Almost Off Grid Blog - Brew, Make, Forage, Grow.

Do you love Thai Basil? Me too. I love the stuff. But basil can be a bit of a struggle to grow from seed. And even when it isn't, it takes longer than this method does ! Try Growing Thai Basil the quick and easy way instead - from supermarket cuttings.

One of the issues that come up a lot in the forums I read is Ecommerce websites for small shops, and how to choose a platform and developer. S...

Last week we spent a lot of time packing up boxes of stock to go to Amazon warehouses around the UK. Amazon FBA for small shops is something I don'...

Making your own cheese at home is one of life's pleasures. These basic, soft cheeses are simple to make and it's rewarding to make them yourself using fresh, natural ingredients. Homemade Creamy Ricotta Cheese is one of the simplest of all. Step-by-step video included.

If you've never tried Hawthorn Ketchup before, it has an unusual, sweet and sour-like taste. It is fairly runny, so you can bottle it as an alternative to putting it in a jar. Lovely with sausages, cold meats and cheese, simple to make. Once you've tasted it, you have to make it every year!

As I write this, it is less than 10 days until Christmas. So you may be wondering why on earth we think now is a good time to be rearranging s...

This homemade Swiss Chocolate Almond Liqueur is a winner. Gorgeous for Christmas yet perfect as a year-round treat, it is very simple to make.  If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you'll know I make a range of homemade liqueurs, some from scratch and some using Top Shelf Essences by Still Spirits.

This hazelnut liqueur is lovely. It is very simple to make using Top Shelf Almond Liqueur Essence, a base and vodka.

Andy makes this liqueur every Christmas, and sometimes in the months in-between - it is that good! Lovely on it's own, over ice or in coffee. 

With Christmas rapidly approaching, we have started making the lovely little side dishes that, for us, make Christmas so special. Not least of all because we don't have them at any other time of year. One such thing we make is Clementine and Brandy Butter.

We have have had a shop for 16 years. During that time we built a successful shop business, closed it after 14 years and started another one. ...

Thank you for visiting this part of our blog, where we share what we have learned about running a small, independent shop. I'm presuming you're here because you have a small shop, or plan to have one. 

I posted my Crumbly Vanilla Fudge Recipe some time ago now, and it is one of the blogs on which we have had the most comments. It seems I'm not the only person who prefers crumbly fudge to chewy fudge! And as Christmas approaches, here is how to make something lovely and festive: Crumbly Eggnog Fudge.