SEPTEMBER 2017
THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS
CHALLENGING TIMES AHEAD Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2018 launch
CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY! FORWARD PLANNING FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON
Pippa Middleton shares her heartfelt signature dish
Back to School Great Products, Great Solutions, Great Meals
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Ingredients Food
Features 05 CUSTOMER
Favourites
PROFILE - Changing
vice We’ve got lots ofhetiplpsyoanu md ad this month to hristmasakLiesta’. start on your ‘C
For starters...
As we wave a fond farewell to the summer, September is a time to look forward and turn our attention to the rest of the year. For caterers, that of course
6-7 NEW FROM
COUNTRY RANGE
16, 17 THE
MARKETPLACE
the Standard of School Food Offering
9 SPECIAL FEATURE
- Launch of the 2017/18
Country Range Student Chef competition
04 READERS’ LIVES COOKS CALENDAR
23 FIVE WAYS TO
USE - Country Range Frozen Puff Pastry
27
SIGNATURE DISH
with Pippa Middleton
10-11
CATEGORY FOCUS - Forward Planning for the Festive Season
28-29 MELTING POT
Christmas Planning
heralds the run up to the festive season, and, as many will testify, it’s never too soon to start planning your Christmas menus! Getting your Yuletide offering on budget and on trend is crucial whatever sector of foodservice you work in, and we’ve got lots of tips and advice this month to help you make a start on your ‘Christmas List’. Also make sure you check out our festive pullout, which is packed with inspirational products to guarantee Christmas 2017 is a cracker!
37 DICKSON’S DIARY
42 ON THE RANGE with Jill Swift, Canklow Woods Primary School Rotherham
Wishing you a fantastic and productive September. Keep creating a stir!
Brilliant Bakers
15 HOSPITALITY
- Rise in Employment
and insight technology
19 HEALTH &
Our cover star, newlywed socialite Pippa Middleton, shares her heart-healthy cod recipe on page 27. She’s penned a cookbook in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of nutritious food. September also signals ‘Back to School’ time and our Customer Profile feature looks at the wonderful catering operation at Malvern St James Girls’ School. Country Range development chef Paul Dickson shares some interesting ideas for school cooks to try on page 37 too.
13 EDUCATION -
WELFARE - NACC
Nostalgia for dementia sufferers
21 RAISE THE BAR - Time for Red Wine!
31
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
- General Data Protection Regulation
25 MCA - The Price Has to be Right
47
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Inspirational ideas for Autumn recipes
39, 40
FOOD & INDUSTRY
45 SPECIAL
FEATURE - British Food Fortnight
32,33 COUNTRY CLUB - Win a 3-in-1
Pizza Oven, Finlay’s Tea Case
Contact us...
EDITOR Janine Nelson editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk WRITERS Sarah Rigg, Amy Grace SUBSCRIPTIONS Telephone: 0845 209 3777
JULY 2017
THE COU
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Visit our website for lots more advice, inspiration and recipes! SEPTEMBER 2017
3
COOKS CALENDAR
COOKS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER bilberries
butternut squash
Read ers ' Li ves
1 Name: Paul Deeney 2 Job title: Head chef 3 Place of work: Elk Bistro, County Antrim
4 Typical working hours: 9am-10pm, five days a week
5 How long have you worked in the catering industry? 21 years
6 Most interesting fact about you: I’ve cooked for Mick Jagger
and Brian Adams when I was the senior chef de partie at the Michelinstarred Shanks Restaurant in Bangor
7 Favourite cuisine: I love working with fish, especially where we are literally 500 yards from Lough Neagh (a large freshwater lake).
8 Signature dish: Pan roasted McAtamney’s tender loin of venison with celeriac puree, roasted beetroot, stem broccoli 9 Must-have garden and baby carrots, kitchen gadget: finished with My own knives. buttery mash and They are a pan red wine jus. my babies!
10 Top culinary tip: Team leadership.
What’s in Seaso n?
pears
chestnuts
apples
figs
21 - LUNCH! 22
3 – 5 Speciality and Fine
Trade event for the food-togo industry, ExCel, London
Food Fair, Olympia, London www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk
GOOD 22 - BBC 21 CAFÉ LIFE AWARDS, FOOD’S FEAST, Grange City Hotel, London 24 Tower of London – 1 British Roast Dinner Week 23 – 8 BRITISH FOOD 24 October www.lunchshow.co.uk
www.bbc goodfoodshow.com/feast-tower
October FORTNIGHT www.lovebritishfood.co.uk
20 Universal Cookery and Food
Festival, Padstow Farm Shop, Cornwall www.cookeryandfoodfestival.co.uk
awards.thecafelife.co.uk
www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk/ chef-inspiration/pub-roasts/ british-roast-dinner-week.html
& 26 - TAKEAWAY RESTAURANT EXPO, 27 ExCel London takeawayexpo.co.uk
OCTOBER celeriac
salsify
pumpkins
kale
figs
What’s in Seaso n?
wild mushrooms
Feel prepared, prepare to feel. If you’re well-prepared, you’ll never fail during service
11 Who is your inspiration
and why? The late Robbie Millar. When I was at college Robbie and Paul Rankin were the two main guys in Northern Ireland who had achieved Michelin stars. I met Robbie at a seminar and asked if I could work for free in his restaurant. I had a month’s trial then he took me on and kept me on four years later. The rest is history!
12 Favourite Country
Range ingredient and why? It’s really hard to choose because they’re all good but the Country Range Real Mayonnaise is fantastic. It’s so rich and creamy and is lovely emulsified – it has a really good sheen on it. It’s a great foundation for a lot of garnish sauces.
4 SEPTEMBER 2017
1 WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY 16 WORLD FOOD DAY 2 – 4 The Restaurant Show, Independent Hotel Show, 17- The Olympia, London Olympia West, London 18 2 - CAKE WEEK 8 20 VEGFEST UK TRADE SHOW, www.therestaurantshow.co.uk
NATIONAL
www.nationalcakeweek.co.uk
9 – 15
National Curry Week
www.independenthotelshow.co.uk
OLYMPIA, LONDON trade.vegfest.co.uk
29 British Summertime ends THE CHOCOLATE SHOW, 13 - Olympia, London 15 31 HALLOWEEN www.nationaleatingoutweek.com
www.salonduchocolat.co.uk
CUSTOMER PROFILE
No turkey twizzlers here! BRINGING OUR CATERING IN-HOUSE WAS INSPIRED DECISION When Anita Fisher moved from working in a corporate catering environment into a school setting, she was shocked by the standard of food on offer – and was determined to turn it around. As an employee of a contract catering company, she saw there was drastic room for improvement and advised the governors at Malvern St James Girls’ School in Worcestershire to take its catering operation in-house. “I’d worked in the corporate side of contract catering before I came here and had never worked in a school,” she explains. “I came into it blind and wrongly expected it to be easy! I realised very quickly that what we were feeding the children wasn’t good enough in my eyes – it was very much about ‘turkey twizzlers’ convenience food – and I wanted to change that.
“After six months of getting to know the school well, I put my ideas forward, and, two years later, we took everything in-house.” Now seven years into the job at the prestigious independent day and boarding school for girls, Anita is a very happy head of catering. The kitchen and dining area have been completely refurbished to create a modern and enticing environment with a vibrant salad and tapas bar, and the pupils are served healthy, ‘home-cooked’ food every day – plus lots of the treats they would enjoy at home. “When I first came, the children were using their spending money to order in pizzas and takeaways so we had to change the whole way that they thought about food. I’m passionate about good food and I wouldn’t want my children eating rubbish so we created our own version of KFC and takeaway food, which we serve in takeaway boxes on Saturday nights!” she explains. Anorexia and eating issues are on the catering team’s radar, and Anita blames social media for putting pressure on girls to be thin. “It’s something we have to watch quite a lot. We have a few girls with special eating requirements so we have a dedicated member of the catering team to look after pupils with allergies and special diets. “Social media is a big factor because girls compare themselves to celebrities. They can be very easily led.” Packed lunches from home are banned for day pupils so that everyone eats a nutritious
SCHOOL STATS � 405 pupils aged 4-18 � Termly and weekly boarding plus day pupils � 200 boarders � 45% international students, mainly from China and Russia � Catering team: six chefs plus a head chef � Catering operation: 7 days a week, 7am until 8pm
lunch together, and roast dinners and pizzas top the favourite dishes. “Curries are very popular too,” continues Anita. “We use all of the Country Range Ready-to-Use Sauces and the Country Range Basmati Rice is a brilliant product too. If Country Range make it, we use it!” There’s no menu cycle, instead the menu is changed every single week, and Anita and her team draw culinary inspiration from a variety of sources to keep the menus on trend. “I have a passion for food and I love to eat out so I bring ideas from things I’ve eaten in restaurants,” she says. “We all read lots of food magazines and get lots of ideas from Stir it up. The articles are all very down to earth and feel like they are written specifically for us rather than aimed at big corporate companies like other catering magazines.”
SEPTEMBER 2017
5
NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE
The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand
Go crackers!
>> Crackers paired with various cheeses is a dish which was first consumed by sailors in the 1800s before refrigeration existed, and has been described as one of the first fast foods in the United States.
Nowadays it’s more commonly enjoyed at the end of a meal, either in lieu of or following a dessert. This month, we’re launching our Country Range Luxury Cracker Selection, which are available in boxes containing two resealable 250g packs for optimum freshness. Each pack contains a selection of six cracker varieties:
Country Range Luxury Cracker Selection is on promotion this month. See your Stir it up Promotions supplement for more details.
Cheesy tips: • Oddly enough - it is believed that most cheeses actually go better with white wines than reds as the creaminess found in some cheeses is drowned out by the flavour of the tannin (naturally occuring compounds that exist inside grape skins, seeds and stems) in the reds. • About 50g of cheese per person is enough.
• Poppy Seed and Pepper Cracker: A delicate, crisp water cracker with poppy seeds for a warm peppery flavour. Pair with goat’s milk cheeses
• Opposites attract, which is why sweet fruit or a dessert wine goes really well with the tang of blue cheese.
• Stone Ground Cracker: Crisp, crunchy and rich flavour finished with a touch of salt. Pair with Gruyere cheese
• Sweet Wheat Cracker: Crisp honeycomb textured wheat cracker with a subtle sweet toasted flavour. Pair with creamy goat’s cheeses
• Salt & Pepper Cracker: Light and crisp sea salt and black pepper savoury cracker. Pair with Lancashire and Caerphilly, walnuts and honey
• Rosemary Cracker: Crisp and flaky with a hint of rosemary and a light sprinkle of salt. Try with an extra sharp white Cheddar
• Sea Salt Cracker: Light and crisp savoury cracker with a pinch of sea salt. Pair with blue cheese
• Country Range Luxury Cracker Selection Pack Size: 500g (2 x 250g)
6 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE
HO HO HO!
Time to write your Christmas list >> With Christmas looming in the not too distant future, it’s time to get your Santa hat on and get down to some serious festive menu planning. Luckily Country Range takes the stress out of shopping around and has got Christmas covered. From cranberry sauce to deep dish mince pies, sage and onion stuffing mix to premium north Atlantic prawns, we’ve got everything you need to make Christmas 2017 a cracker!
We’ve also got some exciting new product launches ahead of the festive season: • This delicious St. Clements Orange Bell will help your diners ring in the New Year • This Chocolate & Raspberry Snowflake makes for the perfect white Christmas • This fabulously decadent Chocolate & Orange Bar Gateau offers rich pickings for dessert lovers • Country Range St. Clements Orange Bell Pack Size: 1 x 20 Individual Portions • Country Range Chocolate & Raspberry Snowflake Pack Size: 1 x 16 Individual Portions • Country Range Chocolate & Orange Bar Gateau Pack Size: Whole (Suggested 16 Portions)
Exciting new product launch ahead of the festive season: Fabulously decadent Chocolate & Orange Bar Gateau offers rich pickings for dessert lovers!
For festive party platters, our mini pies are a menu must-have. Both varieties are sold in fully oven-able trays that can be baked direct from the freezer. • Country Range Mini Party Mince Beef & Ale Pie Pack Size: 10 x 6 x 30g • Country Range Mini Party Chicken Bacon & Leek Pie Pack Size: 10 x 6 x 30g
Bake directly from the freezer
Catch of the day >> Country Range Tuna Chunks in Brine are now available in a NEW 400g tin, offering further flexibility to the caterer.
The new smaller size option is an addition to the 800g and 1.7kg, aimed at helping chefs reduce wastage. Packed in Ecuador using Skipjack tuna, this store cupboard staple is ideal for
creating healthy sandwiches, salads and jacket potato fillings.
It is caught using the purse seine method, which means the long-term sustainability of fish stocks is not affected. Skipjack tuna is the most common species of tuna for canning because it is fast growing and reproduces quickly.
• Country Range Tuna Chunks in Brine Pack Size: 400g
SEPTEMBER 2017
7
MAGGI GETS TOP MARKS FOR SCHOOLS ®
MAGGI® understands the pressure you face day in, day out, as school chefs. That’s why we offer a range of products, recipes, menu ideas and support that give you, the unsung heroes, a helping hand in creating something amazing. Our new and improved MAGGI® Dehydrated Bouillons are now gluten free. Just one tub makes 100 litres and gives you the base to create delicious recipes.
Beef Bouillon Mix 1 x 2kg
Each tub makes 100 litres
Chicken Bouillon Mix Vegetable Bouillon Mix 1 x 2kg 1 x 2kg Each tub makes 100 litres Each tub makes 100 litres
MAGGI® Rich & Rustic Tomato Sauce is gluten free, vegetarian and meets the Responsibility Deal salt targets 2017. Our sun-ripened tomatoes are grown sustainably within the region of the factory and after a short journey are cooked into a pulpy sauce with onions, garlic and herbs. It’s a brilliant time saver in the kitchen that can be used straight from the tin for pasta and pizza or in dishes like curries and stews. Rich & Rustic Tomato Sauce
Crunchy Bake Southern Fried 1 x 1kg
Crunchy Bake Lemon & Herb 1 x 1kg
Our range also includes MAGGI® Crunchy Bake, a pre-seasoned crumb that’s great for coating meat, fish and vegetables. As it’s baked rather than fried it’s an easy way to reduce the fat content of some child favourite dishes. As an example we all know it can be difficult to persuade children to eat oily fish, but our Lemon & Herb Crunchy Bake makes it much easier. We also have Southern Fried Crunchy Bake, perfect for chicken but also great on top of lasagnes and moussakas for that crunchy, non-cheese topping. MAGGI® Gluten Free Vegetarian Gravy is sure to leave empty plates and smiling faces. Delicious, full of flavour and easy to prepare, it’s the gluten free gravy that everyone can enjoy.
Gluten Free Gravy Mix 1 x 1.7kg Each tub makes 26 litres
(serving suggestions)
6
® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. All rights reserved.
If it’s recipes or menu ideas you’re after, visit www.nestleprofessional.co.uk or call 0800 742 842
NO W
Will YOUR team rise to the Challenge? Entries are now open for the prestigious Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2017/8. Chef lecturers from across the UK have until November 30 to enter their teams into this coveted competition, which culminates in a grand final in the Live Theatre at Hotelympia in March next year. Each team is made up of three full-time students, who will be required to plan, cook and present a three-course, threecover meal. This year’s theme is ‘Around the world in 3 spices’. The Challenge is run in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs and judged to professional competition standards. Last year’s winning chef lecturer, Annmarie Farr, from Ayrshire College, said: “The Country Range Student Chef Challenge is one of the biggies. It’s a great experience – once in a lifetime – and the girls will remember it forever. It is the pinnacle of their careers. Winning has brought fantastic publicity to the college too and it will look brilliant on the girls’ CVs.”
Competition Timeline Entry deadline: November 30 Paper judging: December Announcement of who is through to the regional heats: w/c December 18 Regional heats: late January/early February – specific location and timings will be announced after the paper judging
Grand final: 10 teams to compete March 7 (11am-12.30pm) at Hotelympia
Prizes The winning team will receive: • A bespoke selected chef knife set by Flint & Flame • Guided trip to the 2018 Universal Cookery & Food Festival in Westlands (September 2018). Designed by chefs for chefs, this unique festival changes location every year and features an eclectic mix of demonstrations, workshops and tours (www.cookeryandfoodfestival.co.uk)
College 2016’s winning team, Loughborough
Emily Bucknall has Sat nav set for the top A former winning team member of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge has bagged her dream job. After a whirlwind 18 months, Loughborough College’s Emily Bucknall is embarking on the next step of her professional cookery development after being snapped up by the two star Michelin - Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms. Emily completed a 3-day stage at the illustrious restaurant and was offered a role of commis chef on completion after impressing Sat and his experienced team. A delighted Emily said: “I’m over the moon and I just can’t believe everything that has happened this past two years really. To now be about to start with one of the biggest names in British food, is beyond my wildest expectations but is an opportunity I’m going to seize with everything I have. “For me, it all started with winning the Country Range Student Chef Challenge really. The win gave me direction, a huge confidence boost and a burning desire to work in the best kitchens with the finest chefs. The skills learnt, experienced gained and happy memories will stay with me for life so I recommend all budding college chefs to get involved.”
“It’s a great experience – once in a lifetime. It is the pinnacle of their careers.” Annmarie Farr, Ayrshire College
• Dinner at the stunning one Michelin-starred Simpsons Restaurant in Kenilworth (www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk), plus an overnight stay in a nearby hotel • The winning team lecturer will receive a full knife set by Flint & Flame The 1st and 2nd runners-up will also receive chef knives. For more details and how to enter the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2017/18 visit www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2017
9
SPECIAL FEATURE
‘C hallenging’ times for student chefs
EN TE R
CATEGORY FOCUS
t m s i r h Comes earalys c
FORWARD PLANNING FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON
ca layer ingue r e m ( a v o l Black Forest pav
Precision planning
Precision planning is crucial to the smooth running of the busy festive period, and, now that the summer is over, canny caterers are turning their attention to Christmas. Using this opportunity to plan and advertise your holiday menus in advance will attract more bookings in the time leading up to Christmas and, by encouraging diners to pre-order Christmas meal menu choices, operators can better forecast spend and bulk buy necessary ingredients in advance, helping to reduce food waste and overheads. “The first rule of Christmas is it is never too early to think about Christmas,” says Willie Pike, Major’s consultant development chef for Scotland. “Planning ahead for what is arguably the nation’s favourite season is key to getting your offer right. For excellent consistency and authenticity of flavour, clean label
10 SEPTEMBER 2017
readymade gravies, stocks and sauces, can be a caterer’s best allies during the busy festive season. Not only do they save on time, are key for quality and consistency but at Christmas it is arguably even more important to be inclusive and cater for all dietary requirements.”
Trends for Christmas 2017 This Christmas is all about nostalgia, with a big emphasis on the 1970s.
Expect to see the revival of the Black Forest Gateau with supermarket Waitrose leading the way with a black forest panettone created by TV chef Heston Blumenthal. Their executive chef, Jonathan Moore, said: “Flavours of black forest bring back fond memories for many and it’s most definitely enjoying a revival. “Chefs including Yotam Ottolenghi and Bruno Loubet of the Grain Store London
ke)
have introduced dishes such as Black Forest Battenberg and Black Forest coupes to their menus.” Another big flavour trend is Prosecco. With UK sales topping £500million last year, it seems we can’t get enough of the fizzy stuff and you can expect to see it used on food menus as well as the drinks menu. Country Range Strawberry Prosecco Charlotte taps into this trend, offering a deliciously refreshing and fruity dessert.
Christmas traditions
To help caterers best understand what customers are looking for this Christmas, Premier Foods has conducted a survey – and found that they are traditionalists at heart. Says Sarah Robb, channel marketing manager at Premier Foods: “The traditional Christmas dinner is still the most popular choice with diners over the festive period; with 77% of consumers surveyed saying
they enjoy a sit-down Christmas roast with all the trimmings at a Christmas party. “Our research also revealed that 70% of people like to see traditional festive desserts such as mince pies or Christmas pudding on the menu, further sticking to Christmas tradition. In order to encourage customers to book with your outlet; being able to pre-order and having a free drink on arrival were both influencers of choice for a Christmas party venue.” The dishes people couldn’t do without on a Christmas party menu: mince pies, turkey, stuffing, cheese and pineapple on sticks, Pigs in blanket, Christmas pudding The cuisines people would like to eat at a Christmas Party: 1. Traditional British; 2. Italian; 3. American; 4. Mexican
Theme your offering
Similarly, seasonal sandwiches always go down a treat. This Christmas, vendors are taking a rustic approach to menus so try pairing Kara’s artisanal sourdough bloomers filled with sweet cranberry sauce, Romaine lettuce, cured bacon, succulent turkey slices and sage and onion stuffing, for a competitive meaty festive feast.
Cheese please!
Cheese and the cheeseboard are synonymous The 12 Days with Christmas but far too of Whirlmas is a often the same tried and Christmas guide tested selection appears showing how a liquid every year. butter alternative can “For Christmas 2017, bring the indulgent think about setting your flavour of butter to offering apart by including festive menus without a continental cheese,” advises the high cost Kenneth Axen, MD of Futura of butter.
Operators should take advantage of the season to create festive-themed versions of on-trend shakes and desserts, recommends Aine Melichar, brand manager for Kerrymaid, with ingredients such as vanilla ice cream with warm Christmas pudding pieces, topped with brandy flavoured whipped cream and topped with mulled berries. “If you’re partial to the more traditional puddings which are always a winner, why not try a trio of desserts platter, with mini yule logs, chocolate orange tart and raspberry pavlovas?” she adds.
Top Tips for a successful festive season from Mark Rigby, executive chef at Premier Foods Make sure you allow the turkey to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving, if there is a lot of steam coming from your turkey when you carve, it will be dry For a delicious turkey gravy, combine the meat juices with Bisto Gravy Granules and try adding your own flavours such as citrus, herbs, wine or brandy also works well For a simple but tasty stuffing, blend 50% Paxo Stuffing and 50% sausage meat Try adding cinnamon to Ambrosia custard to give desserts the classic Christmas flavour
Foods. “Roasted figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and finished with a drizzle of honey make an unusual and impressive appetiser whilst bite-sized Brie puffs served with onion chutney are a real crowd pleaser.
“On the cheeseboard, Gorgonzola makes for a great, creamier alternative to Stilton, whilst the unique tang of Goat’s Log will make a real point of difference. Serve with plenty of crackers and if you’re worried about retaining a traditional feel, use leftover cranberry sauce as an alternative to more conventional chutneys.”
Christmas in care homes
No festive offering is complete without a classic fruit cake, but for care caterers who need to consider the special dietary needs of their residents, Dr. Oetker Professional has taken the pressure out of the season. Their reduced Sugar Fruit Cake Mix has been carefully developed to guarantee a delicious bake full of flavour but with 30% reduced sugar. “The mix is part of our Wellcare range and is fortified with fibre,” says Emma Haworth, senior brand manager, Dr Oetker Professional. “It also contains no hydrogenated fats, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives to help support good nutrition.”
Keep in mind that throughout the season, diners are likely to eat out more than once, so make sure you have a choice between traditional Christmas fare and more innovative dishes
For older consumers with smaller appetites, why not try a Christmas themed afternoon tea with small jugs of Kerrymaid Custard and Kerrymaid Double to go with mini Christmas puddings, chocolate yule logs and warm mince pies?
There will be an increase in large parties so providing a group menu or sharing boards will alleviate time pressures and allow chefs to maintain high-quality dishes
Spruce up school lunches
Set menus will attract customers looking for great deals over the festive season
Turkey breast filled wit h sausage and chestnut puree wra pped in pancetta and sage lea ves
cookie which they can enjoy with a splash of custard or whipped cream. A healthy alternative to real cream with 26% less saturated fat, Kerrymaid Cream Alternatives are the only cream alternatives on the market to have the Soil Association Food For Life Served Here accreditation, and contain no hydrogenated vegetable fats. For school caterers looking to provide a tasty alternative to a traditional Christmas dinner, crunchy vegetable crumble, created by Kerrymaid ambassador Jeanette Orrey, is a big hit. For the full recipe visit www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/recipes
Cookies decorated with a Christmas theme
For school caterers searching for healthier, great value ways of providing a festive dessert for children, why not try baking a large reindeer, Santa or penguin themed Christmas
SEPTEMBER 2017 11
CATEGORY FOCUS
ey Cheese with walnuts and hon
Contact your account manager today for high quality, mouth-watering pastries that make memorable moments.
For more information visit:
schulstadbakerysolutions.co.uk @LantmannenUK
EDUCATION
Brilliant Bakers
A talented team of youngsters from a preparatory school in York has been crowned the 2017 McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year. The team from Chapter House Preparatory School baked its way to the top spot with its Queen Ethelburga’s Mess, impressing judges with their exceptional teamwork and a deliciously tasting recipe. Lara Haigh and Jack Bennett, both aged nine, supported by school caterer Sarah Middlemiss, used fresh strawberries, garden mint and locally sourced eggs within their recipe, adhering to the local produce competition theme. Sarah Robb, foodservice channel marketing manager at Premier Foods, said: “We were very impressed by the children’s imagination, dedication and enthusiasm throughout the competition and would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the competition such a triumph for the third year running.” The school, which is a customer of the Country Range Group, was awarded £1,000 worth of kitchen equipment, a prize which was presented to them by Sally Shadrack, Chair of LACA, helping the pupils to continue their passion for good food and cooking.
University campuses remain cost effective
while food costs rise by 48% in high street shops
Research by The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) has shed light on the ongoing campus versus high street price divide. Findings from the study, which was conducted in partnership with Litmus, show on average the cost of food and drink on the high street has increased over the past year, while prices have decreased for comparable products at university campuses. The most noticeable difference is in high street shops, where prices have risen by a staggering 48.8% compared to a drop of -4.1% at university shops. Another big area of disparity is cafés, where prices at high street outlets are up by an average 17.6% compared to 7% on campuses. Hot beverages in particular are consistently more expensive from the high street, with a regular cappuccino costing £2.20 compared to under £2 at universities. It’s a similar situation for bottled water, which can be purchased for under a pound at universities but for an average of £1.59 on the high street. Commenting on the results, Mike Haslin, CEO of TUCO, said: “For our members, benchmarking against the high street – both in terms of local pricing and national food trends – is essential to ensure their offer remains attractive to students and encourages them to stay on-site. “By conducting our annual research, we are able to keep our members informed of price movements between universities and the high street and support university caterers in providing true value to their students.” To download the research, visit: www.tuco.ac.uk/images/zoo/uploads/documents/ TUCO_Selling_Price_Results_Report_2016-17_v6.pdf
Calling all school chefs
Register your school to take part. Registration deadline is Sept 29
Registration is now open for LACA School Chef of the Year 2018, sponsored by Maggi from Nestlè Professional. The competition focuses on producing healthy, nutritious meals for 11 year olds, and is the perfect showcase for passionate school chefs to demonstrate what they do best everyday. The first stage is to register your school to take part in the competition – the deadline for registrations is September 29 and full details are available online at laca.co.uk/scoty-2018-registration-form. The winner will scoop £1,000 plus a work experience trip to an overseas school and a host of activities representing LACA and Maggi as School Chef of the Year. There are also two runner up prizes of £500 for second place and £300 for third place at the national final.
SEPTEMBER 2017 13
FOR PROFESSIONALS
I’m new!
We’re pleased to introduce you to
Alpro Almond For Professionals Our brand new product, Designed especially for baristas. Specially formulated for use in coffee, all our products have the x-factor when it comes to workability, texture and taste
We only ever use responsibly sourced ingredients and go the extra mile when it comes to minimising our impact on the environment
A delicious alternative to syrups (perfect for health conscious customers)
Discover more about our range at alpro.com/for-professionals
New research predicts that over 500,000 new jobs could be created in the hospitality sector over the next five years. The hospitality industry’s contribution to the UK economy has grown faster than any other sector since the economic downturn in 2008 and labour productivity in the sector has grown at more than double the growth rate of the overall economy, according to two new reports from the British Hospitality Association (BHA). The research, by Ignite Economics, also confirms hospitality and tourism as the UK’s fourth largest industry, employing 4.6million directly and indirectly. Last year it provided £161billion to the total economy,
Around 17% of are now relatedaltol jothbs in the UK and tourism seectohosr. pitality
Customer insight technology boosts lunch and coffee shop sales
Hospitality and tourism is the UK’s fourth largest industry, employing 4.6million directly and indirectly
£15billion in exports and £38billion in direct tax receipts. Around 17% of all jobs in the UK are now related to the hospitality and tourism sector. The jobs are spread around the country with hospitality ranking as a top six employer in every region of the UK. Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the BHA, said: “We are the front door to the UK and are fundamental to ensuring the UK remains open for business. With the right strategic support from government, economic stability and access to labour we believe that hospitality and tourism can continue to grow and become a career of choice for more and more people.” You can view the two reports online at www.bha.org.uk/economiccontribution-uk-hospitality-industry/ and www.bha.org.uk/uk-hospitalityindustry-productivity-report/
through menu optimisation alone, allowing consumers to add extra products, such as a drink, before an order was placed. Tom Dewhurst, Ordoo CEO, commented: “Finding a simple way to get your customers to spend 17% more, on their terms, is significant. These venues are simply using tech and business insight to better understand their customers and give them what they want, when they want it. “Without mobile ordering, this wouldn’t be possible! Now many more venues can compete with the mobile ordering technology possessed by McDonalds, Starbucks and Wetherspoons.” For more information, visit www.ordoo.co.uk/partner-up.html
Lunch and coffee venues are leading the way in reaping the benefits of new technology, new research has revealed. A data sample from over 21,000 customer orders collected by customer insight tech provider Ordoo shows that lunch and coffee venues using the technology increased the size of their average customer basket spend by 9% and 17% respectively. The results show they have immediately recognised the potential of being able to encourage the sale of higher value and popular, re-ordered items through customer intelligence and menu optimisation. Some venues chose to target repeat customers with their most popular products, others boosted promotions they had at the time, such as lunch ‘meal deals’. One coffee business in Bath was able to increase their average customer basket spend by 42% in just over a year. In London, a lunch venue boosted their basket spend by 7%
SEPTEMBER 2017 15
HOSPITALITY
500,000 new hospitality jobs in the next five years
THE MARKETPLACE
T he Marketplace
Keeping you up-to-date on new products and services within the foodservice industry
Crispier chips guaranteed >> McCain Foods has introduced New & Improved Menu Signatures Staycrisp Gourmet Chunky Chips and Traditional Thick Cut Chips to foodservice. With third generation growers in the fields looking after the McCain potato crop, and more than 50 years of experience making chips in Britain, McCain has unveiled two new and improved gluten-free chips, carefully crafted from farm to fork, and now featuring the unique recipe Staycrisp coating. Catherine Rigg, McCain Foods senior product manager, comments: “New & Improved Staycrisp Gourmet Chunky Chips and Traditional Thick Cut Chips not only support caterers operationally by staying hotter and crispier for longer, they also provide a better looking, better tasting chip that will get their customers mouths watering, time and again.”
All aboard Café Express >> Finlays has launched the Café Express coffee range - developed exclusively for the out-of-home market. The brand combines all the quality and consistency you’d expect from Finlays, one of the UK’s largest coffee suppliers, with a crafted, artisanal branding approach. At the core of the range is the finest Italian Espresso Coffee Bean, delivering a perfect balance of acidity, body and sweetness, the ideal base for any coffee menu. This is complemented by a roast and ground variant, and a single origin Colombian bean, allowing operators to add something special to any coffee menu.
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>> Schwartz has launched two new Wings Seasonings in response to the continued growth in popularity of the chicken wing phenomena – a 35% uplift in restaurants serving chicken wing dishes over the last three years. The two variants, Buffalo Wings Seasoning and Lemon & Herb Wings Seasoning, are easy to use. Simply sprinkle straight onto hot wings, shake, and serve to produce consistent results. With the Americana mega-trend still gripping the UK, wings are the latest must -have item for any style of operation and are being featured on menus in restaurant chains around the country as sides, as part of sharing platters and as mains.
A world of extraordinary flavour
Schwartz Buffalo Wings Seasoning has a sweet and spicy vinegar-based flavour, while Schwartz Lemon and Herb Wings Seasoning is a citrus seasoning blend with herbs, including thyme for a mellow, mild yet tasty, flavour boost.
>> Taylors of Harrogate have unveiled a revamped product portfolio as it relaunches its brand proposition to bring to life its focus on ‘extraordinary flavour’. Alongside new, bright, artistic packaging which is being rolled out across its range, the Yorkshire-based company has created exciting and innovative new blends for its fruit and herbal infusions, and green tea ranges. The additions are part of the new brand proposition which accentuates extraordinary flavour and quality, and will showcase Taylors’ brand new logo and full packaging redesign. Four new blends will refresh the brand’s popular range of teas and infusions, which have been created in partnership with the botanical experts at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and in line with flavour trends. New variations include an on-trend Mandarin and Ginger infusion, which adds a twist to the popular citrus and ginger combination, and new green teas blended with Lychee and Lime, White Hibiscus and Peach, and Mango and Cardamom.
AUTUMNAL CAKES >> Kara has launched three new 10 inch round cakes under their Indulgent Cake Collection - ready for a slice of autumn menu sales.
New guide helps chefs serve up authentic tastes of The Americas >> Unilever Food Solutions has launched a new guide Hello World: The Americas, to help chefs boost gross profit by offering authentic tastes of America, Canada and Mexico. The new guide – created to help caterers boost volume and spend per head – is packed with cultural insight from street food expert Victoria Stewart and practical recipes and tips from UFS culinary lead Alex Hall. Recipes in the guide include tacos stuffed with pibil pork, honey glazed cornbread topped with bourbon glazed brisket, and poutine topped with the likes of flank steak and Portobello mushroom & garlic – to name but a few. All concepts are accompanied by a range of delicious sauces and sides. Download free of charge at www.ufs.com/helloworld.
The collection now includes: • Banana and Toffee Kiss Cake - a banana sponge, topped with a toffee buttercream, decorated with toffee buttercream ‘kisses,’ caramel and chocolate curls, broken banana pieces and a chocolate drizzle. • Rose and Vanilla Shimmer Cake - made with a soft vanilla sponge with all three layers sandwiched between a rich rose frosting which is then fully enrobed in a pink rose ganache, topped with hand piped pink flavoured roses, a sprinkling of dried fruity raspberry pieces and sparkle dusting. • Dulce de Leche Cake - a double layer toffee flavoured sponge cake topped with indulgent Dulce de Leche buttercream, caramel and dark chocolate curls and soft fudge pieces.
Burts jump on the Red Tractor >> Burts Chips has been awarded the Red Tractor stamp of approval – the UK’s largest food assurance scheme. The company is the first licensed crisps manufacturer to use accredited British potatoes which are farmed responsibly, processed and packed in the UK. The Red Tractor logo now appears on Burts Chips’ 40g packs and 150g packs. With 67% of UK shoppers now recognising the Red Tractor logo, the artisan crisp producer wants to heighten awareness of the origin and quality of its produce. The first NPD to carry the stamp of approval are Burts Smoked Crispy Bacon and limited-edition Burts Fish ‘N’ Chips.
SEPTEMBER 2017 17
THE MARKETPLACE
FIND YOUR WINGS
HEALTH & WELFARE
Nostalgic dining rooms for dementia
sufferers
>> Themed dining rooms with interactive and nostalgic displays are helping to improve the wellbeing and diet of dementia sufferers in care homes. There are around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK and, in many cases, their long-term memory is still working so nostalgic items and smells offer reassurance and prompts for conversation. Gillian Hesketh, of Happy Days Dementia Workshop & Nostalgic Design, explains: “Having spent many hours discussing meal-time approaches with residential home managers, day centre providers, meal delivery services and frontline carers, the most talked about issue after nutrition, was the difficulty in encouraging people to eat. “Dementia can affect a person’s relationship to food, impacting on their eating habits, meal-times and food choices. Even finding their way to the dining room can become difficult for some people. We believe that prompting the long-term memory with images of food and everyday mealtimes can help; a freshly cut loaf may signify the smell of newly baked bread and prompt taste buds, preparing the person to eat. Taste, textures and conversational prompts around the subject of food, eating and food favourites can also help to encourage eating.” Gillian is passionate about nostalgic environments for prompting social activity and creating community interaction. In one Stockport care home, she has created a nostalgic sweet shop, complete with counter, sweet dispensers, scales, curiosities, original magazines, nostalgic games and, of course, sweets.
“The sweet shop is also a commun ity space where re sid carers, family anents, visitors can rem d inisce and share and en stories with theijoy loved ones over r a cup of tea,”
Encouraging able people to integrate with daily activities is another way to promote the idea of meal-times and eating, such as laying or clearing the tables, folding napkins, or adding flowers.
Two-thirds of British hospital visitors are left unable to buy proper meals Visitors to hospitals in Britain have been left hungry and disappointed when visiting loved ones outside of working hours. A survey, commissioned by Preoday, questioned people who have visited a hospital in the last five years and found 64% have been unable to buy themselves a proper meal because hospital cafés and restaurants have been closed during a visit.
73%
Wish cafés would remain open until visiting hours end
brand images “Recognisable food le talking: will always get peop Mustard, ans Birds Custard, Colm armite are dM Custard Creams an ith residents.” w s all firm favourite
52%
Had to buy food and drinks from vending machines
In 2015/16, the NHS Confederation reported there were over 16million hospital admissions. With many patients receiving visitors during their stay, millions may have been left unable to find a much-needed meal during their visit. Matt Graywood, chief operating officer of Preoday, said: “With cafés and restaurants closing around 5pm, but visiting hours continuing until 8pm, there’s little opportunity to obtain a good evening meal. If outlets must close before the end of visiting hours, hospitals should take the opportunity to provide a convenient pre-ordering food service for collection, or even delivery, outside of hours. It’s a solution that would allow visitors to plan ahead and feel relaxed about finding a decent meal.”
SEPTEMBER 2017 19
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less heavy on the palate. Also another indication of lighter body is that they tend to have red fruit flavours as opposed to black fruit flavours. An example of a light-bodied red wine is Beaujolais Noveau from the Gamay grape. Pinot Noir also tends to be a lighter bodied wine. A medium-bodied wine will have more tannin than a Beaujolais Nouveau but not quite as many as an Italian supertuscan for example. Examples of medium-bodied wines include Merlot and Grenache.
Red wine styles >> One of the trends I’ve noticed in the last few years is bars classifying drinks by their ‘style’ or by the way they taste. This is to help the consumer make a choice on what they enjoy drinking. Wines are no different and one way to categorise them is by their styles as opposed to the usual regional classification. Red wines can be organised by their body: light, medium and full-bodied. A light-bodied wine will have lower alcohol content and fewer tannins, making it feel
Full-bodied red wines have the highest tannins and often Red wines the highest alcohol content can be making the mouthfeel organised by their heavier and thicker. body: light, Generally they tend to have medium and more black fruit flavours. full-bodied. A good example of a full-bodied red wine is France’s famous Bordeaux wines. By classifying your wines by style, your wine list will be more consumer friendly, especially in a bar environment where wine is drunk more socially as opposed to a restaurant where it is drunk more to complement the food. Luca Cordiglieri, president of the UK Bartender’s Guild
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Since the August edition of Stir it up both the Craft Guild and Country Range have had a great meeting with regards to the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2018, putting our collective ideas down on paper, with the theme, prizes, and how we are going to move this impressive competition forwards. All of the details are on page 9 and you can also find out more on the competition website www. countryrangestudentchef.co.uk.
Five ways to use... Frozen Puff Pastry
If you’re still looking for something to do this month look no further than our Universal Cookery and Food Festival being held in Padstow, where we get down on the hay bales to watch demos, coastal foraging, networking and looking at just what is great about food and drink. James Brooke is this month showing us the best way to use Country Range Frozen Puff Pastry Blocks and as I always say don’t take James’ word for it… try it! If you’re in London at the beginning of October the best date to put into your diary is October 2-4. The Restaurant Show will be in full swing and the main event will be the National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year finals on October 3. Come and see this spectacular competition and support these great chefs. We’re having a rest from organising the World Skills competition at the moment but, trust me, come November we will be in full swing again, having spoken to many of the chefs last year a great deal of them were Country Range customers, which was pleasing to hear. We have as always various events coming up over the next few weeks, please do take time to look at our website and see just what we are up to and where we are, there is always a chance to join in and take part. So until next month,
Andrew Green Craft Guild of Chefs 020 8948 3870 enquiries@craftguildofchefs.org The Craft Guild of Chefs is the largest UK chefs association with members worldwide in foodservice and hospitality, from students and trainees to top management working everywhere from Michelin starred restaurants to educational establishments. For more on the Craft Guild, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org or follow the Craft Guild of Chefs on Twitter at @Craft_Guild
Making your own puff pastry can be incredibly time-consuming and complicated – so why waste valuable time when you can guarantee perfect results from frozen? Country Range Frozen Puff Pastry Blocks make life easier for busy chefs and provide an ideal base to create an array of fantastic dishes. All you have to do is roll it out to your required size, fill and glaze as required.
3. Caramelised banana mille feuille with praline ice cream
To demonstrate its versatility, we asked James Brooke, chef lecturer at Coventry College, to unleash it on his students and come up with five creative serving suggestions…
A classic mille feuille with a modern twist pairing different textures and flavours throughout. Crisp puff pastry is layered with caramelised bananas and smooth vanilla cream and accompanied by ice cream for a great dessert which I use with my level 3 learners.
1. Roast Roscoff onion cherry tomato and goats cheese tart tatin infused with thyme
4. Pan-roast duck breast with pithivier of Leg, roast Jerusalem artichokes and buttered kale
A widely used classic this one takes the fabulous sweet Roscoff onion which is caramelised with cherry tomatoes and finished with melted goats cheese and fresh thyme. An excellent dish for all to enjoy.
This is usually made with frangipane (almond paste) served as a dessert. This version uses a confit of duck leg filled, scored and glazed in the same manner. This Pithivier is then served as part of a duck main course with seared breast and a rich sauce made from the bones.
2. Lamb Wellington roast shallot and redcurrant sauce Wellingtons are always very popular on any restaurant menu. This one uses succulent lamb instead of beef, which is wrapped in pancakes to retain the moisture and protect the pastry. Served with a rich lamb sauce it’s a true gem of a main course.
5. Rhubarb and ginger Portuguese tart with rhubarb ice cream This is a great dessert that packs a flavour punch. Our version of this custard tart uses the classic combination of rhubarb and ginger to flavour the custard. With the crisp pastry and a spoon of ice cream, this is an amazing simple dessert.
About James Brooke James started his catering career as a pot washer and starter chef in the pub trade, training under a German couple who sent him on a stage to Düsseldorf working with the ex-head chef of the QE2. Following an apprenticeship at the Regency Hotel in Leicester, the Ocean Rock 350-seater fish restaurant as sous chef, then sous chef at Ragdale Hall health hydro, James spent the next 12 years as a lecturer at Loughborough College. He is now a chef lecturer at Coventry College (formerly Henley College Coventry), leading the competition teams which include the runners-up in last year’s Country Range Student Chef Challenge.
James Brooke
SEPTEMBER 2017 23
FIVE WAYS TO USE
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The price has to be right! >> Without wishing to be accused of stating the obvious – pricing really is very important. It is critical to driving both top and bottom line growth - or at the very least, helping to offset decline. In the current trading environment, with escalating input cost inflation combining with weakening consumer spending power, the importance of getting pricing right is only increasing. Putting menu prices up too much risks alienating regular customers, while not putting them up enough, will inevitably impact on the ability to develop and invest
However, before making any new pricing decisions, there is considerable merit in just stepping back and taking an honest appraisal of where an establishment is positioned in the local marketplace. Broadly, is it premium and quality-led, mid-market/mainstream or based around price-led value? The reason is because menu prices not only convey the costs of different dishes to customers, but they also shape perceptions around market positioning. And the reason why this is important is simply because those operators with more coherent and consistent brand propositions, and who do not send out mixed messages, enjoy more sustained success.
Leading brands across pubs and restaurants typically adopt either £5, £9 or £0 price points – and rarely mix and match. The most popular, £5, is most commonly used by mainstream, mid-market operators, including Frankie & Benny’s and Wagamama. This is a relatively neutral price point, and contrasts with the psychologically far more important, £9, which still maintains an association with a slightly lower and cheaper price. Unsurprisingly, this is most associated with value-led and low ticket operators, including Hungry Horse and McDonald’s. The final category, with prices either ending £0 or rounded up to the nearest whole pound, is the preserve of upmarket and more confident and contemporary brands, including the likes of Dishoom and Brewdog. So yes, the price has to be right – but so too do the price points!
Indeed, one of the interesting take-outs to emerge from our tracking of menu prices is the existence of three distinct price pointing categories.
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MCA
By Mark Wingett Editor, MCA. Eating and Drinking Out Market Insight
in the business. So there are several tricky decisions to be made around where best to target price rises, but also, on where best to retain/reduce price points with re-specified and cheaper ingredients. For sure, business experience can certainly help here, not least in identifying more/less price sensitive menu items.
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a p p i e P r u t a n g i S dish iddleton M My
It’s been an exciting and eventful year for the talented Pippa Middleton. The younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge has been in full wedding planner mode, culminating in her tying the knot with hedge fund manager James Matthews in July, with her lavish nuptials making headline news. In her spare time, the busy socialite, columnist and author lends her support to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and has penned a heart-healthy recipe book. ‘Heartfelt’ features over 100 delicious recipes for recipes for anyone wanting to eat consciously and nourish their heart. All proceeds from the book will help the BHF fund its life saving research to fight coronary heart disease - the UK’s single biggest killer. She said: “Creating this book has been a huge pleasure, bringing together two of my greatest passions – delicious food and an active, healthy lifestyle. “Through Heartfelt, I want to demonstrate how easy it is to create simple dishes that help with nutritious eating and focus on nourishing meals that will also be good for the heart. “I hope readers will benefit not only from a growing awareness of the importance of heart
health, but also from the idea that healthy food is not just good for you, it can also be fun to prepare and delicious to eat. “As an Ambassador, I care deeply about the work of the British Heart Foundation. Anything I can do to raise funds for their vital heart research is extremely important to me.” Here, she shares one of her favourite recipes from the book - Lemon, red onion and fennel cod traybake. “This dish doesn’t just look pretty, it’s also full of fantastic flavours,” she continues. “The herbs and spices add plenty of interest and the olives are carefully balanced to give the dish extra depth without adding too much salt. Although light to eat, it’s still satisfyingly filling as the cod is a great source of protein.”
Lemon, red onion and fennel cod traybake Serves 4 Ingredients
Method
1 lemon
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6.
400g/14oz new potatoes
2. Finely grate the zest of 1 lemon, then thinly slice
4 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and thickly sliced (fronds reserved) 1 red onion, sliced (about 180g/6oz)
the lemon and set aside. Toss the potatoes and fennel in a large baking tray with the onion and lemon slices and 1 tbsp oil. Spread in a single layer and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.
2 tbsp olive oil
3. Place the cod on top, sprinkle with the crushed fennel seeds and season with black pepper.
4 skinless and boneless cod fillets (each about 125g/4½oz)
Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through.
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
the basil, olives and lemon zest, season and mix together. Pour over the fish, scatter with any reserved fennel fronds and serve.
2 tbsp white wine vinegar A handful of basil leaves, chopped 25g pitted black olives, halved
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing: whisk together the vinegar with the remaining oil, then add
‘Heartfelt’ costs £19.99 is available in all British Heart Foundation shops, on Amazon, and through the BHF’s online shop at bhf.org.uk/heartfelt
SEPTEMBER 2017 27
THE MELTING POT
Ch r i s t m a s C r a c k e r s Don’t miss this trick.
To tie in with our Category Focus feature on Christmas Planning, we asked some of the industry’s leading chefs and experts to share their clever culinary creations for the festive season.
The festive season calls for something special and beautifully decorated bakes will give your menu the edge. Gingerbread encompasses Christmas in one tasty treat, let your imagination run wild.
Whilst we all love a good, old-fashioned roast turkey dinner, it’s nice to have a few more adventurous alternatives – so here’s what they will be serving on their Yuletide menus this year…
David Ditchburn head chef at the Kings Arms Hotel in Keswick
This year I’ll be introducing Sweet Potato Pudding to the hotel’s festive menu. Its sweet soft texture, combined with flavours of cinnamon, grated nutmeg and other spices is sure to please everybody! Sweet potato pudding has always been a popular dish in our family especially at Christmas and Easter time, for that reason I wanted to include this sweet but simple dessert to our festive menus. Parboil the sweet potatoes, then peel and grate them. Stir together with cream, butter and sugar, add nutmeg, cinnamon and beaten mace, along with lemon juice, wine and brandy. Firstly, stir together and beat eight eggs into the mixture in turn with the sweet
28 SEPTEMBER 2017
potato, a little at a time of each. Place into a buttered dish and bake for three quarters of an hour. Eat it cold.
Fergus Martin
Major development chef Middle Eastern and North African flavours have been trending in 2017 and can give your Christmas that exotic twist. As an alternative to turkey, why not try using guinea fowl and drawing upon the wonderful spice and warmth of Morocco. Transform typical Christmassy fruits such as dates and nuts with Major’s Moroccan Mari Base for a warming, sweet and delicately spiced stuffing. Pomegranate jewels are a perfect substitute for cranberry, and a cauliflower puree can give you that bread sauce effect. To top off one truly scrumptious Christmas, serve with a delicious sauce, created by infusing your
Ultimate Poultry gravy with the heat and desert fruits of Moroccan Mari Base.
Hugh McGivern consultant development chef, Eurilait
With a great cheese selection you can draw inspiration for extra special festive dishes. Try a different version of breaded cheese; alternatives such as a mild goat cheese or punchy Roquefort offer an on-trend twist. Another favourite Christmas showstopper is a light soufflé incorporating soft goat cheese and smoked bacon for depth of flavour. Or for a perfect party treat, wrap a wedge of Camembert in smoked streaky bacon and strips of buttered filo
sponge cakes, fairy cakes and cookies, as well as creating sugar decorations with ease.
Stuart Middleton head chef at Meallmore Lodge Care Home, Inverness, and the 2017 NACC Care Chef of the Year
Breaded cheese canapés
Thomas Leatherbarrow pastry, then bake until deliciously crisp. Cheese scraps can also be used in inventive ways - the rinds of Parmesan, Comte or Brie make excellent sauces!
Sam Rain
HB Ingredients development chef For a milk chocolate Christmas spiced mousse, use Callebaut’s mousse powder, which are extremely fast to prepare so is perfect for large banquets, and add your Christmas spices - ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, clove powder and ground ginger - then some orange aroma to give your dessert a really festive feel. The best part is you can add any flavour you like. Some alternative Christmas flavours: • Dark chocolate mousse with orange aroma • White chocolate mousse with mint powder and a small amount of green food colouring • Milk chocolate and ginger with confit orange or orange peel
Try a light souf flé incorporatin soft goat cheese and smoked g bacon for depth of flavour
Savoury soufflés
executive pastry chef and international hospitality consultant www.pastry development.co.uk Christmas is always a busy time for the whole pastry development team working around the clock so here are a few treat ideas for your Christmas party. • This year we will be serving Christmas pudding soufflé, with eggnog cream, winter spiced orange caramel chocolates and many more. • Try turning your leftovers into classic dishes with a twist using Brussels and bacon lardons, rosemary and sage to make a kind of bourguignon with the leftover beef. • Use any remaining Christmas pudding to make a sweet and boozy pie or crumble filling including any winter fruits you have left.
Spiced orange caramel: 400g orange juice 75g dark chocolate 5 star anise 2 orange zest
370g caster sugar 6 cloves 1 cinnamon stick
Add all the ingredients apart from the chocolate to a pan and bring to a rapid boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to 60°C then whisk in the chocolate. Pass through a sieve. Keeps for three days.
Emma Haworth
senior brand manager, Dr Oetker Professional The festive season calls for something special and beautifully decorated bakes will give your menu the edge. Creating this ‘Snow Scene Christmas Layer Cake’ and ‘Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath’ is easier than you think, thanks to leading family baking business Dr. Oetker Professional. Its professional range of high quality icings and marzipans can help achieve the perfect finish to fruit cakes,
Christmas always makes the residents excited for mincemeat. The smell of it cooking screams Christmas and gets everyone’s tastebuds ready for something tasty with a cup of tea. The residents are always keen to give me their recipes and ideas for dishes, especially around Christmas as it’s all about friends, family, festivities and of course food. Here are some of the favourites: • Substitute the sponge in a classic sherry trifle for crushed mincemeat pies • A warm slice of Bakewell tart using mincemeat instead of jam on the base • Spread a layer of mincemeat onto sheets of puff pastry, roll, slice and bake for a festive pinwheel
Olivia Shuttleworth
brand manager for Prep Premium speciality oils Give devilled eggs a spicy, Indian twist by swapping half the mayo with an oil bursting with the flavours of garlic, chilli, coriander, fenugreek, paprika and rosemary, such as Prep Premium CurryHouse. Spicy food is perfect for the festive season – it’s warming and moreish and offers a welcome contrast to traditional Yuletide flavours. These tempting little canapés are also full of protein and natural ingredients, and they’re gluten-free too.
Damian Broom
head chef at Seaham Hall, County Durham www.seaham-hall. co.uk Roast duck with Heritage carrots, gooseberries and meadowsweet is a great festive dish. First the duck is browned then roasted and left to rest. Its trimmings go towards the sauce, which is a reduction of cognac, red wine and stock, blended with sea buckthorn and roasting juices. Carrots are prepared in two ways, puréed and roast with a sea buckthorn glaze. The duck breasts are served re-crisped with the carrots, alongside fried duck hearts, accompanied by dried sugared gooseberries and scattered with meadowsweet and sorrel.
SEPTEMBER 2017 29
THE MELTING POT
Chocolate and cream mousse with cantuccini
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*Source: The School Food Plan, The School Food Standards. ^ Independent yield tests, commissioned by Tilda Foodservice Ltd, June 2014. Based on Tilda Easy Cook Basmati vs Own Label Easy Cook Long Grain.
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
Hospitality and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) By Andrew White, CEO, Preoday
>> The restaurant and catering market has been slow to adapt and realise the full potential of its customer data. Retail businesses have been collecting and using data to optimise marketing and operations for years, hospitality companies have been giving away their most profitable data assets to third parties such as Just Eat and Trip Advisor. Now, with new data regulation rules on the horizon, venues have a short window of time within which to take back their control.
Data protection regulation: the true impact
Make sure you own your data
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) becomes active on 25th May 2018 and will be the most significant update to privacy regulation in two decades. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s only relevant to big technology, health or finance companies. In actuality, by that date, any company targeting consumers in the European Union and holding or transporting data relating to them, must be in compliance.
Under the GDPR, it will become illegal for restaurant owners to pass on or store online customers’ personal information without agreeing a new and formal contract with its ‘data controller’. If the data controller is a third party, like Just Eat, it has the right to define limits on how that data is used.
It is vital businesses understand the importance of this and that they make the required changes, for example appointing a specific data protection officer who will be in charge of making sure the business conforms with regulation.
Consequently, if a business wants to market to customers, it will have to inform Just Eat or Deliveroo or ‘their’ customers (which used to be the restaurant’s) about what it wants to do with the data (which used to belong to it) and ask its permission. It is unlikely they’ll be given it. In fact, the aggregators will be free to object to ‘their data’ being used at all.
Although hospitality companies are directly affected, many remain unaware of the full impact of the GDPR juggernaut; non-compliance carries a penalty fine of up to €20m or 4% of the offending business’ global annual turnover. In truth, companies can’t afford to wait until next May to start making adaptations, if GDPR is not acted upon now, it will be an even bigger problem soon.
Increasingly, businesses are collecting data through online ordering portals and mobile applications. Ownership of the app, venue or a third party, makes a difference to long-term customer relationships: 1. If orders are taken directly through an owned app, website or platform the data, customers and control belong to the restaurants.
For more information visit www. preoday.com.
The only way around this is to move off the aggregator platform and create a direct customer relationship by launching an owned ordering app or online portal. This will ensure that, come May, the restaurant will be the data controller and will retain data and customer rights. Given the importance of data in the modern hospitality industry - for everything from loyalty, through marketing to stock control and competitor differentiation, data ownership is utterly essential. Long term, it means survival.
2. If orders come through an aggregator like Just Eat’s and/or Deliveroo’s app or website, the data, the customers and control belong to the aggregator.
SEPTEMBER 2017 31
COUNTRY CLUB
the COUNTRYclub
Exclusively for customers of The Country Range Group
Get a pizza the action We may not be Italian, but we’re definitely a nation of pizza lovers. In fact, in a recent poll by Insider Monkey, the UK ranked third (after the USA and Norway) as the nation which consumes the most pizza, with the birthplace of pizza ranking only fifth! To celebrate our national love of pizza, we’re giving away a La Hacienda Lorenzo 3-in-1 Pizza Oven so that you can create your own bespoke pizzas in the comfort of your back garden. With three great features - an oven with a 12 inch pizza stone, a BBQ grill and a smoker - you will be sure to impress family and friends with this brilliant bit of kit. You can cook pizza, steak, fish, vegetables, and many more in the top oven with wood or charcoal providing fuel in the lower compartment. Heat resistant handles will keep your hands protected and it even has a removable ash tray for easy cleaning and two sturdy wheels for easy transportation. To enter, simply send us an email titled ‘Pizza Oven’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.
Stir It Up_Half Page Horizontal_Sweet_May 17_V4.indd 1
32 SEPTEMBER 2017
WIN
a La Hacienda Lorenzo 3-in-1 Pizza Oven
15/05/2017 09:26
Finlay Beverages are planning to take foodservice tea by storm with their groundbreaking loose tea brand, 95°.
WIN
a case of Finlay’s exquisite teas with mug and infuser
Available from last month, the new range features the finest loose leaf teas from around the world, including tea from Finlay’s very own estates. To celebrate the start of what is sure to be an ‘Infusion Revolution’, Finlays are giving away five ‘mug and infuser’ sets, along with a mixed case of their exquisite teas, enough to make 900 cups! For your chance to win, send an email titled ‘Finlays prize’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.
Closing date for all competitions: 30th September 2017. All winners will be notified by 31st October 2017. Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to: Country Range Group, PO Box 508, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/about
Delicious Indulgent Christmas Puddings
For more information please contact our Telesales Department 01264 345500, alternatively visit pettywood.direct and you will be able to order online (available from September).
building brands for tomorrow
SEPTEMBER 2017 33
COUNTRY CLUB
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DICKSON’S DIARY
Paul Dickson is Country Range’s development chef. He has over 28 years’ experience in foodservice, has cooked for royalty, film and pop stars, and also works as a food consultant and stylist. He runs Lancashire’s only boutique cookery school.
The start of the new academic year is a great time for school cooks to take a fresh look at menus and discover new ways of getting good quality nutrition into children. There are lots of new and exciting products coming on to the market all the time, so it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse and see which of them can help with your menu planning.
Range Soft Flour Tortillas topped with Country Range Salsa and grated cheese for delicious enchiladas. They’re easy to make and very ‘street foody’.
soups and stews – the Country Range website (www.countryrange.co.uk) has lots of recipe inspiration. Be mindful of the changing seasons too.
Country Range Pulses are a tasty and cost-effective way of getting protein into children and keep their blood sugars stable in the afternoon – which means they’ll have better concentration in class! Use them in
Slower braised dishes are great for budgets as well as being brilliant winter warmers. Try braising pork or lamb shoulders: the pulled meat can be used in a variety of ways – in paninis, jacket potatoes or with rice – served with Country Range Barbecue Sauce and homemade slaw.
The Country Range Ready to Use Sauces are a perfect example. They’re brilliantly versatile so, with a bit of imagination, you can create a whole host of enticing dishes. Try using the Country Range Chilli Con Carne Sauce to baste chicken or a portion of fish and wrap with some rice in Country
For school desserts think fruit and fun. Make fresh fruit compotes to accompany rice pudding – kids love swirling it all together! Fruit cups with layers of Greek yoghurt, maple syrup and crunchy toppings also go down a treat. Happy cooking!
Paul Dickson
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Email: amessagetoyou@paterson-arran.com Contact: SWhitehouse@paterson-arran.com Tel: 01506 431 031 www: paterson-arran.com
SEPTEMBER 2017 37
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industry news CALLS TO MAXIMISE INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY
Students ‘knead’ baking skills
The baking industry has been struggling to recruit a fresh stream of talent.
>> The School of Artisan Food is launching the UK’s only Food and Drink Qualifications (FDQ)-accredited Advanced Diploma in Baking from this month. Growing interest in professional bakery has been supported in recent years by the popularity of programmes such as the Great British Bake Off but the baking industry has been struggling to recruit a fresh stream of talent. The School of Artisan Food on the Welbeck estate in Nottinghamshire has developed the diploma specifically for the food industry. Taking a hands-on approach to practical skills in bread baking, long fermentation, patisserie and viennoiserie the course is supported by the associated food science and an understanding of the functionality of ingredients. For more information visit www.schoolofartisanfood.org.
>> New research has found that 42% of Brits now use technology when eating and drinking out of home. The survey by One Poll, in collaboration with Nestlé Professional, confirms convenience is king, with take-away apps proving the most popular form of technology, especially among millennials (41% say they use them). It also reveals that the trend for on-demand food and drink remains strong, with over half of all respondents (60%) having eaten breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner on the go. In fact, 70% of those surveyed said they spend 10 minutes or less on breakfast and a staggering 95% spare less than 30 minutes to enjoy lunch. The research marks the launch of a new BuzzBites report, powered by Nestlé Professional for the hospitality sector: ‘HYPER-CONVENIENCE: Breaking
boundaries to meet the needs of the 24/7 consumer’. Designed to provide inspiration on how businesses are using the latest innovations to gain a commercial advantage, the report explores the role of technology in shaping eating and drinking patterns. To download a copy of the report: ‘HYPER-CONVENIENCE: Breaking boundaries to meet the needs of the 24/7 consumer’, go to www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/ buzzbiteshospitality
VIVA
Frozen Yogurt • A delicious dessert – a refreshing alternative to ice cream • Made with fresh yogurt and fully traceable milk from our own dairy herds • Can be customised with your choice of fruit, sauces and toppings • Available in six great flavours
For more information visit www.pritchitts.com PRI14467 - Stir It Up - Viva Frozen Yogurt - HP - July - v2.indd 1
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SEPTEMBER 2017 39
FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS
Food &
FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS
Food &
industry news
FAST FOOD FUSION >> What do you get if you fuse a burger with a hotdog? A burdog! Studio Kitchen, the restaurant that created the iconic Crème Egg Burger and the Daim Dog, is celebrating another industry first. Encompassing a Cotswold pork sausage encased in beef mince and covered in cheddar cheese, the burdog is served in a toasted ciabatta roll with a side of skin on fries.
GO SUGAR SMART! >> The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation and food charity Sustain have launched a new campaign calling on independent restaurateurs to reduce the amount of sugar customers consume.
access to drinking water and providing meals during holidays for children. If your business is interested in joining the Sugar Smart revolution you can register now at www.sugarsmartuk.org
Said Jamie: “Restaurants, cafés and caterers are a key sector given their ability to set trends and influence what people want to eat and drink.” In Brighton and Hove, the first city to launch and pilot a Sugar Smart initiative, there are now over 100 independent restaurants and cafés taking action to reduce sugar. Other restaurants all over the UK are implementing a voluntary sugary drinks levy to dissuade customers from having sugary drinks and contribute to the Children’s Health Fund. Their contributions have allowed the fund to give grants totalling £148,000 towards improving
� 1 in 4 children enter primary school overweight or obese and that rises to 1 in 3 by the end of year 6 � Tooth extraction is the largest cause of admission to hospital in 5-9 year olds � Over 15% of children under 3s have some dental decay � Many people eat 40 teaspoons of added sugar a day – more than 5 X the recommended daily allowance
As a leading family business with unparalleled experience in baking, our range of fun and colourful edible decorations has been developed to be of the highest quality and are trusted by cooks, chefs and bakers to add that special touch to all bakes and desserts. Contact us at CRT@oetker.co.uk for more information
40 SEPTEMBER 2017
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ON THE RANGE
The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand
On the Range
Beef lasagne
Jill Swift
“I use the Country Range Garlic Puree for lots of dishes. It’s easy to use and as good as fresh garlic.”
Pasta always goes down a treat with children, and this delicious vegetable lasagne is packed with goodness too. It’s a favourite amongst pupils at Canklow Woods Primary School in Rotherham – in spite of the dish referencing “vegetables” in its title! Head cook Jill Swift, who has worked at the school since 2002, explains: “We run tasting sessions with the children when we are introducing new dishes onto the menu and this went down really well. As soon as you say ‘vegetable’ to children they don’t want to try it but, once they do, they realise how tasty it is.”
Ingredients 1kg Minced beef 300g Country Range Lasagne Sheets 2 tbsp Country Range Vegetable Cooking Oil 360g Country Range Mild Grated Cheddar 250g large Spanish onions
White Sauce
1 litre water 100g self-raising flour 125g Country Range Semi-Skimmed Milk Powder 20g Country Range Sunflower Spread
Tomato Sauce
0.25l tin Country Range Chopped Tomatoes 100g Country Range Cooking and Baking Margarine 100g large Spanish onions ½ tsp Country Range Garlic Purée 2 tbsp tomato puree 50g carrots 1½ tsp Country Range Oregano ¼ tsp granulated sugar
The majority of the ingredients Jill uses in the recipe are Country Range. She says: “The Country Range Lasagne is top quality – when I looked at the competitive price, I decided to give it a go and I wasn’t disappointed. The children often pick up on things if I change them, but I haven’t had a single comment since I changed to using Country Range products. “I use the Country Range Garlic Puree for lots of dishes too. It’s quick and easy to use and it’s as good as fresh garlic.”
Method Tomato Sauce
1. Finely chop the onions and fry in the margarine until soft. 2. Add the garlic puree, oregano, and some salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. 3. Add the tomato puree, carrots, tinned tomatoes and sugar and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning if required. 4. This is the base for the lasagne but can also be used for pizzas and pasta bakes (can be prepared in advance and frozen on day of making).
White Sauce
1. Whisk the water and milk powder together and placing into a jug.
42 SEPTEMBER 2017
2. Melt the margarine in a thick bottomed pan. 3. Add the flour and stir vigorously until you get a smooth glossy paste. Cook for a few minutes over a gentle heat without colouring. 4. Gradually add the milk a little at a time stirring vigorously each time until the mixture is smooth. 5. Once all the milk has been added allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes stirring frequently to ensure the sauce does not burn.
Beef Lasagne
1. Make up the homemade tomato sauce. 2. Brown off the minced beef in a little vegetable oil.
3. Add the homemade tomato sauce and stir thoroughly until all the vegetables are coated. 4. Make the white sauce, adding ¾ of the cheese once cooked. 5. Put a layer of the beef mix into the bottom of each tin. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. 6. Cover the top layer of lasagne with white sauce. 7. Sprinkle the top of the lasagne with the remaining cheese and place into the oven. 8. Bake at Gas Mark 5 (190˚C) for approx. 25-30 minutes. 9. Hot hold for service. Cut into 20 portions per full size tin when it goes on service.
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P O T E ERS! H T K C O T S PERFORM
Be Patriotic – and support the Best of British
Caterers are being urged to champion the best of British produce – and maximise sales in the process. British Food Fortnight, which runs from September 23 - October 8, is an ideal opportunity for operators to promote British food, and there are lots of resources and support to help you do it. Whether you are a pub, school, hotel or independent restaurant, taking part will help you attract new customers, increase spending from existing customers and establish a point of difference between your business and those that serve only mainstream products. Leading wellbeing expert and pasture-fed farmer, Liz Earle MBE (below) is an ambassador of the campaign. “I’m often asked about what to eat for better health and so much of the good stuff comes from high quality, local and sustainable British food”, she says. “As an organic and grass-fed livestock farmer, I’m also aware of how important it is to support our home-grown farming community who produce all this goodness.”
Suggestions for maximising sales
Run a competition or prize draw to highlight the new menu. Give every customer who eats in your venue a gamecard featuring ‘just for fun’ questions about British food that could be entered into a prize draw. Ensure the whole catering team knows about the new products and suppliers and encourage them to communicate this to customers while serving food. Use
phrases such as ‘seasonal veg’ on the menu that enable you to take a variety of stock from different supplie rs. Use the opportunity to experiment with new dishes
on your menu and set yourself a target of at least five locally sourced dishes.
Make simple dishes special by sourcing British
Soup of the Day and Bangers & Mash are always popula r and are easy to localise.
Organise an event to celebrate British food. Name
producers and farms rather than simply use the term ‘local’ on your menu. If it is difficult to specify produc ers by name then use generic phrases such as ‘All the meat served comes from within 30 miles of this pub/restauran t.’
Schools Approach local restaurants to ask whether a chef can come and demonstrate in school. Decorate the classrooms and hallways to help
people get into the spirit.
Hold a British assembly in the form of a ‘banquet’,
Ensure the whole catering team knows about new suppliers and encourage them to communicate this to customers
and focus on food through the ages - that which would have been eaten by Kings and Queens at different times. Encourage the children to dress up as Royals from different points in history and if possible produce dishes for them to try.
If you have an allotment,
encourage the children to think about where some of the foods planted originate from, and label those that are truly British.
SEPTEMBER 2017 45
SPECIAL FEATURE
British Food Fortnight
‘Love British Food’ posters, shelf barkers and bunting are available to download free of charge at www.lovebritishfood. co.uk/resources/ promotional-material
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Send your Food for Thought ideas to editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk
1
Authentically Japanese
Issho has opened a new rooftop restaurant in Leeds, offering authentic Japanese cuisine
such as such as this seared salmon with wasabi leaf dressing and pickled apple.
2 Oh buoy!
Bohemia Bar & Restaurant is setting sail for warmer climates on an Afternoon Tea Cruise.
1
3
The Michelin Star Afternoon Tea is the newest innovation from head pastry chef Ellen De Jager-Smith, and her oceanic adventure includes a myriad of sweet delights, including Exotic Cruise Cake, made with fruit jelly.
2
3 Modern Mexico
Renowned chef Martha Ortiz opens her much-anticipated Mexican restaurant Ella Canta in London this month with a promise to deliver the
“beauty, vibrancy and spirit of modern Mexico to London”. Mains include this seafood and lobster poole with cacahuazintle corn.
from the 4 Flavours Kitchen Garden
The Blue Boar Restaurant at Conrad London St James has created a menu bursting with the colours, flavours and ingredients found in a typical British garden.
This stunning rose water panna cotta with lychee sorbet is a beautiful example.
4
5
garden 5 Back to open sea
The Queens Arms in Corton Denham has a new menu bringing together hand-selected produce from across the region, with dishes inspired by fruit, vegetables and edible flowers grown in the pub’s kitchen garden. Menu highlights include this Sesame cracker, flat iron steak, spring onion, radish and Dorset white.
sky’s 6 The the limit
Kim Woodward, the new executive head chef at Skylon, has debuted a new menu which confirms her position as one of London’s top chefs.
6
Sympathetically crafted to enhance the distinctive flavour profiles of each component, dishes include delicate starters such as this stunning smoked salmon dish.
SEPTEMBER 2017 47
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
FOOD FOR thought
Inspira tion ideas fo al Autum r recipe n s