The wars between low fat and high calorie and reduced or no salt debates have been addressed by a Government backed scheme which aims to address the confusion associated with food labelling.
The department of health announced this morning that all high street supermarkets bar Iceland have given their acceptance to the scheme commencing next year. The new labelling will colour code high, medium and low fat foods together with salt and sugar data with corresponding percentage of the daily recommended intake. The new scheme straddles both the existing traffic light system developed by the FSA (Food Standards Agency) and GDA (Guideline Daily amount).
Only time will tell if customers take on board the new scheme next year if the information compound the existing confusion.
Read more: Food standard labelling at last, consolidated!
Following weeks of rain during the summer has left grounds ideal for the mushroom harvest. This October we see a prolific abundance of wild mushrooms as the season enters its peak. For those of us who enjoy foraging, be forewarned, there has been a significant rise in poisonous mushrooms. Last year, the National Poisons information Service addressed 257 cases of toxic mushroom cases. However, don't be put off; so long as you buy them from a consolidated outlet the vegetable is to be enjoyed either in a soup, risotto or as we do at London Cuisine school dry them for a more intense flavour by multiplying the natural glutamate concentrations imparting a greater umami experience.
Aubergines are a botanical fruit that most of us are familiar with. Depending on the way it is cooked and presented it is an ingredient people are passionate about or like others who put it into the marmite basket. They are especially popular with the near Middle Eastern and Mediterranean communities as a familiar and daily ingredient. This summer as the Speciality food fair held at Olympia visitors were in awe to see and taste a genetically UNmodified orange aubergine that grows in Pollino, Calabria. They are available to buy for a short season direct from natoora.co.uk priced £2.49 200g pack.