Forget the wine! Pair Simply Nectar with food instead

Like many people I’m taking it upon myself to get trimmed down and toned up ready for summer…if we ever get a summer that is!  I have therefore decided to drop alcohol for the next few months.  But with temptation around every corner this could be harder said than done.

One of the easiest ways to consume alcohol, and those dreaded calories, is by drinking wine with dinner.  It is the beverage of choice because it complements the food.  Plus, a lot of venues are keen to point out which wine you should drink with which meal.  But what happens when you want to ditch the wine?  What drink do you opt for instead, rather than just water?  I was so intrigued that I did some research into what soft drinks go with what foods.  Or, better yet, what flavours of Simply Nectar go best with what dishes.

Photo: Laura Collins

It turns out that there isn't a great deal of research on the topic.   But from what I did find it seems that fruit juice pairing is a lot like wine pairing.  Lighter bodied drinks go better with lighter foods, and heavier fuller bodied drinks go well with heavier foods.   Using my research I have managed to match particular foods with the different flavours of Simply Nectar.  And here are the results:

Apple or pear – white fish and shellfish, chicken, turkey, veal, sushi, pasta dishes made with creamy sauces, Thai food, spicy Mexican foods, pork, venison, cheese fondue and desserts, cheeses

Peach or Mango – shellfish, especially if in a rich cream or buttery sauce, risotto, white fish, grilled or smoked vegetables, chicken, strong flavours and spices such as those found in Indian curries, Thai food, game, duck

Raspberry – salads, chicken, venison, lamb, beef, cheese, chocolate, mint desserts

Apricot – pork, duck, lamb, chicken, quail, spicy foods such as curries, Thai or Szechwan cuisines

Citron Pressé – chicken, quail, pork, veal, venison, pheasant, mussels

Orange – Bread, salads, fruit, veal, duck, quail, pheasant, mussels

I hope you can use the above to enjoy fruit juices and nectars with your food in the future.  I know I will!

Simply pairing,

Simply Nectar

Sources:

http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/pairings/20070103/

http://www.dartagnan.com/t54/60368/a3636/Everyday-Food/Page-1.html

http://www.gayot.com/wine/pairing/white-wines.html

http://wellbrookwinery.com/site/our-wines/food-and-wine-pairings.html

http://www.winepairingchart.com/

It's show time folks!

It’s show time once again folks. Oh how time has flown. It seems like only yesterday we were exhibiting with What On Earth at the Independent Hotel Show and the Restaurant Show, but somehow six months have passed.  How scary.  But we’re welcoming this next show with open arms, and we're extremely excited about it.  Why?  Because this year we're exhibiting with What On Earth at the Natural and Organic Products Europe – the biggest trade show for the natural and organic industry.

Natural and Organic Products Europe is renowned for being excellent.  And we completely agree.  It has been going for many years and attracts trade professionals from across the world.  The show is split up into four sections – Natural Food, Natural Beauty & Spa, Natural Living and Health & Nutrition.   Our stand can be found in the Natural Food section of the show.  

What On Earth and Simply Nectar products can be found on stand 7074 which, according to my show plan, will be right beside Oh My Goodness Foods and the Vegetarian Society.  Come on down and find us!  We will be sampling all flavours of Simply Nectar on the stand, so you can come along, try them and see which are your favourite.  What On Earth will be with us and will be exhibiting all their brand new pizzas (see previous blog) their luxurious granolas and a selection of their organic desserts.  You get to try food AND drink on the same stand.  Lucky you!

Image: Laura Collins

Image: Laura Collins

Natural and Organic Products Europe is taking place on Sunday 7 and Monday 8 April at Kensington Olympia.  The show is open from 9.30am until 5.30pm on Sunday and from 9.30am until 5pm on the Monday.  There will be a few of us on the stand so please come down and see us.  We look forward to seeing you there.  And remember…STAND 7074! 

Simply show time, 

Simply Nectar

JOB ALERT: We're seeking two delivery drivers

Are you over 25? Do you have a clean UK driving licence? And, most importantly, are you a good driver and a good people person?  If yes then you could be exactly who we’re looking for.

Due to recent company growth Simply Nectar and What On Earth are seeking two hardworking and confident delivery drivers.  We have one day driver role and one night driver role available.

Your responsibilities will include: 

• Loading, unloading and moving goods
• Daily picking – including working in the industrial freezer
• Completing daily log books
• Overseeing vehicle and warehouse maintenance: reporting faults and checking vehicle brakes, controls and fuel content on a daily basis
• Communicating with the Logistics & Warehouse Manager on changes to the delivery schedule, any customer questions and/or issues; preparing driver notes as needed;
• Maintaining all relevant financial, HACCP and organic certification records
• Adhering to organic certification rules, as well as food hygiene, health and safety regulations
• Cooperating effectively with the Logistics & Warehouse Manager, Logistics Supervisor, General Manager and Office Administrator
• Liaising with other drivers and warehouse staff; maintaining good working relationships with all colleagues
• Promoting a positive working culture and good working ethics: timekeeping, positive approach, appropriate behaviour, politeness, being calm under pressure
• Reducing overhead costs through conservative use of company resources

Who we are looking for: 

• Must be over 25 years – for insurance purposes
• Must have clean UK Driving Licence and a forklift licence
• Able to start immediately 
• Must have some flexibility for Saturday work 
• Must be able to speak and write good English 
• Must have the ability to multitask, manage time and work autonomously 
• Have good attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure 
• Good customer service skills 
• Have at least 12 months’ experience as driver
• Must be able to carry and move heavy goods , including when working in freezing temperatures in the freezer
• Good knowledge of London and the ability to read maps and use technology

Pay & Hours:

• £7.35 per hour
• 40 hours per week 

If you are interested in the role please apply by sending your CV & covering letter to Tara Gussain (tara@whatonearth.co.uk) for immediate consideration.  We are an equal opportunities employer.

We get a high volume of applications for roles at What On Earth/Simply Nectar and unfortunately we are not able to respond to them all.  Sorry about that.  If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks please consider your application as unsuccessful.  

International Mother Language Day

Happy International Mother Language Day!

Today is the day that we can celebrate languages across the world.  International Mother Language Day was introduced by UNESCO in November 1999 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, and since February 2000 it has been celebrated annually.  The day celebrates the variety of languages across the world, and observes the human right to use those languages.  It also remembers events such as the killing of four students on 21 February 1952, because they campaigned to officially use their mother language, Bengali, in Bangladesh.

Here at Simply Nectar we have people from across the world working with us. They all converse in English at work, but they each have their own mother languages as well.  It's fascinating really.  And today is a great day to appreciate all those languages in their beautiful form.  We have members of staff from the following countries speaking the following languages:

• Poland - Polish
• Latvia - Latvian
• Albania - Albanian
• Ireland – Irish and English
• Estonia – Estonian and Russian
• Sri Lanka – Tamil, Sinhala
• India – Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi
• Brazil – Portuguese
• Malaysia - Malay
• Russia – Russian
• England – English

Join us in celebrating International Mother Language Day.  Speak your own language, speak other languages and learn about different languages in general.  We'll give you a little head start by telling you some fascinating language facts:

• It is estimated that up to 7,000 different languages exist in our world
• 90% of these languages are used by less than 100,000 people
• 2,200 languages can be found in Asia and just 260 can be found in Europe
• There are 46 languages that have just a single speaker 
• At least half of the world's popular are bilingual or multilingual
• Russia (population 148 million) has the highest number of languages spoken on its territory - between 130 to 200, depending on criteria
• All pilots on international flights identify themselves in English
• Many languages in Africa include a clicking sound that is pronounced at the same time as other sounds. You must learn these languages in childhood to do it properly
• Somalia is the only African country in which the entire population speaks the same language - Somali
• around 200 artificial languages have been created since the 17th century

(Fact sources: bbc.co.uk, factmonster.com, edl.ecml.at)

So there we go - ten fascinating language facts.  Now you can go and amaze your friends with your new knowledge :)  

Happy International Mother Language Day once again.  Goodbye, adios, ciao, elveda, afscheid, नमस्ते  

Simply languages, 

Simply Nectar

Put the kettle on and enjoy English Tea Shop teas

If you're anything like us then you'll probably like tea.  Actually no, you won't like it, you'll LOVE it!  Who doesn't?!   Tea solves everything.  It answers all problems, mends all broken hearts and stops all those tears from falling.  It is wonderful stuff, and we Brits love it. We drink it day and night, in all sorts of places and for all sorts of reasons.  Come to think of it we put the kettle on at every given opportunity – during a tea break at work, when a friend comes round for a cuppa and even when disaster strikes and we need time to collect our thoughts.  The water boils, the mugs come out and the tea is made.  Well, it certainly happens that way here at Simply Nectar!

Our love for tea meant we were very excited to hear that our friends at What On Earth have formed a distribution partnership with English Tea Shop.  This means that What On Earth is now a supplier of these delicious tasting teas.  The company will supply more than 20 different flavours of English Tea Shop teas, both in envelope and silken pyramid tea bags.  The selection of teas will include favourites such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Peppermint, Black Tea Chai and Superberries.  

If you haven't tried English Tea Shop teas before then you really should.  The company sources the finest, tastiest ingredients to create genuinely lovely teas.  English Tea Shop is based in the UK but has its manufacturing facility in the heart of Sri Lanka.  The company deals directly with farmers and producers from all over the world and has some of the most experienced tea blenders, formulators and tasters in the industry.  The company has spent hours blending, tasting and sampling different tea blends, which is why they all taste so good.  We should know, we've tried many of them.

Like Simply Nectar and What On Earth, English Tea Shop is a very green company that cares about the environment.  It purchases most of its teas and ingredients from small producers in the third world, and they take great care in selecting their suppliers.  The company’s factory has lots of green certification and its tea is certified organic by Soil Association. Some teas are also Rainforest Alliance Certified and some have Ethical Tea Partnership Certification.  The factory in Sri Lanka is also on its way to becoming carbon neutral and all the teas used are from certified ‘Ozone Friendly’ plantations.  English Tea Shop is a key Fairtrade player and has international licensing to market Fairtrade products in more than 25 countries.  Fairtrade not only helps farmers to achieve a sustainable livelihood but rewards and encourages farming and production practices that are environmentally sustainable.

Photo Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you want to find out more about What On Earth visit www.whatonearth.co.uk.  If you want to find out more about English Tea Shop then visit www.etsteas.co.uk.  

Simply tea,

Simply Nectar

Non-alcoholic cocktails for a dry January

If, like us, you are attempting to have a dry January, and you’ve also made a New Year’s resolution to stay healthy, then you are going to love this post.  Why?  Because we have pulled together eight different non-alcoholic (and healthy!) cocktail recipes – one for every flavour of Simply Nectar.  You can call them mocktails, not-tails or even virgin cocktails.  Whatever you call them you can be safe in the knowledge that these drinks contain no alcohol.

The non-alcoholic cocktails drinks will have you feeling fresh, happy and hydrated, and they’ll certainly help you stick to that healthy diet.  Plus they won’t leave you craving alcohol as they will keep you full and satisfied.  In fact, they may even whisk you away to far away shores.  The exotic flavours will make you think you’re sipping cocktails on a sandy beach under the blazing sun.  Well, until you open your eyes and look out the window of course. 

Photo courtesy of Kongsky - FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

We hope you enjoy our suggestions.  Good luck with the resolutions!

  

Winter Delight

• 250ml Pear Simply Nectar 
• 50ml Cranberry juice
• 30ml Citron Pressé Simply Nectar
• Slice of lemon
• Cinnamon stick

Take a cocktail shaker and fill half of it with ice.  Pour over the Pear Simply Nectar, cranberry juice and Citron Presse Simply Nectar. Shake the cocktail well and strain martini glasses.  Pierce a round slice of lemon with a cinnamon stick and lay across the top of the glass.

 

Safe sex on the Beach

• 150ml Orange Simply Nectar
• 150ml pineapple juice
• 50ml Peach Simply Nectar
• Juice of half a line
• Wedge of lime
• Orange peel

Add the Orange Simply Nectar, Peach Simply Nectar, pineapple juice and lime juice to a cocktail shaker that is half filled with ice.  Shake the mixture and strain into highball glasses.  Top with ice and garnish with a lime wedge and orange peel.

Photo courtesy of Carlos Porto - FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Passion for Mangoes

• 250ml Mango Simply Nectar
• 100ml Orange Simply Nectar
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• Juice of one lime
• 50ml soda water

Add the Mango Simply Nectar, Orange Simply Nectar, lime and honey to a coktail shaker that is a quarter full with ice.  Give the mixture a good shake and top with soda water. Stir the drink and strain into highball glasses.  Top with ice if desired.

Apricot Dream

• 85ml Apricot Simply Nectar
• 70ml white grape juice
• 30ml ginger ale
• 1/4 tsp ground clove

Pour the Apricot Simply Nectar, white grape juice, ginger beer, and most of the ground clove into a cocktail mixer.  Top with ice and shake.  Strain the mixture into a martini glass and sprinkle the rest of the ground clove on top of the drink.

Virgin Bellini

• 60ml Peach Simply Nectar
• 1 teaspoon grenadine syrup
• 60ml soda water
• Fresh raspberries

Add the Peach Simply Nectar to a champagne flute followed by the teaspoon of grenadine.  Top the flute with soda water, garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.

Sucking bitter lemons

• 200ml Citron Pressé Simply Nectar
• 200ml ginger ale
• 1 tsp grenadine syrup
• 1 dash bitters
• Orange slice

Add the Lemon Simply Nectar, grenadine and bitters to ice-filled highball glasses.  Top with ginger ale and garnish with a slice of orange.

Raspberry Sunset

• 200ml Raspberry Simply Nectar
• 100ml Peach Simply Nectar
• 50ml Guava juice
• 50ml soda water
• Fresh raspberries

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the Raspberry Simply Nectar, Peach Simply Nectar and guava juice.  Shake the mixture well and top with soda water.  Stir the drink and strain into glasses.  Top with ice (if required) and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Simply mocktails,

Simply Nectar

Christmas 2012 in (rather embarrassing) photos

It’s December, the weather is dire and Christmas is just around the corner.  This can only mean one thing...the Simply Nectar and What On Earth work Christmas party.  Oh yes!  And what a night was had. Are you sure you're ready for this blog post?!

This year we decided to go all Mexican.  I'm not entirely sure why this was the theme but everyone seemed happy with it.  I personally think it was just the excuse we all needed to wear fake moustaches, eat lots of burritos and drink lots of tequila....and Corona, and Sol, and wine...!  So that is what we did.  Oh and we played some piñata.  If you're brave enough to look below then you can see exactly what went on at the party.  Hopefully the following photos will get you giggling - they certainly did us!  Enjoy.

Here are the sensible pics:

Mexican decorations

Mariachi in an impressive stance

Beers

TEQUILA!!!!

Lots of delicious dips made by Sergei

Yummy Indian food made by Ekta

And now for the fun pics:

"The boys, the boys..."

What a handsome bunch

Piñata!

Ekta turns into the piñata!

So there we have it - a brief insight into the delights of our Christmas party.  If you want to see more head over to our Facebook page and take a look at the full album: www.facebook.com/SimplyNectar.   There are certainly a few more embarrassing pictures in there!  Don't forget to 'like' our Facebook page while you're there.

We hope your work do is/was just as fun as ours.

Simply Christmas, 

Simply Nectar.

The benefits of using agave syrup

Our friends over at What On Earth have recently launched some delicious new organic granolas, which have excellent health benefits.  Why?  Because rather than sugar or honey the company uses organic agave syrup in the granolas.  Agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) is a healthier alternative to honey and sugar and it has numerous other benefits.  This struck a particular chord with us because we do not like refined sugars  - we don't add them to Simply Nectar drinks after all.  Hearing about natural alternatives to sugar is therefore extremely interesting and something we want you all to know about.

What On Earth's new granolas

Agave syrup is produced from the blue agave plant, which grows in the southern United States, northern South America and the hilly regions of Mexico.  There are four parts of the plant that can be used in cooking – the flowers, leaves, stalks and sap.  The sap, which is used in the production of agave syrup, comes from the flower shoots.

Agave syrup has been used for centuries as a folk remedy for its medicinal properties.  Aztecs used to mix it with salt and use it as a dressing for wounds and a balm for skin infections.  Modern medical studies have also confirmed agave’s remedial properties. 

The main health property of agave syrup is its low glycemic index.  Unlike sugar which is a processed sweetener that has no nutritive value other than calories, agave syrup is a natural sweetener.  It provides sweetness without the unpleasant sugar rush and unhealthy blood sugar spike that sugars provide.  This means it won’t cause a sharp rise or fall in sugar and will provide more consistent energy throughout the day.  The glycemic value of agave syrup is 27, whereas sucrose or sugar has a value of 92.

Agave syrup contains saponins and fructans which are known for their anti-inflammatory and immune system-boosting properties.   It also contains natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and a nutritious fibre called inulin.  This itself has many health benefits.  It is suggested that inulin is helpful to weight loss because of its low impact on blood sugar and its ability to decrease appetite and keep you feeling fuller for longer.  Inulin is also associated with lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of certain cancers and increasing absorption of nutrients.  Plus studies have shown that it enhances calcium absorption by as much as 20% and increases bone density by 15%.

Agave syrup has also been proven effective against intestinal bacteria and to treat colon diseases such as ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.  If applied to the skin it can also be effective against bacteria.  Adding salt to it further boasts this.

Agave syrup can be used to replace natural sweeteners in most recipes.  It is 40% sweeter than sugar so less needs to be used – therefore cutting calories.  Amazingly just a third of a cup of agave syrup can be used to replace one cup of sugar.  If agave syrup is used then the liquid ingredients in the recipe will also need to be reduced by about a third, seeing as agave syrup is a liquid – not a dry matter like sugar.

So, there we have it – a brief overview of agave syrup to let you know all about this wonderful ingredient.  If you need to add sugar to your recipes maybe you should opt for agave syrup instead.

Simply agave,

Simply Nectar