JAN/FEB COUNTRY RANGE MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS 2011

Win a fantastic coffee queen thermos worth £265

on the range WITH chef Nigel Smith CATEGORY MY SIGNATURE Take a DISH BY butchers FOCUS DANCING ON ICE JUDGE at slow HOT BEVERAGES KAREN BARBER cooking ROBINSONS and the ROBINSONS ARCH device are registered trade marks of Robinsons Soft Drinks Limited.

P8553 Robinsons Double Concentrate Teaser Trade Ad ARTWORK.indd 1 23/11/2010 14:53 JAN/FEB Editor’s COUNTRY RANGE MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS 2011

Win a fantastic coffee queen thermos worth £265 Letter

Welcome to your new and improved Stir it up!

on the range As we welcome in the New Year, we thought it was WITH chef Nigel Smith time that we gave your favourite catering magazine CATEGORY MY SIGNATURE Take a DISH BY butchers a fresh new look. FOCUS DANCING ON ICE JUDGE at slow HOT BEVERAGES KAREN BARBER cooking We’ve also introduced some new regular features, Stiritup contacts which we hope you will find, not only interesting, Editor Janine Nelson but useful to your business too. [email protected] Meet our new Country Range development chef Telephone: 01282 611677 Writer Sarah Rigg Nigel Smith on page 23. Each issue he’s going to Telephone: 01282 611677 be cooking up some fabulous recipes in our new We’d love to know what you think of the new-look Designer Richard Smith On the Range feature. magazine and would very much appreciate it if Telephone: 01282 611677 Our reader survey last year also highlighted your you could send us a quick letter or email to share Publisher Practical Publishing Telephone: 01282 611677 increasing thirst for more product information and your thoughts. Advertising Mags Walker so, in response, we have created Category Focus, Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2011! [email protected] where, each issue, we will give you the lowdown on Telephone: 01282 611677 Subscriptions Olivia Blunn a specific food or drink category. We’re launching [email protected] with Hot Beverages and you can find out all you Telephone: 0845 519 6181 need to know on page 25.

09 25 43 contents Food features Favourites

09 RECIPE 06 NEW YEAR FEATURE 05 COOKS CALENDAR • Take a butchers at slow cooking • Food Trends 2011 05 ROGER RANT 19 Country range 11 5 WAYS TO USE... 16 COUNTRY CLUB • Country Range sweet Chilli sauce Customer profile • The Merry Harriers 13 CELEbrity 21 bAUMANN’S BLOG SIgnature dish 25 Category focus • Hot Beverages 21 gARY SAYS • By dancing on ice judge Karen Barber 35 FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS 43 LEADING LIGHTS 14 nEW PRODUCTS IN • Masterchef: The professionals The Market place 37 hEALTH & WELFARE winner Claire Lara • Catering for OLDER vegetarians 23 ON THE RANGE • With Nigel Smith 38 EDUCATION • Rise in school meals take up for the First time since 1970s 39 hOSPITALITY • “Darling don’t forget to Facebook us a table for two” 40 ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS • From cooking good to looking good Cert no. TT-COC-2143 January/February 2011 Stiritup 03 Make sure you stock our Best Sellers

• Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar is now Fairtrade. • Twirl is the No.1 chocolate bar in the UK, worth over £30 Million.* • Wispa is the No.2 chocolate bar in the UK, worth over £27 Million.*

Not everyone knows that since October 2009 the Cadbury hot chocolate range has been Fairtrade certified in the UK and Ireland.

*AC Nielsen Total Coverage MAT W/E 27.03.10 FAVOURITES V OURITES

The FA Soapbox JANUARY FEBRUARY by Roger Rant 1st New Year’s Day 3rd Chinese New Year (Year of the rabbit) 24th - 26th Hospitality 2011 birmingham NEC 14th St Valentine’s Day www.hospitalityshow.co.uk 21st - 27th National Chip Week 24th - 26th Essential Cuisine Chefs www.lovechips.co.uk team Competition birmingham NEC 28th - 13th Fairtrade Fortnight www.essentialcuisine.com March TAX 24th - 30th Farmhouse Breakfast Week MARCH www.farmhousebreakfast.com

FREEDOM? 25th Burns Night 8th Shrove Tuesday www.burnsnight.net/burns-night/2009 The last time I heard about 9th Ash Wednesday 25th - 29th Good Food Show 13th - 16th IFE - The International birmingham NEC Tax Freedom Day - when food & Drink Event www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/home Britons begin working for exCel, London themselves rather than the www.ife.co.uk 13th - 16th Pro2pac taxman - it was at the end exCeL of May (don’t ask what it royal Victoria Dock, London is now). www.pro2pac.co.uk 17th St Patrick’s Day Meanwhile, whilst Brits are working off the debt, coping with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), recovering from Christmas expense Letters etc. etc. we have to attract these people to eat Hello, I think you may find these anecdotes a wee her partner and ordered a burger, chips and baked out of home. It can’t be easy, can it? But! bit amusing for your readers. I run a country pub beans for him as well as something for herself. How better to easily cheer yourself up than (The Three Horseshoes in Barrow, Suffolk) and both After a couple of minutes, I asked them if with a nice cup of coffee, some comfort food happened on the same day. A female customer everything was alright. or a quality restaurant experience. Hold on, came in with her partner and ordered the drinks. “No, there is no mention of burger relish being what was that word? EXPERIENCE. That’s “Have you got a slimline lemonade please”. added to the burger on the menu, and my the X Factor in catering, the sum of the parts “Sorry, no” I replied. partner is diabetic, so can’t have sugar” that is more than just the food. “Well, what slimline drinks have you got then?” So I looked at that tiny dollop of burger relish, then “Just slimline tonic.” at the pile of baked beans in tomato sauce with all “O.k., I will have to have one of them” the sugar that contains, and gave a very polite apology. You can email your letters to “And what would you like to eat?” You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose [email protected] “The full English Breakfast please!” your customers! Save 20 calories, and then eat 700 calories! Bruce Burgeon, landlord of The Three That same evening, another customer came in with Horsehoes, Barrow, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

January/February 2011 Stiritup 05 FEATURES Jan-packed “Last year we had snow for two weeks - this Winter blues-buster 4: helped the fast food and home delivery market. Use cheaper ingredients and provide ‘sharing For example Domino’s sales went sky high. dishes’ on your menu. Tapas and Chinese sharing “However restaurants have to work much plates are particularly popular with customers. harder to entice people in using discounts, special menus and themed nights. Marketing Winter blues-buster 5: should be stepped up during January, This is a good time to give your menu an overhaul particularly aiming to get regular clients in.” and let your customers know about it with a chalk Some restaurateurs - such as Stir it up columnist board on the forecourt or a sign in the window.

W Y EAR Mark Baumann - choose to close their businesses Check your local supplier for special cheap food for part of January. deals and base your new dishes on this. NE Says Mark: “We are all pretty tired from the Christmas season, so we take a couple of weeks off to rest and also give the restaurant a deep clean.” Peter Backman But while a January break suits some establishments, there are still many things you Tips for boosting business can do to survive the post Christmas lull. during caterers’ quietest Check out our tips . . . month of the year Winter blues-buster 1: The turkey bones have been boiled for stock; the A reported 79 per cent of Brits go on a diet in festive frills are back in the box and you’re toying January each year - so offer customers a ‘New with the idea of renaming your establishment, Year, New You’ menu, bursting with healthy ‘La Marie Celeste’. options, low fat sauces and puds. Don’t you just love January? Winter blues-buster 2: If this year’s figures are anything like 2010’s - your This is the month to come up with discounts sales could sink by up to 50 per cent at this time and theme nights. What about ‘discount divas’, of year. offering a free glass of wine for the ladies with Figures in a report by industry forecasters each meal ordered? Horizons reveal the snowstorms of 2010 caused a sudden sales slide - while conversely the Winter blues-buster 3: takeaway market boomed. Don’t over-staff. Work out the fairest way to cut Says report author Peter Backman: “While each hours throughout the month of January so you year differs, January is always a slow month. are keeping your workforce happy too. Functioning to Please Do you have a functional yoghurt drinks and breakfast cereals, which claim consumers claim to be buying more functional to help reduce cholesterol, boost the immune foods now compared to a year ago. breakfast menu to satisfy system to fend off infections or aid digestion, as “The healthy eating agenda has been a key issue your over-nighting guests? well as similarly spiced-up spreads, water, juices for the UK food industry with rising obesity levels and milks. in adults focusing the Government’s attention on Latest research from Mintel shows that just With the market for functional foods predicted the need to encourage consumers to maintain a over two-fifths of Britons now opt for foods to grow, to curry favour with your guests and balanced and healthy diet.” with added health and nutritional benefits encourage their return, should you be making such The functional foods market, according to the when doing their shopping. choices available to them? report, has been enjoying healthy sales growth The ’functional foods’ they buy, according to the Says a Mintel spokesman: “Just over two-thirds with value sales increasing by 3.7 per cent research, are primarily breakfast goodies - eggs of consumers claim to prefer to eat functional between 2008 and 2009 to reach £719million. with added omega rich fish oils, yoghurt pots, foods rather than take vitamins and a fifth of

06 Stiritup January/February 2011 U sweet chilli sauce and medium egg noodles. Y Y with the lantern festival. C 15 days. The celebrations begin with the customary tradition associated with this time of year lasts for about bringing prosperity and good luck, and the celebrate it every year. C and millions of C Festival) isthe most important holiday inC C every 60 years. Y western calendar, and the lunar C The C Lunar Calendar. Chinese Rabbitonthe the Yearbeginning ofthe of the 3marks February Chinese New Year Use your noodle andspice up ear with the latest additions to C ear calendar has names that arerepeated ou can create ataste sensation this C hinese N hinese N se both to create this deliciously spicy dish... hinese calendar isvery different to the ew Y ew Y ear’s E ear (also known as the S ‘G hinese families allover the world ve family dinner and close hinese N ung hei fat choi!’ ountry R ew Y hinese N ear isall hinese N pring ange: ew hina ew oil ,for frying • small bunch chives and coriander • 300gCountry Range medium egg • 3tbsp soy sauce with apinch of sugar • 2tbsp Country Range sweet chilli sauce • 4spring onions, roughly chopped • 150g sugar snap peas, sliced lengthways • 1orange or red pepper, deseeded and sliced • 1red chilli, chopped • 300graw peeled or Country Range • Ingredients C hilli P noodles, cooked frozen prawns rawn N oodles 3kg C 700ml C Garnish with the chives and coriander. • Simmer for two minutes until the sauce is • Add the spring onion and sugar snap peas • Tip inthe chilli and pepper and cook for • Heat one tablespoon oil inawok or frying pan • M ountry R ountry R ethod syrupy, then stir inthe prawns. 100ml water. chilli sauce, soy sauce, noodles and about and cook for one minute, then add the sweet two minutes. and cook the prawns for one minute. R ange M ange Sweet C January/F edium E hilli Dipping Sauce ebruary 2011 Stirit gg N oodles FEATURES emove. up 07

NEW YEAR G eat taste, n artificia s Mars 2010

© ® ® / s Uncle Ben’s and Dolmio sauces are developed using only the best ingredients from around the world. We don’t add artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives, and our renewed range is only full of the /design ® / best ingredients. So you can rest assured they not only taste good, they’re good for everybody too ™

Ingredients for illustrations only – try them for yourself!

For information on all our ranges and recipes contact us on 0800 952 0011

MX001085_014 Stir It Up Nov Ad_T1.indd 1 10/11/2010 10:23 FOOD Take a butchers at slow cooking It could save you “a small fortune” Caterers could chop thousands of pounds off their annual food budget by slow cooking cheaper cuts of meat, a top food author says.

Former chef Cara Hobday believes Britain’s P E butchers have a large part to play in helping cooks select less popular - and therefore less RECI pricey - portions of meat. Says Cara, who has just released her 23rd book, Ultimate Slow Cooker Favourites (Ebury, £8.99): “There is a small fortune to be saved using alternative cuts of meat in the dishes. “Most professional ovens have slow cook settings which apply a small amount of heat over three to 12 hours. “As a result, the fibres in cheap cuts of meat break down, providing a beautifully tender taste at a low cost.”

Here are some of our top reasons and tips for firing up the slow cooker: • Meat swap . . . for example compare £5 a kilo of braising steak with £23 for a kilo of fillet steak • You can save loads of energy cooking on slow (two light bulbs worth for 12 hours) • No boiling over or dried out pans. Liquid will not evaporate - the same amount remains in the pot from start to finish • Convenient - no stirring needed leaving you free to get on with other dishes/duties Meatball casserole with tomato sauce • You can roast joints in a slow cooker • The best slow cooking cuts include: beef shin, (Serves 6, prep time 20 minutes, Method mutton shoulder, ox cheek, pork knuckle, cooking time 4 hours on high/8 hours on slow) • Mix together the beef, pork, egg and seasoning neck, trotters and lamb shank, neck and in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 12 and shoulder. You can afford to experiment when Ingredients shape each piece into a meatball. you are slow cooking 400g minced beef • Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a high • Using a slow cooker to make jams and 400g minced pork heat and seal the meatballs, cooking them until condiments actually speeds up the process 1 egg, beaten golden brown all over. Transfer them to the by softening fruit without drying it out. Slice 4 tbsp olive oil slow cooker. fruit and slow cook on a low heat overnight to 1 onion, chopped • Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and make a great base 2 carrots, chopped cook the onion, carrots, garlic, and celery for • You can cook dried bean, lentil and pea dishes. 3 garlic cloves, chopped five minutes until softened. Transfer to the slow To prepare the pulses, they’ll need to be soaked 1 celery stalk, chopped cooker. Stir in the tomato puree, red wine, overnight to soften and boiled for 10 minutes to 1 tbsp tomato puree chopped tomatoes, mixed herbs, sugar and get rid of the toxins 100ml red wine seasoning. Cook for four hours on the high 2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes setting or eight hours on low. 1 tbsp mixed herbs • Serve hot, with pasta. 1 tsp sugar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

January/February 2011 Stiritup 09 the one Stoptea Shop Offer your customers a brand they trust and the range they want. From Everyday Tea to Speciality Speciality teaS 12 compartment box Teas, Tea Deli, Infusions and Green Tea, Twinings offers a true one-stop-shop. All supported by a wide range of branded merchandise solutions. And as market leader* with 300 years of blending expertise, no-one knows tea better. infuSionS 3 tier Stand

For more information contact Twinings Customer Services on 01264 348 181 *Market leaders in Speciality Teas, Infusions and Green Tea (AC Nielsen UK Mat Value Share October 2010)

TW2583.indd 1 17/11/10 12:21:35

All the Chinese you need to know this Chinese New Year Quick and convenient to use

A range of classic authentic Chinese and Oriental sauces and noodles

Create the authentic cooking experience and provide a superb menu choice

Products available include: Sweet & Sour Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sweet Chilli Sauce, Black Bean Sauce, Hoi Sin Sauce, Garlic Sauce, Spicy Szechuan Sauce, Plum Sauce, Light Soy Sauce FOOD Five ways

to use...... Country Range USE S TO Y sweet chilli A V E W sauce FI Spice up your dishes this winter with Country Range sweet chilli sauce (12 x 700ml).

This thick, glistening red sauce studded with red chilli pepper flakes is the perfect balance of spicy and sweet. It makes the perfect dipping sauce Why not try this easy for Chinese dumplings and spring rolls - but is also incredibly versatile and can be recipe for sweet chilli used as an ingredient in a whole host of dishes. mushrooms with halloumi cheese? Here are some examples: • Use as an ingredient in compound butter. Whip teaspoon of sauce into the butter then reform, Ingredients in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and chill 8 flat mushrooms until it is firm enough to be sliced. Melt on top 4 tbsp chilli flavoured or extra virgin olive oil of meats and vegetables for a spicy ‘kick’. 150g halloumi cheese, sliced 4-6 tbsp sweet chilli dipping sauce • It can be used in marinades for chicken and Rocket salad leaves to serve salmon. Mix half a cup of sweet chilli sauce, the juice of two large limes, zest of a lime, one teaspoon of soy sauce and one teaspoon of Method finely grated fresh ginger. • Heat the grill to high. Place the mushrooms gill-side up on a grill rack, brush all over • Add a hint of spice to salads with this dressing: with with the oil and season with salt and combine four tablespoons fresh lemon ground black pepper. Cook under the grill juice, three tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce, for five minutes until the juices start ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper to run. and four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. • Top with the halloumi cheese slices then return to the grill and cook for a further • Mix half a cup of sour cream with two 4-5minutes until the cheese is golden tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce to make a and crisp. Arrange two on four serving delicious dipping sauce for sweet potato or plates and spoon a little chilli sauce over regular potato wedges. It can also be used as each. Serve with the salad leaves. a dip for chips and/or raw vegetables.

January/February 2011 Stiritup 11

FOOD MY SIGNATURE ISH D NATURE G Y SI

DISH RIT Ice queen Karen Barber CE L E B loves nothing better “ This recipe than chilling out over is very close to my heart because a nice home-cooked by KAREN BARBER my grandma used meal with her family. to make it...”

The much-loved judge on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, Winter Olympics, placing 12th, and at the 1984 Karen Barber which begins its sixth series on ITV on January 9, Winter Olympics, where they placed 6th. keeps her cool in the kitchen by cooking up hearty The busy mum-of-two now works as an ice skating northern dishes, which were inspired by coach and tours professionally, as well as her role for my signature dish but then I thought ‘No, we her grandma and mum. as judge on Torvill & Dean’s Dancing on Ice. should champion traditional cooking’. Food at Karen started figure skating when she was Karen, who lives in Lancashire, has chosen to the moment is too fancy - but most people don’t 14 and took gold in the UK National Junior share an old family recipe for Pea and Ham Soup have time for that, especially if they’ve got children. Championships and silver at the World with Dumplings as her signature dish. “This recipe is very close to my heart because Junior Figure Skating Championships. She explains: “Obviously I spend a lot of time my grandma used to make it so it is one of those With partner and fellow Dancing on Ice judge Nicky in ice rinks so I need something that will warm things that I really associate with my childhood. Slater, she was the 1983 European bronze medallist me up! Now my mum makes it and my girls always fight and they represented Great Britain at the 1980 “At first I tried to come up with something ‘posh’ over who’s got the most dumplings!”

Pea and Ham Soup with Dumplings

• Soak peas overnight with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda • Put a ham shank in a pan with salt and bring to the boil, simmer for about an hour • When the ham is cooked, take out of the pan. Give the peas a good rinse then add to the ham stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of hours • Slice the ham into chunks and put in with the peas and check for seasoning • Make dumplings with suet and a little water, roll into small rounds and cook for 20 minutes • Serve with crusty bread.

January/February 2011 Stiritup 13 THE MARKET PLACE 14 ‘TEAM GREEN’ Professional Baco launches Systems Wrap Film FOOD 18 months. begin to reach the final stages of its lifespan after within 12 months of opening as the cling filmwill that for best results the cling filmshould be used P ovens. E be used inthe fridge, freezer and inmicrowave suitable for covering and wrapping allfoods. I the same way as conventional cling filmand it is N forreduce waste the benefitof the environment.” practical products that helpthemmanage to and for We caterers. developing are to committed solutions provide continuesto innovative Systems and this launch demonstrates Wrap how Film their approach andrecycling kitchen to waste Systems says: “All are caterers re-thinking C of materials such as twigs and straw. that’s faster than the natural degrading process will completely biodegrade inaround two years; P to acombination of heat, light and oxygen B separation from other materials. O biodegrade even inlandfill, avoiding the need for oxo-biodegradable additive allowing it to readily safe, B M cling film- the first of its kind in the UK. new B commitment to the environment with the launch of W laire M rofessional B rofessional B ew B ade from polyethylene and completely food rap Film Systems ( WFS) isunderlining its Stirit aco P aco P PL MARKET aco P organ, marketing manager at W ach 350cm x200 metre carton of B up January/F rofessional B rofessional B PRO rofessional B ioW ioW NE IN THE rap cling film advises the caterer rap willstart to degrade and DUCTS ebruary 2011 ioW ioW ioW rap 100% biodegradable W rap can be used in rap contains an nce exposed ACE

rap Film aco aco t can flavour for that perfect ‘guilt free’ muffin treat. market trends. caterers the opportunity to benefit from dough pizzas into foodservice to give a range of branded frozen fresh In response they have launched eat pizza at least once aweek. owns C UK’s no.1 frozen branded pizza company which According to the latest figures from DrOetker -the your fingertips. pizza and you have aprofitable opportunity at handheld snacks inthe pub sector aredriven by out. C of reasons and meal occasions behind eating flexible menus to cater for the broadening range there isincreasing pressure on pubs to provide With the erosion of the traditional eating timetable, and P and White C range, which also includes Blueberry, R latest addition to the R A new toffee and banana flavour muffin is the little extra work. to hot and cold drinksales with very to help caterers add extra value thaw and serve bakery products R morning or mid afternoon menu. cookies and doughnuts to your mid of ‘treat me’ products such as muffins, making times of day by adding aselection Turn coffee breaks into one of your key profit- a Moment Muffins in with Chicago Town! Make some dough eadi-B production of foil from virgin aluminium. process uses 80per cent less energy than the seating, railway sidings and even cookware. The and recycled from car components, stadia aluminium that has been reclaimed, re-processed This innovative foil for everyday use ismade from to the Team G R The launch of B green credentials Adding value with ecycled Aluminiumadds strength you can trust oppy Seed and also areduced fatM ombine this with the fact that 90 per cent of hicago Town -over 90 per cent of Brits now ake has created arange of hocolate, D reen line-up. acoFoil P eadi-B ouble C rofessional 100% ake P hoc C remium M hunk, L aspberry ixed B emon uffin erry £1 per slice. pizza by selling it for around £5.00profit on each three minutes, pubs can make From freezer to oven to plate in C C comprises 4C Served as whole pizzas or slices, the range hicago Town sauce stuffed crust. hicken Supreme, allof which have the distinctive of dispensing. cartons. They aremetal edged to ensure ease come inimpactful and tamper-proof robust B collections along with other aluminiumproducts. itself be readily recycled via local authority P A vailable in45cm x60 metre, B rofessional 100% R oth B aco P rofessional Team G heese, Inferno, P ecycled Aluminiumcan epperoni and reen products acoFoil

FOOD The future is Crème Comes healthy for Aviko Out On Top Leading potato products supplier Aviko has become For Muffins the first in foodservice to provide the whole of Europe and overseas markets with frozen potato The latest Craigmillar Crème Cake Mixes from CSM specialities prepared using pure sunflower oil. United Kingdom, are perfect for making the most From this month (January), Aviko’s range of potato delicious muffins. The easy to use mixes, in plain ACE specialty products will be made using 100 per cent and chocolate varieties, give bakers easy access sunflower oil, and contain just 12 per cent saturated to the UK’s £70.5million muffin market. fat compared to the 50 per cent saturated fat when Muffins made using Craigmillar Crème Cake using traditional palm oil. Mix are incredibly moist and soft eating, giving Healthy potato products won’t mean a sacrifice in your muffins a real point of difference that your flavour, as the new sunflower oil range will offer customers will appreciate. the same signature taste and result synonymous The mixes create a cake with a resilient crumb THE MAR K ET PL with Aviko, enabling operators to meet the growing structure that holds inclusions evenly through demand for healthier menu options. the batter so you can confidently create a selection of muffins with different and even quite chunky inclusions such as real chocolate chips or large fruit pieces that offer excellent, luxury appeal. Craigmillar Crème Cake Mixes are available in 12.5kg bags and in two popular variants. Both mixes meet the FSA 2010 sodium guidelines when using the standard recipe. NEW Chocolate Crème Cake Mix is characterised by a rich chocolate flavour and dark colour that is PRODUCTS delicious on its own or add chocolate chips, fruit, nuts or dark cherry pieces to create menu variety. IN THE Plain Crème Cake Mix is the perfect ‘blank canvas’ MARKETPLACE for a variety of inclusions such as sultanas, cherries, blueberries or raspberries. Alternatively drizzle with a fudge icing or decorate with sliced nuts or fruit slices to give consumer choice.

Cash in on cupcakes

Readi-Bake have launched Readi-Bake Cupcakes are Creamy, dreamy a new range of cupcakes available in pack sizes of 12 in three delicious flavours, cheesecakes Chocolate Swirl, Zesty Lemon Caterers looking to indulge sweet tooths with one of the top-listed desserts in foodservice can now and Strawberry Swirl. whisk up dreamy cheesecakes with help from These soft and moist sponge cupcakes baking expert Dr Oetker. are filled and frosted for an indulgent The foodservice supplier has developed new taste and luxury appearance that is Cheesecake Base Mix and Cheesecake Filling Mix right on trend. to bring more variety to dessert menus, whilst Readi-Bake Cupcakes are suitable giving caterers the freedom to add everything from for all types of food retail outlets; all rich, hot fudge sauce to fresh fruit toppings to their you need is a freezer to provide your works of art. customer with fresh, tasty, appealing Creating cheesecakes with a creamy texture and treats for any time of the day and potentially oaty base, the easy-to-use butter formulas simply all day - so you never miss an opportunity as it require water to make up 96 portions. takes just 90 minutes to defrost at 15-20 degrees.

January/February 2011 Stiritup 15 FAVOURITES COUNTR Y C L U B

OFFERS COMPETITIONS FREEBIES - exclusively for customers of the Country Range Group. Welcome to the Country Club

The Ultimate Slow Cooker The ultimate Slow Cooker fAVOURiteS Favourites recipe book by Cara Hobday (Ebury Press)

You’ve read the reasons why slow Choose from a light and tasty Provencal Pasta cooking is great for saving money Sauce or Seafood Risotto, or rustle up a hearty winter warmer such as Creamy Lamb and (page 9)- and now here’s your chance Cauliflower Kashmir curry. to win a brilliant new book packed The author Cara Hobday is a food stylist, writer with 100 mouth-watering recipes to and chef who has worked in kitchens all over cook up. the world. She is author of eight other cookery titles and the book’s beautiful photographic illustrations were taken by her husband, Rob White.

For your chance to grab a free copy simply send an email titled ‘Slow Cook Book’, with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range wholesaler, to [email protected]

16 Stiritup January/February 2011 FAVOURITES Let’s drink to these hot prizes To celebrate the launch of our new Category Focus feature, we’ve got two fabulous prizes inspired by this issue’s topic: Hot Beverages.

One lucky reader will scoop a COUNTR Y C L U B fantastic Coffee Queen Thermos worth £265. The Coffee Queen Thermos brews coffee directly into a 2.2ltr thermos, and is great for keeping the coffee warm whilst a fantastic Coffee retaining its taste and aroma, making Queen Thermos serving great coffee simple and flexible, as you can serve it anywhere. worth £265

To be in with a chance of winning, simply send an email titled ‘Hot Beverages competition’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range wholesaler, to: [email protected]

Call on Horlicks to Unwind The benefits of a milky drink before bed in helping you unwind are well documented and original Horlicks has been there to help the nation nod off since 1883.

Now, renowned chef Paul Hartley wants to move an iphone, horlicks the malty favourite from the bedtime routine. He’s determined to get us all cooking with Horlicks by recipe book & jar followingWin the simple, sweet and savoury recipes in of horlicks his latest book, ‘The Horlicks Cookbook’. Colourful and easy to follow with lots of fascinating Horlicks facts, the book details 40 tantalising everyday dishes. The book is available from www.horlicks.co.uk (RRP: £7.99) but we have 11 to give away. Each book comes with a 2kg jar of original Horlicks but the reader whose name is first picked from the competition hat will not only receive their book and drink, but also a high spec iPhone!

For your chance to win, simply send an e-mail titled ‘Horlicks Competition’, along with your name, address, daytime contact telephone number and the name of your Country Range wholesaler, to: [email protected].

Closing date for all competitions: 28th February 2011. All winners will be notified by 31st March 2011. Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to: Country Range Group, PO Box 508, Burnley, January/February 2011 Stiritup 17 LancashireWin BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/competitions R M......     - 

Buy any bag of Tilda Easy Cook Basmati 5kg or Easy Cook Basmati & Wild 3kg and receive a FREE £5 JD Wetherspoon voucher*!

*Offer valid from 10th January 2011 - 25th February 2011.

“Across all JD Wetherspoon pubs we have been known to sell up to a quarter of a million curries in a 4 week period, serving Tilda Basmati rice with every one of those dishes! Testament enough to the Tilda brand I’d say.” Paul Miller, The Welkin, JD Wetherspoon, Liverpool

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHY RICE MATTERS AND THE TILDA BASMATI RICE RANGE VISIT WWW.TILDAFOODSERVICE.COM

Til2616.indd 1 18/11/10 16:57:26 this industry. beforehand nothing about soIknew says P “We the to trade,” were absolutely new Dining P - and have been named The G on, it seems the savvy duo now know agreat deal I to their run dream pub inthe W and re-locating with their three young daughters B pub industry. knew aboutthe nothing they to admit first are the Peter andAngela Gatling G andT From I.T.to t has been asteep learning but, curve five years ut it didn’t stop them from giving up their jobs eter. “Iworked inITfor 20years ub O f The Y ear 2011 for their efforts. ood P est C ub G ountry. uide D evon and cleanlinessare alsoextremely important. is the atmosphere flagshipbut the wines,beers, do.It’sto Thefood detail. to allabout attention thatis whattheyou you customers want want, thing makesure isto that whatyou are doing “We time.The important over let have itevolve negative messages. closed the skittlealley, which were allvery didn’t children welcome ordogsandthey Welcome’ owners pub.Theprevious country gastropub an exclusive an‘Everyone to continues P occasions’ expensive,” quite pubbecauseitwas for food regarded butwas asa‘specials ithadagoodreputation “When itover took we B was enough to lurethe G the beautiful Blackdown H was originally aD The M good lookandfell with this place.” inlove through We rose-tinted spectacles. hada didn’tThis isabusinessandwe lookatit “However, you can’t beemotional. choice. soitseemedanobvious food anddrink change oflifestyle, liked always have andwe We makea businessandto ourown wanted erkshire home. erry H eter. “We from being moved have arriers dates back to 1492 and evon longhouse. I atlings away from the ills, C layhidon, and t stands in P of the Y scooping The G All their hard work and efforts have culminated in littlewastage.”things that sellsothere isvery makeathome.Weto of order littleandoften somethinginto wouldn’t that ourdiners beable “We it localfish,meatand game andturn serve are. really Hewas impressed.” goodthe products onhow commented inspector products. ourlast EHOvisit,the Infact, during product. I’malsoabigfan ofthe cleaning If you are cookingfrom scratch, it’s aquality wrong, isreally itsplits.TheCRbutter good. different fat andifthe constituency contents is says: a particularly big fan of C selection of C The M of the hard work ofthe team.” for reward all Itisawonderful overwhelming. are featured inthepickvery guidesoto uswas hasabout1,500“Devon pubsand57 ofthem independently read guideinthe pubtrade. for customers It’s customers. by the most are written the pubtrade andthe reviews eter adds: awardsare of the Oscars “The erry H “There are different with“There typesofbutter ear title. arriers’ team of chefs use awide January/F ountry R ood P ub G ange products and P ebruary 2011 Stirit uide D ountry R evon Dining P

ange butter. H FEATURES

eter is ub up 19 e

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Away from home, busy day ahead? For a great breakfast...

IT HAS TO BE

With more and more operators recognising Breakfast as an opportunity for extra profit, it’s crucial your breakfast menu meets the demands of your customers – quality, choice and value.

Seeing the brands that your customers Product Case Size Code know and love reassures them of the HP Brown Sauce 8 x 285g quality of your menu and signals that you Heinz Tomato 10 x 342g care about the food you serve. Ketchup Heinz Beanz 12 x 840g

HEINZS GHT Trademark(s) owned by Ajinomoto INSIGHT FROM HEINZ Co. Inc., Tokyo, Japan, used under FREEPHONE CARELINE 0800 575755 licence by HP Foods Limited

236786 Food Services Ad.indd 1 03/11/2010 16:18 FAVOURITES

Mark Baumann is a regular Stir it up columnist. He is the owner of the Baumann’sacclaimed Baumann’s Brasserie in Coggeshall, Essex, was electedBlog as a Master Chef of Great Britain in 2003, is a regular TV chef - and is a proud customer of the Country Range Group. Each issue, he shares anecdotes about life in his chaotic world of catering…

The last couple of months

of last year were manic! I V OURITES was inundated with requests FA for TV and fundraising work, and it’s very hard to say no.

First up was the OysterFest in Colchester which is an annual event attended by 250 dignitaries. It’s full of pomp and ceremony and I kind of underestimated how posh it would be. I was one of three guest speakers. I went to Holland with Jean-Christophe Novelli (JC) judging on their version of Masterchef, which was an excellent experience and very well put-together. I’ve also been in Cumbria doing a great Northern Air Ambulance fundraiser, where we worked with students from the local college to cook a meal for the event. I appeared on BBC Essex as part of Children in Need, doing Ready Steady Cook in front of an audience of around 600 people. We won but I caused a bit of a food fight! It was all a bit too boring and staid so I ‘splatted’ the presenter - but she wasn’t very happy because I ruined her top! hospitality. Everyone was smoking and, when we have a great team who allow me to go off and do My final destination last year was Moscow, which arrived the chefs were all asleep in the kitchen, and my thing. I made it back for the big Christmas and was a truly amazing place. JC and I were invited had to be woken up! New Year rush, which leads me on to wishing you a do some master classes and a dinner for 220 of This year we’ve been invited to do a demo on the Very Happy and Prosperous New Year! the Russian elite - gymnasts, singers, actors, the new QE2 in April, which we’re very excited about equivalent of our A-list here - in the most incredible and a return to Russia, this time to St Petersburg, is Happy cooking! hotel. I have to say the systems out there are looking likely. bizarre and the maitre d’s are totally useless. They All in all, I was away from the brasserie for are a long way behind this country in terms of longer than I would have liked but I’m lucky that I Mark Don’t get Look out for the ‘Soft Tissue Standard’ Logo on caught short! Country Range paper products as your guarantee of quality. In these difficult economic times there are short- Call your Country Range wholesaler, today to length toilet rolls being sold as full-length rolls. ensure you beat the cheats and get the most Rest assured that all Country Range Professional out of every roll. Brand products offer you value for money and peace of mind. It will save you money!

January/February 2011 Stiritup 21 Simply

Brian Eastment, Exec. add value Development Chef of Major Int. Marinades that provide exceptional flavour with an authentic aroma shows why Major Marinades that will take your dishes on a journey across the East and beyond. are winners in the kitchen.

Oriental Coronation Chicken Baguette 10 covers

Ingredients: Cooked diced chicken meat 451g Mayonnaise 190g Major Oriental Mari-Base® Marinade 37g Soy sauce – low salt 18ml Five spice seasoning 4ml Chives – chopped 1 tablespoon Flaked almonds 75g Mango – peeled & thinly sliced 225g Coriander – chopped to garnish Dried chilli flakes to garnish

Method: 1. Mix together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, Major Oriental Mari-Base® Marinade and the five spice seasoning. 2. Stir in the chopped chives, flaked almonds and mango. 3. Toss the chicken into the Yielding mixture until well coated. 4. Garnish top of baguette 166 servings with chopped coriander and chilli flakes. per case es) (c/s = 2 x 1.25 litr Suitable for Coeliacs & Vegetarians Great taste with a great profit Tenderises and penetrates meat, The costing guide below gives an idea of the kind of margins that can be ideal to flavour fish and vegetables generated from our recommended recipes. Suggested Selling Price £3.25 Cash Gross profit £1.90 VAT @ 20% £0.65 Net Selling Price £2.60 As % of net sales profit 73%

Ingredients Costs: All prices & weights based on a 100g portion Cooked Diced Chicken Meat 45g = .18p Mayonnaise 19g = .04p All ingredient costs are based on local Major Oriental Mari-Base® Marinade 3.7g = .005p supermarket prices as of 19.11.2010 Soy Sauce - Low Salt 1.8g = .01p Major Mini Pork Ribs* Five Spice Seasoning 0.4ml = .005p Chives – Chopped 1.5g = .01p Flaked Almonds 7.5g = .06p *Contact us for free recipes Mango - peeled & thinly Sliced 22.5g = .05p Coriander To Garnish = .02p Dried Chilli Flakes To Garnish = .02p Total Costs of filling (100g) 40p Approx Cost of Baguette 30p Total Costs 70p

Major Spicy Turkey Soup* 11 flavours for all seasons

For further information on how we can add value to your kitchen call our Customer Services free on 0800 58 77 333, quote STIR111 www.majorint.com RANGE o one dependableand dynamiccompany.” needfrom they everything confidently order outlet the to largest businessto catering of products enablesanyone from the smallest Range. with Country Theirfantastic variety beworking to excited and very I’m delighted -and informative andvery trade journal great read“I always Stir itupmagazine -it’s a appearances inS the C N dishes orfor soup.” bulkingupatomato It’stomatoes. perfect for lasagneandpasta - it’s the freshof flavour andexudes very “I alsoreally andbasilsauce likethe tomato amazing too. is and flavour the price brands. Ithasagreat creaminess comparablethe itisto large andhow Range mayonnaise. It’s the Ilove wonderful! admit, however, beingabigfan to ofCountry to to single difficult oneout.Ihave is very H having been adevotee for the last five years. H versatility with afabulous recipe for you to try. C E Blackpool H hospitals, having achieved excellent results at on specialised projects at P In addition, N Food G B numerous awards, including H N and J G where hiscelebrity diners include footballer S The V Anton E chefs, including Albert R N Range kitchen. Country delicious dishesfrom the will becookingupsome have anew who columnist, we also announcethat to Stir itupisdelighted look, To ournew coincidewith ach issue, N ountry R errard, boxer R est N igel isextremely pleased to be working with igel has hosted hisown T igel Smith has worked with ahost of renowned e says: products are fabulous “The andit e isno stranger to C n ountry R illa, W ean C orth W uide’s taste of Britain award. delmann. H th ange products and demonstrating their hristophe N rea G ospital in2009/10. est R igel iscurrently working with the NHS igel willbe road-testing one or more ange G icky H reen, near P tir it up. estaurant 2010 and the G e iscurrently chef/patron at roup and making regular ountry R e atton and chefs M ovelli. oux, P V series and has won reston and C reston inL ange products, aul H i-Life Dining A eathcote and ancashire, ichel R horley ood wards’ teven oux January/F ebruary 2011 Stirit FOOD up 23

ON THE RANGE 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Beverages from Country Range

Country Range 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ range comprises: Roast & Ground 50 x 60g Filter Coffee Teabags 1100’s Enveloped String 250’s and Tag Teabags String and Tag 250’s Teabags

With 92% of consumers willing to pay extra for a product perceived to be ethical1, our range of 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ tea and coffee will improve your margins whilst giving your customers a feel good factor.

New Country Range 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™, roast and ground filter coffee is sweet but well-balanced with toasted almond notes and cost-effectively delivers the perfect pick me up without damaging the ecosystem where the beans are grown.

Our range of tea is sourced from one of the world’s first 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ tea estates to offer a premium blend Kenyan tea. The enveloped tea bags are perfect for front of house or as part of a room service tray.

Point of sale material for our 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ product portfolio is available on request.

1 Feel Good Research – 2008 0845 519 6181 www.countryrange.co.uk CATEGORY FOCUS Hot

Beverages ES V ERA G

Hot drinks sales continue to rise in spite of E Tea remains the recent recession and increased prices. the biggest seller, B HOT accounting for The hot beverages market is up 7.2 However, 25 per cent of tea drunk per cent, adding £110.7million to the total value is NOT everyday tea. Are YOU 34 per cent of of £1.6million. While hot chocolate and malted catering for this sizeable chunk market share drinks have struggled, tea and coffee sales are soaring but consumers are demanding more of the market? and more choice. According to Twinings Foodservice, demand for premium teas is growing and this offers a Tea Time significant profit opportunity. They suggest Tea prices may have reached record levels offering a range of Speciality Teas, Infusions worldwide, but this has not quashed Britain’s and Green Teas to maximise profit potential thirst for its daily cuppa. from high margin products. Twinings’ new Tea remains the biggest seller, accounting for 34 Infusions range offers a selection of Herbal & per cent of market share (coffee is 17 per cent) Fruit Infusions, Green & White Teas made from and Tetley remains the brand leader, followed by only 100% natural ingredients, perfect for PG Tips then Twinings, Typhoo and Yorkshire Tea. today’s health-conscious consumers. Of the 145 million cups drunk each day in the UK A range of free PoS materials are available to only 10 per cent are consumed away from home. caterers to help maximise sales at a premium price point.

Tea consumption habits (Tetley) 3% 2%

red tea 5% g reen tea d ecaffeinated 6% fruit and herbal

9% special ity tea

75% of consumers drink everyday tea

January/February 2011 Stiritup 25 They get the coffee they love. You get their loyalty.

When you’re serving NESCAFÉ® coffee you’re The NESCAFÉ® Coffee difference: unlocking the flavour of 100% pure coffee. • Britain’s No. 1 coffee* NESCAFÉ® Original delivers the full-flavoured taste the nation loves. Serving it will encourage • Over 16,000 cups enjoyed every minute† your customers to keep coming back for more. • Range of formats, including stickpacks Whatever your needs, you’ll find the perfect and decaff variants, to satisfy every coffee solution in our comprehensive range. consumer need • NESTLÉ® is investing over £200 million in coffee projects over the next 10 years to make a difference to everyone, from farmers to consumers

*TNS Brand Tracker 2009 † IRI MAT 14 Aug 2010

For professional advice to grow your business, call us today on 0800 745 845 or visit nescafe-beveragesolutions.co.uk ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. CATEGORY FOCUS Coffee break es According to a recent survey by Nestlé Professional on out of home trends in coffee consumption, v era g e there is an increase in demand for great tasting ‘cafe-style’ coffees, and the need to ‘raise the

bar’ on the quality of hot beverages served in the b hot workplace. Also trusted consumer brands are Pubs are also turning to hot beverages to help preferred, generating ‘feelgood’ factor amongst them to boost their profits but getting your employees. ‘Spoon to cup’ products, such as offering right is essential. Here are some Nescafé Latte and Cappuccino, will help you key points to bear in mind: capitalise on current trends without the need for investing in new machinery. • Make sure you are catering for the right market Café-style coffees are now • Don’t over-complicate your menu - six the norm and consumers are expresso-based drinks and six teas and Hotels capitalising infusions are ample clamouring to get their hands on coffee culture • Check what your competitors are offering and how much they charge on their next cappuccino, Hotels are also starting to capitalise on the coffee • Never undersell yourself - people expect to culture - and not just at mealtimes. pay around £2 for a decent coffee latte, americano, mocha, Savvy hoteliers are creating cafés in their lobbies • Highlight the fact that your coffee is macchiato or frappuccino! and bars to tempt customers - both guests and Fairtrade etc. people walking in off the street - at all hours • Make sure your customers know about your Last year the total roast and ground segment grew of the day. offering, via a blackboard or PoS materials by 12 per cent to £165million and instant coffee It makes sense to utilise the space to its full (many brands offer free PoS) was valued at £671million and is currently growing potential and there is an enormous mark-up on • Introduce a coffee/hot drink of the month to at 4.6 per cent. Nescafé is currently the largest hot drinks, although obviously there is the initial keep your menu fresh coffee brand in the UK enjoying over 82.8 per cent investment in equipment to take into consideration. market share in the out-of-home market. Estimates show that staff training and equipment costs between £3-4,000 but if you can Bean to cup machines (which grind the coffee on sell 50 cups of coffee a day at £1.50, demand for each cup) ensure fresh-tasting coffee you can make a return of and are becoming the norm in coffee shops where around £23,000 a year, individual servings are required. However, filter so it’s definitely coffee is still the preferred option when catering for worth considering... large numbers, such as conference or banqueting when speed of service is paramount.

The future of cafés in the UK is bright and it is predicted that over 800 new coffee shops will Last year open in the next three years. Although big branded the total roast chains are growing, this is not to the detriment of quality independents, which remain a key and ground segment component of the market. According to him! Food grew by 12 per cent to Go 2010 study, 39% of coffee shop customers would buy a meal deal if there was one available. to £165million So bundle in a cake or snack according to the time of day and encourage customers to trade-up their purchase.

January/February 2011 Stiritup 27 AFH6810_Kenco Ad.pdf 1 08/11/2010 11:35

We only buy beans for our Kenco freeze dried coffee range from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. Rainforest Alliance certification helps to ensure a decent wage for workers, access to education for their children, and protection for the environment.

At Kenco, we’ve dedicated ourselves to coffee pleasure for over 80 years. So you can be sure that the coffee you choose is specially selected and carefully blended to give a delicious coffee experience.

Quality is at the heart of everything we do and the Kenco brand is your reassurance of this promise. We offer Kenco freeze dried coffee in a range of convenient catering formats designed to meet the needs of any environment.

AFH6810 CATEGORY FOCUS Hot chocolate and malted drinks According to Mintel, the hot chocolate market grew by 20 per cent between 2007 and 2009 and is now worth just under £100million.

By contrast, once-iconic malted drinks saw sales es decline by 12 per cent between 2005 and 2009. Their research shows that both hot chocolate and malted drinks are often viewed as an “occasional v era g drink” as they are heavier and more calorific than e tea or coffee. Cadbury still claims the No 1 spot with their hot hot b hot chocolate portfolio valued at £41million, and new variants are being introduced to combat these consumer perceptions. Low calorie Cadbury Highlights, for example, targets the female population and is currently worth £9.5million. Similarly, Aero is lighter and bubblier than traditional hot chocolate. The malted drinks segment is dominated by Horlicks with a 65 per cent share. Malted drinks are a popular choice amongst the over 65s and care caterers can capitalise on this market by including a malted drinks offering to residents. Many hoteliers are also missing the opportunity to offer individual sachets of malted drinks on bedroom trays or include them on their room service menu. Horlicks have also published a recipe book containing 40 sweet and savoury dishes that feature Horlicks. Current trends • Ethical offering more and more consumers are making informed choices about the tea and coffee they drink and, in response, many cafés and restaurants now include a sustainable/ethical option on their hot drinks menu such as Fairtrade or those sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. with 92 per cent of consumers willing to pay extra for a product perceived to be ethical, this is a trend that can work positively for caterers’ margins.

• Quality own brand ranges are also thriving. country Range was the first brand in foodservice Martin Ward, Country Range Group purchasing to offer a tea that is 100% sourced from manager, says: “When brand isn’t important Soya milk-friendly products rainforest Alliance Certified farms. With the but provenance of offering is, our Rainforest In response to the growing trend for dairy- range now including 1100s, Envelope Tea, String Alliance CertifiedTM products offer quality, free diets, Tetley have launched a new & Tag teabags and Roast and Ground Filter exceptional value and better margin opportunities, blend of tea created specifically to work coffee, Country Range offers caterers the largest without compromising on taste. We also perfectly with soya milk. range of 100% Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM provide PoS material to help you highlight hot beverages in foodservice. your sustainable offer.”

January/February 2011 Stiritup 29 CafeCulture Ad NOV10 HR.pdf 12/11/10 17:12:47

CAFE SOLUTIONS

Coffee Prophet

The UK coffee market is the most developed in Europe – representing 42% of the total European market.* So it’s crucial that now – more than ever – you maximise the sales opportunities available. At Kerry Foodservice we’ve developed a unique, solution-led approach to help caterers and end-users make the most of the UK’s café culture, featuring a range of core products: • DaVinci Gourmet Coffee Syrups – for adding flavour shots to drinks, from a Hazlenut Latte through to a Vanilla Frappe • Caramel, Chocolate, Strawberry & White Chocolate Sauces • Frappe Mixes – available in Coffee & Vanilla Flavours C • B-Ravi Fruit Frappe Mixes – ideal for refreshing summer drinks M (or as an all-year alternative to traditional soft drinks) Y • The unique V*Go range of Porridge Pots CM

MY Discover more about Kerry Foodservice and our brands: CY www.kerryfoodservice.co.uk Email: [email protected]

CMY

K *Source: Allegra

evolving food CATEGORY FOCUS hot beverages

COFFEE l es a dv ertoria Under the brand Coffee coffee is served through a Serving Station which, if required, can be branded with a company logo v era g

Queen, Crem International to really make a big impression. Models featured in e UK Ltd sell a large range this range are the Single Tower, Double Tower, Single and Double Cater and Mega Gold. hot b hot of Filter coffee machines The great thing about filter coffee is that it is starting with the Original making quite a resurgence after many years in through to the Serving which espresso coffee has led the way. In fact many of the worlds coffees, such as the County Concept. Range 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified Filter Coffee, do not lend themselves to espresso Original is a complete series of classic coffee brewing. Filter coffee typically costs around £1.10 machines that for decades have earned a per cup versus around £2.75 for an espresso, reputation in cafés, restaurants, hotels and other making filter an attractive proposition on a sales environments where guests are served a good strategy based on a cup. coffee. Models featured in this range are the M2, The basic M2 costs £200.00, Thermos £265.00, DM4 and Thermos. Single Cater £666.00, Double Tower £1995.00. Serving Concept is a range of ‘bulk’ brewers which cater for greater numbers of customers such as you Discounts of up to 30 per cent are available for might find at a university canteen, sporting events Stir it up readers to support the launch of the and large social gatherings. They still use filter Country Range 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee but some, like the Double Tower, can brew Filter Coffee. up to 10 litres of coffee in about 7 minutes. The

Our ORDER HOTLINE David Russell - 07557-035686 - quote Stir it up when ordering to secure your discount. email: [email protected] www.creminternational.com

January/February 2011 Stiritup 31 “You wash, I’ll dry!”

Our FREE tea towel makes short work of the drying-up. FREE So make sure you get your hands on a ‘Tetley Tea Folk’ tea towel, Tea FREE inside every promotional case* of Tetley for Caterers 2x1100s. Towel

www.tetleyforcaterers.co.uk That’s better. That’s Tetley. *While stocks last

_0241O_STU51242 CRG A4 Tea Towel Ad.indd 1 12/3/10 12:47 PM CATEGORY FOCUS hot beverages

TEA l es a dv ertoria

The One Stop Shop v era g for Premium Teas e hot b hot Consumers are increasingly New Twinings Tea Deli Marketing your Perfect Serve looking for something New Twinings Tea Deli is the easy way for With research revealing that 75% of purchasing operators to put on a loose tea experience without decisions are made at point of purchase, different when purchasing the preparation needed for a loose tea service. Twinings understands the need to promote a tea out of home; as a result Consumers seek a premium experience when out range of teas to consumers, and has a variety of home and Twinings Tea Deli offers loose tea in a of merchandising solutions to suit all outlets. Speciality teas such as mesh bag, which delivers the ceremony associated Twinings offers a comprehensive range of branded Traditional English and with loose tea, and instantly gives your tea service crockery and merchandise solutions including Earl Grey are Twinings’ a more premium feel and will naturally demand a menus, tent cards, posters, tea stands and higher price. Twinings new premium tetra mesh compartment boxes to help you promote most popular blends range ‘Twinings Tea Deli’, bridges the gap for outlets your tea service and give it a premium feel. and a ‘must-have’ on looking to take the next step from a standard tea Twinings’ promotional calendar, available at bag offering. Operators can choose from six rare www.twiningsfs.co.uk, has been developed to all beverage menus. and unusual 2nd flush and single estate loose help caterers promote a range of Twinings teas tea blends including English Breakfast, Signature and infusions throughout the year, point of sale Caffeine free alternatives are also growing in Earl Grey, 2nd Flush Assam and Great Taste Award is available to download where you can print popularity with infusions such as Peppermint winner, Gunpowder, Green Tea and Mint. off monthly posters promoting a tea of the month, and Cranberry, Raspberry & Elderflower, and as well as show support for events such as naturally caffeine free Redbush all moving into Fairtrade Fortnight. the mainstream, reflecting a trend towards a healthier lifestyle and more varied tastes.

Twinings has the widest range of premium teas in the out of home market; from Everyday Tea to Speciality Teas, Loose Tea Rituals, and Tea Deli Mesh bags, and Jacksons of Piccadilly Fairtrade Teas, Twinings offers a true one-stop-shop for all your tea needs. With over 300 years of market leading expertise, and with an unrivalled reputation for quality and innovation, no-one knows tea better than Twinings. Research reveals that 75% of purchasing decisions are made at point of purchase

January/February 2011 Stiritup 33 5609_AD_CRG_TRADE_A4.indd 1 17/11/10 16:53:15 FEATURES National Chip Week

21st - 27th February S A-peeling potatoes! W A few things you never knew about chips...

• Fish and chips are a big hit at celebrity weddings. Fans include Steven Gerrard and Alex curran, Wayne Rooney and Coleen, Myleene

klass and Graham Quinn, and John Terry and D USTR Y NE D AN IN Toni Poole to name just a few.

• The fish and chip shop market is worth FOO £1.2billion - that means £1 of every £100 spent on food is spent in a chippy! • Eight out of 10 households buy frozen chips each year, so most of us have a bag in the freezer. • Over half a billion meals containing homemade chips are eaten each year. • A serving of oven chips with three fish fingers Country Range’s delicious Freeze Chill Fries are • A portion of chip shop chips contains less fat contains one third of the saturated fat found in available in three sizes: than a prawn mayonnaise sandwich. a serving of lasagne. • 11 x 11mm (7/16”) • A portion of oven chips will provide a third of • A staggering 255million fish and chips meals • 13 x 13mm (9/16”) your Recommend Daily Amount of vitamin C. are sold each year. • 9 x 18mm (Steak cut) Fair Enough for Business Growth Catering for your more ethically- Says James Bennett, of the Fairtrade Association: “An increasing number of people are making a minded customers could be conscious effort to choose Fairtrade goods and good for business, according indications suggest that despite the credit crunch, to the UK charity behind the Fairtrade marked products are continuing to Fairtrade mark. show sales growth. “We now have a total of 4,500 products bearing Some 74 per cent of Britons now recognise the the Fairtrade mark. As well as the more usual mark and know what it stands for, claims its teas and coffees, included in these and of originators the Fairtrade Association. particular interest to the hospitality trade are it helps us to continue to help the producers but It works primarily with smaller Third World wines, vodka and bar snacks such as nuts. All also, with more and more consumers supportive producers, tackling the injustices in conventional Cadbury branded chocolate bars are now made of the Fairtrade ethos, offering Fairtrade goods trade to help them achieve a fairer price for their with Fairtrade cocoa and so have the Fairtrade is an increasingly sound business proposition.” crops, including tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar and mark on pack. It’s great to have the support of The foundation is currently planning for its annual bananas among a diverse range of other produce. big companies but it’s also important to have big awareness event, Fairtrade Fortnight, which Goods from its producers are then Fairtrade marked support at all levels to continue to highlight the runs from February 28th until March 13th. For and latest figures, based on value sales for 2009, Fairtrade message to the public.” further information on this and the foundation’s show that they totalled just under £800million in Continues James: “We believe selling Fairtrade work, including its marked products, log on to the UK, representing growth of 14 per cent. marked produce now works both ways in that www.fairtrade.org.uk.

January/February 2011 Stiritup 35 Must Stock Aviko Lines! PotatoFact Essentials No. 1

Super Crunch • Outstanding crunch & crispness • Natural starch coating ensures perfect crispness & reduces oil consumption • Perfect for pubs, hotels & restaurants looking for a quality fry

Super Long • Delicious extra long fries offering great taste & plate coverage • Quick cook time & excellent holding properties • Perfect for QSR

Super Mash • Delicious & convenient creamy mash potato • Easy to use individual cubes help with portion control & waste • Endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs – who had this to say... “An excellent alternative to our homemade mash, no wastage and a consistent product.”

Veggie Burger • Mashed potato, fresh onions, carrots, sweetcorn, peas and broccoli in crispy breadcrumbs – delicious! • Generous portion size which can be oven cooked, grilled or deep fried • Perfect as a tasty veggie option

Roast Potatoes • Great tasting roasties with a fabulous taste, texture & appearance • In a blind taste test they beat the market leading brand hands down!* • Endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs – who had this to say... “They taste great and are the closest thing to making it from scratch.” Place your order today!

*Blind tastes test carried out in June 2010 with 10 Craft Guild Members. Both brands were prepared adhering strictly to the instructions on-pack and tasted blind to eliminate bias.

For more information call 01442 239 536 or visit www.aviko.co.uk Share our passion for potatoes

AVI2582-A4.indd 1 15/11/10 08:57:41 FEATURES Catering for older vegetarians A charity charged with the throats of older people whereas soya mince FARE breaks down better so it is a great for non- improving the quality of life vegetarians too.” Tina also urged care home caterers to think for older vegetarians and about the texture of the dishes they provide.

“Vegetarians and vegans don’t often get pies TH AN D W E L vegans has issued some tips and crumbles. I appreciate that some older people need softer food that is easy to swallow for care home cooks. HEA L but not everyone does. It must be awful to be Vegetarian for Life provides nutrition and catering served baby food every day!” advice to chefs working in the welfare sector, Finally she advised cooks to use herbs and spices as well as facilitating caterer training courses to liven up dishes, where appropriate, particularly in conjunction with the renowned Cordon Vert for their younger residents. Tina Fox Cookery School of the Vegetarian Society. She said: “A lot of vegetarians in care homes Tina Fox, the charity’s company secretary, claims are of an age when they have gone through a quarter of the UK’s care homes have at least the war and they are really tough characters. one resident who is vegetarian or vegan. This age group tends to like quite plain food In spite of this, Tina claims many caterers struggle but in the 1960s and 70s there to provide imaginative vegetarian alternatives for was a greater number of their non meat-eating residents and rely too heavily vegetarians and this on cheese-based dishes. generation have been “There is often an over-abundance of cheese,” exposed to more she says. “But it is high in fat so it isn’t healthy world cuisine and to eat it in every meal. As an alternative, are therefore more caterers should look at other sources of protein adventurous in their such as pulses and lentils. tastes. This will be “Also a lot of caterers are still not familiar with reflected in the types meat alternatives, such as Quorn and soya of dishes they will like mince, and they sometimes don’t know what to when they come to live do with them. You can make all of the usual in care homes.” dishes, such as Spaghetti Bolognese and cottage For more information visit pie, with soya mince and research has shown www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk that cooked minced meat can get caught in

NACC launch their ‘Keep well in winter’ campaign The elderly should be given a Recommendations include: and they are eating well. “Good nutrition is even more vital during the regular supply of hot drinks and • Aim to provide at least one hot meal a day winter months and we hope these guidelines and give hot drinks regularly throughout at least one hot meal a day to keep will provide carers the day them safe during the bitter winter with the information • Provide a hot drink before bedtime they need to help months, says the National • Prepare a thermos flask of a hot drink to the elderly to Association of Care Catering. have by residents’/patients’ beds stay in good In order to help pensioners be as prepared as Derek Johnson, NACC chairman, says: “Winter is a health this possible for the winter months the NACC has time when everyone’s health can suffer. However, winter.” been working with local authorities to develop illness like flu and pneumonia can lead to serious new guidelines which will be sent out to the complications for older people so it is really UK’s 12million pensioners. important to ensure their health is in good check

January/February 2011 Stiritup 37 education 38 Stirit - asSchool Food Trust isaxedasG time since1970 take upforthefirst Rise inschool meals features up January/F ebruary 2011

overnment quango our young people a great start inlife.” start our young peopleagreat in foodimprovements andeducationgive inchildren’sinvolved inspire to food anddrink work willbeableto withmeans we everyone Community Interest Companyand charity “We asa status are confident that ournew a widerrange offoods athome. suggested that thischildren isleadingto eating ofparents climbingandarecentnow survey number ofchildren eatingthem. Numbers are andaffordable,tasty increase andto the makesureto that school lunches are wholesome, andother groups with schools, localauthorities in school food andfood education,working amountofexpertise anenormous developed the established, Trust“Since itwas has placeinrecenttaken years. inschoolthe improvements food which have buildupon planto a realistic andachievable develop to working closely with the Government the last“Over fewbeen have months we School Food Trust C mid-1970s. had been declining almost every year since the B C be acharity and willestablish aseparate the D 2011 and willtherefore no longer be funded by departmental public body with effect from April the School Food Trust willbe axed as anon- The news came as it was announced that per cent -up 0.8per cent on the previous year. in secondary schools currently stands at 35.8 The number of children eating school lunches 41.4 per cent. and special schools rose by 2.1 per cent to of children eating aschool lunch inprimary The latest figures reveal that the proportion mid-1970s.since the time gone upfor first the Uptake mealshas ofschool s ommunity InterestC efore the Trust was established, meal numbers epartment of E hairman, R ducation. I ompany. ob R t willcontinue to ees, said: features “Darling don’t forget to facebook us a table for two” Growing number of customers want to book online

For restaurant marketing Hiccups So it’s a case of being careful and using it professionally.” “We are getting a lot more customers as a result Isobel says she has been able to slash her media manager Isobel Gibbions of our Facebook page. And that is for both the budget - but stresses you shouldn’t be too quick y restaurants and leisure club.” it was something of a to put a stop to conventional advertising methods. it Isobel advises nominating one trusted member tumbleweed moment. of staff to update the Facebook site - which will Marketing mix incorporate a link to your company website and “I’d suggested we put our two venues on location details. “You have got to have a good marketing mix,” Facebook,” she says, “but there were some She says: “It is important to remember that she says. “You can’t just suddenly only do l p ita hos raised eyebrows and doubts at first.” if you are using Facebook for business, there one thing. Like many successful organisations with a tried needs to be some protocol. “We also have Twitter, but there is a different and trusted marketing strategy, the old phrase “For example there were a few hiccups when user. For example Facebook targets our market ‘better the devil you know’ often raises its horned we first started our site. There was a little bit for Brampton Manor and Leisure Club. Twitter head. But as Isobel points out, Facebook works - of banter between male staff - a bit of bravado is better suited to our other venue, the Fox and and it is free! going on - and I had to point out that Goose, slightly older, maybe a slightly higher With the backing of her managing director, Craig customers could see that and that it wasn’t end market. Lynch, Isobel set about making a business professional behaviour. “It is all experimental. At the moment I am Facebook page for their two Derbyshire outlets; “As for your status updates, you obviously can’t concentrating on making Facebook work better Brampton Manor Country Club and The Fox and stop people commenting on your wall, but you for us and by that I mean using it more. Goose Inn. can be careful how you provoke their responses. “It is a place where you can be as creative Using their personal Facebook friends list, Isobel “If you post something provocative you are and innovative as you want.” and colleagues invited people to become ‘fans’ of going to expect a provocative response. the two picturesque venues. Daunted “ We are At least once a week, Isobel updates the Facebook getting a lot more page to notify ‘fans’ about an event, knock-down food deals, or special offers on at the leisure club. customers as a And so far both fan pages have proved a hit, with result of our hundreds signing up to follow weekly events. Facebook page Says Isobel: “We get a lot of calls as a result ” of our Facebook updates. Many want to book Isobel Gibbions a table or enquire about the health club - and some want to do that online.” For anyone daunted by the prospect of joining Facebook, Isobel says: “Once you have set up your page, it is easy to update yourself. Initially we had to enlist a little bit of help, but once you are up and running it is pretty straight forward.” An increasing number of businesses are reaping the rewards of using social media to promote their events. As Country Range customer Isobel explains: “To anyone who is unsure of whether to set up a Facebook page, I would say, keep an open mind. “Just because you may not use Facebook yourself, you need to think about what your If you are interested in setting up your own target market is using. These days people sit at Facebook page and need advice, you can home and socialise on Facebook, they talk on contact Isobel at ‘Let’s Do Facebook’ on the site, it is just like chatting on the phone. 07791 962256 or email : [email protected]

January/February 2011 Stiritup 39 advice from the experts 40 Stirit when cool enough to handle, work quickly 4. s 3. blanch inboiling, salted water for 30seconds, 2. 1. for some clever insider tricks ... So grab your peeler, blender and deep fat fryer make your food look good enough to eat. patterns, there arehundreds of ways you can mash or rice, or piping your pureed vegetable in Whether you areusing moulds to present your should know how best to present their plates. and that’s one of the reasons why every chef Those instincts remain inthe human brain today them frothing at the mouth. knowing it was safe, healthy and not going to leave ancestors would only eat grubs which looked good; E oflevels.primal most usonthe attract flowing ...it to works doesn’t juices get just the A pretty offood plate - The food presenting secrets which can boost your sales to looking good From cooking good features ven half amillion years ago our cave-dwelling and sauce them into aball before topping with your meat draping over the palm of your hand rolling but not browned drain well and plunge into abowl of iced water by hand or with ajulienne peeler with potato, swede, parsnip, sweet potato), Thinly slice your vegetables (this works well tir inalittle fry oil until aromatic and tender up January/F ebruary 2011

S paghetti of vegetables 2 1 B y food writer C ara H obday 3 2 C 1 (Apple, £14.99), Photography by R I llustrations courtesy of F hocolate cups ood P resenting Secrets by C ob White. Dozens more tips available inthis book. 3 2 ara Hobday &Jo Denbury 4 4 5. o 4. m 3. 2. drain off the excess oil on plenty of paper 4. 3. 2. c 1. m 1. N u with cocoa powder to finish and serve with your preferred filling, dusting in anairtight container for up to seven days) Turn the cup upside down on aplate (or store gently working the toothpick allaround the cup gently prise the paper away from the chocolate hold them very lightly and use atoothpick to strengthen it when removed from the cups a second coat over the first coat, which will the paper’s edge but not over it cup, reaching into the pleats right to the top of cups areclean and dry towels. A to liftit out of the hot oil the next isgolden, use the wiredraining spoon the pan so that aflat bottom isformed. When spoon to hold the noodle nest on to the base of it sizzles it ishot enough. U To fry, test the oil with apiece of noodle, when on top. Setaside until you areready to serve Form noodles into aball and place abasil leaf remove from the pan with awiredraining spoon ook egg noodles inboiling salted water and nce cooled and dried, to unmould the cups, sing apaintbrush, coat the inside of the muffin oodle nests elt asecond batch of chocolate and paint elt abatch of chocolate. M January/F dd your filling and serve hot! 5 ebruary 2011 Stirit se the wiredraining ake sure the muffin features up 41

advice from the experts

favourites MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS WINNER CLAIRE LARA MasterChef champ 2010 What was your first job abroad? Why did you and Marc decide to come Because things were going well on the YTS scheme back to England to work? Claire Lara has just they offered me a chance to work in Belgium. I In England, and I think Marc would probably agree absolutely loved it there and I developed a taste for with me, you get more opportunities at a younger finished the latest round working away. Then just before my 19th birthday age. In France our head chef was 35 - it was his first I got the opportunity to work in Paris thanks to position in overall charge - whereas in Britain you

of press interviews . . . hts the recommendation of another chef who knew I can reach that post at a much younger age. g and she’s feeling guilty. was passionate and hard working. It was at Albert i What was your first job back in the UK? Roux’s English restaurant ‘Berties’, in Paris. I met g l A passing comment about her mum’s cooking has I spent three years at the London Carriageworks Albert a couple of times; he was the executive chef in made headlines in most of the morning’s newspapers. there. He asked me if I was going to teach people before leaving to help open Panoramic in Liverpool “I’d said that once my mum found oven chips the ‘Mersey French’. I mainly taught them how to - the UK’s tallest restaurant located on the 34th there was no looking back,” cringes Claire. “I feel l ea d swear in English! floor of Beetham’s West Tower. I was the pastry a bit guilty now. Although my mum didn’t cook chef and Marc was the head chef and we worked much, she did make the odd mince and mash from 7am until 1am, seven days a week. Towards and dishes like that.” the end I was physically destroyed. So we decided It was watching her mum cooking that sparked to move on from there. As a chef you never stop Claire’s culinary curiosity. “From an early age learning wherever you are. I wanted to find out what else could be made with everyday ingredients.” Where were you working when you Her winning plate on MasterChef: The Professionals applied for MasterChef last December? was a little more complex than any early Claire with After the frantic pace of Panoramic, I took the head husband Marc & cooking attempts. baby son George chef post at a loose leaf tea shop making lots of It was a mouth-watering menu which started with chutneys, pickles and jams and learning how to crispy-skinned sea trout served with apple puree You met your husband in France? match puddings to teas. I also started teaching and caper with cider beurre blanc, followed by two days a week at Liverpool Community College. Albert left a year later and his replacement brought roasted boneless pigeon breast on mashed potato, Marc to work with him. Together Marc and I worked peas and pancetta with quince jelly and a red wine How would you describe your time long hours, starting at 7.30am - 8pm with a sauce. Dessert was a raspberry and white on MasterChef? brief break about four then back on service until chocolate millefeuille with lemon thyme discs I felt like a fish out of water. I was amazed at getting midnight. You can’t do it half heartedly. There is and fresh raspberries. through every stage. I also fell pregnant during little chance to meet anyone outside the industry! 2011 is going to be a busy year for the 30-year-old filming - Marc and I had been trying for 10 years chef originally from Moreton on the Wirral, Merseyside. What did you learn from your time in - I just assumed I couldn’t have kids! I’m used to In addition to accepting a work placement at Michel France? multi-tasking and sleep deprivation so Roux jnr’s at Le Gavroche, she has recently given They have a real respect for produce and realise I will hopefully be ok! birth to baby son George. you don’t have to go very far to get a good meal. If Any advice for aspiring chefs? But if there is one thing Claire and her French chef you visit the supermarkets there for example there Try to work abroad, you are even more focused and husband Marc do not shy away from it is hard work. is only a tiny selection of ready meals. passionate away from home and it is good to learn Here Claire tells the inspiring story of her journey how other kitchens work. from canteen cook to winner of MasterChef: The Did you notice change on the British Professionals. culinary scene when you returned to England? How did you start your professional When I first went to France I was 19 and came back cooking career? aged 24. I saw a massive change in the food being Just before the age of 16 I joined a YTS (Youth served in Liverpool and London. Now we can hold Training Scheme) scheme in catering where I met our own in Europe Maggie Rimmer, a fantastic lady and massive and we can be inspiration to me. proud of British She got me a placement at the nearby Cadbury’s produce and factory canteen from half seven in the morning British cooking. until half three in the afternoon. One of the chefs there got me job at a hotel in the evening working 5.30pm until 11pm. My mentor Maggie would come out to me during working hours to complete my theory. I didn’t think about the long hours I just loved the work and couldn’t believe I was getting paid for it!

January/ January/FFebruaryebruary 20112011 Stiritup 0543 • B ritvic’s b iggest e ve r consume r promotion

• chance to win e ve ry minute -1 million prizes to be won

• B ig name b rand pa rtne rsh ips

• £5.5m marketing spend

STOCK up now to drive yo ur sales!

Promotion available on 500ml & 600ml packs of Pepsi, Tango, 7UP & Mountain Dew and 500ml & 440ml Drench & Juicy Drench only. For UK, CI & IOM aged 16+ only. Exclusions apply. Prize illustrations are indicative only. For no purchase entry, point rewards & full details, visit rewardyourthirst.com. Internet access required. Text entries incur a cost of 25p, plus your standard network rate. Closing date 20.02.2011. All copyrights and trade marks are the properties of their respective owners.