THISMONTH …
THISMONTH
We’ re reading …
A MAN CALLED OVE BY FREDERIK BACKMAN
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. Meet Ove. He ' s a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him‘ the bitter neighbour from hell’, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn ' t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time? Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness … A Man Called Ove is a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul.
From £ 6, www. amazon. co. uk
We’ re picnicking with …
OLLY’ S OLIVES
Olly’ s Olives are naturally vegan and gluten-free, all under 95 calories per packet, and made delicious by mouthwatering marinades. Packaged in handy pouches with no stones, no messy oils and no artificial preservatives, they are the brainchild of lifelong olive fanatic, Olly Hiscocks, who grew tired of poor quality snacks so much so that he turned down medical school in order to change how we eat olives. After a year of research and tasting, Olly decided to source his jumbo green olives from Halkidiki, Greece and the key to the taste and texture of Olly’ s Olives is the fact that they are not pasteurised, a process that adversely affects flavour, consistency and nutritional content.
By not heat-treating their juicy Halkidiki olives, they retain their crunchy texture, full flavour and excellent nutritional value. Dee-lish.
Snack Pouch Taster Pack £ 9, https:// shop. ollysolives. com
We’ re sipping...
STOPHAM ESTATE PINOT BLANC
One beer too many at a barbecue and you’ ll leave yourself with little space for all of the delicious food, which is where this brilliant alternative tipple comes in. Ideal for a hot day, Stopham Estate Pinot Blanc is full of fresh acidity and tropical flavours of melon, grapefruit, citrus and pear and is particularly great with seafood fresh off the grill. If you want to pick up this glorious, crisp white personally, you’ ll have to nip to our neighbouring county and visit Stopham Vineyard’ s winery in West Sussex’ s South Downs National Park, where you can try then buy a fantastic range of quality still and sparkling wines.
£ 14.95, www. stophamvineyard. co. uk
WE’ RE KEEPING COOL WITH …
We’ re eating …
MIIRO VEGAN ICE CREAMS
Made with frozen coconut milk, these delicious vegan ice creams are nutritionally bolstered by tasty nuts, sweetened with coconut sugar and Italian grapes, balanced by Himalayan pink salt and fortified with pea protein. Each luxurious gluten-free treat is coated in a thick layer of nutrient-dense raw cacao and contains no refined sugar, no preservatives, and no artificial flavourings. Available in three innovative flavour combinations: salted caramel, peanut butter, and chocolate hazelnut, each variety has been thoughtfully designed for the ultimate rich taste and creamy texture, but with nutrition firmly in mind. The handy on-the-go bars contain a careful balance of protein, carbohydrates and good fats, and they’ re also rich in fibre.
From £ 6.49( pack of 3), www. miiro. co. uk
We’ re listening to …
LORDE – MELODRAMA
Singled out by the late, great David Bowie as“ the future of music”, Lorde first piqued the attention of music lovers with her debut album, Pure Heroine, back in 2013. A New Zealander, she lacked the ruthlessness and over-polished‘ in your face’ attitude of America’ s pop princesses, which, ironically, only served to heighten the interest surrounding her. Ironically again, she now resides in New York, the growling belly of the overinflated world of superstardom she so beautifully eye-rolled in her debut hit,‘ Royals’… That said, this second album, though clearly more influenced by the industry at large, is still as husky, observant and, well, pleasingly weird, as one would expect from Lorde and it doesn’ t disappoint.
From £ 5, www. amazon. co. uk
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