Alphablocks Reading Programme

If you are a parent of a preschooler or primary school child, you are familiar with Alphablocks. My younger son Eddie is a big fan of the magazine and TV programme. These cute cheeky little characters help him to learn about phonics and encourage him to start reading. Eddie is enrolled in the Bug Club, a whole school reading programme for primary school children, which combines books and games online.
He absolutely loves the Bug Club, and also enjoys the tasks set in the Alphablocks magazines. One of the latest issues had a set of cards with 3-letter words which he had to trace. He did it with great enthusiasm.
When we found out that the Alphablocks magazine has launched the Alphablocks Reading Programme, which supports the foundation-aged children and helps them to develop and progress with their reading skills, I knew we had to join in. I was right. As soon as the first set of five magazines arrived, Eddie begged me to let him do the tasks.

This clever programme is designed by phonics experts and follows the national curriculum. It consists of 15 Alphablocks Reading Programme magazines and other resources like finger puppets, letter tiles, games and stickers.

We haven't completed all five magazines from the first package yet, but I cannot praise the programme highly enough. It is fun, inspiring and stimulating. When I use the word "we", I mean, I sit with Eddie and explain to him what he has to do, he does all the homework himself. I only motivate and encourage him.

Word Magic Game

My younger son loves tracing the letters, reading simple 3-letter words, colouring and completing all the tasks set in magazines.
Magazine no.1 is exploring letters S, A, T, P, I, N, M, D. You can watch the Alphablocks episodes as you work through the magazine. The animation is short and entertaining.

Eddie is 4 years old, and being a July child, one of the youngest in his class. Quite a few of his class mates are turning 5 already, and at this age one year makes a big difference. To help him with his phonics, we read together and play with finger puppets, letter tiles and stickers.

From the homework Eddie brings from school for the weekend, I see that they are learning exactly the same phonics as the first magazines, so these materials and resources are truly reinforcing what the children learn at school.

We go through the magazines slowly, as there is no need to hurry, Eddie needs to learn at his own pace before moving further. We cut out the reading cards from the pages of the magazines.
Eddie is good at reading separate letters (sounds) but still finds it difficult to read them together as a word. The picture on each card is supposed to help children to read the word. Just the other day Eddie made me smile, when I asked him to read the word on one of the cards.
So he goes: T - I - P.
When I asked him which word he has just read, he replied "A bucket".

Finger puppets are another lovely game of phonics which helps to put simple words together.
The programme is done in such an entertaining manner that children won't even realise that they are doing an educational programme. Eddie thinks it's great fun, and is very happy to do a few tasks every day.

Alphablocks is published by Immediate Media Co, experts in pre-school educational portfolio in the UK.
The complete set of magazines and resources introduces all 26 letters and sounds, in all their blends and combinations, helping children to gain confidence and reading skills.

Stephanie Cooper, editor of Alphablocks magazine says:
"Alphablocks is the only pre-school magazine that supports the way children learn to read. We help children build a solid foundation in phonics taking them on an exciting journey as they progress through learning letter sounds, putting sounds together to make words, building sentences and reading simple stories independently. It's everything parents need to give their little one a head start in reading".

The package costs £39.99 plus postage (though I have seen on Facebook they have a current offer of £10 off the package).

You can find Alphablocks on Facebook and Twitter @AlphablocksARP.

Disclosure: I received the Alphablocks set (part 1) for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine. We'll show the progress as we go along.

Late nasturtiums and persimmon salad

It's almost mid-November, but amazingly enough I still have some late blossoming nasturtiums and marigolds in my greenhouse. I have planted them among the tomatoes and cucumelons (now the last ones were a big mistake, never again) to keep the slugs away. I had a fabulous crop of tomatoes this year, and it seems to be the only veg which produces great results consistently from one year to another.
Nasturtiums always remind me of my childhood. One of my earliest memories is of our nursery yard with a cheerful carpet of nasturtiums.
They are very pretty to look at, and make a lovely addition to salads too - both flowers and leaves.

I don't have a proper recipe to share, as I didn't take any notes on the exact weight of ingredients, but roughly it was half a big juicy persimmon, sliced, a handful of baby tomatoes, a half of goat's cheese and roasted cubed squash and sweet potato, with a scattering of nasturtiums, drizzled with a dressing made of the olive oil, honey and cider vinegar.

Tomatoes are also the remnants of my crop, there are still a few tomatoes left on the vines in the greenhouse. Khaki or persimmons are from Spain (bought at the local fruit market).

This was a light and very satisfying lunch. I wanted to keep it as a palette of orange, with only the whiteness of the goat's cheese breaking the pattern.

Next year I will be planting the nasturtiums again, for a splash of colour in the garden and on the plate.

The Christmas Farm (Limited edition) 1000 piece jigsaw from Ravensburger

In the last week, whenever I went to bed, I had jigsaw puzzle pieces on my mind, and even in my sleep I have been working on a new puzzle from Ravensburger. Let me tell you, The Christmas Farm (limited edition) 1000 piece jigsaw is totally fiendish.

I do enjoy jigsaw puzzles, but when this big colourful box arrived and I opened the bag inside, I was asking myself what have I gotten myself into. Will I ever be able to complete it?
Thankfully, I have an enthusiastic friend Jen who loves puzzles and she promised to help me.

Ravensburger says: "We all know that Santa works hard on Christmas Eve, but what does he do for the rest of the year? This colourful jigsaw puzzle imagines that he lives a low-key life, running a small farm, tending to his animals, growing Christmas trees and offering the occasional sleigh ride across the rolling hills when the weather allows".

Jen and I started sorting the pieces by finding those which have a straight side so that we could build an overall picture frame for our jigsaw. Then, bit by bit, I have been adding to the picture. Some pieces were very tricky, some are easier to spot, and I kept checking the box image for reference, trying to figure out which bit goes where. An absolutely addictive hobby.

The wonderfully colourful and cheerful scene has been illustrated by Devon-based artist Roy Trower.
It is pretty amazing, how much detail you discover when piecing it together.

This superb jigsaw will make a great Christmas gift for any puzzle lover. And what a fab way to get into the Christmas spirit!

It was a slow progress, as it took me over 5 days (and that is with Jen's help) to complete the jigsaw. But I enjoyed it tremendously. I actually was surprised at how much I loved it.
Once the puzzle was finished, I couldn't wait to show it to Jen, and asked her if she wanted to take it home and do it herself. She replied that she was still working on the Monet's jigsaw, but she knew an elderly lady who lives alone and who would very much enjoy the puzzle. Hope the old lady will enjoy it as much as I did.

I wonder now whether I should treat myself to another 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle.
Do you love jigsaws?

Disclosure: I received this jigsaw for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are mine.

New Twinings loose leaf pyramid teas

“And listen--tell your friend to try English Breakfast next time. It's a little more robust. Earl Grey is really more of a 'Sense and Sensibility' kind of tea.
Cab driver to J.D. Jameson” (Julie James, Practice Makes Perfect)

According to that cab driver from Julie James' book, I belong to the Sense and Sensibility category, as I do favour an Earl Grey tea above all, especially first thing in the morning. Then throughout the day I am open to the other types of tea. If you are a teaholic like me, you get excited seeing new varieties of tea in the shops. Twinings has launched a new range of loose leaf pyramid teas, and I was delighted to be asked to test a few samples of the new range.
The new range has attractive colourful packaging, like a collection of bright shawls at an ethnic market.

Each packet comes with 12 teabags. It is quite upmarket (prices vary from from £3.49 to £4.49 per packet).

Samples of the new Twinings range which I received for testing

Moroccan Mint with Rose flavour Green tea is a mint-flavoured green tea. Rose flavour is less pronounced than mint, it is there, at the back of the palate, just a hint of rose. I would have liked a more distinct rose flavour, but overall it is an easy light tea, excellent at the end of a big meal.

Nutty Chocolate Flavour Assam has been inspired by tea and chocolate. It smells of chocolate truffles. When you have a sip, first you get a chocolatey taste, then a slight bitter aftertaste of tea. Aromatic, quite light, it might benefit from a dash of milk to smooth the bitter edge. Ingredients include: black tea, cocoa nibs, hazelnut flavouring.

Bollywood Chai Latte - this is a spicy tongue-tingling, aromatic full-bodied Assam combined with the traditional Indian spices. Ingredients: black tea, almond, spice and honey flavourings. It has a note of sweetness, which works well. I had it unadorned to test the flavours, but it will be great as a proper milky chai.

Jasmine Petals & Pearls Green tea is a delicate mix of green tea as well as jasmine and rose petals. It is exquisitely floral. One of my top choices from the eight new flavours I have tried. I find plain green tea quite boring, but make it flavoured, and I am hooked.

Apple & Elderflower Green tea reminds me of long summer days.  Ingredients include: green tea, apple pieces, apple & elderflower flavourings. Apples and elderflower enhance the green tea, creating a refreshing and light brew.

The Full English Breakfast is a well rounded blend. It has a colour of dark golden amber and a well-rounded taste. Perfect for a wakey-wakey morning cuppa (though I'll stick to my favourite Earl Grey first thing in the morning).

After tasting all the six samples, I was thrilled to find out that our local Waitrose started stocking a new range of Twinings. I had to restrict myself to buying just three of the new varieties. According to some people in my family, I don't need any more tea, as I have enough supply to open my own tea room.

Shelves in Waitrose

Superfruity is a bright burst of colour and berry-licious flavours. It contains a whole compote of ingredients from fruit to vegetables, from berries to flowers. Here you will find hibiscus, rosehips, beetroot, blackcurrant, raspberry & blueberry flavourings, apple, blueberry, orange peel, elderberry and safflower. Zingy, zesty and flavourful, it is an essence of a summer in a cup. Excellent for the late afternoon or evening, when you want to avoid caffeine.

Whenever I find a new variety of Earl Grey, I just have to buy it. Having tried almost all Earl Greys from Twinings, I was curious to discover a Plummy Earl Grey. This is advertised as a light, floral tea, with rich, juicy plum and a dash of star anise. Ingredients include: black tea, star anise, bergamot and plum flavourings. When this tea is brewing, the aroma is unmistakably plummy. This is quite an enjoyable brew but perhaps not the best of the Twinings Earl Grey family. If I had to do a blind test, I would probably not call it an Earl Grey, despite the added bergamot. I think it will be excellent for poaching fruit and using as an ingredient in tea cakes.

Have you tried any of Twinings new teas? Which one is your favourite?

Disclosure: I received six teabags for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine.

I've been dreaming of... an Angel Delight

I grew up in the most Eastern city of Europe which has been closed to foreign visitors until the end of the Cold war. When the perestroika began, I have just graduated from school and started my first year in the University. It was the most inspirational time, when I was so hopeful. It was truly a brave new world, full of discoveries. I thought: "That's it, we bury the dark past and now all the doors are open. I can conquer the world!". I have been dreaming of travelling abroad, visiting all the places that inspired me so much in books and trying all the exotic-sounding foods.
All of a sudden the foreign tourists discovered that there was a world beyond Moscow and St Petersburg to explore. Many of them came to visit my Mum who is a well-known artist. I was glad to meet new people and practice my English.
My friend Trudy, who was one of the first visitors to Perm, likes to tell me that the children in my school looked at her, as if she arrived from the outer space.
I have forged very close friendships with several people who came to Perm on a University exchange programme. We first kept in touch via letters. Oh how much I loved those letters with a British stamp and newspaper cuttings inside, it was a glimpse into a totally different culture. Little did I know then that Oxfordshire would become my home.
Those Brits who came on an exchange programme, were staying with families. Being warned about food shortages, they have taken some of the foods in packets with them. Of course, they later experienced the full extent of the Russian hospitality, and they all later "complained" about being offered too much food.
That's when I first heard of a dessert called an Angel Delight. A friend whose family offered their home to an English visitor, told me that their guest has given them a packet of Angel Delight. According to my friend, it was heavenly. That was it, I promised myself that one day I would go to England and try this fabulous-sounding dessert myself.
And it's true, Angel Delight was one of the first British foods I have tried when I came to Canterbury as a student.
Fast forward 20+ years. As my guys love the milk shake and smoothies, I do buy Angel Delight to sprinkle in the milk shake. For a perfect milk shake, whizz a chopped banana, a handful of blueberries, a small tub of yogurt or fromage frais, a heaped tablespoon of Angel Delight and semi-skimmed milk. It is very moreish.

I usually buy a strawberry-flavoured Angel Delight.
This heritage brand pudding has been enjoyed by the British families since 1967. And now the range of Angel Delight has being expanded to include a new flavour -Bubblegum.
To be honest, I was a bit unsure about it before we tried it. I was worried it will be too sweet.
I was pleasantly surprised. It is the same light fluffy pudding, which tastes of bubblegum. I still prefer the original flavours, but if you love bubblegum, this is a very pleasant enjoyable dessert.

And this is my mini-crocodile, ready to tuck in.

As I received two sachets of a new flavour from BritMums, I used one packet to do a straight-forward milky pudding.

I used a second packet to make a batch of cupcakes.

Vanilla cupcakes with Angel Delight frosting
Ingredients:
3 medium eggs
170g caster sugar
1tbsp Angel Delight
1tsp vanilla essence
50ml milk
160g butter, melted
175g flour
1tsp baking powder

for frosting:
coconut oil and Angel Delight

In a mixing bowl beat together the eggs with the caster sugar. Add 1 tbsp Angel Delight, vanilla essence, milk, flour, baking powder, butter and mix well.
Line the muffin/cupcake tray with paper muffin/cupcake cases. Spoon the cake mixture into the paper cases, about 2/3 full.
Place the tray in the oven preheated to 180C. Bake for 20 minutes. The cupcakes should be risen and quite firm to the touch. Take the tray out and remove the cupcakes on the rack. They should be completely cooled before icing.
Mix the coconut oil with Angel Delight until you have a smooth frosting. Decorate the cupcakes with the frosting and sugar hearts.

This post is an entry for #AngelDelightMoments Linky Challenge.

Burford Garden Centre

We love visiting the Burford garden centre whenever we have a chance to go there by car. Last week our friend Jen offered to be our driver and take us there, as she knows how much my boys and I enjoy the trip. There is so much to see and do, both indoors and outdoors, as it is a big house and garden shopping centre. Eddie always has to stop in a toy shop. This time he was much taken by a Le Toy Van wooden coffee maker. He pretended to be a barista and offered me a cup of coffee.

In the meantime, Sasha was browsing the book shelves.

And of course, he had to try a couple of outfits. He couldn't choose which one he liked more: a pirate's costume or a knight's one.

After admiring the toys and books, we stopped for a cup of coffee, soft drinks and croissants in the garden centre's cafe.

The croissants were just fresh from the oven, hot and flaky. The latte was very decent. On a latte-o-meter I'd score it 4/5. The cafe provides a big variety of cakes and bakes. While the pastries are reasonably priced, some of the prices made me wince. A bottle of Coca Cola for £2.50 and a banana or an apple for a pound seems a total racket. And while I don't mind paying a little bit more for foods made on the premises, I resent paying a pound for a banana. That is just ridiculous.

Feeling fortified and full of beans, my guys loved running around outside. We visited most of the greenhouses and summerhouses on display. We already got a summerhouse from the garden centre, much loved and used, so we were just looking around, without any plans to buy another one.
Eddie ran, Sasha ran, Jen and I chased after them.

Back to the indoors department, all festooned for Christmas. Both boys loved the freestanding LED reindeer decorations. Eddie begged me to buy one. Sorry, Eddie...

We even found the reindeer made of dried citrus with spices. The smell was absolutely gorgeous, and the reindeer looked utterly cute as well.

I allowed myself to have a quick look in the vintage china department. I could spend hours there, but my guys find it boring.

The Blue Willow pattern is one of my favourites, and I haven't seen it in these shapes before. I was very tempted by these pickle dishes but resisted.

In the end I treated myself to an Emma Bridgewater Halloween mug. They were at half price, and I love Emma Bridgewater's mugs.
The road to Burford is very picturesque, there are some stunning views of the faraway fields and hills, and the trip always makes me wonder that this part of England has become my home.

Have you been out and about this month? If you have a review of eating out or visiting a place of interest, please come and join in Out & About linky.

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