je t'aime

This happy lady is called Claire.

 
Claire is from France but is currently studying in the UK.

Claire is looking so happy because she can now not only get her hands on every single recipe we make whenever she likes but she can also enjoy our veg pots.

She likes to eat them twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

So if you're due round for tea on either of those nights, you know what's on the menu

tried and tested by tineke

Some drinks are so good they don't make you feel thirsty anymore. 

Some are so good that they make feel pleasantly satisfied afterwards. And some are so good that they make you change your facebook profile picture in celebration like Tineke (above). As she rightly points out on our facebook page we've made a new smoothie and not really told anyone yet. 

It's called cranberries, blueberries & cherries, it's our second ever banana-free smoothie (making it one of our most refreshing yet), and will be working it's way into the shops over the next week or two. Keep an eye out for it, and don't just take our word for it, take Tineke's too. You heard it here first.

back to school blues

A few weeks ago, we ran a competition to win everything you needed for hosting your very own catchily named 'beat the back to school blues' party.

All you had to do was guess the weight of this small yet delicious cake (as modelled by Simon K)

The lady who came closest to guessing the correct weight (deceptively light at just 190g) was Sarah Jane from Saffron Walden.

As well as a boxful of party paraphanelia from Little Cherry, Sarah Jane and her kids also won a bumper box of cakes from Cupcake Dolly and a boxful of our finest kids drinks.

Sarah Jane sent in this photo of the pre party calm

 

And this photo of the pre party excitement.

 

Apparently, cake + smoothies + party games = surefire way to banish those double-maths-followed-by-cross-country blues.

bacon smoothie

Make of this what you will.

you asked, we listened

Back in April when we launched our first ever banana free recipe - kiwis, apples and limes - we got in touch with everyone who'd ever written, emailed or called to ask us to make a smoothie without bananas and sent them a free voucher to have a bottle on us.

After we'd sent the vouchers out, lots of people then started sending us lovely thank you notes and emails.

'Just a quickie to say thanks for my voucher. I went straight out and bought the banana free smoothie and thinks it's great. So have now sent my hubby out to buy three more cartons...Thanks for listening, Linda x'

'Bin those bananas for good! Even my kid will drink it. We call it 'Kermit-in-a-blender'. Lovely. Thanks, Tracey'

'I am just amazed that mine (and obviously others) emails actually made a difference. Thank you. I can't wait to try it. Kind regards (from a very happy 'Banana Free' customer'), Lizzie W'

'At last - I have been waiting for years, since I asked you to do this and now you've granted me your wish, Many thanks, Sophie R'

'We wanted to say how impressed we were that some real human took the trouble to hand write the card that came with the token. In this world of machinery...it is really refreshing to find somewhere that still values the personal touch. The Cook Family'

We love to hear what you think. After all, one way conversations are pretty rubbish.

So if you ever have something that you want to tell us about the stuff we make or have suggestions on how we can make it better, you can always let us know on our rate and review system.

As my grandma used to say, shy bairns get nowt.

the cyclops pig experiment

We like this, a lot. From @khaitom via twitter.

We have some good times over on our twitter feed. You should come and join us.

the magic egg

It's always relieving to find some of the more outlandish stuff we suggest to you actually works. Like the amazing magic egg. As twitted by henweb, thanks for the proof of concept Henry.

the wonderful world of vending

 

A couple of weeks ago, we featured Charlie, Helen and Andy's thrilling encounter  with a pizza vending machine in France.

Since then, lots of you have sent us in photos and tales of more vending machine magic and we thought it was only fair to share these convenience gems with all and sundry.

So here's a Tony Hart style gallery of our favourites.

First up is this beauty that Tom took and sent to us from Southampton.

  

Judging by the vending slots, there appear to be just two serving sizes. 'Small' and 'Greedy'.

Lucy found a machine in Amsterdam which sells everything from 'instant' fry ups to fishfinger sandwiches.

Whilst over in Toronto, Frankie found a machine that sold worms.

In Frankfurt airport, you can buy gold.

That's right - solid gold (thanks to Maggie for the link).

And Angie wrote a little lament about the hamburger and chips vending machine that once graced the canteen of her local hospital in Birmingham but alas is no more.

However, the winner for best vending machine photostory must go to Vicki for the state-of-the-art vending potato machine she documented near her home in Leuven, Belgium (which also boasts a brooadautomat nearby which sells bread).

 

To buy your potatoes, just open the door and pop your money in the machine.

Remove spuds carefully.

 

And then get your dad to carry them home.

 

It's open all year apparently.

Handy to know if you ever find yourself with a sudden tuber craving in the middle of the Flemish countryside.

tattoo'll do nicely

Ink. Skin. Needle. It's a pretty big (not to mention painful) commitment.

Maybe you've thought in the past about getting 'Mother' tattooed on your bicep. Or Wendy perhaps. No? Not even a little bit? Don't you just envy those rock stars with their gloriously ink laden bodies?

Well, one rockstar up in Scotland (by name of Martin) has gone and got his very own innocent tattoo.

Here he is on tour with his standard rider.

Now that's what I call rock'n' roll.

(Thanks to Helen for sending us this pic in)

(Posted by Jay)

cake by post

 

Di came along to our AGM the other week and after seeing how partial we all are to a bit of cake, she very kindly sent us some of her Suffolk rusks in the post.

They taste lovely warmed up with some butter and some jam (according to Kat H).

Thanks, Di