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 ‘Gourmet British Food’Britishfinefoods in the TelegraphThursday, July 1st, 2010Foodie gifts for Father’s DaySaturday, June 12th, 2010So you’ve remembered Mother’s Day, and you’ve tackled the tricky hurdle of St. Valentine’s Day. What’s the next big opportunity for emotional blackmail of the year? Well, the World Cup of course. But apart from that, Father’s Day is fast approaching on the 20th June. I had a birthday recently and had the usual conversation with family & friends about what present I would like. Given that I am happily married and safely housed, there is little I actually need. I am also told by female friends that buying for men is impossible. Clothing- no, it’s like being dressed by your mother. Sporting equipment- It’s a lovely gesture to buy us the latest bit of golf kit but if it’s our hobby, we’d rather choose the item ourself and tell you EXACTLY what we want. So, let me make it very easy. Never a truer phrase has been coined than “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. We like food, we dream of food, we even lay claim to an entire mode of cuisine in summer time with the barbecue being man territory. We are thrilled with the prospect that somebody has thought of the fundamental requirements for life (shelter, food, water), has realised that we are housed and unlikely to die of thirst, and has identified food as the one area where they can improve our quality of life. Living in the developed world, we are fortunate that we can access sustenance relatively easily. What we want, what we really want is tasty food and the odd glass of wine. So, speaking on behalf of men everywhere, when you want to treat us to a gift or spoil us rotten, please give us food- tasty stuff that we wouldn’t buy on our weekly run to the supermarket. Treat us to a cheeseboard we haven’t enjoyed before, Enrich our lives with a selection of meaty British Salami treats, Or for other ideas, click here: http://www.britishfinefoods.com/occasions/fathers_day_june_20th.phtml WINNER- 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. Food & Drink Expo for some great new Gourmet British Food ProducersTuesday, March 23rd, 2010Over the next three days the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham is hosting the Food & Drink Expo, the British Food industry’s biggest annual gathering of food producers. I have been up to Birmingham today to scout out some new products, and with every type of food retailer from corner shops to buyers from the supermarkets, there was a fairly impressive range of products to sample. There was a large presence from Thailand and Japan showcasing some beautiful looking seafood dishes, sushis, vinegars etc., which of course I had to sample. Equally, there was a very impressive turnout from our own regional food groups, whose purpose is to promote small businesses from their regions. As ever, I am particularly impressed with Taste of The West- the umbrella organisation for the West Country, and Heart Of England Fine Foods who service Warwickshire, Shropshire and the rest of the Midlands. They do a fabulous job, and I’m thrilled they exist to help small producers have better access to the speciality market. It is also a great opportunity to catch-up with some of our existing suppliers to see some of their innovations for the year ahead. As ever, I was delighted to see Tom Pyman with his stunning new range of terrines and tartlets, and extensions to his current range of exceptional pates. Similarly, Ramsay of Carluke were there, showcasing their wonderful bacon and sausages including their Ayrshire Back Bacon with Cracked Black Pepper and Garlic. Absolutely delicious! And, as ever, it was great to see the charismatic Jeremy Bowen from Paxton & Whitfield who can talk the hind legs off a donkey but who also has some fabulous cheeses from some of our best small producers (including one of my favourite new soft cheeses, Goldhill from Dorset) So, all in all, it was another productive day at the Food & Drink Expo and I can’t wait to get some of the new products on the site. In particular, keep an eye out for our new range of premium ready meals which are perfect for a cheating dinner party, or a simple supper at home. Why buying local produce is the key to a better mealThursday, March 18th, 2010“You had me at hello!” This line from the film Jerry Maguire is said by Renée Zellwegger to Tom Cruise to indicate that the rest of his speech about why he absolutely had to be with her was utterly superfluous. Bizarrely, this same thought crossed my mind today when I went into a fabulous fish shop at the Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales. Based on the quayside at Hove, I popped in following a meeting with a local cheesemonger. The guy behind the counter was fully kitted up in waders & waterproof boots, having come off the boat at 5 o’clock this morning. I told him I would like something I hadn’t tried before, and something that was caught locally. He pointed to the ugliest fish I’ve seen for quite some time and said “Tastes like monkfish, but half the price”. He then proceeded to tell me his favourite way of cooking it was in the oven with a little white wine, shallots and leeks. Frankly, he needn’t have bothered. I was sold. This rugged man dressed in rubber, along with the ugly fish, “had me at hello!” A definite first, and probably a last. The main reason why he had me at all was the fact that while he was gutting my supper, he was also the guy who caught it. There is no shorter route from field to fork than by buying it directly from the person who caught or reared or grew the produce in the first place, and to me this is vitally important. It means that you are buying the produce at its freshest and best. (Is there anything that tastes better than the blackberry you eat straight from the bush?) These artisans have forgotten more about their produce than you and I will ever learn. There is no way I would have chosen this fish in the supermarket: in fact there is no way this fish would be in the supermarket because it is too ugly. Without these people, much of this fabulous produce would be ignored, and we would all be forced through lack of choice to eat the same thing. Most importantly, they are educating us to the produce which is available to us. They are guardians of flavour, and vitally guardians of the methods of production that make the food taste the way it does. Above all else, this is the reason why we launched britishfinefoods. I want to be able to eat the best food our country has to offer. I want to see these magical producers, farmers, cheese makers properly rewarded for the quality they produce and the artisan methods they keep alive. I think the rural economy is vital to our little island, and should be supported. But on the other hand, I don’t want to pay a king’s ransom for the privilege, and really don’t want to spend a fortune on postage costs from different producers. So britishfinefoods exists to make these wonderful products available with the convenience and value of one delivery. Anyway, the fish I bought today is called a Gurnard, and is so ugly it was probably the inspiration behind the art of gurning. The reason for this post is that we are considering selling fresh fish selection boxes, and would be interested in your opinions. Please feel free to give me your thoughts in the comments box below.  Gurning Competition  Gurnard Fish- Ugly but tasty Keith Floyd- British Chef & LegendWednesday, March 17th, 2010This is a piece I first created in September but have only recently discovered how to embed video…. Like every other foodie who watched Floyd in his pomp, I was saddened to hear of his recent death. Fortunately, he died after a fantastic sounding lunch of oysters and Morecambe Bay Shrimp, accompanied by his long- term partner and lashings of wine. I am further delighted that the Times reports his last words as being “I haven’t felt this good for ages”. A top man who always cared more about making the food the star of the show rather than himself, please find below a video to a classic scene where a grumpy French woman thinks his cooking is dreadful! (Not sure today’s celebrity chefs would permit this…)
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… Good news for fat peopleTuesday, November 17th, 2009Okay, so fat people may have medical conditions which cause them to be overweight but I’ve never understood the excuse of being “big-boned”. Bones form part of the body’s structure, the skeleton, and I’ve never seen a bone wobble….So, stop eating or drinking so much! The good news is that one of my favourite suppliers, Salar Smokehouses, has just won another fantastic accolade- Product of the Year at the Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards. The better news is that it is very good for you, being full of Omega 3, and can liven up even the most boring leaves!! I have always enjoyed their Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon but often after a food event the last thing I want to eat is the very food we have been sampling for customers to taste. However in light of the latest accolade I decided to take some home for supper & was reminded again of just how good a hot smoked salmon can be. Farmed to a density of less than 2%, so as near as you can get to wild salmon, then hot smoked over oak, this is the cat’s pyjamas (and probably its ultimate dream too!)With its delicate flavour Pam & I enjoyed it with a simple salad, and even better for us is the fact that we can still enjoy it after a day of talking about it…. We sell it in fillets between 200-300g and will be sampling it in the food hall at the South of England Show from June 11th-13th. A cracking day out, check out the website at http://www.seas.org.uk/shows.asp?ID=2 |