The Battle Royal, Newcastle.

Posted on September 11th, 2023

Following on from previous foodie battles, Wylam Brewery again teamed up with 44 Events for another crowd-pleasing foodie event. We headed back to Exhibition Park where this time it was the ultimate battle of the best known as ‘Battle Royale’ with its biggest line up ever!

The celebration of international cuisines from street food specialists that have stamped out names for themselves in previous foodie battles from the likes of The Mexican Stand Off, ThaiKwondo, Slice Wars and The ArgieBhaji served up their most enticing culinary creations in a bid to win the ’Best Dish’ and ‘Best Genre’ titles.

With over 20 vendors showcasing the best of the best and many offerings at just £4 a plate, the battle of the best is a summer event with a fun atmosphere for food lovers.

Held on a warm but slightly damp August bank holiday weekend there was something for everybody no matter what your taste buds desired.  All vendors offered a showcasing dish as well as vegan or vegetarian options and the creativity from each vendor clearly showed.

Here is a round up of what we ate!

DRUM N THIGH- ‘Thai Me Up’!

Warming sriracha and sweet honey glazed chicken wings topped with fresh lime leaf, crispy onions and fresh creamy Thai curry mayo.

‘GOURMET BURGER VAN’ – The Moose burger up the win!

In a brioche bun, the smashed patty was juicy and flavoursome, with plenty of oozing melted cheese, smoky streaky bacon, sweet with maple syrup drizzle and homemade burger sauce! What a combo!

KRUNCH CORN DOGS – Korean Corn Dog- Salt and Chilli katsu dog

Combining a premium beef dog, with a thick crispy panko crumb, katsu curry mayo, spring onion and salt and pepper seasoning. Otherwise known as’ gamja’ hot dog that’s common in night markets of Seoul.

MY DELHI – Butter Chicken

As featured on the BBC was its 1950’s buttered chicken on offer and it’s safe to say it was crowned the ‘peoples champ’ with a wave of incredible feedback.

Its creamy butter chicken was packed with Tandoori roasted chicken smothered in a rich creamy tomato sauce served with white rice. Other options included Paneer Butter Masala and its legendary Cauliflower Manchurian.

CATCHIS KIMICHI- Kimichi Fried Rice  

Korean BBQ beef combined with sticky jasmine rice, Korean spices, kimchi topped with pickled mooli, crispy seaweed, hot sauce, spring onions, sesame seeds and finished with a fried egg.

SQUARE – ‘Pep talk’ pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza! With a caramelised cheese crust, a blend of three cheeses, double pepperoni, slow cooked Square red sauce, Pecorino Romano, hot honey, and finished with flowers of whipped ricotta, chilli flakes and fresh basil.

With everyone fighting hard it was 2022’s winner Acropolis Street food who were crowned the ‘best dish winner’ with its chicken gyros.

Whether you are a foodie or just fancy a great night out with music and great food this event is for you!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk. 

 

Food Market Review, London.

Posted on August 21st, 2023

London’s foodie scene has exploded with an abundance of Michelin starred restaurants, buzzing markets, and food makers focusing on home-made ingredients. We hit an array of London’s food market setting including Market Halls Victoria, Seven Dials Market and Mercarto Mayfair.

Market Halls Victoria:

What’s the deal? This dance hall turned epic food hall exaggerates the buzz of a food market. Showcasing diverse and electric food and drink offerings across 3 floors in an Edwardian Building with a special roof top terrace! There are 3 destinations, Victoria, Canary Wharf and Oxford Street, 25 kitchens and 200+ dishes to get involved with! Each location is vibrant with DJ’s and live music events, be ready to get your grove on post food coma.

Variety: From burgers and tacos to fried chicken and rotis,it’s safe to say there’s something for everyone!

What we ate: Black Bear Burger – Misco Bacon Burger. Dry aged beef, cheese, smoked bacon, miso butter mayo, onions, with skin on fries with steakhouse rub and habanero honey mayo (is your mouth drooling?). Juicy burger with fatty smoked bacon in a brioche sesame seed bun. Miso mayo added an element of savoury and creaminess and packed some punch. The savoury rub on the fries was delicious, visual spice and herb appeal which led to a moreish side. The Habanero Honey Mayo was a winner, creamy, spicy and sweet, a great combo with the savoury fries.

Eggslut – Spicy Chicken Sando. Spicy fried chicken, sriracha, in house pickled cabbage, free range over medium egg, rich mayo in a warm brioche bun. Oh, and truffle hashbrowns in duck fat, truffle and rosemary salt. Savoury, spicy, tangy, rich – this dish had it all!

DF Tacos – Sweet & Smoky Grilled Chicken with Sweet Hibiscus and Smoky Chipotle Salsa, Crunchy Slaw, Salsa and Coriander. Fresh, vibrant and flavourful which left us with a smoky, charred aftertaste.

Seven Dials Market:

What’s the deal? This market has been created by KERB. KERB is a membership organisation of London’s most promising street food traders. They believe that the food on our streets should be filled with incredible, diverse, slap-you-round-the-face-it’s-so-good flavour, and that the talented traders behind it should have the best chance possible to do what they love, develop their businesses and, ultimately, succeed from the kerb up. Located at Seven Dials, this indoor market with high ceilings, vibrant colourful block branding and of course, a giant banana, brings varying cultures and communities together under one roof.

Variety: A double story building, upstairs for elegant pink terrazzo countertop cafes and barrel vault brick arches; downstairs for steel-fronted street food kitchens including Korean street food, Syrian dishes, sweet and spicy flavours from Bangkok and the world’s first cheese conveyor belt – dreamy!

What we ate: El Pollote –Guava Glazed Wings with Habanero Mayo, ‘Buffanero’ Wings with Buffalo & Habanero Sauce, Queso Fresco. Real intention behind the flavours – no skirting round the issue. It’s Latino to its core. Our favourite was Buffanero – divine! Served on a tray, perfect bite sized wings, drenched in a vibrant red-hot sauce and drizzled with creamy cooling quesco fresco and topped with a chilli sprinkle and vibrant green parsley. Buffalo and habanero chillis both identifiable when eaten. Hot hot hot, and makes you come back for more.

Yum Bun – ‘Fluffy Clouds of Flavour Fusion’ Prawn Bun Special – Kastu prawns, fresh green chilli, coriander, lime sambal. The katsu prawns had a crunchy batter but were turning slightly dry, however, the flavours packed a punch, especially the lime sambal which added a freshness.

Pork and Chive Gyoza Steamed with Szechuan Chilli Oil. Delicious pork and chive steamed gyoza, packed full of flavour and siting in a chilli soup, covered in Szechuan chilli oil which was extremely moreish! The perfect balance of flavour, texture and spice.

If we’d had room: Bad Boy Pizza Society ‘Bad boys by name, all round nice lads by nature. This quartet are serving NY-style pizzas by the slice or a full 22″ with a flair that is a real tonic.’ We would have loved a slice of classic pepperoni pizza.

Mercarto Mayfair

What’s the deal? Two floors of sustainable authentic food, worldwide cuisine, a rooftop terrace, wine cellar and community space. The prices are slightly higher, to reflect the maintenance of fresh, artisanal sourced ingredients. The outside building is spectacular, with high white pillars that stand out against the red brick buildings on either side. As you walk into the large church you’re left breathless, directly facing beautiful stained-glass windows, high pillars and arches all with exceptional detailing.

Variety: An abundance of high-quality offerings such as Malaysian and fusion street food, dumplings and ramen, grilled meat, Spanish cuisines, fresh and authentic pasta, Neapolitan pizza and even lobster! Small, upmarket kitchens from around the world.

What we ate: Molo – MOLO brings to the table an unprecedented food fusion experience. The output consists in proper and unique seafood buns, created with seasonal ingredients and carefully selected by their chefs. Whole Grilled Lobster, Soy Garlic Butter, Double Fried Chips. The lobster was perfectly cooked and drenched in soy garlic butter for an umami hit, with visual vibrant flecks of parsley. The chips were light and crispy and soaked up the butter to perfection. The great food was topped off with the atmosphere. A small, two-seater table overlooking the rest of the church, somewhere we never thought we’d be eating lobster. Paired with a fresh tangy lemonade.

If we’d had room: Handmade Pasta from Pasta London. Keeping it classic with their Taglionlini Cacio e pepe, an authentic Italian dish made in a giant creamy parmesan bowl, with the option to add bacon, mushroom, and extra parmesan. Can you ever have too much cheese?

We also managed a quick stop into Fortnum & Mason to soak up the exquisite offerings of honey, jams, chocolates and freshly made marshmallow squares.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Iztuzu, North Shields.

Posted on July 24th, 2023

Very much a family-run establishment, this bright, yet highly decorated restaurant was a great dining experience with a lively atmosphere. Iztuzu served us some of the tastiest Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, the perfect balance between authenticity but with a modern twist.

The menu is divided into hot and cold mezzes, charcoal favourites, meat and seafood, sharing platters and Mediterranean specialities. We opted for a few dishes off the mezze menu to start. Mitti Kofte, fried lamb meatballs, amplified by the mildly spiced, thick tomato sauce. Subtle spices such as cumin, chilli peppers, clove and cinnamon flavoured the meatballs.

We couldn’t come to a Turkish restaurant without ordering Yaprak Sarma, stuffed vine leaves. Little bites of heaven, tender vine leaves wrapped into little rolls and stuffed with rice and fresh herbs. Classically served as part of a mezze platter, often star of the show!

Next up, Sucuk, slices of grilled Turkish sausage served alongside salad. A beef sausage, which has been semi-dried and mixed with spices including salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin, sumac, and other common Turkish spices that certainly packs a big punch of flavour! The sumac added a tangy and deep flavour note with a hint of earthy sweetness and floral citrus.

 

For mains, we opted for Mixed Adana, a kebab originating from Iranian cuisine. A very moreish, fatty yet flavourful dish with fragrant spices including cumin, sumac, chilli flakes and heavily seasoned with salt and black pepper. The chicken and lamb mix kebab had been grilled on an open flame, filled with burning charcoal which gave another dimension to this dish. This dish wouldn’t be complete without the choice of sauces: a chilli and garlic sauce. The hot sauce, rich in hot chillies, garlic, tomatoes, and cayenne pepper, packed a punched and the garlic sauce, creamy with a slight hint of tang all lead to the perfect kebab filled combo.

Lastly, a traditional Greek dish, Moussaka. We chose the vegetarian option; layers of grilled, aubergine, buttery sliced potatoes, charred green peppers, tomatoes and onions, in a rich yet smoky tomato sauce, topped with a caramelised bechamel sauce, oven baked for pure indulgence. Highly flavoursome with cinnamon, oregano and garlic.

If you’re wishing for a taste of the Med and Turkey, Iztuzu’s for you. Their traditional offerings transport you to the holiday destination you’ve been craving.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Dalziel Ingredients Strengthens Their Technical Service Team

Posted on July 17th, 2023

Dalziel Ingredients has further expanded it’s technical team with the appointment of Laura McNichol as Senior Specification Technologist.

Laura re-joins us from Northumbria Fine Foods where her main duties included liaising with UK retailers ensuring standards, specifications and artworks complied with their individual standards. Previous roles have also included monitoring and coordination supplier specifications as well as being a key member of internal audit team challenges and BRC.

Laura’s new role sees her focus on bespoke customer specifications for the Dalziel group. She will also be tasked with overseeing the development and maintenance of our Technical supply chain to ensure we not only meet but surpass our customer requirements.

Laura adds, “Having previously worked for Dalziel Ingredients between 2016 and 2021, I am excited to be back working for an experienced team. The company strives to be the very best it can be and the team player attitude that comes with Dalziel Ingredients doesn’t come unrecognised. I look forward to applying my skills that I have learnt over the past few years and drive the continued development to meet the needs of our customers and maintain the companies’ high standards.”

Dalziel’s NPD & Technical Services Director Fran Hutton said: “We had to strengthen the team to help manage the level of technical information and detail required by our customers. The team is not only responsible for providing information for the products manufactured by Dalziel Ingredients but also everything sold through the distribution depots. I’m pleased to welcome Laura back into the team”.

Laura’s appointment now takes our NPD and Technical team to 30, advising food manufactures across the world on food safety, technical information and up to date industry legislations.

For more information, contact Dalziel Ingredients on 0191 4693078, email: info@dalzielingredients.co.uk or visit www.dalzielingredients.co.uk

Mexican Stand Off, Newcastle.

Posted on June 7th, 2023

We headed back to Wylam Brewery, this time for their Mexican stand off! The sun was shining, music playing and there was an overriding smoke aroma coming from the vendors.

There were several street food vendors that took over the brewery and dished up everything from tacos and tostadas to burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and much, much more!

A round up of what we ate:

Cantina, Baja ‘Fish’ Taco:

The lightest of light batter, soft flaky banana blossom that replicates a flaky soft white fish. Paired with fresh coriander and zingy spicy hot sauce, creamy avocado, crunchy cabbage and pink pickled onions.

Smashed It, Beef Patty Taco:

Juicy beef patty, topped with creamy burger sauce and layered on a crunchy fried taco. A drizzle of cheese sauce, crunchy spring onions and zesty lime guacamole finished this taco off! The perfect American/Mexican combo, a loaded patty taco.

Good Time Tacos, Korean Fried Chicken:

Crunchy chicken, with savoury yeasty Asian flavour notes. Coated in spicy sweet sticky sauce, crunchy and vibrant veg, topped with creamy miso mayo.

Asada Torta, Lobo Rojo:

Soft bun with a chewy bite, salty cheese, melt in the mouth steak, fresh herbs and chilli adding a hit a colour, raw onion and slight kick from the fresh chilli.

Pollo Loco, Cornflake Chicken:

Thick crispy coating with hot sweet, sticky sauce. Juicy tender chicken, crunchy fresh coleslaw, creamy chipotle mayo and tangy onions. We loved the novelle element of eating from a stick!

Birria Bella, Short Rib Taco:

Juicy beef, with a savoury hit and bone marrow broth for dipping. Stringy melted cheese and crunchy taco. An array of textures and hit of flavour.

Birria Banger Taco:

Similar to the short rib Birria Bella taco – juicy beef, a side of dipping consume, melted cheese and crunchy taco.

Square Pizza: The Red top

A thick  slice, with crusty caramelised cheese crust, a deliciously sweet tomatoey sauce, pesto drizzle, and topped with whipped ricotta. Not as Mexican as the other offerings but still delightful to eat.

The winners are still yet to be announced, however, our favourite was Pollo Loco’s Cornflake Chicken offering. A punch of flavour, texture and looked amazing! Street food at it’s best.

Some other offerings (we were too full to try!).

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk. 

Food and Drink Expo 2023

Posted on May 26th, 2023

We visited the Food and Drink Expo 2023 which is an event that brings together hundreds of UK’s food and drink companies to showcase their products. The expo highlights trending products, recent launches, and the industry’s vision for the future of Food and Drink.

From the expo, we identified 3 main trends influencing the industry.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a mildly fizzy, fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a specific culture known as a ‘scoby’, short for a ‘symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts’. The bacteria and yeasts in the scoby convert the sugar into ethanol and acetic acid. The acetic acid is responsible for kombucha’s distinctive sour taste (BBC Good Food). Some people love it, some people hate it, but it’s a proven talking point. Despite it’s potential off-putting vinegary flavour, it has managed to gain a cult following at rapid speed through innovative flavour varieties.

A newish brand that stood out at the event was Flax & Kale. Their colourful kombucha ticked so many health boxes such as antioxidant properties, rich in iron and great for gut health, but it was also interesting to see, on the huge, colourful, attractive stand, how it was being used as a mixer. The vibe felt very gen Z.

Other brands such as Equinox, founded by Daniel Spayne and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have recently stated, “demand for kombucha is increasing all the time and our growth and confidence in the drink has always grown with this”. Equinox have also said that the UK kombucha market was set to grow by 21% over the next six years (Grocer).

The youngest demographic of consumers is now drinking less alcohol, which makes alcohol companies seek alternative and adaptive measures in order to fulfill their needs. Mintel highlights how alcoholic beverages that offer a stronger health halo and fresh flavours are driving a sense of intrigue within this area. 40% of consumers aged 25-34 drink kombucha so there is a clear opportunity for hard kombucha (kombuchas alcoholic sibling) to disrupt the alcohol market. Within America, several brands are currently aiming to blaze the trail for hard kombucha. KYLA Hard Kombucha is a brand out of Portland, Oregon and the bottle clearly markets the health benefits on the label, such as containing 2g or less of sugar and only 100 calories per bottle.

Flavour Exploration

 

World cuisines aren’t a new foodie trend as such, however, intensified, authentic flavours are growing. For example, Italian cuisine remains the nations favourite (Mintel), but where we may have seen a Tomato and Basil flavoured product 5 years ago, we are now seeing an adaption on this with flavours such as Smoked Sundried Tomato and Italian Herbs.

As consumer tastes evolve and world travel becomes ever more frequent, there is a clear demand to incorporate global flavours into menus and onto supermarket shelves. The expo showcased world foods with Potts using cooking sauces in cans to travel the world! Their sauces include authentic ingredients that define their recipes from others on the market. Some of their range included, Keralan Curry sauce using fennel and roasted chillies as well as Fajita and Taco Pibil sauce with the use of roasted chillies and Mexican achiote paste.

“Low&No” Alcohol Trend

With 8.4 million UK adults choosing not to drink alcohol and the rise in demand for low and non-alcoholic drinks in recent years (Grocer), it’s clear that consumers are seeking alcohol alternatives and the expo showcased many producers in this ever-expanding market. Betty Buzz mixer brand are finding consumer focus within high quality no alcohol drink options that are not only delicious but suit a variety of occasions and drinking preference (Grocer).

The expo showcased brands such as Spirit of Virtue tapping into this trend of premium non-alcoholic beverages. The founders established that consumers had a thirst for something healthier, lighter, greener, but more delicious than ever – as more and more people choose irresistible flavours, botanical ingredients, and authentic experiences over the fleeting pleasure of alcohol.

This trend comes alongside the movement towards healthier consumer lifestyles. People want the pleasures of an alcoholic drink, without the guilt. Mintel highlight this as an industry trend where consumers are unwilling to compromise on small moments of pleasure and indulgence, with consumers carrying a heavy mental load following crisis upon crisis. Staying mentally sharp is also an area of growth whether it’s consumers mental performance at home, at work or at play. Mintel predicts that the next few years will see brands promoting the brain boosts available from familiar energising ingredients such as caffeine and plant-based ingredients like fruits, vegetables and legumes.

In summary, we thought it was great to see the variety and array of innovation and excitement in the food industry with focus on fermentation, bold flavours as well as health, which makes it clear that it’s not a fad and is certainly here to stay!

If you’re interested in our thoughts and learning from the expo, please contact us at mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk.

Slice Wars, Newcastle.

Posted on May 12th, 2023

Wylam Brewery (Exhibition Park, NE2 4PZ) again teamed up with 44 Events for the latest in a series of themed food + beers event last week. Following burgers, curries, tacos, and more, the focus this time was on pizza.

At least 12 local food vendors pitching at Exhibition Park to battle it out for the title of Newcastle’s best pizza. Scream for Pizza, Gingerinos Kitchen, Fire and Dough and Square were just some of the favourite vendors returning for the competition this year. The event not only included pizzas, but also loaded fries, mac and cheese, sweet treats, as well as an array of vegan and vegetarian friendly options. Tokens cost £4 each which equate to a slice of the desired pizza, which can be purchased at the event.

A round-up of what we ate:

Square Pizza: The favourite!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Served deep and square, these pizzas were hard to beat! A Detroit style pizza which is made using a 48-hour dough, cooked in blue steel pans with caramelised cheese crusts, a crispy base, fluffy centre and a choice of 2 toppings. If you’re unsure on thick pizza bases, this could be your converter! We opted for the Obi-Wan Pepperoni Slice, a 3-cheese blend, double pepperoni, Square (SQ) red sauce, pecorino romano, whipped ricotta flowers, a drizzle of hot honey, chilli flakes and freshly cut basil. A match made in heaven. The hot honey drizzle cut through the rich, meaty, salty toppings and the whipped ricotta flowers added a creaminess to the pizza. Overall, a winner in our eyes!

Scream for Pizza

Influenced by Naples ancient traditions and techniques, while adding playful twists to pizza making. Scream for Pizza pledge to create pizza worth shouting (or screaming) about. Scream for Pizza deliver surprising topping combo’s using locally sourced seasonal ingredients as well as high quality Italian artisanal products as their inspiration. The Frida Char-Lo slice began with a chipotle tomato sauce, mozzarella, BBQ caramelised onions, pineapple, and roasted peppers. The chipotle added a smokey note to the pizza, however, this pizza was dominated by sweet flavours. Maybe we should’ve tried their ‘Little Frankie’ slice, vodka bacon sauce, mozzarella, sicilian fennel sausage, pepperoni, red onion and a chilli honey drizzle.

Fire & Dough

   

New York-Style pizzas made with a large hand-tossed thin base with a crisp-edge crust. The dough is made using only flour, salt, water, fresh yeast and a whole lotta love; it is pizza in its purest form. MilFennelium Falcon pizza incorporated just the right amount of mild aniseed flavour with the Tuscan sausage and chilli and fennel honey which was a welcomed note with the creamy mascarpone. This pizza also had diced crispy potato rosti as a topping, which was different but added a depth of flavour as well as a crunchy texture.

Mivesi Indian Street Food / Dou_hstreetfood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing 2 pizzas creating a hybrid between Indian and Italian cooking. Both these vendors incorporated curried flavours within their pizzas, however, both were very different. Mivesi Indian Street Food introduced a naan base, topped with Aloo Chana, a chickpea and potato curry, packed full of spices including garam masala, smoked paprika and cumin powder. We had a choice of either mango chutney or garlic mayo as a topping and opted for mango chutney which gave this ‘pizza’ a rounded sweetness. We went for Dou_h’s veggie option, Chick-3-Pea-O. San Marzano tomato, fior di latte mozzarella, chickpea curry with spinach and a yoghurt and mint drizzle topped with fresh coriander. Fresh, packed full of spices and flavour! The yoghurt drizzle made this pizza and we wanted more!

Youkneadpizza

Interestingly diverse, but if you like blue cheese, this one’s for you! Stinky Fill, San Marzano tomato sauce with thinly sliced filet steak and stilton cheese. The simple flavours were made better with premium ingredients. The steak melted in the mouth and the salty, punchy stilton was a match made in heaven.

Fire & Dough were crowned the winners of Wylam’s Slice Wars pizza competition. Not only did they create MilFennelium Falcon pizza, but their offerings also included C3Pesto, a wild garlic pesto, semidried tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and basil pizza as well as Not the Droiduja Looking For pizza which was their vegan offering. A tomato base, vegan cheese, no’duja paste, semidried tomatoes and fresh basil. Fire & Dough retained their title as champions proving their stuff in the taste department as well as impressing by throwing all their pizzas by hand.

Second place was awarded to Lucca Pizza Company, their debut submission, with their creation, The Meatrix. They won over the taste buds of Slice Wars visitors with their creation which consisted of 48 hours slow proof dough, San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella, chorizo, balsamic caramelised onions, fresh oregano, mascarpone, and chilli flakes.

Square Pizza were awarded third place with their Detroit style pizza. Had Square Pizza not sold out early on Saturday, things could have been very different!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk. 

A Right Royal Occasion!

Posted on April 28th, 2023

The countdown to King Charles III’s Coronation is on. The royal event falls on Saturday 6^th May at Westminster Abbey and people across the UK are set to join in the celebrations with street parties galore!

Street parties bring finger food, grazing boards and party platters of which quiche must be the star of the show for this prestigious event. The Coronation Big Lunch brings communities together over the Bank Holiday weekend, in a nationwide act of celebration and friendship. From a cup of tea with a neighbour to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch brings the celebrations to your neighbourhood and is a great way to get to know your community a little better. The Royal quiche has been chosen by Her Majesty the Queen Consort herself. “A deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes – perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch” (Royal UK).

The UK’s supermarkets are rolling out new ranges and products to celebrate the historic occasion. From sweet treats to biscuit tins, finger food and of course, alcohol, we’ve rounded up some of the limited-edition offerings set to hit a selection of supermarket shelves.

The UK’s leading retailer has gone traditional with it’s retro coronation range. Tesco’s offerings include, putting the King in King Prawn sandwiches, which is the latest addition to its Premium Meal Deal, alongside a Coronation Chicken offering. Tesco also boasts a layered raspberry and peach bellini trifle for sharing at the street party.

The retailer is opening its first ever public house named The King in the Castle, in celebration of King Charles’ coronation next month. The supermarket is encouraging the nation to come together with friends and family and “do good, by going to the pub” by visiting the pub in Farringdon, London, from 4th to the 5th of May. The public house will offer a royal coronation-themed menu featuring products from the Tesco limited-edition coronation food range, including drinks, appetisers, and two/three course meals (Evening Standard).

Morrisons are focusing on a “very British” theme within their food platters, including a spicy grazing platter of bhajis, pakoras and samosas; a continental grazing box of Italian cheese, Spanish ham and Mediterranean olives; and with a savoury grazing box of pork pies, sausage rolls and quiches (Grocer).

Sainsbury’s research suggests more than half of its shoppers are planning to celebrate the coronation of King Charles on 6th May with an afternoon tea or by throwing a party at home. It has set out to cater for such occasions with a host of crown-themed products and union flags galore. From Taste the Difference Pork & Cranberry Crown, controversial King Wiggles cakes, to sweet treats, Sainsburys have the buffet table covered (Grocer)!

In keeping with the crown-themed products, Marks and Spencer are making the most of the event with everything needed to celebrate in style! Leading the procession is none other than a limited-edition Colin the Caterpillar adorned with a miniature crown, and for those who prefer a more bite-sized indulgence, fear not – mini “Colin-ations” are also available. And what’s a celebration without a toast? There’s M&S coronation English Sparkling Wine or even an ale from the 225-year-old Elgood’s Brewery (Grocer).

Create and Innovate 

Prestigious occasions lend themselves to inventive creations. Our talented team have developed fitting recipes fit for a king! With nostalgia being a continuous trend that we have all experienced before and with the cost-of-living crisis emphasising how consumers are leaning towards brands that offer family traditions, quality and stir up feelings of nostalgia (Grocer).

Honey & Mustard Scotch Egg                                                                       

A picnic wouldn’t be the same without scotch eggs, right? We’ve added honey and wholegrain mustard to our mix to add a punch of flavour.

*Featuring Dalziel Ingredient’s Honey and Mustard Seasoning*

Ploughman’s Quiche

All the flavours of a traditional classic, packed into pastry! Chunky chutney added to the base of the quiche truly sets this dish apart as well as the mix of cheeses used. Topped with a garlic and herb panko crumb to add an alternative texture.

*Featuring Dalziel Ingredient’s Chunky Chutney*

Asian Lamb Crisps & Strawberry and Ginger Popcorn 

A coronation celebration starring snacks fit for a king! Asian Spiced Lamb Crisps alongside Strawberry and Ginger Popcorn. Eaten as they are or top them on nostalgic desserts.

*Featuring Dalziel Ingredient’s Asian Spiced Lamb Seasoning and a Strawberry and Ginger Seasoning*

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk. 

Fat Hippo, Jesmond

Posted on April 21st, 2023

If you’re a burger fan, this one’s for you. Born in 2010 with roots in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Fat Hippo are renowned for the best burgers and dirty fries. Recognised for their quality ingredients and quirky flavours, they also have vegan, gluten-free and kids’ selection to feed all of the family.

The Fat Hippo family has grown over time, with locations across the UK, however, we went to their original restaurant located in Jesmond, a vibrant suburb just outside of Newcastle city centre. The restaurant is small and intimate with a brick open fireplace. Indie/folk rock music was being played, which gave the whole place a very informal and relaxed feel.

We started with Hot Honey Buffalo wings. The consolidation of two American sauces, both fiery, both delicious. The enriched buffalo sauce, paired with the sweetness of the honey was the perfect addition to succulent chicken wings with the crispest of coatings. It doesn’t stop there… the wings are then sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese. The cheese stands up to the bold buffalo/hot honey sauce and it’s creaminess helps settle the fieriness. A classic flavour combo, improved with the additional honey sweetness.

Next, a collaboration between Fat Hippo and Project D with their Homer Simpson inspired doughnut, The Big D’oh. Sandwiched in the doughnut, was something sweet, spice, and all things nice. Chilli and lime buttermilk chicken, smoked bacon, blueberry jello and herby cream cheese, served with chilli and lime seasoned fries. As if the combo of a burger in a doughnut wasn’t enough, the additional bacon, jello and cream cheese really took a while for the brain to process. Although the layers of flavours offer smoky, salty notes, there was an overwhelming sweetness from the doughnut and jello. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this one’s for you.

Fat Hippo pride themselves on their vegan offerings meaning the signature Fat Hippo ‘good kind of gluttony’ can be enjoyed by everyone. We tried the Notorious VFC 2.0 burger – Vegan. Fried. Chicken. A Southern fried plant based chkn patty topped with waffle fries, vegan cheese, crunchy lettuce, pickles, BBQ sauce and zinger mayo. Now this was impressive. Did we miss the meat? Absolutely not. This is one of their five vegan burger offerings on their menu all year round. All of the vegan burgers are served in toasted vegan brioche buns and hand cut chips.

For sides, we ordered frickles and fat hippo sauce as well as tater tots. Can it get much better than fried pickles? This is a very addictive dish which once you start, you can’t help but go back for seconds or maybe even thirds. A special shoutout to the Fat Hippo sauce. A sort of tangy, burger mayo with a little kick – the perfect dipping sauce for the frickles. The tater tots are extremely crispy potato bites with the ultimate soft, fluffy centre, similar to a hash brown. These can be served ‘dirty’, loaded with fat hippo sauce and bacon bites. Alternatively, a vegan option is available with vegan fat hippo sauce and fakon bites.

In case our sugar intake wasn’t quite enough from this meal, we ordered ‘Meet Joe Crack milkshake’. Coffee, whipped cream, fudge sauce, vanilla ice cream and pretzels. Velvety smooth milkshake with rich, bitter coffee topped with crunchy salted pretzels. A sweet and salty treat to end the meal.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Six by Nico, Edinburgh

Posted on April 6th, 2023

Set in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh, Six by Nico differs from other restaurants by offering a 6-course tasting experience, alternating every 6 weeks, which is themed upon a different place or memory. Nico and his team research the chosen experience in great detail, visiting the countries or cities and soaking up as much of the culture as possible, from cooking with the locals, to eating in high-end restaurants and pairing dishes to perfection. Our visit to the restaurant brought a taste of Tokyo in which Nico and his team found a bounty of inspiration for the tasting menu which had been adapted and curated to celebrate Japanese food and ingredients. Their website gives you an insight into their time spent in Japan, learning about the culture as they go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant holds a maximum of 6 guests per table to ensure small gatherings and the attention to detail was easily recognisable. The interior had the essence of Tokyo, decorated with dark woods, teal walls, and a feature wall with gold leaf paper. The array of greenery and plants also added to the details, alongside the buzz of the restaurant, it made you feel as though you were living the Tokyo lifestyle.

 

 

The tasting experience began with course 1, Chicken Karaage, typically a bento box favourite. This well-known street food dish had been ‘pimped’ up. A crispy battered chicken thigh with toasted, sweet yet spicy notes from the togarashi, topped with oroshi shoga ginger. Freshly sliced ginger, orange in colour, adding a warming note to the dish.

 

 

 

Course 2, Tempura. A typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables in the lightest of light batter. Six by Nico put their twist on this dish, using enoki mushroom as the base of the tempura. The mushroom added texture and earthiness to the dish against the crisp, saltiness from the tempura batter. The pickled daikon, sometimes known as a winter radish, cut through the richness of the batter, brought together with the tangy, ponzu sauce. There were notes of salt and vinegar running through this dish adding a Western twist.

 

 

Course 3, Okonomiyaki. A Japanese savoury pancake not that dissimilar to a frittata texture. The pancake batter filled with chunks of pork and prawns, made with flour, eggs and cabbage. The okonomi sauce adds a powerful sweet, umami flavour to the dish. Made from dates, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar the sauce paired perfectly with the Japanese mayonnaise which added a rounded creaminess.

 

 

Course 4, Ramen. A deep, smoky, rich dashi broth topped with a charred, barbequed miso sea bass which had been cooked on the open grill lending the sea bass to have the crispest of skin and flaking flesh! The egg yolk jam added a richness to this dish which is common in Japanese culture as they often serve a soft boiled egg on the top of a ramen bowl.

 

 

 

Course 5, Tonkatsu. A Japanese dish that consists of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. Their take on this classic dish included a yakitori ham jam which was sweet and bbq like, but with a hint of umami. The pork melted in the mouth, and paired well when eaten with the sweet Hokkaido pumpkin which added a bold colour to the dish.

 

 

 

Course 6, Strawberry candy. A work of art on a plate and didn’t disappoint on flavour. The white chocolate parfait, perfectly smooth and creamy with the candied and pickled strawberries reminded us of summer. The matcha cake added a grassy note with naturally sweet nuttiness, as well as a touch of bitterness with a pleasant savory ending. Overall, a fresh, vibrant, creamy dish to end a tasting menu inspired from Tokyo.

 

 

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk