Stir it up Magazine March 2017

MARCH 2017

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

COFFEE SHOP COUTURE

What’s in fashion for hot beverages?

Let’s be Frank

how to pimp up your gourmet dogs & burgers

eat vessel to Hotdogs are a grea toppings carry amazingsacrlsastivtoe he from fresh acaroni arty cheesy m

Ingredients Food

Features

Favourites

05 CUSTOMER

PROFILE – Sowing the

7,9 NEWS FROM

COUNTRY RANGE

11

THE MARKETPLACE

For starters...

>> Educating our chefs of the future is hugely important to the ongoing success of the foodservice industry, and it’s crucial that we recruit and keep hold of inspirational teachers.

It was therefore truly fantastic to catch up with Gary Mclean, winner of MasterChef the Professionals and lecturer at City of Glasgow College.

Gary is a staunch advocate of the UK education system and is the only full-time college lecturer ever to win the prestigious title. You can read what he has to say on page 19.

It’s people like Gary who are nurturing future talent in the industry – and they’ll be plenty of that on display at ScotHot later this month.

The Stir it up team will be heading up to Glasgow for the show, one of the highlights of which will be the much-anticipated final of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge. If last year’s event is anything to go by, it’s sure to be a hard-fought battle and I’m really excited to watch and meet all of the finalists. Good luck to everyone taking part.

Another big event taking place this month is Red Nose Day (March 24) and the Hairy Bikers are fronting the fundraising campaign. Find out more and try their recipe on page 31.

An array of leading chefs and industry experts share their tips and ideas for pimping up your burgers and dogs on page 32, so make sure you take a look.

Keep creating a stir!

Seeds of Success

12-13

CATEGORY FOCUS - The Culture Club

04 READERS’ LIVES COOKS CALENDAR

29 FIVE WAYS TO

USE - Country Range Tomato Soup Mix

25

31

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS - Implement Green Standards

SIGNATURE DISH

with the Hairy Bikers

15,17 FOOD &

INDUSTRY NEWS

19

EDUCATION

- Championing College Education

37 DICKSON’S

27 COUNTRY CLUB

DIARY

- Win a 2 in 1 Steam Mop, Clean Eating Alice Book, a KitKat Counter-top

39 ON THE RANGE with Simon Tucker, Royal Oak, Dartmoor

21 HEALTH &

WELFARE - NACC

Hydration, Nutrition & Red Nose Day

23 HOSPITALITY - Self Combusting Tea Towels?!

43

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Spring into action with some inspirational recipes

36 MCA

- Burger Market worth £3billion in 2016

41 RAISE THE BAR - Craft Beer

Contact us...

32-34 MELTING POT

How to pimp up your Gourmet Dogs & Burgers

JAN/FEB 2017

EDITOR Janine Nelson editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk WRITERS Sarah Rigg, Amy Grace SUBSCRIPTIONS Telephone: 0845 209 3777

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

subscriptions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk DESIGN & PRINT Eclipse Creative FRONT COVER Photographed by Holly at tasteandsee.com

Care catering

What elderly diners want and need

Super Powers

superfoods to boost your profits

COUNTRY RANGE PHOTOGRAPHY

www.barrymellorphotography.co.uk

Visit our website for lots more advice, inspiration and recipes!

As part of our environmental policy this magazine is printed using vegetable oil based ink and is produced to high environmental standards, including EMAS, ISO14001 and FSC® certification.

@stiritupmag

Our editorial partners...

www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk

MARCH 2017

3

COOKS CALENDAR

COOKS CALENDAR MARCH

Read ers ' Li ves

1 Name: Gareth Crosby 2 Job title: Executive chef, Johnson & Co

3 Place of work: Pedler and The Beautiful Pizza Boy (both in Peckham Rye)

4 Typical working hours: Always from Tuesdays to Sundays…

Hours varying weekly dependent on trade and events.

5 How long have you worked in the catering industry?

I have been in the industry for 16 6 Most interesting fact years. I started about you: I love to my first job in a brasserie as compete in charity challenges, for example a KP/waiter when I was 14. last year’s 100km run and Lights Out Boxing Events.

7 Favourite cuisine: I love a

curry…and a ‘guilty pleasure’ of Crispy Beef

cockles

celeriac

rabbit

leeks

1 ST DAVID’S DAY

6 -12 BRITISH PIE WEEK

7

BFFF CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION,

BIRMINGHAM HILTON METROPOLE www.bfff.co.uk/category/business-conference

13 - 19

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION WEEK www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

Cabbage

kale

15 - 16

SCOTHOT, SECC, GLASGOW INCLUDING THE FINAL OF THE COUNTRY RANGE STUDENT CHEF CHALLENGE

www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk

17 St Patrick’s Day 19 - 22 The International

Food and Drink Event, ExCel London www.ife.co.uk

24 RED NOSE DAY 26

www.rednoseday.com

Mothering Sunday

APRIL radishes

sorrel

What’s in Seaso n?

crab

What’s in Seaso n?

Jersey Royal new potatoes

8 Signature dish: Probably the Frizzle Chicken at Pedler (the only dish that remains on the changing menu). Brined and poached chicken thigh in a crispy gluten-free case, all spice & cheesy grits and my Attitude Sauce…a spicy little number.

watercress cauliflower

9 Must-have kitchen gadget: Although not a gadget, a good knife has got to be the most important thing. However, a speedy induction is useful as well!

10 Top culinary tip You can’t rush perfection…

11 Who is your inspiration

and why? My nan…we baked a lot together when I was a kid and she taught me good food, made simply but well has got to be the best way.

12 Favourite Country

Range ingredient and why?

Sunday roast at Pedler is an important session. We start the gravy on Tuesday and the Country Range Cooking Wine is a great base.

spinach

1 APRIL FOOL’S DAY 10 - 16 UK Coffee Week 2AGM, CRAFT GUILD OF CHEFS 14 Good Friday ROYAL GARDEN www.ukcoffeeweek.com

HOTEL, KENSINGTON www.craftguildofchefs.org

6 - 7 Hospital Caterers

Association Leadership & Development Forum, Europa Hotel, Belfast www.hospitalcaterers .org/news/2016/2017-forum.php

4 MARCH 2017

cucumber

17 EASTER MONDAY

20 Cost Sector Catering

Awards Hilton London Metropole www.costsectorcatering.co.uk/awards

23 ST GEORGE’S DAY

CUSTOMER PROFILE

SOWING THE SEEDS

OF SUCCESS

FAMILY BUSINESS >> ‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow’ as the saying goes, and it’s an appropriate description for the Bourne family business.

is blooming

Thirty-two years ago Alan and Karin Bourne took over his parents’ small holding in Essex – and, over time, have transformed it into a multi-million pound garden centre, complete with 260-cover coffee shop. And now all three of Alan and Karin’s children have joined them to work at Perrywood Garden Centre in Tiptree.

Daughter Hannah, who is the centre’s communications manager, explains: “My parents took over Perrywood in 1984, and moved on site with me and my brothers, Simon and Tristan. At the time it sold pick-your-own strawberries, potatoes and a small range of plants.

“When my grandparents had it, it was a small holding with chickens and cows, more agricultural, but it evolved over time and my dad introduced plants and greenhouse crops, which started to make more money. In the 1980s the TV show Groundforce was really popular and people began to take more interest in their gardens.”

So what is it like to work so closely with her family? “We grew up talking about the business and it has always been run from our kitchen table,” says Hannah. “We all went off and forged our own careers and then brought our knowledge and experience back to the business. I went to London to work in PR and marketing for 10 years then I got married and we decided we wanted to be in the country to bring up a family. Simon has been here since 2008 as garden centre manager and now oversees coffee shop operations. Tristan came back nine months ago as project manager overseeing our current extension and refurbishments.”

The coffee shop used to host 60 covers back in 1999 and the increase to 260 has prompted a major extension and re-design. “The kitchen couldn’t cope and the space didn’t work any more,” continues Hannah, “so we’ve moved the

Left to Right: Simon, Karin, Alan

,Hannah, Tristan

dishwash and sandwich making area by extending into what was the staff room and also done a lot of work to improve the acoustics.”

Catering manager Jackie Newton has worked for the family-owned business for seven years. “It’s a magnificent shop – we really are a destination and we’ll often see people who are here all day. They pop in for a coffee and a scone in the morning then they’re back for a late lunch in the afternoon.”

Perrywood is known for its delicious scones, which are baked fresh every day. Continues Jackie: “We make five different types of flavoured scones (fruit, plain, cheese, Stilton and walnut, date and cherry) and we have a dedicated bakery chef who comes in every day at 6am to bake them.”

Country Range Dried Fruits and Walnuts are a vital ingredient and are chosen because “they’re a great price but not at the expense of the quality”. Mother’s Day later this month will be extremely busy with afternoon teas and, at Easter, they make chocolate scones and hot cross bun scones. “The ethos here is all about fresh and local,” adds Jackie. “We take a great deal of pride in what we do.”

122,000

89,000

88,000

14,000

Coffees

Cups of

tea

Scones Jacket

Potatoes MARCH 2017

5

INTRODUCING THE UK’S FIRST FREE & ONLINE TEA TRAINING Tetley has partnered with industry experts to create a free of charge online tea training course, especially for out of home.

WHAT’S THE TRAINING ABOUT? Our foundation course is suitable for all levels and consists of four modules to improve beverage standards. Learn about everything from how tea is produced, brewing techniques and range advice.

WHY TAKE THE COURSE? Ultimately this accredited course will help you deliver a better customer experience and drive tea sales. As undoubtedly there is more to a perfect cuppa than many might realise…

SIGN UP NOW AT www.tetleyteamasters.co.uk

Supported by:

NEWS FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Don’t glaze over it!

Get more prawns for your pennies! >> We’ve changed the labels on Country Range North Atlantic Prawns to follow new glaze weight legislation.

In line with new rules around the pack weight of frozen seafood products, Country Range North Atlantic Prawns now state net weight only. This makes it easier for you to see the true weight of prawns per bag (excluding the water), once de-glazed.

Whilst some glaze is necessary to protect the integrity of the product, excessive levels may be a way of reducing the price of a bag, making them seem good value to caterers. There are products in the marketplace which contain up to 40% glaze levels – the equivalent of 40% of the bag being just frozen water whereas Country Range Premium North Atlantic Prawns (100/200 count) contain a 10% glaze.

Once defrosted, prawns with a higher glaze can work out more expensive per serving.

This is because the percentage of water in the bags has no value and caterers will simply dispose of it.

So if you want more prawns for your pennies, then Country Range Premium North Atlantic Prawns are a must-have in your freezers and on your menus.

• Premium North Atlantic Prawns 1.8kg net (10% Glaze) North Atlantic Prawns • 1.5kg net (25% Glaze)

le bon pain

Stone me!

This bread is better than ever >> Never ones to rest on our laurels, we’re always looking for ways to improve our products, and we’re pleased to announce new recipes for our Country Range Stone Baked Ciabatta and Bar Marked Panini.

10% glaze

40% glaze

Get pulses racing

at lunchtime

>> We are moving from canning our tinned pulses in salted water to water in a drive to reduce salt content and improve health.

This new development is great news for all caterers – and especially so for those working in the care and education sectors where healthy eating is of optimum importance.

Pulses are a brilliant and cost-effective way of adding one of your ‘5 a day’ into a dish. They’re an ideal addition to salad bars and make a great base ingredient for traditional curries, like this Chickpea Curry with Mango Chutney.

• Chickpeas in Water 800g / 2.5kg

The re-vamped rolls have a new and improved flavour and texture, and are more authentic looking in appearance, which means your sandwich offering will be better than ever!

• ‘le bon pain’ Stone Baked Ciabatta 7 x 4 • ‘le bon pain’ Bar Marked Panini 7 x 4

MARCH 2017

7

ENJOY THE INTENSELY SATISFYING COFFEE AROMA AND THE ROASTED COFFEE TASTE OF NESCAFÉ ® AZERA ®.

QUALITY OF PRODUCT We’ve combined a unique mix of our NESCAFÉ granules and finely roast and ground coffee beans to give you an intensely satisfying coffee aroma and a roasted coffee taste: • Made from 100% pure and natural coffee beans • Award winning great taste* • The nation’s favourite Super Premium Coffee** AMERICANO - Smooth and well balanced with an irresistible layer of velvety crema The 500g tin is a great way to complement existing workplace coffee facilities, with a quick and simple way to prepare coffee that meets the needs of a broad spectrum of consumers SIMPLE TO PREPARE • Creates delicious, café style drinks without the need for a machine • Simple to create: just pour and stir THE SIMPLY BETTER TIN The New Shape; more convenient to handle and store The New Lid; seal in flavour with new hinged lids and “click-to-close” The New Tin; a premium look and feel

*Which Award Winner 2013 **IRI MAT August 2015

A waffle-y good

reason to treat yourself >> As if we need a reason for a delicious sweet treat, but with International Waffle Day an official date on the catering calendar it would be rude not to!

So ahead of March 25th, make sure your freezer is stocked full of Country Range Belgian Sugared Waffles then let your creative juices flow! Top with fruit, ice cream, chocolate, maple syrup or confectioner’s sugar to get your customers drooling.

Waffle bars are springing up all over the UK and are set to be a big trend in 2017, as we continue to embrace the flavours of the States. So get ahead of the game, and swear your allegiance now!

• Frozen Belgian Sugared Waffles 20 x 85g

Don’t forget to add Country Range Crispy Coated Fries with a sprinkling of our Piri Piri seasoning to take it to the next level.

Beef up

your burgers

>> As our Melting Pot feature (page 32) this issue states, gourmet burgers are big news and are expected to dominate our menus for some considerable time to come.

It’s all about quality, customisation and creativity, and Country Range has all the elements you need to dress your burgers in style.

ge C ountry Ran n u B e ch o Bri

ge C ountry Raned er Beer Batt s O nion Ring

ge C ountry Ranuce a S e Barbecu

We’ve made a few tweaks to our 6oz and 4oz beef burgers, which are gluten and lactose-free, to make them better than ever.

We’ve changed the burger dimension to reduce cooking time and moisture loss. Cooking time for our 4oz burgers has now been reduced from 8-10 minutes to 4-6 minutes, which provides huge savings in time and money for the caterer.

• 100% Beef Burgers 30 x

170g (60oz) / 48 x 113g (40oz)

• 80% Beef Burgers 48 x 113g (40oz)

ge C ountry Ran ak te S et G ourm Burger

All products to create your own Barbecue Smoke Burger are on special offer this month - check the March Stir it up Promotions MARCH 2017

9

NEWS FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Rediscover your coffee

Consumers are telling us they love the taste of our thick, rich and wonderfully indulgent flavoured syrups*. And as a certified Fairtrade product, stocking our syrups goes towards helping over 20,000 small scale farmers in developing countries.

Find out more, including great hot and cold drinks recipes at

www.tasteandsmile.com If you’re interested in purchasing the range please contact your Country Range Group wholesaler * Source: Sensory testing for T&L Sugars Ltd 2014

MACPHIE MEETS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SALT GUIDELINES >> Food ingredients company Macphie has announced that its branded product portfolio now complies with the salt targets set by the Department of Health.

The action on salt has evolved since early discussions in 2003 following a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SACN) on the impact of salt on our health. Research suggests that reducing salt intake by just 1g per day prevents 4,147 premature deaths, saving the NHS £288million each year.

Paul McKnight, senior research and development manager, said: “There has been significant core investment from Macphie as the salt targets have evolved over the years. Since 2007, an estimated 430 tonnes of salt have been removed from the Macphie product portfolio.”

A slice of indulgence >> Kara has launched a new range of indulgent sliced cakes and mallow bombes.

The new sliced cakes follow on from the success of Kara’s existing twelve 10 inch round cakes, which includes the 2016 award-winning Amazing Apple and Blackcurrant Crumble Cake, further expanding their truly Indulgent Cake Collection.

Jane Deegan, Kara marketing manager, said: “Industry research has shown just this year alone coffee shops have accounted for 15% of total consumer eating out visits which is forecasted to have grown by 6.5% at the end of 2016. With 80% of consumers now visiting a coffee shop once a week and 55 million cups of coffee sold in the UK everyday the indulgent cakes are a delicious accompaniments for any visit occasion.”

Premier joins Food for Life Supplier scheme >> Premier Foods has announced that it has joined the Soil Association’s prestigious Food for Life Supplier Scheme.

This means caterers awarded The Food for Life Catering Mark, or looking to achieve the Mark, can purchase some of the UK’s biggest brand names, including McDougalls, Paxo and Ambrosia, with the knowledge and reassurance that they meet Food for Life Catering Mark entry level criteria.

BURTS CHIPS BOLSTERS ‘BETTER FOR YOU’ HEALTHY SNACK RANGE >> Artisan crisp producer, Burts Chips, is strengthening its ‘Better For You’ range with the launch of its new lighter snack, Quinoa Crinkles.

With less than 90 calories per packet, Quinoa Crinkles come in two enticing flavour varieties - Sweet Pepper & Chorizo and West Country Cream Cheese.

CSM puts the ‘O’ in Oreo >> CSM Bakery Solutions has launched an exciting addition to its doughnut range: an Oreo Doughnut.

NEW HOT CHOCOLATE RANGE FROM DAVINCI GOURMET

The Oreo Doughnut features cocoa dough, vanilla cream filling, white icing and Oreo cookie crumble on top and is the perfect indulgent treat for consumers to enjoy across a number of occasions.

>> DaVinci Gourmet has unveiled two new hot chocolate flavours, milk and white chocolate.

With the trend of premiumisation very much in mind, the new hot chocolate powders are a great addition to any hot beverage menu.

The hot chocolate powders are made with Belgian Chocolate and both flavours are dairy-free and whey -free, so they appeal to health-conscious customers, as well as those who want to treat themselves.

MARCH 2017 11

THE MARKETPLACE

T he Marketplace

Keeping you up-to-date on new products and services within the foodservice industry

CATEGORY FOCUS

The Culture Club

IS YOUR HOT BEVERAGES OFFERING AT BOILING POINT?!

Demand for hot beverages spans all areas of foodservice, and catering for the specific needs of your customers is crucial.

Whilst hotels, restaurants, pubs and coffee shops need to look at ways to entice and upsell, education caterers may concentrate more on health, cost and sustainability issues. For care caterers, the focus is often on ensuring that residents stay well hydrated, as well as providing a good selection of hot drinks for visitors. Tea and coffee are everyday staples, but even these categories are divided into numerous offshoots, with a multitude of different varieties and flavours now on the market.

Coffee shops According to Brita Professional, a whopping 80% of UK consumers visit a coffee shop at least once a week, and some 16% do so on a daily basis.

opportunity for a brand to tell its story, or make ties with local artists.

So it’s clear that going out for a hot drink is now a central part of our lifestyle in the UK. We are drinking three cups a week on average, spending £4.07 with each visit, and over half of us are maintaining our coffee shop visit frequency compared with 12 months ago.

Teresa Suter, Vegware’s sales director, says: “With the recent furore around coffee cup recycling, many cafés want to offer eco-friendly alternatives to their customers. Vegware’s packaging is completely compostable, and made from plant-based, low carbon materials. We find eco packaging adds value to a café’s offering; it helps customers see the brand favourably.”

Hot drinks to go

Campus cuppas

A third of consumers now buy takeaway coffees, with a fifth buying eight or more cups per week, contributing to a booming market worth £1.6billion a year. The biggest fans of coffee to go are 25-38 year olds.

Sales of hot drinks on university campuses rose by 11% last year with on-site coffee shops credited for persuading discerning students to stay rather than heading off to the High Street for their caffeine fix.

Many caterers take pride in the appearance and provenance of their coffee and food, and this extends to every part of the café culture experience – including takeaway drinks. Custom printing presents an

A range of comfortable seating along with free WiFi are key to attracting students, says Katie Rolph consumer insight executive, Litmus Partnership, and speedy service is essential.

12 MARCH 2017

According to Technomic, a third of Millennials (18-24s) are discouraged by the bitter taste of unflavoured coffee, leading to many students choosing to add flavouring syrups to their drink, so be sure you offer a range of suitable coffee options. Lactose-free drinks are also a must.

Care homes and hospitals As people age, their thirst reflex decreases so care home caterers must endeavour to ensure that residents’ daily fluid intake is 6-8 drinks per day. This figures includes hot beverages and is not limited to water.

Finding out an older person’s preference for their drinks is key and then building up the intake to the desired level. Tea and coffee are typically served at meal times and mid morning and afternoon breaks, but at supper time a hot milk-based drink is a good option, for example, Horlicks, Ovaltine or hot chocolate - as it helps increase calorific and calcium intake through the milk.

CATEGORY FOCUS

Why not try?

Coffee Toffee Frappe

Adding flavouring syrups looks beyond traditional beverages and introducing variety is sure to increase beverage sales

Derek Johnson, partner, Nutrition and Hydration Associates, says: “It is vital to prompt older people in care to drink, as they will often become dehydrated before they know it. Care staff are on the frontline in helping prevent avoidable cases of dehydration through their awareness and positive actions to encourage good fluid intake.”

Last year Tetley launched Tea Masters, an online tea training platform, specially designed for the out of home sector. Developed to address tea purchase barriers including poor knowledge and quality of serve, the aim is to improve industry standards. Visit www. tetleyteamasters.co.uk for more details.

Nutrition and Hydration Week takes place later this month and there is a wealth of resources available online at nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk/ campaign-resources/.

Meanwhile, research undertaken by Lipton Tea Fusion shows that 50% of consumers would drink more tea out of home if it were better value for money, and closer to the quality they get when they make it themselves.

Brewing up success The UK still has a very strong relationship with tea, with 165 million cups drunk every single day (MCA Insight 2016).

“It’s one of the few things a café, restaurant or hotel can serve where customers are already seasoned experts.

Done properly, tea is a thing to be proud of,” says Natalie Cross, out of home manager, Taylors of Harrogate. “Despite an increase in the popularity of green and fruit teas, MCA has revealed that, for 62% of people, the last tea bought out of home was black tea with milk. However, one in five people say they don’t like the way that tea is served out of home.”

Country Range Tulip Muffins are available in four deliciously decadent flavours: Triple Chocolate, Blueberry, Raspberry & White Chocolate and Lemon & Poppy Seed

Perfect pairings Every great cuppa deserves an accompanying treat – and operators should consider stocking frozen goods, says John Hyman, chief executive of British Frozen Food Federation.

“Bread and pastries baked from frozen on a daily basis stay soft and fresh all day,” he says. “In addition, artisan bread products, such as ciabattas, focaccia and brioche buns are convenient, easy to prepare and best baked straight from frozen.

Raspberry Gingerbread coffee

“By baking small amounts of frozen bread and pastries, products maintain that freshly baked appearance, aroma and texture throughout the day – something difficult to achieve when baking from scratch.”

One key benefit of frozen food is that it can help to significantly reduce food waste.

High quality, great-tasting ingredients can be purchased pre-portioned, allowing coffee shop caterers to control portion sizes while any unused food can be placed back in the freezer, helping to reduce food waste and save money.

Time for a change?

With Kantar research suggesting that 60% of consumers want to see new flavours and try new drinks every 60 days, a varied menu can be an important way of creating loyal customers and driving repeat visits from customers looking for an extra special experience.

“Capitalising on consumers’ desire to try new flavours is important,” claims Tom Noonan, senior brand manager for Kerry Beverage. “Looking beyond traditional and standard beverages and introducing variety to drinks menus is sure to increase beverage sales and enable independent retailers to stand out.”

“Creating different hot beverage menus for the four seasons and varied key dates in the calendar can aid operators in attracting consumers,” adds Tom. “It can be as simple as introducing speciality beverages that incorporate the flavours and tastes that are particularly associated with the time of year.”

MARCH 2017 13

T H E

Baking For Foodservice

C A K E

Cre ate Show-Stopping Menus With The New Kara Indulgent Cake Collection

C O L L E C T I O N

10 Inch Cakes • Sliced Cakes • Mallow Bombes • Thorntons Sliced Cakes A W A R D

W I N N I N G

Kara’s Amazing Apple & Blackcurrant Crumble lived up to its name at the 2016 Q Awards and was declared the Large Cake of the Year winner. A well deserved prize for this melt in the mouth cake.

This prestigious award is testament to our dedicated team, who take pride in producing award winning quality products for our customers.

D E F R O S T

•

S E R V E

•

I N D U L G E

Contact your local Country Range Group wholesaler for more details

industry news

Baking For Foodservice

Every business that ded serves food is awar g tin ra ne with a hygie 5. d an 0 n betwee

I N T R O D U C I N G K A R A’ S N E W & I M P R OV E D M U F F I N R A N G E

BEST AND WORST AREAS FOR RESTAURANT FOOD HYGIENE REVEALED

highest percentage of restaurants and cafes with poor ratings is the London Borough of Newham, with 29.2% rated 0, 1 or 2.

>>A new study has revealed the best and worst council areas for food hygiene ratings at restaurants and cafes in the UK.

The London boroughs actually dominated the list of the worst ranking council districts, with Ealing coming second on 28.2%, Harrow third on 26.2%, and many others with over 15% of their restaurants rated 2 or below.

The Food Standards Agency website holds the data from inspections carried out by each local authority under the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme. Every business that serves food is awarded with a hygiene rating between 0 (urgent improvement necessary) and 5 (very good).

Out of a total of 360 council areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the area with the

Apple, Blackcurrant & Custard Crumble Tulip Muffin F02013

Outside London, Hertsmere, Birmingham and Hyndburn have the highest percentage of eateries which are poorly rated for hygiene.

Scotland and the Republic of Ireland have a different rating system to the rest of the UK and are therefore the subject of a separate study.

Triple Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02010

The area where the highest percentage of restaurants are good or very good (rated 4 and 5), is South Derbyshire with 99.1%, closely followed by Darlington with 98.8% and South Norfolk with 97.7%.

For more information on how to help your food business to get the most out of its food hygiene rating and an online toolkit offering ideas on how to promote hygiene standards visit www. food.gov.uk/business -industry/caterers/ hygieneratings/ toolkit#toc-3

Caramel Toffee Latte Tulip Muffin F02015

Strawberries & White Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02012

ABOUT OUR NEW MUFFINS:

Lemon & White Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02011

Chocolate & Orange Tulip Muffin F02014

Blueberry Crumble Tulip Muffin F02009

www.karafs.co.uk • 0161 351 2399 • Baking For Foodservice

• • • • •

Nut Free Suitable For Vegetarians Defrost Approx. 2 Hours Cases 6x4 (24 Units) Defrosted Shelf Life: 2 Days

@karafsbakery MARCH 2017 15

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Food &

Baking For Foodservice

I N T R O D U C I N G K A R A’ S N E W & I M P R OV E D M U F F I N R A N G E

Apple, Blackcurrant & Custard Crumble Tulip Muffin F02013

Triple Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02010

Caramel Toffee Latte Tulip Muffin F02015

Strawberries & White Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02012

ABOUT OUR NEW MUFFINS:

Lemon & White Chocolate Tulip Muffin F02011

Chocolate & Orange Tulip Muffin F02014

Blueberry Crumble Tulip Muffin F02009

www.karafs.co.uk • 0161 351 2399 • Baking For Foodservice

• • • • •

Nut Free Suitable For Vegetarians Defrost Approx. 2 Hours Cases 6x4 (24 Units) Defrosted Shelf Life: 2 Days

@karafsbakery

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Food &

industry news

Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Mark relaunches to help more caterers >>The Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Mark has been re-launched as ‘Food for Life Served Here’.

The average Londoner spends 9.11 minutes a week stuck in queues

The new name and messaging is designed to help caterers promote their dedication to serving fresh, local and honest food to consumers.

In a little over seven years, the Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Mark has grown from 0 to 1,600,000 meals served every single day across the UK. The updates to the scheme identity are designed to aid the next stage of growth and continue to help caterers make more healthy, sustainable food changes.

All current Catering Mark holders have been informed and updated marketing materials and logos are available for use.

Next month (April) the Soil Association launches the first ever Food for Life Served Here campaign to consumers through an exciting digital campaign.

Fore more details visit www.soilassociation.org

BEAT THE QUEUE AND MOVE TO MOBILE >>Global mobile payment, vouchering and loyalty app Zapper has joined forces with fellow queuing disruptor, WoraPay, to enable users to order ahead via their mobile phone.

With the average UK consumer spending more than 18 hours a year stuck in queues, and Londoners the worst off averaging 9.11 minutes a week, this new order ahead capability allows Zapper users to squeeze more into their coffee break and venues to increase efficiency and footfall.

Zapper’s simple solution currently enables users to scan a unique QR code to instantly upload their bill straight to their smartphone for fast and secure payments. Users can also redeem vouchers, gain loyalty rewards and leave feedback, all effortlessly carried out within the app. The WoraPay partnership means Zapper users will be able to search the app, access an interactive menu, order their item and then pay whilst automatically gaining vouchers and loyalty points. Consumers then receive an in-app follow up notification when their item is ready for collection. For more details visit www.zapper.com

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MARCH 2017 17

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EDUCATION

MasterChef winner

Applications for MasterChef: The Professionals, 2017 are now open: www.masterchef. com/masterchef -applications

champions college education

After scooping the coveted MasterChef: the Professionals title at the end of last year, many people might have expected Gary Maclean to quit his college job and open his own restaurant.

“We should be championing our education system,” says the proud father -of-five. “I think sometimes in the UK education isn’t as highly regarded as it is in other countries. I think it’s because it’s free so people take it for granted.

“Throughout the competition, I had so much support from teachers at every level of education and I’m more than happy to be seen as a role model. I think people respect me because I’m sticking to my guns and staying in college.”

Life has changed quite a lot since his win was revealed but Gary – the first ever full-time college lecturer to win MasterChef: the Professionals - is taking it all in his stride. “The publicity has been much bigger than I expected and I’ve been getting 10 requests a day to do things.

“Winning was a bit strange – I had to keep it a secret until the final was aired and it didn’t feel real until then,” he explains. “It was like a freight train

coming at you in the distance – and now it has well and truly hit!”

Gary’s students, however, treat him the same as ever. “We had five minutes of questions and answers about the show at the start of the first lesson then it was straight back into teaching!” he laughs.

simply can’t “getYou the jobs without the qualifications.

“

But the City of Glasgow College lecturer is adamant this won’t be the case.

He is a staunch advocate for the UK’s education system and is more than happy staying where he is.

Teaching is obviously his passion and he has no plans to stop any time soon. “Some people did expect me to leave to open my own restaurant but I know more about restaurants than 99.99% of people do!

“I’ve spent my whole career opening restaurants and there is a common misconception that if you put your name above the door it’s going to be a surefire way of making money.

“When I was younger, say 26, 27, it was my dream to have my own restaurant but I’m older and wiser now. It’s not everything it’s made out to be. It’s a lot of hard work and there is no easy ways of doing it.”

His role as an educator is a top priority and Gary, 45, can’t stress the importance of a college education enough. “These days our students get jobs all around the world, in the US, Dubai, Sydney and they get those jobs on the back of their college education,” he explains. “You simply can’t get the jobs without the qualifications.”

Gary encourages his students to enter competitions, like the Country Range Student Chef Challenge, to help them gain industry experience and publicity. The team from City of Glasgow College scooped Bronze in last year’s Challenge and, at the time we went to press, the college’s team was through to this year’s semi-finals.

“We have a massive cohort of students but not everyone wants to do competitions,” he continues. “It’s definitely not crucial to your education but what it does give is the opportunity to shine and get one-to-one coaching.

“The Country Range Student Chef Challenge is definitely one of the ones you want to have in your trophy cabinet. It’s one of the biggest.”

For more information on the Country Range Student Chef Challenge visit www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk.

MARCH 2017 19

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HEALTH & WELFARE

Workplace wellbeing

targeted by awareness week >> “Workplace wellbeing” is being targeted as a key area of this year’s Nutrition and Hydration Week (March 13-19).

The organisers of the awareness week are expanding their reach in a bid to improve employee awareness of their own hydration and nutritional requirements. Derek Johnson, partner, Nutrition and Hydration Associates, explains: “Last year we received numerous enquiries from businesses and organisations seeking further information in the week to increase employee awareness, particularly about fluid intake, in the workplace.

“The benefits to the employer are huge, including healthier and more alert staff, and research has associated better hydrated staff with increased productivity and less work-related accidents.

“The awareness of good hydration as a vital part of a care package is rising. However, it is a vital area for staff wellbeing regardless of their area of work, all staff should have access to sufficient and appropriate drinks during their shift, yes for their well being, but also it can improve their productivity and safe working so its a two way benefit for the employer.

“I would encourage all employers to raise awareness of the benefits of fluid intake for staff, and to ensure their staff can access drinks during the shift.”

In addition, the week will continue to focus on the original aims of: • Promoting the 10 Key Characteristics for Good Nutritional Care

• The introduction of minimum standards for good nutrition in all settings

• Promoting Mealtimes Matter and protected mealtimes

• Promoting continued education and professional development especially in the health and social care sector for catering staff.

• Encouraging the introduction of nutrition advocates / champions to each health and social care setting • Sharing good nutrition and hydration practice

For more information visit nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk/news/

Hit the high note - Red Nose Day singing challenge for care homes >> The National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) has teamed up with Unilever Food Solutions to urge care homes to organise a charity singsong.

The ‘Sing-a-Song Challenge in Care Settings’ will take place at 3pm on Red Nose Day (March 24) – and the plan is that every care setting in the UK will sing the same song together!

Sylvie Silver, of NAPA, explains: ”Just imagine the impact if thousands of care settings join in. To make it even more fun, as laughter matters, we would also like you to invite the community along to sing with you.

We want to hear that you’ve joined up with toddlers, teenagers, local businesses and anyone else you can think of to add to the fun.

Give menus a sunshine boost >> Pritchitts has released a new recipe booklet for care home caterers containing 12 delicious dishes using Millac Gold Double with added vitamin D. Working in conjunction with respected registered dietician, Dr Mabel Blades, and development chef Wayne Child, the recipes have been carefully developed to ensure residents get the nutrients they need and include: Stuffed Roasted Pimento; Pulled Ham Hock with Cider, Mustard & Black Onion Seed Sauce; Butter Chicken Layer; Bread & Butter Pudding with Basil, Orange & Coconut and the super-quick ‘One Minute Pineapple Ice Cream’.

For more details visit www.pritchitts.com/care-homefortification-sample-offer.

“And once you have sung the song, which won’t take long, extend the fun with a tea party and joke telling session. If you can raise a few pennies for Red Nose Day at the same time all the better.”

Working with Unilever Food Solutions and Comic Relief, NAPA has created a fundraising pack to help care homes to prepare for the day. For more information, visit www.napa-activities.com.

MARCH 2017 21

A spate of catastrophic fires caused by self-combusting tea towels has driven commercial insurer NFU Mutual to advise publicans, restaurateurs and hoteliers to exercise caution when handling, washing and tumble-drying tea towels.

The little-known ‘self-combusting tea-towel’ phenomenon occurs when remains of oil and fat contaminate fabrics made of natural fibres. The remaining oil can undergo a chemical reaction with oxygen in the air, which releases heat, and in certain circumstances this can lead to the spontaneous ignition of the fabric initially as a smouldering process.

The reaction is even more likely when combined with heat such as that from tumble drying - especially when removed from the dryer and left in a pile, which offers perfect conditions of thermal insulation for the heat to thrive -and also if left near a heat source.

Oxidising detergent chemicals such as peroxide in stain remover can also cause the chemical oxidising reaction, with or without heat.

Darren Seward, hospitality specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Although tea towels may appear clean once washed, they may still have the remains of cooking oils and fats or chemicals on them that are invisible to the eye. If they are then put into a tumble dryer, the combination of heat, cooking fats and oxygenating chemicals from stain removing detergent products can create a chemical reaction and cause the towel to self-heat, smoulder and eventually catch fire. The danger is particularly high if the tumbledrying cycle is interrupted, as typically the final few minutes will tumble without heat and allow the tea towels to cool down.

“Equally, dirty tea towels contaminated with oil pose a similar combustion risk, especially if they are dry and placed near a heat source. A fire could be caused by a situation as innocent as

The danger is particularly high if the tumble-drying cycle is interrupted

someone leaving a pile of dirty tea towels in a pile ready for washing the next day, so we would advise people not to stack them up ready for washing.”

The Wheatsheaf in Rutland suffered severe fire and smoke damage after a blaze was caused by self-combusting tea towels.

After interrupting the tumble-drying cycle of tea towels the tenant left a number of very warm tea towels in the bottom of the dryer drum.

The first floor was ablaze 90 minutes later, and the public house masked in smoke resulting in the business being closed for over six months.

Advice for caterers There have been several recent fires caused by tumble dried laundry self-igniting due to residues of cooking oils etc. remaining.

To prevent such an ignition you should:

• ensure wash temperatures and detergents are suitable for the optimum removal of oil based contaminants

• allow laundry to complete the cooling cycle in the tumble dryer • remove the laundry from the tumble dryer as soon as the cooling down cycle has expired

• shake out laundry to ventilate before folding or place garments on hangers

• clean filters, remove fluff, lint and debris from dryers and keep them regularly maintained

• ensure the service schedule is followed

Fire and Rescue Service guidance also states you shouldn’t: • place warm, damp laundry in polythene bags or plastic containers/baskets or in poorly ventilated areas

• leave freshly laundered fabrics stacked overnight • remove laundry from the tumble dryer before completing the cooling cycle This information should ideally be displayed above the tumble dryer and relayed to all employees who have a responsibility for cleaning the laundry.

“Although appear cleanteaontocwe elwsasmay they may still have the hed, of cooking oils and faretsmains chemicals on them that or invisible to the eye.” are MARCH 2017 23

HOSPITALITY

Insurer warns pubs, hoteliers and restaurateurs about danger of self-combusting tea towels

0800 742 842

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ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

Sustainability in the Kitchen

By Jon Proctor, CEO, Green Tourism

>> Embarking on a sustainable mission in any hospitality business can be daunting; luckily Green Tourism – the market leading sustainable tourism certification programme in the UK – is here to help with top tips to inspire you.

Starting with the kitchen, perhaps one of the biggest draws on resources offers the greatest opportunity to implement green standards and having a positive impact on you, your team, your customers…and your bills.

1

Green Team to the rescue

Get the whole team involved and create a way of engaging them in terms of planning green initiatives and tracking how successful they are being – healthy competition could motivate and engage people!

2

Waste not, want not

This can come down to careful planning when it comes to ordering, cutting portion sizes or adding a daily specials menu to utilise leftovers. Recycling is much more cost effective than sending waste to landfill, and it gives your staff a great opportunity to be creative.

3

Everyone loves local!

Hiring local staff, sourcing local ingredients and working with local suppliers – it all has a huge effect on your carbon footprint and can create a unique selling proposition. Showcase the best of your region and don’t forget to shout about it to your customers.

4

The right appliances can save money

Did you know an A+ appliance even saves a further 20% energy compared to standard A rated units? An investment in the right equipment can go a long way to saving on those expensive energy bills!

5

Cleaning doesn’t have to be toxic

A clean kitchen makes for a happy chef so why not add to that a happy environment? The market on non-toxic cleaning products has increased dramatically in recent years so are easy to get hold of now more than ever.

Case Study – Hickory Food Edinburgh-based catering, venue and events management company Hickory Food is a perfect example of how a growing business is able to utilise a sustainable approach to gain great results.

By adopting a few of the simple techniques outlined Hickory Food was able to increase the amount of waste recycled by over 8%, reduce water and energy consumption costs and enhance awareness and action among its staff on the importance of going green.

A clean kitchen makes for a happy chef so why not add to that a happy environment?

The commitment of Hickory Food to sustainability and reducing it’s impact on the environment is now firmly embedded in the business and embraced by all of its team members. Achieving Green Tourism Gold status has not only had a positive impact on their internal teams, which everyone has played a role in, the accreditation has also helped the company to secure new business contracts with more and more companies wanting to work with a catering and venue partner who can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability in business.

Showcase the best of your region and don’t forget to shout about it to your customers.

About Green Tourism Green Tourism is the go-to standard in sustainability across tourism and hospitality sectors and work with some of the top destinations in the UK to assess their sustainable practices, including The Savoy, Gleneagles, The May Fair Hotel, Jurys Inn and many more. www.green-tourism.com

MARCH 2017 25

MEDITERRANEAN CHEESE Feta is a firm white cheese with a crumbly texture that has a fresh, salty, tangy flavour. Made from thick, aromatic sheep and goat’s milk, Feta does not melt completely when cooked or grilled and lends its likeness to salads, pastries and pies or simply mixed with fresh vegetables.

A delicious and endlessly versatile cheese.

Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese with a unique texture. It is a semi hard, unripened, brined cheese - salty and tangy with a bouncy texture. The only cheese that doesn’t melt when heated, cooking or grilling causes the milk sugars to caramelise on the surface, giving a taste of sweetness.

Halloumi is made from a blend of cow, sheep and goat’s milk.

CRANBERRY, FETA & WALNUT SALAD SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

(I use leaf lettuce, endive 2 cups mixed salad greens and radicchio) berries 1 cup dried sweetened cran 4 oz crumbled Feta cheese ½ cup walnut pieces, toasted 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard

WIN ONE MONTHS SUPPLY OF MEDITERRANEAN CHEESE! Send in your own Mediterranean cheese recipe and the tastiest, most original one as chosen by our panel, will win one month supply of their chosen cheese absolutely free*. The winning recipe will also be included in the next Futura Cheese Guide publication. *Subject to terms and conditions. Please visit our website for more information.

¼ tsp ground black pepper ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION METHOD a and walnuts in Toss greens, cranberries, Fet large bowl. and pepper with Mix vinegar, honey, mustard . wire whisk until well blended constantly until Gradually add oil, whisking well blended. t.

Pour over salad; toss to coa Serve immediately.

WWW.FUTURA-FOODS.COM +44 (0) 1666 890 500 INFO@FUTURA-FOODS.COM

@FUTURAFOODS

COUNTRY CLUB

the COUNTRYclub

Exclusively for customers of The Country Range Group

Shark Attack!

The month of March signals the advent of spring – and the traditional time to embark on a spot of spring cleaning!

To help you blow the cobwebs away, we’re giving one lucky Country Clubber the chance to win this fantastic Shark Lift-Away 2 in 1 Steam Pocket Mop.

WIN

a Shark Lift-Away 2 in 1 Steam Pocket Mop

For a thorough clean on tiled flooring without the need for harsh chemicals, this Good Housekeeping Institute accredited cleaner is the ideal solution. It is a steam mop that not only cleans floors but also cleans above the floor enabling an easy to achieve clean and streak-free finish.

It uses only water and kills up to 99.9% of germs and bacteria,readily converts from an upright to a hand-held, and has three steam settings - dust, mop and scrub.

To enter, simply send an email titled ‘Shark steam cleaner’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

Have a break Our friends at Nestle Professional are giving away 20 KitKat counter-top point of sale units so that you can encourage customers to “have a break” this spring.

WIN

20 KitKat counter-top point of sale units

KitKat is the perfect accompaniment to your hot beverage offering, and statistics show the units have led up to a 61% increase in sales in venues where they have been placed.

When given a free choice of chocolate accompaniment with a hot drink, 15% of consumers chose KitKat which is more than twice the nearest competitor.

To claim your unit, simply send an email titled ‘KitKat unit’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions @stiritup magazine .co.uk.

Eat Clean Clean eating is a massive food trend – but healthy food needn’t be boring, says Sunday Times bestselling author Alice Liveing.

Her new book ‘Clean Eating Alice: Eat Well Every Day’ is packed with nutritious, healthy recipes for life on the go from venison steak with soy, pomegranate and ginger accompanied by miso-glazed parsnip fries; coconut and fig chia pudding, and maple syrup and pistachiocrusted salmon.

Alice is a one of the UK’s leading cookery and fitness bloggers - a fully qualified personal trainer, brand ambassador for Fitness First and nutritionist.

The aim of the book is to encourage everyone and anyone to readdress their eating habits and increase their activity levels to create a healthier, happier lifestyle that is ultimately sustainable.

WIN

a copy of ‘Clean Eating Alice: Eat Well Every Day’

We’ve got two copies of the book up for grabs. For your chance to win, simply send an email titled ‘Clean Eating Alice’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

‘Clean Eating Alice: Eat Well Every Day’ is published in paperback by Harper Collins, RRP £14.99.

Closing date for all competitions: 31st March 2017. All winners will be notified by 30th April 2017.

Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to our freepost address at: Country Range Group, PO Box 508, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/about

MARCH 2017 27

Well as we enter the month of March we are all getting so excited about the forthcoming Country Range Student Chef Challenge final being held at ScotHot on March 15.

All these hard working students, supported so well by their lecturers, have been through semi-final heats to get to the final, so congratulations to you all so far, and the very best of luck at ScotHot. Let’s hope to see as many of you as possible cheering these great students on!!

We are also gearing up for IFE at the ExCel on March 19-22 where we are working with the BFFF on an exciting new project. Straight after this we are involved in FutureChef on March 27, where we watch the next young talent come along through the kitchens.

On April 2 we are having our yearly AGM at The Royal Garden Hotel where we select the new committee for the term of 2017/18.

In May/June we are having not one but two Salon Culinaire’s the first one at Central Bedfordshire College and the second one at Brockenhurst College, so for all of you competitors out there please consider taking part.

Great to see Michael Gillies taking about the much-loved Country Range Tomato Soup Mix and how it can be used with 5 ways, all different ways, and all very tasty. The beauty of cooking is that there is no wrong way to cook, just a different way to cook, we all have an opinion, and view, and there is nothing better than playing and experimenting with food, it’s by far the very best way to learn.

Well here’s to 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

Five ways to use...

Tomato Soup Mix Aside from the obvious usage, dry soup mixes provide a brilliant base for a whole host of dishes, allowing creative chefs to save time, whilst still putting their mark on a meal.

TIP:

Steam the mussels in white wine and then add the sauce

Country Range Tomato Soup Mix is a perfect example and can be utilised in so many different ways, as Michael Gillies, lecturer in catering at South Eastern Regional College, demonstrates…

1. Malaysian style chicken Mix the soup mix with oyster sauce, soy, garlic, ginger, sugar and chilli. Marinade overnight and roast as normal.

2. Mussels with tomato and chilli Using the soup mix as a sauce base, make a tomato and chilli sauce, steam the mussels in white wine then add the sauce and serve with chopped fresh coriander.

3. Scallops with brassicas and carrots This is a more ‘restaurant’ dish and we used the tomato base mix as a dressing. This time the coral from the scallop was dehydrated and blitzed. It was then added to the tomato base along with other aromats and thickened using agar agar. Pan-fry the scallops and serve with cauliflower, broccoli, carrot textures and the tomato and coral dressing.

About Michael Gillies South Eastern Regional College (SERC) catering tutor Michael Gillies studied at the Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College and then progressed to a BA Hons in Culinary Arts at Ulster University.

He started his career in local hotels and restaurants on the bustling North Coast of Ireland before taking off and travelling around Europe and the Middle East to master the culinary skills of the trade.

positions

On his return to Northern Ireland he took up a number of senior chef in hotels such as the

4. Macaroni with tomato and basil Again, the soup mix is used as a sauce base and made a beautiful tomato and basil sauce. We used Country Range Macaroni and breadcrumbs for the dish and simply gratinated it under a grill.

5. Tomato and cheddar cheese quiche Use the soup mix in the quiche base by mixing it with the eggs for a deeper tomato flavour.

Sundried tomatoes, Parmesan and Cheddar were added before baking in an oven.

Country Range Soup Mixes 2.25kg tubs: • Asparagus • Scotch Broth • Leek • Thick Chicken • Oxtail • Thick Vegetable • Minestrone • Tomato • Mushroom

5-star Merchant Hotel in Belfast, The Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen, and the multi award-winning Shu restaurant on Belfast’s chic Lisburn Road.

Michael now works as craft catering lecturer at South Michael Gillies Eastern Regional College passing on his knowledge to aspiring young chefs, and he tutored a team in the 2016 Country Range Students Chef Challenge, making it through to the final.

He was recently awarded the Medal of Excellence from City and Guilds for his work in delivering the college’s cookery programmes as well as the Cherry Grainger prize from The Worshipful Company of Cooks of London.

MARCH 2017 29

FIVE WAYS TO USE

Looking forward to the year ahead

“ONLY THE

BEST HAVE A PLACE IN MY KITCHEN” SIMON HULSTONE The Elephant

Philadelphia’s delicious fresh taste, soft creamy texture and unique cooking characteristics are the secrets behind great dishes and fine sauces.

Get inspired at philadelphiaprofessional.co.uk Check us out on twitter @PhillyProUK

WORKS (ALMOST) AS HARD AS YOU DO

SIGNATURE DISH

e r u t a n Sig My

dish

Hai y s e k i B

TV cooks Si King and Dave Myers can often be found clowning around in the kitchen – so they were the perfect choice to front HomeSense’s 2017 Red Nose Day campaign.

The entertaining double act – best known as the Hairy Bikers – are supporting Red Nose Day, which takes place on March 24, and are urging people to show their support by buying charity aprons designed by renowned photographer Rankin.

Says Dave: “It’s a great honour to be asked, we’re both very, very flattered. Red Nose Day is such a big event now in the national calendar, and to be part of it is very exciting.

Every year my stepchildren buy the t-shirts and bits and pieces, but this year, guess what kids? It’s us! How cool’s that going to be?!”

As part of the Red Nose Day celebrations, the Hairy Bikers have shared their favourite cake recipe. Si explains: “A deliciously moist, old-fashioned coffee and walnut cake is one of our very favourite treats and we like to make it with Camp chicory and coffee essence. If you can’t track this down in your local stores, use very strong black coffee instead and make sure the walnuts you use are nice and fresh.

“Baking is one of the most popular fundraising activities to support Red Nose Day and this range enables you to not only look good, but raise money too.”

Coffee & walnut sponge Ingredients 65g walnut halves 225g softened butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing 225g caster sugar

4 medium eggs 225g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp Camp chicory and coffee essence

Icing 150g softened butter, cubed 4 tsp Camp chicory and coffee essence

300g icing sugar, sifted 12 walnut halves

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Butter two 20cm loose-based sandwich tins and line the bases with discs of baking parchment. Put the walnut halves in a food processor and blitz them into fairly fine crumbs, but don’t worry if there are a few larger pieces remaining. Tip the walnuts into a bowl.

2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and coffee essence in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until well combined and creamy. You may need to remove the lid once or twice and push the mixture down with a rubber spatula. Take care not to process for too long or you will end up with a heavy sponge. Add the blitzed walnuts to the

batter and mix until just combined.

If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the nuts, tip all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, then beat like hell!

3. Spoon the mixture evenly into the greased and lined tins and smooth the surface. Bake on the same shelf in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes or until the sponge is well risen and just beginning to shrink back from the sides of the tin.

4. Remove the tins from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the cakes and turning them out onto a wire rack. Peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool completely.

5. To make the icing, put the butter in a food processor, or mixing bowl, then add the icing sugar and coffee essence.

Blend until the icing is smooth and creamy. Add a little more coffee essence to taste if you like.

6. Place one of the sponges on a plate or cake stand and spread with half the coffee icing. Add the second sponge and spread the remaining icing over the top. Use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to create soft swirls and peaks. Decorate with the walnut halves.

Leave to stand for at least an hour before serving if possible to allow the icing to become a little firmer.

MARCH 2017 31

THE MELTING POT

Pimp it up!

Sizzling suggestions for gourmet burgers and dogs

According to the Horizons Menu Trends report, burgers remain the nation’s top dish but the traditional beef burger is in decline as tastes evolve and consumers seek more adventurous eating out experiences.

Mexican and Korean influences are creeping onto the burger and hotdog scene with some fabulously creative results. Premiumisation and customisation are king – so how will you be serving yours?

Here, 11 chefs and industry experts get ”Frank” and share their on-trend tips for perfect patties and delicious dogs…

Pimp up

Mark Baumann

Great British Master Chef and co-director of affordable luxury steak and lobster restaurant Bourgee Burgers have gone from being a casual meal to a gourmet experience. As a result, diners are looking for luxurious offerings that feel decadent yet satisfying. With steak and lobster becoming an equally huge trend, it won’t be long before the two combine as a regular fixture on menus.

2017 will be the year that ‘surf and turf’

32 MARCH 2017

burgers become a huge hit with diners.

When it comes to hotdogs, we’ll see a move away from the lack lustre frankfurter and a shift towards more indulgent meat options. At Bourgee our hotdog is made with beef for a more intense, rich and delicious taste.

Lucien Green

group head chef, Dirty Bones At Dirty Bones we handcraft all our own sauces to nail down the perfect flavour combinations – like with our Salted Caramel & Burnt Onion BBQ Sauce

– and then use your burgers the sauces to and dogs! fuse creative Country Range has flavour everything you need to make combinations brilliant on-trend burgers like the Mac and dogs. See this month’s Daddy burger pull-out Promotions section for topped with more details. pulled beef short rib and tallegio mac n’ cheese. It’s also key to be forward-thinking and keep dish development relevant to global trends, so for our latest launch in Shoreditch we turned the traditional burger on its head by creating our signature Cheeseburger Gyoza Dumplings stuffed with burger mince and melted cheese life changing!

Sandia Chang co-founder and sommelier of bubbledogs

Although hotdogs are a classic, they are not in the least bit boring. We see them as great vessels to carry amazing creative toppings from fresh salsas to hearty cheesy macaroni to interesting pickles. This year we are giving top chefs from around the world the chance of creating a hotdog topping for us. Each month chefs from restaurants as far away as America will create a guest hotdog for the bubbledogs’ menu. The Fat Duck started the collaboration in January with the ‘Crown Chippy Shop’ - a deep-fried hotdog in aerated batter, with minted mushy pea ketchup, pickled quail eggs, triple cooked chip crumbs, tartar sauce and ‘chip shop’ smell.

Aine Melichar

brand manager for Kerrymaid, top tips for perfect on-trend burgers: Catering for those looking for a healthy alternative is the ‘Blended Burger’ – a meat pattie blended with mushrooms adds flavour and nutrition to a burger. It also counts as one of your five a day!

Mac ‘n’ Cheese as a burger filling is on the rise, but think about adding extra ingredients such as kale or lobster tails to upgrade a burger which can then be sold at a premium.

Burger buns are an important element to the burger experience. Offer customers a rainbow bun - a mix of bright coloured doughs, rolled together to form a bagel before being baked. The buns bring both fun and excitement to a burger for both children and adults.

Add a bulgogi burger to your offering.

The key to the bulgogi burger is the spicy Korean marinade, which offers a flavour sensation similar to a teriyaki burger.

Robert Burns

marketing controller, Westlers Serving hotdogs provides caterers with a fantastic opportunity to create seasonal, on-trend menus that can cater to different tastes throughout the year, using one main base ingredient. Caterers should also be looking to offer hot dog dishes which excite diners and get them talking by adding exciting toppings and sides.

Consumers are expecting more adventurous flavours with sweet and savoury combos rising in popularity.

Adding a hit of sweet jam to classic toppings such as Swiss cheese and gherkin help complement the salty notes of the frankfurter offering a burst of flavour in every bite.

Darren Chapman business development chef, Nestlé Professional

A great burger or dog is like a great building, the foundations need to be strong and the rest is decoration. Ensure that you have a great patty/sausage and premium bread and you are on to a winner from the outset.

THE MELTING POT

Mac ‘n’ Cheese a is on the rise, but s a burger filling extra ingrediethnintsk about adding lobster tails t o up such as grade a burger

You can’t top a Hotdog Serving hotdogs provides To make it caterers with a fantastic gourmet you opportunity to create just need to seasonal, on-trend menus that can cater to different add that tastes throughout the year, special using one main base something ingredient. which can be the dressing/sauces, the leaf or salad. You can toast the buns, season the burger/sausage with a jus, add dripping on the bun, use an ethnic flavour profile to offer your consumer a taste of the world with a dish that they know so well.

Here are some suggestions:

• Lobster mayonnaise • Asian slaw • Smoked Paprika mayonnaise • Sweet potato rosti

• Wild mushroom mayonnaise • Fresh diced relish • Homemade pickles

Keith Shearer

group executive chef, Macdonald Hotels In my opinion the secret to making a great burger is having the right balance of different beef cuts. I would use 40% rib blade (high fat content), 30% rib cap and 30% brisket, all placed through a course mincer, and minced twice.

The amount of fat content in the burger is critical. If you want the best results add diced bone marrow. This will emphasise the beefiness of the burger. Never season at this stage otherwise the salt will start to cure the beef. Shape into neat round patties slightly wider than the bun and no thicker 2cm.

MARCH 2017 33

THE MELTING POT

Rachel Neale

senior marketing manager at AAK Foodservice, supplier of Uncle John’s Signature Hot Dogs Keep secondary pupils on site with tempting gourmet options like the Mexican Dog, topped with guacamole, salsa, Cheddar and a dollop of sour cream and chive dressing. For uni students, dish up a Kansas City Dog’s Dinner, a premium bockwurst topped with chicken pieces and American Smokey BBQ Sauce, served with chips, onion rings, salad and dips – or test their mettle with a fiery Piri Piri Power Pup, served in a garlic baguette, slathered in hot sauce and jalapeños. Don’t skimp on Hot Dog quality, and offer a range of sizes, from a modest 50g to a whopping 90g.

Tom Aikens

acclaimed chef and founder of Tom’s Kitchen, which has four restaurants and three delis across London, and a new launch in Birmingham Make sure that you always use the correct cuts of meat - these must have the correct mix of fat.

The beef also needs to be aged. It’s crucial that burgers are well seasoned. When serving the

burger, I always add a lovely homemade relish, pickles and a crisp salad. To finish the burger I recommend a good dollop of French’s Mustard – delicious!

Martin Carr

NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURINGS OR FLAVOUR ENHANCES MADE FROM 86% PORK NO MSG HERE REDUCED SALT RECIPES

With a readymade Mari Base or Pan-Asian Broth you can bring the zing in a variety of easy to do ways. Simply combine a proportion of the base directly into the raw minced meat, brush directly onto your burger, stir through The concept of gourmet your condiments or infuse your slaw. A spicy dogs is a great opportunity to upsell and Korean pork burger served with a side of add value so tempt your customers in with Kimchi slaw or a Thai burger with Asian slaw taste tingling toppings and sauces that and coconut mayo in a sesame bun are sure create will stand out on to go down a your menu and give you treat. Moreover, The secret is having the right healthier margins: with increasingly balance of different beef cuts.

1. The Chipotle more people Chihuahua Dog opting for a Beef sausage, rocket flexitarian diet, lettuce, baby spinach, the same chipotle sauce and principles can be cheese in a crusty roll applied to your veggie option: 2. The Deer Hound how about a Venison sausage, curly vegetarian bean kale, pickled red onion, burger with blackberry mayo on a Mexican salsa crusty roll slaw, guacamole 3. The Sheep Dog and chipotle mayo.

Merguez “Lamb” sausage, baby spinach, Tweet us your own pickled carrot and burger or dog creations to @Stiritupmag curried mayo on a crunchy roll

C

LE JOH

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Signature

HOT DOGS Premium Beechwood Smoked Bockwurst SAUSAGES

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34 MARCH 2017

Major’s consultant development chef for Scotland

business development manager, Rich Sauces

UN

TRADITIONALLY & AUTHENTICALLY BEECHWOOD SMOKED

Willie Pike

TY!

Try an Uncle John’s Signature Hot Dog today!

For more information about Uncle John’s Signature Hot Dogs or to be inspired by global ways to top your Hot Dog visit our website

www.unclejohns hotdogs.co.uk

MAX THE TASTE OF YOUR BURGER

Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and the Pepsi Globe are trademarks of PepsiCo Inc.

maximum taste • no sugar

Fresh burger with a spicy tomato sauce

MCA

Gourmet Burgers

By Mark Wingett Editor, MCA. Eating and Drinking Out Market Insight

Fish burger with tartare sauce

>> MCA’s analysis has calculated the value of the UK burger market to be worth in excess of £3billion in 2016.

Most importantly, despite the multitude of burger offers, including fast food operators like Five Guys, pubs developing offers like Youngs’ Burger Shack, or fast-growing restaurant chains such as Byron, MCA believe that there is still room for further growth and are predicting that burger sales will increase an additional £1billion by 2019!

Why? Consumers love a burger as an easy and appealing choice to make when eating out. The choice of toppings allows for customisation and to have it the way each consumer likes it, plus the rise in quality of product has made it more attractive.

MCA have talked about the eating out seesaw tipping from worthy foods to WOW foods, and burgers typify that trend, providing a real WOW experience when stacked up and served on a stylish board.

IT’S WRITTEN IN BLACK & WHITE

However, MCA’s analysis of the leading branded restaurant and pub operators has shown that the number of burger items on menus has actually fallen during 2016; MCA attributes this to a refinement of the burger menus, as operators learn more about which are the best-selling items and reduce menu counts in total, to become more efficient.

Operators should ensure their burger offer is relevant and on-trend, which will always find a willing customer choosing them.

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36 MARCH 2017

@LakelandFS 05/01/2017 11:16

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.

We had a great time on a recent photoshoot getting creative with gourmet burgers and dogs.

They remain firm favourites in terms of fast food but consumers expect a lot more in their bun these days, and caterers in all areas of foodservice need to adapt their offering to incorporate the latest flavour trends.

For the shoot, I created a delicious Tex Mex burger, which looked – and tasted amazing!

Tex Mex is a major trend for 2017 and you can transform an ordinary burger by adding salsa, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeno chillies for a bit of extra heat.

We also made a Barbecue Smoke Burger using the Country Range Gourmet Steak Burger topped with Country Range Beer Battered Onion Rings, rainbow slaw, streaky

bacon and Country Range Barbecue Sauce, again showing how easy it is to premiumise your burger offering and therefore charge a higher price point.

Brioche buns are my carrier of choice for both burgers and hotdogs. They’re softer than conventional rolls and have a little bit of sweetness. They’re a nice colour and really light when toasted.

Education caterers need to get in on the act with burgers and dogs too. They’re always a big hit with kids but, sadly all too often, they end up being pretty boring and unimaginative in a school or college environment. Kids like a bit of spice and would love the opportunity to customise their own burgers. So why not create your own burger bar and offer different toppings and sauces, like the Five Guys concept that has taken the UK by storm? It’s a great way

of getting salad and vegetables into children too – which means you’re sneaking in one of their 5-a-day – and if you serve them with sweet potato fries, you’ve got another portion right there!

Burgers and dogs offer a brilliant opportunity to keep education menus on trend but healthy - and give children something they really enjoy eating.

Happy March!

Paul Dickson

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MARCH 2017 37

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ASK THE CHEF It’s clear that not only are topped chips a key menu item, the competition to deliver something that stands out from the crowd is intense. Coming up with your own toppings adds interest to the menu and gives you a point of difference against competitors, even if they also serve topped chips. It’s a high volume menu item and enables you to deliver extra margin, simply by offering it as a trade up option. What’s not to like?

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On the Range

Pork steaks with apples, dates and blue cheese

ON THE RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Simon Tucker

“Pork is a really tasty but inexpensive meat and is becoming increasingly popular”

You can’t beat a plate of steamy, delicious pub grub – and this tasty dish is hearty to the ‘core’.

Pork is a regular on the menu, says Country Range customer Simon Tucker, who is the head chef at the Royal Oak pub in Meavy, Dartmoor.

“Pork is a really tasty but inexpensive meat and is becoming increasingly popular,” he explains. “Customers love it!”

For his recipe, Simon has gone for the classic combo of pork and apple. “I use the Country Range Solid Pack Apples and the whole tin is full from the bottom to the top rather than being 50% fluid,” he says. “There’s just a little bit of juice to keep them moist and it’s natural juice too – not syrupy sweet – which is important, particularly when you’re making savoury dishes.”

ll from “The whole tin is fu rather p to e th the bottom to id” flu % than being 50

Ingredients 4 x 8oz pork steaks

5oz Devon Blue cheese

10oz Country Range Solid Pack Apples

2tbsp Gourmet Classic Cooking Brandy

5oz Country Range Chopped Dates 2oz Demerara sugar Bottle of Sams Cider Half a Country Range Cinnamon Stick

Method 1. Soak dates in a quarter of the Sams Cider then pour the rest into a saucepan with the Demerara sugar and half a cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Next add the apples and simmer until soft then add the soaking dates and cider and simmer until the dates are soft and the mixture isn’t runny (remember to take out the cinnamon stick).

3. Pan fry the pork steaks in a hot pan fat side down until golden brown and crisp, then seal both

5tbsp double cream or crème fraîche ½tsp Country Range Vegetable Stock Paste

sides of the steaks, place on a baking tray (keep frying pan to one side) and place the steaks in a pre-heated oven (180°C) for about 15/20 minutes depending on the thickness of the steaks.

4. Warm the frying pan back up then add the brandy, half a tsp of stock and the cream/creme fraiche and simmer until thickened.

5. Once the steaks are cooked, take out and rest for 5 minutes.

Slice and crumble the cheese on top and melt, then place on the top of the warm apple compote and spoon around the brandy sauce.

MARCH 2017 39

They bring a whole new dimension to the beer market and give a more personal feel to the customers. A tourist will be very proud to drink a beer from the local area and a local will be equally proud to support a local product.

Craft beers can be a bit more expensive than your more mainstream ones so careful pricing is necessary but I think, all in all, it’s a good thing to be able to offer them.

>> The rise of craft beer has been phenomenal and, in the last few years, brewers have sprung up everywhere. There are now over 800 breweries in the UK and more are sure to come as consumers continue to demand more local, more niche and more diverse products.

So how do you go about finding a good craft beer? I would start by looking for the nearest brewer to your venue and then slowly extend your search. Guests proactively ask for craft beers and they are interested and intrigued about something new, small and local.

Experts think the trend might slow down but I believe it will probably stabilise with the most successful beers being able to stay for the long haul. However I feel people will always be looking for something new and local.

I’ve been working on a project and I can leave you with two great craft beer suggestions: Neck Oil, a Session IPA from Beavertown Brewery based in North London, and Kernel Pale Ale from the Kernel Brewery based in South London.

I found both quite hoppy with Kernel being slightly stronger.

Luca Cordiglieri, president of the UK Bartender’s Guild

Guests are interested and intrigued about new, small, and local craft beers

Opies Marinated Olives make a superb addition to sharing platters and salads or a tasty Mediterranean style appetizer.

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Providing quality ingredients since 1880

www.opiesfoodservice.com MARCH 2017 41

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MEET THE

RANGE SMALL PACKS BIG FLAVOUR Branston and Sarson’s are registered trademarks of Mizkan Euro Ltd

STOCK UP NOW!

Send your Food for Thought ideas to editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk

1

Saints and Sinners

Unlikely pair Barry Tonks, head chef at the Gherkin, and Clean Eating Alice, have created a Saints and Sinners menu, offering diners a combination of healthy and indulgent dishes. Dishes include this roasted

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aubergine nuzzled in feta and tahini and bejewelled with pomegranates, and slow-braised ox-cheek, butter roasted halibut and truffle risotto.

2 Venetia delights

Simon Mullins and Ben Tish’s latest venture Veneta showcases the very best of Venice’s vibrant culinary scene with an eclectic menu including this delicious mackerel dish.

3 Bonnie idea

British seaside restaurant Bonnie Gull, which recently opened its second Seafood Shack in London’s Soho, nods to

2

days gone by at the seaside with dishes like this Squid Toast with Ink Aioli.

4 Mindful morsels

3

Healthy recipe box delivery service Mindful Chef has created a host of delicious meals including this creamy garlic mushroom lentil ragu with sweet potato noodles.

5 Mum’s the word

Help mums celebrate Mother’s Day in style with gorgeous desserts created by Callebaut’s development chef, Julie Sharp.

4

For full recipes visit www. fortheloveofchoc.com.

6 Cocktail hour

For deliciously different drink, try this Ron Zacapa Mai Tai created by Edinburgh’s stylish new Epicurean bar. Made with

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Ron Zacapa 23, Cointreau, Orgeat, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup and garnished with a mint sprig and Maraschino cherries.

MARCH 2017 43

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FOOD FOR thought

Spring into act i with the on inspira se tio recipe nal s

*

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