Product Junkie

Fennel and Dill

2012-02-02T17:37:57Z

Just South of Yosemite National Park, California, Wild Fennel and Dill Pollen grow wild. The umbrels (flowers) are handpicked once a year in the month of July and sun dried. After a thorough screening process you are left with pure Wild Fennel and Dill Pollen.

Having been stored in a temperature and humidity controlled facility and being a dry product, the shelf life is virtually unlimited, however, once packed and sealed in 28g pots the pollen has a recommended shelf life of two years.

The versatile pollens would complement many dishes and were recently ranked in the top 5 'predicted new food trends for the UK' by WGSN, the online trend-analysis and research service.

For more information visit www.globalharvest.com

Go-go go get your Gaggia

2012-01-10T13:38:40Z

Getting a decent cup of coffee when you're out on the road or waiting on some small commuter station can be difficult. One former lawyer in West Yorkshire got so fed-up by the lack of latte that she gave up her profession to do something about it. Barrister turned barista, Jocelyn Robinson, has now set up Go-Go Gaggia, a coffee shop with a difference: it operates from the back of a two-seater Smart car.

Robsinson took the concept to Caffe Shop a coffee specialist based in Ellend, Halifax and Managing director Raj Beadle was bowled over: "I loved the idea of taking good quality Italian coffee to the commuter on the streets of West Yorkshire. The problem was getting everything to fit - we needed a compact coffee machine and a compact system that would fit into this compact car."

The answer - a Gaggia GD2 Compact which though small can dispense up to four espresso shots at once

"Originally it was all about hitting the train stations, but we've already had several businesses ask us to come to them on a regular basis," says Robinson. "Plus, the car being so small, it's easy to bring great coffee to just about any event - football matches, street parties, you name it.

I need one at my local station - just as well franchises are being planned.

For more information on Go-Go Gaggia visit www.gogogaggia.co.uk.

2011-12-13T09:35:00Z

Have you heard the whispers on the street? Bacon Jam, Bacon Jam.

"Have you tried Bacon Jam?" I was asked at the New Covent Garden Christmas event last week.

Here's the low-down - it was created at restaurant Eat 17 by head chef Chris O'Connor and Co-owner James Brundle when they successfully combined the two ingredients served with their cheeseburger (rasher of bacon and onion marmalade).

The product has had local and national news coverage and the first five minutes of Jonathan Ross' debut ITV show were devoted to it!

The team are already stocking Selfridges food hall and many other fine food outlets and have recently secured a deal to supply retail jars at the Cotsworld Fayre.

Now the Bacon Jam guys are now ready to supply catering tubs to restaurants. Turners Fine Foods are signed up to distribute it.

There's a jar on its way to me - so the proof will be in the - erm Bacon Jam.

If reports are to be believed - it will change the humble burger forever.

Too much tin foil? Try a roast blanket

2011-11-10T13:29:25Z

The new Roast Jacket, exclusively supplied and distributed by Bunzl Lockhart Catering Equipment is the brainchild of Surveyor and Inventor Helen Waterston. Waterston recently secured £70k investment for 48% of her business from Dragon's Den Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden for her 'Roast Cosy' aimed at a consumer audience. The commercial name is the Roast Blanket.

"I think you have a great product, I really, really do! It's not often that people bring out products that are totally innovative and I think you've got that!" said Peter Jones of Dragon's fame.

Driven by a desire to obtain a 'reusable tinfoil' a product Waterston had searched in vain for. This extraordinary new product aims to provide the solution.

It is made of high quality stainless steel and flexible chainmail and can be applied before or after cooking. It holds heat and retains natural juices and flavour. It rests roasts without losing heat and drying out and is perfect for use in convection ovens and holding cupboards. You can baste the meat through the covering and it protects oven interiors from fat spit and spray.

It's certainly a conversation starter and brandable too.

My prediction - look out for these at the carvery.

Reggae Reggae

2011-11-08T10:09:32Z

Keith Valentine Graham aka Levi Roots, a British-Jamaican reggae musician, television personality, celebrity chef and entrepreneur has expanded his range of Caribbean inspired products with the help of Devon-based company Burts Chips.

The new Reggae Reggae spicy snacks Reggae Reggae Groove Cut crisps and Levi's Caribbean Chilli Beef Groove Cut crisps promise to meet the growing demand for more adventurous flavours and 'sharing' snacks and tap into the success of the Levi Roots brand since his appearance on BBC's Dragons' Den in 2007.

Combining Jamaican herbs and spices, the crisps are hand-cooked to create a unique offering unlike anything else on the market.

Back in 2007 Roots released an extended version of his song "Reggae Reggae Sauce" with all of the money going to comic relief. Let's listen out for a surprise Christmas number one!

Peckish? Have a Gorilla Booger

2011-10-12T11:43:03Z

Feeding children healthy food - now there's a problem. The uncooperative oiks just won't eat what they're given unless it is coated in chocolate, swamped in ketchup, or otherwise adulterated in some novel and unusual manner.

Take Coco Pops for example, or Cheestrings, or Monster Munch. That's what they like. Something so unfeasibly bright and colourful and tasty, that (in their minds) mother nature couldn't possibly have had anything to do with it.

So how on earth are you going to compete with that if you are selling boring old raisins? What's so special about them? They're just dried-up old grapes. They aren't loaded with refined sugar, they haven't been dunked in hundreds and thousands, they don't even have caffeine in them for God's sake.

Well, how about this? Instead of selecting a dull old moniker like "sundried raisins", you imply instead that they were produced by an oversized ape, rummaging around in his nasal cavity with a hairy, non-opposable digit.

That's what they decided to do with Gorilla Boogers.

That's right, Gorilla Boogers. Because what could be more appetising than a primate's snot? Almost anything. And that's precisely why children will love it. Imagine the mock horror it will provoke in the playground. Even better, imagine the concerned disapproval it will inspire in the more conservative adults.

And if those aren't good enough reasons, there is another. Gorilla Boogers has partnered the Gorilla Organisation and will sponsor the annual Great Gorilla Run in London, which aims to raise fund to protect the fewer than 800 mountain gorillas left in the wild.

The new raisins are available from amazon.co.uk, and have also been listed with distributors 3663 and Tree of Life.

And apparently, there are future plans for cereal bars, cookies, and even chocolate-coated raisins. Just don't ask what they plan to call those...

Global ice sculpture is centrepiece for Big Brother party

2011-08-22T15:04:59Z

"Da twa, the housemeats had a portee tuh celebrate Darryn Lyons' 46th birthda."

Thanks to Big Brother we all speak Geordie fluently nowadays so you should be able to gather from the above that on day two of their incarceration in the Big Brother house, the celebrity inmates had a party for Mr Paparazzi's birthday.

Besides alcohol, party outfits and birthday cake, Big Brother provided an ice sculpture and drinks luge created by Global Ice Sculptures.

Measuring 100cm x 50cm, the hand-carved '46' was smuggled into the Big Brother garden as the centrepiece of the party.

Any ice sculpture, from a horse's head to an F1 racing car, can be turned into a luge by carving a tunnel through the ice. The chosen spirit (traditionally Vodka) is then poured in and chills as it runs through the sculpture and into the mouth of the waiting partygoer.

Apparently you can have male and female torso luges but they were probably deemed unsuitable for the show's five million viewers. Think about it...

Australian rock band AC/DC launch own wine

2011-08-17T14:46:43Z

Rock veterans AC/DC have launched their own brand of wine.

Teaming up with Australian winemakers Warburn Estate the series of wines will go on sale this week.

The wines have been sourced from the regions of Barossa and Coonawarra and the range includes wines named after the band's most famous hits, including Back in Black Shiraz, Highway to Hell Cabernet Sauvignon, Hells Bells Sauvignon Blanc and You Shook Me All Night Long Moscato.

In promotional material, the shiraz is described as delivers "spice and dark berry, performing like a world tour taking centre stage" and the moscato is said to be "perfect for lady rock fans".

The wine will be sold in branches of Woolworths in Australia.

Steve Donohue, from Woolworths, said the band had mass appeal.

"This is a world-wide phenomena and a first in the marketplace," he said.

But AC/DC is not the first to have teamed up with vineyards. Others include: Madonna, rock act KISS and Barbra Streisand.

AC/DC, which is fronted by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, is one of the highest-selling bands of all time and have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

* At Product Junkie HQ staff have been coming up with their own AC/DC wine names, so far we have: Whole Lot of Rosé, Back in Blanc & Chianti. Can you come up with more AC/DC wine names? Share them on Table Talk...

CharLi charges mobile devices while you eat

2011-08-08T16:11:13Z

How did we ever cope without mobile devices such as our Smartphones and MP3 players?

What clever gadgets they are. Mind you, there's still room for improvement.

For a start I'd like everlasting batteries so I don't run out of charge when I'm out and about. Maybe we'll have them one day, but until then there's aways CharLi.

CharLi is a new table top charger aimed at restaurants who would like to go the extra mile and offer a charge-while-you-eat service to customers.

It will connect with most mobile devices and allows up to five phones to be plugged in to charge simultaneously by way of retractable cables.

There's also a USB connector and if that's not enough, CharLi also acts as a menu holder. Genius.

Old fashioned corned beef makes a comeback

2011-07-11T14:55:49Z

Do you know how corned beef got its name?

Well originally it was beef cured by a technique that included a very coarse rock salt which resembled sweet corn. Hence, corned beef.

Sounds rather different to the canned minced salted meat I remember from my childhood. And so does the new corned beef from Northern Ireland-based O'Doherty's Fine Meats.

Based on a recipe dating back 600 years and using locally-sourced beef, Fermanagh Black Corned Beef is salted and cured over a period of three months.

The aim of managing director Pat O'Doherty, who developed the recipe from studying historic documents in his local library, was to create an old fashioned and high quality corned beef that's completely natural using fully traceable beef from Aberdeen Angus cattle reared naturally on the shores of Lough Erne.

Fermanagh Black Corned Beef is available as either as a joint or pre-sliced, but definitely not in a can.

Titanic whiskey launched in Belfast

2011-06-23T14:19:21Z

Imagine you have to think of a name for a new whiskey brand. And it's distilled in Belfast, home of the Harland & Wolff shipyard which as most people know launched a certain ill-fated White Star liner on 31st May 1911.

It couldn't really be anything else could it? The launch of Titanic Irish Whiskey was held on the 100th anniversary of the launch of the world's most famous ship, the RMS Titanic.

Developed by the Belfast Distillery Company, it's the first new whiskey brand from the city in nearly 100 years and is a clean and balanced blend of aged malt and grain that has been matured in American oak barrels.

Of course, it's sure to go down well but try not to sink the whole bottle in two-and-a-half hours.

Cue Celine...

Spotlight on English wine

2011-05-27T10:55:35Z

European wines are long established and New World wines from the likes of Australia, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA are now ubiquitous.

But what of English wines? England's vineyards are spread throughout the country, although the majority are still in the south, there are more and more being planted further north.

If you've never thought of serving them, now's your chance. English Wine Week runs from 28 May to 5 June and is a national campaign to raise awareness in English vineyards and wines.

It rounds off the UK's first National Wine Month nicely, an initiative co-ordinated by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which is hosting a "Make Time For Wine" consumer roadshow with bespoke tastings throughout May.

As part of National Wine Month, Molson Coors is running a special promotion on its full range of Chapel Down English wines - the wine of choice for the Royal Wedding - to underline its sponsorship of the event.

The group, which supplies in excess of 700 wines from more than 15 countries - is offering its independent hotel, pub, club and restaurant customers a free bottle of still or sparkling Chapel Down wine for every 11 they buy during the month of May.

Cheers!

CESA launches interactive Induction Cooking Equipment Forum

2011-05-09T16:42:27Z

With energy efficiency and protecting the environment high on everyone's agenda you may feel you need to learn more about technology and kitchen equipment that can help the cause.

Well now's your chance. The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA), in collaboration with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and Caterer, has organised the inaugural Induction Cooking Equipment Forum which takes place on Friday 10 June 2011 at The Park Lane Hotel, London from 09:30 to 14:00.

It's a one-day interactive event for industry professionals who use or want to learn more about induction technology and through a combination of presentations, tailored workshops, exhibitor demonstrations and an induction kitchen tour, attendees will gain a greater understanding of induction equipment, how it works, its benefits, and how to get the most from it.

Ticket prices start at £75 plus VAT. For more information on the event click here or call 01293 851 869.

Huhtamaki cup dress for Royal bride Kate?

2011-04-21T10:23:44Z

Speculation continues to mount over the dress Kate Middleton will wear when she weds Prince William next week.

Various designers, including Bruce Oldfield and Jasper Conran, have been rumoured to have landed the job of creating the gown that the bridal industry expects to be copied over and over as soon as the public gets a glimpse of it.

Well let me throw another name into the mix. Given that sustainability remains such a hot topic, the Royal bride-to-be could make a statement with this wedding dress made entirely from Huhtamaki paper cups.

It was created by Julia Roebuck, a recent graduate from the London College of Fashion, using the company's BioWare cold drink cups in support of the Footprint Awards 2011 which are dedicated to rewarding contributions to sustainability and environmental excellence in the foodservice industry.

The cups are made from renewable plant materials and their origin, manufacture and disposal have all been developed to have a lower impact on the environment.

Of course, it's unlikely the Huhtamaki dress will make an appearance at Westminster Abbey on the big day but if it did it would certainly have Twitter and online forums buzzing.

Royal Orchid napkin fold for Royal Wedding celebrations

2011-04-12T10:13:35Z

As you might imagine, there's no shortage of Royal Wedding-themed products to mark the impending nuptials of HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Now table stylist Luigi Spotorno has created the Royal Orchid, a special linen napkin fold to adorn the dining tables of Royal Wedding celebrations nationwide, using products from Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services.

But don't panic if you're not posh enough to use linen - although the design was created for linen napkins, Luigi says it also works with three-ply paper napkins.

"I wanted to create something unique and special for this lovely couple," says Luigi, author of Luigi's Language of Napkin Folding. "Now I am giving party organisers the chance to re-create the Royal Orchid at their own Royal Wedding celebrations."

Luigi submitted the design to St James' Palace and received a personal letter expressing the thanks and best wishes of the Royal couple.

There's no indication they're planning to use the design for the napkins at their Buckingham Palace reception but perhaps they should consider it. The job of folding the hundreds needed would be an ideal way to keep Prince Harry out of mischief for a while.

Download your guide to Napkin Folding here >>