In People’s Homes

3 Cocktail Party Classics

Perfect for an aperitif or a champagne reception, these classic cocktail recipes are sure to get the party started. Set the standard: Old fashioned While the Old Fashioned was originally concocted to cover up the taste of bootleg liquor, there’s no excuse for scrimping when it comes to your cocktail. Whether you take yours with brandy, bourbon or whisky, opt for a good quality spirit every time. After all, it’s not like you won’t enjoy a neat serving every now and then. The method: In a whisky tumbler, stir together a teaspoon of caster sugar, 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters and a splash of hot water. Next add 3-4 ice cubes to the glass, pour over a shot of your spirit (roughly 25ml) and stir for up to a minute. Top up with ice and pour another shot of spirit and stir once more. To finish, add the orange peel give it a final quick stir and serve. Tips & Tricks: The key to a good cocktail - quality ingredients. From the spirits in the glass to the vessel, invest in the best. Chill your glasses in the freezer for 10-15 minutes prior to serving for a frosty effect. To some it may seem kitsch, but cut glass crystal and a garnish of cherries never fails to raise a smile. Toast with a twist: Raspberry Prosecco Sommeliers may have felt light headed when news broke last year that sales of Prosecco were outstripping Champagne, but for the rest of us it only confirmed what we already knew. Sure there’s nothing quite like cracking open a bottle of Bolly, but the new fizz on the block has undoubtedly brought renewed vigour to the cocktail party – the lower price tag giving room for experimentation. Try these fruity mixers and use as a base on which to build your own recipe. The method: Place 3-4 raspberries in a fluted glass and pour over one part raspberry vodka. Wet the glass with 1 part Prosecco and allow to fizz for a couple of seconds (this prevents the contents from overflowing) before adding another 3 parts Prosecco. Tips & Tricks: Before you even think about mixing your cocktail, make sure the Prosecco is thoroughly chilled! No one wants a tepid glass of bubbles and a warm bottle is also more prone to spray everywhere once opened. If you really want a frosty glass, try keeping your vodka in the fridge – the high alcohol content ensures it will not become a block of ice (applies to most consumer freezers). As ever, we stress the importance of investing in a premium spirit - cheaper labels tend to be made using artificial sweeteners rather than infusions of natural fruits and will overwhelm the glass. Freshen up: Tom Collins Sure we all love a gin and tonic, but those refreshing junipers were made for so much more. The ideal palette cleanser in the afternoon, evening or night, the Tom Collins is refreshment in a glass. Invented by the “father of American mixology” Jerry Thomas, this classic gin cocktail dates all the way back to 1876 and has changed little since. The method: In a cocktail shaker add a teaspoon caster sugar, 2 parts London dry gin and 1 part lemon juice. Add ice and shake for about 30 seconds before straining into a tall tumbler filled with ice. Top with soda water and a slender lemon slice or curl of lemon zest. Tips & Tricks: Always use real lemons, not bottled lemon juice! The aromas and appearance are all part of the theatricality of cocktail making. If you’re in the market for a clean, unfiltered gin, you can’t go wrong with London based Sipsmith, who make all of their drinks in small batches using traditional copper distilleries. A favourite of mixologists, we recommended topping up your Tom Collins with spring soda water by Fever Tree. All of the items featured above are part of Heal’s glassware and barware collections. Back to top

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The Little Plantation: Red Cabbage Salad With Sweet Potato Wedges

Bright, light and above all delicious, the Little Plantation’s red cabbage salad recipe with sweet potato wedges is ideal as a quick-fix for mid-week suppers or lunch with friends. Red cabbage salad with sweet potato wedges Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 25 mins Serves: 4 – 6 Ingredients for the sweet potato wedges: Ingredients for the sweet potato wedges: 4 small sweet potatoes (about 700g in total) A pinch of salt A drizzle of vegetable oil (I used rice bran oil) Ingredients for the red cabbage salad: 1/4 cup of quinoa + 1 cup of water A pinch of salt Small red cabbage 750g handful of nuts (I used almond slices. Omit for a nut-free version) Handful of seeds (I used pumpkin seeds) A good handful of fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped The seeds of 1 large pomegranate or a large handful of dried cranberries Edible flowers for decorating (optional) Ingredients for the dressing: 3 tbls maple syrup 2 tbls fresh lime juice (1 lime approx.) 2-3 tbls extra virgin olive oil Instructions First, make the sweet potato wedges by washing the sweet potatoes, cutting them into discs and boiling them in water with a pinch of salt for about 5-10 minutes or until they are just starting to get a tiny bit soft. Then, pour away the water, drizzle the sweet potato with some vegetable oil, place on a baking tray and roast them in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to brown around the edges and are nice and soft on the inside at 200C/400F. Next, prepare the quinoa by washing the grains and placing the quinoa in a small pot with water and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes or until almost all the water is absorbed and the quinoa opens. Drain away any excess water and set aside. Wash the red cabbage and discard any unsightly external layers. Then remove the stalky core at the bottom and with a mandolin thinly slice the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, the nuts (if using), seeds, chopped parsley leaves, pomegranate seeds (or dried fruit) and mix well. Finally, make the dressing by combining the maple syrup, lime juice and oilive oil and mix well. Pour over the cabbage salad just before serving and garnish with edible flowers (optional). Serve with the sweet potato wedges and enjoy! Visit the Little Plantation blog for more beautiful, delicious and healthy recipes and why not have a flick through our dining accessories collection to find the perfect dishes to match.

Latest Trends

How To Hygge An Industrial Interior

Want to add a homely, Hygge feel to your space without spending a fortune? We asked interior stylist Emma Kay to warm up our industrial inspired Brunel apartment, demonstrating her top tips for getting your home ready for Hygge season. “When fine tuning a table display, less is more. I often find it's about stripping back rather than adding and sometimes I find it easiest to group everything on the surface I am styling then remove objects in hierarchy of importance.” “Adding cosy furs in neutral tones to the Brunel benches, plus plenty of metallic accents like tall candle holders and carafes to the dining table, keeps the scheme feeling organic and homely – matchy-matchy is simply not on trend!” “When I was setting the bedroom I let my own take on Hygge take over. Donna Wilson's fun textile animals are the perfect way to add that sense of cosiness and who doesn't like a cuddle with a furry friend and a cup of tea in bed?” “Filling glass vases with strands of eucalyptus gives you a double hit of instant greenery and that wonderful Christmassy smell, without the fuss of complex flower arrangements.” “Try to think about colour contrast when styling your space - dark blue walls look stylish and sophisticated with crockery in aqua tones, bold yellow candles and gold or brass accessories.” “Living rooms should be about comfort and relaxation, not calculated matching blankets and cushions. Use a mix of textures – think furs, wools, linens and velvets – and colours to give the space a feeling of fun and informality. I love blue shades combined with ochre and golds – it feels seasonal but not in the usual colour palettes touted at this time of year.”

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Hygge Your Home With Meik Wiking

Not so much an interior trend as a way of life, Hygge has invaded British interiors this season with its blend of cosy comforts and Scandi style. So who better to turn to for a masterclass in all things hyggelig than the author of The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking. What’s Hygge? Hygge, or 'hue-ugh' as it’s properly pronounced, originates from the Norwegian word for ‘well-being’ and is an intrinsic part of Danish culture in the colder months (and boy does it get cold up there). As Meik remarks, ‘Hygge is the antidote to the cold winter, the rainy days and the duvet of darkness’ and seeing as Denmark is regularly voted ‘the happiest nation in Europe’ it’s probably time we Brits started to take note. Turn down the lights With the days getting shorter, it can be tempting to illuminate every inch of your home. Yet the Danes take a different approach by turning the lights down low. Hit the ‘Hygge sweetspot’ with candles and lower temperature lighting designs, such as filament bulbs or diffused lamps to ‘create soothing pools of light’. Danes burn more candles per person than anywhere else in Europe, so bring them out in force! Alternatively, Meik suggests to ‘use several smaller contemporary lamps around the room to create a more hyggeligt light than one big lamp set in the ceiling.’ Feather the nest Roughly translated as a ‘nook’, no Hygge home is complete without a hyggekrog. This is the space where you snuggle up in the evening after a cold commute home or relax on a lazy Sunday. Cushions, throws and furs are the building blocks for a homely hyggekrog with bay windows providing the perfect place to create your refuge. That isn’t to say you can’t add a bit of hyggelig to your sofa – after all what better place to lay back and watch the latest Scandi TV series. Bring the outside in From rugged and rustic furniture to handcrafted accessories, Hygge is all about embracing the beautiful forests and scenery that are intrinsically linked to Scandinavian design. Yet why stop at furnishings? As Meik comments, ‘Any piece of nature you might find is likely to get the hygge greenlight’ with foliage used for decoration on a table top while furs provide a textural element to a bed, chair or even the floor. Say it with ceramics The curve on a vase, the spout of a teapot or even the simple pleasure of a warm mug of coffee in your hands, the Danes excel at turning ceramic homewares into an art form. When creating your Hygge home, you can’t go wrong with iconic Scandi ceramics from Kähler and Marimekko. Shop Now Back to top

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The Little Plantation: Vegan Mini Layer Cake Recipe

Pretty as a petal, this gluten-free Mini Layer Cake with vegan cream “cheese” frosting is the latest recipe from the Little Plantation and provides the perfect show-stopping bake for all to enjoy. This bake is a vegan friendly take on a recipe featured in Aimee's Perfect Bakes by Aimee Twigger. For best results make sure to check Kimberly’s tips at the bottom of the page prior to baking. VEGAN GLUTEN FREE MINI LAYER CAKE Preparation time: 20 - 25 mins Baking time: 40 – 50 mins Cooling Time: 30 - 40 mins Serves: 10 – 12 (makes 2 mini layer cakes). Ingredients for the sponge: 3 tbls ground flax seeds + 9 tbls water 100g soft brown sugar 50g caster sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla powder 150g glutenfree flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 150g coconut oil, melted + extra for greasing the ramekins 2-3 tbls almond milk (or any other plant-based milk) 1 small ripe pear, washed, cored, peeled and chopped into small chunks. Ingredients for the frosting: 200ml coconut yoghurt 1 tbls maple syrup 100g vegan cream cheese 1/2 tsp vanilla powder Seasonal flowers or evergreens for decorating. Instructions Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease four ramekins with coconut oil and line with grease-proof paper (3.5inch/10cm diametre each). Place the ground flax seeds and water in a little bowl, stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Next, in a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients for the sponge - the sugar, the vanilla powder, flour, baking powder and cinnamon – and briefly stir until combined, making sure there are no sugar or flour lumps. In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients - the melted coconut oil, the almond milk and chopped up pear. Then when ready, add the ground flax seed and water mixture and briefly combine. Next pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until nicely combined. If the mixture looks very dry, feel free to add a tiny bit more almond milk. Then evenly distribute the sponge batter into the 4 prepared ramekins and bake for 40 minutes. To test, insert a skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean the cake is ready. Whilst the sponge is baking, prepare the frosting by mixing together the ingredients for the frosting; you can do this by hand or use an electric whisk if you prefer. Once done, keep the frosting in the fridge until the sponge is ready. When the sponge layers are done remove them from the oven, leave to cool for 10 - 20 minutes. Then place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes or so - this will make cutting them in half so much easier! Remove from the freezer and carefully cut them in half. Frost each layer carefully until you have 2 – 4 mini layer cakes. Decorate with flowers and enjoy! Each mini layer cake will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Tip 1: The cake is quite moist, hence the longer baking time, but each oven is different so it's worth doing the skewer test at the 30-minute mark. Tip 2: You can make only 1 mini cake by halving this recipe. We made 1 mini cake and just froze the two extra sponge layers, which we enjoyed a few weeks later (unfrosted) for brunch. Having extra layers and extra icing just means you're covered should something go wrong. Tip 3: Don't be fooled, despite their little appearance, these cakes are really rich with each easily serving 5 - 6 people. Tip 4: The riper the pears the more delicious the cake. You can also use persimmon fruit instead of pears if you prefer. Tip 5: Be aware that vegan cream cheese is generally only available in health food stores, but it's SO worth going the extra mile to get it. Tip 6: The ramekins we used were bought at a high-street supermarket and are easily available. You can also get them online. For more healthy and delicious recipe ideas, make sure to check the Little Plantation blog and find the perfect pairings from our Home Accessories collection. Shop Kitchen Back to top

In People’s Homes

Night And Day: Sofa Beds For Small Spaces

We show you how to squeeze the most from a small space with three Sofa Beds that add new meaning to the phrase functional furniture. For many the living room is the heart of the home. Yet more than ever, homeowners and renters alike are looking to this relatively small space as an alternative guest room for friends and family. That’s where Modern Sofa Beds come into their own. Often overlooked, in no small part thanks to unflattering designs of the past, modern Sofa Beds combine the functionality to adapt from day to night with the chic style you would expect from a contemporary sofa. To demonstrate the elegance and ease of this new breed of Sofa Beds we’ve created three interior styles that are perfect for small spaces. 50 shades: metallic finishes, solid wood furnishings and accents of colour are set against the deep button cushioning and slate grey upholstery of the 40 Winks Sofa Bed. Studio space: keep your options open plan with the Danish designed Hinge Sofa Bed, just the thing for those into urban loft living. Mid-century to midnight: this fifties inspired room set brings modern functionality to the fore by using the numerous configurations of the 40 Winks Sofa Bed.