Episodes
Monday Jan 16, 2023
THE INSIDE STORY OF THE WORLD CHEESE AWARDS
Monday Jan 16, 2023
Monday Jan 16, 2023
The World Cheese Awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food and were first held in 1988. It was originally established to shine a light on artisan cheesemakers and to raise their profile, as well as rewarding quality in cheese making.
It is by far the world’s largest cheese-only event and the 34th competition was held at the ICC Wales in Newport this year. There were a record-breaking 4,434 entries; sent to Wales by boat, truck, train, and plane via 19 consolidation points around the world, ensuring as many artisan cheese producers can enter as possible.
AJ is in her seventh heaven and Susie doesn't really talk much this week as she keeps stealing all the cheeses on offer in the studio, amongst them the world's best cheese (official!). Again they are joined by Christabel Cairns of the Guild of Fine Food who are organisers of the World Cheese Awards and Tom Chatfield who represents the World Champion Cheese La Gruyère Surchoix AOP.
Monday Jan 09, 2023
THE GREAT TASTE AWARDS AND FOOD INNOVATION
Monday Jan 09, 2023
Monday Jan 09, 2023
AJ and Susie are joined again by Christabel Cairns of The Guild of Fine Food, the organisation that runs the Great Taste Awards. This week the team want to concentrate on innovation in food and drink. What is driving innovation and how can entering the Awards help producers break boundaries? Jacob Thundil of Soyze brings along his own award-winning sauces to see if our taste experts are impressed, and they also taste some very interesting chocolate habanero sauce from Kickin Chilli.
Monday Jan 02, 2023
TRY JANUARY WITH CHRISTABEL CAIRNS
Monday Jan 02, 2023
Monday Jan 02, 2023
Christabel Cairns organises the Great Taste Awards and is heavily involved in the World Cheese Awards. How do you manage the pure logistics of judging 14,000 products each year and how do you get three stars? Christabel joins Susie and AJ as a guest presenter for the next four weeks and brings a whole host of Great Taste Award winning products to assess. First, off she talks about Try January - why not try something new that you haven't before - much more exciting than Dry January and possible a bit more daring than Veganuary.
Monday Dec 26, 2022
VERMUT OR VERMOUTH? THAT IS THE QUESTION
Monday Dec 26, 2022
Monday Dec 26, 2022
Susie has always loved vermouth and has been banging on for six years about how underrated it is. She has never understood why the art of mixing botanicals has been so associated with gin making. Sigh! Obviously AJ hasn't a clue what she's talking about but starts to warm to the theme. They are joined by artisan vermouth makers Guy Abrahams and Gnina Balchin who talk them through the process.
Monday Dec 19, 2022
COWES, NEEDLES, MERMAIDS AND VODKA
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
One of our most beautiful islands, the Isle of Wight, has lots to offer. The weather, sailing, beaches, wonderful walks and great food and drink. The local delicacies of home grown garlic and crab and chips are world beating. However Susie and AJ are keen on the local tipples which are infused with locally foraged herbs and plants. They speak to Xavier Baker of Mermaid gin and Ruth Green of Tipsy Wight the vodka people. There is so much to taste but our intrepid presenters reckon they pretty much agree on the best of the bunch.
Monday Dec 12, 2022
BLOODY MARY AND COCKTAILS IN A CAN
Monday Dec 12, 2022
Monday Dec 12, 2022
Susie and AJ discuss the merits of drinks in a can. They've now got used to craft beer wrapped in aluminium but think that wine in a can may be a step too far, but what about cocktails? Susie reckons that as you can get a negroni in a 100ml can now, she might put that in her toiletry bag at the airport instead of her shampoo and toothpaste as its much more useful. That aside there are many more advantages to canned cocktails, from the financial savings, to the eco advantages, the chill factor and foregoing the faff of making them. What do you think?
Monday Nov 28, 2022
HOW TO SHEAR A SHEEP
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Susie meets Marie Prebble from Kent who holds the world record for sheep shearing. Along with Kristina Boulden of Romney Marsh Wools she explains why British lamb is best in the summer and why we should all being eating the much maligned mutton.
Monday Nov 21, 2022
FROZEN PEAS FOR THOSE TWISTED ANKLE DAYS
Monday Nov 21, 2022
Monday Nov 21, 2022
Susie and AJ agree that every freezer in the UK must have a bag of frozen peas for that odd time where you have a swollen joint or twisted ankle. They can't however agree about buying frozen jacket potatoes. Susie thinks it's a great idea but AJ isn't so sure. Luckily Matt Whelan of Field Fare, the high quality frozen food people, is on hand to adjudicate and explain some simple rules for freezing stuff to cut down on your food waste.
Monday Nov 14, 2022
UMAMI - ONE OF THE FIVE BASIC TASTES
Monday Nov 14, 2022
Monday Nov 14, 2022
This week is all about umami flavours or savouriness which is one of the five basic tastes alongside bitter, sour, sweet and salty. Foods that have a strong umami flavour include meats, shellfish, anchovies, soy sauce, marmite and strong cheese. AJ and Susie talk to Adam Sopher who makes popcorn with interesting umami flavour combinations including Irish stout and cheese on toast. What?! Harry Turpin is also in the studio with his umami Crunchits.
Monday Nov 07, 2022
RENÉE ELLIOTT OF PLANET ORGANIC TALKS WELLBEING
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Monday Nov 07, 2022
AJ and Susie are honoured to have Renée Elliott and Sam Wigan as their guests on today's programme. The food, drink, agri and hospitality sector have taken a real hit in the last two years. Almost everyone's health has been affected by covid one way or another. How do we keep our entrepreneurial heads above water and remain healthy and true to ourselves? Renée explains how her experience of setting up Planet Organic all those decades ago has shaped her approach to running a successful business, and Sam runs us through how to clarify purpose, resolve challenges and attain desired results in these difficult times.
Monday Oct 31, 2022
THE FOODTALK SHOW GOES ALL FRUITY
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Fruits contain large amounts of nutrients including fibre, vitamins, minerals and various antioxidants. They taste wonderful and we probably don't know enough about them. Luckily for AJ and Susie, Sarah Calcutt is on hand of the National Fruit Show to tell us all about British top fruit and soft fruit AND she has brought loads of delicious samples. They are also joined by Laurie Fermor of Freddie's Farm which makes delicious apple treats for little people.
Monday Oct 24, 2022
TEQUILA - WORTH A SHOT?
Monday Oct 24, 2022
Monday Oct 24, 2022
AJ doesn't think she can do any tastings today. As a student she had a bad time on tequila once and she's never touched it since, even the smell makes her wince. Can Jane Peyton the drinks expert, Susie, a self-confessed margarita fan and our friends from Vivir and Mijenta change her mind?
Monday Oct 17, 2022
A MILLENNIA OLD TECHNIQUE RE-IMAGINED
Monday Oct 17, 2022
Monday Oct 17, 2022
What is a shrub? Have the FoodTalk team gone gardening? No, Henry Chevallier Guild of NonSuch Shrubs joins AJ, Susie and Jane Peyton to explain all about this most ancient of drinks. Naturally they're vinegar-based but if you're from the Aspall dynasty that's been making vinegar and cider since 1728, that's not really a problem. We also taste the divine vinegars made by Francine Lee of Bumblee's in her Somerset kitchen.
Monday Sep 26, 2022
FOR OLD TIMES’ SAKE
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Monday Sep 26, 2022
AJ and Susie are joined by Jane Peyton the drinks expert this week to talk about Japanese sake wine made from rice. They all admit they know next to nothing about it, but Jane does explain about koji, the fungus that breaks down the rice starch into fermentable glucose. It influences the aroma and flavour apparently. They go in for a good old tasting of different sakes but realise they need to know much more about this mysterious drink.
Monday Sep 12, 2022
TIMO BOULDT OF GOUSTO DELIVERS
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Monday Sep 12, 2022
Ultra convenience and almost zero food waste, is this the food solution that has supermarkets on the run? Ollie Lloyd and Susie talk to Timo Boldt from Gousto. He started his company ten years ago and has been offering an alternative to the supermarket ever since then.
Customers can choose from a huge selection of online recipes, then the ingredients (in the correct amount) appear on their doorstep ready to cook. As well as offering high levels of personalisation, this could be the ultimate low-waste business – Gousto boasts an impressive 0.35% waste rate in the supply chain and factory. Could this be the shopping mechanism of the future?
Monday Sep 05, 2022
WHAT’S BEST - RADIO, TIKTOK OR POSTER ADVERTISING?
Monday Sep 05, 2022
Monday Sep 05, 2022
There are now so many media channels to choose from that it's really hard to work out where to get the most bang for your buck. Media expert Emma Liddiard of Global explains how to plan a media campaign and Henry Jeffreys the food writer tells Susie and AJ how to get your press release noticed.
Monday Aug 29, 2022
SHOULD YOU USE DONALD TRUMP AS YOUR BRAND AMBASSADOR?
Monday Aug 29, 2022
Monday Aug 29, 2022
Using AJ's knowledge of PR and marketing and Robyn Simms experience at Square Root Soda, Susie wants to understand the pros and cons of using a brand ambassador to promote your foodie product. Should you use a brand ambassador such as Donald Trump, Gary Lineker or Wallace and Gromit or hire an influencer?
Monday Aug 22, 2022
HOW TO FUEL YOUR GYM SESSION
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Susie always does it, but AJ doesn't always have the time. Yes, we're talking about the importance of breakfast and why you must top up your protein every day. But can good nutritious snacking help your gym session or sporting performance? Scott Chassels of Fuel10k and Susan Gafsen of Pep & Lekker are on hand to give us some advice.
Monday Aug 15, 2022
MEATY BEEFY BRITISH SNACKS
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Susie and AJ go paleo and tuck into pork scratchings and beef jerky. Founders Nick Coleman of Snaffling Pig and Will Yates of Billy Franks explain how they make the traditional high protein meaty snacks and discover that pork scratchings are quite possibly the oldest snack on earth.
Monday Aug 08, 2022
THE MASTERCHEF EDITION
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Monday Aug 08, 2022
Philli Armitage-Mattin is a Masterchef finalist and famous for her love of Asian flavours. She invited Susie and AJ to her new pop up venture at the Intercontinental in London's poshest address, Park Lane, right in the middle of Mayfair. We also revisit Susie's interview with the lovely Anna Haugh of Myrtle restaurant in Chelsea who is about to take over from Monica Galetti on MasterChef: The Professionals.