I am thrilled to re-publish the article about us in the Telegraph magazine, first published on the 5th June. We were photographed at the Real Food Festival in London by a great guy called Julian Lass who has the most amazing photos of his time in Africa. The only downside for me was when he asked me to duck out of view so he could just have a photo of Pam. Cheeky I thought,but on reflection, definitely the right call!
Posts Tagged ‘Food Gifts’Britishfinefoods in the TelegraphThursday, July 1st, 2010WINNER- BEST FOOD MAIL ORDER SUPPLIER 2010Monday, April 12th, 2010We are thrilled that last week we received news that we had won the Best food mail order supplier 2010 as awarded by the independent website Gourmet Britain. Gourmet Britain is a completely independent website whose inspectors travel the country looking for the best food shops, restaurants and places to stay. Entry to the listings is purely on merit- with no money or freebies passing hands. We are particularly pleased because the mail order category on the website has over 400 entries. So we will be raising a glass or two over the next few days, and I would also like to thank those of you who voted for us. Sustainable fishing: I’m not a campaigner BUT….Wednesday, April 7th, 2010Nobu, the fashionable and award-winning restaurant chain founded by celebrated Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, is refusing to remove blue-finned tuna from its menu. Instead, it has decided to pop an asterisk on the menu telling customers that blue fin tuna is an endangered species, and asking them to choose something else. That’s all very well and good but the fact remains that in order to offer it on the menu, they must have it in stock. Can you imagine the uproar if a renowned meat restaurant had white tiger on the menu, advised customers not to buy it, but had a side hanging in the fridge? Anyway, I’m not a campaigner but I just wanted to stress that we will only ever stock fish that are caught in a sustainable way, or smoked fish that are fed on sustainable feed. And I would like to draw your attention to a great documentary film called “The End of the Line” which takes a long look at the fishing industry, its practices, and the ridiculous system of EU quotas. Country Living Spring FairWednesday, March 31st, 2010For the last week, Pam and I have been preparing for the start of the show season. This will now see us attending food shows and food events every couple of weeks from now until Christmas. Next week I will publish a list of these events so that you can come and meet us, and more importantly, taste some of our fantastic products. It doesn’t seem five minutes since we put the cold counter away for Christmas, and so it was with some dread that we packed up and went to the Business Design Centre in Islington for the Country Living Spring Fair. To state the obvious any event organised by Country Living is bound to be slick and well organised, but it was a joy to attend with some fantastic stands there catering for all sorts of gifts. My personal favourite was a company selling outdoor swings inscribed with messages, the best of which was “swing and think happy thoughts” I take it this message is meant in the purest way and any double entendre is entirely unintentional! Anyway, with this being our first event of the year, it was great to be reminded of the reaction of the visitors to our smoked salmon and cheeses. Our range for this show was the following: Isle of Wight Blue Cheese- This very special blue cheese is made by Rich Hodgson in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Made with pasteurised Guerney cows’ milk, and is the creamiest blue I’ve ever had. Whatever you do, do not sit down with this cheese anywhere near a bottle of Montbazillac or Sauternes, or you may find yourself still there several hours later. We then had two soft cheeses for people to try as comparison: the exceptional Tunworth – an unpasteurised cows’ milk cheese made with tradional re.nnet which was Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards in 2006, and the lovely Goldilocks – a pasteurised cows’ milk cheese from Jersey milkmade with vegetarian rennet. Next, we had our bestseller, the legendary Lancashire bomb from Andrew Shorrock. This is the ultimate cheese on toast cheese, and is one of the inspirations behind the business. This was the first time we had tried Andrew’s newest innovation, the Lancashire Bomb with Worcestershire Sauce. It was fantastic and proved nearly as popular as the original so this will be on the site in the next few days too! The Lancashire bomb is proving so popular that we have created a cheese gift section on the site especially to accommodate your demand for it. Away from cheese, we also took the remarkable Really Garlicky & Cracked Black Pepper Bacon from Ramsay of Carluke. Not only does this make great bacon butties, but it is also a great cheat ingredient in a carbonara… Finally, we also had the ever popular Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon. Quite simply, this is the best hot smoked salmon I’ve ever tasted. With a firm yet moist texture, and a smoky flavour to drive the neighbourhood cats insane, this is one of those products that is so good it needs nothing added to it. Simply serve with a salad or scrambled eggs for a luxurious breakfast. I hope to meet you at one of the food shows we attend this year! Don’t you just love The White Company?Monday, March 8th, 2010Aren’t they just the best fall back for presents for ladies? Whether it is present for a friend’s birthday or a treat for your mum, I love them….Especially with the 20% discount they’re offering for Mother’s Day! On a professional note, the site is very attractive and well-organised, but the best element of The White Company is the quality of the goods when they arrive. The doyennes of style, they are what we aspire to be in the foodie world. So, if you don’t want to buy Mum smellies but would prefer to surprise her with a nice breakfast in bed or other great food gift, click through below and we will deliver by Friday. Last orders for Friday will be tomorrow at 1pm. For our great food gifts, click here: http://www.britishfinefoods.com/occasions/mothers_day_14th_march.phtml For the White Company, click here: http://www.thewhitecompany.com/category.aspx?ID=2001463 Make sure it’s yummy for mummy this Mothers DayFriday, February 26th, 2010With Valentine’s Day over, the supermarkets are already discounting heavily on Easter eggs! I saw 3 for £5.00 the other day: My issue with this (apart from the fact that they are again undercutting the small, independent retailer) is that the supermarkets enable us to buy as much chocolate as we need to treat our families but we are then forced to endure a lengthy period when we can’t eat it! This is not the willing undertaking of self-denial Lent is supposed to be, which is then rewarded at Easter, but rather a test of resolve imposed by the supermarkets and their dastardly discounting! Anyway, I am writing about Easter because I have just been to Bicester Village, the excellent outlet centre near(ish) Oxford and was amazed to see that none of the shops was advertising Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday is on the 14th March, just over two weeks away and the offerings are not yet available (unless you want to give her a cut-price chocolate egg). Having navigated the minefield of Valentine’s Day, now is the time to focus on the other most important woman in your life. Fortunately, Pam has been working very hard on our Mother’s Day food gifts so we can keep you in the good books! Click here for further details. The politics that is loveWednesday, January 27th, 2010The end of January- that time of year which strikes fear into the heart of every red-blooded male. Not because your tax return must be completed but because it marks the approach of Valentine’s Day! This card company inspired day which as a teenager gave a definitive guide to your impact on the opposite sex (no cards bad, ten cards- you are THE man) now causes mild anxiety in every grown male. Not because man is worried about the number of Valentine’s Day cards received but rather because there is a delicate balancing act to be performed. There are rules, you see. Unwritten ones granted but failure to adhere to the rules will land the unsuspecting male in a steaming pile of trouble. On the one hand a man cannot ignore Valentine’s Day on the grounds that it is commercially inspired, and “why should I have to express my feelings for you on a day that is dictated by a greetings card company? I love you every day and want to express this in my own way” simply does not cut the mustard. Even if both man and woman agree on this one, deciding to flaunt convention and just plain ignoring Valentine’s Day will leave the man in King Canute territory- vainly standing in front of a relentless tide while his partner sees her friends and colleagues on the receiving end of plentiful expressions of love. Bold but foolish. On the other hand, spending £50-£60 on a dozen roses which a week before or after will cost a fraction of the price will often be greeted with initial gratitude followed by a laughing “So how much were you fleeced for this year?”… My solution is this. Give something you will both enjoy that can be shared together but without the fear of being fleeced. We’ve pulled together a small selection of our favourites for a cosy night in, or gifts that you can enjoy together. Simply follow the link below and avoid being King Canute (bold but foolish) or with the sour taste of being fleeced… |