As England prepare to smash the Aussies for the sixth time in this year’s Ashes series, cricket legend Sir Ian Botham is swapping his cricket whites for chef whites to become Beefeater’s new Boss of Beef this summer. To celebrate his tenure as the official Boss of Beef and bowl Brits over, Sir Ian Botham – known affectionately to millions as ‘Beefy’ – pays tribute to iconic bosses in a series of tongue-in-cheek pictures. Watch our video to see the exclusive behind the scenes footage.

Our video shows Beefy as he dons a mobster suit to recreate the classic shot of Marlon Brando’s character in The Godfather; pointing the ‘You’re Fired’ finger at a quivering Apprentice, dressed in a classy suit as no-nonsense entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar and finally taking on the role of the nation’s most cringe-worthy boss, The Office’s David Brent. And of course, the day wouldn’t have been complete without Sir Ian Botham also commencing with an induction into his new role by spending time learning how to grill the perfect steak at the Whitbread Skills Academy.

Sir Ian Botham Beefeater’s Boss of Beef

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Vinopolis is hosting their own Bastille Day events this year alongside the Bastille Festival celebrations at nearby Borough Market. With French cheese & wine matching, La Fée Absinthe tasting, a ‘French wine labels unravelled’ masterclass and plenty of Canard-Duchêne Champagne flowing, the Vinopolis Wine Tasting Experience will become the destination for Francophiles from 11th-14th July.

Details of the Vinopolis Bastille Day Events:

French Cheese & Wine Masterclass: 11th July
You can’t go wrong with a good French wine and a delicious slice of fromage, so a special masterclass dedicated to cheeses from across France all matched with classic French wines just needs you to sit back and enjoy six mouth-watering matches.

Exclusively for this class, each ticket includes 7 tokens to use on the wine tasting experience.
Tickets: £50 per person
Time: 7pm

La Fée Absinthe Tasting Masterclass: 12th July
Intrigued by absinthe and its colourful reputation? On 12th July a masterclass dedicated to the Green Fairy and its captivating past will see La Fée Absinthe’s George Rowley, pioneer of the absinthe revival and repeal of the ban in France is coming in to host this one-off masterclass.

In addition, guests to this masterclass will have an exclusive introduction to the new ‘all natural ingredients’ La Fée Absinthe Parisienne 68%. This recipe has been two years in the making and is only being bottled as we speak ahead of its July launch!

Guests will trial four styles of absinthe, learn the perfect pour and finish up with an absinthe cocktail.

Tickets: £45 per person
Time: 7pm

French Wine Labels Unravelled: 14th July
Ever wondered where to start when looking at the expanse of choice on the supermarket wine shelves? On 14th July it is all about demystifying the French wine label and sampling six classic French wines. Your friends and family will look at you in a different light with your new found knowledge!

Tickets: £40 per person
Time: 1pm

Guests coming on the main wine tasting experience and to the restaurants won’t miss out on the action either. Vinopolis wine experts will be in fancy dress, so look out for the revolutionaries and their free samples of great French wine and stop by the aristocracy in the Canard-Duchêne Champagne Bar for a taste of the upper classes. Then head to Cantina Vinopolis where they are serving a special French-inspired set menu all week with a glass of Canard-Duchêne Champagne for £35pp.

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Apple juice made from some of the rarest apples trees in Britain is to go on sale at The Co-operative Food.

Some of the trees date back to pre-Victorian times, including one identical to the apple tree made famous by Sir Isaac Newton, when he discovered gravity.

Others have long-forgotten names such as Duck’s Bill, Bloody Ploughman, Fairie Queen and Forty Shilling.

All have been saved from extinction by The Co-operative, after the old British varieties were long ago rejected by other commercial growers in favour of modern alternatives.

The Prince of Wales and a private Scottish collector are the only other people to possess a similar collection, but The Co-operative, which grows the rare apples at its fruit farm in Tillington, Herefordshire, is the only one putting them to commercial use.

Most of the 1000 different apple varieties used to make the premium own-brand juice are old-style dessert apples. The juice has a unique, rich, flavour, which sets it apart from other commercially available rivals. When the rare “Tillington 1000” pressed apple juice went on sale last year, it sold out within weeks.

Edward Reaney, The Co-operative’s apple juice buyer, said:

This is history in a glass. These are the tastes and flavours that our great grandparents would have known. It has a seductive green apple aroma, a well-rounded dessert apple flavour and a fresh, crisp finish. Most of these apple varieties have been out of commercial production for decades. Growers have, understandably, switched to modern varieties which produce higher yields or possess more resistance to disease. However, The Co-operative believes that old British apple varieties are an extremely valuable part of our heritage. Even their names such as Bloody Ploughman and Duck’s Bill reveal a distinct British-ness compared to modern trees, which often simply have a varietal serial number.”

Even their names such as Bloody Ploughman and Duck’s Bill reveal a distinct British-ness compared to modern trees, which often simply have a varietal serial number.

Bloody Ploughman is a rich red Scottish apple dating from 1883. The name derives from folklore which tells the tale of a ploughman who stole apples and was shot for his efforts . His widow tossed away the stolen apples – and from them grew the very first blood red Bloody Ploughman variety.

Duck’s Bill apples were first grown in 1937 by Fred Streeter, the head gardener at Petworth House, Sussex.

Fairie Queen apples also date form 1937, and were first grown at Ware Gardens in Hertfordshire. It has tender flesh with a sweet aromatic flavour.

Forty Shillings is a dessert apple which is over 200 years old. It was first grown in 1800 and has a creamy white flesh.

The Truly Irresistible Tillington 1000 Pressed Apple Juice is now on sale in selected Co-operative food stores, until stocks last, priced £2.65 for a one litre bottle.

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LBC help for heroes

Can you spread the word? – we have some really exciting auction prizes coming up on LBC (lots are wine, food and travel related), and we were hoping that some of these might be of interest…

The link to the auction homepage is http://www.lbc.co.uk/lbcs-2013-charity-appeal-auction-prizes-71835

One of the stand out prizes include a Cheese and Wine Package with a trip to Amsterdam. This includes a year supply of Cheese from The Jeroboams Fine Food and Wine Cheese Club as well as a private wine and cheese matching experience hosted by the London Wine Academy.

This year’s LBC Appeal is supporting Help For Heroes and funding the incredible work they do providing direct, practical support to those who have suffered life-changing injuries and illnesses whilst serving our country. This is implemented through grants to individuals, other Service charities, capital build projects and four Recovery Centres across the UK which will offer support for life.

LBC Help For Heroes Auction with prizes including meals at two of the country’s most incredible restaurants, kit for your kitchen, wine tasting at Vinopolis and a helicopter ride over London and afternoon tea with LBC’s Steve Allen.

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From the hills of Napa to the mountain slopes of Piedmont, wine writer Nick Wise went in search of great wine, and the new yet prolific modern trend of ‘celebrity turned winemakers’ – a collective group of actors, musicians, directors, artists and sports figures who have en masse entered the wine-making arena as a second profession. Celebrity Vineyards endeavours to illuminate the serious fruit aficionados from the label profiteers, and the reasons behind their personal decisions to produce fine wines.

Intrigued by this trend, Nick wanted to not only explore the reasoning behind their winemaking, but also demonstrate how much fun learning about and experiencing wine can be – and to open up the process to those less interested in the technicalities of winemaking. Exploring celebrity vineyards seemed to him an exciting place to start, and this book tells the fascinating story of the colourful characters he encountered, and their passion for wine.

Nick journeyed around the world, from Central and Northern California to Canada’s Niagara Wine Valley and on to the hills of Italy and Spain, to visit the vineyards of, and in most cases interview, winemakers such as composer/pianist Ludovico Einaudi, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, screenwriter Robert Kamen, acclaimed chef Charlie Palmer and actor Dan Aykroyd, among others. Celebrity Vineyards highlights only those who have become hands-on in their winemaking process, and the tasting notes and reviews in each chapter immediately trigger the senses and uncover brilliant wines that have gained industry recognition.

“After almost a year of travelling and research, we found some very amazing people who were incredibly dedicated to making great wine….The sixteen celebrities we ultimately selected were those people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into the actual winemaking, and others who stayed clear of the technical aspects but nonetheless invested their heart and soul in the process.”
— Nick Wise

The labels on the bottles, the nuances between each glass – Nick remembers every single wine he has tasted. His extraordinary travels and encounters are revealed in this fully illustrated and captivating book. Whether you are a wine connoisseur, or can’t tell your pinot from your merlot, Celebrity Vineyards will delight, charm and educate your palate.

Celebrity Vineyards by Nick Wise available for pre-order on Amazon for £15.70.

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During English Wine Week (Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June), a visit to Knightor New Cornish Winery And Restaurant Experience is a must. Unique to Cornwall in concept, and relatively new to England on the whole, Knightor takes a ‘New World’ approach found in countries such as Australia and New Zealand of successfully marrying wine tours and tastings with a first class restaurant.

In addition, to celebrate English Wine Week, Knightor is offering a wide range of English wines from other leading producers nationwide, including Camel Valley, Sharpham and Nyetimber, to try. It, therefore, provides a rare opportunity to taste a selection of English wines at one time in one place. The wines are available in tasting measures from a state of the art wine dispenser which serves wine in a perfect condition and at the correct temperature. A number of special food and wine dinners and tours will be taking place during English Wine Week from Thursday to Sunday.

The price of a wine tour and two course lunch is a very reasonable £17.95 and for a tour with dinner it is £22.95. These tours run throughout the growing season. As part of the tour you can learn how to cultivate grapes, prune vines, are introduced to the basics of winemaking and taste a range of Knightor wines. There are also tours with winemaker James Thomas for those looking for greater technical insight into the process.

Set in a venue that has the rustic charm of an historic granite farmstead in the Cornish countryside combined with the finest modern technology for making wine and serving it at the correct temperature and freshness, Knightor is both special and unique. The perfect marriage of ‘new wines, old world’. It is also a fantastic place to simply relax with a cup of coffee in the beautiful courtyard with family or friends or to host a full blown celebration. As a result Knightor is rapidly becoming known as an ideal venue for parties, weddings and corporate events. Further information on this can be found on the website (www.knightor.co.uk).

Situated near St Austell Bay, Knightor has succeeded in successfully combining the winery and restaurant to create a serious destination for both wine aficionados and food lovers. Particular attention has been paid in the restaurant to the use of local Cornish produce with a Mediterranean twist, with dishes of immense flavour due to the freshness of the ingredients. Lunches and dinners are paired with a tour of the winery. It doesn’t matter whether you are a wine novice or hold a Master of Wine, much is still to be gained from a trip to Knightor.

Winemaker James Thomas has the same obsessive passion about wine found in the best of international winemakers. This, coupled with time spent with industry leaders in Australia, allows him to blend his New World approach with classic European methods to produce exciting and fresh but complex wines. He is meticulous about every detail. This extends to the wine list he has created for Knightor’s on-site restaurant where he is realising his aim of having one of the most diverse and exciting lists in the country. The most appealing, interesting international wines are served alongside the Knightor range.
The Knightor wines are made using grapes from Knightor’s own Cornish vineyards at Portscatho and Seaton, as well as some grapes from other English growers who bring additional grape varieties to the table.

The Knightor winery lies on the site of a former ancient manor house on the edge of ‘clay country’. The two vineyards are almost equidistant from the winery and, in total, have approximately 17,000 vines, now six to seven years old. The vineyards benefit from the milder Cornish weather, all be it still wet, which has helped winemaker James to develop a range of distinctively English, elegant, light and immensely drinkable still and sparkling wines – the epitome of refined English character.

The Knightor vineyards are situated on the South coast of Cornwall at Portscatho in the Roseland and Seaton near Looe, so they tend to get less hot and less cold than other vineyards and, therefore, are slightly less susceptible to frost. All vines are on south facing slopes to ensure drainage and the area is also planted with natural windbreaks to add shelter from the coastal Cornish wind. Knightor’s portfolio of wines is also available to buy through the website.

Knightor’s first wines include:
• Madeleine Angevine 2011: A delicate floral wine, with gooseberry and elderflower flavours
• Trevannion 2011: A blend of Siergerrebe, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. A powerful aromatic wine, rich in fruit flavours
• First Vintage Rosé 2010: Produced in a limited 1,000 bottle run, this Provençal style Rosé is elegant, with gentle fruit making it the ideal summer wine to accompany a light lunch

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Packed with vitamins, rich in fibre, less than 66 calories each, but as tasty and sweet as any chocolate bar. Sounds a little too good to be true, but sun dried Lady Finger Bananas really are in a class of their own when it comes to picnic snacks…

As with any bananas, Lady Finger Bananas count as one of your five a day are a good source of dietary fiber, certain vitamins and potassium. But where they differ from their cousins in our supermarkets is in their constituency and sweetness.

Known as ‘date’ or ‘fig’ bananas, the smaller fruits are renowned for their sweet sticky taste. When the bananas are slowly dried in the sun, they hold some of their moisture, unlike the dried banana chips you may be used to, creating a unique healthy snack that retains the sweet, sticky deliciousness the bananas are famed for alongside the health benefits – in combination making them a ‘super snack’ that is a fantastic addition to any child’s lunch box or grown-ups picnic basket.

Tropica Organic Whole Dried Lady Finger Bananas have recently been launched and the organic, raw and natural bananas combine an amazing flavour and sticky taste that results in an irresistible snack that can also be chopped up and added to cakes and muffins for a delicious exotic twist.

Tropica Organic Whole Dried Lady Finger Bananas are just £2.29 for a 200g pack of approximately 10 bananas from health stores or www.naturboutique.co.uk

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Yorkshire. Green hills, jagged drystone walls, flat caps, Yorkshire puddings, and – of course – pint upon pint of tawny Yorkshire Ale. The Yorkshire pint is revered across the world, a mark of quality and a guarantee of satisfaction and craftsmanship.

Except there’s much more to it than that – much, much more. The current boom in Craft and Microbrewing that the UK is seeing has exploded across Yorkshire, and the Yorkshire beer of today is more than just a pint of Best.

The new generation of Yorkshire brewers are breaking rules and traditions, resurrecting lost dynasties, soaking up influences from food and brewing in other countries and bringing a wave of fresh ideas to our beloved Yorkshire beer.

Leigh Linley has spent time with a handful of the region’s newest and most critically–acclaimed brewers, from the south to east ridings – and Great Yorkshire Beer is their story. Each brewer is interviewed and their most successful beers are profiled. Food pairings for the beers run throughout, along with recipes for complementary snacks and main meals.

Brewers featured in Great Yorkshire Beer By Leigh Linley include

The Brew Co (Sheffield)
Ilkley Brewery (Ilkley)
Kirkstall Brewery (Leeds)
Leeds Brewery (Leeds)
Little Valley Brewery (Cragg Vale)
Magic Rock Brewery (Huddersfield)
Mallinsons Brewery (Huddersfield)
Revolutions Brewing Co (Castleford)
Rooster’s Brewing Co (Knaresborough)
Saltaire Brewery (Shipley)
Summer Wine Brewery (Honley)
Wharfebank Brewery (Pool in Wharfedale, nr Leeds)
Wold Top Brewery (Hunmanby)

There is also a feature on breweries in the Dales.

“With great knowledge, obvious passion and an appropriate sense of Yorkshire pride, Leigh takes us round to meet the men and women who are making Yorkshire beer top of the national chart, as well as giving us great recipes matched with some of the county’s top new brews.“
From the foreword by Greg Mulholland MP – Chair, Parliamentary Save the Pub Group and one of CAMRA Top 40 Campaigners

Great Yorkshire Beer: Good Beer. Good Food. Good People

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Forget the fairy cakes and pink tarts, there are no girly frills at this award-winning afternoon tea experience. Treat dad The Royal Horseguards for Father’s Day in the relaxing lounge or the stylish Equus bar – a backdrop designed specifically with the modern gent in mind.

Filled with flavours fit for Father’s Day, the menu includes a selection of savoury bites including a ‘beef and Meantime Ale pie’, ‘mini fish and chips with pea puree’, ‘smoked bacon and cheddar savoury muffin’ and a ‘Casterbridge steak sandwich’. Not a cute cupcake in sight, the selection of sweet treats includes ‘macho, man-sized cupcakes’ in ‘whiskey and walnut’ and ‘chocolate and chilli’ flavours, manly macaroons and a chocolate tool kit. Don’t miss out on the afternoon tea staple of freshly bakes scones with Cornish clotted cream and homemade strawberry preserves, and wash it all down with a butch builder’s tea or one of the five-star hotel’s award winning tea leaf blends.

Available to book online, the manly menu has been created exclusively by the hotel’s talented pastry chef, Joanne Todd, and will be available between 10-16 June 2013, priced at £35 per person.

Filled with flavours fit for Father’s Day, the menu includes:
• A selection of savoury bites including a beef and Meantime Ale pie
• Mini fish and chips with pea puree
• Smoked bacon and cheddar savoury muffin
• A Casterbridge steak sandwich

Not a cute cupcake in sight, the selection of sweet treats includes:
• Macho, man-sized cupcakes in whiskey & walnut and chocolate & chill flavours
• Manly macaroons
• A chocolate tool kit

Upgrade the Father’s Day afternoon tea to include a Habanos Cuban Cigar and a signature gentleman’s cocktail from the Equus bar for an additional £25.

For further information or to book please visit to The Royal Horseguards for Father’s Day www.guoman.com/FathersDay

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Scottish Bakers has announced the names of the final 6 bakers shortlisted for the ultimate accoldade, the title of SCOTTISH BAKER OF THE YEAR 2013:

Harry Gow – Inverness
Stevens the Bakers – Dunfermline
Brownings the Bakers – Kilmarnock
Border Biscuits – Motherwell
Macleans Highland Bakery – Forres
Cuckoos Bakery Edinburgh

Each of the 6 finalsts have already been recognised by their customers and a panel of expert judges as producing some of the BEST products in Scotland following an intense judging day in Dunfermline last month.

Following the judges taste tests, all of the regional winners were judged on a national level and a total of 24 bakers were put forward for the main prize.

Each of these bakers were then asked to submit a business case for why their bakery is the best in the land and each baker has also been subjected to a panel interview by independent business judges including James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food and Drink, David Lonsdale, Assistant Director, CBI Scotland and Mike Tully, CEO Bako Northern and Scotland.

The bakers will now complete video interviews for the judges to make their decision on who will be crowned Scottish Baker of the Year 2013

Paul Hollywood, Artisan baker and TV presenter, will announce the winner and present them with their prize, a specially commissioned silver rolling pin at this year’s Scottish Baker of the Year Awards, at a prestigious ceremony in Glasgow on 18th May.

15,000 customers from Stranraer to Shetland voted for their best bakery products during March and the top products in each of the 6 categories were baked and delivered to Dunfermline on 10th April. All products were then judged a panel of independent experts led by artisan baker Robert Ross and including retired master bakers with extensive experience of the bakery sector in Scotland.

The panel professionally judged some 300 items shortlisted in the 6 categories: breads, scones, individual cakes, savouries, morning rolls and new category biscuits, to decide who bakes the best products in Scotland.

Each category has been divided into 3 regions, covering Northern, Central and Southern Scotland. Within each category, the judges will award regional Gold, Silver and Bronze awards and all our shortlisted bakers will be invited to the Awards ceremony in May where they will find out what colour their regional award will be.

The final results will remain a closely guarded secret until 18th May when Paul will announce the results and also name the Scottish Baker of the Year 2013, a crown currently held by Harry Gow.

But for now, each of our 6 bakers can take pride in their place as one of the best bakers in the land.

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