There’s something re-assuring about the news that one of the fastest areas of sales growth for UK supermarkets is in traditional puddings, after all the proof is in the pudding. Whilst it’s always good to freshen things up with new products such as Prime Water or salted caramel club biscuits, it’s comforting to know that class is permanent when it comes to the dessert course. In these challenging times it appears consumers have latched onto the puddings of yesteryear as an affordable luxury and there have been big increases in demand in recent weeks. Despite the cold weather, ice cream-based c ..read more

And so, in the words of Queen, another one bites the dust. Anyone who remembers the seventies will have fond memories of the iconic drink Lilt and its catchy adverts which brought a ray of sunshine into British homes. Who couldn’t fail to yearn for the Caribbean as the reggae vibe of the steel band struck up to the soundtrack of the coolest advert on TV, portraying the Lilt man delivering cans of the Totally Tropical Taste to sundrenched beaches. However time and tropical tides wait for no man and after 48 years the name is to be scrapped and the sparkling soft drink previously known as Lilt w ..read more

Seventy-five years ago a change occurred in Britain that was to revolutionise forever the way we shop. Prior to 1948 shopping could often be a long, laborious process that involved queueing at a counter, handing over a list to an assistant and waiting patiently until they collected all the items which you then paid for in cash or, if the shopkeeper trusted you, on credit. And the reality of forties Britain was that many items were still subject to rationing so choice was limited and with items often out of sight in backroom store cupboards shoppers were unaware of everything that was available ..read more

Imagine the uproar if someone suggested that England, not Scotland, invented haggis, or that it was Switzerland, not Italy, that opened the eyes of the world to spaghetti. Well it’s now 100 years since a similar accusation of culinary mis-appropriation was first levelled concerning the most popular fast food in the world and the row seems set to rumble on for at least another century. Because it’s fair to say that when it comes to French fries, Belgium has a chip on its shoulder. Chips have probably been around since the first potatoes emerged in Peru over 4,500 years ago but it’s only in the ..read more

If you believe the internet the number one food trend of last year was cloud bread. Yes, you can forget those traditional favourites of fish and chips, spag bol and chicken tikka masala because, with 3.4 billion views, the light and fluffy bread substitute was the TikTok food trend of 2022. But before you rush out and stock up on the key ingredients of cream cheese, eggs and cream of tartar, it might be worth remembering that the food search trends of 2021 boldly predicted that potato milk would sweep all before it on the supermarket shelves. As far as we know, cows are still in business. If y ..read more

With the cost of living crisis affecting many, the hunt is on to find not just affordable food but also the most economical way of preparing it. And because food is so vital to our physical and mental well-being there’s also the added incentive of ensuring it is tasty and healthy. This combination has led to a surprise newcomer in the festive and New Year sales charts because battling it out amongst the Playstations and  Boba Fett’s Lego starship, Barbie Folls and Play-Doh is a kitchen appliance that has taken the nation by storm. Sainsburys, John Lewis, PC World and others all report bou ..read more

The last century has seen some incredible inventions that have transformed our lives and continued the forward momentum of mankind. From penicillin to television, nuclear power to personal computer, life on earth has certainly taken a giant leap forward in recent times. And yet, for all the joy, benefits and freedoms these breakthroughs have brought, the benchmark by which all future innovations are judged remains the brainchild of Otto Frederick Rohwedder who, about this time 100 years ago, was working on his lifetime achievement. In fact it would be 1928 before Otto unveiled the fruits of hi ..read more

As you prepared for New Year’s Eve last week you may have read the inspiring story of Gary McKee, a father-of-three from Cumbria, who set himself the challenge of running a marathon every day of last year. As he completed the final 26 miler on December 31st, Gary had not only completed his new year resolution, he had also raised £1m for Macmillan Cancer Support and a local hospice. Those efforts put the more usual resolutions of eating more vegetables, drinking less alcohol etc in the shade however mere mortals should not give up hope. There are resolutions we can all set that will not only gi ..read more

The amazing scenes in Buenos Aires as millions gathered to celebrate Argentina’s World Cup triumph bring into sharp focus once again the impact this remarkable country has had on the world. Birthplace of the Tango (the dance,not the fizzy pop),  the world’s first ever animated film and possibly most famous revolutionary, Che Guevara, you can certainly experience the highs and lows of life in Argentina. Mount Aconcagua marks the highest point of the Southern hemisphere with a peak of 7,000m, whilst the salt lake Laguna del Carbon sits 105m below sea level and is the lowest point south of t ..read more

It’s about this time of year that people start looking to the future, and it also happens to be the birthday of possibly the most famous foreteller of all – Nostradamus. Born sometime in the week before Christmas in 1503 and known to his friends as Michel, Nostradamus dabbled in a few things but his best skill was probably the gift of the gab. This came in very useful when one of his prophecies was interpreted as predicting threats upon the life of the French King Henry II. Summoned to Court with a good chance he could be beheaded, he managed to sweet talk the Queen and in doing so gained Roya ..read more