January Food and Drink News – January is the month when we start our good intentions: whether it’s to lose weight, drink less, or just be more mindful of our overall health. But we also need some treats to see us through one of the worst months of the year…
Peanut butter is packed with protein, and as long as you choose a brand that isn’t packed with sugar and UPFs, you’re onto a really good breakfast or snack choice. Enjoy it spread on slices of apple or on a cracker or slice of toast. Rather strangely perhaps, I enjoy a lunchtime snack of a wholemeal pitta, toasted, then spread on one of the insides with peanut butter and the other with Marmite or Vegemite, then packed with slices of cucumber. Trust me, it’s delicious. Whole Earth’s latest innovation is 100% Nuts Peanut Butter, available in Smooth and Crunchy. Made with just one ingredient, roasted Argentinian peanuts, this new range delivers pure, natural flavour with no additives, making it a delicious source of protein and fibre. Available in selected Waitrose stores at £4 for a 340g jar.
Instant soups can be very hit or miss, and can contain all sorts of nasty ingredients. At long last I’ve found a good range – Soul Kitchen. It believes Britain’s hard working, busy people shouldn’t have to sacrifice nutrition. These are three-minute soups that are genuinely good for you and proof that healthy doesn’t mean compromise on flavour. Made with real vegetables, clean ingredients, the soups deliver 10x more real veg than other instant soups on the shelf. £20 for a pack of 12 soups – I’d suggest trying the variety pack.
Frozen pizza can be disappointing unless you know what to look for. Here’s a new range – Suprema – from Dr. Oetker, of Neapolitan-style frozen pizza that brings artisanal quality to home dining, straight from the freezer. Its unique sourdough recipe was crafted by Dr. Oetkerʼs dough-masters, after a trip to Naples visiting some of the best pizzaiolos. Each pizza is baked over a 400°C hot stone, delivering an irregular, airy and crisp crust that’s perfectly charred – a true pizzeria taste. Topped with quality ingredients including Emilia Romagna passata, and other Italian-inspired ingredients, suprema is available in three flavours; La Margherita, La Calabria and La Romana. Available from Tesco, Asda and Ocado at around £5.
There has recently been a considerable amount of media coverage recommending full fat rather than fat-free dairy products, and Tom Parker Creamery has brought milk back to its natural best with the launch of Unhomogenised Whole Milk. Rich, creamy, and minimally processed, it’s just like the milkman used to deliver: whole milk in its purest form, sourced from free-range West Country farms within 40 miles of the Somerset creamery. Unlike most supermarket milk, this hasn’t been homogenised, so the cream rises naturally to the top, as nature intended. Simply shake the bottle or scoop the cream for a little indulgence in your morning coffee or on your breakfast cereal. Part of a growing movement towards natural, less processed foods, Tom Parker Creamery’s Unhomogenised Whole Milk takes a ‘less is more’ approach with products that are closer to nature. Available from Tesco and Ocado in a 750ml glass bottle for around £2
It’s that time of year when we crave warming, comfort food, and dishes like Bangers ‘n’ Mash or Toad in the Hole. The quality of the sausages used for these dishes can make or mar the finished dish, so a good banger is of prime importance. So how about one that started its professional business life being sold in the car park of the Stoop in Twickenham? Yes, it’s true, and The Jolly Hog is now a family-run, high welfare meat business known for its great tasting British sausages and bacon. All The Jolly Hog’s products come from British, outdoor bred, RSPCA assured farms, ensuring high animal welfare standards. Proper Porkers are perfectly balanced with sage and made from high quality pork shoulder and belly, with 84% pork. They’re widely available now in most major supermarkets, and well worth looking out for.
It’s Seville Orange season, and if you don’t have time to make your own marmalade, here’s a good alternative. La Vieja Fábrica takes pride in crafting its marmalade in the heart of Seville. Meaning ‘The Old Factory’, the name reflects the time-honoured recipes and techniques, preserved over the years, to produce marmalade that’s rich in tradition and flavour. Each jar is packed with Seville oranges, (the cherished symbol of Seville). The prized bitter oranges are renowned for their punchy distinctive taste and signature thick skin. Don’t just spread it on your toast; try including in a range of recipes, including savoury. There are four tasty marmalade products: Seville Orange Fine Cut; Seville Orange Thick Cut; Seville Orange No Peel and Seville Orange St Clements. La Vieja Fábrica is available in Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, and Ocado.
And last, but by no means least, Regular readers will know that I’m rather partial to a good gin, and here’s my latest find: Cotswolds Dry Gin. It’s distilled with a blend of nine carefully considered botanicals. The Head Distiller uses over ten times the average amount of botanicals used by most premium gins. And because the gin is non-chill filtered, the oils are retained in the gin, which causes a pearlescent cloud to appear when ice or tonic is added, creating the unique ‘Cloudy G&T’. It’s seriously good, and also performs stonkingly well in a dry martini. Around £38.50 for 70 cl ABV: 46% Available from: Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & Partners, Majestic, Oddbins, Laithwaites, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason and online www.cotswoldsdistillery.com and www.amazon.co.uk
The Seasoned Gastronome