Non-tipsy cocktails for Christmas

As Christmas comes nearer, the planning of lunches and Yuletide and New Year celebrations with family and friends commences. With an exciting and flavourful range of premium organic soft drinks, Luscombe has something for every occasion and every taste, from elegant alternatives to alcohol to delicious additions to mocktails and cocktails. 

All of Luscombe's drinks can be purchased online from www.luscombe.co.uk.

Cranberry Crush

A festive favourite, vivid Cranberry Crush is a wonderful accompaniment to traditional roast turkey but also guaranteed to make a statement on any drinks table.  Using the best organic cranberries combined with Madagascan vanilla, it has a hint of caramel from Damascene rose water which rounds the crisp sharpness of the berries.  Available in a box of 12 x 27cl, £21.30.

Damascene Rose Bubbly

Raise a toast with a flute of chilled organic Damascene Rose Bubbly, an elegant alternative to Champagne. Gently effervescent and delicately fragranced with a distinct yet subtle flavour, Damascene rose water is married with organic Muscat grape juice and Sicilian lemon and is part of Luscombe's no added raw cane sugar range.  Delightful served at Christmas gatherings paired with canapés, it is available in a box of 12 x 27cl, £21.30 or 6 x 74cl, £22.00.

Hot Ginger Beer

With warmth and spice, Luscombe's authentic Hot Ginger Beer is a popular choice during the festive season. A classic winter warmer which packs some punch, organic Hot Ginger Beer is crafted using only the best organic Peruvian fresh root ginger, Sicilian lemons and carbonated Dartmoor spring water, giving it a distinctive yet not overpowering heat. Available in a box of 12 x 27cl, £21.30.

Ginger Beer Gift Set

Searching for a gift or stocking filler for a spice lover, Luscombe's Ginger Beer Gift Set includes four 27cl bottles made up of their famed Hot, Cool and Passionate Ginger Beers.  The organic Cool Ginger Beer is just as complex in taste as the punchier organic Hot Ginger Beer but boasts a subtler warmth. While the intriguing organic Passionate Ginger Beer brings together the heat, spice and full body of a ginger beer with the sweetness of organic passion fruit juice - resulting in a luxurious twist on a Luscombe classic. The Ginger Beer Gift Set is available to buy from luscombe.co.uk, £12.99.

With the help of master mixologist Louis Xavier Lewis-Smith, Luscombe has created two seasonal cocktail recipes, 'Open Fire' and 'The Sicilian', perfect for wowing guests this festive season.

Cocktail Recipes

Open Fire

Ingredients

35ml Hattiers Resolute Navy Strength Rum 

15ml Chestnut Liqueur

15ml freshly squeezed lime

15ml runny honey 

Top with Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer

Garnish - Lime wheel

Suggested glass - Rocks or tumbler 

Method

Combine the first four ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

After a good shake to dissolve the honey, strain into an ice-filled tumbler and top with Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer. 

Garnish with a chunky lime wheel.  

The Sicilian

Ingredients

35ml Devon Distillery SloeD 

20ml Campari 

20ml sweet vermouth 

Top with Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade 

Garnish - Clove-studded orange peel

Suggested glass - Rocks / tumbler 

Method

Stud a long slice of orange peel with cloves. Don't be shy with the cloves. 

Put the sloe gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice and stir for a good 15 seconds. 

Strain into a rocks glass with the studded orange and lots of ice, and top with Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade. 

Give the drink one last little stir for luck and to get the cloves working.  

Luscombe crafts a range of organic fruit juices, crushes, bubblies, tonic waters and mixers plus a traditional organic Devon cider.  They have been producing beautifully crafted drinks on a farm in Devon since 1975 with founder and owner, Gabriel David, having become renowned for his pursuit of perfection and no compromise approach to creating an elegant and multi award-winning range of drinks that use the very finest organic ingredients and Dartmoor spring water.  Follow Luscombe on Twitter: @luscombedrinks, Instagram: luscombedrinks or 'Like' on Facebook.   

Cherish Christmas memories with the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar

You can truly cherish family and friends this Christmas with a gorgeous, highly desirable Bonne Maman Advent Calendar – the 24 doors offer 23 mini jars of exclusive seasonal flavours of delicious jam - each one different - along with two very special surprise gifts on day one and day 24.

This year's Advent Calendar features a joyful creation of a Christmas carousel centred around a snowy Christmas tree laden with decorations and gifts. 

The first 23 doors each hide an adorable mini jar of jam or marmalade, every one offering an exclusive fruit variety or unique flavour combination created especially for Christmas 2022.

The perfect way to say Joyeux Noël to loved ones during the holiday season, the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar starts the Christmas countdown with an additional little present on day one and then on Christmas Eve another perfect mini gift behind door 24 to usher in the big day itself.

Each day offers a new, delectable and seasonal taste sensation to enjoy at every breakfast or tea over the Christmas period. Delight in finding a 30g mini jar of White Nectarine & Peach with Lemon Verbena? Or perhaps Pear with Cocoa Nibs? 

Or perhaps discover a new favourite with Chestnut & Orange with Spices? Apricot with Bergamot? or Strawberry & Star Anise?  The empty jars can also be saved and upcycled into pretty Christmas decorations or stocking filler treats for Christmas day itself.

The Bonne Maman Advent Calendar is available to order from September online at www.bonnemaman.co.uk  at £25.99 + p&p. The calendar will also be available from Ocado, Booths, Fenwick and WH Smith plus other selected specialist stores. 

 

That's Christmas: Superb Christmas Drinks for Every Occasion from Ha...

That's Christmas: Superb Christmas Drinks for Every Occasion from Ha...: Served neat, over ice or to create delicious festive cocktails perfect for the party season, the UK's first B Corp certified rum, Hattie...

Luxury Hot Sauce Brand Chilli No. 5 Wins 6 Great Taste Awards

Chilli No. 5, the world's leading luxury hot sauce purveyor, is pleased to announce that they have won an incredible six 2022 Great Taste Awards.

Great Taste is the world's largest and most trusted food and drinks accreditation scheme, with a coveted Great Taste Award providing a highly respected seal of approval.

Chilli No. 5 garnered a 1-star Great Taste Award for its hot and spicy Jamaican Jerk hot sauce, Chinese Hot & Sour spicy stir fry hot sauce, Pizza Pizzaz gourmet chilli oil, Devilish Dijon hot mustard sauce, and Heavenly Harissa. Chilli No. 5's hot and fiery Chilli Flakes scooped a coveted 2-star Great Taste Award.

Products at the Great Taste Awards are put through a rigorous judging process and blind-tasted by a panel of more than 500 experts, including chefs, buyers, food writers, and retailers, ensuring only the very finest are given Great Taste's seal of approval.

The products are judged on taste, texture, appearance, and quality of ingredients, with 1-Star, 2-Star, or 3-Star Awards up for grabs. A 1-Star Great Taste Award means that the product is “simply delicious”, delivering fantastic flavour. A 2-Star Great Taste Award means a product is deemed “outstanding” and is above and beyond delicious, while a 3-Star Great Taste Award means a product is considered “exquisite.”

The Great Taste Awards join a growing list of accolades Chilli No. 5 has won since launching in 2020, including seven awards at the 2022 Farm Shop and Deli Show.

“Our six Great Taste Awards prove Chilli No. 5 offers some of the world's best luxury hot sauces,” said Rumble Romagnoli, CEO and founder of Chilli No. 5. “These awards are due to our unwavering commitment to creating the world's finest healthy hot sauces, made from the very best ingredients, and our team's dedication to creating innovative hot sauces that pair beautifully with just about any cuisine on the planet.”

2022 Great Taste Award-Winning Hot Sauces

Jamaican Jerk

Chilli No. 5's lip-smacking Jamaican Jerk luxury hot sauce embodies the flavours of the Caribbean, infused with spicy Scotch bonnet peppers for a truly authentic taste of Jamaica. It's an ideal marinade for meats, seafood, and vegetables, adding incredible depth of flavour.

Chinese Hot & Sour

Chinese Hot & Sour offers an authentic taste of the Orient and is an ideal accompaniment to a wide range of Asian-inspired dishes. This healthy hot sauce is packed with roasted tomatoes, red peppers, onions, Szechuan peppers, and sweet caramelised pineapples.  

Pizza Pizzaz

Their award-winning Pizza Pizzaz chilli oil is a refined oil infused with a beautiful array of ingredients, including garlic, rosemary, thyme, and Chilli No. 5's exclusive five chilli blend. Perfect drizzled on pizza, pasta, and grilled meats and seafood.

Devilish Dijon

Devilish Dijon is a tasty hot and spicy mustard sauce made with the finest ingredients. It is designed to enhance a wide selection of savoury dishes, perfect with a juicy steak or a selection of cold cuts.

Heavenly Harissa

Chilli No. 5's Heavenly Harissa is a gorgeous North African-inspired healthy hot sauce filled with roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, and garlic. This tasty hot sauce's beautiful smoky flavour makes it perfect for BBQs or as a tasty dipping sauce.

Chilli Flakes

Finally, their incredible selection of Chilli Flakes, made from the world's hottest peppers, adds incredible heat to soups, stews, curries, meats, vegetables, and seafood. But, use with caution – these are for serious chilli connoisseurs only!

https://chilli-no5.com. 

We can promote your products for free!

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But we don't charge for this service. (How? Adverts on our blog.)

If you would like us to promote your foods, your drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic) please leave a comment on this blog post and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Ready meals, frozen or ambient, ingredients, herbs, spices, flours, meal kits, wines, beers, cordials, please do get in touch! 

Top award-winning doughnut and ice-cream businesses teams up for doorstep deliveries by Tilly

Three award-winning Derbyshire businesses have joined together in a partnership to bring tasty treats direct to hungry people across the nation.

Bluebells Dairy and Project D are working with personalised gifting company Colleague Box as they launch their latest venture; a self-powered gifting trailer that can visit your home or place of work.

From September the Colleague Box van, dubbed 'Tilly the Trailer' will be available for local deliveries, for businesses wanting to reward employees, and also households in the region who fancy a sumptuous snack that's made in Derby.

The award-winning company operated by husband-and-wife team Adam and Natalie Bamford are also offering corporate deliveries of Project D's delicious doughnuts nationwide, with an option to add your own branding to each doughnut.

Colleague Box CEO Natalie Bamford said: “We're really excited about being able to offer Project D doughnuts in our gift boxes now, and then both the doughnuts and Bluebells ice-cream will be available to purchase via app Deliveroo and delivered, once she's up and running, by Tilly our trailer. Both are iconic Derby brands who we have a lot of respect for.”

The collaboration came about after all three businesses, plus Darley Abbey Wines and fruit liquor company Hogg Norton, were invited to the Houses of Parliament by MPs Pauline Latham and Amanda Solloway, to exhibit their good in Westminster as part of 'Derbyshire Day'.

Natalie says this collaboration is yet another way of diversifying what Colleague Box has to offer clients, following their recent foray into selling flower bouquets and plants. 

She said: “Visiting the Houses of Parliament with Colleague Box was surreal and another milestone for us and our business.

“Going from a startup business created in our spare room to showcasing it in London was definitely a 'pinch me' moment!

“A number of companies I met are practically on our doorstep; like Colleague Box, Project D and Bluebells Dairy are based in Spondon. Finding out more about their journeys and building connections with them was very beneficial.

“Part of the Colleague Box mission is to grow responsibly and sustainably and, where possible, we aim to work with local suppliers, too”

Husband Adam is excited about taking their trailer to new places and bringing the gifting experience to different workplaces in the UK.

He said: “We're thrilled and excited about launching our new service and we're absolutely over the moon to have Project D and Bluebells Dairy onboard, too.

“Colleague Box has a five-star food hygiene rating – this was one of the requirements needed to enable us to sell our boxes via Deliveroo. And now, with our state-of-the-art trailer, we can provide companies with everything they require for an event including draught beer and cocktails, stone-baked pizzas and merchandise, too.

“If the past couple of years has taught us anything, it's that we really missed getting together during COVID. More than ever, milestones are being celebrated; work anniversaries, sporting events and historic occasions like the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

“Tilly is quite something. If there's no room at your place of work, we can fit our gifting experience into a meeting room or whatever space is available within your premises.

“We can then tailor gifts to be taken away or enjoyed on-site. It's an excellent way for companies to reward employees' accomplishments. We're really excited about Tilly and our collaboration with Bluebells and Project D.”

To find out more, visit www.colleaguebox.co.uk or connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

 

English Cheesecake Company Announce Violife Partnership

Top cheesecake producer, the English Cheesecake Company, has announced an exciting and exclusive partnership with the leaders in the plant-based dairy alternatives, Violife.

Following a recipe reformulation, English Cheesecake Company has integrated Violife's Creamy Original Flavour across their vegan-friendly cheesecake range. 

Comprising of Double Chocolate Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Cheesecake with Lotus Biscoff and the company's newly launched Salted Caramel Cheesecake Sundaes, the dairy-free line up has been highly commended by customers who claim “you can't tell it's vegan” and “it tastes just as smooth and creamy as a regular cheesecake”.

Formulated with coconut oil and enriched with vitamin B12, Violife's smooth, creamy vegan alternative to cream cheese lends itself very well to English Cheesecake Company's signature crunchy biscuit base and extremely indulgent flavour combinations.

Josh Laurier, who holds the post of Operations Director at English Cheesecake Company says: "Violife are at the forefront of vegan alternative innovation, so we're absolutely thrilled and delighted they chose to partner with us on reformulating our vegan cheesecake products.

When our NPD team brought me the new cheesecakes to try, I genuinely couldn't tell the difference with our regular product, that's how good they are! These vegan-friendly cheesecakes taste so deliciously creamy. Now customers wanting a dairy alternative know they don't have to compromise on taste!”

Victoria Slater, who is the Head of Violife UK & Ireland is very pleased to join forces with the English Cheesecake Company in what is the brand's first retail partnership: “Violife wants to show consumers what we eat can make a significant positive impact on our world, by making the simple change from dairy cheese. 

We're so proud to be working with the English Cheesecake Company, meaning consumers who are looking for an indulgent vegan dessert can change their cheese without compromising on their favourite cheesecake flavours.”

English Cheesecake Company's vegan-friendly Salted Caramel Cheesecake Sundaes are available to purchase in-store and online at Sainsbury's now, with the cheesecake twin slices launching in the next couple of months. 

English Cheesecake Company Double Chocolate Cookies & Cream Cheesecake (Twin Slice) 214g (£3.75)

English Cheesecake Company Smooth Vanilla Cheesecake with Lotus Biscoff (Twin Slice) 213g (£3.75)

English Cheesecake Company Salted Caramel Cheesecake Sundaes 2x90g pots (£3.75)

(Editor: Lotus Biscoff? Sign me up for that!)

Lotus Biscoff Chocolate Bar lands at Co-op

Lotus Biscoff lovers (such as myself!) can now get their caramelised biscuity fixes in chocolate form.

Why? because Lotus Biscoff's Milk Chocolate Biscoff Cream bar will officially be landing in 500 Co-op stores across the country from  today,August 15th.

It's a chocolate bar with a twist, the Lotus Biscoff bar features the iconic smooth Lotus Biscoff spread encased within a creamy Belgian milk chocolate shell that's lovingly speckled with crunchy Lotus Biscoff biscuit pieces. A flavour combination that you just will not be able to resist. 

What's not to love about the concept of a delicious Belgian chocolate bar with the unique caramelised taste and crunchiness of the iconic little red Lotus Biscoff biscuit? Get down to your nearest Co-op now to try it for yourself!

And word has it that more flavours will be coming soon, so look out for them!

Lotus Biscoff Milk Chocolate Bar with Biscoff Cream 180g will cost £2.80.

Bax Botanics Achieve Masters of Malt Listing With New Premium Alcohol-Free RTDs

From sourcing organic and ethically grown botanicals, to only using sustainable and recycled materials during production, everything is designed by nature with the idea of inspiring connection with the natural world. 

The combination of herbs, berries, roots and botanicals are used to create complex flavours that make them the perfect substitute for boozy, sugary ready-to-drinks this summer. As the NoLo sector grows and grows, the new RTDs are perfect for those who seek balance without compromising on taste or quality.

Each of Bax Botanics's non-alcohol distilled spirits have a unique recipe that brings a number of different botanicals together to create a complex and nuanced character. Every botanical is distilled in one of three three stills - Ebenezer, Hephzibah & Edith – each named after a Bax family member with a unique connection to the business.

Smooth Sea Buckthorn & Tonic: Sea Buckthorn is mellow and fruity when distilled. It's the perfect compliment to the quinine in tonic, and the orange, rosemary and spice lends to a flavourful experience, heightened with an orange peel twist garnish for a really luxe, 'at the bar' experience. Expertly blended by Rose and Chris Bax, this tipple is crafted to be the perfect digestif - post food, with the herbs and botanicals designed to create a relaxed, content feeling. 

Food pairing: Barbequed pineapple, salty snacks, spicy street food, cold meat platters. 

Perfect for: Fans of Copperhead, Monkey 47, Opihr Gin, digestif fans.

Zingy Lemon Verbena & Tonic: Lemon stimulates the senses and gets the taste buds going - therefore it is the perfect ingredient for an aperitif, pre-food. The invigorating taste of Lemon Verbena is quintessentially English Garden - delicious! Subtle mint, fennel and florals come through too for a real summer meadow experience - perfectly served chilled, over ice with a slice of cucumber. 

Perfect for: Fans of the classic citrussy G&T, Hendricks, or Bombay Sapphire, those looking for a super luxe booze-free alternative. 

Food pairing:  Salads, fish and seafood, smoked salmon and cucumber, sour cream and chives.

Rose Bax, Founder of Bax Botanics said: "We created our canned serves to make exploring alcohol-free, distilled drinks even easier for everyone. More and more people are seeking out the highest quality and the most unique flavours in their RTDs. We hope we're serving up a little bit of luxury for the summer for those who want to enjoy a special treat at picnics, barbeques or road trips.”

Zingy Lemon Verbena - £28.80 for 12 cans.

https://www.masterofmalt.com/pre_bottled-cocktails/bax-botanics/bax-botanics-zingy-lemon-verbena-and-tonic-12-x-250ml-pre-bottled-cocktails/?srh=1 

Sea Buckthorn - £28.80 for 12 cans.

https://www.masterofmalt.com/pre_bottled-cocktails/bax-botanics/bax-botanics-smooth-sea-buckthorn-and-tonic-12-x-250ml-pre-bottled-cocktails/?srh=1  

https://www.baxbotanics.com - 'designed by nature'

Devon Cove Opens Pop-Up Tasting Room in Kingsbridge

Should you be in hailing distance of Kingsbridge, please do be aware that Devon Cove has launched ap Pop-Up Tasting Room in Kingsbridge.

Top-selling and award-winning spirits brand Devon Cove has recently opened 'The Tasting Room' in Kingsbridge where visitors to the town will have the chance to sip on their deliciously smooth potato vodka and liqueurs, meet the producer and even have a go at making cocktails. Creative cocktails will also be served at the pop-up tasting room, too.

'The Tasting Room' has opened on Kingsbridge High Street for the entire month of August with masterclasses available to book on to on August 17th and 18th. Book online (£40 per head) at www.devoncove.co.uk.

Leanne Carr, who is the founder of Cove Vodka, says: “I've been wanting to offer more opportunities for people to taste our products so I pounced on the chance to use this fabulous space in Kingsbridge. 

"We're so looking forward to sharing our products and our story. If you haven't tried Devon potato vodka yet, you really must! This is vodka but it's absolutely not as you know it.”

Devon Cove creates an exceptionally tasty vodka using only King Edward potatoes which are lovingly grown on their family farm which overlook Hope Cove, a mere few miles away. 

It's the only potato vodka to be produced in the county of Devon, it's as pure and clean as the sea air around it and uniquely smooth to the taste. 

Visitors can be able to give it a try, alongside some other award winning products such as their divinely fruity Cove Damson Liqueur, rich and velvety Cove Coffee Liqueur and their brilliantly successful cocktail kits. 

Leanne's family have been growing potatoes in the area for over half a century, but it was only relatively recently Leanne thought up the idea of turning the crop into something with just a little more kick than chips!

Since their launch in 2019 they've gone from strength-to-strength, literally! They've managed to snaffle bagged a number of high profile awards, expanded the range of liqueurs (with more on the way, too!) and launched a cocktail club subscription service so you need never be without a good cocktail at home. 

Leanne has become somewhat of a master mixologist and looks forward to sharing her expertise with customers throughout the month of August. 

Cove Vodka and Cove Liqueurs and Cove Cocktail Kits, are available to purchase online at www.devoncove.co.uk. Nationwide delivery is available. 

To keep up to date with all of Devon Cove's news 'like' @Devon Cove Vodka on Facebook, 'follow' @devoncovevodka on Instagram and Twitter or visit www.devoncove.co.uk. 

Kentish Oils and Condiments is a real winner

Kentish Oils and Condiments has received two wins in the recent Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards 2022.

They were awarded 1 Star for their Kentish Oils Original Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil and 1 Star for their Kentish Condiments Honey & Mustard Dressing.

This year, an amazing 14,000 products were entered into the world's largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. 

The black and gold Great Taste Awards stickers are the hallmark of high quality, fine quality, and simply delicious, first class produce.

Laura Bounds, MBE, the owner of Kentish Oils and Condiments said: “I'm so proud to have achieved a double win this year at the Great Taste Awards. 

"This just shows the efforts of our amazing production team who put so much time, care, effort and love into each and every batch of our products."

To learn more about Kentish Oils and Condiments please visit them at https://kentishcondiments.com.

And to discover more great tastes, please check out The Guild of Fine Foods at https://gff.co.uk.

British Frozen Peas can help your budget and be tasty

As the cost-of-living rises, members of the UK public are looking for easy ways to make nutritious meals on a budget. And frozen peas offer nutrition, good value and low wastage, making them a crucial addition to any freezer.

Did you know that Britain is 90% self-sufficient in pea production? Eeach summer growers up and down Britain's East Coast harvest and freeze 2 billion portions of peas to feed the nation for a full year.

There are 35,000 hectares of peas grown in the UK annually, producing 160,000 tonnes of frozen peas.

In the six-week British harvesting season farmers work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using viners to harvest, shell and transport the peas from field to frozen as quickly as possible.

Alongside your below feature, we thought it would be great to include some low-cost recipes in addition to energy saving tips!

We want to make peas the star of the dish rather than just a last-minute addition, and the following recipes do just that. These recipes, which can be credited to the Yes Peas! campaign, are a great way to feed your family on a budget, at under £1 per serving. We’ve done all the calculations for you below!

£0.76 P(EA) PER SERVING: CHICKPEA AND TURMERIC PANCAKES WITH CRUSHED PEAS, ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND TAHINI DRESSING

Vegan. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PANCAKES

100g chickpea (gram) flour

100g frozen peas, defrosted and crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp sea salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

FOR THE DRESSING

300g Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp tahini

4 heaped tbsp chopped fresh mint and coriander

1 garlic clove, crushed

Zest and juice of 1 lime

FOR THE SQUASH AND PEA FILLING

½ butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp chilli flakes

250g frozen peas, cooked

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

To make the pancakes, put the flour, peas, oil, turmeric, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk together. Add 150ml of cold water and whisk to make a smooth batter. Set aside for one hour.

Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, adding a little water to thin down and cover with cling film and put in the fridge to chill.

Spread the chopped squash and onion in a single layer in a baking tray. Drizzle over the oil, then sprinkle the cumin seeds, garam masala and chilli flakes over the squash and onion, seasoning with salt and a little pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through until golden and tender. Take out of the oven and mix in the peas. Keep warm.

To cook the pancakes, heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add a little of the vegetable oil. Turn the heat down to a medium heat and pour a quarter of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan so that the batter covers the base. Cook until the pancake sets, this should take around a minute, toss the pancake and cook for about 10 seconds longer.

Transfer to a plate and keep warm by covering loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have 4 pancakes.

To serve, divide the roasted squash and red onion mixture between the pancakes and spoon over some dressing. Lightly fold the pancakes over and serve immediately.

£0.80 P(EA) PER SERVING: PEA, SWEET POTATO AND FETA TRAYBAKE WITH THYME AND LEMON

Vegetarian and Gluten Free. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

500g sweet potatoes, washed and cut into small chips

2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks

1 bunch spring onions, washed and trimmed

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

Juice and rind of 1 lemon

300g frozen peas

400g Feta, broken into chunks

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 7.

Place the sweet potato, red peppers and spring onions into a bowl and season with some salt and pepper. Toss in the olive oil along with the thyme, chilli flakes, lemon juice and rind.

Place on a large baking tray or ovenproof dish and roast for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are just cooked and slightly charred.

Remove from the oven stir in the peas, top with the chunks of Feta and return to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serve immediately: delicious with bread, roast meats, or simply on its own.

TIP: You can replace the Feta with vegan Feta and top with toasted pine nuts.

 

How can we save on our shopping bills? don't worry! It's Sorted!

To help consumers reduce their food bills amidst the rising cost of living crisis, Sorted Food – the social media movement dedicated to cooking and inspiring millions of people to get joy from food, is launching the first weekly meal planning tool that will enable home-cooks to save at least 30% on their food bills and enjoy up to six delicious yet easy-to-make meals created by chefs. 

Research undertaken by Sorted Food learned that a staggering 93% of shoppers are spending more on food than they’d planned to and 70% of consumers feel their large food shops don’t stretch as far as they’d hoped. 

With food prices soaring and people’s lives busier than ever, the new tool is perfectly timed to take the stress out of cooking tasty meals on a budget.

The research also revealed over half of shoppers (52%) who are spending more on their food shop are annoyed but feel there’s nothing they can do about it, whilst a third of shoppers (35%) worry about how they will afford other items throughout the week. 

To help tackle this and support the growing number of home-cooks who want to enjoy delicious and nutritious food whilst on a tight budget, the YouTube stars have redeveloped their revolutionary meal planning app Sidekick, so users can now choose six meals per week for no additional fee (£4.99 per month, first month free). 

The first of its kind, Sidekick features the innovative ‘Recipe Pack’ tool. Each week it publishes a wide choice of ‘Recipe Packs’, that contain three awesome recipes, all cleverly designed to share ingredients between them and leave users with no food waste.

The team of Sorted Food chefs have designed smart recipes packed full of money-saving hacks to help take the strain out of everyday meal planning and shopping. 

Subscribers can now choose up to two Recipe Packs to add to their planner for the week ahead (previously it was one pack) and the App creates one simple combined shopping list, which helps users save over 20% on their food shop in the first month of using Sidekick, increasing to over 30% in subsequent months as their store cupboard grows, plus they learn new skills to help them ‘cook like a chef’.

Jamie Spafford, Sorted Food Co-Founder said “Even with the best meal planning intentions, when most of us go shopping we have a list of ingredients to buy that we use across individual dishes or recipes, but often this means we still end up with leftover food that ultimately ends up in the bin, from that half bag of spinach to the spoonful of sour cream, it just wastes our money, and that’s not to mention all the supermarket ‘special offers’ that tempt us into buying food we don’t need! 

"Our unique Recipe Packs help home-cooks plan each of their meals for the week ahead and ensure every perishable item they buy is completely used up, so not only can they eat delicious and nutritious food, but they also save on their grocery shopping by cutting out food waste.”

The meals in each Recipe Pack share fresh ingredients across each dish mixed with budget store cupboard ingredients found in most kitchen cupboards (ie olive oil, pasta, stock cubes), this allows users to get the most out of every ingredient they buy, helping them to save on their food bills and ensure none of the food they buy goes to waste. Once users have chosen their Recipe Packs for the week ahead, the App combines the six dishes to create a single shopping list of ingredients for them to buy and they choose where from - whether it be online, a convenience store or local farm shop.

Jamie went on to say, “We have been hearing lots from our community about how worried they are about rising food prices, how they’d like to learn how to shop smarter and how stressful cooking meals on a budget can be. 

"With lives busier than ever, we believe the solution is one simple tool to help people with their meal planning, shopping and cooking – helping us all to become awesome home cooks. We’ve created Sidekick to be like the ‘chef in your pocket’, helping everyone to be the hero of their kitchen no matter what their skill level or budget.”

The Sorted Food chefs have used their culinary expertise alongside feedback from their 2.6 million strong community, to create a range of recipes that use twists on classic dishes and seasonal favourites. Featuring classic comfort dishes, new inspiration from cuisines around the world and ingredients that change with the seasons so home cooks need never get stuck in a mealtime rut.

Sorted Food was launched by four school friends in 2010; it has grown to become one of the world’s largest online food communities with 2.6 million YouTube subscribers. The YouTube channel has had over 850 million views, with two to three new videos uploaded each week – from learning basic cooking techniques to investigating new food trends and taking on ultimate cooking challenges.

Sorted Food: https://sortedfood.com (usually £49.99 per year/£4.99 per month)

Sidekick users looking for a wide range of weekend treats, ultimate baking challenges and so much more can also or use their exclusive access to the Cookbook App which includes 500+ recipes from a range of unique titles - from ‘Cooking to the Beat’ to ‘Desserts in Duvets’, and the Feast Your Ears podcast library where the co-founders discuss and debate current food trends.

Energy bills are rapidly rising. That's Food and Drink would like to help our readers save energy & save money

Energy bills are rapidly rising. That's Food and Drink would like to help our readers save energy & save money so that you can spend more of their hard earned money on eating and drinking, obviously!

Fuel prices are skyrocketing so if you use gas, oil, electric or even solid fuel, you will be feeling the pinch.

That's Food and Drink has asked our friends in the industry for help in putting together a series of articles that will show you ways that you can save on fuel usage, to cut down on your fuel bills.

Please keep an eye out for these articles. You can bookmark Thats Food and Drink if you'd like.

Welsh Brand Expands It Range Even Further With Its Gorse Inspired Cardi Bay Vodka

Top Welsh brand the Eccentric Spirit Co has launched their first vodka, Cardi Bay Vodka.

Cardi Bay Vodka, infused with hints of vanilla and coconut, is inspired by the gorse growing along the Ceredigion coastline.

A 70cl bottle of Cardi Bay Vodka (40% vol) is priced at £32.

Eccentric Spirits, distilled at the award-winning In The Welsh Wind, has expanded its range with the launch of Cardi Bay Vodka, their first ever Welsh vodka product.

From the label colouring to the taste notes, this Welsh vodka is inspired by the gorse which grows along the Ceredigion coastline, with a flavour profile infused with hints of coconut and vanilla.

Cardi Bay Vodka was unveiled at this summer's Royal Welsh Agricultural Show and received massive positive feedback from those attending this iconic show. 

Ellen Wakelam, co-founder and director of In The Welsh Wind Distillery which makes the Eccentric Spirit range said: “After releasing our Black Batch Rum into our Eccentric Spirits range, we knew we wanted to launch different spirits within the range, which would include a flavoured vodka.”

Ellen went on to explain: “We wanted the vodka's botanical profile to celebrate Cardigan Bay, and were inspired by the gorse which stands sentinel along the Ceredigion coastline, which reminds me and co-founder Alex of our 1,000-mile walk around Wales before we opened the distillery.

“The aroma of gorse is full of vanilla and coconut, making it the perfect inspiration for Cardi Bay Vodka's flavour and label design.”

She added: “From the initial distillations and tasting sessions to approving the label design, this project has been a long time in the making, and we are thrilled to be launching Cardi Bay Vodka and are also over the moon with the positive feedback gathered so far!”

Cardi Bay Vodka takes the number of spirits in the Eccentric Spirits collection to eight. It features six gins including a trio of award winners – all inspired by Welsh botanicals, and dark rum.

All of the spirits, including Cardi Bay Vodka, can be purchased through the Eccentric Spirits website, the In The Welsh Wind website www.inthewelshwind.co.uk.

Bug Lives Matter. To all of us

Wildlife like earthworms, ladybirds and bees don't normally have a voice. But now they do, which is due to a new Change.org petition launched in advance of Organic September, which is asking the next Prime Minister of the UK to take action to save nature in their first 100 days in government.

On behalf of nature, the Organic Trade Board (OTB) is requesting the new PM to make a commitment to protecting wildlife in any policies that they implement and represents the UK at the vitally important UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December.

Not only are insects a vital part of a balanced ecosystem, providing food for other animals and recycling nutrients, they also play an essential role in our global food system. One in three mouthfuls of food depends on pollinators and without pollinators we wouldn't have potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, coffee, chocolate or cotton.

Popular children's author and illustrator, Kate Pankhurst, a relation of Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, was the first person to sign the petition. She has thrown her support behind the campaign, also creating an illustration to depict insects holding placards in protest against harmful pesticides and fertilisers that are often sprayed on crops,  which is leading to their decline. 

Said Kate: “As a mum of two, and an author and illustrator of children's books, I'm obviously passionate about preserving nature to ensure the next generations have a beautiful and thriving planet to enjoy in the future. 

"I hope other people around the UK will join me in signing this petition to help give nature a voice.”

The theme for this year's Organic September  is “Nature would choose organic”, which reflects that if wildlife such as bees, earthworms and ladybirds had a voice, they would want all farming to be organic to help keep the delicate ecosystem in balance.

Cristina Dimetto, General Manager of the Organic Trade Board (OTB), said: “Organic farming works with nature, not against it, encouraging natural predators like ladybirds and pollinators like bees and butterflies rather than spraying harmful pesticides. As a result, on average, plant, insect and bird life is 50% more abundant on organic farms. There are up to seven times more wild bees in organic grain fields. So if nature did have a voice - it would choose organic. 

“If pesticides were substituted for more sustainable farming practices (like organic), this could slow or reverse the decline in insects. The hope is that even tiny insect-sized steps can make a big difference when it comes to keeping nature's crucial keyworkers thriving.”

For more information visit www.GoOrganicUK.com and to sign the petition head to https://www.change.org/NatureProtest

That's Food and Drink has already signed the petition, we ask all of our lovely, kind and wonderful readers to sign it, too!

Hitachi Aims to Reduce Food Waste with Innovative 'Vacuum' Refrigerators

Hitachi's new Vacuum Compartment technology significantly extends the storage life of fresh food in your refrigerator, thus reducing food waste and saving you money, too.

Hitachi's new Vacuum Compartment technology will significantly extend the storage life of fresh food in your refrigerator, reducing food waste and saving you money, also.

Hitachi Europe has launched its latest technology in the battle to cut down on food waste and drive down household shopping bills, very important, especially at the moment.

How does it work? The innovative Hitachi Vacuum Compartment extracts air from a sealed food drawer to create a partial vacuum around fresh, chilled foods like vegetables, fruit, meat and fish.

Not only does this significantly increase food longevity through reduced oxygen levels, thus slowing the usual  oxidation/decomposition process, but it also helps keep meat and fish moist, helps to retain nutrients and colour in fruit and vegies, and maintains the flavour and texture of cheeses. 

Hitachi Vacuum Compartment is like 'vacuum packing' fresh food at home every time you close the fridge drawer. 

Combined with a low temperature in the compartment which is just above freezing, the result is much longer food storage times and greater retention of nutrients, flavour and moisture in the food.

Says Hitachi Europe's Head of Consumer, Richard Bass, "With almost a third of all food produced for human consumption currently going to waste, Hitachi is driving innovative solutions to reduce food waste globally. 

"In our homes, where most food waste occurs, our latest Vacuum Compartment technology offers one solution to reduce waste by keeping food fresher for longer. 

"The Vacuum Compartment can up to double the storage life and nutrient retention time of fresh foods, helping to reduce food waste and save money on food shopping bills."

Once shut, the Vacuum Compartment uses a miniature pump to withdraw air from the sealed drawer and maintain around 0.8 atm of air pressure. To open the drawer, you just lift the handle to release the vacuum seal, accompanied by a 'whoosh' of air returning to the compartment.

Independent tests at the Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand showed the Hitachi Vacuum Compartment retained 97% of the vital omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, in fresh fish (mackerel) after three days compared to just 93% in a standard chiller compartment.

In fresh fruit, vitamin levels can drop dramatically in the fridge, yet the Hitachi Vacuum Drawer retained 30% more vitamin C in pineapple than a typical refrigerator over the same three days. These benefits have a significant impact on nutrient retention in fresh food over even longer periods of storage, meaning less food is spoiled over time, less food waste or reduced cost in replacement.

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) 2017 study into UK food waste showed that the UK bins almost 10 million tonnes of food every year, with household food waste accounting for 70% of the total. The study showed that the average UK household spends over £470 annually on binned food (@ 2017 prices).

Hitachi Vacuum Compartment technology has been launched on the flagship four-door R-WB640VGB1X refrigerator, the R-WB640VGB1, and the three-door R-MX700GVGB1 model.

Other features of the new range (depending on model) include removable water tanks that supply the integrated ice and water dispensers, Hitachi's Triple Power Filter for pure air and reduced cross-contamination of food odours, mould-proof door gaskets, easy clean tempered glass shelves, Quick Cooling, rapid Hybrid Freezing, energy efficient motors and frost-free operation across the range. 

Backing up Hitachi's 100+ year heritage in high-quality engineering, all the new Hitachi refrigerators come with a comprehensive 5-year guarantee as standard.

Hitachi refrigerators are available now from Euronics independent retailers across the UK.

More details can be found here https://www.homeappliances.hitachi.com/eu/eng/

To check out your nearest Euronics dealers please visit https://www.euronics.co.uk/

Businessman launches new diet plan

British businessman Paul Homewood has launched what he describes as "a revolutionary new way to lose weight, live better and stay healthy, a diet taking just 15 minutes a day."

The 15 Minute Diet is a subscription-based health regime aimed at helping its users who have previously struggled to shed the pounds or had difficulties finding the time to live better.

Scientific studies have shown even moderate exercise or short bursts of activity can be beneficial to general health and wellbeing.

Paul believes that he has harnessed a lifestyle product that will take just a quarter of an hour every day.

Paul went on to says: "The secret to the success of the 15 Minute Diet is our formula which creates enjoyable and beneficial weight loss and positive mindset habits for success in the long-term."

How does it work? The 15 Minute Diet works by providing an on-demand "Fitness" programme, an online "Diet Academy", “15 Minute Recipes” and endless motivation.

It will provide subscribers with support, tips and recipes and an opportunity to 'supercharge' success.

Paul added: " Dieting just became achievable with our new habit forming diet plan. We have capitalised on science to create a ground breaking product that combines the proven actions to lose weight into a daily routine that takes just 15 minutes a day to get results."

The 15 Minute Diet is a habit forming diet plan that takes just 15 minutes a day to achieve results.

To learn more please visit https://www.15minuteidet.com.

Blanco Niño Lead the Way With Recyclable Tortilla Chip Packaging

If you are like my wife and I, you will feel guilty that whilst you enjoy eating tasty snacks that the packets say "not currently recyclable."

But those wonderful folk at Blanco Niño, the premium corn tortilla and tortilla chip producer, will take that guilty feeling away from all of us as they have switched to fully recyclable packaging for its award-winning range of corn tortilla chips. 

And Blanco Niño is the first premium corn tortilla chip brand in the UK and Ireland to move to fully recyclable packaging.

A typical plastic crisp packet worryingly takes several hundreds of years to decompose. In the UK alone, six billion packets are consumed every year and only a fraction of these are capable of being recycled at present.

Blanco Niño's new packaging is made from a specially developed plastic resin called polypropylene 5 which is widely recycled. The innovative new design will keep the product fresher for longer, too. 

Blanco Niño Founder and CEO Philip Martin says: “I'm looking forward to unveiling our new recyclable packaging to our customers. It's a momentous step for Blanco Niño in reducing our impact on the environment. We saw an opportunity to develop fully recyclable packaging and I'm very proud to say that we're one of the first to do so.”

The packaging is a special bespoke design with a window, featuring eye-catching stylised landscapes representing key ingredients of each flavour. The product range itself remains unchanged and retains the premium quality the brand has become justifiably famed for. The range includes Lightly Salted, Blue Corn (formerly called Ancient Grain) and Chilli & Lime. 

Blanco Niño's Director of Community, Ruth Jenkins added: “We've been humbled by the great response to the bag design and I feel it stands out on the shelves. For Blanco Niño as a brand, sustainability and doing the right thing has always been a priority from the beginning.”

“Consumers are rightly demanding more sustainable products and we as a team are delighted to rise to this challenge. It was definitely not easy or particularly straightforward but our R&D staff and processes made it possible for us. I hope we can lead the way and that others will follow our lead.”

Blanco Niño Tortilla Chips earned five stars at the Great Taste Awards 2022. Double stars for their Lightly Salted and Blue Corn flavours and a star for Chilli & Lime. Judges noted “A superb texture and mouthfeel, truly wonderful. Perfectly salted and a joy to eat, and we feel that this is a great example of a traditional tortilla chip. They are light, delicate and so very well produced, and we applaud your process and creation here.”

The tortilla chips are naturally gluten-free, vegan friendly, kosher certified and are made using the finest ingredients, some of which are sourced from heritage farmers in Mexico itself. 

Blanco Niño Tortilla Chips retail at £3.50 RRP and can be found at Ocado, Daylesford, Booths, Eat 17 and numerous independent food stores.

To learn more visit https://www.blanco-nino.com. 

Affineur of the Year Competition Returns for 2023

The Academy of Cheese and Devon-based cheesemaker, Quicke's, are thrilled to be taking “Affineur of the Year” into its second year after its successful launch last year. 

The first ever Affineur of the Year competition was initially set up to help recognise and celebrate the age-old art of maturing cheese, or “affinage”.   

In March 2021, eight truckles of Quicke's cheddar were sent to the maturing rooms of cheesemongers and cheesemakers across the UK, where they remained under the watchful care of each competitor for the duration of the competition. 

Following 11 months of turning, tweaking and grading, the truckles were judged by a panel of industry experts at the final event, held in London on 27 April 2022, where the overall winner, Rennet & Rind, received the coveted award of Affineur of the Year 2022.

Building upon the success of this first year, and to widespread industry approval, the Academy of Cheese and Quicke's are delighted to be extending the competition to include four different cheeses, to encompass a larger spectrum of affinage techniques.  The cheeses have been selected, based on the Academy's Make / Post-Make model, and include:

Quicke's Cheddar – Hard

White Lake Solstice – Soft/Washed Rind

Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton – Crumbly/Internal Mould-Ripened

Fen Farm Dairy Baron Bigod – Soft/External Mould-Ripened

The organisers are obviously pleased that many of last year's competitors will be taking part once again, as well as welcoming new competitors from all across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

They are all ready to take on the challenge. This highly respected line-up of cheesemongers and cheesemakers will bring their wealth of knowledge and experience to the fore, letting them to experiment and demonstrate a full range of affinage techniques that are specific to those cheese categories, including temperature and humidity levels and exposure to unique microflora. 

It's their opportunity to showcase the skill and artistry that is involved in guiding a cheese to its fullest potential.

Competitors will be called upon to record their techniques and progress throughout the process and will ultimately be judged on a variety of aspects including flavour, aroma, texture, appearance and innovation.

All of the cheeses will be presented and judged by a specially chosen committee of cheese industry experts at the live finals event which will take place in London, where a winner will be selected for each category and an overall winner will be crowned “Affineur of the Year 2023”.  

This event, which is open to both the trade and public, will be held at The China Exchange in London, on 14th June 2023.

What was originally acknowledged as an experiment seems set to become a regular fixture on the cheese industry's calendar of events.

To learn more please visit academyofcheese.org

The Best Devon Drinks to Try This Summer from Drinks and Cocktails to the Ultimate Drink Experiences

This summer you can indulge yourself, family members and friends in some genuinely top tipples that are hand-crafted in Devonshire's orchards, distilleries, breweries and vineyards, including refreshing bubbly drinks, rich ciders, local wines, delicious coffees and sophisticated spirits.

Luscombe Strawberry Bubbly Blended in Buckfastleigh using Dartmoor spring water

One for popping into a picnic hamper or packing as a seaside refresher, this new bubbly from Luscombe brims with a blend of the finest organic strawberries, organic Sicilian lemons, Madagascan vanilla and soft Dartmoor spring water. 

Free from additives and nasties, Luscombe was recently awarded a well-deserved Royal Warrant, a sure sign of Devon quality.  Keep a bottle on ice to enjoy in the Devon sunshine.

Buy now - £21.30 - luscombe.co.uk/products/strawberry-bubbly

Sandridge Barton - Sharpham 'Summer Sparkling' 2020

Grapes grown and crushed on the edge of the River Dart

Looking to add some Devonian sparkle to an al fresco lunch with friends? This delicious sparkling rosé, packed with delicate red berry, crunchy red apple and pink grapefruit characters, will do nicely, thank you! 

Or, should you be visiting Devon, go one better and swing by the award-winning winery's new location at Sandridge Barton on the edge of the River Dart in the stunning South Hams. Here you can enjoy a tour of the vineyard, new state-of-the-art winery and visitor centre, followed by a slap-up, locally-sourced lunch at Circa, their new sustainable eatery.

Buy now - £22.00 - sandridgebarton.com

Salcombe Gin 'Start Point'

Distilled in Salcombe, in 'Provident', Salcombe Distilling Co.'s 450 litre copper pot still

Since its launch in 2016, Salcombe Gin's 'Start Point' has become one of the most internationally recognised gins. It's distilled in Salcombe Distilling Co.'s waterfront distillery on Island Street, Salcombe; one of the world's only distilleries directly accessible by boat. The signature flavour is inspired by the voyages of the Salcombe Fruit Schooners, which carried exotic goods, fruits and spices.

In the first year of sales, 'Start Point' won all the most prestigious prizes in the international world of spirits, including 'Gold' at the World Gin Awards and 'Double Gold' at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, known as the Oscars in the spirits world.

Buy now - £40.00*, 70cl - salcombegin.com 

*Every UK 70cl bottle purchased helps protect and regenerate 2m² of seagrass by donating 40p to the Marine Conservation Society.

New London Light 'Midnight Sun'

Crafted and distilled in Salcombe

Whilst we make the most of the long summer days, why not cool down with a non-alcoholic tipple inspired by the wild Nordic regions where daylight ventures through the night. 'Midnight Sun' combines hand-picked seaberries and elderberries with the creative use of kelp and pine to give a new perspective on complex flavour combinations.  

Buying a bottle of New London Light's three non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs helps to protect and regenerate 1m² of seagrass with *27p from every bottle sale being donated to the Marine Conservation Society. Did you know? This underwater plant can store up to 10 times more carbon than tropical rainforests. 

Buy now - £27.50*, 70cl - newlondonlight.com 

Hattiers 'Egremont' Premium Reserve Rum

Distilled in Mothecombe, South Hams

Devon daiquiri, madam? Give your cocktail a Caribbean spin with Hattiers Rum's Premium Reserve Rum, 'Egremont'.  Sourced from the world's finest distillers and blended with pure soft water, fresh from the hills of Dartmoor. We love the stylish stripy packaging, and should you wish to enjoy your quaff where it's crafted, book in for a tour with founder Philip Everett-Lyons on the scenic Flete Estate at Mothecombe. He's sure to treat your tastebuds to a rum-bunctious tickling!

Buy now - £42.00, 70cl - hattiers.com

Devon Cove Vodka

Potatoes grown and harvested on a family farm in Hope Cove

Pop a bottle of Cove Vodka in your basket this summer; it's made from King Edward potatoes grown, harvested and fermented in fields overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the family farm at Hope Cove. We're talking lime and cream on the nose and sweet apple finish. It's also as low-calorie as alcohol can be, as the carbs in the potatoes don't translate, and, unlike much vodka on the market, it's grain-free so gluten-free, to boot.

Buy now - £39.50, 70cl - devoncove.co.uk

Sandford Orchards - 'Devon Red' Cider

Apples grown and pressed in the heart of Devon

Named for the colour of the county's distinctive red soils, and crafted with cider apples from local orchards, you can't get more Devon than this medium cider from Sandford. No surprise it's their number one best-seller, thanks to its light, pure taste, which hits the sweet spot of creamy, ripe apples with just a hint of refreshing sparkle. No artificial flavours are used in its making, just the best natural ingredients: pressed, fermented and aged slowly in the UK's oldest working cider mill.

Buy now - Case of 12 bottles, £27.50 / Case of 24 330ml cans, £35.00 - sandfordorchards.co.uk

Salcombe Brewery Co. 'Shingle Bay'

Brewed just outside of Salcombe

When Salcombe Brewery was bought in 2016 by current owners John and Gerry Tiner, it was John's favourite Devon drink, 'Shingle Bay', a fruity golden ale, that clinched the deal. One of five in their core range of tasty heritage beers, Shingle Bay has since been joined by their Discovery range of lager, pale ale, porter, cider and Salcombe Pilsner which has just snaffled a Gold in the Taste of the West Awards 2022. Locals love it, and so will you.

Buy now - Pack of 12, £24.00 - salcombebrewery.com 

Boo Chi Kombucha 'Fresh Mint to Revive'

Brewed in the heart of the Devon countryside

Boo Chi Kombucha is brewed in small batches creating a truly authentic kombucha meaning it's packed full of acetic acids, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins b6, b12 and c. Using only the freshest organic and locally sourced ingredients to flavour their original kombucha. 

Boo Chi Kombucha range offers six Kombuchas including 'Fresh Mint to Revive'. Boo Chi's mint flavoured kombucha is infused with the calming and soothing super herb fresh mint. It cuts through the acidity of the kombucha to give it a slightly sweet, bright, extremely refreshing taste leaving you wanting more. This incredible leaf is high in antioxidants and great for the tummy.

Buy now - £38.00, pack of 12, 250ml bottles - boochi.co.uk 

Wickhams - Huxbear Classic Sparkling 2018

Grapes grown and crushed in the Teign Valley

If it's grapes grown on the south-facing slopes of sunny Devon you're after, let Dan Farrell-Wright of online wine merchant, Wickhams, be your sommelier. More than 25% of the wines he curates are English, including many from Devon and the south west. Recently named Specialist Merchant of the Year England 2022 at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Merchant Awards. According to Dan, this Classic Sparkling 2018 from Huxbear Vineyard in the leafy Teign Valley is “as good as anything you'll get from the Champagne region - and at a great price.” It's also something of a Devonshire secret, so get in fast before everyone else discovers it!

Buy now - £25.54 for one bottle or £22.99 for any mix of six bottles - Wickhamwine.co.uk

Owens Coffee 'Bantham'

Organic and Fairtrade coffee, sustainably sourced and roasted in South Devon

Dreaming of the coast? Now you can bring the Devon seaside to your morning routine. Owens' award-winning 'Bantham' is one of their delicious five house blends and is named after Bantham beach, renowned as one of the best surfing beaches in the region. This smooth and chocolatey blend is a medium roasted blend of Arabica coffee beans from South America and Indonesia. It's ideal for espresso and filter as whole beans, perfect for cafetière and filter as medium ground and it's also available as fine ground for espresso. Owens Coffee will deliver its pouches of organic and Fairtrade coffee, anywhere in the UK. 

Top tip - if you're brewing Owens Coffee in a cafetiére, add 15g medium ground coffee per 250ml cup of boiled water and leave it to brew for 4 minutes. 

Buy now - £6.50 for 200g / £23.00 for 1kg (or subscribe & save 10%) - owenscoffee.com 

Devonia Spring Water

Bottled at source from an ancient spring near Beesands in the South Hams

Devonia supplies delicious still and sparkling natural Devon spring water to hotels, cafes, restaurants, weddings and private events across the region.  What makes Devonia unique is that they reuse their glass bottles time and time again, collecting the bottles from their environmentally-conscious customers at the same time as delivering newly filled ones.  They then carefully wash and reuse them to ensure their impact on the environment is as low as possible.

Visiting Devon? Here's a few of the places to enjoy Devonia: Burgh Island Hotel (Bigbury), Hotel Endsleigh (Tavistock), Salcombe Harbour Hotel, South Sands Hotel & Restaurant (Salcombe), The Three Crowns Hotel (Chagford), The Bedford Hotel (Tavistock) and The Angel (Dartmouth). In addition, Devonia supplies a handful of spirit producers with its soft natural spring water including Hattiers Rum and Devon Cove.  devoniawater.co.uk

 

Mandira's Kitchen Has Christmas 2022 Covered for Gifts and Celebrations

Mandira's Kitchen has Christmas 2022 nicely covered for gifts and celebrations.

Mandira's Kitchen have put together their best dishes to ensure that your Christmas party celebrations fuss free and a range of gifts to delight family and friends.

Party food that doesn't involve the hostess spending hours in the kitchen is all important.  To spice up your party, there are Party Platters available for delivery or collection that include crispy samosas and Indian canape delights - perfect for passing round or a buffet table.

You can also order catering size packs of all your favourite dishes with meat, vegetarian or vegan options.  This makes light work of catering for larger gatherings. You can order the food in advance and keep in the freezer until required, just heat it in the microwave for four minutes and spend more of your valuable time with family and friends.

You can also order specially curated Indian Banquets with three courses for a Family Feast and even Dine in for Two boxes for a romantic dinner for two.

Now is also the time when everyone starts to think about Christmas gifts for loved ones.  A Mandira's Kitchen voucher can get more than just food, they are also available for Cookery Lessons and Spice Tours for the gourmet in your life.  New this year is also a range of Indian inspired giftware, to ensure your banquet has that special authentic feel.  The range includes insulated dishes, spice tins and candle holders at various price points that make the perfect gift.

If you are intending to have a traditional turkey dinner on Christmas Day – the Leftover Christmas Feast Spice Kit provides all you need to create a  special three course Indian meal using your Christmas leftover – it also includes two chutneys and ghee with a recipe booklet, cook-along videos are also available to watch on the MK You Tube channel. The kit makes the perfect gift or get one for yourself to make sure no food goes to waste.

The MK Team is looking forward to Christmas 2022 and firmly believe spending time with loved ones is more important than spending time in the kitchen.  Mandira says “Here at Mandira's Kitchen, the run up to Christmas is very busy and so we usually shut shop on Christmas Eve and open only in the New Year. These few days allow us to spend time with our loved ones and guess what, we too become customers of Mandira's kitchen ensuring our freezers are stocked full of deliciousness!”

You can visit the Mandira's Kitchen website for the full Christmas range link needs to go here when up on website

The food and gifts can be delivered anywhere in the UK from Scotland to Cornwall and everywhere in between.  All items can be ordered online from www.mandiraskitchen.com  and delivered to any UK Mainland address.

 

How did you celebrate International Beer Day, yesterday?

How did you celebrate International Beer Day, yesterday?

My wife and I went for our usual long walk that we take every day and we visited a Co-Op store and bought some cans of Goose Island IPA which we took home with us.

This beer is now brewed in Europe on behalf of Goose Island, whereas previously it was brewed in the USA and exported to Britain.

After taking a couple of sips of her can my wife said: "This is sweeter than I remember it. It doesn't taste quite so hoppy. Why is that, do you think?"

After ruminating on the matter over a couple of cans each we concluded that if a beer is made in a different location the water used during the brewing process would, obviously, be different, plus there would be other environmental factors to take into consideration.

Please don't get me wrong! My wife and I still love Goose Island IPA, but my wife says she prefers what she perceives as the slightly sweeter taste.

As an aside Co-Op stores in the UK often have a good selection of real ales, craft ales and international beer styles so are worth visiting to check out what your local Co-Op has on the shelves or in the chiller cabinet. 

The 2022 Great Taste Results Are Out!

This week, over 2,300 artisan producers from all over the UK and from across the globe have received their eagerly awaited results, and all-important judges' feedback, from Great Taste.

After being blind-taste tested by a team of over 500 judges, each producer has received invaluable feedback on their entries and found out if any of their products have scooped a prestigious 1, 2-, or 3star award in Great Taste; the highest global accolade based entirely on taste.

A truly international competition, Great Taste has a rigorous judging process, with comprehensive blind taste-testing of food and drink products from a staggering 110 different countries across the world, taking place over 90 days in both the Dorset and London judging venues, by a rotating panel of industry experts.

Great Taste's prestigious judging panel is made up of over 500 food & drink professionals, including critics, chefs, recipe creators, buyers, retailers, journalists, broadcasters, and experts in the field. 2022's judging line-up included head buyers from Selfridges, Whole Foods, Fortnum & Mason and Waitrose, BBC Good Food editor Keith Kendrick, delicious. editor Karen Barnes, Bake Off contestant and author Chetna Makan, MasterChef Professionals finalist Santosh Shah, food and drink consultant Mallika Basu, BBC's Nigel Barden, national television presenters Lotte Duncan and Juliet Sear, restaurateurs Kavi Thakrar (Dishoom) and Amy Poon (Poon's), journalists including Felicity Cloake (The Guardian), Xanthe Clay (Telegraph) and Joanna Blythman (multiple national titles), as well food writers Gill Meller, Melissa Thompson, and Georgina Hayden among many others. This experienced panel, each with trusted palates, have together tasted and re-judged the 3-star winning products to crown the Golden Fork trophy winners as well as the Great Taste 2022 Supreme Champion.

Only 5,556 products – that's 39.1% of the total products entered this year – received either a Great Taste 1, 2 or 3 star award, and of the 2,344 winning companies, 27% are based outside of the UK.

Who got the Great Taste 3-stars?

The highest rating is a Great Taste 3-star, which will have been sanctioned by over 20 expert palates, and this year just 241 products have been awarded this top accreditation. Of the 3-star winners, 138 are UK based and 103 from international producers, including chocolate from Australia, Sweden and USA, beer from Germany, Lebanese tahini, Cambodian pepper and cheeses from Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain, among many other interesting and innovative products.

Great Taste 3-star winners from the UK include:

Hadley's Blackberry Ice Cream, a small-batch ice cream made with local blackberries which have been slowly cooked before being added to a custard base by Hadley's Dairy;

Sea Salt with Saffron from the Pembrokeshire Sea Salt Co., which marries crumbly flakes of clean, pure, hand harvested sea salt with the vibrant colour, smoky aroma and floral flavours of saffron;

Glasgow-based B Corp brewery, Brewgooder, for their “excellent and accomplished” Brewgooder session IPA, that maintains body and flavour whilst keeping to a low, highly accessible ABV;

Wild Highland Venison Salami with Juniper, Smoked with Peat from Highland Charcuterie and Smoke House, made using local, foraged and wild ingredients in order to give a strong local identity to their charcuterie;

The “broad and intriguing with marked herbal notes balanced by pepper flavour” Ivaar The Boneless gin by Exeter Gin Ltd.

Great Taste 3-star winners from across the world feature:

A raw, unprocessed and unheated honey from the mountainous oak tree forests of Thessaly, said to have “a delicious evolution of flavour from rich to light” by Aphrodite in Greece;

A natural smoked cured beef ham which is the first Cecina certified as "organic" on the market, Cecina de Le󮠂io Entrepe񡳬 by Entrepe񡳠s.l. in Spain;

Lu Shan Yun Wu Green Tea, a “deeply pleasing tea” made of tender tea buds and leaves by TeaVivre Tea Company in China;

A 73% double origin dark chocolate with Guatemalan fleur de sel flakes which “melts slowly to a smooth, velvety tang with a gentle acidity”, the Fleur de Sel, from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, USA.

Great Taste award-winners can now proudly display the iconic black and gold Great Taste logo on their award-winning products. The logo states the year and whether the product was awarded 1, 2 or 3 stars.

Past winners have revealed displaying a Great Taste sticker increased sales by up to 50%, as consumers from around the globe seek out the best food and drink products each year.

Golden Fork ceremony

The fun doesn't stop here, for the award-winners it's only just the beginning as the highest scoring producers go through to the regional finals. The Golden Fork Awards celebrate the best from each region (the North East, South West, Scotland, Wales etc), with the winner of each region awarded a Golden Fork trophy – there are ten regional awards up for grabs. A further six Golden Fork trophies are given, including one for Best International Food and Drink and the Small Artisan Producer of the Year. Plus, there is an ultimate winner, an award for the best overall product in Great Taste 2022, aptly crowned The Supreme Champion.

All will be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Ceremony on Monday 5 September 2022, held at Southwark Cathedral, which sits on the south bank of the River Thames, next to Borough Market.

The full list of this year's winners and where to buy them can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk and a wide range of the award-winning products are available to buy in delis, farm shops and independent retail outlets across the country.

Horlicks Launch Fortified Shake Range

Iconic British favourite brand Horlicks is pleased to unveil their latest range, Horlicks Healthy: a range of four specially-formulated wellness boosting shakes.

Created with a blend of carefully chosen vitamins, minerals and functional ingredients, besides 15-20g protein per serving, Horlicks Healthy is ideal for a wide range of venues from coffee shops and universities, through to gyms and hotel bedrooms.

Horlicks Healthy Body helps customers feel stronger with more vitality, with a blend of Vitamins D, Calcium and Zinc contributing to bone function for healthier, stronger bones. Vitamin D also contributes to normal muscle function. Vitamins B12, B6 and C contribute to energy-yielding metabolism help customers stay active and feel energetic making it ideal for sports and leisure venues.

Horlicks Healthy Gut is specially designed with Vitamins B12, B6, C and D to contribute to the normal function of the immune system. With added Prebiotics and Glutamine helping customers to get the most from their diet and support digestion, this blend is suited to healthcare settings, or for after meals.

Horlicks Healthy Mind, helps customers think and feel at their best. Horlicks Healthy has Vitamins B12, B6 and C contributing to normal psychological function, and Zinc for normal cognitive function. With Matcha Green Tea and Bacopa Monneri (Medicinal Herbs) supporting your focus and memory, Healthy Mind will appeal to university students in particular.

Horlicks Healthy Sleep is specially formulated to contain Vitamins B12, B6 and C known to reduce tiredness and fatigue. With Chamomile and Valerian supporting a calmer more, relaxing sleep, this blend is an ideal fit for spas, hotels, care homes and hospitals.

Michelle Younger, Head of Marketing at Aimia Foods feels the new range will allow a wide range of foodservice operators to add a new dimension to their existing offering:

“An increasing number of consumers now pay close attention to the nutritional value and wellness credentials of products they eat and drink out of home, hence why our brand-new Horlicks Healthy blends are ideal for offering within a foodservice environment.

Also incredibly delicious, Horlicks Healthy offers the same signature creamy, malty and delicious flavour that has been a firm family favourite for many years, yet in a refreshing, cold shake format.”

To create one serving of Horlicks Healthy, simply add two heaped scoop to 300ml semi skimmed milk, shake or blend and serve.

Each blend within the Horlicks Healthy range is available to foodservice operators in 400g pouches. For more information on Horlicks, visit https://www.horlicks.co.uk/

To find your nearest stockist of Horlicks, please contact Aimia Foods on 01942 4086000 or visit www.aimiafoods.com

 

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses Win Two Great Taste Awards

Fourth-generation Lancashire family cheesemakers, Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, have received two well-deserved Great Taste Awards, adding to a growing award-haul in its 90th anniversary year.

Sunday Best, Butlers' 18-month matured farmhouse Lancashire cheese, was described by judges as “so good we had to go back for more” and Beacon Blue, a sweet, smooth blue goat's cheese was described as “majestic”. Both cheeses received two-star Great Taste recognitions and join Butlers' flagship Blacksticks Blue cheese, a one-star Great Taste winner in 2021.

It's the latest in a series of awards for the family of cheesemakers. Last month, Butlers took home 19 medals across cheesemaking, product and packaging categories at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards - a record awards haul for Butlers at the ICDA. Butlers also won two Virtual Cheese Awards in May.

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses was founded in 1932 when Richard and Annie Butler made just a handful of Lancashire cheeses in the family's kitchen. In 2022, its 90th anniversary year, Butlers produce over more 1,000 tonnes of farmhouse cheese annually, employ 100 people, supply all major retailers and have an online cheese store delivering nationwide, all direct from its Lancashire dairy.

Many of Butlers' cheese recipes have been passed down through four generations, and all cheeses are still made, matured and graded by hand today. 

Matthew Hall, fourth-generation owner at Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses says, “We're so pleased to display the iconic black and gold Great Taste logo on two more of our award-winning cheeses. The Great Taste Awards logo is a powerful on-pack prompt for consumers who want to try the very best in food and drink and we hope that it helps even more people find and explore British farmhouse cheese, made in Lancashire.

“All of our awards are much-deserved recognition for every member of our amazing team who put their hearts into making, packing and selling our cheese every single day. We work collectively as an extended family, the same way we have for 90 years - its why being part of a family business like ours is so special.”

The Great Taste Awards is recognised as a stamp of excellence and actively sought out by food lovers and retailers.

Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, all products are blind tasted with every product removed from its packaging. This year, products from 110 countries around the world were submitted before a robust, layered judging process that took place over 90 days across two locations (Dorset and London) with a panel of over 500 judges.

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses supply independent retailers, delis and all major supermarkets across the UK. 

It's online cheese store https://butlerscheeses.co.uk is a one-stop shop for all cheese eating and gifting needs.