Food

Waitrose has made a commitment to growing British salad leaves all year round, as part of their ongoing support for UK farming. The new and innovative growing system is a UK first and has been in development since 2014. The leaves are grown in a 1.5 hectare glasshouse which uses state-of-the-art energy production systems that run efficient LED lighting, heating and watering, reducing the environmental impact.

Lancashire growers have pulled off a coup by getting the first UK grown strawberries of the year on supermarket shelves in February. It's believed to be one of the earliest ever arrivals for Britain's favourite home-grown fruit, having been helped by a mild winter and the recent warmer temperatures. The first English strawberries were be on sale at selected Tesco stores yesterday.

On your marks, get set, get chocola-tea! Big Chocolate Tea is back and The Sick Children’s Trust is asking you to join in the fun this April to raise money for families with seriously ill children. Big Chocolate Tea is The Sick Children’s Trust’s biggest annual fundraising event for chocolate, tea and baking lovers, running from Friday 21 April to Monday 1 May. Take part by hosting a tea party, cake sale or bake-off and donate the proceeds to The Sick Children’s Trust to support families with seriously ill children in hospital across the UK.

Chocolate lovers should look no further for their Easter treat after Tesco's finest* Belgian Milk Chocolate Hidden Egg has beaten the best of the high street, including luxury artisan rivals, to be voted the Good Housekeeping Easter Egg of the Year. It's the second year in succession that Tesco has won the coveted award. This year, the judges were impressed by the award-winning Hidden Egg and praised its decadent look and 'meltingly smooth chocolate.'

Morrisons has launched a search for the West Midland’s best food and drink producers and is inviting suppliers from across the region to pitch for a place on its shelves. The search means that customers will be able to buy more food from Morrisons that was grown or made in the West Midlands. The supermarket already stocks lots of the foods the West Midlands is famous for,  from Staffordshire Oatcakes to Shropshire Blue Cheese.

Organic foods in Britain are experiencing the strongest growth in customer demand for over a decade. In the last year alone, Tesco has seen organic sales rise by 15 per cent. While fruit and vegetables continue to be the most popular choice for shoppers, over the last 12 months the retailer has seen increasing numbers of customers looking to buy organic fish, dairy produce and general grocery items.

Mr Lee's Noodles Company are an award-winning brand of "100% tasty, 0% nasty" gourmet, gluten-free noodles in a cup. Unconventional for this market, Mr Lee's primary retail points are not supermarkets or retailers, but rather their own innovative 'Noodle Kiosk' vending machines that create an engaging user experience tailored to specific audiences.  Through the use of new technologies created in cooperation with leading software and hardware experts, the company has developed a modern, secure, Microsoft Azure IoT, cloud-based platform that allows for remote, digital management of the kiosk's mechanical and financial functions.

Rubén Cabrera, Head Chef of gourmet restaurant La Cúpula, located within Tenerife's five-star Hotel Jardines de Nivaria, has won the 'Best Chef in the Canary Islands' award at the prestigious ¡Qué Bueno! Canarias Heineken regional gastronomy awards. The Spanish Chef receives the highest distinction due to his constant creativity, innovation and passion for gastronomy excellence, which has made La Cúpula a must-visit restaurant for fine-diners in Tenerife.

Leiths School of Food and Wine, set up by TV legend Prue Leith in 1975, has chosen to support City Harvest London, who redistribute fresh surplus food to organisations that feed the hungry. Leiths Managing Director Camilla Schneideman said: “We're delighted to announce that our charity of the year for 2017 is City Harvest London. This amazing organisation helps to feed those who need it most, while reducing the environmental impact of wasting food.”

In honor of Scotland’s gift to the world, to the spirit that has long drawn people in through its status and style, the inaugural International Scotch Day was celebrated worldwide. The day invited people everywhere to raise a glass of Scotch to celebrate a drink that’s made to be enjoyed with good company, wherever and whenever.

Kinky Brits are set to head to the cinema in droves to catch the latest installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy, now it has launched nationwide. But thanks to TGI Fridays, adults can get their very own bit of Mr Grey, as it launches its Mr Grey’s Screaming Orgasm cocktail across its 77 restaurants in the UK. The limited-time offer cocktail will be available at Fridays between 10-17 February, and like the film itself, is indulgent, rich and guaranteed to get you in the mood for naughtiness.

In a bid to ensure cup recyclability stays centre stage in 2017, Costa is today officially launching its much anticipated nationwide cup recycling scheme – promising to recycle 'any cup'. Continuing to explore new ways of investing in and tackling recyclability, the UK's favourite coffee shop will launch a number of new initiatives in the first quarter of 2017.

Due to popular demand well-known independent canal side eatery, ju ju’s café, has recently invested in a restaurant expansion and facelift - doubling its size to cater for up to 100 guests. And in line with the expansion it has recruited a pedigree head chef. Friendly face of ju ju’s café, owner Julia Pallister, said: “This has come as a result of running out of space, particularly at the weekends for brunch, Sunday roast and dinner.  We have, over the last eight years, built a great reputation which has fuelled demand. 

Within days of appointing Ben Parmar, the former Cobra Channel Controller, as MD of Goa Premium Beer importer Viiking Ventures UK, the company has announced that wholesalers Booker and Makro are to stock its craft beer. The gluten-free pilsner is being trialled in 650ml bottles and 500ml cans for three months - at Booker outlets in Acton, Brighton, Croydon, Dagenham, Nine Elms, St Pancras, Sidcup, Southend, Medway and Wimbledon plus as well as Makro depots in Charlton, Enfield and Rayleigh – ahead of a decision whether to roll out the product nationwide.

Spirits are set to be high this March, with the return of Itihaas’ popular curry and comedy night at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. Following the sold-out whisky-fuelled feast last September, the event is back on 31 March, giving guests the chance to indulge in a culinary feast like no other. The Comedy Rum-Ball will seeItihaas’ head chef Pavneet Sangwan and comedian and chef Hardeep Singh Kohli join forces again, this time with Ampersand’s head chef Phil Bradley and rum specialist, Alessio Franzese from London’s famous Rum & Sugar in the Museum of London Docklands.

Ever fallen in love with an appetizer so much you just wish you could make it your whole meal? Or finished off a plate of hot wings and just want a few more? Well, wish no more –  because TGI Fridays has just become the first restaurant in the country to offer endless appetizers across all of its award-winning UK locations.