FOODBITES

STOP THE POP(CORN)

The lights are low, the music is deafening and you have just parted with £10 for your own body weight in salted popcorn – you must be at the cinema!  This could be a thing of the past as one of the UK’s most successful art house cinema groups has made the remarkable decision to phase out popcorn from its cinemas!  “Popcorn is a contentious issue,” said Gabriel Swartland, from Picture House Cinemas. “Lots of people absolutely hate it and have asked us to ban it, so we’re going to do exactly that.”

WOZZA THE WALLY?

In a recent article Antony Worrel Thompson suggested that Henbane is a good addition to summer salads.  However this common weed is in fact poisonous, causing vomiting, hallucinations and in extreme situations death!  He did realise the error of his ways and said he meant to recommend the edible plant Fat Hen.  There were however no reports of any casualties – sack the researcher!

SWEET SUCCESS

Martin Towse, the Patisser at The Black Swan Hotel at Helmsley in Yorkshire, has used the financial woes for culinary inspiration.    A combination of sweet pastry, almond custard, poached apples, apple vanilla puree and biscuit crumbs has been named the Credit Crunch Apple Tart!

MORE RED MEAT, PLEASE!

Too much tofu may affect a man’s fertility, according to a study linking soya and low sperm count. The scientists, led by Dr Jorge Chavarro, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found that even modest consumption of soya products, such as meat and dairy substitutes and bean curd, could have a significant impact on sperm count.

BE A SUECO SUPERSTAR

The first 4 months has seen the Sueco Cookery School really take off!   They have run three evening classes (Asian Fusion, BBQ & Summer Entertaining and Dinner Parties) and are now in the middle of the French Cuisine course.  These courses have been extremely well received and they are now looking ahead to Soups, Stews and Winter Warmers and Canapés before we break for the Christmas Holidays.  In the New Year they are planning to run new courses on Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking, Rustic Italian and Seafood and sides.