Ren Behan - Author Wild Honey and Rye

Food Writer

Christmas Party

Cod, Chorizo and Pea Puree Bites

It’s almost time to start thinking about Christmas food. I say almost, because traditionally, I don’t really start thinking about Christmas food until December. However, the folks at Lurpak have invited me to take part in their Lurpak Christmas Menu this year and I’ve been tasked with creating an ‘amuse bouche’ or a ‘one bite wonder’ to get the party started. Happily, most of the thinking has been done for me, by Lurpak’s Facebook fans, who have been sending in their suggestions for their ultimate festive canapés. It was hard to pick just one recipe to recreate as there was so many great suggestions, but I was drawn to an idea by Lou Sharp who said that her one bite wonder would be a “Lurpak buttery pea puree topped with a chunk of cod and finished with a slice of chorizo.” So, here is my recreation of that idea – my Cod, Chorizo and Pea Purée Bites.

cod, chorizo and pea puree bites

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Review and Giveaway: Candy Stripe Party Christmas Set

I always love to hear about new local ventures, particularly those set up by enterprising clever mums thinking of business ideas from home. I spotted a new company recently via Facebook called Candy Stripe Party, an online party boutique. The business was set up by two mums called Thea and Kate who live very close to me. It turns out that we have mutual friends in common and having had a look at the Candy Stripe Party website, I’m personally thrilled to find such pretty and unusual party sets for children all in one place.

Candy Stripe Party

This is the sort of stuff you would usually see in a Martha Stewart or a Donna Hay feature. I love their baking cups, the delicate twine, the cake push-up containers and their paper straws, in particular. I’ve also used the Meri Meri cupcake kits before and the cases stand up very well during baking. So, if you are planning a party for your little ones, do take a look – you can shop by party theme and colour.  I know that Thea and Kate have plans to stock more items as the business grows.

I’m particularly fond of their current Christmas range and Candy Stripe Party would like to offer one of my readers the chance to win a Christmas party set for your little ones. We usually have a little table for the children at Christmas, where they can sit and eat snacks, clementines, gingerbread biscuits and cakes, so these plates and cups will come in very handy for us.

Please note that the mini milk bottles were purchased by myself from Dot Com Gift Shop (School milk bottles in a crate RRP £9.99) and they will not form part of the prize.

Candy Stripe Party

The yummy cupcakes featured in these photos were made to a recipe by Sarah at Maison Cupcake for Speculoos Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting. If you haven’t tried Lotus caramelised biscuit paste, keep a look out for it – it is available in the UK now at Waitrose and it sits next to the Nutella. It is made from those lovely little caramalised bicuits that are usually individually packaged and it’s highly addictive! 

The photos were taken during a recent Food Styling workshop at my home, which I’ll be writing lots more about soon.

Here’s how to enter the Candy Stripe Party giveaway –

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to Thea and Kate with their gorgeous new little local venture and many thanks for the Candy Stripe samples.