Happy New Year!

We hope it's not too late to wish all our readers a Happy New Year - sorry we missed wishing you a Happy Christmas!

We enjoyed some of the best ever New Year celebrations last night. It was simply great that we had the Suffolk and Midlands Branch bears staying with us, and it is undoubtedly the case that a house full of bears is a happy house.

The evening started off in the best possible way with a wonderful Thai meal prepared by our very own Chef Oakley.  While Oakley was busy preparing the meal, those of us who aren't much help in the kitchen sorted through some fireworks, ready for later.

By the time we'd finished dining, it had, unfortunately, started to rain. We were a little dismayed as fireworks and rain don't mix. However, we still had pudding to go, and Oakley had really excelled himself, conjuring up a take on a Heston special, a reconstructed Black Forest gateau, with the posh name of a 'buche'.

Polly's nephew, Helmut, who is motorcycle crazy, tested the strength of the chocolate casing by riding along the top (we think he was trying to reconstruct the opening rooftop bike sequence in Skyfall). The chocolate was of excellent quality and very smooth, so stood up to the riding test (we had insisted on a drive through a disinfectant bath first).

Pudding was so delicious we lingered over it, long enough for it to have stopped raining by the time plates were scraped clean. We all trooped outside to see our big box of fireworks go off. Police girl Polly, being a very responsible type, acted as chief pyromaniac for us, and took charge of lighting.

It was a splendid selection and gave us a feast of colours, bangs, whistles, splutters and fizzes - all very  exciting stuff. We were sad when they were over, but not for long, as back inside the Bear Cave we settled down to a few games of Boggle and Jenga - all fiercely competitive, with Branch honour at stake.

After toasting the New Year, we headed back outside for a midnight launch of some sky lanterns, kindly supplied by the Suffolk Branch ...

We'd seen them before, but this was the first time we'd lit and launched one. We all took a turn at sending one off into the dark sky and making a wish. We thought it was quite magical and a special moment.

The New Year had started very well for us, we hope it has for you too.

Love from all in Norfolk, Suffolk and Midlands Branches xxx

What to Buy a Chef Bear

I bet you're all sitting there thinking you know exactly what I got for Christmas. After all, can there be a more logical present for a chef than a recipe book? As it happens, this year I didn't get any recipe books. This probably has something to do with the fact that the kitchen cupboards are already overflowing with recipe books, and if I spent any more time reading recipe books, then hungry bears would never get fed (there is quite a constant demand for home cooked meals at the Bear Cave).

I was lucky to receive some wonderful presents but one that particularly took my fancy was the pair of pickle jars that you see me with in my photo ...


These were speciality chilli pickles made by Cottage Delight Speciality Foods. One was a hot chilli pickle, and I got very excited when I read it was an 'intensely hot pickle' as I simply adore hot and spicy food. It certainly goes very well with my curries, and the rest of the chaps have been kind enough to say that as it is my present from them, I shouldn't give too much away. The other pickle was delightfully named 'Chillililli' - what a great name! As it is not really the salad season, I have been enjoying it with my lunchtime sandwiches.

Although I love cooking, it is a special treat to be able to sit down and enjoy fine food, like this, that others have prepared.

Lots of love, Oakley (Head Chef) xxx

News from the Garden

Every week Chef Oakley and I take a walk round the garden to see how our vegetable plants are doing. I let Oakley know what I'm growing for him and what will soon be ready for harvesting, so he can plan the week's recipes and shopping.

Yesterday was at least dry for our garden tour even though it was rather overcast and very windy.


Although it looks dark, I can assure you we were out in daylight - our camera obviously thought we needed some illumination though. First stop was the cucumber plants. If you can remember back to mid August, you may remember me telling you how I was growing cucumbers and squashes from seed. My cucumbers have not been in a greenhouse, but are producing quite a few fruits. This plant, despite its scabby leaves, is the most prolific fruiter of the bunch. I have already harvested a shop size cucumber and as you can see there are 3 more growing.


Next stop was the squashes whose seeds were sown at the same time as the cucumbers. Two big squashes have been harvested and are resting on the window sill in our dining room. As you can see there are others coming along well which will soon be ready for cutting.

There are also others which still have some growing to do ...


It's quite a jungle when you get amongst those squash plants. Their tendrils snake over the ground very quickly and they take up a lot of my vegetable plot. Fortunately a visitor who was staying with us last weekend, gave me a masterclass in squash care and pruning. The bed looks a lot better now, although it was sad having to decide which of the squashes to keep and which to cull (in the interests of the retained plant).


Our corn on the cob plants, also grown from seed, were a bit of an experiment this year. They have grown and we do have some cobs as you can see, but they are more suited to a small bear's (like me) appetite rather than a big bear's, such as Ungi or Blue Bear. They'd have to eat quite a a few to satisfy their hunger.

Last weekend we met up with members of the Midlands branch at T.B.B.'s (Teddy Bear Bill) minder's party and we were very pleased to be given lots of lovely mint and stawberry plants. I planted the strawberries yesterday, all together, so it will be easier to net them next year, when - paws crossed - some lovely fruits develop.


Here you see me proudly showing my planting to Oakley and giving him advance notice that we hope to have stawberries on the menu next year.

My mouth is watering already!

Lots of love Tommy (gardening bear) and Oakley xxx

Party Time!

Today is a very special day in the life of our blog as we are publishing our 100th posting. Such an auspicious occasion called for a celebration, so earlier chef Oakley and his assistants got busy in the kichen baking a clebration cake.


N.B. the recipe book isn't standing up on it's own, Raj is behind it reading out the all important instructions, but due to his dark fur and the fact he had forgotten his glasses, you can't see too much of him!

What a delicious chocolate cake they made. Nutella was an important ingredient of course. Such a special cake deserves a photo of it's own. Well done Oakley & team.


We were pleased to be able to share this special occasion with members of the Midlands branch, Rajah, Rupert & Confection who came up specially. For once we decided to forgo our usual favourite tipple of a glass of Wherry and celebrate in style with some champagne. We hope you like the official photograph. Members of the Suffolk branch were of course with us in spirit, and we drank a toast to them.


We look forward to the next 100 blogs, hope you do too.

Love from all at Bears Unlimited xxx