No added sugar but plenty of spice - festive cocktails the sugar free, Simply Nectar way

I suddenly realised today that there just under five weeks left until Christmas.  This is quite a scary thought considering I have not even started thinking about buying presents etc.  Having said this, I have given certain elements of the Christmas period some serious thought.  Those elements are mainly focused around partying and all that is needed to do this well. 

First on my list was cocktails.  Oh yes, those pretty and deliciously fruity mixtures are a must have at every celebration but more often than not they are a disappointment - especially when you spend a fortune on them in swanky bars.  Despite their flashy appearance and overwhelming price tag, the drinks turn out to be a sugar filled, sickly sweet mess topped with an umbrella and, if you're lucky, a Maraschino cherry.

We have therefore designed our very own cocktails using none other than juicy, sugar free Simply Nectar.  The cocktails are easy and inexpensive to make and can suit every party going.  Also, with the festive season almost upon us, I am aware that more and more cocktails will be launched throughout bars across the country, leaving a trail of sugary concoctions in their wake.  We are therefore attempting to save all you cocktail lovers the displeasure of tucking into yet another sugary monstrosity.  We therefore propose that you make these great Simply Nectar cocktails.  They are perfect for Christmas parties and even the New Year detox. Why?  Because Simply Nectar is high in vitamins and free from all pesticides, preservatives, GMOs and refined sugars of course.  But then you probably know that already don't you?!



Our very own Raspberry Bubbles cocktail


To make these lovely drinks we have teamed up with Vintage Roots, the organic wine specialists, and What On Earth, an award winning organic food company.  Vintage Roots has suggested their favourite organic wines and champagnes for the drinks.  All are available from www.vintageroots.co.uk. 

Winter Sunrise

- 100 ml Cava Petit Albet

- 30 ml Orange Simply Nectar

- either A handful of What On Earth Organic Raspberries, blended

- or 20 ml Raspberry Simply Nectar

Fill chilled flute with blended raspberries or Raspberry Simply Nectar and add Orange Simply Nectar. Stir gently and top with Cava.

Raspberry Bubbles

- 50 ml Raspberry Simply Nectar

- 100 ml Serge Faust Champagne

- 2-4 raspberries from a What On Earth Organic Frozen Raspberry Pouch

Place frozen raspberries at the bottom of a chilled flute.  Add the Raspberry Simply Nectar and fill with Champagne.

Icy Delight
- 40ml Peach Simply Nectar
- 10ml  Citron Presse Simply Nectar
- 100ml Prosecco Giol

- Crushed ice

Fill a chilled flute with Citron Presse Simply Nectar followed by the Peach Simply Nectar.  Add Prosecco and top with crushed ice

Just Peachy Bellini

- 50 ml Peach Simply Nectar

- 100 ml Prosecco Bosco del Merlo

Fill a chilled flute with Peach Simply Nectar and gently add the Prosecco.  Stir gently

Our Just Peachy Bellini

Festive Flirt

- 100 ml Serge Faust Champagne

- 25 ml Organic Vodka (various types available through Vintage Roots)

- 25 ml What On Earth Organic Pineapple Chunks, blended

Fill flute with blended organic pineapple followed by the organic vodka and stir gently.  Top with Champagne.

What a Lovely Pear
- 100ml Cava Petit Albet
- 50ml Pear Simply Nectar
- 1 lime cut into wedges

Fill a chilled flute with Pear Simply Nectar and top with champagne.  Squeeze and drop in one wedge of lime.

If you want to make any of these virgin cocktails - take out the alcohol, simple :)

We hope you manage to try making some of these suggestions.  In fact, we insist you do.  Also, send in photos of your very own homemade cocktails (and those funny party pics of course) so we can see exactly how much you love them.

Simply cocktails.

Simply Nectar

11/11/11 - Our One Day On Earth

This morning, during the 11th hour on 11/11/11, we made a piece of history.  We joined in a human massage chain for One Day On Earth.  The human massage chain took place in St Martin’s Court in Covent Garden and was done in conjunction with Melvita, a certified organic (EcoCert) skincare brand.  Melvita is made in the south of France, a bit like Simply Nectar, so that’s why we thought we would join them in the inspirational and unforgettable event that took place this morning.  Also, the brand is very ethical – just like us.  Another tick in the box!   Read up on Melvita here: http://uk.melvita.com/

One Day On Earth is a global media creation that documents what is happening around the world on 11/11/11.  People from across the globe recorded what occurred on this day and all the clips/photographs etc will be put together to create a share archive and film.  You can read more about here: http://www.onedayonearth.org/

The human massage chain in full flow

Simply Nectar drinks were haned out in the goody bags at this morning’s event, plus we also took part in the human massage chain.  This was a delight because the massage on my shoulders was great, although my arms were aching because the girl in front of me was a lot taller!  Plus, my massage skills aren’t great so I doubt the poor girl in front of me enjoyed it overly much.  Despite that, it was a fun experience.  We managed to participate in the minute’s silence at 11am and then join history by documenting the human massage chain for One Day On Earth.  It was certainly one way to enjoy 11/11/11.

Goody bags at the ready

Did anybody else do anything memorable at all?  It would be great to hear about it so please let us know.

Simply massages.

Simply Nectar

Logistics Manager wanted at What On Earth / Simply Nectar

As we're rather close friends with the guys at What On Earth we wanted to do them a favour...we're posting a job advertisement for them.  We're nice like that, see.  Also, to be honest, the new team member What On Earth is looking for will actually be working with Simply Nectar as well, so we are being a weeny bit selfish ;)

Do you want to join the friendly team here at What On Earth / Simply Nectar?  Do you fancy getting involved in our fun and working in the food /drinks industry?  Well, now you can.  Why?  Because we have a job vacancy and it could be perfect for you.

What On Earth is a fun-loving organic food manufacturer and supplier and we are currently seeking a confident and experienced Logistics Manager to come and work with us.  We have two sites – one in London and one in Somerset – but this role will be based in London.  You will also work with Simply Nectar – a range of award winning sugar free fruit juices and nectars.

About the role:

We are looking for someone with plenty of experience driving in London and an excellent grasp of the highway code. The role involves:

• Overseeing the supply chain cycle and organising deliveries
• Overseeing stock takes, stock checks and internal stock audit
• Line managing 11 members of staff across a double shift operation

You will be in charge of:

• Monitoring and maintaining all logistics related KPIs
• Creating and monitoring department staff rotas; task lists; logs
• Department training and setting of benchmarks and standards for staff
• Departmental cost management
• Departmental waste management
• Management of Sage stock aspect

The role attracts a salary of £23K annually, negotiable after completing a three month probation period. It is offered on a full-time basis (40 hours a week) with two days off a week.

To be considered for this role ideally you will have a track record of working within leading warehouse operations. Other essential qualifications & knowledge we are looking for include:

• UK/EU driver’s licence and have the right to work in the UK
• Have at least 12 months experience as logistics supervisor or similar or suitable experience
• Forklift licence – essential
• Experience in Sage50 will be an advantage
• Good leadership and problem solving skills  

If you are interested in this role, please send your CV and covering letter to the HR Administrator, Marta, on marta@whatonearth.co.uk.  Closing date is 25 November 2011.

What on Earth is an equal opportunity employer and applications are welcomed from everyone (as long as you hold the minimum experience/requirements).

This is where we have to apologise…. basically, due to the high volume of interest generated, we cannot reply to every application.  If you have not heard from us within two weeks please consider your application as unsuccessful – SORRY!

Oh also – we do not deal with agencies so if you are from an agency, please do not contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you job seekers.

Thanks,

What On Earth and Simply Nectar

 

A lesson on Halloween - Polish style

Halloween seems to get more hyped up every year.  I never remember it being such a big deal in England when I was a child, but over the years it seems to have gained in popularity.  Commercialism has hit and now we are preparing for the night with almost as much gusto as the United States.  I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.  Oh no.  It’s rather a fun affair if you ask me.  But, since having a chat with some colleagues, I’ve found out that Halloween means something completely different to them. 



Courtesy of zirconicusso / freedigitalphotos.net



The team here at Simply Nectar and What On Earth are a real mixed bunch.  We have people from all over the world working here – a rich mix of individuals that offer something different to the team.  We have people from England, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Brazil, Italy, Estonia…the list could continue.  The benefits of having such a mixed bag of people are the variety of cultures and traditions.  It was during a chat about Halloween that I learnt more about the traditions of Poland at this time of year.  It was so interesting that I thought I’d share it with you.

In Poland, Halloween is not celebrated.  Instead, All Saints’ Day is observed on 1 November.  It is an important date that allows the Polish to gather with families to recognise and remember the deceased.  In the evening of 1 November, the locals visit cemeteries to place candles and flowers on the graves of the deceased and to say prayers for them.  The tombs and graves of everybody are honoured.  Despite the mournful and sombre feel of the night, the candlelight makes it beautiful. Mass is also held for those who want to go to church.  The people of Poland also believe that spirits roam so they leave their doors and windows open to welcome the visiting spirits.  All Saints’ Day is then followed by All Souls’ Day on 2 November.  More church services are held for those who want to remember the dead.  Nowadays, it seems the fun side of Halloween is becoming more popular in Poland but traditionally it was never celebrated in that way.

Copyright: Taken from Gone-ta-pott.com

We’ll try and find out about more Halloween celebrations from other members of the team.  I’ll report back on anything interesting.  In the mean time, enjoy all the Halloween celebrations this weekend if you’re heading out.  Our very own purchasing manager is going to a Halloween party dressed as Alex DeLarge from Clockwork Orange.  If we can get photos, we will.  If not, you’ll just have to look him up to know what he looks like.  That’s your homework for the weekend J

Simply Polish Halloween.

Simply Nectar

An apple a day and all that…

Today is National Apple Day.  This is a fact.  Last week it was National Curry Week and National Chocolate Week – both in the same week.  This week it is National Baking Week and now, to coincide with all that baking, it is Apple Day.  Does that mean we must bake things with apples??

Courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / Freedigitalphotos.net

As it’s Friday, a day we all love, and because we're in an office and not a kitchen, we have decided to ditch the baking and do a fascinating blog post to take you into the weekend.  That’s right, we’re going to teach you all about apples…of course we are, what else would we talk about on Apple Day?

From the wacky and wonderful to the downright bizzare, we have come up with a list of facts, stats and experiments for you to learn and try.  Fun huh?!  Just say yes….we think it’s fun so please do humour us :-)

Right, eyes down and look this way.  Here we go….

• Apples, like many other pieces of fruit, give off ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process.  If you want to ripen certain other pieces of fruit in your fruit bowl, place them next to the apples.  If you don’t want your pieces of fruit to ripen fast, don’t put the apples next to them
• Fresh apples float on water because 25% of their volume is air
• Some studies have found that the smell of green apples can reduce the symptoms of a migraine AND can shorten a migraine episode. Putting apples on your head is optional
 

Courtesy of Ambro / freedigitalphotos.net

• Apples are high in fibre – one apple can supply about 20 pre cent of the RDA.  Most of the fibre and antioxidants are found in the peel so it is important to eat this part as well as the flesh
• No apple is identical
• The apple fruit itself is covered with a natural layer of wax to protect its high water content. Hence, fresh apples are always crisp
• Now it’s winter we can feed our apple leftovers to our feathered friends who are suffering in the cold outside.  Add the apple to other fruit and seed and those birds have got a meal fit for a king.
• Each colour apple is good for you in different ways:
• Green Apples – Good for strong bones and teeth, aids in vision and has anti cancer properties
• Yellow Apples – Good for heart, eyes and immune system; reduce risk of some cancers
• Red Apples – Good for heart and memory function, lower risk of some cancers and help maintain urinary tract health.

Courtesy of m_bartosch / freedigitalphotos.net

The last and most important fact of the day is this…..

Drink Apple Simply Nectar every day and your life will be better.  

OK, maybe that is more of a prediction than a fact.  BUT this bit is fact…Apple Simply Nectar contains 100 % pure apple.  You won’t find any refined sugars, preservatives or pesticides in the drink.  Plus, one tiny bottle contains over a third of your RDA of vitamin C.  Oooh, what a clever little drink.

Simply apples.

Simply Nectar

What On Earth does SALSA

Everybody at the What On Earth/Simply Nectar office is dancing round their desks…in their underwear. OK, so maybe that last bit isn’t so true - everybody is wearing clothes really.  But, they are still deliriously happy and are dancing around/waving their arms about.  It looks like an odd rendition of the Conga.  In fact, some of the team resemble Morris Dancers!



Courtesy of Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net



So, why on earth are we dancing like crazy people?  It’s not because we’re all desperate for the toilet and no, it isn’t because we are swatting away flies or trying to get attention. We are so happy because we have just found out some fantastic news…

WHAT ON EARTH RECEIVED SALSA ACCREDITATION FOR 2011. Wahooo!

This doesn’t mean that What On Earth are accredited Salsa dancers. Sadly not – they just like to think they can Salsa and that they can swirl, twirl and grind with the best of them. The SALSA accreditation is in fact to do with the food industry – it has nothing to do with dancing…although it has caused us all to break out into dance!

In SALSA's own words:

“SALSA is a nationally recognised food safety certification scheme specifically developed for small and micro producers.  It is a food-safety standard written by experienced food safety experts to reflect both the legal requirements of producers and the enhanced expectations of ‘best practise’ of professional food buyers.”  (Source: www.salsafood.co.uk)

SALSA stands for Safe And Local Supplier Approval.  The scheme allows What On Earth to demonstrate the ways they work in order to show that they use a robust and effective food safety standard.  And that is exactly what they do here, hence the SALSA accreditation.

SALSA is widely accepted and recognised by retailers and food service providers.  We are therefore extremely proud of What On Earth for achieving accreditation once again.  It shows that they can meet high criteria in food hygiene, production, distribution and storage.  It also shows that they produce safe and legal food and that they’re fully committed to meeting the requirements of SALSA.

Let’s hear it for SALSA, woooo!!  Now let’s all dance the Salsa in our underwear.  Participation is optional :-)

Simply SALSA

Simply Nectar

A rather busy and filling spot of lunch!

As you know, Simply Nectar made an appearance on the What On Earth stand at lunch! last week.  Our range of drinks were displayed for all to see and we're pleased to say that we immensely enjoyed our time at the exhibition.  The two day show, which was held at Old Billingsgate in London, was busy, busy busy.  Not only were we spoilt with lots of people, we were also spoilt for an amazing location and glorious weather. Old Billingsgate is based right on the River Thames so when we could afford a quick break from the busyness, we could stare out across the water while soaking up the sunshine.  It was truly beauuutiful.  Plus, with a Simply Nectar in hand, it made us feel like we were somewhere much more exotic.

The show itself was extremely successful – for all involved. There was a wide range of exhibitors offering all manner of food and drink products. The visitors loved it and we loved it…especially as we got to try lots of food. In fact, we got to try soooo much that we didn’t need breakfast, lunch or dinner!

The What On Earth stand was rather on the small side but we made they most of what they had and turned it into a delightful little grotto.  It got covered in What On Earth's signature logos and pictures, lots of organic food and loads of bottles of Simply Nectar.  There was also some products from What On Earth's favourite suppliers, namely organic chocolate from GO*DO, smoked meats from Rannoch and also bottles of water from Harrogate Water. Everything was a hit with the visitors and the food and drinks were wolfed down. We do have a slight confession to make though…we may have consumed a small amount of What On Earth's food and quite a few Simply Nectar drinks ourselves. Ooops. It was just too good – we couldn’t resist!

Some of the items on the What On Earth stand that we tucked into were a variety of organic pizzas and different types of filo rolls – Cajun, curried potato and spinach with feta. Yum!  We made sure every flavour of Simply Nectar was on the stand too, which meant we had lots of choice of drinks to wash the food down with.  The stand next to us – Nature’s Table – also provided us with goodies, including nuts, yoghurt coated raisins and lots of savoury snacks. Lucky us.  This is Jeremy getting friendly with one of our next door neighbours at the show.  That's how you do it you see - make friends and then get the freebies :-)

We managed to get so friendly with the neighbours that the gentleman opposite us even offered to put our Simply Nectar in the fridges he was selling.  Good huh?!

If you came along to lunch! and tried any Simply Nectar on the What On Earth stand please make yourself known to us so we can stay in touch. It would be great to hear from you.

Simply exhibitors.

Simply Nectar