How often do you go to a restaurant and chat to the people on the other tables?

At Housebites that’s exactly what happens! Whatsmore there’s no waiter rushing you to finish and there’s no extortionate bill at the end.

Anyone can attend a Housebite and any keen cook can host one.

Housebites was created by a team of food enthusiasts, who all cook regularly. Encouraged by the current underground dining scene they wanted to create a service that took the best bits from dining-in and eating-out and turn them into a unique unprecedented dining experience. It’s also the same team that brought you Bebo, SpeedDater and Birthday Alarm

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Seen this amazingly good advert for Cadbury Spots V Stripes? All part of the marketing push for a new bar of chocolate. You may scoff but it’s a fun idea!

The advert is great; so is the chocolate incidentally!

We think games are great. They get people playing, they bring people together and sometimes they even reveal an undiscovered talent. That’s why, with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games around the corner, we’re launching Spots v Stripes.

We’re asking the nation to choose sides and split into Spots or Stripes in order to play, what’s quite possibly, the biggest, longest game ever.

Footy, cricket, bike races, online games, games you’ve made up like full-contact tiddlywinks or even a simple game of ‘tag’. You can play pretty much any game you can imagine.

So how do you take part? First, pick the side you want to play for – Spots or Stripes. Then whenever you play a game against someone from the opposing side, the winner scores a point for his/her side. All the points will be logged right here and updated live on our Score’o’tron. Score enough points and you could even become one of your side’s all-star heroes.

Plus we’ll be laying down weird and wonderful challenges to the nation with big prizes up for grabs. We’ll be stopping the traffic with big city takeovers and we’re bringing Spots v Stripes to local events everywhere.

The Spots v Stripes website allows you to record the scores, there is a running update on the two teams, and plenty of ideas to boot.

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In John’s hugely informative Hedgerow – his third after Mushrooms and Edible Seashore – he reveals how to spot the free and delicious ingredients to be found in the British countryside, and then how to prepare and cook them.

The hedgerow is perhaps the most accessible and least daunting type of wild food environment. Few of us are very far from some kind of woodland, field edge, heath land, allotment, or, indeed, garden, and these habitats are all included in John’s Hedgerow bracket.

John’s book will tell you all you need to know to turn any little walk or ramble into a foraging expedition, and it will inspire and entertain you at the same time.

Amazon.co.uk is listing Hedgerow (River Cottage Handbook) at £8.99.

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Summer’s well and truly underway and British strawberries in the sunshine always spring to mind as the perfect way to enjoy it. If you’re looking for inspirational yummy desserts, this month celebrity chef and Carnation ambassador Phil Vickery shows you how to make a more sophisticated summer treat – an Iced Strawberry and Lemon Meringue Layer.

Bake alongside Phil with this simple step-by-step ‘pudcast’ and say with pride “I Made It”, just like Phil.

Phil’s Tip: Once made, the meringue needs to set for four hours before serving – why not make up a batch the day before your event and leave overnight to set instead!

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The businesswoman, cook and TV personality’s other titles including Everyday Food and Martha Stewart Weddings will also see versions launched across Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria in September.

These international editions will offer a mix US generated content and editorial created specifically for each country’s audience.

Martha Stewart Living offers a mix of homekeeping, decorating, style and food related content.

The UK edition of Martha Stewart Living will cost £3.75.

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The Great Taste Awards are acknowledged by producers, retailers and consumers as the definitive, independent benchmark for speciality food and drink and Yummy Yorkshire has scooped a gold star for its striking blueberry ice cream flavour.

The ice cream company run by husband and wife team Jeremy and Louise Holmes already has eight Ice Cream Alliance Awards under its belt as well as a three-star gold Great Taste Award for its Lou’s Liquorice flavour.

This year’s Great Taste Awards saw a total of 1,300 producers enter 6,017 speciality food and drink lines, which were blind tasted by over 300 independent experts comprising leading chefs, food writers and buyers.
Commenting on the win Jeremy said: “Winning a Great Taste Award is a major achievement for a small, family run business like ours as it is one of the most trusted benchmarks for fine food and drink. The awards are carried out in a totally un-biased way, and judged on taste and texture by genuine ‘foodies’, who give full credit where it’s due.

“We gained a lot of recognition and new customers following our 3 gold star win last year and are hoping this year’s award will have a similarly positive effect on the business.”

The Great Taste Award is Yummy Yorkshire’s seventh award in the past 12 months. The artisan ice cream producer was recently of awarded Food & Drink Producer of the Year in the 2010 Yorkshire Rural Awards and was also named Local Food Producer (Prepared Produce) of the year at The Mayor of Kirklees’ 2009/2010 Local Food Awards.

This follows several award wins last winter for the company’s innovative Lou’s Liquorice Ice Cream flavour, which was awarded not only best Dairy Product, but also the coveted Supreme Product of the Year at the 2009 annual deliciouslyorkshire Awards.

Yummy Yorkshire Ice Cream is part of the third generation Delph House Dairy Farm business located on the A629 between Huddersfield and Penistone. Since launching in 2007 over 50 different flavours of traditional, contemporary and seasonal ice cream have been created using the fresh milk and cream from Yummy Yorkshire’s own 150 strong Holstein herd.

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The lucky winner and a friend will be flown to Dublin and put up at a luxurious hotel for two nights. They will be wined and dined each night and treated to an exclusive private tour of the legendary Cooley distillery. At the end of the tour they will even receive a personalised bottle of Tyrconnell malt whiskey as well as a bottle of the newly released Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve to take home.

There is no limit to the number of entries per person, with one free entry being given out with every single full-sized (70cl) bottle of Cooley Whiskey bought from www.masterofmalt.com. Don’t hang around though, because there are only 250 chances to enter.

The limited number of entries (just 250) means that anyone who enters will have an unusually high chance of winning and, unlike most competitions, even if more people enter, that chance doesn’t reduce. Because of this, the draw is likely to be fully subscribed long before the closing date.

Master of Malt are an award-winning Online Retailer and Independent Bottler of Whisky and other fine spirits. The Cooley whiskey competition forms part of Master of Malt’s 25th birthday celebrations and it will feature an exclusive private tour of Ireland’s only independent, Irish-owned whiskey distillery. The tour will culminate in a whiskey tasting and the winner will even receive a very special personalised bottle of Tyrconnell whiskey and a bottle of the newly released Kilbeggan whiskey – two malts which are held in high esteem amongst Irish whiskey connoisseurs.

The Cooley whiskey distillery has become well-known for its production of a number of Ireland’s most critically-acclaimed whiskeys; malts from the Tyrconnell range regularly score upwards of 94 points in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible (Jim describes whiskeys in this bracket as being “Superstar whiskies that give us all reason to live”!) In 2010, the Cooley distillery was even declared “Distillery of the Year” by Malt Advocate’s John Hansell who commented on the quality and variety of whiskeys made at the distillery, “In an era where hundreds of small distilleries are starting up across the globe, Cooley can be an inspiration to them all”.

To enter the Cooley competition, all participants must do is buy any full-sized (70cl) bottle of Cooley whiskey from Master of Malt before 6pm the 1st of August 2010 arrives or the 250 chances to win run out. The lucky winner will be named on of before the 7th August 2010.

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Infinite Vision are developing a new television series for a major broadcaster about the delights of home baking. They are on the hunt for clubs set up by keen bakers or more informal groups of friends who like to meet up to share the joys of cooking yummy cakes and desserts. Selected baking clubs will get the opportunity to take part in a filmed masterclass with a renowned master patissier!

It’s a chance to spread the joys of baking with others and learn new skills at the same time!

They are looking for all ages and abilities so why not get in touch to find out more. Email:- baking@infinitevision.tv you need to tell them about your group: where you’re based, how often you meet and what you like to bake.

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This year perhaps chef Rowley Leigh via this video can entice to try out other dishes…

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Situated in the delightful village of Bouliac and close to Bordeaux, the splendid 19th Century Château Lavergne is set in a 7 acre park and attracts visitors from all over the world to its relaxed and beautiful environment where they can discover, appreciate and learn about great French food and wine from the Bordeaux region.

Having already managed a vineyard over the years Suzanne along with her husband purchased the castle and from the outset decided to make Château Lavergne a real reference of food and wine in the region. Suzanne’s latest concept aims to bring food and wine coaching to visitors and holidaymakers who appreciate good food and wine but may not have the time or resources to find the best restaurants, hotels, vineyards or culinary gems in the area. Whether they are travelling alone or with a partner, or with a larger group of family and friends, Suzanne’s inside knowledge of the region will prove invaluable.

A typical client using this ‘culinary concierge’ style service would be staying in the Bordeaux area for around four days or so and would wish to discover the best restaurants, vineyards and hand-picked hotels best suited to their requirements as well discover the incredible Archachon Bay. For a small fee of 150 euros for 1 or 2 days, or 300 euros for 3-5 days Suzanne will provide a bespoke itinerary, make appropriate reservations and offer her unrivalled advice to make your stay truly unforgettable. These fees are for the entire group and not per person.

Château Lavergne is also offering culinary mini breaks which include accommodation in the château for one night. After breakfast participants are escorted to one of the region’s most beautiful outdoor markets before returning to the château for a superb hands-on cookery class given personally by Suzanne Bourdais. This is followed by lunch at the château and a wine tasting. Break’s cost 399 euros per person in a double room and 429 euros for single occupancy. The break can also be extended by an extra night for just 75 euros or 105 euros respectively. Extra dinner or lunch with wine for 40 euros.

For those visiting the Bordeaux area and wishing to take part in one of Château Lavergne’s ever popular cookery classes there is a great deal on offer for 2010. Classes start with a 2hr class dedicated to making French home cooking more accessible, understandable and enjoyable. This class is followed by lunch or dinner with wine tasting and costs 150 euros. Other longer classes include a visit to a beautiful outdoor market where you will discover exceptional foods from the very best local producers. There is also an opportunity to learn about foie gras by participating in a 3hr ‘Foie Gras’ Workshop. Here you will learn to prepare “cou farci”, “confit” and goose liver. Participants take away with them jars prepared in the workshop and like all classes a superb lunch with wine tasting is included in the price of 190 euros.

To find out more about Château Lavergne’s cookery classes, culinary tours and wine tastings visit the website at www.chateau-lavergne.com

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