Garden Gourmet reminds us It's National BBQ Week!

Summer's here and the 4th of July (American Independence Day and also, by chance, the start of National BBQ Week, is swiftly approaching, with hosts across the country locking dates in the diaries and planning their spreads. Plus, with 8.8 million Brits set to go meat-free this year (up 22% ) the hosting ‘steaks’ have never been higher.   

But despite new research from plant-based food brand Garden Gourmet which found that 1 in 4 would feel unprepared if they knew a vegetarian was coming to their barbeque, hosts needn't ‘flip out’ as the top veggie & vegan brand is on hand with grill-ready meat free options and delicious recipes guaranteed to wow your guests. 

In fact, when it comes to catering to vegans, vegetarians and flexitarian guests, there are simple vegan solutions perfect for grilling available to hosts which don’t require buying additional products or resulting in miffed guests.  

Available options include Garden Gourmet’s Sensational Burger (226g, RRP £3.00) – the full burger experience in one bite. It has a meat-like texture, juiciness, and a rich, satisfying beefy flavour that will have guests (barbe)queuing at the grill.

Or you can opt for Garden Gourmet’s Sensational Fillet Pieces (160g, RRP £2.75), which are incredibly juicy and also delicious. Deliciously seasoned with tasty Mediterranean herbs perfect for barbequed skewers or side salads in the sun that everyone will enjoy.  

Plus, bring Garden Gourmet’s vegan solutions to life with the delicious recipe suggestions below: 

Garden Gourmet’s research also found it’s easier than ever for crowd-pleasing barbeque hosts to cater for changing UK dietary requirements: 36 per cent of 2,000 carnivores surveyed2 say the amount of plant-based options in supermarkets now makes it easier to provide alternatives for their guests.  

However, the study also revealed Brits remain unsure of how to ensure all their guests are happy, with one in four admitting they would feel unprepared if they knew a vegetarian was coming to their barbeque, whilst one in five would feel ‘stressed or confused’, and 18 per cent say they would have no idea what to serve. 

Laura Mack, Senior Brand Manager, Garden Gourmet, said: “The research shows that when it comes to hosting summer barbeques, hosts can feel unsure about what to serve guests with vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian dietary requirements, but there are many options for meat-free barbeques today that mean you don’t need to compromise on taste, including succulent and delicious vegan burgers, juicy fillet pieces, and sizzling sausages. 

“Garden Gourmet understands that if you’re not familiar with cooking meat-free items, it can seem daunting, but there are easy ways to switch out meat-based products for vegan alternatives that all guests will enjoy. 

“We’d like to think we’re here to making hosting easy, because our range is a one-stop-shop solution for everyone.” 

The study also found, of the 45 per cent who worry about pleasing their veggie or vegan guests, top reasons include not wanting to buy the wrong thing and offend them, and feeling under pressure to provide decent alternatives. Others don’t want to have to clean the barbeque in-between cooking and admit being unsure how to cook plant-based food. 

However, a successful 50 per cent bought vegetarian or vegan substitutes which their guests enjoyed. 

Aside from providing for dietary requirements, other aspects of hosting a barbeque which hosts worry about included not buying enough food, a lack of room inside if it rains, and running out of plates or glasses.  

Alex Head, Founder of Social Pantry and expert caterer and party host, said: “The research suggests more and more people want to be able to cater in a plant based way and accommodate dietary requirements, but that there is still a lot of uncertainty about what this looks like. Luckily, there are some really easy ways to keep everyone happy! 

“The huge range of plant based alternatives in supermarkets that replicate the flavour and texture of meat or dairy provide direct swaps, however adopting a more veg focused approach to feeding a crowd has the ability to benefit everyone! 

“I always suggest shifting the emphasis from a centrepiece to side dishes – not only are they delicious and often people’s favourite part of a meal, but having lots of vibrant colourful dishes on the table conveys that sense of generous abundance that makes people feel relaxed about tucking in, and by offering a range of choices, there is bound to be something for everyone. 

“Start with great produce – from beautiful salad leaves to the best bread – and invest in dips, condiments and sauces that can transform the simplest of meals. Sharing food is a fundamental way in which we connect with other people, but separate dietary requirements can create divides within a group. 

“Remember that veg centric food is for everyone – not just vegetarian and vegans – so rather than catering a small amount separately for your plant based guests, make enough for everyone so that you’re all eating the same, with meat/fish as an optional add on. If you focus on making your veg dishes great, everyone will be happy!” 

Garden Gourmet’s vegan burgers, fillet pieces, mince and sausages can be purchased at selected Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons & Asda stores. Find out more at https://www.gardengourmet.co.uk/.  

    

Celebrate July 4th with good food and drink

Yes, July 4th is soon to be here again. So why not join our American friends and family members in helping them celebrate Independence Day with some typical American holiday season foods and drinks?

Why is a UK-based food and drink blog helping to commemorate the day when the Americans beat Britain? Well, why not? It'll be some fun. Besides which, my American-based day job does give all staff July 4th as a company-wide public holiday so it would be rude not to!

One of the greatest dates to BBQ is the 4th of July. This year, instead of the usual burgers and sausages, smoked pork shoulder, or steak, why not fill your grill with a 4th Of July Feast?

Go for succulent beef bites that remind you of burnt ends, (Yum!) perfectly roasted baby potatoes smothered in melted cheese, sweet slices of onion, grilled asparagus wrapped in delicious, salty prosciutto, and finally, some garlicky shrimp will fill the plates and bellies of your friends and family as they feast away the 4th of July.

Ingredients

Beefy Burnt-end Bites:

12

beef short ribs, bone-in, uncut

Your favourite beef BBQ seasoning

Your favourite beef BBQ sauce

Roasted Baby Potatoes + Rotisserie Cheese:

3 lbs.

assorted mini potatoes

¼ cup

melted butter

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

3 lb. (approx.)

brick of cheese – from deli counter

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus:

2 bunches

fresh asparagus

20 slices

prosciutto

BBQ Blooming Onions:

4 

sweet onions

4 tbsp. olive oil or melted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Green onion, sriracha, and aioli for garnish

Grilled Shrimp Skewers: 24

jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 8 

bamboo appetizer skewers

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions

Start with the beef. It takes the longest. Preheat your grill to 250°F. Remove the bones from the rest of the beef ribs, then slice the meat into bite-sized chunks – leaving in some of the fat. Toss the prepped beef in your favorite beef seasoning. Slow cook the beef in a Napoleon Stainless Steel Topper, using indirect heat, for 2 hours.

PRO TIP 1: Add smoke by using your favourite wood chips to the Napoleon Smoker Tube 

PRO TIP 2: You can always pre-cook these beefy burnt-end bites before the main event and finish them off the next day.

While the beef is slowly cooking, wash and slice the potatoes in half. Toss them with the melted butter, seasoning them to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Once the beef has been on for nearly an hour and a half (90 minutes), turn the heat up to around 350°F place the potatoes onto a prepared baking sheet. Roast them on the grill for about 45 minutes, tossing them every so often, until soft inside and crispy outside. 

Now that the beef and potatoes are cooking, prep the asparagus by rinsing them under cold water, then breaking the stems off about an inch from the bottom. Asparagus’ woody part will naturally break off here. 

Slice the prosciutto in half and wrap the good part of the asparagus. Set aside – in the fridge. 

Blooming onions on the BBQ are easy and fun. Plus, there’s no deep frying needed. Take a sharp knife and cut off the top, and if needed, the bottom of the onion so that it will sit straight. Use a couple of chopsticks to make sure that you don’t cut all the way through the onion. Cut down through the top of the onion like you would cutting it into sixths, but stop when you hit the chopsticks so you don’t slice all of the way through. 

Drizzle with the melted butter, season to taste. Set aside. 

Skewer the shrimp and set aside in the fridge until you are nearly ready to serve. 

Once the beef bites have been on for about 2 hours (120 minutes) and the potatoes have become crispy, you are nearly ready to eat. Turn the burners under the beef up to medium and toss the bites with your favorite BBQ sauce. Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet and put them into a shallow pan. Load the onions onto the grill, and the potatoes, and the asparagus. 

Carefully load the cheese onto the rotisserie spit rod, securing it in place with the rotisserie forks. When you load the cheese, load it so that when the spit is on the grill, the cheese will rotate over top of the potatoes – this may not necessarily be in the middle of the spit rod, but over to one side. Put the cheese-laden rotisserie onto the grill and turn on the motor. Close the lid and allow the cheese to start melting, the onions and the asparagus will cook. 

Finally, when everything looks melty, gooey, crispy, and tender, it is time to preheat the side burner. Grab the shrimp from the fridge, melt the butter and add the garlic. Sear the shrimp over the side burner, brushing thoroughly with the melted butter. 

Serve everything together and enjoy. If you found that you have way too much cheese left, a couple loaves of bread, sliced and placed underneath the dripping cheese is never a bad move. 

How will you fill your grill with a 4th Of July Feast? Tell us using your favorite social platform. Use the hashtags #fillYourGrill, #4thOfJulyBBQ, and #NapoleonGrill – and don’t forget, pics or it didn’t happen!

Happy Grilling!

This feature has been prepared with the expert assistance of  Andrea Alden of  www.Napoleon.com

https://www.napoleon.com/en/author/andrea-alden

Seggiano Pesto and more

Let’s be honest… Who doesn’t love affair pesto pasta? It's quick, it's simple Quick, simple and delicious and it's getting quite the cult following.

The best  is available from artisan Italian brand Seggiano.

Regularly winning in taste tests, Seggiano Raw Basil Genovese Pesto is the star of the show. Made using only Ligurian basil grown to organic standards, and the very best virgin olive oil that's available. Cashew nuts give a wickedly lush, creamy texture to this pesto which will really blow your mind.  

Other pesto varieties from Seggiano include Pesto Rosso made with tomato and basil; Wild Fennel Tomato Pesto; and Tuscan Black Kale Pesto. 

Seggiano Raw Basil Pesto – 1KG 

https://seggiano.com/product/raw-basil-pesto-catering-size/ 

Ironically the Mother of all pesto jars, this beauty weighs in at a hefty 1kg. Filled to the brim with the world’s best pesto from Seggiano, this jar should last your family a while

Seggiano Pesto Selection

https://seggiano.com/product/pesto-selection

Price: £22.50 for four jars of pesto, each 200g-220g

Surprise Dad with the full range of Seggiano pestos, including the star of the show, the Raw Basil Pesto, as well as Tomato Pesto, Tuscan Kale Pesto and Wild Fennel Pesto. 

Olive Wood Grater 

https://seggiano.com/product/olive-wood-grater-medium/ 

Price: Small, £11.40; Medium, £14.85; Large, £19.35

Because what would pesto pasta be without a heavy grating of Parmesan to top it off? This stunning box grater is handcrafted by the Marchini family from Tuscan olive wood which is pruned from the trees to encourage renewal and growth.

Organic Calamarata Pasta 

Link: https://seggiano.com/product/organic-calamarata-pasta/ 

Price: £4.40, 375g

Made using organic Tuscan wheat, cultivated in the untouched Orcia Valley, this pasta is dried slowly using bronze moulds to give the pasta a porous, matte texture, perfect for binding to pesto. 

Need a little helping hand with perfecting the cooking of your pesto pasta? Here are some top tips from Seggiano’s experts. 

Seggiano Perfect Pesto Pasta  

1. When you cook pasta you need plenty of water so that the pasta doesn't get gluey. Use 1.5 litres water per 100g of pasta, and bring to a brisk boil before adding salt (which will slow down the boiling process).

2. Drop the pasta into the briskly boiling water, stir and keep on a low boil for the time indicated, stirring occasionally.

3. Do the al dente test by carefully sampling a piece of pasta. It should be soft enough to bite through, but your teeth should still feel some resistance. Drain over the serving bowl which will warm it through, then empty and add the pasta to the dish.

4. Keep by a spoon or two of the warm cooking water, add this and a dash of good extra-virgin olive oil to the pasta to loosen it up, along with a good dollop of pesto. Stir well and serve onto warm plates. 

5. Ta da! Finish with a heavy grating of parmesan for the perfect pesto pasta.

All gifts can be ordered for nationwide delivery from the Seggiano web shop, where you can add a gift box to your purchase. 

Mayni Coffee

Mayni Coffee is indigenous, community coffee from the Peruvian Amazon.

It is grown in the shade and is fully washed.

The coffee is grown by the Mayni Indigenous Community of Junin in Peru.

For those who like to know these things it is grown at an elevation of 1650 metres above sea level, or roughly 5413 feet above sea level.

Shade grown. What does that actually mean? It means the Mayni people grown their coffee plants underneath the canopy of the rain forest. They don't employ the slash and burn land clearance technique  of growing coffee, which, unfortunately, is all too often associated with traditional coffee farming.

But the Mayni people don't do that! They make use of ecologically sound and safe techniques within their natural landscape. 

This means that foliage and wildlife are looked after and kept safe whilst the coffee is handpicked in a way to minimise damage to the handsome coffee plants.

So it's clear that it ticks all the boxes regarding how it is grown and harvested, which is very good. But what does it taste like?

Like coffee heaven! According to the tasting notes you will taste "honey, orange, chocolate and almond."

It is absolutely delicious. There's a dichotomy of tastes. At once it is bold and striking, yet it is also, somehow at the same time, mellow and smooth.

I don't know how it can be both, but it is. The only way for you to find out for yourself is to buy some.

It's available through https://www.easyjosecoffee.co.uk/ caffienated or caffeine free, the choice is yours. Our coffee was a combination of Caturra, Geisha & Typica beans. It costs from £9.50.

 

Proper snacks taste proper good!

The Proper snack company produce snacks that are proper good (that's bad English? I can live with that!).

Several years ago Cassandra decided that she had had enough of the snacks that were then available. They were too salty, too fatty, were filled with nasty ingredients that really had no place in foodstuffs or snacks. Or, if they were being made to be more healthy didn't taste all that good.

So Cassandra decided to start making proper popcorn. Using a repurposed cement mixer. And from that eco-friendly start  (nothing wrong with some recycling and repurposing) things have really progressed for Proper snacks.

Of course you can still buy Proper Popcorn (Caramelised Biscuit, Salted Caramel, Sweet and Salty, Lightly Sea Salted, Sweet, pop at home microwave popcorn, Salted Caramel Popcorn Bars and Hazelnut Praline Popcorn Bars) but there's also a growing range of other Proper snacks for you to enjoy.

There are now Barbecue Lentil Chips, Sweet Sriracha Chilli Lentil Chips, Sour Cream and Chines Lentil Chips and Salt and Vinegar Lentil Chips.

They are vegan friendly, though tasty enough for omnivores to enjoy, too and don't contain a long list of suspicious sounding ingredients that would look more at home in a science laboratory than in a bag of snacks for you and your children.

For example, Proper Lentil Chips contain lentil flour, potato starch, sunflower, rapeseed and coconut oils, corn flour, sugar, rice flour and natural flavourings and spices. 

To learn more about the company, how it's working hard to be the type of company we should do business with (Net Zero by 2030) and its range of snacks you can visit them at www.proper.co.uk.

They are a B Corporation and are hiring staff for a variety of roles.

If you want to stock their products they have a wholesaler here https://musclefinessewholesale.com/brands.html/proper-snacks.html

The People's Captain Latte Latte Love beer

The People's Captain Latte Latte Love beer is an absolutely stunningly good milk stout beer.

Produced with lactose, coffee and cacao nibs, plus water, malt, hops and yeast, it's a very interesting beer style.

Although brewed with coffee and cacao nibs it's only slightly different from a "proper" milk stout, but that slight difference is all it takes to bring Latte Latte Love beer from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

There's the milk stout taste, but the coffee taste floats to the surface (to coin a phrase) and the chocolate taste lingers throughout.

It's not a weak, insipid beer. Full of exciting, bold tastes, but you need to be wary. It's a 5% beer but it doesn't drink like a 5% beer, so do keep that in mind!

It's a product of an absolutely wonderful place the Brewing Positivity Laboratory and it's also a supporter of indigenous communities in the Amazon Rainforest.  

What is the People's Captain? It's a very, very special beer club. How is it different? In their own words: "We're on a mission, to use the social power of craft beer to bring communities together. We believe positive mental health is a vital part of life and we're inviting you to be a part of our journey to have a positive social impact in yours.

So, make it count - grab a beer, have a great conversation - and let's create positive change together."

Your first case of beer will cost under £20. To learn more please visit them at https://peoplescaptain.co.uk/

And they have got together with Tony's Chocolonely to offer milk chocolate and salted caramel milk chocolate both of which go so, so well with Latte Latte Love beer! 

Double Dutch Mixers

Joyce and Raissa de Haas

I have learned something new. It's perfectly possible to make a very nice Bloody Mary using gin as the base, but probably only if you use a high quality mixer as part of the recipe, in this instance a Double Dutch readymade Bloody Mary mixer.

Double Dutch was founded by Dutch twins, Joyce and Raissa de Haas in 2015 when they launched their first two mixers, Cucumber & Watermelon and Pomegranate & Basil.

Over the next seven years they developed a range of absolutely stunning and delicious mixers. They are so tasty that you could well be tempted to drink them in their own right, not bothering to use them as mixers! (Ginger ale, for example!)

What mixers are available? Cucumber and Watermelon, Bloody Mary Soda, Cranberry and Ginger, Ginger Ale, Double Lemmon, Ginger Beer, Indian Tonic Water, Skinny Tonic Water, Soda Water, Cucumber Margarita with Chilli Soda and, of course, Cucumber & Watermelon and Pomegranate & Basil.

My wife and I had great fun depleting our stock of alcoholic drinks (Scotch, Welsh, English and Irish Whisky, plus London Dry Gins) when we mixed up so mightily tasty Double Dutch cocktails. Obviously not all at the same time as that would have been messy!

But it was great fun to learn some new recipes including the gin bloody Mary using the Bloody Mary Soda. I'd never considered using anything other than vodka and was pleasantly surprised that it actually tasted pretty darn good!

Where can you buy Double Dutch mixers? Direct from their own shop  https://doubledutchdrinks.com/collections/our-drinks on Amazon and in Waitrose.

Are you a buyer for a large chain of supermarkets, a wine and spirits retailer, etc? Then you need to get in contact with their trade team sales@doubledutchdrinks.com.

Soho House, Dishoom and The Alchemist are venues that treat their customers like Kings and Queens by using Double Dutch tonics. To learn how your venue can up its game contact sales@doubledutchdrinks.com.

You'll find lots of cocktail recipes on their site, so have fun testing them!

(Image (c) Double Dutch)

Off your food due to hayfever? Superdrug can help

 I love food, but there's something that can put me off eating. Hayfever or allergic rhinitis. (Boo!)

Stuffed up nose, dry eyes, dry, sore throat, sinus headaches and a general feeling of malaise. Yes, it's no wonder we don't feel like eating under those circumstances.

What can we do about it? Visit your local branch of Superdrug and make your way to the hayfever display. Or ask their duty pharmacist what they can recommend. 

So get to your nearest branch or go on line to sort your allergies out. They offer click and collect and on line purchases, too.

I personally like the following items:-

Superdrug Hayfever Relief Wipes Twin Pack. £1.89 for a twin pack.

Superdrug Saline Nasal Spray 100ml at £4.99 this is one of my go to remedies. 

The relief is instant. Really, really instant!

Superdrug Allergy Eye Drops 10ml £3.29

My eyes really appreciate these eyedrops. They work so well at soothing them.

Superdrug Allergy Eye Mist 10ml £5.99

Maybe you can't put eyedrops in? Some people can't. But now you can use this eye mist spray to ease your poor eyes. 

There are also a range of other allied products available including antihistamines. Some Superdrug branches have health clinics and/or pharmacists.

To learn more visit https://www.superdrug.com/

Cranswick Country Foods Chicken products recall warning

Image courtesy of Pixabay/rajdeepcraft

Cranswick Country Foods, a major UK provider of processed chicken products to a wide range of retailers in the UK, has had to issue a product recall notification due to an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning linked to their premises.

Retailers involved in the recall are: Aldi, Amazon, Waitrose, Co-Op, Sainsbury's, Caffe Nero, Costa, Jamie Oliver, One Stop, Tesco and Starbucks.

A full list of the products involved is here- https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-32-2022

On their website Cranswick have stated "Cranswick can confirm that a routine internal inspection has identified the presence of Salmonella in a limited number of cooked chicken products prepared at our poultry facility in Hull.

"These products are sold as ingredients for sandwiches and meals through UK retailers and food to go outlets.

"As a precautionary measure, we have asked our customers to remove any of their products containing our ready to eat chicken produced during the affected period. We are working closely with the Foods Standards Agency and will collaborate with their experts to resolve the matter.

"We are conducting a thorough investigation into the possible cause of the contamination and the site will remain closed until the investigations are complete.

"The safety and quality of every product produced by Cranswick is our number one priority and all necessary protocols will be followed and completed before we restart production."

https://cranswick.plc.uk

Ramsbury London Dry Gin

Ramsbury London Dry Gin is a remarkable London Dry Gin. 

It's a special Wiltshire born and bred Single Estate London Dry Gin which is distilled in Wiltshire at their special distillery which is housed in Stockclose Farm, on the Ramsbury Estate.

Although it is in the tradition of a fine quality London Dry Gin style, it really does stand out on its own.

It's crisp but yet it is also smooth as it lacks the harshness of some London Dry Gins.

The flavour is alluring in its complexity. There's a hint of something that reminds me of vanilla, some woody undertones and a mysterious, spicy sweetness that stays on the tongue for a while. Which makes it very moreish!

The gin is combined with quince fruit which is grown on the estate itself which blends very well with the juniper, citrus, angelica and cinnamon and the other botanicals and spices that they use.

My wife and I tried it neat and with some high quality mixers (more on Double Dutch mixers in a little while) and I made a discovery that was new to me, apparently you can make an absolutely delicious Bloody Mary with gin instead of vodka, though I feel that with a gin of lesser status than Ramsbury Single Estate Wiltshire London Dry Gin, the experiment might not have worked nearly so well as it did!

When you buy your bottle of Ramsbury Gin you will appreciate the fact that so passionate and dedicated to the entire concept of being a producer of genuine single estate gin that they proudly display the coordinates of the field in which the grain was grown. And you can't get more dedicated than that!

Visit them at https://ramsbury.com/

A 70cl bottle of 40% vol gin will cost £29.50 and we think it will make an ideal Father's Day gin for the Dad who loves his gins!