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Delia Online editor Jo Hill discovers a range of food and drink well worth buying now, including the creamiest, low-fat yoghurts ever, wonderful charcuterie, cocktail kits that would make great gifts and authentic American ingredients available on this side of the Atlantic.

Easy charcuterie unearthed
Unearthed has a great range of Continental meats and other products – why not buy a selection then arrange them on a board with crusty bread, olives and maybe some cheese? I loved their Spanish chorizo, Italian Prosciutto Crudo, Barrel Aged Greek Feta and Sweet Cherry Peppers with Ricotta. The range also includes Hot Chilli Olives which are certainly a fiery mouthful! From Waitrose, Ocado and Abel & Cole, £1.99-£3.59; visit discoverunearthed.com for more.

They’re Glorious!
The latest Glorious! soups are perfect for lunchtime or an easy supper with crusty bread and maybe some cheese. The health conscious will love the new range of Skinny Soups – Asian Tomato Rice & Ginger, Fragrant Thai Carrot & Lemongrass; Goan Spiced Tomato & Lentil and New England Butternut Squash, with less than 160 calories per portion and 1-3% fat; £1.79 from Morrisons. They also have a range of new bolder-flavour soups, including my favourite, Sunny Thai Chicken, £1.99 which are available at Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

New ravioli from Giovanni Rana
I’m a huge fan of Giovanni Rana filled pasta as the fillings are much more generous and flavourful than many other brands and they’re a brilliant quick supper. The new range of Trattoria ravioli is also very good, with 12 per pack: I tried the porcini which had a great flavour but could have benefited from more texture in the mushroom. Other varieties include goat's cheese and caramelised onion, and tomato and mozzarella. £2.10 from Asda, Sainsburys and delis.

Fresh from the farm...
I have to be honest and say that many yoghurts just don’t excite me, but I really love the new farmhouse yoghurts from Twekkelo, a Dutch company of fifth-generation dairy farmers. The yoghurts come in large clear pots and combine very creamy, almost Greek-style yoghurt with pureed fruit – the Apple & Cinnamon version is totally scrummy; other flavours are Black Cherry and Forest Fruits. And, unlike Greek yoghurt, they come in at just 3.4% fat. £1.55 for 500g from Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Booths and Ocado.

Seasonal ingredients in a jar!
Originally used in the 16th century to treat plague victims, gooseberries are nowadays a real highlight of summer eating with their tart flavour and soft texture. Keep their season going with this lovely Gooseberry & Elderflower Jelly from Tracklements, which manages to combine two of the most English summer ingredients in one jar – excellent with roast pork, game terrines or baked mackerel, £2.50 for 250g; also at tracklements.co.uk

Wonderful cocktail kits from Whisk
Stylishly presented, the sumptuous cocktail kits from Whisk would make excellent gifts – particularly for men, who are notoriously difficult to buy for. I was impressed by the quality of the ingredients in the Vodka Martini kit (£37.50) – stainless-steel cocktail shaker, olives, lemon, Martini and Sipsmith Artisan vodka. The Bellini Box (£30) would also be a luxurious gift, with peach nectar and prosecco. Lots of other indulgent options, both food and drink, from £16.50. Visit whiskhampers.co.uk

The lipstick effect...
This phenomenon – where, in recession, women treat themselves to a low-cost treat - has extended to the biscuit aisle, with premium biscuits selling increasingly well. A survey by M&S has shown that shortbread is the nation’s favourite: in a poll over 40% of people said they’d choose it over any other with their cup of tea. Delia’s shortbread is buttery and gorgeous: try the recipe (or nip out to M&S for a pack if time is short!).

All-American flavours
Peanut butter is one of those foods that we’ve so taken to heart that we often forget it’s American. If you’ve yet to try the real deal from Authentic American Food Company, it’s well worth it: Koeze Peanut Butter (£4.99) is packed with peanutty protein from Virgina peanuts and a touch of salt – nothing more! I also loved their Cherith Valley Jalapeno Jelly (£4.29), which goes well with everything from cheese to grilled sausages and has a fresh yet very spicy hit! From Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Partridges Food Halls.

What’s your Alibi?
Alibi is ideal for young people, who often skip meals...one reason why it’s on sale in clubs and at festivals. Described as a ‘pretox’ drink, refreshing, sparkling Alibi, in citrus or pomegranate flavour, contains a blend of 17 vitamins (three times as many as any other drink on the market), herbal extracts and amino acids; including milk thistle, sarsaparilla and dandelion leaf, designed to flush out toxins. Also, unlike many other drinks, it’s free of caffeine or taurine. £1.49 from Wholefoods, Waitrose, Harvey Nichols, Nutricentres at Tescos.

Cream from Cornwall
Clotted cream is the essence of summer and one of the best is from Rodda’s, a fifth-generation family company in Cornwall. Not just for scones though: add a dollop to apple and blackberry crumble, tarts and warm chocolate brownies or even stir a spoonful into savoury dishes, such as risotto, curry or bakes. £1.99 for a 227g pack at major supermarkets and independents.

Berry good news!
Finally, it’s easy to think of the soft fruit season as being nearly over, but in fact new varieties of British raspberry and blueberry allow us to enjoy these luscious fruits until October. Look out for Chandler, Darrow, Draper, Liberty and Ozark Blue blueberries, and T-Plus, Glen Doll and Driscoll Maravilla raspberries. Find out more at seasonalberries.co.uk

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