The Spirit Cupboard Launches Mobile App That Makes Buying Spirits Simple!

The eagerly-awaited app, The Spirit Cupboard, is a seamless, intuitive and effective mobile application that brings together a community of like-minded individuals to discover, share and shop all things spirits.

Share, rate, review and compare alcoholic spirits and purchase them with The Spirit Cupboard app, in one convenient location. Now available for both IOS and Android devices.

This UK-based company aims to “refill your cupboard, one spirit at a time”. This community- based mobile app immerses its users in all things spirits, from ingredients to origins. Totally free to use, this app gives access to an extensive database of gin, vodka, whiskey and rum, readily available at anyone’s fingertips. It’s a modern marketplace that empowers all members to purchase their favourite spirits from the comfort of home, or while on the go.

With over 10,000 spirits to choose from, The Spirit Cupboard offers in-app purchasing of every spirit through a user-friendly filtered search engine. It’s now easy to select, locate and purchase liquor, quicker. This is what the alcohol marketplace has been missing. The app’s consumer-focused application is a multi-faceted tool that allows users to rate and review spirits, along with a simplified fulfilment process that utilises a portfolio of trusted online retailers and specialised suppliers. The app personalises the user experience based on preferences, while the intuitive rating system makes reviewing easier than ever before.

The founders said: “The Spirit Cupboard allows you to collect your favourite spirits on a virtual shelf. The app offers a community of alcohol enthusiasts a bottle-full of knowledge with a simple way to purchase. The best part? It’s completely free to use. All that remains for us to say… Which spirit has your name on it?” 

Visit www.spiritcupboard.co.uk for more information about The Spirit Cupboard app, including videos and screenshots of the app in action. The Spirit Cupboard mobile app was developed by Fortnight, a web and mobile application company with offices in Manchester, London and Vienna.

A Box of Genuine, Handmade Flapjacks Is the Best Treat for Mums on Mother's Day

Mother's Day is very nearly upon us and it's time to spoil those motherly figures in our lives with fabulous, delectable gluten free flapjacks from Flapjackery.

You can spoil your mum in the comfort of her own home with a box of the most delicious treats. Hand made on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon using the very best British ingredients and presented in 100% recyclable packaging, these boxes of treats are the perfect accompaniment for a special afternoon tea.

The Happy Mother's Day Message Box (£35) is the perfect way to spoil your mum with delicious flapjacks that have just enough crunch and not too much crumble. The star of the box is a giant piece of Millionaires Flapjack with the message Happy Mother's Day hand written in white chocolate. Packed around it are eight half pieces of flapjack in the mouth watering flavours of Ruby Millionaire, Raspberry and White Chocolate, Ginger & Dark Chocolate, Cherry Bakewell, Golden Salted Caramel, Double chocolate Brownie, Lemon Drizzle and Clotted Cream.

Mother's Day Flapjack Box 6 half pieces £15.00

Flapjackery's Mother's Day selection box  has six of the best selling flavours in half-size pieces that are perfect for a luxurious afternoon tea.

The box contains pieces of Ruby Millionaire, Chocolate Fudge, Salted Caramel Brownie, Raspberry and White Chocolate, Praline, Cherry Bakewell fudge that are handmade using the very best British ingredients.

The Mother's Day 12 half pieces (£25.00) has the following flavours.

Ruby Millionaire, Chocolate Fudge, Salted Caramel Brownie, Raspberry and White Chocolate, Praline, Cherry Bakewell, Golden Salted Caramel, Clotted Cream Fudge, Peanut Butter Brownie, Double chocolate Brownie.

Order online at www.flapjackery.co.uk

Sandford Orchards Launch Limited Edition Coronation Devon Red Cider

Top, award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, is thrilled to launch Limited Edition Coronation Devon Red Cider. It's a celebration of all things British and the perfect thirst-quencher for any coronation festivities.  It will be available from March in 500ml bottles RRP £2.30 from www.sandfordorchards.co.uk as well as selected retail outlets, pubs and hospitality venues.

Barny Butterfield, who is Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards said: “Most of us are too young to remember the last coronation so we are eagerly anticipating some fantastic celebrations across the country. We wanted to mark the occasion with the launch of our Coronation Limited Edition Devon Red Cider, which is created from British apples grown and pressed in Devon, using traditional methods, at the oldest working cider mill in the UK. 

"No coronation parties will be complete without it! Why would you toast the new King's health with French champagne when you can raise a glass of 100% British cider?”

Limited Edition Coronation Devon Red Cider (ABV 4.5%) is a perfectly balanced, refreshing medium cider. It is a naturally tasty and utterly delicious fresh apple cider created from British apples grown in orchards rooted in the rich, red, fertile soil which surrounds Sandford Orchards.

Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon in the oldest working cider mill in the UK. The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the right amount of rain and the right units of heat in summer.

Sandford Orchards takes a fresh, natural and low impact approach to producing cider. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards produces an award-winning range of core session, traditional, flavoured and fine ciders.

For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow Sandford Orchards on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Springtime Detox? Opt for Mushrooms!

A diet that is designed to clean out toxins can boost your vitality and also help you lose weight. If you're planning a detox this spring, replacing your regular tea or coffee with a mushroom brew is a great place to start. 

Mushroom drinks can give you a boost, helping you feel relaxed and alert while also supporting your body as it flushes out toxins.

Adaptogenic mushrooms like chaga and reishi are prized for helping the body to detoxify, and they are key ingredients in Cheerful Buddha's range of superfood lattes. These creamy, dairy-free instant drinks are a healthy alternative to coffee. 

They contain mushrooms blended with other health-supporting ingredients such as adaptogenic ashwagandha to help your body cope with stress, and nutrient-rich antioxidants such as turmeric, cinnamon and lucuma. 

The lattes are designed to provide a natural lift, helping you to focus while supporting your body during your springtime cleanse.

The range includes:

Chaga latte £12.99 150g

Cacao Bliss hot chocolate (containing chaga and lion's mane mushrooms) £11.99 150g

Matcha Latte (containing reishi mushrooms) £14.99 150g

Lion's Mane Latte 12.99 150g

Shop the full range here https://cheerfulbuddha.co.uk/

Support Women All Over the World This International Women's Day With Double Dutch's Exploration Pack

To celebrate International Women's Day, award-winning female-founded tonic and mixer brand, Double Dutch, will be donating 30% of sales from its top-selling product to a charity raising vital funds for young women. 

For every exploration pack (£20.15) purchased via Double Dutch's website throughout March, 30% of the sale will be donated to the Change A Girl's Life campaign, which is run by The Prince's Trust Women Supporting Women community. 

The exploration pack features 10 of Double Dutch's most popular mixers and tonics, that are full of flavour, fun and no fuss, including unexpected dual-flavours such as Cucumber & Watermelon, Pomegranate & Basil, as well as Double Dutch's newest product, Pink Grapefruit Soda.

Female founders, Raissa and Joyce De Haas, who set up the Female Bartender Scholarship programme in 2021 to elevate and educate women in the hospitality industry, chose to support the Change A Girl's Life campaign after research showed that women were most impacted by the pandemic, with 78% losing jobs. 

The Change A Girl's Life campaign is raising funds to provide vital support to help nurture, empower and inspire young women to build their futures through employment, self-employment, education or training. 

Said Raissa de Haas, Co-Founder of Double Dutch: “As a female-founded brand, we feel very strongly about the development of female talent across all industries and unlocking career opportunities and progression, which The Change A Girl's Life campaign supports. 

“We know how difficult some industries are for women, for example, the hospitality industry is particularly tough as women are so underrepresented in senior and management positions. With this in mind, we wanted to do something to help women in the industry and encourage them to flourish and we hope that by donating a percentage of sales, we can join forces in making a difference to young women's and girls' lives.” 

You can double down on flavour with Double Dutch's full range of products available via the Double Dutch website, with some of the brand's mixers available at Waitrose, Ocado or Tesco, as well as being available to purchase via Amazon. 

For more details and to register your interest in the Female Bartending Scholarship Programme for 2023, please visit: https://doubledutchdrinks.com/pages/scholarship-application 

https://doubledutchdrinks.com/collections/our-drinks

A very special gin

A new and limited release, this gin was envisioned by cheffe Anne-Sophie Pic alongside her executive sommelière Paz Levinson, in special collaboration with Miko Abouaf, distiller at Audemus Spirits. 

It's an entirely unique recipe drawing its inspiration from the richly imaginative universe of the cheffe's cuisine.

The gin is boldly aromatic with a core body of bees wax, reinforced by top notes of unripe blackcurrant buds, juniper and lemon, underlined by rooibos and myrtle. The gin's freshness is balanced by earthy and honeyed notes, forming a light and intensely aromatic spirit, which maintains a delicate harmony between the different elements.

Reiko Kaneko, the London-based ceramist, designed, produced and hand-painted the bottles. This elegant, delicate, and unique creation is limited to 160 bottles.

This gin is ideal for a Dry Martini, a French 75 or a Gin & Tonic. It also reveals its aromatic strength when tasted neat, served chilled, in a tulip glass.

St Piran's Day 2023 five Recipes to Celebrate Cornwall's National Day

Every year on March 5th, the Cornish community celebrate St Piran, who is one of the patron saints of Cornwall. Proud manufacturers of Cornish clotted cream (with Protected Designation of Origin), Trewithen Dairy, reflect on the duchy's legendary ambassador and how the county still commemorates St Piran to this day.

About Saint Piran 

According to Cornish legend, St Piran was tied to a millstone and thrown into the Irish sea by orders of the king. Famed for washing up on the shores of Perranporth beach (which is named in his honour), it was said that St Piran lit a fire one night and in doing so discovered the precious metal, tin.

The design of the Cornish flag, originated from the flag of St Piran - The white cross on a black background is said to depict the discovery of tin. The 'white metal' flowing from the Cornish black rocks. 

How is St Piran celebrated? 

The week running up to 5th March is known as 'Perrentide' and sees towns and villages across the entire county celebrate with all things Cornish: pasties, cider and the all important cream tea with lashings of clotted cream spooned over a generous layer of jam. 

Francis Clarke, who is the director at Trewithen Dairy says: “We are immensely proud to be amongst the brilliant array of food and drink producers in our county and to champion our Cornish heritage whilst inspiring new ways to enjoy the classics. What better way to celebrate this tradition than with delicious Cornish clotted cream and butter flavoured with Cornish sea salt.”

The best Cornish recipes to celebrate St Piran's Day

Berries and Cream Cornish Pasty

It is said that the mighty Cornish pasty was traditionally made with one side meat, the other filled with jam to create a two-course meal. We've deep-filled pasties with berries and cream for a majestic sweet-treat. Perfect for packing on a picnic or enjoying on St Piran's Day.

Banoffee Cornish Fairings

With their tell-tale crackled top, golden syrup flavour and spicy ginger bite, Cornish fairings are a step up from your everyday ginger biscuit. They were once so popular at fairs that the name stuck and they've been known as the fairing ever since. Trewithen Dairy put a twist on this Cornish classic, with a banoffee inspired treat.

Stargazey Pie

This iconic Cornish dish is the perfect centrepiece for your dinner table to wow your guests. The fish are designed to 'gaze at the stars' and don't worry – you don't have to eat the heads. Legend has it this pie was created after a brave fisherman, Tom Bawcock, ventured out into stormy seas to fish when the townsfolk of Mousehole were facing starvation. He returned triumphantly with an abundance of seven types of fish, which were cooked up in a pie and served to the community.

Cornish Junket

A dish from the West Country, comforting junket has been enjoyed for generations. Traditionally finished with a scrape of nutmeg, we love ours flavoured with real vanilla, saffron or rum. Play around with toppings too – perhaps adding blood orange, salted caramel or caramelise some sugar for a crunchy crème brulee finish.

Scone Revolution - Dark Side of the Moon Scone

Reimagining the traditional cream tea, this chocolate, orange, clotted cream scone is the perfect twist on a classic. 

Francis Clarke says: “Scone Revolution is all about reimagining the cream scone.  We all love the classic, of course, but tear down the traditional boundaries and there is a whole new world of flavour sensations and stunning aesthetics to discover.  Our clotted cream is far niftier than you think!”  Francis continues: “We've had a lot of fun trying out new pairings and hope that we will inspire a new wave of cream tea lovers to create their own and share these with us here at Trewithen Dairy.”

The 'Scone Revolution' is all about adding some life to the traditional cream tea at the same time highlighting the many outstanding and versatile qualities of the award-winning Trewithen Dairy clotted cream.  Made in Cornwall, to a traditional Cornish recipe from milk produced in the county, Trewithen Dairy clotted cream has 'Protected Designation of Origin' status. Only by achieving all of these strict criteria can it be called Cornish clotted cream.

RRP £2.45

Trewithen Dairy's Cornish Clotted Cream is available in 200g and 400g sizes, available to buy direct from supermarkets across the South West or via Ocado.com. For more information, visit their website, www.trewithendairy.co.uk.

Introducing: Egg Royale

This has got to be the most indulgent ‘adult chocolate egg’ for Easter 2023.

Introducing the Egg Royale for Easter 2023, a chocolate egg like no other. Experience the most indulgent and rich chocolate alcoholic cream liqueur made from the finest cocoa and vanilla and blended with real cream nestling within a beautiful glass egg.

Developed over two years by Gravity Drinks, which is the team behind the cult favourite Christmas Globe Gin Liqueur and Sixpence Pud Gin Liqueur, Egg Royale is set to become another seasonal favourite.

It's perfect as a unique Easter gift for adults, the glass egg will be found sitting within a special art-deco style box with a beautiful foil printed handle.

Delicious served straight over ice, in a cocktail or even to add a boozy kick to your Easter chocolate cake!

It's available in stores from this month, February 2023.

700ml – 15% alc/vol and the RRP is £29.00.

You'll find it stocked at Harvey Nichols and is also available via Amazon.

"A love letter to India" The Colonel Saab story

Multi-award-winning, luxurious Indian restaurant, Colonel Saab was launched in the very heart of London by Roop Partap Choudhary, who meticulously crafted the menu and art-festooned destination as a “love letter” to his family and India. 

And in the past year Colonel Saab has been named one of the top Indian restaurants by Forbes, also won Newcomer of the Year at the Asian Curry Awards, Best Newcomer at British Curry Awards, Best Restaurant in Feed the Lion awards and was awarded Harden’s Certificate of Achievement. 

It welcomes regulars from Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai - who says “it is the only place which serves the authentic flavours from home” to pop stars, TV personalities sand presidents. 

The modern Indian restaurant the home of which is the grand, former Holborn Town Hall, is a homage to Choudhary's travels across India with his mother, Mrs Binny Choudhary and father, Colonel Manbeer, who was given the honorific name ‘Colonel Saab’ shared by the restaurant, while serving in the Indian Army. 

The postings across India enabled them to experience the continent's rich diversity of food from traditional local lunches in the tents of Rajasthan to British-inspired Indian breakfasts in the Officer’s Mess and banquets hosted by Indian nobility and Maharajas.

Choudhary spent a year retracing his father’s footsteps across India by train, bus and car with Indian food royalty, Karen Anand to curate contemporary twists on dishes passed down through the generations of people they were able to meet, with many regional specialities appearing for the first time on a London menu.

The exciting, all-day dining menu introduces diners to progressive takes on nostalgic dishes, from British and Indian fusion afternoon high tea, regional favourites rarely served in the UK, like the Cauliflower 65, signature dishes, like the Falahari Curry Kofta, their popular Gutti Vankaya - Andhra curry, baby aubergines in tangy tamarind gravy - and the restaurant’s outstanding desserts, including signatures like the Rasmalai Milk Cake in cardamom cream and Boondi Caviar or the Bengali, Mishti Doi Cheesecake in jaggery syrup.

Dining at Colonel Saab is also a feast for the eyes, with a treasure trove of eclectic Indian art and artefacts collected by his family on their travels, lovingly brought to the space under challenging conditions. 

Downstairs, a grand, pure silver door from a Gujarat temple greets you, while upstairs features a carved temple door from South India. The opulent dining room is bathed in light by a canopy of ornate chandeliers from Firozabad. A drinks bar made by Asprey for the Maharaja of Patiala takes pride of place in the private dining room, while 17th and 18th century Tanjore paintings and handwoven Persian silk carpets adorn the walls and precious decanters and crockery from the palace of the Maharaja of Faridkot shimmer in cabinets. 

The Colonel Saab staff bring the decadent surroundings to life, happily regaling diners with the rich stories and histories of the sumptuous artwork collected by the Choudhary family.

Every element of Colonel Saab has been lovingly and imaginatively crafted to create a multi-sensory experience of India, including the drinks. A Masala Dabba - or spice box - of artisanal gins, whiskies and rums based on Indian botanicals has been created with the Diageo mixology team, along with innovative cocktails by celebrated mixologist Antony Bertin, designed to complement the food and named after Choudhary's family members.

When Colonel Saab and his wife returned home, they channelled their unique experiences into serving the community, starting with a modest hotel and continuing their journey with boutique and palace hotels, which are now managed by their proud son Roop. He began his work life in their hotel kitchens as a young man and continues the proud legacy of hospitality that spans more than three decades, with Colonel Saab. 

Choudhary is on course to set a new benchmark in London, continuing the family tradition of celebrating the vibrant and diverse culture of India’s food and history with humility, elegance and originality.

To learn more visit www.colonelsaab.co.uk  or on social media @colonelsaab

Top tips for proper pancakes, vegan style from Fergus Smithers

 Fergus’ top tips for vegan pancakes are:-

Firstly, you should opt for American-style pancakes.

Why? Fergus Smithers who is a vegan chef and head of recipe development at plant-based recipe subscription box Grubby explains why : “American pancakes tend to work best when making vegan pancakes because the batter holds together better when it's cooking. 

"However it is still perfectly possible to make a traditional crepe style pancake, but you will have to be especially gentle when flipping them to avoid them tearing.” 

Don’t overmix 

“My secret to dairy-free pancakes is to make sure you don't overmix the batter. It might sound obvious, but if you overmix the batter it will make your pancakes dense and chewy rather than having them light and fluffy. 

"You'll also have to ensure that your pan is hot. A cold pan will result in a flat pancake, so always add your batter to a pre-heated pan with a little oil or vegan butter.” 

Avoid oat milk 

“I’d always recommend unsweetened plant-based milk for pancakes like soy or almond. You could use sweetened if you have a sweet tooth, but I find soy and almond make a delicious batter that’s not too sweet and works well for both sweet and savoury toppings. 

You can use oat milk, but it tends to give you a more stodgy pancake.” 

Allow the batter a bit of a rest 

“When mixing your batter, always use a whisk and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients to make the batter as light and airy as possible and make sure you remove any lumps. You can also sift the flour from a height to get more air into the batter. 

"Finally, leave the batter to rest for about 5-10 minutes before you start cooking to help remove any clumps of flour for a more even cook when frying your pancakes."

Fergus’ fail-safe vegan pancake recipe:

Ingredients

150g     Plain flour

1tbsp    Baking powder

60ml     Crackd egg replacement 

2tsp      Sugar 

250ml   Plant-based milk

Method 

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, and then add in the sugar and mix. 

Add the Crackd egg replacement and plant-based milk to a separate bowl, then slowly pour into the flour mix and whisk until it forms a smooth batter. 

Preheat a large frying pan with a little vegan butter. Pour in the batter to the pan and leave to cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, until air bubbles start to form on the top. Once the bottom side is golden brown, carefully flip the pancakes and cook for a further minute. 

Remove from the pan and eat whilst warm. 

“Smores” style pancake toppings

Digestive biscuits 

Vegan marshmallows 

Chocolate peanut butter

Break apart the biscuits

Toast the marshmallows 

Spoon over the chocolate peanut butter

Mango, banana and coconut

Mango

Banana 

Coconut yoghurt 

Desiccated coconut 

Strawberry 

Lime 

Dark chocolate 

Peel and dice the mango into a small bowl. Grate in the zest and juice of the lime and mix well.

Slice the banana. 

Toast the desiccated coconut in a frying pan until golden brown. 

Gently melt the dark chocolate, then drizzle over at the end. 

To learn more about Grubby please visit https://grubby.co.uk/about-us