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Help Save The World’s Rainforests This Easter

by Andrew on March 25, 2013 in In Search Of..., In the Press with No comments

rainforest foundationA new environmental campaign has recently launched encouraging chocolate lovers to become checkout-campaigners in their choice of Easter Eggs with the aim of halting the destruction of the world’s rainforests.

The campaign is a ground-breaking collaboration between the Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) and Ethical Consumer and has surveyed over 70 of the UK’s top chocolate brands on their use of palm oil or its derivatives.

The campaign is being launched in response to the increasing threat that unsustainable palm oil is posing to the world’s rainforests, and consequently, to the people that rely almost entirely on those forests for their livelihoods.

Having destroyed vast areas of forest in countries such as Indonesia, palm oil companies are now planning to expand in the rainforests of the Congo Basin in Africa. An area the size of Yorkshire is currently being cleared to make way for oil palm plantations. If forest habitats are lost, then numerous wildlife species, including forest elephant and lowland gorilla, will also be under threat.

Simon Counsell, Executive Director of The Rainforest Foundation UK said:

“We’ve launched a guide to foods containing palm oil with Ethical Consumer to raise awareness of the impacts associated with the production of this common ingredient. Consumers should be empowered to make informed purchasing decisions, understanding the impact of the production of the products they pick.”

According to a recent RFUK report Seeds of Destruction, 1 million acres of rainforest in the Congo Basin is currently being developed by palm oil producers, and with 284 million acres of suitable soil in the region, developers are actively seeking large sites now. Palm oil is a core ingredient in many food products and companies are not required by EU law to label products containing it until December 2014.

Tim Hunt co-director at Ethical Consumer said:

“Consumer power has the potential to help save the Congo’s rainforests and its wildlife that is under threat from palm oil production. This Easter we’re asking chocolate lovers to buy their Easter eggs from those chocolate companies that we’ve identified as taking an ethically responsible stance on this critical issue.”

The top two chocolate companies identified in the product guide are: Divine and Booja Booja. Neither company uses any palm oil in their chocolate products.

The bottom three chocolate companies identified in the product guide are Lindt, Thorntons and Guylian. Lindt supplied inaccurate figures while Thorntons and Guylian failed to submit any documentation to the organisations that set international sustainable palm oil standards.

The product guide to chocolate is the first of a series of guides that will rate all consumer products using palm oil. Future guides will include biscuits, cereals and spreads.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage consumers to buy the best rated products, forcing those companies that are not taking their environmental responsibilities seriously to use more sustainably sourced palm oil.

The full product guide can be seen here: www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/palm-oil-database


National Campaign To Establish Shepherd’s Pie As A ‘proper’ Pie

by Andrew on March 7, 2013 in In the Press with No comments

Apple PieA new pie lobby is preparing to go to Parliament to demand equality for pies.

Under current rules, pies topped with anything other than pastry are not classed as real pies – leaving the legendary shepherd’s pie and cottage pie out in the cold.

Now pie-fans, headed by a Country pub group, are preparing to challenge the rules and demand the age-old pie-rulebook is scrapped and rewritten.

Bosses at Vintage Inns are hoping their campaign will convince the bigwigs at the British Pie Awards – the gold standard as far as UK made pies are concerned – to finally allow the entry of pies which aren’t made from “a filling totally and wholly encased in pastry”.

Its not just potato-topped pies which have been suffering from discrimination either - pies which are lattice topped or fruit topped are also unceremoniously outlawed by the pie experts.

It may be pie in the sky but an official ‘pie’tition, launched by country pub group, Vintage Inns, aims to change the official definition of ‘pie’ to include those without the traditional pastry lid.

Launched during British Pie Week (4th-10th March 2013), if the ‘pie’tition is successful it will save both Shepherd’s Pie and Fish Pie from the ignominy of being classed, officially, as fake pies.

Neil Dawson, Retail Director at Vintage Inns said:

“It seems somewhat unfair to us that pies have to have a pastry lid to be officially classed as a pie. What about the traditional Shepherd’s Pie or Fish Pie? What about an Apple Pie with a lattice lid? Surely they are as deserving of a ‘proper pie’ classification as anything with a pastry top?

“We are serious about this. We are launching this unique ‘pie’tition to encourage our customers, fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter to decide whether Shepherd’s Pie should in fact be called Shepherd’s Pie or indeed something else.

“We’ll take it to Parliament if we have to but we intend to start by analysing our customers votes and, if they are behind us we will then hand in a copy of the ‘pie’tition to the bigwigs at the British Pie Awards who, until now, have refused to recognise the validity of any pie without a pastry lid.

“We want equality for the classic Shepherd’s Pie, Fish Pie and all those other fantastic pies which, until now, have been regarded by the experts as poor pie cousins of those with pastry lids.”

The Vintage Inns group has a collection of nearly 200 country pubs and restaurants across the UK and signatories will be encouraged to add their name to the ‘pie’tition at any of their venues over the coming months.

Running in conjunction with the campaign, celebrity chef, James Martin, introduces a new range of pies across all the Vintage Inns, available from 19th March.

Ideal Home Cake Decorating Competition

by Andrew on February 7, 2013 in In the Press with No comments

ideal cake decorator 2013ideal cake decorator 2013
For the fourth year running, this year’s Ideal Home Show is inviting professional and amateur cake decorators from across the UK to show off their decorating skills by entering the ‘ideal Cake Decorator of the Year’ competition, this year in the theme of the London Underground, to mark its 150th Birthday.

With a desire to promote the art of cake decorating and celebrate a true symbol of London life, this year’s competition is looking to find the most creative interpretations of the London Underground, in cake craft.

Since 1863 the London Underground has provided a service for millions of people worldwide passing through the capital city. It has also been a fundamental mode of transport for visitors to the Ideal Home Show in London since it began in 1908, seeing tens of thousands of visitors arriving via the tube each year.

So to mark 150 years of our most iconic transport system, and for its part in making the Ideal Home Show accessible to all of London, they are calling upon all bakers and cake decorators out there to enter the ‘London Underground’ ‘Ideal Cake Decorator of the Year’ Competition 2013.

Split into a Professional and Amateur competition, the Ideal Home Show wants you to create a cake inspired by the London Underground. This can be anything from a realistic representation, such as a tube carriage itself, to an interpretation of its nostalgic charm or a station name, such as an Angel, a Bank or a Tower bridge to name a few. With 270 stations, the possibilities are endless!

Be sure to head down to the show to check out the amazing display of professional cakes which will be showcased throughout the 18 days of the show and vote for your favourite design. For amateur cake bakers, the judging will take place on the Seasonal Cookery Theatre at 2pm on Friday 22nd March, hosted by a panel of expert judges including Charlotte White, cake Designer and Dreamer of Restoration Cake.

Charlotte commented;

“I am so excited to be judging the Ideal Amateur Cake Decorating competition for 2013! Our 2012 winner was crowned because of her obvious passion for cake decorating, a passion that I share completely! I will be looking for entries which reflect the love that goes into creating an edible work of art as well as a true representation of the London Underground. I hope that lots of aspiring cake designers will bring their work along to join in with the 150 year celebrations!”

The competition will be judged on creativity so don’t worry if your icing skills are not top notch - give it a go and let your imagination run wild! It’s so easy to take part in the competition and it’s open to everyone. Anyone bringing a home-decorated cake to the show with this theme will receive FREE tickets on the door* and gain automatic entry to the competition by taking their cakes to the display and judging area in the Ideal Food section.

Thanks to our resident judge Charlotte White, the winner as well as being laden with a trophy and prizes from the Ideal Home Show team, will also be offered a place on one of her cake decorating master classes. This is for all anyone who is keen to learn the art of wedding cake decorating. With a little knowledge of the ‘structural engineering’ required, Charlotte will share her tricks and tips as well as the benefit of 5 years of professional experience to show you how to make a simple but chic tiered cake, which will look of professional quality. This class is also an excellent entry level for anyone looking to start a career in Wedding Cake design

Entry Details:

o Bring your home-decorated cake to the show; you’ll be directed to the display with your cake (22nd March Amateur competition)
o Make sure you label your cake with your details: name, phone number and email address! (Professional entries can bring business cards to display)
o Come to the amateur prize-giving on the Seasonal Cookery Theatre at 2pm 22nd March, where the judging will take place.
o All cakes must be at the Seasonal Cookery Theatre before 1pm prior to the judging commences, to set up.
o You can take your cake home with you if you wish.
o Professional competition entries must be submitted on Friday 15th March by 11am

Prizes:
The winner will receive:
*Ideal Cake Decorator of the Year 2013 Trophy
*Kenwood Citrus kMix stand mixer KMX58, RRP £379.99
*Dinner for 2 in the Gregg Wallace Seasonal Restaurant
*Copy of the Ideal Home Show Cookbook
* Charlotte White Wedding Cake Decorating session (worth £90.00 for a 3hr class)
*2 Free Tickets to the Ideal Home Show at Christmas 2013

Plus more prizes to be announced

What Food What Wine

by Andrew on January 28, 2013 in In the Press with No comments

what food what wine Take the guesswork out of serving the perfect romantic meal this year by following the choices of the UK’s leading wine experts.

Finding the perfect wine match this Valentine’s Day has never been easier thanks to What Food What Wine? the UK’s first wine and food pairing competition.

A panel of judges, including married Masters of Wine Susie Barrie and Peter Richards from BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, tasted wines from around the world to find the best matches for the UK’s favourite meals, including the ultimate Valentine’s Day dinner.

They discovered a £4.50 Sauvignon Blanc from supermarket Asda, that was a wow with smoked salmon; a Waitrose Shiraz dubbed ‘fantastic’ with steak and chips; as well as a popular budget Mosato called ‘heavenly’ with strawberries and cream.

A Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (Luis Felipe Edward Reserva, 2011, £4.50, Asda) beat competition from around the world to be crowned the ‘best match with smoked salmon’.
Judges praised the wine’s: “Fresh zippy flavour, with a tang of citrus, that dances with the rich oiliness of the salmon. The sweetness of the fish highlights deeper flavours in the wine, creating the perfect mouthful.”

When it came to the main meal of rump steak and fries a robust Australian Shiraz from Waitrose (Reserve Shiraz St Hallett, 2010, £9.99) came out on top.

Judge Ewan Lacey, from Channel 4’s Cookery School, said: “The black pepper and sweet black fruit, with a decent pull of alcohol, stood up to the steak. Huge flavours vied for attention with bursts of vanilla and sweet meat. This is a fantastic steak wine at a good price.”

And an American Moscato, from the popular vineyard Barefoot, scooped the crown as the ultimate match with strawberries and cream. Judges called the Barefoot Moscato NV, £4.99: “Heavenly! A really fruity, creamy match, the sweetness is delicate and enriching without cloying.”

The competition, launched last year, aims to find the best wine matches for the UK’s favourite dishes including fish and chips, chicken tikka masala, roast lamb, lasagne, mushroom risotto and apple crumble and custard.

Judges include the Guardian’s wine writer Fiona Beckett and BBC Good Food’s Sarah Jane Evans, MW, as well as delicious wine critic Susy Atkins.

The competition boasts a true ‘blind’ tasting, with judges only knowing if the wine costs more or less than £10. For the full results visit www.whatfoodwhatwine.com.

Cruise Ship Dining

by Andrew on January 23, 2013 in In the Press with 1 Comment

Over the centuries, cruise ship dining has changed immensely. Starting with Nordic Vikings transitioning all the way to modern cruise ships, one thing has always been true: a sailor’s gotta eat! Mess hall may aptly describe the conditions aboard some early ships. But things have changed in cruise dining options. While galley slaves probably subsisted on gruel (with garlic cloves thrown in for a treat), today’s high sea diners experience 5-star global cuisine with white glove service and an impressive wine list. Take a look at the progression of maritime chefs and dining over the ages in this infographic. And, remember…calories don’t count at sea!

Cruise Ship Dining

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