Fresh from the Press! Luscombe's Organic English Apple Juice

At this time of year, there's a veritable buzz in the air at the Devon farm of premium soft drinks producer Luscombe. 

The apple press is whirring away and the sweet aroma of fresh apple juice fills the air, the apple harvest is well underway! Apples have been growing in the orchards of Luscombe since the 12th century. 

A long, hot, dry summer followed by September downpours resulted in a later harvest than normal, but a bumper crop of succulent apples, producing Luscombe's delightfully sweet Organic English Apple Juice (12x27cl bottles, £22.40 from luscombe.co.uk).

Apples require plenty of moisture to grow and the late summer rain was very welcome and just in the nick of time! The apples have since swelled, bringing out their best taste, an exceptional, sweet juice. It is this special taste that Luscombe apples are grown for, with carefully timed picking, and a trusted community of growers help to craft a delicious blend of varieties. 

Key to the recipe are the heritage apples which date back many generations, with Devon Crimson, Pig's Snout and Slack-ma-Girdle some of the best named among them!

With an impressive depth, Luscombe Organic English Apple Juice is a heavenly match for traditional roast pork and crackling and is magnificent served chilled with cold ham and chicken, grilled sweet fish, green leafy salads and goats' cheese. (It sounds to us at That's Food and Drink that this apple juice should be bought in for Christmas.)

Luscombe is justifiably proud to be the first drinks brand to have gained organic accreditation from the Soil Association and like all Luscombe drinks, it's important to know that Organic English Apple Juice contains no artificial additives, sweeteners or concentrates.

Producing beautifully crafted drinks on a farm in Devon since 1975, Luscombe gather nature's best ingredients and, with very little and careful intervention, turn them into their superb range of organic fruit juices, crushes, bubblies, tonic waters and mixers, plus a traditional organic Devon cider.

Founder and owner, Gabriel David, has become renowned for his pursuit of perfection and no compromise approach to creating the elegant and multi-award-winning range of drinks.

It's Luscombe's attention to detail along with the expertise and passion of their growers, which ensures only the very best quality ingredients go into their drinks.

For further information on Luscombe Drinks visit www.luscombe.co.uk, follow luscombedrinks on Instagram or 'Like' luscombedrinks on Facebook.

Tropical Sun Launch Ready-to-Eat Jackfruit Range Exclusively in Asda

Famous for its meat-like texture, young green jackfruit has been hailed as a “vegan sensation”. 

Whether preparing fresh or tinned jackfruit, the process can be long and manually intensive, making it impractical for those who are short of time or not inclined towards cooking from scratch. Or who live in a home which don't have a particularly good kitchen?

But fear not, faster food fans, for the UK’s top World Food brand, Tropical Sun, has partnered with Asda to offer its vegetarian and vegan customers two ready-to-eat jackfruit products that will delight anyone looking for a plant-based ‘pulled meat’ experience.

Tropical Sun’s BBQ and Tex Mex Pulled Jackfruit hit the shelves of the Asda World Food aisles on the 26th November, just in time for ‘Veganuary’.

The 400g tins will retail at £2.49 (check for current pricing) and are the perfect base for a quick and simple plant-based meal. Stuff the BBQ jackfruit into a lightly toasted brioche bun, top with salad and serve chunky chips for the ultimate ‘pulled pork’ experience. Load a tortilla wrap with the Tex Mex jackfruit, rice, black beans and guacamole for a burrito that goes beyond!

Says Vas Sideras, Tropical Sun’s Supermarket Lead said of the jackfruit products: “We’ve seen a soaring demand for plant-based foods in recent years and these ready-to-eat products build off the success of our Jackfruit in Brine and Jackfruit in Water products which are amongst the most popular foods in our entire range.”

Tropical Sun has been importing fantastic World Foods including spices, oils drinks and snacks from all over the world since 1996.

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Sandford Orchards Reveals Cider Done Right Is Better for Cider lovers and the Planet

Award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, has revealed why drinking its fabulous cider is a more sustainable option than many other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the market. Sandford 

Orchards' natural, low-impact approach to producing cider is good for soil health and wildlife diversity. It also has a short supply chain and uses a lot less energy and water than many of its counterparts.

Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards reveals why: “Starting from the ground up, our apples grow in local orchards, many of which contain diverse and often historic apple tree types.

"Once planted, the soil in these orchards remains untouched, often for centuries, allowing the natural drawdown of carbon into the earth. Undisturbed soils are better for natural fungi, small and large invertebrates, burrowing insects, small mammals and all the greater food web that relies on them. Healthy soils are the super-power at the heart of any thriving ecosystem.”

Barny went on to say: “The apple trees are fantastic carbon sinks too. The deep roots, the trunk and branches all lock in carbon, as do the leaves and unharvested fruit. They are also an amazing food source for a huge range of creatures. 

"During blossom time, a 20 acre orchard serves up 900kg of nectar and 3.5 tons of pollen and the apples, both on the tree and later on the ground, all provide a hugely welcome larder for insects, birds, bats, hedgehogs mice, voles, owls, foxes, badgers and more.”

Also, Sandford Orchards has put a number of features in place to reduce their energy consumption and use renewable sources, where possible.

Barny added: “We like to keep our supply chain short and to recycle any waste. Our furthest orchard is only 20 miles away and our by-products of pressing and fermentation are both sent locally to be bio-converted into natural green gas, and to re-capture CO2. This CO2 is then returned to the ciderworks to carbonate our ciders.”

Barny elaborates: “We use locally coppiced regenerating woodlands for fuel for heating water and have installed solar panels which produce 25% of our required electricity. We have switched to electrical forklifts, and currently two of our company cars are EV with a plan in place to have all our company vehicles charged by renewable power. 

"We use the clever architecture of the building to keep the premises at a constant temperature and also maximise the use of natural lighting, plus we move the apples into the mill using rainwater harvested from our roofs. In areas where we require temperature control, we have retro-fitted full insulation and rapid closing doors, hugely reducing the energy required to keep an even temperature.”

Another key point that sets Sandford Orchards' cider apart from many other drinks is that they use minimal heat in the production process. 

Barny explains: “By using filtration and cold sterilisation much of the time, the warmest our cider gets is when you drink it! Compared to other drinks that require massive heat inputs to boil ingredients, the energy we need to use to make our cider is really tiny. 

"It's all about fabulous apples, grown in wildlife-rich local orchards with minimal other inputs. Our low impact approach to cider-making means you can enjoy a pint in the knowledge that you've made a sustainable choice.”

Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon and is based in the UKs oldest working cider mill. 

The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the perfect amount of rain and the right units of summer heat.

Sandford Orchards takes a fresh, natural and low impact approach to producing cider. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards produces an award-winning range of core session, traditional, fine and fruit ciders.

For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Ideal for Vegetarian November: The Collective Suckies range

You could well have heard of The Collective Suckies range: an easy mess free pouch,  great for lunch boxes or eating on the move. 

Now they come with dairy free and no added sugar options. But without compromising on taste, of course!

The No Added Sugar Suckies are made with British milk and real fruit for a sweet and mild taste, providing a source of Vitamin D for immune support. Available in three brand new flavour combos, strawberry & banana, banana & cocoa or mango & peach, the delicious new range is available in Tesco and Ocado from the 12th September for just 85p.

Available in three flavours, strawberry, peach and apricot and banana, Dairy Free Suckies are available in Tesco, Ocado and Waitrose for just £1.

Made with a unique combo of oats and coconut blended with real fruit, the dairy-free alternative boasts a thick and creamy texture (with no pips and bits!). What’s more, each pouch is packed with live cultures and provides sources of vitamin D & B12 for immune support and calcium for strong bones.

https://www.thecollectivedairy.com/dairyfree.

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Launch a mince pie contest

This is a fun and inexpensive idea that anyone can try. 

Make a list of every shop or venue in your town or area that sell mince pies. Supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, service stations, sandwich shops, etc, etc.

Buy mince pies from each of them and judge them from 1 to 10 on the taste, the filling, etc, etc.

(Image courtesy of  PublicDomainPictures and Pixabay)

Tony "The Greek Farmer" Charalambides is the "Next Big Thing"

The Channel 4 TV series ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ sees food and drink suppliers vying against one an other to compete for a space on Aldi’s shelves.

‘The Greek Farmer’ Tony Charalambides and his British charcuterie business beat hundreds of other hopefuls to land the contract of a lifetime, within just 12 months of launching his business

The award winning product will land on Aldi's shelves on November 25th.

Hackney born, Tony Charalambides, 42, launched his business in December 2021 with the assistance of his side kick and best friend, Aaron Grey, 32. 

And a mere 11 months later his British charcuterie has been catapulted into the limelight and will be on shelves in Aldi stores nationally.

The pair were awarded the "life changing" contract in last night’s episode of Aldi’s Next Big Thing, which focused on the fresh & deli category.

In the show, hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4 and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less, hopeful suppliers compete for a space on Aldi’s shelves, before Aldi’s Julie Ashfield decides on the winner.

Tony and Aaron fought off tough competition from freshly made samosas, scotch eggs and even peanut butter and broccoli sausages, before finally beating ‘I AM NUT OK’, a vegan cheese producer to take the top prize.

Former builder Tony is of Greek Cypriot and Irish heritage, and it’s his childhood nickname ‘The Greek’ that inspired the eponymous brand.

Tony says: “Family and food were and still are the most important factors growing up in a Cypriot and Irish household. I’ve been in Cyprus quite a lot of my life eating Greek food, and it was something that I wanted to bring back to the UK. When I met Aaron at my son’s birthday party four years ago we bonded over good food.  So when the opportunity came to start curing meats together, it just made sense.

“We smoke our meats in an old disused silo on my farm using traditional Greek methods and flavourings – that makes us the only UK Greek producer of cured meats.”

The product impressed the judges from the very beginning, with its great taste and provenance. Only free-range British pork and beef are used and everything is produced on Tony’s Hertfordshire farm.

 Julie challenged the duo with tweaking their packaging to include a selection of cured meats and to bring out the Britishness front of pack. But the biggest test was the time frame the duo had to produce the cured meat.

Aaron explains: “You must be patient with cured meat so you can’t speed up any processes. It takes time.”

In the programme presenter Chris Bavin was concerned about the lead time, but Aaron is seen reassuring him: “You worry too much.”

Luckily for Aldi, Aaron proved to be right, as The Greek Farmer’s charcuterie selection of air-dried meats (including beef, pork loin, pork belly thins and ham) will be available in stores from 25th November. But shoppers will need to get in quick to get a chance to try, as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Tony says: “It’s mind-blowing for the pair of us. We only launched last December, and now we’ve won this amazing competition and are going to be on Aldi’s shelves. What I was hoping for in year three, four or five potentially has now come to play in year one, not even year one. It’s going to catapult our business for sure.”

Julie Ashfield said about choosing the winner: “It was tough for me to decide because I could see how hard both of the finalists had worked to get there but the provenance and the traditional method of The Greek Farmer won out for me in the end. The product tasted excellent and I just felt if we can get that product to store, customers will really, really love it.”

The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products. Aldi has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5 billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.

Aldi’s Next Big Thing airs on Channel 4, every Thursday at 8pm until 24th November.