Mudd, glorious mudd…
Eat with a spoon out of the jar or spread on bread or crumpets, Hawkshead’s jars of meltingly thick ‘mudd’ come in three flavours: salted chocolate, chocolate and honey and salted banoffi banana
Hawkshead Chocolate mudd, £4.95/220g from hawksheadrelish.com
Denby casserole
Shallow cast iron casserole by Denby, in a soft spring-like grey, 30cm/3.8ltr. Oven- and hob-safe. Good handles for lifting, but stupendously heavy to hold for any length of time…
Pavilion Cast iron casserole, £83.40 from Denby, denby.co.uk
Parabola
The relocated Design Museum – soaring architectural interiors, exhibitions, shop – is also hosting a series of pop-up kitchens and guest-chef evenings at its Parabola Restaurant. First up, Shaun Hill of the Walnut Tree Inn, South Wales (3o Jan); followed by Paris Pop-Up (1-2 Feb) with Harry Cummins and Laura Vidal; Sir Terence and Lady Vicki Conran (3-4 feb); and Valentine Warner whose residency featuring menus inspired by ‘International Grannies’ runs from 6 Feb – 31 March
Parabola at the Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 (designmuseum.org), visit www.parabola.london
Five of the best… Super Foods
Turmeric
A member of the ginger family, historically a medicinal herb in India. Its main active ingredient is curcumin, whose anti-inflamatory properties combine with strong antioxidants. One theory suggests that curcumin is best absorbed into the body with black pepper. Turmeric is also linked to improved brain function
Pea protein
Whey protein alternative, dairy and gluten free, Pea protein is a food with a neutral taste that is used in dairy alternatives such as cheeses and yogurt. It is extracted from the yellow pea, Pisum sativum
Raw cacao nibs
Cacao beans that have been roasted, separated from their husks and broken into smaller pieces – they taste like a memory of chocolate without being as sweet. Cacao nibs are one of the best dietary sources of magnesium; once ounce contains nine grams of fibre; and they’re a mood improver. A downside is that cacao contains theobromine, a nervous system stimulant that dilates the blood vessels, similarly to caffeine
Avocado oil
The avocado’s caloric composition is 77% oil. Eating just one avocado a week is good for the skin, improves circulatory function and helps keep hormones in balance. The oil itself has anti inflamatory properties, is a rich source of oleic acid and is one of the top five foods highest in vitamin E – good for eyes, skin, memory and mental acuity. It’s also helps to increase efficiency of the digestive tract
Macadamia nuts
Aka the Australia nut, or Queensland nut, the macadamia is a product of the east coast rain forests of north eastern parts of Australia. The tree reaches about 15m high and produces fruit in its 7th year. Macadamia nuts are a good source of energy and are packed with nutrients, minerals (eg calcium, iron, zinc), antioxidants and vitamins. 100g of macadamia nuts provide 23% of daily recommended levels of fibre. Also satisfyingly sweet for those craving a sugar hit
Visit musclefood.com for a site entirely devoted to premium nutrition for healthy living
