feet

Remember that the child foot becomes an adult foot gradually over the years. The foot is still growing all the way up to around 18 to 20 so continuing to take care and be careful with children’s shoes is just as important for teenagers

Ask the Expert

Podiatrist Emma Supple answers some common questions about children’s foot health:

Q: Why do I need to get my children’s shoes fitted?

Emma says: “Growing feet need room to grow, and children’s feet grow in variable bursts so being vigilant and awareness is key.  It is recommended that children get their feet measured every 6-8 weeks before they begin school and then every 3-4 months once they begin school.  Even if children haven’t outgrown their shoes they should be replaced if the shoes are worn out.  If children aren’t wearing correctly fitted shoes, it can create or sustain foot deformities that may have a significant impact on their adult lives due to foot problems.”

Q: How will I know their shoes are too small?

Emma says: “There is no exact rule to tell you when your children’s feet will grow, and it is difficult to predict growth spurts. If your children are showing any discomfort when they are walking, or getting redness from their shoes, this is a clear sign. Ideally it wouldn’t get to this stage – you can test shoes by looking inside for wear marks and doing the thumb test, where you press the shoe at the end, will give you a good guide to how much room is left. Coupled with regular measuring you can ensure that they always have the right sized shoe.”

Q: Should I buy shoes that my child will grow into?

Emma says: “You shouldn’t buy shoes that are more than one size too large for your child in the hope they will grow into them or if you do ensure they do not wear them until they are ready to fit into them. Shoes that are too big could cause a child to develop foot problems and/or develop inherited foot problems.  It is also advisable not to hand down shoes from siblings or friends as the shoe will have shaped themselves to someone else’s foot.”

Q: What shall I do if my child has one foot bigger than the other?

Emma says: “Some children can have one foot larger than the other.  If this is the case then buy shoes to accommodate the largest of the two feet.”

Q: What are the health implications of my child wearing poorly fitted shoes?

Emma says: “In the short term conditions such as redness and soreness, bunching up of the toes and ingrowing nails if the shoes are overly tight.  In the longer term developmental foot problems can be made worse by ill-fitting shoes and bunions and foot deformities such as hammer toe can be caused by poorly fitted shoes.  Unsupportive and sloppy styles of shoe can lead to a similar gait (style of walking).  In addition, there are also longer term health implications from poorly fitted shoes such as back pain, knee problems & pain and posture problems.” 

For more information, please visit: www.brantano.co.uk