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.

TiNDLE increases product range

Today, TiNDLE has announced the expansion of the availability of its plant-based chicken in restaurants across the UK, thus increasing chef and operator access to its flagship product with its brand-new, pre-breaded TiNDLE nuggets and patties. 

This includes prominent eateries and chains which are committed to offering a wider range of plant-based and sustainable menu items, like Clean Kitchen, The Queen Inn,  BIRD Fried Chicken & Waffles, Sides by The Sidemen, Hub Box, Miss Millie's, BBar London and several of D&D London group's popular establishments as well as some of Hilton Hotels' most iconic sites.

TiNDLE is the first chicken product made from plants specially created with chefs in mind and by chefs. It's a versatile, easy-to-work-with product delivering the unmistakable taste and aroma of chicken. 

It's ideal for cooking across a wide range of global cuisines, TiNDLE comes in a raw form that can be easily moulded and designed to fit in any menu. 

From this August, chefs and operators can order TiNDLE as pre-formed breaded nuggets and patties, boasting the same flavour and experience as before, while being designed for maximum convenience. 

Using feedback from hundreds of chefs and consumers from around the globe on what was their favourite TiNDLE attribute, the nuggets and patties were developed through an open innovation process to ensure the best version was produced. 

In order to create the unique chicken surface appearance loved by consumers, the company's world-class R&D team leveraged 3D scanning and printing technology to design the patty shape.

In the spring, TiNDLE successfully launched into a handful of London's top eateries and restaurant groups, such as BrewDog, Paternoster Chophouse, City Spice, sketch London, Let's Do Maki and more. 

TiNDLE has continued to impress restaurant goers with its taste and versatility and, in under four months, it's tripled its restaurant count due to the recent commitment of new partners in the food and hospitality industry who are turning to plant-based offerings as a core part of their menus and long-term F&B programmes that emphasise sustainability.

Plant-based pioneers Mikey Pearce and Verity Bowditch founded Clean Kitchen with the mission to make plant-based food widely available and accessible to the masses. 

Known for their 100% plant-based take on traditional comfort foods, Clean Kitchen offers convenient, fast and healthy grab-and-go items at their highly-frequented locations throughout central London. Clean Kitchen now offers TiNDLE in two of their signature burgers, including the Truffle Mayo, a TiNDLE patty served with truffle mayo inside a brioche burger bun and Chick'n Mayo, a TiNDLE fillet served inside a brioche burger bun, as well as TiNDLE nuggets.

In Wales, The Queen Inn, a family-owned pub, and sought-after destination for traditional pub dishes that diners know and love, but now produced entirely from plant-based ingredients. TiNDLE is featured on The Queen Inn's menu, which is committed to offering sustainable options, as three brand-new dishes: Hunter's Ch*cken, an entree of TiNDLE wrapped in plant-based bacon and smothered with BBQ sauce and plant-based cheese, served with chips and salad; Frickin' Ch*cken Burger, an original creation of a TiNDLE patty topped with jalapenos, garlic mayo and cheese, alongside chips and coleslaw; and The Ultimate Burger, a double-hitter combination of both a TiNDLE patty and plant-based beef burger patty, alongside plant-based bacon and cheese.

Two iconic fried chicken spots, BIRD Fried Chicken & Waffles and Sides, a food brand from YouTube collective The Sidemen, recently brought on TiNDLE as their featured plant-based chicken. At BIRD, the chicken and waffle experts serve the TiNDLE Burger in a vegan potato bun packed with cauliflower bites, lettuce, vegan mayo and barbecue sauce, topped off with a stack of BIRD coated onion rings. 

BIRD is also serving TiNDLE nuggets as part of its kids menu. Sides will be offering The Vegan Chikn Burger and Vegan Naked Chikn Tenders at its Reef vegan kitchens, available on Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat from its sites in Boxpark Wembley, Twickenham, Canary Wharf, Kentish Town and Crouch End.

Following the success of TiNDLE's launch at D&D London group's Paternoster Chophouse, the group now features TiNDLE on the menu at some of its most well-patronised establishments, including New Street Grill, Fish Market and Old Bengal Bar, TiNDLE will be offered as two featured sandwiches, including a plant-based “fish” burger, made with tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato and, of course, a side of thick chips and the crispy TiNDLE chicken burger, served with a house relish and triple-cooked chips.

 BBar London's TiNDLE Chicken Bao Buns with Sriracha Mayonnaise have been a hit with customers who can now order the mouthwatering Bao Buns as their staple bar snack.

Additional new partners adding TiNDLE to their menus this summer include UK chains, like popular waterside bar and restaurant group Hub Box that will offer TiNDLE as the featured plant-based chicken option at their 11 locations in the West Country and established Miss Millie's awesome chicken  in September with 11 locations in London and the South – where TiNDLE will be served across their menu of signature burgers and nuggets and as TiNDLE nuggets on the Kids Menu.

“We've seen incredible enthusiasm for TiNDLE from UK consumers over the last four months and are thrilled to be able to offer a wider variety of new TiNDLE offerings,” says Andre Menezes, CEO and Co-Founder of Next Gen Foods, the company behind TiNDLE. “It's an honour to be able to work closely with not only some of the nation's great culinary minds, but also partners who equally share our passion in making plant-based chicken and other sustainable foods more widely available, and drive impactful change to help fix our broken food system and reduce our reliance on animal-based products.”

TiNDLE is the first product by Next Gen Foods, a Singapore-based food tech company that is developing and commercialising innovative and sustainable foods. Next Gen Foods was founded in 2020 by Brazilian-born poultry exporter and food industry veteran Andre Menezes, and German native Timo Recker, whose family business made schnitzel and other meat products for three generations. After initially meeting, they decided to work on products that reduce humanity's reliance on animal agriculture.

On average, chicken made from plants requires less land, less water, and produces less CO₂ than chicken from birds. Based on a 2020 Blue Horizon report, choosing plant-based chicken over avian meat uses 82% less water, 74% less land and 88% less greenhouse gas emissions.

In a little more than a year since its launch, TiNDLE has grown from being served in a handful of Singapore-based locations to being offered in close to 1,000 restaurants across the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, as well as the United States, Asia and Middle East.

The company plans to continue its expansion throughout the UK, including entering into retail early next year. To find the closest restaurant serving TiNDLE, visit https://tindle.com/find/.

To learn more about using TiNDLE in your eatery, please visit https://tindle.com.

Finlays' New UK Cold Brew Extraction Plant is a major Opportunity for Major Brands

Global cold brew coffee pioneer Finlays has set a target date to open its new multi-million-pound facility which will specialise in producing delicious cold brewed coffee. 

Opening this autumn in Hull, East Yorkshire, the facility will produce pure cold brewed coffee for a wide range of branded and own-label suppliers in the UK and European grocery and hospitality sectors. 

Finlays is a leader in the global independent B2B supplier of tea, coffee and botanicals, and the world's biggest cold brew coffee provider by volume.

Cold brew is a rapidly growing sector which is expected to reach a category value of €90mn in Europe by 2025 after a period of high growth, +51% between 2017-21. Cold brew is also a major driver of innovation, accounting for more than 10% of RTD/iced coffee launches in the last five years.

The new cold brew coffee site is being built next to Finlays' tea decaffeination facility in Hull and close to its tea and coffee facility in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. The new facility will focus on supplying big beverage brand owners with a full cold brew coffee solution, including ready-to-drink and bag-in-box formats. 

Andrew Martin, Group Head of Business Development at Finlays says: “While cold brew is already extremely popular in the US and Japan, the market is emerging in the UK and Europe. Looking at the forecast growth for this sector, there's a massive chance for brands to lead in this space in both retail and Out of Home. Our new facility will help these brands tap into the exciting cold brew market.”

Cold brew is a key trend among young consumers with 80% of Millennials finding cold brew appealing, and 40% of Gen Z consumers preferring their coffee in chilled ready-to-drink formats.

Cold brew is also a significant value driver as figures show it achieves a significant premium compared to hot brew products – 89% of cold brew drinkers are willing to pay a premium for this type of beverage.

Andrew continues: “Cold brew is seen as a more premium alternative to traditional iced coffee. Cold brew is made by slowly steeping coffee in ambient temperature water to extract the best flavours from the beans, creating a full-bodied, richer flavour that is less acidic and bitter than hot brew coffees. Its complex flavour profile and natural smoothness also means it offers a rich sensory experience without the need for any additional ingredients.

“Cold brew is also a natural source of caffeine making it a great alternative to normally sugary energy drinks, most of which contain synthetic caffeine.”

Finlays new facility will produce pure cold brew coffee solutions, starting with high-quality, sustainably sourced coffee beans that are freshly roasted at its roastery in nearby Pontefract. 

Finlays will be able to create tailored blends which are steeped in ambient temperature filtered water in a reduced oxygen environment. The cold brew is triple filtered and gently extracted using a bespoke, gravity fed extraction technology that involves no heat or pressure. 

This gentle process will preserve the character and full-bodied flavour of the coffee and achieve consistency. Though some manufacturers may use heat to improve yields, or even add soluble coffee to achieve higher concentrations, Finlays promises to only offer “pure” cold brew to achieve less acidity, smoothness and richer flavour. 

Packaging formats will be flexible to suit a variety of customer needs while also maintaining Finlays' commitment to sustainable sourcing. 

For details visit https://www.finlays.net/product-solution/cold-brew-coffee-europe/

 

Celebrate International Beer Day with Bier Company

Friday, August Fifth is a very important day in the calendar of beer lovers all over the world as it is International Beer Day.

From the IPAs of California, to the lagers of Canada to the stouts of Ireland to the old ales of Britain, the wheat beers of Germany, the pale ales of Australia, everyone who likes drinking beer can raise a glass to other beer drinkers all over the world!

Helping beer fanatics in the UK celebrate this truly momentous moment in beer history is Bier Company.

Bier Company was launched by university mates. Stefan White and Tom Renshaw.

What exactly is Bier Company? It's a leading online beer retailer that stocks the finest independent craft beers from breweries all over the UK, plus there are always some new and exclusive brews, which it cleverly pairs with its signature own-brand Bier Nuts and Bier Crisps.

Bier Company has gone from strength-to-strength in a record-breaking time, generating £10million in revenue in just two years, with sales skyrocketing following the release of its fantastic gifting boxes range.

Now a firm favourite in the seasonal gifting market, Bier Company has launched its Bier Club subscription service and the chaps behind it have their sights set on global domination, launching in Europe and the USA during this year.

Said Stefan "Stefan said: “For us, beer is life, and so we absolutely love uniting with people across the world to celebrate something we are so passionate about. Beer brought Tom and I together and now it’s how we make our living. We are incredibly lucky to be able to do what we do.

“International Beer Day is a fantastic day to meet up with your friends and family, try out new beers from across the world, and take a moment to raise a glass to one of Britain’s favourite drinks. Cheers!”

Bier Company's popularity skyrocketed in 2020, and since then Stefan and Tom have released a swathe of successful gifting products like the Bier Champions Euro Lager Box, Oktoberfest special edition box, and a huge Christmas advent calendar, with many more exciting new designs to launch later this year.

To place your orders please visit https://biercompany.co.uk/

'Pimp Up Your Picnic' This Summer With Crabbie's Ginger Beer

Crabbie's is taking a new, fresh look at al fresco eating and drinking this August with a new collaboration celebrating the refreshing flavours of its legendary Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

The iconic drink has teamed up with popular food and drink blogger Pippa Perriam, @eatinburgh, to give the Classic British Picnic a modern makeover, asking Pippa to share her top tips and inside knowledge of Britain's eating hot spots to help Brits move away from the soggy sandwich and flask of yesteryear.

From clever styling and eco picnicware to easy recipes and stunning locations, the partnership will be supported by a digital campaign packed with content from the collaboration – all inspired by Crabbie's flavourful ginger beer range.

Lashings of ginger beer have long been deemed the perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic and with Crabbie's, drinkers get all the refreshment and flavour – but with a grown-up dash of alcohol. Its range of Original, Rhubarb, Raspberry and Strawberry and Lime ginger beers are delicious served straight from the bottle or over ice with a slice of lime, whilst their new Original Alcohol Free beer offers an option for those looking for low or no alcohol options.

Pippa's tips for thinking outside the (picnic) box!

Head to the Coast – why not enjoy some world class seafood which we're so blessed with here in the UK. Some of my favourite seaside seafood shacks across the country are – Crail Crab Shack (as featured on my social posts), Riley's Fish Shack in North Shields and Sole Bay in Southwold Suffolk. Either enjoyed sat on a pier or on a beach with sandy toes. And don't forget some throw blankets, to wrap around your shoulders at sundown – bliss.

Savour Street Food – the UK's street food scene is fantastic and you can find markets in most major cities – The Pitt in Edinburgh, The Big Feed in Glasgow and Bristol's weekly market at St Nicholas' Market are some of my favourites. Grab a dish to takeaway and enjoy in your favourite city spot and save on the cooking.

Go global – when it comes to picnic food, the world is your oyster. Consider hosting a themed picnic with a spread inspired by your favourite holiday destination. Some Spanish picnic tapas, a Mexican feast, or even some delicious local fayre to offer a taste of your hometown, this works especially well if you are hosting for friends from outside the area. Another option is to host a colour themed picnic, each person brings a dish of their selected colour (matching outfits of course encouraged!)

Set the mood – create a picnic playlist on your ipad – think relaxing Ibiza sunshine vibes, or a festival playlist to remember great times. You could even ask friends to suggest their favourite summer anthem in advance to create a talking point on the day.

Perfect your presentation – because not all picnicware is created equal! When it comes to what to sit on, often a water-resistant underside is a must! However, preventing soggy bottoms aside, it's worth going a little 'extra' for a beautiful boho vibe. Think pretty quilts, blankets or mats that you have at home, if you don't want to get these dirty, drape them over your waterproof rug. If you are driving to your spot, then why not bring some striking scatter cushions for people to lounge on, think colour, comfort and creativity! And if you are going 'all out' two wooden pallets stacked together, covered with a lovely tablecloth or scarf make a stunning picnic table. Don't forget to add some handpicked flowers in a pretty pot in the middle.

Pair with care – matching your food and drink is a great touch to really pack in the flavour. One of my favourite picnic recipes that work so well with the Crabbie's Ginger Beer range is as follows:

Three Cheese Garlic Twists

A great way to use up cheese at the back of your fridge. I've suggested Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere here but feel free to mix it up with whatever you have to hand. I'd recommend keeping a block of puff pastry in the freezer for occasions like this, so not even a trip to the supermarket is needed! Served up with a spicy Crabbie's Ginger Beer to cut through the decadent cheese makes for a great pairing.

Ingredients

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry

4 handfuls of grated cheese (I suggest Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere)

1 beaten egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

Open out your puff pastry and press in the cheese using a rolling pin

Fold your pastry in half and roll to thickness of a £1 coin

Brush with an egg, then cut the cheesy pastry into 10 strips and twist

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown

When your twists are nearly ready mix your melted butter with crushed garlic (if you have any fresh parsley to hand, adding a little bit of finely chopped parsley here would add a lovely pop of green)

Brush with your garlic butter when fresh out of the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Rachel Adams, Global Marketing Manager, Crabbie's Ginger Beer says: “Crabbie's has become a real staple for people looking to enjoy a refreshing drink in the sunshine, so our new picnic campaign really plays into that. It's great to partner with Pippa who, like Crabbie's, hails from Edinburgh and is also a real pioneer when it comes to offering the lowdown on how to enjoy the best food and drink when out and about.”

#crabbiespimpedpicnics   Visit: www.crabbiesgingerbeer.com

Pippa Perriam has been posting about her food recommendations online for the past seven years. Having originally trained professionally at the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, Pippa then started her Instagram page, Eatinburgh, to share her favourite restaurant across Edinburgh. After joining TikTok in 2020, Pippa now posts online to an audience of over 75,000, expanding her recommendations to locations across the UK and sharing the occasional recipe idea along the way too.

Always happy to help promote a fellow Blogger! Visit Pippa here https://www.instagram.com/pippaperriam/?hl=en

Wrights Launches New Ready Meals & Vegan Savoury Pastry Range Into Foodservice

Cheshire-based food manufacturing experts the Wright Food Group is launching its latest Wrights branded vegan savoury pastry range and a new line of core ready meals into foodservice.

The vegan range includes a Vegan Peppered Steak Slice, a Vegan Steak Pie, Vegan Chicken and Mushroom Pie, a Vegan Pasty and a Vegan 6 inch Sausage Roll, complementing the brand's existing vegan offering and wider savoury range. 

Wrights' new line of ready meals include a Meatball Marinara, Mac and Cheese, a Chicken Jalfrezi and a Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne, adding to the current range of Wrights ready meals.

Commercial director Helen Bowyer said: “As one of the UK's leading specialist food manufacturers, we supply a wide range of savoury pastries and ready meals to many of the UK's foodservice distributors, top restaurant brands and independent bakers. 

"For 96 years we have offered consistently high quality foods to consumers alongside that all-important convenience and choice for caterers.

“We are constantly evolving all of our ranges and for 2022 have prioritised the development and launch of an extended vegan offering for consumers looking for more plant-based out-of-home choices. 

"We've developed vegan alternatives to our most popular fillings which are encased within our signature golden pastry and make a perfect complement to our meat-based savoury lines.”

The Wrights Food Group's £30million manufacturing facility in Crewe, Cheshire, produces over 3,000,000 savoury products every week including gastro pub pies and ready meals for both the hospitality and retail sectors. 

The Group operates with a team of 600 employees over two sites in Crewe and includes 15 North West high street stores, too.

Helen added: “Our focus in recent months has been on perfecting plant-based products and increasing our ready meal range. With the Wrights heritage founded on pastry-based foods and providing quality, hearty meals for hospitality, we're confident our existing loyal and new foodservice customers will welcome the addition of choice and quality in the convenience and the plant-based arenas.”

For more information on the new Wrights vegan savoury pastry range and core ready meal range, contact sales@wrightsfg.com.

You can also visit their website at http://www.wrightsfoodgroup.com/.

 

Mainbrace Rum Sponsors Race for Carrick Fleet at Falmouth Sailing Week 2022

Top Cornish spirits brand, Mainbrace, has announced a special partnership with the Port of Falmouth Sailing Association (PoFSA), the non-profit organisation responsible for organising, running, and promoting sailing in Falmouth waters.

The partnership will involve the sponsorship of the “Mainbrace Rum Race” for the Carrick Fleet, which will take place during Falmouth Sailing Week on Wednesday 10th August 2022 from 11am onwards. 

After the race, there will be a prize giving on Thursday 11th August, where Mainbrace will be awarding the winners with their rum and gin products, as well as other branded items.

This is a truly a natural partnership, as Mainbrace's name is inspired by the naval term to “splice the mainbrace”, which embodies the spirit of courage, teamwork, and friendship at sea.

In the days of sail, the main mast was steadied with a thick rope called the mainbrace. If it was cut by enemy fire, a brave team of naval ratings (sailors) had to splice the rope back together in the heat of a battle to save the ship. As a reward for successfully achieving this herculean task the captain would order the ship's pusser (purser) to issue a double ration of rum to the team of ratings as a toast to victory.

To 'splice the mainbrace' inevitably became a naval euphemism for an important celebration and was always accompanied with the toast 'The King – God Bless Him' or 'The Queen – God Bless Her.' Mainbrace therefore embodies the spirit of celebrating a victory, no matter how big or small, while continuing to pay homage to Royal Navy traditions and the spirit of the sea.

To “splice the mainbrace” to the upcoming races, a Mainbrace Rum Bar will be set up on Saturday 6th August, where the Mainbrace team will be offering complimentary rum cocktails to special guests.

Richard Haigh, Co-Founder of Mainbrace Rum, said: "We're really pleased to be sponsoring the Mainbrace Rum Race for the Carrick Fleet during Falmouth Sailing Week for the second year running. We're very much looking forward to splicing the mainbrace with everyone taking part, and wish everyone the best of luck!”

To purchase your own bottles, please visit  https://www.mainbracerum.com/shop.    

And checkout their spiffing Cornish gin, too!