Tea Room visits

Ellis Tea Room Guide website, sweep across the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales in his bid to seek out the highs and lows of English tea rooms and save more from closing. His passion is not for the ‘cuppa’ tea itself, but for the tea room: the ambience, the staff friendliness, and the attention to detail of both what is served and the environment.

Ellis said ‘statistics show that 15 traditional English tea rooms are closing down every week, and they really need our support to keep going. If I find a tea room which is what I deem not my cup of tea, I am not afraid to say so. Many tea rooms finding themselves in this category in the past have contacted me for advice on what they can do to improve, and I am always happy to help’.

Ellis advocates supporting the more traditional tea rooms; painted pretty colours, with lace tablecloths and pretty china; and staff who get to know their customers. They usually give their customers a hearty welcome and value for money.

Ellis was delighted with the standard of tea rooms in the areas visited although he was disappointed that the majority he visited were self service.

Ellis points out ‘the experience of an afternoon tea, or even brunch or lunch in a tea room should be relaxing and enjoyable. Having to order at the counter is not really conducive to this concept. I even encountered one establishment, where the waitress came to the table specifically to tell me to order at the counter…why could she have not just taken my order?’

Of course the vast majority of the tea rooms visited on this trip had the added bonus of the beautiful countryside of the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales, and therefore the views from windows and tea gardens were worth the visit alone. Sadly though out of 19 tea rooms visited, 11 were open and were reviewed, two were closed despite the visits during opening hours, and the other six had closed down apparently only recently.

Just one tea room received the accolade of not my cup of tea but this was mainly because it was more of a café than a tea room in the true sense of the title.

Ellis continues to travel England in his quest to save the English tea room.

Joe Ellis’ website is very popular and he receives good feedback on the tea rooms he visits daily. He is also editor of the Time for Tea magazine which can be subscribed to via the site at www.tea-room-guide.org.uk

Britain's oldest farm shop critical of supermarkets

Hinchliffe's Award Winning Butchers

The boss of the UK’s oldest farm shop has criticised supermarket giants for being too expensive and not providing consumers with enough good quality produce from their region.

Simon Hirst, partner in the family-run Hinchliffe’s Farm Shop based in Netherton, West Yorkshire – which was established in 1974 – said consumers were “missing out” by being forced to buy from supermarkets.

“The supermarkets have had a stranglehold on our food chain for so long we’ve been given little choice but to trawl the multiples’ aisles for food that is poor quality, poorly sourced and, particularly in the case of the meat products, over-priced,” says Hirst, the fourth generation manager of the Yorkshire farm, which is famed for its top-quality beef, chicken and on-site butchers shop. “The supermarkets would have us believe they are cheaper than the farm shops and farmers’ markets but, in many cases, this simply isn’t true.”

For two years in a row, Hinchliffe’s meat cuts have proved to be cheaper than those from the nearest supermarket with its latest price comparison survey showing that 18 out of 20 products are the same or better value than the local Sainsbury’s, with cooked ham, chicken breasts, pork chops and cooked beef more than half the price.

“Supermarkets may sell ‘value’ meat but really it has no value,” says Hirst, the great-grandchild of Hinchliffe’s founder Charlie Hinchliffe. “Our meat is hand reared on the farm, and we butcher on site too so we know exactly what has gone in to the meat from plot to plate. Because there’s no middle man and zero food miles we can offer it at a cheaper price than the supermarkets but still ensure top quality.”

Hinchliffe’s butchers sell award-winning fresh beef from its own herd of South Devons, bred and fed on family-run farms – and the family are closely involved in every stage from feeding to handling. Hinchliffe’s highly skilled butchers bone out and cure meat, and make award-winning sausages and homemade pies and pasties on site.

“Some 85% of the food and drink that is sold in the farm shop is sourced from trusted local producers,” adds Hirst. “Giving our customers the confidence that what they buy will be top notch – and from their region – injecting money back into their local communities, and not into the pockets of the supermarket bosses.

“Like many local, family businesses, we’re passionate about what we do, and can give that one-to-one personal service that supermarkets cannot. Multinationals and chains are stripping away the unique character of our high street – and our countryside – so let’s make a stand before we all end up living in identikit towns and cities.”

Hinchliffe’s Farm Shop, Butchery and Restaurant, established in 1929, has been an integral part of the landscape of Huddersfield for generations, weathering eight prime ministers, four recessions, three royal jubilees and a great fire that completely destroyed its Netherton premises back in 2010. Hinchliffe’s can say with all honesty that nothing stops its from serving its customers.

It’s commitment to its customers saw it win a coveted ‘Customer at the Heart’ award this month, which is nominated solely by customers to celebrate and praise independent retailers who work hard to make sure their customers are happy, that they have great choice and that they leave the store feeling content.

Visit www.hinchliffes.com

My Secret Kitchen launches UK’s first Sweet Seasoning

The UK's first food tasting company are very proud to the first to launch a sweet seasoning mix which is included in the next of their range of Secret Spices.

Secret Vanilla Pudding Spices cleverly combine vanilla with cinnamon, ground coriander seed, ginger and the secret ingredient, roasted cassia. Cassia – also known as Chinese cinnamon – has a similar appearance to cinnamon bark but with a stronger flavour. Roasting it also gives a wonderfully unique toasted flavour, and helps to make the Secret Vanilla Pudding Spices a must-have ingredient for autumn and winter comfort baking.

It will add a tasty twist to puddings and desserts – and is especially awesome in a traditional English apple pie. Phil Moran, co-founder, commented “There are so many varieties of savoury seasonings in the market place, why not sweet? Our Vanilla Pudding Secret Spices help continue our quest to provide people with different ingredients that have a multitude of uses. You can use it as a sweet topping for drinks, mixing into custard or dusting onto popcorn or marshmallows”

Another new addition is the Firecracker Chilli Secret Spice. This seasoning is simply bursting with fiery flavours thanks to an authentic blend of Mexico’s ‘holy trinity’ of chillies. This includes the sweet and mild ancho, the dark and liquorice-like pasilla, and the red and fruity guajillo. Together with the flavours and spicy heat of cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic and Mexican oregano, this Secret Spice is so much easier to use than fresh chillies – just ¼ tsp will replace one small red chilli.

Both Secret Spices are priced at £4.49 and available from www.mysecretkitchen.com or through a home tasting via My Secret Kitchen independent team of consultants

60 Redwood Vegetarian And Vegan Foods Awarded Halal Certification

Sixty vegetarian and vegan friendly foods produced by award-winning ethical food firm The Redwood Wholefood Company have been certified halal by the European Halal Development Agency (EHDA).

It is believed to be the first time that a vegan food manufacturer has been awarded halal certification. In 2010, Redwood was also awarded kosher certification by the Manchester Beth Din.

"We sought halal certification because we wanted to make our vegetarian and vegan friendly foods available to Muslims throughout the world" said Lee Rockingham at Redwood, which makes plant-based foods under the VegiDeli, Cheezly and Cheatin’ brand names.

Among the many different vegetarian and vegan friendly foods now halal certified by the EHDA are Redwood’s animal-free alternatives to beef, poultry, fish and cheese, including burgers and sausages, ‘bacon’, ‘fish’ fingers and ‘mozzarella’.

Owned by charity campaigner Heather Mills, Redwood was recently rated the UK’s most ethical vegetarian foods provider by The Ethical Company Organisation for the seventh year running.

All its foods are free from animal ingredients and derivatives as well as cholesterol, artificial colours/preservatives, lactose, hydrogenated fats and GMOs.

In the UK, the range is sold through health food shops, selected supermarkets and Redwood’s online store www.redwoodfoods.co.uk.

Lockhart Catering Equipment brings latest innovations to Wembley

Lockhart Catering Equipment has announced that a showcase of the latest innovations in catering equipment from over 30 of the world's leading manufacturers will once again be returning to Wembley Stadium, for one day only on Wednesday 5th September from 10.00am - 4pm. Promising to be bigger and better than ever, 'The Show', now in its 4th year, will feature live cooking demonstrations, food samples and top tips from Michelin star chef, Mark Sargeant.

Visitors can also expect to see the latest innovations and gadgets from leading manufacturers such as Rational, Frima International, Winterhalter, Steelite International, Churchill China, Dudson, Gram, Falcon Foodservice, Lincat, Elia International, T&G Woodware and many more.

The experience will kick off with hands on product demonstrations and visitors can also view the latest 'must-have' equipment for the catering industry, whilst getting up front and personal with new launches.

A highlight of the day will be the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the London 2012 Olympic Venue, including the kitchens, which cater for up to 90,000 people in a 20 minute half-time interval, plus the changing rooms, press box, Royal box and pitch side.

Chris Wakeman, Managing Director, Lockhart Catering Equipment commented: "We're thrilled to be returning to Wembley for the fourth consecutive year to showcase the latest innovations in catering equipment. We'd like to extend a very warm welcome to Mark Sargeant who'll be cooking up some fantastic dishes and taking part in a Q&A session. Visitors will also have the opportunity to see product ranges before buying, as well as taking advantage of amazing price offers exclusively available on the day."

To register a place, interested parties can visit www.lockhartcatering.co.uk, click on the link 'join us at the show' and then the image of Wembley. Alternatively, email the.show@bunzl.co.uk. Places are restricted for

Cake & Bake Show -UK's first baking show

Brits are embracing baking like never before, it’s become one of our biggest growing trends and to celebrate this, the UK’s first baking exhibition, The Cake and Bake Show launches at Earls Court in September. The show offers something for everyone with an array of features that will appeal to home bakers and professionals alike.

The Cake and Bake Show stars the biggest names in the baking world including Great British Bake Off judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry as well as winners Edd Kimber and Jo Wheatley along with Eric Lanlard, Richard Bertinet, Fabulous Baker Brother Tom Herbert, renowned chocolatier Paul A Young, plus many more.

Highlights of the show include:
• A dedicated cake demonstration area headlined by Mary Berry
• A dedicated bread area and demonstration theatre supported by the Real Bread Campaign
• A food market offering cakes, breads and pies and stands selling the latest baking equipment
• Classroom areas with tutorials on the latest baking trends and techniques
• For sugarcraft fans there’ll be expert-led classes and demonstrations, Squires Kitchen’s International School and Mich Turner MBE will be on hand at the show in their own dedicated feature areas
• A children’s area headlined by Annabel Karmel from CiTV and featuring The Grainchain.com Bake Off offering the chance for amateur bakers to test their baking skills across a number of categories

The world of cake and bake has never been so popular and The Cake & Bake Show 2012 offers everything the home baker, sugarcrafter, cake eater, amateur enthusiast or professional baker would need. Baking fans of all ages will come together for a weekend of guaranteed eating, encouragement, education and entertainment.

• www.thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk
• Twitter: @cakeandbakeshow Facebook: www.facebook.com/cakeandbakeshow
• Dates: 22-23 September 2012
• Venue: Earls Court, London
• Tickets: In advance - £12.50 adults, £10 concessions (OAPs and students), £5 children aged 5-12, free for under 5s; £18 weekend. On the door - £15 adults, £12 concessions, £7 children, free under 5s
• Headline sponsor: BakingMad.com is the UK’s most visited home baking website - is a friendly online community where all types of home bakers find inspiring recipes and tips; meet like-minded people; and connect with home baking experts, making it the perfect partner to the Cake & Bake Show 2012.

Westfield Stratford City works with Popular UK Restaurants to Release Free Cookery Book

Today Westfield Stratford City launches a free downloadable cookery book, packed full of recipes from its famously diverse collection of East London restaurants

Showcasing Westfield Stratford City’s extensive food offering, the ‘Around The World Recipes From Westfield’ book hopes to inspire visitors to taste something new at the centre and try some of the authentic recipe creations at home.

The cookery book features 25 recipes from ten popular restaurants including a variety of cuisines like moussaka from The Real Greek, Busaba Eathai’s pandan chicken, Caribbean sea bass by Rhythm Kitchen and All Star Lanes’ champion chilli con carne.

To assist with re-creating the dishes from home, the cookbook highlights expert advice from senior chefs at these leading restaurants, describing why their recipes were selected.

Executive Chef at Busaba Eathai, Krit Sangsida, describes their pandan chicken as: “Great for family and friends, when you have a special occasion.”

Thomasina Miers, co-owner of Wahaca, points out that: “The secret to a good guacamole is to really mash up the chilli to a paste before you even think about adding the avocado.”

To download the free cookbook and watch videos of the chefs re-creating these much-loved recipes step-by-step, visit: http://uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/food-and-drink/

As well as accommodating 1100 diners in The Balcony area alone, Westfield Stratford City has over 50 places to eat and drink, so hungry shoppers will be sure to find something to their taste.

Find out more about the extensive range of eating options at Westfield Stratford City here.

The restaurants featured in the book include;

• The Real Greek
• Busaba Eathai’s
• Rhythm Kitchen
• All Star Lanes
• Arancini
• El Cantara
• L’Orchidee
• Pasta Remoli
• Umai
• Wahaca

To download the cookery book just visit uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/food-and-drink/|http://uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/food-and-drink/] and click the ‘Around The World Recipes From Westfield’ banner.

To view the full range of restaurants at Westfield Stratford City, click here: http://uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/directory/search/dinin...

To view the current food offers and discounts available see here:
http://uk.westfield.com/stratfordcity/special-offers/food-of...

Peppersmith launch 100% natural Sicilian Lemon Fresh Mints

They bring a burst of summer freshness to your tastebuds!

Peppersmith's are award-winning UK-based confectioners for a very good reason. They are really very good at what they do.

And they have launched a supremely high quality Sicilian lemon and fine English peppermint Fresh Mints.

They are produced using the best quality Sicilian lemons from the Femminello and Monachello varieties, picked from the superior winter crop.

The mints also have a touch of Peppersmith’s distinctive fine English peppermint, farmed in Hampshire. As with all Peppersmith products, these new mints are sugar-free and have been accredited by the British Dental Health Foundation for actively reducing plaque and the risk of tooth decay. And as they are sugar-free, people who are diabetic can indulge themselves in these high quality minty, lemony treats, too!

The result is a fresh, zesty, cooling mint that is perfect for keeping your breath fresh and teeth clean this summer.

As you’d expect from Peppersmith they also have absolutely NO aspartame, artificial flavours, colours or preservatives (unlike most of their high street competitors). The new mints are priced around £1.49.

Stockists include Whole Foods Market, Holland and Barrett, Debenhams and www.peppersmith.co.uk

The Peppersmith range consists of four products; Fine English peppermint gum; Fine English spearmint gum; Fine English peppermint Fresh Mints; Sicilian lemon and fine English peppermint Fresh Mints.

(EDITOR: My favourite is the Sicilian Lemon and English Peppermint variety, although all flavours in the range have much to commend them.)

halfwine.com unveils wines for chilli & spice lovers

The British love affair with hot & spicy food is well documented and recent findings show no sign of it abating. On the contrary, it seems Brits are becoming ever more adventurous, developing a taste for increasingly spicy dishes.

Demand for Mexican chillies is up 20% in the last year*; Tesco has launched the UK’s hottest ever cheese, the fiery Scotch Bonnet Chilli – 50 times hotter than a Jalapeno, and according to a poll by the British Curry Club, The Jalfrezi – a hot dish cooked using green chillies – is now the most popular choice in Britain's 10,000 Indian restaurants.

But, until now, white wine has not been seen as particularly well suited to hot & spicy food.

Consequently, spice loving Brits have had limited choice when it comes to suitable wines to complement their fiery foods.

Thankfully, that is changing.

{halfwine.com, the quality half bottle wine merchant, is growing its portfolio to include the Alsace Collection, which features several wines that go well with chilli-based dishes and curries.

Here are some popular food pairing suggestions, featuring wines from the collection, courtesy of halfwine.com’s founder, Kevin Dilton-Hill:

“Riesling, which is characterised by lemons and acidity, complements chilli-based dishes, such as Chilli prawn noodles, Laksa or a Thai green chicken curry.”

“Gewurztraminer, a highly aromatic and spicy wine, is a great complement to certain curries, particularly the cream-based ones such as a Goan fish curry, or Tandoori chicken.”

But, if you don’t like spicy food or are looking for something different as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to fish and chicken dishes, then try the third wine from halfwine.com, the Pinot Gris.

In addition to the great tastes in the new collection, there are many other benefits to half bottles of wine:

* Reduced wastage – even if wine saving methods are used, opened bottles of wine de-generate quickly, which negatively alters the taste of the wine if the full bottle is not re-quired.

* Healthier options – With government initiatives such as drinkaware highlighting the dangers of long term excessive drinking, the need to limit intake is more pertinent than ever before. Half bottles of wine allow consumers to enjoy wine without the guilt of opening a whole bottle.

* Increased variety – Half bottles allow consumers to broaden their palate and try new varieties in a more cost effective way.

* Cost effective – Half bottles of fine wines are better value than regular sized bottles for those who do not wish to finish the whole bottle. The halfwine.com range also includes everyday wines, which are low cost, true to type and do not compromise on quality.

* Drink better quality wines – Half bottles encourage consumers to choose quality over quantity.

The New halfwine.com Wines

• Bott Frères (375ml), 2010, Riesling ~ White, Old World, Riesling from Alsace France. Fruity and characteristic nose, lively citrus fruit reaction in the mouth and quite dry. It’s what’s expected of an Alsatian Riesling. 2010 was rated as one of the best vintages in Alsace for some time. £7.30 from halfwine.com

• Bott Frères (375ml), 2011, Gewurztraminer ~ White, Old World, Gewurztraminer from Alsace France. This is a classic Gewurztraminer. Youthful, fresh and floral, combined with exotic fruit flavours and the subtle hints of oriental spices. £8.30 from halfwine.com

• Bott Frères (375ml), 2011, Pinot Gris ~ White, Old World, Pinot Gris from Alsace France. This is a classic Pinot Gris. On the eye, clear with tints of straw yellow. The wine recalls forest vegetation and has a delicate smoky aroma, with notes of linden-tree blossoms. £8.10 from halfwine.com

• Domaine Weinbach (375ml), 2009, Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg ~ White, Old World, Riesling from Alsace France. This wine is full of fruit, apples and lemons and has great minerality. There is a hint of bottle age adding further depth and complexity. £15.20 from halfwine.com

• Domaine Weinbach (375ml), 2009, Gewurztraminer Altenbourg ~ White, Old World, Gewurztraminer from Alsace France. This Gewurztraminer has a great nose, rose and lychee, a full mouth feel and a long finish. £18.50 from halfwine.com

• Domaine Weinbach (375ml), 2009, Pinot Gris Altenbourg ~ White, Old World, Pinot Gris from Alsace France. This Pinot Gris has great aromatic complexity, with a lot of deepness and power, it is wonderfully balanced. £18.50 from halfwine.com

In addition to being available individually, halfwine.com also offer a six-bottle collection to compare and contrast the main Alsace varietals and two very different quality vigneron, £75.90 + delivery (for orders under 12 bottles) from halfwine.com

The new Alsace Collection is a range that champions celebrated grape varietals Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, from the vineyards of Bott Frères and Domaine Weinbach.

The new Alsace Collection has been sourced from two different suppliers in the Grand Cru vineyard packed region of Haut-Rhin. The first, Bott Frères produces great quality everyday wines from the vineyard in Ribeauvillé. The second, Domaine Weinbach wines, come from the town of Kayserberg, about 12 km away. The wines of the latter have been likened by some experts to Chateau Margaux or Chateau d'Yquem in Bordeaux, and as such these wines sit amongst the premium wines on halfwine.com.

“halfwine.com buyers have been looking to grow the white wines in the portfolio; whilst it is fair to say that the Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs are always popular choices, we think that these wines from Alsace will provide the necessary variety for those that want it. Not to mention lovers of chilli or spiced foods, with which Gewurztraminer and Riesling make worthy adversaries!" commented Kevin Dilton-Hill, founder and buyer for halfwine.com.

“Alsace is a heavenly area for wine-lovers; most cellar-doors will offer an extraordinary 20+ wines to taste. This is because there are three major varietals - Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer – and several minor ones – Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir. Each major varietal comes in different guises; a basic wine, a reserve, a Grand Cru. And then there are the sweet wines – Vedage Tardive (late harvest) and Grains Nobles (grapes affected by ‘noble rot’, Botrytis Cinerea). Finally, there are likely to be several vintages. We focused on Riesling and Pinot Gris in the Basic, Reserve and Grand Cru forms. We have selected wines for everyday from Bott Frères and our premium collection from Domaine Weinbach.

For more on the wine tasting trips, visit halfwine.com/blog.

Save a Cheese Campaign Launched to Preserve Earthquake-hit Parmesan

Cheese lovers are being encouraged to join an online campaign to help save one of the most famous cheeses in the world – Parmesan – production of which has been devastated by recent earthquakes in Italy.

In May 2012 two powerful earthquakes struck the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy - heart of the Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) producing region.

Parmesan producers now face financial ruin as the warehouses storing these highly prized cheeses crumbled under the impact of the tremors of May 20th and 29th, damaging 10 per cent of the annual production - a total of 608,000 cheeses.

The cheeses, now unable to complete their maturing process look to be headed for the bin as buyers shirk the fallen Parmesan.

However the Save a Cheese Campaign hopes to relieve the plight of these producers and cheeses by taking an innovative step and offering them online at www.saveacheese.com and in so doing give people the chance to buy their own piece of artisan history.

The Save A Cheese campaign is being headed up by award-winning artisan Welsh cheese maker John Savage-Onstwedder of Teifi Farmhouse Cheese.

John, whose raw milk cheeses have won countless awards - including The James Aldridge Memorial Trophy for Best British Raw Milk Cheese - says he could not stand by when he heard of the plight of his fellow producers in Italy, and is travelling to the region to meet with producers. As an organic farmer John will try to source certified organic Parmesan.

Says John, “As an artisan, raw milk cheesemaker I understand how important it is to support raw milk cheesemakers wherever they me be, because they are an endangered species not just in the UK, but all over Europe.”

Retailing at £22 per 1kg wedge the Parmesan bought through the website will be ready for distribution next month; with the price including postage and packaging, and the cheese will be stamped with the ‘Save A Cheese’ logo.

The bulk of the money will be paid to the individual cheesemaker with one further Euro per kg going to the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for distribution to other cheese producers affected by the earthquakes.
Adds John, “The Campaign’s aim is to offer you the chance to help the struggling Parmesan producers by purchasing your own wedge of ‘Quake Cheese’, to be delivered direct to your door with a healthy slice of karma.”

(PICTURED: John Savage-Onstwedder of Teifi Farmhouse Cheese at home near Llandysul in West Wales with his own award-winning cheese.)