There’s no better time to take some time for self-pampering

The founder of a virtual artisan food marketplace has discovered a new concept and is now urging people to put time aside to treat themselves.

‘Pamper-demic’ is all about treating yourself during the COVID19 pandemic especially with the “Festive Stress” quietly building up in the run up to this unusual Christmas.

www.meltedinside.com founder Candy Bowles explains: “It has been a stressful time - with the US election, the second lockdown and not knowing how the festive season will pan out. We’re all in a bit of limbo and it’s easy to let things get you down. That’s why we’re encouraging people to take a little bit of time to spoil themselves (in a small way) and lift their spirits by giving themselves a memorable “eat in” experience by tasting and discovering delicious artisan food and drink.

“There are very few ways we can pamper ourselves at the moment – no trips to the hairdresser or beauty salon or going for a sauna and swim at the gym and we can’t really plan any holiday trips. But what we can do is to create some time to indulge ourselves at home and try new things to make ourselves feel better. So, we need to find new ways to take the ‘me time’ to the next level.”

The perfect ‘pamper-demic’ session can be solo or with a partner – or even using Skype/ Zoom/facetime (or equivalent) with a good friend. It involves diarising at least a few hours for the full experience. It will need to be arranged a week or so in advance to allow for deliveries and this will also help the excitement to build – a little like going on short holiday. Each delivery will be like receiving a little gift from the maker. You can also feel good that you’ve helped an artisan maker by purchasing from them rather than a faceless supermarket.

Here are Melted Inside’s top tips for the perfect pamper-demic tasting party.

• BOOK - First set a date and decide whether to go solo or invite a friend or have a Zoom party.
• LOCATION - Pick a lovely spot in your house or flat to have your party – the most relaxing the better. If you have a garden room, why not turn it into your cosy pamper-demic den for a few hours?
• MAKE IT SPECIAL - How about having some lovely flowers? Order an amazing bouquet of roses from your local florist? It feels indulgent to order flowers for oneself, why not?
• AMBIENCE - Order some scented candles like these English Soap Company ones and send one to your friend if you are holding an online session. Could you light the room differently from normal? Perhaps with lamps and even fairy lights?
• DECORATE - A simple tablecloth can change the feel of a room – even if it’s a made of paper. Buy some pretty serviettes or napkins and dig out your best cutlery and crockery.
• WHAT TO EAT - Decide whether you are going savoury or sweet or both. Savoury treats could include a carefully curated meat platter or cheeses from the Haute-Comte region. The Raymond Blanc collection includes some strong and flavoursome French cheeses from this part of the country. The ravioli from RaviOllie or Latua Pasta is very lovely too if you want a hot dish. Try this wild boar tortellini for a real taste sensation.

If you crave sweet things, there are some lovely items in the Bright and Beautiful Gift Box such as gourmet raspberry marshmallows.

If you like biscotti, all your senses will be indulged when you try a Wild Forest biscotti. The vibrant green pistachios are just a hint at the delights within and are the stars of the biscotti which is delightful paired with Hoogly teas or white vanilla drinking chocolate.

For the ultimate in biscotti indulgence try a rich, orange-infused almond biscotti luxuriously enrobed in smooth dark Belgian chocolate and embellished with 24-carat gold leaf. If you love the finer things in life, this is the perfect biscotti for you and can be paired with delicious Gun Powder whisky liqueur.

• DRINKS - The next thing is to decide what to drink. You could start with a specially mixed cocktail from Cocktail in a Bottle such as Cosmo de Provence and perhaps try one of the spirits such as sloe gin from Gin in a Tin. And nothing beats a delicious liqueur to finish off an evening such as Spice Apple Gin Liqueur from award winning Sky Wave Gin along with some indulgent hand-made, painted chocolates like these ones from The Painted Peacock. Each one is a tiny piece of art.

Nothing is more comforting than a hot drink at the end of the evening. For coffee lovers you could try one of the blends from Carrington’s Coffee Co such as their espresso roast.  If you prefer tea we recommend the incredibly decadent Chocolate Brownie Tea from Hoogly Tea.

• WANT A SURPRISE? If you would prefer someone else to do the choosing for you then you can’t go wrong with one of these collections – each with a theme.

The Bright and Beautiful Christmas Gift box includes four different drinks – perfect for blind taste tests as well as some sweet treats and more. The box will be delivered from the first week of December.

The Modestly Moreish Gift Box would team up well with some savoury purchases such as smoked halloumi cheese or gorgeous Gruyere from the French Comte.

• Lastly, for the finishing touch, choose some soothing music. Gentle background tunes will help you to relax and make the conversation flow – don’t forget to send the link to your pamper-demic party “guest” if they are joining your remotely so you can share the full experience.
• If you are sharing your pamper-demic with someone in the same location, lockdown rules permitting of course, you could try blind taste tests. Keep the food under wraps and see if the other person can identify the food or drink, or just guess where it is from in the country.

“A pamper-demic party is all about making the effort to relax, letting your hair down and going out of your way to create an experience for yourself and do yourself some good. You might discover a new favourite food or drink or something that would make an ideal gift for someone. After all it’s always best to try something yourself before you gift it and the pamper-demic gives you the ideal opportunity,” added Candy, who also admits she needs to make an effort to relax before her battery runs out.

Melted Inside would love to see photos on Instagram after you have your pamper-demic party which we suggest should be the first week of December.

Candy launched Melted Inside during lockdown to offer people a greater choice of lovingly made products during a time of isolation and social distancing. The site strives to offer the best artisan products available while giving the makers a stage to tell their stories. Over 30 makers were named in this year's prestigious Great Taste Awards with a mix of 1, 2 and 3-star accolades.

Melted Inside is also a member of the Good Market community - a curated platform that makes it easier to find and connect with social enterprises, responsible businesses and changemakers who are creating a better world.

ENDS

For more information or images contact Suzi@blueberry-pr.co.uk 07590 591140