Food

Costa Coffee, the nation's favourite coffee shop, announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind trial store. Promising to deliver new coffee experiences in a stylish environment, Costa is ramping up its efforts to share its perpetual passion for coffee with customers. In a first for its UK high street stores, the new Costa will offer a selection of alcoholic drinks to complement its food and drink range in the evenings.

The Rhums of Martinique are on a roll, earning accolades and innovating exclusive new products further cementing the island’s status as The Rum Capital of the Caribbean. Rhum JM, among Martinique’s most celebrated heritage brands, received the top overall award at the recently concluded Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. The event widely lauded as the “World Championship for Wine and Spirits,” attracted more than 10,000 wine and spirit entries from around the world.

Inspired by a cosy home kitchen, the new Sweetheart Cake Shop in Covent Garden Market is here to fulfill a promise of happiness. Their philosophy is to put a smile on their customers' faces by offering fresh and delicious treats, which are prepared and baked in shop every day. Nothing artificial is ever used, only simple and wholesome ingredients like fresh milk, pure British butter, free range eggs and a touch of sugar.

A microbrewery in Edinburgh is the first in the UK to run brewing trials with a new, gluten-free barley from Australia. Over the coming months, Bellfield Brewery – a dedicated gluten-free brewery – will experiment with Kebari™, the world's first gluten-free barley, to learn more about the capacity of this new grain. The new grain meets the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended classification of gluten-free and has taken scientists in Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), thirteen years to perfect.

An incredible six Koh Thai Tapas sites have been shortlisted in this year's Asian Curry Awards, as a result of online polling by members of the public, as 100,000 votes were cast nationwide. The following six sites will now be judged by a panel of experts in the Asian food industry: Bath, Bristol, Bournemouth, Salisbury, Southsea and Lilliput.  The company's Mark Hooper has also been shortlisted for 'Maitre d' of the Year'. Koh Thai Tapas has also been shortlisted in two categories for this year's Eat Out Magazine awards plus two local business awards in Dorset.

Bradford was named Curry Capital of Britain for an amazing sixth time in succession – making seven in total. Close on their heels was past winner, Leicester, with Cardiff taking third spot this year, in recognition of the high quality of Indian restaurants in the city, such as Moksh, Chaiholics and Fez.

Artisan sloe gin makers from across the world will gather at the George Inn village pub on the Kent/Sussex border near Tunbridge Wells, to vie for the coveted 'Sloe Ginster World Champion' title for 2016 on Wednesday 14th December. The late summer has provided ideal growing conditions for sloes or drupes, producing a bumper crop of the bitter fruit of the blackthorn bush. Foragers are now eagerly awaiting the first frost, after which, by tradition, the berries are harvested. 

Throughout October Hilton London Metropole will be inviting guests to tuck into fabulous, fresh and sustainable fish at the hotel's contemporary Fiamma restaurant in celebration of National Seafood Week (7th-14th October). Showcasing the company's long-term commitment to the responsible sourcing of fish, the Hilton London Metropole team has compiled a tantalising menu of signature dishes which – in keeping with organiser Seafish's objective – aims to “encourage more people, to eat more fish, more often.”

Brits will soon have an easy and delicious way to heed the advice of health experts and meet their recommended daily amount of vitamin D during the winter months. This week Tesco will exclusively launch the UK's first ever range of mushrooms which are grown in extra light to naturally enhance their vitamin D levels similar to wild outdoor grown varieties. Mushrooms contain a substance called ergosterol which allows them to naturally make vitamin D when they are exposed to light.

New research from AB InBev reveals that over three quarters (78%) of Brits consider themselves to be moderate drinkers, with health benefits being the key factor in driving smart drinking habits; a third of Brits thank smarter drinking for staying in shape. The results suggest that Brits are switching it up and are well on their way to a more moderate drinking culture, with only 16% of Brits admitting to drinking above the recommended guidelines.

To mark British Food Fortnight (17 September - 2 October) the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is calling for mandatory method of production food labelling, which could offer post-Brexit UK food producers and farmers a unique selling point by providing consumers with the clear welfare labelling they want. BVA is adding its voice to the Labelling Matters campaign for the introduction of mandatory method of production labelling of meat and dairy products.

Waitrose is bringing the stories behind its organic producers to life by launching an organic marketing initiative to support the Soil Association's Organic Month this September.  Waitrose Organic Kitchen will feature content created by gardening expert and established Waitrose ambassador, Alan Titchmarsh, who will be joined by broadcaster Ellie Harrison. Together, they will explore organic food and how it's grown to help customers understand the origins of their organic products.

The Fizz Festival, the only UK consumer wine fair dedicated to Champagne and sparkling wine, will take place at The Edinburgh Academy on Henderson Row on Saturday 29 October 2016. This one day event will incorporate a host of wine merchants, specialist masterclasses and local Scottish food producers with visitors being given a fantastic opportunity to taste, learn about and buy fizz from around the world. Visitors will also be able to purchase their favourite fizz on the day – a great opportunity before the festive season.

Tarana Restaurant in Kent, which opened earlier this year has been nominated for two major restaurant awards – one local, one national.  The busy Rainham restaurant has also just announced a special festive menu designed for large family gatherings and staff parties and will open on Christmas Day. Tarana has been nominated for 'Best Newcomer' in this year's Asian Curry Awards.  The winners will be announced at glittering awards ceremony, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair on 23rd October.

A woman who makes Christmas puddings to her great-grandmother’s recipe is hoping to get a taste for international success after winning export orders in Ireland. Worcester-based Ellen Halpin-Barnett, who launched her fourth generation Grandma Lily’s Christmas puddings in July at the Windsor Food Festival, is heading to Chicago later this month on the inaugural Midlands Engine trade mission to the USA and Canada to tempt US buyers after Irish stores snapped up her tasty festive treat.

From the crisp country air and the crunch of frost underfoot, to the irresistible warmth of the roaring log fire, The Queens Arms in Corton Denham is the perfect destination for those wishing to embrace the tranquil allure of the Somerset countryside this Christmas. Rosy cheeks and winter woollies can while away the day traversing some of the finest countryside that the south west has to offer, returning to the cosy charms of this award-winning pub, including chestnuts around the fire, mulled wine and a truckle of Montgomery cheddar on the bar.