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cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

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Review: Our Weekly Top Five Picks

Published on November 9, 2016 • Last updated July 22, 2017 by Elizabeth

Our weekly bite-sized review series.

Our weekly top five picks #11

This week in our kitchen we’ve been trying some rather fantastic gravy granules, smoked cheese, a four course Italian meal and I bought myself a new piece of hand crafted pottery. Oh, there’s also a link to a new marketplace platform for social influencers to check out!

Essential Cuisine – makers of mighty fine stocks and gravy granules. I’ve been using this brand for the last year and I could never go back to a supermarket shelf variety. Seriously tasty results every single time. Click here to try a free sample of their chicken stock and see for your self! I used their new savoury gravy granules to thicken some slow cooker Shetland lamb shanks this week and oh my goodness gracious me, mouthwatering! It’s expensive, but worth it. £8.15 for 96 grams from Amazon.

Studio Favelle Pottery – last May my blogger friend Kavita went to Japan and took a pottery class. She fell in love with creating pottery and so she took another class when she returned to the UK. Recently she’s set up her own Etsy shop and I’ve purchased one of her gorgeous little bowls. Hand made with love, her pottery items would make great Christmas gifts! £24 for the bowl pictured.

Orkney Triple Smoked Cheddar – triple smoked! I might have swooned when I saw this in my rural village shop chiller cabinet. I’m a big fan of the Orkney Cheese smoked cheddar (it makes a great lasagne!) and this triple smoked is intense in flavour. If you like a good mature cheddar you’ll like this. No idea how much it costs – I just bought it without checking, twice!

Venice Menu from Fine Italy – Everything you need for a four course Venetian meal for four people shipped direct from Italy in a wooden box. Artichoke pate on bruschetta for a starter, served with Italian salami cured in beeswax; white duck sauce with spaghetti for the first course; stockfish cream on toasted bread for the main course, the Venetian specialty Doge’s cake for dessert and a fine Soave white wine to wash it down. £72.69 for the

Inzpire.me – one for my fellow bloggers! Inspire.me is a brand new marketplace platform connecting influencers (that would be you and me) and brands (the folk that help pay our bills). I haven’t had any work off them yet, but it’s got potential so watch this space. Free!

With thanks to Essential Cuisine, Etsy and Fine Italy for the review samples. This is not a paid post and all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to do what I love: mess up my kitchen and share recipe stories.

Category: Product, ReviewTag: Essential Cuisine, Fine Italy, Orkney Smoked Cheddar, Review, Studio Favelle

About Elizabeth

Solivagant. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Previous Post:The Future of Food. Image via Shutterstock, copyright grafvisionFood for Thought: A Taste of Things to Come
Next Post:Macaroni & Cheese with Bacon, Leeks and PeasThree cheese macaroni & cheese with bacon, leeks and peas

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Daniella Keating

    November 14, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    That cheese sounds amazing! I definitely need to try it.

    Reply
  2. Anosa

    November 14, 2016 at 1:06 am

    I just got back from Venice so that menu would definitely be something I would want for me. Italian foods are just my favourite.

    Reply
  3. fashion-mommy

    November 13, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    That bowl is just so beautiful, will have to check out the Etsy store.

    Reply
  4. Louise

    November 13, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Oh wow, Kavita’s bowl is absolutely gorgeous <3 I wish I had a talent like that. I'm probably the least creative person I know!!!

    Louise x

    Reply
  5. Stella

    November 13, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Inzpire me sounds ace. Off to check it out.

    Reply
  6. Angela Milnes

    November 12, 2016 at 11:06 pm

    I want to try the cheese. Lasagna sounds so good to me right now!

    Reply
  7. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

    November 12, 2016 at 3:06 pm

    Wow Kavita did a great job with that bowl it looks very pretty. That cheese sounds gorgeous!

    Reply
  8. paula

    November 12, 2016 at 10:44 am

    Love all of this, the Italian dinner sent directly from Italy sounds like a dream! and your friend’s pottery it’s very beautiful! As you said, a great christmas gift 🙂

    Reply
  9. WhatLauraLoves

    November 12, 2016 at 12:41 am

    Oh wow that smoked cheddar sounds absolutely gorgeous, I can just imagine it being great on the lasagne xxx

    Reply
  10. Baby Isabella

    November 11, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    You’re friend is really talented! Love that bowl! Might have to go and check out the Etsy store xx

    Reply
  11. Rebecca Smith

    November 11, 2016 at 10:47 pm

    That cheddar sounds amazing – triple smoked??
    I signed up to Inzpire Me myself recently. looks interesting!

    Reply
  12. Hannah Budding Smiles

    November 11, 2016 at 10:32 pm

    The sound of that cheese and he Italian meal have got my tummy begging for food! Your friend’s design is beautiful too xx

    Reply
  13. Melissa Major

    November 11, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    That pottery is just lovely! I must say I am a really big fan of cheese

    Reply
  14. Charli Bruce

    November 11, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    Triple smoked cheddar, oh my gosh! I would be in heaven, it sounds so delicious! I also love your friends pottery, it’s absolutely gorgeous xx

    Reply
  15. Talya

    November 11, 2016 at 3:11 pm

    I practically wanted to jump out of my
    Seat with joy when I read the words triple smoked cheddar. Delicious!!’

    Reply
  16. Rhian Westbury

    November 11, 2016 at 10:25 am

    The triple smoked cheddar sounds absolutely incredible and the bowl is so pretty, she’s so talented x

    Reply
  17. clairejustine

    November 11, 2016 at 10:11 am

    This is beautiful, love the pottery and design 🙂

    Reply
  18. nicol

    November 11, 2016 at 1:20 am

    such great picks. that bowl is absolutely stunning and delicate

    Reply
  19. Sarah Bailey

    November 10, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    Ohh what some amazing sounding icks I totally need to try that cheese please!

    Reply
  20. Lyndsey O'Halloran

    November 10, 2016 at 11:53 pm

    I really like the pottery! I know a few people who would like something like this.

    Reply
  21. Leah

    November 10, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    I am definitely going to check out inspire me! Anything to get connected 🙂

    Reply
  22. Gill C

    November 10, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    That bowl is lovely! Will take a look at the shop. What a brilliant thing to know how to make.

    Reply
  23. Lauretta Wright

    November 10, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    Love the bowl your friend made and also rate the foods you’ve tried… is making me hungry now! 🙂

    Reply
  24. Sarah - let them be small

    November 10, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    ooooh the cheddar cheese sounds divine. I’m a real cheese fan!

    Reply
  25. Kathryn Watson

    November 10, 2016 at 8:49 pm

    What gorgeous pottery! I always like to find something different for presents xx

    Reply
  26. emma white

    November 10, 2016 at 8:12 pm

    oh the Orkney Triple Smoked Cheddar sounds amazing, I love smoked cheese so would love to give this a try

    Reply
  27. Rachel

    November 10, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    Triple smoked cheddar has my name all over it, so I am off to give that a read!

    Reply
  28. Joanna

    November 10, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    Love the gorgeous pottery perfect Christmas gift. The Venice menu box looks amazing too.

    Reply
  29. Tamsin | Eco Fluffy Mama

    November 10, 2016 at 6:10 pm

    I really like the look of the pottery – it’d suit my house. The cheese too (if it were vegan!)

    Reply
  30. John

    November 10, 2016 at 5:40 pm

    Some great tips and ideas, thanks. You really have me hankering for some Orkney cheddar now. Plus my wife loves quirky pottery so that’s a great tip as well.

    Reply
  31. Emma

    November 10, 2016 at 10:16 am

    The pottery looks so lovely, my Nan would absolutely love it for Christmas.

    Reply
  32. LaaLaa

    November 10, 2016 at 7:16 am

    The pottery would make such a beautiful gift for Christmas, I love her passion, she’s really gone for it.

    Reply
  33. Summer

    November 9, 2016 at 3:50 pm

    Love your picks ♥

    Reply
  34. Kavey

    November 9, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Thank you so much, so kind of you to support my fledgling Etsy store, I’m so thrilled that people like my pottery. A wonderful feeling.

    By the way, that triple smoked cheddar is calling to me!

    Reply

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Cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

Image of Elizabeth Atia making a cake in the Aald Harbour Hoose, Shetland. Photograph by Misa Hay from Shetland Wool Adventures.

Welcome to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, Scotland’s most northerly award-winning food blog.

I’m based in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, where I’ve been sharing my adventure-fuelling recipes since 2011.

As seen on Shetland: Scotland’s Wondrous Isles on Channel 5.

“Never underestimate the power of your own story. Life may have taken unexpected turns, but it’s never too late to weave new threads of adventure into your tapestry. Keep spinning those yarns, my friend.

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