Chef Wise

What do you get the person who loves curry? The UK’s only magazine for lovers of spice, of course! FREE Chilli Plant worth £19 with every 6 Issue Chaat! Magazine Subscription Get growing with us and receive a free chilli plant when you subscribe to Chaat! for just £19.50!* Chaat! has partnered with the wonderful Plants4Presents for this fantastic gift to go along with your curry magazine subscription, which goes alongside our ‘Grow Your Own Curry’ Challenge. Along with a 6 issue subscription to the nation’s ONLY spicy food magazine, you will also receive your very own chilli plant worth £19, grown and lovingly nurtured for our readers. Each issue promises 20 Plus outstanding recipes all with a wide range of flavours and styles. Tied in with tantalising travel features linked with exotic dishes, and top tips from celebrities and chefs; Chaat! Magazine is a delightful read for those who love a bit of spice! Along with your chilli plant (worth £19!), you’ll...

When the sun shines what nicer way to enjoy our limited summer than to invite friends and family round and provide an al fresco meal. Take the hassle out of making salad dressings by putting one of our new Demijohn Goccia Carousels on the table. Featuring a trio of 100ml bottles, nestled together in a handmade cherrywood holder, this means your guests can choose which delicious oil or vinegar they will drizzle over their food. We have a selection of eight fruit vinegars, some very special Balsamic vinegars and seven oils to choose from to make up the Oil and Vinegar Carousel. For any ‘foodie’ friend this makes the perfect gift and as well as tasting fantastic it looks so cool on the summer table. Our favoured vinegar this month is Elderflower Vinegar as the Demijohn team has just completed their annual ‘elderflower pick’. Given the hundreds of litres Demijohn sells of this unusual fruit vinegar the producer simply can’t pick enough so the team closed the York shop f...

Leading UK manufacturer of breakfast cereals, Bokomo Foods, has been named the ‘ones to recognise’ following the release of the inaugural Sunday Times PA Consulting Inward Investment Fast Track 50. This list, which reveals the largest 50 foreign employers in the UK was published this weekend and ranks overseas-headquartered multinationals by their UK staff number to shine a light on this important part of the economy. Bokomo, which is part of Pioneer Foods, a South African food and drinks maker listed in Johannesburg has been given the ‘ones to recognise’ accolade after a hugely successful year for the business. With more than 11,000 staff and a turnover of £1.17bn, the UK division, which has its headquarters in Wellingborough and Peterborough, now makes more than 10 million bowls of cereal per week for all the major supermarket chains. It is one of only three companies worldwide that makes wheat biscuits, the best known of which in the UK is Weetabix. John Hiles,...

The global leaders for international relocation, Interdean, have remarked upon Conde Nast Traveler’s top 20 American cities for foodies. According to an article published in Conde Nast Traveler online, a reader’s choice survey was conducted to select the top 20 U.S. cities with the best restaurants. Whilst some of the results were fairly obvious (the appearance of New York City and New Orleans were undoubtedly going to make the list) some of the other winners were considered more surprising. New York took top spot in Conde Nast Traveler’s survey, and given the vibrant city’s history for being a cosmopolitan melting pot, it is not really too odd that prize chefs from all over the world have come here to share their delicacies. In at number two comes one of the world’s most renowned wine growing regions – Napa Valley. Whilst Napa Valley is predominantly known for its wine, it has now inspired a whole gamut of gourmet chefs to take advantage of the fertile region’s produ...

No matter what the weather, National Barbecue Week gives us license to kick start a summer of weekend grilling. An impressive drinks menu is just as important as the quality of the food on the grill at a successful barbecue party. Here’s a top six pick of the best serves to complement barbecue food (cocktail imagery is available): Whitley Neill Gin & Tonic Why it’s a good BBQ drink: Whitley Neill Gin is based on African botanicals, cape gooseberry and super-fruit baobab, which makes it slightly softer than more traditional gins. The taste is citrusy and sweet, making it an ideal accompaniment to spicy foods. This G&T is made with orange wedges, rather than lemon, complementing the African botanicals. Ingredients for a single serve: 2 shots Whitley Neill Gin, dash Peychaud’s bitters (optional), premium tonic water, three orange wedges Method: Build over cubed ice in a rocks or highball glass and garnish with the orange wedges Whitley NeillGin is availa...

California Prunes are delighted to announce that they are working with Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn, who is devising two exclusive and exciting new recipes - each with Frances' signature creative twist. After achieving success and national recognition from the hit BBC TV programme 'The Great British Bake Off', Frances was attracted to California Prunes when she sampled them while demonstrating at the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC in November. The versatility and flavour of California Prunes inspired Frances to create her first recipe - perfectly timed for the children's Easter holidays. The California Prune Panda Scones - which are perfect for parents and children to make together, are also a great way to encourage youngsters to eat fruit.  Frances has produced a step by step video guide to demonstrate the Prune Panda Scones which launches today on California Prunes' You Tube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVW5VoUw4HM...

It's easy to forget that premium cold-pressed rapeseed oil has been around for less than 10 years, but this May marks the 10th anniversary of Hillfarm, the first farm in the UK to put their golden cold-pressed oil on supermarket shelves. In 2004 husband and wife team Sam and Clare Fairs started to explore the possibility of producing a culinary oil from their rapeseed crop on their family farm in Suffolk. The result was an oil that was not only healthier than olive oil, but was so delicious that it has led Sam and Clare on a ten year journey, which has seen them achieve nationwide distribution for Hillfarm Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil in several leading supermarket chains. Hillfarm was the first cold-pressed rapeseed oil to market in the UK. Clare recalls, "Every bottle was hand-filled and sealed. We used to sit up late at night sticking on the labels ready to go out to local farmers' markets and events!" Hillfarm remains very much a f...

Mother’s Day is the one day of the year when spoiling your mum is a must. It’s your chance to say thank you for everything she’s done for you over the years. With just over a week to go, here’s how to spoil your mum this Mother’s Day without spoiling Mother Nature the Rainforest Alliance way… Breakfast in bed…After a well-deserved lie-in, take your mum breakfast in bed. Make sure the coffee, tea and juice has come from a Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM farm. The little green frog on the packaging - such as on Kenco coffee, PG tips or an Innocent Smoothie – is your assurance that it was grown using methods that protect forests, soils and waterways on farms that provide decent wages, housing, education and health care to workers and their families. Send a card…Make sure your Mother’s Day card is made out of FSC certified paper. Through certification and verification, the Rainforest Alliance provides forest managers, farmers and tourism entrepreneurs with the tools to mana...

Dinner auctions an opportunity to buy the perfect Valentine's Day gift The World's 50 Best Restaurants' chosen charity, Farm Africa, is thrilled to announce that it will be auctioning exclusive, money can't buy dinners for two at four of Europe's most highly regarded restaurants. The dinners have been donated to Farm Africa by four restaurants that appear on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list for 2013: Asador Etxebarri in the Axpe Region of Spain; Schloss Schauenstein in Furstenau, Switzerland; Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy; and Vendome in Bergisch Gladbach in Germany. The dinners will be auctioned in stages with Asador Extebarri and Schloss Schauenstein going live on 30 January, and Piazza Dumo and Vendome following soon after on 2 February. Bidding is sure to be brisk as food lovers look to buy the perfect gift for their special one on Valentine's Day with dinner in some of Europe's most romantic dining destinations. A furth...

For some festive inspiration this season, look no further than the beautifully illustrated household favourite, Bonne Maman The Seasonal Cookbook. ‘Jam-packed’ with savoury and sweet contemporary recipes, revealing the versatility of cooking with the best Conserves, Compotes and Marmalades, the Seasonal Cookbook is also a wonderfully unexpected source of creative ideas on how best to use your iconic empty jars…  With their signature red and white gingham lids, the Bonne Maman empty jars are perfect for stylish storage – fill with festive sparkles, sequins and stickers for Christmas Card making with the kids. An Advent Calendar with a twist… why not try filling 25 of the adorable 30g Bonne Maman miniature jars with a sweet little treat for each day of the month? For more handmade home décor, use empty jars and lids as novel candleholders, scattered around the house for a warm Christmas glow. For festive foodie gifts, fill jars with homemade fudge or other goodies - complete...

UK taste buds are changing with Brits shunning their usual Ketchup and Brown sauce for stronger more exotic flavours[i]. If you're part of this flavoursome uprising, are hungry for unconventional taste experiences and have a firm sense of adventure, then the team at Arm & Hammer have got just the thing for you. Introducing the 'Challenge Ordinary, Taste Life' campaign. From closer to home opportunities to get your taste buds tingling with unconventional soda mixology activity at UK food festivals, to trips abroad to experience the tastes of the world, this campaign has everything an adventurous foodie could wish to sink their teeth into. The ultimate 'Taste Life Quiz'.... Take on the world with your taste buds. Four quizzes, four hours, four destinations, four winners of culinary delights around the world. From the chance to trek across the desert by camel, where you'll dine on a traditional Arabian barbecue as the sun goes down over the sand...

As people all over the country are firing up barbecues and getting out the garden furniture, a chilled after-dinner treat is a great way to stay cool this summer. Have fun making frozen desserts with these refreshing ideas from Squires Kitchen. When it’s too hot to slave over the oven, make delicious ice creams on sticks quickly and easily with the innovative Silikomart Easy Cream silicone moulds. Make up a delicious batch of homemade ice cream and flavour with SK Flower Waters for a delicate taste, or add a few drops of SK Vanilla or Raspberry Flavourings for more traditional varieties. Choose between the Classic, Heart or Chocostick silicone moulds, spoon the ice cream into your chosen mould, insert a lolly stick (provided with the moulds) and leave to set in the freezer. Once they are ready, invite friends and family to dip their ice creams in an indulgent layer of delicious SK Ice Cream Dipping Chocolate. Rich in cocoa butter, our dipping chocolate is made especiall...

Everyone loves cooking and eating outside. This year, however, it's time to make space in your garden, or on your patio, for the best investment you'll ever make. Catch on to one of the UK's fastest growing trends and install a Bushman wood fired oven. Not only does a wood fired oven look attractive in your outdoors' space it is also an extremely versatile way to cook. Dishes can either be cooked in a flash or slow-cooked for hours.  For example thin-based pizzas can be cooked in a few seconds, whilst to truly tenderise meat you can leave it in the oven all day or even overnight so that it really does melt in your mouth. It's also a fantastic way to cook fish and shellfish which makes a delicious offering for a summer gathering. Although the shape and building materials may vary, the thing wood fired ovens all have in common is how efficiently they produce and retain heat. In Europe, the communal bread oven was pivotal to village life for many centur...

Just one short year, but one great idea that has helped ... over 40 start-up foodie businesses launch their brands into 6 major supermarket and department store chains, as well as dozens of smaller independent retailers and grown a further online community of more than 600 foodie businesses, benefiting from free downloads and advice And all from one simple, timely concept: a unique, online, affordable marketing hub, offering professional advice, resources, contacts and a supportive network for smaller food and drink producers ... As the Relish Food Marketing team celebrate their first birthday this week, there is much to celebrate! "In the past year we've been over the moon to see so many of our members and clients achieve their aspirations for their brands, with our help; and to have been instrumental in the launch of so many unique and innovative products." Claire Hooper, co-founder of Relish, food brand, product development & o...

Celebrate St George's Day on 23rd April and enjoy the best of English cooking with an Italian twist! Begin by roasting Yorkshire puddings until golden brown. To make the pistou, blend basil, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, olive oil and pepper until smooth. Then, combine cream cheese with crème fraîche and add half the pistou sauce. Spoon cream cheese mixture into Yorkshire puddings and top with more pistou before finishing with seasonal watercress and delicious Parma Ham slices.  Parma Ham is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product and is 100% natural. The drying process that Parma Ham goes through creates a ham that is very low in fat content, with many mineral salts, vitamins, antioxidants and easily digestible proteins. This means that Parma Ham is truly a food for everyone. Prosciutto di Parma is produced in the hills surrounding the Italian town of Parma. The unique taste of Parma Ham is dependent on the traditional production process passed dow...

This Antipasto Platter features delicious Gorgonzola cheese and other special Italian and English Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products.  Simply bring bramley apples, dates, brown sugar, cider vinegar and spices to the boil.  Simmer and stir occasionally until the liquid has reduced. Chill in the fridge before serving as part of a Gorgonzola Antipasto Platter. A perfect centrepiece at your Easter feast!  Gorgonzola is a high quality cheese guaranteed by production rules with an unmistakable aroma and taste and a history which allegedly dates back to the eighth century. There are currently 40 dairies and over 3,000 farms making milk for the production of Gorgonzola cheese! By law and tradition, Gorgonzola cheese can only be produced in the following provinces: Novara, Vercelli, Cuneo, Biella, Verbano Cusio Ossola, and the area of Casale Monferrato within the Piedmont region, and Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milano, Monza, Pavia, a...

Rachel's Welsh Rarebit ....Cheese on toast with a difference Ingredients: 1 sourdough loaf or baguette 200g strong Welsh cheddar cheese 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 spring onions 100g Rachel's natural yogurt (low fat or natural) 2 eggs, separated 1 tbsp plain flour Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 Method: 1.Cut the bread into thick slices and grill or toast for 2-3 minutes until golden 2.Mix the cheese, mustard, spring onions and yogurt together with the egg yolk. Whisk together and add the flour, mix again 3.In a separate and clean bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the cheese mix 4.Spread the mixture over the toast and pop back under the grill until set, bubbling and golden 5.Serve straight away with a fresh green salad Tips & Suggestions: Use a rich, mature cheddar to make this recipe taste special and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce for a kick Kcal Per ...

Study finds financial incentives produce average weight loss of two stone - more than double weight loss of slimming clubs Financial rewards for sustained weight loss could be the key to solving the obesity epidemic, according to the results of a UK-wide trial run by Weight Wins, an innovator in weight loss incentives. Participants who were active in the programme after a year had achieved an average weight loss of 21 lbs (one and a half stone). After two years, the average weight loss was 33 lbs (nearly two and a half stone). This is more than double the average 11 lbs long term weight loss of active members of slimming clubs. 214 women and 50 men participated in the trial between October 2009 and December 2012. Participants chose and paid for a weight loss incentive plan with monthly weight targets and rewards. Plans extended for up to 24 months and rewards were as high as £3,000. Participants could choose to pay higher fees in order to earn higher rewards. 47% of pa...