The Main Ingredient with Kelli Brett

Books for Evil Cooks!

2007-11-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

Having recently spent a couple of days on planes and in and out of terminals trying to get home to Australia, I decided it would be as good a time as any to catch up on my reading and googled the latest foodie publications. Here’s an intriguing book that I couldn’t get my hands on for the trip but absolutely tickled my fancy ‘The Axis of Evil Cookbook’. When they're not actively attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction, 'Axis of Evil' countries such as Iraq, Iran and North Korea are busy enjoying their region's finest dishes. And their 'Axis of Somewhat Evil' cohorts, such as Cuba and Syria, are at it too. With over one hundred recipes, from soups and salads to meat dishes and desserts, this unique cookbook includes snapshots of each country as well as profiles of famous leaders. Regional recipes appear alongside dictators' favourite dishes - from Kim Jong-Il's ruthless appetite for shark fin soup to Saddam's celebrated rack of fresh roasted gazelle. Full of cultural anecdotes, political insight and delectable recipes, 'The Axis of Evil Cookbook' is an intriguing and forbidden treat.

Designer Rice!

2007-11-14T04:05:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post recently featured an article on the Japanese and their changing relationship with rice. It seems that if you are Japanese the days of eating rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner are fast becoming a distant memory, especially for the younger generation. Their national rice bowl is increasingly seen to be less full with trendy Western delicacies becoming the norm such as croissants, spaghetti, baguettes and French fries. The devastating effect on the Japanese rice industry of late has farmers and retailers racking their brains for new ways to entice people back to their beloved rice before it’s too late.

Keep an eye open for a new range of ‘Designer Rices’ that will no doubt eventually work their way into our already bursting gourmet product isles. In reality these designer rices are unmilled grains that when added in small amounts to a rice cooker turn traditional white rice pink or purple. An exciting concept for some people I guess, although I have to admit for me there is nothing nicer than a fluffy bowl of pristine white steamed rice, but I guess desperate measures are needed as per capita rice consumption in Japan has fallen to half of what it was in the late 1960’s. There are also new offerings for the health conscious in the form of sprouted rice, high-fiber mixtures such as oat rice and brown rice that have been steeped in water until sprouts emerge. Japanese bakers are also being invited to help boost rice consumption by baking tasty creations that are made from rice flour.

Of course the current trend for western style food has done more than just affect the rice industry in Japan. In 1988, 18.9 percent of Japanese children were considered obese, according to a survey. By 2005, the percentage had risen to 24.3. Unfortunately for the Japanese as rice becomes a thing of the past….. The Japanese waistlines go West!

House Bottled Water at $2.50!

2007-11-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Here’s something a tad worrying…. With recent studies on the harmful toxins in plastic bottles casting a shadow over the bottled designer water industry and even glass bottled water being hit by ecologists for the long term damage the bottles inflict upon the planet, an industrious restaurateur over in Los Angeles came up with the idea of selling all-you-can-drink ‘house-bottled’ water at $2.50 a pop. Now my initial reaction to this idea was one of furious indignation! How very dare they? Make us pay for tap water in a fancy bottle?

However……. I’m afraid I jumped the gun as further research on my part has shown that the owners of ‘Grace and BLD’ in Los Angeles have invested in a specialised water-filtration system to do away with expensive, wasteful bottled water and the charge for the new ‘house bottled water’ has been implemented to compensate for the costly purchase and maintenance of the new water filtration system.

Having thought a little more about this i’ve realised that serving bottled water is indeed a wasteful practise as the plastic or glass containers are manufactured, transported and then often end up trashed and dumped in land fills rather than being recycled. Not to mention the old cancer causing chemicals that are reported to leak into the water from the bottles that are plastic.

So! Perhaps this bottled house water idea isn’t such a bad one? Setting up such a filtration system can be expensive, but it does offer customers an affordable and fresh tasting alternative to bottled water. Meanwhile the owners of ‘Grace and BLD’ restaurant in Los Angeles have had such a negative response to their idea of charging patrons for their house bottled water that they now offer it for free.

Are you a NORKER?

2007-11-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

You know once upon a time it was a sign of social status to be able to successfully negotiate your way thru a huge line up of cutlery at a dinner party wasn’t it? You know the old salad fork, soup spoon, fish knife, dessert spoon & butter knife. But sadly it seems those days are almost gone. The KNORK is apparently what we humans are increasingly using in place of the traditional knife and fork to shovel food into our gobs. A fork with a serrated edge that can conveniently double as a knife. A TV Dinner was always something I associated with those ready made meals of the 60's (remember the old 'Vesta' curries?) but apparently we are now more than ever a tv dinner generation and we have absolutely no use for most of the items in our cutlery drawer, preferring to eat with our hands or shovel it in with the all purpose Nork. Plus! The 'NORK' has the added benefit of allowing us to be able to eat with one hand and keep the other on the all important remote control.

Now if you, like me, are at all concerned at our rapidly diminishing cutlery skills then you will be further dismayed to hear that one in ten young adults find even the 'NORK' an encumbrance, saying they regularly eat their evening meal using only their hands. A survey of 7,684 people by supermarket chain Sainsbury's has suggested that the busy lifestyles of working families have led to a wider reliance on 'finger food' with more than one in seven adults eating breakfast with their hands, and almost half of them tucking into a sandwich or wrap for lunch. To make matters worse around 5 per cent continue the habit when they get home, snacking solely on bitesize foods such as mezze and tapas. Now I LOVE fingerfood but I am a little concerned to discover that our current passion for little nibbly bits is challeging the traditional table setting of knife, fork and spoon. Apparently only just three per cent of those surveyed admit to using a full set of cutlery for breakfast. Ian Jarmarkier, the head of Sainsbury's Food and Innovation Centre, says this is a fascinating insight into how we eat now. 'It shows that the way that we eat food is evolving to match our changing, busy lifestyles. Although convenience eating these days by no means implies a trade-down in nutritional quality.' Yes but ahhhhhhh...... I did so love a good fork on the table!

ORTHOREXIA: An Obsession with Healthy Eating

2007-11-04T02:48:00.000-08:00

In the wake of all of this publicity about what we should and shouldn't eat, here’s an eating disorder that might not look so bad at first glance. People who fuel their bodies with only organic foods and meticulously count calories, and are obsessed with exercise are now being called ORTHOREXICS. Some doctors are saying Orthorexia CAN become dangerous “when food becomes a source not just of nutrition, but of virtue or self-worth, when eating ‘bad’ food implies that one is a bad person, and when the diet becomes a source of either self-esteem or, conversely, guilt and self-loathing So if you are doing all of that you are officially Orthorexic!

Symptoms of the disorder:

You spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food.

You plan your day’s menu more than 24 hours ahead of time.

You take more pleasure from the “virtuous” aspect of your food than from actually eating it. You Are increasingly rigid and self-critical about your eating.

You base your self-esteem on eating “healthy” foods, and have a lower opinion of people who do not.

You eat healthily to the avoidance of all those foods that you’ve always enjoyed.

You so limit what you can eat that you can dine “correctly” only at home, spending less and less time with friends and family.

You derive a sense of self-control from eating “properly.”

Finally a name for those irritatingly disciplined people who meet you for a drink and will only order a mineral water and refuse to eat anything from the cheese board! Not something I need ever worry about then.

Research, Research, Research

2007-11-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week the British public were rudely awakened to horrifying news from the World Cancer Research Fund saying that they now have enough evidence to strongly recommend that all processed meats whether they have been smoked, cured, salted or preserved with chemicals be banished from our diets FOREVER! No more bacon butties, no more ham ‘n’ eggs, sausage and mash a thing of the past? Their report has taken 5 years to compile and says processed meats are a convincing cause of colorectal cancer. What’s worse there is no level of intake that can "confidently" be shown not to raise the cancer risk. Processed meats are also thought to bring about an increased risk of cancers of the oesophagus, lung, stomach and prostate. The World Cancer Research Fund says in its headline summary: "Evidence shows that salt and salt-preserved foods probably cause stomach cancer." Meanwhile of course the meat industry tells us it’s all a load of bull (Ha!) and being blown way out of proportion. Just days later the results of a study at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough inform us that although we have been told for years, decades in fact, that salt can cause strokes and heart attacks, they have found “no conclusive proof that eating less salt will be of any benefit to us". Now I don’t know about you but I’m starting to feel overwhelmed by all of this bloody research. In the past few months we’ve discovered that eating grapefruit can increase the risk of developing breast cancer, having more than a glass of wine a day can contribute to oral cancer, even orange juice has taken a bashing. Then there’s processed baby food, bbq’d meat, bottled water, celery, they’ve all been hit by the food police of late and the list is becoming endless. I’ts getting to the stage where it’s becoming impossible to fill the shopping trolley! Meanwhile yet another study tells us that our life expectancy continues to increase by several years a decade, DESPITE our decadent eating habits. Surely we all realise by now that the key to a healthy life is good nutrition & regular exercise? Don’t tell me the occasional bacon, lettuce and tomato sarni is going to be the end of the world as we know it? Could this all be a part of the British Governments supposed plan to turn their country completely vegetarian?

Meanwhile, as the British frazzled their brains over the prospect of their beloved bacon and sausages being banned from their breakfast tables yet MORE exciting news from a different set of scientists, the perfect excuse for heading to the pub after work and something that will probably cause a national holiday in Australia. The LATEST research has shown that a glass of BEER is far better at rehydrating the body after exercise than water. Researchers suspect that the sugars, salts and bubbles in a pint may help people absorb fluids more quickly. This amazing bit of news was discovered at Granada University here in Spain. So there WILL be life after bacon after all?

Nigella's a Porker?

2007-10-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

The Daily Mail rather unkindly points out this week that TV chef Nigella Lawson seems to be getting bigger every day, and they're not talking about her celebrity status. I for one have always rather admired Nigellas refusal to cover up her comfy curves. Besides she's always the first one to admit that she loves to eat! Apparently hundreds of comments have been posted by viewers of Nigellas latest TV extravaganza 'Nigella Express' on internet forums and the BBC's official Points of View website claiming her fondness for decadent and indulgent creations is starting to show on the old hips. One viewer even goes so far as to call her "A Porker". Another viewer asks the question: "What sort of an example is she with her weight and appetite for high calorie sweets and cream?" Now you see i hardly think the point of Nigella's latest cooking show is to prove that eating high calorie foods and indulging yourself with sweet treats is a way of maintaining our figures. So what if she allows herself to pile on a few pounds? Thats her decision isn't it? At no time in any of the episodes so far have i noticed Ms Lawson encouraging us to dig in as a sure fire way to lose weight. So she's looking a little more voluptous these days. We're all adults, we know the consequences of our choices. At least we still have some!

Finger Food Fun?

2007-10-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry but i do think certain people are starting to take this whole 'Finger Food Fun' thing a little too far. Just have a look at this ridiculous invention that supposedly allows us to forget the old "Don't Eat With Your Fingers" mantra. A set of plastic cutlery that encourages us to take eating with our fingers to a whole new level! A knife, fork and spoon that fit comfortably on the end of any of your fingers (you get to choose) and reportedly make eating with your fingers more fun. Aren't they forgetting that one of the 'fun' things about eating finger food is being able to lick your fingers?

And sorry to do this but to make the situation even worse i've found these little beauties as well! Apparently designed for that terrifying situation where you are presented a buffet option and dont feel it would be polite to use your fingers. Give me a break!

Huge Hotpot Created with Tiny Spoons!

2007-10-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here we go with yet another WORLDS BIGGEST attempt. This time it's a 'Lancashire Hotpot' big enough to feed 800 people that has been cooked up as part of an attempt to make the largest dish of its kind in the world. Soldiers from Weeton Barracks and chefs from Lancaster and Morecambe College used 75lb (34kg) of local Bowland lamb in the regional speciality, alongside 75lb of onions and just over 190lb of potatoes. The huge hot pot was unveiled by celebrity chef Loyd Grossman at the opening of this years Taste Lancashire festival. Note the tiny utensils the record chasing chefs are using to create their rather unappetising hotpot. Surelythis recipe calls for something a tad bigger?

So much for the Cod

2007-10-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

Despite our best attempts as concerned consumers when visiting the fish market the reformed EU common fisheries policy (CFP) is failing to prevent overfishing five years after it was implemented. A frankly disheartening midterm report from the environmental charity WWF suggests thata look at the progress of the reformed policy halfway through its mandate, finds that it is failing in its primary purpose "to achieve the sustainable management of European fish stocks". WWF argues that the necessary reductions in quotas for cod have not gone ahead and they want the sustainable management of fish to be managed within a wider marine portfolio. They’ve been campaigning for a UK Marine Act that would protect marine wildlife and the marine ecosystem. Less that 1% of our seabed is currently afforded high levels of protection.

Desiring? Or Indifferent?

2007-10-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

Im one of those girls for whom chocolate just doesn't do it at all. Other women look at me in disbelief whenever i cautiously divulge this bizzarre information. They just dont understand how a person can be unmoved by the prospect of Chocolate Cake, Cookies, Fudge, Mousse, Sauce....You know what i mean. Now finally it seems i can justify my aversion to chocolate as a new study suggests that it all has to do with your particular balance of stomach bacteria. Scientists at the Nestlé Research Center have discovered that chocoholics have different strains of digestive microbes than those who claim they aren't in the least seduced by chocolate. In the current study, 22 healthy men were identified as either “chocolate desiring” or “chocolate indifferent” based on a chocolate preference questionnaire. In a double-blind cross-over study design, subjects followed a one week standard diet including chocolate and a placebo. Samples of blood and urine were collected for metabolic analysis. Specific post-prandial lipoprotein profiles and gut microflora biomarkers in subjects revealed a metabolic signature for the “chocolate desiring” group. …Get all of that? And why MEN?

Mushroom Lovers Rejoice

2007-10-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Those of you living here in Spain that just happen to be Mushroom lovers take note: Several HUGE mushi's, the biggest of which weighed in at nearly two stone (that’s 12kg) have been found in an oak forest near the town of Orihuela del Tremendal in Teruel province. The gigantic mushrooms are the result of excellent climatological conditions and the over abundant rainfall we've had during the month of September. Time to get picking. They'd make one hell of a mushroom omelette!

Winners of 'THE RESTAURANT' BBC 2

2007-10-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

I’m sure many of you have been watching Raymond Blancs THE RESTAURANT on BBC 2, and of course its now time for Chef Blanc to put his money where his mouth was and back the series winners Jeremy and Jane Hooper and their concept EIGHT IN THE COUNTRY into a fully fledged restaurant. Located in Oxfordshire the eatery will open next month with a little help from series judge Lee Cash and of course overseen by Raymond himself. Blanc has commented that the winning couple were fixated with becoming restaurateurs, he also felt that they were the most passionate about their vision and what it meant to them to win ‘The Restaurant’. Jeremy and Jane were in competition with eight other couples to be crowned the winners of the TV reality show. It will be interesting to see how they cope with taking a reality TV restaurant into the real world.

Family meals have more than a PINCH of salt!

2007-10-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Research results out yesterday that are quite SHOCKING. Especially for any parents out there. A pressure group in the UK run by independent health specialists has investigated some of the bigger fast food chains and their family meal, in particular the kiddie meals, and the results are enough to make you really THINK about ordering that fast food fix this weekend. Some menu choices have been found to contain FOUR TIMES the maximum level of salt recommended for youngsters. And dare I say it... Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken have emerged as the worst culprits. Eating a family pizza for 4 meal deal could result in EACH member of the family eating an alarming 12.3 grams of salt. That’s more than twice the recommended maximum of 6g for an adult and almost two and a half times the 5g limit for a child aged seven to ten. If your kids are under 6 its more than FOUR times their recommended 3g per day. KFC comes in at a little less, with a Deluxe Boneless Box shared between four containing up to 5.2g of salt per person. Scarey stuff indeed!

Greek the new Italian?

2007-10-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year I was asked to put forward my food trends for 2007 and one of the tastes on the top of my list was ‘Greek Cuisine’. Of course Spanish cuisine has been enjoying huge popularity overseas for years now thanks to the work of our fabulous Spanish new wave chefs many of them inspired by El Bulli and Spanish gastronomic guru Ferran Adria. But despite the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ inspiring a resurgence of plate smashing, Greek cuisine and restaurants have remained within the minority unless you happen to live in Greece. Until this year that is! New York magazine has declared Greek food this years top trend and an interest in Greek everything has exploded. Restaurants, Recipes, Cookbooks, you name it, if its Greek it’s HOT! Tourism to Greece as a foodie destination is quickly growing and there are now a multitude of Greek cooking schools that cater for the ‘gastro tourist’ who now requires not only snapshots but also recipes to return home with.

Fly Me To The Moon

2007-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

If your idea of a fabulous long weekend is checking into a hotel to admire the view and enjoy some room service then a must for your list of possible establishments must be the ‘Galactic Suite Space Hotel’ although you’ll have to wait until 2012 to check in. Xavier Claramunt a Barcelona based architect is promising a 3 night stay in his space hotel, 300 miles in orbit for a mere 3 million Euro. Claramunt says he believes that there are at least 40,000 of us here on earth that can actually afford his luxury getaway. Perhaps not the most relaxing long weekend experience though as guests will use Velcro suits to crawl around their pod style hotel rooms by sticking themselves to the walls a la Spiderman. Showering will also be a challenge to say the least as guests will have to enter a spa room filled with floating bubbles of water. No news yet as to the galactic goodies on the roomservice menu, but Oh My God…. Just think of the view. Guests will be able to watch the sun rise 15 times per day! Although I cant help worrying about the zero gravity toilets… To make your reservation send an email to reservations@galacticsuite.com

Plastic is not so Fantastic

2007-10-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh..... Research, Research Research. So much of it being done and so much of it being available to us these days its getting hard to know which study results to take seriously. Once upon a time the future looked bright in the world of ‘plastics’ but as more and more designer drinks and miracle waters hit the beverage market in their prettily branded plastic bottles you may want to think about the recent results of yet another study that were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. A research team at Duke University have found that exposure to bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in the manufacture of plastic bottles and food containers, can alter genes in fetal mice. A couple of scarey things happened to the poor mice. Apart from the exposed rodents becoming prone to obesity, diabetes, and cancer as adult mice, their fur also turned bright yellow! The study did not examine the effects of the chemical in humans who consume food and beverages stored in plastic so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Master Porridge Maker of the World

2007-10-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

If you love your porridge and want to taste the best porridge in the world you’ll now have to make the journey to Scotland. Maria Soep from Kilchrenan, Argyll has walked away with the coveted Golden Spurtle, or stirrer, at a competition where a dozen cooks from across the UK had gathered for a tense porridge cook-off where the appearance, consistency and taste of their oats were evaluated. The reigning porridge champ, now officially titled 'Master Porridge Maker of the World' claims that pinhead oats bought from Oban on Scotland's west coast are the secret behind her success. Aside from that she says don’t forget to soak them overnight, added a bit of salt and some good water.

Spanish Health The Best In Europe

2007-10-13T01:38:00.000-07:00

News from typicallyspanish.com this week. The health of the Spanish people is among the best of Europeans according to a new study of the Academy of Healthy Ageing. The Mediterranean diet and the Spanish quality of life mean that the average life expectancy in Spain is now 70 years for men and 75.3 for women. The numbers are beaten only by the Italians at 71 and 76 years. The report says that that in the Mediterranean Countries not only do people live longer, they enjoy a better quality of life than others in the E.U. So for those of us enjoying the expat lifestyle, fingers crossed that a little of this will rub of on us! However there IS a bad side to the numbers. The low birth rate here, coupled with the long life expectancy, will make Spain one of the countries with the OLDEST population in the world.

Chef Shortage?

2007-10-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

Whilst British cuisine continues to gather a growing reputation for world-class cuisine, it is facing a shortage of skilled chefs, according to reports from the BBC. Chefs of ethnic origin are the most in demand, and some experts are now calling for fast-track immigration of foreign-trained, expert chefs to help deal with the problem. However restaurant industry experts argue that it’s the pay and working conditions that need to be improved to attract more skilled chefs towards the industry in general and with the multitude of celebrity chefs now hitting our TV screens the hospitality industry could also be suffering due to the unrealistic portrait that chefs paint of their profession. Peter Harden co-editor of Harden's restaurant guides says "It does seem so sexy on TV, but it's a lie isn't it? You are spending your entire life in a hot, stainless steel box. All the glamour is on the other side of the kitchen door."

Sausage Roll 101

2007-10-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

News today that Britain is experiencing a nationwide craving for sausage rolls. Due to the recent onslaught of rain, a yearning for comfort food and a £3 million national advertising campaign for sausage rolls featuring Paddy McGuinness of Phoenix Nights fame, sausage roll sales have surged. Ahhhhhh..... The sausage roll. As an Aussie, for me a sausage roll brings back memories of mum pulling huge trays of the things out of the oven (homemade of course) to serve at almost every special occasion. ACDC even wrote a song about them. “It’s a long way to the shop when you wanna sausage roll” No wait!....... It was actually “It’s along way to the top if you wanna rock and roll” but most of us sang the sausage roll version as kids. I suppose it was the Brits that took the sausage roll down under in the first place, but how did the original concept of the sausage roll come about I wonder? A quick google brings up a very amusing theory on Uncyclopedia. Something about an English lord back in 1647 who was understandably starving after battling the forces of evil back then, and rode into the nearest farm demanding to be fed pork pies. Unfortunately the farmers wife was a terrible cook and hadn’t mastered the art of the pork pie. She had however mastered the art of rolling pastry crudely around minced pig meat, but I won’t tell you what else they say she added to the dubious mix. If anyone out there has any more credible info on the history of the good old sausage roll, feel free to comment. Meanwhile I’ll leave you with a fabulous sausage quote from Otto von Bismark a Prussian and German statesman of the 19th century: "To retain respect for sausages and laws, one must not watch them in the making." Also given as "People who enjoy sausage and respect the law should not watch either being made" Judging by the list of ingredients in the farmers wifes sausage roll mix I'd say that quote goes just as well with sausage rolls!

Beauty Gordon!

2007-10-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

British chef Gordon Ramsay must be feeling mighty confident these days. He has just conquered New York to become the holder of the MOST Michelin stars in the world. The chef's New York eaterie 'Gordon Ramsay at The London' has been awarded two stars, making his overall Michelin stars tally a whopping 12! The honors come after the restaurant was slammed when it first opened back in January this year with food critics gaily throwing around descriptions of Ramseys food as 'overcooked', 'rubbery', 'leathery' and 'a distinct disappointment'. His Gordoness says "It is a great honour to have received two stars from the Michelin Guide in our first year. To achieve such recognition means a huge amount and I am very proud of chef de cuisine Josh Emett, the maitre d' Jean- Baptiste Requein and our very talented team."

How To Cook Your Life

2007-10-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

Move over 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' Here comes Zen and the Art of a Good Meal! We have german filmmaker Doris Dorrie to thank for the latest food movie to hit our screens and judging by the trailer its definitely a movie that will give you some food for thought. A documentary film featuring Zen master, cook, baker and cookbook author Edward Espe Brown as he explores the guiding principles of Zen Buddhism as they apply to the preparation of food as well as life itself. Truly a movie for passionate cooks ‘HowTo Cook Your Life’ really brings home that old saying ‘You are what you eat’. Catch the trailer on YouTube.com

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Cheese

2007-10-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

How the hell did I miss this? It's Moldy Cheese Day! Only problem is I’m not sure if it’s a national thing in America or an International event, but who cares? I LOVE cheese. The great thing about Moldy Cheese Day is that it gives me an excuse to give you some interesting cheese facts. Did you know that eating cheese just before bedtime can not only aid a good nights sleep but the type of cheese you choose will affect the type of dreams that you have? A few years ago and in-depth cheese and dreams study was carried out by the British Cheese Board and the study results were quite astonishing. Many people still believe that eating cheese before bedtime will give them nightmares when in fact of the 200 volunteers who participated in the week-long study, 72% slept well every night, 67% remembered their dreams and none recorded experiencing nightmares after eating a 20g piece of cheese half an hour before going to sleep. Cheese contains an amino acid called tryptophan which has been shown to reduce stress and induce sleep so perhaps a late night cheesy snack is not such a bad idea after all. Although you might like to choose your bedtime cheese carefully. 85% of females who ate Stilton had some of the most unusual dreams of the whole study. 65% of people eating Cheddar dreamt about celebrities, over 65% of participants eating Red Leicester revisited their schooldays, all female participants who ate British Brie had nice relaxing dreams whereas male participants had cryptic dreams, two thirds of all those who ate Lancashire had a dream about work and over half of Cheshire eaters had a dreamless sleep. The Cheese and Dreams study was the first study of its kind and the study results suggest that eating cheese before going to bed could turn sleep into a whole new adventure!

Chillout in Dubai

2007-10-06T09:23:00.002-07:00

Dubai isn't usually a city known for restraint, but having spent over 10 years living and working there in the relentless heat I can understand the attraction of their latest novelty theme bar. They've allready got just about every theme imaginable available throughout their amazing city and now they have 'Chillout' the new 'Ice Lounge' designed to keep the locals cool and taking excess to the absolute extreme. Chillout sets the theme for yet another massive mall project in Dubai. $3 million dollars worth in fact. The bar has been constructed inside a huge freezer and is made entirely of ice shipped in from Canada. Everything... And I do mean EVERYTHING is made from ice. The walls, the decor, and the furniture are all ice and Dubai's coolest characters chill out as they sip cocktails at 21 degrees inside the worlds trendiest freezer. Oh and don't worry about anyone catching a chill. 'Chillout' offers parkers, gloves and insulated shoes for rent!

Gwyneth and Mario hit Spain!

2007-10-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

We reported last month on an exciting new food show being shot here in Spain. The show is called 'Spain ... On the road again and the cast hit spain this week to begin shooting the 13 part series. Gwyneth Paltrow and celeb chef Mario Batalli have hit the road along with Spanish actress Claudia Bassols and New York Times food writer Mark Bittman on a journey to discover Spains food, culture, wine and nightlife. The new show is set to air on PBS in the USA with negotiations ongoing for Spanish and Latino networks.

Booze Makes You Deaf!

2007-10-04T03:52:00.000-07:00

Hows your hearing these days? When you pop down to your local wine bar, do you ever have a hard time hearing conversation around you? Perhaps find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves and then blame it on the background noise in the bar? The reason I ask is that a new study suggests that it may not just be because of the noise in the bar. UK researchers have found that ALCOHOL seems to temporarily drain a person's hearing - particularly when it comes to discerning the sounds of conversation. In a study of 30 healthy volunteers, they found that as participants drank, their hearing became less acute and lower frequency hearing, which is necessary for discerning speech, suffered the most. They are calling this new phenomenon ‘Cocktail Deafness’ but don't let that fool ya as Cocktails were not the only things being sipped by the volunteers. Actually it’s not so surprising to hear that alcohol affects the hearing. It affects pretty much everything else as well. In general, the researchers found, the higher a volunteer's alcohol level - as measured by breath test -- the greater the deterioration in hearing. The hearing loss tended to be more significant in relatively older volunteers, as well as those who said they had a history of heavy drinking. The researchers are not too clear on just WHY drinking alcohol may have this effect, but they say that alcohol could either damage the auditory nerves or affect the brain's processing of sound. Ahh well! The eyes, and the back have already gone, I guess the ears are next. Cheers! Or should I say ChEARS?.

"EAT MY FOOD... FEEL MY FORK!"

2007-10-03T01:26:00.000-07:00

Hey this tickled me this morning……… Yet another example of the powers of advertising. If you haven’t seen the ‘QOURN’ add on TV, it’s a commercial for a vegetarian ready meal, where a school girl sitting down to dinner with her family threatens her plate-robbing brother with the words: 'Eat my food, feel my fork!' Of course the brother beats a hasty retreat as she points her fork at him looking as if she’s about to poke his eyeballs out if he touches her food. Well now a woman has performed her own version of the advertisement after coming home to find that her partner had WOLFED down the pork chop dinner she had prepared for herself. How very DARE he! Incensed, the woman took the add a stage further and actually stabbed her 56 yr old boyfriend Anthony in the leg with a kitchen knife. She said she intended only to 'prick' him with a fork as a joke, however she slipped and stabbed him behind the knee. Realising what she had done, 45-year- old Tracey Wenn immediately screamed 'I'm sorry,' and called the police and paramedics. Anthony Donkin pulled the knife out himself and the injury turned out to be not too serious. Tracey and Anthony are still together though, and despite telling police that he didn’t want Tracey to get into any trouble, the powers that be decided to press charges and she was given a nine month suspended sentence. Apparently on that fatefull night the couple were due to meet for a drink at a pub in Hull, but Tracey failed to turn up and Mr Donkin went home to their flat in Dagger Lane. Feeling a tad peckish he looked in the fridge and saw the plate of pork chops, peas, carrots and onion gravy, heated it up and polished it off. When tracey got home and asked him about her pork chops he casually replied 'I've eaten it.' That was when she lost it and shouted “EAT MY FOOD…..FEEL MY FORK”. After court Tracey told reporters “I just lost it when I found out he had eaten my tea…… They were lovely pork chops as well!” Hell Hath no Fury and all that!

What a HUGE Tosser

2007-10-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Imagine a salad so large it takes 20 cooks over 3 hours to put it together. That’s one hell of a big toss! 6,700 kilos of lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers and olives went into the worlds largest salad last weekend, proudly produced by the 'Association of Businessmen and Storekeepers of Pulpi' in Almeria, one of Spains largest fruit and vegetable growing areas. Of course waste not want not, after having a Guiness World Records judge confirm the new record the huge salad was distributed to local restaurants to be given free to their patrons. I just hope the dressing was on the side?

Need Atmosphere? Use a Wine Glass!

2007-09-30T02:23:00.000-07:00

This weeks innovative invention: The new wine light. You´ve rushed home from work, Dinner is in the oven, Nibbly bits ready to go, the table is set, but it all just looks a bit drab and dreary...... well all you need is a couple of wine glasses and 'Gorgeous Helen'..... And No, Gorgeous Helen is not the latest interior decorator from Sweden, but the newest product by Anke and Katrin from the designers cooperative Dekoop in Hamburg. These innovative little mood enhancers were officially presented for the first time at the Tendence Design Fair in Frankfurt earlier this year. Gorgeous little lamp shades that fit right on top of your favorite wine glasses. Made out of fragile parchment, each set contains 3 different shades with cute and whimsical designs that are printed in a faint white. All you need to do is take them out of the package, stick a tea light into a wine glass and then pop the shades on top and your set to go.....no nasty cords and plugs in sight! you can find them at www.charlesandmarie.com

Diet Drinks Make You Fat!

2007-09-30T02:19:00.000-07:00

Over the years i’ve constantly reassured myself that drinking low or zero calorie soft drinks has put me miles ahead on the old daily calorie counter. You know how it goes…… ¨I can have that scoop of ice cream as long as I have a diet drink with it.¨ However, according to a recent study from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York, just the opposite may be true! Drinking soft drinks actually causes your body to absorb MORE sugar. Turns out that artificial sweeteners trigger the same taste receptors in the small intestine that glucose does, releasing hormones that absorb sugar into the bloodstream. So next time you reach for those choccie biscuits, or packet of crisps, it might be a good idea to wash them down with a nice glass of milk or a juice instead. That is if the ‘E’ numbers in the snack don’t get ya first!!!

Deep End Dining

2007-09-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

This is bizarre! And I have absolutely no idea why this bunch of loonies did this other than to raise money for charity BUT….. Up to 500 wannabe mermen and mermaids joined in to help break the world record for the largest sub-aqua dinner party recently, and incase you don’t know what that is its Dinner served UNDERWATER! Yep, they all dressed in their absolute best and sat down to a three course meal in an outdoor swimming pool at the Park Club in Acton West London. The Guinness Book of Records is set to confirm exactly how many guests actually dined undewater on what sounds like an extremely limited menu. Smoked salmon, vegetables and toffee apple. Whoopee! Although I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it was for the diners to remove their aqua lung mouth pieces, fork in the food and then replace the breathing equipment while pressing a button to purge away the water all the while dressed in dinner jackets and ball gowns. What a stress free dinner that would be. In case you’re wondering, the food was served to sittings of about 20 people every 20 minutes and was prepared in jelly to stop it from disintegrating in the water. BUT WHY?

Something Fishy Going On?

2007-09-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Do you like a little Pilchard every now and then? Do you even know what a Pilchard is? Well apparently if you invite the average shopper to taste test a pilchard the response is likely to be a swift: "No thank you". However change their name from PILCHARDS to CORNISH SARDINES and they will fly out of that refrigerated fish display, eagerly snapped up by health- conscious customers keen to enjoy the benefits of eating oily fish. Marks & Spencer has just proven this by gaining a massive sales boom in fresh pilchards just by giving them the new name. How fickle are we? Elsewhere in the industry fishmongers and restaurants are trying the same trick by replacing traditional names such as Rat-tails and Witch with the less off-putting Grenadier and Torbay Sole. So Slimehead has become Orange Roughy, and Patagonian Toothfish sells better as Chilean Sea Bass. Not a bad idea really as traditional fishy favourites are facing dangerously low stocks due to over fishing. Just to keep you in the know….. Rockfish is now sold as Pacific Red Snapper, Dogfish has become Rock Salmon and there are rumours that Megrim will be renamed as Cornish Sole…. Sneaky huh?

New World Burrito Eating Champ

2007-09-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

The competitive eating circuit is alive and well with ‘EATER X’ munching his way through 10 3/4 burritos in a dozen minutes last Saturday to win what was billed as the world burrito-eating championship. Not bad for a day trader and aspiring pizza chef who loves Mexican food and admits his only preparation for the big event was eating candy for a day to help clear his system. (Huh?) Over 100 spectators watched outside the Costa Vida restaurant in Maine as over a dozen competitive eaters gulped down the 18 ounce burritos stuffed with rice, pork, cheese and a mild sauce. Interesting to note that the burrito record holder Eric "Badlands" Booker was not around to defend his title. Apparently Badlands has retired fro the competitive eating circuit, however world lobster eating champ Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas turned up to finish second by downing 10 "Big Kahunas."

Bye Bye 'LOWFAT'..... Hello 'NATURAL'

2007-09-23T02:56:00.000-07:00

The number of 'natural' foods appearing on supermarket shelves is on the rise according to market analysts Mintel. 'Additive and preservative free' foods have become the number one health claim for the food industry back in 2006, surpassing 'low fat' for the very first time. Market analysts predict that the demand for low fat foods is not going to go away, but the trend for additive-free foods also looks set to continue. Of course the recent report on a link between artificial preservatives and behavioural problems in children is set to increase the demand for natural foods even further. David Jago, director of Mintel's Global New Products Database says: "Manufacturers are tapping into the nation's growing desire for a more natural lifestyle as consumers take a greater interest in what really goes INTO their food."

Kids in the Kitchen

2007-09-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Would you like to have a budding chef in the family? It’s never too early to get them started and develop their passion for food and a new game from Orchard Toys in the UK will do just that. ‘Crazy Chefs’ is a food themed game where the goal is to complete the dish on your card. You have to match up all of the ingredients and kitchen tools needed to create your dish by flipping tiles on the board. Once you’ve everything you need for your dish it’s onto the business of spinning the spinner to get a plate for service. An inspiring idea for would be little chefs. You can find ‘Crazy Chef’ at www.orchardtoys.com. I just wish I’d found this during the long summer break when I REALLY needed it!

POWDER is the new FOAM

2007-09-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

Just as we seem to be getting over ‘espumas’ those frothy foams that have adorned everything from canapes to desserts thanks to our very own Spanish gastronomic guru Ferran Adria more than a decade ago, Spains new wave chefs have found a new diversion..... Powders! At Mugaritz located just outside the global gastro-hotspot that is San Sebastian, Andoni Luis is dishing up a dessert that recreates the meeting of ocean and shoreline with the ‘rocks’ made from cocoa, the ‘sand’ made from a star-anise-flavored shortbread powder, and the ocean bravely represented by agar-agar jelly spiked with mint oil. Meanwhile over at Arzak located inside San Sebastian, Elena Arzak serves Galician beef with a potato glaze and rendered chorizo drippings in a paste of chorizo. Not to be outdone at restaurante Martin Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria, chef Martin is garnishing baby vegetables with a powder made from Iberico ham and Idiazabal cheese.

Scarlett Loves Pub Grub!

2007-09-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

Nice to see it happens to the beautiful people as well. Producers on the set of Scarlett Johanssons latest movie ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ have been struggling to contain her curves on celluloid. The movie features Star Wars actress Natalie Portman as King Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn and Scarlett as her sister Mary. Scarlett looks sensational in the movie, but her weight was a huge problem, going up and down like a yo-yo making her just a tad TOO voluptuous for their liking and resulting in a number of scenes having to be reshot due to the extra pounds piled on by her sweet tooth and a love of British pubs. Filming took place in Cambridgeshire this past summer where Scarlett developed a passion for the local establishments, regularly tucking into their pub-grub delicacies. Let’s hope her new addiction to British pub fare doesn’t affect the 22 year olds current title as the sexiest woman in Hollywood.

Hells Kitchen Blamed for Wild Mushroom Shortage

2007-09-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

The papers have been FULL of Hells Kitchen this past week, mainly because of comedian Jim Davies being booted out by show producers for being homophobic. (Good on 'em) However as the uproar died down, Hells Kitchen has hit the headlines yet again, this time for putting species of wild mushroom in danger. On the show earlier in the week millions of ITV1 viewers saw chef Marco Pierre White sing the praises of wild mushrooms when he cooked them with Dover Sole, and now rangers on a country estate have warned that people are attempting to cash in by picking "car boot loads" of the expensive fungi in the English countryside with the idea of selling them off to foodies in the cities. The power of television huh? A celeb chef says "OOOH these mushrooms are delicious, they grow wild you know" and hundreds of people charge to the countryside to set up impromptu mushroom picking services. That said, you have to admit that the huge rise of the reality TV cooking show lately has brought on a consumer demand for more unusual ingredients. At least people are becoming more willing to break out of their kitchen comfort zones and experiment!

Goodbye Cruel Waiter!

2007-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOD! At Last the answer to rude and inefficient restaurant waiters. Although I have to admit this may be taking the difficulty in finding good service staff just a tad to the extreme. A new restaurant ‘Baggers’ in Nuremberg in Germany has replaced front of house staff with a fully automated ordering and table service system. Gone is the apron wearing, pen and notebook wielding waiter or waitress of old as each table at ‘Baggers’ has been connected by metal rails to the kitchen. Dishes like "organic beef in buttermilk" and "sausage en croute" glide along the rails to customers, propelled by gravity. Owner Michael Mack has cleverly installed the restaurant kitchen directly beneath the roof of the restaurant. Meals are ordered by restaurant patrons via a touch-screen system that is placed at each table, and the entire restaurant is networked via a computer system. The orders are then registered upstairs in the kitchen and a computer in the cellar keeps track of supply stocks. The system also calculates the likely delivery times for drinks and meals at every table and keeps customers informed. WOW! A bit sterile for my liking, as much as I hate bad restaurant service, who do you argue with if the soup is cold? Then again, restaurant proprietors would probably be more than impressed with the billions of euros in personnel costs that Mack says his patented invention can save. Never again would they have to deal with those frightening words from the head waiter..... “Sorry I can’t make it in to work tonight”. I’d love to experience this restaurant first hand, and find out just how nervous the diners feel as specially made hotpots slide down the 15-foot steel spirals, using nothing but the forces of gravity, before coming to a slow stop on rails slanted upwards at their tables. I bet they are selling a hell of a lot of pre-dinner drinks! Ah well, at least for the time being the chefs and kitchen staff still have a job. But what about clearing? Perhaps the customers are supposed to clear their own table on the way out?

The Dreaded 'E' Numbers

2007-09-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

If you are in the UK you can't have got away from the HUGE hoo hah over the past few weeks about chemicals and colorings added to snack foods being harmful to kids. This is just a quickie, but it's interesting to see today two of the biggest confectionary giants Cadbury and Mars have VOLUTARILY promised to remove artificial additives from sweets including Starburst, Skittles, M&Ms, Maynards wine gums and Trident gum after the public backlash from the latest findings. The findings basically say that kids without a history of hyperactive behaviour become unruly, loud and impulsive after consuming junk foods with the seven suspect E-number additives in them. The ingredients in question are the colours tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129), and the preservative sodium benzoate (E211).

It’s a good thing though because this so called ‘voluntary’ decision by Cadbury and Mars to remove harmful additives from some of their products, will now put pressure on the UK Government's Food Standards Agency to support a TOTAL ban on the chemicals. So we'll have to wait to see what happens next. All of this has me feeling a bit pathetic really, I actually used to believe (just a few short years ago) that anything that we purchased over the counter must be safe, otherwise the Government wouldn’t allow the company to produce the product or sell it to the public in the first place………. How naïve was that???

Cockroach Cuisine

2007-09-12T04:15:00.000-07:00

While everyone in the UK and the rest of Europe worries about poisoning their kids with dangerous chemicals in snack foods, American kids are being ENCOURAGED to eat cockroaches! These hideous bugs are being used as a means for kids to skip to the front of the line at the Titan roller coaster in Texas with any kid that dares to chew and swallow one of the wingless 3-inch hissing Madagascar variety of the species being awarded a Flash Pass for the evening that allows them to bypass the line on other thrill rides. YAHOO! Meanwhile it seems the only ones NOT worrying about what they eat are the cockys themselves. Can you believe it? These six-legged critters can live without food for an entire month! EVEN IF YOU CUT OFF THEIR HEADS they can still run around the house for about a week before dying of thirst because their brain is not in their heads….. A Cockroaches brain is scattered throughout its body. Its true! I did a show on the art of insect eating last year and its AMAZING the lengths these disgusting creatures will go to, just to exist! By the way, in defense of WHY this story has ended up on my blog. Cockroaches are considered a delicious delicacy in many Asian and African cultures. Honest!

Female Chefs Too Complicated?

2007-09-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

How VERY dare they! An article yesterday in the Daily Mail saying female chefs are harder to understand than male chefs. Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith have come under fire recently for writing cookery instructions that apparently bamboozle most of us and the conclusion is that female celebrity chefs are harder to understand in print than their male counterparts. The article goes on to state that by contrast some of Gordon Ramsay's recipes are so simple they can be followed by a seven-year-old and budding chefs need a reading age of just 11 to follow the instructions of Nigel Slater. Now you might wonder how they’ve come up with all of this, and the verdict comes from a Government study in which experts looked at 35 recipes published by FIVE popular chefs and assessed their literacy standards layout, writing style and readability. It found that 5.2million adults in the UK would be unable to follow Nigella's cooking methods as she uses longer sentences and tends to write in a "chatty" style, mixing in personal observations with her instructions. I hate it when they do that! Good old Delia Smith gets it in the neck as well with her culinary teaching also being criticised for having too many stages and using measurements confusing for anyone with poor numeracy skills. The study suggests that male celeb chefs use a more direct approach and their recipes are easier to grasp. WOOHOO! Ramsey of course welcomes the findings: "As we all know, I am renowned for my direct approach to cooking and certainly don't like to hold back". Well that was to be expected wasn't it? Actually ive been watching 'Nigella Express' this past week. Her new tv show designed to make us want to COOK fast food rather than go out and just buy it ready made. She keeps saying "add a teaspoon" of this and "just about a teaspoon " of that, and I swear the amounts she's adding look more like tablespoons if not soup ladels on occassions. Perhaps its not that we're too complicated at all? Maybe its just our measuring skills....... Just how big IS seven inches anyway?

BEER SPA ANYONE?

2007-09-12T03:08:00.000-07:00

Girls if you're looking for some way to get the other half to book a spa holiday, here’s some instant incentive. There are now a number of BEER spas throughout Austria and Germany that claim to promote health, wellness and the chance for the boys to bathe in their favourite drink. Now apart from marrying a Sheila who’s dad owns a brewery, that’d have to be up there on the ‘To Do’ list of many of the men I know! The spas not only offer a tub of their brew to soak in, (boy that Jaccuzzi would get a hell of a head on it wouldn’t it?) but beer therapies as well. And its not as expensive as you might expect. Treatments start from around 55 euro. And the best bit? They even let you drink the stuff while you are laying in it!

So if you feel so inclined and want to start planning your next ‘Beauty Brewski Weekend’ heres a few links to get you started:

http://www.bierschwimmbad.com/

http://www.chodovar.cz/

http://www.moorhof.com/

http://www.klosterbrauerei.com/

Kitchen Testosterone

2007-09-10T03:35:00.000-07:00

So what do we think of Raymond Blancs new BBC Two series ‘The Restaurant’? Quite an ambitious project with 9 couples battling it out to create and run a successful venue and certainly huge motivation for the couples who will be in big business if they manage to get it right. So far the show seems to highlight not only the many highs of running your own restaurant but also the harsh realities that can ultimately lead to failure. Keep in mind that of the 1,000 plus new venues that open every year in the UK alone, 900 of them close, so the successes can be few and far between. Apparently just prior to the launch of his show Blanc hit out at todays ‘Macho’ chefs warning that under new employment laws kitchen bullies could end up in jail. He says the reasoning behind ‘The Restaurant’ is to give viewers new respect for the restaurant industry and hopefully provide a refreshing change from the current glut of fiery chefs who appear to glorify violence and aggression in their TV kitchens. As I Mentioned last week, Marco Pierre White seems to have a very different take on the Gordon Ramsey approach to Hells Kitchen on the new UK series. In fact Raymond Blanc himself wondered just how Marco would handle the heat asking the question - “When Marco takes over Hell's Kitchen, will he promote food craft, careful man-management, or just this unfortunate aspect of behaviour, which involves the degradation of people?” So far Marco seems to be managing to rule HK with just the right mixture of testosterone and camaraderie to make poor old Gordons style of kitchen tyranny look totally unnecessary. However you must admit Ramseys shock tactics are always entertaining. Meanwhile it will be interesting to see which of ‘The Restaurant’s couples are still standing in a few weeks time. The UK’s 27,000 restaurants are about to become 27,001!

Avocado Lovers Rejoice!

2007-09-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

This is great news for avocado lovers. New research suggests that the avocado is your best bet to fight cancer cells. Researchers from Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Centre have found that extracts from 'Hass' avocados kill or stop the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. This is the first time that the avocado has had the sole attention of scientists with regard to cancer research and there are high hopes that this new discovery will lead to advances in the treatment of other cancers. With more than 500 varieties of avocado grown worldwide it's not particularly difficult to get your hands on one nowadays. However it’s the ‘HASS’ avocado that seems to be the star performer if you want to fight oral cancer. (Just this last week we’ve seen alarming new stories on the steady rise of oral cancer in the UK) The Hass avocado is one of the varieties that is most readily available and frequently used in salads or sandwiches. Don’t forget Avocados are full of vitamin C, folate, vitamin E, fibre and unsaturated fats. They are also naturally sodium-free, contain no trans fats and are low in saturated fat, making them a healthy addition to any diet. I remember back in the 80’s we were scared of the avocado because of its high fat content. But those days are now gone, the fats are good ones, so if you are not already doing so, add an avocado or two to your shopping list and you could be doing your mouth a favour!

Rueda Wines at Risk

2007-09-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

An invasion of mouse-like rodents is laying waste to a broad swath of farmland in central Spain. Local farmers are trying everything from burning fields to running around trying to hit the creatures with giant rolling pins, but so far the rodents don't seem too bothered. Officials estimate that up to 750 million of the animals have infested an area of 1,000 square miles. Damage to crops is estimated at $40 million. The regional government of Castilla y Leon has approved the use of poison and the burning of fields in 621 municipalities, hoping to eradicate the plague. However the pesky rodents are working their way northeastward, into the wine-growing region of Rueda, where some of Spain's leading wines are produced.

SPAM SINGLES!

2007-09-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

You've gotta be kidding me?

FOOD TV

2007-09-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

More TV cooking show scandals this week. Did anyone notice how
prominent WAITROSE SUPERMARKET seemed to be on Nigella Lawson's new cookery show ‘NIGELLA EXPRESS’? The show started this week on BBC2 and if the papers are anything to judge by, it looks like the old ‘product placement ’ perks are not so easy to get away with these days. Nigella has found herself in hot water after accusations that she appears to be blatantly plugging Waitrose supermarkets. In the first episode she appeared to be using the store and its products on 3 different occasions. In one scene Nigella was filmed taking a packet of Waitrose pork chops from the store shelves, while another showed her fridge at home full of the supermarket's goods. Yet another showed her travelling by taxi..... Her destination? You guessed it! BBC guidelines ban product placement and studio reps are saying nigella has NO financial link with waitrose. And what about that interview the other day where she said she ALWAYS carries a tube of mustard in her handbag? She’s MAD if she doesn’t get that sponsored!

And while we’re talking about TV Chefs:

Marco Pierre White got the new British series of Hell's Kitchen off to a sizzling start this week. Of course most of us have followed Gordon Ramsey in the US version of the same show. What's interesting is comparing the two chefs, and how they go about presenting the same show concept. Although Ramsey is excellent entertainment value and obviously knows his game, Marco handles the kitchen very differently. Not an F word in sight, which is quite refreshing actually. Although I was disappointed that they have gone the celeb route for the UK series. So painful having to watch people who obviously don’t have a clue about food, getting master classes from one of the greats. Such a waste. I did however LOVE Carol Thatcher for asking Marco to sign Gordons book. The woman must have ovaries of IRON!

Fat Kids Getting Fatter

2007-09-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

Many newspaper headlines screaming Jamies name in vain today, BBC radio broadcasts also featuring the news that the healthy school meals initiative pioneered by television chef Jamie Oliver is failing, that is according to the Liberal Democrats. To rub salt where salt no longer dares to go, childrens minister Ed Balls says half the kids in the UK risk becoming obese by 2050 if something is not done about it. What I’d like to know is where is Jamie Oliver in all of this? I’ve already covered here on The Main Ingredient the fact that Jamies plan for healthy school meals were being labelled a big fat flop back in early July, and I still stick by my guns....... How do they expect kids to suddenly turn over a new lettuce leaf and willingly eat salads for lunch, when at home they get chicken nuggets, crisps and stodgy spag bol? David Laws, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on children says the new standards for healthier school meals have been introduced too quickly, too drastically and with too little education of both parents and pupils. I rest my case! Hardly Jamie Olivers fault then?

Whatever Happened to my Waist?

2007-09-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

Just can't seem to get away from discussions about the fact that we're all getting older and fatter. Remember the hourglass figure? Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe...... She had what was officially termed an hourglass figure didn’t she?

Well it seems the hourglass figure has fallen victim to the ‘sands of time’ and the effects of too many packets of crisps. Nowadays bust and hips are bigger than ever, but you have to admit the sight of the old waspish waist is one that’s very few and far between. Data shows that over the past half century the average British woman's waist has expanded by 6.8 inches to 34.4 inches. Since 1951, the average bust has increased by 2in to 39in and hips by a further 2in to 41in. So on average that’s around 10lb heavier. And don’t LAUGH boys!!! YOURE not of the hook either. The survey of 9,000 British men and women discovered that MEN have gone through a similar expansion. British males are now an average of seven inches fatter around the waist (shame it has to go on the waist) and 18lb heavier than they were during the post-war years. Britain is still ahead of the good old USA though. British women are an average of 3lb lighter and 0.4inches slimmer than their U.S. counterparts and British men are 12lb lighter and 1.1in thinner than the average American.
So womens waists have grown nearly 7 inches in the UK in the past 50 years…… Hmmmm!

Martha Wants My Man!

2007-09-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

The UK’s gorgeous Nigella Lawson has accused Americas queen of ‘Good Things’ Martha Stewart of fancying her HUSBAND. Ooh Wah! Nigela says old Martha has a bit of a “soft spot” for her multi-millionaire art collector hubby Charles Saatchi. To add salt to the wound Martha dismissed Nigela publicly in a recent interview by supposedly forgetting her name and referring to her as “whats-her-name who married the Saatchi”. Meanwhile curvacious Nigella is not to be trifled with (boy do I love the fact that she has hips) hitting back with: “Even though she’s so great and successful she has to disparage someone else. It’s not necessary, but everyone has insecurities.” Interesting to note that Nigella has also fessed up to loving takeaways and greasy spoon cafes, just as her new TV show ‘Nigella Express’ took to our screens on BBC2 this week. A show that is supposed to motivate us TOWARD making fast food at home and AWAY from fast food restaurants. She’s also been heard saying she always carries MUSTARD in her bag. Now THERE’S a sponsorship opportunity if ever I saw one! Colmans anyone?

Are YOU the next Celebrity Chef?

2007-09-04T02:05:00.000-07:00

Well I suppose it was only a matter of time. Food IS fashion and with the MULTITUDE of TV cookery shows now on offer, of course the next step is for the unsung heroes of the home kitchen to be able to share their own culinary adventures with the rest of the world. A company in Vancouver have come up with a virtual recipe sharing site, where foodies can share their successes and their failures without the embarrassment of having all of the NON foodies on YouTube watching and laughing. http://www.makemysupper.com/ gives adventurous cooks the chance to give TV chefs a run for their money, by letting them broadcast their own cooking show. Record yourself making your favourite recipes, upload your videos, and find out if you have what it takes to become a celebrity chef. Who knows you could be the next Delia Smith! You know a TV Chef once told me that Delia wears nipple clamps when cooking. An unappetising thought no?

McDonalds Go Upmarket!

2007-09-01T01:55:00.000-07:00

I did hear rumours about 2 years ago that McDonalds were planning on revamping their image in the states, but I thought it would be decades before we saw it happening in Europe. However I must say the 600 million euros ($828 million) that they intend to plow into redesigning 1,280 European McDonalds restaurants is pretty impressive. As the golden arches go upscale it seems they are targeting young adults and professionals rather than the happy families that have been the staple for many a year. Bolted down plastic tables and chairs are being replaced with designer chairs and dark leather upholstery. Internet access and rental iPods are also starting to appear in some outlets and it looks like the new image is paying off. So far for the first half of this year, European sales are up 15 percent within Europes 6,400 McDonalds restaurants, totalling a massive 4.1 billion dollars. (Its McDonalds, so I’ll stick to dollars) Back in the USA this year sales have only seen a 6 percent increase totalling $3.9 billion even though they have a whopping 13,800 McDonalds outlets, compared to only 6,400 here in Europe

While we’re at it, a British couple from Sussex are ‘Still lovin it’ after 17 years of McDonalds cuisine. And I’m not just talking the occasional Big Mac here. We’re talking the same meal EVERY DAY for the past 17 years. Lee and Mary Humphries nip down to their nearest McDonalds outlet at 11am sharp every morning for a double hamburger each. I’m pleased to note that the 84 year old couple are health conscious though, they share one portion of fries between them. They’ve spent approximately 20,000 pounds at McDonalds over the years and even moved house a few years ago so that they’d be conveniently located to their favourite branch. Ahhh..... ‘Still lovin it’ after 17 years. How’s that for fast food devotion?

Spains Tomatina Festival

2007-08-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I’ve missed it AGAIN! On the last Wednesday of every August there is an amazing event here in Spain. ‘The Annual Tomatina Festival’ held in the town of Bunol. 40,000 Spaniards hurling 115,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other at what has to be one of the worlds messiest festivals. Actually judging by the photos there’s quite a few British, French and German tourists involved as well. I wonder if it hurts? Apparently participants are advised to give their tomatoes a good old tenderising squeeze before letting fly at their human targets but I bet a tomato in the back of the head would still smart! Actually I think it would be great fun, I’m so annoyed I’ve missed out again. Since 2002 the Tomatina Festival has been officially classed as part of Spain's national heritage, and the festival dates all the way back to 1945 when two participants in a carnival allegedly began hurling tomatoes at each other during a heated argument. Well that’s ONE theory, I’m sure there’s many more! Apparently the locals all don raincoats and capes as the trucks full of tomatoes arrive at the town square at 11am sharp, and then its on for young and old! Ahhh…I do love a good food fight. The photos of the Tomatina Festival always look so vibrant and colorful. Then again I guess 115,000 kilos of squashed and splattered ripe tomatoes would be wouldn’t they? It never ceases to amaze me that so many of the participants wear white though. Thank goodness for high technology and the multitude of stain removers we have at our fingertips these days...... How the hell did they cope back in 1945?

Gwyneth Paltrow & Mario Batali 'On The Road Again in Spain'

2007-08-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Now although I quite admire Gwyneth Paltrow she’s not exactly the person that would spring to mind to present a TV show dedicated to Spanish food called ‘Spain... On the road again’. She doesn’t exactly look like she could cope with the massive doses of Spanish olive oil she is about to encounter does she? In fact I believe she follows a strict macrobiotic diet, nothing wrong with that but I wonder what she’ll do with a Churro? Nevertheless, Gwyneth is about to embark on a gastronomic adventure across Spain with New Yorks celebrated Mario Batali. Gwyneth will have absolutely no probs translating as she spent many a childhood summer in spain and speaks the lingo fluently. Although Batali might find his repetoire slightly limited along the way. Gwyneths current diet allows white meat and fish, vegetables and bananas, but she is not allowed to eat wheat, dairy products, tomatoes, peppers, fruit, sugar, gluten or red meat. She does however have a self confessed passion for Spanish food and says "I eat lots of Spanish stuff, the crazy fish things and the eels. I love it all”. It will be interesting to see how the pair pull it off! Wonder if they’ll be hitting the Costa del Sol? I’ll keep ya posted! Most snippets I’ve seen on this have mentioned Gwyneth and Mario as the shows main players, however the series producer Charles Pinsky says that although Gwyneth and Mario will be regulars on the show which starts shooting in October, there will be other presenters involved. He says that we can expect the ultimate road trip through Spain. They'll go off in pairs. The men are obsessed with food and wine and the women want to enjoy the other pleasures of life. Can’t Wait!

Do You Mayogarita?

2007-08-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

Here's something delicious.... If your Japanese that is. How about wetting your whistle with a mayogarita? Give up? A mayonnaise Margarita! Mayonnaise, tequila, salt triple sec..... Uggh, I can't think of anything worse. The Japanese have a huge affinity toward mayonnaise, and now they’ve come up with this creamy little concoction and the locals are loving it! Of course the western world introduced the Japanese to the concept of Mayonnaise and most of us now avoid it like the plague because of its high calorie and fat content. However the Japanese don’t seem to be concerned about their waistlines (not yet anyway!And trust me, i've seen it for myself!) They put mayonnaise on just about EVERYTHING! Having said all of that though, Reuters reports that in 2006, the Japanese consumed 1.65 kg of mayonnaise per person, down from a peak of 1.90 kg in 2000. So perhaps it’s the beginning of the end of the MAYONNAISE era over there. Better try one of those Mayo-garitas while they still last!

Eat a Chocolate Bar to CURE pimples?

2007-08-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ingestible Skin care, what goes in eventually comes out right? Now chocoholics can munch away and feel absolutely guilt free thanks to a California entrepreneur called Scott-Vincent Borba who manufactures a range of ‘ingestible skin care’ products including a ‘Chocolate Clarifying Bar’. The zit-zapping confection contains Borba's "Skin Balance Clarifying Aqua-Less Crystalline Powder" to remove toxins and improve skin clarity and the powder contains a cultivated bio-vitamin complex which helps the skin regenerate its natural support system. So instead of avoiding chocolate in order to avoid those nasty spots and pimples, it seems the cause has now become the remedy. Sounds too good to be true huh? Mr Borba also has a range of what he calls “skin-gestibles” in a delicious water or powder packet form. He says “If you put good things into your body, your skin should reap the benefits,you already drink water and you already eat candy and chocolate, so I am putting skin care into your water and your candy and your chocolate.” Ahh well....... For decades, cosmetic companies have manufactured face creams that offer hope in a jar, why not a chocolate bar? Although one does tend to worry, you know what they say about too much of a good thing!

The 2 THOUSAND Pound Drumstick

2007-08-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

A woman has spent 2 THOUSAND pounds on a chicken drumstick. Yep!Soft-hearted Vicky Mills loves her pet chicken so much she's shelled out more than £1,800 to mend its injured leg after Lily (the chook) got her leg trapped in a barbed wire fence. A vet warned it would cost a fortune to try to save the damaged limb but Mrs Mills told him to go ahead. So Vicky took out a bank loan and has lived on beans on toast for the last year to pay for Lily's seven operations, saying "I love her to bits and it would break my heart if anything happened to her." Unfortunately the treatment failed and Vicky had to dig deep again to have the chickens leg amputated, and even then her medical bills were not over - Lily was diagnosed with depression brought on by being in the house alone while Vicky and husband Sam were out at work. So the couple now leave the television on all day at their home in Cwmbran, South Wales and Lily has recovered her usually chirpy nature, especially when Vicky serves up Lily's favorite TV meal.... Spaghetti Bolognaise. Now you may well be wondering what this story is doing on a food blog, but as we've recently presented the worlds most expensive 'desserts' and the worlds most expensive 'sushi' there's no denying that Lily the Rhode Island Red hen can now lay claim to having had the world's most expensive DRUMSTICK!

Beanz Meanz Heinz

2007-08-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

How about this for breakfast? ……… A FROZEN BAKED BEAN SARNI! Capitalising on the cash rich / time poor generation, Heinz have invented the frozen baked bean sandwich, which simply needs to be heated in a toaster. The impending launch is supported by the following rationale from the HEINZ bigwigs: “If people take the time to cook beans and put them on toast, why shouldn’t we cut the process for them and give them the beans already on the bread, ready to toast?" I betcha ANYTHING it wont taste the same as nice freshly toasted wholemeal bread, with hot baked beans, a little sprinkling of grated parmesan, black pepper, pop it under the grill, not exactly gourmet I know but we all need a little comfort every now and then! Besides……. How will we get all of the stray baked beans out of the toaster?

Fluctuating Chardonnay??

2007-08-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

Now this is a concept that I'm not sure about....... A 'Drink Price Stock Market', where the bars ‘Drink Prices’ fluctuate throughout the night. YEP! The Trader Bar in Melbourne, Australia (it would have to be Australian wouldn’t it?) The Trader Bar is just a little bit different from your normal drinking establishment. Above the bar is a row of TV screens which show the price of drinks, and which fluctuate as shares would in a stock exchange. Each drink is listed next to a neat little graph illustrating if your drink price is on the rise or fall. Should your drink drop, it’s time to get to the bar asap, as it’s not going to stay too low …. too long! That is unless the staff purposely ‘crash’ the ‘bar market’, the background music being replaced with an enormous crashing sound and all drink prices plummet to their lowest, whilst EVERYONE makes a dash for the barman. God the PRESSURE! I don’t think I could cope.... So much for a relaxing drink after work!

No More Lager Louts?

2007-08-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

How can this be.... Lager is losing popularity among British drinkers? If new reports are to be believed the stereotype of the British lager lout may have had its day. According to research conducted by market analysts Mintel, Brits are ditching lager in favour of more 'sophisticated' alternatives such as cider and rose wine. UK lager sales have fallen by five per cent since 2005 and Mintel predicts that they will fall by a further eight per cent by 2012, meaning that in five years time, the average lager drinker will be glugging their way through 19 FEWER pints per year. According to this report the traditional lager lout, with his beer belly and pint in hand, may be becoming a rare breed indeed. But although cider has been getting a bit of an overhaul with trendy news adds on the telly of late, I can’t quite picture a bloke guzzling down a pint of rose down the pub, can you?

The Dreaded School Lunch

2007-08-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Thank GOD September is just around the corner and the kids are getting back to school. But what to put in their lunch boxes now that Jamie Oliver has us all completely paranoid? There’s only so many ways to make a tofu salad look inviting UNLESS you look to the Japanese for inspiration. Mums and Dads looking for new ways to dress up the old school lunch box and motivate the kids towards munching their ‘5 a day’ may find success by introducing the kids to a Bento style lunch box that offers the little darlings a number of healthy and nutritious options. Brown bag boredom will become a thing of the past with the ‘Bento’ concept, designed like little jewellery boxes with subdivided or even stacked sections that hold mini-dishes. These compartments are easily removed, making cleaning a cinch and creating a waste-free alternative to plastic bags. For inspiration check out www.laptoplunches.com/ Includes Western Bento-style boxes and accessories as well as menu ideas, recipes, & ways to use up leftovers to make lunch fun AND nutritious!

Champagne Fizzles Out

2007-08-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Now THIS is scarey stuff..... The world is running short of fizz as french growers start to hoard their champagne. Vineyard owners in eastern France are refusing to sell tens of millions of bottles stocked in their cellars. Their unwillingness to give up what they see as their retirement nest eggs has left the country’s most prestigious champagne houses struggling to keep pace with a rise in demand from the rest of us bubbly junkies. Champagne experts say that producers will soon be unable to supply emerging markets in Russia, China and India as well traditional customers in countries such as Britain and the USA. Global sales have risen from 287 million bottles in 2002 to 321 million in 2006, with sales likely to reach 330 million this year. However only 32,600 hectares of vineyards are authorised to produce the black grapes needed to produce champagne. Now this ALARMING little problem could be solved if grape growers sold the estimated 100 million bottles stashed away in their cellars. But they are reluctant to do so. The average grower in the Champagne region owns just 2.5 hectares of land. Ahh well…… Bring on the CAVA I say!

Blame it on Mum's Snack Attacks!

2007-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Ever get a craving for a Big Mac with cheese? What about that biscuit that you just HAVE to have with your cup of tea or those crisps with a glass of wine after work? Well the latest theory about people that CRAVE junk food is that it all started in the WOMB. Researchers now say that mums who eat junk food while pregnant may be putting their unborn child at a greater risk of becoming obese. That’s the way it works with RATS anyway. Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College have found that when pregnant rats were fed a diet of biscuits, sweets and crisps, their offspring tended to go for the more unhealthy food options. The babies of the junk food-fed rats were also found to be born lighter than average, but quickly put on weight. Researchers believe that the study shows the rats' eating habits were "programmed" in the womb and that eating large quantities of junk food when pregnant and breast-feeding could impair their babies normal control of appetite and promote a taste for junk food in later life. So yet another thing to blame on good old mum!

And while we’re on junk food yet another junk food addict is making a play for his share of the McDonalds millions. A man in South Carolina has sued McDonalds after going into one of their establishments and ordering two hamburgers WITHOUT cheese. Unfortunately he got cheese on both hamburgers and he’s allergic to cheese and is suing for $10 million. He claims he almost died and although McDonalds offered to pay his $700 medical fees, he’s going for the big bucks saying apart from him almost kicking the bucket, his family "risked their lives" to rush him to the emergency room. Oh….. And If you're wondering why he didn't see the cheese before he bit into the hamburger its because he likes to eat his burgers in a darkened room! Perhaps he should switch to Burger King, isn’t their slogan ‘Have it Your Way’?

Just a Trifle too Rich?

2007-08-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

A British entry has proudly made the Top Ten of the world’s most expensive desserts at Forbes Traveller with a golden plum soufflé priced at £24, and a favorite of pudding lovers at the Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire. Other decadent delicacies on the list are not quite so humble with desserts from Dubai, USA and Thailand coming in ahead of Britain. The Americans have managed to take 3 places with the most noteable being a dark chocolate Brownie Extraordinaire, topped with Italian hazelnuts and served with ice-cream, served alongside a Saint Louis crystal perfume bottle filled with a shot of rare 1996 Quinta Do Noval port, to be sprayed into the mouth between bites. The dessert is dished up at Brûlée in Atlantic City, New Jersey and will set you back £500. My personal favourite has to be the ‘Valfhona Chocolate Sphere’ from Al Mahara Restaurant in the fabulous Burj Al Arab Hotel Dubai. A warm chocolate sauce is poured over a very thin chocolate shell, causing the sphere to implode, which reveals luscious raspberries and layers of chocolate inside. Surprisingly for Dubai it's only $48.00 which is why they came ninth on the list. Scooping up the honours for top position on the list is the ‘Fortress Aquamarine’ located in a luxury resort in Galle, Sri Lanka. For a mere £7,300 you can order an 80-carat aquamarine, balanced on an upright sliver of chocolate shaped to resemble the resort’s logo. It comes with cassata served in a vase of sugar. The handmade glass utensils are not included in the price, but the gem is. Although interesting to note that not one ‘Fortress Aquamarine’ has been sold yet.

Molecular Gastronomy for the Home Kitchen

2007-08-17T03:44:00.000-07:00

Itching to experiment with some of the unusual concoctions from Spain's celebrated El Bulli restaurant? Help is now at hand for caterers and home cooks as restaurant gods Ferran and Albert Adria have produced a new kit made up of natural food derivatives to help us on our way to home made hot gelatins, airs, foams, spherical gnocchi, pasta-less pea ravioli or fruit suspended in liquid. (Just what every home cook needs to have on hand). A starter kit priced at £42.95 brings together the essentials, along with a tool kit of two syringes and dosing and collecting spoons. This range also includes Gluco to overcome difficulties in dissolving and other handy titbits designed for the easy conversion of liquids into air. You can pick one up from El Bulli or at http://www.infusions4chefs.co.uk/

Guilt Free Cocktails

2007-08-13T05:15:00.000-07:00

Theres a program called ‘Something for the weekend’ on the BBC on Sundays, and I sometimes have a glance thru it. Yesterday they were on about the virtues of healthy cocktails full of anti oxidants, making cocktails with carrot and apple juice topped up with vodka etc. Have a look in any magazine this month and celebs are already doing it, Madonna likes hers with camomile and apple, Scarlett Johansson opts for passion fruit and honey, and Kate Middleton prefers her cocktails with elderflower and cucumber. Now an article in the daily mail says vitamin packed cocktails are the HOTTEST trend at the moment. So take note girls and boys. Mojitos and Cosmos are OUT and freshly blended organic fruit purees, fresh organic vegetables and herbs, and things such as vitamins, or even wheatgrass are in. Of course they're topped up with assorted vodka's, orange liquers , triple sec and tequilas, (not to forget the specially oxygenated water) They say (THEY being a group of trendy mixologists) that these new wave cocktails will detox you from the night before and get you right back up there again! What d'ya think? Would you swap your spritzers for a wheatgrass and vodka beetroot juice with flaxseed oil? As much as I'm all for any excuse or justification for a drink, surely it's all a load of rubbish? If you're choosing something for health benefits alone then you’d be better of without the alcohol i’m sorry to say, although there is something to be said for the fact that drinking an antioxidant filled healthy cocktail will give you less of a hangover than drinking wine. Why does wine hurt so much when it's just grapes?

One more Dunk and you're OUT!

2007-08-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

This gave me a bit of a giggle this morning, brings back memories of a certain restaurateur in Darwin who used to go BESERK if a diner dared move the fake ‘rose in a vase’ centrepiece so they could actually SEE the person they were having dinner with. He used to also throw a hissy fit at anyone requesting a doggy bag and would slam an old plastic ice cream container down with all of the leftovers unceremoniously glopped together. He WAS good entertainment value though, and its sounds like the ‘Tea Cosy’ in Brighton is just as much fun. The owner of the seaside tea shop is taking 'tearoom etiquette' to a whole new level even going so far as to warn customers that they may face ejection for committing the cardial sin of dunking their biscuits in their tea. Other definite no no’s are daring to clink your spoon on the cup whilst stirring, putting your elbows on the table (my mum would applaud him for that one) and the use of mobile phones. Owner David Daly’s strict rules and regulations have sparked an online debate on Facebook with one entry even going so far as to describe him as ‘fascist’. Mr Daly says "I am just keen to teach people the joys of a civilised cup of tea. People have to obey the rules in my tea rooms and, if not, they are asked to leave". Obviously the tea must be good as customers keep going back. One regular recently braved concussion by deviously trying to carry on a conversation on his mobile underneath his table. Unfortunately Daly walked in and surprised him, no doubt he left with a bump on his head, lets just hope he learned his lesson!

Actually its not just all about the drinking of tea. Whilst Daly plays mother out front, James Green, the chef, cooks up a storm in the Tea Cosy kitchen. Everything from Portabella mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese, cheddar, breadcrumbs and pesto, to mini jacket potatoes with cream cheese, lumpfish black caviar and saffron and decadent desserts such as rose petal apple tart and hot chocolate cinnamon bananas. And you can rest assured their will be NO RIFRAF!

'Aqua Dog' it's Doggy Delicious!

2007-08-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

If you like to pamper your pooch, then this little bit of news may be of interest to you. An enterprising Australian man has come up with a way to cash in on Australias booming pet food industry. There is currently one dog for every 5 Aussies and it seems that downunder they are not shy when it comes to forking out their hard earned dollars on feeding their pets..... $890 million per year to be exact! So Andrew Larkey has come up with a range of bottled waters for dogs. Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? But Andrew spotted a niche in the pooch market when he was working as a new products manager for an international beverage company. Two things stood out to Andrew whenever he entered a supermarket. “The fastest growing markets were bottled water for humans and high-value pet treats”. So why not marry the two? Larkeys employers didn’t go for the idea so he quit and went it alone. He now sells his ‘Aqua Dog Water’ for 3 Australian dollars per bottle and even though it is much more expensive than mineral water for humans it is flying of Aussie supermarket shelves at the rate of one thousand 600ml bottles every week. He's also launched Aqua Dog in the United States, Taiwan & Singapore and is currently testing the product in Japan. The delicious doggy drink comes in 3 flavors: beef, chicken and bacon and Andrew says "The flavour encourages the dog to drink and prepares the body against damaging fluid loss, and overheating during competition, travelling, training or hot days”. Still I can’t help wondering whether a good old stock cube mixed into Fido’s water bowl wouldn’t do the same job?

YES to Ironing, NO to Breastfeeding?

2007-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

A coalition of childrens charities including the National Childbirth Trust, Save The Children and Unicef are blaming the advertising of baby formula milk for the increased number of mothers abandoning breast feeding before the recommended six months. They would like to see a total advertising ban on formula milk for babies and say it should be restricted in the same way that Tobacco advertising is restricted. Meanwhile Jordan (Katie Price) has taken it in the neck from the National Childbirth Trust for appearing in OK! magazine, boldly bottle-feeding her new baby Princess Tiaamii from an SMA formula bottle. In fact not only was she photographed with her little princess contentedly sucking away at the bottle, Jordan also declared in the article that she loves them because she can throw the bottles away afterwards. She says she doesn’t care what people say about her “You don’t have to breast-feed. I don’t want a baby drinking from me.” Interestingly there is an advertisement for SMA’s ‘Follow on Milk’ for older babies placed on the following page. The National Childbirth Trust has already lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority against SMA. TheChief executive of the NCT was so peeved she took her copy of OK! Magazine straight to the Food Standards Agency in person! As for Jordan........ Would those incredible ‘Over Shoulder Boulder Holders’ of hers still be able to produce breast milk?

Italian Olive Oil Fraud

2007-08-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

News from the olive oil front... Of course over here we wouldn’t usually touch anything else but the Spanish stuff, but be aware if you do feel like indulging in a little of the Italian home grown extra-virgin olive oil. The Italian Olive oil market has become soooooooooooo lucrative that adulterated olive oil has become one of the biggest sources of agricultural fraud problems in the European Union. Some Italian oils labelled "extra-virgin" are diluted with cheaper olive oils or other vegetable oils. In some cases ‘lamp oil’ which is made from the spoiled olives that fall from the trees is used, even though it is illegal to sell ‘Lamp oil’ as food. One fraud ring is accused of colouring low-grade soy oil and canola oil with industrial chlorophyll, and flavouring it with beta-carotene. Americans are currently up in arms about this, as the FDA doesn't routinely test imported olive oil for adulteration, and some products are difficult to test.

The Power of Advertising

2007-08-08T02:26:00.000-07:00

Here’s one for all the mums and dads.... Children find food ‘six times tastier’ if its wrapped in McDonald's packaging. Its true ya know, I make much better hamburgers than Mcdonalds, but you’d never get my kid to agree to that!!

A study designed to find out once and for all the power of advertising, has revealed that boys and girls as young as three found food tastier when they thought it was made by a big brand. The kids were all aged three to five and were asked to rate five foods for tastiness. Each of the foods were presented twice, once in McDonalds packaging and once in plain wrapping. Other than the packaging, the samples were identical. The results highlight the reason I just cant seem to be able to drive by a set of those golden arches without harassment from the backseat to visit the drive-thru. Wherever the Mcdonalds wrapper was involved there could be no substitute as far as the kids in the study were concerned. And the phenomenon is NOT just restricted to fast food, the youngsters also thought that milk and carrots were tastier when they believed they had been bought at McDonald's. All of this was done at Stanford University in the US, and of course comes amid growing concern about the influence of advertising on children's health. Child obesity rates are shooting through the roof (& not just in the good old USA). Experts have warned that unless the Government acts now, an entire generation faces an old age blighted by heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases brought on by obesity, with today's children dying at a younger age than their parents. (Shame on us!). The problem is that although, junk food manufacturers have had to cut down their advertising during kids programmes on TV, they are now INCREASINGLY advertising on the internet. Just about all of the major brands now have their own websites with games and animations etc for the kids……. This research shows just how powerful (& worrying) that advertising is. Personally I think the 'Happy Meal' toy has a LOT to do with their motivation!

Ice Me Up

2007-08-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

OOOH.... I like these! First impressions really do count and these will definitely make you look COOL at your next little soiree. They’re called ‘Ice Jackets’ and they are actually a special case that you put your vodka or liquor bottle into before filling the case with water and placing in the deep freeze. Once they’re done you remove the outer case and you have a fabulous ‘ice encased’ bottle of vodka. Sit in on a rock pile of ice cubes and strategically place some shot glasses and you’re looking seriously chic in the drinks department! http://www.icejackets.com/

Oh! Wait a minute.... Ive just realised that base that you see in the picture doesn’t come off, and actually I think it makes the whole presentation look a little clumsy, so NOT quite as chic as I thought. Although the makers do say that the base provides excellent branding opportunities for products and venues.

Is London Overrated as a Culinary Destination?

2007-08-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

According to Forbes this week, Brick Lane is the place to go in London if it’s mouth watering curries you’re after. This is thanks to the mainly Bangladeshi population living and working there. Borough Market is of course the place to go for its many specialist stalls and organic food options and there is a never ending stream of innovative restaurants opening up across London making it a major Foodie destination for tourists. However! (& theres always one isn’t there?) A recent column in the ‘Diners Journal’ of the New York Times by Kim Severson says quite the opposite. Kim thinks that for all the excitement about Londons gastronomic revolution, the basics can still be bloody awful. She says that certainly, there is no argument that the food in London has gotten much better but Severson warns that at the highest end where Ramsay also rules, London’s food is very good but frighteningly expensive. She says prices are almost exactly double that of New York and she sums up by saying that the current London food revolution is an overstatement, asking the question: Does a marked (& much needed) improvement in really bad food make a place a great food town? What do you think? Is London overrated as a culinary destination? I’d like to also add that on a list of top ten travel destinations for American tourists released last week, London scored highly ONLY with travellers over 50. Make of it what you will!

There's Something Fishy Going On!

2007-08-04T03:27:00.000-07:00

Ice cream giant ‘Wall's’ has been given the go-ahead to use GM technology to make low-fat ice cream. Not good news for those consumers and supermarkets that recently rejected the whole concept of GM products. (Fondly known as Frankenstein Foods) Good news however for fans of the ‘Magnum’ and the ‘Cornetto’ as the company will use an artificial version of a protein found in a deep-sea fish to create healthier versions of both popular ice-creams. So far only a few GM products are available for retail in the UK and it will be interesting to see just how far the backlash from concerned consumers will travel. The GM culprit in this particular case is a protein which is a synthetic version of a protein found in the blood of the ocean pout fish. A clever little protein indeed in its natural state as it allows the fish to survive in extremely cold water just above the sea bed, working as a type of anti-freeze.

By growing the protein on yeast in large vats, Unilever (the parent company of Walls) has found a way to synthesise the protein so that when it is added to the ice cream it lowers the temperature at which ice crystals form. In case you’re wondering “So what?” this means that ice cream of a suitably thick consistency can be created without using as much fat in the process. And we LOVE that...dont we? Well actually NO! Not according to food campaigners who argue that Unilever’s decision to use the GM technology goes against the consumer demand for more natural products. There is however one condition to the go ahead with all of this. Unilever has had to agree to making sure the labels of the new low fat ice-creams state that they have been made by using GM technology. Don’t get too excited though if you are anticipating a guilt free ice-cream binge. The rest of the EU states are still to approve the use of the fake fish protein, so the products will not be launched for at least another 12 months.

The Humble Watermelon Gets Ahead!

2007-08-03T03:38:00.000-07:00

Someone called me on the breakfast show a few weeks ago to inform me about square watermelons. I don’t know how I missed this incredible concept, but once again we can thank the Japanese, ever conscious about living and working in confined spaces, who developed the square shaped watermelon (roughly pronounced “ar-ta- roo merroh”) to save space and make for easy stacking on crowded supermarket shelves. The concept was actually developed over twenty years ago by a farmer in Kagawa who was tired of having the normal shaped melons rolling around inside his refrigerator. So imagine my surprise upon deciding to investigate, to find these babies! Old fashioned spherical watermelons have been out in the land of the cherry blossom for years, but now the square ones and even the pyramid shaped ones (that I forgot to mention) are also old hat thanks to these new ‘Human Head Shaped’ watermelons. Now the pyramid shaped melons are apparently very hard to grow, so hard that the price for one is a whopping 80,000 yen (around 650 US Dollars or 480 Euro). The human head melons must also be difficult to cultivate as they are also currently fetching around the same price give or take a few yen. Crickey! For that price, I’d hope the farmers are sleeping with these melons and lovingly watering them with vintage champagne!

Thats the way the Chocolate Cookie Crumbles!

2007-08-03T03:28:00.000-07:00

Chocolate biscuit manufacturers in the UK are currently tearing their hair out as figures released this week by market analysts MINTEL show that sales of chocolate biscuits have plummeted by 17 per cent between 2001 and last year. A worrying sales slump that may be destined to continue as it seems perhaps Jamie Olivers ‘Healthy School Lunches’ campaign may not have been such a big flop after all. Analysts are putting the recent consumer biscuit ban down to all of the mums in the UK that are following Jamies advice and cleaning up their kids lunchboxes, ridding them of all high calorie choccie treats. And it’s not just the kids that are cutting down, once a British tradition, the good old chocolate covered biscuit is now only eaten by 15 percent of Brits with their mid morning cuppa. The strongest target market for biscuit makers is now the wrinklies, with one in four pensioners still regularly risking a biscuit or two every day.

Salads Get The Chop

2007-08-03T03:07:00.000-07:00

Last week we were warned that ready made sandwiches are packed with salt, we were also warned to AVOID grapefruit for breakfast as scientists say it may cause breast cancer. This week yet more food warnings, this time it's ready made salads getting the chop. Watchdogs are now saying that ready made salads should carry a health warning on their packaging because they contain more salt than a Big Mac and fries! They took a look at 156 different high-street retailers, coffee shops and fast-food outlets in London and salads from Morrisons, Asda, Somerfield, Sainsburys, Marks & Spencers, ALL showed high salt levels. Of course this is the UK we're talking about, but Id hazard a guess things are pretty much the same over here in Spain when it comes to fast food options. Something to keep in mind if you are watching your salt intake people, all of those so called healthy salad options might be doing you more harm than good. So no more salads… No more grapefruit…… No more sandwiches…….. Whats left....... Baked Beans? Actually its not the actual salads it’s the dressings that are on them of course. They hide a MULTITUDE of sins!!!

Pepsi Ice Cucumber Is Over Before It Began!

2007-08-01T02:25:00.000-07:00

Now I did notice this little product launch over a month ago but thought it would taste so revolting that it would never catch on....... However! Leave it to the Japanese and their penchant for what most of us would call ‘whacky flavours’, to ensure that ‘Pepsi’s Limited Edition Ice Cucumber Soda’ absolutely flew of the shelves for the short few weeks that is was available for purchase. 4.8 million bottles of the stuff to be exact! Apparently if you put the word ‘Gentei’ on a label in Japan (meaning ‘limited edition’ in English) you can practically guarantee yourself a hit and the whackier the flavour the better. Take ‘Bilk’ for example. Think about it....... ‘Bilk’ is the unlikely combination of beer and milk, and as a limited edition release has been selling out in Japanese supermarkets since its launch last February. Anyway, Pepsi’s Ice Cucumber concoction has had the desired effect and Pepsi have now discontinued the drink even though it was only launched in June. Pepsi officials are already working on their next big fad flavour designed to compete with the phenomenal 1,500 new drinks that will hit the Japanese market over the next 12 months, saying that the real value of ‘Pepsi’s Limited Edition Ice Cucumber’ is that it is SO limited, its GONE. .... Sayonara!

Don't Worry it's 'China-Free'.

2007-07-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

Those 3 little words that strike fear into the hearts of many consumers ‘Made In China’ are now being challenged by 2 little words.......... ‘China-Free’. Capitalizing on the recent concerns about food products from China, a whole food nutritional supplement company is the first to start adding 'China-Free' labels to all of its products and actively promote that its ingredients and products are NOT made in China. ‘Food for health International’ have always used organic and natural ingredients in their vitamin and health shake products but President Frank Davis wants to ensure that the world knows that absolutely none of these ingredients come from China. Of course this is all a direct result of the recent headlines which have listed more than 100 brands of Chinese pet products and fruits and vegetables which have dangerous ingredients in them, including dodgy chemicals which have caused illness and some deaths. Chinese-made tires were recently found to be made by eliminating essential gum strips for tread integrity and toothpastes have been discovered containing chemicals more common to antifreeze than the harmless glycerines that are usually expected in a toothpaste. Get ready for the ‘Asian’ section at your supermarket to become a whole lot smaller than it was!

A Woman That Really TAKES THE CAKE!

2007-07-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

This week on THE MAIN INGREDIENT I have a chat with a lady that has been getting a lot of attention in the UK of late. Michelle Wibowo completed her degree in architecture and then went on to pursue her passion for cake decorating and sugarcraft with a BTEC course in baking science. (Not a natural progression for most architects!) When she’s not winning awards for her incredible cakes, michelle is creating designer creations for her ever growing celebrity client list. Tune in this Saturday to HOTFM at 10am or REMFM at 1pm (Mainland Spanish time) to hear the interview and log onto michelles website http://www.michellesugarart.co.uk/ and click on the events button to watch michelle constructing her award winning ‘baby cake’ …… Incredible stuff.

Saddam Juice Anyone?

2007-07-26T13:38:00.001-07:00

Serbian Entrepreneurs have entered the highly competitive fruit juice market with a line of juices whose bottles bear the names and mug shots of notorious leaders Fidel Castro and Saddam Hussein. Castro gets the Blackberry, and Saddam gets something that looks orange and about the consistency of liposuctioned fat. YUM! There are also plans for Gueverra to be given the Raspberry (so to speak) and even Argentinian footy legend Maradona is to get his own juice although so far his flavour remains a mystery. No plans as yet to distribute the juice world wide although the man behind the new ‘tyrant’ juice (award winning Serbian film director Emir Kusturica) produces his juice in a small fruit juice factory in his western village of Drvengrad. Why? It’s beyond me. I would have thought that if you were going to use such branding images, you would use them on a much more aggressive product than a natural juice? None of his chosen mascots exactly exude that image of glowing luminous skin and sparkling eyes usually associated with a juice addict do they? Beady yes! But sparkling? Although I suppose they all had pretty good hair in their day? Who knows..... The mind boggles.

Zeta-Jones Set to Sex-Up British Nosh

2007-07-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

Catherine Zeta Jones is all set to have a go at convincing the Yanks that the Brits can cook! Catherine takes on the role of a top chef in the new romantic comedy ‘ No Reservations’ and its hoped that she will have a bit of a ‘Nigella Effect’ on the old British classics, finally laying to rest the dodgy image that Americans think of when it comes to food from jolly old England. One of the films producers says that the fact that most of America believes that all Brits love Spam, can be blamed on Monty Python, but thanks to the work of celeb chefs such as Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and of course His Gordoness himself Gordon Ramsey, the US is now more open minded to the concept of British Nosh. Incidentally Ms. Zeta Jones recently let slip the secret to her infuriatingly glossy hair..... Caviar shampoo at $400 a pop! The Beluga caviar is flown in from Iran (where else?) five days before she swans in to her favourite South Kensington beauty salon where she has her luxurious locks washed with a truffle based shampoo before smearing them with the imported caviar. Now I have to admit I can’t be quite as self righteous as I’d like to be as I did have a brief period in my life where I fed Iranian caviar to my cat. But that was only because I really loved my cat, and I was given a gift of 12 fabulous jars of the stuff which I could not quite finish before the use by date!(It’s a long story) You have to wonder though if Micheal Douglas keeps a few toast points and a boiled egg on hand at all times, just in case.

Too Old to Booze?

2007-07-25T01:59:00.000-07:00

Now let me ask my more mature readers...... Do you drink as much now as you used to when you were in your 20’s or 30’s? See I think I probably drink MORE! Not all in one bash like I used to, but as you get older, on a regular basis, the old glass of wine or two at lunch, the after work spritzer, Gin and tonic while you water the garden, a glass of wine while you cook dinner……. A couple of glasses WITH dinner. The reason I ask is that we post war baby boomers need to beware! Apparently our oldies forgot to tell us that we are not supposed to keep drinking as if we are 20 - 30 when we are middle-aged. Experts on the effects of alcohol (I wonder how you get THAT job?) have warned that guidelines on safe drinking levels should take into account the actual age of the drinkers. Apparently the old metabolism just can’t keep up. In other words the damage alcohol can do increases with age. Common sense I guess, but not something I’d ever thought about...... Until now! As we sit back and drink ourselves into our old age the recommended levels that are perfectly acceptable for the youngsters (boy was it hard for me to type that last word) are NOT acceptable for our middle-aged bodies which become much less efficient at metabolising alcohol and therefore make it much more toxic as it goes through our systems. Professor Mary Gilhooly, of Brunel University says governments need to adjust the current booze guidelines before it’s too late. Now last time I checked we girls were already down to one glass of red wine per day, two at a push, so it doesn’t leave us much room to maneuver does it? And don’t even THINK about that next Mojito! Now for the girls, combine that info with this sobering thought about the ‘5 to 15’ rule when treating alcoholics and it’s enough to make your girly livers curdle. When drinking the exact same amounts of alcohol, it usually takes a man 15 years to develop to the same point of alcoholism as it takes a woman to develop in 5 years!!! Then again if we stick to one a day, we can hardly become alcoholics can we?

Brits Discover The Mediterranean Diet

2007-07-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

While those of us living in Spain can enjoy a variety of relatively low cost, high quality extra virgin olive oils, Sales of the stuff have reached an all time high in the UK despite its high price over there. A whopping £71 million in extra virgin revenue to be exact! The Mediterranean diet has of course been around for centuries, but the Brits just seem to have just caught on. Extra Virgin seems to be replacing old British standards such as sunflower or vegetable oil as an increasing number of Britons adopt a healthier Mediterranean style diet. However .... How disappointing to find that own label oils from Tesco and Sainsbury's are the most popular among British buyers. If only they knew what they are missing!

BLING Cookware!

2007-07-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

RIGHT!...... If you're looking for a gift for the woman who has everything, this little number might just do the trick! An 11inch saucepan, with solid gold handles studded with 200 diamonds, and at a retail price of ONLY 100,000 pounds. Can you imagine that? If my husband ever DARED buy me a saucepan as a gift, I’d hit him over the head with it, no matter HOW expensive it was. Diamonds or not! Its like getting a dust buster as a gift, the fact that its covered in diamonds doesn't make it anything else but a dust buster does it? Anyway, as it turns out Phil Hogan in the Observer Food Monthly discovers that you can't even cook in the bloody thing, so what's the point? The blinged up saucepan is available from Harrods and the makers are hoping it will be included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most precious pot! AND as if that's not enough..... If you'd like to continue the 'BLING' theme into your next dinner party you might like to splash out on the 144-piece solid silver cutlery set, set with 4,000 diamonds, on sale at Selfridges for just £200,000. pounds. Personally I'd rather WEAR my bling than spit all over it.

Fry it up for Brekky

2007-07-19T05:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry to feature two stories on nutrition in a row, but its just getting more and more confusing on the nutritional front. Earlier this week we were told that eating grapefruit causes a risk of breast cancer for older women, yesterday it was "Forget taking Vitamin C with regards to colds and flu as its completely pointless" and now today we have ANOTHER load of research suggesting that a nice ‘FRYUP’ washed down with grapefruit juice could make SOME cancer drugs more effective. Doctors believe that taking the breast cancer drug lapatinib at the same time as a fatty meal may make it work at least three times as well. Add grapefruit juice into the equation and the researchers say the pills could be five times more effective than normal by aiding absorption. (lapatinib is a drug that could be available in the UK within months and more tests are currently underway.) Of course the researchers hasten to add that this latest recipe for health could lead to some confusion, as recent research showed that eating grapefruit may INCREASE the risk of breast cancer. So how do you like them apples? ...Or should I say grapefruit?

Research, Research, Research!

2007-07-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

More research hitting the headlines today and here’s some that I think REALLY highlights the fact that scientists have too much time on their hands: Chocolate is a girl's best friend and apples are her worst enemy! Now that’s worth spending money to know isn’t it? Scientists Have studied the facial expressions of 300 women in six European countries. They were filmed as they ate ice cream, chocolate, cereal bars, yogurt and apples. Their facial expressions were then mapped using new computer software that claims to be able to read emotions. They’ve discovered chocolate is the best food to make a woman smile (Ground breaking stuff huh?) Apples produced 87 per cent neutral expressions across the continent with Italians and Swedes most likely to appear sad when eating them. Yogurt caused "sad" expressions for 28 per cent. You can see a method to their madness however, the new software tracks muscle movements across the face - when we smile, frown or grimace, thousands of tiny facial muscles are at work. The computer maps these movements onto a virtual face, then matches them to six basic patterns corresponding to anger, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust and happiness. The software may eventually be used to test things like reduced-fat and low-calorie ice creams to see if they maintain the 'pleasure principle'. Needless to say in tests on women (who tend to have more expressive faces) the software registered fewer positive reactions for healthy foods.

How Do You Like Your Loo?

2007-07-18T03:23:00.000-07:00

Now I have to admit I like a good loo, but I’m wondering if it’s just an AUSSIE trait, or whether other nationalities admire a good loo too? How do you feel if you walk in to an establishment, order your spritzer at the bar and then make a visit to the bog...... To find to your horror that it’s not up to par.... with the rest of the bar?

Well apparently Down Under, we’re as serious about a good loo as ever. In a recent review of a trendy bar in Sydney, It seems that there is a definite ‘Battle of the Bogs’ going on. A battle that no restaurant or Bar wants to LOSE (get it....Loos?) Anyway, a bar called ‘De Nom’ currently takes the honours as providing the city's most stately thrones. The cubicles at De Nom are designed to look like sitting rooms, complete with canopied ceilings and works of art, the toilets themselves are hidden inside replica Louis 14th chairs, complete with cushions. (Although a few hygiene questions do spring to mind there) & when you flush, the painting on the wall, rises to reveal the washbasin. Old Thomas Crapper would have been proud! But listen to this....... Sydney’s recently opened ‘Argyle’ known as an ‘Uber Funky Establishment’ (whatever that is) has taken a more modern approach to the current battle of the bog, with its 2.2m-high, glowing ‘ Pee Pods’. Yep that's right 'Pee Pods'. And get this, the ‘Pee Pods’ are visible from the bar and are especially designed to be a talking point! Now I’m all for those trendy open plan kitchens but open plan loos?

Attention Pickle Perverts

2007-07-18T02:51:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars Pickle Perverts! The 6th Annual New York City Pickle Day Festival is coming up on September 17th. A day that basically celebrates anything preserved in brine, the organisers say Pickle Day expresses the true character of the Lower East Side, bringing to life pickling traditions from diverse American traditions and from the immigrant communities of India, Germany, Poland, China, Japan, Scandinavia, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, & Africa. Now speaking of pickles this important event gives me the opportunity to bring up a little product I found recently over at ‘Slashfood’, the ‘PICKLE SICKLE’. Just what every pickle lover needs...... A popsicle made from pickle juice. YUM! At least the makers of this freaky frozen treat seem to have a sense of humour about their pickle popsicles saying that even harder than believing that someone thought up the idea of creating a popsicle made from pickle juice is believing that someone tried it and actually liked it! You can find it at http://www.pickle-sickle.com/ ...where else? I'd hazard a guess a mouth puckering treat if ever there was one.

Ahh Gordon, Ya Win Some, Ya Lose Some!

2007-07-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sir Gordoness is in trouble again, and this time the production company for his hugely successful tv show ‘The F Word’ is in deep doo doo as well. A recent episode showing Ramsey heading off into the sea off the Devon coast to bag some bass for a beach barbecue is a big Fish FAKE! Well the fish weren't fake but apparently in reality he’s not quite so gifted in the fishing department as he is in the cooking department nd after an hour trying to spear a fish he came up empty handed. Spearfishing expert Dave O’Callaghan is the one who’s spilled the beans or should I say Sea Bass? Dave says he went in a good 20 minutes before Ramsey to ensure that there would be enough fish caught to film on the barbecue. After threading the fish onto a stringer he then handed them to Ramsey to carry ashore, befitting the image of the manly chef we all know and love. To be blunt, spearfishing expert Dave O’Callaghan says His Gordoness caught "F .... all!"

And while we’re talking about Ramsey, Do you eat Tripe? It used to be quite popular years ago didn’t it? I remember my parents eating it, I also remember it smelling AWFUL when it was being cooked. I think it was once seen as good, honest poor man's grub. In fact back in Victorian times tripe and onions were thought to be the British national dish. Now in case you DON’T know, Tripe is made from the stomach of cow, sheep and pigs etc and thanks to good old Gordon Ramsay, Tripe is now making a comeback. He featured the 'delicacy' on his Channel 4 show The F Word last week and now supermarkets are being BESEIGED by shoppers demanding “More TRIPE”. By the end of last week, sales of tripe had risen by more than 400 per cent just over the ten days since Ramseys Tripe feature went to air. Very good for you apparently, low in fat, high in both calcium and vitamin c, high in protein, low in carbs. The power of television huh?

Good God NOT Grapefruit?

2007-07-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

A bit worrying this grapefruit business in the papers today. The Daily Mail reports on a new study that suggests that eating as little as a quarter of a grapefruit per day RAISES the danger by 30 per cent among older women of developing breast cancer. See now I thought grapefruit was supposed to be SUPER HEALTHY. All those hideous breakfasts, tryng to justify the sprinkling of just one more teaspoon of sugar on my grapefruit halves, and avoid the obligatory squirt in the eye whenever I actually summoned the courage to try and spoon some up to swallow, and I could have been doing much more harm than good! It is thought the fruit boosts blood levels of oestrogen, and since it is well established that oestrogen is associated with breast cancer risk, it is plausible that regular intake of grapefruit would increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. How scarey is that? The study, carried out by the universities of Southern California and Hawaii, was based on more than 50,000 post-menopausal women from five ethnic groups, including 1,657 with breast cancer. The results, have been published in the British Journal of Cancer. So there you go girls, this is NOT a joking matter! Grapefruit??? What's next? To read the article in todays Daily Mail go to:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=468559&in_page_id=1798

Pay Up for Every Last Scrap!

2007-07-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

On a clear day the cries of indignation can still be heard across Leeds as word spreads about the local eaterie that has dared to put ‘Batter Scraps’ on the menu, for £2 per portion. Fryers waste, also known as ‘Bits, Shoddy & Nips’ are the leftover fragments of batter sieved from the beef dripping in the deep pan and have been beloved as a free extra to takeaway fish and chips since as far back as 1863. Ah well, Times they are a changing! The reaction from Fish & Chip aficionados has been one of utter disgust. “ £2 for Batter Scraps? Tell me I'm hallucinating on mushy peas." However upon investigation, these are not just your everyday batter scraps. The £2 bowls come in 3 different variations so far. Zested and juiced with lemon, sprinkled with chilli flakes and mixed with rock pepper or nutmeg. So although not exactly ground breaking stuff, TECHNICALLY we are no longer talking fryers waste. How do you think we ever came up with crispy potato skins and the like? 10 points for thinking outside the fryer I say!

It's Sangria Season.... Yawn!

2007-07-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's Sangria season, and lets be honest, some of the insipid concoctions served at the local ‘chiringuitos’ (beach bars) here on the Costa del Sol leave a LOT to be desired. Of course there's Sangria and then there’s SANGRIA but most of us non professional mixologists when mixing up a batch at home usually end up with a basic punch full of chopped fruit, red wine, sherry or (shock horror!) brandy and a soft drink of some sort. So with the current craze for re-creating traditional cocktails I decided this week to search through some of the worlds mixology gurus and see if anyone had come up with a new take on the old classic Sangria. This one was so decidedly different I thought it worth a mention: Roger Kugler, sommelier and general manager at Suba restaurant in Manhattan has come up with an ‘ Almond and Lemon Fino Sangria’ by combining tea, pureed almonds, fino Sherry, and fresh lemon juice, served with a garnish of sliced apple. He says Earl Grey tea is a good choice, but any black tea would probably suffice. The trick is to cold brew it to preserve and enhance the tannins rather than cook them out. A bit of a hybrid Sangria I know, but certainly a refreshing change from the tired old sickly sweet red stuff we buy by the jug-full. Unfortunately Kugler hasn’t been generous enough to part with the recipe for his ‘Almond and Lemon Fino Sangria’ but I reckon he’s given us enough of an idea to have a go anyway. If you’re brave enough, let me know the verdict! I intend to experiment this weekend. I’ll be fine as long as I don’t try and convince the Spanish Hubby its Sangria!

Jamies School Dinner Program a Big Fat Flop?

2007-07-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? After all of that huge hoo-hah about healthy kids school meals and the phenomenal campaign by Jamie Oliver to introduce fruit and vegetables to British school dinner tables, figures from the LACA (Local Authorities Catering Association) in Britain show that only four in ten pupils now eat the healthy lunches provided by their school, the lowest consumption of school meals since their provision was made mandatory way back in 1944. So it seems that after a massive advertising campaign and a whopping £235 million being spent on improving the quality of school meals the little buggers would prefer to either bag their lunch from home or buy a takeaway. Not surprising really, why would they want to conform to Jamies school dinners program during the day when they are probably going home to an evening meal of chicken nuggets and chips or take away curry? In fact resistance to the new lunch time standards became hysterical at one stage when two Rotherham mothers created a fast food delivery service for pupils at the Rawmarsh Community school, passing cholesterol laden burgers and jacket potatoes stuffed with fatty toppings through a fence to the kids that still wanted their fast food fix at lunch times. Nowadays 2 years after Jamies campaign and with a nearly 30 percent drop in school meal consumption the School Food Trust is taking it all very seriously and have revised the original guidelines to include some amendments to be introduced in September this year. While still committed to healthier menus, these new guidelines will relax some of the strictest standards put in place, including the current ban on soft drinks. So does this mean that Jamies Campaign has failed? I suppose you have to start somewhere don’t you, but it does show that take away our choices completely and many of us just want what we can’t have.

Now THAT's Cool

2007-07-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

Well bad luck to those of you in the UK who seem to be missing out on a sensational summer this year due to torrential rains. I can assure you that here in Southern Spain we have already settled into days of endlessly blue skies and fabulous hot weather. Speaking of hot weather........ It wouldn’t be the same without ice cold drinks would it? However ‘ICE’ is not just ‘ICE’ anymore. Chucking a few mishapened cubes into a ‘Tinto de Verano’ (Red wine with Seven Up or Fanta Lemon and other ingredients depending on the bartender) is no longer acceptable. Just have a look at these beauties! Multi Coloured ice cubes that not only cool down the drinks, but heat up the party and bathe the drinkers face with that healthy nite clubbish glow! They’ll even customize the ice cubes with your name or company logo! All you have to do is throw them in the freezer and after a short period they are ready to make your next Gin and Tonic a work of art. http://www.glowproducts.com/

Now If glowing ice cubes don’t do it for you, and you are one of those who believe ‘the better the water the better the ice’ (and how could you not?) then how about some ‘ICEROCKS’? Sealed ice cubes made from spring water from the Vendee Region of France. Hermetically packaged in disposable recyclable containers , you just need to freeze and they are ready to go, minerals and all!

Horse Meat Sushi

2007-07-10T02:02:00.001-07:00

Gordon Ramsey recently raised more than a few eyebrows in the UK by promoting fresh horsemeat as a viable and nutritious meat product for both restaurants and home kitchens. Actually horse meat has long been a favourite in other parts of Europe where consumers are not so prissy about such things. However ‘Horse Meat Sushi’ is not something i’ve had the opportunity to try yet, and although I WOULD try it..... I’m not too sure I’d like it! Recently on the show we covered the shortages and rising prices of bluefin tuna thanks to the worlds growing appetite for sushi and sashimi. At New Yorks ‘Masa’ restaurant patrons can be expected to cough up an overwhelming $800/- for their sushi meal, and now with global fishing police restricting the tuna catch the Japanese are of course more than just a little concerned. Tadashi Yamagata vice-chairman of Japan’s national union of sushi chefs says “It’s like America running out of steak, sushi without tuna just would not be sushi” That said, innovative Japanese chefs are currently looking at ways to improvise with raw horse and deer meat. The Japanese are no strangers to horse meat, known to them as ‘Basashi’. In fact ‘Basashi Ice Cream’ is a huge favourite in certain regions of Japan. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the world takes to horse meat sushi. I have it on good authority (straight from the horses mouth so to speak) that Japanese chefs say its delicious! Soft, easy to bite off, and has no smell.Well i’ll have to wait for my first taste test to let you know, but I cant help thinking you can say that about a lot of things but it doesn’t mean you want to eat them. I must say I have surprised myself at my reluctance, I think its probably something to do with over exposure to the film ‘Black Beauty’ when I was young.

Spice it Up!

2007-07-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

The Spice Girls have re-united, a truly horrifying thought for most of us, although an enterprising young lady Sarah Hood was way ahead of the girls when she created her range of ‘Spice Jewellery’, tiny hand blown glass vials filled with spices just incase you ever get caught short! Sarah works with whole spices, including cardamom pods, fennel seeds, nutmeg and saffron. She says she is constantly surprised and inspired by the completeness and innate elegance of these small natural forms and tries to highlight them effortlessly with the clean lines of silver and glass. These pieces definitely blur the lines between studio, kitchen, and laboratory. I think my favorite is the nutmeg necklace, although the photo here features the mixed spice ensemble. Check them out at http://www.sarahhoodjewelry.com

Stressed & FAT!

2007-07-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

Big news this week, ‘Stress’ has been identified as a major cause of obesity by scientists. Forgive me but having been what’s commonly known as ‘A Stress Eater’ for most of my life, this latest scientific discovery comes as no huge surprise. Although I must admit jumping to conclusions I thought that they were getting at the actual AMOUNT of food that I manage to shovel in when stressed, when in fact researchers at Georgetown University have found that stress has a direct effect on fat accumulation, body weight and metabolism. So its NOT just the comfort eating that does it! As part of the study, stressed and unstressed mice were fed normal diets and high calorie diets. The mice on normal diets did not become obese, but stressed mice on high calorie diets gained twice as much fat as unstressed mice on the same diet. What they seem to be getting at here is that if its possible to unlock receptors in the body’s fat cells to grow in size and number, it may also be possible to BLOCK the same receptors to prevent fat growth or make cells die because of a special molecule that the body releases when stressed. I’m so confused....... just pleeeese somebody let me know when the pill is available!