Friday, November 9, 2012

Mumurations over St Eval Candle Company

So, we're all sat at our desks beavering away when all of a sudden the noise of chattering and squawking  birds make us look up and out of the window. The field just next to our office was dappled with millions of brown and black starlings feeding on the ground. At that point a car pulled up the drive and startled the birds and they all took flight at once. It looked like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock film the Birds, the sky above the office darkened as they all swooped in unison. We are incredibly lucky to see this on a regular basis at present as the starling population is down by 73% since 1970.  Although the display looks organised and slick, the real reason for the tornado effect is that each bird does not want to be either on the outside of the group or the first to land for fear of being picked off by a peregrine or buzzard.
Recently the decision to farm the land surrounding factory and office slightly differently is another reason for the  increase in birds and other wildlife. The fields are being left in a natural state as are the hedgrows which means an abundance of flowers and berries. What other better reason do you need to come out to see us!




 www.stevalcandlecompany.co.uk











Friday, November 2, 2012

Warming Bonfire Ideas

With the weekend seeing bonfires and fireworks going off, we've come up with some hints and recipes to make your weekend go of with a bang ( in a safe way of course....)

Something to keep the adults warm from the inside out; why not try this scrumptious Mulled Cider by Wayne Collins from the BBC programme  Something for the weekend. This spicy, aromatic drink will hit the spot on a cold winter’s night.

     Ingredients

    Mulled cider


  • 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 clementine, sliced into wedges, spiked with 8 cloves
  • 1 lemon, sliced into wedges, spiked with 8 cloves
  • 100ml/4fl oz whiskey
  • 100ml/4fl oz orange liqueur
  • 3 tbsp clear honey
  • 1 litre/1 pint 15¼fl oz cider
  • 4 cinnamon stick
  • freshly grated nutmeg, to garnish

    Preparation method
    1. Heat all of the cider toddy ingredients over a low heat until warmed through.
    2. Pour the cider toddy into 4 latte glasses or other heatproof glasses.
    3. Finish with a little freshly grated nutmeg.

And then something for the children to nibble on, Nutty Toffee Apples:
Studded with crunchy nuts, these toffee apples work well for a Bonfire Night party recipe.

Nutty toffee applesIngredients

  • 6 Cox apples
  • 6 small wooden ice lolly sticks
  • 225g/8oz granulated sugar
  • 110ml/4fl oz water
  • 30g/1oz butter
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 4 tbsp finely chopped mixed nuts

    Preparation method

    1. Push the wooden sticks halfway into the apples at the stalk end.
    2. Dissolve the sugar and water in a thick-bottomed pan over a gentle heat.
    3. Add the butter and syrup to the mixture and bring to the boil. Continue to boil, without stirring, until the toffee reaches 140C/275F (use a sugar thermometer to measure this).
    4. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the nuts.
    5. Carefully dip each apple into the toffee, making sure each apple is well coated, and set aside to harden on a baking try lined with non-stick parchment.
       
      Whatever you do this weekend make sure you stay safe and keep warm!

           www.stevalcandlecompany.co.uk