Monday 29 August 2011

That's Books: Party People: How we Make Millions From Having Fun...

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Nudo Olive Oil with much more

Everyone knows that olive oil is good for you. And everyone knows that for you to get the best in quality, you really do need the first cold pressed extra virgin olive oils.

This is the oil one can expect from Nudo Olive Oils. But there is much, much more from Nudo Olive oils than that!

Nudo is a farming co-operative -launched and operated by a British husband and wife team, Cathy Rogers and Jason Gibb.

Nudo uses only the finest quality olive oils using genuine small scale artisan farming techniques in the Marche and Abruzzo provinces of Italy.

The flavourings in the carefully flavoured range of Nudo Olive Oils are all carefully selected and often employing fresh, locally-grown herbs.

Indeed, foodies will not be surprised to discover that when they make Lemon olive oil fresh lemons from Sicily are placed with Leccino olives which are then ground using a gigantic millstone in the traditional, time honoured method.

These flavoured olive oils can be used for roasting, for drizzling, baking or cooking or for making into a simple, yet fantastic dip with some crusty Italian breads!

But Nudo offer lovers of good food still more. You can join in and help protect this ages old way of life by adopting an olive tree. For the sum of £65, you will receive a special adoption certificate and in the spring, you will receive the golden oils produced by your very own olive tree! To learn more about this fascinating programme visit www.nudo-italia.com/groves

The above idea would make a first rate Christmas present for the foodie in your life!





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Sunday 28 August 2011

Wines for Christmas

There are wines available for every meal or occasion over the Christmas period, this is a carefully selected range for you!

Cono Sur Reserva Carmenere (Waitrose £8.99)
With red fruit notes, touches of black pepper, coffee and sweet oak notes this velvety wine is ideal for accompanying an after dinner cheese plate or rich meat dishes.

Cono Sur Viognier (Morrisons, Waitrose RRP £7.49)
Crammed with succulent notes of apricot, peach and citrus fruits combined with a hint of oak this fruity wine complements light vegetarian dishes or is an ideal party wine.

Cono Sur Sparkling Brut (Tesco.com £9.99)
With aromas of citrus fruits, white flowers, and a hint of honey, this affordable, sparkling wine is deliciously juicy, crisp and refreshing and is sure to please both friends and family at parties and Christmas morning breakfast.

Faustino V Blanco Sin Crianza 2009 (Ocado and thedrinkshop.com £8.99)
If you like fresh crisp whites (think zesty Sauvignon Blancs), then why not try an unoaked white Rioja this Christmas. Packed with refreshing grapefruit flavours and elegant floral notes, this is a great standalone party wine, but will also work well with a smoked salmon starter on Christmas day.

Marqués de Cáceres Antea Barrel-Fermented Blanco 2009 (Majestic £9.99)
Fans of buttery oak-aged Chardonnay will enjoy a traditional barrel-fermented white Rioja. Made from Rioja’s two key white grapes, Viura and Malvasia, this is a great food wine, its full flavours lending themselves well to an array of dishes, especially richer vegetable dishes, making this a great option to pair with a vegetarian main this Christmas.

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Rosado 2010 (Tesco.com £7.49)
Rioja is not just about red wines – its sunny climate is well-suited to the production of rosé wines. Fresh, juicy, and dry, this berry-scented all-rounder is the perfect pink party wine.

Gran Familia Rioja CVC (Tesco, Asda and Co-op £6,29)
This approachable modern Rioja is a real crowd-pleaser – smooth and fruity with just a hint of vanilla spice, serve with your Boxing Day leftovers, or on its own as a great red party wine. (EDITOR: It also goes very well with white meat,in our humble opinions!)

Viña Pomal Crianza 2007 (Majestic £9.99)
Crianza means ageing, and refers to the fact that this wine has spent two years ageing before release, with at least a year in oak, which gives the wine a hint of creamy vanilla, combining with juicy red berry fruit. This wine is well suited to an array of different foods so will work well with a Boxing Day buffet.

Barón de Ley Reserva 2006 (Co-op and Waitrose £10.99)
If you see the word “Reserva” on a bottle of Rioja, this means that the wine has been aged for at least three years at the winery, with one year spent in oak. Reserva wines are elegant and concentrated, with rich fruit flavours and subtle savoury and spicy hints. A big wine, which is the perfect counterpart to a rich winter feast.

Berberana Viña Alarde Gran Reserva 2003 (Majestic £10.99)
Gran Reserva Rioja wines rank among the finest in the world. Made only with the best grapes in the best years, and aged for at least five years, Gran Reserva wines are ideal for special occasions. With dense fruit and a silky texture, this is the ideal wine to serve with Christmas dinner.


How to impress the foodie in your life with Fussels!


You can impress the foodie in your life this Christmas with a little assistance from those clever people down at Fussels.

For they have used all of their expertise to get together and design the Fussels' Gift Box!

What is contained within the Fussels' Gift Box?

Everthing the foodie in your life could want or desire!

Fussels are, as you will be well aware, renowned for their expertise in growing, harvesting and storing rapeseed oil and producing some of the most mouthwatering products known to man!

The Fussel's Gift Box contains a bottle of freshly cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil, a bottle of chilli rapeseed oil, a jar of classic and mint mayonnaise, a quince and cider vinegar dressing and an FGS beer and horseradish sauce.

And what is more, Fussels rapeseed oil has just won a two star Gold at the Great Taste Awards and Gold at the Taste of the West Awards, the Chilli Oil also won Gold at the Taste of the West Awards and the Beer & Horseradish Sauce won Silver!”

The oils are not only extremely tasty, they are also very healthy and both the jars of mayonnaise were put to very good use in the test kitchen to liven up some meals with more than a little Wow! Factor!

As for the horseradish sauce? It rendered some already perfect beef a sublime experience! As for the quince and cider vinegar dressing? Let's just say that no salad is dressed without it!