The Sardinistas
Purveyors of gourmet tinned fish from the seas of Portugal, and other gorgeous artisan products in Altrincham Market, The Sardinistas, have now launched a pop-up Portuguese Supper Club. The menu produced in conjunction with Chef Sarah from Taste the Love MCR, will feature pesticos (Portuguese tapas) plus a wide variety of canned fish and traditional dishes, Portuguese wines, port cocktails and Pastel de Natas
Sardinistas Supper Club, 31 July, at Palate Chorlton, 516 Wilbraham Rd Manchester M12. Tickets from £25 per head from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/taste-the-love-presents-the-sardanistas-an-evening-of-portuguese-petiscos-tickets-35700240380?aff=efbeventtix
Butternut Box
Box delivery not for you, but for your dog. Butternut will deliver a regular supply of fresh food, tailored to your dog’s unique requirements (ie, age, breed, rate of activity, but not, sadly, its ability to pay…), to your door. It’s so good, say the two ex-bankers who launched this service, that you can eat it yourself – and they do, apparently
Butternut Box delivery, from £1.20 a day for very small dogs, visit butternutbox.com for further details
Birds and Herds
The traditional method of ‘mob grazing’ has been given a new lease of life by the Traditional Free Range Egg Company who let their hens range freely behind grazing cattle as the herds move to new pastures. The cattle break down the pasture into a mulch; the hens follow behind, fertilizing the land, stimulating new growth by scratching through the manure and spreading nutrients over the whole field. The resulting eggs reflect, as you would expect, this wholesome way of feeding a chicken…
For details visit TheTraditionalFreeRangeEggCompany.co.uk. Birds and Herds Eggs £2.25/6 eggs, available at delis, farmshops
Plus … five top foods to keep you healthy
Cacao
This means 90% raw chocolate (or cocoa nibs). Flavanol-rich chocolate can help protect skin against sun damage, as well as improve circulation to the skin, increase skin hydration, and reduce roughness and scaling. Some studies have suggested that a small amount of dark chocolate at bedtime can help you sleep (above: harvesting cocoa pods)
Ombar 90%, £1.99/35g, ocado.com
Oats
Helpful in managing cholesterol levels, full of fibre and a necessary component of delicious bowls of porridge. Oats can also be used to make bread (please visit breadandoysters.com/oat-bread/ for a simple oat bread recipe)
Flavahans organic porridge oats, £2.25/1kg, flahavans.co.uk
Fish
Good source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential not only for heart health, but also for brains and eyes. Fish are also associated with keeping inflammation in check. (high inflammation is a characteristic of most chronic disease, eg, arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer’s). Fish are also rich in selenium and B vitamins
Buckwheat
Nourishing, energising super seed, a good alternative to rice, pasta and potatoes. Buckwheat is also high in rutin, a type of flavonoid associated with toning and strengthening veins and capillaries
Instant Organic Buckwheat, £2.49 from clearspring.co.uk
Water
Good hydration is vital. Water helps nutrients and oxygen to get where they’re needed in the body, and plays a role in chemical reactions that break down food molecules to make energy. Drink about between 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day (that includes liquid in foods such as soups, caffeine-free teas and watered-down fruit juices)
