Stir it up APRIL THE MAGAZINE OF THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP 2009 £1.50 WHY BUY FROZEN MEAT AND POULTRY? THE PIE’S THE LIMIT FOR TALENTED CHEF TOM CULL MY SIGNATURE DISH BY DICKIE BIRD MBE LEADING LIGHTS BY PHIL VICKERY INCLUDES YOUR PROMOTIONS SUPPLEMENT Fun & Games with Tetley LEVEL 3 Nintendo DS Lite with Brain Training* LEVEL 2 Portable DVD Player 12 Cases of Tetley 2 x 1100s OR 42 Cases of Tetley Envelope 250s LEVEL 1 £10 HMV Voucher 2 Cases of Tetley 2 x 1100s OR 7 Cases of Tetley Envelope 250s 20 Cases of Tetley 2 x 1100s OR 70 Cases of Tetley Envelope 250s Stock up on cases of Tetley 2 x 1100s or Tetley Envelope 250s between the 23rd March and 1st May 2009 inclusive and buying Tetley will bring fun and games. Train your brain with a Nintendo DS Lite, watch movies on the go with a portable DVD player, or have the freedom to choose with aHMV Gift Voucher. * Nintendo DS Lite colour may vary to that shown. ¡ Application Form I would like the following quantity of gifts: I have read, and agree to abide by, the Terms and Conditions as stated. Please read the Terms and Conditions at www.teaexperts.co.uk/dspromo before signing this ............... X £10 HMV Voucher(s) application. Please complete your business name and address for this application to be valid. ............... X Portable DVD Player(s) Your signature: Your name: ............... X Nintendo DS Lite(s) Job title: Maximum of 5 gifts in total Date of application: Your business name: I’m attaching my proof(s) of purchase and I’d like Now send this form along with the required Your business address: my gifts delivered here (if diCerent from the proof(s) of purchase to: Tetley Spring Promotion above address): 2009, Freepost SCE 4362, Pewsey, Wilts, SN9 5SZ. Delivery address: Applications must be received at the address above by 14th May 2009. Postcode: Postcode: We don’t share your information with anyone Daytime telephone number: else but once you sign up for this promotion, we The catering outlet where I work is best may well send you further information or other E-mail address: described by one of the following: Tetley oCers. Workplace Health & Welfare You may contact me by: Your usual Delivered Wholesaler:.................................................................................................................................. Restaurant Fast Food Cafe Email Post Telephone I have bought ............... case(s) of Tetley for Caterers 2 x 1100s Hotel Education Please do not contact me or ............... case(s) of Tetley for Caterers Envelope 250s Pubs & Bar Travel & Leisure CRG Stirit up contacts www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk contents EDITOR Janine Nelson [email protected] Telephone: 01282 611677 Editor’s Letter DESIGNER Richard Smith Telephone: 01282 611677 PUBLISHER Practical Publishing We’ve got another packed edition everyday herbs in days gone by, and Telephone: 01282 611677 of the magazine for you this month. examine the benefits of using frozen ADVERTISING Mags Walker As spring is in the air, we’ve got lots meat and poultry. [email protected] of fantastic recipes to help you make I hope you have a lovely (and Telephone: 01282 611677 the most of the new season’s lamb. successful) Easter, SUBSCRIPTIONS Olivia Turnock [email protected] We’re also celebrating girl power as Telephone: 01282 684555 we chat to two prominent female Enjoy! chefs - Lisa Allen and Rachel Humphrey - who are at the top of their game. Representing the boys this month are TV chef Phil Vickery, legendary cricket commentator Dickie Bird and award-winning pie-maker and outside caterer Tom Cull, who is a big advocate of using top quality, local produce - so it’s not difficult to understand why he is a Country Range customer! We also take a look at some of Recipe 09 the more bizarre uses of common Harissa Crusted Rack of Lamb with Jewelled Cous Cous 04 The Soapbox and Your Letters 21 Education News • School kitchens going 05 News from Country Range state-of-the art • Pie in the sky? Not for this talented chef Tom Cull 23 Health & Welfare News • A History of Herbs • UK malnutrition at crisis • Country Range cooking up point - and rising a storm • Country Range Recipe - Harissa 25 Leisure News Crusted Rack of Lamb with My Signature Dish 28 Jewelled Cous Cous • Weak Pound leaves caterers quids in as Brits holiday at home by Dickie Bird MBE 10 Food and Industry News 28 My Signature Dish • Don’t be sheepish - glam up your lamb! • Cricket legend Dickie Bird shares his recipe for roasted sausage • Café Culture and veg bake with berry jam • The truth about foam cups • Grill Power! -The record number 31 Leading Lights of lady chefs who are reaching for the Michelin stars • By Phil Vickery Promotions Supplement 33 Advice from the Experts - including your local supplier • Why buy frozen meat and information and special offers poultry? by Brian Young Leading Lights 31 by Phil Vickery APRIL 2009 Stir it up Cert no. TT-COC-2143 03 The Soapbox by Roger Rant Confidence is low. That gives me confidence. COOKS CALENDAR Recessions or boom times are all about confidence, lack of it or too much. APRIL MAY In this current circumstance we 5th - 6th NATIONAL & ORGANIC 4th EARLY BANK HOLIDAY know that we have no confidence PRODUCTS EUROPE in banks, financial regulatory Olympia Exhibition Centre, 12th - 14th LONDON INTERNATIONAL bodies, shares, mortgages, London WINE FAIR AND DISTIL pensions, savings accounts, ISAs, Excel, London investment companies, Lords or Details: www.naturalproducts.co.uk Details: www.liwsf.co.uk politicians. So what are we left 10th - 13th EASTER with? Taxes and death! 18th - 24th NATIONAL After taxes and before death VEGETARIAN WEEK (obviously), we know where we 16th COST SECTOR are and we know who not to rely CATERING AWARDS 20th - 21st CAFFÉ CULTURE SHOW on for advice. That makes me feel Hilton London Metropole Olympia National Hall, better already. I used to think it Details: www.costsectorcatering.co.uk London was me that was the dummy and Details: www.caffeculture.com all these people were cleverer 23rd ST GEORGE’S DAY than me. They weren’t cleverer, 25th SPRING BANK HOLIDAY they have been a disaster. 23rd PACE CONFERENCE And the consequence now is that 30th FA CUP FINAL my confidence in me has AND EXHIBITION WEMBLEY STADIUM increased! If many of us feel this The only UK conference way we may get ourselves out of & exhibition dedicated to this mess - from the bottom up. catering education in JUNE We shouldn’t wait for advice from schools, colleges and 8th - 14th CARERS’ WEEK the ‘experts’ but act on our own universities hosted by the Details: www.carersweek.org instincts and principles. Professional Association for Catering Education 15th - 21st NATIONAL FOOD Details: www.keepinpace.org.uk SAFETY WEEK Details: You can email www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/ your letters to 2008/oct/fsw09 [email protected] 21st FATHER’S DAY 04 Stir it up APRIL 2009 E L I F Country Range Customer Profile O R P R E M O T S U C E G N A R Y Pie in the sky? R T N U O Not for this talented chef C Talented chef Tom Cull has his finger in not one but three pies. Not only is he gaining a reputation in weekend until the end of November. cameramen. “I’d love to do the South West for being THE man to He recently catered actress Sienna another series.” cater your wedding or big event, he is Miller’s sister’s wedding, and Sienna After his successful debut, this notion also renowned for his award-winning said about him: “He is a very focused is definitely not pie in the sky. pies. And in his ‘spare time’, he’s also and ambitious young man; combine carving out a career as a TV chef. this with his talent and sociable attitude Tom, 30, set up Dartmoor Kitchen in and he has the ability to take his food Exeter, Devon, six years ago, initially into the celebrity world and really working from his mother Cindy’s succeed. He is the Jamie Oliver organic farm, making pies using the of the South West!” organic produce she grew. He now Last year saw Tom make his has a shop - Tom’s Pies - in Bristol and own TV debut with an eight-part supplies delis and restaurants throughout series called Tom’s Big Feast the region, including Hugh Fearnley- on Westcountry Television. The Whittingstall’s River Cottage store. acclaimed documentary series Last year he was named South West followed Tom and the Dartmoor Producer of the Year and won two Kitchen team as they catered Taste of the West gold awards for at a number of big events. his Pot-roasted Carrot and Pickled “I really enjoyed making the Walnut Pie, and Spicy Lamb, programme and we had an Chickpea and Chorizo Pie. excellent response from it,” Once the pie business was established, says Tom, who found Dartmoor Kitchen soon developed himself in front of the into high quality outside catering and camera after he was Tom and his team of talented chefs approached to do the moved to bigger premises. However, catering for the wedding the ethos of using fresh, locally sourced of one of Rick Stein’s ingredients and free range eggs and meat was retained. Says Tom: “Having grown up in Devon I am totally committed to using the very best local resources and seasonal produce. “We’re not about conveyor belt catering and frozen canapés. Our aim is to create fresh, memorable meals for special occasions, and we always try to promote a bespoke and very special theme to every experience.” Three weddings every weekend Tom offers a tasting and meeting for every prospective client and is booked to cater three weddings every APRIL 2009 Stir it up 05 Ted Cowdrey The Silverdale, Guest House, East Sussex "NESCAFÉ helps us create the right impression." Ted and Gilly Cowdrey have run the 4-star Silverdale Guest House Why NESCAFÉ Sachets and Stickpacks: in Seaford for over 15 years.