Food

The clock is ticking - and there is now less than two weeks to go before the doors open at Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2016 - the UK's leading fine food and drink trade showcase. This year's 'feast-ival' will see more than 850 producers and 12,000 buyers, chefs and business owners celebrate the passion and the trend for great, authentic artisan food and drink. And there's much to savour.....

Aston Manor Cider, the UK’s largest independent cider maker, has announced that Grocery Aid will be the company’s nominated charity. As part of its involvement with Grocery Aid, Aston Manor Cider has already provided a high level of support to the charity at regional and national events. Grocery Aid also benefits from Aston Manor’s partnerships with other organisations.

Drinking tap water can help you save money and stay healthy, says WaterSafe, the UK accreditation scheme for approved plumbers. The call comes after a survey showed the number of people who choose to drink tap water instead of still bottled water has fallen in the past year. Two litres of tap water costs less than a 1⁄3 of a penny on average, compared to 45p for a supermarket’s own brand of bottled water or 90p for a named brand.

The value of British kitchens and items contained in them has doubled over the last three years, according to leading rural insurer NFU Mutual. The rise is attributed in part to the popularity of television shows such as The Great British Bake Off, which began in 2010 and kick-started the nation’s love affair with baking at home. The data comes from claims submitted to NFU Mutual after fires caused by kitchen equipment.

Just as new records have been set in the 2016 Olympic Games, new research from Mintel reveals standout results for global energy drink innovation. According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), more energy drinks were launched globally in 2015 than in any year since 2008, with the number of energy drink products launched growing 29% between 2010 and 2015.

The UK is the biggest consumer of halloumi cheese outside of Cyprus, with Waitrose customers buying enough packs of halloumi last year to stack 206 times the height of The Shard in London. Originally from Cyprus but widely used throughout the middle east, Halloumi is a salty, brined cheese traditionally made from the curd of goat and sheep milk. Its high melting point makes it a perfect for grilling, frying or baking.

James Houlston of Our Plaice in Kidderminster, West Midlands has travelled to Holland for an inside glimpse into the workings of KFE’s globally-renowned factory. Currently shortlisted for the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, James attended the trip alongside the nine other contenders for the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award.

More than 5,000 bottles of English sparkling wine – the first full container of our finest fizz to be shipped to any export destination – left Southampton docks today following a partnership between drinks exporter The British Bottle Company and New Jersey-based Vine Street Imports. Demand for English bubbles now reaches all corners of the globe. From China to Hong Kong, the USA to India, leading brands are now rivalling the very best French champagne.

HECK has made sure it's not just the Christmas tree that's adorned with a bauble or two this festive season. The favourite Yorkshire food company has created three limited edition Christmas Bauble recipes – scrumptiously seasonal meatballs and chicken balls that make sensational sides for Christmas dinner or perfect party pick up food.

Following the success of 2015's inaugural Guernsey International Food Festival, the foodie's paradise is back this September with more exciting culinary indulgences. This festival, taking place from Sept. 23 - Oct. 2, 2016, is a celebration of the island's rich local produce and gastronomic heritage while paying homage to influences from the international stage.

Santa Maluco has some of the rarest rums in Liverpool and for that matter the UK thanks to co-owner and collector John Ennis. From his far-flung foreign travels, John has searched high and low for the best and rarest rums and Maluco now stocks what was his own private collection which is available from this week in recognition of National Rum Day. John said: "Rum's syrupy sweet flavor, tropical spice tanginess and strong association with tiki drinks, means it's the quintessential summer spirit. 

Costa Express, the UK's leading self-serve coffee bar, has been awarded the ISO14001 International Standard due to its commitment to sustainable practice. This standard provides an approach to environment management as well as all the practical tools to implement and respond to changing environmental conditions.

Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, is the acknowledged benchmark for fine food and drink. It has been described as the 'Oscars' of the food world and the 'epicurean equivalent of the Booker prize'. Quite simply the Great Taste logo is the sign you can trust when buying food and drink in your local, quality retailer. Ma Baker, Fulham's only micro bakery, is run by Liz Wilson.  She scooped two Great Taste Awards in 2016.

The first ever Waitrose Drinks Festival will take place in London on the 16th and 17th September. Celebrating the best food and drink available at Waitrose, the festival will be open to the public and will include masterclasses, workshops and a rooftop BBQ. With over 200 Waitrose drinks producers taking part at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London, the various themed rooms will offer plenty of opportunity for guests to sample a huge range of spirits, beers, ciders and wines, as well as an extensive selection of speciality foods.

A feast of fabulous food and drink is on the menu when the Eden Project's Festival of Food returns with a packed three-day programme from Friday September 9 to Sunday September 11. Celebrating the best on offer in food and drink, the event will feature a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs, delicious foodie treats and daily wine tastings hosted by TV expert and author Susy Atkins.

With the Great Taste 2016 results just announced, The Traditional Free Range Egg Company, formerly known as Blackacre Farm Eggs, is now celebrating, as all five products in its Free Collection have been awarded stars from the world's most coveted blind-tasted food awards. Better still, with just 141 products achieving a 3-star Great Taste award out of 10,0