Whether you’re having a party, a gathering, or simply lounging solo in the sun, we’ve put together a few of our favourite essentials and luxuries to help you make the most of your outdoor space.

From handy barbecue tools to smart shade solutions, there’s something for everyone – and it won’t break the bank – especially on Amazon Prime Day.

Ninja Woodfire Electric Barbecue and Smoker

Normally, the idea of an electric barbecue might make you shudder in fear of how unsafe and impractical they are. But we simply can’t say enough good things about this one. Unlike others on the market we’ve faffed around with, the entire device is incredibly easy to use, as well as being much more compact and portable than the rest. It’s easy enough to store inside on a rainy day, but if you forget, or are totally mad, it’s weatherproof – so you can get barbecuing on even the gloomiest days a British summer has to offer.

The smoking function only requires a handful of tiny wood chips and uses a fan to circulate heat and smoke, making it more efficient than many ‘actual’ barbecues. And, on top of grilling and smoking, it also has an air fry, roast, bake, reheat, and dehydrate function, removing the need for dashing back and forth between kitchen and garden.

Shop the Ninja smoker here 

Parasols

A parasol is a great way to unlock a new corner of your garden you thought too ugly to use, or to help turn your scorching patio area into the cool space it was destined to be. Amazon has a plethora of reasonably priced options in a variety of colours and patterns, and all require little setup – as well as being mostly under 50 pounds.

Shop parasols here

Outdoor storage box

One way you could get your garden ready is probably by making it presentable… Luckily, we share your mild-hoarder tendencies, and suggest getting a sleek storage box to chuck all those loose pots and gardening tools into. With the addition of a pillow, you could even turn one of these into a handy bench if you find yourself swarmed with guests.

This 270L model by Kater is weather resistant, and, as a bonus, is made up of 65 per cent recycled plastic.

Shop Kater’s storage box here 

Decorative trellis

A trellis isn’t just a gardener’s friend. Even without climbing plants, the right one on its own can add a subtle elegance to that one plain wall or fence you’ve never been sure how to spruce up. We’re in love with Selection’s bronze leaf design trellis, which comes in a pack of two to create some satisfying symmetry in your garden.

Shop the trelis here 

Keter cooling box table

Investing in a cooling box for your own garden might feel stupid – who needs a tiny fridge so close to the other one? But Keter’s cooling table adds another novelty which is hard to resist. Without any booze or ice added, the table weighs just under 6kg, so has a place anywhere and everywhere in your garden.

For extra ease, the raised table component can be adjusted up and down to give you a range of convenient heights (for when you’re reaching over carelessly from your deck chair). We’re a big fan of the stunning white and brown colour combo that’s bound to give your garden a ‘boujee’ feel.

Shop Keter’s table here

Read more: Landscaping and garden design – how to design the outdoors of your property

Mondeer hammock

It would be easy for us to recommend a plain bit of garden furniture. But if you’re looking to really relax in your garden this summer, why not turn to a hammock? It may make your inner child happy too…

Mondeer’s adjustable model supports up to 200kg and comes in five colours to match the vibe of your outdoor space.

Shop Mondeer’s hammock

Garden lightbulbs

Adding a touch of soft, warm lighting to your garden instantly turns the place into a cosy haven, with no further work required. Rather than retreat inside, you can now enjoy the cooler evenings in your own fairy land, thats now only part make-belief.

This set from Zuske is available in a variety of lengths to suit your specific needs, and can be powered by either the mains’ electricity or solar power. And don’t worry – the bulbs aren’t actually made out of glass.

Shop outdoor lightbulbs here

DIVCHI Garden archway

Much like a good trellis, an archway – even if it leads to no where – is another great way to add some charm and direction to your garden. They pair well with a small trail of slabs, and can be a great inspiration point, helping you to design your garden  around it as a centrepiece. You needn’t have to be a green-finger person to start growing on it either, just some sweet peas growing up it make all the difference.

For the same price, DIVCHI also sell a smaller obelisk shape to serve the same purpose.

Shop the DVICHI archway here

Basics zero gravity chair

We did say no basic furniture, but the comfortability of these Amazon brand chairs is hard to not talk about, and equally hard to pass up on. Nearly 50,000 other shoppers have given it just under 5 stars.

This price includes a set complete with 2 chairs (fit with their own drinks holders) and a small table. Although a tad less socially inclined than other options out there, these relaxed, reclined chairs are still a great upgrade for anyone’s garden.

Shop zero gravity chairs here

…A lawnmower

Saving the most boring til last, if you want to truly get your garden summer ready, a lawnmower is the most obvious but most necessary pick. Luckily, the excitement of having it bought to your door within 24 hours courtesy of Amazon can certainly make this a more bearable activity.

With plenty models £100 and under, Prime Day is the best time to seek a replacement on that rust-bucket in the shed, and finally get to grips with your lawn.

Shop all lawnmowers here

Finn Norris

Finn is a writer and musician. He has written on internet culture, technology, and reviewed music, film, and television. When not frantically tapping away he can be found kicking back with the simpler things: coffee, cats, and football.

The post Small buys to get your garden ready for a big summer appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The Caribbean is full of so many wonderful food, so much so, we thought we’d give you an insight into said flavours to spice up your summer.

The Caribbean is made up of 13 countries and several territories/dependencies that are part of other countries. And, of course, each one has their own national/known for dishes. And boy are some of them tasty.

But I can’t simply go to the Caribbean for the food

No, most of us can’t just drop everything and jet off to the Caribbean to sample some of their delicious cuisines. But there’s lots of ways you can bring that Caribbean flavour to your home.

Dream Caribbean

Bringing you the taste of The Caribbean across the UK and supporting small speciality producers from the Caribbean. Created by Peter Martin, who has worked with Caribbean producers for year, the company offers a wide range of authentic flavours.

Some of our favourites include:

Pepper Jelly. This is a gradual sweet heat, and the perfect condiment to add a Caribbean spice to your cheese board. Pack of two jars £14.95

Sorrel Syrup. This is a sharp syrup made from hibiscus, and can be mixed with champagne or prosecco to make a fabulous Caribbean summer cocktail. Pack of two jars £14.95

Spicey Fruit Sauce. Bottled in Barbados, this is a sweet/savoury sauce, perfect with your summer barbeque. Pack of two jars £14.95

Classic Caribbean Gift Box – £29.95
This gift box is a combination of the most loved Caribbean flavours (picture does not show actual box, but range of products). The Classic box includes:

• Golden Rum Cake, which is from Barbados and is made with Cockspur rum
• Hot Pepper Sauce, hot and spicy
• Guava Jelly, delicious and sweet and delish on buttered toast
• Jerk Seasoning x 2, spicy and fiery and perfect to baste onto food or marinate

Dream Caribbean

Merchant Gourmet

Recently released, Merchant Gourmet is bringing The Caribbean essence to their beans and pulses with their new ‘Fiery Jamaican-Style Grains and Pulses’. They have teamed up with Tomekah George who works with lots of textures and takes inspiration from her Caribbean family to create this pouch.

Available in Ocado and Morrisons from 22 May 2022

Soul Fruit

With jack fruit as fruit that is grown and known for in The Caribbean, Soul Fruit brings you a healthy, natural snack.

Crunchy, dried jack fruit bag 20g – £1.79

Jamaica On Ice

Jamaica On Ice delivers the taste of Jamaican food to your door in frozen meals. Ready for you to eat and enjoy, with classic and flavourful meals right from the heart of The Caribbean. Their meals are quality food, authentic taste and very convenient and perfect for the summer Caribbean experience.

With a range of tasty meals, we’ve narrowed it down to our favourite two:

Ackee and saltfish – above – £7.99

Jamaica’s national dish and a gorgeous blend of herbs, spices, and sweet peppers to go with a tasty, salted cod fish.

Curry goat with plain rice – above – £7.99

A beautiful boneless goat curry with potato, chilli, and a mix of wonderful seasonings and spices.

And for those of you maybe with big families or big Jamaican food enthusiasts, get your hands on a bundle of 10 Jamaican meals to keep you going for a while.

A meal bundle of 10 meals is £69.50

The bundle includes a variety of dishes, including:

• Classic Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas x 2
• Curry Chicken with Plain Rice x 2
• Curry Goat with Plain Rice x 2
• Oxtail with Rice and Peas x 1
• Pepper Steak with Rice and Peas x 1
• Steam Okra with Fresh Vegetables x 1
• Ackee and Salt Fish with Plain rice x 1

Jamaica on Ice is a pioneering new business with a real family feel. And we think the first of its type in the UK. For more information and to see their story, and range, check them out…

Jamaica On Ice – check out their foods

Caribbean rum

Hey, it’s what a lot of people know The Caribbean for, right? So it would be remiss not to mention the delights of rum! Here are a few favourites to kick your summer off.

Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti. From arguably the best distillery in Haiti, aged in limousin oak casks for four years. You can enjoy it either on the rocks or with a mixer.

Appleton Estate 8 Year Reserve Rum, from Jamaica. Crafted by Master Blender Joy Spence to mark 25 years of the estate, this is a warm honeyed rum, with hints of vanilla, spice, and orange. Heaven.

Ron Barcelo from the Dominican Republic. We sadly haven’t tried this one but it comes highly recommended. For those who like tasting notes: Intense coppery amber colour. Brilliant coppery amber colour. Aromas of butter cream, dried cherries, intense vanilla, pineapple jam and caramelized nuts followed by a mild entry to a dry but fruity flavour. Medium and exuberant body with great depth and balance. Finish with a flavour of carrot ice cream cake, kola nut, Mocha and a strong toasted taste that gradually fades.

Mount Gay from Barbados. Who doesn’t love Mount Gay? The Eclipse is an absolute classic – some burnt sugar notes, plenty of vanilla and caramel, and event banana. A lush summer drink.

Black Tot from across the Caribbean. A broad sweeping taste from rums from Guyana, Barbados, and Jamaica, expertly blended for the tastes of today.

And last but by no means least, House of Rum, brings you Diablo Aged Rum. A sipping rum, born in column stills in the Dominican Republic and pot stills in Jamaica. There is also aged white rum, spiced rum and XO Reserve.

Diablo Aged Rum – £69 per 70cl bottle

Marshall and Brown

Marshall and Brown offer a wide selection of Caribbean themed food, plus, they have a couple of brands on their site that also offer Caribbean flavours to spice up your summer

If you fancy a wide variety of chutneys to accompany your cheese, meat or maybe vegan platters, look no further than the Marshall and Brown Chutney Collection.

Featuring six different chutneys:

• Apple cider
• Beetroot and orange
• Pear and ginger
• Sun-dried tomato and garlic
• Red onion marmalade
• Rhubarb apple and ginger

The collection is £39.95

One of their companies is Mama Brown’s, who make Jamaican rum cake in a variety of flavours. If you want to try a little of each, we suggest the Rum Cake Collection.

The buddle includes all six flavours:

• Banana
• Pineapple
• Coconut
• Chocolate
• Key lime
• Golden original

This delicious collection is £35

And finally, their other company, The Jerk House which offers a variety of sauces to give your food a Caribbean kick.

The Jerk House Collection gives you on of each sauce to give you a variety of flavours, including:

• Caribbean hot mustard sauce
• Jamaican crushed red pepper sauce
• Jamaican jerk sauce
• Jerk seasoning
• Jamaican yellow scotch bonnet pepper sauce
• Jerk barbeque sauce

And this fiery collection is £17.95

So keep it tropical this summer

With these items and snacks, you’re sure to have a fiery summer that’ll perk up your taste buds. Of course you can try your hand at things from scratch and follow some online recipes. Fancy making your own Barbados Custard Ice Cream with Kitty Travers’ recipe?

Find some more Caribbean recipes here – BBC Good Food.

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Caribbean flavours to spice up your summer appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Online food seller Musclefood has created something with a bit of a twist to liven up our al fresco dining experiences. And yes, it’s exactly what it says on the, er, tin. These are healthy barbecue meats, with one small addition. Old fashioned sweets.

Assistant development chef Josh Briggs says they’ve simply taken some of our most famous retro sweets… and added them to barbecue meats for a new summer range. “We’ve definitely pushed the boundaries with these new products,” he says, “by bringing some iconic flavours from our childhood back into the kitchen.

“These are flavours that really do give the meats a new lease of life. The Rainbow Drops add a slight sweetness to the chicken without being too overpowering, whilst the Parma Violets help cut through the slight saltiness of the pork.

“As for the popping candy burgers, they add an interesting edge to your summer with every pop, bang, and crackle.”

How does it work?

The pork steaks and chicken breasts are delivered with packets of sweets which you use to coat and marinate the meat before cooking. With the burgers, the popping candy is used to garnish the meat after cooking. You crazy kids.

Everyone here in the Silver office is divided – some of us are excited, others are absolutely horrified

Mixing sweet and savoury isn’t exactly a new idea, although these guys believe this range is the first of its kind. A Musclefood spokesperson pointed out, “The new products in our sweet meat range are the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, combining flavours that probably haven’t worked together before.”

No. We’ve never seen anything like it either.

We found out about these just this morning so we haven’t tried them. But we’re going to. Everyone here in the Silver office is divided – some of us are excited, others are absolutely horrified. There’s no doubt, this is a properly Marmite idea.

What do you think? Would you be willing to try these?!

Each pack is priced between £3.50-£4.00
www.musclefood.com

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The post Food company launches retro sweets on barbecue meats and we are not sure… appeared first on Silver Magazine.