05 February 2010

Steenbergs Launches New Design For Spice Tins

At Steenbergs, we have been doing a lot of work trying to refresh parts of our organic spices and seasonings range.  Now we have relaunched our spice tins into a bright new label and an elegant rolled tin.

04 February 2010

Recipe for Traditional Pudding: Queen of Puddings

I was listening to Radio 4 the other day and they were talking about steam puddings and how it is a truly English traditional that is not found anywhere else.  One of the puds they were talking about was Queen of Puddings which was being made  at Riv...

01 February 2010

Trying To Build A Better Spices Business

When Sophie and I set up Steenbergs, we were very clear in our own minds about what Steenbergs as a business wanted to offer as products - the widest and most exotic range of great spices, herbs, seasonings and teas from around the world that are gro...

30 January 2010

Reflections On Le Credit Crunch

I think I am now pretty much up to looking back on 2007 - 2009, and thinking about 2010 and forwards.  Le credit crunch and le recession have been a roller coaster, like surfing a bad set of hairy, tumbling roiling waves, but it's been a truly cathar...

29 January 2010

Development thoughts about vanilla from the Congo

I like the vanilla beans from the Congo because of their story.  I like the idea that the vanilla beans are grown in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Virunga National Park.  I, also, like the fact that this is a fair trade story, where local p...

28 January 2010

Vanilla, Gorgeous Heady Vanilla

I love vanilla.  I really do.  I blogged about it as a spice back in May 2009 under Vanilla - the temperamental diva.

26 January 2010

Recipe - How To Make New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

Here is a way to use some of the new chillis that I introduced in a blog last week.  It is a traditional recipe for a New Mexican Red Chile Sauce (Chilli Sauce) that is preferred by northern New Mexicans and New Mexican old-timers, especially those w...

24 January 2010

Recipe - Baking Chocolate Brownies For Haiti

Our children's school council have decided to run a cake stall tomorrow to raise money for Haiti.  I feel especially moved by Haiti as my grandmother was born next door in the Dominican Republic, which has escaped the horrors of their neighbours.  Th...

22 January 2010

Hot Chili From Steenbergs

The snow may have gone but it's cold, dreich and miserable.  But after a manic Christmas, it's given me time to do some of the boring, but necessary, things of business life - stocktake inputting, stock valuation and pricing review, plus I've just do...

14 January 2010

Recipe for Chicken Nuggets and Chips

The roads yesterday were like an ice rink - there was a thin layer of black ice outside our house that made the road treacherous.  No gritting of minor roads or housing areas seems to be being done.  We're not that good in England at cold weather - o...

20 December 2009

Recipe For Snowy White Mince Pies

18 December 2009

It's cold up North

06 December 2009

Recipe For Sweets At Christmas Fairs

Inspired by marzipanning the Christmas cake yesterday and acutely aware of the looming Christmas Fair after the Carol Concert at our children's school, I decided to experiment with some sweet making this morning.  Also, chidhood memories of Niederegg...

05 December 2009

Recipe For Marzipan For Christmas Cake

I love marzipan, which is often called in a highly industrial way almond paste (an honest but bland name). 

02 December 2009

Time to check your Christmas cake etc

It's been so wet and miserable over the last few weeks and we've had a tsunami of orders at Steenbergs so I've had no time to think about my blog, but it's 6 in the morning and I'm up and awake. 

25 November 2009

We're In The Telegraph Christmas Guide

Steenbergs was featured in The Daily Telegraph's Christmas Gift Guide last Saturday (21 November 2009).  Our Fairtrade Sugar & Spice Gift Box of 9 products was featured alongside some very illustrious others, including a Fortnum & Mason Hampe...

22 November 2009

A Christmas Traditional Craft - Making A Pomander

Today we’ve had a ago at making pomanders.  Pomanders were used in England from the medieval period until the 18th century as a way of perfuming the air.

15 November 2009

Recipe - Quince & Ginger Steam Pudding

A good friend of ours - Jane - gave us 8 large quinces the other day and I have been racking my brains as to the best way to use them.  They have a gorgeous light green-yellow colour and an almost eye-like shape, but finding recipe ideas for them is...