The FoodTalk Show

Jim Jams Spreads

Kevin Bath from Jim Jams Spreads chats to The FoodTalk Show at the Food & Drink Expo 2016.

Eco For Life

Michael Shore from Eco For Life chats to The FoodTalk Show at the Food & Drink Expo 2016.

The FoodTalk Show 21 April 2016 - chocolate medicine, garage coffee and caviar

How to buy the perfect coffee:

Luke Underwood of Garage Coffee has transformed a disused garage into a "magical labyrinth of coffee alchemy" and sources the best coffee from around the world traceable right back to the farmer who grows it. We were really impressed that he brought along his own hand grinder, weighing scales, filter and some wonderful Indian coffee and brewed up a couple of cups right there in the studio. Surprisingly Paul didn't spill it all over the mixing deck. Meanwhile Luke explained exactly how you source the best coffee beans on the planet. 

We hate Heston - caviar:

Marshall Brar has a terrible job. He travels the world staying in the best hotels selling Caspian Sea caviar. Someone's got to do it. He took time away from his hectic (really?) schedule to let us taste this "black gold" and explain exactly how you should serve it. 

Innovation spotlight - chocolate medicine:

Anne Weyne of Nutricoa is an expert chocolate maker and has been most of her adult life. But she doesn't make and sell any old chocolate. Oh no. She's developed a chocolate that's an alternative to a vitamin supplement pill. Instead of taking a supplement every day you have to (yes, have to) eat these little bars of dark chocolate instead. Think of an upmarket chocolate advent calendar and you're getting the concept. These little bars are full of nutrients including collagen and hyaluronic acid for gorgeous hair, nails, skin and eyes. Never has there been a better excuse to eat chocolate. 

The FoodTalk Show 14 April 2016 - porter beer, tuna burger and ready meals

How to buy the perfect ready meal:

Hannah Macintyre of Home Cooked by Hannah is passionate about real home cooked food that she makes herself and delivers to her customers. She uses free range eggs, rare breed local sausages, and sources all meat, fish and vegetables from local producers. Trouble is, this all comes under the umbrella of 'ready meals' which has awful connotations of tasteless, salt-ridden, plastic packaged industrially produced garbage. We had a great debate about the role that really good ready meals might play, and ended up realising we need to come up with a new name to categorise what she does. 

We hate Heston - tuna burger:

Last week Alex made a vegan bean burger, so this week Sue Nelson talks us through her favourite burger recipe using a fresh thick slice of tuna. Great for the family and so much easier to cook than a beef burger. 

The FoodTalk detectives - craft beer:

James Hayward of The Caveman Brewery talked to us about the impending hop shortage, which is seriously hurting craft beer producers. Where are all the hop fields that used to cover Kent and why does James have to go abroad to get what he needs? We then did a bit of serious tasting of his Cave Dweller flagship porter - chocolate and coffee notes, with dark berry flavours in there too. Yum.

The FoodTalk Show 7 April 2016 - sourdough, vegan burger and lemon curd

How to buy the perfect lemon curd:

Jeff Higgins from the Wooden Spoon Co brought along his lemon curds, one even had a lovely hint of lavender and another was made with passionfruit (particularly yummy). You might think of lemon curd as an old fashioned spread your ancient aunt had stored at the back of the cupboard when you were a child - but oh no, think again, these just might be the latest traditional food that deserves a renaissance. 

We hate Heston - vegan bean burger:

Alex is the partner of our reporter Emily Bailey. She made him use his newly found cookery skills (he's only been cooking for 4 weeks, how he has survived up to now, we don't know), to make a vegan bean burger using the amazing spice mixes by Tom at Spiced! See, anyone can cook if they put their mind to it. 

The FoodTalk detectives - sourdough bread:

Ingrid Essienfeldt of Artisan Bread really does know a thing or two about baking and especially the process of making sourdough. She also has some very strong views on what we should all be eating (steer clear of too much wheat) and how we need to understand the value of fermented food which is sadly lacking in our diet. 

The FoodTalk Show 31 March 2016 - pastry, tiramisu and balsamic vinegar

How to buy the perfect pastry:

Sally Black from Oast to Host brought along some pastries for us to taste that were totally gluten free. With her business partner Claire Forster they have developed the most stunning pastry that really doesn't taste any different from the pastry Sue Nelson's Mum makes. She wouldn't divulge the recipe, but you can get the pastry mix or their lovely products from their website. The quiche was absolutely Paul Andrew's favourite, and we had a good old chat about gluten and how to avoid it.  

We hate Heston - tiramisu:

Sue Nelson explains how to make tiramisu, using Cadbury's Flake bars, because she doesn't like getting her hands covered in melted chocolate. Fair enough. It tastes divine and so easy to make. 

The FoodTalk detectives - balsamic vinegar:

Rob Newton of Mighty Fine Things gave us the benefit of his experience when it comes to choosing a great vinegar for your salad or for bread dipping. But to be honest after tasting the raspberry vinegar that he makes, you will never buy anything else again. We loved it so much you could actually drink it. Yes, drink it and not sprinkle it on lettuce.

The FoodTalk Show 24 March 2016 - ice cream, lemon posset and vegetables

How to buy the perfect ice cream:

We have to admit we were pretty sceptical when Keith Davidson of Perfect World Ice Cream, sat down in the studio with a tub of his carrot cake ice cream. After all it was gluten free, sugar free and dairy free (yes, DAIRY free). Surely it's not ice cream at all then? Well, yes, it's gorgeous and looks, smells, feels and tastes like beautiful ice cream and it's healthy. But how do you make it? 

We hate Heston - lemon posset:

Sue Nelson explains how to make lemon posset, an age old traditional English pudding that is creamy and lemony all at the same time. It has only three ingredients, takes just five minutes to make and three hours chilling time. 

The FoodTalk detectives - vegetables:

Jack Boggia of Jack's Veg has very strong views about growing vegetables commercially and how chefs are wasting too much food and getting us to buy the wrong type of ingredients, and don't get him started on Paul Hollywood. On top of that, he also grows edible flowers., Fascinating. 

The FoodTalk Show 17 March 2016 - gin, tonic and crisps

How to buy the perfect gin:

We were thrilled when Richard Phillips arrived in the studio with a beautiful bottle of Edgerton's Pink Gin along with some tonic water and 'proper' glasses so we could taste our way through the afternoon. During the process we discussed the rise and fall of the London gin palaces, the history of pink gin and why choosing the right tonic is as important as finding the perfect gin. 

We hate Heston - gin and tonic:

Sue Nelson took a trip down to the lovely city of Bath to visit The Canary Gin Bar, home of the Bath Gin Company. Here, CJ the Bar Manager explained how to make the best ever gin and tonic. In the pursuit of gin knowledge, Sue managed to get through a few gin cocktails and a surprisingly diverse range of tonics. 

The FoodTalk detectives - crisps:

Angie Curwen, Managing Director of Kent Crisps explained the crisp making process and how they work hard to use local producers to develop stunning flavours. During our crunchy afternoon we tasted Ashmore cheese and onion, roast beef and Spitfire Ale, oyster and vinegar, and smoked chipotle chilli. 

The FoodTalk Show 10 March 2016 - pie, guacamole and dark chocolate

How to buy the perfect pie: 

Jason the Pie Man arrives in the studio with hot ox cheek and kidney pies. Paul Andrews cannot disguise his delight, but instead of hosting the programme he leaves it to Sue Nelson, so he can tuck in and eat the lot. Meanwhile Jason explains what makes a great pie and how he ended up being a pie man. 

We hate Heston - guacamole: 

Christie Ellis explains how to make guacamole rather than buying that horrible stuff from supermarkets. Hers has a good deal of chilli and probably a bit too much garlic for Sue Nelson but it tastes amazing and so easy to do. 

The FoodTalk detectives - dark chocolate: 

Henry Cullen the chocolate maker of Hendricks of Hythe, tells us how chocolate is made and what you should look for if you're searching for the best bars. We also taste a range of chocolates made from cocoa beans grown in Grenada and Venezuela that have interesting natural hints of raisins and tobacco. 

The FoodTalk Show 3 March 2016 - fruit crisps, mango salsa and piccalilli

How to buy the perfect healthy snack for kids:

These are probably the most beautiful foodstuffs we have ever seen. Nimisha Raja started Nim's Fruit Crisps to offer a healthy tasty alternative to crisps and chocolate. She has created the perfect sliced and dried fruit (and vegetables) which are full of natural flavour and look amazing. Slices of tomato, peppers, kiwi fruit, apples, melon and pineapple, We'd choose these over crisps any day, but will they help Paul Andrews lose weight.

We hate Heston - mango salsa:

Lucy Ellis shows us how to make the best ever mango salsa. No cooking involved just chopping lovely fresh ingredients including mango, onion, peppers, chilli and a big handful of fresh coriander. The squeeze of lime and a bit of salt make this sweet, sour, salty and crunchy all at once. Lucy uses it as an accompaniment to roast pork. Yum.

The FoodTalk detectives - piccalilli and giardiniera:

We'd never heard of the Italian pickle called giardiniera until Alisa Yingling brought her homemade version into the studio to taste. Paul Andrews loved this. Just keep it in the fridge and steal some every time you're a bit peckish - healthy and moreish. Alisa also helped us taste our way through some traditional piccalillis.

The FoodTalk Show 25 February 2016 - birch water, lamb kofte and chilli sauce

How to buy the perfect water:

We'd never heard of birch water until Anna Scopets of Tree Vitalise popped along to see us and let us taste this traditional drink. Undiluted, naturally delicious and organic, it's birch sap tapped straight from the tree. Anna explained its history and how she produces it from trees in the Carpathian Mountains, an ecologically clean area of great natural beauty known as the 'green pearl' of Eastern Europe. A big favourite with Paul Andrews as he doesn't drink alcohol.

We hate Heston - lamb kofte:

David Nelson makes lamb kofte kebabs using minced lamb, herbs, spices and pistachio nuts. Wrap them in a tortilla along with dome sour cream and chilli sauce. Perfect under the grill or on a barbecue they can be made the day before and kept in the fridge until you're ready to eat. 

The FoodTalk detectives - chilli sauce:

Dominic Winter started making vegetarian food to sell at food festivals but all his customers were ever interested in, was the chillichup he made to go with it. Well, you can't beat the weight of public opinion and so that's all he does now - make the most wonderful tomatoey chilli sauce. Paul Andrews loved the whole range. Sue Nelson could barely breathe after tasting the hottest. We also tried some other supermarket chilli sauces but they just didn't have the depth of flavour. 

The FoodTalk Show 18 February 2016 - serrano ham, tomato soup and sauvignon blanc

How to buy the perfect Serrano ham:

Patrick Dear of Patriana has a stall in the famous Goods Shed in Canterbury. He sells speciality cheese but its his Serrano and Bayonne ham we're after. He visits the La Mancha, Catalunia, the Basque region and the Pyrenees to find the best local producers and bring it all back for us to taste. The Serrano ham from Salamanca was our favourite - air dry cured and extra matured for 18 months, we can still taste it now. 

We hate Heston - tomato soup:

David Nelson urges us not to buy tinned tomato soup, not even Heinz. Here he shows how home made soup using tinned tomatoes is incredibly easy to make and tastes twice as good as the shop alternatives. Oh yes - swirl a bit of pesto and creme fraiche in at the end too.

The FoodTalk detectives - sauvignon blanc:

We love Stuart McCloskey of Vinorium. He's the most interesting and knowledgeable man we know about fine wine and what you should buy if you want to make a wine investment. So we asked him to trot over to our studio to give us some tips on buying supermarket sauvignon blanc. What should we look for and where would we find the best bargains? One we tried should definitely be poured down the sink. 

Secret Spices

No&More

Little known fact: even some of the ‘reduced sugar’ soft drinks that you see in the supermarkets can contain up to five cubes worth of the white stuff.

 

Gemma Pond, a keen Yoga partaker, decided that she could put up with this no more and has created the lovely No & More range. They are fabulously refreshing spring waters with a hint of natural sweetness. 

 

Perfect for an active lifestyle, check these drinks out by visiting their website here.

B&G Products

What good would all the wonderful chilled items of food at the Food & Drink Expo be if you couldn’t get them to the supplier at optimum tempreture?

 

It’s not just great tasting products which are ripe for innovation in the food and drink industry. As such, we were delighted to meet Peter Ralten from B&G Products – they have over 30 years of experience in providing bespoke packaging solutions for their clients.

 

Find out more about their range on the website.

ADrop

You know that water that you are drinking from your tap at home…it’s not actually as healthy as you thought it was. You’re welcome for the tip.

 

We can’t take all of the credit though. We were reliably informed by Martynas Groudis of ADrop. We met the company at the Food & Drink Expo in Birmingham and they told us all about their water ionising products. 

 

Find out more through their website – we should probably all be getting one.

 

Naturelly

Food expos are always a place to try something a bit different, and now we’re moving on to food that is perfect for children.

 

To be honest, it’s pretty nice for all ages as it’s just a simple mix of fruit and jelly – super refreshing. We caught up with Liam Pennington at the Food & Drink Expo in Birmingham where he told us how their product, without any nasties at all, is sweeping the market. 

 

Find out more by grabbing a pouch at your local supermarket. Check out their website here too.

Slim Gilly's

Summer is inching closer, ever so slowly, and it’ll soon be time to hit the beach or the local park with plentiful amounts of your favourite cocktail.

 

While our insatiable appetite for drinks like pornstar martinis and sex on the beach is all well and good, it can leave your waistline reeling just a little bit. Solution? Slim Gilly’s. We spoke with founder Gilly Lowe who is quenching our thirst with great cocktails without any naughty bits. 90 calories per bottle…yes please.

 

Find out how to get your hands on the bottles by heading over to their website.

Good Carma

What goes around comes around, and hopefully we haven’t upset many people this year – we were reminded of our Karma by chatting to Good Carma foods.

They specialise in a range of alternative natural, dairy free products, based in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. Their aim is to help people with special dietary requirements or those who want to live a healthy whole food lifestyle.

Find out more about their range by visiting the website and listening to the podcast.

La Cremerie

We had a little bit of trepidation when we were invited to try some basil yoghurt at the Food Matters Live show recently. 

Thankfully, we needn’t be concerned because the products from La Crèmerie were absolutely marvellous. Renee Lacroix talks us through how the idea came about to develop the UK’s first rice yoghurt alternative.

We urge you to try the products. However, in the meantime, you can check them out on this podcast and by visiting their website.