stir it up issue 2 - country range

BANGERS AND CASH!PAUL DANIELS MAGIC’S UP

A SIZZLING SAUSAGE RECIPE

JINGLE TILLS!HOW TO BEAT A

CHRISTMAS RECESSION

SCIENCE REPORT:BRAND NEW FOOD ALLERGENSHAVE THE BOFFINS BAFFLED

LEADING LIGHTS:THE KING OF BLIN AND

HIS DAZZLING DESSERTS

StiritupNOV/DEC2009

£1.50THE MAGAZINE OF THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP

YOUR NUMBER ONE CATERING MAGAZINE

Like most magazine editors at this timeof year, I am left wondering where theyear has gone! I genuinely find it hardto believe that we have come to theend of the SECOND year of producingStir it up.I am very proud of what we haveachieved over the last two years -Stir it up is now considered by manyto be the best catering magazine inthe business. However, we refuse tobe complacent and we are alwaysup for a challenge so next year wehave decided to produce 10 issuesinstead of eight.As ever, we are keen to write aboutthe issues that affect you and wouldappreciate your suggestions forfeatures you would like to read aboutin the magazine.We’d also like to hear your news.Perhaps you have some helpfultips or advice on the catering scenethat you would like to share with fellow

readers, or maybe you have won anaward or raised money for a localcharity. Whatever you’ve been up to,we’d love to hear about it. Just emailme at [email protected] give me a call on (01282) 611677.In the meantime, I hope you havea very Happy Christmas and aprosperous 2010!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 Stiritup 03

04 The Soapbox and Your Letters

05 News from Country Range• John’s Vision For Asia

• Country Range thriving- conference told

• Reduced packaging saves sixtonnes of waste

• Shaun’s treacle tart goes downa treat

16 Food and Industry News• Curry on Cooking!

• A Veggie Merry Christmas!

• Back to the future?

• Restaurateurs get lifelongcooking ban

• Foodservice industry could savemillions using frozen food

27 Education News• Chips and pin!

29 Health &Welfare News• Food allergies get curiouserand curiouser - say baffled boffins!

• Virals set to spread the ‘letpatients eat’ message

35 Leisure News• How to survive Christmas in arecession - by Bob Cotton

36 My Signature Dish• By magician Paul Daniels andwife Debbie McGee

40 Leading Lights• With Britain’s snazziest pastry chefBenoit Blin

43 Advice from the Experts• Cutting through the tape

Feeling Fruity? Trythis quick Christmascake recipe 09

My Signature Dish 36by magician Paul Daniels andwife Debbie McGee

contentsEditor’s Letter

Stiritup contactswww.stiritupmagazine.co.ukEDITOR Janine [email protected]: 01282 611677

WRITER Sarah RiggTelephone: 01282 611677

DESIGNER Richard SmithTelephone: 01282 611677

PUBLISHER Practical PublishingTelephone: 01282 611677

ADVERTISING Mags [email protected]: 01282 611677

SUBSCRIPTIONS Olivia [email protected]: 01282 684555

Cert no. TT-COC-2143

John’s VisionFor Asia 05

TheSoapbox

04 Stiritup NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

by Roger Rant

You can emailyour letters to

[email protected]

Eggs and milkas we know themto disappear!Huh?Well it’s good and bad

news; good that eggs from

caged birds are on their way out

with a switch to higher welfare

barn or free range.

Milk? As unlikely as it sounds

whole milk could disappear if

the skimmed and semi-skimmed

growth continues over time. I

guess it’s farms are out - factories

are in. What will we do about fish?

I guess it’s factory (fish farming) in!

COOKS CALENDAR

NOVEMBER DECEMBER

JANUARY

22nndd -- 88tthh BBRRIITTIISSHH SSAAUUSSAAGGEE WWEEEEKKDetails: www.britishsausageweek.com

55tthh BBOONNFFIIRREE NNIIGGHHTT

1122tthh -- 1133tthh 1100TTHH NNAATTIIOONNAALL NNUUTTRRIITTIIOONN && HHEEAALLTTHH CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEEOlympia Conference Centre, London, UK

Details: www.nutritionandhealth.co.uk

2222nndd -- 2288tthh NNAATTIIOONNAALL CCUURRRRYY WWEEEEKKDetails: www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk

2255tthh -- 2299tthh BBBBCC GGOOOODD FFOOOODD SSHHOOWWBirmingham

Details: www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com

2277tthh -- 2299tthh SSIIMMPPLLYY CCHHRRIISSTTMMAASS 22000099Harrogate international Centre

Details: www.simply-christmas.co.uk

3300tthh SSTT AANNDDRREEWW’’SS DDAAYYA celebration all things Scottish

Details:www.scotland.org/standrewsday/host-own-event/recipes.html

44tthh -- 66tthh TTAASSTTEE OOFF CCHHRRIISSTTMMAASSLondon ExCel

Details:www.tasteofchristmas.com/2009

2255tthh CCHHRRIISSTTMMAASS DDAAYY

2266tthh BBOOXXIINNGG DDAAYY

3311sstt NNEEWW YYEEAARR’’SS EEVVEE

11sstt NNEEWW YYEEAARR’’SS DDAAYY

88tthh -- 1100tthh TTHHEE FFRRAANNCCEE SSHHOOWWEarls Court, London

Details: www.thefranceshow.com

2244tthh -- 3300tthh FFAARRMMHHOOUUSSEE BBRREEAAKKFFAASSTTWWEEEEKK

Details: www.farmhousebreakfast.com

2255th BBUURRNNSS NNIIGGHHTT -- 225500TTHH AANNNNIIVVEERRSSAARRYY

Details: www.burnsnight.net/burns-night/2009

2255tthh -- 2299tthh GGOOOODD FFOOOODD SSHHOOWWBirmingham NEC

Details:www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/home

News from Country Range

COUNTRY RANGE

John’s Vision For AsiaIn his working life, JohnRaby has a successfulcareer as a business development manager for the Country RangeGroup wholesaler in Devon.

However, much of his spare time is devoted to a charity helping the poor and needy in southern Asia. John has been a trustee for Vision forAsia since 2002, and his current role is that of Overseas Visits Coordinator. John explains: “My role is basically totake teams of interested people over to India and Nepal to see the variouscharitable works going on, and ofcourse to meet the people who benefit from our support.” Vision For Asia is a UK based Christian

charity which was founded in 2002. Thecharity is linked to a large church inVaranasi, North India, and it is throughthis ethnic partnership that they reach outto the poor peoples of India and Nepal. John, who has visited India seven timesand Nepal four times, continues: “This is achieved through the provision offree schooling, vocational training, free medicines and dental care, and the installation of water pumps inremote villages to provide fresh drinking water. “Alongside this, we are also able to help out with food - mainly atChristmas - and clothing from time to time. “Our biggest project to date is 'The Bridge of Hope', which is a multi-purpose building which is currently under construction on the outskirts of Varanasi. When completed,

it will function as a woman's refuge, orphanage, school, church, communitycentre, vocational training centre,church minister's residence and conference centre.”In December, the charity’s Christmasfeeding programme will help to feedaround 15,000 poor people in India. If you would like to donate online to the charity, you can visit their new website at www.visionforasia.org


Country Range Luxury Cooked and Peeled North Atlantic Prawns

(100/200 count) have a minimum glaze which provides

a maximum yield.

The Country Range Prawn is versatile. It can be used in starters, main courses

and buffets.

Our Prawns are naturally succulent and consistent in size. Available in 2kg bags,

simply thaw and serve.

North Atlantic Prawns

Country Range Foodservice covers the UK and Channel Islands

For details of your nearest distributor call

01282 684555

or visit our website

www.countryrange.co.uk

SucculentSucculent& Tasty

15168. Prawn A4 Advert.indd 1 7/1/09 13:58:02

Here in the UK we’repotty about potatoes. Research shows we’re mad for MarisPipers and crazy about King Edwards - with potatoes named as the staple of most people’s diets. But experts reckon variety is the spiceof life if we are to maintain the Britishlove affair with spuds, so why not trysomething different.

• CrissCuts - waffle shape fries with extra thick cut size (4 x 2.5kg)

• Triangle shaped hash browns - made from fresh potatoes and with 30 per cent reduced salt (10 x 1kg)

• Potato dipping strips - with a mild appealing taste of sweet roasted onion and cracked black pepper (4 x 2.5kg)

• Potato waves - can be served as an appetiser, starter or side order (4 x 2.5kg)

• Redskin roasted dices - a low fat product that can be cooked in the microwave or oven and gives colour to any menu (6 x 1.5kg)

We’re pottyabout potatoes

The Country Range Groupis thriving in spite of therecession - that was themessage at the Group’sautumn conference.

Delegates at the Royal Armouries inLeeds heard that the Group is in muchbetter shape than its competitors todeal with current market conditions -and to take full advantage when they improve. They also heard that the Group has 100new Country Range products recentlylaunched, about to be launched orunder consideration.Other speakers at the conference

included Marcel Clement, from theRainforest Alliance, who celebrated the launch of the Country Range 100%Rainforest Alliance Certified Tea - thefirst foodservice tea sourced fromRainforest certified estates. At the annual Country Range Awards,the Stir it up award for best trade advertisement was presented to Dr Oetker for the Healthier Options campaign promoting its range ofbread, cake and biscuit mixes. A charity raffle at the gala dinner raised£1,425, which was divided between two charities - Winston’s Wish, whichsupports bereaved children and their families, and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Country Range thriving- conference told

Each issue, Stir it up’s cleaningexpert Gary Davies offers histop tip of the month.

The festive season is fastapproaching!As business steps up, so should yourcleaning and if your oven’s workinghard, so should your oven cleaner!Deep clean ovens with ease withCountry Range Oven Cleaner - complete with Lance! (CRG931). Easy to use and easily removes burnton fat and food from most types ofovens, grills and roasting dishes.For an oven as bright as Rudolf’snose, it has to be Country Rangecleaning chemicals!

COUNTRY RANGE



The expert's choice in washing up liquidNew, improved formulation for bestgrease removal ever.

• Unbeatable value for money.

• Improved dose control via easy to use, freepump available from the freephone numberon the back of the bottle.

• The pump enables the bottle to be store nearthe sink versus decanting into a smaller bottle.

• Each bottle makes 250 large sinks and 11,250Lof solution.

• Fairy Expert Antibacterial provides the sameexcellent cleaning power and benefits as FairyExpert Original.

• It also contains eucalyptus, a natural herbextract, with antibacterial agents.

• This prevents growth and spread of bacteriaon sponge or dish cloth.

COUNTRY RANGE


This recipe is idealfor making up to three weeksbefore eating.

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients

225g Self raising flour1 tsp Mixed spice2 tsp Baking powder225g Soft margarine225g Dark soft brown muscovadosugar5, Size 3 eggs450g Country Range dried mixed fruit225g Country Range glacé cherries,chopped115g Country Range ground almonds1 tbsp Orange shred marmalade2 tbsp Dark rum

Method1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) Gas

Mark 2. Line a 9” square tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Sift the flour, spice and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the margarine, sugar and eggs. Whisk thoroughly (with an electric whisk) until the mixture is smooth.

3. Stir in the fruit with the remaining ingredients until well combined.

4. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 2-3 hours or until golden, firm to touch and a skewerinserted in the middle comes out clean.

5. Leave to cool in the tin. Turn the cake out, wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.

6. Cover the cake using 1 x 250g packof brandy marzipan and 2 x 250g packs of ready to roll icing.

Feeling fruity?Try this quick Christmas cake recipe

Reducedpackagingsaves sixtonnes ofwaste

Changing some of our packagingfrom tubs to bags has had ahuge impact on the amount ofwaste the Group produces.

Earlier this year, we opted to changethe way we pack our bouillon mixes,gravy mix, béchamel sauce and demi-glace sauce, and they now come in 2kg bags. This decision was made as part of our commitment to helping the environment - and we estimate thatit will result in an annual reduction in packaging waste of six tonnes.Martin Ward, group purchasing manager, said: “We know it’s a change,but it’s change for the right reasons. AtCountry Range we are not frightenedof trying new things and we know thatour customers have the same ethos. “We are offering free re-useable tubsfor customers to decant the productinto, and these are available from your telesales representative.”


Martin Ward

www.macphie.com

ku-li™Mouth-watering real fruit flavours including Raspberry, Mango, Strawberry & Rhubarb and Sour Cherry. Perfect for drizzling and fine plate decorations.

DessertsThe Macphie range of desserts lets you create deliciously creamy Crème Brulees, Panna Cottas and Crème Caramels that are perfect every time. Just heat, chill and serve.

delicious crème caramel

creamy crème brûlée

the perfectcompanion

For free recipe ideas log on to www.macphie.com

Country Range Ad.indd 1 01/10/2009 14:19

Heather Knee's friends always told her that her cakes anddesserts tasted heavenly.

COUNTRY RANGE


Customer Profile

But it was only when she started helping in a church coffee shop that she realised she could make cakes for a living.She decided she wanted to start herown business - and her prayers wereanswered when she was granted planning permission to convert part of her Devon home into a tea room.That was almost 20 years ago, and The Georgian Tea Room, in the historictown of Topsham, has proved to be a huge success."I have a passion for fresh local produce and homecooked food,”says Heather. "We always had homecooking and, if you came to my house for lunch, I always made three or four desserts."She makes all her own bread, cakes,teacakes and scones - as well as jam in a plethora of flavours. Cream teasand afternoon teas on a stand are her speciality and have helped her to scoop a number of prestigiousawards, including Best Tea Room in the West (awarded by Taste of theWest). As a result she attended an

awards ceremony at High Grove House hosted by Prince Charles. The talented cook also featured on the first Great British Menu TV seriesshowing chef Michael Caines how tomake clotted cream.Heather attributes her culinary talent to being a ‘farmer’s daughter’ and her mother teaching her good old-fashioned domestic science. "My mum used to be a very good cook,”she says. "We had no electric when I was a child so I helped my mum tomake her cakes with a wooden spoon.” However not everything has runsmoothly for Heather, who is married to builder and ‘chief taster’ Gerald, with whom she has three grown-upsons and an adopted daughter.Heather was diagnosed with breastcancer five years ago and had to undergo two operations and tiringradiotherapy. Fortunately the cancer isin remission and her passion for bakinghas helped her through."Each morning I still feel excited aboutcooking,” she adds. "If I didn’t, thatwould be the time to give up. I think

that’s what has helped me get throughthe breast cancer. I wasn’t going to let it stop me doing the job that I loved.Plus I had lots of encouragement frommy customers and that’s what kept me going."

Jam and Jerusalem

Mcdougalls Festive Favorites 210x297.indd 1 22/9/09 09:12:10

COUNTRY RANGE



TV chef Shaun Rankin has decided to share hisaward-winning treacle tart with the nation.

Following his successful TV debut onGreat British Menu, the Michelin starredchef is launching a range of deliciouspuddings through Gaudins Patisserie,which is based in the Channel Islandsand owned by Country Range Group

wholesaler, the Cimandis Group.The first product in the range is Shaun’sdelicious treacle tart - and, following its hugely successful launch, bakershave been working overtime to meet demand for it. Shaun said: “My partnership withGaudins Patisserie marks a very exciting time for me. Appearing on‘Great British Menu’ has enabled me to take my career in a new directionand I’m very pleased to be introducing

my range with the tart that reached thegrand banquet in the competition.”Martina McGibney, head of retail sales and marketing at Cimandis, said:“We knew it was a product the publicwanted. However, we could neverhave expected this unbelievableresponse! We’ve been doing ourutmost to keep up with the demand,even bringing our bakers in on aSunday to work overtime.”

Shaun’s treacle tartgoes down a treat

For more information on the Tilda range and delicious recipe ideas visit -

Tilda select only the purest and

highest quality Basmati rice, from

seed to plate only the very best rice

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your customers a guilt-free taste of

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For details of how to get

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Til1330_v2.indd 1 14/10/09 10:49:48

Country Range Recipe

Pears6-8 Comice pears275ml/½ pint good quality red wine25g/1oz Country Range unsalted butter- chilled75g/3oz light Demerara sugar1 tsp Country Range ground ginger2 Country Range cinnamon sticks2 Country Range star anise1 tsp Country Range whole pimento6 Country Range whole cloves3 Country Range cardamom pods

Cardamom Cream275ml/½ pint double cream½ tsp Country Range ground cardamom1 tbsp caster sugar

Method

For the pears:Heat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6.Peel the pears. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear so they sit up in the casserole dish. Pour over the wine and add the whole spices.Cut the butter into cubes and place a cube on top of each pear.

Sprinkle over the sugar, cover with foil or a lid and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.Remove the dish from the oven andbaste the pears with the juice. Return the dish to the oven uncoveredfor 40 minutes or until the pears are soft.

For the cream:Whisk the double cream until it formssoft peaks and gently combine thesugar and the ground cardamom. Serve with the warm pears and a drizzleof the juice from the casserole dish.

Serves 3-4.

Pears Baked in Red Winewith Cardamom Cream

COUNTRY RANGE


Food and Industry News


FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S

New products in the marketplace

BakeMark UK has launcheda delicious new flavour premium muffin to add to itspopular Readi-Bake range.

Toffee and Banana flavour is the latestaddition to the range, which can simplybe thawed and served or alternativelyplaced in the oven from frozen for 10minutes for a freshly baked muffin finish.Other flavours include: Raspberry & White Chocolate, Lemon & PoppySeed, Double Belgian Chocolate,Reduced Fat Mixed Berry, Blueberryand now Toffee and Banana flavour.

Each flavoured muffin is available in 24 x 125g cases.BakeMark has also unveiled a newrange of mini bites. The new thaw-serveReadi-Bake Mini Bite range has beencreated in response to the growingconsumer demand for bite size treats. As only the required amount needs tobe defrosted there is greater flexibilitywhen serving and presenting the product, reducing waste and helpingstock control. BakeMark UK has chosen three traditional family favourites for its newthaw-serve Readi-Bake Mini Bites - flapjacks, shortbreads and brownies.

Tilda bags more rice

Thaw-serve snacksset to be a hit

Tilda has responded to agrowing demand for itsArborio Risotto Rice with a bigger bag.

In response to a growing demand, Tilda is launching a new 5kg pack, to replace its current 8 x 1kg pack. Mark Lyddy, Foodservice Controller for Tilda, comments: “We have seenyear-on-year sales for Arborio grow in excess of 10 per cent. Risotto is therefore featuring on menus more

frequently as consumers are choosingto eat it more often. It is an extremelyversatile dish, complementing all manner of ingredients, and we decided to offer caterers a better, more convenient format than the previously available pack.”

Pritchitts getsCreative atChristmas

Pritchitts have unveiled a new Creative Base, whichcombines cream with gelatine to make the perfectsetting base for all types ofrecipes; sweet and savoury.

The stable cream base will help to deliver consistent results and convenience across the catering industry - which will be particularly welcome during the busy festiveseason. Creative Base enables caterers to quickly produce high qualityrecipes, in large volumes, savingvaluable time in the kitchen.Simon Muschamp, Head ofMarketing at Pritchitts, said:“Christmas is always a busy time in any kitchen and creating stabledishes like terrines and mousses in significant quantities can be challenging. ”As Creative Base only sets upon refrigeration, the working window of opportunity is increased, making larger quantities and delicate recipes much easier tomanage. Creative Base is highlyversatile and can be blended withmany other ingredients, making itperfect for Christmas menu items.”

Try it for yourself The first 50 readers to email their name, address, contact phone number, place of work and type of establishment to [email protected] will receive a 3 x 200ml sample pack.

FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S


Food and Industry NewsNew products in the marketplace

Big Al’s boosts battleagainst downturnAs the recession continues to batterBritain’s pub trade, profit-starvedpublicans are on the look-out for low cost solutions to attract andretain customers. Wet only pubs are among those hardest hit, struggling due to the major downturn in consumer spendcompounded by the fact they don’tserve food.Against this backdrop, hundreds of licensees have turned to a range of hhiigghh ccaasshh mmaarrggiinn,, ffrroozzeennmmiiccrroowwaavvaabbllee pprroodduuccttss to introducefood, or to extend the time whenfood is served, significantly boostingprofits in the process.Big Al’s Flame Cooked Range isbeing added to pub menus acrossthe country. The pprree--ccooookkeedd,, ffrroozzeennbbeeeeff bbuurrggeerrss,, cchhiicckkeenn ggrriillllss aanndd BBBBQQppoorrkk rriibbsstteeaakkss feature a uniqueflame-cooked taste and appearanceand can be prepared in seconds. Big Al’s is not only a quick, convenient way to serve hotfood, it delivers a cash margin almost double that of a pint of bitter.Commercial manager Robert Alexsays: “Cash margin has never beenas important to licensees as it istoday. We’re not saying that Big Al’sis a solution in its own right, but it canmake a real difference to a pub’sincome and attract people throughthe doors.” The range is available via CountryRange frozen food distributors. TheFlame Cooked Range comprises twobeef burger variants, a chicken grilland a BBQ pork ribsteak. Free samples, menus and other POSmaterial are available by phoning0800 652 6899 or by visitingwww.bigalsflamecooked.co.uk

Basket case

There are four launch collections -Naturally Pretty Vanilla, Chocolate,Classic and Fruit & Carrot, with 16 cupcakes in each.A company spokesman said: “Our cupcakes taste every little bit as goodas they look, which is perhaps not a claim that every showy cupcake can make.“Our ‘secret’ is that the cupcakes owe a lot to their larger cousins. All oursponges are scratch-baked using the

same recipes as we use in our much-loved round cake range. “Same handmadeness too! Once again we insist that our decorators havefree reign to truly express themselves,this time with piping bags and sprinkles.“The colours and decorations of our cupcakes include no artificial ingredients. We live by the same rulesas when we bake our more traditionalcakes, which means kitchen cupboardingredients only.”

These pre-cut and scored puff pastrysheets enable caterers to create a stylish, ready-to-bake diamond case in seconds with just two simple folds.Just add the filling of your choice,sweet or savoury, for a dish that wows!John McKears, foodservice sales manager for Jus-Rol Professional,

said: “Twisted Corner Baskets weredeveloped for busy chefs who arelooking for fresh ideas with minimumpreparation and maximum impact! This next generation of pastry shapes isthe perfect basis for a chef’s creativityand will truly get your customers talkingthis Christmas!” (Pack size 48 x 88g)

Jus-Rol Professional has expanded its frozen pastry shapesrange with the launch of the new Twisted Corner Basket.

Cupcakes for caterers and coffee shops

The Handmade Cake Company has launched theirdaintiest product yet - cupcakes.

A satisfying way to achieve profitable enlightenment

Farm Frites Curry Chips what you need to know:A delicacy inspired by Indian travels - chunky chips coated with a delicious crispy batter spiced with the flavours of the east.

A hot and profitable snack to satisfy your customers’ snacking desires

High value, Fun & Free POS and Support Kit*

Frozen for long life and ease of portion control

Packed 5 x 2Kg for efficient storage

10Kg case gives 57 generous 175g portions

Wholesale price per portion 28p + dip 10p per portion

Sell price £1.50p - VAT = £1.28pProfit per portion 90p

Wholesale price per bag 30pSell price 70p - VAT = 59p

Profit per portion 29p

175g Curry Chips A Bag of Crisps

For more information call our team on 01452 415 845

*Available when you first purchase two cases of Farm Frites Curry Chips 5x2kg). www.farmfrites.com

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FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S



Curry on cooking!Spice up your menu for this annual eventIt’s that time of the yearagain folks when youcan curry favour - orflavour - with your customers and offersome delicious dealson an Indian menu.

National Curry Week (November 22-28)will see an estimated 23million peopleeating out in the UK.If you are going to be authentic, a goodtip is to buy your spices in whole seedform and grind them just prior to use.But beware of cheap imported seeds,which are sometimes contaminatedwith heavy metals.Once the Indian spices are grounddown they are mixed into a blendcalled Garam Masala.Unlike Thai curry, Garam Masala does not keep long and should be prepared freshly before each meal.Finally, when you are marketing yourevent, don’t forget to promote the fantastic health-boosting benefits a curry has to offer.Here is your Stir it up guide to some of the flavours you will need when producing the perfect Ruby!

Caraway (seed) - Carum carvi One of the oldest spices, and historically known as a cure-all. Caraway boosts the immune system and soothes irritated skin. When combined with olive oil itrelieves bronchitis, colds, toothache,eye infections, sore throats, and has cancer-busting qualities. Caraway seeds freshen the breath, and caraway oil stimulates milk production in lactating mothers.Caraway has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cardamom (pods) - Elletaria cardamomumCardamom is called ‘the Queen of all spices’ and contains the antioxidantcineole. Cardamom is another spiceregarded as a cure-all. Cardamomdetoxifies the liver, strengthens theimmune system and calms the nerves. It is used to fight kidney and stomachcancer, and also to treat digestive problems, asthma, and urinary tract infections. Cardamom seeds freshen the breath.

Clove - Eugenia caryophyllusClove contains the volatile oil eugenol,an antioxidant that is commonly used as a topical pain reliever for toothaches.Also used as a sore throat spray, to treat joint pain, and to reduce skininflammation, clove even helps fightstomach cancer. Clove has antibacterialand anti-inflammatory properties.

Fennel (seed) - Foeniculum vulgareFennel seeds contain several importantantioxidants including anethole,kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin. Fennel also contains fibre, folate, potassium and vitamin C.

Fennel strengthens the immune system, helps treat colon cancer, and reducesblood pressure. Fennel helps combatthe toxic effect of food additives.Fennel has antimicrobial, antibacterial,and anti-tumour properties.

Turmeric (root) - CurcumalongaTurmeric, also known as curcumin contains curcuma, the pigment providing the bright yellow/orangecolor and antioxidant. A natural painkiller, turmeric detoxifies the liver, treatsarthritis, reduces nervous tension and fights depression. Also used forpsoriasis, turmeric boosts metabolicfunction and reduces body fat.Turmeric has been found to be beneficial for leukaemia sufferers, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’spatients. Turmeric has antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatoryproperties.



FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S

When you take this year’s Christmas meal or buffetorders, chances are at least five per cent of customerswill be expecting a decent choice of vegetarian food.

‘A Veggie Merry Christmas!’...Growing number of diners want meat-free finger food and meals, says research

The demand for meat-free meals hasmore than doubled from £333million to £739million - with meat substitutesaccounting for £170million of this total.*So how do you provide a deliciousdish that has the potential to appeal to, not only your veggie customers,

but to those wanting to choose ahealthier option or just fancy a change?Before you send your kitchen staff intoa festive flap, let Stir it up magazinegive you some great veggie tips withour Christmas recipes . . .

*Source: Mintel and the Labour Research Group

FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

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Prep 10 mins Cooking time 10 mins

Ingredients1 large courgette (approx 200g),straight if possible45g cream cheese or vegan alternative2 artichoke hearts (in brine) drainedand chopped2 sun dried tomatoes, drained of oiland chopped1 tsp lemon juice2 tsp chives, finely chopped

Method• Peel 12 or 14 vertical strips of

courgette using a potato peeler (preferably a swivel type one).

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil, blanch the courgette for 30 seconds and then refresh under cold water.

• Put the cream cheese, artichokes, tomatoes and lemon juice into a food processor and blend until smooth, then add the chives.

• Lay the courgette strips flat and spread a teaspoon of the pate on top. Then roll up gently and stand upright. Garnish with extra chives and thin strips of sun dried tomatoes.

Courgette ChristmasCandles(12 - 14 canapés)

Smoked Bean Curd Bakes with Shiitake and Walnut StuffingServes 6

Medallion ingredients2 tbsp vegetable oil2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed2 sticks celery, finely chopped1 tsp dried basil1 tsp dried thyme1 ½ tsp turmeric1 tbsp tamari (Japanese soy sauce)3 packets smoked tofu (or plain if preferred), drained and mashed200g cashew nuts, finely ground2 tbsp water to taste salt and pepper

Stuffing ingredients2 tbsp vegetable oil2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

300g shiitake mushrooms1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp yeast extract dissolved in a littlehot water40g walnuts very finely chopped2 tbsp fresh wholewheat breadcrumbsto taste freshly ground black pepper

To make the bakesPreheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.Grease 12 ramekins.Heat the oil in frying pan and sautéonion, garlic and celery, until soft.Add basil, thyme, tumeric and tamariand stir well.Place this mixture in a food processortogether with the tofu and groundcashew nuts and 2 tablespoons waterand process until all the ingredients arethoroughly mixed.Season to taste.Divide evenly between the 12 ramekinsand press down well.Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to thetouch and filling comes away from

sides of ramekin easily.Turn out onto six individual servingplates.

To make the stuffingHeat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan and sauté theshallots until soft.Remove the tough stalks from the shiitakes and discard. Finely chop the shiitakes.Add the shiitakes, yeast extract andoregano to the shallots.Cook gently for 5 - 10 minutes allowingmuch of the moisture to evaporate.Add the walnuts and breadcrumbs, stirand season with black pepper to taste.

To serve:Sandwich a layer of stuffing betweentwo medallions, garnish and serveimmediately with a rich mulled winereduction or gravy.

Recipes and photographs courtesy

of the Vegetarian Society

Now we want you to

Serving suggestion

Customer Service Contact. For further information, please contact your normal customer service contact Premier Foods plc, Bridge Road, Long Sutton, Spalding Lincolnshire, PE12 9EQ

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Going the whole hogBPEX - the organisation which promotes the use of British pork - is offering a free DVD to chefs andcaterers, explaining how hog roasts can boost your profits.The disc also contains downloadableposters and tickets to help your eventbecome a success. To request yourDVD, email [email protected]

‘2010’ may be the title of Arthur CClarke’s fantasy space sequel, but it’s also the year the catering industrycould come crashing back down toearth, says a leading market analyst.“There has been much talk of greenshoots in the industry,” says expertPeter Backman, “but operators shouldtreat this as the downturn levelling off, rather than trade improving.”He adds: “Long-term the economicindicators are that prices will increaseagain.”Restaurateurs face further pressure in January when VAT returns to 17.5 per cent.“This will impose an increase of 2.1 percent across the board of VATable items,including meals eaten out, but not most supermarket food,” says Peter, managing director of Horizons.

“This will widen the 'value' gapbetween eating out and eating athome. Foodservice operators will nodoubt take action, including absorbingsome or all of the increase if they can.”He adds: “In short expect more of thesame in 2010.”Food prices are expected to rise in the long-term largely due to the growing world population and pressure on demand from rising wealth in developing markets.The global population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, requiring a 70 per cent rise in food production to prevent widespread hunger.The increasing cost of oil, fertiliserprices and the threat of climate changeand water shortages will also put pressure on long-term food prices.

Back to the future?- Expect a re-run of 2009 in 2010 say forecasters

Restaurateursget lifelongcooking banThe owners of an Indian restaurant in Yorkshire, where more than 60 customers were hit with a rare foodpoisoning bug, have been described as “criminally inept” by a judge.Mohammed Ayub and Abdul Ghafoor,of the Saffron restaurant in Ilkley,appearing before Bradford CrownCourt for sentencing, were banned forlife from working in the food industry,given suspended jail terms and community service orders, and told to pay costs.Evidence had been given that 63 clients and possibly as many as 275people had been infected by E.Coliand the rare Giardia Lamblia bug.

Frog in the throatThe French are eating frogs to extinction, according to concernedconservationists.More than 200 species of the amphibians - mainly imported from Asia - could vanish forever.The solution is to set up giant frogfarms to satisfy the seemingly insatiable European appetite for frog meat.

Perfect PureesKnorr’s new range of ProfessionalHerb and Spice Purees look setto go down a treat with caterers.

Designed to help professional chefsachieve the best flavours easily, quicklyand simply.The purees can be added to sauces,soups, stews, marinades and seasoningprotein, and are also ideal for mixingwith potatoes, rice and vegetables,herb butters and mayonnaise. The ready to use format means it canbe used to add flavour at the end ofthe cooking process and in cold dishapplications.

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vegetable oil

Peter Backman

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FOOD AND IN

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New research has confirmed that frozenfood could save thefoodservice industry millions of pounds a year. Commissioned by The British FrozenFood Federation (BFFF) and conductedby the Manchester Food ResearchCentre (MFRC), a new ‘cost comparison’ study concluded it wasmore cost effective for foodserviceestablishments to buy in preparedfrozen alternatives, rather than manufacturing identical dishes on site. In nearly all cases during the research,dishes made to a duplicate recipe from scratch cost more than 24 per centmore than their frozen counterparts.

This rose to 66 per cent with more labour intensive dishes which involved a high skill level.Colin Rodgers, technical project manager at the Manchester FoodResearch Unit, said: “On the whole the study considered it was more cost effective to buy readymade frozen alternatives than manufacturingthe food fresh from ‘scratch’, particularly the more labour intensive dishes which involve a high skill level at a considerable cost.”Brian Young, director general of theBFFF, commented: “We have longknown that frozen offers a better value option for the caterer. We now have independent research to statistically support this belief.”

The research revealed:• Mixed canapés cost 66% more

to make from scratch than their frozen counterpart

• Profiteroles cost 65% more to make from scratch than frozen

• Lamb shanks cost 27% more to make from scratch than frozen

• Strawberry cheesecake cost 24% moreto make from scratch than frozen

Mr Young added: “In this tough economic climate there is a compellingbusiness case for using frozen food.Buying frozen will save money becauseof competitive and stable food prices,the ability to control portion sizes andwastage, plus the opportunity to cutkitchen labour costs. This will help businesses reduce their overheads,produce more accurate pricing models and protect their profits.”

Foodservice industry could savemillions using frozen food

FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S - EDUCATIONFood and Industry News - Education


Chips and pin!...School-kids to order lunch via ‘cashpoints’Pupils will be able to ordermeals via a hole-in-the-wallif a pilot scheme isapproved.

They’ll choose snacks or lunch from anon-screen menu displayed alongsidetheir cash balance.Parents can top up their children’saccounts and view the meal choicesonline. Those without internet accesswill be able to use a paypoint outlet to add credit.Once chosen, their lunch order will be relayed to the school kitchen wherea printout will provide cooks with a full summary of snacks and lunchesrequired for that day.LACA (Local Authority CaterersAssociation) spokesman, Neil Portersaid: “It is a fantastic idea and aims toprovide a cashless method of payingfor school meals.”

Special dietary requirements are also sent to the kitchen team at thepoint of sale - ensuring medical conditions, religious or other beliefs,are catered for.Mr Porter added: “The children willhave to order their mid-morning snackby 9am and then their lunches by 11. So then in the kitchen they will get aprintout summary of what has beenordered and then they will be able topackage that up, attach a receipt to itand, when the pupils come up at lunchor break time, they will get a bag withtheir meal in.“We are only piloting cold meals tostart off with but we will then develop it into hot meals in due course.“Parents can top-up during the day and money is available for students to spend almost immediately with nointervention needed from the schooloffice or caterer.”Children who are entitled to free schoolmeals will automatically have their cardscredited with an amount each day.

For other pupils, warnings will appearrequesting a top-up if their credit is low.If parents fail to top up their children’scards, an emergency lunch slip will be issued to the child.Chris Wainwright, spokesman for theSchool Food Trust, welcomed the idea.He said: “We support all innovativeideas which promote healthy eatingand the uptake of school dinners and, by adopting a system like this,lunchtimes will become more efficientand cost-effective, with reduced queuing times. We will watch the pilot schemes with interest.”

Chris Wainwright

“Food allergies get curiouser and curiouser”- say baffled boffins!UK-based scientists aretrying to make sense ofa strange rash of foodallergies emergingthroughout Europe and Asia.

They are studying a number of mysteries to find out why:• A growing number of Brits are

becoming allergic to apples and hazelnuts - and Greeks to melons and peaches

• People in East Asia have become allergic to jackfruit after moving to northern Europe

• Sunflower seeds have emerged as a ‘new player’ causing a far more potent allergy than peanuts

The task force - called ‘Euro Prevall’ andled by biochemist Clare Mills at theInstitute of Food Research in Norwich - has targeted data in Europe, Ghana,Australia, India and China.Ms Mills and her team are also studyingmethods of measuring if there are ‘safelevels’ of allergens and how theyshould be revealed on food labels.

Depending on which research you read, allergy sufferers range from anywhere between 1 person in 100, to 1in 20 (university studies) or from 1 in 30to more than 1 in 3 (self-reported cases).And reports from allergy clinics havealso thrown up a new allergen in sunflower seeds, which is producingsevere reactions in sufferers.Expert Fernández Rivas from San CarlosHospital in Madrid says: “Althoughsomething of a rarity, it may becomemore common as sunflower seeds are increasingly appearing in food. To make matters worse, the allergen involved seems to be particularly potent.“Peach and melon allergy is particularlycommon in the Mediterranean - in Spainand Greece.”Reports from clinics suggest thatIceland is a hotspot for fish allergy andSwitzerland has a higher rate of celeriacallergy than elsewhere.These regional variations are likely tobe due in part to differences in eatinghabits, causing people to be exposed to different allergens. But that alonecannot explain a pronounced north-south divide in the type of apple allergy people experience.

According to a report in New Scientistmagazine, in northern Europe, peoplereact to the uncooked flesh of apples,whereas in the south it's the skin thatsets them off, whether it's cooked or not.The magazine asks ‘What could be thecause of this strange invisible dividingline that skims across south-west France,cuts through Italy close to Florence, and continues eastwards through themiddle of the Black Sea?‘Significantly, this line marks the southern limit of the birch tree, a plantwhose pollen is one of the causes ofhay fever in northern Europe.’

• Stir it up will be following the research into food allergies for publication in future issues. For everything you need to know about catering for allergies go to: www.foodallergens.info

FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S - H

EALTH & WELFARE


Food and Industry News - Health & Welfare

Clare Mills

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FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S - H

EALTH & WELFARE


Food and Industry News - Health & Welfare

Virals set to spread the‘let patients eat’ message

Now Age Concern has done its bit to help promote the importance of giving the elderly time to eat, in a series of hilarious internet videosknown as ‘virals’.As Stir it up first revealed in June thisyear, Age Concern commissioned the three short films as part of their ‘Hungry to be Heard’ campaign,designed to help stamp out malnutritionin hospitals.The completed sketches star TV comicSteve Mangan, as a doctor who is ejected from a patient’s bedside for trying to disrupt her lunch.In another clip, a patient is seen causingchaos on the ward by using her drip to lasso her lunch which is placed out of reach by a thoughtless nurse.And the final film highlights the red-traysystem and the importance of recruiting

mealtime volunteers.Through this initiative, Age Concernhopes that more hospitals will ‘protect’older people's mealtimes from doctor’sand nurse’s non-urgent examinations.Age Concern’s Patrick South says:“These unique video clips illustrate simple solutions that can be implementedby nurses on a local level to help solve a national problem.“For older people, missed meals in hospital can be as big a risk as missing medication.“Every hospital needs to make sure staff in every ward are doing all they can, so that older people don’t go hungry.”Steve Mangan, aka Dr Guy on TV sitcom The Green Wing, said: “I wanted to be part of this Age Concerncampaign because in about 30 years’

time, I plan to be old. If I end up in hospital and I don’t get to eat properly, I'm not going to be happy!”Recent data from monitoring undertaken by the charity shows that despite heightened public awareness and a commitment from the Government to tackle the problem, 43 per cent of NHS Trusts have still not introduced protected mealtimes.Age Concern also found that a shocking one in three NHS Trusts are still to introduce red-tray systems.

You can see the new Hungry to beHeard viral clips at Age Concern’sYouTube site at:www.youtube.com/AgeConcernEngland

Hospital caterers who put time and care into producing nutritionally balancedmeals for patients, will be no stranger to the disappointment of seeing a full tray of food returned to the kitchen.

Nutritional InformationTypical values Per ServingEnergy 404.8kJ/96.7 kcalProtein 3.1gCarbohydrate 12.6gof which Sugars 10.4gFat 3.7gof which Saturated Fat 2.4gFibre (Englyst) 0.2gSodium* 0.2g*Equivalent as Salt 0.5g

OverviewPrep time: 10 minute(s)Cook time: 20 minute(s)Serves: 6

Ingredients• half a 375g pack ready rolled puff pastry • 2 apples, cored and sliced • 2 tbsp icing sugar, to sweeten • 150g Philadelphia Light • 200g jar mincemeat • ground cinnamon or icing sugar, to dust

InstructionsCut the pastry into 6 rectangles and place on a non-stick baking tray. Bake at 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6 for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice in halflength ways (to form tops and bottoms).Lightly grease a small non-stick pan. Place the apples in thepan and sprinkle with a little icing sugar. Cook over a lowheat for about 4-5 minutes until they start to soften. Mix together the Philly and icing sugar and spread evenlyover the three bottom pastry halves. Warm the mincemeat ina pan, spoon it over the Philly and top with the warm appleslices and remaining pastry tops. Dust with ground cinnamonor icing sugar.

Nutritional InformationTypical values Per ServingEnergy 1155.0kJ/275.8 kcalProtein 4.2gCarbohydrate 40.5gof which Sugars 29.3gFat 12.0gof which Saturated Fat 1.9gFibre (Englyst) 1.1gSodium* 0.2g*Equivalent as Salt 0.5g

OverviewPrep time: 10 minute(s)Serves: 6

Ingredients• 175g Philadelphia Light • 1 tsp vanilla essence • 2 tbsp icing sugar • 1 tsp amaretto • 60ml espresso • 8 sponge fingers or boudoir biscuits • 0.5 tsp cocoa powder, to dust

InstructionsBeat together the Philly, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth.Stir in the amaretto into the espresso in a shallow bowl. Break up the sponge fingers and quickly dip half into the coffee mixture and place into the bottom of espresso cups or small glasss.Spoon a little of the Philly mixture onto the soaked sponges.Repeat the process with the remaining coffee, sponge fingers and Philly. Dust with the cocoa and leave to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight for the flavours to develop.

Mini Christmas Tiramisu Apple and Mincemeat Layer

Recipes from Kraft - using Philadelphia cheese


FOOD AND IN

DUSTRY NEW

S - LEISURE


Food and Industry News - Leisure

“How to survive Christmas in a recession” - by Bob Cotton, Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association

Despite the recession,Christmas should be a profitable time for restaurants, but the challenge they face, thisyear as always, is the cost of staffing on the dayitself, which can be heavy.

Hotels usually have Christmas programmes with revenue from roomsto offset heavy payroll costs but, onChristmas Day, restaurants must makedo with revenue from the meal itself.So, they have the difficult task of forecasting sales and revenue againstknown costs - always tricky but particularly so this year.Some will conclude that it’s better not to open on Christmas Day at all.But the run-up to Christmas is different.There’s the traditional opportunity toattract pre-Christmas parties though,even here, restaurateurs will not need

reminding that corporate spend on both food and accommodation isdown and is unlikely to pick up in time for the festivities.So business-organised Christmas lunches and parties are likely to bemuch harder to attract this December - even at bargain prices.This is exacerbated by the generalbelief that conspicuous corporate consumption is not the order of the day in these difficult times.As a result most restaurants will have to rely on leisure spend - again noteasy. In a time of recession, and withunemployment rising, Christmas will be certainly tough this year but not catastrophic - provided restaurantswatch their prices and give addedvalue.Price and value will be the key to success. Although the very top restaurants may be able to keep theirprices, more popular restaurants are ina very competitive environment - andno time of the year is more competitivethan Christmas. This year is no different.

So while price is key, value is perhapseven more so.Value, of course, doesn’t actually meanlow prices but it does mean giving thecustomer a memorable experiencewhich is perceived as high value. So this is a combination of welcome, foodquality, portion size, service, ambiencecomfort and price - plus everything else that goes to make up the totalmeal experience.Christmas is a good time to bring innew customers with special offers,attractive deals and - perhaps - a valueadded extra such as a complimentaryglass of mulled wine or a bottle of wine for a party of four; there are many alternative enticements that might not cost too much to offer butwhich will be valued by the customer.It’s also a good time to be lookingahead to encourage new customers to return with, perhaps, a voucher to go towards a meal in January, a monthwhich is always quiet. Running a restaurant in recessionarytimes means knowing as much aboutmarketing and promotion as aboutcooking and serving food. But all thatpromotion must focus on the centralaim of giving value.

Bob Cotton

My Signature

Dish byPaul Daniels and Debbie McGee

Celebrity Signature Dish


CELEBRITY SIGNATURE DISH


CELEBRITY SIGNATURE DISHCelebrity Signature Dish

He is Britain’s best-loved magician,though chances are if you ask Paul Daniels to conjure up a meal,you will like it . . . but not a lot!

‘Paul and Debbie’sSaturday slap-up’(Serves 2)

4 Rashers dry cured premiumbacon4 Premium pork chipolata sausages1 Small bloomer loaf2 EggsOlive oil SeasoningMushrooms and cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6, 200˚C, 400˚F.

Take a small bloomer loaf and cutin ½ lengthways, place on foil.

Lay rashers of bacon over bread.Add sausages and crack egg intocentre of the two sausages.

Drizzle with olive oil and season.Add mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

Scrunch foil around outside of loafand bake for 20-30 minutes.

Serve with extra mushrooms andcherry tomatoes and ketchup ofyour choice.

Paul Daniels looks puzzled. “I haveheard there is a kitchen somewhere in this house but I couldn’t tell youwhere!” he tells Stir it up from his riverside home in Berkshire.Thankfully, his wife, “the lovely DebbieMcGee,” knows a trick or two when itcomes to pulling off a delicious dish.Says Debbie: “Before we got marriedPaul had been divorced for 18 yearsand he went out for every single meal - even for a cup of coffee!“That said, he is an appreciative eater.Paul never complains that I should havemade something a different waybecause he doesn’t know how to do it himself. That suits me just fine!”Debbie occasionally cooks up the oddThai curry with a recipe given to her byan authentic chef who lives locally.She adds: “We eat pretty healthily buthave whatever we fancy at the time.One of the best meals we ate recentlywas over at friends’ who made themost fantastic shepherds pie, served up with lots of seasonal vegetables, followed by the most delicious chocolate mousse I have ever tasted. It came served with great big chunks of chocolate in it.”Following in the footsteps of cricket legend Dickie Bird MBE, the couple are the faces of this year’s BritishSausage Week.Paul says: “Sausages remind me of mychildhood. I’m a war baby and can tellyou where the expression “banger”comes from.“I remember in order to make sausagesweigh a lot more, butchers used to

cheat and add lots of water into themixture. When the skin was wrappedaround it and the sausages wereplaced in the cooker or pan, the waterwould turn to steam, expand and thewhole thing would go ‘Bang!’ Hencethe name banger!“I remember it well. Our mam, who is a very good cook, would bring them to the table looking more like kippersthan sausages!”Today there is no such trickery with thequality bangers available nationwide.Adds Debbie: “We like the pork andapple, and the range with cheese running through the middle - cookedwith mash and gravy. It is proper comfort food.”However their signature dish is anunusual take on the great British fry up.Says Paul: “During the week we tend to have porridge and toast, but at theweekends we do like a cooked breakfast.“Debbie is up and away from thehouse early on Sundays because shedoes a radio show, so Saturday is ourcooked breakfast day.“It is a bit lazy but we are normally inour dressing gowns at the dinner tableto enjoy our breakfast.”Debbie adds: “It is quite a romanticmeal; because once it’s cooked youtear it and share it.“If any of your readers are thinking of adding breakfasts to their menus then they won’t go far wrong with our Saturday slap-up.”

Margetts Christmas A4.pdf 7/9/09 17:18:26

10 fresh duck legs, larder trim

1.25kg Uncle Bens® Long Grain Rice, cooked

1kg fresh cranberries

500g baby corn, cut lengthways and halved

250g red onion, finely diced

100g fresh coriander, chopped

450ml Uncle Bens® Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce

150ml vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Seal the duck in oil in a hot frying pan until golden.Remove and wrap in aluminium foil. Place in amoderate oven for 2 hours. In the same pan, sweatthe onion until soft, then add baby corn, cranberries,coriander and cooked rice. Mix until combined.Remove the duck from the oven, unwrap and brushwith Uncle Bens® Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce. Flash undera hot grill until glazed. Mix remaining sauce and oiland heat. Arrange on a plate, drizzle with sauce andgarnish with coriander leaves.

Started to plan your festive menusyet? As we approach one of the busiesttimes of the foodservice year, creatinginteresting yet practical dishes foryour customers can be a challenge.Here�s where Uncle Bens® and Dolmio®

foodservice products can help.

For lots more ideas for festive menus, from canapés to starters, buffets to main courses, and for more information about the Mars Foodservice range,

visit www.mars-foodservice.com or freephone 0800 952 0011.

As the run up to Christmas gets underway, diners onthe lookout for festive and party menus are lookingfor something a bit special, and tasty. Uncle Bens® andDolmio® sauces help you create great tasting dishes,but also save time and control costs – important ifyou want a profitable festive season. Made from thefinest ingredients, including fresh herbs, our saucescontain no artificial colourings, flavourings orpreservatives, so they are as good as kitchen-made,but without the hassle!

��

Thai-style Duck Leg Confit, Cranberry and Coriander Rice An impressive festive main course that looks and tastes pretty special!

serves 10

TM/®/designs/©Mars 2009

Premium quality. Practical solutions. Trusted brands.

��

If you want your restaurantto sparkle, glitter and shine, add a bit of Blin tothe menu… that’s BenoitBlin, Britain’s snazziest pastry chef.

His phenomenal puds and pastrieshave been described by the critics as‘stunning works of art’, and give extra gastronomic glamour to Le Manoir’smouthwatering menu. Here, the newlycrowned Craft Guild of Chef’s 2009 Patissier of the Year, shares his story with Stir it up.

How did growing up in Franceinfluence your decision tobecome a chef?I grew up in a street with two bakeriesin it and I was best friends with both ofthe bakers’ sons. We often used to playin the pastry kitchen so it became veryfamiliar to me over the years. Anotherfriend had parents who owned the besthotel and restaurant in town - this alsobecame a playground for me. So youcould say that I was raised in andaround the industry.

What are your early memories of food? Who was the cook in your house and what kind of meals did you enjoy as a child?My mother was the cook in our home.I am from Normandy and was raised on seasonal produce - as most French

people are. My mother does the best rice pudding and

also fabulous traditional buckwheat pancakes -which are a meal in themselves - either withroasted sausage, ham,eggs or with somethingsweet for a dessert. Most days at lunchtimethere were 12 around the

table including employees of my parents’ business and

we used to enjoy crudités, charcuterie and bread.

Other dishes included:

• A roasted meat dish - chicken, beef or lamb, stuffed tomatoes, endives with ham and cheese

• Veal meat wrapped around pork stuffing and cooked in a stew with vegetables

• Madeira kidneys• Fish on Fridays

Afterwards was the cheese course - a selection of two or three cheeses -and always finishing off with fresh fruits.

How did you enter the worldof professional cooking?I started an apprenticeship as a youngbaker with one of my friend’s fathers (in the street where I grew up). Initiallyfor two years in the school holidays toearn a little money, then I did a twoyear apprenticeship as a baker, thentwo years as a pastry chef in a differenttown closer to the seaside. I thenbegan as a commis chef in Paris, followed by a year’s military service in the Navy as a pastry chef.

What made you decide tobecome a pastry chef? I decided not to become a chef, but apastry chef when I went with my auntieshopping one afternoon and I thoughtthat if I was a pastry chef I would beable to eat as much as I wanted of allthose wonderful sweet delicacies!

Leading Lights - Benoit Blin


LEADING LIGHTS

Leading Lights celebrates thecareers of someof the most prominent andinspiring peoplein the cateringindustry.

LEADING LIGHTS


Leading Lights - Benoit Blin

If you weren’t a pastry chefwhat would you be?I could have been a chef - I alwayswanted to be a chef from a very youngage. From as early as six years old - seeing TV programmes really did influence me.

What sort of dishes do you create for your family at home?I love to prepare meringue nests with strawberries with my children as they love this. Pizzas, paellas,brioche, bread, sorbets as they enjoy preparing these dishes with me. Also we enjoy cooking together beef fillets with béarnaise sauce and home made French fries.

How many chefs do you look after and do you have a protégé or mentor at this time?I look after 12 pastry chefs. I will not single out one person but all the chefs I have worked with over the years have influenced me. Those who have been loyal and have dedicated time to me will always have a special place.

You have been working withRaymond Blanc for 14 yearsnow. How did the two of you meet and how has your relationship developedover time?I was introduced to RB by a gentlemancalled Laurent Duchêne - he used to be pastry chef at Le Manoir in 1987. He is now one of the most renowned pastry chefs in France. At the time I was working at the Ritz in Paris and I came to England to meet with RB the week before I got married! I could recognise in myself the same values RB had. Our relationship over the 14 years has been built on trust and mutual respect which has now developed into a strong friendship.

Your pastries are reportedlylike beautiful pieces of art aswell as delicious! Do you have a personal favourite?And if so, why?Even though I like to create the modernclassic here at Le Manoir, the beautifullittle coffee éclair has a special place inmy heart - they are my daily pleasure!Croissants, pain au chocolate, andbread - I love them all. I have a sweet tooth!

Do you have any advice for aspiring chefs?Follow your ambition; love your ingredients and your food.

* With over 100 years of experience, we know whatmakes a good pudding.

* Simply warm through and serve.* Economy, Standard, Luxury and Alcohol-free

recipes available.

Tel: 01264 333393

A4 Advert:Layout 1 07/09/2009 14:34 Page 1

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS


Advice from the Experts

Cutting throughthe tape

Starting a new business can be a daunting task, especially when you throw in food. There’s a myriad of legislation and regulations to wade through beforeyou even reach the kitchen. While it may seem that the number of organisations that you need to bemindful of is overwhelming, there ishelp at hand. There is a range of veryuseful information produced to makethe learning curve manageable andhelp ease you through the legal stuff.The two pieces of legislation that willhave the greatest impact on your business are the regulations relating to food hygiene and workplace health and safety. Food is mostly covered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), an independent Government departmentthat while mostly responsible for enforcement, have produced a wealth of easy to use information.One very useful resource, ‘Foodhygiene: a guide for businesses’ laysout the basics from what you need to

know about the law, its enforcementand just general good practice. It walksyou through issues like the HACCP orhazards analysis critical control point,the written evidence to show that youhave thought about managing foodsafety hazards. It is all about makingsure that you, your staff and your customers are not at risk. The other key document from the FSA is the ‘Safer food, better business forcaterers’ (SFBB) pack. It has been developed to help small catering businesses such as restaurants, cafésand takeaways comply with foodhygiene regulations introduced inJanuary 2006.There is a DVD guide to help you usethe pack and train your staff. The guideis divided into separate sections forstaff or managers and each take about 15 minutes to watch. Getting the pack is as simple as calling the FSA Publications on 0845 606 0667 or emailing [email protected]. The next item on your list is probablyhealth and safety which is often seen as

another hurdle to be crossed beforeany real business can be done.However, accidents can be costly andinconvenient and in many cases easy toavoid. One of the key things to do is arisk assessment, an easy way to protectyour workers and your business, as well as complying with the law. The risk assessment process has beendesigned to help you focus on the risksthat really matter in your workplace -those that could cause real harm. The law does not expect you to eliminate all risk, but you are requiredto protect people as far as ‘reasonablypracticable’. The guide available on the Health andSafety Executive (HSE) website tells youhow to complete one with a minimumof fuss. The key information you needon health and safety is available atwww.hse.gov.uk/catering/risk.htm.

In an effort to help new businesses, or evenold hands, get to grips with the laws thataffect catering, LACORS Executive Director,Derek Allen, a former council environmentalhealth officer, has outlined the bestresources available.

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Description Pack size Jus Rol codeMeat Canapés Selection 3 x 30 315109Vegetable Canapés Selection 3 x 30 315095Filled Vol-au-Vents Selection 3 x 24 316636

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