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Bonne Maman welcomes new Chocolate & Cherry Patisserie Pot to the chilled desserts range. The irrestible, layered dessert is designed to delight the senses and comes in three complementary flavours. Designed for ultimate indulgence, each pot invites dessert lovers to enjoy a light, airy chocolate mousse on a delicious sweet cherry compote, balanced by a satisfyingly buttery biscuit base. In packs of 2 x 90g pots, Bonne Maman Chocolate & Cherry Patisserie Pot is available at Waitrose, Morrisons and Tesco stores. RRP £2.60.  Image copyright, Bonne Maman UK
 Artisanal, organic honey company, Honey Heaven has launched a sensational new variety that’s great for summer. Organic Raspberry Honey combines the natural sweetness of certified organic, creamy wildflower honey with premium raspberries for a delicious fruity tang. Crafted in small batches, this 100% organic honey contains nothing artificial and no additives. Raspberries are freeze-dried using a process that preserves them at their freshest by gently removing moisture at low temperatures. This helps retain maximum nutrient and vitamin content, preserve natural colour and intense flavour and avoids the need for preservatives or added sugars. The result? Pure, concentrated raspberry taste with all the goodness nature intended! Blend that with creamy, raw wildflower honey, crafted from the purest nectar of organic wild blossoms and you have the ultimate summer tasting sensation. Organic Raspberry Honey is more than just a sweet treat though. Raspberries have powerful health benefits. When combined with raw honey, they create a naturally nourishing blend high in antioxidants to help fight free radicals, support the immune system with vitamin C while natural compounds help promote skin health and vitality. Honey in its raw form contains amino acids, protective plant compounds, vitamins, minerals and sugar. Organic Raspberry Honey is the latest variety in the 18 strong range of premium organic honeys available from www.honeyheaven.co.uk with a 300g jar retailing for around £13.00.
 Start-up drinks brand Bemuse is shortlisted in the Brand Launch of the Year category in the Food and Drink Federation Awards 2022. Having just celebrated its first anniversary, the brand is vying for the ultimate crown against food and drink sector big-hitters including Mars Food, Princes and Walkers. Nature inspired Bemuse supports the UK’s dwindling bee population by reimagining ancient honey drink mead for a modern audience. My interest piqued, the company kindly sent me some drinks to try. I can say that they went down very well indeed especially on these, the hottest days of the year! Besides the fact Bemuse is deliciously tasty, the drinks are low in sugar, alcohol and calories, all natural and gluten free to boot. Can't be bad, can it? Let me tell you about the flavours available. Light and fruity Hops Infused Sparkling Low Alcohol Mead is described as 'curiously crisp and hoppy.' Brewed with wildflower honey, the flavour may change slightly depending on the flowers the bees go to. Pair this one with fish or barbecued meats. Raspberry Sparkling Low Alcohol Mead is described as 'curiously fresh and aromatic'. Light and refreshing, this contains orange blossom honey and raspberries. The scent is light, citrusy, with a super-refreshing taste which has the merest hint of sweetness. Pair with tart dressings and sauces or enjoy with cheese, salad or dessert. Ginger & Cardamom Sparkling Low Alcohol Mead is described as 'curiously zesty and fragrant'. Brewed with apple blossom honey, it has a pleasant, fresh scent and added zing due to the addition of aromatic ginger and cardamom. Pair with spicy, highly seasoned foods or something with a sweet glaze or sauce. Tarragon, Basil & Hops Sparkling Low Alcohol Mead is described as 'curiously tangy, smoky and refreshing'. The honey is from ling heather blossoms found on Scottish moors with the addition of tarragon, basil and hops. Delicately refreshing, it is slightly tangy with a mild sweetness and hint of smokiness. Pair with light seafood or herby dishes . Co-founder Anna Chalov explained, 'From the beginning, we had a very clear vision for Bemuse and wanted to create a non-alcoholic drink that was refreshing. tasty, low in calories but which also supported the natural world. In Bemuse, we have created a unique drinks category as the only range of non-alcoholic craft meads and which are produced by natural fermentation of honey, water and yeast, infused with natural ingredients to create four distinctive flavours. '  FDF award winners will be revealed at a ceremony hosted by Jay Rayner on 15 September. Bemuse sparkling low-alcohol meads are 0.5% ABV and available in 330ml fully recycled cans. https://www.bemusedrinks.com  images (c) Bemuse & Mike Pickup
Stockists include WiseBartender Bemuse has achieved wide distribution through online and specialist UK drinks retailers and the lightly sparkling, low-alcohol meads are a refreshing alternative for hot summer days. Bemuse has recently expanded distribution into the Netherlands, with discussions ongoing for distribution in other overseas markets and will shortly launch a crowdfunding campaign to expand and secure additional listings. 100% Olive Oil Mayonnaise from Hunter & Gather, perfect for dipping, dunking and dolloping!
 Hunter & Gather is the brand behind ‘clean’ condiments (100% Avocado Oil Mayo and Unsweetened Sauces) and winner of ‘Best of British’ at Ocado’s Rising Stars Awards. They launched a trio of 100% Olive Oil all natural mayonnaise , packed with goodness and free from nasties. That's good news for me as I LOVE mayonnaise. Let me tell you, I have an array of cookery books, many telling me 'how easy' it is to make my own mayonnaise. Okay, it's not that difficult, but it can be a bit of a palaver. I therefore opt for the shop bought versions, though they generally come laden with additives in the shape of salt, sugar and multiple preservatives. Hunter & Gather's mayonnaise on the other hand is made with only four ingredients : olive oil, free range egg yolk, apple cider vinegar and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. The flavour? Creamy and fresh with a slightly sharp tang and what is REALLY wonderful is, you can taste every one of those four ingredients! Amy Moring, Co-founder of Hunter & Gather, says: “It’s about time mayo had a makeover. All too often, shop bought mayonnaise contains inflammatory seed oils or sunflower oil blends - poor fats with negative health impacts - plus powdered egg, chemical preservatives and added sugar. Our mayonnaise is made with 100% light tasting Olive Oil from ancient groves in the Cordoba region of Spain, pressed in the traditional way, meaning no chemical hexanes or solvents are used. The result is a product that’s pure, light and delicious, packed with healthful monosaturated fats and polyphenols and with absolutely no added nasties.” She continues, “At Hunter & Gather, our mission is to provide people with the tools to thrive through healthier food choices, education and recipes that are always free from refined sugars, chemical preservatives, grains and seed oils. Our new 100% Olive Oil mayonnaise is a huge step forward for real food products and marks an important milestone on our journey to improving the health of the nation.” Go on, give it a try, you won't be disappointed! It tastes so good you won't want to go back to ordinary-old mayo again. Hunter & Gather 100% Olive Oil Mayonnaise available in Classic, Olive & Lemon and Horseradish hunterandgatherfoods.com. About Hunter & Gather Launched in 2017 by dynamic entrepreneurs Jeff Webster and Amy Moring, to fulfil a lifelong mission to create a brand that proactively champions honest, tasty, real food, free from lazy sugars, grains and poor quality fats; shining a light on the nutritional shortcomings of taken-for-granted food categories: ketchups, mayonnaise, cooking oils and dressings. In a UK food landscape where 63% are overweight, the brand is re-writing the rule book for real food, changing the way people think about what it means to eat well and creating ‘tools to thrive’ to pave the way for optimal health & wellness. hunterandgatherfoods.com images (c) Sophie Harrington ad/ gifted product - honest review   The clean waters around Wick in Scotland's far north provide perfect conditions for nutrient-dense seaweed to thrive. Seaweed is a source of prebiotic fibre, protein, magnesium, antioxidants and iodine, an often forgotten mineral which is essential for both minds and bodies. A superfood, in fact. Makes sense then to turn the local seaweed into delicious snacks and food. Win win situation - good for you and good for the planet. SHORE is the Scottish seaweed company who produce delicious snacks and food. They kindly sent me samples of their Seaweed Chips in Lightly Salted, Asian Peking and Sweet Sriracha flavours as well as a jar of Black Kale and Seaweed Pesto. Besides the taste, I love the fact that they are healthy - it's all down to that that seaweed again, packed with more minerals than almost any vegetable on earth, as well as macro and micro nutrients, antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals - all of which mean your diet is boosted whenever you eat it. SHORE tell me that because the abundant complex carbs in seaweed are slow to digest, you feel full for longer and of course, that helps cut your calorie intake. All natural flavourings complement a umami seaweed base, making these seaweed crisps deliciously crunchy and exceptionally more-ish.  SHORE's dedicated harvesteers live in some of Scotland's most remote communities. They are out in all weathers hand harvesting the best seaweed the shores have to offer.
You can buy the goodies at various outlets listed here shoreseaweed.com/where-to-buy/  Forget hours spent in the kitchen following complex instructions. In Part-Time Baker, each recipe is clearly labelled with 'hands-on time' and 'total time' to make clear how much effort you need to put in. Many bakes can be prepped in just 10 minutes and there are plenty of cheats and tips for impressive results. No need for loads of obscure baking equipment and all recipes can be scaled up sharing or down. Delicious, speedy baking recipes for every occasion – morning, noon and late-night snack, including: • Cheat's Almond Croissants • 3-Ingredient Chocolate Twists • Speedy Sesame Bagels • Spiced Ginger Traybake • Vegan No-Bake Chocolate and Pistachio Bars • Spring Green, Pesto and Courgette Flower Tart • Mini Pina Colada Loaf Cakes • Sugar Cinnamon Popovers with Warm Honey • Espresso Martini Cake • Molten Caramel Brownie Skillet Part-time Baker is all about reducing hours you spend in the kitchen, giving you more time to enjoy the tasty results. Whether new to baking or managing a busy schedule, you'll find realistic recipes that look and taste fantastic. Florence Stanton started her own online baking social media account @Tasting.Thyme in Aberdeen, Scotland in 2021. Every day she celebrates self-love through good food and good vibes with zero mention of calories. It showcases easy and delicious bakes, sweet and savoury, that show you don't need fancy training, huge kitchen or every tool to create wonderful food. Photography by Majaja Smend    Munch Lunch & Dinner
is just the book to help you gain more confidence in the kitchen. This new cook book is packed with easy-to-follow, delicious recipes. Discover how to turn low-cost. easy to find ingredients into tasty, nutritious dishes. In this world of celebrity chefs, social media and aspirational cooking, it's easy to be overwhelmed by conflicting information. One minute we are told to cook seasonably and shop locally, the next to hunt down unusual ingredients. Munch Lunch & Dinner cuts through all this noise. Every recipe uses ingredients found in your store cupboard or local supermarket. No need for specialist equipment either, most use just one saucepan. There are clear guides on how to shop and how to substitute expensive ingredients without sacrificing taste. Munch CIC is passionate about fighting health inequalities, empowering communities and helping individuals make healthy changes and learn about sustainable nutrition. The book was born out of Munch Community Cooking workshops and courses which they run to help people develop skills and confidence needed to cook from scratch. Munch Lunch and Dinner was designed as a take home tool for the low income and disadvantaged groups they regularly work with. However, they realised many more people would benefit from their back-to-basics approach to home cooking and meal planning. This cookbook is more than just recipes. It guides you through stocking cupboards with versatile ingredients and batch cooking meals for future use. There are tips for reducing waste and making food go further by using leftovers. Throughout the book there is nutritional information and advice about eating sustainably including ways to introduce more plants into your diet. Mary Louise Needham-Carlton, is a Director of Munch CIC and author of Munch Lunch & Dinner. On releasing the cookbook she said: “It’s exciting to potentially be able to help more people access healthy food and learn about sustainable nutrition. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated! We hope this book will be a useful guide for new cooks as well as a go-to for experienced cooks, for new ideas for quick mid-week meals. All profits help individuals and children at the Cooking Clubs learn valuable life skills, which is what we love more than anything here at Munch!” Buy the book from the Munch website, munchcic.co.uk or online via Amazon. Price £21.99 hardback and £14.99 paperback. Profit from every two books sold buys one space for someone to attend the Munch community cooking groups. These groups help children and individuals build a healthier relationship with food. Production of the book was supported by Winchester City Council. image received from Munch CIC via TravMedia I have not received a copy of this book, just sharing press news Want a taste of Italy without the hassle of getting there? The answer is Canvino, a fabulous new sparkling vegan wine which comes in recyclable cans. Easier to transport than bottles, the cans are lightweight and the wine stays sparkly and cooler for longer!  image (c) Mike Pickup
The wine comes from grapes sourced from a family-owned vineyard which has produced wine for a century using the traditional Charmat or tank method. In case you're wondering, that is the main process used for Prosecco and Lambrusco wines. Canvino comes in two flavours, Rosé and Bianco, ideal for indoor or outdoor celebrations. Sparkling Bianco is a crisp and dry white wine, medium bodied, easy to drink. Although dry is style it is fresh and fruity with light floral notes. Rose is medium-dry, lightly sparkling and refreshing with well balanced fruit notes. Launched in 2021, all natural Canvino is the perfect companion for any event and is 100% vegan too. Marc Laventure, Co-Founder of Canvino, said; “The canned wine market has soared in popularity over the past few years in the UK, so we are delighted to launch Canvino as the perfect new addition to your favourite portable tipples. We’re proud to deliver crisp and refreshing Italian sparkling wines that are as easy on the eye as they are to drink. Whatever the occasion, add some fizz to the party this year with a Canvino.” Can I recommend it wholeheartedly? Yes, definitely. Gets a big 10 out of 10 from me! Canvino is available from houseofcanvino.com, Amazon and other selected retailers. (I was sent some cans of Canvino to try in return for an unbiased review, which all of my reviews are!) |
