Agua de Madre. It's vegan, naturally fermented, sparkling and low in sugar

Agua de Madre has been awarded Gold 95 at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

The globally recognised International Wine & Spirit Competition is one of the world’s largest, foremost and highly influential drinks awards. 

All the IWSC awards are blind tasted by a specially selected panel of experts and Agua de Madre Blood Orange Bitters kefir water secured a stunning, but well-deserved, 95 points out of a possible 100 and was awarded a gold medal.

According to the IWSC, to win a gold medal a beverage must be: “Superb with great personality, character and complexity, but that is also true to its origins. An example that stands out among its peers as a supreme drinking experience.”

In the blind taste test judges found “Strong citrus notes that help create a sparkling drink with a delicate character. It has a light and gentle carbonation, great structure, an attractive bitterness, and wonderful punch. A real delight.”

Agua de Madre is at the forefront of a new and very exciting category of live feel-good drinks. This award is a wonderful accolade for the brand. 

Blood Orange Bitters is created in partnership with Mindful drinks expert Camille Vidal and is one of their best selling flavours.

Carefully fermented in London, Agua de Madre was founded and launched by dedicated foodie and film producer Nicola Hart. 

It's jam-packed with great taste and flavour and it is the sole water kefir on the market with billions of live cultures per 100ml and merely traces of alcohol.  

It’s newly developed  recipe means it has under 9 kcals per 100ml. It's a delightful and truly sophisticated thirst quencher of a drink, which is packed full of goodness, is organic, vegan, naturally fermented, delightfully sparkling and is low in sugar, too.  

Agua de Madre has the same amount of live cultures as most milk-based kefir, with none of the somewhat vinegary mouth feel of kombucha, it's the ultimate super food which as well as being ultimately drinkable, also promotes a healthy gut and positive mental wellbeing, too.

The key ingredient is the mother culture which was discovered some 2000 years ago in Mexico.

 Following the Madre’s secret recipe, the live culture is added to organic fruit and ginger and left to do its own thing, creating a naturally probiotic water kefir. As a result of this entirely natural process it also becomes delightfully effervescent, too.

A study conducted by the University of Huddersfield confirmed the dominant strains of lactobacillus culture within Agua de Madre.  These natural live micro-organisms are easily absorbed, helping to restore or improve our gut flora. 

Water kefir is currently seen as one of the best sources of dietary probiotic, which studies have shown boost cognitive and mental wellbeing, reduce IBS symptoms and improve digestion.

Film producer Nicola Hart, founded Agua de Madre in 2017. 

To learn more visit aguademadre.co.uk.

It's our belief that this drink will make an ideal drink over the Chirstmas and New Year period, so may we suggest that you make this a part of your Christmas drink order as soon as possible?

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Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer

 

Several weeks ago whilst in a checkout queue in a branch of Tesco I notice some purchasing some Guinness Cold Brew Coffee beer. I mentioned it to my wife who said: "Oh, yes. I saw it advertised in the Tesco magazine, the other day."

So, today whilst I happened to be in Tesco to visit the in store branch of Holland and Barrett I remembered to go into the Tesco store itself and buy four cans of Guinness Cold Brew Coffee beer.

Once suitable chilled in the refrigerator at home I decided to poor some glasses of this beer for my wife and myself.

The first thing we noticed was the very strong coffee aroma. Was the head a little darker than usual? We thought that it might be, although that could have been a touch of expectation over reality.

There is a very strong coffee taste to it, it's a strong and somewhat butter coffee that they have chosen.

The official description of the taste is "Flavourful notes of Coffee, Chocolate and Caramel."

Yes, I would agree that there is a strong coffee flavour and perhaps a hint of caramel, but chocolate? Not so sure, but I think I tasted a nut-like aftertaste.

It's a worthy effort, but I fear that it's a little too harsh for my taste. However, my wife loves the taste, so there you are!

A 440ml can is OK, but I don't think I'd be too keen to try this by the pint on draught in a pub or a bar. But, you'll need to be your own judge, so nip down to your nearest Tesco or other supermarkets or off-licence, hand over your £6 for four cans and form your own opinion. 

Nairn's Cheese Oatcakes

Whilst shopping with my wife for some nuts for our parrot in our nearest branch of Holland and Barrett (we only buy nuts that are for for human consumption for our parrot, only the best for her!) I happened to see on the counter a packet of Nairn's Cheese Oatcakes.

I happen to consider Nairn's Oatcakes and cheese as two of my major food groups, so I was happy to add those to the nut order and continue with our shopping trip. More fit for human consumption nuts, this time from an adjacent branch of Home Bargains, as it happens.

And this evening I am testing the Nairn's Cheese Oatcakes.

The cheese content is a very respectable 15% and as soon as I opened the packet of Cheese Oatcakes I smell what to my nose seemed to be the scent of a rather fine cheddar cheese.

I ate one without anything spread on it and it was deliciously cheesy. Almost decadently cheesy, in fact.

With some extra mature cheese and enough butter to help things move along a bit more smoothly, the Nairn's Cheese Oatcakes tasted every bit as good as you would be able to expect from a family oatcake baker who have been in the business of carefully baking oatcakes since 1896, so that's 126 years of service to oatcake lovers the world over.

They are gluten free, contain no added sugar, have none of that unfortunate hydrogenated fat, no artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives and they are baked using gluten free oats. They are great for people who have coeliac disease, in fact they are certified by Coeliac UK. they are also suitable for vegetarians, too. 

This pack that I am now working my way through will be replaced with others and kept for Christmas, along with the other members of the Nairn's range of oatcakes.

To learn more please visit www.nairns.com

Leicestershire Good Food Event, 29 September at the Allerton Project

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's demonstration farm,  the Allerton Project, is hosting the Leicestershire Good Food Event, a sustainable food and procurement summit, with Good Food Leicestershire, on Thursday 29 September. 

It's the aim of the organisers to showcase the benefits for the environment, health and economy of increasing the amount of locally produced, sustainable and healthy food in the county’s schools, hospitals and other public services settings.

The recent government Food Strategy set out a goal of 50% locally produced or higher standard food in the public sector. The summit will gather together food producers with school and hospital caterers and supply chain managers, and Leicestershire County Council.

Joe Stanley is the Allerton Project’s Head of Training and Partnerships, and NFU County Chair for Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland. Joe will launch the event. He said: “Obviously, we're thrilled to be hosting the summit. It's a perfect example of our home county’s efforts to turn the government Food Strategy’s 50% target into reality.

“In conjunction with Leicestershire Country Council, we believe incorporating local, high quality, high welfare and eco-friendly food from Leicestershire businesses is more important now than ever to ensure the health and wellbeing of our citizens and our planet.

“We'll be talking about the health and business benefits of a more sustainable approach to public-sector food procurement. And we will examine how farmers can utilise more sustainable production methods and champion their existing high environmental and welfare standards to key public sector buyers.”

The event is free to participate in and is open to all those interested in how farmers and the supply chain can work together with local authorities to improve the sustainability of public sector food procurement. 

The day’s programme includes a panel discussion and a special Q & A session, plus the opportunity to sample some fine food from local producers in the lunchtime ‘Food Court’ and to network with potential suppliers and customers.

It's happening on Thursday 29 September 2022, from 10:30 – 15:30.

The location is: The Allerton Project, Main Street, Loddington, Leicestershire, LE7 9XE

For more details on the event and to book places, please visit allertontrust.org.uk/events/ or call 01572 494541.

The event is part of the ongoing partnership between the Allerton Project and Leicestershire County Council.

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies.

The Allerton Project www.allertontrust.org.uk/

The GWCT Allerton Project is a combination of commercial farming, research, demonstration and community engagement, based on a 320-hectare estate in Leicestershire. 

The Project researches the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment, sharing results of our research through advisory and educational activities.

They identify management that delivers multiple benefits for the rural landscape. Their work encompasses  natural capital accounting, agri-environment schemes and regenerative farming systems. 

From soil and water, to woodland and environmental habitat that increase biodiversity, their aim is to build farmland resilience. 

Their own research team works with and collaborate with other research organisations and help co-supervise numerous PhD and MSc projects.

B'liev launches new plant-based protein shake in three interesting flavours with 20g of protein

B’liev is a new completely plant-based protein shake that is now available in three interesting and utterly delicious flavours. Each flavour boasts a fairly hefty 20g of protein.

Many other brands of protein drinks have fallen into the trap of offering the three standard flavours. Chocolate,  vanilla, or strawberry. Don't get me wrong, those can be nice flavours but perhaps they are somewhat samey and a bit of a bore? When drinking the same flavours day after day, that can become something of a chore. Something to be endured rather than enjoyed. And that's a shame. 

But B’liev is designed to be utterly different. And utterly enjoyable. Their team of experts has taken the bold and bright decision to introduce three delicious flavours: Blueberry Muffin, Cookies & Cream and Chocolate Brownie and all are crammed with vital protein to enhance and support a flexitarian or fully plant-based lifestyle.

Developed in the UK and prepared in the EU, each 330ml bottle is high in fibre, contains 100% recommended daily intake of calcium and vitamins D3, B5, B6 and B12, is importantly low in sugar (ideal if like me you are a diabetic, and contains 20g of pure plant-based protein from a mix of Fava Bean, Pumpkin Seed and Pea Protein Isolate.  So it's 100% plant-based and therefor is simple for the body to digest and utilise.

Today’s active and health-conscious consumers are seeking out drinks that deliver the nutrients they need without any unpleasant additives.

Ever conscious of this desire,  B’liev aims to delivers a protein shake that tastes wonderful, gives you 20g of protein and is also boosted and fortified with extra vitamins and minerals, and all without any added sugar. It's also 100% natural with no nasties and nothing artificial.

Aria Beheshtaein, founder of B’liev said: “B’liev is designed to support our busy lifestyles and recognizes that it is not always easy to get all the nutrients we need into our diet each day. B’liev is 100% natural and can be consumed any time of day, safe in the knowledge you are getting a flavourful burst of goodness with your hydration.”

Aria added: “B’liev is inspired by the belief we are all capable of so much, we just need to believe in ourselves. We all face different challenges, some harder than others, but the most important element is the belief we have within ourselves to go the extra mile and work harder for what we want to achieve. I want B’liev to inspire people to aim for whatever they want in life and to live their best life.”

Each bottle is packed full of healthy ingredients to support your plant-based lifestyle, your workouts, and your taste buds. It's also pretty good for those of us who aren't following a vegan lifestyle, but who know a good thing when we see or taste it!

Cookies and Cream protein shake

It's thick, creamy and utterly indulgent, B’liev Cookies & Cream plant-shake makes a creamy high protein drink and is a perfect alternative to milk-based drinks. Drink on-the-go between meals, for additional protein with a deliciously great cookies and cream taste, all with low sugar and high fibre. With 20g of plant protein power from four different sources (fava bean, flax seed, pumpkin seed and Pea)

Nutritional Information (Per 330ml bottle)

Energy 620kj (184kcals); Fat 4.4g (of which saturates 0.3g); Carbohydrates 20.6g (of which sugars 8.0g); Protein 20.2g; Fibre 11.6g; Salt 0.48g; Niacin 16mg (100% NRV); Pantothenic acid 6mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B6 1.4mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B12 2.5μg (100% NRV); Vitamin D3 5μg (100% NRV); Calcium 120mg (15% NRV)

Ingredients

Water, Vegetable protein blend (Fava bean, Pumpkin seed, Pea protein isolate) (74%), Oligofructose syrup (from chicory root), Date nectar, MCT powder (from coconut), Flax seed, Natural flavouring, Emulsifier: Sunflower lecithin, Stabiliser: Guar gum, Salt, Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, B6, B12, D3

Blueberry Muffin protein shake

A blueberry muffin plant-shake offers a dessert and drink all in one, packed with 20 grams of plant-protein, high fibre from chicory root and is low in sugar. The blueberry muffin plant-shake is high in antioxidants, low in calories but most importantly high in flavour, too.

Nutritional Information (Per 330ml bottle)

Energy 634kj (186kcals); Fat 4.4g (of which saturates 0.3g); Carbohydrates 20.9g (of which sugars 7.5g); Protein 20.2g; Fibre 11.7g; Salt 0.52g; Niacin 16mg (100% NRV); Pantothenic acid 6mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B6 1.4mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B12 2.5μg (100% NRV); Vitamin D3 5μg (100% NRV); Calcium 120mg (15% NRV)

Ingredients

Water, Vegetable protein blend (Fava bean, Pumpkin seed, Pea protein isolate) (74%), Oligofructose syrup (from chicory root), Date nectar, MCT powder (from coconut), Flax seed, Natural flavouring, Emulsifier: Sunflower lecithin, Stabiliser: Guar gum, Salt, Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, B6, B12, D3

Chocolate Brownie protein shake

Each day will be a brownie day with this deliciously creamy brownie plant-shake! Great for drinking on the go or perhaps if you are on your way to work, or to get your daily intake of vitamin B6, B12 and D3 plus an additional 20 grams of plant protein power which can contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue throughout the day!

Nutritional Information (Per 330ml bottle)

Energy 702kj (202kcals); Fat 5.9g (of which saturates 0.4g); Carbohydrates 21.2g (of which sugars 7.8g); Protein 20.7g; Fibre 11.9g; Salt 0.52g; Niacin 16mg (100% NRV); Pantothenic acid 6mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B6 1.4mg (100% NRV); Vitamin B12 2.5μg (100% NRV); Vitamin D3 5μg (100% NRV); Calcium 120mg (15% NRV)

Ingredients

Water, Vegetable protein blend (Fava bean, Pumpkin seed, Pea protein isolate) (74%), Oligofructose syrup (from chicory root), Date nectar, MCT powder (from coconut), Flax seed, Natural flavouring, Emulsifier: Sunflower lecithin, Stabiliser: Guar gum, Salt, Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, B6, B12, D3

B’liev is now available from  independent health food stores, gyms, or direct from https://bliev.com.

 

That's Christmas: The best advent calendar ever!

That's Christmas: The best advent calendar ever!: Hoppy Holidays! The Bier Company has released a gigantic advent calendar that is stuffed full of craft beer and is a whopping 90 cm tall! (F...

Bier Company launches Football-Themed Beer Box for 2022 the World Cup

To help you celebrate the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Bier Company has released its latest limited-edition beer box with all that football fans need to enjoy the footie, including 32 delicious craft beers. That's one for each nation, knock-out drinking game, and 22 tricky trivia questions.

Football fans can kick-off the 2022 FIFA World Cup in style with Bier Company's spectacular Craft Beer World Cup Box, jam-packed with 32 thirst-quenching beers from award-winning craft breweries across the world. 

Available to purchase online now, Bier Company has designed every last detail of the pitch-shaped box to delight beer and footie fans, making sure 2022’s World Cup will be one to remember.

The beer and snack experts have once again hit the ball in the back of the net with their latest box set, packed with everything footie-lovers need, whether they are cheering on Gareth Southgate’s England squad or backing teams from across the world in the Qatar competition. Bier Company is even offering an early bird £50 off deal the first 3,000 boxes sold at just £99.95 (RRP £149.95).

A refreshing team of the finest craft beers, the box set includes mixed beer styles for authentic flavour including IPAs, Pale ales, and lagers. Each beer has been specially designed and themed based on the flag colours and culture of the corresponding nation, giving beer-lovers a real treat as they open each nation’s door and get to experience flavours from around the world. 

The box comes complete with a knockout elimination beer World Cup game. When a country is eliminated, drink the beer of that nation and on the back of its door is an ‘eliminated’ sign. Experience the variety of beers on offer as more teams are knocked out, saving the champion until last. Plus test your football trivia knowledge with a 22-question quiz.

Bier Company has even devised an EPP (Emergency P*ss Up Policy) for customers who get carried away with the return of the most prestigious football tournament and ‘accidently’ guzzle their beers early - reorder all the beers included for a huge discount.

 Bier Company Co-Founder Stefan White says: “At Bier Company we are HUGE football fans, and we are beyond excited to see the World Cup return.

“We have spent months designing the ultimate World Cup beer box with everything you need to enjoy the World Cup in style.

“We carefully selected 32 fantastic beers from our favourite award-winning craft breweries to represent each nation competing to give you the very best beers to watch the match with.” 

Bier Company is an online shop stocking the finest independent craft beers from breweries worldwide including new and exclusive brews, paired with its signature own-brand Bier Nuts and Bier Crisps.

The Craft Beer World Cup Box is available to purchase now from Bier Company’s website. https://biercompany.co.uk/ 

Larkids By Bulow. Organic delights and delicious

It was 15 years in the making, Danish confectionery brand LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW has unveiled its super premium organic range, SLOW CRAFTED.

Continuing to push the boundaries of gourmet chocolate coated liquorice creations, the deliciously SLOW CRAFTED range is carefully slow-cooked to create a rich caramel-like texture, and is available in three delicious flavours; Mango Vanilla, Caramel Date, and Dark Truffle. The luxury range comes in recycled glass packaging designed for reuse. 

Please see further information below on the SLOW CRAFTED range available to purchase on lakridsbybulow.co.uk. 

I asked two members of our tasting team to taste this confectionary and they both declared that these were amongst some of the best chocolates that they had ever tasted.

I also tasted them myself and found myself in full agreement with them. My wife was excused duties, as she is allergic to chocolate! 

Although we are running this review as part of Organic September, we quickly realised that this will be a wonderful purchase for Christmas as gifts and for your Christmas goodies cupboard!  

LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW invites you to experience a luxury indulgence of extraordinary flavours and textures with the SLOW CRAFTED range, sold in recyclable and reusable glass jars and available to purchase from July 7 at lakridsbybulow.com (RRP: £27.00) and select retailers.

A permanent addition to the LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW portfolio, the SLOW CRAFTED collection is based on the original recipe founder Johan Bülow cooked when the confectionery brand was first founded, in Bornholm, 2007. Bülow had a dream of re-inventing liquorice and spent an entire year, tucked away in his mother’s kitchen, trying to perfect the ultimate recipe and elevate the sweet into a gourmet experience.

Bülow’s SLOW CRAFTED liquorice is gently cooked in an open batch for four hours, rested for 24 hours, and then kneaded by hand to create a rich caramel-like texture. It is because of the long, slow, and delicate way in which the liquorice is made that the collection was named: SLOW CRAFTED. Using only the finest, carefully sourced organic ingredients, SLOW CRAFTED captures the authentic taste of LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW for an unrivalled taste experience, loved by true liquorice connoisseurs.

With sustainability front of mind at each stage of production, LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW proudly presents the SLOW CRAFTED range in premium, recycled glass packaging. A first of its kind for LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW, the glass jars have been designed for reuse; when you’re done with the products, simply remove the labels with warm water and cleanse them in the dishwasher or soak in warm water before reusing it for just about anything – the lids close tight, so you can bring your daily juice, smoothie or iced coffee on the go, or use them to store your homemade granola, pulses and more. The glass jars even have functional measurements engraved, so you know just how to mix your kitchen creations. 

Not only is the SLOW CRAFTED range packed sustainably, the organic ingredient of cocoa is ethically sourced via the Cocoa Horizons program. Still producing all liquorice products in Copenhagen, the LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW factory continues to run on 100% green energy, produced by Danish windmills.

With the launch of its global #ShareItWithAHater campaign in 2021, LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW continues its mission to make the world love liquorice, introducing the unrivalled SLOW CRAFTED range to capture the true potential of the unique ingredient of liquorice. Spreading the joy of the Nordic flavour around the world, LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW has landed in prestigious UK stores including Selfridges, Harrods, Fenwick and Harvey Nichols.

https://lakridsbybulow.co.uk/all-products/

https://www.instagram.com/lakridsbybulow/

Nairn's Oatcakes organic and very tasty

As part of our celebration of Organic September, That's Food and Drink is taking a look at Nairn's organic oatcakes. Which are also gluten free, too.

To my mind, Nairn's have been the accepted kings of Scottish oatcakes for many years and they are now becoming justifiably famous for their organic Scottish oatcakes.

They are tasty, good for the environment and 100% natural. 

They are made from certified organic wholegrain oats and are also very modest in price, too.

So, what is available?

Nairn's, Organic Scottish Oatcakes, £1.10, at Sainsbury's.

I believe that they are very good for you, because they have added organic oat bran, so they are even higher in fibre, are perfect for vegans and are guaranteed to be free of artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. 

They are simple and utterly tasty. They are perfect for any topping, savoury or sweet. I actually like to nibble them with no toppings. Is that just me? 

Nairn's, Super Seeded Organic Oatcakes, £1.40, Sainsbury's

Wow! These are my favourites! The super seeded Organic Oatcakes are a mix of delicious flax, sunflower and chia seeds which are all a great natural source of protein and rich in omegas 3 & 6. They are deliciously crunchy and are ideal with any topping, or can also be used with any dips or hummus. Or cream cheese. My favourite idea, as it happens.

Incidentally, you really do need to get Nairn's Oatcakes in for your Christmas feasting.