ZENB10: Winter '23
The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and soon it will be time to turn on the central heating and get those jumpers out (if you haven’t already!). With the (slightly) gloomier weather here, our thoughts turn to all things comforting and cosy. Here at ZENB, we’ve been hard at work with two new product launches: mash perfect for autumn and our new Japanese fine noodles. On top of that, we’ve proudly brought more 100% yellow pea pasta to more of you than ever before.
Read on for what we’re looking forward to getting up to this autumn!
What to do - Go for a spooky walk
As we approach spooky season (some say we’ve already entered it), why not try an evening spooky history walk?
London has many a dark alley and is chock full of dark and twisty history. Indulge your inner spectre spectator with a tour around medieval London where the lawless and wicked folk left many a scary story behind.
Departing from London Bridge’s Bunch of Grapes and lasting about two hours, this ghostly walk is not for the faint-hearted!
Where to go - light trails
So it is only the beginning of autumn, but crucially it isn’t too early to start planning (only planning, mind!) for a few Christmassy things. Maybe a panto, maybe a Santa visit, but really, what is more lovely than light trails at Christmas time?
Whether you opt for one with kiddos or an adults-only one (not forgetting the mulled wine), it is sure to be a night to remember.
How about the glittering deer, sparkly tunnels and more than a million lights and waterside reflections of Christmas at Dunham Massey, just outside of Manchester? Besides the mile-long trail, you’ll also find festive food and fairground rides - Christmas bliss!
Find out more at the National Trust Website.
What to buy - beeswax wraps
We’ve recommended using them before and we really believe that beeswax wraps are some of the best things to have in your kitchen if you’re a person who cooks, might have left-overs, and care about the planet.
Honey Bee Good was founded in 2020 by a husband and wife team passionate about being as environmentally friendly as possible. Besides being certified food-safe and hand-dipped (for a more even beeswax coating), their wraps come in a charming array of styles - including genuine Liberty and William Morris prints.
If you want to save a few pennies, check out their Earth-Kind collection which are wraps that would otherwise end up in a landfill due to minor imperfections.
Find out more here: HONEY BEE GOOD
What to eat - ZENB noodles
Have you heard we now stock noodles?
Our delectable fine noodles come straight from Japan and are authentically made.
Even better, they adhere to our promise of 100% yellow pea 100% of the time, skin and all, so full of fibre and amazing taste.
These noodles are thinner in texture than our spaghetti, so perfect for recipes with a broth, like ramen or a soup-y stir fry. No nasties, no salt, just yellow peas! Grab your three-pack Today.
What to drink - Osu Apple Cider Vinegar
If you’ve been scrolling healthtok lately, you might have come across the trend of drinking apple cider vinegar (ACV) first thing in the morning. But this is not a new trend!
For years, wellness experts have known about the health benefits of adding unfiltered ACV to your diet. According to the BBC, besides having some anti-microbial properties, ACV may also aid in balancing cholesterol, managing sugar levels, and even help with weight loss.
That said, some people find the taste a bit hard to deal with, so Japanese brand Osu have stepped in with their delicious flavours - ACV with apple juice and ACV with blueberry and pomegranate.
Why not try their recipe for a Mediterranean ACV refresher. Yum!
What to read - The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll probably know that TV’s favourite quiz show uncle, Richard Osman, is now a deservedly celebrated crime fiction author.
If you start with his latest, you’ll be missing out on his first two novels in the Thursday Murder Club series. As a refresher, these books are set in a retirement community (loosely based on where his mum lives) and follow a group of intrepid septuagenarians who meet up every Thursday to - you guessed it - solve a crime.
Whodunnits in the style of Agatha Christie, but your nan is the main character. So why not read Osman’s latest oeuvre?
Its giving crime, its giving good characters, and gentle comedy.
What to listen to - Once Upon A Time At…Bennington College
What do Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn), Donna Tartt (The Secret History), and Brett Easton Ellis (American Psycho) have in common?
They all attended the “wildest and wickedest school in America” at the same time, in the mid-1980s!
This 14 part podcast explores the three writers’ time at Bennington and how each of their disparate novels all reference the small, rural, (and at the time) anarchic college.
A glimpse into some of the formative years of three brilliant but very different novelists, Once Upon A Time...includes interviews with Lethem and Ellis, though Tartt declined to take part in the podcast, so perhaps it is a somewhat lopsided history, but gossip-y and gripping nonetheless.
Available at all your usual podcast providers!
What to watch - GBH
Well, the SAG-AFTRA strike seems to be finally coming to an end, so before too long, our screens will be again full of long-promised and long delayed series.
In the meantime however, there is a wealth of back catalogue to be getting on with!
On Channel 4OD, for example, you can watch the entirety of some absolute gems of the 90s (E.R., The West Wing, The Book Group), as well as some British classics, including Alan Beasdale’s exploration of the destructive nature of power, GBH.
GBH stars Robert Lindsay, Michael Palin, Julie Walters, and Lindsay Duncan as well as many more faces you will definitely recognise. Controversial when it originally aired in 1991 and still relevant today, it is the story of who actually pulls the strings of powerful leaders and the decent people who stand up to them.
Clever, thought-provoking, and superbly acted.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/gbh
What to wear - Seasalt Cornwall raincoat
If you’re anything like us, it is time to refresh your raincoat game! And we can heartily recommend Seasalt Cornwall’s Janelle Waterproof Coat.
Besides styled as a timeless British classic, Seasalt Cornwall is British-owned and inspired by Cornish coasts. Seasalt’s roots are in outdoor workwear, so durability and functionality are hard-wired into their DNA.
The Janelle coat is machine washable and available in seven flattering colours. Not to mention they have inclusive sizing, catering up to a size 28 and specifications for petite, regular, and tall.
Perfect to tie a look together for the school run or keep you warm on a windswept walk!
Who to follow - Carla Freeman
Do you need some comedy in your life? Maybe your Instagram feed needs a dose of tongue-in-cheek reality?
For all your relatable mum (and non-mum) content, look no further than actor/writer/comedian Carla Freeman.
Her sketches cleverly skewer themes of expectation vs reality and along with a host of characters (nearly all played by her), her Nursery Mums series is a brilliant mini-watch.
Keep an eye out for special guest appearances - none other than Dame Judi Dench has a cameo!
Carla always sees the funny side, endlessly pokes fun at herself, and always comes off as the mum you want to be friends with at pick up.
INSTAGRAM: @carlaafreeman