Sunday, 8 January 2012

That's Health: Great news, calories are meaningless!

That's Health: Great news, calories are meaningless!: There have never been more low calorie and low fat products in the supermarkets, with some “light” products doubling their market share ye...

Croft Pink , it's the colour of love

Whilst red suggests passion, pink is said to be the colour of unconditional and romantic love, which is why Croft Pink is the drink of choice on St Valentine’s Day.

This warm and giving rosé, with its delicate, soft cherry hue, is always a welcoming loving cup, especially enjoyed by those who like to have more fun with their drink.

Croft Pink is for lovers of informality and versatility, especially when served chilled, over ice or in a delicious cocktail or two bringing out its vibrant raspberry flavours with hints of honey and grapefruit.

Show your love with a Pink Blossom, a lovingly effervescent cocktail of Croft Pink, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine and frozen berries (recipe below). Or be stirred, be shaken, be adventurous and let loose with a Runaway – a spirited blend of Croft Pink, Calvados, Benedictine, lemon juice and Angostura.

Spice it up with Pink Cashmere, an exotic blend of Croft Pink with apricot nectar and a gentle kick of black pepper. Get fresh and seductive with an Apple and Pink Julep - a really cool mix of Croft Pink, apple juice, sheaves of mint leaves over mountains of ice. You’ll find these and more luscious cocktails at http://www.croftpink.com/#/recipes.

Alternatively, serve it simple, as a chilled aperitif with almonds and olives; perhaps even finish your romantic dinner for two with a glass of Croft Pink to accompany a light dessert or bite of dark chocolate.

Here’s to love and romance this St Valentine’s with a little help from Croft Pink available from £10.88, at Sainsbury, Co-Op and Selfridges.

Saturday, 7 January 2012

Will you detox or comfort eat this winter?

Shedding the pounds with the traditional January detox might prove harder than normal this year for some as new evidence reveals Britons have been comfort eating in record numbers in the face of a worsening economic climate.

Results from the UK's largest food website, www.bbcgoodfood.com the website from the  Good Food Magazine, reveal that cake has overtaken chicken as the most searched-for food term on the website in 2011. In addition, pizza has rocketed up the list of popular searches, from 10th in 2010 to 4th. That other Italian comfort food staple, pasta, has also entered the top ten list of most-searched recipes for the first time.

Other search trends reveal:

Consumers are seeking out more adventurous ingredients and combinations with Chicken and chorizo jambalaya the highest rated recipe of 2011.
Mackerel shot up 10 places from 21 to 10 as users search for different fish to try. Salmon and sea bass also made it into the top 10 searched-for list.
Couscous and courgette (the latter a favourite in 2010) have dropped out of the top ten.
Canapés have also fallen out of the top ten, suggesting we're entertaining less often or prefer more relaxed party food.

February's Good Food Magazine £3.60 is a healthy cooking special, on sale 6th January. It includes quick, feel-good family meals, easy ways to reach your 5-a-day target, energy-boosting snacks and a recipe for dairy-free pizza.

According to Gillian Carter, the editor of the bGood Food Magazine: 'It's not surprising that in tough times we reach for comforting food. One of the ways we keep calm and carry on is with cake and a cuppa - or our imported national favourites - pasta and pizza. However, with a New Year comes a fresh start, so many of us will want to shed a few pounds and this month's healthy issue is packed with inspiring, achievable recipes to help you do this.'


(EDITOR: Is this true of the readers of That's Food and Drink? What do YOU think?)

That's Home and Household: Gorenje Launches Revolutionary HomeCHEF Oven With ...

That's Home and Household: Gorenje Launches Revolutionary HomeCHEF Oven With ...: Gorenje, the Slovenian appliance manufacturer famed for its creative and innovative products, is proud to present the HomeCHEF, a revolution...

Thursday, 5 January 2012

Loseley recipe for Mother's Day Sunday 18 March

Loseley MotherMother's Day is Sunday 18 March and this recipe from Loseley is ideal for all the family to make.
Cooking supplies:

• 6-7 eggs
• 1/4 cup of pineapple orange banana juice
• 1 cup of flour
• 3/4 stick Loseley Summer Meadow butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Whipped cream
• Strawberries
• Powdered sugar

Cooking directions:

- Have the children mix all the ingredients together the eggs, flour, salt, milk, sugar and juice.

- Next, have the children place the Loseley Summer Meadow butter in a 7X11 baking dish and place in the oven.

- Turn oven on to 425 degrees.

- When the Loseley butter is bubbling, add the batter to the baking dish.

- Cook it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the edges turn deep golden brown.

- While the batter is baking, have the children cut up the strawberries.

- When the Pancake Puff is ready, have the children add on whipped cream, then strawberries and powdered sugar.

And, voila, the children are now ready to serve Mother’s Day Pancake Puff with Strawberries to mom!

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter is packed in a 250g tub and available for £1.39p.

Loseley Chilled Foods are available from the chilled cabinet of local independent grocers, Ocado and Waitrose. Visit www.loseley.com for more information.

Who Is Lincolnshire's Favourite Food Producer?

Think your favourite brand of Lincolnshire sausage is second to none?! Can't live without your favourite producer's recipe for plumbread?!

For the very first time The Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire Partnership are inviting the public to vote for The People's Choice Award - Local Producer of the Year, sponsored by Lincolnshire Co-operative.

Fans of Lincolnshire's award winning food can vote for their favourite Lincolnshire producer from the list of Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire members online at www.tastesoflincolnshire.com, www.selectlincolnshire.com or www.lincolnshire.coop

Links are also available on the Tastes of Lincolnshire Facebook page.

Mary Powell of Lincolnshire County Council and The Select Lincolnshire & Tastes of Lincolnshire Partnership comments "We are justifiably proud of our fantastic food and drink - I believe no other county has a passion for feeding the nation like we do! We know shoppers have their favourite Lincolnshire delicacies; and now we want them to tell us which producer they think deserves this outstanding accolade.

We are very pleased that Lincolnshire Co-operative and The DoubleTree by Hilton are sponsoring our awards this year; and showing such support to the county's vital food and drink industry"

Lincolnshire Co-operative's Supply Chain Manager Nicola Berry said: "We're delighted to sponsor the Food and Drink Awards 2012 as we believe there's lots to celebrate in the field of Lincolnshire produce, especially as we're now officially recognised as the Best British Food Spot.

"The category we have chosen to support is the People's Choice Award. We know from the popularity of our Local Choice range that yellowbellies love the quality local food from their county. We really hope that lots of people get behind their favourite producer and vote so we can find out who deserves this prestigious title in 2012."

One lucky person who votes will win two tickets to the exclusive awards ceremony and a luxury over night stay at the brand new DoubleTree by Hilton, Lincoln on the 2nd February 2012; where the 'who's who' of the Lincolnshire Food Industry will dine on the finest 3 course, locally sourced menu created by new Hilton Head Chef Alec Maxfield formerly of The Fat Duck, and be entertained by guest speaker Tim Nicol - Village Champion for Taste Tideswell, part of BBC One's Village SOS programme.

If you are a member of the food and drink industry and would like to attend the prestigious Lincolnshire Life, Tastes of Lincolnshire and Select Lincolnshire awards; and invest in a fantastic opportunity to network and meet industry peers and contacts - please contact Hayley Bury, Hayley@baybury.co.uk telephone 01522 823784 or visit www.tastesoflincolnshire.com / www.selectlincolnshire.com for further details.

I Should Co-Yo! - Following Its Success In Australia, Coconut Milk Yoghurt Lauches In The UK

Coconut is the latest " super food",with everyone from Madonna to Erin O'Connor and Miranda Kerr reaping the benefits, and now a unique new product, COYO coconut milk yoghurt, is being created for the first time in the UK.

COYO is made from coconut milk and is free from any added sugar, lactose, dairy, gluten, soya and additives.

Unlike soya, which some people find hard to digest and can be an acquired taste, COYO is "simply delicious" says nutritionist Bethany Eaton, who is dairy intolerant herself, and came across the product in Australia whilst trying to source alternatives to yoghurt for her clients.

She liked it so much she immediately started talking to creators Henry and Sandra Gosling about bringing COYO to the UK and she is now producing it under licence at a small family run factory in Hastings, East Sussex.

"When I first tried the yoghurt I was blown away by how good it tasted and it is wonderful to now be able to share it with people here", says Bethany who has run a busy nutrition practice at the Hale Clinic in Central London since 2004.

"Coconut is an amazing food with a multitude of health benefits", she adds.

"Some people used to avoid it at all costs because of its high fat content but increasingly research is showing just how good it can be for you in so many ways.

Coconut is very nutritious, satisfies hunger really well and also increases the metabolism."

COYO is the perfect dairy alternative for both adults and children and has been entered for the Free From Food Awards 2012.

COYO can be used in exactly the same way as normal yoghurt. You can have it in a bowl with honey, add it to your breakfast muesli or fruit salad , dollop it into a soup or have it alongside chilli con carne.

COYO comes in 400g and 250g sizes in two delicious flavours; natural and mixed berry, with more flavours to be released early 2012. The average calorie count per 100g serving is 150 calories.

COYO can be found in Planet Organic and other health food stores this month and launches in John Lewis food halls February. COYO retails at £5.49 for 250g, £6.99 for 400g and £3.49 for single serving pots

For more information email info@coyo.co.uk also see website www.coyo.co.uk

The Freeform Food Awards take place in April 2012.

FACTFILE:

Bethany Eaton 33, lives in Chislehurst in Kent with her husband Paul and two children, Megan 5 & James, 7 months. Bethany retrained as a nutritionist after serving as a police office in Hackney.

Bethany has a Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional medicine.

Henry and Sandra Gosling started COYO Australia in 2009; they now ship throughout Australia.

Loseley Valentine Cupcakes

Loseley Valentine Cupcakes

Give this Valentine’s Day a twist of sheer loveliness in the form of Valentine Cupcakes with Loseley Summer Meadow Butter.

These little delights will bring an element of light, fluffy love and happiness to the table on the key date of the year to unlock all hearts. (Makes 10 small cupcakes)

Ingredients:

For the Cakes:

Egg (free range please) 1
plain flour (or use self raising and omit the baking powder) 75G
Sugar 50g
Loseley Summer Meadow Butter 62g
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial 3 tsp
Pink food colouring (optional) few drops

For the Frosting:

If you will be spreading rather than piping your frosting you will need rather less.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter 75g
Icing sugar 250g
Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial 1 – 2 tbs

Method:

Add the eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt to a bowl and beat with a hand whisk until blended. Add the cordial and briefly mix again. The batter should be loose enough to dollop off a spoon.

Line a bun tin with fairy cake cases. Fill each case 2/3 with batter and bake at 190C / GM 5 for about 12 minutes.

Chef’s Tip:

The secret to fluffy buttercream is to beat the butter really well before you add any sugar. The trick is to make the butter cream in the food processor to prevent the kitchen being covered in clouds of icing sugar. If you make it with a hand mixer you will need to add the icing sugar slowly to the butter.

Put the butter in the food processor bowl and process for a minute or so, until soft and fluffy. Pour in the icing sugar and cordial, put the lid back on and cover with a damp tea towel, and process again. Scrape the sides down adding more cordial or icing sugar if needed and process again.

Decorate your cakes, using sprinkles and love hearts.

Both raw cake batter and the frosting freeze well.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter is packed in a 250g tub and costs £1.39p.

Loseley Chilled Foods are available from the chilled cabinet of local independent grocers, Waitrose and Ocado. Visit www.loseley.com for more information.

Molinari Sambuca launches new contemporary website designed by Appnova to capture the glamour of the cocktail era with a virtual bar experience

Fresh design approach reflects vintage appeal of iconic Molinari Sambuca drinks brand and aims for a more youthful audience through digital games and social media

Molinari, the Italian family-owned drinks business, has just launched its new website to coincide with a refresh of the brand in order to attract a new, younger audience. The website - www.molinari.it – went live towards the end of 2011 in Italian and was followed shortly after in English, German and Spanish. It has been designed and developed by London web agency Appnova in partnership with Armando Testa.

Appnova set out to design a website that was contemporary, fresh and young whilst building on the company’s heritage as one of Italy’s most respected and long-standing family businesses. The website has also been optimized for use with mobiles and to support mobile apps.

Molinari is one of the most high-profile brands in Italy and is probably best known throughout the world for Sambuca, a smooth, rich, full-bodied liqueur that was created in 1945 by Angelo Molinari. Molinari Sambuca is the only brand permitted by Italian law to use the term ‘Extra’ because of its extra quality, in terms of taste and the drink’s reputation for igniting better than other competitor brands when flamed in the traditional manner.

Anna Ballirano, Marketing Manager at Molinari commented, “Molinari Sambuca is now one of Italy’s most celebrated masterpieces, the best-selling drink in the country, and the most cherished Sambuca in the world. {{We wanted our new website to reflect our heritage in a modern, edgy way. We are delighted with the results}} of Appnova’s highly creative approach and are confident it will attract a younger clientele as well as appealing to our traditional, loyal customer base.”

The sleek imagery of the new website is minimalist and modern with the use of flash giving it excitement and youthful movement. At the same time, the modern contemporary cocktail bar also incorporates vintage elements, to suggest a more glamorous, bygone age.

When visitors first enter Molinari’s new website, they are invited to enter a cocktail lounge. By taking part in a host of short, interactive games, visitors earn three passes that enable them to gain full access to the terrace, a VIP area of the bar where special guests enjoy a show and are offered a virtual glass of Extra Molinari.

Once they have picked up their cocktail, explored the company’s history, its iconic products and downloaded the latest recipes, visitors have the opportunity to share their thoughts, favourite cocktails or game results – in fact, their total Molinari experience - with other customers through a variety of social media including Facebook and Twitter.

Jamie Ettedgui, Managing Director of Appnova, concluded; “Our interactive approach, which makes the most of today’s digital technology and social media networking channels, is designed to maximise customer interaction and fully immerse them in the Molinari experience. We have both the technical and design expertise to deliver what we know works – to provide both an engaging and enjoyable experience for the customer that results in the sales for the brand.”
Molinari now has a highly creative, multi-language website that provides the ideal platform for launching other marketing initiatives in the future.

In addition to designing the website, Appnova is supporting Molinari with the company’s ongoing social media strategy.

FACTFILE:
Molinari is an Italian-owned family drinks business, probably best known throughout the world for Sambuca, a smooth, rich, full-bodied liqueur that was created in 1945 by Angelo Molinari. Molinari Sambuca is the best selling liqueur in Italy. It is the only brand permitted by Italian law to use the term ‘Extra’ because of its extra quality, in terms of taste and the drink’s reputation for igniting better than other competitor brands when flamed in the traditional manner.

For more information, please visit www.molinari.it

Statistics Show Scots Are A Nation Of Domino’s Pizza Lovers – Average Of One Domino’s Pizza Per Head Of Population Sold in 2010

As Domino's Pizza celebrates 15 years in Scotland this month, new statistics prove we are indeed a nation of pizza lovers; with Domino’s Pizza selling one pizza per head of population in 2010.

With 47 stores across the country and over 1,100 staff, Domino’s Pizza has made great strides in Scotland as the population has munched its way through new pizzas such as the Domino’s Gourmet range and recently introduced Stuffed Crust, limited edition favourites including the Reggae Reggae made with Levi Roots’ famous sauce and the Haggis pizza (specially introduced for Burns Night), as well as firm favourites including Pepperoni Passion and Texas BBQ.

Pizzas from Domino’s stores across the country have been delivered to golf courses, gyms, patients in hospitals and paramedics and firefighters…even on stage to Strictly Come Dancing winner Harry Judd and fellow bandmates during a McFly concert in Edinburgh.

Chris Forrester, Domino’s franchisee who opened the first store in Great Western Road in December 1996, explains the success of the UK’s number one pizza delivery service in Scotland: “Since we launched to our customers in the West End of Glasgow late December 1996, Domino’s Pizza has become a firm favourite for students, couples, groups of friends and families. We’ve seen a massive increase in the home delivery market in 15 years, and as customers become more discerning, they’ve increasingly come to Domino’s Pizza to deliver a piping hot, freshly made treat.”

Join a nation of pizza lovers by ordering online at www.dominos.co.uk or using Domino’s iPad, iPhone and Android ordering apps.