It's a bit of an animal

I was watching Dara O'Brian's Science Club on television the other night where they covered the topic of lab-grown meat. This is not news to me as it is a subject that had been circulating in the press a few months previously, however it is still a hot topic.

We are now living in age where the consumption of meat has become so huge, to an extent where it is suggested that the demand is putting an immense strain on our planet.



As much as enjoy a good piece of meat, I am not someone who feels the need to eat it everyday but those that do and believe a meal is not complete without it are being encouraged to adopt at least one meat-free day each week.

Back to the subject of the laboratory, it requires just one small biopsy taken from a live cow. The cow remains unharmed and carries on with its life as usual while its cells in the lab are mixed with various growth cultures and with some scientific manipulation, muscle fibres grow.

It is indeed very clever science, something I marvel at, but I can't help but think that this is perhaps not the route to take to solve the world's meat production issues.
For starters, the lab meat is not like meat as we know it. The scientists demonstrating on the TV programme said it would be used to make hamburgers, so it looks like it is a long way off from being used to construct a nice juicy steak.

A small piece was even cooked after it had been seasoned with salt. The scientists sliced into the anaemic little piece of stuff and gave their verdict. What did it taste like? Chicken apparently. So to emulate the flavours of a hamburger I think it would require a fair amount of additional ingredients and additives to even resemble anything like beef. Already this lab meat is on its way to becoming a heavily processed foodstuff, something I'm not keen on.

No doubt this type of science is a spin off from growing human organs in a lab, which I can see has a valid application, but there must be other experiments and studies into solving the world’s food crises that warrant the time and money spent.

At this stage although growing meat in a lab – from the scientists point of view – has been largely successful, it has taken them years to get as far as they have and by their own admission they couldn't even produce enough yet to meet demand. In addition the current process takes so much energy it is hardly sustainable so perhaps we're still better off rearing real animals in the traditional way.

Vote for The Artisan Food Trail in The Great Exhibition 2012 and help support British artisan food producers

The Great Exhibition 2012 is all about celebrating Britain at its best and it is creating innovative ways to work out what really makes Britain 'Great'. Rather than them telling you what makes the country 'Great' they want you to tell them who is making it in Britain? Who, What and Where makes Britain 'Great'?

The brilliant thing about this inititiave is that it encourages the great British public to nominate their 'Greats' not least the businesses themselves who are also urged to list themselves as a 'Great'.
After some deliberation they decided to put themselves forward.
The decision was not for vanity but because it was seen as the perfect opportuntiy to give their Artisan Food Trail members some more exposure.

I need your vote please
There's lots of information on
The Great Exhibition website, but in short, I need to get 100 votes or more for The Artisan Food Trail by the end of December to go through to the next round. Once through, they'll be placed in a head-to-head contest and will need to get more votes to stay in the running.

The competition closes on the
30th of June 2012, with the Top 10 of each sub-category being promoted online and throughout the media – to showcase what makes Britain 'Great'.
The business with the highest amount of votes will get the opportunity to win free space at the Live Event, so if they do get that far (fingers crossed) they would be able to exhibit on the big day and promote all of their Artisan Food Trail members.

Why am I doing this?
I don't normally do big plugs like this but I would really appreciate your support, as The Artisan Food Trail is something very close to my heart.
For those who don't know already, I set up the The Artisan Food Trail as I'm passionate about food, especially when it's made by artisan producers using traditional methods and great ingredients. Having got to know many small food producers over the years, I felt that they deserved to be recognised and many of them needed more promotion. In short, I raise awareness for them, giving support for their businesses.

Voting is simple – you just need to register with your email and a user name, that's it.

Vote here!

Thank you for supporting The Artisan Food Trail and all their British artisan food producers. – Cheeky Spouse x

More info: www.thegreatexhibition2012.co.uk

Farmers swing open their gates to the public

The opportunity to experience at first-hand what life is like on a real working farm is within reach for all of us on 12 June. Each year British farms open their gates as they take part in the event organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) and this year over 450 farms across the country are involved.

I see an event like this to be so educationally valuable in a time where many children seem to have no idea where their food comes from. The understanding of  our food's origins and how it finally gets to our plates is very important if British farming is to thrive.

Open Farm Sunday Facts

• LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday is the only day in the year when farmers across the whole of the UK unite to open their farms to the public.

• Hertfordshire LEAF Demonstration farmer, Ian Pigott took the idea from a similar event held in Denmark to LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) and together they made the first event happen in 2006.

• The public think farmers are more important to their everyday lives than teachers, politicians or bank managers. When asked to rank a list of professions and trades, the public ranked farmers fourth, just behind doctors and nurses, firefighters and police officers.

• 29% adults say that they have never been on a working farm and only 31% have visited one in the past 4 years.

• 20% children in England have never visited the countryside and 27% 8-9 year olds have never come close to touching farm animals.

• A survey conducted as part of LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday 2007 showed that 35 per cent did not know that porridge comes from a British farm, 23 per cent of people did not realise that bread originates from a farm and 22 per cent did not believe that sausages and bacon originate there.

• The knowledge was even lower with younger adults, with 29 per cent of 16-24 year olds failing to recognise that bread originates on a farm, 34 per cent that sausages and bacon come from a farm and a massive 47 per cent did not know farmers are responsible for producing porridge.

Not only is the day educational but it is most of all fun with lots to see and do from tractor and trailer rides, to farm walks and nature trails, and even discovering how worms are a farmer’s best friend. You might have the chance to see sheep being sheared, cows being milked or chicks hatching! You might also get the chance to build a bug-hotel, go pond-dipping or see pig racing. Every farm is different and many offer good food to eat and buy as well as live music.

So get out into the countryside, reconnect with nature, learn and have fun.
I know where I will be!

For information and to find a farm open near you visit: www.farmsunday.org
To keep up to date and share your farm experiences follow: twitter.com/openfarmsunday

Cheeky Spouse on the Radio

Firstly, I can't quite believe it myself, but I am going to be taking part in a radio programme for BBC Three Counties Radio!

Three Counties Kitchen, which is to be broadcast live at 7pm on Sunday 7th November, is a two-hour long show all about food. Presented by Nick Coffer, who some people will know from his website mydaddycooks.com, Sunday's guests will be Philip Fanning, the head chef from the Paris House restaurant in Woburn, a local wine expert and little old me.

I have been invited to be the local home cook and for the evening's entertainment I have to take along two dishes that will be tasted in the studio. Philip Fanning will also be bringing in some dishes too, so it is with some trepidation, on my part, that my food will be tasted by an experienced chef. No pressure then!

I have been reassured by Nick, who seems like a nice chap, that it will be a fun and relaxed affair, so I should enjoy myself.

If you want to find out what I cook, and you're in the Herts, Beds and Bucks region you can tune in (info at top of post) or you can listen online, wherever you are.
Embarrassingly for me, the show will be available on BBC iPlayer for 7 days afterwards here, if you miss it.

Website: BBC Three Counties Radio

In Praise of a Good Sausage

Quite what Craig Revel Horwood has to do with sausages, I shall never know, but aside from being a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, he has been chosen by lovepork.co.uk to be the master of ceremonies for
British Sausage Week (1-7 November 2010).

This week is dedicated to all things sausage. Sausage, that's a word that has me collapsing into a fit of giggles if I have to say it a few times,
I suppose that's what being British is all about. The numerous references in episodes of Blackadder, make it even funnier, especially when enunciated by the magnificent Stephen Fry as Melchett.

On a more serious note, British Sausage Week's aim is to make us all aware of how British pork is the best and encourages us to support our own farmers and producers by buying quality sausages.

There are many regional sausages throughout the British Isles that use traditional recipes that go back many generations.
There's the long coiled Cumberland sausage which is meaty with a coarse, chunky texture and black pepper giving a spicy bite; The Lincolnshire sausage, an old fashioned favourite scented with sage; West Country ones with pork and apple and maybe a touch of cider and Oxford sausages that contain veal, as well as pork. These are just a few of the many varieties made and the list continues to grow as producers experiment with different flavour combinations.

I can't resist a nicely cooked sausage. They should be cooked carefully over a medium heat so they cook slowly allowing the outside to gently caramelise so it becomes slightly sticky and the inside should be juicy. Don't have the heat too high or the sausage will burst and definitely do not prick them, this will make all the tasty juices escape.

In July, earlier this year I went to the Samphire smallholding open day in Norfolk, where Karen Nethercott opens her doors to visitors, showing them how she rears her rare breed pigs. They have a wonderful natural life with space to roam outside, enjoying the fresh air and wallowing in the mud. Her English Saddleback pigs are reared slowly which gives their meat a superior flavour and contributes to some truly wonderful sausages.


On my visit I bought some of the sausages which I put in my freezer awaiting their appropriate outing. They were "The Samphire Sausage",
they have a lovely texture, not too tightly packed – which can produce an undesirable bouncy feeling – but quite light and crumbly. They are seasoned with ginger, mace and nutmeg for a warming background, against which, lighter, fresher notes of sage, onion and coriander, sit happily.

I served them with potato and parsnip mash and some caramelised shallot gravy, just perfect for celebrating British Sausage Week.

For more information on British Sausage Week visit the website: www.britishsausageweek.co.uk
If you're interested to know more about Samphire's sausages visit their website: www.samphireshop.co.uk
Photos: ©childsdesign 2010

Online Event to Help Sufferers of Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a very common condition, with around 15% of the UK affected, but still, people understand very little about their own problem.

Not being able to use normal dairy products in your diet can present many challenges, from making sure you get enough calcium to simply making a meal that the whole family can enjoy.

To increase understanding of the condition, Lactofree, the UK's only lactose free, real dairy brand, will be hosting the first online Expert's Question Time session with three of the UK's leading experts in this area. Renowned paediatrician, Dr Adam Fox, nutritionist and registered dietician, Sian Porter and Lactofree's brand manager, Samantha Glassford will be on hand to answer all your questions.
You can send your questions in advance see details below.

Event details:
• When: Tuesday 9th November, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
• The event will be broadcast live online http://www.lactofree.co.uk
• Questions can be sent before the event to lactofree@outsideline.com
• Experts will also be able to answer questions posed live

If you are lactose intolerant you should find the event an invaluable opportunity to learn more about your condition. Indeed, if you know of anyone with lactose intolerance, let them know.

National Chocolate Week 2010

Today sees the start of a week of all things meltingly gorgeous and indulgent, the perfect excuse to celebrate everything that is chocolate.
Whether you like it sweet and milky
or dark, rich and sophisticated,
National Chocolate Week is the time to abandon yourself to the pleasures of the cacao bean.

Throughout the week various events, across the country will be taking place and in particular an entire weekend (16–17 October) will be devoted to Chocolate Unwrapped at London's Vinopolis.
Experience a variety of tastings, talks and treats from some of the best chocolatiers in the country, from top names as William Curley,
Artisan Du Chocolat and Paul A. Young, to name but a few.

chocolate-week.co.uk
chocolate-week.co.uk/chocolate-unwrapped
Images taken from the National Chocolate Week website

The Scandinavia Show 2010

When I found out about this, I was immediately interested, the prospect of going to an event that is purely devoted to all things Scandinavian got me quite excited too.
Readers of my blog will have already noticed that I'm a fan of Nordic cuisine and I have a passion for Iceland and its Scandi cousins – I've included a fair few recipes and mentions relating to that region.

Taking part in the event will be various food shops and restaurants, something I cannot miss –  Madsen and Scandinavian Kitchen will be there.
Also at the show, Trina Hahnemann will be giving cooking demonstrations and if her books are anything to go by, I think that will be worth a visit.

The Scandinavia Show is the UK's only event completely dedicated to showcasing the best of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and of course Iceland. Covering all aspects of Scandinavian design, travel, lifestyle, fashion and food, the weekend show will be packed with exhibitors with well-stocked stalls.

Along with shopping opportunities, there will be live entertainment in the form of music and dancing each day, there will also be a special area for children to keep them entertained too.

For more information about the event and how to buy tickets visit: www.scandinaviashow.co.uk

National Honey Week – 3rd-10th May and recipe for Persian Honey Cakes

The sun is shining, spring flowers are in full bloom and the warm air is already buzzing with the sound of industrious bees – what a perfect start to celebrate Britain's National Honey Week.

Now in its 12th year, the celebration, originally held in February has a more appropriate date in May, which seems much more fitting, as this is the time when the bees can really get to work, making that delicious sweet sticky stuff.

For thousands of years, man has gathered honey to use in food and medicine, it was also held in such high regard, that the ancient Egyptians offered it as a gift to the gods.

Throughout history it had long been used as a sweetener in cooking, until sugar took over. Because honey has a more complex flavour than sugar, I think it imparts quite a special taste to food and is particularly good in baking as the recipe, later on, demonstrates.

When we eat honey, we should always remember the bees that made it – they are the only insect that produce a food that we consume and they are very important to the survival of our planet and the human race. That sounds like a lot hanging on a seemingly small creature, but without bees, it would be very difficult to grow food, as we rely on them to pollinate our crops. Just think about it for a moment…

Currently, bees are under threat from viruses, parasites and the mysterious colony collapse disorder, which could prove devastating to their species. Sorry if this sounds all doom and gloom, but it's something that I care strongly about. Have a look at The British Beekeeper's website to learn more.

Bad news aside, I have decided to include a recipe from The Josceline Dimbleby Collection cookbook, for Persian Honey Cakes, that really celebrates the beauty of honey at it's best. I used Scottish heather honey, which is extremely fragrant.

It's an adaptation of an old Persian recipe. The nutty orange-flavoured cakes are left to absorb a scented honey syrup. You can serve them either for tea, with coffee, or as an after-dinner sweetmeat. As a dessert they are excellent with natural yoghurt.

Persian Honey Cakes

Makes approximately 16

Ingredients

8 oz fine semolina

2 oz icing sugar, sifted

4 fl oz sunflower oil

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

2 oz self-raising flour

half teaspoon baking powder

half teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the syrup

4 oz sugar

4 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons triple strength orange flower water

quarter pint water

Method

Put the semolina and icing sugar in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and pour it over the semolina. Stir well and mix in the orange rind and juice and then the flour sifted with the baking powder and cinnamon.

Heat the oven to Gas 3 / 325F / 170C.

Take up pieces of the mixture about the size of a ping-pong ball and form short sausage shapes, about 2 inches long. Arrange slightly apart on a large oiled baking sheet.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-50 minutes.

While the cakes are baking, make the syrup.

Put the sugar, honey, flower water and water in a saucepan.

Dissolve the sugar and honey over a low heat and then boil fiercely for 4-5 minutes.

When the cakes are baked, lift them out with a spatula and arrange closely together in a large shallow dish. Pour the syrup over them and leave for several hours, spooning the syrup over them occasionally. Then carefully pile the cakes on a plate, scraping up any remaining syrup and spooning over.
Product image from Rowse website

Eat Squirrel? You Must Be Nuts!

How do you view the Grey Squirrel? Is it a cute fluffy little creature, whose arboreal acrobatics, you admire, does it amaze you with its apparently, intelligent abilities to extract the peanuts from the bird feeder? Or is it merely a bushy-tailed vagabond tree rat? And more to the point, would you eat it in a pasty?

This subject is all over the news today and has split the public into separate camps. I’m finding myself in moral and culinary turmoil over this one. I eat meat without guilt, just as long as I know where it comes from and that the animal has had a decent life before it reaches my plate. Game beasts have at least roamed free in their natural habitat, and for all intents and purposes, squirrel is game.

So, for those people, who are meat-eaters, who say that it’s cruel to encase poor Mr Nutkins in pastry, I’m asking, why do they think it’s any different for the squirrel than for, let’s say, the pheasant?
Arguments against consuming it have been, that it’s nothing more than a rodent and we shouldn’t eat things like rats – although rabbits aren't rodents, they're quite similar and have been perfectly acceptable sources of protein and appear on the menus of the best restaurants.
That said, most of those people probably don’t, or won’t eat rabbit either…

I’m not advocating the mass slaughter of our fluffy little friends for the sake of a meal, but I’m certainly intrigued to find out what it tastes like. But no, I’m not rushing out to buy the aforementioned pasty, I mean, what if I don’t like it, or I bottle out just as I go to take the first bite!

If you wish to read the fully fleshed out stories from the press, with added reader comments:
Metro
The Guardian

Photo: everystockphoto.com

Cauli Killers

I was sad to read in the newspaper, that our humble cauliflower maybe soon meeting its demise.

For those people who hate the vegetable, this would have been a joy to learn, but to me it's something that has got me worried.

Cauliflower can actually be rather nice if not cooked to within an inch of it's life. It can be smothered in a rich cheese sauce or lightly curried in fragrant spices and coconut milk.

The reason for the cauli's alleged imminent end, is that supermarkets pay the farmers such a pittance for it and coupled with harvesting problems last year, the growers say they may have to reduce their planting or even get out of production altogether. This sounds very sad to me indeed, especially as I feel so powerless to enforce any change.

Perhaps boycotting the supermarkets and choosing to buy my cauliflowers elsewhere may have an effect...

If all else fails we'll just have to grow our own.
Photo: everystockphoto.com