The ‘orzotto’ trend for using the little pasta ‘grains’ as an alternative to risotto rice continues, and inspirational recipes abound.

Amongst the some 350 different varieties of pasta available today, not to mention the myriad of grains being ‘rediscovered’ by chefs each year, orzo, one of the tiniest pastas in the Italian repertoire, is easy to overlook. This short-cut pasta is almost the exact shape and size of wild rice grains, so it’s not surprising that many people outside the culinary world mistake it for something else entirely. 

However, once discovered, most will agree that orzo falls into the ‘small but mighty’ category on pure versatility alone. It’s a great addition to hearty soups, perfect for pasta salads and provides a fantastic accompaniment to rich, braised and roasted meats, mingling with and soaking up all those flavourful juices. 

There’s always an extra demand for dried fruit at Easter, as they provide the key ingredients in chocolate-free treats such as traditional Simnel cake and hot-cross buns. 

With Easter eggs on the supermarket shelves from as early as late January these days, it’s easy to slip into a mind-set that tells you if it’s not made (or at the very least coated in it) it’s not a proper Easter treat. 

Worthwhile to remember then that, although the symbol of the egg (borrowed from even earlier, Pagan fertility festivals) has been used by the Christian church to symbolise resurrection and rebirth for several thousand years, chocolate Easter eggs were not conceived of and produced in Europe until the 19th century, with John Cadbury making the first hollow-moulded chocolate eggs in 1875. 

There’s so many ways to use this versatile ingredient and more than just the traditional variety to enjoy, whether is tossed through pasta, spread over grilled meat and vegetables, or simply slathered onto good toasted bread. 

Pesto, it’s yet another of those Italian culinary inspirations that goes way beyond the sum of it’s parts – a simple (yet brilliant) aromatic concoction of vivid green, the discussion of which can instigate almost religious fervour in its devotees. 

The most ardent of these are natives of Liguria, he northern Italian region where pesto was first conceived. The word itself comes from the verb pestare, which meaning to step on, or to pound – preferably in a traditional marble pestle and mortar. The Ligurians are rightly proud of their pesto, a sauce originally created by the peasants from the least expensive and most easily available ingredients. While the nobles of nearby Bolognia feasted on their rich, meaty ragus, the workers of Liguria stirred a few spoons of pesto through a dish of homemade pasta.

We’re proud to stock a refreshing array of ethically produced, dairy-free, organic health drinks from innovative leading brand Rude Health. 

Gone are the days of alternatives to dairy were seen as inferior, fringe products created to solely to provide a less satisfying option for those with extreme dietary requirements. We now live in a world where there is a dairy alternative for everyone, tree huggers and milk gluggers alike. 

Today, an exciting array of dairy alternatives can be made by blending and squeezing nuts, oats, coconuts and rice, to extract liquids that are similar to milk. 

People choose dairy alternatives for many different reasons. For some who are lactose intolerant, it is a necessary requirement. Yet for an ever-growing number of people it has become a lifestyle or ethical choice. With different drinks for different uses, more and more people are turning to non-diary milk drinks simply to enjoy and appreciate a wider variety of flavours, and supporting this is the growing trend for using dairy alternatives as an ingredient, in bakes, shakes, soups and sauces. 

Our second blog on gelatin demonstrates how to use it to starling culinary effect. 

Our previous blog covered how to use the most appropriate grades of gelatin in the right ratios, so now the tedious technical stuff is out of the way, here’s the bit: discovering just what an imaginative range of culinary techniques and recipes the clever use of gelatin puts at your disposal – from old favourites that can be given a range of exciting modern twists, to methods for creating some serious haute cuisine. 

Amazing Marshmallow 

Falling firmly in the first category mentioned above, marshmallow has been around for thousands of years; starting out as a medicinal mixture of pulped root from the mallow plant mixed with honey, perfected by the ancient Egyptians, a similar mixture called Pâte de Guimauve (made of egg-white, sugar, water and mallow root) was adapted by French confectioners in 19th century. 

Understanding how to effectively use gelatine will transform your summer desserts menu. 

Mention of the word gelatine for many people conjures up the kind of lurid-coloured blobs of watery jelly that that wobble beside the ice cream at kid’s parties. Mention gelatin to any competent chef however, and they’ll know it a kitchen must-have, an essential component for creating a classic desserts and confection as well as essential elements of contemporary cuisine. 

Gelatin is one of the oldest ‘modern’ ingredients in western cooking, and its continuing popularity is greatly due to its versatility. You’ll find gelatine in everything from savoury glazes to meringue. It’s an emulsifier, stabiliser and preservative, and it’s even used to clarify vinegar, beer and wine. 

Cool and refreshing natural cordials are perfect for hot summer days, and there are more than ever to choose from 

For decades the highly competitive UK drinks market has remained dominated by global giants, brands that have long since established themselves as household names. Yet in recent years, the likes of the Coca-Cola Co., Britvic and Red Bull have faced more market disruption than possibly any other sector of the food and drink industry (with the exception of the micro-brewery/craft beer trend that has challenged the major brewing company’s market share over a similar time period). 

With constantly changing consumer demands and preferences, more sophisticated purchase patterns and rapid changes in lifestyles, the global soft drink market is growing and mutating at ever-increasing speed. Three of the man drivers behind this evolution are a growing concern about consuming too much sugar (particularly refined), an increasing preference for ‘natural’ ingredients, and a broadening, more adventurous palette, which has created an appetite for more unusual flavours and flavour combinations. 

Our Top 10 of delicious and more unusual olive varieties 

As we’ve previously discussed, when it comes to olives, our culinary tastes in the UK have developed radically over the past decades, and today you don’t need to find a specialist delicatessen to discover exciting olive varieties - as even major supermarkets now compete to offer something new. 

However, beyond the jumbo Gordals, acid green Nocellaras and ubiquitous Spanish Manzanillas, importers and connoisseurs of this bitter fruit can offer some even more exciting and unusual olive options. 

So enjoy our Top 10 recommendations below, and drop us a line to discuss all your olive requirements and queries. 

Our summer guide to the small but mighty olive, and the wealth of types to choose from today

It’s hard to imagine that one-upon-a-time in the UK your choice of olives amounted to green or black, or that the only way for pioneers such as cookery writer Elizabeth David (who did so much to popularise Mediterranean cuisine in Britain during the latter half of the 20th century) to buy olive oil was from a pharmacy (where it was sold as a remedy for removing ear wax). 

There’s arguably no ingredient more important – or overlooked 

It’s fair to say there are few kitchen ingredients that humans actually need to consume to survive. Salt, however, is most definitely one of these, and the most ancient of seasonings remains the most crucial. 

Not only do our bodies require salt to transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscle fibre, and maintain a proper fluid balance. 

Salt is also one of the five main tastes (along with sweet, sour, bitter and umami) recognised by the gustatory cells (taste buds) spread across our tongue, soft palate and inner cheeks; the taste of salt is picked up by specific receptors located in a rim around the front and sides of our tongues.