Is there no end to this cold weather with constant frosty mornings and frozen windscreens. Wooly hats and gloves remain on. Only now, we don’t have Christmas to look forward to.

But we do have some very good news.

Belvoir Fruit Farms is proud as punch to announce two new additions to our range of pressés. And unlike us Brits – these delicious drinks love to be chilled!

Belvoir Raspberry Lemonade

This tastes as gorgeous as it looks. We’ve created a lip-smacking blend of real raspberry juice and real lemon juice with lightly sparkling Belvoir spring water.

Sip it with your eyes closed and you can almost feel the summer sunshine. Delicious on its own or over ice with a dash of Pimms, Belvoir Raspberry Lemonade is the perfect accompaniment to raspberry ripple ice cream or Cornish clotted cream and scones. Available now in Asda.

Belvoir Organic Orange & Jasmine Pressé

Quench your thirst with this sophisticated zesty blend of real orange juice, lime juice & lemon juice with a hint of fragrant Jasmine.

If you’re planning a summer party, this wonderfully refreshing drink is perfect for your designated drivers. And since it’s your party, why not add a little gin or vodka to your glass of Orange & Jasmine Pressé for an exquisite tipple? It’s great with organic Green & Black’s dark chocolate, too.

Where to buy these new pressés

Both pressés will be available in Belvoir’s unmistakeable 75cl and 25cl bottles. You’ll find them soon in farm shops and supermarkets across the country. They’ll also be available in our online store very soon.

Do let us know which one is your favourite!

We love Christmas, but we know many people have become jaded by the seemingly endless Christmas shopping. If you lost your festive cheer during a depressing dash around the department store, we intend to bring it back. So with only a fortnight to go until the big day, we’ve compiled a list of 14 brilliant things to make this Christmas.

1. Mince Pies

No Christmas is complete without a tasty mince pie on Christmas Eve. And rather than buy a box from your local supermarket, why not get busy in the kitchen with this unbelievably easy mince pie recipe from The Beeb. Just remember to leave one spare for Father Christmas.

2. The Belvoir Christmas Corker

Bursting at the seams with flavour, this fruity twist on the traditional glass of champagne is a treat for all. This corker of a cocktail will help waken your senses and definitely boost your Christmas spirit.

10ml Belvoir’s Elderflower Cordial
4 Fresh raspberries
35ml Gin
25ml Lychee juice
5ml Lemon juice
Top with Champagne

Crush the raspberries in a shaker and add all other ingredients. Shake and strain into a high-ball glass and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh raspberries

3. The Blue Peter Advent Crown

You remember the Blue Peter Advent Crown, don’t you? The one with all the coat hangers. wrapped in tinsel. You watched Noakes, Purves and Singleton make it, but did you ever make it yourself? Well, this Christmas, opportunity knocks because full instructions can be found online!

4. Christmas Crackers

The first Christmas crackers didn’t crack. They were simply sweets, often with mottos or poems inside. Then, in 1860, Thomas Smith decided to add a little spark to these festive treats with a small strip of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) between two strips of thin card. Pulling both ends of the card creates friction and, finally, the crack.

Why not give your Christmas crackers a personal touch by making them yourself? Kits are available to buy online, or pop into your nearest craft store.

5. Paper Chains

If you can’t deck the hall with bows of holly, surely the next best thing is some homemade paper chains. Go loopy with endless streams of gummed coloured paper. We suggest a corner-to-corner arrangement (and a healthy dollop of Blu-tack).

6. Christmas Pud

It is a testament to Christmas indulgence that, after a massive roast dinner, we still find the space for Christmas pudding. If you want to make your own, why not follow Delia’s recipe? Alternatively, you could follow a 1945 recipe favoured by writer George Orwell.

7. Winter Berries Relish

Want to add the Christmas feast this year and wow your guests? Then try Belvoir’s Winter Berries Relish. Packed full with prunes, figs, apricots and orange this fruity relish will give added zest to your dish.

1 onion chopped
½ Red cabbage
1 tbs Fresh ginger, grated
50g Belvoir’s Winter Berries cordial
50g Ready soak prunes
50g Ready soak figs
50g Ready soak apricots
1 Glass white wine
Juice of 1 orange
100ml Chicken stock
1tbs Fresh thyme

1. Sweat off the onion in a little butter. Add the ginger followed by the white wine and Winter Berries cordial. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the remaining ingredients
2. Cook ½ a shredded red cabbage very slowly with 100g of Winter Berries cordial and 100g water for approx 1½ hours to give a perfect winter veg to accompany this dish

8. A Snowman

The question on everyone’s lips this Christmas (and every Christmas) is “Will we have a white Christmas?”. Here on the farm, we think it’s vital that when the weather outside is frightful and the first snowflakes begin to fall, to get your mitts on and build an outstanding snowman. We’ve found the best tips on how to make a brilliant snowman. It’s far more complicated than you think! And if you want to be a bit more original, why not take some inspiration from the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado.

9. Edible Christmas Tree Decorations

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol embodies everything we think of today as a traditional British Christmas. The Victorians were infatuated with the extravagance of Christmas. And one thing that we are delighted has stuck is edible Christmas decorations.

Thread popcorn on a piece of string or bake your own tree decorations. They make fantastic last minute presents for unexpected guests. And when the festive season is over, what’s better than tucking into your Christmas decorations?

Check out these gingerbread trees, cut out some gingerbread circles and add some fruit sweets to make your decorations that more colourful.

10. Origami Snowflakes

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without folding up some paper and cutting holes in it. Slightly addictive, origami snowflakes are the quickest and easiest way to keep the kids entertained. For origami snowflakes novices, find out how to make three beautifully different snowflakes.

11. A Donation

Because it’ll brighten up someone else’s Christmas too.

12. A Nativity Scene

If you’re feeling very crafty this Christmas, why not attempt to make your own nativity scene? If paper and glue aren’t your thing, try it with Lego. Or simply arrange your scene online and click ‘print’!

13. Belvoir’s Winter Spice

Dazzle your taste buds with this spicy festive treat. This scrumptiously fruity cocktail is perfect for the designated drivers at your party, though if you want to spice things up and appeal to everyone then why not add a drop of rum!

15ml Belvoir’s Winter Berries Cordial
35ml Pomegranate Juice
35ml Cranberry Juice
5ml Fresh Lime
All Spice

Pour all ingredients into a high-ball with cubed ice and garnish with mixed berries

14. A Christmas Playlist

Many spirits have passed through the mouth of The Pogues’ lead singer Shane MacGowan, but who’d have thought the spirit of Christmas would come from the man’s lips? When he sings the opening line of Fairytale of New York, many a humbug’s heart will melt.

Put all your favourite festive hits in one place, ready for a good-old-fashioned singalong on Christmas morning. Or if you’re using Spotify, you could just play someone else’s favourites.

As the final firework illuminates the night sky and the last embers on the bonfire burn out, our thoughts turn towards the next seasonal celebration – Christmas!

We love the Christmas period. There’s a real sense of magic in the air. And plenty of good food and drink on the table.

Belvoir Fruit Farms Winter Berries cordial is the perfect tipple at Yuletide with its fruity blend of elderberry, blackberry, orange, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. We’ve always considered it a delicious, alcohol-free alternative to mulled wine.

So when we heard that Delia Smith had used our beloved Winter Berries cordial in her Mulled ‘Wine’ For Drivers cocktail recipe (you can find it in her new book, Delia’s Happy Christmas) it’s safe to say we were thrilled.

When told about Delia’s seal of approval, Pev, our owner, said he was “Absolutely delighted. This year we have celebrated 25 years of making the country’s finest cordials and this endorsement from one of the most respected names in the industry is the icing on the cake.”

So what better way to celebrate this brilliant news than with a new competition?

Christmas dinner dreaming

Perhaps the best thing about Christmas is getting the family together for a big roast dinner. It’s just a shame you have to peel all that veg beforehand.

So if you didn’t have to cook Christmas dinner, who would you choose to prepare your festive feast instead?

Delia? Gordon? Jamie? Perhaps you’d plump for ex-England rugby player and Celebrity Masterchef winner, Matt Dawson? Or maybe you’ll decide on Stephen Fry – even if he can’t cook, the after dinner conversation will be terrific.

Or perhaps you’re fed up of turkey, and would prefer something a little different. Why not choose Ching-He Huang from the Beeb’s Chinese Food Made Easy? Or Ray Mears for a spot of wild food!

Tell us in a comments who you would like to cook your Christmas dinner and why, as well as what would be on the menu.

Writers of the ten best entries will each receive a copy of Delia’s Happy Christmas and two bottles of our delicious Winter Berries cordial.

The closing date for entries is Friday 27th November so we can post your prize in time for Christmas. Riveting terms and conditions can be read here.

Shining brightly at the Great Taste Awards

Have you entered our Bright Star competition yet? We’re just about to top 500 entries. If your name isn’t in the hat already, click here to enter. Remember: you could be the lucky winner who bags a stay at the exquisite Maison Talbooth in Constable Country. How very delightful.

Speaking of winning, Belvoir Fruit Farms is very proud to the be the recipient of two Great Taste 2009 Awards from The Guild of Fine Food.

Our brand new Elderflower, Gooseberry and Muscat Grape cordial grabbed a gold star just months after hitting the shelves. And Belvoir’s Lime & Lemongrass Pressé was also awarded a gold star by the panel of fine food retailers, chefs, restaurant critics, food writers and other industry experts.

The team at Belvoir Fruit Farms works tirelessly to bring you our range of delicious drinks, so it’s great to be officially considered “close to perfect”. Pats on the back all round then.

Such is our success, we’ll be sharing our drinks with royalty soon.

An evening with Queen

On Friday 4th September, the Belvoir Fruit Farms trailer (pictured above) will roll into the grounds of Harewood House in Leeds, home to the Queen’s cousin, the Earl of Harewood, for what promises to be a magnifico (oh oh oh oh) night of music. Come and visit us, speak to the team and try our award-winning cordials and pressés.

The evening’s entertainment, The Music Of Queen – A Rock & Symphonic Spectacular, presents you and your family with an opportunity to hear the classic songs of Mercury, May, Taylor and Deacon sung by stars from the West End smash hit musical We Will Rock You with the backing of a 60-piece symphony orchestra and full rock band. It should be fantastic – let’s just hope the stage is big enough for all those performers!

This open air concert is a great chance for a final picnic this summer. So why not bring your cheese and crackers, Victoria sponge and bottle of Belvoir in one of these wonderful wicker picnic hampers available at Swings & Pretty Things?

It sounds like a perfect evening to us. And if you can’t make it to Leeds, why not take your family and friends for a picnic in one of Britain’s best spots?

Have fun!

Plenty of good news around at the moment: It’s our twenty-fifth birthday, the sun has got his hat on and Andymonium is in full swing as the super Scot reaches the semi-finals at SW19.

And here’s some more good news – it’s competition time!

The Great Belvoir Buffet

So let’s suppose we were inviting thousands of you to our big birthday bash. We’d take care of the soft drinks, obviously. But we’d like you all to bring a plate of Belvoir-related nosh. Or a jug of your best cordial-infused cocktail.

What would you bring?

Perhaps a tasty cheesecake that makes splendid use of our elderflower cordial? Or maybe some lime & lemongrass muffins? You might have your own twist on the Dragon’s Breath cocktail that you’d like the world to sample.

You don’t to need to be the world’s best chef. We’re just looking for ideas – or even novel ways of presenting them.

Feel free to include recipes with your suggestions, or – since it’s become a theme here at Belvoir On For Britain – deliver them using verse and rhyme.

To be in with a chance of winning, just pop your suggestion into the comment box below.

Five lucky winners will each receive a limited edition Belvoir Fruit Farms cordial jug, a box of Belvoir tumblers and we’ll throw in a bottle of cordial to fill them, too.

Good luck!

(Not very interesting terms and conditions can be found here.)

A big week for Blighty!

Today is Her Majesty’s birthday (her actual birthday, not the official one with all that colour trooping). Perhaps one shouldn’t mention how old dear Elizabeth is, but if you’re baking her a cake we suggest you pop down the shops and pick up about 83 candles.

Here on the farm, we’ll be raising a glass to Her Majesty. And what better way than with a glass of something from the beloved Belvoir Fruit Farms recipe book – the Dragon’s Breath cocktail.

Let’s be clear: we are not implying HRH has a bad spot of halitosis. Not at all. The Dragon’s Breath cocktail is in celebration of St George, dragon-slaying patron saint of England (and Aragon, Catalonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal and Russia, according to Wikipedia).

The cocktail makes use of Belvoir’s delicious Raspberry & Rose Cordial – available, of course, from our online store.

Here’s the recipe in full:

Method: lightly crush the chilli and raspberries in a shaker. Add all remaining ingredients and shake for 8-10 seconds (if you’re feeling brave, throw in a few tricks to make you feel like a Las Vegas bartender). Double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a long red Thai chilli.

Toasting the Queen with a Belvoir Fruit Farms cocktail on St George’s Day. Could anything be more quintessentially English? (Perhaps watching the London Marathon with a slice of victoria sponge while moaning about the weather.)

Best of luck if you’re running the aforementioned marathon on Sunday. Remember to refresh yourself with plenty of water (or delicious cordial from you-know-who) during and after the race!

And if you do decide to make the Dragon’s Breath cocktail – or any of the Belvoir Fruit Farms recipes – please send us your pics. We’d love to post them on this blog.

So we’re 65 days into the year already. Crumbs. The weather’s been sporadic and nobody’s particularly happy with the banks. But this Belvoir on for Britain blog is all about celebrating the finer bits of Blighty. So big pats on the back go to Danny Boyle and everyone involved with Slumdog Millionaire. A haul of eight Oscars from 10 nominations made it the most successful British film at Hollywood’s biggest night since Gandhi in 1982. Hurrah!

And if you’re still fretting about the weather, rejoice in the fact there are fewer than than three weeks ‘til the vernal equinox kicks in and we can officially call it spring. Lambs will be bouncing, meadows flourishing, and we’ll be releasing a fantastic new cordial and tasty new pressé to add to our existing range.

Actually, that’s not quite true. We’ve already had the official launch of the cordial. Perhaps you’ve already seen it – maybe even tasted it. If you haven’t, we’ll leave you in suspense for a couple of days. We promise to tell you about it in the next post, though.

By the way, how are those poems coming along? We’ve already had a truckload, so make yours extra special. We know you’ve got it in you.

Did you know that today is World Book Day? You do now. Tell us in the comments what books we should be devouring with a glass of Belvoir.

And one last hurrah for now goes to Gail Trimble, who is to University Challenge what Maradona was to the 1986 World Cup. Apparently. And although they’ve been stripped of their title for fielding an accountant, this sets up the glorious possibility of a rematch. Fingers on the Belvoir farm are well and truly crossed.

Cheerio for now.