News
Farmed fish could bring us cheaper food, but is it ethical?
Really interesting article which raises questions on whether we can sustain our growing population in an ethical way. The fact that is takes 10kg of feed to get 1kg of beef is pretty crazy. Tom Levitt looks to fish farming to see how they are making the process more sustainable and questions the ethics behind these decisions.
Burger meat: Do you prefer to eat it rare?
As the dirty burger continues to sky rocket, there has been a bit of chat about the colour of these patties. If you're confused as to why restaurants happily serve steaks rare but some won't give in to your demands for a pink burger, then watch this short video.
Drinking water doesn't prevent a hangover, study says
Bad news - that greasy kebab washed down with a pint of water after a night on the booze does not help your hangover. This Dutch study on students' drinking patterns and their aftermath provides unexpected results - I was so sure that water helped. But it seems that the docs are still unclear on what exactly alcohol is doing to our bodies - it's not as simple as dehydration.
Why you should forget ‘nutraceuticals’ and focus on a healthy diet instead
Anyone fancy a beer with added collagen? Or a burrito with probiotics? Trevor Baker peers into the world of 'nutraceuticals' that claim to help our skin, gut and beyond. What's the problem with eating a healthy, balanced diet, why all the silly diets and 'miracle' concoctions? Nonsensical to me.
Reviews
Sourdough Bread Making Starter Kit
Some sourdough starter came into my hands last week courtesy of a friend who has been carefully cultivating it for some time, so after feeding mine with some flour and water the loaf was ready for the making yesterday. As you can see from the pic, it looks the part, but unfortunately I made a massive school girl error and forgot the salt. Foolish. So don't do that, yeah? If you'd like a new baking challenge then check out Sous Chef's sourdough kit which contains bread hero, Dan Lepard's, book plus lots of kit for making the loaves. Perfect gift for a foodie friend.
Local News
Birmingham Chilli Festival 2015
A chilli eating competition, 20 chilli challenge, chilli produce market, street food, live music and street performances will be coming to Brindley Place on 18/19 September. Get there at 3pm on the Saturday to see who will be crowned the chilli king or queen! It's gonna be hot.
Recipes
Pasta alla Genovese
Some recipes rely on fancy techniques or a 10 hour cook to make something super special; this one is all about the ingredients - waxy new potatoes, crunchy, sweet green beans, garlicky pesto and silky pasta. Simple to make but thrown altogether makes a satisfying and tasty meal. Even quicker if you're a big cheat and buy ready-made pesto *cough* The homemade stuff is obvs the best but when you're short of time...
Olive bread swirls
These are a great weekend bake that you can enjoy with a warm bowl of autumnal soup. The salty olive and aromatic basil filling make these taste so so good. They also looks pretty impressive, leaving guests thinking you're an absolute pro in the kitchen (when actually they're easy to make sshhhhhh).
Food for Thought
The best cookbooks of all time, as chosen by the experts
This is a lovely little article which might throw up some old cookery books you haven't heard of, or had forgotten about. Sometimes the oldies are the bestest.
Remember remember the 5th and 6th of September! Those magical dates will bring Leamington Food Festival to us with all its deliciousness. I'll be spending most of my weekend parked up in front of the bandstand watching the musics and munching on a lot of food. Look out for pics on Twitter and Foodstagram if you want some street food recommendations.