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!
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Berry Bros. & Rudd Bar Opens
One of the UK’s most treasured and iconic venues, the Royal Albert Hall, is delighted to announce the opening of its new bar in partnership with Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, established in the 17th century, Berry Bros. & Rudd. The elegant and sophisticated Berry Bros. & Rudd No.3 Bar offers guests chic glamour and a distinctive experience in the iconic splendour of the world famous performance venue.
With a relaxed and convivial ambience, the bar specialises in a great selection of Berry Bros. & Rudd wines and spirits as well as an excellent list of No. 3 Gin and classic cocktails which will be available to the Hall’s annual 1.5 million visitors. The menu, from the Hall’s in-house caterers “rhubarb” features delicious food including sharing boards of Spanish charcuterie and Hamish Johnston cheese, freshly handmade salads, smoked salmon blinis and wholesome sandwiches. “rhubarb” will manage the daily operations in the bar whilst ensuring that the quality and service is always excellent.
As a charity, the Hall seeks to advance the world famous Grade 1 listed building and provide maximum public benefit and this contemporary yet classic public bar, in one of its renovated downstairs foyers, contributes to its continued improvement for future generations.
Jasper Hope, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Albert Hall, said 
Simon Berry, Chairman at Berry Bros. & Rudd, said
“We were surprised and delighted when we were invited by the management of the Royal Albert Hall to open a bar. We have been supplying the Hall with its wine for 18 months or so as well as a few of our spirits, including No. 3 Gin, and the King’s Ginger liqueur had also been selected to go into their bars and restaurants. The relationship fits very well and the bar is not only a bar, but one of the iconic Arena bars. Whatever your taste in music or entertainment, I am sure that we can satisfy your taste for something to drink.”
Over 314 years ago, Berry Bros. & Rudd opened its shop at 3 St James’s Street, opposite St James’s Palace, where it still stands today. Members of the Berry and Rudd families continue to own and manage the family-run wine merchant, providing the closest link between those make the wine and those who drink it.
Located on the Basement level, the Berry Bros. & Rudd No.3 Bar offers food and drinks two hours before every performance, in the interval and for select concerts the bar will also be open post-show.
Free Leiths Cookery Books in the Telegraph
Free inside the Telegraph on September 15 and 16, two 44-page booklets packed with recipes from Leiths School of Food and Wine.
Saturday’s booklet focuses on meat dishes, features tempting starters and mains, from an impressive pork and liver terrine to a classic steak sandwich. Plus, Leiths teach you how to perfect timeless British classics including Sunday roasts and toad in the hole.
Sunday’s booklet has an emphasis on fish and shellfish, with starters and mains across a vast variety of species. From grilled squid and gravadlax to a whole roast salmon and authentic paella, Leiths take you through their favourite seafood recipes.
Both booklets are full of tips and techniques on buying, storing, preparing and cooking your meat and fish so you can be sure you’ll get perfect results at home. To find out more about this fantastic promotion, visit www.telegraph.co.uk/leiths
For a sneak preview of the recipes to be found in the Free Leiths Cookery Books, The Foodie List has two free extracts available as PDF downloads - LEITHS LAMB BUTTERBEAN Recipe and LEITHS TUNA STEAKS recipe
Good Housekeepings Best Cappuccino In Britain
The number of coffee shops has tripled in the past decade which is why Good Housekeeping has sipped its way through the seven leading high street chains to discover the best cappuccino in Britain.
To find the best available Good Housekeeping teamed up with coffee expert Harry Sergiou to compare the taste of cappuccinos up and down the high street. The coffee chains included Costa Coffee, EAT, Greggs, McDonalds, Starbucks, Caffe Nero and Pret A Manger.
Good Housekeeping Consumer Editor Caroline Bloor says, “We are spoilt for choice with the variety of coffee shops out there but what we all need first thing in the morning is a coffee that tastes great and picks us up. Congratulations to EAT for delivering the goods. To ensure you’re getting coffee, rather than pure froth check your cappuccino has good crema – a thick, dark creamy layer around the edge.”
The Good Housekeeping best British cappuccinos are:
GHI Winner…EAT
Good Housekeeping thought the cappuccino was very well made and nicely blended to create a rich bodied drink. It has a good proportion of foam to coffee for a lovely thick, creamy texture.
Runner-Up…Costa Coffee
The verdict was that the coffee has a good body but there was a little too much foam. However, having a strong taste makes it the perfect early morning pick me up.
Third Place…Pret A Manger
The cappuccino has frothy foam with a distinct crema. However, despite having a strong, slightly bitter flavour the coffee lacked body
Budget Choice…Caffe Nero
One of the cheapest cappuccinos Good Housekeeping tested but a little too thin with a bitter aftertaste.
Pricey…Starbucks
The coffee contains too much foam with no crema visible and a little thin for Good Housekeeping tastes.
The Good Housekeeping testing also revealed two cappuccinos which didn’t make the grade – Greggs has a ‘slightly bitter aftertaste’ and McDonald’s coffee was ‘very thin and watery with no foam’.
Banned! Desinewed meat
The European Commission has banned the UK’s meat producers form using Desinewed meat (DSM); the flesh left on bones after butchering that is grated off mechanically to create a cheap mince-like substance. This is then used to ‘bulk up’ food products to portray a higher meat content and quality to consumers.
Kevin McWhinney, MD of McWhinney’s Sausages commented:
“To our huge disappointment and disgust even the majority of our own industry ‘experts’ are outraged that DSM can no longer be considered as meat. We are overjoyed that this is now no longer the case, as we have always argued that DSM is not meat. Despite its ban some manufacturers have used new technology to produce this product, but have called it by a new name to try and pull the wool over the eyes of the industry and the consumer.”
The Food Standards Agency is enforcing this new ban because the European Commission sees DSM and MSM (Mechanically Separated Meat) as the same.
“Unsurprisingly, the ‘big boys’ of the industry – the British Meat Processers Association (BMPA) are horrified that using DSM is to cease. These are the manufacturers that see profit as king, with product quality a distant second. I’m not portraying any manufacturer as having done anything illegal- as they haven’t. I’m simply delighted that after all this time the industry is soon to be on a level playing field. This product can no longer and under the (2004) regulations, should not have been, referred to as meat.”
McWhinney’s has a clear ethos on using any variety of mechanically reclaimed meat- never has, never will. The company hasn’t an issue with other manufacturers producing cheap products with the aid of DSM, but it has always battled the fact that with the laws allowing DSM to be classified as ‘meat’, its customers have struggled to understand the reasons for our higher prices.
Now with this new law announcing DSM as non-meat, many others are now adapting their product in order to remain legal.
McWhinney states: “Since we have never used DSM, we have always been more expensive and buyers have always been able to source other sausages cheaper. Given DSM’s right to be called meat, the fact that others in the industry were getting away with it was just a hard pill for us to swallow. Now, a new era is beginning when the entire industry will be legally obliged to declare the meat content of a product separately from its DSM content. Our reaction…it’s about time.”
McWhinney’s Sausages advise that this is taken a step further whereby product details are available not only on retail food packaging, but throughout food consumption. The experts suggest that diners in restaurants, bars, and cafes must be in a position to know what they are eating.
McWhinney added: “
It is vital to let every food consumer decide what they want and what they don’t. In terms of the use of pork and poultry DSM- by all means allow those who use it to use it, but clearly and concisely declare it and let the public know that it is in their food! Let the customer make their own informed decisions.”
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