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Looking for foods to help banish joint pain and inflammation?
Lean protein is key for building healthy connective tissue. Inadequate intakes may lead to loss of muscle mass and diminished strength. Fish and plant-based proteins including beans and pulses are great options.
Foods to avoid: Some arthritis sufferers report that omitting certain foods from their diet helps alleviate their symptoms. Foods commonly cited include oranges, tomatoes and peppers as well as dairy foods and wheat. Consider keeping a food diary to see what works for you. Don’t omit major food groups from your diet without seeking the advice of your GP or dietician first.  Grace Foods UK, the UK's no 1 supplier of Caribbean food and drink, celebrates their 100th anniversary this year. Since it coincides with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, they have given her a box of Jamaican-style Jerk BBQ Sauce and Dunn's River Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. How better to help her add some Caribbean island ‘flava' to her Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Parent company Grace Kennedy began its food and drink journey in 1922, four years before Her Majesty was born. Over the ensuing 100 years, the company has grown to become the world's leading supplier of Caribbean food and drink. Now, to celebrate this milestone anniversary, the company has launched special-edition gold bottles of their legendary Jamaican-style Jerk BBQ Sauce and Dunn's River Special Edition Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. They kindly sent me samples which I was delighted about as I love Caribbean flavours. The box of goodies came with a Jamaican-style Jerk Chicken recipe but instead of using chicken thighs, I made a meat-free version, using a selection of vegetables. Non meat eaters can of course also substitute the chicken with tofu. Vandu Patel, Marketing Manager, Grace Foods UK, says: "We are so excited to be celebrating our 100th anniversary in the same year that the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee and we wanted to be able to give Her Majesty a special gift from us that will bring ‘flavas' of the Caribbean and the Commonwealth country of Jamaica to her celebrations. A recent survey by Mintel found that 46% of UK consumers chose Caribbean as a food they wanted to sample, so indications are that Caribbean food will be popular this year. We hope that by delivering our special-edition gold labels bottles of jerk sauces and seasonings to the royal household, the Queen will be able to enjoy some Caribbean food and Grace will get the royal seal of approval!" Vandu went on, "Here at Grace we love Her Majesty the Queen, the Queen of Jamaica since 1952. A lot may change for Jamaica in the near future as regards links with the UK royal family but the people of Jamaica will always have a special fondness for the Queen and wish her well in this, her platinum year." more at gk-100.gracefoods.co.uk 
 Croft launched the first ever rose port wine in 2008. Now they have developed bold, novel Croft Pink & Tonic. Flavours combine ripe cherry and raspberry, with hints of honey and grapefruit. After chilling, serve over ice with a citrus slice or berry fruits. Original and unique, I can say that both of these drinks are fabulous in any setting!  all images (c) Mike Pickup
The nice people at https://www.mentzendorff.co.uk sent samples in exchange for an honest review. I can say they went down very well indeed! CROFT PINK & TONIC stockists: The Champagne Company, The Drinks Emporium, Amazon TAYLOR’S CHIP DRY & TONIC stockists: Amazon, Harvey Nichols, EH Booth, Ocado, The Secret Bottle Shop www.croftpink.com www.taylor.pt 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 at £3 per can with free shipping on packs of 12 or more from houseofcanvino.com, Amazon and other selected retailers. The team launched in July with two award-winning sparkling wines (Bianco and Rosé), which are both refreshing, medium-dry and very easy to drink. Following this they will launch two Italian and wine-based cocktails, their take on an Aperitivo Spritz and a Raspberry Bellini in 2022. (I was sent some cans of Canvino to try in return for an unbiased review, which all of my reviews are!)  Elephant Gin is a premium handcrafted London Dry Gin of 45% alcoholic volume made with carefully selected ingredients that capture the spirit of Africa. Inspired by the traditional sundowner experience at the end of the day in the African bush, Elephant Gin is produced for wildlife adventurers and urban explorers alike. Handcrafted in Germany, the gin is distilled using fourteen botanicals, including rare African ingredients to create a distinctive flavour profile.
Elephant Gin contributes 15% of all proceeds to two African elephant foundations to support the preservation of African wildlife. Made in small batches, Elephant Gin is produced using the traditional method of copper still distillation. Botanicals include baobab, the extraordinary buchu plant with a flavour similar to blackcurrant and the African Wormwood introducing a sharp floral note. Locally sourced spring water, fresh apples and other select ingredients enhance the purity and smoothness of the gin’s finish. The gin’s distinct nose first yields a subtle juniper aroma with an undertone of mountain pine and other herbaceous notes. The taste is complex but strikingly smooth, encompassing floral, fruity and spicy flavours, which can be enjoyed both straight and in a cocktail. Elephant Gin’s bottles are custom-made with hand-written labels, embossed with a crest and sealed with natural cork. Each batch is named after past great tuskers or elephants that Elephant Gin’s partners currently help protect. The team behind Elephant Gin are Robin and Tessa Gerlach, who were inspired to create Elephant Gin following their own travels as well as their work supporting foundations in South Africa. With a vision to conserve the wildlife they feel so passionate about, the couple decided to launch a product that would help conservation trusts. They strongly believe that this generation has a responsibility to support African wildlife today, so others can continue to enjoy it in the future. image (c) Elephant Gin  Looking for some tasty nibbles? You can't go wrong with Cambrook Foods baked and seasoned nut mixes - if you're a nut lover, then you will love them! The company has launched two gift sets which are absolutely full of flavour. Available in two sizes, the two jar set includes Hickory Smoke Seasoned Almonds & Cashews together with a jar of Baked Truffle Nuts, a mix of macadamia nuts and almonds, baked and seasoned with aromatic yummy black truffle and sea salt.
These nuts are baked in small batches to enhance the flavours. Why not give yourself a treat and buy some? See www.cambrookfoods.co.uk for more information and retailers. [ad / gifted] image (c) G Pickup 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 2021. Now they have launched a trio of 100% Olive Oil all natural mayonnaise , a UK first, packed with goodness and free from nasties. That's such 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 available to from hunterandgatherfoods.com. More stockists to follow. RRP £4.49 for 240g jar. 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  Norseland, the UK’s leading speciality cheese company and creators of award-winning Applewood® Vegan, have added Mexicana® Vegan to their range of vegan cheeses. When Applewood ® Vegan launched, the company challenged cheese-lovers to try its new product saying, "it tastes so much like the real thing we bet you’ll never know the difference”. Do you know, they are absolutely right? Now, Mexicana®Vegan, free-from lactose, milk, eggs, soy, nuts, gluten and fortified with vitamin B12 and calcium and made with gorgeous spices and jalapeño peppers, is evey bit as delicious. Whether as part of a (vegan) cheeseboard, on jacket potatoes or melted in a toastie, these two are tops - smooth texture, balanced tang, authentic aroma, it's all there. Norseland also created the world's first, best-selling Cheese Advent Calendar and this Christmas are launching the Ilchester® Vegan Festive Selection, featuring three new brands; the Ilchester® Melting Mature Cheddar Vegan, the Ilchester® Blue Vegan Cheeze (with blue spirulina vein) and Mexicana® Vegan Spicy Cheeze. Reflecting on the first anniversary of Applewood® Vegan, Lisa Harrison, senior brand manager for Applewood® Vegan, said: "It's been a great year for Applewood® Vegan. We had high hopes for the launch as In blind taste tests with vegans, conducted by Wirral Sensory Services, Applewood® Vegan ticked all the boxes and scored significantly higher than other smoky cheese alternatives already on the market. So we knew that we had got the texture - it melts very well - and taste right, but the demand at the launch was incredible; 40% of Asda stores that stocked the cheeze sold out on the first day so the factory where the cheeze was being made had to put on extra staff to meet the demand. Other supermarket giants signed up to stock it including Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury's, which stocks the new Applewood® Vegan Slices. We are so proud of what has been achieved and to be a dairy company not shying away from the increasing demand for plant-based alternatives and making the bold decision to offer a vegan alternative for a well-known established cheese brand such as Applewood®." About Applewood® Vegan • Applewood® is the UK's first major cheese brand to launch a vegan cheese alternative. • Applewood® Vegan is made in an allergen free factory negating the risk of cross contamination from dairy products. • Key features of Applewood® Vegan is that it is coconut based, it has Applewood®'s unique smoked flavouring and is free from dairy, lactose, soya and gluten. • Ingredients include water, coconut oil, potato starch, modified maize starch, yeast extract, salt, natural flavouring, thickener (carrageenan), calcium phosphate, smoke flavouring, calcium chloride, colour (carotenes), paprika and vitamin B12. • Approved by the Vegan society. • Applewood® Vegan has won awards including Gold award at the FreeFrom Food Awards 2020; Best Vegan Cheeze in the 2019 PETA Awards, Best Vegan Cheeze in the 2019 Vegan Food UK Awards and Best Vegan Cheeze For Melting in the Vegan Cheeze Co. 2019 Awards. Disclosure - I was sent a couple of packs of cheese to review and can honestly say that there is no need for cheese lovers to hanker after 'proper' cheese any more, this is EVERY BIT as good as the real thing - try it and see!
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