As the sun streams in through my window warming me (I am obviously sheltered from the wintry wind!) it is easy to look forward to balmy days in the garden sharing great food and drinks with my friends and family.
I literally cannot wait, especially seeing what goodies Asda has in store for us with treats ranging from Pug cakes and pork pies (some with extra jelly if that's to your taste!) to top quality specially blended wines and Wagyu beef at bargain prices.
Wagyu, in case you didn't know, is a breed of cow bred especially to provide top quality meat which means melt in the mouth steaks for your Barbecue this summer. Normally reserved for the wealthy there's no need to take a suitcase of cash to the Queen's favourite store when you can get it for a fraction of the price in your local Asda store.
Need a cake for a special occasion? I was tickled by the fabulous novelty cakes on offer, including a gorgeous Princess or Pirate cake which both come with a pen you can personalise them with, to a gravity-defying pie and peas cake or a waffle and bacon cake with mock syrup pouring from a suspended jug!
I'm a big fan of cocktails so looking forward to an excuse to buy one of the new range of cake towers inspired by some cocktail classics. Want to make your own cake? Cheat with three pots of ready-coloured icing to get that impressive ombre effect.
The meat on show at the Asda showcase event recently was very impressive, especially the range of hot dogs and sausages, all gluten free, which come as part of a special offer with imaginative and tasty toppings like baconnaise (try it and crave it forever) and light and crisp battered onion straws.
Healthy eating? They've got that covered too with a tasty range of quick-to-prepare meals and snacks tapping into the latest food trends like Kamut wheat and Quinoa. Some are to eat cold, some you add hot water to and some can be zapped in the microwave.
Enjoy food in the garden- choose from fritattas, build your own calzone, quiches and tarts which could pass as home-made and tear-and-share flavoured breads. You MUST try their tiger sausage rolls -like the bread but in sausage roll form. I may never eat a normal sausage roll again.
Back to the barbie. After an extensive tour of America, Asda's food development team have come up with some real treats for the summer. Why not challenge your friends to the "mild to wild" chicken challenge with a selection of increasingly spicy chicken. Or I can highly recommend the pulled chicken - a light and tasty alternative to the very trendy pulled pork fad.
You can buy brioche rolls for your burgers and I also loved the crispy-topped moist pork belly with a gorgeous glaze which can be served with any number of Asda's imaginative side-dishes including ready prepared coleslaw mix to which you add your own dressing to taste, cola potatos or colourful vegetable kebabs.
Wash it all down with tasty botanical-based drinks (I loved black cherry and cinnamon presse), some healthy ready-blended smoothies or one of the many wines especially blended for Asda.
Ooh! my mouth is watering just writing about the food I tasted last week. Come on sun, get your hat on. I cannot wait to light those coals!
I literally cannot wait, especially seeing what goodies Asda has in store for us with treats ranging from Pug cakes and pork pies (some with extra jelly if that's to your taste!) to top quality specially blended wines and Wagyu beef at bargain prices.Wagyu, in case you didn't know, is a breed of cow bred especially to provide top quality meat which means melt in the mouth steaks for your Barbecue this summer. Normally reserved for the wealthy there's no need to take a suitcase of cash to the Queen's favourite store when you can get it for a fraction of the price in your local Asda store.
Need a cake for a special occasion? I was tickled by the fabulous novelty cakes on offer, including a gorgeous Princess or Pirate cake which both come with a pen you can personalise them with, to a gravity-defying pie and peas cake or a waffle and bacon cake with mock syrup pouring from a suspended jug!
I'm a big fan of cocktails so looking forward to an excuse to buy one of the new range of cake towers inspired by some cocktail classics. Want to make your own cake? Cheat with three pots of ready-coloured icing to get that impressive ombre effect.
The meat on show at the Asda showcase event recently was very impressive, especially the range of hot dogs and sausages, all gluten free, which come as part of a special offer with imaginative and tasty toppings like baconnaise (try it and crave it forever) and light and crisp battered onion straws.
Healthy eating? They've got that covered too with a tasty range of quick-to-prepare meals and snacks tapping into the latest food trends like Kamut wheat and Quinoa. Some are to eat cold, some you add hot water to and some can be zapped in the microwave.
Enjoy food in the garden- choose from fritattas, build your own calzone, quiches and tarts which could pass as home-made and tear-and-share flavoured breads. You MUST try their tiger sausage rolls -like the bread but in sausage roll form. I may never eat a normal sausage roll again.
Back to the barbie. After an extensive tour of America, Asda's food development team have come up with some real treats for the summer. Why not challenge your friends to the "mild to wild" chicken challenge with a selection of increasingly spicy chicken. Or I can highly recommend the pulled chicken - a light and tasty alternative to the very trendy pulled pork fad.
Wash it all down with tasty botanical-based drinks (I loved black cherry and cinnamon presse), some healthy ready-blended smoothies or one of the many wines especially blended for Asda.