What are you doing on December 1st 2012? Nothing? Well get yourself down to Horwich RMI for the best Christmas craft fair since…. well ever!
Loads of stalls, cake, sweets (of course) and an amazing raffle.
Details on the poster below – so get involved… and don’t forget your money!
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
Some weeks ago I received a DM to my Twitter account from Chateau Rouge asking if I’d like to try some of their Organic Rooibos. Oh would I, I thought. And promptly replied.
A couple of days later a parcel arrived in the post and to my delight two packets of tea had arrived; Vanilla Rooibos and Wiedouw Rooibos.
Tea for two! My delivery of Rooibos teas courtesy of Chateau Rouge.
Now I must confess, I was quicker saying yes to the tea, than I have been sitting down to write this post. So big apologies to Chateau Rouge – and thanks for your patience.
The instructions on the back of the pack recommend brewing a heaped teaspoon of the tea in hot water – and enjoying hot or cold, black or white – with or without sugar.
I started with the Wiedouw Rooibos – and tasted it black, which wasn’t to my liking – so I added milk and half a sugar (exactly how I take my breakfast tea) – and in the words of mr PG Tips…. Ahhhhh that’s better. A light refreshing cup of Rooibos hit the spot.
I also tried the Vanilla Rooibos – and again braved it without milk or sugar. It has a slightly sweet taste (as you’d expect from Madagascan Vanilla). Although I didn’t try it – over ice this would be a very refreshing drink. (And by chance I stumbled upon this handy recipe for ice tea – which I’ll definitely be trying out).
Time for tea! I don’t own all the proper tea paraphernalia (small sieves etc) – but my cafetiere seemed to work well!
Rooibos is caffeine free – hurah! I can have a cup of tea after 6pm without risking being awake for the rest of the night. And did I mention that you can infuse this tea several times – ensuring that it’s excellent value for money.
I think I’ll always be a black tea drinker – but Rooibos provides a really refreshing alternative for those who are avoiding caffeine, are on a health kick or perhaps just fancy a change.
The founder of Chateau Rouge says on the website that he is aiming to break away from this ‘same old, same old’ and introduce people to teas that are a bit left of field. Although only my first encounter of Chateau Rouge, I’d suggest he’s well on the way to achieving this mission, with a website which boasts black tea from Nepal, as well as an impressive range of Green Teas, Oolang and of course the Rooibos.
Tea lovers everywhere – check this website out!
(P.S they also have a gift section – perfect for Christmas!)
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
Afternoontea.co.uk recently asked me to review Afternoon Tea at the very trendy 47 King Street West. So here’s what my guest and I found… (P.S the original review can be found on the afternoontea.co.uk blog.
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Having strolled past the decadent 47 King Street West on one of my many shopping trips in Manchester and marvelled at the stylish decor, I was delighted when http://www.afternoontea.co.uk asked me to pop along and try their Afternoon Tea menu.
Housed in this chic part of the City, opposite the infamous San Carlos, I’m really pleased to write that after an afternoon there, 47 King Street West stands up against even the trendiest of eateries in Manchester.
We were greeted by a lovely waitress, and as we took in our surroundings, we were whisked back to the 1920’s (if only I’d put my flapper dress on that day!). Crisp, white linen was perfectly complimented by a vivid purple bar area, plush cream leather booths and dark wood furniture. We were seated in a booth – perfect for catching up with my good friend.
The waitress was well informed as she gave us a potted history of 47 King Street West, which started life as a franchise of a popular Afternoon Tea eatery in the North West, before finally transforming earlier this year into the sumptuous restaurant and bar it is today.
The Afternoon Tea menu is impressive with five afternoon tea options, and for the lighter eater, two versions of a cream tea starting at just £5.45. Along with 14 choices of tea and 12 blended coffees, there are plenty of choices for all palettes and appetites.
We were treated to the Champagne Afternoon Tea – perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. We started proceedings with a glass of house Champagne, which was simply wonderful. I don’t pretend to be a wine connoisseur, but with light bubbles and a slightly fruity flavour, this glass of fizz received the thumbs up from us.
A classic three-tiered cake stand followed with a selection of sandwiches, scones and mini sweet treats. Oh and how could I forget the Champagne sorbet? Refreshing, light, slightly creamy and pale pink in colour – it was delicious. It’s these little extras which make Afternoon Tea so special for me.
The restaurant was amenable to change, as my guest and I swapped and substituted sandwiches for our various dietary requirements and tastes.
The fresh thick cut bread (crusts off, of course), was lovely and we enjoyed an assortment of egg mayonnaise, beef and horseradish, tuna, and salmon and cream cheese – classics. We also enjoyed hummus sandwiches, which I particularlsoy enjoyed as it was a little different from anything I’d had before.
Afternoon Tea at 47 King Street West was served with a twist – instead of your usual sponges and tarts, we were in chocolate heaven! Served by the divine Slattery’s Patisserie and Chocolatier – the top tier boasted cream filled chocolate cups, a chocolate and orange cheesecake brownie and a very light carrot cake. I can’t compliment these sweet treats enough – they were just delicious.
The waitress told us that each Afternoon Tea is unique at 47 King Street West with the same combination of sweet treats never being served twice.
But please let me get to the main event – the scones. They were served with pots of strawberry jam and fresh double cream. Yes – double cream! For those of you who love Afternoon Tea as much as I do – this can often come as a disappointment if anything other than clotted cream is served. However, because they scones were so deliciously buttery, the double cream (which was a lot lighter than clotted) complimented them perfectly. And also meant we had plenty of room for the top tier!
If you don’t think you could handle a full Afternoon Tea – please let me urge you to go and enjoy a cream tea. The scones are simply delicious (possibly some of the best I’ve ever tried), and washed down by the House Ceylon Bop tea – which was perfectly strong and refreshing – it’s a great way to while away an afternoon.
Nothing is a problem or too much to ask at 47 King Street West – if you want a glass of cold water or more hot water for your tea – they are pleased to help.
47 King Street West also boasts an impressive range of cocktails along with a superb a la carte menu. Something my guest and I promised to be back to sample. If Afternoon Tea was anything to go by – this restaurant and bar has something very special to offer.
47 King Street West’s House Champagne Afternoon Tea costs £19.95 per person or £14.95 without champagne.
Have you been for an amazing Afternoon Tea which you’d like to share? Email amy@thesweetpantry.co.uk and your review could feature here!
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to Great John Street hotel in Manchester for Afternoon Tea to celebrate a family member’s birthday.
To say I was excited is an understatement. For those who have read previous blog posts, you’ll know I love afternoon tea – in fact, it’s probably a bit of an obsession.
Anyway – I’ve been to Great John Street before for a networking event (I enjoyed the most delicious canapes) and for drinks, but I hadn’t experienced Afternoon Tea there. So I was very much looking forward to it.
The party I was with were on the ‘mezzanine’ – which was lovely – and the table was surrounded by large leather chairs – plenty of space for our expanding waists!
The table was decorated beautifully with fresh flowers and vintage cutlery, cups and saucers, jam in delicate bowls, and even featured it’s very own footed, glass sugar bowl (unfortunately I didn’t get a picture).
Beautiful – the table at Great John Street
Once seated the champagne began to flow, thanks to a very attentive waitress, who was pleasant without being overbearing.
We received a mixture of sandwiches including beef, ham and cheese & chutney. The sandwiches were delicious (I’ve never eaten bread so fresh) – but it was a little disappointing that there was no choice (where was the smoked salmon?). As a number of our guests were vegetarian they did bring more cheese sandwiches – minus the chutney – so we had to ask for this separately.
So, sandwiches devoured – it was on to the impressive cake stand which was laden with chocolate brownies, blackcurrant victoria sandwiches and what we think was carrot cake (although could have been ginger).
On top of the tiered cake stand was also clotted cream – YUM!
The impressive three-tiered cake stand
Half way through munching our way through the cakes (which were really very good, and there was one each which was an extra tick for this opulent venue) – we asked for the scones. Scones? The waitress replied and continued ‘there are no scones.’ Well you can imagine, it took a quick word from the host who explained Afternoon Tea was nothing without scones – and we each received one scone. While the scone was lovely – it was just the one scone each. True, two may have been greedy, but I’ve been to very few places where you only get the one scone (ooo I have become picky over the years!) On the plus side, there was plenty of cream and jam to go around.
The scone at Great John Street was served warm – my favourite!
Tea was also served at this point, in the most beautiful vintage china teapots.
Tea always tastes better when it comes from such an amazing teapot like this.
Overall, the Afternoon Tea at Great John Street was magical. But there are a few small kinks in the chain which I think could be easily fixed with a little thought.
Will I be back? Of course – but lets see some smoked salmon on the menu!
Ladies Afternoon Tea at Great John Street is £18.50 per person, or £24.50 per person with champagne. For more information visit the Great John Street website.
Have you enjoyed a fantastic Afternoon Tea? Want to share it with our readers? Email amy@thesweetpantry.co.uk with your idea!
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
The only thing I love more than a good old fashioned Victoria Sponge, is a freshly baked scone. So when I nipped to my local market during Love Your Local Market Week and found a stall run by Reedy’s selling lots of delicious jam, I had found my excuse to bake some scones. (I bought the Blackcurrant and Creme de Cassis in case you were interested).
I have never made scones before, but having my Nana’s scone recipe to hand gave me a bit more confidence. They were easy to make – and very tasty. But I have to admit they didn’t rise as much as I’d hoped – but I’ve since had some really helpful top tips from my Nana – see below.
So I will continue to practise (it makes perfect) and in the mean time, here’s a little recipe for you to try.
Recipe: Scones
Ingredients:
*The three variations give different textures and my Nana says: ‘It’s fun trying the different variations.’
Method:
Top tips:
Ingredients all ready to go…
My dough… don’t make the same mistake I did – ensure the dough isn’t too sticky
All rise… scones in the oven
It didn’t matter how hot there were straight out the oven… my partner still wanted to tuck in!
My first attempt at baking scones – delicious with Reedy’s homemade Blackcurrant and Creme de Cassis jam
Did you try this at home? Send your pictures to Amy from The Sweet Pantry by emailing: amy@thesweetpantry.co.uk.
A post by guest blogger Meg Longworth, Nutritionist
With the summer finally upon us (will it ever stop raining?) many of us are looking forward to our summer holidays (abroad!) and I’m sure many of you have considered starting your new healthy eating regimes and are on your way to achieving your ‘bikini body’.’ So here I am again, to help you enjoy those sweet treats without the guilt.
Although June’s sunny-spell was very short lived, it’s still important to keep that willpower and maintain your healthy diets ready for your beach holidays and if you haven’t started yet, now is your chance!
Many of you may believe that all delicious desserts come with a hefty calorie content and although this usually applies when eating out, you’ll be pleased to hear that home-baked desserts can be low in calories and with the addition of certain ingredients, can actually be nutritionally beneficial.
I am a massive foodoholic and love to make foods from scratch; I like to see exactly what is inside my food as I’m very aware of how fat, sugar and salt can be hidden within pre-prepared products. Home baking is one of my favourite pastimes and over the years, I have experimented with various recipes to improve the nutritional status of my desserts.
One of my family’s favourites is my walnut cake. Walnuts are very rich in compounds that reduce the hardening of the arteries and help prevent the thickening of the arterial walls (atherosclerosis) which is common when high fat foods are consumed regularly; adding walnuts to your diet on a day-to-day basis can therefore be extremely beneficial.
Walnuts also contain “good” omega-3 fats to help prevent cancers, as well as phytosterols and antioxidants which are essential for healthy living. Walnuts are not only an option for a healthy snack (scientific studies recommend eight walnuts per day), they can also be used in home baking.
Baking a walnut cake is very easy; I simply follow a basic cake recipe using wholemeal flour and add 125g crushed walnuts and 6tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice. I then grate the zest of one orange into the mixture and serve with 1 tbsp of half fat crème fraiche. In a nutshell (excuse the PUN), walnuts are a great addition to the diet and although they are relatively high in calories, a handful a day helps keep the doctor away!
Another dessert I quite often make is fruit crumble; the fruit I use is dependent on the season however, I try to bake with cranberries and blueberries when possible. Some of you may have heard that blueberries are a “super food”, meaning that they are extremely good for us due to the high vitamin, nutrient and phytochemical content and low fat content. Cranberries are also extremely good for us. Cranberries have the same properties as blueberries however, have double the antioxidant activity. With summer just around the corner, I recommend a refreshing berry crumble, using predominantly cranberries and using dried oats as a topping. This light dessert can be served with more fruit or with low fat natural yoghurt.
I could go on and on with examples of healthy desserts however, the most important thing for you to understand is that all dessert recipes can be made healthier and here are some hints and tips:
Next time – Meg takes a break from sweet treats and talks BBQs.
To contact Meg please email: meg_longworth@hotmail.co.uk
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
Candy buffet, sweet table, pick and mix stall, call it what you will – but there’s no denying that the popularity of the candy buffet is on the rise – and it doesn’t look like this confectionery trend is due to falter any time soon.
For those of you who are thinking ‘a candy what!?’ – allow me to explain…
A candy buffet is essentially a table beautifully decorated with your favourite sweets presented in glass jars. Throw in some candy bags and scoops and you have yourself a candy buffet which guests can pick and mix their way through.
The Sweet Pantry loves a good candy buffet – and over the last few months requests for a table of sugary goodness have been non-stop.
Brides and grooms to be have been particularly interested in having candy buffets at their evening receptions – and the response afterwards has been fantastic, with brides telling me that their guests (young and old) loved it.
A wiseman once said, a picture paints a thousand words, and who am I to question wisdom – so here’s a selection of my favourite pictures from some weddings we’ve been luckily enough to supply with sweet treats. See for yourself what all the fuss is about…
A candy buffet in the beautiful Langdale Chase Hotel, Windermere.
A new addition to TSP candy buffet – candy canapes!
Some sweet treats for guests at a wedding at the gorgeous Rivington Barn
Top tips on choosing your candy buffet
Do you have any photos from a candy buffet you’d like to share? Email your pictures to amy@thesweetpantry.co.uk or visit www.thesweetpantry.co.uk for more information about TSP candy buffet.
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
Far from just being an online business, The Sweet Pantry (TSP) likes to get out and about, and what better way to do this than with a market stall!
It’s been a busy few weeks with stalls across Bolton, so here’s a little taster of what we’ve been up to!
First, TSP had a stall at Westhoughton Market on July 7th to celebrate Love Your Local Market Week. It was a fantastic day with gorgeous sunshine and Woody the one man band to keep us all entertained. We also had the pleasure of meeting the lovely ladies from Cupcake Creationz and Pure Heair and Beauty (their handmade products are divine).
Love Your Local Market stalls at Westhoughton Market
Amy from TSP at Westhoughton Market
Today (Saturday 14th July) I was delighted to attend the Baking for Babies, charity event at Spice Valley in Horwich. There were a range of stalls from cake and face painting to vintage clothing and of course sweets.
I met some lovely customers and stall holders, including Emma from Heart – A Unique Boutique – who provided me (and the sweets) with shelter from the rain! Emma’s range of vintage clothing and accessories are beautiful. Check them out here: www.heartunique.co.uk
TSP stall ready to rock n roll. Vintage sweet jars, canvas bags, ‘fill a cup’, sweet bags and more, were on offer.
Heart – a unique boutique. A beautiful stall for Emma’s gorgeous vintage clothes and accessories
So where next? We will be with the 1950’s Pin-up Party, which includes, Catwalk, Afternoon Tea and shopping, at Ridgemount Hotel, Horwich, on July 29th 2012. This event has been organised by the fab Polka Dots and Pearls vintage events company.
And in the mean time, we’ll be looking at more events to sell our sugary treats at. So keep your eyes peeled!
If you would like TSP to be at an event you are organising, please contact Amy – amy@thesweetpantry.co.uk.
A post by guest blogger Meg Longworth, Nutritionist
Chocolate is a food that everybody loves! From ‘just a taste’ to complete indulgence, chocolate can improve any situation and lift any bad mood!
However, it is common knowledge that consuming chocolate in large amounts on a regular basis can put huge pressure on those weighing scales! Take a bar of Dairy Milk for instance. It can take less than 5 minutes to gobble, yet a minimum of 60 minutes to walk off! As you all know from my first blog, one of my general rules is to ‘eat everything in moderation’ and this certainly applies with chocolate.
The type of chocolate that you opt for can make a difference; dark chocolate being the most nutritionally beneficial however this is not me giving you the go ahead to set off on a binging session!
In terms of ingredients, dark chocolate (unlike milk and white chocolate) contains less sugar and more cocoa and therefore has a lower calorie and fat content, yet it is important to remember that overdoing it will cancel out these benefits.
The link between chocolate and romance is not just a myth; dark chocolate contains phenethylamine, the same chemical that is released from the brain when we are in love. Research suggests that by consuming chocolate you can experience pleasure and happiness which explains why many of us consider chocolate to be an addiction.
More often than not it is the sweet taste of chocolate that we crave and as a nutritionist, I am able to provide you with some inspirational ideas for chocolate treats that will be slightly more considerate of your waistline:
You can still enjoy chocolate while watching your waist line. Opt for dark chocolate over milk or white. (Picture credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chocolate.jpg)
So go on, enjoy that piece of dark chocolate – but remember: ‘everything in moderation’.
Next time Meg covers healthy baking at home (is there such a thing!?)
To contact Meg please email: meg_longworth@hotmail.co.uk
A post by Amy from The Sweet Pantry
The Sweet Pantry is pleased to be attending Bolton’s 1950’s Pin Up Party and Charity Catwalk Show in aid of Unicef. From 1.30pm to 5.30pm on July 29th 2012, guest will enjoy an afternoon of fashion, shopping and of course tea.
The Sweet Pantry will have a range of gifts on offer, all with a sweet theme. From its signature vintage glass sweet jars, to sundae galsses and mugs to china tea-cups – all gifts will come filled with a varity of your favourite sweet treats. Love friends eggs and giant strawberries? Enjoy a bonbon or two? Or are you partial to liquorice torpedoes? The Sweet Pantry will have them all – and more. There will also be some smaller items for sale for those who want a smaller sigar fix on the day.
For more information and to buy your tickets, please visit event organiser, Polka Dots and Pearls
Hope to see you there!
thesweetpantry 
