Terrifying tales to make your hair stand on end this Halloween

As it’s Halloween, we thought we’d get those spines tingling a little bit more by telling you some spooky stories.  These are only things we’ve heard so we can’t say for sure if they’re definitely true. BUT, people in the office know of these stories so there must be some truth in them, right??  Even those who aren’t English have heard of some of these scary tidbits so perhaps the stories are known around the world.  Wooooo, spooky (yes, that was our impression of a ghost!)

Courtesy of digitalart / freedigitalphotos.net

We’re London based so that’s where the following chilling chronicles are based.  If you’re in London, you may get more scared.  If you’re not in London - why not take a visit and see if they are true.

So, the first story is about the infamous Jack the Ripper.  Known across the world, Jack the Ripper is one of London’s most notorious, mysterious and wicked criminals.  However, it is also known that the identity of Jack the Ripper was never discovered.  History can point its finger at many people but unfortunately nobody will ever know who Jack the Ripper actually was.  This could be because he was imprisoned, left the country or even died.

One of the Jack the Ripper suspects actually killed himself by plunging into the River Thames on New Year’s Eve, 1888.  The ghost of this suspect can allegedly be seen even now.  Apparently, if people stand on Westminster Bridge on 31 December and look eastwards as midnight approaches, they may catch sight of the ghost of this suicide victim.  As Big Ben rings at midnight, the ghostly figure appears and leaps into the water below.

Courtesy of Laura Collins

Another chilling tale we have heard is about a phantom bus near Cambridge Gardens in North Kensington.  This bus is a number 7 double decker and is sometimes spotted in the early hours of the morning.  The story first came about in 1934 as it was written about in a book by J.A.Brooks called ‘Ghosts of London’.  Back then, a motorist swerved when driving along Cambridge Gardens – apparently for no reason.  Sadly the said motorist died when his car hit a wall and caught on fire.  When they carried out an inquest into the death, witnesses told of the so called phantom bus – many of whom claimed to have seen it around the area that the accident happened.  Apparently many of the witnesses said that it normally appeared around 1.15am, which is the time the accident occurred.  The driver of the phantom bus was never visible and there were no lights on the bus, but witnesses told how they were terrified when it raced along the centre of the road towards them.
 

Courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

The witnesses that came forward had experienced the phantom bus, explaining that they were convinced it was going to collide with them.  They swerved out of the way of it when driving, only to find out that the bus had vanished out of sight straight afterwards.

Arrrggghh!!  Scary huh??  Who knows if these stories are true but if we find ourselves near Westminster Bridge on New Year’s Eve we may well be able to tell you! 

Enjoy your Halloween evening.

Peace, love and spooky Halloween pizza.

What On Earth

A lesson on Halloween - Polish style

Halloween seems to get more hyped up every year. I never remember it being such a big deal in England when I was a child, but over the years it seems to have gained in popularity. Commercialism has hit and now we are preparing for the night with almost as much gusto as the United States. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Oh no. It’s rather a fun affair if you ask me. But, since having a chat with some colleagues, I’ve found out that Halloween means something completely different to them.

Courtesy of zirconicusso / freedigitalphotos.net

The team here at What On Earth and Simply Nectar are a real mixed bunch. We have people from all over the world working here – a rich mix of individuals that offer something different to the team. We have people from England, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Brazil, Italy, Estonia…the list could continue. The benefits of having such a mixed bag of people are the variety of cultures and traditions. It was during a chat about Halloween that I learnt more about the traditions of Poland at this time of year. It was so interesting that I thought I’d share it with you.

In Poland, Halloween is not celebrated. Instead, All Saints’ Day is observed on 1 November. It is an important date that allows the Polish to gather with families to recognise and remember the deceased. In the evening of 1 November, the locals visit cemeteries to place candles and flowers on the graves of the deceased and to say prayers for them. The tombs and graves of everybody are honoured. Despite the mournful and sombre feel of the night, the candlelight makes it beautiful. Mass is also held for those who want to go to church. The people of Poland also believe that spirits roam so they leave their doors and windows open to welcome the visiting spirits.  All Saints’ Day is then followed by All Souls’ Day on 2 November. More church services are held for those who want to remember the dead.

Copyright: Taken from Gone-ta-pott.com

Nowadays, it seems the fun side of Halloween is becoming more popular in Poland but traditionally it was never celebrated in that way.  We’ll try and find out about more Halloween celebrations from other members of the team. I’ll report back on anything interesting. In the mean time, enjoy all the Halloween celebrations this weekend if you’re heading out. Our very own purchasing manager is going to a Halloween party dressed as Alex DeLarge from Clockwork Orange. If we can get photos, we will. If not, you’ll just have to look him up to know what he looks like. That’s your homework for the weekend :-)

Peace, love and Polish Halloween pizza.

What On Earth

Get those baking boots at the ready (and perhaps enter our competition if you feel up to the challenge!)

After last week’s National Curry Week and National Chocolate Week posts, we thought we would carry on the theme and blog about National Baking Week, which started today. That’s right folks; a whole week has been dedicated to getting in to that kitchen and pulling together some culinary delights with your own bare hands. This isn’t a time to tuck into those microwave meals; it’s a time to see what you can make from scratch. It’s a week in which you reach for the cook book, roll up you sleeves and get stuck in to some serious baking fun.

What on earth (excuse the pun) will you make though? The options are endless after all. Luckily, we have been putting our thinking caps on over here at What On Earth so we can help you out a bit. We have come up with the best idea of what you can make. So what is it? An organic pizza of course! What else would it be? We love organic pizzas and now you can make one of your very own. You can choose whatever topping you want – you are the ones making them (and eating them!) after all.

Courtesy of Naito8 / freedigitalphotos.net

We want to reward those homemade efforts too so we’ve launched a pizza competition. Oh yes. You just need to make the pizza, take a photo and send the image to us along with a description of the pizza. You need to tell us how you made it, what topping you put on it and how it tasted. We will then pick a winner by judging how the pizza looks, how it got made and of course the topping.

Here's one we made earlier

We’ll even let you in on a secret. We make Organic Pizza Bases and Organic Pizza Sauce. If you’re stuck for time or cooking space you can always use these products. I know what you’re thinking, using a base is cheating but it’s not, honestly! We like to call it a more time saving and less messy option. You can add whatever topping you want before putting it in the oven and you have to make sure you cook it properly, so you will be a baker in your own right. Plus, if you have children, the pizza bases and sauce are a great way for them to be involved in National Baking Week too.

Now, wash your hands, get your chef hat on and get in that kitchen. We look forward to seeing the results. Send the photos to laura@whatonearth.co.uk.

Peace, love and homemade pizza.

What On Earth

Celebrate the last precious days of National Chocolate Week - with more chocolate

If you didn’t know already, this week is National Chocolate Week (as well as National Curry Week). Sadly, the week is now drawing to a close so if you haven’t been stuffing your face with as much chocolate as possible, now is the time to start doing so. Officially you have until the end of Sunday 16 October to dig in so get down that shop and stock up on as many chocolate goodies as you can find.

If you don’t just want more chocolate bars and are lacking in inspiration of what else to go for then let us help you. We know our chocolate so we have lots of answers for you to tantalise those tastebuds of yours. From sickly sweet to brilliantly bitter, we can offer some enlightenment on the best chocolate desserts and bars around. And yes, we are referring to our own products :-)

If you want to enjoy the chocolate cake in all its glory, go for our Organic Chocolate Fudge Cake. Each slice is soft, chocolaty and pure goodness. With a creamy topping and a moist, crumby cake you won’t be able to stop at one slice. And why should you – it’s National Chocolate Week.

If you fancy something a bit richer go for our Organic Chocolate Cheesecake. Made in Somerset where the sun shines brighter, the grass grows greener and the cows moo louder, this cake is a true indulgence that just melts in the mouth. The picture explains what the words can’t:

What On Earth’s Mini Chocolate Pots are another treat to the senses. Served cold, these delicious pots of creamy chocolate can be devoured in seconds. They are so good that one won’t be enough. A Berry Fool Pot is also available. Perhaps save that one for next week…it can always be National Berry Fool week in your head.

If dessert isn’t what you’re after and all you really desire is a good old bar of chocolate, we have the answer – again. GO*DO Organic Chocolate comes straight from Italy and it is a taste sensation. Never have we tasted chocolate so good. It comes in six different types too so you can take your pick of chocolate depending on your mood. If you want something dark and bitter go for the Dark Chocolate 60% bar. If you would prefer something more creamy and sweet, choose the White Chocolate Vanilla. Finally if you want to treat yourself to something a big crunchy and nutty, the Milk Chocolate 34% & Hazelnuts is the bar for you.

Can’t decide on what to go for? Just go for them all…why not? National Chocolate Week comes but once a year. You might as well get out there and enjoy the last few days that are left of it.*

*Disclaimer: Don’t blame us if you eat too much chocolate and feel ill. Your chocolate consumption is your choice ;-)

Peace, love and chocolate pizza.

What On Earth

National Curry Week - we love it

This week is National Curry Week – apparently.  We’re not sure who announces these so called “national food weeks” (and why for that matter) but we’d like to shake their hand and congratulate them on such a grand idea.  We think that dedicating a full week to a particular type of food is genius – especially if we like that specific food. It’s very rare that we dislike food too.  I’d say we eat pretty much everything and anything here at What On Earth HQ.  So, when we heard it was National Curry Week we wooped with delight.  Why?  Well, mainly because we like eating curry and now we have an excuse to eat it every day this week; but also because we have lots of What On Earth products that are perfect for use in a curry.  Let’s go through them shall we?

Courtesy of savit keawtavee / freedigitalphotos.net

Firstly we have our Organic Coconut Milk. Yep, the very one that was seen on BBC One’s Simple Cooking. Have we said that before? We’re proud of it OK! This product comes straight from Thailand, where they produce the best tasting Coconut Milk around. That’s why we get it from there. The sun shines brighter and the coconuts grow beautifully.

Next up is our Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes. If you need tomatoes in a curry then look no further. Not only are they organic but they come to us from under the Mediterranean sun. Amazingly red, amazingly ripe and amazingly tasty – they are bound to brighten up any tomato based curry. Yum.

Fancy making your curry a bit fruity? Why not, it sweetens them up and gives you a taste of the exotic. We have the answer for the best fruity curries too….our Organic Berry Pouches. Each one of our pouches contains 100 per cent organic fruit. The best ones for curries are the Organic Pineapple Pouch and the Organic Mango Pouch. Take them out the freezer, add them to your dish, eat, enjoy and cry at how delicious your curry was….or at how spicy you made it!

                           

If you want to know more about National Curry Week, why not take a look at this link. It tells you all about the history of National Curry Week and even gives you details on Sake Dean Mohamet, who opened the first Indian Restaurant in Britain in 1810.

http://www.nationaleatingoutweek.com/peters%20old%20site/contents3.html


Peace, love and curry flavoured pizza.

What On Earth

Our Organic Coconut Milk spotted on TV

Who watches Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking?  Anybody?  If not, perhaps you should.  We at What On Earth are big fans of the BBC One show and after last week we are now even bigger fans. Why? BECAUSE WE SAW OURSELVES ON THERE!

That’s right folks, as we were sat at home tucking into our Friday night dinner and relishing the fact that we had two days off, we thought we would tune into a bit of Simple Cooking. Obviously we are all whizzes in the kitchen here (?!) but we felt it was time to open up our brains and take in some more recipes and cooking inspiration/direction.

As the Coconut Chilli Chicken recipe came on the screen we were most taken by what was being made before our eyes. It sounded and looked scrumptious. When coconut milk was mentioned we instantaneously thought of our own tins of the best organic coconut milk around. We imagined our little colourful cans sitting on the shelf in kitchens across the country. And then, there it was. It was like the TV was reflecting the images in our mind – just like some sort of telepathic vision. In front of our very eyes, staring out of our television screen, up popped a colourful can of What On Earth Organic Coconut Milk. We were astounded, amazed, thrilled – you name it.

This is Jeremy re-enacting the moment he saw our Organic Coconut Milk on the TV

How very exciting. Nigel Slater was using our food in his dish.  Unfortunately, as the show is produced by the BBC, it could not directly show our branding but we could tell that it was definitely our tin. Nobody else has packaging quite likes ours that’s for sure.

If you want to see our Organic Coconut Milk in action on the show, please visit the BBC Food website at the link below.  It takes you straight to a clip of Nigel Slater's Coconut Chilli Chicken recipe from last week's programme, which is the bit we appeared in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_curry_with_59058

Peace, love and pizza...and famous Organic Coconut Milk.

What On Earth

We’ve got SALSA? Let’s do a celebratory dance!

Everybody at What On Earth is dancing round the office…in their underwear. OK, so maybe that last bit isn’t so true - everybody is wearing clothes really.  But, they are still deliriously happy and are dancing around/waving their arms about.  It looks like an odd rendition of the Conga.  In fact, some of the team resemble Morris Dancers!

Coutesy of Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, why on earth are we dancing like crazy people?  It’s not because we’re all desperate for the toilet and no, it isn’t because we are swatting away flies or trying to get attention. We are so happy because we have just found out some fantastic news…

WE HAVE RECEIVED OUR SALSA ACCREDITATION FOR 2011. Wahooo!

This doesn’t mean that we are accredited Salsa dancers. Sadly not – we just like to think that we can Salsa and that we can swirl, twirl and grind with the best of them. The SALSA accreditation is in fact to do with the food industry – it has nothing to do with dancing…although it has caused us all to break out into dance!

In its own words:

“SALSA is a nationally recognised food safety certification scheme specifically developed for small and micro producers.  It is a food-safety standard written by experienced food safety experts to reflect both the legal requirements of producers and the enhanced expectations of ‘best practise’ of professional food buyers.”  (Source: www.salsafood.co.uk)

SALSA stands for Safe And Local Supplier Approval.  The scheme allows us to demonstrate the ways we work here at What On Earth in order to show that we use a robust and effective food safety standard.  And that is exactly what we do here, hence the SALSA accreditation.

SALSA is widely accepted and recognised by retailers and food service providers.  We are therefore extremely proud to have achieved accreditation once again.  It shows that we can meet high criteria in food hygiene, production, distribution and storage.  It also shows that we produce safe and legal food and that we’re fully committed to meeting the requirements of SALSA.

Let’s hear it for SALSA, woooo!!  Now let’s all dance the Salsa in our underwear.  Participation is optional :-)

A rather busy and filling spot of lunch!

As you know, What On Earth made an appearance at lunch! last week, and we’re pleased to say it was a great success. The two day show, which was held at Old Billingsgate in London, was busy, busy busy. Not only were we spoilt with lots of people, we were also spoilt for an amazing location and glorious weather. Old Billingsgate is based right on the River Thames so when we could afford a quick break from the busyness, we could stare out across the water while soaking up the sunshine.

The show itself was extremely successful – for all involved. There was a wide range of exhibitors offering all manner of food and drink products. The visitors loved it and we loved it…especially as we got to try lots of food. In fact, we got to try soooo much that we didn’t need breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Some of our own goodies (that we tucked into ourselves...oops!)

The What On Earth stand was rather on the small side but we made the most of what we had and turned it into a delightful little grotto. We covered it in our signature logos and pictures, lots of organic food and even some Simply Nectar. We also took along some products from our favourite suppliers, namely organic chocolate from GO*DO, smoked meats from Rannoch and also bottles of water from Harrogate Water. Everything was a hit with the visitors and the food and drinks were wolfed down. We do have a slight confession to make though…we may have consumed a small amount of our own food and drink ourselves. Ooops. It was just too good – we couldn’t resist!

Our stand

Some of the items on our stand that got tucked into were a variety of What On Earth organic pizzas and different types of filo rolls – Cajun, curried potato and spinach with feta. Yum! We had every flavour of Simply Nectar on the stand, which gave us lots of choice for drinks too. The stand next to us – Nature’s Table – also provided us with goodies, including nuts, yoghurt coated raisins and lots of savoury snacks. Lucky us. This is Jeremy getting friendly with one of our next door neighbours at the show.  That's how you do it see - make friends and then get the freebies :-)

If you came along to lunch! and visited our stand please make yourself known to us so we can stay in touch. It would be great to hear from you.

Peace, love and lunch! time pizza.

What On Earth.

Calling all sales representatives

Look...we have a new job advert:

Do you have the gift of the gab? Think you could sell ice to an Eskimo? Or, to put it in context, could you sell organic food to new customers? If your answers are yes, we want you to get in touch - this is your chance to prove how good you can really be.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled sales rep. You will be our man/woman in the field so you’ll be responsible for seeking out new customers and increasing sales, as well as attracting and managing a portfolio of clients. We therefore need you to be personable and knowledgeable. A typical day in the life of a What On Earth sales rep will see you:

    • Seeking and managing new customers
    • Managing current customers
    • Seeking out new business prospects via the web, press, trades & field visits
    • Presenting samples to new and current customers
    • Collecting new customer information for credit control

As well as these tasks, the sales rep will need to liaise with all other departments in the company – from admin and credit control to the technical department. You will be expected to cooperate effectively with the General Manager, liaise closely with the Sales Director and maintain good working relationships with other colleagues.

Ideally we are looking for a sales rep with a proven track record in selling, as well as one who boasts a big black book of available customers. As we are passionate about organic food your understanding and appreciation of this industry would be beneficial, but not essential. You’ll soon learn to love it if you don’t already!

The prospective candidate will need to prove their selling abilities as well as their communication skills because they will be liaising with people from all walks of life. They will need to be familiar with MS Office and have good product knowledge. An EU driver’s licence is also essential as the role will involve spending time on the road.

If you think you are the man or woman for us then please let us know. Send your CV and covering letter to Marta, our HR administrator - marta@whatonearth.co.uk

OTE is £30k p/a based on mixture of base pay and commision (dependable on experience)

We look forward to hearing from you.

Peace, love and pizza.

What On Earth