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Food and drink news
A new bread, awardwinning pork pie, terrific tortelloni and a liqueur for the party season are just some of the highlights of the latest food and drink news page from Delia Online editor Jo Hill.
White light
Twinings’ new White Tea (popular among the fashion cognoscenti at London Fashion Week recently) makes a refreshing change from builders’ tea! It has a delicate flavour and fragrance: drink it on its own without milk for an infusion that could become a habit. What's more, it’s antioxidant properties could bring health benefits too!
A real winner
This year’s Supreme Champion at the Great Taste Awards 2007 was Walter Smith’s pork pie. I’m not surprised: with its crisp pastry, good layer of jelly and wonderful peppery pork filling, this one gets my vote every time. (It also went extremely well with Tracklements courgette relish and rhubarb chutney…)
Eat your fill
Filled pasta is one of my favourite 10-minute meals when time is tight and the new range from Giovanni Rana is simply wonderful: generous amounts of spinach and ricotta, prosciutto crudo and cheese, tomato and mozzarella or beef Bolognese filling, encased in a thinnish layer of pasta. Great with plenty of parmesan and a crisp green salad. Look out for them in Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.
Kale, Italian style
Cavolo nero is the Italian way of saying kale, a vegetable that offers plenty of flavour and texture in winter dishes. Stir-fry it in butter with garlic, use it in soups and casseroles or simply steam it for its lovely dark-green colour and sensational flavour.
Better bread
Hovis has long been one of the leading brands in the bread world. If you’re trying to eat more whole grains in your diet, you’ll be keen to try their new Seeds Sensations range of sliced wholemeal bread – each loaf containing as many as 25,500 seeds from pumpkin to linseed. Rich & Roasted has a fuller seeded flavour, while Light & Nutty is milder - both make a very tasty sandwich or flavoursome accompaniment to a bowl of winter soup.
Crumbs!
Staying with bread, a recent home baking survey in conjunction with the Flour Advisory Bureau shows that baking is more popular than ever, with 25% of respondents baking once a week for better taste, health and relaxation. Men like making bread and scones, while women tend to prefer to make cakes. And mothers of young children see a baking session as a good way to teach cooking and life skills to the next generation. Not surprisingly, 25% of respondents regard Delia as their baking inspiration…
(See next week's subscriber newsletter for the chance to win a fabulous Morphy Richards breadmaker and hamper worth £125!)
Give your party some sparkle!
Sparkling wine is a great choice for parties in the run-up to Christmas, but why not make your drinks more exciting with some Chambord? A liqueur made with from black raspberries, with undertones of Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and delicate herbs
and spices, its rich but delicate taste makes it a great addition to sparkling wines and cocktails.
Brilliant Belazu
And, on the subject of parties, festive canapés and meat platters all need something special. Belazu’s new range of antipasti is just the thing: from its chargrilled artichokes to roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes, Belazu’s fabulous high-quality foods lift a plate of ordinary fare to the realm of something special. Use them to pep up a plate of charcuterie or cheese, or add them to bruschette or baguette for flavoursome canapés. Available from Tesco.
