All About August!
Did you know that August 3rd is National Watermelon Day and that celebrating this delicious fruit dates back to the times of Ancient Egypt?
To celebrate this delicious fruit, try out Whizzer's Watermelon Wonders and create a refreshing treat for you and your family!
We also have an outdoor twist on a traditional game and one of JeanBob's favorite desserts for you to try!
Remember to share your creations on social media using #SwanPrincessOfficial
SWANtastic Soft Toys
Doesn't JeanBob look surprised? This adorable plush captures his fun expression from when Odette finally gives him a kiss in the original movie!
You can own your very own JeanBob plush by purchasing him here in our Official Store!
You can own your very own JeanBob plush by purchasing him here in our Official Store!
You can also find several other plush versions of your favorite animal friends from The Swan Princess movies in our online store, including Odette in her swan form!
Outdoor Noughts & Crosses
Enjoy the summer weather with an outdoor take on the classic game of noughts and crosses.
As an extra activity, why not make a game of finding the items you need in the garden before you start and have a mini scavenger hunt. You can work together or divide the items you need to collect between each player/team and see who can find all of their items first!
You Will Need:
Several sticks
Stones/Pebbles/Small Rocks
Smaller Twigs
Instructions:
1. Lay out your twigs and sticks to form a nine grid shape. If your sticks are smaller, place them next to each other to make longer lines if you need to.
2. Next, select who will be noughts and who will be crosses. The noughts player/team will use pebbles/small stones and the crosses team/player will use the small sticks.
3. Now decide who will go first, you can even toss a coin to choose.
4. Then, take it turns to add your "symbol" (nought "0" or cross "X") to one square. Noughts can make a circle out of pebbles and crosses can make a cross out of small twigs.
5. The aim of the game is to make a 3 in a row line of your symbol - will you go straight for victory or block your opponents win with your own symbol!
Lemon Meringue Pie
JeanBob loves being one of the first to the table or buffet when this delicious desert is on the menu - sometimes the chef barely has time to serve it before JeanBob is ready and waiting to eat! Princess Odette and all of her family enjoy it too! It's the perfect refreshing desert that combines tangy lemon and sweet meringue!
Try out the SWANtastic recipe below - and make sure JeanBob doesn't take too many extra slices!
Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
• 175g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour
• 100g (1/2 cup) cold butter (cut into small pieces)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
For the Filling:
• 100g (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar
• 2 level tbsp cornflour
• 85g (1/3 cup) butter, cut into pieces
• 2 large lemons, zested
• 1 small orange, juiced
• 125ml lemon juice (store bought or freshly squeezed from approx. 2-3 lemons)
• 4 eggs (3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg)
For the Meringue:
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 200g (1 2/3 cups) golden caster sugar
Method:
1. Firstly, start with the pastry. Put the plain flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water into a bowl and mix until the pastry starts to bind, making sure not to overwork it.
2. Lightly flour a surface and tip the pastry out, gathering it together until it is smooth.
3. Roll out the pastry and use it to line a loose-bottom fluted flan tin (approx. 23x2.5cm) (9 inch round)
4. Trim the edges of the pastry, neatening them carefully, before pressing the pastry into the flutes.
5. Next, use a fork to prick the base a few times.
6. Line the pastry with foil (shiny side down).
7. Chill your pastry for at least 1 hour (leave it overnight if you can).
8. Take a baking tray and put it in the oven before turning the oven to 390F/200C/180C fan/gas 6.
9. When your oven reaches temperature, fill the pastry shell with dry beans/pie beads (keeping the foil where it was) and place the dish on the baking tray.
10. Bake the pastry shell for 15 mins.
11. Take the pastry shell from the oven and remove the beans/beads and foil.
12. Bake the pastry for another 5-8 minutes until cooked and pale golden.
13. Set the pastry to one side.
14. Lower the oven heat to 350F/180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Note: You can now move onto the filling. If you want to, you can make the pastry shell a day before everything else depending on time. If you are making everything on the same day, you can start the filling whilst the pastry bakes.
15. In a medium saucepan, add the golden caster sugar, lemon zest and cornflour.
16. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually.
17. Use water to make the orange juice up to 200ml (4/5 cup) before straining it into the pan.
18. Now cook the mixture over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
19. Once you see mixture is bubbling, carefully remove the pan from the heat.
20. Beat in the butter into the still hot mix until it has fully melted.
21. Beat the egg yolks (you will use the whites for the meringue later) and the whole egg together.
22. Stir the egg mixture into the pan.
23. Return your pan to a medium heat.
24. Keep stirring the mixture vigorously and continuously for a few minutes, until it thickens and plops from the spoon when you spoon some out and let it drop back into the pan. Your mixture will bubble.
25. Remove the mix from the heat and set it aside whilst you start on the next step - the meringue!
26. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites together so that they form soft peaks.
27. One spoonful at a time, add 100g of the golden caster sugar, whisking after each addition (make sure you don't over-beat the mix).
28. When you have finished adding the 100g (3/4 cup) of golden caster sugar and completed your final whisk. Add the cornflour and whisk again.
29. Add the remaining 100g (3/4 cup) of sugar in the same way as before until the mixture becomes smooth and thick.
30. Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case that you made earlier.
31. Immediately scoop spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling, leaving a small gap from the pastry. Make sure not to start from the center or the meringue could sink, starting from the edge will help prevent this. Spread the meringue gently to the edge so that it just touches the pastry.
32. Pile the rest into the center of the filling, spreading it gently so that the surface of the hot filling starts to cook the meringue.
33. Give a gentle swirl to the meringue with something like a skewer, spoon or fork (depending on your style).
34. Return the pie back to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and is slightly colored.
35. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to sit in the tin for 30 minutes.
36. Carefully remove the pie from the tin and leave it to one side for 1 hour before slicing.
Whizzer's Watermelon Wonders
To commemorate National Watermelon Day, try out Whizzer's Watermelon Wonders - a SWANtastic recipe full of refreshing flavors!
Ingredients:
1 small watermelon
3 kiwis
Green Food Coloring
Special Equipment:
Ice Lolly/Popsicle Molds (you can also use empty yogurt pots or something similar. If you don't use molds, use Popsicle sticks if you would like to hold your treat like a lollipop)
Method:
1. Carefully cut your watermelon in half.
2. Scoop out the pink "flesh", transferring it to a bowl. Keep scooping until you have around 400g.
3. Remove any black seeds.
4. Next, use a blender to puree the flesh.
5. Now, take your molds and fill them about 3/4 of the way with the puree.
6. Add your lolly/Popsicle sticks (unless your mold has a lid with them built in, in which case, place the lid on the mold).
7. Freeze your ice lollies for at least 3 hrs, if possible, overnight. If you had any leftover puree, you can add it to ice cube trays and freeze accordingly.
8. Just before you are ready to take the lollies out of the fridge freezer, peel the kiwis.
9. Next, carefully cut the green flesh away from the white core (you can discard the core).
10. Puree the kiwi flesh, like you did for the watermelon.
11. Take your lollies out and add a layer (approx. 4-5mm) to the top of each lolly.
12. Freeze the lollies again for 1 hour.
13. Add green food coloring to the rest of the kiwi puree (so that it resembles the color of watermelon rind).
14. Take the ice lollies out again and pour a very thin layer of the darker puree onto the top of each lolly.
15. Store in the fridge freezer until you are ready to enjoy Whizzer's Watermelon Wonders!
Happy Birthday to the scheming showman and trap aficionado Clavius! Clavius' birthday is in August which makes his zodiac sign a Leo and his birthstone the peridot.
Every Leo sees themselves as a celebrity starring in the movie that is their life. They are theatrical, dramatic, artistic, and creative. They crave the spotlight and, in Clavius' case, take it by any means necessary. 
They are natural leaders who's energy draws in people from all walks of life. He craves to be the star and step out of Rothbart's shadow. He also picks Queen Uberta's birthday to enact his evil scheme, taking the focus from her as well, putting it straight back on himself. 
Leos can be divas, they like all attention on them. This can bring out their ego; their pride and jealousy doesn't like when they are put in the background or ignored. 
Despite their flamboyant nature Leos are loyal and consistent and put their whole heart into everything they do. Clavius' famous traps are so legendary because of his dedication and practice. He loves that reputation even more than the trap planning itself.
Leos are ambitious and determined, but most of all they are known for their bravery. Brave to stand up for their friendships, bravery to stand out from the crowd to be different, brave in their fashion choices, and brave in saying what they want out of life. For good or for bad. 
We think this sounds just like Clavius!
The peridot is said to calm anger and is used to bring about a fresh start. When the peridot is set in gold, like in our heart locket, it is said to protect the wearer from bad dreams. This could certainly help Clavius with some of his anger issues!
Is your birthday in August or do you just like the color green?
About The Swan Princess
The Swan Princess is based upon the folk tale and ballet, Swan Lake. The story is transformed into a playfully fun adventure with exciting music, lovable forest friends, and of course, the handsome Prince Derek. The Swan Princess, Odette, has stayed true to the original fairy tale princess with her kindness, grace, and loyalty.
Three reasons you should follow us on Facebook 1) Get a behind-the-scenes look as Princess Odette and Prince Derek continue their adventures 2) Be one of the first to be notified when new products are released and 3) Share your Swan Princess stories and tales with other die-hard fans.
