News

Fight Hunger, Eat Out

helenka — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:09:16 +0000

Every five seconds a child dies of hunger. Shocking isn’t it? This October, you can make a real difference to fighting hunger, when you eat out. Over 500 restaurateurs and chefs throughout the UK have joined forces to take part in Restaurants Against Hunger this October 2008. From the 1st – 31st October (to coincide with World Food Day on the 16th), restaurants, cafes and gastro pubs will be donating a part of their takings to the charity, adding a small optional donation to their bills or hosting special events.

To get involved, all you have to do is pop along to a participating eatery and enjoy a great meal knowing that you have helped people in some of the world’s poorest countries feed their families. Supporters of Restaurants Against Hunger include chefs Michel Roux Jr, Raymond Blanc (OBE), Giorgio Locatelli and Antonio Carluccio whilst restaurants signed up to date range from groups such as Carluccio’s to fine dining establishments including Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, The Cinnamon Club, Restaurant Sat Bains, Saf, Pied a Terre and The French Horn and gastropubs like The Gun and White Swan. For a full list of participating venues around the country, please visit: http://www.restaurantsagainsthunger.org.

Rick Stein puts the case simply, “I believe it is important to take positive action. Together we can work towards a hunger free world; a world where everybody can have enough food to eat and access to safe drinking water; a world where no child goes to sleep hungry.”

Last year saw the Restaurants Against Hunger campaign in the UK raise over £300,000, with all funds going directly to support the vital work of Action Against Hunger. This year, why not give the campaign a special 10th birthday present by helping them to reach their target of £450,000. Action Against Hunger works in 43 of the world’s poorest countries including Burma, Darfur, Chad and Somalia. Its vocation is to save lives, especially those of malnourished children and to work with vulnerable populations to restore and preserve their livelihoods with dignity. With the current world food crisis looking likely to worsen and 55 million people worldwide already suffering from acute malnutrition, the charity needs support more than ever.

To help out by eating out, visit: http://www.restaurantsagainsthunger.org for more information.

M&S introduces pink food buys to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer

helenka — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:02:31 +0000

Throughout October 2008, M&S will be selling a selection of pink food items in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. These food buys are all suitably pink, and take the shape of chocolate lollies, cube cakes and prawn cocktail sandwiches - all perfect party food.

M&S is also supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer's key fundraising campaign during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ‘Pink Your Party’. The campaign encourages people to have a party, turn it pink and have fun, whilst raising funds for its vital research, education and campaigning work. People can organise any type of party that takes their fancy, be it a dinner party, hen party or girls night in - it just needs to be pink!

The pink M&S food items will be on sale from 2nd October, throughout the month. 10% of the price of each item will go directly to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

For a free information pack full of fundraising tips and ideas visit: http://www.pinkyourparty.org.uk, or call the ‘Pink Your Party’ hotline on: 0845 059 7707.

Gordon Ramsay’s Taste of Christmas

Admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:01:58 +0000

Gordon Ramsay may not even find time to swear this Christmas, with a brand new foodie exhibition on the cards. Gordon Ramsay Presents Taste of Christmas from the 4th - 7th December 2008, in association with Gordon’s. Tickets are now on sale.

Taste of Christmas, launched in partnership with Taste Festivals and supported by Channel 4, will celebrate the best in Christmas food, drink and entertaining. The 4-day food exhibition will be held at London’s ExCeL centre.

Visitors will be able to sample an array of delicious foodie treats whilst getting plenty of Christmas-inspired ideas. Throughout the exhibition there will be hands on cookery demonstrations, interactive wine tastings and a great line up of top chefs and drinks experts on hand.

Those visiting the show will have the opportunity to learn fresh ways of using gin to create festive recipes in the show’s Cookery Theatre. The Christmas Theatre will be the setting for a variety of other exciting demonstrations throughout the 4-day long event, which will see Gordon Ramsay joined on stage by specially invited guests including Angela Hartnett and Jason Atherton (winner of this year’s Great British Menu).

At the heart of the exhibition there will be 10 of London’s finest restaurants, serving a selection of specially prepared signature dishes for visitors to taste. A number of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants will also be live on site including Maze, The Narrow, Boxwood Café, Foxtrot Oscar and the soon to launch York & Albany.

In The Wine and Spirit Experience area of the show guests will be able to interact with top wine experts and have the opportunity to sample a variety of festive tipples. The Tante Marie Christmas Cookery School will have its own specially created kitchen at the show, with cookery classes and demonstrations, showing visitors how to perfect a delicious party spread or Christmas Day feast. Christmas at Home will be dedicated to creating a variety of festive interiors from seasonal table decorations to traditional and contemporary Christmas displays.

On launching the event, Gordon Ramsay said, “Christmas has always been special to me, it’s such a magical time for friends and family and Taste of Christmas will be an extension of this – I’m putting some of the country’s best chefs, restaurants and merchants together in one place to offer visitors everything they need for the perfect Christmas: food, drink and most of all, fun”.

To book tickets, call the Taste of Christmas ticket hotline on: 0871 230 5581 or visit http://www.tasteofchristmas.com/.

Chocolate Week 2008

Admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:11:03 +0000

Now in its fifth year, Chocolate Week is the UK’s biggest chocolate event – a week long celebration of fine chocolate with talks, tastings and demonstrations taking place around the country. Chocolate Week promotes the exceptional chocolatiers we have in the UK, the fantastic chocolates they produce and encourages people to set foot inside the wonderful, indulgent chocolate shops around the UK.

All of the country’s finest chocolatiers and chocolate shops are taking part in the week, which runs from 13th - 19th October, with events taking place at participating venues. Foodies and chocoholics will be able to meet the chocolatiers, make chocolate, view chocolate sculptures and fountains, listen to the experts at talks and demonstrations and, most important of all, indulge in some of the finest chocolate, including new chocolates created exclusively for Chocolate Week.

Events organised so far are set to include the following: Prestat's shop in Picadilly will be offering a 10% discount on all of their Choxi+ bars throughout the week. They will also be running tastings of their single origin buttons in Harrods' Chocolate Hall from Wednesday through to Friday, and a tasting of Choxi+ on Friday at Villandry. Other events include a chocolate & tequila tasting with seventypercent.com, chocolate & wine tastings, a chocolate & cheese tasting and chocolate & port tastings. Paul A Young is collaborating with Almeida restaurant to create a chocolate themed menu, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society are holding their own chocolate & whisky tasting event and The Academy of Chocolate are hosting an exclusive dinner. Chantal Coady from Rococo will be giving a talk on growing cocoa in Grenada and there’ll be tours around London’s best chocolate shops. To find out exactly when and where events are happening, visit the official Chocolate Week website (see below).

Chocolatiers and shops such as L'artisan du Chocolat, Chococo, Damian Allsop Chocolates, Demarquette, Divine Chocolate, Gorvett & Stone, La Maison du Chocolat, Neuhaus, Hotel Chocolat, Harrods, Melt, Paul A Young, Rococo, Seventypercent, William Curley and many more will be taking part, holding their own events, promotions and tastings.

Chocolate Week provides an opportunity to learn about and indulge in real chocolate – from its health benefits to the quality ingredients that make up this much-loved, cocoa-rich indulgence.

Chocolate Week runs from the 13th – 19th October 2008. For more information, visit:
http://www.chocolate-week.co.uk.

Innocent village fete returns

Admin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:04:27 +0000

The innocent village fete is back in London’s Regent’s Park on Saturday 2nd August & Sunday 3rd August 2008. Now in its second year, the innocent village fete is a great day out for all the family and the perfect way to while away the hours on a hot summer’s day (fingers crossed for lots of sunshine). The fete starts at 11am and runs until 7pm, so for a taste of summer in traditional style, head over to Regents Park, London.

Over the weekend, you’ll be able to indulge in welly-wanging, duck herding, dog agility (just for dogs), coconut shy, ferret racing, Morris dancing, old fashioned funfair rides, cream teas, home-made cakes, tombola, and a band stand.

There will also be a huge farmers’ market (with stalls from Borough Market) and live music from a host of artists including The James Taylor Quartet. New for this year is the Village Voice, an area full of story telling, performance, poetry and live theatre. Have your say at speaker’s corner or get your creative hat on and add a line to the fete’s very own poem. There’ll also be lots of things for kids to do (including a dedicated children's area with food stalls, rides and a petting zoo), a picnic area, a knitting tent, arts and crafts, massages and a feel good area if it all gets a bit much. Naturally, there’ll be lots of smoothies to taste too.

The innocent village fete is a non profit making event that supports Samaritans, Friends of the Earth, Wellchild and the innocent foundation. For more information, visit: http://www.innocentfoundation.org. Tickets are £7.50 for adults and £3.50 for children (plus £1.50 adult booking fee / £1 children's booking fee), available from Ticketmaster.

For more information about the innocent village fete, visit http://www.innocentvillagefete.com.

Chupa Chups lollipop turns 50

Admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:48:11 +0000

The much-loved sweet was was invented by Enric Bernat, who wanted to create candy that wouldn’t make children’s fingers sticky.

No self-respecting sweet shop would be seen without a Chupa Chup or two in their candy selection. The lollipop, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, was invented by Enric Bernat, who wanted to create a sweet that wouldn’t make children’s fingers sticky.

Salvador Dali designed the Chupa Chups logo, sketching a daisy design on a napkin that was to become the definitive icon for a world-famous brand. Since its inception back in 1958, some 127 flavours of the sweet have been created around the globe. Strawberry is the most popular flavour among lollipop fans, with Cola and Apple coming in at joint second.

Chupa Chups won the hearts and taste buds of children and adults worldwide and even became the first lollipop to enter space. In 1995, Russian astronauts on the space station MIR were desperate for something tasty and easy to get a grip on in gravity-free zones. They radioed an SOS to St Petersburg and the rest is candy history.

Chupa Chups have remained the same shape since their creation in 1958, but now also come in Max, XXL and Mega sizes. These days a Chupa Chups lollipop will set you back 15p.

For more information, visit: http://www.chupachups.com.

Snail caviar launches at Harrods

Admin — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:45:22 +0000

The ultimate in slow food has hit the shelves of Harrod’s food hall. Snail caviar, which is exclusive to Harrods, is produced by De Jaeger in France. The company rears its snails in outdoor pens on a nutritious diet of vegetation and cereal grains, resulting in plump, great tasting snails.

After three years of research De Jaeger has perfected its own method of farming snail caviar and is now offering customers the chance to indulge in the cream-coloured, pearl-shaped delicacy. Each snail lays its eggs once a year, producing around 100 eggs on average. With this tiny, but precious amount, the people at De Jaeger hand pick the eggs every year and sort through them, retaining the best ones for their tins of caviar.

The snail caviar is prepared in a brine of fleur de sel de Guérande, and is available to buy in tins of 50, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 grams. So what does it taste like? Well, according to those in the know, its reminiscent of ‘a walk in the forest after the rain, with the aroma of mushrooms and the undergrowth, tasting of hints of oak leaves and moss’. Admittedly it doesn’t normally cost you £650 for 250g worth of rain, mushrooms and moss, but if caviar is your thing, then its oak flavour and earthy notes could be worth splashing out on.

Available from Harrods in four different sizes ranging from £65/30g to £650/250g.

Rococo opens new chocolate ‘pod’

Admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:17:31 +0000

Following its longstanding shop on Kings Road and a more recent opening on Marylebone High Street, Rococo has opened its latest venture: a ‘Rococo Pod’ on Motcomb Street, Kensington.

In addition to selling Rococo’s range of artisan chocolates (with just about every flavour you can think of), the Motcomb Street shop will also be hosting chocolate workshops, tastings and talks. For die-hard chocolate lovers, there is even a cookery class available to teach you how to temper chocolate, so that you can get started on your own creations at home.

If you’re happy to let someone else do the creating, Rococo’s Motcomb Street ‘Pod’ will be serving a range of coffees and teas, with tempting truffles and nibbles on the side. Depending on how indulgent you're feeling, there are three options to choose from: ‘No Frills’ which offers customers a cup of tea, coffee or Rococo’s moreish hot chocolate, ‘I Feel Special’ which has an additional truffle to accompany a hot drink, and ‘I Feel Very Special’ (for serious chocolate addicts), which boasts a similar choice of drinks and three truffles for those luxurious cocoa-coated moments.

For more information, visit: http://www.rococochocolates.com/.

Rococo Pod: 5 Motcomb Street, London, SW1X 8JU. Tel: 020 7245 0993.

Taste food festival tickets on sale from March 5th 2008

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:49:21 +0000

Tickets for the Taste food festivals will be going on sale from March 5th. The Taste festivals, which will be taking place around the UK in Bath, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and London will showcase the country’s best restaurants, chefs and fine food and drink companies.

To coincide with the launch, Taste Festivals are giving food lovers who book on 5th March, the chance to win a place on the Chefs’ Table at Taste of London. With gastro luminaries such as Tom Aikens and Angela Hartnett as hosts, the winner will be guaranteed an unforgettable culinary experience.

Visit http://www.channel4.com/taste or ring 08712305581 to join the reservations list. The Taste festivals will be running as follows this year:

Taste of London, Regent’s Park, 19 – 22 June
Taste of Edinburgh, The Meadows, 29 May – 1 June
Taste of Leeds, Millennium Square, 5-8 June
Taste of Bath, Royal Victoria Park, 3 – 6 July
Taste of Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, 10-13 July

Fairtrade Fortnight 2008

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:22:43 +0000

From the 25th February – 9th March 2008, Fairtrade Fortnight will be taking place. The annual two-week campaign will kick off with an action-packed event on London’s South Bank on Sunday 24th February 2008 (11am – 4pm). The two-week campaign to promotes Fairtrade products and raises awareness, will be launched with a fairground event featuring a Fairtrade tea cup ride, a towering Helter Skelter, a Fairtrade coconut shy, candyfloss made with Fairtrade sugar and a Fairtrade fortune teller.

Organised by the Fairtrade Foundation and backed by organisations, charities and businesses that support or sell Fairtrade products, the day will give visitors the opportunity to sample some of the 3,000 Fairtrade items now certified and to learn more about Trade Justice. A series of talks by Fairtrade producers from countries around the world will give visitors a chance to meet the farmers and workers behind the products, and learn first-hand the difference that Fairtrade is making to their communities.

Fairtrade Foundation Executive Director Harriet Lamb said: “We hope that people roll up to join in the fairground fun, and learn about the serious message behind Fairtrade as well. “Millions of farmers and workers are walking the delicate tightrope of international trade. When market prices wobble they risk falling into devastating poverty. Fairtrade offers them stability, so they have the confidence to look ahead and move towards a better future.”

Two new books are also hitting the shelves in time for Fairtrade Fortnight, aimed at foodies and philosophers alike. The Fairtrade Everyday Cookbook introduces a compilation of the nation’s best-loved Fairtrade recipes from chefs, celebrities and members of the public. Fighting the Banana Wars and other Fairtrade battles by Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, explores how Fairtrade has grown to become an important global movement that is revolutionising the way we shop.

You can support Fairtrade fortnight in many different ways, by attending events around the UK or shopping ethically. Waitrose is supporting Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 by offering its customers a 20% on Fairtrade food and drink items, including chocolate, sugar, fruit & nuts, coffee and wine.

For more information about Fairtrade Fortnight and the Fairtrade Foundation, visit: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

Chambord liqueur hits the catwalk

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:29:03 +0000

During London Fashion Weekend, which runs from the 20th – 24th February 2008, fashionistas will have the opportunity to purchase a limited edition Chambord Fashion Weekend cocktail at The Chambord Bar.

For four exclusive days, cocktail fans will be able to sip this stylish, secret tipple in between seeking out the latest fashion must-haves for this season.

For cocktail fans who can’t make it to the catwalk, but can make it to the bar,all is not lost as London bars Montgomery Place and Dusk are serving up the Chambord Fashion Weekend Cocktail from the 20th-24th February.

After a successful debut at last year’s Fashion Week, the French black raspberry liqueur that graced the lips of the A-list world in September 2007, including the likes of Justin Timberlake and George Clooney, is back as the Spirit of Fashion.

Real Food Festival launches in April

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:19:59 +0000

From the 24th - 27th April, Earl’s Court will be hosting the first Real Food Festival. The festival will feature over 500 food and drink producers, along with the largest farmers market in the UK. Visitors can sip their way through over 100 wines at the festival’s Wine Fair, try their hand at cookery classes and join in food debates that have been organized over the 4-day period.

The small producer reigns supreme at this new food festival, giving visitors the chance to meet some of the best and smallest producers in the world and try out their food and drink produce. As well as meeting producers, visitors will also be able to learn how to bake bread with food
guru Barny Haughton of Bristol’s renowned Bordeaux Quay, taste wines with the maker,
take part in food debates, attend taste workshops, meet some pigs, follow a produce trail or just laze around on a hay bale and listen to a farmers story.

The Festival’s Taste workshops will give visitors the opportunity to find out all sorts of things, from the differences between cows and goats milk to wheat and malt beers. The workshops provide the ultimate test for foodies’ taste buds, created by eco-gastronomes Clodagh McKenna and Sebastiano Sardo of Foodiscovery.

The Real Food Festival is not just a London event. The festival organisers have just returned from a gastronomic road trip around the country where we have been meeting local producers, from Jersey to Orkney. Festival-goers will be able to meet the people who reared the pigs, planted the carrots, milked the cows and crushed the grapes.

Eco Icons such as Zac Goldsmith, are fully supporting the festival. “The way we eat, what we eat, where our food comes from, these are central issues, “ says Zac. “The Real Food Festival will change the way we think about food and give producers and consumers an opportunity to meet and share their passion for authentic quality produce.”

The Real Food Festival takes place at Earls Court 1, from the 24th – 27th April 2008. For more information, visit: http://www.realfoodfestival.co.uk/

British pig farming faces crisis

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:07:39 +0000

A serious increase in the price of wheat has meant that the cost of feeding pigs has become increasingly expensive for British farmers. Higher standards of animal welfare in the UK are also resulting in higher costs to British farmers, compared to their European counterparts. But it’s the global rise in wheat prices, which has impacted most heavily on British pig farming. It is feared that British farmers could be loosing up to as much as £26 on every pig reared and sold in the UK. Some supermarkets have responded by raising the price of quality pork products, but not much of this extra money is making its way back to the farmers.

Farmers are now lobbying supermarkets and foodservice operators to increase the price of pork and pass it on through the supply chain so that they are paid fairly for their produce. Consumers are already showing their support by agreeing to pay more in order to help save British pig farmers. If the Feed Crisis is not resolved many pig farmers will go out of business, meaning a more limited choice for consumers who want to buy pork, bacon, sausages and ham, from pigs reared with high standards of animal welfare.

The Feed Crisis is affecting the future of British farming as well as consumers’ choice. To do your bit, look out for the Pigmeat Quality Standard Mark on the pork products you buy, and be happy to pay a little bit extra. The increase in price required by farmers would be 7p – 17p.

You can also show your support by signing the petition at http://www.pigsareworthit.com.

Whole Foods Market ditches plastic bags

Admin — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:22:47 +0000

Whole Foods Market, the organic foods supermarket has announced that it will be ending the use of disposable plastic bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Whole Foods Market aims for all of its stores to be plastic bag-free by Earth Day on April 22nd 2008.

“Central to Whole Foods Market’s core values is caring for our communities and the environment, and this includes adopting wise environmental practices,” said A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer for Whole Foods Market. “More and more cities and countries are beginning to place serious restrictions on single-use plastic shopping bags since they don’t break down in our landfills, can harm nature by clogging waterways and endangering wildlife, and litter our roadsides. Together with our shoppers, our gift to the planet this Earth Day will be reducing our environmental impact as we estimate we will keep 100 million new plastic grocery bags out of our environment between Earth Day and the end of this year alone.”

Whole Foods Market is the first U.S. supermarket to commit to completely eliminating disposable plastic grocery bags in order to help protect the environment and conserve resources. “Doing away with plastic grocery bags won't just help protect marine life, it's a key move in shifting us away from a 'consume-and-dispose' mentality," says Lisa Mastny, editor of the Worldwatch Institute report Oceans in Peril. “Disposable plastic bags can linger in the environment for more than 1,000 years and are the major debris item found on the seabed, especially near the coast.”

“During our International Coastal Cleanup each year, our volunteers find hundreds of thousands of bags on beaches and in the ocean posing a threat to birds, turtles and other marine life. As people continue to learn more about the impact their lifestyle has on the environment, we find they are looking for personal solutions to global problems,” said Laura Capps, senior vice president of communications and outreach with Ocean Conservancy. “We applaud Whole Foods Market for encouraging their customers to bring re-usable bags when shopping and for making better stewardship of our environment a part of their everyday lives.”

Beginning immediately, each store within the company will work on depleting stocks of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts and will help raise awareness about the benefits of reusable bags. Over the next three months, stores will reduce plastic grocery bag inventories and increase selections of reusable bags for purchase. Whole Foods Market will continue to offer an environmentally sensitive option when needed – 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags.

Discontinuing disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts is another step in the company’s ongoing effort to provide more Earth-friendly bags and containers in its stores. Recently, Whole Foods Market stores began using all-natural fibre packaging at its salad and food bars. The fibres for the new containers come from plants that are cultivated or grow wild and are harvested annually.

“We realize there are many more steps to take, and we recognize it’s an ongoing process to provide as much Earth-friendly packaging as possible,” said Gallo. “We will continue to evaluate each department within our stores as we seek to continually improve.”

Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:37:13 +0000

As the finale to Channel 4's 'The Big Food Fight' season, Gordon Ramsay will be inviting the nation to cook along with him live on television. Cookalong Live will see Ramsay prove in just one hour, that everyone can prepare, and enjoy mouth-watering home-made food. He’ll be creating a three-course dinner that can be cooked by anyone and dished up in the space of sixty minutes.

No matter how rarely you cook, if you buy the ingredients, and get all the utensils you need ready, and then follow Gordon’s instructions live on the show, you can create a fantastic meal for four people. If you fancy getting in some training now, just use the online guides at http://www.channel4.uk/food.

Gordon will link up with Cookalongers nationwide, checking on their progress and giving tailored advice to make sure they get all the food right. He’ll also be talking to some very special secret Cookalongers whose identities will only be revealed on the night. Great cooks, occasional cooks and takeaway addicts alike can all share in this nationwide dinner party.

Cooking along with Gordon on the show will be self-confessed culinary disaster area Chris Moyles. And as well as showing the nation how to cook a delicious three-course meal, Gordon will also be challenging Alan Carr, Max Beesley and Mica Paris to take him on with their favourite recipes.

“This is yet another culinary challenge for me” says Gordon. “It’s the first time ever that I’ve cooked live on TV so it’s really exciting. The most difficult thing in cooking is timing, but I’m going to be telling you what to do and when to do it, so it’ll be easy. I’m going to prove that everyone can prepare a quick, delicious meal. Trust me, even if you hardly ever cook, you’ll be able to do this!”

Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live will be aired on 18th January 2008, 9pm, Channel 4, as part of C4’s The Big Food Fight season. For more information, visit: http://www.channel4.com/food.

RSPCA appeals to retailers for higher chicken welfare standards

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:43:45 +0000

The RSPCA is calling for food retailers to sell higher welfare chickens only, by 2010. The campaign, which started today has included open adverts aimed at retailers in various national papers, asking them to consider the quality of the meat they source. The campaign starts the day after the first programme in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s series “Hugh’s Chicken Run” was aired on Channel 4. The hard-hitting series takes a serious look at the impact of intensive chicken farming on animal welfare. The three-part series continues on Channel 4 tonight and tomorrow (8th & 9th January 2008), at 9pm.

Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are both raising awareness of chickens’ welfare conditions in television programmes in the New Year. To make a difference to the welfare of chickens, vote with your wallet and buy chicken that bears either the RSPCA Freedom Food stamp, or labels such as ‘free range’ and ‘organic’.

The RSPCA has challenged all supermarkets to become the first to pledge to only sell 100% welfare-friendly chicken by 2010. To sign the petititon, visit: http://www.supportchickennow.co.uk/petition/index.html

The official RSPCA website for chicken welfare is:
http://www.supportchickennow.co.uk/

Christmas Luxury Food Market, Covent Garden

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:31:25 +0000

Covent Garden, London will see the 12 Days of Christmas Luxury Food Market taking place from the 12th – 23rd December. The Christmas market, which is part of Deluxe Christmas running in Covent Garden throughout the festive season, will showcase luxury Christmas goodies from the UK’s finest food purveyors and producers.

Foodies will be able to buy and taste five-bird roasts, plum and figgy puddings, exquisite mince pies, mouth-watering chocolates, organic seasonal vegetables and fruits, smoked fish, oysters, Stilton from Neal’s Yard Dairy, the best pork and cranberry pies from Ginger Pig and piping hot spiced cider.

Following the success of the summer Night Markets, Christmas Deluxe will bring the foodie experience back to London. Christmas Deluxe will see Covent Garden and its surrounding area transformed into a stunning white-on-white luxurious crystal paradise by world class film set designers Jayne, who have created set designs for Tomb Raider, Gladiator, Love Actually, The Queen, V for Vendetta and Casino Royale.

For more information, visit: www.christmas-deluxe.com

Slow Food Market

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:01:30 +0000

The Southbank Centre is set to host the inaugural Slow Food Market in London, courtesy of Slow Food UK. From the 20th – 23rd December, the Christmas market will feature more than 25 stalls offering high quality fresh and preserved foods, as well as sustainably produced craft products, both local and countrywide.

The Slow Food Movement believes that the food people eat should taste good and should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or people’s health. The organisation also believes that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

20th – 23rd December, 11am – 8pm
Southbank Centre Square, Outside the Royal Festival Hall

Stall Holders Include:

•Mark Gilchrist of Game for Everything with game pies, air-dried pintail, confit of teal, smoked widgeon, potted grouse, teal liver pâté, poached rabbit and venison suet pudding

•Patchwork Pâtés with their Christmas range, including Stilton and Guinness, Corn Fed Turkey Liver, Wild Turkey Bourbon & Blueberry, and after-dinner chocolate terrines

•Sillfield Farm presenting a specially prepared rare-breed pork and Somerset Cider Brandy stuffing and sausages

•Montgomery Cheddar and Stitchelton Blue Cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy

•Twickenham and Thames Valley apiary products with honey and beeswax candles

•Bespoke natural Christmas Decorations by Hanne Lindberg

•Perry Court bio-dynamic vegetables

•Sheepdrove Organic Farm Heritage Turkeys

•Sarah Moore's meticulously sourced Traiteur dishes incorporating biodynamic vegetables; flourless Christmas puddings and exquisite vegan sweetmeats.

•Tom Oliver's Three Counties and Blakeney Red perries and Bottle-conditioned Sparkling Perry

•Somerset Cider Brandy Company with their oak-barrel matured English cider brandies and aperitifs, and a range of gift items including the coveted John Leach ceramic flask

•Farmstead’s hand-made, small production French cheeses, directly sourced and matured in custom-built rooms

•Huehuetenango coffee

•Specially imported Slow Food Presidium spices including vanilla, cardamom and saffron

•Specially imported Vietri hand-painted ceramics and other exclusive Slow Food-commissioned kitchen and tableware

•Cyrus Todiwala MBE from Café Spice Namaste (and London Food Links) who will be providing his traditional and classical pickles and chutneys from ethically and predominantly locally sourced ingredients.

•Canteen, Good Food Guide /London Restaurant of the Year 2007 and Observer Food Monthly/Best UK Restaurant 2007, will be hosting a stall selling spit roast pork served with apple sauce and hot spicy cider

•Southbank Centre restaurant Ping Pong will be selling their flowering teas, jasmine tea buds that are hand tied with flowers that ‘bloom’ when immersed in water.

Paul A Young opens second chocolaterie

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:27:35 +0000

Award winning chocolatiers Paul A Young has opened his second chocolaterie in the heart of the City of London. The shop, which is located in the Royal Exchange on Threadneedle Street, is testament to the success of Young’s first shop which opened just over a year ago in Islington.

Since April 2006, Young has been making high quality hand-made chocolates fresh on his shop premises. The chocolates, which are made in small batches on a daily basis, are created using rare and fine ingredients. Young’s autumn range features delectable combinations such as spiced pumpkin and late harvest sauvignon blanc chocolates. Both shops display Young’s contemporary chocolate range which includes artisan bars and his own blend of hot chocolate.

Having worked as a party chef for some years, for Marco Pierre White, Young started to experiment with his own chocolate creations, making orders for private clients. He has worked as a consultant for Charbonnel et Walker, Pierre Marcolini and Rocco, and is an honorary board member of the Academy of Chocolate.

Young recently won a Gold and two Silver awards in the 2007 Academy of Chocolate Awards. Young’s chocolate boxes come in sizes of 4, 8, 15, 24 and 35, but he urges customers not to be shy about popping into his shop to buy one lone, indulgent chocolate or a cup of fresh, hot chocolate.

Paul A Young’s two chocolateries are based at 20 Royal Exchange, Threadneedle Street, London, EC3V 3LP & 33 Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1 8EA.

For more information about Paul A Young’s chocolate range, please visit: http://www.paulayoung.co.uk/.

Taste Spain

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:30:25 +0000

From the 12th-19th October, Taste Spain will be livening up London with a mix of Spanish food, wine, music and culture. Spain’s top chefs, Spanish food purveyors, Spanish theatre and music as well as London’s top Spanish restaurants join forces to celebrate Taste Spain, which will include a Spanish food market at the Duke of York Square on Chelsea’s Kings Road, two days of Spanish food and entertainment at Borough Market and promotions at London’s leading Spanish restaurants.

Nine of Spain’s top gourmet regions will be attending Borough Market, each one offering free tastings as well as the opportunity to acquire special wines and foods. Barcelona’s famous La Boqueria market will also be bringing over some of its stalls to Borough Market for Taste Spain. On both days at Borough Market, there will be cooking demonstrations by some of London’s top chefs as well as chefs from the Spanish regions, all using authentic Spanish foods, and on the Thursday Valencia will be cooking a giant traditional paella. There will also be a dedicated area for eating, drinking and entertainment so that Londoners can relax and soak up the atmosphere.

To find out more, please visit: http://www.tastespain.co.uk