BBQ season will be in full swing in a few weeks and to give you some different types of BBQ inspiration here’s a look at how BBQ is interpreted around the world!

Japan

Firstly Yakitori. This type of BBQ style is a popular street food. The bamboo skewers are loaded up with chicken grilled over white charcoal. This burns longer at a lower temperature and doesn’t produce smoke. Yakitori is also a general term for grilled skewered meat but typically refers to either chicken or chicken innards.

South Africa

The South African braai centres on cooking meat, contributed potluck-style, with a wood-burning braai stand, or grill. Popular components include skewered lamb, sosatie, and boerewors, a South African sausage.

India 

A tandoor is s a cylindrical clay oven with a heat source that’s either wood or charcoal. It’s something of a cross between a traditional BBQ and a convection oven that gets hot, up to 900°F. The results are juicy skewered meats that are baked in their own smoke creating a smoky flavour. Bread like naan and cheese or fish marinated in yoghurt in a dry spice mixture are cooked in tandoors.

Indonesia

Ikan Bakar is a method of cooking fish over a bed of charcoals. The techniques vary throughout the islands but the fish is often butterflied, marinated in a spice mixture and placed between two grates or wrapped in banana leaves that go directly on the grill. The sauce often includes shallots, coriander, garlic, tamarind, turmeric and chillies, and can range from spicy-sweet to fiery.

Mongolia

Khorkhog is an ultraportable cooking method. Lamb or goat is put into a metal or sometimes a wooden bucket. Water is then poured into the bucket along with hot stones which create steam. This cooks the meat into something similar to a dry stew.  Alternatively, carrots and potatoes can be added into the bucket. As well as the bucket is sometimes heated from the outside.

Pacific islands

Earth ovens are among the most ancient ways to cook. While most of the world has moved on from using them, they’re still used commonly throughout the Pacific islands. While the cooking methods differ from island to island, cultures throughout the Melanesian and Polynesian Islands. The rest of the Pacific, still bury their meat in a pit in the earth. For this type of BBQ, the meat is generally marinated, finished with a savoury glaze and topped with tropical fruit.

New Zealand

Barbecues are a popular activity in New Zealand. Foods cooked include beef, lamb, pork, fresh fish, crayfish, shellfish, and vegetables. Additionally, sausages are a popular element of barbecues. A New Zealand barbecue is a mix of American, British, Australian, South African and Pacific Island styles. New Zealand’s Maori have the hangi, a type of earth oven, used for cooking on special occasions.

Korean Barbecue

This type of BBQ is a popular method of grilling typically beef, pork or chicken. Dishes are prepared on gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table. There’s no Korean barbecue dish better known than Bulgogi. This is served alongside fresh vegetables, made from thinly sliced beef sirloin and is marinated with sesame, scallions, soy sauce.

United States

Lastly America, there are Four major barbecue styles in the United States that are commonly known. North Carolina and Memphis that represent the oldest styles. Kansas City and Texas, which use beef as well as pork. The U.S. has a range of contemporary suburban barbecue equipment and styles. For instance, these consist of baking, grilling (charbroiling, grid ironing, or griddling), braising (by putting a broth-filled pot on top of a charbroil-grill or gridiron-grill), or smoking various meats.

The Uk’s wildlife is declining. 1 out of 10 wildlife species are at risk of extinction. In 2016 the number of critically endangered animals reached 165. The UK is now considered one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.

To learn more about UK’s wildlife check out the Wildlife trust!

These are some of Britain’s endangered animals and some you may not know!

Tortoiseshell butterfly

Butterflies have been in decline in recent years. However, the small tortoiseshell butterfly was once one of the UK’s most common butterfly species but in 2013 it was reported that there had been a decline of 70% in the past 10 years.

Hedgehog

These cute creatures have seen a dramatic decline in the last 70 years. There were an estimated 36 million hedgehogs in the UK at one point. However, they currently stand at a population of one million. You can help these much-loved animals by being mindful when creating a bonfire [make sure to use Firemizer and Firebuilder] as hedgehogs love to hide in piles of wood. As well as this when raking leaves, check the area first for any hedgehogs hiding in leave mounds.

Scottish wildcat

Already extinct in England and Wales due to habitat loss as well as being interbred with domestic cats they are losing their genetic identity. There’s only 200 left in Scotland and conservationist are planning to release captive European wildcats to try and save the species.

Red squirrel

They have been in decline since the early 20^th century and it is estimated they have dwindled to an estimated population of only 140,000. Compared to the American grey squirrel at 2.5 million, pushing the red squirrel out of most areas. Red squirrels are most commonly found in the far north of England and Scotland.

Turtle dove

Since 1970 the turtle dove has declined around 70% since the ’70s and now are on the global red list for endangered species. Scattered around southern and eastern England locations is where you could find them. Farmers were likely to blame for their decline however many are working with the RSPB to create feeding habitats for them. As well as this many turtle doves are shot by hunters in the south of Europe further reducing their numbers.

Hazel dormouse

These dormice have been around for than 10,000 years, they’ve been in the UK since the last ice age. Over the last 25 years, the population has decreased by 75%. However, there have been efforts to repopulate these animals. Breeding pairs were taken to a location in Warwickshire in hopes of introducing them into the wild.

How To prepare for a camping trip

Before you embark on your camping adventure it’s wise to check out this page from the Woodland Trust all about where you can camp.

Packing

Make sure to pack only essentials, sleeping bag, non-perishable foods, stove, first aid kit, sleeping bag and tent! For making a fire don’t forget to pack Firemizer and Firebuilder, they’ll keep you warm during the night for longer!

Food

When cooking try using the traditional campfire instead of a camping stove. You can use Firemizer in the campfire which will get your fire to cooking temperature much quicker.

Top camping foods

• S’mores
• Hot dogs
• Burgers
• Fish

S’more ingredients

1. Cracker, if no crackers use cookies
2. Chocolate or try chocolate spread, jam, white chocolate
3. Marshmallows (there’s no alternative get some marshmallows!)
4. Cracker
5. Bonus fillings – raisins, caramel sauce, and fruit.

Wildlife

• Keep bugs away by throwing sage into the campfire.
• Use lavender or cinnamon essential oil on skin.
• Sit away from standing water and wear insect repellent treated clothing.
• Build a fire.

How to build a campfire?

What you’ll need;

dry wood, a handful of tinder, fire ring, matches and a clear area of vegetation.

1. Place Firemizer underneath tinder bundle and use Firebuilder on top to help light the fire. Place the wood in the form of a tepee around the tinder.
2. Leave an opening in your tepee so the fire gets the air it needs and will blow flames onto the kindling.
3. The flame should rise to the kindles and spread throughout the wood bundle.
4. Add wood to the structure as it starts to fall. Add tinder to maintain the fire.
5. To extinguish sprinkle water on the fire to put out embers.

Firebuilder is waterproof and is perfect in wet or humid conditions.

As there is another bank holiday on the way (Thank goodness). Trying to decide what to do, especially if you have kids can be tough. So to help we have compiled a list of days out and activities you can do over the bank holidays.

Going Away

If you want to go away for the weekend why not visit the English countryside. Perfect for dog walking, fresh air and a place for kids to run around! You could always try a bit of camping, don’t forget Firemizer and Firebuilder they’ll help you keep nice a warm in the evenings!

Museums, castles and days out

What better way to spend the day exploring with the kids or out walking the dogs in a park. The National Trust has great places to see from castles and stately homes to woods and parks.

Beach

It’s not a bank holiday unless someone mentions going to the beach! Top up on that tan, have a dip in the sea and you can’t forget an ice cream or fish and chips. This could be the perfect way to spend a bank holiday!

Picnic

If you don’t want to spend too much a nice picnic is the way to go! you can use food already at home and find a nice park nearby to enjoy the lovely bank holiday weather (fingers crossed for sun)

Rainy days

let’s be honest who knows what bank holiday weather will have in store so it’s good to have a backup plan! Maybe create your own cinema, stock up on popcorn and cinema sweets, set up a comfy, cosy seating area full of blankets and pillows and you’re ready to go. Don’t forget the films though!

Whatever you plan this bank holiday or the next we hope you enjoy yourselves and your day off!

In recent months the topic around changing your lifestyle to make it eco-friendlier has been popular and for good reason.

The planet is struggling with pollution; 8 million metric tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year, and carbon dioxide levels in the air are at their highest in 650,000 years. You can’t become zero waste overnight living in a plastic heavy world. But there are things you can do to help eliminate single-use plastics, reduce your waste and become more sustainable.

Watching your air miles

Flying contributes to around 13-15% of the UK’s impact of greenhouse gas emissions. On average the British person takes a short haul flight every two years and long haul every five years. Only a minority of regular flyers causes a substantial slice of UK emissions. So it is safe to safe you don’t need to give up your holidays just yet.

Firemizer and Firebuilder

Make your stove more environmentally friendly. Firebuilder is 100% green, made from recycled cardboard, contains no chemicals and emits no foul smells when burning. Firemizer can reduce fuel usage and reduce particulate emissions by 72%

Burning wood and coal

Bio-bean makes Coffee Logs that are an alternative for burning seasoned logs or coal. These logs are made from coffee grounds and are very environmentally friendly. The UK produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste coffee grounds every year, most of which is disposed of via landfill where it emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. – Bio-bean. You can use these logs with Firemizer, read our review here!

Things you didn’t know contain plastic

• Biodegradable cutlery – This looks like it helps the environment hence the word biodegradable. However, these contain a mixture of corn starch and plastic. These can’t be composted by a regular old joe, the bioplastic needs to be broken down using very high heat. An alternative could be bamboo cutlery since these contain no plastic and are easily affordable.
• Tea bags – Plastic is used to seal the tea bag so they don’t come open in the box or in your tea. This also means they aren’t fully 100% biodegradable so composting them will leave bits of microplastic in the soil. However, not all tea bags contain plastic some use a byproduct of corn starch to seal their teabags. Unfortunately, these are still not suitable to be composted in your home.
• Coffee Cups – Takeaway coffee cups are hard to recycle mainly due to the plastic lining inside the cup designed to make the cup leakproof. An alternative would be a reusable coffee cup and you normally get money off your coffee for using one.

With all this in mind, it just about doing what you can for the environment whether that’s big or small changes. Everyone has to start somewhere!

References

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/apr/06/aviation-q-and-a

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-43739043

https://moralfibres.co.uk/is-there-plastic-in-your-tea/

https://ecolunchboxes.com/blogs/news/when-compostable-is-sometimes-worse-than-plastic

On cold days there is nothing better than sitting in front of a warm fire or enjoying summer evenings sitting outside by the fire-pit. What makes this even better is sharing it with your four-legged friends. As it is national pet month we thought to share some tips an precautions you can take for keeping your home fire safe for your pets.

Prevent Fires

• Pet-proof your home. Check your home for any items that a pet could accidentally trigger a fire, for instance, items that could be knocked over, candles, loose wires, stoves/ knobs and plant lights.
• Extinguish open flames. You should never leave open flames unattended especially if you have a pet that can knock items over easily. Perhaps use a flameless candle or other alternatives.
• No climbing. Discourage pets from climbing on work surfaces, especially in the kitchen. Cats tend to be quite curious and placing a stove knob cover could help prevent fires.
• Chose ceramic over glass. If you leave food or water outside don’t use a glass bowl as this can create a magnifying effect and start a fire from the suns rays. Ceramics are safer and just as sturdy.

Prepare for the worst

Practice escape routes with your pets and make sure collars ID tags, microchips are up to date and their leash is readily available if you have to make an escape.

Use pet alert window stickers. These nifty stickers are placed on your windows at the front and back of your house to let firefighters know how many pets are in your home and their names. Should anything happen this can save firefighters time when looking for your pets.

Keep Puppies and kittens secure, since they are so young they will want to explore the house, especially when you are out. To keep them out of mischief, keep them confined to a safe area.

For your older pets, it is best to make note of where they like to hide. This can help save you time if you need to leave the house in the event of a fire.

Animal specifics

Other than using common sense and having the essentials at hand, for instance, food and water. Here are some extra tips to help your pet in case there is a fire.

Birds – get them accustomed to being in a bird carrier, drape a damp sheet over the carrier to block out soot and dust as their lungs are fragile.

Cats – get them accursed to a carrier as this is crucial to get them out the house fast. Keep their collar and microchip updated.

Dogs – keep their collar and microchip up to date and include your contact information. Keep them on a leash so you don’t get separated. If possible install a doggy door so in anything happens while you are out they can escape safely.

Fish – keep emergency supplies, for instance, spare tank, sponge filters, heaters and portable power supplies. Don’t scoop your fish with leaving the house as the shock could kill them. Let the firefighters know where it is so they can prioritise that room for extinguishing.

Rodents and small mammals – either use a carrier or a cloth bag to transport your pet. Keep your pets in separate carries if possible just in case they need to be in there for a longer period of time.

Snakes – they are quite comfortable in a cloth bag that has a suitable latch so they don’t escape. If it is cold they’ll need a heat source so prepare a heat pad in your bag.

Frogs – have quarantine tanks ready for an emergency, if it is cold it will need heating and insulation. Use a heating pad, towels or extra clothes to wrap around the tank. If you can’t access Clean water make sure you have a few bottles or spray bottles.

Did you know that Firebuilder is pet-friendly as well as child-friendly? As it is made only from recycled cardboard and contains no other chemicals it is perfectly safe if your dog decides to have a chew!

Happy Mother’s day!

I don’t know about you but mums are the bread and butter of the household! As Mothering Sunday is a couple of days away. We figured it’d be great to marvel at the mothers in the animal kingdom.

Elephants

They carry their calves for 22 months and give birth to the largest animal baby on earth weighing 200 pounds and standing almost 3 feet tall.
Other female elephants babysit for the other elephants, they’re called ‘allomothers’

Orangutan

The bond between the mother and her young is the strongest in nature. The first two years of life the young rely entirely on their mother staying together for 6/7 years. Female Orangutans are known to visit their mothers until they reach the age of 15/16.

Meerkats

One dominating couple produces new pups and the whole clan raises them.
They live together in large groups of about 20, that’s a lot of baby sitters!

Koalas

Perhaps the grossest fact but shows a mothers testament of love to her child. Koalas eat eucalyptus which is highly poisonous, but an adult’s bowels are lined with bacteria that assists digestion of the leaves. Her child doesn’t have the lining yet so she will eat her own faeces and feed it to her child. Yeah told you it was gross!

Alligators

Having laid dozens of eggs, once hatched they will carry their babies around in their jaws to the water for protection until they can defend themselves. Instinct stops the mother from closing her jaw so the babies are quite safe.

Polar Bear

The mother raises her cubs alone, she’ll dig a den and hibernate throughout winter and give birth. Once they are old enough they leave the den where the mother will eat for the first time in eight months!

Octopus

The female octopus will lay over 50,000 eggs at a time and the hatching takes around 40 days. She’ll stay close to the eggs and protect them from predators. She would rather starve herself than leave her young and even going as far as eating one of her own limbs.

Whales

Humpback whales stay close to their calves as they grow, they don’t stop nursing their young until they’re a year old. The bond is strong the mothers often will carry their calves even if they have died.

Cheetahs

They are born without survival instincts so the mother has to teach them everything to survive.

Emperor Penguins

After laying the egg the mother will leave it with the father who protects the egg. The mother travels up to 50 miles to catch fish. she then returns to a hatched chick and regurgitates the food for the newly born chick.

It’s safe to say that all of us wouldn’t be here without our mothers and neither would many animals.

For more animal facts click HERE!

If you need a last minute gift why not get a summer pack, especially if she likes summer evenings in the garden!