Stir it up Magazine September 2016

SEPTEMBER 2016

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

What a curry on!

Hot tips to spice up your menu

Bake Off’s

Nadiya

Bakes us a Story

ARE YOU UP FOR THE 2017 STUDENT CHEF CHALLENGE?

make sureiealntls your ingredom are at ro re temperatu

Ingredients Food

Features

07/09

05 CUSTOMER

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE

For starters...

>> September always feels like a “back to reality” time of year as we say farewell to a summer of sunshine and holidays.

As the children head back to school and we pack away our swimwear and sandals for another year, I find myself feeling surprisingly relieved to be “getting back to normal”.

15 THE

MARKETPLACE

29

FIVE WAYS TO USE – Country Range

Tuna Chunks in Brine

10

CATEGORY FOCUS Begin your Christmas preparations

17

SPECIAL FEATURE Get ready

37

31 ON THE RANGE with Cumbrian school cooks Jane and Hazel

MELTING POT

What a curry on!

41 ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

How technology will impact on Foodservice

18 EDUCATION

Healthy lunch, Tuco, young bakers and on-campus dining

21 HEALTH & WELFARE

NACC cook of the year

47

FOOD FOR THOUGHT –

Exciting ideas for early autumn menus

Contact us...

Should dogs be allowed in restaurants?

42

33/35 FOOD &

Baking with Nadiya

23 HOSPITALITY

LEADING LIGHTS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Chef of the Future, Street food, A Passion to Inspire and Toque d’Or

AUGUST 2016

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

JULY 201 6

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

Game on!

Our guide to cooking game birds

subscriptions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk DESIGN & PRINT Eclipse Creative FRONT COVER Holly Pickering

CARE-FUL CATERING FOR ELDERLY DINERS

THE COU

www.barrymellorphotography.co.uk

NTRY RANG E GROUP

Get Crafty

MAGAZIN

E FOR CATE

RERS

with food and beer matching

Petal Power

COUNTRY RANGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Our editorial partners...

COOKS CALENDAR

for the 2017 competition

Wishing you a spectacular September!

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.

04 READERS’ LIVES

Championing Northern Irish Cuisine

Win £100 in shopping vouchers

For caterers, it’s time to start giving some thought to Christmas and planning your festive menus and marketing to ensure 2016 is a bumper year. With this in mind, our Category Focus this month is all about Christmas planning and is packed with ideas and inspiration to help you get a head start.

September also sees the launch of the 2017 Country Range Student Chef Challenge with some amazing ‘money can’t buy’ prizes on offer. Having attended the exciting final this year, I would urge all chef lecturers to enter a team. Find out more on page 17.

PROFILE –

26 COUNTRY CLUB

After the chaos that always ensues pre-summer holiday season, it’s nice to be back in a routine and start planning for the rest of the year.

We Brits love a curry at any time of year and our Melting Pot will show you how you can curry favour with your diners (page 37).

Favourites

Tom Aikens on how to use edible flowers

Love your leftovers EDUCAT E

YOURSE TUCO conf erence prevLF iew

@stiritupmag

Visit our website more advice, inspirationfoanr dlotrescip es!

www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2016 03

COOKS CALENDAR

Cooks Calendar SEPTEMBER In season

Read ers ' Li ves

1 Name: Eduard Grecu.

2 Job title: Head chef.

3 Place of work:

4-6

billberries

pears

chestnuts

butternut squash

Speciality and Fine Food Fair, Olympia, London

20

www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk

21-22 Lunch! Trade event for the

food-to-go industry, Business Design Centre, London

www.bakeryawards.co.uk

17-2 Oct

Universal Cookery and Food Festival, Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire www.cookeryandfoodfestival.co.uk

Baking Industry Awards, Park Lane Hilton, London

7

figs

apples

British Food Fortnight

www.lunchshow.co.uk

www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

21

19-25 National Cupcake Week www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk

Café Life Awards, Lancaster London Hotel, Hyde Park awards.thecafelife.co.uk

The Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Devon.

4 Typical working hours:

OCTOBER

Roughly 60 hours.

In season

5 How long have you worked in the catering industry?

10 years.

6 Most interesting fact about you: Maybe the fact that I studied

history / archaeology back in Romania, so I had nothing to do with cooking in a professional environment.

I did always love to cook, which makes it less of a surprise I guess.

pumpkins

World Vegetarian Day

16

3-5

The Restaurant Show, Olympia, London

18-19 The Independent Hotel Show,

tomato crusted Pollack, Anna potatoes, smoked pancetta, pea and crème fraiche sauce.

10-16 National Curry Week

kitchen gadget:

culinary tip:

National Cake Week

www.nationaleatingoutweek.com

31

Halloween

31

National School Meals Week www.thegreatschoollunch.co.uk

www.salonduchocolat.co.uk

NOVEMBER In season

red cabbage

potatoes

wife, Maria. They are my unconditional support, inspiration, pride!

1

World Vegan Day

Chefs-wise, Giorgio Locatelli. He thinks food the same way I do, making the most of everything, rather than cherry picking, celebrating all the ingredients, glamorous and modest, ensuring the stewardship we chefs should all have.

4-6

Good Food Show Scotland, SECC, Glasgow

04 SEPTEMBER 2016

British Summertime ends

Olympia, London

and why? My daughter, Maria & my

It’s difficult to pin point one, I would say that I find spices and pulses to be consistently high quality.

30

14-16 The Chocolate Show,

11 Who is your inspiration

ingredient and why?

www.independenthotelshow.co.uk

www.nationalcakeweek.co.uk

Feel your Where do we start? food! Touch, A sharp chef’s knife? smell, taste, Joking aside, Vita appearance Prep/Vitamix high (remember how performance well it looked and blender!!! felt last time when it tasted amazing!)

12 Favourite Country Range

World Food Day Olympia West, London

www.therestaurantshow.co.uk

3-9

10 Top

figs

wild mushrooms

1

7 Favourite cuisine: Italian.

8 Signature dish: Sundried

9 Must-have

salsify

kale

celeriac

4-6

quinces

sloes

7-11

brussels sprouts

National Community Meals Week www.thenacc.co.uk/ events/community_meals_wheels_week

Good Food Show, London Olympia

www.bbcgoodfoodshowscotland.co.uk

11-13

Cake International, NEC Birmingham

14-16 BBC Good Food Show Northern

www.bbcgoodfoodshowlondon.com

Ireland, Belfast Waterfront

www.cakeinternational.co.uk

4-10

cauliflower

British Sausage Week www.lovepork.co.uk

5

Bonfire Night

13

Remembrance Sunday

www.bbcgoodfoodshownorthernireland.com

17-18

CESA conference www.cesa.org.uk/events/event-69

17-19

The Skills Show, NEC Bimingham www.theskillsshow.com

CUSTOMER PROFILE

CHAMPIONING

Northern Irish CUISINE

>> A hard-working head chef at one of Ireland’s premier wedding venues has spent this year championing Northern Irish cuisine.

Aaron Duffy, who heads the catering team at the four-star Corick House Hotel and Spa in Tyrone, has embraced ‘Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016’ by dedicating each month to showcasing a particular area of the country’s best produce, from cheeses to craft beers to local seafood. This month is all about bread and baking, and diners can expect a spectacular choice of regional delights on the hotel’s menus.

we made a few dummy wedding cakes in different colour schemes. That way, we can still serve their cake to guests but use the dummies for the photographs!

Says Aaron: “It’s about taking it to another level and showcasing different breads, from soda breads to traditional potato bread, we’ve even got a Guinness bread on the menu!

“We use Country Range Oat Flakes in our breads as they have a really nice texture and flavour when you bake them and come up really well.

We also use Country Range Sundried Tomatoes and Country Range Basil for our tomato and basil bread. We incorporate the tomatoes into the bread dough so it turns a delicious orange colour.”

Aaron, who was a Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Achiever last year, has been at the helm of the 12-strong team at the beautiful 17th century house for just over 12 months and loves nothing better than the challenge of a busy weekend.

“We are a major wedding venue with couples choosing us from all over Northern and Southern Ireland. We have around 160 weddings per year with between 60 and 400 guests, plus business conferences and leisure guests at the spa.

“It’s a lot of different areas to control but I love the buzz of each area going at the same time when we have a full house, which can be as many as 800 people on a Saturday night. That’s when I’m in my element.”

At just 24 years old, Aaron also juggles full-time employment with studying for a degree in culinary arts one day a week at Southern Regional College, Newry.

He admits: “It’s quite hard. The biggest challenge for me is keeping the staff happy and motivated, after all, a happy team makes happy food. I try to set a good example, always say ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ and explain why I do things a certain way rather than shouting. All of the chefs are older than me but they are very supportive and respectful of the directors’ decision to hire me. I came in as a sous chef and worked my way up so that made it easier.”

So have there been any wedding disasters at the hotel? “We’ve had a few brides arriving with wedding cakes that have been damaged on the car journey here,” he laments. “Some so badly that they can’t be used for the official photographs. After the first time it happened, we made a few dummy wedding cakes in different colour schemes. That way, we can still serve their cake to guests but use the dummies for the photographs!” Genius!

SEPTEMBER 2016 05

SERVING BETTER Our comprehensive range of Cooking Wines and essential culinary ingredients has been designed to satisfy the demanding needs of the catering industry and below are our product recommendations to help with menu planning this festive season.

Mulled Wine & Cider 3L - NEW

After Dinner Glaze 500ml - NEW

Our Mulled Wine is a delicious blend of red cooking wine and aromatic spices, our Cooking Mulled Cider combines quality cider with sweet apple flavours and spices. A great alternative on your menu to gravies and sauces during the festive season.

Our innovative range of After Dinner Glazes has been created with artisan chefs in mind. With 25% authentic Port, Madeira, Marsala & Sherry they provide a consistent reduction every time are the ideal finishing touch to cheese boards and deserts.

Fortified Cooking Wines 3L

Cooking Brandy 3L

Our unique range of Fortified Cooking Wines has been created specifically for culinary needs. Made with 21% authentic Port, Madeira, Marsala and Sherry at a cost effective price, these 3 Litre bag-in-box products are perfect for busy professional kitchens.

Traditional and robust, our Cooking Brandy retains a strong flavour profile that can accentuate or contrast with existing ingredients.

Perfect for use in brandy butter and with Christmas puddings, although the alcohol is reduced impressive flambĂŠ can be achieved.

Enjoy the Festive Season from all of us at Gourmet Classic gourmetclassic.com

Gourmet Classic Ltd

@GourmetClassic_

NE W

Wraps Chips

Tortilla and Tortilla

>> We got very wrapped up in our new launches this month! New to Country Range are two sizes of flour tortilla wraps and salted tortilla chips.

With the number of wrap and tortilla dishes on mainstream menus increasing by 9% over the last three years*, these versatile ingredients are a simple way to keep your menu offering fresh.

Tortilla wraps can be used across all day parts – fill with eggs and bacon for an alternative breakfast sandwich, or tap into the street food trend by serving a wrapped burrito – great for food on the go.

Having Mexican on your menu means you can use this one base ingredient to create a multitude of dishes – from fajitas to burritos to quesadillas. They also make a great carrier for fillings, such as smoked salmon or roasted vegetables. Simply fill, roll and slice and serve on afternoon tea trays in place of or alongside a regular sandwich.

Country Range Tortilla Wraps are available in two sizes. The 10” wraps are packed 50 to a box and the 12” wraps are packed 100 to a box.

They’re frozen for convenience and as they come wrapped in packs of 10, you can defrost a pack as required, meaning there is less waste.

Country Range Salted Tortilla Chips are triangle-shaped corn chips, packed in 500g bags and there are 12 in a box. Salted tortilla chips

Tortilla Ice Cream Cone

are perfect for nachos but can also be used to add texture to dishes – crumble over salads or use in place of a breadcrumb topping. *Horizons Menurama Winter Menu 2015

We have a selection of products that complement our new launches.

Pulled Pork (4 x 1kg) is still a firm favourite on menus and is a great filling for burritos, whilst our Fajita Seasoning Mix (450g) packs just the right amount of punch for an authentic Mexican taste.

Dress your nachos with Tomato & Onion Salsa (2.25kg) and sprinkle over Grated Mozzarella and Grated Cheddar mix (1kg) for a nice, even browning when grilled and that satisfying stretch of cheese when pulled.

Our development chef, Paul Dickson, raved about the quality. “The tortilla wraps are really easy to work with. They’re flexible so great for rolling up into burritos etc, plus they didn’t dry out around the edges when warmed.”

“The tortilla chips were of a good thickness which means there’s a very high number of unbroken chips in the bag.”

• NEW Country Range Frozen 12” Tortilla Wraps 10 x 10 • NEW Country Range Frozen 10” Tortilla Wraps 5 x 10 • NEW Country Range Salted Tortilla Chips 12 x 500g

On promotion this month

Tortilla wraps are most commonly associated with savoury dishes, but with a little bit of chocolate and a sprinkling of imagination, they can be transformed into an ice-cream treat.

Serves: 4 Cooking time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

Method

4 x 10” Country Range Tortilla Wraps

1. Melt the chocolate and keep it warm.

1 egg yolk 20g icing sugar

2. Cut the tortilla wrap in half and roll each half into a cone, securing with a cocktail stick.

25g Country Range Milk Chocolate Drops

3. Brush the outside with egg yolk and dust with icing sugar. Bake at 200°C for 8 minutes until crisp.

Country Range Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream

4. Once cool, brush the inside with melted chocolate.

Country Range Multi Coloured Crispies

5. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with multi coloured crispies.

SEPTEMBER 2016 07

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Available in tw sizes, 10” amd 12o and frozen for ” convenience

• New innovative format • 100% pure & natural honey • No waste • Mess-free • Perfect for breakfast

15g

15g per sachet / 90 sachets per display box / 8 display boxes per outer ordering unit (720 sachets per ordering unit) Please contact your local Country Range Group wholesaler for more details.

LMc 1-2 page Stir it up July 16-paths.indd 1

08/07/2016 10:31

e your life Spicup

>> Cumin is an essential spice and is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, which is a relative of the parsley family.

It adds a distinctive warm, earthy flavour and aroma to a wide variety of savoury dishes from around the world.

imports whole cumin seeds into the UK, tests them, treats them and packs them whole or will grind them to make ground cumin, thereby ensuring there is no risk of contamination or adulteration.

Almost three quarters of the world’s supply of cumin comes from the main producer, India, which is one of the places where we source our whole cumin seeds. In the last few years, cumin has been the source of several product recalls by the Food Standards Agency where unscrupulous suppliers have adulterated or bulked out the ground variety of the product. At Country Range, our supplier only

Cumin features prominently in Indian cooking and is an essential component of many curry dishes and the Indian spice mixture garam masala. It is also a regular in many spicy Mexican dishes such as chilli con carne and is frequently included in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and certain Chinese cuisines.

Visit the Country Range website to get the recipe for this tasty Indonesian Nasi Goreng dish.

• Country Range Ground Cumin 450g • Country Range Whole Cumin 400g

From the

store cupboard

>> Whether it’s an annual tradition or your first attempt, with Christmas menu planning on the table, now’s the time to make a start on your Christmas cake.

All you need to make the perfect cake is a dash of flour, a handful of dried fruits, a splash of good quality sherry and a dollop of inspiration.

Soaking the dried fruit – whether in sherry or orange juice (for a non-alcoholic version) – is the first step and you need to make sure you choose the right fruit for your cake.

If you want to set the flavour combination then Country Range have raisins, sultanas and currants in 3kg bags, but to save time, we also offer a mixed variant that contains citrus peel for a tangy edge (Mixed Dried Fruit 3kg).

We’ve got seven tubs of Country Range curry spices and a revolving relish server up for grabs on Country Club.

See page 26 for details.

We also offer a mixed variant that contains citrus peel for a tangy edge.

Try out our simple Christmas Cake recipe http://www.countryrange.co.uk/recipes/christmas-cake/

A sneak peek…

Turn over the page for more Christmas dessert inspiration..

>> Add that extra WOW factor to your menus this Christmas with our three new eye-catching desserts available next month.

• Salted Caramel Cream Bar Gateau - Whole Layers of chocolate sponge with chocolate truffle, Irish Cream mousse and salted caramel, garnished with profiteroles and cocoa dusting.

• Cox Apple & Blackberry Pudding - 1 x 12 Individual baked vanilla sponge pudding with Cox apple, blackcurrant filling, apricot glaze and blackberries.

• Chocolate & Raspberry Bar Gateau - Whole Rich chocolate sponge, raspberry compote and white chocolate truffle studded with raspberries, topped with profiteroles, dark chocolate mousse and crunchy shavings.

SEPTEMBER 2016 09

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Indonesian Nasi Goreng

CATEGORY FOCUS

P s l a a n m n t i s ng i r h C Don’t forget your Christmas store cupboard essentials: • Cranberry sauce • Mulled wine spices • Apple sauce • Horseradish sauce • Goose Fat

Ho ho ho! Yes, folks it’s that time of year again when chefs and caterers across the land start to turn their attention to planning their festive menus...

Christmas Market(ing) The lead-up to Christmas is one of the busiest periods in the foodservice calendar, with pubs and restaurants across the country competing for festive bookings, so it’s important for operators to stand out from the crowd by offering innovative menus and tailor-made deals.

Sarah Robb, channel marketing manager at Premier Foods, advises: “From research we conducted earlier this year looking into 2016 menu trends, we can see that consumers are on the lookout for new cuisine styles and dishes. Whilst the traditional Christmas roast will still be a popular choice, many people will be dining out for numerous Christmas parties so will want to see some innovative choices as well.

season because it can be used in buffets, as a starter, main and even an alternative recipe Christmas cake!

“Parmesan arancini balls make for a great starter and work really well in Christmas buffets as something a bit different. They’re easy to make and cost-effective to produce because they can fetch a premium price, plus they look great on the plate.

“In addition, vegetarian risotto comes into its own at Christmas and can be used as a great substitute to the traditional turkey main for non-meat eaters by, for example, adding some Christmas spirit in the form of vodka with a Chilli, Tomato and Vodka Risotto (recipe www.tildafoodservice.com).”

Menu planning With the right planning and promotion, the festive period can be one of the most successful times of the year.

“More than a third of consumers we surveyed would like to try more premium chicken dishes; whilst 45% would like to see more Mediterranean dishes on menus.”

Celebrity chef and Lion Brand ambassador, Ben Bartlett advises: “It’s easy to play it safe, but it’s important to branch out beyond safe, traditional dishes like turkey roast and pigs in blankets.”

Craig Dillon, Tilda’s head of foodservice, says: “Rice has so much to offer caterers and their customers during the festive

Try to avoid traditional Christmas Day fayre until the second week of December at the earliest, and you’ll keep the menu fresh and

10 SEPTEMBER 2016

interesting. Instead, try to introduce festive ingredients and seasonal flavours gradually from November to get maximum value from the Christmas period.

“Start with warming winter stews, like Hungarian goulash, made with horseradish sauce for extra kick. Stilton croquettes make a fantastic snack, starter or side (simply crumble some stilton into your mash before forming your croquettes).

“If you want an alternative roast that’s suitable for the season, festive ham or pork loin made extra special with the addition of coarsegrain mustard crust will work really well.”

Vibrant vegetables Stay ahead of the game this Christmas by bringing an added twist to your traditional fare. Traditional festive veg can be given a new lease of life and bring some real flavour to your offer and help yours stand out.

James Circuit, development chef at Major International, recommends: Pepping up your sprouts with mushroom stock base, pancetta and hazelnuts Try a whole roasted honey lemon and mustard cauliflower or clementine honey

Delight your diners with these brand new desserts created exclusively for Christmas 2016

roasted parsnips and carrots, delicious as well as visually impressive Or how about some homemade pickles or international flavours through your chutney to spice up your cheese board?

A Caring Christmas Christmas dinner is one of the most memorable meals of the year in care homes so it’s a great opportunity to make a good impression on current residents, says Katrina Ellis, McCain Foods product manager.

She advises: “Small appetites are common among care home residents so everything they do eat has to be appetising and energy dense. Not only is potato a key part of Christmas dinner in terms of taste, it also meets the need for a filling and energy dense option.

“Including McCain Simply Mash as part of Christmas dinner is a useful solution as it can be customised with added butter or cream to increase the calorie content still further.”

Premier Foods’ top tips for a successful festive season 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 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

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 Make sure each section of your menu is enticing and complements each other, as diners will be looking for a full three course menu during the festive season

Billionaires Shortbread Cheesecake 1 x 14pp A buttery shortbread base filled with baked cheesecake swirled with lashings of golden caramel, topped with indulgent Belgian chocolate ganache and vanilla fudge cubes and golden crispy chocolate pieces.

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 Set menus will attract customers looking for great deals over the festive season

Catering for gluten-free diets at Christmas “At Christmas it is important to be inclusive and cater across the board, no more so than in the education and the care sector,” says Brian Eastment, executive development chef at Major.

“Factoring in dietary requirements such as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free or low sugar or salt is vital but can easily be done with simple swaps. An ultimate ready-made gravy saves caterers time, whilst still delivering on flavour.”

Independent research, commissioned by Aviko, found that a shocking 73% of people don’t feel that the out-of-home sector does enough to cater for gluten intolerances, while 59% of people want to see more gluten-free options available on menus. With 38% choosing gluten-free sides if they were available, and 21% willing to pay more for a gluten-free meal, there is a clear profit opportunity for operators to open up this side of their business, particularly during the Christmas period.

Try adding cinnamon to custard to give desserts the classic Christmas flavour

Trifle Cheesecake 1 x 12pp English trifle Cheesecake Victoria sponge base soaked with Sherry, vanilla cheesecake batter, raspberry swirl, topped with cream and roasted flaked almonds.

Mont Blanc Profiterole Gateau 1 x 14pp A buttery shortbread crumble case filled with chocolate and white toffee mousse, piled high with profiteroles all smothered in a rich chocolate sauce sprinkled with salted caramel crisp pearls and golden sugar with lashings of Belgian chocolate.

Parsnip, Pecan & Maple Cake 1 x 14pp hree layers of moist roasted parsnip, maple syrup, apple and currant sponge sandwiched and smothered in rich West Country cream cheese frosting, swirled with sticky caramel and finished with a scattering of pecans.

Fruit Cake 1 x 14pp Yule Log 1255g 2 x 1 unit

SEPTEMBER 2016 11

CATEGORY FOCUS

delicious desserts

Baking For Foodservice

INDU LGE WI T H KAR A C A KE S TH IS C H RISTM AS

SN OW BA L L S PA R K L E C A K E

LUXU RY SALT E D CARAME L & H AZELNUT CAKE

Contact your local Country Range Group wholesaler for more details www.karafs.co.uk 0161 351 2399

@karafsbakery

Christmas dinner...covered

From a turkey roast coverer to a festive sausage dunker or a roast potato dipper, no Christmas would be complete without a great gravy.

Luckily, MAGGI® has Christmas covered with a delicious range of authentic tasting gravies that are perfect partners to many festive dishes.

Featuring MAGGI® Original, MAGGI® Golden, and MAGGI® Original Vegetarian, the gravies are rich and meaty in flavour with a smooth glossy finish, a delicious final flourish for any festive plate.

Now - with research showing coeliac disease affects at least 1 in 100 people

in the UK and Europe - a great gravy is one everyone can enjoy…

1

As the latest addition to the range, MAGGI® Gluten Free Vegetarian Gravy is not only free from gluten, it also really delivers on flavour. In fact, external taste tests have confirmed it stands up to the delicious, deep roasted flavour consumers have come to expect from the much loved MAGGI® Original Gravy .

2

Darren Chapman, Development Chef at NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL® gives his top tips for surviving a busy Christmas period

1 2

1.

2.

Make prep as straightforward as possible by keeping your menu simple, with as few steps per plate as you can.

Have a clear plan, and take pictures of each dish so that anyone in the kitchen can jump on and assist execution.

3.

Save time and space by making one large pot of MAGGI® Gluten Free Vegetarian Gravy, then decant and flavour each one as required. That way all bases are covered from one pot.

4.

Remember to work closely with front of house. Communication is key.

If everyone knows their roles, then service won’t be stressful!

Coeliac UK, Coeliac Disease Fact Sheet, 2016 Nestlé Professional proprietary research, July 2015

The complete MAGGI® gravy range from NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL® is available now: 0800 742 842 www.maggi.co.uk/Professional NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL® is a Registered Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

Christmas is a busy time of year, and chefs are under more pressure than ever. Time saving in the kitchen is crucial, as are products that are quick and easy to prepare. MAGGI® Gluten Free Vegetarian Gravy is ready in just two minutes – all you need to do is add hot water and simmer.

Free of gluten, full of flavour, easy to prepare – the Gravy is part of Nestlé Professional®’s ongoing efforts to help chefs cater for everyone this Christmas.

o t y wa w e n h es r f A ! ts c u od pr s ou ci i l bake de Recipe

Create fantastically tempting, tasty products in 3 simple steps with the DAWN® Scoop & Bake range of frozen batters and doughs.

1 Scoop!

Choose a batter flavour or cookie dough from our wide range, then just scoop, pour or shape to create muffins, cookies, cupcakes, traybakes, loaf cakes and much more!

2 Bake!

Mini Bundt Cakes 1 x 2kg tub = 40 (50g)

bundt cakes • Choose your DAWN® Scoop & Bake batter. Stir with a spatula or a spoon.

• Scoop into small bun dt cake shaped silicone moulds.

• Bake in a fan oven at 160°C for 25-30 min.

• Leave to cool.

• Pipe, drizzle or dip the bundt cake into flavour ed or coloured, warmed glossy icing.

• Decorate further with chocolate curls, fudge piec es, nuts or fresh fruit.

Fresh from the oven, Scoop & Bake products smell and taste irresistible.

3 Decorate!

Visit

www.dawnscoopandbake.com

for more inspirational recipes and ideas

Create your own signature finishes and turn everyday basics into indulgent treats with our range of toppings and decorations.

• • • • •

Make any size, shape or price point you want Add inclusions, toppings, fillings and flavours to personalise No waste - just bake what you need Comes in easy to store 2kg tubs Keep for up to 8 days once thawed

Contact your Country Range Group member for a list of available products.

Creating happiness™ www.dawnfoods.co.uk

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

The authentic taste of America >> McCormick’s latest launch sees the introduction of iconic and authentic Old Bay Seasoning into UK foodservice.

Whether it’s specialist BBQ joints, gourmet burger restaurants or smokehouses, if it’s from across the Pond, we Brits just can’t get enough of it on our plates.

The Americana trend explosion has seen restaurants springing up all over the UK and the forecast is for the US trend to capture even more hearts and become increasingly popular into 2017 and beyond.

Created in Maryland, USA, 77 years ago, Old Bay seasoning – with celery salt, pepper and paprika – can be added before, during and after cooking, and is amazing on seafood, chicken, vegetables and meat.

Snap it up! >> Rowse have unveiled a revolutionary ‘snap and squeeze’ honey sachet into foodservice.

In many single-serve formats, honey can be difficult to get out, messy and wasteful with much of the honey getting left behind in the pack.

The clever new ‘Snap & Squeeze’ 15g single serve honey portions provide clear, individual portions of 100% pure and natural honey that snap open cleanly to dispense all the honey with no waste, no mess and in a perfectly controlled portion, making them perfect for use in foodservice outlets to accompany porridge, toast, yoghurt and hot drinks. Available to buy in cases of 90 x 8 sachets (720 sachets).

‘LUNCH POTS’ HIT THE SPOT! >> For operators with customers who want quality, tasty meals that they can just grab n go, new Dolmio and Uncle Ben’s Lunch Pots are the perfect solution.

Each of these nutritionally balanced ambient ready meals, guarantee to satisfy the need to supply consumers with food on the move and are now set to launch in UK foodservice.

Inspired by favourite cuisines from around the world, the Lunch Pots are available in a choice of four flavours – Uncle Ben’s Mexican Bean Chilli and Vegetable Curry; or Dolmio Beef Bolognese and Tomato & Basil Fusilli. Each variety provides a light, wholesome meal which comprises of either steamed rice or pasta, with a tasty sauce and vegetables.

Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, each Lunch Pot is packed full of vegetables – enough to provide one of the recommended five-a-day and contains fewer than 350 calories.

SCOOP & BAKE – A FRESH NEW WAY TO CREATE DELICIOUS PRODUCTS!

>> Scoop & Bake is a range of flavoured batters, doughs, decorations and toppings offering a quick and easy way to offer freshly baked products every day.

They’re a great solution for time-pressed caterers, which enables you to create hand-finished, premium price point products whilst filling your premises with the delicious and tempting aroma of fresh baking to entice your customers.

You can create a huge variety of freshly baked, ‘just made’ muffins, loaf cakes, tray bakes, sandwich cakes and cupcakes without the need for any mixing, measuring or specialist skills.

The frozen batters are packed in easy to store 2kg stackable tubs, which keep up to eight days once thawed.

Defrost in the chiller for 24 hours and then just bake what you need each day – so there’s no waste.

TRADITIONALLY BRITISH

>> Immerse yourself in the latest drinks range from Radnor Hills - Heartsease Farm Premium Pressés.

The range includes some timeless traditionally British recipes made with only the finest sourced ingredients and blended with Radnor Hills lightly sparkling natural spring water.

Savour the classic taste of the British countryside with the Elderflower Pressé, travel back in time with Traditional Lemonade, which tastes just how your mum used to make it!

The range has all the finesse and great flavours of a ‘grown up drink’, but without the alcohol.

SEPTEMBER 2016 15

THE MARKETPLACE

T he Marketplace

All compliant for sale in schools.

For range and merchandising information, call the Kareline on 0800 783 6676 *Source: SPA Future thinking, “Kellogg Eye” survey. © 2016 Kellogg Company

50mm

SPECIAL FEATURE

Packaging V7.0 28-OCT-2014

Tag Packaging Calls Wharf, 2 The Calls, Leeds, LS2 7JU, UK. www.tagworldwide.com packaging@tagworldwide.com

+44 (0) 113 205 1414 JOB NO.

37027895_V3

CUSTOMER

Kellogg’s

BRAND

Multibrand

PROJECT

MAB756

Are you up for the Challenge?

VARIANT

210x297mm

MANAGER

Emily Dutton

CREATOR

Martin Harwood

The 2016 Winners

CREATED

22-Apr-2016

The 2016 competition saw the team from Loughborough College claim victory in a hotly contested final held at Hotelympia.

The hunt is on to find the Country Range MODIFIED 25-Apr-2016 Student Chef Challenge team of 2017.

PLEASE NOTE

September marks the official launch of this hugely• PANTONE REFENCES: Any references contained within respected competition in which teams of three full-time this design trace are taken from the catering college students battle it out to win the coveted supplied master input and retained titlefor– your along withAny a such hostreference of other great prizes, including reference. is not indicative suggested colour Craft Guild of Chefs Culinary supporting theofprestigious separation setup.

Team in catering for over a thousand guests at the Craft Guild of Chefs Annual Awards 2017.

The team – Daniella Bromley, Emily Bucknall and Rebecca Brooks under the tutelage of their chef lecturer Darren Creed – were the first all-female winners in the competition’s 22-year history.

Darren said: “The competition has given the team a real insight into what they can do and given them confidence and belief in themselves.

“I would encourage anyone to enter it. It is a lot of hard work and dedication but what you get back from it is worth it – and I would be saying that even if we hadn’t won. The atmosphere on the day of the final was incredible and we loved every minute.”

This year the live final of the Challenge will take place at ScotHot, Scotland’s biggest food, drink and hospitality trade show, held in Glasgow in March 2017.

Country Range is proud to be the lead sponsor of this prestigious event, run in association with Craft Guild of Chefs.

Coral Rose, MD of the Country Range Group, said: “We are honoured to champion the chefs of the future and I never cease to be impressed by the range of talent of offer.”

The Challenge The teams will have 90 minutes to prepare, cook and present a three-course, three-cover menu costing a maximum of £8 per cover.

The Prize As well as a one year membership to the Craft Guild of Chefs and an engraved Flint and Flame Chef’s knife, the winners of the 2017 Challenge will win an invaluable experience with the Craft Guild of Chefs Culinary Team.

The Theme

The winners will receive two nights’ accommodation in a 5 star hotel in London with dinner at a Michelin star restaurant on the first night. The following day will be spent at the Park Plaza Hotel helping the Guild’s culinary team in preparing a banquet for up to 900 invited guests alongside the hotel’s kitchen brigade at the prestigious 2017 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards Dinner.

This year’s theme is ‘Healthy Gourmet Fine Dining’. The starter must be vegetarian and contain at least one super grain, such as amaranth, chia seeds, freekeh or quinoa.

The Deadline

The main course can contain meat or fish but must be centred around imaginative healthy cooking techniques, such as sous vide, poaching and smoking, steering away from deep frying and fatty cooking methods.

Finally, the dessert should contain fruit where possible and, again, refrain from containing too much butter and cream.

Marks will be awarded to teams that really work foods to extract as much flavour as possible, whilst steering away from adding too much oil, butter, salt and sugar in their cooking methods.

Applications for the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2017 are now open. Chef lecturers are required to enter their team(s) by submit a completed entry form, which includes details of their three-course, three-cover menu, the ingredients and methodology used for each course and the associated costs of each element which must total a maximum of £8 per cover.

The closing date is 28th November and teams that qualify for the regional heats will be contacted by 12th December 2016.

For more information, request an entry pack or enter online please visit www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk.

SEPTEMBER 2016 17

EDUCATION

Building healthy habits Schools still need support to increase uptake of healthy lunches

New figures published by the Department for Education’s annual school census suggest more support is needed to help make sure every child who qualifies for a free school meal opts to take it.

BACK TO

SCHOOL

Encouraging children to eat fruit and vegetables can be a challenge, but great-tasting, vibrant fruit and vegetable dishes will put future generations on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

Download our new Education Sector Guide at our website www.premierfoodservice.co.uk

The Children’s Food Trust claims creating a great lunchtime experience for all children in schools is key to increasing the take-up of free school meals – both among children who qualify for benefits-based free school meals and among infants, who all have the option of a free lunch.

Head of research, Jo Nicholas, says: “We welcome the news that more than 1.6 million infant school children are continuing to access a healthy school lunch through the Universal Infant Free School Meal scheme: good food at lunchtime improves children’s focus in class and is helping to build healthy habits for life. However, it’s a big concern that nearly 15% of infants still aren’t taking up the free meal that they’re entitled to.

Toffee Cake Ingredients 250g Dried stoned and chopped dates 325ml Apple Juice 150ml Water 225g Canned apples drained

½tsp Bicarbonate of soda 700g Mc Dougalls Sponge Mix Allergen information:

“The census also shows quite a fall since last year in the proportion of children at primary school who qualify for free school meals, but aren’t taking them up (from 86.7% to 82.9%). This is a real worry and in the coming months we want to look into the reasons for this – we don’t want any child living in poverty to miss out on a nutritious meal at school.”

May contain suphites

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan oven/ Gas Mark4.

2. Grease a 25cm x 35cm (10”x14”) line with baking parchment.

3. Place all the dates, apple juice, water, apples and bicarbonate of soda in a pan and bring to a simmer for three to four minutes until dates

are soft. Leave to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, add the fruit and date mixture, and beat for one minute. Add the Sponge Mix and mix on slow speed for one minute. Scrape down and mix for a further four minutes on

New chair for TUCO The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) has announced the appointment of a new chair.

Matthew White, who is currently director of catering, hotel and conference services at the University of Reading, takes up the position from this month.

He takes over from Julie Barker, who has held the position for five years.

He moves into his new role after being a director of TUCO for three years and holding the role of vice-chair for the past two years.

He said: “TUCO members are some of the most talented caterers in the country providing for diverse and multi-faceted needs across international audiences. They are right at the forefront of trends and insights into the future of foodservice, working with the consumers of tomorrow.

“Together with the board, I will be working tirelessly to advance the learning and development of catering and hospitality teams in line with emerging trends and changes.”

18 SEPTEMBER 2016

hidden fruit

“TUCO members are some of the most talented caterers in the country”

medium speed.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and firm to touch.

6. Turn out onto a wire rack so that the baking paper is on the top. Peel paper off gently, cut, and serve.

In season September to November: Runner Beans, Sweetcorn, Apple, Red cabbage, Potatoes

@PremierFoods_FS www.premierfoodservice.co.uk

XXXXX

20 SEPTEMBER 2016

HEALTH & WELFARE

(Left to Right) Mark Taylor, Alex Morte, Neel Radia, Simon Fooks

Alex is the NACC’s youngest ever Care Cook champ >> Alex Morte, chef de partie at Signatures Coombe Hill Manor in Kingston-upon- Thames, is officially the best care cook in the UK. He was crowned the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) Care Cook of the Year 2016 and, at the age of 21, he is also the youngest champion in the competition’s history.

His winning menu of grilled hake, charred asparagus, pea purée, crispy dill potatoes, crispy bacon and grilled vine cherry tomatoes followed by dark chocolate and salted caramel delice with a chocolate tuile claimed the title after 90 minutes of intense competition.

He said: “I am absolutely blown away to have won! This is my first ever competition so to be the winner is amazing and unbelievable. The final was a great experience. It was nerve-wracking at first but once I started cooking I relaxed and I actually enjoyed it. For the judges to say there was a ‘clear winner’ is a great feeling and I am very proud.”

“I am absolutely blown away to have won! This is my first ever competition so to be the winner is amazing and unbelievable.”

Martin McKee from The Hawthorns care home in Aldridge took second place, with Alan Cash, of Mildenhall Lodge care home in Mildenhall, taking third place.

Neel Radia, national chair, NACC, commented: “Every year this fantastic competition just gets better and better. That was an exciting and closely-fought final and Alex should be incredibly proud of his title. I am thrilled to see the NACC Care Cook of the Year competition grow year on year. It is testament to the high standards and genuine talent within our sector and to the dedication of care chefs to continuously deliver excellence on behalf of those entrusted to their care.

All of the competitors are great ambassadors for the exciting and rewarding care catering sector.”

Alex Morte

Listeriosis guidance published

Listeriosis is a foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

>> New guidance has been published by the Food Standards Authority aimed at healthcare and social care organisations, to help reduce the risk of vulnerable groups in their care contracting listeriosis.

Listeriosis is a foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is rare but can cause serious illness and death in vulnerable groups of the population.

The guidance is intended to help these organisations determine what steps can be put in place to reduce the risk of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and to complement good practice in the food industry.

The guidance was the result of collaborative working between stakeholders who contributed to its development, including the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) and the National Association of Care Caterers (NACC), which will help to promote uptake in these sectors.

For more information, visit www.food.gov.uk/ news-updates/news/2016/15253/listeriosisguidance-published

SEPTEMBER 2016 21

New research reveals a doggy divide when it comes to allowing man’s best friend into our nation’s eateries.

The Restaurant Club, a scheme supporting local restaurateurs over chains monopolising the high street, posed the question to its 11,000 strong fine dining group – and the results were a mixed (doggy) bag.

• Almost four in 10 (39%) people believe that dogs should be banned entirely from restaurants, a surprising 61% were a lot more flexible.

• One in 10 said they’d only be happy for them to enter cafes but not restaurants • 8% said only guide dogs should be permitted • One in 20 called for a dog-only area By popular demand, the club has now added a dog-friendly section on its website that offers discerning diners discounts and advice on where to eat out, so that people have the option of not leaving their pooch at home.

Louisa Walters, founder of The Restaurant Club, says: “I love the fact that I can take my Shih Tzu into my local newsagent, post office, chemist and hairdresser, so it follows that I would want to take her with me into local restaurants too. Every high street needs at least

“it’s clear people like having their dog by their side duri meal timesng.”

one dogfriendly eatery and we’ve scoped out the best ones for our members.”

Dogs are kept on leads and there is a strong sense of owner responsibility over their dog’s behaviour.

Whilst we pride ourselves as a nation of animal lovers, it seems there is a misconception in the UK that dogs are not allowed in any places where food is served for health, safety and disturbance reasons. This is not the case. The only legal obligation on the owner is to make sure there is no risk of contamination and that all food preparation areas are up to specified hygiene standards.

Morfudd Richards, owner at Greenberry Café in Primrose Hill, London, says: “I spent a lot of time in Europe and dogs in restaurants simply aren’t an issue. I was brought up on a farm and animals were part of the family. We wouldn’t dream of leaving the dog at home or outside a restaurant when we went for a night out.

“When I opened Greenberry three and a half years ago I wanted to create a relaxed all-day dining atmosphere for grown-ups whilst also being family friendly… and the family also includes dogs.

“Due to health and safety, I had to make a choice between dogs and having an open kitchen but welcoming well-behaved dogs was one the best decisions I ever made.

Customers really value the attention you give to their dogs and for us looking after children and dogs is of primary importance and it creates real loyalty. There has been surprisingly little resistance – given the number of dogs we have virtually no complaints.

“Hygiene is incredibly important to us. The moment a staff member gives a dog a treat, he or she will immediately wash their hands.

Dogs are kept on leads and there is a strong sense of owner responsibility over their dog’s behaviour. Occasionally we have noisy dogs but we also have some noisy customers that’s restaurants for you!

“I would definitely encourage more restaurateurs to explore opening their business up to a wider customer base by welcoming dogs - it’s clear that people like having their dog by their side during meal times.”

“We wouldn’t dream of leaving the dog outside a restaurant when we went for a night out.”

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

The Keys to Success in Uncertain Times!

With the EU Referendum vote in June, MCA has reported on reduced consumer confidence which has the potential of affecting our Eating Out Market. This has brought many of our clients to ask, what do we need to do to protect ourselves against a potential slowdown of consumers eating out?

MCA does not believe that there will be a significant slowdown in consumers’ eating out behaviours as they are now habitual; we have reduced our forecast for growth for 2016 but we still expect growth of 2.3%. What we will see is greater polarisation of offers, with a focus on value at one end and premiumisation at the other; mainstream middle ground is a difficult place to be.

The Keys to Success therefore are the following: 1. Provide an experience that delivers value – this doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, but it does mean meeting or exceeding consumers’ expectations, which will rise further 2. Utilise all promotional marketing activities that you can – consumers will expect a good deal, and promotional or loyalty-driving activities will help keep their visit frequency high, even if you sacrifice some margin in doing so 3. Engage with consumers – through both social media, where operators can learn from their consumers and gain loyalty, and through service; Eating Out needs to be an experience that cannot be replicated in the home (and remember that your competition is often a takeaway on the sofa!) and great service from great staff is a key element in the overall experience The approach taken by the message ‘Keep Calm, Carry On’ does not apply!

Now is the time to improve what you do and deliver even better experiences.

That way you’ll keep your consumers eating out.

SEPTEMBER 2016 23

HOSPITALITY

Dogs in restaurants – are you barking mad?!

Roasts – not just for Sunday’s British Roast Dinner Week is back.

And it’s bigger and better than ever.

Fire up the ovens, British Roast Dinner Week is back from 26 September to 2 October 2016. This time, it’s bigger and better than ever.

The campaign stems from research commissioned

by Unilever Food Solutions which shows that almost

half of consumers want to see a roast on the menu every day of the week.

Now in its fifth year, the campaign sponsored by KNORR® and supported by COLMAN’S®, is a proven opportunity for pubs to increase their sales. That’s why we’re calling on Britain’s pubs to serve the UK’s favourite pub meal1 every day of the week and light a fire under their sales.

25% even said they would choose a roast over any other dish on the menu2.

Taking part in British Roast Dinner Week can increase sales.

Just take a look at how these pubs increased their sales and profits:

10%

increase in profits

45% more covers

£360

increase in wet profits

The White Bull, Alston Allegra Eating Out Panel, May 2014 OnePoll survey, August 2014, commissioned by Unilever Food Solutions

1 2

100% increase in roast sales

The Endeavour, Chelmsford Each regional winner will receive £2,500 of PR support with the exception of the national winner, who will receive £10,000 of PR

*

GB bona fide catering establishments and employees 18+. Entry is limited to one entry per establishment. 2 ways of entry: 1) visit www.britishroastdinnerweek.co.uk and complete the entry form between 00:00am BST 31 March 2016 and 23.59pm BST 20 September 2016. 2) public nomination by completing the consumer nomination form at voteforyourlocal.co.uk between 00:00am BST 1 September 2016 and 23.59pm BST 20 September 2016. Nominations will be validated with the establishment in question, which will have the final decision whether or not it wants to be entered. Validation may involve providing additional information on their roast dinners.

Prizes: ‘Best British Roast Dinner’ title and £10,000 worth of public relations support, and a trophy. Five Regional Winners will receive £2,500 worth of PR support.

See www.britishroastdinnerweek.co.uk for full terms.

Get involved in the Best British Roast Dinner Competition for your chance to win £10,000 PR support.

This year, the competition is bigger and better than ever.

Not only will the competition crown an overall winner, this year the panel will announce regional winners – giving even more pubs the opportunity to become famous for their roasts.

And it gets better. Just for entering, pubs will get a free KNORR Gravy Granules for Meat Dishes 25L and a free sample of Colman’s Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix. Plus, they’ll also get a new improved British Roast Dinner Week POS kit containing bunting, tent cards, beer mats and stickers.

Winners will be announced at the end of British Roast Dinner Week.

British Road Dinner Week 2016 26 September to 2 October Serve a roast every day of the week and bring in the bookings!

Being a winner brings in the bookings.

Former winners of the Best British Roast Dinner competition have seen huge spikes following the competition.

“Winning Best British Roast Dinner has done wonders for increase in roast sales since us. Before we were winning shortlisted, we averaged about 170 covers on a Sunday. We now have over 270 covers Sunday after Sunday.”

60%

Dan Cramp, General Manager of The Larwood and Voce

The competition is now open.

To enter, just fill in a short entry form explaining what makes your roast special at www.britishroastdinnerweek.co.uk before 20 September 2016.

£10,000

PR SUPPORT for the title winner

£2,500

PR SUPPORT

for each regional winner* for: South England, North England, Midlands, Wales, Scotland

COUNTRY CLUB

the COUNTRYclub

Exclusively for customers of The Country Range Group

WIN

£100 in shopping vouchers

christmas shopping made easy

Our Category Focus feature this issue is all about planning ahead for Christmas from a work point of view – but we thought it was only fair to help you get organised from a present-buying perspective too!

Therefore, we’re giving one lucky Country Clubber £100 in shopping vouchers to make a head start on his/ her Christmas shopping.

All you have to do to enter is send an email titled ‘Christmas shopping vouchers’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

bake me a story Royal cake baker and winner of last year’s Great British Bake Off, Nadiya Hussain has had a busy 12 months.

As well as rustling up the official cake for the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, the busy mum-of-three has also been penning a cookbook for children.

Titled ‘Bake me a Story’, this unique hybrid of storybook and cookbook contains recipes and stories devised and written by Nadiya herself.

WIN

a copy of ‘Bake me a story’

by Nadiya Hussain

Like her bakes, Nadiya’s stories themselves all have a sprinkling of something original. There’s the Princess and the Pea and Mint Risotto, or Sleepless Beauty, who is cursed to never sleep again, until she comes across a magical mug of hot chocolate with cardamom...

We’re giving away two signed copies of the book. To enter, send an email titled ‘Bake me a Story’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

curry favour with this spicy prize Spice things up in your professional kitchen with this hot prize from Country Range!

WIN

Country Range spices and a revolving relish server

In conjunction with our Melting Pot feature all about curry (page 37), we’re giving away one tub of each of the following Country Range Spices to one lucky winner: • Country Range Cumin

• Country Range Garam Masala

• Country Range Madras

• Country Range Curry Powder

• Country Range Korma

• Country Range Ground Coriander

• Country Range Tandoori The prize also include this Sunnex 4pc Stainless Steel Revolving Relish Server for your Indian chutneys and relishes.

For your chance to win, send an email titled ‘Curry spices’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@ stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

‘Bake me a Story’ publishes on September 8 in hardback, priced £14.99 (Hodder Children’s Books).

Closing date for all competitions: 30th September 2016. All winners will be notified by 31st October 2016. 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

26 SEPTEMBER 2016

BAGS OF FLAVOUR! Tayto Group Ltd offers a one stop shop range of products that are perfect for all environments, delivering packs and full on flavours that consumers love whilst providing incremental sales and profit.

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Scratchings Pub card 10 x 20 x 18g, Handcooked Clip Strip 2 x 12 x 48g

STOCK UP NOW! * Source: IRi Market Place |GB Convenience | £RSV | 52 w/e data to 28.02.16

So it’s almost finally here, the three lucky young ladies from Loughborough College who won the first Country Range Student Chef Challenge are off in a few weeks to Germany for the Culinary Olympics.

We wish Emily, Daniella and Rebecca happy travels - enjoy and learn loads.

Application forms and details are starting to come out now for the 2017 competition, so please share with all that you meet along your travels, and make this the competition that students everywhere just cannot miss!

Here at the Craft Guild we are ticking along quite nicely. We had a great family cricket day, with afternoon tea and a late afternoon BBQ a few weeks ago, and are currently gearing up for our Graduate Awards final, where we will see one lucky chef win a host of prizes and become the highest achiever for the year.

During September we will be at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair at Olympia London, and of course our very own Universal Cookery & Food Festival at Laverstoke Park, Hampshire. There is still time to grab tickets and see ‘The Glastonbury’ of food in its now 5th year.

We’re busy already preparing our 2017 calendar of events, so if any of you know of anything that we should be at, or you think may be of interest to us please contact us here at the Craft Guild office and we will see just what we can do.

Membership is still strong and we have been able to welcome a few new business partners into our ranks, which is always good to see.

If you see just across the page you will see the ever-talented Norman Fu sharing with us all five ways to use tinned tuna in brine.

Go on take a punt buy the ingredients and try it out for yourself!

Well, till 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...

Tuna Chunks in Brine

FIVE WAYS TO USE

Thinking ahead

Tinned tuna is very much a store cupboard staple and makes for delicious sandwich and jacket potato filling combos.

However, if you think outside of the box, this healthy ingredient, packed with omega oils, can be used to create some extremely imaginative dishes, as Norman Fu, chef lecturer at Westminster Kingsway College, demonstrates here…

1. Tuna pajeon

TIP: Mix sweet chilli sauce with lime juice and fish sauce for a tasty dipping sauce

This is a variation on a Korean favourite. Drain the tuna, squeeze out, mix with just enough beaten egg to form a thick batter, add chopped spring onions, shredded carrot and leek, seasoning and Korean red pepper flakes (or gochujung). Then spoon the mixture into a frying pan to form little fritters and cook on both sides till done. Serve with Gochujung Mayo, or sweet chilli mayo.

2. Tuna chirashi A variation on a Japanese lunch bowl. In a bowl with cooked seasoned sushi rice, top with drained flaked tuna, toasted sesame seeds, pickled ginger, toasted Nori seaweed and stir-fried julienne of vegetables. Serve with soy sauce or Ponzu dressing on the side.

3. Tuna croquetas Drain off the tuna and flake. Bind into a thick béchamel made with olive oil. Chill, shape into balls and paner (‘paner’ means to deep fry fish in breadcrumbs), deep fry, and serve with garlic mayo.

Chunks in Country Range Tuna Friendly Brine are Dolphin

4. Tuna summer rolls A variation on a Vietnamese favourite. Drain the tuna and flake. Dip the Vietnamese rice paper wrappers in warm water and remove immediately to a damp cloth lined tray to rehydrate. Use tuna, mint, coriander, iceberg lettuce, rice vermicelli noodles and julienne carrot as the filling for the roll (wrap up like a spring roll). Cut in half on the bias and serve with sweet chilli sauce mixed with lime juice and fish sauce.

5. Tuna fried rice Drain the tuna and flake. Scramble some eggs in a wok and add cooked white rice. Stir fry till hot and egg is evenly dispersed. Season with soy and white pepper, add the tuna and stir through. Add pre-cooked green peas and spring onions to finish.

About Norman Fu >> Norman Fu has been a chef lecturer at Westminster Kingsway College for 17 years and is currently co-ordinator for the second year full-time chef diploma course. In addition, he is a competition mentor for students and a specialist in the food and cookery of South East Asia.

Norman Fu

SEPTEMBER 2016 29

Introducing

HEINZ BEANZ

1.THE OPPORTUNITY Since we see the trend for all day opening, breakfast has seen a huge growth. More cooked breakfasts are being served than ever before and that means even more demand for classic Heinz Baked Beans.

Beans are the perfect accompaniment to a breadth of host foods across the menu including kids meals, jacket potatoes and any meal served with chips.

2.WHY HEINZ Beanz?

• Heinz Beanz have been sold in the UK for 115 years • UK production started in 1928 in Harlesden, which brought costs down and meant that the popularity of Beanz grew • Heinz Beanz are full of British heritage over 1.5 million cans are sold every day • Consumers love the signature taste of Heinz Beanz • Health is top of mind with consumers and Heinz Beanz ticks many boxes

4.THE RANGE

Product Case size Heinz Baked Beanz 2.62kg 6 Heinz 50% Less Sugar Beanz 2.62kg 6 Heinz Baked Beanz 415gm 24 Heinz 50% Less Sugar Beanz 415gm 24

3.Winning with consumers & operators Beanz are nature’s superfood • No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives • Naturally high in fibre • Naturally low in fat & high in protein • Gluten free • Low in sugar • Low in salt • 50% less sugar Beanz are now available with 25% less salt content and absolutely no artificial sweeteners

• Vegetarian - applicable across the menu

• Sustainable source of protein

• Loved by consumers young and old

• 1 of your customers’ 5 a day

• Easy to store and prepare to order

On the Range

Festive Christmas Carrot Cake

Festive treats are a must on school menus in the run-up to Christmas – but it’s essential that they comply with nutritional guidelines too.

Method

School cooks have a penchant for “sneaking” fruit and vegetables into dishes, and this tasty recipe proves that cakes can be delicious AND nutritious!

2. Grease and line the base of your cake tin.

Created by at Jane Nicholson and Hazel Frampton, who are cooks at Keswick School in Cumbria, this Festive Christmas Carrot Cake is packed with goodness and is always a big hit on the school’s December menus.

“With school catering, it’s all about squeezing as much good stuff in as possible!” says Mark Gaffney, catering manager at the school.

“This is a really tasty cake – it simply tastes of Christmas! The Country Range Chopped Dates and Sultanas are consistently great quality and add lots of goodness and moisture to the cake.”

Ingredients For the cake

200g Country Range Butter 280g light brown Muscovado sugar 4 large eggs 2 whole oranges, finely blitzed in food processor and passed through a sieve (save a little for making the icing) 320g Country Range Self Raising Flour 2 tsp Country Range Bicarbonate of Soda 2 tsp Country Range Ground Cinnamon ½ tsp Country Range Ground Nutmeg 2 tsp Country Range Ground Ginger

½ tsp salt 312g grated carrots 90g Country Range Chopped Dates 90g Country Range Sultanas 170g Country Range Chopped Pecan Nuts 1 tsp orange oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.

3. For the cake, melt the butter in a saucepan then whisk in the sugar, eggs and orange oil until smooth and well combined.

4. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground spices into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt. Fold the butter mixture into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the carrots, sultanas, pecans, orange zest and juice.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

6. Leave to rest in the tin for a little while before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

ON THE RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

(Left to Right) - Hazel, Mark and Jane

FOR THE GLAZE 1. Put the orange juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook until reduced to a sticky glaze. Brush the top of the cake with the glaze while it is still warm.

FOR THE ICING 1. Slowly beat the butter and icing sugar together using a spatula and bowl or an electric mixer. When combined, add the orange oil. Continue to mix for until light and fluffy.

2. Set aside a quarter of the icing, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a piping nozzle.

Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally and spread a third of the plain icing on the bottom layer, then replace the top.

Neatly cover the top and sides of the cake with icing.

3. Finally decorate the outside of the cake with the pecan halves, using a little extra icing to hold them in place if necessary.

For the glaze

Juice of 1 orange 56g granulated sugar For the icing 100g Country Range Butter 250g icing sugar 4 tblsp double cream 1 orange, blitzed Decorate with pecan nuts

SEPTEMBER 2016 31

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industry news

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Food &

Contract caterers get a taste of London’s street food scene >> A group of contract caterers took to the streets of London to witness firsthand how street food is transforming the capital’s out-of-home lunch market.

The tour – hosted by Knorr and led by prolific street food blogger Victoria Stewart – gave contract caterers a taste of the competition they face and brought to life the challenges they must overcome if they are to compete with street food’s growing popularity.

GAVIN SCOOPS CHEF OF THE FUTURE TITLE

Victoria Stewart said: “Food tourism continues to influence the sorts of flavours street food stalls are dishing up – whether it’s an authentic and traditional dish from the Far East or a creative mashup of two wildly different cuisines.

That sense of fun is a big part of the attraction. It’s what gives it its character.

“There’s a sense of real excitement and business around these markets too. Each vendor has a limited supply and we saw a lot of ‘sold out’ signs along the tour. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. While this is something contract caterers try to avoid at all costs, it creates a sense of urgency and contributes to the overall experience.”

To wrap up the tour, Knorr’s culinary team cooked up some popular street food dishes using the new Knorr Professional Pastes.

>> Gavin Kellett, from Powys, is the winner of Vegetarian Society Cookery School Chef of the Future 2016 competition – for the second year running.

The live final saw four contestants battle it out to produce a threecourse meal, plated for four people, within three hours.

Leon Mills, Knorr marketing manager for Unilever Food Solutions, said: “With turnover growth of 16% forecast over the next two years, street food poses a significant challenge for contract caterers. However, the reality is most of them don’t have the time to constantly monitor the latest trends. This tour brought those trends to life for them – and presented the perfect opportunity to explore bringing street food style experiences to their restaurants.”

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SEPTEMBER 2016 33

industry news

Toque d’Or winners herald a ‘new dawn for hospitality’

“Toque is life changing, it has given us a stepping stone to our future.”

>> Some of the industry’s biggest names were out in force to honour the winners of Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or at a glittering awards lunch.

For the past 28 years, the iconic student talent that has shone through at every stage of competition has celebrated the industry’s the competition. It has been truly awe-inspiring. rising stars and trail-blazed the skills agenda. We may be in the midst of a talent crisis, but the level of passion and commitment demonstrated Representing the crème de la crème of the by these youngsters has been unquestionable.” next generation of hospitality stars, the winning team was University College Birmingham - made up of Megan Lyke, Katie Lewis and Jack Gameson.

James Tanner, chairman of judges, said: “This year, I have been completely bowled over by the passion, commitment and sheer

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Food &

Winner Megan Lyke added: “Toque is different to every other competition. It is life changing, we know people will look at us differently. It has given us a stepping stone to our future with contacts, connections and experience.”

A Passion to Inspire >> The catering and hospitality team from Cambridge Regional College have been named winners of A Passion to Inspire 2016.

The team - made up of chefs Gemma Steele and Alice Clayden and front of house Mathew Dawson – prepared a three-course meal, to be served by a front of house team member with one of the three courses containing an element that was prepared at the table.

The competition covers all aspects of hosptality, such as knowledge of produce and menu costing AD281 Country Range Advert 184x131mm.pdf

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SEPTEMBER 2016 35

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THE MELTING POT

What a Curry On! Excessive heat will ruin the colour and taste of turmeric; it should be added on medium-low heat Curry regularly tops the charts in terms of Brits’ favourite dishes and has done for many years.

But diners have moved on from the comfort of Chicken Tikka Masala and are becoming much more adventurous. They’re turning up the heat and demanding new flavours and ideas, so how can chefs adapt to these evolving trends in the various sectors of the foodservice industry? Here, six chefs get hot under the collar and share their thoughts and ideas…

Cyrus Todiwala OBE

TV chef and chef proprietor of Café Spice Namasté Remember that powders are delicate and easy to destroy when cooking so take care not to singe or burn them, or to over use any one. Best is to make a thin cream consistency paste and then pour in to avoid immediate singeing. This also helps to alleviate the flavours and bring the composition closer and better, and helps in cohering the sauce in a richer and more classy finish.

If you do not use too much spice store your tubs in the cold room if you have one. Spices work with anything so long as you do not over do it nor think that everything goes into everything. Try and spice up your own cooking to start with, small changes like adding roasted cumin seeds partially crushed to roasts and sauces for. With lamb try using star anise and cassia bark when grilling or roasting in whole or crushed form and see which one works.

Besides crushed peppercorns, beef likes to work with red chilli flakes, tamarind pulp, coriander seeds crushed and star anise too.

Not only do they provide a host of authentic flavours, they help schools to meet their scratch cooking requirements.

Vegetables like to be treated differently.

Fennel seeds, aniseed, black mustard seeds, coriander and cumin are all good.

Aubergine works very well with most spices and if handled well will give you amazing taste pleasures.

Make a quick and easy Kerala curry by combining Santa Maria’s Kerala spice mix with chicken, vegetables and a dash of coconut milk to stock to keep it lighter.

Eimear Owens

Country sales manager for Santa Maria Foodservice Santa Maria Foodservice recently surveyed 500 UK school children, aged 8 to 16 (years 4 to 11), to see what they want to eat at school.

When asked what they want to see in their school meals, 61% want spicier curries, 56% want new, different flavours and over 40% want more interesting food, and more spicy food generally.

Dry spice mixes offer a healthy, costeffective alternative to ready-to-use sauces.

Appeal to older students looking for added spice with a red Thai curry.

Mridula Baljekar

Best-selling author of 27 Indian cookery books www.mridula.co.uk Cumin and coriander in whole form or ground are the two spices which can be used together in most dishes, but the quantity of each spice is also important.

As a general guide, the Indian cook will always use more coriander for its mild, mellow flavour, but cumin on the other hand is added in a smaller measure as it is >>

SEPTEMBER 2016 37

THE MELTING POT

more pungent, but essential in enhancing the overall taste and flavour.

The everyday spice turmeric, now declared a superfood, lies in the heart of Indian cuisine, but knowing when and how to add it to your curry is crucial. Excessive heat will ruin the colour and taste of turmeric; it should be added along with other ground spices on medium-low heat and cook for a minute or two so that the raw taste of the spices can be eliminated.

No thickening agents are used in Indian cooking; the thickness of the sauce comes from slow cooking the onion until it the original quantity is reduced to about a quarter, tomatoes, tomato puree and nut pastes.

Ben Bartlett

Chef and Lion brand ambassador Indian food and curry can be a healthy option, as long as operators stay away from creamy, buttery recipes like Korma, Tikka Masala, Pasanda and Butter Chicken. Swap the ghee for oil, and you can make delicious, exciting tomato-based curries like Rogan Josh and Jalfrezi at less than 500 calories a portion.

Curried fish dishes are a staple across India, but they’re only just starting to take off in the UK. They’re delicious, and a great way of adding value to cheaper white fish.

Keralan fish curry is a great place to start – creamy, rich and packed with spice, it’s a guaranteed winner. Alternatively, marinate cubes of salmon in yoghurt and mint dressing and some tikka spices, then team with slices of pepper to create a delicious Indian-inspired fish kebab that’s great with rice, or served on its own as a starter.

Roy Shortland

Development chef for Uncle Ben’s ready-to-use sauce and rice foodservice products A themed menu or day in schools will provide children with variation and inspire them to learn about different tastes and cultures – whilst providing the opportunity to try something new.

Serve Madras meatball skewers served with fresh salad, for example.

Whisk Korma sauce with mayonnaise before adding to long grain rice to make a Kedgeree base, or make chicken tikka pittas, with chicken and fresh salad leaves.

Tilda has come up with some top tips for those caterers looking to develop their curry offering: • Look after your rice:

• Remember your cream:

Add a few tablespoons of oil and a teaspoon of salt before boiling to ensure each grain separates.

Always keep coconut milk or cream handy and add when needed to ensure the sauce is rich and thick.

• Don’t be afraid of the fat:

• Get deep:

Lean meats tend to dry the curry so don’t be averse to mixed cuts.

Choose a large, deep pan that will let you fry quickly while also giving you room to mix and splash your sauces.

• Prepare your meat: Marinate your cuts in spices for around 30 minutes before cooking.

• Break bread not fish: Season and cook your fish separately before adding it to your curry to ensure it won’t fragment.

• Keep you herbs fresh: Wrapping them in a wet muslin cloth bag will help to maintain them.

Jude Krit Sangsida

Executive chef, Busaba If you love the curry flavour but want more bite, curry pastes are also a great way to spice up noodles for example. We have done Counting this with our new Patpong chicken Curry Calories noodles which uses Indian food can be a red curry paste healthy option, as long as and a little coconut operators stay away from creamy, buttery recipes and swap milk. Or just add the ghee for oil. You can make a spoon of curry delicious, exciting tomato paste to the wok -based curries like Rogan and stir-fry your Josh and Jalfrezi at less favourite vegetables, than 500 calories and you’ll get the full a portion. flavour with the crunch.

38 SEPTEMBER 2016

• Don’t lose your juices: Cook your meats on a high heat initially to seal in liquids before reducing the temperature until they are tender.

• Watch the salt: It can force out juices and impede the browning of meat so don’t use salt until midway through cooking.

Cumin and coriande or ground are thertwin whole form which can be used too spices in most dishes gether

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ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

The technology transforming hospitality

By Raj Parmar, marketing director, Box Technologies

>> According to the latest market report from the British Hospitality Association, we’ll soon see technology impact all aspects of the foodservice industry. Here are a few of the innovative pieces that will be at the forefront of this industry-wide transformation:

1

“Mobile tablets can also provide instant access to allergen and nutritional information”

Mobile tablets

These agile and intuitive devices should be the centrepieces of any restaurant’s technological ambitions. Equipped with these tablets, staff are free to move among tables, displaying menu items via high-definition displays and suggesting upsells to customers as they order. The use of digital menus, in many cases, cuts ordering times in half, a vital benefit for busy peak periods.

Mobile tablets can also provide instant access to allergen and nutritional information – an important element of delivering an improved customer experience. In fact, by utilising innovative software, tablets can display a vast array of information and data – all of which can be tailored to specific catering requirements.

Various connectivity options also ensure this can be accessed regardless of location.

Shock and water-proof cases can also be used to increase durability, even in busy environments, extending their lifespan and allowing businesses to protect their investment.

“These agile and intuitive devices should be the centrepieces of any restaurant’s technological ambitions.”

As the past decade has seen tablets become widespread within the consumer world, and more recently the retail sector, these devices have become affordable enough for even smaller, independent businesses to find a return on investment relatively quickly.

2

Digital displays

When connected to the front-of-house tablets, digital displays can display orders in near real-time, eliminating the need for servers to make constant trips between tables and the kitchen. They also have the added benefit of eliminating the need for cooks to decipher messy handwriting, ensuring customers get exactly what they order.

For fast food establishments, these displays can also be placed in view of the customer to show menu items and advertisements.

As they can be easily controlled from the back office, any changes to the menu or prices can be incorporated instantly.

3

Tablet mounts

When not being used by staff, tablets can be fitted into secure, swivelling mounts, making them a usable asset behind the bar or counter as well. These tablets can then be utilised as effective customer engagement tools – providing customers with easy access to bill information and display advertising.

4

Wireless receipt printers

When connected to tablets via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or NFC, wireless printers can turn the lengthy process of printing the bill, delivering it, fetching a payment device and taking a card transaction, into a fast, seamless process handled right at the customer’s table.

By embracing these technologies, restaurateurs can provide an agile and convenient experience for both customers and staff, ensuring they maximise profits and overcome any challenges caused by peak periods.

SEPTEMBER 2016 41

LEADING LIGHTS

Leading Lights

Nadiya Hussain

Nadiya Hussain, 30, won The Great British Bake Off in 2015. She lives in Milton Keynes with her husband Abdal and their three children.

A columnist for The Times and Essentials, and a regular reporter for The One Show on BBC One, she loves to bake and to write. She is inspiring a new generation of bakers with her children’s recipe and storybook, Nadiya’s Bake Me A Story.

With the more savoury flavours being a big feature of mealtimes in Bangladeshi culture, did it affect the way you first approached baking, and the flavours you preferred?

When I was young, I spent a lot of time cooking but my curiosity about baking began when I went to high school and began food studies classes. I have always enjoyed classic baking and learning the different skill sets of each type of bake, for example, different methods of making cake, meringues, buttercreams, pastry and so on. Only recently did I start experimenting and taking influences from all other parts of the world and incorporating it into my baking and cooking.

Bake Off has clearly set you off on a big adventure – how did it feel to make the Queen’s 90th birthday cake?

What an honour to bake the Queen’s 90th birthday cake; something that will stay with me forever. I did a lemon drizzle cake for Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood in the final of Bake Off and I wanted to do something classic but with a twist and so went for a twist and used orange instead. I added the orange marmalade because marmalade is not just for toast! It added a great zing to the overall cake.

I was so anxious about the whole experience though – how can you make the Queen’s cake?

When I got the email from my agent I thought someone was pranking me. It all happened so quickly and I was just kind of left scratching my head thinking I just made a cake for the Queen! The Queen and Prince Philip loved that it was orange drizzle not a fruit cake which I was so pleased about.

Going back to your school days, how did your home economics teacher inspire you?

We did classics like rough puff pastry, scones and syrup sponges. I never used an oven at home and so when I was at school it was a novelty, and it often felt like magic, watching ingredients getting mixed up, tucked away and then out they came as a warm cake! My teacher encouraged us to be the best we can be and I always left her class with a spring in my step, smelling like butter and sugar which is never a bad thing. Not much has changed!

“What an honour to bake the Queen’s 90th birthday cake; mething that will stay with mso e forever.”

42 SEPTEMBER 2016

to say, is how much it has inspired the younger generation to get in the kitchen. I have met many parents who have said that I have inspired their younger children to get in the kitchen. Now to me that feels like the biggest achievement.

It was my first experience meeting celebrity bakers. These guys are legends in their field and great at what they do. It was daunting meeting them but their support near the end was invaluable. What I learnt about them was they are not as scary as they seem.

What are your top secrets for brilliant bakes?

Your chief tasters are your children, you say.

How would you improve school meals to cater for children’s tastes and to instill a love of healthy eating?

I think school meals lack flavour. I only recently had something to eat at a school and, as well thought out as the meal was, it didn’t taste of very much. School meals can be improved by adding a little more seasoning, added spices and herbs. All of these things should help to enhance all the goodness that is already there.

What have you seen in pubs and restaurants that stands out for you in terms of making children feel excited about eating? How do you think they could cater better for children?

I love that most restaurants cater for children, but often I find the menus are so different to the adult menu, in terms of choice and flavour. I feel that restaurants should offer the same menu to children but just a smaller portion size.

What did you enjoy most about writing your new book, Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story?

Having the idea for Bake Me A Story was the best thing. It was an epiphany moment! My kids are massive readers; they’ve always got a book in their hands and they love being read to. They pester me in the kitchen while I’m cooking and that’s when the idea came to me - what if I wrote a book that stays in the kitchen with stories that are matched with recipes. I’m so glad to have been able to involve my kids in the process. They’re in the book with me.

Having lived in Luton and Leeds, and being a Muslim ‘celebrity’ chef, have you found that you’ve inspired people across different cultures and backgrounds?

It’s really nice to see that my background, paired with the win, can inspire so many different people. What has really stunned me, I have

Nadiya’s Blueberry and Orange Soda Bread Makes one loaf

Always pre-heat the oven and always make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature – I always leave everything out the night before. Absolutely always follow the recipe.

And now for three questions that we ask all of our Leading Lights…

1. What are your three kitchen secrets? i) My first is that I always make two of every recipe and freeze the second batch – it saves time for the days when I’m in a rush.

ii) Secondly, I label everything. Literally everything. This makes baking and cooking so much easier when I can see exactly what I have in the house. Otherwise I end up spending so much money on ingredients I already have.

iii) My third secret is my oven thermometer.

2. What is your favourite ingredient?

One of my favourite ingredients would have to be pink peppercorns.

They are sweet, spicy and aromatic. They work so well with stir fries and even chocolate.

Please could you share your favourite recipe, along with your reasons for choosing it?

My favourite recipe from the book would have to be the blueberry and orange soda bread. It takes all the laborious stages out of bread baking and makes for a quick and easy bread recipe that works so well warm, with lashings of butter.

Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story | 8th September | Hardback | £14.99 | Hodder Children’s Books – See Country Club (page 26) for your chance to win one of two signed copies.

Ingredients 400g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 50g caster sugar 2 tbsp light olive oil

100g dried blueberries Grated zest of 2 oranges 1 large egg 185ml buttermilk

Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the baking powder, salt, sugar, olive oil, blueberries and orange zest and stir to combine.

3. Beat the egg with the buttermilk in a jug.

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula, then gently bring the dough together by hand, to form a ball. Don’t overwork it!

5. Place the dough on the lined tray and make two deep cuts on the top in a cross shape, nearly all the way through. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

6. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

SEPTEMBER 2016 43

LEADING LIGHTS

You’ve said that your food heroes are Rick Stein, Nigel Slater and Rachel Khoo. What did you learn from meeting Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood on GBBO?

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

Have a heart

ood f a e s l a n o Sensati This delicious peri peri prawn burger with pineapple salsa and pea mash is sure to go down a treat with spice lovers www.whitby-seafoods.com/ catering-range/product/peri-peri-prawn.

These broad bean waffles with smoke goat’s cheese from the Northern Monk Refectory are sure to melt your heart!

Jackets for Breakfa st

Celebrate British Food Fortnight with this yummy breakfast jacket filled with

Kushy number

sausages, cherry tomatoes, bacon, scrambled or poached egg, mushrooms and baked beans. www.aviko.co.uk.

Bone Daddies’ new Old Street site is serving an innovative selection of Kushikatsu - breaded, skewered and fried meats with assorted sauces, including a scallop, sweet potato and shiso and iberico pork and roasted onion variation.

Just beet it!

Get ARTea! The Lancaster London has devised an electic Afternoon “ARTea” for those who know their Monet from their Picasso, with edible menus and canvasses, finger sandwiches, pastries and freshly baked scones, all of which are served on painting slates alongside jam and clotted cream concealed in 30ml paint tubes.

Very British sushi

One Pot Wonder

These eye-catching beetroot and goat’s cheese ravioli from Dell’Ugo are a sight to behold.

Beverley Paterson from Scottish Borders beat school cooks from across the UK to be crowned the winner of the McCain Chef Solutions Simply One Pot Meal Competition for the second year in a row. Her recipe, Gnocchi, Bac & Cheese is a twist on Mac n’ Cheese. www.mccainfood service.co.uk/One-Pot-Meal-Competition-Winner-2016/

The UK’s largest producer of authentic Japanese food has decided it is time the Brits developed a patriotic sushi of their own. They’ve created

six British sushi recipes, including an apple crumble & custard roll, Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding Sushi Roll, Fish & Chip Nigiri, and a Cream Tea Sushi Scone. www.yutaka.co/en.

SEPTEMBER 2016 47

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FOOD FOR thought

Exciting ideas for earl autum y n menus