Food

Had one too many over the Christmas holidays? People who are making it their New Year's resolution to cut down on the amount of alcohol they drink in 2017 – or even give up entirely – are being encouraged to take part in Dry January. Alcohol Concern's annual campaign to abstain from alcohol throughout the first month of the year kicks off on Sunday (1 January). More than one in six adults attempted to give up drinking during last year's event.

With the launch of the renowned „Guide Michelin“ for 2017 this month, the East-German city of Leipzig was awarded another Michelin star: The “Residenz im Herrenhaus Möckern”. A former mansion, Herrenhaus Möckern is set in the floodplain of the White Elster River. The manor from 1317 has undergone some extensive renovations over the last years and is home to two new restaurants since 2015. While "Die Residenz" (Residence) attracts guests with upscale delights, "Die Brennerei" (Distillery) offers traditional home cooking.

Brits are going premium with their festive spirits this season. In the lead up to New Year's Eve, Tesco has seen an increasing number of customers who are treating themselves to top of the range branded and own-label liquors. And they are not solely being tempted by familiar brands, they are also looking for high quality and exceptional value as well. Amongst the most popular drinks in the range is the supermarket's award-winning Tesco finest* French Grain Vodka.

British savoury-snack maker Jacob's has on-boarded Oxford University food scientist, Charles Michel, to create the perfect cheese and cracker formula for consumers to enjoy this Christmas. Charles has been experimenting with the nation's much loved Jacob's Cream Cracker, to uncover the exact quantity of ingredients and the perfect balance of different flavour sensations needed to create the most delicious combination, tapping into all of our taste buds and senses.

Christmas has come early for Simply Cornish, the retail brand of Warrens Bakery, who are thrilled to have been awarded the accolade of 'Tastiest non-supermarket Christmas pudding' by Country Life magazine. Simply Cornish's legendary Christmas pudding beat off stiff competition from fourteen other finalists including Harrods' Decadent Christmas Pudding which was placed second. Praise for the popular pud included 'utterly delicious', 'tastes just like Christmas' and 'Christmas pudding as it should be'.

Artisan sloe gin makers from across the world gathered at a village pub on the Kent/Sussex border near Tunbridge Wells, to vie for the 'Sloe Ginster World Champion' title for 2016 on Wednesday 14th December. Now an annual event, hosted by The George Inn in Frant, this was the 8th such competition. The “liquid deli” Demijohn, which has outlets in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford, using sloes foraged in Worcestershire, was crowned Sloe Ginster World Champion for the third year in succession.

The seaside town of Shediac, New Brunswick, is known as the Lobster Capital of the World, and the Province is now home to one of the most impressive lobster catches on record. An enormous 23 pound, estimated 100 year old lobster has been found in the Bay of Fundy and has been knighted King Louie by locals. Visitors looking for a Louie of their own can enjoy Destination Canada's Signature Experience, Lobster Tales, to learn how best to catch and cook lobster.

Leopard print is enjoying a massive resurgence for AW16. 'Maximalism' is currently en vogue and this feline fashion is making a revival in the nation's wardrobe and homes. Givenchy, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein, among others, featured leopard print on the AW16 catwalks and, thanks to a newly expanded collection of signature South African themed bars, leopard-lovers can enjoy a cocktail against a backdrop of this eternally glamorous print, at one of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection's decadent Leopard Bars in London and beyond.

Lisbon's restaurants have been awarded a total of eight Michelin stars – three of them new – in the just-published Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2017, with Belcanto by José Avillez retaining its two stars. Portugal's capital has always been known for classic dishes such as bacalhau and the freshest of seafood, but now the city's talented chefs are using their creativity and the latest techniques to create an unforgettable choice of fine dining experiences.

Premium gin brand Sibling, have added a GINnovative new flavour to their collection of super premium gin. The Winter Limited Edition is infused with Cranberries and Clementine. Luxuriously fruity with a bitter sweet finish, it blends perfectly with classic tonic, warming ginger ale or cloudy lemonade. For the ultimate festive drink, pair this unique tasting gin with Prosecco!

The Tesco mince pie van is back and it's delivering a very Hap-pie Christmas to people across Britain. To help customers get into the festive spirit, the retailer is once again delivering thousands of the little festive treats, free, to people's front doors over the next few weeks. Visiting the length and breadth of Britain, local residents in towns and cities will be surprised and delighted with a knock on the door as the Mince Pie Man looks to drop off over 18,000 packs of mince pies ranging from Tesco Finest* to Free From, and wishing them all a Merry Christmas.

City of Wolverhampton is celebrating its Fairtrade status with the launch of its own Fairtrade chocolate bar. The bar, designed and produced by the Meaningful Chocolate Company, was unveiled by City Fair Trade Partnership vice-chair, Barbara Gwinnett, at the Arena Theatre on Friday. The chocolate bars will be a great addition to organisations promoting Wolverhampton in the region and beyond.

When Christmas lunch is over, you're often left with a mountain of Turkey meat, not to mention the carcass, staring you in the face. You might be in a post-dinner food coma, but try not to just shove some cling film over the whole thing and heave it into the back of your fridge. Here are some tips from Michelin Starred Chef Steve Smith, Head Chef of Bohemia Restaurant in Jersey to make the most of the whole bird.

Creative young people have been rewarded after a competition was held to design commemorative cakes for a children’s charity. Staff from the Barnardo’s regional office in Halesowen marked the charity’s 150th anniversary with a Family Fun Day in September. Around 2,000 residents enjoyed the event, which included fairground rides, pony-rides, a climbing wall, circus skills, live music and dancing.

The nation's favourite coffee shop, Costa Coffee, today unveils its full-on festive new limited edition Christmas menu, now in-store. From stand-out scrumptious coffee options and utterly decadent hot chocolates to a brand new Christmas sarnie that will rival your mum's roast lunch and an amazing cake selection – Costa is serving up a festive feast!

Christmas is often a busy and stressful time. While 43% of people feel that buying presents is the main worry, cooking Christmas dinner comes second, along with family arguments! Cooking for more people than normal can mean having to handle different defrosting and cooking times for food, making sure that large amounts of food are stored safely, and ensuring that any leftovers don't go to waste.