Richard Osmand, of BBC 1 Quiz Show Pointless fame, recently ran a World Cup of Christmas songs on Twitter. Over 22,000 votes were cast in the final which pitched Wham's Last Christmas against Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. With 51% of the vote, the Pogues took the crown in a narrow victory and were declared the champions.
Readers and subscribers of Tuesday At 7 have been voting for their favourite Christmas song when entering the recent Blue Cube Bluetooth Speaker competition. The nominations have been compiled and we can now bring you our very own Tuesday At 7 Christmas Top 10.
10. Dean Martin - Let it Snow!
Some may say it's not really a christmas song but it does feature on most Christmas albums and does make you embrace winter, get festive and indeed makes you think of Christmas so this Dean Martin classic is a worthy addition and sneaks into our top 10 with 2% of the votes.
9. The Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)
The Darkness are still around but are struggling to hit the heights of their iconic album Permission to Land. At the height of their fame they did manage to achieve what few modern acts have managed to do and that was lay down a Christmas track that became an instant classic and a mainstay on the Christmas album and airplay playlists and a great track it is too. The Darkness secure number 9 on our countdown with just over 2% of the votes.
8. Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas
Heading home for Christmas, time off work, time to visit the family. All elements of a traditional Christmas for many of us and Chris Rea captures that perfectly with this anthem. Many of our voters agreed and with 5% of the vote, he's in at number 8.
7. Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
Shakin' Stevens had many tracks, but he's undoubtedly most well known for this Christmas stormer that rarely fails to get people toe tapping and dad dancing at the Christmas parties. With just over 5% of the vote, Shaky takes the number 7 spot.
6. Wizzard - Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day
Some people really like Christmas. Few more so than the members of Wizzard who love Christmas so much they wish they could celebrate it every day. I'm not sure I could handle 365 Christmas dinners but I love their enthusiasm. 8% of the vote sees Wizzard secure number 6.
5. Mel & Kim - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Maybe not the best idea after a few Christmas tipples, but Kim Wilde would love us to give it a go. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and hopefully not knocking it over was popular with our voters. 11% of the vote sees her climb into the top 5.
4. Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas
Mariah tells us what she wants for Christmas and makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside as a result. She wanted it and she got it and with just over 11% of the votes, she also got number 4 on our countdown.
3. Wham! - Last Christmas
Possibly somewhat of a shock, Wham (who came runner up in Richard Osmand's poll) could only manage number 3 with our voters. A tragic tale of a Christmas gone by, still resonated strongly with many of our voters, securing 12% of the vote, but others were maybe looking for something a little more upbeat meaning Wham finish at number 3.
2. The Pogues - Fairytale of New York
With Wham coming in a place lower than Richard Osmand's poll, the Pogues saw the same fate, coming in at number 2 on our poll with 13% of the vote. The ultimate drunken ballad, the anthem of a very merry Christmas, our voters were quick to start voting for this classic and it remained in poll position for quite some time, but it was pipped at the end. Number 2 is nothing to be ashamed of though and it takes it's place as one of the top Christmas anthems around.
1. Slade - Merry Christmas Everyone
To topple Wham and the Pogues it would have to take something special, and 14% of our voters thought this one ticks that box. Slade, wishing a Merry Christmas to Everyone (and let's not forget the emphatic proclamation that IT'S CHRISTMAS!), takes the top spot.
The ultimate upbeat Christmas anthem to get the Christmas party started, Noddy Holder and the gang are crowned our top Christmas Party song ever.
A brilliant top 10 i'm sure you'll agree. Thanks to all the voters for their nominations and I hope you all had a fabulous time this Christmas.
Thursday, 28 December 2017
Monday, 25 December 2017
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Baby Damon and I would just like to wish all of my visitors, readers, followers and subscribers a very Happy Christmas.
I hope your Christmas has been as fantastic as our first one together.
I hope your Christmas has been as fantastic as our first one together.
Sunday, 24 December 2017
COMPETITION WINNER - WIN a Blue Cube Bluetooth Speaker
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition for the chance to win a Blue Cube Bluetooth Speaker. There were 34,360 entries registered through GLEAM as well as some extras registered on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The winner, chosen at random was - ELIZABETH SMITH from Norwich. Congratulations Elizabeth, your speaker will be on it's way to you soon.
Have a great Christmas everyone. Our next competition will go live soon.
Tuesday At 7 - Bluetooth Speaker Competition
The winner, chosen at random was - ELIZABETH SMITH from Norwich. Congratulations Elizabeth, your speaker will be on it's way to you soon.
Have a great Christmas everyone. Our next competition will go live soon.
Tuesday At 7 - Bluetooth Speaker Competition
Saturday, 23 December 2017
Birth Announcement
This little man kept us waiting and showed no signs that he wanted to come out and brave the big bad world.
Maybe it was too warm and cosy in the home he had made for himself for 9 months (and then some) and he didn't fancy the winter weather outside. Maybe he's just not a fan of Christmas and wanted to stay in until the last chime and bells of a Christmas song had passed for another year. Or maybe he was just comfortable and didn't want to get out of his bed.
Whatever the reason, he sure kept us waiting and caused us a fair amount of stress along the way but we are just delighted that he is finally here. Baby Damon James was brought into the world at 4.03am on 20th December, weighing 8lbs 8oz.
Mummy, daddy and baby are all doing well and are settled in back at home as their big new adventure begins.
Tuesday, 19 December 2017
REVIEW - Cuisinart Deluxe Ice Cream Maker (with AO.com)
It’s hard not to love a delicious bowl of ice cream but
making it at home was never something I’d considered (and I’ve seen the
challenges contestant after contestant on Masterchef have had trying to get
theirs to set).
But the challenge was set when the guys at AO.com agreed to
send me the Cuisinart Deluxe Ice Cream Maker, to see if I could make some
delicious ice cream at home. If you’ve still not used AO.com before, I can highly
recommend them. From their brilliant, easy to navigate website with a huge
product range, to their really simple delivery experience.
You get a 1 hour timeslot letting you know exactly when your
product is going to arrive so you don’t have to wait in all day and then, the knock
at the door and the friendly delivery man hands over your brand new product.
Give them a look, give them a try and I know you won’t be disappointed.
On to the product in hand, the Cuisinart Deluxe Ice Cream
Maker. Let’s have a look at what you get.
The good news about this product is that it is really
simple. There’s very few parts so it’s easy to get going. The lid, your ice
cream paddle, your bowl and the device, it’s that simple. One knob at the front
turns it from off to on and you’re good to go.
Now, one word of warning if you have children. Don’t let
them know you’ve bought the product until it is ready to use. It takes a bit of
time before you can make your first portion of ice cream as you have to place
the ice cream bowl in the freezer to freeze for a minimum of 12 hours before it
is ready to use.
If you tell the children you have the device and you haven’t
frozen the bowl yet, it’s going to be exactly the same as it was on that long
trip to Granny’s – ‘are we nearly there yet?’ ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ ‘Is
our ice cream ready yet?’ ‘Is our ice cream ready yet?’ So as I said, a little
warning from me, don’t let them know until it’s ready to go.
I don’t have children yet, but I got the same experience from
my partner S - ‘you told me I was going to get ice cream, why haven’t I got ice
cream? Where’s my ice cream?’ Patience is a virtue.
After freezing the bowl for 12 hours to make sure it was
perfectly frozen to make my ice cream, I was ready to test the Cuisinart Deluxe
Ice Cream Maker. I made up a mix (I opted for Madagascan vanilla for my first attempt),
poured it into the bowl and was ready to start the process.
The bowl capacity is a massive 2 litres so there’s plenty of
space to make loads of ice cream for the whole family. When filling the bowl,
you should always leave some space at the top to allow space for the paddle to
move. Pop your paddle in (it doesn’t click in or anything, you just slot it in
and let it sit) and it’s ready to go.
Pop on the lid, twist to lock it in place nice and sturdy
and you are ready to make ice cream. With one turn of the knob on the front,
the machine powers on and begins churning your ice cream.
After 25 to 30 minutes of churning, you will have some
delicious soft scoop ice cream, ready to serve. Anyone who also watches Masterchef
and recalls how often they fail to get their ice cream to serve, will know that
they often place their ice cream in the freezer to firm it up more.
If like me, you like you like your ice cream a little firmer
or you are not ready to serve straight away, you can decant the ice cream from
the device into a tub and place in the freezer to firm up more or just to store
until you are ready to serve it.
So, we’ve put the device into action, what else do you need
to know about the Cuisinart Deluxe Ice Cream Maker?
The device comes in an attractive brushed steel design, so
it won’t look out of place if you store it on display in your kitchen. The
square design means it is really easy to store, either in a corner or if you
put it away in a cupboard.
It is recommended that you store the inner bowl in the
freezer at all times. That way, you will not have to start the freezing process
the next time you want to make ice cream. It will already be frozen and ready
to use, speeding up the process.
Just bear in mind that the inner bowl has a height of 16cm.
That will be easy to store in a chest freezer, but if you have a freezer with
drawers you will have to look for the deepest drawer to fit the bowl in without
any problems (this is often the bottom drawer of the freezer).
Now, I know this review might have told you everything you
need to know about how to set up and use the device therefore you will think
you can get by without looking at the instruction booklet but it’s worth doing
so. If you do, you’ll miss the 10 sample recipes that are included in the
booklet. They are a great starting point for making your first batch before you
go on to concoct your own creations.
Finally, the Cuisinart Deluxe Ice Cream maker comes with a 5
year guarantee so you will have peace of mind that you will be creating
delicious ice cream for years to come.
Having never made ice cream before i was delighted to take on the challenge and was amazed at just how easy it was. My initial experiment was a success and the starting point for many more experiments as I try out lots of new and exciting flavour combinations.
Monday, 18 December 2017
A helping hand
With baby currently 11 days overdue, it was time to get a helping hand to encourage him to make his journey. We were booked in for 9am this morning to start the induction process.
The newly discovered neurotic side of my psyche was given some respite from the anxiety of waiting for baby. A scan and a chance to see him in all his glory in the womb, far larger than he was at 20 weeks, was a lovely moment then being connected up to the monitor to hear a constant strong heartbeat helped provide an extended period of relaxation, free from the usual worry of not knowing what was going on inside.
As an experienced DJ, i may be hyper-sensitive to sounds, beats and rhythms, so sitting in a ward with several pregnant ladies, all wired up to their own individual machines monitoring their babies' heartbeats, did pose a challenge for my brain to deal with. If each baby had the same heart rate and were all beating in sync, my DJ brain would have handled it better but as expected, they were not and every off beat grated slightly more than the last.
That's the reason I got rid of the clock in our kitchen because I could never get it to perfectly sync up with the clock in the living room. A repetitive background 'tick tock' i can handle. The continual brain bashing of a 'tick tick tock tock' i could not.
Turning up the volume on our monitor helped and after a while I managed to zone out the other noises and focus solely on our baby's heartbeat.
We've not confirmed a name yet, but I couldn't help joke that we need to add to our shortlist as a result of prolonged exposure to the heartbeat. When i hear a beat, a rhythm or even a song, the DJ in me is always searching for the next song to mix. When out in a club socially, or just listening to music, I can often be heard singing a different song over the top of the one that is playing as my mind offers some suggestions about what could come next in the set list.
Sitting, listening to a steady resting heartbeat of 140 beats per minute, I sub-consciously started humming Adagio For Strings in perfect sync with baby. Another brilliant mix from DJ Jamie. I think i'll have to update the labour playlist as most of the choices on it are relaxing, and sedate. I think baby might take after his daddy and want something a bit more more upbeat.
I did offer up the name suggestion Tiesto but S wasn't having any of it and shot down my suggestion point blank. Probably for the best, we're struggling as it is to finalise one of the choices we already have.
So it was on with the induction. Pessary inserted, a bit of rest then we made our way home to continue the waiting. It will be time to party and celebrate soon and one things for sure, baby is going to love the party tunes.
The newly discovered neurotic side of my psyche was given some respite from the anxiety of waiting for baby. A scan and a chance to see him in all his glory in the womb, far larger than he was at 20 weeks, was a lovely moment then being connected up to the monitor to hear a constant strong heartbeat helped provide an extended period of relaxation, free from the usual worry of not knowing what was going on inside.
As an experienced DJ, i may be hyper-sensitive to sounds, beats and rhythms, so sitting in a ward with several pregnant ladies, all wired up to their own individual machines monitoring their babies' heartbeats, did pose a challenge for my brain to deal with. If each baby had the same heart rate and were all beating in sync, my DJ brain would have handled it better but as expected, they were not and every off beat grated slightly more than the last.
That's the reason I got rid of the clock in our kitchen because I could never get it to perfectly sync up with the clock in the living room. A repetitive background 'tick tock' i can handle. The continual brain bashing of a 'tick tick tock tock' i could not.
Turning up the volume on our monitor helped and after a while I managed to zone out the other noises and focus solely on our baby's heartbeat.
We've not confirmed a name yet, but I couldn't help joke that we need to add to our shortlist as a result of prolonged exposure to the heartbeat. When i hear a beat, a rhythm or even a song, the DJ in me is always searching for the next song to mix. When out in a club socially, or just listening to music, I can often be heard singing a different song over the top of the one that is playing as my mind offers some suggestions about what could come next in the set list.
Sitting, listening to a steady resting heartbeat of 140 beats per minute, I sub-consciously started humming Adagio For Strings in perfect sync with baby. Another brilliant mix from DJ Jamie. I think i'll have to update the labour playlist as most of the choices on it are relaxing, and sedate. I think baby might take after his daddy and want something a bit more more upbeat.
I did offer up the name suggestion Tiesto but S wasn't having any of it and shot down my suggestion point blank. Probably for the best, we're struggling as it is to finalise one of the choices we already have.
So it was on with the induction. Pessary inserted, a bit of rest then we made our way home to continue the waiting. It will be time to party and celebrate soon and one things for sure, baby is going to love the party tunes.
Sunday, 17 December 2017
REVIEW - Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen (with AO.com)
One of my biggest sources of frustration in my kitchen comes
from my oven. Whether it’s not having enough space because I’ve only got 2
shelves, or it’s trying to cook multiple things at the same time like the roast
potatoes that want 180 degrees at the same time as the chicken that wants 160
degrees, I’m always frustrated trying to fit everything in.
When I go round to friends’ houses and see their double
ovens I get very jealous. At the same time, my microwave sits in the corner
taking up valuable worktop space and the only time that it gets used is when I
need to defrost something. So I was delighted that AO.com gave me the chance to
review and test the Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen.
If you’ve not used AO.com before, I can highly recommend
them. From the email telling you when your product is going to get delivered,
to the text in the morning with your 1 hour time slot and then the friendly
smile from the delivery man when he hands over your new toy, you won’t be
disappointed if you give them a try.
Let’s have a look at what you get with the Russell Hobbs
Mini Kitchen.
When you open the box, you will be pleased to see that there
are not many parts so it’s really easy to get set up and ready to go and start
cooking.
First up you get the Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen itself. It
connects to the mains with just a single standard plug so there’s no difficult
installation or setup. Plug it in, switch it on and you’re just about ready to
go. You also get the instruction booklet that explains everything you need to
know on how to operate the device as well as explaining the initial priming you
have to do.
Basically, you have to switch the hobs on for about 20 minutes and
then switch the oven on for about 20 minutes to cure the elements. Once that’s
done, you’re ready to start cooking.
Other than that, all you really need is something to cook
on. You get a single shelf, the grill tray, and a handle and that’s it, so it’s
really simple to get set up and get going.
Let’s take a closer look at the Mini Kitchen itself.
The Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen consists of 2 hot plates on
top and then the oven/grill down below. The hot plates come in different sizes.
You have the larger hot plate which is 1000w and then the smaller hot plate
that is 750w. That gives you a little bit of versatility depending on the size
of pot you want to use and the amount of food that you want to cook.
Down below you have the top loading oven/grill. It’s
operated from a large, easy to hold handle at the front. One thing I like about
the door is that it is not free-flowing. There’s different points in the
opening mechanism. With the glass frontage, this stops any nasty accidents that
could be caused if the door was able to just drop down and hit off the worktop
below.
The whole unit is operated from 3 large knobs on the front
of the device. The top knob adjusts the temperature all the way up to 230
degrees while the middle knob lets you choose which part of the device you want
to operate.
One of the downsides of the Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen is
that you can only use either the hotplate or the oven at any one time, you
can’t use both so if you want to use it as your main kitchen device you’ll have
to be quite creative on the meals that you are going to cook.
Spinning the middle knob, the first position switches on the
top element which is used for grilling. The second position switches on the
bottom element which is used to keep food warm. The third position switches on
both elements allowing you to use the device as an oven. Then you have the 3
positions that are used to operate the hotplates – either using the large one,
the small one or both at the same time.
Finally, your third dial is the timer. It’s a rotary timer that clicks as it goes
and then sounds a ding when your timing is complete.
One other thing to notice on the timer, when you have the
middle knob set to neutral, is that you can turn the knob anti clockwise to
select a defrost option. What this does is rather than using heat like a
microwave would to defrost your food, this switches on the fan in the device to
circulate air around the food to help it defrost without heat. Using heat can
often start the cooking process which is one of the negatives of using a
microwave for defrosting.
Inside the oven, you have your shelf which sits flush on the
built in runners and also your grill pan, also on runners, so you have plenty
of space to cook lots of food in the Mini Kitchen.
The Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen can be utilised in many
scenarios, from a Student flat to an apartment, a staff room or a staff canteen
– but for me, the beauty of the Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen is as an extra
device in your kitchen to supplement your main oven. This gives you increased
capacity to cook.
If I am entertaining, I can have the main meal cooking in
the main oven while the party food or nibbles (like the homemade sausage rolls
I cooked to test the device) can be browning away in the Russell Hobbs Mini
Kitchen.
When it comes to the size of the device, while it’s a little
bit taller and a little bit deeper than a standard microwave, it’s no wider
meaning it won’t take up much extra space on your worktop but for me it’s a lot
more versatile and a lot more useful than my microwave that I don’t use very
often.
They say the proof is in the pudding, or in this case the
sausage rolls, and they looked great even if I do say so myself and they tasted
great. We certainly enjoyed tucking into them, all for the benefit of the
review of course.
Let's recap some of the positives about the Russell Hobbs
Mini Kitchen.
- You get 2 hotplates of varying sizes and varying power which give you great versatility on what you want to cook.
- The oven/grill down below – whether you’re defrosting, warming, grilling or using the oven, this little mini kitchen can do the whole lot without taking up too much extra space when compared to a conventional microwave.
- For me, it’s a great additional device in your kitchen giving you extra capacity, more shelves and more versatility. For others, they might see it as a great little mini main device. If that is the case, just bear in mind that you can only use one of the hotplate or the oven at any one time so you’ll have to be quite creative on what you are going to cook with it.
- Finally, the design. I love the black design. I think it’s very modern and eye-catching and will look pride of place in my kitchen.
So in summary, if you are looking to cure your oven
frustrations or to gain additional cooking capacity in your kitchen, you won't
go wrong with the very versatile Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen with it's boiling,
frying, grilling, baking, heating and defrosting functionality.
If you're
looking to use it as a main device - have a think about what you want to cook.
If you need to use the hotplate and the oven at the same time - you might need
to do a bit more research. If not, then the Russell Hobbs Mini Kitchen
definitely has plenty to offer.
(The views expressed in this post are entirely my own. While
I received the product for free for the purpose of testing it and reviewing it,
I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and my opinions are
based on my own, honest assessment of the product.)
Christmas is coming.
We've not been feeling very festive yet. I had hoped that baby would be here significantly before Christmas but he's keeping us waiting. They do say that you shouldn't open your presents before Christmas. Well, the best present we will receive this year seems to have been very well wrapped and is not ready for opening yet.
We hadn't even thought about putting up the tree or hanging any decorations yet. S was unsure whether we should bother. Save the space for all the baby items that will soon be getting put to good use.
I was actually going to make the house festive for her returning from the hospital. I thought it would be a nice surprise. But baby continues to keep us waiting, Christmas is just over a week away and it was time to finally embrace that fact.
The tree is up and some decorations have been hung. Christmas is coming. I did say I wouldn't start my Christmas shopping until baby was here. I may have to reassess that pledge if he doesn't arrive soon.
It's only been up for a few hours, but i'm regretting not buying a new tree this year. Don't get me wrong, I love our gold glitter tipped tree, but when you are trying to get the house as clean as possible before baby's arrival, a glitter tipped tree is not the best idea. When I say the glitter gets everywhere, i mean everywhere.
As you can see, my tree decorating skills leave a lot to be desired. I'll describe it as an attempt at organised chaos but that might be a little bit generous. There was some attempt to make it presentable at least.
As you can see, my tree decorating skills leave a lot to be desired. I'll describe it as an attempt at organised chaos but that might be a little bit generous. There was some attempt to make it presentable at least.
So, Christmas has arrived at our house as we await more arrivals. He may be late, but i'm sure baby will still be making his arrival before Santa does.
Saturday, 16 December 2017
REVIEW - AEG Ultramix KM4000 mixer (with AO.com)
Now, nobody is going to proclaim me as the next Gordon
Ramsay, but I like to think that I can hold my own in the kitchen. Normally,
like most men, I do everything manually so whether it’s kneading dough or
mixing up a storm, I’m putting the work in.
But we live in quite busy times. I’m getting busier and
let’s face it, I’m a little bit lazy – I’d rather spend 15 minutes with my feet
up on the sofa with a cup of tea rather than doing all the work in the kitchen
– so I was delighted to get the chance to review the AEG Ultramix KM4000 mixer
to see if it could improve my culinary skills and make everything that I do in
the kitchen that little bit easier.
Let’s look at the product.
The first thing I noticed when picking up the package was
that it was quite a heavy box. Now, I know weight doesn’t guarantee quality but
it’s a good early indication that you’ve spent your hard earned money on
something with a bit of substance.
Taking the device out of the box the first thing I noticed
was the absolutely stunning colour. My device came in a vibrant red which would
look brilliant in any kitchen, especially in mine as it matches the other red
items I have on display.
Unlike many mixers, you actually get TWO mixing bowls with
the AEG Ultramix KM4000. You get the larger 4.8l bowl, and also a smaller 2.9l
bowl (that handily fits inside the larger bowl for easy storage). I always like
to try to get value for money so by getting 2 bowls instead of 1 makes me feel
like I’ve got a bargain with this device.
You get 3 attachments – the whisk, the beater and the
additional dough hook.
Finally, you also get a splash guard so that when your
device is in operation, the splash guard can prevent all those messy accidents
with the wet liquids you may be mixing. I’m quite a messy person in the kitchen
so anything that can try to prevent that is OK in my book.
Over the years, I’ve picked up a lot of gadgets for the
kitchen and most end up stored away in a cupboard after just 1 use, never to be
seen again but the KM4000 is unlikely to suffer the same fate. It has taken
pride of place on my worktop and the versatility of the device is going to
ensure it stays on top as a permanent fixture in my kitchen.
Let’s have a little look at how it works.
There’s a handy little lever on one side that works as your
locking mechanism. This ensures the device is very sturdy and won’t lift until
the lever is pressed. Just a gentle push on the lever and up comes the top of
the device. Release the lever and it locks it in place so that while you are
working, while you are attaching your bowl or adding your ingredients, there’s
no chance of the mixer falling down and causing an accident. Push the lever
again, and the top lowers and locks back into place.
I’ve already pointed
out that it’s quite a heavy device, it’s unlikely to slip on your worktop while
you are operating it. This is helped by the fact that AEG have added rubber
feet to the base of the mixer giving it even more grip, ensuring there is
little chance of accidents while you are working with it.
2 final things to mention. Firstly, there is an expansion
mechanism at the front of the mixer. This allows you to buy additional
attachments for the mixer such as a meat grinder. While these are optional
extras, it’s good to know that when you have made an investment in a device
like this you have the option to take it even further in the future.
Finally, on the opposite side from the locking mechanism you
have your power button. Quite often, mixers have 10 speed settings and the AEG
KM4000 is no different but the main difference here between the AEG mixer and
many others is that this device uses a dial mechanism to choose the speed
rather than a slider. I like to think that this gives me a little more
precision control over my speed setting. Spin the dial, set it to the setting
you want, and you’re good to go.
One thing I love about the AEG Ultramix KM4000 mixer is the
LED lights such as the blue LED light around the power button. I’m a typical
boy. Add any LED lights to anything and I’m going to like it but in this case,
the LEDs are not just for aesthetic reasons. LED light is also used to
illuminate the bowl so you can easily see what you are mixing, even in the
dark. Now, I’m not advocating midnight mixing in the dark but if you were
inclined to do so then the LED lights on the AEG mixer would help you mix your
midnight mix to perfection.
Something else that I really like about the KM4000 mixer is
the size of the attachments. They perfectly fill the bowl ensuring nothing gets
missed, the entire mixture gets combined and nothing gets left at the side of
the bowl that you would have to mix manually once the device has finished.
I tested the device using the beater to whip together the topping for a Nutella cheesecake, and also using the dough hook to make some pizza dough. Both were combined perfectly with the desired consistency using the mixer and it was far easier than if i had mixed, or kneaded them by hand.
The proof is in the pudding, and the main course, and i was delighted with the outcome of both dishes.
Having put the AEG Ultramix KM4000 to the test, it’s time
for me to sum it up.
My top 3 things that make this a fantastic choice:
- The striking looks. It’s going to take pride of place in any kitchen.
- From a personal point of view, I love the LEDS. Not just the cosmetic ones, but the underneath that illuminates the bowl while you are using it.
- Finally, the fact that you get, not one, but TWO bowls so it definitely feels like you are getting value for money when you purchase this device.
The negatives? Well, the only consideration that I would
urge you to think about is the size and weight of the device. It’s not
something that you are going to want to pick up and store away in a cupboard
any time that you are not using it but with the way it looks, you’ll be more
than happy for it to take pride of place as the star of the show in your
kitchen.
Having never used another mixer, I can’t really compare it
to other devices and say whether the AEG is better or worse than them but what
I can do is try to ascertain whether you will be happy with your purchase
should you opt to invest in the AEG mixer. With the extra bowl, the versatility
of the device and the stunning design I think you would be more than happy with
the AEG taking it’s place in your Kitchen.
From me, it’s a big thumbs up. I’m happy with mine and I am
sure you will be more than happy with yours should you decide that the AEG
Ultramix KM4000 is the device for you.
(The views expressed in this post are entirely my
own. While I received the product for free for the purpose of testing it and
reviewing it, I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and my
opinions are based on my own, honest assessment of the product.)
Unplugged
So apparently S had signs that her 'plug' was coming away this evening. Another positive sign after the successful sweep yesterday. Apparently this is commonly known as 'the show'. Weirdest show i've ever heard of and I am not sure i will be queueing up to write an in-depth review of that one.
What it does mean though is that more progress has been made and we're another step closer to baby's arrival. Will he take to the stage before his induction on Monday? We'll end tonight's show on a cliffhanger.
Tune in next time to find out.
What it does mean though is that more progress has been made and we're another step closer to baby's arrival. Will he take to the stage before his induction on Monday? We'll end tonight's show on a cliffhanger.
Tune in next time to find out.
Friday, 15 December 2017
COMPETITION - WIN a Blue Cube Bluetooth Speaker
As a little launch treat, here's your chance to win a smart Blue Cube Bluetooth Speaker.
This funky little cube connects perfectly to your phone, your computer or your tablet using the built in Bluetooth function allowing you to stream your favourite tunes seamlessly to get the party started.
Perfect for blasting out those Christmas party tunes to get you in the festive spirit.
To operate the device, all you have to do is flick the switch to power the device. The little blue LED will begin flashing to show that it is searching for other Bluetooth devices to connect to. Go to the Bluetooth setting on your phone, tablet or computer and search for available devices. The Blue Cube Bluetooth speaker will appear in the list. Click connect and you will be connected and ready to party.
The speaker comes in a lovely light blue colour. It is branded with Windows meaning it is perfect to improve the sound from your laptop, but as i said before, it also works with phones, tablets and other bluetooth enabled devices.
Enter through the gleam widget below and we'll choose a random winner when the competition closes. UK entries only please.
The competition will run over the weekend and will end.... on TUESDAY AT 7 of course!
Good luck.
Tuesday At 7 - Bluetooth Speaker Competition
This funky little cube connects perfectly to your phone, your computer or your tablet using the built in Bluetooth function allowing you to stream your favourite tunes seamlessly to get the party started.
Perfect for blasting out those Christmas party tunes to get you in the festive spirit.
To operate the device, all you have to do is flick the switch to power the device. The little blue LED will begin flashing to show that it is searching for other Bluetooth devices to connect to. Go to the Bluetooth setting on your phone, tablet or computer and search for available devices. The Blue Cube Bluetooth speaker will appear in the list. Click connect and you will be connected and ready to party.
The speaker comes in a lovely light blue colour. It is branded with Windows meaning it is perfect to improve the sound from your laptop, but as i said before, it also works with phones, tablets and other bluetooth enabled devices.
Enter through the gleam widget below and we'll choose a random winner when the competition closes. UK entries only please.
The competition will run over the weekend and will end.... on TUESDAY AT 7 of course!
Good luck.
Tuesday At 7 - Bluetooth Speaker Competition
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