Organic Food, Organic Wine, Vegan Food, Cooking

Handmade Blue Cheese

2010-05-04T15:50:16Z

Cornish Blue Cheese Company, 175g, £2.90

We are definitely going to buy this again! This handmade blue cheese from Cornwall is delightfully creamy, but gives you the soft kick we love from its blue vein. This is not your traditional matured Stilton cheese - it's much softer and creamier in taste and texture, and delivers a distinct young flavour that'll make you proud to be British. This is a far cry from your usual imported variety and it tastes good to eat from a cheese platter hand produced from the Cornish Cheese Company.

Buy from the Virtual Farmer's Market - enter GINLADY to get 20% exclusive discount!

Stellar Organics Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

2010-02-28T16:32:00Z

Stellar Organics, Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

You can tell from the near empty bottle that I just couldn't wait to tell you about this highly quaffable red wine. Because I've committed to drinking Fairtrade wine on The BIG Swap, my eyes scanned the local Sainsburys shelves for the FAIRTRADE mark. This was the only one I could find in my small nearest supermarket (I didn't buy online as I needed a drink pronto to celebrate Friday night and wasn't going to wait!). Highly drinkable, it would partner well with any red meat, although I thoroughly enjoyed it with my chicory, mushroom and shallot casserole last night. This bottle won't break the bank - it cost less than £5.50 so next time you're in the supermarket, scan for the FT mark, as Stellar Organics gives stellar results.

For more information, you can visit Stellar winery's website.

Dill & Lemon Zest Mayonnaise

2010-02-28T14:13:39Z

Casson's English Herbs at Virtual Farmers Market, 125g £2.99

As a huge fan of mayonnaise and salmon, this has to be the tastiest accompaniment I've found for a fish dish, especially poached salmon and fish cakes. Casson's English Herbs carefully farm and source herbs from their farm in Hampshire which lend a fabulous flavour to their free range egg mayonnaises. The GIN Lady is clearly not the only fan; Casson's Dill & Lemon Zest Mayonnaise was a Gold Winner at The Great Taste Awards last year. I'm now completely hooked and will be adding a couple of jars of this zesty stuff to my Virtual Farmers Market order when I next go shopping there. It's a fabulous online destination to buy hard to find farmers market products from small producers across the UK. Both VFM and their stock of Casson's have our highest recommendation.

Visit Virtual Farmer's Market now to buy Casson's.

Limited Edition Yoghurt

2010-02-28T11:29:00Z

Rachel's, Pineapple and Grapefruit Yoghurt, £1.59 450g pot

Yummy! Rachel's, Britain's first ever certified organic dairy is at it again with a fantastic new product. This limited edition yoghurt has made The GIN Lady's mornings with its fresh zing and creamy texture. It's the contrast we're loving the most: It boasts an organic creamy dreamy thick yoghurt - sublime - with a fresh, detoxing effect with its organic grapefruit. So if you're one of those people who eat a grapefruit for breakfast, why settle for just the fruit, when you can treat your taste buds to this zesty yoghurt as well!

Even better, it's incredible this thick creamy yoghurt has less than 2% fat. Either enjoy alone or pour over your favourite cereal or fruit at breaky. Not that we think this yoghurt should be limited to just breakfast. The GIN Lady tucked in mid afternoon too, as the perfect pick me up during the evitable mid arvo energy slump.

Buy online with Ocado or pick it up at your next visit to Waitrose or Booths stores nationwide.

Buy a Whole Turbot

2010-01-17T16:11:49Z

The Smelly Ally Fish Company, Whole Turbot, 1 Kg £40.25

Turbot is in season right now, and while pricey, it's sustainably caught in the Cornish waters and would look fantastic as a whole fish on a platter and served up to your friends at the table - definitely has the wow factor! We found a sustainable fishmonger selling Turbot online here, and here's a Turbot recipe to inspire you. Go on, treat yourself!

TREAT YOURSELF TO A WHOLE TURBOT!

Beetroot Humous Recipe

2010-01-17T15:57:17Z

Make your own Beetroot Humous!

Beetroot are bang on season right now so we thought you'd enjoy making your own humous - we've certainly been busy. Here you go... quick and easy, courtesy of Abel & Cole!

Ingredients

1 medium-sized beetroot
400g tin of chickpeas, cooked for 10-12 mintues, until tender
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

First, clean the beetroot and place in a small saucepan – whole, uncut and unpeeled. Cover with water, bring to the boil and continue to boil, lowering the heat only slightly, for 1 hour – or until it’s tender enough to pierce a fork right throught to the centre.

Sweet Freedom's Natural Sweetener

2010-01-17T15:34:31Z

Sweet Freedom, Natural Sweetener, £2.99 for 300ml

Now you can have your cake and eat it! And with Raymond Blanc cooking with at Le Manoir, it's got to be great! So whether you're on a diet or looking to cut down on your sugar intake for health reasons, then this could be just the ticket.

So what's all the fuss about? It’s the first of its kind to be made 100% from fruit - think apples, grapes and carob and nothing else! It's all natural and doesn’t contain any nasty additives or preservatives. SWEET FREEDOM tastes like sugar but is much healthier with 25% fewer calories and, as it’s sweeter, you can use up to 50% less gram for gram. We like what we're hearing.

As for taste, Daily Mail says it "tastes as good as sugar" so this award winning natural alternative could be just what you're looking for, to add to your hot beverages, breakfast, puddings, you name it.

Available at large Tesco stores, Waitrose, Whole Foods Market (Kensington), Planet Organic as well as online at Sweet Freedom. Worth checking out!

Detox Cordial

2010-01-17T15:22:46Z

Thorncroft, Detox Cordial, £3.25

This is one of The GIN Lady's favourite cordials, whether she's detoxing or not! Does it make a difference? Well, we're not entirely sure, but we are sure it adds a healthy bonus to a balanced diet, and you can't go wrong with a delicious dose of Thorncroft's Detox Cordial. Made with Dandelion and Burdock, these two ingredients work to detox your system, but the flavour comes from its blend of coriander, liquorice, sarsaparilla, ginger, and half a dozen other herbs and spices. Without any sugar or preservatives, this cordial is safe, tasty and combined with a healthy diet, it's bound to work its magic.

ENJOY SOME WELLBEING CORDIAL!

Pear, Walnut & Roquefort Salad

2009-11-30T16:28:26Z

Pears are deliciously seasonal during the cold winter months. Before you tuck into a hearty festive meal, why not whet your dinner guests' appetites with a light seasonal starter of Pear, Walnut & Roquefort Salad, courtesy of Daylesford Organic?! It only takes 1 minute to prep and 5 minutes to cook. Perfect!

Ingredients (serves 4 people)

2 ripe pears
juice of a lemon

LAMB STEAKS

2009-09-25T14:31:06Z

Abel & Cole, Lamb Leg Steaks, 400g £5.99

Particularly in the last few weeks, with all the Fashion Weeks going on, I've been searching out quick home made meals that are both seasonal and packed full of goodness. Lamb steaks have delivered on all fronts, and just like a beef steak, they are quick to cook and deliver a tasty punch. I'm hooked.

EAT SEASONAL LAMB STEAKS!