The Bishops Go Wireless... SoundPEATS Wireless earphones and speaker review plus 20% off for my readers...

Liam and I were recently sent a pair of wireless running earphones and a wireless bluetooth speaker from the people at SoundPEATS. They asked us to put them through their paces and give our honest review. 

I had the bluetooth speaker earmarked for my home office, so that I could listen to music/the radio while I work and Liam nabbed the running earphones as he runs three times a week and was interested to try going wireless. So today I'm sharing what we thought of the products, plus some cheeky money off codes if you decide to pick them up for yourself...

MR BISHOP REVIEWS THE Q12 WIRELESS EARPHONES...

As someone who does a lot of walking and running (1-2 hours every day) – I often have a lot of time to listen to music and so headphones are always on me wherever I go! Mrs B asked me to try out the new wireless Q12s from Soundpeats and I obliged willingly, always on the lookout for some new tech to test/use/break.

For quite a while now, I’ve used the earphones that came with my iPhone 7, and always found these adequate. Although without a headphone jack on the phone, I didn’t have much choice as I couldn’t use any of my older earphones with it. The main problem with these was a) an annoying wire flapping about and b) they pain your ears after a couple of hours, being solid plastic and not that ergonomic, obviously designed by someone who’d never seen a human ear before. A few months ago I acquired a set of wireless earphones (a £100+ plus pair), and although the sound quality wasn’t as good as my wired ones, I was sold on the wireless ability – wires suck! I didn’t realise how annoying they were until they were gone! One of my worst 1^st world problems is having to spend 2-3 hours every day untangling wires in my headphones that have been in my bag for mere minutes before turning into a Gordian knot of epic proportions. Not any more!

So trying out these new wireless Q12s, I was curious as to whether I could stay wireless and have a better sound quality – and they didn’t disappoint. The sound was great. Compared to other 2 sets of earphones, I found they had a better clarity than the standard iPhone ones I have, and a better bass than my other wireless ones. When I found out the price, I was shocked they were able to provide such good quality for how much they were.

Now that I have found a wireless pair of headphones that also have the best sound quality of all the ones I own, the Q12s have become my standard set I use every day!

After a couple of weeks of daily use, I have some other points to mention – the headphones synced easily within seconds, and I’ve never had any drop off from the link. I don’t know how far they go, but I’ve always had my phone in my pocket and it’s always been ok. Not sure I ever go anywhere without my phone in my pocket anyway so I don’t see that being an issue. All you do is hold down a button and you hear in your ear when they have switched on or off. That’s it – when on, all the sound comes through them. You can control volume through the phone, or through the controls on the wire. So easy. And being wireless, you can just turn on your tunes, put your phone away in your bag, and then be wire free to do whatever you want. 

When you aren’t using the earphones, they have a magnet in them, so you can take them out your ear, and stick them together to make a sort of necklace. The wire isn’t too long, so they don’t bounce about on your chest. You can quite comfortably wear them all day, popping them in and out your ears as you need them, without any tangling, and without ever needing to put them away. It’s made music listening much more convenient and quick for me.

I was slightly worried they would fly out when I was running, as without a wire, they do feel less secure in your ears at first. But I think this is just a feeling you get from not having a wire and listening to music, they are actually more secure than my previous sets. I was wearing them recently when I fell in a river (true story) and although they escaped getting wet (unlike the rest of me) – they stayed secure and playing the whole time without any hint of a wobble, even when I was tumbling down the riverbank into the freezing watery abyss. They have rubber hooks on them that fit inside the ear (as opposed to round the ear) which help secure them in. The whole end of the headphone is rubber, so that can be changed to suit your ear size, so you can get a snug fit and wear them for hours without any pain in your ear at all. They are one of the comfiest sets of earphones I think I’ve ever had.

Finally, they come in a little case you cap zip up and keep in your bag for when you don’t want them round your neck. This case doesn’t get fluff stuck to it when in your bag, which is a bonus and unlike other cases for things I own which I have in my bag (e.g. glasses case covered in lint). The little bag also holds a USB charger you can use to charge them. But the battery life is great, I haven’t had to do this much. Maybe 2-3 times over the past few weeks, which considering how much I have used them – is brill. You can also check the battery level of them from your phone when connected as well, so that’s handy.

Overall, I was pretty amazed by the Q12s, even more so considering the price of them. They sound great, are really comfy, easy to use, and having them wireless and round my neck all day has meant listening to music has never been so quick and easy for me. I genuinely use these every day now, and have found them better in every way than the previous £100+ set I had from another famous manufacturer. Highly recommend!

The SoundPEATS Q12 Wireless Running Earphones are available on Amazon currently for the sale price of £16.99 (usually £30.99) and if you use the code: NZHXYSIF you'll get a whopping 20% off that already amazing price!

MRS BISHOP REVIEWS THE P4 WIRELESS SPEAKER

I've been blown away by this nifty little speaker. On first impressions I was really pleased with how compact and light it is, I've come across "portable" devices before that are big, bulky and cumbersome, but this genuinely easily slides inside my mum bag/changing bag/rucksack/picnic bag as necessary for using out and about. It is also sleek looking and very subtle - it's the sort of device that blends right in - you wouldn't even notice it around your home! 

As someone who is quite wary of using new gadgets/devices I was preparing myself to get stressed setting it up and find it complicated to pair with my phone (it works via a bluetooth connection) - but it was so simple. I had it unboxed, on and playing music within about 5 minutes of it arriving. The instructions are super simple, and once paired with your device it searches it and re-connects next time you power the speaker up. 

The speaker comes with an AUX cable and Micro USB cable, plus a simple user manual. You can re-charge the speaker by  plugging it in to the USB cable which you can either insert into your laptop or into a USB compatible plug (I use the plug from my iPhone charger with the Micro USB attachment) - it fully charges in 3-4 hours. 

The sound quality is perfect for me - I've used it mostly in my small home office while I work, and I've had no issues with sound quality or volume. The connection has never dropped, and it's been a dream to use. It's been really great for taking out into the back garden during this amazing weather we've been having - the perfect speaker for picnics and BBQs or for taking along to gatherings where you want to easily be able to provide some background music. 

When paired with my phone I've found it best to ensure my phone is set to 'silent' otherwise you can hear the notification sounds through the speaker as well as the music you're playing, which can be quite annoying (especially as a Social Media Manager - my phone is CONSTANTLY getting notifications!). On silent mode it works perfectly and the music is not interrupted. 

I really like the simple top display on the speaker for volume control and skipping tracks - there's a cool slide function for track skipping, and a rotating wheel for adjusting the volume. It's very instinctive to use. There's a power button on the bottom of the speaker, which you can also use to answer or refuse incoming calls if paired to your mobile phone. There's also a little LED light which glows/flashes in different colours patterns depending on whether it's in AUX mode, pairing mode, charging, fully charged, has low battery or is paired via bluetooth. 

I love that when the speaker is paired with my phone I can also see the battery life left on the speaker on the top right corner of my phone display - very handy! 

This speaker has already had so much use, I'm thrilled with it, and even at it's full price I think it is an absolute bargain. 

The SoundPEATS P4 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker is available on Amazon currently for the fabulous sale price of £33.98 (usual price of £59.99) and if you use the code: 2YP4QAXC you'll get 20% off - amazing! 

We absolutely couldn't recommend these products enough - both Liam and I are using them daily and are finding them very robust and great quality items. 

Why not go wireless yourself?

Mr & Mrs B

x

We were sent the SoundPEATS Q12 earphones and P4 speaker in return for this honest review. 

What was in our June Degustabox?

This month's food box had a BBQ theme - which was fitting with all the lovely sunny weather we've been having. Unfortunately, we are yet to replace our very broken BBQ, so we had to rely on oven-cooking rather than barbecue-ing, but it still made for a very tasty month. 

I know I say it every time - but this box was a corker, in fact I'd go as far to say it was the best and most used box we've received so far on our Degustabox journey! Out of all 12 items (we get the alcohol and non-alcohol options so therefore get an extra item) there were just two items we didn't get round to using this month - both of which were soft drinks, and that's just because we only really drink water here, none of us are very keen on fruity drinks so we tend to save them for when guests come. Both the Berrywhite Organic drink and the ENRj juice drinks will I'm sure come in handy at some point, so they won't go to waste. 

So, what was in this month's box?

June 2017 Degustabox - BBQ theme

Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc Alcohol Free Wine £1.49

What the brand says:

Eisberg is the UK's number one alcohol free wine brand. Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc is fresh, aromatic & brimming with gooseberry flavours and fruit - made in exactly the same way as your favourite wine but with the alcohol gently removed at the end and only 28 Kcal per 125ml serving. 

What I thought: 

This is the second time I've tried Eisberg wine and I really like it. Of course it doesn't have quite the same tang and burn as an alcoholic wine, but it is the closest I've ever come to the real thing in a non-alcoholic form. Most non-alcoholic wines just taste like fizzy fruit juice, this has much more of a winey taste & is very refreshing. 

Capsicana Brazilian Chilli & Coconut Quick Cook Sauce £1.99

What the brand says:

Featuring Frutescens Chillies this delicious and fragrant sauce is based on classic 'Moqueca' stew from Bahia state, north of Rio. Brazil. Cook with chicken, peppers and onions for a 15 minute midweek dish.

What I thought:

We absolutely loved this sauce - we made Brazilian fajitas as suggested by adding chicken, peppers and onions - then we layered it up in tortilla wraps with creme frâiche, grated cheddar, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. The flavours were reminiscent of a great Thai green curry - very fragrant, good strong heat but not too hot, and so much flavour. I would definitely buy this again for an alternative to Mexican fajitas. Lovely. 

Capsicana Brazilian Chilli & Coconut Chicken Fajitas!

HARIBO Summer Frenzy 2 x £1.00

What the brand say:

Enjoy the tastes of Summer whatever the weather, with NEW Summer Frenzy HARIBO Starmix Berry flavours and HARIBO Tangfastics Ice Cream and Sorbet flavours. Featuring the iconic pieces but in a frenzy of new flavour and colour combinations. HARIBO Summer Frenzy is perfect for sharing. 

What I thought:

Bert was in sweetie-heaven with the Starmix Berry mix - and he's devoured the bag (5 sweets at a time, the rule in this house) which is testament enough to the trusty HARIBO brand. He's not as keen on the sour/fizzy sweets - so his Dad and I had to help him out (we're good like that)...I'm not a huge sweetie fan but I actually nicked a couple of the fizzy cherries and they were LOVELY. One or two won't do you any harm, hey?

Spoon Apple & Peanut Granola £3.70

What the brand says:

Our granola uses a short list of quality ingredients, including wholegrain jumbo oats, crispy coconut chips, whole roasted peanuts and baked apple pieces. We only use natural sugars, honey and our non-so-secret ingredient, maple syrup, which contains more nutrients than regular sugar. Best enjoyed with natural yoghurt and/or milk. 

What I thought:

Honestly, this SPOON granola is one of the nicest I've ever eaten and I'd 100% buy it if I saw it in the supermarket - it was full of flavour, lovely texture, it felt like a treat yet the nutrition was all spot on. The recommended 45g portion size was ample - and I ate it with full fat greek yoghurt, fresh berries and a drizzle of honey every morning for a week and a half - until I'd drained the box! I even gave up my Saturday/Sunday bacon butties in exchange for this, that's how much I loved it! 

Original O's Savoury Cumin and Sesame Nibbles £2.99

What the brand says:

Take one competitive family, add a secret recipe that has never been agreed between them. Mix in Cumin and Sesame, add a pinch of ambition and share the O's with the world...Warning: You may get O-ddicted to O's!

What I thought:

Never a truer word spoken...one taste and Liam and I were addicted (O-ddicted) to these little O's. We may have eaten the whole box in 3 days! Gosh, they're tasty! If you like the flavours of a tradition hummus then you'll LOVE these. It's hummus meets tahini in flavour, super savoury, lovely texture and just the ticket when you fancy a little nibble. It's a pretty hefty price label BUT they're seriously good - they'd be lovely to put out as nibbles with drinks if you're entertaining. 

Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs £1.95

What the brand says:

Walkers Scottie Dog Shortbread is a novelty treat that is loved by both adults and children. Attractively packaged, these playful Scottie dogs are made with only the finest quality ingredients, giving them the same wonderful Walkers taste. 

What I thought:

Who doesn't LOVE a shortbread? As a biscuit fiend I have to admit that good old shortbread is my hands down absolute FAVOURITE. You just can't beat the short, crumbly texture and indulgent sweet, buttery taste. Mmmm. Every time I eat shortbread as an adult I'm transported back to my childhood when we used to have a tin of Walkers at Christmastime - I loved the novelty shapes and the petticoat tails where you had to break the biscuits off of a larger disc! So many memories! I hadn't eaten Walkers for years, and it was just as good as I remember it. Unfortunately, this time I had two biscuit-munching children to share them with - so I didn't get much of a look in. Needless to say both Bert and Connie DEVOURED their little doggy friends, and Bert has asked for 'Dog Biscuits' for his snack pretty much every day since - hahahaha! 

Bert eating his 'dog biscuits' HAHA!

I think he likes them? 

Light Bites - Mango with Vanilla Yoghurt Fruit Chips £1.49

What the brand says: 

Mango with Vanilla Yoghurt Fruit Chips - Tasty freeze dried fruit and yoghurt chips only 46 calories per bag and 100% fruit and yoghurt. 

What I thought:

I was surprised at how much I liked these - once you accept the crunchy meringue like texture, which I actually really like, the flavour of these was amazing - intense mango and creamy yoghurt...great for nibbling at your desk while you work without worrying about your waistline. I'd love to try other flavours of these when I see them in shops. 

Light Bites - Superfood Fruit Bar £1.25

What the brand says:

Light Bites - Deliciously healthy snacks. Superfood fruit bar with goji berries, quinoa, chia seeds, strawberries, blueberries and pumpkin seeds. Snack virtuously!

What I thought:

Delicious. Full of goodness, does what it says on the tin (so to speak) - light and fruity, nice chewy texture... I ate mine on a really hot day for my 10.30 tea break and it had gone a bit sticky and floppy in the heat, but still tasted lovely. 

Wonky but wonderful! 

Schwartz Authentic American Flavour: BBQ Pulled Chicken and Spicy Buffalo Wings 2 x £0.85

What the brand says:

Schwartz's new, easy to use recipe mixes will transport your taste-buds across the Atlantic, Stateside. Bring a sweet and spicy twist to mealtimes with Authentic American recipe mixed for BBQ Pulled Chicken, Spicy Buffalo Wings, Chicken Jambalaya and Sweet Potato Wedges. 

What I thought:

We tried the BBQ Pulled Chicken and it was really great and best of all - SO EASY! Just pop your chicken breasts in a casserole dish, mix the sachet with water, pour over, cover and bake. The chicken stays super juicy and you an pull it apart with two forks easily. We served ours in a brioche bun with coleslaw and Tefal Acti-fry chips. YUM. 

Heaven on a plate right there! 

Westons Cider: Rhubarb and Damson 2 x £1.99

What the brand says:

Rosie's Pig was one of Westons first delivery trucks and was 'A pig to start and a pig to drive'. Rosie's Pig Flat Tyre is an award winning cloudy sparkling cider with rhubarb. Rosie's Pig Handbreak is a cloudy sparkling cider with damson with a uniquely fruity taste.

What I thought:

Liam and I thoroughly enjoyed these super fruity and refreshing ciders along with our BBQ Pulled Chicken buns on a hot summer evening last week - it was the perfect accompaniment and we both really enjoyed the intense fruitiness, really scrumptious! 

Berrywhite Organic Drinks: Lemon & Lime £1.39 

What the brand says:

Berrywhite organic drinks are available in four delicious flavours of organic fruit juice blended with mineral water. They are one of your five a day, giving 10% profit to the Berrywhite Foundation and have no added sugar, no preservatives or anything artificial. 

What I thought:

This was a nice alternative to water on a hot summer day - I'm not usually big on soft drinks, I always see them as unnecessary calories and sugar, when I'm happy to drink water - but these drinks are really low calorie and nice when you just want something a bit more interesting than water.

ENRj Fruit Juice Energy Drink: Mango & Passion Fruit, Apple & Berries 

What the brand says:

Energy drinks with a difference: we use only the finest fresh fruit, pressed at its prime and naturally caffeinated with raw (green) arabica coffee beans. We didn’t want to use anything artificial, so we poured months of research into doing it the natural way; carefully selecting our raw ingredients and blending these to achieve the perfect balance, naturally. With some cheeky advice from a juice expert, ENRj was born. Mouth watering mango and a squeeze of passion, shaken with a dash of green arabica coffee bean, for a longer-lasting energising lift.

What I thought:

We're yet to taste these drinks as I am cautious when it comes to drinking too much caffeine - I'm not sure how good an effect intense fruit sugars and caffeine mixed together would have on me - however, I'm keeping them in the store cupboard for when we have guests who can enjoy them. They certainly sound interesting and I love the idea of the flavour combinations. 

Here's my top three picks from this month's box...

Would you like to give a Degustabox a try? If so you can receive a whopping £7.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy you lovely lot...

Mrs B

xxx

For more info on Degustabox follow them on their social media channels:

#MerryMorrisons17 - Festive frivolity in June with Morrisons...

Yesterday saw me head to the Big Smoke for a day of PR events, work meetings and appointments. It was a busy day running up and down the Piccadilly line but I do love me a work day in London. There's nothing like the odd day of grown up duties without the babies in tow. I left the house at 9:20am and walked back in at 8:20pm feeling great but completely shattered...I'd walked flippin' miles! 

My first stop was to attend the #MerryMorrisons17 Christmas Preview Press Day on Victoria Embankment near Covent Garden - you'll remember I attended last year too and I was excited to see what goodies Morrisons have heading our way for this year's Festive season. 

Set up as a market street, the event was full-to-bursting with glorious market stalls glimmering and overflowing with festive bounty ...my eyes didn't know where to look first! 

Merry Morrisons 2017 Christmas Preview Press Day

The first stall to catch my eye was the gorgeous flower market; they've some truly stunning bouquets this year full of traditional reds, greens, golds and silver, frosted berries and glitter leaves, holly and wreaths - they've gone all out traditional in this years offerings. 

Floral offerings at this years preview

Next I meandered round the food stalls - trying tempting little tasters of many of the festive foods on offer. One thing I will say is you'll never come away from a Morrisons PR event hungry - boy do they look after you! With a warm spiced apple hot toddy in hand, being idly stirred with a cinnamon stick releasing its heady spiced aroma, I munched my way through the afternoon feeling stupidly festive and excited for what's to come later this year. 

Here's a selection of my top picks for this Christmas... 

The Best Stuffing Cracker - because what's left to add to your Christmas dinner table...pastry of course!! A delicious hand-folded puff pastry cracker for the Christmas table - stuffed with spiced British pork, festive fruits and nuts, and topped with cranberries and a poppy seed sprinkle.

In-Store produced Giant Christmas Pudding Cookie - prepared by their Cake Shop experts this cookie is the size of 12 standard cookies! 

The Best Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Pear Christmas Pudding -  A gold-lustred rich fruit pudding packed with juicy vine fruits and laced with cider, The Best Pedro Ximénez Sherry and brandy, with a hidden molten centre of quince and pear sauce. 

Adorable Snowman Cake - sure to put a smile on everyone's face this Christmas! 

Decorate Your Own Gingerbread House Kit - Everything you need to make a deluxe gingerbread house, including easy-to-assemble pre-baked gingerbread pieces, icing and candy. 

The Best Apricot & Cranberry Topped Pork Pie - £13. What a centrepiece for your Boxing Day buffet table - Seasoned British pork layered with creamy Brussels pâté and encased in a rich hot water crust pastry. Hand-finished with apricots, cranberries and a festive cranberry & port jelly. 

The Best Festive Pork Pie £15 - another centrepiece winner - select cuts of British pork mixed with smoked bacon, chestnuts and thyme are hand-layered with British turkey in a hot water crust pastry. Hand-finished with festive cranberry and port jelly and a gold pastry crown.  

Snowman cookies - my kids will go MAD for these at Christmas! 

As always I was absolutely besotted with the clothing ranges from Nutmeg. Last Christmas I dressed the whole family head-to-toe in Nutmeg for Christmas, and it looks as if this year will be no exception - my absolute favourite being this adorable fox outfit for Connie - SWOON!

Fox Jumper £8 Pleated Skirt £5 available in sizes newborn up to 24 months. 

Another favourite of mine from this years showcase was this adorable "Mini-Me" range of Christmas jumpers available in adult and children sizes so you can match your little ones over the festive period - amazing! 

Adult jumpers £12, children's jumpers £10. 

Mini Me Christmas Jumpers range from Nutmeg at Morrisons

Mini Me Christmas Jumpers range from Nutmeg at Morrisons

Finally, I couldn't do a Christmas round-up without including a Christmas card, and this Season's Tweetings card was by far my favourite - you all know I have such a thing about little birds, and who doesn't love a robin with a button or pompom belly?? Adorable. 

Season's Tweetings Robin card from Morrisons.

I think you'll agree we've got some tasty treats awaiting us this Christmas thanks to the Morrisons team, who have absolutely nailed a fuss-free, traditional but affordable Christmas offering this year. 

Christmas Tree Crumpets for breakfast this morning courtesy of my #MerryMorrisons17 goody bag! 

Naturally, today the kids and I started our day with Christmas Tree shaped crumpets (from my #MerryMorrisons17 goody bag yesterday) smothered in The Best Raspberry Conserve which is TO DIE FOR. Bert thought a Christmas breakfast in June was HILARIOUS and I had all the mum points for producing a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Gingerbread biscuit as his mid morning snack too! Thanks Morrisons. :-)

What's your favourite festive food? What do you look forward to eating most each Christmas?

Mrs B

xxx

Getting Ready for Starting School with Petit Fernand *REVIEW & GIVEAWAY*

As the summer term begins, and we start counting down the weeks until the summer holidays, parents everywhere will be thinking about purchasing next year's school uniform, shoes, pencil cases and other school essentials. I cannot BELIEVE my baby boy is starting full time school in September (reception class) and so he needs the whole nine yards when it comes to school uniform this year. 

Not only did purchasing the school uniform almost bankrupt me, but it also meant I had to face the dreaded task of labelling everything once again!

I absolutely loathe those boring, thankless tasks and last year I spent what felt like hours sewing on individual name labels to Bert's pre-school uniform. And when the first one started fraying after just a couple of washes I vowed I'd never do it again! *sigh*

As a busy mum of two, who is also trying to run her own business from home, I'm a HUGE fan of anything that can help to simplify my life & reduce my already heavy workload. I have much better things to do with my time (playing with the kids, working, housework, washing...!) and I'd rather not spend ages labelling Bert's uniform for September. 

So, this year I was on the lookout for an alternative to having to hand sew each name label in, and I came across the amazing Petit Fernand who sell personalised stick on clothing labels! The adhesive label takes about 2 seconds to stick on the washing instructions or brand tag and best of all it is washing machine and tumble dryer resistant! Meaning that you can wash and dry your child's uniform to your hearts content and it will still stay labelled. FAB-U-LOUS. 

I was sent 50 stick-on clothing labels (RRP £12.00) and 20 stick-on shoe labels (RRP £12.00) which should definitely keep us going for the next school year, and honestly, it's only taken me five minutes to label 15+ items - amazing! What a time saver. What a game changer. 

The labels are super customisable with over 30 different background colours/designs to choose from, 11 font choices, and over 100 image/logo choices to ensure your stickers are perfectly suited to your little one's tastes. Bert's favourite colour is yellow and he's still dinosaurs mad, so it made sense for me to go with those options. 

They come in a little booklet/envelope and the only instructions is to peel off and stick on to the garment care label then wait 24 hours before you wear or wash the clothes, simple! 

I'm happy to report that I've tested some of the labels on Bert's current school uniform and after 6+ washes and tumble drys the labels are showing no signs of budging so I'm confident they'll do the trick nicely. 

I'm absolutely thrilled with the discovery of Petit Fernand and all their genius products - they even sell sticky school name tags perfect for water bottles, pencil cases, school books etc, personalised jam jar stickers or baby food labels and even personalised lunch boxes and water bottles - they've got all your back to school needs covered.

For more info head to the Petit Fernand homepage. 

WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN

If you'd like to win £20 credit to spend at Petit Fernand then enter my giveaway below. 

GOOD LUCK!

Giveaway is for UK entrants only and ends at 11:59pm on 23rd July 2017. 

Petit Fernand Giveaway

I was sent the stick-on clothing and shoe labels from Petit Fernand in exchange for this honest review. 

The Park Pub & Kitchen in Bedford is a 'Little Gem' *REVIEW*

On Friday night Liam and I were treated to a rare date night: dinner in a beautiful local pub and restaurant just a stones throw from our home and the wonderful Bedford Park (which is my happy place!) The Park Pub & Kitchen is owned by the Little Gem group and is based on Kimbolton Road in Bedford. 

This 'Little Gem' (literally) just won Bedfordshire Food and Drink Awards 'Pub of the Year 2017' category - so you can imagine how thrilled we were to be invited to dine there. 

I've been going to The Park since I moved to Bedford when I was just 18 years old - it has always been a really lovely pub & restaurant with an emphasis on great food in a relaxed, country pub atmosphere. The beautiful exterior has caught my eye since those first experiences 12 years go - I especially love it in summer with its brimming hanging baskets, and wonderful courtyard garden. 

The Park Pub & Kitchen in Bedford

The interior is full of beamed ceilings, large flagstone floors, fireplaces and a colour scheme that Farrow and Ball would be proud of. Everything about the interior appeals to me - much like my own home it is very shabby chic/country kitchen in style, with loads of interesting bits and pieces dotted around to look at, beautiful mismatched chunky furniture, awesome statement/feature wallpaper and fresh flowers in abundance. 

Mr and Mrs Bishop enjoy the Park Pub & Kitchen, Bedford

There is also a wonderful relaxed conservatory and garden room which are the perfect dining spots in summer, as well as cosy armchairs and little nooks by the fireplaces to warm yourself during winter. The Park also boasts private hire areas for functions suitable for anything from 30-120 people - genuinely catering for all your needs. 

Amazingly, The Park serves Breakfast (Thur-Sun), Lunch and Dinner as well as having a special Sunday Menu too! You couldn't ask for much more. Check out their menu page for more details.

I've visited the pub many times over the years - for drinks and study sessions when I was at university, for lunches and dinners with girlfriends in my twenties, and more recently lovely brunches and lunches with Liam. The only sitting I hadn't tried was dinner, so it was time to rectify that! 

Liam has eaten there with his work colleagues on a number of occasions over the past few years for Christmas celebrations and summer team building and he's always been so impressed with the food, service and atmosphere - so we were thrilled to be able to go together on Friday to check out their summer evening menu and enjoy some much needed "us time" away from Mummy and Daddy duties. 

We arrived 10 minutes late to our 8pm booking (how are we STILL late even without the kids? Ha!) but it didn't phase the staff members at all, they showed us instantly to our lovely booth table which was waiting for us. Within a few minutes we had been given menus, ice cold water (it was a very hot evening) and our very polite and happy waitress had taken our food order. 

One of my favourite things about eating out with Liam is studying the menu together - we are both big foodies - and so we get really excited to see what options are available to us. We then carefully select courses that interest or excite us. On the whole we try not to order the same courses as each other, as we like the variety of being able to taste as many courses on the menu as possible - we're good at sharing so we always let each other try each other's dishes. 

The menu was fabulous - it's not often I'm stuck choosing between dishes on each course - usually there's one standout dish I think I'd like to try and then one comfort-food dish that is a safe option, and I have to choose between the two - but it was a struggle with this lovely menu to know what to pick, there was honestly 3-4 dishes for each course that I could have happily chosen. There was a clear emphasis on fresh, local produce (which always reassures me that it is going to be a good eat) and I always enjoy a menu more when it is seasonal. There's just something about knowing that you'll be eating fresh, of the season, local produce - it's the best!

After much deliberation I opted for:

STARTER: Cod cheek scampi with potato crisps, pea veloute & tartare salsa. 

MAIN COURSE: Slow-braised lamb shoulder with minted spinach, butternut squash & rosemary jus. 

DESSERT: Warm almond, pistachio & lemon loaf with white chocolate ice-cream. 

 

and Liam chose...

STARTER: Chilli & maple glazed pork belly, celeriac croquette & fennel salad

MAIN COURSE: Pan-roasted chicken supreme, sweetcorn, chilli & pea risotto with Mrs Middleton’s cold-pressed lemon oil.

DESSERT: Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce & vanilla ice cream.

We also ordered a side dish to share with our main course of smoked bacon, cabbage, leeks & peas. 

To finish we both enjoyed an Americano coffee, with a little cheeky square of brownie on the side - delicious! 

I'll share with you the pictures I took of each course and then talk you through what we thought.

Saying that, the pictures really do most of the talking...

My starter: cod cheek scampi with potato crisps, pea veloute & tartare salsa. 

Firstly, the stunning plate and presentation was what caught my eye on this starter - what an absolutely beautifully presented dish it was! The taste didn't disappoint either - think posh fish and chips; with a tangy tartare salsa, sweet pea veloute and texture added from the crunchy potato crisps and cod cheek scampi. The cod was moist and sweet, and the whole thing was light and fresh - the perfect way to start a meal. 

My starter: cod cheek scampi with potato crisps, pea veloute & tartare salsa. 

My main course was to die for...the lamb melted and fell apart as you cut into it, it was honestly like butter. I loved the richness of the rosemary jus - it had strong echoes of the Sunday lunches I enjoyed growing up. I thought pairing the lamb with minted spinach and butternut squash was brilliant - adding much needed freshness to the rich meat.

My main course: Slow-braised lamb shoulder with minted spinach, butternut squash & rosemary jus. 

The shared side dish was the perfect amount for two - this whole bowl just screamed Christmas to me - there's something about green veggies cooked like this with delicious smoked bacon that is so festive to me. It was the ideal accompaniment to our meat dishes. 

Side dish of smoked bacon, cabbage, leeks & peas

My dessert was the absolute high-point for me and that's saying something considering how much I enjoyed my starter and main course. Our lovely waitress recommended this dessert to me, saying it was her favourite and was really special and boy was she right, I'm so glad I listened to her. I can honestly say it was hands down the nicest warm sponge I've ever eaten - the almonds and pistachio added a rich nuttiness, the lemon adding zing and flavour, with a gooey, syrupy texture and pudding-y crumb, it was rich, decadent, really filling and basically all I could ever want from a dessert. The generous addition of thick, creamy lemon curd was the genuine icing on the cake - and who wouldn't love a melting scoop of white chocolate ice cream to lift a heavy (but heavenly) end to a meal?

My dessert: Warm almond, pistachio & lemon loaf with white chocolate ice-cream

I loved the presentation of Liam's starter - it looked so pretty, well balanced and really thought about. There's nothing more disappointing than food that looks like it's been thrown at the plate - no chance of that happening here. His chilli and maple glazed pork belly was beautifully tender, uber rich from the fat of the pork and sweetness of the maple syrup but the chilli kick really helped to cut through that richness. The croquette added texture and a creamy celeriac flavour, and he said the dressed fennel salad was amazing. We laughed at how exciting salads can be if you make a little effort and think outside the box slightly - it doesn't just have to be the (very English) lettuce, cucumber and tomato. 

Liam's starter: Chilli & maple glazed pork belly, celeriac croquette & fennel salad

Liam's highlight course was his main - I got to try a few mouthfuls too and can corroberate that it was absolutely stunning. The stand-out part was the risotto, with its expected rich and creamy texture, comforting traditional risotto flavours and then an unexpected (but brilliant) sweetness from the sweetcorn and then chilli heat after you've swallowed it. Neither Liam or I had ever tasted a spicy risotto before and we really loved it. The chicken was cooked to perfection on the bone, and the sharp lemon oil finished the dish perfectly - each item on the plate was absolutely necessary and wonderful in its own right. 

Pan-roasted chicken supreme, sweetcorn, chilli & pea risotto with Mrs Middleton’s cold-pressed lemon oil.

The only slight disappointment in terms of menu choices came from Liam's dessert choice of Sticky Toffee Pudding - it is hands down Liam's favourite dessert, and so when it's on a menu it's usually a done deal that he will have it. That does mean that he's eaten rather a lot of sticky toffee puds in his time, some of which have been absolutely incredible, so perhaps he is a harsh critic...

He said he couldn't fault the overall flavour of the dessert-  the toffee sauce and ice cream were both great, but unfortunately the sponge cake itself was a bit of a let down as it was slightly rubbery in texture and a bit tough. That being said, he ate all of it, the texture being the only criticism. Perhaps he was unlucky and just got the last slice in the dish?

Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce & vanilla ice cream.

We rounded off our lovely meal with two huge vats of Americano coffee (the coffee at The Park is lovely - so worth popping in even for just coffee and a sneaky dessert!) and we enjoyed putting the world to rights, having a giggle together and inevitably talking about the children (why do you miss them an hour after you leave them despite feeling in massive need of a break? Ha!)

Coffee for two at The Park Pub & Kitchen, Bedford

As well as the food being of a really high standard, we cannot fault the service we were shown on Friday night - friendly, smiley, attentive staff who seemed genuinely happy to serve you, to provide opinions and advice, and ensure we had plenty to drink while we waited in between courses. None of the wait times were too long at all and all of our food and drinks orders were taken without a pen/pad and all correctly delivered to our table to the right person -it's details like that which make all the difference for me.

Based on our experience on Friday night as well as the copious other successful visits over the years, we will absolutely be heading back to The Park again very soon. We often recommend it to local friends and family as the perfect relaxed dining spot in Bedford, and our experience on Friday night only backs up our previous high opinion of the place. 

For more about The Park Pub & Kitchen head to their website or follow them on Twitter for updates directly from the pub and kitchen - @parkpubkitchen.

**Liam and I were gifted the above meal at The Park Pub and Kitchen in return for our honest review.**