If you are planning a trip to France then Carolyn Boyd’s new book Amuse Bouche is the just the thing for you and if you had not thought of going there you may well after reading it. To my great disappointment I have just had to cancel a six day break in Normandy, but actually it may be a blessing in disguise as I have learned so such more about where to go and what to do to thoroughly appreciate the culinary delights of the region. This book is better than any ordinary guide book. It takes you deep into the countryside and down hidden alleyways to meet the most amazing artisan producers and th ..read more

I am concerned that the Radio Times recommendations for diet changes in the Earth Day Special 20th to 26th April edition, have not been thought through and could be misleading The article talks about the eco costs of farming cows for milk and says we can reduce the amount of land use going into our breakfast and reduce the amount of fresh water used by swapping soya milk for cow’s milk.  But there is nothing about the eco costs of growing soya which are huge, in some areas deforestation and land clearance have become a very serious factor in climate change. Fertiliser and pesticide produc ..read more

Very old trees near to Fasano Driving south from Bari is the town of Bitritto home to Oliodecarlo, a family business reaching back some 400 years.  First came the olive trees and then the mill and now a thriving business offering a range of olive oils and vegetables preserved in olive oil as well as a variety of “elixirs” produced by pressing their own organic olives with fresh chillis, tangerines or white truffles.  The De Carlo mill is open to the public every day of the year and you can book a visit to discover every step of the process to press the oils. You can also take the o ..read more

Breakfast at Princess Yaiza Hotel Calling all bee keepers and indeed hoteliers looking for innovative ideas. So often food products are best sold after a tasting and there is no better way to promote a new product than when people are on holiday. Malcolm and Diane Tait discovered a wonderful local honey when it was served to them on the breakfast buffet at the Princess Yiaza Hotel in Playa Blanca on the holiday island of Lanzarote. The large honey comb was not only eye catching but delicious to eat. Of course it is not just bee keepers who can make use of this promotional idea; any kind of a ..read more

In the midst of strong December winds and rain I found the sunshine of Tuscany.  A great morning hosted in Hampton Place with Tuscan chef Alessandro Piccinini.  Alessandro has a cookery school in the small medieval village of Montisi not far from Montalcino in southern Tuscany.  Along with his work at the school he holds cookery classes with private lunches and dinners such as the one I attended. Our hostess for the morning was Ann Alexander who spends part of her time here in Brighton and the other half in Montisi where she runs Montisi Magica organising holiday experiences and ..read more

Official IOC tasting cup New Olive Oil This New Year I am offering a new series of mini-classes on Tasting and Appreciating Olive Oil.  The  classes will be held at my office in the centre of Brighton and will last for one and half hours, either in the morning or the afternoon. The first two classes were well attended but confirmed my view that the many misconceptions about olive oil are still rife. The next class will be held in mid-March For places email me at judyridgway@btinternet.com The class will offer 5-6 oils to taste and a faulty oil to compare and contrast.  It ..read more

Linos Mediterranean Blu Can wine be blue or maybe even green? I was asked recently. “Of course not!” I announced firmly.  But think again.  When I researched the subject I found that there are quite a few references to “blue wine” in various European wine producing countries. The Linos winery in Cyprus, for example, going so far as to call one of its wines “Mediterranean Blu”.  Wanting to “catch the colour of the Mediterranean in a bottle” this winery spent 4 years working out just how to do it. They report that they finally decided to use 99% local Xynsteri grapes and then ad ..read more

Sub-titled A Producer’s Taste of the Global Olive Oil Industry , this new book by Simon Field, entrepreneur, founder of the Savantes programme and olive grower is a “must read” not only for anyone thinking of moving into the industry but also for everyone with any connection to it.  The book is crammed with pertinent advice for both current and would be producers, acute observations of the current position of the industry and suggestions for its future, some of which may be seen as rather controversial.   It certainly answers all the questions that you might have about the secto ..read more

Olive groves belonging to Frantoio Franci I have chosen Frantoio for the second in my series of posts on the olive varieties most frequently pressed for olive oil. This Tuscan varietal, which shares its name with the Italian word for olive mill, has found its way to many parts of the olive oil world. Its popularity is probably linked to the fact that Italy has managed to convince a good many people that its oils are the best in the world!  The truth of this may be debatable but you will find Frantoio widely planted in groves far away from its home land. It is the second most popular var ..read more

Extensive groves in Sierra de la Subbetica Guild of Food Writers member Judy Ridgway (a renowned olive oil expert and author) will host a tasting of a selection of different varieties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil produced in Andalucia. Judy will make recommendations about food pairing and how to make the most of this wonderful Mediterranean delicacy. Journalists and food bloggers are are invited to attend the tasting on 17 May at Hispania Restaurant,  72-74 Lombard St, London EC3V 9AY, from 11.30 am. Spain is the largest producer of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the world and ..read more