Price Points: Cream stick blenders

One of the most used gadgets in our kitchen is our trusty orange Billy; we’ve had it for years and years. We use him when making batter, soup, sauces, smoothies, calaloo and loads more.

In our previous house, we used to have a bright orange kitchen. Poor, old, orange Billy doesn’t look right in our new cream kitchen – I’d like to trade him in for one of these new cream stick blenders.

Here are three that I’ve found for sale online – in a range of prices. They’re all very attractive; the £26 option would suit me fine. Much as I love Smeg and KitchenAid appliances, I don’t think I’d use the attachments that come included with the other two cream stick blenders – they’d take up precious storage space that we just don’t have.

Haden stick blender: £26.05, Wayfair
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53: £109.65, KitchenAid
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender: £149.00, Currys

shop cream stick blenders

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65

Haden stick blender

Haden stick blender
£26.05

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65

Haden stick blender

Haden stick blender
£26.05

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65

Haden stick blender

Haden stick blender
£26.05

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65

Haden stick blender

Haden stick blender
£26.05

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53

Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65

Haden stick blender

Haden stick blender
£26.05

Pellet grill vs gas grill: which is right for you?

Did you know that more than 79 million people in the USA have grilled within the past year? There are many options out there that claim to be the best grill for cooking your favourite meats and vegetables, but two of the best options are the pellet grill vs gas grill.

There are many benefits that these two grills provide which make it difficult to pick the best pellet grill or the right gas grill for your needs. The good news is that you’re in the perfect place to learn more about these two types of grills so that you can make an informed purchase based on your needs.

Pellet grill pros

Pellet grills use wood pellets to create the heat needed for cooking your favourite al fresco meals. These pellets get added to a hopper on the grill and get fed into the combustion chamber where they’re burned to produce the heat for cooking.

Buying a pellet grill is a great investment because they’re quite convenient compared to other types of grills on the market. All you have to do to operate one is add pellets to the hopper and set the temperature. They’re also one of the most efficient options when it comes to getting a grill for your home.

If you’re worried about the maintenance needed with using a pellet grill then you needn’t fret. They require very little maintenance since you don’t create much of a mess when grilling with one. You’ll need to maintain the grates and keep them clean from grease and charred meat but the grill itself is easy to take care of.

You’ll also get a much better flavour when it comes to grilling your favourite meats and vegetables. That is what makes choosing between Pit Boss vs Z Grill such a difficult decision.

Gas grill pros

Gas grills are also a great option if you’re ready to purchase a grill for entertaining friends and family. You’ll have a much easier time grilling at higher temperatures when you’re the proud owner of a gas grill. They’re also quite inexpensive to run and power since they use propane as their fuel source.

There are also plenty of inexpensive grill options when you decide on getting a gas grill, which means that gas grills work with any budget. You also won’t find many options that are easier to learn and use than a gas grill. All you’ll need to do is make sure that the gas is ready to go and set your temperature.

If you’re someone that grills a lot and you want your grill at the desired temperature in a short amount of time then you’ll love a gas grill. They’re clean and they heat up in around 10 minutes. The only real drawback with gas grills is that they don’t produce as much flavour.

Start shopping for a pellet grill vs gas grill today

There’s never a bad time to start shopping for a pellet grill vs gas grill for catering for your friends and family at your home. Pellet grills produce more flavour and are easy to use but cost more money. Gas grills are easier to use and take almost no time at all to get heated up.

On our radar: The Esse 1000 S

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This new electric Esse 1000 S model is absolutely gorgeous – and quite a radical departure from the company’s traditional looking stoves. It’s very sleek and contemporary – almost resembling upmarket, high tech, kitchen units. It might not suit our rustic old cottage, but has to go into our little notebook for possible future homes of ours or perhaps a suggestion for friends.

The build quality and after sales service is always great from this Lancashire-based company, so we’re always happy to recommend them. The model launches later on this year.

Home-made elderflower curd

My beautiful sambucus nigra is still blooming, so I was on the lookout for another recipe in which I could use the flowers. These days, I find so much inspiration on Instagram; one of my Insta-buddies had just posted a photo of some delicious-looking elderflower curd she’d made, so I thought I’d give that a go.

She used the wild variety of elderflower which has delicate off white flowers however, the flowers on mine are tinged purple. I wondered how that would affect the colour of the resulting curd. I was worried that it would turn out a sludgy brown, but I needn’t have been apprehensive. It had a slight pinkish blush to the usual yellow colour.

This recipe makes a single, average-sized jar, but you can easily multiply the quantities. If you don’t think that you’ll consume all the curd in a week or two, make sure that you thoroughly sterilise all your post-cooking equipment; jars, lids, jelly bag/sieve, spoon/spatula, funnel etc. Simply boil them up in a large jam pan/saucepan of water.

The taste was gorgeous; rich and fragrant. So far, we’ve had it on fruit scones, but it would be perfect in sandwiches, toast or between the layers of a Victoria sponge. This is definitely an elderflower recipe I’ll be returning to every summer.

Click here or on the image below to save this elderflower curd recipe to Pinterest

Elderflower curd with cup & pot of tea

Elderflower curd

Print recipe Pin recipe

Cook Time 1

Course Condiment

Cuisine British

Ingredients

3 large or 6 small elderflower heads you can use either white or pink flowers
50 g/1¾oz unsalted butter
200 g/7oz white granulated sugar
1½ lemons zest & juice
2 eggs

Instructions

Sterilise a lidded jam jar, jelly bag or sieve, spatula and measuring jug. Set aside for the end
Put all the ingredients except the eggs into a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved
Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl and allow the contents to cool slightly (about 5 minutes)
In the meantime, bring a saucepan of water to a simmer (ensure the heatproof bowl can sit on top of the saucepan without the water coming into contact with the base)
Add the eggs to the mixture and put the heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan of simmering water
Stir occasionally until the mixture thickens to the consistency of custard (about 45 minutes)
Pour the mixture through the sterilised jelly bag/sieve into the measuring jug. Push the contents through using the spatula, if necessary
Transfer the curd into the sterilised jar and cover immediately with the lid. Allow to cool completely before using

Elderflower curd ingredients

Keyword curd, elderflower, forage

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