Magazine of authentic life inspiration SPRING 2015

HAY HAMPERS

Eat chocolateGood for health and mood

Mothering SundaySay it with a gift

> advice and ideas> recipes and gifts> tales and traditions

www.hampers.co.uk

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We are delighted to celebrate the first issue of Hay Hampers Magazine with a special 10% discount off all our range of hampers on www.hampers.co.uk. Use the Discount code SPRING2015 as many times as you wish from 1st March to 31st May 2015. All our gifts include 24 hour next work-ing day delivery to UK Mainland ad-dresses (excludes Islands & Scottish Highlands) if the order is received by 3 p.m. Delivery to multiple addresses on one order is available at no extra charge. If desired, a gorgeous, free of charge, greeting card is also included.

SPECIAL 10% DISCOUNT FOR OUR READERS

Our New Exciting Adventure

We couldn’t be more excited to introduce our very first issue of Hay Hampers.When we set out to create this brand new magazine that would promote genuine and authentic living in our modern time, one thing we agreed on right away was to steer away from the glossy, product-driven magazines that we all sometimes read. What you will hopefully appreciate is that Hay

Hampers Magazine is a col-lection of inspiring and informative articles written by real, honest, down-to-earth folks who work hard to live healthily, like sharing time with their family and friends, and try not to forget to live every moment at its best. You may want to sit and read the whole thing at once, or come back to it several times to take inspi-ration for your private as well as your business life. We would be delighted if you wanted to contribute with suggestions and ideas to improve the quality of our magazine. So please feel free to share comments with us. We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of Hay Hampers Magazine. With warmest thanks!

Elisabeth Och, Editor

[Sharing > GOOD IDEAS]

[Spring 2015 > CONTENTS]

Gift giving has long been a favourite subject for studies on human behaviour. Psycholo-gists, anthropologists, economists and marketers all have found that giving gifts is a surprisingly complex and important part of human interaction, helping to define relationships and strengthen bonds with family and friends. But while it’s reason-able to cut back on spending during the holidays, psychologists say that banning the gift exchange with loved ones is not the best solution. People who refuse to accept or exchange gifts during the holidays, these experts say, may be missing out on an im-portant connection with family and friends.In other words, who is on your gift list is telling you who is important in your life; even more, it says who is more important and who is less important. Indeed, psy-chologists say it is often the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest psychological gains from a gift. Giving to others reinforces our feelings for them and makes us feel effective and caring.

HAY HAMPERS

Sharing: Good Ideas .................................3Celebrate the British Patrons ....................4St David’s Day ..........................................6St Patrick’s Day ........................................8St George’s Day .....................................10Interview with One of Our Customers .......12Mothering Sunday ..................................14Bring Lunch to Mum ...............................16The Wine Expert Corner ..........................17

Simnel Cake Recipe ...............................19Happy Easter! ........................................20Chocolate ..............................................22Food: Curiosity .......................................24Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs .....................25It’s Spring! .............................................26Food: Good Ideas ...................................28Spring Clean Your Diet ............................29Great Gift Ideas......................................30

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THE PLEASURE OF GIFT GIVING

Magazine of Authentic Life Inspiration

Hay Hampers Ltd™www.hampers.co.uk

The teamBeverley Hare, Donna Brown, Elisabeth Och,Katy Andrew, Rachel Marshall-Roberts,Roberta Rizzi, Tessa Buckley, Wendy Bannister, Wendy Davey

With thanks toLuke Chapman (Cropwell Bishop Creamery),Maggie Dobbs,Sally Sinclair (LibAbunBusiness Angels,Coaches & Trainers)

Get social with usand keep up-to-datesales@hampers.co.ukhampers.co.uk/blog

Twittertwitter.com/HayHampers

Facebookfacebook.com/HayHampers

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St David’s Day, 1st MarchSt David plays a very important role in Welsh culture but little is known about his life. It is believed that he lived to be 100 years old and that he died on 1st March 589, but the first texts on his life only appeared around five hundred years after his death. This means that it is difficult to tell which aspects of the St David’s story are true and which are legend. The Welsh flag, which features a red dragon on a white and green background, is often seen around the date of St David’s Day. Many people also pin a daffodil or a leek to their clothes as symbols of Wales.

St Patrick’s Day, 17th MarchSt Patrick's Day occurs on 17th March and is a national holiday in Ireland. The degree to which people celebrate St Patrick's Day varies according to their religious and politi-cal affiliations. St Patrick's Day was originally a religious occasion to mark the life and work of St Patrick. In 1903 it became a public holiday in the whole of Ireland and only recently has St Patrick's Day become a secular holiday.

St George’s Day, 23rd AprilSt George is England's patron saint and the anniversary of his death, 23rd April, is seen as England's national day. St George is the patron saint of a number of other places, such as Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Portugal and Russia. The most widely rec-ognized symbol of St George's Day is a red cross on a white background, which is often displayed as a flag. St George's cross was originally the flag of the maritime Republic of Genoa. Around 1190, the King of England started paying the Doge of Genoa to protect ships originally from the city of London and the rest of England that sailed in the Medi-terranean.

Saint Andrew’s Day, 30th NovemberThe narratives record that Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, ob-served Simon Peter and his brother Andrew fishing, and called them to discipleship by saying that he will make them ‘fishers of

men’. A tradition developed that Andrew had been crucified on a X-shaped cross (crux decussata), now commonly known as a ‘Saint Andrew’s Cross’. According to legend, Óengus II led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles in 832 AD. The legend states that he vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. On the morning of battle white clouds forming an X shape in the sky were said to have appeared. Óengus and his combined force took to the field and despite being inferior in numbers were victo-rious. Having interpreted the cloud phenom-enon as representing the crux decussata upon which Saint Andrew was crucified, Óen-gus honoured his pre-battle pledge and duly appointed Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. The white saltire set against a celestial blue background is said to have been adopted as the design of the flag of Scotland on the basis of this legend...In the next issue: more details on howto celebrate St Andrew’s Day.

THE ASCETIC AND THE LEEKS

St David travelled widely throughout Wales, Cornwall in the south-west of England, Brittany in France and possibly to Ireland and Jerusalem. He founded several churches and a monastery in Wales and eventually became an archbishop. He lived a simple life and practised asceticism, teaching his followers to refrain from eating meat and drinking beer. His symbol, also the symbol of Wales, is the leek (this largely comes from a ref-erence in Shakespeare’s Henry V, Act V scene 1): Fluellen - “If your Majesty is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps, which your Majesty knows, to this hour is an honourable badge of the service, and I do believe, your Majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy’s day”. King Henry - “I wear it for a memorable honour; for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman”.

Celebratingthe BritishPatrons

THE BISHOP WHO BANISHED THE SNAKES

St Patrick is one of Ireland's patron saints. He is believed to have died on 17th March in or around the year 493. He was born in mainland Britain, but when he was about 16, he was captured from his home by Irish Pirates, and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming a cleric, he returned to northern and western Ireland. In later life, he served as an ordained bishop and by the seventh century he had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ire-land. According to the legend, St. Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland by chasing them into the sea after they attacked him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. However, all evidence suggests that there have been no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age, so the “snakes” that St Patrick banished from Ireland may refer to pagan worships. THE MARTYR WHO KILLED A DRAGON

St George was born sometime around the year 280 in what is now Turkey. He was a soldier and rose up through the ranks of the Roman army, even-tually becoming a personal guard to the Emperor Diocletian. He was ex-ecuted for being a Christian on 23rd April 303 and is buried in the town of Lod in Israel. St George is most wide-ly known for slaying a dragon. The episode of St. George and the Dragon was a legend brought back with the Crusaders. According to legend, the only well in the town of Silene was guarded by a dragon. In order to get water, the inhabitants of the town had to offer a human sacrifice every day to the dragon. The person to be sacrificed was chosen by lots. On the day that St George was visiting, a princess had been selected to be sac-rificed. However, he killed the dragon, saved the princess and gave the peo-ple of Silene access to water. In grati-tude, they converted to Christianity.

[Life > CELEBRATE]

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leek to their clothes as these are symbols of Wales. The traditional meal on St David’s Day is cawl and Welsh cakes.

CAWLThis is a wonderfully wholesome dish made of leek and other locally grown produce. The contents used to be dictated by geographi-cal location, i.e. if you were on the coast you might be making a seafood cawl, inland maybe a bacon cawl, and in the hills and mountains mainly lamb and mutton. These days a good balance of meat or fish and vegetables are used, with the meat usually

People in Wales and those of Welsh origin celebrate the life of their patron saint

and the Welsh culture on March 1st each year. St David is the patron saint of Wales and many people attend special church ser-vices, parades, choral recitals or Welsh lit-erature readings. Schools plan celebrations, often involving choirs, on the day. The Welsh flag, a red dragon on a white and green background, is displayed prominently and a festive mood prevails. Children, particularly girls, and some adults wear traditional cos-tume, such as red shawls and black chimney hats. Other people may pin a daffodil or a

being cooked on the bone to maximise the flavour. Cawl can be made throughout the year, just adjust the vegetables according to the season. Chopped runner beans, broad beans and peas are wonderful during early summer, add a little chopped mint at the end of cooking. You may also wish to add pulses such as lentils, or beans, pearl barley is also good during the winter months.

Ingredients (serve 6)- 6 small Welsh lamb shanks- 1.2l water- 225g leek, cleaned and sliced thin- 225g potatoes, peeled and diced- 225g swede, peeled and diced- 225g onion, peeled and chopped- 225g carrots, peeled and diced- ½ a small Savoy cabbage- A bunch of herbs: Bay, thyme, rosemary and parsley- 2tbsp vegetable oil- Salt and pepper

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan, season the lamb shanks, add to the pan together with the onion and brown all over. Pour over the water and add the bunch of herbs. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Add all the vegetables except for the cabbage, bring up to the boil again, reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 40 minutes. Shred the cabbage and add to the cawl, cook for about 5 minutes, then serve.

BARA BRITHBara Brith is a delicious and famous Welsh speciality, ideal to share with others.The literal translation from Welsh is Speckled bread and is a rich fruit loaf. As with Cawl there are many unique family variations to the recipe - this is the one we like to make.

Ingredients- 450g self-raising flour- 1tsp mixed spice- 175g Muscovado sugar- 1 medium size free-range egg- 1tbsp orange zest- 2tbsp orange juice- 1tbsp honey

- 300m cold tea- 450g mixed, dried fruit- Extra honey for glazing

Put the mixed dried fruit into a mixing bowl, pour over the tea, cover and leave to soak overnight. The next day mix together the sugar, egg, orange juice, zest and honey, add to the fruit. Sift in the flour and spice, and mix well. Pour the mixture into a buttered loaf tin, 1.2L/2pt. Bake in a preheated oven at gas3/160°C/325°F for about 1¾ hours. The loaf should be golden in colour and firm to the touch in the middle. Baste with honey whilst still warm. Allow to cool thoroughly before storing in a cake tin. The flavour of the Bara Brith can be altered slightly by adding a few flavours. When soaking the fruit, substitute ¼ of the fluid with a whisky liqueur. Replace the honey and fruit juice with 2 tablespoons of marmalade. Alterna-tively, replace two tablespoons of fruit with chopped stem ginger, and replace the juice and honey with lemon marmalade, and the orange zest with lemon.

Welsh for a Lifetime...or Just a Day

[Food > CELEBRATE]

St David’s Day

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What are you going to do on 17th March? If you are going to Ireland, there is no short-age of things to do. Dublin holds a four day festival in honour of the holiday and is the location of Ireland’s largest and most impressive St. Patrick’s Day parade(stpatricksfestival.ie).

But if you aren’t visiting Ireland, what about celebrating St Patrick’s Day anyhow? Birmingham holds the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Britain with a city centre parade over a two-mile route through the city centre. The organisers describe it as the third biggest parade in the world after Dublin and New York (stpatricksbirmingham.com).Since 2002, London has had an annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade, which takes place on 15th in Trafalgar Square(visitlondon.com).Liverpool has the highest proportion of residents with Irish ancestry of any English city. This has led to a long-standing celebra-tion on St Patrick’s Day in terms of music, cultural events and the parade.Manchester hosts a two-week Irish festival in the weeks prior to St Patrick’s Day. The festival includes an Irish Market based at the city’s town hall which flies the Irish tricol-our opposite the Union Flag, a large parade, as well as a large number of cultural and learning events, throughout the two-week period (manchesteririshfestival.co.uk).The Scottish town of Coatbridge, where the majority of the town’s population are of Irish descent, also has a Saint Patrick’s DayFestival which includes celebrations and parades in the town centre(stpatricksdayfestivalcoatbridge.org).Glasgow has a considerably large Irish popu-lation so there are many Irish theme pubs and Irish interest groups, who run annual celebrations on St Patrick’s Day in Glasgow.

If parades are too chaotic and aren’t for you, check out the pub scene.Most bars and pubs love St. Patrick’s Day, as it’s one of the few holidays known for a marked increase in alcohol consumption, so many will be catering to patrons with a fes-tive St. Patrick’s theme. Drinking isn’t always a bad thing. It’s just a matter of keeping an

eye on how much you drink and not overdo-ing it. So remember to drink sensibly and in moderation, and enjoy the taste.

And if you aren’t a fan of the bar scene, consider having a party at home.‘May your home be too small to hold all your friends’ reads a lovely Irish blessing for St Patrick’s Day. In Ireland it is in fact common to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends, so perhaps you’d like to do this too as it can be a good day to catch up and spend time with them.Insist that everyone wear shamrocks or green clothing and accessories. Why? Because it is thought that St. Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor for the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), showing the pagan Irish how three individual units could be part of the same body. Hence the colour green has been associated with Ireland since at least the 1640s.Serve corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew with colcannon (mashed potatoes and cab-bage) and green chocolate chip cookies as a desert.

Have family or friends in Northern Ireland?It’s the thought that counts, they say. If you cannot reach your family and friends, your gifts can. So have you ever thought of send-ing them a hamper packed with fine food and wine to share? Hay Hampers is offering no surcharged delivery to Northern Ireland for St Patrick’s Day with the discount code IRISHSEA15. Worth having a try!

A Short Hop over the Irish Sea

[Life > CELEBRATE]

DISCOUNT CODE: IRISHSEA15on www.hampers.co.uk

No surcharged delivery to NorthernIreland for St Patrick’s Day!

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St Patrick’s Day

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[Life > CELEBRATE]

Interview with Robin Skailes,Cropwell Bishop Production Director.

Among all things English, Blue Stilton is one of the most tasty, traditional and

worldwide-known. This cheese is so highly regarded that it is one of a handful of British varieties to have been granted protected trademark status by the European Commis-sion. Only Stilton made from pasteurised cow’s milk in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire can legally use the name.Who says Stilton is just for Christmas? It is traditionally, but its smooth creamy texture and unique flavour makes it a great ingredi-ent for a meal or snack every day.Stilton is also much appreciated overseas, especially in Europe and across America where it is regarded as a supreme delicacy, with consumers prepared to pay in excess of £30 a kilo.The Blue Stilton you get from Hay Ham-pers is produced by Cropwell Bishop in Nottinghamshire, the last family-owned Stilton producer in the UK with more than 160 years of cheese-making experience. Over the years, Cropwell Bishop have won many awards including Supreme Champion Cheese at the prestigious Nantwich Inter-national Cheese Show.

Mr Skailes, where do you get your milk from?We have 15 farms that supply us with all their milk, and they are all family-run busi-nesses like our own. To our team at Cropwell Bishop, our farmers are like extended family. We know that there can be no quality cheese without quality milk, you see.

What happens next?So, we’ve got the milk, and the creamery is packed with artisan cheese makers eager to ply their trade. Our Head Cheese-maker Mario has been at the Dairy for more than 30 years.

How long does it take for the cheeseto be ready?The cheese in cylinders called truckles are stored in maturing rooms for about 5 weeks. Then they are pierced to allow oxygen into the cheese enabling the blue mould to de-velop and give the cheese its characteristic ‘veiny’ appearance. Piercing is repeated a week later, before each cheese is individu-ally graded, packaged and dispatched to our hungry customers.

Stilton, the town with no cheeseStilton is still made in much the same way as it was when Daniel Defoe, writing his ‘Tour through England and Wales’ in 1727, remarked that he “pass’d Stilton, a town famous for cheese, which is call’d our English Parmesan, and is brought to table with the mites, or maggots round it, so thick, that they bring a spoon with them for you to eat the mites with, as you do the cheese”. And yet, Stilton was never made in the town of Stilton!Stilton is situated about 80 miles north of London in Cambridgeshire on the old Great North Road. In the 18th century, the town was staging post for coaches travelling to and from London and York. The horses would be changed and travellers served light refreshment at one of the hostelries in the town. Cooper Thornhill, an East Midlands en-trepreneur, was landlord at the famous Bell Inn and it was he who introduced these trav-ellers to a soft, creamy, blue veined cheese which subsequently took its name from the town. Thornhill had bought the cheese from a farmer’s wife by the name of Frances Pawl-

ett who lived near Melton Mowbray. Today the mites have gone but the Stilton remains. The rest, as they say, is history!

Great on its own and as an ingredientAlthough Blue Stilton is mouth-watering in its own right, it is also a versatile and easy to use ingredient in a variety of starters and main courses, such as Stilton and pear salad, and cream of celery or broccoli soup. Stilton is a must for the cheese-board: serve with crackers or for a change with a traditional plum loaf. For other ideas visit stiltoncheese.com. Its distinctive flavour looks for its opposite in wine, something that counterbalances its saline richness. A wine that is both sweet and with weight is why Port is the ideal partner for Stilton cheese, but also dry sherry and claret.Like all good cheese, Blue Stilton is best served at room temperature (20°C or 68°F). However, unlike most cheeses, it may be successfully frozen if there is no immediate yearning to consume it. Wrap in cling film or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and allow to reach room temperature before serving.

DO YOU KNOW THAT…?

There are just six dairies in the world licenced to make Stilton cheese. Over 1.1 million Stilton cheeses are made each year. More than 10% of output is exported to some 40 countries world-wide. Every cheese is graded before leaving the dairy to ensure only cheese of the highest quality is marketed under the Stilton name. It takes 136 pints of milk (78 litres) to make one 17 lb (8 kg) Stilton cheese.

[Food > INGREDIENTS]

Celebrate England with One of Their Most Famous Cheeses

St George’s Day

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Neil Sinclair & Sally Sinclair are the ‘heart and soul’ of LibAbun, a short for ‘Libera-

tors of Abundance’. They are all about help-ing people in business achieve greater levels of abundance in both their professional and personal life.

Sally, who is Angelo? Angelo is an important part of our branding... a cartoon like figure who appears on all of our marketing mate-rial. His name means ‘messenger’ and we here at LibAbun have very important mes-sages to get across to all business owners in any type of industry and of any size.

So what is LibAbun all about?We are all about helping people in business (you) achieve greater levels of abundance in both your professional and personal life.LibAbun is a team of business angels, busi-

ness coaches and business trainers based in Milton Keynes whose ‘primary mission’ is to help people in business develop them-selves, and the tools needed, to live the lives they want to lead and feel great about it. How did the concept of ‘LibAbun’ start? ‘LibAbun was founded by Neil Sinclair who since 2001 has been a business owner, a business investor and a professional busi-ness coach. Prior to becoming a business owner, investor and business coach, Neil started to formulate the idea of a need for ‘LibAbun’ – ‘Liberators of Abundance’ during a 19 year career in the Royal New Zealand Air Force! We offer business investment, coaching and training to help small and medium enterprises attain greater levels of sales, profitability, customer service, systemisation, team performance, alignment

to their business culture and amongst other things, in the end to feel inspired and great about the business they are working in.

Business or busy-ness?Business does not have to mean ‘busy-ness’ and it doesn’t have to be the ‘pres-sure cooker’ environment so many small and medium businesses find themselves in through issues with cash flow, low profit or no profit, poor recruitment and train-ing systems, inconsistent delivery of their products and services, a lack of consistency in good effective marketing strategies, no proper sales system or processes in place, a lack of business planning with no financial management and budgeting and a very poor grasp of effective time management ensur-ing you work on your business and team skills each week instead of just working in the business. All these issues culminate in the business owner and their team suffer-ing from a lack of time, not making enough money from the business and not feeling as great as they should or could be.

What is your recipe against busy-ness then?At LibAbun we help you change all this to get much better results and feel great about it too! Business is not just about a ‘common sense’ approach as 80% of companies don’t survive their first 5 years. Surely these busi-ness owners and their teams had ‘common sense’! We all know that ‘common sense’ rarely means ‘common practise’ and it is MORE about ensuring we are conducting a ‘common practise’ approach through a systematic approach to business, leveraged through a focused team and great business systems that are both well managed and lead. After all… we usually spend at least 40 hours a week at work; that is approxi-mately one third of our adult lives – so it’s vitally important to get the right knowledge, skills and attitude in business so we can feel great about the journey we are on.

Ok. But hang on, what do you mean that a business doesn’t have to be for life? Many people think that when they start up a business or buy a business, that’s it… they have it until they retire or die. That’s fine if

More Abundancein Business and Life

[Life > EXPERIENCES] that’s what they want to do, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Neil at LibAbun teaches business owners how to buy, build and sell businesses as well as investing in others.

What’s your favourite successfulbusiness story? Neil has many but Sally’s favourite is of a husband and wife team who ran an air conditioning business in New Zealand. They worked all the hours they had and also had 4 teenage children who had started getting into trouble with the law... They knew they couldn’t continue with what they were doing but could not see a solution. When Sally contacted them about Neil’s services they jumped at the opportunity! When Neil asked them when they last had a family holiday together they said: “We have not had a family holiday in eight years!” Within 6 months of working with Neil, they had got their business to a stage where it could work without them for a few weeks and they booked their family holiday abroad!

Incentives and rewards, do you use any for your customers? Here at LibAbun we focus on the success of our clients and recognise their efforts in a variety of different ways called CNE’s (Critical Non-Essentials). These can be anything from a congratulations card to a test drive in their ‘dream car’! We particularly like selecting gifts from the Hay Hampers brochure as they have a large variety for all occasions and de-liver to the client’s premises, presented nicely with a written card inside. Most of our clients have families and staff so it’s always nice for them to be able to share what is inside.

So what does a hamper mean for you? A hamper is personal... it’s like a care package that a soldier longs for when he is deployed overseas and can’t be with their loved ones... It is put together with thought, care and kindness that the recipient feels when they are opening the packaging.

[Life > CELEBRATE]PAMPER YOUR MUM WITH ANARTISAN, PERSONALISED CAKE

Mothering Sunday or Mother’s Day? No Matter as Long as You Treat yourMum to a Special Gift!Somewhere beneath the cards and gifts lies an historical andChristian tradition that goes back centuries. Mothering Sunday, known as Mother’s Day in the States, falls on 15th March this year.

The mid Sunday in Lent is not “Mother’s Day” but “Mothering Sunday”, somebody

may point out and then blame America for introducing the former. In America, Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May, as pro-claimed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. It is marked on that day because it was the result of a campaign by Anna Jarvis (1864-1948), whose own mother had died on 9th May. According to the British tradition, Mothering Sunday is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday. It was originally a time when people returned to the church in which they were baptized or where they attended services when they were children. This meant that families were reunited as adults returned to the towns and villages where they grew up. In time, it be-came customary for young people who were working as servants in large houses, to be given a holiday on Mothering Sunday. They could use this day to visit their own mother and often took a gift of food or hand-me-down clothing from their employers to her. Traditionally, people observed a fast during Lent and did not eat sweet, rich foods or meat. However, the fast was lifted slightly on Mothering Sunday and many people pre-pared a Simnel cake to eat with their family on this day.Mothering Sunday is now a day to honour mothers and other mother figures, such as grandmothers, stepmothers and mothers-in-law. We sometimes forget how mums make a difference with all the little things they do, and all the big things, too. Mother-ing Sunday reminds us to celebrate the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.An important part of Mothering Sunday is giving cards and gifts. Research has shown that we’re all spending twice as much on Mothering Sunday as we were a decade ago, averaging more than £20 for each mum in the UK. Actually, a recent survey found that all a majority of mothers want for Mothering Sunday is to spend time with their children (47%), be pampered by having a lie-in (30%), or be treated to breakfast in bed (26%). Just to say that easy treats can be the most spoiling gifts.

However, if you still want to keep the tradi-tion and make Mothering Day as special and unique as only mums are, you can opt for a freshly-made cake home-delivered with an enchanting greeting card. How does it sound?

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Specially decorated Mother’s Day cakes are available on www.hampers.co.uk. Book it in advance and be sure that your mum will be delighted to receive a fresh, artisan cake at home with a lovely card. Our cakes are pre-servatives and nuts free as well as suitable for a dairy free diet and, on request, a wheat free diet. You can have personalised cakes with your mother’s name or with your favourite photo with her. Just use your imagi-nation and book it in advance with five working day notice.

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Rachel Marshall-Roberts, wine educator

Still or sparkling from lightly pressed red grapes to give a gentle hint of blush

salmon pink and the flavours of summer fruits, rose wine is the perfect match with smoked salmon, chocolates or a Simnel cake. And it’s also a great gift idea if you want to share special days with the people you love and take a gift of food and wine.

Cheurlin Dangin Rose Champagne NV, France - £23.56, 12% vol. alcohol, 75 cl 100% Pinot NoirThis delicious sparkling rose Champagne comes from one of the southern most regions in the Champagne area 100 kilo-metres south east of Epernay, near Aube in the Cote des Bar. Their vineyards are on the sunny slopes of the valleys Ource, the Arce and the Seine. The family owned Champagne house has won many awards and supplies Champagne to top restaurants and politicians in Paris. Rose Champagne is made from 100% Pinot Noir grape varieties and the skins are left to macerate with the grape juice to produce a delicate salmon pink orange colour. The nose reveals lively red fruits of raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry, which is typical of the finesse of Pinot Noir. On the palate it is fresh with well balanced acidity and delicate fine bubbles.It’s a perfect wine for any special celebra-tion as an aperitif or with any salmon dish or fish dish with sauce or grilled meats. It is also delightful with a dessert at the end of meal with red fruits.

[Food > GIFTS]

Delight your Mum with a Delicious Bottle of Rose Wine

Surprise your mum on Mother’s Day, by arriving at home complete with a sump-

tuous celebration lunch all packed in one of our superb wicker baskets! A fantastic way to pamper your Mum and share this special day with our selection of delicious, gourmet foods and nothing for Mum to do except put her feet up and enjoy all the delicacies. Create a ‘memory’ and take some pictures to share with family who can-not be with Mum today.

Go on... make Mum’s day and share this thoughtful treat with her, create a special day to remember and don’t forget to do the washing up afterwards!!

Above: ‘Family Celebration Hamper’available on www.hampers.co.uk

THE CELEBRATION LUNCH WILL CONSIST OF

A Half Mini Cropwell Bishop Stilton Cheese, Farmhouse Cheddar, Wens-leydale & Cranberry, A whole cooked Ham, Scottish Smoked Salmon, Gra-vadlax, Roast Smoked Venison and Smoked Duck from the Rannoch Smokery, Pate de Canard. The follow-ing accompaniments are also included: Cheddar Crackers, Stilton Crackers, Ploughmans Plum chutney, Spiced honey mustard, Beer mustard, Cran-berry sauce and Dill sauce. The wicker basket is a classic gift in itself which your Mum can use again in the future. We can even include a personalized gift card with the message of your choice to complete this special Mother’s Day Gift.

WINES BY THE CASE

Buying wines by the case on www.vintners.co.uk is quick and easy. Select any six bottles of your choice and we can deliver your case to any UK mainland address on the next working day. Our Vintners Selec-tion range of fine wines has been skillfully selected to provide the best quality at the most competitive price thanks to our thirty year expertise in the wine trade. We try wherever possible to source our wines directly from family growers, whose wines are authentic and naturally made with sustainable viticulture and with typicality of the regional terroirs.

[Drink > THE WINE EXPERT CORNER]

Bring Lunch to Mum’s Home in a Hamper

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1. Two days before you intend to make the cake place the sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a bowl with the lemon juice, brandy and orange juice, mixing it well and leaving to one side for the fruit to soak up the liquid. This will produce a much moister cake when baked, but can be omitted.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Line the base and sides of a 20cm deep round tin with silicone paper.

3. Measure the rest of the cake ingredients in with the fruit and beat well until thoroughly mixed. Put half of this mix-ture in the bottom of the cake tin and level it off so that it is as flat as possible. Divide the marzipan into three equal parts and roll out one piece into a circle 20cm diameter, and put it on the top of the cake mixture. Gently spoon on the rest of the mixture, levelling the surface again.

4. Bake for approximately 2 ½ hours until brown, well risen and firm to touch. Allow to cool for 15 mins and then turn out to cool on a wire rack.

5. When the cake is cool, warm up the apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush the top of the cake with it. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to the size of the top of the cake. Press it down firmly and push the edges down with your thumb to crimp it round the sides. Roll the rest of the marzipan into eleven balls to represent the Apostles, without Judas. Brush the top of the marzipan with the beaten egg and place the balls evenly around the outside, brushing the tops of the balls as well. Place the whole cake under a hot grill until the marzipan turns a light golden colour.

[Food > RECIPES]

SimnelCakeIngredients- 225g sultanas- 100g currants- 50g mixed peel- juice of 1 lemon (optional)- 50 ml brandy (optional)- 50 ml orange juice

(optional)- 225g soft butter- 225g light muscovado

sugar- 4 eggs- 225g self-raising flour- 100g glace cherries,

rinsed in hot water, dried and quartered

- grated rind of 2 lemons- 2 tsp mixed spice

For the topping:- 450g best quality

marzipan- 2tbsp apricot jam- 1 egg beaten, to glaze

Although traditionally served and eaten at Easter in Great Britain, the Simnel Cake actu-ally has its roots in Mother-ing Sunday. Girls would go to Church, then visit their Mothers and take this cake as a gift. The marzipan balls on top of the cake represent the Apostles, however there are only ever 11 following the betrayal of Jesus by Judas.One legend says that the cake was named after Lambert Sim-nel who worked in the kitchens of Henry VII of England some-time around the year 1500.

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Les Camelias 2012 Rose de Loire, Chateau de la Roulerie, Loire Valley, France - £8.50,11.5% vol alcohol, 75 cl. - 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Cabernet SauvignonThis delightful rose wine comes from Cha-teau de la Roulerie in the heart of the Anjou region in the Loire Valley in France. The nineteenth century chateau has beautiful views of the St Aubin valley and is owned by Philippe and Marie Germain. Les Camelia Rose is a bright raspberry salmon pink colour with nose of red fruits strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants, on the palette it has a rounded fruity freshness with a hint of roses with suppleness and crisp finish. Best served at 8°C and is a perfect aperitif for any occasion or with cold meats, antipasti, barbecue foods and grilled meats.

Pinotage Rose 2013, Millberg Cellars,Franschhoek Valley, South Africa - £7.44,10.5% vol alcohol, 75 cl. - 100% PinotageThis rose wine comes from the Western Cape in South Africa. It is made from the indigenous signature grape variety Pinotage, which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, created by the scientist Abraham Perald in 1925. This rose is a bright salmon pink colour brimming with summer fruit aromas and red fruit flavours and balanced acidity. It is best served at 9-13°C and can be enjoyed on its own or with salads, chicken dishes or spicy dishes.

Zinfandel Rose, Discovery Beach, 2013, California, USA - £6.71, 10.5% vol alcohol, 75 cl - White Zinfandel, SymphoniaSoft salmon pink colour, with a nose of strawberries and flowers. Soft medium dry rounded wine with light tropical fruit flavours, well balanced sweetness and acidity, making this a very easy drinking wine. Zinfandel is the signature grape variety for California and Symphonia was created by a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris by Dr Harold Olmo at UC Davis in 1948 for the hot growing conditions in California and it produces wines with a seductive flowery muscat aroma which goes well with barbe-cue food, spicy and Chinese dishes, salads and vegetarian foods.

[Drink > THE WINE EXPERT CORNER]

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[Life > CELEBRATE]JEWISH EASTER

Happy Easter!Easter this year falls on Friday 3rd AprilGood Friday to Easter Monday 6th April 2015

The Jewish people celebrate Passo-ver or Pesach as a commemoration of their liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt by God inflicting ten plagues upon the ancient Egyptians; the tenth and worst of them was the death of the Egyptian first-born. The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spir-it of the Lord knew to pass over the first-born in these homes, hence the English name of the holiday. When the Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise. In commemoration, for the duration of Passover no leav-ened bread is eaten.Passover commences on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nisan and lasts for either seven days (in Israel) or eight days (in the diaspora). In 2015 it begins on 3rd April.

For most people it will be the first time off work since Christmas, and they will

be looking forward to a joyful celebration with family and friends. The clocks will have changed on Sunday 29th March, so the evenings will be lighter and the gardens full of spring flowers – daffodils, tulips and primroses. After the long nights of winter, it

is a delight to look forward to more sunlight and warmer days. Easter is the most important Christian festival celebrating Christ’s resurrection from death on Good Friday. Without Easter, there would be no Christianity and no hope of a new risen life after death.Easter is a moveable feast. The first Council of Nicea in 325 AD established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21st March - the spring equinox. The date of Easter therefore varies between 22nd March and 25th April. Eastern Christianity based its calculations on the Julian calendar, whose 21st March corresponds to 3rd April in the Gregorian calendar so Easter varies between 4th April and 8th May.Second century AD Christian missionaries seeking to convert the tribes of northern Europe to Christianity saw the pagan festival of spring celebrated the triumph of life over death. The Anglo Saxon fertility goddess, Eostre celebrated a new dawn, spring and shining light rising in the east bringing an end to winter and new life in flowers, plants and animals. The rabbit was her sacred animal. According to folklore, Eostre found a bird dying from cold and turned it into a rabbit with fur to keep it warm and the rab-bit laid an egg and decorated it as a gift to Eostre to show its loyalty and love.Nowadays the folklore has mixed up with religious traditions and the Easter feast is celebrated with chocolates bunnies, Easter eggs, roast lamb or baked ham, hot cross buns, Simnel cake and for small children an Easter egg hunt in the garden with decorated baskets and Easter bonnets. The tradition of roast lamb for Easter is from Jesus’ Last Supper in the Upper Room celebrating the Passover meal which is lamb and bitter herbs with ritual readings and songs. Baked ham became popular in later centuries as salted pork would last through the winter un-til fresh meat was available. Instead the tra-dition of chocolate eggs began in nineteenth century France and Germany. Children made nests from hats or baskets with coloured straw so the Easter bunny could leave eggs in them. There is a famous Easter egg roll on the lawn of the White House!

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Our love affair with chocolate began over 4000 years ago with the ancient

Olmec people of Mexico in Central America, where the cacao tree grew wild. Originally consumed as a bitter drink, over the millen-nia we have added other flavours such as cinnamon, allspice, chilli, vanilla, honey and eventually sugar to develop the chocolate we know and LOVE today. Funilly enough, no European had ever heard of the popular drink from the Central and South American peoples until the 16th century. Christopher Columbus and his son Ferdinand encountered the cacao bean on Columbus’s fourth mission to the Americas in 1502. The great Aztec ruler Montezuma was reported to have consumed as much as fifty cups of chocolate elixir before heading off to his harem.Brought to Europe in the 16th century by the Spanish, chocolate was initially exclusively a luxury drink for the aristocracy, but as soon as it was imported in larger quantities it became popular with the masses. The first chocolate house in England (much like a coffee shop of today) opened in London in 1657, but the first chocolate bar was not marketed until 1847 by Joseph Fry & Son...thank goodness for Mr Fry!Used over the years to cure sickness, ap-pease Gods, show love and even ward off scorpions, this mysterious food has been involved in rituals, medicines and sheer pleasure. Consumed worldwide, the industry

is now so large that 40-50 million people derive their livelihoods from it and is worth approximately £72 billion per year.Chocolate comes from the seed of the cacao plant – a delicate tree covered in pink or white flowers some of which develop into seed pods, it thrives in the shade of other protecting trees in the tropics, predominately in a swath 20 degrees North and South of the Equator. Most cacao is produced on small family run farms under the canopy of other cash crops such as bananas, plan-tain, coconut and hardwood trees. Farmers harvest and split the pods, ferment the resulting pulp, dry the beans and pack them for the processors.Before we get our beloved chocolate the raw beans are cleaned, roasted, cracked and ground – resulting in a chocolate liquor which once set can either become cocoa powder and cocoa butter or combined with more cocoa butter, sugar and other flavour-ings to produce….CHOCOLATE!The cocoa butter content of chocolate is

[Food > INGREDIENTS]

Chocolate, a 4000 YearOld Love Affair

what gives chocolate it’s unique and addic-tive “melt-in-the-mouth” quality. Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature but melts at just below body temperature, giving that amazing texture. There are several types of chocolate according to the proportion of cocoa used in a particular formulation. “Unsweetened chocolate”, also known as “bitter”, “baking chocolate”, or “cooking chocolate”, is pure chocolate liquor mixed with some form of fat to produce a solid substance. The pure, ground, roasted cocoa beans impart a strong, deep chocolate flavor. With the addition of sugar, however, it is used as the base for cakes, brownies, confections, and cookies.

Dark chocolate is produced by adding cocoa butter and sugar to cocoa. It is chocolate with no milk or much less than milk choco-late. Dark chocolate can be eaten as is, or used in cooking, usually with high cocoa per-centages ranging from 70% to 99%. Dark is synonymous with semisweet, and extra dark with bittersweet. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate is.Milk chocolate is solid chocolate made with milk. EU regulations specify a minimum of 25% cocoa solids. However, an agreement was reached in 2000 that allowed what by ex-ception from these regulations is called “milk chocolate” in the UK, Ireland, and Malta, con-taining only 20% cocoa solids, to be traded as “family milk chocolate” elsewhere in the European Union. Chocolate milk was invented in Jamaica. Irish botanist Sir Hans Sloane is usually given credit for mixing chocolate with milk when he was in Jamaica in the early 1700s, though it’s likely he wasn’t the first person on the island to do so.White chocolate is a confection based on sugar, milk, and cocoa butter without the cocoa solids. So white chocolate technically isn’t chocolate, but you probably already knew that.

Can chocolate be one of my 5 a day?Sadly not. However research has shown that as part of a healthy, balanced diet there are benefits for cardio-vascular health due to flavonoids in chocolate and it has been linked to prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOCOLATE

- high in antioxidants- helps preserve cognitive function - may prevent heart disease, stroke - raises serotonin levels- releases endorphins- high in magnesium

Flavonoids are antioxidants from the same “family” as those touted in green tea and red wine. In fact, studies show that the antioxidant activity in one serving of cocoa is higher than that of either tea or red wine. The darker the chocolate, the more potent antioxidants it contains. But perhaps the most advantageous effect of chocolate has been shown to be a feeling of well-being, due to the release of serotonin (a brain chemical that helps to elevate the mood and stops you feeling down and depressed). Again, dark chocolate has the greatest effect as it has larger quantities of cocoa. Dark chocolate improves the serotonin levels partly because it contains resveratrol, which boosts both endorphins and serotonin levels.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT…?

Cote d’Ivoire is the largest producer of cacao (40% of the world supply). Ghana (just under 21%) and Indone-sia (almost 14%) come next.Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. About 40 cocoa beans are contained in each cocoa pod. One cocoa tree produces about 50 pods twice a year. Each pod has enough cocoa for about four bars of dark chocolate. So each tree gives 400-800 bars of chocolate a year.The word chocolate was first record-ed in English in 1604, though Eng-land’s first cup of chocolate was not brewed until 1647.

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[Food > CURIOSITY]

A NATION, A CHOCOLATEFrance, Germany, Italy, Great Britain; every country has its unique traditions and special-ties with respect to chocolate. Comparing different European chocolate is quite fun and tasty work to have to do. From rich hot cocoa, to hand-made confections, drop dead dense cakes, creamy ice creams, airy mousses, in-tense sauces and an endless variety of bars, there is a chocolate that appeals to every palate. French chocolate is recognized for the finesse of its Ganache (a filling made of choc-olate, butter and cream), praline chocolates and other fine chocolates with fruity, tangy and floral flavours which come together in time-honoured recipes. The Spanish prefer a liquid chocolate, sweet and slightly spicy, while the English prefer chocolate sweets with caramel, fruit and mint flavours. In Switzerland, people favour a creamy sweet chocolate in bars or bite sized candies. In Italy, chocolate is used in an astonishing variety of dishes. In the country that gave the world the gift of “Giandu-ja”, a delicate confection made from Piedmont hazelnuts, you can find chocolate in countless desserts, gelato (Italian ice cream) and even a chocolate spread for snack time.

Belgian chocolateIt was the Belgians who invented the praline, the chocolate bar and chocolate truffles with all their exotic fillings. Belgium’s association with chocolate goes back as far as 1635 when the country was under Spanish occupa-

FOR CHOCOHOLICS GREAT AND SMALL

tion shortly after chocolate had been brought to Europe from South America. From the early 20th century, the country was able to import large quantities of cocoa from its African colony, the Belgian Congo. The composition of Belgian chocolate has been regulated by law since 1884. In order to prevent adulteration of the chocolate with low-quality fats from other sources, a minimum level of 35% pure cocoa was imposed. Adherence to traditional manu-facturing techniques also serves to increase the quality of Belgian chocolate; in particular, vegetable-based fats are not used. Many firms produce chocolates by hand, which is labori-ous and explains the prevalence of small, independent chocolate outlets.

COST-FREE FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILYA longstanding tradition often associated with Easter surrounds dyeing eggs each year. Decorating Easter eggs dates back to the 13th century when eggs were forbidden during Lent and decorated for Easter to mark the end of fasting. Naturally dyed Easter eggs make wonderful additions to centre-pieces or may be hung on a bare branch (a traditional German Easter tree). Eggs vary in the way that they take on colour so using some brown as well as white eggs gives you a greater range of finished colours.Yellow: for shades of yellow, try dried marigolds, goldenrod and cosmos. A teaspoonful of turmeric will yield a rich gold. Yellow onion skins yield a vivid rusty orange. Carrot tops give up a clear yellow. Blue: use woad. Pink: madder, red cabbage leaves, beets, blueberries or blackberries, and grape juice produce pinks. Green: use coltsfoot. Brown: try coffee and tea for rich warm browns, and pecan and walnut shells for deeper shades of brown.Let eggs come to room temperature to minimize cracking as they simmer. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the number of eggs you’re dyeing and add the dyestuff. A handful of plant material to a pint of water in a small saucepan will col-our two or three eggs. Simmer for 15-30 minutes or until the water is a little darker than the shade you want to dye the eggs. Carefully add the eggs to the water along with a tablespoon of vinegar. Add water if necessary to cover the eggs completely. Simmer the eggs for 20 minutes or until they have taken on the right colour and are hard-boiled. Turn off the heat and let the eggs cool in the dye-bath to further deepen the colour.

[Life > GOOD IDEAS]

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

A selection of fine, artisan chocolates in milk, dark and white is available on hampers.co.uk on its own or in combi-nation with gourmet foods and wine.

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LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRINGBy William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant [thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link The human soul that through [me ran; And much it grieved my heart [to think What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that [green bower, The periwinkle trailed its wreaths; And ’tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and [played, Their thoughts I cannot measure:— But the least motion which they [made It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out [their fan, To catch the breezy air; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent, If such be Nature’s holy plan, Have I not reason to lament What man has made of man?

Source: The Longman Anthology of Poetry (Pearson, 2006)

In early spring, frost may still rime the win-dows in the morning, but we can feel the

promise of a new season in each passing day. Almost imperceptibly, the sun warms, the day lengthens, and the air seems pure and thin as it takes on the scent of freshly turned soil, emerging green, and soft rains. Spring arrives this year on 20th March - it doesn’t fall on the same day every year because the length of the calendar year doesn’t quite correspond with that of the solar year; the first day of spring varies from 19th to 21st March. That’s the spring equinox, the time that the sun crosses the earth’s equator from south to north and one of only two times in the year when day and night are equal in length.Spring is a season but also a symbol: it’s a time of awakening, of healing and renewal, of rebirth, rejuvenation and regrowth. It’s time for dawning and planting new ideas as the world seems young and virgin again. Like animals coming out of hibernation, we find new energy in this season of promise. We launch spring-cleaning projects. We shed our heavy coats and dark clothes to enjoy the occasional warm days of early spring. We prepare their soil and plant our gardens.

Spring CleaningAs winter’s icy grip slowly weakens, many of us follow the annual tradition of cleaning our homes from top to bottom to shake away the

winter blues with an influx of clean, spring air. It has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time memorial feast of Passover, when there are strict prohibitions against eating or drinking anything which may have been leavened or fermented with yeast. Jews are not only sup-posed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs, they are expressly commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of them for the length of the holiday.In northern Europe and North America, the custom found an especially practical value due to the continental and wet climates.

Spring Planting and GardeningAs the ground begins to thaw, spring planting

[Life > INSPIRATION]

It’s Spring!

is a tradition for many green-thumbed Britons.If you plant too early then some plants may fail to grow. Perennial flowers are generally quite robust, and if they have been stored outside where they can become accustom to the cold weather conditions, then they will likely survive a bit of frost once planted. On the other hand, annuals like marigolds and petunias are a bit more sensitive and need to be saved until the frost dies away. So if you have bought plants too early, just make sure that you keep them covered to protect against frost. A good idea is to wrap the plant with a plastic carrier bag until the spring planting season arrives.

NowruzThe spring equinox coincides with many cultural events, religious observances and customs around the world. One of the most symbolic and ancient events in the world is Nowruz. It means “New Day” in Persian language and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. The moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and fami-lies gather together to observe the rituals.Nowruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. It is a secular holiday that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths. It originated in Per-sia in the Achaemenid empire (c. 550–330 BCE), and is also celebrated in many other countries with a significant population of Persian people, such as Azerbaijan, Afghani-stan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and by Kurd-ish communities in Turkey and Iraq and other scattered populations in Central Asia.Nowruz is partly rooted in the religious tradi-tion of Zoroastrianism. Among other ideas, Zoroastrianism is the first monotheistic reli-gion that emphasizes broad concepts such as the corresponding work of good and evil in the world, and the connection of humans to nature. Nowruz is also a holy day for Sufi Muslims, Bektashis, Ismailis, Alawites, Ale-vis, Babis and adherents of the Bahá’í Faith. In 2009, Nowruz was officially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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[Food > GOOD IDEAS]

Spring and the Easter break brings the start of the great British picnic season. What could be better than enjoying the first flush of green in the countryside and warm, spring days than with a picnic. The lambs are skipping in the fields, the hedg-es are showing their first hints of green, blue-bells are in the woods and the daffodils are nodding with the gentle promise of warmth in the breeze. So pack up your sandwiches, fill up the flask and get out for a good long romp around the countryside. It will blow away the cobwebs of the grey winter days and our over-reliance on screens – be them phone, com-puter or tablet. Pockets of the countryside still have a reassuring lack of wi-fi and mobile coverage, so you can truly get away from the hustle and bustle of life! Fresh air and exercise is the best way of piqu-ing the appetite for your first picnic of 2015. Now is the best time of year to invest in a new picnic basket, cool bag or for those inspired to go for hike (or a gentle walk!) a picnic back pack. The great thing about getting all set up for picnics now is that you have the whole of the “out-doors” season ahead of us to enjoy your purchase. You’ll also be ready to grab those beautiful days when they happen. You’ll just be a couple of sandwiches, a packet or two of crisps and a tasty treat or two from a great day out when the great (!) British weath-

It’s not unusual to let your attention to healthy eating lapse a bit in the winter. After all, who

can see you in those cozy, woollen sweaters? But spring is here, and it’s time to get back out there and show the world what you’re made of. We all like the general idea of a good spring clean, but in terms of our diet, this doesn’t mean we have to fast for several days to detox our whole system. Just making a few small changes in our everyday diet can add up to big changes in a healthier, fitter you. Spring is an ideal time to give your dietary habits an overhaul because you can take advantage of all the seasonal spring foods – which can be fresher and richer in nutrients. Eating more fruit and vegetables, drinking more water, cutting back on alcohol, and thinking more about what you’re eating and drinking (the main principles of sensible detox diets) can boost your energy levels, your metabolism, mood and memory. If it’s chosen well, food can reshape our medical destinies for the better, doctors say. So eating well is to look, feel, and perform our very best. For instance, citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, are an excellent source of vitamin C and a very versatile food as you can eat on their own, squeeze in juice and use in the preparation of a wide range of dishes. Salmon is rich in a fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a type of omega-3 that naturally helps block the release of UV-induced enzymes that dimin-ish collagen, causing lines and sagging skin. Omega-3s also regulate oil production in the skin and boost hydration, which helps keep your complexion dewy and acne-free. Nuts are packed with tryptophan, an amino acid your body needs to create the feel-great chemical serotonin. Did you know new evidence also suggests these foods can also help you get - and stay - slim?

A PICNIC HAMPER FOR THE WHOLE SEASON

ONCE THE CONTENTS ARE CONSUMED...

HEALTHY DETOX HAMPER

Reuse your hamper basket!- Attach it to your bike for vintage

looking storage on the move- Create extra storage around the

home. Stack them in a corner in de-creasing size to make a useful and attractive arrangement in any room

- Put it by your front door to store visitors shoes

- Remove the lid and fix it to the wall for some unusual shelving

- Fill it with Spring flowers for a rustic looking display

- Plant it up with herbs or flowers- Fill it with fresh goodies and take

it on a picnic

Above: ‘Picnic for two in a fitted wicker hamper’ available on www.hampers.co.uk

This fresh ‘detox’ hamper is available on hampers.co.uk. Priced at £31.95 it is packed full of nutricious and cleans-ing superfoods: smoked salmon, hon-ey, nuts, fresh oranges and lemon, oatcakes and elderflower presse.

[Food > INSPIRATION]

Spring Clean Your Diet

TIPS TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR BODY

Now that we’re into the Spring sea-son, why not clean your body as well as your home?1. Start your day with hot water and lemon to help alkalize your body and cleanse toxins - 2. Add a daily dose of fresh, organic fruit and vegetable juice - 3. Update or begin an exercise program as simple or as strong as you prefer - 4. Sweat it out to detox your skin with a hot spa or simply a relaxing salts bath 5. Give yourself the time to truly ex-perience nature, so go outdoors and walk, play or garden.

er says “yes”. You never know 2015 may be the next 1976 summer (showing my age now!). The one our children say “remember the summer of ’15, when all we did was pull on shorts and a T-shirt and go for a picnic?”Whether it’s a big long walk, an outdoor con-cert, a day on the beach, visiting a country house, up a hill, in a meadow, in the park or simply at the end of the garden, a picnic is al-ways great fun! And if the weather does “rain on your parade” put your picnic blanket down on the sitting room floor, turn up the heating and pretend!

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CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST IN BED£62.25 including delivery

What could make someone feel more special than the ingredients for a truly indulgent breakfast in bed? A bottle of Cheurlin Dangin Champagne with Smoked Salmon, tea, coffee, jam, marmalade and oatcakes.

BUCKS FIZZ BREAKFAST£33.85 including delivery

French Sparkling Wine and freshly squeezed Italian oranges, served with finest Scottish Smoked salmon and oatcakes finished with a squeeze of vibrant Sicilian Lemon. Start as you mean to go on!

GOURMET LUNCHGift box £57.45, Hamper £74.95including delivery

Packed full of delicious treats fora gourmet meal to share withfriends. Artisan cheeses, finesttraditionally smoked venisonand salmon, French pates,crackers, chutney, dill sauceand of course a bottle of crispAustralian Chardonnay.Is your mouth watering?

THANK YOU WINE AND TREATS£29.40 including delivery

Smooth full bodied Australian Shiraz, with a selection of sweet and savoury treats, including mints, fudge,chocolate, olives, nuts and crackers.With something for every taste, it is a perfect way to show your appreciation.

CHARDONNAY AND BELGIANCHOCOLATES£28.90 including delivery

You can’t go wrong with wine andchocolates! Chilean Chardonnayand 250g of smooth, creamyBelgian chocolates.

CLARET, PATE AND CHEESE£29.95 including delivery

A traditional favourite. A fine Bordeaux,Ch. Haut Pingat; the perfect food matchfor the mature, English farmhouse cheddar, crumbly and creamy Wensleydale withcranberries, rich French duck pate andcrisp Moroccan seed crackers.

[Sharing > GOOD DEALS]

Great Gift Ideason www.hampers.co.uk

Discoverauthentic finefood and winein Italymaking it a perfect gift!

Four day experiencein the Dolomitesfor those witha discerning palate

All accommodation included, visit tohistorical places, city shopping excursionsample fine Italian food, wine tastingand learn to prepare homemadepasta dishes and recipes to take home.

Prices from £600.Just check the availability.

For more details visitwww.hampers.co.ukor contact 01476 550 420sales@hampers.co.uk