Browsing: Food & drink

Here’s the next in our series of short videos from Cafédirect. Raul, one of the producers of Cafédirect’s delicious Machu Picchu coffee answers more questions on the Cocla Cooperative in Peru where he works. If you’re curious about the way that Fairtrade works, then take a peek at this short video…

Read the rest of Cafédirect Producer Tales – Cocla Cooperative in Peru »

Have you ever wondered where your coffee comes from? Not so very long ago, Cafédirect asked their friends and followers what questions they would ask the coffee makers, and the result was a fantastic series of videos that we would love to share with you.

Read the rest of Cafédirect Producer Tales – Machu Picchu Coffee »

We’re more than half of the way through Fairtrade Fortnight, and people have been swapping to Fairtrade in their thousands – just check out the Fairtrade Foundation’s Big Swap-ometer to see how it’s been going.

Read the rest of The Big Swap – Shared Interest tries Fairtrade Wine »

Tropical Wholefoods

It’s Fairtrade Fortnight, hurrah!  It’s the season when we all have a chance to consider what we buy and where it’s come from.  As we’re munching on some yummy food or dressing ourselves in new clothes in the morning, this is the time for us to have a good think about who is involved in producing some of the things we buy.  Are the workers who pick my bananas being paid properly?  Are the weavers of my new top given a fair wage?

Read the rest of Fairtrade Fortnight Producer Stories: Tropical Wholefoods »

Green & Black's

Today is the last day before the beginning of Lent… Our thoughts should be turning to what we should be giving up between now and Easter, but as it’s the last day when we can enjoy our luxuries guilt free, here we bring you Green & Black’s Chocolate Tasting Guide. Sit back with your favourite bar (or a chocolate selection!), and enjoy…

Read the rest of The Green & Black’s Chocolate Tasting Guide »

Less than a year ago, Cadbury’s announced their first foray into the Fairtrade arena. Since then, Kit Kat have also acquired the Fairtrade mark, and despite many raised eyebrows that people have directed at them, in my opinion this can only be a good thing in the long term.

Read the rest of Going Fair Trade »

Burns Night.  I’ve never participated in this before, but as far as I can tell, it’s aaaall aboot the Haggis. 

Read the rest of Got Haggis? »

This Christmas, my hubby and I received a fabulous addition to our kitchen.  A Morphy Richards Slow Cooker!  Now, unfortunately, it doesn’t permanently live on our kitchen counter as our house is a little on the small side, so we keep it in a cupboard and bring it out ocassionally, but we’re determined to make use of it as often as we can.  It was christened a couple of weeks ago with an averagely-good hot-pot dish, however, this weekend I cooked a corker.

Read the rest of My First Slow Cooked Curry »

Just to be clear the SAD* I’m talking about here is Seasonal Appetite Desires.

I don’t know about you, but as the temperature drops and daylight hours shorten I find myself craving different foods to those I cherish in summertime.  In July, ‘crispy organic lettuce drizzled with vinaigrette dressing’, is a phrase guaranteed to provoke an almost Pavlovian response within me, but come November my palate seems to change as radically as the weather.  It’s goodbye to ‘fresh’ and ‘light’ and hello to ‘hearty’ and ‘rich’! Whilst I’m not quite ready to start my menu planning for Christmas dinner just yet, comfort food has established itself firmly at the top of my menu wish list.
We all have our own favourite comfort food, that dish which we adore, not only for its pleasing taste but also for the sense of contentment that it delivers. For me it has to be Rice Pudding, and here’s my absolute favourite recipe for it. It’s inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare, especially with the slow cooker.  I just can’t recommend it enough ,except, did I mention that it’s organic and suitable for vegans too?
Ingredients:
1L Provamel organic Vanilla flavoured Soya Milk
115g Suma organic Arborio Rice (uncooked)
95g Equal Exchange Fairtrade & Organic Raw Cane sugar
20g Suma Organic Desiccated Coconut
1 tsp Steenbergs Vanilla Extract Fairtrade 100ml
0.5 tsp Suma Organic ground Cinnamon
a dash of salt
1.5 tbsp vegan margarine

Preparation:
This is so easy.  Just combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.

(I used the Morphy Richards Ecolectric Slow Cooker)
Cook on high for 5 hours. Stir once every hour, until the desired consistency is reached.
Cooking time may vary, depending on your slow cooker and the consistency which you like your rice pudding.
Grate some of your favourite dark chocolate on top before serving, (I used Organic Seed & Bean Company Dark Fairtrade Chocolate Bar, 60g)

Serves: 4  hearty portions.
Looks gorgeous presented (as photographed) in our stylish, red, 100% recycled martini glass too.

*Sorry if you came across this page whilst searching for some relief from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you may want to check out some of light therapy products, click here.

With only just over a month until Christmas, it’s time to be getting into the festive spirit. I’m never keen when Christmas lights start to go up in October, but with a mere 5 weeks to go, my thoughts are turning to what I love about the Festive Season with my Christmas Top 5…

1. I love Christmas Trees. I moved into a new flat with my other half last Winter, and we adorned the place with a bigger tree than you would have thought possible. This year I’m sure we’ll be doing the same. Perhaps there is an ethical argument for synthetic trees rather than ‘real’ trees as the former can be reused year after year. However I don’t think I’ll ever be converted to this more modern incarnation of the Christmas tree. Should I be ashamed? I don’t think so (although do correct me if you think I’m wrong!) Choose your tree sustainably, and make sure you dispose of it responsibly after you’ve enjoyed it fully, and you can feel happier in the knowledge that you’ve enjoyed Christmas and done your bit.

2. Christmas Cards – Perhaps it seems a little un-eco-friendly to be sending Christmas cards, and I’m definitely in support of big companies sending e-cards rather than hundreds of paper cards that will probably just languish in an office over Christmas. However…if I didn’t have cards from my friends and family around my house over Christmas it just wouldn’t feel right! The answer to this dilemma is undoubtedly to buy FSC certified or charity Christmas cards, and to recycle them afterwards. In fact my family has a habit of making their favourite cards from one year into gift tags for the next year, reusing as well as recycling.

Read the rest of Festive Favourites – My Christmas Top 5 »