This week on BBC One’s The Apprentice the candidates were set the task of increasing awareness of English sparkling wine. It was fascinating to watch this group of business people try and get to grips with the tipple.

The efforts of team Phoenix, led by project manager Tom Gearing (the director of a fine wine investment company), didn’t fulfil the brief, leaving them with a somewhat dull campaign. Tom was a little bit too involved in tasting the product, and had little input on other aspects of the task leading Karren Brady to observe “Should a project manager be having fun or be in control of the task?”. Despite being slightly sozzled they managed to impress and the team romped to victory.

Conversely it was particularly painful to watch the efforts of team Sterling who decided to call their English wine “Grandeur”, settled on the slogan “Less fizz, more sparkle” – making the product sound both French, and flat – and creating what was possibly the most cheesy advert ever made. Wine experts commented, “Why is it necessary to make it so flippant? Could you find a champagne website that would portray itself that way?” Indeed.

I can’t help but feel that this is reflection of people’s attitude to English fizz – it’s funny, it’s not as good as champagne, we can’t take it seriously. I hope that this will begin to change. Over the past 60 years, English vineyards have been perfecting the art of making quality sparkling wines and there are currently around 150 vineyards that grow grapes for the production of sparkling wines (Source: Sparkling English Wine). English sparkling wine is something we should be proud of.

So, next time you’re buying a bottle of bubbly consider charging your glass with an English tipple, and support this fabulous fizz.

Find out more about English Sparkling Wine:

EnglishSparklingWine.co.uk - guide to English sparkling wines

Sparkling English Wine - offering an Apprentice Discount of 10% off orders for this week only

The bank holiday weekend saw the advent of Eastnor Castle’s first Chilli Festival. This hot new festival promised a variety of chilli products, from sauces and chutneys to drinks and chocolate.

The miserable weather didn’t stave off the visitors. The impressive castle courtyard was buzzing, and stallholders cheerily invited you to try their tasty produce. I was impressed at the variety of products available, offering something for everyone; from chilli whimps to hardcore heat fans.

Special mention should go to The Wiltshire Chilli Farm whose selection of sauces were varying and delicious. Their Eastnor Castle Chilli Sauce, made especially for the event, was fantastic (review to follow) and I particularly liked the mild chilli jam – which would be lovely with cold meats and cheeses.

The cookery demonstrations were held in a large marquee on the lower terrace by the lake. Visitors were welcomed by Rayeesa from Rayeesa’s Indian Kitchen, an authentic Indian cookery school in Mordiford, Herefordshire. Rayeesa was engaging and inspirational. Her dishes smelt wonderful and we were invited to taste them at the end of the demonstration. The pan fried local beef steak was gobbled up with lightening speed. I particularly enjoyed the aubergine and tomato side dish – I’m not a huge fan of aubergine but the vegetable was delicious infused with spices and was so tasty I could have quite happily tucked into a massive bowl of it.

Back in the main courtyard I enjoyed trying and buying some more spicy goodies including jerky from Martin’s Jerked Meat and chocolates from The Velvet Bean, Ledbury’s handmade chocolate company.

I made my way back down the drive as the band played ‘Ring of Fire’ and I looked forward to getting home and warming myself up with a tasty curry.

This week I headed over to Westons Cider in Herefordshire. After wandering around in the drizzle for a while, admiring the garden, some friendly members of staff pointed me towards the tea-room. Taking refuge inside I was greeted with their cider and perry bottle collection.

I was stunned by the number of bottles that lined the walls. The collection, numbering more than 1000 bottles, is thought to be the largest in the world. The variety of labels, bottle shapes and sizes invited further investigation and I was more than happy to sit and admire them from a table by the window.

My current food addictions include coffee cake and I was thrilled to find that they were selling good-sized slices in the tea-room. It was a lighter version of the coffee cakes that I have been indulging in recently, but not lacking in flavour as a result. The light, fluffy sponge was perfectly complimented by a whipped butter-cream filling. I would have been happier with a butter-cream topping as well but the sprinkled sugar added to the light texture and meant that the cake wasn’t too sickly when combined with my hot chocolate.

Next stop was the shop, where I picked up a case of Westons Vintage Cider, and one of their Vintage Perry. The cider has long been a house-hold favourite and I was excited to find that Westons produce a perry in this range as well. Both of these drinks would be the perfect accompaniment to a barbecue and I look forward to testing this when the weather improves enough for us to have one.

Westons Cider offers a great afternoon out for all the family. Free entry to the farm park and a children’s playground offer a fantastic opportunity for the kids to let off steam whilst you sample the large selection of ciders and perries.

An exciting new Chilli Festival will be taking place in the beautiful grounds of Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury on Sunday 6th and Bank Holiday Monday 7th May 2012.

Over 40 exhibitors will be showcasing their products over the weekend in the Castle Courtyard Chilli Market and visitors will be able to try and buy an amazing range of curry sauces and pastes, pickles and jams, chilli chocolate, cheese and vodka, as well as hot chilli plants which you can plant and grow yourself. In addition, there will be a number of specialist hot food suppliers selling authentic curries and other spicy food.

David Littlewood, General Manager for Eastnor Castle said “ We are really excited about our brand new Eastnor Chilli Festival. We are particularly pleased to welcome a number of local Herefordshire exhibitors, including chilli chocolates from The Velvet Bean in Ledbury, chilli vodka from Monkhide Wines in Canon Pyon and special spice mixes from Ambalama Spices in Hereford. Also, The Wiltshire Chilli Farm have made a limited edition Eastnor Castle Chilli Sauce to celebrate the event”.

Local renowned Indian curry expert, Rayeesa, from Mordiford, will also provide regular cookery demonstrations throughout the weekend and in line with the spicy theme, there will be live entertainment from local Mexican band – Los Squideros. Children can take part in a specially designed Chilli Trail and will be entertained by the Eastnor Stilt Walker and Fire Juggler.

The first Eastnor Chilli Festival will be open from 11am to 5pm on both days and admission prices are Adults: £9, Seniors: £8, Children: £6 and a Family Ticket (2+3) is priced at £24.

Further details are available on the Eastnor Castle website at www.eastnorcastle.com or call 01531 633160.

The annual Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair will take place at Hardwick Hall on May 26 and 27 2012.

Celebrity chef Dean Edwards is the latest big name to sign up to appear at Derbyshire’s premier culinary celebration.

Dean, who is resident chef on ITV’s Lorraine breakfast show, will be showcasing his skills at the Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair. He will be staging demonstrations alongside local chefs in the cookery theatre on the second day of the fair, Sunday, May 27.

Chef Simon Rimmer, star of BBC1′s Something for the Weekend, will be in the cookery theatre on the fair’s first day.

With more than 10,000 people again expected to visit it offers local producers and suppliers the chance to promote their goods and highlight their businesses to local people and tourists. Around 150 stalls are expected to showcase the best of Derbyshire produce as well as exotic foods from further afield.

There will be a range of entertainment for the whole family including live music, competitions and face painting and the popular arts and crafts section is expected to host 50 local artists displaying their wares which will range from contemporary art to traditional craftworks.

You can keep up-to-date with Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair updates with a dedicated Facebook page. To stay in touch visit: www.facebook.com/DerbyshireFoodandDrink

I have made a vegetable discovery. Kale. I can’t believe that I have never had it before. Kale is fantastically nutritious, a delicious ‘superfood’. I have been enjoying it with chicken and fish, cooked up with onions and bacon. Here’s how:

Ingredients

1 medium onion, sliced
1 crushed clove of garlic
2 slices of smoked bacon, chopped
a good couple of handfuls of chopped kale
olive oil, for frying

Method

1. Take a large frying pan or wok, add a glug of olive oil and allow to heat on the stove. Then, add the onion and fry until golden.
2. Once the onion is cooked add the crushed garlic and bacon and fry until cooked.
3. Next, add the kale, along with a couple of tablespoons of water and keep stirring until the kale has wilted.
4. Add seasoning to taste. Enjoy!

You can find out more about kale and get further recipe ideas on www.discoverkale.co.uk

I really wanted to share this fantastic pizza dough recipe with you. It’s a Delia Smith recipe which I have used time after time (because it’s fool-proof!)

Ingredients

6 oz (175 g) plain white soft flour
1 level teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon easy-blend dried yeast
½ level teaspoon golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil

To roll out:

A good sprinkling of flour

You will also need a solid baking sheet measuring 14 x 11 inches (35 x 28 cm)

Method

1. Begin by warming the flour slightly in the oven for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven off.
2. Sift the flour, salt, yeast and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the olive oil and pour in 4 fl oz (120 ml) hand-hot water water. Add a bit more water if the mixture is too dry then transfer it to a floured work surface.
3. Knead the dough for 3 minutes or until it develops a sheen and blisters under the surface (it should also be springy and elastic). Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover it with clingfilm that has been lightly oiled on the side that is facing the dough. Leave the dough to rise until it looks as though it has doubled in size. This will be about an hour at room temperature.
4. Having made the dough and left it to rise, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 8, 450°F (230°C), along with the baking sheet.
5. Next, tip the dough back on to a work surface that has been sprinkled generously with flour to prevent it from sticking. Knock all the air out of the dough and knead it for a couple of seconds before shaping it into a ball. Then dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to a circle (or indeed any shape of your choosing) that is approximately 10 inches (25.5 cm) in diameter. Then finish stretching it out with your hands, working from the centre and using the flat of your fingers to push the dough out; you want it to be a fairly thin-based pizza, with slightly raised edges.
6. Using a thick oven glove, carefully lift the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle it with flour. Now gently lift the pizza dough on to the baking sheet and cover the pizza with your choice of topping, taking it up to the raised edge.
7. Bake the pizza on a high shelf for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

We love home-made pizza and it’s a winning dinner for all the family.

In September we were lucky enough to visit the gorgeous Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. We stayed in the lovely Gite Wisteria in Mazamet, Southern Tarn. Within an easy driving distance of Carcassonne it was an ideal base from which we could explore.

Despite the drizzle on the first couple of days we ventured on a day out to Carcassonne, and our first meal out. Squished in a corner in a rustic restaurant we enjoyed a set menu which included goats cheese salad, cassoulet and lemon tart, washed down with a carafe of red wine.

After getting a flat tyre in the isolated village of Cebazan we got our first taste of Blanquette, the region’s answer to champagne. After the car (and my parents) had been towed to Beziers we found a wine warehouse and treated ourselves to a bottle of the local tipple. According to legend Blanquette was the world’s first sparkling wine, pre-dating champagne.  Blanquette is a dry, creamy bubbly with a lovely finish. It is arguably as tasty as champagne and comes with a much smaller price tag – needless to say this was the first of many bottles consumed.

We had to journey out to Beziers a couple of days later to retrieve the car and decided to make a day of it. After a walk around the city we enjoyed lunch at Le Cristal restaurant. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were full of happy customers enjoying their lunch. The French seem to hold a much better attitude to lunch time then many of us Brits. Whilst we sit and eat a hurried sandwich at our desks they take a full lunch hour and take time to enjoy their food. It leads me to think that taking the time out of your working day to make sure you eat a proper lunch must surely be beneficial to your health?

We returned home a week later with some delicious edible souvenirs and some great memories. I would highly recommend a trip to this region of France, its food and drink culture is exciting and diverse, leaving you with lots of tasty treats to try.

We went to the annual Garlic Festival at Le Delice in Malvern on Saturday. There were two stalls set up outside the French deli offering customers the opportunity to try free tasters of garlic soup, snails and garlic ice cream.

I tried my first ever snail. The texture was a little unusual, and the flavour of the snail is best described as ‘earthy’, it was however, tasty, smothered in a garlicky, butter sauce.

I then tried some of the garlic ice cream (again a first for me). I think that it would have been better to try the ice cream first, then the snail, because the garlic on the snail was so strong that all I got from the ice cream was creaminess, so it’s hard to comment on the merits (or not) of it.

Garlic experience for the day complete we went into the shop and bought ourselves some delicious goodies to take home. Bread, cheese, cold meats and paté. I resisted the urge to buy any of the delicious looking cakes and pastries that they had on display, knowing that I would be eating rather a lot of brie that afternoon.

Le Delice is local to us so we pop in there quite regularly. The shop is well worth a visit. Tucked away on Albert Park Road in Malvern, they stock a large range of bread, meats, paté and cheese. I would recommend trying the brie, the hot chorizo (thinly sliced), the duck and hazelnut paté and the macaroons, which are amazing, and very well-priced.

Le Delice is situated at 55 Albert Park Road, Malvern , Worcs, WR14 1RH. Tel: 01684 578588

Sad person that I am I have already started thinking about Christmas and what foodie goodies I can give as gifts. So, last week the kitchen experiments started with Chocolate Truffles.

Although they may not look pretty these truffles were super-easy to make and extremely tasty. Next time I think I’ll use a melon baller to shape them…

Ingredients
280g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
284ml pot of double cream
50g unsalted butter

Method

1. Chop the chocolate and tip into a large bowl. Put the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the cream reached simmering point. Remove the pan from the hear and pour over the chocolate, stirring together until you have a smooth mixture.

2. If you want to add any flavourings to the truffle mix now is the time to do so. Divide the mixture between bowls and mix in liqueurs or other flavourings a teaspoon at a time. You can of course leave the truffles plain. Leave to cool and chill for at least 4 hours.

3. Next, shape the truffles using your hands, coated in flavourless oil, or dip a melon baller in hot water and use that to shape the mixture.

4. Coat your truffles immediately after shaping. Tip toppings into a bowl and gently roll the truffles until evenly coated, then chill on greaseproof paper. There are lots of toppings to try – you might like ground nuts, cocoa powder or lightly toasted dessicated coconut.

5. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days, or freeze for up to a month. If frozen you will need to defrost them in the fridge over night.

Delicious inexpensive gifts. Do you make foodie presents for friends and family? If so, we’d love to hear about them. Email us or leave a comment below.