Best Christmas Ever!

I love Christmas, okay? I really do, the clocks go back this weekend, Halloween is next weekend and I can finally actually start to talk about it.

I must admit, I was a bit reluctant to enter this competition because hey, it does seem that Christmas comes earlier every year, but there's a trip to Lapland at stake and I think I can do this.


This is what you could call a bit of a late entry, despite knowing about it for a little while but better late than never... So, the wonderful (Oxford-based!), Transun are offering an exciting trip to Lapland for Christmas in return for talking about 'your best Christmas'.

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to spend Christmas in Florida, we've been a few times before but I think this was the best and the first time I've really been able to appreciate it. With everything being so American and exaggerated given that you don't quite get the Winter Wonderland feel in that part of the world, there were still lots of times that I felt both lucky and super-Christmassy.


My absolute top Christmas moment was visiting the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at MGM/Disney Hollywood Studios, I hadn't seen the light show before and it was just perfect and despite the fact that it probably happens 200 times an evening, it felt really special.




Our Christmas meals when visiting Florida have been far from traditional, from eating at a pirate dinner show to sampling Asian fusion at Emeril's Tchoup Tchoup, I think that's the perk of having a Christmas away from home, making the most of what's around you and really giving your holiday the best you can.

Over to the Garden.

After the many successes of last year, I've been waiting for summertime to roll around for a long time now. If not for the warmer weather, lighter evenings and alfresco dining then definitely for all the fairs and county shows there are to check out.

When the lovely Rosie from Cider with Rosie got in touch with me to let me know I was lucky enough to win her competition to head over to the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair I was only too happy to jump at the chance.

So that's where I'm off to with my sister tomorrow and I can't wait, expect pictures, I'm really looking forward to the food tent(!)

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

At the beginning of the month I was lucky enough to be the winner of the Great British Butcher's competition to win some of their fancy seasonings and rubs - I'm not doing too badly with winning foodie things, after winning tickets to Taste of London back in June and now this, if I only I was this lucky with the lottery (or Belvoir Fruit Farm's Photography Competition, p.s. you can still vote(!)).


I was pretty excited but wasn't really fully aware of what I'd won until it arrived in a huge parcel (which Doll loved), once I got them though, I was even more excited to try them all, TGB were certainly generous.

I won one of each of their rubs and a cotton apron, as well as some beautifully designed recipe cards. They come in Roast Garlic & Onion, Bloody Mary, Lemon & Mustard, BBQ, Apple, Sage & Onion and Curry Crumb and each of them match different meats to enhance the flavours and really help create a great centrepiece for your meal.




They're made with all-natural ingredients, which is pretty impressive considering the variety. I was also really impressed with the size of the tins I won, although I have it on authority that there a plans for smaller tins, great for testing the different flavours rather than committing. I definitely have enough choice to last me a lifetime but I'm sure my family will be pleased for me to share with them every now and then.






We gave the curry crumb a try and it was absolutely delicious, we did it a little differently from the card, adding salad and cooking in the oven rather than deep-frying but the flavours were definitely there. The mango salsa and spice from the chicken worked really well, especially with the tasty mango naan bread I bought to accompany them. Not sure how the others will fair as I feel like I've already found my favourite but we'll see..
Thank you so much Great British Butcher, I'll definitely be working towards trying each tin out and if the Curry Crumb chicken is anything to go by, I sure am in for a treat.

Be sure to check out Great British Butcher's beautiful website and 'follow' them on Twitter and 'like' them on Facebook for their latest updates, they definitely seem like one to watch!