Summer is here, so get your sunnies, prep the BBQ and get set to enjoy the latest tried and tested new launches for summer 2023.
Surf Live Saving – Protection Beyond the flags, new whipped mousse
We may love a sunburnt country – but skin ravaged by the Aussie sun isn’t so romantic. Surf Life Saving Australia’s has created high protection sunscreen formulas whatever your skin type. Whilst it is aimed at kids its sensational, super creamy, easy to apply, small enough to pop into a handbag. Hell YEAH! Plus by purchasing Surf Lifesaving sunscreen, we are helping support surf lifesaving training and development programs around the country. Australian owned, tested and made – Aussie Aussie Aussie!! Check out the range and suppliers here
For Food Lovers
Olsson’s Salts launch premium Cocktail Salts
Australia’s oldest family owned and operated salt producer, Olsson’s, has launched a new product line; Cocktail Salts. Hurrah!
Native Citrus Cocktail Salt is a blend of Australian Sea Salt Flakes, pink plum powder, and tangy lemon myrtle. sweet and sour flavours in your cocktails. It’s a got a really strong aromatic kick which is a good counterbalance to bitterness. For someone that isnt a fan of aperol, and a few other bitter cocktails all of a sudden a new world of happiness unfolds.
Smokin’ Chilli Cocktail Salt is my favourite – I do love a Tommys Magarita! The blend includes Australian Sea Salt Flakes that have been smoked on Red Gum for 72 hours. It has a lovely smokiness that goes so well with Mezcal. It’s the kind of salt, that if you believe chili improves everything then, well, just do it. Purchase at Olssons (RRP $15) and major retailors
Frosty Fruits – Fruits Stack
To be Aussie is to have a frosty fruit in your freezer for all emergencies! It’s part of our Australian DNA. So we loved it when our pack arrived. What have they done next? The new pack for the summer BBQ is the ‘stack’ super cute trio of sweet strawberry on top with a few dots of chocolate drops, next tangy orange sorbet and tangy pple stacked into a sorbet treat. It is made with real fruit juice and gluten free. See more about St Peters here. Available at all major supermarkets.
Bulla Murray Street Ice Cream – new range
In this dreamy collab between top pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs and Bulla Murray St Ice Cream, ice-cream is inspired by several iconic desserts. We loved the Lemon Meringue Tart with its zesty creamy zing. It’s meringue-flavoured ice-cream rippled with lemon curd, enrobed in a white chocolate biscuit coating. You can also cool down with Passionfruit Panna Cotta and Berry Rebellion Tart. The new flavours are available in supermarket freezers across Australia .
The Pie Society – For vegans and those who just want a meatfree day
Mmmmm meat pies! The Pie Society make a (whole)meal of it – this pastry is special. They use Australian wholemeal flour and the pastry isn’t not pre-baked. The vegan filling is wierdly meaty tasting – it’s a chick pea mince, called Seitan combined with Aussie chickpea flour & secret herbs and spices. Seitan contains roughly the same amount of protein as animal meat and is a good source of several minerals. It’s also low in carbohydrates & fats. We threw our mini meat pies, sausage rolls and cottage pies in the oven for 20mins and they were super tasty flaky, fluffy and golden. The real winner was the cottage pie, soft creamy mash and a delish meaty centre with a oh so crispy buttery pastry bottom. Check out more here and find them at major supermarkets.
Flora – New Plant Cream
Hurrah! This is a total break through for those non diary lovers, From a sustainability perspective it is palm oil free and vegan. Made from, um, lentils! We had our doubts. Would it taste floury, watery, or have an icky artifical taste? Nup. It’s really awesome. We have used it in pastas, scrambled eggs, casseroles and even whipped it up for cocktails, it’s a clean flavour with way less calories than normal cream. Until now, there has been no direct substitute and we are pretty excited about this new entrant. Find it now at major supermarkets RRP $6.50
For Home & Wellness Lovers
Mud Australia – Launches its first Brisbane Store early November
Some people crave a piece of jewellery from Tiffany, but for us, Mud is the pinnacle of sustainability, design and creativity. Made by hand from their studio in Sydney, their porcelain clay is sourced from Limoges, France. The pigment is tinted to the body at slip stage and a clear glaze applied. One of our favourites is the pebble bowl (two sizes), is deliciously silky and glossy on the inside and retains its stone surface on the outer. It’s perfect for a dinner centerpiece or simply a bowl of mandarins! Pastel colours range from citrus yellow, steel through to a pretty blossom pink and more. The fish platter is a beauty (ours in dust colour), perfect for showing off our nights dinner of ocean trout. The water jug and carafe make you wonder if you should dine with them or simply lust after their simple curves as a piece of art! See Mud Australia to shop or visit their newest Brisbane store which opens in November.
Tineco iCARPET – Clean and dry your carpets
Tineco iCARPET promises to not only deep clean but to leave no dirty water residue along with an efficient drying technology that dries the carpet quickly. So how did it work out? Firstly putting it together requires simply clicking in the handle and water section. I pop a capful of cleaning solution into the two tank design bottom section and plug in. It has a few modes. The HeatedWash Technology uses a PTC heater to heat the water in the cleaning solution to 40°C . I use the high-powered suction to remove dirt from our upstairs carpeted areas which are home to dirty doggy paws and constant foot traffic its pretty good at getting rid of stains. I embarrasingly had to clean out the roller section a few times which got clogged with greyhound fur!There is a sense of satisfaction emptying the dirty water tank a few times.
The Power Dry technology, which deploys a 75°C breeze to refresh and restore the carpet, did pretty well. I would say it was about 80% dry. The fusion of HeatedWash Technology and PowerDry Technology helps drying speed significantly. The vacuum also has a Portable Spot Cleaner which was essential for our carpeted stairs but also worked well on dog beds and our sofa. See Tineco for more and available across major retailers
Wiltshire – launches Diamond White Dinnerware Range
Made from durable, chip resistant tempered glass, we have been using this in our kitchen and outside for our BBQs. Its pretty hardy with a pretty diamond embossed texture, crisp crystal white finish, it is stylish but also holds up well in our dishwasher and stacks easily. It comes in a well priced 12-piece dinnerware set (we really love the dinner plate with raised sides =-but it you want to buy individual pieces then look out for the 12 cm Rice Bowl, 19 cm Side Plate, 20 cm Flat Bowl, 18 cm Noodle Bowl, and 25 cm Dinner Plate. Buy exclusively at Spotlight or online here
For the Love of Travel
Twelve South – Airfly Pro Deluxe
The AirFly family gets bigger with this addition which includes an international airline adapter with a designer vegan suede travel pouch, charging cable and international adapter. We used ours on a trip to Melbourne to connect my AirPods (+ Beats wireless headphones) to in-flight entertainment. I also used it in the gym as the Bluetooth connectivity is awful! and AuxIN my car. So easy. Just plug the AirFly Pro into the headphone jack on a plane’s in-flight entertainment system. We also tried the easy pair system which allows two sets of AirPods or Beats wireless headphones with AirFly Pro so two people can listen to the same movie, podcasts, or video game with 25hours of fun. Terdarh!! Twelve South $109
For Drinks lovers
Don Julio – Tequila Blanco
The legend begins in 1942, when a young Don Julio González gained a loan to start his first tequila distillery, La Primavera, in the Jaliscan Highlands
6500 feet above sea level. He didn’t think of his agave as a crop, he considered them his children. Blanco or “silver” tequilla is from the finest blue agave. It is the base from which all our other variants are derived. We really like it’s citrusy nose, and is double distilled for a light agave flavour as it doesn’t have any aging. Get it at major stockists RRP $119.99.
Heaps Normal – Tough Stuff Shandy
We love Marrickville based Heaps Normal. Their new shandy is Heaps Great! It follows on from their limited release dark coffee stout. It is made with their mates at Yumbo Soda Co. using Aussie citrus and natives. It took us back to our younger years of drinking, fun, malty and just a lot to enjoy to kickback with for your next roadtrip. Buy here $74.99 for a case of 24.
818 Tequila Reposado
Hand-picked by jimadores in locally owned family run farms; cooked for 30 hours in traditional brick ovens; fermented for 70 hours before ageing oak barrels; brought to us straight from their family with sustainability at it’s heart. The resp has a golden hue, with vanilla on the nose and flavours of
caramel and nougart. We tried it with our new Olsen’s chili cocktail salts and made a Cali Maria cocktail see here for the recipe. Absolutely delish, get it while you can! $110
Sun Monkey – Wine infused with Sake
Sun Monkey, is breaking all traditional wine norms with its latest innovation – a sake infused wine collection. Sounds strange? We took it for a spin the Shiraz is a medium body, with soft spices and a floral kick. This new wine brand has launched with a Shiraz Grenache and a white blend. So if you are open to a bit of a wine challenge which is transforming the way we see wine try it with a pad thai, it pairs well with Asian cuisine. Get it at Dan’s or major stockists $21.99
