News
Young British Foodie awards: the winners
This week saw the cool, young foodies of the UK assemble at the Tate Britain for award giving action. Some names to look out for - Manchester based Yakumama who make 'Cuban beef empanadas stuffed with rare breed beef picadillo, olive and sultanas', sounds pretty magnificent street food to me. Also YBF blogger of the year - Laura Goodman off of She Is Butters - she creates funny, beautifully written posts and her cream cheese cake has shot straight to the top of my baking list. Great find.
Nutritious and delicious: take the pain out of packed lunches
Shout out to the parents among you - packed lunch help is here! Taking inspiration from the likes of Dairylea Dunkers and those crunch corner yogurts, Xanthe Clay puts together some healthy, fun ideas.
Portion size key in tackling obesity, says study
The increasing size of portions is astonishing when you see it in facts and figures - a shepherd's pie ready meal has almost doubled in size in twenty years; even the size of bagels has sneakily risen. Self regulation when cooking at home is pretty tricky unless you know the recommended daily amounts of carbs, protein et al, but who knows that? Not many I'm sure. Perhaps a nationwide campaign promoting that, along with restaurants playing their part would garner some success.
Who is Clerkenwell Boy, London’s foodie superhero?
If you don't already follow Clerkenwell Boy on Instagram and Twitter then do it now for fantastic photos of London's best food. He represents a new era of restaurant critics: incognito reporting direct to social media followers, concise recommendations without the confab of traditional reviews and the identifiable appeal that he could be just any of our mates.
Reviews
Ready steady, shake: Nutribullet and its rivals tested
The Nutribullet seems to have come out of nowhere, I'd never heard of it until several friends were suddenly raving about them not long ago. The Guardian has decided to look at its opposition - can the cheaper models deal with stringy celery and hardcore nuts? The verdict is here.
Local News
Four Pillars Gin Tasting — The Leamington Wine Company
If you love your gin then you won't want to miss this - Aussie company, Four Pillars, will be presenting their award winning Rare Dry Gin with its indigenous botanicals, along with offering an exclusive taste of their as yet unreleased Barrel Aged Gin. Check out Leamington Wine Company's other upcoming events - there are some great nights out for wine lovers, rum aficionados and fizzy fans.
Recipes
Simple squash risotto
This is my favourite risotto, hands down. There is fragrance from thyme and white wine, caramelised sweetness from butternut squash and a mellow savoury note from freshly grated Parmesan. And I haven't even mentioned the oozy, creamy texture. Yes, it's bloody good. You get a double attack of squash through roasted chunks and a mashed up purée that is stirred through in the finishing stages. One thing to get right - buy the best quality squash you can as the flavour will just sing through. Make it!
Sticky plum flapjack bars
I love the autumnal fruits, so much potential - jams, chutney, crumble, wine, pies... These flapjacks combine that old school fave with a layer of sticky, plummy goodness to make a snack worthy of any elevenses, or plonk one in a bowl with custard for a comforting feast. Start checking them after 40 mins to ensure the crust is not too golden.
Food for Thought
Is Golden Rice the Future of Food?
This balanced piece looks at the arguments for and against genetically modified food using Vitamin A enhanced golden rice as a case study. Are we going to be able to sustain our growing population without using GM crops? What is Monsanto, Syngenta and other seed companies' agenda in all this? Has there been enough research carried out on the potential health impacts of fiddling with nature? Did anyone know that 89 percent of all U.S. corn and 94 percent of all U.S. soybeans are GMO? Wow. A thought provoking article.
This weekend I'm making a naked cake, no smirking please. It's a layered tower of 'naked' Victoria sponges (no icing covering) with fresh fruit and flowers, made famous by Bake Off winner Frances Quinn, amongst others. If mine looks a fraction as amazing as hers, I'll be one happy lady. Pics next week. Maybe.