A new internet site for the dedicated cheese lover: Pong.

“We’re like you…we LOVE cheese! Everyone loves cheese.

But we also feel it’s unfairly treated in the UK: it’s usually only given centre stage at the end of a dinner party when everyone’s full; in a restaurant we’re frequently forced to choose between a dessert OR cheese. Well, Pong was started to stop all this nonsense and give cheese back the attention it deserves.

Pong was created to bring you some of the very best cheeses produced by the leading independent and artisan producers in the UK, complimented with some classics from Europe. Each cheese is a little masterpiece of taste and texture and in most cases has a unique and highly skilled process behind its production. From the bizarre looking but phenomenal tasting ‘Oxford Blue’ to the now legendary ‘Stinking Bishop’, any of the cheeses available at Pong deserves centre stage.”

Based in Bath, Pong offers a great range of cheeses with an offer to “Make up your own board selection – you choose the first 3 and we’ll GIVE YOU a 4th!” In addition Pong offers a great range of recipes; Golden Cross Goats Cheese Tarts for example and Sea Bass with Sparkenhoe and Hot Aubergine Salsa.

Don’t forget if you need some advice on matching wine with cheese, check out Spittoon.

Chef2video, a new user-generated content social network focused on cooking.

“Chef2video will bring together anyone wanting to share their cooking online. From people looking to show off what they created, to people wanting to learn about cooking, to others searching for recipes, reviews, how to’s, but also culinary students or professionals interested in gaining visibility, schools promoting their programs, restaurants their menus, etc. The site will allow anyone to interact with each other, to upload videos, photos and more, including the creation of live events such as: “see me cook”, “online dinner party”, “cook with a celebrity evening” or for schools and universities – online courses.”

Anyone, including culinary professionals or brands, can create a profile on the site, upload content and interact with their audience in a value-add context. All for free. And even if you have a face more suited to radio the site is a great way to discover new recipes and ‘interact’ with other food lovers.

The fifth Coolcucumber TV programme is now available to view at a screen near you. Goodies in this issue of the programme include;

- Anthony Worral Thompson at his Kew Grill, talking about retro food, pigs, and children

- a visit to Catherine Parisot at l’Aventure in St John’s Wood

- two more gems amongst the cafes of Madrid

- a chat with Giorgio Locatelli about his childhood and the book which took him five years to write

- Ackerman’s Incomplete History reaches Regency England

- And the secrets of a great Apple Strudel from one of those who should know – the bakers of Vienna.

You can still watch any or all of the previous programmes at coolcucumber.tv
and all programmes are available to download and take with you to watch away from the Internet.

Food Safari runs events and workshops that offer behind-the-scenes access to some of Suffolk’s best loved food and drinks producers.

“We specialise in Field to Fork days which provide a complete food experience, in many cases combining farm walks and tours with hands-on workshops and cookery demonstrations.

We aim to connect food and drink lovers with dedicated and inspiring producers like Pinneys of Orford (oysters and smoked fish), the Wild Meat Company (game), and Blythburgh Pork. You will hear the fascinating stories behind these products, see how they are produced, and even get your hands dirty plucking a pheasant, making sausages or baking bread.”

Forthcoming events include Wild Game in a Day (Sunday March 29th) – a hands-on day of, preparing, cooking and eating a variety of feathered and furred game, Free Range Pork in a Day (Saturday 16th May & Sunday 11th October) – a walk around the famous Blythburgh Pigs before a butchery demonstration to make your own Suffolk sausages and Barley to Beer (April 2009) – the whole brewing process with an interactive tour of award-winning micro-brewery, Grain, and see where their barley grows. The day includes a beer and food matching tutorial.

Phil Vickery’s Cooking Academy, supported by Schools Secretary Ed Balls, has been created to get kids and young adults aged 7 – 14 interested in cooking and cater for a gap in food preparation knowledge through ‘fooducation’.

The new interactive website at www.philscookingacademy.co.uk features a series of downloadable recipes and podcasts that kids can cook-along with either in class or at home. These are also available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/philscookingacademy .

Students are also being invited to get creative with their cookery skills and send their very own recipes to Phil by uploading them onto the website. Phil himself is set to make a personal appearance at the school of the student that creates the best dish.