The new super seduction blend – De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé – has been created for De’Longhi by Huddersfield coffee connoisseur David Cooper and is being offered to shoppers at luxury lingerie store Rigby & Peller in central London. Makers De’Longhi are taking no chances that it will have an immediate affect by enforcing a one-cup-only rule.

Coffee, especially in espresso form, is a powerful aphrodisiac and more commonly used in the UK for a morning pick me up than a date night treat. Cooper, who is the founder and managing director of Cooper’s Coffee, joined forces with De’Longhi, the Italian coffee experts in 2008 to create Caffe Raro – the world’s most expensive coffee. He has now teamed up with De’Longhi again to launch De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé – the first specially blended aphrodisiac coffee.

De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé infuses a rare and unique coffee bean, Indian Monsooned Malabar, with luxurious oyster essence from the seas of South East Asia. Monsooned beans are very rare – left out during the monsoon season the beans benefit from the moist rain soaked air which circulates through the beans giving them a smooth unique flavour with a rich body and long toffee finish.

To create the amorous blend the beans are carefully roasted to a rich dark mahogany then – while still warm – the oyster essence is infused into the beans creating a seductive blend unlike any that have been created before.

Kate Rolton De’Longhi UK said, “With our Italian heritage we pride ourselves on being experts in coffee and felt with this unique blend we are able to bring some tips on Italian romance and passion to UK shores. De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé is a rich and dark coffee with the slightest hint of exquisiteness with each sip – it would be impossible not to fall in love with it.”

David Cooper said: “This is one of the most difficult blends I have ever worked on but also one of the most interesting. The difficulty arose from trying to infuse the coffee beans without the taste of oysters dominating the overall taste. Our quest to find a suitable oyster extract took us around the globe and we tried three different products including dried oyster powder from Asia.

“In the end we settled on a very expensive liquid oyster essence from Indonesia which proved the perfect way of infusing the beans without spoiling the taste. The resulting coffee is exquisite with a well-balanced, deep flavour and body. It really is truly irresistible.”

Nicky Clayton, Creative Director at Rigby & Peller, added: “The one cup limit is a very good idea as we expect De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé to live up to its name – we hope the coffee will prove irresistible in its own right and raise money for a great cause.”

Available for a limited period De’Longhi’s Amore del Caffé is now available in London at Rigby & Peller stores in Mayfair, Knightsbridge & Chelsea for £39 per 100g package and all proceeds will go towards Macmillan Cancer Supports World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

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Step 1 – choose your recipe from one of 16 Indian spice kits, then check out the handy shopping list on the back of pack which lists everything you need to cook the dish.
Step 2 – at home just follow the simple recipe inside the pack.
Step 3 – serve and enjoy with family and friends.

A selection of SpicenTice spice kits will be on sale at Sainsburys, Asda and many independent stores, as well as Ocado online.

The range features dishes inspired from regions and cultures of India, including Kashmiri, Goan, Bengali and Gujarat.

The kits are made from 100% pure herbs and spices such as Fengugreek Leaves, Cassia Bark, Garam Masala, Cardamom, Coriander and Mustard Seeds which ensure an authentic taste and flavour to your dish – and no additives, preservatives or colourings are used.

In 1994 when Spicentice founder Ketan Varu was a hungry student, Manjula (Ketan’s mum) sent him recipes and spices to make real Indian curries that would remind him of home. Pretty soon all his university friends where hooked on these clever little spice kits and the idea for Spicentice was born.

Of all the recipes that Manjula cooks for her family, her favourites include Lamb Rogan Josh – an aromatic dish, brought to India by the Moghuls, Bombay potatoes and Chickpea Curry – both from the hot, dry climate of the Gujarat and Chicken Jalfrezi a traditional Bengal curry – delicious with SpicenTice Pilau Rice and Mango Chutney. Goan Prawn Curry is a traditional fish curry from Southern India, and just needs some Naan bread to mop up all the lovely curry juices. If you prefer a mild curry try the creamy Chicken Korma which has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of North India.

On the Spicentice website www.spicentice.com you can see the full range of 16 Indian spice kits (prices are from £1.59 to £2.99) and there’s no minimum order, if all you want is one curry – that’s no problem.

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Over the last five years they have developed numerous organic garden projects at their factory site at Kings Cross; including an orchard, a vineyard and a demonstration Permaculture forest garden, as well recently as winning prestigious awards recently including Fast Growth Green Business of the Year, Small Food Manufacturer of the Year and Resource Management Company of the Year

They now hope that by re-branding their entire product range they can encourage customers to share their values and vision for a greener planet.

Alara’s motto is to ‘Welcome the Sun’, which is a shorthand way of signifying the profound move from an unsustainable society relying on fossil fuels to a sustainable one using solar energy – and this is the message they hope to spread through the new branding.

“Over the 35 years we’ve been around we’ve introduced numerous ranges to the Alara brand with the result that, at the moment for instance we have four different logos in the market. We feel that to move Alara forward we have to bring these ranges together under a common message. Given that enhancing the environment is our passion it makes sense to utilise this within the new branding; we also hope it will help our sales effort.

Research confirms that consumers do want that bit more from an organic and natural brand and like to see what we’re doing behind the scenes to enhance the environment – that we’re walking the walk as well as talking the talk. Our marketing last year focused on our green work, and whilst the organic sector saw a drop in sales our own brand saw an increase of 20% turnover; so along with our good prices this seems to be a worthwhile message. We believe the new brand will both reflect what we’ve been doing, act as a continuation of it, and through our ‘Welcoming the Sun’ message allow us to influence those in contact with the company to move, if only a step or two, in the same direction.”- Alex Smith MD and founder

The new branding, which utilises the image of a sun rise is also packaged in recyclable card and film and includes links to the Alara website which has hints and tips on how to become more sustainable as well as green competitions and an environmental blog.

The newly branded products include the ‘Everyday’, ‘Into the Garden’ and ‘OT’ ranges, bringing a total of 17 products to market, all with the same sustainable message – to ‘Welcome the Sun’

Alex Smith also says –

‘This rebrand is building on the experience and volumes we produce which enable us to offer a fantastic range of organic, Fairtrade and gluten free products at prices similar to ordinary run of the mill muesli. In short these are products that allow customers to maintain their values without making a financial sacrifice.’

The new branded products are now available and for more information or to stock visit www.alara.co.uk

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Nielsen-Massey conducted this research to highlight that vanilla extract is made from real vanilla, extracted straight from the vanilla plant. In contrast, vanilla essence is in fact a synthetic artificial flavouring (mainly made with chemicals) – certainly not something that we’d want to mix into our cupcakes.

Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract is made from the finest Madagascan vanilla beans. The best beans are hand-picked, cured and put through a cold extraction process, which slowly and gently draws the vanilla from the bean, preserving the delicate flavour to create one of the finest pure vanilla extracts in the world.

So next time your recipe requires vanilla, make sure you choose the real thing, and choose the best to guarantee both quality and taste. Interestingly the brand pictured is the one I have in my cupboard; I just never considered the producer – Nielsen-Massey.

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‘The Award of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers’ Cup for the Supreme Champion Cider’ is the most prestigious prize given to Cider, and was selected by senior judges, including, Nick Bradstock, President of European Wine and Cider Association, and food writer, Tom Parker Bowles.

The orchard at Glastonbury Abbey has its roots in the medieval ages. Records reveal that apple trees were kept by Glastonbury Monks to make cider. Today the orchard sits at the same spot, at the heart of the Abbey’s 36 acres of atmospheric parkland.

Julian Temperley of the Somerset Cider Brandy Company who pressed the cider said, ‘Over the past 700 years cider apples have been harvested at Glastonbury Abbey. We are delighted to continue this age-old tradition and be part of the ongoing history of this delightful orchard set within the sacred walls of the Abbey. Today we celebrate the humble apple and it’s delicious, honest flavour – it is wonderful to be part of this story.’

Katherine Gorbing, Director of Glastonbury Abbey, said: ‘It is a tremendous honour to receive this award and it’s a tribute to the traditional skills of Julian Temperley and his team who have turned our apples into award winning cider. We are proud to uphold the county traditions and be part of the best that Somerset has to offer.’

‘This year Glastonbury Abbey visitors seeking an oasis of calm can buy an award winning cider to take home as a delicious treat from one of England’s most spiritual sites.’

Over 3,000 bottles of the award winning cider have been produced and are on sale at the Abbey’s gift shop.

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Egg white has 70% less calories than whole eggs, is fat free, cholesterol free, low carb, low GI and is an excellent source of protein – the perfect health food. Dieters, the health conscious, sports enthusiasts and body builders love the product. So it is little wonder that celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Victoria Beckham, Paris Hilton and Madonna, and sports personalities such as Jonny Wilkinson and Gavin Henson use egg white to stay in shape.

Entrepreneurs Anna Richey (31) and Alla Ouvarova (28) (who reached the national final of the competition HSBC Start-Up Stars in 2008) successfully launched their egg white in England in August 2007 in Selfridges, and it is now sold in selected Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Booths, Dunnes, Superquinn (Ireland) and online via Ocado. It is also available in Whole Foods Market and selected health stores and delicatessens. Prior to the launch of Two Chicks, liquid egg white, which is very big in the US, was never available to buy in retail in the UK or Ireland. Each carton contains the egg white of 15 free range eggs so it is cheaper than separating the equivalent (RRP £2.89).

A new report explains why eggs, and in particular egg whites are so good for you. Those who really want to look after their health and watch their fat and calorie intake should consider the benefits of eating just the egg whites, which are both fat and cholesterol free, low in carbohydrate and rich in high quality protein. They also contain useful amounts of selenium and B vitamins. While the yolks are also nutritious, they have some disadvantages; each yolk contains around 7g of fat, 200mg of cholesterol and the majority of the egg’s calorie content (the white has 70% less calories than the yolk) which is why current scientific evidence suggests that one should eat no more than seven eggs per week.

Sigrid Gibson, author of the report and a Registered Public Health Nutritionist said, “The benefits of eggs have long been known to nutritionists, however there are limits to the number one should eat. People who like to eat eggs frequently and are likely to exceed seven eggs per week have the option of using pasteurised liquid egg whites, rich in protein, riboflavin and selenium. These can make savoury dishes such as omelettes and scrambled eggs that are almost indistinguishable in taste from those made from whole eggs, and can also be used in desserts and smoothies. Egg whites therefore have major nutritional benefits for all those concerned about healthy diets – particularly those restricting dietary fat or cholesterol, and they do not have the limitations of whole eggs.”

“Egg whites are rich in protein, yet low in calories and therefore have a high satiety value. This means they help you to feel full for longer and thus help you to control your weight. Egg whites are therefore a valuable asset in diets designed to promote weight loss. Egg whites have been shown to increase the hunger-suppressing hormone CCK, which delays the rate at which food passes through the stomach. Egg whites may also have antioxidant and antihypertensive properties and have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).”

Anna said, “This report confirms that egg whites really are an excellent health food. I am so pleased that we decided to introduce the product to UK and Irish supermarkets. I had found separating eggs myself to be a real hassle – and wasteful, I was determined to find an easier way.”

Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said, “With all the focus on obesity the Forum welcomes products such as two chicks free range liquid egg white. Egg white in particular, being fat and cholesterol free and a brilliant source of protein is perfect for weight-loss, looking after your heart and general healthy eating. ”

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Kaori is a Japanese word meaning perfume, scent and fragrance. Jean Galler has developed a series of chocolates, based on traditional ink sticks and ink stones, which were used in traditional Japanese calligraphy.There are 6 different chocolate sticks with flavours including Saffron, Vanilla and Coconut, Ginger… To create your very own combination, simply dip them into the exciting varieties of Orange and Cocoa Nibs, Matcha Green Tea and Poppy Seeds, and Kalamansi. With these elements you can create forty-eight different flavour combinations. Each stick is a brush, each inkpot is an aromatic flavour, and the palate is a blank canvas.

Kaori Gift Box (6 different chocolate sticks, 3 enticing inkpots, forty-eight flavour combinations) is available for £13.99.

To order award winning Galler chocolate online visit www.gallerchocolates.co.uk, alternatively call 0207 351 1668 to order over the phone or visit the Galler retail outlet at Harrods, Harvey Nichols (London) and John Lewis Food Halls (Oxford Street and Bluewater branches).

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Betty Blythe’s Valentine’s Day Hampers are the perfect surprise for a loved one first thing in the morning, when the last thing you want is to go out into the cold to get breakfast. Bursting with delicious treats from the Betty Blythe Fine Food Pantry, from freshly squeezed orange juice to the finest smoked salmon, the “I’d love you for breakfast” hamper lets Betty Blythe take the hassle out of your romantic morning. The “I’d love you for breakfast” hamper will be hand delivered with a smile, in a delightfully traditional hamper. The smell of freshly baked croissants and bread wafting from the basket
and the hamper will be made even more tempting with the freshly squeezed orange juice, tea and coffee & preserves for the full continental experience. Also the hampers can offer all the right ingredients for a cooked breakfast such as free range eggs, bacon and smoked salmon.

The girls at Betty Blythe, sticklers for luxury and glamour, are so determined in ensuring that their customers do not have to leave their houses in the morning that they also provide the little things that tend to be forgotten, such as the butter, milk and the newspaper! “I’d love you for breakfast” Hampers are priced at £45 each +delivery.

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The range includes nine fruit yoghurts, six cheesecakes, two fruit mousses and a farmhouse butter, made in traditional butter churns from sweet, lightly sea salted cream, wrapped in traditional parchment paper, brown paper and twine – in fact it’s just like you used to buy it in the old days.

Alan and Valerie Kingston let their cows roam and graze freely, pamper them during the cold winter months and never over milk them. All this tender loving care in turn produces the creamiest, richest and most delicious milk. What started as a hobby in 1997 has transformed the small farm into a hive of activity today.

Prices range between £1.49 for 160g yoghurt pot to £5.99 for a 700g handmade cheesecake

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Renowned for its cleansing and detoxifying qualities, grapefruits are the ideal breakfast fruit. But why settle for just grapefruit when you can treat your taste buds to this zesty yogurt that will leave you feeling revitalised and ready to face the day. The grapefruit is perfectly balanced by sweet juicy pineapple and combined with Rachel’s signature thick and creamy texture makes for an invigorating tasty treat. What’s more at less than 2% fat you can indulge, safe in the knowledge that you are sticking to those New Year resolutions to eat healthily without compromising on taste.

Available online with Ocado and in Waitrose and Booths stores nationwide from 25th January 2010, this bio-live yogurt combines the best locally sourced organic milk with the finest Fruits.

This delicious yogurt can be enjoyed on its own or poured over your favourite cereal or fruit for a healthy, refreshing breakfast. What’s more the new yogurt, priced at around £1.59 for a 450g pot, provides an important source of calcium and natural vitamins, as well as the health-giving bio-live cultures to help improve and maintain a healthy digestive system.

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