British Food Fortnight 18 Sept - 3 Oct

The ninth British Food Fortnight starts today, 18 September, and continues until 3 October.

Hundreds of shops, pubs, restaurants, councils, schools and hospitals take part each year, by promoting British food in their menus.

The National Trust is celebrating British Food Fortnight with the best of home grown produce through various events (fruit and vegetable workshops, cookery masterclasses and food fayres plus many more) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ten things you may not know about British food

Want to buy British - a new website designed to help you buy British food and drink.

Where to eat British - To find pubs, restaurants and cafes serving British food


To find out more about British Food Fortnight, including how you can take part, visit lovebritishfood.co.uk

Food rationing was introduced in Britain 70 years ago

I'm watching a fascinating programme on the Yesterday channel, called "Ration Book Britain" marking the 70th anniversary of food rationing. It's amazing how people managed despite such strict rationing!

Ration Book Britain Recipes

Ration Book Britain: In Pictures

[links via uktv.co.uk]

70 years ago today rationing was intoduced in Britain

70 years ago today rationing was intoduced in Britain Read more about it from this post, "Rationing Begins" on The Ministry of Food blog. Watch the (fascinating!) film which the Ministry of Information made in 1944 to explain the rationing system and its effect on the people of England to American audiences:

Jamie's Family Christmas - Channel 4 special

Tonight was the first two episodes of a new five-part series called Jamie's Family Christmas with Jamie Oliver sharing his secrets for preparing Christmas food with tips to make it easy and fun, and most importantly, stress-free. And what a delightful series it is too! So often I get bored by cookery shows or I'm too overwhelmed with all the fussy details to even consider tying a recipe they recommend but Jamie's series is like a breath of fresh air. I learned a lot and enjoyed watching as well. My husband and 18-year-old son watched too. The bonus is that you get to see his lovely family (Jamie's wife, Jools, and their three daughters, Poppy, Daisy and sweet baby Petal plus Jamie's Nan and Jamie's sister and Mum and Dad) It's a real old-fashioned kind of Christmas special. I can't get over how comfortable all the members of his family are in front of the camera. And very natural as well. They are all stars! There was a very funny scene during a moment in their kitchen (the show is filmed at their home in Essex) when Jools handed Petal to Jamie and he swung her around and she looked very happy - until Jools took her away from Jamie! She cried and cried. Jools handed her back to Jamie and she instantly stopped crying. Jamie looked so pleased. Such a proud dad. I loved it. And another sweet moment was when Jamie was showing his daughters, Poppy and Daisy how to make American pancakes. It was just such a charming scene to watch. Jamie's Family Christmas is an excellent series! I think it's one of the best cookery shows I've seen on TV. And there's still three more parts to be shown this week (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening). If you missed the shows tonight, be sure and watch the rest of the series.

Jamie Oliver plans new reality series in USA

Ryan Seacrest and British chef Jamie Oliver team for food reality show on ABC Via his burgeoning production company, Ryan Seacrest Productions, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest is partnering with British chef Jamie Oliver to create an unscripted series that aims to give healthy food makeovers to America's unhealthiest cities (link via Entertainment Weekly) I hope this show will be broadcast in the UK too. I would love to watch it.

Competition: create a new flavour for Ben & Jerry's

Here's a fun competition: Do the World A Flavour Our Flavour Gurus are calling on YOU to help them concoct the latest and greatest Fairtrade certified flavour. The Prize: One winner from every participating country will travel to the Dominican Republic to witness the benefits of Fairtrade on a cocoa farm, alongside Ben, Jerry and our flavour gurus. The grand prize winner will see their idea transformed into Ben & Jerry's 2010 worldwide flavour. And whichever ingredients you choose, we'll make sure the ice cream we make is Fairtrade Certified. (link via benjerry.co. uk via pocket-lint.com - website of the day)

"Barter for a beer" at the Marksman pub in London

I think this is interesting news about a London pub - The Marksman pub in Shoreditch, East London - that has started to accept goods and services in exchange for beers to help its punters through the credit crunch. (link via Sky News) Read the list of items wanted by Dawn Kolpin, the pub's landlady on The Landlady's Fancy on Craigslist. I think it's a great idea. The customers can get their food and drink in exchange for items or services that are needed by the landlady and the pub owners keep their business going during these tough financial times. It's a win-win situation!

Top 10 English foods

Simon Majumdar ( the co-founder of a food blog called Dos HERMANOS ) has an interesting article in The Times, Top 10 quintessential English foods.

Simon's top ten English foods are:

1) Melton Mowbray Pork Pie
2) Fish and Chips
3) Black Pudding
4) Kippers
5) Parkin
6) Cornish Pasty
7) Potted Shrimps
8) Grouse
9) Treacle Sponge Pudding
10) Cheddar Cheese

I think Simon's choices are interesting but my list of the best foods England has to offer is quite different.

My top ten English foods are:

1. Fish and Chips
2. Shepherd's Pie
3. Cheddar Cheese
4. Cornish Pasty
5. Yorkshire Pudding
6. Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausages
7. Lancashire Hotpot
8. Bakewell Tart
9. West Country Clotted Cream Tea
10. Full English Breakfast

What about you? Do you agree with Simon's choices? What English foods would be on your list?

Should Chocolate Be Taxed?

Should we tax chocolate to tackle obesity? Dr David Walker has called for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity. The Scottish GP, who will put his proposal to colleagues at an upcoming BMA conference, said chocolate used to be seen as a treat but has become a harmful addiction for some. Do you agree with his idea? (link via guardian.co.uk) My view is that we have enough items taxed in this country and I don't think taxing chocolate would discourage people from eating too much of it. For example, there is a huge tax on tobacco but people still smoke. And what about the people who control their cravings and don't eat too much chocolate? Why should they have to pay more for their chocolate treat just because some people can't control the urge to eat too much chocolate? What do you think?

Comfort foods: What's your favourite?

Recipe swap: comfort food It's time for all of us to exchange tips, ideas, and recipes to banish melancholy and spare the budget. What's yours? (link via Word of Mouth blog in the Guardian) These are some of my favourites: Meatloaf and mashed potatoes Shepherd's Pie (substitute lamb with beef to make Cottage Pie) Spaghetti and meatballs Lasagne plus garlic bread and a salad Hamburger, french fries and a chocolate malt Scones with jam and clotted cream plus a pot of tea Chicken soup Scrambled eggs and toast Cinnamon rolls A Bacon Sandwich

Apple Pie

What are your favourite comfort foods? If you decide to post a list on your blog, be sure and post a link to it in my comments.

Happy Pancake Day!

Today is Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. In the UK, pancake races are a traditional part of the Shrove Tuesday celebrations. The most famous pancake race is the Olney Pancake Race - dating back more than five hundred years! - which takes place at Olney, a small market town in the county of Buckinghamshire, England. The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race in London is another well-known annual event. In England, pancakes are quite thin (similar to crepes) and usually served with lemon juice and sugar. They are also usually served as a dessert, although there are savoury pancakes too. In the USA, pancakes are much thicker and usually served with maple syrup. Pancakes are usually served as a breakfast food in the states.

Farmhouse Breakfast Week 25th - 31st Jan

Farmhouse Breakfast Week 25th - 31st January 2009 Farmhouse Breakfast Week is an annual campaign that emphasises the importance of eating a healthy breakfast every day. 'Think Breakfast' is the theme of this year's celebration to encourage everyone to wake up to breakfast as part of a healthy balanced diet and active lifestyle. Farhmouse Breakfast Week I usually have a toasted crumpet or yogurt for my breakfast. My husband likes to have porridge or beans on toast for his breakfast. Our youngest son likes to have porridge or waffles, and our eldest is away at university but when he's home, he always has cereal. On the weekends, I usually make boiled eggs and toast "soldiers" or scrambled eggs. How do you start your day? Full breakfast, just a snack or do you skip breakfast? If you are looking for breakfast ideas (and how to make them): How To Make A Traditional Full English Breakfast How To Make Eggy Bread How To Make Scrambled Eggs On Toast How To Make Boiled Egg And Soldiers How To Make Poached Eggs How To Make The Perfect Bowl Of Porridge How To Make American Pancakes (links via videojug.com)

Jamie's Ministry of Food - Pass It On

Did you watch Jamie Oliver's new series called, Jamie's Ministry of Food, on channel 4 tonight? It was both fascinating and disturbing to watch. (If you missed it, you can watch it again via Free Catch-Up on Channel 4 Shows) This is how the Channel 4 website describes it: In Britain we spend more than £2 billion a year on ready meals. Fewer people than ever before are cooking from scratch and obesity is at record levels. Now, inspired by the wartime Ministry of Food that helped people to make the most of their rations, Jamie Oliver wants to start a food revolution to get people in Britain cooking. Jamie travels to Rotherham to meet one of the fiercest critics of his school dinners campaign, so-called ‘Burger Mum’ Julie Critchlow, who passed junk food through school railings to hungry children. Jamie wants Julie, who is actually a good cook herself, to help him to inspire others to cook at home. The plan is to teach a small group ten simple meals that they can pass on to others who, in turn, will also spread the word. If it works, he wants to get the whole town cooking and kick-off a nationwide campaign. Jamie's Ministry of Food The show highlighted the problem regarding how many adults can't cook - at all. The most distressing scenes were with Natasha who admitted she never cooked any meals for her two children. They were just given takeaways and would sit on the floor to eat the food with their fingers (no cutlery was used at all). I felt so sad for those children especially when Natasha opened her fridge and showed the bottom drawers (where fruit is usually kept) were stuffed full with sweets (candy). It's no wonder that her five-year-old has already had to have rotten teeth removed by the dentist! How sad is that?! It's true that eating healthy isn't cheap (Natasha is on benefits) but it is possible to spend the money on real food instead of junk. Even Jamie seemed overwhelmed by the prospect of teaching Natasha and the other adults how to cook when they were all struggling with minimal skills (they didn't even know how to judge when water was boiling or what simmer meant!). And of course their low income and depressing life style, made everything more difficult. I have huge respect for Jamie Oliver and his ambitious campaigns that he is always so passionate about. I think this new idea for people to learn how to cook and teach others (Pass it On) is quite inspiring. Let's hope it is successful. It certainly won't be easy as was evident in the first show tonight but I'm sure Jamie will meet the challenge.

Village pub in England trades home-grown food for free beer

Locals at a village pub in Norfolk are beating the credit crunch by bartering home-grown produce for pints. The Pigs public house, in Edgefield, near Holt, encourages drinkers to contribute to its traditional food menu in return for free alcohol. A sign placed inside the pub reads: "If you grow, breed, shoot or steal anything that may look at home on our menu, bring it in and let's do a deal." Fresh fruit, fish, meat and vegetables have been traded for pints. (link via BBC News) What a fantastic idea! I think more pubs should do this - it's a win win situation since the pub gets a supply of fresh, home-grown food and the customer earns a free drink. How great is that? It's also a great way to encourage community spirit. The Pigs pub: Norwich Road, Edgefield,Holt, Norfolk, England

The Great Big Vegetable Challenge

If you've ever struggled to get your children to eat their vegetables, you should start reading the excellent blog called The Great Big Vegetable Challenge where the author of the blog , Charlotte Hume, has worked her way through the A to Z of vegetables, by posting recipes and photos of her seven-year-old son ('Vegetable-Phobic') Freddie as he tastes each new concoction and also rates them. The blog is now published as a book too! What a fantastic idea for a blog and good on her for getting a book deal out of it too! You can listen to Charlotte Hume speak about her book in the latest Woman's Hour programme on BBC Radio 4.

Wasteful Brits throwing away £10bn worth of food

The news that Britons are throwing away £10bn worth of food that could be eaten each year, is shocking and quite disgusting considering how many people in the world are actually starving to death. (link via guardian.co.uk) I think people should learn how to use left-overs! The "Love Food, Hate Waste" campaign provides lots of recipes to use up left-overs. There is even a clever chart with a list of foods so you can pick the food that needs using up and find recipes using that particular food.

50 best places to drink wine in London (via TimeOut)

50 best places to drink wine in London Time Out's essential guide to the capital's best restaurants and bars with outstanding wine lists