Food and drink news for the discerning consumer
Introduction:
Hormones influence everything from mood to metabolism. These supplements offer natural support.
1. Maca Root – Balances hormones and boosts libido.
2. Red Clover – Mimics oestrogen and eases hot flushes.
3. Calcium & Vitamin D – Protect bones in post-menopausal years.
4. Vitamin B6 – Supports mood and hormone regulation.
5. Evening Primrose Oil – May help with PMS and breast tenderness.
Note: Always speak with your GP before starting hormone-related supplements.
Introduction:
A sluggish liver can impact skin, digestion and energy. Try these to support detox.
1. Milk Thistle – Classic liver support herb.
2. Dandelion Root – Promotes bile flow and detox.
3. NAC – Boosts glutathione for liver cleansing.
4. Spirulina – Binds toxins and supports immunity.
5. Chlorella – Aids heavy metal detoxification.
Best Use: Combine with lots of water and a clean diet.
Introduction:
Struggling to relax? These supplements support mental health and sleep quality.
1. Magnesium – Calms the nervous system and improves sleep.
2. L-Theanine – Encourages calm focus and reduces anxiety.
3. Melatonin – A natural sleep hormone (short-term use only).
4. Ashwagandha – Reduces cortisol and improves sleep quality.
5. 5-HTP – May boost serotonin and support restful sleep.
Note: Take most of these 30–60 minutes before bed.
Introduction:
Looking your best starts with nutrition. These supplements promote glowing skin and shiny hair.
1. Collagen – Improves elasticity and reduces wrinkles.
2. Biotin – Strengthens hair and nails.
3. Zinc – Fights acne and supports skin healing.
4. Vitamin C – Promotes collagen and brightens the complexion.
5. Hyaluronic Acid – Keeps skin hydrated and plump.
Pro Tip: Combine with hydration and a healthy diet for best results.
Whether you're French, a Francophile, or just looking for a great excuse to indulge in fabulous food and drink, Bastille Day is the perfect opportunity to throw a celebration. Here's how to bring a little joie de vivre to your table with delicious dishes and drinks inspired by the best of French cuisine.
Savoury Stars of the Bastille Day Table
Baguettes and Artisan Breads
You can’t celebrate France without a crusty baguette! Serve it warm with rich French butter, a selection of cheeses, or for mopping up sauces.
French Cheese Board
Put together a cheese board featuring favourites such as Brie de Meaux, Roquefort, Comté, and Camembert. Pair with grapes, nuts, and a drizzle of honey for a truly magnifique platter.
Coq au Vin
This slow-cooked dish of chicken, red wine, bacon, and mushrooms is comforting, flavourful, and a real centrepiece for a sit-down Bastille Day dinner.
Quiche Lorraine or Niçoise Salad
Opt for a rustic quiche with smoky lardons and cheese, or a summery Niçoise salad with tuna, olives, and hard-boiled eggs for a lighter bite.
Croque Monsieur/Madame
These toasted ham and cheese sandwiches are easy to make but deliciously indulgent. Add a fried egg on top for a Croque Madame!
Sweet French Treats
Perfect for a Bastille Day breakfast or brunch, these buttery pastries are best served with jam and coffee.
Tarte Tatin or Clafoutis
Tarte Tatin is a caramelised upside-down apple tart, while Clafoutis is a baked custard dotted with cherries. Both are classics and crowd-pleasers.
Macarons and Madeleines
Elegant and colourful, macarons are a lovely addition to any Bastille Day spread. Pair with dainty madeleines for afternoon tea vibes.
Raise a Glass: Drinks to Toast the Day
French Wines
Choose a red Bordeaux, a crisp Sancerre, or a refreshing Rosé from Provence. Champagne, of course, is the ultimate celebratory tipple.
French Beers Although not widely known for their beers there are some decent French beers in most supermarkets these days
Kir Royale
This chic aperitif combines crème de cassis with Champagne for a sparkling toast to liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Citron Pressé
This classic French lemonade is refreshing and perfect for those looking for a non-alcoholic option.
Calvados or Cognac
Round off the evening with a glass of French brandy, ideal for sipping slowly after a big meal.
Tips for Hosting a Bastille Day Party
Decorate with blue, white, and red. Think napkins, bunting, or even flowers in the colours of the French flag.
Play French music. Classic chanson or a bit of Edith Piaf sets the mood beautifully.
Consider a picnic. A Bastille Day celebration in the garden or a local park with French picnic staples can be très charmant.
Bastille Day is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy French culture, cuisine, and company. Whether you’re planning a full feast or a casual gathering, these food and drink ideas will help you celebrate with style et goût.
Bon appétit et joyeux 14 juillet!
Held at the Staffordshire County Showground at the end of last month, June, ICDA is the world’s biggest platform for championing world class cheese and dairy products.
Recognised for its sticky orange rind, pungent aroma, oozy creamy texture and nutty flavour, Minger was among 5,500 entries to be judged in a single day by cheese and dairy experts from around the globe.
Highland Fine Cheeses’ semi-hard washed rind cheese, Fat Cow was awarded Bronze in the rind-washed category, while Blue Murder took Bronze in the soft blue category. A third Bronze was awarded to Ooh La La, which is a soft and silky lactic style cow’s milk cheese, which is yet to be officially launched by Highland Fine Cheeses. (EDITOR: I can't wait!)
More awards success was achieved at the Royal Highland Show, which also took place last month, with Fat Cow receiving a Gold, while Minger, Blue Murder, Strathdon Blue, and Highland Fine Cheeses’ Salted Butter all achieved Bronze accolades.
The entire range of Highland Fine Cheeses’ award-winning cheeses and butter can be purchased from hf-cheeses.com along with accompaniments, and delivery is available across the UK. Highland Fine Cheeses’ range is also available in farm shops, delis, stores and supermarkets throughout the UK and Scotland. Cheese lovers can check their local stockists at hf-cheeses.com/pages/store-locator.
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| Is this illegal? You'd better check |
Businesses could face fines if they fail to separate their food waste from other recyclables and rubbish, an environmental lawyer has warned.
New legislation that requires businesses with as few as ten employees to follow strict waste rules has flown under the radar, says Craig Burman, of commercial law firm Schofield Sweeney, who has been contacted by a number of companies, unclear about what the regulations mean for them and the consequences of failing to comply.
Under the Government’s new ‘Simpler Recycling’ regulations, which came into force in March this year, employers with ten employees or more must separate all food waste, from excess canteen fare to teabags and packed lunch leftovers, from other recyclables and rubbish, before it is collected.
Mr Burman, who heads the Environmental and Regulatory team for Schofield Sweeney,told That's Food and Drink: “The regulations are designed to reduce waste and make recycling easier and more consistent across England, which is obviously a good thing.
“But unfortunately lots of businesses haven’t heard about the new rules and for many ‘Simpler Recycling’ is proving to be anything but simple.
“Implications like how to keep food waste separate in a busy workplace environment are of serious concern, and firms are worried their employees’ tea club or ‘meal deal’ leftovers could land the company in trouble.”
He is urging companies of all sizes to ensure all management and staff are aware of their responsibilities under the new legislation.
Under the Simpler Recycling regulations:
Card and paper must be separated from glass, plastic and metal for recycling, to recycle them all together, businesses must prepare a written assessment to explain why they cannot be separated.
All food waste must be disposed of separately
Packaging, cans or bottles should contain no remnants of food or drink
General unrecyclable waste, like used paper towels, must also be put in separate bins
Craig Burman added: “The legislation applies to every employer with a workforce of ten-plus and includes landlords and facilities management companies, schools, and community organisations, like churches and charities.
“Companies which employ fewer than ten full-time employees will also have to comply with the legislation from March 31st, 2027.
“Nobody wants to fall foul of the regulations and risk being faced with an Environment Agency compliance notice or, ultimately, a fine, so I’d advise them to take note of the regulations and if in doubt seek additional guidance.”
Following a bold and extensive transformation, the Drury Lane venue has been reimagined as a multi-sensory playground, offering retro cocktails and draft beers whilst, of course, keeping Bunga's signature karaoke and pizza.
Welcome to the 90s!
Bunga 90 sets the tone from your very first glance, with its ground-floor façade styled as a nostalgic video rental store with a kaleidoscope of 90s references, from SEGA Megadrives and Super Nintendos to shelves lined with VHS tapes and CRT televisions looping iconic trailers from the era.
Guests can belt out karaoke favourites from cult 90s films before stepping through the infamous 'Adults Only' curtain, revealing a mysterious, long-forgotten time-travel movie, Bunga 90 within the PEPSI Time Machine.
The immersion is clear as memories of renting a film on a Friday night come flooding back, and the scent of popcorn fills the air. As the VCR behind the curtain inevitably malfunctions, the screen glitches and visitors are pulled into a whirlwind journey back to the decade that defined a generation
Back in time
On exiting the back of the video store guests emerge into a lovingly recreated 1990s Anglo-American family home with chintzy furniture, family holiday snaps and the unmistakable drone of dial-up noises setting the scene. Descending into the basement, visitors pass through a teenager's bedroom filled with fairy lights, teen idol posters, and Tammy Girl fashion before reaching the vibrant main bar, the beating heart of the venue. Here, a towering wall of old-school TVs plays a non-stop loop of 90s music videos, movie scenes, fashion TV and iconic adverts from back in the day.
Claw Cocktails, Arcade Madness & Toilet Raves
One of Bunga 90's show-stopping centrepieces is a giant, fully functioning arcade claw machine repurposed for cocktail creating.
Guests will take control via a joystick and assemble their own custom “Claw Cocktail” made with Bombay Sapphire gin, Bacardi rum or Grey Goose vodka.
Elsewhere in the venue, guests will be able to try their hand at a rare Jurassic Park pinball machine, vintage arcade cabinets, and jumbo 90s handheld games.
And in a fun nod to a WrestleMania ladder match, there's a championship belt for guests to grab, triggering dramatic ring-walk theme tunes from the eras biggest stars.
Every hour, the toilets transform into London's smallest 'M25 style' warehouse rave, created in partnership with Southern Comfort and Tequila Rose. Think UV lights, smoke bursts, glow sticks, and a blast of high octane 90s dance anthems.
Meanwhile, the toilet lobby plays host to karaoke performances, offering wannabe popstars the opportunity to serenade fellow guests as they fix their hair in the mirror.
Drinks:
The drinks list features reinvented 90s classics, think Cosmos, Watermelon Margaritas and Appletinis, all priced at £9.
A selection of cocktails will also be served in the shapes of 90s icons, from Will Smith or Britney Spears' heads or from a Nokia 3310, all priced at £13. The food menu stays true to Bunga's pizza roots but dials up the indulgence with fully loaded American-style creations.
Expect giant 20-inch pizzas perfect for sharing and a generous selection of dips, garlic twists, nachos, 'chicken in a basket' and other 90s bar snacks will also feature. Both the pizza menu, and a bar snacks menu, will be available all night at Bunga 90 to keep you fuelled up.
Experiences:
Karaoke remains absolutely central to the Bunga 90 experience. The venue features two private karaoke rooms and two open systems (in the video store and toilets).
But the star of the show is the central stage in the main bar, where brave guests can perform live in front of a 300-strong crowd.
With everything from Spice Girls to Aerosmith and Will Smith to one-hit wonders, the playlist is packed with nostalgia.The private karaoke rooms are available for up to 10 guests for 90-minute sessions, priced at £99.
Every Saturday, Bunga 90 will be holding a bottomless 90s brunch, with a live band providing a soundtrack of the decade.
Guests will receive bottomless cocktails or beer alongside a starter and a 20-inch pizza for every two people. Running weekly from 12pm until 4pm, the brunch will be priced at £45 per person.
On the launch of Bunga 90, Inception Group co-founder Charlie Gilkes told That's Food and Drink: “We are hugely excited to be launching Bunga 90. We opened the original Bunga Bunga back in 2011, and this is a complete reimagining of the brand, while still keeping the pizzas, karaoke, and sense of fun that people know and love. Bunga 90 is both a love letter to the 1990s and a bold new chapter.”
Bunga 90, 167 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5PG
020 7590 3602
coventgarden@bungabunga-london.com
Website: https://www.bunga90.com
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| Bertie Matthews and some milled flour |
Founded in 1820 and still family-run, Matthews Cotswold Flour has earned national acclaim for its unwavering commitment to regenerative agriculture, traditional stoneground milling methods, and its support of artisan and home bakers across the UK.
“We're hugely proud to represent the Cotswolds in this list of food heroes,” said Bertie Matthews, managing director and eighth-generation miller. “From the farmers we work with to the bakers who choose our flour, it's always been about community, sustainability and variety.”
Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food Magazine, told That's Food and Drink: “As a nation, we have a proud heritage of excellent produce and it's exciting to see how these 25 businesses have not only joined forces with other producers to create supportive ecosystems in their local area, but worked tirelessly with a pure focus on quality to ensure that what they create is a celebration of the land under their feet.”
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| Bertie Matthews in a field of local grain |
"These producers are the heartbeat of the speciality and fine food sector. They work tirelessly, not only to craft exceptional products, but to champion independent business, support their local economies, and build genuine relationships with their customers and industry partners.”
Matthews Cotswold Flour continues to innovate whilst also staying true to its roots, leading the charge in sustainable food production and helping to build a more resilient, localised food system. Bertie and the mill recently featured on Jeremy Clarkson's popular Amazon Prime series Clarkson's Farm. It showcased the mill's distinctive character and regional significance as well as its high standards, particularly whilst working closely with its farming partners pushing boundaries in British agriculture and milling.
25 small-scale businesses were hand-picked from rafts of entries to share their inspiring stories of community spirit, dedication to traditional values, and hunger for showcasing the very best of their local area – and they are brought together in a special feature running in the June issue of Speciality Food Magazine. This group of passionate food lovers will join forces at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair, taking place at Olympia on 9th -10th September 2025, where they will come together to celebrate the very best of Britain's regional food and drink.
With a milling legacy spanning eight generations, Matthews Cotswold Flour is one of the UK's oldest family-run flour mills. Trading grain and milling flour in the heart of the Cotswolds since the 1800s, the mill believes passionately that their local partnerships, traditional stoneground milling methods and premium grains make for better baking.
They are proud to offer premium quality Organic and Stoneground Wholegrain flour, using grain from local farmers and time-honoured milling techniques. With an eye to the future and wanting to share their wealth of milling experience, Matthews Cotswold Flour is launching a New Generation Milling Apprenticeship programme that encourages and supports the next generation of millers.
Popular artisan fudge producer Fudge Kitchen, famed for their handcrafted recipes and use of only high quality, premium ingredients, is delighted to announce a series of significant new partnerships with some of the UK's most respected retailers and cultural institutions.
Now proudly producing bespoke fudges for several iconic British landmarks and destinations in a range of boxed, gifting formats, Fudge Kitchen's wholesale business is thriving in the tourism and destinations sector.
This year, visitors to the British Museum, Chatsworth House, the National Gallery, the London Museum, Castle Howard, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh will be able to purchase a range of Fudge Kitchen-produced bespoke treats such as fudge slider boxes, fudge trio boxes and other confectionery, each product with bespoke, branded packaging.
Other UK tourist attractions, including London's iconic Tower Bridge Gift Shop, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and the Raby Castle, Park and Gardens in the 18th Century Coach House Shop which spans County Durham and Shropshire, have also become stockists, now offering Fudge Kitchen's own-brand range across their gift shop shelves.
These new partnerships reflect the brand's unwavering reputation for quality, heritage appeal, and timeless flavours. “We're incredibly honoured to be working with such distinguished and iconic locations,” Richard Parson, Fudge Kitchen MD told That's Food and Drink.
“Each new partner shares our commitment to quality, authenticity, and celebrating British heritage and we're so proud to partner with them to deliver products that align with these values.”
As Fudge Kitchen continues to grow, the team remains focused on delivering exceptional quality while embracing new opportunities to showcase their products in some of the UK's most admired settings.
Facebook: fudgekitchen
Instagram: @fudgekitchen_UK
Twitter: @fudgekitchen
LinkedIn: fudgekitchen
FUDGE KITCHEN FACTFILE:-
Fudge Kitchen makes unique confectionary, from traditional handmade fudge to brittles and caramels, maintaining traditional values and artisan confectionary skills honed over four decades.
Producing delicious fudges for gifting, wholesale, premium department stores and hotels, the employee-owned company also operates six high street shops in historic cathedral and university cities: Bath, Windsor, Canterbury, Cambridge, York, and Edinburgh. Here, visitors can taste and experience traditional fudge making with contemporary and totally unique immersive theatre.
Alongside impeccable taste and premium packaging, Fudge Kitchen's products feel just as good as they taste, with responsibly-sourced ingredients and a commitment to ensure that packaging is fully recyclable, and in some cases they are compostable too. This employee-owned business puts sustainability at its heart, committed to making life that little bit sweeter.