Valentine’s Day is only a month away – we know, we can’t believe it either! – so it’s time to start thinking about gifts for your romantic partner. Not to worry though, if they’re a foodie fan, we’ve got plenty of great ideas for you that will definitely put you in the good books. And, who knows, you might be able to snaffle some of these tasty treats for yourself!

Shed Loads of Love Gin

Aw, we love the name of this gin by Ulverston’s Shed 1 gin distillers. Shed Loads of Love Gin is the perfect gift for this Valentine’s Day: not only does it share the sentiment in its name, it’s delicious and something any gin lover is going to enjoy having in their drinks cabinet. The London Dry gin includes lavender florals and strawberry on the nose, and a pleasant wave of chilli.

Love Potion Cocktail Kit

Why not make a cocktail party of your Valentine’s Day celebrations? This Love Potion Cocktail Kit is ideal for such an evening’s entertainment. With all the ingredients handily packed up into a cocktail glass, just add gin and watch the magic happen! Take a sip and you’ll both fall in love with each other all over again.

The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Editions: Bal Masque

There’s something very romantic about the seduction and intrigue of a masked ball, but if you can’t find one on Valentine’s Day, get the next best thing for your partner with Bal Masque single malt whisky by Lakes Distillery. This luxury whisky has a heavy sherry influence and a mercurial flavour that is well suited to its name.

Windermere Brewing: A Bit’er Ruff

If your partner is a beer lover – and has a sense of humour – then A Bit’er Ruff by Windermere Brewing makes a great gift for you to have a laugh at. The full-bodied bitter has an intense hoppy flavour and a dry finish. It’s sure to put a smile on someone’s face this Valentine’s Day.

Gin Whisky Spirit Miniature Picture Frame

Celebrate a love of whisky, gin and beer with this decorative wall hanging. Created with cute miniature bottles of some of our favourite drinks, the Gin Whisky Spirit Miniature Picture Frame lights up to create a dazzling effect and is a great piece to hang on the kitchen wall, in a bar, or even in your living room.

Hawkshead Relish

Relish the taste of Hawkshead Relish’s condiments, which range from mustards and chutneys to jams and marmalades. Budding chefs will love adding these into their recipes. Buy individual jars or carefully selected packs to enjoy – you might even make your other half a meal to sample them with. The perfect Valentine’s Day gift!

Kandy Kitchen “Super Simple” Meals

If you’d love to cook up a storm this Valentine’s Day but aren’t so hot in the kitchen, never fear, because Kandy Kitchen has you covered. Their range of “Super Simple” meals come beautifully packaged with all the ingredients and simple instructions, so you can make even the most exotic of meals without any trouble. You can even do a full three-course meal: try Minestrone soup to start, followed by a chicken and mushroom risotto. Then finish it all off with chocolate brownies. Your partner will never know how easy it was, and we won’t tell if you don’t!

“Create-Your-Own” Hampers

Make your Valentine’s Day gift extra special and personal with a “Create-Your-Own” hamper. Pick out your partner’s favourite food and drink and present it all in one delicious gift basket. We’re here to help, if you need it, or you can go for it alone.

If you struggle to pick out the best items, we also have a great selection of pre-made hampers with some of our favourite produce.

Gift Voucher

Does your other half like to pick their own? Or perhaps there’s just too much choice and you’re not sure what they’d like best. Or – and we won’t tell – perhaps you’ve left your gift buying to the last minute? A gift voucher will cover all these scenarios and, starting from just £10, they’ll suit any and all budgets.

Naturally, here at Chestnut House we’re huge food fans and we love sampling new local products as well as revisiting old favourites. We also love the opportunity to head to a food festival or foodie-focused event and see what’s on offer. Fortunately, Cumbria has plenty of these festivals to keep us busy, but we also wanted to celebrate some of the other events around the UK that are supporting local makers and producers. Here are our top picks.

Taste Cumbria

When: September and December
Where: Cockermouth, Cumbria

We’re starting close to home with Cumbria’s very own Taste Cumbria. Although these festivals also run in Wigton and Carlisle, and there’s a Taste of the Sea festival in Maryport, the main event is in Cockermouth. The colourful town plays host to one of the most popular food festivals in the region, with many of our own suppliers represented. The main festival is in September, with a Christmas Festival in December.

Stranraer Oyster Festival

When: September
Where: Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway

Hop over the border into Scotland and you’ll find the unique Stranraer Oyster Festival. Celebrating Scotland’s last remaining native wild oyster bed, you can expect the freshest local oysters as well as plenty of entertainment that includes water sports and the Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships.

Isle of Wight Garlic Festival

When: August
Where: Newchurch, Isle of Wight

If you love garlic – and we know we do – head over to the Isle of Wight to celebrate this iconic vegetable. The Garlic Festival is a quaint and quirky celebration of the smelly but delicious bulb. Running since 1983, this community festival lets you sample garlic in all its forms as well as enjoy entertainment that ranges from live music to arts and crafts.

St Albans Feastival

When: September
Where: St Albans, Hertfordshire

The picture-perfect town of St Albans is an excellent place for a food festival, and the Feastival doesn’t disappoint. Lining the streets with produce from over 100 local suppliers, the “good vibes only” festival is jam-packed with street entertainment, arts and crafts and live music.

Meatopia on Fire

When: August
Where: London

Describing itself as “the ultimate Bacchanalian party”, Meatopia on Fire is a full weekend of BBQs and beer. The world’s best live-fire chefs cook up a storm with their responsibly sourced ingredients. And, despite its name, there are fish and veggie options on the menu too. If you’re located further north, Glasgow also holds a similar event in June.

Abergavenny Food Festival

When: September
Where: Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

One of Wales’ most anticipated food festivals, the Abergavenny Food Festival couldn’t pack more in if it tried. We’re talking celebrity chefs, live music, talks and debates, demonstrations, workshops, children’s activities… we could go on! The festival takes place across the town, so you’ll find plenty to explore.

Dalemain World Marmalade Awards

When: April
Where: Penrith, Cumbria

Okay, we know we’re biased including two Cumbrian events, but this one is just up the road from us, so couldn’t be missed off our list! The Dalemain World Marmalade Awards are based at Dalemain Mansion, and they really are world-famous, with visitors travelling from as far away as Australia to participate and compete. You’ll find marmalade and citrus treats galore. And, if you’re elsewhere in the world, you’ll find sister festivals in Japan and Australia!

Buy Local Produce

If, like us, your mouth is now watering, hop over to our online shop to find some treats to satiate your hunger until you get along to the next festival!

There are a lot of glasses out there to go with the many alcoholic beverages available. If you’re the kind of person who is happy to drink your G&T out of a mug, this guide probably isn’t for you. But if you want to know what exactly goes into a highball and what’s the best glass for your whisky sour, then keep reading our guide to the most common glasses and which drinks they suit best.

1. Balloon

Though once primarily used for Scotch, Balloon glasses have gradually grown, along with the ever-lengthening stem, more popular in bars and at parties. The large goldfish-bowl shape is usually seen with a longer stem and filled with a gin and tonic. The shape is perfect for keeping the botanical flavours trapped and for keeping ice cool so it melts much more slowly.

2. Champagne Flute

The clue is in the name: this glass is made for parties and formal evenings where you’re drinking delicious Champagne. Tall and elegant, with a narrow stem, the design helps keep sparkling drinks fizzing.

3. Collins

Like a highball but taller and narrower, pour its namesake – the Tom Collins – into this glass. It’s also a popular option for other long drinks such as a Long Island iced tea and mojitos.

4. Coupe

Coupe glasses are a little bit retro and will add a touch of glamour to any drinking experience. They’re shallow and top heavy with a very flat rounded bowl. Match the vintage look with vintage cocktails like sidecars and Manhattans.

5. Highball

If in doubt about which glass to use, pick a highball – there’s a good chance you’ve made the right choice! That’s because the tall, narrow highball glass is good for lots of different alcoholic drinks. They’re particularly used when drinks have a large mixer-to-alcohol ratio, and when poured over ice like gin and tonics and Long Island iced teas.

6. Hurricane

The funky, familiar shape of the hurricane glass is another popular option for cocktails. The curved lines look just like a hurricane lamp – hence the name. You’ll often find these drinks used for colourful cocktails like piña coladas and Singapore slings.

7. Liqueur

If you’ve got a sweet tooth and enjoy your liqueurs, then you’ll want a dedicated liqueur glass. These types of alcoholic beverages are best served in small quantities, so the glass is often quite dainty, with a small bowl, flared rim and long stem.

8. Lowball

Short and wide, the lowball glass is a tumbler that also goes by a number of other names including rocks, old-fashioned, or whisky glass. So, as you might expect, this is a good choice if you’re drinking whisky straight or on the rocks.

9. Martini

A martini glass is a classic cocktail glass. It has a distinctive triangular shape and is – for obvious reasons – most commonly associated with martinis. However, it can also be used for any kind of sophisticated cocktail like cosmopolitans and gimlets.

10. Nosing

Similar to a tulip glass, but considerably smaller, a nosing glass is specifically designed to make the most of the aroma and flavour of a drink. They’re most often used for sampling whisky, when even a small serving holds a complex variety of tastes and scents.

11. Port Wine

Wine has its own host of different glasses to choose from, depending on colour, grape, and the way it’s made. For port you’ll want a smaller serving than with other wines, so the glasses are made to match. They’re small and bulbous, with a narrow rim.

12. Red Wine

Red wine glasses are generally larger to allow more oxygen flow, which lets the wine breathe and releases the aromas and flavours.

13. Rose Wine

Rose wine glasses are often diamond shaped, sometimes with a slight outward lip at the top. A narrower bowl and taller stem help keep the drink cool and to emphasise the delicate flavours.

14. Sherry

Like port, sherry is a fortified wine, so it has a higher alcohol content and therefore comes in small servings. Sherry glasses are similar to port glasses, but are generally taller and narrower.

15. Shooter

Like shot glasses, shooters are designed so you can take your drink quickly. However, they’re a bit larger than shot glasses, so are better for miniature cocktail shots such as rum runners and tequila tornadoes.

16. Shot

Popular amongst university students, a shot glass is used for small shots (or doubles) of straight spirits, usually in one quick gulp. Because they’re designed for quick use, shot glasses don’t need anything like a stem to protect the flavour of the drink.

17. Snifter

Designed, and almost exclusively used, for brandy, snifters are short-stemmed and have a wide bowl and a reasonably narrow top. This shape makes them good for swirling and trapping aromas. They are also occasionally used for other brown spirits like whisky and bourbon.

18. Tulip

Although sometimes referred to as a wine glass, the tulip is actually most usually associated with Belgian beers. It’s short and tulip-shaped with a wide stem and looks somewhat similar to a hurricane glass. Perfect for aromatic beers.

19. White Wine

Yet another wine glass! Because of the lighter aromas and flavours, white wine needs to be closer to your nose for you to fully appreciate the drink. That’s why you’ll find these glasses are generally smaller than their cousins, the reds.

20. Wobble

An update on a typical brandy glass, wobble glasses are modern and a little bit quirky. As you might guess from their name, they need some careful handling, but well-designed wobbles won’t be so easy to overturn. Like a snifter, use these for brown spirits.

Gin is one of our favourite drinks. We’ve even got our famous gin wall to prove it! The beloved spirit is so diverse that it can be included in any number of cocktails, whether they’re sweet, tart or savoury.

These easy gin cocktails only require two or three ingredients – plus some ice and optional garnishes, so are super easy to make for an evening treat or an occasional brunch.
If you’re short on gin, don’t forget to browse our shop first.

Gin and Tonic

No cocktail is simpler than a Gin and Tonic. There are all sorts of ways to add a ‘twist’ or unique spin, but sometimes less is more, which is why we love the classic.

Ingredients: 2 measures of dry gin, tonic to taste
Glass: Highball
Method: Pack your glass with ice – using lots will stop it melting too quickly and diluting your drink. Then simply pour over two measures of your preferred gin and top up with tonic to suit your taste. You usually use a little more tonic than gin. Add lime, lemon or elderberry to garnish or as additional flavour.

Dry Martini

Another gin cocktail classic, the Dry Martini is full of class and possibly one of the most famous cocktails in the world. Fortunately, it’s also really easy to make (but for us, it’s stirred, not shaken!).

Ingredients: Half measure of vermouth, 3 measures gin
Glass: Martini
Method: Put your glass in the fridge while you prep your drink. Place the vermouth and gin into a cocktail shaker – or similar – with plenty of ice. Stir until the shaker is very cold, then sample the drink to check the strength. Keep on stirring until it’s diluted to your preferred taste. Add an olive or a lemon rind twist to garnish

Pink Gin

Pink gin is a popular version of gin and it’s really easy to buy good quality versions, including from our online store. But if you’d like to try making your own pink gin, or perhaps don’t have a ready-made bottle in the house, try this cocktail recipe. It was created in the navy when someone added Angosturra bitters – up until then intended for medical use – to gin.

Ingredients: 1-4 dashes of Angostura bitters, 1 measure gin, iced water
Glass: Martini
Method: Swirl the Angostura bitters around your glass to cover, then add the gin and top up with iced water to taste.

Gin Buck

The Gin Buck is super easy to make, and will be popular with those of you who love the sweet and spicy taste of ginger.

Ingredients: 1.5 measures of gin, dry ginger ale
Glass: Highball
Method: Simply pop in a few cubes of ice, pour in the gin, and top up with ginger ale to taste. Garnish with a lemon rind spiral.

Orange Blossom / Adirondack

The Orange Blossom was invented during prohibition and was traditionally known as an Adirondack cocktail. It’s a perfect spring drink, but we won’t hold it against you if you enjoy it at other times of the year, too.

Ingredients: 1 measure gin, 1 measure sweet vermouth, 1 measure fresh orange juice
Glass: Highball
Method: Put all the ingredients into a cooled cocktail shaker. Gently (and briefly) shake to mix before pouring over ice in a highball glass. Decorate with an orange wheel to serve. You can simplify this cocktail even further by removing the vermouth.

Sapphire Martini

We love a Martini, and the Sapphire version brings something a little different – most noticeably a delightful blue hue!

Ingredients: 2 measures gin, half measure blue Curaçao, half measure dry vermouth (optional)
Glass: Martini
Method: Add the gin, Curaçao and vermouth into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Give it a good shake and then strain into your glass. Pop a cocktail cherry (blue or red) on top for an extra touch of fun.

Gimlet

It’s thought that the Gimlet was invented by a British Navy surgeon who added lime to gin in an effort to get sailors to have more Vitamin C. You can therefore quote medical reasons if you need an excuse to pour yourself this refreshing cocktail. You can replace the lime cordial with freshly squeezed lime and a bit of sugar if you prefer.

Ingredients: 2 measures gin, 1 measure lime cordial, half measure water
Glass: Martini
Method: Add the gin and lime cordial into a cocktail shaker with some ice and give it a good mix. Strain into your glass and add water. Squeeze some extra fresh lime juice into it if you prefer extra zing, otherwise just decorate with a wedge instead.

Greyhound

This cocktail is apparently named because it was a popular drink at Greyhound bus stations in the USA. If you like an extra dash of savour flavour, you can make it into a Salty Dog cocktail by adding – you guessed it – salt.

Ingredients: 1.5 measures of gin, grapefruit juice
Glass: Rocks
Method: Fill your glass with rocks, then pour over the gin followed by the grapefruit juice to taste. Give it a gentle stir and then enjoy.

Asylum

Done right, this cocktail is said to “look like rosy dawn” and “taste like the milk of Paradise”. That’s quite the statement! Fortunately, it’s so simple to make that you can soon enough find out for yourself.

Ingredients: 2 measures gin, 1 measure Pernod (or other anise liqueur), 1 teaspoon grenadine
Glass: Martini
Method: Pour, in order, grenadine, Pernod then gin. Add ice. You can gently stir if you prefer, but take some time to wait for the ice to melt so you can enjoy the shapes made by the Pernod as it clouds up.

White Lady

The White Lady has many names, including Delilah, Chelsea Sidecar or Lillian Forever. This is a bitter drink thanks to the lemon and Cointreau, so there’s a balance to be found to suit your taste buds.

Ingredients: 1 measure gin, 1 measure Cointreau, 1 measure fresh lemon juice
Glass: Martini
Method: Add the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake them well. Then pour into a chilled cocktail glass and decorate with a lemon rind twist.

Buy gin online

Are you ready to try out some of these delicious and easy gin cocktails? Pick up a quality gin first to make sure they taste their best.

Craft beers are right up our street here at Chestnut House: they’re created by small breweries, are a little bit experimental, and bring something different to the beer market. Lake District craft beers are even more special to us because they’re so local and make use of the county’s unique elements, bringing out flavours you won’t find in ales or lagers made anywhere else.

What is craft beer?

Craft beers are produced by small breweries and, as a result, are brewed in much smaller batches, ones that are often unique limited editions. You’ll find many in local pubs as guest beers, and bottles in smaller shops like ours. Craft beers also usually stand out for their flavours, which are often more experimental and stronger than commercial alternatives.

Read on for some tasty local options to get you started.

Lake District Craft Beers

Brack ‘N’ Brew Boathouse Blonde

4.1% ABV

Celebrating our own town and lake, Brack ‘N’ Brew is an Ullswater-based brewery based at the Brackenrigg Inn. Boathouse Blonde was their first-ever production and is named for the famous Duke of Portland boathouse on Ullswater, which has been photographed countless times. The blonde ale is fruity and refreshing with hints of grapefruit.

Bowness Bay Swan Free Craft Lager

0.5% ABV

Specialising in smooth and flavourful ales, Bowness Bay Brewery was founded in Kendal, the “gateway to the Lake District”. They’ve been honoured with several accolades and awards, including at the World Beer Awards. Though also creating a number of popular traditional beers, their low-alcohol options are well worth a taste. The Czech Pilsner-style Swan Free lager is bright and crisp with a continental bite and a hint of citrusy aroma.

Appleby Brewery Senior Moment

3.9% ABV

Now part of the Bowness Bay brewery, the Appleby Brewery has a great sense of humour and infuses its beer with ‘the spirit of Cumbria’. Try the Senior Moment, a classic beer made with traditional English hops. Just don’t drink too much or you really will be having some senior moments!

Lakes Brew Co DDH Pale Ale

4% ABV

Founded by four colleagues when they were made redundant, the Lakes Brew Co is a progressive and innovative micro-brewery that extols collaboration. They were immediately success on their opening, racking up SIBA award-wins in no time at all. Juicy and bold, their DDH Pale Ale is a taste sensation with intense tropical and citrus flavours – perfect for a summer’s day.

Cumbrian Ales Loweswater Gold

4.3% ABV

If you’ve heard of any Lake District craft beers, it’s probably Loweswater Gold. Though first created near the shores of Loweswater, the brewery’s home is now in Hawkshead. This is a big favourite with visitors and residents alike, and was even named Champion Golden Ale of Britain. It has a light tropical fruit flavour that will appeal to many.

Cumbrian Ales Session IPA

4.5% ABV

If you prefer a hoppier taste to your beers than Loweswater Gold offers, try another favourite from Cumbrian Ales: the Session IPA. Bringing together plenty of flavours that include Citra, Amarillo, mango and gooseberry, this ale has lots of delicious flavour to offer.

Great Corby Lakeland Summit

4% ABV

Great Corby Brewhouse likes to tell a story through each of its beers, from the long hunt for the perfect high-quality ingredients, to the careful balancing process that goes into crafting each flavour. Lakeland Summit is one of the brewery’s classics – a light session ale that starts with a fresh burst of lime and ends with a subtle bitter tingle.

Hesket Newmarket Black Sail

3.6% ABV

Nestled on the edge of the North Lakes, the small village of Hesket Newmarket is home to a micro-brewery of the same name. Though founded in 1988, it was bought by the community in 1999 to prevent its closure or sale to a larger company. To this day, it is co-operatively owned and driven by that sense of community. Black Sail is a full-bodied stout named after a mountain in the Central Lakes. There’s a lot of chocolate to taste in the blend, as well as coffee and liquorice for a fabulous bitterness.

Hesket Newmarket Old Carrock

6.0% ABV

Another option from Hesket Newmarket is Old Carrock, this one named for a more local fell in the north of the Lake District. It’s a gold medal-winning ruby ale with a rich, deep flavour and moderate bitterness. The careful blend of dark, crystal and pale malts is enticingly smooth.

Tirril Brewery Premium Pilsner

Gluten free, 5.0% ABV

One of Cumbria’s oldest breweries, Tirril Brewery has been making beers since the late 90s. Their focus is on good, old-fashioned “beer-flavoured beer” that you’d find in a traditional pub. Their Premium Pilsner is a strong lager with a European flavour thanks to the its Czech Saaz hops.

Keswick Brewing Co Keswick Bitter

3.7% ABV

A craft brewery with green values at its heart, the Keswick Brewing Co’s premises in Keswick were built and expanded with eco-friendly features in mind. They’ve even been awarded a Green at Heart Gold Award and are committed to managing and reducing the environmental impact of their business. When you have one of their beers – like the Keswick Bitter – you’re contributing towards those goals. The bitter itself is a chestnut brown ale that combines four malts and two hops, providing an easy-to-drink flavour.

Tractor Shed Whistling Pig Pilsner

5% ABV

With no frills and no dogma, the Tractor Shed is straight and to the point. Even the brewery’s name is straightforward: it all started in the old tractor shed of the farm where the beers are made. One of their most popular beers is Whistling Pig, a pilsner of lager malt, Czech hops and Lakeland water. Delicious!

Browse our beer shop

We have a great selection of local Lake District craft beers for you to sample and take home from micro-breweries across Cumbria. Many are inspired by the local landscape and history to give you a special taste of the region. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!