Coronation Cakes, Bakes and Cocktails from Bonne Maman

The coronation of His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty The Queen Consort on 6th May heralds a royal Bank Holiday weekend of feasting and good cheer. 

Whether you are aiming to share fun and food with others at a Coronation Big Lunch or celebrating at home, here are some delicious coronation treats, perfect for all the family to enjoy making as well as eating, plus showstoppers to crown the occasion and wow the crowds!

The Coronation Cake

Triple-tiered, of course, for His Majesty, this is the simplest of recipes but the most delicious chocolate cake. Made with Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread it will satisfy even the most demanding chocoholics. Rich and moist with a creamy fudge frosting and then decorated with its very own white chocolate 'crown' jewelled with nuts and edible gold sparkles.  It's a crowd-pleasing, magnificent creation fit for a newly-crowned King!

Glittering Shortbread Crowns

These delectable vanilla or chocolate shortbread crown biscuits are sure to keep everyone in right royal spirits. An easy dough for little hands to roll and cut out. Use crown-shaped cutters, add some edible glitter magic and then sandwich with your favourite Bonne Maman conserve or Hazelnut Chocolate Spread for a truly celebratory coronation display.  

Picnic Dessert Jars

These beautiful individual servings are a great way to serve a delicious treat at an al fresco coronation party or picnic. First gather a few spare Bonne Maman jars to upcycle and then pack full of soft, red fruit flavours and a quick, dreamy cheesecake topping. Add a glittery gold shortbread crown biscuit for the final royal seal of approval.

Coronation Party Traybake

This sublime, flavourful carrot cake ticks all the right boxes for a celebratory tea.  Filled with what are understood to be some of His Majesty's favourite fruits and flavours, it's subtly spiced with a hint of ginger and Darjeeling tea plus fruity damson and cherry undertones with a cool, creamy contrasting topping. 

Hazelnut Chocolate Martini Royale

When it comes to The Royal Toast after dinner or at a celebration party, this is the perfect tipple. Espresso coffee mixed with Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, vodka and Drambuie for a royally luxurious Martini.  Simple to make and utterly delicious.

Hip hip hurray!

Asda plans a great Easter

Asda has revealed its egg-cellent deals across Easter Eggs, including the return of its unmissable Four for £10 mix and match offer on selected large Easter Eggs.

Available in stores and online now, until 9th April, the Four for £10 offer is ideal for families looking to stock up ahead of Easter weekend and means each Easter Egg will cost shoppers just £2.50 – a saving of £2.00 as each egg usually costs £3.00 each.

Highlights from the Four for £10 offer include:

Cadbury Twirl Orange Chocolate Easter Egg

Maltesers Teasers Milk Chocolate Large Easter Egg

M&M's Chocolate & Peanut Large Easter Egg

Thorntons Milk Chocolate Dinosaur Easter Egg

Galaxy Minstrels Milk Chocolate Large Easter Egg

Terry's Chocolate Orange Easter Egg & Mini Eggs.

Other offers from the supermarket retailer over the same period (until 9th April) include Two for £8 on giant eggs – a saving of £1 when shopping the deal - which includes favourites such as the Maltesers Chocolate Bunny Extra Large Easter Egg (£4.50), Cadbury White Chocolate Easter Egg (£4.50) and Kinder Surprise Disney Frozen Easter Egg (£4.50).

When shopping with the Asda Rewards app, customers picking up Asda’s Good Housekeeping award-winning Extra Special Extra Thick Honeycomb, Pretzel & Almond Milk Chocolate Easter Egg, Extra Special Raspberry & Marshmallow White Chocolate Easter Egg and Extra Special Peppermint & Cocoa Nib Dark Chocolate Easter Egg, priced at £7.00 each, will receive a 10% cash pot reward per egg.

For those looking for something more luxurious, £10 premium eggs like the Lindt Milk Chocolate Gold Bunny and Cadbury Giant Daim Inclusion Easter Egg will earn shoppers 10% back in their Asda Rewards cash pot until 22nd March. For those waiting until the end of the month to pick up their premium Eggs, they can earn £2 in their cash pots from 23rd March until 9th April.

Customers can also earn 25p in their cash pots when buying a £1.25 medium egg, like the Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons Chocolate Easter Egg – between now and 6th March.

Ramadan products on offer at Asda

This year, Asda is celebrating its biggest Ramadan yet with 150 new product lines, more great deals and an easier shopping experience than ever before across the store.

As the holy month approaches, Asda is making it easier for customers to find what they need with dedicated Ramadan aisles in 150 stores, a +47% increase from last year. 

These stores are in key areas across the country, such as Wembley, Leicester and Sheffield, with seasonal displays featuring an extensive range of trusted brands at affordable prices. Making it quick and easy for customers to get their kitchen Ramadan-ready in just one shop at Asda.

Whether you’re looking for Halal products, tinned ingredients, frozen food, baked goods, fresh fruit and vegetables or even cookware, look no further than the variety and breadth of choice on offer, at selected Asda stores and online. From store cupboard essentials like 10kg Elephant Atta flour for £7, 10kg Laila Basmati rice at £14.50 and 10kg Trophy Basmati rice at £13. Plus, KTC’s 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, plum tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans which are all available at 4 for £2. Great offers on other popular items include 1kg Lancashire Farm Natural Bio Yoghurt for £1.60, 5l KTC Sunflower Oil for £8.50 and 4pk x 1l Rubicon Mango Fruit Juice for just £5.

More products to add to your basket include ready-to-use Indus Sauces in many favours including, Kebab House, Burger Sauce and Tamarind (£1.75 each or 2 for £3) and Royal Desserts Ras Malai (£2.75) and Gulab Jamun (£2.50) for delicious sweet treats. Customers can also pick up the George Home non-stick aluminium stockpot (32cm on offer for £12 and 24cm on offer for £7 until 22nd April) for making heart-warming family meals, as well as generously sized Kitchen Queen storers (3 piece set on offer for £13 until 22nd April) for storing household essentials.

New to Asda this year, ensuring there's something for the entire family, include Ramadan Countdown Calendars with celebratory chocolate treats inside (£3 or 2 for £5) and The Desi Doll Company’s innovative, bi-lingual soft plush talking Muslim dolls (£30) that speak and sing in English and Arabic, providing a fun and unique way for young children to learn languages. There’s also around 18 lines of dates new to Asda (including multiple varieties, pastes and syrups) which are perfect for breaking the fast and gifting to friends and family.

Asda is proud to work with and support these brands and business owners, who have incredible stories. One of them is Farzana Rahman, who founded The Desi Doll Company in 2008 after noticing how the market lacked Islamic toys to teach children about religion and faith, in fun and interactive ways. Farzana says, “I left my banking career and designed Aamina and Yousuf. These are two interactive plush dolls that talk and sing when you press their hands, feet and nose! They teach children the basics of the Islamic faith in a fun and light-hearted way.”

Speaking about the listing in Asda, Farzana continues, “Having our toys in 150 stores across the UK means that our talking dolls can reach even more households. Asda customers now have the opportunity to discover our unique toys whilst doing their weekly shopping – how convenient is that!”

Paul Dudley, Director at Beacon Confectionary Ltd, believes it was important to introduce chocolate countdown calendars for Ramadan, after spotting a huge gap in the market and lack of variety available. Ramadan Countdown Calendars provide a highly engaging and interactive way to educate children on the significance of Ramadan.

Paul says, “this is the first year we have launched our products in Asda. By working with Asda, we are able to reach out to a wider audience, especially through its extensive Ramadan aisle.”

Sara International Ltd is also stocking its extensive range of Madina and Palestinian Medjoul dates for the first time in Asda. Founder, Osama Aziz, launched his business back in 1985, at a time when there was a lack of Arabic or/and Halal food widely available in the UK. On the importance of dates during Ramadan, Osama says, “on a personal level, I consider offering dates during Ramadan to Muslims, is a duty, and our success in doing so has given us great joy!”

Commenting on the listing in Asda, Osama says, “it’s a great chance to reach a wider group of Muslims and I believe it will help us offer top-quality dates at affordable prices.”

Noor Ali, Head of World Foods at Asda, comments: “I’m really excited to help our Asda customers perform Ramadan Fasting and celebrate Eid Festival, by making it as affordable and convenient as possible to fill their shopping baskets with everything they need, across multiple categories. I’m also really proud to work with small, family-owned businesses who have really unique offerings and are truly passionate about making Ramadan and Eid as special as it can be, for our Asda customers.”

The holy month of Ramadan is a time of spiritual cleansing, family bonding and charity, as well as a time of reflection and rejuvenation for Muslims around the world.

Whether you choose to shop in-store or online, Asda has everything you need this Ramadan and Eid under one roof.

Community Fridge pilot launched in Greenacres

The project was announced by Oldham Council Leader Amanda Chadderton and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and will aim to help fight local food insecurity.

A Community Fridge is a space that brings people together to eat, connect, learn new skills and reduce food waste. It is a site where local people can share food, this includes surplus from supermarkets, local food businesses, producers, households and gardens.

On Wednesday 1 March, Oldham Council Leader Amanda Chadderton and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham launched a Community Fridge at Greenacres Community Centre in Oldham.

The fridge will be run by community groups with the main purpose of saving fresh food from going to waste. This is now more important than ever with the current high costs of living and less food waste will be a benefit for the environment.

The journey for this Community Fridge Pilot began with the Co-op and the environmental charity Hubbub supporting the ‘In Our Nature’ programme which is a partnership between Manchester Climate Change Agency, Hubbub, Groundwork Greater Manchester, Amity, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research and Manchester City Council.

Following the success of the Community Fridges through the In Our Nature programme, Hubbub and the Co-op were asked if they could pilot and fund a cluster of Community Fridges in a Greater Manchester locality which would provide one in every 30-50,000 neighbourhood footprint. They agreed to undertake this pilot in Oldham as there was already a Community Fridge based at the Failsworth Co-op Academy.

This cluster pilot is a first and Hubbub, the Co-op and Action Together have worked collaboratively to identify suitable locations and host organisations in communities to ensure there is equal coverage across the district.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I congratulate Hubbub, Co-op and Action Together for launching their Community Fridge pilot in Oldham following a request by the Greater Manchester Food Security Action Network to pilot a cluster model in the city region. This initiative will involve working with the local community to tackle food insecurity and reduce food waste amidst the difficult times we’re in with the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis.

“Our recent Greater Manchester Residents Survey found that 8 in 10 people say their cost of living has increased over the past month and around 70,000 more households are experiencing food insecurity compared to last spring. People are clearly struggling and that’s why projects such as Community Fridges are so vital in providing a safety net for those who need it. It will also contribute to our ambitions towards carbon net zero by reducing avoidable food waste by making sure it goes to people. This community-led approach can help residents access healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate food in a dignified way whilst also helping the environment.

"I hope this pilot is a success and I look forward to seeing it rolled out across Greater Manchester.”

Oldham Council Leader, Amanda Chadderton, said: "With high costs of living continuing to impact everyone we need to urgently address the issue of food waste and food insecurity.

"In September of 2022, over a quarter of households (nationally) with children experienced food insecurity, that represents over four million children. We also know that shockingly, 27% of UK children are living in poverty, and in Oldham this figure at almost 40%.

"For young people, some of which the cost of living crisis has heavily impacted, food insecurity contributes to increased anxiety, poor mental health, poor social and emotional development, and a reduced level of achievement in school.

"That’s why I’m so pleased to see this scheme taking place as I know it will make a real difference to families and those who are struggling. One step at a time, ideas like this will help us work toward our goal of ending food insecurity and the inequalities it brings.

"Thank you to everyone involved in this project – you are making a real difference."

Matt Hood, MD at Co-op Food said: “We recognise our responsibility to make a genuine difference to the communities we serve and absolutely believe that everybody should have access to good food. We’re pleased to be working with our partners to grow the essential community fridge network to directly help people in Oldham come together to eat, connect, learn new skills and reduce food waste. It is a real and significant step for this community to ensure fairer access to food for all.”

“For all at Co-op, this feels like a real step in the right direction to ensure fairer access to food for all.”

Aoife Allen, Director, Hubbub said: “Today’s launch shows true community spirit and co-operation in action. We are proud that there are now over 450 brilliant community fridges across the UK, where anyone can meet their neighbours and take home good food that would otherwise go to waste. With support from Co-op and all our partners in Greater Manchester, we look forward to seeing the benefits that these community fridges will bring to Oldham.”

The Community Fridge Network is coordinated by Hubbub and it connects ‘fridges’ across the UK. Hubbub have partnered with Co-op to fund 500 fridges by the end of 2023. It is a support network for groups running community fridges to share knowledge and skills and to ask questions.

The Network offers free guidance on how communities can set up their own fridge and provides comprehensive support, design assets, a knowledge sharing forum, health and safety templates and discounted fridges and freezers.

More information about Community Fridges are available on the hubbub website: Community Fridge Network, https://www.hubbub.org.uk/the-community-fridge.

No and low alcohol brews are now UK’s fastest growing beer varieties

Growing UK demand for no and low alcohol beer is now so strong it's growing faster than any other beer type including some on trend craft varieties.

At Tesco demand for no and low beer has rocketed by nearly 40% in the last two years helped by the introduction of dedicated brands likes Lucky Saint, Athletic Brewing and Days 0%.

Notably, it’s not just the annual Dry January campaign that is inspiring healthier drinking, with Tesco recording its highest ever Christmas week demand for no and low beer as sales soared by 43 per cent on the previous year.

The supermarket also reports a new shopping pattern emerging with no and low beer drinkers switching to buying larger pack sizes rather than single cans or bottles, as a result of more confidence in the quality now available.

Tesco No and Low Beer buyer Sam Harrop said: “Interest in no and low alcohol beer is so strong dedicated brewers have emerged in recent years which has resulted in more choice for shoppers. 

“This has led to great improvements in quality with these specialist brewers inspiring far better ingredients and processes in order to create full-bodied no and low beers that taste authentic.

“The success of this market has shown us that growing numbers of drinkers seeking healthier brews are prepared to buy no and low alcohol beers as long as the quality is good.”

The Tesco sales data backs up findings in a 2022 No and Low Insight Report compiled by retail consumer research experts KAM in collaboration with category leader Lucky Saint.

The report* found that:

55 per cent of UK adults are planning on moderating their alcohol intake in 2023 

Awareness of the alcohol-free category is at an all-time high, with beer leading the way - up from 86 per cent in 2020 to 95 per cent in 2022

One in three pub visits are now alcohol-free 

Consumption of alcohol-free is being driven by ‘at-home’ occasions, with 37 per cent of UK adults drinking alcohol-free at home once a week or more 

54 per cent of consumers said they go to supermarkets to discover healthier new alcohol-free options 

Lucky Saint is one of the newer UK alcohol-free brands which has been instrumental in taking the category to the next level.

The brand says it is on a mission to elevate the drinking experience for alcohol-free drinkers, firstly with its lager, and now with the launch of their London pub, The Lucky Saint, championing alcohol-free drinks alongside alcoholic options.

Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase said: “Wanting to moderate your alcohol consumption has been a growing trend over the last five years, and 2023 is set to become the year moderation goes mainstream with over 50% of UK adults planning to cut down their consumption.

“Dry January was particularly exciting this year, with over nine million people taking part - it's a time when our category jumps forward, and the growth is sustained with millions of people continuing to drink No and Low throughout the year.

“Like us, Tesco is betting big on the No and Low category and it shares our view of what consumers are looking for - healthier options and great-tasting alcohol-free drinks that make moderating alcohol consumption easier, which is a great thing.”

Sainsbury's is very Neighbourly as it donates 10 million meals

Sainsbury’s has reached a significant meal donation milestone with food re-distribution partner Neighbourly, saving 4,500 tonnes of food going to waste.

The move brings Sainsbury’s a step nearer in its pledge to reduce food waste across its value chain by 50% by 2030.

The partnership is just one way in which Sainsbury’s supports communities with access to food, with its newly launched Nourish the Nation programme recently donating £3 million to help fight food poverty

Sainsbury’s has announced it's reached a significant milestone with Neighbourly, having donated its 10 millionth meal to those facing food insecurity in 18 months.

Sainsbury's has worked with Neighbourly since 2021 to connect all its stores with local charity partners, helping to manage surplus food donations. Via this partnership, both ambient and fresh groceries can be donated to a store’s connected charity, helping Sainsbury’s to redistribute food to those facing food poverty in local communities.

The partnership with Neighbourly has prevented 4,500 tonnes of food from going to waste, a move which has reduced carbon emissions by over 16,000 tonnes. Meanwhile, through using the Neighbourly platform, Sainsbury’s has donated food to over 2,500 good causes across the UK, that help four million people every week.

In just the week leading up to Christmas over 335,000 meals were provided to local charities which support over 1,227,000 people weekly all over the UK, helping to support communities over the festive period.

Ruth Cranston, who is Sainsbury’s Director of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, said: “We have donated food to charities and community groups since 1998, but our partnership with Neighbourly has really helped us accelerate how many people we can help.

"We know our partnership is more important than ever before with food banks facing more demand than before. Supporting the communities we serve with the rising cost of living is important to us, it’s why we are pleased to hit such a huge milestone of donating 10 million meals. 

"We’re incredibly proud of this partnership and have worked hard in engaging our stores and they have done a great job in driving this forward. We look forward to continuing our work with Neighbourly.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, said: "Sainsbury’s is genuinely committed to local action and we’re pleased to be accelerating the scheme to help forge strong community collaboration between their stores and charity partners whilst combatting the environmental impact of wasted food.

"The current cost-of-living crisis means more families than ever before are relying on their local community charities for food and other services, and this scheme is making a huge difference to thousands of local groups and the people they support."

Working with Neighbourly to donate surplus food is just one of the ways Sainsbury’s is able to supports those who are facing food insecurity. In November 2022, it launched Nourish the Nation - a long-term programme designed specifically to tackle food poverty with Comic Relief.

The programme funds initiatives that help communities access balanced, nutritional and sustainable food now, as well as supporting projects that help prevent people and communities falling further into food poverty in the future. Sainsbury's kicked off Nourish the Nation with a £3 million donation, and it follows 24 years of work with Comic Relief, in which time over £153 million has been raised.

Easter Celebration Ideas from Mandira's Kitchen

Easter celebrations are a really good chance to meet with friends and family and enjoy good food and good times. But who wants to be slaving away in the kitchen and missing out on all the fun?  

But! Mandira's Kitchen have put together a special menu for Easter which can be ordered from March to be delivered or collected the week before Easter.

For the Easter weekend only, Mandira's Kitchen have put together some special spring menus for you to enjoy. You can opt between Classic or Vegetarian dining.

The special menu includes Spinach and Onion Pakoras with green chutney, and Bombay Mix.  The main course is a choice of Classic Easter Lamb Currey or Paneer for the vegetarian option.  Saffron rice; Jaipuri Baingan (roasted aubergines in a spicy masala); Vegetable Handi (a rich vegetable curry); Garlic and Coriander Naan bread; poppadums and Palak Raita (Spiced yoghurt with spinach). 

No feast would be complete without some Sweet Endings, which include: - Rasmalai (Milk dumplings in a rose and pistachio sauce); Boondi Ladoo (A delicious Indian treat made with sugar, spices and gram flour); Masala Chai and cans of Ready-to-drink Silent Pool Gin & Tonic and Firebird IPA (one per person). 

Mandira Sarkar, owner and founder of Mandira's Kitchen says: “Easter weekend is traditionally about families getting together and we want to help make sure they spend as much time together in conversation and as little time in the kitchen as possible with our Easter family feasts.”

Of course, Mandira's Kitchen will cater for any dietary restrictions, and you can discuss your individual needs by emailing orders@mandiraskitchen.com.

All items can be ordered online from https://www.mandiraskitchen.com/collections/easter-2022/products/easter-menu-2023 for  UK-wide free delivery by Thursday 6th April or choose a click and collect right up to Easter Weekend (although the shop will be closed on Easter Sunday 9 April). All food arrives frozen and can be kept in the fridge for 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 6 months.  Dishes can be heated in the microwave in 4 minutes, or in the oven.  Full details https://www.mandiraskitchen.com

If your Mother is into cocktails, make Devon Cove your go to!

The producer behind the multi award-winning and silky smooth Cove Vodka, Devon Cove, has expertly

curated a whole range of cocktail sets which make a unique and highly desirable gift for Mother's Day. 

These attractive gift boxes are wrapped in a colourful ribbon and include a handwritten gift tag with free nationwide delivery over £30.

Cove Passion Royale Cocktail and Salcombe Candle Gift Box £43.00

The gift box includes – Cove Passion Royale Cocktail Kit (20cl bottle of Cove Passion Liqueur, 2 x 20cl bottles of Prosecco, recipe) Salcombe Candle Company Hope Cove Seashells Candle and a personal gift tag. There's enough to make four cocktails. Cove Passion Fruit Liqueur is enchantingly exotic and silky smooth. Fresh passion fruits have been expertly combined with Cove Vodka to create a delicate, delicious liqueur.

Cove Hazelnut Liqueur, Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Gift Box £36.90

A deliciously indulgent gift for all mums! The box includes - 20cl bottle of Cove Hazelnut Liqueur (made with Cove's award-winning Potato Vodka and caramelised hazelnuts, 150g luxury hot chocolate from Salcombe Dairy and 80g chocolate dipped marshmallows from the Grown-up Marshmallow Company. Cove Hazelnut Liqueur is gorgeous sipped or mixed with a hot chocolate, or you can enjoy it served over ice.

Cove Passion Fruit Martini & Macaron Gift Box £42.90

The Passion Fruit Martini is Cove's take on the ever popular Pornstar Martini. They've combined their luxuriously smooth Cove Vodka, Passion Liqueur, vanilla, pineapple and lime to create a deliciously fruity and tantalising cocktail. Combined with a box of delicious macarons it's a fabulous gift. 20cl bottle of award-winning Cove Vodka, 20cl Cove Passion Liqueur, 20cl Monin Vanilla Syrup, 20cl Pineapple Juice, Simple instructions, A box of 6 macarons from Pretty Little Pastries. Serves 4. All you need are glasses, ice, fresh lime and passion fruit (optional).

Founded in 2019 by Leanne Carr, Devon Cove creates exceptional vodka using King Edward potatoes lovingly grown on Leanne's family farm overlooking Hope Cove. Already the recipient of multiple high profile awards, Cove vodka is as pure and clean as the sea air around it and uniquely smooth to taste. Cove Vodka, Cove Cocktail Kits, Cove Coffee Liqueur, Cove Damson Liqueur, Cove Rum, Cove Hazelnut Liqueur, Cove Passion Liqueur and a wide range of gift boxes are all available to purchase from www.devoncove.co.uk with free nationwide delivery over £30.

To keep up to date with all of Devon Cove's news and for cocktail recipes and inspiration 'like' @Devon Cove Vodka on Facebook, 'follow' devoncovevodka on Instagram or @devoncovevodka on Twitter or visit www.devoncove.co.uk

Wickhams' Wines of the Month

Langham Rosé Brut NV, Dorset

£35.00 Single Bottle £31.50 Any 6 Mix

75cl ABV: 12%

This award-winning pink fizz has aromas of pink petals, pastry and strawberries which are followed by a bright, refreshing palette. There is a fine mousse with notes of strawberries & cream, sour cherry & pink lady apple with an integrated citrus acidity. This is a complex wine with a long finish. 85% of the grapes come from the legendary October 2018 vintage with the rest coming from reserve.

Piquepoul Rosé Foncalieu 2021, Languedoc

£13.33 Single Bottle £12.00 Any 6 Mix

75cl ABV: 13%

Produced by Les Vignobles Foncalieu in Vin de Pays d'Oc, Southern France, this medium bodied, dry rosé is produced using solely the rare Piquepoul Noir grape. An attractive pale pink in colour, Piquepoul Rosé Foncalieu has a delicate nose of cherry blossom, strawberries and peaches. The palate is wonderfully fresh with summer berry flavours and notes of crushed rose petals. These fruity notes are balanced perfectly with a lively, citrus acidity, leaving the palate refreshed.

Malbec World Day: Monday 17th April 2023

Allowing time to stock up for Malbec World Day, Wickhams has an online tasting event taking place on Thursday 16th March which focuses on Malbec. In its homeland of southern France, Malbec was deemed only useful to bulk out wines and add colour. It then found a new home in Argentina where the altitude allowed it to show its aromatic personality. It has since become one of the most popular grape varieties in the world. Dan Farrell-Wright and Pip Vanham (AIWS DipWSET) will present six Malbec wines from Argentina, France and Australia and this is their pick of the bunch:

Finca Sophenia 'Altosur' Malbec 2021, Mendoza

£15.50 Single Bottle £13.95 Any 6 Mix

75cl ABV: 14%

Awarded Best In Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2022. This wine has an attractive red colour with violet hues and aromas of intense ripe fruit, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and fresh plums, combined with spicy and floral hints. In the mouth the sweet and round tannins increase its fruit sensation and balance. A wine of good intensity, concentration and long aftertaste. When originally launched this wine was awarded the Decanter International Trophy for Best World Red. Quite some achievement for a new winery.

Wickhams is an award-winning independent online wine merchant founded by Dan Farrell-Wright. Sourcing the finest Estate bottled wines from around the world, as well as the UK, Wickhams curate collections from the everyday to the classics, so there's something to suit all tastes. They passionately believe in stocking wines, spirits and gift sets at a range of price points to ensure their products are accessible to all. 

A special focus is placed on finding producers who have strong stories and strong ethics, with sustainability and diversity at the forefront. Delivery is available to mainland UK with all orders packed in 100% recyclable packaging. Orders over £40 are shipped free of charge.

For more information about Wickhams' products visit www.wickhamwine.co.uk. You can also follow them on facebook and instagram @wickhamwine. 

Worth checking out what fine wines they have in stock for Mother's Day.

Make Mother's Day extra-special with the help of Devon Hampers

If there is one thing everyone can agree on, it's that a delicious cream tea tastes heavenly and that's why a Devon Hampers Luxury Cream Tea Hamper is the perfect gift on Mothering Sunday.

The hamper is full of delectable treats including four freshly baked scones, that are rich, light and sweet and the perfect size for a spoonful of the smoothest Devon clotted cream and a spoonful of strawberry jam that's filled with flavour. 

There are other suitable treats, too. Real fudge, tasty biscuits and a bottle of delicious Devon cider, or why not brew the perfect cup of Cornish Smuggler Tea for a quintessentially English treat on Mother's Day? 

Prosecco Devon Cream Tea For Two Hamper £30.50 including delivery

If your mum loves her afternoon tea treats, the Prosecco Devon Cream Tea For Two hamper is a wonderful luxury gift hamper to arrive on her doorstep. 

The hamper features freshly baked scones, the finest Devon clotted cream and strawberry jam, made in the same village as Devon Hampers,  all to be enjoyed with a cup of perfectly brewed Devonshire Tea, or a glass of the finest Prosecco.

Devon Hampers Celebration Cream Tea Hamper from £55 including delivery

The Devon Hampers Celebration Hamper will make your mum's day with a traditional cream tea the star of the show, but with some carefully chosen extras too. For the cream tea, there are two freshly baked scones, just the right amount of crumble, and the perfect amount of lightness, with the smoothest Devon clotted cream and richest  strawberry jam ready to be piled on top in big spoonfuls. 

Included in the hamper are other flavours and tastes of the Westcountry too, such as cheese, crackers, chutney, a fruit cake and a bottle of Prosecco, making this the ultimate hamper to celebrate Mothering Sunday.

Devon Hampers also has a GLUTEN FREE Cream Tea Hamper (from £24.50 including delivery)

And a VEGAN Cream Tea  (from £23.50 including delivery)

To place your orders please visit https://www.devonhampers.com/