Organic Fortnight

September 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment

image From 6-21 September, individuals, businesses and communities will be hosting events to raise awareness of the environmental, health and social benefits of organic production. Not only that, but the campaign gives everyone a chance to enjoy organic products from delicious food and drink to beauty and textiles.

The fortnight kicked off with the Soil Association Organic Food Festival, Europe’s largest organic celebration and the campaign closes on a high with the Soil Association Scotland’s Organic Food Festival on 20-21 September.

During Soil Association Organic Fortnight, there will be lots of events going on in your area. To find out what’s going on and where, check out the Soil Association website and I look forward to hearing where you went and what you did.

Filed Under: Organic

Jigsaw cuts Soil Association membership to £10

September 4, 2008 By Leave a Comment

image As well as receiving a welcome pack (including your membership card, two informative booklets and the first copy of the supporter magazine) you will also receive this fabulous bag absolutely free (pictured). This Soil Association bag is brand new for September, and is set to be the talk of organic town.

But why Jigsaw? Well, Jigsaw founder John Robinson used to be an organic farmer and remains very passionate about all things organic. By joining the Soil Association you’ll be helping create a vibrant food culture in which the importance of good food is truly valued and in return for your support, you’ll be regularly updated with info to help you lead a planet-friendly lifestyle.

Filed Under: Organic

Soil Association Organic Food Awards for 2008

September 3, 2008 By 1 Comment

image These awards showcase the best quality organic food and drink, judged by a panel of respected food writers and judges. Winners will be presented with their prizes by the Soil Association’s new president, Monty Don, as part of the launch to Soil Association Organic Fortnight.

Baby, Infant and Children’s Food: Apple and Raspberry Smoothie from Hipp Organic, www.hipp.co.uk
Judges said: “A perfect drink. It is a beautiful pink colour and the flavours are a perfect mix of fruits.”

Baked Goods: Wild White from Hobbs House Bakery, www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk
Judges said: “Chewy delicious loaf with fresh taste of wheat and a fabulous boxy red crust.”

Beer and Cider: Yellowhammer IPA from Black Isle Brewery, www.blackislebrewery.com
Judges said: “Seductive honeycomb and beeswax scent and taste. Very fine floral palette with a fine faintly muscat scented finish. Admirable and unusual level of complexity, lots of well balanced different notes.”

Cakes, Puddings, Biscuits and Confectionery: Macaroon from Judges Bakery, www.judgesbakery.com
Judges said: “Moist and crisp at the same time, a great macaroon.”

Cereals: Super Muesli from Claybrooke Mill, www.claybrookemill.co.uk
Judges said: “This looks and tastes like the real deal: unadulterated cereal flakes – none of the sugar-coated, honey crisp, oven-roasted variety here – and profusion of nuts and dried fruit. Simple, rich and gimmick-free. The perfect base for a fresh fruit and yogurt muesli experience.”

Dairy: Eggs from Ben’s Hens, www.rodandbens.com
Judges said: “A golden egg in every sense of the word. Sadly, the rise of the industrial egg has meant we have largely forgotten how good a real egg can be. Eggs of this quality are one of nature’s finest foods, every bit as precious as truffles and worth their weight in gold, The fact that a humble egg has won should be an inspiration for everyone who cares about what they eat.”

Fruit and Vegetables: Pointed Cabbage from Woodlands Farm, www.woodlandsfarm.co.uk
Judges said: “Very nice texture and colour, superb flavour, sweet, looked lovely raw. Simple steaming was the best way to cook it.”

Meat and Fish: Pork from Rhug Estate, www.rhug.co.uk
Judges said: “Pork as good as this is a very rare find these days, and when it’s as good as this it is the king of meats. What a treat and privilege it is to have this. If there was more pork like this, then our pig farmers could look forward to a better future.”

Non Alcoholic Drinks: Green Tea from Asda, www.asda.co.uk
Judges said: “Hugely refreshing and easy to drink with a delicate hint of lemon and mountain spring, leaving you thirsty for more. A treat for green tea aficionados.”

Prepared Foods: Pea and Mint Soup from Rod and Ben’s, www.rodandbens.com
Judges said: “Indistinguishable from good home-made, with the balance between pea and mint flavours just right. Great texture too.”

Store Cupboard Staples: Cyder Vinegar, Aspall, www.aspall.co.uk
Judges said: “Very gentle appley taste. True clean flavour, the apple wins through.”

Wine and Spirits: Sparkling Wine from Vintage Roots, www.vintageroots.co.uk
Judges said: “Bright and apply, yeasty palate good cava.”

Click here to see a full list including highly commended and commended products.

Source: Soil Association

Filed Under: Organic

Rude Health re-vamp

September 3, 2008 By 1 Comment

I have been a huge fan of Rude Health ever since I first discovered them at a Good Food Show a couple of years ago. My favourite has been their Ultimate Muesli and I’ve been treating myself to a bag every couple of months. I say ‘treat’ because it’s not cheap and although its really good for me, I think of it as a bit of an indulgence.

image So Dave and I went shopping a little while ago and it was my ‘treat’ time but when I reached the place where the Rude Health products live, the shelves were bare. I was disappointed but thought they may have run out and thought nothing more of it. On a more recent shopping trip, again I went straight to the usual place to find my treat and yet again Rude Health was nowhere to be seen. I admit it, I was upset, I REALLY look forward to my Ultimate muesli and I feared that Rude Health was no more!

I got home, fired-up the laptop and immediately clicked on the Rude Health website to find out what the hell was going on! Then it all became clear…”See, they’re just re-vamping” Dave said. Oh the relief! I know it seems sad that a grown woman should be so concerned about muesli but you see, since the IBS diagnosis, so many foods I loved and enjoyed are now prohibited to me and not only are Rude Health products safe for me to eat , I also absolutely adore them! The idea that they might be gone forever was truly horrible.

To my delight, Rude Health is just undergoing an exciting overhaul, including new packaging, a revamped brand image and new products (all of the products are still organic, wheat-free and contain no added salt and sugar).

The new packaging is really eye catching and the bag is biodegradable within a recyclable cardboard box. The new addition to the muesli family is No Flamin’ Raisins – the first widely available, organic muesli to be completely free from raisins, currants and sultanas. Rude Health developed the product after research revealed that 30% of people either don’t like raisins or would prefer not to have them in their breakfast cereals.

RudeHealthPersonally I have nothing against raisins but No Flamin’ Raisins has mangoes, apricots, apples, almonds, Brazil nuts and dates instead… and it is so delicious you can’t help forgetting about raisins all together!

Now the colder weather is on the way I know I’m going to want warming-up in the mornings so next I’m going to try the Morning Glory porridge, it sounds fantastic with all sorts of grains and seeds added to make it smooth but crunchy.

If you haven’t discovered Rude Health yet, keep an eye out for the new range and give them a try, and don’t forget to let me know what you think!

Filed Under: Featured, Organic, Special Diets

Is ‘going organic’ just a fad?

August 29, 2008 By 1 Comment

vegetables Sales of organic produce have soared as we have become more health and environmentally conscious over the last decade. Consumers are more concerned with eating healthily and ethical  practices than ever before and this has seen organic and fair-trade produce gain enormous popularity.

However, in the news there is growing evidence of organic food sales dropping and claims that ‘going organic’ was just a fad, the fashionable thing to do. Now that we are in ‘the credit crunch’, people are turning their backs on more expensive organic varieties in favour of returning to more budget friendly products. Many of the reports I’ve read imply that money is all we care about, that the cheaper option will always win in the end.

I don’t agree, it’s not as black and white as that. Yes, you can’t deny the facts that organic sales are dropping and we are all suffering cash-strapped times. But I don’t believe we have changed our minds and no longer care about what we are putting into our mouths. I think many of us do not have an option, maintaining a 100% organic lifestyle is a costly dream, one we would love to achieve but simply cannot afford to do so.

Saying that buying-in to an organic lifestyle is a fad or something fashionable to do, is wrong in my opinion. A dictionary defines fad as “a temporary fashion, notion, manner of conduct, etc.” I don’t believe our opinions on health and ethical food issues is temporary, we are just as aware and conscious as always, wanting to do whatever we can. But how much we able to do has changed financially and we are now having to re-think our priorities.

For most of us money will always be at the top, it is the key to our survival and actually being able to put a nutritious meal on the table is more important than where the ingredients came from. But that does not mean we don’t worry about it. Now-a-days, a food shopping trip is a minefield of guilt for us, we look at everything we’re buying, justifying whether it must be organic or is the cheaper option kind of ok on the ethical front? We end up over-riding our ethical consciousness on many items, dismissing guilty feelings in order to achieve an affordable bill at the till.

So, ‘going organic’ is not about being fashionable or following a fad, it is not a temporary phenomenon. We are not any less ethically aware and any less caring, we just can’t afford it. These things go in cycles and no doubt, when the economy is on the up again, people will be able to afford more organic produce and sales will increase once more.

Filed Under: Featured, Organic
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