THE MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS NOV/DEC - Country...

£1.50

NOV/DEC2010THE MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

PRODUCED BY THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP FOR THE CATERING SECTOR

HAPPYFISHMAS!

- JUST THE PLAICEFOR AN UNUSUALCHRISTMAS PARTY

LEADING LIGHTSWITH ERIC LANLARD

ACT NOW FORBETTER LATE THANNEVER CHRISTMAS

NEW - COUNTRY RANGE100% RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

CERTIFIEDTM FILTER COFFEE

Typhoo are proud to be teaming up with the Federationof Disability Sport to develop the Sports For Allproject.

The charity’s mission is to increaseparticipation in sport and achieve

quality of sporting opportunities fordisabled people by ensuring that they canaccess the sport and physical activity of theirchoice, at a level of their choice and the venueof their choice.

The TyphooSports ForAll projectprovidestraining tocommunity sports club coaches, giving them theskills to include disabled people in theircoaching sessions.

This brand new initiative will train 500community based sports coaches allover the UK and provide them with anaccredited qualification in coachingdisabled people, all funded by Typhoo.Through this project, many thousands of disabled people will havethe opportunity to take part in the sports and games they love.

For more information please visit www.typhootea.co.uk

C

Cert no. TT-COC-2143

I can’t believe this is the final issue ofthe year already! Once again, it’s beenanother really enjoyable year.As well as investigating news storiesfor the magazine, I’ve loved having theopportunity to chat to you, our readers.It’s always great to hear the storiesbehind your businesses and hearyour innovative ideas for keepingyour customers happy. We like tofeature a Customer Profile in everyissue so, if you would like to shareyour story and grace the pages ofStir it up, please drop me a line [email protected]. Younever know, you could be our nextcover star!The run-up to Christmas is so hectic andour Advice from the Experts columnthis issue is packed with suggestionsto help you add the finishing touchesto your festive offering. We’ve alsogot lots of yuletide recipes and ourCustomer Profile this month featuresThe Deep Aquarium in Hull, which

offers a rather unusual venue forChristmas parties.Christmas will hopefully be a timeto celebrate for the people ofCockermouth this year. Their lives weredevastated when a flood ravagedthrough their town in November lastyear and many people there are onlyjust getting back on their feet. Onpage 18 we speak to two CountryRange customers whose businesseswere dramatically affected.Wishing you all a wonderful andprosperous festive season.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 Stiritup 03

04 TheSoapboxandCooksCalendar

05 News from Country Range• Baumann’s Blog

• Happy Fishmas!- Just the plaice for an unusualChristmas party

• Country Range recipe SpicedTurkey Parcels withCoriander Raita

• Five ways to use...Country Range cranberry sauce

• NEW - Country Range 100%Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM

Filter Coffee

18 Food and Industry News• Sink or Swim: The CockermouthFloods - 12 months on

• Festive feast

• Cracking canapés

• Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2010

• Weather impacts potato prices

27 Education• School meals help fussy childrentry new foods

29 Health & Welfare News• NACC plea for Britain’s elderly:‘Law enforce our 10 key points’

31 Leisure News• Britain’s top hot-spots for nightlife

32 Leading Lights• With Eric Lanlard

35 My Signature Dish• My Signature Dish byCraig Revel Horwood

37 Advice from the Experts• Act Now for Better Late thanNever Christmas

My Signature Dishby Craig RevelHorwood 35

contentsEditor’s Letter

Stiritup contactswww.stiritupmagazine.co.ukEDITOR Janine [email protected]: 01282 611677

WRITER Sarah RiggTelephone: 01282 611677

DESIGNER Richard SmithTelephone: 01282 611677

PUBLISHER Practical PublishingTelephone: 01282 611677

ADVERTISING Mags [email protected]: 01282 611677

SUBSCRIPTIONS Olivia [email protected]: 01282 684555

Customer Profile 07The Deep Aquarium Hull

Leading Lights withEric Lanlard 32

TheSoapboxby Roger Rant

COOKS CALENDARNOVEMBER DECEMBER (CONT.)

DECEMBER

You can emailyour letters to

[email protected]

04 Stiritup NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010

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What’s thebig idea?Ah, it’s the new menu -menu card I mean - nicegraphics and style, butwhat about the food?

Well, the food is the same.Staff uniform? Great - look at thepersonalised name and logo, inblack too, very smart. But howmuch time did we spend onplanning and organising thequality of the food? Erm, well,not much, we have been busy!

The time and energy somecaterers spend on things otherthan the food preparation,cooking and presentation is incomplete reverse as to wherethey should be looking - on theplate (or in the sandwich - haveyou looked?) It’s an absolutedisgrace in many ‘done up’premises.

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Details: www.publicserviceevents.co.uk

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Details: www.craftguildofchefs.org

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Details: www.cordonvert.co.uk

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Details:www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/home

JANUARY 2011

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We’ve got a ghost in the brasserie! All sorts of bizarre things have beenhappening. Things disappear then re-appear in peculiar places. Salt andpepper pots have moved across thetable and fallen on the floor, cutlerymoves and, when a photographercame to take some photos for the localpaper, his camera literally jumped offthe tripod! I’m a bit of a sceptic aboutthese things but the building is 600years old so I suppose it’s possible.Coggeshall is a very haunted place. It’ssupposedly located at the crossing ofley lines and where we hung the lastwitch, who cursed the town.The ghostly happenings all take placeat the two tables where Peter Langan(who set the brasserie up with me in1986) used to sit. We’ve had a lot oflocal press coverage and we’ve evengot the Essex ghost hunters – all 10 ofthem - coming to investigate andthey’re bringing all sorts of equipment.On many occasions I will sit down withthe guys and the door will open of itsown accord and the room will get cold.You can sense something moving about but it’s nothing sinister.

Business-wise things are picking upgenerally. There are more people buying pubs and restaurants and weare getting very busy and are full mostweekends. Christmas is looking likebeing as busy as ever, which brings me on nicely to the festive season.The lead-up to Christmas is always mad.Coggeshall has a lovely Christmas market and we have a stall sellingmulled wine and mince pies, and wedonate the money to the parish councilto help pay for the town’s Christmasdecorations. It is a really emotional time although, by the time the great day comes along,I’m completely knackered. We alwayshave the same routine with the kids on Christmas morning and we godownstairs to see if ‘he’ has been.

Then, at 11am, I go to work and we doone sitting of 80 covers between12noon and 2pm. I did put reindeer onthe menu one year but this year we’resticking with traditional. We always sit down before the guestsarrive and have a glass of Champagneand a bacon sandwich. Everyone isaway from their families so it’s importantthat we are all smiling and keep theguests happy. We wear silly chefs clothes and wehave a bit of a tradition where we playa game called the Dancing BrusselsSprout of Death, which basicallyinvolves me standing in the freezingcold garden of the brasserie withoutmy top on while the staff throw rawBrussels sprouts at me! They get fivesprouts each and I end up with quite a lot of bruises as you can imagine. We all leave at about 5pm and I go tomy brother-in-law’s for Christmas dinner.He usually cooks a goose and my mother-in-law does a fantasticchocolate trifle, which we follow withsome lovely cheeses and port. After Christmas we close for two weeks so that we can deep clean and refurbish, and we all get a well-earned rest.

Merry Christmas everyone - hope you have a good one!Mark

Mark Baumann is Stir it up’s regular columnist. He is the owner of theacclaimed Baumann’s Brasserie in Coggeshall, Essex, was elected as aMaster Chef of Great Britain in 2003, is a regular TV chef - and is a proudcustomer of the Country Range Group. Each issue, he shares anecdotesabout life in his chaotic world of catering…

News from Country Range

Country Range Customer Profile

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Companies looking for

something different from

your average Christmas

party are taking advantage

of a “new wave” venue.

Bookings at TThhee DDeeeepp Aquarium Hullare going swimmingly and this festiveseason looks set to be their best yet.Freya Cross, business and corporatemanager, explains: “We offer something very different from the norm- it’s a very exotic, tropical setting andthere aren’t many venues where youcan dine with the sharks!“In effect, the tanks provide movingwallpaper so, in many ways, it savescompanies the cost of dressing theroom! We like to keep it simple and just add tealights on the tables so asnot to detract from the magnificentbackdrop – although naturally we go festive for Christmas.”

Guests at the award-winning Two RiversRestaurant may, however, be surprisedto see fish on the menu. Says Freya: “We do have fish on themenu – but it is always from sustainablesources. Some people think it is strangeto sit in a venue with live fish and eatfish dishes, others think it is quirky!”The Deep is also fully licensed to holdwedding ceremonies and the nature of the venue provides a ready-madetheme for the Big Day. “We’ve had some beautiful weddingcakes with shells and fish on them,” continues Freya. “And the backdrop ofGreen Sawfish, Golden Trevally and thegraceful rays makes for some wonderful photographs.”In addition to the restaurant, The Deepalso has two cafés - the ObservatoryCafé and Halfway Café - which cater forthe everyday visitors to the aquarium. Catering manager Jean Garton is a bigfan of Country Range products and, thisfestive season, she will be serving lots

of Country Range goodies to herhungry customers. It sounds like everything is ship shape - but if you’re still not convinced go and ‘sea’ for yourself atwww.thedeep.co.uk

Happy Fishmas! - Just the plaice for an unusual Christmas party

Deliciousrecipes to entice your customers

A trusted brand with genuine credentials, Silver Spoon sugars are processed with

care and consideration from fi eld to table.

The Cantley factory in Norfolk marks the birth of the home-grown British sugar industry and sugar is still made there today, almost 100 years later.

For lots of detailed free recipe ideas to sweeten your menu go to

www.silverspoon.co.uk/foodservice

Hearty, home-cookedfavourites that will bring a smile to thecustomer’s face...

and to yours!

The Silver Spoon Company, Sugar Way, Peterborough PE2 9AY Tel: 01733 422 499 www.silverspoon.co.uk

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Country Range RecipeMakes approximately 40 parcels

Ingredients:200g/8oz waxy potatoes, cut into 1cm dice150g/6oz spring greens or Brusselssprouts, sliced2 tbsp vegetable oil2 medium onions finely chopped200g/8oz diced, cooked turkey2 tbsp soy sauce2 tbsp tomato puree1 tsp caster sugar2 tsp Country Range ground coriander½ tsp Country Range crushed chilliesplus extra to garnish2 tsp Country Range ground turmeric½ tsp salt½ tsp Country Range coarse groundblack pepper1 tbsp plain flour4 tsp Country Range garam masala2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander2 x 500g packs of puff pastry1 large egg beaten3 tbsp Country Range sesame seeds to garnish

For the Coriander Raita:100g fresh coriander leaves plus extrafor garnish2 tsp Country Range ground cumin6 tbsp natural yoghurtSalt & Country Range coarse groundblack pepper to season

Method:• Cook the potatoes in a pan of

simmering salted water for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Add the

greens or sprouts for the last two minutes of cooking time. Drain, reserving 200ml of the cooking water and set aside.

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry gently for five minutes, until softened. Add the turkey, soy sauce, tomato puree, sugar, ground coriander, crushed chillies, turmeric, salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for a further two minutes. Add the reservedvegetable water and bring to the boil.Simmer, stirring regularly until thick.

• Return the potatoes and greens to the frying pan and stir in the garam masala and fresh coriander. Set aside to cool.

• To make the raita, whizz the corianderleaves, ground cumin, yogurt, salt and pepper and a dash of water together in a food processor until smooth. Chill.

• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until 3mm thick. Using a square pastry cutter approximately 90mm wide, cut out asmany shapes as possible (around 40).

• Place one heaped teaspoon of the filling in the corner of each square then fold the pastry over to form a triangle, pressing the edges together to seal. Place on two oiled baking sheets.

• Glaze the parcels with beaten egg and place in a pre-heated oven for 15-18 minutes.

• Garnish the raita with fresh coriander and serve with the parcels.

Spiced TurkeyParcels withCoriander Raita

For details of your nearestdistributor call

01282 684555

or visit our website

www.countryrange.co.uk

Whether served as a side toa main course, an

accompaniment to a heartysoup or simply warmed

through and smothered inbutter, Country Range Dinner

Roll Selection has got itcovered.

Either defrost fully beforeserving or pop in the oven(220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7)for 7-8 minutes, leaving tostand for 10 minutes before

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White RollOat Roll

White Poppy Seed RollWholemeal RollStamped Roll

Every case contains12 of each variety.

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Berry VersatileFive ways to use... Country Range cranberry sauce

This sweet and tangy sauce is actuallyincredibly versatile and can be used to liven up a variety of dishes. It’s notjust a brilliant accompaniment for turkey,it’s also great with baked brie and foie gras.

For starters: For a great, easy-to-prepare appetiser,put a tablespoon of cranberry saucewith a tablespoon of cream cheese,wrap in filo or puff pastry, and brushwith melted butter.

Dressing up:Make a cranberry vinaigrette by combining some cranberry sauce with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Just desserts: Lots of desserts can benefit from a hintof cranberry sauce. Try adding some to muffin batter, sweeten it and topcheesecake with it, use it in apple and cranberry pie, add to chocolate brownie mixture or spread some cranberry sauce on the bottom of your crème brûlée ramekins.

Spread the word:Mix it with Country Range mayonnaiseand horseradish for a sandwich spreadto serve with chicken or turkey.

Happy hour: Combine a dessert spoon of sauce witha shot of Bombay Sapphire gin, addsome ice, a twist of lemon zest and turnit into a Cranberry Martini! (You mayneed a dash of sugar if you like it sweeter). Shaken, of course, not stirred.

OK, everyone knows that cranberry sauce is great withyour roast turkey dinner, butwhat do you do with it onceChristmas Day is over?

NEW - Country RangeBaking Parchment This high quality baking parchment is siliconised onboth sides for easy release,which means there is no needto grease tins or baking sheets.

Practical and versatile, it can be used for a variety of applicationsincluding cakes, biscuits, meringuesand soufflés.Suitable for use in the freezer andmicrowave, new Country Range baking parchment is ideal to use for individual portions. Available in 450mm x 75m, andpacked in a tamper-proof box.

A tangy blend of chillies and garlic deliciously combined to produce a tasty sauce for dipping or drizzling.

A perfect accompaniment for festivebuffets and platters. Comes in 700ml plastic bottles.

NEW - CountryRange SweetChilli DippingSauce 12 x 700ml

This month, Gary says:Give your oven a treat with our highspec oven cleaner that will leave youroven gleaming.A highly effective formula that will cut through the toughest grease andgrime along with burnt on fat deposits.This product comes with a lance forsafe use. Order some now and try it yourself. To order samples call your CountryRange Supplier today and quote CRG931.

Each issue, Stir it up’s cleaningexpert Gary Davis offers histop tip of the month.


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Country Range is delighted

to announce the launch

of its 100% Rainforest

Alliance CertifiedTM Filter

Coffee this month.

This latest exciting addition means thatCountry Range offers caterers thelargest range of 100% Rainforest AllianceCertifiedTM hot beverages in foodservice. Specially selected for their body andflavour, Country Range coffee beansare grown on 100% Rainforest AllianceCertifiedTM farms in Brazil. The beans are then slow-roasted toallow the natural sweetness and aromato develop. This produces a smooth,sweet, well-balanced coffee with a luxurious mouth feel and toastedalmond notes. The coffee is packed 50 x 60g sachets.

Serving Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM products will have a positive impact on your sales.

• In the UK 76% of shoppers buy eco-friendly products

• 92% of consumers are willing to pay extra for a product perceived to be ethical. (Feel Research Sept 08)

• 80% shoppers have made either no change or increased the amount theyspend on environmentally friendly groceries since the economic downturn began. (ICM for Virgin Money, July 08)

• UK consumers would like to see more ethically sourced products: 34% would like to see more in cafes, restaurants & pubs, 29% in schools, colleges & universities, 25% while travelling, 23% in hotels

• In the UK, McDonald's has reported a 22% increase in coffee sales since switching to Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM coffee in January 2007, which is more than 143,000 cups of coffee every day

• With 72% of industry executives in agreement, there is widespread recognition that operators’ commitment to sustainability will become more important for consumers when choosing an eating out venue.(Allegra Strategies 2010)

We have a selection of free point ofsale materials available for caterers topromote the 100% Rainforest AllianceCertifiedTM message front of house. For more information please [email protected]

A chocolate treat with coffee is the ideal end to a deliciousmeal out - and Country RangePlain Mint ChocolateNeapolitans fit the bill perfectly.

These yummy plain mint chocolatesquares, which are made with 55 percent cocoa solids - are also great for use as a pillow chocolate or reception favour.

PPaaiirr wwiitthh nneeww CCoouunnttrryy RRaannggee 110000%% RRaaiinnffoorreesstt AAlllliiaannccee CCeerrttiiffiieeddTTMM

FFiilltteerr CCooffffeeee ffoorr tthhee ppeerrffeecctt aafftteerr--ddiinnnneerr ttrreeaatt..

Go cosmopolitan- with Country Range Neopolitans

NEW - Country Range 100% RainforestAlliance CertifiedTM Filter Coffee

The coffee being dried

1 x 1kg containingapprox 200chocolates

By registering you will also be entered into a competition with the chance to

WIN a brand new car - worth over

£9,000! See pack for full details.

Discover the difference with Tilda With 40 years experience, we understand how important it is to serve your customers only the finest quality ingredients. That is why we ensure excellence from day one - from seed to plate only the very best rice grains make it. A versatile and healthy option offering true value for money, Tilda Basmati offers your customers a guilt-free taste of perfection time and time again.

Terms and conditions apply. See pack for details. Offer available while stocks last.

to spend at

IN EVERY BAG!£5 Free

TIL2101_offer_AD.indd 1 10/6/10 10:35:16


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Welcome to theCountry Club- exclusively for customers of the Country Range Group.

HEY GOOD COOKING, TIME TO GET LOOKING...

Competition

...at our ten bestcook books of 2010How do you fancy winning theultimate Country Club book competition... our 10 best titles of 2010?

This super set of cook books was specially selected by Stir it up magazine to incorporate the hottesthardbacks of the year.One lucky reader will win ALL TEN publications - bursting with high quality photography, expert text and a worldwide range of cuisine.Ten runners up will be randomly enteredinto our lucky dip to receive one of thetop titles of 2010.To enter simply send an email titled:‘Book competition’, along with yourname, contact details and the name of your Country Range wholesaler, to:[email protected]

•• HHoommee BBaakkee,, by Eric Lanlard (Mitchell Beazley, £20.00) - Baking bible from the master patissier to the A-list stars.

•• CCuurreedd,, by Lindy Wildsmith (Jacqui Small, £30.00) - A brilliant compendiumof recipes, techniques and traditions for curing meat, fish and vegetables.

•• TTeeaa aatt FFoorrttnnuumm && MMaassoonn (Ebury Press, £10.00) - Beautiful book with over 45 recipes from the English king of afternoon tea.

•• CCooookk UUpp AA FFeeaasstt,, Mary Berry & Lucy Young (Dorling Kindersley, £20.00) - Ultimate guide to cooking for large numbers - a must-have for chefs and caterers.

•• CCuurrrryy EEaassyy - Madhur Jaffrey (Ebury Press, £20.00) - Curry queen Madhur demystifies Indian cuisine with a delicious collection of new recipes.

•• OOnnee--ppoott DDiisshheess FFoorr EEvveerryy SSeeaassoonn,,Norma Miller, (Right Way, £6.99) - Full colour cookbook with seasonal chapters.

•• TThhaaii SSttrreeeett FFoooodd,, by David Thompson (Conran Octopus, £40.00) - A heady mixture of atmospheric street photography and delicious recipes.

•• HHooww TToo SSttoorree YYoouurr HHoommee GGrroowwnn PPrroodduuccee,,John and Val Harrison - (Right Way, £6.99) - What to do with surplus crops and how to get every penny from the veggies you grow.

•• TThhee TTaakkeeaawwaayy SSeeccrreett,, by Kenny McGovern (Right Way, £5.99) - McGovern has spent the past eight years of trial and error in the kitchen to create this collection of takeaway secrets.

•• SStteewweedd,, by Alan Rosenthal (Ebury Press, £14.99) - A feast of one-pot dishes from jambalaya to bouillabaisse, tagines and beyond!

This regularfeature offers you that little bit extra.

WIN a library

ofbooks!

Christmas

Closing date for all competitions: 31st December 2010. All winners will be notified by 30thJanuary 2011. Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to: Country Range Group,PO Box 508, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/competitions


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As the leading chef’s association in the UK, The Craft Guild of Chefsrepresents the interests of chefsand promotes understanding,appreciation and the advancementof the art of cookery and the science of food. Supported by an increasing number of professional supply companies itsmembership offers major benefits and savings.

We are giving you the chance to receivea 20 per cent discount on membershipuntil the end of December. Membershipwill therefore cost just £42.30 includingVAT at 17.5% for your first year (normal price £52.88).

To receive your discounted membershipsimply call 0800 195 2433 and quotereference SUP/20.

Your membership will give you the following advantages:

• Free access to the Guild’s website which includes information on jobs, special offers, suppliers, early discounted booking to Guild events, news, recipes and competitions

• The Guilds quarterly Stockpot magazine which is packed with information, news and ideas

• Advance notification of forthcoming events, Masterclasses, competitions, regional activities etc

• Free membership to the Guild’s Culinary Academy to hone your competition skills

• Free use of the Guild’s extensive reference library

Competition

Everyone is a winner with this prize from Pritchitts - the leading dairy manufacturers.Simply enter to get your free sample of their delicious milk powder.In addition, 10 lucky readers will win a high quality, airtight storage container and scoop.

Simply send an email titled ‘Milk’, with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range wholesaler to: [email protected]

Freebies

FreebiesTo celebrate Britain’s growing lovefor the super-thin chocolate biscuits, we have 25 cases to give away to 25 lucky winners.Perfect for those folk on-the-go, thecrunchy stick snack is already worth£11million in the UK.The fantastic 40 per cent repeat purchaserate is evidence enough that consumerslove their Mikado’s - which come in aspecially designed ‘flip top’ box.Each 39g pack - ideal for placing at till points - contains 17 sticks and isavailable in a case configuration of 24 x 39g.

The first 25 readers to email will receive a case.

Simply send an email titled ‘Mikado’, with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range wholesaler to: [email protected]

MIKADO CHOCOLATEBISCUITS

HIGH QUALITY STORAGE CONTAINERSAND MILK SAMPLES

Wake up and smell the coffee with this magnificent machine.

The two hotplates allow the coffee to be kept at the perfect temperature while another jug dispenses for a constant supply.Ideal for small cafés and restaurants the 1.8 litre jug will deliver up to 120 cups per hour. The winner will also receive 15 x 3 pint sachets of new Country Range 100% Rainforest Alliance Filter Coffee.For your chance to win this machine send an email titled ‘Coffee machine’, with your name, contact details and the name of your CountryRange wholesaler to: [email protected]

WINA BUFFALO POUR AND SERVE MACHINE WORTH £150 - PLUS FREE COUNTRY RANGE COFFEE

Offers

RECEIVE 20% OFF THE CRAFT GUILD OF CHEFS MEMBERSHIP


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Food and Industry News

In November last year theCumbrian town ofCockermouth was left devastated after an entiremonth’s rainfall fell in lessthan a day, causing the RiverCocker to burst its banks.

The torrent of water met at the top of Main Street and began to engulfeverything in its path, including restaurants, shops and hotels, all ofwhich were flooded within a matter of minutes. Most businesses had been gearing up for the busy festive period - butChristmas 2009 was cancelled on that

day and, 12 months on, many are onlyjust starting to get back on their feet.Here, we speak to two Country Range customers, whose businesseswere dramatically affected by the unexpected flood. Sue Eccles is the managing director ofthe four-star Trout Hotel, which was themost badly affected hospitality businessin Cockermouth. “There were 25 of us in the hotel on thatThursday and we didn’t get out untilFriday morning when we were rescuedby boat,” she says.”We lost bothrestaurants, the kitchens, bar area,reception and 15 bedrooms which wereall on the ground floor, and our totalinsurance claim came to £3.5million.”She describes the flood water was

being like “a river through the hotel”and says it was as high as six feet insome areas. The fridges and freezerswere toppled over like dominoes and,in Sue’s office, 15 years of paperworkwas lost in one foul swoop.

Sink or SwimThe Cockermouth Floods - 12 months on

Julie Rickerbyand her team

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“We had to cancel all of our Christmasbookings immediately,” she continues.“Fortunately a lot of our Christmasbookings were carried over to this year – and two companies decided tohold theirs when the hotel re-opened in June! “We were lucky that we had payrollcover and every one of our 55 staffhave come back. That has saved anenormous amount of time because we haven’t needed to train new staff,which would have delayed the re-opening by two or three months. “We’re 95 per cent there now. It hasbeen extremely hard work and verydistressing but we have had a brilliantteam of people getting the building up and running, and to do that in seven months, has been a massiveachievement.” However, the fear of history repeatingitself is never far from Sue’s mind. She says: “It’s never going to go away - we are more aware of the river thanever before, even though we havebeen told it was a ‘once in 1,000 years’ event. I don’t think I will ever get away

from feeling nervous when there isheavy rain.” Julie Rickerby, who owns Julie’sSandwich Place in Main Street, wasshocked by the speed of events on that fateful day.“It was raining but no more than anyother rainy day in Cumbria,” sheexplains. “It didn’t seem that bad at all to us. In fact we were still workingright up until the water started comingdown Main Street. The shop was reallybusy and, all of a sudden, we heard alady shouting outside the shop. We went to the door and couldn’t believeit. It was really frightening. “I don’t think anybody expected thatamount of water - the speed of it wasunbelievable. We cleared away asmuch as possible then got out of theshop. By 2.45pm, the water was overour shoe tops and we spoke to somefriends later that evening and they saidthe water was up to their waist.”Julie, whose home was also flooded,was equally shocked by the devastationthe flood waters had caused when she returned to her shop on the following

Monday. “There was mud and sludgeeverywhere and everything was ruined.There had also been a power cut soeverything in the fridges and freezershad to be thrown away. It was terrible.”Like Sue, Julie had good insurancecover and, with the help of her five staff,was able to re-open at the beginning of August. “It’s been a hard year but everybody in Cockermouth has really stuck together and there has been a really nice community feeling,” she adds.“Some people have said they are worried when it rains but I can’t be likethat because I would never get on withanything! You’ve got to think positive.We are back in and have got to keepgoing, not just for our own sake but for the sake of the town. “I’m looking forward to Christmas thisyear. Cockermouth is a lovely markettown at Christmas with traditional lights and stalls and carols around theChristmas tree. Last year we didn’t feel like celebrating, but this year we definitely will.”

Newly refurbished: Julie’s new Sandwich Place

The refurbished Trout Hotel

Julie’s shop after the flood

A flooded bedroom at the Trout Hotel


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Festive feast‘Tis the season to be jolly, soat this busy time of year, and in the run up to Christmas, makethe most of your customers’festive cheer by giving them a range of desserts that aretraditional but with a twist.Alveston Kitchens would like to share with you their new Winter Collection.

A lot of thought has gone into developing these new desserts.Different shape formats, lighter eatswhilst combining traditional flavours that complement each other were key attributes. Would customers choose a heavydessert after a meal or would they prefer a lighter option?

The Orange & CranberryBrulee Cheesecakeoozes pure luxurious bliss. A digestivebiscuit base topped with a rich andcreamy cheesecake, smothered with a tangy orange sauce and cranberriesand finished with a delightfulcaramelised brulee topping. Thischeesecake is visually appealing andwill definitely get noticed on the plate.

Chocolate MeringueTruffle Tortetakes you into chocoholic paradise…whilst it is creamy and light on the pallet, the hit of chocolate gets yourtaste buds going. The rich trufflemousse is placed on a crisp, chocolatemeringue base, decorated with Belgianchocolate curls, complimented with fine cocoa dusting.

The Belgian Chocolate& Mint RouladeA chocolate meringue, baked with darkBelgian chocolate flakes, hand rolledwith a mint Belgian chocolate mousse,decorated with a light cocoa dusting.

Mulled Fruit Pannacotta Terrineis a very elegant dessert that will definitely create interest this Christmas.With a very light sponge base, layeredwith a light, creamy, Madagascan vanilla, pannacotta style mousse,drenched with fruity mulled wine compote. The perfect finish to anyone’s evening.

Lastly, a new addition to the fantastic AK roulade range…

Give your customers a delicious dilemma! Offer a dessert range that getsthem talking, tasting, sharing and wanting more.

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‘Pudding’ xmas leftovers to good use

Don’t chuck out your leftoverChristmas pudding this year - instead transform it into a different dessert!Steve Love, concept development cheffor Schwartz for Chef, has come up with a recipe for Christmas SurprisePudding, which he describes as ‘a light, modern take on the traditionaland a great way to use up that leftover Christmas pudding’.

Serves 10

IngredientsFor the sponge:• 10 eggs• 280g castor sugar• 240g plain flour• 40g cocoa powder

For the filling:• 250g Christmas pudding• 500ml double cream• 50ml port• 2tbs icing sugar• 1tbs Schwartz for Chef ground nutmeg• 1tbs Schwartz for Chef ground cinnamon

For the chocolate sauce:• 400g 75% chocolate• 100ml double cream• 100ml milk• 25ml brandy or rum

For the garnish:• 150g white chocolate, melted• 10 marzipan holly leaves with berries

You will also need 10 lightly greasedDariole moulds.

MethodFor the sponge:1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C /350°F.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they have reached the ribbon stage.

3. Sieve together the flour and cocoa powder, then fold into the egg mixture.

4. Pour onto a greased baking tray, no more than ½cm deep and bake in a medium oven until cooked, about 10 - 12 minutes.

5. Take out of the oven and place on to a cooling rack.

6. To make the filling, break up the Christmas pudding into small pieces and add the cream, port, icing sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix together.

7. To assemble, cut enough sponge to line each mould, making sure that you leave enough space at the top for a cover.

8. Spoon the filling into the sponge lined mould, top with a lid of spongeand allow to set in the fridge for 1 hour.

9. To make the sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Add the cream, milk and brandy or rum and stir until smooth. Allow to cool.

10. Remove puddings from the fridge and turn out onto a wire rack over a sheet of greaseproof paper.

11. Spoon the chocolate sauce over the top of the sponge, until completely covered.

12. Allow to set, finish with a spoonful ofmelted white chocolate and garnish with the marzipan holly leaves and berries.

Time-pressed chefs in need of quality canapés for their festive buffets should take a look at Jus-Rol Professional’s range.

Chefs can choose from:Filled Puff Pastry Assortment - Filled puff pastry shapes supplied in a mixed case of three flavours (suitablefor vegetarians) - Cream Cheese & Chilli, Moroccan Style Vegetable and Thai Style Vegetable.Filled Vol-au-Vents - Jus-Rol Professional’s ready to bake vol-au-vents have contemporary unfluted cases that offer superior texture and flavour. They are availablein a mixed case of three mouth-wateringflavours; Goat's Cheese & Asparagus,Wild Forest Mushroom & Feta andOlives & Sun Dried Tomato.Vol-Au-Vent Pastry Cases - available inparty size and made with Jus-RolProfessional’s celebrated puff pastry,these cases are the perfect base foreasily adding your own creativity to the buffet table and are perfect with sweet or savoury fillings.

Crackingcanapés

CRG Horlicks SIU Xmas ad _Layout 1 06/09/2010 23:04 Page 1

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Craft Guild ofChefs Awards 2010

Introducing thegreatest thingsince slicedbread…squaresliced bread

Four dazzling young chefshave pushed the boundariesand achieved one of the most prestigious honours inthe UK culinary industry.

Jack Alibone, commis chef at the Houseof Commons, Jordan Bailey, commischef at The Elephant Restaurant inTorquay, Chris Kenny, demi-chef de partie at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons,and Emily Webb, first commis chef at theRoyal Garden Hotel, were pronouncedCraft Guild of Chefs graduates at a glittering awards ceremony.Craft Guild of Chefs vice president andorganiser Steve Munkley said the newgraduates should be extremely proudof their achievements. “Eleven chefsreached the final stage, who were allfocused and there was a good vibecoming from the kitchen,” he said. “The four graduates, however, reallyshone and all had their own particulararea of competence.“Chris Galvin, our chairman of examiners, had never been to thisevent before and thought it was fabulous, he’d never seen young chefstested so thoroughly with such a levelof support. To impress top chefs whohave been in the industry more yearsthan they care to remember is no meanfeat and all four graduates thoroughlydeserve the recognition they workedso hard for.”

Kenco’s new WestminsterMedium Roast range hasbeen created by coffeeexperts using 100% Arabica beans.Kenco Westminster uses only Arabicabeans because their aromatic and distinctive characteristics guarantee a superior taste for this Kenco roast and ground coffee. Kenco beans

go through rigorous quality checksthroughout their journey, from harvesting to roasting, blending andfinally packing to ensure that they reach you in perfect condition.100% of the beans for the KencoWestminster Medium Roast range are sourced from Rainforest AllianceCertified™ farms. On these farms, workers and their families are treatedwith respect and have access to cleanwater, medical care and education. So you can feel good about the quality coffee you’re offering.Kenco Westminster Medium Roast coffee is perfect for after dinner andcomes in a variety of pack formats. Try a three pint filter pack for a pourand serve option, or five litre bulk brew for those with very high coffeeconsumption. The 1kg cafetiere bagoffers flexibility to tailor to your operational needs while giving customers the quality look and feel that a cafetiere offers.

Kenco’s ethical beans

Kara Foodservice has addedsquare sliced bread to itsextensive range of loaves andbakery products developedfor foodservice.

‘Square Sliced’ complements their existing range, and has been specifically developed to help caterers make the perfect sandwichtime after time. Sandwiches are the second most popular food eaten Out of Homeaccording to NPD/Crest Research, and the market is growing.

Kara’s new square loaves are availablein white and wholemeal varieties, withcaterers able to choose from thick orextra thick slice size.Industry experts estimate that 60 percent of all sandwiches are made with square bread and Kara’s range is perfect for all types of skillets andsandwich carriers.In addition, the consistent square shapeand texture makes it an ideal choice for use with catering toasters and hotsandwich or toastie making equipment.All varieties are available frozen incases of eight loaves.

ADVERTORIAL


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Having celebrated its 120th

anniversary last year, Whitakers

Chocolates is an established

family business which has adapted

and evolved in order to win the

enviable position it enjoys today

as one of the leading suppliers

of after dinner chocolates.

From its humble beginnings with a grocery store in a Yorkshire village in1889, the business developed into abakers and confectioners, growing into today’s modern factory which produces more than 448million chocolates a year for some of the country’s leading brands. Even as far back as the 1960s, the company recognised the importance of supplying the food service sectorand this, rather than retail, has drivenproduct development. When the current managing director, WilliamWhitaker, joined the business in 1986 he saw that the future lay in developingan ability to consistently and efficientlyprovide a small number of key

products in bulk for a specific market. This vision has developed into a nichebusiness with two key products at itscore, the Neapolitan chocolate squareand the mint crisp with Whitakersbecoming one of the most competitiveproducers in the UK. The company supplies chocolates under theWhitakers brand and also under supermarkets’ and wholesalers’ own labels and is one of only a fewmanufacturers in the UK able to supplychocolates in personalised wrappers to hotels and restaurants. As an independent family business,Whitakers’ success is based on its long-established reputation for providing excellent customer service.

To find out more, contact Martin Brown at Whitakers Chocolates on 01756 791317.

It may be a dish that began itsjourney thousands of years ago,but soup is as popular today asever before, with the UK soupmarket growing by 11 per centsince 2007 to reach £511million in 2009.

Fifty-two per cent of customers choosesoup over any other dish at lunchtime. According to compelling market insight,Heinz Classic Cream of Tomato Soup,number one in the UK’s top 10 savourydishes, triggers an instant and pleasurable memory of previous

enjoyment, while its colour creates a sense of psychological warmth. In January this year, during the coldestwinter for decades, an unprecedented57.3 million Heinz soup cans were sold -approximately one for everyone in theUK - with soup sales highest in Londonand Heinz Classic Cream of Tomato thefastest selling variety. This continued success has seen Heinzbecome an even bigger player in thefoodservice soup market, with an estimated value of £49.2million, with the simple, hearty dish behind one infive starters ordered.

Sweet Success

Heinz winter warmers are soup-er

Weatherimpacts potato pricesAs the new season’s potatoes come on salecaterers may notice areduction in the length of their chips.

This is because this year’s potato crophas been impacted by the extremeweather conditions in the main growingareas. Firstly, the hot weather in Juneconstrained the size and quality oftubers. Following this, the heavy rainthat fell during harvesting caused a lotof damage in places. The difference inthe length of chips will be even morenoticeable as last year’s crop was of an exceptional quality.It is fair to say the crop this year has varied from one field to the next but generally in the market there is a scarcity of dry and healthy potatoes.This will manifest itself in higher market prices for all potato productsthis season.

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chocolatelycakes

charmingcheesecake

sweetdreamsChocolate, Toffee and Continental Dark Chocolate SaucesExpress your creative flair with these rich, creamy & decadent sauces. Delicious drizzled over ice-cream, waffles or profiteroles, used as a dip or as fine plate decorations. They can also be heated & served with hot puddings. Unlike scratch recipes, they won’t curdle, split or burn when heated. Superior taste, stability and quality you can rely on.

26 Stiritup CHRISTMAS 2010

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Food to GoAre you looking for new menu ideas as thecold months creep up on us?Dart's Foam and Dome lids combinewith their food containers and bowls to provide a unique 'Food to go' concept. The foam bowls are the perfect way to serve take-away soup, stews, curries and desserts, while the elevated clear lid allows the caterer to upsell a product by adding additional toppings or meal accompaniments such as bread rolls, nachos or crackers - the list goes on!

Behind the convenience and uniquedesign of these products is Dart's quality, keeping foods at their optimumserving temperature longer than paper equivalents, whilst also keeping them

cool enough to carry.A large range of sizes are available - 5/6/8/10/12/16/20/24 oz. Please contact your Country Rangewholesaler for further details.

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School meals help fussychildren try new foodsParents struggling withfussy eaters shouldchoose school mealsover packed lunches,according to the latestresearch.

A recent survey by the School FoodTrust found that four out of five childreneating school meals have tried food in the school canteen that they wouldnever try at home. In a poll of 1,000 parents, more than 80per cent of those with children who eatschool meals said their youngsters had experimented with new foods atschool, with a further 50 per cent of parents reporting they’d been asked tomake dishes at home that their childrenhad eaten at school.The poll also found that carrots, sweetcorn and peas remain the mostpopular vegetables for children, withaubergine, chickpeas and spinachranked amongst the least favourite.The Trust commissioned the poll following a Mumsnet survey in 2009,which suggested that some parentschoose packed lunches for their children because they worry that theyare too fussy to eat anything else.Chairman of the Trust, Rob Rees, said:“Every parent knows it’s a nightmarewatching their child push food aroundthe plate. School meals can be a great way to help parents encouragetheir children to try new foods and to increase the variety of foods in their diet. “I think we all remember wanting to eat like our friends at school - it has ahuge influence on what children areprepared to try, so school meals are a good option for fussy eaters.”Mumsnet co-founder, Carrie Longton,

said: “Getting children to eat healthily is every parent’s dream, but meal timesat home can often be a battle groundand emotionally charged. From mumsnetters’ experience it seems thatonce at school there’s a desire to fit inwith everyone else and even somepositive peer pressure to boast aboutthe variety of what foods you can eat.School meals have also moved onquite a bit from when mumsnetterswere at school, with healthier options

and more variety. It’s hard, not to mention extraordinarily time-consumingand sometimes counter-productive, to get the same variety into a packed lunch.” The trust suggests school cooks coulduse self-service to encourage even veryyoung children to put a variety of foodson their plates. They recommend everypupil takes at least one spoonful ofeverything on offer and then they areallowed a second spoonful of anythingthey particularly like. Parents could alsobe invited to the school to eat with theirchildren on certain days.

Children will experiment with

new foods - at school.

The base for your festive

Now endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs

Creative Base is an exciting, innovative product combining buttermilk and high quality dairy cream with gelatine, making the perfect setting base for all types of recipes both sweet and savoury, including this delicious Festive Panna Cotta.

www.pritchitts.com

The base for your festiveCreativity

Festive Panna Cotta A light and spicy treat, ideal for serving at Christmas time!

Place the raisins into a small bowl and cover with the rum. Set aside to soak for at least 30mins.

Heat the Creative Base with the caster sugar in a microwave or saucepan, until the Creative Base melts to a liquid and the sugar dissolves.

Prep Time20mins

Freeze Time1-2hrs

Serves 10

45g raisins45ml dark rum

90g caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground gingerGround nutmeg, to taste1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1 handful redcurrantsCinnamon sticks

Stir through the Millac Dairy Wipping Cream, spices and soaked raisins.

Spoon the mixture into moulds or dessert dishes and set in freezer for 1-2hrs or until set.

To serve, garnish with redcurrants and cinnamon sticks.

PRIT2389_CB ad.indd 1 8/9/10 10:06:55

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NACC plea for Britain’s elderly: ‘Law enforce our 10 key points’

Britain’s committee for carecaterers has asked the government to legally enforce their ‘‘1100 KKeeyyCChhaarraacctteerriissttiiccss ffoorr NNuuttrriittiioonn’’ in all UK care settings including hospitals.

The NACC described the move as a‘meaningful measure’ that would set a clear, nutritional standard across theboard, much in the way the school food rules apply.Chairman Derek Johnson says: “Whilewe are proud to launch the ‘10 KeyCharacteristics’ initiative, theGovernment must play its part in helping us to implement this with serviceproviders up and down the country.“Many older people rely on cateringservices from both local authorities andprivate companies to provide not onlyfood, but also to help them remainindependent in their own home.”He adds: “These organisations are in a position to help monitor the health ofolder people and it is vital that they getthe standard of care they deserve.”

The 10 rules include:

• Screening for malnourishment• Developing a personal care support plan

• Guidance on delivery of food and beverage services

• Ensuring an environment where people enjoy their meals

• Helping staff to hydrate patients

As revealed by Stir it up three monthsago, the 10 Key Characteristics forNutritional Care aim to bring down the cost of the number of elderly folk suffering from malnutrition andrelated illnesses.It creates a strong economic argument for investing in change - with undernourished patients spending longer in hospital and being readmitted more often.Rick Wilson, (pictured left) dietetic manager at King’s College Hospital inLondon, says: “Good nutritional care isan investment in independence. Well nourished individuals are more capableof looking after themselves both mentally and physically.“Poor nutrition or hydration leads to poor health and a greater need for care.

“As our population ages and we facethe challenges raised by the currentpublic finance situation it has neverbeen more important to keep olderpeople fit and well . . . at the cheap end of care!”

The ’10 key Characteristics for NutritionalCare’ were launched at the NACC’sconference in Blackpool.

“Good nutritional care is an

investment in independence”

Make your dishes extra saucy this Christmas with

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REFood and Industry News - Leisure


A study into Britain’s nighttime economy (NTE) revealsthat restaurants, cinemas,pubs and clubs contributeda staggering £66billion tothe economy last year.

Nearly one and a half million peoplewere employed by the sector whichmade profits despite closures due tothe recession.While ‘drink-led’ pubs have sunk by sixper cent since 2006 - 3,000 more pubsmoved into serving food.Report author Alistair Turnham says:“The picture is much more complexthan pub closures alone, and much ofthe night time economy is interlinked.“People may go to a cinema and have

a meal or a drink. Our statistics suggestthat food establishments have taken upmuch of the slack. There were around3,000 new food-led openings from 2006 to 2009.”Westminster has the biggest boomingnight economy in the UK, with an estimated income of almost £3billion in 2009.The rest of the top 10 includes many of the UK’s largest cities, althoughHounslow jumped substantially from2006 to 2009.Cornwall is the largest rural economyreflecting its strong tourism sector - but has declined in the past three years.Not all of the largest NTEs have experienced increases in turnoverbetween 2006 and 2009 - Glasgow and Leeds fell.

Britain’s top hot-spotsfor nightlife

Where do you figure on the index?LLooccaattiioonn TTuurrnnoovveerr• Westminster £2,870,568• Birmingham £1,383,636• Manchester £1,007,265• Camden £995,983• Glasgow £903,158• Leeds £873,227• Edinburgh £863,221• Kensington & Chelsea £671.902• Hounslow £621,150• Brent £618,379• Sheffield £613,765• Cornwall £606,823• Liverpool £584,509• Belfast £583,235• City of London £580,211• Bristol £562,742• Islington £557,820• Nottingham £533,356• Southwark £526,257• Milton Keynes £519,958• Cheshire East £498,055• Barnet £492,496• South Bucks £464,291• Newcastle upon Tyne £460,771• Elmbridge £441,023• Bradford £435,039• Cheshire West and Chester £423,489• Cardiff/Caedydd £413,117• Kirklees £406,446• East Staffordshire £387,212• Tower Hamlets £385,314• Wiltshire £379,698• Wandsworth £375,333• Harrogate £370,255• Ealing £353,259• Aberdeen City £352,133• Trafford £347,391• Sunderland £345,459• Rotherham £338,216• Hillingdon £335,054• Brighton & Hove £329,253• County Durham £328,899• Richmond upon Thames £311,882• Wakefield £307,510• Hammersmith & Fulham £301,077• Lambeth £298,420• Wycombe £279,029• Shropshire £277,283• Highland £270,817• Sandwell £267,763

Leading Lights celebrates the careers of some of the most prominentand inspiring people in the catering industry.

Leading Lights - Eric Lanlard


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Master Baker Eric Lanlard has earnedhimself an international reputation for his sensational cake creations.He counts Elizabeth Hurley andMadonna among his most famousclients but prides himself on beingaffordable to all, selling to the publicthrough his London emporium ‘Cake Boy’.Says Eric: “We try not to shout too muchabout our celebrity client base - I don’twant to scare our regular clients intothinking they cannot afford us.”Having trained in France, Eric thenmoved to the UK where he ran theRoux brothers’ patisserie business forfive years.More recently Eric shot to TV fame in hisChannel 4 show ‘Glamour Puds’ beforeputting pen to paper for his very latestbook ‘Home Bake’ (See page 15 for full details and your chance to win a copy).Eric hopes his beautifully illustratedbook will become a baking bible forprofessionals and keen cooks alike.

Here, the fabulousFrenchman shares his expert tips...

Please tell us how your love of baking began?I always wanted to be a patissier and started baking at the age of six! Back then I was more attracted by the ingredients and the decoration than actually eating the cakes.

How did you go fromwannabe chef to super chef?Aged 18 I started my apprenticeship inFrance, where I had a fantastic mentor.After a month of working at a restaurant,my dad went to see the boss to checkthat I was behaving myself and doingwell. He was told I had more talent than had been seen there in 20 years. I ended up finishing second bestapprentice patissier in France.

You’ve crafted cakes for theBeckhams, Madonna andClaudia Schiffer to name drop just a few. Howdid you become cakemaker to the stars?There is a huge differencebetween ‘A list’ and ‘Z list’celebrities. The ‘Z listers’ neverwant to pay for anything andexpect the cakes for free!

Christmas Cake (my way)Serves 8

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Leading Lights - Eric Lanlard Last year you held Christmascake master classes. What is the secret to making a mouth-wateringlymoist Christmas cake and not something thatcould be classed as a murder weapon in thewrong hands?It is all in the ingredients. My secret isthat I only use beautiful plump SouthAfrican dry fruits (raisins, sultanas) and lovely Italian citrus peel full of zesty juices and lots of it (a good splash of French brandy of course in the mix, once out of the oven andbefore decorating).

How will you spend thisChristmas?Christmas to me is a time to go awayand grab some sunshine - somewherehot like South Africa or Australia. I like togo away for three weeks, to relax, chilland recover and get ready for the yearahead. My partner and I have beenspending Christmas like that for thepast 17 years.

Finally, do you have anyadvice for aspiring chefs?It’s tough so be strong, take criticism onthe chin and grow from it. Always try tobe the best that you can. Travel asmuch as you possibly can - France forclassic food and recipes, Australia andSouth Africa for amazing fusion food.Take inspiration from ingredients thatyou find there and techniques - this willhelp you to develop your own style.Do remember that you will not everstop learning your whole working life.

PPrreeppaarraattiioonn ttiimmee:: Overnight soaking, + 25 minutesCCooookkiinngg ttiimmee:: 3 ½ - 4 hours

Ingredients

350g (12oz) golden sultanas350g (12oz) raisins175ml (6fl oz) brandy350g (12oz) unsalted butter, plus extrafor greasing200g (7oz) good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent coca solids), broken into pieces200g (7oz) soft dark brown sugar100g (3½oz) molasses sugar4 large eggs300g (11oz) plain flour, sifted2 tsp ground mixed spice1 tsp ground cinnamon3 lemons juiced and grated for zest150g (5oz) chopped mixed peel100g (3½oz) glace cherries50g (2oz) shelled whole hazelnuts,roasted

Method

1. Soak sultanas and raisins in 150ml of brandy in a covered bowl overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease a 20cm diameter deep cake tin with extra butter and double-line the base and side with enough baking paper that it stands a little above the side of the tin.

3. Put the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl that fits over a pan of gently simmering water (base mustnot touch the water). Stir until it melts. Leave to cool slightly.

4. In bowl, cream the butter and sugars together at high speed until the mixture is light, pale and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, eggs and mix at slower speed. (Add a little flour if the mixture looks like it may split). Scrape down the side of the bowl occasionally and mix until everything is incorporated and well blended.

5. Sift on the flour spices, another 150mlof brandy, lemon zest and juice. Mix well and gently stir in fruit and nuts without breaking the cherries or walnuts.

6. Spoon into prepared tin and level surface. Cover the top with a disc of baking paper and bake in preheated oven for 3½ - 4 hours or until a thin-bladed knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

7. Once cooled and on a wire rack, peel off the lining paper and pour remaining brandy while still warm. When cold add more brandy, then wrap in clingfilm and store in a cool, dry place until ready to be decorated. Can be stored in an airtight container for six months but feed regularly with brandy.

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Celebrity Signature Dish

My Signature

Dish by

WALTZ - Sausage Strudel

Serves: 8 mini strudels Cooking time: About 30 minutesOven temperature: Gas Mark 4, 180ºC, 350ºF

Ingredients:8 chipolata sausages

50g (2oz) butter

25g (1oz) breadcrumbs

1 cooking apple, peeled, cored

and chopped

1 x 2.5mlsp (½tsp) cinnamon

25g (1oz) Walnuts, roughly chopped

250g (8oz) filo pastry sheets

(about 16 sheets)

Method:Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180ºC,350ºF.• Place the butter in a small frying pan and melt.

• Mix together in a small bowl thebreadcrumbs, cooking apple, cinnamon and walnuts.

• Add half the melted butter and mix together well.

• Take two sheets of the filo pastry and place on a board. At the end nearest to you place one sausage and a large spoonful of the mixture onto the edge of the pastry.

• Using the remaining melted butter, brush the edges of the pastry. Roll up - if the pastry splits just brush with a little more butter.

• Take the ‘sausage’ shape and gently bend into a crescent shape, twist off the very ends of the pastry and place on a baking sheet.

• Brush all over with butter. Repeat usingthe remaining sausage, pastry, etc.

• Place in a preheated oven and cook for about 30 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot or cold

Craig Revel Horwood

As the taser-tonguedjudge on Strictly Come Dancing, CraigRevel Horwood has witnessed a few clangers.But now the dancing world’s ‘Mr Nasty’is turning his attention to BANGERS . . .as the face of this year’s British Sausage Week.As an 11-year-old boy growing up in the Australian town of Ballarat, Craig’sculinary tastes were shaped by his two grannies, the late Connie Lancasterand his beloved ‘Phonce’, now 93.Whenever he visited them their tableswere laden with roasts, homemadepasties and fishcakes. But it was hismum Beverley’s signature dish ofsausage curry casserole that kicked off Craig’s love affair with bangers.“It was, and still is my very favouritedish,” Craig tells Stir it up. “I once ate so much of it before a dance class I was violently ill during the lessons. It didn’t put me off though!” As well as judging Strictly ComeDancing, the 44-year-old choreographer- who won an Olivier Award for his work in the West End - will beappearing in panto this year as the evil queen in a production of SnowWhite and the Seven Dwarfs.On Christmas Eve, Craig will drive back from the theatre in Llandudno, to begin preparing the festive feast,

for his partner Grant McPherson and their mums.“We will probably pick up a few waifs and strays too - usually familyfrom Australia who are in England.”Craig’s passion for cooking began at school - where aged 15 he won the Ballarat Young Chef of the Year

competition, before going on to clinchthe Victoria state title.And years later he is still winning cooking competitions, clinching first place in Ready, Steady, Cook, and becoming a grand finalist inCelebrity Masterchef.

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Advice from the Experts

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By Miles Quest, of the BritishHospitality Association, whichrepresents almost 50,000 UKhotels, restaurants and cateringcompanies

Christmas may come just once a year and in 2010, it is going to be late,so caterers need to step up their actnow or miss out on the traditional festive boost!Many work places have not yet bookeda staff Christmas party, which for thehospitality industry means there is still a lot of potential business out there tobe bagged.A recent survey of 250 UK businessesshows that, while most thought it important to uphold the morale-boostingtradition of a festive staff get-together,jitters over the economy and its bearing on their own trade sectors and workforce means that few had followed the tradition of making lateAugust and September reservationsand instead, were waiting untilNovember to decide whether or not to party.There is certainly a lot of caution about.Figures for last Christmas show therecession did have a negative effect on the hospitality industry’s turnoverand although many of our membershave said that this year, they have generally done better than expected,their expectation was quite low tobegin with.The next three months are therefore critical to the industry. It is a time when we have to turn ourselves intomarketeers. This is a skill and while some of the large hotels and grouprestaurants have a trained sales force toundertake the challenge, independentscan lack the time, staff and know-how.Yet, if they are to have a goodChristmas, they must act now to do

what they can to bring in the business.While advertising and having your festive menu about the place have arole to play, I think the most importantfactor as to whether or not you willhave a good Christmas this year comesdown to providing value. You cancharge people £5 per head for aChristmas meal and they will still see it as poor value or you can charge £50and they may say it’s expensive, butgood value. It is all about creating theright perception. Value comes down to the quality of the food on offer, providing something additional, whichmay be perceived as a freebie, such asa glass of Champagne on arrival or asorbet course or introducing a menu,which is a little more exciting.People generally are becoming moresophisticated in their food tastes and to introduce new dishes, even if it isreverting back to something that usedto be popular in times gone by, canmake your business stand out from your competitors.

Go Christmas Crackers - Checklistfor a merry Christmas

• Don’t skimp on quality and service - if people are parting with their hard earned cash, respect them enough to be the best you can and they will return

• Excite their palate - look to cookery history books, handed down family recipes or to favourite festive fare from around the world to add interest to your own menu

• When costing your menu, price in perceived freebies - a glass of wine or Champagne, a take home gift of a small box of handmade Christmas chocs or bag of festive pasta from your kitchen - the gift needn’t be Christmassy, just ‘free’

• Create the right ambience by

keeping any log fires burning, your decorations sparkling and spice-scented candles lit

• Know your clients - a group of ladies might like to know how to re-create your table centrepiece at home for their own Christmas dinner table. Talk,share decorative and cooking tips, be approachable and friendly and people will remember you as a ‘good egg’ and come back

• If struggling to pay newspaper and magazine advertising rates, go out to local companies in person to detail your Christmas offering. Play the keep it local gambit. Also, canvass your most loyal clients and let them spread the word for you

• Use Christmas as your 2011 spring board - collate diners’ details for future offers and promotions but most of all, mmaakkee aa ggoooodd iimmpprreessssiioonn aanndd yyoouu wwiillll sseeee tthhoossee ffaacceess aaggaaiinn!!

Act Now for Better Latethan Never Christmas

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 best ingredients. So you can rest assured they not only taste good, they’re good for everybody too– try them for yourself!

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

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MX001293_Stir it up Advert_db_na_1A.indd 1 06/09/2010 17:42

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DEVICE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF SEVEN-UP INTERNATIONAL. TANGO AND THE TANGO DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS OF BRITVIC SOFT DRINKS LIMITED.

P8307 CRG Stir It Up Xmas Range Ad ARTWORK.indd 1 11/06/2010 12:49

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