Support Women All Over the World This International Women's Day With Double Dutch's Exploration Pack

To celebrate International Women's Day, award-winning female-founded tonic and mixer brand, Double Dutch, will be donating 30% of sales from its top-selling product to a charity raising vital funds for young women. 

For every exploration pack (£20.15) purchased via Double Dutch's website throughout March, 30% of the sale will be donated to the Change A Girl's Life campaign, which is run by The Prince's Trust Women Supporting Women community. 

The exploration pack features 10 of Double Dutch's most popular mixers and tonics, that are full of flavour, fun and no fuss, including unexpected dual-flavours such as Cucumber & Watermelon, Pomegranate & Basil, as well as Double Dutch's newest product, Pink Grapefruit Soda.

Female founders, Raissa and Joyce De Haas, who set up the Female Bartender Scholarship programme in 2021 to elevate and educate women in the hospitality industry, chose to support the Change A Girl's Life campaign after research showed that women were most impacted by the pandemic, with 78% losing jobs. 

The Change A Girl's Life campaign is raising funds to provide vital support to help nurture, empower and inspire young women to build their futures through employment, self-employment, education or training. 

Said Raissa de Haas, Co-Founder of Double Dutch: “As a female-founded brand, we feel very strongly about the development of female talent across all industries and unlocking career opportunities and progression, which The Change A Girl's Life campaign supports. 

“We know how difficult some industries are for women, for example, the hospitality industry is particularly tough as women are so underrepresented in senior and management positions. With this in mind, we wanted to do something to help women in the industry and encourage them to flourish and we hope that by donating a percentage of sales, we can join forces in making a difference to young women's and girls' lives.” 

You can double down on flavour with Double Dutch's full range of products available via the Double Dutch website, with some of the brand's mixers available at Waitrose, Ocado or Tesco, as well as being available to purchase via Amazon. 

For more details and to register your interest in the Female Bartending Scholarship Programme for 2023, please visit: https://doubledutchdrinks.com/pages/scholarship-application 

https://doubledutchdrinks.com/collections/our-drinks

A very special gin

A new and limited release, this gin was envisioned by cheffe Anne-Sophie Pic alongside her executive sommelière Paz Levinson, in special collaboration with Miko Abouaf, distiller at Audemus Spirits. 

It's an entirely unique recipe drawing its inspiration from the richly imaginative universe of the cheffe's cuisine.

The gin is boldly aromatic with a core body of bees wax, reinforced by top notes of unripe blackcurrant buds, juniper and lemon, underlined by rooibos and myrtle. The gin's freshness is balanced by earthy and honeyed notes, forming a light and intensely aromatic spirit, which maintains a delicate harmony between the different elements.

Reiko Kaneko, the London-based ceramist, designed, produced and hand-painted the bottles. This elegant, delicate, and unique creation is limited to 160 bottles.

This gin is ideal for a Dry Martini, a French 75 or a Gin & Tonic. It also reveals its aromatic strength when tasted neat, served chilled, in a tulip glass.

St Piran's Day 2023 five Recipes to Celebrate Cornwall's National Day

Every year on March 5th, the Cornish community celebrate St Piran, who is one of the patron saints of Cornwall. Proud manufacturers of Cornish clotted cream (with Protected Designation of Origin), Trewithen Dairy, reflect on the duchy's legendary ambassador and how the county still commemorates St Piran to this day.

About Saint Piran 

According to Cornish legend, St Piran was tied to a millstone and thrown into the Irish sea by orders of the king. Famed for washing up on the shores of Perranporth beach (which is named in his honour), it was said that St Piran lit a fire one night and in doing so discovered the precious metal, tin.

The design of the Cornish flag, originated from the flag of St Piran - The white cross on a black background is said to depict the discovery of tin. The 'white metal' flowing from the Cornish black rocks. 

How is St Piran celebrated? 

The week running up to 5th March is known as 'Perrentide' and sees towns and villages across the entire county celebrate with all things Cornish: pasties, cider and the all important cream tea with lashings of clotted cream spooned over a generous layer of jam. 

Francis Clarke, who is the director at Trewithen Dairy says: “We are immensely proud to be amongst the brilliant array of food and drink producers in our county and to champion our Cornish heritage whilst inspiring new ways to enjoy the classics. What better way to celebrate this tradition than with delicious Cornish clotted cream and butter flavoured with Cornish sea salt.”

The best Cornish recipes to celebrate St Piran's Day

Berries and Cream Cornish Pasty

It is said that the mighty Cornish pasty was traditionally made with one side meat, the other filled with jam to create a two-course meal. We've deep-filled pasties with berries and cream for a majestic sweet-treat. Perfect for packing on a picnic or enjoying on St Piran's Day.

Banoffee Cornish Fairings

With their tell-tale crackled top, golden syrup flavour and spicy ginger bite, Cornish fairings are a step up from your everyday ginger biscuit. They were once so popular at fairs that the name stuck and they've been known as the fairing ever since. Trewithen Dairy put a twist on this Cornish classic, with a banoffee inspired treat.

Stargazey Pie

This iconic Cornish dish is the perfect centrepiece for your dinner table to wow your guests. The fish are designed to 'gaze at the stars' and don't worry – you don't have to eat the heads. Legend has it this pie was created after a brave fisherman, Tom Bawcock, ventured out into stormy seas to fish when the townsfolk of Mousehole were facing starvation. He returned triumphantly with an abundance of seven types of fish, which were cooked up in a pie and served to the community.

Cornish Junket

A dish from the West Country, comforting junket has been enjoyed for generations. Traditionally finished with a scrape of nutmeg, we love ours flavoured with real vanilla, saffron or rum. Play around with toppings too – perhaps adding blood orange, salted caramel or caramelise some sugar for a crunchy crème brulee finish.

Scone Revolution - Dark Side of the Moon Scone

Reimagining the traditional cream tea, this chocolate, orange, clotted cream scone is the perfect twist on a classic. 

Francis Clarke says: “Scone Revolution is all about reimagining the cream scone.  We all love the classic, of course, but tear down the traditional boundaries and there is a whole new world of flavour sensations and stunning aesthetics to discover.  Our clotted cream is far niftier than you think!”  Francis continues: “We've had a lot of fun trying out new pairings and hope that we will inspire a new wave of cream tea lovers to create their own and share these with us here at Trewithen Dairy.”

The 'Scone Revolution' is all about adding some life to the traditional cream tea at the same time highlighting the many outstanding and versatile qualities of the award-winning Trewithen Dairy clotted cream.  Made in Cornwall, to a traditional Cornish recipe from milk produced in the county, Trewithen Dairy clotted cream has 'Protected Designation of Origin' status. Only by achieving all of these strict criteria can it be called Cornish clotted cream.

RRP £2.45

Trewithen Dairy's Cornish Clotted Cream is available in 200g and 400g sizes, available to buy direct from supermarkets across the South West or via Ocado.com. For more information, visit their website, www.trewithendairy.co.uk.

Introducing: Egg Royale

This has got to be the most indulgent ‘adult chocolate egg’ for Easter 2023.

Introducing the Egg Royale for Easter 2023, a chocolate egg like no other. Experience the most indulgent and rich chocolate alcoholic cream liqueur made from the finest cocoa and vanilla and blended with real cream nestling within a beautiful glass egg.

Developed over two years by Gravity Drinks, which is the team behind the cult favourite Christmas Globe Gin Liqueur and Sixpence Pud Gin Liqueur, Egg Royale is set to become another seasonal favourite.

It's perfect as a unique Easter gift for adults, the glass egg will be found sitting within a special art-deco style box with a beautiful foil printed handle.

Delicious served straight over ice, in a cocktail or even to add a boozy kick to your Easter chocolate cake!

It's available in stores from this month, February 2023.

700ml – 15% alc/vol and the RRP is £29.00.

You'll find it stocked at Harvey Nichols and is also available via Amazon.

"A love letter to India" The Colonel Saab story

Multi-award-winning, luxurious Indian restaurant, Colonel Saab was launched in the very heart of London by Roop Partap Choudhary, who meticulously crafted the menu and art-festooned destination as a “love letter” to his family and India. 

And in the past year Colonel Saab has been named one of the top Indian restaurants by Forbes, also won Newcomer of the Year at the Asian Curry Awards, Best Newcomer at British Curry Awards, Best Restaurant in Feed the Lion awards and was awarded Harden’s Certificate of Achievement. 

It welcomes regulars from Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai - who says “it is the only place which serves the authentic flavours from home” to pop stars, TV personalities sand presidents. 

The modern Indian restaurant the home of which is the grand, former Holborn Town Hall, is a homage to Choudhary's travels across India with his mother, Mrs Binny Choudhary and father, Colonel Manbeer, who was given the honorific name ‘Colonel Saab’ shared by the restaurant, while serving in the Indian Army. 

The postings across India enabled them to experience the continent's rich diversity of food from traditional local lunches in the tents of Rajasthan to British-inspired Indian breakfasts in the Officer’s Mess and banquets hosted by Indian nobility and Maharajas.

Choudhary spent a year retracing his father’s footsteps across India by train, bus and car with Indian food royalty, Karen Anand to curate contemporary twists on dishes passed down through the generations of people they were able to meet, with many regional specialities appearing for the first time on a London menu.

The exciting, all-day dining menu introduces diners to progressive takes on nostalgic dishes, from British and Indian fusion afternoon high tea, regional favourites rarely served in the UK, like the Cauliflower 65, signature dishes, like the Falahari Curry Kofta, their popular Gutti Vankaya - Andhra curry, baby aubergines in tangy tamarind gravy - and the restaurant’s outstanding desserts, including signatures like the Rasmalai Milk Cake in cardamom cream and Boondi Caviar or the Bengali, Mishti Doi Cheesecake in jaggery syrup.

Dining at Colonel Saab is also a feast for the eyes, with a treasure trove of eclectic Indian art and artefacts collected by his family on their travels, lovingly brought to the space under challenging conditions. 

Downstairs, a grand, pure silver door from a Gujarat temple greets you, while upstairs features a carved temple door from South India. The opulent dining room is bathed in light by a canopy of ornate chandeliers from Firozabad. A drinks bar made by Asprey for the Maharaja of Patiala takes pride of place in the private dining room, while 17th and 18th century Tanjore paintings and handwoven Persian silk carpets adorn the walls and precious decanters and crockery from the palace of the Maharaja of Faridkot shimmer in cabinets. 

The Colonel Saab staff bring the decadent surroundings to life, happily regaling diners with the rich stories and histories of the sumptuous artwork collected by the Choudhary family.

Every element of Colonel Saab has been lovingly and imaginatively crafted to create a multi-sensory experience of India, including the drinks. A Masala Dabba - or spice box - of artisanal gins, whiskies and rums based on Indian botanicals has been created with the Diageo mixology team, along with innovative cocktails by celebrated mixologist Antony Bertin, designed to complement the food and named after Choudhary's family members.

When Colonel Saab and his wife returned home, they channelled their unique experiences into serving the community, starting with a modest hotel and continuing their journey with boutique and palace hotels, which are now managed by their proud son Roop. He began his work life in their hotel kitchens as a young man and continues the proud legacy of hospitality that spans more than three decades, with Colonel Saab. 

Choudhary is on course to set a new benchmark in London, continuing the family tradition of celebrating the vibrant and diverse culture of India’s food and history with humility, elegance and originality.

To learn more visit www.colonelsaab.co.uk  or on social media @colonelsaab

Top tips for proper pancakes, vegan style from Fergus Smithers

 Fergus’ top tips for vegan pancakes are:-

Firstly, you should opt for American-style pancakes.

Why? Fergus Smithers who is a vegan chef and head of recipe development at plant-based recipe subscription box Grubby explains why : “American pancakes tend to work best when making vegan pancakes because the batter holds together better when it's cooking. 

"However it is still perfectly possible to make a traditional crepe style pancake, but you will have to be especially gentle when flipping them to avoid them tearing.” 

Don’t overmix 

“My secret to dairy-free pancakes is to make sure you don't overmix the batter. It might sound obvious, but if you overmix the batter it will make your pancakes dense and chewy rather than having them light and fluffy. 

"You'll also have to ensure that your pan is hot. A cold pan will result in a flat pancake, so always add your batter to a pre-heated pan with a little oil or vegan butter.” 

Avoid oat milk 

“I’d always recommend unsweetened plant-based milk for pancakes like soy or almond. You could use sweetened if you have a sweet tooth, but I find soy and almond make a delicious batter that’s not too sweet and works well for both sweet and savoury toppings. 

You can use oat milk, but it tends to give you a more stodgy pancake.” 

Allow the batter a bit of a rest 

“When mixing your batter, always use a whisk and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients to make the batter as light and airy as possible and make sure you remove any lumps. You can also sift the flour from a height to get more air into the batter. 

"Finally, leave the batter to rest for about 5-10 minutes before you start cooking to help remove any clumps of flour for a more even cook when frying your pancakes."

Fergus’ fail-safe vegan pancake recipe:

Ingredients

150g     Plain flour

1tbsp    Baking powder

60ml     Crackd egg replacement 

2tsp      Sugar 

250ml   Plant-based milk

Method 

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, and then add in the sugar and mix. 

Add the Crackd egg replacement and plant-based milk to a separate bowl, then slowly pour into the flour mix and whisk until it forms a smooth batter. 

Preheat a large frying pan with a little vegan butter. Pour in the batter to the pan and leave to cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, until air bubbles start to form on the top. Once the bottom side is golden brown, carefully flip the pancakes and cook for a further minute. 

Remove from the pan and eat whilst warm. 

“Smores” style pancake toppings

Digestive biscuits 

Vegan marshmallows 

Chocolate peanut butter

Break apart the biscuits

Toast the marshmallows 

Spoon over the chocolate peanut butter

Mango, banana and coconut

Mango

Banana 

Coconut yoghurt 

Desiccated coconut 

Strawberry 

Lime 

Dark chocolate 

Peel and dice the mango into a small bowl. Grate in the zest and juice of the lime and mix well.

Slice the banana. 

Toast the desiccated coconut in a frying pan until golden brown. 

Gently melt the dark chocolate, then drizzle over at the end. 

To learn more about Grubby please visit https://grubby.co.uk/about-us

Recas. A wine treat for the women in your life

Mum. Aunty. Grandma. Wife. No matter what you call her, Mother's Day is the one time of the year you show the strongest woman in your life your appreciation with gifts, a beautiful meal accompanied by a special bottle of Recas and a flick through a magazine.

At Cramele Recas, their Pasari Pinot Grigio's very special meaning behind its name makes this a special bottle to present to that special female presence in your life. 

Meaning birds in Romanian, the Pasari gather late February to build their nests in preparation for spring. Across Romania, people celebrate this joyous occasion dedicated to the appreciation of love and nature. RRP £8.75 available at Corney & Barrow.

Named after the embodiment of the Moon in Greek mythology, the elegant Selene is the bottle for you if you're after a beautifully unfiltered red. Ample, dry, optimally barricaded red wines (between 6 and 9 months) offer a special taste and olfactory experience to each taster. RRP £24.26 available at Vinero.

New Limited Edition Fudge Sauces from Artisan Confectioners Fudge Kitchen

The wonderful folks over at Fudge Kitchen have launched two very special new limited edition liquid fudge sauces in Sherbet Lemon and Butterscotch flavours.

The new fudge sauces are launching in time for Pancake Day and will be available for a limited time, but only while stocks last. The limited-edition flavours will sit alongside their current Sea Salted Caramel and Rich Chocolate Fudge Sauces.

Fudge Kitchen are known for their traditional artisan slab fudge, made in small batches in their shops. Their fudge sauce is a liquid version of the award-winning slab fudge that they are  justifiably famous for.

2023 marks Fudge Kitchen's 40th anniversary, and the business has gone from strength-to-strength in the last four decades. What started as a modest number of fudge shops has expanded into a strong e-commerce presence, flourishing wholesale business and shops in six of the UK's most visited cities.

Sherbet Lemon fudge sauce is a sweet, zingy lemon sauce that will take any pancake right up to the next level. Butterscotch fudge sauce is a decadent and creamy sauce that can be paired with ice cream, pancakes, or just about anything and can be served either hot or cold.

The latest flavours follow on from last year's successful limited-edition Raspberry Fudge Sauce. 

Priced from £4.60 the new fudge sauces can be found in Fudge Kitchen stores, and on their website. The confectionery producers have six shops in some of the UK's most historic cities, Canterbury, Windsor, Cambridge, York, Bath and Edinburgh.

Each of their high street shops offer fudge making experiences, where customers can get behind the scenes and make their own fudge 'loaf' before cutting it into slices and taking home a generous box of freshly made fudge.

The liquid fudge sauces were actually created by accident when their NPD team were experimenting with vacuum packing the original fudge. The confectioners pride themselves on their ability to innovate and trial new flavours and formats. 

The fudge menu changes seasonally to reflect national events and holidays, the next one being the King's Coronation in May. Fudge Kitchen are also launching Hot Cross Bun Caramels for Spring, enrobed in a thick layer of chocolate.

To find out more about Fudge Kitchen's fudge sauce range head to: https://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/en/categories/liquid-fudge

Food Drink Devon Shines a Light on County's Food and Drink to a National Audience

(As a proud Plymothian, or Janner, my wife vigorously approves of this message!)

Championing quality, sustainability and provenance, Food Drink Devon is shining a light on the county's food and drink to a nationwide audience with events at the Houses of Parliament and the QEll Centre over the coming month. 

At these events, the ongoing innovation, drive and enterprise within the entire region of Devon will be showcased. There will be a selection of producers on display, such as Luscombe Drinks, Hattiers Rum, Salcombe Gin and Sharpham wines from Sandridge Barton, plus leading hospitality businesses, like Boringdon Hall, Saunton Sands Hotel, Winslade Manor and The View restaurant which is at the new Courtyard by Marriott Sandy Park Hotel. 

This incredibly active and vibrant organisation, which is going from strength-to-strength, has now reached a record 350 members and has grown its team with a new membership development manager, Kate Rippin.

It has a host of networking events, workshops and trade and consumer shows planned, plus its highly regarded awards which are currently open for entries. The recent The Source trade show, at which Food Drink Devon had an important presence, reflected the energy within the food and drink sector in the region. 

The forthcoming Toby's Garden Festival, 28th and 29th April, at Powderham Castle will have a tempting selection of local food and drink all provided by Food Drink Devon members. 

Greg Parsons, who is the proactive chair of Food Drink Devon, says: “It's exciting to be hosting a 'Taste of Devon' event with Anthony Mangnall MP in the House of Commons at the Palace of Westminster in March to showcase the best of Devon's food and drink industry to an influential audience. 

"In addition, Food Drink Devon will also be at the International Media Marketplace (IMM) at the QEII Centre where hundreds of travel journalists attend to see highlights from all over the world.  Last year Devon was named as one of the 'planet's most unmissable tourist destinations' in globally read Time magazine following the IMM."

Greg continues to say: “Devon is home to a flourishing food and drink sector with more than its fair share of award-winning producers and hospitality businesses.  Lush pasture, high moorland and miles of coast yield delicious meat and dairy, abundant seafood and Michelin stars, but Devon also has bright, new start-ups and exciting foodie entrepreneurs who merit a wider audience.” 

Other news is that Food Drink Devon has transferred to a Community Interest Company.  While always a not-for-profit organisation, this legal structure means the company can apply for additional funding and is built from the ground up to serve and benefit its community,  who are members of Food Drink Devon.  

Whereas before Food Drink Devon needed to operate like a business, it now has the freedom to operate in a more philanthropic way, working with service providers who better match its requirements and bringing more benefit to its members.  

Also, Food Drink Devon has changed its banking to Triodos. Which is an ethical bank committed to the future, Triodos is a world leader in sustainable banking so again matches the ethos behind the membership organisation. 

Food Drink Devon is committed to increasing the county's profile, both nationally and internationally and represents a membership of Devon's leading food and drink producers, retailers, hospitality venues and related businesses dedicated to serving up the best produce from the county.  With a focus on quality, sustainability and provenance, Food Drink Devon's aim is to support and promote their members and raise Devon's culinary profile as a whole.  Look out for the green heart logo which is carried by over 350 producers and businesses across Devon.  

For more information on Food Drink Devon visit www.fooddrinkdevon.co.uk or follow @FoodDrinkDevon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Galentine's Day: Chocolate and Sweets Are the Most Wished for Gifts

Celebrating female friendship has become a phenomenon according to gifting website DrawNames which has seen a 55% growth in friendship gifting.

Galentine's Day will occur on Monday 13th February this year and was first made famous by the cult classic comedy show Parks and Recreation.

The premise is female friends getting together to celebrate friendship, unity and individuality through thoughtful, anonymous gifts.

The number of visitors to DrawNames over the February period has more than doubled in the last year with users picking names and making gift lifts for both Galentine's and Valentine's Day. The DrawNames Galentine's top most wished for gifts include:

Chocolate and sweets

Skincare

Yankee candles

The DrawNames data shows users' exchange on the 14th (61%) and 13th (16%) of February.

Emma Shaw from Leeds has been running a Galentine's event since 2020, she said: “The pandemic was the perfect reason to create an event to look forward to. We gathered our single friends to create a gift exchange but our female friends in a relationship wanted to get involved so we now have a mixture. 

“The thoughtful gifts we've exchanged include photo albums, handmade crafts and food at home. We used DrawNames to ensure everyone was completely anonymous which made the gift exchange so much more special.”

Arjan Kuiper, co-founder of DrawNames, said: “There is no better reason to give someone a gift than to celebrate friendship and unity. 

“Galentine's is growing in popularity and it's easy to see why! Using a gift exchange website means everyone involved can enjoy the surprise and enjoy the day." 

To find out more head to https://www.drawnames.co.uk/secret-valentine-generator.