Wednesday, 9 August 2023

Everersfield Organic launches new restaurant

Eversfield Organic, which is one of the UK's leading organic grocery stores, is absolutely thrilled to  be able to announce the opening of a new restaurant, The Farm Kitchen at its Totnes Farm Shop, Deli, and Cafe. 

The new restaurant offers an immersive dining experience, focusing on sharing the joy of eating great food with great companions.

Located above the farm shop and café at its premises on The Plains, Totnes (TQ9 5DR for your satnav!), The Farm Kitchen is a restaurant which brings communal feasting to South Devon with carefully curated sharing boards, steaks, and fondue as the highlights of its menu inspired by traditional Swiss Alpine offerings and produce from its adjacent organic farm.

With Eversfield Organic's mantra of 'enjoy food, enjoy life,' this is a fantastic dining experience which does precisely that, bringing people together who love good food and great, enjoyable conversations. It's a place to embrace the colder months with a gathering of friends and refuel with delicious, satisfying foods.

Grass fed beef that's succulent and absolutely filled with flavour will be cooked to perfection by the guests themselves on a dedicated hot stone; and there will also be bountiful grazing boards - meat, cheese and charcuterie and a veg boards, which are packed with seasonal and organic veggies, with marinades to be poured on. 

If guests opt for a fondue, a cauldron of delicious, melted cheese will be kept warm for dipping various offerings, swirling them into the cheese to create food that's incredibly, utterly delicious.

Mark Bury, who is the MD of Eversfield Organic, expressed his excitement about the new venture, saying, "Tucking into sharing plates which are as beautiful as they are tasty, cooking our organic beef on hot stones, and sharing mouth-watering fondue is a truly wonderful way to truly appreciate incredible food that is full of the flavours and tastes of the Westcountry. The boards are simply stunning. They're absolute works of art that make you really appreciate the food that's laid before you."

He further emphasised the philosophy behind The Farm Kitchen, "It's about slowing down, cooking, dipping, savouring, and relishing beautiful food that's been consciously reared and grown."

The compact menus at The Farm Kitchen feature steak and fondue for two, complemented by sharing boards of salads, sides, and desserts that reflect the changing seasons,  with delicious organic wines available to compliment the equally delicious food. These wines are made from organically grown grapes with minimal or reduced amounts of added sulphites.

Eversfield Organic was founded in 2004 by Mark Bury, starting as a local organic grocery service. It has since grown to offer nationwide deliveries. Alongside its online presence, Eversfield Organic operates various farm shops, organic inns, and cafes. Notably, the company runs the butcher's and fishmongers in Selfridges Food Hall, London. 

www.eversfieldorganic.co.uk

(EDITOR: Thinking ahead, this could well make a very good venue for dining over the Christmas period.)

Food Rebels: Taste the Sharp Rebellion!

Introducing Food Rebels, a brand-new podcast and radio show which is solely dedicated to celebrating food challenger brands, food founders, and spotlighting personalities who dare to do things a bit differently.

The exciting 30-minute show, which launches with a listenership of over 30,000 thanks to its radio partners, will be packed with intriguing interviews and thought-provoking discussions from the exciting world of challenger brands.

The Host

Food Rebels is hosted by AJ Sharp, former co-host and presenter of The FoodTalk Show.  AJ is an experienced radio presenter, food expert, entrepreneur, broadcaster and food awards judge. She will bring her knowledge of food, entrepreneurialism, and friendly style to every episode, alongside a host of expert guest presenters.

Guest Presenters

The first four episodes kick off with ITV's Lorraine cake club winner, demo chef and food expert Suzy Pelta in the Guest Presenter's hot seat. After that, AJ's going to be joined by Colin Mordi, who founded Food Sauce, an agency dedicated to helping black and ethnic minority food founders to succeed. 

Next up, the Food Rebels team are excited to welcome the owner of award-winning Tempus Charcuterie and MasterChef 2010 winner, Dhruv Baker to the Guest Presenter's chair during October.

Guests and Scheduling

The schedule is already jammed-packed with brand founders, celebrities, and future stars, as well as experts you will recognise from TV and radio.

Food Rebels airs every Wednesday at 5pm, live through radio stations all over the UK as well as all the podcasting apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

Says AJ Sharp, host and presenter of Food Rebels: “Please join us on a journey behind the scenes, where secrets are shared, wisdom is imparted, live tastings, and a feast of food and drink entertainment for our listeners across the UK and beyond.”

The first episode of Food Rebels aired on 2nd of August, and you can listen again on www.foodrebels.co.uk.

Production Team and Guest Booker is Beshley Clague

hello@foodrebels.co.uk

Please see criteria for guest requests: https://www.foodrebels.co.uk/faqs

New Caramelised Apple Yoghurt from Bonne Maman

As part of the That's Food and Drink series of features on deserts, we bring you special news from Bonne Maman of their new caramelised apple yoghurt.

They are introducing a sensational new flavour to the Bonne Maman Fruit Yoghurt range, Caramelised Apple. Containing generous servings of the tastiest of proper caramelised apples, which have been gently cooked to perfection, swirled throughout an undeniably luscious yoghurt, the unique flavour combination offers a balance of sweetness and creaminess that's utterly irresistible. 

Presented in large 450g pots, Bonne Maman Large Pot Yoghurts are specially designed for sharing. The perfect treat for a night in, or a little after dinner indulgence, without the calories of ice-cream, this tempting new flavour joins three other equally delicious yoghurts: Strawberries and the tangiest rhubarb; Raspberry and the juiciest blackberries; Violet Fig with the figgiest of figs and Morello Cherry with the plumpest cherries.

Sumptuous and intensely fruity, each Bonne Maman fruit yoghurt pot contains lots of deliciously ripe and fragrant fruit pieces, simply mixed with a thick and smooth, creamy yoghurt.

Bonne Maman Yoghurts are always made with the finest quality natural ingredients and contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners. First available from Waitrose and Partners stores nationwide at £2.80 per 450g pot.

Cornwall's Clotted Cream Sales Soar as Visitors Flock to the Region

Cornwall's Trewithen Dairy is witnessing a 'remarkable' surge in clotted cream sales, which is great news for the dairy and farming industry in the county of Cornwall.

Despite July being one of the dampest in recent years, visitors are still flocking to the region. According to Visit Cornwall, over five million people visit the county every year during the annual summer holidays. 

This is a welcome boost and a veritable boon for the region's producers as the demand for food in the region skyrockets. 

At the heart of this lies a love for a traditional cream tea. Freshly baked scones adorned with jam and rich clotted cream are a must-have treat and at Trewithen Dairy sales are soaring.

During the peak summer months between May and September, Trewithen Dairy plans to produce an amazing 55.77 tonnes of their renowned clotted cream in various formats, including 56g, 114g, 200g, and 400g pots. 

This volume alone would equate to almost 100,000 cream teas with an estimated 10 million more cream teas expected to be consumed through Trewithen's business providing clotted cream into other retailers.

That's an enormous number of people consuming authentic Trewithen Dairy Cornish clotted cream that bears the all important and vital PDO stamp. This stands for Protected Designation of Origin and means that it is produced, processed and prepared in Cornwall using recognised methods or skills. It's genuine, delicious Cornish clotted cream made with milk from cows which are raised and grazed by farmers who are very passionate about their health and welfare. High quality, Cornish milk creates the very best tasting clotted cream.

One of Trewithen Dairy's partners, farmer Matt Rowe of Tredinnick Farm, plays a vital role in helping meet the demand. During the peak holiday season milk production at his farm increases by 20% with more milk sold in August and September than any other time of the year. 

Matt said: “Everybody loves a cream tea and its brilliant. We aim our profile to fit a 20% increase during the summer to cope with the demand in Cornwall. We try and maximise our returns so at this time of year we do produce more milk for the tourists.

“We're lucky to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world, with clotted cream made from cows all raised and grazed in Cornwall, a delicious reminder of our county.”

Francis Clarke, a director of Trewithen Dairy, said: “It's always lovely to see so many people coming to Cornwall for their holidays, and it's wonderful to know our clotted cream holds a very special place in the hearts of those who visit us. 

"Even after they return home, people want to enjoy the taste of Cornwall, and that's great news for our business and Cornwall's dairy farmers, who work hard to provide the finest milk for our cherished products.”

As the demand for clotted cream hits its peak, Trewithen Dairy is very proud to showcase the versatility of this indulgent treat. Beyond the classic cream tea, clotted cream enhances a wide range of summer recipes, from sweet to savoury. 

And as Cornwall continues to flourish as a top holiday destination, Trewithen Dairy's clotted cream will continue to provide a delicious reminder of a region that is loved by so many. And when the holiday season is over, Trewithen Dairy sales of clotted cream continue to remain robust through its online shop with people buying their cream teas online reminding them of sublime days in Cornwall, all year round.

Please check out the dairy here https://www.trewithendairy.co.uk.

Tuesday, 8 August 2023

That's Christmas: Celebrate the Christmas Magic With Luscombe's 'Ope...

That's Christmas: Celebrate the Christmas Magic With Luscombe's 'Ope...: Whether  you're looking to host a festive gathering, toasting with loved ones or simply unwinding after a long fun-filled day at Christm...

Summers Under the Tamarind Tree - Recipes & Memories from Pakistan

Summers Under the Tamarind Tree - Recipes & Memories from Pakistan - by Sumayya Usmani, published by White Lion Publishing.

In this new edition of her award-winning memoir-cookbook, Sumayya Usmani celebrates the varied, exciting and all-too-often  overlooked cuisine of her beautiful birthplace, honouring the heritage and traditions of her home country through over 100 family recipes and evocative food memories.

Said Sumayya: “When people think of Pakistan, they probably picture a simple land which is plagued by troubles. But having grown up in Karachi, my memories of my childhood in Pakistan are filled with exciting scents, sounds and rich flavours. Food is the spirit of Pakistani people and the cuisine has been hundreds of years in the making.

When I moved to the UK, I was struck by the fact that despite a large Pakistani diaspora, our cuisine has never found its individual voice. My patriotic spirit and passion for the food I grew up cooking and eating sowed the seeds for this book. 

"I hope that the flavour of my heritage comes through in each recipe I share. This book is for my mother, grandmothers and daughter – the women who have always inspired me – and for my homeland, which is full of passion, promise and authentic flavour.”

What do people say about the book?

“Sumayya's words bring to life the aromas of her exquisite recipes, as well as the story of a little-known culinary heritage. It's wonderful to discover the world of Pakistani food and andaza (sensory cooking) in this perfect cookbook.” OLIA HERCULES 

“This book is a treasure.  Charm, information and what Sumayya calls 'the flavour of my Pakistani heritage' permeates every single recipe.” MADHUR JAFFREY

“My favourite sort of cookbook: personal, beautiful and full of things I want to eat.” MEERA SODHA

 £20 hardback, published in September.

 

Bone Appetit! Aldi's sell-out doggy ice cream is back at just £2.99!

Back by popular demand, Aldi’s Doggy Ice Cream hits stores nationwide from today, 8th August. 

It's available in two delicious flavours of Pea & Vanilla and Carrot & Apple.

Dogs across the country will be training their owners to go fetch, as Aldi has announced the return of its sell-out Dog Ice Cream just in time for the expected warmer weather.

Last year, the popular treat sold out in record time with nearly 30 tubs every minute zooming out of the freezer when it launched in June 2022.. And now, Aldi's popular canine treat is back and will be sure to get tongues licking and tails wagging when it hits the shelves.

Priced at just £2.99 (pack of 4, 110ml each) your furry friends can get involved in the ice cream action with a choice of the two delicious flavours: Pea & Vanilla and Carrot & Apple. The Doggy Ice Cream is 100% plant based and boasts real fruit and vegetables to offer a nutritious snack whilst also keeping pets cool during the warm weather.

With summer finally here and searches of #dogicecream hitting 31.8M on TikTok alone, Aldi’s Doggy Ice Cream couldn't have returned at a better time!

Julie Ashfield, the MD of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Last year we became the first UK supermarket to launch a doggy-friendly ice cream, and it was a huge hit with our pet owners. We’re delighted to bring back a product that's both nutritious and cooling for dogs, just as the sunshine returns!”

Aldi’s Langham’s Doggy Ice Cream will be available in the freezer aisle and can be found in stores nationwide from today. Pet owners will need to run and fetch quickly though, because as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

www.aldi.co.uk.

A Lidl bit of good news for tea lovers!

Lidl's revealed all its own-brand tea bags will become fully compostable, helping tea lovers across the whole  country make more sustainable shopping choices.

This means customers can enjoy their favourite cuppa knowing they'll be able to dispose of the tea bags in food or green waste bins. 

The transition to fully compostable tea bags is expected to divert up to 800 million per year from traditional waste bins, and subsequently, landfill.

The material - a special plant-based plastic, polylactic acid (PLA) - not only ensures the composability of the tea bags but also maintains the exceptional quality and flavour that Lidl customers expect. 

From its Deluxe Fairtrade Assam Tea (£1.09) to its Knightsbridge Gold Blend Tea (£1.19) or Knightsbridge Red Label Tea (£2.39) – the change will be made across all of Lidl GB’s own-brand tea range.

In line with its wider commitment to improving the recyclability of all its products, the move follows a recent announcement from Lidl to transition its milk range to clear tops. These combined efforts mean Lidl shoppers can savour every cup of tea knowing they’re helping cut the amount of single-use plastic that are destined for landfill.

Said Shyam Unarket, who is Head of Responsible Sourcing and Ethical Trade at Lidl GB “Those buying tea bags from Lidl are supporting our efforts to reduce single-use plastic going to landfill. We understand even a few relatively minor changes to our products can benefit our customers, whilst also helping us improve our impact on the planet, one cup at a time.”

Lidl’s new compostable tea bags will turn in store over the coming months, while existing stock gradually sells through. Today’s announcement comes as part of Lidl’s ongoing efforts to reduce its own-label plastic packaging by 40% by the end of 2025.

Other recent initiatives include becoming the first UK supermarket to incorporate Prevented Ocean Plastic™ into its water bottles and announcing plans to introduce new vacuum-packed, recyclable packaging across its beef mince range, resulting in a plastic reduction of almost two thirds (63%).

Tesco’s move to highlight marked down food bargains now expands to 300 stores

A move by Tesco to help customers find marked-down yellow sticker food items more easily has proved so popular Tesco has decided to expand to 300 stores all over the UK.

For the revamp the supermarket has made bold, new signage for its mark-down section in stores to help shoppers find food bargains and at the same time help reduce food waste.

The new signage which states, ‘reduced in price, just as nice’, is now up in just under 300 stores and plans are currently being discussed to roll it out even further across all Tesco branches.

The mark down areas feature a wide range of products from fresh produce like salads, meat, bread and sweet treats which are near to their expiry date, so they're ideal for tonight’s supper or for popping in the freezer for another day, to end of season as well as discontinued grocery and non-food products, also.

Tesco Group Quality, Technical and Sustainability Director Claire Lorains said: “At Tesco we have no time for food waste and we are doing everything we can to reduce this.

“Our customers are always on the lookout for great value food, and our rebranded ‘reduced in price, just as nice’ signage makes it easier than ever before to spot a short-dated and top-quality bargain.” 

The initial move last October was made after a survey revealed shoppers would pick up more yellow sticker food items if the marked down area where they are placed would look nicer.

Tesco’s Hatfield Extra store in Hertfordshire was the first to feature the revamp last October.

Hatfield store manager Ravi Aloysius said: “The new signage has had an immediate effect and we are seeing more people wishing to buy from our reductions area, particularly on fresh food, meaning there are far fewer items left at the end of an evening.” 

Tesco has already achieved a 45 per cent reduction in food waste across own operations since 2016/17. However, it knows there is still more to do despite just 0.35 per cent of food it handled, last year, ending up as waste.  

Tesco closely follows the food waste hierarchy to ensure that no food goes to landfill. Where possible surplus food is given to humans through Fareshare.  

Pizza-free cooking in pizza ovens from Witt?

Award-winning Scandinavian Witt’s Pizza Oven range has been impressing customers and publications like BBC Good Food, Ideal Home, and Independent since its launch earlier this year. 

With its stylish design and ultra-fast heating technology, the Etna Fermo Pizza Oven does more than render perfect pizzas. It does so much more, besides!

Geoff Johnson Sales Director and Pizza Guru at Witt UK & Ireland said: "The Etna Fermo Pizza Oven is fast heating and has a large cooking space meaning that not only can it produce perfect pizzas, it’s also great for roasting or searing meats, fish, vegetables as well as baking bread or delicious desserts.” 

“Firstly, I really recommend that you invest in a good quality cast-iron skillet, it can handle intense heat and will work perfectly for many dishes. But you should never food directly onto your pizza stone, or it could become saturated with meat fats and also smaller foods like vegetables need to be contained during the cooking process.”

Geoff’s favourite things to cook in a pizza oven other than pizzas?

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Butter 

“My go-to for roast chicken is always lemon, garlic and herb butter - spatchcocking is a great way to reduce cooking time, and it’ll fit on a cast-iron pan in your Witt pizza oven.” 

Focaccia 

“Using pizza dough, garlic, Rosemary, salt, pepper and plenty of olive oil, you will have delicious homemade Focaccia in 30 minutes.”

Vegetables

“Even delicate vegetables such as tender stem broccoli can be cooked in your pizza oven. Most vegetables will benefit from a light coating of oil, salt, and pepper before you add them to the hot skillet. Keep an eye on them and make sure to turn them regularly. They really don't take too long to cook.”

(EDITOR: I feel turkey (perhaps breasts or wings?) and Christmas dinner vegetables would cook up nicely in a Witt pizza oven.)

https://www.wittpizza.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witt-Etna-Fermo-Pizza-Rotating/dp/B0BJW8Q2PZ