Food

Tesco has announced it will continue its multi-million pound investment in the growth of the British Aberdeen Angus herd, with 1,600 farmers in the UK set to benefit from new 12 month contracts which will guarantee a price above the standard market rate for beef.

The Aberdeen Angus farmers are located across the UK and supply Tesco with all its Finest beef steaks, mince and joints. Aberdeen Angus beef is recognised for its quality, and all the cuts included in Tesco's range are aged for 28 days, providing customers with the best possible quality and flavour.

To coincide with the introduction of the new contracts, Tesco is re-launching its Tesco Sustainable Farming Group for Beef. The Group becomes the 10th Tesco Sustainable Farming Group following the setting up of groups in areas including dairy, pork, lamb, poultry, eggs, potatoes and brassicas.

The groups provide a forum to discuss sustainable production, customer needs, Tesco's quality standards and how Tesco and its supply base can work more closely together. They also play an important role in terms of securing supply, increasing efficiency and improving animal welfare.

Tesco's Commercial Director for Fresh Food, George Wright said:

“We're committed to building long-term, transparent partnerships with our suppliers, growers and farmers. These new contracts and the reformation of our Sustainable Farming Group for beef strengthens the partnerships we have with our farmers and means they can build their businesses and invest for the future, while providing our customers with the best quality British beef.”

David Knox, Sales Account Manager at Foyle Group, one of Tesco's Aberdeen Angus beef processors, said:

"We are delighted with Tesco's ongoing commitment and investments in their Finest range. The new contract will help secure long term sustainability for the beef sector. We are also excited about Tesco's restructuring their Sustainable Farming Group for Beef as it will act as a great platform in allowing suppliers to bring forward innovative ideas to deliver positive influence for the Industry."

Animals are reared to Red Tractor welfare standards and Tesco's Beef Livestock Codes of Practice.

Entirely plastic free and crafted from the humble rice husk, Huskup's reusable coffee cups have now become a canvas, inspiring designers to help the nation's coffee lovers to say no to single use. An instant bestseller for Huskup, the 'Thumbs Up' design caught the mood of the moment and has set the tone for a range of other patterns inspired by nature.

Frome-based designer, Donna Sarah is the creative behind these concepts, and a full range of her designs is now available from Huskup. Representing fundamental features of the natural world, from the coastline to the woodlands to the mountains, each design also leaves space for the natural material of the rice husk to shine through. These new designs, named Pebbles, Sticks and Triangles, take a simple, geometric approach, appealing to an eco-audience who want a unique product to reuse time and again.

Richard Milton, founder of Huskup, explains: “To create a truly green product, all the pieces of the eco-jigsaw have to fit together, so choosing to work with local designers who share our environmental principles was a no brainer. Donna's designs have naturally struck a chord with reusable cup shoppers across the country, and with more design collaborations on the way, we plan to keep Huskup a desirable product that makes it easy and appealing to tackle disposable culture.”

Donna Sarah, designer of the mono Huskup range, adds: “I was very impressed by the way that Huskup uses a by-product to resolve a pressing modern-day problem and it has been a great opportunity to be one of the first designers to work with the rice husk material. The thumbs up design is a little message to represent the good that the cup is doing for the earth, while with the other designs I took the planet itself as my starting point. Each one is based on an element of nature, the ground beneath us, the water and the trees, all things we must look to protect from now on.”

Gosta Green in Birmingham has just launched a brand new menu and there's something for everyone - especially vegans!

New on-trend dishes include a Vegan Burger - a spicy bean burger topped with mixed leaves, vegan mayonnaise, a vegan cheese slice and BBQ pulled jackfruit, served in a toasted bagel.

Described as 'pulled pork for vegetarians', jackfruit is being hailed as the next big food trend. A large, green spiky fruit originating from India, South America and South-east Asia, with a meaty texture and appearance, jackfruit is particularly popular with vegetarians and vegans.

Jackfruit features in other new dishes on the menu, including Jackfruit Bao Buns - a lotus style steamed bun filled with pulled BBQ jackfruit.

Other vegan-friendly dishes include Macaroni Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Chilli and Salad (Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quinoa Chilli with Spicy Rice finished with vegan cheese and vegan mayonnaise), Falafel Salad, Mac and Cheese, Nachos, Chilli Fries, Avocado Fries and Halloumi Fries.

If you're a meat eater, don't worry there's plenty on offer for you too! Check out our Chicken Curry Burger, Maple Bacon Burger and Double Decker Burger as well as 'Burger of the Month'.

Other meaty treats include Buttermilk Ribs (buttermilk dusted pork ribs, crispy fried and drizzled with BBQ sauce), Chicken & Waffles (crispy fried buttermilk chicken breast and zingy house slaw sandwiched between toasted waffles and drizzled with maple syrup), and Chicken Waffle Goujons.

Desserts don't disappoint either! Choose from gooey Chocolate Fritters (crispy fried Mars Bar or a Snickers bar coated in Doughnut Batter served with vanilla ice cream), scrumptious Cookie Dough, tempting Smores Biscuit (Digestive biscuits filled with Hazlenut chocolate spread and toasted mini marshmallows, drizzled with chocolate flavoured sauce) or our mouth-watering Smores Doughnut!

Plus we have a wide range of craft beers and wines and new 'Martinny' cocktails (cocktails in a can) on the autumn menu. For the more health-conscious, check out the new Avocado Go-Go, Breakfast Smoothie and protein-based smoothies: Fruitasia and The Veggie-Nator.

Alongside the new dishes and drinks, several great deals have been introduced. Customers can double their loyalty points on Mondays by receiving 20 points for every £1 spent on food or drinks, Tuesdays become 'Pancake Tuesday' with pancakes priced at 25p all day, whilst Wednesdays are 'Wing Wednesday' with chicken wings on offer for just 25p a wing all day.

General manager Stefan Sroczynski, says: "We're really excited about the new menu! We have lots of demand for vegan and vegetarian dishes, so we wanted to ensure we had plenty of options to choose from. The jackfruit dishes are really amazing, even meat eaters will love the flavour and texture as it really does taste like pulled pork! We think we've got something for everyone on offer this autumn, so come on down and try our new dishes for yourself!"

City of Wolverhampton’s Festival of Food and Drink at the weekend saw record attendance over the two days – up by almost 7,000 on last’s year inaugural event.

More than 25,000 people enjoyed the festival in the heart of the city centre on Saturday and Sunday after snapping up free tickets.

All tickets for Saturday were secured by Friday evening – and it is estimated the economic benefit to the city over the weekend is around £420,000.

Families revelled in the sunshine off Wulfruna Street, with a wide range of food and drink available, artisan stalls, live music, an open-air cinema, and traditional fairground games across both days.

Visitors on Saturday were treated to a flypast by a C47 Dakota from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) team.

And shortly after thousands were on cloud nine as they watched England’s glorious World Cup quarter-final win over Sweden on the big screen.

Organiser William Power of Street Banquet and Director of E11EVEN GROUP, said: “A massive thank you to everyone that attended and supported this year’s Wolverhampton Festival of Food & Drink. We were blessed with great weather and a World Cup victory to add to what was an amazing weekend for our team and hopefully the 25,000-plus people in attendance.

“Special thanks go out to all the traders that went above and beyond in what is a challenging weekend’s work for them. All of which were fantastic! Without them there is no foundation for this event so thank you from everyone involved. We do our best to bring new traders and tastes to the city and hope to do so more regularly moving forward.

“The festival provides a great offering and family day out in the city. This was only the second year for us and we are still looking for ways to improve your experience. We take on board all the feedback and plan to come back with an even better festival for you next year.”

Visitor comments on social media included ‘Amazing day! Fun times for my hen do with friends and family and an England win to compliment the food and drink!, ‘What an event! I still can’t get over we was in middle of Wolverhampton and had spent not a penny to get in! Everyone involved in this event should be so proud what a day!, ‘Second year in a row this event was a brilliant day out as expected. Huge range of food and drinks vendors to choose from’.

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “I am delighted the flagship event of our Enjoy Wolverhampton visitor programme hit new heights this year.

“It is another example of Wolverhampton putting itself on the map and showcases exactly what the city has to offer to residents and visitors.”

In addition to strong advanced ticket numbers, almost 500 visitors chose to pay on the gate at the festival, which resulted in £488 going to the chosen charities of Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Phil Page, and the other half to event costs.

The math has been done and the financial rewards of using a reusable cup are compelling.

The individual saving is not insignificant. The average Brit, enjoying two cups of coffee every day,* could save up to £365 a year by refilling a reusable when opting for the biggest discount currently available – Pret's 50p incentive.

It's worth it. Especially considering that a reusable cup will pay for itself within as little as nine days in the case of a two-coffee-a-day consumer.

However, when considered collectively, the numbers are even more persuasive.

Recent figures show that the British public spent £6.3 billion on takeaway coffee in just a year* – that equates to around 2.8 billion cups of coffee,* with the preference being for milk-based coffees such as lattes and cappuccinos.

Based on these figures and the top discount of 50p, if every coffee purchased was served in a reusable cup, coffee drinking Brits could collectively save an astonishing £1.4 billion a year.

It's clear we're all mad for the stuff, but our coffee cravings mean we're responsible for 2.5 billion single-use plastic cups going to landfill every year. That's over 6.8 million every single day.

So, it's great news - for both the environment and for our wallets - that more coffee shops than ever are now offering incentives for customers using reusable cups.

And if coffee consumers were to make just one of their daily coffees at home, decanting into a reusable cup for their morning commute rather than buying en route, they could save a further £574.20 a year.*

Ecoffee Cup founder David McLagan says: “It's great news that so many high-street coffee shops are now offering incentives for customers using reusable cups. The potential saving of £1.4 billion a year makes it an obvious investment and allows coffee drinkers to be part of the solution to single-use plastic waste whilst also saving up to £365 each a year.

“Switching to a reusable cup is a small change that could make a big difference, and at Ecoffee Cup we offer a wide range of designs that are not only functional but stylish too – from iconic William Morris patterns to bold colours, there's an Ecoffee Cup to suit everyone.”

“Doing your bit for the oceans has never been so easy (and stylish)” says Ecoffee Cup customer, Priya. “Plus you often get money off your coffee when using a reusable cup. Just do it.”

Visitors to the first day of City of Wolverhampton’s Food & Drink Festival on Saturday, July 7 can also enjoy the spectacular sights and sounds of a commemorative Royal Air Force flypast.

A C47 Dakota from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) team will makes three passes above the city centre event at around 2.20pm.

The festival will take place on Wulfruna Street, the Civic Centre Ceremonial car park, St Peter’s car park and the pedestrian area outside the University of Wolverhampton’s Ambika Paul building.

More than 15,000 free tickets have already been snapped up for the weekend festival on Saturday, July 7 and Sunday 8 (12pm to 8pm on both days).

It is the flagship event of this year’s packed ‘Enjoy Wolverhampton’ visitor programme and tickets for both days can be booked online in advance at www.wolvesfoodfest.co.uk.

Fittingly, the C47 Dakota is a transport aircraft that moved food supplies regularly during wartime.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “The RAF celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and we are delighted the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight team have chosen to honour one of our most popular city events with a flypast.

“As a city and a council we are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and fully support them in any way we can.

“It will be great to see thousands of people at the Food & Drink Festival get to enjoy this spectacular sight – it adds even more to what is a fantastic family event and shows how it is already growing in only its second year.”

More than 18,500 people attended the inaugural festival and this year’s offer is even bigger and better, with around 80 different food and drink outlets.

Partnerships and collaborations with the likes of Digbeth Dining Club will see award winning street food and drink traders making their City of Wolverhampton debuts.

There will be a wider range of food and drink traders, artisan stalls, and exhibitors, alongside live music, an open-air cinema, Prosecco bar, guest appearances, family area and traditional fairground games.

The BBMF operates from RAF Conningsby, a Typhoon and fighter base, in Lincolnshire.

The mission of the BBMF is to maintain the priceless artefacts of our national heritage in airworthy condition to commemorate those who have fallen in the service of this country, to promote the modern-day Air Force and to inspire future generations.

Flown by regular serving RAF aircrew, the flight operates six Spitfires, two Hurricane Mk 2Cs, and a Lancaster, as well as a C47 Dakota and two Chipmunk aircraft.

Corinthia Hotel London has announced that the renowned Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, will open his first London restaurant, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, at the hotel this September 2018.

Kerridge’s Bar & Grill will be a relaxed brasserie-style dining room with adjacent bar open all day. This exciting partnership will marry Tom and Corinthia Hotel London’s similarly modern and forward-thinking approach to hospitality, bringing both Londoners and visitors to the city one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of 2018.

The restaurant and bar will be located on the site which was previously Massimo, on the ground floor of the hotel, with a separate direct entrance off Northumberland Avenue, and a new and updated interior design by David Collins Studio.

The grand, high-ceilinged restaurant space will seat 90 covers and be furnished with a mixture of leather upholstered dining chairs and deep button-backed banquettes with a dark green and burgundy color palette. Within the main restaurant space there will be a striking rotisserie bar which will roast large joints of meat, fish, and some root vegetables in front of diners. Inspired by the menu at The Coach in Marlow, the rotisserie will have a daily changing dish on the menu each day. Some of the walls of the main restaurant will feature fridges showcasing hanging meat supplied by Tom’s own butchers, The Butcher’s Tap in Marlow. The room will be decorated with an assortment of beautiful and personally selected art work, which will be revealed at a later date.

Tom will bring with him Head Chef, Nick Beardshaw, who has worked with him for many years, initially at The Hand and Flowers as sous chef and more recently as head chef of The Coach in Marlow, and has been integral in winning the Michelin stars at both the sites.

Kerridge’s Bar & Grill will also have a separate and significant bar area divided from the dining room by a partition of antique mirror panels – very much a destination in itself. There will be seating in the form of curved banquettes and large lounge seats finished in a burgundy leather, as well as the option of taking a selection of high stools at the marble bar. The bar will serve cocktails along with an extensive list of English wines, Champagnes and of course ales and lagers on tap, which will be visible in a bespoke glass cellar as you enter the restaurant. There will also be a menu of diverse and interesting bar snacks.

In addition, there will be a Private Dining Room leading from a door to the left of the bar. This will seat 18 people around a bespoke table made by Custom Timber Works; guests will be able to enjoy an exclusive dining experience while watching chefs prepare and cook dishes right in front of them at the kitchen space within the grand, paneled dining room.

“We are incredibly excited about opening Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at Corinthia Hotel London. Work has begun on the design and the space, and Nick and I, along with the whole team, are enjoying creating a menu that will befit such a stunning room,” commented Chef Tom Kerridge.

Thomas Kochs, Managing Director of Corinthia Hotel London, added, “Every day I work with Tom Kerridge and his team, and Simon Rawlings from David Collins Studio, the anticipation builds of what I know will be a fantastic opening and a wonderful new addition to London’s restaurant scene. I look forward to September when we can finally welcome guests to this new dining experience.”

Homegrown British company, Cranes Drinks is launching into ASDA this summer with their tantalising range of fruit ciders.

Chilled by nature, Cranes Ciders are brewed with the finest Wisconsin cranberries, alongside apples, to deliver a crisp, refreshing range of fruit ciders.

Founded and developed by Twin Brothers Ben and Dan Ritsema, Cranes Ciders are naturally light, with 30% fewer calories compared to brand leaders.

“Consumer tastes are becoming more sophisticated, with a higher demand for quality, ethical and natural ingredient sourcing than ever before. Our fruit ciders fill a gap in the market for an innovative, naturally-light cider, brewed to utilise the pure sweetness of the super-fruits.” said Daniel Ritsema, Co-Founder of Cranes Drinks LTD.

Founded in 2012, Cranes, has been exceptionally well received at events and festivals across the country and is stocked by a host of farm shops, garden centres, bars and pubs across the UK. However, the national launch into over 300 ASDA stores this Summer, is the brands biggest break yet!

“To say we are ecstatic to be launching nationally in ASDA is an understatement! We are absolutely delighted Cranes Ciders will now be available to consumers across the UK.” said Ben Ritsema, Co-Founder of Cranes Drinks LTD.

Warrens Bakery are on the look-out for their first ever 'Young Budding Baker of the Year' and there's just two weeks left for nominations.

The overall winner of the seven shortlisted will go behind the scenes at Warrens Bakery in Cornwall for a masterclass with Head Baker Jason Jobling where they will also help to develop a brand-new bake. The lucky winner will also get to meet Martha Collison, win a year's supply of bakes, plus a baking course at their local cookery school worth £250.

Head Baker Jason Jobling, who has been with the team for an incredible 26 years, is helping to lead the search with the help of baking star Martha Collison to recruit 'wannabe winners'. As Chair of the Cornish Pasty Association, Jason's love for craft baking is clear to see, most recently featured on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show with Chris Evans during the first ever Cornish Pasty Week.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation of bakers, Jason said: “Up until February last year, Warrens Bakery stores were only in the South West. Our journey over the last 12 months has been incredible, with monthly store openings in regions throughout England. Local residents have instantly taken to our sweet and savoury range of bakes and having met so many new friendly faces, we want to inspire young bakers and grow the appetite for craft baking with the launch of the search for the next Budding Baker.”

With students across the nation currently completing GCSE's and A-levels, the campaign is extremely timely as teenagers look to the next chapter.

Tipped as one of the top three craft bakeries in the UK and gaining the highest place for a retailer in The World Pasty Championship, the expert team at Warrens Bakery have been guardians of the Cornish Pasty since 1860. Continuing to hand-crimp all of their pasties in St Just, near Land's End, hand crimping an average of three pasties every minute; recipes and hand-craft skills have been passed down generation after generation.

Celebrated author, Waitrose magazine columnist and rising baking star Martha Collison is helping the team in their search. Commenting about her involvement, Martha said - “Baking is so well-loved because it's part of our heritage; a skill that spans all generations. I was inspired to bake by looking up to those more experience than myself; grandparents, food technology teachers and aunties. They inspired me to get in the kitchen and try things out, to hone my skills and to improve my ability through encouragement and opportunity. I'm passionate about seeing a younger generation inspired to bake and let loose in our kitchens, as you learn so much about food through making it yourself.”

Open for nominations from siblings, friends, parents and grandparents who want to see their young rising star (16-18) crowned as the first ever Warrens Bakery 'Young Budding Baker of the Year 2018'. The competition is open for entry in the seven UK regions where Warrens Bakery stores are located.

South Australia has recently played host to MasterChef as part of their 10th series.

Visiting top eateries, restaurants, and food and wine venues, contestants were treated to some spectacular views and iconic locations as they cooked in Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, and McLaren Vale in the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Inclusion in MasterChef has cemented the State as a foodie hub for close to one million viewers. SA Week on MasterChef showcased premium tourism offerings and quintessential South Australian experiences, such as The Cube restaurant, Jacob's Creek vineyard, Maggie Beer's Farm Eatery, and Mount Lofty House.

As part of the activations surrounding MasterChef, SATC has engaged with Gary Mehigan to promote the best food and wine the State has to offer. Gary has scoured the State to find the best and most engaging dining experiences, giving credibility to South Australia's many fresh food producers.

Tesco is to help prevent a potential lemon shortage by putting a greener version of the fruit on its supermarket shelves.

Despite the skin being slightly green the fruit is still as crisp and zesty as you'd find as when they completely turn yellow.

But now Tesco has lifted the colour quality specifications for lemons in a move that will also help offset food waste in the home by adding up to an extra two days shelf life to the fruit as it turns yellow.

The shortage has been caused by significantly reduced end of season volume in Spain, from where the UK gets the bulk of its lemons until the end of spring, which has reduced availability to UK retailers.

Traditionally in late June the South African lemon season starts which then takes over as the UK's main supply source.

But Tesco will now take the greener South African lemons earlier than usual to keep supplies going.

Tesco citrus fruit buyer Savia Weidinger explains:

“These greener lemons that we now have on sale are already mature and perfect tasting inside but need longer for the skin to turn yellow.   

“With the South African crop that happens towards the end of June as evenings cool which helps the fruit to colour up.

“The move not only means that shoppers will again be easily able to buy a fruit that is growing in popularity but they will gain extra freshness.”

The move should be popular with customers as lemons have jumped in popularity by nearly 10 per cent in the last year with more people using them in recipes and juicing.

Tesco has committed to making sure no good food goes to waste and works with farmers and suppliers to adjust crop specifications.

The greener lemons will be available in 800 tesco stores across the UK.

Alzheimer’s Society’s first ever Cupcake Day pop up experience has been embarking on a mini tour of the UK ahead of Cupcake Day on Thursday 14 June. Starting its journey in Newcastle, it visited Birmingham on Thursday 7th June.

The pop up was situated in Birmingham city centre on Edgbaston Street between the Bullring and Markets. Alzheimer’s Society staff were distributing free Cupcakes to the public and talking to them about dementia. Hundreds of Cupcakes were handed out to people who were encouraged to get involved in Cupcake Day and join the fight against dementia.

Anne-Marie Heeney from Birmingham said: “It’s so great to see something like this where it’s so visual and can start a conversation about dementia. I think that conversations about dementia don’t have to be depressing.”

People were able to enjoy free hand-finished cupcakes, supplied by The Cake Crew, get creative at a special ‘Glam Your Cupcake’ station and speak with Dementia Advisers about any concerns they might have.

Carol Bowsher, Dementia Adviser for Alzheimer’s Society was in attendance. She said: “I spoke with a woman who was worried about her mother. She wasn’t sure about what sort of symptoms she should be looking for and we discussed that perhaps a general health check could be beneficial.”

Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day raises funds to support people affected by dementia. Recently, Alzheimer’s Society joined forces with Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Government to fund the UK’s first ever Dementia Research Institute.

Emma Dowler, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society said: “We have had a fantastic time handing out Cupcakes to the public to celebrate the oncoming Cupcake Day. It’s great to see Birmingham uniting against dementia.”

In the UK, there are 850,000 people living with dementia and more than 10,000 people live with the condition in Birmingham and Solihull. It is estimated that dementia costs the UK economy over £26 billion per year. Dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes.. Each cupcake will help Alzheimer’s Society find a cure, improve care and offer help and understanding for people affected.

Simon Tregunna, visiting Birmingham from Cornwall, stopped to talk at the Cupcake Day experience. He said: “This Cupcake Day experience is a good idea and raises awareness. My mother-in-law has become more forgetful recently and we are worried about her memory. Where I’m from, it’s bit of a wait to see a GP, it’s sketchy.”

Alzheimer’s Society is urging everyone to unite against dementia with their families, friends and colleagues, by baking or buying cupcakes to raise vital funds. People can celebrate Cupcake Day on 14 June or mark the occasion another time in the month. Alzheimer’s Society welcomes everyone in uniting against dementia by signing up for Cupcake Day at www.cupcakeday.org.uk

Hot on the heels of introducing its biggest ever range of meat-free foods in October 2017, Waitrose is set to expand its selection of vegan and vegetarian food. The supermarket will increase its total vegan and vegetarian assortment by 60%.

Among the 50 new products are two exclusive brands, The Happy Pear – created by renowned plant-based and whole food chef duo David and Stephen Flynn, and The Vegetarian Butcher - a Dutch company specialising in meat substitutes, made using plant-based proteins.

Kantar UK Insights predict 2018 to be the year Brits go vegan, also noting it is the year that plant-based diets go mainstream. Waitrose is seeing this reflected in its sales of vegetarian food, up 34% against the same time last year.

In a supermarket first, the retailer will have a dedicated vegan section, which will be signposted in its shops. In total, the range will feature 125 ingredients, ready meals and other meat-free products designed to make shopping easier for customers looking for vegetarian and vegan options.

Chloe Graves, Waitrose Chilled Vegetarian and Vegan Buyer says, “Our current selection of products has been selling really well week after week, with requests for more choice coming from our customers and Partners, so we could clearly see there was an appetite to have more vegetarian and vegan options in our shops.

“Increasing our range builds on the work we did last year to increase choice for our customers in this area. We are working with some fantastic exclusive brands to ensure our shoppers have a really unique selection of food to choose from.

“With flexitarianism also on the rise, we have made sure we have dishes and ingredients for those looking to opt for a meat-free meal, that was suitable for the whole family to enjoy.”

David and Stephen Flynn, The Happy Pear co-founders said: “We are chuffed to be entering the UK market with our products and really honoured to be working with Waitrose to expand its vegan range. Our great-tasting, vegan products are all made from natural ingredients and are great for all lifestyles and those wanting to eat more veg.

“We have been working with Waitrose since 2016, creating vegan recipe videos and on customer events, and this is a great, growing partnership, which supports our mission to help people live healthier and happier lives.”

The range, which launches in Waitrose from Monday 4th June, will see an increase of products available in all shops, with 134 branches with a vegan bay.

Philippine Airlines today launched the Filipino Food Festival in London, a culinary celebration running throughout June with over 20 restaurants, supperclubs, pop-ups, food stalls and chefs taking part across the capital.

A rich tapestry of Indian, Malay, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Pacific Islander and American influences, Filipino cuisine has been heralded as “the original fusion cuisine” by VOGUE and the next big food trend by top chef Anthony Bourdain.

Offers include an exclusive tasting menu with free-flowing prosecco cocktails at Romulo Café, High St. Kensington, an island-inspired tasting experience at MBER in The City and bespoke cocktails at select venues from official drinks partner Don Papa - a premium aged, small batch rum from the Philippines. For the chance to win return flights to The Philippines, diners simply need to upload a snap of their meals via Instagram using the hashtag #FilipinoFoodFestival.

Philippine Airlines are offering special fares to coincide with the festival, with return flights to Manila starting from £523 with all taxes included. As the nation's first and only four-star airline as rated by Skytrax, the carrier aims to reach five-star status by 2020. This programme includes an array of improvements and innovations to all onboard food and beverages.

Philippine Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo said “One of the most exciting aspects of cultural diplomacy is culinary diplomacy. By offering the distinctive flavours and colours of the Filipino cuisine, we hope to entice participants to this festival to discover more of the Philippines, preferably by spending a holiday on one of our islands.”

Philippine Airlines Country Manager David Cochrane said “Much like the rich cultural diversity of Filipino food, PAL brings together East and West with our daily non-stop flights between London and Manila. As official airline of The Filipino Food Festival, we are proud to present the flavours of the Philippines both in the air and on the ground.”London's First Filipino Food Festival runs from 5th-30th June.

Ostrich eggs arrive in selected Waitrose branches.

Giant British ostrich eggs are making their annual appearance exclusively at selected Waitrose branches this week - perfect timing if you're preparing a big breakfast or brunch this weekend.

Weighing in at a mighty 2 kg (4.4lbs), one ostrich egg is equivalent to 24 large hen eggs. It takes 50 minutes to perfectly boil an ostrich egg, which makes a wonderful centrepiece with toast or asparagus soldiers.

The ostrich eggs are laid seasonally on a farm in Lincolnshire and the birds are precise in the manner in which they lay them. The dominant female will lay around 7-10 eggs in the centre of the nest and the other females place their eggs to the outside. Both the female and male birds take turns to incubate the eggs, which can take up to 42 days.

Ostrich eggs are part of Waitrose's range of speciality eggs - the largest selection available at a UK supermarket - which includes delicate Quails eggs, Braddock Whites duck eggs and Old Cotswold Legbars hen eggs.

Jay Ledwich, egg buyer at Waitrose said, “Our customers love to eggs-periment with different ingredients. Although traditional hen's eggs are a shopping list staple, our range of speciality eggs make a lovely treat. Our ostrich or ducks eggs are perfect for a big birthday breakfast or weekend brunch.”

Last month the supermarket introduced Cornish Blue Duck Eggs, from wild mallard ducks on a Cornish farm, which are available until mid-June, priced at £2.75 (6 eggs). Also in the range are turkey eggs, which are available until mid-August, priced at £2.99 (2 eggs).

Waitrose boasts the largest selection of speciality eggs on supermarket shelves. Quail's eggs are available all year and the rarer eggs are available in selected branches for a few months at a time. The Clarence Court Ostrich egg is £19.99 and The Clarence Court Goose Egg is £6.99 each.

Brits admit that they are too reserved and embarrassed to ‘slurp’ ramen, the traditional way to enjoy the popular Japanese broth dish, in new research released by The City Kitchen.

More than two thirds (67%) of GB adults stated that they would not slurp ramen noodles in the traditional way even after being made aware of the benefits. Nearly half of all respondents (48%) admitted one of the reasons they’d be less likely to slurp their ramen is because they would be too embarrassed, and more than a third (39%) thought that it would be an unusual thing to do in the UK.

Slurping ramen is thought to be the best way to enjoy ramen as it aerates the noodles, helping the flavours of the ramen fully develop in the mouth and also improves the taste of the broth. By eating quickly in this way, the meal can also be enjoyed while it is hot.

The new YouGov research with more than 2,000 GB adults was commissioned by chilled ready meal range The City Kitchen to mark the launch of its new Chicken Miso Ramen and a campaign to encourage Brits to slurp their ramen.

A The City Kitchen spokesperson said: “It might be a little messy and loud but slurping ramen really is the best way to appreciate all the flavours of this amazing dish. We encourage anyone to give slurping a try!”

Nearly half of the research respondents (44%) would be put off slurping by the ‘unpleasant sound’, and nearly the same amount (42%) thought it would be too messy. Peer pressure helps, as more than a third (43%) admitted they would slurp if the people they were eating with were also slurping.

The research also revealed:

• Over two thirds (71%) did not know that ramen is traditionally slurped.
• More than three quarters (86%) of full time students were aware of ramen, while only 15% of retirees had heard of the noodle broth.
• While those aged 18 – 24 (79%) were the most likely to know about ramen, they were also among the least likely to slurp ramen in public (such as at a restaurant), with just 16% stating they would be likely to give slurping in public a go.

The new City Kitchen Chicken Ramen Bowl is based on a traditional Japanese recipe of Hokkaido Miso Broth and features Udon noodles and Choi sum. To help encourage ramen fans to slurp their noodles, The City Kitchen has launched a new competition in partnership with popular YouTuber, xAmeliax (Amelia Goodhead), to win a £600 Secret Escapes voucher. To be in with a chance of winning, entrants are being asked to submit a video of themselves slurping ramen.

The City Kitchen is a travel-inspired chilled ready meal range available exclusively in Tesco. In addition to the Chicken Miso Ramen, a Vegetable Gyoza & Shiitake Broth, Sweet and Sour Passion Fruit Chicken, Thai Chilli Sticky Pork, Brazilian Coconut Chicken and a vegetarian Paneer Butter Masala have also been added to the range.

Lucy Verity, culinary development chef at The City Kitchen commented: “We take inspiration from cuisines around the world to create our dishes and our new meals are no exception. As one of Japan’s most popular dishes, we are really proud to bring our take on ramen to UK foodies.”