I sometimes wonder if we over complicate our food?   It is very very easy to jump on whichever food bandwagon or fad is currently the most popular and miss out on some equally delicious but simple pleasures?

Having had a week in France, shortly followed by a week in Washington I wanted some simpler and lighter food. We bought beautiful berries in the market and ricotta in the supermarket – destined for another dish which also doubled up as a lighter and less calorific substitute for cream atop a bowl of berries.

Recipe: Lemon & Mint Ricotta “Cream”

Serves 2

1 heaped tbs ricotta
1 tsp caster sugar
Zest half a lemon – finely grated
3 mint leaves – finely snipped

Place in a bowl and mix well.

Serve on fresh berries

Sending this to Laura and Nazima’s One Ingredient Challenge where this month they are encouraging you not to be showy or complicated with raspberries!

And to Ren’s Simple & In Season.

The post Recipe: Lemon & Mint Ricotta – Perfect With Berries appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

We bought our power kit a few years ago on a trip to Cornwall, it was really windy on our first day in Brittany – so much so it dragged me through the sand so Ed did most of the flying!

Sending this to Pink Oddy’s #motivationalmonday – where June is green month – money saving and environmentally friendly.

Fuss Free Flavours travelled to Brittany on a review trip with Thomson Al Fresco Holidays and Brittany Ferries.

The post Things to do in Brittany – Fly a Kite on the Beach appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

As well as France I have also been to Washington DC, where I ate extraordinary well – more of that later – but one of the highlights of the trip was seeing Julia Child’s kitchen which has been preserved in the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History.

These are not my best photos, the kitchen was dimly lit and behind glass – a double whammy of a photographic challenge.

Julia Child’s Kitchen – Plan

Julia’s kitchen was designed for her by her husband Paul in 1961.

Beautiful aubergine Kitchen Aid in the corner with a food processor and I think a Vitamix blender behind. Also you can see her personalised measuring cups with engraved Js on them.

Julia donated her kitchen to the Smithsonian when she moved back to her native California in 2001.

Butcher’s block with food processor and blender, note the enormous pestle and mortar and meat tenderiser underneath!

She cooked in this kitchen for 40 years!

Juicer, knives mounted on wall and kitchen sink. Dishwasher was below the juicer.

She filmed 3 television series in the kitchen over 7 years.

Looking across to the range, oven just visible on the left. Beautiful copper pans!

As well as the kitchen there were three pantries!

Another view of the range with French Marmite pot on it.

The Child family bought the second hand range for $429 in  1956

Drawers & cupboards next to the range

Julia’s cookbooks, with video tapes (of her shows?) just visible underneath

Looking across the kitchen table

Another view of the kitchen sink

Another view of the small appliance corner – cutlery ready to be used in jars.

Looking across the kitchen table to the sink, time is frozen at 4pm so time for tea!

Scales

Close up of above the range

I am struck by the sheer amount of “stuff” that is out, I am sure that constant cleaning was needed, as it had to be a dirt trap and must have got coated with grease – especially the utensils hanging above the range?

I really recommend a visit to Julia Child’s kitchen if you are in Washington.

Admission is free, and you can find out more about Julia’s kitchen here.

National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C., 20001

There is the Stars & Stripes Cafe in the basement, serving American Food (BBQ, burgers, pizza and desserts) which looked very reasonable, but was busy so we did not eat there.   But I do have to share some photos of the collection of vintage lunchboxes that were on display.

For those intrigued by the Flying Nun, I found a clip on YouTube

The post Washington DC: A Tour of Julia Child’s Kitchen appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Luggage is one of those things which you only really notice when it does not perform well or makes your life more difficult.  Last Christmas I left the flat dragging my ancient case behind me and the pull up handle pulled right out, my heavy case went crashing onto the middle of the road leaving me holding the handle.

I swore. Loudly. Then swore again. And swore some more.

I hooked the handle through the carrying handle and somehow dragged it to the tube and onto the train to my parents. After Christmas I could not face the tube journey so got a taxi back to my flat from Victoria station.   A quick twitter exchange and the lovely folks at Antler offered to send me a new case – the new size zero 4 wheel medium in black, which then sat under the bed as handbag storage for about 5 months.

I find that I cart more and more kit around with me these days – laptop, iPad and DSLR, all of which go in my backpack – and I want a case which is easy to manoeuvre whilst I am carrying another bag.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well a 4 wheeled case performed.  It is very stable, and glides along the local not that flat paved streets with a gentle push, it is very easy to steer – you nudge it in the right direction with barely any effort, and easily pulls up and down kerbs.   (The 4 wheels do mean you need to pay more attention when on the tube and when standing on a slope).

The case has a 3 digit combination TSA lock so security can open it, but others cannot.  A large mesh pocked in the lid – perfect for small items, or for things you will need as soon as you arrive but will be too tired to unpack your case, and there is another inside mesh pocket and handy elastic straps to hold your clothes in place.  It is light-weight too at just 3.3kg – so you can maximise your baggage allowance for shopping, and expands from 60 to 63 litres – more than enough for a week in winter, or two weeks in summer – although I would like a little more room for expansion – but I find a tightly packed 60 litre case weighs in at just under 20kg – and the British Airways economy allowance is 23kg – and no one wants to incur excess baggage charges if they can avoid it.

I have taken it to France and back and to Washington DC and back, so how it performs in the long term is still to be discovered, but I am reassured by the 10 year guarantee.

It is a case, it is very light and very easy to gently push through the streets as well as the airport and so far it has not caused me any problems.

RRP is £165 so it is for the serious and regular traveller, but if it lasts 10 years and you do 5 trips a year that is £3.30 per trip, and as it is easy to wheel around you also save on taxis.

Many thanks to Antler for my case.  I am looking forward to going many many happy miles with it.

The post Review: Antler Size Zero 4 Wheel Medium Suitcase Black appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

A week in France shortly followed by a week in Washington DC, was bliss, but has led to a certain amount of weight gain.   I am lucky that I shed holiday pounds fairly easily – a week or so of being sensible usually does the trick.   Eating large amounts of vegetables, some fruit and cutting down on starchy carbs seems to work for me, giving a much needed vitamin boost and does not leave me hungry.

I also really really missed my Vitamix and my daily green smoothie for breakfast and had plenty of time when away to think about the drinks I wanted to make.   My first breakfast home is my take on the Piña Colada – the Greener Colada – served in my new American cream bottle, complete with a stripy straw, for a food blogger prop shopping is a must when on holiday!

Recipe: Greener Colada – Pineapple, Coconut & Spinach Smoothie

Serves 2

2 small bananas
1 large handful frozen green grapes
1/3 small pineapple – peeled and cut into chunks
1 dsp Coconut Oil*
1 dsp ground flax seeds (linseed)
1/2 glass water
1 large handful spinach (or kale if you are feeling hardcore)

Place all the ingredients into a high performance blender and whizz until smooth.  Add more water if needed.

* Or use coconut water and leave the water out.

I used these delicious ready ground Seeds for Cereal from Virginia Harvest, they are very useful and save you grinding your own seeds. and The Groovy Food Company Coconut oil which I reviewed earlier in the year, and have been buying ever since as I think it is a fab product.

With thanks to Vitamix for my machine, Virginia Harvest for the seeds they gave me at the Natural Products Show & Scarlet Willow for the pretty pineapple napkin.

With so many holidays I have not taken part in that many blog events recently so I am delighted that this fits several.

Firstly Jac and Lisa’s No Croutons Required where the theme is smoothies.

Secondly, Breakfast Cub, hosted by Elizabeth this month with a theme of high fibre – as opposed to a juice a smoothie uses whole fruit and vegetables so they are brimming with fibre

The post Recipe: Greener Colada – Pineapple, Coconut & Spinach Smoothie appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

With cooking, as with much of life, presentation can be everything, we eat with all our senses after all, and a carefully plated dish can elevate the humble as well as (relatively) frugal to something rather more special and impressive.  Even the name of a dish can impress – verrine – sounds most professional, ingredients layered in a glass less so.  In the Fuss Free kitchen it is all about obtaining a good effort to glory ratio.

My smoked salmon verrines are perfect for a first course, even an amuse-bouche, or as a part of a brunch, maybe served with some scrambled egg?

This is also fairly healthy, made with fat free strained yoghurt from Chobani flavoured with generous spoonful of creamed horseradish sauce, which also adds some body and texture to the fat free yoghurt.

You can get away with smoked salmon scraps or offcuts here – most supermarkets sell them, and they are considerably cheaper than the slices.   Select the largest pieces, cut into a strips and roll up, and roughly chop the remainder.

Recipe: Smoked Salmon Verrines

Serves 4 – but easily scalable

Ingredients

4 heaped tbs 0% plain strained yoghurt
2 heaped tsp creamed horseradish sauce 9or more to taste)
2 heaped tsp finely chopped chives
120g packet of smoked salmon trimings

Lemon, chives and pepper to garnish

Place the yoghurt, creamed horseradish sauce, and chives into a bowl and mix together.  Add more horseradish sauce if needed.

Make two or three rolls of salmon per person and cut the reminder into small pieces.

Layer the yoghurt mixture and salmon trimmings into small straight sided glasses (mine were about 100ml each) and garnish with more chopped chives and a slice of lemon.    Keep in the fridge until you serve.

Arrange the glasses, reminder of the salmon and some biscuits on a tray or board to serve.   Alternatively serve with scrambled egg to impress at brunch.

Many thanks to Chobani for the samples sent for this recipe, and for their sponsorship of this year’s Food Blogger Connect.

The post Recipe: Smoked Salmon Verrines appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

The S4 is the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone, running the Android operating system. The first impressions are that the phone is light, coming in at 130 grams, but it’s also quite large. The battery is separate, so it is possible (with a little fiddling) to take the back off and put in a second battery, should you find yourself away from a charging point and have equipped yourself with the necessary battery. The screen is impressively big, at five inches, but the phone’s thinness and lightness means it’s still very portable; we do feel, however, a degree of trepidation and nervousness about dropping it, especially when using it in camera mode. A lanyard would be helpful here.

The Samsung Galaxy S4

For a food blogger, the really vital function is the camera, and the 13MP camera on the S4 is really excellent. Good colour reproduction and, most importantly, great performance in limited light. It’s not hard to see why separate point and shoot cameras are a dying breed, when you have a camera this good with all the added functions of a phone. And one great thing about Android operating systems is that Instagram is available from the Google Play store. Also, the operating system really quick and smooth; swiping, for example, being particularly smooth. H is away at the moment, but on her return we’re going to have a great camera/phone shoot off, to see what can really perform well in the dimmest of restaurants.

Demonstrating the quality of the lens on the Samsung Galaxy S4

The simple access to major functions is very good. Swipe down the top of the screen gives access to connectivity and phone functions: this is great for quick checks of whether the wifi is on, for example. There are plenty of other gadgets; one of the more heralded is the smart screen, which reacts to eye movements meaning that (in theory) you can control videos and scrolling with a glance. I think I need a bit more practice to get it working absolutely properly, but it is one of those applications of technology that I find almost magical. Similarly, hands free scrolling needs a bit of getting used to, but would be very handy for following recipes when your hands are all floury. There is a side bar that gives quick access to the more common apps – internet browsing, email etc.

There are six main screen, including such things as the Samsung Hub for music, games and similar, and the Story Album photo album. While scrolling through the pages, the main phone functions, and access to the apps pages, are still accessible, which does mean that you’re never stuck at the end of a long menu trail. I suppose it’s the great difficulty of smart phones – they should be easy enough that you don’t need a big instruction manual, but without some serious effort, you don’t really find out the (to me, amazingly) full range of capabilities of the device.

In summary, this is a great package, that packs a lot of punch in its lightweight shell.

Fuss Free Flavours received a Samsung Galaxy 4 for review, we were not obliged to write a positive review.  Many thanks to Samsung for our phone.

The post Review: Samsung Galaxy S4 appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

After the washout summer last year, the nation is looking forward to the sun making an appearance in 2013. Cancer Research UK and NIVEA SUN have joined forces to encourage people to enjoy the sun safely with some simple tips.

To help keep yourself and your family safe while enjoying the sun, follow these simple steps:

Mix it up: When the sun is strong, it’s important to use a combination of shade, clothing and Cancer Research UK recommend at least factor 15 sunscreen with a high star rating to protect yourself – and that’s whether you’re in the UK or abroad

• Spend time in the shade: Everyone loves to enjoy a bit of sun during the summer but if it’s strong it’s important to spend some time in the shade as well. Use the shadow rule – if your shadow is shorter than you are, then the sun is strong. In the UK this is most likely to be in the summer between 11am and 3pm. Make sure you take some breaks in the shade, such as eating your lunch inside, sitting under a parasol or resting in your home or hotel room. If you’re on holiday, you could also visit an indoor museum or gallery to cool off and have a rest from the strong sunshine
• Don’t get caught out at home: The sun can be just as strong in the UK as abroad so it’s not just when you’re on holiday abroad that you need to think about protecting your skin in the sun. And you don’t need to be sunbathing to get sunburn. Plenty of people get sunburn when out and about playing sport, shopping or gardening
• Bring a bottle: Keep a handy-sized bottle of sunscreen in your handbag (Cancer Research UK recommend at least SPF15+) so that you’ll always have some to hand for parts of the body you can’t cover up with clothes. That way you won’t get caught out on days when you’re out and about and the sun is strong. Make sure you reapply regularly and use a generous amount
• Use clothing: wearing a t-shirt and a hat when the sun is strong is really important. There are some really great outfits that not only help keep you protected but keep you cool and look great too. A wide-brimmed hat and kaftan or long-sleeved top or maxi dress will not only keep you covered up but are also the height of summer style
• Protect your kids: Young skin is particularly delicate and easily sunburnt. Make sure your children are wearing t-shirts and wide-brimmed hats when out in strong sun and cover any exposed areas with sunscreen. It’s a good idea to encourage them to alternate their time in the sunshine with breaks in the shade for a game or a cool drink, particularly between 11am and 3pm (in the UK summer) when the sun is usually strongest. If you’re using a buggy, attaching a parasol is a useful way of keeping your children cool and protected from the sunshine

For more sun safety information from Cancer Research UK visit http://sunsmart.org.uk.

Material from Cancer Research UK. Fuss Free Flavours is delighted to support this campaign.

The post Sun Safety Tips from Cancer Research UK and Nivea appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

We sailed from Plymouth to Roscoff, and have previously sailed from Portsmouth to Caen.

• For an overnight crossing eat before you get on board so you can go straight to bed.  Take sandwiches, in Plymouth there were very few places to get food, apart from the KFC on the roundabout on Union Street and Martin Street just before you get to the ferry terminal.

Cabins

• Cabins on the overnight journey out are essential so the driver can get some sleep
• Pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes to take on board, cabin space is limited especially if there are 4 of you.
• There is 9.5″ clearance under the bunks (the height of an iPad), so take a bag that will fit underneath
• If you are a light sleeper ear plugs are essential
• I found the air conditioning very drying so take a large bottle of water
• The ferries are French boats – sockets in the cabins are continental so remember your adaptor socket for charging phones/ tablets.
• If you go to bed before your cabin mates leave the bathroom light on – the gap under the door gives enough light to see by but it is dark enough to sleep
• The ship’s morning alarm wakes you up in plenty of time for a group of 4 to shower, pack and have breakfast
• Cabin showers are fantastic.  Powerful with plenty of hot water
• If you suffer there are sea sickness bags throughout the ship, but bizarrely none in the cabins, grab a few before you need them if you think you will suffer from mal de mer.

On board

• Do not set your car alarm, you do not want to be called back to your car en voyage to reset if should it go off.
• The shop sells all the bits you need for your car to drive legally. See here for more info.
• There is complimentary wi-fi on the ship, but unsurprisingly, it’s not extra fast.
• Seating is comfortable, and with a little hunting you should be able to find a socket to recharge phone / tablets (as above remember adaptor socket)
• Sailing from Cork to Roscoff book a table for dinner as soon as you board as the food is excellent -  from @babaduck71

Seasickness

Some hints from Melodie at the Good Cornwall Guide

Do

• Wear elastic bands with a bead threaded on (easy to make yourself) apply to each wrist and position over pressure points a little way up. Alleviates sea sickness.
• Book a cabin, or find a comfy chair…
• Drink cocktails from the bar before departure with ginger in. Great for sea sickness (and fun). Or ginger biscuts (suggested by Ed)
• If you can, do a spot of yoga before you set off and use the meditative lying down pose to reset you balance

Don’t

• Try and stand up!
• Think swimming there might be better… at least until you see land
• Eat a lot of food – stick to ginger tea or sips of tonic water

“I get sea sickness terribly on the ferry across and to be honest the pressure points really works for me. I still cannot walk in a straight line but the nausea isn’t too great and it doesn’t linger after you get off the boat.”

Problems / Queries

• Brittany Ferries are very helpful on twitter and respond to queries / questions out of office hours.  @brittanyferries
• The staff  are very helpful if you need to change crossing, eg family emergency etc

Travelling with Pets

Here are a few points re travelling with pets, from Jude at a Trifle Rushed

I really recommend taking your pet on holiday with you.  I love my walks on the dunes and on the beach with the dog, it is lovely to have his companionship in France as well as at home.  Both you and your pet will really benefit from the time spent together.

• We have been taking our dogs backwards and forwards to France since the introduction of Pet Passports.
• The whole procedure is very simple, your first step is to visit your own vet and get your pet microchipped and inoculated against Rabies, I would suggest looking at the government website here.
• Booking with Brittany Ferries is simple, when you are buying your ticket there are opportunities for inputting pet details, make sure you fill this in as they do need to know how many animals will be on each boat.
• Make sure you pack the pet passport! Have it somewhere accessible in the car.
• When you arrive at the port and are checking in you will be asked to scan your pet’s microchip, it will be verified with the number on the passport, if all is correct you will be given a pink paw sticker for your car!
• On some of the ferries there are kennel options, my husband looked at them and felt they were a little cold, they are right on the top deck and you can use the lift to get there. The advantage of the kennel is that you can visit your dog during the crossing.
• We however always leave our dog in the car where he feels safe and secure, with the window slightly open for fresh air, night crossings are great, as the dog just sleeps as usual.
• Before you return to the UK you need to visit a vet for various entry treatments. There is a window of between 5 days and 24 hours before you return. Again check the latest guidelines as this timeframe can change. You will need about €40-60 to pay the vet, and make sure the passport is dated and signed.
• We use a vet in St Pol de Leon, and if your not sure where to find one contact Brittany Ferries, they are very helpful. (My brother took his dog to Spain, and found the vets were very good there, he simply asked a neighbour for a recommendation.)
• The pet will need to be checked in before boarding the ferry home. At Roscoff we take the dog into the terminal where the Brittany Ferry Staff verify that all is correct, then it’s back in the car for the journey home.
• Please note that foot passengers are unable to travel with pets on the ferries.
• Pet passports are available for dogs, cats and ferrets! You will need to check government guidelines for horses and other animals you wish to take abroad.

Fuss Free Flavours travelled as a guest of Brittany Ferries.

What advice would you offer when travelling by Brittany Ferries?

The post Brittany Ferries – Useful Things to Know appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

I often find naming recipes can be rather a quandary.   What appeals to me might not appeal to others, and, of course in an ever-growing blogosphere there is ever-increasing competition for traffic which involves a certain amount of appealing to Google when writing content.  Here fish pie stuffed pancakes certainly describes the recipe, but I feel is lacking a certain something?

Over the first May bank holiday weekend, when Ed was away sailing,  I went to stay with my friend Annabel, armed with my sewing machine, a number of unfinished projects, yards of fabric and seemingly half the contents of my kitchen.   The plan was to sew, chat, sew some more and eat good food but not spend hours in the kitchen.

This was an easy supper, using a packet of Abra-ca-Debora pancakes and a mixture of fish from Fish is the Dish from my freezer, supplemented by ingredients from a different pantry to my own, resulting in a different version that I would have made at home.  Maybe regularly cooking in someone else’s kitchen should be on my to do list, to ensure more interesting recipe development?   Obviously I cook what I like to eat, and forget the some people (inexplicably IMO) are not keen on cheese for example.

As ever this is adaptable, you basically poach fish in some milk, use the milk to make some white sauce, return the fish to the sauce and layer the fish mixture into some pancakes, then bake until piping hot.

Recipe: Fish Pie Stuffed Pancakes

Serves 6

Ingredients

500ml / scant pint semi skimmed milk (or 400ml milk and a small glass of white wine)
Mixture of fish fillets – about 600g / 1lb 5oz – I used cod, hake and salmon
30g / 1 oz butter
1 heaped dsp plain flour
Handful  vegetables – I used broad beans from the freezer – peas and corn would work well
1 heaped dsp finely chopped gherkins or capers (optional)

6 large pancakes – I used a packet of Abra-ca-Debora
Sprinkling of cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the fish into a large frying pan and pour the milk over.  Bring the milk to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 mins until the fish is opaque and starting to flake.  Remove the fish from the pan and place on a plate.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and cook for several minutes, stirring all the time.   Reduce the heat and gradually add the milk stirring all the time to get a smooth sauce.  Carry on cooking, stirring from time to time until the sauce has thickened.

Using two forks separate the fish into flakes, discarding the skin and any bones.   Add to the white sauce together with the vegetables and gherkins or capers (if using).   Season to taste.

Place the pancakes one by one into an oven proof dish and fill with the fish mixture, top with any remaining fish and sprinkle with a little finely grated cheese.

Bake at GM5/190C/375F  for 20 – 25 min until piping hot and starting to turn golden.

Many thanks to Fish is the Dish and to Abra-ca-Debora for the fish and pancakes used in this recipe.

The post Recipe: Fish Pie Stuffed Pancakes appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Images from Sabichi, used with permission.

Am alternate title to this giveaway might well be “Not Your Grandmother’s Shopping Trolley”.

I’ve been a fan of Sabichi for some time, and really like their great design, keen prices (affordable in these recession ridden times) and just fab homewares that provide affordable finishing touches to your house to make it truly your home.

From rugs, electricals, furniture to dinner services there is something for everyone, and their website is well worth a browse for inspiration and shopping ideas.

New to the range are the five shopping trolleys above, in five designs featuring roses, a rainbow of pugs, leaves, hearts or a more sombre stripe at a very affordable £17.50 each.   Living in central London we do not have a car and I use my shopping trolley all the time for the supermarket and market shopping and to ease the pain of lugging heavy bags around.

I am delighted to have 3 of these trolleys to giveaway – one for each of three Fuss Free Flavours readers.

For a chance to win follow the instructions below.  For great competition karma please follow and like Sabichi on Twitter and Facebook.

Win 1 of 3 Fun, Fab, Modern Shopping Trolleys from Sabichi

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight 5th August 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There are three prizes of a Sabichi shopping trolley.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of Sabichi. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

Many thanks to Sabichi for this giveaway. I have not received sample product, but am delighted to promote these trolleys as I find mine so useful.

The post Giveaway: 1 of 3 Fab Fun Modern Shopping Trolleys from Sabichi appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

The Modern Peasant by Jojo Tulloh

It’s awfully easy, living in the city, to get divorced from the reality of food. The onward march of convenience is everywhere; to ground oneself in real food takes conscious effort, and a continual battle against the thieves of time of modern life.

There is, however, great satisfaction to be had from some proper, hands on creativity. For instance, my most recent loaf – made using Jojo basic sourdough technique – is, I believe, my best effort yet. For a few minutes work, and a few hours waiting (which wasn’t too onerous, as I was asleep at the time), I’ve ended up with something a lot nicer that the anonymous Chorleywood bread that is the easiest stuff to get from the supermarket.

There are, of course, many other things we can make at home, apart from the standard breakfast/lunch/supper. And for those who wish to get more hands on with their foods, Jojo Tulloch has written The Modern Peasant. Inspired by Patience Gray’s Honey from a Weed, this is a great book for all the frustrated urban cheese, yogurt, bread, preserves lovers. Not so much a recipe book – though there are plenty of recipes – it’s more a paen to getting back in touch with our food, even for those of us who live in cities. It’s very well written; I actually read it cover to cover, which is unheard of for me for a cook book, but this is encouraged by Jojo’s chatty chapters where she discusses each technique in detail, before giving us the recipes.

All the recipes are achievable, which I really liked to see. It’s not a book calling for some sort of quasi-Good Life (and there we go – my good intentions of not mentioning that program fall by the wayside, but as it’s directly relevant, my failure is only to be expected) digging up of the front garden and importing goats. What I was amused by, however, was the number of professionals she goes and sees; people who are making excellent products as a commercial operation – the very opposite to the peasant way of life. However, on reading this book, I’m quite happy to leave cheese to the cheesmakers, and just enjoy the results myself.

As I said, I’m already sold on Jojo’s sourdough technique which includes twenty minutes rest before the salt is added, to allow autolysis to take place. This is one book that has earned its place on the shelf: I’m quite sure it won’t be long before I pull it down and start experimenting. Ricotta sounds quite easy.

Fuss Free Rating

The Modern Peasant by Jojo Tulloh: ****

The Modern Peasant is published by Chatto & Windus, cover price £16.99

Fuss Free Flavours received a complimentary copy for review. All opinions are our own, we were not required to write a positive review.

The post Book Review: The Modern Peasant by Jojo Tulloh appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Image from Bar Keepers Friend. Hamper for illustration only and not included in prize.

First launched in the US in 1882, Bar Keepers friend is a premium cleaning range which uses oxalic acid found in rhubarb, in place of bleach and enables the products to give an effective deep clean with fewer chemicals than conventional products.    I use the original stain remover to tackle the burnt on bits on my hob, and new to the range is a power cream and a power spray.   For some before and after photos showing just how well it works visit Bar Keepers Friend’s Facebook page.

I am delighted to have a year’s supply of Bar Keepers Friend for one Fuss Free Flavours reader – a selection of 12 products – one for each month.

For a chance to win follow the instructions below. For great competition karma please like and follow Bar Keepers friend via Facebook and Twitter.

Win A Year’s Supply of Bar Keepers Friend

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight 5th August 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There is one prize of 12 Bars Keepers Friend Products.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of Bar Keepers Friend. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

Many thanks to Bar Keepers Friend for providing this prize and for sending me some samples.

The post Giveaway: A Year’s Supply of Bar Keeper’s Friend Cleaning Products RRP £50 appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

I do like an oyster, so I was very interested in going on the “Au Rythme des Marees“, trip, an introduction to oyster farming by fifth generation farmer Ivan Salo. It takes place in the Morbihan inland sea, where Ivan and his family have their operations. After a slightly fraught time with Miss Bossy the sat nav, we found the right car park at the very end of the road on the Pointe de Toulvern. Then straight onto the pontoon boat and out into the Golfe.

All the oysters that Ivan sells are the result of deliberate culture – whilst it’s possible to gather wild oysters, farming is necessary to produce the 10,000 tons annually that the Morbihan produces. There are two main ways of farming oysters: either on mud banks, where much of the work is done using a dredger, or in mesh bags on stands in the intertidal zone. We motored out past a couple of mudbanks, where the oysters were spread thickly, and Ivan’s mother was at work. Then it was across to Er Runio island, the location of one of the family’s oyster beds.

The process starts with the newly spawned oysters are caught on the plastic tiles placed out in the bay in July. Then, at nine months, the oysters are transferred, either into bags (the majority of Ivan’s operations), or to a mudbank. From spawning to consumption takes three years.

When young, there are 2,500 oysters in each bag. As they get bigger, they are rebagged; by the time they are harvested, there are 80 per bag.

Oyster farming is not a case of simply bagging up the young oysters and harvesting the results two and a quarter years later. One of the things that has to be done is knocking the “dentelles” – little teeth – off the edge of the oysters,  which helps them to grow deeper, and larger. This is done by turning the bag and shaking it - something that’s done once every two weeks to each bag. Any oyster that has attached itself to the bag has to be knocked off with a flat wooden paddle, again to make sure it grows to the good shape. It’s not the work of a moment: and, of course, you only have a limited time as much of the time the oysters are covered by the tide.

Ivan Salo – fifth generation oyster farmer

Four of us volunteered to give it at go – I did notice that all the women tried it, while all the men bar me stayed on the boat. The bags are heavy, and wet - obviously - and to spend a tide turning bags is a hard day’s work. Oysters aren’t overly cheap, but the price does reflect that a lot of effort goes into their production.

I was interested to hear that that mussels – which, like oysters, are also filter feeders – are much more efficient at filtering, meaning that it’s not possible to grow oysters and mussels in the same place, as the mussels crowd out the oysters. As a result, it’s against the law to farm mussels in the Morbihan.


And this is the result: ultra fresh, delicious and with that unmistakable taste of the sea. As has been said, it was a brave man who first ate an oyster (I rather think probably desperate), but whoever it was made a great discovery. Whilst the weather was a bit bracing (!!) for our visit, we have no hesitation in recommending a day with Ivan discovering the story behind the food.

A 3 hour oyster tasting experience with Ivan costs EUR29 per person.  Details of dates / times are here (the schedule varies in accordance with the tides).   The event is in French, Ivan speaks a little English, and you will get by if you have some understanding of French.

Fuss Free Flavours was the guest of Brittany Tourism and travelled to Brittany on a review trip with Thomson Al Fresco Holidays and Brittany Ferries.

The post Oyster Farming in the Golfe Du Morbihan, Brittany appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

I am a huge fan of fab British companies, and love Herdy, established in 2007 by Spencer and Diane Hannah who make iconic, fun, funky sheep based homewares and accessories.

Herdy is the Herdwick sheep which appears on the company’s items – mugs, clothes, textiles – made in England when possible, using English wool in the items containing wool. Each year the company donates a percentage of profits to the Herdy Fund, supporting sustainable rural communities, upland fell farming and of course the Herdwick sheep.

I am delighted to have 3 pairs of Herdy double oven gloves RRP £20.75 to be won by Fuss Free Flavours readers.

Keep on eye on the company’s blog as they have “Where’s Herdy?” competition each month to win a Herdy mug,

For a chance to win follow the instructions below.  For great competition karma please follow and like Herdy on Twitter and Facebook.

Win 1 of 3 Pairs of Herdy Oven Gloves

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight Monday 5th August 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There are three prizes of a pair of double oven gloves from Herdy.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of Herdy. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available. We cannot guarantee to fulfill your colour preference.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

The post Giveaway: 1 of 3 Pairs of Herdy Oven Gloves appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

 Moser Roth Pannacotta Chocolate Bars from Aldi

Just because something comes from a discount supermarket doesn’t necessarily mean it will be lacking in flavour. We tried these three chocolate bars from Aldi: they are very continental milk chocolate bars, with a creamy moussy pannacotta filling topped with a layer of fruit jelly.   Available in three flavours raspberry, blueberry and passion fruit.  The clear winner was the passion fruit, being sharper and with good balance between the fruit and chocolate. We did like the packaging, with five small individual bars in each packet making them perfect to take on picnics or slip into packed lunches.  £1.69, 187g.

Five Valleys Cordials

We are huge fans of the “posh” cordial and are always looking for interesting ones to try.  Inevitably the good ones are more expensive than a supermarket squash, but considerably cheaper than the wine that we drink them in place of.   Five Valleys Cordials, based in Stroud have some fabulous flavours – Pomegranate & Rose was refreshing as a drink and delicious splashed over a melon and pineapple fruit salad; Lemon & Mint was both subtle and freshly minty – perfect as a long drink with a meal or to add to a gin or Pimms based cocktail.  Peach & Lychee was fruity and very different from any cordials we had had before.  Well worth a look for refreshing, non alcoholic summer drinking.  Availabe direct, or from Ocado & Waitrose – £3.19 375ml bottle (makes around 4 litres)

Gran Luchito Mayonnaise

One of my favourite samples this year has been the pot of Gran Luchito smoked chilli paste, which I was sent in February.   It is fairly fiery so I have only just started to get to the bottom of it, and it will be replaced once it is finished as I am addicted to its full on smoky flavour.  To add to the range there is a Gran Luchito mayonnaise with the same kick and smoky depths; fantastic in sandwiches or for dipping chips into.   As much as we like the mayonnaise I’ll probably carry on mixing my own with a dollop of Hellmanns and a dab of the paste – that way I have one fewer jar in the fridge and control over the heat.  Having said that both items are an excellent present for a chilli lover.  Available online and from various delis around the UK.

National Vegetarian Week

Although we are not vegetarian we do really do not eat that many animal products and are happy to support any initiative to encourage people to cut their consumption of animal products on health and environmental grounds. In preparation for this week’s  National Vegetarian Week we were sent some vegetarian products to try.

• A carrot, mango & parsnip smoothie from Vegesentials, was very good, hearty but not overly so, a reminder I need to experiment more with my morning smoothies.
• A meat free chilli non carne with rice from Linda McCartney, we enjoyed this and the single tub was more than enough for the two of us.   £2.79.
• We were quite disappointed in the Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages, in general we do not like meat analogues preferring our vegetarian food not to be an imitation of a meaty product.   but I suspect useful to less confident cooks wanting familiar foods.  £1.99
• You cannot get fresher than live shoots which are packed with nutrients & antioxidants.   The mix of lentil, peas and bean shoots from Good4U, we usually grow our own, but these are well worth their retail price of £1.25
• We loved this frozen yoghurt from Yog with a great balance of natural sourness and the sweetness of the fruit.  At only 116Cal per 100g it is well worth keeping in the freezer this summer.  Available from Ocado, Waitrose and Wholefoods

Michael Pollen

“Eat well. Not too much.  Mainly plants“. I quoted Michael Pollen on my about me page when I started this site, and 6 years later he is still there.     His latest book is “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” and I am very excited that I’ll be attending the UK launch next week when Michael will be in conversation with William Leith.   The event is at the Conway Hall, 29th May, tickets at £22.

Many thanks to all the brands featured for samples and invitations.

The post Fuss Free Nibbles Late May 2013 appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

The Raw Food Diet by Christine Bailey

Do you believe in the concept of a “superfood”? I’m reasonably sure that Christine Bailey does, but I have to admit that I’m not sure myself. This book does require a certain investment into the raw food lifestyle, with not only ingredients such as acai and other berry powders, flower pollen, mesquite powder, “green superfood powders”, and xylitol, but also recommends a dehydrator join the batterie de cuisine: along with a juicer, food processor, blender and sprouter etc. The book has four main sections: introduction, the raw food weekend blitz diet, the raw food week diet, and the raw food diet for life.

Once past the introduction, there are many recipes in this book that do look attractive and enticing. I was taken with the avocado citrus and spiced seed salad with olive vinagrette, apple, carrot & fennel coleslaw, black forest cherry bars, chia coconut breakfast bars, mexican avocado & cucumber soup with lime sour cream, caper tapenade filled mushrooms, flower pollen & green tea ice and passion fruit and orange cheesecake.

For those people who have already found an affinity with raw food diets, and have found that they suit their metabolism, then they should have a look at this book. Being deeply immersed in that world, it teems with ideas and combinations that simply wouldn’t occur to me, and techniques that I wouldn’t have a hope of thinking up for myself.

Raw Food Kitchen by Dunja Gulin

This book isn’t as hardcore as Christine Bailey’s: Dunja allows us Greek yoghurt and goats’ cheeses, for example, but it is still, ultimately, a raw food cookbook which will still appeal to vegans as the inclusion of diary is minimal. Organisation is straightforward, with chapters on drinks, breakfast, salads, soups, mains, snacks and desserts. I liked the look of the Portobello mushroom and chevre salad, Mediterranean falafel, fresh cured sardines, sarma rolls with celery mash, and sweet and simple figgy puddings.

It seems that to do raw food properly, it’s hard not to without adding the full list of blenders, food processors, dehydrators etc. She does say that they’re not essential: the requirements are for a knife, food processor, blender, and coffee/spice grinder. The book is a little better organised for those who haven’t invested in all the equipment, and more aimed at those who haven’t made the plunge, but are looking to dip their toes in the water.

In summary:

If you already eat a certain amount of raw food, and are looking for more inspiration, then Christine Bailey is probably the better book. If you’ve heard of this raw food thing, and want some ideas or inspiration to give it a try, then go for Dunja Gulin.  We are not giving star ratings this time as your view of these book will largely depend if you are open to the idea of raw food or not.

The Raw Food Diet is published by Duncan Baird Publishers, cover price £10.99
Raw Food Kitchen is published by Ryland Peters & Small, cover price £16.99

Fuss Free Flavours received complimentary copes for review. All opinions are our own, we were not required to write a positive review.

The post Book Reviews: The Raw Food Diet and Raw Food Kitchen appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Image from First 4 Hampers

Fathers can be pretty tricky to buy presents for and let’s face it socks, soap and ties are fairly boring.  This year Fathers’ Day is on the 16th June and First 4 Hampers have a great selection of Fathers Day hampers perfect for your Dad!

Far more interesting than socks I have one of the Vintage Long Neck hampers pictured above for on Fuss Free reader to win for their Dad!  Packed with treats this is a lovely present for any father, and hopefully there is plenty to be shared with all the family!

First 4 Hampers say:

A vintage union jack suitcase with faux leather handle, filled with a selection of gourmet food and three bottles of premium wine.  This carry case includes a selection of handmade, artisan, organic, and Fairtrade food.

A gift card is included free of charge, with a personalised message of your choice.

• Long Neck Rose 187ml
• Long Neck Sauvignon Blanc 187ml
• Long Neck Merlot  187ml
• Mrs Bridges Blueberry & Raspberry Flavour Sweets 155g
• Patchword Pate Mediterranean Recipe Chicken Liver Pate with Sundried Tomato & Onion 90g
• Caffe Dolcetti Biscuits For Coffee Fig & Oat 130g
• Elegant & English Biscuits for Tea Ginger and Lemon 125g
• Ditty’s Irish Oatcakes with Celery & Black Pepper 150g
• Milk and White Raspberry Cups 65g
• Hampstead Tea Earl Grey 125g
• Dark Chocolate Sour Cherries 75g
• Malabar Nuts (Small) 90g
• Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Company 56g

Product and contents may vary slightly.

For great competition karma please follow and like First 4 Hampers on Twitter &  Facebook.

For a chance to win follow the instructions below.

Win A Father’s Day Hamper from First 4 Hampers

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight 10th June 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There is one prize of the Vintage Long Neck Hamper from First 4 Hampers.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of First 4 Hampers. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

The post Giveaway: Father’s Day Hamper from First 4 Hampers appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Good sharp kitchen knives are an essential in the Fuss Free kitchen, and somewhat paradoxically blunt knives are really rather dangerous as you are more likely to slip and to cut yourself.

I am delighted to have a set of these vibrantly coloured kitchen knives from Stellar Colourtone to be won by one Fuss Free Flavours reader.  Perfect for brightening up your kitchen!

Stellar say:

Stellar Colourtone is available in four vibrant hues – red, blue, orange and lime – the new knives combine Stellar’s trademark quality and style (and have a lifetime guarantee) , whilst adding a desirable splash of colour. With a soft-grip two-tone handle, matching non-stick steel cutting blade, the coloured collection unites practicality and panache.    The 5 piece knife block sets are available in Lime Green or Black with 5 knives and contain Santoku, Chefs, Utility, Steak & Break Knife. Stellar have replaced traditional pre cut knife slots with a block housing thousands of long fibre rods which when faced with a knife will move to securely grip any shaped knife. This is dishwasher safe – offering a more hygienic mode of knife storage too.

For a chance to win follow the instructions below:

Win A Stellar Colourtone Knife Set and Block RRP £48

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight 1st July 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There is one prize of  a Stellar Colourtone Knife Set and Block RRP £48.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of Stellar. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

Many thanks to Stellar for this prize. I have not tried them, but am a fan of their other items so am happy to endorse them to my readers.

The post Giveaway: Stellar Colourtone Knife Set and Block RRP £48 appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.

Image from Maille

Summer is meant to be on its way, and I am delighted to have this fabulous Maille Hamper to giveaway to one Fuss Free Flavours reader.

Maille were founded in 1720 and have been selling mustard since 1747.  This hamper contains everything you need to sauce up your BBQ, with a selection of Maille mustards and sauces, as well as a BBQ set and apron.  New to the Maille line up is a new pepper sauce which goes fantastically well with a barbecued steak.

To whet your appetite the hamper will contain:-

Dijon Mustard

Dijon mustard with honey

Wholegrain mustard

Dijonnaise

Mayonnaise

Aioli

Tartare

Béarnaise sauce

Pepper sauce

Hollandaise sauce

Red wine vinegar

White wine vinegar

Sherry vinegar

Cider vinegar

Salad dressing with shallots

For a chance to win follow the instructions below, and for another chance to win this great prize pop over to my friend Ren’s beautiful site.

Win A Maille BBQ Hamper worth £70

How To Enter

• Simply complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
• Entries can be via blog comment, Facebook, Twitter etc
• Read the rules below, and please take note of the entry criteria. I can tell if you have tweeted and facebooked, I do verify entries, and will, and have disqualified people who cheat.
• Closing date Midnight 1st July 2013

New to Fuss Free Flavours or Rafflecopter?

How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

• If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear
• If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript
• You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment
• Login to Rafflecopter – click to see what the question is. Make a comment answering the question on the blog, (I verify all comments so it will not appear immediately), go back to Rafflecopter and click the green button to tell my you have made a comment, this will unlock all the other options regardless of whether the comment is approved or not.
• Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!
• For information on how to find the url of your tweet click here
• Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries

For more prizes see the giveaways page on both Fuss Free Flavours, and Fuss Free Living

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18, but the prize can only be delivered to a UK mainland address.
2. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.
3. The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not respond within a 7 days another winner may be chosen.
4. There is one prize of a Maille BBQ hamper.
5. I am running this competition in good faith on behalf of Maille. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type / value if the prize above is not available.
6. Instructions form part of the terms and conditions
7. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.
8. The organiser reserves the right to alter the closing date of the giveaway, either closing early or extending without notice. Changes to the closing date if they occur will be shown on this page
9. Where prizes are to be provided by a third party Fuss Free Flavours will have no responsibility for the acts or defaults of any other persons.
10. There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above. If you already like / follow comment in the Rafflecopter widget and let me know to get your entries.

Good Luck!

Many thanks to Maille for this fantastic prize and for sending me a similar hamper as a sample.

The post Giveaway: Maille Mustard & BBQ Hamper Worth £70 appeared first on Fuss Free Flavours.