News
Almonds are out. Dairy is a disaster. So what milk should we drink?
I don't know about you but I'm all over this milk revolution. I'm not a vegan but I've grabbed a front row seat on that bandwagon of less dairy = happier planet. Especially when such delights as Oatly Barista are a thing. Have you tried it in porridge? Do it. It's amazing. Anyway, this is definitely worth a read if you're debating which milk is the most eco-friendly. It runs through each one and gives the verdict.
Too Good To Go – you have to download this
Food waste is a massive issue. Did you know that the hospitality and food service industry threw away £3.2 billion worth of food in 2018? Can you just imagine how much food that is, how many burgers and sandwiches and cakes? (The amount we throw away at home totally eclipses this though at £13.8 billion, which is completely and utterly shameful.) If you'd like to help reduce the amount of food your local cafe, restaurant or supermarket are chucking in the bin, download the Too Good To Go app. You just enter your postcode and it tells you what's on offer. Where I live, you can pick up bargains at the amazing bagel shop, Morrisons, a Chinese restaurant and more.
The Apprentice for food – are you a budding culinary star?
Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars is coming. If you have a product, restaurant or food-related idea you think could really take off, then here's your chance to pitch it to Ramsay in a new TV show. Get your application in and be prepared to be sweared at, a lot.
Reviews
The best vegetarian recipe book I've ever used
I eat a lot less meat these days so am always on the look-out for exciting veggie dishes. Persian chef, Sabrina Ghayour's Bazaar provides the ultimate in vegetable inspiration. Carrot, halloumi and dill balls. Mushroom, tahini and harissa spaghetti. Smoked aubergine, pepper and walnut salad. These are all so delicious and nowhere near as complicated as they sound. The sweet potato, coconut and thyme bake is next up...
Local News
Dishoom is coming to Birmingham
I've wanted to try Dishoom for a long time so am super excited it's coming to a big city near me this spring. Can't wait to try their famous bacon naan roll and house black dhal which have become stars in their own right on Instagram.
Recipes
Cheese and Marmite flapjacks
You don't need me to tell you this is a winner of a recipe. I mean, how could you go wrong with cheese and Marmite? Unless you're a hater, in which case – swiftly move on to the turkey salad please. Savoury flapjacks have been a revelation to me. They're excellent filling snacks and are dead easy to make. If you make one thing this month, let it be these.
Turkey and Glass Noodle Salad
If you ever have chicken or turkey leftovers from a roast, try this for a healthy and very tasty Monday night lunch or dinner. The simple South-East Asian dressing is full of flavour and you're left with that very satisfying feeling of having eaten something that not only tastes great but it's doing you good too.
Food for Thought
How do your food choices impact the environment?
Eating local and seasonally is being spoken about more and more. This article looks at Scotland as an example and includes a useful little widget that tells you how much your diet is contributing to our greenhouse gas emissions. You just pick a category, such as chocolate or beef, and how often you eat them, and it'll tell you loads of interesting info. Find out what that weekly glass (or two) of wine is doing to the environment.
It's 2020 and the rarely-seen, spotted, ring-tailed newsletter has managed to sift through the rubble (and rubbish) of 2019, sidestep extinction and poke its head out into a new decade. Let's hope it's a good one with boozy celebrations, mouth-wateringly delicious meals and copious amounts of British food (well, we're going to bankrupt ourselves if we feast on European food now, huh?). Welcome back! 🙈