What’s New, On & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

A taste of Puglia

Tacco (786 Fulham Road) was founded by Marco Fedele and Fulham local Gianluca d’ Aversa as a result of a “deep love and longing” for their homeland. Their deli/wine bar which opened mid-September is a realisation of their dream to showcase the best of Puglian produce and culture. Marco told us “Puglia can often be a little forgotten compared to other regions of Italy, but the depth and quality of what’s made by many of the artisan producers in this area stand up to the best from anywhere else in the country”.

At Tacco, customers can browse their range of handpicked 100% Puglian food and wine products and either purchase them to enjoy at home or visit the deli/wine bar where they can enjoy a glass of wine and a selection of cured charcuterie, cheeses, breads and typical Apulian snacks. Sounds like a great way to break up Tier Two monotony! As well as food and wine from Puglia, Tacco are selling classic ceramics and pottery from the region and if you’re dreaming of a trip to Italy you can browse magazines, information about the region and talk to staff who are on hand to give you advice on travelling to the area, intel on all the best places to visit and and things to do.

They also have a great on line shop where you can purchase wine, beer, Kombucha, sauces and of course a great selection of pasta (Spaghetti Nero, Orecchiette, Cavatelli). Why the name “Tacco”? Well, for those of you who don’t speak Italian, it means “heel” which is where the region of Puglia also known as the “Heel of Italy’s boot” is located.

Parsons Nose supports new charity

Beder is a new charity that intends to increase understanding and reduce fear around the topics of mental health and suicide by reaching young and diverse audiences through a range of exciting partnerships and initiatives. The charity was started and named after Beder Mirjan “a giant of a young man, with a witty sense of humour and infectious laugh, who was gentle, caring, polite and kind natured. Beder was always surrounded by love and due to start university with a bright future ahead of him. However, he took the unexpected decision to take his own life at the age of 18 in April 2017”.

Parsons Nose were approached by Beder’s founder, Wimbledon resident Razzak Mirjan to ask if, as his local butcher, they could donate the meat for the photography in their charity cookbook ‘From Beder’s Kitchen’. Released on November 2 the book is a collection of recipes and reflections from global foodies including head and executive chefs at some of the UK’s leading restaurants, Master Chef winners, TV chefs, food bloggers and mental health advocates. As well as recipes there are insights about looking after their own mental health and how food has played a part in that. Each chapter has a different theme: Start your day the right way, Happy Gut, Happy life, Soul Food and Sweet Treats. All proceeds from the book will support Beder in the charity’s work to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention.

Parsons Nose’s sister company Planet Eat TV is also supporting the charity by filming a mini-series that will be hosted on their channel (read all about Planet Eat TV here https://www.urbanvillageldn.com/whats-new-february?rq=planet%20eat). Some of the chefs that have been finalised for the series and have contributed to the book are: Ollie Templeton (Head Chef at award wining London restaurant Carousel), Jose Pizarro (critically acclaimed Spanish chef and owner of three London restaurants), Miles Kirkby (New Zealand born co-founder of Caravan restaurants) and Lily Vanilli (self taught baker/bakery owner).

From Beder’s Kitchen can be purchased direct from the Beder website and is also available from Waterstone’s. From what we’ve seen it looks beautifully put together and we love the concept. We think it would make a lovely gift whilst supporting a worthy charity especially in light of the mental health issues experienced during lockdown which sadly are on going and far reaching.

Learn to Cook with Sal

Fulham resident Salima Dhalla is a private chef, specializing in vegetarian and vegan cooking, who pre COVID also worked as a retreat chef. After running successful “cook along courses” during lockdown she recently launched an on line membership platform. Full of recipes, videos and resources Sal looks at food and cooking from an intuitive rather than a technical perspective and told Urban Village LDN “my food is a true reflection of me and my love of intuitively curated eating. I cook from the heart and soul, tailoring menus, dishes and the entire experience to you, the environment and the seasons. Inspired by a multicultural heritage, London upbringing and amazing local seasonal producers”.

You can head to her virtual kitchen for just £10 a month, or take an annual membership for £100, where you’ll get instant access to baking and recipe tutorials, the digital version of her book: Ten Steps To A More Joyful Relationship With Food, find kitchen hacks, get a 20% discount off all existing and future on line classes AND exclusive live sessions (approximately every six weeks) themed around practical cooking. Sal’s upcoming Zoom classes include “Winter Veggie Magic” (7 Nov/6 Dec) helping you get the most out of winter veggies, with versatile cooking techniques to add flavour all year round and “Curry in a Hurry “ (26 Nov) featuring Sal’s Grandmother's recipes and ones she created that were inspired by her cooking.

Head to Sal’s web-site to find about more about her story, a wealth of information on the courses she runs or to buy an e-gift card, a voucher that can be redeemed against up coming live or on demand classes. A great Christmas/birthday present idea for anyone in your life but especially vegetarian/vegan uni students, teens who are learning to cook or those who need to add a bit more of an instinctive flair to their culinary skills. If like us you’re attached to a recipe, we feel like a kid taking their trainer wheels off their bike for the first time, get in touch with Sal who’d love to hear from you and wants to connect more with the the Fulham community https://www.instagram.com/foodwitchsal/?hl=en

Planet Plenty

This local independent family run business opened their first store on Fulham High Street (25-29) mid September offering a mix of convenience and specialty products. Their second shop on Wandsworth Bridge Road (previously Frescho) will be transforming and officially opening later this month. We spoke to owner Ruth Knaggs who used to live in Fulham, before she headed over the bridge to Putney, about what us locals can expect to find in store.

“We sit somewhere between convenience and specialty, that’s why we are PLANET PLENTY - we have something for everyone, at affordable prices! Great Italian and French delights nestle against tasty vegan, Organic and Free From products. You can even find ethically sourced British farmed Co-op items. You really can’t put a tag on us. We’re the place where you can get a bag of chicken nuggets, an organic loose lemon, Rude Health almond milk, Clearspring Miso paste, a box of lemon chai vegan biscuits , Reblochon de Savoie French cheese and an Ecover bathroom spray all in one shop ... and a delicious bottle of wine for any occasion”.

We’re looking forward to checking out their range, exotic fruits that you won’t find in a supermarket, organic and vegan wines and we are definitely going to be stocking up on their bone broths for winter and test testing their range of Gluten and Dairy free cake mixes. Ruth told us that, as well as adding to their range recently with freshly baked bread and home made bouquets, they’re particularly proud of their loose fruit and veg section and want to keep evolving, surprising and making sure their customers are happy. Take away coffee and an Eco fill station are a taste of more to come. “Plenty of good choice in a welcoming setting. That’s what we’re about” sounds good to us Ruth!

Luxury Ready Meals

We know we’ve already talked about Parsons Nose but this is hot off the press! We were lucky enough to have been invited to taste test their new range of ready meals and now you can try them too we had to report back, give you the low down and tell you what we thought. “Designed not to feel the guilt by cheating with a ready meal” and made up of fresh free range, healthy ingredients and prime cuts, these dishes are family friendly; suitable for grown ups and kids alike. All the dishes are low in sugar and salt with a choice of 5 options in the range (4 meat and 1 vegetarian) and we think they’re well priced at £6 (serves 2) which compares well with a known range stocked in supermarkets which is the only ready meal we’ll ever feed our families; yes we’re food snobs. You can also buy them in a bundle x 5 meals for £25. Check out the full range on their website (hit the link below) or pick them up in store and pop them in the freezer if you wish but in the meantime here’s some food for thought (like what we did there - sorry couldn’t resist) on our stand out favourites.

First up Mac & cauliflower cheese with sourdough crumb - I mean come on why didn’t WE think of this combo? Loved it! Great way to get veggies into the dish/kids.  Cauliflower and macaroni cheese are two of our comfort food dishes and we thought the Parsons Nose version was uutterly delicious!  Couldn’t fault it!  The cheese wasn’t too cheesy if that makes sense ie it wasn’t over powering or cloying.  The crumb was a nice touch – not a fan of croutons etc but this gave the dish a nice tasty crunch. We’re not bad in the kitchen but unlike other pasta dishes which are easy to make, as are the sauces to go with, mac n cheese is often a faff  even more so if you’re a Mum with small kids, juggling hungry post footie boys or simply fancy a bit of a night off from standing over a hot stove.

Next up Chicken Tikka Makhani - wow as soon as we peeled the film off this dish the smell was A-MAZING!  Such a delicious waft of aromas and we love that this dish is gluten free. The spicing was just right ie not too hot but not too pathetic.  We’re a bit odd and have an aversion to chicken thighs but we weren’t phased as you couldn’t tell they were thighs more nice pieces/chunks of chicken and the meat quality was ridiculously tender! 

All the dishes are easy to cook simply peel off the film, whack in the oven and done.  The dish tray wasn’t too flimsy either (you know what we mean) but we’d definitely recommend placing on a tray.  Highly recommend giving these ready meals a trial - they’re quality, fresh and delicious and let’s face it we all like a night off cooking even if it’s once in a while.

https://www.instagram.com/parsonsnosebutchers/?hl=en

What’s On

The Daisy Trust Fair: 30 Nov/1 Dec

We talked about The Daisy Trust taking their biggest annual fundraising event online in last month’s issue. The entrance fee to their Christmas Fair is £5 and to access the Fair you simply hit the link on The Daisy Trust website on Monday 30 November and Tuesday 1 Dec. You can Christmas shop from the comfort of your own home whilst raising vital funds that support charities and organisations doing amazing work in the Hammersmith & Fulham borough - win win!

There will be over 100 stalls taking part with regular favorites including Tessa Maynard- cashmere, Heaven Scent - candles, Meg & Bee - handbags. New brands taking part this year include: Charlotte Knapman - jewellery, Inge Finds - unique gift ideas and Little Hootons - children’s jackets. You can follow The Daisy Trust on Instagram for regular updates on what they are doing, with shopping tips and present ideas closer to the time.  

The Daisy Trust is run entirely by volunteers and 100% of all money raised from the Fair will be given to organisations most in need in Hammersmith & Fulham.  Jackie Lees told Urban Village LDN “Support at the online Fair this year will have an immediate impact and will be gratefully received thanks to stallholders who will be donating 10% of their sales at the Fair to The Daisy Trust and offering free shipping to customers. We are extremely grateful for our sponsors Savills and Thomson Private Wealth”. Speaking about The Daisy Trust, Toby Thomson commented ‘I grew up in Fulham and have always felt passionately about helping those in need in our community. The Daisy Trust do an excellent job, we know where their money goes and that it makes a genuine difference. We are proud to support them, particularly under the current economic circumstances.”.

Time for Tea

Jack and Beyond, local independent bakery and cafe located at 606 Fulham Road, have just launched afternoon teas every day from 3 pm - 4.30 pm. Think cake stands, bottomless hot drinks, complimentary glasses of prosecco and an enticing selection of handmade sweet and savoury treats. They serve bite sized versions of some of their most popular cakes including Bakewell Tarts, Jammy Dodgers and they’ve crafted a new take on the traditional scone.

New savoury selections include avocado and feta croutons, leek and potato quiches and cheddar cheese plamiers. Celebrating birthdays and special occasions are slightly tricky in Tier two so this sounds perfect if you want to mark the occasion in style or you’re simply looking to do something different to alleviate the at home boredom.

The team at Jack and Beyond also run some bottomless events including brunch and cake & fizz. So if you’ve got a sweet tooth and you want to have your cake and eat it you know where to go.

Take a look at all that’s on offer at Jack and Beyond and their range of “Creative Cakes & Bakes” on their Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/jackandbeyond/

Comedy at Bishops Bar

After the success of their (socially distanced) open mike nights every Thursday, Bishops Bar are now running some comedy nights in collaboration with and hosted by Natalie from C’est la Vie Comedy. The nights will take place this month and tables have to be booked in advance so to reserve your spot either email them at bishops399@yahoo.com or DM them your booking request on Instagram@bishopsbarfulham

The nights (for adults only) are scheduled to take place at 6.30 pm on Sunday 1, 15 and 29 November.

Raclette and winter warmers

Get cosy at Drink of Fulham (349 Fulham Palace Road) this month and head to their covered, heated outside area and pretend you’re in the alps. They’ve restyled and themed inside and out so get cosy in their Winter Chalet and enjoy some winter warmers. They’re serving raclette, mulled wine, hot gin, toddy’s, boozy hot chocolate, toasties and more. They’d love you to book your table in advance for raclette otherwise pop in Mon - Friday from 4.30/Saturday - Sunday all day for snapps and cheese. Games available include Jenga, chess, Mikado Spiel and cards or feel free to bring your own.

Save the Date: 5/6 Dec

The Fulham Palace Christmas week end takes place on Saturday 5/Sunday 6 December (9.00 am - 5.00 pm). We have no doubt that this event will get you in the festive mood with an all day market featuring food, drink and gift stalls and The Friends of Fulham Palace “Carols in the Tudor Courtyard” at 3.30 and 4.30 pm each day. The event is free to enter but Fulham Palace will of course be managing numbers and you may be asked to queue .

What’s Happening

Help Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank this Christmas

Local resident Jemma Greenslade, partner of Community Days Out and all round community volunteer, got in touch with Urban Village LDN to say “my good deed for the year is to help the H&F Foodbank for Christmas”. Well we know that Jemma has done more than one good deed this year and of course we were more than happy to support this fantastic initative by spreading the word. Jemma does a lot of work in our community and is aware that now more than ever, thanks to COVID, that more people in our community are reliant on the Hammersmith & Fulham foodbank; including those who weren’t previously as a result of recently losing their jobs due to the pandemic.

Jemma has put a calendar together “its like an advent calendar, but instead of taking we would be giving. I have worked out the dates so its possible to get the items needed together before the end of term, with enough time to get them to the foodbank for distribution.”.

The drop off point is the old PC World at Hurlingham Retail Park (364 Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 2TX). Access is the loading bay on Carnwath Road opposite Dymock Street between 9 am - 4 pm Monday - Friday.

Email Jemma if you’re able to help support the Hammersmith & Fulham food bank this Christmas jemma2504@sky.com

Christmas Trees from Hammersmith local

Hew Stevenson has been landscaping in West London since 1999. His company Shoots & Leaves, based in Hammersmith, is busy landscaping all year round but every November the team, mainly local staff, put on their festive hats and elf like charm to bring Christmas trees to families in West London. This year from 27 November they will be open and operating in five locations with the nearest ones for us Fulhamites being Eelbrook Common and Hammersmith Broadway. After talking to Hew, going on the huge 94% of repeat business London Christmas Trees gets and the fact that Hew told us he’s a “self confessed snob” when it comes to trees meaning there is only one grade of tree that they sell “premium”, they sound like a good choice for one of the most important festive purchases you’ll make.

Hew told us “we’ve been doing this for years so you’re going to get a great tree delivered and installed at a cost significantly less than our competitors, with tips on keeping your tree fresh. I genuinely believe we have the best trees”. They also have a charitable initiative to support local organisations, schools and churches in the form of a voucher scheme which means they can raise £5 for every tree sold. Their locations usually have carol singing and festive treats on the week-ends making it a fun event for family tree picking but sadly, although reassuring, this year will be a bit different with masks, santisisers and social distancing in place; alternatively you can order your tree on line.

Christmas Trees London also sell other festive items (both on line and on site) from lights to stands, wreaths and holly and this year they’ve added a range of Nordic handmade ceramic, timber and tin decorations So if you’ve not had a tree from them before why not check our their reviews on line, take a look at their site and see if you can shop/support local when it comes to choosing your Christmas tree this year.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to everyone who read our piece about Age UK Hammersmith & Fulham’s fundraising campaign for a new mini bus to support the elderly and vulnerable in our community. This is a much needed service and a new bus was required to replace the old one which was no longer fit for purpose. We’d like to give an extra big thank you to our subscribers, followers on social media and visitors to the web site who made a donation to this campaign. We were delighted when Age UK Hamersmith & Fulham got in touch to tell us the good news that they’ve done it! They’ve raised enough funds to buy a new and improved minibus with better mobility access and cleaner emissions. We have to say this made our day and in the current climate hearing news like this is even all the more sweeter!

Spotlight

POST LOCKDOWN URBAN VILLAGE LDN HAS BEEN SHINING A LIGHT ON A DIFFERENT FULHAM BUSINESS EACH MONTH. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK TO OMAR KKHAN, FOUNDER OF QUIRKY GADGETS

Quirky Gadgets (823 Fulham Road) opened in 2015 and hasn’t looked back despite having to adapt and change to survive like many other small businesses during these unprecedented times. Omar Khan’s magical and quirky emporium is well loved by Fulham locals and has a celebrity following including Jeremy Clarkson and Simon Cowell; both of whom have visited the store.

We asked Omar about the reasons for his leap into becoming an independent retailer and why he choose Fulham. “One reason to start a business is so your job can be something that thrills you. Most people would love to have work that centers on something they care deeply about. I thought it was time to break out my inner passion and I opened Quirky Gadgets in Fulham because I saw an opportunity, a niche market that would serve residents of all ages in the area. I would say I’ve found a way to turn my hobby into my profession. I can speak about every product as I source them from almost all corners of the globe, I have friends of all nationalities and we deliver happiness”.

We watched with interest as Omar kept his business going by quickly creating and on line option. He helped his customers find what they were looking for to cope with the boredom of lockdown and to conjure up the perfect gifts for customers celebrating special occasions or buying for family and loved ones. We saw him pound the streets of Fulham delivering orders personally every day. We asked Omar how COVID has affected his business “Lots of uncertainty. I started a digital shop during the lockdown. It helped me sell lots of puzzles, kept me afloat, however we are not digital first so I turned the website off after the lockdown and customers have started returning to my Aladdin's cave”.

After asking Omar as a small business owner how he was feeling in the here and now he said “we need clarity for planning like every business, however I am sure, if we keep the positive vibe, that things will be better than pre Covid. One good thing that may arise after Covid will be lots of love for the survival Businesses”. So next time you’re thinking of ordering from Amazon think of local retailers and think can Quirky Gadgets help? We know Omar is always happy to hear from his customers and to lend a hand where he can to help you source what you’re looking for. As Omar says “When you buy from Amazon you put smiles on already fat cat faces, when you shop small you put a smile on a worried face and food on a table”.

“Amazing shop with plenty of different amazing gadgets and products all of the highest quality! The owner is super nice and knows all about his products and can give you great advice on what to buy. Also a great place to buy birthday presents or just something fun for you or your house! All in all the best gadget shop in the world in my opinion" - Victor

Made in Fulham

It never fails to surprise us what a talented bunch you Fulham folks are. Each month Urban Village Ldn introduces you to THe Fulham face behind an idea, product or business and asks them what they love about being a local resident. This month we talk to Designer Jacqui Johnson At Jacqui Johnson Atelier

How long have you called Fulham home? Since summer 2003 when we moved to the area, my oldest son had just turned one and I explored Fulham daily by taking him for walks in the various parks. I must say I was delighted with the amount of green spaces in the neighbourhood. 

Tell us a bit about yourself/and your family I am from West Africa, born and bred in Accra, Ghana. I was born to a Ghanaian mother and a Togolese father. I am a Christian and a divorced of Mum of 3 lovely sons.  As a consummate creative, my loves are cooking, creating beautiful things with my hands and DIY. Also very close to my heart is helping women in my sphere of life recover from the emotional ravages of life through empowering conversations.  I come from a long line of creative people. My maternal gran was a milliner, my Mum was a fashion designer. My Mum’s sister is also an amazing dressmaker who is currently my right hand woman when she is in London. I believe creativity and fashion and was organic to me.  I followed my heart twenty one years ago to settle in London because I found love here.  Initially the change was really tough, I missed Accra and all that I had left behind. I still go back occasionally but I really feel at home in London now. 

What’s your favourite local haunt and why?   Definitely Maggie’s haberdashery market stall. Maggie’s stall is like a mini Aladdin’s cave for sewists, knitters and other crafters. I am always finding useful little things there and her customer service is just brilliant! 

What is your slice of Fulham heaven and why? Bishop’s Park has got all the elements of Fulham heaven for me. It feels like an escape to a countryside retreat whilst it’s just a few minutes walk from home. Various parts of the park meet a need for me. For example, I find water very therapeutic and just leaning against the rails and watching little bobbing boats or the ripples of the Thames is ever so soothing. The pond and it’s little footbridge is so picturesque and serene throughout the year. The skating area ticked the box for the boys when they were younger, was just fantastic for their much needed adrenaline rush. The icing on the cake is Fulham Palace. How many local parks come in tow with their their own palaces? Fulham Palace and it’s beautiful gardens are so steeped in history. My first experience of the palace itself was a summertime picnic day, held in the gardens by my son’s primary school many years ago.  I fell in love with the place so I did some research and it has become a favourite walking destination for me. 

What have you missed about Fulham life during the pandemic? Fulham is full of eateries, cafes, quaint shops and all sorts of social spaces and the closure of all these lively places, made Fulham a ghost town. I honestly found it uncomfortably eerie whenever I stepped out for a walk or to buy essentials. It was surreal. 

What local shop/service/business has helped make life easier during the pandemic? Hands down it was the North End Road shops. For me, they alleviated the long queues to the supermarket only to find empty shelves. Most of them were also one stop shops - they stocked fresh fruits and veggies, store cupboard items and had butcher’s counters too.  Fish is a huge part of our diet so the fishmongers on North End road was a bonus. 

If you could do one thing to improve Fulham what would it be?  House all the homeless people and address the issues that lead to homelessness. No one has to call the street a home in one of the most civilised countries in the western world. 

Tell us about Jacqui Johnson Atelier and how it came to be Jacqui Johnson Atelier is a sequel to a story that started some 31 years ago. As I mentioned earlier, creativity and fashion is organic to me. When I was 19, I took on sewing much to my Mother’s chagrin. Both she and her Mother were graduates of London School of Fashion and Paris Academy of Fashion respectively and she felt that the profession was not accorded its due respect in Ghana.  Despite her opposition, I still persisted. She could not deny that I was a natural, gradually she relented and poured all she knew into me. She handed me her prized portfolios from her student days, 7 Singer industrial machines, an industrial steam press, industrial cutters and all the tools of the trade and a huge venue to set up my studio. For 10 years I built the brand to become a household name in Accra. With a staff of 10, myself and my Mum helping behind the scenes, we served the creme de la creme of Accra society and hundreds of overseas clients. My Mother’s goodwill opened doors for me and brought me clients from all over. I never advertised once in 10 years but I always had a waiting list. Indeed I felt blessed! When I relocated to the UK the next 17 years saw me go to university, raise my children, work in other areas before I came full circle to start Jacqui Johnson Atelier in 2017 - hence the sequel. Once again I make couture clothing for ladies, my service is mostly what the client wants to wear - from occasional wear to custom coats, trousers, berets and fascinators. I also make clothes for people who are extra tall, plus size or really petite and can’t find beautiful things to fit them well. The client is involved in the entire design process to ensure she gets exactly what she wants. I recently added a few accessories such as shoe clips, collars, dressy shawls etc. These are currently the only ready to wear things I offer. I believe accessories can bring a wow factor to any simple outfit.  

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting their own enterprise?  My advice is that, your business has to: solve a problem or help your client /customer with a need, earn their trust for repeat business because shopping for a product or service has now moved beyond just a purchase to an experience. Finally you have to be passionate and determined because there are bound to be bumps and hurdles on the way. 

What top tip do you always give about couture fashion?  Develop your personal style, wear things that brings out the best in your features and invest in key items of clothing that are timeless. Trends change too quickly these day. Finally, nothing beats a well tailored item that is custom made to your specification and exact physique.

See more of Jacqui’s designs on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jacquijohnsonatelier/?hl=en or find them at The Couture Collective (659 Fulham Road).

Beyond the Hood

Keep It Cosmic

We don’t have a vested interest here, you know we’re always up front about these things, but we do know the lovely people behind Stargazy a new rum brand that’s shaking up what's currently out there. Nothing overtly piratey about this product but there are still connections to Cornwall: it’s bottled there, is the second rum brand created by the same people behind Dead Man’s Fingers and owners of the “Rum & Crab Shack” in St Ives. Stargazy is a caramel rum liqueur, a blend of aged rum, caramel, Cornish sea salt with subtle hints of gorseflower and coconut which you pick up as soon as you pop the cork.

If you’re looking for a stunning gift, something new for a cocktail enthusiast, this bottle with Biba vibes will shine a bright light from any drinks trolley. We think it makes a delicious alternative to dessert wine and have enjoyed it straight on the rocks (before AND after dinner), mixed with apple juice and fresh lime and we’ve pimped an espresso martini to make a lush caramel version; those of you who’ve followed us from the start know how much we love our cocktails. We have to admit we’re not especially experts on the baking front but we’ve been told Stargazy can be added to create next level brownies and that it makes a delicious extra ingredient in an Affagato. For Christmas pudding haters this could be a great alternative on the big day!

READER OFFER: Until the end of November there’s a special offer for Urban Village LDN readers. A 50cl bottle usually retails at £23.99 apply code URBAN10 when you checkout and it’ll be yours for £21.59 and shipping is free. We love being early adopters and supporting new brands that we think are a bit special; we’d be very happy to find this under our Christmas tree. Gift it or why not simply treat yourself and enjoy a sweet sip with a mince pie or two as you countdown to the festive season. It’s going to make our late night Christmas present wrapping sessions a lot more enjoyable this year! As our friends at Stargazy say “Drink as you wish but whatever you do - Keep it Cosmic!”.wish but whatever you do - Keep it Cosmic!”.