FoodLovers Britain is delighted to announce the arrival in Harrods of the first producer under the FoodLovers Approved banner. The honour goes to Blueberry Hill Cakes for their hand-made and hand-decorated biscuits, an innovative and highly decorative part of Harrods Valentine’s Day Collection. They are on sale in the prestigious food hall now.

As a fully vetted FoodLovers Approved member, London-based Blueberry Hill benefited from the retail introduction scheme that FoodLovers operates as just one of their many membership services.

Overseen by Henrietta Green, FoodLovers champions quality local and regional producers and services the promotional, marketing and sales interests of its 200+ local and regional producer members.

Blueberry Hill Cakes, owned by Ella Fletcher and Rachel Reynolds, was established in 2010 as specialist home-bakers – making cakes, biscuits and even arranging afternoon teas delivered directly to the door.

Henrietta said, “This is a huge opportunity for Blueberry Hill Cakes. I’m delighted that Harrods are stocking these Valentine’s Day treats. Ella and Rachel have shown drive, passion and creativity. As FoodLovers Approved, you can be certain they offer quality and an element of local and regional sourcing, so it is fitting for them to be stocked in one of the world’s most prestigious stores.”

Rachel Reynolds said, “Selling our products in Harrods is a dream come true. We have worked closely with Harrods and Henrietta at FoodLovers to come up with a range perfect for the Harrods customer and are so excited to see our biscuits on the shelves! We are busy baking for Valentines and developing new ranges for later in the year to mark other key events.”

Blueberry Hill Cakes at Harrods
Jar of Heart Shaped Shortbread and Chocolate Biscuits £8.95
Heart Shaped Shortbread Biscuit filled with Strawberry & Champagne Jam £5.95
Heart Shaped Lemon Biscuit filled with Lemon Curd £5.95
Heart Shaped Chocolate Biscuit with a Pink Marshmallow Filling £5.95

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The Kitchen Cabinet – BBC Radio 4’s new food panel show – starts tomorrow (Tuesday, February 7th) at 3pm. Jay Rayner hosts and is joined by a panel of guests each week for a show that is recorded in front of a live audience, It is aimed at anyone who cooks at home, not just the experts.

Below are some clips from the first show recorded in Suffolk.

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Experience the taste of fresh home-milled flour and add a stylish aesthetic feature to your kitchen with a grain mill from online specialists, BakeryBits.co.uk.

The fantastic Fidibus Classic Grain Mill from KoMo helps baking buffs create delicious sweet and savoury recipes with the great taste of 100% whole grain goodness and all the nutrition from every grain.

The easy to use grain mill is beautifully made from solid beech and is housed in an attractive beech wood enclosure. Its revolutionary milling unit design grinds with maximum efficiency and minimal noise.
On the inside, the Fidibus Classic features self-sharpening millstones of corundum/ceramic, and a powerful 360 watt motor. The hopper holds over two pounds of wheat, rye, barley, spelt or corn, and grinds 3-1/2 oz (100 g) of fine flour per minute.

Available from www.BakeryBits.co.uk the Fidibus Classic is priced at £319.00, plus a delivery charge of £5.94.

The Fidibus Classic is the most popular grain mill from KoMo, beautifully made from solid beech and with a 12 year warranty. Its revolutionary milling unit design grinds with maximum efficiency and minimal noise. The attractive housing of solid beech features classic box joinery. On the inside, the Classic features self-sharpening millstones of corundum/ceramic, and a powerful 360 watt motor. The hopper holds over two pounds of wheat, rye, barley, spelt or corn, and grinds 3-1/2 oz (100 g) of fine flour a minute.

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Celebrated food writer Karina Baldry will bring Russian culture and customs to life at SamarQand Restaurant, near Oxford Street, on Tuesday 21 February as she weaves the stories and legends surrounding the creation of traditional Russian dishes into a special evening exploring Russian cuisine. (7.30pm, tickets £45. To book call SamarQand Restaurant direct on 020 7935 9393)

Russia on a Plate forms part of the week-long programme of special events leading up to the London Maslenitsa Festival (26 February, Trafalgar Square, FREE entry) – the biggest celebration of Russian culture outside Russia itself. Supported by Major of London, Boris Johnson, the event sees the London landmark transformed into a bustling bazaar offering traditional Russian foods and handicrafts while performances from some of Russia’s most acclaimed dance, theatre, folk, pop and jazz artists entertain the audience from the Festival’s main stage.

Other events taking place alongside the culinary evening include a fashion show at the Victoria & Albert Museum, showcasing designs by up-and-coming as well as established Russian designers, a photography exhibition at the GLA of images of London through the eyes of the city’s many diverse Russian residents and a one-off performance of ‘Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka’ at Shaftesbury Theatre by the renowned Gogol Theatre.

An evening of Vodka, Blinis and Central Asian food with the performers, artists and organisers behind the London Maslenitsa Festival.

‘Russia on a Plate’ will take visitors on a remarkable journey through Russian culture and history – as well as cuisine – as guests are served the stories connected to traditional Russian dishes alongside a variety of courses; each introduced by Karina together with the methods used to make them. To mark the forthcoming Maslenitsa spectacular in Trafalgar Square there will be a special focus on delicacies of Maslenitsa week.

Russian-born Karina Baldry (www.russiaonaplate.com) is the author of “Russia on a Plate” and the co-founder of Russian Revels (www.russianrevels.co.uk), an exciting new project to revolutionise the image of Russian food in the UK. With her team she forages though pre-revolutionary cookbooks, re-invents communist classics and creates radical interpretations of recipes from across the ex-USSR with the ultimate aim of unearthing and promoting luscious and original Russian dishes to a new audience.

Karina Baldry, author of ‘Russia on a Plate’ says: “Russian delicacies extend far beyond the stereotypical pickle and starchy dough; caviar and vodka. The food we’ll be covering for Maslenitsa takes in flavours from all around the former Soviet Union, from hearty dishes from the west, to spicy dishes from the south. This event will be a fresh and exciting opportunity for adventurous foodies to explore the unknown territory of true Russian cuisine, and a chance to finally dispel the myth of Russian food of being boring, uninspiring and bland!”

Tickets now on sale for one-off event, 21 February, Central London (further info: www.maslenitsa.co.uk)
Part of the week-long festivities for the Russian Maslenitsa Festival, (19-26 February), the largest celebration of Russian culture outside Russia itself
Learn the secrets behind Russian specialities such as ‘Pelmeni’ and ‘Bublik’ with the author of ‘Russia on a Plate’ Karina Baldry

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Available for download now – its free but they insist you register – is the second issue of The Cocktail Lovers Magazine.

The contents include:
Spotlight on spirited females in the drinks industry
The team from Callooh Callay add East End swagger to West End style
Tasting the best cocktails Berlin has to offer
London bars with birds eye views
Rebekkah Dooley talks to Tomas Estes, the tequila ambassador
Detox or Retox?
Plus 25 reasons we’re loving this season

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The 22nd edition of coolcucumber tv is now ready and waiting at www.coolcucumber.tv.

This edition features a visit to Forman’s magnificent new place in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium – it’s new because the stadium now stands where Forman’s used to be. Lance Forman talks about smoked salmon, graffiti and East London. From the heart of the city to the depths of the countryside – the Lords of the Manor Hotel in Gloucestershire.

Gérard Bassett, OBE, the best sommelier in the world, introduces another of his favourite wines.

Venturing further into the country, there is a visit to the Pipe and Glass, a beautiful pub in a beautiful part of Yorkshire.

Returning to London, there is a chat with Greg Place, General Manager of the new Hilton at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, about his career, and life in the hospitality business.

And finally, in keeping with the record-breaking spirit of the Olympics, Darren Matson – Guinness World Record holder – demonstrates amazing skill with smoked salmon, while chef Michael Smith prepares a simple but beautiful salmon starter.

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So new probably not yet in the shops, but todays Limited Edition Chunky KitKat of the Day is –

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The Foodie List - Foodie stuff from around the UK

So new probably not yet in the shops, but todays Limited Edition Chunky KitKat of the Day is –

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The Foodie List - Foodie stuff from around the UK

Maple syrup boasts a whole range of health benefits which actually make it the perfect year-round sweet treat and not just for Pancake Day.

According to Bob Clark, founder of the UK’s leading maple syrup producer Clarks, the pure product which is made from the boiled sap of the Canadian maple tree, truly justifies its ‘super food’ status, ranking it right alongside the more traditionally listed foods which have massively increased in profile as a result – broccoli and blueberries being just two well-known examples.

All this goodness but far fewer of the calories associated with similar products as maple syrup contains just 52 calories per tablespoon – a lot less than the equivalent amount of honey or sugar!

For all its clear health benefits, maple syrup is also a very versatile ingredient.

There are numerous ways to incorporate it into a whole host of recipes – poured over roasting vegetables – particularly good for parsnips and carrots – over crispy cured bacon to really bring out the flavour, as a dressing for salmon or simply as a sugar replacement over breakfast cereal.

Clarke’s produce two versions – Clarks Pure Maple Syrup (100% Maple Syrup) and Clarks Original Maple Syrup (35% Maple Syrup blended with Carob Fruit Syrup). Clarks is the biggest producer and supplier of maple syrup in the UK, capturing 60 per cent of the market in just three years. The Wales-based firm supplies all the big four supermarket groups of Tesco (on the ‘Ambient dessert’ fixture), Asda (on the the ‘Jam and marmalade’ fixture), Sainsbury’s (on the ‘Ice cream accompaniment’ fixture) and Morrisons (on the ‘Ambient dessert’ fixture).

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The Foodie List - Foodie stuff from around the UK

So new probably not yet in the shops, but todays Limited Edition Chunky KitKat of the Day is –

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The Foodie List - Foodie stuff from around the UK