Food

The All Saints Community Development Company launches a new event in Birmingham this month. The event, in Kings Heath, will be held in the Village Square on the third Saturday of each month.

Historically, the Arts & Craft Market has taken place on this day but the organiser now recognise the need to add another dimension (or two) to this event. This will include multiple street food traders, seating, music and activities for kids.

Initially trialled as a one off event in the summer, the team found that the format worked so well that that have decided to introduce it as a regular event.

With the monthly Street Food Market being held on the second Saturday of the month, this means that there are now two consecutive weekends of street food in the Kings Heath. However, there will be differences. The Street Food Market features live DJ’s, bar and established food traders. The Art, Craft and Food Event will be a much more relaxed affair allowing visitors to sample food from some of the newest traders on the street food scene, chill with family/friends, and do a little shopping at the same time (just in time for Christmas!).

On the retail side, visitors can expect to find an eclectic mix of work from local artists, handmade items, gifts and, on occasion, genuine antiques.

Upcoming Art, Craft and Food Events will take place on Saturday October 21 and Saturday November 18.

The Street Food Markets will take place on Saturday October 14 and Saturday November 11. There will be a special two day Christmas Market taking place on December 9 and 10, incorporating elements from both of these events and more.

The buzz around Dartmouth Food Festival is building with only a few weeks left to go. Kingswear based Manna from Devon Cooking School is gearing up for its tenth consecutive year of involvement with the festival.

Commenting on behalf of Manna from Devon, co-owner David Jones says: “The Food Festival is a highlight in our calendar. Not only does it offer a fantastic opportunity for everyone to experience the incredible array of produce and cooking available here in Devon, it also attracts great names from across the nation from the culinary world. For us it's a great chance to catch up with our friends in the industry, including Romy Gill, Mitch Tonks and Richard Bertinet.” David continues: “Having previously held the position of Chair of the Food Festival for seven consecutive years it's great to be still hugely involved.”

A testament to their popularity, many of the workshops in the Manna from Devon Cooking School theatre are already sold out. Visitors are advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment and if no places are left you should pop along early in case of any last minute availability.

Dartmouth Food Festival is now in its 16th year and continues to be recognised as one of the leading food festivals in the country. This year there will be a varied cross section of producers ranging from festival sponsor Salcombe Gin, award winning Lyme Bay Winery and Luscombe Drinks on the drinks side, South Devon Chilli Farm and Cootealicious offering tasty treats, to festival newcomers River Amble Creamy and Sandford Orchards. In addition, there is the main festival cookery demo theatre where highlights include Allister Bishop from South Sands Hotel on Sunday at 2pm.

National Cocktail Week – the week we've all been waiting for – is finally arriving on 2nd October 2017, so put your wine glasses aside and get ready to drink minty mojitos and delicious daiquiris to your hearts content. There has never been a better time to sit back and relax with your favourite drink in hand, or why not break with routine and try something different? Anyone for a Copa Verde, an unusual mix of tequila, lime juice, water, agave syrup and avocado?!

For cocktail lovers who want to celebrate the week in style, head to GBR, Mayfair's hottest new opening, part of the award-winning five-star hotel, DUKES LONDON.

Enjoy a classic cocktail made by GBR's highly trained bartenders who have learnt their tricks from DUKES' world-renowned bartender Alessandro Palazzi, or for those looking for something different, why not ask for a personalised cocktail made to suit you.

During National Cocktail Week, GBR will select a specific cocktail each day from its extensive cocktail list, including the Cosmo Daisy, Little St Sour and St James Manhattan.

Birmingham’s favourite dish will be celebrated at a new exhibition open at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which explores the histories of the city’s famous curry houses.

Birmingham is home to hundreds of Indian restaurants, but most are unaware it was the Bangladeshi community that pioneered the ‘curry culture’ in Britain.

Running from 23rd Sept 2017 until 7^th Jan 2018, Knights of the Raj, is part of Soul City Arts’ project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and aims to showcase the untold stories of those who pioneered the historic trade, tracing its origins back to the 1940s.

The exhibition includes furnished interiors, images, films and recorded histories. Augmented reality will be used to enhance the visitor experience through their mobile phones. One of the stand-out artefacts on display is a booth from the interior of the well-known Birmingham City Centre curry restaurant, Koh-i-Noor, giving visitors a truly authentic experience.

The restaurant opened on Horse Fair in the 1960s, making it one of the oldest curry houses in Birmingham, and one of the ‘first wave’ of curry houses to open in Britain. The booth, along with associated items, including menus and a prayer hat belonging to the restaurant’s former owner, have also been acquired by Birmingham Museums Trust to become a permanent part of the city’s collection.

The items have been acquired through Collecting Birmingham, a three year Birmingham Museums Trust project which was created to develop a collection of museum objects which tell stories of growing up, living and working in the city.

Initially formed of two adjacent restaurants, the Bengal Rooms and Star of India, Koh-i-Noor closed in 2016 for refurbishments. It has since reopened with a much more contemporary décor and a focus on modern dining.

Similar changes have been made by many other Indian restaurants as they attempt to attract new visitors and survive in a changing and competitive market. As a result, the classic interiors of the original curry houses of the 1960s, 70s and 80s are disappearing and so the objects were recognised as being of significant regional importance.

Rebecca Bridgman, Curator of Islamic & South Asian Art at Birmingham Museums Trust said: “The curry house institution and the Balti dish in particular, are profoundly rooted in Birmingham’s history. As the first wave of these restaurants are vanishing or being demolished, it is vitally important that their story is preserved. We are thrilled that Soul City Arts have brought this exhibition to BMAG and that the Koh-i-Noor restaurant booth will become a permanent part of the city’s history.”

As the first generation of post-war curry house owners are now reaching the end of their lives, this exhibition offers a vital insight into the people behind the industry, and how the trade grew and became integral to the life of Birmingham's Bangladeshi community.

The Knights of the Raj project is a partnership with Soul City Arts and Future Seed CIC, which is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund and Giro Cash and Carry. The exhibition is part of the Birmingham’s Year of South Asian Culture, celebrating the rich heritage and cultural diversity of Birmingham.

Mohammed Ali MBE of Soul City Arts, said: The untold stories of the Indian restaurant trade give us a fascinating insight into the curry trade. The narrative brings out unexpected stories of struggle and conflict, determination and perseverance, and hope and aspiration. These stories need to be heard to help us understand one another in the complex world we live in.”

A rare and unique gourmet variety of avocado is to be exclusively launched by Tesco across the UK.

The GEM® avocado which has eye-catching, natural gold flecks on its outer skin offers customers a smoother and creamier taste than regular varieties because it remains on the tree much longer.

It is also slightly sweeter than other varieties and has a thicker skin making it easier to scoop out with a spoon.

The launch should cause a stir for the growing number of UK avocado fans with demand so strong in the last few years that the fruit has even overtaken sales of oranges for the first time ever.

At Tesco, avocado demand is up by more than 30 per cent in the last year alone because of the current interest in healthy eating.

Tesco avocado buyer Andrew Pattison said:

“This outstanding avocado stands out from other varieties because of its rich taste, melt in the mouth texture, smooth creaminess and slight nuttiness.

“But it is also notable for its eye-catching golden lenticels or speckles which appear on the dark skin of the ripe fruit and which make it stand out from other avocado varieties.

“It's not the kind of avocado you will want to mash up and turn into guacamole but rather show off as a special treat at a dinner party as either an exotic entrée or part of the main dish.”

The GEM® will be supplied from a number of countries, but specifically South Africa at the moment.

It is currently farmed by an elite group of licensed growers around the world. The ones Tesco are getting are grown in South African and are hand-picked to ensure the fruit remains in top condition.

Tesco recently sold two other rare varieties of avocado – a mini version called Zilla Eggs and a giant sized one called the Avozilla, which is roughly five times the size of the regular type.

British apple farmers are to be given a helping hand by Tesco after frosts earlier this year hampered the growth of this autumn's crop.

Unseasonal temperatures dropped to -4C at the end of April in parts of Britain and caused a fruit blemish known as 'frost ring' which leaves a ring mark around the circumference or a large blemish on the skin.

For some growers it will mean a struggle supplying apples to supermarkets because of crop specifications set by retailers governing the overall look and quality of fruit and vegetables.

But to help growers and prevent otherwise perfectly good apples from going to waste Tesco has now widened those specifications to ensure they will still go on sale.

And the move by Tesco will mean that a variety of different apples, including 300 tonnes of Bramley variety, will now end up on supermarket shelves across the UK.

John Worth, Tesco's apple expert said:

“We're working with our apple growers to use as much of the crop and prevent perfectly good fruit from going to waste.

“We want to support our growers wherever we can – and although some apples might be smaller or blemished, they still have the same great taste our customers expect.”

Slightly blemished apples will be sold as part of the supermarket's standard range whilst the more blemished fruit will be sold as part of Tesco's 'Perfectly Imperfect' range.

22 September is the Autumn Equinox and the first day of England's most gloriously colourful – and some would say delicious – season. As the colours change, the apples turn rosy and the nights draw in, discover unique English activities from cider-making to red deer spotting via mushroom foraging and autumn colour walks.

TASTY FOOD FESTIVALS

Autumn is synonymous with abundance and harvest, when so many of England's tastiest produce is in its fullest flavour – and what's more, 17 September to 2 October is British Food Fortnight, so all the more reason to investigate all things edible. York's biggest food and drink festival transforms the city into a foodie wonderland from 23 September – 2 October, with events ranging from a Chocolate Tasting Panel to a Gin Tipple Lunch taking place across various venues including some of the city's most historic buildings including, for the first time, the 17th century King's Manor. 1 October sees the Forest of Dean's Forest Showcase Food Festival, a 'celebration of food, music and art' held in the grounds of the splendid Speech House Hotel; expect top local and artisan producers, a mouth-watering array of hot food, real ale and wine, plus talks, parent and child cookery lessons, chef demos and live music. And celebrate the sausage in Lincolnshire on 22 October, at the Lincoln Sausage Festival, which presents the county's famous export in the castle grounds – 30,000 bangers are served on the day.

APPLE-SOLUTELY AUTUMNAL

Autumn = apples to many people, while for many others apples = cider. Impress your friends with a home-made brew after a visit to Upper Neatham Farm's Practical Cider Making Course. Organised over the course of a weekend at the idyllic Hampshire property – whose orchard has 100 trees of different varieties – the course will teach you to select, prepare and pick apples, press them into juice and then follow the fermentation process to make them that much more delicious; choose from residential or non-residential packages. For a family-friendly celebration of the apple, also in Hampshire, head to Blackmoor Estate's Apple Tasting Day on 8 October. The free event presents the opportunity to taste an incredible variety of apples, meet an 'apple doctor' (to identify mystery apples), as well as enjoy horse and cart rides, Morris dancing and more.

SATISFYING FORAGING

Foraging is all the rage among top chefs and no wonder – discovering your own ingredients in the wild, picking them, then cooking them is far more fulfilling than a trek to the local supermarket. Tudor Farmhouse Hotel is a former working farm that has been stylishly converted into a boutique hotel with a gastronomic edge, thanks to its award-winning head chef Rob Cox and in-house forager Raoul van Den Broucke. Raoul runs fascinating foraging expeditions that take guests out into the beautiful Forest of Dean countryside to collect seasonal delicacies, followed by a sumptuous lunch. Tudor Farmhouse is also offering an Autumn Leaves Escape package – ideal, combined with a foraging course. For those who can't resist the heady smell of a freshly unearthed mushroom, Suffolk Market runs Mushroom Foraging and Wild Cooking events. Each starts with a walk through ancient woodland in the heart of Constable country, continues with plenty of mushroom identifying and picking, and ends with lunchtime treats made from the fruits of your forage. And you get a goody bag full of recipes, a foraging calendar and a selection of wild food products to take home!

The long-awaited shortlist of finalists for the 2017 Food & Drink Devon Awards has been announced, following months of blind tasting, deliberation and judging. Entries from across the county included 250 products, 63 producers, 65 hospitality and 25 retail establishments, all judged by experts from the industry. The winners will be revealed at a prestigious ceremony at the stunning Deer Park Country House Hotel on Monday 9th October.

Commenting on the high standard of this year's awards entries, Barbara King, Chair of Food & Drink Devon, says: “As an organisation we champion Devon's producers and food and drink industry.  We have been seriously impressed with everything entered this year.  We have so much outstanding produce on offer here in Devon and the quality of hospitality across the board is second to none.” Barbara continues: “We would also like to thank our award sponsors for all their support.” The 2017 sponsors are Luscombe Drinks, Raw PR & Marketing, Peplows, M C Kelly, Black & White Asset Finance, Stephens Scown, Zip Water, Tastebuds, Inkreadible and Hedgerow Print.

In celebration of Devon's best produce, Platinum awards will be given to any of the 250 tasted products given a perfect score of 100%, Gold awards go to products achieving 90-99%, and Silver to those scoring 85-89%.

There's enormous variety this year on the producer shortlist for the Taste of Devon Product award, with everything from shellfish to rare breed meats, artisan spirits and craft beers, ice creams from both North and South Devon plus traditional Christmas puddings represented.

“As customers get all the more discerning, choosing provenance and traceability over mass-produced food and drink, our independent shops and businesses can really shine,” continues Barbara. “Ultimately that is why it is so important we all support our local fishermen, farmers, delis, cafés, chefs and artisans.”

Newly established business Pretty Local takes on two well-known businesses Eversfield Organic and Riverford Organic Farmers in the category for Best Online Retailer.  Best Retailer will be awarded to one of Ashburton Delicatessen, Aune Valley Meat or North Devon's Besshill Farm Shop.  Producers on the Best Packaging shortlist are Bell & Loxton, Hanlons Brewery, Hunt's Cider and Salcombe Distilling Co and the shortlist for the Best Overall Producer includes Devon Distillery, Lyme Bay Winery, Salcombe Distilling and Sharpham Wine & Cheese.

Establishments on the Taste of Devon Hospitality shortlist include Boringdon Hall, Old Vienna and Thurlestone Hotel for Best Fine Dining Restaurant. Vying for Best Restaurant status is Barnstaple's Fat Belly Freds, Il Casita in Crediton and the Pig & Pallet in Exeter. Other categories include Best Hotel Restaurant, Pub Restaurant, Pub, Bistro and Best Café categories, there are three businesses hoping to win Best Street Food:  Open Sesame, the Glorious Oyster and the Teign Canteen.

Businesses on the shortlist list for this year's new categories Best Farmers Market and Best Cookery School include: Crediton, Tavistock and Totnes Farmers Markets and Ashburton and Exeter Cookery Schools and Salcombe Distilling.

With our increasing appetite for home--grown it seems only right that we have a fortnight every year to celebrate our great British food heritage.

The 15th British Food Fortnight runs from 23 Sept-8 Oct 2017 and this year is poised to stage another big splash with hundreds of events in schools, shops, pubs, restaurants, hospitals and communities across the country paying homage to our producers both locally and nationally.  In excess of 1.5 million meals a day served during the Fortnight will carry the great British food stamp, all courtesy of catering organisations including the likes of Sodexo, Brakes, Cucina and Hampshire Fare.

The campaign, run by Love British Food, kicked off earlier in the summer with official sponsors, Co-op backing UK farmers by only selling 100% British bacon, lamb, beef, chicken, ham, pork, sausages and turkey from May this year. Pop into any of the 2,600 Co-op stores and you will be greeted by food tasters, displays and promotions. There will be regional events in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff and a fun, educational roadshow on food provenance in primary schools.  It’s also launching a campaign to celebrate the UK’s Food Heroines, the female growers, producers, farmers and suppliers who keep British food traditions alive and thriving.

With legendary chef Raymond Blanc at the helm of British Food Fortnight and supported by wellbeing writer and organic farmer, Liz Earle there is a ground swell of support across the regions.  Raymond and Liz will be leading the search for the most imaginative celebrations of British food taking place during the Fortnight and anyone organising an event is encouraged to enter.  Entries are expected from the many towns and villages which are staging their very own food festival and giving a platform to the growing number of new artisan producers while applauding our local food heroes.

A highlight of the Fortnight is the Love British Food Harvest Torch which continues its journey around the country and this year will have travelled from Lincoln Cathedral to St. David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire.  The Harvest Torch is a symbol of thanksgiving for all our wonderful home-grown food and over 400 Harvest events will be taking place across the UK. A huge fan of the traditional harvest, Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall will be sending words of support to the National Harvest Service at St. David’s.

“British Food Fortnight has been so powerful in inspiring people around the country, whether big cities like Bath and Peterborough or individual schools, care homes and most importantly tackling British food in the public sector,” says Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food and British Food Fortnight.  “In this 15th year, it’s evident that there is a real love for this event, unique in that even though it has such a national presence it is still very much a grassroots movement.

“Fresh challenges face farmers and the food industry this year and these are uncertain times but with backing from the big names in retail, foodservice, key charities and with Raymond Blanc and Liz Earle on board we’re seeing this event grow exponentially each year, and it speaks volumes about our changing attitude to the food we eat and where it comes from.”

Photo courtesy of Moor Hall Hotel   

Seychellois Creole food, which combines flavors from various corners of the world as a result of the Seychelles’ historical connections, is one of the islands’ attributes that appeal to visitors.

Seychellois chef, Marcus Freminot, had the chance to showcase this unique factor of the island destination in South Korea, at the invitation of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Joined by South Korean chefs, Mr. Freminot prepared a special 5-course Creole meal for over 100 guests including media and travel trade representatives, tourism friends of Seychelles, and important opinion leader groups.

The dishes were served at a reception to mark 10 years since the opening of the Seychelles’ Tourism Board’s regional office in Korea. The reception held at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Wednesday August 30 was also attended by the chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), Mrs. Sherin Francis.

Guests were treated to spicy accra and salmon fish cake, smoked fish salad with tropical fruit dressing, lime sorbet with a hint of pineapple Takamaka rum, beef steak, and creole apple and nutmeg fritters and rum infused tropical grilled fruit salad.

As the Creole cuisine combines various spices like garlic, onions, pepper, and ginger similar to Korean cuisine, the first such Creole dinner served in South Korea suited the Korean palates perfectly.

Chef Freminot who had no problem catering for a large group of people said, “It was a good experience as I was preparing the Creole cuisine with a foreign team and it felt good to share part of our heritage with chefs who have never heard of our cuisine before.”

Marcus Freminot who graduated from the Seychelles Hospitality Tourism Training College, now known as the Seychelles Tourism Academy, is a former professor at the same training institution. As a chef, he has worked in several hotels and restaurants as well as at the French Embassy in Seychelles. He has also participated in various culinary competitions in Seychelles and abroad.

While in South Korea, chef Freminot also took part in a “Seychellois-Korean Cuisine & Culture Exchange Master Chef Class.”

He demonstrated his techniques preparing various dishes including salmon fish cake with creole sauce, chicken soup, and a fusion dish that blended Creole food with the traditional Korean red pepper paste known as Gochujang.

A Michelin-starred chef, Tony Yoo, who regularly appears on a famous Korean TV show “Chef & My Fridge” also took part in the master class by demonstrating a combination of a Korean dish with Creole sauce.

The master class was co-hosted by the Korean Food Foundation, an organization affiliated with the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and attended by some 50 guests including Korean food critics, culinary experts, and VIP customers from HanaTour – one of the largest travel company in Korea.

Chef Yoo said, “Creole and Korean cuisines have a lot in common. Both cuisines use a lot of spices, among which, garlic and onion which are used in the preparation of all the Korean food, similar to Creole dishes.”

Chef Freminot described the master class as a good marketing initiative that allowed him to showcase the Creole cuisine to representatives of travel agencies, DMCs, as well as journalists, food critics and the general public in South Korea.

“It gave me the chance to demonstrate our common recipes, ingredients and methods while explaining about our culture. The Korean guest chef Tony Yoo demonstrated two Korean recipes, which also allowed me to capture some techniques widely used in the Korean kitchen,” said Freminot.

Commenting on the two cuisines, chef Freminot said there’s a lot of similarities in the way the food is prepared and plated and even in the presentation.

“There is a lot of color and flavors in the Korean cuisines, the usage of fresh vegetables, spices, and herbs are common for most dishes. The things that really caught my attention are the level of spiciness and the amount of frying involved when cooking Korean food,” said Freminot.

Following his adventure in South Korea, chef Freminot is currently in France taking some time off and exploring other professional avenues.

Rising demand for vegan ranges sees World's oldest Cornish pasty maker, Warrens Bakery, launch vegan take on the original favourite

Following the successful launch of their first ever vegan pasties earlier this year, Cornwall's oldest bakery is delighted to have developed a brand-new vegan range, based on the original classic, handcrafted and freshly baked by the expert team.

Recognised as the world's oldest Cornish pasty maker, the award-winning craft bakery is leading the way in catering for even more hungry customers. Putting provenance at the heart of the well-loved Warrens Bakery recipe, the team have been blown away by the positive response since the first vegan pasties arrived into bakery's in February.

With World Vegan Day on the horizon (1st November 2017), Warrens Bakery's Master Baker Jason Jobling, who also heads up the Cornish Pasty Association, has taken the well-loved dish of years gone by and given it a timely update. Initially launching with flavours inspired by further afield, the brand new Original Vegan Pasty is filled with British grown potatoes, swede, onion and a seasoning of salt and pepper for an authentic taste of the South West.

Those with a sweet tooth will love the additional vegan traybakes, that includes a berrylicious Apple & Raspberry Tray Bake infused with a sprinkling of cinnamon - the perfect mid-afternoon pick me up treat.

Jason Jobling, Master Baker at Warrens Bakery, commented on the freshly baked batch of new arrivals - “Our bakers have been hard at work adapting and redesigning our 150-year-old recipe to create a truly authentic vegan experience. Of course, technically this isn't a Cornish Pasty, as it doesn't contain beef as per the Cornish Pasty Association definition, but as far as a Vegan Cornish Pasty goes, this is the closest you'll get.”

Jason continues – “We've reworked our traditional glaze and pastry and come up with a wholemeal pastry and vegan friendly glaze – topped with distinctive “V” pastry markers so there's no mistaking your vegan lunch. We're still making our Vegan Green Thai & Fiery Mexican Pasties that we proudly launched in the spring and have also introduced the Vegan Apple & Raspberry Tray Bake to complete your lunchtime treat.”

The leading national bakery brand has had a busy few months, as well as celebrating numerous openings and franchise partnerships, the team has been raising a toast after being shortlisted as one of the top three craft bakery businesses in the country, in the Baking Industry Awards 2017. This is the second year running that Warrens Bakery has been shortlisted in the category.

With over 150 years of baking experience, Warrens Bakery's hard work and dedication has already seen them receive a long list of accolades for their sweet bakes and pasties. In 2015, they were recognised in the prestigious Craft Business Award in the Baking Industry Awards 2015 and 2016 saw them win a haul of awards at the 2016 British Pie Awards, the World Pasty Championships and claim victory in a number of independent radio polls.

As the oldest bakery in Cornwall, their range includes traditional bakes, freshly made sandwiches, savouries, scones, a recently revamped artisan bread range and more. They attribute their success not only to the provenance of their ingredients but also to their dedicated team.  All of their baked goods are crafted with an enormous amount of care and attention to detail and using the finest ingredients. Many of their products are also produced to traditional recipes including their Cornish pasty, they are after all the oldest Cornish pasty maker in the world.

The UK's first ever range of fresh vegetables aimed at encouraging kids to eat healthier food is being launched by Tesco.

The range, which goes on sale from today, will begin with easy-to-eat, star-shaped butternut squash bites. It will then roll out to include other fresh produce including smiley sweet potato faces.

Traditionally a technique used for products like tinned alphabet spaghetti and frozen potato dishes, this is the first time this approach has been used for fresh fruit and veg.

Tesco has taken learnings from how children relate to foods with interesting shapes and sizes and hopes it will help make mealtimes more engaging and fun and encourage them to explore a wider range of vegetables.

Tesco vegetable buyer Elizabeth Hall said:

“We want to give parents a helping hand with encouraging their kids to eat more vegetables.

“We've taken away a lot of the hassle out of preparing vegetables like butternut squash, which might deter busy cooks at home, whilst also making them more appealing for children.

“We hope by adding a touch of novelty, we can make vegetables the deliciously nutritious and fun part of every meal”

The move by Tesco to create the child-friendly vegetable shapes has been welcomed by the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

Ali Capper, chairman of the NFU's Horticulture Board said:

“Congratulations to Tesco for addressing how we can we can instil a love of fruit and vegetables in children from a very young age.

"We have long been calling on food manufacturers to create fun-shaped fruit and veg for children in smaller-sized portions, which we believe could have a role in helping reverse the current obesity crisis.”

The creation of the butternut squash stars is the latest way Tesco partners with growers so that no edible food goes to waste.

Elizabeth Hall added:

“At Tesco we're passionate about tackling food waste from farm to fork.

“We work with our growers and suppliers to make sure we use as much of their crops as possible to prevent food waste.

“Besides these stars, butternut is used to make our carb alternatives such as fusilli, spaghetti, lasagne sheets, as well as wedges and soups.”

“These Butternut squash stars are brilliant way to excite kids with great tasting, high quality vegetables that also helps producers who are able to sell even more of their crop.”

Inspired by outdoor adventures and handmade in Dorset, FIREPOT by Outdoorfood has been revealed as The Seed Fund's 2017 winner and will now benefit from a full year of business support, branding and mentoring from the philanthropic organisation's network of food and drink industry experts.

Owner, John Fisher, collected his prize at the Great Taste Golden Fork Award Dinner on Monday 4 September, marking the climactic end to the first year of partnership between The Seed Fund and the world's most coveted food awards. Hailed as "a game changing product that can make a huge difference to eating outdoors”, Outdoorfood has created a selection of backpack-friendly meals including Chilli con Carne, Dal and Risotto with a two-year shelf life, which are free from preservatives and just require hot water to prepare.

Having spent the summer working alongside the future stars of food and drink, as part of this year's Seed Fund Academy, Outdoorfood consistently impressed with the quality of its product and the boundless ambition of John, who first began developing FIREPOT for his own nutritional needs while traveling around the world. Frustrated by the lack of natural foods available to adventurists, John designed his own range of healthy and satisfying slow-cooked meals, ensuring they were lightweight enough to be enjoyed from the heights of the Himalayas to the fjords of Chile.

Jayne Noblet, owner of The Collaborators and founder of The Seed Fund, commented: “We had a very special group of start-ups in this year's Seed Fund Academy, but Outdoorfood really did blow us away with the sheer originality and quality of the product, as well as the team's determination to grow and develop the business. From polar explorers and serious sailors to weekend ramblers and happy campers, this is real food and proper nutrition for when you need it the most. John and his right-hand man, Luke Pollard, have contributed so much to this year's Academy and we know they will make fantastic ambassadors for The Seed Fund in future years, as they continue on their new adventure. In their first six months, FIREPOT meals are already being eaten across the globe, so we can't wait to see how far they can travel in a year with The Seed Fund's support!”

John Fisher, managing director of Outdoorfood, adds: “We entered The Seed Fund Academy with high expectations – an amazing chance to learn from individuals with years of industry experience – but at the time we had no idea of the sheer scale of the impact it would have on our business. The three months of workshops and mentoring sessions have exposed us to invaluable advice and case studies on how to launch and grow a food business. We have also loved working with the other start-ups in the Academy and sharing experiences and solutions with people facing similar challenges. It has been an incredibly energising experience and one I would recommend to any food company in the UK. The Seed Fund has been amazingly generous with their time over the summer and now we have the privilege of continuing to work with them over the next year. We will take this opportunity to pick through every aspect of our brand – not just the public face of our packaging and website, but also our business processes and our approach – and with their help develop Outdoorfood into an international brand worthy of The Seed Fund.”

Champions of Small Business will be supporting ‘Takeaway & Restaurant Innovation Expo,’ Europe’s only event for starting or growing takeaway or restaurant business, on September 26 and 27, at the ExCeL Arena, in London.

The shows runs alongside ‘Restaurant Tech Live’ and ‘Restaurant & Bar Design Show,’ so there will be absolutely everything you need to start, build and grow your food and drink business, with over 500 suppliers, showcasing the most innovative technologies, products, design ideas, marketing strategies and branding, financial services and much more to help your new venture stand out from the crowd.

Additionally, there will be the benefit of expert-led panel debates, interactive features, innovation awards, networking opportunities, workshops and 1-2-1 business advice from some of the most successful start-ups and industry leaders, and it doesn’t stop there!

There will also be the chance to listen to over 250 inspiring seminars, from the likes of John Aizlewood, Market Growth Officer at Pizza Hut; Marcin Korowiecki, Head of Systems at Jamie’s Italian; Abel Campos, Head of Franchising at McDonald’s UK; Pia Fairhurst, Creative Director at Azzurri Group; Lisa Prisk, Head of Design at Tossed and many more!

Multi-award winning fine dining Indian restaurant, Pushkar Cocktail Bar & Dining added a ‘The Best of Birmingham’ award to its list of accolades at the 7^th annual English Curry Awards on 21^st August 2017.

Many personalities from the hospitality industry gathered at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly hotel to celebrate, reward and highlight the unsung heroes behind the UK’s favourite dish. Attendees enjoyed a glittering ceremony with great food and entertainment while finding out which were the best curry houses of 2017.

With approximately 25 million curries being consumed each week, the English Curry Awards has become a key fixture on the UK social calendar, lauded as a national institution in its own right. The nomination process invited members of the public to nominate their favourite curry restaurants for a deserving accolade.

Pushkar’s Creative Director, Rai Singh, was delighted with the award: “We’re absolutely over the moon to have won another English Curry Award. Birmingham’s culinary scene is one of the richest in the world when it comes to curry establishments, and so to be awarded ‘The Best of Birmingham’, out of so many great curry greats, is such an honour. We are always proud to represent Birmingham and the Midlands. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us through the years and we could not have done this without the amazing team behind Pushkar.”

Red Tractor Week 2017 (11^th – 17^th September) will celebrate great food, great farming and quality food you can trust. Supported by BBC Countryfile presenter and Red Tractor farmer Adam Henson, the week will encourage people to cook their own recipes using Red Tractor products and post them online using #Trustthetractor.

Red Tractor is creating an online recipe book of real people’s favourite Red Tractor meals. Each day will focus on a different key British ingredient and will be supported by a daily competition, and real life stories and videos from the Red Tractor farmers who bring us our food.

People can take part via social media (on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #Trustthetractor) and on the Red Tractor website (www.redtractor.org.uk);

• Monday 11^th – Poultry (chicken, duck, turkey)
• Tuesday 12^th  – Dairy (milk, cheese, butter)
• Wednesday 13^th - Pork
• Thursday 14^th – Fruit
• Friday 15^th – Beef & Lamb
• Saturday 16^th – Vegetables (including sugar and potatoes)
• Sunday 17^th - Crops (incl. wheat, barley and oats)

Red Tractor Farmer and BBC Countryfile presenter, Adam Henson said; “What a fabulous week to get out cooking and supporting our wonderful British Red Tractor farmers.  As a Red Tractor farmer myself this is one of my favourite times of year, when the harvest is safely gathered and we can really enjoy the fruits of our labour with so much great food in season.

“This year has been a patchy harvest with mixed quality in wheat and barley, however overall it has been a positive result.  With quality being key, it is more important than ever that the crop is looked after, which is why good standards are important.”

Every stage of the journey your Red Tractor food makes is checked.  Rigorous independent systems ensure that food holding the Red Tractor logo can be traced right back to original British farms.

The week will draw people’s attention to the great standards that go into food and drink with the Red Tractor label. Red Tractor ensures people can trust the food they eat.  It is the largest food standards scheme in the UK, covering; animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection.

Red Tractor food and drink has been responsibly produced to some of the most comprehensive and respected standards in the world. All stages are regularly checked by independent experts. All the major UK supermarkets use our standards as the basis for their UK sourced food (and most choose to display our logo to confirm product credentials with their customers).