Top UK chefs showcase Malaysian products exclusively stocked in Selfridges

MATRADE’s (Malaysia External trade Development Corporation), a Malaysian Government initiative that aims giver British consumers the opportunity to experience Malaysian cooking and encourage diners to enjoy the diverse tastes of the country in Malaysian restaurants in London and throughout the UK.
As part of the initiative, Selfridges will stock a number of Malaysian products including sauces and pastes and ready prepared foods. A host of celebrity chefs will also be presenting their take on Malaysian cooking to make the ingredients come alive.

The store opened the Malaysia Kitchen on 11th September with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by High Commissioner of Malaysia, Datuk Zakaria Sulong and MATRADE’s Trade Commissioner, Raja Badrulnizam.

Warburtons Hunts for Young Baker of the Year in London

Are you the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to baking? If so, Warburtons, a UK bread manufacturer, is launching a search to find the Warburtons Young Baker of the Year in London.  More on:-

 http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/warburtonsyoungbakeroftheyear

Sugar prices not expected to ease next year

Early reports on world sugar production for the 2010/11 season is promising to deliver a sharp rise in global production which may not result in the easing of sugar prices, Czarnikov Sugar said.

Sugar producers responding to high sugar prices for the last two years are increasing prodcution, Czarnikow the sugar and ethanol experts who have been in the sugar business since 1861 said in their monthly sugar report.

Increases in production should see the global balance return to surplus during 2010/11 following two years of production deficits, the report said. Though the majority of countries are still only part way through the 2009/10 season, the early start to one of the world’s largest sugar producers – Brazil’s 2010/11 season is driving the market today and has enabled some importers to bridge the shortfalls that they have experienced in 2009/10 with imports from Brazil’s new crop. With sugar stocks still low, Czarnikov expects that the global market will remain fragile during the 10/11 crop cycle.The tightness in supplies is unlikley therefore to ease sugar prices.

Toby Cohen, head of analysis at Czarnikow, said: “Global sugar production is on track to hit a record this year after two years of deficits. However, despite the predicted small surplus, little has changed in terms of fundamentals and we expect the market to remain fragile.”

Wheat prices rise as supplies fall – FAO

The impact of unfavourable weather events on crops in recent weeks has led United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to cut its global wheat production forecast for 2010 to 651 million tonnes, from 676 million tonnes reported in June.

But despite production problems in some leading exporting countries, the world wheat market remains far more balanced than at the time of the world food crisis in 2007/08 and fears of a new global food crisis are not justified at this point, the Rome-based FAO said in a news release.

A continuing, devastating drought afflicting crops in the Russian Federation, coupled with anticipated lower outputs in Kazakhstan and Ukraine have raised strong fears about the availability of world wheat supply in the 2010/11 marketing season.

The turmoil in global wheat markets, which has intensified in recent weeks, is evidence of the growing dependence on the Black Sea region, an area renowned for erratic yields, as a major supplier of wheat to world markets. In addition, an expected production decline in Canada, another major producer and exporter of wheat, has reinforced market worries.

International wheat prices have jumped by over 50 percent since June. This rapid increase in prices is prompting concerns about a repeat of the crisis of 2007/08.

But after two consecutive years of record crops, world inventories have been replenished sufficiently to cover the current anticipated production shortfall. Even more importantly, stocks held by the traditional wheat exporters, the main buffer against unexpected events, remain ample.

External factors, including the macro economic environment and developments in other food markets, which were major drivers behind the surge in international prices in 2007/08, are not posing a threat so far, FAO said.

The latest downgrading of world wheat production forecast for 2010 points to a tighter supply situation and increases the likelihood of higher wheat prices compared to the previous season. However, fears of a global food crisis are unwarranted at this stage.

On the other hand, should the drought in the Russian Federation continue, it could pose problems for winter plantings in that country with potentially serious implications for world wheat supplies in 2011/12.

Vivaldi on a plate – Seasons Dining Room stirs up the imagination

In a corner of west London Seasons’ chef Diego draws his culinary muse, as his musical predecessor and fellow Venetian Vivaldi did, from the four seasons.
To read more follow the link below:

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/vivaldionaplate_seasonsdiningroom

The accidental chef – Manoj Vasaikar founder of Indian Zing

Founder of Indian Zing, the only Indian restaurant awarded with two Michelin couverts in London’s W4-W6 postcodes, Manoj Vasaikar says he became a chef purely by accident.

To read more, follow the link below: -

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/ManojVasaikarIndianZing

Indian Pesto? Angela Malik says why not?

 

The cook school team

Purists may say pesto is an Italian basil and pine nut accompaniment with pasta.  Angela Malik says pesto merely means “paste”.       

 Taking the literal meaning of pesto – a mortar and pestle paste Angela Malik has created a range of Indian curry, Thai curry and eastern ready to cook pastes that have the intriguing name – Indian pesto; Thai pesto – and have caused quite a stir.    To read more follow the link:

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/indianpesto

UK shoppers urged to buy ethical food labels for the Big Lunch

The Fairtrade Foundation is urging people to make Fairtrade part of The Big Lunch celebrations in their cities this weekend (18 July).

The Big Lunch, where Londoners bring their own food to an open-air party organized by local neighbourhood groups in their gardens, local parks or in the street is part of the government’s initiative to get local people to get to know each other.

In it’s second year, The Big Lunch kicked off to a great start when an estimated one million people got together at over 8,000 different events around the UK, last year.

The Fair Trade foundation is encouraging shoppers to look for the fair trade certification – a registered trademark of the charitable foundation to indicate products meet the international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 72% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal.

Today, more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

Amazon’s grocery website can benefit small brand food manufacturers

The U.S. online retailer Amazon’s  launched its beta site for the sale of groceries earlier this week with an initial 22,000 products available for customers to purchase.

As supermarkets squeeze big brands off their shelves with own brand look alikes or simple de-listing, Amazon’s decision to stock both big and small brands in its unlimited virtual shelf space, will give smaller niche market suppliers to compete on an equal footing with the bigger players.

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/amazongrocerywebsite

Why Gordon (Ramsay,not Brown) should use the “f“word (food, not fee-fie-fo-fum) more often

Gordon Ramsay, celebrity chef, famous for his (very) plain talking and maniacal intent to serve the best food but is it enough to sustain the celebrity brand?

To read the article follow the link below: http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/GordonRamsay

A creative use of space at the Taste of London

 

Al fresco bars

 

Taste of London, the annual open air restaurant festival in London’s Regent’s park showcased the best in trade fair design and fabrication from al-fresco bars, open air restaurants, ice-cream and butcher’s stalls to creative, small artisanal stands.    

Celebrity chef - Jun Tanaka

 

  The celebrity chef demonstrations and wine tasting were great (still not sure about the English wines) but the celebration of National Ice cream week was a triumph with several really cool (no pun intended) ice-cream stalls from traditional trolleys to modern chic stand up bars.     

Uber cool icecream stand

But it is not for those on a budget – expect to spend at least GBP100 over and above your entry ticket price if you really want to enjoy the experience. All the tastings – wine, food, ice-cream, regional delights cost with very few free tastings on offer.    

My favourite stand in the blitz of colour, display and great fabrication was a very simple artisanal arrangement in bamboo by an Egyptian producer of relishes and chutneys.   

Eco-friendly, unpretentious & effective

 

 A few tables and chairs under a tree with a home spun look and feel stood out in the clamour of high-spend, high-impact stands for its simplicity and originality.   

Taste of London 17 June to 20 June, 2010 at Regents Park London. Nearest tube: Baker’s Street. Tickets can be purchased at the event.

What oil prices and organic food have in common

In today’s globalized world where everything is interconnected, rising oil prices could actually be good for organic food growers. Food is such a basic need and we, hunter-gatherers, may forget how complex we have made this simple process of eating. 

To read the article follow the link below:

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/OrganicFood/OilPrices

A rose by any other name? Cyrus Todiwala says a name is everything

Cafe Spice Namaste in east London, well-known for its flamboyant and colourful decor and being one of the first few Indian restaurants that simply could not be called “a curry house” says a name is everything.

To read the article follow the link below: http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/CyrusTodiwalla

Can small brands survive – Karimix’s Monica Chia says yes

What can a small brand do to survive in a fiercely competitive market? Not much, you may think. With no budget to cut or staff to make redundant the simplest thing in a recession might be to sell to a bigger brand, wind up or stay still. Not so, says, Monica Chia, an entrepreneur who bought the rest of Karimix shares, a sauces, dips and pickles company in December 2007.

To read the article follow the link below: http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/Karimix

Anila Vaghela – the “sauce winner” of the family

Anila Vaghela, the founder of Anila’s Authentic Sauces is a unconventional entrepreneur – and here are five reasons why.

To read the article follow the link below:

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/AnilaVaghela

The lady of all teas: Melissa Choi explains how to make a better cuppa

Blossom Tea

 

In the Chinese tradition, to wish a guest long life, dried chrysanthemum flowers  are floated in a cup of green tea. Today, the same traditions are practised with blossom teas, a new art of enjoying a time-old tradition.     

To read more click the link below.    

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/MelissaChoiBlossomTea

UK’s Commission for Rural Communities to be abolished

The UK Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is to abolish the Commission for Rural Communities  and will be replaced with a stronger Rural Communities Policy Unit within Defra.

The move is part of the new coalition government’s plan to cut the UK’s budget deficit. The Commission for Rural Communities was established in 2006, and has an annual budget of £5.8 million.

The National Union of Farmers, the UK farm-lobby group, is broadly supportive of the move. The NFU, recognizes Defra’s move will mean job losses, but has remained positive and has been promoting rural issues in London with a road -show for children to tell the story of how food moves from the farm to the dinner table. The show informs children on how farmers are meeting environmental challenges while providing great tasting food. The idea started in 1999, with the view to making city-bound children aware of food, health and farming issues.

Organic food market goes to London’s Southbank

The Real Food Festival organizers are launching an organic producers market at London’s Southbank. You can find seasonal, organic food direct from producers. Small ethical food brands, often find it difficult to get their produce stocked in super market shelves and gourmet delis. This gives consumers and producers the opportunity to meet.

Launch dates: 2nd July – 4th July 2010. 

Then every weekend through summer.

Opening Hours: Friday: 11 am – 8 pm / Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm/ Sunday: 12 am – 6 pm

Sacla goes wild

Sacla, the Italian organic pesto producer is introducing a wild garlic pesto to complement it’s wide range of pasta mixes and stir-throughs. The pesto completes the classic basil, sun-dried tomato pesto range and is part of the extended launch of three new sauces Dallalgio (with garlic) which can be used with pastas and as great pizza bases. Read more follow the link: http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/saclagoeswild

Morissons recalls own brand strawberry cheesecakes

UK super market chain, Wm Morrison, has recalled its own brand fresh strawberry cheesecakes due to potential plastic contamination, early July. http://www.concentriccircles.biz/blog/morissonsproductrecall

Melamine levels in food at high levels dangerous: WHO

The maximum amount of melamine allowed in food needs to be controlled, the World Health Organization says. Melamine is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics used for dishware and kitchen ware, and can coatings – and traces of it unavoidably get into food by contact without causing health problems, however the substance is toxic at high levels. The United Nations health organization, based in Geneva’s studies show that melamine can be toxic at high levels but is not yet specifying any legal binding on the acceptable levels.

New chair for food & drink manufacturers’ parliamentary group

John Stevenson, Conservative MP for Carlisle, was appointed as Chair of the Food and Drink Manufacturing All Party Parliamentary Group, in July.

The primary functions of the group are to consider the issues of concern to the food and drink manufacturing industry and to raise awareness of these matters in Parliament. The food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK.

Mr Stevenson said “I am looking forward to the opportunities presented by chairing the Food and Drink Manufacturing  which I hope will enable me to generate significant legislative support for the industry. ” Rising commodity prices, increased legislation on food labelling and food safety are key issues that the FDM follows and lobbies for on behalf of its members.

Ethical food shopping: lower on the consumers’ list

Eating is essential – eating ethically may not be top of the agenda of many consumers. With prices rising, an uncertain economy, all indications are that consumers have become more price conscious than ethically minded when shopping for the basic essentials.

The UK’s Food Ethics Council’s guide to ethical shopping has some interesting choices that it offers consumers with a guide that is factual and informative.  To read more click the link below:-

http://www.concentriccircles.biz/newsletter/July2010

#Whose Recipe is it Anyway? Oat Egg-Drop Soup

To serve one: Half a cup of oats/one egg/smoked salmon/garlic/pesto/ dill

Boil water add oats and keep stirring. As the oats cooks drop in the egg, smoked salmon, garlic a spoon of pesto sauce and dill. Add salt only if needed smoked salmon and pesto usually contain enough salt, add pepper according to taste.

For those who turn up their nose to ricotta cheese and chinese spices – the old myth is that Marco Polo brought noodles back to Italy so a ricotta noodle soup? Try it.

Whose recipe is it anyway mixes flavours and spices from all over the world in unusual ways. Not for the purists. Send in your recipes to info@concentriccircles.biz