BBC Food Show Winter NEC, Birmingham, 23 – 27 November

The biggest foodie event of the year is back and after the success of the BBC Good Food Show Summer, seeing a sell out Saturday, organisers are urging visitors to book in advance to avoid disappointment on the door.

Rachel Poletti-Gadd – Divisional Director, BBC Haymarket Exhibitions says: “With some of the country’s top chefs on the Supertheare sponsored by Sainsburys, the nation’s favourite TV programmes bought to life in the MasterChef Experience and Saturday Kitchen Live stage this is the date in the foodie calendar. After the huge success of the Summer Show we want to make visitors aware that tickets may not always be available on the day plus your tickets are cheaper if you book in advance.”

The NEC is once again set to play host to some of the leading names in the foodie world, including John Torode, Gregg Wallace, Rick Stein, James Martin, Glynn Purnell and Michael Caines in a 2000-seater Supertheatre.

They are expecting over 400 exhibitors and some highlights confirmed so far are:

Foxes Spices

Flavours of Spain – importing a fantastic range of artisan Spanish produce

Demijohn – The Liquid Deli

Stewed

Luponde Tea

Eat Paella

American Food Direct – importers of American food

Marks and Spencer

English Provender – purveyors of some of the countries finest condiments, chutneys and dressings

Nairns Oatcakes

Burts Chips

Curry Sauce Company

Plus a whole range of professional chefs knives – including Kin, Global and I.O.SHEN

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Drop Peardrop Flavour Pop. Even better than it says!

Everyone loves peardrops, those iconic and quintessentially British sweets. They have been a firm favourite with generations of adults and children, too.

But now someone has gone one better. Mount Valley, under the direction of founder Mohammed Ali, has developed and launched a sure-fire winner, Drop Peardrops flavour pop!

But this is where it gets interesting. Forget the mealy-mouthed 'health' drinks of late! With their: “water with a hint of carbonation”! Because Mount Valley Drop Peardrops flavour pop is bursting with bubbly goodness, just like the pops you remember as a child!

Then we come to the fascinating thing about Mount Valley Drop Peardrop flavour pop. Make certain it is well chilled, because this drink needs to be treated with the ultimate respect! Then, either pour it into a glass (over ice, if you like) or sip it from the can and the first thing you notice is that there's a wonderful summery taste of very sweet and very juicy ripe English pears.

That lasts for several seconds when it is sublimated by the taste of peardrops! Remarkable though this may seem, it happened with every sip of this most excellent product. And it is extremely refreshing, too!

It is called Drop (as in Peardrop, of course!) and if you want to be at the forefront of the next poptastic (sorry!) taste sensation, then you'd better look to either drinking it or stocking it in your shop, pub, or restaurant. Just visit http://dropdrinks.co.uk to find out where to buy it retail or wholesale.

Mount Valley plan to bring out 12 other different, yet equally tasty and refreshing pop drinks, with one every three months or so.

So remember where you heard about it first!

Free ice cream on Fridays from Domino's

Make Fridays a cool experience with the latest deal from Domino’s Pizza. The pizza delivery expert’s new Free Ice-cream Fridays are a real treat.

Just spend over £20 online with Domino’s on a Friday and receive a 500ml tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream for free.

With four favourite Ben & Jerry’s flavours included in the deal, they’re a perfect end to your pizza feast. Choose from Caramel Chew Chew, moreish Chocolate Fudge Brownie, delicious Cookie Dough and Phish Food.

Simon Wallis, sales and marketing director at Domino’s, said: “We’re delighted to create another reason for pizza lovers to celebrate the end of the week with Free Ice-cream Fridays. After a piping hot Pepperoni Passion, there’s nothing better than tucking into a tub of ice-cream and this great deal is guaranteed to make Fridays fantastic from now on!”

To grab a slice of the action with Domino’s and Free Ice-cream Fridays, order online at www.dominos.co.uk.

Happy 140th birthday, Ben Shaws!

Ben Shaws, the soft drinks manufacturer who brought the distinctive taste of Dandelion and Burdock – amongst others - to the people of the UK, is 140 years old this year.

To celebrate this landmark, the company has embarked on a tour of the country’s county shows where not only will visitors get a chance to sample the flavours of Cloudy Lemonade, Bitter Shandy, Cream Soda and the famous Dandelion and Burdock, but to vote on which one is their favourite. 

What’s more, back in the days when the Miss World competition was a global phenomenon, Yorkshire had its very own version – Miss Ben Shaws. Each year a girl who was seen to embody all the qualities of Ben Shaws – fun, sparkling personality, plenty of fizz! – was crowned the winner each year and given a free crate of Ben Shaws soft drinks every month for the year of her reign.  The title was much sought after and hundreds of girls entered every year.

Now, as Ben Shaws celebrates 140 years of business, the firm is to pay homage to the old days by looking to crown a number of contemporary Miss Ben Shaws. “Each and every one of our new Miss Ben Shaws will be given a year’s supply of our soft drinks each,” added Sundeep.  “We’ve had tremendous support from the fans of Ben Shaws over the years and we want them to come and celebrate this landmark birthday with us.”

The company was founded in 1871 by Ben Shaw himself, who used the family shire horses Bonny, Blossom, Cherry and Dick to deliver his soft drinks via horse and cart.  In later years the firm used what became known as the Ben Shaws “pop van” and the drinks came in glass bottles that when returned were a popular way for children to earn pocket money.  And for a shilling an hour, Ben Shaw’s grandchildren would watch the bottles coming off the production line, checking for specks of dirt, making sure very bottle was perfect.

“We’re very excited about it all,” said a spokesman.  “140 years is a long time to be in business and it’s great to see that the original four flavours are as popular as ever.  It’s a brand that has stood the test of time and is as popular now as it was all those years ago.”

As part of Ben Shaws’ birthday celebrations, they can be found at:
Eccleston County Fair 16-17July

Southport Air Show  23-24 July

For more information, visit either www.benshawsdrinks.co.uk or www.facebook.com/benshaws

FACTFILE:

Ben Shaws® was started in 1871 in Huddersfield by Ben Shaw himself, beginning by bottling and selling natural mineral water from the Pennine Hills.  Ben Shaw then expanded into making soft drinks in his own, purpose-built factory, and distributed his drinks to various shops in the Yorkshire area via horse and cart, using his family’s Shire horses Bonny, Blossom, Cherry and Dick.  In later years the firm used what became known as the Ben Shaws “pop van”. 

The drinks came in glass bottles that when returned were a popular way for children to earn pocket money.  And for a shilling an hour, Ben Shaw’s grandchildren would watch the bottles coming off the production line, checking for specks of dirt.  Every bottle had to be perfect.

Those descendents followed him into the business, and in 1959 the company became the first in Europe to invest in the can – the very latest in soft drinks technology.

The name Ben Shaws is synonymous with premium quality, and the Ben Shaws’ range of soft drinks comprises the well-loved Dandelion and Burdock, Cloudy Lemonade, Bitter Shandy and Cream Soda

Cott Beverages purchased Ben Shaws in 2005 and has upheld its pledge to maintain the company’s standards and reputation.

(EDITOR: Still tastes just as good!)

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Domino's offer an extra-special good deal from today

To celebrate its new Domino’s Stuffed Crust(TM), Domino's has announced two social platform initiatives to spread the word – a location-based offer integrated with Facebook® Deals and internet-based treasure hunt, Domino’s Stuffed Crust Quest.

The Facebook Deals promotion starts today, Thursday (June 23, 2011) and offers a free garlic pizza bread when Facebook users check in to any UK Domino’s store and order a Domino’s Stuffed Crust. To claim, customers need to present the check in screen on their mobile to the order taker. By checking in with their Facebook account, pizza lovers can publish it back to Facebook and share it with friends.

For treasure hunters, Domino’s Stuffed Crust Quest will launch later this week. The interactive quest challenges Domino’s fans to follow clues around the internet during a limited time period to collect a series of letters. The letters will spell out a secret code redeemable for tasty Domino’s Stuffed Crust bounty. The quest has been integrated with Domino’s Facebook Page, where the first clue will be released over the next several days via a special status update.

Simon Wallis, who has the enviable job of sales and marketing director at Domino’s, said: “We’re delighted to announce the integration with Facebook Deals and Domino’s Stuffed Crust Quest to generate additional buzz across social platforms and encourage pizza lovers to get onboard with our new product. We know that our Facebook fans love to interact with us and hope these activities will really help to whet their appetite for our new Domino’s Stuffed Crust.”

Domino’s Stuffed Crust features mozzarella cheese with a hint of garlic and herbs in Domino’s famous fresh dough. Domino’s Stuffed Crust is now available on all medium and large pizzas in stores across the UK.

Get yourself a tasty deal by checking in via Facebook or start treasure hunting with Domino’s Stuffed Crust Quest at www.facebook.com/DominosPizza.

Violet liquer to be a hit this year

Gorgeous to look at as well as to taste, The Bitter Truth Crѐme de Violette is made from wild violet blossoms that grow in the Alps which are then added to the finest grain spirit. The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur captures the delicate elegant flavours of this fragile flower in a very impressive way and it is just as happy to be sipped over ice or mixed up in classic cocktails such as The Aviation or the Violet Julep. To taste it is slightly sweet and flowery however the violet aroma is very unobtrusive and all natural.

 Liqueurs date back centuries and are historical descendants of herbal medicines, primarily prepared by monks. Liqueurs were made in Europe as early as the 13th century when medical scientists brought the knowhow of distillation with them from the crusades. The consumption of liqueurs was later required at all treaty signings during the Middle Ages.

The Bitter Truth liqueurs are prepared by infusing only the best natural ingredients like fruits, flowers and spices in either water or alcohol (maceration), and adding sugar. With an ABV of 22% they have a lower alcohol content than spirits.

The lovely luminous colour is derived from the delicate flowers from which it is made and which provides its hint of sweetness with a top floral note. With The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur it is possible to mix classic cocktails like The Aviation and The Blue Moon and including ingredients as listed in the original recipes dating back to early twentieth century times, but it’s also equally good in more modern concoctions such as the Violet Fizz.

How to make a Violet Julep:

50ml Barcelo Gran Platinum Rum
20ml The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur
20ml Lime juice
10ml Sugar syrup
Mint leaves

Muddle mint with rum, add other ingredients (except Violet Liqueur), ice and stir. Float with violet liqueur and garnish with mint leaves.

Available from Harvey Nichols nationwide and www.thedrinkshop.com prices from £20.82 for 500ml bottle, 22%abv.

Hot spring means bumper crop for wild fruit jam makers

Jam-makers are excited after an expert predicted what could be the best ever year for wild fruit and berry harvests in the UK.

Leading foraging expert Chris Bax said the warmest spring on record has filled the nation's trees and bushes with blossom, which points to a bumper fruit harvest.

Wild raspberries and strawberries are already starting to show and there are good signs of a fantastic blackthorn crop; meanwhile, commercially grown strawberries are already 150 per cent up and grape harvests set to create new records.

All of which is music to the ears of the nation’s jam-makers. Once considered the preserve of older generations, it's enjoying a renaissance thanks to celebrity jam-makers like Kate Moss and Zoe Ball who have helped jam jars sales double in the last 12 months.

Mr Bax, who runs Taste The Wild and is an advisor to British cooker manufacturer Stoves, said: “We’ve had optimum growing conditions with a harsh, cold winter and a spring with little frost and the warmest ever temperatures – a perfect climatic event for our nation’s wild fruit and berries.

“I expect the country to be laden with fruit, and with wild species such hawthorn and wild cherry in abundance, it’s great news if you want to make your own jam with free fruit.”

To capitalise on the bumper fruit harvest and the appetite for jam-making, Stoves has commissioned Mr Bax to produce an iPhone app showing how to collect free wild fruit and berries with recipes for home-made jam.

The ‘Wild Jam Maker’ app lists fruits and berries growing wild in the UK and recipes include Sea Buckthorn Jam and Wild Cherry Jam. The free app can be downloaded from the Apple App store.

Jane Rylands, Stoves’ brand manager, said: “Jam-making is very much in vogue at the moment and with such a bumper crop of fruit this year, our free app will help Britain’s jam-makers find new and interesting recipes using ingredients direct from the land.”

Free fruit is bursting not just from the great British countryside, but also in our towns and cities too – you can pick rowan, blackberry and cherry plum in urban areas.

The world’s biggest jam festival – the WI Stoves Real Jam Festival – will take place in October this year. Last year’s event attracted more than 500 entries from men, women and children across the

For more information on Stoves follow @StovesUK on Twitter and www.facebook.com/StovesUK

FACTFILE:
Founded in 1920, Stoves is one of the UK’s best loved cooking brands. It is also one of the only major kitchen appliance brands still committed to manufacturing in the UK with 100% of its freestanding cookers, built-in ovens and hobs and range cookers assembled at its Merseyside headquarters. All products are designed and built in the UK specifically with British cooks in mind. Visit www.stoves.co.uk to view the full product range.

(EDITOR: When foraging for fruits always ensure you are legally entitled to do so. For example, it's best not to encroach on private land, without the permission of the owner)

Bio-Synergy goes Skinny Mouse

Bio-Synergy would like to introduce the newest product in the Skinny range. The lowest calorie and healthy dessert on the market, Bio-Synergy Skinny Mousse.

The new guilt free indulgence Bio-Synergy Skinny Mousse will hit the chillers in the Dairy aisle at the start of July. This low calorie dessert is enhanced with chromium which contains naturally occurring amino acids which helps suppress your sugar cravings.

Bio-Synergy Skinny Mousse comes in two delicious flavours Chocolate less than 80k/cals and Caramel less than 50k/cals , both of which are low in, fat, sugar and carbohydrate. This mouth wateringly tasty treat can be eaten every day without feeling like you need to hit the gym for a week!

Each delicious mousse is an excellent complement to any meal, as well as after a workout or as a low calorie snack. Perfect to fit into a healthy eating regime.

By the way, Bio-Synergy Skinny Mousse will launch with a promotion with Gossip Girl Season 5 to win an exclusive trip to New York.

Well known for Bio-Synergy Skinny Water that has come out top in countless surveys carried out by national media – it was voted number one in a ‘no diet, diet’ test for News of the World’s Fabulous magazine, and scored nine out of ten in a weight loss poll for the Daily Mirror. In addition, it has been voted top product by Women’s Fitness and Slim at Home magazine.