August 12, 2013

So You've Never Been to Lidl? 25 Things You Might Not Know You Can Get There. PLUS: WIN £20 to Spend In-store!

August 12, 2013/ Claire Spence

Lidl isn't just a grocery shop that sells discount, European food. It's also the equivalent of a kid in a toy shop for me. Why? Because I love trying food products I haven't tried before, and besides selling brands you do know at low prices, Lidl also imports European ingredient and dishes you don't get in the big, main supermarkets.

Pushing your trolley down the aisle you'll discover those biscuits you remember buying all the time that fortnight in France. Or the pâté you remember your hotel having in the breakfast buffet when you holidayed in Spain. That's what I like about Lidl, you can relive the tastes of your holidays, as well as stock up on well-known brands at a discount.

If you haven't visited Lidl before because of its bargain-chain status, think again. Their luxury range will go head to head with M&S any day.

Lidl gave me some vouchers to play around with and I spent £54.31 on this tasty, little haul.

family size luxury crips 99p. Sun dried tomatoes 99p

American style ice cream in a variety of flavours £1.99

jar of feta £1.79   Smoked bacon £1.99.  Lardons £1.79 — jar of feta £1.79 Smoked bacon £1.99. Lardons £1.79

sirloin steaks £6.59.     Salami £4.49 — sirloin steaks £6.59. Salami £4.49

pistachio fudge £1.79.  Irish yoghurt (this is the most amazing yoghurt range I've ever tasted) 59p — pistachio fudge £1.79. Irish yoghurt (this is the most amazing yoghurt range I've ever tasted) 59p

Kinder bars £1.68. Kinder eggs £1.71. Babybel cheese £1.74

juice £1.29 each own-brand Oreos £1.19

clementines £1.99.  Spring onions 73p.  Cucumber 29p — clementines £1.99. Spring onions 73p. Cucumber 29p

So how would you like to win £20 Lidl vouchers to go and explore your local branch for goodies? Simply tweet, "I've entered @rudedoodle's World of Kitsch competition to win Lidl vouchers" once and you'll be entered to the draw. Winner will be picked at random after the closing date at 1pm on 19th August 2013.

Maybe, like me, you'll fall in love with this little animal shaped waffle maker, in store now for only £9.99 You can't beat that.

January 30, 2013

The Swan Vintage Teasmade- Mine at Last

January 30, 2013/ Claire Spence

It's handy that you all know I'm a weirdo already, because I'm about to confide in you a childhood desire that definitely wasn't normal.

When I was about seven, eight and upwards, I was drawn to the white goods section of the Argos catalogue, to the teasmades. I didn't drink a tremendous amount of tea as a preteen or anything, but I was fascinated by the clock, kettle, often picture frame, mash-up gadget and the idea of having one in my own bedroom came with very grown-up aspirations. My parents, being good, non-boiling-water-giving-to-child parents, never ticked the Swan Teasmade off my Santa list, but it's one product that's always tickled my fancy to this day.

Now Teasmades are seen as vintage, and one of their original manufacturers, Swan, know that there are Nesspressos & fancy podded coffee do-dahs out there, but there are folks like me who still want a part alarm clock, part kettle gadget. So they brought back the Teasmade in 2009 after an absence of a number of years, to great success. There are a number of models available though www.JohnLewis.com and www.Swan-Brand.co.uk fulfilled my lifetime dream of Teasmade ownership and sent me their crisp white model.

It's my very own non-weaponised Transformer- half alarm clock, half tea pot. Brew-a-tron!
And it works a treat. Makes enough tea for two cups & is self cleaning as only water goes inside the machine. I have M.E. and often have to sleep part of the early afternoon to have the energy for my son coming home from school, so now when I do I can set my Teasmade to wake me twenty minutes before the school run with a lovely pot of Suki Tea.

Then and Now. Many more vintage photos on the www.Facebook.com/Teasmade page