This years Christmas presents!!

Spoiler Alert to all friends!!

This year I'm being frugal and making most of my Christmas presents. 

Two weeks ago I attended the annual Winter Good Food Show and stumbled across Collectively Artisan ceramics. Unforetunatley I was literally stumbling after just having hit the alcohol section d no amount of free nibbles can prepare you for the measures they were serving!

Anywho I digress!! At the ceramic stall there was a bowl of complimentary Indian sweets. A small ball of coconut and cardamom yumminess!! Fortunately they had a recipe card to recreate the treats which I knew instantly would make an alternative Christmas present.

To make 10-12 treats you'll need:

> 100ml/6 tbsp condensed milk (preferably unsweetened)

> 5-6 green cardamoms (seeds removed and crushed)

> 125g desiccated coconut

Pour the condensed milk into a small saucepan and warm over a low heat. Tip the crushed cardamom seeds, if using and mix. Add 100g of the desiccated coconut and simmer for 2-3minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Watch carefully so it does not burn.

Remove from the heat and set aside until the coconut mixture is just cool enough to handle.

Sprinkle the remaining desiccated coconut onto a plate. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 10-12 balls of equal size. Roll each ball in the desiccated coconut to cover evenly. 

Either serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5-6 days. Or like me, wash or sterilise an old jam jar for an easy, quirky and delicious gift.

Our University Brew Club

Last year at Univeristy a few of us like minded students clubbed together to create Harper Adams first brew club. Here we meet and discuss our favourite tipple, organise informative talks by our very own beer wiz Professor Frank Vrieskoop (Full member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and Honorary member of the American Distilling Institute) as well as occasionally brewing our own concoction of whatever we fancy providing what ingredients we can get our hands on!

Our first official meeting this year instructed those interested in joining to bring along two of there favourite tipples (one for yourself and one to share). We discussed why we had chosen that particular brew and what we would like to get out of the group. I brought along my newest discovery Buddy's; a beer flavoured with bourbon and a hint of honey. It's an easy drinking beer with a real honey aftertaste. So far I've only seen it in Asda which is great for weird and wonderful new tipples.

The other two beers that really stood out for me at the meeting was Brew Dogs Punk IPA and Thornbridges Jaipur. Both had a great hoppy flavour and a strong lychee taste, very fruity and very drinkable!

Now that I've been 'promoted' to social secretary I'm in charge of organising educational excursions to breweries and distilleries. Any recommendations would be hugely welcomed!!