Waitrose is extending the trial of its 'Cook Well from Waitrose' healthy recipe box service with the addition of 60 new dishes, an extra delivery day on Mondays and the option to choose a four person/family box.

The retailer's chefs and nutritionists have worked together to develop easy to prepare meals that are nutritionally balanced, with no red traffic lights for saturated fat, sugar and salt, and all providing at least one of the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

The delivery service - created in conjunction with tech consultancy ThoughtWorks - caters for one-off and weekly subscription customers with a new menu each week with eight recipes to choose from. Boxes contain pre-portioned, bagged ingredients for easy storage and minimal waste and step-by-step recipe cards, all delivered directly to customers' homes free of charge. The goods are packed in upcycled sheep's wool designed to keep everything chilled until 10pm on the day of delivery.

Archie Mason, Head of Business Development at the John Lewis Partnership said: “Waitrose was the first supermarket to develop a recipe box scheme which went live in March this year to selected customers. We have been greatly encouraged by the initial response with customers delighted at the quality and convenience we are offering and the fact that recipes have been specifically tailored to be nutritionally balanced.

We have taken their feedback on board, adding more delicious healthy recipes this month along with an additional delivery day and from October, the option to order a box for a family of four. Our recipe box scheme gives people another way to access and enjoy quality Waitrose food, delivered to their doorstep.”

Nathalie Winn, Senior Nutritionist, who helped develop the recipes, said: “The trial has been a great example of how Waitrose is able to bring together its food expertise in different areas to create a unique offer of recipes to our customers. We have prioritised no red traffic lights for the nutrients we need to reduce in the diet; saturated fat, sugar and salt, whilst offering recipes with more of the ingredients we need to eat more of, such as oily fish and fruit and veg. Its success has highlighted how, with a little help, customers can enjoy delicious and nutritionally balanced, home-made Waitrose-quality meals easily.”

Customers can select up to three meals to serve two people per week, choosing from vegetarian, pescetarian and meat options. A three recipe box is priced at £6.50 per portion with options such as 'tikka carrots and spiced chickpea dahl with tamarind potatoes' and 'miso cod, sticky coconut rice and chilli glazed pak choi'.

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.

A wine from the Tesco finest* range has been crowned best Sauvignon Blanc in the country following the announcement of the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) trophies today.

The Tesco finest* North Row Sauvignon Blanc 2016 beat off over 300 other Sauvignon Blancs including customer favourites Oyster Bay, Brancott Estate and The Ned to be awarded the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy 2017, the first supermarket own label to do so.

Described as a 'crisp dry wine and a classic example of a concentrated and vibrant Sauvignon Blanc with powerful aromas and lengthy finish.' The finest* North Row Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect wine to enjoy chilled or with simple fresh seafood dishes or garden salads.

Tesco's Product Developer for the wine, Alexandra Runciman said: “We are over the moon to have received the coveted best Sauvignon Blanc Trophy from the IWSC. We are proud to work closely with our customers and trusted partners to offer great quality, world-class wines at affordable prices, and our finest* North Row Sauvignon offers just that.”

Alongside the Tesco finest* North Row Sauvignon Blanc, a further 13 Tesco finest* wines received medals, with the newly launched Tesco finest* SR Sauvignon Riesling and Tesco finest* Barossa Shiraz both scooping silver medals.

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.

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.

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.”