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The Scottish Baker Of The Year 2013

by Andrew on May 9, 2013 in On The Web with No comments

scottish_baker_2013Scottish Bakers has announced the names of the final 6 bakers shortlisted for the ultimate accoldade, the title of SCOTTISH BAKER OF THE YEAR 2013:

Harry Gow – Inverness
Stevens the Bakers – Dunfermline
Brownings the Bakers – Kilmarnock
Border Biscuits – Motherwell
Macleans Highland Bakery – Forres
Cuckoos Bakery Edinburgh

Each of the 6 finalsts have already been recognised by their customers and a panel of expert judges as producing some of the BEST products in Scotland following an intense judging day in Dunfermline last month.

Following the judges taste tests, all of the regional winners were judged on a national level and a total of 24 bakers were put forward for the main prize.

Each of these bakers were then asked to submit a business case for why their bakery is the best in the land and each baker has also been subjected to a panel interview by independent business judges including James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food and Drink, David Lonsdale, Assistant Director, CBI Scotland and Mike Tully, CEO Bako Northern and Scotland.

The bakers will now complete video interviews for the judges to make their decision on who will be crowned Scottish Baker of the Year 2013

Paul Hollywood, Artisan baker and TV presenter, will announce the winner and present them with their prize, a specially commissioned silver rolling pin at this year’s Scottish Baker of the Year Awards, at a prestigious ceremony in Glasgow on 18th May.

15,000 customers from Stranraer to Shetland voted for their best bakery products during March and the top products in each of the 6 categories were baked and delivered to Dunfermline on 10th April. All products were then judged a panel of independent experts led by artisan baker Robert Ross and including retired master bakers with extensive experience of the bakery sector in Scotland.

The panel professionally judged some 300 items shortlisted in the 6 categories: breads, scones, individual cakes, savouries, morning rolls and new category biscuits, to decide who bakes the best products in Scotland.

Each category has been divided into 3 regions, covering Northern, Central and Southern Scotland. Within each category, the judges will award regional Gold, Silver and Bronze awards and all our shortlisted bakers will be invited to the Awards ceremony in May where they will find out what colour their regional award will be.

The final results will remain a closely guarded secret until 18th May when Paul will announce the results and also name the Scottish Baker of the Year 2013, a crown currently held by Harry Gow.

But for now, each of our 6 bakers can take pride in their place as one of the best bakers in the land.


The Garlic Lovers Club

by Andrew on April 4, 2013 in On The Web with No comments

garlic lovers clubCalling all garlic lovers! The UK’s largest specialist garlic grower, The Garlic Farm is to launch its very own Garlic Lovers Club. Scheduled to launch on National Garlic Day (19th April 2013), .

The Garlic Farm has been growing garlic on the Isle of Wight for the last 50 years. Today, the farm offers a fantastic 15 varieties of superior garlic as well as a continually expanding range of garlic inspired products such as chutneys, jams, salts, butters, beer and even pork scratchings!

Becoming a member of the Garlic Lovers Club is the hassle free way to ensure a constant supply of garlic for use in every-day cooking. The club offers two types of membership:

Gold package: sign up and receive five specialist eating bulbs plus the ‘flavour of the month’ and a ‘farm favourite’ for just £15.95 per month (including postage and packaging).

Silver package: this tier gives members four eating garlic bulbs plus the ‘flavour of the month’ for just £11.95 per month (including postage and packaging).

The ‘flavour of the month’ is the most popular product at The Garlic Farm that month and a ‘farm favourite’ is one of The Garlic Farm team member’s favourite garlic themed product. These products include jams, mayonnaises, sauces, chutneys, salts, oils and butters.

Members of the Garlic Lovers Club can enjoy additional benefits such as:
- 10% discount at www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk
- 10% discount at The Garlic Farm shop & café on the Isle of Wight
- 5% discount on accommodation at The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight
- Free tractor and trailer rides at The Garlic Farm (when operating)
- Monthly e-newsletter direct from the chief garlic farmer, Colin Boswell
- The opportunity to be chosen to test new products as part of a focus group

Tom Honeyman-Brown, General Manager at The Garlic Farm commented: “We’ve been asked on a number of occasions for a service that delivers a monthly supply of garlic through the post. The Garlic Lovers’ Club does just that – it takes the hassle out of having to reorder our garlic as it turns up at the same time each month. Gold members get the added excitement of receiving two mystery garlic-themed products in their monthly package. Becoming a member really couldn’t be easier!”

To sign up to become a member of the Garlic Lovers’ Club visit .www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk.

Meat Origin Survey

by Andrew on March 26, 2013 in On The Web with No comments

PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef have launched a survey to canvas consumer opinion about meat origins.

Consumers are being urged to complete the survey to give an insight about whether the horsemeat scandal has impacted their perceptions about meat. The survey asks consumers how much of an interest they took in the origin of meat and if they looked for food origin labels before the scandal compared to now. It goes on to ask if their consumption habits have changed to see if consumers are buying more meat from a local butcher compared to the supermarket.

Pip Gill, of Hybu Cig Cymru – the organisation behind PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, said: “We’d like to invite as many consumers as possible to fill in our short poll which will give us a real insight into meat purchasing behaviour and whether this is changing.

“Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef have been awarded the European PGI status which means that its origin is guaranteed. The stringent requirements mean that, legally, only lambs which have been born and reared in Wales to specified high standards and slaughtered in an approved abattoir can be labelled ‘Welsh Lamb’. The blue and yellow PGI label on every packet of Welsh Lamb acts as a stamp of authenticity so you can guarantee that the product you are buying is exactly as described and is fully traceable. We believe that if consumers are becoming more concerned about the origin of meat, this label provides peace of mind for them. We are activity campaigning to raise consumer awareness of the PGI label to help provide this quality assurance and origin guarantee.”

The survey is available online: http://tinyurl.com/meatorigin

Yorkshire Food Finder

by Andrew on February 13, 2013 in On The Web, Tasting Events/Shows with No comments

yorkshire food finder toursYorkshire Food Finder, the first guided gourmet tour company to provide access to the larder of England’s largest county, has launched a calendar of more than 30 trails for 2013 – with more in development. Traversing the spectacular scenery of the North Yorkshire moors and coast, the Dales and David Hockney’s beloved Wolds of East Yorkshire, these full- and half-day trails give food-lovers and travellers unique access to the best food in Yorkshire and opportunities to learn new skills.

More than 25 artisan food producers are represented including award-winners such as Shepherds Purse Cheeses, Wold Top Brewery, Gareth Barlow and Howardian Hebrideans, Burdass Lamb, Ampleforth Abbey, Botton Creamery, Taste Tradition, Anna’s Happy Trotters and Staal Smokehouse.

Each trail is ‘hubbed’ around a top restaurant and ends with a signature feast cooked by award-winning chef-patrons using products seen on the trails. These include Andrew Pern at The Star Inn, James Mackenzie at the Michelin-starred The Pipe and Glass, Tim Bilton at The Butchers Arms and Ben Cox at The Star @ Sancton.

For serious foodies and professionals, there are skills-based trails with opportunities to learn charcuterie, butchery, fish smoking, cheese and ice cream making, as well as cookery master classes. Other trails are less hands-on, giving guests time to enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes access to rare breed farms, country estates, creameries, cellars and quaysides, and sample a delicious selection of regional products.

Set up in 2012 by former journalist Sue Nelson and railway man Aidan Nelson, both passionate regional food experts, Yorkshire Food Finder is a celebration of the county’s centuries-old traditions of great food production, craft, taste, landscapes and livelihoods.

Sue Nelson said: “For years, we’ve been secretly savouring the best of Yorkshire food from superb cheese and smoked fish, local charcuterie, rare breed meat, lovely liqueurs and gorgeous game. We got to know the chefs and producers and their unique stories, and wanted to share the passion they have for Yorkshire produce with food-lovers far and wide. A Yorkshire Food Finder trail is designed so foodies can appreciate the skill and commitment required to make good food great – and savour the difference.”

Yorkshire Food Finder trails start at £95 per person including transport, tour and either lunch or dinner. Trail numbers are limited to 12 people for more intimate access and last between six and 10 hours. Bespoke trails, for private groups as well as incentive, team building and corporate entertainment can also be arranged.

http://www.yorkshirefoodfinder.org/

What’s in my Larder? – a new App for iPhone/iPad/iPod

by Andrew on February 8, 2013 in On The Web, Taste with 1 Comment

whats in my larderWhat’s in my Larder? is a great new iPhone app for iPhone/iPad/iPod that will help you organize everything in your larder so that you never run short of ingredients!

No more guessing whether you’ve got everything you need for that stir-fried chicken. Make sure you’ve got enough olive oil for the salad. Keep up to date with what spices you’ve got and all the other basics so that you don’t run out. Make a list of what’s on the shelves and in the cupboards – and avoid waste by using them all before their use-by date. At the shops but not sure what you need? Just pull your larder out of your pocket and check!

What’s in my Larder? puts your larder in your pocket. You can record everything you’ve stored or just left on the shelf, along with its use-by date. Now you can know where you put it, see what it looks like and assign it to a list. See at a glance what needs using up or keeping for later. You can even organise all your cooking equipment, pots and pans.

What’s in my Larder? is super-easy to use. You just enter an item. And then, whenever you want, you can add a

• Photo
• Location
• Category
• List
• Note

What’s in my Larder? is with you wherever you are. Want to see the brand of those ingredients you need to buy next time you’re in town? Select the photo and click on ‘Show full screen’. Get what you want. Simple.

The beauty of What’s in my Larder? is that you can use the categories, locations and lists already in the App or you can create your own. And once you’ve added things you can browse by any combination of location, category and list.

It’s what every good cook dreams about – knowing exactly what you’ve got, where it is and what it looks like.

What’s in my Larder? can be downloaded from Apple iTunes
Categories: Lifestyle and Productivity
Price: £1.49

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